Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️ (Highly Recommended)
Address: R&F Mall, LOT G-001, Tanjung Puteri, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia (Located within R&F Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/h6BUjQLe4D6P2kRy5
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
🪿 D1 卤狮头鹅例牌 Braised Goose (Small) = RM58.00
🦀 H1 潮汕生腌膏蟹 Marinated Raw Crab (Small) = RM58.00 each
🐮🍲 G9 汕头牛肉丸汤 Shantou Beef Ball Soup (Small) = RM16.90
🫐 H3 鲜榨杨梅汁 Babyberry Juice = RM16.90
🍵 陈皮洛神花茶 Roselle Tea = Free
Service Charge 10% = RM14.98
Here is the Full Menu of the Eatery/Restaurant.Prices are Accurate as of the Date of the Post.
My Knowledge of China Chao Shan Cuisine
My First Knowledge of China Chao Shan Cuisine 🇨🇳 is actually from a Food Documentary in Netflix called "Flavorful Origins". Also known as 风味原产地. 📺 That was also my first time seeing Dishes such as 🪿 Braised Lion Head Goose, 🦀 Marinated Raw Crab and 🍲 Shantou Beef Ball Soup. So to finally be able to taste the Actual Dishes here in JB was certainly a Rare Privilege! 😄 If you have a chance to watch this Documentary, I highly recommend it! 📺👍
Interior of The Restaurant
This Restaurant is located at the Ground Floor of the R&F Mall at the Opposite Side of the Mall if you were to reach here via the Long Walkway from CIQ. 🌉🚶Its a Big Spacious, Air-Conditioned Place and they're Main Specialty is 牛肉火锅 Beef Hotpot 🐮 which is another Chao Shan Specialty as per the Documentary. 📺 There is a Condiments Counter and interestingly a Free Roselle Tea Counter for Customers so you don't have to order any Drinks. You can take a Free Tea Drink from here instead. 🍵
The Staffs consists mostly of what looks like Myanmmar Folks. They're Friendly and Welcoming but keep to themselves. The Lady Boss is a China Lady from China Chao Shan herself. 🇨🇳💁 She was Very Friendly, Patient and Knowledgeable in explaining the Dishes they had. 👍
There were even Multiple Award Plaques on the Wall 🏆 and the Lady Boss mentioned they used to open a Restaurant back in China. 🇨🇳😳 Compared to another Chao Shan Cuisine Restaurant I had back in Aeon Mall Tebrau City which I reviewed previously, I feel this place felt more Authentic because of the Unique Dishes that it had. 👍
🪿 D1 卤狮头鹅例牌 Braised Goose (Small) = RM58.00
The Goose they serve here is a Unique Variety known as 狮头鹅 (African Goose). 🪿 Goose itself is already a Very Rare Poultry here in Southeast Asia, so to be able to eat this more Unique Goose Variety was certainly a Privilege! 🪿😄
Beautifully Cut and Presented, the Amount of Meat feels Generous for the Small Portion that I ordered. 🍖👍 There are No Filler Padding like Cucumbers at the Bottom. It is really this much Meat when you order. 🍖😳 Slices of Meat are not Overly Thin and Stingy Looking and are just the Right Sized.
The Condiment that comes with this is a Mild Tasting White Vinegar with Minced Garlic 🧄 with some Chilli Slices. 🌶️ Abit like Thai-Styled "Prik Nam Som" Chilli Vinegar but not as Vinegary and Not as Spicy. 🌶️🤔 Dipping the Goose Meat in this and enjoying it with a Slight Vinegary Hit is Very Good. 😋 This is a Good Condiment to eat with Braised Goose.
