Chicken Kuey Teow Soup Noodles @ Ipoh Chang Jiang, Section 17, Petaling Jaya

patience is much needed here especially during peak hours

Searching for food now has become incredibly easy - just a click on the Net or open the papers and you will see reams of information regarding places to eat. Sadly though, not everything is to be trusted hence the only way is to give it your own taste test since everyone has their opinion on what tweaks their tastebuds. With regards to this place that recently got highlighted in the Star, I was a little curious about it as I thought I knew every nook & cranny of Section 17, until I read about this place.


the kuey teow soup that comes laden with goodies

This small unassuming restaurant can be found at the flats that face the main road, which joins the famous Rothmans roundabout (a misnomer since Rothmans now is BAT) to Jaya One and Sultan Samad school. Packed with people, they seem to be enjoying fame from the newspaper article (the owner was proudly displaying it all framed up and some customers were even referring to it). Most of the people who dine here work around the factories and office or are the flat's residents. Don't be surprised to see old men sitting in tables just kicking back with their pot of Chinese tea.


you can also order the meats seperate for a very satisfying meal

Come during the peak time (i.e. lunchtime) and except to wait very very long (about 1/2 hour). When you place your order they give you a little queue number to hold on to. Here you get a variety of noodles cooked in a clear soup with various toppings - whole chicken chopped, chicken shreds, fish paste (yee wat) and thin slices of poached pork belly. Those who come in larger groups or a very hungry tummy, can opt to place an extra order of poached chicken seperately. What make them unique here is they use the bright yellow skinned chickens signifying free range chooks, that have more bite to their meat and less fat.

I love the soup here, not overly sweet that signifies no use of any additional MSG and etc. Portions are also quite big as you can get a hearty meal for RM5 to RM11 per person depending on how much you order. The fish paste is also very fresh and bouncy. Even the white coffee here is pretty good, making the wait a little bearable. Give it a try the next time you're at this area and you won't be dissapointed. Thumbs up to Sam! Good one!

Ipoh Chang Jiang Restaurant
Along Jalan 17/1A
Section 17
Petaling Jaya

(Non halal. Closed on Mondays, open from 7am till lunchtime. To get here from Rothmans round about, go straight like driving towards Jaya One. Take the second left turn and then the first right turn. Drive down and you will see the flats on the left hand side with Ipoh chang Jiang there. Parking can be quite horrendous here too. Google map can be found here.)

*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: Noodles + Malaysian Food

Green Patty Love - Ana Burger @ Kemensah Heights, Kuala Lumpur

ordering burgers can get a little sticky here, as they ask you "nak kawen tak???" (Malay for, "do you want to get married?")

Quirky, is the best word that describes this out-of-the-way place we were first introduced to by the Fried Chillies team. Utterly passionate about street burgers in all shapes and sizes, they're definitely the Indiana Jones of burger hunters, as I would not have ever discovered this small stall tucked inside a housing estate behind the zoo! Surprisingly, we remembered the turns taken in the middle of the pitch black night (we came once with them!) and managed to retrace our steps back to this place without any GPS coordinates. No guesses on who was navigating (it wasn't me!) since he usually has a sixth sense when it comes to tracking his way around.

watching the pro work behind the grill is always fascinating

Green seems to rule at this stall! You have a green fluorescent light brightening and casting an eerie hue all around it. Then, unlike the other Ramly places in town, this fella adds a slice of green apple and shredded cabbage on his burgers. Seems the grill master decided adding cucumber and tomatoes will be too watery hence he switched to green apple. The addition of the fruit adds a freshness to the burger but it would have been even better, if more slices were given though.


so satisfied! even though the wait is a little long

The fun does not stop there either, as the stall owner has a type of burger called Kawen (Malay for married) where you get to mix 2 types of burgers - the chicken and beef patties. While it is nothing special in terms of taste, the guy behind the grill obviously gets a kick of asking girls, "you nak kawen tak? berapa kali you nak kawen?" (Malay for "do you want to get married? how many times you want to marry?") Needless to say, I took the plunge and "got married" here!

While you're waiting for your burger, just observe how he makes the burgers - splits them in the middle to grill them thoroughly, spreads French's mustard over it, adds a dash of Lea & Perrins sauce and a generous sprinkle of black pepper before removing them to be sandwiched between grilled buns. One bite of it will definitely send you to patty heaven and who knows, maybe this is what marriage is all about - a little grilling on the hot stove by the potential in-laws, a dash of love & romance and a sprinkle of patience, faith & trust to seal everything together. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.

Ana Burger
Jalan L8
Taman Melawati
Phase 6A
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 017-2670924

(Halal. Open daily from 5.30pm -11.30pm. Call ahead to order your burgers. GPS Coordinates: N3 13.000 E101 45.622. To get here from the zoo, take a left turn after the zoo and go straight on Jalan Taman Zooview until you see a signboard on the left hand side that lists out Kg Kemensah, Taman Bkt Kemensah, Taman Ukay Prima, Taman Kemensah, Taman Pesona Indah and etc. Take a left turn, this will be Jalan Satu and go straight. Take another left turn at Jalan Kemensah and a right turn to Jalan L5. You need to look for Jalan L8 on the left hand side and turn in. The stall is in front of this soon to be built bungalow hence it is a construction side with cladding around it. Google map to the place is at this link.)

*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: Ramly Burger + Malaysian Food

Dining Out @ Subak, Bukit Lanjan, Kuala Lumpur

enjoy nature at its best here

Finally, we got to visit Subak last weekend. In fact I made it a point of my weekend to drop by to sample the food. Having heard good things through the blogs and our friend, SMI who is the PR there, we were very curious about the food prepared by a former chef of Avillion, Port Dickson. We had spotted Subak quite some time back even before my Italy trip but never got round to trying it since we have been busy. Even though, we were warned off the mosquitoes (that only seem to come out at dusk) by Sean, we ended up arriving just before the sun went down. It became a blessing in disguise as I managed to capture Subak in the bright light and the candlelight glow, hence the contrast in the pictures.

start off with gado gado and the addictive peanut sauce

Getting here is not too tough (especially if you use the Country Heights Damansara entrance from Damansara Perdana). First you pass by kampung houses and car workshops selling half cars, go up and down some seriously steep roads and you will find Subak perched on a the side of a hill surrounded by greenery. There seems to be 2 levels to Subak; a lower level where the restaurant is located with a wooden deck and an upper level where it looks like someone's personal residence. The place is popular for private parties - we saw birthday party balloons all set up when we got there and people trickling in for a dinner party.

