My previous visit to Kopitiam Wang sparked my interest to further explore more obscure kopitiams around the KL area, which landed me in the post today.
Like Kopitiam Wang, Uncle Keong Noolde Stall is located along Jalan Jugra, amidst some flat, away from the busy Old Klang Road. One really wouldn't expect a random noodle stall there! According to reviews on Google, this little stall has been around for 20 years!
We were there on a sunny Sunday afternoon - the place was lovely - quiet and quaint, surrounded by greens.
Despite the heat, I made a beeline towards the outdoor seat, the ones facing the greens.
The menu only consists of a few items, written in Mandarin and Japanese. The food items are all priced the same & are based on their size (Small - RM6, Medium - RM6.50, Large - RM7).
The food items offered are wanton mee with char siew/chicken feet and mushroom, curry mee, prawn mee and pork noodle. I decided to settle on a bowl of wanton mee, whereas my friend settled on a bowl of prawn mee. Curry noodles were not available during our time of visit - not sure whether it is because curry noodles are only available on certain days only or it was sold out.
Wanton Mee (Small) RM6
Noodles - springy and chewy, no "alkali water" taste. Tossed in a simple black sauce and topped with a few slices of char siew. Simple and yummy :)
Prawn Noodle (Small) RM6
Having a meal there was pleasant - especially if you're seated facing the green, minus the heat though. Fuss-free food at a calming, green environment. Simply lovely, and a great respite from the usual busy kopitiam scene. Though be warned, you might get a mosquitoes bite or two. Or more :p
Uncle Keong Noodle Stall
Lorong Jurga, Petaling Lama,
58100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Kopitiam. I love them. Kopitiam food is typically fuss-free, cheap and good. AND kopitiam stalls typically sell a limited number of food item - which means they usually specialise in the food they serve. What's not to love?
I love scouting for kopitiams locals would frequent wherever I go and give it a try. A cold mug of Kopi C is a must for me! I especially love kopitiams that are located in somewhere obscure - my theory is that if it's obscure but it's still able to attract people, the place must be good!
I was randomly scrolling through Google Maps and came across this kopitiam. The photos of their noodles, tafu pok (stuffed tofu) and seemingly green location grabbed my attention to pay this place a visit.
"You have arrived at your destination", the familiar voice of Google Maps ringed.
For a moment I thought that I was at the wrong location, as there was a row of houses on my left, and a little shack on my right. Took me a few seconds to realised that the little shack is the kopitiam itself!
The little "shack", located along the street of a residential area
Rejoice, as parking was ample (& free!) - there is an empty plot of land just right next to this shack where you may park your car.
See the plot of land on the left? That's the parking lot!
The seating area was right behind the shack. We were there at around 11am on a Saturday morning and it was pretty busy - I took this photo after we're done eating, after the breakfast crowd dispersed.
It kind of feels as though like you're dining amidst a green oasis :D
The Menu - simple, fuss-free food!
The Food
Tofu Pok RM9.50 (5 pieces)
Each piece was tofu was stuffed to the brim with the meat filling. I like!
Zha Jiang Mian RM6.50
The noodles were served with a small bowl of wanton soup. Noodles were cooked just nice to my liking - nice and bouncy and no sign of "alkaline-water" taste. It was springy and chewy - me likey! I typically would add extra chili to my bowl of noodles, but the sauce itself was flavourful enough! I like.
Kopi C
Coffee was fine - it was "gao" enough, and had a layer of froth. I sukak.
Will I be back? Absolutely, if I am around the area. The food was simple yet satisfying, and I really love the vibe of the place. And most importantly, parking was a breeze :D
If you're looking for somewhere in KL that serves hearty, wholesome, meaty dishes that will not break the bank - Meatology is the place to go.
Meatology by Chef Yenni is spearheaded by, no surprise, Chef Yenni, whom you will see cooking up a storm upon your eye. It specialises in, no surprise again, meaty dishes, with pork taking the center stage.
One of our dish being flambe in front of us by Chef Yenni herself!
