Deer Garden is always busy during peak dinner time and it was no exception when we arrived for dinner on a Saturday evening. There was a large crowd of people around the door but since the restaurant is fairly large, we were seated within 10 minutes.
The menu is pretty comprehensive, with a good selection of soup bases and some rice dishes as well. Every entree comes with a hot drink - cold drinks and fancier drinks are extra charge.
This time we ordered:
- Malay laksa soup: With thick rice noodles, fish balls and fish tofu. The soup base is really flavourful - spicy, creamy and packed with coconut flavour.
- Peanut sauce and chili soup: With egg noodle, sliced beef brisket and fish puffs. This one is definitely my favourite soup base. I love the mixture of peanut and chili - they complement each other perfectly in this soup and doesn't overpower each other.
- Pan seared ox tongue (side order): It melts in your mouth! But it's too salty.
In a previous visit, I ordered one of the fish soup base, and it had absolutely zero flavour. No amount of chili oil or soy sauce could have saved it (both of which you have to ask for).
I never have high expectations for service in Chinese restaurants, but the service here was below average - the waitresses just aren't friendly. They also gave us our drinks way too late - we already finished eating by the time they set down ONE of our two drinks (and we both ordered hot milk teas) - we actually had to chase them down for the second one.
Overall, you come here for the food and not the experience, but I can only recommend the malay laksa and peanut sauce & chili soups.