Dim Sum @ Luk Yu Teahouse, Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

step into another world

Dining around Pavilion is getting kinda boring, hence we decided to check out Starhill Gallery instead. Packed with people - we decided on Luk Yu Teahouse. A famous name in Hong Kong, the outlet in Starhill Gallery, is right next to the escalator, encased in a kinda jewel boxlike walls made with glass and metal.


The hustle and bustle of the kitchen right next to you

Business must be very good, as they even have tables outside now, but believe me the action is right inside. Right in the middle, is the kitchen and it is such fun to see what goes on inside. You'll see and hear all the action, right next to your table. Hear the large whoosh of gas being turned up, while tall flames lick the wok. Only the guy who is designated the chef (the one with the tall white hat), gets to do the wok action. Others are just helpers in their black bandannas - chopping vegetables, steaming dim sum in bamboo steamers and etc. I liked how they place vegetables in those ornate looking cupboards. Kinda unexpected, since you picture Chinese antiques inside vs a Chinese cabbage!


start with some braised peanuts

One must give them the thumbs up, as despite the small space, service is excellent and very efficient. I liked the antique long chairs we sat on - cool and comforting but I didn't quite love the plates with their blue and white fish motif, as they didn't match the decor of the place.


whet your appetite with one peanut each time

My favourite appetizer at the moment is these braised peanuts. These were excellent - huge and not too overcooked. Looked home made since it had bits of black tealeaves mingling with the peanuts. Usually, most restaurants use the canned ones to serve.


fluffy char xiu baos (RM9++)

Since it was a light lunch, we ordered only a few items. The essentials of course, were top on the list - fluffy steamed buns filled with chicken char siu. I know the taste is definitely not comparable to the real stuff, but Luk Yu does a very decent version.


crunchy har kaus (RM13.50++)

Another must-have when doing the dim sum on Sunday - har kau, prawn dumplings. These were not bad, but I felt the skin was a little too thick.


scallop chee cheong fun (RM12) a change from prawn

Wanting to be unusual, I went for the scallop chee cheong fun instead of prawns. The chee cheong fun was smooth and the fresh scallops nice and sweet. Borderline bland though unless you add loads of soy sauce.


crunchy yam puffs (RM5++)

A must for us when we eat dim sum - deep fried yam puffs. With the same filling as the char xiu baos, this was good as the deep fried yam was light and crunchy.


Prawn with chicken floss (RM52++)

Aside from dim sum, we also ordered a specialty of theirs - prawns deep fried and coated with mayonnaise and chicken floss. Very nice, enormous and fresh prawns that tasted good with the meat floss.


Mango sago (RM8.50++)

The classic cold dim sum dessert made popular in Hong Kong - creamy mango soup with pink pomelo sacs and sago. I would have preferred more texture in this as it was too diluted. Chunks of mangoes would also have been nice.


Ginger tea with black sesame tong yuen (RM8.50++)

Another classic but this time a hot version. I liked the ginger tea - spicy with some kick. The dumplings were not too bad, but would have preferred a thinner skin encasing the black sesame filling.

Overall, a nice place to dine and relax. I love the atmosphere of this place, since I get to see the cook and his people in action. Tastewise, not everything is fantastic especially the desserts, which I felt was quite mediocre.

Luk Yu Teahouse
Feast Village
Starhill Gallery
Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 - 2782 3850

(Pork free. Open from 10am to midnight daily. Dim sum is available the whole day.)

*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.

Tagged with: Dim Sum+ Feast Village

Other reviews:

• Pasankia

Nasi Briyani @ Warung Kopi Mak Jah, Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam

Milky teh tarik to start the meal

People in Bukit Jelutong have a reason to celebrate - they now have commercial shops and even a petrol station in the township. There's loads of food around the area now - Kayu Manis Cafe which serves decent food and very good hot lemon tea, Secret Recipe and etc.


