she, the epicuriousgirl.

our work site was around the Bayan Lepas area in Penang, and we noticed on a few occasions previously that many cars park illegally on the side of the road leading to the airport to breakfast at this nondescript wooden, kampung house. as it’s always crowded, imagine my surprise that all that is served here is the humble “roti bakar” and half-boiled egg! And they have been doing so for more than 50 years!

one set normally consists of two slices of toasted buttered bread, cut neatly into bite sized pieces and two half boiled eggs. We opted for a single egg this time round. Noticed they differentiate the number of eggs by different coloured cups, yellow for single egg, dark green for double. A selection of condiments (i.e. sugar, pepper & soy sauce) are placed at the tables for your convenience.

the way to eat this humble breakfast is to sprinkle sugar all over the toast first. then, add soy sauce and pepper to taste to the half boiled eggs before dipping the square cuts of toast into the eggy goodness. it sounds a bit weird tasting yet tastes great together! the crispy toast, dripping toast is complimented perfectly by the half boiled egg, which is done to perfection.

Mounds of pre-packed nasi lemak and noodles are also available on each table and we decided to share one pack amongst ourselves. i think they are a few choices available, and we got one mound of coconut infused rice doused with some samballike gravy, and topped with half an egg and half a fish. Bit cold, but what can one expect of pre-packed food?

Humble food perhaps, but the throng of returning customers pay testament to the quality of the food here.

Joo Leong Coffee Cafe (www)
179-H, Sungei Tiram,
Bayan Lepas,
Penang.

Note: Closed on Mondays.
other reviews;
- welovepenang
- jijitankyy

Fancy some Nyonya nasi lemak? I wasn’t sure what the different between regular and Nyonya nasi lemak was hence I ventured to Jin Hoe cafe early one morning for a serving.

At first glance, this simple looking meal wasn’t anything like the nasi lemak dishes i’m used to. with only a small bowl of coconut milk scented rice, a piece of asam fish and two prawns, some cucumber and a dollop of fiery sambal, this looked more like a homecooked meal. but i could see that this was popular with the locals as the they came to buy the pre-packed takeways in

the coconut milk infused rice tasted almost like sticky rice, rich in coconut milk but not overpowering. the fish was a little on the dry side, but both it and the prawns complimented the rice well. as for the sambal belacan, it really packed quite a fiery kick. but i loved how well it tasted with the rice and fish. the cucumber slices suddenly seemed like a refreshing relief. anchovies are available upon request only.

though the Nyonya version is really different from what I expected, there’s something about the simplicity of this meal. i’m sure the locals agree as this family business has been operating for over 40 years now, from the days of father (Jimmy Lee) to son (Lee Khai Soon). Having said that, I must admit I do still prefer the original version though.

Jin Hoe Cafe
46, Jalan Cantonment, (Opp. Bandar Baru Supermarket, before turning into Jalan Pasar)
Penang.

* Note: Closed on Sundays.

other reviews;
- ed and cher

two weeks of silence was the result of having to travel for work, yet forgetting the digital camera’s usb cable whilst enduring erratic wi-fi connection at where we were staying. however, food adventures are not forgotten, and i have some new discoveries (to me, that is) to share.

what’s driving up north without making a stop in ipoh? we found our way to the old town and looked forward to a cup of freshly brewed white coffee. The white coffee is made from beans roasted with margarine but without sugar, giving it a lighter shade. one is spoilt for choice as you drive down Jalan Bijih Timah with “Sin Yoon Loong”, “Sun Yuan Foong”, “Xin Yuan Hoong” and “Nam Heong Old Town White Coffee”, all noted coffee shops for serving the coffee brew ipoh is famous for. perhaps the most famous of them all is Sin Yin Loong, which is always packed with coffee lovers and tourists alike.

Opened in 1937, Sin Yoon Loong (新源隆) serves coffee which is “pulled’’ in teh tarik-style, giving it a lovely, foamy head. even though the coffee served is very fragrant and aromatic, i think i enjoyed the experience of having it in the atmospheric coffeeshop than the actual taste of the coffee itself. don’t get me wrong, the coffee is smooth, and permeates with the seductive aroma, and is not too sweet, but i do prefer black coffee, pref. hainanese coffee.

the toasted bread was more delectable to me. soft yet crispy, it was amazing how they managed to halve the already thin slice and stuff butter and kaya into it.

After our coffee sojourn at the most popular, we were walking to our car when we got lured by the yummy looking Ipoh Sar Hor Fun (沙河粉) at the neighboring Xin Yuan Hoong (新源峰).

