KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — Let’s talk about service. More specifically, what “good” or even “great” service might look like in a restaurant.
I’m not talking about the kind of Unreasonable Hospitality that famed restaurateur and former Eleven Madison Park co-owner Will Guidara describes in his book — the sort where staff learn of a diner’s love for Budweiser and surprise him with a champagne trolley of Bud instead of bubbly.
That kind of thing only works at the highest echelon of dining, where you pay for the pleasure of a (hopefully) bespoke experience, and the restaurant can afford the time and resources for a gesture like that.
I’m talking about what it might look like in the kind of place you and I might go to regularly — be it a hawker, a kopitiam, or a table service restaurant.
For the most part, I believe good service boils down to managing and matching expectations.
Those expectations tend to — and should — differ vastly between a roadside hawker, a kopitiam, and a full-service restaurant.
I don’t expect any frills with a hawker, and don’t mind waiting, especially if I’ve been told to expect a wait. See? Managing expectations.
But if you’re the sort of miserable loser who gripes about “bad service” because an overwhelmed stall operator didn’t lavish you with niceties while juggling your order with 11 others, don’t be surprised when your kids stop talking to you — if they haven’t already.
The restaurant is pretty hidden from view from the road, though the cars going in and out are hard to miss. — Picture by Ethan Lau
So when I pulled into the patch of gravel that doubles as the car park for Restoran 88 in Taman Continental, I thought I knew what to expect.
Restoran 88 falls into that subset of Chinese seafood restaurants I like to call “functional al fresco”: open-air but surrounded by greenery, tucked away from busy roads despite being fairly central.
Think Siu Siu in Lorong Syed Putra Kiri — except here there’s an air-conditioned section, a few private rooms, and you’re sitting under some high-tension cables.
Still, I wasn’t expecting much beyond the usual: laminated menus, efficient but abrupt service, and hopefully excellent fare at a reasonable price.
While number one and three on that list certainly held true, what I got instead of number two was polished, attentive service that’s rare even in far pricier establishments.
We were acknowledged the moment we walked in, guided to our table (we had a reservation), and, noticing that we had brought wine, asked if we wanted glasses, how many, whether we needed an ice bucket, and if we would like help opening the bottles.
We hadn’t even seen the menu yet, which they then walked us through with the assurance and care of a patient kindergarten teacher.
‘Claypot prawn soup’ is a soy milk-based broth with fresh prawns, luffa gourd and glass noodles. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Claypot prawn soup (RM162) is a curious yet inviting way to start a meal. It arrives bubbling, with prawns, spongy chunks of luffa and glass noodles sitting in a broth made mostly of soy milk — but it’s also a great example of the service here.
Now, I’m sure you accomplished epicureans know how to wrangle a prawn out of its shell, but why do it yourself when they’ll do it for you?
My prawn came back in one piece, head still intact and full of juices, the flesh whole and free of shell, the tail attached almost as a stylistic flourish.
They’re peeling prawns for us at no extra cost. What more could one ask for?
Not much, actually. Because I never had to ask. Someone kept a close eye on our glasses of wine, water and tea, anticipating our needs and refilling them before we even thought to ask.
Quick aside: not only are the staff here proficient at opening a bottle of wine, but they also finish the pour with a slight twist of the wrist to prevent drips.
Again, all of this is the sort of attention to detail you’d expect at a much fancier restaurant that would charge corkage, not at what’s essentially a big dai chow.
Even an order of sultan fish can be portioned out, just ask the staff to do it for you. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The prawns weren’t the only time. We ordered a wild 1.8kg sultan fish (RM324), steamed and served with a proprietary seasoned soy sauce, and that too was individually portioned and served to each of us.
The only thing better than digging into moist, succulent, meaty fish is feeling taken care of while doing it, and the staff here take care of you all right.
A textural bonus of ordering sultan fish is snacking on the scales, which were removed, fried till crispy and coated in salted egg sauce. What a treat.
The scales of the sultan fish are removed and fried in a salted egg yolk coating. — Picture by Ethan Lau
At this point in the meal, I was so impressed with the service that they could have served a few dud dishes, and I genuinely wouldn’t have cared — but they didn’t.
The smoked chicken stays moist and is intensely flavoured. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Away from seafood, the smoky, salty intensity of a juicy half smoked chicken (RM55) made for one of the boldest dishes of the night, while petai (RM38), stir-fried with lots of sweet, crunchy choy poh (preserved radish) to offset its trademark funky — and frankly, smelly — character, was also a highlight.
Fans of ‘petai’ will enjoy this interesting combination with lots of crunchy ‘choy poh’. — Picture by Ethan Lau
We wrapped up with their deceptively plain-looking signature fried mee hoon (RM28), but just like the entire experience of eating at Restoran 88, there was so much more than met the eye.
Light, slick strands of noodles were filled out with fluffy egg and shreds of shrimp, while a squeeze of calamansi lifted the entire affair, much like how the prawn-peeling and wine-pouring were only the tip of the spear in a service experience that went far beyond my expectations.
The signature fried ‘mee hoon’ looks plain, but is anything but. — Picture by Ethan Lau
It’s one I won’t forget in a hurry, which, I suppose, is the whole idea behind “unreasonable hospitality.” Will Guidara, who?
Restoran 88
15, Jalan Batalong,
Taman Continental, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Thursday to Tuesday, 11.30am-3pm, 5-11.30pm.
Tel: 012-315 1335
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
