Food Bloggers' Potluck with Big Boys Oven

Lazy Mood On - Picture Heavy Post

Sidney - Peking Duck Wrap

FezzaBoy - Varieties of Pasta

Jackson de MaMa - 高州豆卜

Cutie - Stuffed Egg

WMW and Jason - Teluk Intan Chee Cheong Fun

Xiu Long Bao - Ju Hu Char and Sambal Belacan with Kick

Teckiee - Pasta

Tummythoz - RicePot Chicken Rice

Kusahi-Keat - Pong Teh



Sidney - Green Curry Chicken

KampungboyCitygal - Thai Spring Roll with Plum Saucer

Sunny's Creation

Mahsuri - "Specially made chempedak mousse sandwich between soft layer of sponge cake deco with almond bits and top with a white creamshell and pickled cherry"

Fruity Cheese Cake

Colourful Macarons

Les Durian - "Specially made durian mousse sandwiched between soft layer of sponge cake covered with white chocolat" (Sunny, 2007)

O'Chocolate - "Chocolat mousse cake is embedded with a hint of orange peel and covered with infused orange senguine (blood orange) syrup ganache. The mousse cake is decorated with a roasted walnut and a piece of chocolat" (Sunny, 2007)

Tiramisu - "It is a full flavour cake with the layered aroma of mascaporne cheese and coffee syrup" (Sunny, 2007)

Amazing Work of Marzipan (try to sink your teeth into it and see?)

Restoran Ho Weng Kee @ SS2, Petaling Jaya

Another lovely overcast Sunday morning. The sun was slightly obscured by fluffy clouds. No chirping of birds but I can hear some honking around. It’s still a very delightful day for a perfect brunch. KampungBoy is so happy about making decision today (it’s his turn today) that make me grow suspicious. Usually he would just shove it off and ask me to decide on where to eat. The truth is he has been here for three times without me (!!) and to make thing worst he kept ranting and raving about the Oh So Tender beef brisket wantan mee from Ho Weng Kee.

The Wantan Mee with beef brisket (RM 5.00) is absolutely delicious. This is the fourth time KampungBoy orders this. After long hours of cooking in slow fire, the beef briskets are flavourful, fork-tender and moist. Apart from that, the noodles are springy and the sauce with dashes of sesame oil is full of flavour. KampungBoy’s colleague recommended the dried mandarin peel duck and braised chicken feet with mushroom too.

I gave the Curry Wantan Mee (RM 5.00), their house specialty a try. The curry broth is rich and aromatic, and the noodles were fine enough too, but the combination of both seems weird for me. I would prefer my curry noodles with hor fun, yellow noodles or rice vermicelli but not wantan mee.

Not satisfied with the measly small portion, we ordered the Siu Kow (dumpling) too. With a minimum order of five (RM 4.50), it comes in a bowl of hot soup with spring onion garnishing. The siu kow with beautiful classic pleats never fail to amaze us.

The RM 15 is truly well spent as I’ve decided not to be angry of him over the eaten-nice-wantan-mee-three-times-without-me matter anymore.

Ho Weng Kee
32, Jalan SS2/66
Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
(Same row as Nam Heong Chicken Rice, Sam Chen Restaurant and Digi Centre)
Closed on Tuesday. Open for Breakfast and Lunch Only

Wong Poh Claypot Butter Crab @ Bukit Mayang Mas

On search of some heinously sinful, artery clogging, high calories and high colesterol delight?

Wong Poh's Claypot Butter Crab answer your quest. The crabbies are evenly coated in the liberal thick sauce, with a hint of spiciness from curry leaves and cili padi. The accompanying fried mantao is great to mop off all the creamy thick butter sauce. It is simply out of the world!

We were joyously licking the sauce off and savour the sweet and scrumptious crab meat (we tell the waiter that we want the biggest size crabbies!) and all its goodness for a befitting sweet finish while everyone joins the crowd for merdeka celebration and coundown. Total bill comes close to rm 50 for 2 rice, clay pot butter crab and a sizzling plate of japanese bean curd.

Location Map of Wong Poh, Bukit Mayang Mas

Restaurant Wong Poh
36 & 38 Jln BM 1/2
Bukit Mayang Mas
47301 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 603-7803 3527

Boat House @ TTDI

September must be the peak birth month, where we are having a hive of birthday celebrations for the September babies every Friday/Saturday since the first week of September. Let’s start with divide celebration of Kelvin’s and Poh’s!

Nestled in the heart of Taman Tun, this cosy little hideaway functions as a quiet neighborhood restaurant. A very low keyed, family/friends owned quaint and cosy dining experience that offer an extensive menu, ranging from Western delicacies to Local delights.

I love the way they staged the table, the dinnerware match the harmonious purple-red color scheme very well. Very gorgeous indeed!

