PETALING JAYA, July 15 — The cost crunch has seen many stalls cut down on ingredients, opting for cheaper alternatives to keep afloat.
For someone who constantly eats out like me, the difference is obvious as even a shortcut or swap of a usual item affects the delicate balance of flavours.
Hence it's refreshing to encounter one stall staying true to the belief that food served to others must equal the quality of what she eats, as her first customer of the day is always her own husband.
Madam Lim runs a stall inside Restoran YYC Kopitiam, offering a choice of noodles and porridge with home-cooked flavours made with care.
The Sabahan who relocated here has been a hawker for roughly nine years, moving around the Damansara Perdana area.
Previously, she sold prawn mee but she noticed diners wanted simpler flavours they could eat every other day.
When this corner coffee shop reopened with new owners about two months ago, she decided to open a stall offering pork noodles, fish noodles and porridge.
Many diners are drawn to her Chaozhou inspired fish noodles (RM15), which feature fresh tomatoes and lemon.
It resembles the Teochew steamed hor fun noodles I wrote about in 2017 at Pudu's ICC in terms of using tomato and lemon but this version isn't sour or tangy.
What those two ingredients bring to the bowl is freshness instead.
Her wholesome broth base makes her noodles special because it contains no artificial additives, it uses ikan bilis, old chicken feet and pork bones simmered for two and a half hours.
A surprise ingredient is chickpeas, a healthier alternative to yellow beans, which gives the broth richness.
It's a bowl of neverending surprises as you get a huge chunk of siakap fish with a soft, sweet flesh.
Madam Lim takes much care to use only fresh fish delivered daily; nothing is kept frozen.
This is coupled with pieces of homemade fish paste and sliced pork, sourced fresh every day.
For those who crave a hit of spiciness, her spicy-sour chilli will have you asking for more.
It's hard not to get hooked on such wholesomeness; a few days later, I was back for the Bittergourd Pork Noodles (RM10).
You won't get a rich broth nor all kinds of offal, as this stall only sells freshly sliced pork.
Instead, there are fish balls with a gentler bite, signifying fewer fillers. Tomato and lemon are also added.
For added decadence, my friend who recommended this stall tells me to add a spoonful of lard fritters for a deep-fried crunch.
Last but not least, there's porridge, cooked using fragrant jasmine rice rather than broken rice, giving it a creaminess and fragrance that other stalls don't have.
The Century Egg and Pork Porridge (RM10) isn't your ordinary porridge; this version uses century eggs made from duck eggs that boast a creamy centre. Bye bye rubbery century eggs that bounce more than they flavour.
Madam Lim truly believes in investing even in her condiments, opting for only Sarawak black pepper powder for her porridge because it doesn't leave any bitter aftertaste like other peppers.
Her care doesn't stop with ingredients; if you sit near her stall, she'll look to see if you need an extra lemon slice to boost the tanginess or even a much needed tissue to wipe your mouth after relishing that thick, creamy porridge.
That's true hospitality that will win you over.
Fish Noodles, Pork Noodles and Porridge Stall
Restoran YYC Kopitiam
No. 2, Jalan PJU 8/5E,
Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya.
Open: 6am to 2.30pm. Closed every alternate Sunday of the month (They will be closed on July 19)
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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