JOHOR BARU, March 1 – Taman Sentosa in Johor Baru is an old neighbourhood and one that is always bustling. Restaurants and eateries abound; each resident has their own favourite.
So whenever I dine with my JB friends, particularly those who live nearby, I always ask them what their most beloved foodie haunts are.
Everyone seems to love Restoran Teck Sing, located along Jalan Sutera 1 in Taman Sentosa. What this decades-old restaurant is famous for is their Paper Baked Chicken (or zhi bao ji in Mandarin).
Indeed, when you are finally seated (there can be quite a queue, especially on weekends), you might observe how just about every table here will order the Paper Baked Chicken despite the extensive menu of over 70 dishes, from their signature Curry Fish Head to the less commonly seen specialities such as the Brinjal in Hok Chew Style.
There is a good reason for this: it’s delicious.
Part of the fun is waiting for the hot parcel to arrive at your table; its approach a ceremony in itself.
The performance continues with the “grand opening” – or, in less grandiloquent terms, the unwrapping the paper baked chicken.
First, the hot steam wafts out. Then the light herbal aroma.
Finally, the “treasure” within: a whole spring chicken baked for at least two hours in its own juices as well as Chinese herbs including dong guai (angelica root), red dates and goji berries.
This, apparently, was a trademark dish at the owner’s original restaurant in his hometown of Yong Peng before he moved to JB and opened Restoran Teck Sing.
Today the restaurant sees a mix of JB regulars and Singaporean customers in town for the weekend. Yet you’d do well to sample the rest of the menu too.
Rather than the usual Cantonese style of steamed fish, we heeded our server’s recommendation of their Special Deep Fried Fish.
There is a choice of cod or barramundi. We chose the latter, which is also known locally as the Asian sea-bass or jin mu lu in Mandarin. The flakes of the white fish are delicate and sweet; its skin crunchy from the hot oil.
The gravy is a simple one of premium soy sauce. A garnish of deep fried ginger threads completes the dish. It doesn’t really need anything more when the fish is this fresh.
This being a Chinese meal, there must be leafy greens, of course. Our server suggested their popular Sambal Kangkung or their Sambal Petai.
As one of our party has a low tolerance for spice, we went for their Emperor Vegetables instead.
Also known as di wang cai in Mandarin (a literal translation), these spinach-like greens are lightly stir-fried to maintain the crispness of the leaves.
Dark green, savoury and mildly bitter, this dish proved to be a surprise hit. Every drop of the sweet gravy called for more rice to soak it all up.
To round up our meal, we also ordered a platter of their Mixed Beancurd. Mushrooms, carrots, celery and fat morsels of their homemade beancurd, all enveloped in a comfortingly starchy gravy. Basic but beautiful.
Which is essentially what a meal at Restoran Teck Sing promises – good, comforting soul food without much fuss. Despite the draw of their legendary zhi bao ji, it’s the other unassuming dishes that makes the meal one to remember.
Modest, yes, but also just a little bit more marvellous than it has to be.
Restoran Teck Sing3 & 5, Jalan Sutera 1, Taman Sentosa, Johor BaruOpen Fri-Tue 11am-8:30pm, Wed & Thu closedPhone: 07-334 7025
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
