Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Heading to Restoran May Shaw in Puchong, Selangor was quite a daunting experience for my colleague, Dean and I. After crossing an overhead bridge and walking past the Taman Perindustrian Puchong MRT Station, we found ourselves in an industrial estate.
The roads were cratered with potholes and the silence was broken only by drilling and hammering sounds. There were no pedestrian walkways, no road curbs — just gravel, dust, rusty shutters and the sharp scent of machinery.
It felt almost dystopian, like a scene ripped from Mad Max (Ok, I may have over-exaggerated). “Is there really a Hakka mee stall hidden in this Godforsaken land?” I wondered.
Thankfully, as we approached the final 50 metres, there were more parked cars in sight. When I saw blue plastic chairs and tables underneath 2 picturesque trees, it made me heave a sigh of relief.
An elderly ah ma was manning the cashier and shared with me that Restoran May Shaw is a family-run business for over 20 years. Although the ambience was rather shabby and old, it felt welcoming.
“We close by 2pm and we serve Hakka yong tau foo on Saturdays, come and eat la!” She added in Mandarin. Believe me aunty, I would very much love to, but I’m just a tourist.
It was noon and all of a sudden, a group of 14 walked in and started helping themselves to the cai fan. They must be office workers and mechanics working nearby. Before I knew it, the place was packed.
Over in Malaysia (or at least in this eatery), the tables are turned, and you pay for what you take. A stark contrast to the ‘this one, that one’ economical rice culture back in Singapore.
What I tried at Restoran May Shaw
The menu had Lor Mee, Curry Noodles, Hokkien Mee, just to name a few. But I came here specially for just one dish, the Hakka Mee (RM9.50). It was named 不一样的客家面 which translates to ‘A different kind of Hakka mee“. The noodles were briefly blanched before a range of condiments like minced meat, sambal and poached egg were added in.
The sight of my Hakka Mee glistening under the sunlight that was shafting through the tree’s shade, was picture-perfect. The last time I witnessed such serenity, I was sipping on a whole coconut whilst reclining on a beach chair off an Island in Trengganu.
Char Siew Yoong: Pudu’s legendary buttery, melt-in-the mouth char siew continues to reign supreme
The ingredients were arranged almost yusheng-like (I must be missing CNY). Let me dive into each element that crowned the noodles.
For starters, the minced meat had specks of mei cai and chilli bits. The so-called sambal which I initially thought turned out to be chilli flakes instead. It possessed a gritty texture, and to be honest, they looked like a non-spice lover’s worst nightmare!
I also spotted something that looked just like my late Teochew grandmother’s favourite congee condiment — but in chopped-up form. One small taste later, my suspicions were confirmed: it was indeed chai poh.
I proceeded with the quintessential bursting of the poached egg before tossing and mixing everything together, sacrificing the perfect presentation in the name of flavour. Though the noodles were a tad overcooked, the fusion of ingredients offered a multitude of textures and tastes that played out across multiple dimensions.
There were crunchy bits coming from the chai poh, a robust burst of dried shrimp coming from the chunky chilli, savoury bits of bak chor, and the creaminess of the egg. It was like a 4-piece band, each playing their part to deliver the performance of the century… in food form.
Even the trio of fried dumplings were crunchy and scrumptious — I have no complaints!
As much as I wanted to keep flaunting that I was dining literally by the roadside under a tree, the chilli’s heat wasn’t for the faint-hearted. Word of advice: only use ALL of the chilli if your spice tolerance is seriously up there.
To make things worse, my portable fan decided to die halfway through the meal. It was one of those moments where I wished I was dining in air-conditioned comfort. Yes, I know… the irony. What a spoilt brat I am!
Final thoughts
Sure, I was sweating buckets and hissing from the chilli’s fiery inferno. That being said, that 15-minute walk to uncover Restoran May Shaw in the middle of nowhere? Totally worth it. That plate of Hakka mee was undeniably delicious!
If I ever get a chance to return to Puchong, Selangor, I would unquestionably bring others to discover this hidden, non-touristy spot. Hopefully, I can see the ah ma again and try out the cai fan options, too!
Expected damage: RM9.50 – RM14 per pax
