KUALA LUMPUR June 14 — Popular in Sarawak, Penang and Johore, kway chap (also known as kuey chap) is a rarity in the Klang Valley. Usually, you can find a piping hot bowl of kway chap at restaurants that specialise in Teochew cuisine, as they would also serve the same braised items with rice.
Essentially, it’s broad rice noodles (kway) served in a braising sauce (lor) that is mixed with water to make it into a broth for the noodles. It’s served with a mix of pig’s innards (chap). Some places also serve the noodles with braised duck meat, beancurd, tofu puffs and braised hard-boiled eggs. The braising sauce is made from dark soy sauce and a mix of spices. For a good version, the sauce needs to be fragrant for the bowl of kway chap to be tasty. Most importantly, the innards must be clean so there is no off-putting smells, and not overcooked.
SRK Noodle House, 84, Jalan SS15/4B, Subang Jaya, PJ. Open:10am to 3pm, 5pm to 9pm. Closed every second Tuesday.
Most customers prefer their famous kolo mee but this place that specialises in all kinds of Sarawak noodles definitely has our vote for serving one of the best kway chap in the Klang Valley. Slurp down the addictive dark brown broth packed with flavour that is sprinkled with shallot crisps for extra umami. A bowl is packed with innards like intestines, heart and ear, all chopped into bite-sized pieces. In addition, you also have a piece of hard-boiled egg, tofu puffs, beef balls and thinly-sliced pork belly. Even the broad rice noodles are excellent with an unbeatable silky smooth texture. The bowl of noodles is also served at the perfect piping hot temperature for you to slurp it all down without feeling that it’s too rich-tasting. They also have branches in Kota Damansara and Bandar Puteri Puchong. For easy parking, opt for a space inside Subang Square, which is within walking distance of the restaurant.
Restoran Aunty Sim Kitchen, 24, Jalan SS21/58, Damansara Utama, PJ. Open: 11am to 10pm
Located within the busy Damansara Uptown square, this Teochew restaurant serves up all kinds of Teochew braised items. You get two versions of kway chap here: mixed pork (chee chap) or braised duck. Their chee chap is thickly-cut with a mix of heart, ears, stomach, intestines and pork belly. The dark broth is thicker with an oily aftertaste and a slight aroma. Dip the pig’s innards in the appetising chilli sauce served on the side.
Restaurant Teochew Lao Er, 6, Jalan Brunei, Pudu, KL. Open:10am to 3.30pm, 5pm to 9.30pm. Closed every second and fourth Wednesday.
In this restaurant, you can go crazy over Teochew cuisine as it serves an extensive menu from porridge, cold crab and even various kinds of traditional Teochew kuih. Their kway chap comes in a big bowl of broth that tends to be quite watery. The broad noodles is smooth and there is a generous mix of pork innards.
TeoChew Lor, LG113, Lower Ground Floor, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Bandar Utama, PJ. Open: 10am to 10pm. Tel:03-7724 2828
This restaurant serves the Johore version, kway teow kia, as it uses the thin smooth kway teow noodles rather than the broader type. You also can order braised items like duck and pork trotter, tangy vinegar trotter and mixed innards soup. Pair the Teochew braised items with yam rice, steamed rice, porridge or a bowl of kway teow.
