Madam Kwan's (JB Mid Valley Southkey Mall)

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)

Address: Lot F-001, Mid Valley Southkey, 1, Persiaran Southkey 1, Southkey, 80150 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
(Located within Mid Valley Southkey Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jfDeMWjMtoY7o8vq6
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

Madam's Starter for 2 = RM32.90

Service Fee 10% = RM3.29
Service Tax 6% = RM1.97

Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt 
(Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)

This was a Relatively Large Restoran in this Mall and from its Name I reckon its probably started or endorsed by some Famous Malaysian Chef and didn't think too much. 🤔 It was only when I went back home to do Further Research for this Review did I realize how Deep the Rabbit Hole went! 😳

I'm not going to write out the Whole Story about it and I would recommend you do a Google Search for "Kwan Swee Lian" if you are interested. 🤔

No Kidding, the Wikipedia Article for this Lady reads like some Emotionally Charged Corporate Drama full of Drastic Career Change, Corporate Betrayal and even Filial Piety. 😳 Heck with some Creative Re-Imagining, they could totally make a Movie out of this Amazing Lady's Life Story! 📽️😅


Interior of the Restoran

From the Moment I stepped into the Restoran, I was impressed with a Classy and Beautifully Renovated Restoran that for some reason gave me a "Hotel Banquet Restaurant" type of Vibe. 😌 Maybe its the Elegant Soft Music Instrumentals in the Background? 🎵🎶or Maybe its the Soft Cling-Clanging of Cutleries? 🍽️

Comfortably Air-Conditioned, this Place really gave me a Very Hotel Restaurant Vibe. 😌 I especially love the Soft Cushion they have for some of their Seats! There is also a Delicious Appetizing Lemongrassy Aroma wafting about the Place.

The Staffs were Well Dressed, Polite and Very Friendly with a Smile 😊 and I appreciate that they spoke Decent English. As you can see in the Video, it is also Quite Popular with Customers at around 11.30am even on a Weekday. Impressive.

Very Inclusive Menu I might add, 📜 it has options for Vegetarians and even a Page dedicated to show Very Detailed Allergen Information for People who need it. 👍 Very Impressive Indeed. Anyway, it took 15 Mins for the Dish to be served up, which I found Acceptable considering the Elevated Level of Customers when I was there. 👍

Madam's Starter for 2 = RM32.90

According to the Wikipedia Page, it seems their Signature Dishes are their Beef Rendang 🍖 and Nasi Lemak but I didn't order those and chose this Sampler Plate instead. Well Presented, this Platter gave off a Very Delicious and Appetizing Aroma when it was served up.

The Dish comes with:
2 Sauce Condiments
3 Chicken Wings
3 Fried Wantons
3 Sticks of Chicken Satay
3 Small Cubes of Otah

Amount of Sauce Condiments given didn't feel Stingy. 🍯 Unless you literally drink this Sauces, I feel there is More than Enough Sauce given to dip every item in. 😅

White Sauce Condiment

This was a Slightly Cold, Slightly Sourish and Very Creamy Tartar Sauce. Obviously meant to eat with Fried Wanton, it's the Creaminess that does it for me. 😋 I like the Sourish Tease it has and it doesn't feel Overly Heavy for me. Very Decent Quality Tartar Sauce.

Satay Sauce Condiment

The first thing I noticed about this is that it has a Much Lighter Taste compared to Conventional Satay Sauces. 🤔 For some reason, I also thought it tasted almost like a Sauce you get for Mee Rebus too. Very Gritty Chunky Texture with all the Generous Peanut Pieces. 🥜 Taste is Sweetish but Not Overly Sweet with a Gentle Spicy Heat that never bites but lingers nicely in your Throat. 🌶️ This is a Decent Tasting Satay Sauce if abit More on the Lighter Side. Not Bad.

Quality of the Fried Wanton

Served in 3 Pieces, each of them were Quite Fat and Chonky. Beautifully Fried, the Top is Crispy Crackly with a Soft and Fat Belly. 😋 The Fillings within were Generously Filled to the Brim with Minced Prawn 🦐 and Bits of Carrot Pieces. Not Overly Prawny, Slightly Sweetish. 

