Archive for December, 2008

Bijou, Mont Kiara

Taking advantage of the long weekend, decided to meet up with old friends for catch up sessions. I have been meaning to head to Bijou after learning of them at their sister company, Bisou. Situated beneath the Energy Day Spa in Mont Kiara, this place looks nondescript from the outside, but we were pleasantly surprised at the overall airy, cheerful look on the inside.

The theme is very much like Bisou’s, mainly white, with the occasional splashes of colours (pink and orange). The place is also bigger than i expected, and well separated into different sections (incl. tables by the pool!) for better privacy. My favourite corner is probably where they store and display the wine, with the whitewashed floors but we were already seated near the entrance by then. Next time, maybe?

I understand that Bijou serves different dishes over breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner hence the need for a “changeable” menu but I personally found the menu’s frame a bit cumbersome. And I think it’s also easy to miss out on changing the papers as I had one that featured the same things on both sides.

We started with the Breaded Dungeness Crab Cakes with Cucumber Yogurt and Pineapple Tomato Chutney. I liked the crab cakes which reminded me of this codfish dish my Bermudian housemate’s grandmother used to make, flaky and . The chutney was lovely though I thought they could have spared a bit more yogurt on the cucumber shavings.

My friend decided to go for the Croque Monsieur, a typical french ham & cheese sandwich. The original cheese used would be one of Swiss origins, either Emmental or Gruyere but this one looks more like Chesdale Cheese slices. :P But it was torched for that melted effect. Looks sinful eh?

My Linguine with Scallop. It looks absolutely delicious but I found it very salty. But apart from the thirst inducing salt levels, the linguine was al dente and the scallops done just how I liked them. If i am not mistaken, the green bits amongst my pasta was sliced leek. Couldn’t tell as the saltiness was kinda overpowering. After reading the reviews on the other food, I hope this was just a one off thing.

Noticed that Bijou served Cafe au Lait in addition to the regular latte. We ordered one of each which was served with a cookie. In case you’re curious as to what the difference is, the answer lies in the milk ratio. For the latte, ratio of espresso to milk is 1:2 whilst for the cafe au lait, ratio of regular brewed cofee to milk is 1:1.

Overall, I personally think the food is decent but not enough to knock my socks off. Plus, everything was a tad too salty for me (my friend also agrees). Prices are also slightly higher judging from portion size. But it does win points on the cheerful, relaxed ambience and child-friendly facilities. Worth scoping out if you’re in the area with kids or want a fun afternoon with your girlfriends.

Bijou (www)
Ground Floor, Damai Sari,
Mont Kiara Damai,
3, Jalan Kiara 2,
Mont Kiara
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03 6201 2131

other reviews;
- lots of cravings
- Nicolekiss Food & Diet
- food4thot
- thestar write up

Comments (4)

Tis the season…

Wishing all a merry, blessed Christmas and a fruitful 2009 ahead!

Comments (6)

Uncle Seng Noodles, SS15

This noodles shop has been around for many years. Boasted to be handmade using their own recipe, the shop is quite popular with the students and office workers around SS15. The noodles are nice but I don’t frequent this place often as I don’t like the seating arrangements much. Bit too crowded when it’s packed.

The essentials, different types of chilli. They have a variety of toppings to go with the noodles, ranging from the usual char siew, prawn & pork wonton, chicken feet & mushrooms, to sui kow dumplings, fried pork, curry chicken etc.

Or one can order combinations of different toppings if you like variety.

Noodles with wonton, char siew and fried pork. The noodles may look plain and bland, but it has a springy texture and reminds me of hakka noodles. The secret to eating this is to pour the given chilli sauce liberally on the noodles and mix it well. The chilli sauce is not spicy, but has a slight sweetish tinge that goes very well with the noodles.

The fried pork is quite interesting as it’s neither the roasted type (i.e siew yoke) nor the hakka type (marinated with fu yee) but tasted pretty good.

Noodles with Chicken Feet and mushrooms. I didn’t try the chicken feet but the mushrooms were juicy and brimming with taste!

