Merlion Noodle and Rice

Merlion closes its doors tonight, after a year-​and-​a-​half of business, so this review is written more as an appreciation than an actual review.
As I mentioned in my initial review, Merlion had me at the fresh-​squeezed lime juice, which is always the first thing I crave after arriving in Singapore. But really it’s been everything else they’ve cooked that kept me and my wife coming back so often.
Ricky Chung, the owner/​chef of Merlion, once said that his food wasn’t that great, just unusual for Columbus, but the truth is the food coming out of his kitchen would have held its own against anything found in the best of the hawker food stalls in Singapore. Whether you were there for a simple bowl of laksa, char kway teow, or Hainan chicken (practically the national dish of Singapore), Ricky cut no corners despite being so far from home. Characteristic of Singaporeans’ reputations as workaholics, Ricky wasn’t one to stick to a formula; he had a special menu for Chinese New Year, and topping that the recently introduced seafood menu, which included uniquely Singaporean dishes such as chili crab and black pepper crab.
Ricky’s wife deserves a shout-​out as well for her exquisite Nyonya desserts; while common in Singapore, I have yet to find them in any Singaporean or Malaysian restaurant in North America. And I would be remiss in not mentioning the charming service of Ricky’s two daughters and son-​in-​law, who were in many ways the soul of the restaurant.
So here’s to you, Merlion. You will be missed, and the Asian food scene in Columbus is that much poorer for your departure.

I’ve been meaning to check this place out now for years. I read in Columbus Underground that this establishment is closing up, and tomorrow is the family’s last day of business.
I ordered Singapore Laksa. I was a bit hesitant since the young lady that served us said it’s «medium spicy» and could not be altered since the broth is already made. The soup came out and, of course, was steaming hot. It was quite spicy for me, thus I added some white rice to tone it down. Unfortunately, the soup had no distinctive flavors :(I was not impressed at all. The coconut milk? None. Line or other subtle spices? None. Taste the chicken that was in the soup? Nope — it was just something solid in a swarming bowl of broth. This good did not leave a lasting impression :(

I finally got here… only to find they are going to close shop in a week.
I stopped here for an impromptu light lunch today. Really basic IE no décor. Probably one of the plainest /​most non descript restaurants I’ve ever been to.
I really didn’t get too adventurous as I was in a hurry and so I stuck with familiar territory. I went in with the idea of scouting the menu for the next time. Anyways, so I ordered:
Hot and Sour Soup — very good
Vietnamese Rolls — simply excellent
Ginger Iced Tea — great refreshing flavor
If you haven’t tried this place yet for some Singaporean, Indonesian or Malaysian foods, move fast their last day of business is Sunday, December 2, 2013. The chef is apparently in poor health and they have decided to close.

The laksa is very good, but the place is going to close on December 1^st, due to the owners health problems.
Get it while you still can.

I am SO sad this place is closing on ¹²⁄₁. I only just discovered it and it’s closing. I enjoyed the Singaporean Laksa I had here. The Singapore Mi was also good but the temperatures were a bit funky. The service is a little on the relaxed side and the whole restaurant is very casual and low key. They have Hainan chicken rice only on the weekends! And a huge seafood menu. What a shame they are closing.

Went with several coworkers. We had an array of dishes among of which, but not limited to both crab offerings, prawn in soy sauce, and a squid dish. Everything was great. Only knocks are that it was a little long of a wait for the food and dishes didn’t come out all at once.

My boyfriend and I went here because we were house sitting in Clintonville and wanted to try somewhere different. Overall I think it was good and a great value for what you get. I got the Singapore soup and my boyfriend got the sesame chicken. He was very happy with his because they made it spicy however in the beginning he was disappointed he could not get fried rice. My soup had pretty good flavor but I was missing a little curry flavor. The appetizers were inexpensive and good for what you paid. This place is good enough for a quick cheap dinner.

