Little Yum Yum Restaurant,
E-45-G, Jalan Teknologi 3/9,
Bistari D’Kota (Off Persiaran Surian),
Kota Damansara,
Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.
Tel: 03-6148 3936.
Open 11.30am-3.00pm; 5.30-9.30pm.
Closed on Mondays3
Here’s a restaurant that does fusion well.
WILL pick you up for dinner at 7pm,” Charles texted me earlier in the day. We have been friends since primary school and would catch up pretty often when he’s back in KL. Dining with him usually involves nice restaurants, slightly fancier food and good wines, all which I enjoy but leaves a hole in my wallet. He drove me to Kota Damansara – braving the traffic jam and crazy drivers – to a neighbourhood restaurant called Little Yum Yum.
The décor is nothing to shout about – basic tables and chairs, and walls adorned with framed newspaper cuttings and a list of the restaurant’s specialty dishes. Little Yum Yum serves a mix of halal Nyonya, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. Charles did the ordering and we tucked into a meal of Nyonya Gulai Tumis (small, RM12), Creamy Basil Butter Prawn (RM19), Pandan Chicken (RM3.80 per piece), Yum Yum Special Egg (RM10) and Belacan Fried Four-angle Beans (RM10) that night.
It was pretty humid, so we had the Wintermelon, Snow Fungus and Dried Longan (RM3.50 each) – refreshing and of just the right sweetness. Little Yum Yum’s version of gulai tumis was tasty and paired well with white rice. The tamarind-based gravy was aromatic from the bunga kantan and had a good balance of sour, spicy and salty flavours. I liked that the ladies fingers were not overly cooked and still retained their firm texture.
The four-angle beans were simply fried but well prepared. The combination of rich, pungent belacan, dried shrimp and chilli paste gave the still crunchy vegetables a spicy kick. It may not be authentic Thai, but the Pandan Chicken here is tastier than many I’ve tasted in Thai restaurants. The chicken pieces were tender and well marinated; I liked how the chef added caramelised onions in the centre to keep the meat moist and flavourful. No additional sauce was needed for this.
Little Yum Yum’s special egg comprised a tasty medley of onions, minced chicken and spring onions, cooked into a fluffy omelette. The egg was slightly runny in the centre, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Simple, hearty and delicious, this could convert a non-egg eater to an egg lover!
The butter prawns were addictive with a generous amount of thick gravy. It was a strange combination, but is definitely a must-try. The batter encasing the prawns was thin and crispy, almost tempura-like, but it was the creamy basil gravy that made the difference. Possibly the Chinese version of Italian pesto, it was sweet smelling, smooth and rich in flavour. I wiped the plate clean.
For dessert, we shared a bowl of cendol (RM4). The portion was decent and I was told they make the ingredients – cendol strips and palm sugar – themselves. However, I didn’t find this cendol all that great. The palm sugar lacked aroma and depth, while the use of oil palm milk made this dessert less satisfying. It lacked the body and richness only coconut milk can provide.
Service was friendly and it didn’t take long for the food to be served. I liked that the portions were decent and the dishes were well-flavoured. Despite the food being a mish-mash of flavours (save for a few dishes), I enjoyed my meal. Dinner came up to a reasonable RM70-plus. Little Yum Yum is definitely a place to consider for family dinners or a get-together with friends.
Tiong Sue Lynn blogs at www.bangsarbabe.com and tweets at twitter.com/bangsarbabe.
