The Merdeka Post : 51 Years of Independence & Glorious Food

31st August 2008 - 51st anniversary of our country's independence.

31st August 2008 - The 1st day of the 8th Month in Chinese calendar.

31st August 2008 - The Star newspaper's Sunday Metro food section published my post on Sri Asoka Corner's Banana Leaf Curry Rice (click HERE for the article).

Three causes for celebration? .... Nope. Far from it. While the rest are grilling and drinking away at a BBQ party, I'm here wallowing in my sorrowful fate. A sore throat and fever at the most inconvenient time spells heartache. Sigh ....

Min Sin Yie Vegetarian Restaurant

Still remember this place? Click HERE for my previous visit with FCOE and TallGal. On the 1st and 15th of every month in the Chinese lunar calendar, grandma will go vege (though half day only), and as time goes by, the options become more and more limited. She being a picky eater doesn't help either. So, after a few visits to Min Sin Yie at Taman Ipoh Permai, my family was hooked. The food is good, the service satisfactory, and the location's very near to our house.

Clockwise from top left : Salted "fish" with "Minced Pork", Butter Milky Mushrooms, Curry Vegetables, and Watan Tofu.

They have set menu, on top of the ala carte dishes. The sets cater to any amount of people dining along, and we picked the one for 4-6 pax. At only RM48/set, rice and chinese tea is included, and there are 4 dishes and one soup.

What we like about their food is they are not oily, nor salty, yet closely resemble the taste of the REAL deal (read : meat !!!). Most notable in my books would be the Butter Milky (Nai Yau) Mushrooms, deep-fried to crispiness heaven, and drizzled with a rich, creamy butter gravy,with curry leaves and some chillies. Highly recommended.

4 Heavenly Kings (RM8)

But of course, if there are more of you, and you do not wish to order the sets for 7-10 pax, you can opt for the RM48 set, PLUS any ala carte dish you desire. For instance, the aptly dubbed "Four Heavenly Kings", with brinjals, stinkbeans (petai), long beans, and French beans, topped with some vegetarian minced pork, and garnished with strips of red chillies. Slightly spicy, the dish goes really well with white rice.

Crispy beancurd skin

If you're eating individually, and in a rush, you can pick any dishes you like from their wide array of dishes available at the counter, economy rice style. The vegetarian roasted geese and deep-fried beancurd skin come highly recommended.

For address and contact, refer to old post HERE.

" There are times in life when we weep in sorrow, Wailing our hearts out till it's all hollowed,

But persevere my dear friend, do not stay mellow, For after the storm, the calm will follow ..... "

Dae Jang Gum ?!!! (Onix Jun Korean Restaurant @ Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh)

Annyong haseyo? (Good morning) Ottoshimnika? (How are you?)

Suffice to say, the Korean invasion in Malaysia had taken shape in dramatic proportion - From the primetime Korean dramas to delectable Korean food. And of course, who can neglect the magnetism/charm/seduction of Rain, not the natural showers, but the popstar. Who sang in Mandarin (weirdly, I might add) during the closing ceremony of the Olympics, masquerading as a locale maybe?

Clean, spacious, and unpretentious - promising a satisfying Korean dining experience

Korean restaurants in Klang Valley are a dime a dozen, literally. The other day I was in Hartamas, and the dozens of Japanese and Korean restaurants within the vicinity were mind-boggling. But here in Ipoh, searching for a reputable Korean restaurant was akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Recently (about 5 months ago) Onix Jun Korean Restaurant (aka Dae Jang Gum, how "imaginative") opened for business in Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, the business centre behind Kinta City/Jusco shopping centre.

Banchan (side dishes commonly served in a Korean meal)

Of course, this is NOT the only Korean restaurant in Ipoh, the other equally popular one is Yea Won Restaurant (click HERE for previous visit with Jason & Citygal), located in Medan Ipoh Bistari, also within the same perimeter of the area behind Jusco/Tesco in Ipoh.

Thus, comparison is inevitable. But me, KCA and KYT, who had been to both, unanimously agreed that Onix Jun serves higher quality Korean offerings compared to Yea Won.

Even the kimchi taste better, and very appetizing, preparing the palate for the impending Korean gastronomic fare.

Pa Jeon (RM12) and Kimchi Jeon (RM12) - Korean pancakes

The Kimchi Jeon was not spicy although the appearance may be deceiving. Jeon refers to Korean pancake dishes, and at Onix Jun, 3 types are served - Pa Jeon (egg & green onions), Kimchi Jeon (kimchi, duh ... ) and Pumpkin Jeon (need I say more?). Dip them in soy sauce, the thin pancakes make great snack if you do not want a heavy meal. The Kimchi version scored better in my opinion. The Pa Jeon was too plain, unlike my aunt's homemade version, bursting with flavours from the prawns, and gochujang sauce as accompaniment.

Fried Rice Cakes (RM20)

Another favourite of mine when dining Korean-style is the Fried Rice Cakes. The rice cakes at Yea Won was abyssmal, tasteless and sticky gravy, lacking in flavours. But the rice cakes here fared much better in our books, the chewy rice cakes served with carrots, scallions, and cabbages, topped with sesame seeds. The sauce provided much of the flavour, slightly sweet, sour yet savoury. Kinda resembles Chee Cheong Fun's sweet gravy.

Spicy BBQ Pork (RM19)

Half lean-half fat cuts of pork, marinated in slightly spicy sauce (typical red pepper sauce ~ Korean speciality), and barbecued. Wrapped them in Romaine lettuce, and gobble them whole. Good stuff. If only the portion is larger. Hmmm ....

Kimchi Stew (RM18) with rice

Piping hot, or rather, BUBBLING hot on arrival, the kimchi stew was piquant, sour, and appetizing. Ingredients thrown in include chicken cubes, soft beancurd, cabbage, scallions, etc. A healthier option compared to the barbecued meats, thus, perfect for the anorexics/bulimics.

Dolsot Bibimbap (RM15)

One of Korea's most famous rice dish, is the Bibimbap. Visually appealing, the warm rice is topped with various vegetables such as mushrooms, bean sprouts, radish, minced pork and an egg yolk, served in a claypot. How to eat them? Mix them well with the red pepper sauce (not spicy, no worries), then satiate the RICE POT in you. However, I do find their Bibimbap slightly dry, probably the reason why a bowl of soup was served together.

Bulgogi Rice (RM20)

Bulgogi, aka Korean Barbecued Beef, is one of the safest choice to order in Korean outlets. Marinated simply with soy sauce, sugar and various ingredients, then barbecued or pan-grilled, the sliced beef cuts is tasty enough to eat on its own, more so when complemented by a bowl of fluffy white rice. The sweet broth reminds me of sukiyaki beef, frothy with lots of sesame seeds, scallions and carrots, for a balanced meal in a pot.

Onix Jun aka Dae Jang Gum is manned by a Korean family, now residing in Ipoh. They speak impeccable English, and even Mandarin, so no worries. Of course, the second time I visited, they hired some locals as well. Previously, they were running their business at another premise, in the same area of Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, but lesser known to Ipoh foodies.

Location : 31, Jln Medan Ipoh 4, Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, 31400 Ipoh. Tel : 012-5377530, or 05-5477530.

Business hours : 11.30am-3.00 pm for lunch, and 5.30pm-11.00pm everyday, except Sunday when they open from 11.30am - 11.00pm straight. Closes on 1st and 2nd Tuesdays of the month.

With that, I'd like to extend my deepest gratitude to KCA for the treat, on behalf of KYT and TallGal. Altogether now, Kamsahamnida !!! ^_^

Cameron Highlands - Of Steamboat Dinner, Pasar Malam Brinchang & BEER Ice-Cream?!!

I'm psycho. Yup, read that right. After a long hiatus, I decided to post the remaining photos from my August 2008's Cameron Highlands getaway. (For previous instalments, click HERE). Here goes nothing ...

The prawns, the squids, the compulsory B-A-L-L-S, dumplings, enoki mushrooms and boiled quail's eggs (to boost that cholesterol level a notch or two)

Cameron Highlands houses various steamboat outlets, each with its own following, and charges almost the same price. But the portions may not be adequate, and choices are rather limited. So, being the smart alecs that we are, we transported 2 whole steamboat sets, shopped for a lot of ingredients before we reached the highlands, and held the inaugural annual steamboat dinner in Cameron.

Seeing greens? Motormouth I may be, but I worship my vegetables nonetheless ...

One pot clear broth flavoured by chicken stock, another by tomyam paste. Once again, we did NOT learn our lesson from last year's Steamboat-in-Cameron event, leftovers aplenty, that lasted until the next day's breakfast. Mostly the greens were bought in excess. Wonder which one of us is the culprit/carnivore ....

Giant white radishes ... Arm yourself with one, and no thugs will dare come near!

After a potentially stomach-bursting dinner, the sane option would be to burn them "evil calories" off. And what better way than to traverse through the pasar malam (night market) in Brinchang, savouring the sights, the sounds, and erm, the FOOD?!!! =O

Clockwise from top left : (a) Crystal Jambu (amazingly sweet and crunchy fruit @ RM6 each!), (b) Fried mushrooms, watercress, enoki mushrooms, (c) Fried BIG prawns, crabs and chicken, (d) "I see strawberries. They're everywhere.

Ice cream with a twist?

The night market at Brinchang town comes alive every weekend, on Friday and Saturday. My aim of course, is the FOOD. Though you can buy fresh vegetables, flowers, clothes and accessories, and the usual offerings at your favourite pasar malam.

My list of MUST-TRIES : 1) Batter-fried Enoki Mushrooms, and "Kam Cham Fah"

2) Fried sweet potato balls - Orange & Purple ones!

3) The jagung/maize/corn - Dubbed "Jagung Mutiara" ~ Sweet & juicy

4) The imaginatively-flavoured ice cream ...

The ice-cream stall owner is a friendly auntie, making her own ice-cream, and developing new flavours every now and then. It so happened that night, BEER, RUM, Cheesecake, Mango, Strawberry, Buah Cinta (Love fruit?), and various other weird varieties were available.

People say steamboat should be enjoyed with a pint of beer or two. Sad to say, we did not buy any. BUT, here's redemption. BEER Ice Cream !!! You can really taste the beer in the creamy dessert, thus every lick was a joy. The other flavour I tried was the Cheese flavour. Awkward, but not as cheesy as I'd hoped it would be.

Various sights around, and from our apartment, The Honeymoon Villa

Strawberry Muffins, and the morning-afternoon market at Brinchang

Sweet Potato Balls, and Jagung Mutiara (RM2/each), that can be eaten raw

And that's a wrap, folks. Thinking of a destination for your family vacation? Or a simple getaway from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life? Visit Cameron Highlands for a cool, relaxing, and serene experience ...

Rich Seafood Porridge from Matang, Perak

Matang ~ A Malay word for Matured. Cooked. Not naive. But also the name of a small town, (or rather, village) situated within the Larut, Matang dan Selama district in Perak, which covers Taiping as well. In that case, Matang is merely a stone's throw away from Taiping town.

Coming from Ipoh towards the north, exit at Taiping/Changkat Jering toll exit. Then follow the road sign to Taiping town, passing by Changkat Jering, and going along Jalan Simpang (Simpang's a small town before Taiping, btw) until you reach the traffic lights at a crossroad. Turn left towards Matang/Kuala Sepetang, and you'll soon cross an overhead bridge, overlooking the North-South Highway.

A short distance away, and you'll reach a 90 degrees right curve, followed by a turning on your left into Kampung Matang. Take the NEXT turning to the left instead, and you'll soon reach Matang town, with a Chinese temple on your left. Directly opposite the temple is our destination of the day, for ....