Cempedak Chicken (RM9.90). After deseed, the cempedak flesh is stuffed with some seasoned chicken cube and coated in batter to be deep fried. The sweet orange-yellow coloured pulp coupled with the salty chicken cubes is an acquired taste, some of us like it so much but some just shoved it off.

The Grilled Chicken Chop (RM 19.80) with a mushroom sauce glaze and a side of roasted potatoes is lightly dusted with herbs. The chicken is tender, juicy and well marinated.

Kampungboy had the Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb (RM 39.80, the lamb is seared, and encrusted with garlic and sweet herb crust and served over a bed of seasonal vegetables The pinkish –read meat is succulent, delicious and done to a turn. The de-boned lamb is a pleasure to eat but only complain is that the serving is too insignificant.

Kelvin’s Carbonara (RM 23.90) is sinfully rich, egg, cream, butter, parmesan cheese all in one smooth creamy concoction. It is a pleasure for the first few bite, but eventually it becomes too heavy for his taste.

Piccata Chicken (RM 27.80) is made of simple ingredients such as butterflied chicken, capers, lemons and white wine but Chow find his plate of chicken disastrous because they over laden It with aubergines, zucchinis, shredded cheese, mushroom slices and frozen mixed vegetables. To make thing worst, the chicken is deep fried instead of pan fried.

Blue Cheese Scallops Poppy Seed Fettucine (RM 28.90). The blue cheese sauce is not pungent and empowering at all, in fact it was a bit bland in taste. Maybe they use a well-balanced, approachable blue instead of the pungent blue? Poppy seed is something different, it makes a terrific contrast for texture and appearance.

The Tenderloin Steak in Red Wine (RM 45.80). The tenderloin is very thick, but not to say extremely tender and juicy. The birthday boy would be more delightful if he was given with a bigger serving. Nevertheless, this was a truly delicious meal served with some balsamic-sautéed greens and boiled potatoes.

ML’s Fish and Chips in classic English beer batter (RM 23.80). It is served in a classic and simple way, fish fillets dipped in an ale batter and deep-fried with a side of fried potatoes and malt vinegar, nothing fancy and nothing extra.

Drunken Prawns with Emperor Noodles (RM 13.90). Served in a clay pot, the succulent juicy prawns are lapped up with delicious Chinese wine soup and the oodles of emperor noodles remains springy even though it soak up the wonderful savory soup. Something that my mum taught me, a fool proof cooking trick for Chinese food is to add a dash of Chinese wine into your cookings. It will never fail to amaze your guest/loved one.

My order of Spaghetti Mee Mamak (RM 13.90) comes in a to-die-for aroma. The additives and taste imparting ingredients penetrate into the glistening noodles and they are very generous with the seafood as you can see from the picture. Pure bliss.

Good Ol' Friends

The Shy Camera Man

Some cake cutting session and the occasional ole booze session at our place after the dinner. We spent the evening talk incessantly and gossiping. Life is all about good booze, good friends and good food!

BoatHouse Restaurant
16, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03-7727 4426

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri - 11am to 3pm, 6pm to 12am, Sat - 12pm to 4pm, 6pm to 1 am, Sunday Closed.

Stir Fry Rice Vermicelli with Roasted Pork (Siu Yoke Mee Hoon)

(Non-Halal)

Ingredients

rice vermicelli (mai fun), soaked for 10–15 minutes until soft, and drained

1 egg

½ cup shredded carrot

½ cup shredded cabbage

½ cup long beans

1–2 tsp oil

3 slices ginger, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped garlic

Sauce ingredients – (combined)

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp tom yam sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

¾ tsp thick soy sauce

¼ tsp pepper

½- ¾ tsp sugar or to taste

1 tbsp sesame oil

½-¾ cup water

Garnishing

A squeeze of lime juice

Chopped spring onion and coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a wok, fry the egg and set it aside, then fry ginger and garlic until lightly golden.

Put in carrot, cabbage, long beans and rice vermicelli. Pour in combined sauce ingredients. Do not stir but cover the wok for 7–8 minutes.

Remove the cover. Toss well for 3–4 minutes or until well combined.

Dish out and serve with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of shredded eggs, chopped spring onion, coriander leaves and some sinful crispy siu yoke brought all the way from Ipoh!

Recipe by Amy Beh from The Star Kuali (ammended and adjusted according to personal preferences)

Lunch Buffet @ Noble House Imbi

(NON-HALAL)

CAUTION: Not for the famished/starved and the on diets with weak determination!

Time flies, one week to go and it marks the end of my internship. I feel the fleeting of every moment, deeply. Everyone asks me, "Do you know what you're doing after graduation? I feel a little bit overwhelmed because there are so many things to be considered, the pathways are blur - to continue with master or to join the rat race and ascending the corporate?

