Uncle Duck Hong Kong Steamboat @ Times Square, KL

Uncle Duck steamboat restaurant has opened its doors for business for quite some time. However, as it's tucked in one corner, hidden amongst the countless eateries in Berjaya Times Square, many wouldn't have chanced upon it.

Had it not been my aunt's recommendation, I would never imagined dining in Times Square either. Seriously, I've never been able to find good food there. Anyone?

Spacious, with chandeliers and various lamps for sale, hanging as both decor, and light source

The place was rather empty, on a weekend's afternoon. Not much fanfare, but as soon as we were seated, the place did remind me of typical cafe/restaurants in Hong Kong.

One glance around the place, and you'll be pleased at the bright and airy ambience. And various paper cuttings on the wall suggested the popularity of this place, coupled with a Ho Chak's emblem, completing that line of media coverage.

The sesame sauce was a killer. Slightly nutty, sour and sweet, it went perfectly with the meat

The electric stoves are somewhat built-in, saving space, and rendering mealtime faultless, in case you do not wish to have any steamboat meal.

Talking about steamboat here, the variety on offer was mind-boggling, with so many types of soup base to choose from; Satay base, Clear broth, Spicy base, Ginseng soup, etc. I chose the set with beef slices, and tomato and fish base, if I remembered correctly. The receipt I'm having is a bit washed off, sorry.

Sliced Beef Set (RM19.90)

With the usual accompaniments of vegetables, beancurd, an M-sized Prawn, etc.

Kinda reminded me of shabu-shabu ....

The thinly-sliced beef was gorgeous, presentation-wise; before and after cooked. Sweet and fresh, the beef was cooked in an instant when swished in the bubbling soup. Oh ya, you control the 'fire' yourself, but rest assured it's a no-brainer. Even a child can operate that electric stove, I tell ya .....

Especially noteworthy aside from the beef was a prawn, and the rice noodles. When dipped into the accompanying sesame sauce, the beef was divine. And at RM19.90, may sound pricey, but you're getting what you pay for. And small-eaters can share a set, and order some sides.

Roasted Duck Rice set with a drink (RM6.90)

If you're not a fan of steamboat, no worries. They offer a rather expansive menu of items commonly found in Char Chan Teng, namely rice and noodle dishes, and more.

With a name like Uncle Duck, surely you'll be expecting a lot from their duck dishes, no? The Roasted Duck Rice set came with a Ribena drink, but the portion was too limiting to judge. But I've had better ones, and the roasted duck here ain't as crispy as I'd preferred.

Location : UNCLE DUCK (HK) STEAMBOAT RESTAURANT @ 03-107, Third Floor,Berjaya Times Square,No. 1, Jalan Imbi,55100 Kuala Lumpur.Tel : 03-21448998

Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh in Klang - One of the Oldest Around ...

Still reeling from that hangover? Long weekends, peppered with so many offdays = FUN. If only we have summer/winter holidays as well. Wouldn't that be ideal? :)

Felt bad to have snapped the uncle while riding a bike ... but no flash, no worries.

One of the oldest Bak Kut Teh (BKT) in Klang, the town seemingly synonymous with BKT, traffic jams and erm, the Indian street, Seng Huat is commonly referred to by the locals as THE Bak Kut Teh under the bridge, in the older part of Klang town.

The 2nd or 3rd generation of the legacy that is, Seng Huat

Klang houses an astounding number of outlets selling BKT. From wet to dry, from traditional to the modernized versions, and served in porcelain bowls, to claypots.

The older version of BKT does not incorporate a lot of herbs, hence the darker, and thicker soup with HUGE chunks of meat, ranging from the belly to the ribs, and even a WHOLE piece of rib. Personal interests come to play here, as some prefer the commercialized version in claypot, with lots of ingredients such as mushrooms, pork balls, vegetables and stronger herbal aroma,

The paper cuttings dated some 10 yrs ago ... testament to its popularity transcending generations?

At Seng Huat, the concept is slightly different. Entering the corner shoplot right beside the pedestrian-cum-vehicles bridge, you won't fail to notice 1) the crowd, 2) the guy (or lady) chopping up a storm, picking on pieces after pieces of meat from the 'cauldron', and serving them rapidly in bowls for consumption. Yup, without the bells and whistles of golden mushrooms, balls, innards and such. (But of course, you CAN request for extras)

Single portion for RM6.50

The meat was tender, fall-off-the-bones type (if you order ribs), and delicious. You have to request for chopped garlic if you're one who can't live without them. Some older outlets DO NOT serve chilli padi (bird's eye chilli) nor garlic as they claim the condiments 'spoil' the natural sweetness and flavour of the pork. One such outlet is nearby, a street away, somewhat related to Seng Huat, yet even older. Yup, something of Jurassic proportion.

The soup base was not as addictive as Teluk Pulai's version. You can't really taste the herbs as obvious, in comparison. The rice was not drizzled with much onion oil as I'd preferred, and only sprinkled with miniscule amount of fried shallots. Gimme a whole bottle of them, anyday!

Mixed Pig's Innards (RM6.50)

The stomach, intestines and whatnots came separately, in a rather big serving. If you're eating alone, refrain from ordering a bowl to yourself, as after the 10th piece of intestine and stomach, I felt a bit 'jelak' from all the unwanted parts.

Overall, the place came short of my expectations. Or probably I was expecting too much from Klang's (over)hyped BKT? =)

Location : SENG HUAT BAK KUT TEH @ 9, Jalan Besar, Klang.

A Unique Xmas Eve Dinner - With Geoducks, Oysters and All ....

A short post, on a cool and lazy Friday morning ....

~~ THE XMAS EVE DINNER @ UNIQUE SEAFOOD ~~

Tis the season to be jolly .... no turkey ... but instead got us some geoduck, seafood and such ....

Mexico Geoduck Sashimi

Geoduck is a type of large clam living in salt water, boosting a rather .... obscene appearance. Ahem, I mean, just look at the size and structure of it. Refer 1st pic.

The texture of the meat is springy, with minimal hint of off-putting fishy taste commonly associated with clams. Eaten fresh and raw, the sliced meat of the siphon (neck) of the geoduck was served on a bed of shaved ice, and complemented by the accompanying Japanese soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

If you're one who would squirm at the sight of something so un-cooked, armed with a pole in hand, no fret. Help's at hand ....

Steamboat of herbal soup base, with accompanying vegetables, tofu, and even noodles

Just slightly swish the piece of geoduck in the soup, and voila! Cooked meat in an instant, much akin to abalone in texture and flavour. But highly recommended to eat them raw though, to fully savour the bouncy texture and freshness of the meat.

Fresh Oysters on the Rocks, served with Lemon Wedges

It's Xmas eve, and some may wanna get down and dirty. Whoops, I meant, some may 'need' the extra zinc (or Zing!) in their (love)lives. Thus, raw oysters come to the rescue. Though a measly one piece won't do any good. Yet, I'm an oyster-addict, raw or baked with cheese, it's all green lights for me.

Boiled Live Tiger Prawns

Served with a garlic chilli sauce, and another plate of fiery dark chilli oil, the tiger prawns were fresh, and the flesh was sweet. But the sizes varied greatly, some S-size (more like a shrimp!), while some XL (mini slipper lobster-like). And they could've thrown in more, in the spirit of the holidays, generosity would be much appreciated. Some got one, some got two.

Crispy Roasted Chicken

Then things got downhill, sadly. The roasted chicken was NOT as crispy as claimed, and the meat was already cold, and far from tender. And I'm not referring to the breast meat even. With plum sauce, if I'm not mistaken.

