KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Situated along a busy stretch on Jalan Radin Bagus, Sri Petaling is The VEE by Teochiew, sporting a gleaming gold sign on its black walls which stands out amidst a crowded gaggle of Chinese noodle spots, Korean barbeque joints and karaoke centres.
Here, the curious combination of gin and Teochew cuisine offers a look at what happens when a Chinese restaurant brings an eclectic and inspired gin collection to the table.
Despite the fairly novel concept, The VEE is no new kid on the block.
A chat with the owner and gin enthusiast-in-residence revealed that they’d occupied that location for close to eight years; previously, it was a traditional Teochew restaurant serving classics like braised meats and fried porridge, simply named Teochiew at Sri Petaling.
Advertisement
Crunchy Entrails are a great snack here.
The signature Fried Porridge is a must have.
JigNorSanXi carries notes of lemon and apricot.
In early 2022, they closed to be reborn as The VEE by Teochiew, serving a selection of playful gin cocktails while retaining several classic Teochew dishes that make for an entertaining experience.
Gin, of course, is front and centre here.
The list — over a hundred strong — circles the globe twice over, including the likes of Hayman’s, Peddlers, Nordés, Cruxland and The Botanist.
Advertisement
If the thought of navigating such a list seems daunting, opt for a cocktail like I did.
Scrambled Egg Choytam comes in a neat mound.
Daoiu Qoay was a moreish dish of chicken thighs.
The cheekily named Chiuchow Mui (RM28) cocktail is crisp, strong and refreshing, with elements of lemon, lime and dry orange that stand up to the delightfully salty and moreish Crunchy Entrails (RM24).
These perfectly crisp bits of offal sound like pebbles on a plate, and one can only imagine gobbling down multiple plates of these over one drink too many.
A signature here, the Fried Porridge (RM28 with pork) presents a delectable challenge to find a drink to go with it.
Sporting a dark blonde rather than brunette appearance, it’s filled to the brim with savoury elements like har mai and strips of dried cuttlefish.
UaMZai was my favourite drink of the night, a wonderful balance of floral and sweet flavours.
Teochiew Orrnii here comes with pomegranate.
Fried Milk Rolls are a guilty pleasure.
This calls for something similarly refreshing and citrusy, with more of a botanical backbone, to which the JigNorSanXi (RM28) is the effervescent and fruity answer.
Notes of lemon and apricot come to the fore, rounded out by the distinct flavour of juniper.
These characteristics also made it the perfect foil for the garlicky and slightly sweet Scrambled Eggs Choytam (RM24) that followed.
Rounding up the savoury dishes was the thick, sticky and slightly sweet Daoiu Qoay (RM26) which consisted of juicy pieces of dark chicken meat.
Last was the standout drink of the meal: Floral, fragrant and delightfully sweet, the UaMZai (RM28) featured Nordés, Martin Miller’s London Dry gin, compounded sugar and dry vermouth.
The sign at the front of the restaurant.
It was the perfect sip to tide our palate over to dessert, going extremely well with both the rich Teochiew Orrnii (RM9.50) and sweet and creamy crispy Milk Rolls (RM18).
The VEE by teochiew
41, Jalan Radin Bagus, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur
Open daily, 11am-11pm, Closed on Tuesday
On Saturday and Sunday, they open from 11.30am
Tel: 019-342 1021
Facebook: @theVeekitchen
Instagram: @theveekitchen
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
*Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
