Thursday, November 29, 2007

Nagomi Shabu Shabu @ Jaya 33, Petaling Jaya


Swish Swish...

Recently, there has been an increase in new places to dine that I am slowly trying each outlet one by one. One such place in Petaling Jaya is Jaya 33 which combines an office tower and dining at the lower levels. What's good about dining here is parking is a breeze compared to the nearby Jaya Shopping Centre area which is forever packed.


Assorted Vegetables

To date we have only tried Oriental Pavilion which is part of the Noble House group, Cozy Corner (a branch from Ampang Park) and this place, Nagomi which serves shabu shabu and Japanese sushi and sashimi items. The owners also own another Japanese restaurant at Tropicana Golf and Country Club.


Beef Shabu Shabu

When dining here one should bear in mind this is Japanese shabu shabu and not the local version of what is called shabu shabu. Some restaurants are calling their places shabu shabu when all they do is serve normal steamboat with sliced meats, fishballs and etc. At this place, you won't get any fishballs as they only serve sliced beef, sliced chicken, salmon, duck, mixed seafood and vegetables with their shabu shabu. If you love beef, they serve a variety of wagyu and kobe too.


Chicken Shabu Shabu

A portion of beef shabu shabu is RM33++ which includes the dashi broth made from bonito flakes and konbu seaweed, a bowl of rice and assorted vegetables. Shirataki noodles are also served with the vegetables which you can cook yourself. Everyone gets a hob on their own which you can cook the items. What I liked about this place was how fast their electric hob heated up plus it was sufficiently air-conditioned hence you won't sweat from cooking over the hot stove.


Kanpachi Garlic Sauce (RM33)


Literally meaning "swish-swish", we had lots of fun swishing the thinly cut beef slices in the hot broth. Just a quick swish and it'll be cooked. Then dip the cooked beef slices in one of the three sauces given: sesame, ponzu and the localised chopped red chilies, garlic and ginger. I really liked the beef slices which were tender. Since we only ordered one portion to share, we added chicken shabu shabu (RM6++) to share. We got a generous portion of sliced chicken but the only inconvience is we only had one pot of broth hence I was cooking most of the time. If you order the chicken shabu shabu, it is served with minced chicken meat which they mix with raw egg to create tiny meatballs. Most of the shabu shabu items are served with hot dashi broth but the sliced salmon is served with a slightly hot kimchi broth.


Ebi Tempura Roll (RM15)

Aside from shabu shabu items, they also have a selection of sushi and sashimi. We both really liked the Kanpachi Garlic Sauce - sliced amberjack fish with avocado, ebiko and garlic sauce. Very fresh and unusual. We also ordered an ebi tempura roll which had tempura king prawn. This was quite a dissapointment as the rice was too soft.

Overall, we quite liked the food here especially the tender beef slices. Wouldn't mind returning to try other varieties. However bear in mind, prices here are definitely not as cheap as your steamboat places which serve sets or eat all you can promotions. We also liked the attentive service here and the spacious layout.

Nagomi Shabu-Shabu
PG-02B, Ground Floor
Jaya 33
No. 3 (Lot 33), Jalan Semangat
Section 13
Petaling Jaya

Tel No : 03 – 7956 2330

(Pork Free. Open from 11.00 am to 11.00 pm)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review.

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Monday, November 26, 2007

Pork Noodles @ SS15, Subang Jaya



A short blog entry today. I finally managed to taste the infamous pork noodles in Subang Jaya. Originally located at the hotel which faces the main road near Carrefour, this place has now shifted to a no signboard restaurant along Jalan SS15/4B.

I had braced myself for a long wait as I heard rumours about the long queues but the food arrived pretty fast. The soup was good, not overly sweet with an evidence of added sugar but sweet from the boiling of pork bones and the meat. A big bowl like this costs a whopping RM5.20 but is full of ingredients - minced meat, pig's intestines, pig's liver, vegetables and a sprinkle of deep fried pork lard.

Pork Noodles Stall
Along Jalan SS15/4B
Subang Jaya
Petaling Jaya

(Non Halal. This stall is located in an orange wall corner no signboard restaurant which is directly opposite Tara House and Tatlet Electrical and Hardware. Next to the restaurant is a stationery shop. Stall open for breakfast and lunch.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review.