Don’t let it bother you that they are located next door to a veterinarians office because this truly unassuming little place is serving up some tasty eats from Southeast Asia. Merlion has been on my «to try» list for my Phở tour of Columbus for awhile and did not disappoint me today.
This is a simple noodle house setup with little in the way of décor, two TV’s with rotating pictures of menu items above the counter and a assortment of tables with molded plastic chairs. You are definitely coming here for the food, not the décor.I scored a menu and took some time to check out some of the other specialties they offer but I was here for what was listed as their «Vietnamese Phở».
My order was delivered after a short wait, a nice sized steaming bowl of phở with a generous serving of rice noodles, thinly sliced pieces of lean steak, onion and greens in a wonderfully fragrant broth. The garnishes provided were a plate of bean sprouts and a few sliced jalapenos. No sauces on the table, you have to ask for them if you want them but for me this bowl had such a great flavor I didn’t need any.
For a first trip, I’ll know I will be back to try some of the other decently priced SE Asian specialties they offer and this place will head up towards the top of my list for my phở addiction for two reasons, a great bowl of phở and a shortish drive from home.

It’s so hard to review and gauge ethnic restaurants when one doesn’t have a baseline to go off of. So for Merlion, which prides itself on providing Singaporean and Malaysian food to Columbus, i can only really go off what I think tastes good, and also what my Malaysian friend says.
So onto what my Malaysian friend says. She really likes Merlion, maybe in part because it has good food and maybe because she misses her native cuisine and this is the only real game in town. I can honestly say from a taste perspective that everything is oh-​so-​good.
I can recall having 3 dishes during my 3 visits. First is the Singapore Laksa. I can’t recall much as this was my first dish. It had a real spicy kick but the spice didn’t mask the wonderful flavors of the soup. Second was the Prawn in soy sauce. Prawns with shell and head, fried and covered in a thick dark soy sauce based gravy. Still crispy, not as salty as I imagined, and goes perfect with a bowl of rice. Finally the Singapore Hainan Chicken Rice. They only serve this dish on weekends and it reminds me of chicken my mom would make at home, boiled chicken in broth, served with 2 sauces on the side. Simple but familiar and comforting food.
Now my only issue is the air conditioning. I can’t recall if they have AC or not. I was there one summer and they had fans in the dining area. Maybe they have AC now, but that’s my only real gripe.

Merlion is in a small strip center that sits across High Street from the Iron Grill BBQ restaurant. Knowing that, it’s easy to find.
I went in tonight for dinner. To say that the restaurant is austere is an understatement. Not a single picture on the walls, no tablecloths, no carpet, etc. So it’s not your destination for a date. But the food is good. I started off with two of the Vietnamese rolls. They were wrapped in translucent wrappers and each had several shrimp visible. The addition of some of the supplied hot sauce made all the difference.
Then I ordered the Claypot Noodle Soup. It was very good but I didn’t like the noodles. The owner told me that I could get egg noodles in their place the next time I come. And besides the vegetables, the soup was topped with a perfectly fried egg.
And there will probably be a next time. I had a good dinner.

I must have ordered the wrong thing for my taste because I didn’t like food. I thought the noodles were slimy and had a fishy taste (I ordered Chicken) Next time I will order the Phở!

Nice and clean little restaurant but as I sat waiting for my food on a Tuesday at lunch the silence was deafening. No tv’s or music and only one couple eating… I could hear them breathing!
I kept it simple and had the clay pot noodle soup. Other than being just a touch on the salty side it was very satisfying. Nice thick noodles, a good amount of bok choy, and a decent amount of protein. The thing that really made it stand out and give it a richness that isn’t found in most noodle soups was the egg yoke. The clay pot also kept it piping hot until the end (which was nice on a cold day)
I will definitely return to try some more dishes. They just need to step it up a notch.

