Suka @ One Residency Kuala Lumpur

June 20, 2015, 3:30 am

≫ Next: Putien Summer Harvest @ One Utama

≪ Previous: Limapulo @ Jalan Doraisamy Kuala Lumpur

Chilling to Fusion!

Suka has been around for more than 5 year already, quietly serving diners in One Residency serviced apartment in Kuala Lumpur. With a new management in tow, we visited the new Sukafor a preview of what the restaurant & bar has to offer. It was an early Saturday evening when we head on over to Suka. The restaurant & bar has a good discreet spot in the building, nicely enclosed behind green scrubs so one doesn’t even think you are at a busy spot in the city.

Walking into Suka is pretty relaxing at sight. It’s nicely spacious with its modern minimalist interior. Everything including furniture is kept relatively simple. The bar is modern too, located at the side of the restaurant facing the outside where it serves the purpose of serving the al fresco area as well as the inside. There is a pool table for customers to have some fun too.

Suka has garnered quite a list of regular over the years and it’s a place perfect for some R&R moments and some bites. During the day, it caters to the office lunch crowd while the evening sets the mood for many who just enjoy hanging out to good bites and drinks. There is also a live band on Friday nights.

Since it was Saturday, we decided to go the giggle juice route and ordered Mai Tai (RM22), Mojito (RM22) and Long Island Iced Tea (RM22). The cocktails certainly liven up our evening as we look forward to some bites from its fusion menu of East meets West.

From the salad section, we had their Smoked Duck Breast with Mango Grapes Salsa (RM21) and Orange Mango Mint Salad (RM20). Warm slices of duck breast is accompanied by a fruity mango grape salsa with a side of greens. The dish makes a nice starter as the duck was delicious and moist. The rich notes of the duck is nicely lighten with the fruity salsa.

The Orange Mango Mint Salad is a healthy salad with invigorating flavours of creamy and tangy yoghurt dressing with mint.

I was pleased with the Pasta Vongole(RM25.90), a classic rendition of pasta and clams in garlic sauce. At Suka, chili padi are added to spice up the pasta. It’s light and delicious with lots of spicy garlicky notes.

For those who prefer to go meatless, opting for Pasta Pesto with Wild Mushrooms (RM25.90) is a good choice. It’s a hearty dish of pasta tossed in herb and cheese pesto sauce together with mushrooms, tomatoes, carrot, broccoli and cauliflower. The pasta is nicely flavoured with a hint of sweetness.

We had quite a few lamb dishes at Sukaand the Rack of Lamb (RM45) was my favorite of the lot. It’s nothing new but it is cooked well till medium and moist. The lamb and the black pepper sauce are tasty and rich so I enjoyed this with the mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Chicken Veldostana (RM39) reminded me of Chicken Cordon Bleu except this one is healthier as it is baked with ham and cheese. We opted for a choice of Black pepper sauce over mushroom. Served with mashed potatoes and vegetables, its comfort food with a healthier option. The chicken is very moist and tender while the cheesy notes are always much welcome in my books.

Sukalicious Burger (RM45) turned out to be a stack of goodies. Going all out, Suka’s version has 2 thick homemade beef patties, homemade chicken thigh patty, turkey ham, fried egg, cheese, grilled pineapple and the regular vegetables and mayo sauce on a black and white sesame bun. The towering burger is quite a feat to eat with all its layers plus there’s a lot of meat on this which is good for carnivores. Let’s see you try to tackle this… and the side of golden French fries too…

Smoked Duck & Peach Pizza (RM30) is another good combination on pizzas. The dark smoky duck flavours is balanced nicely with the sweet soft peaches, tomato sauce and cheese. It’s a nice thin and crusty pizza base with a very scrumptious filling. Must-order!

From the Tapas menu, we had the Char Grilled Lamb (RM29.90) and Lamb Varuval(RM25.90). Both lamb cuts were a bit tough so I didn’t enjoy the texture but the flavours for both are good. The Char Grilled Lamb has got good char grill aroma and is flavourful from the marinade and mint sauce. The Lamb Varuval is very spicy in terms of heat and robust as well. It is rich and perfect with the toasted garlic bread. Although I can take a good dose of heat, this one is pretty lethal. There is a side bowl of raita to cool down the heat level for those who can’t take the heat.

Suka also has a local menu to cater to diners. We tried their Pineapple Fried Rice (RM20.90) and found it decent. The nice curry aroma and flavour goes well with the pineapples and seafood.

There is not much dessert in the menu but we did finished with a simple Peach Melba (RM12.90) of vanilla ice cream with peaches.

SUKA

One Residency

No.1 Jalan Nagasari

50200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2141-9997

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSuka2010

Business Hours:

Mon – Thur 11.30am to 12.00am

Fri – Sat 11.30am to 1.00am

Sun 3.00pm to 12 midnight

Book with Offpeak.my!Offpeak.my is an online platform that helps diners save money and time when booking great restaurants online. Once a restaurant is available in the Offpeak.my directory, you can simply book and enjoy unlimited discount on your favourite restaurant, every day, anytime. No more waiting for the right deal or coupon to come by. It’s easy to book and instantly confirmed.

Book now by downloading Offpeak.my App available on the App Store and Google Play, or visit our website www.offpeak.my or Facebook: www.facebook.com/offpeak.my

↧

Putien Summer Harvest @ One Utama

July 1, 2015, 8:14 am

≫ Next: Bofe Eatery @ Section 19, Petaling Jaya

≪ Previous: Suka @ One Residency Kuala Lumpur

Revel in Comfort Heng Hwa Cuisine of Putian

The sheer diversity of Chinese cuisine never fails to amaze me. Each region, each country, each city literally has their own dishes, usually dictated by the geographical conditions and produce. This round, its Putian which is the beautiful costal of the Fujian province in China. The people of Putian are also known as XingHua, Heng Hwa or Hing Wa. Malaysia has a small community of Heng Hwa in several cities so Heng Hwa cuisine is available usually in smaller towns.

The Heng Hwa cuisine is pretty unique. Based on the geographical location, Heng Hwa cuisine is blessed with many dishes from land and sea. The cuisine is humble and yet refine and comforting. It’s unpretentious and lets the ingredients speak for themselves in its purest form of cooking. A lot of their dishes are fresh and delicate in flavours, yet there are punches of robust notes in some ways.

So it’s my first time trying Heng Hwa cuisine at Putien Restaurant located at One Utama recently with my regular entourage of foodies a few weeks ago. Putienis celebrating their summer’s harvest fresh produce from the region. As mentioned, the cuisine relies mostly on their fresh harvest from land and sea and the natural flavours of the ingredients take centerstage. Putien goes all out and imports a good list of their ingredients from the region to ensure authenticity of their dishes. Putien’s chef is also from Putian and the restaurant now has two outlets with the first one in One Utama and the second in Sunway Mall.

That evening, we dine on the regular menu together with some of the Summer Harvest new dishes available at Putien from June onwards. I like the environment at Putien in One Utama. Decorated in a neutral light wood theme with some black for contrast, it is soothing at sight. The dining area is spacious and nicely sectioned off for privacy. There are also some private rooms as well. It’s modern and contemporary with bright lighting, sending warmness all over the ambience.

For drinks, I had their Nature’s Goodness(RM8.50) while my other half had their Homemade Sweet Corn Juice (RM8.50) served warm. I love my juice that was vibrant and refreshing. The healthy concoction of pineapple, green vegetables with plums is perfectly thirst-quenching and good for me too. The sweet corn is lovely too with its sweet and creamy corn notes.

Small bites are served while we waited for our food. The pot of Putien signature chili sauce is literally a pot of gold. The sauce is delicious and super spicy. I had copious amount of the chili sauce as it really is addictive. The chili sauce is available for sale at RM12.90.

Dinner started on a lavish note of exquisite Iced Abalone (RM37.00). The luxurious molluscs is affordable and is treated with great respect. Lightly poached, the abalone is chilled and served on ice. It is tender and delicate in natural flavours. Putian is famous for its premium seafood harvest and abalone is a good choice to order as one can enjoy the fresh and sweet delicacy in its natural flavours.

Iced Bitter Gourd (RM8.50) is presented like a bloom on ice. Translucent thin, the bitter gourd is lightly crunchy and is savored with a side of honey. It’s wonderfully refreshing!

More seafood appetizers with Drunken Cockles(RM15.50), another Putien signature of showcasing seafood in a minimalist way. Painstakingly half shelled and lightly blanched, the cockles are covered in pungent fresh minced garlic and chili with a wine marinade. This one packed a punch unforgettable flavours.

Looking deceptively plain, the Seaweed with Mini Shrimps (RM15.50) flavours tasted otherwise. There is a sense of earthy and lightly briny note in the lightly sweet and tangy seaweed. I enjoyed this dish a lot with its seaweed texture and the miniscule shrimps.

Braised Pig Intestine (RM18.00) had quite a few of us salivating at sight. The tedious process to clean, stuff and cook the pig intestine is alone worthy of the price. Braised in a 12 spices sauce, the intestine is nicely enveloped with deep rich spice notes. There is still a good bite to the 9-fold offal. Hand me a beer please…

The Stir Fried Yam (RM20.50) is one of my favorite dish that night. Cube yam is cleverly steamed and fried with a crispy layer and a creamy powdery inside. If I am not mistaken, I think this is coated with a layer of caramelized sugar based savory sweet sauce to achieve its crunchy outer layer. Love the simplicity of the yam as the balance of savory and sweet is just right while the texture is unique and very enjoyable.

Braised Bean Curd with Chinese Cabbage (RM29.00 small / RM43.50 medium) was served in a clay urn. The moment I took a sip of this broth, I knew it was a winner. Homemade bean curd by the chef are cooked with special Putian seasonal dried clams, Chinese cabbage, dried scallop and dried shrimp in broth. The broth alone is an oceanic pleasure of seafood essence. The bean curd and cabbage made the dish really humble as these are every day ingredients. The dish has such refine notes and yet is truly modest in some ways. Highly recommended for its comfort essence…

Putien Style Oyster Omelette (RM22.50) is another crowd favorite that evening. Baby oysters from Putian is delectably sweet with perky briny notes. The baby oysters are skillfully enrobed in fluffy egg with lots of chopped scallions and chives. One gets a burst of juicy unctuous oyster flavours with subtle hints of oniony notes. Savor the omelette with that awesome chili sauce for extra pleasures!

Though I thought that the Shredded Meat with Bun (RM6.50 per piece with minimum order of 2 pcs) was a tad oily from the buns, I didn’t mind it one bit. Sink your teeth into crisp and fluffy sesame mantao sandwiched with sautéed shredded pork tenderloin with lots of sweet onions. It’s aromatic and easy to enjoy as it is tasty.

From the Summer Harvest menu, we had the Pan Fried Tomatoes with Minced Pork (RM5.90 per piece with minimum order of 2 pcs). Tomatoes are at their best during this season and so it is showcased stuffed with minced pork, lightly battered fried and served with a light savory sauce. The tomatoes are indeed a joy to eat as it is so juicy and sweet. The filling and sauce balanced up the sweetness of the tomatoes with savory flavours. Yum…

Stir Fried Lotus Root with Prawn (RM38.90) is also another Summer Harvest dish. This one is relatively simple but nevertheless delicious with crunchy lotus root and sweet bouncy prawns.

I spied quite a few tables enjoying the Deep Fried Pig’s Trotter with Salt & Pepper (RM13.00 per piece with minimum order of 2 pcs) that evening. Using precise 7 inch pig’s trotter imported from Australia, it is a 12-hour cooking journey feat for a few minutes of enjoyment. Gloves are provided to allow diners to just enjoy them the way it should be enjoy. The finalized trotter is worth every bite. Crispy skin, moist gelatinous collagen, unctuous flavours and addictive, it’s a dish you won’t want to miss at Putien!

Besides enjoying the earlier dishes with rice, Heng Hwa cuisine also takes their noodles seriously. Heng Hwa noodles are unlike our noodles. There are quite a few types of Heng Hwa noodles and these are also imported from Putian region. It is almost impossible to get the noodles here as they are made to specific process perfected in that region’s geographical elements.

Don’t be fool by the plain looking bowl of Putien Lor Mee (RM21.50). It is a bowl of warm and comforting flavours. Silky medium thick wheat noodles are cooked in pork broth with prawns, pork belly, Chinese cabbage, clams and many more goodies. The moreish flavours of the noodles had me sighing at pleasure with every slurp. The dish is a sure winner with every one of all ages.

Fried Heng Hwa Bee Hoon (RM21.50) is another specialty of Putien and this one uses thin rice noodles or Bee Hoon. The rice noodles is somewhat different from ours as there is a silky and chewy bite to them which I really enjoy. This Heng Hwa Bee Hoon is milled by hand and is sundried at the crack of dawn to achieve its texture. It is sautéed with prawns, clams, peanuts and other ingredients with milky pork bone stock. It’s a best seller at Putien and the reasons are quite obvious, fresh ingredients and lots of love goes into making this dish!

Spinach with Salted Egg & Century Egg in Supreme Stock(RM20.50) was more familiar as the dish is much savored by many in other restaurants as well. Tender spinach leaves braised in supreme stock with the much Chinese-beloved salted egg and century egg yielded soothing flavours that many would enjoy.

After that long list of dishes, I didn’t feel heavy at all. It’s probably due to the fact that the dishes at Putienfocused on showcasing fresh ingredients prepared in minimal cooking time and flavours. The dishes are also pretty healthy and balanced, leaving us with room for some sweets.

Putien’s desserts is beautifully listed in its own menu. There is a good list of sweets and being the explorers we are, we had one of each to share. Sweet Potato Balls (RM8.00 for 6 pieces) seemed to share the same fame with our local ones as well as Taiwan sweet potato balls. Crispy with creamy and sweet potato mashed, the balls are delightful as snacks or desserts.

Pumpkin Cream with Ice Cream (RM11.50) sounded a bit odd but the combination worked well in terms of flavours. The pumpkin cream is not overly sweet and the creamy cold coconut ice cream enhanced the pumpkin nicely. Blueberry sauce and crushed peanuts added a different twist to this dessert. Unique and delicious!

If you enjoy hot dessert, then Hot Yam Paste with Gingko Nuts (RM6.50) may be a good choice. Similar to the Teochew dessert, yam is steamed, mashed and cooked, the yam paste is creamy and silky smooth with a powdery note.

If you prefer more refreshing flavours, then opt for the Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Fruits (RM6.50) or Chilled Putian Loquat in Herbal Jelly(RM9.00). Both jellies are lighter on the palate and easy to enjoy. One uses lemongrass while the other opted for Chinese herbs for medicinal benefits.

Another unique dessert to try is the Purple Sweet Potato with Pumpkin Cream (RM9.00). Who would have thought pairing sweet potato with pumpkin in cold dessert would be a hit? This dessert is lusciously creamy and nicely sweet.

Putien showed finesse in serving up refine Heng Hwa cuisine. One can certainly taste the quality of the ingredients. Besides, there is nothing much to hide when ingredients are prepared simple and uncomplicated to show off the natural notes of the produce. Highlights for me are the Iced Abalone, Seaweed with Mini Shrimps, Braised Pig Intestines, Putien Style Oyster Omelette, Braised Bean Curd with Cabbage, Putien Lor Mee and FriedHeng Hwa Bee Hoon.

PUTIEN

G213A Ground Floor, Promenade,

1 Utama Shopping Centre (Old Wing),

Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Tel: +603 7722 1539

Fax: +603 7722 2139

Website: www.putien.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/putien.my

Operating Hours

11.30am - 10pm

↧

Bofe Eatery @ Section 19, Petaling Jaya

July 2, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Dolly Dim Sum @ Avenue K

≪ Previous: Putien Summer Harvest @ One Utama

Food That Makes The World A Little Better!

It’s fun discovering new places to eat! Especially when these places serve good food at affordable prices. Bofe Eatery, a little café located along Section 19, off SS2 area (same row as Mungo Jerry), would not have been known to me if not for OffPeak.com.Bofe, short for Best of Everything, is the three owners’ ode in serving up what they deem to be their best offerings to diners.

The 1 year old café is quaint and cozy. Bofe’s interior is designed by the owners themselves. Adding comfort to industrial theme, the café is made more personal by the renderings of one of the owner’s murals on the walls. It is also filled with collectible paraphernalia and magazines. Diners can choose the regular table seating or the banquette seating made comfortable with plenty of cushions. Bofe’s first impression left me feeling relax and warm.

Bofe’s menu has a good mix of Asian and Western dishes. The dishes seemed quite straightforward and has a good selections of cold & hot entrees, pasta, meat, seafood, kids, desserts and drinks. Bofe also has a separate menu for Set Lunch with value-for-money lunch treats.

We chose De Stress (RM8) and Detoxifier (RM8) for drinks and was pleased with the options of the fruit juices.

From cold entrees, we had their Paprika Chicken Soba (RM8.90) and Duck Salad Wraps (RM8.90). Both dishes are somewhat simple and easy eats. The paprika seasoned chicken slice is decent and goes well with the soba, greens and cherry tomatoes in sesame dressing. The duck wrap is also decent with its duck and lettuce with a sweet plum sauce. I did wish for more duck but with that price, it’s not too bad.

Crispy Crab Bites (RM11.90) and Prawns & Mango Cup (RM11.90) from the hot entrees are superb! Enjoying crab without the hassle is already a plus point for me in the Crispy Crab Bites served with tomato chutney. The golden balls are filled with lots of crab meat with bits of vegetables. They are juicy, crispy and tasty, especially when dunked into that tomato chutney sauce.

The Prawns & Mango Cup is served in mini serving ware and is a sight filled with bright colors. The combination of prawns and sweet ripe mango worked out deliciously. The surprise here punchy sweet and spicy dressing sauce.

