Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)
Address: 16, Jalan Pingai, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NWMMYMuPtb9VgyNK9
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
🪿 湘酥金片 Mock Goose (Small) = RM5.00🥬 羅漢上齋 Luo Han Zhai Mixed Veg (Small) = RM10.00
🍲 當歸保健湯 Healthy Herbal Soup (Small) = RM12.00
No Service Charge
Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt (Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)
For Strict Vegans, you'll be glad to know this place Does Not Serve Eggs. 🚫🥚
This is an Eatery dedicated to Vegetarian Food. 🥬 The Place seems somewhat Old and although it is Air-Conditioned, it wasn't very Cold. ❄️🤔 There were a Few Customers within when I entered on a Friday Afternoon and I initially did not see any Staffs around so I had to Self-Service.
Eventually someone did come out with a Dish to serve the other patrons. Apparently, there are only 2 Staffs here, the Boss who is a Middle-Aged Chap thats not that much Older than Me, 🤔 and an Older Guy who is the Main Cook of this place who runs the Kitchen in the back. 👨🍳The Boss is very Friendly and is Eager to Serve. 👍 He was also clear in his explainations of the Dishes in the Menu. All the Dishes were served up in about 3 Mins. Interestingly, when my Dishes were served up, and he specifically mentioned because I did not order any rice, they did not put as Strong a Seasoning for the Dishes I ordered. 🍚🤔 Does that mean each dish was individually cooked and customized for each Customer and its all done in 3 Mins? That's pretty impressive. 👍
🪿 湘酥金片 Mock Goose (Small) = RM5.00
Mock Goose of course taste nothing like a Real Goose. 🪿😅 Its also known more popularly by its Hokkien Name "Chay Ngor" here in Singapore. It's basically a Sheet of Fried Beancurd. 🟧 If you have never tasted it before, I would describe it as Almost Tasting like a Fried Chicken Skin but not quite. 🤔 This is a Popular Dish when eating Vegetarian Dishes at least in Singapore because of its Savoury Fried Taste and Crispy Bitefeel. 😋
I liked that its presented on a Piece of Lettuce which both acts as a Simple Garnish 🥬 and also doubles up to help soak up any Oil. 👍 After recently going to Hong Kong and eaten Roast Goose Caveman-Style, I now know that The MAIN REASON why this dish is called a "Mock Goose" is because of its Oily Mouthfeel. 😅
Because Mock Goose can be Oily and 出油 if not eaten for some time, its this Oily Mouthfeel when you bite it that is the thing that is closest to emulating how an Actual Roast Goose tastes. 🪿😅 The Version here is Alot Lighter Coloured compared to the Deeper Fried Versions we usually see in Singapore. 🤔 It's not the Super Crispy Type, More of a Soft Crisp with a Slight Tender Bite at the End. Taste is somewhat Sweetish Saltish, Sweetness is more prominent than Salty but its also not Overly Sweet. 🤔 Taste quite different from the Usual Mock Goose I've tasted in Singapore. Not Bad Tasting though.