excellent rich tasting soto, braised lamb shank masala that wowed us with the delish sweet potato mash, es teler and candle

The menu here is a mix of Asian and Western items. Occasionally there are specials depending on the availability of items. For instance they had a durian dessert for the weekend. While we were given a list of what is good from my friend, I did venture away and ordered the Ibu Yati's gado gado (RM10) and Pak Ajelan's Balinese Style Chicken "Soto" (RM10). Served in a long white plate, the shredded yambean, tender potato leaves shoots, tofu cubes and half a hard boiled egg were placed in a popiah skin cup with the bumbu peanut sauce in a bowl. Next to the salad was a tangy relish of jackfruit and long beans tossed with chopped bird eye's chillies. We absolutely loved the peanut sauce, which was mildly spicy but rich with peanut taste from the chopped nuts. The soto or chicken soup was very tummy satisfying down to the last spoonful. We also found nasi impit (compressed rice cube), chicken shreds and bergedil (potato cutlet) within the soup. I especially liked the spicy soy sauce dip that came with it, as it added oomph to the whole ensemble.

grilled cod with prawn served on top of baby potatoes and vegetables

For the mains, we took our friend's recommendation and went for the braised lamb shank masala (RM40) and the pan-fried medallion of cod fish and butterflied prawns (RM45). When we were enjoying our appetisers, there was still light hence snapping pictures was pretty easy but by the time the mains came, it became so dark, I had to snap a few shots to make sure it wasn't blur. The lamb shank was a generous portion that was served with yummy sweet potato mash, vegetables and a tangy green apple salad. We loved the fork tender lamb shank with the tomato based masala sauce. The sauce tends to be more on the mild side though so those expecting a fiery red hotness will be dissapointed. My pan-fried cod was a better alternative, if you're watching your waistline but they were very generous with the baby potatoes and vegetables on the side. I liked the sweet taste of the cod fish with the grilled prawn on the side.

For desserts, I was very tempted to try the tapai with ice cream (an all time fav of mine) but went for the kuta es teler (RM8) - a refreshing assorted fruits concoction with icy cold coconut milk. What I loved about this simple dessert was the quality of the fruits added in it - just ripe avocado, tender jackfruit and sweet young coconut flesh. In fact, that theme seems to be redolent in all their dishes, as the chef definitely picks the best for his dishes like the tender sweet potato leaves in the gado gado and the fruits in even the simple dessert (usually people just dump unripe and hard avocadoes and etc!).

In terms of atmosphere, Subak definitely enthralls when night falls as it is breezy especially when you dine on the wooden deck and you get to hear the crickets. Don't worry about mosquitoes though as at night, there's none but be warned if you go at dusk. During the day, I found the place to be a little sparse of decoration. What I found most interesting, was their collection of traditional kitchen items - the batu giling, rice grinder and a wooden pounder for rice. Do give Subak a try for a special occasion or even a party but go at night and discover nature (far from the crazy rat race city life we all lead!). More pictures of Subak are available in the Flickr set.

Subak

Lot 3213
Jalan Penchala Indah
Bukit Lanjan
Kuala Lumpur

Tel No: 03 - -77299030 or 77299031

(Halal. For detailed directions, refer to Subak's website for the map. The place is open from 11am to 12 midnight, making it ideal for those who love to party all night or enjoy a late night dinner. For menu details and other reviews, please check their website.)

*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: Subak + Bukit Lanjan

Lan Je's Steamed Tilapia Fish @ Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya

the main star of this place - steamed black tilapia with a generous soybean paste with chillies

Recently at my friend's wedding dinner, I overheard some one mention the magic words, "Lan Je" and "Kota Damansara". Further probing revealed that the infamous steamed tilapia stall from Rawang has spread their wings and opened a branch in Petaling Jaya. Whoopee!! Now one does not need to travel to the other end of the world for a steamed fish fix.


the fish is delivered table by table, watch out as it is piping hot and some very satisfied customers next to me with cleaned out fish bones.

Discovering this place is quite simple especially after you get your bearings right. Located well hidden from the main road, this shop is packed every lunch time with patrons. Everyone waits patiently for their steamed fish (about 1/2 hour or more, if peak lunch times) to arrive at their table. Once the fish hits the table, everyone's tummy is growling so loudly, you can see them tuck into the fish even before the plates of rice appear.

The steamed fish (large one is RM17) here is good stuff, soft and topped with a slightly spicy chilli bean paste sauce. I did feel the fish was a tad harder than Rawang, where it is usually silky soft but nevertheless it was still good stuff, which made a very satisfying lunch. It seems they also have a branch in Balakong (per address below) hence those who stay around that area can go sample the steamed fish there too. They also have other dishes (that look different from what I ate in Rawang), which is only mediocre, so just stick to the steamed fish.

Lan Je Steamed Fish
F-50G & 51G, Jalan Teknologi 3/9

Bistari "DE" Kota
Kota Damansara
PJU 5, Petaling Jaya

Tel: 012-669 9919, 016-6189919

Lan Je Steamed Fish
No. 10G & 12G, Jalan Kasturi 3

Plaza Kasturi
Batu 11, Jalan Balakong
Cheras

Tel: 016-2482009, 012-3662434, 012-3962953

(Pork free. From the NKVE exit of Kota Damansara, go straight and up the ramp. You will pass by 2 traffic lights and see a row of shophouses with Gulam Mee on your left hand side. When driving here, on the right you will pass by a Mcdonalds and Shell station. Go straight and take a left turn towards the shophouses, an immediate right turn, go straight and another left turn to get to the back of the shophouses. You will see Lan Je's shop in front so go straight and park around the area. The Kota Damansara outlet is open from 11.30am-3pm, 6-9pm. Closed on Tuesdays. The Balakong outlet is open from 11-3pm for Mondays to Fridays and during the weekends, open from 11-3pm, 5.30-9.30pm. Also closed on Tuesdays. Google map to Kota Damansara is here.)

