Lin Li Xiang, Damansara Jaya

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It’s been a while since we broke out of our family meal routine on weekends but Jien suggested we try Lin Li Xiang in Damansara Jaya since it’s on our way home after May Anne’s piano lesson. We’ve driven past Lin Li Xiang several times when just down the road, and this outlet was kept in our to-try list for slightly over a year now.

Lin Li Xiang specialises in Sarawak dishes and also some Foochow (or Hock Chew) fare such as “chao zhu mian”. We had our little girls with us, which allowed us to try more items since they are both very adventurous when it comes to food.

The Kolo Mee (RM11.90 – small, 13.90 – large) was delicious. We ordered a large portion thinking there would be some left after feeding our two girls, but we only got a bite each just to try. The noodles were springy and despite the dry appearance, flavourful from the pork lard oil. Good stuff.

I also ordered a portion of soup kiaw (RM11 – regular, RM14 – large) to share. Frankly, I’ve never taken a liking to kiaw or wantan (that’s what we call it in Sitiawan) as the meat is ratio is never proportionate to the dumpling skin. At Lin Li Xiang, the kiaw is small yet properly filled with minced pork; and tasty too.

Let’s talk Sarawak Laksa.

Because that was why I wanted to visit Lin Li Xiang in the first place. The Sarawak Laksa (RM13.90 – regular, RM15.90 – large) is probably the best I’ve eaten in Klang Valley so far. I prefer this over Salted, which I feel is also quite good. Definitely tastier than Aunty Christina but I reckon it boils down to preference.

Lin Li Xiang’s version has a good balance of spice, seasoning and thickness, so the broth is robust, savoury and appetising (I think they call it “kai wei” in Chinese). It’s the kind that makes you want to dig in and slurp up all the goodness right down to the last drop. I also like that they are pretty generous with the portion; granted I ordered a large bowl. It’s never this generous at other Sarawak Laksa places.

Jien had the Special Tomato Mee (RM15.90) which was also quite tasty. They use a thin type of egg noodles (similar to yee mee) topped with a sweet, sour and savoury tomato gravy thickened with some starch. We enjoyed this too. I also overheard a Kuching-ite telling his friends that this tastes almost like the real deal.

The Foochow Fried Noodles (RM14.90) tastes very similar to the one I usually have in Sitiawan, but this one has less wok hei. That said, the noodles were of better quality and cooked al dente so the texture was nice. I also find the gravy tastier at Lin Li Xiang, so plus points for them.

We had the Three-Layer Tea (RM5.80) which is not bad. While I wished it was thicker (read: more evaporated milk), this version is considered one of the nicer ones I’ve tasted. The brown sugar syrup had a strong pandan scent which I liked, and it wasn’t overly sweet either.

Do you have a food recommendation? Tell us!

Overall, I think Lin Li Xiang is a solid option for Sarawak food in Klang Valley. They’re always crowded during meal times so it’s best to go earlier or slightly after, which we did. There’s also kuay chap which looks pretty legit but Jien and I are both not a fan of spare parts / innards so we gave that a miss.

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Ambiance: 6.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 7.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Best Sarawak Laksa and Kolo Mee I’ve had so far.

Restaurant Lin Li Xiang 林里香 (Damansara Branch)
93G, Jalan SS 22/11,
Damansara Jaya,
47400 Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-7733 6693
Business hours: 7.30am till 3pm, 5pm till 11pm