Tony Johor Kaki Travels for Food · Heritage · Culture

Showing posts with label Ban Kee 万记. Show all posts

Braised Belly Pork 扣肉 Fried Bee Hoon @ Ban Kee 万记 in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Skudai

I was at Ban Kee in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah (TUTA) to try out their famous KL black Hokkien Mee. When I was done with the delicious Hokkien Mee, I realised that they also serve fried bee hoon with braised belly pork 扣肉.

This is a Hokkien comfort food served whenever the extended family gathers and is rarely sold in shops. At home, as making braised belly pork is tedious and requires considerable skill, it is often substituted by the canned variety. Ban Kee offers their fried bee hoon with homemade freshly braised belly pork. At this point, I am already filled and have way busted my cholesterol quota with the KL Hokkien mee.

But I just had to try this. Blame the family at the next table for their gleeful faces and loud splurging noises while eating their braised belly pork bee hoon.

Only one size - RM14. Enough for 3 big eaters.

Well, it may not be very photogenic with the green chye sim strewn haphazardly on top of the braising sauce blackened bee hoon and braised pork in a well used plastic plate. But the taste of the braised belly pork and bee hoon fried with braising sauce more than made up for its humble looks. Actually, this look reminds me of familial, home cooking and adds to the pleasure ☻

The braised belly pork is tender and the whole dish fried with braising sauce is more naturally sweet and fragrant rather than salty. Slowly chewing the tender layers of skin, fat and lean meat together with the soft fried bee hoon creates a creamy, smoky blended mix in the mouth that seduces the taste buds. Ah…. maybe this dish is a constant feature in extended family gatherings because Ah Kong and Ah Mah (grandparents) can enjoy the tender, lightly flavoured meat together with everyone.

No regrets on my cholesterol indiscretion. Will definitely be back J.

Restaurant name: Restoran Ban Kee 万记

Address: 108, Jalan Pahlawan 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Skudai

Map: http://g.co/maps/q7gs7

GPS: 1.522098,103.664171

Hours: Noon to 3:00pm and 6:00pm to 9:00pm

Non Halal

Date visited: 10 Feb 2012

KL Hokkien Mee 福建炒麵 @ Ban Kee 万记 in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Skudai, Johor

KL style black Hokkien mee 福建炒麵 in JB? No kidding.

Ban Kee 万记 has been frying KL style Hokkien mee for many years and operating in different parts of JB before finally settling down here in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah (TUTA).

Ban Kee has a faithful following who trail them around JB to this shop in TUTA. Word of mouth and in these days of the internet, social media, brings in new fans to Ban Kee. Early birds mill around the shop before it opens for dinner at 6:00pm and more stream in to fill the seats quickly once the shop opens.

Ban Kee has always been a family business and now a new generation is taking charge of the wok.

This medium size plate for two persons costs RM8

So how authentic is Ban Kee's black Hokkien noodles compared to the KL version? Having lived in KL for several years and eaten at several Hokkien mee eateries in and around KL, I feel Ban Kee's version is less heavy on the lard and less salty than their KL counterparts. Ban Kee's also has more of that natural sweetness which Johoreans seemed to prefer. In other crucial aspects like the trademark fat, pale yellow noodles, Ban Kee's is very similar to their KL cousins.

Personally, I like Ban Kee's version with its lighter and fresher feel on the taste buds. I know die hard KL black Hokkien mee connoisseurs will disagree with me.

This is the place where I'll bring friends who crave the KL black Hokkien mee to get their fix without having to travel all the way to KL.

When you are at Ban Kee's, try also their delicious fried bee hoon with braised pork belly.

Restaurant name: Restoran Ban Kee 万记