Lunch at Fong Lye Teahouse

Every time I walk past Fong Lye Teahouse at the Gardens, it seems to be packed with people - thus, I was deprived of chances to eat there - seeing as I hate long queues. Though, as I was walking past the establishment one day, I realised that it was relatively empty - so I took the opportunity to sit down and try the place.

Fong Lye Teahouse is a Taiwanese restaurant located on the Third Floor of the Gardens Mall in Mid Valley, right next to the Food Court. Since the restaurant specialises in their special sets, I decided to give the Sauteed Beef with Spring Onion and Ginger Set a try, worth RM18. The dish was quick to arrive, and the set was laid right before me was mind-blowingly large.

The set consisted of a Dumpling, coated with Bread Crumbs and Deep Fried. In it, contained seaweed - which complemented the dumpling well, though on the whole, the dumpling was rather salty. The Tofu with Chilly Sauce was sweet, and the sauce complemented the tofu well - which had a texture similar to that of deep fried cheese. The Fried Green Beans topped with Salted Fish were slightly overcooked, though the salted fish worked well with the sweetness of the green beans.

The set also consisted of a bowl of Clear Chicken Stock with Vegetables and Chicken. The chicken stock was subtle in flavour, and the vegetables were nice and soft. Though the chicken pieces were large, they were incredibly dry and tough to chew. And as for the rice, I was quite surprise to see that even it was topped with minced pork and mushroom - this gave the rice an extra herbal edge to it. Talk about going the extra mile.

Finally, the main highlight of the set - The Stir-Fried Beef - was kept warm by a small stove that was lit. The beef was reasonably tender, though some pieces of it were a bit overcooked. There was also too much of spring onions and not enough of beef. Trying to cut corners I see. Though as a whole, the dish - which were subtly flavoured by the ginger and chillies - was good enough for me.

Fong Lye is a truly unique place, offering many unique dishes such as the Taiwanese Burger (which I have yet to try) and the Peanut Mountain, an interestingly named desert. I would highly recommend that you come early to dine - or you might find yourself waiting for ages during the lunch and dinner hours, as the restaurant is filled with hungry customers munching on their food.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Overall Taste: 6/10

General Impression: 7/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic