Goon Wah restaurant is well known for its signature Claypot XO Fish Head Noodles. I used to frequent their PJ branch and decided to visit the original outlet in Kuchai Lama during my last KL trip.
Arriving for a late lunch at 3pm on Saturday, it was almost impossible to find parking outside the restaurant! We ended up parking in the housing area nearby - if you struggle with parallel parking in tight spaces, think twice about driving here yourself.
The restaurant was relatively crowded despite the off-peak hour. We were seated outside and got to enjoy the cooling shade from the plants. Unlike hipster cafes and their fancy plant walls, Goon Wah had a row of potted leafy shrubs! Equally green and potentially more practical.
Our hungry tummies were happy that food arrived within 5-10 minutes.
Let's makan!
Claypot XO Fish Head Noodles (4/5)
The claypot was brimming with large pieces of fried fish head, fried yam sticks, firm tofu cubes, tomatoes wedges and salted vegetables. This "Medium" size portion can easily feed 3-4 people (or 2 very hungry people).
To fully enjoy the flavours of the fish, you should soak it in the soup first. That can be quite a challenge given how full the claypot is! I personally like scooping some noodles into individual serving bowls so that the fish can take a "swim" (it is normally very fresh so this joke is valid).
Somehow I find the soup slightly milder than the one I usually have at the PJ branch. While it was milky, salty and sour enough, it lacked some bold XO flavour. Nonetheless, I love drinking soup so I still got several rounds of refills - soup refills here are FOC!
Claypot Loh See Fun (4/5)
It's essentially loh see fun(rice pin noodle) served with minced pork in an aromatic dark sauce, dried shrimp, pork lard and an egg. Give it a good stir over the heated clay pot and hear it sizzle.
Flavour-wise, the noodles are savoury, smoky and very aromatic from all the toppings. I did find it a bit dry on that day and would have preferred more sauce to go with the noodles.
The flame at the bottom of the claypot normally lasts for a while. So if you don't enjoy crispy bits of charred noodles at the bottom, you should consider removing the flame earlier.
Stir-Fried Pork Maw & Intestines with Dried Shrimp (4.5/5)
The pork maw and intestines were well prepared and came out really crunchy. The dried shrimp brought just enough savoury goodness to the dish without being overpowering. This makes a really great appetiser!
Overall, it's a satisfying meal with very generous portions. Service was also good - friendly aunties who were super quick with their service. I was slightly let down by the Fish Head Noodles and Claypot Loh See Fun as I remembered them tasting better at the PJ branch. Nonetheless, I'd still recommend giving this restaurant a try if you're a fan of fish head noodles with a light milky broth or if you're a sucker for FOC soup refills!
Sabbylicious Makan Rating
Food : 4/5
Price : 4/5
Environment : 4/5
Service : 4.5/5
Must order : XO Fish Head Noodles, Claypot Loh See Fun, Fu Chuk Barley Drink
Operating Hours Monday-Saturday (8:30 am–4 pm)
Closed on Sunday.
Location
Goon Wah Restaurant
G13, Jalan 3/115c, Taman Kuchai Jaya, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur