Hong Kong 2010

Hong Kong's tram or "ding ding" - diorama style

Based on the comments I've been receiving, I guess all of you are eager to see what I did in Hong Kong. It's been a slow process of running through the pictures, editing and resizing them that I have been dreading doing the blog posts. To appease all of you, I've decided to compromise and use a summary format (kinda like a preview on what is to come further) I read from kampungboycitygal - the food bloggers I referred to for my Hong Kong eats. Thanks to their informative site, I learnt about openrice, a popular food forum there. I was also very fortunate to have a great foodie visiting Hong Kong at the same time, the very informative Jeanette Han (J) from Elegant Inn in Menara Hap Seng who also took me around. On to the food we go!

1. Tsim Sha Tsui

sweet lollipops, dining with a view - the Hong Kong island view with the IFC tower

My hotel was at the very picture perfect Victoria Harbour and right next door to the deluxe-label laden Harbourcity. The moment we arrived in Hong Kong, it was afternoon tea at the two Michelin star Cucina restaurant (Sixth Floor, Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Harbour City, Tel:2113 0808) - literally dining with a view. Homemade marshmallows and luscious strawberry lollipops, thick sandwiches, light scones with clotted cream, a to-die-for chocolate mousse cake perked up the day.

curry fishballs, Roll's black sesame and light and fluffy eggy sponge cakes cooked a la minute

Dining around here was a mish-mash of snacks that I inevitably found. I made a beeline for Tak Fat Beef Balls (Temporary Hawker Stalls, Haiphong Road that is opposite Langham Hotel) , located at a temporary food court that looked so out of place amid the snazzy designer labels. Beef balls were good and as described in previous blogs, very bouncy and firm. On one night, I wander up Canton Road and discover a sweet heaven of sorts - The Sweet Dynasty (Ground Floor, 100, Canton Road, Tel:2199 7799) that serves tong sui, dim sum and etc. Loads of endorsements from Chua Lam for this place. The tau fu fah is super smooth while the mango pancakes is filled with pillowy soft whipped cream and chunks of sweet mango.


Mille feuille, matcha cake and the popular Hong Kong dessert of mango pancakes

I so wanted to try everything yet I felt a little lost since I'm not so familiar with the Kowloon side having only stayed in Hong Kong island before. Following open rice's suggestions, I managed to find ever so popular Roll (A1, G/F Granville House, 41 C-D Granville Road, Tel: 2191 9212). This place was also featured in CNNgo. Available in two sizes (large and small), I thought the black sesame roll just didn't pack a punch or was worth my walk to look for this place.

the view from my hotel room (diorama style), creme brulee and bouncy beef balls at Tak Fat

Instead I end up being more excited over curry fishballs I spot along Granville Road and those iconic eggy biscuits I have often seen in my TVB dramas. My French fascination continued with a visit to Jean-Paul Lafayet for their rich tasting creme brulee, the matcha cake and mille feuille that came recommended by open rice.

2. Jordan


fluffy scrambled eggs

I guess you can't go to Hong Kong and not eat their char chan teng food - a kinda Chinese spin on Western fare. At the very popular Australian Dairy Co (47-49 Parkes Street, Tel: 2730-1356), the place is packed with people eating their set meals. Macaroni soup (made from Campbells canned soup) is popular here as everyone has a bowl in front of them. I love the silky egg white custard they have that melts in my mouth while I observe the going ons and their super fast service.

3. Mong Kok


MRT sign, Polo Buns and milk tea.

Another must-have is the Polo buns from Kam Wah Cafe & Bakery (GF, 47 Bute Street, MRT exit Prince Edward B2 Tel: 23926830) that J brings me for a quick morning breakfast. Buns come out piping hot from the oven so eat them quickly with a dash of rich smooth milk tea. You can order breakfast of noodles with sausage and eggs that you mix together.

all dressed up and no where to go - salt baked chooks

Next it was the ultimate foodie heaven - a walk through the wet markets of Hong Kong. Near the goldfish market, everything is super fresh right down to the poor fish that gets sliced so quickly, its gills are still pumping away even it has been decapitated like Anne Boleyn. I stop by some tau fu fah and find it fascinating how Thai durians are so popular in Hong Kong.

4. Sheung Wan

cold crab to start with

We cross over to Hong Kong island to try old style Chiu Chow dishes at Sheung Hing Chiu Chow Restaurant (33 Queen's Road West, Tel: 2544 8776). Well known as the rich man's canteen, it is rumoured that late at night you can see Rolls Royces and other premier cars parked at the kerb of the restaurant. I didn't see any of those but was well satisifed with the food especially the cold crab dipped with vinegar, the sinfully good braised goose with liver and many more dishes.

5. Lan Kwai Fong and Central

the stall, tong sui and my favourite glutinous rice balls

Going around the Mid-Levels, I'm introduced to the new hip place to hang out aka Soho while Lan Kwai Fong seems to attract a tourist clientele who hang out in front of the 7-Eleven for cheap booze. There are small stalls tucked within the mod places and at one place, we drop by for tong sui and a glutinous rice ball dessert that I loved. A little hot, it is best eaten rolled with the sugar and coconut mixture served on the side. I also get to try the unusual seaweed with green bean tong sui.

diorama Mid Levels

I have fun snapping pictures from on top creating the toy model-like effect on the place. Later in the week, I end up around here as I'm meeting an old friend over tea at Cafe De Coral. The place serves reasonable food. I also visit Peking Garden at Pacific Place, to meet up relatives and eat one yummy Peking duck.

6. Causeway Bay


porky delights, busy busy busy, the glutinous rice rolls

In my earlier visits to Hong Kong, Causeway Bay was my hangout. Going back after so many years kinda made me realised how things remain relatively the same - the crowds around Sogo especially when there's a sale and the famous pedestrian crossing. J brings me to a wonderful Japanese place, Iroha (2/F, Jardine Center, 50 Jardine's Bazaar, Tel: 2882 9877)well tucked in a building that serves value for money lunch sets with to-die-for meats that you grill on a hot stove. I spot unusual sticky rice buns at the nearby shop. These rolls seem to start out with yau char kwai stuffed with pork floss and is dressed or literally wrapped with glutinous rice. There's not much taste to it but it makes a great substantial brekkie especially with a piping hot soybean milk. Sadly I don't see my old hangouts with the char leong and cheong fun.

Dining Out @ Nathalie's Gourmet Studio, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur

rainbow macarons

Apologies for the absence, first I was away for a few days and after that, life got a little out of sync hence the delay in blogging. Rather than starting on my trip, I thought it'll be nice to mix it with a little local flavour since most of you would rather read about somewhere you can access straightaway versus getting that fix vide a jet plane.


tomato parmesan cheese tart with poached egg and black olive tapenade

Getting back in the groove meant doing a little food hunting during the long weekend and I must admit I have been pretty happy with the results - four good ones out of five is not too bad of a result I reckon.

frothy fennel soup

Back to this place which I first heard a little from reading Expat Lifestyle and subsequently through an email that was circulated announcing its arrival. I was curious since Nathalie Arbefeuille has built quite a reputation for herself with her macaron classes at the Cooking House. She has also been appearing in a number of publications by them, firstly in their own magazine titled My Nourishment and their first book, Out of the Shell for Nutriplus.


spinach and parsley raviolis in a parsley broth

Armed with the address and a warning from a blog entry saying it's difficult to locate, I was well prepared for a scavenger hunt around the huge complex. We deduced it must be somewhere not on the row that faces the main road and looked at the back units and eureka, we found it, all the way on top. If we entered from the entrance near Heidelberg Kaffeehaus, it was straight all the way up on the escalators, pass Pink Jambu and etc.


lamb tagine with artichokes and couscous

Even though the place was so well hidden, we were pleasantly surprised to discover it was packed with people. Looking for a space within the main restaurant area was an impossible feat, hence we opted to sit outside in these low loungeabout chairs. We felt a little out of place, as we were the only locals as the place was packed with the French. Obviously word has got around hence the crowd.

