PETALING JAYA | There were many things that inspired chef Aaron Phua to open Fifty Tales with his family, and business partner Bimmy Soh, in 2020. A desire to recreate the springiness of the QQ (al dente) noodles he enjoyed on trips to Hong Kong, wanting to highlight home-style, regional noodles that he (and his team), grew up with, that were being forgotten in the Malaysian food discussion, and to treat noodles as a craft medium, giving credit and value to local cuisine. The words “No Ramen” embroidered on staff uniforms is a nod to this, and a subtle dig at those who may attach a certain prestige and value to ramen, but not to Malaysian noodle dishes of equal quality.
Chef Aaron Khor joined Aaron and Bimmy in 2001, and together they moved Fifty Tales to its current location. By day, hand-made Malaysian Chinese noodles remain the focus, while at night, things shift to a more diverse cincai (casual, anything goes) type offering. I visited during lunch as I wanted to try the noodles.
The lunch menu features four noodles bowls, and two rice bowls, with your choice of beer braised pork belly, poached sliced chicken, or a vegetarian protein. Optional additions include thing like extra meat, soy egg, or noodles. There’s also a couple of sides, dessert, and a decent little cocktail, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks list.
I opted for the ‘OG Style Noodles’ with pork, and ‘Minegar Noodles’ with chicken. The OG Style Noodles feature springy pork lard dry noodles, pickled cucumber, a Shaoxing soy egg, and bok choy. Combined with the tender, luscious fatty pork belly, it’s comforting and luxurious. The Minegar Noodles are equally tasty, and match well with the tender chicken slices. It’s a bowl of those same noodles, with pork lard replaced by a slightly sweet, bright Penang vinegar, along with pickled ginger, ching long choy, a Shaoxing soy egg, and chewy shimeji.
For a side, I couldn’t go past the steamed eggplant with prawns and lychee. Dressed with a smoky guava vinaigrette, sesame seeds, and spring onions, it’s a light, fragrant option that pairs perfectly with the noodle bowls. To drink, I opted for the 你妈妈 Tang Yuen cocktail of whisky, pandan, ginger, egg white, and sesame oil; and a pot of tea from the rotating selection of premium HOJO reserve teas.
Fifty Tales
19 Jalan 21/11B
Sea Park
46300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Malaysia
Telephone: +60 12 249 2697
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Thu – Mon: 12:00pm to 3:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:00pm