Discover Northern-style 'wantan mee' at Taman Gembira's Restoran Mi Wantan Kedah

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Amidst the forever busy Jalan Lazat area, Restoran Mi Wantan Kedah is an oasis of calmness once you step inside.

It's all thanks to the unusual shop frontage which has a dual purpose.

The black-out windows seem to cocoon you, letting you enjoy their homespun food in peace.

For first timers, you will be pulled towards their eye-catching collage of photos displaying their dishes. I caught quite a few people stopping to check out the menu as they walked by.

The highlight here is the Kedah-style wantan mee served sans dark soy sauce, giving it an almost pure look.

Don't be fooled by appearances. One sniff and taste of those springy strands, you will find it's coated with aromatic lard.

Once a stall at Restaurant Mountain Hill they now have their own place.

Adventurous eaters can try the unique Belacan Pork Noodle (RM9.90). Here the wantan mee is topped with poached pork belly slices garnished with a spoonful of fried chopped garlic.

You find the belacan in the sambal belacan dip given on the side. One taste of the spicy, tangy sambal with its rich taste of fermented shrimps, you'll be hooked. And if you really love it, there's even tubs of the sambal for sale at the counter.

For those who prefer safer flavours, there's the BBQ Pork Wantan Noodle (RM8.90), served dry. It's the classic, where cha siu is cut thinly with a tender bite and a mild sweetness.

You can opt for the more conventional BBQ Pork Wantan Noodle with thin slices of 'char siu'.

You have other toppings like prawn dumplings, chicken and fried meat too.

For lunch time, they also offer three simple rice dishes good for a solo eater. Select from their Thai Stir Fried Minced Meat Rice, Stir Fry Garlic Pork Rice or Siam Lemongrass Minced Meat Rice.

The noodles here are springy with a pale look since no dark soy sauce is used but it's coated with aromatic lard.

There's also a White Curry Noodle. The noodle dishes are priced below RM10.

As Kedah is near the Thai border, the food here reflects the influence from that neighbouring country.

You have a Thai Noodle Soup (RM9.90) with a dark, lightly herbal broth, reminiscent of what is served with Thai kway chap.

The Thai Noodle Soup is a comforting bowl of hot, mild herbal broth served with smooth poached chicken, fish balls, radish and a half portion of hard boiled egg.

You get three 'wantans' with your order of the 'wantan mee' (left). If you prefer a crunchy bite, there's fried 'wantans' (right).

Here it is served with a smooth stewed chicken leg that falls off the bone, when you bite into it. There's also radish, Thai fish balls and a half portion of hard boiled egg. One interesting find inside my bowl was peeled peanuts that had a soft, creamy texture.

The taste of the broth isn't too strong, making it very acceptable to all. In fact, if you want to add more Thai flavours, they do give you chilli powder, fish sauce and pickled chillies on the side.

Thai Pandan Layer Kuih is chewy and bouncy with a distinct pandan fragrance.

Other Thai items include their version of Som Tam, which is essentially a corn salad, and Thai Kerabu Maggi. There's also Thai fried fish balls.

The noodles are served with small sized wantans filled with minced pork. If you prefer a crunchier type, order the fried wantans on the side, where you get 10 pieces for RM5.90

A bonus for my sweet tooth is the availability of Thai desserts here, sourced from a supplier. They're not too sweet, making it a good treat after a meal.

The Tako is served chilled in small plastic cups (left). On weekends, you get to sample more sweets like the Tapioca Kuih, Purple Rice Kuih and their version of Kuih Ketayap studded with black sesame seeds (right).

On weekdays, it's just one dessert that rotates daily. Weekends are when you hit the jackpot. I scored four items one Saturday when I visited.

The Thai Pandan Layer Kuih (RM4) has a distinct pandan aroma, while the texture is chewier and bouncier compared to our kuih lapis. You can also opt for the Tapioca Kuih (RM4) — a dual coloured version — with a softer texture.

This is a comfortable dining space decorated with print outs of their menu offerings decorating the walls.

The front of the eatery draws customers in with their unusual blacked out windows and the collage of menu dishes.

There's also the unusual smooth textured Purple Rice Kuih (RM4) with a lavender hue, toasted top and studded with corn niblets. Even their version of the Thai Tako (RM5.50) is garnished with corn. This chilled dessert is served in small plastic containers rather than the traditional pandan leaf cups. The layered dessert with coconut milk and pandan jelly was refreshing but lacked any chunky cut water chestnuts to give it a contrast of textures.

Another item I tried was the Kuih Ketayap or Kuih Dadar (RM3.50). This version was studded with black sesame seeds. While the pancake was soft, the grated coconut had a very light taste of gula Melaka.

Restoran Mi Wantan Kedah, No. 64, Jalan Lazat 2, Taman Gembira, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 8am to 4pm. Closed on Thursday. Tel: 016-9321187. Facebook: @KedahOriginalWantonMee

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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