A guide to Hairy Crabs in Kuala Lumpur - 2009 edition

hairy crab picture pinched from my previous King Crab post

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Origin: Shanghai

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

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

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

A la carte: RM55++ (5 oz)

Availability: From now onwards until further notice

Origin: Tai Wu Lake

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

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

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

Availability: From now until end of December

Origin of crabs: Tai Wu Lake

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

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

Availability: Until 30 November, 2009

Origin: Shanghai

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

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

Promotion: Buy 3 crabs and get 1 free crab

Availability: Until end of November

Origin: Yong Sheng Lake

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

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

Availability: Until end of November

Origin: Shanghai

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

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

A la carte: RM180++ (7 oz)

Availability: Until 15 November, 2009

Origin: Shanghai

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

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

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

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

Availability: Until end of November 2009

Origin: Tai Wu Lake, Shanghai

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

still so incredibly good - Milo Ais from the van

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


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

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

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

Vegetarian Food @ Gandhi's, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


the aunty that has been selling her wares for 20 years

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


Crispy deep fried popiah and various nonya kuih

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

Gandhi's
Scott Sentral Serviced Apartments
Jalan Scott
Brickfields

Tel: 012-61 8267

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

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

Tagged with: Brickfields + Vegetarian food

Venicia Restaurant @ Bangsar Puteri & Casa Venicia, Kuala Lumpur

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

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


Venicia's version of sang har yee meen

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


buttery crabs with a hint of mild curry powder

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


salted egg yolk crabs

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


one huge claw

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


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

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

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

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

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

Tel: 03-6136 2010

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

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

Tel:03-2094 2010

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

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

Tagged with: Selayang+ Bangsar

Other reviews:

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

Dining Out @ Eat Work Shop, Glenmarie, Shah Alam

yummy crab cakes (RM20.80)

Working in Shah Alam often means limited choices for dinner, as most of the eateries seem to cater instead for lunch. Luckily there's this place, well hidden in an industrial area that offers good restaurant food.


lovely caesar salad with fluffy parmesan cheese

We first discovered this place in 2006 and that blog post sparked off an interest for this eatery, that it was blogged to death. Suprisingly, it has survived through the times and recent visits to there confirmed it still serves generally good food.


squid ink pasta with seafood

Our recent visit was very promising as we simply loved their Caesar salad - crunchy romaine lettuce topped with feather light grated parmesan cheese and topped with beef bacon. Simply yummy, was how Splashie Boy described it. Even my squid ink pasta with seafood that came with a tinge of spiciness was very good.


grilled rib-eye steak

However last night when we dined there, it was a different ball game for us since we sampled other items. My braised lamb shank (RM32.80) was good but not exceptionally fantastic. It was fork tender but the sauce seemed to lack much spices and oomph. Even the grilled rib eye was a dissapointment as it was not tender but on a slightly chewier side. Luckily their home made crab cakes saved the day but we did leave feeling a little unsatisfied with the meal. Am not sure whether it was just our "spoilt" tastebuds or we had just picked the wrong items. Nevertheless, I reckon we should have stuck with the safer choices - pasta and salad as that never seems to dissapoint.

Eat Work Shop
No. 9, Jalan Peguam U1/25
Glenmarie Business Park
Shah Alam

Tel No: 03 - 5569 7763

(Pork free, as they serve alcohol here. Place is open for lunch, teatime and dinner.)

*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: Shah Alam Food+ Caesar Salad

Steamed Fish @ Restoran Yap Yin & Bak Kut Teh, Seri Kembangan

reminds one that Halloween is round the corner...

I just realised I've yet to blog about this place. How weird, as I've been here numerous times, but never got around to putting it down on the blog. Here's another gem in Seri Kembangan village, a place on the main road that serves superb steamed sang yue or snakehead.

the superb steamed sang yue

Originally a bak kut teh joint, they expanded their menu to include tai chow like dishes after the JE scare affected their business. Bak kut teh is still available in the mornings but instead, people make a beeline for their sang yue dishes. Well known for the smooth texture but extremely troublesome to eat with all the teeny weeny bones, Yap Yin's version makes life so much easier - boneless fillets (RM26 for a small portion) tenderly steamed that you can pop in the mouth to enjoy.

head me up, cheong yoke pau with a sticky spicy sauce

Aside from the steamed version (one of their most popular requests), they also do a porridge steamboat (boiled with sang yue bones to give it a sweet flavour) where you can dip plus swish the sang yue sashimi slices like shabu shabu.



