she, the epicuriousgirl.

Upon leaving Penang for KL, we decided to stopover in Bukit Tambun for a seafood meal. As it’s situated by the river, the area sees fresh catches daily by fishermen nearby. As my eating companions have had their last seafood meal at the more touristy Gee Seng, we decided to try the restaurant somewhat opposite it, Restoran Jety.

When you see the 1st sign, just continue walking down the path into the restaurant (if you can call it that). Not sure why they have so many spelling variations between the signs outside or the ones inside but decided to follow the one inside the restaurant itself. the view from where we sat was quite nice as it was just by the river and some fishing boats were parked just next to us. the natural ambience was just so soothing and relaxing.

We ordered some Fried Glass Noodles (Tanghoon) and it was stir-fried with ingredients such as cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, garlic chives and prawns. The lingering smell of wok hei wafted through the air when it was placed on our table and we eagerly tucked in. Oh, it was good.

Next was chi lea (Siput Duri) or rather, spiky shellfish. toothpicks are given to pierce the flesh out of the shell. The chilli dip here was really shiok.

We also had the Salt & Pepper Mantis Prawns. The Mantis prawns were quite big, and were chopped up before being cooked.

Lastly we had the Steamed Tiger Fish. Actually I have no idea what the type of fish this is, but they ordered it as such and it was quite small, but delicious. the texture of the flesh was smooth and tasted really nice. perhaps this was also greatly attributed by the freshness of the fish.

we all left bukit tambun, satisfied and satiated.

Restoran Jety 船头海鲜楼
Bagan Bukit Tambun,
14110 Simpang Ampat,
Seberang Perai, Penang

others;
- chanchiewsoo

we have actually attempted to visit this place a few times prior to this as we have heard so much but the timing is always off. the stall is only open from 6pm onwards. Lim Hai Liang, the cook of this oh chien is the brother of the much talked about oh chien hawker at Seng Thor on Carnarvon St. His operates his stall together with his wife, who sells fried Fish Head Beehoon.

It took only about 5 mins for the oyster omelette to be served to us. The starchy batter is cooked with plump, juicy oysters and finely chopped spring onions. I quite like the fact that the spring onions were used, which is really the main difference from Lim’s oh chien with the other hawkers. The subtle flavour of the spring onions complimented the omelette well, and added a refreshing texture. My only complaint was that it was a tad too oily for me. But I read somewhere after eating here that you can actually request for less oil to be used, resulting in a crispier oh chien and he will gladly comply. Will definitely try that should I return here for more oyster goodness.

the wife’s fried beehoon looks good too, but we were filled to the brim with the asam laksa we had earlier. another “to-try” to add to our list. also famous here is the pei pa duck.

Kedai Kopi Bee San
584, Jalan Air Itam,
11500 Penang
* Note: Available only at night.

other reviews;
- jay jun
- star writeup

it was the oh chien (oyster omelette) fame that lured us here. but we were a bit early as it’s only available after lunch. but there were other much-talked-about items available here such as the loh mee (滷麵) and lorbak.

the loh mee doesn’t look very inviting as the thick, sticky gravy totally covers the egg noodles & beehoon (rice vermicelli) under it. it is topped with pork slices, hard boiled egg and some fried shallots. A spoonful of chili sauce is provided to toss the noodles with. the gravy, which is thickened with corn starch and egg, is flavoured with chinese five-spice powder and the star anise tastes a little bland to me, so the chili sauce provided helps.

i can see that this a true favourite of the patrons of Seng Thor but I can’t really get used to it as I am more used to the KL version, lightly soured by vinegar, and served with exquisite, fiery sambal. still, it was quite an experience tasting this.

the highlight of our meal was definitely the lor bak. Lor Bak is the term for lean pork seasoned with five-spice powder, onion/garlic, wrapped in a thin sheet of beancurd skin and deep-fried to a browned crisp before being served with the lor sauce (dark gravy thickened with cornstarch and beaten egg swirls).

