Dirty Noodles in Lukut, Negri Sembilan, Malaysia 久拉揸面食

There are two popular shops in the small town of Lukut near Seremban and Port Dickson (Malaysia) run by the Teng 鄧 family, famous for their "dirty noodles" or la zha meen 拉揸面.



La zha meen means "dirty noodles" in Cantonese colloquialism but there is nothing dirty about these delicious noodles at all. People from far and wide travel to taste these "dirty noodles".

Many years ago, the grandmother 貴嫂 of the current owners started a noodle stall at the market place in Lukut. The noodle stall was located where 3 canals (large drains) met. The 3 canals were choked with rubbish and dirty stagnant water, making it the filthiest and smelliest place in the whole of Lukut at that time. The locals started to refer to the popular noodle stall as "dirty noodles" 拉揸面 and the name has remained ever since.

Yesterday, I tried the younger Teng brother Octo's "dirty noodles" and today, I went to try the elder brother's version. The two "dirty noodle" shops are about 3 km apart along the same main road in Lukut (both near to Port Dickson).



I have been warned by locals to be here before 10:00am, especially on weekends. Officially opened till 1:00pm but the shop closes when the homemade noodles are sold out. Most of the customers are locals, joined by people from Kuala Lumpur, Seremban and Singapore on weekends.



A well weathered banner commemorating the award of "Gold Medal" to "Dirty Noodles" by Nanyang Siang Pau newspaper in 2008 hung proudly in the old kopitiam (coffee shop).

We waited 30 minutes for our noodles but service was very friendly. By 10:00am, customers had to stand and wait for seats. Also, expect to share a table with strangers which is common practice in Malaysia at popular restaurants. I am used to such arrangements and found that locals are usually friendly and easy to engage in casual conversation with.



My simple "dirty" lo meen 撈麵.



Al dente noodles slick with lard and rich savoury sweet flavour.



The "dirty" lo meen is served with a small bowl of soup. It's a homemade style soup with fresh choy sum greens, and slices of well marinated pork. The savoury sweet soup was simple and nice.



The fried "dirty noodles" was excellent as well.

The noodles were fried till there were caramelised charred bits outside. Good wok hei was clearly present in the simple plate of fried noodles with pork slices and choy sum.

I am craving for it now as I write this.



The locals like to eat the "dirty noodles" with lots of this chili sauce. It's actually a commercial sauce but the Tengs have blended in additional ingredients that gave it a tangy, sweet, salty, spicy and garlicky flavour.

Our 2 plates of noodles with a glass of homemade herbal tea came to RM10.30. After settling the bill, we stayed to chat with the friendly owners.



Though they were very busy (this was a Saturday morning), Mr Teng and his family warmly welcome me to photograph them at work in the kitchen at the back.



Mr Teng begins his day at 5:00am, starting with making noodles fresh every business day. The homemade noodles are cooked by dunking in boiling water.



The cooked handmade noodles are then seared in a wok with sizzling lard until some of it are caramelised and has a slight char outside.



The caramelised noodles are then further stir fried with stock, sauce, pork slices and choy sum greens before serving.

We asked the matriarch how her sons learnt how to make "dirty noodles". She replied that her sons have been following her at the market stall since they were drinking milk. So, the boys have been watching her and helping out since they were toddlers. No wonder the two "dirty noodles" by the Teng brothers were really very similar. They have stuck to their grandmother's old recipe which the locals love.



Lukut "dirty noodles" are in good hands. This is the fourth generation in action deftly making "dirty" lo meen.

When you are near Seremban or Port Dickson, take a short excursion to Lukut and try the famous "dirty noodles". If you like homemade noodles and plenty of wok hei in your food, you will be in for a real treat.



During my trip to Lukut, I stay connected using VisonData pocket wifi. VisonData is a more affordable option compared to data roaming and local SIM card. I was able to stay online throughout my trip at SGD9 rental per day for a VisonData pocket wifi. 4 - 6 devices can share one pocket wifi, so savings are substantial for travellers in groups. Find out more about VisonData here.