strawberry success

The menu is pretty small with maybe about 4-5 items per course, and if you're ardent fans of Nathalie's cookbook, you can spot a few familiar items. In the main courses, there's risotto, a cod fish dish and weirdly enough, green curry chicken in there. I also spotted the tomato parmesan cheese tart similar to the one on the cover of the Out of The Shell cookbook, which we ordered to try.

lemon tart with lemongrass sorbet

Even though we sat outside, service was fast and efficient. I loved the tomato parmesan cheese tart (RM25) starting from the flaky parmesan cheese biscuit base, the tangy tomatoes in between, the poached egg on top with a black olive tapenade. A large slice of parmesan cheese completed the tart's effect with swirls of reduced balsamic vinegar sauce around it. Light and satisfying indeed. I also liked my fennel soup (RM20) a light concoction with basil leaves and tomato that you mixed to give the otherwise light tasting soup a bit more taste.

Show Splashie Boy, homemade ravioli and he will zoom in on that hence the spinach parsley ravioli (RM38) was a must order for him. It came in a green parsley broth that didn't look too appetising but was nice and light. Personally I didn't care much for it, but he loved it. I was instead very happy with my Lamb Tajine (RM35) - fork tender lamb pieces with an artichoke, fava beans and couscous. Again, something that was satisfying yet leaving more than enough room to enjoy my dessert.

Dessert was the best ever so leave room for that if you have a sweet tooth. I liked the tall Strawberry Succes (RM15) - light as air (with a softer texture) meringue discs sandwiching fresh cream with raspberries and strawberries topped with a raspberry sorbet. Yummy concoction indeed! Splashie Boy's lemon tart with the lemongrass sorbet(RM15) was equally toothsome and eaten quickly as it was light and refreshing. I also liked how they serve a selection of Mariage Freres teas - a favourite of mine and one of the best ever teas I reckon. Don't think anyone else in KL serve these teas.

One shouldn't leave without a stop at their technicolour display of macarons. There's about 13 flavours, so get a box of each flavour (raspberry, chocolate, caramel, coconut, passionfruit and etc) to try in rainbow colours. Macarons definitely play a big part in the place, as you see them on the wait staff's aprons, on the walls of the restaurant and even on a serving tray used as a display. I can see why, as I was blown away with the light as air texture of the sweet confections. Not overly sweet until you get a diabetic attack, each one was savoured slowly throughout the long weekend. I'm now plotting to return for more macarons (just have to look for an excuse to buy them!), a taste of their caneles, French brioches and maybe more of their menu.

Nathalie's Gourmet Studio

Unit A4-01-5

Solaris Dutamas
Jalan Dutamas 1

Kuala Lumpur

Tel:03-62079572/017-2806717

(Pork free. Place is open from 10am to 6pm, as Nathalie still does catering in the evenings. Closed on Sundays. There's no breakfast menu but you can eat caneles or brioches with tea. Best to book a table ahead. The macarons are RM4.40 each. For more pictures, see my Flickr set.)

Post Note: The menu changes every month and these items were only available for May. There is an entirely different menu for all courses this June. There is beef carpaccio, asian crab salad (very yums!), salmon blinis for starters, oxtail stuffed squid, duck confit, halibut served with whole roasted tomatoes and a very sharp tasting eggplant puree, a reverse kinda dessert with meringue, sorbet and chocolate sauce, an orange creme brulee on a biscuit base and the sampler dessert with chocolate tart, rhubarb crumble and macaron.

