Papparich, Parramatta (II) - featuring Poh Ling Yeow!

Can you believe it's nearly the end of October? Neither can I. It feels like yesterday that I posted up my initial PappaRich Parramatta review when I was approached once again for another lunch at the restaurant - with Poh Ling Yeow this time. Although I haven't been watching Masterchef (in fact, not that much TV at all) in the last few years, I still remembered the first season very well and it's good to see her making her mark in the food industry. Considering I was at the peak of my stomach bug at the time of the actual event, I was actually hesitant on pigging out on this occasion but then I was too tempted at the thought of meeting Poh in person...for lunch!

On the day, Poh was making a special appearance at Westfield Parramatta earlier that day where she demonstrated some of her favourite Malaysian dishes at a pop up restaurant. After demonstrating the dishes, the people at the pop up restaurant got the chance to sample the finished product. Looked very cool from afar.

Lychee Cincau ($5.90)

While it may not looked pretty, Poh said that this was one of her fave PappaRich drinks out of the extensive beverages menu. 

Ribena Melon ($6.90)

It was a warm day so I went with the fruity Ribena melon (mainly because I do have a soft spot for Ribena drinks). It may look simpler than the many other beverages at this restaurant, but I personally enjoyed its lightness. Plus I do like the lychees stuck on the straws.

Pappa Fried chicken skin ($8.90)

We started off on a high note with PappaRich's signature fried chicken skin zomg. While the fried chicken skin was a tad chewier than my last visit, it was still addictive to the point that I kept popping many of these babies into my mouth. Dammit fried chicken why do you have to be so bad for me?

Pappa Fried Chicken Wings ($8.90)

There was more fried chicken goodness happening when the wings arrived to our table. While the skin does have that tempting crispiness, the meat had that juicy and well-cooked texture, which was what I personally preferred when it comes to chicken wings.

No matter which Malaysian restaurant I go to, the roti was always a must order for entrees to share. This time we went for the basic roti canai, which I always enjoyed for its flaky, crisp yet soft texture. We did note that it was a bit sweeter compared to rotis at various other Malaysian joints but it was still tasty for me especially when using the dipping sauces.

Satay Chicken ($12.90 for 6 pieces, $21.90 for 12 pieces)

The satay chicken was well cooked and easy to chew this time around though I still enjoy dipping the roti into that satay sauce.

Before the mains were served, we got to check out a live Teh Tarik demonstration. It's amazing how he was able to pull this off so perfectly. I struggle at pouring a drink out from a low distance let alone that high.

Nasi Lemak with Curry Chicken ($13.50)

My pick of the main dish this time was the traditional Nasi Lemak with curry chicken. Apart from the red sambal (?), it wasn't as flavour intensive as the other dishes I've had previously at PappaRich, which was good for the tummy at the time, though the veggies did cool me down a bit. The curry chicken was deliciously tender and not too spicy and the rice wasn't too soft or hard. 

Pappa Char Kway Teow ($13.50)

I sampled a bit of Mel's main dish pick, which was the Char Kway Teow. It was slightly spicier though from what I've heard on what CKT was meant to be, I presume this was the norm. Really liked the taste of the noodles as well as the smokey flavours and aroma from the renowned dish. 

Dry Kway Teow with Steamed Chicken ($13.50)

When I spotted this dish on the other table, I know I had to try a sample. It's saucier and slippery than the traditional CKT but I do like the twist on this dish. Regretted not ordering this as my main dish of choice but I was happy with what I got. 

Dry Curry Egg Noodle with Steamed Chicken ($13.50)

Another dish that I am very keen to try on my next visit was the dry curry egg noodle. Didn't get to sample this but wished that I did since it looks mighty tasty especially with the rich sauce. Like the other main plates, this looked very filling though also great to share with a large group. 

Pappa Chicken Rice with Steamed Chicken ($13.50)

Biryani Rice with Red Chicken and Sambak Eggplant ($13.50)

This was another dish that I also wished I ordered if I had a bigger stomach. Did not look like a dish I would expect at a Malaysian restaurant but it looks yummy. Can imagine the huge range of flavours from various components of this plate.

Assorted vegetarian dim sum dumplings ($4.90-$6.90)

If you are a vegetarian and the amount of meaty dishes have put you off, don't fret. There is a menu full of vegetarian dishes including the vegetarian versions of fried mee hoon, char koay teow and four different types of dumplings catered for this market. 

By the end, we were too stuffed to have dessert but we did have lots of fun taking selfies with Poh. All in all, I had a good time at PappaRich on this visit. Especially discovering dishes that I didn't even notice on my first visit. While the queues are still crazy, the prices are decent enough to get you full by dinner. If you are not familiar with Malaysian cuisine, PappaRich offers a generous range of dishes to explore your taste buds whether you like laksa, curry, nasi lemak or roti. 

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of PappaRich Parramatta, courtesy of Wasamedia. Opinions are however, my own. 

PappaRich Parramatta
Shop 2185A, Westfield Parramatta
159-175 Church Street, Parramatta NSW 2150
(02) 9633 3387
http://papparich.net.au/