Singaporean Yummy Adventures : The Best Katong Laksa!
Katong laksa (Malay: Laksa Katong) is a variant of laksa lemak from the Katong area of Singapore. In Katong laksa, the noodles are normally cut up into smaller pieces so that the entire dish can be eaten with a spoon alone (that is, without chopsticks or a fork). Katong laksa is a strong contender for the heavily competed title of Singapore’s national dish.
Laksa lemak, also known as nyonya laksa (Malay: Laksa nyonya), is a type of laksa with a rich coconut gravy. Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. Laksa lemak is usually made with a fish-based gravy and is heavily influenced by Thai laksa (Malay: Laksa Thai), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same
-Wikipedia.org
Last July, I was able to eat Katong Laksa in the Bugis area of Singapore, but got tired of the taste immediately. It was a so-so experience that I would not repeat, and as my friends who resided in Singapore loved laksa so much, they were in search of the best in the country, and when they decided to try out Katong Laksa in the Katong area yesterday, I was game to give it a try, for they said that Katong area had the best restaurants that served laksa.
Lo and behold, as I tried laksa in the 328 restaurant was very, very , very good. The coconut milk content was just right - it was not too creamy, and the soup was very spicy, and flavorful. I love the mix of noodles, mussles, shrimp, and parsley, as it all tasted perfect together!
It was also my first time to try Rojak - a salad with peanut sauce as its dressing ( complete with crushed peanuts, as well ). It had fried dough fritters, and some fruits ( I was thinking if what I was munching was camote ), and it tasted very good!
To sum up, I’m just so happy that I’ve finally found a nice place to eat the very famous Katong Laksa, that I will definitely be going back for. And oh, did I mention that in its wall-ful of pictures of celebrities that went to 328 to dine in there, one of them was Anthony Bourdain, during the 1990’s? Absolutely wonderful!
328 Katong Laksa
No 216 East Coast Rd
Singapore
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