It was a good choice to stop as this particular coffeeshop served more locals than tourists. Most of them were enjoying their cuppa while slurping down steaming hot bowls of sar hor fun. Ipoh sar hor fun (沙河粉) is silky, smooth flat rice noodles served in a clear chicken and prawn soup with chicken shreds, prawns and spring onions. The broth was sweet and lingered softly in the mouth. the chicken shreds were as smooth as the silky hor fun. shared a single bowl amongst ourselves as the toasted bread had barely settled in our tummies.

the drink maker/ waiter kept recommending their white coffee and i gave in after a while. told him we’ll share a single cup and he happily made us a cup. must admit that i like their version better than “Sin Yoon Loong’s”, as similar as both tasted. the latter was richer, somehow. yet my eyes kept getting drawn to the sign that caramel custard was available here and soon i succumbed, ordering one to try. served in an ice cold tin container, it was decent, though I wished it was turned out before being served as it the sweet, caramelly goodness were all at the bottom of the container.

Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong (新源隆) / Xin Yuan Hoong (新源峰)
Jalan Bijih Timah,
Ipoh,
Perak.

other reviews;
- this is no joke
- tummies growl

so much has been said about this beef noodle that i knew i had to go looking for it if i ever venture in PJ’s Section 17. i am not too familiar with the area hence it took me a little while to locate the place. but if you people have been to food foundry, you won’t have too much trouble finding the place.

the beef noodles here are of the Johor type. the dry version is basically lai fun served with beef slices, tripe, beef balls slathered with a thick, beefy sauce and topped with sesame seeds, char choy (preserved vegetables), peanuts, spring onions. One can have the option of adding some special dried beef slices which are well marinated in a dark sauce.

Even if the meat were tender and delicious, I didn’t think much about the combination of the noodles and the sauce though. the peanuts and sesame seeds added a nice crunch but did little to enhance the flavour. i thought the dried beef slices were a bit on the salty side. still, i did enjoy the beef broth served with the meal. perhaps i should opt for the soup version next time.

julian, the stall owner was a friendly soul who even passed us his name card. however, do note that he does take his time preparing the noodles if you happen to be there during the lunch crowd. but if tender beef slices and parts are your thing, it’ll be worth the wait.

Cheng Special Noodles
Khasiat Cafe
Corner Coffeeshop at Jalan 17/12
Section 17
Petaling Jaya

other reviews;
- masak-masak
- kampungboycitygal (location map!)
- you get what you give sometimes
- fatboybakes

Noticed this Vietnamese restaurant in Pavilion on the same level as Ochacha. I loved all the food made with la lot leaves when I was visiting Hanoi hence I was drawn to visit this restaurant.

Ordered some Vietnamese tea which had a slight floral tinge to it.

Had to order the la Lot roll of course, which saw the aromatic kadok leaf wrapped around marinated minced beef. the petite sized appetizer was heavenly. As Vietnamese cuisine is very much french influenced, we had some chicken sausage bruschetta (which tasted baguette-ish). I definitely preferred the la lot roll as the taste and flavours were more pronounced.

I normally order the dry vermicelli with grilled meat without fail. It comes with a lot of chopped greens and this tangy, sweet sauce which truly makes the dish. Most vietnamese restaurant only offer the meat choice of beef or chicken but La Lot had the third option of lamb. And that was what I went for. The lamb has this slight burnt, crisp taste which was surprisingly good. Have no complaints about my order at all.

What’s vietnamese cuisine without pho? unfortunately i don’t remember the names of the pho my eating companions ordered though one featured beef and clear soup, the other some sour fish soup. Warm and rich, the soup was indeed comfort food. But I only had a tiny sip as my dry vermicelli dish had already filled me up.

La Lot Vietnamese Cuisine
Lot 6.36.00
6th Floor
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Bukit Bintang
K. Lumpur

other reviews;
- nst write up

Decided to spend the day offs at home to let the poor wallet rest after the extensive Christmas shopping. Lazing around, even meals have become simpler and easier. but they still taste pretty good!

I love my Ryvita crispbreads. Since my uni days, have tried to come up with a wide variety of toppings which were mostly cheese & tomato based. But as Christmas dinner saw turkey leftovers, shredded them and tossed them with mayo. Then, I spread cheese on the crispbread, followed by the turkey and finally, some basil leaves for that extra oomph.

Also made egg mayo as another topping. And for that little something, used a bit of dried chicken floss. Sounds mismatched but tastes absolutely heavenly.

Also made the fuss free Mushroom & cheese toast on another day. Using wholemeal bread, Emmental cheese, some mushroom slices with some poppy seeds, toasted it quickly in the oven toaster. Crisp edges, warm bread and gooey cheese. What’s not to love?