Puchong Yong Tau Fu @ Batu 14 – And I’m Sold …
March 23, 2010 | 9,714 viewsI am a sucker for good Yong Tau Foo, or stuffed fish paste, especially those darn-crispy ones (plastic in oil or not, who cares? It’s a myth anyway). Read my post on Ipoh’s famous Big Tree Foot‘s version – my personal top pick for good YTF, or Yeong Liew, as we call them here in Ipoh, for a better idea. Yup, seldom do I opt for the boiled YTF served in soup, unless the variety’s mind-boggling, like Gunung Rapat’s Kwong Hong.
White rice served with fresh, succulent pieces of fish paste stuffed on the spot, and the compulsory duo of chili sauce, and sweet sauce.
Previous experience with Ampang’s most famous (yet over-rated) Yong Tau Foo got me wary of trying another piece of YTF in the Klang Valley ever again. Until, I was brought over to Puchong Yong Tau Fu, tucked hidden in some enclave at the older portion of Puchong. Situated at a junction connecting Jalan Puchong Batu 14 (14th Miles?) and Jalan Tembusu, opposite of a Chinese school named Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Han Ming. (Map to come at the end of the post)
Seas of people round the clock, on a Sunday. The place can hold a rather large capacity crowd, underneath those zinc roofs, but do take note that if it pours, you’ll be soaked.
This place is almost legendary, not only to the locals but also to the tourists alike. Unassuming and unpretentious, Puchong Yong Tau Fu is the epitome of street food with its vibrant (read : noisy) atmosphere, a brightly-lit dining environment that’s half al fresco; without any designated entrance doors, and the shack-like structures covered only by zinc roofs. A throwback to the most classic of Chinese eateries, really. And you don’t even have to be all decked in shirts and suits, nor wearing proper shoes to begin with, when you’re having your meal.
Trust me, the crowd would appreciate a gigantic pile-up of stuffed fish paste plonked down on their tables more than the sparkly, glamorous vixen seated on the next table.
The staff happily stuffing the YTF to be cooked on the spot, and another ‘dissecting’ a piece of paper-wrapped chicken.
To be able to get a seat at this place is a blessing. Scenes of eager patrons standing around (ala Foh San, to a lesser extent), gawking and salivating over the other luckier ones tucking in into their meals is rather common.
Aside from serving their signature YTF with rice or noodles, you can also opt for the Chee Cheong Fun, or Pan Mee. For more side dishes, they offer curry chicken, rendang chicken, or the rapidly disappearing Paper-wrapped chicken. The latter was fascinating and different, in the sense that the steamed chicken was draped lusciously in a slightly salt-ish, and piquant gravy, not unlike the Malay version of rendang. Eating the chicken alone would be slightly overwhelming, what’s more with the abundance of gravy and all, but when paired with some white rice, they complemented each other pretty well. Still, this is not your idea of the usual Paper-Wrapped Chicken (Zhi Pau Gai) you can easily find at the night markets.
The soup was tasty and sweet, almost passing off as the usual sweet stock concocted from over-usage of MSG (flavour-enhancer) but we did not feel the thirst one bit. Thankfully.
Like the usual routine, go over to where they place all the pieces of UNstuffed YTF in colourful plastic baskets. Then pick up a pair of tongs and choose your preferred pieces. From brinjals, bitter gourd and ladies fingers (okra), to red chillies, beancurd sheets, and beancurd (tau foo pok). Proceed to the ordering counter, and pass the basket-loads of goodies to the staff. Of course, with his limited repertoire of English-Cantonese words, I had a hard time listening to whatever he suggested (which was something along the line of extra fish paste, fish balls, or something). Yeah, most of the staff here are not locals.
Heavenly stuff. I can almost pig out on these all day!
Surprisingly, they can choose to deep fry almost anything and everything you pass to them! Sounds fine by me, for I like my YTF to be crispy, instead of dunked into soups. But if you’re not fond of heaty food, ask for the YTF to be boiled/blanched and served in the soup instead. Not a bad choice though, for the soup was far from bland, and the abundance of sayur manis (sweet leaves/star gooseberry) usually thrown into a bowl of pan mee added fibres, textures and sweetness to the wholesome broth.
Last I had YTF served with rice was way back in my university days in Penang. Initially it was more of a cultural shock, for in Ipoh, you’d be laughed at had you been requesting for white rice to be served with the YTF. Or Yeong Liew, as I mentioned earlier. But at Puchong Yong Tau Fu, eating YTF with white rice is almost a complete ritual.
Now IF only they serve them with yam rice as well. That would be … Nirvana? 
Each piece of Yong Tau Foo at RM1.10/USD0.30. Paper-wrapped Chicken is priced at RM3.50/USD1.00 per piece.
Puchong Yong Tau Fu
Lot 105, Batu 14,
Jalan Besar,
Kampung Baru Puchong,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Opens from 11am until 9.30pm. Closed on Mondays.
Here’s a GOOGLE MAP to Puchong Yong Tau Fu @ Batu 14.
wow i want hakka yong taufu :p but i am eating sandwich now for lunch ><
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Sandwich ain’t that bad lah …. Least you get the kick out of eating HEALTHILY.