Steamed Pak So Kong Teow Chew Style

Either Deep fried Soon Hock fish, or Pak So Kong steamed Teow Chew style. I was informed by the manager when I called and booked that they've ran out of Soon Hock. So left with no choice, we took up his offer on Steamed Pak So Kong.

A cheaper species compared to Soon Hock, the Pak So Kong came in a pair, with barely enough flesh to feed 10, let alone 13 of us. The set was for 10 pax, of course. The flesh reeks of muddy smell, a bane for fish lovers, and especially annoying when served in a restaurant of Unique's stature. The Teow Chew style of steaming did not save the fish in any way. Thumbs down.

Fried Rice

As we were seated in a VIP room, we were served by a rather attentive (if not obstructive) waiter, who even took great effort in scooping fried rice into the bowls for each and everyone of us. However, the rice was nothing to shout about, an everyday affair with no bells and whistles, even my grandma cooks better version. =P

Honey Sea Coconut with Longan

Dessert came in the form of extra-sweet Honey Sea Coconut with Longan, all from the cans, I suspect. Least we were not served fresh fruits platter, the easy way out for most restaurants. But they could've whipped up a (mini)storm and cooked some hot "tong sui" (sweet soup), or something special. The Chinese pancakes (Woh Peng) I had some time ago in Unique would be a welcome replacement.

The Special Geoduck and Oyster promo set is priced at RM398+ for 10 pax. Not exorbitant, yet not really enticing, given the choices. The meal came to roughly RM454, for the towels, nuts, and Chinese tea for all.

P/S : Funny celebrating Xmas eve with a seafood dinner at a Chinese restaurant? Hahahaha .... The very next day, me and my family had our Xmas lunch at a Japanese restaurant. Talk about irony .... ;)

Location : Restoran Perak Unique Seafood No 5, Persiaran Lagoon Sunway 1, 31150 Ipoh, Perak. Tel 05-5486010 / 016 2615622

Homecooked Hakka Dishes @ Pandan Indah, KL

Are you singing Hallelujah ... yet? Eve of public holidays got me a little ... hyped up, sometimes. And salivating at the prospects of a long, long holidays. Away from work, from the office. And ushering in the new year, with hundreds of resolutions unfulfilled over the years, digged out from the closet and revamped.

Roughly translated to "Home-Cooked Dishes Restaurant"

No turkey or Xmas pudding yet. Though doubtful we're gonna have any. But the ever-present fruit cakes in my house may masquerade as food of the season.

Here's something from Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur. Another good find, amidst the hundreds (possibly) of eateries around the area. A simple restaurant serving everyday dishes, mostly Hakka-influenced ones. At reasonable prices, and with rather tantalising taste.

They serve individual meals, as well as dishes to go with rice, or noodles

I've passed by this outlet countless times, but never had the interest to step in. The signboard only shows Chinese characters, hence a banana like yours truly could not grasp what category this restaurant falls into. Until my aunt brought me over one fine day .....

Water Chestnut + Sugar Cane Drink

You can even see the stalk (?) of sugarcane in the drink. Soothing 'Leung Sui' (herbal tea), perfect for the rainy weather that afternoon. The whole of KL was shrouded in the mist and non-stop rainfall that particular day.

Mui Choy Kau Yuk (Preserved Vegetables with Fat Pork Belly)

One of the staple food of the Hakkas; the Mui Choy Kau Yuk served here was commendable, with soft/tender braised pork belly, not overwhelmingly fat and greasy. Though not as stellar as the one I've had in Hong Kong (click HERE to drool), at about RM6-7 per serving, the dish scored brownie points with us.

Blanched Choy Sum

A simple dish of greens. Compulsory, and guilt-free. I can't sing praises for such a simple dish, but served with some fragrant fried garlic bits, the greens served its purpose perfectly.

Salted Chicken

And the third dish for both of us, the Salted Chicken with herbs. Another resemblance to the one served in Cheun Cheung Koi in HK. Smooth, tender flesh, infused with the strong herbal taste of the sauce, a rather healthy choice, albeit the saltiness. But complemented the rice very well.

Far from hearty or something of gastronomic stature, yet a safe choice for lunch or dinner. And endorsed by 8TV's Ho Chak as well, unexpectedly. Gotta be good, right?

Location : to come later ..... sorry!

MERRY X'MAS in advance !!!

I Ain't Craving Much ... (Oriental Cravings @ One Utama)

Sometimes searching for a good restaurant in a shopping centre can be tedious. Cheap food does NOT equal good food on most instances. And yet, a pricier option does NOT translate to great food. You get my drift? .... Oh well.

Oriental Cravings @ 1 Utama Shopping Centre

Situated next to Jarrod & Rawlins, THE supposedly one of the maestro of everything porky, Oriental Cravings has her own following, usually crowded during dinner hours, enticing passer-bys for a visit. All this while I've flicked off this particular outlet, keeping in mind another run-of-the-mill, mediocre Kopitiam wannabe. Yet what I failed to notice was that Oriental Cravings serve mostly Chinese cuisine.

The place was brightly lit, exuding a clean and yet rustic charm, reminiscing of traditional Chinese restaurants of yesteryears

You can either sit inside, soothed by the comforting air-cond and minus the smoke and hot air if you choose to dine al fresco. Unless you want to smoke, I don't see a reason for picking the latter option. The fans btw, are merely decorative.

Starting with a hot (or rather, warm) cup of coffee, the beverage was passable, roasted well without the hint of burnt beans, and glided down the throat perfectly. The other glass contained apple & aloe vera juice, courtesy of Fruitree can drinks. Need I say more?

8 Treasure Fried Rice ( RM11.90)

Ahem. From the menu for individual servings, the options looked and sounded tempting. From Bah Kut Teh meal for one (RM15.90) to Sweet & Sour Pork Rice (RM12.90), and various noodles being served. I picked the 8 Treasure Fried Rice, for the sheer number of ingredients thrown in sounded too good to be true. Chinese sausage, roast pork, BBQ pork, prawn, chinese mushroom, peas, carrot, corn, and topped with omelette. Wow .... I was expecting a gargantuan serving of a juggernaut of a fried rice.

But take a look at my serving of fried rice above, and you'll understand my exact emotion that moment. Mouth wide open, with a gaping hole and empty brains. =O

Nobody said anything about extra-finely chopped ingredients, and 2/3 measly shrimps?! Though credits must be given to the nicely fried rice, fluffy and not sticky, yet with mild 'wok hei' but paying RM12 for a plate of fried rice seems ..... absurd.

The sambal belacan which saved my plate of fried rice

Roast Pork Curry Laksa (RM13.90)

Fortunately, redemption arrived in the form of a gigantic bowl of curry laksa, brimming with roast pork, pork meatballs, tauhu puff, long beans and brinjal. And typical Nyonya laksa, with lots of coconut milk (santan, to you and me) in the curry. I completely forgot what noodles they gave though. But the portion was so huge, my dining companion was having trouble finishing the portion. I dumped my plate of 8 Treasure (ahem) Fried Rice and digged in, gladly.

Had the gravy been less oily, the bowl of laksa would've scored higher marks in my book. After a few scoopfuls of the curry, I've to surrender, picking on the ingredients instead. A little too much,at one sitting. But still heaven and earth compared to the fried rice.

The next table's order of Sweet and Sour Pork was soooo drool-licious! I was stopping myself from crossing over and picked a piece. But a serving at nearly RM20, I think.

Location : ORIENTAL CRAVINGS @ G359, Phase 2, One Utama. Tel : 03-7727 2581.

