Budget Indian Food @ Madurai Sri Meenakshi Mess, Lebuh Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

Follow the signboard to budget Indian food

I often practise the belief, if you want to get good food, only the locals will know where to find it. It has worked for me with Japanese restaurants, Middle Eastern food and etc. Apply this same principle and you will discover cheap and authentic Indian food. All you need to do is look for the word "mess" around Lebuh Ampang, and you will stumble upon a great secret that has been kept from others.


fried fish just like mum makes at home

A mess is usually a no-frills place located on the first floor of a two storey shophouse. Unlike restaurants that need the ground floor to draw customers, a mess need not do that as they get their customers by word of mouth. Resembling a dining hall for workers, long tables are set up in a tiny space.


curry brinjals to whet your appetite

Originally popular in India during the British rule, we seem to be getting an influx of these places recently especially around the Lebuh Ampang area. I spied at least 3 places near Lebuh Ampang before I stumbled on this place, that faces the LRT tracks. At these places, Chettinad food is served at cheaper prices to cater for the Indian migrant workers who work around the Lebuh Ampang area. Some workers even have monthly catering arrangements with these places for a fixed sum (around RM100 to RM120 per month).

spicy chicken curry to burn your tongue

The food changes all the time to offer some variety to their customers. When I dined here, I had the honour of sampling fresh fried fish and super spicy chicken curry. On Wednesday and Sunday, they serve Nasi Briyani that is served with a hard boiled egg and yoghurt coated vegetables, which is extremely popular. Prices for a meal can range between RM4 to RM8.

To enjoy your experience, walk up the stairs and explore a bit what they have. Not all messes, are ideal. Before I stumbled on this place, I walked into one next door, that was quite smoky from incense burning, as they were praying. Although they may be devout, it wasn't a place I would like to dine at, since it was so smoky.

Madurai Sri Meenakshi Mess
First Floor
No. 45, Lebuh Ampang
Kuala Lumpur

(Halal. The entrance to this place is along Jalan Tun Perak near the Times Magazine place. Look out for the yellow signs which are quite visible from the bottom and also plastered on the side of the shophouse. Open 11.30 am to 4.00 pm, 6.00 pm to 10.00 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.

Tagged with: Chettinad Food+ Mess

Dining Out @ Bubba Gump Shrimp, The Curve, Petaling Jaya

hubba bubba - the shrimp has now landed in Malaysia

Although this place just opened a few weeks ago, the blogosphere seems flooded with reviews already. I'm kinda not surprised as it was super packed on Saturday, when we dined there. We scored a pretty good seat inside since we were early but I did spy loads of people dining outside on the deck.


Gosh...it is huge!

Located just above The Gourmet House at the Curve, the restaurant occupies two floors, with a souvenir shop at the side. Loads of Forrest Gump memorabilia is displayed on the walls, tables and everywhere else - we sat just at the bottom of Forrest's Run of America outfit. For those who have never seen the movie (my god! where have you been? under a rock?), the television at the bar will keep replaying the iconic movie until you're sick of the phrase, "life is just like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get."


Lemonade - both kinds; strawberry and blueberry

Since there was only the 2 of us, we didn't order much - just two entrees and drinks. To make your dining experience a little unique, there's a few rules here. For instance, you get two signs on the table (similar to driving licence plates in the USA); a red one that says, "Stop, Forrest, Stop" and a blue one, which says "Run, Forrest, Run". Depending on which plate you display, the wait staff will respond accordingly. It takes a while for them to check this out since there's no bell or indicator that you wish, you could just clap your hands to get their attention just like a Japanese restaurant. On the table, you get a metal bucket with condiments and there's a ping pong bat with a menu. I found the ping pong bat amusing, since they attached a long thin chain to keep it from "walking away".


was it dumbluck that I got? - dumbluck prawns served with cajun marmalade

There are loads of different drinks - cocktails and mocktails. Some of the cocktails even come with a glass (with Bubba Gump's logo) that you can take home as a memento. We both opted for the lemonade, which you can either have with blueberries or strawberries (RM10.90++ per glass). Didn't taste much like tangy lemonade as it was quite watered down.