The food here is value for money considering the generous portion size. If handmade egg noodles are your thing, pop by and have a try. :)

Restoran Uncle Seng
68, Jalan SS15/4B,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor.
Open : 8am to 4pm
Closed Mondays.

other reviews;
- witch’s venting burrow
- blueepinkk

Comments (3)

Win Soon Cafe, Kuchai Lama

I was a wee bit sceptical when my colleague recommended this must-eat Fish Head Noodles (鱼头米粉) in Kuchai Lama, even more so when I was led to this restaurant, and not your typical everyday chinese coffeeshop place. But my doubts were quickly squashed when I saw how crowded it was, with seats lined outside for those waiting in a queue. We were lucky to get a table as the tables were filling fast! Everyone was given a free tissue pack, which is a rarity here in KL since we’re mostly charged for wet tissues. We were given a order menu to fill out and the range of Fish Head Noodles included the typical ones, or their specialty with freshwater prawns or even fish paste (鱼滑) etc.

The Fish head noodles (RM7.50) with the coarse vermicelli, fried fish pieces, ginger, preserved mustard, tomatoes and… pork lard! The broth had the usual evaporated milk and a tinge of tsao shing wine.. I enjoyed this version tremendously, which is rare for a non fish head noodle crave-r like me.

To jazz up the dish, this place offers the Fish Head & Freshwater Prawns Noodles (RM13.80). One big freshwater prawn is sliced into half and added in. Doesn’t add much to the taste, but compliments the broth anyhow. And it does whet any prawn lover’s appetite. Though I don’t know about satiating their cravings though as it’s only one prawn…

All in all, it was a good meal, and the accompanying belacan dip was quite tasty, though on the salty side. Won’t mind coming back for more fish head noodles, as the milky soup here is getting quite addictive, hehe. Service is brisk, and not overly warm, but then there’s not much to recommend here

Win Soon Cafe or Restoran Ah Soon Fish Head Mee 亞顺生虾鱼头米
46, Jalan Kuchai Maju 9,
Off Jalan Kuchai Lama,
58200 Kuala Lumpur.
Open: 9am to 10pm (9:30pm last call)

other reviews;
- xes
- pegasuskl
- backstreetgluttons

Comments (5)

Yellow Cab Pizza, KL

Hi all!

Sorry it took me ages to get my first post up. Judging by how little time I have for the internet these days, I can only quickly give a review but I’ll make it worth your while by making it picture-intensive instead :) I took a trip downtown to check out Yellow Cab Pizza Co. It’s like your regular takeaway pizza parlour but I think they are trying out-gourmet its mainstream competitors like Pizza Hut and Domino’s.

Here are some pictures.

null
Raspberry Sola iced tea and kiwi strawberry Snapple.

null
Exterior.

null
Their delivery bikes are really cute!

null
The menu is on the wall and small slip of paper by the counter.

null
Cutlery. Not the most fantastic ensemble for the environment.

null
Even if you’re eating in, they will serve the pizzas in the box. Again, not fantastic for Mother Earth.

null
The Gourmet Garden – zucchini, grilled eggplant, fresh tomatoes, black olives, capers, mushrooms, onions, red and green bell peppers.

null
It was very cheesy but there was something sour about it. It’s not stringy like Pizza Hut’s and the crust felt half-cooked because after biting it in half, you can see raw-ish dough. But the vegetables were very, very fresh and the juices were still intact with every bite.

null
Corona chicken salsa strips of chicken with Southwestern salsa.

null
The base was the same as the GG, no good. I wasn’t sure what Southwestern salsa was like. The chicken strips looked more like cubes. Tomatoes were fresh and it neutralised the sour cheese which topped the pizza.

Overall, I was not impressed. I read rave reviews about the place but all I can say it’s far too overpriced for run-off-the-mill pizzas. I’d recommend it for people who are tired of mainstream pizza brands (but so many other pizza options around!) and don’t mind paying big bucks for fresh ingredients. Prices for the pizzas range from RM19 to RM28.60 for the 10″ pizzas, RM30.50 to RM44.70 for the 14″ pizzas and RM47.80 to RM69.70 for the 18″ pizzas (it’s huge!). Other stuff like pastas, calzone and potato halves are between RM12.80 to RM16.80.

