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As someone with roots in KL and Ipoh, I must admit Seremban cuisine is a delightful enigma to me. Only recently did I learn that this area in Negeri Sembilan is also renowned for its noodle dishes — lai fun, hor fun, and bee hoon — most famously its beef and cuttlefish noodles, celebrated even as far as Singapore.
Discovering KBN King’s Seremban Beef Noodle was a pleasant surprise. While not halal-certified, their dishes contain no pork or lard, making them a Muslim-friendly option for those curious to explore the flavours of Seremban.
The place — despite its years of history — is very much well-kept and cosy, complete with air conditioning and comfy kopitiam seats. While the recipe behind KBN King’s Seremban Beef Noodle has been around for over 85 years, the restaurant itself is just shy of turning three.
The story behind it is pretty amazing. Back in the 1940s, the late Mr. Goh Hian Hai made his way from Hainan Province to Malaysia, selling his now-famous beef noodles at the old Seremban market. Fast forward to the 1980s, his third son, Mr. Goh Kuan Song, and his wife turned that recipe into King’s Beef Noodle.
Then, in 2023, Alex, Mr. Goh Kuan Song’s son, and his wife Audrey decided to bring this family treasure to Damansara Uptown. That’s how I found myself sitting in this cosy restaurant on a laid-back Tuesday afternoon, excitedly waiting for my noodles, while soaking in the story behind it all.
What I tried at KBN King’s Seremban Beef Noodle
Coming to KBN King’s Seremban Beef Noodle all the way from Cheras (okay, it’s not that far), I couldn’t pass up the chance to try their signature Seremban Beef Noodles (RM18.90).
With 3 noodle options — lai fun, hor fun, and bee hoon — I went with hor fun, my go-to wide, flat rice noodles. For the price, I got to choose 2 types of beef, settling on beef slices and tripe. Oh, and I opted for the soup version because nothing beats a comforting bowl of hot broth.
When my steaming bowl arrived, it came with a little saucer of diluted chilli paste on the side. The aroma hit me instantly — it smelled amazing. I’d shown up fairly full, but one whiff of that savoury, beefy goodness had my appetite roaring back to life.
The broth looked clean and well-simmered — not too plain, thankfully. I took a cautious sip and was pleasantly surprised by the burst of flavours. The taste leaned more towards saltiness, unlike the spiced complexity of Malay-style soups I’m used to, but it definitely had a bold, satisfying kick.
Interestingly, even my colleague (who isn’t a fan of beef) agreed that despite its strong flavours, the broth had a clean, approachable taste — even for a beef hater. That said, if you prefer milder flavours, the saltiness might feel a bit overpowering.
Now, about the noodles — hor fun in soup is always a win in my books. These were no exception. Silky and perfectly cooked, they were soft without being mushy. Each strand held its own, soaking up the broth beautifully and sliding down effortlessly with every bite.
I had a hunch the beef was cooked separately — and with plenty of care — because, like the broth, each piece was clean and free of any unpleasant gaminess. I started with the beef slices, and they did not disappoint. Tender and easy to bite into, they didn’t cling to my teeth either. That said, the leaner cuts were noticeably tougher compared to the melt-in-your-mouth fatty ones (which I luckily tasted first!).
Then came the tripe. I’ll admit — I’ve never had soft tripe before, so I braced myself for the usual chewy experience. But wow, was I wrong! The tripe at KBN King’s Seremban Beef Noodle was surprisingly tender, with a satisfying mouthfeel on each bite. It carried a subtler, richer flavour than the beef slices, making it my personal favourite.
The dish also included pickled vegetables, though they were so sparse they barely added any flavour — almost dissolving into the broth. On the side was a small saucer of chilli sauce, and let me tell you, it was spicy! Straight-up heat without much else going on flavour-wise. Despite that, I found myself finishing the entire bowl without needing the extra kick — a rare feat for someone who usually dumps sambal kicap into every soup.
Final thoughts
The beef noodles turned out tastier than I had expected. The broth and ingredients had a remarkably clean taste while still packing plenty of flavour — proof of the care and skill behind the cooking.
It’s easy to see why KBN King’s Seremban Beef Noodle is touted as the spot serving the best in town, though I might need a few more years (and bowls) to confidently back that claim!
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