Review Rating: ⭐⭐ (Below Average)
Address: J4-21, City Square, 106-108, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia (Located within JB City Square Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XxaHCT5wTKJ996cb7
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
Souper Tang Signature Soup (2-3pax) = RM55.90Wet Tissue = RM1.00
Service Tax = RM3.41
Service Charge = RM5.69
Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt (Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)
If you have ever been into JB, you will most likely have seen this Restaurant regularly in many Malls with Taiwanese Singer/Actor Jay Chou's Standee welcoming you at its Entrance. The Branch at City Square is Nicely Renovated and Decorated and apparently it specializes in "Shan Cuisine". No Idea what "Shan Cuisine" is supposed to be tbh.
While the Staffs are Polite and Friendly, I did witness a Slight Altercation between a Manager and some Staffs which was one of the reason why this place did not get a Higher Score from me. I'll elaborate on this later in the Review. While not Full-House on a Thursday Afternoon, I counted at least 9 Tables of Customers which is still not too bad for a Weekday. Its Menu has also one of the Largest Variety of Dishes that I've seen so far.
On your Table will be a Packet of Wet Tissue. This is not Free of Charge. So don't use it if you don't want to get charged. Its just RM1.00 anyways, so I didn't mind it.
Souper Tang Signature Soup (2-3pax) = RM55.90
This took 15 mins to be served up. Quite long actually, considering that the place wasn't Full-House. I'll be honest, although it is a Big Pot, it didn't really look Visually Impressive. Quite Dull and Bland actually. The Immediate Visible Ingredients were Enoki Mushrooms, Fish Maw and 1 Big Drummy with Thigh. Upon Further Digging, I found some Small Scallops, Shitake Mushrooms and 1 Small Whole Ginseng.
The Soup has a Prominent Chickeny Aroma and is mostly Clear with abit of Cloudiness Residue. Although it's supposed to have Ginseng and Cordeceps listed as part of its Ingredients, I don't taste them at all. This is prominently a Chicken Soup. In fact, the Chicken Taste dominates this Soup completely. If you are expecting it to taste something Herbal, this is not it. I'll be honest I'm not very impressed with this Soup Quality. I mean its not bad as a Chicken Soup, but I feel it's just that. A Chicken Soup.
This is the type of Soup that you can easily make at home if you just throw in a bunch of ingredients with a Chicken into it and Slow Boil it for 1.5 hours or so. Even better you can control the amount of Seasonings and/or Ingredients you want. No need to specifically go to a Restaurant to eat this. As for the Rest of the Ingredients, Enoki is as Chewy as you'd expect. Fish Maw is also the same, although I do like that the Aftertaste of Fish Maw here is not Overly Strong.
The Skin is removed from the Chicken, which explains why this Soup is not Oily. Chicken Meat is ok, nothing special. Even though Thigh Meat, it wasn't the Super Soft Type and tasted a Slight Dry surprisingly. Nothing really special about this Chicken tbh. The Baby Shitake Mushrooms have a Strong Mushroomy Taste which was very welcome in breaking the Overall Monotony of the Overly Chickeny Taste of this Dish.
I was quite surprised to find Pieces of Pork Cubes even though the Ingredients list didn't mention them. They're not Super Tender but I do appreciate their presence to break up the Flavour Fatigue. As for the Whole Ginseng, ok the taste is not bad though I don't think this is the Super Expensive type as I've cooked Ginseng before. This is either a Korean Ginseng or a China 长白山 Ginseng. You can buy this relatively affordably in most Supermarkets or Chinese Supplement Shops. Just because the Dish has Ginseng does not automatically elevate it to Atas Level is what I'm saying.
What I am disappointed was that Goji Berries are not included even though it is in the Promo Photo. Its inclusion would have added a Much Needed Dash of Colour and made the Dish more Visually Impressive. The Whole Dish is about 18 Ladles of Soup, and 1 Small Bowl is 6 Ladles. (Yes I actually counted using the Ladle they provided). That means you can have a total of 3 Small Bowls out of it. Perhaps this is why its advertised to serve up to 3 Pax. Personally though, I feel this is more for 1 guy with a Healthy Appetite or 2 Pax. 3 Pax for this Dish is going to feel very Forced unless all 3 People are Very Very Small Eaters. Hahaha!
Staff Morale Problem at this Place
Earlier I mentioned that I witnessed a Slight Altercation between the Manager and a Few Staffs while I was here. The Staffs seems to have alot of Gripes about working during the Upcoming 2024 CNY Period and I could very noticeably hear them bickering amongst themselves publicly infront of Customers. Not all the Staffs are like this though, most are actually quietly doing their jobs serving Customers, although you could feel they aren't very happy doing it. There seems to be a Very Bad Staff Morale Issue on Display here.
The Manager was a Young Chap in Black Shirt and Short Hair and he sounds very Frustrated with his Staffs. Throughout the Altercation, I kept hearing him say ""我没有人做工，我没有人做工" (I don't have enough people working), or things like "真的忙死了" (I am very very busy) which leads me to think that they have a Manpower Issue here. As an Outsider, I'm not going to comment on who is Right or Wrong, but to witness this as a Customer so publicly throughout my Whole Meal made me Uncomfortable. I could tell the other Customers are also affected somewhat although most are pretending to ignore as best as they could.
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
Honestly, nothing special about this "Signature Soup". It taste Alright, but its basically just a Non-Herbal Tasting Chicken Soup. You can buy a Pre-Packaged Soup Pack from a Supermarket and cook the same thing at home and you will be able to achieve the same results. I was even disappointed they 偷工减料 and did not add Goji Berries as part of the Dish. Absolutely no Skill in this Dish at all.
But i'm more concerned about the Staff Morale and how Uncomfortable I felt throughout the Meal while I witnessed it. It would have been more Professional if the Manager had taken a more Pro-Active Stance in resolving the Issue instead of being Frustrated himself so publicly infront of Customers. I'm not giving this my Lowest Score because while the Dish taste very Average for me, it still taste Alright and the Staff who served me had Acceptable Service and did not let her Frustrations overly affect her Service.
With a total price of RM66.00 (S$19.00) I don't feel this is worth the money to try. It may cost even cheaper if you cook it at home yourself, and you won't face the Staff Altercations that I witnessed. Not a place I would return to again i'm afraid, I hope you have a better experience here than I did.
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