After Giovanni

Keep it Simple Stupid, Hai Onn Reminds

2009-11-15T10:00:00.002+08:00

Hai Onn made it to the top of my to-eat list during my last Penang trip, after repeated reminders from the island quarters of its nostalgic charm, the way real old Penang used to be before it too became all about colossal malls and grotesque "beautification" projects.

We had been warned that service here was notoriously slow, on account of the kitchen & floor team of largely octogenarians, whose pace of life remained staunchly pre-war.

We arrived just a little after noon, hoping to beat the lunch crowd and hopefully keep the waiting time to under an hour. While we waited for the white-haired auntie to shuffle slowly to the back of the kitchen to shout out our orders, the resident Lor Bak stall, already fired up, kept the anxiety & hunger pangs away. The fried tofu cubes were remarkably silky and palatable. A very well-prepared plate of goodies.

To evade Mom's questions about my current love life at the table, I went around checking out the vintage nooks and crannies around the shop. Fittings like these historical electric switches practically commanded a kind of reverential salute.

After about 30 minutes, the Roti Babi arrived. Hai Onn's version was the real deal, packed full of the turnip-carrot-shrooms-and-pork filling heavily accented by five spice. None of the halal sort that you would find at Senior Citizens' or Chinese Recreation Club, the other two places in Penang that immediately came to mind.

Shortly after, the Chicken Chop arrived, the crunchy egg batter languishing in simmering gravy. The sight of this excited me to no end, but to be perfectly honest, the taste hardly justified the wait or the anticipation. This was rather colourless as a dish, the gravy plain starchy and paltry.

Same deal with the Pork Chop which featured tough, overcooked, underseasoned pork tenderloin and same monotonous gravy. We discussed our disappointment later and figured that the simple taste of yesteryears probably got hopelessly lost on our spoilt and over-fostered tastebuds, much like the haphazard development blueprints for the island. Either that or the octogenarians are losing it!

The Hokkien Char looked handsome, but again tasted as dull as hospital food. Struggled to finish this and eventually gave up.

The Sambal Kangkung was the only dish that arrived with too much flavouring. In fact, it was wayyyy too spicy and salty that it ended up a nice pairing to the weak noodles.

Despite being a generally mediocre meal, I was glad to have paid a visit. I hope it sticks around for generations to come, if only to remind Penang what potential it once had, as the rest of the island sinks into utter disrepair playing catch-up.

The Return of the Bride, Vishal's Brickfields

2009-11-10T19:00:00.001+08:00

Vishal in Brickfields had been unknown to foolishly ignorant me until one recent sunny Sunday morning, on the occasion of the return of our lovely (and soon to be blushing bride) Li Ann, back from her working holiday stint in the UK, tightly escorted by strapping groom-to-be Benji.

Li Ann and the disgustingly fit Benji, fresh from walking the Terry Fox run, jumped into my car and provided directions down the narrow streets to Jalan Scott, where Vishal's occupied the unassuming lot opposite the temple.

The immediate word that came to mind when we entered was "mess hall", in its most charming interpretation. Most of the dining seats in the house were lined up on one side of the long tables to minimise traffic obstruction. Not the best for a five-way conversation so we were lucky to secure one of the few regular 4-seater tables.

As soon as the rice and vegetables were heaped onto our individual leaves, I knew this was no regular BLR joint, what with the gorgeous shades of greens and reds. Like Christmas almost! Li Ann explained that Benji favoured Vishal's for its heady curries. I watched transfixed as the staff splashed fish curry & dhal on mine, all the while muttering "banjir, banjir."

Benji knew his curries all right. The curries here were not as viscous as Kavitha's but it was certainly no less commanding. We were stunned into silence for a few minutes while we paid respect to the blazing spread in front of us before we resumed firing questions about her Continental adventures.

The Poppadum and stuffed chillies took some time to arrive. I am a staunch devotee of the freeform style poppadum rather over the square cracker variety but it's a trivial flaw so will let it pass. Still crazy crunchy even when mixed in with all that soggy rice.

Riz also got the curious-looking minced sharkmeat & egg dish, nicely flavoured with spices and curry leaves. I had long-standing misgivings about sharkmeat but this was a nice, albeit dry repeal.

We finished with Rassam, sour and substantial, not the watered down variety to which I had been wrongfully inducted. I shall forever repent for pooh-poohing this digestive after BLR, for this prevented me from a melancholic, would've-been highly regrettable nap that same afternoon.

Welcome Back Li Ann, and may this be the start of another wonderful adventure right here at home!

My Tasty Hall of Shame in Penang!

2009-11-08T19:30:00.001+08:00

Just a quick one to showcase my personal Hall of Shame over the weekend in my lovely hometown Penang - after copious amount of alcohol with some lovely folks, we proceeded to do what inebriated souls do best apart from drunk-dialling/texting/tweeting and emotional outbursts... eating!!

We headed to Green House ("Cheh Chu"), perennial favourite supper stop along Burmah Road. I don't recall having been back here since C&C Music Factory was the biggest act on the charts ("Everybodddy Dance Now!")! Mei Shean, having just consumed pasta at watering hole earlier, ordered an extra-lite serving of beancurd, shrooms and pork balls from Beng Kee Bak Kut Teh. She struggled, understandably, and my barmy appetite, released inevitably by Penang, dove in to lend a helping hand.

My Hokkien Mee from the stately stall parked on the shopfront arrived with my slurred orders to add fishballs (fishballs?? I don't even LIKE fishballs) and pork ribs! Fiery, porky and powerful! I was wide awake once this bowl went down, fish balls and every last drop of the lovely broth.

Got my second wind for the night so after bidding my earlier companions goodbye, I raced over to Chulia Street to meet Jenny and Mel having a chinwag at Banana, one of the numerous backpacker joints over some beer. I didn't want to drink anymore and in my intoxicated wide-eyed restlessness, immediately eyeballed the Ramly burger stall parked outside. Rallied the other two to join me in approaching the rather stoic-looking guy working the grill and although rather full at this point, I ordered the Double Chicken Burger with Egg. This was a glorious mess, overflowing with mayo and ketchup but regret set in only after I finished every last crumb.

I paid for this binge dearly, kept up by indigestion all night! Reminder of why I had forsaken the post-drinking munchies for so long... they're deadly!!

Steamy Comfort & More from Pho Hoa, Tropicana City Mall

2009-11-02T22:20:00.000+08:00

One particular Saturday, I had wanted to push myself a little beyond my usual repertoire of hungover hibernation so I lined up appointments back to back, only to find myself constantly out of breath and running late from one place to another. I arrived late at Pho Hoa, second stop of the evening, for a review, courtesy of invitation from Sidney from Big Boys Oven.

