Fishy fish aquarium with a difference

On appearance, this shop in Taman Bidara Selayang looks like an aquarium, but even the most beautiful fishes here are meant only for the chef’s kitchen.

The fish and other seafood – yes, “exotic seafood” – are imported from countries like Alaska, Canada, the United States, Australia and France, among others.

And, some of the fishes here such as Soo Mei can be priced as high as anything above RM300 a kilogramme depending on the market prices, but people come from a long distance just to pick their favourite fish.

Its proprietor, Tim Liew said for prawns alone, there are already a number of varieties, depending on the supply – from Freshwater Prawns and White Prawns, to Tiger Prawns and Mantis Prawns. “Each has its own uniqueness,” he said. “The secret with fresh prawns is to steam them to get the original tastes. They taste great when eaten with some soya sauce or chilli.”

Picking up the Australian lobsters, he added: “Even the lobsters from Australia are different from the Boston Lobsters, and the Rainbow Lobsters from Asian countries is so named because it has the colours of the rainbow. When we are talking about crabs, it is not just the usual crabs that are sold in local restaurants. Here, we have the Snow Crabs and the King Crabs from Australia, as well as Spider Crabs from Alaska.”

In total, Liew said they have over one hundred different types of fishes, prawns, clams, crabs, oysters, “live” abalone and other seafood to choose from. Some of them come by funny names, too.

“Geoducks, for example, are not in the same family as ducks,” he laughed. “The Geoducks, either from Mexico or Canada, are not known to most Malaysians, except to the more discerning diners,” he explained.

“We always recommend people to eat it raw to taste its sweetness. Otherwise, it can also be half-cooked in boiling water or steamboat. The diners especially in Chinese restaurants are beginning to like the taste, when eaten with some wasabe.”

Some regulars, like Chiang Chai Kuei, 37, from Robson Heights come here very often to pick up their favourite seafood. Chiang’s wife, Lim Siew Choo, 39, was first time at the aquarium.

“My first impression is that there are so many different types of seafood,” she said. “One has to learn the uniqueness of each type of seafood and taste it to know the difference.”

Lim said she would pick the fish based on her budget and the advice given by restaurant’s chef. “We have a regular restaurant that we go to,” she said. “The chef would let us know what kind of fish to pick. He would then prepare the dish for us. The good thing is the seafood here is alive.”

Interesting History

Liew’s story with seafood is interesting. It appears like every time the country went through a recession, the 46-year-old former boy of Sekolah Menengah Kepong keeps progressing to the next level on the ladder of success.

“But it takes nothing but pure sweat and sheer hard work,” he added. “Plus, a lot of determination!”

Back in the eighties, at the age of 18, Liew had started work selling construction equipment. “In 1985, the construction industry went into the doldrums,” he said. “I was only 23 years old, and without a job.”

A friend involved in fish farming in Pulau Ketam invited him to be a partner in the fish business. “I started supplying fish to restaurants. Back then, I was the salesman, the lorry driver, the accountant,” he reminiscensed. “Work was tough, but I managed to survive.”

Gradually, he started supplying to hotel restaurants around the country. Business became to pick up.

Then, the country was again hit by another round of recession in 1997 at the onslaught of the Asian Financial Crisis. This time, it was worse than before, and people were not eating out as much as before.

Liew had to think of a creative way to enhance his fish business. “That’s when we started cooperating with restaurants in the vicinity,” he said. “We were in fact the first ones in Malaysia to adopt this Hong Kong style, where customers can buy the fish and after we have cleaned it, we send to the restaurant of their choice,” he said. “People liked the idea, and business picked up.”

Currently, Liew said, he is working with five different restaurants within the vicinity in Taman Bidara, namely Restoran Bei Hai, Restoran Chef Tam, Restaurant Wong Kee, Restoran Venicia (Pork Free) and Restoran New Coca.

“Most of these restaurants charge only a minimum cooking fee,” he said. “Of course, customers would also order other things besides the fish.”

Will Liew survive the next recession? “Yes, of course! People love my fish, and in the worst of recessions, there will still be people who have the cash to enjoy the best that Mother Nature can offer,” he said.

JC Foodtech is located at No 9, Jalan 2/4, Taman Bidara, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor. Tel: 03-61203333. Website: www.jcfoodtech.com

Huang Di Noodle House

HUANG DI NOODLE HOUSE

recommended just for the environment

By Stephen Ng

One man’s passion and hobby has turned the legends of the Chinese emperors into a full-fledged noodle palace, serving only traditional cuisines from olden times at “emperor-subsidized” prices.

