Taste of Yunnan

Restoran Norazlina Chong offers various dishes with heavy emphasis on Yunnan fare, writes Ewe Paik Leong

RESTORAN Norazlina Chong sure knows how to play with your imagination. With its blazing red and gold-lettered signboard, and a typical neighbourhood mamak restaurant setting, it surprises with its menu.

Its emphasis is on Yunnan fare such as various Yunnan mi xian (noodles): Beef, chicken and vegetarian (either dry or soupy).

There is also Yunnan satay using chicken, beef, tofu, oyster mushroom, sausage and chicken gizzard. Under Yunnan BBQ, mutton and lamb shoulder are offered.

There are very few local Chinese dishes and desserts are absent. Ayam kampung and liang ban beef (cold beef slices) are the restaurant’s specialties.

BAK KUT TEH?

The first to arrive at my table is chicken bak kut teh. In it are tofu puffs, iceberg lettuce, enoki mushroom and chicken pieces bobbing in a bowl of dark soup. My taste buds register the soup as dense and herby. The chicken has a soyabean-like flavour.

Tasting as green as it looks, the iceberg lettuce points up the delicate aroma of the enoki mushroom.

The slight crunch from the enoki mushroom, crispy crunch from the iceberg lettuce, chewiness from the chicken and sponginess from the tofu puffs all combine to deliver interesting textures. This dish is comfort food that soothes and vitalises.

The set of ayam kampung comes as an assemblage of chicken thigh, rice, sambal and veggies. My gnashers tear away a piece of chicken meat to discover that the bird had spent life running about in a spacious farm. The initial glassy thin-skinned crunch gives way to moist and firm inside. The sweetspicy sambal lifts the meat nearly to the stratosphere!

SUBSEQUENT VISITS

On my second visit, I try the braised duck feet and wings with white rice. This dish is served in a soya sauce-based soup pregnant with the aromas of star anise, cinnamon and pepper and gentled with pieces of iceberg lettuce.

However, the duck pieces fail as they should have spent more time in the pot to soften up. I finish off with duck noodles which uphold the restaurant’s honour. The noodles are firm and deliver bite, and munching the duck becomes a chew-andslurp affair as lovely juices ooze with every

Chicken mi xian is spiked up with a good dose of pepper; The set ayam kampung tastes as expected.

bite. Subtle spicing camouflage the duck’s gamey aroma.

It’s time again for Yunnan fare on my third visit. First up is chicken mi xian (noodle) soup which comes with a handful of scallions and a julienne of carrots floating on top. The thick slippery noodles almost feel alive as they wriggle between my teeth.

The mild fruity-bitter taste of the carrots provides a welcome change of tempo in the culinary melody as opposed to the soup’s peppery-garlicky flavour. This dish is pleasant but not outstanding.

My meal is cheered up when my three types of Yunnan satay arrive. The tofu has

been grilled to a smokey firmness and spiked up with a coating of chilli powder. Its tight-skinned surface blasts funky chilliheat into my mouth before the soft inside gently mellows the tingle.

Oyster mushrooms, similarly grilled, turn up with charred edges, but they still pack big, powerful flavours and tender chewiness. Finally, I test-drive the chicken gizzard pieces, which Norzalina says is its best seller. They are a fine balance between crispy and chewy, with a lingering chilli end.

As usual, when sour meets chilli-heat, the result is a happy tango. My kedondong assam boi hugs my chilli-coated taste buds lovingly in a grand finale.