Authentic Lanzhou La Mian at Kung Fu Cow

Weird name, right? I've been frequenting the newish Pavilion mall at Bukit Jalil for meetings and scouting some property. A week before, I'd seen a big panel announcing that Kung Fu Cow was coming soon to the mall. Fast forward a week later, I was wandering around the lower levels when I spotted the newly opened eatery.

Stepping inside, my olfactory senses were almost overwhelmed by familiar smells from western China: beef broth simmering away for hours, chilli oil ready to add a flaming red tinge (or a blast, depending on your liking) of heat to your noodles, and a faint scent of pickled vegetables in the background. Now that was more like it.

You know the place is an authentic Lanzhou La Mian restaurant when it offers pulled noodles in a variety of thicknesses and lengths. I'm talking about noodles here... I think I caught snippets of Lanzhou-accented Chinese from the kitchen too. I ordered the chunkiest variety on the menu at 40 mm across and 1.2 mm thick, paired with beef slices, an extra spicy lashing of chilli oil and all the coriander they could throw in. Go big or go home, they say.

The bowl I got was close to what I've had in Xi'an. The broth was light and slightly beefy, the chilli oil adding a sharp piquant note to the noodles that absorbed most of the flavor like a sponge. Don't wear a light or white shirt while eating this unless you don't mind showing off a pattern of red spots afterwards. The beef and radish slices were tender too.

I ended up adding a side dish of wood ear mushrooms or mu'er as a cold salad. I was expecting the Sichuan equivalent with fiery birds' eye chillies, raw onions, plenty of vinegar and sesame oil, but this dish was a lot milder. It had a hint of sesame oil and crunch from chopped red and green peppers.

Now, I understand that restaurants are in the business of serving largest clientele they can get. Once in a while, I appreciate an eatery that doesn't try to localize its food too much and serves up the original stuff, fire and oil and all. I think I've found my favorite spot so far for Lanzhou-style noodles in the Klang Valley.