Cakes @ Patisserie Rui Bakery, Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur

1. pretty hydrangeas, 2. light tasting strawberry shortcake, 3. Dammann Freres tea

I first heard about Patisserie Rui from my friend S after her colleague bought cupcakes for her office meeting. Then it caught my interest again, when I saw Panora magazine (those free Japanese papers you pick from the supermarkets) had listed their white chocolate cheesecake. While my curiosity was perked about this place, getting down to trying their cakes became quite a trial. First, spotting them along the white long stretch of shops along Mont Kiara Meridin was difficult - they seemed to be overwhelmed by signs of Hiestand, Dominos, Satay Station and etc. No signboard except a small sign on their glass window didn't help for people who'll drive past this place from Mont Kiara to Solaris on the busy Jalan Kiara road.

lemon cupcake from on top

The few times I was at Solaris, when I wanted to drop by, the place was closed (it closes on Sunday). Once I sussed that out, I was too late for cakes (I dropped by on a Saturday in the evening). Finally, we got our act together and managed to drop by after maybe our fourth attempt to visit this place.

1. cutesy stuff, 2. white flowers that dot Mt Kiara, 3. love the coffee layers of tiramisu

Bear in mind this place is tiny with just two tables and chairs to sit outside under a canopy. There's also very very limited seats within the place, as it seems to be more of a workplace for the cakes. Nevertheless it's quite pleasant sitting outside with the flowers in the boxes since it was a rainy day. However, if it is a sunny day, I doubt the dust from the passing by vehicles may make it so pleasant. Thus, my advice is buy back the cakes to enjoy in the comfort of your home. They serve Illy coffee and Dammann Freres tea (owned by Illy) hence you can enjoy good coffee and tea with your cakes.

red velvet cupcake unveiled

Back to the cakes, there was a selection of strawberry shortcake, tiramisu, a princess cake and the cupcakes. As the princess cake was sold whole, we decided to give that a miss. The lady also advised they have cookies. Didn't see the cheesecake at all, except two pieces within the chiller that looked like they were left over from Saturday, hence I avoided that.


green tea in front, chocolate and red velvet cupcake at the back

The cakes strike me as very Japanese ( we saw a bevy of Japanese housewives buying cake here too!) as the texture of the sponge layers in the tiramisu and the strawberry shortcake was very light. The crumb is not as fine compared to those made from a sponge cake mix and it feels a little more sweeter and crumbly. The strawberry shortcake (RM9 per slice) was a nice and light confection and to be honest you didn't even taste the strawberries nestled within. We fared better with the tiramisu (RM4.50 a slice, RM18 for a small whole cake) since the coffee layer was stronger.

These kind of cakes will definitely appeal to those who prefer light cakes (less guilty I guess for them!) for a dessert interlude that is not heavily flavoured. For those who prefer more stronger flavours, do avoid this place (my friend who had the cakes here a few times, didn't quite like them calling the cakes tasteless and bland!). For the cupcakes (RM3.50 each), they mound sweet whipped cream on top of the cake and sprinkle crumbled cake to cover the cream giving it an appearance like a fluffy snowball. We tried all four flavours and concluded: red velvet was just more the red colouring since tastewise it was bland and uninteresting, the green tea (had oxidized hence the unattractive brownish green colour) tasted a little weird like it didn't have enough green tea powder to give it a distinct flavour, the lemon was our favourite with a moist lemony but not sharp taste to it and chocolate that was rich and dark looking but didn't have a very distinct chocolate taste. The crumb of the cake is also quite fine and almost like a muffin. The sweetened whipped cream topping appealed to some (my mother hated it saying too sweet) while Splashie Boy loved it.

It will be interesting to try their other creations especially the much raved about cheesecake but the organisation of the place can be quite chaotic. The lady who served us the other day was very nice about it and even gave us a free cupcake since she knew we came a second time to get the cakes. Best you call ahead and enquire the availablity of the cakes, since they seem to bake them in batches. Some of their cakes like the tiramisu and princess cake are tiny (probably about 2 inch diameter round) that makes it good for a small celebration for two to four people. For more pictures, see my Flickr set.

Patisserie Rui
G1B, Mt Kiara Meridin
19, Jln Duta Kiara
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 012-3177290/03-62079282 (call the mobile number if you can't get through to the land line, as they're having problems with the telephone)

(Pork free. Open from 10am-8pm. Best to call ahead to check availability of cakes. To get here, if coming from Solaris, drive towards Plaza Mont Kiara, it is on your right hand side just before the 90 degree turn into the main road of Mont Kiara. They also have an outlet in Gasing where you can collect cakes you order and they also place cakes to sell. However they're short of people, hence no one monitors the place except the florist who shares the place with them.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.

