Claypot Crab Tanghoon (Glass Noodles) @ Bercham, Ipoh

Egged on by a fellow blogger to try this place and blog about it, I successfully dragged KCA, MBoy and Slimmie (haha, sorry if you're reading this, but can't think of a better nick =P) over to this restaurant situated in Bercham (Pusat Bandar Baru).

Whipping up a storm ...

Though we were in fact, an hour or two away from FREE food over at a friend's house (Congrats to the newlyweds!! Don't worry, identities protected). We decided to place our orders cautiously, for fear of over-indulging.

Ultra Big Fishballs (RM10 for 10)

KCA claimed their fishballs are tasty, though pricey, at RM1 each, possible contender vs dim sum outlets' version. Large, springy texture, with some fillings, these balls are rather filling on their own. Good thing they did not relent and allowed the glutton (who else? hehe) to order all he wanted.

Steamed La-La (RM9)

The steamed clams (la-la) was good, albeit slightly on the smaller scale, and drowned in a tad too generous dashings of oil. However, the sweet, succulent morsels made up for the minor flaws, that was easily overlooked.

Claypot Crab with Tang Hoon (Rm48)

The main event : 2 BIG juicy crabs, cooked in claypot with yummy juices flowing, completely soaking the abundance of glass noodles (tang hoon) with vegetables and pork bacons. Sounds sooooo tempting, right? Ahem, but I beg to differ. Though the place was packed, and almost every table ordered this famous dish of theirs, the 3 of them agreed in unison that the gravy was too saltish, while I detested the overpowering peppery-infused sauce. The first few spoonfuls of tang hoon with the gravy were marvellous, sweet juices from the crabs, and ever-reliable QQ tang hoon complimenting each other perfectly, but the last few chugs of the soggy noodles were a bit too 'jelak' to finish off.

Bill for 4 totalled RM67. No rice, and drinks excluded. One word of advice; Inform the chef if you'd like your dish with less salt/soy sauce, else you risk wasting away the last few spoonfuls.

Location : Kedai Makanan Rasa Lain @ 69, Persiaran Medan Bercham 2, Pusat Bandar Baru Bercham.

Sweet Temptations by JJ Cakes, Ipoh

A day after the Gerik-Pengkalan Hulu excursion, I was 'privileged' to be chosen yet AGAIN to embark on another 'adventure' somewhere up north for 2 days, 1 night. But as I've not touched on the previous journey's photos yet, I won't blog about this one either.

Therefore, I'll post something from the old stash. (which has been increasingly stacking up, right up till the point where I can't sort which one to blog 1st, not to mention the taste/price of some which had slipped my mind, completely)

Fresh Durian (RM12)

One fine day, Mum bought some Swiss rolls, that were purpotedly hyped and recommended by her colleague, claiming that they are one of a kind, and certainly qualifies as one of the BEST in Ipoh. Wow, quite a boastful title to live up to, no? I'll stop yapping now, and let the pics do their talking. Sounds fine? =P

Closer look at the creamy durian filling

Coffee Walnut (RM12)

Fresh Mango (RM12)

Fresh Strawberry (RM12)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese with Pumpkin Seeds (RM15)

Green Tea Cream Cheese with Sunflower Seeds (RM15)

The rolls should be refrigerated, and eaten within 3 days, as they claim NO preservatives were added. To those on strict diet, the low sugar content provides much-needed relief, meaning you can chomp on these without guilt.

All the flavours I've tried managed to impress me, Fresh Mango being my favourite, aside from the Cream Cheese range, which are excellent. They bake their cakes and Swiss rolls freshly, therefore you need to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Prices maybe slightly steep, but the Swiss rolls' portions are quite big, and all the ingredients used are fresh. Prices for cakes range from RM30 for basic butter cream sponge cake, to RM80 for Tiramisu Classic.

UPDATED 4/1/2009 !!!

New Location : JJ Cakes @ Ground Floor of Hotel Fairmont, Jalan Raja Permaisuri Bainun (formerly Jalan Kampar), 30250 Ipoh. Unsure of the place? It's within the restaurant named De Mouth restaurant. Hotel Fairmont's next to Methodist Girls' School, and the roundabout near Tow Boo Keong temple. Still no idea? Here goes a MAP!!!

Of Brilliant Yam Puffs, & Golden Retriever ...

Sigh .......... seldom do I start my post with a heave of relief, and from sheer fatigue. But I've all the reasons in the world to be, for this past 2 days, I've drove all the way to Gerik, and then Pengkalan Hulu (Pengkalan WHAT? hehe =P), then back again few hours ago. But more on that in later posts, k?

Yummylicious Wu Kok (Yam Puffs) @ RM1.10 each

For now, I'll just share a simple snack that I've had the privilege to relish, courtesy of my aunt who visits the Bercham morning market often. My aunts are food connoiseurs in their own rights, as you might have noticed in my older post on Choy Kee's egg tarts where another aunt of mine buys them and drops them at my doorsteps on Saturday morning, ala Santa Claus style. LOL.

Anyway, these babies (the yam puffs/wu kok, not my aunts) are delicious especially when served hot, the outer layers of yam crispy and full of yam-my flavours, while the solid fillings of green peas, char siew etc delightfully moist, and scrumptious. Better than most of the dim sum outlets, EVEN Foh San's. Really.

Location : Bercham morning market. One of the stalls I guess. Sorry, never bother to ask for directions, but will be glad to do so if anyone is interested to get their hands on them.

On a side note, let's side track and see what my Golden Retriever is currently up to ..... =P

Eeeeee ..................

CHAK !!!!!

Oh, hide-and-seek? But not from a hiding position. She's grown too big and lazy to be running around, like she used to. Muahaha ..... (whoops, I guess she's taken a resemblance to her owner, probably? =O )

Ipoh Mali (Talak Sombong) back to Ipoh @ A'Shore

Jason came back for the weekend FINALLY, (",) probably to celebrate a 'slightly' belated Mother's Day with his Mum. Went out for lunch, initially planned for another place but that was closed. (Why do some shops choose to close on Saturdays anyway?!) Crawled over to Sin Hup Kee, but no parking space. End up re-visiting A'Shore, which was pretty calm (read:empty) that afternoon.

A'Shore Spicy Noodle (RM6.50)

Though it takes two to tango, two aren't a crowd however, and ordering 'dai chow' type of dishes would be irrational. Thus, we chose to order something lighter from their noodles menu. They serve a multitude of noodles, and rice suited for individual diner. Price ranging from RM5.90 to RM10.

One usual tactic I practise when it comes to ordering food from a menu with vast selections is to either choose what the other customers are chomping (in this case, doesn't work as we were the ONLY ones there), OR browse the menu for the dish with the brightest/vibrant/biggest picture, indicating signature dishes. That was how I chose their A'Shore Spicy Noodle (Ma Lat Meen).

Strictly one for spicy food lovers, the noodle came in a BIG bowl, garnished with so much minced meat and vegetables that the noodles were totally buried underneath, hidden from daylight. The type of noodles they use reminded me of ramen/pan mee variety, springy (QQ?) and delivers a satisfying bite. The freshly shredded vegetables provided a refreshing crunch and adequeate fibre (hehe). The minced meat topping, with 2 big medium-sized prawns kind of resembles 'Cha Cheong Meen', a type of Szechuan noodle dish. Dried chilli flakes, bird's eye chilli, and red chilli provided much of the kick, and poor Jason was probably burnt from the fire I breathed. =O

Kong Kam Noodles (RM6.90)

Jason had the Kong Kam Noodle (or Kam Kong? correct me, yeah? =P) which came with shrimps, squids, pork slices, and various vegetables (LOL, I just describe from the pic as Jason was quiet when indulging in his bowl. His bowl of noodles, that is. Tastewise? He claimed it was OK, not sure leaning more towards the tasty end or vice versa. But from the looks of it, fried egg noodle (yee mee?) in 'wat tan hor'-like gravy can't go wrong. Plus the serving was rather huge.

Papa, where's the egg? =P

Jason had carrot juice, or something like that. I opted for their Icy Desserts section, choosing Soursop (durian belanda) flavour (RM5.50), which arrived in a bowl with lots of shaved ice ala ABC, plentiful of soursop flesh to sink my teeth into, and some strange, wriggly, colourful (albeit slightly obscene to the corrupted minds) creatures that provided plenty of bite. (heh heh)

The food and drinks are reasonably priced. Customers started to trickle in soon after we parked out butts. The place may be hidden from public view, at a backlane, but through word of mouth, is starting to gain momentum. Let's hope they do not surrender to inflation/temptation/success and mutates into another run-of-the-mill expensive restaurant with no substance.

Location : Kindly refer old post, HERE.

For Jason's recollection of the meal, PLUS better quality photos (=P), click HERE.

Ah Wong Thai Food

Ah Wong. Doesn't the name ring a bell? Something from TV(B) land, perhaps? (Roger Kwok, anyone?) Or could be the moniker given to my cousin's neighbour's long lost, loyal man's best friend. But the Ah Wong in this story, is an affectionate recognition, a nick for a lucky chap, who married a Thai lady whose culinary skills is on par with some of the best chef in renowned Thai restaurants .......

Well, OK. Probably slightly exaggerated. But for the price you pay, plus the quality/authenticity of the food, you WILL walk out, fully satiated and possibly vowing to return for more of the value-for-money dishes cooked with such fiery passion .....

Notice Hoy Tin Lau at the background? Another noteworthy outlet ...

This particular stall serving Thai delights had been around for years, previously dishing them out at the late Restoran KK on Laluan Perajurit 1, Ipoh Garden East, VERY near to my house and transformed into a frequent haunt for my family and relatives. Then a few months ago, Ah Wong and wife moved somewhere, and suffice to say, we were devastated, losing a gem of an outlet renowned for its Nakhon Pathom Special Thai Food.

So what if I've a blemish? Bite me?!

Then Mum heard whispers in the wind, indicating probable new location of Ah Wong's stall. A skip and a hop away, they moved to Restoran Soon Hoong, on the way to Bercham. Still VERY near to my place. How convenient. All's not lost in the end.

Their omelette with prawns and onions is a simple home cooked dish, but she (Ah Wong doesn't cook, he takes care of everything else) fries them just the way we love our eggs. Crispy at the sides, while the centre is filled with lots of prawns, onions, and melting egg. Yummy.

