Seafood Lunch @ Luen Fong Restaurant, Tanjong Tualang

Yup, you have read it right, this place is all the way in the deep pockets of Tanjong Tualang.

Unmistakable sign

Located south side from Ipoh, this place is a hour away from the state capital of Perak. Known for its durian and river prawn, it is located at a very rural part of the state, the former mining town is a sleepy and peaceful place to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life. Of course, you might get bored within an hour as it is after all a rural area. But then there will always be a place or two that becomes somewhat of a town central point. One of which is this restaurant, Luen Fong. 

For a food establishment located at an outback of sorts, it gets very crowded, especially after 1 pm where patrons come to get their lunch fix on. Being a place famous for its prawns, naturally that was what was ordered. Like most tai chao places, this is a place where dishes are complemented with rice. 

The second floor is already loaded with people and its just 12.30 pm here

Instead going for the usual spare ribs and sweet and sour, we just ask for their recommendations. The first thing was of course were the prawns. Their oyster omelette was another recommendation that we opted for and ordered their fish as well. Lastly we went for the paku pakis. For the uninitiated, it is wild fern. 

Glorious!

Everything tasted great and the dishes came by relatively fast, despite the crowd. The oyster omelette was very unique. Normally a dish that is fluffy and lots of texture, this take is a very opposite rendition. The egg is crispy and is loaded with oysters. They are not visible, but you can definitely taste the briny and salty flavour of the sea between the air pockets of the omelette. Cooked with loads of scallions and what you get is a fantastic egg dish probably only available here. This was a bit greasy but still acceptable in terms of oil quantity. At least the Americans would not go mine it for their consumption.  

Simple flavours but great nonetheless 

The prawns were firm and vibrant. it was exceptionally fresh. The flavours are subtle but distinctive. It is sweet and briny, and does taste like average prawns. However,  it is the texture that is different. It was chewy but not rubbery. And as the flavour of the prawns are subtle, it is best to have the thing straight and pure. Hence, steamed with a little soy sang ginger was enough to make this very tasty. Even with the added rice, the flavour was able to be noticeable. A balance of subtle and strong, if there is such a comparison of sorts. The only down side is the chore of peeling them. 

Another simple but classic flavour combo. 

The fish was also served in a similar fashion. It was sourced nearby and as such cannot place what kind of fish it was. But the simple soy sauce and ginger flavours really bring out the aroma out of the fish without being to overpowering. Sweet, smooth and slightly firm, this fish was tasty as well. Although I find picking off the bones just as tiresome as the peeling of the prawns. But still, you cannot have it all right?

Crunchier than it looks. 

The ferns continued the trend of amazing texture. Crunchy and a little springy, this was also a joy to eat. Its profile is similar to mustard greens but its texture is on a class of its own.  Overall, this was a satisfying lunch and was relatively affordable as the grand total was for RM122 (including 4 coconuts as drinks). My only complaint besides the bones and the shelling is the distance. The restaurant is an hour away from Ipoh and even further away from main parts of the country. But if you want to embrace the journey and get yourself a great set of prawns, this is the place to be. The address is as follows:

No 19, Jalan Pasar ,31800 Tanjong Tualang, Perak. 

There is their business card for good measure. Do place a reservation if you really want to be there.