“Not Ramen”, that is actually the initial thing that captured my focus when coming across Fifty Tales.
It is actually a strange declaration to create without situation and also I presumed it was actually merely a peculiar technique of branding on their own. However it ends up this isn’t a trick in any way.
Its own scalp gourmet chef, Aaron Khor, revealed that Fifty Tales started as a noodle club. During the course of its own very early times, lots of folks presumed it was actually an Eastern ramen club and also left all of them poor evaluations due to it.
“We were confused by this, as we had no correlation or connection to Japanese branding or cuisine,” Khor remembered. Having said that, the happening created all of them know just how underestimated Malaysian Chinese cuisine was actually reviewed to imported ones.
“It started out with a simple question—why are we okay paying RM40 to RM50 for a bowl of Japanese ramen, but not RM20 to RM30 for a bowl of Malaysian Chinese soup noodles?”
Thus Khor and also his 2 founders, Aaron Phua and also Bimmy Soh, made a decision to alter that and also reveal merely exactly how unique neighborhood meals could be.
Remodeling typical standards with taste
I understand what you are actually believing, lots of various other bistros in Malaysia case to carry out the very same factor. If everybody is actually performing it at that point just how “unique” is it definitely?
Fifty Tales’ handle this is actually through using a modern variation to typical Chinese meals you matured consuming. This isn’t to become puzzled along with blend cuisine where you combine 2 lifestyles in one platter.
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What Khor and also his staff carry out is actually remember at tradition cuisine that has actually lasted via the exam of your time and also offer it a modern twist. “We try our best to make it more refined and elevated, using better ingredients and techniques that are relevant today,” he revealed.
As an example, the restaurant delivers Roasted Corn-Fed Chick Lower leg as portion of its own supper food selection referred to as Cincai Supper. As opposed to merely scallion oil, Khor utilizes kulim oil which is actually referred to as “jungle garlic” as a result of its own garlic scent.
Enjoyable truth: Kulim oil is actually likewise nicknamed as the“truffle of SE Asia” One neighborhood brand name that makes and also markets this is actually Oylhaus.
Besides that, the restaurant likewise examines typical cuisine coming from various languages, like Cantonese, Teochew, and also Hokkien.
The concept for this stemmed from learning more about their staff a lot better and also finding out the various meals they matured consuming. “We realised there were more differences between each of us than things being common [and] we wanted to highlight that,” he discussed.
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Thus, you can easily locate meals like Braised Porker Ears (a Cantonese meal) and also Heavy steam Sabah Razor Blade Clams (a Hokkien meal) at its own PJ channel.
However if that is actually certainly not up your street at that point you’ll still have the ability to locate the restaurant’s preliminary noodle offerings throughout lunch.
The staff isn’t a follower of smugness
The only thing that mentioned, belonging to a younger staff, Khor discussed that the offerings at Fifty Tales may not be sluggish. The restaurant produces it a lead to introduce their food selection concerning every area of the year.
They would certainly likewise produce unique food selections for cheery times like Chinese New Year and also the Mooncake festivity. However do not stress if one thing you just like is actually removed, as they normally revive meals that consumers understand all of them for.
Most of these things are actually established through Khor themself, though his partnering founders and also staff offer their input also. Assessing and also tests are actually performed inside to guarantee a food obtains the thumbs-up in advance.
Having actually educated in the currently two-starred Michelin restaurant, Dewakan for 2 years, Khor is actually fully equipped to manage this duty.
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He is actually assisted through Phua and also Soh that have actually just as set up accreditations. For situation, Phua likewise operates yet another coffee shop referred to as Thirty Few seconds, whereas Soh was actually culinarily educated in Australia for 7 years.
Fifty Tales was actually the product of Phua and also Soh that were actually friends in Berjaya School. Khor joined all of them a year after its own beginning as scalp gourmet chef and also eventually ended up being a service companion. All together, the triad increased the restaurant coming from a noodle club to the family-oriented business it is actually today.
In addition to the meals, yet another technique they have actually expanded your business is actually via cooperations along with various other neighborhood and also worldwide cooks, consisting of ClubSoda in Bali and also Sugarhall in Singapore.
This continuous project is their initiative to produce special knowledge. Concurrently, it is actually likewise to link hookups along with various cooks and also bistros all over the world and also produce a neighborhood.
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Developing along with consumers and also current opportunities
The modern Chinese restaurant generally intends to offer those in their mid-30s and also above. This is actually due to the fact that their supper food selection is actually crafted in a manner in which it agrees with for discussing among huge households and also teams.
Once the public meals are actually picked, consumers can easily opt for to combine all of them along with evident rice or even their trademark “Ren Li Mian” (hand crafted noodles).
Having said that, this will certainly alter as opportunity takes place. The staff locates it vital to adjust to existing opportunities and also know that their target audience will certainly never ever be actually taken care of. Mid-30s will certainly eventually come to be mid-40s, therefore on etc.
“We grow with our customers, remembering our regulars and making sure they feel heard because they’ve supported us from day one,” Khor mentioned.
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This is actually likewise yet another reason they have actually stuck to Cincai Supper also. It originally began as a method to adjust to the problems of enduring COVID-19, yet a lot of customers sought they maintain it so it is actually currently an essential.
Eventually, Khor and also his staff desire to be actually both a suggestion of their consumers’ childhood years and also futures through offering timeless but impressive meals.
Somehow, it mirrors Khor’s cooking history at Dewakan, where the restaurant’s creator (Darren Teoh) when discussed that “tradition is fluid” and also needs to have to grow and also alter along with opportunity.
Find out more concerning Fifty Tales right here.
Go through various other write-ups our team have actually covered Malaysian start-ups right here.
Included Graphic Credit Score: Aaron Khor, the Dewakan-trained gourmet chef that helms Fifty Tales’ home kitchen/ Fifty Tales