I’m a sucker for a bowl of noodles. I keep trying to tell my husband that keeping me happy is really quite simple, but he’s being extraordinarily obstinate about accepting that. You put a big bowl of noodles in soup (Asian style) in front of me and I’m a happy woman. That’s it. You give me a good book on top of that, probably happier.
Is that so hard to believe?
Anyhow. We came here last night — cold and hungry. I’ve been wanting to try this place for a while, and it’s a little out of our way. But I used my powers of persuasion on the husband and dragged him here. He got the mee goreng, and I got the claypot noodle soup. Poor boy didn’t realize there were tomatoes and peas in his noodles (neither of us did) and he can’t stand either. He ate it, but I don’t think he enjoyed it. Usually when he’s not offering his opinion that means he’s on the fence. I, however, fell in love with my bowl of noodles. It comes in a clay pot to keep it nice and toasty (boiling), which is very dear to my little Korean heart. Noodles are plentiful and chewy, bok choy was fresh, and the little tofu/​meat packets yummy. The broth is very savory (chicken, perhaps?) and the whole concoction comes topped off with an egg that cooks in the bowl. It’s not spicy, so look elsewhere for that. But on a cold winter’s night, it can’t be beat.

Pretty much eat here at least once a week. Food is always consistently good and lipsmackingly spicy! My favorites are the char kway twao mee, Singapore mi fun, and Singapore mee goreng. I also like the freshly squeezed lime juice.

After being here a few times, I decided to give Merlion a detailed review. Like many of the previous reviewers, I tried the Singapore Mee Goreng extra spicy. The best part is that the dish did not need extra Sriracha sauce and had decent flavor. For college students/​young professionals on a budget, the place gives good bank for your buck (I’m an active person and split my $ 9 dish between dinner and lunch the next day).
Driving along High Street, the place is easy to pass by as it is located in a strip mall just south of downtown Worthington. They have seating inside for about 20 or so, but take out is probably the better option of the two. The service is good and the workers are good at explaining each of the dishes to those unfamiliar with Malaysian/​Singapore cuisine.
For the shy palates, they offer a range of Chinese-​American classics like crab rangoon and Kung-​Pao chicken. This is most likely for picky people in your group that are non-​adventurous about trying Southeast Asian food.
Beverage options are standard with a soda fridge and jasmine tea. The tea was decent (not out of this world), yet offered a nice complement to the Mee Goreng. A suggestion I would make is to offer a small selection of regional beer for those that opt to dine in (i.e. Tiger or Angkor beer).
Since it is a Ma & Pa type establishment that is new to the Columbus circuit, the To-​Go option is the better of the two. They are really good about getting your food out to you quickly if you are in a pinch for lunchtime in the area.
One of my biggest criticisms about the food is the lack of flavor consistency in the dish. As a vegetarian, I make note when I cannot taste the seasoning in the vegetables. Here is no different as I could taste the spice in the fried noodles, yet there was a bland/​raw type taste to the veggies that was not the most palatable. No doubt the spice was there in the dish, yet it was more overcompensatory in nature to make the taste OK.
Merlion is the only place I know that serves Malaysian/​Singapore food in Columbus. It may not be as good as some in Los Angeles or the West Coast, but I give Merlion decent marks for their portion sizes, friendly service, and spice factor in their dishes. Bön Appetit!

