Kedah House

[flowbee]

I had only been to their previous location on Fraser near 41st once. I remember it being good...not fantastic. Their satay was awesome though. Nicely charred. We noticed their new location driving back from the ferry. They now occupy a space that previously housed one of those "Chinese and Canadian food" restaurants. Before that, it was a fish 'n chip place run by this Asian couple. It's in the same strip mall as Visions Electronics and a home billiards store, among other things.

Anyways, we went there last weekend and was on the whole pleased, and would come again to try out other things on their menu.

google map link

http://www.kedahhouse.com/

Here's what we had:

The roti jala was a new experience for us. We're used to the regular flaky roti -- this was totally different: soft, lacy, almost mushy. I likened it to vietnamese crepes (banh seo), except soft and spongy. I'd order regular roti (or even their extra butter "roti boom") next time...

The fried rice was good. The crispy fried anchovies underneath the omlette tasted nice with the rice. Not much else to the rice though...just a few small shrimp. But it was good nonetheless.

My wife liked the laksa, but I found it way too strong...too rich, too sour. It was a gravy-style laksa, rather than the coconut broth type laksa.

Best dish was the beef. Very rich and tomatoey, tasted great with the rice. Tasted great the day after too, cuz we couldn't finish it all and had to wrap it up.

Their new location is huge! I will be back to try other stuff. They also offer Malaysian/Singaporean specialties by request (fish head curry, chili crab) but they need to be ordered in advance. You can also bring your own fish and they'll cook it for you and just charge you labour. I've never had fish head curry before, but it sounds great! I'd like to compare how it is to the real thing cuz we'll be going to Singapore this summer

[placebo11]

I'd like to compare how it is to the real thing cuz we'll be going to Singapore this summer

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I've been to Kedah House once over a year ago and I thought it was pretty decent. Overall I'd have to say it is around 60-70% of what the real thing is. It's good for Vancouver standards, but nowhere close to the real thing. I grew up and spent 21 years in Singapore before coming here so I'll try to compare whatever I can.

The chicken satay was big, tender and very tasty. I thought it was very similar to the real thing. I'd definitely order that again. The mee rebus was quite good too, too spicy for my gf but it's probably comparable to the spice you will get in SE Asia (if not worse). I also had some briyani (I forget what meat came with it). The rice was pretty authentic, but a bit on the dry side.

BTW Penang laksa (also known as assam laksa) is not coconut based. It's actually tamarind based thus being sour and not milky in consistency at all, almost like a variation of tom yam soup. Be sure to ask around for Katong laksa when you are in Singapore. Although the noodles are served in a bowl, they don't provide chopsticks so you are forced to slurp up all the gravy, quite delicious! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

[kontemporary]

Malaysian/Singaporean cuisines are similar, but I think they're distinctly different. Saying the two interchangably would be an anomaly. Malaysia is much much more regional in terms of cuisine, considering their diverse makeup of cultures. Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint Malaysian food because it's usually a combination of Chinese, Indian, Thai, Malay, and Indonesian flavours depending on the region. Singapore on the other hand has a much stronger Chinese presence, and thus, stronger Chinese influence and flavours on the cuisine - as well as big Western influences, too.

Here in Vancouver our Malaysian restaurants so far (Tropika, Banana Leaf) have focused more on the Chinese and Thai influences.. whereas at Kedeh House it's focused more on Malay and Indonesian flavours (the restaurant itself is Halal). All of the Malaysian restaurants in Vancouver are authentic given the appropriate place in Malaysia, but people tend to generalize the entire region. It's similarly to saying California cuisine would be representative of American cuisine (a foodie's dream I would imagine)... which would be wrong. Thus, comparing what you eat at Singapore and Kedah House (which does not specialize in regional Singaporean cuisine) and calling it unauthentic is short sighted.

[jahvay]

I had some nice food at Banana Leaf recently and told my malaysiam friend how much we enjoyed it. She laughed and said that Banana Leaf was Malay food for white people. So she took us to Kedah (new location). The food was indeed even better and more authentic as she had promised. They had just openned the new location so the service was horible, with one server getting overwhelmed by a rush, but they will hopefully iron that one out.

[Keith Talent]

I had lunch there last week with a group. I think the consensus would be underwhelmed. Upthread there was talk about how Kedah Hosuse serves a regional cuisine, and that's true. I recognized very little as conforming to what I was used to from Prata Man and Ellie, two fantastic Malay/Singapore spots in Richmond. The food bears about as much reseblance to my preconcieved notiions of what to expect to that as Cantonese does to Shanghiaese.

Service was slow. portions on the small side, spicing timid. I'd try it again, but it ceratinly wasn't the grand slam home run that various assorted critics had trumpeted it as.

[flowbee]

i shoulda mentioned that when we went, there were only 3 other customers in the restaurant...so service was fine

i do have a soft spot for the singaporean place at richmond public market (used to be called Rasa Singapura, now called something else that's hard for me to remember). the steam table stuff can be a bit dodgy, but the stuff the guys cooks up to order is hawkerlicious!

i noticed that Orchid Delight is no longer there...it was on Willingdon in Burnaby, in a strip mall across from a high school, and down south a bit from BCIT.

in my post above, i wasn't trying to use "malaysian" and "singaporean" interchangeably. it's just that i've seen malaysian and singaporean restaurants share some common dishes, like roti canai/prata, chili crab, etc. and then i noticed that Kedah House offers fish head curry, so i though "hey, we're going to singapore, we'll try fish head curry there and compare with here"...not trying to diss either cuisine or over-generalize.

what i love about singaporean food is that it's got influences from all over. it's true fusion food that developed organically

[mangez]

i noticed that Orchid Delight is no longer there...it was on Willingdon in Burnaby, in a strip mall across from a high school, and down south a bit from BCIT.

