KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 – Who doesn’t love a good kam heong lala? The juicy morsels of local clams, mildly sweet and briny, tossed in the classic “golden fragrant” (literal translation of kam heong from Cantonese) sauce.
You taste the savoury hit of dried shrimp and oyster sauce, the unmistakable earthiness of curry powder and curry leaves, the fiery bites of chillies.
But when you go further and add some pungent petai (stink beans) and prawns, and stir all of this goodness into oodles of spaghetti, then you have a true fusion masterpiece.
This is one of the signature dishes at Zuo An Zhi Jian, an Asian centric fusion cuisine restaurant in Taman Bukit Indah, KL (which is part of the OUG neighbourhood for most us foodies).
The name of the dish is itself quite a mouthful – Clam Prawn Sambal Petai Spaghetti – yet every delectable, well, mouthful (pardon the half-pun) is well worth every syllable.
Look out for Zuo An Zhi Jian’s pristine white shop front. — Picture by CK Lim
Now I will be the first to admit I am not the biggest fan of fusion cuisine as more often than not, the chefs seem more concerned with mix-and-matching two dishes or ingredients that are as far away from each other as possible.
(Remember when one shop placed croissants on top of the bowls of ramen served? Aside from the instant social media virality, so unnecessary.)
Yet there is a genuine sincerity in how Zuo An Zhi Jian approaches their menu; which, to be fair, is presented more as home style, comfort food and casual dining rather than anything specifically fusion cuisine.
But when you have dishes such as Bacon Seaweed Scrambled Egg Cruffin and Rendang with Garlic Baguette, it’s hard not to jump to said conclusion.
Still, labels are only labels. What matters is the food – and Zuo An Zhi Jian excels in this area.
Pieces of artwork are juxtaposed with lush greenery. — Picture by CK Lim
The shop is located along a nondescript row of shophouses. You can’t miss it though; just look out for their pristine white shopfront. Very striking, particularly with the planter of leafy plants right outside.
For more intimate dining and a chat with the owner behind the counter, opt for a table downstairs. Those who prefer more natural light, should take the stairs for a more spacious dining experience above.
Pieces of artwork are juxtaposed with lush greenery here. There is an unforced sense of serenity, not artificially created, but something that flows from the owner’s own creative sensibilities.
Which makes for a conducive environment to peruse the expansive menu (ask for recommendations if the plentiful choices prove overwhelming) and to enjoy the food, of course.
Coconut Chicken Herbs Soup (left). The spaghetti is slick with ‘kam heong’ sauce (right). — Pictures by CK Lim
We began by warming our bellies with the gently simmered Coconut Chicken Herbs Soup.
Beyond the thick slivers of coconut flesh used in the double boiling process, we detect sweetness that must come from the use of coconut water too. Lovely.
The rejuvenating soup proves to be a nice counterpoint to the aforementioned spaghetti, given every strand of pasta is slick with kam heong sauce.
Those who adore stink beans but prefer rice can opt for the Sambal Petai Prawn Onsen Egg Rice. Again, something familiar and comforting yet the simple addition of an onsen egg lifts the entire dish up, especially when you break the yolk and its molten gold spills out.
Sambal Petai Prawn Onsen Egg Rice. — Picture by CK Lim
We are on a bit of a spice drive here, so we also try the Chilli Basil Minced Pork with Rice, a respectable homage to the Thai pad krapao moo sap (I always enjoy an extra topping of flash fried pork liver too, however).
What’s next? We’re looking forward to try Zuo An Zhi Jian’s Pork Ochazuke (given most of the ochazuke we have seen elsewhere is topped with salmon) and Calamansi Mango Chilli Senangin Fish (threadfin with some acid is always appetising).
Though, to be honest, we might be tempted to order the kam heong lala pasta yet again…
Chilli Basil Minced Pork with Rice. — Picture by CK Lim
Zuo An Zhi Jian 佐岸之间22, Jalan Lazat 2, Taman Bukit Indah, KLOpen daily 11am-10pmPhone: 011-1145 4668IG: https://www.instagram.com/zuoan.zhijian/
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
