KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — Even before I set foot here, I knew I’d seen Restoran LFF before.
I don’t live particularly close to Taman Overseas Union, but I spend a fair amount of time in the area looking for food.
Drive down Jalan Awan Besar to turn towards Old Klang Road, and you’ll see a blue and orange sign peeking out from the foliage to your left.
It’s part of a small collection of eateries that likely started as stalls, though a few have grown into restaurants, complete with corrugated steel roofing and the usual trappings.
The open-air dining area was cool enough, even with the strong glare from the setting sun as we arrived just before seven.
Next to the kitchen is a wall that takes interior designing tips from your average frat house; it features a large assortment of liquor bottles, with Chivas Regal and Dewar’s White Label enjoying some popularity. Blended is the way to go here, it seems.
Like many Chinese seafood restaurants, LFF (which stands for 来发发, roughly translated as “come on”) serves a wide variety of dishes, but with an emphasis on fresh seafood.
The menu features many staples, but the main draw here is the steamed song yu (Asian bighead carp) head. There are a few different sauces it can be steamed with, but we opted to get it with preserved vegetables, or choy poh (RM33).
We got this for a couple of reasons: first, I love the sweet and savoury profile of choy poh; second, I caught a glimpse of another table’s order sitting on the pass, basking in the golden rays of the late evening sun as the steam wafted through the air.
How could I say no to guerilla advertising like that?
Perfectly steamed, the firm but slightly gelatinous texture that song yu is so valued for is on full display. The fish is known for having quite a lot of bones, but when the flesh is done just right - as it was here - they slide out with ease.
The soy sauce concoction is mostly there for savouriness, while the generous snowfall of choy poh provides plenty of crunchy sweetness. Another worthy member of the "chase this down gleefully with white rice” club.
Sizzling tofu (RM20) and fried pork belly with nam yu (RM25) can be found in many similar establishments, but an excellent rendition of either can really elevate a place in my view.
The former was just that: medallions of smooth egg tofu in a rich, bubbling and gloopy sauce with minced pork and mushrooms. She’s sizzling, savoury and all you’d ever want.
Unfortunately, the latter was merely... comme ci, comme ça. It underwhelmed me because the pieces of pork tasted of very little nam yu (red fermented bean curd) and the batter was too light, shattering into a crumbly mess almost at will.
Cheong bao prawns (RM46) were an off-menu special that came highly recommended by the lady in charge. She’s the consummate salesperson by the way - we had just sat down when she immediately went through the list of freshwater fish available that day, including wild patin at a price that she "should get scolded for”.
However, we were full of praise for the prawns, which were wok-fried in a glossy, tangy sauce with a mellow heat that builds. It tasted vaguely of tomatoes and chillies, though the savoury and sweet black beans were immediately recognisable.
Steamed song yu head is a much-loved dish in my household, so I foresee plenty of return visits considering the comfortable environment and relative ease with parking.
Most of the other dishes lived up to their billing, and the highlights definitely make Restoran LFF worth a visit.
RESTORAN LFF 來發發海鮮飯店
8, Pusat Penjaja, Jalan Awan Hijau, Taman Overseas Union, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-2.30pm, 5-10.30pm.
Tel: 012-266 8191
Facebook: @RestoranLFFSeafood
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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