Mama is a household name in Thailand. In fact, the brand is so popular, the term ‘Mama’ is used as a generic term to refer to all instant noodle brands (kinda like what we do with Maggi here: Vits, Cintan, Ibumie = Maggi).

While Mama noodles aren’t hard to find in Malaysia, they are pretty rare in most supermarkets, so you’re more likely to find them in Thai grocers, specialty shops, or restaurants. One of the newer places to get a ‘fancy’ version of these noodles is Mama Mee Yah@IOI Mall Puchong. As the name suggests, the resto specializes in Mama noodles, spruced up with ingredients like seafood and chicken, but you can also order Thai rice dishes like stir-fried chicken with basil.

Nice interior, which hasn’t changed much from when this space used to be Pho Street.

The Hubs and I weren’t particularly hungry, so we decided to share one main meal and order a side dish. We were disappointed when it came to the table, because there wasn’t a lot of noodles, and just four average-sized chicken meatballs plus an egg. Not worth the price, which is close to RM20 per bowl. I could have cooked five packets of Mama mee plus my own fancy trimmings with that budget.

Okay, so portions aren’t great. What about the taste?

It didn’t do well in that regard either. The tomyum was quite bland and watery. It wasn’t bad to the point of being inedible, but I really cannot justify paying that much for average food that I could have made at home. We also regretted our order of grilled chicken skewers, as they were drier than the Sahara desert.

Unfortunately, the signatures that we ordered at Mama Mee Yah did not impress. Considering the hefty price tag, I don’t think we will be giving this place a return visit.

Now if you want cheap, authentic Thai food, I recommend this. Or if you want a fancier place with lots of variety but won’t burn a hole in your pocket and actually gives you good value for money, this.

MAMA MEE YAH (IOI MALL PUCHONG)

Lot FS-20, First Floor, Batu 9, Jalan Puchong, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47170 Puchong, Selangor

Opening hours: 10AM -10PM (daily)

PS: Opinions here are entirely my own and are based on my personal taste. They are not to disparage businesses, but to provide an honest review of my experiences.

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