Claypot Fish & Bullfrogs @ Fook Seng, Slim River
December 15, 2009 | 21,293 viewsIf you somehow have not heard of Slim River before, I don’t blame you. Instead of imagining a most constricted, eroded and (I’ll be damned) polluted river running across the wilderness, Slim River is in fact, a small town to the south of Perak. Constantly on the rise, Slim River seems to be developing rapidly in tandem with Tanjung Malim‘s flourishing industries, for I have heard of houses costing as much as (even more than) Ipoh’s landed properties.
Situated about 100km from Ipoh, Slim River can be reached using the expressway (PLUS – North-South Highway), about an hour or so of driving south of Ipoh. Coming from Kuala Lumpur’s direction, Slim River is about an hour plus as well. So you know where to go for a good bite if you’ve already been there, or done that. Or worse, disappointed by the atrocious Halal pau. These places are within the same district in southern Perak, so you can either go for a full-blown food crawl, tea break of yam puffs at Pun Chun, then pigging out on the Choy Kee’s pork knuckle, followed by a taste of Yik Mun’s Chicken Curry Pau.
Not sure if you realize this fact, but I never wrote about food in Slim River before, reasons being – (a) I do not know where to start with, and (b) There isn’t any MUST-TRY food in Slim River either. To which I beg to differ now.
A Google search of “Slim River food” revealed some disappointingly non-food related results. Though thanks to posts from EatingAsia‘s and Rasarasa‘s, a restaurant named Fook Seng popped up and the detailed reviews of this simple, Chinese style of ‘Tai Chow’, or ‘Zhu Zhar’ restaurant had me salivating at the prospect of sampling their signature Ikan Tapah (“Nim Yue” in Cantonese, or scientific name of Wallago attu), and the scarcely-found “Tin Kai” or bullfrogs stir-fried in a variety of manners.
Sadly, the famed Ikan Tapah was not available that afternoon, hence we picked the “Sek Pan” or Grouper to be cooked in their special claypot style. The fish arrived in a most sizzling manner, cooked in a rather thick and brownish gravy that complemented ourserving of rice perfectly. The flesh was sweet, firm, and thankfully devoid of those fishy or muddy taste. You may find it weird that a whole fish can be cooked in a claypot, without risking the flesh turning dry, losing the sweet essence of the fish to the harsh cooking condition. But in reality, the fish retained its original flavour so well, you’d be wondering whether the fish was steamed lightly, then placed in the claypot before being served. The garnishing of green onions, red chillies, and even some dried orange peels completed the ensemble, punctuated with a faint hint of Chinese wine in the gravy.
Another one of their famous dish is the bullfrogs’ legs cooked in various methods. The Ginger and Scallions style of cooking was the most reasonable choice, for the delicately sweet and tender flesh of those muscular thighs of the bullfrogs’ should not be overwhelmed by strong-tasting sauces, in my opinion. It’s been some time since I have nibbled on frogs’ legs, which are usually from those scrawny species with retracted muscles syndrome cooked in porridge. But the ones served at Fook Seng were pleasantly fat; You might even be forgiven for mistakenly thinking that they’re meat from a small chicken!
The “Seng Kong Tofu” or braised beancurd in a savoury gravy, with a mish-mash combination of vegetables, chicken meat and shrimps thrown in for good measure. The type of dish that can please the younger ones as well as the erm … young-at-hearts. 😉
For your choice of compulsory fibres (we were brought up to eat our greens anyway), there’s no need to indulge in a full-blown carnivorous mode for Fook Seng cooks up a mean Sambal Belacan Pucuk Pakis (Wild Fern Shoots stir-fried with spicy fermented shrimp paste). Contrary to popular notions that the Pucuk-pakis is a type of wild greens that resemble the “Kangkung” (Water convolvulus), the fern shoots served here differ from the usual fatter varieties. Scrawny may be an understatement, but the fern shoots at Fook Seng offered a slightly addictive bite – Almost crunchy, with a faint metallic, bitter aftertaste. May not bode well with those accustomed to hydroponic-grown greens with possibly more chemicals than desired, but personally, I like my petai (stinkbeans), pucuk pakis and any wild greens all the same.