MATANG FAMOUS SEAFOOD PORRIDGE !!!

Light House Seafood Restaurant

There are at least 3 or 4 similar establishments around the same area, and we believed KCA when she said her mum recommended Light House Seafood restaurant instead of the rest .... Her parents are foodies, full-fledged personnels, searching for good food at every nook and corner ... =P

Humoungous claypot of seafood porridge, with shark's meat (yes, read that right), homemade fishballs, prawns, and enoki mushrooms

We ordered TWO pots of porridge, one with prawns, one without. Simply because KYT cannot "tahan" (stand) the overwhelming seafood flavours, proclaiming them as too fishy. Yet he managed to gobble tonnes after tonnes of sushi, sashimi, and all types of seafood imaginable, the night before at TAO. Hmm ... Contradicting statements, huh? =P

Here at Light House, you choose what goes into your pot of porridge. From types of fish such as tiger grouper, normal grouper, pomfret and shark's meat, to fishballs, prawns, and shellfish. We opted for shark's meat, fishballs and prawns, as the other species are pricier options. Moreover, boiling tiger grouper in porridge somehow sounds sooooo wrong, no?

Smooth, delightful grains of rice, boiled with the sweetness of the seafood-infused broth, complemented by the abundance of rich, succulent seafood. No soy sauce or pepper necessary, else you just 'kill' the flavours. One small reminder though, if you're not a big eater, ask for smaller portion. They tend to go overboard in stuffing your guts.

Steamed Clams (La-la) RM12

If you do not wish for all the ingredients to 'drown' in the porridge, you can order side dishes. We ordered the steamed La-La. Pleasantly surprised by the LARGER than usual clams, with thick, succulent meat, steamed to perfection. Yup, at RM12 for that large serving. Worth every cent.

Or Chien aka Oyster Omelette @ RM15

The Or Chien did not fare too well, though the fried egg was crisp at sides, and the 'wok hei' shone through. However, too much flour was used, rendering the omelette stickier than your average, and the oysters barely noticable.

Deep-fried Fish (Cai Yu Zhai) 16 pieces for RM13

Crispy, fried small fish that went really well with the wet, and sweet porridge. Provided much desired crispiness and texture. A good snack, nevertheless.

Total damage? RM127. The 2 pots of porridge cost RM72, each ingredients priced separately. RM42 for the shark's meat, RM21 for the prawns, and RM9 for the fishballs. Oh, did I mention that the fishballs are not your typical variety? These are larger, firm yet bouncy balls, homemade and tasty. Be sure to add them into your customized pot of simple food for the soul ...

UPDATED 9/9/08 - Location : Light House Seafood Restaurant @ No. 10, Jalan Cina, 34750 Matang, Taiping, Perak. Tel : 05-8475408, 05-8475649.

Opening hours : 11am - 11pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

Map to the Place

TAO Cuisine Japanese Buffet @ Juru Autocity, Penang

The front entrance to TAO Cuisine - Famous for its Japanese buffet and sushi

Imagine a week in anticipation. Advance booking's necessary especially on weekends. I still remembered them doubters, flicking me off when I suggested that we should book in advance. Then reality sunk in while we were dining, and the whole place was packed to the brim. With overflowing crowd, some peeking at us through the glass window, probably wishing for a taste, or a maybe a seat.

The heavy eastern influence clearly projected through the ambience

Situated in Auto-City in Juru, Penang, this restaurant famous for its Japanese buffet, had been operating for a few years, with another outlet at E-Gate on Penang island. When I was a mere student, forking out RM50 per person for a meal sounded far-fetched, and bordering on absurdity. Now? It's possibly time for a comeback. With a vengeance. Muahaha ...

Their sushi counter, with UNlimited supplies of rolled rice with all types of fish imaginable ... With the sushi master helming the process, you can be assure of the freshness of the cuts

With more than 100 items on their menu, the concept is simple, albeit slightly different from the average buffet meals. You ORDER the dishes you desire through the person waiting (waiter-ing?) your table, instead of getting up from your seat every few minutes to replenish your plates. Pros? Perfect for lazybums (like us), and you can browse the menu in the comfort of your seats, rather than pressured to choose at the buffet line. Cons? The 10% service charge, and frantically waving for their attention. But fortunately, although we were seated in a private room (for larger crowds, obviously) the waiter was very attentive, and dropped by our door to check if we need anything, periodically.

Sary Abalone - Fresh, QQ-texture abalone slices with mayo sauce

Sashimi Karapacho (yup, I suspect they mean carpaccio, but the raw cuts were different) - Various chunks of fish/octopus drizzled, or doused with mayo, and sweet Japanese sauce

Salmon Papaya

Their signature item, Salmon Papaya which were cuts of sweet, matured papaya wrapped with smoked salmon. A different flavour, fusion if you will, but remember to eat them once they're served. After awhile, the cuts tend to get a little soggy. Over-hyped, me thinks.

Sashimi Moriawase and various Hand Rolls

Thick cuts of salmon, butterfish and octopus served fresh. However, the serving above was a DOUBLE portion. Imagine that. Probably a strategy to minimize wastage, OR cut cost. As I'm sure everyone would be gunning for the sashimi to get his/her money's worth. The hand rolls were so-so, too much rice, and too little fillings. And the seaweed's too chewy for my preference.

Chef Maki - Changes every now and then, depending on the chef at helm. Delightful salmon slices with kiwi, and sides of crunchy seaweeds and salad

Kimisu Tako, Tako Sunomono, and Lingo To Mozuku Zuke - All passable appetizers, the first two involved tako, or octopus, while the latter was crunchy strands of seaweed

(Clockwise from top left) : Thai Spicy Lamb, Grilled Shisamo (smelt), Teppanyaki Duck Breast, and Yakitori (grilled chicken on skewers)

The cooked items on the menu were an impressive lot, incorporation grilling, steaming, and boiling, and influences from every corner, from Chinese to Western, and Thai to Korean. Particularly interesting was the Thai Spicy Lamb, marinated lamb cuts cooked in a spicy sauce, with capsicums and onions. Every bite was an explosive myriad of flavours, savoury, and spicy. The grilled chicken on skewers were exceptionally large cuts of chicken thigh meat, so much that we were having problem finishing them. Probably a plot to fill our stomach in order to prevent over-binging on other items? Hmm ....

(Clockwise from top left) : Steamed Unagi (eel), Taiwan Mantis Prawns, Tako Kimchi, and White Skin Crab

Some crappy stuff like the White Skin Crab resembled poorly wrapped Chee Cheong Fun, with bits of crab meat, and the mantis prawns which were a tad saltish. The steamed unagi was delectable, and its freshness shone through. If only we opted for a larger portion ...

Grilled Lamb Shoulder

No gravy was necessary. Juicy cuts of lamb shoulder marinated to perfection. No gamey taste, no chewy texture. But some fatty parts remained intimidatin. Must-try.

Sakana with Spicy Mayo

Grilled cuts of cod fish, topped with creamy mayo sauce with a kick. Suffice to say, these disappeared in a flash.

Grilled Salmon

Rich with Omega-3, salmon remains as the top choice for fatty fishes, as tuna and cod are pricier options. Large plate of perfectly grilled salmon, fresh, and devoid of fishy flavour. KYT nodded in agreement. Hehehe .... The skin was crispy as well.

Mixed Tempura (Prawns and Vegetables)

Normally, the main problem with tempura dishes in buffet meals would be too cold, and the batter too thick, rendering them inedible if not dunked in the tentsuyu sauce, and lots of daikon (white radish). But at Tao, as they deep-fry them ON-THE-SPOT, the crunchy and light batter complemented the fresh prawns really well. One minor gripe; Where's the daikon??!!

Shitake Kushi (Grilled shitake mushrooms on skewers)

Juicy mushrooms, grilled with a bit of salt. Appeared rather dry and shrunken, but surprisingly moist and tasty. Good snack. Though the others did not resound my opinions.

Crab Meat With Cheese

One glimpse and these fried 'wanton'-like structures looked mediocre. But one bite, and we were in seventh heaven. Hot, creamy cheese oozed from the fillings, very rich, but paired with the crunchy skin, this is a MUST-TRY item. We ordered second servings before the end of the meal.

Motoyaki Scallops

And this might be MY favourite choice for the whole evening. Grilled scallops with a spicy and creamy sauce. I downed a few in no time. And we ordered seconds as well. Not exactly BIG in sizes, but scored with the full flavour. And you can have UNlimited servings of these babies. Size indeed, DOES NOT matter.

One word ... Zen

We only managed to order roughly only 50% of the items in the menu. Yup, there are WAY more to choose from. Of course, some dishes I did not snap, and some photos came out blurry as everybody's in frenzy to tuck in.

Price : RM48/person ++. But come before 6.30pm and you'll get an "Early Bird" discount of 10%. Thus, we paid RM50 per pax nett. Their dining session is separated into two, to cater to a larger crowd. 5.30pm - 8.00pm, and 8.00pm - 10.30pm. Pick one, and remember to book in advance if you're going on weekends or public holidays, to avoid disappointment.

Location : TAO Authentic Asian Cuisine @ Juru Auto-City, Penang. From the North-South highway towards Penang from the south, turn left into the JURU exit, after the Juru toll. You'll see the Auto-City on your left, even from the highway. Tel No : 04-5017826.

Website : www.tao-cuisine.com

We are Rice Pots, after all ...

Rainy day here in Ipoh ... After a whole day OUT of office, I'm somewhat glad the journey to Sitiawan/Lumut was worthwhile. A short post tonight, as I'm in no mood for babbling. Or maybe some rants here & there.

Today's post on Malaysians' staple food, RICE. Overpriced commodity, causing an uproar recently with prices increasing in folds,whereby our meagre salary had been stagnant, and struggling to cope with the villain-ous inflation, badly hitting the low-middle income bracket of the community. Sigh ....

~~ SRI ASOKA CORNER BANANA LEAF RICE @ STADIUM IPOH ~~

UPDATED : Here's a link to The Star's Sunday Metro's take on my post. (31/8/08)

Stall No 19 - Sri Asoka Corner

Banana leaf curry rice is no doubt, a most popular Malaysian favourite, more so in Klang Valley than any other states. But Ipoh has a few gems here and there, one fine example being Sri Asoka Corner at Stadium Ipoh's food centre.

Famed for their banana leaf rice, which is essentially white rice with mixed vegetables served on banana leaf, with your choice of curries. The leaves are supposed to be aesthetically pleasing, and believed to impart a fragrant aroma to the rice. Not scientifically-proven though. But who cares? =)

The variety of curries available, the mixed vegetables served with the rice, and the fish cake with potatoes

Choose your curry/meat at the counter, choices ranging from chicken, mutton to fish and squids, the variety's tempting, and had me salivating before I was seated. But once again, I tend to be slightly biased towards anything spicy, so there.

Then a banana leaf (or two, as my first one was torn, risking a mess of curries and rice) will be laid in front of you on the table, and white rice will be scooped onto your leaf. Make sureyou stop them, as they tend to go overboard with the rice. (Gee, somehow the sting of inflation evaded them?) This will be followed by generous servings of vegetables such as shredded cabbage, white radish, and potatoes to complement the rice. Unlimited ladles of curry is available to douse your rice with, promising a thoroughly wet experience.

Devil Chicken Curry

Mutton Curry

Of course, though the vegetables with curries make a complete meal, do not forget the meat. Oh yeah ... We are carnivores after all. I mean, OMNIvores. The mutton curry was delicious, but the fatty parts may be intimidating. Cholesterol-rich food = A few years of life sacrificed?