however in penang, one eats lor bak with other deep-fried goodies such as beancurd, prawn fritters, sausages, fish cakes etc, and even century egg slices. the uncle manning the pushcart, Mr. Bor Choo Kooi has been selling his lor bak since 1955! and he’s there everyday without fail, with the exception of chinese festivals. had a chat with him as I selected some items and he was very friendly and spoke fluent cantonese. at least i didn’t have to use my half-past-six hokkien. Lol.

the must-eat of his porky goodness is definitely the sausage that resembles taiwanese sausages, which was aromatic and so tasty! even the lor bak was appetite whetting with the well-flavoured pork and the crisp bean curd skin. some of the fried stuff may seem a bit greasy but dip it well into the sauces and you won’t taste a trace of oil.

enjoyed our combo platter so much that we bought some for our other colleagues still stuck at the work site. Mr. Bor packs the fried goodies together with a banana leaf as he claims that the aroma is improved with the help of the leaf.

Kedai Kopi Seng Thor
160, Lebuh Carnarvon,
Penang.

After checking in our bags, we decided to grab a bite. There are many swanky looking dining spots in Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok and somehow my attention was drawn to the Tate Cafe by Le Notre. Perhaps it was the lush pastries on show (kept drooling at the sight of the macarons), the hot pink and black theme?

we plonked ourselves and our bags at a corner booth seat, and made our picks from the menu which offered both thai and western fare. had water (THB30) to sip while waiting and even the bottle and cups were more bergaya than usual. lol.

chose the club sandwich which came with potato chips and a salad (THB155). was good as the ingredients were fresh, crisp and well-made.

my friend had the beef burger (THB180) which was served with potato wedges and a salad. looks good eh?

due to the time constraint (was running late to departure gate), i didn’t manage to try any of the desserts. and they all looked so inviting too! and i was definitely drooling after the macarons. so looks like the next time i am at the bangkok airport, i’ll be heading here for some sweets. can’t wait.

Tate Cafe by Le Notre
3rd Floor, Main Terminal,
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Bangkok, Thailand.

just got back from a whirlwind short break in Bangkok. flew in to meet my german housemate from my UK days as we’ve not seen each other for years. it was quite a laidback vacation from what i’m used to as they juggled between the full effects of jet lag and culture shock. but they sure enjoyed the street food and the area where we put up with.

thought they would enjoy khao san road as it’s filled with pubs & bars etc. but it sure wasn’t easy trying to get a ride back to our hotel from there as most cabbies and tuk-tuk drivers quoted figures 3 to 4 times of what we paid on a metered fare. thus, decided to have dinner there and try our luck after.

they fancied some pizza so we entered this italian restaurant, la casa. it was bustling with the dinner crowd and featured two sections, with the upstairs being air-conditioned.

quite like the ambience and decor there, which was done up in the colours of the italian flag, green, white and red. the menu is quite extensive and some dishes use thai ingredients for that local flair.

i decided to have a pasta dish and chose handmade fettucine with prawns in a garlic, saffron sauce. the substantial portion of pasta did not disappoint, and the sauce was very aromatic and flavourful. my friend kept dipping her pizza base into my sauce.

my friend’s boyfriend chose the pizza with minced meat and chilli. looks appetising, doesn’t it? and he managed to finish all 8 slices!

my friend just chose the plain margherita pizza, with tomato puree and mozzarella cheese, garnished with some basil leaves. crispy, and fragrant, the thin crusts pizzas here were really good!

while they chose to wash down their dinner with local beers, i opted for the cafe affogato. smooth espresso infused with the creaminess of vanilla ice-cream. yum.

judging from the dinner crowd, this italian eatery is very popular with the tourists. but must give them props for the extensive menu and above average food. bit pricey in comparison to local food, but that’s pretty much the norm, even in M’sia.

La Casa,
210 Khao San Road,
Phranakorn, Bangkok 10200
Thailand.

