GOHTONG JAYA, at the base of Genting Highlands, was bustling when we arrived  at noon after a pleasant drive from Kuala Lumpur. We realised it was the school holidays, and all the restaurants – there must be at least 10 there – were filled with people.

It was just as well we had called ahead to book a table at Loong Kee Restaurant and order our fish – the wild patin buah. We should try the river prawns there too – the udang galah – in yin-yang style with both kway teow and bee hoon in an egg sauce.  It’s popularly known as “sang har meen”.

We added to these superior soup kepah clams, steamed grass carp in ginger, crispy fried belly pork and vegetables that nearby Kampung Bukit Tinggi is so famous for – baby watercress and young French beans.

The steamed wild patin buah in soya sauce, topped with fried garlic, fresh coriander and spring onions, was well worth the 45-minute drive there. The flesh was smooth, firm and sweet, with none of that fishy and muddy taste you usually associate with farmed patin.  It was perfectly steamed and this plain cooking style brought out the natural flavours of the fish while showcasing its texture.

The steamed grass carp in ginger sauce turned out surprisingly bland. It needed a little more salt and lots more ground ginger to give it oomph. 

Sang har meen presented a net of deep-fried rice noodles and fried kway teow drenched in a light, eggy sauce with large knobs of fresh, springy and sweet river prawn, or udang galah.  Cabbage and mushrooms were added to the noodles which were delicious. I liked it that the sauce was not heavy and starchy and the taste was just right.

What stood out in the superior soup kepah clams were the size of the juicy and succulent shellfish and the peppery soup that was a little hot with cili padi and fragrant with Thai basil. There was no MSG aftertaste. They were super generous with the soup.

Loong Kee is also well known for its crispy fried belly pork. This has thin slices of belly pork fried till crispy and doused in a sweet sauce. The pork had a light smoky aroma and the balance of flavours was just right, not sickly sweet.

We enjoyed both the vegetables – baby watercress fried with garlic and young french beans fried with dried prawns. The watercress had a slight bitterness which I liked, and the french beans were crunchy and sweet. 

Loong Kee has been at Gohtong Jaya for more than 30 years. Other dishes to try here include claypot braised pig’s tail with peanuts, homemade beancurd with preserved radish, fish head fried bee hoon, steamed chicken with Bentong ginger sauce, and wild boar curry.

The wild patin buah is RM240 per kg; kepah clams; RM48 for a medium portion; crispy fried pork belly, RM18;  young french beans, RM20; and watercress, RM10. The noodles go according to the weight of the river prawns, which are RM14.50 per 100g.

Gohtong Jaya is about more than just eating. There are several fruit and vegetable shops here, and we went home with bunches of red bananas, young french beans, sweet potatoes and Bentong ginger.

Loong Kee Restaurant is at  35, Jalan Jati 1, Gohtong Jaya, Genting Highlands, or call 03-6100 1149. – March 30, 2019.

* 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.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.