Mountain of rice

One weekend, I heard whiff of Mak Jah's from a friend, who enthusiastically smsed me one weekend, to inform me that the Nasi Briyani was a must-try. Hence, we decided to give the place a try.


fluffy rice (RM10 for Nasi Briyani Kambing and RM9 for Nasi Briyani daging)

A nice modern coffeeshop with marble like tables, you can sit here comfortably to read the Sunday papers and relax. Artwork from budding artists dot the walls and is available to take home (for a price, of course). Since nasi briyani came highly recommended, we both ordered the beef and lamb versions.

After a while, huge plates were placed on our table - a mountain of rice burying our the meats, with crackers, fruit acar and sauce in a small bowl. The rice is simply superb - fluffy with little oil and like my friend said, tasted very home made. While I thoroughly enjoyed the taste and texture of the rice, I didn't quite like the meats. A bit tough, I felt, as it wasn't fork tender. Nevertheless, we thoroughly enjoyed our huge plates of nasi briyani, which was good enough for lunch and dinner! Do give this place a try, when you're around the area. During lunchtime, they also serve an array of cooked dishes served buffet style.

Updated: 2 July, 2008 - I had the Mee Rebus Johor, simply fantastic stuff. My colleague had the Lontong, very rich and a bit too sweet for our liking. Highly recommended is the chicken nasi briyani as the meat is tender.

Warung Mak Jah
33, Jalan Bukit Pelapik U8/B
Bukit Jelutong
Shah Alam

(Halal. Shops next to Petronas station. To get here, you need to use the second entrance into Bkt Jelutong. Go straight from Shah Alam, towards Sg Buloh. Keep left and take a left turn just before the start of the Guthrie Corridor Expressway. Go straight and at the fountain roundabout, go 12 o clock. Then take the first right turn, go up and the next right turn. Mak Jah is right in front.)

*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.

Tagged with: Malaysian Food + Nasi Briyani

Char Siu @ Spring Golden Restaurant, Shah Alam

gorgeous melt in the mouth char siu (RM5.50 for one person)

I recently realised, my pictures on Flickr are being blocked...really weird hence I have reverted back to Photobucket. Pray tell, if that is okay now, or else I will have to look for another solution. Back to food, and more food.


delish vinegared pork trotters (RM7 for a small portion)


Feeling very adventurous recently, I made a trip to this place. It took me a while as I was trying to remember the way from memory (I was there a few months back). After a few wrong turns, I finally made it.

This super duper famous place seems to be limited to people who work in Shah Alam as everyone I met who works in Shah Alam, will gleefully relate to me, tales of the famous "poh lei char siu" or crystal char siu. I was first introduced to this place by one of Splashie Boy's 4WD kakis - aka the Fireman. He declared this THE place for char siu, with testimonies from two other 4WD foodies aka Silversurfer and Kokonut Soldier. A quick search on the Net revealed, nice instructions from Julian Si (my Shah Alam guru on good food places!) hence I made my way here a while back. Unfortunately, I never did snap any pictures hence I didn't blog about it until now.

This crystal version refers to the slightly blackened and crisp skin enwrapping tender belly pork within. Drizzled with the sweet char siu sauce, the barbequed pork is simply heavenly. Literally melts in your mouth especially if you ask for the sinful cholestrol laden version - "half fat and half meat". Usually, the shop tends to cut it quite thinly but to fully enjoy the char siu, ask for it to be thickly cut.

Aside from the amazing char siu, Spring Golden also serves excellent Vinegared Pork Trotters (Chee Kiok Chou) - a nice balance of sweet and sour with sinful melt in the mouth pork trotters. They also have roast duck which is pretty decent. Another specialty of this place, as I discovered from Julian is the unusual Sakura Pork. A new way of raising pigs, they are fed lactobacillus feed (you know the kind we drink aka Vitagen!), with no chemicals or antibiotics. However, you need to order that ahead. If you wish to source for that type of pork yourself, there is a shop near Seapark Market which sells the uncooked meat. If Sakura Pork is used for your char siu, it is more tender and juicy.

