Some people love the name Fresh Unique because it's just so blatantly confident. The seafood is certainly fresh and as for unique... well read on and find out
If you are too tired to venture out of town for seafood but still, the tastebuds are tingling for freshwater prawns or steamed patin cooked with superior soya sauce, we've got just the place for you. We're at Unique Seafood in PJ, staring at about one hundred fish tanks filled with all sorts of live fish from abalone, crabs to garoupa. If you like fresh seafood, I guess it ain't gonna get any fresher than this.
Unique Seafood sits quietly (and brightly at night) at Section 13, PJ. If you don't already know, the restaurant is divided into two separate 'operations'. The live seafood section and the kitchen. That's why you will be getting two bills at the end. One for the seafood and the other for the cooking. Now, in the live seafood section, depending on how thick your wallet is and how much thinner you want it to be at the end, choose from from the selection of fresh fish, shellfish, prawns, crabs, lobsters and yes! snails too.
The house specialties are the freshwater patin, steamed prawns, Japanese snails and crabs baked with salted duck eggs. So if this is your first visit, best to start with these and then adventure elsewhere. Yes, abalone can be a good option too. At 20 bucks a pop, sure why not...
"Choose your wriggly meal from deep tanks"
Now, the river patin comes steamed in superior grade soy sauce. This was a definite joy to devour. No muddy smell of the river combined with the crunchy fresh flesh proves that the kitchen folks at Unique knows exactly what they are doing. It is not easy to throw out the muddy smell and convince non-patin lovers to claw and fight with the rest of the table diners but somehow, Unique's patin does it in style. Well actually, we heard that the best way to remove the smell is to throw out the patin water in the steamer and have it re-steamed again. And then only pour the stock over the fish. Anyway, nothing left of the patin in the end... all gone... bones left... no head..
Moving on we had Japanese shelled snails and the baked salted egg crabs next. Well, the Foodsters were split in judgement on the baked crabs. Apparently (well obviously), you have to like salted eggs to love this dish. The sauce has a course texture due to the presence of the salted eggs and a hint of curry. Anyway, this proved a hit for some and a miss for others. While the 'some' were busy cracking up the crabs, the 'others' were hitting on the Japanese snails like a kid on the latest Mangga magazine hot off the printing press.
Now, live snails are a bit chewy due to its 'fresh' nature. The one in cans have been processed and pressurized so they are not so chewy. These snails, baked in garlic butter were absolutely wonderful. Pick them out with forks, snail forks whatever... but pick them out and chew them slowly. Tiger prawns came next steamed. Fresh but we'd rather have them cooked in other styles. Don't forget the usual rice all round, some vegetable dishes and Chinese tea to wash down the delicious dinner.
So that wraps this adventure. If you're at Unique and feel lost, let the waiters guide you and recommend some adventurous paths to tread... see what happens... wait until you get the bill! One from Unique Seafood, the other from Weng Fatt Food Retail Market.
More Photos To Drool On
Salted egg crabs with a lovely hint of curry.
You r absolutely right, seafood cannot get more fresh than this in the city ! I believe this 2 bill concept was pioneered by those guys from Selayang. I remembered there they served fresh oysters and salmon fish and some humongous clams from Canada during those good days in early 90s. Even had braised goose legs in a pot. Lobsters were then going for 88rm a kg. I believe they are still there.
by toniXeSeptember 25, 2006 11:20PM
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You r absolutely right, seafood cannot get more fresh than this in the city ! I believe this 2 bill concept was pioneered by those guys from Selayang. I remembered there they served fresh oysters and salmon fish and some humongous clams from Canada during those good days in early 90s. Even had braised goose legs in a pot. Lobsters were then going for 88rm a kg. I believe they are still there.
by toniXe September 25, 2006 11:20PM
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