Bee Gaik Dining Place - Nyonya/Chinese Cuisine here in Ipoh

Lazy Sunday .... Spent half a day at Lost World of Tambun in Sunway City, and came back utterly disappointed. Compared to Sunway Lagoon, or Genting Theme Park, this so-called 'attraction' in Ipoh is a crying shame. Paying RM25 for merely TWO dry rides, and some random slides and pool, just wont cut it. And you still have to rent the float for two, at an additional RM12, and the locker at RM10. Parking's at RM1. If you're seeing numbers, I'm seeing stars ..... *_*

Bee Gaik Dining Place - Serving authentic nyonya and chinese food in Ipoh

Backtrack a week or two ago, we went for a family dinner at Bee Gaik, over in Ipoh Garden South. It's been some time since we've visited, most recent memory involved family outing with grandpa, who's been watching over us from above for a good 15 years now.

Two floors of dining, in a comfortable air-conditioned seating area, albeit lacking in terms of tables and space

Since then, Bee Gaik has reinvented itself into a household name of sorts, providing catering services on top of dining pleasure. But if you're coming here on a weekend or a public holiday, be sure to book a table, else risk wailing away .... I mean, waiting away. And the scarce number of tables somewhat forced most patrons to be seated upstairs. If you're with an elderly, you know how much a hassle that'll be ....

Kapitan Chicken (RM13)

We relented and trusted the waitress' recommendations. Mostly signature dishes from their rather extensive menu, covering mostly Nyonya-style cooking, and some Chinese dishes. The Kapitan chicken resembled dry curry chicken, with chunks of chicken thighs and wings cooked in the slightly spicy, fragrant, piquant and delicious gravy. Do not be deterred by the fiery orange colour of the curry, the chicken can be stomached even by toddlers.

Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish (RM6)

Crunchy, fat bean sprouts ... Ipoh's style, stir-fried lightly with some crispy salted fish. A simple dish for those who have a love-hate relationship with greens, yet guilty enough to not avoid their fibre intake. Sprinkled with some chopped spring onions, the 'taugeh' served their intention well; polished off in mere minutes.

Curry Asam Fish Head (RM24)

One of their top-seller, the curry asam fish head managed to deliver, with chunks of fish head and meat cooked in the sumptuous gravy, not too spicy, yet fiery and tangy enough to tantalize that tastebud. With generous servings of brinjals, ladies' fingers, onions, tau-pok (beancurd) and tomatoes, nobody can put down this dish as completely NOT healthy. Drench/pour those lip-smacking gravy onto your plate of fluffy white rice, and savour away ....

Tung Po Yuk (Braised FAT! Pork Belly with Sauce) (RM12)

If you're thinking, how can a Nyonya restaurant serves good Chinese dishes, you're wrong. Their Tung Po Yuk is marvellous. Two thumbs up to the unassuming, simple yet brimming with flavour dish. The pork was not as scaringly FAT as I may prefer, with lean meat dominating the portion, but the melt-in-mouth texture of the upper layer of pork skin was very addictive. And even the leaner part was tender enough to require lesser-chewing.

Soak them up with the 'mantou' served with the dish

And the soft 'mantou' (white buns) are meant to be dipped/dunked/soaked with the delicious gravy, not wasting every single drop of the glistening, brownish-gold juices. I'm salivating now, still remembering the combination of flavour that worked so well.

But I've always been a PORKY-type of guy, loving everything porky, hence existed the slight bias. Sue me.

There are so many dishes that I wanted to point and order erratically, but I managed to hold my horses. There's always another visit down the line .... right?

Location : BEE GAIK DINING PLACE @ 10-10A, Tingkat Taman Ipoh 11, Ipoh Garden South, 31400 Ipoh. Tel No : 05-546 8601. Closed on Tuesdays. Operating hours : 11.30am-3.00pm, 6.00pm-10.00pm.

A Day's Out in Taiping (Kum Loong Dimsum & Mr.BBQ)

After a long hiatus, I was back to Taiping, TODAY! Last visit was the time when we went for buffet at Tao, and the Ansari Famous Cendol. That's .... like milleniums ago.

People jog, picnic, and relax by the famous Lake Garden. Yup, under the scorching sun.

Char Siew Pau and Nam Yu Pau with Chinese Tea

Arriving rather early today, we went for dim sum at Kum Loong Restaurant on Jalan Kota, the main road of Taiping, running parallel to Jalan Taming Sari. The restaurant has been around for almost 70 years (a whisper-in-the-wind of sorts, courtesy of a friend working in Taiping who dropped by for lunch at the same place with us, later).

It was barely 10am. And most items have been sold out. WHAT?! But even Foh San serves their dimsum until afternoon. Not fair! So we were left with minimal options, a few plates (they serve theirs on sauce plates, those old, tainted ones) of fishballs and dumplings, and a some 'pau' were all that's available. So we made the best of the situation and ordered accordingly.

Such ... simple presentation. Without the usual rattan basket.

The buns were fluffy and soft, without sticking to the teeth kind. But fillings lean more towards the stingy side. But the Nam Yu Pau (fermented bean paste?) was OK, the thick slice of FAT pork managed to satisfied our lust for something porky.

The same can't be said about the fishballs though. Chewy and artificial, they were best downed with a gulp of Chinese tea, and never to be seen again. The Har Kau (prawn dumpling) look-alike earned top marks at masquerading as the REAL stuff. They contained pork, and chives. No prawns, but yet was tasty. The skin was VERY thick and far from translucent though.

But what surprised us most was the price. RM9.20 for 5 pau, 2 plates of dimsum, and Tit Kuan Yin chinese tea for 3 pax. Yup, and we thought Betong's dimsum were the cheapest in the world.

They're open for breakfast until dinner. Serving not only dimsum, but noodles, rice and dishes as well. All DARN cheap at that. Attracts mostly the older folks of Taiping, hence we were rather appealing, at most. Hehehe .....

Location : KUM LOONG RESTAURANT @ 45-47, Jalan Kota, 34000 Taiping.

So, after breakfast, we were stumped on where for lunch. As the breakfast did not even dent our wallets. Hahaha ....

Mr BBQ @ Jalan Maharajalela

Read about this place from Backstreetgluttons, those bull-dozer of a foodie. Curious to know whether they're a Malay stall selling BBQ stuff? Or a Western cafe with BBQ chicken wings and such? Read on ....

Onion Egg Omelette with Prawns (RM7)

Crispy sides, savoury egg omelette with chopped onions, carrots, and shrimps, the Fu Yong Tan never failed to satisfy. A simple dish easily replicated at home, yet one of my favourite (and safest) order in restaurants.

Bei Jing Roll (RM6)

Batter-fried spring roll with ham, chicken and salted egg filling. Dip into the accompanying sweet chilli sauce, who can say no to this?

Golden Squids (RM8)

Springy and fresh squids cooked in a not-too-thick yet very aromatic and perfect complement to white rice curry gravy, the dish had me spooning the sauce into my mouth. There's something deeply attractive about the heavy curry flavour. Yummy stuff.

The BBQ/Grilled Sting Ray (RM12)

Squeeze half a lime all over, the stingray was grilled to perfection. With the spicy sambal sauce drenching the fish, and the tangy chilli sauce with chopped raw onions, we finally realised the BBQ-moniker on their signboard. Also available : Tilapia, Chicken Drumstick Fish (wth?!!), Silver Pomfret Fish, and Kampung Fish.