Owner and chef of Huang Di Noodle Palace, Yong Lam Lee said many of his regular patrons come back for more because his prices are reasonable, making one feel that they are heavily subsidized by the emperor himself.

“For about RM55, one can savour a good variety of some 13 dishes,” he said. “It is already quite a big feast for between four to six people.”

The concept of his noodle palace started, when Yong was in the wholesale trading business.

“Back in 2002, we imported one small container load of noodles from an old man who was at least one hundred plus years old, and he owned this small factory in China producing the noodles,” he said.

After introducing the noodles, he received very positive responses from the local consumers. “People were coming back to us for repeat orders,” he said.

At that time, Yong said he was deeply fascinated with legends of the Imperial kingdom. An inspiration came, and he started to name the noodles, “Huang Di Noodles” which literally means, “Emperor’s noodles.”

The business picked up very fast. Subsequently, in October 2005, Yong decided to enter the restaurant business and came out with his version of the ancient Chinese emperor’s noodle house, and named his restaurant in Medan Putra Business Park, “Huang Di Noodle Palace.”

“Huang Di” literally means “Emperor” and the ambience makes the patrons feel important the moment they step into the restaurant. In the wildest of imagination, it is like being invited to feast with the ancient Chinese emperor himself in the ancient imperial palace of China.

And, to make sure that everyone gets to enjoy the Chinese delicacies of olden days, Yong has several choices which are priced even lower than the hawker stalls.

For RM3.80, one can eat Char Siew Wantan Huang Di Noodles, Braised Meat Huang Di Noodles or Char Siew Wantan Soup Huang Di Noodles.

“We are planning to introduce more dishes from time to time,” Yong said. “But, the interesting thing is, instead of looking for new ideas, we are always researching into the ancient recipes. What we want is to serve food that the emperor himself used to enjoy, and prepare the food befitting the emperor and his guests.”

To avoid using MSG, Yong said, he uses special techniques to extract the natural taste of the food. “This is where we excel best,” he said. “We believe in preserving the natural flavours of the food we serve to the emperor’s guests.”

When he first learnt how to make “wantan” or “swei kow” the ancient style, Yong said he was surprised himself that people in the olden days used seven different types of ingredients, compared to present day hawker stalls.

“To make sure we keep our originality and customers get to taste the real “wantan” and “swei kow”, we use all seven ingredients,” he said. “The emperor is very particular about the food we serve to his guest.”

Their signature dish is Shark Fin Fish Maw Crabmeat Noodle, which has both crabmeat and shark fin fish maw, cooked together with Huang Di noodles. “It is also another ancient recipe which we learnt from ancient records,” said Yong.

Invited guests, Stephen Lim and his wife, Tan Bee Cheng said this was their first time to try out the food and they enjoyed the backdrop.

Lim, a businessman who travels to China very often, said he liked the Supreme Fish Ball Huang Di Noodles, while his wife, Bee Cheng enjoyed the Hakka Meat and Phoenix Claws Huang Di Noodles. “It tastes very unusual,” she said.

Huang Di’s signature drink is Ambarella fresh juice, made from Ambarella fruits.

Huang Di Noodle House is located at No , Jalan Medan Putra 1, Medan Putra Business Park. It operates from 11am to 10pm, seven days a week, because Yong said, “In the palace, the Emperor is served seven days a week.” Tel: 03-62744455.

Porridge in SS2/1 Petaling Jaya

FAMOUS PORRIDGE IN SS2/1 PETALING JAYA

By Stephen Ng

When Alex Locke, 60 started operating his stall in SS2/1 Petaling Jaya eleven years, his son, Kenny Locke was only a young boy, but today, the father-and-son team is selling not only their famous porridge but a wide variety of noodles as well.

Since the Senior Locke, a former chef in a Sze Chuan restaurant at Ladies’ Street in Hong Kong, started the porridge business at the same spot in the 1990s, business has been good as word of mouth started to spread.

Locke said he has applied all the skills he had picked up preparing roasted duck, barbecued pork and other Chinese delicacies in Hong Kong to his porridge business, which still attracts people even as late as 10.30pm.

“I find that people in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya have so many varieties of food to eat everyday. Sometimes, they want something for a change,” he said. “Many of them come all the way here to eat my porridge because they like the tastes.”

His son, 23-year-old son, Kenny Locke has joined the father’s business since he completed Form Five. “My father needs someone in the stall, and I always like to cook,” he said. “I have never regretted doing the business.”

