Lau Wan Kuetiau: PJ’s favourite kuey teow goreng stall since the 1980s
If you’ve ever spent even a fraction of your life living in Petaling Jaya, you most definitely have heard of Lau Wan Kuetiau. Nestled in the dimly-lit walkways of Medan Selera Wawasan, the hawker stall looks like it could be a hidden gem, but it isn’t. In fact, it’s the complete opposite.
Although Lau Wan spells it as “kuetiau”, I’ll be using the more common “kuey teow”.
The popularity of this stall remains unmatched among its competitors in the area. If you were to ask any PJ native for their favourite nearby kuey teow spot, Lau Wan’s name will most likely roll off their tongue without a second thought.
Lau Wan has been frying up a storm since the 1980s. 40 years later, he’s still going strong. However, he’s never alone. Manning the stall alongside the chef himself are his wife and son. Together, they feed the hungry bellies of PJ with smiles and anecdotes of the past.
Before his rise to fame in the food scene, Lau Wan worked as a chef for sailors before becoming a lorry driver to make ends meet. At the time, it was unfortunate that his career as a driver wasn’t enough to keep him afloat, but in hindsight, it may have been a blessing in disguise; this was the catalyst that pushed him to open up his own kuey teow stall.
At night, Lau Wan Kuetiau is easy to spot— just follow the crowd. I was shocked to see the stark difference between his section of the hawker centre and the opposite side. It was packed in front of his stall, with a constant stream of customers coming in and going out.
What I tried at Lau Wan Kuetiau
I ordered a small plate of Kuetiau Goreng (RM8.50) and Sotong Kangkung (RM18).
Despite the crowd, the dishes arrived pretty fast. I think this goes to show how efficient the service here is; the culmination of years of handling large groups of customers at all times. At the end of my meal, the son even came to my table to apologise for any delays even though there weren’t any.
The kuetiau goreng came with 2 prawns, some cockles, and a handful of taugeh. Visually, it looked like any standard plate of kuey teow.
Upon first bite, I was immediately reminded of its familiar, comforting taste. This wasn’t my first time here, nor was it my second. I have been here several times over the past few years, and the taste remains the same. When you really think about it, it’s quite amazing how Lau Wan is able to maintain the quality of his food till today.
The dish was, in all aspects, well-balanced. Equal parts savoury and sweet, not oily, with just the right amount of protein and fresh taugeh. Each mouthful of soft, savoury rice noodles came with the satisfying crunch of taugeh— a holy matrimony of different textures.
However, this kuey teow isn’t the kaw kaw wok hei type of dish. I couldn’t detect the wok hei flavour that’s present in typical Penang style char kuey teows, so if this is the main element that draws you to order kuey teow, Lau Wan might not be for you. Even without the wok hei, I still found this dish to be delicious and complete.
My favourite part of this kuey teow was actually the sambal, which provided a little kick, though not intense enough to send beads of sweat down my forehead. The best way to describe this sambal is with the word “bright”. It was zesty, clean, and sweet, and paired extremely well with the kuey teow.
Be careful when you take a bite! You might accidentally fall victim to one of the many prawn legs hidden among the mass of noodles. It wasn’t a big deal, just mildly annoying to have to pick tiny legs out from my mouth while eating.
The sotong kangkung was glorious as usual, and this stall is my go-to place for this dish. The bright green kangkung was blanched to perfection, and the sotong was equal parts soft and chewy. A lot of places tend to make the squid too tough to chew, but at Lau Wan, they get it right every single time.
Even the sauce had the right amount of sweetness to it— they give you a generous amount as well. With a sprinkling of crushed peanuts and squeezed lime juice, I kept on reaching for more.
Final thoughts
To round it up, I will continue to be a loyal customer to Lau Wan Kuetiau. They have delicious food, tip top service, and easy parking. The longevity of their business speaks for itself. If you serve good food at reasonable prices, and care about your customers, people will keep on coming back.
This is one of the places you can go to when you’re unsure of what to have for dinner. Lau Wan is reliable. You’re guaranteed tasty comfort food that won’t break the bank.
Expected damage: RM11 – RM29 per pax
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