Goma Smoked Duck Breast (RM19.90) won our votes for one of the best duck dishes that we have eaten. Literally the star of the evening, it’s a dish to order if you love duck. The dish is also their best seller. Plump smoked duck is pan seared till it has a nice amber hued crisp skin. The smoked duck is then served with creamy soft mashed potatoes, side salad and nutty sesame sauce. The salty and smoky notes of the juicy duck is just so decadent in a savory way. It also went really well with the creamy aromatic sesame sauce. The dish is so good, we had a second order of this awesome duck!

Salted Egg Soft Shell Crab Pasta (RM21.90) is another luscious dish worth its weight in deliciousness. The sinful spicy salted egg cream sauce is what makes the dish utterly moreish. Silky rich strands of pasta with sauce and mushrooms topped with crispy battered soft shell crab is practically soul food.

A good hearty plate of Braised Lamb Shank(RM34.90) in tangy Moroccan tomato sauce with lots of root vegetable and zucchini served on creamy mashed summed up the dish. Though the meat is beautifully tender and moist, I felt that the tomato sauce could use a richer depth of flavours besides just tomato flavours. The thick sauce is a good base for the heavy lamb shank and paired decent with the mashed potatoes. It is also a good portion to share among two eaters.

Besides the a la carte Western dishes, Bofeserves a few Asian dishes for lunch sets like this Javanese influenced Rames Rice (RM19.90) set. Chicken marinated with spices is cooked ‘penyet’ style till crispy and smothered in spiced sauce and served with a host of turmeric buttery rice, tempe orek, emping crackers and sambal belachan. The chicken is succulent and tasty with all the blend of spices. I really enjoyed this dish together with the rice and the yummy condiments.

Peranakan Duck Set (RM19.90) had us savoring duck braised in Nyonya style savory 5-spice soy sauce served with rice, spring rolls, emping crackers and sambal belachan. The duck has a good tender but firm texture and is quite earthy in flavours from all the soy sauce and spices. The sambal belachan certainly kicked up the flavours of the duck well and I like the crunchy emping crackers with the dish, lending more local Asian influences to the dish.

The lunch sets at Bofe is value-for-money as all the dishes except for one are under RM20 and comes with drink and dessert.

Check out Bofe’s cake chillers for their daily choices of desserts as the dessert list changes on daily basis. We had Nutcracker (RM9.90) and Snickers Cheesecake(RM10.90) that evening. The Nutcrackeris a nut based cake and is served warm with caramel and a pinch of salt on the side. The charming light and fluffy hazelnut cake with sweet and salty pairing is wondrously good and unique. The Snicker Cheesecake is decadent and chocolaty with chunks of toffee nutty snicker chunks. It is really rich so sharing is advisable for this one.

I had a Latte (RM8) that is very good with a beautiful balance of coffee and milk. Order a tea set of a slice of cake between 3pm to 6pm daily including weekends and enjoy a Latte at only RM1.50.

Bofe Eatery is a place made for good bites and drinks with affordable prices. The food here is dishes that certainly makes the world a little better, at least in my books. I like the uncomplicated dishes and the comfort flavours of them. Must-orders are Crispy Crab Bites, Goma Smoked Duck Breast, Salted Egg Soft Shell Crab Pastaand cakes…

BOFE EATERY

16, Jalan 19/36,

Seksyen 19,

46300 Petaling Jaya

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Bofe

Business Hours:

Tuesday to Thursday – 11.00am to 10pm

Friday – 11am to 11pm

Saturday – 9am to 11am

Sunday – 11am to 10pm

Closed on Mondays.

Book now by downloading Offpeak.my App available on the App Store and Google Play, or visit our website www.offpeak.my or Facebook: www.facebook.com/offpeak.my

↧

Dolly Dim Sum @ Avenue K

July 4, 2015, 4:54 am

≫ Next: Fly Me to Chengdu, China – Part 1

≪ Previous: Bofe Eatery @ Section 19, Petaling Jaya

A Modern Dim Sum & Tea House

Hello Dolly! It’s dim sum set in a gorgeous modern day ambience that has many diners enjoying the much beloved dainty morsels at Dolly Dim Sum. Set in the metropolitan city of KL at Avenue K Mall, Dolly Dim Sum shares the same management as Fresca, a Mexican restaurant. And that is perfectly alright since diners can actually enjoy the best of both worlds of Chinese dim sum and Mexican dishes at one meal.

Dolly Dim Sum is the owners’ modern interpretation of a traditional Chinese tea house serving up delectable morsels of dim sum all day so diners can enjoy their fix throughout the day. The contemporary tea house is beautifully designed to maximize nature’s elements. Set right next to Fresca but offers diners a breathe of vibrant freshness, Dolly Dim Sumrestaurant is set with lots of glass panels to allow natural lighting to enhance the restaurant throughout the day.

If one dines in the morning, one can bask in the warm bright sunlight that offers diners some natural ray of sunshine minus the heat since the restaurant is air conditioned. In the evening, the glow of the sky with stars will set the mood for a more romantic ambiance in the modern tea house.

We loved the spacious scattering of seating available throughout the restaurant. Hints of bright baby blue liven up the ambiance which is set with lots of dark and light wood. From birdcages to dim sum steamers, these creative unique lightnings reminded us of yesteryear's’ elements from tea house and yet gave diners a modern sensation of artistic creativity.

Many may ask who is Dolly. Well Dolly is the pretty gal seen all over the restaurant on the walls. Dolly represent the modern gal who enjoys her dim sums. The dim sums served here are in fact deemed delicate and elegant, just like Dolly!

What makes Dolly Dim Sum so fun is that diners can order from Fresca while dining in Dolly as well. So this means, I get to order a Margarita to go with my hankering of dim sums. And so our dim sum party kicked off with us cheering with our Margarita (RM28.00) from the Fresca menu. Deliciously refreshing and quite boozy, we knew we were off to a great start!

For those going the safer route, their Raspberry Cooler (RM10.20) & Avocado Smoothie (RM15.00) are pretty decent too.

The menu at Dolly Dim Sum may not be as long as other dim sum house but it offers many classic choices sufficient to fulfill any dim sum cravings. And since this is a pork-free restaurant, Dolly Dim Sum has one of the better pork-free dim sums that I have tasted in the city. All dim sums are cooked upon order, ensuring each one is fresh and served piping hot.

We started with the steamed dim sum with my all-time-favorite Siew Mai Dumpling (RM9.50). These plump dumplings had all the passing mark of a tasty and refine Siew Mai. Despite the missing swine element, the kitchen team certainly knows how to whip up a Siew Mai with a good bouncy texture. Using a mix of chicken and prawn, the Siew Mai Dumpling is moist and flavourful.

Crystal Prawn Dumpling (RM9.20) is another good choice for those who enjoys the pungent notes of oniony chives with sweet juicy prawns encased in a translucent crystal skin. These had a good bouncy bite too.

Dolly Dim Sum also has a decent Steamed Beef Ball (RM9.20). Not often seen in many dim houses these days, the house made beef balls are enhanced with mandarin peel to give the beef balls a hint of citrusy note. The umami notes in the beef balls is delicious while the texture is ‘QQ’ enough to pass my books.

Steamed Chicken Wing (RM8.90) is one of my favorites of the lot. Chicken wing pieces are steamed with black beans, chili strips, fragrant garlic and leek oil. The flesh is so tasty and smooth. Every bite is moreish and super delicious!

There’s also the spicy dim sum of Spicy Szechuan Dumpling (RM10.90) for those who likes the presence of the heat factor.

Egg Custard Bun (RM7.50) is so decadent and literally luscious in flavours. Mini fluffy baos are generously filled with oozing salted egg custard cream. The savory and sweet custard is so creamy and sinful. If you love salted egg like me, make sure to order this..

Mini Dolly Cupcake (RM6.90) is Dolly Dim Sum’s version of steamed brown sugar cake or ‘Ma Lai Gao’. The light and fluffy cupcake is not too bad. Simple and studded with pumpkin seeds, the cupcakes have a lighter flavour than the classic ones that I am used too.

On to the fried dim sums, we savored their Chewy Meat Croquette (RM8.60). An old school classic, ‘Ham Sui Kok’ showcase savory meat filling encased in a lightly chewy glutinous rice shell and fried. It has a nice savory robust flavour and the textures of the meat and skin is a good and unique combo.

Dolly Mozza Roll (RM11.50) may not be old school but I certainly am not complaining! I like this dim sum a lot. Sweet juicy prawns with mozzarella cheese is wrapped with bean curd skin and fried to golden brown. The oozy cheese and prawn is a winner while the crispy skin definitely added extra points to the dim sum.

Another dish worth ordering is the Pan Fried Radish Cake (RM8.60). Steamed radish cake studded with dried shrimps and dried scallops are pan seared until it has a nice crisp skin. The contrasting crisp layer with the soft creamy center is so delicious. It has good robust savory flavours too.

Dried Scallop & Shandong Peanut Porridge (RM12.80) had us enjoying silky smooth congee flavoured with dried scallop and chicken essence. It is served with peanuts, julienned ginger, scallions and sesame oil.

My little one enjoyed the Royal Golden Fried Rice (RM24.20) so much so he quite a few helpings. The fried rice is so fluffy and eggy. There are prawns and lots of scallions as well to boost the flavours of the rice while tiny pearls of ebiko added a nice popping texture and saltish flavours. I enjoyed this too…

Crispy Egg Noodles (RM25.20) is also very flavourful. Thin crispy egg noodles are nicely sauced up with silky starchy gravy cooked with chicken, mushrooms and vegetables. This one makes good filler too and is a nice comfort food when you want something light.

So whenever you happen to be in the city and is craving for dim sum at any time of the day, head over to Dolly Dim Sum for a Chinese dim sum tea house with a modern twist. And while you are there, go ahead and order a few cocktails or Mexican bites to add more spice to your dim sum meal!

DOLLY DIM SUM

G9-G9A Ground Floor,

Avenue K,

156 Jalan Ampang,

50450 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2181-3830

Website: www.dollydimsum.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dollydimsum

Business Hours:

Open 11.00am till 10.00pm

↧

Fly Me to Chengdu, China – Part 1

July 19, 2015, 9:26 am

≫ Next: Fly Me to Chengdu – Part 2

≪ Previous: Dolly Dim Sum @ Avenue K

Where To Stay in Chengdu

Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan Province in China, is more often known as the place to visit the famous Giant Panda bears. It’s my first time travelling to China, courtesy of Air Asia X and Dorsett Grand Chengdu and I was super thrilled to the max. To be able to travel and learn about other countries and their heritage and cultures is indeed a precious and priceless excursion. Our five day escapade was filled with an amazing experience of the richness of Chengdu from all aspects of life.

Photo courtesy of Ching YS

There’s more to Chengdu that meets the eye. It even has a list of nicknames from Heavenly State, The Brocade City, The City of Hibiscus and Land of Panda. Chengdu is the gateway to many amazing places in China. One of the more popular places to visit in JuiZhaiGou, a world-acclaimed tourist spot, as it has the most breathtaking sceneries in China. Chengdu also has a rich history from its many dynasties ruling as well as a haven for the renowned spicy-numbing Sichuan cuisine. You can read more about Chengdu here.

Our escapade kicked off with us taking Air Asia X (AAX) which has a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu in the evening. AAX flies seven times a week from KL to Chengdu with a four hours and fifteen minutes journey and lands at the Shuangliu International Airport.

Photo courtesy of Ching YS

Photo courtesy of Wilsurn Lim

Flyers with AAX will be please to know that they can opt for the Air Asia X Quiet Zone for a peaceful flight to several destinations with Chengdu included. This Air Asia X Quiet Zone is located after the premium flatbed cabin and offers flyers a comfortable and quiet ambiance with minimal noise or disturbances. The zone is only available to flyers aged 10 and above and meals will be served faster as well compared to the regular economy zone.

And we are off….

Photo courtesy of Ching YS

We had our meals pre-booked for our four flight. Do check out the selection of meals available when booking your flight if you are always hungry as I am…

We arrived late in the evening at Chengdu and checked into Dorsett Grand Chengdu for the trip.

Dorsett Grand Chengdu is a five-star hotel located in the bustling historical Luoma Market area in Chengdu’s Central Business District. The 556 guestrooms and suites hotel is impressive at sight when we enter the lobby. Spacious and fitted with marble everywhere from wall to floor, the lobby also has impressive high ceiling be fitted with opulent chandelier of a blooming flower.

Grandeur with elegance best describes the ambiance at the hotel!

Wall panels are also decorated with striking copper colored panels with lotus and gingko leave motifs.

We checked into our rooms respectively and mine was Dorsett Room with King sized bed located on the seventeen floor.

The room was dressed with minimal but elegance décor. Finished with a mix of contemporary and elegant fittings with touches of Asian theme, my room was spacious and comfortable at sight. The neutral warm colors made the room serene and elegant.

White luxurious beddings, choices of pillows and the firm mattress ensures a good night sleep… at least I did! On a personal note, I like the cute little panda bear greeting on the side table…

There is a full size executive glass workspace on the side of the room as well as complimentary WiFi for business or personal usage or simply relax with some television actions at the end of the evening…

There is also the usual mini-bar, coffee and tea treats as well as Chinese tea set, plenty of bottled water refilled each day as well as an electronic safe. Did you know that Chengdu is famous for tea houses?

Inside the ornate cabinet, there’s plush bathrobes and slippers for comfort.

The bathroom is very spacious and has a glass enclosed shower fitted with rain shower as well as the regular one. Long baths are considered a luxury these days and I certainly had a few good soakings during my stay. There is full range of bathroom amenities for extra pampering.

All rooms features a bay window with a view of the bustling city.

Dorsett Grand Chengdu has other room categories such as Deluxe Room, Dorsett Suite, Executive Suiteand a grand Chairman Suite. We had a hotel tour and here are some of the rooms as options.

If you are aiming for more luxury, go for the Suites as these have separate bedroom and living room as well as a bigger bathroom with shower and bathtub as well. The separate living room area has plush velvet sofas with separate office space as well as entertainment space.

On another hand, if you are going to go all out and enjoy the ultimate luxury living, you might just be looking for the Chairman Suite located on the highest floor of the 42-storey hotel. There are two plush bedrooms, one with king sized bed and the other with twin beds, beautifully furnished with stylish furniture, wall panels and ornate lightings.

The separate bathroom is very spacious with its own Jacuzzi, massage room, sauna and steam room facility.

Just right outside the master bedroom is the separate stylish workspace filled with dark wood office desk and leather seats as well as marble flooring.

The large living room space has elegance written all over with its modish chandelier, velvet covered sofas, marbled table, a fireplace, huge tv and wall to ceiling plasters.

The Chairman Suite has an elegant dining room with a modern chandelier which I really love a lot. It has its own kitchen space for entertainment preparation.

Indeed a Chairman Suite made for anyone who enjoys living life in pure extravagance!

For breakfast in the mornings, we visited Yue Rong Café located on level 2 each day. Open as early as 6.30am, many are already seen enjoying the large spread of breakfast buffet filled with lots of delicious breakfast treats.

I was in awed of its spread of tempting bread and pastries as well as the large spread of fresh fruits, fruit juices, yoghurt, cheese plus coffee and array of teas for light meals.

However, whenever I am traveling, I do tend to treat myself to a full breakfast since it’s not often I have time to sit down and enjoy a good breakfast. From the hot buffet warmers, there’s the English breakfast treats of bacon, beans, hash browns, sausages, eggs made-to-order and more. The list is an endless spread of goodies…

I also had porridge with classic Chinese condiments of pickled vegetables, fried Yau Cha Kwai and fried treats. There is also a noodle bar with various noodles and dumplings.

At Dorsett Grand Chendgu, you eat breakfast like a king!

Yue Rong Café also serves lunch menu. For full-fledge dinner, Dorsett Grand Chengdu has Fu Yue Xuan Chinese Restaurant serving Canton and Sichuan cuisine so stay tune for this in my next post of Where to Eat in Chengdu!

There’s also the Lobby Lounge for light snacks and drinks available throughout the day.

Dorsett Grand Chengdu’s Grand Ballroom is opulence and fits up to 486 persons, perfect for business and private functions. There are 11 Individual Function rooms as well for smaller parties.

We can’t wait each day to explorer the city of Chengdu. Another thing I admired at sight was the usage of electric motorbikes and bicycles which is environmental friendly, leaving the air at Chengdu better than most cities I have been too.

So if you are thinking to travel to Chengdu, do check out Air Asia X for the direct flight at affordable prices and a comfortable stay at Dorsett Grand Chengdu. The hotel is within distance of some of the neighboring bustling downtown shopping area as well as public Metro transportation.

DORSETT GRAND CHENGDU

168 Xi Yulong Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041 China

Tel: +86 28 8332 8666 | Fax: +86 28 8332 5666

Website: www.dorsetthotels.com/chengdu

For more details on AIR ASIA X, visit their website here.

Stay Tune for What To Eat in Chengdu next...

↧

Fly Me to Chengdu – Part 2

July 24, 2015, 8:38 am

≫ Next: Ding Emperor Steamboat @ SS2, Petaling Jaya

≪ Previous: Fly Me to Chengdu, China – Part 1

Where to Eat in Chengdu

My Chengdu escapades continue and this round, I am taking you on a food trip in Chengdu!

Did you know that Chengdu was declared the City of Gastronomy in 2011 by UNESCO? Chengdu cuisine falls under the sub-category of Sichuan cuisine. There are basically four sub-styles in Sichuan cuisine – Chongqing, Chengdu, Zigong and Buddhist Vegetarian style.

