Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Noodles At Restaurant Ching Hai/Pau Kee

Updated : Pau Kee has shifted to Imbi...click on THIS LINK for new address and map


I'm back and still sorting out the photos from Hanoi. It was extremely hot during my visit there and I have been "recuperating" for the past 2 days. Will be posting on Hanoi later on. Meanwhile, here's a post on one of the places that I've been patronizing since my childhood days.
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Located at No. 21, Jalan Tong Shin (Opposite Corona Inn), 50200 Kuala Lumpur.
It's the stall on the utmost right.


Mr & Mrs Chong have literally seen me grow up (and sideways too! LOL) from a kid to an adult and I have seen Mr Chong's hair turn a few shade of grey since they started this business when he was a young man. Mrs Pitt loves the noodles here too when we were still staying in this part of the town.

Serving Ipoh Kway Teow, Fresh Prawn Wantan, Curry Chicken Kway Teow, Fresh Prawn Meat Dumplings (Siu Kow) and Curry Chicken Mee, Mr & Mrs Chong has racked up his fair share of regulars through the years. The dry version of the Ipoh Kway Teow here is different as it not only comes with the usual dark sauce but some broth is poured onto the noodles; hence it's slightly wet but nevertheless delicious.
Wanton
As I'm not really a fan of Prawn Wantan, the whole prawn filling didn't delight me as much as it did to my mom. (My fave wantan is still from the wantan noodles stall at Wah Cheong in Jalan 17/29 as it's less prawny and has bits of carrots)
The Ipoh Kway Teow (Flat Noodles) Soup comes with an option of either shredded chicken meat or chicken pieces. I usually opt for shredded chicken and prawns with my usual request for gau choy (garlic chives) instead of choy sum (Chinese Flowering Cabbage). Some fried shallots and prawn oil, not chilli oil mentioned earlier (a must for Ipoh Kway Teow) is added to the soup; adding more oomph to the already tasty broth. Coupled with the smooth thin Kway Teow, this simple yet tasty noodles is one of my favourite comfort food.
The other favourite of ours is the Curry Noodles. We usually ask for Sang Mee (egg noodles) as we find that it goes well with the curry. The curry version here is also prepared differently. A pot of thick curry would be boiling on the side. In preparing this, Mr Chong scoops a ladle of the thick curry and then adds it to the normal soup broth in the bowl of noodles. As you can see from the photo above, though it may seem quite thick, it's not really the case once you stir it. It is however, still milky enough with the coconut cream. Somehow, mixing the two together brings about a very palatable taste to the whole "ensemble". Different but nice! At RM3.50 (USD1) for a small bowl and RM4.00 (USD1.30) for a big bowl of noodles, this is comfort food at its best!

Restaurant Ching Hai
(opens from 8 am till late lunch)
Call to check : 016-375 1360


"Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has that ability to comfort."
- Norman Kolpas

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just made seafood wontons - not 100% prawn since I added fish into it too. I think pure seafood wontons are lighter versions compared to the meat counterparts. Wooo...the noodles, esp the curry one, looks good!

Anonymous said...

Oh no. I just came from Tigerfish's blog with the wantons and now you too? How am I going to bed now? My tummy is rumbling, my mind is now on wantons and wanton mee and now Ipoh Sar hor fun and laksa.

Wmw, remember to take me to this place ok? Somehow, I still prefer the cheap, authentic food like this.

I can see you really made Mr and Mrs Chong's day. Both looked so happy to have photos taken of them. It is a good way of showing your appreciation of their hardwork and food. :)

Christina Kim said...

The Prawn wantans look great:)
I always prefer seafood wanton to poultries...but then, I am always picky in everything...haha:p

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

this is the corner lot b4 heading down towards max! rite?

so did u try bobby chin in hanoi??..im waiting for that review..welcome back to malaysia!

backStreetGluttons said...

a long time ago when there were Cathay Cinema/Pavilion we used to come here for the coconut chicken tonic soup after getting off from that sleazy joint nearby ( the nearer one not that one ok ).
but we have totally forgotten bout this place ! din you have the 333 while you were there so cant be that hot mah ! oh maybe something else hot

Anonymous said...

Welcome back!
The hor fun and curry egg noodle look fabulous la. Btw, Ipoh's version of hor fun doesn't have prawns and chives in it.

Unknown said...

the curry noodles sound interesting, mixture of curry broth and clear broth

wmw said...

tigerfish : I do agree with you about it being lighter versions. Mmm...the curry noodles, good stuff!

judy : Ok, remind me to take you to this place when you come back here okay? :)

christy : Ha ha...I don't really fancy prawns so, I'm not sure how I would rate it. I'm definitely a picky eater especially so for a food blogger! ;o)

joe : Yup, you got that right. Try Bobby Chin? What sort of person do you think I am??? Hahaha...no lah, no time.

jackson : Can, of course. When?

team bsg : Now that I have reminded you, go back for a visit. Eh...what's 333? Nothing else hot but the weather!

Jason : Thanks for the welcome! So, I guess this is "Kuala Lumpurnised" version of Ipoh Hor Fun :o)

kbcg : Try it and decide for yourself. Simple food! Yum!