Tagged with: Cakes+ Mont Kiara

Others who have visited this place:

• what2see
• Big Boys Oven
• I come, I see, I Hunt and I Chiak
• thenomadGourmand
  
  

Hutong Food Court @ Lower Ground Floor, Lot 10, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

Mo Sang Kor's bak kut teh

Pavilion may have first started the luxe version of food courts but snapping on their heels is the newly opened Hutong @ Lot 10. Part of their revamp exercise, the new food court has an arty look to it and will appeal to pork lovers, as it serves non halal food rarely seen in the halls of a food court - bak kut teh, lard laden Singapore Hokkien mee and our very own black lard-rich Hokkien mee.

digging deep into the bowl for my bak kut teh, see how worn that pot is

Touted as a food court that brings in well known hawkers with at least three generations, you'll find these older well known names mixed within more modern names to make up the 27 stalls here.

the crowd, seremban siu bao with curry!, chicken from Ipoh chicken rice

KL-lites will be familiar with names like Hon Kee porridge from Cecil Street, Hokkien mee from Kim Lian Kee, popiah from Campbell (stall is located @ the back of Yut Kee and fronts the small lane that sells KL-style char kuey teow, mee rebus and etc), lam mee from Lameeya (said to originate from PJ but honestly I've not heard abt them), char siu wantan noodles from Ho Weng Kee in PJ, beef noodles from Soong Kee, bak kut teh from Mo Sang Kor in Pandamaran, Ipoh chicken rice from Gasing, PJ and Mr. Siew Bao that is said to be from Seremban Siew Bao. Singaporeans will be happy to also discover Kong Tai, that reminds one of Thye Hong in Pavilion except here they don't serve their wetter Singapore Hokkien noodles with an opei leaf.

o chien from Kong Tai

They're mixed with others like Luk Yu Teahouse, Kluang Station, Thai Corner, P'tit Bouchon (that serves wine by the glass), Cheeky Doe, Berrylicious, Star Duck, Western Foodtrend, Georgetown that serves Penang styled food, yau char kuai and tau fu far from the I Love Yoo! people, italian food from Pomodoro, western food, Taiwanese food from Taiwan Recipe and etc. While the non-heritage Chinese stalls may not appeal to locals, they offer a variety to others especially children who often clamour for the Western styled foods.

lard-land @ Kong Tai, loads of oil goes into the o chien, wat shall I eat???

Just opened since November 10, the food court still has its hiccups (best you come early in the day as food tends to run out very quickly). I guess they're still trying to cope with the overwhelming response. Most of the stalls actually cook their food off site in central kitchens and bring it over hence this matching of supply with the huge demand issue.

fluffy mah kiok

Getting here late in the evening meant we had very slim pickings - the remnants of the pot from Mo Sang Kor bak kut teh (see how they're tilting the pot to get the remaining soup) and o chien cooked on the spot @ Kong Tai. Incidentally, Kong Tai was quite packed with people since they were still frying up noodles. Their version of Hokkien noodles is different from Thye Hong over at Pavilion - they use a softer thin noodle mixed with thin yellow noodles mixed in with fried lard pieces. It takes some time to get used to the texture of the noodles, as it is wetter and of course, pale as a Brit vs the blackened versions we are more used to. It is interesting to see that the Singapore version uses dried sole powder and lard, just like the Malaysian version.

smooth tau fu far

Tau fu fah and mah kiok (my favourite sprinkled with sesame seeds for a sweet and salty taste) was good. Loved the smooth taste of the beancurd but felt the mah kiok was average tasting (would have of course preferred the super fresh fried on the spot one from Jalan Bukit Bintang/Jalan Alor). Bak kut teh from Mo Sang Kor was very different - not much herb taste but a deep brown almost black colour that tasted good from the gelatinous parts of the pig being boiled together. Not cheap though - my bowl of pork knuckle was RM12 with rice and tea. While it was quite a big portion, most of it was bones and skin but then it was hard to gauge since I was just getting the scraps from the pot.

clear chairs, everything is labeled with hutong, love the sign of each stall (the Kong Tai one looks exactly like the owner who sports a hat and a bright flowered shirt everytime), Ho Weng Kee is definitely here

The poached chicken from Ipoh Chicken rice was average - nice and firm texture (not the soggy type that resembles antibiotic laden chooks). My last visit here, I had the Hon Kee porridge that was good - smooth and laden with sinful goodies like fried intestines and chee chap. Yums!