I had actually been to the Pho Hoa outlet at the Curve about a year ago and walked out sorely disappointed by the meal then. Everything I had expected from a Vietnamnese bowl of noodles - the steamy, fragrant broth, interspersed with the delicate assortment of fresh herbs, bestowing the comfort of old, seasoned kitchens - did not materialise. In fact, the meal consisted of two dreary bowls of limp rice noodles swimming in LUKEWARM flavourless broth. Needless to say, when the invitation came to visit its new outlet at Tropicana City Mall, I was curious to see if this was going to be a repeat of that insipid experience.

We were served a selection of their three appetizers (sold separately) consisting of deep fried Vietnamnese spring roll, lemongrass chicken and fish cake. Even though the spring roll appeared the most pedestrian, I found the flavours interesting because it wasn't your standard radish filling. Found out later from the manager Dennis that the filling was a mix of minced chicken, yam and carrots. I tasted anise too, along with a host of other spices.

The standard Vietnamnese rice spring rolls, served with a sauce that was heavy on the fish sauce. This was alright but I've had better.

I requested for the Pho Ga or Chicken noodle soup, since I didn't do beef. With my last Pho Hoa experience clearly in mind, I really appreciated that this time, the rice noodles were cooked just right, still offering plenty of bite and spring. This was served with a hot chilli sauce which I learned was to be dumped into the bowl from the start, together with the raw bean sprouts and basil.

Next came individual bowls of Bun Ga Nuong, grilled chicken served with plenty of fresh vegetables, crushed peanuts and vermicelli, with a light fish sauce-based dipping sauce. I would have liked to enjoy more of this but by this time, had consumed almost three quarters of the full bowl of chicken pho that I had to leave this unfinished.

The beverages:

Vietnamnese Coffee, served in the single-cup filter. Some of the others at the table enjoyed this enough for seconds.

When asked for recommendation to quench this out-of-this-world thirst I had acquired from earlier studio session, Pho Hoa's staff pointed to the Salty Plum Soda. It worked!

Some went for Blended Avocado Juice. I can't be sure what the blend was but it sure looked a shade too yellow to be pure avocado.

Apart from the generous portions which were more than enough to keep me going for the next couple of appointments until the wee hours, I was also pleased to find that the earlier experience at the Curve's outlet was not entirely representative of Pho Hoa's potential. Also discovered a couple of other hits on its menu, beyond just noodle soup.

Pho Hoa's outlet at Tropicana City Mall is located on the first floor, on the Borders' end of the mall.

Thank you to Dennis and team for hosting and to Sidney once again for the invite!

The Local aka Hock Hin, SS19

2009-10-29T07:46:00.003+08:00

The more generous locals I eat with, the more familiar I become with the hidden nooks and foreign suburbs in the Klang Valley. Subang is one area of this gradual induction.

One work evening, a new eating companion gently held my hand as I ventured into this area, which holds its own in the BKT league and its many good eats to cater for its thriving population.

Hock Hin, said companion's family favourite dai chow in SS19 was to be this evening's introduction to Subang.

The Claypot pork with salted fish was lovely, spicy and hit the sodium notes perfectly. Or not so perfect for me perhaps, since I had chosen to abstain from rice this evening. Still, I dug in with nary a care.

Nothing shouted "Welcome to Subang!" like the glazed, hypnotic goodness of these Marmite chicken drumsticks! I polished about three of these darlings with much relish!

Equally gratifying were the plentiful sticks of chicken satay from lone kakak operating the stall in the same kopitiam.

To square off all that pork & poultry, a simple dish of stir-fried French beans with garlic. These crunchy greens are so easy to eat - even though it was a touch more grease than required for a vegetable dish, it was hard to keep away.

Hock Hin is situated on Jalan SS19/6. They have another air-conditioned shoplot a few doors down from the open-air coffee shop, for those who wilt in tropical evening weather.

Subang, I'll be coming back for more!

Burning for the Burn at Santai, TTDI

2009-10-26T07:00:00.003+08:00

Deepavali AM: Fresh off another gregarious Friday evening at Sid's, a few of us set off on the utterly unreaslistic hunt for banana leaf rice, neglectful of the fact that the Festival of Light is in fact, a significant day for our Hindu brothers and sisters that warrants a real holiday.

Seeing that I was going to be in TTDI for a couple of property viewings (yes, yes, STILL STILL viewing), the girls decided to hotfoot over to the area for lunch. With BLR fail inevitable, Eevon suggested Santai for tomyam.

We decided on splitting a few dishes among the four of us. The portions had arrived looking somewhat on the small side, but transpired to be just nice once we tucked in. The Sambal Kangkung featured some tasty, plump and fresh shrimps but I would have liked it a little spicier. The right level of BURN is an absolute necessary element for hangover sustenance.

The meal centrepiece arrived shortly after. We ordered the Tomyam Campur and they weren't kidding about the Campur bit - seafood, chicken, beef slices?! I don't believe I've ever seen beef used in tomyam. This was a lovely sweet broth, but once again, not enough BURN for me.

If Petai is on the menu, I cannot possibly ignore it. We chose Sambal petai with prawns and again, it arrived generously a prosperous serving of juicy prawns. Crazy burn factor still missing though.

Ayam Goreng Kunyit was a bit of a miss for me. The chicken slices were a wee bit too dry and I thought the punch from turmeric, surely one of the most interesting spice to be paired with chicken, fell short.

We also ordered these very stoic-looking squid fritters, with batter making up about 80% of the dish. Good when in the mood for that munching on greasy carbs.

Once the empty plates were cleared, post-script of last night's conversation ensued for another couple of good lazy hours. The other three ordered the Ais kacang (although they were told that Santai was out of gula melaka that morning). I was told it was delightful, the gula melaka barely missed.

I had intended to stick to my usual no-dessert position but I was drawn to the tubs of Creme Caramel sitting in the fridge and snagged myself one, about an hour after lunch. I think it would have been better if it had been turned upside down but not complaining, no siree!

This version of creme caramel held its own, considering I ate it straight out of the tub with a plastic spoon. Loved the look of congealed caramel at the bottom of the tub. Ahh, the golden elixir of joy! Not even the fact my hangover burn quota didn't get filled could contain my delight!

Santai is very affordable and very dependable Malay dining. It is no substitute for the BLR burn on hangover mornings but it guarantees a good, solid meal.

Located at Persiaran Zaaba, next to .99 Steak & Chops in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, it frequently enjoys high traffic of families, yuppies and demi-celebs hiding behind oversized sunnies and acne-ridden teenagers whiling away afternoons over cans of Coke and ais limau.