Restaurant name: Kedai Makanan & Minuman Mian Jiu 久拉揸面食
Address: No. 1854, Jalan Besar, Lukut, Negri Sembilan, Malaysia
Map: http://bit.ly/DirtyNoodles
Hours: 7:00am to 1:00pm (Closed on Monday)
Tel: +6012-353-8307 / +6012-905-8663

Non Halal

Date visited: 31 Jan 2015

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Dirty Noodles at Lukut near Port Dickson, Seremban, Malaysia 貴嫂麵 拉渣面

During our trip to Port Dickson, when we asked locals at the nearby Lukut town what to eat in their hometown, the first thing that came to their minds was "dirty noodles" 拉渣面.



Famous "dirty noodles?"

That sounds very interesting.

Definitely must try ;-D



The next morning, we went to Lukut town and searched for the famous "dirty noodles".

There are two shops in Lukut serving "dirty noodles" by the two Thang 鄧 brothers. We were at the "dirty noodle" shop of the younger brother, Octo Thang. (The elder brother's shop is closed today and it has no fixed business hours.)



Casting our eyes at the very clean and well kept shop, we asked Octo why is his signature dish known as "dirty noodles".

Octo said that the business was started years ago by his grandmother 貴嫂 at the old market at Lukut. Her road side stall was located at the junction of 3 canals at the market. The canals were full of rubbish and was smelly, but Octo's grandmother's homemade noodles stall was doing a roaring business. The locals started to refer to the stall as the "dirty noodles 拉渣面" stall and the name has stuck ever since.

Octo's shop is named 貴嫂麵 in his grandmother's honour.

(拉渣面 or la zha meen means "dirty noodles" in Cantonese colloquialism.)



Our old style "dirty noodles" tossed in lard and dark soy sauce.

The "dirty noodles" are still homemade. Octo starts to make his noodles everyday at 5:00am and starts serving at 8:30am.



The fresh noodles were cooked till al dente, tender yet firm.

Octo said that besides being fresh, the noodles had to be cooked carefully to get the desired texture.

The locals eat their "dirty noodles" with a bowl of soup. The default is soup with fish slices, and customers can add additional ingredients at extra charge.



Besides fish slices we added pork slices, fresh squid, tofu, fried tofu skin, and pork balls. The broth was medium bodied and was mildly savoury sweet with fresh vegetable flavours. It reminded me of simple home cooked soup.



We also had this stir fried and then simmered "dirty noodles" with simple pork slices and some greens. Octo managed to infuse a noticeable wok hei into the noodles which were soaking in a gooey savoury sweet gravy.

We enjoyed our "dirty noodles" experience.

Total bill came to slightly more than RM30 for the two plates of "dirty noodles" and the large bowl of soup (plus sugar cane tea).



Locating the shop for the first time can be a little challenging. The shop is located in a corner terrace house.



The shop is on an inside road and the signboard is sun bleached, making it barely visible from the main road.



It is a good idea to set your GPS before setting off. For my Port Dickson/ Seremban trip, I used VisonData pocket wifi which made staying connected very easy and affordable. We rented a pocket wifi which can be shared between 4 - 6 devices at SGD9 per day (for use in Malaysia); this is a big saving compared to data roaming or each of us getting our own local SIM card.

VisonData pocket wifi can be used in over 70 countries; find out more about VisonData pocket wifi rental here.

Restaurant name: 貴嫂麵 (Lukut "Dirty Noodles" 拉渣面)
Address: Lot 2576, Jalan Batu 3½, Lukut, Port Dickson, Seremban, Malaysia
Map: http://bit.ly/LukutNoodles
GPS: 2.563889, 101.816111 (N 2° 33' 50"  E 101° 48' 58")
Hours: 8:30am to 2:00pm (Closed on Weds)

Non Halal

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Ramen at Dontaku in City Square Mall in Johor Bahru

As a recent ramen convert, I am keen to look for a good ramen joint in Johor Bahru. As Dontaku Japanese Restaurant in City Square Mall has a good range of ramen, I harboured hopes that it will be my ramen haunt in JB.

