Patin Place Restaurant,
31, Jalan BPU 5,
Bandar Puchong Utama,
14th Mile, Jalan Puchong,
Selangor.
Tel: 016-2089012
Business hours: 10.30am-11.00pm (weekdays),
9.00am-11.00pm (weekends)
NESTLED in a quiet corner of Bandar Puchong Utama is the Patin Place Restaurant, which serves Patin fish cooked in various styles.
Many diners simply love the dishes served here.
The prized possession at this restaurant is none other than its Ketuhar Zaman Purba or ancient brick oven that is used to cook the fish.
Restaurant co-owner Lynda Lee said the brick oven was an own invention inspired by traditional Korean and Japanese cooking techniques as well as charcoal factory that uses hexagonal charcoal.
The Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Tempoyak is delicious.
“Unlike open air grills and tandoor ovens, the oven retains the heat and creates a cyclical heat flow within the oven.
“We are using ordourless, smoke and chemical-free hexagonal charcoal that can easily heat up to 600 to 800 degrees.
“The food does not need rotating for even cooking as the heat ensures the meat is cooked evenly, while retaining its juiciness and preventing parts of the fish from being overcooked.
“This is unlike steam techniques where the skin of the fish is easily wrinkled and the outer part of the fish is drier compared to the inner part,” she said.
The restaurant’s specialty is the dried steamed Patin Ketuhar Tempoyak Pekat, a combination of fermented durian and Patin.
Despite initial reservations about eating this dish, I found it tasty and it was my favourite among all the dishes served here.
The fish is juicy and moist, and Lee demonstrated this by cutting open its flesh.
The concentrated Tempoyak complements the fish, without affecting its sweetness.
The texture is soft and flaky while the strong taste will definitely please durian and Tempoyak lovers, leaving a durian flavoured aftertaste in the mouth.
Another dish served here is the Dried Steamed Patin Ketuhar served with the in-house sauce.
The fish and sauce go well together and is a must-try.
Lee said this dish offers diners a different texture of fish as one side of it is directly heated by the charcoal.
While diners can taste the soft juicy texture on the upper part, one might also like the slightly barbecued other side.
Next on the menu is the Patin Salai Ketuhar, which is a spicy offerring. It is cooked using chilli powder.
What is special about this dish is the skin of the fish that can be separated from its flesh and fried into a thin crispy sheet.
Diners might also find the presentation of the Ikan Gong (Talapia wrappad with Daun Lotus) fascinating, as the waiters will sound the gong when the dish is served.
Aside from Patin fish dishes, Patin Place Restaurant also serves dishes such as Hong Kong Kailan, Nasi Goreng Petai, Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Tempoyak, Daging Salai Ketuhar, Dried-Steamed Buttermilk Prawns Ketuhar, Sambal Sotong Kering and Rendang Tok.
The dried-steamed Patin Ketuhar Tempoyak Pekat is priced at RM68 while the Patin Salai Ketuhar costs RM58.
Lee had also prepared a surprise for us by serving their own secret recipe of Cendol Aroma Ketuhar.
“The cendol is still in its experimental stage. We are trying out different combinations of ingredients to enhance and give it a unique flavour,” she said, adding that once perfected, it will be on the menu.
The cendol we were served came in a coconut shell, with red beans, cendol and marshmallow.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
