I have previously made post about introduction of new malls outlet, and many more themed restaurants with old Chinese coffee shop setups, this is no other than another new found coffee shop that charge a bomb for the traditional food that nobody wants to get involved with these days.
南洋Nanyang is the term where the Chinese refers to warmer southern Pacific region. The Chinese has been sending people to the south east Asia for as early as Song dynasty. For what reason? Welp, this is not a history class, I will leave that part to Mr.Google and it is your job to find out if you wish to find out further. What I would like to share with you is, the word Nanyang is widely acceptable here in South East Asia region, due to its "cozy" meaning. It felt like "home" for the rest of the Chinese migrant.
Food in Nanyang Cafe speaks exactly just that, multicultural, blended with British colonial recipe, and came the crazy mind blowing juicy pork burger that even our local having hard time to find. Mind you, we don't serve pork in McDonald's due to the halal status. Nanyang Cafe is the go to place if you're somewhat missing the pork burger combination, or you can take a trip to Thailand, which one would you rather be?
Wantan (also pronounced as one tonne) noodle, is a form of egg noodle traditionally inherited from the southern China region. Served with minced meat dumpling. I must say, you can't really get back the pre independence experience anymore. The noodle was alright, but the dumpling taste a little bit too healthy if compare to the old taste. Mind you when I was a kid(taking about 4 decades ago), the one tonne dumpling filling was actually made of minced pig tongue, cheek, butt meat 🤣 at this era, it's just impossible to serve that kind of stuff or they're probably gonna get lawsuit by their customers.
Last but not least, my daughter got herself a Hong Kong style spring noodle served with luncheon meat. Frankly, this is a no brainer. We all know instant noodle is cheap. And luncheon meat is inexpensive either. The combination of these low nutrition food, is a package of nutritional disaster, and yet the taste totally reminding my younger self when my mom rushing me to school in the afternoon, she will throw anything useful with the instant noodle with go with a cubed chicken stock and call it my lunch. The cost could be as low as less than a dollar, but it will cost at tripled at this kind of themed restaurant.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience. I did not make a comment on the final photo, it was my order of Sichuan Mala noodle, has absolutely nothing to do with the NanYang experience. I'm ordering it simply because I wanted to try it, and boy was I regret it. It's plain, bland, tasteless other than super spicy. And it's the most expensive dish amongst all my other orders. Don't try it.
南洋冰室 NANYANG CAFE @ MID VALLEY MEGA MALL
Call: +603-2202 1889
Address: Lot No. G(E)-017 Mid Valley Megamall, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur