SEREMBAN, July 15 — What we have before us is a simple plate of Hakka Mee.
Flat yellow noodles, cooked just enough that they still retain a nice chew. Topped with seasoned minced pork and finished with a ladle of clear pork-based gravy.
Sliced green onions add a touch of freshness. On the side, a small plastic saucer of pickled green chillies offers a sharp, clean contrast.
This is a simple plate, yes, but perhaps its excellence lies in its very simplicity.
Laid back vibes at this ‘kopitiam’ located on the ground floor of Seremban’s Templer Flats. — Picture by CK Lim
It is fitting, then, that we are in Seremban, where Hakka Mee is supposed to have hailed originally.
Specifically we are at Kedai Minuman & Makanan Chop Hup Fatt, an old-school kopitiam located on the ground floor of the iconic Templer Flats in the old town centre.
The shop’s laid back vibes — not to mention its perfect pairing of Hakka Mee with yong tau foo — draw regulars from early morning till noon. Now this is what we call real charm.
‘Kopi O’ and ‘cham’. — Picture by CK Lim
Many early birds come here purely for the coffee and conversation, of course. Chop Hup Fatt keeps its drink offerings simple: robust kopi O and creamy cham are the most commonly ordered; the latter blending the best of both worlds and my personal favourite.
The setting is equally straightforward; this unassuming shop has quietly built a reputation among locals for its steady hours, clean tables, and a menu that hasn’t changed for decades.
Therein lies a lesson for newer F&B operators: you grow a loyal following not by chasing the latest foodie trends (here today, gone tomorrow) but by consistently serving honest, unfussy food that customers can rely on.
The unassuming shop has been operating quietly for decades with a loyal following. — Picture by CK Lim
Back to the Hakka Mee: The trick here — if you can call it that — is to order your Hakka Mee with an accompaniment of yong tau foo. (Trust me, the regulars all do this so this hardly qualifies as a secret tip.)
The selection is basic. You have the usual suspects: tofu puffs, eggplant, bitter gourd, lady’s fingers — each stuffed with a bouncy fish paste. There are wantan and sui kao too, for those who love a dumpling or two.
Opt for your yong tau foo in soup or fried to order. Lately I found that asking for everything to be fried, even the pieces of yong tau foo you plan to dunk in the soup, adds another layer of flavour to the proceedings.
Opt for your ‘yong tau foo’ in soup or fried to order. — Picture by CK Lim
Maybe it’s just the extra grease — it probably is — but what works, works. Right?
Another standout on the menu is the dry Soy Sauce Mee, which swaps the Hakka Mee’s clear pork gravy for a rich, caramel-tinged dark soy sauce. Diners can choose their preferred type of noodles — from yellow mee to fat strands of loh shu fun (silver needle noodles) — or a mix.
Toss the noodles together so each strand is slick with savoury sauce and you have a bowl that balances a beautiful plainness with a complex dance of flavours.
Soy Sauce Mee — classic Chinese-style dry pork noodles. — Picture by CK Lim
If you prefer something spicier, there’s the laksa, which arrives rich and inviting, or soup noodles for those who like something with broth.
For those looking to take a taste of Hakka cooking home, the shop has introduced a small line of frozen, ready-to-heat items.
Dishes such as vinegar-braised pork trotters, Hakka fried pork, and hand-rolled suen poon chee (yam abacus seeds) are available for purchase.
Strands of noodles slick with soy sauce. — Picture by CK Lim
We are content to have our meal here, to sit at one of the tables and soak in the atmosphere.
Neighbours catching up on the latest gossip, workers dropping by for a quick lunch, the morning sun that lights up the open-air courtyard.
Chop Hup Fatt may not advertise itself loudly — not many of our Seremban friends even knew of the shop’s existence — but it doesn’t have to. For long-time patrons, they know they can always return here for the simple fare, for food tastes like home.
Kedai Minuman & Makanan Chop Hup Fatt 十四楼合发茶室
Ground Floor, Templer Flats,
Jalan Tun Dr Ismail, Seremban
Open Tue-Sun 7am-1pm; Mon closed
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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