PETALING JAYA, Oct 9 — As a Klang Valley resident, I am finding more and more places from out of town opening here.
The convenience is incredible. There’s no need to endure the arduous highway traffic jams anymore.
One of the latest to open is Xu Noodle House that brings us Melaka-style eats like braised duck noodles, yee kiao mee and Nonya laksa.
Everything except the meatballs are made from scratch, including the rarely seen her kiao and their yong tau foo. There’s also minced pork noodles.
Previously they operated Kg 8 Corner in Kampung Lapan, Melaka. As the family moved to the Klang Valley, they closed the Melaka place on August 8 and opened Xu Noodle House on September 22.
With a 70-year history, the business started as a cart with a bicycle on Melaka’s streets by Koh Yak Young’s father.
The 76-year old recalled how they will call out their presence to residents, by flicking a bamboo tube to create the “tok tok” sound. Back in those days, they would sell a bowl of noodles for 10 cents.
When Koh was 26, he joined the family business; he would take the night session while his father traded in the morning.
He used a tricycle instead to transport the food and the cooking equipment. Later he opened a permanent shop called Kg 8 Corner.
His son Kenneth Koh then took over the business. However, the elder Koh is always in the background, helping out.
With this PJ venture, they are joined by the fourth generation of the family, Kenneth’s niece Tiffany.
In Melaka, one finds braised duck served in noodles. Here Kenneth braises the duck using the master braising sauce, inherited from his father.
That master braising sauce has been tweaked by the elder Koh to suit customers’ taste buds, and is different from the original one his father started the business with. They would add the spices and ingredients in the master sauce which has been in use for 50 years.
Order the Braised Duck Noodle (RM10) or the Special Noodle (RM12.50). As the Special Noodle has shredded braised duck, fishcake and their fishballs, I could try everything in one go.
Unfortunately I couldn’t try the yee kiao mee with fishcake, fishball and fish dumpling, but made it up with the separate components.
For the Special Noodle, the duck is tender with a light taste of the braising sauce.
A distinct feature of Melaka-style fish balls and fishcakes is the texture. Unlike those served in the Klang Valley, it’s not as springy, yielding a softer bite.
Even the fishcake is sliced thinly, letting you enjoy its softness. They use ikan parang to make it.
Get the dry version with your choice of noodles. I see many ordering mee and it works as those springy noodles make a great texture contrast with the softer fishcake and crunchy bean sprouts.
The flavours are very simple. It’s tossed with soy sauce, crispy lard and spring onions.
You’re given a bottle of chilli sauce, known as cili botol in Melaka. Add that homemade sauce as it gives a nice hit of spiciness with a smidgeon of tanginess from the vinegar used.
I don’t usually finish my noodles but I really liked the mixture, especially after adding the cili botol.
On the side, they give you the fish balls in a brown broth, made with the braising sauce.
I ordered their Homemade Fish Dumplings (RM6 for five pieces, RM12 for 10 pieces) too.
These are her kiao, where fish paste is mixed with tapioca flour and fashioned into a flat skin and used to wrap a minced pork mixture. We usually call it UFOs since their folds resemble an alien aircraft.
Here it’s shaped in a crescent. The texture is delicate, not rough like the UFOs served at other places, which is what Koh intended. He uses less tapioca flour too. One can imagine, only expert fingers can shape those dainty dumplings.
You get a slight bite for the skin followed by the fragrant minced meat filling with a distinct dried flounder powder flavour.
The yong tau foo selection includes the usual items like brinjal, bitter gourd, chilli, lady’s fingers, fuchok, beancurd and more. I tried the Fuchok (RM2 per piece) and it is a light, crispy bite with a layer of fish paste in the middle.
There’s also braised duck, sold in whole, half or quarter portions. Other braised items include pork, eggs and beancurd.
Everyone who walked in would order the Nonya Laksa (RM12.50 for small, RM14.50 for big), hence I tried that.
The basic bowl is topped with prawn, sliced fish cake, half portion of hard boiled egg, shredded cucumber and tiny cockles.
There is also another option for Yong Tau Foo Laksa (RM12.50), where you get to select four pieces of yong tau foo with your laksa.
The laksa is the type I am happy to slurp down. It’s fragrant, not overly rich but with a distinct taste of coconut milk.
I also liked the sambal served with it. Unlike the ones found in the Klang Valley, it’s not sweet but adds a distinct flavour to the creamy laksa, giving it a bit more depth and taste of dried prawns.
So far, most of their customers are originally from Melaka seeking a taste of their hometown.
Xu Noodle House,
F-G-48, Jalan PJU 1/45, Aman Suria, PJ.
Open: 7.30am to 3pm. ( Days off not fixed ).
Closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Phone: 012-4733763.
Facebook:@xunoodlehouse Instagram:@xunoodlehouse.
• This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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