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Jiang Kang, Kuantan

by Bangsar Babe

“The yong tau foo stall in Jiang Kang Kuantan serves the best yong tau foo in Kuantan. I only ever eat the yong tau foo here”, so I was told by a local. Incidentally, he also recommended many good spots in Kuantan to me so this recommendation commands weight.

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She who has magic in her hands maketh the most delicious of yong tau foo

But getting your hands on the yong tau foo at Jiang Kang requires strategy and grit. Because you’ll need to quite literally, battle it out with the regulars when it comes to the prize – stuffed white tofu. And the regulars will fight the tongs from you when push comes to shove.

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Arrived at 9.30am the morning before and there was no yong tau foo left. Only some fish balls, fuchuk and plain curry noodles.

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The late bird gets sloppy seconds 🙁

This yong tau foo stall has been on my to-try list since early last year but timing wasn’t right and the stall wasn’t open. It also took me two attempts to eat the yong tau foo this time around – I arrived at Jiang Kang slightly past 9.30am and there was almost no yong tau foo left, let alone the stuffed white tofu.

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This was the queue at the yong tau foo stall in Jiang Kang at 7am the next morning!

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Freshly stuffed yong tau foo

The stall helper told me I need to arrive by 7.30am if I want first dibs on all their yong tau foo selection so Jien and I made it a point to leave our accommodation at 6.30am just to reach by 7am the following morning. Even so, there was already a line at the stall and the regulars were helping themselves to the stuffed white tofu by large quantities.

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Spot my favourite stuffed eggplant

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Stuffed bittergourd and red chilli

I gathered my grit and went in for the kill.

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Keep your eye on the prize. This is the stuffed white tofu.

Took 5 pieces of stuffed white tofu and 4 stuffed eggplant, on top of fuchuk (beancurd sheets) and tofu puffs. By the time I completed my order, more than half the tray of stuffed white tofu was depleted. The locals sure start their day early!

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Early birds at Jiang Kang, all waiting for their yong tau foo

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Curry broth is ‘lemak’ enough

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My bowl of victory. Brimming to the top with stuffed white tofu

I had the curry noodles the day before with whatever items that was left (fishball and fishcake) so I decided on kuay teow, tossed in dark sauce (konlo style) and kuay teow soup with my yong tau foo loot cooked in curry gravy.

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Tofu is smooth yet firm enough to hold the stuffing, which had this delicious creaminess when you bite into it.

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Woke up at 6am for this so I earn some bragging rights!

The curry broth is moderately thick with an underlying sweetness which I presume comes from coconut milk. I like that it’s not the diluted kind (Kuantan’s curry broth tends to be that way) but it’s not too rich either. There’s also a nice balance of spice as to not overpower the yong tau foo.

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Dry-style kuay teow with yam bean fritters (sar kok liew)

And yes, the stuffed white tofu is delicious. The tofu has a silken texture but holds its shape, and the stuffing is flavourful and has this unique creaminess when you bite into it. I get why the regulars make a beeline for this.

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The fish paste here is delicous

The fish paste stuffing for the eggplant is different – similar to Sungai Lembing but this stall makes it lighter in flavour and texture so you can really taste the freshness of the fish. I would the paste quality is about the same between both, but this stall somehow does the paste better.

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Fish head noodles from the stall at the front of Jiang Kang. Forgettable.

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Jiang Kang also houses other food stalls but I was focused on the yong tau foo stall only. We did try the fish head noodle stall the day before since there wasn’t anything left at the yong tau foo stall. The former is just average in my opinion and can be skipped.

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The yong tau foo stall is located at the end corner (left) when you enter Jiang Kang from the front

Overall, I’m glad I got to try the yong tau foo at Jiang Kang. Each piece costs RM1.20 and a bowl of noodles with 4 yong tau foo options is RM 7.50. It is one of the best I’ve eaten in Kuantan though it does require effort to get your hands on some (read: wake up early). I also have to warn you – you might need to put up with selfish smokers who light up within the premise.

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Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 7.5/10
Food: 8/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Get there before 8am and focus on getting the stuffed white tofu before you work your way around the other yong tau foo options.

Do you have a food recommendation? Tell us!

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Jiang Kang Seafood Restaurant
LOT 8928, 25150, Lorong Seri Teruntum 139,
Taman Lion, 25100 Kuantan.
Tel: 016-921 1229
Business hours: 6am till 2.30pm
(closed Thursday)

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