Sheng Ki Fish & Seafood Soup Noodle 📍 Taman Sentosa 昇記美食•鱼海鲜汤•手工鱼圆 ☎ +6014 316 5768

First stop this morning was Sheng Ki 昇記, a fish soup place at Taman Sentosa, just 10 minutes by car from JB CIQ.

Sheng Ki looked non-descript, one of those pass-by unnoticed shops, unless pointed out by people who know.

Thank you kaki kaki for bringing me here 🙏 It was a great start to our Johor foodie exploration day.

Boss Ah Sheng does all the cooking himself.

认真的男人是最帅的.

Ah Sheng's fish soup has old hen for flavour.

Fish cake, fish roll, etc, everything in the shop is made by Ah Sheng with natural ingredients. No synthetic stuff.

We wanted the everything-in soup for RM35 but Ah Sheng said he didn't have the full complement of ingredients today as fishermen were on holiday (Hari Raya Haji). Couldn't have our full blown fish & seafood soup, but we know for sure it will really be "catch of the day" when it is available.

There's an overhead picture menu, but the updated "catch of the day" is neatly handwritten on whiteboard everyday.

Sheng Ki is a no frills, no decor place. Spartan furniture but there is a bright and clean air conditioned section inside. I like such hyperlocal places when I travel for food.

We settled for fish head soup and added some fish balls.

First thing first, the soup.

Light tea coloured, watery, just a light savoury sweet flavour with hints of 花雕酒 Chinese rice wine. I like it because it is clean tasting, comforting, yet tasty. A little umami from tee poh, no pepper or spice. Nice!

Chunky pieces of fresh wild grouper fish head, meaty, with thick skin, collagen, soft and sinewy tissue wrapped around the bone. We didn't get the eye 😬

Tender moist meat with natural fresh fish sweetness and subtly chewy texture of wild fish.

Crunchy fish skin.

Hand made yellowtail fish ball sprinkled with bits of tee poh.

Soft, springy, bouncy, natural fresh fish taste with a bit of brininess. Excellent.

The obligatory carbs (various options of noodles or rice) - we chose kway teow kia. Enveloped in a savoury sweetish soy sauce blend complemented with scallion and bits of fried garlic.

We were supposed to share but I ate most of the fish balls and most of the bones ended up in my bowl 😬🤔

Caught another customer's yong tau foo before it was sent out. Ah Sheng makes all the yong tau foo pieces himself at the shop.

I still have to return for the full blown everything-in soup. So many goodies to try in this tiny shop.

Sheng Ki is the worthy hyperlocal alternative to Singapore day tripper favourite Hai Kah Lang, also in Taman Sentosa. Not as many options in the menu as the famous big restaurant but taste wise, can fight in my opinion.