A bit messy but comforting - Bourbon Street Barramundi

I vaguely remembered reading Fatboybakes' review and ordered the highly recommended Dumbluck Coconut Shrimp (RM38.90++). Must have been my "dumb luck", as I did score huge prawns in a batter sprinkled with dessicated coconut, but they weren't springy fresh. I enjoyed the Cajun Marmalade dip it came with - a mix of seeded mustard and bits of orange rind. Very tangy, with a slight hint of sweetness. Fries and coleslaw accompanying the prawns weren't anything great to shout about.

Having asked the waitress what was recommended, she suggested the Bourbon Street Barramundi (RM29.90++), a mix of grilled barramundi fish, prawns (peeled) served with a sauce, mash potatoes and deep fried tortilla strips. Very comforting indeed, you could shovel spoonfuls of everything in your mouth. I didn't quite like the rich creamy sauce, it came with as it was a bit salty for me. After polishing off the food, we didn't have any room for desserts even though the chocolate cake in the jar (That Chocolate Thing) looked mighty tempting.

Overall, my impression of Bubba Gump has been it is a good place to hang out with friends and chit chat. However, food and drinks here is not cheap so expect to fork out almost RM70 to RM80 per pax, if you're going for the full monty (i.e. the 3 course meal plus drinks). It definitely makes sense to come here with loads of friends, so you can share the food and sample more items. If you hate crowds, you may want to avoid right now as everybody seems to want to dine here at the moment.

Bubba Gump Shrimp
Lot 145, First Floor
The Curve
Jalan PJU 7/3
Mutiara Damansara
Petaling Jaya

Tel No: 03 -7710 9862/63

(Halal. Menu consists of quite a lot of prawn dishes. There is also beef, chicken and fish dishes, if you prefer but a limited choice.)

*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: Bubba+Gump+ The Curve

Other reviews:

• Have your cake and eat it too
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• I truly don't give a f***
  
  
  

Revisiting New Formosa Taiwanese Restaurant @ SS2, Petaling Jaya

Sizzling goodness

It has been a while since we dined at Formosa hence with the long break, we finally managed to sit down for a meal there. This time round, we sampled a few of their new dishes, which were amazing as always. Apologies for the less than perfect pictures as my camera still has an issue with yellow light and low light situations. Definitely time to upgrade the camera. Any sponsors?


Go away! I'm protecting treasure under this

Back to Formosa's home cooked goodness. Having grown up eating at Formosa, I often view this place as a source for goodies similar to a home cooked meal. This time round, we started out with the unusual Ai Yu Jelly (literally meaning I love you in Mandarin). The refreshing lemon flavoured jelly acts as an appetizer. Unlike jellies with a crunchy texture, the ai yu jelly (RM1.80 per bowl) has a softer consistency. Said to be made from a type of fig, I enjoyed the cooling palate refresher with tapioca pearls. Usually of slightly chewy texture, these pearls were made to be less chewy, as they can sometimes affect a person's digestion system.


comfort food to heal thy soul - soft pork ribs with sweet potatoes

Once we were all refreshed, it was time for the food. We kicked off with this amazing steamed crab rice (RM34). My first time experiencing the steamed version, as usually we get the claypot version only. Using unpolished rice (that is slightly brown), the rice is steamed with chicken stock. Once the rice is cooked, a fresh crab is placed on top of the rice and left in the steamer till it cooks. The juices from the crab will drip on the rice, giving it a tantalising aroma. If you dig around the area, where the roe is, the rice has a rich heady smell from the steamed roe. Usually unpolished rice, can be chewy but not in this case as the rice is soft from the steaming and the soaking of chicken stock. A mix of vinegar and ginger juice is also given to dip the crab meat. This helps get rid of any "wind" you will experience from eating the cooling crabs.


