Tasty seafood, surreal sunset
A restaurant in Kuala Perlis presents Alan Teh Leam Seng with the opportunity to dine by the sea and savour delectable fare at reasonable prices
Jalan Jati Baru,
Kuala Perlis,
Perlis Indera Kayangan. 012-469 9778
Opens daily from 5.30pm to 11.30pm.
Serves a wide array of halal seafood dishes at reasonable prices.
Steamed fish and deep fried squid.
Most dishes range between RM6 to RM12 although some may cost a bit more.
Clean, comfortable and the stunning sunset is definitely a plus point.
Friendly and helpful. Go give it a try juice or is a thirst quencher. Served icy-cold with at least eight dried plums, this drink is a favourite in the restaurant. Nearly every table near us has at least a jug or several glasses of this light green drink.
Suppressing our thirst for just a while longer, Rohaizat and I decide to give the plums an extra 10 minutes to further contribute to the overall flavour of the drink.
“We will have a truly wonderful drink when we mash the softened plums with the plastic spoon,” my hometown friend explains while pointing at a large group of people who have just turned up with their trolley bags in tow. “This place is popular. I am sure this group must have just got off the ferry that we saw pulling into the jetty a few minutes earlier,” he speculates.
The first dish to arrive is the deep-fried squid in flour. There are two squid dishes in the menu with a chef’s hat beside them to indicate that they are highly recommended. We decided on this one for two reasons:
One, Rohaizat likes squid cooked this way. And second, the other option, which is steamed squid with garlic, simply has too many chopped chillies depicted in the photograph.
This squid dish, served straight from the sizzling wok, is very good. The batter is fried The Kam Heong mantis prawn is not too spicy .
just right, making it crunchy and brittle. The pieces of squid within are juicy and fresh.
Priced at RM8 for a small serving, this dish is both cheap and addictive. We unabashedly wipe the entire plate clean within minutes, washing it down with intermittent gulps of deliciously sweet and sour ambra juice.
I must hand it to the workers. They are very attentive. The empty plate that was filled with deep-fried squid just minutes earlier is quickly whisked away and replaced with three other dishes and a medium-sized aluminium pot filled with steaming white rice.
The star of our meal must surely be the Teochew-style steamed ikan siakap or local barramundi fish. It is served under a continuously burning flat-bed candle.
Rohaizat just cannot stop clicking away with his phone, claiming that he wants to share his “meal” with his sibling at home.
Just like the squid earlier, the ikan siakap is very fresh and tasty. I have a feeling that the restaurant uses wild-caught fish as opposed to farm-bred ones as there is no muddy taste at all. Coupled with the more than generous garnishing and piping hot rice, this dish priced at RM30 is a steal.
Rohaizat and I are just about to start on the stir-fried Kam Heong mantis prawns and beancurd cooked with crab meat when we notice several diners leaving their seats and walking past our table. Turning towards them, we suddenly realise that the sky has transformed into a stunning myriad of radiant colours. We were so engrossed in our food that we nearly missed the sunset!
The atmosphere quiets down considerably after a few minutes. The crowd disperses after having its fill of the mesmerising evening sky, leaving a very thankful Rohaizat and I to enjoy our meal in peace.
Kam Heong, which literally means golden fragrance, is traditionally a Cantonese cooking style which gets its distinctive flavour from the use of curry leaves and powder.
I notice the chef uses both these spices minimally to suit those who have low tolerance for heat.
Rohaizat, on the other hand, would have been happier if it had been a little more spicy. Not withstanding that, the de-shelled mantis prawns, cooked in combination with a subtle mix of shallots, garlic, dark sauce and spring onions, are simply sumptuous.
With the mantis prawns and beancurd priced at RM9 and RM6 respectively, ourbill adds up to less than RM75. Not bad for such a hearty meal, consisting of so many dishes. Furthermore, we are dining right in the middle of the main Perlis tourist belt. I am sure Rohaizat and I will be dreaming about all these mouthwatering dishes in our sleep tonight.