AK Noodle House @ Damansara City Mall – Heartwarmingly Hearty Fare
After nursing a hangover of epic proportions and what seemed to be the onset of a flu what with getting drenched in the interminably unpredictable Malaysian weather of late, we needed to get something that was both hearty, heartwarming and filling. Quite a few items were on the list but we needed something that wouldn’t knock us out for six seeing as we had a work meeting in the late afternoon. After consensus, our dining posse suggested something with soup in it and something along the lines of more traditional Asian fare.
After much hemming and hawing about and an unproductive drive around half of Damansara, we settled on this rather curious establishment that’s tucked in the new Damansara City Mall, located just behind Menara Millennium near Bangsar and Damansara.
The first thing that led us to the AK Noodle House was the aroma of a rich fish-based soup stock that wafted subtly in the air and led us to the establishment. Apparently the latest in a string of franchise restaurants around the Klang Valley, the AK Noodle House offers fare that revolves around its house specials: fish balls and a rich fish-based soup stock, which was what drew us in the first place. It was a public holiday when we dropped by though one of our associates mentioned that the place was packed to the gills on account of the office crowd on weekdays.
After being proffered menus from the staff, we settled on their house special, their honey lemon drink (RM5.90) that came with generous chunks of sliced lemon and a pleasant tasting honey that is, we were told, sourced from honey bees in Taiwan. The combination was refreshing indeed and the honey didn’t have that usual characteristic chemical tang or the absurd sweetness that you get in commercial store-bought offerings. One dining companion opted for their Dragonfruit juice which came unadulterated and packing quite a punch (RM7.90).
To start things off, we began with a side of their house special Crispy Fried Fish Cakes (RM6.90 each) and Crispy Prawn Cakes (RM8.90) as a starter. They come served with a house blend of Chilli sauce that goes well with the crispy nature of the snacks. The prawn cakes are made of a mash of blended prawns and come with a light breading. The fried Fish Cakes are done up in a similar fashion though they are made from wolf herring and several other fish blended into a paste before being formed into cakes and fried. When served piping hot, the outer skin was crispy to the bite and the meat had that classical bounciness of authentic fish without the characteristic cheap filler material you’d encounter in cheaper establishments. The prawn cake itself had a more yielding bite though both were equally delicious.
We ordered several other starters as well including a side of fresh blanched oysters in broth (RM9.90) as well as a side of Yong Tau Foo (RM11.90) – an assortment of vegetables stuffed with fish paste and a set of tiger prawns in soup (RM17.90). All of them were lightly blanched in a master soup stock that imparted their unique flavours to the soup.
The broth with oysters had a light sweet taste with the oysters proving to be plump, fresh offerings that popped with a slight briny flavour in the mouth though it’s something of an acquired taste. Fortunately, they’ve all been cleaned beforehand so we didn’t encounter any of the odd grains of debris in them. The Yong Tau Foo is made to order so you can order a combination like we did or specifically request that everything is of one variety. You can get egg plant, ladies fingers, chillies and bitter gourd stuffed with fish paste as well as the customary tofu chunks. This ought to be a winner for low carb diners or those in a hurry as it’s relatively filling and quick to consume. The soup that came with the blanched tiger prawns was exceptionally sweet with the prawns imparting their flavours into the stock. The half a dozen or so prawns were moderately large in size and proved a tad on the overcooked side but were otherwise delightful with a dab of soy sauce though you’ll have to eat them with your hands for best effect.
The main bread and butter of the establishment is still noodle and fishball based meals which was what we all ordered. In general, they differ mainly based on the condiments offered and the type of noodles that go with it – you have some input into both with a choice of half a dozen different types of noodles on offer and a variety of fish balls in different shapes and sizes.
One companion ordered the house special Abalone Fish Ball noodle. You can pick what type of noodle it comes with and comes served with their house broth in its unadulterated form which is quite a treat. You get an assortment of fishcakes and fish balls but the star of the show is a whole, intact abalone. This tasted remarkably fresh with a firm bite though it’s a bit on the pricey side for a meal if you’re a working day jock at RM31.90. Abalone aside, it’s akin to the stock Fish Ball noodle that retails for RM9.90 which another companion ordered. The broth that came with the noodles came piping hot and proved to be very hearty with the noodles and fishballs providing different a different mouthfeel with every bite. It didn’t disappoint and if you’re up for a quick and simple lunch in KL, the Fishball Noodles are filling fare that won’t break the bank.
Another companion ordered their house special Curry Laksa Noodles (RM10.50), served with yellow egg noodles. The condiments consisted of fresh cockles, an assortment of fishballs, a sheet of fried bean curd as well as tofu puffs. The curry gravy itself was rich and hearty with a spicy kick to it along with a creamy taste on account of the liberal amounts of coconut milk. Those who are averse to spicy food will appreciate its rich, mildly spicy flavour which makes it relatively safe for all but the most spiciness intolerant to enjoy. It’s quite tasty though you’ll probably be parched midway and need a few glasses of water or their Honey Lemon drink to wash down the rich flavours of the curry.
We left full, satisfied and relatively content. The prices are reasonable if you are prudent with your menu choices; this can be a decent place if you’re looking for an affordable meal in Kuala Lumpur. The AK Noodle house in Damansara City Mall is open from 10.00AM to 10.00PM all week including weekends and public holidays. For more details swing by their official website here and their Facebook page here.