I came across this place while Googling for places that dish up porky affairs around Klang Valley. I was drawn towards photos of the dishes up in fire, literally, at Meatology. The menu on their website caught my attention as well - Nasi Lemak Sedap Giler Barbie (yes, Barbie :p)? Nasi Lemak Truffle Siew Yoke? SOLD!
I made a reservation via Whatsapp and the process was brief and pleasant. Was glad I made a reservation as it was a full house on the day of my visit (a Saturday night!).
Took this photo after they've closed at 10:00pm...oops. Meatology is located at Taman Tun Dr Ismail, and it has been around for about 14 years apparently!
The Environment
No photos, sorry. It was quite busy during my visit so it somehow slipped my mind. But the interior was simple and fuss-free. Reservation is definitely recommended, especially on weekends. There were various accolades and cookbook by Chef Yenni being displayed around the restaurant - which gave me a strong reassurance that Chef Yenni & team really take their food seriously!
There is an indoor seating area, and outdoor seating area, that is pet friendly :D Saw a few doggies dining in with their owners during my visit :)
Food and Drinks
Mojito
There was a drink promo where one may choose three drinks (Choice between a pint of draft Paulaner/Strongbow or a Mojito) for RM78. We went for two pints of Paulaner and one Mojito. The Paulaner was decent, but I find the Mojito a little too sweet for me.
There were also other selections of alcoholic drinks and cocktails at Meatology.
Hog Mahawak RM13/100gram
Paulaner marinated Spanish prime pork steak served with truffle cream and a side of pumpkin mashed. The meat was flambe in front of us :D (See video below), which was honestly quite the show! Chef Yenni was friendly and informed us to get ready (with our phone camera, ofc) when she was about to start the fire :D After the meat was cooked, a huge chunk of butter was swirled into the same pan, as the butter was browned, emitting that sweet, nutty & luxurious aroma, which later turned out to be the truffle cream sauce.
Which was...the ultimate highlight of the dinner. Gosh writing about this makes my mouth water!
The serving size depends on the availability of the kitchen. Our slab of meat was about 450 grams and we were charged about RM58.50 for this dish, which was reasonable I feel.
Char Siew Yoke RM39
A marriage between Char Siew and Siew Yoke. Can't decide if you want a Char Siew or Siew Yoke? Your solution is here! Love love love it! It is crispy like a Siew Yoke, and the exterior is slattered with sweet char siew sauce with charred bits.
Leaf and Feta Salad RM9.80
A simple salad consisting of mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, olive, onions and bits of feta, tossed in balsamic vinaigrette.
A refreshing respite/counter-balance from all those meaty indulgences. Wished that there are more feta bits, but with the price, no complain! (No, I did not leave out one digit!)
Verdict
So good. I absolutely love this place :) Food was superb, service was impeccable and extremely pleasant- despite being a casual dining restaurant, the servers were really attentive and Chef Yenni herself too was friendly & attentive :) And the price was reasonable!
You get a 10% cashback whenever you order from Meatology (in-store, or through their Beepit!). HOWEVER, you have to redeem it within 17 hours (+-, might have. I missed the deadline and hence my cashback got forfeited :( Sad. But that wouldn't stop me from coming back, would really love to try out more of their dishes!
Oh my, late post as there were quite a few deadlines I had to meet towards the end of November 2020. Better late than never!
1. Be comfortable on my own + journal how I feel every weekend
Weekend 1: Honestly - I was absolutely r e s t l e s s. I started texting people, was aimlessly scrolling through social media. Asked a friend out and dined out the very first time since CMCO started! But because of the boredom, I've started this weekly challenge thing with my close friend, Sophie, where we state a challenge/goal we would like to achieve for the week!
Sometimes boredom is not a bad thing, eh? :)
Weekend 2: I was busy baking and cooking, didn't have time to think/worry about how I felt. I was making Lamingtons and Hainanese Chicken Chop, basically, dishes that require lots of work, and I dined out the very first time with my family. Shared some desserts with friends, because I do feel that I need to reconnect with people.
Weekend 3: I was working half day, and spent the rest of the weekend cooking and baking, editing videos, and watching TED talks! Video editing is my newfound hobby!
