Restoran Spoa @ Pasir Puteh, Johor (revisited)

It has been a while since we last went to the kelong for seafood. We had originally wanted to get in and out of the restaurant before dark due to the tricky road conditions. However, due to bad traffic, the sun was already setting as we drove in and I was a little appalled to find deforestation taking place here too! Trees were being chopped down for the wood and the whole road in to the restaurant was in kind of a mess. Haix..

Crimson sky filled the horizon as we drove down to the restaurant. The whole place has a different charm to it at dusk. Though still busy as the restaurant was about 40% filled, the place has a kind of peacefulness that is not explainable in words. I guess you really have to be there to soak in the atmosphere.

We were ushered to the outdoor area this time round, to a corner of the platform built on wooden planks above the sea with a good view of the entire restaurant. With a constant stream of land breeze, dining under the stars, beside the sea is truly an unforgettable experience!

The view from where we were seated.

A fishing rod left behind our table by one of the boss’s friends.

One of the workers carting fish from the kelong to the restaurant.

Our pot of tea and bucket of ice. 

Our food was served not too long after we placed our orders. In order to take better pictures of the food, we had no choice but to use the flash as those without turned out too dark. :P  First came the Bamboo Clams Stir-Fried with Spring Onions (RM10.80). Freshness of the seafood here is somewhat guaranteed since this is a kelong and they fish their own! I usually do not eat shells related food as they tend to have a fishy taste. But the bamboo clams here do not have that taste and not only that, they are clean and sweet too.

A close up of the Bambo clam I had, without the shells of course! J

Next up was the Chilli Crab (RM42 for 700grams). We had asked for a bigger and meatier crab but I think they had run out of bigger ones. Though it looked a small, it was still very meaty, fresh and sweet. The chilli sauce here has curry leaves and hae-bi (dried shrimps) added which gives it a slightly different taste from that in Singapore.

A chilli crab dish will not be complete without these golden brown buns aka man tou (RM4.80 for 6). They are deep fried till crispy on the outside yet maintain the softness and sweetness inside. Eating it with the Chilli Crab sauce is just a wonderful combination.

Prawns are something that we always order when we are here. The prawns are fished out, live, and cooked in whatever method you choose. We racked our brains and finally decided on Steamed Prawns with Egg White (RM33 for 600g), a very simple way of preparation, so that you can taste the freshness/sweetness of the prawns. This dish was actually decided while we were in the car as we were already starving and wanted to order as quickly as possible and EAT! :P It turned out slightly different from what we had in mind as the one we ate in Singapore did not have ginger slices added. Nevertheless, it was still yummy J

There was a wide variety of live fish for us to choose too and since we have already ordered so many dishes, having a big fish was definitely not on my mind. After much deliberation, we decided to opt for the fish recommended by the Boss the last time round. The finest of the flesh was just unforgettable. We do not know the exact name of the fish, just that it had white spots on its body and from what we gathered later, this fish is not reared but caught from the sea. Oops…

As the fish is quite small, the lady decided that we should have 3 fishes (RM27 for 600g). Each fish is about the size of my palm and can easily be finished by one person. I decided on steaming the fish in Teochew Style (with salty plums and vegetables), not too sure if it goes down well with my dinner companions, though one commented that it was a little too sour. For me, I find it just nice as it balances out the entire meal. :)

Other than the man tou 曼头 , this is the only non-seafood dish that we ordered, Sambal Kang Kong (RM8).

We did very well this time round, considering that we ordered a lot and the portions were considered big for 3 pax. We finished all the dishes, even the vegetables!! (My dinner companions are just not fans of veg.. :P)

While we were on the way out of the kelong, we heard on the radio the passing on of the wife of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Kwa Geok Choo. This is one news that you probably would not expect to hear when you are having fun across the causeway. It is with a sadden heart that we take in the news, given the fact that Minister Mentor Mr Lee Kuan Yew himself was not well and the demise of his wife must have come as a big blow to him. Take care Mr Lee and Rest in Peace Mrs Lee.

Restoran Spoa  合德宝阿期里海鲜

Telok Kabong, Kg Pair Puteh, Johor

Tel: 07-2162798