🥬 羅漢上齋 Luo Han Zhai Mixed Veg (Small) = RM10.00
Also known as "Buddha's Delight", This is basically a Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry with Gravy. 🥬🍯 Traditionally, it can use up to 18 Ingredients to represent "十八羅漢". If all 18 Ingredients is used, it is then known as a "羅漢全齋". 🤔 Source: Wikipedia The one here doesn't have all 18 Ingredients of course, 😅 but I feel the Soul of the Dish is the Gravy Sauce. 🍯👍 Its Watery, not Thickened with any Starches. Doesn't have that Distinct Taste of Mock Vegetarian Oyster Sauce and has a Very Nice Savoury Umami Taste that is Not Overly Salty. 😋
The Whole Thing is served Very Hot and Every Piece of Vegetables are Soaked Beautifully in that Gravy making everything taste Soft and Tender and not Nua Nua. 🥬😋
Imagine a Slightly More Atas Tasting version of Mixed Veggies that you normally see in a Cai Fan Stall and you'll get the General Idea how this tastes like. Nicely Done. 👍 This would be very nice to 下饭. 🥬🍚
🍲 當歸保健湯 Healthy Herbal Soup (Small) = RM12.00
The Chinese Name of this Dish has a Reference to a Chinese Herb "當歸" Danggui or "Angelica Sinensis" 🌿 which is an Ingredient that is regularly used in Chinese Cooking, especially in Roast Duck. 🌿🦆 This here absolutely does not have any 當歸 taste. 🌿😅 Not surprising, given how its priced tbh. Using Actual 當歸 would have been alot more Expensive. 🌿💵 Its made up mostly of White Fungus, 2 types of Mushrooms, 🍄 some Occasional Pieces of Mock Meat, Goji Berries and Parsley. 🌿 Even for the Small Size I ordered, there is enough Soup here comfortably for 2 People. 🍲
The Whole Soup has a Very Strong Veggie Smell to it. 🥬🤔 Taste of the Soup first strikes me as Bland but subsequent tastes feels like there is a Very Subtle Undercurrent of Vegetables within. 🥬🤔 Completely Not Sweet or Salty. Even if Salt is used, I reckon it's used very sparingly. Basically a Very Clean almost Bland Tasting Veggie Soup. 🍲🤔
Goji Berries play the Most Important Role here. 🍒 There are a Generous Amount and they help give an Occasional Sweetness to help with the Overall Blandness. 👍 None of the Vegetables give any Extra Taste. 🥬🤔 They're all there just to provide a Subtle Veggie Chew texture. Only the Mock Meat does give a Slightly Different Mushy type of Mock Meat Taste to it. 🤔
Personally, I feel some people may find this is Too Bland. 🤔 But if you have been eating Too Much Meat like what I do on my Monthly JB Trips, this Soup is nice to help sooth the Tummy. 😅 That said, I feel you can skip this one. It is Undeniably Bland. Interestingly though, after eating the 羅漢齋 Mixed Veggies and Drinking this Soup, I thought I also detected some Ginseng Tails Taste. 🌿🤔 This was not detectable when I first drank the Soup by itself.
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
At a Total Combined Price of RM27.00 (S$7.80), this is Worth the Money to give it a Try. 👍 I especially enjoyed their 羅漢齋. 🥬 That said, I feel you can skip the Herbal Soup 🍲 which will help shave off S$3.50 off the total.
After interacting further with the Friendly Boss, so apparently this place has been around for at least 30 years already. 🤔 Amusingly, when the Older Chap who is the Main Cook came to the Front Counter, I Complimented him and gave him a Thumbs Up for his 羅漢齋 👍 which drew an Initial Suspicious Stare from him. 😅
The Poor Guy probably never had anyone actually Compliment his Food before I reckon. 👨🍳😅 Even his Boss's Reply to my Compliment was "可能今天他煮的比较适合您的口味吧." 😅 which seems to imply that they usually get more Complaints than Compliments for their Food. 😅 That said, the Older Chap eventually did smile and appreciated my Compliment after realizing I wasn't a Wierdo or something. Hahaha! 👨🍳😅
Complimenting Someone is something that most of us Asians almost never do which is abit of a Shame. Especially for Singaporeans, we tend to Complain more than we Compliment. 😅 Hahaha! F&B is a Very Tiring and Thankless Job. 😑 Personally, I feel if you really enjoyed a Meal, and if you are not going to give an Extra Tip, Giving an Honest Compliment to the Cook at least will go a long way to making him/her feel more appreciated. 👨🍳👍
I appreciate how Polite and Courteous the Boss behaved. His Eagerness and Willingness to serve impressed me. 👍 If you are looking for a Nice Simple Cozy Vegetarian Restaurant that does not serve Eggs, I can recommend this to give it a try. 🥬👍
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