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Continuing from my day-long loitering at 1-Utama last Saturday…

After spending some 5 hours reading at MPH bookstore, I found myself feeling very hungry. I had a very light lunch of toast and coffee earlier so I was looking for something substantial. However, I also knew that I was going to be having a buffet dinner in three hours which limited my options. WL joined me at 4.00pm and we went around hunting for food. I was initially drawn to the numerous waffle shops that dotted the shopping complex. After walking around, we finally settled for a snack at Shih Lin.

Shih Lin is a small stall located on the top floor of 1-Utama old wing, close to the old TGV cineplex, opposite Old Town Kopitiam and next to a video games shop. Its actually quite easy to miss the shop, since its an inconspiciously small outlet with just a counter, some bar stools, and a long bench along one wall. Nothing particularly special about the stall to draw your attention to it. I had walked pass the placed several times earlier without noticing. It was a good thing that I was now hungry and actively seeking out food, else I would have missed it altogether.

The place serves a small selection of Taiwanese Street Snacks. On the menu are three main snacks, the XXL Crispy Chicken, Handmade Oyster Mee Sua, and Springrolls. There’s also a special Seafood Tempura item on the menu. For drinks, you can have either chilled Soya milk or chilled mineral water. The snacks all go for a standard RM4.80 each while the Soya milk is RM1.80 per bottle.

Update: 11-04-2006
Dropped by the place again and found that the prices have increased. It is now RM5.50 for each of the main snacks and RM2.00 for the bottle of V-Soy soya milk Tried the Mee Sua and can’t say that I particularly liked it. The soup tasted funky. Also found out that the powder they sprinkle on the chicken is five spice (mm heong) and chili powder.

WL and I were undecided about what to have. I was watching the lady at the counter prepare an XXL Crispy Chicken and was salivating for it but WL wanted to try the Handmade Mee Sua. Since I was the one who was starving, I overruled her and went with the chicken as well as a bottle of V-Soy Soya drink. Paying the RM6.90 bill, we sipped at our drink and waited patiently for the chicken to be cooked. I’ve never tried the V-Soy brand before this and I must say that the Soya milk was very good. It had a nice sweet aftertaste to it. Not very thirst quenching but a nice drink to have after a long day of bumming around.

It took about 5 minutes for them to prepare the chicken. Those with big appetites are bound to like the XXL Crispy Chicken. As the name suggests, it is extra extra large! They serve you a large fillet of breast meat, with part of the keel attached, that’s about nine inches long and 5 inches at its widest. The meat is nicely battered and deep fried, giving it a very crispy crunchy crust. Underneath, the chicken is hot, tender, and juicy. Nice! They sprinkle the deep fried serving with some funky pungent powder that gives it some added flavour. Don’t ask me what it is though. My guess is pepper and spice. If you want to know more, you’ll have to asked them yourself.

Although WL and I both double teamed the chicken, it was large enough to satiate both our appetites. However, I do have a gripe about the snack. While I enjoyed the meal, it got bad towards the end. Call it the laws of diminishing returns or simply bad luck but the chicken was a bit raw around the bones and I tasted pasty uncooked flour. Yuck!

But having said that, I think Shih Lin Taiwan Street Snacks is a great food outlet to grab a quick bite. Although you only have a very limited choice, the food is good enough to pass my gastronomic tests. I definitely recommend it the next time you have a craving.

Shih Lin Taiwan Street Snacks
Top floor 1-Utama old wing.
Near the old TGV cineplex.