Yao Yao Ping Restaurant @ Klang in Malaysia

When one travels, it's always beneficial to have a local friend and that's what we did for our inaugural trip to Klang, where we were brought to places popular with locals, and not inundated with foreigners! 

One of the places was this restaurant known as yao yao ping, which is directly translated to shake shake ice. I was pre-informed by the friend that it's an ice dessert that he visited since he was a child. I must admit that this friend is only about 20 over years and not exactly middle-aged like me.

My best description is that it's a cross between ice cream and shaved ice in the way that the shaved ice would pre-shave and with added flavorings before being compressed into ice cream-like tubs. 

It's like flavored ice with flavors like watermelon, pineapple, sour plum, red bean, bo bo char char and chendol. What I didn't realize is that I can choose to mix a few flavors into one cup!

Nevertheless, they were thirst quenching and refreshing under the extremely hot weather, and I didn't feel they were artificially flavored. I especially like my sour plum yao yao bing with the right balance of icy sourness and sweetness.

Forgot to share the dining area! Despite its coffee shop outlook, it was air-conditioned with fans bringing extra breeze to the interior. 

I noted there were other stalls in the restaurant and the first thing that caught my attention wasn't the shaved ice. It was the irresistible aroma of grilled chicken wing!  

Aside from the grilled chicken wing, I noted many tables had fried chicken too but I shouldn't overly indulged with my recent weight gain, although I did get the egg burger.

Grilled chicken wing was sadly average tasting even though it could have performed better if the stall operator had passed me one that was fresh from bring barbecued above the burning charcoal.  

Egg burger was okay too; just something I would purposely order if I were to revisit again. However, there's something that went so well with egg and chicken that I will make sure to have the fried chicken with it in my next visit.

The chilli! Despite being too fluid, it had a manageable spiciness that tasted like a mixture of chicken rice chill and sambal chilli. So glad it was given even though I didn't request for it.

Eh.... I saw a wanton mee stall too! I do enjoy the Malaysian style, black sauce wanton mee and at just RM 7 for a small portion, about  S$2.00, it was decided a small plate wouldn't do "much" harm. My logic can be so warped sometimes. 

Sweet, smooth and oily; the way they should be in Malaysia. Again, I think it was alright to fill the tummy but not when you are looking for the best wanton mee in Malaysia. 

Now, I feel so guilty for having so much as the rest didn't really want to share as we had just had bak kut teh at Samy not more than half an hour ago! 

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Address

1503, Jalan Young, Pandamaran, 

42000 Pelabuhan Klang, Selangor, Malaysia

Map

As above.

Restoran Samy Bak Kut Teh (HQ) - Klang Bak Kut Teh @ Klang in Malaysia

The war between Malaysia style bak kut and Singapore style bak kut teh has continued for a long period of time, and the epitome of Malaysia style bak kut teh was said to be at Klang, which I happened to visit in my recent trip to the nearby Petaling Jaya! 

We met up with a friend who resided there and he brought us to this street known as Jalan Chan Ah Choo that was filled with bak kut teh eateries and the local recommendation was this Restoran Samy Bak Kut Teh (HQ) which operated only from 7am till noon. 

Seeing the heavily stained yet nearly empty pot piqued my interest and increased my expectation. Being accustomed to ordering bak kut teh in Singapore, I was looking forward to a hot bowl of pork rib soup. 

While there was pork rib option, it was unfortunately sold out for the day. Other options were not commonly seen in Singapore, like soft bone, pork belly, small bone, big bone, pork leg, pork heel; honestly, parts that I either don't know or don't like to eat. 

Whatever the case, I made a choice for big bone. Before it came, let's have some traditional Chinese tea in mini teacups. It's more a bak kut teh (BKT) ritual as I could definitely make do with a larger cup of teh o kosong. 

Didn't take too long for our BKT to arrive! What was the first thing I noticed from the above? The color difference between Singapore and Malaysia BKT was common knowledge but in this case, what was glaring at my face was the apparent lack of soup! Thank goodness our friend did mention we can request for free top up.

Another thing that caught my attention and something all BKT eateries in Singapore should adopt; having plain white rice that was mixed with fried shallots! They brought irresistible aroma to the rice, and I totally can't resist them! 

Now on the main star - the meat was tender with a thick layer of pork fat. Personally, I would still prefer pork rib as it was just something I had associated with BKT since fat and it just felt wrong to have other parts. Soup wise, it was savory although lacking the strong herbal flavor I had expected from Malaysia style bkt.

The soup was still nice though, although the refill was just as pathetically little. And I am leaving aside the layer of pork fat. I only love pork fats when they are deep fried. 

Now, my purpose here wasn't to compare both countries BKT. I like either one of them because in my heart, both have their strengths; I sometimes enjoy peppery soup and sometimes, herbal soup. So stop the war and let's have our BKT, as close neighbors.

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Address

164A, Jalan Chan Ah Choo, Pandamaran, 

42000 Pelabuhan Klang, Selangor, Malaysia

Map

As above. 

Pricing

Bak Kut Teh - RM 16.00 per bowl

Rice - RM 1.50 per bowl

Tea - RM 6.00 per pot

That Cute Mongrel Puppy at Klang in Malaysia

In my recent visit to Petaling Jaya in Malaysia, I took the opportunity to visit Klang, said to be to the hometown of Bak Kut Teh! But it's not bak kut teh I would be talking about today. 

We took GRAB over to a friend's house and chanced upon this mongrel puppy that was drinking water from a bowl outside. Now, I do love dogs and I guess any dog lovers could never resist a puppy.

Especially when it noticed us staring and turned to look at us! 

The bouncing bundle of joy literally leaped towards us; total strangers in a quiet neighborhood. Damn, I hope our friend has no intention to have it as a guard dog as it would totally fail its responsibility! 

My heart melted with such an adorable expression; smiling face, exposed teeth, wagging tail with one ear perked up. For that fleeting moment, I almost wanted to bring it back to Singapore! 

Even Alex was captivated by it! Sadly, we are aware that our lifestyle isn't suitable for keeping pets, unless my parents are willing to take the responsibility. Oh well, Klang isn't that far from Singapore and we can ask our friend to keep us posted on its growth.