Back to Blogging: Kajang's Hidden Culinary Gems

After years away from food blogging, I’m making my comeback in 2024 with a meal that was too good not to share! 

This post features an unexpected find in Sungai Chua, Kajang, at a small, unassuming restaurant. What drew me in? A golden-hued poached chicken and a rich Eight Treasure Duck that instantly caught my attention. 

After chatting with the chef, he advised, “Bring at least 10 people!” And so, the gang and I came together, pre-ordering an epic feast. Here's the rundown of what we had:

 

Poached Free Range Chicken
Beautifully golden and tender, this chicken was perfection. The texture was spot on, and the accompanying ginger dipping sauce added a zesty kick. My only tweak? A sprinkle of chopped green onions in the sauce would have made it even better!

 

Hakka Char Yoke (Pork with Black Fungus)
Wow. This dish truly surprised me! It was almost as good as the slow-cooked, home-made version. The flavours were bold and hearty—an absolute must-try for anyone visiting this place.

Sweet Potato Leaves with Fermented Bean Curd
This dish was a clear winner! The 'fu yee' (fermented bean curd) added a unique depth of flavour, and the balance between the leafy greens and the fermented bean curd was just right. A simple yet standout choice.

 

Eight Treasure Duck
Braised for hours, this was the star of the day. While I'm more used to the non-rice-stuffed version, this rendition had its own appeal. The ‘treasures’ packed inside were flavourful, but I must admit, I missed the simplicity of the version I grew up with.

 

Garlic Stir-Fried Vegetable
A simple, straightforward dish that delivered exactly what it promised—clean, fresh flavours with the perfect touch of garlic. Sometimes, simplicity is all you need!

Stir Fried Chayote Squash
This was a new one for me, and I’m glad we tried it. Simple, fresh, and a great palate cleanser among the richer dishes. Sometimes, venturing into the unfamiliar pays off!

Peppery Pork Rib Soup
Interestingly, the soup arrived last! Loaded with pork ribs, chicken feet, and daikon, it had a strong peppery punch that was different but satisfying. Chef whipped this up without us even asking—a nice surprise!

Finally, the master himself...

PS. You need to pre-order your Eight Treasure Duck and Poached Chicken at least a day earlier, I was told.

Kok Ping Restaurant
Jalan 22, Kampung Baru Sungai Chua,
43000 Kajang, Selangor
Tel: 016-365 1294

 

 

 

 

Happy Restaurant a.k.a Oscar’s

If you have been following this blog for long enough, you would know that we've been patronising this restaurant ever since the new cook (Oscar) took over in 2016. In fact we wrote about the new cook taking over from the Old Man about 8 years ago (click the link here to go to that post).

Happily, the restaurant has prospered, thanks to consistent good food, reasonable prices and a relaxed vibe with abundant parking at night. This may be one of the hidden gems of Kajang and possibly one of my favourite restaurants at the moment.

Highly recommended (and consistent in taste since the start of their operations) are the Fried Fish with Garlic Sauce; their signature Tofu with Minced Meat and Stir Fried Four Angle Beans with Lotus Root. These dishes are a Must Try and are Highly Recommended. Here are some of the dishes we would recommend:

Must Try : Fried Fish with Garlic Sauce

Must Try : Stir Fried Four Angle Beans with Lotus Root 

Recommended : Smoked Chicken

Must Try : Tofu with Minced Meat 

Recommended: Kangkung in Claypot

Indonesian Glass Noodle in Curry with Prawns

Deep Fried Kangkung topped with Squid Sauce

Pork Belly with Salted Fish 

Generally, all the food here is good. Be prepared to wait, especially at peak dinner hours and on holidays as Oscar does all the cooking himself, although he has an assistant to help with the prep.

Dress casually (shorts are recommended) as there is no air-cond and it can get stuffy when there is no wind and on hot days.

Lo Ma Zhi - a taste from the past

Somebody commented that it's been 8 years since my last post on this blog. It's true, and much water has flown under the bridge in that time - career move, studies etc. Eight years ago, my workplace was at Jalan Ipoh in KL and one of my favourite restaurants, Lo Ma Zhi was located just down the road along the same road. The restaurant relocated in 2018 during the MRT construction works on Jalan Ipoh and I moved to an office in the heart of KL business district. After losing touch with restaurant for almost 8 years too, I had a pleasant and memorable reconnect during the Raya holiday. Taking advantage of the toll-free and almost traffic-free roads, I made my way to the somewhat obscure location in Tropicana Selatan. Located among the landscape and plant nurseries is the (not so) new location for Lo Ma Zhi Restaurant at Lot 10, Kawasan Landskap & Nurseri, Jalan Tropicana Selatan, Persiaran Tropicana, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Some of the dishes for lunch were:

Steamed Ikan Patin - wild patin fish steamed in a simple soy sauce with some cili padi.