The dry devil chicken curry was not spicy at all, with bits and parts of chicken cooked with dried chillies and various condiments. Not too dry, though the appearance was misleading.

A meal for two, cost RM14, excluding drinks. The rice and vegetables are supposedly unlimited, but trust me, one serving's all necessary to fill that hollow vacuum in your stomach. =P

Location : Sri Asoka Corner @ Stall No 19, Medan Selera Stadium Ipoh (if that's what the place is called). It's the rows of stalls next to the main stadium in Ipoh, situated at the Ipoh Garden-Fair Park roundabout. Opens for lunch everyday, until about 4pm.

~~ K10 CLAYPOT CHICKEN RICE @ BERCHAM, IPOH ~~

Remember that the shop's name is invisible at night, therefore recognize this stall's number, K10

Still longing for MORE rice? Good, here's more. Bercham's famous for a lot of hawker fare, such as Claypot Crab Glass Noodles. And of course, the perennial favourite among the Chinese community, Claypot Chicken Rice.

BIG serving of claypot chicken rice @ RM10

Previous dismal outing at K10 Claypot Chicken Rice restaurant in Medan Ipoh Baru, behind Jusco somehow made me lost faith in ever finding another noteworthy effort in Ipoh. I'm not a fan of claypot chicken rice myself, not as fanatic as my brother for sure.

So I inched my way gingerly towards this restaurant in Bercham, purpotedly serving quite yummy version of the aforementioned dish for some years now.

Arriving for an early dinner on a rainy night, the place was surprisingly empty, with only a few tables occupied. But throwing caution to the wind, I sat myself down, and ordered a portion for two, and a plate of simple "Choy Sum Fa" or mustard greens(?).

Topped with marinated chicken bits, waxed sausages, and salted fish, and garnished with spring onions

The rice arrived piping hot, but the claypot was surprisingly 'clean', as in free of charred bottoms and all. Any fan of claypot chicken rice would have appreciated slightly burnt inner walls of the pot, swearing on its smoky flavour imparted on the rice, and the authentic flavour of the rice cracks stuck to the bottom of the pot.

But we were glad the rice was pretty scrumptious, with generous servings of chicken wings and thighs, each grain separated well and not lumpy, drizzled with their concoction of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and chinese cooking wine. Addition of salted fish and waxed sausages further enhance the texture and flavour to the dish, promising endless scavenging for ingredients. Though slightly disappointed as I miss the 'kerak nasi' all the way ... =(

Simple greens in soy sauce and onion oil

Surprisingly cheap, as the BIG pot cost RM10, and the vegetables was a mere RM3 per plate.

Location : Situated on the main road of Bercham, going from Tesco Extra towards Bercham police station. On the left side of the road, branching to Lorong Bercham 4, you'll find this restaurant operating at night, and packed on most evenings. Yup, when we were tucking in, we realised the place was already fully-packed. Wow ... with the rain and all, who would've thought the citizens of Ipoh would STILL eat out?

But maybe, we are indeed, RICE POTS ("Fan Pou" - in Chinese, referring to a person who can't live without his/her servings of rice daily) after all ....

Paddington House of Pancakes @ Hartamas Shopping Center, Kuala Lumpur

Phew.... Spent a night in Taiping yesterday, and went to Tao Cuisine for the first time. Did it live up to the hype? Was the RM50/pax buffet worth travelling THAT far til Juru? Well, wait for it, as for now, I'm too fatigued to transfer and arrange my photos. =P

TOKYO - Grilled Chicken thigh, tomatoes, chicken ham, oyster mushrooms, mozzarella, served with rolled pannekoek, and mashed potatoes (RM18.50)

Back to KL post again. Yes, I'm indecisive. Alternating between new and old photos, and Ipoh and KL food, somehow there's an urge to recommend this place to everyone who's a fan of pancakes, that is, IF you've never been to Paddington House of Pancakes before. Doubtful, if you're staying in KL, as they have branches in most major shopping complexes.

A closer look at the TOKYO (that's the name for the pancake, not the country it is from)

A highly recommended item, from KCA who had been there before, and lukimoto who was my dining companion for the evening. She being a food enthusiast herself, was raving about the rolled pannekoek, a type of Dutch pancake wrapping some lettuce (I think it was lettuce), more than the grilled chicken and ham, thus, made up her mind to order the TOKYO.

Hmm, the grilled chicken thigh was a tad dry, and the texture resembled chicken breast, topped with tomato paste and mozzarella cheese, which unfortunately was not as tasty as the description in the menu had me believed. The rolled pannekoek on the other hand, delivers a crunchy, and healthy alternative to the run-of-the-mill sides of salad or coleslaw.

MEXICAN DOUBLE BURGER - Double beef patties with lettuce, pineapple rings, guacamole, grilled cheddar, gherkins and fries (RM27.50)

First of all, the menu's VERY extensive, covering practically anything and everything possibly created with pancakes, and then some. Needless to say, we were having a tough time making our decision, and sad to say, the waiter was NOT of much assistance.

But we pulled through, and picked the Mexican Double Burger, for the sake of appeasing the fast-food junkies in us,plus the gorgeous photo of the burger in the menu was enticing, though we did not expect to witness the same appetizing look in real form.

Serving's HUMOUNGOUS. Some dishes are best for sharing, really.

Pleasantly surprised by the burger. Stacked to the sky, with two thick, juicy beef patties. Trust me, Carl's JR, Wendy's, Burger King, TGI Friday's and even McDonald's burgers do not come close to these babies. Grilled to perfection, literally, and sandwiched between their famous soft, fluffy pancakes sprinkled with sesame seeds (to mimic Big Macs I suppose?). You can choose chicken over beef, but I see no reason for it, unless your religion forbids.

Two FAT, GREASY thumbs up for the burger, albeit none for the fries. They were a bit soggy, and lost the crisp, though thicker cut of potatoes were used.

Maple Baked Mixed Fruits (Peaches, Plum, Pineapple, Strawberries, Blueberries) & Ice Cream Oven-Baked Puff Pancakes (RM23.50)

Paddington's running a promotion right now. For purchases of over RM50, you're entitled to order ONE dessert pancake at 50% off!!! And trust me, their dessert pancakes cover a whole lotsa selections, and we cracked our heads trying to pick one. Of course, paying HALF-PRICE for a pancake sounds orgasmically-alluring, thus we tried to pick the most EXPENSIVE option available. Muahaha ...

And we did not come out disappointed. Served warm in a pan, the pancake was soft, fluffy and crisp at the crust (think pizzas), with toppings of mixed fruits, and vanilla ice cream. For an extra RM5, you can opt for drizzles of fruit liquer. Suffice to say, the desserts ended our dinner on a high note.

Promotion of 50% off desserts with orders of over RM50, available on weekdays only

Location : Paddington House of Pancakes @ G20, Hartamas Shopping Centre, No 60, Jln Sri Hartamas 1, Kuala Lumpur.

Motormouth took a bite off some Homemade Chocolate Cookies

When you're feeling blue .... nothing beats munching on a piece, or two, or a whole plate of chocolate cookies for that matter. In the office, during working hours, no less.

Courtesy of a fellow blogger (thanks Min!!!), who bakes, cooks and blogs her experiments all this while, and yet this is the FIRST time we get to sample her creations. Hmm ... Or rather, her modified intepretation of some random recipe.

But better than nothing, and quite timely if I may say so, as her cookies supplemented me on a barren, breakfast-less morning. An impulsive urge to reach for another bite, and then another, AND another somehow left the container half empty. Whoops. And we were supposed to sample them only, and share the cookies. But of course, sharing's a foreign word to me, not in my dictionary. Muahaha .... ^o^

So, enough babbling. What's the name for the cookies? They HAD to have a name. I insisted. But Min, being indecisive, and humble, let my imaginations run wild. Let's call them ....

MINi Homemade Chocolate Cookies of Love & Affection. Or not. But here's the recipe ;

130g butter (melted)
90g brown sugar
60g granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla essense
1 egg
180g self raising flour
120g bitter chocolate chunk
100g walnut chunk
50g raisin

1. Beat butter and sugar till light and creamy. Add in egg and beat until well-combined.
2. Add in vanilla essense, followed with sifted flour and mix well.
3. Fold in chocolate, walnut chunk and raisin.
4. Place tablespoonfuls of mixture onto a baking paper lined tray.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 180'C for 15 minutes.
6. Leave the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the tray.

P/S : No, I'm not drunk. Nor did you stumble upon the wrong blog. This is the Motormouth, posting something entirely different, for the sake of it. Office's freezing cold, (either it's the rain, or the hauntingly chilly aura of the 7th Month in Chinese calendar?) and my grey matter's frozen, at lost of what to do, or say, or whatever ....

Do scroll further down for an earlier post on PASAR MALAM in Ipoh Garden East.

Yummy Street Food from Night Market @ Ipoh Garden East

What a BRILLIANT morning! Breezy, cooling, and best of all, NO WORK (yet) !!! Muahaha ..... Let's do something different today, and not post reviews on restaurants, cafes and coffee shops. Let's drop the formality, dining etiquette, shimmering attire, meddlesome cutleries, and patch that hole in your pocket, by shifting our attention to Street Food. Glorious gastronomic delights, under-rated in terms of publicity, but well-deserving of a Michelin star or two. =P

Stinky beancurd, Malaysian-ized?

Trust me, it's EASY to locate this stall. Follow the aroma (or stench, depends on your intepretation) ...

RM2.00 for a small bag of goodness. Only for the STRONG.

Still craves for MORE fried goodies? Pick your "poisons"!!!

Notice the DARK red giant crustaceans in the pic? Marvelous creation ....

Apom. Or whatever you're calling them. Fragrant and light, the perfect snack? (RM1 for 3)

Or fancy your Apom (or Ban Chang Kueh) with a touch of crispiness, and peanuts/corns? (RM0.70/pc)

Modernized potato chips from Potato King (RM3.50), all pieces still clinging on to dear life, connected to each other, with skins proudly displayed, on a skewer

Pick from seasonings of Japanese seaweed, cheese, chilli powder, BBQ and what-nots. Addictive, crispy-licious stuff. Better than your average Mister Potato.

(They're the POTATO KING after all ... A touch of royalty never hurts )

Batter-fried Cempedak (jackfruit), 4 pieces at RM2.00 - SWEET, juicy flesh coated with crispy batter ... Oily, cholesterol-laden morsels. Eat at own's risk.

Luckily, we were there early. Long queues are known to associate with this stall, selling tenpura-style deep-fried vege/meat. Choose from enoki mushrooms, french beans, chicken, sweet potatoes, cuttlefish and mushrooms. (RM2-RM3/packet)

Deep-fried enoki mushrooms with batter, and sprinkled liberately (optional) with chilli powder

Wash all the grease, and heatiness with Fried ICE?!!

"Fried" rapidly on a metal plate, the shaved ice becomes sooooo fine and smooth, with melt-in-mouth texture. Choose from 3 flavours - Coconut, Lychee or Lime (RM2.50)

Phew .... A simple marathon of street food at the night market = Inches to the waist (fortunately, the brisk-strolling somehow negated the effects?), = Feast for the senses, and fulfilling in terms of cravings satiated, hunger pangs appeased, and money spent, wisely?

Location : Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, the area behind Jusco Kinta City, Ipoh. Every TUESDAYS, from evening onwards.

LEMONGRASS Kajang Satay ?!!!