They serve SOOO many types of dishes, browsing through their menu had me salivating tonnes, before the food was served. Everything from Guinness Stout Chicken, to Sambal Petai (!!!!), and Fatt Put (Yam Ring with Vegetables and Chicken) as well as Curry Prawns in Bread. SLurp ... I'll definitely be back for more.

Location : Mr BBQ @ 16 & 17, Jalan Maharajalela, 34000 Taiping, perak. Tel : 05-807 9998.

No maps yet, rushing off to a movie now .... Drop a comment if anyone need one.

Bye Bye .... and the weekend's BREATHING at my neck. =P

Durian Pancakes @ CAPRI Dessert, Sri Petaling

Stranded in the office for another day. Lunch alone; people-watching and counting the hours before 5 .... And a damn cold day. Breakfast was McD's BIG Breakfast (not so lah ... like exaggerated only, but BIG in terms of price : RM9.65 per set!) in Manjung. So here's today's dose of poison :

Colourful, vibrant, promising .... yet did it deliver?

The other day we were circling Seri Petaling, searching for food, as I'd thought the place would be somewhat like Salak Selatan, or Pandan Indah, brimming with good food and such. But was kinda disappointed to see the sparsely-populated area, in terms of people, restaurants, and buzz.

Some restaurants looked promising, there's one Chinese restaurant serving fish heads, another Middle-East cuisine, and some random vegetarian cafe, organic cafe, and the everyday cafes. But one particular outlet caught my eyes, bearing the same name of a previously-reviewed, yet not too positively Italian restaurant in Lumut; Capri. But that was Capri Italian Restaurant (click HERE for that less-than-stellar outing). This Capri in Seri Petaling has no connection whatsoever to Italian cuisine, but instead serves mostly desserts and snacks.

Jackfruit and Sea Coconut with Ice (RM3.90)

Nothing like what I had in mind, but still with lots of sweet sea coconut flesh and jackfruit strips. Passable, but too much ice = teeth-numbing experience. They could've gone easy on them.

Chives Crepe (RM3.90)

The selection of snacks and mains are impressive. Just like typical Hong Kong-style Char Chan Teng, everything from baked rice to noodles, to toasts and such. The Chives Crepe caught my attention, as I've tried a very good one, a traditional pancake with chives and lots of dried shrimps, eaten with the garlic chilli sauce. GOOD stuff, but in Ipoh.

This one from Capri was served with a dollop of mayo (*_*) and very thin, a bit oily, but without the dried shrimps. VERY light snack, and even a 3 year old can finish the whole plate in 3 seconds. OK, maybe not. But there were bits and pieces of ham, if I'm not mistaken.

Custard Cheese Rolls (RM4.30)

The custard cheese rolls was recommended by the waitress. Oh, BTW, the place was empty. KOSONG like a Milo Kosong. No customers at all. Hence service was very prompt, and the wait for the food was negligible. The interior of the shop was very cleverly design, utilizing every bright and cheery colours as you can possibly imagine, the place suits youngsters coming for a drink or get-together, more than a family coming for a decent meal.

Back to the rolls, hehe ..... They were NOT good at all. Breaded rolls filled with orange-coloured custard and none of the creamy,oozy cheese I'd hoped for.

Butter Milky Fish Fillet (RM6.90)

Dry, tasteless, and the finely shredded egg yolk was not crispy, but soggy. Another one of the supposedly 'Best-Sellers' according to her is the Butter Milky (Nai Yau) Fish Fillet. The deep-fried fish fillet was equally disappointing, with no taste whatsoever, and came in measly 6 or so pieces. Thumbs down to this ....

Durian Pancake (RM6.30)

Now this Durian pancake roll is DA BOMB! Mimicking the current trend of everything-durianized, and suspiciously a mirror image of the ones sold at The Garden's Sumptuous Desserts stall in front of Rak Thai. Mimicry = best form of Flattery?

Creamy and fresh durian flesh and cream stuffed into the green-coloured pancake skin, rolled up and served chilled. Portion may be on the smaller end, as when cut into halves, each half can be walloped in one mouthful. But nothing satisfies a durian-lover more than a sweet, creamy dessert made from the king of fruits.

On the whole, I will not return for the food in the future, as Seri Petaling too far for me, and the food's a disaster. Except, the Durian Pancake. Hmmm ... I may just be crazy enough to return for them. Or anywhere else I can get my hands on them?

Location : CAPRI DESSERT @ 33, Jalan Radin Anum, Sri Petaling, 57000 Kuala Lumpur. Tel No : 603-9057 1268

Got Me Sayin' ICHIBAN-desu !!! (Ichiban Boshi @ Pavilion, KL)

Back to a KL post for today. A slow .... soul-less Monday. Imagine an office with less than 50% capacity. Maybe 20-30% inhabitants only. Holidays come early for most?

Not unlike the conventional conveyor belt sushi outlet ... albeit with a twist

Eating out in Pavilion can be a chore. Especially peak hours on weekends/public holidays where everywhere's crowded. From Madam Kwan's to Tony Roma's, and a snaking line (though not as obvious as few months back) at JCo's, and the ever-congested Food Republic, choosing a place for lunch can be rather ... indecisive.

Thus, we settled for Ichiban Boshi. Have yet to step into the Japanese restaurant, but judging from the overwhelming business on most days, can't be any worse than Sushi King/Sakae Sushi/Genki Sushi right?

Salmon (smoked, maybe) sushi with melted cheese and roes

Salmon Avocado Roll

Starting off with some sushi, the salmon and cheese combination may sound weird on paper, but worked just fine. The creamy cheese complemented the smoked salmon well, though one can't really taste the freshness and natural sweetness of the fish. But I'm all for fusion-ized items.

The salmon and avocado temaki roll was good, though sucked presentation-wise. Clever combination of diced fresh salmon with creamy avocado bits and served generously with mayonaise, the portion was slightly larger than the other contenders' abysmal, mini versions. Still remember the last time I had a temaki in Sushi King, and the rice outweighed the fillings by a whole lot.

Egg Crepe Roll with Bacon and Lettuce

A case of 'over-fusionized', the temaki rolled with thin egg layer, and consisting of rice, lettuce and bacon did not fare as well. And dipping the roll into the shoyu did not result in a positive outcome either. Probably should have asked for more mayo instead.

Hiyashi Chuka Soba (RM14.90)

Ichiban Boshi's trump card lies in their freshly made-on-the-spot soba, or buckwheat noodles. The display counter at the front end of the restaurant functions to exhibit the chef's skills in making the aforementioned noodles, but photography is not allowed. =(

Served either cold, or in a bowl of piping hot soup, the noodles are springy, light, and deemed nutritious. The Hiyashi Chuka Soba consisted of cold buckwheat noodles served with duck meat, crab stick, julienned cucumber and tomatoes, as well as eggs. A bowl of cold and spicy sauce accompanied the serving of noodles on the side, hence you have the option of either dipping the noodles into the sauce, OR pouring the whole bowl of sauce into the noodles. I did the latter, and the resulting concoction had me smacking my lips in recollection.

Thin, springy (QQ) buckwheat noodles with multiple garnishing and ingredients thrown in

The strips of duck meat were not chewy, nor gamey. Sprinkled with lots of sesame seeds, the shredded meat and vegetables were perfect companion to the cold noodles, and the slightly spicy and sour sauce enhanced the overall experience a notch. Recommended, for the noodles alone.

Tempura Moriawase (RM13.90)

A plate of mixed tempura consisted of 2 big prawns, and the usual suspects of sweet potato, brinjal, capsicum and such, coated with tempura batter and fried to a crisp. Yet, managed to retain the moisture of the ingredients within. Nothing out of the ordinary, but deserving of a mention here is the attentive and accomodating service, whereby I requested for another bowl of the tentsuyu sauce, and the waiter gladly complied, returning with a steaming hot bowl of it.

