Bai Wei Mini Bowl in Puchong
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 10 outlets in Klang Valley that lets you have a proper Chinese meal at chap fan portions and prices.
The restaurant serves Sichuan and Hunan dishes in single-portion mini bowls, that start at just RM2. Its Puchong outlet at IOI Boulevard operates 24 hours too, so hungry Malaysians can enjoy chap fan any time of the day.
Sichuan & Hunan cuisines in single portions
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. This 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 with both English and Chinese names too, 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.
Food at Bai Wei Mini Bowl
During our visit to Bai Wei Mini Bowl’s outlet in Puchong, we ordered eight dishes that added up to RM42.
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.
Ambience at Bai Wei Mini Bowl
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 restaurants 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.
Enjoy 24-hour chap fan in Puchong
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.
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.
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’s Facebook
See all outlets here.
Bai Wei Mini Bowl is not a halal-certified eatery.
Also watch our video feature here:
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Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Hans Leong.
This article was first published on 5th June 2023, and updated on 10th June 2024.