KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Most establishments opened by Chinese expatriates in Malaysia often feature a mix of cuisines from all over China, capturing a small part of what they enjoy back in China.
This Taman Danau Desa establishment is operated by two generations of a family originally from Shenyang, a city in Northeast China.
Come here for their roujiamo or “meat in a bun,” a popular Xi’an street snack that is essentially a Chinese-style hamburger.
Variations of roujiamo exist with different buns and fillings but this place serves the Tongguan variety, which uses a thousand-layer bun that is crispy and flaky, making it stand out compared to a normal pocket size piece of bread.
As you crunch down on the round flatbread with paper-thin layers, you reach the fatty meat filling mixed with chopped coriander that oozes with its juices, providing an unexpected surprise.
The flaky wonder comes with a pork filling (RM11) or a beef version (RM13); the pork version oozes sweet juices, while the beef one has a noticeably meatier flavour.
Be warned: one bite of flaky-crunchy-juiciness will hook you for seconds.
Typically in Xi’an, locals pair roujiamo with Handmade Sesame Cold Noodles (RM11) or knife-cut Liang Pi with a bottle of orange-flavoured soda called Bing Feng or Ice Peak.
Made in-house daily, the cold noodles, which resemble wide ribbons, are tangled with sesame sauce, thinly cut cucumber, bean sprouts and starchy wheat gluten.
In Xi’an, the palate leans more sour-and-hot, which wakes up the appetite.
I’ve sampled boiled dumplings paired with vinegar and thin shreds of ginger or pan-fried versions but this combination of Dumplings in Sour Soup (RM14) elevates those hand-folded nuggets of pork and vegetables encased in smooth skin.
Amidst the sourness, you find an unlikely companion of seaweed in the soup, which imparts a silky softness.
Don’t miss out on their Crispy Sweet & Sour Pork (RM27), their version of the iconic Guo You Rou, the Dongbei version of sweet and sour pork.
It features large slices of pork tenderloin, not the small pieces typically used in sweet and sour pork.
These slices are coated in potato starch and deep fried to a golden crust with bubbles that threaten to burst.
No tomato sullies this dish. Instead it’s a simple mix of rice vinegar and sugar, which takes on a golden brown hue from the sesame oil.
Here, soymilk is freshly made, pulling you with the satiny goodness from the soy beans.
It’s also coagulated into smooth, wobbly soymilk custard laced with sweet syrup (RM4.50) — the typical flavour pairing — but spring for the Savoury Tofu Hua (RM5) with a velvety sauce and a dollop of chili sauce for a different flavour.
Familiar classics pepper the menu, which are popular with many like the fish slices served with pickled vegetables or Sichuan peppercorns.
Quick and easy meals for one can also be ordered, such as different rice bowls topped with tomato and egg, braised eggplant, diced chicken with chili, and the Stir-Fried Spicy Tofu Rice Bowl (RM14) which is their version of mapo tofu.
The beancurd is diced and cooked with a spicy, deep flavour of Sichuan chilli bean paste and fermented black beans, making white rice an essential accompaniment.
For a finish that isn’t too sweet — the way many Chinese prefer — there’s Golden Fried Glutinous Red Bean Cake (RM3.50).
The slightly chewy mochi-like glutinous rice cake contains red bean paste and is best enjoyed with a cup of hot tea as you wind down a meal here.
Fortune Cafe
11-0-5, Jalan 4/109F,
Taman Danau Desa Business Centre,
Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur.
Open daily: 10.30am to 10pm
Tel: 017-6622565
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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