I had reservations when I decided to post this blog. I have concerns; would it become just another one of the many in the blogsphere, will there be many readers who share my interest and views, what value could I add to the many food blogs in the blogsphere.
To those who know me, I am a food connoisseur. I am particular who cooks the food, the environment,ingredients, the background of the food operator/restaurant owner and chef.
Price is not the main criteria, taste, flavour,quality and authentic skills are more important. I would make the extra effort to seek these food operators/restaurants when I hear or read of them. Distance and time do not matter. Most important is satisfaction after enjoying the food and a majority who enjoyed it are in agreement.
To lay claim to these criteria, the chefs/food operators would have many years experience and many would have handed down their business to their children or grandchildren or their assistant chefs. Hence, "Good Old Taste"
What would be my first blog then?
Of course, Hokkien mee......big fat fried with black sauce and oozing with lard and .....
I am not talking about the Hokkien mee at the lane next to Lai Foong coffee shop at Jalan Tun Cheng Lock, Kuala Lumpur or the stall at the corner of Jalan Hang Lekir and Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. It is also not AhHwa(back of Shell Station) at Jalan 222/Jalan 14/48 corner, Petaling Jaya or the stall - Ah Wah at Millennium Sixty Eight Restaurant, previously called Pak Lok at Jalan 20/16 in Paramount Gardens, Petaling Jaya.
Reason: all these stalls cook a style which leaves a layer of oil on the plate after you clean up the plate of noodles. The stall I now introduce is Nam Kee......How many of you know this place at 3rd mile, Jalan Kuari, Cheras. Landmark a corner brick coffee shop separated by a side road from BH Petrol.
Here an elderly couple would plough through the process six days a week(Sundays off) with one Indonesian help. Signature dish is Hokkien fried noodles. The cook also produces a mean fried rice and Cantonese fried Kway Teow. Servings are small and the price for a serving for two people is RM 8.00 . But I don't think it would be enough unless it is for snacks.
What is it that I am pleased about the food? It has a burnt fragrant flavour and it leaves behind more wet than oily effect on your palate. You will notice gravy left behind on the plate after you have cleaned the plate of food. The extra kick to the flavour is not just the crispy lard cubes but dried ikan sebelah. (chor how yi) Typically, by adding crispy lard cubes to the noodles, a vendor can safely accomplish his hokkien mee. But the dried ikan sebelah gives it a boost.
Unfortunately, not many vendors put this ingredient anymore. It was common ingredient in yester-years. Now not many provision shop stock this item. Furthermore, it has to be grilled and pounded into a fine and fragrant powder before it is added into the wok when the cook heats up the oil. The ingredient is also not cheap.
So head to this place before this elderly couple hang up the wok.Be prepared to wait(can be 30 minutes) on busy nights. The cook wears a white singlet(China type) dons a cap and wears gold rimeed glasses. Environment is pretty pleasant.
I SHOULD NOT HAVE MENTIONED ABOUT HANGING UP THE WOK ON THIS BLOG AS I HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT THE OLD MAN AT NAM KEE HAS RETIRED. HAPPY RETIREMENT !!! BUT WHAT ABOUT HIS FOLLOWERS LIKE ME, I HOPE I CAN NAME A SUCCESSOR TO NAM KEE. TILL THEN BE HAPPY AND ENJOY HOKKIEN MEE AT THE OTHER STALL I HAVE NAMED ON THIS BLOG. BASED ON THE LIST HERE, MY FIRST PREFERENCE WOULD BE THE STALL AT JALAN 222, PETALING JAYA.
Look out for my postings on this blog!