I really enjoy dining at Merlion. I have been here several times and liked everything but one dish. The menu is so large and we try something new every time we stop in. The servers are very knowledgeable about the menu and will help answer any question you have.
To start with, you should definitely try their crab rangoon. Theirs are sooooo good. For 3, $ 1.95 I think is a good deal. They are so creamy and full of crab, and then the outer crunch; everything together is a perfect texture in your mouth. We have also tried the chicken satay. They were good, but they don’t come with any sauce for dipping.
Have you every been to a restaurant that has 11 different kinds of soup? We have tried the chicken corn soup and the clay pot noodle soup, and Singapore Laksa. The chicken corn soup was alright, but the clay pot noodle soup was really good. They serve it in a cute bowl and it stays hot the whole time you are eating it. The only think that we haven’t really cared for on the whole menu so far that we have tried is the Singapore laksa. It is a curry soup with potatoes and chicken on the bone. Maybe if the chicken wasn’t only the bone, it would have been more enjoyable, but I am sure that is how the soup is served in Singapore. It wasn’t for us, but maybe you would like it.
Out of the Merlion specials, we have tried the Sizzling hot plate Tofu. It does have pork, so if you think this is a vegetarian dish, beware. We asked for it with chicken instead, and it was so good. I think next time we will even ask for it to only be chicken and no tofu. The dish comes out on a sizzling hot plate like fajitas do and the sauce is bubbling. It was a sweet sauce that was amazing. If you go here on the weekend or on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, they also have specials that you can’t get any other day of the week.
As for the noodle dishes, we have tried the Char Kway Teow Mee and the Pan Fried Noodle in Canton Style. The first one is like this thai dish that we really like. It is a dry noodle dish, as where the pan fried noodle is in a lot of sauce. They were both amazing and I would highly recommend both of them.
They also offer Chinese dishes and we have ordered the kung pao several times. I think it is my sisters favorite kung pao around.
To accompany your meal, try one of their homemade drinks. They are something different.
Bottom line, if you haven’t checked out Merlion yet, you should try it out. There is something there for everyone, and a great opportunity to try Indonesian and Singaporean food. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Went here for dinner tonight. It’s a sparsely decorated, small restaurant off a busy stretch of High Street.
Our waitress was good, she gave us all the time we needed to decide and answered all the questions we had. I settled on the Singapore mee goreng (medium), which was wonderful! Filling, spicy and very tasty. My friend had the Singapore mi fun which he loved (although he said he preferred my dish). We both had iced jasmine tea which was a nice complement to the spicy food and warm restaurant.

Checked this out a couple weeks ago with a friend of mine from Malaysia, and it was the first time for both of us. She was pretty excited to see a lot of the foods she grew up with. She explained a lot of the things on the menu to me, but our waitress was nice and also willing to answer additional questions we had.
We split a chicken satay appetizer, she had the Laksa and I had the Char Kway Teow Mee (but we tried some of each other’s food too). I thought everything was pretty good, and especially liked what I ordered a lot. My Malaysian friend, on the other hand, said it was all closer to «OK.» I’d never had Malaysian food before so have nothing to compare it to, but she said it’s not as good as what she’d get at home. I’d definitely go again. I’m curious to try some of the other things.

I spent my formative years in Kuala Lumpur, and am always on the lookout for restaurants featuring food from this part of Southeast Asia. I was excited to learn about Merlion, and my excitement persisted when I came and saw the menu, featuring classic dishes from the region at moderate prices.
I probably should’ve ordered the laksa, Hainan chicken rice, nasi lemak, Cantonese style kuay teow, or other such regional specialty, but was instead in the mood for a simple stir-​fry. I got the basic chicken with mixed veg in oyster sauce, and ordered it medium-​spicy.
What I got looked fantastic, but failed on a couple of counts: first, it was way too spicy to enjoy (and I can tolerate heat). Second, it was very salty, so much so that I almost felt hypertension setting in as I worked my way through the meal.
I’ll probably return to try one of the dishes mentioned above (and which other reviewers have praised), but at least until then I unfortunately can’t recommend this place.

This place is a great little place… simple, clean & yummy! It’s full of fresh Singaporean and Malaysian dishes. Staff is friendly and explain anything you aren’t sure of. It’s very quaint, so don’t go in w/​a party of 12.
What we ordered: The Barley drink, alittle sweet and refreshing, the Vietnamese rolls which were fabulously fresh and the sauce scrumpcious, also tried the Fried Crispy Eggplant, it was good, The Merlion Fried Noodle Special called Char Kway Teao Mee, had multiple type noodles, pork and vegies… sauce was light and noodles cooked wonderfully. The General Tso Chicken was very tasty. I can’t stress the FRESHLY made taste of everything… nothing was sitting around to be warmed up. This place will definately get our repeat business.