On one hand, I’ve always maintained that Goon Wah is the fish head noodles place to visit, and then about a couple of months ago, I tried the fish head noodles at Soon Lei, just a few doors down the road from Goon Wah. I thought it was really tasty, so I dragged HairyBerry there one weekend for a second taste. Even before the dish was placed on our table, I could already smell the aroma of the wine simmering in the bowl of seafood broth. Inside were thick chunks of fried fish head, preserved vegetables, tomatoes and yam. All very good, of course.
Then there’s the claypot lou shu fan (rat tail noodles), dark and sticky, with minced pork and dried shrimps, also very good.
One of the better dishes is the stir fried noodles with pumpkin and salted egg yolk. A strange combination, no doubt, and perhaps the generous portion of pumpkin is an overkill, and perhaps less is more, but still…very…good.
So I paid Goon Wah a visit last week. I had to make up my mind. Indecision wouldn’t do. Equipped with just my trusty iPhone to take pictures, Ecstatic Eeyore and I ordered three dishes, and we tucked in. We left an hour later, bloated with soup, and still confused. To be honest, I prefer the claypot lou shu fun in Goon Wah, because it is a little more charred and black, the way I like it, but it doesn’t make it better than Soon Lei’s version. I still love the fish head noodles in GW, although the aroma of wine is a little more faint in GW’s version as compared to SL’s, but that is compensated with the generous portion of fish head in GW. The fried intestines in GW is still a must-have; it is not the crunchy deep fried type, but more chewy and its strong smell is masked quite a bit by the fried dried shrimps and other sauces. But I do like that orange noodles in SL. Hmmmm.
To cut a long story short, I have failed in deciding which one I prefer.
Perhaps it isn’t important to decide. Choice is always a good thing. And this world is certainly big enough for two good fish head noodle restaurants…or ten.
Kedai Makanan & Minuman Soon Lei
G7, Blok KPI, Jalan 3/115C
Taman Kuchai Jaya
58200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 016-608 7282/016-273 5369
Open MONDAY TO SATURDAY 8.15am to 4.30pm. CLOSED SUNDAY.
It’s okay to have more choices, two good places are better than one. lol!
My motto: don’t care where, as long food is good!
Must go try this GoonWah place. I’m a fan of bittergourd and salted egg dish.
Also want to resubmit my request again just in case you didn;t hear me over dinner last week: Please stop using your trusty iPhone to take picture. Don’t deny us of Yummy Yummy DSLR pictures. 🙂
It’s no failure, my dear. Just more options to try far and near! 😉
P.S. First pic here? Perfection! 😀
is this the corner shop, like a kopitiam one? and very dark interior?
cz i rmbr there’s one famous fish head noodles in Kuchai Lama. or was it Salak Selatan .. hmmm.
you’re using Iphone? *envious*
if its open on saturday n sunday then this beats goon wah already! bcos i barely get to eat there with their kind of opening hours.
Perhaps I could help you decide…if you bring me along on your next visit!
The noodle with pumpkin and salted egg yolks sounded sooo rich!!!
by just reading your post; i cant decide either..hehehe.. so confusing, just eat at each place on alternate visits 🙂
No need to decide it 🙂
Poor LL. Hope not too many sleepness nights.
Like NJoe says, if Soon Lei opens on weekends, I’ll vote it in.
the more the merrier, we can always take it as an excuse that we are still trying both (diligently) to decide 😉 slurp!
As a food blogger, we will go wherever have good food~~ Post & share 🙂
they are just a few doors away… indecisiveness is not really a factor here. You can go alternately… hahaha!
I hardly explore Kuchai Lama area except for the Entrepreneur’s Park… will jot this down and hopefully be able to go soon… yummy!! Can’t wait to lay my hands on the fish head and stir fried noodles with pumpkin and salted egg yolk!!
I can just imagine you sprouting, ‘Goon Wah’, ‘nga poh loh shu fun’, ‘Soon Lei’, ‘kam kua tung fun’. What with the Chinese ancestry in you and all… 😀
Pls drag me with you next time need a second tongue taster. Chenks! 😀
Can you pls review some vietnamese restaurants as well? I have craving for something lemongrassy.. 😀
Aiyoh, why think so hard. Go with the flow la, babe.
I think iPOD should design a new software where the GPS can be made in such a way that it’ll suggest a random destination. now wouldnt that be fun, eh?
back to the food, i like SL! cos i’ve not been to GW (hehe). i like the creativity of the salted egg/pumpkin tong fun but the taste to me, was slightly heavy, in a very different way. it coulda been lighter to blend with the rest of the ingredients. but overall, a good daichow!
hi luscious! ur rite.. it’s not important to decide.. it’s more important to blog :PP teehee.. great post woman.. now don’t w8 40 days and nites till the next one! (where’s the banana leaf post ??!! u sed u wld post it.. sulk ..)
