Wonderful Mondays in PJ
When it comes to guilty-pleasure food, luncheon meat stands as a hard-to-beat favourite. But the deli meat doesn’t always get a good rep, due to its extensive processing and the presence of artificial additives.
Putting a twist on this umami meat is Wonderful Mondays in SS2, Petaling Jaya. This homegrown fast food restaurant has a selection of dishes that all come with pork-free luncheon meat that’s freshly made daily without preservatives, colouring, or MSG for a guilt-free lunch.
Handmade & Muslim-friendly luncheon meat
When you step inside Wonderful Mondays, the first thing you’ll see is a giant sculpture of a canned luncheon meat. The replica perfectly captures the essence of the restaurant, which serves luncheon meat in eight different forms to pair with 15 spicy and non-spicy sauces.
The sauces that are available to level up the deli meat include Malaysian Curry, Cheddar Cheese, and Thai Tom Yum.
They offer several homemade and Muslim-friendly luncheon meat options, from chicken and beef to fish. These are served with rice, ramen, porridge, croissant, or burger.
Our verdict
We got food from their Mondays series: the Chicken Luncheon Meat With Rice & Signature Sauce (RM12.90) and Beef Luncheon Meat With Ramen & Malaysian Curry Sauce (RM12.90).
The luncheon meats in both orders were nicely grilled to caramelised perfection. The garnishes – cabbages, corn, and green beans – further enhanced the dishes with a crunch factor.
As for the sauces, the signature sauce tasted nostalgic and homely. Its sweet and umami flavours consisted of oyster sauce, dark soya sauce, and vinegar.
The other sauce, Malaysian curry, tasted similar to Japanese curry but with a local twist that was reminiscent of rendang. The ramen that we paired this sauce with was lightly seasoned to complement the rich curry flavour, achieving a balanced taste in each bite.
We also tried their Chicken Luncheon Meat Burger (RM9.90) and Fish Luncheon Meat Croissant (RM11.90).
The burger wasn’t overly greasy or aggressively flavoured. The chicken luncheon meat, sandwiched with lettuce and a fried egg between two slices of buns, was glazed with just the right amount of salted egg sauce.
Likewise, the croissant, which had a light glaze of mayonnaise, beautifully soaked up the chilli oil oozing from the spicy mala flakes coating the fish luncheon meat. The creaminess of the mayo was nicely contrasted with the fire from the spicy flakes.
We wrapped up our meal with some of their homemade tong shui, or traditional Chinese desserts. The Barley Ginkgo (RM4.90) and Golden Pumpkin (RM6.90) were creamy and nutty with a subtle sweetness, while the Crystal Wintermelon (RM5.90) was a cooling indulgence to beat the hot weather.
Ambience at Wonderful Mondays
Wonderful Mondays operates as a self-service restaurant for customers who dine in – similarly to other fast food chains. Their counter is sectioned into two parts: one to place your orders and the other to collect your food.
They also have a station set up in front of their restaurant with pre-packed food, which is ideal for those who are pressed for time.
Enjoy luncheon meat with everything at Wonderful Mondays
Wonderful Mondays’s fast food approach is an answer to those wanting a quick yet hearty meal with a local twist. As they open at 7.45am, you can even stop by early for breakfast before clocking in to work.
Address: 32, Jalan SS2/66, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: 7.45am-10.00pm, Daily
Contact: 012-345 4799 | Wonderful Mondays’ Facebook
To further satisfy your carnivorous cravings, tuck into the wagyu beef from this halal Izakaya-style restaurant in KL or Thai-style grilled meat from this mookata restaurant in SS15.
Also watch our video feature here:
Photography by Xinyeegoh.
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local Malaysia
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