Alas, it was not to be. I have tried the ramen at Dontaku several times but came away from recent visits unimpressed.

VisonData Pocket Wifi (Singapore)

As an avid food and travel blogger, it is crucial that I stay connected with readers on my social media platforms during my (sometimes long) overseas trips. I can't wait to share pictures of droolicious food and breathtaking scenery with my readers.

As it is too easy to run up exorbitant data roaming charges during travels, I am constantly looking out for more affordable, hassle free yet reliable means of staying connected. So, I was really excited when VisonData Singapore invited me to try out their Pocket Wifi.

The idea is really simple.



VisonData rents us a portable wifi hotspot with a pre-installed local telco SIM card (of the overseas country). All we need to do is just to lock on to the SSID of the VisonData pocket hotspot, key in the provided password, and we are surfing.

Zero learning curve.

Two days before my Port Dickson (Malaysia) trip, I called VisonData Singapore and reserved a pocket wifi. We could also reserve our device online at www.visondata.com.sg, if we wish. (VisonData now covers over 70 countries around the world, so it pays to check if the country you are visiting is covered too.)


#05-41C, IMM Building 2, Jurong East Street 21, Singapore | Tel: (65)-6569-7741

The day before leaving for Port Dickson, I picked up the device at VisonData Singapore office in IMM Building. The office is near to Jurong East MRT station, so it is very accessible. (We can also arrange for courier delivery, at modest additional charge.)



After taking over the pocket wifi device which was neatly packed in a compact travel clutch bag, I turned on the power of the pocket wifi. After my handphone picked up the pocket wifi signal, I keyed in the provided password, and I was ready to use it for my Port Dickson trip. Everything was done while still in Singapore and I was good to roll in about a minute.

Power bank rental is also available from VisonData SG at SGD2 per day.



In Malaysia, I just kept the pocket wifi in my.... pocket lah.... and remained online with my everyday handphone all the time.

No need to change phone or change SIM card. No new settings; nothing to reconfigure. No worries. I felt very much at home.

Just lock in and surf.

Four to six people can share one VisonData pocket wifi, so the savings are substantial compared to data roaming or each of us getting our own local telco SIM cards.

(I don't like the local telco SIM card option as I have to bring along a second handphone, stop at a local phone shop, and set up data service which can often be complicated. I want to enjoy the country the moment the plane lands, instead of wasting hours and energy with the hassle of setting up data connection ;-D  With VisonData pocket wifi, I also don't have to worry again about wasting unused stored value which can be substantial.)



I could surf all day and the only time I shut down the pocket wifi was when I was charging it's battery while sleeping at night.



Back in Singapore, I returned the package back to VisonData at IMM the following day and that was it.

Everything was so neat and simple.

Follow VisonData SG Facebook Page for their regular special deals. VisonData SG is now having their Chinese New Year 2015 offer. They also have a competition on their Facebook Page now.



Disclosure: This is an invited trial use by VisonData.

Trial dates: 28 - 31 Jan 2015

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Kway Teow Kia in JB Johor Bahru at Restoran Ka Hoe 榕树下粿条仔

I needed a substantial early breakfast in Johor Bahru before the 3 hour long drive north to Pork Dickson.

I picked the popular kway teow kia stall at Restoran Kah Hoe (a corner kopitiam near Plaza Pelangi) for early breakfast (opens at 7:00am). Plaza Pelangi is just a short detour off my route and I can rejoin the EDL to the North South Expressway easily (via Jalan Biru) after breakfast.