Oh and the cheese … I have no idea what funky mozzarella they were using but it was sour. They might want to consider changing their pepper sauce to Tabasco’s because whatever that they served, tasted yucks. I’m unlikely to go back. I prefer Marco’s Pizza anytime!

Details:
Yellow Cab Pizza Co
At the corner of Jalan Raja Abdullah
50300 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2694 2003 (call to find out their operation hours!)

Comments (5)

Well Cook Gourmet, SS14 Subang Jaya

As I have seen a few reviews on this place, esp. on their fried laksa thought I should pay a visit since it’s near to my office. Not sure why in all our years around the vicinity, never really thought about stepping in this restaurant. In fact, I think I noticed the Teochew porridge place nearby it more.

It was quite full when we stepped in due to the lunch crowd. A flip thru the menu informed us that they sold all kind of noodle/rice dishes. And a quick sweep thru the restaurant saw most patrons having fried laksa. But still we tried to order different dishes so that we could have more variety.

Started with the popiah (RM4.50 for 2) which was a tad pricey. But it was beautifully wrapped and tasted quite alright. Not that impressive ler, but a welcomed starter as aromatic smells of the fried laksa wafted over, tempting us.

THE fried laksa (RM5.50) was indeed the star of the meal. Take the typical asam laksa noodles, lai fun and stir fry it with egg and the tangy, intense condiments that makeths the soup and garnish it with sliced onions, pineapples, cucumber, mint leaves and even bits of bunga kantan. No fish flakes, but a couple of prawns were found. It was surprisingly good! Full of the smokey, charred wok’s breath. But I only had a couple spoonfuls as it was ordered by my colleague….

My choice was the curry laksa (RM5), another dish that’s mentioned by fellow floggers. But I thought it was just mediocre, despite the promising look of the creamy broth. And there was probably way too much coconut milk in there for my own good. :P

The asam laksa (RM5) dish didn’t score as much with us as it’s fried cousin which clearly stole the limelight. In fact, I thought it was lacklustre in comparison.

It does look like that the fried laksa is the only commendable dish here as the rest are just so-so tasting. And prices are slightly higher than the hawker counterparts. Yet, just remembering the tasty, silky strands of lai fun with the tangy, slightly spicy kick still warrants a re-visit. And I’m only going to stick to the fried laksa.

Restoran Well Cook Gourmet 滋味馆 (www)
74, Jalan SS 14/2
47500 Subang Jaya
Opens from 12 noon to 9pm.

other reviews;
- mycoffee
- masak-masak
- kampungboycitygal

Comments (11)

El Cerdo, Bukit Bintang KL

I have been hearing good things about this particular restaurant in Changkat Bukit Bintant that specialises in porcine delights. Promising indeed. Even the name “El Cerdo” means “the pig” in Spanish. But the decision to come here was a very last minute one and considering it was a Friday night, and with no reservations in hand, we weren’t too sure if we would be enjoying any of the pork dishes.

No welcoming smile from the piggy Mona Lisa but the warmth of the hostess at the door more than made up for it. While she checked if she could fit us in, our eyes swept around the restaurant and chuckled lightly at all the piggy decorations and illustrations. Dim lighting, but a cosy and lively ambience. It was really quite packed and we were so very lucky when the hostess approached us with a nod. Phew.

Once seated, we were further tickled by the smiling piggies, in the form of figurines, sketches etc everywhere around us. And all the while, we would hear the sounds of plates breaking to which we guessed had something to do with the “surprise” accompanying the roasted piglet and in no way due to the waiters’ clumsiness.

As a bread basket is the norm in the complimentary starters, we were pleasantly surprised to be given a cup of Soup too. Thick, with bits of ham or sausage in it. Hearty start indeed.

One of our dining companions opted for the french Salad Nicoise which surprised me a bit. But she was never a true carnivore like the rest of us and we did enjoy sharing bits of it. But then, one can’t go wrong with fresh ingredients.

When we made the order for the Spicy El Cerdo Sausage, we were informed that it wasn’t a whole sausage but one that’s been sliced and stir-fried with Chili, Onion and Bacon. Yet, it wasn’t what we expected as this has more of a herby twist to it. But it was delicious nevertheless and we polished the plate clean.