If you're planning to visit here, try and come early to get everything. If you're the kind who can wait, then give this place time to get it running on full steam ahead as it is still very much in the early days. Saw a number of tourists walking around the place looking a little lost (one even came with their full set of luggage!), hence I guess some pointers on the heritage significance for each stall should be explained, since they're clueless on what kind of food they serve. Alternatively, I guess tourists can be given a wider berth and be taken around by concierges that will explain to them the different food. If not, brochures will also help if bodies are too expensive to hire. Some warning signage on the place is also needed as some foreigners may be seeking for halal food. For more, see Eat Drink KL's blog post.

Lot 10 Hutong

Lower Ground Floor
Lot 10

Jalan Bukit Bintang

(Non Halal)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.

Tagged with: Food Court+ Lot 10

Happy Friday the 13th - Mango Lolo from KTZ, SS2, Petaling Jaya

mango lolo in its full glory

A quick one for today, something to cheer up today. Seems to be such a double-edged sword today - it's Friday meaning the end of the work week BUT today is the thirteenth! Hope nothing bad happens to me or you, today and the Friday passes like a breeze.


I love thee my mango, Splashie Boy's honeydew version

Today, I decided to highlight one of favourite ways to beat the heat. The weather nowadays is as usual a little crazy - super hot in the afternoons and then rain in the evenings. For me, my favourite way of relaxing on a Sunday hot afternoon is the mango lolo at KTZ, SS2. Packed with blended fresh mangos with sago pearls and mango cubes, this tops a mountain of shaved ice. Slowly eat it from the side to enjoy the sweet mango taste with the icy cold shaved ice. Yums! Splashie Boy prefers the honeydew version (he does love his honeydew!) but give me the mango version anytime. One can understand why KTZ does such booming business, as the food is excellent there (love their fried rice) and these mango lolos - prepare to wait a very very long time especially the night time (we once did and was counting the number of lolos emerging from the dessert counter!). Strawberry, kiwifruit, redbean, mixed fruit lolos are also available.

So what's your favourite way to beat the heat? Cendol, Ais kacang or just something simple whipped at home?

Taiwanese Food @ Zhen Shan Mei, Soho KL

Prawn with mayonnaise salad (RM38)

I'm always a fan of Taiwanese food since to my tastebuds, it's very similar to Chinese food but with an edge that makes it also very distinctively different. While I've never travelled to Taiwan, my yardstick on Taiwanese food has been Formosa Restaurant in SS2 (a place I grew up with) and in recent years, Fong Lye - a place we regularly dine.

3 combination platter - mochi foie gras, scallops and mullet roe (RM28)

Thus I was excited to read from Eat Drink KL's blog (the go-to blog for new places to try) about this new place at Soho KL, opened by the same owners of Michelangelo's. A quick word with the very friendly captain revealed this place did open for a very short time in Sunway Pyramid but relocated here. The chef is from Taiwan and it seems even the ingredients are imported from Taiwan to keep it as authentic as possible.


1. Papaya pickles with passionfruit (RM4) to whet the appetite, 2. lu ro fan or braised pork rice (RM3), 3. Black chicken with lotus soup (RM18)

Unfortunately two subsequent visits to this place yielded one general response - if you're on a lookout for Chinese food presented in a more refined way then this place is great BUT if you're seeking extraordinary Taiwanese food with the wonderful aromas and flavours like I've experienced in Fong Lye, then sadly you won't find it here.


Steamed cod with cordia seeds (RM58)

Chiefly the place failed the sanbei kai or 3 cup chicken test in terms of Taiwan authenticity i.e. an utter lack of the heady aromas you get when the waiter opens the claypot lid, as the chicken sizzles in a sauce made from soy sauce and rice wine, mixed with fresh basil leaves with sliced ginger. Instead, the dish fizzled out to be just an ordinary braised soy sauce chicken. We reckon they must have adapted this dish for the locals as usually the authentic ones is a little drier while their version has more sauce.


Stewed chicken with wine (sanbei kai) - RM36

That's not to say we didn't enjoy our other dishes, as the steamed cod served with beancurd was beautifully executed with silky smooth beancurd with the Taiwanese cordia seeds to give you a burst of saltiness to an otherwise quite bland tasting dish. Another favorite was the sinful pork belly slices that crumble into the mouth when bitten in paired with Taiwanese mui choy that is not overly salted.


1. Pork belly with mui choy (RM28). 2. US Short ribs on hot stone (RM68)

This place serves some unusual dishes like the appetisers - a soft yet slightly chewy mochi filled with foie gras and vegetables, the mullet roe and scallops served with a tangy sauce and ikura. My favourite was the mullet roe that reminded me a little of salted egg yolk but less of a saltier edge. Savour each slice slowly with the raw leek thinly sliced to balance out the salty taste. My only complaint about the mochi roll would be it was a shame to use foie gras that way though since you don't really taste it within the roll in one bite.


