EGG-CELLENT SALTED YOLK DISHES

There are many incarnations of this savoury goodness. Here are some of them, write BEATRICE NITA JAY, SHARIFAH MAHSINAH ABDULLAH, GOH PEI PEI and MOHAMED BASYIR

1. LE MOLTEN SALTED EGG YOLK CROISSANT

This croissant sparked a huge craze when it was launched by Le Bread Days in 2015. Foodies are excited about the salted egg yolk custard oozing from the croissant. The cafe in SS2, Petaling Jaya, serves an array of croissants, but this one, priced at RM7.90, lives up to its name due to the runny egg yolk custard made from premium salted eggs from Penang. The custard is made fresh daily, while breads and pastries are baked in the morning.

LOCATION: Le Bread Days, 68 Jalan SS 2/72, Seksyen 19, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. OPERATING DAYS/HOURS:

2. SHORE TO PLEASE

Strangers at 47 is no stranger to lovers of savoury and sweet crepes. The homegrown eatery opened in 2014 and became a crowd favourite with its “Shore to Please” (RM22.50), a dish of soft crepe with Cajun-styled tiger prawns, crispy battered squid, spinach, caramelised onions, roasted cherry tomatoes, thin slices of radish and salted egg yolk. The dish is pure joy to the taste buds and a must-try. LOCATION: Strangers at 47, Jalan 17/45, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Wednesday to Monday from 8am to 10pm. Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 10pm. Crepes served from 11am.

3. NASI LEMAK WITH SALTED EGG YOLK FRIED CHICKEN, CALAMARI OR LOBSTER

Mamalee restaurant in Petaling Jaya is run by the Khoo family. The co-owner’s mother, Mama Lee, oversees the creation of all dishes, including its famous nasi lemak.

It is a standout with its fragrant rice and spicy sambal, which has enough kick to balance out the rich and creamy salted egg yolk sauce poured on the fried chicken.

One can opt for calamari or lobster to accompany this dish. Mamalee’s nasi lemak with buttermilk salted egg yolk chicken (RM13) is a must-try.

LOCATION: Mamalee, 27M & 29M, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Monday to Saturday from 7.30am to 7pm. Last order at 6.30pm.

4. THE ULTRAMAN SALTED EGG YOLK BURGER

If you call yourself a salted egg yolk lover, The Ultraman 3.0 (RM19) from homegrown brand myBurgerLab is not to be missed.

The burger is made up of a fried chicken thigh drenched with salted egg yolk buttermilk sauce, infused with cili padi and blended curry leaves with lettuce in a charcoal burger bun.

The fried chicken portion is generous and flavourful. Add RM7 for a side order of fries, potato salad or mashed potato and bottomless soda. The four myBurgerLab outlets are listed below:

LOCATION: Seapark Lab, 14, Jalan 21/22, SeaPark, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Weekdays from 5pm to 10.15pm and weekends from 11am to 10.15pm. LOCATION: OUG Lab, 8, Jalan Awan Hijau, Taman OUG, 58200 Kuala Lumpur.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Weekdays from 5pm to 10.15pm and weekends from 11am to 10.15pm. LOCATION: Sunway Lab, 3, Jalan PJS 11/9, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Daily from 11am to 5pm.

LOCATION: Cyberjaya Lab, Prima 4, Prima Avenue, Block 3513, Jalan Teknokrat 5, 63000 Cyberjaya.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Monday to Friday from 11.30am to 2pm, and 5.30pm to 10pm.

5. SALTED EGG YOLK MOLTEN LAVACAKE

Softcore in Bandar Sunway lives up to expectation with its salted egg yolk molten lavacake (RM18) served with white chocolate cake, salted egg yolk custard, honey cornflakes, curry leaves, butter crumble and ice cream.

The sweetness from the cake and salted egg yolk custard balances perfectly with the crunchy deep-fried curry leaves and ice cream. It is a sinfully good dessert best shared with a group of friends.

LOCATION: Softcore, 56 Jalan PJS 11/7, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Monday to Thursday, and Sunday from 11am to 4.30pm and 6.30pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 4.30pm, and 6.30pm to 11.30pm.

6. SALTED EGG CRAB

In Kelantan, salted eggs are normally cooked with vegetables or as a side dish to nasi kerabu and rice porridge. Manok Restaurant in Kedai Mulong, Kota Baru, prefers to use the ingredient with its crab dish.

Restaurant owner Muhammad Syawal Mahmood, 29, said the dish was a favourite among members of the Kelantan and Brunei royalty.

The crab is boiled before it is fried with salted eggs, and the dish is priced at an average of RM11 per 100g, depending on the size and type of crab.

OPENING HOURS: Opens daily from 4pm to 1am.

LOCATION: Manok Restaurant, Lot 47 Kampung Kedai Mulong, Kota Baru, Kelantan.

7. KADAZANDUSUN SALTED EGG DISHES

Gibing Traditional Food and Cafe in Penampang, Sabah, serves some of the best Kadazandusun dishes, including those with salted eggs. The ingredient is often cooked with wild mango (bambangan) and wild ginger (tuhan) endemic to Borneo. Gibing’s most popular salted egg dishes are eggplant, bitter gourd, prawn, calamari, sliced fish and chicken, sprinkled with the cafe’s secret traditional condiments. The dishes are priced between RM12 and RM35.

LOCATION: Gibing Traditional Food and Cafe, Lot 4, Block 22, Bandar Baru Penampang, 89507 Penampang, Sabah.

OPENING DAY/HOURS: Daily from 9am to 10pm

8. SALTED EGG FRIED RICE

Salted egg fried rice is one of many fried rice varieties served at RNZ cafe in Johor Baru.

A whole salted egg yolk is fried with other ingredients, like chicken pieces and red chillies, to make the dish. The crumbled salted egg yolk gives the dish a rich, creamy and salty taste, which goes well with the other ingredients.

Best eaten with green chillies, the dish (RM8) is tasty and affordable.

LOCATION: RNZ Cafe 36 Jalan Padi 2, Bandar Baru Uda, 81200 Johor Baru.

OPENING DAYS/ HOURS: Sunday to Friday from 10.30am to 9.30pm.