Hi, dear LemonyGrasskirt. I wonder if this is the same block of shophouses open at night and almost everyone sits outside? Near a complicated crossroads/highway? There’s also sticky pork ribs and tenderly braised pork knuckle at one of those shops, possibly Soon Lei? Was there four years ago, so memory fails a bit.
Now, don’t you wish that there’s a M&A going on….
Solves your problem!
or try this… when in doubt, ask yourself:
where would a babitarian go?
ladyironchef: I agree! 🙂
A Lil Fat Monkey: Blardy hell, are you insulting my iPhone pics?
LFB: When you compliment, I melt.
J2Kfm: Both the shops are intermediate units, so you’re probably thinking of some other place. Quite easy to find. Want the GPS coordinates? 🙂 And yeah, I’m in love with my iPhone.
lotsofcravings: I’ve just updated the post. They’re open Saturdays, but not Sundays, so you can visit. Be prepared to wait for a table.
Precious Pea: I guess the only time for us to go is on a Saturday, eh? Sure…will MSN you. 🙂
sc: Haha…yeah….Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – Goon Wah. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – Soon Lei. Perfect.
Selba: You’re absolutely right. 🙂
Tummythoz: Sarky woman. Yar, I just checked, it’s open on Saturdays. 🙂
rokh: Sounds like that isotonic drink ad, right? Satu lagi? Satu lagi?
mimid3vils: Yeah…follow that tummy!
thule aka leo: You must have a very long list of must-eats already. 😛
gfad: Have you ever heard me attempt chinese? Some of my friends have, and they still talk about it after all these years. As for Vietnamese, hmmmm…..wait till I go to Hanoi later this year la.
HairyBerry: Atcherly, iPhone GPS does have that function. Type Starbucks, and the nearest Starbucks will pop up. Well, that’s random enough for them, I guess. I also agree with your assessment of SL’s food. Worth another visit? 🙂
cumidanciki: If I put up that Banana Leaf Post, ALilFatMonkey will write me off for life. All pics with iPhone lagi. Maybe I should make it black n white ala HairyBerry, hor? 😛
Argus WhereGotFattus?: No lah…these two shops only open during the day. And it isn’t near any fancy highway. I’m quite keen on your sticky pork ribs and tenderly braised pork knuckle though. Chomp.
keropokman: M&As will spell the death of good eateries coz there will be less competition. But you’re right of course, I’ll be able to make up my mind a lot easier. Harlow, what’s a babitarian gotta do with claypot fish head noodles?? Cis bedebah.
it’s not only the claypot fish head right?
so many other dishes…..
what caught my eye is not eh fish head but the minced meat in the second dish! *smile sheepishly*
hahaha, you’re a true babitarian, keropokman. Hmmm….the Singapore sect is strong in the babi division. Must. Do. Something. About. That.
hhmm..now that u got all of the floggers’s curiosity piqued, mayb we can all go and makan makan ramai ramai n try to decide??? 😉
chis, cutting a long story short is an understatement. You were blogging at a red light issit?
thenomadGourmand: Hahaha…but of course! Always fine to go ramai-ramai and scare the shit out of the proprietor.
fatboybakes: ROFL. Red light district perhaps lah.
black n white is fine is good! and i see the NEXT post also does not icld ME in it.. hrrrumph..
LL: no lah not insulting. I dare not. Just saying that your DSLR pictures takes the most salivating pictures. That’s all!
cumidanciki: Ahem. How cum you haven’t posted on BLR yet? Hmmmmmm?
A Lil Fat Monkey: I’m not sure whether I ought to feel flattered by that comment hahaha.
we’ve tried this Soon Lei before although we are staying penang. 🙂
The fish head noodle quite nice, and i and my hubby hasnt try the Goon Wah that you’ve mentioned. So i guess, we still prefer the Woon Pin Fish Head Noodle @ Taman Desa, KL if compare to this soon lei.
Will drop by goon wah by your recommendation.
Too many good fish head noodles in KL. I have tried all those mentioned by you all. But I prefer the one in Jln Pasar. The stall is located under an old big tree after the famous Waikee roast duck or goose and in between a mamak stall and yong tau foo stall. But you must have the time to wait as it will take at least one hour. It is closed on sunday. Fish head noodles is served only on 2, 4, 6 and 1, 3,5 is for Ipoh chicken soup noodles which is just as good. Must try or you will never know what the best is all about.