Tuesday 30 October 2018

Sarawak's Best Beef Noodles. Really??


I was taking a walk one day when I spotted this restaurant which occupied what used to be Pizza Craft.

Nuromen Cafe (CLOSED). It was closed that day and I made a note to come back to try the beef noodles.


I was sold on this claim.


After all, I love beef noodles and have been hoping for a good beef noodles outlet to open in Damansara Uptown


So there I was with high hopes. The young enthusiastic server recommended the Sarawak's Beef Noodles Special which is garlic kolo mee, fresh beef, stewed beef, tripe, tendon, beef soup. It sounded promising.


As usual, my drink of choice is kopi o ais kosong.


The coffee was decent. Then a short while later, my much anticipated Sarawak's Beef Noodles Special was served.


The soup was very dark.


I took a sip. And was shocked. It was bland. No beefy taste, no taste or aroma of spices (usually associated with Asian beef soup). I took another sip. There was a taste of something that was mild but I could not identify what it was. No. This is not good.


So I fished out the goodies from the soup and placed them on top of the kolo mee. The beef slices were tender but was on the dryish side. The tripe was all right.

The kolo mee had a taste of garlic and it was quite starchy and stodgy. Much like the kampua mee I had at the now closed SRK Noodle House. Perhaps that's how the East Malaysians like it.


I'm afraid the chili sauce was not exciting. It was just  mildly hot and sourish. But because I had a hard time eating the noodles, I poured the chili sauce into the noodles and mixed it all up.


It went down easier and I was still astounded by the taste of everything. 


When I got back to office, I googled for reviews. Most reviews are for the outlets in Sarawak and it was all praises. 



I don't know. Maybe this is not to my taste.


This place serves other things too besides beef noodles.


Based on what I tasted, I'm afraid I won't be back. I mean no disrespect to my Sarawakian friends and the good people of Nuromen but my opinion is an honest one based on my own experience.

36 comments:

  1. I have been to their place in Kuching once, last year on CNY eve.

    http://kuchingnite.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-beef-place.html?m=1

    The best?? I am not too sure but my experience was alright. Reminded me much of the beef noodle I had in Thailand.

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    1. Oh? So there is this place in Kuching now, Ah Mui copycat...or opened by one of the descendants? I don't like Ah Mui anymore, the original at Open Air...and the son's place opposite the former Four Points by Sheraton. They say the one at Satok is nice but I have never tried that one. Long ago, I used to like the one at GreenHill too, the other end from Harbour View Hotel - they say the guy is related to Ah Mui. Still there, I hear but dunno still nice or not - so long ago when I had it.

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    2. Rose : You had a good experience so I reckon could be due to inconsistency on the cooking,

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  2. Uncle TM is always giggling at you. Why on earth this Aunty would share photos of the shop's closed shutters? Muahahaha...

    Looking at your reviews, I can imagine how could the broth be so dark yet tasted so bland. I always loved the beef balls noodle soup in Thailand with strong taste and a tray of exciting chilly sauces a'la Siam style.

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    1. It so happened the shop was closed mah.... The Siam ones I am sure are very good. This one, don't bother trying.

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  3. First things first, kolo mee does not taste like kampua and kampua does not have that nice garlic (and a hint of vinegar) taste that kolo mee has...and I do prefer kolo mee, the really good one, that is - not those pale imitations you get over there.

    Secondly, I don;t know if this is a spin-off from Ah Mui beef noodles in Kuching, a branch of theirs...or another one of those wannabe, bluff people one. Anyway, having said that, I loved Ah Mui...way back in the 70's. Dunno if the guy is still alive but they do have a few stalls all over Kuching now, manned by the sons/family and NO, THEY ARE NOT NICE...not even the original one at the Open Air Market...
    https://suituapui.wordpress.com/2014/02/27/between-the-two/