Kushiyaki Moriawase (RM15.90) for 6 pcs

The mixed grilled items on skewers came on a sparsely-presented plate. With a lemon wedge for that extra zing, the 6 pcs of grilled meat/vege on skewers were lip-smacking, mostly. The shishamo (grilled smelt) was packed with enough eggs, yet none of the repulsive fishy taste. The yakitori and black pepper yakitori (grilled chicken meat) were both tender, succulent and juicy enough on its own, but drizzled with the slightly sweet tare sauce, the flavour of the meat was subtly punctuated.

The tsukune (chicken meatballs) were the best of the lot, marinated well and very tasty. But only 3 were served on a skewer. Of course, one can opt for the items separately. The shitake mushrooms and tebasaki (chicken wings) were good in their own rights.

What's attractive was that .... it didn't cost us an arm and a leg to eat here. The meal for two costed only RM67.50 (after 5% gov tax, 10% service charge). I may return for more, in the near future, as they gave a Rewards Card, expiring on 30/4/2009, where I can get a stamp for every RM30 spent, and 3 stamps net a California Handroll, 5 will net you a RM15 voucher ... and so forth.

Location : ICHIBAN BOSHI @ Lot 1.14, Pavilion, 168, Jln Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. On the lowest floor with Food Republic and the infinite eateries there. Tel : 603-2141 6621.

Merry Xmas .... in Advance.

Shopaholics out in full force. No holding back amidst the economic crisis. Or was there ever one?

Motormouth's 7 Deadly Sins ....

Ever heard of tags/meme/whatever they call them in the blogosphere? Much like chain mails (which are SOOOO yesteryears' ....), people from all walks of life, & from all corners of the earth pass them on to fellow bloggers, with a certain trait, either to list the TOP 10 Things You're Dying To Say To Your Country Leaders (=P), your Top 5 Dirtiest Secrets (washing your soiled laundry for millions to see), or plain old 100 Stuff You Wish to Accomplish Before It's Armageddon.

Tagged by Elinluv, then Pureglutton, and .... my memory failed me, but there's another flogger/blogger who passed them on to me. Hands up pls! And spare me the spanking, PLS? ;)

(Updated 14/12/08 - It was Food Paradise! Yippee! )

THE SEVEN THINGS YOU WISHED YOU'LL NEVER KNOW ABOUT ME

1. All the photos on this blog were snapped with a Nokia 5610 Xpress Music phone. Exception includes the pics taken in Hong Kong/Macau, where I shamelessly borrowed a friend's camera and went into snapping-frenzy mood. And some other travel photos stolen (with/without knowledge of proprietor's) from the others. Whoops. Now I'll get a summon to appear in court for plagiarism.

2. J2Kfm is NOT my real name. Duh. And I'm a GUY, not a GAL. Nor a dog. The image in my profile page is our beloved pet of nearly 2 years, a female Golden Retriever by the name of Lulu. A hyperactive, loving, and loyal, yet cunning and forever-hungry dog. Guess the saying's true. The pet mimics the owner, sometimes to a tee.

3. I work as a pharmacist. And I'm rather polite in real life. =P Those imagining a raging, ranting and rambling Motormouth may be in for a shock. Hehehe ... Unless you're gettin' on my nerves. Or stealing my food. Grrrr .....


4. One of my favourite food happens to be the PETAI. Cooked in sambal with prawns, or barbecued with squids, or even fried with rice, I like them stinking beans, ensuring a bloody good time with mates after the meal, breathing stinkbombs into their faces. But most do not share my love for the under-rated beans. Sigh ....

Come to think of it, I like most stinking/rotten/yucky stuff. From fermented beancurd (foo yee and stinky tofu) to petai, and durians to salted fish. And those are the milder stuff. Weirdest stuff I've put into my mouth? Those deep-fried scorpions in Beijing. And they were crispy, salty and delicious. But pricey, at about RM5/pc, if I recall correctly. Others include the creepy-crawlies from Thailand, squirrels, and such.

Still searching for those of same interests, so we can venture to Lawan Kuda near Gopeng for a taste of the exotic stuff. Any takers?


5. My most hated food/green for the moment = LEMONGRASS/SERAI. No offense to the Lyrical one, but I can't stand the overpowering aroma of them in my food. In miniscule amount, like in TomYam soup, I can still bear the taste. But not when boiled in water and drank. Bad experience with some Lemon Myrtle drink some years ago.

6. I LOVE travelling. That explains my love for this current job, when I get to travel for free. AND earn some $$$ in return. Never get tired from travelling, sometimes continuously even. Though mostly local destinations. But with Air Asia, now everyone can fly. Ahem .... Depending on the destination though. My next target? HANOI.

7. And last but not least, erm, I've no more secrets to spill. REALLY! But seven's my favourite number, And I was (still am, at times) a videogame junkie since primary days. From the oldest console of mine, a Micro Genius-copycat, to a Gameboy, then Playstation, followed by PS2, I'm currently stashing a PSP in my drawers. Still contemplating on a PS3/Nintendo Wii.

But camera comes first. Thus, I'm still on the lookout for a good cam, not really to serve my food-snapping activity, but more for my travelogue. And my favourite videogame of all time is still the amazing RPG breakthrough, FINAL FANTASY 7....

AND THAT'S A WRAP. I won't tag anyone though. But feel free to tell 7 Things you'd like to reveal about yourself, without the burden of doing so. Have a happy weekend ....

Another One of Ipoh's Curry Noodles @ Chuan Fatt, Pasir Puteh

YES! The week flew by faster than a bullet. Or an Air Asia flight on steroid. I mean ... they seem to be punctual most of the times, aren't they? :)

Only one stall in this shop ... don't expect variety though

Enough with the KL posts (for the time being) and come back to good ol' Ipoh! The other day we ventured to Pasir Puteh area for breakfast, and initially went for curry noodles at Mee Kari Ipoh Garden. But it was a little too early, and they have yet to start operation. Shucks ....

But help is at hand. In the form of previous recommendations from various quarters, pointing to the simple, unassuming shop directly opposite of the aforementioned shop, crossing the road. A shop that has been around since I was small, when I still was living la vida loca in Pasir Puteh.

Dry Curry Noodles with Fried Chicken

Chuan Fatt is the outlet's name. Sandwiched between various old and slightly dilapidated shoplots, the place may escape most food pursuers, especially tourists, without the guidance of the locals.

What sets their curry noodles apart from the others, you ask?

For one, you get to pick WHAT's going into your sinful bowl of either wet, or dry curry noodles. Choices include fried chicken, shredded chicken meat, roasted pork and char siew.

A formality of sorts, I picked their dry curry noodle, as I've always preferred the thicker, stronger and luscious dry curry over its wet sibling. And fried chicken as the ingredient (poison) of choice, as many had me believed it's Da Bomb !!!

Dry Curry Beehoon with Shredded Chicken

Service was fortunately, attentive and friendly, nothing like the kings-ly/arrogant Xin Quan Fang. Their milk tea was good as well, reminiscing of Hainan Milk Tea; smooth and milky.

The dry curry was spicier that the rest of the competition, yet not as thick or sickeningly rich with santan like most. Still prefer Nam Chau's version. The fried chicken was crispy, and tasty enough to be eaten on its own, without the curry. The Char Siew is different from the BBQ caramelized pork, as they deep-fry the cuts of half lean-half fat pork, ensuring a crispy parameter, encircling the marinated meat.

