Food

CMCO food takeaway: Unusual, comforting yam noodles from PJ Damansara Kim's Judy's Best


Try the unusual yam noodles at Damansara Kim for a comforting meal (left). 'Pan mee' with hand pulled dough is delicious with a rich-tasting 'ikan bilis' broth and a super spicy chilli sauce (right).— Pictures by Lee Khang Yi
Try the unusual yam noodles at Damansara Kim for a comforting meal (left). ‘Pan mee’ with hand pulled dough is delicious with a rich-tasting ‘ikan bilis’ broth and a super spicy chilli sauce (right).— Pictures by Lee Khang Yi

PETALING JAYA, Nov 6 — I often get recommendations about where to eat from friends but this one grabbed my interest immediately as I had never heard of yam noodles before.

Hence one rainy Saturday morning, I headed to this stall located at the small food court at Damansara Kim. This stall had taken over the space once occupied by SS20 Fish Head Noodle.

There’s a wide variety as they also offer pan mee, lui cha and chicken rice. I understand from my friend that the lady owner of this stall also runs a vegetable stall at the nearby Taman Tun Dr Ismail market. She also has another stall at Centrepoint, selling lui cha and popiah.

Back to the yam noodles that are sold for RM9 a bowl. I had it twice; once at the stall and a few days later when I did a takeaway. It’s just a simple noodle dish.

For some, they may say it’s nothing special but since I love yam, it hit the spot perfectly for me. Both times, that simple combination of yam pieces and pork slices with smooth, thick bee hoon strands felt like a comforting hug.

The stall also serves a pretty decent chicken rice with a choice of poached or roasted chicken.
The stall also serves a pretty decent chicken rice with a choice of poached or roasted chicken.

They don’t give many pieces of yam — about three or four thickly cut chunks — but it’s incredibly soft and crumbles in the mouth when you bite into it.

The broth is a clear anchovy or ikan bilis broth. The slightly sweet soup pairs well with the yam bits that melt in the hot broth, giving it a slight viscosity. There’s also chopped Chinese celery that gives it a nice, subtle flavour.

Similarly the pan mee is just as comforting. It’s the pinched dough type where you get chunky, rough pieces.

'Lui cha' is served here with either brown or white rice.
‘Lui cha’ is served here with either brown or white rice.

What makes it exceptional is the broth. It’s got a lovely, rich taste of ikan bilis and you will want to drink every last drop. Although I would have preferred softer yet slightly chewy pulled dough pieces, I still enjoyed the whole bowl tremendously, especially with an extra portion of crispy fried ikan bilis.

Even the chilli sauce on the side is good with a potent spicy kick. Expect to fork out RM6.50 for a bowl for the pan mee with mani choy as it’s known in Chinese and pork slices. It’s RM8 with a choice of crispy ikan bilis or an egg. If you prefer both, a bowl will be RM10.

You can opt for the 'lui cha' paste to be given to you instead of the broth, if you want to eat it later.
You can opt for the ‘lui cha’ paste to be given to you instead of the broth, if you want to eat it later.

For a healthier lunch, try the lui cha. You can opt for white (RM9) or brown rice (RM10) with the mix of vegetables. I spotted cabbage, sayur manis, long beans, fried beancurd and roasted peanuts. This version includes fried shallots and garlic for extra flavour.

The broth tends to be a little saltier than I like though. The stall also gives you the option to cook the broth yourself at home, which makes it ideal to pack for a later meal.

For the chicken rice, there’s a choice of poached or roasted. Both versions taste pretty decent with large, juicy pieces and it’s RM6.50. If you prefer chicken thigh or drumstick, you need to add RM1.

The chicken rice can be packed together or separately.
The chicken rice can be packed together or separately.

If you wish to get it delivered, they offer delivery via a third party provider. There is also a service for custom orders from the Taman Tun Dr Ismail market, where you can purchase items such as eggs, santan, Malay herbs, fish, fruits and pork. Even ingredients such as shallots, ginger, garlic and turmeric can be purchased prepped and ready for cooking.

Judy’s Best, Gerai No. 17, Gerai Damansara Kim, Jalan 20/10, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya. You can WhatsApp them at 012-6943266 to arrange for delivery. Open: 8am to 2pm (Monday to Saturday). The lui cha and chicken rice starts from 8.45am onwards.



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