Chengdu is not called The Land of Abundance for nothing. The geographical aesthetic of the province let the people enjoy bountiful produce from land and sea. Then there’s the famous Sichuan peppercorn where many will either love it or hate it. It has cause many brave foodies to bowl over with its magnitude of numbing heat or Ma La sensation. A tiny taste of the miniscule peppercorn will cause one to sweat as the numbing heat creeps up slowly to overtake your normal taste sense and set it on fire. In a nutshell, it would seem that a nuclear heat had just taken over your senses.

Not only is Chengdu cuisine, also known as Chuan Cai, spicy and numbing, it is literally oily. Flavours are pungent and robust with fiery concoctions of chili peppers, garlic, bean sauce and aromatic herbs. The dishes encompass many cooking techniques such as stir fry, steaming, braising, deep fry, pickling and more. It is also a cuisine that utilizes every part of animals and wide varieties of vegetables, roots and pulses. While beef seems to be a popular protein served in Chengdu, rabbit meat is also a highly consumed in many meals.

When one is in Chengdu, one simply must try the cuisine’s iconic dishes of Ma La Hotpot, Mapo Bean Curd, Kung Pao Chicken, FuQi FeiPian, Tea Smoked Duck, Dan Dan Noodles and a few more. FuQi FeiPian is a very popular dish in Sichuan and is heavily spicy and numbing concoction of sliced beef and offal like cow lungs, tongue, heart and tripe covered in Sichuan oil with lots of aromatics, sesame seeds and peanut. I actually enjoy this dish for its raw pungency and the heat gets my adrenalin going. Certainly not for the faint-hearted!

We had a fabulous list of places to dine and these certainly opened my taste bud to the authentic and rustic appeal of Chengdu cuisine. Here are 8 places worth trying if you are travelling to Chengdu…

1. Chengdu Street Food

I always believe that to know and understand a culture, one needs to eat their street food. It’s the heart and soul of the country and street food is as pure and as organic as it gets. I am talking comfort food one eats on daily basis, food that fills one up every day, food that gives the utmost satisfaction to locals and food that is certainly affordable. Street food is also food that could have been handed over from generations and family recipes. One can also understand how the geographical affects the produce and what kind of produce is abundance in the country.

To me, sampling street food is pure excitement. I am quite adventurous and am game to try most unless it’s something totally off my personal charts like wild animals, insects or something really funky. Two popular hotspots to try some Chengdu street food can be found at Jinli Street and KuanZhai Alley. These are two famous places to visit in Chengdu and so it is definitely worth paying a visit and killing a few birds with one stone. I will explain more about both places in my next post of Where to Go in Chengdubut first, let me tempt you with some of the food available at these places.

Jinli Street is filled with long rows of small shoplots selling various food. One of the more popular stalls I saw was selling these poultry and bird heads, wings and feet. It is a delicacy that locals favor I suppose, since there were quite a few stalls doing brisk business with these. These were braised in a soy sauce based sauce and served chilled or room temperature as I was told. Among the head, wing and feet, there were also offal parts on skewers. Heart, kidney, liver, intestine, tongue and more, you named it, they got it.

There is a particular dish called Zhang Fei Beef that is definitely worth trying. Zhang Fei is actually a famous military general during the late Eastern Han dynasty of the Three Kingdom period. He has a dark and reddish complexion with a fierce characteristic hence the dish is named after him with the same characteristics. Zhang Fei beef has thinly sliced beef dressed with the fiery Sichuan peppercorn sauce. Though there are dried and moist versions of this beef, the dish is extremely old and dates back to a good few hundred years ago. Beware of the intense volcanic hit of numbing sensation but be assured that this dish I tried is super delicious though. The beef with bits of tendon has robust beefy notes coupled with an intense heat and wonderfully aromatic notes of chili and coriander. Going by weight, it was 48 yuan per 250g.

I also spied a stall selling dried beef or beef jerky together with other confectionaries. There are so much beef seasoned in various sauce vacuum-packed and also dried versions. One of the sellers was also cutting long strips of beef jerky with a heavy duty knife cutter. I tried a piece and it was quite dense and chewy but there is a good beefy flavour that seems to get better the longer you chew on the jerky. There other lady was toasting pressed thin pancake that has beef flavours too.

We also tried this interesting looking fountain flowing with double boiled snow pear, jujube dates and goji berry drink that is nicely refreshing and not too sweet. Next to the beverage stall was a young fella making a traditional Chinese sweet of Dragon Beard candy where thin strands of spun sugar is pulled and wrapped with a peanut filling.

More goodies in the street are bowls of Dan Dan Noodles, Clear Noodles in Chili Sauce (川北凉粉), Glutinous Rice in Pineapple, Ice Creams, Fried Snacks and more…

Kuanzhai Alley is located in Qingyang District and resembles long narrow alley that has courtyards filled with bars, restaurants, shops and hotels. It is very prominent for tourist and is always packed throughout the day while the night is even more crowded with many hanging out in the many cool bars there. I didn’t managed to try much street food there since we visited this place after a heavy meal of hotpot one evening. We were also there late in the evening so many food vendors has already started to wind down as the bar business takes over.

2. Yue Rong Café

I had one of the most delicious noodle affair at Yue Rong Café located in Dorsett Grand Chengdu.

Believe or not, Chef Bill Wang makes hand-pulled noodles look like a breeze. We had a quick masterclass on the art of hand-pulled noodles and knife shaved noodles and then Chef Wang and team proceeded to whip up bowls after bowls of his specialty noodles. Diners can order these a la carte and they are also part of buffet feast for lunch and dinner at Yue Rong Café.

Some of us even tried our hands on the art and it was indeed an interesting experience!

I really enjoyed my Knife Shaved Noodles in Duck Soup. Duck meat cubed and cooked with other vegetables in a hearty and earthy duck broth heated up with chili oil and coriander is comfort food I can enjoy daily. Besides my noodles, there was Dan Dan Noodles or simply select your choice of noodles and ladle on the special signature soups of Braised Pork Ribs with Bamboo Shoots, Stir Fried Cowpea with Chicken Giblet, Scrambled Egg with Tomato and Stir Fried Sour Pickle Vegetables with Shredded Pork.

Yue Rong Café also has a delicious Jiaozi 餃子 that has a tasty filling of chives and meat. It was also available during breakfast so I enjoyed having this quite a bit.

Besides noodles, another specialty of Yue Rong Café is the version of hotpot where diners select from a spread of meat, noodles and vegetables and have these cooked and served in a spicy Ma La broth. My bowl of bacon, meatball and vegetables was indeed oily but the flavours are so yummy.

Yue Rong Café

Level 6, Dorsett Grand Chengdu, 168 Xi Yulong Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu. Tel: +86 28 8332 8666

3. Damiao hot pot

Damiao Hot Pot popularity was further enhanced when I read that Michelle Obama actually dined there with her family. The restaurant has garnered quite a name for their Ma La hotpot. Though we have plenty of hotpot restaurants here in our country, Chengdu’s version is quite different from the soup to the ingredients and sauces. The restaurant is quite grand and decorated with Oriental theme.

Group photo before dinner…

Our Yin Yang Hotpot had Ma La Soup and Milky Pork Broth and was quite standard across the room since many also seems to opt for this version. A side bowl of sauce which was sesame oil of some sort and raw chopped garlic just didn’t work for me. I prefer our Malaysian sauces which had more flavour.

There were lots of slice pork and beef, some marinated and some served on its own plain. I really enjoyed the meat as they were very tasty. We also had some appetizers of cold smoked meat, fried chicken keel, radish with red sauce and some which I couldn’t really identify. Servers would assist us as well to put in plates after plates of meatballs, meat and fish paste and vegetables. I do enjoy the thinly shaved asparagus, ribbons of bean curd skins and some dried noodles.

It was a lot of food and this is a set meal by person. We could barely finish the items towards the end. In China it seems, meals are pretty lavish and the culture takes pride in making sure meals are endless servings to ensure their diners are fully satiated. This meal was about 200 yuan per person.

Damiao Hot Pot

Courtyard 2/3, Jinli Phase 2, No 231, Wuhouci Street, Chengdu. Tel: +86 28 8559 1111

4. long chao shou

Lunch at Long Chao Shou Restaurant was plentiful and quite extravagant. The restaurant is famous for dumplings and offers diners a casual café or fine dining restaurant. We went to the one which had both with the casual café located at the ground floor while the fine dining restaurant located above.

Get ready for this set meal as we had roughly 28 dishes served to us. Yes, you read it right the first time… 28 dishes! Of course one can go for a la carte but the set meal is more value-for-money. To name a few dishes I enjoy, I like Tea Smoked Duck, Stir Fried Edamame, Squid Soup with brown and white squid and root vegetables, Fu Qi Fei Pian, Spicy Clam Salad, Ma Po Bean Curd and Spicy Dumplings. I don’t have all the exact names for these dishes but it describes what they are.

Other dishes include Rabbit with Chili, Frog, Beef with Bamboo Shoot, Shredded Cold Chicken, Celery with Lily Bulb, Chill Clear Noodles in Chili Sauce, Dan Dan Noodle, Pancake, Steamed Cake, Glutinous Rice Dumplingand more. This set meal was about 80 yuan per pax.

In China, apparently they like to serve all their dishes at once and so they tend to stack the dishes all together at once. It is a cultural practice and it’s quite the norm here so don’t be surprise by this. If you prefer less dishes, I would opt for the casual café as I saw many diners slurping happily at their bowls of noodles and dumplings.

Long Chao Shou

Corner Chengshou Street & Liangshen Alley, Tianfu Square Area, Chengdu. Tel: +86 28 8666 6947

5. HongQiang Jiyi

*photo courtesy of Ching YS

We wouldn’t have found this place if not for the recommendation from the hotel staff. A very quaint supper club concept that is location in a tiny shoplot nearby our hotel. This meal is not to be missed as the ambiance and food is truly humble and makes me feel like someone has invited me to their home for a home cook meal. The owner David Hong and his wife whipped up dishes based on fresh seasonal ingredients available each day. There are no menu here but they will cater to your whims should there be something you won’t eat so just let them know.

The place is small but priceless in their own merits as the owners decorated their space with warmth and coziness in mind. Though everything is mismatched but that’s how our homes are right? David and his wife takes pleasure in serving up Sichuan and Tibetan dishes from their own list of recipes. Speaking to the man and wife themselves, I find them really passionate and genuinely humble with a desire for good food.

That evening, we feast on Crucian Carp, Tibetan Rabbit Meat with Cilantro, Glass Noodles with Walnut Stems, Dong Po Pork Belly, Sauteed Beef with Peppers, Frog with Peppers, Cold Noodles, Chicken Feet, Lily Bulb Flowers, Sweet and Sour Shoestring Potato and ended with Sweet Broth of Papaya and Bird Nest. The Crucian Carp is a fine-fleshed fish that lots of fine bones so it takes skills to really enjoy this fish. Cooked in a spicy Ma La broth that looked innocent, there are lots of spring onions, chives and chilies in the broth. Once we finish the fish, boiled noodles is added into the broth and this was really yummy. The assorted Chuan Cai or light appetizer and salad is very delicious. From the various raw and cooked vegetables all tossed in simple flavours made this meal fresh, vibrant in flavours and light.

Hongqiang Jiyi

No.19-7, Hongqiang Alley, Qingyang District, Chengdu. Tel: +86 159 2881 4110

6. Fu Yue Xuan Chinese Restaurant

If you are looking to go fine dining and splurge, visit Fu Yue Xuan Chinese Restaurant in Dorsett Grand Chengdu. Chef Michael specializes in Cantonese as well as Sichuan cuisine and also garner some accolades in serving refine Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine. One can certainly dine like kings and queens here at the restaurant which also has an elegant ambiance.

Though I was pretty tired that evening from our journey to the mountain, I still enjoyed the beautiful and lavish spread of Chef Michael’s signatures. The dishes have beautifully balanced flavours and presentation was polished and classy.

We sampled lots of Cold and Hot dishes and I quite a few favorites that I really enjoy. From the cold menu, we had Sliced Chicken with Chili Pepper, Mixed Seafood with Soy Sauce & Chili, Cucumber Roll with Jelly Fish, Sliced Duck with Pepper & Chili, Sweet-Scented Osmanthus Sticky Rice Sugar Lotus Root, Mixed Wheat Grass with Fresh Pepper, Pickled Turnip with Soy Sauce and Mixed Spinach & Fish Roe.

My personal favorites was the Mixed Seafood with Soy Sauce served on ice that had a scrumptious note of wasabi kick to the chilled seafood and Mixed Wheat Grass with Fresh Pepper that showed off the crisp texture of the vegetable being iced and savored with the umami and savory sauce.

From the hot menu, we had Fried Prawn with Chili & Honey, Stewed Morel & Bean Curd in Superior Soup, Fried Diced Chicken with Dry Chili, Fried Snail with Fresh Chili, Fried Wagyu Beef with Herbs, Pan-Fried Goose Liver with Oat, Braised Sea Cucumber in Millet, Superior Egg Dumpling with Assorted Meat & Mushroom, Stir-Fried Green Vegetables with Gingko and Stir-Fried Mixed Beans.

I had lots of favorites from the hot menu but if I have to pick three top favorites, it would be Superior Egg Dumpling with Assorted Meat & Mushroom, Fried Prawn with Chili & Honey and Braised Sea Cucumber in Millet. The Egg Dumpling has an egg pancake skin stuffed with a bouncy meaty filling and the soup was soothing and flavourful. The prawns were so crispy that I eat the whole shell and head while the comforting and delicate flavours of the Braised Sea Cucumber in a millet broth was perfect for our evening after a long day outside.

Dinner ended with Fresh Fruits, Pan-Fried Thin Cake with Mixed Nuts & Peanut Pasteand Baked Buns with Spring Onion. Indeed an unforgettable meal as the dishes are very unique and yet very enjoyable!

Fu Yue Xuan Chinese Restaurant

Level 6, Dorsett Grand Chengdu, 168 Xi Yulong Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu. Tel: +86 28 8332 8666

7. TaoPing Qiang Village homecooked

Our last day at Chengdu was spent at Taoping Qiang Village in Li Country. This meal was another favorite of mine as we stumbled into this home cum restaurant inside the village. Unfortunately I do not have much details of this place as it is actually a home that does double duty as a restaurant. I do have a photo of the place and its Chinese name so if you happen to be at Taoping Qiang Village, check this out as the home cook dishes here are very yummy.

Our simple Pickled Vegetable and Bean Curd soup was decent and makes good starter to warm up our growling tummies. Other simple dishes of Scrambled Egg with Tomatoes, Stir-Fried Beef with Celery & Pepper, Sauteed Onion Pork, Double Cooked Pork Belly with Spring Onions, Sauteed Beef and Sauteed Potatoes epitomizes what every home cook meal should be… simple heart-warming flavours and comfort food.

Taoping District, Li County, Aba Prefecture (163 kilometers away from Chengdu)

8. Chen MaPo Beancurd

Our last meal in Chengdu certainly concluded in grandeur. Ma Po Bean Curd is a signature of Sichuan cuisine and this Grandma Chen Mapo Beancurd Restaurant is very famous for the dish. After all, the restaurant is named after the dish too!

More dishes stacked to the max on the lazy susan and the feast was just a full treat to leave us with a sumptuous memory of Chengdu. The restaurant is located just right across the street from Dorsett Grand Chengdu so it’s easy to locate if you are staying at the hotel.

Our full-force set dinner had Chen Mapo Bean Curd, FuQi FeiPian, Tea Smoked Duck, Spicy Sichuan Chicken, Liang Fen Noodles in Chili Oil, Spicy Instestines, Hot & Sour Pepper Fish Soup, Frog with Pepper, Bean Curd with Prawn, Smoked Beef Ribs, Kung Pao Chicken, Steamed Fish, Squid & Celery, Fried Milk Pastry, Steamed Mantao and desserts too.

The Mapo Bean Curd is a killer dish here as it is super spicy and numbing and yet has pungent aromatic flavours of the chili to make me going back for more. The Kung Pao Chicken also has the little atomic bombs of Sichuan pepper although the ones here in Malaysia don’t so make sure to watch out for these little heat bombers. I also like the Smoked Beef Ribs and the Fried Milk Pastry.

Chen MaPo Beancurd

No. 197, West Yulong Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu. Tel: +86 28 8674 3889

And that concludes our food adventure in Chengdu. Call me weird but since I enjoy the Sichuan tongue-numbing dishes a lot, I had lots of fun on this lot of food escapade. And food is a darn good reason to visit Chengdu!

Stay tune on Where to Go in Chengdu…

The trip is made possible by Dorsett Grand Chengdu and Air Asia’s warm hospitality on the insights of the Heavenly State.

Dorsett Grand Chengdu Website: www.dorsetthotels.com/chengdu

Air Asia Website: www.airasia.com

↧

Ding Emperor Steamboat @ SS2, Petaling Jaya

July 3, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Piggy Tail @ Bangsar Baru

≪ Previous: Fly Me to Chengdu – Part 2

A Steamy Taiwanese Hotpot Affair!

My little one loves hotpot or steamboat. We do dine out quite often for hotpot since the little fella always request for this. I will admit I am quite a hotpot snob though because I prefer to patronize premium hotpot restaurants. Since it’s a simple cooking process of enjoying fresh ingredients cooked in soup, I like to savor fresh ingredients than all the processed stuff. In addition, I also prefer better quality soup than those laden with msg in the cheaper hotpot places.

That said, we came across Ding Emperor in SS2 serving up premium hotpot with affordable prices recently. Ding Emperor Steamboat restaurant opened last November and has been serving their signature Taiwanese style hotpot together with a list of premium ingredients on their a la carte menu. The restaurant also imports in special premium ingredients like Meltique beef, Iberico pork and Abalone for those who loves these lavish treats. There are also plenty of regular ingredients together with homemade balls as well. What makes Ding Emperor different from other hotpot restaurants is their signature sauces as well. Ding Emperor serves up various sauce condiments as well as their special chili sauces to go with the hotpot.