Besides this outlet, they also have one in Glenmarie which is run by a former worker of theirs. Strangely enough, although they claim that the char siu is from the same source, I find the other place not as appealing. Maybe it is due to me visiting it after the peak period, hence I got inferior char siu? Anyway, I do suggest a drive to the original place to taste one of the better char sius in town. If petrol hikes are making you feeling the pinch, cruise on 90km to stretch that petrol.

Spring Golden Restaurant
25, Jalan Sepadu C 25/C
Section 25
Taman Perindustrian Axis
Shah Alam

Tel: 019 -337 9319/016-205 0660

(Non halal. Open from 8am to 4pm. To get here, I usually use the highway on NKVE towards KLIA. Take the Seafield exit to Elite Highway. After the toll gate, take the turning towards Shah Alam and Pulau Indah. On the Elite Highway, go straight and keep left when you see the exit towards Puchong (i.e after the row of petrol stations on your left hand side) - the Hicom Exit. This will lead you to Jalan Bukit Kemuning - which you can't turn from the highway. Once you keep left, go straight at the first traffic light i.e. the Hicom traffic lights(don't turn, as this leads you back to Shah Alam). The road will curve towards right after a while and at the second traffic light take a right turn (under the bridge of the highway). You will see a Public Bank on your right hand side and shophouses. Take the first right turn, go straight down and Spring Golden is on your right hand side. It is a corner shop and next to Daily Bake, a cake supplies shop. Opposite it is NSK Supermarket.)

*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.

Tagged with: Malaysian Food + Char Siu

Other reviews:

• You Get What You Give

Cupcake & Muffin @ Ugly Bird Cafe, Birdcage, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya

Cute cupcake with loads of colour

Something short and sweet for today....cupcakes from this cute place called Ugly Bird Cafe. Located near Pick n Brew, it is actually a boutique cum cafe. I walked past it and discovered they had snacks, asked Jackson how they tasted and he said not bad, hence I went and grabbed some home.

May look unappetising but this actually tastes good

The cupcake is plain vanilla but simply decorated with lots of colourful hundreds and thousands. The vanilla tastes quite artificial but the cake texture was nice since it was freshly baked that day. The topping is kinda tasteless though. Those cupcakes got me thinking of my hits counter (something I rarely look at) and gee, 2 million hits cupcakes will be coming up (slowly but steadily). I better start planning for those....


nifty brown bag...telling you where they are

I preferred the chocolate chip muffin we got instead. Nice and tender, only gripe I had was the chocolate chips are only on top and not all over the muffin. Sorry no prices, I think the cupcake is RM4 but no idea about the muffin, as Splashie Boy paid for them.

Birdcage Boutique
F236

First Floor

Promenade

1 Utama Shopping Centre

Petaling Jaya

(Pork free. same area as Pick n Brew)

*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.

Tagged with: 1 Utama + Birdcage

Theobroma - coming soon to 1 Utama Shopping Centre

While catching up with Jackson, he spilled the beans on what is up and coming in 1 Utama. Definitely a wealth of information, we discovered from him that Robert Harris Cafe is no longer in business. Instead, it will be replaced by this interesting new place - Theobroma Chocolate Lounge.



The franchise is from Down Under and from the posters, it seems there's chocolates as gifts, belgian waffle, fondue, drinks, snack food and etc. Sounds like a chocholic's dream come true. I guess we can expect it sometime in July, as the renovation schedule stuck on the wall said it expires early July.

What else can we look forward to? Seems Giant is on the way out but replacing it is their sister co - Cold Storage. Loads of changes down that area, as more kiosks for food coming up there, some shops closing down there and yes! the rumours are true - Krispy Kreme is also opening there. Will be interesting to see the shop and taste those delicious doughnuts. They have a fascinating story (so good that a book was written, which I bought and read) that I am curious who has managed to get the franchise.

