Made fresh to order. That's the promise Xiao Lao
Wang makes when you order its new house speciality of Curry Fish Head (RM58
small, RM98 medium, RM128 large).
A
substantial pot of rich, aromatic curry filled with chunks of meaty fish head,
tender okra, thick fingerlings of eggplant and sliced cabbage, it is a sublime
serving everyone can relish with gusto. Co-owner Pamela Jan assures us this
delectable curry is cooked to order, to ensure its uncomprising taste quality.
Established
in 2013 by avid photographer turned restaurateur and passionate cook Andy Ong with
his partner Pamela Jan, Xiao Lao Wang is a culinary outpost where every dish is
a labour of love and an extension of the duo's finicky expectations.
What
finally appears on the menu is a testament to the owners’ deep-seated
belief in using great ingredients especially those by artisan food
producers and
ethical farmers. Such produce is revered and treated with respect;
prepared with
correct techniques to preserve the nutritional value.
A good example is the use of bio-dynamic vegetables at
Xiao Lao Wang. According to Pamela, bio-dynamics goes
beyond being organic. “It’s a complete eco-system aimed at health-building
including adopting a holistic, ecological and ethical approach to farming,
gardening, food and nutrition.”
While Pamela waxes lyrical about their bio-dynamic
greens from Terra Organic Farm up in
Cameron Highlands, we digs into the piping hot plate of Bio-Dynamic Pea Sprouts
with Egg White (RM18.90). Smothered in translucent, wispy egg white sauce, the
slippery greens easily passes off as wan tan hor —
Cantonese-style fried noodles in unctuous egg sauce except the healthy dish is
carb-free.
It didn’t
escape our attention the fresh, sweet astringency of the Bio-Dynamic Xiao Bai
Chai (RM15.90) was more pronounced on the tongue.
You can also order some of Xiao Lao Wang's
delectable Housemade Mushroom Pork Balls (RM12.90) with a portion of the
bio-dynamic greens and make a hearty, comforting meal out of it.
An
evergreen popular mainstay here is the Housemade Pickled Cabbage & Pork
Belly Soup (RM58 small for 1-4 persons, RM68 large for 5-8 persons). We highly
recommend pairing the tummy-warming broth with a platter or two of Pork Belly
Slices (RM9.90/100g small, RM15.90/150g large).
The hot pot
brims with uncompromising goodness you can drink to the last drop. A side table
laden with different saucy condiments lets you concocts your own dips and
sauces whilst a select list of complementing ingredients: meat, dumplings,
greens and fungi is available as additional orders.
Should you feel peckish while waiting for the hot pot
to come to a boil, nibble on Salted Chilli Tofu (RM18) to whet the appetite.
Crisp on the outside and custard-soft inside, the smooth beancurd is a delightful
conversation-starter among young and old.
Oozing
old-school charm aplenty is the mildly boozy-gingery Rice Wine Chicken (RM18 small, RM23 big). A dish guaranteed to win over old folks in tow.
Younger diners may find greater appeal from the
tangy-sweet Plum Sauce Chicken (RM18 small, RM23 big). It's a dish of bite-size
fried chicken chunks tossed in sweetish plum sauce with mango dices and
slivers of red chilli.
One
dish to transcend the generation gap would be noodles like the Signature Yee Mee
(RM28). Smothered with shredded omelette, mushroom and greens, the ensemble is
a wholesome and complete meal on its own for both young and old. Filling albeit
less heavy than rice, this should be a perfect solution for a family or
friendly gathering.
For reservations, please call XIAO LAO WANG, tel: 03-7496
0670. Address: 100-G021, The School, Jaya One, Petaling
Jaya, Selangor.