Back to Ipoh food (temporarily, for fear of amnesia strikes) for today's post. After that mediocre outing at Haji Samuri Kajang Satay in Bukit Tinggi, Klang (read my laments HERE) last month, I lost all hope in yummylicious satay, or KAJANG satay, for that matter. I mean, Haji Samuri's supposed to be THE best Kajang Satay, with heavy promotions, branches more than an oak tree, and throngs of satay-lovers sacrificing their beloved hearts for the cholesterol-laden and charred temptations.

Serai=Lemongrass ... !!! ARGH !!! Paranoia strikes !!!

SERAI Sate Kajang opened last month or so, tucked near the end of a rather secluded row of new shops, behind Ipoh's Tesco hypermarket in Medan Ipoh Bistari area. Previous strolls revealed the immense crowd on weekends, a positive sign of either the satay IS good, OR we Ipoh-ans are just desperate for a taste of Kajang satay.

Less than stellar review by a Malay colleague, probably a foodie herself, Ms Suzy whom hyper-ventilated-ly lamented the poor service, and low quality of food marred my plans to visit this outlet for a potential review.

But the temptation was too much to resist, and I found myself magnetically-attracted to the place one fine evening, for a light dinner. Or that's how I hoped my meal would be.

Typical peanut gravy with spicy sambal - A signature of Kajang satay outlets

As expected, the place was pretty packed, and it was before dinner hours. Variety's limited, only chicken, beef, perut (cow's stomach), lamb and deer meat are available. Other selections include nasi himpit (rice with coconut milk ~ ketupat), chicken rice and even Muar otak-otak.

First to arrive on your table would be the sauce for the satay. A bowl of peanut gravy - thick and sweet with lots of crunchy peanuts, and a smaller bowl of fiery dark red sambal chilli sauce.

Messy DIY concoction of rich, thick and spicy peanut sauce

The concept's simple. Add the sambal into your bowl of peanut sauce, according to how much your stomach can erm .. stomach the spiciness. Be warned, do not go overboard before testing your bowl of fire.

Double servings of Nasi Himpit (RM0.50/serving)

The nasi himpit at Haji Samuri fares better compared to the ones served here. The nasi himpit at Serai was too mushy and soft, a wee bit sticky, and lacking in texture. Unlike the more compact offering by Haji Samuri.

Chicken and Beef Satay (Rm0.70/stick)

Yup, a stick cost 70 cents now. Even pricier than Haji Samuri's. Still reminiscing the good old times when a stick cost a mere 30-40 cents. Sigh ... Blame it on the petrol?

Of course, all that matters is the taste. And at Serai, I'm glad that the satay are grilled on the spot, fresh and piping hot, unlike their counterpart (gee, I'm REALLY comparing these two outlets, huh?) where you get your satay in an instant, grilled in bulk, thus the meat may be slightly cold. And the chunks of meat are fat-less, marinated well, not too sweet nor salty, and char-grilled to perfection. Minimal burnt parts=More edible parts.

Lamb Satay (Rm1/stick)

But what satisfied my lust the most (no, not THE lust, but the cravings for meat lust) were the lamb on skewers. Thicker cut compared to the chicken and beef, but lacked the gamey texture, these were really good. Though good things come at a price, RM1.00 per stick, no less.

We did not go crazy on the orders, as this was not our sole dinner for the evening. =P More like a tea-time/dinner hybrid. A meal for two including drinks came to RM12 only. And was I glad the name Serai (Lemongrass in Malay) is nothing but a name. And their meat is devoid of over-powering lemongrass scents. Shudder to think the possibilities ....

Location : SERAI Sate Kajang, Jalan Medan Ipoh 1E, Medan Ipoh Bistari, 31400 Ipoh.

Specifically, this shop is somewhere behind the McDonald's drive-thru restaurant on JalanTasek, Ipoh. It's at a new row of shops, directly behind the row of 4-storeys shoplots facing Jalan Tasek, noticably with HUGE signboards/billboards.

Love Thai? (Rak Thai @ The Gardens, Midvalley)

The other day we were searching high and low for some good grubs around Midvalley shopping centre, but to no avail. In dire need of suggestion, what do people eat in Midvalley anyway? Other than the occasional Burger King/Domino Pizza cravings, we ended up in The Gardens for food on most days.

Comfortable, plush sofa ... But if you're dining, prepare for a bad back!

Initially planned to dine at Sushi Zanmai, but our pursue came to a halt somewhere halfway there, (it is located at the top floor of The Gardens, and walking all the way from Midvalley, that is quite a journey). Countless escalators to be transcended more, we surrendered to our hunger pangs, and the crowd at Rak Thai caught our eyes.

Let's hope there's no birds' droppings!

Of all the visits to The Gardens lower ground floor (where the REAL action's at, food-wise that is), I never paid much attention to Rak Thai, as the place was quite deserted on weekdays. Situated next to SBread, and Big Apple Donuts, and opposite Nyonya Colors, the patronage level seems to pale in comparison to other offerings, such as Din Tai Fung, for example.

But that evening, the restaurant was fully packed, and as soon as we sighted an empty table for 4, we rammed and bulldozed through every obstacles, and jumped into the seats. Muahaha .... The usherer was probably scratching his head, wondering "What's up with these barbarians?!!"

Pandan Lemongrass Drink (Rm2.50), Thai Iced Coffee (Rm3.90)

Beverages section is your usual suspects, from fruit juices to their "authentic" Thai tea and coffee, as well as the strange sounding Pandan Lemongrass drink. Surprisingly, the drink was pretty good, typical pandan-flavoured water with a stalk of lemongrass (as stirrer, I supposed?). Definitely NOT my choice, as I've absolutely no lurve for lemongrass. Hehe .... The Thai Iced Coffee was my choice, nothing special, but loved the milky caffeine boost. Oh, they serve Vietnamese Drip Coffee as well. Talk about influence from neighbouring countries!

Som Tam, or Papaya Salad (Rm4.90)

Thai food aficionados would attest to their famous tangy salad, in particular the mango or papaya salad. The portion may be small, but served its purpose as an appetizer, with its saliva-inducing sour and spicy flavours. Oh, careful as there ARE bits and pieces of bird's eye chilli implanted within the mash of humble-looking young papaya strips, raw long beans, and peanuts. Piquant, tangy, and appetizing, this was a positive sign of things to come.

Tom Yam Kung (RM10.90)

Yes, we are predictable. But what's Thai food without its ***star attraction***, the sweat-inducing Tom Yam soup. Two varieties are served, one with chicken, the other with seafood. When the large bowl arrived, I was stunned as the broth was clear, without any signs of murky tomyam paste, and the soup was brimming with ingredients. Albeit of the inedible species, namely lemongrass, kaffir lime, galangal, chillis and what-nots. Of course, 2 medium-sized prawns, oyster mushrooms, and chicken meat (or was there any?) were thrown in for good measure. But the clear tom yam broth may be misleading, as the full flavour of the spicy and sour concoction pulled through, and definitely on par with (or even surpass) the tomyam soup we normally have in Malaysia.

Pineapple Fried Rice (RM12.90)

Belacan Fried Rice (RM11.90)

Routinely, we would have ordered white rice to pair with the tomyam soup, but no intentions to stuff ourselves with meagre rice (no love lost, ok?), we opted for two version of fried rice; the Pineapple Fried Rice, and the Belacan (pungent/fermented shrimp paste) Fried Rice. Both were delicious in their own rights, the former shone with its sweet and sour pineapple cubes and fluffy rice fried to perfection, served in a hollow pineapple half. The latter on the other hand, was slightly disappointing presentation-wise, but scored with its strong flavours, coming from the belacan and the various ingredients used, eg. shrimps, eggs, kangkung (water convolvulus ... gee, vulgar sounding vege eh?) and crab sticks.

BBQ Chicken Khao San Style (RM12.90)

Khao San is a backpacker's paradise, a road buzzing with activities in Bangkok, Thailand. But I did not realize their BBQ Chicken is to-die-for though. The barbecued whole boneless chicken thigh was served on a bed of lettuce, and a simple Thai chilli sauce for dipping. A tad dry for my dining companions, but I found the meat to be juicy enough, and retained much of the taste of the meat, with a smoky finish. Not highly recommended, but satiate the carnivorous appetite.

Mango Sticky Rice (RM5.90)

Tub Tim Krob (RM4.90)

Desserts came in the form of Mango Sticky Rice and Tub Tim Krob. Throughout my trip to Bangkok aeons ago (gee, wont' someone PLEASE invite me along to Bangkok again? I'm on the brink of desperation!), one of my favourite street food was the mango sticky rice. Yup, nothing else came close, though the beef noodles fared pretty well in my books too. The version served at Rak Thai was abyssmal, a tiny, sloppy chunk of glutinous rice drenched with coconut milk, and half a mango, that's screaming "I'm a Local Malaysian Product!". Not as sweet as the ones I've had in Bangkok.

Tub Tim Krob is famous Thai dessert, which is essentially water chestnut with tapioca coating, dyed in dark red. Chewy, crunchy beads, served with jackfruit strips, and shaved ice. Refreshing, but slightly pricey for a small bowl.

They have NO signboards, just a simple banner

The meal cost RM77.77 for the three of us, including 10& service charge. Reasonable, as this is in The Gardens, after all. They sell various Thailand products as well, such as instant noodles (Mama brand comes to mind, but in Betong, we bought it at RM16 for a box of 30 packets).

Location : RAK THAI @ LG232A, The Gardens, Mid Valley City. Easy to locate, as coming from Midvalley's lower ground floor (the level with all the restaurants and fast food outlets), you'll notice this Thai restaurant on your left, exactly by The Gardens' border.

For other's take on Rak Thai, click on these :

3 Meals of Goodness, The Gastronomic's Diary

Of Lawan Kuda's Chee Cheong Fun, Kampar's Hawker Fare, & The Slaughter

A break from the Cameron Highlands posts, giving way to photos from my stash of backlogs. Yeah, all the while watching (or rather listening to) the epic battle between our very own badminton superstar, Lee Chong Wei, against China's great wall, Lin Dan. Why bother blogging at now? Well, let's just say, it's tough watching Lee fell in the 1st game, and til now, still being "slaughtered" by Lin Dan left and right. Sigh .... Guess RM300k is adequate?

Remember the old couple's faces, as the shop has no name

Still remember The Star's Sunday Metro's recommendation of Lawan Kuda's Chee Cheong Fun (Rolled Rice Noodles)? Lawan Kuda is a small town near to Gopeng, about 30km from Ipoh.

Many may associate the name of the town with "weird" food, from fruit foxes to terrapins, and snake's blood soup to squirrels' meat. Therefore, it was an eye-opener for me of sort, reading about this stall selling Chee Cheong Fun (CCF), and supposedly quite famous for it. Suffice to say, this stall warrants a visit in my book, and the opportunity came when work took me over to Lawan Kuda.

Their homemade stuffed fish paste (Yong Tau Foo) to complement the CCF

Locating this stall was not hard. Situated on the main road of Lawan Kuda, this stall opens only a few days a week, from Thurs-Sunday (reference : Sunday Metro), from 12pm onwards. The stall is next to a Chinese medicine shop, punctuated by TWO big, colourful umbrellas. Opens only during lunch hour, we were amazed by the endless queue for the CCF once the stall started operating. Students, housewives, workers etc swarmed the stall as soon as we took our orders. It was a good thing we arrived earlier.

My plate of CCF with Curry Pork's Skins and Long Beans, and sides of Yong Tau Foo (RM4.70)

They serve the CCF with curries or plain with soy sauce, and the obvious popular choice would be the curry pork's skins. That's not all, the extensive array of Yong Tau Foo, supposedly homemade, are the perfect partners for the noodles.