The meal came to about RM15 per person. Reasonable enough, for the claypot grouper fish and bullfrogs are not exactly your average, homely dishes. A price I’m willing to pay, for nearly 20 years of legacy, and a trip down memory lane.
Address & Contact Number :
Restoran Fook Seng
17 Jalan Mahsuri, Taman Aman
35800 Slim River
Perak Malaysia
Tel No : 605-4528698
Directions : As you exit the toll at Slim River, turn left at the traffic lights. Go towards the town’s direction. This restaurant is on the main road itself, on your RIGHT side. If you reach Hospital Slim River on your left, then you’ve gone a bit too far.
Slim River Food – Fook Seng Restaurant (Claypot Fish, Ikan Tapah, Bullfrogs) | Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog…
Delicious claypot fish – Choose from Ikan Tapah, Grouper, or even Pak Sook Gong (catfish species). Bullfrogs’ legs (Tin Kai) cooked in ginger and spring onions. And the most crunchy Pucuk Pakis (wild fern shoots)….
nice food presentation…the photo was awesome…good job
http://www.thefye.com
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they might have poached the garouper before topping it with gravy to get it cooked.
the frogs is my fave and it’s of the wild variety.
must try Fook Seng on my next trip up north.
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
True lah, of course can’t just leave the fish inside the claypot and cook like Claypot Chicken Rice, right?!
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Another place for me to stop for makan on the North South highway.
.-= ck lam´s last blog ..David Brown’s Restaurant & Tea Terrace @ Strawberry Hill, Penang =-.
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nice food….but i dont think i will be going there just for food….haha…
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Good eateries in an unexpected place. The frog looks delicious. I heard about Ikan Tapah from one of the blogger. Too bad. I once had it in Central Sumatera – still alive and costing RM5 per kilo. I guess similar ones would be at least RM100/kilo here.
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
RM5 per kilo?!!!!!!!!! or 100g? That’s VERY cheap lah. Almost like… sardines?!!!
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tuboflard1 Reply:
August 19th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
There’s actually another eatery in Slim River which provides reasonably good food. Can’t recall the name but it should be at the other corner of Fook Seng, right under the MCA sign. They have the same dishes. steamed freshwater fish, udang galah, frogs, etc.
BTW, the ikan tapah retails for RM60/kg. Should got for the fish which are at least 3kg and above in weight. Otherwise, meat won’t be tasty from what I’ve been told. Most other fresh water fishes (except for the kelah/empurau) are are in that price range. I’ve eaten the tenggalan/white jelawat fish (with edible scales) at Choy Kee in Bidor and that was also RM60 per kg. The sebarau/jungle perch goes for about RM120/kg. Kelah in Peninsular Malaysia is about RM500/kg while in Sarawak where it’s called empurau is about RM1,000/kg.
Anyone keen on going off to Sauk near Kuala Kangsar for a fresh water fish feast?
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 19th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Choy Kee in Sungkai you meant?
In Sauk, usually people go to Lau Kai, but I have heard of different views on this.
I am not good with fishes, hence not sure which to choose or how much they’re priced. Thanks tuboflard for the information.
For everyone’s information, in Ipoh you can get rather good freshwater fishes cooked in any manner you wish at Kafe Pasir Putih and Good Happiness (or something), both on Jalan Pasir Puteh.
tuboflard Reply:
August 24th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
No, not Choy Kee in Sungkai. (mistakenly typed Bidor in my earlier post). There’s another Chinese restaurant in Slim RIver at one corner of the block of shops on the right side (if heading towards KL) right under the MCA sign which also sells the Tapah fish, udang galah and frogs. It’s after the Petronas station (on the left) but before the hospital (if heading towards KL).
seriously, i don’t recommend anything from slim river..This restaurant you mentioned in your blog.. ahem.. i think i had never stepped in before…hahaha.. Indeed, i stayed in slim river for almost 1 year plus already. wonder who will ever stop by slim river just for food..haha
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Really? You never know. People exit the toll at Bidor or Sungkai while going down south, and sometimes prefer to use the Sungkai-Tanjung Malim trunk road especially during the jams on seasonal holidays.
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Hello!
I’ve been to this place and it is a local haunt for my family and I whenever we go back to Ipoh. The fish you should actually try is the Tapah Fish. I don’t know the exact name in English but it’s a flat fish and tastes absolutely divine in the claypot version.
