KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — In this line of work, tips come thick and fast.
Most don’t amount to much, but the rare few that do can send a source soaring in my estimation.
One such reliable informant has yet to disappoint, and after reading a recent story of mine featuring soy sauce chicken, they were quick to point me toward what they described as “the best soy sauce chicken they’ve ever tried.”
High praise, and a bold claim.
The storefront has an all-red colour scheme. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Especially considering that they sent me to Restaurant Tong Siang in Desa Aman Puri, which seems to be a place centred around offering classic Penang dishes like asam laksa, mee jawa, prawn mee, white curry mee and even Penang-style chee cheong fun with hae ko.
But a glance around the dining room told a different story. Nearly every table seemed to have an order of soy sauce chicken. It was clearly the main draw.
Only, it looked… different.
What does soy sauce chicken usually look like to you? For me, it’s almost always a deep reddish-brown, glossy and resting in a generous pool of braising liquid.
This one, however, was something else entirely: jet-black, sticky, and nearly dry, with barely any sauce to speak of beyond a light drizzle over the rice.
The sauce is so thick that it becomes a glaze on the chicken skin. — Picture by Ethan Lau
My order of Full Whole Leg Soy Sauce Chicken Rice with Egg (RM11.50) arrived with a piece of chicken as dark as midnight, alongside a whole boiled egg, blanched greens, rice, and a tangy chilli sauce.
The chicken was coated in a sweet, rich braise that tasted strongly of onions slowly caramelised over time.
Its surface was so luscious and sticky that it made my lips cling together, almost like a syrupy glaze.
I have never experienced a soy sauce chicken quite like it. My only nitpick is a typically Malaysian one: more sauce, please!
I couldn’t leave without trying one of the classic Penang offerings, so I opted for the Mee Jawa (RM8.50), which was listed as a signature.
Penang noodle dishes are part of their forte here, like this ‘mee jawa’. — Picture by Ethan Lau
While I hesitate to call it the best mee jawa I’ve ever had, the strong seafood stock, thick broth, potatoes, fritters and chilli meant that it ticked all the boxes for a very competent rendition.
Another item that seemed to appear on every table was taro over shaved ice. I must confess, the idea of boiled taro over shaved ice at 11am did not fill me with confidence.
I’m not a huge fan of taro or yam to begin with, and the most popular versions here usually come with red beans (the bane of my existence) or black glutinous rice (acceptable).
Don’t miss out on the taro shaved ice. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Fortunately, the Sweet Taro Shaved Ice (RM6.50) offered a simpler take: plain boiled taro topped with palm sugar.
You’re given a bottle to squeeze to your pleasure, but fair warning — the sauce comes out with far more gusto than you might expect, since it’s diluted enough to mix well into the ice.
In the end, it made for a soft, sweet, yet cooling finish to the meal.
Restaurant Tong Siang 同乡美食坊
3-28A, Jalan Desa 2/4,
Desa Aman Puri, Kuala Lumpur
Open Monday to Sunday, 10am-7.30pm. Closed on Thursday.
Tel: 03-6263 8815
Facebook: Tong Siang Kitchen 同乡美食坊
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and occasionally self-deprecating humour.