Ding Emperor’s décor echoed its name in grandeur. Dressed in a theme of black and gold with wood, the restaurant is nicely sectioned in several dining areas for privacy. Oriental motifs on glass and wood panels, arched doorway, bamboo poles, slate tiles and modern lighting completed the interior of the restaurant. Elegantly designed, diners can certainly enjoy premium hotpot in comfort and style.

There are two signature soups available at Ding Emperor, Hot Pot Chinese Cabbage and Hot Pot Spicy. You can order single soup on its own or go for the Hot Pot with Twin Flavours (RM18.00) like we did. The Hot Pot Chinese Cabbage soup has a creamy milky consistency with a lovely sweetness from the Chinese cabbage and fresh tomatoes while the Hot Pot Spicy is quite a fiery Ma La kind of soup enhanced with lots of aromatics.

We helped ourselves to the various condiments and sauces as our ingredients arrive. I mixed chili oil, crushed chili, sesame sauce, coriander, spring onions and soy sauce for mine. I love the sesame sauce as it really enhanced the chili with a creamy and aromatic taste!

Iced Honey Tangerine Juice (RM13.90 per jug) to quench our thirst. House brewed beverage that is refreshing and cooling…

I really enjoyed their homemade balls. We had their Handmade Squid Ball (RM8.90 – 4pcs) and Handmade Pork Ball (RM6.90) – 4pcs). Both are delicious with firm bouncy textures. Other choices of homemade balls are Handmade Chicken Balls (RM5.90), Handmade Fish Balls (RM5.90), Handmade Shrimp Balls (RM8.90) and Handmade Beef Balls (RM8.90).

We also had their homemade Abalone & Fish Paste (RM17.90) and Shrimp & Fish Paste (RM15.90). These are really good too with a softer texture. There is another one with Scallop & Fish Paste too.

Another must-order item are the Dumplings(RM8.90 – 4pcs). Also homemade, the filling is tasty and bouncy. We loved this so much we had another order of this dumpling.

There are some other unique processed balls like Tofu Fancy (RM6.90) and Salmon Wrap Sausage (RM6.90) and these were not too bad.

Our highlight of the night was their meat. Ding Emperor serves premium meats and we had the Iberico Bacon Belly(RM29.90), Iberico Collar (RM29.90) and Australian Meltique Beef(RM29.90). The Bacon Belly is quite fatty but when cooked in the broth, the fat turns a nice creamy and firm texture.

The Collar is one best cut of pork I had as there is a good ratio of lean and fat so the meat is very tender and flavourful. If you have never tried Meltique Beef before, you should. It is said to be equivalent to the premium Kobe but is named differently because it is not from Japan. The price tag is totally worth it once you had a taste of these special premium cuts of beef and pork.

Other hotpot ingredients we had that evening are Bean Curd Skin (RM4.90), Frozen Bean CurdRM6.90), Handmade Celery Noodles(RM4.90), Brown & White Shimeji Mushroom (RM6.90) and Yin Choy(RM5.90). The Frozen Bean Curd is a favorite of mine and though it’s not popular over here in our country, it’s quite a favorite in Taiwan and China. The texture is rather unique as the bean curd purposely freeze to achieve its texture. The noodles are also pretty good as these are handmade as well.

Besides the hotpot, there are some appetizers that one can enjoy while waiting for the hotpot such as Fried Meatball(RM8.90) and BBQ Chicken Wings(RM15.90 – 6pcs).

We really enjoyed Ding Emperor Steamboat as the broths and ingredients are certainly top-notch quality. I also didn’t feel thirsty after my meal, another good indication of no msg in the broths. Plus points for the delicious sauces as well. It’s a good place for family and friends dining with premium steamboat ingredients.

DING EMPEROR

58-60 Jalan SS2/67,

47300 Petaling Jaya,

Tel: 03-7866-0226 / 012-3015221

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dingemperor

Business Hours: Opens Daily from 5.00pm till midnight

Book now by downloading Offpeak.my App available on the App Store and Google Play, or visit our website www.offpeak.my or Facebook: www.facebook.com/offpeak.my

↧

Piggy Tail @ Bangsar Baru

July 5, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Vladimir’s Place @ Jalan Inai

≪ Previous: Ding Emperor Steamboat @ SS2, Petaling Jaya

Hogging the Limelight in Bangsar!

If you have not heard about Piggy Tail, you should, especially if you are a lover of porky dishes! The bistro and bar is located in the bustling area of Bangsar. Though the area is literally swarmed with lots of eateries, porcine lovers are rest-assured that Piggy Tail is worth a visit. Serving up a full swine-laden menu, the bistro has got some attractive and scrumptious dishes aim to please all porky fans out there.

The bistro has a casual and stylish laid-back ambiance. Using lots of natural wood with a mix of steel, it has the feel of the much seen industrial raw appeal theme here. Lots of tables with benches added a casual vibe as the bistro wants its diners to just enjoy their delicious porky fare as the highlight. There is a long bar in the bistro too, serving up lots of beers and cocktails to go with the menu. It’s a near-perfect combo of bar and porky fare!

The menu is filled with choices of piggy breakfast dishes, salad, soup, pasta, burgers, snacks, rice, main porky and non-porky dishes, set platters and desserts. The beverage list is just as long as the food menu with list of wines, beers, liquor, cocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages plus coffee and tea too.

Since it was a weekday we were there, we were pretty good and had Virgin Piggies or mocktails… from Piggy Surprise (RM18.00) to Virgin Pink Lady (RM15.00) and Mango Mock-O-Lada (RM15), these beverages were deliciously refreshing and fruity.

My other half also had a Kirin Ichiban Beer (RM22.00 for half pint).

Since there were four of us that evening, we had a taste of their Mega Piggy Platter (RM268.00) together with some other dishes. The enormous platter is served on a large wooden board. Our eyes, well at least mine, sparkled at the sight of this gargantuan platter of heavenly dishes on this board. The Mega Piggy Platter has Piggy Signature Pork Knuckles, Pork Burger, Pork Franks, BBQ Pork Chops, BBQ Pork Ribs and BBQ Beef Ribs served with gravy, coleslaw and salad. Of course one can order all these separately but if you are going to go full-force with a group of buddies, this platter is right up your alley.

There are two kinds of ribs served at Piggy Tail. Both BBQ Short Pork Riband BBQ Long Pork Rib are very scrumptious in flavours. Both are finger-licking awesome as well. While the BBQ Short Pork Rib has a fall-off-the-bone texture, the BBQ Long Pork Rib has a good bite in the well balanced lean and fat belly meat. The BBQ sauce is delish with its balance of tangy piquant sweet note that suited my palate really well.

The BBQ Pork Shoulder Steak is nicely tender too despite it being so lean and has a very tasty note. There were two Pork Franks with one being spicier than the order. These were nicely juicy and tasty too.

Our platter was a little different and we had their Signature Lamb Chops (RM45.00 a la carte) which we really enjoy too. The grilled marinated New Zealand lamb chops are smothered in a robust Mongolian sauce and was nicely chargrilled on the edges while tender and juicy on the inside.

The Piggy Pork Burger (RM28.00 a la carte) is a towering height of porky goodness. A generously bulky piece of pork patty is sandwiched with cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, fried onion rings and toasted sesame seed bun showed how every pork burger should be. The patty is has a good bouncy texture with a juicy note. I also really enjoyed the crispy well-battered onion rings. Go ahead and sink your teeth into this sizeable pork burger if you can…

The next dish of Signature Pork Knuckle(RM86.00) was indeed another beauty! Just check out how evenly golden and crispy the whole pork knuckle looked. Propped on mashed potato, the pork knuckle looked every inch poise and divine. Served on the side was a mug of gravy, coleslaw and salad.

The pork knuckle is one of the best pork knuckle I had so far. The even crispiness of the skin coupled with the tender and succulent dark meat was just damn delicious in every bite. The bits of gelatinous tendon and fat gave the dish a moreish sensation of indulgence. Must-order at Piggy Tail!

Premium Pork Aglio Olio (RM25.00) was our only carb dish and even this one had the hog. Grilled Sakura pork neck fillet is paired with a classic aglio olio spaghetti of chili flakes, garlic, olive oil and bacon. I was really loving the grilled pork neck filter because it was so tender and well-seasoned.

Piggy Tail uses Sakura Pork which is organic and has better flavour and textures!

Curiosity got the better of us and we also snacked on Piggy Pork Corn (RM16.00). Inspired from the popcorn chicken, this one was luxe up with Sakura pork chunks nicely seasoned and deep fried till golden brown. The meat and bits of tendon texture in the Pork Corn was a plus point factor that had us keep going back for more… it is a great snack with beer…

Dessert was our least expected dish of the night. Piggy Tail goes all out and serves up their Signature Truffle Ice Cream (RM18.00). As soon as the dessert was placed on our table, the intense earthy truffle aroma hit our senses like a ton of bricks… in a luscious way of course! What a treat… pairing the high-prized white truffle with ice cream certainly works for me in flavours and aromas. That’s not all, the dessert comes with chocolate sauce and crispy bacon bits… oo la la!!

Battling the area traffic and parking is worth it. Piggy Tail is a pure haven of porcine glory. The bistro has got all the markings of an awesome porky place to indulge in porky dishes. If this were to be my last meal on earth, I would be satisfied and happy. Whether one just wants to unwind the day or have a party with friends and family, one thing’s for sure, Piggy Tail is ThePorky place to be seen, heard and yes… Eat!

PIGGY TAIL

39 Jalan Telawi 3,

Bangsar Baru,

59100 Kuala Lumpur

Facebook: www.facebook.com/piggytailkl

Website: www.piggytail.webs.com

Business Hour: 11am to 1am

Book now by downloading Offpeak.my App available on the App Store and Google Play, or visit our website www.offpeak.my or Facebook: www.facebook.com/offpeak.my

↧

Vladimir’s Place @ Jalan Inai

July 10, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Epic Fit Meals Co. @ Damansara Perdana

≪ Previous: Piggy Tail @ Bangsar Baru

Authentic Russian Cuisine in KL

Inspired by the love for a Russian girl, Vladimir’s Place opened its door to our country late last year. The Malaysian-owned restaurant and bar is located in the busiest area of Jalan Imbi at Jalan Inai. The restaurant is helmed by two Russians Chef Vladimir Anuchin and Dmytro Koba, both from Ukraine.

Russian cuisine is pretty new to me. The only Russian dishes I have ever had are Russian Borsht and Blini with Caviar, but that pretty much hardly sums up my knowledge to the cuisine. Now there’s also hardly any Russian restaurants in Malaysia so it’s a good thing Vladimir’s Placeis available for the Russian cuisine experience. Most of the time, diners are rather weary of trying an uncommon cuisine but once you see what Vladimir’s Place has to offer, you might be game to try Russian cuisine after all.

Russian cuisine is diverse due to its largest geographical elements. Due to its harsh climate, I find Russian cuisine to be comforting in most of their dishes. In addition the climate, Russia Empire went through various aristocracy and influences so Russian food is also refined in many ways and has continue to evolve through time. The country is also very rich in its produce so the cuisine is filled with lots of seafood and meat together root vegetables, legumes, mushrooms and fruits. Another popular item in Russian cuisine is vodka. Russians enjoy vodka very often and in the cold harsh season, vodka helps to keep them warm. For more Russian cuisine, visit Wikipedia here.

Back to Vladimir’s Place, the restaurant’s décor is rather opulent in an old-fashioned setting. One can expect lots of spacious sectioned dining area which offers diners better privacy. Dressed in themed of red, black and light natural colors, it’s the ornate chandeliers set with pastel plaster ceilings, art pieces and luxuriant decorative pieces such as a grand gold clock that glams up the ambience.

The menu offers a good selections of appetizers, soups, salads, main courses and desserts. The beverage list is also very decent with a solid list of liquor, beer, cocktails and non-alchoholic beverages. A quick glance at the price seemed very reasonable too. I had the Compote drink (RM6.50) which is quite a common beverage in Russia where fruits are cooked to achieve the fruit juice served chilled.

We left our orders to the chefs since we are not familiar with the cuisine. Our first appetizer was Pickles (RM13). Russian cuisine is always accompanied by lots of pickled vegetables to as the vegetables are preserved or pickled to last longer. The pickles also helps to balance the richness of the cuisine. This one is relatively simple with cabbage, cucumber and tomato.

We were curious about Cold Boiled Pork(RM11). It sounded plain. I personally think the names on the menu didn’t really do the food justice. We had tender and moist thinly sliced chilled pork served with crushed black pepper and mustard. Nothing extraordinary but it taste so much better than it sounds.

Chef Salted Salmon (RM15.50) is another dish that showed how Russian cuisine uses pickling and curing as a large part of its cooking. Paper thin slices of salmon cured in salt are beautifully arranged and served with dots of balsamic vinegar and dill. Reminded me of smoked salmon in some ways as the flavours are quite similar.

Pork Lard (RM10) sounds rather intimidating and yet we wanted to try this. A typical Russian delicacy that is best chased down with vodka, the pieces of high content fat had a little lean meat as well. Generously sprinkled with black pepper, there is a nice creamy, salty and peppery note to the pork lard. It actually tasted pretty good in smaller portions.

I have had blinis with caviar before and had always had a fondness for the buckwheat pancake served with caviar, smoked salmon or sour cream. Caviar is also another highly prized Russian export, especially the luxurious sturgeon black caviar. At Vladimir’s Place, we had their Pancakes with Red Caviar(RM16). I really enjoyed the large pieces of thin pancake with the salty pearls of salmon roes. There is something pretty delectable about the salty notes with the lightly sweet pancake that enriched my palate. I would have love some sour cream too with this dish to give it a creamy note. One can opt to have this pancake with sour cream, Chef salted salmon or mushroom besides the caviar.

From the salad menu, we had Beetroot Salad(RM16.50). Small cubes of roasted beetroot with carrot, potato, cucumber, peas, onions and topped with pickled onions. It’s lovely with lots of different textures and well-seasoned. I like the pickled onions which gave the salad a nice hit of tangy notes.

Olivier with Chicken (RM16.50) is another classic Russian salad which is creamy potato salad jazzed up with pickles, eggs, onions, chicken and more. The version here is yummy. The addition of the pickles really perked up the flavours from the normal potato salad.

Shuba Salad (RM17) or also known as Herring Under Fur Coat Salad is my favorite salad of the lot. It’s probably because I love pickled herrings! It’s a layered salad of chopped pickled herring, potato, carrot, egg and beets dressed in creamy dressing. The tangy flavours of pickled herring really elevated the heavy creamy notes while the beetroot is delicious too…

Russians loved their soups and soups are perfect for their extremely cold climate. One of the more popular soups in Russian cuisine is borscht, a gorgeous soup made with beetroot as its main ingredient. I have had borscht before and enjoy it but Vladimir’s Place Classic Russian Borsh (RM16) is even better. The soup is just utterly comforting with lots hearty flavours from the broth of beetroot, vegetables and meat. The dollop of sour cream added a lux bite of flavours.

Solyanka (RM17) is another hearty soup worth ordering. The soup is another concoction of meat and vegetables. The element that makes Solyanka different from borscht is that this soup has pickled cucumbers added instead of beetroot. There are also olives, lemon, spices and herbs with small chunks of beef, ham and a dollop of sour cream too. It’s very tantalizing in flavours and quite addictive with the sourish notes. I would certainly order this again.

We started our mains with Beef Cutlet with Pumpkin Mashed & Truffle Oil (RM28). Resembling beef meatball that are decent in flavours and quite moist, these matched well with the lightly sweet pumpkin mashed laced with truffle oil, rocket leaves and the drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Boned Chicken Kiev Cutlet (RM26) is one of their best-seller at Vladimir’s Place. The cutlet is nicely crisp and golden outside while the inside unveiled a juicy chicken stuffed with greens and garlic butter. It’s a very popular dish in Russian cuisine and I can understand why. Simple with good flavours that when executed with precision, the chicken is delicious. The mashed potato served is a good sidekick to the chicken as it is very creamy and smooth.

I find Russian cuisine pretty much down-to-earth so far and the dishes have been really humble in flavours. The Beef Stroganoff with Forest Mushrooms Sauce & Potato a la Pushkin (RM28) also echoed the same sensation. I certainly wouldn’t mind savoring a platter of beef cooked in a rich mushroom cream sauce. The beef was tender and so flavourful with hints of tangy notes from sour cream in the sauce. Paired with boiled potatoes cooked in butter, onions and herbs together with sliced pickles, the beef stroganoff is pure comfort food in every sense.

Pork Steak (RM26) is relatively simple. It was a pleasant dish of well-seasoned pan seared pork steak that is tender and tasty. It has a thick brown gravy with some grilled vegetables as its accompaniment. Nothing to shout about but nothing to fault as well.

I enjoy dumplings and I find myself also enjoying these Russian dumplings. We had their Pelmeni (RM19.50) and Dumpling (RM18). Both have a filling of beef and pork. The dumplings have a nice balance of tender dough skin and filling so each bite has a savory and juiciy element that is very enjoyable. Pelmeni is served boiled with a nice sprinkling of herbs while the other one, simply named Dumpling is another version of Pelmeni but is lightly sautéed with fried onions and served with a generous dollop of sour cream. The sautéed version is so tasty and very aromatic with the fried onions. Of course savoring this with sour cream simply elevated the dumplings to extra lusciousness!

