Lobsters in Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, the Lobster Town of Johor

 

Spiny lobsters thrive off the rocky shorelines of Pengerang. The flesh of the spiny lobster is priced for its sweetness and bouncy mouth feel.

 

 

Naturally, seafood restaurants serving live lobsters sprout like mushrooms in small, laid back Sungai Rengit town which is aptly nicknamed Lobster Town.

 

 

I love eating lobsters and had been trying out the seafood restaurants in Sungai Rengit, one by one.

 

 

Jade Garden 翡翠园 is probably the best known one in Sungai Rengit. Like any good restaurant, Jade Garden does lobster in a variety of ways, but their claim to fame is their Lobster in "Superior  Broth" 上湯.

 

Jade Garden's "superior broth" is a savoury, rich buttery runny gravy with wolf berries that works well to bring out the natural sweetness of the lobster flesh. As the "premier" restaurant in Sungai Rengit, prices are at a premium in Jade Garden.

 

 

Yoou Kee 佑记 has been in Sungai Rengit for over 20 years, operating just beside Jade Garden. When asking the Sungai Rengit town folk for recommendations, they will point you to the likes of Yoou Kee for the food quality and the competitive pricing.

 

 

We tried Yoou Kee's Butter Lobsters. The buttery batter though thin, kept the lobster's natural juices intact while bringing out well the flavours of the lobster flesh.

 

 

The fairly new (opened Jun 2012) Straits View 海景轩 does a similar version of Jade Garden's Lobster in "Superior Broth" 上湯. However, the gravy here is thicker, more syrupy in texture and more buttery in flavour.

 

Straits View's Butter Lobsters 牛油龙虾. Juicy lobster meat encased in buttery crisp crust.



The newest seafood restaurant in Sungai Rengit is Hai Zhi Lian 海之恋. This is their Lotus Root Fried Lobster. The lobster was encased in a thick layer of crumbly batter.



The batter did a good job of keeping the lobster juicy and sweet. Here, the batter itself was interesting. Made with a blend of 5 types of flour and butter,the batter was feathery light and fluffy. The batter crumbled easily and literally melted in the mouth. I found myself indulging in the batter like people enjoying greasy popcorn.



At Hai Zhi Lian 海之恋 we also tried their lobster sashimi.



The translucent slices of lobster flesh looked and had mouth feel that felt like refreshing pamelo fruit, except that it was firmer.



We could dip the lobster in the savoury house blended sauce or wasabi.

So, there you are, a quick survey of the lobsters of Sungai Rengit. I will be adding to this list as I try more lobsters in Sungai Rengit, one by one. You may like to have your own lobster adventures too in seafood paradise, just one and a half hour's drive from downtown JB  :)



Restaurant name: Jade Garden Seafood Corner 翡翠园海鲜酒家
Address: 54, Jalan Kerisi, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/mUkH
GPS: 1.350967,104.224076
Hours: 11:00am to 10:30pm
Not certified Halal - no pork, no lard served

Restaurant name: Straits View Seafood Restaurant 海景轩海鲜酒家

Address: 84, Jalan Besar, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/XojAs

GPS: 1.350667,104.220868
Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm
Non Halal

 

Restaurant name: Hai Zhi Lian Restaurant 海之恋海鲜楼Address: 2, Jalan Ramunia Jaya 1, Taman Ramunia Jaya, Pengerang, Johor
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/M0cEd
GPS: 1.359344,104.231500
Hours: 10:30am to 10:30pm
Not certified Halal - no pork, no lard served



Restaurant name: Restoran Makanan Laut Yoou Kee 佑记
Address: 55, Jalan Pantai, Sungai Rengit, Pengerang
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/v4CU8
GPS: 1.351032,104.224258
Hours: 11:00am to 10:30pm
Not certified Halal - no pork, no lard served