Tian Yi Restaurant 天一海鲜

It's a weekend yet again, and that means dining out for us today. Nobody's cooking, everybody needs a break and that means eating out, and it ultimately means adding the count of reviews to my blog. Today, we decide to try something new, some Chinese restaurant that's just recently opened for business near where I live. Man, I must say they face a fierce rival, positioning themselves just opposite Hong Ming Restaurant which I've blogged previously about and had given rave reviews. That's some ambitious effort in attempting to get some bits of the lion's share.

Everything seems great over here, place is clean, staff is prompt and polite, dining crowds were aplenty and definitely the cool weather tonight, with that occasional breeze. All in all, a combination of all great things together makes that dining experience so much more enjoyable.

Teochew style fried kuey tiao. Looks are deceiving, but trust me that it's good and something which I've encountered 1st time, mixing corn starch with the noodle, eggs and stir-frying it together. Try envisioning fried oyster omelette, substituting the oysters with kuey-tiao and then drenching it with gravy. Works wonder but only complain is too little kuey-tiao in it. Rating: 7.5/10. RM5.00

Hokkien style fried prawn noodle. Noodles are nicely simmered with the broth, with a tinge of peppery taste. Taste as good or even better than hawker stalls which specialises in it. Rating: 7.0/10. RM5.00.

Stir-fried spicy clams 干香啦啦. A savoury and spicy dish that will entice you to keep going for more. I couldn't stop myself from helping to a loadful of it, with the amount of empty shells stacking on my plate. It's as good and comparable to the ones I had at Hong Ming Restaurant. Rating: 8.0/10. RM12.00

Beancurd with pickled vegetables 菜香豆腐. The garnishings of minced meat with pickled vegetables and a bowl of rice, is all I need for my dinner. Not without its flaws, the taste of the pickled vegetables might get a bit overwhelming and salty to eat it on its own. Nonetheless, still a commendable dish. Rating: 7.0/10. RM8.00

Chinese spinach with salted eggs 苋菜炒皮蛋, with all that richness from the salted eggs and spinach sealed into the broth. A light, soupy and refreshing alternative if one has lesser appetite for those greasy fried vegetables. Rating: 6.5/10. RM8.00.

Deep-fried crispy chicken with salted eggs. The chicken cubes are deep fried till crispy, and I mean really crispy ! Unlike majorities out there, there isn't any grease oozing out when a bite is taken. Best served with a dip in the dense and creamy salted egg sauce in my opinion, or simply on its own. Rating: 7.5/10. RM14.00

Braised pork ribs 红烧排骨. The only disappointment of the night, in which the gravy could be further enhanced upon as I find the taste monotonous and unexciting. The pork is nonetheless tender and peels right off the bone. Rating: 6.0/10. RM16.00.

Price: 8.0/10

Service: 7.0/10

Conclusion: Mouth-watering food and polite staffs are the top priorities when deciding on where to have my next meal. It could literally make or break your day, agree ? I'm certain Tian Yi fulfils these 2 fundamental yet important aspects in my checklist and coupled with the more than reasonable pricing, its a lure that I cannot ignore. Might consider shifting my focus from Hong Ming to Tian Yi, as it is less crowded, shorter waiting time and serves equally delectable food. Highly Recommended.

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53, Jalan Setia 7/18

Taman Setia Indah 81100

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Tel: (+607) 359 8233

Operating hours: Closed on Monday