Otak-Otak Place @ Tropicana Mall & Nasi Lemak Panas @ Jln 223, PJ

# To be warped back to the good old days once more ....... #

Got Brains Will Travel (Cycle) ?!

Bountiful ornaments, display sets, from the wacky videotapes to the abacus, flasks & potteries and even a classic wash basin from days of yore ....... (P/S : Spot the menu?)

You wouldn't wanna be on the receiving end of the falling bicycle !!

Thanks be to foodies-extraordinaires; Jason & WMW (hehe), I relived my childhood days at Otak-Otak Place @ Tropicana Mall. Nope, not the darker side of my past (those dark, turbulent,scarring days of youth) but instead, referring to the simpler, happier times when politicians a-bickering did not reach cult status (=P), that black gold liquid was priced at merely RM1.20 or so, and picnicking by the lake/beach/river was not ridiculed at.

Teh Tarik @ RM2.50 and Cham @ RM2.50 - With a complimentary piece of buttery cracker

Otak-Otak Stick (Promo price : RM0.60 each, Usual price : RM1.10)



Happy Family - Though I've completely forgotten the rules of the game. Why don't they create a digital version for the third-gen consoles? =)


Rekindle .... Your Passion. Otak-Otak Roll @ RM5.50 per serving.


They really put in tonnes of effort, 'memerah otak' (pun intended) to reminisce the games, gadgets and utensils of Good Ol' Days

Purchase one of these, and suck away your sorrow ......

Otak-Otak Place is the brainchild of the people who run Pick & Brew, over at One Utama. Ironically, this outlet at Tropicana Mall is the second one, the first was opened at One Utama (where else? =P) last year.

Specializing in mostly Malay dishes and snacks, the repertoire of otak-otak (every variety imaginable, really) are impressive, from the rolls to the fried, and steamed to the traditional ones. Now they're running a promotion for the Otak-Otak Sticks, priced at only 60 cents each. Resembling Johor's Otak-otak Kempas (click HERE for the review last year), albeit spicier, with heavier 'santan' (coconut milk) taste. The other choice we picked was the Otak-Otak roll, fish paste with herbs and spices rolled in between thin egg crepes, then dipped into the sambal for that extra kick. Slightly oily, but a satisfactory snack nonetheless.

Location : Otak-Otak Place @ L1-58, No 3, Jalan SS20/27, Tropicana City Mall, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel No : 603-7728 0403.

But wait, that couldn't be our dinner, right? Fret not. Here's more, thanks to driver WMW, and pointer Jason .......

The much raved about Selera Jaya 223 @ Jalan 223, PJ - Packed with people late into the night .....


Contender #1 (Red Corner) - Nasi Lemak Panas Yati (Gerai 6)

The RM1.20 per packet nasi lemak at this place has almost reached legendary status. People from all walks of life, near and far, flocked to this unassuming 'medan selera' located opposite the Amway factory on Jalan 223, Petaling Jaya. And you'll be hard-pressed not to find any patrons indulging (obsessively) on their packets of nasi lemak, be it from the RED or BLUE corner.

You get what you give ..... stole a quote from you-know-who!

Fully prepared to down at least 2 packets of those piping hot packets of nasi lemak, freshly wrapped at the kitchen, continuously to cater to the crowd.

Once seated, just ask for the nasi lemak, and they'll bring them over in a jiffy. Take note that there are TWO brands from TWO different stalls, packing their products freshly, and dishing them out to the hungry crowd.

The RED one belongs to Gerai No 6, Yati - A preferred choice, with various positive reviews in general. Hence, I reached out for my 1st packet. Wrapped in banana leaf and newspaper, the heat could be felt from the outside, a positive sign surely. Who doesn't dread those cold, lonely packets of (possibly stale!) nasi lemak elsewhere?

Served with half a boiled egg, and sambal ikan bilis (anchovies), the portion could barely satiate a child, let alone a famished Motormouth. Tastewise? The sambal was spicy, the rice was steaming hot, but that was about it. A serious lack in fragrance & flavour, as I could barely detect a whiff of aromatic 'santan'. The sambal ikan bilis was fiery, but the anchovies were soft and chewy. And NO onions for that sweet taste and NO cucumbers either.

