It has been a decade since I ate at Madam Kwan’s. My first time at Madam Kwan’s was during a church retreat in KL many years back.
They opened a branch in Singapore, but it was subsequently closed.
This time, I had lunch at their Johor Bahru outlet, located inside the famous Mid Valley Southkey Mall.
There was a queue of 5 groups in front of us. I would suggest you visit after 1 pm to avoid the crowd, especially on a weekend.
Between the two of us, we ordered chicken satay, beef bee hoon with gravy and nasi lemak. All are listed as their recommended dishes. Unfortunately, the otah (which I remembered to be very good) was sold out.
The chicken satay was very good. Each skewer contains hearty chunks of juicy chicken meat.
The gravy is good, but you do not get the very strong nutty taste in it.
If you only have to try one dish when you visit Madam Kwan’s, go for the nasi lemak. It will come with rendang chicken, hard-boiled egg, shrimp floss and sambal chilli ikan bilis.
The sambal is not that spicy and tastes a tad sweet. This is suitable for people who cannot take spicy food.
The coconut rice is moist and fragrant. Every mouthful, when paired with the shrimp floss, sambal chilli or rendang chicken, is delightful.
This beef bee hoon with gravy is also a staple in our Tze Char stalls. The way they did this differently was that the bee hoon was partly crispy. I find the beef too chewy for my liking. Chose to order this over the kway teow soup. I probably will skip this dish the next time I visit.
My personal verdict.
Food: 4/5 – one of the better all-around casual restaurants serving Malaysian fare. The price is on the higher side. My total bill (including two drinks) came up to RM95. (thankful for the fantastic exchange rate!)
Ambience: 4/5 – The setting was pleasant. Suitable for group gatherings and families.
Service: 4/5 – service was prompt despite being full-house when we visited.
Will I return? Yes, to the comfortable setting and the delicious Malaysian cuisine.
