PETALING JAYA, March 2 -- If you closed your eyes and pointed at a map of bakeries in the Klang Valley, chances are you'd land on something made with sourdough.

The last few years have seen this yeasty culture rise beyond bread, making its way into everything from croissants to danishes - even kouign-amann - much to my chagrin.

I enjoy a good sourdough loaf, with its crisp crust and chewy, airy crumb.

But laminated pastries rich with butter and sugar don't feel like the best showcase for what makes sourdough special.

So you can imagine my intrigue when a friend pointed me to Wheatcraft Artisan Bakery in Mutiara Damansara - not for its sourdough brioche, scone, or bagel, but for pan mee.

Yes, you read that right. Sourdough pan mee. It...