We also tried their Sea Bass with Vegetables Poached in Wine (RM27.50). Beautifully pan seared with a nice crisp skin, the sea bass was flaky and sweet. Paired with the vegetables poached in wine simply rounded up the dish with a soothing and delicate enjoyment.

Their dessert list may not be plenty but I was really happy with the Apple Charlotte (RM12.50) and Cheesecake with Sour Cream (RM12.50). The Apple Charlotte had a cakey texture with a layer of warm sweet apples and this went well with the generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The Cheesecake with Sour Cream was a bit unusual as I was expecting a cake but once I had a taste, these pieces of pancake stuffed with a gorgeous tangy cheese filling was simply scrumptious. The light sprinkling of icing sugar and the berry compote was perfect with the magnificent cheesecake rounds. The Cheesecake with Sour Cream is a Must-Order dessert!

My first experience of Russian cuisine was truly memorable. Russian cuisine evoke a sense of homemade dishes that I can enjoy daily. The cuisine is unpretentious and showed how comfort food prevails in the country. I may not have much experience about Russian cuisine but if you ever want to experience what the cuisine is about, Vladimir’s Place is perfect for a taste of authentic Russian cuisine cooked with lots of heart.

VLADIMIR’S PLACE

32 Jalan Inai, off Jalan Imbi

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2144-5636

Facebook: www.facebook.com/vladimirsplacekl

Business Hours:

Tuesday-Sunday 11am to 11pm

Closed on Monday

↧

Epic Fit Meals Co. @ Damansara Perdana

July 19, 2015, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Fly Me To Chengdu – Part 3

≪ Previous: Vladimir’s Place @ Jalan Inai

Made by Day, Gone by Night … Eat Healthy with Epic Delivery!

It’s hard to eat Healthy! At least for me, balancing family time with my full-time work and blogging leaves me little time to cook as often as I like. I try to eat healthier at times but when you are just short of time, dining out is the easiest and fastest option at times. Then a friend introduced me to Epic Fit Meals Co. recently.

Epic Fit Meals Co. proud themselves by their concept of healthy and affordable food with epic delivery services. Located at Damansara Perdana, one can dine at their limited dining space at their shop or simply order a take-out. Epic Fit Meals Co. is owned by three partners who shared the passion for serving healthy food fast to their customers. Opened for 6 months, they have two main focus of serving healthy food and the best delivery services possible. While many tend to focus on the food, Epic Fit Meals Co. has set their goals in their food concept, the packaging, the food quality and the delivery.

One of the partners had lived in Melbourne for 6 years and has always enjoyed healthy simple and comfort food. When such concept in mind, Epic Fit Meals Co. pays tribute to their concept by using fresh ingredients bought daily and cook everything from scratch so that their diners enjoy real homemade healthy dishes.

There are many food services also provided healthy food concepts but at Epic Fit Meals Co., one does not need to pre-order their food. One just needs to put in an order and they should get their order within 45 minutes with delivery services in their listed areas of delivery. If the delivery coverage is out of area, then a long wait may be required. Another plus point for Epic Fit Meals Co. is that delivery services is free and prices are net as GST is already included into the prices so one knows how much they are going to be paying for the meal upfront with no extra hidden costs. They may not have halal certification but we were ensured that their ingredients used are from halal certified suppliers and all their staff are local workers.

The menu at Epic Fit Meals Co. is surprisingly quite long with good variations of Epic Chicken with various Sauces, Epic Artisan Wrapper, Gourmet Flying Pizza, Epic Classic, Side dishes, Epic Salads and Juices. Every dish is carefully measured and the portion with calories are listed in the menu as well. Watch out for promotional sets during festive seasons.

From the Epic Chicken, there are two choices of chicken served. Simply choose from Grilled Chicken or ‘Fried’ Chicken Schnitzel and then select one of the seven choices of sauces available.

We started with Epic Grilled Chicken with Apple Salsa (RM12.80) - 25 kcals per serving. The grilled chicken was moist and tender and I really enjoyed the tangy fruity apple salsa on the chook. Vibrant and fruity flavours from the apple salsa is very enjoyable. The dish also doesn’t leave a heavy note after savoring it.

‘Fried’ Chicken Schnitzel with Country Gravy (RM13.80) - 52 kcal per serving is technically not deep fried. Instead, one gets lean chicken meat breaded in breadcrumbs, herbs and spices and then is oven baked ‘fried’ till crispy. The country gravy is a homemade brown gravy that decent in taste. If you prefer the sauce to be serve separately, do make sure to specify this and let the ordering team know else all sauces are poured over the chicken unless specified.

From the Epic Artisan Wrapper section, we tried their Good Ol’ Breakie (RM12.80) - 415 kcal per serving and Zesty Thai (RM12.80) - 391 kcal per serving. Good Ol’ Breakie has a filling of grilled chicken fillet with pico de gallo, scrambled egg and sour cream wrapped in flour tortilla wrappers before being finished on the Panini pressed to toast them up. Zesty Thai has Thai flavoured minced chicken paired with lettuce, carrot and sour cream. While one echoed breakfast flavours, the second had more of a spice heated flavours. Both are nicely tangy from the sour cream used.

I really like their pizzas. Served thin crust style, we went for their fusioned flavour of Gourmet ‘Flying’ Pizza of 3A: Apple, Ayam & Api (RM19.80) - 545 kcal per serving and a classic one of Gourmet ‘Flying’ Pizza of Pollo Supremo(RM19.80) - 565 kcal per serving. The 3A: Apple, Ayam & Api is spicy in heat with its combo of minced chicken, apple, chili, onion and mozzarella cheese. I like the kick of heat as it boosted the flavours of pizza to our Malaysian flavours. The Pollo Supremo was not too bad with its spiced lean chicken paired with mushrooms, bell peppers and mozzarella cheese but if you like spicy heat flavours, go for the 3A pizza.

There are Sides and there are Epic Sides! From Epic Sides, we had their Crunchy Fire Chookies (RM5.80) - 233 kcal per serving, Epic’s Cauli-Rice(RM5.80) - 134 kcal per serving and Mashed Sweet Potatoes (RM5.80) - 271 kcal per serving.

I must say that one should definitely order their Epic Sides. The Crunchy Fire Chookies has chicken breast breaded and oven baked. I like how crispy the chicken is plus how juicy the meat is. Armed with a spicy flavour, these little nuggets are quite addictive. Good chicken nuggets and definitely must order…

The Epic Cauli-Rice is perfect for Paleo diet diners as one can enjoy the delicate flavours of the minced cauliflower seasoned with a secret blend of herbs and spices while the Mashed Sweet Potatoes has steamed Japanese sweet potato mashed and served with its skin too for extra vitamins.

Irish Colcannon (RM4.80) – 122 kcal per serving, caught my attention from the Side menu. It’s basically mashed potato with cabbage and leeks, a classic dish taken from Irish cuisine. There is a brown gravy served with it. I cannot taste the cabbage and leeks as the brown gravy seemed to have masked the vegetables.

Choices of beverage are very minimal and Epic Fit Meals Co. only has four types of Juices. We tried all four juices of Agua Mello Smoothie (RM8.80) - 61 kcal, Classic Trifecta (RM7.80) - 78 kcal, Red Apple Honey Smoothie (RM8.80) - 79 kcal and Coolie Beauty (RM7.80) - 41 kcal. My favorite of the lot was the Coolie Beauty with its combination of cucumber, apple, celery, ginger and lemon. They have also added Vitamin Water to the menu recently.

It’s great to be able to order and enjoy healthy food for a change. With many now having busy work schedules, it’s great to have Epic Fit Meals Co. nearby so we can at least try to eat healthier without the hassle of cooking on some days!

EPIC FIT MEALS CO.

E-105, Grounfd Floor,

Metropolitant Square,

Damansara Perdana, Selangor

Tel: 03 7733 3375

Website: www.epicfmco.com.my

Facebook: www.facebook.com/epicfmco

Business Hours: 11am to 11pm (Last order at 10.30pm)

↧

Fly Me To Chengdu – Part 3

July 31, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Restoran Bibiwok @ Bandar Puteri, Puchong

≪ Previous: Epic Fit Meals Co. @ Damansara Perdana

Where To Go and What To Do in Chengdu!

My final part on the amazing trip to Chengdu, China, is also the most interesting part. China is full of various culture, heritage and history. From the many dynasties it has through time, China today has an amazing historical background and places to visit. One needs to plan your visit wisely as there are many places to visit in Chengdu as well as the surrounding area outside the city of Chengdu. From panda visitation to historical sites, cultural villages, shopping and night life, we could barely cover much in a few days. However, we did pretty well in some ways and covered a little of everything within our trip. As some of these places are huge, expect lots of walking and one will need comfortable shoes as well.

1. CHENGDU RESEARCH BASE OF GIANT PANDA BREEDING

Simply a Must-visit in Chengdu, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is dedicated to giant panda conservation. The park is huge and is amazingly beautiful and green. With numerous accolades under its belt, the conservation park is a favorite spot for tourist and many locals as well. Go early to catch the pandas in action. The whole park is pretty shaded with lots of greens everywhere, especially bamboo.

The park is sectioned into several enclosures for the pandas as they are quite the solitary animals. I managed to catch the adult giant panda and some young pandas. It is such an amazing sight and I even catch one quite close. They looked so gentle despite their size. There is also the baby panda and nursery but I missed that.

It’s also my first time seeing a red panda! Technically, it’s not related to the giant panda as the red panda resembles more towards raccoon or cat. Also known as the red bear-cat, the red panda is also on the verge of extinction so it is crucial to protect them. Red panda loves to sleep on trees. I am also glad I caught one pretty up close too…

Surprisingly, there were quite a few peacocks there too. As soon as I try to take a photo, this peacock immediately showed off the proud gorgeous feathers. Besides that, there were also swans, flamingos and other birds.

There is also a lake as well as Giant Panda museum, Panda Story Cinema, souvenir shop and restaurants as well as a veterinary hospital. It’s a truly beautiful place to visit!

Amazing Bamboo landscape

Giant Panda in full glory!

Red Panda has a habit of sleeping on the branches of trees…

Magnificent Peacock showing off!

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

1375, Panda Road, Northern Suburb, Chengdu.

Tel: +86 28 8351 0033

Ticket Price: 58 Yuan per person

Business Hours: 7.30am to 6.00pm

Website: www.panda.org.cn/english

2. JINSHA SITE MUSEUM

Founded in 2001 in Chengdu, the Jinsha Sitedates back to 12^th to 7^thcentry B.C. Listed under one of the Ten Major Archaelogical Discoveries of China in 2001, the Jinsha site was the capital of the ancient Shu Kingdom. The museum consists of the center of conservation and restoration, the center of cultural communication, the exhibition hall, the theme park, Jinsha deer park and the relic hall which has many artifacts excavated from the ruins.

I was really impressed are how much effort they pride themselves in recovering the history of the Shu civilization. This kingdom was believed to be one of the richest kingdom as more than 6000 relics of gold, bronze, jade, ivory, stone, elephant tusk and more was found. Some of the famous relic includes Sun and Immortal Bird Gold Ornament, The Gold Mask and Bronze Standing Figure.

Jinsha Site Sun and Immortal Bird Gold

Jinsha Site Conservation and Restoration Hall

Jinsha Site Relics: Sun and Immortal Bird Gold Ornament, The Gold Mask and etc

One of the largest Giant Ebony was also unearthed in Qingbaijiang district of Chengdu. This giant ebony on displayed was believed to be more than 1000 year-old tree old and carbonized for 6500 years.

Jinsha Site Museum

No.2 Jinsha Site Road, Chengxi, Chengdu.

Tel: +86 28 8730 3555

Ticket Price: 80 Yuan per person

Business Hours: 8am to 6pm

Website: www.jinshasitemuseum.com/en/enindex.html

3. LESHAN GIANT BUDDHA

Leshan Giant Buddha or Leshan Dafo is a magnificent tall stone statue carved out of a cliff. The 233 feet Buddha is the largest stone Buddha in the world. Built during the Tang Dynasty, Leshan Giant Buddha scenic area has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

The project to build this Buddha took 90 years to complete. The Buddha statue project was started in 713 A.D. and was led by a Chinese monk named Haitong with hopes of the Buddha blessing the turbulent waters that plagues the ships on the river. Today, one can either catch sight of the Buddha by boat along the river or if you are up to it, you can visit the site and climb the long flight of stairs carved into the cliff. The Buddha is also guarded by two guardians built on each side of the cliff.

The majestic Leshan Buddha view by river cruise

Ardent fans might want to take the flight of stairs by the cliff for a closer look…

Else just do what we did! (photo courtesy of Ching YS)

We also caught sight of the morning market after we completed our boat ride and it was a bustling sight of the freshest produce of Chengdu. There were also plenty of fishes to be sold alive. The sight of spices, legumes, vegetables, fruits, meat and more is my kind of sight. I also caught a lady using an old pounding gadget to pound her chilies.

We had packs of Soy Bean milk in long thin plastic bags and also warm savory Tau Foo Far with peanuts and crackers for lunch. I find it a bit funky in taste as I am used to our sweetened Tau Foo Far…

Leshan Giant Buddha

No.2435 Lingyun Street, Shizhong District, Leshan, Sichuan

Tel: 0833-2302296

Ticket Price: 90 Yuan per person on site / 70 Yuan per person by boat

Website: www.leshandafo.com

4. MOUNT EMEI

"Massive golden buddha on the sumit of Eimei Shan" by Staceynyx – credit to Wikipedia

Photo credit to Ching YS

One of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China, Mount Emei or Emei Shan sits on the western rim of Sichuan. Mount Emei is 150km from Chengdu. One can catch the train or bus to the main gate of Baoguo Temple and then switch to the buses going up Mount Emei which is about a 2-hour winding ride. Then one has to endure a strenuous 30km hike on steep paths to the cable car station which is another few minutes ride before reaching the Golden Summit.

I highly recommend wearing proper comfortable shoes along with taking some motion sickness pills for the winding road as well as investing in a bamboo hiking pole for the hike. There are jackets available for rent as well as it has a yearly average temperature of 3 degree celsius. Along the hike up, one will see many stalls selling local snacks and mushrooms. There are also wild monkey along the trail up so be careful as these monkey can be very aggressive.

The Golden Summit has a towering multi-face statue of Samantabhadra, as well as two temples and a splendid view of the cloud sea surrounding the mountain. Unfortunately the day when I was there, it was really cloudy and foggy. There are four miracles at the summit – The Sunrise, The Sea of Clouds, Buddha’s Halo and the Holy Lamps.

One can even stay at the many monasteries or hotels up at Mount Emei or dine there. The best time to visit are to go early and head down in the evening if you don’t plan to stay over.

The hike up to Golden Summit takes at least an hour if you are not trained for hiking

Cable Car station ride aprrox. 5 minutes.

Eating at the top of Golden Summit can be quite fun!

A cloudy day at Golden Summit

If you think life is difficult for you, then catch these ladies with the hefty load on their shoulders!

Direct translation of Chinese language to English… lol…

Mount Emei

Emeishan, Leshan City, Sichuan

Tel: 0833-5533355

Ticket Price: 185 Yuan per person

Business Hours: 6.00am to 6.30pm

5. TAOPING QIANG VILLAGE

Taoping Qiang Village is about 2 hours by road transportation from Chengdu. This village is definitely a must-visit in my books. Known as The Mysterious ‘Ancient Oriental Castle’, this spot represents the unique Qiang’s architectural traditions in the Qiang village. With a history of over 2000 years, Taoping Quang Village was founded in 111 B.C. The village architecture has withstand many wars as well as natural disasters and has survived through time till current. There are still Qiang people living in the village till today. We met some of the Qiang ladies and is in awe of how well they look despite being over 90 years old!

Constructed with stones, wood and yellow mud, the structure of the buildings are complex, solid and built with intelligence. The buildings are quite small and has many small and narrow alleys which feels like a labyrinth. The underground water system is also very unique with spring water channeled to all the households. There are symbolic watchtower built on the building is used to keep an eye for enemies.

Taoping Qiang Village is not to be missed when one is in Chengdu as there are plenty to see and experience!

On the way to the village, we head through lots of valleys and hills of Li Country

Taoping Qiang Village

Yang Family is the largest family in Qiang Village and their house is the largest in the village. There are Yang family members still living in the house and there are also meat still being cured the same way as before.

We visited one of their famous Chen watchtower which is prettily decorated with dried corn. The view is simply breath-taking!

Ancient lock system where one inserts this long wooden key to open the door from inside.

Notice this protruding edge on the building structures and was told that this clever architecture element allows the building to expand and reduce from nature’s elements.

Women of Qiang Village

She’s the sweetest and healthiest 92-years old women I have ever met. This is her house and she has gladly allowed everyone to check out her home which has many photos of yesteryears.

The Qiang people is also reknown for their Qiang-style embroidery, songs and dances, as well as their dried meats. There are plenty of souvenirs for sale as well as Qiang cuisine to be savored.

Taoping Qiang Village

Taoping District, Li County, Aba Prefecture Sichuan

Ticket Price: 60 Yuan per person

Business Hours: 8am to 6pm

6. WU HOU TEMPLE

If you are into history of the famous Three Kingdoms, you would certainly want to visit Wu Hou Temple. The memorial site is dedicated to the Shu Kingdom’s prime minister and military strategist Zhuge Liang and is built next to the temple of Emperor Liu Bei, the first emperor of Shu Kingdom. Thee 37,000 square meter site is a site filled with various temples, beautiful green landscapes with thousand year old trees and stones.

The site is sectioned into five different sections and houses many clay sculptures of the famous officials from Shu Kingdom as well as relics and calligraphy. There are small radio devices for rent as well as tour guides to relay the history of the Shu Kingdom with additional charges as the history is complex and long.

