When “Hainan Village” is mentioned, not many people know that it’s a meatless and halal kopitiam/restaurant. However, unlike most Chinese-style vegetarian eateries, Hainan Village’s offering does not just present the usual run-of-the-mill Chinese “dai chow” kind of dishes. Flipping through their menu, we see selections of appetizers, “small eats” (snacks), western items like pasta and burgers and other unique renditions – all of which are plant-based.
Some of our favourites here are their Dragon Feast Nasi Lemak, Hainan Noodles, Rojak Konjac Salad, Springy GonLou Noodles, Double Eggs Char Kuey Teow and Sorrowful Rice Bowl (there must be a story behind this name!). The crunchy “ikan bilis” (made from mushroom stalks) in their pretty pink Nasi Lemak (stained with dragonfruit juice) are addictive and all the other condiments like sambal, tempeh and curry “mutton” all hit the spot.
We really liked the Rojak Konjac Salad, their take on “Sotong Kangkung” – smooth chewy konjac strips tossed with both blanched and fried crispy kangkong in a sweet piquant sauce is a good starter. This is a must-order item for us every time we visit Hainan Village.
While their Hainan Noodles may look quite ordinary, it’s actually pretty good. There’s good wok hei in this noodles dish and we were told that this is one of their very popular items. Similarly, the Double Eggs Char Kuey Teow is good, full of wok hei and character.
We tend to stay away from meatless Char Siu in most Chinese vegetarian eateries due to the oily smell and it’s always too sweet. However, the version served here has none of those issues – in fact, we really like the meatless char siu here, whether it’s in their Springy GonLou Noodles or Sorrowful Rice Bowl! The latter has smokey crusty rice at the bottom of the pot which is one of the highlights of this dish.
On days when we want something light and comforting, their Seaweed Soup (new item) is recommended. It’s full of umami flavours, thanks to the seaweed, eggs, tofu and konjac strips in it. Its wholesome goodness is a balm to warm the tummy.
Check out their Handmade Fried Ubi Kayu Rings if you like tapioca. This unique snack can be eaten with sambal or condensed milk – sweet or savoury, your choice. Good for tea time – pair this with their coffee or tea and also other savoury snacks like curry puffs, siew pau, turnip cake or even their new Sambal Toast.
For dishes that go with rice, there is a huge selection in their menu which we have yet to check out most of them. We did try their Buddha Bowl Delight (similar to Yam Ring) and Salt & Pepper Squids. These need a bit of tweaking in their flavours though.
HAINAN VILLAGE | 14G Jalan Anggerik Aranda BG31/BG, Seksyen 31 | Kota Kemuning | 40460 Shah Alam | Tel: 018-787 2263 | Open daily 9am-9pm