KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Even with our sweltering weather, it can be fun to wander around smaller neighbourhoods and explore a different side of town. You never know what delectable new finds you might discover.
This was how I found classic Filipino pork ‘adobo’ in Taman Desa and tantalising Taiwanese braised skirt steak in Sri Petaling, for instance. Never underestimate the magic of traipsing about randomly.
The neighbourhood in question this week is Taman Yulek in Cheras. There are many smaller streets and alleys to investigate, with a flâneur’s attitude and eagle eyes.
Such an optimistic outlook was how we spotted a small corner shop at the end of Jalan Kaskas, past a couple of noodle houses and a mookata (Thai barbecue) restaurant.
The latter points to a sizeable Thai population in the area, which might explain why the shop we found offers an excellent Thai style fried rice with plenty of wok hei and a superb sunny side up.
That is the main draw, really, of Fried Rice Co., which really is a testament to truth in advertising given its name. A quick glance at its menu, sparse but sufficient, proves as much.
The shop basically offers you a choice of fried rice, fried rice or... more fried rice.
To be exact, we can select Thai Fried Rice, Char Siew Fried Rice, Prawn Fried Rice or, for those who really need a protein boost, Prawn & Char Siew Fried Rice. Each option comes with a fried egg and some crunchy fried pork lard.
Now, this might sound boring to some folks, but for a major fan tong (“rice bin” in Cantonese) like me, it’s a slice of heaven right here in Cheras.
To go with our plates of Thai Fried Rice and Prawn & Char Siew Fried Rice, we had the requisite order of nom yen or Thai milk tea. The shop offers both the classic red or green variety, but it’s the red nom yen for us, indisputably.
Other subtle (or not so subtle, depending on how one views it) hints of Thai influences come from the various signs in Thai plastered on the walls. These run the gamut of simple, helpful greetings — how to say “Hello” or “Welcome” in Thai... if you’re able to read Thai characters, that is.
It’s about the ambience, really. Which is quite wonderful. We feel as though we were in a coffee shop hidden in some small soi in Bangkok. Lovely way to escape the madcap bustle of the market nearby.
Here is a helpful tip: Unless you plan on sharing your fried rice, order the small portion rather than the large, even if you’re very hungry. Trust me, even the small sized fried rice is pretty huge.
You’d appreciate a better ratio of rice to ingredients anyway with the small fried rice: the dry yet oil-slicked grains of rice, each separate without a single clump; the shards of chopped up greens; the fiery aroma of the wok’s breath...
The Thai Fried Rice is stir fried with some holy basil and bird’s eyes chillies; the Prawn & Char Siew Fried Rice features three sizeable prawns, neatly arranged in a row for your inspection, and chunks of diced Cantonese-style barbecued pork.
And you realise why there isn’t a choice of fried egg or no: You thank your lucky stars your fried rice comes with a default sunny side up, drizzled delectably with streaks of soy sauce. Pierce the yolk and allow it to ooze out lasciviously.
The way to eat it — one might say the Thai way — is to first squeeze some fresh lime over the egg so the juice surrenders its citrus acidity then add a heaping spoonful of the spicy chilli dip, equally zesty and laced with pungent fish sauce.
Stir this into the yolk and the dip each prawn into the glorious mess before eating. Absolutely stunning.
To refresh our palate (as our Cantonese mothers might gripe, yit hei or “heaty”), we share a bowl of iced Aiyu Jelly. Tangy, sweet, cold — a fantastic counterpart to the intensity of the fried rice.
Aiyu Jelly is more Taiwanese, of course, rather than Thai. But that is okay. We aren’t in Bangkok or Taipei, after all. Let us savour our travels in the city and welcome whatever gifts our little walks offer our taste buds.
Fried Rice Co. 炒饭公司
BLK P/B, 111, Jalan Kaskas, Taman Yulek, Cheras
Open daily 11am-3pm
Phone: 017-372 1041
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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