KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 25 — There is something comforting about a tummy-warming meal especially when it’s raining outside and a bowl of rice wine noodles hits the spot perfectly.
The key element of this energy-boosting broth is the sweet-tasting glutinous rice wine that is carefully fermented and cooked with an abundance of fresh ginger. It’s often used as confinement food by Hakka families who believe it helps new mothers gain back the energy exerted during childbirth.
Usually chicken pieces are added. You will also find crunchy wood ear fungus mingling with a fluffy fried omelette in the broth for added protein. You can either eat this with a bowl of rice but slippery smooth wheat noodles or mee sua are also perfect with the rich-tasting broth.
Oriental Cravings
G359, Ground Floor Oval, 1 Utama Shopping Centre New Wing, PJ
On their menu, look for the rice wine chicken mee sua. It’s served only when their home-made rice wine is available. It packs a punch with its sweet, strong-tasting broth that has an abundance of minced ginger. Dig down to find silky mee sua, smooth chicken pieces and wood ear fungus mingling with a fluffy omelette for a delicious meal that will warm your whole body. Other good eats include their seasonal Chinese New Year pomelo salad, a treat that is available when there’s stock of their pomelos from Tambun. There is also their lap mei fan with the tender goose liver sausages that is fragrant with wine.
Sisters Drunken Chicken Noodles, Beh Brothers Restaurant
21, Jalan Alor, KL
Originally opened by two sisters, this stall is now run by the second generation of the family. People come here for their intoxicating bowl of chicken rice wine noodles that uses their home-made rice wine. It is a satisfying bowl with chicken pieces and an omelette filled with ginger strips that is fried in sesame oil. If you prefer a lighter meal, order their pork noodles which is also tasty with an assortment of pig’s liver, fallopian tubes and kidney.
Restoran FunFun Kitchen
No. 58, Jalan SL 1/3, Bandar Sungai Long, Ulu Langat, Kajang
This four-year-old shop is popular for its large variety of pork noodles. Their bestseller is the XO Pork Noodles laced with rice wine and topped with a fluffy omelette. As it uses a pork broth, the taste is lighter but brought up a notch with the addition of rice wine. They also serve various types of pork noodles including a bitter gourd version that is popular. You can also order fish head noodles.
Ying Ker Lou
Level 2, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, KL
The Hakka specialist serves up a comforting bowl of ginger and wine noodle thread. The broth will warm you from top to toe and it makes a perfect one-dish meal with its smooth mee sua and chicken pieces. If there are more people, order their drunken kampung chicken or the more decadent prawns with ginger and rice wine in a hot pot to share with rice. The restaurant also has branches at The Curve, Pavilion KL, Paradigm Mall and Atria Shopping Gallery.
Next Station Noodle House
58, Jalan 19/3, Section 19, PJ
Open: 9am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm.
This place serves up a repertoire of noodles said to be from a Hakka village in Tapah, Perak. Their ginger wine noodles is slightly different as it is a lighter broth with a strong taste of ginger. Nevertheless, it’s still enjoyable if you’re looking for a light meal. You can opt to eat a bowl of noodles that is served with omelette, poached chicken, fish balls and pork meat slices. An alternative order is the set meal where a plain bowl of ginger wine noodles is paired with a plate of poached kampung chicken. Other popular items include their tangy tomato soup noodles. Note they are closed on Christmas Day.