Stir-Fried Kailan with salted Fish

Bro's not a fan of vege, probably a reincarnation of sabre tooth tiger (or something) in past life. But he insisted on ordering the kailan with salted fish, and told us that he used to 'ta-pau' this dish often last time. The greens certainly did not disappoint, crunchy and fresh, without any bitter undertones. But may be a tad salty for those not accustomed to salted fish.

Red hot fiery goodness

We would rotate most of the dishes whenever we dined, but one dish remained our perennial favourite, the Tom Yum Seafood. Mum however, would personally request for reduction in spiciness, for she sobs (uncontrollably,) when it comes to ultra spicy food. Nevertheless, throw caution to the wind, and relish every spoonful of hot, spicy and sour goodness. Plentiful of squids, prawns, abalone mushrooms, and tomatoes, the soup's taste resembles authentic tom yum (at least those I've tasted). Must-have. Just look at the size of the prawn below ....

Green Curry Chicken

Their fried chicken is one of the best, served with their own concoction of sweet chilli sauce. But as luck would have it, they ran out of fried chicken tonight. Hmmm ...... Back up plan? Green curry chicken. Can't go wrong with mild green curry, with strips of deboned chicken meat, long beans, and brinjals. Creamy, and delightful when paired with white fluffy rice.

The green curry strangely reminded me of 'lui cha' , complete with the mint-y fragrance, and almost alike gravy texture and color. Haha .....

Total for 4? RM40, including rice, excluding drinks. Cheap or what? But brace yourself for a long wait on a weekend evening, as the chef does all the chopping/slicing/frying/cooking herself, without any assistance, bar some 'help' from Ah Wong, who himself has to 'warp' everywhere to take orders/settle bills/serve customers. On this particular evening, we waited for ONE whole hour. Bring a magazine, manicure set, PSP, pillow (?) or something, just in case .....

Location : A bit tough, as I didn't manage to locate the road sign. Think it's Lebuh Bercham Selatan, will clarify if the need arises. Coming from Ipoh Garden East towards Bercham, there is a shortcut that utilizes Laluan Perajurit 1, passing by some flats on the right. Go further and you'll reach a T-junction. Restoran Soon Hoong is directly opposite, right across the erm, field?

Sitiawan, Revisited

This week started on a high note, 19th being a Wesak Day celebration = public holiday in Perak, = extended weekend (",). Timely, as I was in dire need for a long rest. The previous week was filled with activities to the brim, working overtime during the Tanjung Piandang excursion, travelling to Lawan Kuda/Gopeng for nothing, attending a court session on Friday, then proceeded to a 2-days intensive course on updates on HIV, eating into my precious Saturday.

Gong Pian with Onions (60 cents/each)

However, yesterday's journey to Tg Tualang/Kampung Gajah was another taxing crawl, burdened with workload + ultra hot weather (+ no NONHALAL food, get it?) = 8.5 hours of torture !!! (Help, FCOE!!! Where are you?)

Don't worry, the guy's not using the stick for homicidal intentions ...

Anyway, fast fwd to today. Aaahhh .... finally a decent mini food tour, and WORK done, of course, accordingly to our schedule, without pressure from the upper management. Me, KYT and Tall Gal ventured to Sitiawan and Seri Manjung. I skipped breakfast, so they were kind enough (after much persuasion, anyway) to drop me at Sitiawan Cheong Cia Gong Pian. Tried our luck to get the much sought after onion-filled biscuits, NOT the plain ones we had the previous visit (refer older post HERE). We were in luck, as the biscuits were freshly baked, and being 'scooped' out from the ovens resembling wells.

Hot, fresh, crispy Gong Pian with lots of chopped onions guarantees bad breath. LOL, but we couldn't care less. Miles better than the ones we had last time. In fact, the aroma permeated the Tall Gal's Vios, and we could not resist digging into one (OK, me and KYT the culprits). Fragrant, crispy, and extremely addictive. But I love anything with onions anyway. At 60 cents per piece, you can afford to stuff 10 without much guilt. OK, probably slight guilt. =)
One of the more famous Foo Chow restaurant in Sitiawan is Bei King, situated on the main road itself (Jalan Raja Omar, I believe?), and easily tracked. Right opposite a signboard on the other side that says "Taman Setia."

Bloody Red Wine Chicken

Being the gluttons threesome, we ordered 4 dishes to be shared among 3, expecting smaller portions, but the dishes can easily fed 4-5 pax. (Where are you AGAIN, FCOE??!!) We omit the rice noodles (mee suah) as we were evils, planning to deplete the current rice stocks even more. But keen on trying their famed red wine soup, we agreed to the Tau Ke Nia's recommendation of Red Wine Chicken. The chicken was stewed/cooked til tender, and the soup had a mild hint of wine, not unlike the Chicken in Wine commonly cooked for post delivery women. (=P) Goes well with white rice. Just don't let the blood red colour deceive or deter you.

Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs with Char Choy (preserved vege)

The ribs were soft, mostly boneless, and cooked with yams, potatoes (I presumed) and char choy, a type of preserved vegetable. Sweet and sour, the ribs were full of flavour, but I find them too soft/mashed for my liking.

4 Heavenly Kings (literally)

The Four Heavenly Kings served here is slightly different, incorporating brinjals, ladies' fingers, asparagus and stink beans (petai). The gravy was addictive, unlike the common sambal belacan used to cook this dish. But I couldn't help but detected a slight tinge of sweetish/sourish taste in this dish, yet again, proving that the Foo Chows really love their sweet and sour dishes.

Signature Beancurd with Broccoli and Abalone Mushrooms

Not sure if those were abalone mushrooms, for I'm not expert on the fungal family. But the tofu was homemade, and really soft and velvety, and bursting with egg-y flavour. Very nice.

One funny moment though. When we ordered the drinks, Tall Gal accidentally ordered Chrysanthemum tea (Kuk Pou) for all 3 of us, when her intention was having sweet chrysanthemum herbal tea (Kuk Fah) herself. But Kuk Pou sounds OK to us, nevertheless. However, they MIXED the tea (Luk Pou) and SWEET chrysanthemum tea in this one, resulting in a hybrid of flavours, fragrant from the tea leaves, and sweet from the sugar added. Imagine a sweet kuk pou *_* .... But still, quite soothing and refreshing.

Total damage = RM54 including 4 bowls of rice and drinks. Though not dirt cheap, (it is an air-conditioned restaurant with years of history anyway), it was reasonable enough for us, to probably warrant a next visit. But we'll be sure to drag FCOE along, so that she can mop up all unwanted leftovers ....muahahha ....

Location : Coming from Ipoh towards Lumut using the Lumut Highway, turn into Sitiawan town. When you reach a crossroad with traffic lights, you will notice KFC is on your right. Turn left into Jalan Raja Omar, and you will notice this restaurant after a minute or 2 on your left.

Momo Cafe & Steamboat @ Old Town, Ipoh

Yeah .... D-day is crawling nearer. I knew it, deep down embedded in my soul, imbued with hope & anticipation ... for a dining experience highly divided by positive reviews, and vice versa.

Nope, nothing too dramatic. It's just that we have to use up the RM120 vouchers for ANYTHING from Momo's (furnitures and waitresses not included) by the end of 2008. Since CNY in Feb, Mum had been teasing me, suggestively waving the vouchers under my nose, while maintaining her vice grip on them, reassuring me that we WILL go, someday .....

There is in fact, never an occasion too suitable for a steamboat meal, unless on a cold, rainy evening, and the icing on the cake? My parents' 29th wedding anniversary. ;)

Various dipping sauces

The buffet concept is simple, but slightly different. Being the lazybums we Malaysians have 'evolved' into, they do not even have a buffet spread. Just write on pieces of paper provided on every table, indicating which plates of goodies you wish to stuff your face with, and pass them to the nearest waiting staff. It's All-You-Can-Eat, but bear in mind do not waste, as RM10 will be charged for every 100g of food left untouched, or hidden under the bowl, between the table, squashed under the plates, ta-pau in handbags, etc. You get the picture.

The choices are a lot. The 4 of us only managed to try almost half of the menu. The food in the menu, I mean. (We do not chew on glossy laminated papers)

The drinks are served by none other than ... yourselves. Or your maid, if you bring one. These trolleys are aplenty. 8 choices were available tonight; lime, fruit punch, orange, chinese tea, iced lemon tea, plain water, wintermelon & ???.

Plates of seafood galore, and random yongtaufoo stuff

Golden Mushroom and Abalone Mushroom

5 different variety of mushrooms are available, being Golden (Kam Cham Ku), Abalone, Drumstick (whatever that is), Black Mushroom and Button.

Special fried rice, with Fried Chicken Wing - Forgettable ......

Herbal Chicken Soup & Tom Yum Soup

8 types of soup base are available, whereby you can choose 2 at any one time. Choices being :

Though tempted to choose the Spices Soup (Ma Lat) for fiery kick to appease the chilli lustful beast in me, Mum had better ideas of her own. I am nursing a long standing cough anyway. So, back to boring Tom Yum and their recommended Herbal Chicken. The Tom Yum sucked, big time. Tasted completely like the type you get from boiling tom yum stock in cubes form. Herbal chicken fared better, but not by a far margin.

Lamb Cutlets, Fish Fillet, Fried Wantan, Fried Chicken Wings

Only the lamb and the fish were praiseworthy. The lamb was surprisingly good, succulent, not too dry, though lacked seasoning and marinade. The fish fillet is generic, but remained as a passable snack.

Momo Roast Chicken

Their signature chicken dish, which was also served on their opening day (yup, I was there. No, not to 'Chi Yum Chi Sik' but was invited as one of the partners is related to my brother). The chicken was OK, roasted well, and still remained moist under such harsh conditions (first roasted, then left to chill in the air-conditioned area)

Minced Chicken Meat + Egg - Strange dish, but the chicken meat was marinated with pepper and 5 spice herbs (I assume), and tasted pretty good after cooked in the broth.

Fried Spring Rolls - Don't bother.

Cheese Toast - Generic toast, done in sandwich toast-maker. Cheese-less.

Chicken Spaghetti - Surprisingly good, albeit slightly salty. Mum's not fond of pasta, but threw positive comments.

Mango Pudding, Mixed Fruits - Hmmm, judge yourself.

Where's the Lurve?

More misses than hits, is there anymore excuses needed to explain the above phenomenon? Sigh ... Though heard that on weekends, the place is rather packed. Poor Ipoh souls, left with minimal choices for good steamboat in Ipoh. As we were leaving, I turned around and snapped a pic of their front door :

Don't look back in anger ....