*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: Malaysian Food + Steamed Fish

What do others have to say:

• awhiffoflemongrass - posted like 2 hours ago, so I guess great tummies think alike??? Avoid the other dishes and just stick to steamed fish. There's even a poem.
• wanderlust - also said the other side dishes are not fantastic except the prawns in cili padi sauce.
• tiny piece of me gives some sound advice, don't come here if you are hungry as the wait is long and longer still.
• happy happy gives the thumbs up to the fish and a tofu with prawns. Warning this site comes with music.

Addictive and fantastic rojak sauce Mak Bee, Alor Setar, Kedah

addictive fruit rojak that you can keep eating every day

Those from Kedah or up north, would have heard or tasted Mak Bee's rojak sauce - a household name since it started out in 1979. This thick rojak sauce is highly sought after by the locals who have migrated over to the Klang Valley like Adly of Fried Chillies (Congratulations to their team as their street food video has been picked for the New York Food Film Fest for June 2009!!!). When he heard Splashie Boy knew the current proprietors of Mak Bee's, he quickly ordered 5 containers of that prized rojak sauce. I also jumped in and got myself 5 containers, thinking it must be damn good for Adly to put in such a large order.

it is all in the sauce; made from belacan, chillies, soy sauce, sugar and peanuts

After procrastinating for a few weeks, I decided to give it a try by buying a selection of fruits from the nearby stall. The stall proprietor thought I was real weird I didn't want any sauce with my fruits - a mix of pineapple, yambean, cucumber, guava and mangoes. Oh my, how I wished I had tried it earlier as the thick, sweet, peanut laden and spicy sauce was so addictively good. Yesterday, my colleague gave it a try and she kept asking for more! So much more, that she even ventured down to the canteen to see if she could get some fruits to go with the sauce. We reckon, this indulging in fruit rojak made from Mak Bee's amazingly good rojak sauce is going to be a daily ritual. Slurp!! More pictures of the rojak are in Flickr.

If you wish to get your hands on this amazing rojak sauce (we bought each bottle at RM3.50), their distributor, Pak Lang Dodol is at NS. 32, Lorong Kelapa, Central Market, Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur. The place is open daily from 10am to 9pm. Alternatively if you want to make bulk purchases contact Rue Jacque Enterprise by emailing them at ruejacque@gmail.com or call Aslan Abdullah (013-392 5005) or Nadiah Abdullah (019-6625005).

*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: Malaysian Food + Rojak

Other fans of Mak Bee's:

• Our Live...Our Journal

Satay @ O Mulia, Jalan Tun Razak/Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur

satay sticks on the grill

From yesterday's wok power, let us move on to the charcoal grill effect, which we discovered last Saturday. Having to make a stop late at night to Suria KLCC since a certain someone had to work, we picked O Mulia satay to grab a quick bite. The fellas manning the grills were putting on a pyrotechnic show, hence we both managed to grab excellent shots of their fire power.


incredible fire action all the way

I've been a patron of O Mulia since I was a teenager (was introduced to this stall by my sister) and it has been a favourite stop-over for satay long before Haji Samuri became super famous and built his enormous empire of satay outlets. The wait is often long especially during peak hours but don't worry, as you can also order other items like chicken chop, fried rice and noodles, steamed or grilled cockles, yong tau foo and etc, if your tummy grumbles over the long wait.


satay, pick me up sticks and a little vegetables with ketupat to make a whole meal

We prefer snapping loads of pictures of the men behind the hot grill, splashing oil with a brush fashioned from lemongrass to get the oil smoking hot. After a while, it was beginning to resemble the sparks of a Hokkien Mee stall owner. Here the satay is served in large meaty chunks with charred bits on the outside and juicy tender centers within. This makes it a very substantial meal when coupled with ketupat (sigh, I would prefer leaves vs plastic though!), cucumbers and onions. Everything is eaten with a chunky peanut sauce (way better than the watered down gunk in a certain famous satay restaurant), where you can add super spicy sambal, if preferred.

Sadly though, I had to rush through my meal at the end, as someone sent an SOS call saying their UPS died! Nevertheless, I enjoyed my chunky satay (even though the beef version was a little too charred and tough), the steamed cockles and the antics of an adorable Siamese kitten. For more pictures of everything else, look into the Flickr set.

O Mulia Satay
300-1, Jalan Tun Razak
Kuala Lumpur

Tel No: 019-371 3639

(Halal. Open from 5-11.30pm, closed on Sundays. Each stick is 60 sens. Get the google map here. To get here, if you are coming from PWTC on Jalan Tun Razak towards KLCC, you will pass by Istana Budaya and the National Blood Bank. Keep left when you see Wisma Sejarah and Hospital Pusrawi, pass by National Library and you will hit the traffic lights. Just after the traffic light on the left hand side, at the corner is O Mulia satay. It is opposite the Marinara building and near Celcom building.)

*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: Malaysian Food + Satay

Other reviews:

• Fried Chillies did a video on this place.
• Babe in the City felt there was too much MSG in the satay.
• A gift from heart didn't have a great experience there with the waiters (Note, it is all in Malay).
• Makanlah had good things to say about this place.

Night Time Char Kuey Teow @ Jalan 1/10, Petaling Jaya Old Town

tools of the trade, uncle does it a litte differently here

The last time, I was around the Petaling Jaya old town area having a quick dinner at Heng Kee bak kut teh, I noticed this particular stall selling char kuey teow. Located right across from the busy (but not impressive) bak kut teh stall, I was drawn to how the uncle was frying his noodles - with a very short metal spatula. It also looked promising as people were hanging around waiting for him to fry the rice noodles. A little curious as always, I vowed to go back to sample those oily charred noodles. My first attempt on a Wednesday met with failure as they were closed but I struck lucky last Friday, after work.

my very satisfying plate of noodles

I patiently waited for my plate of noodles (about 20-30 minutes). For some waiting can be tortue especially if your tummy is rumbling so order a snack from the roast/stewed duck stall or the economy rice stall in the same shop. The people who sat in front, obviously were newbies to the stall, as they could be seen harassing one half of the stall owners, asking where's their char kuey teow before settling down for a quick appetizer from the duck stall.

Luckily my plate of char kuey teow came quickly after that or else, I'll be complaining too. Full of wok hei (the breath of the wok), the noodles weren't too oily or wet, just the way I like it. I asked for an addition of cockles, hence you see loads of them mixed in the noodles, chinese chives, bean sprouts, egg and prawns. A quick chat with the couple revealed that they're actually the same people who also do business at the corner coffeeshop opposite the market. Seems he has been frying noodles for almost 20 years, hence he is used to the shorter spatula (easier to control, the wife tells me) and he uses the fan to control the fire. Now, I know where to get my char kuey teow fix at night, when the cravings hit. For bigger pictures, see the Flickr set.

