Kim Lian Kee Restaurant’s iconic hokkien noodles stir-fried over charcoal flames got us hooked and left wanting for more.
Did you know? The original Kim Lian Kee Restaurant ( 金莲记福建面美食馆 ) in Petaling Street Market, Kuala Lumpur (KL) has more than 100 years of history. The restaurant claims that they are the birth place of hokkien noodles in KL, and locals also say it’s one of the best around.
Fortunately for us, we don’t have to travel all the way to KL to try the legendary hokkien noodles! Kim Lian Kee Restaurant has opened a branch in Johor Bahru’s (JB) City Square Mall and Mid Valley Southkey Mall, and they see big crowds during weekend lunches and dinners.
We tasted the outlet in Mid Valley Southkey Mall and here’s a full food review of Kim Lian Kee Restaurant:
Ambience in Kim Lian Kee Restaurant
Kim Lian Kee Restaurant looks a little dull, and you can miss it easily because of its unassuming shop front.
It also has an open cooking area for the charcoal fried dishes behind a viewing glass, but not obvious if you don’t step into the restaurant. Pretty cool to watch the charcoal sparks fly as the chefs work the wok!
Kim Lian Kee Restaurant Menu
Kim Lian Kee Restaurant’s menu is simple – charcoal stir-fried Signature Hokkien Mee, Loh Mee, vegetables, soups, and a variety of rice and noodle dishes. Click on the menu images to enlarge.
When ordering the Signature Hokkien Mee, you can also choose among a variety of noodles: Mee, Mee Hoon, Kuey Teow, Yee Mee, Mee Hoon Mee, Kuey Teow Mee, and Kuey Teow Mee Hoon.
Kim Lian Kee Restaurant Price
| Menu | Price (MYR) | Approx. Price (SGD) |
| Signature Hokkien Mee | RM 15.90 | $5.30 |
| Claypot Loh Shu Fun | RM 17.50 | $5.80 |
| Loh Mee | RM 15.90 | $5.30 |
| Hot & Sour Soup La Mein with Shark Fin & Crab Meat | RM 18.90 | $6.30 |
| Egg Fin Fried Rice | RM 17.90 | $6 |
| Sweet & Sour Pork Rice | RM 15.50 | $5.20 |
| Deep Fried Golden Tofu | RM 13.90 | $4.60 |
| Hong Kong Kai Lan | RM 12.90 | $4.30 |
| Pork Soup | RM 12.90 | $4.30 |
Kim Lian Kee Restaurant Food Review
We ordered a portion of Kim Lian Kee Restaurant’s Signature Hokkien Mee (RM 15.90 / SGD $5.30), a charcoal stir-fried black hokkien noodles, and it certainly lived up to its name.
The thick, yellow noodles were evenly coated with savoury and sweet black soya sauce, and the charcoal aroma was intensely good. With slices of pork, shrimp, and cabbage, every mouthful was well balanced with savoury sweetness that kept us going scoop after scoop.
The crispy pork lard also added another layer of texture to the soft, chewy black noodles. We just couldn’t stop! Fair word of warning though, it can get overwhelmingly rich, so it’s better to share this signature dish.
Signature Hokkien Mee: 5/5
The Loh Mee (RM 15.90 / SGD $5.30) looked irresistibly hearty, so we ordered a bowl too. It’s the same thick yellow noodles as the Signature Hokkien Mee, but now we could get an original taste of the yellow noodles without the black sauce.
Like most lor mee, Kim Lian Kee Restaurant’s Loh Mee is also drenched in thick, starchy sauce filled with silky egg whites and pork slices. Though bland, we thought it was a wholesome bowl of noodles that’s great for rainy days, and it was a good contrast to the rich, charcoal stir-fried Signature Hokkien Mee.
But if you’re only having this bowl of Loh Mee in Kim Lian Kee Restaurant without other dishes, you might be disappointed with its lack of flavour.
Loh Mee: 2.5/5
Another must-order is the Claypot Loh Shu Fun (RM 17.50 / SGD $5.80). Also known as Lou Shu Fun, Silver Needle Noodles or Bee Tai Bak, the white and semi-translucent noodles stir-fried with black sauce, minced pork, and mushrooms were served in a heated claypot to retain heat. This ensures that the Loh Shu Fun remains tender and soft.
The freshly cracked egg and garnished spring onions had to be stirred well to mix into the claypot, creating an even smoother texture. Though it tasted a little similar to the Signature Hokkien Mee (thanks to the black sauce), the Claypot Loh Shu Fun still managed to win over our taste buds with its tender noodles and flavourful mushrooms that set it apart from the best seller’s thick, chewy noodles.
Claypot Loh Shu Fun: 4.5/5
Will we return to Kim Lian Kee Restaurant?
Kim Lian Kee Restaurant certainly lives up to its brand name that’s over 100 years old, and it’s the simple, comfort food that keeps people coming back. If you’re craving for rich, flavourful noodle dishes, be sure to drop by Kim Lian Kee Restaurant for its Signature Hokkien Mee and other black sauce noodles.
Kim Lian Kee Restaurant (金莲记福建面美食馆)
Operating hours: 11am to 10pm daily
Address: LG-004, Mid Valley Southkey, No. 1, Persiaran Southkey 1, Kota Southkey, 80150 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
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