Fish Head Noodle Cheras @ Cheras

I've no idea where this Fish Head Noodle Cheras @ Cheras is located (other than it's somewhere in Cheras! :P) or if they're a restaurant on its own or just a stall in a coffee shop since there's no mention of the name of the shop/business (only the address was provided) in ShopeeFood. 

Irrespective of whether they're a restaurant or a stall in a coffee shop, this turned out to be one of the best tasting fish head noodles I've had in a long while.  Since my family is not into fish, let alone fish with bones, my fish head noodles experiences have (so far) been limited to stalls I find in coffee shops as I can't dine in at fish head noodle specialists shops that have no other choice of noodles for my family to eat.

My first taste was when I ordered their Wine Fish Head Noodles @ RM16.  The soup and noodles (packed separately) were still hot when they arrived.  On opening the soup packet, I got a whiff of the distinctive smell of rice wine straightaway.  Oh good, we're off to a great start! ;)

Though I'd usually go for the clear soup (and ask for the milk to be omitted), it was not an available option here (actually I read in the reviews that one customer requested for no milk but it still came with milk, so I didn't bother to put any special request in).  Luckily so, as the milky broth was very good...and that coming from someone who prefers her broth clear says a lot.

The first time I had it, the Chinese wine taste was a bit subtle but the second time, I could really taste it (probably because I tucked in almost immediately).  The milk in the broth lent some sweetness but the wine helped make the soup lighter although the tomato wedges, shredded ham choy (salted vegetable), thickly-cut ginger shreds and a good sprinkling of fresh Chinese coriander also played a part to add freshness to the soup (there were some pieces of silken tofu too).

I was also delighted to be greeted by the sight of coarse beehoon (rice noodles that's slightly thicker than the usual thinner meehoon used by many fish head noodle hawkers).  Fish head noodles only works with coarse beehoon (as far as I'm concerned as the thin beehoon soaks up the broth too quickly) and the portion given was substantial.  Do note also that for all the photos, I didn't empty all the soup (at once) so that you can see clearly what's in the bowl (not that they were stingy with the soup lah).

As for the fried fish head pieces, they were fresh and so well fried that it was utterly fragrant and delicious.  I think there were at least 5 pcs of fried fish head (and 3 of them were big pieces).  When you dig out those little fragrant bits from all the little nooks and crannies among the fish head/bones, those are the savoury bits of awesomeness.  That's why I think fish head noodles is best enjoyed at home so that you can attack the fish head with your hands...lol.

Since I didn't dine in, I wasn't able to enquire (nor could I recognise) what fish they used for their fish head noodles.  A number of different fish can be used such as wan yue (grass carp), song yue tau (Asian bighead carp), grouper, snapper, mackerel, snakehead, ma yau (threadfin) or ling fish head are all possible choices.  If I were to make a calculated guess of the one here, I'd probably say it's song yue tau.

The fish head was so good I just had to dig out (yes, hands were used) whatever little meat there was on the fish head including sucking at the bones...wuahahahaha! ;D  Now, obviously, this is something that only a lover of fish (even with bones!) will enjoy.  If you prefer fish meat, then this is not for you as there's no option for fish meat here, only fish head.

Although the second time when I had it, there were more meaty pieces.  Actually, I prefer chewing on the bony fish head pieces over the fish meat as the meat tend to have lots of Y-shaped pin bones (and I really hate picking them out!). >.<

As you eat...and as the fried fish head pieces get submerged into the broth, tiny fried fragrant bits fall off from the fish into the soup and together with their own-made freshly fried shallots (some will use fried garlic), that was when the broth came to life! ;)  It was so good that I emptied the rest of the soup into my noodles and almost finished up all the broth.

The fish head noodle was served with a fresh chilli dip.....and it was one fiery bomb...super spicy and da bomb!  The dip is a bit similar to the ones you get with pan mee but this one was loads better although it wasn't needed as the noodles were great on its own.

