PETALING JAYA, Sept 30 — We are spoiled for choice with various Thai eateries opening up around the Klang Valley. One such place is Heng Dee by Nhom Thai which opened its doors at Damansara Uptown in June this year.
Nhom Thai originally started as a home based business from Klang. The menu here is a mixed bag of noodles and rice dishes with various stir fry items. There's also BBQ seafood and glass noodles cooked with prawns.
More items have recently been added like their roast pork that is served with Mama Mee stir fried noodles or fried with Thai holy basil. There's also a fusion dish that pairs green curry with roast duck leg. You also have vegetables like fried long beans and papaya salad served with fermented fish and crab.
As their business originally started with Thai desserts, you can get coconut jelly decorated with flower designs here. These are only available in the evening and can be pre-ordered. Other desserts on the menu include mango glutinous rice, red ruby and Thai cendol.
The signature item is kuey teow ped or duck noodles (RM18.90), made from a family recipe. The broth is a deep, robust one that has a tinge of bak kut teh flavours, probably from the mix of herbs and spices used.
Slurp it down with the tender meat from the duck drumstick and the unusual chicken blood which is imported from Thailand. On its own, the bowl is pure comfort like a warm hug. If you want a potent boost, add a dollop of chilli sauce for a spicy kick.
If you don't do robust broths but prefer a lighter flavour, order their signature kuey teow tom yum (RM17.90). Their version may not appeal to die hard tom yum fans as it's not robust. Neither will it blow your head off with its heat levels.
Instead, this version is great for those who want a mild spiciness with their noodles. Personally I found the noodles to be appetising for my taste buds but I'm the type who prefers my food to be less spicy. If you want it spicy, they do give you chilli flakes to flood your bowl.
I also liked how chockfull my bowl of noodles was with fluffy minced pork, pork balls, sliced pork and pork patty. There was a bonus braised white radish too and crunch from chopped long beans.
And if tom yum is not your thing, they also have pork soup with a sweet pork broth and all of the porcine goodness.
Rice lovers can enjoy various stir fried items. There's the classic pad ka prow with minced pork and Thai basil leaves (RM15.50). What's different about this version is how fluffy the minced pork is which pairs well with their own made sauce and fragrant basil leaves. The texture of the rice is exceptional with fine grains that have a slight glutinous texture. I would have happily just eaten the rice on its own.
You can also opt for other types of ingredients cooked this way such as duck meat, prawns, squid or pork ball. They also offer their braised duck with rice too.
If you're still peckish, try their BBQ seafood, a choice of river prawns with lots of creamy orange roe and squid. You get a giant sized squid (RM32) or baby squid served on skewers. The squid is lightly grilled and each piece is tender. Just dip it with their chilli lime dipping sauce for a tangy hit. There's also grilled sotong egg and deep fried squid.
For dessert, I tried their red ruby (RM7.50). It's a little different from the other places as it is served with a mound of shaved ice with a little coconut milk so it takes time for it to melt a bit before you can eat it with the water chestnuts and jackfruit. What I really enjoyed was the water chestnuts as this was fresh and crunchy. I also liked how it was lightly coated in the tapioca starch for that soft, chewy texture.
As parking on the street can be difficult here, you can park at Starling and walk over. Otherwise, they are on Food Panda, if you prefer to dine at home or the office.
Heng Dee by Nhom Thai, Ground Floor, 16, Jalan SS21/35, Damansara Utama (Uptown), Petaling Jaya. Open: 10am to 9.30pm. Closed on Monday. Tel: +603-77336385. Instagram:@hengdee_by_nhom_thai