*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: French Food

Other reviews:

• One2Two
• Eat Drink KL

Chee Chap Chuk (Porridge) @ Medan Selerajaya, Petaling Jaya

comfort food for the soul

Life has been very busy lately that I must admit the food reviews have almost grinded to a halt since meals are hasty ones - eaten on the flash, in the car or just old familiar stuff. While life has been busy, I've had a string of cool stuff happening such as meeting the sweet, very down-to-earth and a little kooky Laura Calder (I admit I was never a fan since I don't seem to ever have time to watch AFC) who made me a big fan of her show, attending the first ever Palm Oil Shorties organised by Fried Chillies - an insight into palm oil and its benefits told through different lens, and whipping up loads of ice cream throughout the weekend - apricot frozen yoghurt, vanilla bean ice cream, mango sorbet and my old favourite, matcha white chocolate ice cream. It has been exhausting but worth it, since the freezer is now chockfull of ice cream!

simple poached chicken

I reckon if we could dictate life and our meals...it should be simple fare that warms the tummy and enlightens the soul. Somehow befitting that simple term is this humble little foodcourt stall - a place I caught wind of from a good pal and fellow foodie, Debbie who had heard it from her butcher. Don't you love how foodies always share these secret places whenever they meet up?

Run by a lady and her Indonesian workers, it can be a little difficult to spot that they're serving porridge but ask around and people will point the way to you. A smaller foodcourt compared to the large Medan Selera next to the market, this particular stall caters for the evening crowd and opens from 4.30pm onwards. You can order a selection of porridge - chee chap (mixed pork intestines and etc), fish slices, chicken and etc. The porridge is smooth and quite watery, almost borderline Teochew porridge texture I reckon. Studded with bits and pieces of pork intestines, stomach, pig's blood cubes and etc, it's a satisfying meal that the tummy is thankful for. One gripe is the lack of crunch from the fried pork intestines that ends up being soaked by the porridge. You can also order poached smooth textured chicken topped with shreds of ginger and chopped spring onions. While the porridge seem to lack much taste, if you mix the soy sauce from the chicken, it gives it the flavour it is missing.

Incidentally, expect a lack of blog posts for this week as I'll be away. Hopefully I do return with great topics to blog about.

Porridge Stall

Stall No. 21

Medan Selera Jaya
Petaling Jaya Old Town

(Non Halal. Open from 4.30-10pm. To get here, from the Gasing roundabout, if you drive down Jalan Othman towards the Market and Medan Selera, this is the turning on the left just before the shophouses on the lefthand side. This stall is the last one of the row and seem to be popular for takeaways. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.)

*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: Porridge

Other review:

• You Get What You Give

Dining Out @ Leonardo's, Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

my favourite peppers

I like how some outlets just come to their own given some time. Take for instance, Leonardo's along the quiet suburbs of Bangsar - not a very new place as they opened their doors since 2009 but the food is so freakingly good that you just want to revisit it again and again. It's a far cry from those new places that open, serve mediocre food and have teething problems in terms of service and etc. Believe me, I sometimes wade through a lot of places (newbies I call them) that just don't make the cut (or satisfy the tummy) or warrant even a bad mention here.

simple but lovely Ranjit's pasta, black pig shoulder loin steak

I'm enthusiatic about Leonardo's purely because it has not dissapointed me yet even after two visits and I hope it won't let me down for future visits. Judging from the positive blog reviews that pepper the whole Google search, I guess I'm not the only person shouting my approval.


share this pork knuckle platter

My absolute favourite dish here - a must-have whenever we dine here are the amazingly good Spanish piquillo peppers (RM25) stuffed with black truffle fragranced pork mince served with salsa verde dressing and lashings of creamy sauce. It's drizzled with a reduced balsamic vinegar that seems to bring all the flavours together. Gorgeous stuff that I never tire of eating!!

super crispy pizza, chorizo sausage with rosti

Great for sharing with lots of equally minded gastronomes is the Leo's Pork Knuckle Platter (RM75) - a hefty portion of crispy skinned pork knuckle cut to pieces with a crunchy crackling, a bacon stuffing, red saukerkraut and garlic herbed potatoes. It is served with a mushroom sauce that didn't seem to match the pork knuckle's flavours. However, the thickish apple sauce served on the side was a heavenly match with the chunky tender pork bits. They even give you the bone that one of my friends found simply yummy - right down to the last bite.

