KUALA LUMPUR. Feb 13 — The sheen on the glistening crispy skin is enough to whet even the most jaded appetite. The meat is enveloped with a layer of juicy fat, full of flavour.
Is there any dish more tantalising than a large platter of siu ngo or Cantonese roast goose?
If you’re a fan of this fantastic fowl, as I am, then the answer is always in the affirmative. Aficionados are ever on the lookout for a new siu mei (roast meats) shop, in search of the ultimate specimen.
Rejoice then, for one just opened a few weeks ago in Taman Connaught, Cheras. Hong Kong Xin Rong Kee offers a variety of siu mei but their focus is clearly the much coveted siu ngo (as evidenced by the prominent roast goose logo in their vividly red signage).
The emphasis continues as you enter the shop: the first thing you’d see would be rows of whole roast geese on display. Nothing like high visibility.
These large birds — bulkier than the more commonly found roast ducks — are hung from hooks awaiting orders, which keep coming for this signature item.
Like clockwork, the staff retrieves a roast goose once the order comes in, slicing with a practised hand, and swiftly breaks the bird down into bite-sized pieces.
The three of us ordered half a roast goose to share, opting for the lower half (the "rump and drumsticks” as denoted in the menu). What arrives at our table is a very decent rendition of siu ngo, comparable to well-established roast goose restaurants in Hong Kong.
The skin, as mentioned before, is sufficiently crispy though not to the extent where one can describe it as being "crackling” — this is not a knock, as prominent roast goose experts favour the tenderness of the roast goose’s meat over the crispiness of its skin.
Here the meat is indeed moist and tender, without any hint of gaminess. The pièce de résistance, for us at any rate, is the generous layer of luscious fat — absolutely mouthwatering.
(This is where I caution readers who prefer their meat on the lean side to sample a different dish rather than shock the poor proprietor by asking for roast goose without... fat. Sacrilegious!)
No surprise then, when we learn from our server that the shop’s Cantonese head chef hails from Guangzhou, China.
Perhaps the highest praise I can offer is that the roast goose was so divine, I quite forgot to even dip a single piece in the accompanying plum sauce, which is traditionally served alongside it.
It didn’t need it, dear readers; the roast goose was great as is.
Besides roast goose, Hong Kong Xin Rong Kee also has other staples including roast chicken, cha siu (caramelised barbecued pork) and siu yoke (roast pork).
Two of us ordered a platter of cha siu, which went down a treat with our bowls of hot steamed white rice.
The third preferred noodles, so he had their cha siu wantan mee. The noodles were, he noted, satisfyingly springy whilst the wantan dumplings hit the spot for him.
To complete our meal, we had some of their Cantonese style blanched choy sum with a simple soy sauce and oyster sauce gravy.
We arrived around 11am but by noon, most of the tables were taken up. Many customers, perhaps regulars now from the neighbourhood, ordered roast meats for takeaway so it wasn’t chaotic despite the lunchtime rush.
No reservations needed... for the time being, at least. I wouldn’t be shocked, however, if the restaurant soon sees queues outside; their roast goose merits the wait.
Hong Kong Xin Rong Kee 香港新榕记
8, Jalan Cerdik,
Taman Connaught,
Cheras, KL
Open daily 10am-2:30pm and 4:30-10pm
Phone: 011-6152 2959
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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