good brain food - fish with Taiwanese spicy sauce

Next it was the crispy rice crusts(RM28), a popular Taiwanese dish. Rice crusts are dried and deep fried till crisp. A sauce (similar to our sweet and sour sauce but with more tomatoes) is poured on top of the hot rice crusts, till it sizzles. The sauce will have 3 kinds of seafood - prawns, sea cucumber and cuttlefish. Pour just a bit of sauce on the rice crusts and eat this super quick to get the mix of tastes - crunchy and slightly soft from the sauce. Another Taiwanese home dish, is the seabass served with spicy Taiwanese sauce (RM39). Made from soybean paste, you can either order fried or steaned mantou to dip the sauce.


reminds me of home - braised cabbage in claypot

Since we wanted home cooked Taiwanese dishes, next was just a simple steamed spareribs dish served with sweet potatoes (RM16). Although a simple dish, the spareribs has been marinated in the sauce overnight and the flavours has absorbed into the spareribs. It is paired with sweet potatoes or pumpkins, that balance out the taste of the slightly spicy spareribs.


wicked sesame coated intestines

Another Taiwanese specialty - a simple braised white cabbage dish served in a hot claypot (RM13). Cooked with dried prawns, fried foochook (bean curd skin), this was such great comfort food for the soul.


"I love you" jelly

Last but not least, we had a wicked dose of crunchy sesame coated intestines (RM13). By then, we were stuffed to the brim with good food. Dessert was hot gui ling gao, good for my cough and so refreshing.

New Formosa Restaurant
46, Jalan SS2/24
Petaling Jaya

Tel No: 03 - 7875 1894

(Non Halal. Open daily from noon to 2.30 pm, 6 pm to 10.30 pm. Crab and spareribs need to be ordered ahead as it is not readily available.)

Tagged with: Taiwanese Food + Petaling Jaya

Burgers @ Darabif, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur

Keeping in the pink of health

Since I managed to rack up a few places to eat during my long break, I thought I'll mix and match them - the good and the bad. Although sometimes, my policy is not to blog about places that serve bad food, I reckon rules should be broken.

green green guacamole

Ever since, Darabif sounded out the intention to open a burger shop at Desa Sri Hartamas, we were both excited since we love burgers. Last week, when we were nearby at Devi's Corner, we checked this place out and vowed to return to try the food. On Sunday night, we finally had a chance to fulfil our promise.


Moooooooo! Yes, there's a cow in here.

I liked the look of the place - white, with bright green and black furniture. There's booths and also tables with plastic chairs in the same green and black. Lighting is excellent here - all white lights with loads of them around. The menu is based on the Darabif burgers, which can also be found at frozen products section at your neighbourhood supermarket. A choice of beef, lamb, chicken and salmon burgers are available here. There's even a mini size, if you fancy a quick snack.


Attack of the Glam burger

Depending on what you fancy, you can also choose the sets, which has a soft drink and french fries. We were eyeing the corn chips(RM3+), which you can pair with various dips - mexican mayo salsa, plum barbeque, curry mayonnaise, tomato salsa and etc. We went for the guacamole (RM1.50+) since that is our all-time favourite. A generous portion, we both found the guacamole a bit sourish. Could be the imbalance of lemon juice within the mashed mix of avocado.

I picked the Mooo burger (RM5.90+) - just a beef burger, which came slathered with lots of sauce, cabbage and raw onion rings. Although the burger was tasty, I didn't quite like the texture of the burger as it felt very processed and slightly rubbery. Splashie Boy ordered the Glam (RM6.90+) burger, made from minced lamb. I liked the touch of mint sauce with the burger but again, we didn't like the slightly rubbery texture of the patty.

Although the food didn't impress much, I did enjoy the fresh juices they serve here. With no added sugar and water, they are as pure as you can get with a range from RM6 to RM7. Since I was fighting a slight flu, I had their hot Cold Killer - a mix of ginger juice and honey. Splashie Boy had the Dragonfruit Passion (RM6.90+ for a mix of Pink pitaya juice with lemon juice). A bit tasteless I felt, but it was a nice hot pink colour.

