南香 Nam Heong Ipoh (JB Midvalley Southkey Mall)

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)

Address: T-040, Level 3, The Mall Mid Valley Southkey, No 1, Persiaran Southkey 1, 80150 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia (Located within Mid Valley Southkey Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5ebn9LQ9fFB4xPqa6
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

☕ BV02 Nam Heong Ipoh White Coffee (Hot, No Sugar) = RM5.50
🥧 HB01 Nam Heong Egg Tart (1 Piece) = RM3.50
🍜 TL01 Signature Nam Heong Chicken Hor Fun = RM16.90

SST 6% = RM1.55
Service Charge 10% = RM2.59

Note: This Eatery only allow Debit/Credit Card Payments for Bills that are above RM35.00. 💳

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

This has got to be One of the More Popular Eateries in this Mall. Almost all Hours of the Day even on Weekdays, I observed that its usually quite Crowded. 🤔 I can imagine the Crowds would be even more during Weekends. 😳 Its a Relatively Large Restoran that is Nicely Air-Conditioned, ❄️ and the Interior for some reason is Renovated to look like some Old School Railway Station? 🚂 At least that was the Feeling I got.

As this is an Ipoh Franchise, I reckon it is trying to replicate a Famous Location there? 🤔 I have not visited Ipoh myself so I'm not sure. It certainly gave me a Nice 古色古香 feeling. 😄 Staffs were Friendly, Polite and Most Kept to Themselves. It took only 1 Min for the Egg Tart, and 2 Mins for both the Coffee and Hor Fun. Everything was served up all within 2 Mins which was Impressive for the Crowd Level that I saw there. 👍

☕ BV02 Nam Heong Ipoh White Coffee (Hot, No Sugar) = RM5.50

Their Signature Coffee comes in a Big Beautiful Green Cup. ☕ The 1st Taste of this has this Rich Creaminess yet its also Not Overly Creamy. The Coffee while didn't really have any Unique Taste is Not Overly Strong but still has its Presence Felt as I slowly found myself gently waking up with it. 👍 Abit of Siap Siap Feel at the Back of my Throat, this was a Nice Decent Creamy Coffee overall.

🥧 HB01 Nam Heong Egg Tart (1 Piece) = RM3.50

I appreciate that I can order just 1 of this to try. 👍 Standard Size for an Egg Tart, I appreciate the Pastry Layerings for the Crust. Not the Crispy Flakey type of Crust, it has this 鬆鬆軟軟 Bite Texture not unlike biting into a CNY Pineapple Tart with a Slight Crispness. 🍍

This Crust definitely tastes Handmade and not some Pre-Made Tart Shell from some Supplier. 👍 The Egg Filling Texture is slightly on the Firmer Side, not those Just off the Oven Super Ooey Gooey type. 🤔 Its Slightly Sweet but not Overly So, and also Not Eggy at all. Decent Tasting Egg Filling.

🍜 TL01 Signature Nam Heong Chicken Hor Fun = RM16.90

While I'm unfamiliar with Ipoh Signature Cuisines in general, I certainly have heard of Ipoh's Famous Hor Fun 🍜😅 so I gave this a try. The Dish comes in a Huge Bowl with a Simple Soy Sauce and Chilli Slices Condiment. 🌶️

When it was served up, the 1st Thing I immediately noticed is this ... Pungent Aroma wafting from this. 🍜 🤔 While its not Unpleasant, this Aroma also wasn't Appetizing either. 🤔 I think this is the Smell of the Hor Fun or the Soup Broth itself? Is this a Distinct Aroma of Ipoh Hor Fun?