Dunman Road Char Siew Wanton Mee Singapore 德明叉烧云吞面

I hesitated a while before writing this post, as Dunman Road Char Siew Wanton Mee has not much going for it except for it's exceptional chili sauce. I decided to go ahead as some of you might be persuaded by the unique chili sauce alone, and also taste is subjective, so there may be more going for Dunman Road Char Siew Wanton Mee in other's opinion.

Joo Chiat Ah Huat Wanton Noodle at Dunman Road Food Centre Singapore

I've long wanted to try the famous Joo Chiat Ah Huat Wanton Noodle at Dunman Road Food Centre in Singapore. It's the favourite wanton noodle of many of my foodie buddies.



Joo Chiat Ah Huat Wanton Noodle's fans know that it was once known as Ang Moh wanton mee (Hong Mao Mian Jia 红毛面家). After years doing business in the Joo Chiat area since the 1960s, the owners of Ang Moh wanton mee retired but reopened in 2013 as Joo Chiat Ah Huat Wanton Noodle to the cheers of their loyal fans.

Antoinette Restaurant Singapore - Yusheng & Chinese New Year Classics with French Twists

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, I was invited to preview Antoinette Restaurant's Lunar New Year 2015 collection.

As Antoinette is specially well known for it's fine French cakes and pastries, and owner Chef Pang is famous for his bold innovations, I was looking forward to Antoinette's interpretation of the traditional Chinese New Year classics.

Antoinette's Chinese New Year creations were indeed interesting and fun to eat while staying connected to it's festive roots.

YuSheng is a Southeast Asian Chinese tradition for kicking the Lunar New Year off to a rousing start.



This Year of the Goat, my first YuSheng session was Queen's YuSheng - Chef Pang's reinvention of the iconic Chinese New Year celebration dish.

Antoinette's Queen's YuSheng is like no other YuSheng that I have seen before.

An auspicious giant chocolate Golden Egg was cradled by a nest of chocolate fish, gold ingots, and gold coins; 5-spiced almonds and cashews; mandarin orange butter cake and meringue kisses; and yam and sweet potato crisps.



The large Golden Egg was hatched with a little help from Maureen aka Miss Tam Chiak.



The Golden Egg popped open to "birth" Asian fresh fruit - pineapple, mandarin orange, Thai green mango, red dragon fruit, and pomelo.



The shower of house blended mandarin orange, plum and gula melaka sauce, signalled the start of the customary festive YuSheng tossing.

Known as LoHei 撈起 in Cantonese which sounds like the "prosperity and success in ventures" in Cantonese colloquialism, the communal salad tossing is a get together to wish each other the best in the new year. The revellers will toss the YuSheng ingredients in gusto while shouting auspicious greetings like "生意兴隆", "吉星高照", "年年有余" just to name a few.



Chef Pang wanted his Queen's YuSheng to appeal equally to all age groups, young and old. A creation to mark Singapore’s 50th year of independence and to connect the generations of Singaporeans.

He also created this without the traditional raw fish slices so that both his little girls (Charlotte and Chloe) can enjoy it, and also in time to celebrate the arrival of his baby boy in January 2015.

Antoinette's YuSheng is a unique fusion of cultures, Chinese motifs and ingredients wedded to the art of French patisserie and chocolate making.

Children are bound to squeal with delight at the trove of sweets, chocolate and zesty fruits. For adults, Queen's YuSheng is an interesting variation that adds variety to the many rounds of "the same" YuSheng every year.

Queen’s YuSheng is available at SGD88++ from 9 Feb to 5 Mar 2015 at Antoinette's 30 Penhas Road outlet. (One day advance order for dine in and takeaway.)

Besides Queen's YuSheng, Antoinette has a full range of traditional Chinese New Year goodies in it's festive collection. We stayed on after the YuSheng session and chatted over CNY goodies and tea.



Pork Floss Meringue.