Despite its nice appearance and unusual varieties, I still prefer Ramly or Otai burgers, which remain unbeatable in my score book for cheap, juicy and yummy burgers. Oh, and the service isn't great either as they tend to take their time to prepare the burgers (definitely not fast food here) and even forgot to deliver our burgers when it was all ready on the counter.

Darabif
4, Ground Floor

Jalan 23/70A

Desa Sri Hartamas

Kuala Lumpur

Tel No: 03 - 2693 9833

(Halal. Right next to Devi's Corner.)

*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: Burger+ Darabif

Other review:

• Jules Eating Guide to Malaysia

Azmi Pisang Goreng @ Section 19, Shah Alam

Pick me! Pick me!

Ahhhhh, what a great break I had. Finally I had the time to search for food, cut my hair, watch Ironman (great movie!) and enjoy life a bit even though I had to work in between my holidays. I also managed to catch up with old friends from Hong Kong - we sat at Devi's Corner and easily drank 20 plus cups of teh tarik, teh o limau panas, ate rotis and etc, to rack up a bill of RM60.


Crunchy fried bananas, fresh from the wok

On to food.....as my tummy rumbles at this hour. I first found out about this scrumptious fried bananas or goreng pisang, at the Subang Taipan area. Located at this cafe called D'Andaman, you will see this amazing scene, every day. People will queue up for the fried bananas and when a fresh batch arrives from the kitchen, within a few minutes, it will dissapear in brown bags clutched by happy people, who got their share. However, there will always be some glum faces, as some don't get their share. Luckily its just another 15 minutes wait for the next batch.


Stacked high - see how thin the bananas are

The Taipan outlet is a branch of the original Azmi Pisang Goreng in Shah Alam...which I finally found yesterday. Quite easy to find, especially if you know where the KTM Komuter station is. Unlike the busy Taipan stall, where parking is a nightmare - this is just a stand alone stall built by Majlis Perbandaran Shah Alam. Here, you don't need to wait too long, as they keep frying the bananas in two big woks filled with hot oil at the back of the stall. Moreover, parking is super easy too, since it is near a housing estate, with lots of space to park near the stall.


Paired with the ultimate ice cream - Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey

Feeling adventurous, I went home with my brown bags of goreng pisang and dug through the freezer for some Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey. It was a match made with heaven - super crunchy thin bananas with the banana ice cream and chunks of walnut and chocolate. I even drizzled some honey over the thin slices of bananas and it tasted great too.

These tiny fried bananas taste excellent on their own too, as they're crunchy (the batter is not heavy like other stalls) and they thinly slice the pisang awak (a sweeter variety of banana). As they are quite small, it is sold in a pack of 10 pieces for RM1. If you prefer, they have pisang nangka and keropok lekor also. The crunchy batter bits are also highly sought after as people usually ask for extra in their brown bag. Do give it a try, and who knows, you may end up hooked on them, just like me!

Azmi Pisang Goreng
Stall on Jalan Gembala 19/9
Section 19
Shah Alam

(Halal. Tel No: 019 - 220 0478. Available daily from 1pm to 6.30pm. To get to the stall, from the Federal Highway, if you are driving from PJ to Klang, take the left turn towards Kawasan Perindustrian Shah Alam. You will drive past Mycom and UMW and the road you are on, is known as Persiaran Sultan. Cross the overhead bridge and take the first left turn, after these buildings known as CIAST (some institute). The road you turn in, will be Jalan Petani 19/1. Go straight and then take the first left into Jalan Parang 19/8. Take the first right and you will find the stall with Majlis Perbandaran Shah Alam on top, on your left hand side. The KTM komuter station is just down Jalan Parang 19/8.)