The Dish itself consists of:
🍜 Hor Fun of course
🦐 2 Prawns, (1 of them is Headless)
🐔 13 Relatively Thickish Cuts of Chicken Breast
🧅 Shallot Pieces
🥬 Spring Onion slices for Garnishing

🍲 Quality of the Soup Broth

When I first taste this, the 1st thing that came to my mind was that this is Infused with a Strong Taste of the Hor Fun? 🍜🤔 Its a Classic Kway Teow Tng Flavour that leans towards Sweetish and Not Very Salty. 🤔

Taste like some MSG is being used although not Overly So. Acceptable Soup, but didn't really Wow me. This has a Very "Hawker Centre Horfun Soup" sort of Taste if it makes sense. 🍲🤔

🍜 Quality of the Hor Fun

They call this Hor Fun, but the Size is more akin to Kway Teow actually. 🍜🤔 Most certainly from some Package and not Handmade themselves. What I really like was How Soft and Smooth they were. 😋 Abit like eating a Soft Mushy Kueh with every bite. It was Delightful to 大口大口 swallow and they slide easily down my throat especially when soaked with the Soup Broth. 🍜😋

🐔 Quality of the Chicken Breasts

Cut in Relatively Thick Strips, they are not those Torn by Hand type and form the Main Core Protein Component of the Dish. 🤔 Despite being Breast Meat, they're Juicy and Meaty and Pretty Clean Tasting, Not Overly Chickeny at all.  🐔😋 Eating these Meaty Pieces with every Bite of that Kway Teow was Satisfying.

🦐 Quality of the Prawns

Decent Sized, they were served Shell-On and as I checked, the Digestive Tracts are not Removed Cleanly as you can see. 🦐🤔 What I do like is that there is some Sear Marks on the Shell which means there is a Commendable Effort to 炒出虾香 for them to help Flavour the Soup further. 🔥🦐 Meat is Firm and Bouncy and taste no different from a Prawn that you will grill on a Typical BBQ Pit. 🦐

Eating Everything together is exactly like eating a Typical Kway Teow Tng except that this Kway Teow here is Much Softer 🍜 and Chicken Pieces slightly Larger with a More Meaty Bite. 🐔😋 I wished they added some Stalks of Chye Sim Veggies into the Dish instead of Spring Onions 🥬 but of course it comes down to Dish Budget and Costing Considerations.

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

At the Price of RM5.50 (S$1.70) isn't Cheap, but it was a Decent Coffee served in a Noticeably Bigger Cup. ☕ While the Coffee Beans didn't have any Unique Taste, I liked the Creaminess of this as it Gently Woke Me Up when I drank it. 👍

At the Price of RM3.50 (S$1.10) for 1 Egg Tart is a Reasonable Price to pay for this Quality. 👍 While the Egg Filling wasn't the Boiling Hot Melty Texture, it was Still Pretty Decent Standard in Quality. I enjoyed the "CNY Pineapple Tart" Texture of the Tart Shell. 🍍😋 Not Particularly Amazing or a Must-Eat but still Decent.

At the Price of RM16.90 (S$5.20) feels Expensive at First Look for what is essentially a Kway Teow Tng, 🍜🤔 but its the Very Soft Smooth Texture of the Kway Teow that does it for me. It had such a 软绵绵 Texture that I had to refrain myself from eating more as I needed to control my Carbs Intake. 😅 Really Soft and Easy to swallow. 

The Acceptable and Thicker Cuts of Chicken Breast Cuts also didn't feel Stingy and added alot to the Meaty Juiciness Element of the Dish. 🐔😋 Having said that, the one thing that really threw me off is really the Unique Pungent Aroma wafting from this Dish that is Not Unpleasant but neither was it an Appetizing Aroma. 🤔 Maybe this is what True Ipoh Hor Fun is supposed to smell like?

Also, for the Price they are charging, Culinarily-wise, I feel they can also do better by removing and cleaning off their Prawn's Digestive Tract. I do appreciate the attempt to sear the Prawns tho. 🦐

Overall I have no issues with this Place. Its Nicely Designed and Renovated, Cleanly Maintained, Popular with Customers at almost all times of the Day even on Weekdays and the Dishes were Decently Made. 👍 If you would like to look for a Modern Kopitiam Franchise in this Mall, I can certainly recommend this. 👍 Next time got chance I don't mind try out their other Dishes on the Menu.