Auntie Lora Kopitiam @ Taman Segar, Cheras

Just as I'm always looking for a good bowl of curry laksa, I'm always looking for a good bowl of prawn mee as well.  So, that brought me to Auntie Lora Kopitiam @ Taman Segar, Cheras as I've read about them being the place to go to for Penang prawn mee.

As soon as I arrived on a Saturday morning, I can see the popularity of the place with all the outside tables taken up.  We found one last empty table inside.  Besides prawn mee, they also offer curry mee, loh mee, assam laksa, kuay teow th'ng (soup), gulai chicken, eggs and toast, and lots more.

I obviously came here for one thing and one thing only....their prawn mee.  A standard bowl of Penang Prawn Noodle costs RM8.50 while a bowl (with just pork ribs) costs RM12.  Of course yours truly here went for the whole works...the Penang Prawn Noodle with Pork Ribs @ RM14.90.

The bowl of prawn mee arrived with its usual ingredients of prawns, pork ribs, hard-boiled egg, lean pork, kangkung, bean sprouts and fried shallots.  This prawn broth, made with a combination of pork bones and prawn shells, was more savoury than sweet.  I think they could have been more generous with the broth looking at the hefty price I paid for this bowl.  The meehoon started soaking up the soup rather quickly and there wasn't much left by the time I finished my noodles.  Perhaps the description of 'good to the last drop' rings true here since there was hardly any broth left afterwards.

When my bowl of prawn mee arrived, it came without the sambal (I don't know if that was 'conveniently forgotten' or they actually forgot), so I had to ask them for it.  The sambal was much needed as I had to dunk all of it into the soup for it to offer any kind of spiciness.

They were rather stingy with the fried shallots too....and I will have none of that! :P  So I ordered extra Fried Shallots @ RM0.60 but somehow they didn't taste anything like the freshly fried, fragrant and thinly sliced shallots of my neighbourhood's prawn mee.

I can see why many customers felt that the prices are high here, I would too seeing that the bowl of prawn mee came with only two miserable prawns (and it's the same for the standard bowl too after seeing pics of it online).  Not only were there just two prawns, they were also tasteless, dry and had no sweetness at all. Judging from the shell left intact on the tail of the prawn, I could see that they were those hard-shelled type which I associate with el cheapo prawns.

No complaints on the three pieces of pork ribs as they were tender as they should be.

Since the looks of the curry mee didn't appeal to my husband (info for cockle junkies: do take note that cockles can be ordered by the bowl here at RM5) + he isn't into prawn me, he went with the Pork Ribs @ RM7.50 to eat with a bowl of rice @ RM1.50.  The pork ribs came in a bowl filled with the same broth as the prawn mee...and RM7.50 got him only four pieces of pork ribs! >.<

I saw Braised Egg @ RM1.80 on the menu and couldn't resist thinking it'd be hard-boiled eggs left braising in a dark soy concoction (like those from braised duck or braised pork shops with tofu).  But it came in a bowl filled with the broth from the loh mee instead and the white of the egg was exceptionally hard.  Overcooked?  Doesn't seem like it since there's no green ring around the yolk.  Left braising in the loh mee sauce for too long?  Maybe.  The hard-boiled eggs weren't freshly made?  Perhaps.  I've never had hard-boiled eggs tasting this hard before.  So, skip this altogether. >_<

I had their Pure White Coffee (Cold) @ RM3 while my husband had the Penang Nutmeg Juice @ RM4.60 (if you like the taste of nutmeg, I'm not a fan, then this nutmeg juice will appeal to you).  Their website says their white coffee is from the established Ipoh brand of Chang Jiang White Coffee.  Well, now I know I don't like Chang Jiang White Coffee! ;P

My Personal Opinion

The place is obviously popular judging from the brisk business they were doing.  A possible destination for a decent bowl of prawn mee although it won't be my regular haunt since I wasn't too thrilled about the price for the quality and quantity of prawns I got.

Auntie Lora Kopitiam

No 23 Jalan Manis 4

Taman Segar

Cheras

56100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-9134 9998