Restoran Choon Yien is one of those open secret that most PJ boys and girls would know about. When it comes to eating chicken rice with juicy BBQ Pork and Roast Pork, this is one of those restaurant that would automatically pop into mind. I have been coming over here for years, I've had friends and readers asking me why until today, I still refused to write about the place even though I shared photos of the food I eat here on my Instagram. So, after years of avoiding it, finally succumbed and here's my take on this restaurant.

Now, this place gets crazy by 12.15 - 12.30pm, the place would be jam packed with hungry people looking for a place to sit for lunch. I've even heard of some staffs of the surrounding companies/factories that would send a representative out to the restaurant before the official lunch hour just to ensure that they would have a place to sit and order secured. I took a visiting friend from Melbourne to this restaurant at 11 and he was commenting that it is an ungodly hour for LUNCH,  by 12pm, he told me that he is lucky I took him there at 11 instead of 12 as we see people appearing out of nowhere coming into the restaurant for food.

Personally, I'm usually there by 11.30am, some might feel that it's a bit too early for lunch but then, that's the best time if you don't want to fight for a table and the 3 important items that I go there for is fresh out of the kitchen. Yup, some of it is so popular that it runs out even before 1pm and what better way to make sure we get it is to show up before that?


Now, why is the lunch crowd so crazy at the place? Some say, it's because of the Roast Chicken (烧鸡) with the beautifully roasted crispy chicken skin, juicy meat and the taugeh soaked sauce that it rest on, for me, I would say it's the portion,  the size of the chicken is still quite reasonable so if you are there with just the right number of people (2 - 3pax), you would get a fairly good amount of chicken to eat. Coupled with the other 2 dishes below, it would be just the perfect amount to leave you comatose for the rest of the afternoon at work. So eat at your own risk for it will leave you unproductive for a good hour or so after lunch.
Verdict:


The Barbeque Pork aka Char Siew (叉燒) is one of the main reason a lot of people  come here for lunch, so you think it was the roast chicken, didn't you? Well, this is most consistently ordered dish at the restaurant in the afternoon, the chicken? Not as much. I've seen at some days where the BBQ Pork was sold out by 1.30pm, and at most restaurant, that's the peak of the service. I've asked the proprietor why he didn't increase production knowing that there's so many customers that comes for it. And he told me that he actually did quite some time back, increased the amount of food produced with the number of available kitchen staff. Well, I guess that wouldn't surprise me, looking at how popular the place is.
Verdict:


Now, this I would say is the Holy Grail of the restaurant, the Roast Pork aka Siew Yuk (烧肉). The one that always gets away if you go during the 1pm - 2pm lunch hour. At most times, by 12.30 at the latest, the chef would inform anyone who orders that the Roast Pork has ran out. The fastest I've seen it happened was 11.45am. Some regulars even went to the extend of calling in advance to place their orders. So if he knows you well, he'll entertain your order and set it aside for you. If you claim you know him well but he has no idea who you are, you're out of luck. For me, why take the chance? That's why I would just show up at 11am, while everyone else is still at their desk, find my place to sit and place my order as I watch the gem appear from the kitchen onto the chopping board.
Verdict:

 I'm never a big fan of rice but I would say the only time I would actually finish a bowl of rice is those "Oil Rice" (有饭) served at chicken rice stalls. This place serves one of the fluffiest rice I've eaten in the Petaling Jaya area, the chicken broth soaked into the rice along with faint hints of ginger and garlic gives it an aromatic texture. I've seen some going for at least 2 helpings whenever they are there.
Verdict:

At the end of the day, it is still up to the fans to decide which is the best chicken rice they've eaten at. For me, i would not be bothered to classify them as the number 1 or the number 2 and so on,  each has their own unique flavors and style and for me, I don't choose where I would go to eat based on what ranking they sit in my list but what I'm particularly craving for. So this place, is one of the Go-To place whenever I want to satisfy my 3-treasures (taught by one of the restaurant for me use whenever I talk about my usual order, the combination of chicken, roast pork and char siew) craving.

Restoran Choon Yien

CG - 1, Jalan 17/13, Happy Mansion,
46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Phone: +6016-280-9043
Hours: 11:00am - 3:00pm
Waze: https://waze.to/lr/hw283b8xct

Ratings:

FOOD :

SERVICE :

CLEANLINESS/AMBIENCE :

VALUE FOR MONEY :

 

MAP:

Click to Enlarge