*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+ Pisang Goreng

Other review:

• Mark's Makan

Steaks @ Angus Steak House, Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur

The sign which points the way to great steaks

Since it was Splashie Boy's birthday on Friday, we did the celebrations during the weekend. I had to work on Friday night - loads of good Chinese food but unfortunately I couldn't bring him along.


Starting out with deep fried prawn and cod

As Splashie Boy is a huge bovine fan, I knew it had to be Wagyu or Kobe beef for him. Since it was all about steaks, we decided to venture into a steakhouse vs a fine dining restaurant. I had heard good things about Angus Steakhouse at Pavilion and decided we'll just give it a go.


divine creamy carrot soup

We were pleasantly surprised when we walked in, to find the steakhouse quite packed with people. There was even a Japanese family dining there. The atmosphere within the restaurant, reminds me a bit of a modernised Ship Steakhouse, something I grew up eating with my family with. Waiters wear tuxedos (looking like penguins) and waitresses wear these French maid getup with a frilly headgear.


Yummy Green Salad with Japanese dressing

The menu is all about steaks - almost a full page dedicated to the various cuts and sizes available. You can choose from their sets, that are served with an appetizer, a choice of bread or rice, soup, salad, the entree and dessert. If you prefer ordering a la carte, they offer a selection of appetizers like oysters (fresh and baked), soups and grilled seafood items. There's also various types of pastas with pollack roe, abalone, beef bacon and etc.


Splashie Boy's Birthday Wagyu - Moooooooooo!

We both went for the sets, settling for 200g portions, as I couldn't decide on the various appetizers. Splashie Boy had the Wagyu Beef Tenderloin Set - marbling rating 9+, for RM240, while I settled for the 200g sirloin set for RM78.


my beef sirloin with some fatty sinful bits

There is a sense of old style formalness to this place as the sets are served course by course. We started out with the appetizer - a pan fried cod and prawn served with a side portion of cubed potatoes and mushrooms. This changes, I guess with availability. We both loved the seafood, simple but tasty. Next was a creamy carrot soup - thick and smooth. You get to taste a hint of the sweet carrots. I loved the green salad they served - not very expensive greens, just plain green lettuce, broccoli, tomato and corn niblets but when combined with the Japanese dressing and a topping of bonito flakes, it was really good. The dressing is unlike the typical wafu dressing with vinegar but was definitely made with shoyu (soy sauce). I finished my salad, feeling extremely satisfied.


last but not least - creamy tiramisu

Then, it was time for the steaks to take centrestage. Charcoaled grilled in an open kitchen with a very powerful exhaust (I could see the chefs from a distant), the steaks are served on a brass sizzling plate, with a wooden base. Vegetables placed on the side, and should be eaten quite quicky as, if you leave them longer, they get cooked on the plate.

My beef sirloin was super tender and juicy. I loved every teeny weeny bit of it down to the sinful bits of fat, I went for. If you don't want the fatty bits, ask for the tenderloin. Splashie Boy's Wagyu was very good. A thicker cut compared to mine, he was well satisfied. Each of the steaks are served with a slice of lime and a piece of herbed butter. Unlike steaks that come drenched with thick sauces, they serve their steaks with a sauce made from shoyu, finely minced radish and mirin. Incredibly good with the sauce that complements the taste of the beef and does not drown it out. I'm not too sure how they get their steaks to be so tender (I suspect some aging?) but whatever it is, Splashie Boy and I are hooked on it.

One weird thing was I asked for rice vs bread, and they served it with my steak and I was eating them together. Tasted good too, when combined especially with that special sauce they serve on the side. We ended with dessert - a slice of tiramisu, with creamy layers and soaked sponge cake. Not too overpowering sweet, each creamy layer was silky smooth.

Despite the food being very good, I wasn't too impressed with the service. Maybe they were a bit busy that night but it took a while to get their attention. I also noticed, service starting going downhill after 9.30pm, as the staff was just eager to clear plates and go home, that they were doing all the service no-nos - reaching across the table from Splashie Boy's side to clear my plate or to serve me. Nevertheless, we'll still give them another chance and will definitely revisit, when we feel the urge for a good steak.