Smoked Platter - smoked pork belly and duck breast with smoked lychee and braised peanuts - highly recommended.

Doggy Duck - a traditional Hakka braised duck dish cooked with ginger and spices - highly recommended. 

Drunken Emperor Eggs - egg in rice wine - highly recommended.

Kam heong la-la.

Pa Wong Chicken Chop - fried chicken chops.

Salted Spice Brinjal - highly recommended.

Nanyang Vegetables - a variation of Lo Hon Chai but with added red fermented beancurd.

All the food were either excellent or good. My only complaint was that the Nanyang Vegetables were a little soggy by the time it reached the table. 

This was a trip down memory lane for me. And now that I know where they are, this will not be the last visit too. Do give it a try if you're in the area. Reservations are required so do call 010-2421132 before you visit.

My top 10 breakfast and lunch places in Bandar Mahkota Cheras

I've been frequenting the Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) and Sg Long (SL) areas on Saturdays for the last few years and have had the opportunity to try various breakfast and lunch spots. BMC and SL are predominantly Chinese areas so the food outlets are primarily Chinese with some Western, Indian, Mamak (a unique Malaysian cuisine actually) with only a spattering of Malay stalls (no proper Malay restaurant I believe). 

There are many coffee shops and cafes , but most produce (with a few exceptions) average or mediocre food for the masses. I personally prefer the shops which specialise in particular dishes as they tend to make them well.

Here's my list of favorites in BMC in no particular order. Follow the links for location and other details on Google Maps.

1. Family Pho (Vietnamese)

Run by a Vietnamese family, this place has been around for some time. Besides the ubiquitous Pho, their Bahn Mi sandwich is worth trying too. Full meals with dishes are available too and what I've tried so far has been good.  

2. Yeng Kee Noodle House 2 

This is a branch of a noodles house from Taman Yulek Cheras. Their various fish head noodles are good and regulars even store their bottles of rice wine at the shop, to be added to the noodles for extra aroma and taste. My favourite here however are the Tendon Pork Noodles soup. The pork slices have an extraordinary texture and the broth is light and refreshing. Highly recommended.

3. Restoran Wa Bao Zai Claypot Chicken Rice 

This is a recent discovery and the Claypot Chicken Rice ticked all the right boxes - slightly burnt crust, tender well cooked chicken, pork sausages and add-on salted fish. Their Chicken Soup in Coconut was good and is recommended as well. The owner's wife is Vietnamese and she sells fresh Vietnamese tea and cashew nuts at the counter. 

4. SK Pork Noodles

A branch of the famous Seri Kembangan Pork Noodles, this is another regular go-to places for pork noodles in BMC.

5. Rojak Stall at 63 Food Station

A hard working Chinese guy runs this stall single-handedly and manages to serve a very good version of the Mamak style rojak. 

6. Beef Noodles at 63 Food Station

The chef at this stall is pretty old but his expertise shows in the flavourful beef noodle broth which has been boiled for hours. All the meat and innards are tender, and the slices of melon melt in your mouth. Highly recommended. 

7. Hock Kee Ulu Yam Loh Mee 

Their signature Ulu Yam Loh Mee is good. But my favorite here is their Hokkien Mee. Cooked with hand made thick noodles with generous amounts of pork lard, this noodle might be even better than the other famous speciality Hokkien noodles place down the road. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

8. Nasi Kandar Pokok Cheri 

The most authentic Nasi Kandar or Mamak restaurant in BMC. It will not earn any points for the dark and dingy interior but the food, especially the curries, bring me back to Penang. Have your favourite dishes and don't forget to tell them to "banjir" the rice with "kuah campur".

9. Woo Pin Fish Head Noodles

Another branch of a famous fish head noodle shop from Taman Desa, this place lives up to the reputation of its original shop. Good fish head noodles which are well executed.

10. Ah Teo Pan Mee & Zhu Ro Fen

There are a few pan mee shops around BMC, some with queues for tables. But I personally like the pan mee here. Both the sop and dry versions are good. Also good are their Pork Noodles and Curry Mee. 

Do give them a try and let me know in the comments if you have any other favourites that are not on this list.