SPICE, RICE AND EVERYTHING JAFFNA'S NICE AT YARL

Yellow as the sun and fluffy soft, the signature Yarl Dosai (plain RM3, Yarl Egg Dosai RM4) is an inviting option for afternoon tea (4pm onwards) or dinner at Yarl Restaurant in Brickfields.

The dosai gets its vivid hue from turmeric powder; its compelling taste enlivened by aromatic fried onion and curry leaves. Accompanied by dhal and onion curry, the delicious and comforting dish is one of Yarl’s many crowd-pulling Sri Lankan specialities.

Ten years ago, Yarl — derived from Yalpanam, Jaffna’s old name in Tamil — was merely a sidewalk stall in the middle of Brickfields. Today, it’s a full-fledged restaurant which had  undergone a fresh facelift about two months ago. Although the premise isn’t air-conditioned, whirring ceiling fans keep the no-frills interior cool and comfy for a cuppa and quick meals from 7am to 10pm daily.

Two home-trained chefs are tasked with rustling up a wide array of distinct Jaffna specialities at Yarl; based on their arsenal of ancestral recipes and ingredients imported from Jaffna and the Northern province of Sri Lanka. Spices are blended and ground in-house for maximum flavour and freshness.

 

The daily selection of dishes focuses on the 6 Tastes of Food in Tamil known as “Arusuvai” i.e. Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Spicy and Astringent (Dry). Every meal should include an equal balance of all those flavours, to properly satisfy each major taste bud on the palate. Hence, the lunch buffet at Yarl consists of 15 different types of vegetarian dishes as well as 8 non-vegetarian dishes.

Prices are reasonable too. Take your pick of 3 veggies with rice (RM7) or rice with 2 veggies & chicken (RM9) or mutton (RM12). Rasam and sambal are complimentary with the meal. On Friday, we are told red rice is served.

Notable vegetable dishes we’d recommend include Beetroot Varai, Pumpkin Varai, Pavakkai (deep-fried bittergourd chips), Brinjal-Tomato-Garlic Curry, Lentil Sothi and Vegetable Cutlet (RM1.50). Fragrant spices are used judiciously, more to imbue aroma and flavour in the different dishes than for heat. Only the brinjal-tomato-garlic curry will set the tastebuds tingling with zingy heat.

The non-vegetarian plethora is equally compelling especially Sura Varai — flaky shark meat floss cooked with turmeric, onion, chilli and grated coconut being the most outstanding pick of the crop.

My dining companions rave about the Mutton Bone Curry since they enjoy digging in to relish the marrow. Piquant and bursting with zingy heat makes the Prawn Sambal a standout but I daresay the Mutton Peratal, Chicken Curry and Fish Curry prove on-point too. Chicken Pirattal (RM8), Fish Cutlet, Chicken Varuval, and Fried Tenggiri (RM12) are also available.

For a taste of authentic Jaffna street food, try the house speciality of Chicken Kothu (RM10) — chopped fried roti with spices, onion, leek, scallion and egg. In Sri Lanka, street vendors hawking this popular steet food are a common sight.

Its enticing, smoky taste is similar to local char kway teow. At Yarl, you can order Vegetarian Kottu (RM7) as well as Egg (RM8), Prawn (RM15) or Mutton Kottu (RM12) prepared with a choice of Roti, Puttu or Idiyappam.

Since Yarl opens early for breakfast, it won’t be remiss to start the day with Puttu (RM2.50) or Red Puttu (RM4), freshly steamed cylinders of white or red rice flour and grated coconut. The typical Jaffna way to savour puttu is complement it with side dishes of Dhal and Vendhaya Kulambu (fenugreek curry).

Special mention must be made of the Appam here. Light and crisp at the edges with a soft, pillowy centre, the Sweet Appam (RM2.50) sprinkled with brown sugar and coconut cream is sublime as an afternoon tea treat or dessert. The richer-tasting Egg Appam (RM3) is no less delectable although Sri Lankans tend to eat it with curry or sambal.

For more information, please call YARL RESTAURANT, tel: 010-360 6624. Address: 50 Jalan Pedang Belia, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

HOMEY & HOT POT SELECTION AT XIAO LAO WANG

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.