In PJ’s Section 17, find pork noodles worth a 30-minute-wait at Kedai Kopi Wah Cheong
PETALING JAYA, April 26 — Half an hour. That’s how long you should expect to wait - minimum - if you’re looking for a taste of these pork noodles.
That’s the wait I sat through anyway, at mid-morning on a weekday. But I’ve also waited up to 45 minutes on a weekend.
The wait is largely an expected one, and it isn’t uncommon to walk into Kedai Kopi Wah Cheong in Section 17 and see loads of people seated at tables with nothing but a pair of chopsticks and a dipping plate with cili padi and soy sauce — a badge of honour of sorts that indicates they’ve ordered.
So why brave the wait?
Look for the stall that says 'pork mee' and 'fish paste' on the sign; alternatively, look for the busiest stall at any given time, and it’ll usually be the right one.
I asked myself the same thing as we approached the last five minutes of the wait. Yes, I timed it, and no, I’m not usually impatient like this; I just thought it might inform this article to know that my bowl arrived after 32 minutes on a Friday morning.
Lo and behold, my heavily modified order arrived, a thing of beauty.
A small bowl is RM9, but I wanted add-ons and an egg too, bumping it up to RM14. This kar liu included added minced pork, sliced pork and meatballs; I also asked to hold the offal or nei zang.
The broth itself is varying shades of off-white: blonde and beige come to mind, and it is mostly clear with swatches of cloudy fat bubbles in the midst.
I like my pork noodles best with 'hor fun', as the texture complements the rest of the 'liu'.
It’s intensely porky, but also rather sweet from the use of preserved radish — just how I like it. It’s rich and satisfying without feeling greasy at all, better yet, mix in the perfectly poached egg for a lusher mouthfeel.
I like my pork noodles with hor fun, as their soft and slippery texture makes for a welcome contrast to the bouncy meatballs and firm slices of pork.
The minced pork here is formed into a loose, craggy form that just about solidifies in the broth, retaining a wonderful texture that I much prefer to firmer, more patty-like versions.
Crispy fried garlic and its oil both punch way above their weight in this bowl, imbuing just about every spoonful with their distinct fragrance and flavour.
Seeing double: you can’t miss the coffee shop’s sign(s).
Topping off this layering of flavour delivered via oil is, of course, crispy lard croutons — just in case it wasn't already porky enough for you. Reinforce it further with extra lard for an additional RM1.
Kedai Kopi Wah Cheong
1080, Jalan 17/29, Section 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Open daily, 6am-3pm. The pork noodle stall is off on Thursdays.
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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