Serangoon Gardens is a treasure cove for foodies. One recent addition is Jalan Petaling, a Malaysian-Cantonese themed restaurant occupying a sprawling area on level 4 of myVillage in Serangoon.
Jalan Petaling is the brainchild of local food conglomerate Long Jiang and the mall owners, hence all the dishes and drinks on the menu are specially created to evoke a sense of no frills streetfood communal dining yet with a twist to appeal to the young and experimental crowd (like ms hannah Chia & team).
The Deep-fried Prawn Roll ($12) was one of the best versions I have ever had. The minced pork and shrimp filled every single bream of the tofu skin, and when fried, the thin crispy tofu skin was the only shield buffering the juice within.
One usually get a choice between Curry Fish Head or Assam Fish Head at a Zichar restaurant, but the Signature Assam Curry Fish Head ($25) hybrid brings both the sauces onto one plate. Sometimes I never like choices, and this is why when the only dish is the best dish. The piquant sauce from the Assam added a surprising element of acidity to the otherwise spicy curry. The fish was also fresh and sweet in itself so I was glad the sauce did justice to this life.
It was nice to also have the Salt-Baked Chicken ($18/half, $36/full) a break from the usual Emperor’s Chicken. The Chinese herbs was more subdued this time and one would appreciate what the brine’s flavour and chemical properties did to the fowl.
Never walk away without having the Stir-fried Silver Needle Noodle in Claypot – Bee Tai Mak (from $6.80~$26) and comes in a choice of minced pork or assorted seafood. This is probably the most important dish on the menu apart from the “Kam Heong” Crab. Afterall, Petaling Street would not be what it is without the existence of this claypot dish. While some might deride the style offered here (without the charred bits) as being too “clean”, I call it healthy and I thought it was not too shabby.
The KL Seafood Hokkien Noodle ($8.80~$34) was similar except for a wok-fried whiff and thick udon-like noodles were used. They were specially sourced from Malaysia, I was told.
Everybody on the table had only good things to say about the Stir-fried Fine Bean & Crispy Shredded Yam ($12~$22). The beans were stir-fried just right and the crunchy silvers offered a welcoming texture.
To combat the savoury items, I was given their drinks menu. The length they went to design the beverages was impressive, and they were all house-made. Since I was dazzled, I had both the Osmanthus Herbal Tea and Pumpkin Barley ($3~). Needless to say, both were good.
Alas the Chilled Coconut Jelly with Mango Ice Cream ($4.80) was served to each diner. It was the thickest layer of coconut jelly I have ever had. The pudding was soft yet firm, with each bite strong on coconut flavours. If you like coconut and pudding like I do, this is an easy choice.
With Mid Autumn lurking around the corner, Petaling Street is offering Long Jiang’s Authentic Crispy Yam Paste ($15)
Authentic Single Egg Yolk Crispy Yam Paste ($16). These Teochew delights are made in small batches fresh daily, free of preservatives. So sadly they have only 24 hours of shelve life, not exactly ideal for gifts but wonderfully fresh enough to be shared after dinner.
Jalan Petaling Famous Malaysian Street Food
1 Maju Avenue #02-01, my Village, Singapore 556679
Operating Hours: 10.30am-10.30pm
Tel: +65 6509 9872
Website
