Bai Wei Mini Bowl in KL and Selangor
It’s lunchtime and you’re in the mood for some solid Chinese food. But you’re not keen on splurging on a full-course spread at midday. Enter Bai Wei Mini Bowl, a restaurant with five outlets in Klang Valley that lets you have a proper Chinese meal at chap fan portions and prices.
Their restaurant has a 24-hour outlet in Puchong, and serves Sichuan and Hunan dishes in single-portion mini bowls from as low as RM2. These are easy to share with family and friends, so everyone gets to try a variety of flavours without overstuffing their stomachs – whatever the time of day.
Sichuan-Hunan cuisine in mini bowls from RM2 each
Malaysian “bananas” will know the struggle of ordering dishes in a typical chap fan stall – most usually resort to pointing or saying “this and that” when choosing their dishes. But the language barrier won’t be an issue at Bai Wei Mini Bowl, thanks to the restaurant’s fuss-free self-service dining format.
Once you have your food tray, just pick out all the dishes you want and pay at the counter. The dishes are all tagged as well with both English and Chinese names, so you never have to wonder what that mysterious-yet-interesting-looking choy is.
Bai Wei Mini Bowl’s rice (RM2) comes in golden bowls, and their soup (from RM6) in brown pots. Meanwhile, the main dishes (from RM2/each) are served in white mini bowls with colour-coded logos. For instance, a green-coded Nai Bai is priced RM2, whereas a yellow-coded Lotus Root With Pork is RM4.
Here’s what we ordered
During our visit to Bai Wei Mini Bowl’s outlet in Puchong, we ordered eight dishes that added up to RM42 and it was enough to feed a group of three.
The dishes we ordered were: Nai Bai (RM2), Trio Steamed Egg (RM3), Egg Tomatoes (RM3),Century Egg With Asmanthrus (RM4), Spicy Potato Slice (RM6), Sweet & Sour Fish (RM6), Lotus Root With Pork (RM8), and Mouth Watering Chicken (RM8).
The classic Sichuan Mouth Watering Chicken is a must-try. The chilli oil and soya sauce drizzled over the succulent chicken thighs gave the dish a strong, savoury kick.
The Lotus Root With Pork was another highlight, with just the right amount of spiciness without being overpowering. The pork slices were nicely cut and tender too, while the lotus root added a subtle crunch to each bite.
At all Bai Wei Mini Bowl outlets, diners can enjoy a free soup-of-the-day at the self-service soup station. Furthermore, while dishes are kept warm on hotplates at the counter, those who like their food scorching hot can also request the staff to heat up their bowls at a reheat station.
As a plus, the restaurant has been regularly rolling out lunch promos with set meals. From 11am to 2pm daily, you can enjoy a rice bowl with two dishes and a herbal tea from RM9.
A spacious & comfortable dining environment
When you step into Bai Wei Mini Bowl, your attention will be immediately drawn to the red food counter that stretches along one side of the restaurant. Dishes are presented here under golden lights, and red signboards will stir your appetite with appealing illustrations of menu items.
The red decor perfectly reflects the restaurant’s distinct Chinese menu – with its hot flavours derived from Sichuan and Hunan cuisine.
Chap fan stalls are usually sans air-conditioning and especially stuffy during peak hours, but Bai Wei Mini Bowl’s outlet in Puchong is air-conditioned and spacious enough to house a crowd in its comfortable dining area.
Bai Wei Mini Bowl in KL and Selangor
Mainland Chinese cuisine in Malaysia is typically limited to fancy, upscale restaurants and served in large portions. However, with Bai Wei Mini Bowl bringing in a mini-bowl concept – where dishes are served in single portions at affordable price points – this foreign cuisine has just become more accessible to us.
Brownie points to their Puchong outlet for operating 24 hours, so we can enjoy the delicious flavours of China any time of day.
Watch our video feature here:
Bai Wei Mini Bowl @ Puchong
Address: A-G-42, IOI BOULEVARD, Jalan Kenari 5, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47170 Puchong, Selangor
Opening hours: 24 hours, Daily
Contact: 018-971 1668
Bai Wei Mini Bowl @ Cheras Traders Square
Address: 69, Jalan Dataran Cheras 4 Dataran Perniagaan Cheras Balakong, 43200 Cheras, Selangor
Opening hours: 11am-3am, Daily
Contact: 019-231 6653
See all their outlets here.
Bai Wei Mini Bowl is not a halal-certified eatery.
Photography by Hans Leong.
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local Malaysia
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