Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (Average)
Address: LG67-68, KSL City Mall, Jalan Seladang, Taman Century, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
(Located within KSL City Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zngGCtNp3pfpe6Tj9
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
酸辣土豆丝 Hot and Sour Stir-Fry Shredded Potato = RM2.00
鱼香茄子 Braised Egg Plant with Garlic and Chillies = RM7.50
辣子鸡 La Zi Ji (Cook on Order Card) = RM15.90
No Rice
Service Charge 6% = RM1.52
This Eatery has No Menu. All the Prices are listed on the Actual Side Dishes themselves. Please refer to the Photo Collection for more Details. My Receipt is attached here if you'd like a reference.
This Eatery is located around the Corner from Lotus Supermarket on the LG Level. Personally, I felt that this was a Very Ulu and Out of the Way Location that hardly anyone would go visit or explore. 🤔 The Eatery itself is Very Big however, comprising of at least 2 Big Lots. 😳 Its Brightly Lit and Coloured and was Very Spacious.
Even at 5.00pm Meal Times on Thursdays and Fridays, there weren't much Customers around. 🤔 The Staffs weren't Unfriendly, but they gave me a Sian Sian "打苍蝇" 🪰 Sort of Vibe when I was there. 😅 Even when I was initially excited, their response to my queries had a very tepid feel. 😐 Their Overall Sian Sian-ness rubbed off on me, and made my mood drop quite abit until I also feel abit Sian Sian too. 😒
That said, I do appeciate that they helped me open the Covers for the Side-Dishes for me to take photos of. 👍 I've tried my best to take photos of Every Side-Dish available (together with Prices) when I was there. 📷 This may be the Most Comprehensive Up-To-Date Photo Collection of ALL the Side-Dishes in this Eatery available online so far. 👍
Anyway, the Concept for this Eatery is Nothing New. 🤔 I've visited such a Similar Eatery over a Year ago back in Taman Austin. This is like a China-Styled 中国风 Cai Fan, where there are many Side-Dishes available for you to pick and choose. Most of the Dishes lean towards 中国风 style, so don't expect to see any Classic South East Asian Dishes. 🤔
This type of Eatery used to be quite Trending on Social Media but have cooled down alot after the Initial Hype. The Whole Concept is Simple. Prices are clearly marked for all the Dishes and you just self-service choose what you want and bring it to the Cashier to pay. 👍
In addition to that, this Eatery also have Cook-On-Order Dishes that are represented by Little Cards. These are More Premium, and tend to cost more than their Regular Side-Dishes and require some time to cook. 🍳
If you want, just take a Card and also bring to the Casher to pay who will then send it to their Kitchen to prepare for you. Once its ready, they'll chime a Bell 🔔 and you come forward to self-service collect it.
It took 7 Mins for my Cook-On-Order 辣子鸡 La Zi Ji before its ready for Collection.
There is a Free Soup available where you take your Utensils although it is not labelled. It was a Very Simple Slightly Saltish Chinese Celery Soup. 🥣 Nothing to shout about since this is Free after all. Mai Hiam Buay Pai lah. 😅
This is usually the Most Affordable Dish when you visit such an Eatery and this one is no different. Personally, I didn't feel this was anything special. 🤔
The Potato Strips have a Sourish, Vinegary Taste to them, and the Texture was Soft. In fact I feel its like "3 Levels Away" towards being Mushy. 🤔
Compared to the version I had in Taman Austin the other time, this version did not appeal to me. The one at Austin was more Mala and had a Very 酸酸辣辣开味 🌶️ taste that really opens your appetite. This one did not do it for me. 🤔
Just look at the 土豆丝 Difference between the one I had at Taman Austin compared to this one in KSL City Mall. 🤔 Really 一个天一个地. They're both the same price at RM2.00. One look you can tell which one showcases more Effort. 😅
Culinarily Unimpressive, I feel they literally just sprinkled only Vinegar on this for taste. 🤔 I wished they at least add in Onion Strips to help elevate the taste abit.
Everything about this felt like Only the Most Bare Minimum Effort was done. 🤔 Skip this. Its not worth the money even though its the Cheapest Item they have.
鱼香茄子 Braised Egg Plant with Garlic and Chillies = RM7.50
This is a Classic Dish that we see often in Cai Fan Stalls. 🍆 The Eggplant/Brinjal is Not Spicy at all, but Very Oily. Taste is Salty Savoury and its not the 煮到烂烂 Super Soft Type as there is still abit of Bite to it.
Personally, I feel this one is better to eat with Rice 🍚 instead of 空口 eat like me because I feel the Saltiness started to Fight Back and got More Intense the more I ate this. 😅 Interestingly, eating this with the Potato Strips was a Nice Combo as the 2 of them sort of Complimented each other both in Flavour and Alternating Texture. 🤔 Abit of Salty Savoury mixed with some Sourish Vinegary.
辣子鸡 La Zi Ji (Cook on Order Card) = RM15.90
THIS is the Dish that impressed me the most. 👍 Being a Cook-On-Order Dish, this one took 7 Mins which was a Decent Timing. I was immediately impressed when I saw how Generously Stacked this was! 😳 Even the Staff who passed it to me had to balance it carefully. 😅 Hahaha it wouldn't be any issue if they were to serve it in a Bowl with a Higher Edge instead of the Small Plate they used.
Its really alot of Meat as you can see in the Picture. 👍 When first served up, the Dish had a Very Nice Roasted Mala sort of Aroma. 😋 Made of Thigh Meat, each of them are Coated with a Very Delicate Thin Crispy Batter that I'd compare to a Japanese Karaage. 😋 I love that the Batter is not Overly Thick and the Amount of Chicken is Legit, No Effort in trying to Scrimp. Meat has a Lovely Juicy Bite and not at all Chickeny. 👍
As I ate this, I also thought that this would be EXCELLENT as a 下酒菜 eat with some Cold Beer 🍺 but unfortunately they don't sell Alcohol here. Such a Waste! 😔 If you were to come buy this, I would recommend to Dapao and go somewhere else to enjoy this with some Cold Beer. 🍺 It was Enjoyable to eat this one. 😋
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
At RM2.00 (S$0.60) for the 酸辣土豆丝 Shredded Potato Strips, I don't feel this is worth the money even if this is the Cheapest Item in their Menu. 🤔
Limp, Sourish and Vinegary, I feel they only did the Bare Minimum Effort for this one. 😒 This Dish is usually a 开味菜 but the version here is anything but. Skip this one. 👎
At RM7.50 (S$2.30) for the 鱼香茄子 Braised Eggplant, I feel is alright. 🍆 Amount given was reasonable for the Price. Decent but nothing particularly remarkable. Good to 下饭 I suppose. 🍚 And if you really want to order their Potato Strips, I'd recommend pairing it with this Dish.
The Batter was not Overly Thick and the Meat had a Satisfying Juicy Bite. 😋 I still think this one would work Beautifully as a 下酒菜 with some Cold Beer. 🍺 So I'd recommend to just Dapao and eat elsewhere with Beer. Heck, don't bother with other Dishes and just Dapao this one will do. 👍
Having said that like I mentioned, the Staffs here while Not Unfriendly, just have a Very Sian Sian Feel that also make me Sian Sian when eating here. 😒 I'll be honest, located in such an Ulu Location in KSL City Mall without much Human Traffic, I'm also not sure how long this place can survive. 🤔 Maybe they have more Customers during the Weekends?
I wouldn't go out of the way to visit this Eatery tbh. But if you are curious, is in KSL and want to give this a Try, sure why not support them abit. The 辣子鸡 La Zi Ji is worth a Try. 👍
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