Hao Kee Seafood Restaurant, Kuala Lukut, P.D.

You know how it feels when life gets monotonous, boring and tiresome, and it’s time for a vacation? Those were the sentiments of Kav and Shiv in the beginning of July. 

Thus, plans were made, bags were packed, and they were headed for Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan with their parents (Guest #1 and Guest #2).

The obvious thing to do was to try one of the seafood restaurants, and we spent a good hour scouting for one. Our search ended at Hao Kee Seafood Restaurant in Kuala Lukut, Lukut.

The restaurant was situated in a very obscure location, on the way to one of the Kuala Lukut jetties, thus freshness GUARANTEED!

*The adjoining temple added a unique touch to the restaurant.

We brought our own alcohol, and to our pleasant surprise, they did not charge a corkage fee.  We had the 2009 Hardys Merlot Varietal Range and a bottle of Tiger beer for daddy dearest.

Shiv: When it comes to wine, we are quite clueless, but nevertheless, it was light, slightly fruity, and a good way to whet our appetites.

Kav: I really liked this wine. Agree with Shiv that it was mildly fruity, and it went well with the food.

Our first dish to arrive at the table was Kangkung Belacan, or morning glory with shrimp paste (RM8 – small).

Shiv: This was soo good! The belacan was just pungent enough, and it coated the kangkung well. It also did not have small stones (due to inadequate washing) that you may sometimes find in other Chinese restaurants.

Kav: The one thing I love to order in a Chinese restaurant is kangkung belacan. This one was exquisite. The belacan was extremely savoury, just the way I like it. The kangkung was cooked to perfection, it was crunchy and yummy.

Guest #1: Excellent. Good blend of ingredients.

Guest #2: Agreed. Really delicious.

Next up was Sautéed Brinjal and Longbeans (RM10 – small).

Shiv: The sauce was like none other I have ever tasted. So garlic-y and the brinjal was cooked to perfect firmness, and the long beans was very crunchy. Off the hook!

Kav: Delicious. The brinjal and long beans combo was a hit. The gravy was thick and savoury. Yum! Yum! Yum!

Guest #1: Mouth-watering, and it reminded me of Nyonya cuisine.

Guest #2: Not a common combination, but nevertheless, it was very tasty.

Then came the Butter Prawns, and we ordered the shelled version (RM24 – small).

Shiv: As a self-declared butter prawn lover, this was a HUGE, I repeat, HUGE disappointment. The sauce was sweet (hate that in my savoury dishes), and lacked flavour. Credit must be given though to the freshness of the prawn, as it was seriously fresh – no complaints about that.

Kav: This was the only dish that I was disheartened with. From my previous experiences, I believe that there are two common preparations of butter prawns – a creamy base and a dry, flaky, floss-like preparation. Personally, I prefer the latter. However, the one we had was the former. It tasted like a modified thousand island sauce, and was too sweet. The only consolation was that the prawns were really fresh.

Guest #1: Mediocre, but prawns were fresh.

Guest #2: The preparation left much to be desired, although the freshness of the prawns compensated to a certain extent.

Chilly Crab was next on the list (RM45 per 1kg).

Shiv: The gravy was aplenty, and the crabs were ridiculously fresh. Best dish of the night. At 

the end of the meal, we ordered an extra serving of rice to polish off the balance gravy. #toogoodtobetrue.

Kav: Crabs! Crabs! Crabs! Loves! Loves! Loves! The crabs were simply scrumptious, and it was so fresh, and although it didn’t need any flavouring, the accompanying chilly gravy was just to die for.

Guest #1: Fresh, juicy and definitely calls for a revisit.

Guest #2: Being my all-time favourite food, it was craby-licious!

We then had Steamed Ikan Jenahak, or Golden Snapper Fish, in Ginger and Soy Sauce (RM50 per 1kg).

Shiv: The sauce was light and salty, and the ginger shreds went well with the fish. Good.

Kav: I suspect that they may have overcooked the fish as it was a little dry. Nevertheless, the gravy was very well-flavoured. The heat from the ginger, and the saltiness of the soy sauce perfectly complemented the fish.

Guest #1: As fresh as it gets. Taste-wise, excellent.

Guest #2: One of the better steamed fish preparations I have tasted in a while.

Our meal concluded with Claypot Pai Kuat, or pork ribs (RM12 – small).

Shiv: Ordered out of sheer greed, as I love myself some good pork ribs, and let me just say, it did not disappoint. The gravy had a herbal taste to it (imagine bak kut teh broth thickened with corn flour), and it was DIVINE!

Kav: For you pork lovers out there, this is a must have! The meat was so tender, and it just melted in my mouth. The gravy was viscous with just a hint of sweetness, and it carried the earthy flavour of the claypot.

Guest #1: The variety of ingredients complemented the pork, and added to its taste.

Guest #2: Despite being full, it brought back memories of comfort food, and was a very pleasing way to end our meal.

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Very reasonable. Our bill came up to RM164.90 (inclusive of 6 dishes and 5 small bowls of rice).

AMBIENCE: Very serene atmosphere, which can be credited to the adjoining temple and the fact that it was in the middle of nowhere.

SERVICE: Excellent. Small town hospitality at its best.

FOOD: Fresh, delicious food par none (with the exception of the butter prawns). Will most definitely come back for round two!

HAO KEE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT,

NO.19, KAMPUNG KUALA LUKUT,

LUKUT, 71010,

PORT DICKSON, NEGERI SEMBILAN

Tel: +6016 666 8811 / +6016 626 0321