Stir fried loofah with scallops and clams (RM28)

Some dishes are beautifully presented like the prawns with mayonnaise, served in passionfruit "cups" as the mayonnaise coated prawns are lightly tossed with a passionfruit sauce. That combination made the prawns less overwhelming creamy and easy to munch down. Topping each golden prawn was shredded seaweed, while at the bottom of each "cup" was canned pineapple.


Fish rolls with shrimp paste (RM16)

Other dishes we also tried that didn't wow the tastebuds was the loofah (not too old) topped with crispy scallops and clams , the black chicken soup with lotus root, US short ribs with black pepper sauce and the fish roll with prawn paste. One problem I noticed that they had was when the food arrived on the table, it's more of a tepid temperature vs a nice hot one I prefer. If the service is a little more slower, I can imagine more complaints coming. However, if you're eating the sizzling items like the US short ribs or the san bei kai, you don't need to worry, as they come piping hot to the table.

The menu also features dim sum (available even at night) that looks very similar to their Chinese cousins. Some are given luxe touches and touched with sliced truffles. Citibank is also running a promotion for their cardholders - 50% for selected dishes like wok fried scrambled egg with shark's fin, abalone dishes for lunchtime until 3pm from Mondays to Fridays. Good chance for one to sample the more pricier dishes. More details are found in the Star newspaper article. Full set of pictures can be found in the flickr set.

Zhen Shan Mei
Lot J-OG-13, Ground Floor
Solaris Mont Kiara
No. 2, Jalan Solaris
50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel:03-62037071

(Non Halal. This corner lot is below Boston and faces the row of shophouses behind Public Bank. Outdoor seating is also available.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.

Tagged with: Taiwanese Food+ SohoKL

Dining Out @ Gu Yue Tien, Chulan Square, Kuala Lumpur

the cold seafood platter from a 4-person set for RM268++

Gu Yue Tien is fast becoming a family favourite of ours. Ever since my luxe steamboat experience there, we have been back twice for dinner. My mother - the one with the very discerning and sophisticated palate (she often eats at Hua Ting, Lei Garden in Singapore, Beijing, London and etc) loves this place and no matter, where we go we end up comparing to this place. What we also like about Gu Yue Tien is, it's just not all about luxe items and unusual flavour pairings, as we were also very impressed with the traditional Chinese and simpler dishes like poached prawns (very fresh) or the pan fried prawns (similar to kon cheen har) - a delectable and toothsome dish served with an aromatic soy sauce. Even plain vegetables were well cooked with very little oil, something my family loves.

Cold dish course from RM99++ per person set: 1. ham I am - iberico ham with rock melon topped with avruga caviar, 2. giant clam with kumquat sauce served with cherry tomatoes and water melon. 3. smoked salmon & onion crab meat roll

Hence, when my friend asked me to sample their new set dinners, I didn't hesitate and joined them for dinner on a stormy night. It was a set dinner the waiter had earlier recommended to us the last time we dined here (the kobe beef is so good!). Ever since then, I've been thinking of returning to try that set since the portions are served Western-style like a tasting menu making it ideal for the 2 of us.

Hot combination course from RM99++ per person set: 1. crispy oyster with chili sweet potato, salsa and vinegar glazed, 2. soft boiled egg with foie gras, 3. "mo mo" duck roll

We sampled two sets that night - a 7-course set priced at RM99++ per person (minimum order of 2 persons) and a 6-course set priced at RM268++ for 4 persons. The seven course meal consisted of a cold dish, hot combination, shark's fin soup, seafood, meat, rice/noodles and dessert. Portions are individually sized and more generous than Western-like tasting menu. You get a choice of three items for each course - a great way to hook you in to coming back a few more times to try all the various dishes, as most of them are equally good.

Shark's fin soup from RM99++ per person set: 1. double boiled golden coin shark's fin soup with chin hua ham & cabbage, 2. braised golden coin shark's fin soup, 3. braised shark's fin soup with crab meat from the 4-person set for RM268++

We kick off with the cold seafood platter from the 4-person set of RM268++, where you are served a combination of large Pacific oysters, prawns and cold crab to be eaten with black vinegar or soy sauce mixed with wasabi. Everything is super fresh and my favourite is the sweet crab meat eaten just on its own or dipped with just a smidgeon of black vinegar for an extra tangy taste.

seafood course from the RM99++ per person set: 1. wok fried pineapple prawn cake (also available in the 4-person set for RM268++), 2. crispy soft shell crab with mousseline pumpkin, 3. fresh water eel with avocado mousse

