Jinjang Fish Head - Taman Bukit sri Bintang, Kepong

Will there be any good things coming out of Jinjang. Much maligned and look down on, the only way to strike back is through a belly blow. Much pampered Malaysians are a discerning lot when it comes to food. Will Jinjang Fish Head hack it?

It is situated in the centre of 2 long rows of shophouses fronting the main road in Tmn Bkt Bintang in what I dubbed as the the kindergarten, daycare, tuition and food lane. I have never seen so many of them in one cluster.

This was the third restoran I have patronised and there are more to come. The 1st was Teow Chow Seafood which is the most popular going by the crowd. The 2nd was Litt Heong. For Map go to Teow Chow Seafood post. Address: 49, Jalan 3/36.

Jinjang Fish Head specialises in Tongsan Fish Head (Carp) and it comes in different tastes and flavours. I estimated the fish was more than 1.5kg and they use the tip of the mouth to the mid-section. The fish was cut into half symmetrically along the bones.

They were generous with ginger: pungent, slightly bitter and spicy. But then the ginger paste was overly sweet as though syrup was added. I prefer soy sauce and salt to add a savoury touch and finish to bring the best out of the fresh water fish. The other downside was the meat from mid-section was a bit rough and flaky and it is expected for a fish that weighs more than 600g (1 kati). On the bright side they still have a few more styles to try.

Steamed Tongsan Fish Head with Ginger Paste. RM20.

The Mongolian Pork Trotter: the skin came crisp, meat was tender generally but the surface portions slightly overdone. No problem the marination was good and chewing it released the meaty flavours enhanced by the earlier soak. Check out the bone! It had just one and its thin and small translating into tonnes of meat. Above average! What more can I ask? Maybe, a better sauce. It was a tad too creamy for my liking. Generally a creamy sauce causes one to lose eating momentum as the 'jelat' feeling sets in quickly. It is also not good for business as there will be no 2nd orders. The generous dosage of black pepper was good and gave a spicy aroma and earthy smell: a good complement to the dish. RM22.I left the best to last: Steam Egg. Just RM6. Big plate though a shallow one. Smooth as the best tau foo fah. No holes inside and not one bubble was found on the surface. It is a s smooth as the chef can get. Nice simple good quality soy sauce. Only problem was the fried onion. Limp and lost its oomph through oxidation.