Locke Junior specialises more in the noodle business. “We use almost the same ingredients as the porridge,” he said. “The only difference is that we have noodles as a choice for people who prefer to eat noodles. All the fish we use here are the Red Snappers.”

The Lockes have come out with several signature dishes – with Special Porridge priced at RM4.50 a bowl. “For that price, we are giving Ikan Bilis, Peanuts, “Char Choy”, “Tong Choy”, Squid, Century Eggs and “Mok Yi” fungus,” said the senior Locke.

Their chicken porridge is still sold at RM3 a bowl. “This dish will remain at this price for some time,” he said. “With the inflations, where else can you find a bowl of chicken porridge at that price?”

If you are looking for a name for the stall, forget about it. The “Porridge stall”, as it is known, operates from 6.30pm to 11.30pm and off on Mondays.

It is located near the Taman Bahagia LRT Station at Jalan SS2/1 Petaling Jaya, behind Cheung Kong Restaurant. In case you cannot find your way, their mobile number posted on the signboard to contact is 016-3755304.

Besides the noodles, the Lockes also have Fish Head Meehoon, Fish Paste Noodles, Yee Meen Noodles served with shredded chicken meat and SS2 Cantonese Noodles.

“The Sze Chuan Fish Noodles are very sellable,” said the Senior Locke. “To spice up the taste, we put some char choy, spring onions, ginger and pepper, and we only use Red Snapper. The fish has to be fresh, too.”

Soon Heong Teow Chew Restaurant

SOON HEONG TEOW CHEW RESTAURANT

By Stephen Ng

For 27-year-old Ng Meng Guan, it is love at first sight with Teow Chew food that made him decide to enter into restaurant business.

Having returned home from Hong Kong, he was trying out different kinds of food until he came across this one in Desa Aman Puri, Kepong.

Being Teow Chew himself, Ng literally fell in love with the Teow Chew food here, and he decided to take over Soon Heong Teow Chew Restaurant, when its original owner wanted to sell off the business in order for him to expand into his motor spare parts business.

Soon Heong, which had started business about three years ago, was bought over by Ng, but the chef, Heng Mok Jang remains the same.

Although admitting that he is a “freshie” in restaurant business, Ng’s efforts paid off because business has been better since he took over the management of the restaurant. He hopes to inject his entrepreneurial skills into the business to make it a success.

On weekends, the restaurant is packed to the brim, and a number of tables have to be placed outside of the restaurant. The style of cooking here follows the Sour Spicy Teow Chew style.

“I am a big fan of the Chef Heng myself, and I used to enjoy his food as a customer,” he said. “I would visit the restaurant and eat the food here almost every week.”

While Chef Heng concentrates on producing the best Teow Chew dishes, Ng manages the restaurant. “I believe with some entrepreneurship, the restaurant can do very well. The food is good and the Chef has his own unique style of cooking,” said Ng.

For Ng, eating is more than filling the stomach. “It is an exotic experience,” he said, giving the example of the Claypot “Tong Sat” (catfish) that they serve here.

“It has very a spicy and sour taste and for those who really love spicy food, you can eat until you sweat,” he laughed. “A lot of customers come all the way just to eat this spicy tasty dish.”

Chef Heng, himself also a Teow Chew, has over 20 years of experience as a cook. He gained his experience, technique and secret recipe from his father, the former chef and owner of the famous “Lau Heong” Seafood Restaturant in Sentul.

“Chef Heng is an expert in Seafood with Spicy Sour cooking style,” added Ng. “His talent and experience makes him not only able to cook the family secret recipe dishes, but also he has come out with a lot of tasty and unique dishes which are different from elsewhere.

Their signature dish is the Assam Steam Pomfret, which has the sour, spicy, curry and Tom Yam taste. “Our Assam taste is unique, designed by our Chef using his own special ingredients,” Ng said. “Most of the people like our Assam Steam Pomfret, which is suitable for the whole family.”

Office Secretary, Melinda Cheah, who was invited to taste the food, said her favourite is the Assam Steamed Pomfret, because being a Teow Chew herself, she found the dish to be “special.” “I have never tasted anything like this,” she said.

The Chef’s Salted Egg Crab is served with “Man Tao” (Chinese bread) to create the wet, creamy salted cooking style. “In the Klang Valley,” Ng said, “people usually have either `Dry Salted Egg Crabs’ or `Creamy Milk Crabs’, but we combine the features of these two cooking style into our `Wet Salted Egg Crab’.”

Their Sze Chuan Stingray is prepared with a bit of spicy Sze Chuan sauce, and served warm on Banana Leaf to bring out the freshness of the banana leaf.

