There is a Puchong branch as well but Hui Ying's friends said the one in Old Klang Road is better. I can't really comment because I haven't tried, but Phoi Yih said that they are almost similar. I guess there won't be much difference in taste given that they are from the same management.
The restaurant is located on the main road, so if you drive along Old Klang Road past Pearl International Hotel on your right, you will definitely see the huge signboard. It is located next to a furniture shop. Parking space is really limited, even though there is a parking lot next door but you have to pay RM5 per entry. I assume the small parking area in front of the restaurant is free, but you have to come really early to get a spot - unless you're lucky.
We arrived about 7pm (the restaurant starts operating at 5:30pm) - totally didn't expect Old Klang Road to be so jam on a Saturday evening. I heard there will be a long queue especially during weekends so it is advised to be there earlier. There are a few rows of chairs at the entrance, for those who are waiting to be seated (I wonder if that many chairs are needed..?).
Once I stepped into the restaurant, I was quite surprised that it's actually pretty huge and spacious. The interior is kept as simple as possible, with colourful prints of food as well as nature along the walls, which is a pleasing sight to see. The only disadvantage is that there is no air-conditioning - I wonder why the air-conditioned room occupies only a small section at the entrance. They should definitely install air-conds here because eating steamboat in a hot weather/environment is not a good idea.
The restaurant was almost full except for a few empty tables towards the end, so we were led to one of the last tables behind.
We thought that the 猪骨煲 (pork knuckle soup base) - which is what this steamboat restaurant is famous for - is quite special since it is usually the clear or tomyam soup base, and we heard good reviews and were even recommended by friends, but probably because our expectations were pushed up too high, we got somewhat disappointed.
Firstly, the price is really expensive. The soup itself is already RM20.90, and the small plate of ingredients on the left is RM18.80 (the portion is supposedly for one person) consisting of fu chuk, fishballs, meatballs, dumplings, crab sticks and cabbage. I was surprised at the size of the portion when it was served.
Compared to that, the seafood set (for two persons) looks much more appetising. But at a price of RM69.90, it is not worth it at all when there is only a small piece of fish, a few clams and mussels, two prawns, some mushrooms, yam sticks and fish noodles. The rest of the ingredients are basically the same as the first plate. It also comes with a plate of noodles (yee mee and mee hoon) and egg, as usual.
There were five of us and the bill came to about RM26 per person plus drinks. We ordered one jug of winter melon and longan (as you can see in the photo) to share, which costs RM9 and it is quite annoying that it is nonrefillable, so each of us only had a small glass of it.
We were there for almost two hours, and felt really bloated from dinner - not because of the food but because we kept drinking the soup lol. The milky soup base was indeed something different for a steamboat, but to be honest it taste similar to the 鱼头米 (fish head noodle) soup. It is full of flavour, but I don't think the price is worth it. The other ingredients are also overpriced, given that they are common and cheap.
With a few ringgit extra, we could actually have a buffet steamboat already (I know there is one in Kelana Jaya). Think: free flow of seafood MMHM. Anyway, the food wasn't bad but I won't be back again. Nonetheless, it was a good dinner and catch up session - after one whole year!
Opening hours: 5:30pm - 11:30pm
Address: 1, Batu 4 3/4, Jalan Kelang Lama,
58200 Kuala Lumpur.
GPS location: 3°5’14″N, 101°40’26″E
Contact number: 019-2776596
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After that, we went to Veronica's house. I dropped them off and went back to take the cheese cake that I baked earlier (because it needs to be chilled), some chocolates that I bought in Europe and a farewell gift for Veronica.Kat managed to come at the last minute and Hui Ying came too, even though she was working the whole day. I know she would be tired and Kat had other things to deal with as well, so I was really touched that they came in the end :')
Finally, the seven of us could gather together after so many years of not having a complete gathering.
Family portrait :'D
Getting everyone together is becoming a rare occasion these days, but I'm glad that it is not impossible and that we could still be as crazy as before, if not more crazier. I really do cherish every moment we spend together especially now that some of us are moving into another phase of life, which makes it harder for frequent hangouts to happen.
It warms my heart when everyone makes the effort to meet up because I know how difficult it is when we have our own different responsibilities that comes with adulthood (gosh I sound so old). But who says you have to act like an adult when you are one? Hehe so here's to a never-ending friendship of sampat-ness - hopefully we will still share many more crazy laughs even when we're 40 ;)
Played "谁是卧底" (a Chinese game app that is similar to charades but way more fun) again - I think it is becoming a game that is compulsory to play every time we meet! Also it is my current favourite game but it needs a minimum of three players and the words are in Mandarin, meaning I can't play it everyday and I also need to find the right people to play with.
The most exciting part are the punishments, really! This one is not included in the list of punishments given but it is the only one involving all of us - except Hui Ying, and of course, she was the one who came up with the idea. There are other funnier videos but they would have to be private :P
It was truly a night of craziness and non-stop laughter, which ended with hugs and goodbyes. All photos above taken by Mean Shan.
Last but not least, here is my beautiful cheese cake!