Hopefully all of you are enjoying your Chinese New Year break so far. Yes, I am aware that CNY is well into it’s 6th day now, but still, I’d like to wish you all a prosperous and joyful New Year.

Was back in my hometown for the festivities and trying to bear with dial-up was difficult. was caught up with helping around and mingling with relatives anyway. ate mostly at home though coz most of the hawker stalls were not opened during the CNY period. not complaining though coz both my dad and grandmother made their specialties.

and now, to catch up on CNY feasting back in the city…

I had one of the most decadent lunches in preparation for the upcoming CNY, thanks to a boss who gave us a treat. as i was lunching with mostly other businessmen, i had to secretly snap most of the photos with my mobile phone, hence the poor picture quality.

it was indeed a lunch fit for kings, as befitting of the restaurant’s tea king status. Brewing tea here is a skill, whereby the tea is transferred from zhisa teapot to mini glass pitcher to the small cups etc etc. even though i myself am not particularly bothered, i sure enjoyed the smooth taste of our Pu’er tea going down my throat. Heh. The restaurant is nicely decorated, with a antiquated yet modern chinese feel to it.

We started off lunch with the “Abalone & Salmon Yee Sang” (鲍鱼三文鱼生). The salmon slices are thicker than any of the yee sang platters i have had this year. Was surprised to see that tinned abalone slices were given too. The salmon and abalone slices were considered generous as everyone got a couple of slices each. most of the times, I don’t even see a sliver of salmon as it’s cut so thinly it’s good for shabu-shabu.

We also had Stir-fried Sharksfin with egg and fresh crabmeat (彩虹贵花翅) which was not too bad. Big chunks of crabmeat were visible, as was the strands of sharksfin. We later asked for fresh lettuce leaves to wrap the egg to eat.

Instead of the conventional sharksfin soup, the soup for our lunch was the “double boiled Sharksfin soup with sea treasure and chicken” (火烔鸡炖海味金线翅骨汤). It was indeed full of goodies such as shark’s bones, vietnamese ham, a whole chicken, scallops, figs, fish maw, clamshell etc etc. As a result, the soup was very sweet and tasty. The portion was so big that everyone could have 2 to 3 bowls!

We also had “Vietnamese Mixed Fruit Salad Rolls” (越南沙拉果酥) and “Steamed Angled Loofah with Garlic” (金银蒜蒸胜瓜). I didn’t like the rolls at all as the mixed fruit were too sweet and mushy for my liking. I also thought it wasn’t really necessary so I was a bit surprised the chefs included it in this set menu. The steamed angled loofah was good though, quite refreshing in comparison to the other “heavy” dishes.

CWZJ also has a few tanks with live seafood such as the Geoduck, Lobsters, Alaskan King Crabs, Snow Crabs, a wide array of fishes etc. Hence it was not surprising that the “American Geoduck Sashimi in 2 ways” (美国野生象拔蚌赤身) was included in our lunch. The geoduck was sliced thinly and placed on ice and a chicken & wolfberries soup stock was given. You could either have it with the wasabi provided or blanch it quickly in the boiling soup stock. As the geoduck was so fresh, it wasn’t really necessary to dip it into the soup. But the soup tasted so good that we drank it nevertheless.

By this time we were starting to feel up but there are more dishes to come! Next up was the “Deepfried Live Lobster with Chardonnay Sauce” (沙当妮白酒焗龙虾). The white wine sauce gave the deepfried lobster a creamy and gooey coating that reminded me shellfish cooked with salted eggs. The fresh lobster meat was so firm and sweet. Portion was substantial too and we didn’t manage to finish it (pity!) and had to have it doggybagged.

What’s a CNY meal without fish? The “Steamed Leopard Coral Trout with Soy Sauce” (清蒸海东星班) was another favourite as the fish was very fresh, hence the flesh’s texture was very firm and tasty. Sorry for only showing the fish bones but everyone had dug in by the time I managed to snap this.

