Taang Shifu (汤师父) - A Healthy Restaurant @ KSL Mall [Johor Bahru]

I am not one who will go to great lengths just to have healthy food. To put it simply, sinfully unhealthy food with the capability to clog up my blood vessels often taste the best!

Therefore, when i heard that Taang Shifu (literally translated as Soup Master) was famed for its nourishing cuisine built on a solid background of traditional Chinese herbs and medicine, i was hesitant to step in.

Unfortunately, it happened to be mom's birthday and as the mommy's boy, i have no choice but to defer to the mom's decision. Despite the unwillingness, I have to say I was very impressed with the sleek modernistic decor blended with subtle elements of Oriental Chinese.

Guava with Orange Peel

Thinking back then in the restaurant, it had been quite a while since the family last took the chopper to make this detoxifying treat!

The one at Taang Shifu was a big disappointment; the slices of guava were obviously left too long in the fridge, resulting in a soggy texture that was also also infused with an overwhelming preserved orange peel flavour. 

Want to know how to make the 'right' version? 

Click here for the details!

Nourishing Dumplings Soup

Look here - the soup (maybe even the wooden container too) was the star. The dumplings, though considerably sized, were almost tasteless! I customarily took a bite, and secretly placed it on my sister's plate.

Dang Gui Stewed Pork

Served with brown rice, the main reason i ordered this (for myself) was because i figured this would likely be the lesser healthy amongst others.

Damn was i wrong!!!!! It was stewed pork alright but instead of getting the pork belly cut, all i got was a bowl of stewed lean pork! Thankfully, the sauce was pretty light and palatable with hints of dang gui (a Chinese herb). The fattening version would be totally preferred although I could still accept this much healthier adaptation occasionally.

Black Sesame Buns

Warm to the touch, i could not resist taking one bite right after taking the above photograph; the incredibly soft bun was saturated with the delicious nice aroma of black sesame seeds!

Sadly, the savoury filling that you are supposed to scoop into the cup-shaped bun kind of spoiled the whole thing! Even if the ingredients are beneficial for our body, it would be less tortuous to have a sweet filling like red bean paste instead.

Sliced Pork with "Di Huang"

At this point, you might have thought that i would totally swear off Taang Shifu for the rest of my life! I would have, if not for the existence of this dish.

Technically, this was our typical kong ba pau presented in a more health conscious manner; lettuce to replace carbohydrate-rich buns! I was so blown away by their deliciousness that i ate more than half!

The fresh lettuce provided a refreshing crunch that perfectly complemented the slice of super fattening pork belly, sweet pickles and the herbal sauce (likely a concoction that included Di Huang). Note: the porky taste got a bit overbearing by the time i had my third slice, so do eat with moderation.

Nourishing Jelly Ice

Everyone knows i am a huge fan of the cheng tng from bedok corner. Guess i managed to find its long lost brother right across the causeway in Malaysia, in jelly form.

Honestly, the jelly's subtle flavour was totally overpowered by the richer, stronger-tasting ingredients (i am not complaining). A soupier presentation would have made this a hit and i could magically make it happen by waiting for the ice to melt.

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Location

Lot G26, 27 & 28 Ground Floor,

KSL City No 33, Jalan Seladang,

Taman Abad, Johor Bahru.

Price

Guava with Orange Peel - RM 3.90

Nourishing Dumplings Soup - RM 11.90

Dang Gui Stewed Pork - RM 8.90

Black Sesame Buns - RM 15.90

Sliced Pork with "Di Huang" - RM 18.90

Nourishing Jelly Ice - RM 6.90

[Subject to Govt Tax and Service Charge]

Additional Information

Want to purchase some of the traditional Chinese herbs used in the dishes and use them at home for your meals? Fret not, there was a retail counter conveniently located within the restaurant where you can freely make your purchases!