PETALING JAYA, Nov 17 — Hong Kong – and by extension, Cantonese cuisine – has never been far from reach for us Malaysians.
But there’s no denying that Hong Kong restaurants are currently having a moment in the Klang Valley, especially with the recent explosion of cha chaan teng spots.
Though not a cha chaan teng, the newly-opened Sheung Wan Noodle House in Damansara Utama is the latest addition to this scene, serving a range of Hong Kong staples, including wantan noodles, beef noodles, and congee.
More interestingly, the menu also includes Shunde specialities, including fish balls and fish curd dishes served with rice noodles.
Shunde, a district in Foshan, Guangdong province, is considered a foundational pillar of Cantonese cuisine and is reputed for producing some of the best Cantonese chefs.
The business is brand new, despite the year on the sign. — Picture by Ethan Lau
One note on the “sejak 1968” on their sign: while the business itself hasn’t been around for over 50 years, the ‘sifu’ involved has been cooking for that long.
Previously, they operated under the name Lol Na Kee Noodles House and were located in Cheras.
That concept served noodles but also featured more cha chaan teng fare, though there was a clear emphasis on their beef noodles.
The new name here reflects their newly narrowed focus – noodles, including wantan, beef and even rice noodles.
The thin, springy strands of ‘wantan’ noodles are great to chew on. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The Hong Kong wantan noodles (RM17.80) checked all the right boxes: thin, springy, “QQ” noodles in a light, delicate broth with four large, meaty wantans.
The noodles, pleasantly chewy and toothsome, were the clear standout, elevating the dish above the sum of its parts.
You could also opt for the mixed pork with pork lard noodles (RM19.80), which caught my eye the moment I glanced at the menu.
There’s something irresistible about a load of noodles topped with salty pork mince, some lard croutons and a crisp-edged fried egg to boot.
A beautiful, satisfying bowl of minced pork and ‘wantan’ noodles. — Picture by Ethan Lau
It’s no ho bao dan, but the yolk was still runny and lush, oozing decadently over every bit of this greasy bowl of comfort.
I’m not a huge fan of rice noodles, so we opted for the Shunde fish ball soup (RM22.80) without noodles as a side.
Shunde cuisine in general is hardly seen in Malaysia, but it’s also worth ordering just for the deeply flavourful broth and the excellent fish balls.
Normally served with six balls, we requested a mix of Shunde fish curd – half-and-half, if you will.
Shunde specialities are hard to find, and these fish balls and curds are really good. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The balls were firm and almost meat-like, but the slick, tofu-like pieces of fish curd were the true standout.
Made from fish paste and treated like tofu, they had an unexpectedly meaty bite.
The soup’s bold fish flavour was mellowed by a slight bitterness from wine, while slices of luffa and a generous sprinkling of Chinese celery provided balance and freshness.
Dry-style beef offal noodles were also very good. — Picture by Ethan Lau
But the best thing on the menu is undoubtedly the beef offal noodles (RM26.80).
I tried both the soup and dry versions on separate visits, and both stood out as exceptional.
The selection of offal included hulking pieces of honeycomb tripe, intestines, and spleen, though you can swap these for tendons as I did.
Look at the size of both the honeycomb tripe and beef tendon. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Braised low and slow in a dark, aromatic master stock, where five-spice takes centre stage, the ngau zhap (牛杂) was cooked to melting submission.
The soup itself was rich and deeply beefy, with specks of fat glistening on the surface. Tableside, chilli oil is the only condiment worth considering.
If you’re ordering just one thing here, make it this.
The rich, deeply flavourful beef soup, still with fat swimming in it. — Picture by Ethan Lau
上环粥面家 Sheung Wan Noodle House5, Jalan SS 21/56b, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya.Open daily, 11am-9pm. Open from 10am on Saturday and Sunday.Tel: 017-640 9931Facebook: @SheungWanNoodleHouse
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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