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Friday, November 23, 2007

Waroeng Penyet @ The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya


Gado Gado (RM5.90)

Despite eating Indonesian food all the time, I just don't get sick of it since it is a favourite of mine. Hence when a friend, S mentioned this place at the Curve, I knew it was my first stop during the weekend. Newly opened in November, this place is near to the upstairs bridge which connects Ikano Power Centre to The Curve.


Empal Penyet (RM7.90)


Although the food is Indonesian in nature, the restaurant is actually a branch of their flagship Singapore restaurant at Lucky Plaza. Food was so good the day we did a quick snack test hence we went back again the next day and had a full meal.


Bakso Penyet (RM6.90)

Not my first time eating Ayam Penyet but this is definitely the best so far. It stands ahead the rest in town with the juicy chicken meat hidden behind the crispy layer. With an aroma of spices and a yellowish tinge from the use of turmeric, the chicken was definitely "finger licking good." The secret to their tender meat is they boil it first with the spices then it is taken out. Subsequently it is dipped in flour mixed with spices and deep fried till crisp.


Ayam Penyet (RM7.90)

Aside from chicken, they serve Bakso, Empal (fried beef), Bawal Fish, Catfish (Pecel Lele), Chicken Wings, Tofu and Tempe Penyet. For those of you unfamiliar with the term Penyet, this means "smashed" as the items are smashed with a hammer till the meat is loosened from the bones making it is easier to eat and usually accompanied with deep fried batter bits. A bit of a misnomer as the Bakso wasn't smashed and still remained whole. This dish is said to originate from Surabaya and was popularised in Batam Island.


For the Bakso and Empal we tried, it was pretty good but not as fantastic as the chicken. Personally I prefer the Empal at Ayam Bakar Wong Solo as it is tastier. Each serving has a large dollop of their famous fiery sambal. According to their wait staff, the sambal uses belacan imported in from Indonesia hence it is so tasty. Also in the basket which they serve the food in is a small portion of fried tempe and fried tofu. My only complaint is no addictive kicap manis sauce like Ayam Bakar Wong Solo but they do serve plain kicap manis or kicap manis mixed with chopped red chilies.


The menu is pretty extensive with Gado Gado, which was served with Melinjao crackers. My only complaint was too little peanut sauce served with the mix of vegetables and crackers. Sayur Asam, Soto and grilled items like chicken and satay are also available here. They also serve this unusual dishes called Batagor, a fried mixed dumpling made from fish paste and Siomay Bandung which is Bandung mixed dumpling. Do give it a try when you're around the area and if you love fried chicken and spicy sambal, this is definitely a place to be.


Waroeng Penyet

First Floor, Lot 1.32
The Curve
Mutiara Damansara
Petaling Jaya

Tel No: 017 - 200 3988


(Halal. The restaurant is tucked in the corner and opposite Paddington House of Pancakes and next to Just Dessert. Also near the first floor connection bridge to Ikano Power Centre.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review.

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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The Lawn by Marmalade @ Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur


The Lawn by Marmalade

By now, most of you should know how I abhor dining at Suria KLCC since I have tried almost every place. Last weekend, I was so happy to discover a new place which took over the Secret Recipe spot. Although given a different moniker, it was still recognisable as part of Marmalade as they added a teeny weeny indication of the link on the signboard.


Carrot Cupcake

Since we had eaten lunch, it was just a few quick sweet treats for the day. I have zero resistance when it comes to cupcakes hence we went for their Tiramisu Cupcake (RM5+) and Carrot Cupcake (RM5+). They also had Vanilla Strawberry, Oreo and Lemon Coconut flavours that day.


No 7

I loved the decor of the cafe starting from their quirky signboard, the white plastic chairs with a lace motif and the flower shaped wooden tables. Little touches like the potted plant and the birthday candle to signify the number of your order was also very sweet and unusual.


Tiramisu Cupcake

Back to the cupcakes and the verdict is - Tiramisu is the winner. Consisting of a light sponge base, it was slightly soaked with a light tasting coffee based syrup. Topped with creamy mascarpone cheese, it was yummy and so light. The carrot version is based on their famous carrot cake. However, this cupcake felt short as it didn't taste quite fresh as it was slighly hard.