Nothing prepared us for the rollercoaster of flavours that assaulted us next, as each course came out for the RM99++ per person set. I loved the combination of the Iberico ham wrapped around a sweet and juicy rock melon topped with a generous dollop of Avruga caviar. Equally good was the smoked salmon wrapped around onion crab meat and drizzled with a sweet basil sauce. My favourite out of all the three items - the tangy and slightly spicy pairing of a kumquat sauce (a combination of kumquat, bunga kantan or ginger flowers with bird's eye chillies) with a slice of the giant clam, cherry tomato and watermelon. Starting the meal with that is so ideal, since the tangy taste kicks in the appetite for you to finish off the 6 courses that follow.


Meat course from the RM99++ per person set: 1. pan fried black pig with wasabi and butter shoyu sauce, 2. wok seared sliced sirloin with marinated oriental spice, 3. wok charred rack of lamb (also available under the 4-person set for RM268++)

The hot combination course is just as exciting that it was so hard to choose which was my favourite. I loved the crispy oyster with the tangy sweet potato and chilli salsa and vinegar sauce. We were playing a guessing game on what was used to make the sauce with suggestions like reduced balsamic vinegar and etc. Gu Yu Tien's owner, Frankie stumped us with his revelation, it was Teochew braised sauce known as loh sooi mixed with Chinese black vinegar and reduced. A classic Gu Yu Tien dish is the soft boiled egg topped with the decadent foie gras sauce. Yummy till the last drop and I was given the not very difficult task of finishing this. Last but not least, it was the mo mo duck roll - a lovely combination of pressed duck, sweet mango, hoisin sauce, mustard and spring onions.


the luxurious mun fan that you'll want to eat all day long - braised abalone with rice and assorted meat from the RM99++ per person set and the 4-person set for RM268++

The 7-course set also comes with shark's fin soup, which is great value considering if you order this on an individual basis, it's about RM70 per person. We were oohing and aahing over the prospect of a peppery pig stomach soup with shark's fin but instead we were blown away by the sweet and delicate flavours from the double boiled shark's fin soup with chin hua ham and dried cabbage. Simply good till the last drop!


rice/noodles course from the RM99++ per person set: 1. braised rice with seafood and egg sauce, 2. "hainan" noodles

Looks are often deceiving hence when you see the simple grilled fresh water eel slices served with avocado mousse on the side, you'll brush the avocado portion as just decoration or even something just on the side. Combine the two items in your mouth and you get an explosion of flavours - smooth avocado with a tangy tone from blended pickled green chillies and the melt-in-the-mouth texture. Brings to mind, how avocado can be paired with the most unlikely things like the fried tempura avocado with pan-fried foie gras served in Sage that also blew me away.


our melt-in-the-mouth kobe beef

Another item within that RM99++ per person and also the 4-person set for RM268++ is the wok fried pineapple prawn cake. The moment the plate is placed in front, you'll be hit with the aromas from the bacon and jackfruit used within. The prawn cake is stacked high on top of sliced red cabbage with strawberries and a light creamy sauce that tastes so good with the bacon. The other item within the set is the light and crispy soft shell crab paired with a slightly saltish pumpkin creme.


1. mushrooms with foie gras sauce, 2. bean sprouts are a must for shark's fin 3. braised golden coin shark's fin soup

We're all groaning from all the food but when the tender slices of meat is placed in front of us, we can't resist. Everything is so good, I can's decide between the tender black pig served with the unusual wasabi soy sauce with butter or the wok charred lamb rack (beats a fine dining restaurant with its melt-in-the-mouth texure) or the sirloin topped with a generous portion of mushrooms.


incredibly finger-licking good soy sauce pan fried prawns

Even noodles and rice is elevated to the higher ground with Gu Yu Tien's versions. I loved the Hainan noodles - thick yellow noodles served with a thickish broth that got its soury tang from sliced pineapples, pickled onions and chillies that you don't need to add any extra vinegar. Braised rice is not something new and comforting like the braised eggy sauce served with seafood and rice. However, the ultimate comfort food must be the braised abalone rice, served with a very aromatic sauce made from abalone sauce, smoked tea duck and chopped vegetables. Utterly sublime stuff.


light and refreshing chilled mango pudding served with grass jelly cubes

Last but not least its the dessert course - the unusual pairing of bittergourd pudding or the light tasting mango pudding topped with grass jelly cubes that makes a refreshing end to a very good meal. Avocado cream is also served in this selection that I found a little too sweet for my liking.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and vowed to come back to try the dishes again as they're all so incredibly good with unusual flavour pairings. For those who wish to see the full menu, please click on this link for the information on the various courses. More pictures of each of the courses and what we ate the last time my family had dinner is also found in the Flickr set.