Char Kuey Teow Stall
Restoran Soon Leong
Jalan 1/10

Petaling Jaya Old Town

(Non Halal. The stall is open from 7 to 11pm. Closed on Mondays and Thursdays. This place is located at the same coffeeshop, Cumi & Ciki had blogged about on the Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun. Teckiee also blogged about the chicken noodle soup here. Follow the Google Map to this place. It is further down from the Ipoh white coffee. From Assunta hospital, if you are coming from Federal Highway, make a 9'o clock turn, go straight and hit the traffic lights. Go straight and take first left, you will pass an Ipoh White coffee. The stall is on the same row after Ipoh White Coffee and before Heng Kee bak kut teh.)

*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: Malaysian Food + Char Kuey Teow

A guide to food reviewspeak, courtesy of May 2009's Appetite magazine

these barbeque pork ribs got the foodfella's approval but I dare not venture into what kind of foodspeak he will use to describe it though......

I just got my copy of Appetite magazine and as usual, the first thing I do is turn to the last pages to read Christopher Tan's column. Having met the famous foodie last year in the USA, I've been keenly following his column. In fact, he's the one who recommended I try the Geylang frog porridge, which I crawled out of Changi Airport at 3am to savour.

This was by far, the best ever column I've read where he does a guide on what food reviewers actually mean. It is absolutely hilarious and to be honest, I find myself sometimes guilty of using those terms. Ooops, one must stop as it can be so true, especially when one wants to say in a nice manner, "the food sucks like shit!"

Do go get the issue yourself and read through those gems he has picked out. To tempt you all, here are some for you to nibble on.

An acquired taste: I spat most of it discreetly into my napkin

or

The taste was indescribable: I'm not entirely sure what I was eating...come to think of it I'm not sure whether I enjoyed it either.

Korean food @ Ko Hyang, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur

can you believe they had 6 people in small cramped space behind the counter cooking?

Korean food + Splashie Boy = great memories

Long before everything and anything Korean became so popular under the sun, whether it was movies, television shows about palace ladies cooking away and Rain (nope not what we want to cool us down in Malaysia but the singer), Korean food always had a special place in Splashie Boy's heart (and tummy). He was first introduced to Korean food, weirdly enough by his American German-descent colleague, MVE who is based in Korea. Like all food memories, nothing has come close to that first taste of his best-ever bibimbap. Served in a small shop in Seoul manned by an old Korean lady, he often tells me, it was simply unforgettable.

bibimbap - mix it good

Strangely enough, after 6 years, he seems to have found something quite close to that memorable taste at this tiny kiosk in Gardens. Owned by Chung Hee Jung, a Korean who used to study here, this simple no-frills place serves a menu of Korean favourites. They have bibimbap (of course), bulgogi, jap chae, bi bim kuk su (sweet and spicy noodles), jan chi guk su (seafood noodles), su je mi (a kind of hand torn dough with soup that bears a striking similarity to pan mee), kim chi ji kye (kimchi stew with tofu and vegetables), sun du bu ji kye (kimchi stew with tofu, prawns and vegetables) and kimchi bokem bap (fried kimchi rice).

not to spicy but satisfying kimchi soup, panjeon and side dishes (banchan)

Bibimbap (RM15.90) here is served in a large metal bowl, looking so pretty with all kinds of vegetables including mushroom, onion, carrot, zucchini, bean sprouts, parsley and seaweed. You have a choice of minced chicken or beef, that you will mix together with the spicy gochujang chilli paste and a fried egg. Mix it all up and you get to enjoy all the different flavours together. We also liked the rice they use, a kind of brown rice that is slightly sticky. I had the kim chi ji kye (RM14.90) - a not too spicy but satisfying tangy bright orange soup with beancurd, vegetables and glass noodles. Thumbs up to the taste of the food, as it had a homey feel to it and best of all, it was very tasty without any additional MSG. Often I have dined at other Korean places and the food tends to taste bland.

As a side dish, we also had the pajeon (RM9.50), a seafood version with prawns and spring onions. The soft but slightly oily pancake, a popular street food in Korea was tasty especially when dipped with the tangy sauce on the side. To cool off, try their Sik Hye (RM3.80), a cold sweet drink made from barley malt powder and sweet glutinous rice. Seems the refreshing drink is boiled for 7 hours. Apologies in advance if I got any Korean references wrong. Still trying to figure out what is what from my Korean cookbooks. For more pixs, see the Flickr set.

Ko Hyang
LG-K05, The Gardens
Mid Valley City
Kuala Lumpur

(Pork free. Place is opposite Justlife and located on the lower ground floor.)

*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: Korean Food + The Gardens

Other reviews:

• nicktay & sarafoo
• pinkpainter
• cest la vie in KL

Tasty Chicken Rice @ Sunway Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya

bit players in a Chicken Rice drama; forks and spoons on the table, the kiam chye boey that perks up appetites and their Taiping hor fun that reminds me of Kakak in Taiping

I confess, I often find that chicken rice here in Malaysia never seems to measure up compared to Singapore's famous Hainanese chicken rice. Phew! I said it! I'll probably be branded unpatriotic but honestly the Singapore version often gets my thumbs up because they serve such aromatic rice vs the Malaysian versions. It seems to be an island-trend as no matter where I've eaten in Singapore, it has been exceptionally good whether it is the Four Seasons Hotel or just a stall in Maxwell Food Court (albeit a very famous one which we had to queue for).

silky smooth poached chicken

It's probably the reason also, why I have shied away from blogging about chicken rice as nothing strikes me as exceptional. For this place, I had very high hopes since it came with a title - the stall was crowned the Malaysian Hainan Chicken Rice Open Competition champion in 2007.

the exceptionally excellent braised chicken feet - all gelatinous and melt in the mouth

So did it pass the test? While it didn't get close to the aromatic rice you get in Singapore (definitely wins hand down!), it was a class above the normal chicken rice - fluffy but I felt lacked the aroma of the chicken fat. However, my dissapointment was consoled by discovering one of the best ever braised chicken feet. Hold on, what about the chicken? It was good with a silky smooth texture but after eating the chicken feet, it seemed to pale in comparison as my tummy seemed to signal, "I just want chicken feet only".

the rice in question that often makes me wish I lived in Singapore instead

The chicken feet in question? If you love them soft and gelatinous in your mouth, then you'll love their version as it literally melts in the mouth. Gorgeous stuff! Be warned though, it can give you a slightly sticky sensation to the lips from all that gelatin. However, no dish is ever perfect as I the sauce was a little too sweet for my liking. The dark brown sauce has a thick consistency since part of the gelatin melts into it.