Enough of ramblings, let’s get back to the food. It was a lunch get together for the trainees aka cheap labour in my company. With a mere few hundred of allowances, we need to get a PLZ (peng leng zheng) place. Noble House lunch buffet is perfect for corporate slave with budget who emphasize on value! The RM 39++ comes with a bowl of complementary braised shark fin with crab meat and crab roe while the RM 50++ set entitles you to a bowl of double boiled stuffed shark fin in chicken wing.

As a fast growing restaurant group with a premium reputation, specializing in Fine Cantonese Cuisine, Noble house is the third outlet of Oriental’s Group of Restaurants. Noble House is awarded as The Best Restaurant 2007 by Malaysia Tattler too.

We were fairly impressed by the modern contemporary interior of Noble House where a nice flow of water and a pond full of kois causing a profound calming effect on the surrounding area.

Braised shark fin with crabmeat and crab roe. I think they use some sort of substitute instead of the real shark fin, there may be some real thing inside, I can't be too skeptical after all. The crab meat is actually frozen filament stick coupled with some real crab meat flakes. We can't expect too much for RM 39 right?

The peking duck wrap is a sinful indulgence, just arrange the crispy and oil laden skin on a large plate and serve it with pancakes and cucumber, spring onions and hoi sin sauce.

Garoupa fish fillet with pamelo pulps is very good. The fillets were exceptionally light and crispy while the pamelo pulps and lime sauce give it a very refreshing touch.

Kampungboy loves the smoked chicken. The delicate smoke add good flavor to the meat and it still remain tender and juicy.

Siu Yuk, the crispy roast belly pork is finishing really fast. The skin is very crispy (never stale) and the meat has the perfect balance of leans and fats.

Deep Fried Goodies

Adjourn to the hot pot selection with braised duck, braised fish, bak kut teh, la mien, ipoh hor fun, etc to fill up your tummy. Other than that, my friends gave two thumbs up to the porridge selection and pan fried section with yummy goodies such as dumpling (wo tip), cheong fun, radish cake (lobak gou).

I need not to elaborate much on the food as you can read WMW's review here and Jackson's 2 cents over here and here. The buffet spread is a good one, not to say stunning or exceptionally good, but for the price that we pay, it was a GREAT value for money. Perfect for a family occasion or friends get together.

Obligatory pictures of our usual delicious long haired kakis just for the team. A group shot of happy gluttons with bulging tummies and contented smiles.

NOBLE HOUSE
No.19, Jalan Delima, Off Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03- 2145 8822 Fax : 03- 2141 3822

Selamat Berpuasa! Bazaar Ramadhan @ Kelana Jaya

Bazaar Ramadhan is a month long bazaar open to the public during the fasting month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic calendar) prior to the festival of Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It actually unite the Muslims from all states in a period of fasting and and community bonds where everyone gather to pray and break the fast.

For us Chinese, we get to join in for the joy of fast breaking. I love to make a move to Bazaar Ramadhan for the bewildering array of stalls selling delicious food. Spurred by the recent review of Boolicious on Bazaar Ramadhan at Kelana Jaya, we made a stop over there last weekend, to take pictures and of course to savour the mouth watering delicacies.

Feast your eye on the pictures first! I’ll try to update the name of the various delicacies and a map to Bazaar Ramadhan at Kelana Jaya by tonight. Stay Tune!

Attracted by the red coloured chilli glaze and sesame seeds, we bought some Popiah Beseri (RM 1 for 2) where the chilli sauce is tooth ache-ing-ly sweet. A It was bunches of deceiving popiahs that lure us into buying it. I’ll try to get it from other stalls on my next visit here.

Popiah Kering (Deep Fried Popiah)

Kampungboy almost gone crazy over these Ikan Bakar, especially ikan pari bakar. Pari was selling at RM 6 and above while Ikan Kembong was selling at RM 3 and above. The makcik was very nice to give us some discount since we took a very nice shot of her pan frying the fishes.

Murtabak (RM 2 f0r 1). The thin dough is filled with minced meat, chicken or beef, garlic, egg and onion. It is then fried on a griddle until it turns golden brown.

Made of flour, egg and tumeric powder, Roti Jala (RM 2) is something that you can’t miss out. It is interesting to see the making of Roti Jala, the outcome is just like a piece of art work. Using a cup like mould, the man’s hands were moving in circular motion to form a thin lacy pattern in the frying pan.

The cute little mini Roti Boom is selling at only RM 0.50 for one. It is a great invention for people like me who want to try a bit of everything but not to stuff myself silly. A very sinful snack, oily roti coupled with margerin and a dollop of sugar, do not over indulge on it ya?

