Nasi Kukus Rasa Laut (Paradigm Mall)

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (Average)

Address: Skudai Hwy, Taman Bukit Mewah, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia (Located within Paradigm Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kks12Z1xaCpXhVoN6
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

🐟🍚 Nasi Kukus Ikan Lele Goreng Berempah (Curry Side) = RM15.90

Service Charge 10% = RM1.59

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


This is a Relatively Small Eatery located at the Top Floor. Very Sparsely Renovated and seems to have a Faux Fishing Village/Kampung sort of Theme? 🎣 The Most Prominent Feature is a Big Aquarium Tank right in the Middle. 🐟

The Main Focus of this Restoran is their "Nasi Kukus" Steamed White Rice which supposedly originates from Kelantan Malaysia. 🇲🇾 Do Take Note that Debit/Credit Cards are not accepted. 🙅‍♂️💳 Only Cash or E-Wallets Only.

Not Much Customers when I was there on a Weekday. Staffs are Quiet, Polite and Reserved. It took about 10 Mins for the Dish to be served up.

🐟🍚 Nasi Kukus Ikan Lele Goreng Berempah (Curry Side) = RM15.90

The Dish is presented on a Piece of Banana Leaf.
I thought it had a Simple and Humble Presentation. 😊

🌶️ Quality of the Sambal

Intensely Sourish with an Elevated Level of Spiciness that has Quite a Bite if you are Not Used to Spicy. 🌶️ This will linger long and "Make your Ear Itchy" type of Spiciness. If you like Indonesian-Style of Fiery Sambal, you will probably be ok with this. 🌶️😋

🍚 Quality of the Nasi Kukus

Not something Very Rare, we also have this in Singapore. Its just Standard Nasi Putih (White Jasmine Rice) with a Slightly Stickier Texture. 🍚 To be fair, I have never eaten Authentic Nasi Kukus from Kelantan myself so I cannot judge whether this tastes Authentic or not, but to me,  it just looks, smells, and tastes like Standard White Plain Jasmine Rice. 🍚

🍲 Quality of the Curry

This was a Curry-Side that you could choose for your Set. 🍛 Its a Non-Indian Styled Watery Curry that comes with Soft and Mushy Potatoes and Carrot Cubes. I think this is a Chicken Curry? 🐔 Its Very Light Tasting, No Lemongrass Flavour with a Gentle Spiciness that lingers abit. 🌶️

I'd describe this as a Slightly Heavier Tasting Watery type of Curry you'd normally get in Cai Fan Stalls to Lum on Rice type. Not Gao Gao, but also Not Plain Tasting. Acceptable, but also Average.

🐟 Quality of the Lele (Catfish)

This is of course the Main Protein of the Dish. Ikan Lele is the Indonesian Term for a Catfish 🇮🇩🐟 so this dish is essentially Fried Catfish. The Ikan Lele itself is not a Big Fish, Not Fleshy and is Deep Fried so much that the Whole Thing is Crispy to the Bite and you can even eat the bones with it. 🐟

Noticeably Salted and Interestingly Marinated with what I think are the Same Spices you'd find on a Ayam Kunyit. (Turmeric Chicken) There is Zero Mud Taste in this Catfish. 🐟😋 Imagine getting a Saba Fish (Mackerel) that you'd normally find in a Food Court type of Korean Dish, marinate it with Malay-Styled Spices, Deep-Fry it and you will get how this agar agar taste like. 🐟🤔

Interesting Technique tbh. If anything I learnt a New Way to process Catfish to remove it's Mud Taste. 👍 This is a very Clean Tasting Catfish although it is Fried until so Hardcore that the Whole Fish is almost Unrecognizable. 😅 But hey, if this is the way to kill that Distinct Mud Taste that Catfish usually have, I have Zero Issues with it. 👍

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM15.90 (S$5.00) is not say Cheap but also Not say Expensive for this Dish. Its a Simple, and Decent Humble Meal, Amount of Rice is Acceptable and is Quite Filling if you lum the Curry Side. 🍛😋

What I was more interested was how they processed this Catfish. 🐟🤔 Don't expect this to be Very Meaty. As I mentioned in the Main Review, imagine a Saba Fish (Mackerel) that you'd normally see in a Typical Food-Court Style Korean Dish, Deep Fry it Deeply and it tastes about the Same. 🐟

I'm personally not a Fan of Fish being Fried until so Hardcore until Bones also Crispy to Eat. But I suppose it can't be helped if this is the Way to be able to get rid of the Mud Taste that Catfish usually have. 🐟 The One here tastes Clean if Overly-Fried. I do appreciate I've learnt a New Way on how to Process Catfish though. 👍

Don't let my Average Score deter you from this Place. Although I don't find this Place a Definite Must-Eat when you're here in this Mall, there is also Nothing Particularly Wrong with it. 👍 If you're in the Mood for some Basic Average Nasi Kukus (Steamed Rice), I can still recommend this place if you are ok with the Prices on the Menu.