Hello there! Are you a lover of everything salted egg? Are you always looking out for new restaurants that feature only this heavenly flavour on a regular basis? Are you among those who live just for a taste of it, week after week?
Well, look no further because if salted egg heaven is what you seek, this is THE article written exclusively for you!
Salted Egg Obsession
Before we found Mona, the one question that had been going on and on in our minds was, ‘What is so special about this salted egg flavour?’ It has ‘salt’ and ‘egg’ in it. In theory, these two things do not go hand in hand together.
Salted eggs have always been a part of our lives for generations. It is usually eaten as an accompanying condiment due to its medicinal values. Yes, salted eggs are believed to eliminate heatiness and help with diarrhoea. So, the next time you are suffering from these ailments, gobble up a salted egg.
With the ever-changing gastronomical trend, it is definitely surprising when it takes a turn to the common with the rise of traditional ingredients like turmeric, pandan and avocado (in the West). In order to ensure that the trend continues on, it is important to change the way these ingredients are being presented and used in our cooking.
Now, we know what we are missing out, the question is where should we go to fully eggs-perience (pun intended) a salted egg journey that we’ll never forget. That’s when Mona came into our lives.
Mona Beckons
Located in the posh area of Publika, Mona’s interior is warm and welcoming with simple retro designs that definitey brings you back to the 60s. With dimmed lightings and Saloma’s soft croonings, Mona provides a cosy setting for diners who long for some privacy.
For our Muslim readers, do not feel daunted by the bar and alcoholic drinks served. You can be rest assured that the food served is totally halal. From the food source til the preparation, they ensure maximum care by getting quality ingredients from reliable sources.
Butter, Egg and Everything Nice!
Mona is famous for their butter and salted egg dishes. This is a statement we don’t take lightly. What makes Mona the go-to place for salted egg perfection? The answer is simple; their flavour balance is just perfect!
The flavour balance between the buttery, milky taste of the sauce and the richness of the salted egg yolk flavour goes well with some slices of cili padi and curry leaves that just leaves us hungry for more.
Usually, balancing two rich, contrasting flavours is very difficult to achieve and most restaurants or cafes that highlights this dish in their menu, more often than not, oversell their dish to their customers. However, Mona is the exception.
Our Top Picks
Believe it or not, these dishes still call us out late at night, begging us to return to Mona. Yes, of course you would be thinking that this is all an exaggeration. Why not get your car running and head to Publika and experience a new world of flavours like we did.
Below are our top Mona picks for those who are unable to decide on what to get.
a) Salted Egg Butter Chicken (RM 17.90)
When we first set eyes on this dish, we felt it was quite a wholesome dish with some rice and fresh lettuce on the side. However, there is one thing that doesn’t sit well with us which is the butter sauce. To be honest, it is quite an interesting combination but we know Mona knows what she’s doing and with full faith on this, we took our first bite.
The verdict? A kaleidoscope of new flavours we never knew our taste palates can possibly know. It is a rich dish, that we won’t deny but it is just enough to make you feel satisfyingly full by the last spoonful.
b) Oriental Duck Egg Noodles (RM 17.90)
Our next pick is something that we admit, not too impressive or interesting enough to convince you to order it. But, don’t judge a dish too quickly because you will regret not ordering it.
Dubbed as the refined version of Maggi Goreng, the dish uses egg noodles fried together with some fried shallots and spring onions, topped with succulent slices of smoked duck. Albeit simple, the flavours just sing in your mouth. Plus, it comes in a cute little chinese takeout box. Brownie points on presentation!
c) Nasi Lemak Butter Chicken (RM 19.90)
First of all, who doesn’t love a good nasi lemak? With its fragrant coconut rice, sweet spicy sambal, crunchy bilis and half of a boiled egg to complete the whole experience, you might think that nothing can make it better. Well, we beg to differ.
Mona has upped their nasi lemak game simply by adding a sambal version of their butter salted egg chicken that uniquely tastes like the Korean Dakgangjeong. It has just enough heat to make you sweat a little but as it goes down, you’ll be taking another spoonful. It is just that good.
d) Grilled Buttermilk Chicken (RM 17.90)
Our last pick is the classic grilled buttermilk chicken. We truly have nothing to complain about it. The chicken was grilled to perfection; crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and the butter sauce just elevates the flavour of the chicken from ‘great’ to ‘excellent’ in a second. If you cannot decide on what dish you want to try, this one will not fail you.
Dine with Mona
We really had a good time dining at Mona. She was simple, interesting and opened our eyes to a new level of salted egg goodness with buttery deliciousness on the side. We are going to stop trying to convince you. Instead, we are placing the button below so you can experience what we had at Mona’s firsthand.
