KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The food universe is a vast, dangerous place to wander.
Most times, it’s duds or just simply bad food.
Occasionally, it’s rather decent and slightly above average spots that pull a crowd, purely because it feeds the surrounding community who doesn’t believe in driving far for the ultimate food experiences.
And once in a blue moon, you get a place like Restoran Yun Yun, tucked inside an unassuming and for me, never before visited area that serves up generous bowls of seafood noodles, brimming with freshness and spades of flavour.
It was truly a eureka moment for me when I stepped into this restaurant below the flats.
Nearly everyone around me was slurping down a bowl of seafood noodles, clear soup or curry.
There were the odd one or two tucking into fried rice, fried noodles or Nian-Nian, their version of fish head noodles with that distinct milky broth.
Seafood Noodles with Fish may look like the plain Jane but the broth laced with Shao Xing wine is also irresistible. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
The logical way, of course, was to try the seafood noodles with clear broth first but instead, I yearned for the curry version.
It was the right choice.
My bowl of Seafood Curry Mee was glorious.
The crux of this bowl was that orange curry broth that I drank every drop of, a testament of how well prepared it was.
It’s not the type to sting your tongue but you get a gentler spiciness, underpinned by a sweetness purely from the use of a master stock or siong tong boiled with a mix of chicken meat and carcasses.
The curry paste is slowly cooked for two hours, using fresh santan, infusing the broth with fragrance.
This was indeed a perfect pairing with the bountiful catch crammed in my bowl, like their signature Sabak clams, sea prawns minus that artificial crunch and fish balls.
This unassuming restaurant sits at the bottom of flats in Taman Wilayah. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Each bowl is cooked individually and the cooking expertise shows as the thick, white shell cradles plump, juicy molluscs.
Even the cockles or see ham are a decent size, unlike those puny specimens usually found in most stalls.
Remember to add the sambal from the communal table of condiments, specifically from the plastic bottle with a yellow cover.
It’s not too spicy but one can definitely taste the dried prawns used, adding more fragrance to your bowl of curry noodles.
My small bowl of Seafood Curry Noodles was RM15 while the big portion would have set me back by RM17.
There’s also a non-seafood version, using shredded chicken and cockles instead.
Rice lovers can opt for the Teochew Porridge with Fish, where soft rice grains cooked in their master stock is served with fried Toman fish. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
When I returned to try the clear soup version, it was with apprehension, thinking maybe that version wouldn’t be on par with the curry version.
I was wrong.
It was not only on that same level of greatness but just slightly better than the curry one, depending on one’s preferences, as this was sweeter.
This round it was the big portion, where my seafood was drowning in that vast white bowl, anchored slightly by my noodles.
One spoonful of the broth just sealed the deal… sweetened with the use of top grade Shao Xing rice wine that rounds up that broth to make it super drinkable.
Toman or snakehead fish is often avoided as it has many bones but this fried version is boneless with flaky flesh. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
This version of seafood noodles includes slices of toman or snakehead fish.
Usually avoided due to its fine, pesky bones, here it’s gloriously boneless with flaky flesh, even though this freshwater fish doesn’t have much of an oily texture.
The Seafood Noodles with Fish is RM18 for the small portion and RM23 for the big one.
Variations also include one without the fish, starting from RM12 for the small portion.
Or try the Teochew Porridge with Fish (RM13), which I decided to do as a takeaway.
The cooked rice is plumped up in that master stock, for a soft texture, and interestingly they add fluffy fried egg to the whole combination.
Fried fish is used here, keeping its shape well, even after it’s been soaked in the porridge.
Asam Laksa can also be ordered here, a tangy not overly spicy version using fresh tuna fish. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
As the lady boss is a Penangite, Asam Laksa (RM8 for small, RM9 for big) appears on the menu with a tangy profile rather than an overwhelming spiciness, using fresh tuna fish.
Of course, one can also order side dishes like Fried Fish (RM12), where slices of toman fish are fried, thankfully without that thick batter most places use, allowing you to enjoy the fish on its own.
Even though the owners don’t make their own fish balls or fish cake, they went through many suppliers until they were satisfied with this supplier, hence the Fried Fish Cake (RM10 for 3 pieces) has a springy bite, which can be paired with sambal belacan.
Fried Fish Cake can also be ordered to pair with the noodles. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Apparently the owners operate a seafood distribution company at the nearby Pasar Borong, opening up the opportunity for them to use the best and freshest catch in their cooking here.
Seafood purveyors are also sticklers for respecting produce, hence every item they serve here, must be at their peak quality and to showcase it, only the best master stock with premium Shao Xing rice wine will do.
As a rule, seafood like the Sabak clams aren’t kept overnight, hence any excess stock can also be purchased at the restaurant should supplies be more than anticipated.
Occasionally, fresh Sabak clams can also be purchased at the restaurant. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Restoran Yun Yun,
No. 20-0-5,
Jalan 13/2, Taman Wilayah,
Selayang.
Open: 7.30am to 2.30pm. Closed on Monday.
Facebook: 圆圆茶餐室 Restoran Yun Yun
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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