We also had a portion of the Pork Short Ribs that have been glazed in the tart Mango sauce before being roasted in the grill. The ribs were well layered with meat and fat and proved to be quite juicy and tender. As the ribs was resting on a bed of mashed potatoes, the drippings further enhanced the creaminess of the mash. Yum.

And for novelty’s sake, we ordered half a Roasted Suckling Pig, or as named “Cochinillo Al Estilo Segoviano” in the menu. Served with a side serving of baby potatoes and fresh salad. Apparently, the piglets are a mere 3 weeks old, and has to be marinated in white wine for 2 days before roasted for 4 hours. And true to the Spanish tradition, it has to be cut with a plate to show how tender it is. And if it’s your first time in El Cerdo, the waiter is more happy to guide you on what to do and explain at the same time. He said we were lucky to get the half with the piglet’s tail still intact as it was an aphrodisiac and could be used by us to pick up guys! Hmm.

And for more entertainment, they incorporated the Greek tradition of plate smashing for good luck. A wooden tub (with a discreet mortar hidden inside it) is dragged to our table for the “plate breaking ceremony”. Ah, I think we all took it with a pinch of salt but it was worth a good laugh.

As for the suckling piglet itself, it was cut into chunks and distributed around. As there was more flesh on each cute than we expected, we couldn’t finish the whole portion but the kind waitress doggy-bagged it for us. They have really cool paper bags!

Another surprise at the end of the meal came in the form of this complimentary digestif. Vodka with lime (I think) in a smallish sherry glass with a salt-laced rim.

The above meal came up to about RM280 for the 4 of us. Even though I had a fabulous time here, and gorged myself silly with all the wonderful food, it’s not a place I can afford to return often due to the slightly steep prices. But am going to keep this place in mind whenever I feel slightly more generous or if I need a treat. And oh, this place is wonderful to celebrate a birthday and they even throw in a free gift! A small pewter piggy figurine, I think. :)

El Cerdo (www)
43 & 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.

other reviews;
- precious pea
- little miss may
- danny ong

Comments (10)

Palate Palette, KL

Palate Palette has been on the scene for some time now but I haven’t had the chance to head into Jalan Mesui. But one can’t miss it as they display a lot of colourful flags and eclectic furniture, even if most of them look pre-loved, or vintage if you prefer. And I love their wall art! Just what one would expect with the kooky and catchy name of “Palate Palette”. I just love how it rolls off one’s tongue. Excellent wordplay.

Popped by on a weekday for lunch and they were offering a set lunch deal at RM20++ for starter, entree and drinks so we took that. Desserts were at an extra RM7++. They also have a sandwich deal at RM 15++, if you’re thus inclined.

Our drinks – Iced Mint tea and the Asam Boi. The mint tea came with lots of chopped mint leaves, which was heaven sent for such a hot afternoon. The Asam Boi is one of their signature drinks and is a great thirst quencher. Love the sour, salty mix of calamansi and preserved plums.

The complimentary breadroll, served warm with a garlic butter ball. Despite looking crusty, the texture of the bread reminded me of a bagel’s, soft but slightly chewy. Loved how the taste of the garlic butter hit it off with the sesame seeds.

The Mushroom Cappucino uses a mix of oyster and baby Portobello mushrooms and their own soup stock, topped with white milk foam. The soup had a slight peppery note to it, which somehow complimented the thick mushroom blend.

The Shrimp and avocado salad sounded like such a treat. Shrimps atop an avocado spread, served with butterhead lettuce and endives, speckled with paprika and dried parsley flakes. However, the avocados were not as ripe as I would like them, and tasted a wee bit firmer than the ripe, creamy ones.

Also had the Lamb & Onions where the lamb slices were marinaded with a Honey Worchestershire marinade and served with mint yoghurt sour cream. Comfort food indeed.

Last but not least, the Petit Green Tea Mille Feuille & Ginger Creme Brulee for our aftermeal desserts.

The Green tea Mille Feuille is their signature dessert, a dessert of stacked crumbly filo pastry with sesame seeds, with pinches of green tea pastry cream and squirts of raspberry coulis. The green tea flavour was subtle and smooth. But the trick is to crush everything up and eat the “mess”. The blend of flavours sits better on one’s palate then having it layer by layer.