Besides fish head noodles, they also offer steamed song fish head (song yue tau) in a few styles...traditional with soy sauce, Thai-style steamed, ginger steamed, hong siew steamed and braised.  Their steamed song fish head is priced at RM40 - RM48 depending on the style of cooking.

After being wowed by the fish head noodles, I decided to try the Single Set Fish Head Rice @ RM18 as I was drooling over the photos of their steamed song fish head which I recognised instantly (and that's why I guessed that was what they used for their fish head noodles as well).

When the steamed fish arrived, it wasn't quite what I expected as it wasn't whole but in cut up pieces.  Then again, I probably shouldn't expect them to give half a song yue tau for the price charged.  Since the fish was cut up into pieces, I couldn't know for sure if the fish was indeed song yue tau (but I believe it should be with its gelatinous skin even though the pieces looked kinda small for a fish head).

The fish was certainly fresh but since it was steamed, there were quite a lot of pin bones to pick out.  The sauce was plentiful and fairly tasty but needed a bit more flavoured oil as well as fried onion or garlic bits to make it better.  I also didn't get any hint of Shaoxing rice wine which would have elevated the fresh flavour of the fish further.

Although the steamed fish came piping hot, it didn't stay long that way.  That's why steamed fish is best eaten on site where it's served piping hot immediately after they're steamed (some would have a burner underneath to keep the fish warm).

Complemented by (a small amount of) thickly shredded young ginger, chopped coriander (that was wilted, as expected, since it was steaming in a closed container) and fried shallots (that weren't nicely browned nor crispy), I added my own fried shallots (and wished I had some fresh coriander of my own too).  I also threw in some red bird's eye chillies (from the soy sauce/chillies condiment) that they gave.

Besides fish head noodles and steamed fish, they also have Curry Fish Head Noodles @ RM16.80 which I was curious to try as I've not seen it offered at other fish head noodle places.

When I ordered this, I envisaged fried fish head pieces (like the ones in the earlier wine fish head noodles) in a curry broth (like curry laksa).  The photo in the menu also showed vegetables of brinjal, ladies finger and tomatoes with fu chuk (beancurd sheets) but what came instead were just lots of onions, a bit of tomatoes and beancurd puffs.

The dish was nothing like I imagined...especially so when I received two packets, one with the coarse beehoon only and the other was a packet of curry.  I thought, "Oh crap, the fried fish head pieces are submerged together in the curry!"

It was only when I opened the packet of curry that I realised the curry fish head noodles is exactly like if one ordered a pot of fish head curry (with the fish head pieces cooked in the curry itself).  The taste was leaning towards more of an Indian fish head curry, full of spices with a predominant curry powder taste, which I didn't care for much.  The fish head pieces were also very bony with hardly any meat.

The broth was very thick and totally unlike the taste of a (less thick) curry laksa which has more santan taste.  And because of the thickness of the curry, it was quite cloying to eat that with beehoon. Fish head curry is best eaten with rice.  Needless to say, I couldn't...and didn't finish it. >_<

My Personal Opinion

After trying all three of what they offer, only the fish head noodles deserve praise.  I told myself that the portion of fish head noodles was too big to finish.....but, guess what?  I sapu (finished) it all....coz when it's that good, you just eat and eat until it's all gone (without even realising it)! ;D

This was an excellent bowl of fish head noodles....one of the better ones I've eaten in a long time.  They've got everything down just right....the tasty broth, the fragrant, savoury fish head chunks, the coarse beehoon, even down to small details, like the fried shallots and Chinese parsley.

This place will catapult itself right to the top of my list and when I feel like having me some good fish head noodles (and I really mean fish head!).  I'm on cloud nine since discovering this...it's the only thing I would make a repeat order of from here. ^o^

Fish Head Noodle Cheras

24 Jalan 5/89A 

Off Jalan Sekilau

Cheras

56000 Kuala Lumpur