Rough translation : Steamboat King. Yeah, right ..... At least RM60 vouchers were spent, with the remaining balance paid in cash. Total for 4, RM82. Btw, the fish maws were not fresh, and had a revolting overnight oil taste. *_*

Location : 17, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, 30000 Ipoh. Right opposite St.Michael's school, facing Padan Ipoh. Same row with Old Town Kopitiam, and Mixed Cuisine.

They serve Western set lunches at affordable price. Same management with Filling Station in Greentown Business Centre. Halal outlet, if I'm not mistaken. Word of advice : Opt for the set lunch instead.

Citrus Wine & Dine

Initially did not think of posting this, for the quality of the pics are rather mediocre, bordering on absurdly grainy. No thanks to my underperformed Nokia in dark settings. But the food, ambience, and service was quite impeccable, deserving brownie points for areas which really matter. Parking's a no-brainer as well, free lots all around the building.

Wild Mushroom Soup (RM8.50)

I started off with their wild mushroom soup, which only cost a mere 50 cents more than the normal mushroom soup. Served with their freshly baked soft grain bread, the soup was creamy, bursting with mushroom flavours, but still maintain the subtlety of this evergreen starter. However, would prefer the various mushroom bits to be chunkier, providing some bite. But that's just me.

Oxtail Soup (RM17)

Dad chose the Oxtail Soup, which came in a HUGE slanting bowl, with BIG chunks of meat to chew on. May not look like much from the pic, but quite filling in its own, and I could really taste the concentrated, thick and sweet flavours of the oxtail, possibly cooked with erm, TLC? :)

Fish & Chips (RM18)

Mum had her perennial favourite, fish and chips, served with thick cut fries, garden salad, and tangy mayo sauce. However, the batter was quite thick, stealing the limelight from the sweet flesh. Pretty disappointed.

Spaghetti Aglio-Olio with Garlic and Chilli Infused Sea Scallops (RM28)

Being the scallop fanatic that I am, I could not resist myself from ordering the above pasta dish. Aglio Olio style is always fresh, and light, devoid of heavy flavours and too much meat. Theirs was a commendable version, done al dente, with lots of green/red/yellow bell peppers to provide some bite. The scallops as expected, were succulent, fresh, and sweet. One tiny bone to pick was that the garlic and chilli dressing was slightly saltish, and overpowering.

Pan Seared Salmon with Dill Sauce (RM27)

Bro chose another dish from the seafood section, the pan-seared salmon. The dill sauce, fortunately, suited the fish fine, and was not overwhelmingly herb-ish (?). The salmon was seared very well, retaining the moisture and sweet taste of the flesh, without the typical fishy taste associated with cooked salmon.

Coriander Chicken with Mushroom Ragout (RM17)

Dad was the only one to order something from the poultry section. The mushroom ragout sauce was praisesworthy, lending a creamy, earthy undertone to the perfectly grilled chicken thigh, served with plentiful of vegetables. The portion was huge for this one.

Overall, quite an enjoyable dining experience, only marred by a few misses, but easily overlooked. They serve steaks, and wine as well, for those who wish to celebrate in style. But Mum was satisfied enough with this Mother's Day treat. =)

Location : No 38-46, Laluan Ipoh Perdana, 31400 Ipoh. Tel : 05-5451010. Specifically, this is located at the big building which used to house Antap Cafe, familiar to Ipohans as one of the first few REAL cafes in Ipoh. It is by the main road, Jalan Perajurit, which stretches from the overhead highway nearby Jusco, and towards Sunway City/Tambun area.

A'Shore Restaurant & Tea Bar

After reading Dine and Health's post on this restaurant-cum-tea bar situated at a rather isolated area in town, I vowed to give this a shot. Though several eateries are popping up like mushrooms all over Ipoh, especially in business/commercialized area, the quality of some of the food, if not most, is doubtful. Not to mention the inflated prices.

Steamed Tofu with Onion Oil (RM6)

They serve quite a commendable number of dishes, ranging from noodles/rice for single serving, (ideal for lunch) to possibly at least 50 types of dishes, from fish, prawns and squids, to chicken and ribs.

The steamed tofu was lightly dressed with soy sauce, and onion oil (sorry, direct translation), garnished with crunchy (but slightly tough) dried shrimps and spring onions. We try to avoid dishes with too many clashing/contrasting flavours in one meal, therefore something light is deemed compulsory. We seldom opt for soup though.

Fried Hong Kong Kailan (RM13)

The 'yin yang' kailan grabbed my attention, having tasted an amazing version over at The Mouth. Normal restaurants seldom serve this dish, as kailan is usually stir-fried with roast pork, prawns, or fish cakes. One side served hot and crispy, with plentiful of anchovies/dried shrimps (forgot to look at what I put into my big mouth =P), while the stalks were cooked in clear broth. Yummy-licious. But a bit steep at RM13. Wanna know why?

Mongolian Black Pepper Chicken (RM10)

Because even the whole slab of chicken chop cooked in delicious and slightly spicy Mongolian sauce was only RM10. The chicken was deep-fried until crispy, then generously doused with the creamy Mongolian sauce. Not too spicy, don't worry.

Crispy Butter and Cream Fish Slices (RM15)

The portion served here is rather huge. And we only ordered the 'small' servings. The crispy fish slices really lived up to its name, the egg shred, curry leaves and bird's eye chilli lent a crunchy, spicy, and aromatic touch to the fresh, batter-fried fish slices. Recommended.

Pot of Ti Kuan Yin for Two (RM1.50/pax)

Being a tea bar, of course their tea is their signature drinks. However, their menu is extensive, to the point where even fruit juices, shakes, blends, desserts, and whatnots are also available. Aside from the usual Jasmine/Hiong Pin combo and Ti Kuan Yin, they have higher grades eg. Pu Er and the like.

Macau Milk Tea (RM3)

However, stay away from their Macau Milk Tea, or 'Xi Mut Nai Cha' (to all you Kopitiam fans). Though frothy and creamy, it was too sweet and the tea was not as fragrant and strong as I'd prefer.

Total for 4 pax, including rice and tea came to RM56. The dishes we ordered can easily serve 5 people though. They definitely do not skimp on their ingredients. Just opened for 3 months, they are doing a promotion now, distributing vouchers for 10% discount on next visit within a month. Do give them a try if you happened to be in Ipoh.

Location : No 5, Jalan Dato Yeoh Cheang Lee, 30300 Ipoh. Seems they have a branch in Sunway Mas Commercial Centre in PJ, which also houses the legendary Char Siew shop (LOL).

Mini Map from their leaflet

If the mini map above doesn't help, OK here goes; Coming from Hospital Ipoh towards town, you'll reach a round about (Bulatan Hospital) next to Taman Dr Seenivasagam (fondly known as DR Park). Turn 9 o'clock towards town area. You will pass by Klinik Kesihatan Greentown and UOB bank on your left. Keep going until you reach a Nasi Kandar Majeedia (or something). Turn left into Jalan Dato Yeoh Cheang Lee. This shop is on that road itself. Opens everyday from 9 am to 11 pm.

UPDATED 26/5/08 - Second visit HERE.

Sun Yuan Loong White Coffee, Ipoh

This shop, located around Pasir Putih, at an area quite hidden from the main roads, is somewhat a branch of the original white coffee, Sin Yoon Loong in Old Town. Mum commented that the owner is a relative of the original shop's proprietor. Seems I used to have lunch/tea time here, when I was still in my primary/secondary education years. But no recollection on my part, obviously. Haha .... =P

Iced White Coffee and 'Cham' (RM1.40 each)

Signature must-haves? The coffee of course. They ARE related to THE original white coffee famously known nationwide anyway. However, the coffee was not as fragrant, nor smooth as the original's, slightly toned down (I had the iced version at the original's as well, so no bias) flavour. I believe the hot ones would have fared better, but it was freaking hot out there.

Dry Prawn Mee (RM3)

The shop was packed, full to the brim, and the noise was overwhelming. Possibly because of closed area with no sound-absorbing system (hehe), OR the owners are a clever bunch, building the wall so, to avoid customers who are prone to yapping non-stop, monopolizing the seats, while ordering a single solitary cup of coffee. Anyhow, chatting was akin to shouting.

There are quite a number of stalls selling rice/noodles, but I ordered a dry version of prawn mee, half expecting Thye Hong's signature Fried Prawn Noodles at Food Republic, Singapore. Nope, too far off. The noodles came drenched in the gravy, a mix of soy sauce, and prawn noodle broth, not exactly 'dry'. The verdict? HORRIBLE. Should've gone for the soupy version instead.

Portuguese Egg Tarts (RM1.10) and Toast with Kaya/Butter (RM1.40)

The prices quoted are estimation though, as I wouldn't dare to ask the lady to itemize. She was running around, or rather, warping around at full speed, not bothering to accept payment until nearly the end of our meal. Nevertheless, the toast was good, but the ones at the original shop in Old Town were better. The tarts were crispy and still hot, retaining the crunch of the pastry, but the filling was forgettable. Not as smooth as Baker's Cottage's or Gold Vision's for sure.

Location : A corner shop at Medan Bendahara 2, Ipoh. Coming from town direction, on Jalan Pasir Putih, you'll notice a Courts Mammoth store and a Maybank on your right. Turn right at the bank, towards some houses, then immediately turn right again at the next junction. Soon you'll reach an area with lots of shophouses and coffee shops. It's around there somewhere.

Wholesome & Healthy Meal?

Grilled Chicken Salad (RM8.90)

Lunch hours on Friday's a chore for me. Why? Because we have 2 and half hours to spare, and it's either lunch with colleagues, friends, or take a short nap at home. Though the last option is not feasible on most days, as my nap tends to have a mind of its own, extending beyond short power naps, resulting in either skipping work after lunch, or droopy eye lids for the remaining 2 hours before it's finally five ....

Lime Frost (RM6.50)

Some random pics I manage to dig from my old stash. One fine Friday, me and VV were strolling around Jusco, desperately seeking for some good food. But knowing Kinta City too well, it's either fast food joints, or a few restaurants worth dining that you can count with one hand.

Thai Spicy Tuna Salad (RM8.90)

Kenny Roger's had gone through a major revamp, looking sleeker than ever, and gaining momentum, business-wise. Not to mention a full course meal including drinks exceed RM20 per pax now. Probably the relocation helped? But still remember how Dave's Deli bombed eventhough situated at the exact same location opposite the supermarket.