Birthday Treats, Courtesy of Joshua's First!

2009-10-18T16:20:00.000+08:00

Baby Joshua turned the grand old age of one recently and we were lucky to snag an invite to the chowdown, as part of the 70-odd party guests. I can't think of gathering any more than 10 people I would want around me at ANY age; Joshua is set for a life of immense popularity. We had heard so much about the cooking prowess of my Boss' mom or Joshua's grandmother, so we weren't about to let up on this opportunity to sample.

I arrived that evening after a rather eventful Saturday afternoon, quite, quite famished. Nevertheless, I managed to contain myself and idled with workmates, recapping our respective Friday evenings while waiting to eat. There were plenty, including a lovely fresh mushroom salad, pasta, fried spring rolls & money bags but I got barely decent shots of those.

To start, we queued eagerly like school kids at the school canteen for Boss' mom' to dish up individual portions of her uber-spicy, uber-lemak Thai laksa. Practically frothing with fish! I especially liked the sturdier version of Thai rice noodles used.

My workmates had shamelessly grabbed the table strategically located nearest to the roast leg of lamb station outside. Now I understand this not because I don't do lamb, but they assured me I was losing out big, BIG time.

They ooh'ed and aah'ed over how excellent and flavoursome it was while I sniffed and pretended not to care. They helped themselves to seconds, thirds, fourths with little inhibition. Not exactly a shy lot, this bunch.

I was bowled over by the crazy good satay, the product of one rather reputable stall in Bangsar. It was a touch sweeter than I was used to but there was no denying this was applause-worthy.

Encik Zul usually works his grilling magic behind TMC. He can be contacted for catering at +6016 204 1566.

Boss' mom also whipped up a very gorgeous Nyonya curry chicken, served with nasi kunyit. I couldn't shove this down then but meekly requested to take home the curry when it became apparent that there were plenty of leftovers as the evening wore on. It provided me with some three solid, tasty meals for the following week.

Thank you for having us over and feeding us, ML! Hope it was a wonderful first of many birthdays to come for the very loved Joshua!

One For The Road, Kavitha's, off Jln Gasing

2009-10-11T09:30:00.000+08:00

With the remnants of Raya-induced misbehaviour slowly dwindling to a heartbreaking stop, so begins the onset of a period of solid work and discipline, right up until year end. But before that, I had to make one last hungover pit stop at Kavitha's in Taman Petaling, off Jalan Gasing.

Had spied Kavitha's when we were in the area not too long ago for Khun Thai, and had subsequently heard raves from other bloggers and BLR lovers alike.

We had been warned about the atrocious service here so we arrived with a good measure of patience and good faith. It took the staff a full 20 minutes before they leisurely laid on our tables the banana leaves, and a further 15 minutes to dish up the rice and the sides.

Now we weren't 100% sure what this was - one of the staff, who looked like he'd been smoking a lil' something something, said it was "perut ayam" but Fat Tulip who finished this all by himself said it tasted more fish than chicken. Can anyone enlighten?

Spicy shrimps - these were just okay. I'm not crazy about the sweetness of the sauce, especially when served stone cold.

Their Chilli chicken worked for me - chicken was fresh, nice mix of breast and thigh meat, all coated very nicely with the pungent, extra spicy dressing.

Last to arrive were the crunchies - poppadum, stuffed chillies and rather lacklustre version of fried bitter gourd.

The best thing about Kavitha's though was the basic vegetarian set itself. The combination of its extra-rich gravies, generous serving of 3 types of vegetables, chutney and sambal was a beaut! The result was almost not entirely classic BLR; it had a whiff of nasi kandar, especially in the thickness of its fish gravy. One could happily tuck into this minus any of the side dishes and go to war (or period of hard slog & moderation) quite, quite charged.

While the service was dire despite the place being only half-filled, and the side dishes just adequate, I'd be back in a heartbeat for the very exceptional basic vegetarian set.

Until then, let's soldier on, troopers!

"Here's looking at you, Fat Kid", hollers Popeye's, Mid Valley

2009-10-09T07:45:00.000+08:00

I've often been known to pooh-pooh fast food, asserting preference instead on the plethora of tastier, cheaper and often more nutritious finds that we are fortunate to find in our great, invasion-friendly motherland.

I am, however, not always this way. Deep inside me seethes an ongoing battle between my present-day disposition and the pervading shadow of the insecure, overweight and defeatist kid of yesteryears, who preys on the comforts of deep-fried junk.

Some days, the fat kid wins. Such as this harried working day, walking past the mint Popeye's outlet on Mid Valley's LG floor.

Vicky W goes for the 3-piece Chicken Tenders & Biscuit. All batter, not much flavour, she says. The biscuit is extremely agreeable though, even beyond whiny adolescent's tastebuds. Soft, savoury, more dense and less buttery than a scone. For a couple more of this, being in frequent company of last few standing kids to be picked for P.E. teams don't seem so bad!

The set comes with coleslaw & mash. Draws inevitable comparison to Colonel Sanders' version and Popeye's wins hands down.

Mash with gravy that's more chicken than the chicken tenders themselves. It's the kinda quiet triumph that the fat kid sometimes enjoys from busting clownish moves on the dance hall at the social and making the cool kids laugh.

I settle for the Chicken Sandwich, which at least offers some token slices of tomatoes and lettuce in between power-packed grease and carbs. OK, not the best the fat kid has had (and she has had MANY such burgers) but it isn't too bad either, given the other choices in the area.

The Cajun Fries are extra crispy and very tasty, sealing the deal and grease quota for weeks. The sort of thing that makes one forget the horrible awkwardness of the first slow dance with boy crush (Where do the arms go, the fat kid wails, round the waist or round the neck?)

I hear the Fish tenders are something else here and I am tempted. With this in the vicinity of work, I suspect Fat Kid will have more internal battle victories in coming days.

The Pride of Sarawak... is Fried Chicken! Or at least at Rajah Brooke Cafe, Kuchai Lama

2009-10-04T12:30:00.002+08:00

Despite the proximity of Kuchai Lama to my neighbourhood, I had not ventured to seek out the thriving neighbourhood of a great many food digs until one fine afternoon, when steadfast eating buddy Fat Tulip suggested driving to check out Rajah Brooke Cafe.

Rajah Brooke Cafe specializes in Sarawakian favourites with highly coveted Sarawakian gems like Laksa and Kolo Mee featured prominently on the menu.

He decided on Tomato Mee which came looking like a redder version of Jawa Mee with crunchy noodles. Tasted a-OK, nothing phenomenal. Except maybe the scary fuchsia tint on the char siew.