The side dishes here are pretty good too - the sourish kiam chye (stewed mustard greens) perked up the appetite and the chilli sauce was good but not very fiery with rough bits of garlic and red chillies. Minced ginger sauce is also served at the side. If you prefer noodles, they also serve hor fun (rice noodles) that remind me of those found in Kakak, that famous stall in Taiping but not as laden with MSG. Overall, it makes a great lunch place as service is pretty fast and parking can be found around this area since it seems quieter that the middle part of the shophouses.

Restoran Tasty Chicken Rice

22A-1, Jalan PJU 5/16

Dataran Sunway

Kota Damansara

Petaling Jaya

Tel No: 012-555 5591

(Non Halal. Open from : 9am to 3.30pm, 5pm to 8.30pm from Monday to Fridays. For Saturday and Sunday, it is open from 9am-3.30pm. The shop is at the same row as Sentul Yap's Hokkien Mee and opposite the ICCA Cake decorating centre.)

*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: Malaysian Food + chicken Rice

Other reviews:

• Food Point of Interest

3 + 1 ways to add bliss to your dinner - Truffle Egg Pasta

1. Truffle oil

On the way back from Italy, I was "forced" to transit in Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport for a few hours while waiting for my connecting flight to Singapore. Since it way too expensive to get a Prada handbag in duty free even though they looked mighty tempting, instead I consoled myself by getting gourmet goodies. Not a huge variety of items but they had truffle oil, something I have been eyeing for a while. Definitely lighter on the wallet vs whole truffles. Last night, I had to chance to break the seal and sniff the oil. Fantastic stuff that smelled so heavenly I reckon they should make it into body cream or even perfume. Expect more homecooked meals with truffle oil. I reckon, I can add it to mushrooms soups and mashed potatoes. For last night's dinner - I infused my raw egg with the oil and slowly fried it. Somehow the egg tasted richer and a tad more luxurious than normal. (Postscript: For those who want to get truffle oil, delicious ingredients at Dua Residency stocks white and black truffle oil)

2. Truffle salsa

Fans of Tetsuya will know of his infamous truffle salsa. Google it on the net and you'll find it everywhere. Sadly I have yet to taste this famous salsa (saw it once at Uncle Ho's!) even though I have been trying my best to get my hands on it. I spied a bottle of truffle salsa (not Tetsuya's though) at delicious ingredients recently and decided to put it to good use. A mix of a spoonful of the aromatic black truffle salsa transformed my ordinary pasta into something spectacular. Amazing stuff. Next I plan to make that famous truffle butter everyone raves about. Can't wait to try that.

3. Greenpan

Asian Food Channel viewers will definitely know all about the Greenpan. Recently I got my hands on one and decided since I had to make fried eggs last night, it would be appropriate to "de-virginise" the pan. Amazing item, as my eggs slid off easily making fried eggs, a piece of cake. I reckon I'm in love with the pan, which is coated with Thermolon vs Teflon, which when overheated releases all those harmful substances. Next test for the pan is seeing if it can last in the oven.

4. Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Last but not least, I love all kinds of kitchen gadgets and one of my favourite buys has been my Microplane grater. It works so well with hard cheeses like Parmesan - creating fine ribbonlike shreds that melt in the mouth when you eat it. That small but crucial addition seems to add that extra oomph to my meal.

* Note 1 - my recipe for dinner was based on David Lakes' recipe on Cuisine. I made some changes like adding more truffle salsa to my own taste and keeping the pasta water to toss the ingredients together as they tend to stick after it gets slightly cold.

** Note 2 - took me 30 minutes to cook the dinner and in return, it was utter bliss especially when you break the egg yolk, mix it with the truffle salsa pasta and take a large forkful of pasta - yummmmmm....

Divine Cupcakes @ Delectable by Su, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur

lovely ribbons decorate the breezy yellow striped cake box

I have a big secret - I actually stalk food blogs especially whenever I have time. A quick search on Google often yields up interesting food blogs that I never knew existed, hence I'll bookmark them before adding them to my blogroll. Usually they get transferred over once I'm happy they're constantly blogging vs being one-off bloggers. My first encounter with Su's amazing blog was when I googled, "bull's eye cheesecake". She made these ultra cute pink and white bulls eye cheesecakes in the form of cupcakes with an arrow in 2006. While everyone was making the typical dark and white chocolate bull's eye cheesecake, it took Su's creativity to come up with her pink and white version flavoured with strawberries and given a mini twist as cupcakes! Since then, I have been hooked and constantly read about her budding career here - designing and decorating amazing looking cakes.


chocolate walnut brownie was crumbly and light, cupcakes were gorgeous to look and yummy to munch on and we even got a uber cute bunny bag to go

Like everyone else, I oohed and aahed over all her creations. I absolutely adored the cute penguins for Christmas and I was even tempted to order a fruit cake but decided I better not since I know no one will eat it. Hence, when I read that her shop was opened last weekend, I made it my mission to visit it and sample her goodies.


my poor bunny lost one side of its ear during the journey home, never mind it can still hear with one ear to have selective hearing...

We both felt like covert secret agents - sneakily going into the shop and checking it out. Since it was Mother's Day, she had cookies and cupcakes with Mum written on them. We saw the little sign saying "no photographs", hence there's no pictures of her adorable but very elegant shop, all dressed up in white and bright breezy yellow stripes.


prune layer cake, delectable's beautiful white ribbon and more cupcakes

We bought as many items as we could, since we knew we wanted to try everything. Laden with our goodies, we reached home and I started snapping pictures. First, it was the cupcakes (3 for RM28) that gave me a little surprise. I was expecting hard fondant that was usually inedible on top but instead Delectable's version was soft like icing, very edible and not toothachingly sweet. Hidden underneath the soft fondant was a layer of ganache and then cake. The chocolate cake was my favourite with a soft but dense crumb. We also had the vanilla and ginger versions - where the ginger taste was nice and subtle. The texture of the cake for the vanilla and ginger ones seem a little harder though but its nice since it makes it more substantial rather than the other light as air cupcakes. I was hooked on those cupcakes - simply divine stuff and so prettily decorated with ribbons, bunnies and butterflies.