tummy tickling yellow rice wine chicken

Aside from the fish, Yap Yin also serves one of the most tummy comforting Hakka yellow rice wine chicken dish (RM20 for a small). It got the approval of my aunties and mother when I brought them here one day to sample the steamed fish. More of a Hakka traditional dish, it is made unique because of the fragrant homemade rice wine. On my last visit, I bought a bottle of the rice wine for RM15 home, hoping to recreate this wonderful dish at home. Other great items you can also order - their signature stewed pork trotters, intestines and chicken feet (RM15 for a small portion), a delicious combination of sinful melt in the mouth fatty bits of the pork with a hint of Chinese herbs. We also tried a new dish - the cheong pau yoke (RM16 for a small portion), pork belly slices coated in a sweet but spicy sticky sauce.



stewed sinful pork trotters, intestines and chicken feet

Parking is quite a nightmare here though, since the restaurant faces the main road. The owner tries to make it up by setting up spaces at the houses nearby but it's quite limited. Nevertheless, I don't mind walking a bit further to get here, as the food's good.

Yap Yin Restaurant & Bak Kut Teh
1231, Jalan Sekolah

Seri Kembangan

Tel: 03-8943 5426

(Non Halal. The restaurant is open from 11.30am to 11pm daily.)

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

Tagged with: Chinese Food+ Steamed Fish

Japanese Food @ Benkay, Nikko Hotel, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

1. brocade cloth decorations, 2. benkay 3. bright place to dine at

I never tire of Japanese food. Throw me in Japan and I'll be one happy camper since I love all kinds of Japanese food, whether it's raw sashimi, home cooked food like niku jaga (potato and beef stew) or yakitori. What I'll probably won't enjoy is the Windows 7 Whopper - Burger King Japan's tribute to Windows 7 launch. There's 7 burger patties all together for Yen777, for 7 days. Luckily it wasn't Windows 6, or else it'll be the devil's favourite numbers which will be so appropriate for Halloween. Eat Me Daily (my current favourite daily click of the day!) has pictures and a video of the Whopper. Watch how 2 people tackle the giant with various eating styles. Love the quip at the end, when the fella said he's glad it was not a Windows 95 launch.

1. smooth chawan mushi, 2. tangy corn salad

Since we don't have Windows 7 Whoppers here, it's all about Japanese food at Benkay, one of the places I've heard quite a lot about but yet to try. Being new to the place and because the prices here are more akin to hotel ones, we decided to be a little "kiasu" and go for the set lunch first. My theory was if the sets wowed us, we'll be back for the more expensive items and etc.

we love thee....humble chicken meatballs

Surprisingly, we were bowled over the simple yet delicious Chicken Yosenabe Set (RM55). Believe me, it's comfort food for your senses - large fluffylike minced chicken balls with finely chopped ginger and cabbage within. In fact, the soft texture reminded me a little of Taiwanese lionhead meatballs.

1. miso soup, 2. braised dish, 3. tuna and salmon, 4. my "hill"

My sashimi set (RM65) was artfully presented with lots of different coloured seaweed and even some purple cress on the side. I especially liked how they shaped a small little "hill" in shaved ice for my simple piece of cuttlefish. The sets all come with a braised dish of chicken with daikon and carrot, smooth chawan mushi, a tangy corn salad and fruits.

While prices are definitely on a higher side compared to other places, I must admit we were very satisified and would not mind returning again. Set lunches were also available during the weekend, which is a plus point. They have a new Japanese chef who used to helm Zipangu and Mizu, hence I'm sure food is good here, since we both love the other places.

Benkay Restaurant
1st Floor
Nikko Hotel
Jalan Ampang
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03- 2161 1111

(Pork free. Open for lunch and dinner.)

