Dining Out @ Restaurant Richwell, Petaling Jaya

eggy prawn goodness

I reckon I'm a little selfish. Maybe on a subconcious level I think and not deliberately so - probably that is why it took me a little longer to share this place with all of you. However like all foodies, I believe in the philosophy that "sharing is caring". Taking a deep breath, here's the pick of the moment for my food-loving friends....drum roll please....an alternative for Sang Har Noodles aka those sinful freshwater prawn noodles in Petaling Jaya besides that place which starts with the letter "G".

roast pigeon

Literally a hop and skip away from that "G" labeled restaurant, Richwell's kitchen is under the care of Chef Kam who used to be in Teochew Restaurant in Pudu. From what I read from Foodbin who has visited this place before, the restaurant used to serve fusion food before it decided to focus on Chinese cuisine. Being in the able hands of friends who had dined here earlier we zoomed in on the must-haves. First it was the roast pigeon (RM35 each) as an appetizer that we shared. No formalties here as we used our fingers to tear through the crisp skin rich with spices and a touch of rose wine to get to the lovely juicy meat within. It was yummy stuff that whetted our appetite for more.

rice crusts to be eaten with the sinfully fat but melt-in-the-mouth tung por yoke, palate cleanser aka thai styled fried lai pak

As usual, we had over-ordered to the horror of the chef - he even forbade us to order any rice. Our resolve crumbled like sand, the moment the smoking hot ham yue fah lam poh (salted fish belly pork in claypot, RM15) arrived on the table. Who could resist those enticing flavours and a silky brown sauce that screamed for pure white rice to sully it! Break our rule we did but cautiously - rationing ourselves to one scoop of rice to relish that heavenly dish of tender pork belly slices coated in a rich tasting sauce peppered with dried chillies.

/>
claypot goodness - salted fish pork belly slices

Reeling a little from the fat overload, we were all relieved when a plate of greens arrived on the table. Forewarned ahead of the tanginess of the dish known as Thai styled fried pak choy (RM25 for a large portion), we all relished every green stalk mixed with chopped onions and chillies anointed with lemon juice as it inadvertently became a palate cleanser for all of us. Once we had crunched down that healthy dose, we were all ready for an even larger dose of fats in the form of the Tung Por Yoke (RM40) - fatty slices of meat doused in a glistening thick brown sauce. While mantou is commonly offered here, my friends insisted on the fried rice crusts (RM3), a nice textural contrast especially when the sauce soaks into the crust.


salted egg yolk crabs, unique toothpick holders, hainan chicken

The dishes kept rolling in, including their signature Sang Har noodles (RM100) - a medley of thin egg noodles drenched in an orange eggy sauce with halved freshwater prawns. While the prawns weren't the super gigantic ones usually served, we enjoyed every bit of the sweet crustaceans and the noodles that soaked up the gravy that we could have licked the plate clean. Yums indeed!

claypot cabbage with yam
With our tummies groaning, it was almost the last leg of the race - the New Zealand baked rack of lamb (RM15 each portion). While the meat was tender (a little too tender in fact that we think it had too much of an artificial help), it was the wonderful sauce that coated it that made the dish unforgettable. Another finger licking good dish. Hurray, we made it to the last lap - the claypot crab with tung hoon (RM70). Slightly peppery, the noodles and crab were so good we pushed ahead and almost finished everything.


the unusual Teochew or nee with flecks of orange peel

After that feat, it was another repeat performance the next night but thankfully on a smaller scale. This time it was a mixed bag - repeats of favourite items from the night before with the addition of new dishes. The kampung Hainanese chicken with rice (RM40 for a small portion, needs about 1-2 hours ahead of pre-ordering) was full of flavour especially the fluffy grains that were blessed with the chicken drippings. I loved the Teochew flavours in the claypot yam and lai pak (RM20 for a medium portion) - a wonderful combo of smooth mashed yam with vegetables. We also decided to try their salted egg yolk crab (RM60 for 3 crabs) - a little different than the normally wettish sauce made with margarine and crushed salted egg yolks, this one was fried till dry to form strands instead. There's not much of a salted egg yolk taste but the crabs are still tasty. Last but not least finish off with the Or Nee (RM20) - another classic Teochew dessert. Here, this lard laden dessert is given a twist - sprinkled with chopped fresh orange peel that adds a tang and makes it only slightly less sinful.

Return visit again - definitely so I reckon as we're all hooked on the food here. Parking can be quite a nightmare here though since it is limited but the restaurant has 3 reserved spaces in front of it.

Restaurant Richwell
24G&26G, Jalan 19/3
Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7955 5855

(Non Halal. Open daily from: 11am to 3pm, 5.30 to 11pm. Restaurant is at the corner and across the road from Nanking Vegetarian and further down is Greenview Restaurant. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.)


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: Freshwater prawn noodles

Other reviews (I guess it's not a secret!):

• 
  
  The Utmost Ridiculous Thing
• 
  
  Foodbin
• 
  
  Eric Yong's Blog