Her chocolate brownie (RM8 per piece), all tied up in a white delectable ribbon was very good stuff too. Crumbly but not dense, that made it easy to chomp down the small slice. We also sampled the prune layer cake (RM48) - a nice moist cake but I felt it lacked a little oomph like spices. I didn't get to try the cookie though, since I left it for my mother who did her quick whirlwind trip to Singapore to celebrate Mother's Day. Nevertheless, I reckon I'm hooked on her cupcakes that are simply divine. Can't believe it but we managed to chomp down every bit of it, including the tiny bunnies. Do give it a try when you're around the Gardens and hopefully you will love the cupcakes as much as we do. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.

Delectable by Su
Lot S-213
Second Floor
The Gardens
Mid Valley City
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 012-508 1855

(Pork free. Place is nearer to Robinsons side. For pictures of the store, see Su's blog.)

*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: Cupcakes + Mid Valley City

Up Close and Personal with Bob Blumer - The Surreal Gourmet & Glutton for Punishment

doing the kampung baru tour

Being a food blogger definitely has its perks. Not only do we get constant invites for food and even alcohol reviews, occasionally we also get to sneak in a meet up with a celebrity chef. Bob Blumer, more popularly known as the Surreal Gourmet or that fella with the toastermobile (according to some of my friends) breezed into town, a few weeks back to promote his upcoming television shows on Discovery Travel & Living. Since he was in the neighbourhood to do a stint at the World Gourmet Summit down south, he dropped by Malaysia to do a few promotion events. He was kept busy everyday - meeting the press, taking in a food tour around Jalan Alor (as reported in the NST who also has a video of him eating durian) and meeting fans at sevenatenine. It's not his first time here, as I remember him being one of the star attractions a few years back when Kuala Lumpur hosted the World Gourmand Awards.


tucking into putu bambu and nasi lemak

Our mission for the night = take him out for another round of local eats.

Co-agents for that mission (not impossible) = Lyrical Lemongrass, Adly from Fried Chillies, Splashie Boy and S

Mission restrictions = No Jalan Alor nor Indian (he just came from India where he overloaded on curries, rotis and even learnt how to do the teh tarik).

Mission approved (but met with changes due to Murphy's Law!) = Nasi Lemak CT Garden, Kampung Baru Putu Bambu, Kampung Baru/Chow Kit night market, Robson Heights Seafood

Time to complete mission = 2 hours (eventually changed to 3 hours due to unforeseen circumstances!)

Hence, we ended up in Kampung Baru - the village within a skyscraper city to sample a round of Malay food. Bob, who made a quip of my name Boo (sounds very similar, right?) when we were first introduced looked a little tired from all his events but was raring to hit the streets. Murphy's Law (i.e. nothing goes right ever!) started to plague me from the early onset - Kin Kin Pan Mee, the first scheduled stop was closed! Oh no, his chance to sweat over the super hot dried chillies sambal just flew out of the window. Phew! Luckily, the next stop - Nasi Lemak CT Garden was definitely opened or I'll concede defeat. Bustling with people queuing up for their nasi lemak packets and side dishes, we hit the line. Identifying all the dishes was the hard part ....."hmmm, is that stink beans or is that jering! Whatever, it makes your pee stink the next day." Bob made the choice of sambal prawns, chicken curry, paku pakis, the crunchy tempe, stink beans, which we ate with the nasi lemak packets. We even had some grilled otak-otak on the side. Sambal prawns and chicken curry got his thumbs up. It is fascinating to watch him eat, as he approaches each dish quite seriously - tasting it slowly to savour the flavours, before giving his verdict.


ending with a little seafood including the spectacular sang har meen at Robson Heights Seafood

Next stop, after the quick nasi lemak stop was just round the corner - the putu bambu stall and the market next door. We ate piping hot putu bambu fresh from the steamer (it gets all crumbly inside but nice and soft) that reminded Bob of a similar dish in India (probably he had a chance to eat puttu there). Then, came the fascinating part for all of us - the quick tour around the night market, a well hidden local secret. Filled with local vegetables that come straight from the villages, the produce is cheap and fresh (2 large bunches of pegaga or pennywort leaves for ulam costs only RM1?). Bob was fascinated at the chicken stall and he spent a good few minutes observing the man's chopping chicken technique. "Amazing, how he doesn't chop off his fingers!", he tells us later. I'm also fascinated, as I've never seen people coat their chicken with turmeric or burn the feathers off with a blowtorch.

Mr. Blumer or should I say Mr. Booger (like how fatboybakes refers to him as!) got to sample the local fruits - duku langsat, mangoes, mata kuching and etc. He loved the mangoes, the Harum Manis from Thailand that bears a striking resemblance to the Indian mangoes. Since, we had to make up for Kin Kin, it was a choice between fried hokkien mee or seafood. Bob choose seafood hence we headed to Robson Heights (per Lyrical Lemongrass' suggestion). Can you believe that they ran out of crabs!!!! Who ever heard of a seafood restaurant running out of crustaceans on a weekend, but it had to happen to us (see how things never work!). We bragged about their sinful salted egg yolk crabs and they don't have any. Yikes!

Hence we had to settle for salted egg yolk prawns, the ginormous Sang Har Meen, fried kangkung with belacan and seong tong lala. The salted egg yolk sauce fascinated Bob - "how do they make salted eggs?", he asked. Luckily, S was around to help answer that fact on how long they preserve the eggs for. Everything passed his approval but he is obviously very sensitive to MSG as he detected it straight away. When the huge sang har meen came, Bob was mighty impressed that he even took out his Iphone and snapped a picture of it. Phew! I guess mission was a success after all. The noodles were very good especially with the prawn roe and eggy rich sauce. Yums!