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Oooohhh, *slaps hi-5* I love Yong Tau Foo too…..the fish paste stuffs are my favorites! =)
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Wah… sounds like Puchong is overtaking Ampang in the Yong Tau Foo War (ala Chicken Rice War, hehe).
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
It’s inevitable. Hahaha … though I’m curious to try the other two in Ampang, for I’ve only tried one.
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being a ipoh home boy, i shall give this a try.. currently based in puchong and hope it makes me feel at home!!
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Yeah, you should. It’s not entirely of the same genre as Ipoh’s Dai Shu Geok, but still ….
These are good enough for me. And I DON’T like KL’s YTF all this while.
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oh this is such torture… to be greeted so early in the morning by delicious morsels of YTF!!
i like the Yup Hap Kee YTF in Pudu as well
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Oh that one …. Yeah, read about it, but no idea where exactly in Pudu.
Served with CCF one ah?
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oh wow, that’s really excellent. I remember your twitter on this saying that it was more delicious than Ampang’s one right? For me I totally agree that the Puchong YTF rocks. We like one on the corner of the main square. Pudu YTF and the Taman Yulik YTF are also hot favs of ours:) great write up j2kfm and SO glad i finally met yet ya (cumi sez u look familiar wor – showed him the pix)
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
FAMILIAR?!!! No way lah … I’m a mere pedestrian on the streets. Hehehe…
Oh, Yulek in Cheras? That one I not sure. But Pudu one yeah, rather famous as well huh?
There’s always another trip.
Nice bumping into you guys as well.
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oh… my wife promised to bring me there since 2006… it has been 4 years and I have yet to see the signboard
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Hahahaha … so go scroll up a bit and feast your eyes. With the signboard.
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I love crispy YTF although I know it’s not very good to have those heaty food but it’s just can’t resist, I know u know me, haha!!!
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Hahahahah … Yeah, we’re both of the same species. Suckers for all things FRIED. Slurp!
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Oh! Good to knw there’s a good YTF. i mean seriously, there’s YTF everywhr but too mediocre for mention. Ok, out with the GPS!
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 24th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
GPS? Okay okay … erm, sorry no coordinates. Hehehe …..
But should NOT be that hard to find. It’s some distance off LDP anyway.
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Glorious! I’ve been to this place before! And almost forgot about it until I read your post… Thanks for the reminder!
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Wow , there’s a huge crowd of people in ur photos! Maybe I shall give it a try as i like YTF a lot, especially the brinjals.
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I absolutely love their stuffed yau char kwai. Good stuff, hor? =)
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This a good one and was a well-kept secret until Puchong started opening up in 1994!
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 26th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Well-kept? hahahah … since 1994?! wah … that long eh?
But the place is really really crowded that evening. Thankfully the wait not that relentless.
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This is my fave YTF place – I absolutely love their freshly-stuffed stuff and the sweet pucuk manis they put in their soup! Lovely lovely!
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 26th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Yeah, the sayur manis gave the soup such a sweet, wholesome flavour. We sipped the whole bowl dry.
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well, tis YTFplace roxs coz is darn fresh (fish paste) period! Unlike other joints, all varieties of YTF r fried n then place on the “open table.” All fried YTF becomes “soft” except those tofu in soup base.
Provided u r like Ipoh’s Dai shu Geok where everyone is “rushing” 4 it. wa! increase price oredi huh! RM1.10 lor……
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Todayis my 1st time, but I’m certain it will be my LAST. Nothing special. The appearance of the badly fried yong fu chok puts me off. The fried sui kow is not to my standard.
I would recommend BK 5 restaurant for Yong tau fu, and to get good fried sui kow, head to the Pulau Pangkor steamboat at Puchoong jay.
Sorry, Batu 14 Yong Taufu — You are much below par than the much publicity that people have given you.
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Eaten there before and my comments nothing special as Ipoh’s thai she keok and Petaling Street Madras lane is my favourite for YTF..I think Puchong Batu 14 a bit over rated..
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Seriously, the YTF in soup is a bit fishy smell…. ( no fresh ? ) personally i don like this ….
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J2Kfm Reply:
March 15th, 2011 at 10:42 am
Yes ah? They were okay when we had them. Maybe time for a revisit. But they do stuff them on the spot. Just that we don’t know how long the fish paste has been idly sitting around.
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be careful, you may not get back all that you picked. the sui kow looks ok until you bite into it, so empty, hardly any filling
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J2Kfm Reply:
November 29th, 2012 at 11:17 pm
Really? As far as I remember, the YTF here were some of the better ones in Klang Valley. The other stall being Foong Foong in Ampang.
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HAVE YOU BEEN THERE LATELY? THE FRIED DUMPLINGS ARE JUST SKIN AND BONES (MISERABLE AMOUNT OF FILLINGS). IT IS CROWDED BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS WAITING FOR THEIR FOOD. OVERALL FOOD IS HORRIBLE! DON’T GO THERE.
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I prefer the smaller shop next to it. Soup is better, so does the YTF. But they dont open always . The shop has green sign board.
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