Hong Kong Food & Tea, which also has a few branches in KL, opened last year, and remained as one of the few reasonably-priced outlet, serving major variety of Chinese fusion food ala Hong Kong style, but dishes out some hits and misses, so be warned.

Sushi King, Secret Recipe, Deli France, Johnny's Steamboat, Bamboo House (Chinese restaurant, but business poorly hit since the opening of Food & Tea) and Black Canyon Coffee rounded up the noteworthy restaurants in Kinta City Shopping Centre, Ipoh. Yeah, pathetic choices? You bet! =P

Iced Green Tea with Milk (RM6.50)

Anyway, lest I forget, we had a light lunch at Black Canyon's, which was quite packed from the lunch crowd. Eyed a lady next table having grilled salmon salad that looked appetizing, we were tempted to indulge healthily, for once. My Spicy Tuna Salad was sour, savoury, with lots of tuna flakes, peanuts, onions, tomatoes, chillies, and dried chillies, as well as chopped bits of lemongrass! In case you're wondering, lemongrass is one of my worst fear! But the taste was subtle, not overwhelming. Though may looked small, the portion was sufficient to sustain me for another 2 hours. Her Grilled Chicken Salad was a slight disappointment, as the vegetables were not so fresh, and the chicken breast was a tad too dry. The accompanying dressing wasn't a saving grace, served on the side but in a small sauce plate. Needless to say, the stinginess marred the experience even more.

The drinks on the other hand, were passable. Her Lime Frost was refreshing, zesty, and complimented our 'healthy lunch theme' well, as was my Iced Green Tea, albeit served with a dash (or rather, liberally dashed) of milk. Hehe ....

Location : G29, Kinta City Shopping Centre, Jln Teh Lean Swee, 31400 Ipoh.

An Exhausting Journey to Tanjung Piandang

Tanjung WHAT?? .... Yeah, you're forgiven if you're a Perak-ian, yet haven't heard of this town. I myself was full of ??? the first time I heard of it. This town, mainly populated by Chinese, is situated after Kuala Kurau, a town famous for its salted fish (or so I'm told). To get to Kuala Kurau, you can use Parit Buntar way, OR exit at Kamunting toll.

Spot the anomaly?

But it's not all fun and play though, we literally were dragging our a$$es along, visiting towns after towns, for a stretch of more than 8 hours in a day. Yeah, poor civil servants are overworked. Seldom heard of? =P

(Btw, the anomaly in the pic above is the HUGE bee nest, though not clearly visible after zooming with my 5610. This tree is found along Jalan Pantai, a road that stretches from Kuala Kurau to Tanjung Piandang)

We did not stop for lunch in Kuala Kurau, though most of us were screaming with hunger. Instead we miraculously managed to reach Tanjung Piandang, got some work done, then began food crawl (yeah, I really mean that literally). The Malays entered a "warung" style shop selling rice, noodle and the usual, situated on the main road, right at a turning. We, the original Food Gang (me, KYT, Tall Gal, FCOE) crossed the road to a nameless Chinese shop with some customers. Some, they say, is better than NONE. hehe ....

Watch the chef in action ...

Oh, open kitchen concept? Yeah, surprised that the cooks in such an isolated town practise the aforementioned concept. But really, do look from your seats ONLY. Getting any closer, and you will discover the hidden, "dirty" truth ... If you know what I mean.

Plain, stir-fried Choy Sum ( Mustard Greens) with Pork

We asked for recommendations, but clearly, either the lady boss did not understand Cantonese perfectly, OR could not give a damn to supply recommendations. But we pulled through, ordering initially 3 dishes.

The vegetables cooked with slices of pork was basic, simple home cooked style. No complains here. The only dish she recommended with slight enthusiasm was the deep-fried prawn rolls. Or something like that.

Signature Prawn Rolls

Hmm, these rolls resembling 'lor bak', and tasted somewhat the same. But with softer texture, and the prawn+pork paste was flavourful. Dipped in sweet chilli sauce, these come highly recommended. Most of the patrons were having them at that time.

Stir-Fried Pork with Ginger

Me : Any pork dishes?

Lady Boss : Har? What pork dishes?

Me : (confused, sounded like she asked me for recommendations instead) Erm, anything like, sweet and sour pork, etc? (that was the only dish that comes to mind at that moment)

Lady Boss : Oh, OK, sweet and sour pork.

Me : And? (half expecting her to rattle off some exotic pork dishes off her head)

Lady Boss : Or pork with ginger strips.

Me : (gave up) OK, that one then ......

But was glad the pork did not disappoint. Though slightly darker than your usual dish, the pork was thinly sliced, and were not tough/chewy, and the addition of ginger shreds added zing to the dish.

Curry Chicken Wings

After the first 3 dishes were served, we knew that to feed 4 of us, those were merely appetizers. Haha ... So we asked for a chicken dish, and she recommended fried curry chicken. Huh? OK ...

But the dish was the usual chicken curry, but ONLY wings were served. The gravy was too thick, we could taste the curry powder in the sauce, but not spicy. However, kinda awkward to eat curry chicken wings, as the bones/skins require the usage of hands, and we certainly wished breast meat/thighs were served.

But anyway, in a flash of light, the end result was as above. Muahaha ... Manners were thrown out of the window when it comes to lunch anyway.

The total damage, IF it can be considered as "damaging", was RM26.50 for 4, including rice and drinks. Yeah, dirt cheap right? Guess this town's monetary gains surpasses Ipoh's? =)

Location : Main Road of Tanjung Piandang. Beside a petrol station named Decro or Depot, or something like that, which you can't probably find anywhere else. Tall Gal read the Chinese name of the shop, and it sounds like Hung Hing, or Mun Hing, or something along the line.

More Old Town Hits ...

Here's more on some food I digested in my daily life .....

One of the 'pioneer' specializing in curry mee, Sun Seng Fatt has been around for many years, even setting up branches internationally, and their famed curry paste is exported. Yeah, guess people in Hong Kong can't grind their own paste? Hmm ...

The previous time I went was around a year or so ago, but the experience was BAD. The noodles were OK, couldn't really put my finger on what was missing, but their drinks were HORRIBLE!

This time around, I thought Hey! Let's give them a 2nd try, dragging KYT and Tall Gal for some good ol' curry mee. Verdict? Same old taste. But fortunately the portion justified the price paid (at RM3.80 per plate), with lots of prawns and chicken strips. The curry tasted too mild for my liking, and both of them shared my opinions. As for the drinks? Stay away from their coffee/tea.

Location : Jalan Bandar Timah, Ipoh, Diagonally opposite of Nam Chau (which serves WAY better curry mee than this outlet, sorry, IMO anyway) Before Kong Heng Restaurant on your left.

Don't worry ... No rats or roached sighted ...

Fancy having some yummy 'dai chow' at a backlane? This shop has been around WAY before I was born. Still remember when I was a kid, I loved their sweet and sour pork so much, the memory/taste lingers on until today.

Steamed "3 Yolks" Egg (Sam Wong Dan)

One of their signature item is the Sam Wong Dan, the 3 yolks consist of chicken egg's, century egg's and salted egg's. The eggs are steamed to perfection, (ANOTHER eggy delight for me, hehe ... imagine my obsession?) very smooth and requires little chewing, if any at all. The light soya sauce with garnishing of spring onions and fried shallots complemented the dish well.

Crispy Skin Pei Pa Chicken

Another one of their famous dish is the Pei Pa Chicken. Though nothing special, in our opinions, the accompanying dipping plum sauce added zest to the otherwise bland chicken. One saving grace is the chicken's skin was crispy, and you can't taste the fatty layer underneath.

Sweet and Sour Pork

One word, delicious. Need I say more? :) OK, here goes. The batter used was crispy, coating the juicy pork meat underneath. The chunks of pork served were generously cut, satisfying the inner porky lust in me. LOL.

Stir-fried Watercress with Roast Pork

They serve watercress as a dish here, unlike other outlets which only serve watercress in soup. The vege was nice, but the roast pork was a bit soggy from the sauce. Would appreciate some crunchy skin though.

The meal came to RM48, for 4, including rice and tea. Reasonable, but not cheap. =P

Location : Opposite Kong Heng Restaurant, Jalan Bandar Timah, Ipoh. It is at a backlane, easily missed if you're driving. Once you passed by Thean Chun/Kong Heng on your left you will see Kafe Wonderfull on your right. This shop is right beside Wonderfull (which btw, serves Bah Kut Teh).

Le Paris @ Greentown, Ipoh

The exterior .. (sorry, it was dark & grainy)

Initially planned for another round of Thum's crispy-licious onion rings and Teh C Special, but as luck would have it, the shop was closed. Still drowsy from emergency nap right after work, my brain could not came up with an alternative. That's when KCA's raves about Le Paris in Greentown Business Centre suddenly rang through my mind. OK, why not?

Mushroom Soup (part of Set Dinner)

Dad ordered Set Dinner (RM16.90), which came with either fish and chips/chicken chop (yeah, so much for creativity), mushroom soup and desserts. Yup, NO drinks included. Though you can ask for plain water. The soup was forgettable, and according to him, resembled the dreadful canned varieties. All this while I've a bone to pick with outlets serving soup from the can. Hehe!

Fish & Chips

His fish and chips was OK, but the bread crumbs batter was too thick, though tasteless. The saving grace? At least the dory (I assumed) was devoid of irritating mud smell.

Grilled Dory (RM11.50)

Grandma ordered grilled dory from the fish section, which also include various ways of cooking salmon, eg. Cheese Salmon, Fresh Grilled version, etc. She proclaimed that she HAD better ones, though was hesitant on passing judgment.

Seafood Fried Rice (RM6.50)

Mum had the seafood fried rice from the Asian kitchen, which houses various options eg. fried rice/noodles, Thai style dishes, etc. They even serve stir-fried bamboo mussels. The rice was fluffy, albeit slightly wet, with lots of ingredients thrown in for good measure. She enjoyed how they put a dash of Lea & Perrins sauce, just like how old-timers fry their rice.

Napolitaine Pizza (RM15.90)

KCA mentioned how delicious their signature pizza was, the Quatro Formagiano (sp?) baked with 4 types of cheese. But I opt for something different, which was the Napolitaine, regular size. Mozzarella, Italian sauce, anchovies and capers. Sounds good right? WRONG! The anchovies were tiny, mashed up versions, and were VERY salty, probably too much brine? The flat dough was not crisp even at the sides, and too soft for my liking. Luckily they did not hold back on their cheese. Should've followed KCA's recommendations then.

