Cathay Restaurant 新国泰冷气酒家(古来) @ Kulai in Johor [Malaysia]

Dinner time for our day trip to Muar and Batu Pahat and instead of having it at the two aforementioned districts, we were brought to a restaurant closer to the Second Link; Restoran Cathay at Kulai!

There appeared to be two entrances and the front one, that we were brought to, was more ballroom that can host weddings / important events, with a flower arch stationed nearby for ease of use.

Compared to our lunch venue, Ting Ting Restaurant, Cathay was visually classier and more pompous. Guess we wouldn't get too lousy food here. I run a check on Google Map; score of 3.9 with over 400 reviewers.

Fish Maw Soup - this was so full of starch that it was one of the rare occasions I didn't want a second helping. Taste was alright and I have had better ones around. p.s. didn't remember biting into any fish maw or shark's fins.

Cold Appetizer Platter - such platters do appeal to me and make me feel as if I was indeed attending a wedding. However, I have never seen siew mai on such platters before.

Nothing that quite impressed except for the deep fried fritters that was full of yam! As our group comprised of mainly people of age; I did notice they either didn't eat a lot or avoid deep fried food. I am glad to secure extra helpings for the yam fritter though.

Herbal Chicken - the star wasn't the chicken. Damned with mushy meat, we were more impressed by the rich, herbal flavor of the soup that the chicken was soaked in. 

Prawns with Mayo - this used to be a classic favorite of kids in my era, before cereal and wasabi prawns came into picture. As the size was bigger than Ting Ting, my mouth felt a greater sense of satisfaction from the prawns at Cathay.

Yam Ring - not a fan of this! 

Stir Fried Vegetables - this was such a homely dish that Chinese mommies could easily whip up in their kitchens; and I wondered why it was served in a good class restaurant. Was the taste that out of the normal? I took a bite and verdict: that fresh crunch didn't exhibit any bitterness and surprisingly, I did like it.

Fried Fish with Sauce - meaty with the sweet and sour sauce playing an important taste-enhancer role, my only complaint was that the batter could be crispier.

Watermelon - yes, this was served as desserts. 

I was expecting, yam paste.

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Ending the night with a birthday cake for the October babies! Frankly, I expected more from the restaurant and wondered if ala-carte might be a better option to try out Cathay's signature dishes.

Address

PTD 65010，

Jalan, Persiaran Sri Putri Utama, 

81000 Kulai, Johor, Malaysia

Map

As above.

Click here for my itinerary for this day trip to Batu Pahat (Yong Peng) and Muar in Johore, Malaysia!