Authenticity
Is Key
TASTE GOOD MALAYSIAN RESTAURANT: 82-18 45
Ave., Elmhurst; 898-8001, or 429-9234
HOURS: Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30
p.m., closed Thursdays.
CREDIT CARDS: No Credit Cards Accepted.
CUISINE: Traditional Malaysian
I must admit, this was my first time trying
Malaysian cuisine. Feeling adventurous, I indulged in a fun and pleasurable exploration of
taste at Taste Good Malaysian Restaurant, a place that definitely lived up to its name.
The restaurant is run by upbeat couple Helen and Kok T. Tong (her husband is the master
chef), who take great pride in their food. “We do not Americanize any of our
platters. We serve authentic Malaysian cuisine, which is unique. We’re here at 9 in
the morning, preparing our platters and curries,” said Helen. The quality of the food
was made apparent with the stream of regulars that continued to pour into the place; large
families, working buddies, and dates filled up the 50 or so seats, giving the place a
bustling feel, and it was only Tuesday night!
Aside from the friendly, at-home atmosphere,
prices are modest and portions generous. Appetizers range from $2-6.95, house specials
$7.50-$15.95, seafood platters $8.95-12.95, beef and pork platters $6.95, 7.95.
Classics are available for the safety seeker,
such as General Tso’s chicken or Sesame Chicken, but it is well worth it for you to
try the more traditional platters here, as they are prepared with much care and time. A
tasty intro of things to come was vegetarian dumplings made with turnip, bean curd and
lettuce, served with Hoisin sauce (spicy), along with Satay ($4.75) which is strips of
beef or chicken marinated with a sweet sauce. The beef Satay is especially good. Taste
Good will also be acquiring a liquor license sometime in the near future.
The last time I had curry was in England in 1984,
with disastrous results. I had decided to swear off it. Thirteen years later, I decided to
cast fate to the wind and tried the house platter, Dried Curry Asam Prawns ($15.95); that
was fantastic. The curry was fresh and not too overwhelming in flavor, the prawns gigantic
(albeit heads were intact). I’m glad I decided to open my taste buds again to this
wondrous treat as I’m sure many curry lovers (or newcomers) would attest! Other house
selections of praise include the Clay Pot Vietnam Prawn, and for noodle fans, the Chow
Kueh Teaw ($4.75) which is fried noodles, sliced shrimp and beef, bean sprouts, fish cakes
and scallions.
There were also other tasty treats on the menu. A
vegetarian can just as easily satiate his hunger with the numerous rice plates, such as
Nasi Lemak (coconut milk rice) which was delicious, a wide array of noodle soups and
vegetable platters.
Desserts are a real steal averaging at only
$1.30. A must to try that is not listed on the menu but can be requested under
“Dessert of the Day” is something called Bo Bo Cha Cha, which is a warm, sweet
and smooth concoction of sweet potatoes, yams, black eye peas mixed in coconut milk and
pearl sago that leaves a great, satisfying sensation after a hearty, spicy meal. Keep an
open mind and palate, and be ready for an evening of great, exotic food at Taste Good!
- Linda Sheridan |