Gu Yue Tien
Lot B5-A
Chulan Square
92 Jalan Raja Chulan
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2148 0808

(Non Halal)

*Notice: The reviewer declares that part of this review was by invitation from the restaurant.

A guide to Hairy Crabs in Kuala Lumpur - 2009 edition

hairy crab picture pinched from my previous King Crab post

Tis that time of the year when our cholestrol levels get a double boost from this highly coveted crustacean aka the hairy crab (tai cheok hai in Cantonese). Usually available from October to November onwards, most of the Chinese restaurants in town are running promotions for this delicacy prized for its rich and creamy roe. From what I read, it seems crabs harvested in October are said to be meatier while the crabs caught in November are said to have creamier roe.

In the midst of searching for a place to indulge in this decadent treat, I decided to compile a list of places that offer them for an easy reference plus comparison. It's not an exhaustive list of places but hopefully it's a start to get you on the right track. Note that the restaurants are alphabetically listed. Some have set menus, promotion offers while others only offer a la carte options.

1. Ah Yat Abalone Forum
Avenue K, Tel:03-2166 3131 & Section 13 PJ, Tel:03-7960 4988

Set menu one: RM148++, no minimum order
abalone, fried cod fish, steamed hairy crab, sharks fin soup, fried rice, kailan, ginger tea and dumplings for dessert

Set menu two: RM288++, no minimum order
abalone (kon pau chee), deep fried prawn roll, seasonal vegetables cooked with crab meat and stock, steamed hairy crab, fried cod fish, birds nest and shark's fin soup, braised mushroom noodles, ginger tea and dumplings for dessert

A la carte: Small (175g for RM65++), Medium (250g for RM138++), Large (300g for RM238++)

Availability: Dependent on supply. Best to call ahead to check.

Origin: Shanghai

For more information on this promotion including pictures, see the Star write up as per this link.

2. Dragon-I Restaurant
The Curve, Tel:03-7728 6888; Pavilion, Tel:03-2143 7688 & 1 Utama, Tel:03-7725 8822
Hairy crab is only available at these outlets only.

Set menu: RM128 nett, minimum 3 persons order
Consists of steamed hairy crab (5oz), steamed Shanghainese dumpling with crab meat, double-boiled superior chicken soup, fresh vegetable cooked with crab meat, Yong Chow fried rice and sesame dumpling in ginger soup.

A la carte: RM55++ (5 oz)

Availability: From now onwards until further notice

Origin: Tai Wu Lake

3. Elegant Inn
Menara Hap Seng, Tel: 03-2070 9399

Set menu: RM98++ (RM112.70), minimum 2 persons order
Consists of appetizer (ginger/prawn/pumpkin), chicken soup with shark's fin, hairy crab (7oz), vegetables, glutinous rice with dried scallops, double boiled milk and crunchy water chesnut for dessert.

A la carte: 7oz for RM63++, 8oz for RM88++

Availability: From now until end of December

Origin of crabs: Tai Wu Lake

4. Mandarin Palace
Federal Hotel, Tel:03-2148 8744

A la carte: RM60++ (about 5-7 oz). Cooked in various styles: steamed, steamed with glutinous rice, cooked in a salt soup, ginger

Availability: Until 30 November, 2009

Origin: Shanghai

5. King Crab
Petaling Jaya, Tel:03-7808 2388

A la carte: RM38++, RM78++, RM128++ (Size ranges from 90g to 170 or 180g) Crabs are served steamed. Slight different in price for male and female crabs

Promotion: Buy 3 crabs and get 1 free crab

Availability: Until end of November

Origin: Yong Sheng Lake

6. Li Yen
Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Tel:03-2142 8000

A la carte: Price ranges from RM170++ to RM210++ (Size ranges from 270-300grams)Steamed hairy crab variety only.

Availability: Until end of November

Origin: Shanghai

7. Shang Palace
Shangri-la Hotel, Tel:03-2074 3904

Set menu: RM248++ per person, minimum 2 persons order
Consists of hairy crab roe, steamed hairy crab, prawn with hairy crab roe, beancurd with hairy crab roe, noodles and sweet ginger tea with gingko nut for dessert

A la carte: RM180++ (7 oz)

Availability: Until 15 November, 2009

Origin: Shanghai

Note: Shang card members get a 20% discount for the hairy crabs whether for the set menu or a la carte order.

