Yong Tau Fu @ Restoran Foong Foong, Jalan Merdeka, Ampang

When people speak of Ampang, yong tau fu usually comes to mind. Then, how would they not? Like what satay is to Kajang and BKT is to Klang, veggies and tofu stuffed with fish has defined this area. There are other amazing food to be had here but you cannot deny the classic. And one such classic place is Foong Foong.

Crowded!

A hit with the locals, tourists and even expats, this establishment has been around for about 20 years, serving up amazing fish filled morsels in their humble but bustling restaurant. With a kopitiam vibe and a focus on just one item, the yong tau fu, you know this is for the humble and honest grub served with a lot of heart.

Hello darkness...

So what makes this place different that others? For starters, their soup was very unique. It looked dark, like some beef broth or even bak kut teh. But looks can be deceiving, as it gives off a clean fish taste, mostly anchovies and mackerel. And this was just the beginning. 

Crunchy time!

The fried dumplings came soon after and the staff recommended that we dunk it into the soup before eating. When the soup infused with the crispy shell, it made it tender yet still crunchy. The filling was also executed well. There were traces of water chestnuts and chives, giving it a distinct kick back. The meat in the dumplings was a combination of meat and fish. I would not be surprised if some prawns were mixed into this. 

Silky smooth. 

The boiled version of the dumplings were great too and is almost the same, minus the crunchy exterior. The skin was silky smooth and had a texture akin to a pappardelle sheet. Some might find this more to their liking, but I liked both versions equally. Do note that the boiled version does come in a different broth. 

A stack of amazing. 

But of course, as we were in a yong tau fu establishment, we have to talk about the fish paste. So it was a good idea if you would have their fish cake with nothing on it first, before you try out the vegetables or the stuffed tofu, if you really want to see what the hype is all about. 

Look at that texture!

And it was enjoyable. There was a consistent bounce in it and yet it did not feel like there were any fillers. The texture were even and the fish meat was minced well. There is still some sweetness in the fish meat and was a satisfying morsel to gobble. As this was just the home made fish cake, you would know everything else will be good as the fish paste is the core for all the items there. 

Things are about to be spicy...

A few notable items were the stuffed eggplant, bean curd sticks and chillies. Especially the chillies. To complete the meal, rice was the carb of the day and worked well with everything that we had ordered so far. What was noteworthy was that each yong tau fu item was fried first, to seal in the fish paste, before the cooking continued. It also gave it a charred edge which made things even more tasty. 

A simple menu. 

Thoroughly stuffed and satisfied, this was indeed a good Sunday lunch. And it was pretty cheap too, with each yong tau fu item, dumpling and rice costing RM1.50 each. So feel free to stuff yourself till you have reached your limit. 

Front of the house. 

The food was fresh and cooked on the spot. The atmosphere was simple, but it does the trick. Do note that the place is very popular so if you arrive here at about 1pm, prepare to wait in line. Fancy a go? Then the address is as follows: 

621, Jalan Merdeka, Kampung Baru Ampang, 

68000 Ampang, Selangor