    We have one good beef noodles place here in Sibu but the best has got to be the one in Kota Kinabalu (though folks there will tell you there is another one that is nicer, huge slices of beef like steaks). They have outlets all over Brunei, Miri, even in Selangor. You should go and try this one and hopefully, it is as good as the original in Sabah: https://www.facebook.com/kahhiongngiuchappuchong/

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    1. SRK Noodle House has closed down? Their Facebook page is still active, it seems. Well, if the kolo mee and kampua mee you had were "starchy and stodgy', obviously they did not know how to cook it right. The noodles would have to be cooked in hot water, rinsed in cold water to remove the excess starch...and repeated if necessary and it must never ever be overcooked, kampua mee, at least, as it does not have that alkaline thing to keep it nice and firm.

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    2. Kah Hiong opens its outlet in Kuching, few weeks ago. A bit too far for me but hope to give it a try some day. I saw the new shop when I went there with my parents and we ended up in the Triple 3 food court.

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    3. Haiyar!!! Why not in Sibu? Same distance to Kuching or to KK, might as well go KK for the real thing. I saw some of the comments on the one in Puchong, some complaints...so maybe, not as good as the original.

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    4. Thanks for the interesting information. I believe due to quality control and inconsistency in their cooking. Maybe if I have a chance to go over to your side, I could try again and see if there is much difference.

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  4. lol...what a 'failed' kolo mee, those who claimed there are the 'best in ' are usually the opposite...so, I would usually avoid such shops...

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    1. Yes, and those that say they are "King" also best to avoid LOL!

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  5. Alamak! Not nice one kah?

    I myself have never try kolo mee, but my hubby and son like to order them if we eat at Dayang Sarawak.

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  6. I love beef noodles. So disappointing for you and yes, I do not like the dark soup too.

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    1. Good beef noodles quite hard to find in my area.

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  7. Sarawak famous for beef noodles? *scratch head

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  8. Now you got me to be very curious. I wonder if I drink the soup will I find it bland. I will just eat one mouthful of the kolo mee so let me go find a person to share with me and then I can go try, hehehehe.

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    1. Well, I hope if you do try, you will have a better experience :)

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  9. Who would have thought that the taste would be bland when the colour of the soup is so dark and robust. Like this, no need to try-lah! :P It seems this is a branch of the one in Kuching.

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    1. That's why I was so shocked. Speechless. Couldn't quite believe what I tasted and they say they are the best. Can faint I tell you. hah..hah...

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  10. What a shame. I liked the clean looking appearance of the setting from your photo.

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    1. The interior is nice and quite hip. Pity about the food.

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  11. Too dark for my liking too... I prefer the dry version of kolo or kampua noodles with no dark sauce..

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    1. So far my experience with kampua and kolo not good. Perhaps must eat in Sibu, then only good. LOL!

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  12. I was just even thinking reading from other blogs to try kolo mee and now you have it here! It's just sad that your expectation is not met! Maybe you'll find your taste!

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    1. I guess I did not go to the right place to eat kolo or kampua mee.

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  13. I have not tried kolo mee or kampua mee yet, they look like wan tan mee to me

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    1. That's what I think too but they say it is not same as wan tan mee.

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  14. I tak pernah makan Mee Kolok Sarawak . Kalau Laksa Sarawak pernahlah mmg sedap.
    Tengok mee ni teringat Vietnamese mee kat Secret Recipe. Sedap wei hihi

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    1. Kalau Sarawak Laksa, LL suka. Tapi yang ni, hampeh!

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  15. Your version was so much different from the one i usually ate. Mine..the beef is marinated (not sure with what but the color is black) and serve on top of the mee. The soup is clear with garlic taste. There are two type of sauce..chilly soy sauce and the red one is very much similar with nasi ayam sauce. My husband worked in Limbang, Sarawak before and he usually add on everything and kacau for me the way he likes it. Tasty..I love it ;) Maybe you should try somewhere else.

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    1. Thanks for the feedback, Nur (sorry late reply). I think they did not maintain quality control over at my side, hence the lousy experience.

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