When it comes to guilty pleasures, there is no beating the feeling and taste of good char siew in your mouth. Sweet and fatty, barbecued pork is just a thing of beauty. And if you value beauty, make haste to Restoran Char Siew Yoong, home of Kuala Lumpur’s best pork.
A char siew heaven
Image Credit: Kamenactions on Google Review (Left), SpacingOut on Google Review (Right)
Located on Jalan Pudu Ulu, this simple Chinese restaurant is a crowd-drawer. It opens its doors at 10.30 am and by 11 am, you will be hard pressed to find a table. Hardly helps that parking here is relatively scarce.
But what is drawing folks here like moths to a flame? Do you need to ask? If you do, just look at the strips of meat hanging behind the glass pane at the front of the restaurant. Coated in golden lacquer, these sinful delicacies are desired by people from far and wide.
Before you start salivating, head into the restaurant to grab a table first. The restaurant is air-conditioned, providing a comfortable dining experience. The drinks menu is pretty standard for a Chinese restaurant, with herbal and Chinese teas available.
The three meats
Image Credit: Michael Tan on Google Review
In addition to the restaurant’s signature char siew, the menu also has siew yuk, aka roast pork, and either steamed or roasted chicken on the menu. Typically, people tend to order a plate of rice with sides of all three meats. This costs about RM20, but it’s worth it.
The char siew
Image Credit: Teoh Wei Lip on Google Review (Left), Kee Joke on Google Review (Right)
The moment the char siew enters your mouth, it almost immediately melts. It is just so perfectly done, with the sides adequately charred and the meat laden with sinful fat. One could almost describe it as buttery.
With how flavourful it is, you can’t go wrong by adding a bit of spice into the mix. Char Siew Yoong has a homemade chilli sauce worth trying out. Unlike many places, the chilli sauce here is not a watery mess and instead, it packs a legitimate kick.
The siew yuk
Image Credit: Mauro Martin on Google Review (Left), KK on Google Review (Right)
With the char siew being so good, surely the siew yuk is as well? The siew yuk skin is lovely to look at and even lovelier to crunch on. The meat is also rich with umami, though the level of fat may be too much for some.
The steamed chicken
Image Credit: James Tan on Google Review (Left), Radiikal Lim on Google Review (Right)
The steamed chicken, on the other hand, is serviceable enough. Like in many places, the steamed chicken comes served with a soy base. If left to bathe in it for too long, the chicken can come off as excessively salty. Thus, it’s best paired with the chilli sauce.
The sides
Image Credit: KL Choong on Google Review (Left), Lee on Google Review (Right)
In the event you are still hungry, there are some side dishes worth looking into as well. One popular side dish would be the Ham Choy, perfect for folks who love sour food. The Chicken Feet are also attested to, though it requires an acquired taste to enjoy.
Worth your time?
Image Credit: YL Pak on Google Review
If you are a pork lover, there’s no reason not to make a pit stop here when you can. In the event you are reluctant to drive here, the restaurant is a 15-minute walk from the Maluri MRT station. That’s one way to burn the calories after a heavy, porky meal.
Restoran Char Siew Yoong
Address: 23, Jalan Pudu Ulu, Taman Pertama, 56100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 10.30 am – 4.30 pm daily
Contact: 012-2137163
Halal Status: Non-halal
You should also check out: This resto in PJ is run by an Indian-Chinese couple & they serve pork ribs with 3 diff flavours
Feature Image Credit: Tim Tan on Google Review