One of the video by Jia...
Watched a meaningful TED talk and the speaker stated that distractions are merely a symptom of our brain being overstimulated - which I really agree with. The talk, I feel, has changed my perception of how I view distraction. And perhaps I would like to make that a goal too. (Yes, added a new goal!)
The TED talk if you're interested :)
Weekend 4: Woking day. Went out with a friend. And hibernated. Like really hibernated.
Looking back, really, boredom isn't really necessarily a bad thing.
2. Buy only clothes that are listed on my long-term planning wishlist
Can you believe it, I didn't buy any clothes this month :D Even though 11.11 and Black Friday occurred this month woohoo!
3. Initiate at least one event per month
Does sending baked goods to others count? I feel as though I struggle with trying to connect with people. And I don't really know why. Also part of me is feeling a little paranoid about COVID. Hence I forgive myself.
Wished if I have read one non-fiction book, but it's okay :D Asal ada baca (As long as I am reading). I have to say though, I really love my November book picks - they are all the heartwarming kind of read :)
5. Doing a monthly review of my goals
On it!
6. Do a monthly/weekly review of my spending
Baking expenses RM150
Cooking expenses RM212
Yes, it seems really high, but after I go through what I've cooked/baked for the month, it's OK. (Scroll down to see what I've cooked/baked!). Though I've got to admit, I had to chuck some food away (like a small portion of kale, and about two/three portions of Baba Gannoush, as I kept it for too long :( - Lesson learnt to plan ahead, and buy only what I plan to cook!)
Alcohol expenses RM100 (A bottle of wine, two cocktails from RATA and drinks from a bar called Elephant Rock)
Gardening Expenses RM38 (Jewel Orchid and Neem Oil)
I have been searching for Jewel Orchird since forever so it's ok I guess
Misc
Cast Iron Pan RM55
Love them! Always wanted a heavy duty pan which I could chuck into the oven
New Earphone RM54
I bought two earphones just in case one goes bust - I bought the Xiao Mi wireless earbud for RM39 on 11.11, and boy I'm loving it! This must have been one of the best purchases I've made :p
New Bolster RM14 (Because I had a RM40 Aeon voucher)
7. Carry a notebook and pen wherever I go and jot down notes systematically
The good thing about being in lockdown is I'm always at home with a notebook. So I've been consistent with this goal!
8. Try out something new each week
Thanks to lockdown, I've been outperforming myself for this goal. Outperforming a little too much I feel. Not that it's a bad thing, but I realise I enjoy doing this toooo much I might have neglected my other goals. And I think it'd be helpful if I could try to...further ride on this goal. Think of how could this help with my own personal development. Because I initially started this goal as I thought I had not much life out of what I do at work. Just something for me to think about!
Week 1
Pumpkin-shaped pumpkin bread
Pizza!!
Banana bread!
Mushroom soup!
Pumpkin-shaped pumpkin bread!
Week 2
Kale chips
Gnocchi (store-bought) with Pumpkin Sage sauce
Hainanese Chicken Chop
Lamington
Week 3
I wanted to upgrade my Gnocchi, so I tried making fresh Gnocchi. Though this one was quite an epic fail - the shape was...hmm not the best looking one. But at least I tried!
Homemade pesto
Pumpkin Loaf
NY style cookie
Week 4
Scallion pancakes
Persian Love Cake
Japanese style Char Siew.
So yes, with all the cooking & baking I've done. My spending is justified.
Anyway, introducing two new goals this month:
9. *NEW* Complete a weekly challenge with Sophie
This weekly challenge thing really have been helping me get through November. Because of this challenge, I found a new hobby - vlogging/video editing, and it has helped me immensely in my job.
The challenges I have done for the month of November:
Week 1: An unboxing video of my Stand Mixer (You may read the blog post that comes with it here)
Week 2: Have a no social media day (that was rather interesting hhaha)
Week 3: Make a food vlog (See above, scallion pancake video)
Week 4: Make a vlog. Though I don't really want to share it here cause it's kinda negative :p
10. *NEW*Minimise digital distraction
Inspired by the TED Talk I shared above, How I plan to move forward with this is simply NOT using any social media app before 8am every day. I'd also like to set 10pm to 8am as a NO-DIGITAL DISTRACTION time. No social media scrolling.
