[Tanjung Karang, Malaysia] Bagan Tengkorak Seafood Restaurant
By Elin Chow - Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Photo By: Elin Chow
Bagan Tengkorak Seafood Restaurant is a hidden gem tucked away in Kampung Bagan Tengkorak, a quiet fishing village in Tanjung Karang, Kuala Selangor. The restaurant does not have an official name. For easy reference, everyone just call it Restoran Bagan Tengkorak.
I have visited this restaurant many times over the past decade, and I would say nothing much has changed. The restaurant is in a pretty secluded location and is frequented mostly by locals.
To get to this restaurant, you can search for "Bagan Tengkorak" on Waze.
If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, you have to take the Kuala Selangor road heading towards Tanjung Karang and Sekinchan. Tanjung Karang is largely a one-road town with several off roads branching off on both sides. Therefore, it is not a difficult town to navigate.
About halfway down the Tanjung Karang road, you would see a road sign leading to "Kg Bagan Tengkorak" on the left. Follow the road sign (best to follow Waze) and drive through the Kampung road for about 4 km until you see a Chinese Temple. You can park your car at the Chinese Temple. There is a small road right across the temple that leads to a wooden walkway over water. At the end of the wooden walkway, you will find the restaurant, which looks like a run-down shack built on stilts.
Although the "official" operating hours is from 11 am to 6 pm, I would really recommend you to come early to avoid a long wait. We rarely visit this restaurant because of the horrendous wait time. However, we still come here once in a while because we craved for their food.
We arrived at 10.30 am and was surprised to find the restaurant was already packed full with diners. Therefore, we think the restaurant may be opened as early as 9 am. Even if you managed to secure a table, you still have to be prepared to wait for at least 2 hours for your food to be served. There are some prawn crackers that you have purchase at the restaurant to fill your empty stomach while you wait for your food to arrive.
Steamed Fish Head with Soy Sauce & Dry Chilies
Bagan Tengkorak is a fishing village famous for its cheap and fresh seafood. Majority of the villagers here are involved in the seafood industry and most people who come here will mostly order seafood.
The restaurant does not have a menu so people who are here for the first time might have difficulty deciding what to order.
The must order here is their Steamed Fish Head with Soy Sauce and Dry Chilies. This is what most of the diners come here for, including us as well.
The fish head was fresh and cooked to silky perfection before drizzled with sauce. The main highlight of the dish was the deliciously sweet and savory sauce. A lot of dry chilies are used to make the sauce but surprisingly, it was not overly spicy. This is a dish that must not be missed!
Steamed Lala (Clams) with Ginger and Wine
Steamed Lala (Clams) with Ginger and Wine was equally good. You can have them stir-fry if you are not a fan of ginger and wine. The clams were sweet, plump and tender.
Kung Pao Cuttlefish
We also ordered Kung Pao cuttlefish. Stir fried with onions, dry chilies with super rich savory sauce, the cuttlefish was firm with a crunchy texture. Aromatic and flavorsome, this is a dish that goes absolutely well with rice.
Stir-Fry Long Yau Mak with Prawns
A very simple dish but perfectly seasoned.
Kam Heong Crabs
I don't really like crabs, but I still eat them occasionally. Crabs are not a must order here. The meat was not firm and the taste was nothing extraordinary. It is not a dish I would highly recommend.
The total bill came to RM 260, which was surprisingly cheap, considering the amount of seafood we had ordered. The seafood was fresh and delicious. If you ask me whether the food is worth the long wait, I would say yes. My most favorite dish would definitely be the Steamed Fish Head. If the fish head is sold out, then I don't think it is worth the long wait anymore.
One thing to note is the lady boss has a hot temper. Don't be surprised if you see her yelling at her staff or even customers (including you as well). If you are a very impatient person or don't have the luxury of time, don't come to this restaurant. You might want to avoid coming here on public holidays and long weekends as well.
Bagan Tengkorak Seafood Restaurant
No. 27, Bagan Tengkorak 45500
Tanjung Karang
Selangor
Hours: 11 am - 6 pm (Wednesday - Sunday)
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