6 must-try authentic street food places in Old Klang Road

Street food has always held a strong charm among Malaysians. We don’t mind where we eat, or if we have to share the dining “floor” with the occasional stray animal, rodent or creepy crawly. As long as the food is kickass enough, we can put up with almost anything. Besides, it’s a long held opinion that the unsavoury surroundings actually enhance the flavours of the hawker fare!

But as developments pop up at lightning speed, and every available space is snapped up by developers, street food is a slowly disappearing culture, especially in KL.

So, there’s not much to do but to sniff out the best street eats and enjoy their offerings while they are still around.

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Street food still thrives in the Old Klang Road area, despite the rapid development here. Here are 6 authentic street food places that are worth checking out.

1. Cao Cao Grilled Lamb Chop & Wantan Mee stalls – Jalan Kuchai Lama

This hawker place is hard to miss – turn into Jalan Kuchai Lama at the Old Klang Road traffic lights and you will see a cluster of street side hawkers on your right, just after the huge snooker center. Perhaps the most famous among the hawkers is the Cao Cao Grilled Lamb Chop stall.


Image credit: kyspeaks.com

If you like your juicy lamb chops grilled to over an open charcoal fire – this place is irresistible! It’s a bit pricey for hawker fare and you should be prepared to wait as the list of orders can grow quite long. But those are actually good signs, right?

 

At the same cluster of hawkers is a wantan mee stall that also enjoys a loyal following. It’s not surprising, seeing that they still make the noodles and char siew themselves.

Image credit: foodpoi.com

The noodles are nice and chewy, while the char siew is charred just right. Well, charred char siew might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like it that way – this is a must try. Again, be prepared for a long wait as orders do tend to pile up. The price is pretty standard, although the surroundings are, er… rustic.

2. Hokkien Mee & Wantan Mee place – Old Klang Road

Just a short walk away from the Kuchai Lama exit on Old Klang Road is this place with no name. It’s located along Old Klang Road itself so it’s hard to miss, although it has no name. It only has a lighted signboard declaring in Chinese characters “Hokkien Mee, Wantan Mee” – and it serves pretty good, well… Hokkien Mee and Wantan Mee.


Image credit: christinelifeslikethis.blogspot.com

The wantan mee stall serves springy noodles that don’t disappoint. They blend very well with the slightly sweet sauce too. The slightly-charred char siew is pretty awesome, especially if you order the “half lean, half fat” cuts.

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Sharing the space (formed by a road junction) is the “Dai Chow” stall that serves up some killer Hokkien Mee. Although the “Dai Chow” guys here do serve other styles of fried noodles and some side dishes, Hokkien Mee is the other major draw here.

Image credit: pegasuskl.wordpress.com

The tasty noodles are served with generous portions of meat and vege, as well as the secret ingredient for kickass Hokkien Mee – “chu yau char” (deep fried pork lard). Other noteworthy servings are the fried “nam yue” chicken wings and pineapple pork intestines.Prices are pretty reasonable, and you get a cement floor and a shaded eating area.

3. Ah Tee Pan Mee – Old Klang Road (in front of Fatty Bak Kut Teh restaurant)

Pan Mee is one of those hearty Malaysian comfort foods. There’s nothing quite as nice as downing a steaming bowl of the smooth, springy noodles, especially on a cold day.

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Located near the Taman Desa exit, this nondescript roadside stall, manned by a husband and wife team, serves up probably one of the best Pan Mee in the Klang Valley. The secret to good Pan Mee is the soup and the noodle’s texture. And this stall gets it just right. The soup is sweet, the pan mee is smooth and it’s served with a good helping of pork, mushrooms, vegetables and anchovies.


Image credit: wp.peachjon.com

The owner only serves the original, old-style soup Pan Mee. None of that new-fangled styles like dried Pan Mee or Spicy Pan Mee.  The stall is a little hard to notice as they have no branding to speak of. It’s in front of the Fatty Bak Kut Teh Restaurant, across the highway from the Taman Desa Maybank.

4. Big Tree Fried Pan Mee – Jalan Sepadu, United Garden

Fancy your Pan Mee with a twist? Then you should check out this Fried Pan Mee stall. It’s quite easy to find – just exit from Old Klang Road at the Pearl Point hotel traffic lights, drive a little past Pearl Point (on your right), and you will see a large hawker stall located at the low cost flats on your left.


Image credit: nigellow.wordpress.com

As with all Pan Mee, the noodles are made fresh and cut into noodles shape. But at this stall, it’s fried similar to the Hokkien Mee style. But the taste and noodle texture is a bit different. And with the right amount of “wok hei” this makes for a delicious meal.

Their other specialty is Lor Mee which is also worth a try.

 

5. Char Koay Teow / Fried Carrot Cake stall – OUG pasar malam (Thursday)

If you’ve never been to the OUG pasar malam, it’s worth the trip just to come and try this stall’s offerings. It’s a little hard to find, located right at the fringe of the pasar malam, at the corner of the Ong Lay coffee shop. But make the effort to locate this stall – you’ll be glad you did.


Image credit: everydayfoodilove.co

The slightly smoky aroma of good “wok hei” is evident from the moment your char koay teow arrives. The noodles are a little oily but, expertly fried with fresh prawns, Chinese sausage, cockles and egg, it’s pretty irresistible.

You could also replace the chicken egg with duck egg for a little extra kick! Their fried carrot cake is pretty awesome too! The carrot cake is smooth and fluffy, and the other ingredients complement it nicely – especially the crunchy taugeh.

But be prepared to wait for your order as there is usually a long line of customers. There are some tables, but good luck trying to get an empty seat.

6. Asam Laksa stall – OUG (Thursday) & Happy Garden (Saturday) pasar malam

If you plan to visit to either one of these Pasar Malam, remember to bring along an empty stomach. The variety of hawker fare and snacks can be a bit intimidating.

One of the must try stalls is Asam Laksa. There are a couple of stalls, but the one you want to look for is run by a slightly large-sized aunty. You can’t miss it – it’s the only one with the huge vats of yummy Asam Laksa soup boiling merrily away! Seriously, the vats are so big, a grown man could climb in to enjoy a Jacuzzi bath!

Image credit: foodeverywhere.wordpress.com

The asam laksa is served with generous helpings of mackerel flakes, fresh onions, mint leaves and pineapple. The stall has some crude tables and stools, so you can have your bowl of spicy, tangy noodles right there. However, finding an empty seat could be a real challenge. And be prepared to wait if you’re taking away too.

 



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