Taman Sri Sinar’s 98 Happy Restaurant is a treasure trove for Chinese pan fried meat pies and hard to find ‘kai choy fan’
Malay Mail
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — It’s not often you get a double strike at one place when you’re searching for great eats.
What started out as just a place for xian bing or pan fried meat pies and handmade noodles, to my surprise also had braised rice using mustard greens, taro and long beans.
Not a lot of places around the city actually do this braised rice, as it’s more of a champion of the home kitchen when one needs a quick one-meal dish.
Xian bing is from a one-month plus stall fronted by a Mainland China couple who make most things from scratch.
Known as Pork Crackers (RM5 per piece) on the menu, it’s a skinny version compared to its plump cousins in China.
The dough is hand kneaded and filled with a layer of minced pork combined with chopped spring onions and seasonings.
The meat pies are fashioned from hand knead dough and slowly pan fried in oil till it’s golden crunchy on both sides. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
That same pork filling is also used in their handmade dumplings but with a different result, due to how it’s handled.
In the dumplings (10 pieces for RM12), the filling is shaped firmly, making it lose out on the juiciness whereas the meat pie uses a thin layer of the filling that gives it much flavour, making those pork crackers highly sought after.
Much time is required for the crackers to crisp up in the hot oil, hence they prep a few pieces ahead. For a crispier bite, ask for it to be heated up.
China Pork Ribs Ramen’s star of the bowl is the slippery hand pulled noodles. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
With the China Pork Ribs Ramen (RM14) and the Braised Beef Noodles with Pickled Mustard Greens (RM14), it’s the smoothness of the hand pulled noodles that will make you want to dive right into your bowls.
Both bowls have lighter broths complementing the noodles, while the ribs and beef probably needed more time or perhaps fat for a more succulent bite.
For a stronger flavour, the Braised Beef Noodles with Pickled Mustard Greens will have you drinking the soup with the noodles. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
Perhaps the Yibin Burning Noodles (RM10) is a punchier choice for that hearty wheat noodles, which is mixed with toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, pickled mustard greens, minced pork and chilli oil.
While the mustard greens are mild, the spicy punch from the chilli oil will see you eating every strand of those slippery noodles.
Punchier Yibin Burning Noodles highlights dry noodles given a boost of chilies. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
For the braised rice, what fascinated me was this row of rice cookers at this stall operated by the friendly Madam Lee who also serves ais kacang and tong sui. .
Inside the steaming hot rice cookers, there’s kai choy fan with mustard greens, yam rice and long bean rice, with each variant costing RM6 each.
Every morning from 6am, she’ll stir fry the rice with the aromatics and cook it with dried prawns and pork shoulder meat, a cut she prefers for more flavour.
Using different items like the mustard green, taro and long beans, the braised rice ends up with varying flavours.
Kai Choy Fan shows a lot of heart with its mustard greens, dried prawns and pork cooked rice. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
With the slightly bitter mustard greens, it gives a freshness to the dark brown grains, making you wish for a second or perhaps even a third bowl.
For the yam rice, it comes with a generous portion of taro cut in cubes, which could be fluffier but here it retains a nice bite with the fragrant rice.
At the restaurant, Yam Rice (left) is served with chopped chillies and soy sauce where you get a generous amount. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
With the long bean rice, it’s not often found outside homes as the long beans take a soft, almost mushy texture where the strong bean flavour is infused into the rice.
It’s the ideal one dish meal, especially for a takeaway as the rice tastes even better when the ingredients infuse in it longer.
One drawback though is the size of the rice grains tend to be tiny, leaving you wishing you had fluffier rice.
Look for the stall in front (left) at the corner restaurant (right) in the Taman Sri Sinar neighbourhood. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi
98 Happy Restaurant
10 & 12, Jalan 8/38A,
Taman Sri Sinar, Kuala Lumpur.
Open: 8am to 8.30pm (Chinese food stall), 8am to 2pm or earlier if sold out (Braised rice stall).
Closed every second Monday of the month (The next date is August 18)
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
