Last Saturday we went for dinner in Jurong Point, which was so crowded we couldn't get seats in our preferred restaurants at 6:30pm. So we decided to try this Peranakan restaurant, Red Lacquer, which we weren't really keen on since hubby's friend had said the Penang Fried Kway Teow there was nothing like the ones in Penang (the friend was from Penang).
The restaurant was only half-full when we arrived, so we managed to get a corner table, where Sam could scramble up & down the sofa bench. Though halfway through the meal I had regretted not restraining him in the baby chair! ;PThe waiter who took our orders was quite attentive, informing us the lack of plastic forks but readily supplied a suitable plastic bowl & spoon. He even asked if Sam needed warm plain water, even though we had ordered drinks. But unfortunately the promised H2O never materialised. We had to ask for it later, and also a straw.
Only after all the dishes arrived did I realised that everything I ordered was deep-fried. I guess I had unconsciously gotten all my favourites. ;P Still, I didn't have much choices since I don't eat spicy stuff, so what could I have ordered in a Penang Peranakan restaurant???
Well, we had Loh Bak ($7.90), Inche Kabin ($13.90) and hubby wanted Otak-Otak ($4.90). The otah was very, very good!! Basically it's what I would have expected from a Peranakan eating place. I had to swallow 2 mouthfuls of white rice ($1 a bowl) for every bite of the otah, but the burning sensation was worth enduring!The Loh Bak tasted almost exactly like the ones we had during our holiday in Penang, with solid pieces of meat wrapped up like our 'ngoh hiong' (五香). I had the pieces cut back for Sam to eat with his rice, which he quite enjoyed, though he steadfastly refused the accompanying 'tau kwa' (豆干).
The Inche Kabin was basically deep-fried chicken, flavoured with spices. The meat was tender enough for Sam & not dry at all, the delicate spices making the dish more flavourful than the usual fried chicken dishes. I had ordered the hot Longan & Red Date tea ($3), which came in a pot (I had expected only a tall glass) and tasted not bad, though a trifle on the sweet side. Fortunately Sam didn't drop the ceramic cup when he sipped a whole cupful of the tea.
Hubby had the worst deal: the soup of his Penang Prawn Noodle ($6.90) wasn't strong at all, doesn't taste of prawns, despite the physical presence of the seafood. We concluded jokingly that the chef must have been from a 'zi cha tua' background instead of from Penang, that would explain why none of the famous Penang hawker dishes tasted genuine but the individual dishes were good. ;P
We had a good deal last weekend, as the promotion then was a 10% discount and no GST, so basically we saved on the usual 17% taxes (10% service charge + 7% GST). I understood from the waitress that in December there would be 10% discount for Shiok! card members, so I guess the restaurant changes its promotions every month.
Red Lacquer Penang Peranakan
#03-96/101 Jurong Point Shopping Centre
Tel: 6794-5427
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