8. Shanghai
JW Marriott Hotel, Tel:03-2719 8288

Set menu: RM123++, no minimum order
Consists of hairy crabmeat soup, two xiaolongbaos: one with hairy crab meat and one without, steamed hairy crab, spring onion and soy sauce noodles, ginger soup with mai lai koh as dessert

A la carte: RM130++, RM160++, RM180++, RM210++ (Size ranges from 280g to 300g)

Availability: Until end of November 2009

Origin: Tai Wu Lake, Shanghai

Best ever Ice Milo (Milo Ais) from the Milo Van

still so incredibly good - Milo Ais from the van

Mention Milo and I immediately think back to my childhood days - queueing up in the hot sun during sports day to drink the icy cold frothy drink. It tasted so incredibly good that I often wonder, was it just a figment of my childhood imagination??


1. Milo is good for you, 2. Milo on the tap! 3. Stirring the ice around

Last week, I had a chance to relive my childhood memories as I spotted the Milo Van making its rounds (they're doing it in support of our Malaysian contingent for the SEA Games for Dec 9-18). It brought a big smile immediately. A taste of the frothy icy drink brought back a flood of sweet memories for me. Amazing! It still tasted just as good as I remembered - a rich chocolatey taste that was not too sweet and chilled just right. Honestly, nothing beats the ice Milo (Milo Ais) from the van I reckon. Not sure what their secret is but I'm glad some things never change in life like the incredibly good Milo Ais from my childhood days.

For this Friday, why don't you share what's your memory about drinking from the Milo Van? Of if you never had that experience, where's your best ever Milo drink? It could even be your own home concoction or somewhere you drank it at?

Vegetarian Food @ Gandhi's, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

the best thing at Gandhi's - the cannot-stop-eating cauliflower with curry leaves

I must admit, I never tire of dropping by Brickfields especially on lazy Sundays. It's fascinating to walk down the streets, to spot a kind bystander help the blind man cross the street or people flurrying around in colourful saris with laddus wrapped in colourful glass paper emerging from a happy wedding.


1. fake assam fish, so not happening 2. "chicken" tikka with the yummy spinach. 3. Someone sports his prized BrawnGP t-shirt that I bought for his birthday, which went all around London and KL

I was curious to try out Gandhi's, that pristine looking place I spotted the last time I did my walkabout. Sadly food failed to impress (one does not like pretend chicken that was dry and tasteless) and I had to compare it with Gopala's that seemed much better. The set up here, is quite similar to Gopala's - a vegetarian dishes "chap fan" or economy rice style, where you pick the food you wish to eat from an array of dishes, yong tau foo on the side and supposedly vegetarian satay at night.


1. Pick something please. 2. Pictures of Gandhi is everywhere. 3. Love the t-shirts the servers wear with the picture of Gandhi

I had better luck hitting the streets. It was chaotic that Sunday, as the cops had decided to issue tickets to double parkers along the busy roads. As usual, the fried snack stall was heaving with the demand of customers, waiting patiently for their fried goodies.


1. Temple down the road and next to the river. 2. You get scenes like these, helpful passerbys showing the way for the blind

I was actually on a mission, as one of my readers, Eveneverland (all the way from Whitton, Twickenham) had asked about the nonya kuih lady in Brickfields.


I'm guessing this person is a Liverpool football fan????

It was a great tip, as I found her peddling her wares just off the busy fried snacks fella. People will keep coming, buying her goodies - yam cake, white cake, kuih talam, lor mai chi, popiah, curry puffs and etc.


the aunty that has been selling her wares for 20 years

I settled on kuih talam that was given a very natural green tinge and the white cake or pak koh with preserved radish. I had it my car the whole time and believe me, the preserved radish was very fragrant that I could smell it throughout the car journey. I only managed to eat it much later and both were fantastic - soft and very natural vs those artificial Nonya kuihs you often find nowadays.


Crispy deep fried popiah and various nonya kuih

One more observation of the day - Peter's Pork Noodles also has another stall at the corner coffee shop where these stalls are located in front of. Looks like it is run by his wife or a female relative. If you do have a little time, drop by Brickfields and be fascinated with the going ons there (and pick up the fried goodies and nonya kuih). For more on Brickfields, see my previous crawl here.

Gandhi's
Scott Sentral Serviced Apartments
Jalan Scott
Brickfields

Tel: 012-61 8267

(Pork free. Open from 8am-2am daily)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.

Tagged with: Brickfields + Vegetarian food

Venicia Restaurant @ Bangsar Puteri & Casa Venicia, Kuala Lumpur

Jiang Nan prawns (RM40 for 2 pieces) were fingerlicking good

People & food - that's a formula which works all the time. Every weekend, when we do our chores and drop by the pet shop to stock up on cat food & litter, the conversation always seems to turn towards food. "Where's a good place?" and we'll end up trading recommendations. One of these recommendations turned out to be this interesting place - a restaurant based within the confines of a residential condominium.


