KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — In the canon of Ipoh’s speciality dishes, dry curry mee is often overshadowed by more popular dishes like kai si hor fun or poached chicken and taugeh.
In the Klang Valley, “curry mee” is usually used interchangeably with “curry laksa” to refer to a soupier, more santan-heavy version.
In Ipoh, however, it is most often associated with the dry, thick version that uses a complex base of spices. Household names famous for Ipoh dry curry mee include Yee Fatt and Yat Yat Seng, which opened its first Klang Valley location in May last year.
Though perhaps not quite as illustrious, Sun Seng Fatt is another name that regularly comes up in lists like “best places to eat dry curry mee in Ipoh”.
At this branch, they’ve decided to stick to the hits, with a handful of other offerings, including prawn mee and lam mee, in addition to both types of curry mee.
Walking in, the first thing I noticed was the bus-themed decor that seemed out of place, but familiar.
On closer inspection, I realised we were sitting in one half of what used to be Duóo Kopitiam, which we covered in November last year. The other half is now HK Food Delight, serving a menu nearly identical to Duóo’s, with a notable exception being the suckling pig with noodles.
A staff member told me that both concepts share the same owner, and I observed both diners and servers walk through a connecting corridor to move between the two sides.
A portion of dry curry mee will cost you RM13.90, with an option for a larger portion at RM1.50 extra.
Unless you are on the dirtiest bulk known to man and getting ready for Mr Olympia, I don’t recommend the extra carbs.
The default portion is already a heaping mountain of noodles, which are far better served by getting extra add-ons; I went with roasted pork (siew yoke) for an additional RM3.
The thick curry is rich and robust but also fairly mild. The heat shouldn’t be a concern for most folks, and once you’ve tossed the curry all through the noodles, you will definitely want to ask for more sambal.
The dark paste is where this dish derives much of its savoury kick from, and it makes every strand of noodle that much more delectable. Halved calamansi limes are usually customary with this dish, as a squirt of acidity is much needed to cut through the richness of the curry.
Here, just as they do in Sun Seng Fatt in Ipoh, there’s a squeeze bottle of lime juice for you to use and adjust to your heart’s content.
The goodies buried beneath the blanket of curry deliver as expected: siew yoke, prawns, blanched or boiled simply, and the thin, reddish brand of char siew that I’m not normally fond of, but is ideal for this dish. The sweeter, stickier style of char siew would be too jelak with the rich curry, so this is perfect.
It’s important to note that one shouldn’t come here expecting a spicy, sweaty and soupy affair. These are “dry” noodles, but it isn’t really a sauce either.
For comparison, think of pasta: it’s not a sauce the way pomodoro is, but closer to a thickened paste, like pesto.
Eating dry curry mee is a thick, almost gloopy task that when done right, should resemble the texture of handmade pesto that’s been tossed through cooked pasta with just a touch of pasta water.
Ipoh Curry Mee Menjalara (新成发)
7, Jalan 11/62a, Bandar Sri Menjalara, 52200 Kuala Lumpur, Bandar Menjalara, 52200 Kepong, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Open daily 8am-5pm, Closed on Thursday
Tel: 012-390 5266
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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