KAJANG, July 22 — Spend enough time in Kajang and chances are someone will mention Chong Kee, an unassuming eatery where regular patrons always order the ABC and Dry Chicken Curry Mee.
The nondescript shop is easy to miss. Located behind the Kajang market, its façade is modest and seating limited to just a few plastic tables.
Similarly, the atmosphere is unpretentious and fuss-free: the uncle handles the cooking of noodles, while the auntie manages the flow of orders.
There is little flash or signage. Inside, things have changed little over the years — evidenced by the well-worn ice-shaving machine still in use today.
The nondescript shop is located behind the Kajang market. — Picture by CK Lim
By most modern standards, Chong Kee is rough around the edges. Air conditioning is absent, and the ceiling fans do little to counter the tropical heat. Therein lies Chong Kee’s charm, honestly.
You might balk at how parking nearby is in short supply, and newcomers often struggle to find it.
Still, many regulars consider these inconveniences easily overlooked. They come for the food — and they are not alone.
A must-order at Chong Kee is their Dry Chicken Curry Mee. — Picture by CK Lim
A must-order at Chong Kee is their aforementioned Dry Chicken Curry Mee, of course.
The noodles are served in a warm, concentrated curry — neither overly greasy nor too diluted. Fish balls, slices of fish cake, fried tofu skin, and small cuts of chicken top the dish.
Remember to tell the uncle what noodles you prefer: yellow mee, rice vermicelli or hor fun. The appeal of the Dry Chicken Curry Mee lies not in complexity, but in consistency.
This is a dish that tastes the same no matter how many times you have had it. These days, that is a rare quality indeed.
Remember to tell the uncle what noodles you prefer. — Picture by CK Lim
The ABC (or air batu campur in Malay) offers a contrasting experience. On hot afternoons, customers often arrive solely for this shaved ice dessert.
The ice is ground to a fine, fluffy texture, then layered with syrup, sweetcorn, peanuts and occasionally sour plum for those who like that hit of acid.
Some diners with more sophisticated palates might wish for richer flavours — more santan (coconut milk) or gula Melaka syrup, perhaps — but I’d argue the light touch is precisely what makes it memorable.
Shaving ice. — Picture by CK Lim
This isn’t a filled-to-the-brim sort of ABC; this is the sort of ABC our grandparents might have tasted in their youth.
Watching the auntie prepare each bowl — from carefully shaving the large block of ice to adding various syrups — remains part of the experience.
The whole scene feels like a loop in time: finely ground flakes of ice tumbling into bowls beneath the ice-ageing shaving machine, the faded walls holding the weight of thirty-odd years of business without chasing after accolades.
Adding various syrups. — Picture by CK Lim
When she brings a bowl of Chong Kee’s signature ABC to your table, you can’t help but admire it in all its minimalist splendour.
For longtime customers, the routine is familiar by now: first, the requisite Dry Chicken Curry Mee, followed by a bowl of ABC.
The menu is short, and expectations are well defined. There is little experimentation here. The shop continues to serve the same handful of dishes it always has.
Chong Kee’s signature ABC in all its minimalist splendour. — Picture by CK Lim
In an age of fast-changing food trends, Chong Kee’s enduring appeal lies in its refusal to change. The shop is not curated for the digital age, nor has it sought to expand or modernise.
Indeed I couldn’t find much online about it prior to visiting; this was entirely based on a local friend’s recommendation.
Instead, it remains a constant presence in Kajang — an old-fashioned eatery quietly carrying on, where the food continues to taste the way people remember it.
Kedai ABC & Air Batu Chong Kee
A19 & A20, Medan Selera,
Jalan Bukit,
Kajang, Selangor.
Open daily 8am-3pm
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