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Please has it moved or closed down? They have the best oyster crepe and chow-kwei-dill!!

[flowbee]

i noticed that Orchid Delight is no longer there...it was on Willingdon in Burnaby, in a strip mall across from a high school, and down south a bit from BCIT.

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Please has it moved or closed down? They have the best oyster crepe and chow-kwei-dill!!

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i'm not sure. i was just REALLY disappointed to see that they were no longer there. i agree about the oyster omlette...the BEST i've had in the lower mainland! i love the crispy bits in it. i tried making it at home once, following some recipe off the net, but it turned out disastrous a goopy, gummy mess! i'll leave it to the experts to cook up that dish...

[placebo11]

Orchid Delight should opening somewhere else, I'll post back when I hear more.

I'd agree that Kedah House is not representative of all the food Singapore has to offer. As kontemporary mentioned, it is halal and there is no Chinese influence. However, I'd say that food across both borders are largely similar, even the Chinese food. Obviously each region has it's own peculiarities, but if you put me through a blind taste test I would be hard pressed to tell the difference (the Malaysian one would probably be better to be honest ) Make sure you try good Hainanese chicken rice!

[Vancouver]

Orchid Delight has been closed for quite a while now. That is good news to hear that it is reopening someplace. Details please!

Keith, is Ellie the one in the same shoping centre as Vogue and Traditional Taiwanese? Is it the one that advertises Singaporean, Malaysian and Taiwanese cuisine? I've always been curious about that combination....

Cheers!

[HKDave]

I was at Kedah last week at the same time as Keith Talent, and I'd be slightly more negative... I thought the food was mediocre and the service (despite the fact that there were only a couple of tables occupied) absurdly slow. I won't bother trying it again.

[Ling]

Orchid Delight has been closed for quite a while now.  That is good news to hear that it is reopening someplace.  Details please! 

Keith, is Ellie the one in the same shoping centre as Vogue and Traditional Taiwanese?  Is it the one that advertises Singaporean, Malaysian and Taiwanese cuisine?  I've always been curious about that combination....

Cheers!

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Yeah that's Ellie...I haven't eaten there yet though. Hard to pass up the dan-dan noodles at Traditional Taiwanese (order "thick" noodles, I think those are handmade). If you go, please report back!

[bccoati]

Orchid Delight has been closed for quite a while now.  That is good news to hear that it is reopening someplace.  Details please! 

Keith, is Ellie the one in the same shoping centre as Vogue and Traditional Taiwanese?  Is it the one that advertises Singaporean, Malaysian and Taiwanese cuisine?  I've always been curious about that combination....

Cheers!

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Orchid Delight is openning June 1, on the 2400-block of Burrard at West Broadway (next to Papaya Hut).

[Vancouver]

Thanks for clarifying that Ling. I really like Traditional Taiwanese as well. The "stupid noodles" are delicious as well! I haven't tried their dan dan. But probably should. I also really enjoy their "pork sandwich" which comes on that steamed chinese bread and their red bean buns for dessert are superb - not overly sweet on the filling like some.

Definitely need to try Ellie next door with Keith's ringing endorsement.

Thank you also for the update on Orchid Delight! I'm happy to hear they will be close to downtown! The drive out to Burnaby was always a bit far. I'm glad they are re-opening!

Cheers!

[flowbee]

Orchid Delight is openning June 1, on the 2400-block of Burrard at West Broadway (next to Papaya Hut).

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sweeeeeeeet! i can see papaya hut from my office i forsee lots of afterwork takeout

[mangez]

Orchid Delight has been closed for quite a while now.  That is good news to hear that it is reopening someplace.  Details please! 

Keith, is Ellie the one in the same shoping centre as Vogue and Traditional Taiwanese?  Is it the one that advertises Singaporean, Malaysian and Taiwanese cuisine?  I've always been curious about that combination....

Cheers!

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Orchid Delight is openning June 1, on the 2400-block of Burrard at West Broadway (next to Papaya Hut).

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Thank you, that is the best news I have heard on eG!

[BCinBC]

I had lunch there last week with a group. I think the consensus would be underwhelmed.  Upthread there was talk about how Kedah Hosuse serves a regional cuisine, and that's true. I recognized very little as conforming to what I was used to from Prata Man and Ellie, two fantastic Malay/Singapore spots in Richmond. The food bears about as much reseblance to my preconcieved notiions of what to expect to that as Cantonese does to Shanghiaese.

Service was slow. portions on the small side, spicing timid. I'd try it again, but it ceratinly wasn't the grand slam home run that various assorted critics had trumpeted it as.

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I was at Kedah last week at the same time as Keith Talent, and I'd be slightly more negative... I thought the food was mediocre and the service (despite the fact that there were only a couple of tables occupied) absurdly slow.  I won't bother trying it again.

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Coincidentally I was there with some friends around the same time, and I would put myself in the "underwhelmed" category too. They had some decent stuff, but the food and especially the serice were nothing to rave about. Wasn't seated clost enough to the hostess / wait station to pick up any good curses in Malay though.

[shelora]

Kedah House. Whenever I see the name of this restaurant, I automatically think detox centre, not exotic Malaysian restaurant.