The dark wall symbolizes an emperor is behind its walls.

Shu Kingdom’s Prime Minister and Military strategist Zhuge Liang and Emperor Liu Bei

There’s quite a few temples inside the Wuhou Temple itself. This site is also has Emperor Liu Bei’s tomb. The whole place is also filled with lots of old tall trees which provided a nice cool shade for walking around.

Wu Hou Temple

No.231, Wuhou Temple Street, 610041 Chengdu

Tel: 028-85552397

Ticket Price: 60 Yuan per person

Business Hours: 8.00am to 6.00pm

Website: www.wuhouci.net.cn/en/home.asp

7. JIN LI STREET

While one is visiting Wuhou Temple, one should also head on over to Jin Li Street, one of the oldest street in Chengdu. Today, it is visited by many and is always crowded as the street is now filled with many vendors selling their wares. The street was renovated in 2004 and many of the buildings are restored and updated.

Today it houses street food vendors, teahouses, residences, bars and even a stage for opera performances. Walking through the street is marvelous as there are plenty for the camera lens. Check out the many talented Chinese art such as Blown Candy Figurine, Candy Art, Clay Art, Calligraphy and more.

One can buy lots of art trinkets here!

We watched in amazement as this artistic person was making blown candy art!

There’s plenty of street food as mentioned in my previous post in Jin Li Street too so make sure to taste some of Chengdu’s street food. Jin Li Street is perfect for shopping as well as food and art.

Jinli Street

231, Wuhouci Street, Wuhou District, Chengdu

Ticket Price: FREE

8. KUANZHAI ALLEY

Another similar street filled with street food and culture of Chengdu is KuanZhai Alley. Also known as Wide and Narrow Alley, there are three parallel alleys in this area. The ancient historical alley is said to be dated back to the Qing Dynasty. After going through a series of renovation work, KuanZhai Alley opened to public in 2008.

It is now a popular site for tourist and locals as there are many restaurants, bars and teahouses together with street vendors selling street food and souvenirs. Many locals visit this alley as it has become a big entertainment and night spot as well as a place for plenty of artworks.

The Wide and Narrow Alley is a popular choice with tourists and locals.

The night comes alive with lots of food and entertatinment at Kuanzhai Alley!

Kuanzhai Alley

Changshun Shang Lu (Changshun Upper Road), Chengdu

Ticket Price: FREE

9. CHUN XI ROAD

If shopping is one of your focus, then you would certainly want to visit Chun Xi Road. It is the first shopping area in Chengdu and houses plenty of large department stores with many famous brands. The many large billboards on this road reminded me of New York Times Square. The whole area is connected with a long bridge walkway.

Along the wide road, there is the Yat-sen Square where a bronze statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen is located.

Chun Xi Road, area between Zongfu Road and Dongda Jie

Business Hours: 10am to 10pm Daily

10. LOTUS POOL (HEHUACHI) MARKET

For more shopping escapades, one should also visit Lotus Pool Market or HeHuaChi Distribution Center. The huge mall is a wholesale distribution center and there are plenty of shopping items for sale even if you are not a wholesaler.

One can try your luck and ask for some discounts though many only allows discounts for wholesalers. Fashion wear, jewelry, fashion accessories, and more are available at this market. We also bought quite a bit of souvenirs from here as they are cheaper than other places.

Saw this pineapple vendor painstakingly cutting fresh pineapples so prettily.

There’s plenty of shops outside the Lotus Pool Market so there’s plenty to shop till you drop!

Lotus Pool Market

Third Section of Erhuan (2nd Ring) Road, Jinniu District, Chengdu

11. CHENGDU IFS MALL

Located in the prime business district of Chengdu, the IFS (International Finance Square) Mall is renowned for high end fashion labels. Offering premium and luxury goods, the mall also houses entertainment and high end restaurants. Opened in January 2014, the 206,000 sqm Chengdu IFS Mall is a popular spot because it has a giant panda structure on the building to represent the panda climbing into the building. Make sure to go to the rooftop of the mall to take photos with the panda face!

IFS is easily reachable by Chengdu Metro Line 2, at the Chunxi Lu (春熙路) stop.

Chengdu IFS Mall

No. 1 Block 3, Hongxing Road,

Jin Jiang District, Chengdu,

China 610021

Business Hours: 10am to 10pm

Chengdu has been an amazing trip! With plenty to see, eat, buy, learn and experience, Chengdu has so much more to offer than what I have covered. There are certainly many more places to visit in Chengdu and it is now made possible with direct flights from Air Asia at affordable prices. One should also check out Dorsett Grand Chengdu as the five-star hotel is located in a prime area with plenty of attractions nearby. I hope to return one day with my family to Chengdu to visit the enchanting JiuZhai Gou as well as other gorgeous places in the Heavenly State.

Once again, this media FAM trip is made possible by Air Asiaand Dorsett Grand Chengdu. Thank you for the warm hospitality!

Read up on my other Chengdu posts:

FlyMe to Chengdu, Part 1 - Where to Stay in Chengdu

FlyMe to Chengdu, Part 2 - Where to Eat in Chengdu

↧

Restoran Bibiwok @ Bandar Puteri, Puchong

August 4, 2015, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar @ Atria Mall

≪ Previous: Fly Me To Chengdu – Part 3

Fusion Flavours of Nyonya and Thai Cuisines

It’s quite rare to find a restaurant serving Thai and Nyonya together. A recent invite from the foodie gang had us tasting Restoran Bibiwok, a restaurant serving Nyonya and Thai dishes in Bandar Puteri Puchong. Open in 2006, the restaurant also has another concept running above its Thai and Nyonya restaurant that specializes in Thai BBQ and Steamboat. Owner cum chef Richie Yeo learns from the best, his Nyonya aunt and grandmother on the Nyonya cuisine while he picked up his own personal favorite Thai cuisine along the way. The pork-free restaurant has been serving a list of Nyonya and Thai dishes to many foodies and has garnered quite a following to many who enjoy flavours of both Nyonya and Thai together.

The restaurant is fairly big and spacious. Decorated with a Peranakan theme, the restaurant is elegant and inviting. Besides the clean and bright colors of the whole restaurant, Peranakan details like lantern, wood carving panels, Nyonya furniture pieces and ornaments together with precious photos of yesteryears adds charm and personality to the restaurant ambiance.

Flipping through the menu at Bibiwok, there are certainly many favorite dishes of mine available for order. There are plenty of Nyonya dishes as well as Thai dishes. Both cuisine shares similar flavours so enjoy them together is delicious. Expect lots of robust spice-laden flavours with well-balance sweet, savory, spicy and sour notes.

For drinks, we had their Fresh Cucumber with Calamansi (RM7.90) and Thai Serai Ginger Tea (RM4.90). My Fresh Cucumber with Calamansi is beautifully refreshing and thirst-quenching plus it goes really well with the heavy flavours of the dishes we had.

We had a sharing platter of Nyonya Thai Combination Entrée (RM40) to start off our meal. It was a gorgeous platter of Thai Serai Sticks, Pie Tee, Vegetable Fritters and cucumber salad served with housemade tangy chili sauce.

Thai Serai Sticks of minced chicken wrapped around lemongrass are fried till golden. The skewers are juicy and tasty with a nice aroma from the lemongrass. The golden crispy Pie Tee cups are to be filled with sweet and juicy jicama filling topped with egg omelette and a spoonful of chili sauce. These are delicious with lots of savory and sweet notes while the crispy shells gave the dish its unique texture. The Vegetable Fritters are pretty decent and makes good snacking as we waited for our main dishes to arrive.

To go with steamed rice, we had their Nyonya Chicken Rendang (RM18). A signature of Bibiwok, the Nyonya Chicken Rendang is a spice-rich curry that reminded us of why we love Nyonya cuisine. The Rendang is thick, creamy and beautifully robust in flavours. Simmered slowly, the Rendang ingredients have harmonized well and produced a decadent curry with chicken pieces that goes really well with rice.

We also had their Thai Assam Curry Steamed Fish (RM40 onwards). Steamed Siakap fish is smothered in a pool of spicy and sourish piquant Thai Assam curry. Lots of vegetables such as long beans, cabbage, eggplant, beancurd puff, lady fingers and herbs are added for extra bite. We took our time enjoying the fish as it is kept warm on a heated light. The gravy is utterly moreish and I found myself enjoying the curry gravy a lot. One can also have this with other fishes available.

A testament to a good Thai meal is Tom Yam soup. Our Signature Tom Yam Soup with Seafood (RM24 – small, RM41 – large) looked fiery and inviting. This one passed with flying colors. Super spicy with good notes of sourness, the Tom Yam soup here is what every Tom Yam soup should be. Hints of creamy notes from the addition of coconut milk made the soup even more luscious. Pumped with lots of herbs, chili and seafood, it really whet the appetite that evening.

More seafood treats of Nyonya Chili Garam Prawns (RM26 – small, RM46 - large) was much welcomed by all of us. Large prawns cooked in classic Nyonya chili garam sambal is a sure crowd-pleaser. The prawns have taken on the sambal flavour so well. The pungent sambal oozed with bold spicy notes and has just enough heat to make us want to keep on eating it. Yum!

After the few amazing dishes, the Thai Green Curry Duck (RM26) didn’t live up to the earlier ones. To be fair, the green curry is very delicious together with the vegetables, herbs and lychees. I found the duck pieces a tad dry and didn’t quite soaked up the curry flavour. Other than that, I still enjoyed the green curry gravy with my rice.

I also enjoyed the Otak Omelette(RM13). Fluffy and crispy pieces of Otak Omelette is served with green chili sauce. The omelette has loads of Otak ingredients such as onions, herbs, chili and spices in it. Though it didn’t completely convinced me that it was Otak Otak, I still love the omelette because it was cooked very well and well-seasoned.

Kerabu Belimbing (RM12) is such a pretty dish at sight. Star fruit pieces are tossed in piquant dressing together with onions, chili and crispy small fish before being topped with coriander is additive. This is a kerabu salad that I would enjoy often because there is lots of textures and complex tasty flavours. It makes a great appetizer as well as a main course to be paired with rice.

Sambal Brinjal Special (RM12 – small, RM18 – large) is also pretty delicious. Tender slices of eggplant are cooked separately and served with a thick zesty sambal on the side. Expect heavy rich flavours from the sambal and be prepared to eat lots of rice with this dish.

For desserts, we had their Thai Ruby Jack Fruit (RM5.90), Chendol Gula Melaka(RM4.90), Steamed Banana with Gula Melaka (RM7) and Sago Gula Melaka(RM4.90). A mix from both worlds, the desserts made a nice sweet ending to our robust meal.

Bibiwok has so much more to offer and we barely covered a quarter of their list. I would love to return to try their Thai BBQ, Nynoya Curry Fish Head, Thai Creamy Salted Egg Squid, Buah Keluak Chicken, Nyonya Itik Tim Soup and more. Bibiwok has been around that packed area for a while and the reason is pretty obvious. Good food with affordable pricing is what Bibiwok has to offer to their diners!

RESTORAN BIBIWOK

16 Jalan Persiaran Puteri 1

Bandar Puteri Puchong

47100 Puchong

Tel: 03-8068-6284

Website: www.bibiwok.blogspot.com

Business Hours: 11.00am-4.00pm & 5.30pm-11.00pm

↧

Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar @ Atria Mall

August 5, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Buka Puasa @ Gobo Chit-Chat, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur

≪ Previous: Restoran Bibiwok @ Bandar Puteri, Puchong

A Gastronomical Japanese Experience

One of the latest Japanese robatayaki to hit our F&B scene in Petaling Jaya is Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar. Located in the newly renovated Atria Mall, Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar is the latest offspring of Manmaru Homemade Udon. While the other one specialized in udon, this one highlights Japanese robatayaki or BBQ together with a compilation of modern Japanese cuisine fused with Italian touches.

Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar has definitely elevated Japanese cuisine to a whole new level of couture dining. The ambiance is modern contemporary with splashes of Japanese touches. Beautifully elegant with clean lines of dark furniture matched with rustic dark steel, even the robatayaki bar is a gorgeous centerpiece of attraction. The huge architecture of box lighting at the bar compliments the whole ensemble majestically. Other lights of various shapes of spotlights added more art to the whole restaurant. There are different sections of dining as well as private room for dining. Overall, their ambiance matches what Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar is offering in the menu to a ‘T’.

The freshest catch imported from Japan is displayed on the bar from various premium fishes to king crab, scallops, wagyu and more. These comes with a hefty price tag but at least one does not need to fly all the fly to Japan to savor fishes such as Chidai, Kinki, Aka Tsaki, Kinmedai and Taraba Kani.

When it’s listed as a bar, you know there will be plenty of bar beverages to amp up the dining experience. The bar menu is long and filled with loads of house pouring liqueur, cocktails, beer, sake, shochu, fruit liqueur, wine, non-alchohol beverages, juices, smoothies and more. That evening, we were gaga over their cocktails! Manmaru’s cocktails is simply gorgeous at sight and beautifully delicious in flavours.

Yuzu Samurai (RM28), Sparkling Ruby Calpis (RM15) and Lychee Sour Fizz (RM15)

Apple Gravity Beer (RM28) is a one of its kind uneven gravity beer scientifically balanced in the air upside down paired with sweet and sour cocktail concoction.

Kiwi Caipiroska (RM35) was refreshing, tangy and fruit.

Spring Peach (RM25) showed that vodka and sake matches well!

So pretty with crushed dryrose petals and mint on creamy foam, the cocktail Hanakotaba (RM30) is simply dainty and delicious.

Dinner menu is impressive with a large selection of Seasonal items, Robatayaki, Appetizer, Salad, Sashimi, Sushi, Makimono, Fusion Sashimi, Grilled Dishes, Deep Fried Dishes, Teppanyaki, Sauteed, Steamed, Braised, Hot Pot, Rice & Noodle Dishes and more. There is practically a dish to satisfy diners of all ages. If you are game for surprises, Manmaru Robatayaki offers two choices of Omakase Course where Chef Executive Chef Danny Leow whips up his specialties based on the freshest seasonal ingredients of the day. Choose from a 7-course Omakase (RM280) or 5-course Omakase (RM180) with a minimum order of 2 pax.

Unagi Karaage (RM40) was the first appetizer to arrive and it was served in cup with sesame dressing. Crispy batter enveloping juicy tender eel pieces are further enhanced by creamy aromatic sesame dressing. This one makes a great snack with beer and cocktails!

If all salads are this pretty, I am sure I would eat more of them. Coral Bash Salada (RM18) is a dish of fusion potato salad taken to couture levels of presentation. It’s literally a garden of potato salad fused with lots of special treats of seafood and caviar with two sauces. This one will definitely have diners admiring it for a while before savoring it.

Salmon Tataki Salada (RM35) is another garden of flavours. Slices of succulent salmon lightly seared tataki style is crowned with greens on a pool of tangy spinach dressing. Simply delectable!

Gyoza Kawa Age To Magura Salsa (RM28) has a tasty tuna salsa paired with gyoza chips. I like the dish for its simplicity and flavours.

Obviously presentation is a crucial element of Japanese cuisine and Manmaru’s team has certainly taken their food presentation to a whole new level of impressiveness. Chef Danny and team got really creative and the presentation of each dishes kept us on our toes in excitement through the night.

Salmon Ikura Millefeuille (RM45) is utterly dazzling. A medley of salmon, salmon roe, masago caviar and a sawagani crab or sakura ebi (depending on availability) is savored with thin crispy flatbread toast. It’s decadent and lavish in salty and sweet notes. On a personal note, I love how it looks as if the crab was hanging on that black rope trying to cross the pool of sauce…

Kushiyaki Moriawase (RM68), was what Manmaru Robatayaki is all about. Skewers of yummy grilled meat, seafood and vegetables are artfully presented. One can enjoy this Kushiyaki Moriawase with assorted skewers or simply order them a la carte with 3 skewers per order. Choose from various chicken parts, beef, scallops, salmon, smoked duck and more. My favorite was the Tsukune of minced chicken balls and beef.

We also had a beautiful rock fish of Grilled Kasago (seasonal price). The flesh is very fine and sweet with a lovely chargrilled aroma.

Besides the grilled skewers, Manmaru Robatayakiother highlights include their sashimi and sushi. The menu boast a solid list of regular and premium cuts of seafood. Choose a la carte or their set platters. We had their 7 Sashimi Varieties of the Season (RM210), a stunning bowl of superior cuts of sashimi.

A wondrous taste of sashimi with oceanic sweetness!

The sushi is equally attractive as the sashimi and we had their Manmaru Nigiri Sushi Moriawase (RM150), featuring 8 assorted types of Manmaru sushi. My favorites was their Foie Gras Sushi, Uni with Squid Sushi and Toro Sushi of course…

Another masterpiece that deserves much attention is the Wagyu Roll (RM68)! Look at the sheer beauty of the wagyu beef marbling. Beneath the blanket of wagyu is a ball of warm rice studded with bits of fatty beef lightly cooked. Edible gold added opulence to the wagyu. Dollops of various sauces created a garden with edible flowers and herbs. The warm rice is perfect with the melt-in-the-mouth wagyu, creating savory and moreish pleasures on the palate.

More sushi came in the form of maki rolls and these are no ordinary rolls. Indulge in the king of crustacean, the Lobster Roll (RM68) with lobster meat, mango, cucumber, salmon roe and masago. The sweet lobster meat paired well with sweet fruity mango slices while salmon roe added briny salty notes together with masago eggs.

The Volcano Roll (RM38) has a spicy rendering of salmon roe, avocado, crab meat, cucumber and spicy sauce. Each cut of maki roll is drenched in a volcanic looking sauce lightly torched for a smoked note. Spicy, sweet and so delicious!

