Golden Pillow

Review Rating: ⭐⭐ (Below Average)

Address: 2, Jalan Nibong 17, Taman Daya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dnSvtsipaDwt8VY28
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

Golden Pillow (Kari Ayam, Small) = RM32.90

No Service Charge

 Here is the Full Menu of the Eatery/Restaurant.
Prices are Accurate as of the Date of the Post.


A Brief History of the Viral Food Craze that was Golden Pillow 金枕头

If you have lived thru the Early 2000s Period, you will surely have heard of this "Golden Pillow" 金枕头. 🤔 This was once a Popular Viral Food Craze during that period and I have Fond Memories of my Office Colleagues ALWAYS ordering this for Lunch. 😅 Hahaha So Crazy! Almost Everyday people will order this. Like Jiak Buay Sian like that. 😅

The Actual Dish itself is Very Simple in Concept actually. The Main Component is a Packet of Curry, 🍲 with Chicken Curry being the Most Popular Option and it is served pre-encased within a Big Fat Bun. 🍞 Whats Unique about it is how you break the Bun open revealing the Curry within. 🍲 People will then go "Wahhh" while breaking it open. 😅

Credits to Mediacorp 8world Youtube Channel for this Old Video Documentary
featuring Singapore's Golden Pillow 金枕头

Similar in Concept to how Beggar's Chicken 叫化鸡 is served, except that the Outer Covering is Bread that you can eat. 🍞 Really, this Dish's Novelty is its Theatrical Aspect. If you really dissect this Dish and break it down though, it is actually just another way to eat Chicken Curry and Bread with Extra Steps. 🍲🍞😅 Like all Food Craze though, eventually it died down. 🤔 So many years have since passed by that I don't even remember when was the last time I had a Golden Pillow tbh. 😅

So when I came across this during my Exploration of Taman Daya, I thought I'd give it a try for Nostalgia Sake. 🤔 I'm actually quite surprised to see that it proclaimed to be around since 1975 when the Food Craze was during the Early 2000s? 🤔 This is a Story that I will explain later in the Review as you will see.

Details of the Restaurant

This Restaurant is actually located conveniently right next to the Taman Daya Pasar Malam. Its a Big Place decorated with a Noticeably Malay Styled 马来风味 with a Somewhat Slightly More Atas Furnishings. 👍 Its divided with both an Indoor Aircon Section and a Larger Outdoor Section. The Staffs are Friendly and Polite and there weren't much Customers within on a Saturday Evening at 7.00pm.

Golden Pillow (Kari Ayam, Small) = RM32.90

As you can see from the Menu, they only have Small or Large Options available. Small feeds 3-4 People, although I feel it will comfortably fit 2 Very Hungry People as well. 👍 I like that they actually have their Small Sized in a Pre-Heat Oven for you to see how big the Size actually is. 👍

Large feeds 5-6 People in the Menu and unlike the Small where it is readily available, Large actually needs to be ordered 1 Day in advance. There are No Smaller Solo Option. It took 3 Mins for the Dish to be served up.

Like I mentioned, the Appeal of this Dish is really its Theatrical Aspect.

As you can see in the video when it is served up, the Staff will Present, Cut and Unfold the Whole Thing Nicely for you. 👍 It took about 2 Mins for her to do this. I liked that she wore Gloves doing it, and the Confident Way she cut and folded the Dish shows me that she is Well-Trained. 👍

The Actual Dish consists of:
🐔 6 Pieces of Various Chicken Cuts
🥔 7 pieces of Potato Quarters. (About 1 Small Potato)
🍲 Amount of Curry Gravy is maybe 2 Small Bowls worth

🍲 Quality of the Curry Gravy

I'll be Very Honest upfront and say that I'm not a Fan of this Curry. 🙅‍♂️ If you are expecting Chinese-Styled of Curry Chicken, this is not it. 🙅‍♂️ The Curry Texture itself is Creamy and Thick but I can't get over how Overly Strong the Lemongrass is, perhaps Too Overpoweringly Strong. 🤔 The Closest Thing I can describe this Curry is that it tastes more like a Lower Quality Indian-Fish Head Curry. 🤔

What REALLY derailed this Curry for me is actually not the Lemongrass, but rather the "Overnight Curry sort of Slightly Stale Taste" it had. 🤔 This Curry did not taste Fresh at all and this is perhaps due to the Nature of the Dish itself. 🤔

To prepare this Dish, Curry is pre-cooked before its Wrapped with a Bread Dough and Gently Baked. Once Done, it is then kept in a Heater Rack for Sale as you can see. 🤔

