Restoran Wong Mei Kee in Pudu
[Non-halal] Have you tried the famous crispy pork belly rice at Restoran Wong Mei Kee in Pudu?
Also known as Datuk Siew Yoke (aka Datuk crispy pork), this restaurant only opens for three hours daily.
The owner – Datuk Wong Peng Hui – can be seen chopping the roast meat behind the counter. The 66-year-old chef has been serving out these delicious crispy pork for over thirty years!
This restaurant is a Bib Gourmand selection in the Michelin KL & Penang Guide.
Datuk Wong’s famous crispy pork belly
Restoran Wong Mei Kee occupies a corner shop lot in Pudu.
The assuming shop is easily recognised by a long queue – as customers would begin lining up for Datuk’s crispy pork even before the shop opens at noon.
We arrived precisely at noon, and Datuk can be seen slowly putting on his apron to begin work. Even at that hour, all the tables in the restaurant were filled, and people were lining up at the counter to make their orders.
The best siew yoke in KL?
Be prepared to wait at least half an hour here.
Touted as the best siew yoke in KL by many, Datuk Wong has honed his skills for over 30 years.
To this day, Datuk Wong continues to source, marinate and roast his meat to perfection. The pork bellies are sourced from all over Malaysia, and Datuk Wong is a stickler for details – using only quality meat with a balanced fat-to-meat-ratio to yield the perfect juicy bite and crispy skin.
The siew yoke is not very salty with enough umami – thanks to Datuk Wong’s secret five-spice salt recipe.
Siew Yoke is good
So was it good? Datuk Wong’s adherence to quality and consistency is apparent.
Each slab of siew yoke (RM28 per serving) we see has the same fat-and-meat ratio which gives the skin enough crackle. The fat also renders beautifully into the meat – so it’s juicy and moist, but never too fatty and cloying. The siew yoke pieces are also cut thickly for a satisfying bite.
We like that the siew yoke was not too salty – so it’s easy to eat on its own. The marinade gives just the right amount of umami.
Chicken was ordinary
On the other hand, we thought the roasted chicken (RM44 for half a bird) was just ok. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t spectacular either. The siew yoke was definitely the star of the show.
The accompanying oily rice was fragrant and paired well with the siew yoke and chicken.
Summary
The siew yoke here is definitely good, but we are not sure if we’d queue half-an-hour for this. Have you tried the siew yoke here? Did you like it?
Restoran Wong Mei Kee
Address: 30, Jalan Nyonya, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 12pm-3pm Daily
Phone: 03-2145 2512
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