Plan to slowly decrease social media usage day by day. Or month by month.
11. Write more at least 100 words per day (not including what I write at work)
12. Log down news article I've read and jot down my thoughts about it, ie reading with purpose.
13. Curate at least two content on @pot_tosynthesis every week (Stories/Post)
14. Set at least two little goals every day
I feel as though November was a good month, and I was quite consistent with 11-14 :)
NASI LEMAK, or 'FATTY RICE'. Malaysia's staple food. You can have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or supper.
Honestly, Nasi Lemak is great. The rice is cooked with coconut milk which, gosh it's darn sinful, but so flavourful and rich. Served with rich sambal which gives it a spicy kick. And toss in some crunch + savouriness with the anchovies & roasted peanuts.
It's great already on its own. But even BETTER, when served with my favourite meat. PORK. Lots of pork. Yumms.
And I felt like I hit a jackpot when I somehow chanced upon Tok Pork on social media....because they serve...
Some really good Nasi Lemak Babi (Pork)
NASI LEMAK. With pork. Lots of pork. The nasi lemak above looks all over the place cause I dropped both the Tupperware out of excitement. And also cause my bag broke. Think my bag was excited too. Whoopsie. But this Nasi Lemak truly packed a punch - with all dem pork. And I feel the price was reasonable too. A Nasi Lemak Babi from Tok Pork costs....
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*Ba dump tssss*
RM10.
Which I feel, is honestly reasonable. Given the amount of pork that was served. And its location. (Meals below RM10 with a decent meat portion in KL, I find, is honestly a gem)
Anyway without further ado, let me present to you the location of this legendary Nasi Lemak
The Location
Thsi legendary Nasi Lemak is actually from a little hawker stall at The-Yum-Me-Place @ Plaza Batai, Damansara Height.
I was a little surprised when I found out their location. I've always thought Plaza Batai as an exclusive cafe/atas (high end) restaurant place - never knew that there is a hawker food place there! If you're familiar with Plaza Batai, The-Yum-Me-Place is located at the same row of The Wicket Pancake Parlour, but at the opposite end of it.
The annoying thing about Plaza Batai is that the parking - it's RM2 per hour, and there's no grace period. So even if you're there for 10 minutes for a quick take-away you'll still have to pay the RM2 parking fees. Bummer. But oh well typical KL parking.
On the bright side, finding a parking there usually isn't a problem.
This place seems pretty popular with the office crowd (after all, there are many many offices around Damansara Heights). There were plenty of hawker staples (Eg: Char Koay Teow, Pork noodles etc) that honestly looks good, but I was there with an aim in my mind - TOK PORK.
Tok Pork is the first/second (can't remember) stall on your right when you enter the premise. Menu is just a one-pager. Nasi Lemak. Add-ons. Nasi Lemak.
AND BEST OF ALL. PORK.
The condiments/meat was prepped on the spot upon ordering. The man manning the stall chopped up the meat. Gave it a nice of torch. Assembled it. All upon ordering.
And cuz it's CMCO and COVID season I had it take-away.
No delivery?
UNFORTUNATELY yep Tok Pork is not on any delivery platform now :( They used to do delivery around the vicinity nearby, but not as of the time of this writing (Nov 2020).
So yes, gotta pay for that parking fee for my Tok Pork. But anyhow, let's move on to the food.
The Food
Tok Pork Nasi Lemak. I came back less than a week after my first visit because it was GOOD.
Each nasi lemak pack contains, well, rice (duh), half-boiled egg, potato curry, fried curly potatoes (see the crispy thingy?), roasted/torched pork, sambal, anchovies, peanuts, and slices of cucumber.
But golly gosh, it is good. The addition of the fried curly potatoes I feel was amazing - it was an unexpected extra crunch.
Goodbye, diet. Thank goodness my office isn't around that area or I'll be having it quite often :p Nasi Lemak's great. But yes, with pork, it's always better.