Angus Steak House
Lot 6.44& 6.45
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 - 2145 6015

(Pork free. Restaurant serves lunch and dinner sets.)

*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: Steak+ Pavilion

Anuar's Fish Head Curry @ Lucky Gardens, Bangsar

The only way to enjoy your fish head curry - with your fingers

Sighhhhhhh! It has been a long week since I blogged. As usual life got in the way i.e. things, which we can't plan for, like funerals and catching a flu. I'm still slowly getting over my flu bug. I did have a wave of good fortune yesterday, since I met Curtis Stone of Discovery Travel & Living's Take Home Chef. After chatting with him and seeing him in action, one can truly understand, why he was voted one of People magazine's sexiest men (with the likes of George Clooney) and why women are desperate to take him home.

Anuar with the big pot of fish head curry

BUT I'm sure that is not what you tune in here for rite? Don't worry, I do have food and boy is it super yummy. A few weekends ago, I managed to persuade Splashie Boy to visit this place. I have been eyeing the fish head curry here for the longest time. Just didn't have the right quorum of people to attack one huge fish head, but since there was the 2 of us, I decided to go ahead.


Sotong or little devils? Just the same as they're chockfull of
cholestrol but who cares, since they taste so gooooooood.

Just round the corner from TMC, is this small little shack on the side of the road. Observe this place carefully as whenever you pass by it during lunch time, it is always packed. Always a good sign of how good the food is.


Fried fish - crispy fellas you want to crunch on

Not everyone goes for the fish head curry as this stall's fried chicken, fish and sotong are equally good. Definitely cheaper than the fish head curry, you can get a decent meal for about RM4 to RM5 here with chicken, rice and a serving of bean sprouts on the side.


Deep fried chicken, if you prefer a budget meal

I especially love the fried chicken here - juicy and crisp, while the fried sotong is also a must-have here for me. Not chewy like rubber, this stall's version is tender with a light crisp batter coating it.


Fish head curry - a delight to be shared among friends

We went for the fish head curry, which ended up being super huge, as they couldn't dig out a small one from the pot. Now, if you have never eaten fish head curry, you must always try it with your fingers. It's a joy to dig around the fish head, searching through the bones for yummy flesh. Even though I'm a fish head fan, I tend not to go for the eye. Just can't get myself to eat that part. They use jenahak fish here - huge fellas as the heads are enormous. With a curry sauce that is slightly sour and not too spicy, this is excellent with a huge plate of piping hot rice. Do give it a try as it will be an experience, you won't forget.

Anuar's Fish Head Curry
At the corner of Lorong Ara Kiri 3
Lucky Garden
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur

(Halal. Open from morning till night. In the mornings, they serve roti canai. Lunch and dinner is rice with chicken, fish, sotong and fish head curry. Closed on Sundays.)

*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+ Fish Head Curry

Lempeng @ Restaurant Haslam's, Jalan Pahang Barat, Kuala Lumpur

Lempeng under cover of banana leaf

When it comes to food, I can be extremely relentless. Finding time to enjoy during weekends nowadays need to be slotted in between chores. Luckily we finished our chores early - many hands definitely make work seem lighter.


Glory behold, the side profile of the extremely delish lempeng

I had read cumi & ciki's blog about the amazing lempeng, hence I knew that was what I wanted to do during my free time. We made our way down town and managed to find Haslam's easily, near Tawakal Hospital. The place was packed with people.

Since parking was scarce, I went down to check, if they were serving lempeng. Spotted a man in front frying up parcels wrapped in banana leaf and a crowd of people surrounding him. Signalling to Splashie Boy, I told him to get a parking spot while I waited for the lempeng.

