Sambal Chilli spices up Atria's F&B landscape with classic fare that's been fine-tuned by a Malaysian family with many years of experience in serving Nyonya cuisine. Mei Ling & her parents have opened a friendly eatery that's a lovely fit for this mall, offering cherished recipes meticulously prepared in a cheerful, nostalgia-infused setting.
The restaurant's repertoire is extensive enough to warrant multiple visits, spanning Malaysian favourites with some regional inflections. Start with snacks to share; we loved munching on the chicken lobak (RM10.90), battered mushrooms (RM11.90) & tom yam popcorn chicken (RM9.90). Each attractively priced dish tasted freshly made, with confidently balanced flavours.
True to its name, Sambal Chilli brings on the heat for rich & robust staples like the sambal petai prawns (RM29.90), with fragrantly piquant complexities that evoke time-honoured home cooking. The creamy chicken kapitan curry (RM27.90) is more mellow but equally a pleasure, showcasing sweet-savoury nuances. And for patrons who prefer a meal that's totally free of fieriness, the salted fish chicken (RM22.90) promises traditional comfort in a claypot, the perfect partner for steamed rice.
The kitchen takes understandable pride in its fish dishes - the 'flying' fish (RM56.90) & claypot curry fish (RM58.90), prepared on order & served in a striking fashion, are both well worth feasting on, offering commanding flavours & compelling textures. Sambal Chilli does complete justice to the fish, with much of its bones crispy enough to chew on while its flesh remains tender.
Vegetables supply a sterling example of Sambal Chilli's expertly executed gastronomic diversity, from the familiar but fulfilling kangkung belacan (RM12.70) to the easy-to-endorse terung belado (RM14.70), the crunchy-punchy four angled beans belacan (RM13.70) to the crowd-pleasing salted egg brinjal with sotong (RM21.90). And there's still much more on the menu to sample, from nasi lemak sambal sotong to keropok lekor, Cantonese yee mee to soto ayam, inchi kabin to pandan chicken.
After a meal like this, there won't be much space left for dessert, but the banana fritters - with a deliciously light crispness - come recommended, paired with ice cream for pleasant hot-cold dynamics as well as some kicap cili. Cold beverages are the way to go to soothe the palate, with temptations like Pandan Kesom, Serai Lychee & Cincau Selasih (RM12.90). Thanks to Sambal Chilli for having us here; we're looking forward to potentially seeing more branches launch in other Klang Valley malls.
Sambal Chilli
T07, Third Floor, Atria Shopping Gallery, Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 603-77319869
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