Handmade Meesuah @ Beng Shen, Klang

The first time we went in search of this place, we found it but it was closed. On a Sunday. It really wasn't their "official" off-day (that should be a Monday) ... there was a handwritten cardboard hung on the gate stating that they were closed for 5 days. No reason was given.

Determined to eat their famed handmade & homemade Meesuah, we made another trip back there 2 weeks later. It's located a bit way out from Klang town, along the main road, Jalan Kapar. Just keep a lookout for it on the left after you pass Carrefour and Bata.



The set-up was rather spacious, with typical plastic chairs and gas cooker-with-kettle so omnipresent in Bak Kut Teh joints in Klang. We were greeted warmly by the owner & his wife and our orders were quickly acknowledged.



First to reach our table was the BKT Meesuah. We ordered a 2-persons portion (RM19) and the bowl of steaming hot BKT & meesuah served was huge! Their meesuah is not the usual type that you usually get, ie soft thin easily-breakable strands ... The meesuah noodles here are thicker - much like linguini, and the texture is more dense & robust. While I always like to have rice (oiled) with my BKT, I was pleasantly surprised that this meesuah went very well with the herbal soup too.



Their BKT is above average, I would say... the meats were sufficiently tender in the rather thick herbal brew.



Meesuah in Chicken Wine (RM16 for 2 pax) was next. I must say I liked this very much, in fact much better than the BKT!



The soup was very well-flavoured with glutinuous rice wine - thick and full of "heat", the kampung chicken pieces had been lightly-fried before being boiled in the rice wine, with just the right amount of ginger & chinese herbs. The meesuah had delightfully soaked in the very yummy piquant soup - it was nutrituously alcoholic to leave you rosy-cheeked after you have slurped everything off the bowl!



We also tried their Fried Meesuah (RM8 per pax). It was OK - just like any normal regular hokkien-style noodles.



Their Tomyum Meesuah (RM8 per pax) was a disappointment. It was very clear they must have used some kind of mediocre tomyum paste which was very bland. There were a couple of lemongrass stalks and a few chunks of tomatoes tossed in... besides a few prawns and the meesuah, of course. They should just stick to the BKT and the Chicken Wine.



I was rather disappointed when the cool-lookin boss told me they were not making any meesuah that day - the "workshop" facilities behind the restaurant was closed. I had hoped to catch some meesuah-making action!



You can buy their ready-packed meesuah from the shop too. Each 1 kg packet costs RM11.



Forgetful me left my precious tin of chinese tea there... I called them asking them to keep for me and that I'd pick it up in my next trip there. They readily obliged and promised to keep my tea safe, hehe!


Restoran Beng Shen is located at:

Batu 5, Jalan Kapar
Klang
Tel: 03-3291-1575
Closed on Mondays
(best to give them a call, in case they decide to close on other days for some reasons!)

My rating: 7/10

RM1 Chicken @ Canton-i

If you reside in the Klang Valley, you'd probably have eaten at Canton-i or its sister restaurant, Dragon-i. The latter is famous for their Xiao Loong Pau - one of the best you can get around here.

Canton-i in 1-Utama is a favourite lunch spot for me as my office is just about 128 steps from the place.



Both Canton-i and Dragon-i are having a "RM1 Chicken" dish promotion, in appreciation of their customers, or so they say lah. It sounds good, right? They've put up some posters & stuff advertising this promo but what they didn't inform everyone is that this promo is ONLY available from 6.00pm until 10.00pm. So, don't go there hoping to eat their RM1 Chicken during lunch time! They're very strict about the 6.00pm thingy - the waitress refused to put in the order even if it's 5.59pm!

OK, coming back to the Chicken... well, at Canton-i, they serve the "Roasted Chicken with Red Beancurd" - basically, it's roast chicken with nam-yue marinade. (Dragon-i serves a different version, I believe) You get a whole chicken if there're at least 4 people in your group.

As there were only 3 of us that evening, we were given half a chicken. So, there we were, eagerly anticipating our el-cheapo chicken. When the plate of fowl finally reached our table, we were really "amazed" by the tiny portion! Man, it was really a very very small chicken, I kid you not!



Yeah, from the pic, it looked pretty decent-sized, but let me assure you, this was like an adolescent spring chicken, really it was.

