PETALING JAYA, May 29 — If you have been missing PJ's famous Taman Bahagia Kedah-style asam laksa, fret not as you can get it delivered to you.
Located just next to the LRT track, the stall — when it was open — used to draw a long queue of patrons who flocked there for asam laksa, mee Jawa and Teochew specialties from 8pm onwards.
During the lockdown, the stall is not open but you can call to pre-order your food a day ahead. There's a choice of self collection or just arrange for a food delivery rider to pick up the items near the stall's location.
High on the order list is their signature asam laksa for RM5.50. You get a bowl of comfort that brings back memories of the simpler life.
The broth is not as thick or pungent compared to the Penang version but it still has that distinct tangy taste.
This is paired with flaked fish, shredded cabbage, chopped red chillies and softer rice noodles cut into smaller pieces. This makes it much easier to slurp it all down. If you prefer, you can add hei ko or the more pungent prawn paste to your laksa for a deeper taste.
Another popular order is their mee Jawa (RM5.50). Their version has a lighter taste and it is served with a not overly thick broth.
You get two types of fritters, the crunchy type and the softer version that is sliced. The crunchy fritter is packed separately and sealed in a plastic bag to keep it from going soft. There's a dollop of coarsely ground peanuts that gives extra oomph to the light tasting broth.
I like the simple Teochew mee diao which reminds me of a much healthier version of economy noodles that is usually served during breakfast at the stalls.
It's a combination of bouncy thin noodles fried with carrots, spring onions and bean sprouts. It has a light taste eaten on its own. Add their homemade green chillies and garlic paste to make it even more appetising and spicy.
I reckon the noodles are kept light in taste as it leaves room for you to order their Teochew snacks. The chai kuih and the rarely seen guang jiang are perfect best friends with the different noodles served here.
I like the old-style chai kuih served here with its soft, thin skin. The chives version isn't too pungent. If you prefer a slightly sweet bite, the yam bean version hits the spot perfectly. These are sold at RM1 per piece.
They also offer the steamed and fried guang jiang, a popular Teochew vegetarian beancurd skin roll usually served during festivals. The rolls have a filling of shredded yam bean mixed with flour, cooked peanuts and different flavourings depending on each cook's recipe. It is wrapped in beancurd skin and steamed.
You can also deep fry the rolls. This version is pretty simple as they use peanuts and fried shallots to give it flavour. It's still delicious on its own but you can also dip it in their chilli sauce, if you prefer a stronger flavour. Each piece of guang jiang is RM1.
Do note that the food served by them is pork free. Your takeaway is packed in plastic bags for the noodles. The broth is separated making it easier to plate up your food at home. For the drier items like the mee diao and kuih, these are placed in plastic boxes.
During the lockdown, their operating hours have also changed. Instead of dining from 8pm onwards, you can now enjoy these items for lunch or even teatime.
Taman Bahagia Laksa, Jalan SS2/1, Petaling Jaya. Open: 12pm till 7.30pm. Closed on Sunday. You can WhatsApp your order to 012-3912082 a day before to arrange for delivery or pick-up near their stall in front of the Perodua service centre.
