STEPHEN & FERLENE'S RECOMMENDED EATERIES

M E T R O

Sunday October 21, 2007

http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/10/21/sundaymetro/17774881&sec=SundayMetro

Gotta have prawn noodles
By STEPHEN NG
sundaymetro@thestar.com.my

At Hoo Yee Kee Restaurant, you can add other seafood ingredients to the basic prawn noodle dishes for a more tantalising taste.

FAMOUS for its Penang Mee Yoke, Hoo Yee Kee Restau-rant in Desa Aman Puri, Kepong, has a cosy and comfortable environment for the whole family.

The well-decorated restaurant, sporting two big prawn mascots, is the brainchild of 42-year-old restaurant entrepreneur, Ann Au Eng Nee, who has given the restaurant a “warm” tropical feel with yellow and orange painted walls and fresh leafy plants.

The cashier machine is seated within a large man-made seashell, with a Red Indian mannequin overlooking the counter. Her love for Mother Nature and the beaches, especially that of her favourite Bali seaside, inspired most of the interior designs.

Money in the oyster: Au at her cash register, which is placed within a large man-made seashell.For the young children, there are also two parakeets, Jasmine and Honey, to greet them with their cheerful chirps.

Few may realise it but this restaurant, which was to have started after the renovations completed six years ago, has its origins in Kepong Baru and Jalan Masjid India.

The present outlet was left vacant until recently, when Au finally found the right people to manage both the Kepong Baru and Desa Aman Puri restaurants.

This is a second-generation prawn noodle outlet.
“My father-in-law used to have a food stall in Jalan Masjid India, selling Penang prawn mee.

Popular: Hoo Yee Kee Mee Yoke.“The business was not very good. We were only making RM10 on some days. To keep up with the times, we had to look for new ideas.

“Business only started to boom when we set up our first restaurant in Kepong Baru in 1992.

“We were frequented by local celebrities, many of whom prefer to remain anonymous. They enjoy the taste of our prawn mee,” said Au.

The makeshift restaurant, Hoo Yee Kee Penang Mee Yoke Restaurant at Jalan Tujuh, Kepong Baru, is easily recognisable with two large prawns as its logo.

It is currently managed by Au’s husband, while Au herself operates the outlet in Desa Aman Puri.

Clear soups: For good health.It was Au who introduced the idea of allowing customers to add other seafood ingredients to the basic prawn noodle dishes.

“We experimented with different recipes, and found that our customers love it when they can choose to add either squid, spare ribs, chicken feet, La-la, oysters, intestines, stingray or even lobsters,” she said, adding that lobsters have to be ordered a day beforehand.

All her dishes do not come with MSG or any other food flavourings or preservatives.

“The way we prepare the soup gives the noodles an original taste from the fresh prawns that we buy daily from Sitiawan.

“This is how we managed to build our customer loyalty over the years,” she said.

Her signature dish is Mee Yoke with Crabs and Fresh Prawns.
“The taste is original,” she said.

And, to get the best of the tastes, she only uses small Tiger prawns.
“There is more work involved in preparing the smaller prawns, but you get the satisfaction of the original fresh taste of the prawns. Many of our regular clients come back when they know the value they are getting for their food.”

Prominent presence: Prawns play a major role at Hoo Yee Kee Restaurant, be it in its dishes or the outlet’s logo.Au has also concocted some of her own drinks by introducing local fruits.

“Whenever I eat my own prawn noodles, I feel like drinking fresh coconut water,” she said. “That’s why I serve fresh coconut water here. It is my personal recommendation to all my customers.”

The other recommended drinks include Jasmine with Honey Tea and Ciku Ice Blended. For the more adventurous, Nangka Ice Blended is the latest addition to the wide range of drinks on the menu.

For the older folks, there is the Herbal Chicken Noodles to satisfy their palate.

“They are more health conscious at their age,” Au said. “We also want to cater to their needs.”

She even has a sweet and sour chicken feet dish named after her mother, who inspired a new dish known as Mommy’s Glass Chicken Feet.

To get to the restaurant, use the Puchong Damansara Highway (LDP) from Petaling Jaya heading towards Kepong. It is located at the corner of Jalan Aman Puri and Jalan Usaha Ehsan, in Desa Aman Puri, Kepong. The restaurant is open from 8am to 3am, every day. Au can be contacted at 019-318 1533.