S3, EP13 | Fifty Tales: How Three Friends Rewrote KL’s Noodle Story

Walk into Fifty Tales in Sea Park, PJ, and you’ll taste a very Malaysian story told through noodles. The restaurant was founded and is helmed by three friends, Aaron Phua, Bimmy Soh, and Aaron Khor who each bring a distinct craft to the same bowl. Phua, a former National Barista Champion turned chef-restaurateur, leads the front-of-house energy and drinks program while bouncing in and out of the kitchen. Soh, a self-described dim sum zai, anchors fundamentals and operations. Khor, the chef-owner at the stoves, drives the kitchen’s pace and precision. Together, they’re the reason this “modern Malaysian noodle bar” has the heart of a kopitiam and the technique of a contemporary kitchen.  Fifty Tales started as a small noodle bar in 2019 and grew into a full Malaysian Chinese restaurant in Sea Park. Noodles are still the star, but the menu now includes produce-led small plates, seasonal specials and comfort dishes inspired by local favourites. Flavours draw from Cantonese, Teochew, Hokkien, and Peranakan cooking, so each bowl feels nostalgic yet fresh, with cleaner, more focused execution. As Time Out KL says, it’s a modern noodle bar that honours its Chinese roots while speaking to today’s diners. Fifty Tales’ rise has been fuelled not only by loyal neighbourhood regulars but also by smart collaborations, guest shifts and pop-ups with regional names from Bali to Singapore keeping the kitchen curious and the menu moving. That experimentation helps the team sharpen ideas before they land on your table. The founders’ lane discipline is part of the restaurant’s rhythm. Phua steers concept, noodles and drinks, Soh keeps the backbone steady across service and systems, Khor leads the line and culinary execution. It’s an arrangement that reads in the dining room as calm, confident service and in the bowl as focus. In a city where comfort food is fiercely loved, Fifty Tales stands out for how it respects the past while cooking for the present. Three founders, many dialects, one through-line: thoughtful Malaysian food that eats like memory and finishes like craft. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio)   Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin:  https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected]    🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor