KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Veteran chef KK Lee, together with his wife Fanny Chia, has now opened their own place after a hiatus of five months.
The duo – long-time staples in the Cheras neighbourhood’s restaurant scene – first cooked in Sheng Kee in Taman Midah, and most recently at Nine Dragon Boat Seafood Restaurant in Taman Taynton.
Sek Heong offers Shredded Chicken Hor Fun (RM12) made by Chef KK from a recipe he has developed over 20 years.
The broth is boiled for five hours, yielding a voluptuous broth with a comforting chicken flavour, and is generously laced with prawn oil.
One gets the goodness from all the hand picked ingredients.
Unlike at other places, there’s no sharp sweetness or thirst after drinking this bowl with the smooth hor fun.
Free Range Chicken has firm meat with a beautiful yellow skin to accompany your bowl of noodles or even chicken rice. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Thanks to a fellow food lover, I discovered this place that definitely goes beyond just a bowl of kai see hor fun.
This venture’s setup is designed to appeal to everyone, where small tables to big round restaurant sized tables can be found..
One can just order their kai see hor fun or dry curry noodles for a quick eat and dash meal, good for a solo diner.
Poached Bean Sprouts is not the Ipoh plump variety but this version is still crunchy with a light soy sauce. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Smaller groups can add on their half portion Free Range Chicken (RM45), where the meat is firm with a glistening yellow skin.
Or go for the Free Range Chicken (RM90) as those solo portions like Free Range Chicken Drumstick with Thigh (RM20) seem to sell out fast.
There’s also Hainan Chicken Rice (RM9) or Clear Soup Hor Fun (RM5), if you’re not into prawn oil.
Remember to also add lots of their blended chilli sauce that is piquantly spicy and the best pairing for that free range chicken.
Regulars or bigger groups, whether family or friends, can order their steamed dishes, like fish or even pork with different ingredients like pickled radish or squid.
Preserved Vege Braised Pork has that soft, melting texture with a not too sweet tasting preserved vegetables. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Some prepped dishes include Hakka classics like Yam Braised Pork and Preserved Vege Braised Pork (RM43), which I brought home to try.
The pork belly meat has that perfect fat and meat proper ratio, leaving you with a silky mouthfeel after you indulge in a piece with the braised mui choy that is not overly sweet with just the right amount of savouriness.
On the menu, you will also see the chef’s signature dishes like Stir Fried Sea Prawns with Soy Sauce and Crispy Pork Belly with Garlic.
Diners can look forward to his famed sang har mee, a rendition cooked up using his masterful cooking skills, in the near future.
Chef KK Lee busy in the kitchen prepping food. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
In a video posted on his previous restaurant’s social media, Chef KK demonstrated that his version ditches the typical deep fry method for the sang mee noodles.
Instead, he painstakingly fries the noodles slowly in a wok, toasting and flipping it until it’s fragrant, giving the noodles more texture after it’s soaked in the prawn sauce.
The space inside is a mix of small tables and large round ones for bigger groups to enjoy the cooked dishes. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Chef KK explained that sometimes restaurants opt for deep frying the noodles instead, which leads to softer noodles the moment it’s doused with the sauce.
Even how he cooks up the freshwater prawns in that all important sauce is unique – layering it with even more of the crustacean flavour – firstly by frying it in prawn oil and using prawn broth for the sauce.
I will definitely return for that epic plate of sang har mee, once it’s introduced.
The restaurant faces the main road just under the elevated highway. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Restoran Sek Heong, 63, Jalan 2, Taman Len Seng, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 10am to 3pm, 5pm to 9pm. Off days uncertain, they are closed on May 19 and 20 for a break. Tel: 019-2953278.
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