I went for the Nasi Padungan and asked for the steamed chicken drumstick to be substituted with the fried Santubung chicken, smartest thing to do ever. The chicken arrived as everything fried chicken should aspire to be - crisp, moist and quite simply, very tasty. Those who do not want to order the rice dish can also get this separately as a side dish.

My aversion to the combination of butter and rice kinda killed my enjoyment of this dish though. About halfway through blissfully chomping the fluffy, fragrant rice without giving thought to the butter factor, Fat Tulip pointed out that the rice served was in fact, not white but butter rice. I pretty much dropped my cutlery right then and there.

The otak-otak was a sore disappointment though. Rubbery and featherweight, the serving of six slices offered nothing to the meal.

After downing his noodles, Fat Tulip decided to go for the kill and order the Kung Pao Pig Stomach and rice. He enjoyed it enough but I found the sweetness of the dish off tangent.

Rajah Brooke Special - like cendol, but not really. Bleh. Say no to condensed milk!

Meal was a very manageable RM40. Service was efficient and we got our orders after a relatively short wait time. Can't size up the claim of Best Sarawakian food in town though, as it's an under-explored brand of cuisine for me. I'd come back to give the Sarawak Laksa and Kolo mee a go, and another side order of that Santubung Fried Chicken.

Definitely keen to explore more of the area. Even spied a newish Pan Heong outlet. Anyone has a clue whether this is offspring of the eminent Pan Heong in Batu Caves?

Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park
19 Jalan Kuchai Maju 8
Off Jalan Kuchai Lama
03-7983 3264

The Merriest Raya Ever!

2009-09-29T20:30:00.001+08:00

Raya break this year (plus the couple of weeks prior) was a bit of an epiphany. True, I went on an excessive binge of all things good and groovy. But I was also re-acquainted to the great Abe Lincoln saying "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." For the longest time, I was passively positive at best, quite moodily content to recalibrate my expectations to quotidian apathy.

But for one reason or another, this interval offered me a dramatic shift in conscious and subconscious conversations and became quite simply, the merriest Raya for me ever!

The evening of Raya Open House at Nahri's was one such occasion. His grandmother had fixed us such a generous, heartwarming meal that I was sorry the grand dame didn't stick around for us to thank her properly.

Fried spiced chicken. We set about trying to figure out the flavours and I tasted turmeric, five spice and charred soy enveloping tender chicken thigh.

The composition of the Prawn Puffs - prawn doused in unsweetened custard cream nestled in choux pastry - was near perfection. Why we hadn't thought of that for the endless finger food parties will forever torment me.

Dry beef rendang provoked obligatory comparison to the wetter version. My no-beef policy remained so I had to rely on others' reactions. Some felt it was too dry but others thought it a welcome, flavour-packed change.

The Sayur Lodeh was easy on the spice, lavish on the root.

Glorious carbs - cubes of Ketupat...

... and Lemang that Nahri had purchased in the Pantai area before stopping off to meet us at Sid's, from an entrepreneurial fella impatient to get to the Black Eyed Peas concert.

Sashi brought forth his Kajang residency prowess - two different types of equally good satay. This one came from a place called Restoran Malaysia, which roughed it out with the other version from unnamed stall, for best satay ever!

Other unnamed place presented the win sauce for the day though. Creamy, mild yet passionately peanutty.

The gorgeous, festive meal set the stage for more misbehaviour for the rest of the evening as we proceeded to celebrate a couple of September birthdays.

Drinks followed drinks, followed by an unprecedented, zealous night of dancing until my feet gave way. I woke up the next morning, quite exhausted, a wee bit remorseful but ultimately smitten by this extraordinary profusion of good faith and indulgence. More, more and more!

Happy Q4 Everyone!!

Michelin Chef (and nice guy) Daniel Boulud: One Night in Singapore

2009-09-27T16:00:00.000+08:00

Food on film and television is pretty hard to beat. Let's face it, what other prop is easily accessible to the audience, regardless of language and demographics and theme? Similarly, the entertainment value of people behind food as an art is great fodder for televsion content, and for couch potatoes who love food like me, a near-perfect lazy afternoon.

Pic lifted liberally from Asian Food Channel because I'm a gangster like that

Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Boulud and his adventure in Singapore is the subject of the Asian Food Channel (AFC)'s second original production. AFC invited Daniel to whip up his signature cuisine for one night only at the Fullerton Hotel and the hour-long feature captures the intense rigeur leading up to the evening of this meal.

The premier was held at the spanking Neo, perched atop Jalan Sultan Ismail next to Tamarind Hill which became dramatically more ravishing as night fell upon us. It set the stage for the documentary itself, a rapid fire dramatized study of the man himself during his trip, punctuated with plenty of tension, humour and frenzy.

We got to chat a little to our affable host Hian Goh, Managing Director of AFC to try see if there was dirt behind the decorous depiction of Chef Daniel, having heard of horror stories of other celebrity chefs. But Hian assured us that Chef Daniel was a genuinely nice, gracious personality, incredibly passionate and meticulous. Besides, he shared, AFC only works with nice guys!

Neo's aqua theme offered a lovely ambience for the gathering which was also for me personally a wonderful first-time meeting with folks whose words I were familiar with. Also it was great to meet again some bloggers from Penang I'd first met almost two years ago.

The parting shot of the magnificent dining room with its water wall backdrop left me awed. Just look at it... enough drama and trepidation to behold the appearance of Count Dracula. Or failing that, Chef Daniel Boulud himself!

'Daniel Bould: One Night in Singapore' will premier on AFC (Astro Channel 703) on Tuesday 29th September 2009 at 9PM. Caution: Do not watch hungry!

Big thanks to Asian Food Channel as well as Alice George Communication for hosting such a great evening! We look forward to seeing more homegrown productions in the future!

Feel-Good Jap at Akane, Hartamas

2009-09-23T22:20:00.001+08:00

How great was the long Raya weekend? Hands up all those who think we should have a four-day weekend every month??!

After three days of reckless indulgence, we decided to revisit our inspiration from moderation and hit for similar contemporary Western cuisine turned Japanese at Akane in Desa Sri Hartamas for a meeting that wouldn't involve alcohol.

Over thirst-quenching iced Mugi-cha, we discussed this rare, exceptional influx of positive vibes clouding what was affirmatively one of the best times of our little lives. Despite some broad concerns about the danger of slipping back into our excessive tendencies, we were delightfully smothered by the energy, possibilities and conviction that this interval offered.

Akane was peopled by Japanese patrons and staff, their delicate brand of service a gust of fresh air from lame Malaysian standards. We started with the Akane Salad, because we were being good girls. The slices of grilled unagi provided the punch to an otherwise scanty salad made up of mostly iceberg lettuce.