The springy fish-pork balls, steamed and deep-fried varieties

So, how did the CCF fare? The flat rice noodles were indeed very smooth, served plain with NO dried shrimps unlike Ipoh's version. And fried shallots is an optional garnishing, remember to ask for them, or take them yourself from the container.

The Yong Tau Foo were passable, some hits, some misses. Particularly yummy was the deep-fried balls (fish/pork), a signature item. The curry on the other hand, disappointed us as it was plain oily. So oily in fact, that the chopsticks and plates they serve the CCF on were all greasy from the previous person's indulgence. Yeah, grab a tissue along before you tuck in.

If you're sitting at their stall's area, drinks are not served. But they can order for you from the market opposite their stall. Sugar cane juice was the beverage of the day. Diluted, not sweet, but quench our thirst nevertheless.

Kampar town, south of Ipoh

If you're going south bound, after Gopeng, you'll reach the town of Kampar after 15-20 minutes. A popular stop for tourists occupying the trunk road, Kampar is famous for a variety of food, such as the Claypot Chicken Rice, Roti Kari Ayam (Curry Chicken Bread), Ais Kacang, Lou Shu Fan (short rice noodles), and a myriad of hawker delights.

The main food court in Kampar, next to the morning market

To sample a little bit of everything, it is highly recommended that you pay a visit to the Medan Selera next to the morning market, situated on Jalan Pasar.

Memorize the stalls' number, if you can't read Chinese (like me)

With what could possibly be hundreds of stalls (OK, I'm exaggerating, but there are at least 50?) around, the area is separated into 2 sections, one serving halal food, while another with mainly Chinese stalls. Once you step into the food court, you'll be at lost for directions. There are so many stalls, with so many patrons, it is generally tough to make a decision on where to park your butt. Rule of the thumb? Sit where the crowd are. You can't go wrong. Unless you order what others are NOT ordering.

Gorgeously sinful

Stall No 42 has been serving their famous glutinous rice and yam cakes for years. The locals mostly throng the stall during breakfast hours, and the glutinous rice is a hot commodity, wiped out before lunch. So be sure to arrive early.

Savoury glutinous rice, complemented with "char siew" slices, peanuts and scallions, doused with curry (optional). Sheer bliss scooping the grains into your mouth. Simple, unpretentious, but got the job done. At roughly RM2 per plate (with curry), it was a good start to the day.

Notice The Star's coverage of this humble stall?

Still craving for more? Or looking for something lighter, and healthier? Check out this porridge stall, manned by 2 ladies. Signature item? Pork porridge.

Food for the Soul?

A bowl of smooth, creamy porridge with chunks of minced pork meat and pig's liver cost RM2.50. Though for some, all porridge tastes the same. But to differentiate a good porridge from an average one, just sip/taste the consistency, and the flavour of the grains. Here, the porridge is smooth, indicating hours of boiling, and the taste is sweet, from the meat, and probably from the stock used to cook the boiling hot concoction.

What a way to start the day ...

A good ol' bowl of pork porridge and a cup of frothy hot coffee. Subdue your hunger pangs, and the caffeine will jolt your brains into activity. But, longing for more? :)

Nyonya kuih stall, outside the food court

Buy a piece or two, or maybe three, of the sweet or savoury snack termed "Nyonya Kuih", from the stalls lining the road outside of the food court. As ration when hunger strikes, or something sweet to tempt the palate while walking/driving to your office?

Out-of-topic Rant : Geez .... As expected, the slaughter ended quick, and painless. Or painful. Malaysia lost to China 21-12, 21-8, in about 30 mins. Well, there's always another Olympics, ya?

Cameron Highlands - Sungei Palas Boh Tea Plantations

After stuffing ourselves with scones and pies over at T Cafe on Tanah Rata (read previous post HERE), we soldiered on to the next destination, for fear of missing the opportunity.

Notice the settlement area? A primary school is situated in the midst of the plantation, catering to the educational needs of children so isolated from civilization?

On the way from Kampung Raja to Brinchang, we passed by the BOH Sungei Palas Tea Centre signboard on the right, and a quick glimpse revealed the opening hours from 9am - 4.30pm, and daily operation except Mondays. Wow, after lunch the time was nearly 3pm, hence the rush to get our caffeine fix over at the aforementioned destination. (Though coffee is not a popular option up there, so stick to your teas)

A word of advice ; Do let the one with the better vehicle-manoeuvring skills to take helm, as the roads to the tea centre are spiralling, and narrow. Some stretches are so narrow, that only ONE car can passby at a time. Please be extra cautious, and speeding is a definite no-no.

Choose between the steep tar road, or the tea bush walk to reach the tea centre

Once you survive the torturous ordeal of crossing the beaten track, praying at every corner and swerve for no incoming vehicles, you'll reach a barren land, to park your cars. There is a small settlement for the residents up the hill, no prize for guessing where their income is from. From here, you can either opt for the adventurous path up to the tea centre, tackling the tea bush walk (not tough, as stairs available), OR you can choose the easy way up, by tracking on the tar road.

See? They cleared a path for the adventure-seekers. So you can practise abstinence. From picking on the tea leaves, that is.

Choosing the tea bush walk is more rewarding, as the endless green fields of tea plantations offer a scenic landscape for avid photographers. Or unleash that camwhore in you. =)

Look at how tall the tree is ... Skyscraper of a species!

Clean, sleek, and modern architecture of the interior. The boards reveal the secrets, history and identity of Cameron Highlands

Tea Factory

Of course, what's a visit to the tea centre, without an educational tour around the processing plant, detailing every process of tea making (no, none of the teh tarik techniques). The tour is FREE, but you've to wait for a guide (there are a few, no worries), and form a small crowd before you can embark on your 'tour'.

The tour is interesting, as you learn the 5 steps in tea processing, from sorting, drying, and so on. (OK, so I wasn't exactly paying attention. Sue me ... =P)

The fans are mere decorations, we think. The windy hilltop surroundings is sufficient to provide breeze and circulation

Of course, Malaysians being Malaysians, the immensely 'taxing' 2 km trip into the tea centre wouldn't be complete without a sip of the homegrown, processed and widely distributed BOH tea, would it? :)

Unleash the child in you, glancing at the glass display of snacks, and point to your favourite pieces, to complement your hot cup of tea

They serve a dazzling array of tea, from your usual mik tea, to fruit infusions, and various fusion flavoured ones such as lemon myrtle, lychee, caramel and so forth. Previous visit revealed the lychee tea was aromatic, fresh, and soothing.

Huh? Steaming hot tea in paper cups???!!!

This time around, probably as a move to cut cost (every cup of tea costs around RM2-RM3 only), they utilize paper cups to serve their brews. Huh? Last time they used mugs. That was more like it. Fortunately they still exercise their common sense and wrap a thick cardboard around the cups, else you risk torching your pretty fingers.

My Passionfruit Orange was a deep red, alike F&N Strawberry colour, but too sour for good. I managed to finish barely half of the cup. Should've restrained myself and picked something safe instead. The other varieties seemed OK, as I barely heard laments. Or I could be busy indulging in these .....

Strawberry tart (RM3.50), Carrot Banana Cake (RM5) and Moist Chocolate (RM5)

Yup, desserts, for the 3rd time in half a day. Geez ... Mostly pharmacists, and nobody worried about our sugar levels spiking. Holidays ma .... rite? =P

"Why So Serious?"

Somehow these Joker cards are different from your usual clown pictures. Probably someone watched The Dark Knight, and utterly disgusted by the Joker's villainy streak.

Calm, quiet, unchartered territory ... Promising a sense of serenity and relaxation

The tea plantations nearer to the tea centre somehow lacked "Oomph!" (no pun intended). The tea leaves around that area were all dryer, and a shade of darker green.

Therefore, on the way back, we diverted and turned right at a junction to a signboard indicating strawberry farm. Once again, the paths are winding, and narrow (in fact, if you're driving an MPV of SUV, tough luck). But the pay off was well-worth the tachycardia experienced throughout the journey ....

A survivor/stranger amidst the lush greenery ....

Suffice to say, tonnes of pics were snapped, poses were struck, and dignity thrown out of the windows. Aaaahhhh .... to be experiencing secondary school years' lunacy all over again. Sheer bliss ....

to be continued ...

Cameron Highlands - Scones, Apple Pies and More @ T Cafe

After the strawberry feast at the Strawberry Farm @ Taman Agro Tourism/Cactus Valley, we moved down to Tanah Rata, for lunch. Yeah, desserts before the mains ...

The main bus terminal at Tanah Rata

T Cafe - Warmly Welcomes You? During daytime, this may NOT be what you desire as the hot and humid weather (yup, even in Cameron) is slightly forbidding ...

I was introduced to this cafe by TallGal during the previous visit. Supposedly popular for their scones, and apple pies, I found the Western and Asian fare they served were not up to par. But the strawberry scone was pretty good. That was 8 months ago.

The Eastern influence in the food, as well as the ambience was evident

After Googling around for good food BEFORE we set foot at Cameron Highlands, surprisingly, the unanimous votes go to T Cafe. Yup, it's THAT popular. Or over-rated. Depending on how you see it, and your experience at the place.

"Gee, how do I arrange 6 chairs to seat 10 ppl?"

No doubt the place is exuding a warmth and homely ambience, cozy enough for a satisfying meal, and bright enough for a good read while sipping on a cuppa. The seating capacity may be lacking, as the cafe occupies only the second floor, while Marrybrown is situated downstairs.

Aaahhh .... What better way to warm your hands than with a cup of CHINESE tea ... Huh?

The menu is quite impressive, serving Western and Asian food, from soups, sandwiches and chops to your everyday fried rice, noodles, and pasta. But their main selling point is their desserts, and they even cater to vegans, with a section of the menu tailored to their needs.

Claypot Chicken Rice

Sorry I could not remember the prices for most of the dishes, as the payment system is particularly interesting. You line up at the counter and pay before you leave, no receipts issued. Talk about self-service. Anyway, most of the Asian fare are below RM10, with most claypot noodles and rice around RM4.90 only.

The Claypot Chicken Rice was unlike your average serving, as the dish resembles fried rice in claypot, more than anything else. Still, it was satisfactory, with ample amount of chicken cubes, fried shallots, vegetables and egg. The claypot does impart a smoky aroma to the rice, while preserving the warmth of the grains.

Claypot Yee Mee (RM4.90)

Boiling in a claypot, the yee mee (Egg Noodles) arrived piping hot, perfect to warm the body in the cold weather. But as stated earlier, the weather just ain't what it was years ago. But still, sitting right by the windows did allow the breeze to reach us, else those indulging in their claypot meals would be sweating, a rare scenario at the highlands, no?

Fried Rice

I took a close up shot of the fried rice, but the portion was barely sufficient to feed a hungry ghost. I mean, human. And no, my itchy fingers did not pry the dish, as the rest were already eyeing my actions, hunger pangs screaming and all. But the response was positive, or was it?

Spaghetti Bolognese with Chicken

It struck me while I was browsing the menu, the Western fare is pricier, with chicken chops priced at around RM14.50, and the pasta selection at around RM9 each. I still remembered their lasagne was an abysmal affair, with tasteless, dilute tomato paste, and miniscule amount of beef, and cheese.

Mr Po ordered the fusilli (not spiralli as he had me believed ... hmmm) cooked with chicken bolognese, and the pasta came out disappointing. Again, the tomato paste was tasteless, too diluted, and spoiled what could have been a delicious meal.

Curry Chicken Rice

Dr ordered the curry chicken rice, an awkward choice, but rather befitting, as Cameron Highlands is also well-known for its Indian food. Probably the Indian community is aplenty, or curry does work its magic in the chilling weather.