A peek at their menu indicates slightly different items from Marmalade. There's breakfast items known as day starters available from 10 to 11.30 am like pancakes, banana bread and a breakfast burger with a choice of turkey ham or smoked salmon for about RM14 to RM18. Marmalade is famed for their salads and there are a few funky ones here ranging from RM16 to RM18 - greek, caesar and corn stack.

They have also introduced new items like the pide pizza with various toppings for eat lovers or tropical (the chicken and pineapple). Pides are Turkish flat breads which are now used as sandwiches. Alternatively choose from their sandwiches (which has a selection of different breads) which have choices like BLT (the classic combo of bacon lettuce and tomato), egg, avocado and mediterranean salmon.

Pies are also available - Aussie Beef Pie, Chicken, Turkey Ham and Corn Pie and for the vegetarians, Spinach and Feta Pie. Served with mash potato, peas or salad, these pies are priced around RM18. If you prefer something richer, they also have quiche - smoked salmon, turkey ham or spinach. Last but not least, pastas are also available at RM19 - spaghetti carbonara, spaghetti Alio Chili Garlic Prawns and lasagnas. Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy cupcakes and I think I spied scones also at the counter.


I'm pretty happy with the discovery of this place, makes me look forward to a trip to Suria KLCC for now as it means I get to try out something new.

The Lawn by Marmalade
K23B, Level 2
Ramlee Mall
Suria KLCC
Kuala Lumpur

(Halal. Open from 10 am to 10 pm daily)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review.

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Time to plan a gastronomic trip to Japan....

as Michelin has revealed their new guide on Tokyo plus proclaimed it as the "most delicious city in the world."

One must aspire to dine at one of the eight restaurants which were awarded the coveted 3 Michelin stars. I'm especially attracted to the fugu specialists since that is in season now. We do get fugu is Malaysia but I suspect it has been "de-poisoned" before it is sent over here since no one proclaims they are an expert in preparing the items. To read about the eight places and more on the recent guide, click on this
LINK at the Times.

Monday, November 19, 2007

Hang On Blog Readers.....



I hate to dissapoint all of you regular readers BUT this week marks the start of certain changes to the blogging schedule. Due to certain commitments, I won't be blogging as regularly i.e. not on a daily basis. However even though it is not on a daily basis don't worry as you will still get to see me blogging each week. Am not too sure what kind of schedule I am comfortable with but I'll try and adjust accordingly.

Hence, do hang on tightly still and keep checking the blog for updates...... This week should see today's post on Yo! Sushi, the new kaiten place in Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur (next blog post beneath!). Other things to look out for are new places to try at Suria KLCC (yes! there is something new especially for those of you who are sick of the food selections there) and the Curve.

Yo! Sushi @ Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur


Yo! Sushi Signboard

This weekend we decided to step into Yo! Sushi, the latest import from the British shores to our country. Serving kaiten sushi or sushi on a conveyor belt, I had read not "too hot" reviews from several blogs about this place. General consensus seems to be - "too pricey" especially when compared to local established kaiten sushi places such as Sushi King, Sakae Sushi and Sushi Zanmai.


Yo! Sushi Interior

Yo! Sushi's concept kinda reminds me of Wagamama which never did make it to our shores but was instead copied all over town in several noodle spin offs. In the UK, it has built a brand for themselves with outlets everywhere and even a cookbook to their name. The cookbook is available at the local book stores hence it will be interesting to see how they create these dishes.


Tuna Tataki (RM14)

Once you sit down on the comfy and cream leather high chairs, you're given a small plastic binder which holds the key to their menu. Like other kaiten places, they use colour codes to identify how much is each plate. The price range starts from lime green which is RM3 to grey at a whopping RM16 per plate. Flick through the binder and you will find their menu divided into ramens, salads, futomakis, sashimi, nigiri, hand rolls and etc.


Avocado Maki (RM3)

We started out slowly - taking the cheapest item like the Avocado Maki. Similar to the plain makis served in the other kaiten places, we liked the Avocado version as it was nice and creamy. Thumbs up for this and we even had seconds. There are other types of this maki made with the interesting red peppers, cucumber, salmon and etc.


