PETALING JAYA, Aug 17 — Each time I think of grilled fish, I am reminded of my all-time favourite Hing Ket Grill House in Klang which serves a simple grilled stingray dusted with turmeric powder and phenomenal sweet local crabs burnished by the hot coals. 

Since Hing Ket Grill House is too far, making it an occasional dining spot, this place in Seri Setia, popularly known by its old name Sungai Way, satisfies my cravings for grilled fish. 

FishBar 88, which opened in January this year, caught my eye after I spotted the tempting photos on my friend’s Facebook page. 

The couple who run this place — which operates out of a coffeeshop at night — also has a Thai mookata business. 

Since operations for that business is stable and their staff well-trained, they decided to start this new venture. 

Stingray is often the default choice because the fleshier fish pulls apart easily in long strips, eliminating the need to deal with pesky, fine bones.

The fish, placed on a banana leaf and cooked over a hot griddle, absorbs the smokiness from the charred leaf while the flesh cooks until it is no longer opaque and develops a silky texture. 

On top, a heap of sambal mixed with sliced lady’s fingers provides a spicy, fragrant flavour with a touch of zinginess from calamansi lime juice. 

Thin sliced raw onions is an ingenious touch, providing a crunch plus a respite from all the heat and richness. 

It’s also my first time seeing this ingredient used in grilled fish too. 

The stingray (RM11 for 100 grams, this piece was RM35) is substantial enough to feed two with a plate of rice and another choice of seafood.

What makes this stall different from the usual supper-style grilled fish is the option of a dry-roasted style using charcoal fire, just like Hing Ket Grill House. 

Using the firmer version of golden pomfret (bawal emas), the stall butterflied the fish and covered it with turmeric powder. 

It’s placed in a grill basket and cooked over white hot coals. 

The turmeric forms a thin crust on top, letting the flesh under the skin retain its moisture and remain juicy. 

Extracting the flesh is easy because one side is exposed without the main bone and you access the flesh on the other side’s flesh by cracking the bone to remove it. 

A killer spicy green sambal adds more flavour; it starts mild but slowly hits the back of your tongue with lingering heat. 

The same heap of sliced raw onions provides a cooling contrast, especially when the tongue is burning from the sambal. 

As this fish was much bigger, it costs RM55 for the whole fish (RM11 for 100 grams). 

Ordering sotong tests the master griller’s skills as it can easily become a chewy, rubbery nightmare. 

We were in luck; the sotong cut into rings passed the test and yielded a tender, snappy bite.

It peeks out from a mass of spicy, thick sambal dotted with chopped vegetables like long beans, lady’s fingers and four-angled beans. 

The stir-frying gives it a deeper red colour, transforming it into a fragrant accompaniment for rice, along with various vegetables.

Other menu items like seafood porridge were unavailable due to a lack of clams but the fish and sotong were enough to make us happy for dinner. 

The stall is inside a restaurant right next to the main thoroughfare in Seri Setia, so spotting it may be difficult. Using Waze to navigate there is best. 

A Western restaurant is also located right next to the grilled fish place that comes alive at night for dinner and suppertime. 

FishBar 88 烤鱼吧

96, Jalan SS9A/1, 

SS 9A, Seri Setia (Sungai Way), Petaling Jaya.

Open: 5pm to 11pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

Tel: 010-5666503 

Facebook: @fishbar88

Instagram: @fishbar88

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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