Kuala Lumpur has no shortage of good food. Everywhere you look on the map, you’re guaranteed to find food at any time of day that suits your budget and your taste. We put that to the test on the day of our arrival in Kuala Lumpur on our hunt for dinner. Our criteria was a restaurant with good ratings close to our accommodation – and of course, it still had to be open! Soong Kee was our closest option, and it looked promising. Offering beef noodles and chicken on rice, it was a mindless decision.
Ordering is straightforward. The restaurant offers a menu in English, with photographs for reference.
We ordered #3 Beef Slices Noodle (small portion RM7 / US$1.75) and #18 Roast Pork Chicken Rice (RM8 / US$2). Keep in mind that they operate out of two stalls, so it may not finish at the same time. For us, both came out fast as it wasn’t too busy in the early evening when we visited.
The beef noodles that we ordered were the dry version, consisting of a thin egg noodle topped with a thick, dark sauce. The egg noodles were flavourful and bouncy, with a distinct egg flavour and a slight bitterness that we associated with ramen noodles. We attributed it possibly to the addition of basic lye water, which can contribute to such a texture and flavour.
The sauce was savoury and rich though not as salty as we’d expected from something of such a dark colour. A very good dish, something we’d easily down a larger portion of on our own.
The soup was light in flavour, and the beef slices were soft. It’s very likely that tenderisers were added to the meat to achieve the texture. While Noms was satisfied with the meat, Jos was less so, as she found it a little unnatural, but that was subjective.
The chicken rice was next. It came with a Hainanese-style rice that was seasoned with garlic and chicken stock prior to steaming, resulting in a fragrant, fluffy rice that was moreish, though a little salty.
The chicken was a little dry, though manageable as it was in thin strips. The fried garlic it was garnished with lent an incredible fragrance, and the cucumber it was sitting on also contributed a surprisingly refreshing flavour.
The roast pork was less impressive. The crackling was crunchy, but a little on the hard side, and the fat didn’t melt in the mouth. Though still a commendable roast pork, it wasn’t on the top of our list for the evening.
The chilli that the chicken came with was an unlikely star. Bright with a citrus flavour with a hot spiciness, it gave the dish punchiness that reawakened the palate. We should have ordered more of the chilli. It went so well with the mild chicken and the salty rice that by the end, we were dredging for the remains with the last piece of meat.
Overall, a great dinner. It was fast, simple, very satisfying, and easy on the wallet. With long opening hours, it is easy to slot in for a meal if you’re in that area. We would definitely recommend it.
Soong Kee’s Beef Noodles
86, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, 50050 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mon-Sat 11am-10pm
Sun Closed