It was a good move, as the lempeng was fast dissapearing off the greased hot plate. I planted myself firmly next to the waitress and kept relentlessly telling her, I wanted "dua lempeng, makan sini" i.e, "two pancakes, to eat here". I guess that gave me a trump card since I was eating there, as she doled me 2 pancakes ahead of this lady who was buying them to take home.

Success at last, we got a table and both peeled off the banana leaf from the lempeng. After a quick photo session, it was time to dig in and boy! was it worth all that fighting for. Similar to a pancake, this version was a soft concoction of smashed up bananas and freshly grated coconut. Eaten piping hot with a hint of a smoky banana leaf aroma, it was so delish, we could have had a few more. Unfortunately, there were none left.

I asked the waiter what time they start selling, thinking I was too late in my mission - seems they do this daily, 2.30 pm. It was around 3.15pm, when I stood at the hot plate and they had sold out within 45 minutes. A quick glance at other tables and I knew why it had sold out so quickly as everyone dining there had a piece of lempeng on their table.

For the uninitiated, lempeng is essentially a Malay pancake. Usually eaten with a savoury item like curry, this was the sweet version. Really good stuff and the next time, I am around the area, this will definitely be my stopover at 2.30pm.

Restaurant Haslam's
10, Jalan Pahang Barat
Kuala Lumpur
Opposite Tawakal Hospital)

(Halal. Lempeng is RM1 each. Available daily from 2.30pm until they run out which is super fast. For a map, refer to cumi & ciki's site.)

*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+ Lempeng

Japanese food @ Tomoe Japanese Restaurant, SS15, Subang Jaya

tomoe's signboard - check out the wildlife aka the lizard on the side

Last Friday, I was feeling a tad depressed since I was working on Saturday! Feeling like a boost in my system, I suggested we try Japanese in Subang Jaya - an unexplored territory for me. Original intent was Shun, opposite Subang Jaya Medical Centre but there was a function at the nearby Sheraton Subang ballroom, which caused a mini traffic jam plus a shortage of carparks around the area.


pretty condiments set on the table

Changing tactics, we decided to check out the other Japanese places along the same row as Rakuzen. Passed by Hyotan which looked interesting but ended up at Tomoe, the corner restaurant as there was parking nearby. Tomoe also provides free jockey service, an excellent idea since this area lacks parking spaces. Since Splashie Boy is super sensitive when it comes to his car, he vetoed the idea of a valet.


a total rip off - Shiradatu Goma (RM18)

The place gave us a good vibe, as it was packed with people: locals and Japanese businessman out on the town, after a hard week of work. We ended up in the smoking section since no space was available in the other section. Luckily, no heavy smokers were around.


The winner of the night - Gindara Misozuke Yaki (RM32)

Feeling lost with their menu, I decided to ask the waitress for recommendations. What's interesting to note is, there's no set dinners available. I now know they have set lunches per reading other blogs but no set dinner menu was presented to us. Instead, what we got was the weekly specials list and their regular menu, which we ended up ordering from.


Inaniwa Udon (RM22)

Throwing caution into the wind, we went for the waitress recommendations. First, it was a seasonal vegetables with sesame sauce (Shiradatu Goma). However, it turned out to be more mushrooms vs seasonal vegetables. Luckily the sauce was good - creamy with a not too overpowering taste of sesame seeds. We both felt it was a rip off as that small bowl costed RM18.

Jidori Shioyaji Bainiku (RM22)

Next was the recommended grilled chicken with salt and plum sauce. This was good - the chicken meat was tasty and again very fresh. For those who prefer the soft antibiotic type of chicken meat, this is not for them as this chicken had a bite to it - imagine choi yuen kai (free range chicken). There's not much taste from the plum sauce but the chicken does not need anything else to supplement the juicy sweet taste.


Dragon Roll (RM32)

As the dishes kept coming, things kept getting better. My absolute favourite was their black cod grilled with miso (Gindara Misozuke Yaki). So incredibly fresh, that the flesh has a nice bounce to it and so unlike the water logged frozen cod you get in Chinese restaurants. A quick check with the waitress indicated we had walked in on the right day, as the fish just flew in from Japan. Usually the fish supplies come in Tuesday and Thursday or Friday, so we were lucky to catch this very fresh fish.


