When a place has a name like "Grandma's" I guess it sets expectations quite high. Both my grandmas were excellent cooks. I fondly remember their lotus roots soup, pig stomach and white pepper soup, steamed kiap kiap fish, fried chilli black pomfret, ngor hiang, hei bee hiam etc etc among a long list of happy childhood foodie memoories.
But I kinda told myself to mooderate expectations as it was after all a commercial makan place.
I am glad I did.
The welcome snack is something that I like but definitely not what most grandmas would serve! In fact, I don't think my grandmas would have even tried them before. Corn chips. Moohahaha. With sambal which was pretty nice.
The Nasi Bukari ($14.90) is a one plate meal consisting of pilaf-style rice, beef rendang, prawns and a kick-ass fried chicken leg. The star is the kick-ass (did I just repeat mooself?) fried chicken leg! Crispy, salty skin with juicy flesh. Asian-style marinate.
Sotong ($8.90) done in hot and spicy tamarind sauce had delicious strips of onions sauteed in a sambal sauce just tamed with a bit of sugar. The squid itself seemed to be "boiled" and lacked a stir-fried kiss from a hot wok.
I quite like the Sweet Potato Leaves ($8.90). Cooked nicely with not too much oil. :)
When I saw the card promoting this on the table, I just had to order for myself some Homemade Mini Ngoh Hiang ($5.90). And I learnt when they said mini, they weren't joking! See their sizes compared to the fork. LOL. But anyway, this was a #fail for me. It is difficult to find good ngor hiang out there and sadly this one here also sank. The skin could have been fried longer (*ahem* rush job) so the underlying layers would not be chewy; the filling increased so it would be juicy and meaty; the five spice powder more balanced (this one had over-powering star anise flavour). Blah blah blah.
But life is not all about ranting and ranting bad stuff.
It is about finding the simple good, appreciating the sweet. The Cendol ($4.50) with its deep gula melaka notes, salty coconut milk and chewy green chendol was a nice ending to the meal.
Cheap, good, chilled beers are also an awesome way to live life! Moohahaha. Erdinger at $6.50 per 500ml glass anyone? :D
I will be back for fried chicken and beeeeeer. Hic.
Grandma's
#B1-26/27
Changicity Point
Tel: 6636 3180
Chew On This: Drink On This:
The welcome snack is something that I like but definitely not what most grandmas would serve! In fact, I don't think my grandmas would have even tried them before. Corn chips. Moohahaha. With sambal which was pretty nice.
2 comments:
hi leroy whats a kiap kiap fish?? haha.
Daryll: Hello! Errr...I don't know what's its English name. Grandma just called it kiap kiap fish. Moohahaha.
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