fried hokkien noodles

In a recent dinner, it was a smorgasboard of porky delights - grilled portobello mushrooms topped with bacon (the real stuff okay!), cheese and tomato (RM22), bacon, potato and apple rosti with grilled chorizo sausage (RM38), fried hokkien noodles (RM25), iberico pineapple pork ribs (RM45), with Ranjit's pasta (RM30) and the big breakfast pizza topped with bacon, egg, mushroom and tomatoes. While the grilled mushrooms, rosti, ribs and fried noodles didn't have the wow factor, it was still very satisfying. I loved the clean yet tasty flavour combination of the bacon bits, chilli padi, garlic and mushroom in the Ranjit's pasta - named after solicitor Ranjit Singh, one of the owners of Leonardo's whom I had the pleasure of working with before long long ago in a case. Pizza here is made by a magic number denoted by the great Leonardo Da Vinci who gave the world the Mona Lisa, great inventions including crispy thin pizzas!


desserts galore: bread and butter pudding, apple with fillo pastry, brownie and mousse with vodka strawberries

On an earlier visit, I had sampled their Spanish black pig shoulder loin steak (RM55) served with a picon blue risotto and mustard sauce. While the meat was pinkish and fork-tender, I felt it had a strong porky smell when eaten without its sauce. Once you liberally coat it with the mustard sauce, it is fine. We also tried Chef Vic's Wedge Salad - crisp cabbage served with even crunchier bacon, smoked pimento and picon blue dressing - a refreshing start to a heavy meal even though the blue cheese dressing was a little sparse (we asked for more and it was fine after that).



Even with the tummies filled with porky delights, we had room for desserts - didn't someone I know once mention we have a seperate compartment for those sweet treats? Let me see, we had the dark chocolate and walnut brownie with a scoop of Haagen Daz ice cream, banana bread and butter pudding with a warm rum sauce and ice cream and baked apple with fillo pastry and cinnamon creme. I liked the light baked apple, loved the moreish tasting banana bread and butter pudding but was not much of a fan for the brownie even though it was chocolate. Another item we tried before is the dark and white chocolate mousse served with vodka macerated strawberries (RM22) - a concoction that seemed to lack much oomph even though the alcohol drenched strawberries was a nice touch.

Overall, it was a very satisfying meal coupled with excellent service. Will I be back? Definitely so I reckon, for another round of my favourite piquillo peppers, another porky flavour hit and maybe some Kentucky fried frog - an interesting dish they have on the menu that I have been curious to try or some good old tummy warming bak kut teh.

Leonardo's
61-1 and 61-2
Jalan Bangkung
Bukit Bandaraya
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2096 2226

(Non Halal. Open for dinner only. For more pictures, see my Flickr set.)

*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: Bangsar

Organic Food @ Eco-Oasis, Jalan Riong, Off Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

amazingly good for us and tasty - quinoa with mango salad

Getting tips on new places to eat often come in strange ways...usually from a friend who tells another friend...that's probably why word of mouth works better than any advertisement!! We heard wind of this place and decided to check it out one weekend and was pleasantly surprised with the whole set up.

nasi lemak with organic chicken rendang

Perched on a hill, it was the most unlikely place - just off the busy Jalan Maarof. There's a sense of quiet, serenity and simplicity to the whole place. More than just a restaurant, it is also a shop and an organic spa. They also conduct talks here on a regular basis.

cooling rattan chairs, thick and healthy black soybean milk, stairs to the place, money plants decorate the wall

Walk up the stairs and discover a very spartan yet comfortable set up with rattan chairs (best thing to sit on with this heat), whirling fans, money plants and free wifi. Since it was the weekend, it was their special nasi lemak (RM19.80) - an enticing and healthy brown rice version with sambal, hard boiled egg, fried ikan bilis and organic chicken rendang. If you're not a chicken rendang fan, they also serve prawn sambal. Yummy stuff indeed that tasted like what mum would whip up on a lazy Sunday.

chicken sandwich

The other orders took a little while to come (we're not sure if it was due to this large table they had to cater hence they were busy that day, so be warned if you wish to get a one hour lunch here!) but it was all worth the wait. The chicken sandwich (RM12) came with chunks of chicken sandwiched between wholemeal bread and an appetizing salad. Yummy-licious indeed that a certain hungry diner wolfed down immediately. We also ordered the unusual sounding black quinoa and mango salad (RM13.50) - a tangy combination of not overly ripe mango cubes with quinoa grains that gave a lovely nutty texture. We're both fans of quinoa hence we loved it!

