The last time I was in Port Dickson (a couple of years ago, with C and El), we had an awesome seafood dinner at Xiwang Village Seafood Restaurant. This time around, I brought my fam here with high hopes… but they fell a little short. The food was still decent, but it lacked the awesomeness it used to have. Also, prices have gone through the roof since then.

Stir-fried lala mihun (clam vermicelli). The flavour was okay but it lacked wok hei, and the clams were small and overcooked into sorry, shrivelled bits.

The water spinach fared better, although it was a tad too starchy.

Mud crabs cooked kam heong (spicy) style. The crabs were meaty but they didn’t taste fresh. Also, they cost a whopping RM78 (!!!???) for 1kg (two pieces) – almost double the price of most seafood restaurants elsewhere. I don’t remember it being this exp before, but even so, it is too drastic an increase.

The only redeeming dish of the evening – fried squid. Seasoned just right, springy and bouncy, and perfect with the sweet chilli dip. Not too oily either.

XIWANG VILLAGE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT