Restoran 52, Semenyih

I was recommended to Restoran 52 in Semenyih by a good friend who claimed this place one of the best tai chow spots around the area. She was right – our lunch was good! The restaurant is known for their curry fish head and Guinness pork ribs, which we ordered along with other dishes.

Parking can be a hassle as the compound is small and can barely accommodate the number of cars belonging to their patrons. If you’re less fortunate, you’ll need to park across the road, along the side of the road.

The interior is bare – almost Spartan, with basic tables and chairs and newspaper cuttings on the wall. But the main feature isn’t the ambiance, but the fish head curry with assorted vegetables. This was thick and aromatic from the spices, with enough richness from the coconut milk.

Another favourite of mine was the squid, coated with a generous amount of salted egg yolk for a lip-smacking experience. The Guinness pork ribs were also quite noteworthy, though I would prefer them to have less bones and more flesh. That said, the pork was adequately tender and well-seasoned with the sticky sweet marinade.

Since my parents joined us, we ordered healthier dishes to appease them, like the three colour Chinese steamed egg, claypot tofu, spinach soup and bittergourd with beansprouts. While I would have liked them to be more robustly flavoured, these were quite decent. The tofu came with a generous amount of pork slivers and vegetables, while the soup was light yet flavourful from the addition of dried anchovies.

Lunch came up to about RM150 for six adults – pretty good value considering the portion and number of dishes we ordered.

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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 7/10 (non halal)
Verdict: One of the best fish head curries I’ve tried. Give the salted egg yolk squid a try while you’re there.

Restoran 52
52, Jalan Sungai Lalang,
Kampung Baru Semenyih,
43500 Semenyih,
Selangor.
Tel: 03-8723 8733, 012-643 9892