I had some trouble deciphering the rather perplexing menu (which included modular options of sets) but settled for Katsu Pork spicy curry rice, on account of my very long journey to trip to Japan end of the year.

I had pooh-poohed the spice level when the Jap wait staff warned, "It's very spicy" but upon first taste, understood. The spice from Japanese curry hit only a few seconds after settling on the tongue and once it did, out poured the sweat and the tissues! Halfway through meal, nose was dripping, sweat was pouring, I was a mess!!

Omu Raisu (Omelette Rice) with Tomato Sauce. Akane offered a choice of either Tomato, Curry or Demi Glace (Beef stock sauce).

The rice had been fried liberally in butter and a wealth of various types of mushrooms, scallops, shrimps and squid. This plate was cleaned!

And to part, before we embarked on a walking tour of Hartamas commerce, Akane had these table standees of messages which baffled and bettered us at the same time. I have control of neither my thoughts or actions so if someone can show me the way, that would be great!!

Triumphant Tomyam at Khun Thai, PJ

2009-09-20T09:00:00.001+08:00

The search for great tomyam in the Klang Valley brought us to the heartland of PJ and Khun Thai, which requires little introduction. We struggled a little with orientation but Masak-masak's directions on mobile web got us there relatively unscathed.

It was nearly 2PM when we arrived but the place was still brisk and booming.

Very refreshing ambarella at a whopping RM3.20 per glass! Are ambarellas going out of supply? I am considering farming as a career after I am done with current one. I was thinking of harvesting some kind of fruit to make wine with, but I am very open to suggestions as to what to farm.

The Som Tum was a ravishing abundance of fruit and roasted peanuts. This was a rendition most befitting this beautiful Thai gift to the world. Definitely better than my last encounter at Sirarom.

And one of the undisputed reasons for being, for which we came here for... clear the table, here comes Tomyam! We ordered the Clear Tomyam because we are rebels like that!

Copious seafood for just the two of us! A sour, sordid, splendid affair!!

The very helpful and cheerful staff also recommended the Nameless Fried Chicken. It featured Nam Yue (fermented red bean curd) and was deep-fried to the point that even the bones were crunchy! We enjoyed this very much but could have done with the deep-fried shallots garnishing.

The chicken was plenty fine on its own but Khun Thai served it with this chilli sauce, which added bonus sweetness and spice.

We rounded off with Petai with prawns. The beans were profuse but the prawns were probably a day or two past their use-by date. An unsuspected let-down.

Despite the petai incident, we left happy with plenty good faith for Khun Thai, especially that tomyam and the friendly Hokkien-speaking crew. Will be back!

Selamat Hari Raya and Happy Holidays folks!

Wah Cheong, Section 17

2009-09-15T17:00:00.000+08:00

Previous night at the first Twestival KL, while a whole lotta fun, had taken its toll on the morning after. Needed sustenance urgently immediately after rolling out of bed and headed over to Wah Cheong at Section 17. The morning wet market mob was not easy on worn and wearied temperaments but we managed to find a park.

I had zoomed in on the Pan Mee, on account of having read about it at the very fantastic EatingAsia. It did not disappoint. The noodles were of remarkable consistency and texture and made me reconsider my persistent "pinched" noodle preference.

We had also spied the Hakka Mee stall facing the street, and I simply had to have it. The auntie operating alone took some time understandably to keep up with the healthy flow of orders but when it finally got here...

...behold! The delicate flavour of Hakka Mee is difficult to get right but this stall delivered a more than decent version. The main ingredients are lard, vinegar, white pepper and ummm... more lard, I think. The serving was just right too, perfect size for those who are looking to sample more than one type of breakfast noodles.

The infamous Florence's Nyonya goodies stall, which I had recalled from UGWUG's post was briskly selling out so I secured myself a Curry Puff to keep things interesting while waiting for the next order. The pastry was light, fresh and crunchy and the filling offered a hefty curry chicken & potato paste.

On my way back, I managed to chance the back of cool t-shirt potential. Clothes do not make the man, yes, but cool t-shirts certainly make a statement about the wearer and weed out real eye candies!

The final breakfast noodle dish finally arrived, after patiently waiting in line behind the stall's frenetic traffic of orders. And it is this rather spectacular Wantan Mee topped with decorous slices of charsiew.

The allure of this order lied in the lithe and supple egg noodles as well as the smoky perfume from the char siew juices, mixed in with soy & oyster sauces. Scent-sational!

The wantans, served separately, were not the usual drippy bambino variations either - these packed flavour and dumpling pride.

Wah Cheong had a few more tricks up its sleeves that we couldn't possibly stomach in one sitting so a return visit was guaranteed. We wiped our greasy lips, slapped our protruding guts and staggered out to nurse the fresh hangover from noodle comfort and bask in the rest of the Sunday sunshine underneath ruminating clouds.

The Meat of Merrymaking, Bavarian Bierhaus, The Curve

2009-09-12T16:00:00.002+08:00

CAUTION: Some baaad photos ahead! The lighting was particularly bad and I had to contend with a bunch of hungry and impatient folks.

The bride-to-be had picked the Curve for some pre-wedding fun and frolics.

Bavarian Bierhaus was packing the crowds in so good thing to make reservations ahead on a Friday evening, particularly if you're coming with a large group.

Bavarian Bierhaus' beverage menu featured the usual bevvy of Belgian beers. I had been wrongly informed beforehand (or I'd imagined this myself) that they served the rather rare Apple lambic here and I'd gotten the rest of the troop rather excited. Having been told that no, Apple lambic was in fact, NOT available, I ate humble pie while the whole table threw me accusing stares. I settled for Stella, which did not get anywhere near the lambic promise.

Some orders the Bierhaus Salad to balance out the inevitable meaty blowout. This was very well-received, the lightness of the balsamic dressing working harmoniously with the crisp greens and the seared seasoned pork loin.

The Sausage Platter arrived an impressive composition of eight sausages with sauerkrat and potato salad. A killer of a meal for one person, but works out nicely when shared between two hungry sausage fiends. When asked to pick which one was best, the black (lamb) came out the favourite.

Another goes for the Sausage & Lamb platter and did a superb job wiping her plate clean, enjoying it thoroughly in the process.

The pasta princess ordered Vongole, al dente linguine with fresh clams and generous shavings of streaky bacon. I am liking this pervasive use of pork in everything... almost like every dish is an excuse for a porcine experiment.

