I usually try to avoid eating noodles because it's very carby; furthermore the noodles at Kuala Lipis Noodles are quite oily (as Hakka noodles always are, purposefully) and the meat is (also purposefully) fatty. However, sometimes I am in a rush and the timing is right (freshest batch is served at about 11am on weekends), so I find myself making excuses that I deserve to eat extremely fattening food every once in a while (which usually turns out to be close to every single day).
Proud of its signature Kuala Lipis noodle, I cared lesser for the noodle but more for the siew yok. The siew yok is by far the BEST I have tried in my life! Topped with crispy layer of skin, the meat, intertwined with fat, was heavenly done. The moment I placed it in my mouth, it just fell off before I even try to chew it, with almost no resistance. I was shocked, then delighted, I think my mom is going to love this!
The dark minced meat specialty noodle @ RM4 is nothing like I have eaten before. It looks like a thicker version of laksa noodle but it feels more dense, doesn’t break off easily hence the more ‘Q’ texture. More importantly, it is free of preservatives, no additives and no funny alkaline taste – just a plain good ol’ noodle. The non pretentious minced meat topping has a strong flavor with a hint of sweetness, which emits an inviting aroma when it is still hot.
But to be honest, the noodle is quite boring if eaten just with the minced meat alone. That’s when the special chilli paste comes into play. The idea is to mix a generous amount of the chilli paste into the noodle like chilli pan mee and taste a world of difference. But just to clarify, the chilli paste is not THAT spicy that it chokes you, so it is quite tolerable for most people.
This style of roast pork is those juicy types that would melt in your mouth while it is still hot. Depending on your personal preference, you could either find them sinfully delicious or just an appetite turn off. As for me, I have to admit I am not that young anymore so indulgence in such food is more of a health concern to me rather than pleasure. Otherwise, I would have enjoyed it more with less reservations.
The char siew (RM16) is worth a mention but is not as great if compared to the roast pork, as it has a long way to go before reaching the standards of the heavyweights like Toast & Roast and Seapark’s Flying Wantan Mee. Nonetheless, it is still better than many char siew out there that use dingy red food coloring.
The friendly and chirpy boss, happily chopping away his meat creations.
In short, order the minced meat noodle (enjoy it hot!), a small portion of roast pork (enjoy it hot too to feel it melt in your mouth) and mix them up with the special chilli paste (for the extra kick and level up in flavor) – you can hardly go wrong with this combo.
I've never really been a fan of siew yoke, particularly because of the thick layer of rubbery fat, and the dry meat; but Kuala Lipis noodles have converted me.
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