Out of all the delicious foods I’ve enjoyed, pak cham kai sticks out as a perennial favorite.
As a child, I loved the pure, clean-tasting flesh and the silky, slightly gelatinous skin the best, but I wasn’t as fond of the ginger paste that came with it.
Traditionally, it is made with scallions, ginger, and garlic, but I usually avoided it because of how occasionally sharp and almost biting some versions could be.To a lesser degree, that is still the case today, save for the one occasion when I visit Taman Paramount’s Restoran Kong Sai.
The name refers to Guangxi, a region in Southern China bordering Vietnam to the south and Guangdong to the east.
In front of the premises is a vast earthenware jar, in which smaller jars of soup, like their signature pig’s stomach soup, are cooked and kept warm. The restaurant first opened as a stand in 1996 and expanded to include locations in Puchong and Cheras in 2002.
Inside, photographs of dishes cover the walls, along with a poster that explains the complexities of preparing soup in enormous clay jars.
I’ve never tasted anything so addictive and irresistible as the two saucers of ginger paste that come with a quarter of the pak cham kai (RM18).
This version, far from the sharpness I had grown used to, has finely chopped ginger and garlic that is carefully cooked until it is a rich, dark brown color that reveals notes of sweetness and caramelization.
In the meantime, the addition of spring onions keeps their vivid green freshness and offers a delightful contrast to the whole dish.
Silky skin and mildly savory chicken make for a winning combination that has brought me and a devoted group of regulars back time and time again.
Kong Sai serves some of the best Pig’s Stomach Soup (RM20) in town and is one of my favorite places to get pak cham kai.
You should be aware that they use a lot of white pepper in this dish. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had it without coughing up a lung at the first sip.
Despite its strength, the soup has an amazing depth and balance. Eventually, the initial zing goes away and is replaced by a warm, comforting feeling that envelops your inner being. There’s no shortage of snack options with pieces of button mushrooms, pork belly, and stomach.
Excellent too are the Pork Trotters in Vinegar (RM 18). I beg you to give this a try even if you’re not usually a fan of vinegar because it’s difficult not to say “Wow” after taking a sip of this stuff.
Bold but not harsh, tangy yet not acerbic, it carries a little sweetness and spice to round out the acidity.
There isn’t much meat to eat off the trotters, but sucking on the gelatinous bits off the bone is made all the more satisfying by the marbled liquid. The silky-smooth consistency owes itself to the generous amount of fat rendered out from the trotters. To conclude the meal, we had a pair of dishes that, while more than decent, didn’t particularly stand out.
Curry Pork Ribs (RM20) were recommended to us when we ordered, and while they were tasty and tender, I wouldn’t describe them as outstanding.
Attempting to maintain the crumbling illusion of a healthy diet, I ordered Stir-fried Green Dragon Vegetables (RM16), which were mostly fresh and crunchy, albeit a bit salty.
Restoran Kong Sai
39, Jalan 20/16, Taman Paramount, Petaling Jaya
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm, 5-9pm
Tel: 012-298 4038
Facebook:@restaurantkongsai
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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