If you’ve read the article about my first yong tau foo adventure on SETHLUI.COM, you’d know that Ah Keong Yong Tow Foo is the catalyst to my new-found love for the dish. I still think that the 19-year-old stall helmed by the friendly uncle still serves the best YTF in town, but upon hearing about another famous 28-year-old YTF spot in Ampang, I was intrigued.
Yong Tau Foo Kg Pandan was established in 1977 and currently run by the 3rd generation of a Malay Muslim family. I’ve heard that they have a pretty solid social media presence, which explains the well-curated logo printed on the staffs’ T-shirts, as well as other pre-packed snacks that they sell in the shop.
My dad, who had lived in the area since his teenage years while working to make ends meet until the year my mom was pregnant with my older sister, told me that the shop once started as a humble stall under the trees. He was surprised to see how well the place is fairing now.
Ah Keong Yong Tow Foo, on the other hand, is one of the stalls occupying Uptown Hawker Centre in Damansara. It has long been a favourite among locals, especially office workers grabbing a quick lunch and families looking for a fuss-free dinner after sundown. Opening daily at 4.30pm, the spot quickly draws long, winding queues — often within an hour of lifting its shutters.
Variety & preparation of ingredients
In terms of the variety of the ingredients (which is the pivotal part of eating yong tau foo in Malaysia, in my humble opinion), I’d say that both spots were similar yet so different. Yong Tau Foo Kg Pandan offered more colourful selections that you would notice right away — such as cartoon & fruity fish cake, fish-stuffed chillies of both green and red colours, vibrant imitation lobster sticks, and striped prawn balls.
Meanwhile, Ah Keong Yong Tow Foo’s counter appeared more natural with an abundance of fish cake varieties. The only pop of colour was from the red chillies and imitation crab. Personal preference plays a role, but to me, Ah Keong’s selection looked far more appetising than Kg Pandan’s.
While both places shared many of the same ingredients, each had unique offerings that couldn’t be found at the other.
When it comes to preparation, Ah Keong stands out as perhaps the only YTF spot I know that not only boils its ingredients but also refries the crispy ones — an extra step that takes the dish to another level.
Cost
Both spots are crowd-favourites for offering yummy and cheap yong tau foo in town, so I put it to the test by getting the same portions of the dish (as much as I could, anyway). I made sure to get 1 bowl of soup and both bean and red chilli sauces for each serving.
My plate for Yong Tau Foo Kg Pandan ended up costing me RM28, while Ah Keong Yong Tow Foo set me back by RM24.50. I didn’t manage to get kangkung and squid at Ah Keong as both of these ingredients were out at that time, so I’d say that these 2 spots offered pretty similar prices.
Yong Tau Foo Kg Pandan didn’t have the prices on display, while Ah Keong’s prices ranged from RM1 to RM2.60 per ingredient.
Both spots served their YTF with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, but Kg Pandan took it a step further by adding crushed fried shallots for extra flavour.
Soup
Yong Tau Foo Kg Pandan’s soup was clearer, and served with chopped Chinese celery leaves. Despite looking like — what I would call as “sup bodo”, it was flavourful and comforting. Ah Keong Yong Tow Foo’s soup was a little darker, and topped with fried shallots instead. From the first slurp, I felt like I accidentally dipped my tongue into the dead sea. While I do love my MSG like a true Asian, this felt a bit too much.
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Sauces
The bean sauce for both spots were excellent — just enough sweetness to pair well with the ingredients. However, the chilli sauce for Yong Tau Foo Kg Pandan was curiously not that distinct from their bean sauce, as it had the same thick consistency and sweetness.
Ah Keong Yong Tow Foo’s chilli sauce had coarse red chilli bits, and actually provided a necessary subtle punch of heat to the dish.
Yong tau foo
If you’re my friend, I would not hesitate to sit you down and describe each ingredient in detail like a mad scientist discovering the concept of physics for the first time. But due to current circumstances, I will just point out the ingredients that stand out to me for both spots. (And I’m sure you’re not here to read a 12-page long food review anyway.)
Let’s start with the basics: the kuey teow. Visually identical at both places, but Kg Pandan’s had a firmer bite, making a noticeable difference in texture — especially for those who appreciate a bit of chew in their noodles.
Next, the stuffed eggplant. Kg Pandan simply boiled theirs, which wasn’t my preference. Ah Keong, on the other hand, refried it, giving the dish a far more indulgent taste. However, the stuffing at Ah Keong had a stronger fishy note — almost veering into keropok lekor territory.
For stuffed chillies, Kg Pandan offered both red and green varieties, while Ah Keong only had red. Personally, I preferred the green — its flavour just stood out more. That said, Ah Keong’s version packed more heat.
Now, the mystery fish cake (to me). It’s round, with green and red flecks that enhance its flavour. At Kg Pandan, it was a dense, standard fish cake, while Ah Keong’s version tasted remarkably like otak-otak — a delightful surprise!
Speaking of fish cakes, Ah Keong served a variety of refried ones, while Kg Pandan’s were more colourful but boiled. Despite their similar appearance, the crispy, deep-fried texture at Ah Keong won me over. However, they were noticeably fishier than Kg Pandan’s.
Moving on to unique offerings at each spot: I tried squid pieces and a dim sum-style fish cake (which turned out to be a simple dumpling). The squid, though dark red and firm, was surprisingly tender. The dumpling packed a bold black pepper punch — unexpected but enjoyable.
Finally, the fuchuk. Kg Pandan had it, but since I’m not a fan of boiled fuchuk — and theirs looked quite thick — I skipped it there. Instead, I got it at Ah Keong, and it was as crispy and heavenly as I remembered.
Verdict & final thoughts
At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference. Honestly, I preferred the fish cake varieties and stuffing at Yong Tau Foo Kg Pandan — they were less fishy and had more nuanced flavours. However, Ah Keong Yong Tow Foo’s method of refrying the ingredients, combined with their delicious red chili sauce, made them the clear winner for me.
How about you? What is your favourite yong tau foo spot? Do let us know so we can try more in the future!
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