Rong Guang BBQ Seafood –
If one were to ever drive down Ulu Pandan road after dusk, it would be absolutely impossible to miss this casual eatery’s gaily coloured sign and perpetual crowd. Their renditions of the cze char mainstays are solid, and somehow the ambience of formica tables and plastic chairs add so much to the experience. Should I crave a simple, satisfying supper, this place tops my list. A pretty massive late-night munch for two came up to $53.93.
The complimentary Keropok prawn crackers have generous crunch, a unique crisp, airy texture and highlight Rong Guang’s absolutely addictive Cincalok. I have seriously considered the possibility that they’ve snuck opiates into this piquant and sweet-spicy condiment alongside the crunchy shallots, chilli, lime, vinegar, sugar, salt and fermented prawns for one develops a manic craving for it that borders on being a withdrawal symptom.
The Sambal Stingray ($10/12/14) is undoubtedly their signature dish which I’m hard-pressed to find a close second to elsewhere. The firm meaty flesh is cooked to absolute perfection with a thin layer of crisp, slightly bitter char belying flesh that is surprisingly moist and not at all fishy. It might sound blasphemous to purists but I scrape the sambal off – content with the merest lingering hint of belacan flavour – and defer to a generous dose of cincalok.
The Sambal Squid ($10) is a little on the oily side but generously spicy in a way that will make you smack your lips and savour that slightly masochistic burn as it spreads rapidly through your palate.
Always have a glass (or two!) of Lime Juice ($1) on hand for when the spice borders on the overwhelming. The deliciously shudder-inducing nectar might be squeezed on site for its sourness is far punchier than the typical flat-tasting sugary-sweet cordials.
The Mee Goreng ($6) is a solid classic if not as exceptional as the aforementioned items. The generous portion is of the wetter species with the noodles coated in a moist mixture of ketchup jazzed up with chilli powder spice and cooked to firmness. They’re quite generous with sweet prawns, chewy squid, crunchy lettuce and tomato chunks too.
Do not pass on the Shrimp Paste Chicken ($8) which will leave you fighting over the last piece. An industrial-strength fire that you can hear from the eating area facilitates a brutal temperature gradient which allows a loudly crunchy-crisp golden layer to lie just next to the delicate and tender chicken. The batter contains belacan which is what elevates this beyond the realm of normal friend chicken as that pungent stuff accords a veritable wealth of flavour that sets me salivating just thinking about it. It goes without saying that the cincalok (yes, I mention it yet again) is the ideal condiment for this as it cuts through the greasiness and adds a hit of spice necessary to take things from lips-licking-deliciousness to eyes-closed-groan-of-pleasure.
Still unable to get enough, we ordered the You Tiao ($8) which are dough fritters stuffed with minced squid and served with mayonnaise. This was my ultimate treat as a child, the combination of crispness on the outside and springyness on the inside coupled with the sweet creaminess of mayonnaise just speaks to me on a fundamental level. It still gets me all googly-eyed…
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