Food

Love melt-in-the-mouth 'char siew'? Ara Damansara's Tian Tian Lai Roasted Chicken Rice is the place to go


For utter decadence, order the melt-in-the-mouth 'char siew' for your lunch. – Pictures by Choo Choy May
For utter decadence, order the melt-in-the-mouth ‘char siew’ for your lunch. – Pictures by Choo Choy May

PETALING JAYA, March 15 — When it comes to char siew, everyone has their individual preference. Some like the lean cuts, others enjoy fattier pieces. Sometimes, it can be hard to reach a consensus too.

At Tian Tian Lai Roasted Chicken Rice, they serve melt-in-the-mouth char siew. Shamelessly fat. Decadence in every bite.

The char siew comes with a lovely caramelised glaze with just the right balance of sweetness. It’s the type that does not stick to your teeth.

Underneath, you get layers of fat and meat, making it a tender, juicy bite. A drizzle of thick char siew sauce enhances the roasted meat but doesn’t drown out the flavours.

The man behind this superstar 'char siew' is Wong Wai Hong or Ah Wai.
The man behind this superstar ‘char siew’ is Wong Wai Hong or Ah Wai.
Roast chickens can also be ordered at Ah Wai's stall.
Roast chickens can also be ordered at Ah Wai’s stall.

The man behind this superstar char siew is Wong Wai Hong or Ah Wai, as he is fondly known. He started this stall back in October last year.

The 35-year-old picked up the art of roasting from his sifu who hails from Restoran Tian Tian in USJ20, Subang Jaya.

In his earlier days, he made a living by frying up siu chow dishes. Unhappy with the long hours as he had to do lunch and dinner sessions, he switched to roasting meats instead.

He apprenticed for about a year before he ventured out on his own. Prior to this place in Ara Damansara, he was at Subang’s SS15 area.

For an even golden colour, Ah Wai will deep fry the whole chickens in oil that has maltose.
For an even golden colour, Ah Wai will deep fry the whole chickens in oil that has maltose.
A close-up of the 'char siew' will show you it is beautifully caramelised and the meat mixed with fat is moist and tender.
A close-up of the ‘char siew’ will show you it is beautifully caramelised and the meat mixed with fat is moist and tender.

Unlike other places that offer long strips of char siew, Ah Wai’s char siew is smaller. He doesn’t use the typical pork belly cut.

Instead, it’s a special part where the fats and meat are uniquely marbled together. As the top of the strip has fats, this melts into the marinated meat after roasting to create a moist, luscious char siew.

As he already has a devoted fan base for his char siew, it’s best you be there early. Moreover, Ah Wai sells limited portions of the char siew since supply of that particular cut is dependent on his supplier.

Ah Wai also offers roast chicken and roast pork or siew yoke. Come around 11am to get first bite of the roast pork as it emerges from the Apollo oven.

Order the roast chicken to go with your 'char siew' (left). By 11am plus, you will be able to get the roast pork or 'siew yoke' with its crispy golden skin (right)
Order the roast chicken to go with your ‘char siew’ (left). By 11am plus, you will be able to get the roast pork or ‘siew yoke’ with its crispy golden skin (right)
The 'char kway teow' boasts good 'wok hei' and a generous portion of fried lard bits.
The ‘char kway teow’ boasts good ‘wok hei’ and a generous portion of fried lard bits.

The tender meat is topped with a thin, crispy crackling. This is perfect for those who are not fans of the heavily five spiced versions, since the meat is not marinated for long with spices.

There is also juicy roast chicken with a golden skin, which Ah Wai uses a two-step process to achieve. He will roast it first. Subsequently it is deep fried in oil that has maltose to give it a more even golden colour.

The stall is located within this relatively new coffee shop in Ara Damansara where you can order a variety of food from other stalls to accompany your char siew. Try a cup of the local coffee here as it is smooth and fragrant.

It’ll hopefully keep you awake after the sinful meal.

Come early if you can to beat the queue for the 'char siew', chicken and roast pork with rice.
Come early if you can to beat the queue for the ‘char siew’, chicken and roast pork with rice.
Look for this relatively new coffee shop at Ara Damansara within these single-storey shops.
Look for this relatively new coffee shop at Ara Damansara within these single-storey shops.

A popular order you see on almost every table at this place is the char kway teow. Its popularity is justified as the fried noodles have pretty good wok hei.

You also get a nice sprinkle of fried lard bits that up the umami. You will be surprised to find out that Sean Chin who started Fatty Char Kway Teow is actually not a fan of char kway teow.

The 29-year-old switched to F&B since it brings him a steady income rather than working as a real estate agent. He picked up his frying skills by watching YouTube.

Since he has no reference of taste for the fried noodles, he kept frying plate after plate for the other stall owners to taste until they gave him the thumbs up. Now, that’s what we call dedication.

Tian Tian Roasted Chicken Rice, Restoran Tien Tien Lai, 33, Jalan PJU1A/42, Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya. Open: 10.30am to 2pm or earlier if items sell out. Closed every Monday. The char kway teow stall is open from 7.30am to 2.30pm.



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