Food Review - Kim Lian Kee

Location
VIVA Home Mall, Jalan Loke Yew (not to be confused with the VIVA Mall as I was.)

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Getting there

The restaurant is located on the 1st floor of the VIVA Home Mall. This mall is very easy to spot as it is located along the famed Jalan Loke Yew (parallel to Jalan Cheras) and right next to the new hotel - VIVATel.

Parking
If you are going to the VIVA Home mall, then you'll have no problems parking as there are tons of parking at the mall itself or if you are trying your luck at the free weekend parking at the shops right outside the mall, you may also do that.
Ambience
One interesting aspect of this place is that its kitchen is located right smack in the middle of the dining hall. I guess that's why they have a separate section for the diners outside on the verandah. The seating on the verandah is rather interesting as it overlooks the constantly busy Jalan Loke Yew. So I suggest you try it out there if it's not too hot for you.
Presentation
The food comes quite nicely presented on dainty little oval plates. I have to say they have very nice plate-ware as their logo appears on each of them. They seem clean enough and I think the place is still fairly new and thus, the logos on the plates still look pretty clear & vibrant.
Variety
All the standard noodle varieties are found on their menu, even the Not-so-Standard Loh Mee, Claypot Loh Shu Fun (which Literally means Rat Noodles) and Moonlight Hor Fun (with a raw egg on top). So in terms of variety, there's definitely reason for a repeat visit, which was what I did, unfortunately.

Taste & Value For Money
Yes, the noodles here taste good despite the person doing the cooking may not be a Chinese at all (Yes, it looks like many of the foreigners are really picking up these culinary skills very quickly).I have to say each time I eat here (I've been here 4x thus far), I ask myself why do I even come here? The prices are a little on the high side for the portions and ingredients (or the lack of it) we get for the prices that they charge. On average, each menu item is around the RM10-11 (and this is before the taxes mind you) and the portion is similar to a snack or tapas - ie: just enough to tantalize but not enough as a full meal (unless you are trying to lose weight).
I actually tried to count the pieces of shrimp in my plate of noodles the other day when I was there. Wow - there were 3!  I think that was my lucky day. So what do you get for RM11 - 95% noodles and 5% of ingredients if you are lucky.
Having said that, it's easier to accept what I have to say next - which is, despite Kim Lian Kee's reputation and pedigree as a big name in Chinese Fried Noodles (especially for the Hokkien-Style - where the noodles are fried in thick dark soy sauce), I have had quite a few equally good, if not better, Hokkien-Styled noodles even in unassuming street stalls. And these places only charge between RM6-7 per serving and their sizes are very much more reasonable.

Verdict
Overpriced and over-rated. Definitely not worth your time or money unless it's just to sate your curiosity as to how good Kim Lian Kee Noodles actually taste. But then, you know what they say about curiosity.

Food Review - Hung Kee Wan Tan Mee

Name
Hung Kee Wan Tan Mee
Location
Along Jalan Loke Yew
If you are heading from Cheras towards the Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka along Jalan Loke Yew, it's on the left, just before an overhead pedestrian bridge.

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Food
Wan Tan Mee
Location
Near Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka

Getting thereThe shop is on Jalan Loke Yew. If you are heading towards KL from Cheras, the shop is then on your left a block just before what used to be the Edinburgh Roundabout (now a traffic-light junction turning into Jalan Imbi/ Pudu Jail). A good landmark to look for is an overhead bridge right in front of the shop.

Parking
There are parking spaces along the road but it depends on your luck as the place is usually packed with diners and their cars!

Service
Service is quick and fuss free. You can ask the wait staff for menu item suggestions.

AmbienceThe shop has two distinct sections, where 1 section is air-conditioned while the other isn’t. The shop is rather old, hence do not expect cleanliness levels to be like the fast-food joints. Even so, the place was packed with customers and we had to wait for seats.

Condiments were there for the diners in the typical containers. However, it was interesting to see that the green chilies had a cover made from a cut mineral bottle water (see picture).

Taste & PresentationThe noodles’ texture looked rather springy when they were first presented at the table. However, once we dug into the noodles, mixed and smothered them in the sauces, it was not as springy as initially thought. In fact, the noodles were quite good!

The Char Siew was also very good. The sweetness was just right, not too overpowering or too light. The texture of the meat in the mouth is just perfect – as Char Siew should be.

I was a little disappointed with the Sui Gows and Wan Tans however. The skins were a little too thick and thus, tastes a little pasty. Also, the fillings didn’t have shrimps in them, which would have improved the taste and feel of the Sui Gows and Wan Tans significantly. Their sizes however, are quite large. I was full just having a small sized portion with 2 pieces of Sui Gow.

Variety
They serve the noodles with all kinds of accompaniments like chicken, roast pork, duck, etc. They also have side dishes like Sui Gow.

Value for Money
Very good, as the Wan Tans are quite big in size. They do not crimp on the food they serve the diners.

Overall
Good & delicious food at good value. I’m definitely going back for the other varieties. I would highly recommend it.