Chicken Sandwich (RM3)

Still mighty bloated from the desserts, I ordered a simple chicken sandwich, and pleasantly surprised that the chicken is not your run-of-the-mill cold cuts, overnight, stripped (of its dignity) and shredded, but instead chicken cubes lightly pan-fried and served sandwiched between 2 slices of white bread, and partnered with the usual suspects of cucumber and lettuce. Quite tasty, but bear in mind eating the sandwich with bare hands may be a challenge, as the chicken pieces fell off and had to be 're-inserted' between the bread.

Hmm, strange that Motormouth can survive on sandwiches for lunch? .... Oh, that was not all !!

Moist Chocolate Cake (RM3.80)

Strawberry Scones (RM2.90)

Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice-Cream (RM5)

Yup, their desserts DID fare better, much better than the mains, scoring brownie points with the chocolate cake, and their ultra-famous scones and apple pies.

Topped with a dollop of fresh cream, the chocolate cake was moist, slightly decadent, but not too rich. Not to mention reasonably-priced as well. The strawberry scones are their forte, with dried strawberry bits, and served with cream. Sweet, crumbly, and with a hint of cinnamon (or at least that was what I think that flavour was), the scone is a must-try if you happen to drop by.

The apple pie with vanilla ice cream (RM3.60 for pie alone, but WHY?) scored well in my books, the crumbly pastry pairing well with the apple slices sandwiched between. Served warm, with dustings of sugar, the pie went really well with the vanilla ice-cream which though was frozen, but not to the point of freezing cold. A match made in heaven. Or in this case, made in the Highlands. ;)

Location : T Cafe on the upstairs of Marrybrown Restaurant, on the main road of Tanah Rata. You'll have to walk to the side of Marrybrown, and go up the stairs at the side. The extensive menu is printed on the white board downstairs, so you can make your decisions BEFORE entering the cafe, for fear of embarassing yourself if suddenly you decide to order banana leaf curry rice. Or something.

After the reasonably 'light' lunch, we were off to our next destination. It was already 2.30 pm, guess where we headed to? ....

A perfect way to end the meal?

to be continued ....

Cameron Highlands - Strawberry Delights

If you're at a crossroad in life, which way to turn? Left, or right? >_<

The spiralling path to the peak ... though milder in comparison to the Tapah way, aka nausea-inducing roads of doom ....

Taken through the passenger's seat window, this photo came out a blur ... but the name of the destination was obvious. Cameron Highlands, HERE WE COME AGAIN !!!

8 months soldiered on, and we are here again, on the highlands. A cool, breezy, and relaxing spot to chill, and wind down. An escapade to a simpler life, watching the farmers at work, vendors heavily promoting their products at the market, and the residents kicking back on a weekend, sipping tea and enjoying their steamboat meals. Not to mention the droves of tourists from all over, having a jolly good time at this spot.

Our accomodation - Honeymoon Villa on Brinchang

Previously we stayed at Desa Anthurium apartments in the middle of Tanah Rata and Brinchang. But this time, we booked an apartment for 10, at Brinchang. Yup, there were TEN of us, and the place fitted us nicely, with 3 rooms, 3 bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. For RM200 nett. No air-cond (obviously), but with hot water supply (not showers), and TV, possibly the smallest TV around, all 14" of it, captivating us with the "live" telecast of the Olympics.

Rows of new shoplots in Brinchang

Cameron Highlands has been, and is still, developing as an agricultural hub (for its vegetables, fruits and flowers produce) and a fascinating tourism spot. For its history, accomodation options, restaurants, and sight-seeing galore, do visit HERE for more information, or Wikipedia's page HERE.

Giant, colourful statues of cactuses welcoming everyone to the Cactus Valley and Agro Tourism Garden at Brinchang

Situated opposite the rows of new shoplots, housing some inns, and various eateries, is the Cactus Valley, a prominent place for tourists and locals alike. Entrance fee is RM4 per adult, RM2 per child. Opens daily from 8am til 6pm. Attractions include cactuses, endless pots of them on display, and for sale. Some of the more outstanding species (ie : BIG, colourful, and EXPENSIVE!!) are also available here.

Wa-hey! FOC!! ;)

But one visit is sufficient to cover the whole area, and subsequent visits may induce boredom and cactus-overdosage. Therefore, for this visit, we did not enter Cactus Valley, but instead hurried over to the garden next to the place; an Agro-Tourism Garden/Plantation.

Bright orange flora ... whatever the species is ...

Butterhead lettuce, raised utilizing the hydroponic system

Before, and After - The transformation from pale, colourless fruit to a bright, fiery red juicy strawberry, begging to be plucked
Temptations abound .... though the warning sign restricting, I can't help myself from touching the forbidden fruits ...
Especially when this special pair of twins/freaks of nature awkwardly resembled the human anatomy ... =P
Various ways to serve them, available at the cafe
Strawberry Sundae (RM5.90)

What's the purpose of visiting Cameron, if not for the strawberries? The cafe atop the plantation serves several interesting strawberry desserts, from the sundae and yoghurt, to the shakes, juices and waffles.

Thick, strawberry shake (RM4.90)

Yoghurt with Fresh Strawberry (RM3.90)

If you're one born with a sweet tooth (or two), you'll probably be spoilt for choice, and tempted to try most of the strawberry desserts. The sundae came in a tall plastic container, with smooth vanilla ice-cream, lots of whipped cream, drizzles of honey, and of course, lots of strawberry slices at the bottom. The strawberry shake is brimming with flavour, sweet but with a slight hint of sourness, you can really taste the freshness of this concoction. The yoghurt with strawberries strangely gave us the impression of eating 'tau fu far', though the generous drizzling of honey was sickeningly sweet.

Cam-whoring with the sundae ... Pls do not follow their footsteps! =P

As you might have realized, explanation is rather scarce for this post, as I'm a bit drowsy from all the travelling lately. Withdrawal syndrome, if you will. Lots more to come on Cameron Highlands, an ideal destination for the family, and an unforgettable gathering with friends.

A Sense of Tranquility @ Cameron Highlands

A sneak preview of the sights, smell, sound and taste of Cameron Highlands ....

The epitome, the icon, the "king of fruits" in Cameron Highlands ....

The thorny but petite & colourful cactus ...

Sour temptations, awaiting their fate - pasta sauce, or tomyam soup?

Wake up and smell the .... tea?

The feeling may be akin to bungee jumping, but the precariously built structure is drawing the crowd, not unlike the moths that are hopelessly drawn to a light ....

A sanctuary for the believers ...

And a warming pot of boiling characters, celebrating friendship, and togetherness ...

Full account in days to come, as work is beckoning in Kuala Lumpur. Til then, make the most out of your day. We all deserve some form of pampering every once in a while .... =)

Click the following links for subsequent stories ;

http://j2kfm.blogspot.com/2008/08/cameron-highlands-strawberry-delights.html

http://j2kfm.blogspot.com/2008/08/cameron-highlands-scones-apple-pies-and.html

Sungei Palas Boh Tea Plantation

Brinchang Night Market, Steamboat, and The Morning After

All By Myself @ Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur & The Carl's Jr Saga Continues ...

"Ahem, pray we dun sneeze ... or our cover's blown!"

Question : What do you do, if you're alone on a weekday, at Pavilion? Do you ....

Pose with human mannequins and run your itchy fingers all over the "statues"?

Join the crowd (it's a Monday, mind you!) and queue for sickly sweet indulgences, nightmare for the diabetic souls ....

Or find requiem by tucking yourself in a corner, watching gluttons smearing their faces with sauces and relish, and satiate your hollow stomach, begging for rations ... ?

Unlimited relish, dipping sauces, bottomless soft drinks - What more can you ask for?

Walking around in circle in Pavilion, I found myself drawn to various eateries, and even Food Republic. But, luncheon alone is not so acceptable in our country, unless you deviate your attention from the prying eyes, who may be wondering what's the monster next table's up to, ordering a meal fit for a crowd, and yet dining alone.

Crisp, freshly fried and hot French fries, showing some "skins" ....

Restaurants in Pavilion are a dime a dozen. From the posh Japanese outlet (Kampachi), Chinese fine dining (Silk Road) and steak house (Angus), to mid-range varieties such as Tony Roma's, Madam Kwan's, and Crystal Jade, you're bound to find something that suits your palate and mood, on any given day.

However, fast food options are lacking, other than Nando's, KFC, and Carl's Jr, there's basically nothing much to feed the junkie souls/teenagers/students. Food Republic may be a viable option, with the amazing array of culinary delights, but I seldom choose food courts, due to endless unfavourable experiences.

(=P) ... Even the burger's sticking out its tongue? Teasing poor, lonely me?

After much deliberation, I decided to park my derriere in Carl's Jr, my second visit to the outlet here, in Pavilion. (The 1st outing was aeons ago, but I wasnt a blogger yet, therefore no pics, sorry!). Still remember the Chili Cheeseburger was pretty interesting (not necessarily delish, but interesting nevertheless!), while the Guacamole beefburger was forgettable.

In case you didn't know, the "fast-food" here is a wee different from your usual McD, and Burger King. A full set for one, will set you back at around RM20-RM30/set, depending on your choice. Of course, the basic Cheeseburger set is slightly cheaper. Just slightly.

Western Bacon Cheeseburger - RM20.50 (Medium)

This time around, I opted for the Western Bacon Cheeseburger set, which came with regular fries and a medium-sized empty paper cup. Of course, I made a mistake. A small set costs less, around RM18 (before tax), but I accidentally pointed to the medium set, additional RM1.50 for a few more sticks of fries, and a larger cup. Why I felt stupid was because the drink's refillable. Why on earth would I need a bigger cup? (Unless you're a lazybum who can't be bother to refill your cup, OR you prefer drinking from giant-sized cups, fine ... )

Tastewise? The bacons were crispy, and the beef patty was good. Juicy, and flavourful. Unlike the previous visit. And the cheese was oozing out, PLUS there's a whole fried onion rings sandwiched between the buns. It IS filling, don't let my picture fools you. The fries on the other hand, were just heavenly. With bits of potato skins intact, and lightly salted, eat them with the salsa relish from the sauces counter. Addictive stuff. (Though it all adds up on the waist). Drinks choices include soft drinks, and iced lemon tea. Drink to your heart's content ... Or til your bladder can't hold.

Location : Carl's JR @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, on Lower Ground Floor. Next to KFC, Pizza Hut, and Nando's. Easy to find, no worries. If you're lost, go eat sand. I mean, go ask the kind staff at the help desk on ground floor. Or get a directory.

Question : What do you do after a full meal, when your belly's weighing you down?

Go jump from this height. Kidding.

Watch and savour the camaraderie of people dancing, prancing around, and drums a-beating, feeling the beats from all over the world ....

It so happened on that day, the Malaysian Drum Festival was kicking in full force. Teams from all over the world were performing, ala street style, entertaining the casual shoppers, and curious on-lookers. (Btw, the event ended on Aug 2nd at Stadium Merdeka). Amazing performances, mind you. These guys (and gals) are professionals, beating their drums with such passion and flair, hundreds were watching, clapping, and some foreigners were eagerly dancing along, basking in the sense of festivity.

What a befitting way, to end my solemn, lonely and long-overdue soul-searching that Monday afternoon. Sometimes, walking around aimlessly IS therapeutic after all ....

P/S : I'll be gone to Cameron Highlands over the weekend, followed by another round of KL visit-cum-work-cum-food tour (!!) until Wednesday. Staying near Jln Universiti, PJ area. Any recommendations for good food? ;)

Fish Head Noodles @ Ipoh Garden, Ipoh

UPDATED 24/8/08 : Do take note that the owner has since ceased operation, and moved back to her original stall in KL, for some unforeseen circumstances. Aw, shucks ... Now where do I get MY fix of fish head noodles? =(

Fancy some fish head noodles?

