I’m all for good Chinese food at a no-frills restaurant, and Yi Ding U Cuisines in Pudu fits the bill. I went there with no expectations and was gobsmacked by what we had, and at an affordable price.
I was most impressed with the perfectly steamed Black Emperor Fish or Hak Kam Wong Tai Yue from Sarawak. The fish had been expertly sliced into two to be steamed (we had half of a 5kg fish I believe) and the meat was thick, sweet and smooth.
Black Emperor fish from Sarawak — perfectly steamed
It’s a sustainable fish that is acquacultured in the pristine waters of the Batang Ai dam in Sarawak. It’s RM198 per kg, and it would have cost much more at other Chinese restaurants.
Suckling pig with crispy crackling skin and juicy meat
Yi Ding U is known for its roast suckling pig that costs a lot less than other restaurants that charges some RM500 for one. It’s a popular order here, and easily available. It’s got a crispy crackling skin, with luscious juicy meat beneath.
Then there’s roast goose which is as good as what you can find in Hong Kong. It’s got delicious smoky skin, tender juicy meat and a sauce that complements it well.
Luscious roast goose
Claypot Crab Rice where one bowl of it was not enough
We couldn’t get enough of the crab rice, which featured one mud crab sitting atop super flavourful rice. The crab juices had suffused the rice; there were hints of ginger in it. The rice had balanced flavours and was so addictive.
Udang Galah in Soy Sauce
Udang Galah in soya sauce was excellent too. It was a classic “kon cheen har lok”, with the sauce with a tinge of sweetness hugging the deepfried prawns. The udang galah begged to be eaten with your hands, getting a taste of the yummy sauce of your fingers and dunking the “naked’ prawn into more sauce.
Claypot Kangkung
The Claypot Kangkung was done well too, the vegetables staying green and the shrimp sauce on it was subtle and aromatic, like a HK “har cheong”.
Char siu, not the best
We had a taste of its char siu but thought it had been doused with a too sweet sauce. We did try its “famous” chee chup chook or porridge with pig’s entrails and while the porridge was smooth and fine, it lacked the fried colon.
The restaurant is only eight months old. We had booked its only room for 10 people or more. The bill didn’t hurt at all – RM1,500 for the sumptuous dinner, plus some forgettable mango mochi. It probably would have cost double at a restaurant with ambience.
Yi Ding U Cuisines is at Lot 241 Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. Call Jenny at 013 499 6638 to book.