[NON-HALAL]
PETALING JAYA: There’s nothing quite like a succulent bowl of Sarawak kolo mee. Just imagine springy egg noodles, tender char siu slices and robust minced meat, liberally sprinkled with spring onions, sliced shallots and lard: it’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water!
Thankfully, Klang Valley residents don’t need air tickets to get their fix of Sarawakian delicacies: they can now pop by Slurrp, a new eatery in SS2 serving up delicious food from the Land of the Hornbills.
Slurrp is the brainchild of Kuching husband and wife Gary Lim and Sharon Chong, who originally started the business from their home in Mont Kiara. Lim, who used to work in the insurance industry, lost his job in November 2020: with debts mounting, his wife persuaded him to turn his passion, cooking, into a business.
Lim had previously worked at restaurants and cafés run by his aunts and his uncles, and the rest he had picked up from his mother or social media. Still, he was uncertain about stepping into these waters.
“Initially I was very scared. Cooking for family and friends is very different from cooking for the public. But I managed to come out of my shell, and the rest is history,” Lim told FMT Lifestyle with a laugh.
Lim’s offerings were initially enjoyed mostly by their friends and neighbours. Soon, however, word about their food spread, and customers from as far as Sri Kembangan and Cyberjaya were dropping by his shop.
In August, Lim accepted another job, and the business went on hiatus. He started to wonder, however, if he had done the right thing.
“Work had been busy. But after a while, I began to feel something was lacking. I didn’t know how to explain it. And I had a lot of calls and messages, asking if I was going to reopen Slurrp,” said Lim.
Upon returning to Kuching later that year, Lim happened to meet one of his best friends: as it turned out, he was very interested in Slurrp, and was willing to invest in it.
And so, Lim took a leap of faith. He resigned and reignited Slurrp, opening its SS2 shop in September this year.
The brightly lit restaurant is adorned with large pictures of Lim’s signature dishes on one of its walls, accompanied by depictions of Garren, Slurrp’s cute cartoon hornbill mascot.
On another wall, vintage photographs of Sarawakian landmarks such as the Sarawak River, St Joseph’s Cathedral and the old airport are on display.
Slurrp’s menu offers a good selection of Sarawak’s most well-known dishes. The Sarawak Laksa is a popular choice here, its rich and creamy broth perfectly complementing its shredded chicken, beansprouts and large prawns.
The Kampua, or Foo Chow equivalent of kolo mee, is rather satisfying, especially when accompanied by kiaw, which are dry pork dumplings. And the Tomato Mee, a nest of crispy egg noodles atop a sea of broth, is both visually appealing and a treat for the tastebuds.
“We only serve food that we want to eat ourselves and what we want to serve to our parents,” Lim quipped.
And of course, you can’t leave Slurrp without trying the dish that started it all, the Kolo Mee. These vivid orange noodles are definitely delicious, and pair well with one of the many cold beverages on their menu.
Lim still has further plans for his restaurant: he plans to bring in more Sarawakian delicacies, such as Kongpia (Fuzhou bagels) and Matterhorn. He also hopes to start a dinner menu soon, with home cooked food such as vegetable dishes and meat platters.
“There are a lot of amazing dishes in Sarawak, some which are not very known in the Klang Valley. And I hope to bring them over and introduce them. If you like Sarawak food, or want to try something different, do stop by. And bring your friends,” the sunny Lim concluded with a laugh.
Follow Slurrp on Facebook and Instagram.
Slurrp [NON-HALAL]
22, Jalan SS2/24,
SS2, Petaling Jaya
47300 Selangor
Business hours: 8am-5pm (closed on Mondays)