They also serve nut milks (almond I think) and this thick and amazing black soybean milk (RM4.50) that is very good for you. They pledge not to use anything artificial - MSG, preservatives, teflon based cookware and microwave. We think they definitely keep to their promise, as the food has a homecooked taste that is incredibly good. Next time we'll return for more...but only if we have another lazy day.

Incidentally, when we were dining here - the cutest ever tabby cat came over and said hi to us. She's a friendly soul who seems to belong to their neighbour but walks around like she owns the place!!

Eco-Oasis Restaurant

7, Jalan Riong

Off Jalan Maarof
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur

(Pork free. To get here, when you are on Jalan Maarof from Jalan Bangsar, after the Indian temple, take a left turn into a small lane just before the Petronas petrol station. The house is on the right hand side, with stairs leading up. Note this is a cul-de-sac and not connected to the Jalan Riong where NST is at so don't come by that way, you have to use Jalan Maarof to enter. For more information, see their website and their facebook page. More pictures can also be found in my Flickr set)

POST NOTE: Heard from a friend today (12/5) that the chef has ran away, hence there's no food until they recruit another chef. Suggest you call and double check availability of food first before you visit.

*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: organic food

Glee Flashmob Kuala Lumpur 2010 @ The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur

Trademark "L", the diorama effect makes the dancers look like toys don't they?

Did you catch Glee fever on Saturday?? We did....as we found ourselves at the right place at the right time, after catching Iron Man 2. Kicking off at 2pm, we saw various groups dancing away to the infectious music from Glee the television series. Since we were at the upper floors, we only managed to catch the top view but it was still very good fun. After the first session, there was an encore that saw more people from the mall joining in (we saw people rushing down the escalators to join in). Great fun and a lot of work and practice sessions. WMW from You Get What You Give.. was also performing in the crowd so try and spot her. Here's one of the videos we managed to shoot...not as great as the others in the crowd but pretty decent we think since it's the first time we're trying it out. For more videos, see this link. For pictures, see my Flickr set.

Air Kelapa Bakar Utara (Northern Burnt Coconut Water) @ Kampung Subang, Selangor

dilapidated sign, black and black, stainless steel mugs

Taking the back roads of a highway one day, I discovered this interesting item rarely seen in the city - pitch black burnt coconuts that is said to yield water with healing properties. It's a bit disconcerning to see the usually green young coconuts turn into soot black coconuts with a flaky ash exterior but I was mighty curious to discover its taste.


chop chop for the sweet tasting water

The coconuts are burnt in a large metal container until the coconuts turn black. The lady wasn't very helpful in telling me how long they took but I guess it ranges from 1/2 hour to more, depending on the fire. One article on the Internet claims it should be burnt for 5 hours to get its healthy benefits. To ensure that there's still water within the coconut, the lady will shake each coconut before she carts them off to be cut.


air kelapa bakar utara in all its brown glory

Once chopped, you will find the water has a slight murky brown colour while the flesh is brown on one side but pristine white on the other side. Tastewise, it's still sweet (but then she did add syrup to it) with a hint of smokiness. However, it is a little weird to drink something of this colour though. One coconut is RM3, about 50 cents more than the normal coconut water.

scenes from the roadside stall that also sells fruits

From what I've read on the Internet, the Indonesians and the Malays believe drinking this coconut water will cure a number of ills especially if it is done on a long term basis. Even though I'm not too sure if this is proven, I do know drinking coconut water is great for chicken pox or as a great refresher especially in this crazy heat we're currently experiencing. One extra bonus - this stall seems to be on the flight path of the Firefly planes. Every minute of two, you get to see a visual of the plane flying across, hence it's literally a view to kill while you dine on the refreshing coconut.