Crunchy Tuna Salad (RM14)

We got bolder and bolder as we took each plate off the kaiten. There were lots of unusual varieties. Instead of just plain sashimi slices topping sushi, they had seared the raw fish or embedded them with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.


Crispy Duck and Moromi Miso (RM8)

The Tuna Tataki was yummy stuff that we even ordered the salad version - Crunchy Tuna Salad. I liked the citrus soy sauce served with the Tuna Tataki. The crunchy vegetables - lettuce and yellow peppers went well with the tuna tataki slices for the salad.



Yo Sushi Kaiten

In between eating plates of sushi, we will stop and stare at the kaiten belt which was two rows hence it had a higher volume of plates zipping past us. One of Yo! Sushi's policy is they don't keep items on the belt for more than 2 hours. Seems they use a system whereby they'll mark what time the sushi should be removed - for instance if there is "4" marked on top, this means the item must be removed by 4pm. There's also call buttons at the side of the belt for you to get the wait staff's attention.


Seared Beef Nigiri (RM8)

The Crispy Duck and Moromi Miso and Seared Beef Nigiri were also our picks. Although the duck meat was not crispy, it was pretty tasty topped with the brown rice miso. Splashie Boy loved the Seared Beef Nigiri which was served with a tiny dollop of mustard mayonnaise.


Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Maki (RM10)

Instead of the Yo! Roll which had a similar filling of salmon and avocado, we went for the Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Maki. Good stuff as you could taste the creamy cheese with the salmon. The combination reminds me of the classic bagel topping.


Preparing the salad

Operating in an open kitchen concept, you get to see a hive of activity from your seat. We had fellas cutting fruits and salad items in front of us. In the middle, they were frying rice and preparing handrolls.


Sesame Salmon Salad (RM10)

We were into salads that day hence the second pick was sesame salmon slices which topped blanched Chinese Brocolli and bean sprouts. Drizzled with a sesame dressing, we didn't think the flavours were outstanding.


Vegetable Gyoza (RM5)

We were keen to try the gyoza which had 3 varieties - vegetable, prawns and chicken. Just to sample the fried dumplings, we chose the vegetable variety. Unfortunately, we didn't quite like it as the filling wasn't too substantial. A soy vinegar sauce was also served on the side as a dip.


Dorayaki (RM8)

They had less desserts here compared to the spread in London hence we chose the Dorayaki - pancake stuffed with red bean paste. Other sweet items on the kaiten were mochi, green tea ice cream and fruit salad.


Dorayaki with Strawberry Sauce

It was served with a strawberry sauce which tasted good with the red bean stuffed pancake. Didn't quite like the red bean paste though as it was quite tasteless.

Overall we thought the food was pretty good. However there are some misses with the gyoza and the dorayaki. Prices are definitely steep versus the local kaiten places but here they don't scrimp on ingredients - it is a mouthful versus minute portions in other places. They don't also serve the usual varieties like the kaiten places and have a number of interesting combinations. Definitely a must if you have an adventurous palate. There will also be another outlet at the Gardens due to open in December 2007. For further details on the menu items and the company, click this LINK to their UK website.

Yo! Sushi
Lot 1.18A.01
Level 1
Pavilion
Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur

Tel No: 03 - 2148 8588

(Pork Free)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review.

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Saturday, November 17, 2007

Weekend Cat Blogging (WCB) 128



Chill baby chill! Since the kind Astrid from Paulchen's Food Blog is hosting this weekend's WCB, Ally Cat decided to take up her offer on those napping places. Here she is chilling out with lots of sunshine. Excuse the wires as this is next to my pc and the shadows as I quickly snapped this just before I went out today.

Drop by
Paulchen's Food Blog for more kitties - there are loads of them there.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Flaky Apple Turnovers from Dorie Greenspan



Something short and sweet to end the week with - flaky apple turnovers from my favourite cookbook author, Dorie Greenspan.



I actualy made these long ago and ended up with loads of leftovers. Best part is it keeps in the freezer. Whenever you need to get your fix, just plonk them in the oven frozen and they bake to golden brown perfection.



