Comfort cooking from the country's north & south is carving out a central presence in Puchong's new Houz Warming restaurant, courtesy of an Ipoh-&-Malaccan couple whose heart-warming knack in the kitchen runs through their family.
The foundation here truly is the food of families; co-owner Ervin supplies time-honoured creations that prove kind to the wallet & pleasing for the palate, including this pork noodle soup (RM6.90 nett) - with a light, naturally sweet-savoury broth brimming with tender meat, liver & egg - that his father has served for the past 28 years at an Ipoh outlet ...
... while Ervin's wife, Celine, is the source of cherished recipes that showcase Malacca's Peranakan & Portuguese flair, such as these asam nanas prawns, a tangy treat that's thick with pineapples, salted fish & spices. RM13.90 for a set that includes this serving of prawns with rice & a beverage; this one is available once or twice a week as a possible special of the day.
Many of Houz Warming's specialities are spicy platters with pleasurably complex sauces & gravies that take painstaking hours to prepare; most pair perfectly with rice, including the asam bandung squid & prawns (RM10.90, including rice) ...
... & another special of the day, Patong-inspired fried chicken chop (RM13.90 with rice), visually vivid & fairly fiery in flavour. Bonus points: Houz Warming's food tastes wholesome & lovingly home-made, liberated from excess oil or salt.
We really liked the sambal-fried cencaru with rice (RM10.90); the fish was well-prepared, steering clear of dryness, nicely complemented by a creamier-than-expected, tastier-than-anticipated sambal that's pretty darn addictive.
Other crowd-pleasing dishes range from fresh-tasting roti jala with a can't-fail chicken-&-potato curry ...
... to Hakka-style sweet-sour vinegar pork, made with white vinegar & coupled with rice (RM9.90). Or if you prefer something Hokkien, have the pork belly with tau fu & egg in soya sauce (RM9.90 nett too).
Many thanks to friendly couple Ervin & Celine for hosting this meal; Houz Warming is open daily, 8am-10pm.
Houz Warming Cafe
5-G, Jalan Puteri 1/6, Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor
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