But surprisingly, NO cockles, NO tofu, and NO chopped scallions/parsley/lime wedges was served. Only the noodle of your choice, bean sprouts, and your choice of meat. Hmmm .... Maybe I should've ordered the wet curry version. At least I'll be able to taste the REAL curry flavour.

Ipohans out there, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Location : KEDAI MAKANAN CHUAN FATT @ 294, Jalan Pasir Puteh, 31650 Ipoh, Perak.

Got MAP !!!

Pudu's Roast Goose @ Chen Chen BBQ

Pudu is famous for its roasted meats. All the non-halal stuff (read : porkylicious), and the rather elusive roasted goose. It's rather tough finding a good roast duck stall, let alone one which sells roast goose. Unless you're willing to travel all the way to HK, but that's another story ....

A simple stall with shades at the corner of a row of shoplots/houses

It was surprisingly, my virginal visit to that area in Pudu. Situated within the vicinity of Chin Woo Chinese school, and a stone's throw from Times Square and Pudu LRT station (or at least it's rather near to me .... I was not the one driving =P), the stall is right by the side of Jalan Seladang, with the signboard (pic above) jutting out onto the street for good measure.

Of course, comfort comes second if you're eating at Chen Chen. Comes rain or shine, the shelter under the roof housing a few tables (roughly 10, at most) is your only sanctuary for a bite of their famed Golden Roasted Goose. But rest assured the service's prompt and warm.

Gather round with colleagues, friends or family and have a feast here

The owner of the stall, all decked in white is helped by his wife, and a few 'international' staff running the errands and serving as waiters.

The sauces for dipping - A thicker and black plum/hoi sin sauce (or was it?) and the sweet/sour sauce with raw spring onions (background)

A platter of guilt

We had the Char Siew (Caramelized BBQ pork), Siew Yoke (Roasted Pork) and a Roasted Goose Drumstick. Served with the brightly yellow turmeric rice which was slightly bland, compared to the usual chicken oil rice, and a complimentary bowl of soup of the day (it was radish, if I'm not mistaken. See my amnesiac attack at full force .... ).

I've a shot of the rice somewhere ..... but again, it's escaping me. =P

An XL-sized drumstick of the goose ... @ RM18

They sell a goose at RM110, and half a goose at RM55. Of course, ordering half a goose is silly unless you go in an entourage of four or more. Hence, the drumstick. The skin was roasted to perfection, though not crispy at all, and the sweet & gamey flavour of the goose was not revolting. But resembling the taste of a duck, uncannily.

He roasts his geese with such TLC, the colour, browning of the skin, and texture was almost perfect. But I expected much more than this, as I've not had any goose meat for aeons. And I missed HK's Yung Kee. Sigh ....

Crispy, and FAT Siew Yoke

Not too worry, if spending an arm and a leg for a goose does not sound feasible, opt for the other cuts. Like their crispy and tender Siew Yoke. One of the better ones I've tried, though I've not discovered the REAL thing at Wong Kee in Pudu, attested by the other floggers.

The Char Siew was OK, not outstanding, but obviously better than most served with wantan mee, and the reddish-parametered ones commonly found in any chicken rice stall. At least at Chen Chen's, the Char Siew is caramelized well, drizzled with their own concoction of sauce, but rather tough due to the lean meat served. Should've asked for EXTRA fatty ones .....

The EXTRA sour Chinese Mustard (Kai Choy) ... a common staple found in chicken rice stalls

There was also a shot of the rice, and the soup. Now I'm confused. Maybe the after-effect of the LONG holidays. TGIF .... tomorrow. ;)

Location : Chen Chen BBQ is at Jalan Seladang, Off Lorong Yap Hin, Kuala Lumpur

(Tel: 012-233 3083. Open: 9am-6pm. Non-halal).

Got MAP !!!

Here's The Star's Metro's take. And Very SEDAP's review.

Of Vivo Pizza, Concorde Inn KLIA, and A Syringe?!

Here's more on my KL excursion of sorts .... from the past weekend. Damn I'm still reeling from all the travelling ... yet missing every second of it. Sadistic?

Vivo American Pizza and Panini - Now open for business in Times Square

Before we were 'carted' away to oblivion (read : KLIA) for a good 3 days, we decided to stop by Bukit Bintang area for some grubs. Somehow, painted in our minds was the dreadful prospect of eating pathetic hotel food and trapped in our rooms, and entertained only by endless, tormenting lectures. Yup, it's another one of those 'kursus' thingy ....

Cafe Latte (RM6.80)

Arriving way past our usual lunch hour, we quickly proceeded to hunt for some food. And Vivo situated at the Lower Ground Floor of Times Square was as attractive as light/fire to the moth. Or something like that .....

They exhibit great pride in their coffee, proudly proclaiming its Lavazza's origins. Hence I opted for the frothy, ever-pleasing latte, as I've an aversion to anything with more milk than substance (=P). Hmm, Vivo's coffee may be fragrant, but I still felt something amiss, when my glass of latte though was foamy and frothy with milk, was lacking in the caffeine department.

Iced Mocha (RM7.50)

Tell me the glass of Mocha above does NOT resemble a glass of 3-layered tea (Teh C Special), a popular Sarawak beverage? Shucks .... Now I miss my Teh C Special !!!

Oriental Baked Rice (RM10.90)

Their menu covers mostly pizzas, pastas, salads, some random chops (which I do not put faith in), paninis (Italian toasted sandwich), and baked rice and pasta. I eyed a Chili Icon beside the Oriental Baked Rice, indicating F-I-R-E. Always a good thing to have something spicy for every meal. I highly suspect I might be an Indian/Mexican/Malay in my past life.

Cheesy, creamy and rather filling, the chicken cubes thrown in were not generous, yet the pleasantly fragrant and fluffy butter rice went really well with the spicy sauce. There MIGHT be some mushrooms or such in there, I couldn't be sure. =P

Smoked BBQ Chicken Pizza (RM18.90)

They offer a variety of pizzas, from the meatiest to the bland-est of vegetarian versions. From thick to thin crust, and less or more cheese (+RM4), and etc etc ....

The signature pizza got our attention, a smoked BBQ chicken pizza, 6 big slices of calorie-fied terror, albeit lacking in cheese (oh, so THAT'S why they offer additional cheese top-up for RM4 .... wicked). The smoked chicken was tender but tasteless, the flavour came from the BBQ sauce. The roasted peppers, mushrooms and olives completed the package, a rather fulfilling pizza at a reasonable price.

For a wholesome lunch, but slightly more expensive than the fast food counterparts.

The meal costed RM48 for both of us, a taxing lunch, but rather filling. Will probably return for the pizzas, as they're definitely better than Pizza Hut's. But that's just me.

Location : VIVO TIMES SQUARE @ LG68, Lower Ground Floor, Berjaya Times Square, 1, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel No : 603-2148 9799.

So .... done with lunch, then off to our destination. The REAL one ... No more side trips. =(

Tranquil surrounding eh?

Destination : Concorde Inn, KLIA

Time Span : 3 days, 2 nights

Room : Twin sharing with 2 single beds, and the usual bells and whistles of a 3-star inn.

Guess what's the 'Welcoming Shock of a Door Gift' ?!

Yup, we discovered a capped needle by the window. Fortunately, it's NOT on our beds. Or in the showers. Could not determine whether it was used, or new. But highly suspicious the needle was NOT for diabetic patients' insulin shots.

Geez .... how inviting.

Guess the Gadget

If that was not strange, imagine finding a mosquito repellent gadget at the power supply. Ahem ... fully air-conditioned room and requiring a mosquito repellent?! What's next? Kelambu (mosq nets) and coil?

