Paris, PJ

Duration: 1:07 Copyright © 2009 TV SMITH
Music: A Dirty Trick by Franco Micalizzi (in hi-fi stereo)
YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_Ol_QQTZMc
Click on HD toggle button below screen to watch in High-Definition (see Playback Help below)

I first dined at Paris nearly a decade ago. They were then located at a run down shack further down the road. The popular restaurant subsequently moved to the current location some six years ago. It was renamed New Paris and with the bigger premises, it attracted even bigger crowds. I remember being impressed with their ability to bring out the first dish in under three minutes. No matter how big the party or how many other customers were around, you get your food fast. Much faster than many of the western fast food restaurants that give you a waiting number after standing in line for several minutes.

Food in Paris is consistent. The signature dishes are consistently good while the mediocre ones remain consistently so. Don't let the name Paris fool you into romantic notions of Parisian fine dining. The service is mechanical and operations military-like. As for ambience; what ambience? Tables are wrap with large plastic sheets so that soiled plates, cutlery and leftover can be scooped-off immediately for fast turnaround. When the restaurant is running at full capacity, there is a chaotic reservation system where lucky names are shouted out by the boss standing on a plastic stool.

If the government is to enforce the 'no-foreign workers rule' as announced, many such Chinese restaurants will surely come to a standstill. The speedy service is the result of deploying a big team of very efficient migrant workers and an army of cooks in the kitchen. When you ask for the bill (check), exact change for both RM 50 and RM 100 are brought along thus saving time for the waiter and customer.

On a recent visit, I let the camera roll upon ordering. A real-time electronic stopwatch was inserted into the footage to clock the speed of delivery. Although the original video was recorded without break, the final version was edited for brevity.

Dishes ordered in the video:
Kum Hiong stir-fried lala (clams)
Braised pork belly with yam slices
Steamed tilapia with special sauce
2 chrysanthemum tea, 2 winter melon tea
RM 49.60 nett

Restoran New Paris
62, 64, 66 Jalan SS2/72
47300 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03 7955 9180

Share your opinion on this restaurant at the Comment Section.

Captured in 24p HD with Panasonic Lumix LX-3 and presented in 16:9 HD
Edited in native AVCHD on Thomson Grass Valley's Edius 5 NLE

See also: Map of Petaling Jaya | MyCen Restaurant Listings