Kedai Makanan & Minuman Mian Jiu 久拉揸面食

Kedai Makanan & Minuman Mian Jiu 久拉揸面食
Address: No. 1854, Jalan Besar, Lukut, Negri Sembilan, Malaysia
Map: http://bit.ly/DirtyNoodles
Hours: 7:00am to 1:00pm (Closed on Monday)
Tel: +6012-353-8307 / +6012-905-8663

A well weathered banner commemorating the award of "Gold Medal" to "Dirty Noodles" by Nanyang Siang Pau newspaper in 2008 hung proudly in the old kopitiam (coffee shop).

We waited 30 minutes for our noodles but service was very friendly. By 10:00am, customers had to stand and wait for seats. Also, expect to share a table with strangers which is common practice in Malaysia at popular restaurants. I am used to such arrangements and found that locals are usually friendly and easy to engage in casual conversation with.

The "dirty" lo meen is served with a small bowl of soup. It's a homemade style soup with fresh choy sum greens, and slices of well marinated pork. The savoury sweet soup was simple and nice.

La zha meen means "dirty noodles" in Cantonese colloquialism but there is nothing dirty about these delicious noodles at all. People from far and wide travel to taste these "dirty noodles".

Many years ago, the grandmother 貴嫂 of the current owners started a noodle stall at the market place in Lukut. The noodle stall was located where 3 canals (large drains) met. The 3 canals were choked with rubbish and dirty stagnant water, making it the filthiest and smelliest place in the whole of Lukut at that time. The locals started to refer to the popular noodle stall as "dirty noodles" 拉揸面 and the name has remained ever since.

Yesterday, I tried the younger Teng brother Octo's "dirty noodles" and today, I went to try the elder brother's version. The two "dirty noodle" shops are about 3 km apart along the same main road in Lukut (both near to Port Dickson).