Now this .... is..... LIFE.

Minor gripes aside, the food at their cafe aptly named Melting Pot Cafe, was simply marvelous. A lot of variety, and they excelled in the quality department as well. Every meal was thoroughly enjoyable. All buffet spreads, and FOC. For us only, of course ... not all guests. =)

And that somehow ... made our stay a step away from mediocrity.

Santini @ Jaya One

A week of break from blogging. And technology. OK, maybe not so much of the latter, but still regretting not bringing my notebook along ... imagine trapped somewhere near KLIA for 3 whole days. Painful.

Cool-looking chairs .... bound to give that back an aching after a few shots!

You know the dreary feeling of returning to work after a long break? When your brain's still accustomed to the carefree mornings, aka waking up and rollin' in bed, anticipating/planning the day's breakfast (or brunch), and treasuring every minute, every second of the day.

Without the hassle of dragging my carcass to the office and face the pc for 8 hours. Like now.

Near-zero occupancy on a Friday's noon. Hmm ....

The complimentary house bread dipped into balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Circling around Jaya One, we were stumped on where for lunch. Service MUST be quick as I was rushing off for some 'important' assignment after lunch.

Of course, our lunch on Fridays = 2.5 hours of pleasure dining. =P The perks of working with the government. (No rotten tomatoes, plz ...)

Carpaccio and Rucola Salad Pizza (RM18.90)

And somehow I picked Santini, a brightly-coloured, rather chic outlet serving mostly Italian cuisine. With a lounge and bar, I'd assume people will throng this place for a drink at night. But I could be wrong, as Jaya One is practically 'infested' with restaurants, bars and cafes, it'll be near impossible for an outlet to be packed to the brim. Unless it's the over-rated (and over-crowded) Old Town White Coffee outlet, the favourite Chinese restaurant Ducking (which I've yet to find enough 'kakis' to dine with), or the perennial favourite of most coffee-junkies, Starbucks.

A slice of 8" pizza with toppings of rucola greens, beef carpaccio, and mozzarella cheese

You see, after the damn long introduction, I've yet to touch on the food. Blame it on my pent-up emotions ... ahem, I meant words. Ok, ok ... here's my take on the food @ Santini.

They serve a variety of pizzas and pastas, and some rather mind-boggling choices. I picked the beef carpaccio and rucola salad version, which can either come in 8" or 12" portions.

Half-expecting the beef to be raw and tasteless, the carpaccio was surprisingly good, slightly smoky, thinly-sliced and a tad briny in flavour. Of course, eating them with the overpowering taste of the rucola (rocket) leaves somehow tampered the sweetness of the beef, plus the strong flavour of the mozzarella cheese-flakes (not entirely melted) may put off non-cheese lovers. But not me. Fortunately, the pizza dough was good enough, with thin crust and light as pizzas should be.

Chicken ... Set. (RM14.90) + Iced Lemon Tea

OK. I forgot the set of the day. It was some random chicken thigh served with mashed potatoes and mushrooms, and various vegetables. And a sourish yet appetizing tomato-based sauce. Very much alike bolognese, yet more flavourful. Most importantly, the chicken meat was tender, and went really well with the tangy sauce.

The meal was slightly above average, albeit the "sneezy" waitress (it was obvious she was down with a bad cold). Price-wise, not really cheap, yet not overly exorbitant. The lunch sets are value-for-money, for sure. And parking's a breeze at Jaya One.

Location : SANTINI @ JAYA ONE, 3-G, Block M Jaya One, No 72A, Jalan Universiti, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel No : 603-7957 8866/36.

Here's to a cheery week ahead ..... !!!! =P

Yut Kee @ Jln Dang Wangi - 80 Years and Counting ...

80 Years of Legacy ... that has gotta account for something, right?

Yut Kee (YK, for short) - Possibly one of the most raved/blogged about Chinese cafe/restaurant in KL

Google Yut Kee ... or add another term, Roti Babi, and you may find so many links your head'll spin. A hotspot for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and tea time, the restaurant' may occupies ONLY one corner shoplot on Jln Dang Wangi, a short distance from Jln Tuanku Abdul Rahman and SOGO shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Hainanese Tea (RM1.70) and Coffee (RM1.30)

Being another Hainanese outlet, the shop's manned by Jack Lee (no, not JET ... though the phonetic resemblance's uncanny) the son of the original proprietor of YK's.

And branded a Hainanese myself, I've always taken pride in my ancestors' talent and fame in the F&B segment, particularly the Pork Chop, the chicken rice, the milk tea and coffee .... everything Hainanese.

Having breakfast here on a Sunday morning = Patience-in-Testing, yet a Jolly Good Time

The crowd was intimidating at first glance, rendering 1st timers (like me) shaking in our boots while driving by. But after parking the car haphazardly along 'bahu jalan' (it was a Sunday, after all, thus we're KINGS), we marched to the entrance of YK's, and the lady boss signalled for us to move in instantly. She's the usherer, of sorts. Pairing strangers on the same table utilizing simple Maths, and in return the patrons make friends (not war) while yakking over a good ol' cuppa Hainanese coffee.

Btw, the coffee's aromatic, strong enough for the morning, and smooth. The same can't be said about the milk tea though.

Lum Mee @ RM6.50

Serving noodles, Western fare, toasts and such, and some other light snacks, the pricing in Yut Kee may be an eye-opener of sorts. A tad higher than your average kopitiam (NOT the commercialized, pricier option), but of course, let's not compare an apple to an orange. Erm, wrong philosophy here?

Their Lum Mee's gaining fans all over, and it's easy to see why. Thick yellow noodles (or Tai Lok Meen in Cantonese) served in a rather light and simple sauce. My impression of Lum Mee has perpetuated around thick noodles cooked in very dark and un-savoury looking gravy.

With prawns, crabmeat and eggs thrown in, garnished with fried shallots and red chillies, the price may be justified by the portion, as where else can you get a Lum Mee with crabmeat?! But tastewise, I'm not brain-washed to be a fan, YET. And the sambal belacan with lime is a perfect companion to spice up the otherwise rather bland plate of noodles.

Roti Babi @ RM7.50

But this, my friend .... is a MUST-TRY on my list! Roti Babi (aka Fried Pork Bun?) is one of their most popular/ordered item, alongside the pork and chicken chops. Though shockingly doubling the price of Roti Babi in Penang, the portion and fillings you get is different on an entirely different level.

The bread is deep-fried with eggs, much akin to French toast, and filled with lots of shredded pork meat, Chinese wax sausages, crabmeat (again making another appearance ... reminding me of M.Night Shyamalan in the movies he directed. Popping up un-necessarily) and sweet, caramelized onions.

Generously sprinkle some Lea & Perrins' Worchestershire sauce, and savour the delicious combination of flavour, punctuated by the slightly sour, sweet and saltish sauce. Definitely one for the pork-lovers, and a rather heavy breakfast for one. :)

Homemade Kaya Roll (RM0.80/pc)

Throughout our chomping-cum-oogling session at Yut Kee, we bore witness to the churning out of many Kaya rolls and butter cakes, an indication of how popular their confectioneries are. People from all over were buying them back in bulk, and I was curious on how good their cakes really are.

Feeling rather full from the SECOND breakfast of the day, (this was right after the Sarawak Laksa session) the cake was a less-than-feasible option. Hence I went for the kaya roll, a much-beloved dessert/snack of mine.

