Where oh where have all the good Kelantanese-Thai makan spots gone? Never fear, Chun Buri is here! If you are craving for "Kg.Baru"-style Tomyam in the heart of Kota Damansara, then this is definitely worth checking out
Move over Vicchuda, the glory days of the humble Kelantanese-Thai restaurant are back! These small unobtrusive 'tom-yam' shops seemed to prosper long before the age of the 'MAMAK', with humble premises but quality food. Alas! Today's family owned Tomyam shops are few and far between. Tucked away in a shoplot in Kota Damansara however, lies a little gem called CHUN BURI, which has renewed my faith in the Kelantanese ability to do it right (by way of food I mean).
If you're not looking for it, it is very easy to miss Chun Buri. The shop is plain at best and the name doesn't sound remotely appetizing. But once you're seated, the menu looks a little bit more promising. What is surprising are the prices, really reasonable, cheap even- for a shop located in the affluent Kota Damansara area.
Aside for the typical Kelantanese-Thai fare, they also serve bubur nasi, ikan bakar and kerang bakar here. The house speciality would have to be the Tomyam Poktek, 'poktek' meaning 'claypot'.
We ordered the main staples- Nasi Putih, Kailan Goreng Biasa, Telur Dadar, Kerabu Sotong, Ikan Siakap Stim Limau, Daging Goreng Kunyit and a seafood Tomyam Poktek.
The tomyam poktek is a clear white-ish broth and comes steaming hot in a claypot. The taste is sour and hot as tomyam should be, but slightly more subtle when compared to the typical red tomyam that is usually served. What was most pleasing was the seafood. I was expecting the usual; small, 'not-particularly fresh' prawns and a few token squid rings, but instead the soup was filled with tiger prawns, lala, crabs, fish and squid, and each morsel was as fresh as a daily catch. Chun Buri also serves up the normal red tomyam, which is just as good but really Hot! So if you can't stand the chillies, go for the white variety- which also comes sans 'Poktek'.
"Each morsel in the poktek is as fresh as a daily catch"
Next came the Steamed Siakap, which I was skeptical about initially. Everyone knows that nothing tastes worse than fish that is not fresh, especially when steamed. This dish was recommended by the 'Akak' who manned the shop, so we decided to go with it. And disappointed we were not!
The Siakap was fresh and succulent, steamed to perfection, accentuated only by a light lime sauce, leaving us to savour the freshness of the fish itself. It really was a great pleasure to find a small shop that serves fish this fresh, as I have been to many an expensive establishment and walked away with so much less.
The best word to describe Chun Buri is 'FRESH'. The Kerabu sotong was just perfect, a generous portion of squid, with a nice, slightly rubbery texture. It literally explodes in your mouth bringing forward the sweet, sour, tangy and pedas undertones of the vinaigrette. Even the kailan goreng was green and stringy, not wilted and drowning in Oyster Sauce. The daging goreng kunyit was light and crunchy, and we ended up ordering extras to nibble on.
After a few extra rounds of white rice, telur dadar and daging goreng, our eating team of 8 leaned back with full bellies and contented hearts. And the best bit of all? The entire bill (with drinks) came up to only RM150.00, proving that once again there is justice in the world
More Photos To Drool On
The crispy all time favourite Daging Goreng
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Foodster's Verdict
Chun Buri Restaurant
Taste
Address:
Opposite Medan Selera Kota Damansara
Kota Damansara Tel:
Open:
Opens for dinner
Pros:
Good old fashioned cooking that won't blow a hole in your pocket
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