Now this would not be an Issue if there are alot of Customers buying them to ensure that the Batch always has Fresh Curry, but when I visited this Restaurant at 7.00pm, there were hardly any customers and there were Loads of them on the Heater Rack as you can see in the Photo. 🤔 This tells me that the Curry has probably been left sitting in the Bun for the Whole Day. 🤔 Now this Curry is not so Stale that it is Inedible, but it definitely does not taste Fresh. 🤔 I only took a Few Spoonfuls of it before I left it alone. 🙅‍♂️

🍞 Quality of the Bread Loaf

Because of how long these may have been left on the Heater Rack, the Bread itself isn't Soft and Pillowy but had a rather Doughy "Bleh" Taste to it. 🙅‍♂️ I also didn't like that it also tasted Noticeably Sweetish. 🤔 This Bread just tasted Too Sweet and doesn't work for me. Pairing this Sweetish and Doughy "Bleh Tasting" Bread with the Overly Lemongrassy Slightly Stale Curry was a Disastrous Combination. 🙅‍♂️ Ouch.

🐔🥔 Quality of the Curry Chicken and Potato Piece

The Chicken Pieces as you can see consists of Various Meaty Cuts. Drummy Pieces are Tender to the Bite although the Breast Pieces tasted Dry.  🤔 Although the Curry had a Slight Stale taste, it didn't affect the Chicken Pieces and I could finish all of them although of course I cannot say these are Particularly Top Quality Delicious. The Potato Pieces have a Firm Bite, not Tender Soft. Edible, but Nothing Impressive either. 🤔


Interacting with the Manager of the Store

Perhaps it was my action of quietly separating the Chicken Pieces from the Curry to check which may have rattled the Nerves of the Manager of this Place. 😅 He's a Well Groomed Friendly Looking Chinese Chap and politely self-introduced himself while I was eating and eagerly wanted to talk to me. 🤔

Perhaps Too Eager though. 🤔 He gave me the impression that he himself knows that the Curry isn't up to Snuff and he can't wait to explain to me. I'll be honest I didn't really want to discuss further with him since I already don't like the taste, but he seemed very insistent, so I relented to hear what he has to say. 🤔

The History of this Place and why this Curry tastes the way it does.
(According to the Manager)

So apparently this Whole Golden Pillow Concept actually originated from Malaysia Ipoh. The Golden Pillow thats in Singapore is a Completely Different Company from this Place. 🤔 According to him, since each Company have registered this "Golden Pillow" Trademark on their own separately, none is apparently allowed to infringe on each other's territory. 🤔 Singapore is Singapore, Malaysia is Malaysia.

When I honestly (albeit politely) let him know of my opinion of the Curry which I thought to taste Overly Lemongrassy (I skipped the Slightly Stale Taste obviously to keep the Conversation Cordial) 😅 he explained that this is to cater more to the Malaysian Market instead of using a More Chinese Styled of Chicken Curry. 🤔

Now I am unable to verify whether whatever he said was true or not, but I'm just presenting all this information as best as I can. 🤔 I do appreciate him taking effort to sit down and talk to me despite his Over Eagerness and this is at least an Admirable Effort on his Part to show some Customer Service. 👍

-------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Final Total Price of RM32.90 (S$10.00) with surprisingly No Service Charge, this is actually an Affordable Price for what this Dish actually offers. 👍 It really is alot of Food that you're getting and can comfortably feed the 3-4 people that it claims. 👍 I appreciated the Theatrical Aspect of this Dish when you see it unfold when served up.

The Overall Environment of the Restaurant is Comfortable, Well Furnished and the Staffs are Friendly and Polite. 👍 The Young Malay Lady Staff who attended to me was Especially Friendly, Cute and Chirpy and she was Experienced from the way she handled the Dish. 👍The Manager himself is a Friendly Lad and I appreciated him taking his time to self-invite himself to discuss about this Dish with me (although perhaps too eagerly) 😅

Having said that, all the above still doesn't cover the fact that the Actual Dish felt Lackluster. 🤔 I am not a Fan of the Overly Lemongrassy Taste of the Curry. 🙅‍♂️ In fact the Curry itself is quite Strange. Its like trying to eat Chicken Curry in a Curry that is more suitable for Fish Head Curry. 🤔 Ultimately, its the Slight Staleness of the Curry and the Overly Sweetish Bread that really derailed the Whole Thing for me. 🙅‍♂️

Even if we disregard the Taste and Stale Factors, Golden Pillow itself is a Long Forgotten Food Craze of a Bygone Era. 😅 A Concept that is Fresh and Exciting over 20 Years Ago just isn't appealing anymore nowadays. 🤔 Its just basically Bread and Curry with Extra Steps. 😅 I mean seriously, how long has it been since you've eaten a Golden Pillow right? And even if you have one right infront of you now, do you think you will go "Waaaahh" like last time? 😅

I'm personally not a Fan of this Dish and how it tastes, but that is just my Personal Opinion. 🤔
Perhaps it will appeal to someone else out there instead? 🤔