Updated - 26 June, 2008. Seems I should not wonder anymore, as an article on Business Times claims Berjaya is the franchise holder. I presume so, as the writer obviously has no idea how to spell Krispy Kreme!

Value Set Lunch @ Pick n' Brew, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya

ooooooohhhhhhhhh, oysters

Last weekend, since we were at 1 Utama to check out food sanitizers (yes! you can clean your food up), we decided to dine at Pick n Brew. It was good to catch up with Jackson, since I have not met up with him for some time.


robust mushroom soup

The restaurant is running a few promotions at the moment, one which was the executive set lunch for RM28++. You get a choice of appetizers - baked fresh oyster or soup of the day. For the main course, you may select from: Mediterranean oven baked chicken with roasted vegetables and polenta or, poached dory with boiled potatoes and vegetables in cream sauce or, roast beef with spinach gnocchi and chunky garlic basil tomato or, gratinate salmon on cream pasta. At the end of that fulfiling meal, you have a choice of tea or coffee. Available from 12 noon to 3pm daily, it is a great deal and also available at their Glenmarie, Shah Alam outlet until end of this month.


grilled salmon with creamy angelhair pasta

We both decided to try the set lunch and the food was good. I loved my 2 baked oysters topped with spinach and a bit of cream and placed on rock salt. Splashie Boy's soup of the day was a rich mushroom soup, which he finished before I could even ask to sample any. Just make sure you don't touch your oysters on the rock salt though, or it will be too salty.


my fav dish of the day - tender juicy roast beef with spinach gnocchi and chunky tomato sauce

Splashie Boy went for the roast beef since he loves anything that moos. Very tender and juicy - I could see the juices coming out from the slices placed on top of the spinach gnocchi. For those who are wondering what is gnocchi, it is made from potatoes so think of it like mashed potatoes mixed with flour and spinach but shaped in small pieces. Nice combination of flavours with the rich chunky tomato sauce, I felt.

My pasta dish was huge - I got a mountain of angelhair pasta that I had trouble finishing. Perfect for those who love cream, but it can get a bit rich tasting at the end. The salmon was slightly overcooked, as it had a grilled cheese topping but overall, a nice dish.

Pick n Brew is also running a Pick and Win contest until 15 July. You get to win - free beverage for the year or minimum RM10 from your bill. We didn't get to win the grand prize but did score RM10 off from the final bill. Do check it out, who knows you may be the lucky winner. They also have a set dinner available but I didn't get the details. If you want to know more, just give them a buzz.

Pick n Brew
F233, 1 Utama Shopping Centre
Bandar Utama
Petaling Jaya

Tel No: 03-7726 0102

(Halal. They also have an outlet at No.2, Jalan U1/17, Hicom Glenmarie Industrial Park, Shah Alam. This outlet is at the new Promenade area, which is nearer to One World Hotel.)

*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.

Tagged with: 1 Utama + Pick n Brew

Sarawak Kolo Mee @ Face to Face Noodles, Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya

sarawakians fav noodles

I just realised, I have a ton of pictures sitting in my folders, which I have yet to blog about. Don't have the time to slowly edit and resize them, hence I picked the easiest for today - what I ate yesterday. These Face to Face outlets seem to be popping up everywhere after the original outlet started out in Damansara Perdana. From the menu, there is pan mee and this unusual Sarawak Kolo Mee, which can only be found at a few places in the Klang Valley.

taken with one hand, amazing right?

I ended up here as a Sarawakian friend, proclaimed this to be the best version, even better than the one I ate before in Restoran Gembira, Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya. Since, it was on the way back to work (just before the turn off to the Kg Sg Ara exit), I made a quick lunch stop. Parking is kinda dicey here - no legimate spaces available. Instead, you have to double park and sit at the non-air-cond area of the restaurant, to make sure no angry owner comes out and whacks your car for blocking it.