The Ginger Crème Brulee is served with thick almond biscotti. The brulee is rich and has the perfect consistency. The ginger taste was faint and light, which was perfect even for a non-ginger lover like me.

Toasted Carrot Cake with hand shredded carrots, walnuts and golden raisins, served with Cream Cheese Frosting and Strawberry Basil Mint Coulis. Served warm, which is always a plus with me coz I don’t like it cold.

I truly enjoyed dining here, mainly because I loved the fusion between the food (palate) and design (palatte). And I appreciated the thought that the chef has put into the food presentation, cleverly designed to match the whimsical mood this place has.

Palate Palette (www)
21, Jalan Mesui,
off Jalan Nagasari,
50200 K.Lumpur.
Tel: 2142 2148

other reviews;
- masak-masak
- lyrical lemongrass
- lots of cravings
- honey star

Comments (5)

A day in Singapore.

Made one of those super quick trips down to Singapore and was in the company of some family friends throughout. When good friends gather, we’re sure to end up eating. Hehe.

Started off early at this corner lot coffeeshop in Siglap by the name of “Soy Eu Tua”. Strange name eh? I reckon it must be some direct translation from Hokkien. Hehe.

The most famous stall in this coffeeshop seems to be this Ah Lim Mee Poh. Mee Poh is quite a staple dish in hawker centres around Singapore. One can have it dry tossed or with soup though the former is more popular. The essential ingredient in the sauce apart from the soy sauce and oil is a dollop of chilli paste. But if you’re unused to chilli sauce with your noodles, you can opt to have tomato sauce instead.

The flat noodles, with the chilli paste hidden under the minced meat, fishballs, fishcake and prawns. Mix everything well together before tucking in. The secret of the tastiness lies in the hidden “bombs” within the strands of noodles – the bits of pork lard. The noodles were springy but I’m still not too sure about the pairing of the noodles with chilli, as I very much prefer mee pok (面薄) done the Sarawakian way. Kudos for the fresh fishballs and prawns though.

And oh, the coffee here is not too bad though. Not too sweet with a smokey flavour.

Ah Lim Mee Poh
Soy Eu Tua coffeeshop,
15 Jln Tua Kong,
Siglap, Singapore.

*

Our brunch destination was Red Star for their Hong Kong dim sum. This place is located, strangely enough, on the 7th floor in a block of HDB flats! The crowd was something that I didn’t expect. In fact, we queued for a good 20-30 mins before getting a table. And all the while, I stared at the waitresses going about with their trolleys. Business was brisk, and the atmosphere as seen on Hong Kong TV series, noisy, slightly chaotic and vibrant. The restaurant looked like it belonged in the ’80s with its near faded carpet, grand ceiling etc. The decor sure is a testament to how long they’ve been around.

There are no fixed menus, and it’s quite interesting looking out for what waitresses bring out or have to offer on their pushcarts. Sometimes, it’s even necessary to chase after one of them to make sure you get a portion of what’s good as it gets snapped up pretty quickly! Famous for the roasted meats, we tried some along with other unusual dishes like the cold jellied pork dish, braised pig’s fallopian tubes etc. We actually ate more than was pictured here (couldn’t snap in time) and even though some of the old favourites were quite good, the rest of the dim sum was average only. Some of the dishes were on the cold side. I can only wonder if it was the crowd? The only dishes that made enough of an impression on me was probably the egg tarts, fried prawns and the wu kok.

The price is quite reasonable (no conversion though) and I’d recommend this place for the true yum cha experience more than for the food. Service was a bit abrupt but can say very efficient also. But don’t be shy about “stalking” the pushcarts, or no food for you. Hehe.

Red Star Restaurant 红星酒家
Blk 54 Chin Swee Road
#07-23
Singapore 160054
Tel: 6532 5266 / 6532 5103

other reviews;
- ladyironchef
- foodie paradise
- dis.content

*

Towards the night we headed for St.James as we were intrigued by the concept of having an all-in-one nightlife entertainment hub, housing 9 clubbing outlets playing all kinds of music along with eateries etc.

