PETALING JAYA, Jan 19 — Tired of another suan cai yu or mala hotpot? Perhaps it’s time for a little homestyle food from Northern China or Harbin to be exact.
As our knowledge grows in tandem with the explosion of Chinese restaurants here in the city, we can make choices to suit our taste buds, swapping burning tongues for the power of a good broth.
This particular stall inside Cawfee Tawk, the food court of Bandar Utama’s Centrepoint, gives us a glimpse of what a home kitchen in Harbin or Dong Bei would turn out on a daily basis.
Operated by a Harbin native, it’s peddling nourishing flavours, all the way from Northern China, which pulls you in a big way.
Harbin Nourishing Chicken Soup Noodles (RM13.90) lives up to its name, leaving you feeling like a superhero, ready to fight through that pile of paperwork in the office.
The broth is given lots of time, drawing all of the goodness from free range chickens and a small portion of herbal ingredients.
Even the thin, smooth noodles aren’t your atypical strands as it’s crafted from oats and wheat, a staple for the Northerners so it’s not full of sugar or starch, making us feel less guilty for finishing the whole bowl.
The bowl is bulked up with Fresh Pork ChaoShou, their version of dumplings which is folded differently and is representative of Sichuan rather than the northern region’s jiaozi.
It starts with how the skin is cut, square rather than round, which is commonly used in jiaozi.
As it’s folded corner to corner, it converts to a crescent moon pouch-like shape.
Even the filling and mouth feel for these dumplings differ vastly.
The skins are thinner with a silky bite, followed by a juicy pork leg and cabbage filling that feels almost fluffy cloud-like, since it’s not packed inside firmly but with a lighter touch.
These dumplings are made fresh every day and you may be lucky to see them making it.
And if you like them, grab a packet of the frozen ones to pretend that you laboriously folded them to serve it to your loved ones.
Order it as a side dish (8 pieces for RM11.90 or 10 pieces for RM13.90) and it’s served floating in a bowl with a clear broth flavoured with seaweed and tiny anchovies.
Dip it in a saucer of chilli oil for a hit of spiciness mingling with the juicy filling, if you still miss that mala hotpot.
Inside the bowl you’ll also find slices of Fresh Handmade Pure Pork Sausage (RM7 for a piece).
In Harbin, there’s a red sausage which is smoked and cured but this homemade version reminds one of luncheon meat minus all those nasty preservatives and fatty bits as the bite is firm with a “clean”, juicy bite.
Feeling the heat from the upcoming Chinese New Year? Thrill your tastebuds with this chilly, icy Korean Cold Noodles (RM13.90).
You’ll feel the body’s soaring temperature drop as you will be drinking the icy soy sauce broth together with the slightly chewy noodles.
Toppings are minimal with shredded vegetables, two thin slices of poached chicken breast and a herbal braised egg but who needs all that when you just need that broth to cool you down.
Korean Cold Noodles & Harbin Hot Noodles Stall
Cawfee Talk
G28 & G29, Centrepoint by M,
3, Lebuh Utama, Petaling Jaya..
Open daily: 9.30am to 9.30pm
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