As for the Braised Goose itself, it has a Beautiful Clean, No Gamey Taste. 🪿😋 Because it really looks like Braised Duck, your Brain will tell you it should taste like Duck but it doesn't because this is Goose. 🦆🪿😅
Bite Texture is Tender and Similar to Braised Duck but without the Taste of Duck. 🦆😅 The Braised Sauce is Noticeably Salty but Not Overly So. Just the Right Amount of Salty. Its also not the Herbly type of Sauce, more Soy Sauce based. 🍯 Sauce and Meat paired Beautifully here. 😋 Also because Goose is a Fatty Poultry, there will be a somewhat Oilier Mouth-Feel as compared to if eating Braised Duck. 🪿🤔
🦀 H1 潮汕生腌膏蟹 Marinated Raw Crab (Small) = RM58.00 each
I've made Korean-Styled Marinated Crabs myself called "Ganjang Gejang" 🇰🇷🦀 so I'm very interested to taste China's Version of this. 🇨🇳🦀 This Dish is exactly what it is. Literally Marinated Raw Crab. 🍯🦀 So for people who cannot take Raw Seafood, I do not recommend ordering this. 🦀🤔
Usually a Live Crab is used, and it is Marinated in a Soy-Sauce Based Marinade while Alive. 🦀🤔 Cruel Practice but this is usually how its done. Another Alternative more Humane Way is to put the Crab in a Freezer ❄️🦀 until it goes to sleep then Marinate it from there.
Firstly, I LOVE how they plated this. It looks so Classy! ♥️🍽️ From how they plated their Dishes so far, I agree with their claims that they used to run a Restaurant in China. This is Restaurant Standard of Plating. 🍽️👍 The Crab they used here is Mud Crab and specifically 膏蟹 which are Female Crabs with Plenty of Crab Roe as you can see. 🦀😋 Because its Raw Crab it obviously smells Raw. This Particular Crab's Roe is Very Gao Gao, Soft and Creamy. 😋 The Meat is Beautifully Soft, Tender and Fresh. Because this is Mud Crab, not Flower Crab, the Meat is not as Sweet so it relies solely on the Marinade Sauce to flavour it. 🍯🤔
Soul of this Dish is the Marinade Sauce. Its Salty and Slightly Spicy. 🍯🌶️ Slightly Different from Korean-Styled of Marinade which leans more towards Sweet. 🤔 This one taste like its mostly Soy-Sauce based. Nice Marinade and it penetrated very nicely into the Crab Flavouring it very well. 🦀😋 That said some parts of the Crab can be abit Raw and Stinky but it quickly passes. This is a Well Made Dish, but because of its nature, it is not for everyone. 🦀🙅♂️
🐮🍲 G9 汕头牛肉丸汤 Shantou Beef Ball Soup (Small) = RM16.90
I only ordered this because the Lady Boss herself personally recommended this as one of Chao Shan's Speciality. 🇨🇳 I can tell she is very proud of this one and rightly so. This right here is a Masterpiece! ♥️ For the Small Bowl I ordered, its quite a Large Bowl and comes with 4 Beef Balls. 🐮 The Soup has a Salted Vegetable 酸菜 Savoury 清甜 Taste. 🍲😋 Not Bad Tasting Soup.
But the Highlight of this Dish are the Beef Balls! 🐮😄OMG those Beautiful Balls! Bouncy cannot even begin to describe this. 🐮😅 The way I'd describe them is as follows:
Imagine taking 1000 Elastic Bands and tightly wind them together until all of them form into a Elastic Band Rubber Ball. 🧶 Now imagine your teeth is like a Sharp Knife trying to cut this Elastic Rubber Ball 🔪🧶 and all of the Elastic Bands slowly "Piak Piak Piak" break apart as you bite them. 💥😁 THIS is exactly how it felt in my Mouth! Amazing! ♥️
Meaty and Juicy, that Insane Bite Texture is the Very Thing that does it for me. 🍖😋 The Netflix Documentary also showed how this is made. 📺 Let me tell you, it is a Very Troublesome and Tedious Process to say the least. 😅 But the End Result is one of the Best Handmade Beef Ball I've ever eaten so far. 🐮😋 There is no way a Machine is able to replicate it to this level. This is why I say this is a Masterpiece! ♥️
🫐 H3 鲜榨杨梅汁 Babyberry Juice = RM16.90
The Actual English Name of this Fruit "杨梅" is "Chinese Bayberry" but I'm leaving their Version of it as "Babyberry" because it sounds alot more Adorable! 🫐😅 I've heard of this Fruit, but never tasted this before in Singapore. 🤔 No idea if its even available here in SG tbh. Served in a Plastic Bubble Tea looking Cup, 🥤 the Amount of Fruit Pulp given is Very Generous. 🫐👍
