KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — At a glance, Fang Hong Curry Mee looks exactly like what its name suggests: a curry mee joint.
But it is also so much more.
Housed in a quiet row of shops facing a residential area in Taman Sri Bahtera, Cheras, the first signs that there may be more than meets the eye are the large tables, some with lazy susans and tablecloths, and rows upon rows of laminated pictures on the walls depicting a repertoire far wider and deeper than just curry mee.
There are steamed, fried or braised fish heads, slick with tauchu and bitter gourd; chicken steamed in a herbal, gingery broth; and large plates of braised pork belly, tofu, and curry fish head.
Some dishes are old-school Malaysian-Chinese dai chow staples.
Others are distinctly Chinese and lean Sichuanese in both spirit and heat, a reflection of the woman running front-of-house, who hails from the province.
And yet, for all the variety, the curry mee remains the anchor.
It’s the name on the signboard, the default order, the thing that still draws first-timers and regulars alike through the door.
There’s the signature “king” curry mee (RM16.80), loaded with hunks of chicken and taufu pok, then piled high with squid, prawns, fish cake and cockles.
The regular curry mee comes with fried ‘fu chuk’ and ‘siew yoke’, though the curry broth is clearly based on chicken curry. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The regular version (RM10) is more restrained but no less satisfying, topped with siew yoke and fried fu chuk alongside the usual chicken and taufu pok.
What both share is the same rich, thick broth.
It carries a mild, lingering heat and leans a little sweet, though it’s not overly creamy or heavy with coconut milk.
There’s none of the shrimp-y savoury depth or herbaceous lift you’d expect from a typical curry laksa – in fact, this might be the furthest thing from curry laksa I’ve ever had, while still calling itself curry mee.
What it almost certainly is, at heart, is chicken curry – potatoes and all – with noodles and toppings thrown in.
But it’s a very tasty chicken curry, and the jar of sambal on the table offers a quick savoury boost, curiously rich with the flavour of dried shrimps.
Fang Hong is popular with regulars from the neighbourhood, all mostly old. — Picture by Ethan Lau
On a recent afternoon, the air was thick with the rowdy cadence of Hakka, spoken by a crowd of regulars streaming in, the overwhelming majority of them seemingly over the age of 50.
The chef emerged briefly, a short, balding man who spoke a mix of Cantonese and Hakka and seemed to be on a first-name basis with several of the regulars, before disappearing back into the kitchen.
Soon, dishes began to appear.
Sichuan-style ‘xiao chao rou’ is as fragrant as it is bold and delicious, and is a hit with the regulars. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Some, like the Sichuan 小炒肉 (xiao chao rou, RM28), filled the room with a heady perfume of Sichuan peppercorns, red and green peppers, leeks and onions, wok-fried with thin slices of pork belly.
It’s the kind of dish made for rice – punchy, fragrant and deeply moreish – and it’s easy to see why the regulars have embraced it.
Other dishes are closer to home, like the Hakka zha yuk (RM25), a speciality of the chef and a triumphant balance of soft, jiggly pork belly and wood ear fungus, springy and slightly rubbery, in a savoury sauce boosted with nam yu, red fermented bean curd.
The chef here specialises in a few Hakka dishes, including braised ‘zha yuk’. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Taking us home were a pair of tried and true classics: sweet and sour pork (RM22) and claypot kangkung (RM14).
Serviceable versions of both are easy enough to find elsewhere, but they were especially good here.
The craggy, crispy nuggets of pork were coated – not drenched – in a thick, tangy sauce, retaining their crunch to great effect.
And the kangkung, while seemingly plain, was nothing to scoff at.
Even plain old claypot ‘kangkung’ is well-executed here. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Crunchy, juicy and packed with dried shrimp, it was a quiet winner.
It’s a curious one, for sure.
A rather unique rendition of curry mee, the Sichuan stir-fries, Hakka stews, textbook sweet and sour pork – but the regulars don’t seem to mind.
If anything, they’ve taken it in stride, eating without missing a beat, as people do when the food is good, and they know they’ll keep coming.
Look for the plain but easily spotted yellow sign. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Restoran Fang Hong Curry Mee
47, Jalan Jalak,
Taman Sri Bahtera, Kuala Lumpur
Open Friday to Wednesday, 7am-3pm and Friday to Sunday, 5.30-9pm
Tel: 018-278 8699
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
