Oh, for the love of Fish Head!

We were on our way here (Jalan Kuchai Lama), to eat this (Cao Cao Lamb), when something far more interesting and distracting caught our eye..

Actually, everytime we drive past this place and see the crazy number of cars lined outside, the energetic, gesticulating old men who help park the cars and the massive sea of people eating at this outdoor restaurant, we always swear we will be back to try the food. Somehow, we never manage to get to this restaurant... Today, finally, was our day!


See what I mean.. We had to look real hard to find a place to sit. No one cares as they are just too busy looking at their plates and wolfing down their food...

Tables everywhere even under the bridge...

You know the food should be good, if people are reluctant to put down their bowls even when standing.. !

So what is the specialty here? Two things.

Bakuteh and Fish Head (done any way you like)!

Since the lady told us that the small fish was completely finished and they just had medium size left (like for 4 persons!), we had to go easy on the Bakuteh.

We ordered a small bakuteh for two...

The pork ribs were good. Sweet and chunky with a real meaty taste. The soup was average. Not herbally at all. Just porky. Not bad, but not knock your socks off, great , either.

RM8.00 for 6 pieces of small pai kuat! A bit steep.

Then came our huge fish. So, two of us had to finish this fish for four. Not an easy task but when the aroma of the fish caught our noses, we decided we were up for the challenge!

The Assam sauce was fantastic. Sour, spicy with that KILLER petai stink, that packed a chlorophyll punch at the end! Even if you don't eat the petai per se, the smell still permeates the entire sauce and fish. Fantastic... do not miss this Assam version, I tell ya.

Speaking to the boss lady, they only serve one type of fish here, and it's for the fish head. It is affectionately known as Soong Yui Tau, and is a reared fish... not wild. The flesh while super sweet and chunky, lacks a little bit of that tautness that you get in wild fish. No matter, all in all the Assam fish was still damn fresh and good!

Soong Yui Tau - RM24.00 (medium sized - ideal for 4 persons to share)

Don't worry .. if you miss dinner, this place stays open till 4.00am! We did not leave till every last fatty, slithery, neuronal bit was sucked out of that fish head (by me!)

Walking back to the car, we saw some interesting sights... This was one of them..

A streetcar named Excellent... (note the dent :P)

Add:
Ah Wang Bakuteh,

Batu 4 1/2, Jalan Kelang Lama,

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 013 -228 2288

Bakuteh:4/10

Fish Head:7/10

Service: Fast! (eventhough packed)

MSG levels : high in the BKT soup

Salt levels: moderate