Fish head noodles in Ipoh seldom incorporate evaporated milk, and lots of tomatoes, unlike KL's version. That probably explains why on normal days, I shunned myself from them in Ipoh. Unless there's nothing else to eat, the odds of which, is barely noticeable. Hehe ....

The stall owners ran away, leaving a trail of dust, as soon as I took my phone out, LOL.

Situated in Ipoh Garden, directly next to Aneka Selera (or whatever it's called nowadays), and within the vicinity of Woolley Food City, is this place named San Kam Wan Restaurant, housing several stalls selling hawker fare. (Point to ponder : Why is it that the usual coffee shop is rebranded as a restaurant nowadays? Higher status?)

The various ingredients - Soft beancurd, Salted Preserved Vegetables, Tomatoes, Ginger

Deep-fried to crispiness, but the boney parts certainly outnumber the flesh

The sour, tangy, and fiery dipping sauce

A bowl of fish head noodles (vermicelli being used) in all its glory

The lady commented that they branched out from Cheras, supposedly the stall there is quite popular for fish head noodles. They surveyed Ipoh, and could not find any fish head noodles resembling KL's version with sour and thick milky broth. Therefore they wanted to "spread the lurve", or so the saying goes.

Tastewise? Do not under-estimate the portion, as they were really generous with the noodles and the ingredients, being fried fish fillets. The soup was not as thick as I'd imagined, with a tinge of sourness that's appetizing, and savoury from the preserved vegetables (ham choy) added. For roughly RM5.50-RM6.50 a bowl (sorry, I forgot to jot down the price), you certainly get your money's worth. One minor gripe ; they have YET to serve the thicker type of rice noodles, which would be perfect. But she said it's in the plans.

Seafood Noodles

Of course, if you wish to have something else, they do serve seafood noodles with prawns and scallops, and choy sum as well as fish slices. Well worth the RM5 paid.

Fried Dumplings (Gyoza)

Gyoza / Gao Ji (a Chinese snack, but famous in Japanese cuisine as well), are dumplings stuffed with meat (usually prawns and pork), chives and spring onions. Some outlets serve them steamed, but most pan-fried them. The dipping sauce plays a vital role as well, normally soy sauce with ginger (+ vinegar, sometimes) is the preferred accompaniment, but spicy chilli paste also complements the gyoza well, as in the case here.

Tackle the heat, Malaysian style ...

Of course, slurping on a hot bowl of fish head noodles on a hot day sounds absurd. That's when their Ais Kacang, and Tong Sui (Sweet Soup) come to rescue. Nothing beats chugging sweet spoonfuls of peanuts, sweet corns, cendol, cincau, and red beans to beat the heat. Yeah ....

Location : Restaurant San Kam Wan, beside Aneka Selera food court. Facing Woolley Food City, another revamped food court. Click HERE for my previous take on Woolley. This is situated behind Shell petrol station on Jalan Dato Lau Pak Khuan, which is situated opposite Hospital Fatimah.

Sate Kajang Haji Samuri @ Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang

All 2-3 shoplots of the largest (?) chain of satay restaurants in Malaysia

Mention the word Satay (or Sate in Malay, gee ... how "original"), and most Malaysians, foodie or not, and even most tourists would be able to recognize the charred, grilled, and smoked marinated meat on sticks (not unlike yakitori, albeit with a dryer texture and gravy-less when being grilled).

Vast dining area, with fans and air-conditioners, and ample seats for satay-lovers

Sate Kajang Haji Samuri is undoubtedly, THE most popular branch of Kajang satay, which in turn, is the undisputed KING of satay restaurants in Malaysia. (Do correct me if I'm wrong though). With 15 branches and growing, mostly in Klang Valley, this household name has been grilling and serving the yummy-licious charcoal-grilled meat for years.

Few years ago, I was introduced to this brand of Kajang satay by my father, who frequented the outlet at Kesas highway rest area for his fix of the grilled temptations. Ever since then, I was hooked. Come rain or shine, whenever I visited KL, I'd make it a point to stop by the rest area, and ate til my heart's content, then takeaway a few dozens of them for late night cravings.

The meat was chunky, devoid of fatty and charred parts, and the peanut sauce was heavenly, coupled with their own concoction of sambal. Not to mention the delicious nasi himpit which comes in the form of a roll of condensed rice (think ketupat, but rolled up like lemang).

Mix your own gravy by adding the sambal into the peanut sauce, depending on your mood - Fiery? Mild? Moody?

Bukit Tinggi in Klang has another branch, opened only a year or two ago, I think. Occupying two shoplots in the maze after maze of restaurants and cafes in Bukit Tinggi, the shop has its loyal followings. But the number of seats are sufficient to cater to the crowd.

What makes the satay here special compared to your usual, run-of-the-mill satay warung? Firstly, the gravy. They provide you with a bowl of peanut sauce, and a smaller bowl of sambal (quite oily, but spicy). Mix the sambal according to how spicy you want your sauce to be, but do not go overboard, else you can't taste the marinated meat in all its glory.

Erm, am I seeing things here? *_*

Secondly, the marinated skewered meat, aka the main event, the SATAY. Previously, the chunks of marinated meat was tasteful, juicy and not dry, and perfect when coupled with the sauce. I could indulge in dozens after dozens of them in one sitting.

However, sad to say, the quality has dropped significantly. Possibly the problem lies with this outlet only, I can't be sure. Needless to explain, as from the picture above, you can see the over-grilled meat, burnt, and the chunks aren't so generous anymore (forgiven, considering each stick is only 60 cents for chicken/beef, and slightly higher for rabbit, lamb, innards etc).

The nasi himpit was sold out on that particular day. Shucks. That could've saved the culinary experience.

Location : Restoran Sate Kajang Haji Samuri @ 27 0-1, Lorong Batu Nilam 1E, Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang. Tel : 03-3324 2906.

Tanjung Tualang - And Its Famous Freshwater Prawns ...

A calming image of serenity

Muahaha ... A funny thought just struck my mind. I'm sure avid followers (if there's any at all) of this blog would've noticed, once they see the 1st photo depicting life in the rural areas, you could've practically guessed what's coming up, no?

Yup, work took us to Kampung Gajah yesterday, a town roughly an hour away from Ipoh. There are a few routes that you can utilise, in order to reach your destination, by the way. Departing from Pengkalan area in Pasir Putih, Ipoh, going towards Batu Gajah, passing by Chenderoh, and Tanjung Tualang (link in Malay language), you'll soon reach Kampung Gajah, in what could possibly be, the fastest way.

The main market in the middle of Tanjung Tualang town

Historically significant for tin-mining activities, this sleepy town may not have regained its flair and stature as before, BUT Tanjung Tualang is widely popularized as a town famous for its large freshwater prawns. This species of the crustaceans family is highly prized by seafood aficionados and tourists alike, and no doubt, THE main attraction of this small town.

The number of seafood restaurants in this town is mind-boggling, thus one needs to play the deciding game, or follow one's instincts ...

The town is strangely shaped like a square box, surrounding the town's main wet market. Of course, you can purchase the fresh catches here, though we arrived pretty late in the afternoon for lunch. Facing the market itself, are at least 5 Chinese seafood restaurants, heavily promoting their main selling point, the freshwater prawns.

KCA, and PTG (Perak Tengah Gal) had eaten at Lung Seng Seafood Restaurant before, a fully air-conditioned restaurant NOT situated in the "square", but a short walk away, along Jalan Besar.

Kam Heong Prawns

Nestum Prawns

Obviously, they suggested the freshwater prawns without us asking, as ordering chicken and pork in a seafood restaurant sounds weird, doesn't it? (But we HAVE to, as Mr. Anti-seafood KYT is highly allergic to products of the sea/river ... Hehehe, kind of defeats the purpose of having lunch in this town, no?)

Anyway, they cook the prawns in a dizzying-ly variety of ways, from steaming to frying in various condiments. We decided on TWO versions of the prawns, half kg of them dished out in Kam Heong style (with spicy/tangy gravy & lots of dried shrimps), while another half kg deep-fried with Nestum oats. (1 kg = RM58)

Both were finger-lickingly delicious, as the sweet, succulent and fresh prawn flesh (rhymes?) with a lot of roes imbued in the prawn heads, was complemented to a tee with both cooking styles. However, I noticed the prawns served Kam Heong style were generally smaller in size, compared to the other half kilo fried with nestum oats.

Sweet, juicy and red prawn roes, a diet freak's nightmare ?!

Steamed Catfish (Pak Sook Gong) @ RM28.80

The steamed catfish (or is that what it's called in English?) was fresh, steamed with soy sauce, Chinese wine, and lots of coriander and julienned carrots. Although, due to an unforeseen situation, the fish was steamed way ahead of serving (a miscommunication somewhere forced FCOE and TallGal to arrive slightly late), rendering the fish with a slight fishy smell. Definitely put KYT off his radar, combined with the many bones to pick, he was practically touching the fish with a pole. Needless to say, he swore by this next dish ....

Steamed chicken with ginger @ RM20

Heavily scented with freshly grinded ginger, the chicken wings (for some reasons, they only claimed to serve half or whole chicken, but the cuts they served were obviously chicken wings mostly) were sufficiently marinated, cooked with the generous amount of ginger. But of course, chicken wings are not known to be fleshy, and consuming the pieces was somewhat a chore. But a small price to pay. Gingers are believed to ward off 'wind' in the body, perfect for the bloated stomach ...

Sadistic instruments of torturous nature??!!! =O

Still remember Joe once quizzed the his readers on the nature and functions of these tools. How cruel of the proprietors of the restaurant to evoke carnage in their own premise, no? =P

Salted Egg Crabs (Rm26.60 or RM38 per kilo)

But of course, children beware, hungry adults may abuse the tools to satiate their own savage instincts. Muahaha .... To crush the crabs, that is. Don't get me wrong.

Salted egg style, an interesting way to cook crabs, prawns, mantis prawns, chickens and even beancurds. But different outlets serve them differently, indigenous to the region/state/influences. Here, at Lung Seng, the crabs are stir-fried with salted eggs beaten to a pulp, rather dry, and without any gravy. You'll have to lick the salted eggs sticking to the shells for extra flavour. But fresh and sweet crabs need no company. Cook them in any ways, and they'll still shine. No laments, thumbs up!

Watch them swimming happily, rejoicing without realizing the fact that someday, they'll end up on your plates ... Oh, the gastronomic world's a cruel one, no?

We ordered a humble plate of green vegetables to balance out the indulging and artery-clogging food (now, where's my statins?!!). Total damage for 6 came to RM148.70. Quite reasonable, for the serving's not skimpy. Though FCOE's shirt was. Whoops .... (that was intentional! LOL)

Location : LUNG SENG Seafood Restaurant @ 10, Jln Besar, 31800 Tanjung Tualang, Perak. Tel : 05-3600735.

Izzi Restaurant - Citibank 65% Discount

Izzi Restaurant - The building's architecture and design definitely stood out among the shops along Jln Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

Still on KL posts, this time my two cents' worth on a casual dining chain all the way from Indonesia, simply named Izzi. There are already two branches in Malaysia, one on Jalan Sultan Ismail, right smack in the middle of the city, while another in Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya.

