Eats, Reads & other Bits: Food Review - New Formosa Restaurant

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Food Review - New Formosa Restaurant

Name
New Formosa Restaurant (Jeannie Lee 019 3353 274)
Address
46, Jalan 2/24, 47300 PJ.
Food
Taiwanese Cuisine
Location
SS 2, PJ

Getting there
If you are coming from the Rothmans roundabout in Section 19, go along the way towards SS2. Go past the 2 traffic light junctions and immediately after, you will see another cluster of shop lots on your left, diagonally across from the RHB Bank or opposite the Mobil Petrol Station.
Parking
There is adequate parking as there are many bays available in front and at the back of the shop lots for diners. However, the scenario may be different during lunch.
Service
Service is prompt and they have enough wait staff to provide the level of attention and service diners may require.
Ambience
The place is extremely well kept, clean and brightly lit, with glass panels at the side walls. From the inside, you can’t tell that this place has been in operations here at the same premises for over 20 years.

Taste & Presentation The food is not only presented in a very attractive and creative ways (please look at the Steamed Mashed Yam w Pumpkin & Ginko Nuts picture and Crab with Black Glutinous Rice) but the dishes themselves are unique stories in themselves.
Many of them have a long history and the different incarnations they have each gone thru in the “Malaysianization” and the evolution (eg: less use of lard, fatty meats, organic ingredients, less sugar, etc.) of the dishes.
Variety
I’m not really familiar with Taiwanese cuisine but from what I was able to see, what can I say? I was totally blown away not only by the variety available but also the number of unique and creative types of preparation. I had the good fortune to sample the following:
- Bamboo Yam Rice
- Crab with Black Glutinous Rice
- Fried Asparagus with Ginko Nuts and Pumpkin
- Braised Pig Trotters with Seafood
- Hunanese Ham in honey Sauce & Man Tou
- Steamed Canadian Seabass Teochew Style
- Special 5-Season Combo
o Butter Eel
o Deep Fried Pig Intestines
o Garlic Prawns
o Jiang Nan Duck
o Popped Rice Crust with mushrooms & Seaweed
- Steamed prawns in herbal soup
Desert
- Sweet Yam in caramelized honey dipped in ice
- Steamed Mashed Yam w Pumpkin & Ginko Nuts
- Muachi in 6 flavors
Value for Money
If you are looking for something that is different and give you something that would pleasantly surprise you, this is the place to be. You can get a good variety in the dining packages that they offer, averaging RM50-70 per person. Good value.

Overall
Highly recommended. Please go and ask them for their house specialties.