Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Pan Meen @ Restaurant Kin Kin, Kuala Lumpur



After reading almost every Malaysian blogger's write up on this Pan Meen stall, I was curious to taste test it out for myself. I finally had an opportunity to try the noodles recently and it was an interesting experience.

Pan Meen or board noodles as per the literal translation from Cantonese originated during wartimes in Malaysia when food such as rice and meat was scarce. In those olden days, it was just made from hand tearing flat pieces of dough and served with a stock made from anchovies (ikan bilis to all Malaysians) and a vegetable known as pucuk manis or sui chai choy. Nowadays, it's gone all deluxe with the dough being rolled and made into noodles while minced meat, black fungus strips and fried anchovies are essential toppings.



Kin Kin's take on these noodles have gone another level higher with the addition of a poached egg and their famous dry chillies. Usually pan meen in other hawker stalls is served with a sambal made from green chillies but Kin Kin's version will make any chilli lover happy. They actually serve three types of chillies at this place: the dry chillies, a red chilli sauce and if you wish for additional ooomph in your life there is the tiny but fiery chilli padi (bird eye's chilli in English).


If you wish to follow the popular path which is by adding lots of the dry chillies, be careful as it really can hit your tummy straight away. I have heard stories of people suffering after they indulge in a bowl of these noodles especially if they overdose on the chillies. It's also essential you add freshly squeezed calamansi juice (limau kasturi in Malay) to the noodles as it balances the spiciness of the chillies. However if you want to tone down the fiery heat, opt for the soup version of the noodles.

As the dried chillies is the most popular item, they are readily available in tubs to all on the tables so you can scoop as much as you like. They're made on a daily basis by the stall owners hence if they run low on supplies, you may find it rationed like what happened to Wyejon of Wantan Productions recently.

Some reviewers have claimed this place is over rated, the noodles is expensive for the price you pay, food is not as great as last time and etc. I admit we added very little dried chillies to our noodles as we wanted to taste the noodles instead of just the fiery heat and it's quite nice on it's own. Their hand made noodles are nicer than the average pan meen stall and the soup is nice and sweet. The addition of the poached egg was a nice touch as pan meen tends to get hard and stick together after some time hence the runny egg yolk moistens the whole ensemble. If it's too dry, just add a few spoonfuls from the accompanying soup.

Kin Kin
40, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman Satu
Off Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Kuala Lumpur

(Open from morning till late afternoon. Non-halal. To get there, if you are coming from Chow Kit and travelling down Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, take the second left turning after the Shell Station. Make an immediate right to the road and drive straight down, you will see the shop on your left hand side.)

*Other reviews:
* Note these links have further links to other blogs which have reviewed these noodles

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14 comments:

tihtahpah said...

I think it's overrated. As much as i like chillies, i dont want it overpowering the essential taste.

What A Lulu said...

not being familiar with the place, would like to know where to park the car if ever i go there.
looks and sounds really delicious.

Babe_KL said...

how did you like it now that you've finally tried it? i really feel it's over-rated these days. they were nicer when their stall was still under the tree

boo_licious said...

tihtahpah - although it's overrated the noodles is nice. If it didn't have the dry chillies, the pan meen is nice on it's own also.

what a lulu - there are spaces around the shophouses but kinda limited.

babe - usually food is always nicer in those old days, everyone laments abt how it tasted nicer last time for every famous stall.

I think it's pretty good pan meen but I can understand why chilli lovers love their dry chillies as it adds a kick to the system.

MeiyeN said...

da last time i went to this place was 2 years back and looks like your photo tempted me to revisit this place once again but i am wondering if they open on a sunday?

boo_licious said...

meiyen - they're open on sundays but closed on the last sunday of the mth. Hope you like the pan meen.

Unknown said...

food generally used to taste better in the old days... we find it hard to live up to fond memories. we tend to forget that we like to indulge in good things... so we become jaded.

wyejon said...

They're good because they're unique but I got really turned off by the service (or total lack of it). Glad you enjoyed it... they're worth trying at least once.

Tummythoz said...

Every food blogger seems 2B quite passionate abt this place. I've only been there when they were still operating under a tree. Just can recall it was real hot :-chillies + weather.

Unknown said...

Congratulations on finishing 2nd in the first quarter round of the Asia Blog Awards!

A few extra votes in the coming rounds and you should get that top spot.

backStreetGluttons said...

Your first photo with the gorgeous egg, could that finally be the perfectly done soft boiled egg everybody is waiting for !?

Wonder if you have tried the Klang Tmn Berkeley 'bee hoon kueh' wet pan mee version ? It is extremely popular in Klang.

earl-ku said...

this place damn kau lansi wan la, even you want to kira your bill also lansi wan ...

defintiely overated, not really that nice, without the chillies - its a totally bland bowl of noodles ... with the chillies too lil, no taste, too much - tapau case(like mine la - cirit birit)

http://www.kukujiao.com/2006/08/29/latjiau-panmee/

boo_licious said...

lanatir - We tend to always remember the old days so well. My mother will always say, this stall not so nice already as the third generation took over and etc.

wyejon - I guess when they are busy or they get popular, service always drops.

tummythoz - I think they are passionately against it based on what I hear though?

tigerjoe - thxs for the info! Thanks also for nominating me.

tonixe - I know! that egg picture is so yummy and perfect. I think I tried the Berkeley one long ago when I was a kid, yet to revisit it again.

reese cheese - they are unique because of their dry chillies. If not, it's just like any Pan Meen stall.

earl ku - yeah, don't eat too much chillies or else the tummy will definitely rebel. We didn't add too many, think one scoop only but the added calamansi juice is a must or else it's tasteless.

msquirk said...

They open till 4-430pm. Been there on Sundays and their off day should be either Mondays or Tuesdays.

Surroundings quite dodgy but for this pan meen, I'm willing to travel and tahan!

Oh ya, I'm an extreme chili lover :-)

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