Btw, the pizza came with THIS huge bottle of oil. Not sure if it's olive, or something else. Can see the herbs, chillies, and leaves 'drowned' inside. Added a few dashes onto the pizza, though the taste was negligible.

Total bill for 4 came to RM56.40. NO government tax nor service charge. Pretty reasonable, but food was mediocre. Will I return for more? Probably, considering the pitiful selection of delicious Western food outlets in Ipoh.

Location : No 1, Psrn Greentown 8, Greentown Business Centre, Ipoh. Diagonally opposite Yeolde English, and Old Town Kopitiam is further down the road.

Baker's Cottage Yummy Portuguese Egg Tarts

A short post this morning, as I'm supposed to be working my a$$ off in the office. But suffering from one swollen eye, (*_v) therefore some R&R is certainly long overdue, right? Hehe ....

I'm a sucker for anything with eggs. Yeah, refer my previous post on caramel custard. Baker's Cottage bakes one of the better Portuguese egg tarts in Ipoh, in my opinion. Others noteworthy challengers for the throne include Gold Vision, a stall in Old Town right opposite Kong Heng (which I'll get to it soon), and some random ones I can't remember this instant.

These babies are great when served fresh from the oven, and combined with a hot cup of milk tea. Yeah ...... Comfort food for the soul?

Location : Baker's Cottage @ Kinta City Shopping Centre, Ipoh

Some Old Town Hits ...

Ipoh's very own Old Town area is famous not only for its patented white coffee, but also for its wide array of lip-smackingly good, cheap, and scrumptious hawker food. Not to mention the abundant of banks, government offices, and of course, bad one-way traffic. But i digress.

One of the oldest, and most famous shop is Thean Chun, or fondly known as Hall Of Mirrors (go figure, doesn't take a genius though). Located side by side with Kong Heng coffee shop, you can actually order food from the neighbouring shop. But avoid ordering chicken kuey teow soup, as Thean Chun's version is far superior.

The legendary chicken kuey teow soup (RM3.50)

Wow, inflation really strikes hard. Last year, when I started working here, a bowl of the famed noodles cost me RM3.20. Though a 30 cents hike is negligible, makes you wonder for the hundreds/thousands of bowls sold everyday, does it justify the rising cost of flour/rice? Or OVER-ly justified? :)

Nevertheless, they do not skimp on the portion or ingredients. The shrimps are fleshy and fresh, chicken strips aplenty, and smooth rice noodle (kuey teow) in heaps. The soup is very sweet, and savoury at the same time. This is definitely one of the better version in whole of Ipoh.

Chee cheong fun with Curry Pork Skin (RM3)

The uncle selling CCF is my ex-classmate's father, though he probably won't be able to recognize me now. (Else I would probably get a discount/bigger portion .. Hehe) However, both Tall Gal and PLoo commented that the CCF's standard has dropped. But judging from the thick, yummy curry, with mountains of fried shallots and sesame seeds, paired with addictive pickled green chillies, I will have to try it next time to deliver judgment.

Caramel Custard (RM2)

Thean Chun is also famous for its egg custard, and an order of the dessert will get you a free cup of iced water. Therefore you can skip their coffee/tea (which btw, is plain horrendous!). Silky smooth egg custard, fragrant and not overly sweet, the dessert deserves 2 thumbs up! But I have an aversion to egg custard. Be it caramel custard, egg tarts, or creme brulee, I love them all!!! =P

Popiah (RM1.70 each)

Of course, you can order Kong Heng's popiah and have them here, to complete your meal. Or you can indulge in some meaty, pork satay, grilled the Chinese way. Very popular choice too.

A short walk away is Hwang Chao Restaurant, a coffee shop right opposite Sin Lean Lee, which is famous for its Kam Chau Fun (Golden Char Kuey Teow). Hwang Chao is packed during lunch hour, and most patrons come for its Singapore Chicken Rice, at RM3 per plate.

Tender roasted chicken breast meat

This chicken rice stall is probably a gem unnoticed, as mostly workers from Old Town area will frequent this place, not tourists or outsiders. But the chicken rice is VERY tasty. The rice is cooked just right, each mouthful aromatic, and fluffy. The chicken is roasted perfectly, as even the breast meat is tender enough, and when dipped into its own concoction of garlic/ginger chilli sauce, the flavour is greatly enhanced.

Fried rice with anchovies, salted fish and wax sausages (RM3.50)

The other stall's fried rice is definitely meant for BIG appetite! The plate of rice can easily feed 2 moderate eaters. The ingredients used are slightly different from your usual fried rice, as plenty anchovies, salted fish, wax sausages, and long beans are included. The 'wok hei' of the dish is sufficient as well, lending a fragrant and smoky flavour.

Location : Thean Chun @ 73,Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh. Hwang Chao is a few shops down the road, at a crossroad junction.

Shanghai Seafood Noodle House @ Subang Permai, USJ1

Wow, the old stash of photos are continuously piling up, must blog all KL food 1st, before proceeding to another round of KL food crawl someday down the line ..... Hehe !!! =P

The large bowl of seafood goodness ... Luscious ....

The shop regrettably, has NO signboard, but situated right beside Restoran Mun Fong, (which serves amazing Thai dishes, will get to that later) at Taman Subang Permai in USJ1, an area which also houses Giant, Mydin, and Courts Mammoth. My relatives fondly recognize the uncle as "Ah Pek", who had been serving his delicious seafood noodles for years at a corner coffee shop around the same area. He moved to this new shop only recently.

Shanghai Noodle (RM5)

We were given a choice of Shanghai noodle, or Beijing noodle. There are a few other options I forgot. Helpless memory. I suspect the Shanghai noodle was fried before being cooked in the addictive broth, infused with the natural sweetness of the seafood ingredients. The uncle proudly proclaims that NO MSG was added to enhance the flavour, but ONLY the freshest ingredients are chosen, in order to boil the yummy soup. Delicious.

Some other dishes Ah Pek serves at his shop

Some of us chose the Shanghai noodles, while others opted for its Beijing counterpart. The ingredients added are basically the same; various fishcakes, clams, yong tau foo, vegetables etc. The Shanghai noodle offers a more springy texture, heavier egg flavour (resembling yee mee), and definitely more savoury than the Beijing version. But the Beijing noodle in contrast, resembled "pan mee"-type of noodle, and looked and tasted healthier.

Beijing Seafood Noodle (RM5)

Do not let the unpretentious bowl of noodle fool you. The portion is considered quite huge, and substantially filling. Noticed that the uncle does serve some other dishes, such as scallops (!!), prawns, and fish, as accompaniment, to appease the seafood lovers in us.

Location : 33, Jalan USJ 1/20, Taman Subang Permai, USJ1. Not sure the specific directions, but if you know where Giant hypermarket, Mydin, and Courts Mammoth are in Subang Jaya, you will come across rows of shops on your right, right after passing by Mydin & Courts. Turn right once you come across Shell station on your right. The shop is beside Restoran Mun Fong, which is a corner shoplot facing the back.

Wedding Dinner @ Ipoh City & Country Club

No, don't get funny ideas, it wasn't my wedding. But rather, one of my ex-colleague, Miss E's. Just got back from a weekend 3 days, 2 nights course at Hotel Seri Malaysia in Ipoh, and feeling rather fatigued, I'll just run through briefly what I had during last night's dinner. (Yup, we skipped the night class for your big day, Ms E! =P)

"Wonder of Four Seasons" - Almost every Chinese dinner will start off with a cold platter of appetizers, consisting from 4 to 8 varieties of saliva-inducing starters. Yesterday's was no different, 4 types were served, but honeydew salad with boiled prawns was my favourite, while the other 3 paled in comparison. The fried spring rolls were quite yummy, nonetheless.

"Braised Seafood Soup with Eight Treasures" - Not really sure what the EIGHT treasures were, but there were various seafood included in the thick, gooey concoction. Add a dash of black vinegar for taste, and seemingly to reduce the fishy taste, and the soup was fine. The lack of shark's fins may appease the animal rights activists, but may irked those loyal followers of traditional Chinese dinners.

"Steamed Yellow Croaker with Light Soya Sauce" - Initially thinking a croaker is something from the amphibian family, we were pleasantly surprised the dish resembled anything but a frog. The fish was fresh, and the flesh was firm, sweet, and steamed to perfection. One of the highlight of the night, for me.

"Pi Pa Chicken" - Deep fried til the skin is crispy, served with plum sauce with a tone of spiciness, the chicken was mediocre, and some dropped unfavorable comments. The gravy was too salty for my liking, though one winning point was that the chicken meat was not too dry.

"Vietnamese Style Pan Fried Prawn" - I loathe digging my clean hands into anything with shells, especially during dinners and functions. Prying open the shells with my bare hands, while being dressed to the nines, just did not bode well. But Chinese dinners LOVE serving those large prawns with shells intact, to prevent shrinkage, and retain the sweet juices of the flesh. The sauce was spicy, with additional bird's eye chilli for an extra kick.

"Braised Beancurd Skin with Black Mushroom" - Possibly the worst dish of the night. The mushrooms were OK, but the braised beancurd (foo chuk) underneath was tasteless, and the brocolli did not save the dish.

"Hong Kong Style Pan Fried Glutinous Rice" - By this 7th dish, we were all full, and only managed a spoonful or two of the rice. Though fragrant, the glutinous rice lacked ingredients, and did not appeal to most of us. Now, where's the desserts? :)

"Sweet Red Bean Soup with Sago" - The sago was clearly not present, or probably blended into the smooth concoction of red bean soup. This 'tong sui' type of dessert is making its way into the dinner menu everywhere in Ipoh. But the one in Kok Thai Restaurant was miles ahead in terms of taste, and not sickeningly sweet.

"Dual Chinese Pastries" - Surprisingly, the layered jelly with santan is considered a Chinese's dessert? Hmmm. But the cookies-like morsels contained filling of pandan lotus paste, and surprisingly, VERY good. At least the meal ended on a high note?

Overall, the dinner had its hits, and misses. They serve set lunch as well, but bear in mind a strict dress code is applicable, meaning no shorts, slippers, or sleeveless shirts.

Location : No. 283, Jalan Kampar, 30250 Ipoh. Tel : 05-2422233. Pretty easy to locate. Coming from Simpang Pulai toll exit, go towards Ipoh town, passing by Medan Gopeng bus station on your left. Arriving at a flyover to Pusat Bandar, take the left most lane, and go towards Jalan Kampar. You'll reach a crossroad traffic lights. Go straight, and keep left. You will see Ipoh City & Country Club on your left soon.