Roti Arab is originated from the Arab countries and Turkey. It is quite sweet and a little hard to bite on.

You can choose to have the grilled meat (chicken or beef) to served with pita bread or plain bread. (RM 2.50)

One is hard to miss the Ayam Golek stall. It was selling at RM 13 for one chicken and RM 7 for half chicken. There were rows and rows of chickens turning on the griller over charcoal fire.

Assorted Fried Balls (RM 1 for each skewer)

Lemang is a traditional Malay food where glutinour rice and coconut milk is cooked in a hollowed bamboo stick. It goes very well with curry gravy.

The man selling Sata (RM 3 for 6) originated from Kuala Terengganu, just like Kampungboy so they had a very good chat. It is made of ikan tenggiri, shallots and ginger wrapped in banana leaf, pierced on a skewer then barbecue over low fire. I tasted some shredded coconut in it too, giving it a slightly sweet and course texture. Unlike otak otak, the fish paste is bouncy instead of mousse like.

Skewered Chicken Wing

Pelbagai Lauk Pauk (assorted dishes) that goes well with nasi (plain rice), nasi impit (compressed rice) , pulut (glutinour rice) , lemang (glutinous rice and santan) or mee hoon (rice vermicelli).

Sambal Cili Grilled Kembong and Sambal Cili Grilled Cencaru reminds me of my mum, who can make really good sambal stuffed kembong and she always take the trouble to blend her own chili paste that has kick!

Another delicacies that will make Kampungboy goes crazy, sup tulang! Selling at only RM 5, the portion is huge and the soup is very peppery.

Sotong Bakar Pantai Morib

The lady was busy preparing some Popiah Basah on the spot. The ingredients is very much similar to Chinese Popiah where sengkuang (yam bean), bean sprouts and fried shallots are laid on top of the wet pastry sheet.

Nasi Goreng and Mee Goreng

Keropok Lekor and Keropok Keping

Pulut Udang (RM 1 for 3) is actually glutinous rice with chopped dried prawn wrapped in banana leaves. The filling is spicy and sweet at the same time.

The adik is so cute, he is busy slicing the apam balik (RM 2) into smaller pieces in a very familiar manner.

I was delighted to see a stall selling Kuih Pelita, my favourite kueh. It was selling at RM 1 for 3, the white coloured layer is flavoured with coconut milk, while the green layer is flavoured with pandan leaf.

Kuih Denderam is a mini doughnut shaped like snacks made of brown sugar and shredded coconut. It was so crispy and sweet, another favourite of mine.

Kuih Muih Ramadan

Kuih Bakar (thanks to full time mum n udjinn) Kuih Bingka or Seri Muka? Can anyone please enlighten me on this, it tastes like Kuih Bingka but the vendors told us that it was called Seri Muka. They even poke a joke on us, “makan banyak sikit dan you akan kelihatan muda, muka berseri seri tu!” (Eat more of this and you’ll look young, face glowing with radiance!)

Putu Piring Gula Melaka. Putu piring was steamed through in the flat mould, once the lid is open, the smell of rice flour, grated coconut and palm sugar is wafting in the air. It is truly a light dessert to end my meal.

The fresh dates imported from Saudi Arabia are selling like hot cakes. The red one is Saudi Arabia Huluwa and while the yellow one is Barhi. (information from Malaysia Best)

Map to Bazaar Ramadhan Jalan SS6/1, Kelana Jaya (click to enlarge)

Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant @ Ipoh

*GASPED* A very back dated post of Father’s Day Celebration. I just got the pictures from my sister. So people, please bear with me! J

I just have to post this because it is one of the best dinners that I’ve ever had (this year). Apart from Sun Lee How Fook and Tung Hoi, Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant is another favourite restaurant of my family, we are often delighted to attend wedding, birthday and anniversary celebrations held here. They were known for whipping up the best fresh water prawn dish in Ipoh.

Mixed Vege with Macadamis Nuts that makes me go nuts. Vegetables such as snow peas, asparagus, lotus roots, lily bulbs, ginkgo, and deep fried macadamia nuts are stir fry in a smoky soy garlic. My mum say it gives eating green the devious way because my sisters has never enjoy her vege so much.

Stuffed myself silly Tofu. Each piece of tofu is gently stuffed with as much fish paste and dried cuttlefish. I could not resist soy based sauce and aromatic garlic oil, I drizzle the sauce over my rice and a sense of satisfaction took me over. The soft and silky tofu paired with the bouncy texture of fish paste is simply amazing too!

Ole Ole Prawn Balls Cup. lightly floured and fried until crisp and served with a dressing of mayonnaise. The prawn is so fresh that it is bouncing in my mouth, and the natural sweetness The natural sweetness of the prawn ball is enhanced by the dressing and cubes of fresh fruits.

