Simple, oftentimes cheap, but delicious, chee cheong fun is a common find at many wet markets and kopitiams.
These steamed rice rolls are a Cantonese dish that can be eaten in a variety of ways.
In Malaysia, specifically Ipoh, these rolls are enjoyed with a thick red sweet sauce called tim zoeng in Cantonese and tian jiang in Mandarin.
If you love this particular type of chee cheong fun, there are several places in the Klang Valley worth checking out.
Yooi Kee Chee Cheong Fun, Petaling Street
One of Petaling Street’s underrated gems, this chee cheong fun stall has supposedly been in operation since 1943.
Operating out of an alley attached to the famous shopping street, this stall does not like much at first glance.
The stall sells chee cheong fun only, as well as some homebrewed herbal drinks. There is no yong tau foo to be found here.
Portions of chee cheong fun come in either small (RM5), medium (RM6) or large (RM7).
Yooi Kee honours its heritage with how thick and chewy the chee cheong fun is.
Additionally, the sauce is delightfully thick, with a mild sweetness that does not overwhelm the palate.
Yooi Kee thus earns itself five stars. Old truly is gold here.
Jom Rock, SS2
Fun fact: This restaurant is owned by a son of the owner of Let’s Rock in Ipoh.
But does this eatery have the same delicious food that made its predecessor famous? Some people say yes.
Variety is the name of the game here, with its menu having so many options that one can be lost for choice.
Of course, chee cheong fun is available here, with five varieties just like Ipoh Ipoh.
The Ipoh red sweet sauce chee cheong fun is available in two sizes, small (RM5.50) and large (RM7.50).
Springy and bouncy, the rolls here are made perfect when doused in sweet sauce.
Jom Rock has also a large menu of yong tau foo, with prices ranging between RM1.40 and RM3.80 per piece.
With so many choices, Jom Rock earns itself four and a half stars.
Ipoh Ipoh Cafe, SS2
This restaurant, owned by a true blue Ipoh boy, serves five varieties of chee cheong fun, including Ipoh sweet sauce (RM7.50).
Ipoh Ipoh makes it a point to make everything on its menu as authentic as possible, with ingredients shipped in from Ipoh regularly.
The same can likely be said of its chee cheong fun, with the strands of white noodles being delightfully smooth and silky.
As for the sweet sauce, Ipoh Ipoh’s take on it actually has a certain sourness to it, which works out surprisingly well.
So, instead of having a sauce that is a diabetes inducer, you have one that treads the thin line between sweet and sour.
The only downside Ipoh Ipoh has is the lack of yong tau foo options that would have made for excellent side dishes.
That said, the pork wantons, the soup and the fried variants, are a tasty alternative.
Given the modern, comfortable dining environment of the recently renovated establishment, Ipoh Ipoh earns itself a respectable four stars.
Ipoh Sedap, SS2
Located right next to the SS2 police station, Ipoh Sedap is another restaurant that claims to serve authentic Ipoh fare.
Ipoh chee cheong fun (RM6.80) is served plain here, though you can pay a little extra to have goodies like curry bean curd or minced pork.
Rather interestingly, customers are left to decide just how much sauce they want on their rolls, as each table comes with a sauce bottle teeming with sweet red sauce.
Thus, one is free to use said sauce sparingly or drown their rolls in a sea of red.
The sauce here is on the sweeter side, perfect for folks with a sweet tooth.
Homemade yong tau foo is available in abundance here, with prices starting from RM1.20 to RM1.80 per piece.
Worth a mention is the lime jelly shaved ice (RM7.50), which comes with toppings of mo fa kor candy. Truly addictive!
Ipoh Sedap earns itself three and a half stars.
Annie 1, Damansara Uptown
Finding parking in this part of Petaling Jaya is a Sisyphean task, so it might be advisable to park in the nearby Starling Mall or just come here via Grab.
Annie 1 describes itself as being “no-frills” and indeed, in terms of presentability, the restaurant itself is rather barebones. But what about the chee cheong fun?
Here, only three types of chee cheong fun are sold, with plain chee cheong fun (RM4.50) coming with the typical fried onions and sesame seeds.
The sweet sauce is served in a small sauce plate, which some people might find to be insufficient.
True to its word, the chee cheong fun is pretty simple, nothing fancy but fills the stomach nonetheless.
The fried onions give the rolls a welcomed crunch, as well as a slight sweet-salty taste.
Yong tau foo (RM16) is available, but without any customisation options, served on a plate.
Annie 1 earns itself three stars.
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