My tummy was groaning by now but there was still the “Braised South African Abalone with Mushroom” (南非18头鲍鱼扣花菇)! Everyone got an abalone, mushroom and broccoli floret. Can I say delicious? 12 small abalones all in all!

There was actually an “Assorted Preserved Meats Rice in Claypot” (瓦腊味饭) but no one could managed anything so it was all packed for the boss to bring home.

Dessert was “Stewed White Snow Fungus with Longans”, a sweet tong sui to end the heavenly meal.

The price tag for this huge lunch? RM1388++. Hefty perhaps, but considering the dishes in the menu, the boss thought it was worth every penny. I’m really lucky to have the chance to join them for this meal as I probably won’t want to fork out this kind of dosh just for a meal, as extravagant as it is.

CWZJ Cuisine (The Home of Tea Kings)
8, Jalan 11/116B,
Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park,
Jalan Kuchai Lama,
58200 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel : 7981 8714

Hours: Mon - Fri : 11:30am to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
Sat & Sun : 11:30am to 10pm

other reviews;
- alan tan
- knits and nibbles
- jamie liew

LilyCenario is a cafe that offers healthy, organic food and doubles up as an art gallery of sorts. the decor is done up in mostly white, dotted with shades of blue for that clean, minimalist feel. the highlight of it all was definitely the hanging spiral crystal drops on clean fishing thread. it was rather interesting exploring the place. noticed that they had a corner for reading material on tarot cards, spiritual interests etc.

was having flu hence our waitress recommended the Crystal Lake from the Pretty Petals tea (RM7 per pot). Despite it being served beautifully, it tasted ok lah, but was no help whatsoever. Asked for plain water later and it was served in this clear mug imprinted with lemon/lime wedges. cute. however was a little miffed when I was charged RM0.60 for that cup of H2O. ah, the cost of pretty presentation.

for starters we had the Crispy Maki Salad, which was basically nori (seaweed) wrapped lettuce with tempura crumbs and mayonnaise. true to its name, it was cruncy and crispy, though a bit “vegan” for me. maybe i am too used to having more ingredients in a sushi roll.

i chose the Fettucine Broccoli (RM10.50) for my mains. instead of using only broccoli, cauliflower florets were also used. the fettucine was creamy and filling. it was lacking a little in saltiness, but for a no MSG restaurant, it was something I’d expect.

My friend opted for Chicken Chop (RM13.80) which was served with a house salad. the chicken meat was drenched with gravy which resulted in it being soft and tender to bite. however, this version didn’t impress me or my friend much.

food choice is actually quite wide here, with quite a bit of organic fare being offered. another plus point is their non-use of MSG. however, portion is small considering the prices charged. in comparison, the other organic joint i frequent seems more exciting to me. but if you’re into healthy food, and need some calm & peace, this is the place for you.

LilyCenario Cafe
No.1, Jalan 19/29,
Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.

other reviews:
- sooyindotcom
- you get what you give sometimes… / revisit
- absolut ginger

ok, we’re going to take a break away from eating outside KL & S’gor and eat at somewhere closer to home now. met up with politikus and we headed off to Cafe WIP (Work In Progress) in BSC for dinner.

the concept behind WIP is simple. Work in Progress literally. the owner, Fred (of Souled Out fame) wants to use this cafe to discover the customers’ needs & wants before unveiling a new “baby”. hence their interior deco at this cafe is kept simple and minimalistic. so much so that most surfaces (apart from the tables) are concrete rendered and decorated with only steel tension cables, nuts & bolts which explained the statement “No, we are not a hardware shop nor are we an interior design depot. We are a restaurant and bar that serves some pretty mean food and drinks…” on the flyer playing placemat (which even featured a crossword puzzle & sodoku puzzle!) on our tables.

but being from the ID background, I roughly still know that bare & minimalistic doesn’t always equate lower costs. So, i’m guessing that this cafe is here to stay for years, at least. having the waiting staff to dress in bright yellow tees and brown overalls with matching bandannas in line with the hardware depot concept was quite fresh, though they were literally everywhere! felt as if it was a bit overstaffed. and i definitely felt uncomfortable with how much these people stare. but can’t deny they were very attentive.