After that satisfying seafood dinner, it was home for most of us, but I did hear that Bob went on to party the night away (seems he ended up in Frangipani's bar at midnight - don't you love how small KL is that everyone knows what is happening in town!). Next stop for Blumer after his Singapore duties - a trip to China where he learns how to pour tea like a kungfu master for Glutton for Punishment. What an amazing life! One can understand how he masters a difficult technique that can usually take months for a normal chef to learn, within a week, as he's pretty detailed on his observations and completely fascinated with everything to do with food (and wine - he also judges in Los Angeles, where his home is located). Thanks so much to Discovery Travel & Living and the people from Compass Communications for giving us the opportunity to meet up with him and take him around. I know I'll be glued to the telly this week catching up his television shows so, "hand me that astro remote and don't touch that channel."

Tune into Discovery Travel & Living (Channel 707 Astro) for Bob Blumer:

• Surreal Gourmet Series 4 (from 8-9pm starting 11 May aka today, with repeats at 3pm)
• Glutton for Punishment Series 2 (from 17 May or Saturday, starting from 1pm)

For detailed channel listings, check out the astro's website for Discovery Travel & Living. For those who prefer larger pictures, you can also view the Flickr set.

My favourite Ayam Kampung Goreng @ Nasi Ayam Kampung, Medan Selera Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur

memorise this place to get the best ever experience

Recently I had a chance to try some Malay fine dining food. While the flavours were very different from street food, it left me craving badly for the typical nasi campur (mixed rice). Didn't help when my colleague started going on about his favourite place too, which turned out to be my all time favourite Malay food outlet. Part of the Hassan's huge empire of ayam kampung goreng (fried free range chicken) restaurants, this seems to the best outlet I tasted so far (vs Shah Alam and Puchong) as it shares the same kitchen as the original place in Subang Jaya. Most of the time, I dine at the Shah Alam outlet since it is the nearest to the office.

gone in 60 seconds...just like the movies

Get here early as there's always a crowd. Not sure if you can see but we got here at the stroke of noon and people were already crowding all over, waiting for the food to be ready. Most of the items are brought in here from Subang Jaya but the chicken is fried on the spot. Getting it fresh from the wok is essential, hence you find it dissapearing as fast as a luxe sports car in the Gone in 60 Seconds movie. While the chicken pieces don't yield much meat, it is all worthwhile as it tastes sweet and juicy. You basically see families carting away plates of the fried chicken and for some like our friend, Mr. A - one piece is never enough.

best way to spend a Sunday afternoon, relax, read the paper and get a great lunch

Being the not very adventurous type, we rarely vary what we pick from the nasi campur line. Here the food has a Kelantanese slant and is reminscent of what you get from the famous Restaurant Hoover in Kota Baru. We both have our favourites - my yummy clams cooked in a not spicy yellow coconut rich curry, paku pakis goreng (fried ferntips) while he always reaches for his dendeng (fried and flattened beef) drizzled with this wickedly rich coconut sauce and the sticky and sweet fried peanuts and ikan bilis (anchovies). Another must - enjoy all this with your hands especially the fried chicken, which seems to taste nicer when you pick the juicy bits with your fingers.

Give it a try the next time you're around this area and I definitely guarantee you won't be dissapointed. Total bill for both of us, usually is around RM20 - a sum we always gladly fork out as we get the utmost pleasurable food experience here. For bigger and more pictures, check out the Flick set.

Nasi Ayam Kampung
35, Medan Selera
Kampung Baru
Kuala Lumpur

(Halal. Opposite the stadium. Closed on Fridays and open for lunchtime. Other outlets are also found in Subang Jaya Taipan, Puchong, Section 13 Shah Alam, Cheras Velodrome, the rest stop at Taman Awan Besar and etc. Read my previous blog entry on this for more information.)

*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: Malaysian Food + Ayam Kampung Goreng

Dining Out @ Harrods, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur

english tea, madam???

Harrods has always been a little special for me. My first time visiting the huge Knightsbridge store was when I ventured into London as a teenager. To my innocent eyes, I was fascinated with the whole set-up from the elaborate Egyptian motifs, the never ending delicious treats in the food halls and the seemingly endless variety of items found in the different departments. Even after numerous visits there, it never loss that shiny sheen as it was where I splurged on summer sale bargains (my first designer shoes!) or enjoyed the gourmet treats, which I was always drawn too.


the gorgeous salted beef sandwich in its full glory

While the recently opened Harrods tucked in a corner of Suria KLCC (next to Godiva) is a shade of the grande dame, it still bears a slight resemblance and thankfully its reputation for good food is upheld. Initially, I must admit I was very skeptical. I dropped by once, in early March when I had to wait at Suria KLCC the whole afternoon for a certain someone who was called away for emergency work (the perils of dating someone who works in Suria KLCC!) and was fairly dissapointed with my afternoon tea experience. Even though they met my criteria of a typical English tea of scones and clotted cream, the scones were hard and not fluffy. Maybe that's the English trait, as I vaguely remember badly baked scones in Devon too but this can't do for Harrods. I suspect if I threw these scones at someone, I'll probably be sued for causing them damage!

little details matter here from the face-like green pea soup, the flower molded butter and art deco touches on the ceiling

I was a little upset with my afternoon tea, hence I decided they deserved a second chance and made it a point to revisit last weekend. We're so glad we made the effort (quite a huge one as it was packed and we waited for a table!) as food was great. When we walked in, we bumped into some friends who whispered to us, we must try the salted beef sandwich (RM35). I'm glad they dropped that little insider information as it was excellent stuff - thick but very easy-to-handle-without-looking-like-a-glutton portion sandwiches filled with melt in the mouth salted beef, generous portion of English mustard and horseradish sauce, capers, tomatoes and lettuce. Sides were these long chunky fries and a gherkin or pickle. While I enjoyed my sandwich tremendously, beware as the combination of English mustard and spicy horseradish sauce is not for everyone's tastebuds.


ye olde Harrods roast with yorkshire pudding and lashings of gravy

Splashie Boy had the Harrods Roast (RM45) - his all time favourite of fork tender roast beef slices (medium of course!), fluffy yorkshire puddings, new potatoes, brussel sprouts and asparagus. Excellent stuff that reminded me of Sunday lunches at my old halls of residence in England. I was very happy since he let me polish off the brussel sprouts. Working backwards, we also shared a tasty but bright green pea soup (RM24) that came with two grilled scallops and loads of cream.

