Backlane Tian Ya Ker Handmade Pan Mee (Ban Mian) @ Chow Kit Kuala Lumpur 天涯客板面

Pan mee is a dish which mothers make at home for the family. It requires little ingredients or equipment but lots of love, time and effort.

Tian Ya Ker is as close to mother's pan mee as you can get that money can buy.

Tien Ya Ker 天涯客板面 is a lane stall, one of the last remaining in this fast developing city of many of the world's tallest skyscrapers.

(This stall is about 50 years old, since the 1970s. Next time shall remember to ask them how the catchy name 天涯客 came about.)

An iron roof kept the cooking cart, Ah Mah's work top as well as folding tables and plastic chairs from the sun and rain.

The back door 🤭

Ah Mah (grandma) kneads the flour dough with a glass bottle, just like many, many mothers at home. Other mums use a wooden rolling pin 😁

The pan mee were hand cut.

There were hand cut pan mee, and only pork soup with mushroom, lean pork slices, and choy sum (no sayur manis 🤔 ) in the bowl. There was optional raw egg, but no customary fried anchovies.

The ingredients were all very fresh. They fry the shallots themselves, so they were fresh and aromatic. For this, add 10 points from me 😁🤭

The noodles were relatively thick and wide. They were tender spongy gently chewy. Very smooth. There was a distinct homemade flavour that added to its charm.

The pork soup was slightly viscous from starch from the noodles. Each spoonful provided layers of savouriness and a bit of sweetness in different forms of soft tenderness.

Comforting though not mind blowing (some might even find it somewhat flat). And that is correct, the way it often is at home. This is a simple affordable comfort dish made and eaten at home for a complete meal of carbs, protein and vitamins for all in the family. Never get bored of this.