Venicia's version of sang har yee meen

Eateries housed within condominiums are not a new thing - they kinda cater to the residents for quick and easy food. As word gets around about their food, outsiders also start walking in to try their food. Great examples of condominium eateries we love are the value-for-money Japanese restaurants at Vista Kiara and Mont Kiara Pines (they're related and also own Zakuro at Plaza Mt Kiara), Bijou with its breezy and great pool view at Mont Kiara Damai and etc.


buttery crabs with a hint of mild curry powder

This particular place was way off the beaten track for both of us - all the way in Selayang. Luckily with all the network of highways (even though you pay through your nose, no wonder I can earn that 20% rebate!), you get here relatively quickly. The original restaurant Venicia is housed within a pretty spacious condominium known as Casa Venicia (there's a kinda pond there, which I guess they're trying to pass off as a canal).


salted egg yolk crabs

Even though we're quite early (about 7pm), it's almost packed with families munching down their Sunday meal. Everyone's table has similar items - the deep fried freshwater prawns, butter crab in a startling brown yellow sauce and etc. We have our list given to us by our friends and it almost matches what's on their tables. Food arrived quickly (within 30 minutes) despite the many tables. We loved the Jiang Nan prawns - deep fried till very fragrant but a little oily. I detected just a hint of Chinese herbs, that added a lovely aroma to the sweet prawns.


one huge claw

Our order for the clams in superior soup (siong tong lala) - RM7 for small portion, was mediocre, maybe we should have ordered the kam heong style. Last but not least came the butter crabs (RM32 for 1 crab) coated in a thickish rich sauce with a hint of mild curry powder taste. While I didn't think the crabs was very fresh, I enjoyed the buttery sauce with rice. The mild spicy taste seemed to cut through the richness of the sauce, making it easy to drizzle loads of the sauce on the white rice and gulp it down.


1. fluffy sotong, 2. sweet potato leaves, 3. twirling the noodles

Rather than just try the Selayang place, we decided to also try out their Bangsar outlet, just opened about a year ago. It seems the restaurants are a family business (the brother runs Bangsar while the sister takes care of Selayang). Due to its location within the condominium, they don't serve pork and instead an emphasis is placed on seafood dishes. I kinda suspect they started with seafood because of their proximity to the seafood shops/restaurants in Selayang.

The Bangsar Puteri restaurant is a little better than Selayang - less stuffy looking with an option to dine on a deck that leads to the swimming pool. There's not much to the interior of the place - looking like it still harks back to the 1980s! Green tablecloths seem to be their trademark, as we spotted them in Selayang and on certain tables in Bangsar. Food is also the same but we decided to try other items, I've read about in other blogs. Sang har meen (RM15 for 2 prawns) was a big surprise. I expected the eggy version with crispy noodles but got a braised version with yee mee, which turned out to be quite good. Even the salted egg yolk crab (RM55) was very different - coated liberally with egg until it stuck to the shells but it had very little salted egg yolk taste. We both enjoyed the crabs as it was very fresh and sweet tasting. Deep fried sotong (RM8) wasn't the crispy type but still very enjoyable as the fluffy fried batter was nice and light. I also enjoyed the sweet potato leaves (RM6) topped with teeny weeny fried anchovies.

If we had to compare both places, I reckon Bangsar is better, as it's so much nearer for us. Even though it's slightly more pricier for the food (drinks are more expensive in Selayang though!), I felt the food was nicer, the ambience a little more nicer. Since spying on other people's food is always a great way to know what else is good, I spied the butter prawns - peeled prawns in the butter sauce the crab was cooked in. Am sure that will taste good, so that'll be the next order, for the next round. More pictures are in the Flickr set.

Restoran Venicia
1st Floor, Casa Venicia Club House
Jalan Bukit Idaman 1/3
Bukit Idaman
Batu Caves

Tel: 03-6136 2010

(Pork free. Open from 12-2.30pm, 6-10pm for Monday to Thursday, 5.30-10pm for Friday and Sunday.)

Restoran Venicia
41-02-02, Level 2
Bangsar Puteri Condominium
41, Jalan Maarof
Bangsar

Tel:03-2094 2010

(Pork free. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday lunchtime.)

*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.

Tagged with: Selayang+ Bangsar

Other reviews:

• Mouthwatering Food
• May-niac Blog
• Dish with Vivien
• Karen Khim's blog (in Mandarin)