.-= Innovativebaker´s last blog ..<a href=\ =-.
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Hi Innovativebaker, thanks for dropping by.
Yeah, the Tapah fish was not available for lunch that day, so we had to settle for the others.
The claypot version of cooking the fishes is a novel method in itself.
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Innovativebaker Reply:
December 18th, 2009 at 12:21 am
ah well! the Tapah Fish is quite the mysterious fish that one. There’s one other restaurant I know that features the Tapah Fish – Restaurant Sin Leong Huat in Subang Hi-Tech Park.
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wow…. this is nice. Should go there makan…. heard so much about Slim river but never been there. Should plan a makan trip there. lol
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The fish in the first pic looks like it’s gonna jump at me any moment, haha! kinda fierce-lookin even if it’s dead!
funny i find eating frogs errrrrrrrrrrrrr… not my appetite. i’ll have that plate of pakis. 😉
.-= kyh´s last blog ..The forgotten frontiers: Tales from Manado and North Sulawesi =-.
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Yeah, with those razor-sharp small teeth all on display.
Frogs are sweet, delicate and offer such springy texture. Better than chicken? 🙂
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wow slim river… ages havent back there…. used to go there for angpow when i was a kid with my cousins 🙂
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I went to Slim River for Tapah Fish before but I couldn’t remember if I had it at the same restaurant. Aiyoo..those local dishes really makes me drool leh..so miss food back home now.
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if the base part of the fish was not burnt/ over cooked, then it’s definitely cooked and then placed in a boiling hot claypot ….sounds like a decent tai chow place..
.-= sc´s last blog ..<a href=\ =-.
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Oh yummmmm… Everything looks good! 🙂
.-= J´s last blog ..Shameless Photo Filler Post =-.
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I remember the first ever toll in Malaysia is in Slim River. Thanks another eating list for me.
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Yes ah? First ever? I never knew pulak.
The town does seem to see some form of development, after a while.
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I will choose to eat the frog leg 😛
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sigh..so many place i havent been… where to start??
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Erm, while on the way back from KL-Penang, use the TRUNK road, instead of the highway.
That will help a lot!
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I’ve heard of slim river! haha.. always failed to stop by for food though. *issh*
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just in time coming across this write-up… we will be going to cameron highlands on friday 18th… will stop at slim river for tapah fish and bull frogs as per your recommendation… we will not be able to order many dishes as there is only 2 of us… the best bull frogs we have taken is still in gua musang, kelantan… i have heard of this restaurant but never been there although i have passed thru slim river a number of times… will you you a review when i am back on monday 21st… thanks for sharing… ~chia
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 17th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Hi chia!
Hope you enjoy your outing at Fook Seng.
Awaiting your feedback then.
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chia Reply:
December 21st, 2009 at 6:55 pm
fook seng was closed for a family wedding when we drop in on friday 18th dec… however, we managed to make it on sunday 20th on our way back to klumpur… alas, there was no tapah fish nor the puku ferns… we ended up with another river fish and the frogs… the food was nothing to be excited about and we would not recommend it to friends… the river fish is not swimming but frozen… fook seng will move to new premises nearby next month, an intermediate shoplot in the next adjoining block ie 20 jalan mahsuri… the tm line will be cancelled and if you want to contact them, their new numbers are 012-521-3013, 012-511-9217, 017-570-0331 and 012-521-6103…
a check on the local area shows that the oldest restaurant for tapah fish is double happiness restaurant… on speaking to the owner, we were told that “swimming” tapah fish is available at the restaurant any day… however, they do not prepare it the claypot style, but generally steamed… frogs and other fishes are also available… the tapah fish is quoted at rm70 per kg as compared to rm55 per kg in fook seng… double happiness is just further down the road from fook seng… tel 05-452-8218…
another restaurant newly opened for almost similar dishes is restaurant lou yow kee… as it was closed during our short expedition to slim river, we didn’t have the opportunity to visit it…
our next testing of slim river river fish will be at double happiness restuarant when we next go up north…
~chia
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 21st, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Thanks chia, for the information.
whoa that grouper’s face.. not cute. hahah
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 18th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Not cute? Hehehehe .. we could not care less. It was walloped and perfectly dissected seconds before swimming in our stomachs!
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