The big bowl of beef noodles disappeared within minutes of it arriving. – Pic courtesy of Hungry Go Where, August 25, 2014.To celebrate Merdeka month, HungryGoWhere is reviewing amazing restaurants that have existed since pre-independence, and are thrilling diners even till today. Today, we turn our attention to Lai Foong, an old-style kopitiam famed for their delicious beef noodles and wantan mee!
A good addition to the kopitiam table and your dining pleasure. – Pic courtesy of Hungry Go Where, August 25, 2014.Walking into Lai Foong is a lot like taking a step back in time. Furnished with sturdy marble and wooden furniture, it's complete with a giant mirror and tiled floors you'd find in old Chinese coffee shops, not unlike Capital Kopitiam and the fancier Coliseum Cafe. While the setting seems to have been tinted yellow with time, like a built-in sepia filter, Lai Foong has not stopped bustling since it opened its doors in 1956. Come lunchtime, you can expect to find hordes of office workers lining up for a table.
A traditional kopitiam serving staples like kopi o, kaya, and butter toast, the shoplot also houses several food stalls serving a variety of local favourites which are cooked in situ, turning up the heat in the restaurant - which is all part of the experience.
The beef noodles stall is the star of Lai Foong, dishing out bowls of delicious noodles made from an old Hainanese recipe. A basic bowl starts at RM5 and extras can take you up to RM8.
Having been in business for 58 years, many say that it has remained largely the same since the beginning. With a hearty broth thickened by hours of boiling, the beef was so tender it melted in our mouths. We ordered ours with ngau lam (beef brisket) which was just as tender but slightly chewy.
Soft kway teow noodles infused with beefy flavours from the broth. – Pic courtesy of Hungry Go Where, August 25, 2014.The soup was cut through by a sprinkling of preserved vegetables and a handful of coriander, adding sour and fresh flavours to the savoury broth. With a side of spicy chilli sauce, you can add even more heat to the piping hot bowl of noodles and an oven of a restaurant.
Aside from the beef noodles, the char kway teow (RM5.50) was made with enough "wok hei" to be satisfying. It was also fried with slices of preserved Chinese sausages (lap cheong), a rarity these days.
No great shakes, so do keep your options open. – Pic courtesy of Hungry Go Where, August 25, 2014.We heard the wantan mee is just as popular as the beef noodles but we missed the stall as it was tucked away in the shoplot next door. It's a definite must-try for our next trip back.
Located right opposite busy Petaling Street, visit Kedai Kopi Lai Foong for a piece of history and watch the world go by over a hot bowl of beef noodles.
Recommended dishes: beef noodles.
Give it a skip: char siew and siew yoke rice. – August 25, 2014.
* If good food is your passion, then HungryGoWhere is your perennial kaki makan. Get access to one of the most comprehensive online Malaysian food guides available, and bring us along everywhere you go by downloading our mobile application, available on iOS and Android.
Comments
Please refrain from nicknames or comments of a racist, sexist, personal, vulgar or derogatory nature, or you may risk being blocked from commenting in our website. We encourage commenters to use their real names as their username. As comments are moderated, they may not appear immediately or even on the same day you posted them. We also reserve the right to delete off-topic comments