Limelight Seekers Sweet and Sour Crabs. Its not the normal ketchup like sweet ands sour sauce with streaks of egg and onions. It is a different version of tangy delicious sweet and sour sauce, ah I’m running out of words to describe the taste for you readers. On top of being sweet and sour, this dish had a kick of spices as a result of the chillies they put in the dish. We happily mop off the sauce with these cute shell shaped mantaos. The enormous crab bursts with roe and the flesh is firm. Heinously sinful with cholesterol, I swap most of the roes to protect my parents against the clogging of arteries.

Trying to be humorous, I made up those name of the dishes. The real limelight seekers whould be my CUTE and ADORABLE pa and ma. Total bill comes about RM 150 which dad footed the bill himself, for a celebration just for him. I'm still living under their roof and shelter ma, but I'm so going to buy my parents a proper dinner when I get my first pay.

Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant Reviews.
57-65 Jalan Verasamy Ipoh (Malaysia)
+60 (5) 2419348.

Cagayan @ Centre Point BU

What comes into your mind when I say a neighborhood restaurant? A small restaurant in a sketchy neighborhood? This does not apply to Centre Point BU which nestled in a quiet residential area of Bandar Utama, with quite a numbers of upscale yet casual café around.

I’ll start my review with one of the most humble dining place at Centre Point BU along with Teckiee’s latest review. Dining at Cagayan is a no-frills affair and is all about the food. It was run by a group of Phillippino friends and the place was name after a province of the Philippines, Cagayan. It is a gleaming space with light toned walls, bright lighting and wooden table and wooden seating.

Green Tea bottomless (RM 2.90)

Tori Katsu Don (RM 8.90). The chicken katsu is served on a bed of white rice with some streaks of egg. The rice was nicely steamed and was delicious with the sauce with just enough of salty soy sweet taste to flavour the rice. However, the breaded cutlet is a bit saturated and mushy, they should serve the sauce separately instead of pouring them in. The bamboo painted bowl reminds me of some teriyaki donburi dish that I cook with gaiety ages ago. :D

This luxuriously rich and flavorful lamb stew is brimming with some tender lamb chunks, the huge portion is a great way to fill up your stomach. Sweet and salty at the time, the hearty and delicious lamb stew has win our votes.

We're true carnivores. The meal is completed with an order of Little Piggy (4 slabs of ribs) with Classic Sauce (RM25.90). Spicy sauce and oriental sauce was available too, but the serving staff recommended classic sauce with tomato base for the gentle and slightly tangy flavour.

Dripping with sauce and loaded with taste, the meat is so tender and juicy that it slides right off the bone. They are loaded with right amount of fats, the delicious tangy sauce is great to mop up with our rice. Look at the happy glutton!

Total bill comes to RM90++ for 4 green teas, 2 rice dish, 2 ramen dish (which I lost the pictures) and four slabs of tender juicy ribs. I was pleased to discover restaurants that serve excellent formal fare at quite reasonable prices.

G107-108 Centrepoint Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama
Opening Hours: Daily, 11.30am-10pm
Phone: 03-77241022

Wai Sek Gai @ Jalan Sayur, Pudu

Feeling adventurous on a Sunday night, we venture into KL area, Pudu Wai Sek Gai (Glutton Street). We are not a KL person; places that we are familiar with are limited: Jalan Alor, KLCC, Time Square, Star Hill Gallery and Pudu Raya. Full Stop. Ooo can Citygal adds Asian Heritage Row to the list?

We were so tired we considered giving up pretty much immediately when suddenly I thought of Jackson. Thanks Jackson, you are the savior! After much turnings and wander around, we found the place one hour later.

Shabby stalls offering good hawker food was parked along the alley. Hankering for food after being stuck in the car for one hour, I was pretty excited to start ordering. CKT is sold out, never mind, I’ll get the stew egg dessert, sold out again, never mind, there’s still stir fry radish cake, uncle is doing the last three plates.

The perfect golden fried chicken was crispy, tender and flavorful. I like my fried chicken with a crust where I can get your teeth into. It was marinated and breaded in the special mixture of seasonings. We were eating with much gusto even though most of the must try items were sold off.

The chee cheong fun is thin and smooth, the accompanied curry gravy comes with lots of fried shallots and pounded dried shrimps. Maybe they can add extra chillies to kick up the flavour intensity.

Boiled cockles for the brave at heart. The bloody cockles is bloody good, it was so fresh that the blood spatter on my hand when I tried to open it. The freshly-dredged cockles were boiled rapidly and ready to be served in a short while. It was best to be eaten with a spicy local chilli sauce with squeeze lime juice.

I couldn’t help thinking about “hepatitis” when I popped these giant juicy cockles into my mouth, sigh, eat first think later lar!

