Super Kitchen Chili Pan Mee at Kuala Lumpur

A few weeks ago, we had made arrangements with Ken to go in and around KL for a one day food trip. First on the itinerary should have been Nippi Noodle at Kuchai Lama, but it was too early for them, I guess.

Therefore, we went to next item on the list, Chili Pan Mee. It is your usual Pan Mee with just a twist or in other words, spice! Ken took us to Super Kitchen instead of the original Chili Pan Mee founder in KL. He was worried that we might not be able to tolerate the hygiene at Kin Kin, which is just opposite the Super Kitchen base camp.

The Pan Mee are made to order. Stacks of dough are ready for the press whenever there is an order. The dough is put through and noodle press to get the thickness, length and diameter /width of the noodle strands. The size and shape will have considerable effect on the texture and taste of the Chili Pan Mee. Ken mentioned that he had tried a few shape and sizes and it does determine the amount of and how the chili clings to the noodles. Too much or too less would, as I put it, potong steam(roughly translated, kill the climax).


The cooking time of the noodles are also an important factor in Pan Mee. Overcooked noodles would feel like soggy bread.

It is a normal Pan Me minus the soup or gravy. The condiments are poach egg, minced meat, fried shallots and anchovies. The anchovies taste like baked rather than deep fried, as it did not have that oily feeling. The egg is poach to just the right consistency and firmness. As mentioned, it is chili pan mee, thus it is a must add condiment. Be warn, try with one spoonful first. Choose the bottle of chili that is moisten with the chili oil. Ken, like is dry though.

I guess my first try was only one scoop, but I escalated to three because its was simply not enough. Remember to get the chili oil! Mix everything together and enjoy. The crunchy anchovies and shallots gave it the fragrant aroma, the mince meat gave it the meaty taste and moisture, the poach egg yoke gave the bowl of noodle the rich creamy taste. The half cooked poach egg is a very important part of the chili pan mee, it is the catalyst to bind the chili on to the noodle strands. So, don't ask for cooked egg with the noodle.

The special chili is made of dried chili sauteed in oil to get the fragrant and spicy hot taste out of them. There is something else in the chili that we will get to the bottom of in our next trip there in December. The after effect of three spoonful of chili can be seen here with the presence of spicy hot 'ma yuen cheong'(double layer sausages) on my face. To counter the after effect of the chili, Ken's advice was to hose it down with warm Chinese tea. And for the daily waste control the next day, be prepared for a 'fire in the hole' feeling. WARNING! Do not try the chili pan mee with an empty stomach if you are a person with gastric problems past or present.

On average, I would give this place:

• 4/5 for value (with added entertainment when you see the antics from people burnt)
• 3.8/5 for taste & texture
• 3/5 for service
• 3.5/5 for cleanliness
• 3/5 for atmosphere