COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Restoran Sinki is almost an institution in Dengkil. It has been around for a very long time, judging by the yellowed newspaper cuttings hanging proudly on its walls.
The scratchy frames hold numerous news reports of VIPs who had dined here before and the many glowing reviews of its offerings. These and the ubiquitous chinese art posters and faded red lanterns complete the character of this eatery.
Sinki is located along the main road of Dengkil – Jalan Besar and if you don’t look out for it, you would easily pass it.
Housed in an old kopitiam, Sinki is just like any other no-frills eatery in a hundred small towns in the country. Round wooden tables, plastic chairs, boisterous diners and fast-paced service. We were there at lunch time and although the place was rocking full, our food came pretty quickly.
Dining at Sinki, you wouldn’t go wrong if you just follow the crowd or refer to the printed reviews on the walls. And just to reaffirm that, there are also framed photos of their signature items hung on the wall.
Guaranteed to be on every table, the Chilli Fish is their top bestseller. Ours was a midsize ikan senangin (threadfin). The fried fish was covered with a thick luscious sauce with hints of taucheo (fermented bean paste), shallots, garlic and a shower of chopped chilli padi. Be prepared to order extra white rice with this.
Chilli Fish
You would need those extra rice for their Stewed Pork Knuckle too. This winning pork knuckle dish was a lovely combo of fatty but oh-so-good tender meat with succulent sinewy tendons buried under a fragrant gooey sweetish-tangy gravy was just too delicious to resist.
Stewed Pork Knuckle
Sinki’s Har Look – freshwater prawns tossed in superior soya sauce is another bestseller.
Har Look
However, do keep in mind that these prawns aren’t cheap. The 3 prawns that we had cost RM70, which was 35% of our entire bill. Taste-wise, they were sweet as they were very fresh but I personally felt they were a tad overcooked as the texture was on the chewy side.
We liked both the Sambal Pucuk Paku and the Steamed Fishballs & Tofu. Portions were generous. The jungle ferns were tender and were not fibrous at all. Pairing perfectly with the soft silky tofu, the freshly made fishballs were succulent with a nice bite.
Sambal Pucuk Paku
Steamed Fishballs & Tofu.
We enjoyed Restoran Sinki’s fares cooked to age-old family recipes with the freshest ingredients and at fair prices. It isn’t any wonder then that their no-frills honest home-style dishes have stood the test of time all these years. It’s also the reason why we didn’t mind the pleasant half-hour drive to Dengkil for a meal in Sinki.
Restoran Sinki
96 Jalan Besar
43800 Dengkil, Selangor
Tel: 03-8768-8268
*Non-halal
Chris Wan also blogs at Pure Glutton
