Restoran 88 in Kuchai Lama has a decent range of tai chow dishes – a reliable spot when I’m craving Chinese cooking. The restaurant is spacious and décor, fuss-free. Go there for the food, not quite the ambiance and you’ll be fine.
Simple pleasures
I’ve dined there a few times and found the food to be quite alright. Service can be a tad slow when you go during peak hours but that’s to be expected from a Chinese restaurant, I reckon. The Portuguese style pork chop is one of the popular items at Restoran 88 though I find it a tad sweet. I prefer the marmite spare ribs as the edges were nicely caramelised and the meat, tender.
Marmite pork ribs
Portuguese Pork Chop
The smoked chicken came highly recommended and rightly so – this was good stuff. I liked how the chicken was well seasoned, and the skin was light and crispy. You get to pick pork or chicken for the Buddha’s Yam Ring, and I opted for kung po chicken. While the chicken wasn’t much to shout about, the yam ring was quite good. Crispy on the outside and soft at the centre.
Smoked Chicken
Buddha’s Yam Ring
Salted Egg Yolk Bittergourd
Four Heavenly King
I didn’t care much for the salted egg yolk bittergourd but the four-heavenly king packed a wallop. The latter had a good amount of dried shrimp for aroma and flavour, plus they were generous with the sambal chilli. Restoran 88 claims to make their own tofu in the claypot tofu, and this came with vegetables, black fungus, prawns and pork slivers. Nothing spectacular but tasty enough with white rice.
Claypot Tofu
Fuzhou Steamed Fish
I found the Fuzhou Steamed Fish to be quite good as the sauce was sweet, spicy and thick from the addition of bean sauce and garlic. Tilapia is used by default but if you have a preference for fish, do let the waiter know. The sauce was robust and masked the muddy taste of the fish quite well, so I didn’t mind this one bit.
Buttermilk squid
Pricing is reasonable especially if you’re dining in a larger group; I paid about RM30-35 per pax when I went. That said, expect to pay more if you’re planning to order seafood and fish. ;)
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Ambiance: 6/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 6.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: Try the smoked chicken and Fuzhou steamed fish.
Restoran 88
15, Jalan Batalong,
Continental Park,
Off Jalan Kuchai Lama,
58200 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 11am – 3pm / 5pm – 11.30pm
Tel: 016-204 2257, 012-315 1335