The pan mee seems to be much more popular vs these type of noodles but I persisted and gave it a go. Besides the traditional version, they also had two versions with dark soy sauce and chillies. I got served a huge bowl of noodles even though this was a small version at RM4.80. Topped with char siu slices and minced meat, the noodles was a bit dry, hence I had to add spoonfuls of the soup to mix the noodles.

The texture of the noodles was nice - thin with a slight bite. However, I did find it a bit too dry for my liking (this could be how they do it in Sarawak) - as the minced meat was without any sauce. At the end of the day, I still preferred the version at Taman Megah for its sinful lard oil and the not so dry topping even though the texture of their noodles is less superior. I'll try and come back to review their pan mee - various types with curry, black pepper and the original one, since that seems to be more popular.

Face to Face Noodle House
68-G, Jalan SS21/62
Damansara Utama

Petaling Jaya

Tel: 016- 396 8711

(Non halal. Open from 11.30am to 9.30pm daily. Same row as Astro and the slimming shops around the damansara uptown area.)

*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.

Tagged with: Malaysian Food + Sarawak Kolo Mee

Comfort food - Japanese @ Rakuzen, Subang Jaya

Ikura from Salmon Trio - salty and so gooooood esp with sushi rice

Sorry for the lack of updates but one has been pretty busy with work. I had a dissapointing eating time last weekend hence the first thing I reached for last night was my comfort food - Japanese.

thick slices of salmon

I wanted a simple meal hence nothing spectacular was ordered but believe me, it was definitely the best I have eaten for a few days! Having fallen in love with sushi rice, I specifically ordered 2 bowls for us to share. Mixed with vinegar, the rice is sticky with a slight tinge of sweetness. Excellent when eaten with ikura (fish roe) and slices of salmon sashimi.

cold cold tofu dipped in soy sauce

Since simple was the name of the game for dinner, I ordered a cold tofu dish. It was presented in a small glass bowl with ice cubes at the bottom to keep the tofu cold. Scoop it up and dip it in another bowl of soy sauce.

Nope, that's not tea but soup!

Next was dobin mushi, a clear soup vs the strong miso soups. Add a squeeze of lime and pour the soup into teeny cups to savour the light tasting soup enhanced by seafood. Once you finish, dig into the teapot for scallop, prawn, arkshell and mushrooms. Sublime stuff, especially when drank piping hot.

fanlike tempura brinjal

We finished with Splashie Boy's favourite stuff - tempura moriasawe. A mix of aubergine (brinjal lah!), fish, 3 prawns and pumpkin was given.

destined to be enjoyed....

Dip in the sauce mixed with finely shaved daikon radish for a yummy treat. At the end of the meal, we were too stuffed to eat any dessert. The upstairs part of Rakuzen is so much nicer than the cramped downstairs - you also get to kick off your shoes and sit comfortably at the tables.

Talking about Japanese food, I recently discovered that NHK plays Harumi Kurihara's television show - the Japanese kitchen in English! Check the link out. The show is not too fantastic in terms of presentation but it is a boon to get to see Harumi in action, since she is so famous and known as the "Martha Stewart" of Japan. The website also has recipes, which are simple so great reference if you wish to cook at home.

Okay, over and out in terms of Japanese food. Somehow, I don't think this will be the last as I envision more stressful days this whole week...

Kittens seeking loving home

fluffy and feather playing

A friend of mine who loves cats found these two siblings recently and she would like to give them up for adoption.


fluffy feeling shy

Two girl kittens whom she has temporarily called Fluffy and Feather. They're very sweet and have coats that are a slightly long haired.


what's happening outside? fluffy ponders

I love the subtle colouring of their coats - very sweet. As they are both siblings, it is preferred they are adopted in a pair to let them keep each other company. Life is always more fun for a cat, when two siblings get to spend it together.


fluffy is nice and comfy

If you are keen to adopt these two adorables, just email me at boo_liciouskl@yahoo.com.

u taking my pix again? are you cat-parrazi, asks Feather?