Izzi is a restaurant/cafe/bistro serving a variety of food, from Asian delights to pizzas and pastas, as well as Western-influenced dishes such as Caesar's salad, and steak tenderloin. Currently, they are on a roll, heavily slashing prices off their menu specially for Citibank card holders, up to 65% for dine-in, take away or delivery, and purchases above RM100 (food only, no drinks or desserts).

Bruschetta - Baked Pizza Dough with Fresh Tomato Red Onion, Basil and Pesto Sauce ( RM10.80, >>> RM3.78)

I myself am not a Citibank credit card holder, therefore I dragged a pitiful (and willing) soul along. Yup, somebody with the aforementioned card, and willing to stuff oneself crazy (orders up to RM100+) and not lament about it. Muahaha .....

Ordering was a breeze, as in contrast to most outings, this time, we HAVE TO order the most expensive dishes, throwing caution to the wind, all the while calculating the amount ordered so that the total exceeds RM100. How cool is that? =)

The Bruschetta I had in mind was the one with baguette type of bread, toasted well and served with some salsa toppings, or cheese, or bacon and whatnots. But the one served here utilises pizza dough, with toppings of sour and tangy relish comprising of tomato/basil/pesto sauce. The dough was baked, not toasted, therefore slightly chewy, but the sauce was good. But we did not manage to finish the whole portion, as stuffing one's stomach with bread before the mains just did not sound appealing, no?

BBQ Chicken Salad - Variety of greens with BBQ chicken, drizzled with Izzi Ranch Dressing (RM19.80 >>> RM6.93)

Though I was tempted to skip all appetizers and go with the meat (the carnivore in me in full form that particular day), somehow the salad selection looked tempting, with Greek salad, Caesar's salad, Grilled chicken salad and BBQ Chicken salad being listed.

We chose the BBQ Chicken Salad, as Rule 101 = Choosing the recommended item, listed way up high on the menu, somehow decreases the possibility of ordering something lacklustre.

Aiya ... Mediocre only. The ranch dressing sauce did not seem to complement the salad well, though the hearty portion made up for it. Devouring the tortilla strip, romaine lettuce strips, corn riblet and mozzarella cheese suddenly made me felt less guilt on over-indulging. Hehe ....

Spicy Italian Sausage Linguine - Linguine pasta tossed with red/green peppers, Italian lamb sausage, with Italian herbs paste (RM22.80 >>> RM7.98)

The Spicy Italian Sausage Linguine is deemed a new item on the menu, and the prospect of linguine with peppers, onions and Italian LAMB sausages sounded like a winner, no? Truthfully, how often do you find lamb sausages being served? However, the dish was a disappointment, the pasta not cooked al dente, and the lamb sausages slices were a tad too saltish to my liking.

(Beef n' Izzi Pizza - Smoked beef, salami, spicy beef, Italian sausage, with Izzi spicy sauce RM34.80 >>> RM12.18)

Sigh, after an onslaught of meagre offerings, Izzi redeemed herself once the pizza was served. Generously garnished with various types of beef, and sausages, the pizza was a tantalising treat to the senses. They serve pizzas in two sizes, regular (6") and large (8"). The regular portion was sufficient for two, eight slices of cheesy (albeit slightly oily) goodness, with yummy beef salami and smoked beef, smothered with spicy Izzi sauce, quite alike BBQ dressing. I had the lion's share, all 5 pieces in succession. ;)

Deep fried calamari with Bangkok sauce and Izzi dressing sauce (RM16.80 >>> RM5.88)

The waiter missed our order of the deep fried calamari, and had to be reminded not once, not twice but THRICE. Imagine waiting for an appetizer/snack after the mains had been polished off. But we patiently awaited, keeping our fingers crossed for a snack so common, it's typically hard to cook this wrong. Or we assumed.

After about 10 minutes of wait (post-mains), the snacks arrived. All 8-9 pieces of soggy, salty, and utter-disgraceful squid rings. C'mon?! Even Malay warung or Mamak outlets can fry these better. Wondering what the "Bangkok sauce" was? It's the Thai Chilli sauce. Nothing more, nothing less. We were struggling to finish the whole plate. And yet, we did not succeed.

The meal came to around RM40 after discount. Very, very reasonable, considering the portions were all large enough to serve at least 3 pax. They serve set lunches weekdays, for RM12.99, you get a starter, a main, and a dessert. Perfect for a quick lunch, if you're working around the area. They provide valet parking service for customers as well.

The Citibank 65% discount offer is valid until the end of August 2008. Do drop by before the promotion ends in less than a month.

Location : Izzi Restaurant @ 44-2A, 44-3A, 44-4AJln. Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Delivery No: 1-300-88-5555, Reservation : 03-2141 5808, Events/Functions No: 03-2141 4111.

Website : http://izzipizza.com/my/

For other takes on Izzi : 3 Meals, masak-masak, Honey Star, Pasankia

Klang's Famous Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh

A colonial building ... possibly Klang's municipal building?

Klang town is notorious/infamous for a few reasons. The traffic jams. The un-clean surroundings. And the traffic jams. Oh, did I repeat myself there? ;)

A touch of royalty ...

But of course, this town, situated around 30km from Kuala Lumpur, houses the royal palace for the Sultan of Selangor, and one of the busiest (if not THE busiest) port in Malaysia, Port Klang. It is also one of the world's busiest seaport.

A boy cycling past the gate of the palace

Soon to be granted city status, Klang is rapidly developing, and flourishing, indeed a future force to be reckon with, in terms of tourism and development.

But of course, Klang is famous for one specific dish. Even the most un-foodie of Malaysians are able to correlate Klang with Bak Kut Teh, a herbal soup concoction with various pork cuts, from ribs to lean cuts, and tenderloin, and served with various type of vegetables.

Side view of Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh

After tasting several of Klang's best offerings, Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh in Taman Intan, Klang (opposite of Jusco Bukit Raja, but DO NOT cross the busy highway, you're just walking into your own grave!!!) managed to impress me time and again. Even boo_licious, Joe, kySpeaks and several others agreed.

Opens for breakfast and lunch only, the place is packed on most days

Choose your brew

The place is packed on most days, typically on public holidays and weekends. Unlike Ipoh's Bak Kut Teh outlets, here you pick your own Chinese tea, brew them with a steaming kettle of hot water placed on strategic locations, and wait patiently for your serving of Bak Kut Teh.

Normally, the person sitting nearest to the kettle would be automatically in-charged of brewing and pouring tea for everyone on the table

Yau Char Kwai - Chinese crullers

Most outlets serve mediocre Yau Char Kwai to complement the fragrant herbal soup. But not in this restaurant. The flavourful fried dough/breadsticks are crunchy, and soak up the soup really well, providing squirts of aromatic herbal aroma with every bite.

White rice with fried shallots

The white, fluffy rice served with Klang's Bak Kut Teh is different from other states. Firstly, the rice is drizzled with fragrant oil, and the sprinkling of fried shallots on the rice is a good enough reason to consume the rice on its own.

Claypot brimming with porky-licious cuts

You can pick your preferred cuts of pork, from the usual 'bun fei sau' (half lean-half fat) to pork ribs, and tenderloin to 'yat chi kuat' (a whole bone, resembling chicken drumstick). Innards are served as well, and you can choose golden mushrooms ("kam cham ku") and additional "foo chook" (beancurds) if desired.

Soon to disappear in minutes ...

The fragrant herbal soup, not overpowering, but not as diluted as some restaurants' offerings. You can request for unlimited top-up of the soup, for free. A wise option, considering even without the meats, eating the rice with soup alone is a feast in its own right. Delightful, and warming concoction of Bak Kut Teh, possibly THE best in Klang, and even Malaysia.

Front view of the shop

Total for 4, including drinks and rice = RM39. We ordered a portion for 3 person, as this was BREAKFAST after all. Oh, and here in Klang, you can even opt for HALF portion, eg. 1.5 portion if you're eating with a friend, particularly with small-eaters.

Location : Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh @ 32, Jalan Batai Laut 5, Kawasan 16, Taman Intan, 41300 Klang. Do refer to the other bloggers' posts for directions.

Sekinchan's Seafood Goodness

The town of Sekinchan, Selangor. No, not SHINchan, the lecherous/amorous boy, prone to stripping off his pants to unleash the exhibitionism soul in him, and took voyeurism to a new height (for the underaged, that is). But rather, a small town famous for its paddy fields (not unlike Kedah), situated in Sabak Bernam district of Selangor. Rice is no doubt, THE staple food of Malaysians, even Asians.

Paddy fields abound in Sekinchan, one of the major rice producing area in Malaysia

Scenic, peaceful landscape, as opposed to the hustle and bustle of KL city, some distance away

From Teluk Intan in Perak (still within MY jurisdiction, which explains the nature and scope of my work, ie; confined to Perak state only), Sekinchan is around an hour or so from Teluk Intan, using the trunk road passing by Hutan Melintang (still in Perak), and leading forward to Kuala Selangor, before reaching Klang. Of course, you save on tolls, BUT the less-than-ideal condition of the roads, and the intimidating number of trucks and lorries frequenting this route may evoke second thoughts.

Restoran Chai Lee @ Bagan Sekinchan

Departing from Teluk Intan, we were deprived of our lunch, and initial plan of devouring seafood in Kuala Selangor came to a screeching halt. THUNDERING roar of hunger pangs took over, and
the next best thing was to stop by Sekinchan, also popular for seafood, albeit pale in comparison to Kuala Selangor's reputation (correct me if I"m wrong).

Batter-fried Squids (RM12)

It was way past lunch hour, with the row of shops looking deserted, and cleaners already in full motion. Fortunately, Chai Lee Restaurant was still in operation at that hour, and being listed in a reliable food guide somehow lessen our worries of either being served inedible grubs, OR being "laid on a butcher's chopping board" (a proverb, go ask your Chinese friend for translation, hehe ...)

Butter Milky Mantis Prawns (RM9)

There were only 2 of us. A wise choice would be to order individual meals. But coming so far off from my hibernating land of Ipoh, I wouldn't risk indulging in a meagre plate of fried rice or wat tan hor. No, sirree .... I needed a complete meal, couldn't care less about the portion, calories, nor cholesterol-laden seafood. Yum-yum!

Claypot Fish Maw with Vegetables (RM17)

I reminded the lady taking our orders to minimize the portion, but seemed my "pleas" fell on deaf ears. Serving's generous, enough to feed 3-4. The squids were very fresh, springy texture, and devoid of fishy smell. The batter could've been crispier though.

The mantis prawns are not your run-of-the-mill mediocre "He Ko", but instead came in full form, all 6 inches of it, deep-fried and served in butter milk (Nai Yao) style. However, we were puzzled as to how should they be eaten. Pop everything (crispy shells and all) into our mouths? Or peel them off one by one (which might take forever, given the tough task of dissecting a mantis prawn)?

Hmmm.... ended up I peeled the harder, back shells of the crustacean, while digesting everything else, legs and all. Delicious. The gravy (a bit dry, typical butter milky style of cooking) was extremely aromatic, and the saltiness balanced well with the sweetness of the flesh.

Fish maws (click HERE for explanation) are essentially dried stomach lining of fish. And at Chai Lee, these are one of their better creations. Claypot Fish Maws with Vegetables. Delightful, as the thick gravy complemented our rice well (Sekinchan being a rice producing town, after all!), very sweet from the seafood-infused broth, and the fish maws were fresh, and completely lacking of overnight re-fried oil taste. A must-try if you happen to drop by this shop.

After that satisfying meal (RM40 for 2, including rice and drinks), we continued our journey down south, signifying the beginning of my food crawl ....

Location : Restoran Chai Lee @ No 135, Jalan Teochew, 45400 Bagan Sekinchan, Selangor. Tel : 03-32410908, 32412105.