Here's how normal Saturday mornings should actually be: sleeping till late, being snuggled warmly under your blanket with your head rested on the most fluffy of pillows obtainable from IKEA and accompanied by a whole lot of stuffed toys to protect you from monsters. But here's how MY Saturday morning worked out this week.
We took my grandmother all the way down to Jalan Nyonya, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur for nothing else but...SIEW YOK. Or some would rather call it roast pork, but let's keep up to the Chinese part in me. Bear in mind then that this post is absolutely NON-HALAL so I apologize in advance to my Muslim readers; this isn't the post for you. Unless you'd like to read on and let your non Muslim friends know about this amazing place!
You see, the thing about me is that I would NEVER put in a piece of siew yok FAT in my mouth because it tends to get chewy and somewhat disgusting. If I wanted to have some bites, I would have gotten myself some chewing gum. Maybe that isn't too nice a metaphor, but it does give you an idea of why I despise the fats that cling onto my siew yok. Now, the problem is that MOST siew yok consists of 70% fats and only 30% in proper meat which literally just means that I am not a great fan of siew yok due to whatever I can't get.
Few years back, my father found out about this place by coincidence and it is by far the best siew yok place I have ever been.
The store front of Restoran Wong Kee. It's a corner shop, right opposite a shop that sells car accessories. You'd be walking diagonally from the Shaw Brothers Parade if you happen to park your car in the building. Bear in mind, it is a little hard to look for a place to stop there.
This is the name you'd want to look out for. It's tiny, but subtle.
By now, you'd be wondering why on earth a fat hater like me would actually visit a store that specializes in the sales of siew yok? Don't get me wrong, they do sell roasted chicken and char siew here but nothing beats the succulent taste of their siew yok. For you fat lovers, here's your treat!
We ordered 3 strips of siew yok and this is what came for us.
Note in layers it goes: crunchy skin, fats roasted to a gel like perfection, lean meat and again the gel like fats!
Just in case you think I'm lying, here's a closer proof to the dish.
On first bite, you would be greeted with an unmistakable scent of freshly roasted siew yok and the crunch of the skin that simply ignites your senses and as you continue chewing, you would notice NOTHING about the fats except the fact that it has already melted in your mouth. I kid you not, it is THAT good. Accompanied by their very own chilli sauce, the siew yok is truly an amazing experience especially for people who would never get close to such fats. People like me. The secret should lie in the fact that it is SLOW roasted (according to my chef of a brother) and has been given enough time to cook as well as release it's oil as it is supposed to be. The funny thing is that no other meat could be prepared in this way and only pork had the ability to be made into this!
However, you should be warned that it isn't cheap to feast here because a strip of siew yok could cost up to a whooping RM 14.50! To me, it may be a tad bit expensive but it seems to be the only siew yok store that I am willing to eat in. Also, you should expect to be waiting for quite a while because the owner of this place has specifically set up a signage that states that they only sell their signature dish from 12.30 PM onwards and not a minute sooner. Arriving at 12 PM to grab a seat would assure you of getting the first bite and anytime later could just lead you to waiting for a table. Of course, all the siew yok that they prepare comes in limited pieces and there are even people who come by for take away orders.
In literal translations: Crunchy skinned roast pork sells at 12:30 PM
Much thanks, Wong Mei Kei (The restaurant's name in Chinese)
The one thing you should realize is that the owner of the restaurant does not like being rushed, so you should only patiently wait for it to come. Great things come for those who are patient. And once you've ordered your share, don't push and keep asking when is your turn. Your food will come when it comes as all the workers in the store are aware of your turns; even without writing them down!
Prices are all shown in order to avoid discrepancies and squabbles on the bill later on. Note that all siew yok are sold in strips and not to be sold in just a serving or two. There's even an announcement stating that there is only ONE Wong Mei Kei and that they do NOT have any branches. So if you're visiting on that claims to be their branch, it's very likely you have been fooled.
Roast chicken in all it's perfection with the oil still dripping slowly. Yummers!
All the porky goodness simply waiting to be served. Remember, once it's sold out for the day...IT'S SOLD OUT!!! No exceptions would be made!!!
The owner of the store, Mr.Robert Wong busy at work.
Mr.Robert Wong slicing away!
Succulent siew yok strips being prepared to be dished out.
The busy store front. Note the people waiting in line for both take away and eat in orders.
The never ending hustle and bustle of Restoran Wong Kee.
Soup in Restoran Wong Kee is served on a self service basis so don't expect anyone to come over to your table with soup as usual.
We ended up with a bill of RM 76 for 5 people for brunch and that feels a little over the top but seeing as that we left with satisfied smiles and filled up tummies, I suppose it does seem alright. After all, we did order 3 strips of siew yok, 2 servings of roast chicken, 5 HUGE plates of rice (yes, they serve extremely huge plates of rice so if you're a small eater, I suggest sharing!) and some drinks. In the end, waking up early to make our way down to town does appear to be worth it as I don't think we'll be coming back anytime soon. Maybe in a month or two...or I could just bribe my dearest boy to take me. Hmmm...such ideas...
RESTORAN WONG KEE
Jalan Nyonya, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur
603-2145 2512
Open daily. Siew yok only served after 12.30 PM.
(Ask for closing dates as it is never fixed)
Non - Halal
P/S: If you're a person who is in love with sweet things such as maltose candy or the infamous "ting ting" candy, look out for the man who comes by with a tiny stall outside Restoran Wong Kee because he sells maltose candies on sticks and packets of "ting ting" candy at RM 2 per item. You hardly find these little delicacies in town anymore and it is definitely worth the money!
Delicious maltose candy. This is usually the better choice as opposed to regular candies because it is au natural and extremely yummy! On a side note, it's extremely flexible and bendable too! Look at how I've played with my stick of maltose candy.
Note: Not suitable for people with braces or dentures as the candy tends to be extremely sticky and is difficult to pull away.
A packet of "ting ting" candy that I've finished within an hour. I do regret not buying more of this. Sheesh! You can't get anymore original than this, trust me!
Happy hunting, everyone. And if you're planning to go there, would you take me along? Pretty please with siew yok fats on top?
4 comments
Gawd NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I eat that siew yok, I'll feel guilty for the rest of my life! The fat will accumulate at my butt and won't go off until like forever >_<
ReplyDeleteOh Merryn, do indulge. It's extremely good and you definitely will NOT regret it! :)
DeleteJust like you, I too am not a big fan of Siu Yoke. Hate the porky taste. But since after trying one particular outlet, I begin to love Siu Yoke, but only from that particular shop.
ReplyDeleteIf you think this is good, you should try Tian Hong in Salak South.
http://blog.galvintan.com/best-char-siew-and-siu-yoke-in-salak-south-at-kedai-kopi-tian-hong/
Salak South! :O That sounds really far off...
DeleteI don't experiment much with my "siew yok" trails because I really don't like having to chow down "siew yok" fats. Unfortunately most "siew yok" comes with fats and only Restoran Wong Kee satisfies the criteria of edible fats.
Maybe I should try out Tian Hong someday...if I find the guts to travel so far off without a car. ><
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