IKEA Food Court @ Mutiara Damansara, PJ

Children and adults alike, having fun pushing the trolleys

Hmm, awkward post for the day. Not sure many, if ANY at all, blogged about the food from IKEA food court. Yeah, other than selling furnitures and such, they provide good food, at reasonable prices for those who suffer the hunger pangs, while their other half/parents/friends are happily shopping away.

See what you will be eating, rather than have them cooked behind doors

The concept is simple. Push a trolley that's 3 tiers tall, queue up like everyone else, get some trays and cutleries, and let your itchy hands roam. By taking what you want from the display counters, I meant. :)

Swedish Meatballs with fries (RM8.90 for 10+2pcs)

Of course, most of the food are cooked, or rather, dished up on the spot, for instance their signature meatballs, fish and chips, roast chicken/fried chicken, spaghetti etc. Their meatballs, made from minced beef are the best, served with thick gravy from beef stock, and lingonberry jam, with thick cut fries. Sometimes they have soft fluffy bun @ 50 cents each, which is ideal for soaking up the delicious gravy. The fish and chips are not bad as well, and priced at RM8.90 (I think,hehe).

The famous Daim cake (RM4.90)

On most days, they have tea time offer, whereby you can have a slice of their famed Swedish Daim cake, with a cup of coffee/tea. Their beverages are free flow, soft drinks at Rm1.50, while coffee/tea at RM3. Their coffee is not run-of-the-mill 3-in-1 version, but very aromatic and quite strong. Yes, you can sip on the coffee/tea with unlimited refills, for as long as you please, comparing patrons with the largest assets. Oh, with that I mean the furnitures/household appliances they bought. Nothing more. =P

Open face Shrimp Sandwich (RM5.90)

They do serve a variety of cold cuts such as Gravlax which is cured raw salmon slices, various sandwiches, such as the shrimp sandwich above, which houses lots of fresh boiled shrimps, croissants, muffins, cakes, as well as fruit juices and mineral water.

Location :No.2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: (603) 7726 7777fax: (603) 7726 6255

email: customer.service@ikeastore.com.my
Operating hoursSun - Thurs: 10am to 10pmFri, Sat and eve of public holidays: 10am to 11pm

Restoran Makanan Laut Yam Yam, Ipoh

Some photos from old stash today. This was a shop selling tauge chicken sometime ago, in Ipoh Garden South. Not sure since when, but converted to a 'dai chow' seafood restaurant, and seemingly crowded on most nights.
We were early, and managed to get a table without hassle. My throat was still battered from over-indulging in Johor and KL, therefore Mum ordered mostly bland dishes. But not to say they were not good, oh no, these were FAR from low quality dishes.

Their recommendation of signature chicken cooked with chestnut came with lots of chestnuts, herbs, red dates, and mushrooms. The meat was cooked to perfection, falling off the bones without much poking, and absorbed the aromatic herbal and fragrant chinese wine gravy used to braise the chicken.

The garoupa fish slices stir-fried with ginger and spring onions came in smaller portion, and the serving of fish slices were scarce, but sufficient to feed the 3 of us. Tastewise? OK, but not outstanding.

Last but not least, the sweet potato leaves (fan shu miu) cooked with fermented beancurd (foo yee) was a saving grace, providing much flavour, and of course, fibre for the overall meal. We ended up pretty satisfied with the dishes, and the total damage was RM40 including drinks and rice for three. Quite reasonable.

Bear in mind that they serve a whole LOT more different variety of dishes, leaning towards the seafood section (this IS a seafood restaurant after all), and we vowed to return for more.

Location : 9, Lebuh Raya, Ipoh Garden South, 31400 Ipoh. Tel : 012-5651510.

*The address above was copied from the bill, however I suspect the road's name maybe wrong, but this is a few shops away from Thum's Western Food (Restoran New Weng Fatt), yet again proving the abundant of good eateries undiscovered in Ipoh Garden South. =)

Wednesday's Blues?

The office resembles a haunted setting from one of those cheesy Chinese horror movies. Seriously. More than half of the humans have left for an "important" meeting at some highlands, while the few of us were left to rot behind four walls.

The best way to counter loneliness and depression is ... E-A-T !!!!!!!!! =P

Huh? Empty geh? Drink the gravies ah?

Breakfast - Kalai Curry House @ No. 38, Jalan Sultan Yussuf, 30000 Ipoh.

A favourite Indian restaurant that also serves yummy banana leaf rice, it is about 15 minutes walk from my office. Yeah, FIFTEEN. That explains why I walked here only once throughout my 8 months tenure in my current workplace. But today's different. I willingly drove here (though only about 2km away) with Tall Gal and PLoo. Yeah, rebellious me.

Paper Thosai (Rm2)

Ploo was shocked speechless when her Paper Thosai arrived. From the menu, it looked timid and tiny, but in reality .... see above. About one metre in length, she took ~30 minutes to digest HALF of it. I took 1/4. Tastewise? Thin, crisp, but filling. Served with dhall, coconut chutney, and unknown spicy/sour chutney (probably tomato?).

Chicken Thosai (RM3)

Tall Gal was ambitious. She ordered chicken thosai, not knowing the portion served resembled a person's lunch. Wrapped inside (sorry, forgot took pic) was a huge chunk of tandoori chicken breast, and also served with the same gravy and condiments as paper thosai.

Set Poori (RM2)

An avid fan of their poori, I re-ordered them for the umpteenth time, and end up satisfied, and full. Memories of first experience having these on banana leaves, with extra dhall gravy reminded me NOT to ask for extra gravy, as their dhall contains lots of nuts and legumes, and very thick & filling.

Lunch - Brewsterlane Kitchen @ 140-142, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah (Brewster Road), 30000 Ipoh
After a heavy breakfast, we expected a lighter lunch, or possibly skip one, but KYT had a "date" with KCA, and we ended up at this restaurant along Brewster Road, right at a crossroad junction. (Notice that this Brewsterlane is NOT the same as Brewster's Restaurant as blogged before)

Fish and Chips (RM9.90)

Tall Gal and me ordered something from the Today's Special menu, avoiding the set menu for fear of exploding from over-indulging. Her fish and chips came out fine, crispy batter, served with mayonaise and thousand island dressing for the salad. But most noteworthy were the homemade deep fried potato chips. Thinly sliced and crunchy, they made great snacks for telly session. ;)

Fried Seafood Udon (RM9.90)

I chose the fried seafood udon which came with ample serving of prawns, crab sticks, salmon bits and vegetables. The udon had a chewy texture, though the Japanese sauce (the one for okonomiyaki) used was overwhelming, drowning the overall taste of the noodles.

Grilled Teriyaki Mackerel Set (RM18.90)

KCA wondered mackerel fillet has a lot of bones to pick, to which I replied probably minimal, as I remembered my grandma often ordered saba shio set (mackerel) from Japanese eateries. Luckily it was true, as the chef filleted the fish, and suffice to say, this dish took the limelight. The teriyaki sauce as usual, went really well with grilled dishes, and the sweet, succulent flesh was flavourful, and went really well with white rice.

Ground Meat Deep Fried Beef Set (RM12.90)

KYT opted for the deep fried minced beef with batter, funnily resembling 2 yam puffs (=P). The beef was fortunately not dry, and mixed with carrots and peas, before batter-fried. Suspected potatoes on the outer layer, but could not be sure as I only took one bite. The sets came with rice, soup (not miso, but chinese style soup with papaya and pumpkins!), salad, chawan misu (steamed egg), fruits and green tea.

For drinks, we ordered fresh fruit juices (RM2.50 each) as funnily enough, some basic drinks such as milk tea were not available anymore. Hmm .... Dearth of tea leaves?

Teatime - Big Apple Donuts & Coffee @ Kinta City Shopping Centre's Food Court

Big Apple finally opened its first branch in Perak last weekend, and the crowd was hot, at least for the first few days. But Mum still queued for 15 minutes for a dozen of these sweet delights;

Spot the repeats, and you'll know which are my favs ...

At RM17 for 12, it was quite a bargain. Though I grew a bit sick of them ever since binging on J.Co in KL (my record? 8-10 at one go ... imagine my sugar level spiking like mad), I could not resist trying them at least once, since they opened an outlet so near to my house. Hehe.... But dinner time liao, so how? Decisions ... decisions ....

Ended up eating a Duren Duren, and Mango Tango. Both were on par with KL's Big Apple, but of course my vote goes to the former. Creamy, smelly goodness ....

Dinner - Thum's Western Food @ .... refer old post.

Huh, after indulging for one whole day, I thought dinner would be something light. But NO, tonight's dinner include grandma, and brother as well. Journeyed to Thum's again, but I had the capati (no pics, not impressive) at RM2.20! I know flour's price is shooting up the ceiling, but this is daylight(or night time) robbery! Portion was small, served with sardine curry.

But the onion rings (RM5) plus side order of onion sauce (RM1) saved the day, as always. :)

Tomorrow's agenda? HOPEFULLY no more taxing food .... But doubtful. Again.

Coz It's Damn Good ...

For today's dose of my poison, I'll skip forward some posts to this restaurant I just had my dinner, as the food was REALLY REALLY delicious, and the price was reasonable enough. ;)

Amazingly, this place was here all this while, probably since I was in my teens (hehe, that was LONG ago liao) but we never thought of dining here. Situated in Ipoh Garden South, right opposite Thum's Western Food, my foggy memory vaguely notices this shop for its grilled chicken wings stall that's equally popular, and opens only at night. (But as luck would have it, the stall is closed for tonight ... Hmm...)

Signature Homemade Beancurd with Minced meat & Dried Shrimps (RM6)

Enough of history trivia, let's move on to the yummy food. Their homemade beancurd was crisp on the outer layer, but the inside was so, so smooth, velvety, egg-y, and scrumptious. Topped with generous amount of minced meat, dried shrimps, fried shallots, and spring onions, this dish reminded me a lot of Purple Cane's Special Tofu with Tea. But at half, or even 1/3 of the price. LOL. More on Purple Cane's offering in later posts.

Braised Spare Ribs with Mushrooms & Foo Chuk in Claypot (RM8)

After tasting the surprisingly good tofu, we were expecting more from the subsequent dishes. The claypot pork ribs did not disappoint at all. Braised until soft, the meat practically fell off the bones, but still retain its full flavour. The addition of foo chuk (dried beancurd?) was a nice touch, soaking up the gravy, which has a faint hint of wine.

