PETALING JAYA, April 29 —There is more to life than simply figuring out what our next meal might be — but I’d be hard pressed to tell you what that is.
Certainly this must be the conclusion my Italian friend Manuel must have arrived at after we picked him up at KLIA and immediately ferried him from the airport into a series of food adventures.
The only sightseeing he’d indulge in would be the interiors of various kopitiams and restaurants around town. From a robust cup of kopi O to a stellar plate of nasi lemak, anything that is tasty deserves a spot on his itinerary (designed by yours truly, of course).
Still, even he must have been surprised when I brought him to Da Niu Bake Pie’s new shop in SS2, PJ. Run by the affable Daniel Lim, the shop’s signature dish is the guokui or Chinese “baked pie” that is a staple of Shaanxi cuisine.
Lim (his English name translated to Mandarin is Da Niu, hence the moniker) too was surprised to see a Caucasian visitor to his shop. That is, until I explained to him that Manuel also had a work stint in China many years back and the two hit it off, comparing notes on their favourite Chinese dishes.
The clean lines and retro-nostalgia ambience of Da Niu Bake Pie’s shop. — Picture by CK Lim
While Manuel was a former expatriate in Beijing, Lim used to be based in Shanghai where his wife Olive loved to snack on guokui which he explained was “a Chinese flatbread dating back to 1,000 years ago.”
Da Niu Bake Pie, then, is Lim’s way of bringing that culinary memory back to Malaysia. What started in 2020 as a series of pop-ups at various weekend markets, eventually morphed into a brick-and-mortar presence.
The first Da Niu Bake Pie shop was opened in Bandar Menjalara last year. This second outlet in SS2 is only three months old and already they have a stream of steady customers from surrounding PJ neighbourhoods and beyond.
Part of the appeal is the clean lines and retro-nostalgia ambience of the shop itself; many are curious passers-by turned walk-in customers.
Another segment comes from long-time fans of the brand who would follow Da Niu Bake Pie’s social media accounts for announcements of pop-ups or even make the trek in the Kepong direction for freshly baked pies at the first shop.
The two bestselling flavours of baked pies: Spicy Lamb (left) and Mui Choy Pork (right). — Pictures by CK Lim
Now they can enjoy their guokui (which means “pot helmet” in Mandarin, referring to how the flour-based pancakes were traditionally cooked over charcoal inside a clay oven) of choice closer to home, be it a Red Bean Pie or a more Western influenced Butter Cinnamon Pie.
The two bestselling flavours of baked pies, however, remain the Spicy Lamb and Mui Choy Pork baked pies.
The former is neither gamey nor too spicy, so much so that even the little ones can enjoy it, while the latter got our two thumbs up: aromatic and full of savoury goodness.
These are light bites for most diners, so you might want to include other menu items in your meal.
Mini Mala Noodles with Dumplings. — Picture by CK Lim
The Mini Noodles (available in Scallion and Mala flavours) are a treat, with every bite offering the “QQ” texture a Taiwanese would approve of, particularly when accompanied with the shop’s homemade dumplings.
From pot to bowl: Green Bean Kelp ‘tong sui’. — Picture by CK Lim
For something with a more local touch, try the pillowy-soft Pandan Cloud Cake. Drizzle the not-too-sweet gula Melaka sauce over every bite.
Prefer something more unique? Try the Chilli Oil Ice Cream — swirls of soft serve topped with Da Niu’s secret homemade chilli oil (which is sold in bottles in-store, together with other whimsically designed merchandise courtesy of Lim’s daughter Esther).
Pandan Cloud Cake. — Picture by CK Lim
There might be more to life than simply figuring out what our next meal might be — but Manuel would agree with us that a return trip to Da Niu Bake Pie will absolutely be part of that.
Da Niu Bake Pie 大牛燒餅
121, Jalan SS 2/6, SS 2,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Open Tue-Thu & Sun 11am-10pm; Fri & Sat 11am-11-pm; Mon closed
FB: @DaNiuBakePie
IG: @daniu_bakepie
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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