Location

620, Hong Song East Road, Shanghai// 上海虹淞東路620號 Tel: 021 – 5477 8329

Being born and bred in Southeast Asia, with a mother who cooks nonya cuisine daily (Chinese-Malay cuisine typical of the Straits-born Chinese), I have high expectations when dining in a Southeast Asian restaurant, as well as a high tolerance for anything spicy and highly aromatic.

When I was asked to review Orang3, a newly opened entertainment and food establishment in Gubei, I was certainly anticipating an Asian culinary experience that would remind me of my mom’s kitchen. Having had the privilege to travel to many parts of Southeast Asia and sampling both street food and the cuisine of its top restaurants, I am not one that would be easy to please.

My Hunan dining companion who has been living in Shanghai for over five years, has never had South-east Asian food, and he was equally excited at the prospect of new tastes to his palate.

The first dish placed on our table was the Singapore Fried Prawn Noodles (￥48) otherwise known as Fried Hokkien Mee. Served with a side bowl of homemade chilli and lime which should be mixed into the thick yellow noodles, it was deliciously savoury and spicy. Instantly, memories of the best hawker cuisine came flooding back as I relished every mouthful of the slippery noodle. Fried with wholesome prawns, julienne pork, bean sprouts and fish cake, even my local dining companion gave two thumbs up for this appetizing entrée.

Nasi Lemak (￥48), a coconut infused rice dish served with sambal chilli, fried anchovies, eggs, peanuts and a fried chicken wing, was placed on our table next. Although the rice did have the characteristic fragrance of coconut, unfortunately its green colour was not typical of nasi lemak. Nasi Lemak in Bahasa Melayu means rice cooked in coconut extract and pandan (screwpine) leaves. It was only after I had explained to my dining companion that the rice had taken a green colour because of the fragrant pandan leaves that he ventured to eat it. He nodded in approval of the unique flavour. I enjoy my nasi lemak the traditional way – served with a freshly fried, crispy whole Selar Kuning fish where the rice was fluffy and rich in coconut milk – so I found this dish a little lack lustre.

My interest and taste buds were once again piqued by the arrival of the Singapore Fried Carrot Cake (￥38). In Singapore and Johore, one could choose between the black version (fried with sweet, dark soy sauce) or the white (fried with a fish sauce) rendering both versions significantly different in taste. Generous, chunky pieces of white daikon (carrot) fried with preserved radish, garlic, eggs and shrimps. Chopped spring onions are added as flavour enhancers just before serving. In Kuala Lumpur and Penang, the same dish is fried with bean sprouts and a sweet, dark sauce, with no preserved radish. The Carrot Cake served at Orang3 typifies those found in the best hawker stalls from Singapore and our unanimous vote was for the white version with its superior taste. Best ordered as an appetizer, this dish is deliciously light and authentically good.

One of the signature dishes is the Orang3 Special Fried Rice. At ￥58 per plate, the novelty was in the presentation – fried rice in an omelet bundle with a fried chicken wing on the side. I found the fried rice a little dry and plain for my liking when compared to other fried rice versions I’ve had in my lifetime. But my local dining companion seemed to enjoy it very much. I did find the prawn crackers (keropok) that came with it absolutely delicious. With some probing, it was revealed that these delightful crispy prawn crackers had come from a remote fishing village in Perak, Malaysia. No wonder, as several Malaysian states have been known to produce the best keropok worldwide. I am positive these prawn crackers would complement well, a tall, cold draft beer anytime. Orang3 happens to stock a selection of imported beers to the likes of Stella Artois, Erdinger, Schofferhofer Original or Dark amongst others.

The Beef Rendang with Baguette (￥58) has been given a twist by Orang3. Typically eaten with rice or glutinous rice cakes, Orang3’s version is less spicy with a hint of tomato. It does not have the richly spiced, aromatic flavour typically found in rendang dishes. That’s because it has evolved to suit local taste. Maintain the authenticity and you might satisfy only the few connoisseurs but fail to convert local Chinese customers, at worst alienate them. Beef Rendang originates from Indonesia and served on festive occasions. Cubed pieces of beef are slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices like ginger, galangal, lemon grass, fresh chillies and tumeric leaves until almost all the liquid is gone and the beef has absorbed all the spicy goodness. The longer you cook rendang the richer its flavour becomes.

The Chicken Rice (￥58) is another signature dish. Served only on Sundays, I was told by the management that it is one of the top five orders from customers. Throughout lunch, my local dining companion had a tall glass of Cincau Grass Jelly (￥28) which he found sweet and refreshing. My Sour Plum Calamansi (also ￥28) remains my personal favourite and I would recommend it to anyone who likes her drink a little sweet and a trifle sour. Besides, it provides a counter balance to spicy dishes.

As we sipped our Hainanese Black Coffee (￥20) which has been brewed with mineral water, our two desserts arrived as the waiter promptly cleared our plates. Homemade Kuih Dadar, of Malaysian origin, is pandan pancake rolls with grated coconut and palm sugar filling. Typically, kuih dadar is for the sweet tooth diner as the grated coconut soaks the sugary syrup but Orang3’s version has been altered slightly so that it is not too sweet. For once, I appreciated the deviation from authenticity.

Bubur Cha Cha is a sweet potato and fresh yam dessert cooked in creamy coconut and pandan leaves. It was a sweet treat to end our dining experience at Orang3. I gave it the thumbs up as did my Hunan companion.

The Christmas décor aside, Orang3 is not only a restaurant but an entertainment establishment. With an open air outdoor terrace, a spa and a music lounge on the ground floor, and a sports bar and dance club on the upper floor, Orang3 considers itself a Southeast Asian oasis in Gubei. Perhaps there is some truth in that. With its official launch penned in the diary for March 2010, this restaurant might just be the oasis for Southeast Asian cuisine in time for Shanghai Expo 2010. Meanwhile, I now know where I can get my Fried Carrot Cake or Singapore Fried Prawn Noodles craving satiated each time it surfaces.