Oh well... for RM1, just treat this as a Side Dish... you know, something like that dish of pickled chillies/sambal you always have on the side...





That mini plate of chicken could only fill a teeny weeny corner of our tummies. Even the whole chicken served (on other tables that I saw), well... the whole chicken could sit on a 10"-diameter plate with lots of space to spare!

So... to fill our still-growling tummies, we had to order stuff like these...



Noodles with Roast Duck (RM12.80)- you can never go wrong with this!



Rice Rolls with Bamboo Pith (RM9.80) - a refreshing change from the usual rolls stuffed with shrimps or char siew.



Spinach (they had a fancier name for this veg, can't remember what!) in soup & century + salted eggs (RM16.80) - very generous with the cholesterol, as you can see.



Steamed Fish Maw Dumpling (RM13) - I liked this... the spongy chewy fishmaw went very well with the fishpaste filling, all freshly-steamed.



Steamed Beancurd Roll (RM8)- quite ordinary.

So, there you go - if you want to catch the RM1 fowl, do so before the end of this month. At the sizes they go, I totally believe them when they said (in the media, recently) that they're confident of serving 50,000 chickens (or more) to their customers. It's sup-sup-soei to devour 1 whole chicken there lah!

So, hop on over & get your fowl-ly side dish, people!

Peng Heong Hakka Paikut

Last weekend we went on a food hunt in Klang, the main target being the highly-publicised Beng Shen Meesuah in Jalan Kapar. However, when we reached that place, to our dismay, it was closed! Closed for some reason - probably they went for a holiday after the super busy Chinese New Year. A handwritten sign on the gate informed that they'd only be open from 25 March.

Anyway, we made a U-turn and headed back to Klang town - this time for the famed Peng Heong Hakka Paikut! We easily found the place and being a Sunday at lunchtime, this was how the crowd looked like...



We were lucky to grab a big table just next to the food counter. Orders were quickly taken by the loud but friendly waiter.



While waiting for our food to come, we watched in fascination the boss/chef's super-active antics chopping up their signature Paikut - Pork Chops... at the same time hollering for more paikut to be brought out from the kitchen! Their service staff were all scurrying back & forth carrying plates piled high with the freshly fried pork chops. Finally, our plate of porcine delight arrived at our table...



The slabs of pork chops were succulent and tender... with the sides a bit charred - totally decadently delicious!



The sweet sauce splashed over the pork chops will have you mopping up your entire plate of rice - I guarantee you! Everyone gave the thumbs-up for this Paikut!

Next we had the Claypot Curry Pork Ribs...



The meat and potatoes were tender and the curry while very lemak & thick, lacked certain ooomph - typically Chinese-style curry. I prefer my curry to have more kick ;-)

Next came their Hakka Meatballs...



This was a great hit! Big balls of minced pork mixed with adequate spices were nicely fried to a crisp outside but oozing with hot steamy goodness when you bite into them!

In order not to turn the meal into a 100%-PORK fest, we chose a chicken dish - their Red Wine Chicken. Now I'm always particular about alcoholic chicken - the dish must have sufficient wine for it to qualify. Most places will scrimp on the wine and present bland watered-down versions. Peng Heong passed my standard with flying colours!



Thick chunks of chicken were dunked into a claypot of hot red wine brew with all its alcohol seeping into the meat! There were no ginger strips or black fungus distractions - just plain chicken in alcoholic broth - absolutely divine in its plainness.

Next, try their Assam Fish ...



Two decent-sized Ikan Kembong cooked in a decent-enough assam gravy, piquantly sour & spicy with just the right amounts of the requisite spices. Another winner for mopping up your rice - if you still have some on your plate by this time!

Sour Veg - "kiam chye boey" - usually I can't resist ordering this if I see it in a restaurant. Peng Heong's kick-ass version is one of the best I have ever tasted!



Served piping hot in a clay pot, the vegetables (mustard leaves?) were sufficiently soft, without breaking up... and the soup was resplendently sour, hot with just a tinge of sweetness - just the way I love it!

After all the hot & spicy stuff, it was time to cool-down our fiery tummies with some greens...



Kangkong - not fried, like most restaurants do, but blanched and served with a sprinkling of fried shallots, oil and soy sauce. Great stuff.

