Eighty9

Eighty9’s version of dan dan, like its other dishes, sees a local twist. In place of tongue-numbing Szechuan peppercorns, find your noodles tossed in buzzy dried prawn chilli sauce, topped with aromatic siew yuk (more on this below) and peanut brittle. The addition of a childhood snack is clever, while adding a nice, nostalgic crunch.

The Aromatic Tossed Siew Yuk (RM12) is sublime on its own, sticking stubbornly to the dark, flavoursome glaze of thick soy and fried garlic. This same delight is sadly, lost on the noodle dish, muddled by too many overpowering flavours in the same bowl.

In a neighbourhood where local food is king, Western establishments might find trouble garnering a following. That's not the case for Eighty9, which strikes a smart balance between the two, cooking up locally-inspired eats in a finer setting replete with beer and wine. Come for the pork dishes, executed with the wok hei know-how of local cooks and the finesse of Western chefs. The Aromatic Tossed Siu Yuk (RM12) reigns supreme — twice-cooked roast pork belly evenly coated in a sweet-sticky glaze redolent with dark soy sauce and fried garlic. Also easy to love is their Dan Dan Noodles (RM20) that sees springy noodles on spicy dried prawn chilli, topped off with a small serving of that aromatic roast pork. For something meat-based, the tender Bak Kut Teh Ribs (RM29) nuanced with herbal flavours might be right up your alley. The menu also sees some quintessentially Western dishes, but we found that they do fusion best, so stick to the hybrids!
Avg price per person: RM35