Contender #2 (BLUE corner) - Nasi Lemak Panas Suri (Gerai 2)

Uh-oh. Bad start. Let's see how the challenger fared. The BLUE corner belongs to Suri, with an appearance resembling Yati's, albeit with words stamped in blue.

Wetter and sweeter sambal, but same old crunch-less anchovies,and half a boiled egg

Also priced at RM1.20, Suri's version also arrived piping hot, almost scalding to the roof of one's mouth. Be cautious, spoon them slowly, and enjoy. Or NOT.

Suffering the same fate as Yati's, the nasi lemak had only a very faint hint of coconut milk, with a more watery sambal with ikan bilis. The sambal was sweeter, perfect for children or those not in favour of extra heat. The gravy reminded me of canned sardine's tomato sauce, really.

Otak-Otak Kempas also available as sides, but to avoid an overdose of otak-otak, we restrained ourselves

Verdict? Not something I'll be returning for. But the dirt cheap price, and the fact that the nasi lemak is freshly-packed, are reasons enough for fans to return again and again ......

Location : Medan Selera Jaya 223 @ Jalan 223, Petaling Jaya. The road's lined with factories, but the food court's situated opposite an Amway factory. You'll notice the abundance of cars lining the roads at night.

# And they retreated to their own chambers, & slept soundly thereafter ..... #

DURIAN-ized @ Sri Karak Restaurant, Section 52, PJ

Man, Ipoh is HOT !!!! In every sense of the word. The weather is scorching, the STILL-chaotic and volatile political fiesta still threatening to throw the citizens into lunacy, etc etc .....

Notice the 8TV's Ho Chak's endorsement? Gotta be good, no?

I'm a sucker for anything with durian in it. Be it Durian Cendol from Melaka, Durian pancake from Seri Petaling, Durian Ice-cream with Ais Kacang (or, the other way round, most probably) from Kek Seng, Penang Road, Tempoyak with or even the REAL DEAL, fleshy & thorny raw form. The title given, the undisputed "King of Fruits" well-deserving for a fruit that's not only versatile for desserts and savoury snacks, but the infinite potential of harm the thorny exterior can impose to others ... Muahahaha .... Makes Tear Gas sounds wimpy now, eh? =P

Durian Egg Tart @ RM1.60

I somewhat stumbled upon this outlet in Petaling Jaya's Section 52, an area I've never even been to previously. Yeah, makes one wonder is PJ really that HUGE of an area, exceeding 52 sections?!!! Geez. I'll just clasp my hands and pray for a GPS. C'mon now ..... -_-

Durian Bomb @ RM1.80

Sri Karak Restaurant originates from Yik Kei Restaurant in Karak town in Pahang. The HALAL restaurant serves mostly Chinese dishes, from their famous steamed fish (including patin with tempoyak!), as well as Freshwater Prawns Noodles (Sang Har Meen).

But of course, that's not their main pulling factor, nor the reason for our patronage. We were there for their tempting durian desserts, previously covered by 8TV's Ho Chak programme, and then some.

Durian Pancake @ RM6.50

The egg tart was rather cheap, at RM1.60 per piece, with pastry that doesn't crumble, but more to cookie-like, ala John King's style. But lacking in pungent durian aroma and flavour, I found it rather mild. My vote goes to John King's version, no doubt.

The Durian Bomb is actually durian flesh enveloped by crispy pastry skin, much akin to a Yam Puff (Wu Kok), but on the smaller scale. All the pastries are prepared freshly everyday, and no leftovers are being sold on the next day.

Durian Cendol @ RM6.00

The Durian Pancake's not on the menu, so you gotta ask if they're preparing them. One layer of durian ice-cream, one layer of sponge cake, and another with durian flesh, the pancake skin was thin, and highly advised to let the pancake warmed to room temperature first before consuming, so that the ice-cream layer will thaw slightly before one gets brain freeze.

The Durian Cendol has way more ingredients than Jonker 88's, with Gula Melaka syrup served at the side. A wise choice, as not many would prefer their cendol to be extra sweet. The bowl of colourful concoction resembled Ais Kacang more than Cendol though. The Durian Ice-cream served atop was creamy, but lacking the punch somehow. Maybe I'm used to stronger Durian flavour in my desserts.

Location : SRI KARAK RESTAURANT @ No 17, Jalan 52/8, Section 52, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel No : 603-7958 3240.

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