Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)
Address: 2nd Floor, S120 & S121, Aeon Tebrau City Shopping Centre, Persiaran Desa Tebrau, Taman Desa Tebrau, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia (Located within Aeon Mall Tebrau City)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/agD8K3WkUeWgPxQTA
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
潮州猪脚冻 Teochew Chilled Jellied Pork Knuckle = RM21.90
金银鱼清香苋菜汤 Amaranth Soup with Salangidae = RM16.90
瑶柱鲜鱼片粥 Porridge with Dried Scallop and Fish Fillet (Small) = RM15.90
Snacks = RM3.50
Service Charge 6% = RM3.49
Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt (Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)
This is a Restaurant specializing in Teochew Cuisines and from the comments on Google Maps, only opened quite recently. It has quite a low score on Google Maps with issues from Bad Tasting Food, Slow and Poor Customer Service and being Overpriced. So of course I had to check this out myself.
It is quite a Big Restaurant and although not Full House, still had quite alot of Customers on a Friday afternoon. They even have a Monitor with a CCTV showing their Kitchen staff working in the Kitchen for Customers to see.
Personally, I feel it's abit Too Overkill to do this to prove to Customers on their Kitchen Hygiene and Staffs Discipline. But I do appreciate what they are trying to achieve here.
The Elder Lady Staff who attended to me was Polite and was Patient in her Recommendation for a Solo Diner. I did feel sometimes she was bit pushing for me to order more Expensive Dishes like Fish but as long as you don't get swayed, overall I felt still wasn't too bad. All 3 Dishes I selected are the Chef Recommended Items from their Menu.
The Lime Juice Shot was surprisingly quite Robust. Sharply Sourish and Sweet but doesn't lean too much on either side, I thought this Lime Juice tasted quite good. Appetizer cost RM3.50 (S$1.00) which for me as a Singaporean, I thought it was fine. I just treat this as giving them a little extra tip. The First Dish (Pork Jelly) took 6 mins to serve up, and the rest of them took within 1 mins each. Everything was served up within 8 Mins. Not Bad Timing on a Friday Afternoon considering the Amount of Customers.
潮州猪脚冻 Teochew Chilled Jellied Pork Knuckle = RM21.90
This is a Cold Dish, and is served in quite a Big Portion. I've only ever eaten this once in Berseh Hawker Centre in Singapore. In Comparison, the Portion for the one I had in Singapore was alot Lesser and much More Expensive than the one I had here. I think the Portion Serving here is equivalent of more than 5 Plates there. As for the Dish itself, its basically Bits of Pork Parts bind together in a Congealed Jelly made out of Braised Broth. Sorta like an American Jello Salad.
It has a Firm Bitefeel and the first thing that hit you is of course the Jelly made of Braised Sauce. I love the Immediate Saltish Taste and could taste the Amount of Complex Braised Herbs that went into it. While not Super Complex, the Braised Sauce is Restaurant Standard. This is not just a Simple Cheap 卤水. There is quite some effort being done here and is at a Much Higher Level compared to the one I had in Singapore.
After the Jelly Layer, your teeth will then hit the Bits of Fatty Pork Parts which then quickly takes over the Taste Profile and leave a Braised Fatty Aftertaste on your Tongue. You can't really taste the Meat in them but you will definitely feel their Presence. This will be quite an Interesting Taste if you have never eaten this before. That said, some people may not like this type of Bitefeel but for me, I'm ok. It feels like eating a Different Variation of a 卤猪脚 made in a Different Way. Eating too much of this can feel Jelak, Oily and Salty and needs something Neutral like Rice to balance it out though, but this is a Nicely Made Pork Jelly.
金银鱼清香苋菜汤 Amaranth Soup with Salangidae = RM16.90
This here is a Big Portion and Amount of Veggies is Generous. Soft and Tender, it has a very Homely Taste, something that our Grandmother would have probably made.
I love the Savoury 请甜 Soup Broth that accompanies this, giving the Dish a Light and Satisfying Taste with a Hint of Herbal. The included Goji Berries make this taste Atas. The Salangidae (Baby Whitefish) in the Dish gives it an Occasional Slightly Saltier Crunchy Tease. This is like a Restaurant version of Grandmother's Loving Warm Plate of Green Veggies. I Love this Dish. Its Simple, Elegant and taste Homely.
瑶柱鲜鱼片粥 Porridge with Dried Scallop and Fish Fillet (Small) = RM15.90
The Porridge is also a very Big Portion even though this was suppose to be Small Sized. I reckon 2 people with Normal Appetites will have no issues enjoying this Comfortably. First taste of it, I thought it tasted Very Plain and Very Light in Salt, I'd almost describe this as Bland. Subsequent Spoonfuls however makes me realize there is a Very Subtle Taste powered by Ginger Slices. It's not as plain as I initially thought.
The Fish Pieces are cut small but I feel the Amount is Acceptable. The Fish Meat has a Firmer Bite Texture and biting into a piece will give a Strong Fishy Hit although not Overly Fishy that is a Welcome Taste when contrasted with the Plain Taste of the Porridge. There are also Baby Mini Scallops which are more as a Background Enhancement, not as a Main Actor like the Fish Pieces on this Stage. This Whole Dish taste like the type of Light Porridge that someone would eat when sick, which makes it sound like it's Bad, but I would use the words "Warm and Comforting" here instead.
If you just order this Porridge and nothing else, yes it may feel Too Plain and Light if you are used to a more Savoury Salted Cantonese-style of Porridge. But this is Teochew. As I'm Cantonese myself, I'm not well versed as to how the Teochews approach their Porridges but eating this gives me a feeling that Teochew Styled Porridges leans towards being more Light and Subtle in Taste. If you are a Teochew reading this, am I right in my assessment?
I feel this Porridge is a Good Blank Canvas to pair with something thats more Stronger Savoury. The Strong Braised Pork Jelly and the Savoury Veggie Sides that I ordered luckily were PERFECT for this. One bite of a Slice of Pork Jelly, with maybe a Few Spoonfuls of Porridge, topped with some of the Veggies makes this a Very Well Balanced and Light Tasty Meal. 一口猪脚冻, 一口菜, 一口粥, 吃得几爽一下.
Protip: Putting Pieces of Pork Jelly into the Hot Porridge and let them Melt and Disintegrate a little before scooping them to eat with Porridge and Veggie is quite Enjoyable.
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
As I've never visited China Chaoshan, I dun know if the Dishes here are considered Truly Authentic. As a Cantonese, my knowledge of Teochew Foods are also meagre at best. I'll be Honest, the only Teochew Porridge I've ever eaten is the Plain White "Mueh" type sold in Kopitiams where you choose whatever Side Dishes you want.
Culinarily, I feel all the Dishes here are done Very Well at a Restaurant Level of Standard. Total Price of RM61.69 (S$17.70) may feel slightly on the Higher Side, but the Huge Generous Portions of Everything makes this worth to try. Certainly doesn't deserve its Low Score on Google Maps.
When I ate this, I had only recently been discharged from the Hospital and was Recovering. So my Condition that time needed something like this. Something Soft, Plain, yet also Slightly Robust and Nourishing. So this fortuitously came at the Right Time and Right Moment for me when I needed it the Most. It almost felt like the Stars were Perfectly Aligned for me to visit this place! 这餐馆真的是来的不早也不晚, 来的可真是刚刚好!
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