Chinese Food @ Restoran Lek Lek, Seri Kembangan

1. pegs for the various tables, 2. claypot curry work-in-progress, 3. frying the stuffed fish

If I had a choice on where to live, I reckon it will be Seri Kembangan. A little out of the beaten path of the usual spots like Hartamas, Bangsar, Damansara but believe me, that small unassuming village is jam packed with loads of great food. Predominantly Hakka, this small enclave has so many yong tau foo outlets, you'll get your fair share of the fish paste stuffed goodies. Then, there's the spicy soup that warms the tummy and a proven cough remedy. It is also a place well known for simple Chinese food.

the simple yet sublime salted egg yolk squid

One of the famous places is Ah Lit or Ah Lek, a tai chow place that was blogged to death, a few years back when a write-up in the Chinese newspaper highlighted it. While the tai chow place still exists, the original fella who started it out has now moved out and relocated all his talented chefs to another restaurant, a little further in the village.

stuffed ma yau fish, a lot of legwork goes into this dish

He's gone a little more upmarket, as it is now a proper restaurant vs a shack in the middle of a residential area. Nevertheless, they serve similar items like the other place like the stuffed ma yau fish - where the flesh is removed with the skin intact and subsequently mixed with chopped carrots and coriander before being stuffed back again. A dish that requires a lot of legwork, this was really good here with a nice springy and tasty fish filling.

a trip to the toilet, revealed where the heat is

The dishes here may look simple and unassuming but try them and you'll realise, there's more to meet the eye. For instance, the salted egg yolk squid looks very unassuming and you might even ask, where's any evidence of salted egg yolk in that dish. Take one bite of the squid and you'll find the answer - the salted egg yolk is evenly coated around the squid that you don't see it but you taste the salty-sweet taste in every bite. Simply heavenly and definitely the best salted egg yolk squid I've tasted. This shows how incredibly good the chef's wok skills are, as if the wok is not hot enough, the salted egg yolk will not coat the squid evenly (that's why you see salted egg yolk sauce on the side for those inferior versions).

claypot curry fish head to tingle your toes

I also enjoyed their claypot curry fish head, packed with vegetables like brinjals, lady fingers and tofu puffs. The curry was aromatic from their special curry mix and rich from the coconut milk used. Definitely a dish to slowly relish with bowls and bowls of hot white rice to slurp down all that delicious curry.

sweet and sour pork, gets a mod look with crispy slices

Last but not least, the traditional sweet and sour pork gets a new look here - crispy pork slices vs the boring old cube-style. It's fantastic as you get crunchy bits coated with a tangy sauce.

For those based in PJ or central KL, you'll probably want to know if this place is worth a weekend drive out. Believe me, it is totally worth it as this could be the place for the best ever salted egg yolk squid. I reckon, I'm making a return trip here soon, as I would love to see, if their salted egg yolk crabs is just as good as the squid dish.

Restoran Lek Lek
No. 12, Jalan PSK4
Pusat Perdagangan SK

Seri Kembangan

Tel: 03-8941 3404

(Non Halal. Open for lunch and dinner daily. To get here, drive past Seri Kembangan Village Pass the KFC, post office and public bank. Drive straight and you will see a Petronas on the left hand side. Take the next right turn and the first right and you will find Lek Lek on the right hand side, in the middle of shophouses.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.

Tagged with: Malaysian Food + Salted Egg Yolk Squid