The X.O. Four Heavenly Kings – which has long beans, sweet beans, lady fingers and baby French beans – is cooked using special Chef Heng’s special X.O. sauce and served with slices of Abalone.

A favourite among younger children is their Special Squid and Prawns, as the sauce used is not spicy. “We know that children also want to enjoy good food,” said Ng. “Therefore, besides the Squid and Prawns dish, we have another dish for them – the Prawn Sauce Fried Chicken Wings.”

The Curry Fish Head using a special curry sauce concocted by the Chef’s father is another best seller at Soon Heong, besides the Salted Egg “Praying Mantis Prawns” which is served with salted egg sauce from the fishing village.

“Some of our customers like to eat the praying mantis prawns with beer,” said Ng.

Soon Heong Teow Chew Seafood Restaurant is located at No 3-68A, Block P, Jalan Desa 2/3, Desa Aman Puri, Kepong. Tel: 03-6277 7167/012-671 2899. Website: www.soonheong.com. They are open seven days a week. Opening hours: 10:00am to 3.00pm / 5:00pm to 11:00pm

Restoran The Bird, Bandar Menjalara, Kepong

RESTORAN THE BIRD

By Stephen Ng

To Desmond Liew and his cousin brother, Jimmy Liew, the restaurant business is more than just satisfying the taste buds of their patrons.

Eating, in their opinion, is the whole experience of being transported into another world altogether, which explains why their restaurant in Medan Putra Business Park in Bandar Menjalara, Kepong is named after the mythical Malay water bird, the Jentayu.

Some decorations used here in the restaurant date back to the late nineteenth century, and they come mainly from his family’s own collection, which brings reminiscence of the good old days.

Besides a marriage proposal made by a young man to his sweetheart at this restaurant last year, The Bird has also become a popular place for celebrations for birthday and wedding anniversaries of senior citizens organised by their children.

The food, as well as the ambience, is ideal to allow one to embark on a nostalgic unforgettable journey into the past. “It is also educational for the younger generation,” said Desmond Liew, a Baba Nyonya descent, who hails from Melaka. “We hope our patrons will take the opportunity to share the good old times with their children using relics from the past.”

The rare and unique bric-a-brac plus old tunes further add a taste of dejavu when patrons to the restaurant stroll down memory lane while savouring Halal delicious Nyonya, Chinese and Thai delicacies.

Occasionally, just to entertain his guests, the 45-year-old Chinese actor would belt out a song or two from the good old days.

“We have put up some olden-day Shanghai posters, portrait photographs of some Eastern and Western movie actors and actresses,” he said. “Many of us would probably still remember the cinema flyers which we use now to adorn the walls.”

Notwithstanding the decorations, Desmond (Liew) said the most important factor in any restaurant business for it to sustain beyond two years is still the food.

Their signature dish, Butter King Fish has attracted patrons from as far as Port Klang and Kajang.

According to Chef Jimmy Liew, the fish is marinated with kunyit powder, salt, pepper, eggs before being deep-fried. The fish is served with wholemeal buns which go well with the gravy.

“We mix butter with milk and curry leaves to make into a special sauce,” said Jimmy, who had previously worked in New York before and seen how lobsters and scallops are prepared in the same manner and served in Nyonya-style restaurants. “Instead of lobsters and scallops, we use fish. In a way, this is a fusion between East and West, although I must admit it is more Oriental,” he said. “Nyonya food is in fact a fusion of what’s good from different cultures.”

Apart from New York, Jimmy Liew’s experience as a Chinese chef spans across four continents in major cities of New Zealand, Holland, Hong Kong and Japan.

Among those who frequently visited the restaurant is Penang-born Chinese drama TV actress, Yenn Teoh who said that she travels all the way from Shah Alam at least once or twice a month to savour the cuisines here.

“I like the Ikan Cencaru served with sambal and prepared Nyonya-style,” she said. “Having been raised in Penang, I have always enjoyed this dish. The Coffee Fried Chicken Wings are also very delicious.”

Coffee fried chicken wings are prepared by seasoning the chicken wings with coffee powder and salt, before being deep-fried and cooked with a special sauce. “To make sure that we get the right taste, we grill the chicken wings slightly,” said (Desmond) Liew.

Another of Teoh’s favourite is the Nyonya Seafood. The fish is first deboned, and cooked with squids, muscles and prawns, before being sauteed with Nyonya sauce (Penang style) and Bunga Kantan.