Service was excellent - very attentive but still exudes a warmth. What you'll notice here are the tiny details everywhere that will fascinate you: the English rose motif on the mirrors, the art deco patterns decorating the ceiling borders, the white shutters you can peek out to see what's happening at the ponds downstairs, the butter pieces that are marked in a pretty flower motif and etc. Prices can be a little painful for the pocket but when it means you get great food and wonderful service, we reckon its all worth it. Do note that not everyone did think that though. We overheard one man complain about his Harrods roast even though our portion was excellent. I guess it is definitely a case of "one man's meat is another's poison." For more pictures, do view the Flickr set.

Harrods
Lot No. 137
First Floor
Suria KLCC
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 - 2166 6000

(Halal. Alcohol is served at the bar and the dining area is kinda small, so try and book ahead to avoid dissapointment especially during weekends. It is actually a tea salon inspired by the Georgian Restaurant in Harrods London. Open from 10am to 10pm. For the afternoons, a tea set is available with a selection of scones, sandwiches and etc. At the shop, you can also buy deli items like cheeses, cakes and etc. They also carry biscuits, wines, teas and some Harrods bags and etc in front.)

*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: Roast Beef + Harrods

Other dining experiences here:

• Eat Drink KL

Roti Canai @ Valentine Roti, Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur

light fluffy and crispy roti canai from Valentine Roti with Joshua Redman jazz just made my night

Joshua Redman rocks big time! We watched him last night at the MPO (Thanks to the Bald Eagle and Lyrical Lemongrass!) and it was excellent. I reckon I have become a big fan of his music. If you love jazzy tunes with saxophone, bass and drums, it is your last chance to catch him tonight at the MPO. Believe me, you should not miss it.

Despite being very "filled" with all that great music, the tummy was craving for something else, i.e.roti canai at that late hour. It was been ages (I reckon about 12 years ago) since I dropped by Valentine Roti at Jalan Semarak. Ironically, I was introduced to this place by an Australian expatriate who lived around the Bukit Tunku area. Being so long ago, I have vague memories of good roti canai here and was surprised to discover how incredibly good it is.

Here the texture of the roti biasa extra garing (crispy in Malay) is similar to the fluffy stretched out versions you get when you order roti planta. However, unlike roti planta, this is non greasy hence it is a crispy, light and fluffy version (90 sens per piece). I also loved the dhal, sambal ikan bilis and curry sauce they gave on the side. We enjoyed it so much, we had to order an extra one more to share between both of us. Aside from rotis, they also serve mee goreng, nasi lemak in packets and etc. While it is different from Raju's roti canai, I like this especially late at night when I want something light but not too filling.

Valentine Roti
Stor No. 1
Jalan Semarak
Kuala Lumpur

(Pork free. Open from 4pm to 2am daily. Place is diagonally opposite Wisma Celcom and along Jalan Semarak or Gurney Road. Can't miss the brightly lit stall on the side of the road and their sign that claims they are the best roti canai. Turn in from Jalan Tun Razak and make a u turn to get to this stall.)

*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: Roti Canai + Jalan Semarak

Other reviews:

• Reiko
• Shell Food Station

Sake & Yakitori @ Ri-Yakitori, Gardens Hotel, Mid Valley City, Petaling Jaya

let us kick off dinner with some ice cold sake served in pretty glass cups

As you know, I never say no to Japanese food, hence when I heard wind of this brand new outlet in Gardens Hotel, it was the perfect place for a girls night out. Located on the seventh floor of the hotel, this place has minimal furnishings. You choose to sit at the bar counter where you can see the chef behind the grill or at the tables. The place reminds me of Sage probably because Sage's assistant manager, Jason and one of its waiters have been posted here. If you're lucky, you may also catch Sage's genius chef, Takashi having a late supper here as it seems the Japanese chef is a good buddy of his. (Seems Cilantro is earmarked to open end of this year, so it will be interesting to watch where Takashi goes.)


grill master gets to work with omakase skewers

One of the sake specialties here is grilled fugu fin with sake - one cup for a whopping RM38, if I am not mistaken. Since it would be a very long night, we settled for a 300ml portion of Kamotsuru Nama Sake (RM64) instead. It came in an interesting contraption to keep it icy cold, which you could press to dispense it out yourself. Even the glasses they gave us for the sake were uber pretty and delicate. The scary thing about sake is you tend to kick it back quickly and it slowly hits you at the end.


kampung chicken egg and chicken porridge was superb too

The menu is relatively small focusing on the chicken skewers - all different parts including the very sinful chicken tail and skin plus the trachea. There's also wagyu beef, beef tongue, foie gras that comes with strawberries, maitake mushrooms, prawns and etc. We were recommended the omakase skewers (you choose either 5 or 12 for RM58), where the chef decides to give you what is good that day. Hence we got a nice variety of chicken skin, chicken tail, chicken wing, chicken thigh, wagyu beef, chicken with leek, minced chicken, jumbo prawns, eggplant and shitake mushrooms. They only use free range chicken here, so expect the meat to be completely different from those antibiotic stuff we regularly eat. Here chicken is sweeter with a firmer texture. The tail was very sinful, all melt in the mouth fat when you bit into it. I loved the wagyu beef cubes that came with a piece of sinful fat. Everything is grilled to perfection here so no tough and chewy parts. Definitely a lot of time was spent cutting, cleaning and choosing the parts to ensure the skewers were delish stuff.

Aside from skewers, we had a refreshing daikon salad (RM12) with mizuna leaves, bonito flakes, grated radish, nori flakes and cherry tomatoes. The kampung chicken egg (RM9) was delish as the yolk is soft and slightly creamy. I wonder how they marinate it as the egg is still quite white but one bite of it yields a distinct soy sauce taste. Addictively good stuff. We also had the chicken congee or porridge (RM12), a comforting bowl of chicken soup with rice and the unusual tororo konbu, a kind of kelp that look like shreds but melts in the soup to add a silkiness you will get addicted to. To end, it was a very creamy home made white sesame and matcha ice cream (RM7 each) with freshly made mochi and red bean paste.

Great place to kick back as it opens only at night and till very late. Last orders are at 11.30pm, so it makes a good place for me to grab food if I wish. Do give it a try and experience something different. For more pictures in full size, see my Flickr set.

Ri-Yakitori Bar
7th Floor
Gardens Hotel
Mid Valley City
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2268 1188

(Pork free. Open from 5pm to 1am. Closed on Sundays.)

*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: Japanese Food + Gardens Hotel

Other review:

• Eat Drink KL