food

Walking food trail – PJ Old Town

August 31, 2015

LetSri-Ganapathi-Mess' rice and mutton varuval. You’d be happy to sweat. – HungryGoWhere pic, August 31, 2015. the nostalgia take over and lead you to a place where Malaysiana and impeccable local delights are still alive and well: PJ Old Town.

Waves of gentrification have been rocking KL and its suburbs for years now. Sprouting In their wake are dozens of hip coffeehouses with twee indie as the soundtrack to Instagram sessions.

Where does one go to revisit the tanah air of the old days? Enter PJ Old Town.

One look at this sleepy suburb and you’d have difficulty imagining its origins. Constructed in1952, PJ Old Town began as a humble collection of 800 houses, set aside as a satellite town to prevent people from collaborating with communists. The housing areas were, in fact, fenced off from their surroundings.

The PJ Old Town of today has long abandoned its fraught origins, becoming a laid back neighbourhood where old folks meander in singlets and slippers.

But it’s not the grandpas and grandmas we’re here to talk about. Let HungryGoWhere show you a world where one can enjoy simple Malaysian favourites on a trip down memory lane.

Sri Ganapathi Mess

You can’t talk about true Malaysian cuisine without bringing in some spice. If your nostalgia is steering you in the direction of a more piquant time, Sri Ganapathi Mess is the place for you.

A quick glance at this single-story bungalow will reveal just how much more we love and adore this meal.

Sri Ganapathi Mess is known for its banana leaf rice, which is an affordable RM6 for rice, accompanied by three vegetable side dishes. This south Indian favourite, customarily eaten during special occasions and funeral wakes, features a diverse array of tastes and textures.

The true show-sl play here, just serious delicious business. – HungryGoWhere pic, August 31, 2015.tealer here is their mutton varuval (RM8). It’s a tad spicier than the usual, but no less complex. The meat is steeped in seasoning before cooking, making sure that the flavours seep through to the core. Mutton can have a powerful odour, but Sri Ganapathi Mess’s careful preparation remove all gaminess. What’s left is a firework of a dish that explodes with heat as much as it does taste.

No. 27 on Jalan Pasar 1/21

Some of us enjoy the cosy local experience of dining somewhere that resembles an auntie’s house. If that describes you, look no further. No. 27 on Jalan Pasar 1/21 is an auntie’s house.

Little more than a few tables squashed to the side of a house, this dig is an easy place to miss.A righteous way to swine and dine. – HungryGoWhere pic, August 31, 2015.

You’d regret passing by though. No. 27 makes some of the best pork noodle soups (RM5.50) we’ve ever had. The broth is brewed from scratch, so that delectable sweetness you taste is more pork juice than the omnipresent MSG.

The auntie-in-charge is very generous with slices of pork liver, which are juicy and toothsome. Chopped kai lan adds a welcome crunch to the dish.

In a word: a-ma-zing.

Veng Soon

Claypot chicken rice served sizzling hot and super-sized. – HungryGoWhere pic, August 31, 2015.

Each day, folks file into this quiet and clean space for one thing: claypot chicken rice (RM10).

Veng Soon is a family-run establishment that fires up claypots on the regular to serve up this Cantonese favourite just the way mother made.

Also loved are their soups, which range from well-known delights such as pork and watercress to slightly unusual ones... like squirrel.

Packed to the brim with goodies, Veng Soon’s claypot chicken rice is a meal for two even if you order small. The chicken is succulent and rich with the taste of light and dark soy sauce alike.

High, evenly-distributed heat turns ordinary white rice into a nutty, caramelised treat that complements the meat perfectly.

Kie Kee

Fusion food, molecular cuisine, tiny portions on huge plates – they’re all very well and fine, but sometimes you just want a good old plate of chicken rice. This nationally revered dish was adapted from Hainanese immigrants, who’ve been blessing our homeland with their amazing eats since the 19th century. Trust the experts at PJ Old Town’s Kie Kee to get it right for no more than RM4.50 per portion.

Despite the welcoming sheen, Kie Kee’s chicken looks pretty ordinary. Don’t be fooled by appearances though; this humble dish is a superstar. Roasted just long enough to bring out a smoky flavour, the chicken still retains its juiciness. Complex, nutty herbal flavours explode in your mouth upon first bite.

Doesn’t look like much, but tastes like hell of a lot. – HungryGoWhere pic, August 31, 2015.

HungryGoWhere’s Full Walking Food Trail Guide on PJ Old Town is just one of four of the walking food trails we are covering in conjunction with Merdeka day. Check out the first walking food trail in Chinatown, or Petaling Street or the guide on Brickfields if you are still hungry! If you happen to be in Petaling Jaya but prefer the more glossy, new eateries, then we suggest you take a look at PJ Seksyen 17, the hot, new culinary suburbia.

If good food is your passion, then HungryGoWhere is your perennial kaki makan. Use our comprehensive online guides and user reviews to find the best food Malaysia can serve up, platter optional. Be it Penang, Melaka, Johor, Perak or other delectable spots, we’re all over the country. – August 31, 2015.