Uncle Cheng Special Beef Noodles @ SS2, PJ (New Location)

I had written about Uncle Cheng Special Beef Noodles a few years back when Julian was still operating a stall in the Restoran Khasiat coffee shop in Section 17. However, Julian got a place a couple of months back in SS2 (No. 54, Jalan SS2/4A) and is now operating in a shop lot of his own.

I'm glad it's still in Petaling Jaya and rather nearby and I've been making my rounds there once again. I just love the beef cuts and broth - yummy! I like the dry noodle (it comes with a bowl of soup on the side) while some prefer soup noodle. Take your pick together with your selection of beef cuts :o)

Eat, Drink & Be Merry @ Jaya One - Part Two (Final)

(Continuation)
Location of gathering : Jaya One, No. 72-A, Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya

So, off we went for our main meal at our 4th stop

Kinnaree Thai Restaurant
12-1, Palm Square
Tel: 03-7957 3910
Email: kinnaree.jayaone@thaiinspired.com
Web: http://www.thaiinspired.com
Business Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12pm -3.30pm & 6.00pm -10.30pm
Sun: (Dinner only) 6pm -10.30pm
Signature Dishes : Pomelo Yam Som O, Deep friend Boneless Fish with Tamarind Sauce - Pla Sam Rod, Tom Yum Prawn - Tom Yum Gong

Lovely deco adorns the wall of Kinnaree and sets the mood well for a cosy and relaxed dining experience.  I like the way they had set the table and made us looked forward to tasting the Thai food here.

Beefing Up Downtown in Chinatown Kuala Lumpur

Since I'm not a "fish" fan, my usual meat options are chicken, beef (with the occasional pork and mutton).  So, I never say no when it comes to beef noodles (dry/soup/fried) as it is on my fave list - read up on some of these beefy posts from the past ...

Ngau Kee in Tong Shin, KL
Julian in Sec 17 Petaling Jaya
Kean Fatt in SS3 Petaling Jaya
Joy Cafe in Happy Garden KL
Quinn, Jalan Toman, Seremban
Ang Kim Chwee, Johor Bahru
3U, Taynton View, Cheras

I decided to add two more to the list when I had the opportunity to go downtown on several occasions and ate at Soong Kee and Lai Foong.  Well, I've been to these two places way before my blogging days (hence, no photos till now!) since these are the pioneers in dishing out delicious beef noodles for the longest time but I had not been back till of late.  I was told that where as Ngau Kee's is inconsistent, Soong Kee still "has it".  So that's why I decided to venture back into this part of town to check it out ...

Soong Kee has been around since 1945 and had renovated their place in 2001.  Eating here now is definitely more comfortable as compared the earlier days...

Bounce baby out the door....and straight into my mouth! Hahaha...The beef balls were delightfully fresh and bouncy. Large order for RM8, small for RM6

Special Beef Noodle, Sec. 17, Petaling Jaya

(NOTE : Julian has relocated his beef noodle stall into a shoplot of his own at No. 54, Jalan SS2/4A, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Call 012-3030626 to check ... Opens from 9am-4pm daily (close on Wednesdays). Read the latest post on Julian's new location HERE.

Living nearby, I have heard about a particular good beef noodles available in Section 17. I had been asking around for months but couldn't get any info till a friend forwarded me a scanned article from a Chinese newspaper highlighting the stall. It wasn't a lot of help as I can't read Chinese but I recognised the street number and the coffee shop photo in the article.

I then excitedly made my way to that place with Glorious Jade, as it was only 5 minutes drive away from where I live! Arriving there, Julian, the proprietor gave me a smile and asked if it was my first time eating there. When I said yes, he promptly took out his name card and handed me one :o). Looking at his stall which says Uncle Cheng's Special Beef Noodle, I was curious as he was too young to be called Uncle (like someone else I know...). I then found out that Uncle Cheng is his dad but I didn't asked where Uncle is.

Glorious Jade was not in the mood for carbo and decided to just have a bowl of mixed beef (RM4.50/USD1.30). She exclaimed that the beef pieces and tripe were tender and nice.

As for me I had the dry beef noodles (RM6/USD1.80) and was delighted it was served similar to the Seremban version. However, upon tasting, the sauce which isn't as thick as Seremban's noodles tasted less beefy. Topped with bits of sesame seed, char choy (preserved vegetables), peanuts and spring onions, it was however refreshing and a welcomed change to the noodles that I've been eating in Klang Valley. True enough, the beef slices and tripe were yummy and tender. The beef ball tasted standard though. Oh, and only lai fun noodle is served

When you order the dry version, you have the option of ordering the special dried beef slices for an extra RM2.50 (USD0.70). Trying such a meat for the first time, I found it well marinated and the dark sauce made this a flavourful treat! A bowl of beef broth was also served and I found it beefy enough till I drank it all up and asked for a refill :o)

Julian stopped by my table and asked if I wanted to take a photo of the piping hot beef bone marrow soup (RM15/USD4.40) that he was about to serve his customer at the nearby table. It was truly a sight to behold.

Julian seeing our eyes lit up told us we could try a smaller piece with less meat that he just so happened to have (of which I paid RM10/USD3 as we didn't want to pass up on the chance as it is not available all the time).

The clean bone after Glorious Jade and I polished off the meat and the bone marrow juice with such delight!

On another visit, Glorious Jade and I ordered the Beef Tenderloin (price starting from RM8.50/USD2.50, depending on supply and quality) and we found the tenderloin yummily tender. Cooking is like an art to Julian. He would deliver this first and reminds us to eat it quickly as leaving it in the soup too long will cook the tenderloin further thus affecting the meat. I had to quickly take a photo of this after him telling us that, hahaha.... Only when we were done with the tenderloin slices and down till the last drop of soup would he serve the noodles to us!

Like I mentioned to Nigel when he reviewed this place, the noodles aren't remarkable but I found the meat (and other parts) yummy with rather nice broth to boot. This has become one of my regular eating place with friends.


Located at : Restoran Khasiat
Corner coffeeshop at Jalan 17/12
Opens Monday - Saturday 10.30 am - 2pm
Call Julian to check at 012-3030626

(Turn left after the Shell station, with the brown flats being on your right (going towards Happy Mansion). Then take the first left turning. It's a small road, drive slowly and you will pass houses on your left and a slope on your right. As you come to the first corner coffee shop appearing on your left, you would have found the spot marked X!)

As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists.
~Joan Gussow