This place needs no promotion nor much introduction because it’s a well-known and popular eatery. Especially among folks in Dengkil. And even among folks far from Dengkil.
This restaurant seems to have been around for a very long time, judging by the yellowed newspaper cuttings hanging proudly on its walls. Part of its old-world charm is the numerous news reports of VIPs who had dined here before and the many glowing reviews of its offerings. These and the ubiquitous chinese art posters and faded red lanterns complete the character of this eatery. Sinki is located along the main road of Dengkil – Jalan Besar and if you don’t look out for it, you would easily pass it. Yes, it’s that unassuming.
Sinki is just like any other kopitiam-like eatery in a hundred small towns in the country. Round wooden tables, plastic chairs, boisterous diners and fast-paced service. We were there at lunch time and although the place was full, our food came pretty quickly.
On every table, you would see almost the same dishes being ordered. Yes, the crowds love their signature dishes. So, you wouldn’t go wrong if you just follow the crowd, just look at the printed reviews on the walls. And just to reaffirm that, there are also framed photos of their signature items hung on the wall.
The Chilli Fish is their No.1 bestseller – it’s guaranteed to be on every table. Ours was a midsize ikan senangin (RM38). The fried fish was cooked and covered with a thick luscious sauce with hints of taucheo (fermented bean paste), shallots, garlic and a shower of chopped chilli padi. Be prepared to order extra white rice with this.
You would need those extra rice for their Stewed Pork Knuckle (RM34) too. Initially we were a bit apprehensive that the huge portion was too much but guess what? It was the first dish to be polished off! That huge chunk of fatty but oh-so-good tender meat with succulent sinewy tendons buried under a fragrant gooey sweetish-tangy gravy was just too delicious to resist.
Some people may argue that their Har Look – freshwater prawns tossed in superior soya sauce is their No.1 dish. I’ll just say this: there is a very thin line separating this and the Spicy Fish. It all depends on whether you like fish or prawns. If you love both, order both, like we did.
However, do keep in mind that these prawns aren’t cheap. The 3 prawns that we had cost RM70, which was 35% of our entire bill. Taste-wise, they were sweet as they were very fresh but I personally felt they were a tad overcooked as the texture was on the chewy side.
We liked both the Sambal Pucuk Paku (RM8) and the Steamed Fishballs & Tofu (RM9). Portions were generous – more than enough for 4 pax at those prices. The fishballs were freshly made, a perfect pair-up with the soft silky tofu.
For carbs, we had their Lor Mee (braised noodles) and Kau-Yook Meehoon (fried rice vermicelli with braised pork belly). The lor mee was decent and the meehoon was outrageous – it ought to be renamed “braised pork belly with meehoon” because there was more pork than vermicelli there!
All in all, Sinki serves no-frills honest home-style dishes that have stood the test of time. Food cooked to age-old family recipes with the freshest ingredients and at fair prices – a perfect formula for its resilient stature in Dengkil.
Restoran Sinki
96 Jalan Besar
43800 Dengkil
Selangor
Tel: 03-8768-8268