Sakana Kami Yaki (RM58) is translated into grilled snapper with beef bacon and seaweed baked in paper with a creamy sauce and mustard. It’s quite unique to pair fish and bacon but it’s the sauce that ties both together in the dish. I like the addition of seaweed as it gave the dish a nice nutty aroma.The salty briny olives also helped to cut the richness of the sauce.

I doubt anyone can resist the Hotate Chawan Mushi (RM30), unless you don’t like scallops or eggs. Soft egg custard is made more lavish with a beautifully seared scallop, salmon roes, olives, caperberry and black caviar. Sensual flavours of delicate and savory egg custard with pops from the rest of the briny and salty ingredients. I will label this one as lavish comfort food…

Cream Korokke (RM22) translated to seafood cream croquette. Crispy and golden exterior with creamy and tasty center, it had all the passing marks of a good croquette.

Wagyu Teppanyaki (RM180) was simply remarkable in flavours and textures. Divine pieces of wagyu was nicely seared to medium rare and laid on a bed of erringi mushrooms with light finish of fried garlic and spring onions is teppanyaki at its best. Hefty price tag for this premium cut of beef but it is super yum…

Ishiyaki Kaisen Chahan (RM23) was so good, we had a reorder. Seafood garlic fried rice served in hot stone bowl turned out to be one of the ultimate dish for us that evening. The crispy crust on the bottom of the fried rice was scrumptious while there were also plenty of seafood bits to keep us very happy and satisfied. Must- order!!

We finished the evening with housemade ice creams of Yuzu Ice Cream (RM12), Matcha Ice Cream (RM10) and Kuro Goma Ice Cream (RM18). My favorite was the tangy and refreshing Yuzu Ice Cream.

Manmaru Robatayaki & Baris certainly the Japanese restaurant to watch out for. It’s got amazing dishes with excellent presentation. There’s just so much potential for Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar as one can certainly be impress or impress someone else with such a couture Japanese dining experience. Prices are higher than average but rest assured, you’re getting what you are paying for with the quality of the food and presentation. Simply unforgettable….

MANMARU ROBATAYAKI & BAR

G-26 Atria Shopping Gallery,

Jalan SS22/23

47400 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7733-1038

Website: www.manmaru.com.my

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Manmaru-Robatayaki-Bar

↧

Buka Puasa @ Gobo Chit-Chat, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur

June 14, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Mai Bar @ Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral

≪ Previous: Manmaru Robatayaki & Bar @ Atria Mall

Selera Malaysia Buffet

As the holy month of Ramadan starts, many will refraining from food and drinks throughout the day. That is why the buka puasa dinner is important and is usually a treat to unwind the day during this season. For an unforgettable Buka Puasa dinner, head on over to Gobo Chit-Chatat Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur and chill out to a beautiful and scrumptious feast themed as Selera Malaysia. Gobo Chit Chat is a stylish all-day dining restaurant that offers a new dimension of gastronomical cuisine.

Selera Malaysia offers a plethora of dishes that Malaysians love from our melting pot of cuisines in the country. Savor lots of dishes from the Seafood on Ice Bar to the Salad Bar, Main Buffet Bar, Live Cooking Grill, Dessert Bar and more. Every dishes are prepared fresh and some to order to ensure that the food is delicious and hot.

Main highlights of the Selera Malaysiafeast include the classic favorite Whole Roasted Lamb marinated in spices and cooked to moist and tender perfection.

Besides the lamb, there are pots of scrumptious Nasi Briyani, Ayam Masak Merah and Rendang Daging which is beautifully delicious in every bite.

More along the same counters, diners will definitely enjoy the Goreng Goreng station where Quail, Prawn and Crab are seasoned with special rempah and fried till golden deliciousness. There is even Otak Otak Panggang, Goreng Pisang and Goreng Cempedak as well.

Diners should not miss the luscious array of seafood at the Grilled or Panggang Station. Marinated and chilled on ice are a gorgeous spread of Tiger Prawns, Assorted Fishes, Squid and more. Make your choice and hand over to the chefs to grill them before savoring them with the choices of sauces. The Ikan Bakar and other grilled seafood are divine in flavours!

Along the same counter, there are more pots of curries, rendangs and more to be savored with rice or roti. There is also Roti Jala with Chicken Curry too.

More dishes to be savored are Satay, Kangkung with Sotong, Curry Laksa and a host of other dishes from various cuisines local and international.

With all the meat and seafood, there is the Kerabu station to balance up the meal. The assorted Kerabus are a kaleidoscope of colors and flavour together with lots of texture. Besides the Kerabus, there are also lots of Sambals, Jeruk Buah, Acar, Ulam, Rojak Buah, Gado Gado, Ikan Masin, Telur Masin and more.

Besides the local cuisine, there is the Seafood on Ice bar filled Prawns, Crabs, Mussels and Scallops to be dipped in creamy sauces and cold cuts to go with salad bar. There is also Japanese station for Sashimi and Sushi.

To quench your thirst, there is local favorite beverages such as Air Bandung, Lychee, Citrus Mocktail, Ice Lemon Tea and more.

It may be quite a task to save room for dessert but it is worth the effort as the Dessert Bar is amazing and filled with lots of local and international desserts to end the meal with a sweet note. From Chocolate Fountain to cakes, puddings, tarts, jelly, macaron to local Assorted Kuih Muih, Dodol, Kuih Baulu, Kurma to Bubur Manis, choices are plenty to keep everyone happy.

The Selera Malaysia Buffet Dinner is available from 6.30pm to 10.30pm daily. Throughout the promotion, for every group of six persons, one dines for FREE.

18 – 21 June 2015

RM119 nett per adult

22 June – 16 July 2015

RM129 nett per adult

GOBO CHIT CHAT

Level 5, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur,

Kuala Lumpur City Centre,

50088 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03- 2332 9888

Website: www.shangri-la.com/kualalumpur/traders

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TradersHotelKualaLumpur

↧

Mai Bar @ Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral

June 15, 2015, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Kogetsu @ The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur

≪ Previous: Buka Puasa @ Gobo Chit-Chat, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Oh Mai Barbeque!

My family and I had lots of fun at our stay at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral. The hotel is truly a cool and modern contemporary hotel with lots of pizazz. I have also dined at Nook, their all-day-dining restaurant and have a fondness for their signature Sarawak Laksa that rocks! This round, I am back again at Aloft and it is to check out their latest promotion going on in their Polynesian themed Mai Bar located at the Rooftop level of the hotel.

Mai Bar has a gorgeous city view and also faces the infinity pool at the hotel. During the day, it’s pretty quiet but in the evening, Mai Bar comes alive with lots of groove and jazz. The bar’s interior is pretty swanky, set with lots of curves, Tiki totems, eclectic mix of furniture and is set with dark lighting brighten up with lots of neon spotlights. It’s quite retro and funky. Choose to sit along the curvy bar or relax on the sofas to chill. There is also private areas available and guests can also choose to chill out by the pool area to enjoy the view of the evening lights.

Mai Bar serves bar food mostly to be enjoyed with their bar drink menu. With the recent promotion, there is now a Mai Barbeque available for diners to enjoy. Barbeque seemed to be the perfect food have when chilling out at the bar. It goes well with beers, cocktails, liqueur and even wine.

So we arrive one Friday evening and straight away order cocktails to chill out. I had the Malaysian Princess Mai Tai(RM38) while Choi Yen had the Mojito (RM35) if I am not mistaken. My partner grabbed his usual favorite black gold of Guinness.

If you prefer non-alcoholic beverages, there’s Raspberry Tulip (RM30) and other mocktails…

The Mai Barbeque menu has a solid list of barbeque items. Simply order from the wait staff or head outside to the pool where the chef is busy grilling up lots of skewers and order there yourself. Each skewer are priced from RM10 to RM18 depending on the protein and they all come with Corn on the Cob and Jacket Potatoes with a few choices of sauces.

Round one, we had Cajun Tiger Prawns and Texas Style Beef skewers served with Corn on Cob, Jacket Potatoes and three sauces of Mushroom, Barbeque and Black Pepper. The prawns have a nice smoky and sweet flavour. It is also fresh and firm and cooked just right. The beef was well-seasoned and was tender too. The sauces are a plus as the skewers are already nicely flavourful on its own.

The next platter had Caribbean Chicken Thighand Greek Style Barbeque Squid. It is also served the vegetables and sauces. I really enjoyed the Caribbean Chicken Thigh. The dark meat is succulent and so tasty with all the pepper and seasonings. The Greek Style Barbeque Squid had lots of herbs and spices too, giving it a lovely herb aroma. A squeeze of lemon jazzed up the squid even more.

There is also Thai Spicy Quail that is scrumptious! A little sweet, a little spicy and a good hit of umami notes, the quails are also smoky. The meat is tender and so juicy. I enjoyed this one on its own and no sauces needed even though it is served with one.

Besides barbeque skewers, there are also pizza and mini tacos from the bar menu. For the mini tacos, we had Chicken Taquiza Tacos (RM21), Beef Steak Tacos(RM25) and Bolo Tacos. I also enjoyed these as I believed that I polished off quite a bit of these. The Chicken Taquiza Tacos has delicious pieces of tender chicken cooked in some spiced sauce and is served with olives, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream with mini taco shells.

The Beef Steak Tacos is also served with the same condiments. The beef has a spice seasoning and tasted really deliciously earthy and smoky with a nice balance of spices. The Bolo Tacos is actually Bolognese sauce with minced meat. This one reminded me of eating nachos and is just as good as the chicken and beef.

We also had their Pizza Margherita (RM28) and Beef Chicago Pizza (RM25). Both pizzas are quite light as it uses tortilla as the pizza base. The pizzas has lots of cheese and other ingredients on them. I like the Margherita as it has loads of cheese.

The Mai Barbeque is available from 5pm to 8pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the barbeque skewers are priced from RM 10.00 nett onwards. And that’s not it! Happy hour is available at Mai Bar from 5pm to 8pm daily – so it is double happiness with drinks at great price to pair up with the good food. Happy hour pricing is extended to beers, wines and cocktails. Head over to Mai Bar at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral to chill out to their awesome bar with a gorgeous city view!

MAI BAR

Aoft Kuala Lumpur Sentral

No, 5, Jalan Stesen Sentral,

Kuala Lumpur Sentral,

50470 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603- 2723 1154

Website: www.aloftkualalumpursentral.com/en/mai-bar

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Mai-Bar-Aloft-KL/497110033680163

Business Hour:

Sunday to Thursday: 12.00pm ~ 12.00am

Friday and Saturday: 12.00pm ~ 2.00am

↧

Kogetsu @ The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur

June 16, 2015, 7:30 am

≫ Next: Buka Puasa @ Melting Pot Café, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

≪ Previous: Mai Bar @ Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral

New Quick Lunch Sets & New Menu Items

Another year passes by and I am back at Kogetsuat The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpurfor a taste of their new menu items and new quick lunch sets. Kogetsu, which means Reflections of the Moon on Water, has been serving authentic Japanese cuisine to many gourmands set in traditional Japanese ryokan overlooking a lake at hotel. The Japanese restaurant is spacious and offers diners a choice of regular dining room, a separate teppanyaki room, sushi bar or tatami private rooms. The menu is filled with a list of sumptuous authentic Japanese dishes prepared by resident chef Taketoshi Minami and his team.

To cater to the many diners’ busy hours during work days, Kogetsu has introduced a choice of 3 quick Lunch Sets that will satisfy the appetites during lunch hours. These lunch set are full meals with choice of meat or seafood that comes with salad, soup and free flow of green tea.

Fish lovers will enjoy the Sanma Teriyaki Set(RM53), a healthy dish of grilled pacific saury drizzled with teriyaki sauce. The fish is beautifully grilled with a good smoky note and the flesh is fine and sweet. It’s perfect for lunch as it is light. It also comes with Chawan Mushi and some tsukemono.

Tori-Katsu Curry Set (RM50) is a bowl of comfort. Crispy breaded chicken is smothered in Japanese curry sauce with tender potatoes and carrots on rice. I like how the curry sauce is not as sweet as most Japanese curries are. Good choice if you are looking for some comfort food.

I would recommend Wa-Don Set (RM48) for big eaters as it has a mini Udon and mini Tanin-don served with salad and tsukemono. Tanin-don is a beef version of Oyako-don. Sliced beef is simmered with onions and egg in a sweet soy broth and is eaten with rice.

Besides the quick lunch sets, Chef Minami has also introduce a list of new menu items at Kogetsu. There are new appetizers, main dishes and noodles.

We started with a delectable Squid Tentacles in Wasabi (RM38). Nicely chargrilled, the squid tentacles are lightly chewy and smoky. Dip these in wasabi mayo with soy sauce, the tentacles are good stuff.

Same goes with Dried Stingray Fin (RM42), the appetizer is quite unusual but is perfect with sake or beer. The fins have an unusual dense and chewy texture. The salty briny flavour is quite addictive and makes great snacks.

Japanese Beancurd with Fresh Salad (RM28) is light and healthy. Crisp shredded greens, silken tofu cubes, fresh cut tomatoes and bonito flakes are dressed with a creamy and tangy citrusy dressing. Easy to enjoy some greens.

Going more luxe, enjoy the Baked Scallop with Fish Roe (RM32) for its richness. Sweet scallops on shells are baked in creamy and rich fish roe sauce. A squeeze of lemon eased off the richness of the fish roes and enhanced the flavours beautifully.

Fried Mackerel with Curry Sauce (RM39) is delicious! No sauce but there is light curry spices on the beautifully grilled fish. It’s moist and firm. The subtle hint of curry spices is rather delicate so don’t expect heavy flavours but enough to give the dish a different flavour note. I enjoyed this a lot.

Breaded Salmon Cutlet with Miso Sauce (RM42) is big on flavours. The crispy salmon has generous lashings of the robust nutty and savory miso sauce. On a personal note, I would love to enjoy this with rice because of its heavy flavours.

I enjoyed the crispy Asparagus & Silver Fish in Batter (RM42) a lot. It’s simple but the combination worked well in flavours and textures.

I wanted to order rice when Eel with Burdock Roots & Egg (RM45) arrived. Eel pieces is simmered in a claypot with burdock roots and egg in a lightly savory and sweet broth. The burdock root still has a good bite, contrasting with the soft eel and egg. It’s quite a rich dish with the creamy and smoky eel.

Wheat with Red Snapper in Broth Kyoto Style (RM38) epitomize what Japanese loves, delicate and soothing flavours that showcase the ingredients’ freshness. Delicate shoyu broth with soba noodle and sweet red snapper proved to be a good dish anytime.

Same goes with another classic favorite of mine, the Nabeyaki Udon (RM43). Slurping thick lightly chewy udon noodles in a delicious broth with poached eggs, prawn tempura and some other vegetables is soothing and satisfying.

Clams in Sake (RM30) had us savoring clams cooked in sake broth. It’s decent as the clams are succulent and tender.

My first thought of the Eel Roll & Crispy Salmon Skin Roll (RM43) that it would be too overpowering with the layer of herbs. I was glad it didn’t. The soft eel and crispy salmon skin provided good flavours and textures while the generous coating of herbs added a unique note to the roll.

Mushroom Teppanyaki (RM27) is a popular requested dish and I can see why. The assorted mushrooms sautéed a la teppanyaki style in luscious butter and shoyu sauce and topped with lots of fried garlic and spring onions. It was so aromatic and had a burst of sumptuous flavours. The mushrooms really soaked up the buttery goodness and the garlic is just perfect to tie up the flavours.

The Beef Teppanyaki (RM75) is a sure crowd pleaser. Glorious cuts of tender and juicy beef cooked in butter and shoyu sauce with dashes of pepper and served with lots of crispy garlic slices is so good, you might not want to share this plate.

For details of Kogetsu’s new Quick Lunch Specials or New Menu Items or to book online, go to www.shr.my or email dine@thesaujana.com

KOGETSU

The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur,

Saujana Resort,

Jalan Lapangan Terbang SAAS,

40150 Shah Alam, Selangor.

Contact: 603-7843 1234

Email: senja@thesaujana.com

Website: www.thesaujanahotel.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSaujanaHotelKualaLumpur

↧

Buka Puasa @ Melting Pot Café, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

June 17, 2015, 8:52 am

≫ Next: Buka Puasa @ China Treasures, Sime Darby Convention Centre

≪ Previous: Kogetsu @ The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Inspirasi Masakan Melaka

One of my favorite places to Buka Puasahas to be Melting Pot Café at Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur.Melting Pot Café is synonymous with their scrumptious spread of buffet for the holy month of Ramadan. For this year’s buka puasa feast, tuck into a myriad of mouth-watering delicacies from the historic state of Melaka at Melting Potfrom June 18 to July 16, 2015.

Savor a list of authentic Malay and Nyonya inspired dishes prepared by Chefs Rogayah Sharif and Mohd Ridzuan after a long day of fasting. Enjoy dishes cooked with lots of herbs and spices that will guaranteed robust and moreish flavours to whet the appetite.

Main highlights of the Inspirasi Masakan Melaka includes kawahs filled with various Asam Pedas curries like Daging Tetel Asam Pedas, Lamb Chop Asam Pedas, Ikan Merah Asam Pedas, Ekor Lembu Asam Pedas and Ayam Daun Limau Purut Asam Pedas. These are utterly delicious and addictive. All of the asam pedas have their own unique flavours. The Ekor Lembu Asam Pedas was super delicious with the oxtail cooked till tender and flavourful. The Lamb Chop Asam Pedas was quite different and is very piquant with good balance of sour and savory with umami notes.