Combining the best of local delights, namely fish fillets with Nyonya sauce, prawns in Thai sauce, green curry chicken, vegetables cooked Chinese-style and Indian papadam, the Liews have “invented” their Nasi Muhibbah. “It is a combo meal that meets the unique tastes of Malaysians,” said Jimmy (Liew).

For those who prefer vegetables, the `Four Heavenly Kings’ is a good choice. It is so named because the dish has four different types of vegetables, namely petai, square beans, brinjal and long beans, sauted with sambal belacan.

Other favourite dishes include their Rendang Chicken, Oriental Spaghetti and Curry Fish Head. Their signature drink is “Ampula”, which is rich in Vitamin C. “It is served with some assamboi as an appetite booster,” said Jimmy. “It’s really good when taken with spicy food.”

People say birds of the same feather flock together, and here at the Bird Restaurant, a number of celebrity actors and actresses, apart from Yenn Teoh, have shown up.

Among other VIP guests who have visited the restaurant are Louisa Chong, Janet Khoo and Chui Leng from Hong Kong, and because it is “halal” restaurant, even Maria Tunku Sabri of TV3’s Jalan-jalan Cari Makan, has visited the place to try out the food.

The Bird Restaurant is located at 5 Jalan 3/62D, Medan Putra Business Centre, Bandar Menjalara, Kepong. Tel: 03-62771453. They are open: 11am – 11pm. The Bird rests on Mondays.

Pun Choy at Restoran LYS, Sungai Buloh

Sunday September 12, 2010

Gems in the pot

Story and pictures by STEPHEN NG
Stephen2u.ng@gmail.com

Childhood memories of eating leftovers have inspired a chef in Sungai Buloh to create a treasure of a dish.

Sam Lee the chef and owner of LYS restaurant.

SAM Lee has fond memories of his grandmother who used to work as a caterer. “When the day was over, she brought home the leftovers in a little pot and gave it to the grandchildren,” says Lee, 39, who now runs Restoran LYS in Sungai Buloh, Selangor.

His grandmother passed away in 1980 but memories of her bringing home a pot full of different dishes remain to this day. They also inspired him to create the restaurant’s signature dish known as “Pun Choy” (“Treasure Pot” in English).

Regular patron Shirley Foo says the dish is known as Treasure Pot because it is made up of 15 different types of food. “It is like looking for treasures; there is always something interesting below the top layer of food,” she explains.

A standard serving of “Pun Choy” includes chicken, duck, pork legs, prawns, fish, sea cucumber, mushrooms, fish maw, dried bean curd, chicken feet, foo chuk, radish, broccoli and cauliflower.

Apparently, the dish has become so popular that the restaurant is packed on weekends. “Sometimes, it is hard for us to cope,” says Lee’s wife, Sum Kee Peng.

“We advise our customers to call us two days in advance so we can prepare the food. It takes a lot of preparation,” she adds.

All the 15 dishes are pre-cooked, arranged in a pot and then steamed before being served, says Lee, who began his career in the food and beverage industry as a kitchen helper immediately after completing his SPM.

He opened his own restaurant in 1995.

Going potty: A standard Pun Choy dish will be enough for 10 people.

Usually, a pot is enough for up to 10 people. “Our customers are encouraged to pack the leftovers if they cannot finish the whole pot,” says Lee.

Besides the “Pun Choy”, Lee’s other signature dishes include Fried Salted Prawns in special LYF sauce, Claypot Spicy Water Convolvulos (kangkong) with chilli and belacan, Fish Head with dry chilli and Braised Pork Legs Thai style.

Lee Mee Fa, 79, from Kota Kemuning, Selangor, says she likes the sea cucumber and chicken. Her relatives from Butterworth, Mar Teak Song, 45, a property developer, and his wife, Chea Fee Ling, 45, say they have heard a lot about the Pun Choy and were trying it for the first time.

“It is very interesting,” Mar says. “In fact, it can be fun as well as you dig into the different varieties of food in the pot.”

The couple’s youngest son, Chern Khai, 10, liked the prawns in the Pun Choy as well as the Fried Salted Prawns. Shirley Foo, who visits the restaurant regularly, says she particularly enjoys the Pun Choy and the prawns.

Restoran LYS is at 45G Jalan TST 10A, Taman Industri Sungai Buloh (near to Eon Bank), in Selangor. It is open from 11am to 2.30pm for lunch, and from 5.30pm to 10.30pm for dinner. The restaurant is closed every Tuesday night. To make a reservation, call 016-211 3155.