Grandma always instill with me the believe that charcoal produce delectable tong sui, smoke from smoldering charcoal will make your food tastes better. I know that I have to buy the tong sui (Chinese sweet soup) from the chee cheong fun where they subsequently boiled the tong sui over charcoal fire. The bubur cha-cha is real good stuff , the combination of sweet potato, yam, black-eyed beans, tapioca jelly and sago pearls in thick coconut milk gives you nothing but GUILT. Flap like a chicken, shake your butts and go cha-cha.

In case you guys lost in the middle of nowhere :) Lesson learnt for KampungboyCitygal.

Kedai Makanan Ang Kee @ SS2

An long overdue post of our dinner at Ang Kee. The first visit was an impromptu one; we droved pass the place and remembered that WMW did some reviews on this place. I gave her a call and ask her what is nice over there. Butter mantis prawn and steam tofu with egg was ordered upon her recommendation. The second visit here was with another 17 friends where we were splitted into two tables.

The infamous lala meehoon was sold off. We opt for the old favourite, Steam Tofu with Egg (RM 8). A simple dish that anyone can easily replicate at home, but I still prefer Ang Kee’s version where a dash of Chinese wine is added and it is absolutely delicious when the runny yolk drip down to the accompanied gravy on the silky smooth and sensible plate of tofu.

Guinness Stout Pork Rib (RM 15) is served just the way I like it. The lean and crispy pork ribs are slathered with layers of sweet and sticky sauce. Wonder if it tastes as good as Restoran 52’s Guinness stout pork rib as featured on “Ho Chak’ 8TV?

Assam Fish Fillet (RM 16) is nestled snugly in a sea of orangy and tangy gravy. With the right element of spicy, sweet and sour, everyone gives two thumbs up. The piquant dish (from the smell of belacan) was given a liberal serving of long beans. Needless to say, the fish fillets are soft with the delightfully crunchy batter.

Banana Leaf Chicken (RM 15) is another appetizing dish. Its more like a thai style chicken, morsels of lightly breaded chicken comes with a sweet yet spicy condiment and a side of onions and julienne cucumber.

The Butter Mantis Prawn (RM 16) tastes really good during our first visit, combination of crispy batter, tender flesh and sinfully rich gravy. However, it gets all flourly on our second visit. A friend commented that he feels like eating deep fried flour coated in butter sauce.

Salt and Pepper Soy Sauce and Pepper Cuttle Fish (RM 12) or “Si Jiu Chao Yao” which literally means to get sacked or fired. Usually Chinese people would avoid having food that carry bad meanings but we young people just laugh it off. It comes to my surprise that it was not tough and chewy at all. Cooking time should be closely watched as squid and cuttlefish turn rubbery and too chewy when overcooked.

For the obligatory greens, we opt for the Mixed Vegetable (RM 10). My favourite dish, the combination of lotus root, asparagus, celery, lily bulb, sweet peas and miniature anchovies were nothing but crispy.

It wins my vote as one of the my favourite neighborhood restaurant that serve decent dai chow food. The total bill comes at RM 218 for 18 of us. It hits a reasonable price point, but its considerably more expensive than New Paris for the portion that is served. No fruits or desserts over here, so we adjourn to KTZ for some delectable sai mai lo after that, thanks to Victor for footing the bill at KTZ. :D

Kedai Makanan Ang Kee
No. 50, Jalan SS2/10
47300 PJ.
012-2747148
(SS2 Cheow Yang area, same row as Original Kayu Nasi Kandar and Yu Ai)

Hwaroyeon @ Seoul, Korea

Sorry guys, it is a backdated post from my Korea trip. All the street food, fast food and captivating view from Jeju Island are sitting at my ‘to-post’ files. I’ll post one of the best meals that I’ve had in the city of Seoul – Korean BBQ. I've wanted to write about it ever since I got back, but unfortunately it's not the easiest story to tell because I need to clarify with my Korean friends on all the mumbo jumbo name on Korean delicacies.

Eunji and Rome brought us to Hwaroyeon, a famous Korean BBQ place at Jong-Gak. We were welcome by a minimalist but modern interior. The place has that "village" style feel to it as its interior is mostly reddish brick wall with wooden table and wooden stools for you to sit. The subtle transmissions of light make the place dim but not dreary. This place is packed with happy patrons enjoying that special ambiance and food.

I like this, a mini filtering funnel that drains all the excess oil away. I feel lifted up instantly because it sounds like a healthy meal with lean meats and refillable vegetables.

We spotted grills set with charcoal in the middle around every tables. Traditional side dish such as kimchi, daikon (radish) kimchi and gyeran-chim (steamed egg served in small crock) are usually served in any BBQ joint.

