KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Of the many dishes in the Malaysian hawker canon that inspire passionate debate amidst borderline fanaticism, KL curry mee is up there with the greats.
Everyone has their “best.”
You think this one in PJ is good?
You don’t know what you’re talking about; you should’ve gone to the spot in Cheras where each bowl comes with pork ribs.
You like the cockles at this stall in Ampang? Just wait till you try the one in OUG.
More often than not, these “debates” consist of people with wildly different tastes, preferences, and sometimes even definitions of what constitutes “curry mee or laksa”, talking past each other.
These differences usually come down to what they grew up with; what they’ve eaten for years is what they decide is best.
For folks living along Jalan Ipoh, the curry mee at Kedai Kopi Ming Sing was king for the longest time.
The stall was run by an older couple, serving nothing but curry mee and wantan mee.
Regulars often used the HSBC branch a few doors down as a landmark for the coffee shop; that branch has since moved to Puncak Sentul.
About a year ago, New Star Restaurant opened next to the enduring Restaurant Million on Jalan Tiong, serving the same curry mee and wantan mee, run by the same – and still gruff – man from the couple, completing a relocation of their own.
The new digs are clean and tidy, but nothing fancy.
Each table has the shop’s DuitNow QR stuck on, a small but handy touch that saves you from getting up to pay, though most diners still do so out of habit.
There’s a printed menu now, laying out the noodle types, modes of delivery (dry, soup or curry), topping combinations (BBQ pork + cockles + tofu pok, for example), and three portion sizes: small (RM9), medium (RM10) and large (RM11).
Any additional toppings are charged accordingly, e.g. cockles (RM5), shredded chicken (RM5) and BBQ pork (RM6).
My small bowl with extra shredded chicken and cockles came up to RM19.
Otherwise, I’m glad to report that everything is the same.
Same great curry, same great taste.
The broth is pungent and intense, thick with the pulp and fibrous bite of spices and aromatics rather than heavy with coconut milk.
There’s a hint of it, but the balance leans firmly towards a spicier, punchier final product.
The plump bites of raw cockles bring a briny, metallic pop that pairs beautifully with the curry, while the old-school variety of lean, red char siu proves a better match than the darker, stickier, fattier style.
Though you can now choose your noodles, it’s customary to have a bowl with springy wantan noodles, as it was originally served.
Personally, I’m still not convinced these are the best match for a brothy, soupy curry, but I can’t deny the appeal of their QQ, snappy texture.
New Star Restoran 新星茶餐厅
515, Jalan Tiong,
Taman Million, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 7am-3pm.
Tel: 012-411 8692
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and self-deprecating attempts at humour.