The fragrance, sweetness and richness of the kaya was spot-on. Sandwiched between layers of 'Kai Dan Kou' (egg cake), the slice was delightful, and perfect as a snack for tea break. One full roll for RM8.

The overall experience proved to be a positive one; the service was prompt and the staff were friendly and helpful. Eating at Yut Kee brought back a sense of nostalgia, as if we travelled back in time and ate amongst the ancestral citizens in a quaint, little coffee shop.

Location : YUT KEE @ 35, Jalan Dang Wangi, 50100 Kuala Lumpur. Tel No : 603-2698 8108. Opens everyday except Monday, from 8.00 am til 5.00 pm.

Rawang's Famous Steamed Tilapia Wantan Mee

Rawang has always been perceived as an industrial area, a small town with dirt, dust, and debris (hey, 3D's!) and with a KTM station. Oh, and the last town before reaching KL, as when we were kids, we used to anticipate with glee and much anxiety before the sight of skyscrapers greeted us in their shiny armour .... aka Welcome to the (Concrete) Jungle !!!

And Rawang town was somewhat of a Happy Ending ... or something.

With 8TV's Ho Chak's logo sticker emblazed on the walls, and patrons from all over, the rather secluded restaurant holds its ground amidst the rapid development of Rawang

Locating this restaurant was not too hard, with directions from the rather reliable Food Guide. Instead, I was surprised we managed to reach this place without much hassle or jam.

In the middle of a residential area in Kampong Dato Lee Kim Sai, the restaurant has ONLY Chinese characters, which I'm of course, much-illiterate to. Named Restoran Tang Wan Cheng, the seating area may not be sufficient for a large crowd, with roughly 10 tables placed within the compartment of the house.

Fried Stuffed Mantou with Meat Paste (RM1 each)

To start off with, we ordered some fried mantou (buns) with meat stuffings, an awkward combination, considering the mantou was chocolate/coffee-flavoured and the stuffings was made from minced pork, giving a contrasting flavour of sweet and savoury, deep-fried until the outer crust was crispy, and the filling's delicious when dipped into the sweet chilli sauce. Minor gripe though, they could've been more generous with the fillings. But a good snack as a prelude of things to come.

To wash everything down, the lady recommended their house special drink, chrysanthemum tea with grass jelly (cincau). Such simple combination, yet was a soothing and sweet herbal drink for the parched throats.

Steamed 'Nai Pak' (Radish?) with Fried Small Anchovies (RM6)

The vegetables came highly recommended, not only by the proprietress (I presumed), but tried-and-tested by Motormouth. =P

Very sweet, and juicy (yup, sounds like a fruit, yet it's a vege I'm talkin bout), the ingenious method of cooking managed to preserve the original flavour and sweetness of the radish, and biting into the coarsely-cut chunks of fibre-goodness was pure bliss. I've learnt to appreciate such a simple dish. I'm amazed. Or maybe .....

I must be growing old.

Fei Zhou Yu (Tilapia) steamed with Wantan Noodles (RM2.80/100g)

But the STAR of the evening had to be their most raved about dish, the steamed tilapia with wantan noodles. Pick from a choice of 3 gravy, either steamed with ginger, or "Cheong Ching" (spicy/savoury sauce), or another with simple soy sauce.

The lady recommended the 1st choice, as the fish steamed with lots of ginger was the most popular, at least for newcomers. And the dish did not disappoint at all, save for those who are allergic (doubtful) or tend to stay away from ginger .... like the love-hate relationship I'm having with lemongrass. =P

Their signature bouncy, springy, QQ egg noodles

The noodles was excellent, without alkaline taste, and lightly laden with pepper, and garnished with chopped scallions and julienned carrots. But when steamed together with the fish, the noodles absorbed much of the light yet pungent/fiery sauce, owing its numbingly-tingling taste to the abundance of ginger used in this dish.

Ginger's known to be a good carminative, perfect to calm that dyspepsic gut, but bear in mind the flatulent-finale. LOL.

The tilapia may be a 'poor man's fish' to most, but the freshness of the fish shone through, with absolutely no hint of fishiness, or unpleasant 'muddy' taste commonly lamented when it comes to freshwater fishes. The tender and sweet flesh practically fell off the bones, and the fish at 650gm was more than enough for two. And that seemed to be the smallest available.

Walloped before I rmbred to snap. Whoopsie.

We were mighty full after the whole ordeal. Ravaging, scavenging and wrestling for the best parts of the fish.

And the complimentary dessert of simple and very sweet orange could not have come at a better time. No fancy jellies/puddings, nor souffle or cheese platter, for sure. But some fibre + that overdosage of ginger = A stinkin' good time, y'all !!!

Look for this board. That was the only visible sign from afar this restaurant.

Location : RESTORAN TANG WAN CHENG @ No E-13, Jalan LKS 5, Kampong Dato Lee Kim Sai, 48000 Rawang, Selangor. Tel No : 603-6091 8671. H/P : 6012- 304 5671.

Got MAP !!!

But better yet, let me explain the directions a little ....

Exiting Rawang toll, turn right towards Rawang town's direction. Go straight for a while, until passing by KTM Komuter railways beneath you, and you'll reach a crossroad. Rawang town centre's on your left. But turn right instead, and go straight until you see a Shell petrol station on your right. The small road leading to Kampong Dato Lee Kim Sai is in fact, right after the Shell station. But you've gotta make a U-turn further down the main road, at the traffic lights.

Nam Chun @ Lucky Garden, Bangsar - Perk YOUR Morning Up with a bowl of Sarawak Laksa

Here's something to tantalize that tastebuds, early on a Monday morning .....

By now, probably needs no introduction .... THAT famous Sarawak Laksa stall in Lucky Garden, anyone?

Watched it on TV. Read this from blogs aeons ago. And finally dragged myself over for a taste of ... well, possibly the closest one can get to the REAL thing.

Complimentary (compulsory's more like it) condiments of pungent sambal and lime

Swimming in that not-too-thick gravy, a bowl at RM5 won't puncture a hole in your pocket ...

Thicker vermicelli was used, and the portion was more than sufficient for breakfast. The broth was good, thick yet not overly rich, with strong hints of "santan" (coconut laksa), reminiscing of curry laksa. Yet it was not spicy at all, and even subtly sweet. Squeeze that half of lime, and the additional tangy flavour will pique that tastebuds of yours. The accompanying 3 medium-sized prawns, shredded chicken meat, and bean sprouts were the usual suspects, but paired perfectly.

Sadly they were not serving abacus seeds (suan pan zi) that morning. Not sure they serve them anymore though, as I did not bother to ask. And another funny thing was, the service was so prompt (she does hire 3-4 workers to assist her though), by the time I reached my seats, the guy was in fact tailing me throughout. =P

Dry Wantan Noodle with Char Siew (RM4)

The other stalls around were running at full steam as well, particularly a Char Kuey Teow stall named Steve's, a pork mee/fish head noodles stall, a chicken rice stall, and this wantan noodle stall. The stretch of glistening, caramelized and dark Char Siew (marinated BBQ pork) hanging on for dear life was sooooo tempting. And the plate of soy sauce+dark soy sauce tossed springy egg noodles, with generous serving of thinly-sliced Char Siew was a notch better than the average wantan mee.

Let's hope the business above doesn't involve hanky-panky... =P

More on KL food in later posts .... I'm out.

Location : Nam Chun @ 2-4, Lorong Ara Kiri, Lucky Garden, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Got MAP !!!

Those who've tasted that fiery (not really ...) concoction sometime in the olden days :

masak-masak, wmw, BSG, Lyrical Lemongrass, Precious Pea, and Jason.