Shi Wei Tian – Malaysian Cze Char [CLOSED]

Stepping into 食唯天 Shi Wei Tian is like entering into Singapore in the 1960s. The restaurant is full of nostalgic elements such as the old sewing machines, gammaphones, old pictures and posters, old handicraft from the past etc.

Most of the recipes came from the owner – Ryan’s grandmother. She was from Malaysia and she cooked very well. In order to remember her food, Ryan decided to set up this restaurant and hired a Malaysian chef to whip up the dishes and the restaurant’s kitchen’s operational flow is advised by world renowed celebrity chef Bobby Chinn! Here, you can find close to 100 dishes, from seafood to pork, chicken, vegetables and desserts.

A popular soup served in Malaysia is the bat kut teh. Shi Wei Tian serves Claypot KL Bak Kut Teh ($6.50 / $12 / $18). The hearty soup is simmered for hours in a herbal Chinese soup broth with generous servings of pork ribs and innards.

The most important factor in Garlic Steamed Prawns ($15 / $22) is definitely the prawns. The fresh and fat prawns are butterflied, filled with garlic and steamed. The dish itself is already impressive and if they were to add some Chinese rice wine, I am sure it will taste better. If you like drunkard prawns, do try their Claypot Drunken Prawns ($15 / $22).

The preparation process for Crispy Pork Rib Drumlets ($4 each, min 3) is a tedious one. The pork ribs are first deep fried to perfection and then braised with special BBQ sauce to bring out its flavor. It tasted somewhat similar to sweet and sour sauce, and the meat was very juicy. Alternatively, you can try Signature Guinness Stout Pork Rib ($12 / $18).

For some seafood goodness in an affordable price, try the Imperial Treasure Pot ($28). Fresh scallops, sea cucumber, fish maw, prawns, fish, mushrooms and broccoli were stewed in claypot, a delicious balance of flavors.

Shi Wei Tian also serves Chao Ta Beehoon ($6 / $9 / $12), which is a specialty in the restaurant. The beehoon is soft and moist but I would prefer the beehoon to be soaked in a more flavorful stock with more crispy bits.

Every week, the chef will come up with a new dish and if it is well received, it will stay in the menu. The 3 Treasure Sea Cucumber Wrap ($20) has a whole sea cucumber stuffed with generous serving of succulent mushrooms, fresh sliced pork and nutritious carrot steamed with special sauce. I thought this was a very unique way to prepare the sea cucumber. It makes the sea cucumber melts in your mouth with a burst of flavors.

Shi Wei Tian makes their own tofu every day and it is very smooth and silky in texture. The Signature Tofu ($10 / $15) is cooked with egg and it simply melts in your mouth. To add a new dimension to the taste, crunchy deep fried golden mushrooms can be paired with the tofu.

If you are a regular here, you would know that the restaurant has a hidden gem: Nasi Pattaya ($6). If it is your first time here and you would like to give it a try, just tell the waiter that you want a plate of Nasi Pattaya! Nasi Pattaya is a popular selection in stalls in Malaysia. 

The dish is simply fried rice wrapped with omelette and served with tomato sauce. Sounds familiar? Yeah, similar to the japanese omu rice, but the omelette is much more tasty. And why is it not in the menu? Because the chef, who is always seeking perfection, says it takes a lot of effort to make a perfect round omelette to wrap the fried rice and he will keep redoing it if he feels that it is not good enough.

Last main course (we were already very full) was Claypot Tanghoon Crab (seasonal price). The crabs were very juicy and fat, and the claw was as big as an iphone! Unfortunately, the glistening strands of tanghoon lack the crabby richness. The restaurant’s specialty is actually Cereal Paste Crab, perhaps I will come back to try that next time!

Chendol ($2.80), a cold Nonya dessert, is available here with old sweet favourites like Ice Kachang and Ice Ball. The Chendol here was pretty good! The shaved ice was topped with generous amount of gula melaka (palm sugar), slippery green jelly and red beans. The coconut milk was very fragrant and thick.

If you would like to reminisce the good ol days, Shi Wei Tian sells Ice Ball ($1.80) in a bowl! Yes, colorful ice ball! It does take some skill to make the ice ball. The shaved ice has to be tightly packed together to ensure that the ice does not fall apart. Don’t have to worry about getting your hands dirty because the ice ball here is served in a bowl.

For a safer option, you can of course go for Ice Kachang ($2.80), a modern version of ice ball with red beans, sweet corn and attap tee, topped with colored syrups and condensed milk. I actually like their chendol more.

The restaurant has just converted their alfresco area to a bar with a 42 inch TV to play football channels! With the new bar, Lok Lok will be back where various ingredients are skewered on a bamboo stick and steamed or deep fried.

If you are looking for supper places, Shi Wei Tian offers Late night Steamboat Buffet from 10pm to 12am everyday except Sunday and public holiday. Seafood and meat are unlimited and you can top up for all you can!