Dinner at the always-dependable ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ this evening. Popular as wedding dinner caterers back in the 1980s, ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ was established in 1979 by the Yeoh family. It has been managed for much of the past 20 years by Mr Lau Teik Seang, whoโs an adopted son of Mr Yeoh, the family patriarch.
In 2016, ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ opened its own restaurant in Paya Terubong, allowing its many fans to enjoy its specialty dishes without having to be invited for a wedding dinner. Its current outlet is managed by Mr Lau Teik Seangโs daughter.
Our dinner this evening:
Red snapper curry with okra - this is the restaurantโs piece-de-resistance, and is the most-ordered item on the menu. Served to the table bubbling-hot in a claypot, the curry was heavy with South Indian spice mix. The fish pieces were cooked together with okra, tomatoes, and onions, with curry leaves thrown in. Itโs garnished with fresh mint leaves before serving.
Chicken cooked two-ways: crisp batter-fried and coated with plum sauce, and braised chicken in Chinese ham-chili-mushroom sauce - this is a popular banquet dish from the 70s/80s, and rarely found nowadays - perhaps because of its very simplicity.
Braised whole pigโs trotter with peanuts
Steamed โkappaโ shellfish with lime juice and red chilis
Stir-fried โsiew pak choyโ and carrots - the obligatory greens. The vegetables were given a quick toss in the wok over very high heat. Light, flavoursome sauce with hints of oyster sauce & garlic.
House special braised egg tofu with powdered, dried shrimp - this was the best-tasting dish for me this evening. The powdered dried shrimp is a very โCantoneseโ condiment, and lent a deep, umami flavor to the tofu dish.
Perhaps because of its wedding banqueting pedigree, ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑโs kitchen worked at breakneck speed in churning our dishes. We were amazed when all 6 dishes which we ordered were delivered to our table within 20 minutes!
A steady stream of customers, mostly large family groups, showed that the restaurant had not lost any of its popularity after all these years.
Address
Leong Hee Seafood
1235-C, Lebuh Paya Terubong 3, Bandar Baru Air Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +6012-679 5617
Operating hours:
Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun: 5.30pm to 9pm
Wed: Closed