KEPONG, March 14 — Flavourful chilli oil, check. Comforting beef broth, check. Tender beef brisket, check. Stewed beef innards, check. Milk tea, check.

It almost feels like you're in Hong Kong and that is just what Hung Shu Cheong hopes to achieve at Hong Kong Noodle.

Opened just a few days before Chinese New Year, the place serves the 59-year old's family legacy of beef noodles.

The eatery serves Hung Shu Cheong's (right) family recipe for beef noodles that he has also taught to his son Kwan Lai (left)
The eatery serves Hung Shu Cheong's (right) family recipe for beef noodles that he has also taught to his son Kwan Lai (left)

You get to enjoy braised beef brisket and all parts of the cow here. There are also wontons generously stuffed with prawn and minced pork.

Even the beverages are typical of the island's offerings. Expect to enjoy a strongly-brewed lemon tea or smooth milk tea. They also serve "yin yong" — the popular Hong Kong drink that combines equal parts of coffee with milk tea.

Hung relocated to Malaysia in June last year under the Malaysia My Second Home programme. In his earlier days, he worked in the dried seafood business, while his father honed his skills working in a beef noodle shop.

The family opened their eatery in Yuen Long four years ago which is now being run by Hung's son. Another son, Hung Kwan Lai is based here where he takes charge of preparing the stewed beef offal.

Hung hopes to acquaint locals here with the authentic taste of Hong Kong. "I want people to eat and drink the taste just like Hong Kong," he explained.

It has been an uphill battle for Hung to achieve that dream but he has stuck to his guns. He spent a long time sourcing for the right meat supplier for his noodles.

The layout of the place is just like that of eateries in Hong Kong where the food is prepared behind glass panels at the front of the restaurant
The layout of the place is just like that of eateries in Hong Kong where the food is prepared behind glass panels at the front of the restaurant

It is not often you get braised flavourful beef innards like honeycomb tripe, omasum, lung and so forth
It is not often you get braised flavourful beef innards like honeycomb tripe, omasum, lung and so forth

As he does not believe in compromising the taste of his food, he brings in many ingredients from Hong Kong that are unavailable here.

Even the equipment to boil that all-important beef broth was shipped in. It doesn't stop there as the important know-how in the kitchen and brewing the drinks were taught by two sifus from their Hong Kong eatery.

Anchoring their signature beef noodles is the all important beef broth. Using fresh beef shank bones and a mix of herbs, the broth is kept boiling for 16 hours. Hung explained that the broth is kept overnight and used the next day.

A lot of work goes into making the braised beef brisket and innards. You get honeycomb tripe, lung, spleen, intestine, kidney and omasum.

Go for the dry beef noodles served with thin egg noodles brought in from Hong Kong that absorb the sauce better
Go for the dry beef noodles served with thin egg noodles brought in from Hong Kong that absorb the sauce better

Tender beef brisket is best eaten with their addictive own-made chilli oil
Tender beef brisket is best eaten with their addictive own-made chilli oil

There is also the wobbly, collagen-rich tendon. Hung explained that they wash the innards thoroughly. Especially the prized honeycomb tripe which tends to trap sand particles within it.

The tripe also needs to be trimmed by hand thoroughly before it is braised. Hung uses a master stock sauce made with their special concoction of about 30 plus herbs brought in from Hong Kong. This infuses the innards with lots of flavour.

Take your pick from soup with your choice of noodles or the dry version. Go for the thin egg noodles brought in from Hong Kong, if you are trying the dry version. The al dente yellow strands absorb the sauce better than our local egg noodles.

A satisfying meal here can be their wontons packed with prawn, minced pork and dried flounder powder served with 'al dente' thin egg noodles and smooth milk tea
A satisfying meal here can be their wontons packed with prawn, minced pork and dried flounder powder served with 'al dente' thin egg noodles and smooth milk tea

The eatery opened a few days before Chinese New Year but people already flock here for their noodles fix
The eatery opened a few days before Chinese New Year but people already flock here for their noodles fix

You can also score a bowl of wonton noodles here, done in the typical Hong Kong style with egg noodles.

Each plump wonton is generously stuffed with a combination of prawns, minced pork and dried flounder powder. The eatery also offers pork knuckles braised with fermented red beancurd (nam yu) that can be eaten with the noodles.

What makes your meal truly memorable here is their addictive chilli oil. You can't help adding that fragrant condiment onto every item served here.

Hong Kong Noodle is located at this new building within the Bandar Menjalara square of shophouses
Hong Kong Noodle is located at this new building within the Bandar Menjalara square of shophouses

The key to their fragrant beef broth is using fresh beef bones that are boiled for 16 hours!
The key to their fragrant beef broth is using fresh beef bones that are boiled for 16 hours!

It is cooked for three hours — stage by stage — using dried chillies from Hong Kong, garlic and shallots. The secret to its addictive taste is the abundant use of dried prawns which is slowly cooked over low heat until it becomes an umami bomb.

And the best part is it doesn't burn your tongue as the chillies from Hong Kong aren't as fiery compared to the local variants. 

Hong Kong (香港) Noodle, G-9, Menara Perniagaan Menjalara, No. 99, Jalan Menjalara Idaman 6, Sri Menjarala, Kepong. Open: 9am to 10pm. Closed on Mondays. For directions, waze to Happy Wudi House at Menjalara.