That said, this also tasted Noticeably Salty. I really liked that this Filling is filled to the Brim with No Air Pockets and No Attempts at Scrimping. 👍 This gave it a Juicy Bite Feel. 😋

Dipping this into that Tartar Sauce helped alot in Reducing that Saltiness and adds an Additional Exciting Layer of Creaminess. This is a Very Decent Juicy and Crispy Tasting Fried Wanton. Not Bad.

Quality of the Otak-Otak

Cut in Cubes and served on 3 Slices of Cucumber Slices like some Atas Looking Hors D'oeuvres, 😅 the Otak themselves have a Soft Bite Texture. Slight Fishy Presence. 🐟 Mildly Spicy and Never Bites, this is a Decent Otak if you are ok with how Mild it is.

I appreciate the Attention to Detail in Carving some Patterns on the Cucumber Slices themselves and when you pop them into your Mouth, you immediately get a Mix of the Soft Mush of the Otak followed by an Immediate Cooling from the Cucumber. 😋 I thought it was Creative of them to serve Classic Otak + Cucumber as a Finger Food like this.

Quality of the Satay

Served in 3 Sticks of Fat and Plump Chicken Thigh Meat. 🐔 Nicely Charred, the Meat was Marinated Deep with Lemongrass with a Sweetish Profile. Not Overly Chickeny at all. 👍 Dipping this into that Peanut Sauce enhances and adds on a Robust Layer of Peanuty Chunkiness and Spiciness to it. 🥜😋

With all that said, My Preference for a Satay is actually a Less Marinated More Original 原汁原味 type such as the one I reviewed previously in Warung Boyan (Kubur Cina) at Larkin, so this one is not really for me. 🤔

There is nothing wrong with it though. If you enjoy a Classic Deeply marinated, Plump and Juicy type of Satay, you will most likely have no issues with this. 👍 I reckon Most People will also have no issues with this Satay Quality.

Quality of the Chicken Wings

Classic Ayam Tumis (Turmeric Chicken) Malay-Styled Ayam Goreng, its hard to go wrong with Chicken Wings on a Platter. 😄 Nicely Fried with No Thick Batter, the Skin was Crispy and Meat within was Nicely Salted, Tender and Juicy. 🍗

Unless you are someone who for some Reason don't like Fried Chicken Wings, I reckon most people will probably also have No Issues with this. 👍 I like Dipping this into the Tartar Sauce to get an Additional Creaminess.



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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM32.90 (S$10.20) for what is essentially 12 Pieces of Finger Foods with 2 Sauce Condiments, you're paying less than S$0.90 for each item which I feel is a Decent Affordable Price for a Sampler Platter of this Quality. 👍 Every Item here was made with a Decent Effort. I especially enjoyed the Fried Wanton how Fat, Plump and Pregnant it was with Zero Attempts at Scrimping. 😋 Really Generous Amounts of Fillings, there were No Air Pockets within. It really was Fat and Delicious.

The Only Issue I have is the Satay but its also Very Nitpicky because a Heavily Marinated Sweetish Satay is not what I go for as I prefer More 原汁原味 type of taste. 🤔 As I say this is a Very Minor Nitpick as I feel Most People will probably have No Issues with the Satay Quality here I reckon. 👍 Although advertised as meant for 2 People, 1 Person with a Decent Appetite should be able to easily Solo this with No Issues. 😋 This Platter filled me up nicely and didn't make me feel Bored nor Overly Full.

Because this Restaurant itself also has a Hotel Banquet type of Atas Vibe, I also feel this Platter is Perfect for 2 Ladies because of its Decent Presentation and the Different Variety of Items available, Perfect for a Finger Food Munchie Shopping Break Chit Chat Session. 🛍️

Overall I have no issues with Mdm Kwan. This was a Very Nice, Beautiful Restoran with Polite Professional Customer Service and Decent Affordable Foods. 👍 I can definitely recommend this Restaurant to give it a try. I wouldn't mind coming back here again myself in the Future to check out their True Signature Beef Rendang and Nasi Lemak. 😋

What an Amazing Life Story though this Mdm Kwan. Really Amazing Lady. ❤️
Someone really should make a Movie based on her Life Story! 😄