There were a couple of dishes here and there that didn't have pork. The Tuna Penne also scored high points with the meal owner. She had ordered this following a more-ish soup starter, not expecting this to be anything more than an unremarkable filler but was surprised by how simple, yet delightful it was.

I decided to do chicken, because I liked the sound of the Pistachio Crusted Chicken. It came two generous slices of chicken breast with a coating of roughly chopped pistachio nuts on a pool of mushroom stew. I could've done with thigh meat instead of breast, and the stew could've gone a little easier on the sodium content but overall, I was pretty happy with it.

Latecomers including the bride-to-be ordered the Lamb Sausage and another salad to share. All good, they said.

We carried on to Library for more misbehaviour. While the location had potential, we were unfortunately subjected to an evening of DREADFUL service. Orders took about 40 mins to arrive, and we were treated to profuse eye-rolling by waitresses with too much attitude. Equally wretched was the showcase by the live band, murdering every song ever known to Top 40 pop-rock history.

I'm game for merrymaking as much as the next person, but come on, for those drink prices and all that hassle, the joint should at least involve either a) live performance that's a notch more inspiring than cover bands in hotel lounges or b) a decent DJ on the decks AND a dancefloor! And it goes without saying that they need to exterminate staff who don't understand service - i.e. no, you don't get to roll your eyes when you get told off for screwing up the customer's orders. OUT!

Happiness is a State of Mind... or a really great pizza at Kissaten, Jaya One

2009-09-09T20:15:00.002+08:00

For a long time , my bud Hui and I had been a tag team of severe discontentment and apathy. We got together and drank. A LOT. We commiserated about the choices we made, the choices we didn't think we had and the choices we had but didn't know how to exercise. We were basically two very bloated, disoriented and unhappy crones.

But then in recent months, the universe shifted. Or rather, we changed. Hui made a departure from the unsettling elements in her life while I got a second wind and made a huge readjustment to my perspective on mine. We came to a full revelation, that we were actually in a good place, and that we're unequivocally HAPPY, this delightful evening at Kissaten at Jaya One.

Kissaten had personally been the source of great excitement for some time now, especially following the melodic accounts of it by Lyrical Lemongrass and Hairy Berry.

We arrived on a Saturday night to a near-full house, every table eating up a storm. The interior was understated yet comfortable, perfect for an evening when we weren't bothered with the eyelash curler or colour coordination.

We started with the Just Vege Salad. It came with a weird mayo like dressing which Hui suspected to be cheesy and asked for an alternative from the helpful waiter, who happened to speak strictly only Mandarin. Now at that point, we wondered about the virtue of having a waitperson who responded only to Mandarin at a joint like Kissaten, which surely attracted more than a purely Chinese demographic. Nevertheless, we made do and carried on, unruffled.

We had been drooling over the menu for a few days, in consideration for a meal with MS, the other member of the Merry Trinity and we were sold on the pizzas. The Garlic Mushroom Pizza arrived to raised eyebrows because let's face it, the crust looked a wee bit thicker than what was shown on the menu. Nevertheless, it didn't prove to be too disappointing.

Cheesy and cheerful, even to a schizo dairy-hater.

We had our eye set on the Onsen tamago chicken teriyaki pizza from the moment we clicked on the Slide menu. How do you say no to the pornography that is one fine wobbly, poached egg? The toppings were generous and even though I shall forever resent the sweetness of teriyaki, this one was top-drawer happy food!

We enjoyed a bottle of Chilean Santa Helena's Cabernet Sauvignon. Once upon a time, we would have needed at least two, three bottles of this between the two of us to seal the evening but moderation, it seems, is by-product of Happiness and begets even more!

Things are only as bad as they seem and most of us are fortunate enough to always have choices that we can use, exploit even. The only thing stopping us from being happy is our irresolute selves! So Happy being Happy Folks!

Sunday Relief at Bulldog Pub, Hartamas

2009-09-06T19:44:00.006+08:00

I've always enjoyed Sunday as a day designed purely for the pursuit of recovery of the body, soul and mind. After a highly eventful Friday and Saturday, I was looking forward to some reprieve come lunchtime Sunday, when we made our way to enjoy what the Bulldog pub in Hartamas would offer.

We started with a pint each - Strongbow cider and good ol' Tiger.

We waited for a while for our food, approximately half an hour, even though the tables were barely filling up the whole time we were there.

I ordered the Roast Pork, because I'd been stealthily eating healthy all week and I'm quite frankly, sick of it! It arrived an arrangement of pork slices, apple compote, with roast spuds and buttered vegetables (even though I had specifically requested for that to be replaced with fresh vegetables). They served the brown onion sauce on the side, which was appreciated - you decide how heavily and at what pace you want to douse the meat. I didn't send back the buttered vegies either because I was quite ravenous at that point.

While the pork was well roasted, it didn't pack a whole lot of flavour beyond the gamey pork, and I felt it was too tough to warrant much praise. The apple compote nicely accompanied the pork slices, but the brown sauce was a tad too salty.

He went with the Toad in the Hole, which I'd remembered from Bangsar-Babe. He was happy with it, particulary with the Yorkshire pudding crust in a savoury context. The pork sausages were again too salty which betrayed its store-bought origin.

Personally, I loved the glorious mess of the salty sausages drenched in the brown onion sauce, accompanied with the soggy pudding pastry. What's not to like??

The kitchen does need to work faster as I can't imagine how they could deal with the pace when the heat is on. The meal at Bulldog sent me into sluggish mode for the rest of Sunday, but if that's not what recovery is about, then I don't know what is!

Nasi at Belanga, The Gardens

2009-09-03T15:00:00.001+08:00

Sometimes giving up on Mid Valley's lunch offerings is just not an option. How else are we supposed to get through the working day, on days when Kanpei just won't do?

Some hungry folks walk over to Gardens LG floor, where a few unexplored options await us. Belanga has gone untried and untested for far too long and when the body's calling for carbs, there's no other way to go but the world's arguably most important staple, rice!

Radiance's Nasi Kerabu is the surefire win order of the day. Ulam galore, peanutty sauce that's a tad too salty but nevertheless gratifying and a rockin' piece of ayam percik doused in another creamy peanutty sauce. We are nuts for peanuts!

Both ML and I go for the Nasi Dagang Ayam which is a visibly more modest form of sustenance. Still a score! I'd gone for breast meat and it was thankfully not the usual stringy variety, so I didn't crucify myself too much for not having ordered the Nasi Kerabu instead.

Avocado juice - "like drinking whole mashed avocados," says ML.

Belanga was definitely fuel, but not necessarily to function back in the office. I couldn't help but feel like crawling under my table for a snooze in the afternoon. I would stay far, far away from this if I intend to do any work after!