My friend is throwing in free spaying for these two plus litter boxes, feeding bowls, metal cage for them too. Do a good deed today and adopt these 2 sweeties. They'll definitely brighten up your life.

Riverview Seafood Restaurant @ Kuala Selangor

steamed scallops with ginger paste (RM9.60)

Last Saturday night, we dropped by Kuala Selangor for a friend's daughter's birthday party. Held at the brand new KFC (only opened 3 months ago), all the kids including the adults had loads of fun. There was even a yummy homemade chocolate cake, for the birthday gal (Happy Birthday Maria!) whom I have seen grow up since she was a teeny weeny baby. I still remember how she made a 10 day journey on the road from KL to Bangkok and back, when she was a mere 6 month old baby. What struck us about this KFC was, the quality of the food is so much better vs the Klang Valley outlets - chicken pieces were bigger, tastier and crispy while mashed potato was nicer. I guess, when you're catering to a smaller group, you have more time to spend on churning out quality food.


butter prawns (RM12)

After the party, we did a detour to the older side of Kuala Selangor - Pasir Penambang. Everything looked really pretty - lit up at night. I was at a lost on what to eat since there were so many seafood restaurants. Did read one person's recommendation on Jetty Seafood. We walked in and the place was super packed. Somehow the vibes we got were mixed - the man at the counter obviously wanted our business and asked us to wait while this grouchy lady came up and said, no space for 2 people only. I guess she reckoned, it was no point to get our business since she had better luck with a table of 8 pax. We did manage to get a table BUT everyone was too busy to even look at us for an order. Hence, we did the most sensible thing - walk out to the next restaurant.


side view of restaurant

Although the restaurant next door didn't look so appealing, at least we were greeted at the entrance by a more pleasant waitress vs sour faces from next door. We quickly settled on a few dishes since we had eaten a few fried chicken at the party - steamed scallops, butter prawns and vegetables. Splashie Boy wanted his deep fried sotong which was absent from the menu.


jetty fishing even at night

Right between the two restaurants, you will see people fishing even though it was night time. Food came pretty fast - steamed scallops was yummy with the ginger paste. I loved the crunchy butter prawns, which came with a sweet but addictive deep fried crumbs mixed with curry leaves. Meal came up to a reasonable RM33 for that night including drinks.


free dessert - wobbly and transculent jelly

They even threw in a free dessert - some non-descript jelly that just tasted sweet. We did do a quick walkabout town but decided not to buy anything since it was so late at night. Place was quite packed since it was school holidays. After dining, we drove past more restaurants that were also packed. Even though I did think the place we dined at was kinda touristy, at least they were quick and efficient plus more pleasant to deal with.

Riverview Seafood Restaurant
No. 1, Jalan Besar
Pasir Penambang
Kuala Selangor

(Pork free. I reckon it must be since only seafood in their menu plus we did spy a few Malays dining here.)

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.

Tagged with: Seafood + Kuala Selangor

Kylie Kwong in Kuala Lumpur

Fans of Kylie Kwong should catch an opportunity to see her at Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC at 12 noon, 11 June, 2008 (Wednesday). She's here to talk about her new cookbook, My China - a huge volume about her travels in China. It was extremely poignant for her, since she undertook this journey to trace her roots back to Southern China. She also travels to Yangshuo, Guilin, Lhasa, Lijiang, Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Hong Kong. Every place she goes, she will cook a few dishes for the locals, hence the recipes within the book. These simple recipes, are sandwiched between her stories about her trip to these places and the people she meets.

The television series will be starting on Discovery Travel & Living on June 25th. To get a headstart on what will be shown and what recipes to look out for, check this link out.

Dining Out @ Indulgence Restaurant, Ipoh

Colonial bungalows have great atmosphere


Apologies for not blogging for some time, as usual I got too tired and lost the thread during the night. Continuing my trip in Ipoh today. I have been half a mind to not blog about this place as the experience was sadly lacking. However, strangely enough I got a recent email from a reader who asked if I usually blog about places, which served bad food hence I knew I had to blog about this place.


