Top In Asia | Southern Seafood Restaurant, Kuantan

I first visited Southern Seafood Restaurant back in 2023, during our annual vacation to Kuantan. The restaurant is recommended by a friend who’s a local and it’s known for its pipa roast duck and fish dishes.

Basic setup

Homemade herbal tea

Southern Seafood Restaurant is an unassuming eatery that occupies a corner lot in Lorong Galing. It’s easy to miss as the signage is non-existent – perhaps faded over time. I had to double check the location before confirming we’re at the right restaurant when we first went.

Pipa roast duck

Crisp skin and tender meat

Since the pipa roast duck came highly recommended, we ordered a whole duck (RM70) to try. Skin is crisp and crackly, and the duck flesh is tender with very little gaminess. The sauce is thick and sweet from the soybean paste and garlic, which complements the pipa duck well.

Fish curry

Catch of the day

Curry fish is spice-forward and robust, while texture is thick and rich from the coconut milk. The lady boss recommended a type of white fish that just arrived, so we went with that (RM80 per pot). The flesh is meaty and sweet; similar to threadfin which I like. That said, this fish would have been better steamed to enjoy its natural flavour.

Fried tofu with minced pork

Stir-fried when

We also opted for the fried tofu with minced pork (RM14) for the little ones and a plate of stir-fried kailan (RM8). These are basic staples that go well with steamed rice so I won’t comment much.

Buttermilk fried squid

On our following visit, we tried the buttermilk squid (RM38 – large) and assam steamed tilapia (RM42), on top of half a pipa duck. Squid is fresh, thickly cut and deliciously tender with a generous coating of buttermilk and eggyolk strands. For the price, portion is fairly generous.

Assam steamed tilapia

Tilapia isn’t my favourite fish to eat because of the muddy odor but the one from Southern Seafood Restaurant (RM42) had hardly any muddy taste, even at the belly section. The assam gravy is well balanced in terms of tangy, sweet, spicy and savoury notes. We enjoyed this, especially with steamed rice.

Our first visit

Southern Seafood Restaurant is pretty crowded during weekends so it’s best to get there before 7pm. On weekdays, the crowd is more manageable, so you won’t need to wait too long for your food. The lady boss and her staff are friendly and accommodating so we had good experiences so far.