In Thai We Trust, Sirarom, Gottlieb Road Penang

2009-08-31T21:50:00.001+08:00

Going back to Penang over a long weekend can be a highly stressful affair. The mob of out-of-towners is inevitable, as are the traffic chaos and wreckage to one's overall sanity. I was intent on staying within the compounds of home throughout my trip, where my lovely folks and the cat reigned serenely.

However, inundated by guilt and remorse from unceremoniously passing out on a gathering the night before, I found myself out and about, cursing at foreign car plates on the road, heading to lunch with Hui and Nessie for a overdue catch up sesh. We were in the mood for Thai and Hui had sharply spotted the new joint, Sirarom on Gottlieb Road, opposite Phor Tay High School.

The interior was calm and unruffled, as tranquil as Dad's koi pond, when I entered and I was immediately placated.

We start with the requisite Som Tam (Papaya Salad). The version here featured raw preserved crab (also known as pu kai dong) which took a bit of getting used to. I felt they could've upped the spice easily by another notch but the freshness and crunch got us started on a good note.

The Tom Yam Talay (Seafood) induced much joy but again, I think they played it safe in terms of both the sour & spice notes. The fresh seafood was generous enough and we lapped it up with gusto.

The Kung Op Woon Sen (Claypot Vermicelli with Shrimps) was a radiant centrepiece - well-flavoured and moist vermicelli coating four huge-ass prawns... not sure why they underplayed the crustacean size but shrimps these are not!

Our next salad Yam Sam Krob (Crispy 3 salad) arrived next featuring a bevvy of crunchy beauties. The cashew nuts, dried fish maw (which replaced the dried cuttlefish that the menu had listed) and dried shrimps were mixed in a citrusy dressing. Refreshing, but not exactly remarkable.

We went a bit overboard with our orders, thinking Small meant we could sample more. The Small portions come enough to feed four, and between the three of us, we had to marshal the last vestiges of gluttony to sweep the table clean. The final dish of Tomyam petai with shrimps satisfied with plenty of those stinkin' beans and fresh shrimps.

We stumbled out into the pleasant Penang sunshine, happy and fulfilled. A great Thai meal, all in all, with the bill coming to about RM85 in total. Located next to Bagan, Sirarom offers plenty of parking. I foresee that if they keep their game of unstinting ingredients up, it's only a matter of time before this place draws in the crowds who will leave with their thumbs up.

Spice & Everything Nice, My Spicy Kitchen, Sungei Way

2009-08-28T22:55:00.000+08:00

Banana leaf love is hard to beat. After inflicting too much abuse on one's constitution, BLR is usually, undoubtedly the only route to revival.

I've been impressed with how the enterprising siblings currently running My Spicy Kitchen have been engaging spicy food lovers via very current and relevant channels specifically Twitter and Facebook. So when Saturday morning called for BLR therapy, I was keen to give it a whirl, despite having to grapple with maps, directions and whatnots to get to Sungei Way, an area in PJ that was completely foreign to me.

We find the unassuming corner lot in the depth of Sungei Way with little trouble, thanks to the map here.

Here, banana leaf rice serving comes with a tray of the requisites - 3 x vegetables, 1 x dhal, 1 x fish curry and 1 x rassam. Bring on the healthy heap of rice, top up with poppadums and go crazzzeeee!! I appreciate that it's a tidier way of serving the reqs but I still much prefer the ceremonious, haphazard serving right on the banana leaf itself.

The chicken actually offered poultry freshness, not stale, hardened fibrous mass that I've learned to expect from the BLR side dish line-up.

While the BLR did what it was supposed to do, what stole my heart was the Samosa preceeding it. The triangular pastry was beautifully crafted, with the right balance of spice and everything nice. This snapped me right out of Hangoverville!

If I had to absolutely gripe, my one and only would be the absence of fried bitter gourd. We ordered it, gotten it misinterpreted by the helpful service staff, and learned much later that fried bitter gourd was in fact, not on the menu. BLR without fried bitter gourd is a concept difficult to stomach so here's hoping they'll add it on soon!

Also found out about My Spicy Kitchen's upcoming World Vision initiative, where customers will contribute towards helping the poor help themselves to build sustainable futures for their children, families and communities. Right on!

Vietnam Kitchen, 1-U

2009-08-27T07:00:00.000+08:00

We arrived at 1-U famished, having decided to skip brekkie and head straight to apartment-viewing in yet another half-hearted attempt to step up Operation Stop Paying Rent NOW!

Most of the F&B outlets we were eyeing were not yet open at a little past 11AM so we made do with Vietnam Kitchen in the new wing. Admittedly, we could've waited and saved ourselves the disappointment.

The Prawn & Mango roll arrived scorching, but proved to be the win order of the day. The combination of generous slices of ripe mango and fresh plump crunchy prawns wrapped in thin pastry studded with roasted sesame seeds is pretty hard to get wrong.

Both of us decided to go for individual dry vermicelli options, thinking it will stave off hunger pangs while we shopped and make way for more late-afternoon delights later.

Spring rolls & sliced chicken on vermicelli came with a light fish sauce dressing. Apart from the abundance of fresh greens within, which is always welcome, this was bloody boring.

Same deal with his Curry Chicken on vermicelli. Very ordinary chicken curry on top of the same, felt a bit like fast food that one would whip up with leftovers. Forgettable.

To be fair, I think we did ourselves and the restaurant a disfavour for not going for the more interesting offerings like the Pork trotters, seafood specials or even the French inspired Vietnamnese dishes they had on offer. The vermicelli dishes here drew a blank, and I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back for those anytime soon.

Madam Momo

2009-08-25T07:00:00.003+08:00

Hui had attended a Tibetan cooking class while in Dharamsala and one fine evening, she was to present to us a Momo dinner at her place. Momo, I duly learned, is Tibetan for dumplings, and is extremely popular in India and Nepal.

I had barely recovered from an evening of unrestrained hijinks with people from work so I was hellbent on taking it easy. This was somehow interpreted as a need for a tall tumbler of G&T upon arrival, courtesy of resident cocktailmeister Riz. Despite the remnants of too much wine & cider, this was terribly refreshing and put me right at ease.

Momo country... Madam Momo Hui cautioned that she had been a little heavy-handed with the dough's liquid to flour ratio, resulting in a somewhat stickier skin, causing some of the momos to tear in the process. They looked good all the same, just out from the steamer and I was eager to pounce.

First up, Momo with Spinach filling. Hui had thoughtfully left out the cheese in the standard filling, on account of my selective dairy resistance. It was moist despite the gooey absence, and when dipped into a DIY dipping of soy & ginger, very lovely.