Restoran Ikan Tilapia Lan Je (Rawang, Kota Damansara, Balakong)

Hooi Lin Lan, 68, is well-known in Rawang for her one dish – the Steamed Tilapia Fish – which has become the talk of the town.

Better known as Lan Je which, literally translated, means “Sister Lan”, her stall at Selayang Municipal Council’s hawker centre at Batu 16, Jalan Rawang is in fact a popular eatery.

Here, patrons visit the stall to eat one Tilapia each, and if you make an attempt to eat at their stall during lunch hours, you have better be prepared to wait to be seated.

Her success with the Tilapia dish has not come easy. As early as 1976, she has been operating the family food business in Rawang town. “I was having a tough time just to make ends meet by selling Hokkien noodles back the early seventies until someone from Ipoh suggested that I should sell steamed Tilapia fish for a change,” said Lan Je.

After many trials and errors, she managed to get it right with her homemade sauce and the texture of the Tilapia fish, and it became her signature dish.

Her second son, Leong Man Fai, 39, said the concept of one Tilapia to each customer was given more emphasis in 1998, when there was widespread fear of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

“People were trying to stay away from pork,” he said. “Instead, they chose to eat fish, and we began to introduce the concept of ordering and eating a whole fish to oneself.”

The black to silver Tilapia is used, and steamed with ginger and chilli. Each fish can easily weigh between 500 to 800 grams. They are freshwater fish from Kuantan, Rawang and Kelumpang.

“We obtain most of our supply of Tilapia from Kuantan. The fish from Kuantan seems to taste a lot better. Maybe, it’s the quality of the water there,” said Leong.

As he poked a chopstick into the fish, Leong explained: “Some people like their fish to taste real spicy hot using chilli padi, while others prefer it to be normal or medium spicy. The most important part of the steaming process is that the texture of the Tilapia is done well.”

A regular customer, Tim Liew said he prefers to have the whole fish to himself. “Sometimes, I can even eat two fish by myself,” he said.

Leong will be moving to Balakong where he will be operating another similar outlet at Plaza Kasturi. His two other brothers, Leong Main Kong, 40 and Tony Leong, 32 will continue to help out the family business in Rawang. Because the business is so good, occasionally, their father, Leong Fong Chun, 70, also lends a helping hand.

The family started preparing their fish from as early as 6am in order to serve lunch, and during their 3pm break, they begin preparing the fish for their dinner guests.

Their other favourite dishes are the steamed or deep-fried salted prawns. “We use Tiger prawns because they are tastier,” Leong said.

They also serve Four Angle Beans fried with Belacan and Kangkong, which goes well with the Steamed Tilapia.

The Rawang outlet is open from 11.30am to 3.00pm for lunch, and from 6.00pm to 10.30pm for dinner. They are closed on Tuesdays.

To cater to the Muslim community, the restaurant is also pork-free. It is usually packed during lunch hours and in the evenings.

Kedai Ikan Talapia Lan Je is located at No 27-28, Block C, Jalan Rawang, Gerai MPS Batu 16, Rawang. Tel: 012-2270037 / 012-3397800 / 012-669 9919. Their second outlet is located at No 10 Jalan Kasturi, Plaza Kasturi, Batu 11, Jalan Balakong, Cheras. Tel: 012-3362434 / 012-3962953.

Krua Thai, Taman Usahawan Kepong

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Home > Sundaymetro

Sunday November 30, 2008

Authentically Thai

By STEPHEN NG

This restaurant sets out to give its patrons Thai food at its best.

THE name “Krua Thai” in Thai literally means “Thai Kitchen”.

It is not an exaggeration to say that this one-and-a-half-year-old Thai restaurant at Taman Usahawan Kepong churns out what its owner said are “truly authentic Thai dishes.”

In charge: Su Phaporn.

Hailing from Chieng Rai in Thailand, Su Phaporn, who speaks Hokkien as well, said the idea behind Krua Thai is to give customers a truly Thai experience when they savour the dishes here.

Her traditional recipes come from her aunt, Nora Abdullah and sister, Thanavee, who is married to a Malaysian.

“Between the two of them, they have about 30 years of cooking experience,” she enthused. Su Phaporn is the owner and operator of the restaurant herself.

To ensure the cuisine is as authentic as possible, Phaporn said both the cooks and the ingredients, such as the shrimp paste and tamarind, are imported from Thailand.

“Our customers, however, like the idea that our cooks can either prepare the food to suit the local taste or follow the original Thai recipe,” Phaporn added.

“We usually recommend our customers to try the real spicy Thai style Tom Yam. We want them to explore the dishes which are popular in the Northern provinces of Thailand.”

