KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — Venture deep into any of Cheras’ many neighbourhoods and you’re bound to find a number of local spots pumping out delicious food with frankly absurd efficiency at a frightening pace.

These dishes require a certain degree of technical excellence and rely on one’s ability to source great produce, belying the humbler look in these places.

However, unlike a more rough and ready dai chow type place, you’ll find tablecloths, air conditioning and a lazy susan on most tables at Fatt Hei Len Restaurant.

There are few airs about the place, underlined by the lively chorus of clanging tableware and rowdy diners, and the presence of many a young family on a weeknight; all this clearly marks its status as a casual, convenient neighbourhood favourite.

Even so, the food served here is fit for even the most sophisticated of settings.

The menu offers only a glimpse of the entire repertoire of dishes here, with most specialty dishes available or tweaked on a seasonal basis.

Who needs tasting menus anyway?

The centrepiece of our meal was the Signature "Pau Heong” Rice with River Prawns (RM156 for a double portion). It's recommended you call ahead to reserve this popular dish.

A swirling cauldron of bubbling liquid arrives: in it, giant freshwater prawns peek through like Lovecraftian creatures and "explosively fried” rice is scattered throughout with chunks of water chestnut, carrots and peas.

Neither casserole nor porridge, it eats like consommé with millions of tiny croutons.

Golden, brown and delicious, the previously crispy rice takes to the stock well, resulting in a sticky, almost brittle and candylike texture.

Tiny slices of fish maw provide another layer of textural contrast, along with some strands of egg throughout.

Sweet, delicate crustacean flavour dominates the dish and the flesh in each prawn is satisfyingly firm.

Another standout here is the Steamed Patin Fish in Yellow Wine, but when we called ahead, we were informed that the prized sultan fish was available.

Naturally, we opted for the latter, which came up to RM90 for a portion.

Sweet, supple flesh gives way to the even sweeter cooking liquid, which has reduced down to a glossy sheen, resembling that of a glaze.

Notes of lemongrass, pickled chillies and ginger feature prominently, as do the cooked-down sugars from the yellow wine which is certainly the reason for the syrupy, delicious texture and flavour.

Available at a seasonal price (RM46 for that night) and listed as "Special Pork Ribs” on the menu, the next dish was a sizeable hunk of fatty pork, drenched in a thick, caramel-brown sauce and a smattering of what looked like shimeji mushrooms with two pieces of fried mantou on the side.

So rich it’ll leave your lips more luscious than any lip gloss, the sauce also gets its savoury flavour from the use of fermented bean paste.

A really keen eye or palate will find tiny slices of fish maw thrown in for texture; a demonstration of the little steps taken here that elevate the food from good to great.

Rounding off the meal was a trinity of basic but extremely well-executed classics: Pork Intestine with Dried Shrimps (RM25), Salt and Pepper Squid (RM27) and Cheng Long Choy (RM17), otherwise known as green dragon vegetable.

Springy and intensely savoury with each bite, the pork intestines were topped with an abundance of dried shrimps.

Coated in a delicate batter so light it’s basically nonexistent, the squid was also perfectly cooked and tender, and the chef was incredibly generous with the garlic.

The vegetables were subtle, retaining that slight allium flavour but were probably outdone a little by everything else on the table.

It was a large meal, a filling meal and a great meal.

The mix of unique specialities and iconic classics whetted the appetites of both body and mind: The dishes were interesting to break down and look at for perhaps the more discerning diner, but also just plain delicious, which is probably the most important part.

Having sufficiently out-gluttoned ourselves, we rolled our way out onto the street, dreaming of our next visit.

Fatt Hei Len Restaurant

8, Jalan 30A/119, Taman Taynton View, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur

Open daily; 11.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-10pm

Tel: 03-9133 8985

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