Sunday, April 19, 2015

Boon Seng Seafood Restaurant (文盛海鲜饭店) @ Batu Maung, Penang.

Somewhere relatively quieter from the buzz of town, Boon Seng Seafood Restaurant sees a constant crowd flocking in the restaurant especially during lunch hours on weekdays. The place is proven to be one of the popular places for seafood treat to their nearby factory workers. The place is simple and to my surprise, there is a snug, air-conditioned room right next to the kitchen, comfort is therefore, assured. Ordering of the dishes has to be done in front of the kitchen, where an array of live seafood will be lined up and displayed for you to choose. Prices are also clearly shown and of course, do ask for the prices if you are on a tight budget. It was impossible for me to list down all the prices but the total damage for the seven of us was Rm 217, drinks and a fruit platter were included. 


One of the dishes that left me the deepest impression- Steamed Egg with Prawns. Butterflied Prawns laid on a bed of Steamed Egg, enlivened by the use of Chinese Rice Wine and jeweled with Parsley. The Chef made a nice twist to the dish by adding in Chinese Rice Wine. The magical boozy-touch added a more layered dimension to the dish. Indubitably sweet, the dish was welcomed by us with a gleam of joy. A simple, delectable dish yet unique in its own way.


A good starter to the meal, we had a plate of simple and straight forward dish- Blanched Baby Octopuses; drenched in Soy Sauce and flecked with Fried Garlic Oil. They were slightly chewy and resilient but not hard to the bite. The addition of Soy Sauce, however, caused the dish veering to the salty side.


Steamed Clams with zingy Thai sauce was the dish that took the center of the stage. The addictive sauce has a balanced medley of sweetness, sourness, spiciness and saltiness; packed a punch to complement with the shell fish. The Garlicky flavor was somewhat strong; further brightened by the use of Parsley. A pity that the Clams were slightly overcooked though. 


Stir Fried Eel with Black Pepper Sauce was a hit amongst some of us, it carried a unique Black Pepper aroma with a slightly sweet flavor. Capsicum, Onions, Red Chilies, Spring Onions were thrown in for a quick stir fry either. It was okay but I would prefer my Eel to be cooked differently, as though the distinctive fish-oil/ flavor of the Eel did not stand out.  Also, it was way too oily to my liking.


Poultry lovers would be glad to know that Boon Seng serves Spring Chicken; well-marinated and deep fried to a golden-brown hue. The crispiness did not last, the moment I was done with photographing the dish, the Chicken turned soggy. The marination was sufficient though, but they need to work on the texture.


A short respite from seafood, we ordered ourselves a plate of Stir Fried Winged Beans with Sambal. The Winged Beans were thinly sliced and given a quick stir fry. Inevitably greasy, the Winged Beans were crunchy with a delectable savory-spicy flavor. Traces of Hae Bee/ Dried Shrimps were seen as well. A dish perfectly spooned over rice. 


Another tummy-filling dish Teo Chew Fried Mee Tiao/ Noodles; generously filled with crunchy sweet vegetables like Onions, Sprouts, Carrots and Leeks. The noodles possessed the essential "wok hei" and were nicely cooked with a slightly resilient but not hard to the bite texture. Nothing spectacular but it worked perfectly well with a dash of their Sambal Belacan.


Ratings:
Taste: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Service: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Price: 7/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)
Ambiance: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Parking: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)
Non-Halal
Service Charge: No
Government Tax: No

Additional Information:
Address: 246, Jalan Batu Maung, 11960, Batu Maung, Penang.
Business Hours: 11 am to 2 pm, 6 pm to 10 pm. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: 604- 626 2072

Map of 246, Jalan Batu Maung, 11960 Batu Maung, Pulau Pinang

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