KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — There are no shortcuts in life. Or so they tell us.
I’m not too sure about that. Sometimes shortcuts can guide us to new experiences… or at least new places to eat.
This was exactly what I discovered, when I cut through the Taman Segar food court (located at the ground floor of the multi-storey carpark). I noticed a good number of occupied tables across a corner stall.
Look for Stall No. 4-G in the ground floor food court — Picture by CK Lim
Curious, I checked out the stall (No. 4-G) which had a large sign announcing “Hainan Tea Ipoh Beansprout Chicken Rice & Hor Fun”.
There is always time for a quick stop and a couple of bites, surely?
Which is how I found myself seated at one of the tables waiting for my order of Shredded Chicken Hor Fun Soup.
The flat rice noodles are slippery and smooth, of course, but not as smooth as the slices of poached chicken.
Whole poached chickens — Picture by CK Lim
A tasty, light yet savoury broth; some chopped green onions scattered liberally; fresh bean sprouts; and a crown of gently poached prawn, beautifully butterflied.
You could have this as a plate of Shredded Chicken Dry Hor Fun too, but some mornings when it’s a tad chilly or you’re feeling under the weather, there is nothing quite like a bowl of soulful noodle soup to comfort you and make everything feel better.
There is a row of whole poached chickens, their smooth skin glistening yellow under the hot light bulbs.
These are also used for the stall’s other signature dish, Ipoh Beansprout Chicken Rice (nga choy gai), a treat if one is a fan of crunchy bean sprouts.
The stall’s other claim to fame is their Hainan Tea. A blend of black tea and coffee, suffused with milk for creaminess, a cup of hainan cha is a harmonious beverage that is neither too sweet nor too robust.
Hainan Tea (left) and Kopi O (right) — Picture by CK Lim
It feels like a lighter, more delicate version of the more contemporary cham, although without the frothiness one would expect of the latter.
For those who prefer their morning cuppa a little more intense, you can’t go wrong with a classic Kopi O. Strong, with the unmistakable toasty aroma of kopitiam coffee, this is a full-throated beverage guaranteed to boost your caffeine levels.
Given the stall basically offers kopitiam fare, albeit within the confines of a carpark food court, don’t forget to order some eggs and toast too.
One could go the conventional route with some half-boiled eggs and their crusty Roti Bakar with Butter & Kaya.
Half-boiled eggs and Roti Bakar with Butter & Kaya — Picture by CK Lim
Unlike some coffee shops, where you have to crack the eggs yourself or even wait for those canary-yellow “egg pots” to finish draining, they will serve the eggs already cracked in a saucer.
You only need to add a splash of light soy sauce and a good sprinkle of ground white pepper, and you’re ready to dunk the freshly toasted bread into the lovely, runny half boiled eggs.
For something more old-school, try the stall’s traditional Egg Topped Kaya Toast. Here, they spoon a generous amount of rich, fragrant kaya on top of two pieces of roti bakar before breaking a couple of half boiled eggs over everything.
Egg Topped Kaya Toast — Picture by CK Lim
Unusual, perhaps, but this is a simple yet formidable breakfast no Eggs Benedict with sourdough can compare with.
Hainan Tea Ipoh Beansprout Chicken Rice & Hor Fun
Stall No. 4-G, Pusat Penjaja TLK Taman Segar,
Jalan Manis 6, Taman Bukit Segar,
Cheras, KL
Open Tue-Sun 7am–2:30pm; Mon closed
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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