KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Every time I think I have unearthed all the good beef noodles places in town, I stumble upon another one.
At this stall simply known as Uncle Lee's Beef Noodles, it was that first sip of the beef broth that got me hooked.
It's deep with bovine flavour. Not too spice laden, just a hint to tickle the taste buds so you will drink another spoonful until you reach the bottom of the bowl.
That is a sign of a great bowl of beef noodles.
Again, the flavour profile is different from that of other beef noodles I have tried; l really enjoyed the various nuances of this dish.
Here, my bowl of beef noodles also stands out as it's served in a rectangular bowl. Who knew bowls could be shaped other than round?
Your order of beef noodles is served with beef balls, cow's stomach and stewed beef brisket, all for RM13.
I selected lai fun noodles for my bowl. Turns out this isn't the usual bouncy white lai fun strands as it's cream-coloured.
The stomach is soft and well stewed without any funky smells. I also enjoyed the beef balls, made by the stall owner's friend; it did not have the dreaded ping pong texture of most other beef balls.
The beef brisket is well cooked to a tender, pull apart texture. Those slices with a little tendon running throughout were gelatinous.
You will find one piece of white radish too, perfectly cooked to a softness which I enjoyed eating... relishing each bite slowly.
If you find the toppings bland, dip them in the bright red chilli sauce.
Reminiscent of that served with chicken rice, it's piquant and so spicy that even my eyes stung a bit. Strangely, I couldn't stop dipping my beef in that sauce!
As I was curious about the dry version, I ordered another bowl of beef noodles to try. This time, it was kway teow.
Tossed in a dark brown sauce, it's got a touch of sweetness that made me eat more even though I had vowed to taste just a little bit.
This time, I went for beef balls and the beef brisket. For this version, the beef was divine with a soft texture which I couldn't stop eating.
It was truly satisfying.
From what I understand, talking to Uncle Lee, his recipe is a Cantonese one, hence there's no peanuts or ham choy like the ones found at most other stalls. Flavours also lean towards the lighter side, yet it will satisfy any beef lover.
Once involved in construction, he switched to F&B about four years ago when work dried up with the pandemic.
The recipe was passed to him by a friend who guided him on the ways to master the making of beef noodles.
He prepares the items in small batches, using a pressure cooker. This keeps it fresh and enables him better cost control too.
For the Chinese New Year holidays, the stall will be closed from January 30 to February 14.
Uncle Lee's Beef Noodles, Little Sifu Bentong Hainan Restaurant, No. 23 and 25, Jalan Pandan Indah 1/23e, Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 7am to 3pm. Days off not fixed.
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
*Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