So after the “fun”, we ended up having supper at Ah Wok, which is part of the Station Kitchen chain of restaurants, I believe. They served “Zhu Chao” (煮炒) fare, which is like Malaysia’s typical dai chow cuisine. Love the open kitchen even though had a niggling thought of smelly clothes at the back of my mind. Lol.

The dried dough crullers starter dish. Cooked with chilli, and curry leaves, it was crunchy and crispy.

The stir-fried beef hor fun (flat rice noodles) with various greens like bell peppers, onions, baby corn etc in a black bean sauce and served on opeh leaf. The secret to this dish does not only lie in the tender beef slices but also the wok hei lingering on the noodles and I think that the chef here has quite good control of the fire indeed.

Another thing we tried was the “Ngo Hiang” (五香) or what Malaysians call Lorbak. But instead of a plate of mixed fried goodies, here one gets a deep fried meat roll with minced meat, five spice powder, julienned carrots and jicama. Not sure what they use for the skin, as it’s not the usual beancurd wrap, and is something more flaky. But whatever it was, tasted pretty yummy.

Am frankly surprised that the food turned out better than I expected. When there’s clubbing and food, the food tends to be lacklustre most of the times. Guess there’s no need for good food when the partakers are mostly inebriated in various stages. :P Lol.

So with a full tummy, and some good memories, we were on our back to KL. Short trip or what?

Ah Wok (The Station Kitchen)
3 Sentosa Gateway
#01-11/15 St James Power Station,
Singapore.
Opens 6pm onwards.

Comments (8)

Aunt Christina’s Sarawak Laksa, Bangsar

Any Sarawakian will tell you that Sarawak Laksa is not like any other laksa, even if it’s commonly mistaken as curry laksa. Apart from the mee kolok, Sarawak laksa is the next state favourite. Decent Sarawak laksa is not easy to find outside the state and it’s thanks to this elusive laksa paste which makeths the dish. I truly believe that the paste, a mixture of shallots, lemon grass, galangal, garlic, coriander seeds, dried chilli and about 20 other herbs and spices is the secret to this dish. Most Sarawakians swear by the Swallow brand. Heh.

Anyway, word has it that the best Sarawak laksa in town is in Bangsar. And no, I am not talking about Alexis. Instead, it’s at a corner lot chinese coffeeshop in Lucky Garden and prepared by a lady who goes by the name of “Aunt Christina”. Featured in many newspapers and food blogs, it has even on appeared on TV. I remember eating it when I first came to KL and was so homesick that any Sarawak Laksa would have sufficed. But it has been years since I went back and after having cravings for it, decided to head over there with a fellow Sarawakian.

We started off with the Hakka Abacus Beads (算盘子), which are button-shaped yam balls resembling a Chinese abacus’s beads. The dough is mixed with mashed yam (though I suspect the purple here is created by food colouring) before being boiled and stir-fried with minced meat, dried shrimps etc. I guess one can call it Chinese gnocchi. Hehe. Their version is slightly chewy and a tad on the salty and peppery side. But it does make for a good snack though.

The Sarawak laksa. Coarse vermicelli topped with bean sprouts, shredded egg omelette, chicken strips and prawns. Squeeze some lime juice into the side serving of red chilli paste and stir everything in and you’re ready to tuck in. The broth is really as close as it gets to those you can get in Sarawak (or my hometown at least) and for the moment, I am satiated and satisfied.

On weekend mornings, a pushcart selling popiah is also seen next to the coffeeshop. As they were doing brisk business, decided to get a portion too to try. Thin skin but didn’t like how loosely wrapped the ingredients were. But tasted quite decent.

As Aunt Christina also serves some of my other favourites, such as the kacangma (益母草), and the peppery pork stomach soup etc, I am definitely going to be coming back whenever I’m in the vicinity. :)

Aunt Christina’s Sarawak Laksa
Kedai Makanan Nam Chuan
2-4 Lorong Ara Kiri
Lucky Garden
Bangsar.
Closed Wednesdays.

other reviews;
- eatingasia
- you get what you give
- headsteadi.com
- timeout kl writeup

Comments (7)