*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+ Sashimi

Seafood @ Restaurant Fock Kee, Queens Park Retail Centre, Jalan Peel, Kuala Lumpur

ginormous crabs are used here (RM55 per kg)

Don't you just love the double connotations of Chinese words? This place (formerly known as Zhui Mao or the Drunken Cat) reminds me aptly of the twins, Fook Mi & Fook You from the Austin Powers movie. Despite the surreal sounding name, food here is more honest to good Chinese food.

it may not look great but believe me, one of the best steamed cheong cheng tilapia in town (RM22)

A must-have is the steamed tilapia, a dish that this restaurant has perfected since 1985 when they started business in a wooden shack on Jalan Peel. Not only was the fish perfectly steamed, we absolutely love the flavours of the cheong cheng sauce, a harmonious blend of soy bean paste and chillies. Coupled with fried lard bits, this was so incredibly addictive, I ended up eating most of the fish.

spicy prawns served in a mini wok (RM25)

Other specialties here include their impressive looking salted egg yolk crab, prepared in a different way from Robson Heights as the salted egg yolk sauce is loose and does not adhere to the cooked crabs. Moreover the crabmeat does not absorb much of the salted egg yolk sauce. Nevertheless the crabs here are huge, as they're from Indonesia. Another recommended dish was these spicy prawns served in a mini wok. Sadly, it didn't hit the right notes for the tongue at all with the not-very-spicy nor tasty sauce coating the large prawns.

Despite some misses, I reckon I'll still return as I absolutely love the steamed fish here. They also do other kinds of sauces i.e. ginger, assam, nonya, thai and etc. Another branch run by a sibling is also open in Sungai Besi.

Fock Kee Restaurant

QP30-1, Queen's Park Retail Centre

Jalan Shelley

Pudu
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 019-6111999

(Non Halal. Place is open for lunch and dinnertime.)

*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: Steamed Fish+ Salted egg yolk crab

Others who have visited here:

• Babe in the City
• Very Sedap!!

Champagne Truffles @ Teuscher, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur

pretty boxes and chocolate in a row

Upset because Beyonce postponed her concert in Kuala Lumpur this weekend? My advice.....console yourself with some champagne truffles from Teuscher. Flown in from Zurich, these freshly made chocolates make life a lot brighter after you have popped one in your mouth.

dark chocolate on top and milk chocolate champagne truffles on the bottom

Available in milk or dark chocolate, within each truffle, there's a soft creamy centre made from Dom Perignon champagne. A soft fluffy dark chocolate ganache covers the champagne centre before it is enrobed in another layer of thicker chocolate coating. Lastly, it is dusted with icing sugar for the milk chocolate variety or cocoa powder for the dark chocolate variety. What makes it unique to the tastebuds - the chocolate has a decadent, soft and almost airy texture, making it easy to bite and indulge in.

adorable paper crepe characters and yes, chocolate is so much better therapy

These delicate truffles (there's a long list of how to look after them including no direct sunlight) sell out pretty quickly hence it is best to leave your name on the list and the shop can call you, when the supplies come in. Usually they get sold off within one week after they arrive from Switzerland due to their popularity.

creamy yet light champagne center enrobed in chocolate ganache in a glass Tiffany box

As they're freshly made from butter, cream and chocolate, it is best to consume them within 10 days (not a hard task believe me!). Teuscher claims to be the first to have come up with the idea for champagne truffles in 1947. During a heat wave in Zurich, Adolf Teuscher Sr was said to have saw a champagne bucket that inspired him to create a chocolate that has a "fresh and cooling taste".

The quaint little shop in Bangsar Shopping Centre is also a great place for snapping cute little paper crepe animals and characters. As Halloween is just round the corner, there's adorable looking witches, ghosts and even a devil-like figure on display. Aside from the champagne truffles, they also sell various kinds of truffles (spied a wine one), chocolate in various shapes and bars. There's also hot chocolate available with a few tables and chairs on the side for you to indulge in the rich dark beverage. More pictures can be found in my Flickr set.

Teuscher Chocolates
FK1, 1st Floor
East Wing
Bangsar Shopping Centre
Jalan Maarof
Bangsar
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 - 20937633

(Pork free. The chocolates cost around RM68 per 100grams that can get you around 7-8 pieces. It is advised you call ahead to check if they are available, as the truffles sell out very quickly.)

*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: Teuscher+ Champagne Truffles

The colours of Deepavali - the festival of lights

the peacock kolam

Happy Deepavali everyone! Such a riot of colours for the festival of lights. Every mall, hotel and office seem to have outdone their artistic skills this year with all the kolam displays.


the super "bling-bling" kolam at Pavilion KL

Made from coloured rice grains, the kolam is multi-functional, it decorates and is also said to purify the entrance of the building inviting the godness of Wealth to enter. Kinda I guess like us asking Choy Sun or the Chinese god of prosperity to bless the house/office/mall with wealth. One the decadent ones I saw this year is located at Pavilion KL - studded with Swarovski crystals. Literally a bling bling fest, I reckon.


nope it ain't mango milk but saffron tinged madras masala milk

Every year, I often hit the Deepavali bazaars to soak up the atmosphere. This time round, instead of the more commercial Brickfields, it was the quieter Little India at Klang, with its old world charm. I love how the streets are lined with colourful sweet stalls, fortune tellers with birdies to pick cards that give a peek into your life, incense smells and people enjoying the festivities.


crunchy delights

The town is flooded with people coming from neighbouring small towns to shop for new clothes, decorations and sweets. As the streets are packed with people, a number of volunteers are distributing free drinks to quench their thirst in the heat.