It looks like Crushed Strawberry 🍓 and Biting it gives a Very Slight Tart Sourish Taste. 😋 The Drink itself is Sweet but Not Overly Sweet. The Sweetness taste Natural like its from the Fruit and not due to any Artificial Sweetener. 🥤👍 Very Refreshing and Very Nice Tasting Fruity Drink, I reckon anyone will be able enjoy this. 😋
🍵 陈皮洛神花茶 Roselle Tea = Free
If you do not wish to order any Drinks, they have this Roselle Tea Counter where you can grab a Cup for Free. 🍵👍
It has a Florally Preserved Plum 酸梅 sort of taste. 🌸😋
This is available freely at the Condiments Counter. I specifically listed this because this is a Sauce I've always heard of but never actually tasted before. 🍯🤔
Its a Very Thick Condiment with a Layer of Oil on it. Its not Spicy, more Sweet but Very Noticeably Salty and seems to have a Very Strong Oyster Sauce Undertone Taste. 🍯🦪
I reckon its called the way its called because its Slightly Gritty "Soft Sand" sort of Mouth Texture. 🍯😋 This is a Nice Tasting Condiment although Somewhat Strong and I don't recommend to pair this with the Braised Goose as I feel it will quickly Overpower the Goose's Delicate Taste. 🪿🤔
------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
Lets break down the Price of Each Dish and see if they are worth the Money:
D1 卤狮头鹅例牌 Braised Goose (Small) = RM58.00 (S$17.00)
At this price, this is a Tad Expensive but it is Goose after all, 🪿 something that we cannot even eat in Singapore even if we are willing to pay for it. 🪿😅 Somemore this is a Rarer 狮头鹅 compared to a Regular Goose. Amount of Meat Portion given I feel is Reasonable. Personally, I feel this is worth the Money to try. 🪿👍
H1 潮汕生腌膏蟹 Marinated Raw Crab (Small) = RM58.00 each (S$17.00)
The Mud Crab Size is on the Small side for this one, 🦀🤔 but the price of S$17.00 I think is about the same price as a Raw Live Crab you can buy from Sheng Siong? 🤔 Hard to gauge if this is worth the price. Personally I feel this is worth to give it a try since this is a Dish that is rarely seen in Singapore. 👍
Korean's Version "Ganjang Gejang" is available in Singapore but iirc is very Horribly Expensive. I think it starts from S$60+? 💵😳 Amusingly some Korean Restaurants in SG actually don't process and remove the Crab Gills properly which can be shown in some Google Reviewers photos. 📷😅 This Restaurant does it properly however so they do know what they are doing. 👍 This is one of the Rare Dishes where it helps to actually have a Culinary Knowledge so you can determine whether a Restaurant knows what they are doing. 👍
🐮🍲 G9 汕头牛肉丸汤 Shantou Beef Ball Soup (Small) = RM16.90 (S$4.90)
Without a Doubt, the Quality of the Beef Balls are Absolutely Worth the Money! 🐮♥️ It looks simple, but there is alot of Hard Work to make this. Oh that Bite Texture was a Delight! 😋 This is a Must Try! 🐮😋
🫐 H3 鲜榨杨梅汁 Babyberry Juice = RM16.90 (S$4.90)
I feel the Price is Expensive for this Drink because their own Roselle Tea is Free of Charge. 🍵🤔 That said, this is a Large Cup and the Fruit Pulp Amount is Generous. 🫐👍 Very Debatable whether this is worth or not. Personally, I feel if you have never eaten 杨梅 before (and I don't know if this is even available in Singapore) 😅 I can recommend to try. Otherwise I feel you can skip it if you don't feel like spending extra. 🤔
At a Total Combined Price of Everything for RM164.80 (S$48.00), I feel the Dishes here are all Worth the Money to Try. Paying Sub-S$50.00 for Everything is Worth It. 👍 I really enjoyed my time here and especially enjoyed conversing with the Very Friendly and Knowledgeable Lady Boss. 💁 Everything served here is Restaurant Quality Standard from the Exquisite Taste to their Dish Plating. 👍
This is going to sound very funny, but I highly recommend that you watch the Netflix Documentary "Flavorful Origins" / 风味原产地 before coming here so you can better appreciate the Amount of Work that goes into the Dishes here. 📺😅
Will I come here again? Absolutely Yes! But the next time I'm here, I will be trying out their 牛肉火锅 Beef Hotpot which is apparently another Classic Chao Shan Speciality. 🐮😋 It was an Absolute Privilege to be able to finally taste Authentic Unique Chao Shan Cuisines! 🇨🇳😋 Highly Recommended!
No comments:
Post a Comment