This is what dinner for five looks like at Chef Chew Kitchen. — Photos: KYSPEAKS
Everyone has a personal favourite go-to dai chow (directly translated to mean big fry, referring to Chinese restaurants that serve dishes with rice) in their list.
For many in Petaling Jaya, Chef Chew Kitchen in Section 19 is that place, and for good reason.
The restaurant is located strategically between Section 19, Section 17 and SS2, although the parking situation can sometimes be a little frustrating.
However, the area right behind the row of shops provide ample parking spots if you’re not adverse to walking a short distance.
The menu at Chef Chew Kitchen is pretty extensive and features the usual categories of fish, prawns and other seafood options along with poultry, pork, bean curd and vegetable dishes.
Like most places, there are a few dishes that define this place.
For me, it starts with their famous Signature Chicken Rice with Ginger (RM85/half chicken).
The chicken rice comes in a claypot and the server will usually mix the blended ginger, a unique taste that goes very well with their kampung chicken. Definitely worth a try.
As for greens, we had one of their other popular choices – claypot water spinach with shrimp paste or kangkung belacan (RM16). This version wasn’t spicy; it complemented the other dishes and went well with rice.
Other dishes to check out here include the pork lard rice – yes, as the name suggests, rice laden with pork lard – it’s as glorious as your cardiologist’s new car.
Chef Chew Kitchen is undoubtedly very popular and calling ahead to reserve a table (recommended two weeks in advance) is advisable. As with most places that have gotten famous, there will always be people who love it and many others who will claim that it’s overrated. You be the judge.
Opinions expressed here are the writer’s own and food at his own expense.
KY Teoh has been trying to influence your food cravings since 2005. He was NTV7 Foodie Blogger 2014, R.A.GE Food Fight Judge 2015 and Versus 1001 Rasa Baba’s Guest Judge 2018. Read more about his food jaunts at kyspeaks.com.
More photos
For this visit, we ordered the Crispy Pork Belly with garlic (RM30). As the name suggests, it was crispy and juicy. It was also served with whole fried garlic cloves, which is great for garlic fans.
The Chilled Sweet and Sour Pork is a popular dish that I personally dislike, but is loved by many. It’s your typical sweet-and-sour pork dish but served in an ice bowl, making it taste more like candy than a savoury dish.
Signature Chicken Rice with Ginger − the chicken rice with blended ginger comes in a claypot and goes very well with delicious kampung chicken.
Their signature Curry with Sea Prawns (RM65) did not disappoint either as it was very lemak (rich), not overly spicy and full of prawns that were really fresh. I guess with the number of customers they get, everything has got to be fresh.
The signature Charcoal Tofu was a pretty unique bean curd dish, and I thought the pumpkin sauce that came with it was pretty interesting. Certainly a dish that’s suitable for kids.