1. apple shaped sweets that hide crushed pistachios, 2. giant ladoos for prayers

Amid the hustle, we managed to do two stops, one for lunch at the 46-year old Jai Hind - a dose of banana leaf rice and ragi. One fascinating stop was at Ashoka Curry House, a modern place that serves the unique looking Madras Masala Milk.

1. kuih ros moulds, 2. decorate your home, 3. "it's going to be a great year for you", says the fortune teller, 4. henna patterns are popular decorations

Tinged yellow from saffron threads, this milk is prepared in a cast iron wok and includes aromatic ingredients like hazelnuts, raisins, pistachios or pista, cardamom pods, dry ginger and herbal nuts. The frothy concoction is tummy comforting and reminds me of payasam, a dessert I love with sago pearls.

1. technicolour jelebi, 2. coconut candy studded with peanuts

Sweets are piled high and in every rainbow colour imaginable. These are essential for the celebrations, as they are used for prayers and served to guests, when they drop by. My favourite is still the gulab jamun - these balls soaked in syrup flavoured with cardamoms and rosewater. There are also an assortment of ladoos - multi-coloured ones and super size ones that are used for prayers. Don't forget the crunchy bits we know as muruku, they're addictive - one scoop in your hand is never enough as you keep digging into the tin to grab more of the crispy batter bits. For more colours of deepavali, see my Flickr set.

Food for thought - Should bloggers disclose when they receive freebies or cash for a product review?

should we be kept in the dark for blogger reviews?

Let's kick up some dust, just before we end the week with a scary question i.e. should bloggers be regulated to disclose either cash or freebies they receive for product reviews?

Why? You may ask, am I asking this suddenly. Well, it just happens the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has decided to start regulating bloggers on this disclosure issue, last week. That has sent a buzz around the online community and even made its way to Singapore, where their Media Development Authority (MDA) claims it is looking into ways for stricter disclosure rules. One wonders, how long before the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will also jump on the bandwagon too.

Let's analyse the FTC guidelines that were released in relation to "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsemens and Testimonials in Advertising." Per their guidelines, "a post from a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement". The guidelines continue to say, "bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product of the service." No mention about the kind of disclosure is required, as that is left to the blogger but it is required to be clear and conspicuous.

What happens when you violate these guidelines you ask? It is stated that if you regularly flout the guidelines or complaints are made, a fine of USD11,000 will be imposed for each violation. Already in Singapore there has been fiery exchanges on the Net with comments claiming this is a violation of blogger privacy.

I guess, since this is more of a food blog, one must ask this question, would you as a blog reader want to know when you read a blog post recommending a certain outlet for food, whether it is made clearly on top of the review, that it was an invited review where food was received as payment in kind or that particular blogger received a sum for writing that review?

Definitely food for thought, for all of you to chew on. Let me know your opinions and whether these FTC guidelines will be applicable here in Malaysia.

For further reading on this, see Wired's article on the FTC guidelines and Singapore's reaction to MDA's proposal to regulate bloggers. I also like this blog post from the Singapore Straits Times on how difficult it will be to police these regulations. One suggestion is to go after those companies that continues to practice these kind of reviews.

Wantan Mee @ Chan Meng Kee, SS2, Petaling Jaya

chunky melt in the mouth char siu pieces are the highlight here

It's sad, when a legendary place like Ho Weng Kee in SS2 closes down. The owner has been threatening to retire for quite some time and he finally did so, supposedly due to his poor health. Taking over their former space is another famous char siu wantan mee place that used to be at Section 17 Restoran Mel's Corner. It is thanks to one of my blog readers aka carsam carsam, who informed me of this change. He wrote about the Section 17 noodles for the Knife/The Star's competition on food places.

1. one mouthful to go, 2. roast duck

Nothing much has changed here except the shop is now called Chan Meng Kee (the owner's surname is Chan). Previously in Section 17, the stall only sold char siu wantan noodles, here they have expanded their selection to include roast duck, curry noodles, ngau lam noodles which is quite similar to Ho Weng Kee's previous offerings.