Rasa Malaysia said...

The fresh prawn wontons do look good, but a little too small, but it's OK, a mouthful. LOL.

New Kid on the Blog said...

Hello, welcome back... so, I shall wait for Hanoi posts la??

Hmmm... you and Boolicious post Ipoh Hor Fun at the same time... :)

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm...kai see hor fun...

Although I cannot view your photos but the descriptions are vivid enough to make my mouth water!!

fatboybakes said...

been meaning to ask, whats with the sudden USD conversions in everyone's blog? wah, yall got such international audiences hor...

i love the hor fun at this place too. is that chilli oil or prawn oil? i tot prawn oil leh...

the charsiu here isnt bad either, but blarrrdy expensive .

yar, did you try bobby chin? more importantly, did you MEET bobby chin?

if jackson doesnt FFK me again, maybe i can bring him here for ipoh hor fun.

daphne said...

Sure is a good review. They look so appetizing! Miss a good bowl of noodles and soup now i think!

Big Boys Oven said...

oh...... I love this place... always had been my favourite breakfast hang out!!!!

teckiee said...

Ok.. there aren't that many conner coffeeshop along Tong Shin.. should be able to find this easily.

sc said...

double dose of noodles from you and boo! haha

wmw said...

RM : haha...a mouthful of a few wantans at one go???

nkotb : Ya lor, same time...aren't noodles a wonderful thing ? :o)

kat : Thanks for coming around. Hope that Flickr will get the green light soon in AD soon.

fbb : Yup, cos I had several people overseas asking me how much the food cost and furthermore if you look at the NeoCounter, people from USA are the second biggest group visting my blog.

Will ask Mr Chong next time about the oil. Eh, we go together lah, my playground there :o). Nolah, didn't "try" Bobby Chin or his food! LOL...No time!

daphne : Ah, yes, comfort food like I said!

bbo : You have also got to try the pork noodles at Adik Beradik Chua and the Curry Laksa at Kam Fatt which is further down.

teckiee : Yup, remember it's opposite Corona Inn.

sc : I know, isn't it wonderful! ;o)

SteamyKitchen said...

bowl of noodle soup sounds so good right now for lunch.

Kok said...

wmw,
You tempt me with such great food again. Aduiii...How I wish I can go back Malaysia now to try all these food.

Anonymous said...

Wow..!! the curry noodles to die for lah..! and so cheap...!!

k.t.x said...

i use to stay in jln alor for a while and nagasari too...lol. this place is cool. another which i savor is the stall opposite ngow kee. top class noodles.

oh hanoi!!! my favorite city in SEA!! cant wait to see which quarters/'hang' hv u discovered..lol.

KopiSoh said...

LOL I lyk how u say "USD1 for small bowl, USD 1.30 for big bowl". Sounds like so cheap.

MeiyeN said...

i don't think i ever have da chance to drop by unless they are open on sunday :(

wmw said...

steamykitchen : Ah...could I possibly inspired you, the celebrity chef to do a post on soup noodles? Hahaha....

kok : In time, you'll really have a chance to try them out when you're back here for your vacation...hopefully meet up with Aunt Judy, yeah?

mama bok : Malaysia...the land of abundant good food!

k.t.x : Where have you been? We still haven't eaten Mee Diao! Hee hee....How long ago was that when you stayed downtown? I left there in 1993.

firehorse : Memang so cheap to visitors with USD or Euro! For them to eat in Malaysia, WAHHHH! Can feast like a king/queen!

meiyen : Why don't you give a call to find out if they are open on Sundays??? Or I might ask them for you.....

Anonymous said...

"Kuala Lumpurnised" Ipoh hor fun... hehe. What a term to use!

Anonymous said...

Everything looks great. Drove past this place gazillion times but never try before.

Precious Pea said...

Hi sista, am back!! Yumzz...wantan with prawns...slurps! The ipoh hor fun looks good..especially with the reddish prawn oil.

wmw said...

Jason : So, which version you like better...I think you will alwasy like all food Ipoh style??? :o)

tankiasu : Well, time to make a pit stop! Hee hee...

Precious P : Welcome back sista! Mmm...gotta try it one day, okay?

Tummythoz said...

Blogged about this many many moons back. Hah, I prefer d charsiew here than Meng Kee's. Been there 3 Sat mornings in a row. Didn't bump into you eh?

~Christine~Leng said...

I would certainly love to try this version of curry noodle that u recommend! Love curry noodle so much and with "sang mee" It'll be darn good! yummy :)

Sze said...

i swear to god every time i come on to your blog i see ANOTHER enticing photo of curry noodles. so. not. fair.

wmw said...

tummythoz : I don't go there that often nowadays. I prefer the Char Siew at Sunway Mas :o)

christine : Try it, hope you'll like it as much as I do!

sze : Drop by more often and decrease the odds! Hahaha....

Living Skill said...

Hi there.Mr and Mrs Chong had moved to 10,Jalan Utara,Off Jalan Imbi,KL. I tried the curry noodles it is as delicious as before. Happy trying.