Dragon roll's inside

I also loved their dragon roll. Less rice than the other restaurants, it featured a gigantic prawn within and topped with generous slices of tuna, melt in the mouth avocado and a drizzle of mayonnaise. Weird but I didn't taste any mustard like how she, the epicurious girl mentioned. Maybe they had changed the sauce or toned down the mustard?

Instead of rice, we decided to go for the Inaniwa Udon - not bad but not my absolute favourite as I think I would have liked soba instead. I did like the tangy taste to the dipping sauce for the noodles, from a greenish plum sauce. Gave a kick to the plain tasting noodles.

Overall, we were supremely satisfied with the freshness of the fish, chicken and the dragon roll. Will definitely make a re-visit to try the sashimi especially on those days the fish do their fly in from Japan.

Post-script (16/4/2008) - I read Jules Eating Guide to Malaysia, he ordered different items on the menu and didn't have a good meal. Do take note, guess not everything on the menu is good.

Tomoe Japanese Restaurant
No.1, Jalan SS15/5A
47500 Subang Jaya

Tel No: 03 - 5633 5919

(Pork free. Same row as Rakuzen.)

*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: Japanese Food+ Subang Jaya

Other reviews:

• she, the epicurious girl
• food, my foot!

Wendy's @ Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya

packed with people...

Last night, I finally got some time to check out the new Wendy's at Sunway Pyramid. It has been at the back of my head, that this place has opened but because of work commitments, I only made my way there late last night.


that red hair gal is back

Even though it was almost closing time, the place was packed with a queue. Opposite it, McDonalds looked forlorn and empty. We even bumped into an old friend, who also made an effort to come from town to sample the new fast food joint.


quarter pounder single

Owned by Berjaya Corp, they plan to open 10 more outlets this year. Next one is Jaya One, followed by IOI Mall and of course, at Berjaya Times Square where Berjaya has all their franchises housed - Borders, Starbucks, 7-Eleven and Kenny Rogers Roasters.


broccoli cheese baked potato

I vaguely remember Wendy's was located at Sungai Wang Plaza. My favourite there was their yummy chocolate milkshakes. So thick and yum!


french fries

For the franchise in Malaysia, they're serving Quarter Pounders, Half Pounder Double with Cheese and the three quarter pound triple with cheese, fried chicken, fish fillet burger, shrimp supreme burger, spicy chicken sensation, ultimate chicken grill and chicken nuggets. Prices for the burgers range from RM6 to RM15 for the triple while fried chicken is RM6.90 and nuggets are RM5. Sets are also available with soft drinks and french fries.

They also have their signature sides - baked potatoes with 6 different toppings: butter, sour cream, sour cream and chives, chili and cheese, broccoli and cheese and cheese cheese. Chili is also available - minced beef with kidney beans plus who can forget, their yummy milkshake known as Frosty. They have a few flavours - chocolate, vanilla and twisted versions with oreo and m&ms. The twisted version looks like a Mcflurry. A seperate kids meal is also available.


frosty with drink

I liked the burger - juicy and square as "they don't cut corners". The bun was soft and quite old fashioned tasting. Said to be made when you order, it definitely didn't taste as it has been sitting in a warmer which is great. I thought the broccoli cheese baked potato was okay only - definitely not worth a re-order. I had great fun dipping my fries in the Frosty. Sadly no chocolate available as it had sold out. Overall, a satisfying meal and we preferred it to Carl's Jr in terms of affordability. The burger is good but a bit basic, the toppings.

Wendy's
Near the skating rink
Same floor as Marrakesh

(Halal)

*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: Wendy's + Sunway Pyramid


Other reviews:

• Honey Star
• Chermaine blog
• don't tell me it's morning