Their signature dish is the Thai-style deep-fried fish with Nam Khun sauce and vegetables. “For the fish, we use Siakap. Most of the ingredients are imported from Thailand while all the sauces used are home-made, which taste like Tom Yam with added chili padi. The Nam Khun sauce is poured onto the fish, just before having it,” said Phaporn.

Among the authentic dishes that have been introduced here is the raw prawns served “sashimi style”, with fish sauce and bird’s eye chillies.

The Pandan leaf chicken, which is a favourite at all Thai restaurants in the country, is good here too as it is prepared and cooked using a slow frying process to ensure the chicken absorbs the spices and the flavour of the screwpine leaves used to wrap the chunks of chicken meat.

Signature dish: Thai-style deep-fried fish with Nam Khun soup and vegetables.

Also on the menu are the seafood otak-otak in banana leaf and crispy catfish served with the spicy and sour mango salad.

Restaurant manager, Tim Chuah said the cooks are always happy to introduce new dishes upon request. “If customers crave for a certain Thai dish that they have tried in Thailand, they can always let us know,” he said. “Our cooks will prepare the dish.”

The Thai food served here are prepared in the Northern Thai style as it is served in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai style. Tom Yam is their all-time favourite.

People who eat at Thai restaurants will not go without Thai Tom Yam. Besides the Red Tom Yam, the restaurant also serves Clear Tom Yam, which most Malaysians are unfamiliar with.

“We always recommend that our Malaysian customers try the Clear Tom Yam for a change,” said Chuah. “We allow our customers to choose the way they want their Tom Yam to be served, from sweet and non-spicy, to truly spicy authentic Thai.”

Thai sashimi: Raw prawns with lots of bird’s eye chillies.

To have the King prawns fresh, Chuah suggested regular customers to pre-order one day in advance. “Most Malaysians are not adventurous enough to eat raw prawns the way it is eaten in Thailand,” explained Chuah. “We even have customers who ask for the prawns to be stir-fried the moment they see it is served raw.”

Another Thai dish is Kai Jioew Chak Om (Omelette), the preparation of which, Chuah said, uses leaves that taste like local petai, but is from another species of plants available only in Thailand.

Chuah said that the response from Malaysians is so good that after celebrating its first anniversary in April this year, they are now considering a second outlet either in Ampang or Petaling Jaya, where they will apply for “halal” certification. The present restaurant is pork free but does not have a “halal” certification.

They also provide catering services. The restaurant is open from 11am – 10pm, seven days a week, including public holidays and weekends. On weekends, the restaurant offers free Thai deserts – either “Tap Thim Grup” (water chestnut with jelly) or Sogo – Pumpkin with coconut milk.

Restoran Krua Thai is located on the row parallel to the front row of shops facing Jusco Kepong, or just behind the Standard Chartered Bank and TM Net. Address: 39 Jalan Metro Perdana Barat 2, Taman Usahawan Kepong, Kepong Utara, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-6250 8104.

Source:

DIRECTIONS TO GET THERE:
(If you don't have a GPS, print out this direction)

Depending on where you are coming from, Restoran Krua Thai is located on the row parallel to the front row of shops facing Jusco Kepong, or just behind the Standard Chartered Bank and TM Point in Kepong. Address: 39 Jalan Metro Perdana Barat 2, Taman Usahawan Kepong, Kepong Utara, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-6250 8104.

If you are coming from PJ, use the LDP.

From the LDP Sri Damansara toll, instead of keeping to the left after Caltex, keep to the RIGHT lanes so that you can take the flyover that will join you to Jalan Kepong. Travel along this road all the way. You will see on your LEFT, BHP and Esso Petrol Stations and the MRR2 flyover on the right. IMPORTANT: DO NOT TAKE THE MRR2 FLYOVER; instead keep to the left lane, drive past the two petrol stations and a bus stop.

From the bus stop (which is just below the KTM overhead bridge), here is a Y junction. Take the RIGHT lane that goes on a smaller flyover. This is Jalan Kepong. Further down from the flyover, you will see a mosque on the right and a traffic light junction ahead. From here, just drive straight ahead until you see Jusco on the right. Now, keep to your left lane until you see a LEFT junction. Make a left turn here. There is a Petronas Station here. From here, take the left junction immediately after Petronas Station, which will lead you to Krua Thai.

Krua Thai is actually located on the row of shophouses just behind the row that fronts Jusco on the opposite side of Jalan Kepong. But it is easier for us to just wait at Petronas station.

