By Yvonne T
MIRI, Feb 24: A bowl of porridge. Simple, humble, comforting. Yet the challenge isn’t making it; it’s making it taste so good that customers keep coming back.
For Shawn Wong and his wife Lee Hua, fondly known as Kitty, that simple dish has been elevated to something regal at My Little Porridge. What started as a modest stall has grown into a local favourite, serving porridge that is anything but ordinary.
Wong, a relative newcomer to the food scene, opened My Little Porridge in 2022 after stints as an e-hailing driver and a career in the oil and gas industry. “If you don’t know how to cook, porridge is the easiest base dish to start with,” he told D’Drift Team with a laugh when asked why he chose the dish as the main dish on the menu.
But what seems simple can become extraordinary with the right touch. “You can make it so much better if you know what to add. There are a lot of ingredients that can elevate it,” Wong explained.
Learning from a friend in the F&B business and observing other cooks, he experimented and honed his craft. Wong has even observed the F&B industry in Kuching and learned how to refine his own at My Little Porridge.
He also studied the local food scene in Miri, noticing the popularity of Kolo Mee with minced pork. “I decided to try it with porridge. The taste, the aroma, it’s just better. Then we learned how to fry shallots properly so their essence really comes through.”
The results are evident in their signature dishes, the King and Queen porridge. Unlike ordinary porridge, these bowls are packed with flavour: three types of cooked eggs, minced pork, meatballs, sliced pork sausage, and crispy deep-fried shallots.
Each bowl is hearty but balanced, warm and comforting without being overwhelming.
“One of our signature dishes is the King and Queen porridge. We’ve put in more ingredients in these two dishes,” Wong said.
My Little Porridge also offers more traditional options; plain porridge with minced pork or egg, and add-ons options where customers can mix and match toppings.
Beyond porridge, the menu has expanded to include dishes like pork big bone soup with herbs and scallop omelette with egg, each crafted with the same attention to flavour and texture.
The soup is rich, with tender meat that falls off the bone, while the scallop omelette bursts with the taste of fresh seafood.
The name My Little Porridge comes from humble beginnings. “Our first stall was in a modest kopitiam. Now, we’ve moved to a slightly bigger space with a bigger kitchen,” Wong shared.
From a modest stall to a growing eatery, what sets My Little Porridge apart is Wong’s determination to transform a simple comfort dish into something memorable. Through trial, observation, and a sprinkle of creativity, he has proven that even the simplest grain can wear a crown.
My Little Porridge is located at Jalan Gardenia, Miri is open from 4pm to 10pm, and open daily but closed on Monday and Tuesday. – DayakDaily
