Taman Universiti Black Chicken Noodle

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (Average)

Address: 84, 58, Jalan Kebudayaan 18, Taman Universiti, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
(Located within Restoran Ong Ong Lai Kopitiam)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2zpBwr9gwf8XZjQa7
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

Kopi-O Kosong = RM2.60
Black Chicken Noodle = RM7.00

No Service Charges

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

I understand this is a Famous Place to Eat when I was doing my Research about Foods in Taman Universiti. Really Famous especially for the University Students. What it is, is actually a Food Stall within a Coffeeshop that used to be called "Restoran Shang Hai" but has since changed its name to "Restoran Ong Ong Lai" now.

Unfortunately, the Original Owner, an Elderly Uncle that made this Dish has since sold off? this Business and its now managed by a Completely Different Person. The one here is No Longer the Original Famous Black Chicken Noodle. 

If you would still like to visit via Grab however, you will need to set the Grab Destination by its Old Name "Restoran Shang Hai".



Interior of the Coffeeshop

The Coffeeshop itself is Pretty Old Looking and looks like its been around for a Very Long Time. Not a Super Popular Full-House Situation, nevertheless there were still quite some Customers at 8.00am on a Saturday Morning when I visited.

The Actual Food Stall is located Deep Within the Kopitiam and is located right next to the Drink Stall.  The New Owner of this Food Stall is manned by a Polite and Soft Spoken Lady and even though this is Not the Original Owner, I noticed that it was still quite Popular with the Local Folks.

Anyway it took only 2 Mins for Everything to be Served up Together. 
Side Note: There is also a Roasted Meats Stall that I didn't visit as it wasn't open yet, but the Aroma wafting from it was Superb and I definitely want to re-visit this someday.

Kopi-O Kosong = RM2.60

This was ordered from the Drink Stall of course, and I would describe it as "Light-Body not Robustly Gao Gao" type. Coffee Strength is Decently Strong which will Definitely Wake You Up. Not Bitter, No Siap Siap, this wasn't a Super Amazing Coffee, but was still pretty decent.

Black Chicken Noodle = RM7.00

The Dish itself as you can see is Not a Complicated Dish. Its a Pile of Noodles with 4 Pieces of Braised Chicken Cuts and the Whole Thing was Lum with a Black Sauce, hence the Name. "Black Chicken Noodle 黑鸡面"
Quality of the Black Sauce

Visually looking like a Black Pepper Sauce, it was Sticky and Thickened with Cornstarch. The thing that I noticed immediately was how Mildly Sweet it tastes despite how it looks. Very Mildly Sweet, not Overly Sweet at all, it was also Not Black Peppery at all despite its Look.

From what I gather from Google Reviewers, the Original Sauce from the Original Previous Owner was More of a Black Pepper Sauce compared to this one. If this is true, then I'm quite surprised that the New Owner didn't even try to follow the Original Taste because obviously it would be a Safe Route to try to replicate the 老味道 as close to the Original. 

Quality of the 4 Pieces of Braised Chicken

There are 2 Large and 2 Smaller Cuts with the Larger Cuts being more Boney Thigh Cuts and the Smaller ones are Breast Cuts. Decently Braised, the Meat wasn't Overly Chickeny with a Decent Meaty Chew.

I thought the Breast Cuts weren't Overly Dry thanks in part to that Sauce, although I didn't really like the Larger but also More Boney Thigh Cuts as there wasn't much Meat on them actually. Decent but nothing Special, they taste exactly like how you'd imagine which is a Sweetish Sauced Braised Chicken.


Quality of the Noodles

This is of course the Carb Component of the Dish. Amount of Noodles given is Acceptable and Filling for the Price. They are like a Slightly Thicker Wanton Mee Kia Noodles. Although not Super QQ, I liked the Slight Bounce Texture it had. Cooked Decently, this was a Decent but Not Amazing Noodles.


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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM2.60 (S$0.90) was an Acceptable Price for this Light-Body but still Robust and Decently Strong Not Diluted Coffee. Above Average compared to the Standard Kopi-O in a Standard SG Kopitiam.

At the Price of RM7.00 (S$2.30) is a Reasonable Price for this Black Chicken Noodles as the Amount of Noodles felt Acceptable for the Price. The Chicken was Acceptable although I didn't like the Boneier Cuts I got which didn't actually give as much Meat as it looked. What this Dish is, is a Different Variation of a Wanton Mee using a Mildly Sweet Sauced Up Chicken for its Protein instead of Char Siew.

The Soul of this Dish is really the Black Sauce which is the Main Component that the rest of the Items are completely dependent on for its Main Taste Profile. Perhaps Too Dependent. Whether you like this DIsh or not, fully depends on whether you like this Sauce or not. 

I'm personally ok with this Sauce for how Mildly Sweet it was, although I can also understand why some Google Reviewers don't like it if the Original Version was more Black Pepper based. I do feel that a Black Pepper Version would actually work better and I can totally understand why this is Popular the way it was.

Culinarily though, I applaud how Brave this New Owner is for not just blindly copying what the Previous Owner did. This is someone who wants to carve out her Own Identity and not be burdened by Past Expectations. This is a Very Admirable Quality for a Chef. 

While the Price of this Dish is acceptable for what it is, I don't feel its really worth to specifically come to Taman Universiti to eat. It taste exactly like how you'd imagine. A Mildly Sweetish Sauced Braised Chicken which a Thickened Sauce over some Wanton Mee.

Don't let my Average Score deter you from this Place. If you are nearby the Area, why not swing by and give this a try? I have no issues with the Service Level of this New Owner Lady.

She was Polite and Reserved and her Food Stall as I've observed is actually popular with the Local Folks from what I see, so no harm giving it a try if its something that you would enjoy. What I am interested though was the Roasted Meats Stall in this Coffeeshop which I will certainly give a try in the Future!