Give the recipe a try! Definitely worth it as the pastry is flaky and so delicious. The key is sour cream which is added to the pastry. I find making them bigger mean tastier turnovers even though these are a nice bite size version.

Flaky Apple Turnovers (Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

For the turnover dough:

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into tiny pieces

In a bowl, combine the sour cream and sugar and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Add the butter pieces and with a pastry cutter or your finger tips, mix in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal and has a crumbly texture. Add the sour cream/sugar mixture and gently mix together with a fork or your hands.

You want the dough to come together into a ball. If the mixture is still a bit too dry, add a bit of cold water to help bring it together. Be careful not to overmix or overwork the dough.
Once you can gather it into a ball, divide the ball in half, flatten each half into a disk and refrigerate (wrapped in plastic) for about an hour.

When you're ready to make the turnovers, remove one-half of the dough and roll it into a rectangle shape that is roughly 9 inches by 18 inches. You'll need to flour your work surface well as you roll out the dough. Once you've rolled it to 9 by 19, fold the dough in thirds (like a letter) and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Follow the same procedure for the other half of dough.


For the filling:

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
4 medium-sized apples of your choice, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
1 egg, beaten with a bit of water for the egg wash
granulated sugar for dusting

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the apples and mix well to ensure the apples are completely coated.

To assemble the turnovers:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and be sure to have a rack in the top third of the oven and a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll out one piece of dough to a thickness of about 1/8 of an inch. With a cutter that is about 4 to 4-1/2 inches in width, cut out circles. You will probably get between 6 and 8 circles from the dough you have rolled out. You can reroll the scraps to cut out more circles. In total, from both pieces of dough, you shouldn't have more than 16 circles or you may not have enough filling.

Once you've rolled out both pieces of dough and cut out your circles, take one circle and put a tablespoon or two of apple filling in the centre. Dot with a few pieces of butter. Wet the edges of the dough with a bit of water and then fold one half over to meet the other half. Seal with your fingers and then use the tines of a fork along the edges of the dough to further seal the turnovers. Poke a few holes in the turnover to allow the steam to release. Lay the turnover on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough and apple filling.

Once your turnovers are complete, brush each one with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar. Bake the turnovers for 20 minutes, rotating the trays from front to back and top to bottom halway through. If you can resist, let the turnovers cool slightly on a wire rack (for about 5 or 10 minutes) before eating them.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Revisiting Groove Junction, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur


Button Mushrooms (RM10++)

It has been a while since we dined at
Groove Junction hence one late night we decided to drop by for dinner. We were actually keen to try the items we had sampled the last time and also taste the Arirang which was one of the dishes highly recommended. However we discovered they had recently changed their menu in October which now features Spanish tapas dishes.


Delicious Fried Cheese (RM15++)

We ordered just a two tapas dishes since it was so late - the fried button mushrooms in olive oil and the fried cheese. I've always loved mushrooms so this was yummy which came with lots of sauce. We were given slices of bread which was great to mop up the tasty juices. When I saw the fried cheese on the menu, I knew we had to order it. Bite into the deep fried cheese and it reveals a lovely gooey melted center. It tasted so good tossed in the lemon and honey sauce which made it less rich. Thumbs up to this item as it was definitely better than the one I ate at
Vintry and the Banquet.


Angel Hair Alio (RM20++)

We also ordered a pasta to share - a nice and lightly tossed angelhair pasta with olive oil and garlic which was served with prawns. They had added dried red chilies for extra flavour too.

Overall, it was a satisfying light dinner for the night and we were also well entertained as it was Bossa Nova night with Cheong.

Groove Junction
1-1, Jalan 22A/70A
Desa Sri Hartamas
Kuala Lumpur

Tel No: 03 - 6201 8990

(Pork Free. Closed on Sundays. Open from 6pm onwards.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Sorry! Do Vote Once More - Drive for Food Contest

It seems those error messages you get when you voted earlier on means that your vote was not counted. One of the many technical hitches Star is encountering so for those of you who earlier voted, do re-vote again. Sorry! Thanks so much for your support. Here's the LINK to the videos. It will only be up this whole week so get those votes in to make a difference.

