Xiao Lao Wang Curry Fish Head @ Jaya One

Comfort Dishes and Healthy Greens

Xiao Lao Wang has been making headlines with its signature hotpots since years back. Ardent foodies know where to head for soothing pots of delectable hotpot broths. Everything is made from scratch in the kitchen where passionate owner and chef Andy Ong and his partner-in-crime Pamela Jan showcases Chinese soul food at its best.

The owners also owned Lammeeya where foodies slurp up tasty bowls of eggy gravy coated plump lam mee noodles along with housemade meat dumplings. At Xiao Lao Wang, diners can also enjoy an array of Chinese dishes that is familiar on our daily meals. What Xiao Lao Wang can assure their diners is that they can definitely enjoy comfort food at the eatery.

The ambiance also echoes pleasantry with the décor showcasing some of the owner’s own private collections of antiques set with an eclectic mix of modernity. One can choose to dine at both side of the restaurants where Lammeeya offers modern and simple bright minimalist décor or at Xiao Lao Wang’s oriental classic ambiance.

Enough said about the restaurants and let’s get down to the new menu available. Extending their menu to offer more classic familiar good eats, Xiao Lao Wang has added Curry Fish Head to their daily menu along with bio-dynamics vegetables for that healthier option.

To start off the meal, the owners offered a delicious and refreshing wolfberry puree drink called Ningxia Red. A superfood drink made from all the goodness of wolfberries, pomegranate and berries, it has a lovely tangy freshness when served chilled.

The limelight of the meal was definitely the Curry Fish Head (RM58 small, RM98 medium, RM128 large). Filled to the brim and loaded with big chunks of meaty fish head drenched in thick curry gravy, the dish warrants orders of piping hot steamed rice.

Unlike some places where the base curry is made in big portions, Xiao Lao Wang makes all their Curry Fish Head from scratch upon orders. Freshness is key to the owners. Using the freshest ingredients possible, Xiao Lao Wang uses the market’s freshest fish head available along with other locally source produce.

The curry gravy has a well-balance richness of spices and heat that is enjoyable. The fish head pieces is cooked well with enough meaty fish meat along with gelatinous bits to satiate diners of all ages. Along with the fish head, one can also tuck into blanched lady fingers, tau pok, eggplant, cabbage and more. It’s literally a one-pot wonder meal!

Though bio-dynamic is rather similar to organic cultivation, bio-dynamic farming goes one step further to produce everything from A to Z on its premise. Bio-dynamic vegetables are available for purchase at Xiao Lao Wang depending on their stock of the day.

Our dish of Bio-Dynamic Pea Sprouts with Egg White (RM18.90) was delicious with tender and smooth pea sprout leaves blanketed with soft egg white gravy. The tender sweetness of the pea sprouts is so good that even the little ones enjoyed this dish very much.

We also had the Bio-Dynamic Xiao Bai Chai (RM15.90) served in a pool of light soy sauce and finished with shredded ginger, spring onion and chili. The light crisp greens is very tasty and easy to enjoy.

The simple rendition of beancurd in Salted Chilli Tofu (RM18) was perhaps the most popular dish among our table since it was quickly polished off. Deep fried tofu cubes topped with that tantalizing bits of aromatics are so good, it can even be enjoyed on its own as a snack or with rice.

Although the order of Tomato Scrambled Egg (RM11.90) was for the little ones, the adults simply couldn’t resist stealing a few spoonful of the dish. Fluffy scramble eggs covered in a lightly sweet and tangy tomato sauce brought back some delicious childhood memories of yesteryear flavours that parents used to whip up for us.

The lightly boozed up Rice Wine Chicken (RM18 small, RM23 big) is another dish to order. The sweetness of the wine along with the savory notes of the soy sauce with hints of gingery flavour hit all the right notes. The chicken is also tender and juicy, rendering much satisfaction when savored with rice.

The Plum Sauce Chicken (RM18 small, RM23 big) has crispy fried chicken glazed with a gingery plum sauce. The crispy texture of the chicken made the dish addictively delectable.

If one has to order a noodle dish, the Signature Yee Mee (RM28) came highly recommended. Braised soft yee mee noodles with lots of greens and mushrooms are finished with lots of shredded golden egg omelette. The slippery smooth egg noodles is tasty and pretty much a well-favored dish by everyone that evening.

Xiao Lao Wang is indeed famous for their hotpot and one simply should try their signature Housemade Pickled Cabbage Pork Belly Soup (RM58 small for 1-4 persons, RM68 large for 5-8 persons). The pickled cabbage is made in house and provides the base of flavours for this delicious unique hotpot. The piquant tangy notes of the ‘suan cai’ or pickled cabbage makes a robust broth base along with some dried chili to add a gentle undertone of heat and some fresh cherry tomatoes for freshness.

One should order the Pork Belly Slices (RM9.90/100g small, RM15.90/150g large) or any other preferred meat such as chicken or lamb to add to the hotpot. 

The succulent pork belly slices can further be enjoyed with the array of sauces available as condiments. Our spicy Sichuan chili spiced up sauce goes very well with the pork belly.

Add the Bio-Dynamic Pea Sprouts (RM6.90 per 180gm) for some goodness greens… or pick your choice of others such as Bai Cai, Nai Bai, Fu Kwai Choi, Cabbage, Pumpkin and more…

Another ingredient to order for the hotpot is the Housemade Mushroom Pork Balls (RM12.90). The texture and flavours of the pork balls when cooked in the hotpot is sublime, so much so that we would have love to order another round if we have not been so full.

A very satisfying meal at Xiao Lao Wang!

XIAO LAO WANG HOTPOT

100-G021, The School at JAYA One,

72A, Jalan University,

46200 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7496 0670

Facebook: www.facebook.com/xiaolaowang

Business Hours:

Mon to Sun - 5pm to 10.30pm