Restoran Fock Seng

Food - 3.5/5
Service - 3.5/5
Ambience - 2/5

Don't be distracted by the name (change a few letters and you find yourself ending up with a particularly foul word). Once you get past that, and pay attention to the food they dish out, this place is not even close to being a joke. Catering mostly to the factory workers and residents in Sungai Buloh, who are out for a nice cold beer and a taste of home cooked food after a long day at work, Restoran Fock Seng is perhaps the one and only neighbourhood Chinese "big fry" in the area with recipes that will have you asking for more.

::: FOOD

If you just happen to be living in Sungai Buloh, and have a particular craving for good Chinese food, Restoran Fock Seng may be your safest bet. On my very first visit here, my friend had been going on about it being the best and only Chinese "big fry" in the whole of the Bukit Rahman Putra area in Sungai Buloh. That was a big claim to make, so I was eager to ascertain the accountability of such claims. But then again, if you're living out in this neck of the woods, your opinion could be warped. I just HAD to be sure.

Marmite Pork Chop is one of my favourite dishes. And the ultimate test for any Chinese "big fry" for me is this particular dish. Perfectly tender and well flavoured, the Marmite Pork Chop made me a very happy customer that night. However, be sure that whenever you order this dish, specify that you do not want too much "fat" or you might end up sinking your teeth into blocks of fat.

Another recommendation is the Steamed Egg which I found to be exceptionally silky smooth - a result of perfect proportioning of eggs, water, and seasoning, the slight tilt of any one ingredient results in a different consistency. Was also fairly impressed by the Yun Choi in soup ("seung tong yun choi" in Cantonese) that came ladened in wine.

So far I've been there twice and both times am pleasantly surprised by the great home-cooked favourites that come my way.

::: SERVICE

I'm not really sure what to say about the service provided at most Chinese restaurants of this nature, that serve hard-core Chinese food, none of that fusionistic modernistic mumbo jumbo. The waiters or waitresses usually appear as though they have no sense of humour and come from a military background where all they do is take orders. No complaints though, as long as I get what I want and get it efficiently, and that's what you get here at Fock Seng.

::: AMBIENCE

The fact that Restoran Fock Seng is situated at the corner of a lot that serves as a wet market in the morning isn't one of its plus points. There really is much of an ambience, but if you consider old reused Chinese New Year decor and plastic laminated tables and chairs as funky, so be it. Place could use some refurbishing in terms of the paint, and cleaning up would help spruce up its image too and perhaps draw in the hygiene-conscious customers.

::: DETAILS

Sungai Buloh commercial area, opposite Maybank.

::: PRICING

Varies from size of portions.

Cafe 888

Food - 1.5/5
Service - 1/5
Ambience - 4/5

Cafe 888 belongs to that category of nuovo 'kopitiams' or coffee shops, which seem to have mushroomed everywhere in similarly new-age 'shoplots'. These modern 'kopitiams' are supposedly inspired by the traditional coffee shops you would find in every nook and cranny scattered everywhere in Malaysia, all carrying famous recipes unique to a family name or a particular town (I don't need to mention the likes of "Uncle Lim's" and "Old Town Ipoh Kopitiam" to you to understand what I'm trying to explain here, do I?)

::: FOOD
Upon scouring the menu, you will see so duly highlighted, the 'local favourites' and staple breakfast orders: "Half-boiled eggs", "Toast with butter and kaya", "Penang Fried Kueh Tiaw", "Nasi Lemak", even "Nyonya Laksa". Now whatever I've mentioned, ARE edible and actually quite acceptible, I mean, you can't really go wrong with bread and eggs, can you?

But the rest of the food (most of it at least) is.........very suspect. Below are just some of my gripes from returning trips there with friends:
- the Nyonya Fried Rice seems to have been soaked in the sea. (too salty)
- the Inchi Kabin was quite rare (didn't realise it was common to serve chicken uncooked)
- Wantan Soup - didn't pass the defrosting stage before reaching my table that time.

*Sigh* I could be really REALLY mean and go on about the FOOD, but there's more to be said about the service. ;-)

::: SERVICE
Now the 2 most important elements of any eatery, as any idiot would know, is the service and the food. Sometimes you could have really, really bad service but fantastic food, and it might still be acceptible if it was a true-blue kopitiam. Ok no such thing as the 'service industry' in the old days. But, if you had really, really bad food, and really bad service, then you really need to be shot for ever thinking you could make it in the food industry!

Cafe 888 has by now, after my frequent returns and visits, proven to me that it has earned its way into the "eatthis" hall-of-shame.

The waiters do not wait, the orders are not taken correctly, they reject returns for horrible tasting food until the customer (yes, me) complains to the manager, and they do not understand English. How wrong can it get??

::: AMBIENCE
Excellent ambience I must say. The place is very clean and pleasant to sit in. Cooling, interesting selection of 70's music. Kudos for picking the corner location which gives customers a good view of the busy streets, IF you're into that sort of gazing thing.

::: ADDITIONAL NOTES
Cafe 888 is well equipped with WIFI facilities. Spacious layout of the tables are also a plus. Perhaps this is its saving grace - its appeal to individuals on the move, who need a pleasant space to work in while sipping on a teh tarik.

::: DETAILS
Dataran Sunway, Petaling Jaya

::: PRICING
(to be updated)