Pan Mee @ Taman Miharja, Kuala Lumpur

I'm currently crazy about Pan Mee, something to do with a persistent cough I have which is preventing me from eating any spicy food. Although this place seems quite far away from home, it is well connected with the highways so eating here has been a breeze so far.

Located in front of a block of apartments where they operate from a makeshift stall, this place has no name but everyone knows it as "the pan mee place at Miharja" or "the pan mee place under the big tree". They make a few varieties here - the rough cut version known as Mee Hoon Kueh and the machine shredded noodles version. You get a choice between the dry version and soup here. Note that their Mee Hoon Kueh version is cut into squares versus the hand torn pieces like Lian Heng.

What I like about this place is the dough of the noodles is silky smooth. It seems the secret ingredients is butter! They're also very generous with their toppings - shredded black fungus, sayur manis leaves, crunchy ikan bilis, chopped coriander and deep fried shallot. Although there is also minced meat, it is very little thus making these noodles almost vegetarian. Another item they sell is the pork ball - delicious with dry cuttlefish bits.

The chili sauce is also potent with lots of chopped green chilies and seeds to give it the fiery heat needed. Help yourself from bottles they will place at your table when you get your bowl of noodles. The stall also sells drinks - herbal tea and cincau. The portions here are big - a generous bowl costs RM4.50 (large portion) which will come chockfull of ingredients.

Pan Mee Stall
In front of Miharja Flats
At the crossroads of Jalan Palong and Jalan Kelian
Cheras
Kuala Lumpur

(Non Halal. Open from morning till lunch time. Closed on first Monday and Tuesday of the month. To get here, if you are driving from town on Jalan Loke Yew towards Cheras, make a left turn when you see UE3 Plaza, go straight and then take the first right turn, past the shophouses and take the left turn. This is Jalan Palong, go straight down and you will reach an area with flats and lots of stalls outside. This stall is at the corner of the flats and just across is Jalan Kelian. The stall is on the right hand side in front of the flats.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from the restaurant for writing this review.

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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Food Republic @ The Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur

Before I continue today's post, do vote for the Floggers videos on this LINK - Apple Crumble Team and Fantastic Four. More details are in the previous blog entry. Thanks to those who have voted. The videos should be up for a week so get going with your votes and watching the videos.

With the long break, we did some exploring at Pavilion last week. Just opened last Wednesday, Food Republic is a food court which hails from Singapore. On the day it opened, there was quite a commotion at one of the stalls which saw a three foot snake drop by. Not sure how the snake ended up there (it seems it dropped from the signages on top) but luckily it was caught before it caused more trouble.

There's loads to choose from the 28 stalls available. We hopped around the area and checked out the following places:

Toastbox


Toasting the bread over the hot grill


Splashie Boy was keen to try out this place especially after he saw the Peanut Toast. Quaintly decorated with thick loaves of bread, rustic pots and pans, this is the second outlet for Toastbox. The first outlet is located at Mid Valley Megamall.


Butter Mountain

Seems to be a characteristic of their outlets - the impressive butter mountain. Reminds me of my economic classes which taught us about the growing butter mountains in Europe where people stored butter due to cheap subsidies. Seems at one time, so much was stored that it could have created a mountain large enough to build a ski slope.


Soft Boiled Eggs

Since we wanted to just try the food, we ordered one set which was served with 2 soft boiled eggs, a cup of tea and toast. The tea was very aromatic and smooth. I liked the eggs which was boiled just right - not too watery or hard.


French Toast

Splashie Boy wanted to try their French Toast - quite dissapointing as it was just thick toast with just a hint of eggy taste and topped with a piece of butter. Very sinful as the butter would melt on the bread.


Peanut Thick Toast

We preferred the peanut thick toast - toast topped with a creamy peanut butter. Yummy and delicious down to the last crumb. They also serve various types of toast like the unusual Otah Toast. Mee Siam, Lontong and old fashioned cakes are also served here. Would not mind returning for their Mee Siam since I love the Singapore version

Thye Hong


Oyster Omelette

Another place which we thought was worth trying was Thye Hong. The people behind the counter wear rattan hats and the food is served on a dried leaf. It seems this is the bark of the betel nut tree. They only have Carrot Cake, Fried Oyster Omelette, Char Kuey Teow and Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles. We had a portion of the Fried Oyster Omelette (RM7) which was not bad as it was not as sticky and gooey like the ones we get at the hawker stalls.


