THE Sarawak Laksa at Salted in Petaling Jaya is one of the finest I have ever tasted. The curry is good, not overwhelming with the spices. Add in some sambal with lime juice and the laksa comes into full bloom with a touch of sour and zest from the sambal.

We had chosen the Sarawak Laksa Original at this cafe with sea prawns, chicken and strips of omelette. The prawns are fresh and springy and there are just enough of the other toppings to make it yummy. There is also the “special” with brown cuttlefish added and XXL sea prawns. But I have had my fix with the original and enjoyed it.

My love affair with Sarawak laksa had started with a memorable one at a Sarawakian friend’s place, then in Kuching and at a stall in a coffee shop in Bangsar (Aunty Christina, who has since set up shop in SEA Park, PJ). The Sarawak Laksa at Salted holds its own among these.

Salted is all about Sarawak food with ingredients imported from Kuching. The next best thing here is the Kolo Mee with Beef. The noodles look plain and unattractive but when you take a bite, they unfold flavours with every strand, from their eggy aroma to the seasoning that coats each noodle with utter deliciousness and shallot oil for that silkiness. The thin slices of tender beef have flavour in every fibre. The noodles, which are topped with crispy fried shallots, are served with beef soup and sambal but I love the noodles as they are, without the sambal.

Tomato noodles are also a Sarawak speciality. The same noodles for the Kolo Mee are deep fried for the Tomato Crispy Mee at Salted and crowned with bouncy fish balls, fish cake, fresh sea prawns, fried shallots and vegetables. It’s drizzled with a light tomato gravy which it also sits on. The noodles stay crunchy and are so delightful with the sauce and all its seafood goodies.

I’m also wowed by the iced Teh C Special with Apong sugar. This three-layered tea (tea, milk and apong sugar at the bottom) is heavenly. The golden brown, treacle-like sugar from the nipah palm imbues the tea with a lovely aroma and a complex, subtle sweetness. I usually don’t like my tea with milk but this tea beats everything else.

It is my first time tasting the Kacang Ma and I like it. This chicken stew is cooked with a herb – Chinese motherwort (Leonurus Sibiricus) – and is for women in confinement or after their menstruation. It tastes slightly bitter and hot and aromatic with ginger. Usually wine is added to it, but this is left out at Salted as it is a halal restaurant.

Kacang Ma is actually the local name of the herb which originated from China and can only be found in Sarawak. I found the Kacang Ma tasted even better the day after I took it home, as the flavours had developed further and embraced the chicken.

It’s inexpensive eating at Salted. Original Sarawak Laksa is RM9.50, Kolo Mee with Beef RM8.50, Tomato Crispy Mee RM9, Kacang Ma RM10, Teh C Special Apong RM5.

I’m going back to try their Mee Jawa Sarawak and Belacan Beehoon, and hopefully the Sago Gula Apong! Salted is at 0-1, Jalan PJU7/16A, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, tel: 03-7733 4566. – December 15, 2018.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.