i’m one of the rare fews that haven’t been to Souled Out in years so I didn’t realise that the menu here was very similar to the one there, featuring Western, Asian & North Indian food. I was flipping through the menu (using brown paper, mind you) when “Gosht Palak” caught my eye. Gosht Palak is actually mutton and spinach and it’s served with okra & vegetable masala, green salad, raita, naan and papadum.

the gosht palak was unbelievably good. the mutton was tender and i enjoyed every bit of it. even the vegetable masala was good. and i mopped up every bit of it with my naan. portion size was quite big too, could share with politikus even.

politikus chose the “Sake San” pizza, a thin crust pizza with a japanese twist. with a basic cheese & tomato base, lettuce is placed atop the bread, followed by smoked salmon, wasabi and mayonnaise and fish roe.

it tasted pretty good, and my fears that the wasabi’s taste would overpower the rest of the ingredients were unfounded. it was quite mild actually. my only complaint was that it was easy for the salmon to topple over due to the lettuce leaf. lol.

For dessert, we shared a “Fruit Gumbo”, which was an assortment of fruits (kiwi, dragon fruit, mango, honeydew, grapes etc) in strawberry syrup and whipped cream. bit sweet for my liking, but good to clean the palate.

Overall, food was good, ambience decent, though I wish the staff would stop staring! the management even gave us a free gryphon teabag with the receipt after we settled the bill. no qualms about coming back again.

Cafe WIP (www)
Lot G111, Ground Floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre,
285, Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya,
59000 Kuala Lumpur.

other reviews;
- lyrical lemongrass
- melvinf

Lunch nearby our work site is quite limited and we find ourselves heading off to Bukit Jambul again and again. And after having to bear with the relentless heat and sun at the site, we longed for the cooling effect of an air-con ambience hence it was a relief spotting this japanese restaurant.

upon entering the premises, was greeted by interior deco that’s not predominantly japanese, but heavily influenced by tropical balinese elements. bamboo use was liberal, and buddha faced decos were abundant too, but it was the gorgeous glass lamps that caught my eye. i love most of the pendant lamps hanging over each tatami seat booth.

sushi choice wasn’t impressive but they did have one of my regulars, the Spider Roll (RM16) with soft shell crab. even then, this was kind of disappointing as i could barely taste the crab and the sushi rice tasted a bit off. also thought portion a little small for the price charged.

the redemption came in the form of the “Yaki Soba” (RM13), or stir fried soba noodles. made with beef slices and different vegetables, it had a slight tangy taste to it which whetted our appetites. my colleague and i both agreed that this was the best dish out of everything we ordered.

We ordered the Bento B (RM4 to share and it came with the usual miso soup, chawanmushi, salad, fruit along with 3 tempura prawns, tamago egg, sashimi and a slice of unagi. everything tasted quite standard and the sashimi (selection of salmon, tuna and squid) were fresh enough to warrant no complains.

the dessert that came with the bento set was matcha ice cream with red bean paste. the ice cream tasted a bit artificial and coarse but we managed to finish it between the two of us. it was also a day after my colleague’s birthday so I told her that this was her “birthday cake”. Lol. I think she was just happy to have something cold after all the heat we had to endure.

overall, ambience was quite relaxing, esp. with the soothing sounds from the water feature. food was fairly decent and service okay. i find parking to be a bit of a challenge as a neighboring JPJ branch saw a steady stream of public waiting to get their documents done. but we managed to get a spot after a round or two.

Tsuruya Japanese Restaurant 鹤屋日本料理
1-1-38/39, I Avenue Medan KPG Relau 1,
Relau,
11900 Bayan Lepas,
Penang.
Tel: 04-641 0828

other reviews;
- it’s a durian life
- cariso delicacies’ corner