Kelapa Bakar Utara
Stall located on the road between Sungai Buloh to Kampung Subang
Near the exit into Fella Design and the entrance into the Guthrie Corridor.
Selangor

(Halal. Open from 8am to evening daily. For more pictures, see my Flickr set.)

*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: coconut water

Kimchi Quesadillas

kimchi gooeyness...

It's amazing how great food materialises from the most unlikely pairings of flavours. When I first read about the incredibly successful Kogi BBQ trucks in the USA selling kimchi quesadillas - my reaction was literally...."what are the Americans eating??"

elements to a perfect dinner: toasted sesame seeds, loads of cheese and kimchi

Being a curious person, my interest was further piqued when I saw the recipe in a Gourmet magazine issue (one of those last issues before they shut down). Looks easy enough to recreate at home since all the ingredients are readily available I pondered and there's no harm in experimenting, I started thinking.

yummy and messy

Thus one day, I was draining the pungent kimchi in the kitchen - it was so smelly the cats just walked the other direction when they caught a whiff. It felt weird to add butter to the pan and slowly caramelising the kimchi cabbage leaves. Hold on, ain't butter a no no in Korean cuisine since they usually use sesame oil or as little frying as possible I was thinking to myself. Never mind, I kept telling myself, if it does not work out I can always get dinner outside.

sprinkle as much toasted sesame seeds as you like for extra crunch

After assembling everything together and pan frying the ensemble on a cast iron grill pan, it did look inviting especially with the melted cheese. A bite of the quesadilla confirmed why Americans love Kogi's version - it was freaking awesome stuff!! You don't get the full whammy of the fermented cabbage leaves in this version but a mild smoky taste with caramelised bits that seemed to mingle so well with the toasted sesame seeds and melted cheese.

At first I thought, hey maybe I'm just the weird one who likes kimchi and these kinda out-of-the-world combos. I decided to experiment with Mr. Conservative Eater aka Splashie Boy and he also loved the whole combination, giving him thumbs up for the experiment. So go on people, be adventurous tonight and whip up a kimchi quesadilla, you won't regret it and may even get hooked on it. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.

Kimchi Quesadillas (adapted from Gourmet magazine)

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup cabbage kimchi, drained and chopped

4 fresh perilla or shiso leaves (optional) - I used rocket or argula leaves instead

2 (8-inch) flour tortillas

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar (a bag of mixed grated cheeses was used instead)

1 cup grated Monterey Jack

1 tablespoon Canola oil

Add the butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When melted, and the kimchi. Cook fo about 6 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the edges of the kimchi start to turn a little golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Divide the kimchi, cheese, sesame seeds, and perilla leaves (optional) between the two tortillas. Fold each tortilla in half. Pour the oil into a large skillet set over medium heat. Add both folded tortilla to the skillet, cover, and cook for about 2 minutes per-side, or until they are golden browned and the cheese has melted. Slice into serving portions, and serve.

Satay Padang @ Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur

the contrast - pasar malam and shiny KLCC Twin Towers

Stunted from development, Kampung Baru seems to be caught up in a time warp amid shiny bright skyscrapers. Rumblings about redeveloping the land seem to be heard from a distance, which I admit I'm not welcoming as I love the old world charm the rickety wooden kampung houses hold even in the shadow of the tall modern buildings.

the delectable Satay Padang with the lick-me-up sauce

For me, Kampung Baru is where I gravitate for great Malay food and nowadays Indonesian food. It's at these narrow streets where people still move around without any helmets on motorbikes like there's no law, and you find a string of contrasts - Westerners getting a haircut in a small wooden shack, a pretty Indonesian gal on a motorbike in full make-up waiting for her date or even Chinese tourists pounding the streets to search for good food.

grilling those satay sticks

Ignore all those tomyam signs (till now it still baffles me why is the Tomyam sign more predominant in Malay communities then nasi lemak or did Thailand conquer us one day without us knowing??) and head for this small makeshift stall for the best ever Satay Padang. It's not hard to spot this stall as loads of people crowd around this couple who are busy fanning the flames to grill up delectable sticks of chicken and the rarely seen beef tongue.