The Daeji Galbi (pork ribs) are marinated in a sauce made from fruit juice, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. It is succulent in taste, crisply grilled to perfection with slightly charred around the edges. It has a good sweet and salty balance, and it is fun to tug the tender meat off the nub of bone with our chopsticks.

Samgyupsal (pork meat lard) is so sinful with the lards melting off in my mouth. The meat is usually cut in thin slices so that the marinade sauce can penetrate into the meat faster and to the meat will be cooked at a shorter time. This is like another version of our very own bacon, the beautiful layers of fats and meats create altogether a different texture: The bacon fat was crispy while the meat was slightly chewy.

We used lettuce and pickled radish to wrap the meat, which is then dipped in ssamjang (sauce made of fermented bean curd and red pepper paste). Tada! What you have is a bite size sandwich! The multiple sensory pleasures of crisp lettuce juxtaposed with succulent grilled meat are irresistible.

Eunji grilled like a pro, busy accentuating the taste, texture and moisture level of the cubes and cuts while talking to us.

NaengMyeong (chilled buckwheat noodles) is often served followed by a galbi meal. Served in a cold stainess steel bowl, the noodles sit in a tangy iced broth made of chicken stock, and are garnished julienned cucumbers, a slice of a Korean pear, and often a boiled egg. They slosh it full of shaved ice and it is sprinkled with sesame seed, in abundance. Victor Yong loves the noodles dish so much, just like how Na Hee loves it.

Koreans love their soju. Almost every meal is accompanied by Jinro Shoju, a grain spirit produced by Jinro, the world's largest soju company. It is served in small shot glasses and is so easy to drink and light.

The huge feast ballooned us up like a puffer fish that is puffing too much. Talk about Korean’s hospitality! The service is excellent where waiters carry iron basket of fiery charcoal from table to table and the replace the grilling rack once it is charred.

Hwaroyeon opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m. Price of combination menu including wine for two people starts with 25,000 won. To get there, take subway line no.1, get off at Jong-gak station, and go out to way out no.4. Then turn to right, go straight along the side of Boshingak, and find the restaurant on the left. (Information by Park Hyo-In)

See also:

Greetings from Jeju Island
First Taste of Korea
Pancake Loving Nation
48 Hours with Rome's Family Part 1
48 Hours with Rome's Family Part 2
Best Korean Restaurant in Seoul

Red Ginger @ Mid Valley North Point

One of the perks of being a food blogger is that I get to feast a lot and the drawbacks is that I have to feast a lot as shown by my ever expanding waistline. Kampungboy, I need a slimming belt too (hinting). Recently, Tim from 3-meals has organized a food sampling at Red Ginger for us floggers, courtesy of Elizabeth, the charming and friendly restaurant owner. Greatest gratitude from our huge and mushy stomach!

Starters: From Top Left to Bottom Right

The briny brown sauce from the rojak buah (RM 7.80) has the right balance of sweet, sour and spicy taste. The hae kor and belacan smell is not overly pungent. A generous amount of crushed groundnuts are sprinkled all over the cut fruits.

We were served with Kasturi Pamelo Special (RM7.50), my mouth was busy muncing on the pamelo pulp and nata de coco and sipping on the kasturi juice.

The pamelo salad (RM 8.80) with ground peanut and shredded coconut is a very refreshing starter. They actually take the trouble to remove the juicy luscious sacs of the pulp. It was so juicy and sweet with very nice aroma.

Succulents rolls of minced chicken wrapped in crispy bean curd skin are served with cili for dipping. Albeit not as good as the pork version, I will definitely recommend my Muslim friends who wish to savor on some chicken lor bak (RM8.90).

My favourite dish of the day – Elizabeth’s Grandma’s recipe otak otak (RM9.50) . She use mashed dory fillets instead of the traditional red snapper or mackerel but the texture is surprisingly good. Anything cooked in banana leaf taste divide because the aroma is injected into the food. I love the spiciness that comes from the herbs/spices and I love the combination of otak otak and toast even more.

Yao Char Kwai (RM5.50) is actually a fish cake dish with powerful flavor and interesting texture.

It's turn for the filling goods. The elastic and slightly chewy Hor Fun are somewhat slippery, just like Ipoh Hor Fun (RM 13.80) from Ipoh. It is so palatable that Ipoh Mali Jason and I took a second serving.

The liberal use of santan contributes to the rich and creamy condiments of this Laksa Lemak (RM11.80). It is just adding to my guiltiness. I prefer my curry noodles to be spicy; maybe a serving of sambal at the side would be better, so that we can add in accordingly to our own preference.

We were served Kam Heong Fried Koay Teow (RM13.90) with fat juicy shrimps, fish cake, bean sprouts, eggs, minus those sinful croutons of pork lard. The slightly charred Koay Teow is very aromatic but I find the fish cake too salty for my liking.

