THERE is a neighbourhood pub in Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya that is out of the ordinary.
Why? Because this place serves Hokkien char noodles that is one of the best in the area.
I am talking about Online Pub (N 03 08.112, E 101 37.745) which is located along Jalan SS20/10.
At RM12.50 a plate, it is practically pub grub and everything about Online’s version of the noodles is commendable, in terms of taste and flavour.
Now, the pricing may be a bit steep but the experience is worth it.
And the “huge” surprise behind it all is the person who prepares the dish.
It is a big and burly Indian dude named Lawrence Balachandran.
Friendly neighbourhood pub: Online celebrates two decades of serving the thirsty residents in Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya.
While chilling out at the bar, I got to chat with him and he told me he learnt to fry the noodles on his own, drawing a regular stream of customers.
“Eh Sam, I use chee yau char (pork crackling) and chee yau (lard) for frying the noodles.
“In the past, I also used chee yun (pig’s liver) as part of the ingredients but some customers felt that it was unhealthy to eat it, so I kept it simple with pork slices and shrimp,” he explained.
Online’s Hokkien char is consistent as I regularly patronise the pub with members of the StarMetro “Bar Council”.
And on the Samo-scale, I would rate it at seven out of 10.
Other noteworthy grub in this place are the pork chop (RM25) and the deep-fried bacon slices.
Now, if you ever place an order for the fried bacon (RM20), just make sure that they do not coat it with barbecue sauce.
I prefer his bacon deep-fried with BBQ sauce on the side where it belongs.
Online Pub is managed by Lawrence and his younger brother Colin, and is open from Monday to Saturday, from 6pm to midnight.
Currently, it is open from noon onwards for lunch as well, so, if you are into Hokkien-char, this is the place to be in Damansara Kim.