all gone! tongue me up, kitties rule in this village, smoky fire

While this fella also sells his satay sticks with our familiar looking peanut sauce, it is the thick yellow sauce you should be asking for. We were lucky that night as we got there for the last scrappings of his large metal pot. Made from rice flour, a little bit of spices and curry powder - the sauce was incredibly good that you couldn't help going....mmmmm!! No wonder we spied a little boy licking up his plate clean from the sauce - it's that amazingly yummy! Even though a certain one isn't partial to the cow's tongue, he differed and loved the soft taste of it when paired with the delicious sauce. Served piping hot with a sprinkle of fried shallots, I reckon this stall is going to be a permanent favourite for both of us from now on.

Satay Padang Stall

Along Jalan Raja Muda Musa

Kampung Baru

Kuala Lumpur

(Halal. Stall starts from 5pm onwards and is closed on Sundays. To get here, from the LRT station, when you exit take a right turn. At the T junction, take a right turn and walk down the street. The stall is on your right hand side in front of a row of covered eateries. For more pictures, see my Flickr set.)

*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: satay padang

Delicious goes American

grab your copy

I'm looking forward to this week, probably because so many things are happening at the moment. It's still a holiday for me (with the extended holiday from Labour Day) but not for the blog since I've been busy editing pictures for the coming week. For all the Delicious fans out there, the group has got America up their sleeve. Inspired by the inaugural issue of The Delicious Times - a quarterly publication available at all their stores they have gone Americano or more specifically New York!

A timely tribute to New York - home to the Sex and The City (SATC) gals as the sequel starts in cinemas from 3 June here. Can't wait as I love SATC! There's loads to read within the pages - food, fashion, tech and etc. Delicious seems to be churning these amazing publications that I can't help collecting. We were at Reunion last weekend and picked up their amazing Kuala Lumpur guide. Done in the easy flip-to-read style (similar to the Luxe Guides), it is pretty awesome to have a handy guide on where to eat, shop and chill out. What made it even amazing is that look was exactly my dream guidebook I've always wanted to come up with.


sweet beef ribs, clam chowder to warm the tummy

In conjunction with the launch of their quarterly read, Delicious has also launched an American diner menu and Magnolia Bakery inspired cupcakes. I guess they're envisioning gals all over KL sitting at Delicious cafes sharing those sugary treats just like the foursome from SATC.

cupcakes and chicken wings

We sampled a little of their American diner menu during the weekend. Kicking off with a soothing Manhattan clam chowder (RM18.90), this was excellent with the parmesan crisp. Unlike the creamy rich Boston version, this soup was more hearty with a clear tomato broth and came with loads of potatoes, carrots and clams (of course!). We weren't too enthusiastic about their spicy buffalo wings (RM14.90) probably because it was a little oily. Not very spicy as promised, the only saving grace of this dish was the rich and stinky (the stinkier the better) blue cheese dip. We loved the sweet and sticky spare ribs (RM59.90) - fork tender meat coated in a sweetish sauce. Eat it with the crispy fries and the refreshing coleslaw on the side for a wonderful meal.

On to the Magnolia Bakery inspired cupcakes (RM6.90 each) - there's a total of seven flavours to choose from. By the time, we got to the cafe we were a little too late to sample the red velvet with cream cheese and raspberry swirls as they had sold out. I guess that means I need to make a revisit to sample the red velvet. Instead we sampled the other flavours - chunky apple with butterscotch frosting, bananarama with white chocolate frosting, crazy carrot with cream cheese topping, devil dare with 7-minute icing, after eight chocolate with mint frosting and classic vanilla with strawberry frosting. Our favourites out of the lot, the chunky apple and crazy carrot ones. The chocolate ones definitely needed a little more tweaking as they were quite dry.

For more information on their menu offerings, follow their Facebook group. You can also pick up the latest news on the cafe. More pictures are available in my Flickr set.

Delicious Cafe

Bangsar Village II

Bangsar

Kuala Lumpur

(Also available in all the Delicious outlets. Cupcakes are available until 20 June.)

*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.