While waiting for our bill, we noted this huge poster on one wall, advertising their special "Food Packages for Special Occasions" namely QingMing (Chinese All Souls Day), Dongzhi (I guess that's the Dumpling Festival), Ghost Festival etc...



Really innovative, don't you think? A chat with the ladyboss revealed that the average price for such packages is around RM300.

This here is the very affable boss/chef... he looked exactly like his pic in the menu - same pose too!



Restoran Peng Heong Hakka Paikut is located at:

Jalan Gudang Nanas 3
Klang

You really can't miss it :-)


After our super delish lunch, we crossed the main road and walked over to Jalan Gudang Nanas to this shop for DESSERTS...



Cendol Klang has been around for ages (ever since I first stepped foot in Klang decades ago!). Their cendol is pale green, as you can see - no colouring added to it! Only natural pandan juice is used to flavour the cendol.



A bowl costs only RM1.50. If you want more "substance" in your cendol, add in some Pulut...



... and I guarantee your tummy will be totally satiated after that!


My rating for both places: 8/10!

Subak - a culinary sanctuary!

Subak is a gem of a restaurant, nestled in the lush greenery of Bukit Lanjan.

From their website, I learned that "subak" actually meant the highly intricate and ritualised water irrigation system practised in Bali's rice fields. It is an inspirational tradition of sharing life-giving water that sustain rice terraces in Bali.

From the main entrance, we walked up a slope...

...to a sanctuary of tropical flora, where an immaculate lawn provides a green carpet for the beautiful trees and plants cocooning the restaurant...

The reception area

Traditional mortar and pestle... even a congkak set were on display on the front lawn... charming!

As you walk across their roofed wooden deck - Serambi, overlooking a pond...

... you can choose a quiet private corner and dine in total romantic privacy... see how well hidden that couple was!


The setting sun, together with the lit lamps, cast some lovely golden shadows on the surroundings...

Thatched attap roof, wooden beams & furniture - all added to the warm rustic charm of the place.

As dusk approached, the friendly service crew prepared the candles and mosquito coils for the guests' comfort...

The idyllic soothing tranquility can only be surpassed with some refreshing drinks...

... and FOOD, of course :-))

For starters, we had their highly recommended Gado Gado Ibu Yati (RM12). The freshly shredded sengkuang & cucumber topped with slices of boiled egg, with kerepek emping at the sides went very well with their excellent peanut sauce - with just the right touches of sweetness, sourness & spiciness.

Our next appetizer - Breaded Calamari Rings (RM15) was good, but not really outstanding - the thick pieces of calamari were very fresh & succulent.

Oven-roasted Rack of Lamb (RM45) did not disappoint. The lamb had just the right texture - neither too chewy nor soft. Well-marinated, the flavours of the meat and sauce were a perfect marriage!


Like I have mentioned before, LL is the King of Fried Rice and he just could not resist ordering their Balinese Fried Rice (RM25). Served with skewers of Grilled Chicken Satay, bull's eye fried egg, 1 huge grilled prawn and kerepek emping on the sides, LL had no complaints about this comfort dish.


Pan-fried Medallion of Cod Fish with Butterfried Prawn (RM45) was my choice. The thick cut of cod fish was very fresh and it came on a bed of sliced baby potatoes & mushroom. The prawn, though, was a bit overdone & kinda tough but I can forgive that as the excellent cod fish more than made up for that little mistake.

Tapai Pulut with Vanilla Ice-cream (RM8) - what a quaint fusion dessert! This was LL's order - I was too stuffed for any dessert.

With my tummy fully satiated, I was just happy to sit back, relax and enjoy the rustic tranquility after sunset...

The steps leading up to the washroom

Subak is helmed by the soft-spoken smiley Executive Chef Hassan Abdullah. Chef Hassan was formerly with Avillion Port Dickson before setting up Subak and prior to that, he has the distinction of being the first malay ever appointed as Executive Chef in the Hilton Chain.

I will definitely be back at Subak to try their other offerings. This place is just perfect for group gatherings as well as private romantic dinners, away from prying eyes ;-)

Restaurant's address:

Lot 3213 Jalan Penchala Indah
Bukit Lanjan
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 7729 9030/31

Visit their website for map & directions!



My rating: 8/10