KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Like a change of backdrop in a play, once night approaches, shops close for the day and tables with chairs pop up along five foot ways.
At Jinjang Baru, just off the forever busy Jalan Kepong, one can find Restoran Yung Yi Kei, where pathways convert into your dining space as cooking is done inside their shop.
Come as early as 5.30pm to catch the last rays of sunlight or venture here after the snarl of traffic has eased for the day.
Zhu Zhap Chuk (RM9) rules the night here, making a warm meal in the cool night.
Thick, snowy white cooked rice grains make this porridge more substantial for the stomach.
The bowl of sustenance is dressed up with deep fried pig intestines curled up like addictive munchies from a packet.
Each piece is impossibly crunchy, making that “krok, krok” sound as your teeth bites down on each piece.
The five foot way (left) is converted into your dining space at this restaurant (right) located in Taman Jinjang Baru patronised by families and those who work nearby. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
You may even be tempted to add on another bowl of these oink “croutons” for RM5.
As the spoon dips into the bowl, it emerges victorious with chunks of offal.
Maybe there’s a piece of pig’s stomach or how about a jiggly cube of coagulated blood… they are just like treasures buried in a deep ocean.
What made this porridge unusual was thin shreds of fresh ginger that gave it a dose of fierceness too.
There’s other porridge types but this pork offal porridge is what people clamour for.
Curry mee here is a mild version that many will associate with their school canteen meals. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
As the sun sets for the night, out comes the Curry Mee (RM9) to wake up your snoozing taste buds.
Curry mee seems to be the default choice for numerous stalls that peddle the fiery orange curry filled bowls, as darkness descends.
This version feels a little shy in the spicy department, tickling rather than burning one’s tongue.
Dig deep in the bowl for pieces of lean but tender char siu, monstrous beancurd puffs soaked with curry, fuchuk and fishballs.
‘Wantan mee’ (left) has springy noodles with a watery sauce but it’s saved by the bowl of silky ‘wantans’ (right) served with it. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Wantan Mee (RM8.50) is also another menu option.
The dry version feels like a car wreck — noodles swimming in a dark broth — topped with lean char siu.
Whatever flavour needed to accentuate the springy egg noodles was drowned out and couldn’t even be rescued with a spoonful of curry.
The only saviour was the small bowl of silky wantans in a rich broth with ikan bilis flavours.
Now I understand why I heard diners ordering the Wantan Mee soup version, as it’ll be a better choice since it uses that same fragrant ikan bilis broth.
Those wantans (RM3 for five pieces) in their fried form offer a crunchy bite in your curry mee or even porridge.
Grab the fried ‘wantans’ (left) for a crunchy snack with your meal and end with their red bean ‘tong sui’ (right). — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
One really cannot complain when dining here as there’s also dessert in the form of Red Bean Tong Sui for RM2.90.
The bowl is a mixture of soft, whole beans in a sweet, thick soup of slow cooked red beans, leaving its lingering sweetness on my tongue.
Restoran Yung Yi Kei,
29, Jalan 8/32,
Taman Jinjang Baru,
Kuala Lumpur.
Open: 5.30pm to 11pm. Closed on Sunday.
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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