If you are coming from Jalan Kuching, this is the direction:

· Drive along Jalan Kuching until you come to the junction that turns into Jalan Kepong.

· Drive along Jalan Kepong all the way until you see ahead of you the big Jusco building on the left side of the road.

· At the traffic light junction JUST BEFORE Jusco, turn RIGHT. You will see Petronas station here

No point calling the restaurant, as the people working here are mainly Thai workers. They won't be able to guide you.

Restoran Kent, Desa Jaya

By Stephen Ng

The long-forgotten cinema of Desa Jaya in Kepong which existed side-by-side with the wet market some 30 years ago, may have lost its lustre, but not the open-concept Chinese restaurants nearby, which still serve cheap and good food.

In fact, Restoran Seat In Kent, despite having a name that sounds unusual, it is one of a few rare Chinese restaurants that seems to be very successful in attracting even customers from the Indian community.

Regular customer, Jaspal Kaur from Desa Jaya, for example, had no hesitation to admit that she and her family hold nearly all their family functions here. “We like the food and the prices are reasonable,” said the assistant manager of a maid recruitment agency.

For slightly above RM100, one can have a sumptuous dinner of six dishes, which among others, include their signature dish – the Nyonya Steamed Fish.

The proprietress, Chong Chu Moy, 32, from Melaka said they have over 100 different dishes and styles of cooking. Interestingly, there is no standard menu. “This gives us some flexibility to prepare our food to suit our guests’s taste buds,” she said.

Their signature dish Nyonya Steamed Fish is a bestseller. “We only use Red Tilapia, and it is cooked with ginger, chilli padi sauce and lemon grass to give it the sweet and sour taste that our customers like,” she said.

Invited guests for the food tasting session, Jennifer Chong and her husband, Andrew Ong said they liked the Nyonya Steamed Fish and the Vietnamese Prawns.

The Vietnamese Prawns are cooked as a curry dish, with chilli, ginger and carnation milk, instead of using coconut santan.

Living in Taman Bukit Maluri, Ong’s sister, Ong Kwee Mooi, a teacher, and her former school colleague, Martina Ng of Damansara Heights concurred. “The Vietnamese prawns taste good and it is healthier to use milk than santan,” said Ng, who said she also liked the fried tauhu.

According to the chef, Tan Eng Hock, 45, the home-made tauhu can either be fried or deep-fried.

“It is hard to fix one standard menu to suit everyone’s taste,” he said. Hailing from Tanjung Sepat, Tan, who is also known by his nickname, “Chef Ah Fook”, has been a chef for over 20 years.

“Our tauhu is stuffed with fish meat, squid, salted eggs or carrots, and it is a favourite dish for children,” added Chong, who manages the restaurant with the help of her husband, Kent Gan Keng Chai, 42, from Muar, Johor.

Another dish, the Yam Basket with Deep Fried Mantis Prawns is also a favourite among patrons to this restaurant. “It has two different tastes, using the red mayonnaise on the prawns and white mayonnaise for the lettuce underneath,” said Chong. “In fact, we produce our own yam basket in Johor Baru and supply them to restaurants in the Klang Valley.”

The last dish, the Marinated Steamed Pork Ribs is cooked with herbs and served with mushrooms to give it a natural sweet herbal taste. “We have different styles of preparing the pork ribs,” added Chong. “Our customers will usually tell us how they like it prepared.”

Kent Gan and Chong have started operating the restaurant since 2003, after taking it over from the original owner. Restoran Seat In Keat is located at No. 3 Jalan 16, Desa Jaya, Kepong. They are open only from 4pm to 1am, seven days a week, except on Mondays once every fortnight. To check out their location, check their website www.restorankent.com or contact them at 012-6077022 or 012-6694923.

Direction: As soon as you enter into Desa Jaya in Kepong, you will notice the BHP Petrol Station on the left. You can ask the parking attendant here where the Desa Jaya wet market is or just drive behind the row of shophouses beside the petrol station. You will see an abandoned old cinema beside the wet market. Restoran Seat In Kent, a corner restaurant, is just a stone’s throw away from the cinema.

Picture Captions:

IMG7412: Signature Dish: Nyonya Steamed Fish

IMG7359: The Vietnamese Prawns are cooked as a curry dish, with chilli, ginger and carnation milk, instead of using coconut santan.

IMG7368: Yam Basket with Deep Fried Mantis Prawns is also a favourite among patrons to this restaurant.

IMG7372: Marinated Steamed Pork Ribs is cooked with herbs and served with mushrooms

IMG7444: Fried Tauhu is a favourite among children