There is the Ikan Siakap Cili Garam has a moreish and spicy chili sambal that is jazzed up with calamansi lime to accompany the crispy fried fish.

Whole Roast Lamb is also a favorite during this month and is available every day for lamb lovers. Savor the nicely spiced rub lamb pieces carved to your order and served with brown or mint sauce.

More curries are also available such as Rendang Ayam Nyonya, Kari Kepala Ikan, Udang Lemak Nenas, Paru Goreng Berlada, Sambal Sotong Petai, Daging Lemak Mangga Muda, Ikan Bawal Bersambal and more to go with Nasi Portugis Daging or Briyani Kambing. The myriad of curries with its various distinctive flavours are some of the best curries I had, especially the Rendang Ayam Nyonya.

Another classic favorite at any buka puasa dinner will be the Sup Gearbox, Sup Daging Singgang and Bubur Lambuk. These are the perfect dishes to start your meal after a long day of fasting. Comforting and soothing, these dishes will warm up your appetite.

There is also an assortment of Ikan Bakartogether with the other seafood at the Teppan Theatre. Simply choose prawns, salmon, chicken, beef or squid and the chef will cooked your food to your likings.

Kerabu station is set with a long and delicious list of authentic Kerabu salads such as Kerabu Udang Tha, Kerabu Mangga, Kerabu Isi Kerang, Kerabu Ayam Berkerisik, Kerabu Pucuk Ubi, Kerabu Udang, Kerabu Hati, Kerabu Limau Bali, Acar Rampai, Ulam Ulam Kampung, Rojak and assortment of sambals. Other condiments to go with the kerabu and curries are Sambals, Telur Masin, Ikan Masin, Telur Ikan Goreng, Jelatah Harian, Kerepek Pisang, Kerepek Ubi Pedas, Keropok Ikanand Spicy Papadam.

Besides the Kerabu station, there is a cold appetizer and salad station that has Summer Roll, Tandoori Spiced Chicken Galantine, Smoked Duck Breast with Mango and Asparagus, Thai Seafood Salad, Roasted Cherry Tomato and Chicken, Shrimp and Rice Noodle Salad, Crab Salad with Green Mango, Roast Beef and Spinach Salad with Horseradish Cream and more.

From the Wok corner, savor Wok-Fried French Beans with Spicy Conpoy Sauce, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Kai Lan with Chili and Salted Fish, Kangkung Belachan and other dishes available on rotation basis.

From the Goreng station, there are Samosa, Popiah Goreng, Crispy Vegetable Fritters, Prawn Tempura and more.

Besides all the local dishes, there’s also must-haves like the Chilled Seafood bar filled with Fresh Flower Crab, Tiger Prawn, Oysters and Green Shell Mussels.

The Noodle station is offering Nyonya Laksaand Mee Udang. The Nyonya Laksa is scrumptious with its creamy curry gravy laden with spices.

The dinner buffet ended with a high note as the Dessert Bar is laden with a gorgeous spread of local and international desserts.

For local desserts, there are assorted Nyonya Kuih Muih, Tapai Ubi, Tapai Pulut, Serawa Durian Pulut, Talam Gula Melaka, Seri Muka, Sago Gula Melaka, Putu Piring and more. Then there’s the sweet dessert broth of Bubur Pulut Hitam, Bubur Jagung and Bubur Kacang Hijiau and Cendol. There is also a live station of freshly made Apam Balik.

International desserts such as cakes, puddings, mousse, jelly, madeleine, fresh fruits, tarts, ice cream and more.

Drinks such as Air Tebu, Air Soya or Air Bandung are also included in the buffet.

Inspirasi Masakan Melaka

BUFFET DINNER– RM138.00 nett per person

Time: 7.00pm – 10.30pm

BUFFET SUPPER/STEAMBOAT– RM70.00 nett per person

Time: 11.00pm – 4.00am

CORPORATE BOOKINGS

15% Discount for CEC members (max. 10 persons)

15% Discount (June 18-21) and the last 5 days (July 12 – 16)

For reservations, please call 03 2717 2233

MELTING POT CAFE

CONCORDE HOTE KUALA LUMPUR

2 Jalan Sultan Ismail,

50250 Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia

Tel: +603 2717 2233

Fax: +603 2149 2659

Email: fbkl@concorde.net

Facebook: www.facebook.com/concordehotelkualalumpur

Website: www.kualalumpur.concordehotelsresorts.com

↧

Buka Puasa @ China Treasures, Sime Darby Convention Centre

June 18, 2015, 8:50 am

≫ Next: Ramadhan Buffet @ Bijan

≪ Previous: Buka Puasa @ Melting Pot Café, Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Ramadhan Dinner Indulgence

More places to buka puasa and this one is a really value-for-money treat! China Treasures of Sime Darby Convention Centre (SDCC) is offering a sumptuous buka puasa promotion aptly named Dinner Indulgence. It is indeed a lavish treat as the buffet offers diners the best treasures the restaurant has to offer from 60 all-you-can-eat a la minute dishes, 69 delectable dim sum and 22 hot pot steamboat items. It is indeed mind-boggling in choices and even the dim sum choices alone are huge!

It is my first time visiting China Treasures and the fine dining Chinese restaurant is beautifully decorated in Oriental grandeur. There are private rooms for dining as well as the main dining hall which is spacious and plush in design.

First up, with 69 varieties of Dim Sum, this is alone a treat. From the Steamed Dim Sum to the Deep-Fried Dim Sum and other small Dim Sum dishes, it is a plethora of well-made Halal dim sum. The Steamed Dim Sum was plump and decent in sizes while the flavours and textures is quite excellence for Halal Dim Sum.

To name a few of the choices available, there are Steamed Chicken & Shrimp Dumpling with Dried Scallop & Cilantro, Steamed Chicken Dumpling with Sweet Corn, Steamed Crystal Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed Crystal Shrimp & Scallop Dumpling, Steamed Rice Roll with Shrimp, Steamed Beef Ball & Beancurd Skin, Steamed Szechuan Hot & Spicy Chicken Dumpling, Steamed Squid Ball, Steamed China Treasures Glutinous Rice, Steamed Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce, Steamed BBQ Honey Chicken Bun, Steamed Butter & Salted Egg Yolk Bamboo Charcoal Bun, Deep Fried Prawn & Mango Roll, Deep Fried Shrimp & Fish Paste Cheese Ball, Deep Fried Yam Puff, Stir Fried Radish Cake with Dried Scallop, Baked China Treasures Mini Egg Tart, Baked BBQ Honey Chicken Puff and more.

Moving on to the Hot Pot Steamboat, there is a choice of Clear Chicken Brothor Tom Yam Soup for the hot pot. Then one can simply choose from the various ingredients such as Sliced Fish Fillet, Tiger Prawns, Mud Crab, Green Mussel, Cuttlefish, Fish Ball, Crab Claw Ball, Salmon Beancurd, Sui Kow Dumpling together with a variety of vegetables, mushrooms, noodles and egg. The Sui Kow Dumpling is excellent!

Heading towards the main Chinese dishes, there are selections of Soup, Appetizer, Seafood, Meat & Poultry, Beancurd, Vegetables and even Vegetarian dishes plus Dessert.

Szechuan Hot & Sour Soup is deliciously sour and piquant with lots of finely shredded ingredients in the thick broth.

The appetizer of Deep Fried Shimeiji Mushroom with Salted Egg Yolk is also yummy with its crispy mushrooms coated in the unctuous and sinful salted egg yolk sauce.

From the fish section, we had the Steamed Tilapia Fish Shanghai Style and Steamed Tilapia Fish with Minced Chili Soya Sauce, I love the Steamed Tilapia Fish Shanghai Style for its spicy and robust flavours balanced by the sweet smooth flesh of the fish.

We also had lots of prawns that evening. Choosing the various choices is indeed difficult as both Steamed Tiger Prawns with Egg White and Baked Tiger Prawns with Salt & Pepper is equally good. Both prawns were fresh, juicy and sweet. I am glad we chose the classic choices as they are these testament to the chef’s skill in cooking these crustacean right.

We had Braised Soya Sauce Chicken and Sweet & Sour Chicken. Although both are good, the Sweet & Sour Chicken won by a little with its crispy chicken pieces coated in a lovely sweet and sour sauce. I must say that platting was indeed elegant and lovely.

Roasted Duck Pi Pa Style won votes from everyone for its flavour and texture of the duck.

We also had a beef dish of Black Pepper Beef. It’s decent and there is also venison for those who are more adventurous.

We savored Stir Fried HK Mini Kai Lan with White sauce and Stir Fried French Bean Szechuan Style. There are more vegetable and beancurd dishes too.

For Dessert, we had their Steamed Salted Egg Yolk Custard Bun and Chilled Snow Skin Dessert.

That’s not all, diners can choose between a choice of a plate of Chili Prawn or Chili Crabcomplimentary from China Treasuresper table of paying diners. Its indeed pure indulgence and lavish treat all the way…

To seal off this great offer, guests of Dinner Indulgenceare entitled to purchase Sime Darby Convention Centre’s Citarasa Ramadhan 1 Malaysia Buffet vouchers at only RM79 nett per person, instead of the full price of RM120 nett per person (T&C applies).

Dim Sum Buffet is also available daily from 11.30pm to 2.30pm at RM69nett per person. Due to popular demand, the restaurant will be extending two additional dim sum buffet sessions on weekends and public holidays, priced at RM49nett per person from 10am to 11.30am and 3pm to 4.30pm.

Special banqueting packages for Ramadhan Buka Puasa, Hari Raya Open House and Outside Cateringservices are also available. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Ramadhan Dinner Indulgence at China Treasures

Buffet Dim Sum, Hot Pot Steamboat and All you can eat a la minute dishes

Available from 19 June 2015 to 16 July 2015

Price: RM118nett (Adult) RM59nett (Children)

Dinner: 6.30pm to 10.30pm

For reservation, please contact 03-2089 3788 / 03 2089 3688 or email to chinatreasures.sdcc@simedarby.com

CHINA TREASURES

Sime Darby Convention Centre

1A, Jalan Bukit Kiara 1,

60000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (603) 2089 3688

Fax: (603) 2089 3699

Website: www.simedarbyhospitality.com

↧

Ramadhan Buffet @ Bijan

June 19, 2015, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Suka @ One Residency Kuala Lumpur

≪ Previous: Buka Puasa @ China Treasures, Sime Darby Convention Centre

Refined Malay Cuisine for Buka Puasa

It’s my first time at the Bijan, a restaurant with multiple accolades, is famous for its refined Malay cuisine located in the bustling area of the metropolitan city along Jalan Ceylon. I have always heard good ravings of this place and was pleased to be invited for a sneak preview of their Ramadhan Buffet promotion for this holy month of fasting.

Walking into the restaurant, it was indeed a pleasure as I was enchanted by the gorgeous and warmth ambience of Bijan. One would certainly never expect such a calm and peaceful setting amidst the bustling city area. The concept was elegant and minimalist with lots of dark wood mixed with rich purple wall panels. The restaurant is spacious and has a beautiful long bar at the entrance. One can choose the cool dining inside or simply enjoy the al fresco garden dining at Bijan. Private dining rooms are also available. Large posters of dragonfly and local traditional dressed women added more charm to the ambience of the restaurant.

For this year’s Ramadhan Buffet, Bijan’s Sous Chef Mohd Shawal and his culinary team will be preparing a range of dishes of mix recipes handed down over generations and also marrying the traditional recipes with modern day ingredients to create a delicious dining buka puasa experience.

There will be 5 Ramadhan Buffet menus on daily rotation. The buffet spread includes live-cooking stations and grill station serving up fresh and hot food for the best flavours. Savor appetizers, kerabu, meat & poulty, seafood and vegetables prepared with authentic flavours injected with modern ingredients. A la carte menu will be available daily after 9pm onwards.

We savored delectable appetizer morsels of Cucur Bijan, Daging Bungkus, Otak-Otak, Keropok Lekor and Acar Tofu. The Cucur Bijanwas superb… crispy fritters of tempeh, sweet potato, tofu, bean sprouts and spring onions in light crispy batter served with a drizzle of chili sauce. And so was the spiced seafood mousse of Otak-Otakserved on tiny squares of Hailam bread. The Otak-Otak was creamy, spicy and beautifully laden with rich spices.

A bowl of Laksam, an East coast favorite, was served after the appetizers. Don’t be fool by this plain looking dish as the flavours are superb! House made steamed rice noodles are rolled and sliced and doused with a rich fish and coconut milk gravy laced with pungent shrimp paste and spices. The noodles are served with raw vegetables and chili sambal. The version is so utterly delicious with its robust, savory, tangy and creamy gravy flavouring the soft melt-in-the-mouth rice noodles while the raw vegetables provided texture and the chili worked its magic on the heat. Though it is usually eaten for breakfast, I would be please to enjoy a piping hot bowl of Bijan’s Laksam anytime of the day!

Kerabu is simply a must in any Malay cuisine as it is a salad medley of flavours and textures. We had three kerabus of Kerabu Daging Salai, Kerabu Sotong and Kerabu Jantung Pisang. Each one is unique in flavours and textures but they all share the same savory, sweet, spicy and sour flavours that comes from the different ingredients used. My favorite was the Kerabu Daging Salai with its smoky and spicy flavours.

For main dishes, we savored Ayam Ketumbar Sambal Tomato, Kambing Masak Hitam, Sotong Hitam Manis,Daging Berempah Sambal Dendeng, Rendang Udang Nogori, Ketam Masak Tempoyak and Pucuk Paku Goreng Tahi Minyak.

The Ayam Ketumbar Sambal Tomato has golden battered fried chicken smothered in a tasty and spicy coriander spiced tomato sambal. It’s not overly spicy but is moreish and perfect with rice. The chicken was moist and flavourful too.

I like how Bijan uses lamb cutlets in the Kambing Masak Hitam. It is a good cut of lean and fat lamb that is beautifully marinated with spices and chargrilled till cooked. A savory and sweet black sauce added more depth of flavours to the rich lamb. Must-try…

The Sotong Hitam Manis reminded me of a dish my mom used to cook. Squid is cooked in a rich and sweet black sauce cooked from chili paste, lemongrass and squid ink. I can’t quite detect but there was some kind of herbs in the dish as well.

There is also the Daging Berempah Sambal Dendeng that won many diner’s hearts that evening. Cooked in lots of aromatics such as lemongrass, turmeric, ginger, chili and other spices, the sliced beef was tender and tasty. I would be happy with this dish alone with rice!

Rendang Udang Nogori is a signature of Bijan’s and I can see why. Prawns are cooked in a creamy yellow coconut curry spiced up with lots of spices, herbs and chili. I can still taste the fresh sweetness of the prawns as the curry is not overpowering but just right on flavours.

I steer clear of the King of Fruit and so I didn’t try the Ketam Masak Tempoyak but I know it was good because other diners polished this off with much happiness.

The Pucuk Paku Goreng Tahi Minyak is pretty decent. Wild paku ferns are sautéed in a chili coconut and shrimp paste sambal.

There are various choices of rice available at Bijanand we savored small tasting portions of Nasi Ulam, Nasi Tomato and Nasi Briyani.

I really enjoyed the Nasi Ulamtremendously with its herb aroma and flavours. The rice is well seasoned and makes a great dish on its own as it is already very flavourful. I wanted more of this Nasi Ulam. The other two Nasi Tomato and Nasi Briyani was decent by the Nasi Ulam was certainly more outstanding in my books.

For desserts, Bijan also has a solid list of sweets to end each meal with sweet pleasures. That evening, we had tasting portions of Manisan Putri Mandi, Pandan Pudding, Corn Brulee and Pengat Durian with Glutinous Rice. I enjoyed all the dessert except the Pengat Durian which I happily donated to my neighbor since I don’t enjoy durian.

We were told that the Durian Chocolate Cakeis another signature at Bijan and before we know it, we had orders of the rich and sinful chocolate cake filled with D24 durian flesh. Many were certainly raving about this dessert so you might want to order this if you don’t see this in the Ramadhan Buffet.

Our mocktails are not included in the Ramadhan Buffet but do order these refreshing fruity mocktails as they are simply thirst-quenching delights!

Ramadhan Buffet

Available from 22 June to 12 July 2015 (6.45pm to 9.30pm)

Price @ RM 90++ per person

Early bird promotion at RM90 nett per person for confirmed reservations before the 22nd June 2015

*A la carte menu is available from 9pm onwards.

For reservations and enquiries, please call 603 2031 3575 or email admin@bijanrestaurant.com

BIJAN

No 3 Jalan Ceylon

50200 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Tel + 603 2031 3575

Fax +603 2031 3576

Website: www.bijanrestaurant.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bijanrestaurant

↧

Suka @ One Residency Kuala Lumpur

June 20, 2015, 3:30 am

≫ Next: Limapulo @ Jalan Doraisamy Kuala Lumpur

≪ Previous: Ramadhan Buffet @ Bijan

Chilling to Fusion!

The Orange Mango Mint Salad is a healthy salad with invigorating flavours of creamy and tangy yoghurt dressing with mint.

Suka also has a local menu to cater to diners. We tried their Pineapple Fried Rice (RM20.90) and found it decent. The nice curry aroma and flavour goes well with the pineapples and seafood.

There is not much dessert in the menu but we did finished with a simple Peach Melba (RM12.90) of vanilla ice cream with peaches.

SUKA

One Residency

No.1 Jalan Nagasari

50200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2141-9997

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSuka2010

Business Hours:

Mon – Thur 11.30am to 12.00am

Fri – Sat 11.30am to 1.00am

Sun 3.00pm to 12 midnight

Book now by downloading Offpeak.my App available on the App Store and Google Play, or visit our website www.offpeak.my or Facebook: www.facebook.com/offpeak.my

↧