Ipoh’s famed curry mee is made without coconut milk and Yat Yat Seng’s version uses a curry paste made from scratch. — Photos: LOW LAY PHON/The Star
It is 10.45am on a Monday morning and the brand new Yat Yat Seng in Megah Rise Mall in Petaling Jaya is packed to the rafters. The eatery has an old-world charm, which harks back to the golden days of kopitiams of yore, with anachronistic mosaic tiles, small quaint tables and an overall ambience that is suggestive of the history behind the space.
In many ways, it is Yat Yat Seng’s rich history and the family legacy that has sprouted out of it, that has spearheaded its leap into the Klang Valley market.
Yat Yat Seng traces its roots to 1986 when brothers Toh Kong Woo, 70, and Toh Kong Jeng, 67, started a small stall in Ipoh Garden, Perak, specialising in Ipoh curry mee.
Ipoh curry mee is slightly different from more traditional iterations of the dish in that it does not utilise coconut milk at all, a facet of the dish which is said to be unique to Ipoh alone. Instead, the curry paste forms the heart and soul of this noodle dish. And in the case of the Toh brothers, their curry paste makes use of a secret blend of 20 spices, a recipe that was perfected decades ago and is still made from scratch and used to this day.
(From left) Jes, Jeffrey and Denise are the owners and family members behind the nearly 40-year-old Yat Yat Seng’s first restaurant in the Klang Valley.
In the 21st century, the family business has grown in leaps and bounds, under the auspices of Kong Woo’s son, Jeffrey Toh Hooi Mun who has been helping in the family business since he was nine years old.
“My brother-in-law started his restaurant journey as a child – he helped his father in his shop until he got married and had his own family, then he started his own curry mee stall in Pasir Pinji in Perak alongside his wife and son,” says Datin Sri Denise Phuah Wooi Ting.
Denise is Jeffrey’s sister-in-law and one of the co-owners of the Klang Valley iteration of Yat Yat Seng. She was also instrumental in bringing the brand out of its home state, something she had long dreamt of doing as a born-and-bred Ipoh woman who missed the authentic food of her hometown.
“I’ve lived in Kuala Lumpur for almost 15 years but I still feel like I can’t find any nice Ipoh food here. Everything I have tried doesn’t taste authentic.
“And Jeffrey is very passionate about his cooking, so his food is always consistently good. So I started to brainwash him and ask him to come to KL. At first, he didn’t want to come out of his comfort zone, but I said to him, ‘You can’t just be standing in that stall making Ipoh curry mee until you are 70!’ I just felt like his talents were being wasted and more people should taste his food. So that is why we opened this first restaurant in KL – to expand the family business,” says Denise.
The eatery has an old-world charm that seems to have captivated denizens in the neighbourhood.
At Yat Yat Seng in PJ, you can expect to savour a variety of the family recipes that have done well in Ipoh and see the family faces there too, including Denise’s other sister Jes Phuah who is a familiar figure at the restaurant.
Of the options on offer, you would do well to start with the Signature Curry Noodle (RM22.90). This is where you’ll be able to indulge in the original curry noodle that put Yat Yat Seng on the map in Perak. The dish is complemented with heaps of char siew, siew yoke, prawns, cockles and bean sprouts (all the way from Ipoh) but it is the curry itself that is the highlight here. The gravy that coats the noodles is rich and concentrated with fulsome flavours that highlight the spice-riddled nuances of the curry in every mouthful. In terms of spice levels, it isn’t hot and furious, so people of all ages can enjoy this dish without reaching for desperate sips of water.
The pickled vegetables and pork belly noodles is one of the restaurant's starriest offerings.
Up next, I recommend the The One and Only Pickled Pork Belly Noodles (RM22.90). This is a creation that Jeffrey came up with on his own that makes use of thin pork belly slices, pickled vegetables and chillies in what can only be described as an addictively good meal. The pickled vegetables lend the dish a slightly sour, lip-puckering quality, which is complemented by the soft, meaty overtones of the pork and the heat and fire of the chillies in the dish. It’s a soothing, sating meal that you’ll form an instant connection with.
For something to complement a main meal, look for the Braised Pork Head Skin (RM15). This particular part of the pig is notoriously difficult to nail, and often yields tough, chewy skin that is almost impossible to digest. But here, under Jeffrey’s careful ministrations, the pork head skin is a thing of beauty that is tenderly yielding yet still retains a suppleness, some bounce and a strong bite. The sauce that coats it is no less delicious and you will detect traces of Chinese five spice powder that give it a lovely kick.
Then there is the Kung Fu Fresh Prawn Wanton (RM18) which as its name implies, refers to steamed wanton wrappers packed with prawns. The wantons are plump and rotund with wrinkled seams and a general firm shape that segues into voluptuous, sweet prawn meat inside. This is a very happy marriage – where both wanton and prawn are deserving of your attention.
For something to start your day with on a charming, old-fashioned note, definitely indulge in the Hainanese Butter & Kaya Toast (RM4.50). Here you will discover thick planks of bread with toasted outer bits that yield into a thick layer of coconut-laced kaya and generous squares of butter scattered throughout. This is the sort of simple pleasure that yields pure joy from the very first mouthful.
The braised pork head skin has been cooked to absolute perfection.
Finally, end your meal with a quintessential Ipoh favourite in the form of the Signature YYS Ipoh White Coffee (RM5.90). This is a cup of java that is designed to extract maximum euphoria – the house-made coffee is thick, dark and intense with a caramel-esque undertone and a slight rustic bitterness that adds depth to the drink. It’s the sort of cuppa that is the perfect way to kick-start a busy morning or end a long, hectic day.
Moving forward, Denise says plans are already in place to expand Yat Yat Seng’s presence in the Klang Valley.
“We are creating a central kitchen so once that is stable, my sister (Jeffrey’s wife Yenny Phuah) and her son Jason Toh can come to KL to help us run the business here.
For a great start to the day, indulge in the eatery's butter and kaya toast with a serving of piping hot house-made Ipoh white coffee.
“Because just this year alone – if we can get locations that we like – we plan to open two more outlets and then we hope to launch five more outlets in KL next year,” she says.
But ultimately though, Denise says family will always be at the heart of the business.
“Working with family can sometimes be hard, but we’ve talked about this before and I have said that we can always close our business but family is forever, so the most important thing is family,” says Denise.
Yat Yat Seng
Ground floor
Megah Rise Mall
Jalan SS24/8
Taman Megah
47301 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 014-331 3043
Open daily: 9am to 10pm