Tastewise, the char siu was very good - chunky melt in the mouth pieces with a generous portion of springy wantan noodles for RM5. The wantans on the side, wasn't as tasty compared to their days in Section 17 (a lack of dried sole powder) but was still quite decent. I thought the roast duck (RM5 for one portion) was average tasting - not much meat and instead all I got in one mouthful was a lot of skin. Nevertheless, I'm curious to return here and try their ngau lam (beef brisket) noodles and curry mee to compare it with Ho Weng Kee. I doubt the old owners pass their recipes to these people, as when I asked them if they were given the recipes, they kinda ignored me. So sad, since those recipes will be lost forever.

Chan Meng Kee
32, Jalan SS2/66
Petaling Jaya

(Non Halal. Open for breakfast from 8am to 3pm daily except Mondays. Next to Piau Kee seafood and same row as Lorong Seratus Tahun.)

*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+ Wantan Noodles

Premium Pork @ Sanbanto, SS2, Petaling Jaya

comforting pork bolognese with home made pappardelle (RM17)

After a long stressful week, winding down with a little porky goodness seems to be the best way to recharge the batteries. This relatively new place located in the heartland of SS2 seems to have garnered quite a few fans already, judging from the crowd hanging out at the small place and the number of references once you Google search it. Don't expect much in terms of decor, as the place doubles up as a shop to sell the meat in the front and a large open kitchen takes up almost half of the space. The whole set up is relatively simple with mirrors on one side, to give an illusion of a bigger space. Tables and chairs are also quite limited, hence I can imagine looking for a place during peak times will be quite trying. The lack of any soft furnishings and mirrors does no wonders for the acoustics, as it can get terrible noisy especially if there's a loud crowd hanging here.


1. pork bolognese, 2. mr. piggy, 3. pork belly salad (RM13)

If your aim is just some pork to cheer you up, then you're in the right place. The menu is relatively small - appetizers, pastas, mains and desserts. They have handy indicators next to some items to help you order their specialties. Spotted pork ears on the menu (I wonder if that will be too chewy?), pate, pork burger and etc. Since we couldn't eat the whole menu, we just settled on a few items.


delectable BBQ ribs (RM38)

The pork bolognese arrived first, looking a little lost in the large white plate. A quick taste of it revealed pretty good home made pasta - not too soft but still with a slight bite to it. The pork bolognese that coated the thick pappardelle strands was strangely reminscent of a home cooked meal - comforting and familiar. Well hidden within the minced meat, you will find bits of deep fried lard that is a little soggy from the sauce. I guess it would have been better to sprinkle the pasta with the deep fried goodies on top, to give a slight textural difference. Nevertheless, we both thoroughly enjoyed the pasta and decided we don't mind trying it again.


very soft pistachio pannacotta (RM9) served with dragonfruit on the side

The sinful sounding pork belly salad felt a little ordinary though and probably due to the moisture from the salad, the deep fried pork belly slices weren't as crispy as we preferred. It still made a good and less sinful accompaniement to the meal with the healthy greens dipped in a tangy honey mustard sauce on the side. What we truly loved was the BBQ rib - one long rib slathered with a smoky BBQ sauce. Dig into the rib and discover fork tender meat topped with a fatty portion that melted in your mouth - simply sublime stuff especially for those who love their pork fat! The sides of mash potatoes was a little too gluey but I quite liked the sweet tasting grilled corn in the cobs.

Dessert was less exciting - a wobbly and very soft pannacotta that didn't have much taste of pistachio at all. Dragonfruit was served on the side that didn't seem to complement the flavours of the dessert at all. I reckon this place justifies a few more visits as I'm dying to go try out their pork burger, which the lady kept recommending.

On another note, the pork is from this farm located in Endau-Rompin that is ISO 22000 (Certification for Food Safety) certified by Moodys International. The meat is from pigs that are reared without any growth hormones. These pigs are fed a special type of bacillus using a Japanese technology. More pictures can be found in my Flickr set.

Sanbanto
32, Jalan SS2/63
Petaling Jaya
Selangor

Tel: 03-7876 1728

(Non Halal. Open for lunch and dinner. Shop is the same row as KTZ, Maybank, Rocket United Cafe and A Little Dim Sum Place.)

*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: Pork Bolognese+ BBQ Ribs

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