Lava Lava Gourmet Bun (火山包专门店) @ SS2

When it comes to eating, there is no shortage along the busy streets of SS2, with a widespread range of local fare, cafes, fast food and wonder hawker food vendors. But Lava Lava manages to catch our attentions with its wide range of fine fluffy quality gourmet buns which are handmade daily from scratch.

Lava Lava is easily noticeable from the main road as it is located next to

the popular Nasi Kandar Pelita, directly opposite to McDonald's SS2 outlet. 

Imagine the aromatic space that conquers your senses as soon as the savoury sauce oozes out like molten lava in your mouth. How can you resist such simple yet addictive Lava Lava Bun? As soon as we learn about the painstaking process of making the buns, we are more eager to try out the chef's new innovation buns! 

The ambiance of the cafe makes it a comfortable hangout spot, with just the right amount of quirkiness to keep things simple yet fun. The contemporary and vibrant interior exudes a sense of relaxed ease. Unfortunately, the staff here are a little inattentive and do not respond much to customers. 

 Lava Lava Buns

Aromatic Curry Chicken (香浓咖哩鸡丁)

Mushroom Chic (蘑菇鸡丁)

Chicken Satay (沙爹鸡丁)

Chicken BBQ (马来黄姜鸡丁) @ RM3.90

The homemade gourmet buns come in 3 distinctive flavours-- Aromatic Curry Chicken, Mushroom Chicken and Chicken Satay-- which are totally unique and not commonly available elsewhere. The buns come with a story behind it-- the painstaking process of waking up at wee hours to knead the dough, prepare the filling from scratch and bake the buns before the shop opens. 

Sometimes if you are lucky, the daily specially-baked buns may come in Chicken BBQ or Tom Yam flavours. Other pastries such as Lava Lava egg tarts and toasts are seasonal, and may not be available everyday. 

Aromatic Curry Chicken Bun (香浓咖哩鸡丁)

What makes Lava Lava bun different from the usual bun from bakeries is the extra buttery flavour and crispy exterior of the bun that absorbs the aroma of the filling very well.

Our biggest applause goes to the fluffy and hearty Curry Chicken Bun that is stuffed with chicken cubes and creamy curry gravy that oozes out as you put it into your mouth. The filling is very thick, robust in spiciness and it gives an instant kick to the palate.

Chicken Satay Bun (沙爹鸡丁)

Added with local touch, the exotic chicken satay bun is equally noteworthy as its sauce has a well-balanced sweet and spicy flavour with strong aroma of grounded peanuts. It tastes exactly the same as dipping our chicken skewers into the peanut sauce! 

Mushroom Chicken Bun (蘑菇鸡丁)

The basic flavour is usually the crowd's favourite. Filled with a delightful blend of tender chicken and juicy mushroom with a dash of brown sauce in a light fluffy bun, the bun will simply melt in the mouth. 

 Main Courses

Apart from the signature buns, Lava Lava also whips up a combination of local and Western fare that is surprisingly kind to our pockets. Glancing through the menu, I find nothing that costs more than RM10! Here you can tuck into comfortable, fuss-free food for all meals of the day.

Lava Curry Noodle (Normal) @ RM6.90

Among the popular dishes, Lava curry noodle is our personal favourite because it packs a huge flavour punch from its rich, creamy broth. The portion is generous as the broth is full of eggs, beancurd sheet, beans sprout, and fried fish cake. You can even top up RM2 for a Chicken Rendang Drumstick, what a great deal right?

Lava Spaghetti (Black Pepper) @ RM9.90

Served with stir-fried al dente spaghetti and a helping of savoury black pepper sauce, Lava's signature fried chicken tastes incredible! Crispy on the outside and soft inside, the chicken does not turn soggy even after some time upon serving. Similar to the curry noodle, it comes with a side of Lava's special Crispers  and house salad. We don't mind coming back for such a big platter of pasta!

Caramelized Lava Buttery Chicken Rice @ RM9.90

If noodles are not your choice, Lava Lava also serves different types of Asian-influenced rice platter such as Lava Nasi Lemak (RM8.90) and Ayam Percik rice (RM9.90). As for the buttery chicken rice, the chicken is indeed crispy on the exterior despite of being soaked in the pool of buttery sauce. 

Verdict:

1. Decent place for simple, comfort food but taste wise it is still lacking much. 

2. Buns are okay, but must be eaten while hot. Otherwise you'd rather not eat them. 

3. Recommended: Aromatic Curry Chicken Bun, Lava Curry Noodle

Lava Lava 火山包
No. 11, Ground Floor,
(Opposite SS2 McDonalds, same row with Nasi Kandar Pelita)
Jalan SS 2/64,
47300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.
Contact: 603-7865 3199
Facebook: fb.com/LavaLavaEmpire
Business Hours: 11.30am-11pm daily