Dry Curry Sang Har Noodles (RM23.90). Big, fresh and succulent prawns were served on a bed of curry gravy coated noodles. Sang Har Meen is usually sold at a hiked up price around KL area. You can get an affordable version over here, but without the eggy sauce.

Red Ginger Fried Rice (RM14.90). A signature dish of theirs, the crispy salted fish and raisins is a wonderful combination that makes it sweet and savory at the same time. The fried rice turns out to be addictive! The yolk is sloshing around in the white, I’m so tempted to poke the egg yolk and let it dripped out of its bag, to the yummy looking fried rice. That is what I do usually, but since I’m sharing this with everyone else, my itchy hands stopped on command from the central (brain).

Black Pepper Beef (RM17.00). The stir fry beef slices is tender, a coarser flesh texture will not yield as tender and juicy beef dish. Capsicum and pepper were added in to make the dish looks more colourful and appealing.

The Steamed Chicken with Wine and Salt + Rice (RM18.00) has a very light Chinese herb fragrant, not those choking medicine smells at sinseh place. The dashes of Chinese wine give it an aromatic appeal. It is best to be eaten with plain ol’ white rice because having the chicken alone is salty. Is it good? Our chicken king Daryl and Jackson gave their thumbs up.

We still have space to guzzle these melt in your mouth macaroons from Big Boys Oven after all the food. Gluttons always have an extra room for dessert in their stomach, a 10 GB out of 80 GB just like our hard disc.

A leopard will never change its strips, same goes to food blogger who possess a very strong will power to combat that hunger - snap first, eat later. The professionalism is in our blood *ahem*

The perks of being a food blog reader? You are entitled to 15% discount and free dessert. Not too bad huh?

Redginger (Mid Valley)
Block A, Mezzanine Floor,
Northpoint Offices Mid Valley City, KL
Tel: 03-2287 0890

Redginger (Plaza Damansara)
Medan Setia 2,
Plaza Damansara Bukit Damansara, KL
Tel: 03-2095 3118

Keropok Sengit

Keropok Sengit!

My homeland, Terengganu comprises of seven districts: Setiu, Kemaman, Dungun, Marang, Hulu Terengganu and Kuala Terengganu. 90% of the population on this state are Malays and the reminder share among the Chinese, Indians and aborigines. It is not surprise to see a heavy Malay influence on Terengganu’s delicacies.

Keropok sengit, please. Sengit = Satu Ringgit whereby Terengganuan pronounce it as such. These are some of the unfamiliar local pronunciation that is peculiar to the West Coast people. Other than the infamous Kak Yah keropok lekor, this is a place which serves mouth watering keropok - Mak Long Keropok.

Mak Long, has been running the business with the help of her family members at the same spot for more than two decades.

The place seems dodgy, with the old heavy gage galvanized zinc rooftop and wooden beams. It is always the case where you can get nice food at such hidden gem.

Though rapid development and modernization slowly adapts to the way of life, Mak Long still adapts the traditional way of cooking before the advent of electricity– wood. Why would she take in so much of trouble? According to Mak Long, gas cooked food can not match the flavor imparted on the food from a real wood fire. Wood fire can maintain a low enough temperature for proper slow cooking.

Soft drink in glass bottle is so old school !

Long style of stir fry mi (mee kasar) and stir fry rice vermicelli (mee halus). The noodles are selling like hot cakes, it disappear within seconds from the big tray.

Mak Long’s homemade cili padi. The darker colour concoction is more to the sweeter side and the light colour one is some tongue burning hot and spicy cili padi dippings.

It costs you RM0.60 for the smaller portion and RM1.00 and large portion, a value for money isn’t it? My all time favourite would be “Campur”, a mixture of mi and rice vermicelli with shredded cucumber served as a side dish. The taste is just divine; in fact it is beyond description.

Keropok Goreng is a snack made from fish ground with sago and salt before it is steam and later deep fried. It is best to be eaten with the chili dip. It is crispy on the outside but soft, warm and aromatic inside, sort of like a baguette. Guess what, it costs only RM 0.10 per piece, so RM10.00 can serves up to 100 pieces of keropoks and surprisingly my friend managed to finish it all by self. It is a great place to have a little chat and chew on the fresh Keropok Lekor.

I took the effort to compose a map that shows the direction towards Mak Long’s Keropok, a traditional Malaysian snack food composed of fish and flour.

Other delicacies around Kuala Terengganu:

Hainanese Chicken Rice

http://kampungboycitygal.blogspot.com/2006/07/terengganu-specialties-kak-yah-keropok.html

http://kampungboycitygal.blogspot.com/2007/03/roti-paun-and-hup-bee-keropok-kampung.html

Steam Keropok Lekor

Love,
KampungBoy