Nam Heong, Johor Bahru…one dish wonder

Nam Heong is a restaurant that specializes in one dish.

The chicken hor fun here is spectacular. Super smooth flat rice noodle, shredded poached chicken, boiled prawns, garnished with fried shalllots in a bowl of incredibly flavoursome soup. I found myself downing the bowl in record time; slurping up every strand of the noodle and drinking up every drop of soup. But don’t get your hopes up, though. The rest of the menu were underwhelming, occasionally disastrous dishes. The mediocre chicken rice tastes like something left over from the night before, which may just have had its moment 12 hours ago.

To reiterate my opening sentence, Nam Heong does one thing really, really well. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Ee Ji Ban, Melaka…a pleasant surprise

Ask someone to name a typical Melaka food and even a Singaporean will likely suggest chicken ball rice. (otherwise also known as chicken rice ball): fragrant chicken rice you know and love shaped into cute little golf ball sizes. In the entire state of Melaka, only one is halal certified – Ee Ji Ban.

Although I’m generally not a fan of halal Chinese food, I was pleasantly surpised and impressed with the excellent flavor and texture of the rice and dishes. It was busy and almost full when we arrived for dinner which we took to be a good sign. In addition to chicken rice balls, the menu offers nyonya delicacies. The sambal sotong (squid cooked in chili paste) is a crowd-pleaser if you fancy something with extra heat.

It is official, and who knew it: halal chicken rice ball is a thing. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Nam Heong Vintage, Kuala Lumpur…chicken hor fun is amongst the league of legends

As Asians, we’re constantly searching for the newest and hottest restaurants with innovative cuisines and are adorned with the latest, most stylish decor. Yes, being up to date on the restaurant scene is fun – and a Singapore necessity- but at times we forget about the historical gems.

Nam Heong Vintage’s unique and retro feel will transport you back in history and keep you wanting to stop time to cherish their delicious eats.

Order this: The egg tarts make a good start. The filling is delicate and sweet. The shell is crispy, flaky and buttery. The Nam Heong chicken hor fun aka kai see hor fun consisting of super smooth flat rice noodles (kuey teow) and shredded tender poached chicken. The awesomeness lies in the incredibly flavoursome soup with that vivid layer of orange oil that comes from boiling the prawn heads. I downed the bowl in record time; slurping up every strand of the noodles and drinking up every drop of soup.

Don’t order this: signature chicken rice with steamed chicken. Nam Heong used to be famous for its chicken rice, but sadly it’s a dish which should finally be laid to rest here.

You would not want to miss the chicken hor fun, though. It’s way up there amongst the league of legends. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

 

Hainanese Delicacy in Far East Plaza, Singapore….worst of the worst

This place exudes a brand new level of absurdity. I have a string of invective to describe this place that can’t be printed in this blog. The food is actually not bad, but the unethical and fussy whims could hardly be more off-putting.

Yes, this is where you get ripped off. And in case you’re wondering, I’d ordered for a chicken drumstick to go along with my chicken rice, while lunching with my three colleagues. After they’d served everyone else, they told me that they can’t serve me the drumstick and offered other parts of the chicken. When I pointed out that there are drumsticks visibly available and that I was willing to pay extra, they told me that I need to order half the chicken to get the drumstick. To put things in perspective for them, I pointed out that the four of us dining together would have already ordered the equivalent of half a chicken. But alas, no amount of discussion would persuade them to serve my order. They had no answer to my question as to why they didn’t make their policy clear at point of taking our orders instead of when my colleagues had already started on their meal.

This place – where the customer is rarely right – should be declared a disaster area. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…