I am not a fan of traditional Chinese pork floss sticks which are often too porky, too salty, and too hard. By blending in light fluffy French meringue pastry, Chef Pang added balance with a touch of sweetness and airy lightness.




Traditional pineapple tart.



Traditional fried honeycomb cracker.



Chocolate Love Letter.

That familiar crispy eggy flour crepe with a gold dusted coat of fine Valrhona Caraibe 66% dark chocolate.



Spiced sweet potato chips.

Antoinette has more in their Chinese New Year collection which you can try by visiting one of their outlets in Singapore, or visiting their website.



Restaurant name: Antoinette French Restaurant
Address:  30 Penhas Road, Singapore (branches at Mandarin Gallery and Palais Renaissance) 
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/KoWyL 
GPS: 1.309431,103.862712 
Hours: Mon - Thu: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm | Fri: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm | Sat: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm | Sun: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm 
Non Halal  

Date visited: 8 Aug 2014  

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Xperience Restaurant Valentine Dinner at Sofitel So Singapore

With Valentine Day just around the corner, I was invited to preview the Valentine Day dinner at Xperience Restaurant in Sofitel So Singapore.

This was my first visit to Xperience French Restaurant at Sofitel So Singapore since it opened in May last year.

Sofitel is housed in an elegant heritage building along Singapore's Robinson Road, right in the centre of Singapore's financial district.



Inside Xperience Restaurant, the decor was elegant contemporary French chic with neat clean lines.

The open concept, state-of-art Moltani kitchen stood at one end of the medium size restaurant.



Xperience Restaurant was generally bright with a quirky booth in the corner for people who prefer a little privacy.



On 13 Feb 2015, Xperience Restaurant is offering this 3-course French Valentine Dinner at SGD128++ per person. The set comes with a welcome cocktail and wine pairing. Ladies enjoy an extra touch of a welcome red rose ;-D

On 14 Feb 2015, there will be a 5-course Valentine Dinner at SGD188++ per person (which we didn't preview).



We were served champagne during the preview event.



Bread which we ate with olive oil and butter while waiting for the dinner to begin.



The dinner was kicked off with Amuse Bouche with creamy soft steamed egg, caviar and oyster with kick.



Next up was the refreshing appetiser of soft fresh pulled crab meat, crunchy seaweed, zesty grapefruit, and cucumber paired with cold ginger sorbet.



The main course was an inch thick medallion of grilled beef tenderloin.



The well browned medallion was served with salsifies (European taproot), asparagus stalks, chopped mushroom and truffles, drizzled with stylish swirls of brown and asparagus sauce.



The default doneness was medium rare, which also happened to be the way I like my steaks. If you prefer other doneness, remember to alert the wait staff.

The thick chunk of grilled beef tenderloin had a very slight crisp char outside while the inside was beefy tender. The flavourings were well restrained so that we can appreciate the natural smoky, creamy taste of beef.



The Valentine Dinner was wrapped up on a sweet note with a large sharing dessert shaped like a foot long scroll tube. (Perhaps, suggesting that Registry of Marriages scroll?)



After the heavy meal so far, we struggled and failed to finish the sweet, tart and chocolaty dessert.



The Valentine dinner ends with your choice of coffee or tea to go with the sharing dessert.



Just as the ladies were warmly welcomed with a stalk of red rose, they were farewell with a box of charming praline to end start the night on a sweet note.

Overall, Xperience Restaurant's Valentine Dinner was a well balanced experience of colour, design, textures, and flavours. Not quite the pinnacle class of European fine dining but still a likable Valentine Dinner in a semi-fine, relaxed setting with appropriate added on romantic touches.



Restaurant name: Xperience Restaurant & Bar (at Sofitel So Singapore)
Address: 35 Robinson Rd, Singapore

Map: http://bit.ly/XperienceSofitel

Hours: Dinner till 10:30pm

Phone: +65 6701 6800

Non Halal

Date visited: 22 Jan 2015

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