Heading to Simpang Ampat for Seafood Porridge

*Ting*, the idea just comes and the fussies have suggested that we should try out the crab porridge that is located at Simpang Ampat. Our colleague CK is leading the way and here we're brought to Ai Suan Seafood Porridge愛媗現煮海鮮粥 as our original destination is closed on the day. Driving around the town, let me describe the location: Exit at Bkt Tambun Toll and then turn left at the T-junction. Next, turn right at the 1st traffic light. Do drive for about 5km and please watch out for this restaurant on your right.

It's somehow our unlucky day that the crab is not available as the Chinese New Year (CNY) is around the corner. We've then no choices but have to go for the "self-pick" ingredients自選料 that are then can be cooked either in clear soup清湯, Tomyam soup東炎 or with porridge粥. There's a wide selection of raw or fried ingredients that range from mantis prawn, pork slices, minced pork, fish balls, pork balls, vegetable balls, crab filaments, fresh mushrooms and vegetable to fried fish meat and bean curd. We've no preference but just picking every ingredients a bit by a bit for sharing.

YJ: "What do they have for the drinks?"
PY: "The Chinese Thing!"
YJ: "Ha???"
All: "Luo Han Guo罗汉果"
This is really a funny start for our dinner as Phui Yee has no idea about the name of the drink.

We've ordered the side dishes such as the Steamed Octopus豬母酸 and the Steamed La La蒸拉拉. Everyone is fascinated by the freshness of the octopus that it's tender and juicy except that the size is too big. We've a hard time to find a way to pick the octopus properly with the chopsticks. The dipping sauce is indeed the sweet chili sauce that is garnished with a lot of grounded peanuts and I like the peanuts! The Steamed La La is really appetising with the spiciness from the chopped chili and the sourness from the lime juice. Additionally, the Chef has used a lot of chopped garlic to create a nice aroma for this dish. It's just too bad that Attila and Elaine find it to be too spicy.

Here come our big pots of Mixed Porridge! The restaurant is boiling the white rice together with the broth inside the clay pot whereby you can still taste the "granules" of the rice. I find the texture of the porridge is quite appropriate for its "biteness" and it's as well not too soft. CK and I find the taste of the pepper is just too strong that it has override the sweetness of the soup but the rest of the gang likes it. Well, it's up to yourself to judge the taste!

I've drunk at least 1L of water after the meal and I think the culprit must be the Monosodium Glutamat (MSG). I feel a little regret about the meal and I'm wondering if the restaurant can cook a delicious porridge without using the MSG...