Malaysia Food

Location: N03 07.765 E101 38.078 Section 17, Petaling Jaya

Getting there: Corner shoplot around the Sentosa area of Section 17 PJ.

Meal: Dinner

My uncle used to ramble on about the best Hokkien Mee in Section 17 and would refuse to try any other Hokkien Mee stating that it is the only one he would go to because it is “famous”. Everyone else is not “famous”, therefore must be no good.

A lot of good Hokkien Mee joints have popped out in the last decade, Ah Wa and Seng Kee to name a few. Times have change and so have the competition.

I recall this stall being outdoor and moved indoor the existing shoplot not too long ago. I recall the cook using charcoal. However, the current crew is rather young and gas is used in place of charcoal. I am not sure if it is a whole new crew or a totally new operation. Whichever it is, it seems to have the same taste. The cabbage is very well cooked, soft on the outside and crunchy and juicy on the inside.

In my opinion, from what I have tried, the best Hokkien mee in Klang Valley aka KL is a tie between Ah Wa and Seng Kee

Rating:

Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Value: 6/10

Remarks: Not sure if it is the same stall, taste as good as it was decades ago.

Location: N03 07 619 E101 37 014 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Getting there: Just outside Atria Shopping Center, beside a food center. Opposite House of Languages.

Meal: Lunch

Where is the best rojak in Damansara? I usually get 3 answers: 1)Behind Hock Lee in Damansara Heights, 2)Damansara Utama, 3)Damansara Jaya (Atria)

My personal preference is for the first 2, they are almost the same, but I have a preference for the Damansara Utama version.

I find the Atria version rather watery and for my take away order, they served in plastic bags. Not a very good option. The other 2 served in Styrofoam containers. It was not a pleasant experience eating the rojak on the go in plastic bags. I poked myself a few times with the wooden skewer that penetrated the plastic bag on to my hand. This also created holes in the fragile plastic bag, which content was rather watery, which flowed out of the hole easily, which made my hand dirty… blah… blah blah… you get the idea… Used more tissue paper than there was rojak.

I find the concoction rather sweet and fruity for my liking. As a matter of fact, I did not finish the packet, albeit a small one.

Ratings:
Food: 6/10
Service: 6/10
Value: 4/10

Remarks: RM 2.70 for a small pack. Some people make drive-thru orders. My preference is for Damansara Utama stall, better value, better taste.

Location: N03 07.368 E101 38.064 Section 17, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Getting there: Just beside a school (Sri Damai), the last block of low cost flats in Section 17. The restaurant is within the low cost flats, facing the main road/entrance.

Meal: Lunch

I got here just before the lunch crowd, probably the best time to have a meal here. Most would be gone by lunch hour and seats would be hard to come by. By the time I left, chicken was finished and limited strips of char siew, all before noon.

The person taking order seems to be very busy, taking take-out orders, phone orders; conversations seem to be half chicken, half-strip char siew. I remember coming here many years ago when it was not as popular, they served in small quantities with only 1 person manning the small. It seems it had grown quite a lot in popularity, with at least 3 people staffing the stall and quantity of the meats have doubled (so did the price). My meal came up to about RM7 per pax with just char siew. Priority seems to be shoving as much meats as possible to the customers and wrap up by end of lunch hour. They will entertain small orders; but if you come here for the good food, why not have loads of it.

I came here just for char siew, nothing wrong with the roast chicken, very good as well. Probably the best char siew in Petaling Jaya, well… at least the best in PJ that I have tried; juicy, hot, fresh out of the smoker. Same goes for the roast chicken.

Ratings:
Food: 9/10
Service: 6/10
Value: 6/10

Remarks: Good place for char siew fan, but come with a big appetite and before the lunch hour.

Location: N03 06.814 E101 36.199 Taman Mayang, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Getting there: Opposite the Kelana Jaya LRT Station. Can’t miss it. Get out of the station and cross the LDP highway, the restaurant is on the left, about 100m from the pedestrian bridge.

Meal: Dinner

I happen to be there on a bad traffic day, so people had ordered and holding their orders because they did not have the full crown available.

I ordered and dishes came in 5 minutes. I take it as a circumstantial efficiency. Other times, it takes about 15-20 minutes.

Nice crab dishes, an alternative to Fatty Crab near by. They have good crab species on special order, at premium prices.

Ratings:
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value: 7/10

Remarks: Large restaurant for premium range of crabs.

Location: N3 07.1940 E101 37.7860 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Getting there: Take the SS2 turnoff at the Rothman Roundabout, between Lisa De Inn and Merais. Road makes a left bend but go straight. Traffic on the left has right of way, so technically, going straight is a right junction. Go across the bumpy road and make a right at the end, enter the shop rows.

Meal: Lunch

I remember this place taking up an intermediate lot, beside a specialized windshield repair specialist. The windshield specialist seems to have moved a few shops down while Kanna took over the lot. They have tables under trees opposite too, like most popular (or otherwise) stalls these days; maximizing on public property. The waiters walk across the roads like walking in their own house to serve the patrons opposite.

The moment I sat down, they spread a gigantic sized banana leaf on the table. I had a banana leaf rice: a vegetarian set. There would always be someone pushing something to you while seated. One brought a whole coconut and was at the verge of opening it while asking you if you want. Another was about to put a chicken on my banana leaf on the other side at the same time. Then came the fish and so on. So much ‘selling’ was going on so much so when other complimentary side dishes came, I was hesitant to accept. The fried bitter gourd was nice and the pickles as well. They were very generous with the delicious side dishes and the rice was just right, slightly puffy, light but not watery.

What seems to be the owner-manager is perpetually walking around to check on tables randomly making sure everything was all right and his workers seem to just as enthusiastic.

Ratings:

Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value: 7/10

Remarks: Good food, good service, but can tone down on the selling.