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Phase four takeaway: Grab a bowl of this excellent Hainanese beef noodles from Kepong's Roundtable Kopitiam

This bowl of Hainanese beef noodles has a robust beef broth that is very comforting. — Pictures by Lee Khang Yi
This bowl of Hainanese beef noodles has a robust beef broth that is very comforting. — Pictures by Lee Khang Yi

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — With beef noodles, it's not easy to find an excellent bowl. I prioritise the taste of the beef broth first before getting to the meat and toppings offered. Hence I was happy to discover Xiao Hainanese Beef Noodle that operates from this kopitiam.

Started in December 2018, this coffee shop boasts various stalls that sell different food items.

Zoom in on the beef noodles stall. You can order the mixed beef noodles that have an assortment of tripe, beef cuts, tendon and beef balls. It's RM10 for a small bowl of satisfaction.

If you prefer a bigger portion, fork out RM13 for it. If spare parts aren't your cup of tea, there's also a mixed beef tendon noodles for RM13. You can also add beef balls at RM1 each.

Try the prawn mee here which has a delicious broth, poached prawns and 'kangkung'.
Try the prawn mee here which has a delicious broth, poached prawns and 'kangkung'.

The broth here is superb with a deep robust flavour. It's a balanced taste with a milder presence of spices that seem to warm the whole body.

What I really liked was they generously added preserved vegetables to the broth that helped balance the flavour. I confess I drank up every drop and there wasn't any thirst afterwards.

Your toppings are well prepared too. There's sliced tripe and gelatinous tendons. The beef cuts are tender too. Don't forget to dip the items in the chilli sauce on the side. It's a piquant one with a mild spiciness.

Even if it's a takeaway, the 'char kway teow' was still good with slightly chewy noodle strands.
Even if it's a takeaway, the 'char kway teow' was still good with slightly chewy noodle strands.

As I am new to this place, I looked through the Google reviews for recommendations. I ordered the prawn mee (RM7.50) which got good comments. I was not disappointed.

You get a delicious bowl with a brownish coloured prawn broth that is not too spicy. Even the sambal on the side isn't spicy. What's interesting is the sambal has bits of tiny dried prawns that give more bite and flavour.

The noodles of your choice are topped with medium sized poached prawns. I liked how they are generous with the kangkung too.

The takeaway packets are easy to unpack and the broth can be heated up to taste like it does in the coffee shop.
The takeaway packets are easy to unpack and the broth can be heated up to taste like it does in the coffee shop.
Your coffee drinks are served with straws for those who want to drink them from the packet.
Your coffee drinks are served with straws for those who want to drink them from the packet.

Usually, I don't take away char kway teow (RM6 for a small portion) but a person recommended the dish so I was curious. This version still tasted good despite sitting in the container for some time.

The flavouring is on point for the fried noodles. Here they use slightly thicker rice noodles with a bit of chew. This gives the noodles more bite. You get fried egg, prawns and a few cockles.

Don't forget to order their drinks too. The cham is especially good with a rich coffee taste balanced out with the tea and milk. Even the coffee is good. Expect to pay RM2.40 for the cham while the coffee is RM2.20.

Roundtable Kopitiam, 2, Jalan Prima 2, Metro Prima, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 7am to 2pm. Closed every second Friday of the month. Tel:+6012-6793233