Assam Fish Slices (RM14)

But my favourite dish of the night was the assam fish, served with lots of lady's fingers, tomatoes, and tofu. The balanced flavours of the sweet, fleshy slices of fish, coupled with the spicy and sour gravy, makes this dish a godsent pairing with fluffy white rice. ;)

Stir-Fried Kailan with Roast Pork (Rm8)

For the compulsory vegetable dish, we ordered kailan stir-fry with roast pork. Nothing too special, but noteworthy for the vege's crunchiness, and devoid of the common bitter taste of poorly dished out kailan. The roast pork was mediocre though. But did not really affect the taste of the overall dish.

Bill for 4 came to Rm42.40. Including rice and drinks. Tell me that's not cheap. Will probably back for more, as I spied Sambal Petai (!!!) and Butter Mantis Prawns ordered by the next table. Oh, and the service can be a little on the slow side, so be prepared for a slight wait especially if the place is packed.

Location : Tingkat Taman Ipoh 11, off Lebuh Taman Ipoh. Specifically, it is opposite Restoran dan Kafe New Weng Fatt, which houses Thum's Western Food.

Pick & Brew @ 1Utama

I'm now alternating between the backlog stash of KL posts, and Ipoh ones. Slowly but surely, I'm losing my memory of not only the taste of the food I've eaten, the price, and general dining experience, but also the passion to blog about everything I've stuffed myself with.

Hmm ... But it could my inner self doing the thinking, as coughing my lungs out for the past week might have some minor (or major) effect on my intellectually challenged-brain.

Notice the number of youngsters Jackson attracted? hehe ...

Anyway, this mini lunch was right after the Char Siew Pig-out Session at Famous Seremban Favourites. Yeah, good ol' wmw dropped me at 1Utama, (TQ!!!) and all I could think of was Pick & Brew. Yeah, no shopping, no walking, no sight-seeing, but only food on my mind.

The April Promo Set B (RM10)

The place was pretty tricky to locate, as it is above Soho, at the One World hotel side, therefore most shoppers may not notice this newly opened outlet. Luckily there was a signboard (not sure if it's permanent though) somewhere outside of Jusco's supermarket, else I would've walked all over before succumbing to fatigue and stuffed myself with something else. =P

During the whole month of April 2008 (which was aeons ago, sorry this could not come at a timely manner), they were serving chef's special introductory sets, at ONLY RM10 per set, where you can sample THREE items, and there were 2 sets to pick from.

Symphony (Colombia + Indonesia) RM10

Of course, Pick & Brew's main selling point IS their coffee after all, hence the name, therefore I asked for recommendation. They divide their coffee brew selection to 3 main categories, Vibrant - mild coffee, Inspirational - stronger coffee, and Passionate -strongest. Rule of the thumb for those uninitiated, like me, is to choose accordingly to meals of the day, breakfast paired with the mildest (or strongest? haha ...see? my brain overworked, again), lunch with Inspirational, and dinner with Passionate. I seek assistance when ordering, and the kind lady suggested Symphony for its buttery aroma.

The coffee came in their trademark Moka Pot (refer picture above) and one pot can brew 2+ cups. Not too strong, but not too mild, the coffee was very aromatic, and reminded me of strong black coffee, without the milk. Should've ordered something from Passionate range, to appease the coffee beast in me. :)

Roasted Lamb Rack with Onion Marmalade

The lamb was nicely roasted, but slightly chewy, and cutting them on the small plate was a chore, as I kept risking flinging the piece to the adjacent table. =P The onion marmalade was sour, and sweet, perfectly complementing the piece of lamb.

Oven Baked Potato Skin

This was a tad too dry, though I like the potato skin, but the topping of tuna & cheese (? .. sorry forgot jot down, hehe) was not moist enough. Or could be I was too busy snapping away, amidst the heavily air-conditioned seating area.

Salmon on Spinach

The salmon on spinach was the best among the three in my opinion, a generous dollop of creamy butter on top kept the flesh moist, and the salmon was sweet.

Jackson came out and said Hi, as earlier I enquired on his whereabout(yeah nosy me). He was clearly expecting a familiar face, but was shocked to find a stranger dining on his own, claiming to know him. Only when I introduced myself, or rather my blog, and mentioned Jason, wmw, teckiee etc etc did he loosen up. Nice to know you! ;)

Location : F233, First Floor Promenade, 1 Utama Shopping Centre. Specifically, it is located right above Soho, which you can see from the highway (LDP, right?). It is at the One World Hotel part. Same floor with Seoul Garden as well.

Those who HAVE picked, and brewed : Jason, Simon, KampungboyCitygal, Ai Wei & a whole lot more ...

Sun Yeong Wai (Roast Duck, Char Siew, Roast Pork) @ Ipoh Jaya

Look for the lusty ducks .... =P

Still feeling porky after the FSF (Famous Seremban Favourites) session in KL, I spread the lurve for anything porky by dragging Tall Gal and LPN to this place, one of my favourite joint in Ipoh for CRISPY SIU YOKE (roasted pork).

This restaurant has another branch in Medan Ipoh Baru, but this outlet serves the BETTER roasted pork. Don't ask why, cz I have absolutely no idea. (Fact corrected thanks to Janice, from Sun Yeong Wai)

Their signature item, cripsy roasted duck

Variety of dishes ala economy rice style available for choosing

You can opt for personal serving, meaning some meat (roast chicken/duck/char siew/siu yoke) on rice, plus any vegetables of your choice ala Economy Rice, OR you can ask them to chop up some meats to be shared, plus some vegetable dishes (humans ARE omnivores) aka family-style luncheon/dinner.

Oh.. my love.... Char Siew & all its glory... (RM7)

We were persuaded by the lady boss to take their roasted ducks, as they are supposed to be DA BOMB! Or something along the line. But I rejected, as ducks cannot satiate my porky lust. Muahaha .....

Crackling skin, crispy, delicious siu yoke ... v_v (Rm7)

So we ordered a plate each of Char Siew (BBQ Pork) and Siu Yoke (Roasted Pork), to be shared. Needless to say, the Siu Yoke was amazingly crispy at the skins, and the meat/fat ratio is just right (for me, at least). I can finish this plate on my own, if not for the existence of an outsider (LPN). Hehe! The Char Siew was one of the better ones in Ipoh, but could not hold a candle to FSF's version, so let's not compare. But to give credits where they're due, the meat is tender, sweet, not chewy, and goes really well with the chilli sauce, and their fragrant oil rice.

Drools away ....

The Siu Yoke may look fat, but they really aren't. Paired with the rice, they are indeed a match made in heaven. ;) Oh, to counter the excessive protein intake, we ordered a plate of vegetables (if pumpkins can be considered one). Nothing special, but got the job done. Cooked until soft, the sweet pumpkins were tasty when paired with dried shrimps.

Pumpkins with Dried Shrimps (RM6)

Total damage was RM28 for 3 person, including rice and drinks. They have a variety of herbal teas freshly made everyday. I had the watercress with dates, which was cooling and refreshing, while I could not remember what Tall Gal and LPN had. Haha ... Side effect of pork overdose?

Location : No17 & 19, Jalan Sri Ampang, Taman Ipoh Jaya, 31350 Ipoh. Tel : 053113600.

Specifically, it is at the area before Gunung Rapat, and same row with Old Town Kopitiam, Marrybrown, and Yee Hup Famous Hiong Pian. Anyone needs further directions, feel free to ask. Won't bite, I promise.

Restoran Famous Seremban Favourites @ Sunway Mas, PJ

Today's the big day. Yes. Just like set-up blind dates that you're used to watch on TV, for the 1st time I was ready to meet some floggers, in flesh (no, nothing of the obscene kind, thank you). I only had Jason's contact, therefore I thought he would be the only willing soul to assist in my "binge tour". But I was wrong, as he managed to coax wmw, as well as teckiee to tag along, for some REALLY GOOD Char Siew .... ;)

Of course, as neither of us was driving, we had to rely on chauffeur-ial skills of wmw, to pick us from Kelana Jaya LRT station, then meet up with teckiee at Kayu Nasi Kandar around Sunway Mas area. Oh, was surprised that teckiee is indeed a GIRL, though her nick suggested otherwise.

Arriving pretty early for lunch, as wmw suggested we should avoid lunch hour madness, the place was half packed, a good signal of glorious food to come. Though still full from breakfast an hour ago, I was already salivating when i set my eyes on these babies ......

WHOA ... Endless rows of Char Siew, hung at the glass display, with 2 solitary roasted chickens and a slab of roasted pork, no prize for guessing what they're famous for ......

teckiee started snapping away, prompting me to timidly whipped out my trusty Nokia 5610 (hehe, paiseh) and clicked away. Suddenly 2 guys approached us from behind, and wmw recognised them instantly as Sunny and Sid from Big Boys Oven! Hey! From 1 flogger, to 5 of them!!! Star-struck ... *_*

Yummy but pale looking Hakka Mee

As soon as we sat, the owner of the shop, Mr.Bill came over and took our orders. He's completely used to floggers erm ... flocking to his shop, and clicking away, therefore garnering a star (*) in my book for being blogger-friendly! Good on ya! Me and Jason had the Hakka mee, small portion (RM3.30) to go with the Char Siew, while teckiee, wmw and Sid had the Wantan Mee (Rm3.80 for small). Sunny chose the rice instead.

Oh, those who choose Wantan Mee get EXTRA Char Siew ... *envious*

Sinfully delicious, shiny caramelized pork ... Heaven on earth ...

The limelight of course, was on the main character on the table (no, not us), the heavenly Char Siew (RM5 for small, RM10 for big). I've always had a soft spot for something porky, be it Char Siew, Roasted Pork, Sweet n Sour Pork etc. The type of Char Siew I love the most is exactly like the ones they serve here. Charred at the side, half lean meat-half fat, caramelized until nearly melt-in-mouth texture, with ample serving of dipping sauce. Oh yeah ... It was a good thing wmw suggested we order a plate each, else we would be fighting on our 1st acquintance!!! :)

Wantan in Soup

Mr. Bill was kind enough to stuff us with MORE food, serving us wantan in soup, and fried Sui Kau (dumplings), ON-THE-HOUSE !!! The wantan was forgettable, but the Fried Sui Kau were crispy, and the fillings was delicious. Minor flaw was ... no chilli sauce provided. Aiya, how leh? But it's ok, I dipped mine into the Char Siew sauce. Haha ... Brilliant eh?