Lovely carved chair with sheer curtains seperating dining area

I must admit that I have read quite a lot of good comments about this place. Hence, with this in mind, we made a detour to this place. Reminding me of Bonton, the original bungalow restaurant (which now seems to have ended up in Lot 10!), Indulgence is housed in a lovely colonial bungalow. Located in a large compound, next to it is a similar house, where the restaurant owner resides in.


The long bar and set tables

On the inside, you will be greeted by a showcase for the cakes and various sweets. Very tempting, once you cross that sugar high display, you will enter their dining room. A long bar dominates one side of the room with wooden tables and chairs. The middle section has colourful chairs and palms in big pots while the tables on the side, have comfy sofas with cushions.

Burst of rubies salad (RM36++) - a refreshing treat of crab and pomegranate with fine salad

The restaurant has an extremely extensive menu - so extensive, one has to take at least a few minutes to totally digest it. Plus, don't forget their blackboard specials, which the waitress will explain each one to you. What was interesting is, each item came with at least 3 types of different ingredients. Like we once said, either the combination works or it will taste so horrible, since they are extremely different and not complementary.


Ocean trout

Sadly it turned out to be latter.... a combination of weird tastes and strange presentations. For instance, I expected the Burst of Rubies Salad, to have some salad leaves, mixed with sweet and fresh crab meat paired with pomegranates. Instead, we got deep fried soft shell crabs, and the pomegranates mixed with croutons, wrapped up in a smoked salmon slice. No evidence of any salad leaves at sight, except a generous garnish of coriander leaves...kinda defeats the purpose of it being called a "salad". Maybe it was so "fine" that I couldn't locate any within my crouton and pomegranate salad.


Duck Tales (RM30) - braised confit duck tarte tartin with Portobello Mushrooms and soft egg

I didn't manage to try much of the next dish - the Duck Tales but it also didn't meet my expectations as I kinda expect a tart topped with earthy Portobellos and a softly poached egg. Instead, it felt more like shredded duck on a pita bread, topped with a fried egg and garnished with teeny weeny fried anchovies, chopped onions and coriander.


Pasta Angela (RM28) - spinach agnoletti with sea urchin, shimeji mushrooms & crisp small anchovies in dry chilli coconut cream

The worst and most inedible item for me was the pasta. Being very adventurous we went for the "unusual" section versus the "traditional" one and we definitely got a big surprise. Basically spinach stuffed ravioli with shimeji mushrooms topped with loads of tobiko roe, I took one bite and had so much trouble shallowing it as I hated the taste of the dry chilli coconut cream - tasted kinda like very strong coconut oil, one smears on the hair to give it a shiny appearance. We fared better with the special from the board - the ocean trout served with creamy mushrooms. Although it didn't taste fantastic (the fish was a bit overcooked), it was ten times better than the inedible pasta.


Black and White

After the hopeless mains, we were feeling a bit scared of our dessert. We went for the black and white - a chocolate lava cake served with passionfruit sorbet. That turned out to be the best item of the dinner even though it lacked any chocolate taste and aroma. We also went for the fresh figs with cream and pistachio ice cream, which tasted really artificial.

Overall, it was an extremely dissapointing meal even though ambience was pretty good. I didn't like the fact, they use Ikea mugs though especially since we're paying premium prices for Ipoh standards. I reckon the menu needs a lot of trimming, as the flavour combinations don't seem to work - like I mentioned to a friend, it was kinda like a car crash (loads of stuff hanging around that didn't matter in life!) of flavours. Doubt I will return here in the near future. Give me Ipoh Sar Hor Fun or some white coffee instead....

Indulgence Restaurant
14, Jalan Raja DiHilir
Ipoh
Perak

Tel No: 05-2557051

(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.

Other reviews:

• cumi & ciki
• babe in the city-KL
• Motormouth from Ipoh