Dig into kickass prawn mee and 'koay teow th’ng' at Restoran Tropikiri in Taman Bukit Mayang Emas
PETALING JAYA, Sept 3 – Tucked away in the back of Restoran Tropikiri, Taman Bukit Mayang Emas is a stall that keeps it simple, selling two Penang specialities: prawn mee and koay teow th’ng.
Walking up to the stall, the first things to catch your eye are the two bubbling cauldrons: One, fiery red and simmering away with the intensity of a barely contained inferno raging beneath the surface; the other, more subdued, serene and akin to a steamy hot spring.
Massive pots of bubbling, simmering broth give a hint of what is to come.
The prawn mee (RM15 for kar liu) comes with a broth so intensely red it borders on opaque, cloaking the ingredients in a sea of red.
It smelled as strong as it looked, like a chilli-laden ocean breeze, no, more gust than a breeze, furnished with the sweet fragrance of fried shallots.
A spoonful of broth hits like a truck, smacking you across the face with straight heat before digging into its remarkable depth of flavour and pulling out some savoury and sweet punches to balance it all out.
Fish in and around the broth and you’ll find sliced peeled prawns, pork slices, kangkung, bean sprouts and half a boiled egg.
Sambal is served on the side, packing plenty of heat and very much chili-forward on the palate.
Adding it into the soup kicks things into eleventh gear, like boosting the bass on a song that already has a pounding bassline.
It’s a little more than I like to get into, but I can definitely see the appeal for plenty of others.
A balanced, light yet flavourful bowl of 'koay teow th’ng'.
The koay teow th’ng (RM10 for kar liu) is much lighter in every aspect, but doesn’t skimp on flavour at all.
The light, clear broth is the antithesis to the pounding, punishing intensity of the prawn mee, delicate and sweet from the inclusion of both chicken and duck, layered with plenty of flavour from some fried garlic and some crispy pork lard.
The rice noodles are smooth, making for easy slurping in between bites of fish balls, fish cakes and strips of poached chicken and duck.
It’s a warming and nourishing way to start the day, offering a more tender alternative to the bursting rock and roll flavour of the prawn mee.
Parking is scarce (shocker, I know) especially on weekdays, though at peak hours on weekends it can also prove difficult.
Look for the green sign at the corner of the block of shop lots.
The stall is located at the back of the coffee shop.
As mentioned earlier, the stall is located all the way in the back of the coffeeshop, right next to the main drinks area.
Even on a busy day, seating is plentiful, so once you get over the hurdle of parking it is plain sailing from then on.
Restoran Tropikiri
2, Jalan BM 1/2, Taman Bukit Mayang Emas, Petaling Jaya
Open daily, 6am-3pm
No regular off days, coffeeshop closes two days a month
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