Hokkien Fried Prawn Noodles

I really liked the Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles (RM7) which is unlike the black soy sauce Hokkien Noodles we get. They use a mix of chewy rice noodles with thin yellow noodles with not much alkaline water taste. Filled with prawns, bean sprouts, chopped chives and egg, I find the broth used to cook the noodles is pretty tasty. This got our thumbs up and we would not mind returning for another plate of the noodles. It is interesting to note, they have two people who man the woks - a flatter wok specially for the oyster omelette and carrot cake while the other wok is used to fry these noodles and char kuey teow.

John King


John King Logo

At the end of the food court, nearer to Rain Nudle House is this egg tarts stall. Said to originate from Hong Kong, they sell a variety of tarts and biscuists like Loh Por Peng and Hap Tau Soh.


Egg Tart with Puff Pastry

I tried some of the tarts when we walked past and liked the milk egg white tart. When I went back, there were no more milk egg white tarts one hence I bought the normal egg tarts (RM1.60). They offer two crusts here - cookie (the thicker) and the fluffy pastry. The pastry is nice and light making the tart easier to pop into the mouth. I kinda prefer the Tong Kee one though as there is more layers but this version is lighter and less oily.


Durian Tart


I also bought the Durian Tart (RM2) which turned out to be just an egg tart topped with durian paste. The aroma of the durian is quite strong hence it is ideal for durian lovers. Both tarts were eaten late at night as I had packed them home. Even though cold the tarts were nice and would have been better eaten warm from the oven. Quite a lot of people seem to buying the tarts. They also will be serving birds nest tart, aloe tart in the near future.

During my visit here, I walked around and noted what had opened. Strange but I only counted 27 places but maybe I missed a drink stall in the middle. If you wish to try other items, they have:

  • Ibunda Nasi Padang (selection of nasi padang favourites)
  • Teppanyaki Express (RM14 for the beef and chicken sets. RM16 for the oysters and RM18 for scallops)
  • Herbal Soup (various types of steamed soup which can be eaten with rice or noodles)
  • Mee Jawa (sells Penang specialties like rojak, laksa, lam mee)
  • Pan Mee (sells dry noodles, served with soup or curry, assam laksa also available)
  • Wild Basil (serves western items like pastas, pizzas and kebabs)
  • Ichiban Ramen (various noodles and Japanese food items)
  • Sweetspoon Dessert (there's durian cendol and mango ice kacang)
  • Spicy Garden (biryani, tandoori and roti)
  • Sam Sam Korean Cuisine (Japchae noodles with rice and etc)
  • Little Taiwan (beef claypot, beef noodles and etc)
  • Vietnam Kitchen Deli (shrimp and mango rolls, beef soup and etc)
  • Sergeant Chicken Rice (Hainanese chicken rice)
  • Ipoh Cuisine (Hor Fun, Sang Har Meen, Popiah)
  • Hong Kong Roasts (barbequed roasts)
  • Scissor Cut Curry Rice ( curry chicken served with rice, also has selected cooked dishes)
  • Little Wok (freshly fried items served in tiny woks - this seemed to be the most popular)
  • Mak Tom's Nasi Lemak (select from various items to accompany your nasi lemak)
  • Rama9 Thai Food (cooked thai food like noodles, also has selection of dishes to choose from)
  • Yong Tau Foo (select from the counter which type you want)
  • Dough Fritters (also available is fresh soy bean milk and porridge)
  • Hot Plate (Aside from noodles and rice, they also serve seafood. Select from ikan pari, lala and etc from the counter)
  • John King (tarts and biscuits)
  • Thye Hong (Carrot cake, oyster omelette, char kuey teow, fried prawn noodles)
  • Toastbox (toast, eggs, drinks, mee siam, lontong and etc)
  • Stall serving fresh fruit juices

Food Republic
Lower Ground Floor
The Pavilion
Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur


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