Fried Sui Kau

We were stuffed to the brim, especially me and Jason, the (dis) advantage of being guys. Haha ... Oh, and Mr. Bill brought ANOTHER plate of Char Siew, for free. This one is from the belly region, (reminding me of a Pork Belly Song by McDull that we used to hum and sing in class during the Pangkor course! =P) and sufficient to say, next time, I would order my Char Siew not only half lean meat-half fat, but also PORK BELLY parts.

Reasonably priced goodness.

Total bill for my bowl of Hakka mee, though small portion, was more than enough, plus my share of Char Siew and drink was RM9 only. Yeah, all that binging, and it did not burn a hole in my pocket. Definitely value for money.

Really, really glad to have met ALL of you, especially Jason who painstakingly organized all of these, right until midnight (LOL), and wmw for patiently driving us around. And not forgetting teckiee, for just being her crazy self? ;)

Location : No. 80-1 (Ground Floor), Jalan PJU 1/3B, Sunway Mas Commercial Centre, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

More porkies :

You Get What You Give

~Brought up 2 SharE~

Eat First, Think Later

Ipoh Mali Talak Sombong

Suchan @ Bangsar Village 2, KL

A post dedicated to TallGal for an obvious reason she would understand. ;)

The interior of the restaurant/bakery/cafe

It was my virginal visit to Bangsar Village, and after hearing so much about Alexis from various floggers, was tempted to try their famed Tiramisu. However, as luck would have it, me and MB were searching every nook and corner but could not locate the bistro. Sigh ...

But hey, as luck would have it, my eyes sparkled once I passed this cozy little restaurant-cum-cafe-cum-bakery, Suchan. I still remember The Star did an interview with the owner few weeks/months back. With my worsening memory, how did I manage to remember? Haha, let's just say the name really rang a bell. Right, Tall Gal? LOL ... Anyhow, the place was empty, but understandable considering the vast choices of eateries around the same area, and it was a working day after all.

The sinful tiramisu (RM9.90)

We skipped the mains as our 'petite' stomachs could not sustain the onslaught of food after a substantial breakfast. Headed straight to the cakes section, and contemplating on which ones to order. They do have quite a variety for choosing, and reasonably priced at around RM9.90 per piece. I chose their famous Tiramisu, while MB chose the Banoffee Pie, recommended by the waitress at the counter. Oh, one funny thing is, most, if not all, of the employees on the floor are Vietnamese (I think). Fortunately most of them have fair diction of the English language.

Banoffie Pie (RM9.90)

The Tiramisu was superb. Really, really good stuff. The sponge is soaked with coffee syrup (and I suspect a liberal addition of rum, hehe), sandwiched with cheese and bitter chocolate chips, topped with almond pralines. The crunchy bits on top was addictive. Not too sweet, nor too bitter from the coffee powder commonly used in tiramisu, the cake was served with tangy strawberry sauce, which not only complemented the cake well, but offset the feeling of fullness which often results from desserts.

The Banoffie Pie was quite a disappointment though. The coffee cream with banana slices and toffee layer was a good combination, but fell short of the oomph factor. We could not put our fingers on what it lacked, but probably the Tiramisu was just too good, over-shadowing the humble pie. Nevertheless, the portion was sufficient and they do not skimp on the ingredients.

Hmm, the cakes gotta be good enough to attract the BIG shots, right?

Aside from their cakes and pastries section, Suchan serves a commendable variety of mains, and set meals, whereby they assist you in choosing your meal by combining various mains, desserts and drinks and categorized them according to your mood.

Location : 2F-25A, Second Floor, Bangsar Village II, No.2, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Tel : 03-22871914

(P/S : Btw, only when we left did we realise that Alexis is situated OUTSIDE of Bangsar Village. Hmm, fine. Next trip then. =P)

(P/S : Tall Gal, Not bad eh? One whole post dedicated to you ... Haha ...)

Other lapping tongues :

KL People KL Food

Lots of Cravings

Kin Kin Pan Mee @ Pandan Indah, KL

Too much attention was diverted to Johor inthe previous posts, let's get back on track with some KL food. Hmm, where to start?

Aiks, the name so familiar one?

Aunt was raving about some new pan mee outlet near her place, newly opened and crowded during lunch hours. Ok, not exactly a pan mee fan, but whatever lah.

When we reached there, I was pleasantly surprised, as the shop she meant was Kin Kin Pan Mee, the much-reviewed, much-hyped, and highly-rated shop selling pan mee. Their main branch is at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, packed most of the times. So, was I glad for 1) I get to try this for the 1st time, hehe, without much hassle,travelling and preparation involved, and 2) Somebody's paying for my bowl of pan mee (muahaha ...) Ahem, anyway ...

Their ultra-famous dry pan mee, crowned with an egg (RM5)

Both aunt and grandma ordered the soup version, with mee hoon kuih (the chunky blocks of flour noodle) instead of the usual pan mee. Claimed they were so-so, and Jalan Alor's version the true champion (or whatever). I of course ordered their famous kon-lou (dry version), which came with an egg (yolk intact, mind you ... skilful?) anchovies, spring onions, and fried shallots. The serving was not big, sufficient for breakfast, not for lunch. ;)

Oooh... Deadly .... *_*

Consuming the bowl of noodles on its own is bland, and akin to sex-with-clothes, or something like that =P Therefore, it is highly recommended (by other floggers alike) to pepper your bowl with the dried chili flakes, liberately, to enhance the almighty "Kin Kin Experience" ....

(P/S : Take note that these babies are fiery, and those with weak bowels should stay vigilant. Don't pour the whole bottle without trying them out 1st.)

Fan Shu Yip (Sweet Potato Leaves?)

If you think your bowl of noodles is too dry, or too spicy/salty due to over-dose of the aforementioned chilli flakes, you can douse the flame with some sweet broth soup, served together with the noodle. The vegetables provide fibres, helps in assisting bowel movement. LOL

A rare sight in Kin Kin Pan Mee, right?

The decor was simple, minimalist, with furnitures resembling those from period dramas (ancient period mind you, not the monthly kind =P) and the place is air-conditioned. Parking's a breeze, but not sure if the same can be said during peak hours.

Location : 6-G, Jalan Perubatan 4, Off Jalan Pandan Ilmu. Specifically, it is directly opposite of Pandan Indah police station. The same area houses Hospital Pandan Indah, a Secret Recipe cafe, a famous Hakka Noodle shop, and another famous Pan Mee shop.

For more reviews on Kin Kin, here are some links :

Eat First, Think Later

The Gastronomic Diary

ky Speaks

Once Upon A Time in Johor ... (Part 5 - Nasi Lemak Berlauk)

The 'floating' restaurant : Malam Indah Selalu

Still on Johor food, bear with me ya? One fine evening 2 Johor friends drove us to a place supposedly famed for its nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk), somewhere around Permas Jaya (?), or something like that. Bad memories ...

The seating area, realize all the customers chose to sit by the river/strait/sea?

After a journey of roughly 10-15 minutes, we arrived at some secluded area, right by the straits of Johor, where we can view our beloved neighbour, Singapore, from our seats. This restaurant is situated alongside some seafood restaurants, so no worries if they're closed.

Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken (RM5)

The Johor guys led the orders, suggesting nasi lemak with either the fried chicken or the rendang version. One glance at the menu on the wall revealed that they DO serve other dishes to go with their nasi lemak, namely rendang daging, and various fish dishes.

Otak-Otak Kempas : A Johor Bahru speciality

As usual, no meal (Malay ones, at least) is complete without the ever-popular appetizer of Otak-Otak, right here in JB.

The amazing sambal, fried egg and ayam rendang

On to the main characters of this food venture, the nasi lemak. Hot, fragrant, right consistencies, not too sticky nor tough-like-nails, albeit a little too sweet for some. Yes, SWEET. The santan (coconut milk) used to cook the rice is different from the ones we usually have in northern states. Some of us could not bear the sweetness, while for me, the rice is cooked just right, and paired with their killer sambal (a little sweet also, btw) the dish is good in its own right, rendering the chicken completely unnecessary for extra brownie scores.

Not to say the chicken was bad, mind you. The fried version was crispy and delicious (according to them anyway, as I had the rendang one). But be warned their rendang is NOT the run-of-the-mill type. It was a tad erm, sweet (hehe), and not spicy at all.

Ikan Siakap Tiga Rasa (RM4/100g)

BK (the pure Johorean) ordered an extra dish of siakap tiga rasa (rough translation : 3 flavours sea bass) for us to try. Sweet, sour and erm either spicy/salty, the dish was alright, savoury, but the overwhelming 'mud smell' of the flesh kind of put me off.

Remember to turn at this sign, if you manage to find this anyway ... :)

Location : Haha, asking the wrong person here. Let me see, it is at an area called Permas Jaya, there is a slightly more outstanding seafood restaurant called Senibong Village Seafood restaurant right before the sign board above. Word of advice : Ask a Johor guide to prevent unnecessary & extra miles. =)

Once Upon A Time in Johor ... (Part 4 - The Mains)

.... continued from Part 3

Not my intention to bore you any longer, might as well post everything else we had at The Zon Regency, Johor Bahru ...

Notice the reflection of Suzy? How nice of her to pose strategically between Salt n Pepper ...

Boiled prawns, mussels, and scallops on ice
Smoked salmon and some random fish (sorry, bad at identifying species)
Oh yeah, unlimited & free supplies of fresh seafood
Made-to-order spaghetti, and various cooked dishes
Nasi Briyani, Mutton curry, Grilled Lemon Fish, & funny-looking Cekodok Pisang (sp?)
Bread and Butter Pudding (again) @ every meal
Hors d'oeuvres ?
Chef in action, slicing up leg of lamb with ease
Was wondering, what's the orange sack next to the scallop? Roes?

Yeah, imagine every meal of indulgence for 4 days. The consequences? Broadening of horizon? or rather horizontally broadening ... Hmm ... who cares? :)

There were 101 & more items that I did not manage to snap, for mealtime was pretty limited. Everyone was raiding the buffet spread like there's no tomorrow. LOL.

The hotel management was considerate enough to rotate among this Western restaurant, a Thai restaurant, and another Chinese one for 3 days' worth of lunch. However, the Chinese restaurant (A halal one) was really really bad, while the Thai one was forgettable. Lucky for us dinners were served at Salt n Pepper.

Location : Salt & Pepper Cafe & Restaurant, The Zon Regency Hotel, 88, Jalan Ibrahim Sultan, Stulang Laut, 80720, Johor Bahru.