Second Momo held the crunchy filling of cabbage, carrot & mushrooms. Redeemed an entire week of bad junk eating, it felt.

The surprise hit was the accompanying humble-looking brown rice with chopped vegetables and a sprinkling of chopped anchovies for taste. I loved this! The anchovies were a superb touch. I was amazed at the versatility of her Tefal steamer and immediately added it to my ever-growing list of must-have kitchen appliances.

Steamed fresh greens to keep the G&T in perspective... eating healthy is reward supreme!

And to finish, Chocolate Momos! I'd been sceptical about this, to be honest, but the filling of cocoa powder, sugar and sesame seeds floored me. Like mochi, but sturdier and more rugged, a reflection perhaps of the resilience needed to face the heart-wrenching plight of the Tibetans.

I also got this nifty book holder, perfect for keeping paperback dog ears in check.

More gifts - Himalayan rock salt, Yema (Japanese pepper) and a pretty stone from the Ganges.

The icing of souvenirs however, would have to be THIS - PartySmart pills! Herbal pills to pop in advance should you decide you're going to go overboard and not want to suffer the ill-effects of excessive drinking the morning after. I have yet to research or trial this "Safe and Effective" claim, but in any case, I am tickled that the inclination of human nature to overindulge despite knowing better has produced a niche market for such a product. Raises the question of how and when we stop at quick-fixes and study the need to instead, effect real and let's face it, more difficult, behaviourial changes.

In any case, the Momo meal was a beaut, and Hui's photo slideshow of India were charming and disarming all at the same time. Thank you Hui!

Better with Age, La Risata, Medan Damansara

2009-08-21T06:00:00.002+08:00

I remember my last meal at La Risata like it was yesterday, even though it must have been a good 6 or 7 years ago, when I could still touch my toes with my fingers standing straight. Aging can be such a pain in the ass.

But it is also aging 's derivate and friendlier concept of birthdays that provides us reason for us to pay La Risata a visit on the occasion of Hui's birthday, a day after her ceremonious touch-down from her soul-searching sojourn in India.

La Risata remains as humble and as laid back as ever, though I don't remember the neighbourhood being this lively. Birthday girl far right and Yolande rocks the straight hair.

While the early participants wait for Hui and the rest of the party, we gorge on warm crusty bread served with a zesty olive tapenade...

...and opened the first bottle of the gorgeous Borgo Tesis Pinot Grigio, highly recommended by the affable waitress Edna, who remained very accommodating throughout the evening.

The salads are a treat here. Niz & Fiz get their green fix with the Insalata Risata, starring ham, egg and black olives.

Birthday girl & Riz shares Insalata Di Rucola E Zucca, featuring roasted pumpkin & ricotta. Both give it the thumbs up.

La Parmigiana E Melanzane, cheesy baked aubergine concoction also gets the nod.

Fiza has the Brodetto Di Cozze E Vongole, clam and mussel tomato soup. She proclaims it Good. I press her for more adjectives and she says Very Good. I press some more and Niz cuts in with F***ing Good. Age has obviously not done wonders for HIS language. Nuff said.

Their Pizza Romano arrives early. Minimal toppings done good. Mozza, parmesan & anchovies never struck harmony like this.

Benji has the Fettucine Mare E Monti, scallop & mushrooms in cream sauce. He downs it quick, so it must have been agreeable. But he might also have been just really hungry from the run prior to dinner.

I have the Arragosta and ask to substitute Spaghetti with Penne. The lobster, garlic & chilli medley is delightful, at just the right notch of spice. The serving is huge and I am happy.

Mei Shean's Capellini Al Nero Con Frutti Di Mare, angel hair with plump prawns & squid and pasta al dente dressed with squid ink, steals the show.

Yolande's Pollo Farcito, however doesn't fare so well. The chicken breast is tough, the accompanying brown sauce is too salty, and the ricotta and spinach stuffing doesn't live up to its promise.

Late arrival Kat goes for the Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake with ice-cream. Not quite what it could've been.

After an extended farewell, a few of us proceed to Solace a few doors away for a nightcap. It's a perfectly serviceable pub and features a porky menu, which we will return to sample.

South Australian Oxford Landing's Sauvignon Blanc. Not quite as pleasant as the Pinot Grigio at La Risata, but the mood is set sensibly to merry so no one complains.

We kick back and smoke some Beedhis, Hui's little indigenous souvenir from India, along with some hilarious accounts of Delhi cab drivers and late-night narcotic mayhem. The pub starts closing a little before midnight, on account of the neighbourhood, and we make it home to bed at a decent hour, reinforcing the learning that moderation really is the key to happiness!

Welcome back Hui! May this be the start of another year of discoveries only possible with Age!

Fix-Them-All Screwpine Chicken at Seed Cafe

2009-08-17T09:00:00.002+08:00

A table at Seed Cafe Mid Valley has just never quite lived up to the promise of a table at say, Delicious or Chillis on the same row. Not even when the mall is packed beyond belief during the sale season.

It's by no means the best place around - far from it, in fact. To begin with, there is no alcohol served. Secondly the dessert selection is poor, and the cakes at the counter always look quite dire. But it has a couple of tricks, which we frankly love.

The Good:

Top of the list - Screwpine Chicken! These are chicken wing halves fried to a golden crisp with strips of fragrant screwpine leaves. I can't think of a much better way to eat chicken wings! They should open franchises just selling this. Or have a Screwpine Chicken kiosk next to all the Seed stores nationwide.

Calamari Fritters - when they get them right, and only when they get them right, in pale golden yellow like in this pic. There have been occasions when they've been served overdone to a burnt brown, tough to eat and not much fun at all. Not very consistent, the folks in the kitchen at Seed.

We also like the Mushroom Soup - huge chunks of mushroom swimming in thick hearty soup. A bowl of this + the screwpine chicken and all of life's problems, which had seemed so immense just a minute before, are forgotten quite magically.

Apparently, the Hainanese Chicken rice (which is a HUGE serving), the Cajun Chicken Chop and the tomyam seafood pasta also get the ticks here.

The Not-so-Good:

Tom yum noodles - they serve these with rice vermicelli (meehoon) but I asked to substitute with lai fun (or laksa noodles). While the soup grudgingly satisfies the instant tomyam craving, it's several notes too heavy on the MSG. While there were plenty of prawns & squid in this, the fish slices had obviously been doing time in the corner of the freezer.

When I dined here once with Mel, she'd ordered this fettucine with what was supposed to be a carbonara-like sauce, with mushrooms. She was sore that the sauce tasted like it had come straight out from a can, prettied up with some cooked mushroom. Fail!

I know what and what not to go back for!