iamthewitch.com |
- Sizzling Hot at Star Village
- Thai Boxing & The Story of Erawan Shrine
- Traditional Korean Food at Seoul Korea
- Kronenbourg Blanc at View Rooftop Bar
- The Ugly, Greasy and Sloppy OM Burger
- Flavours of Shanghai
- Surisit – the Neighbourhood Thai Kopitiam
- Japanese Food Lovers Rejoice!
- Affordable German-Style Set Lunches
- Dinner with the Stars
| Posted: 07 Jul 2011 07:52 PM PDT  Every weekend, Saucer and I would venture to our neighbourhood area to look for new places to dine. Last weekend, we were driving past the Kuchai Lama area and noticed this restaurant called Star Village that seemed to be packed with people. Since we were feeling a little adventurous, we decided to park our car and give it a try. It was 8pm on a Saturday night and the place was full! We had to wait for about 5 minutes to get our table but other than that, service was prompt.
Sizzling chicken chop The place was decorated using mostly old school decorative items, giving it a very retro look. Even the stair case to go up their artificial first floor was ancient-looking, adding more charm to the whole environment. We started with their Signature Sun Tea, which came in a cute pot meant for 2 persons. It tasted like a mixture of Ribena, lemon juice and flower tea, which was quite refreshingly sour. To be honest, this was not my cup of tea (literally) since I’m not into sour stuff but I guess it serves it purpose in whetting our appetite before our food arrived.
Retro stair case Speaking of food, I must say their service was impressively fast. From our order to the serving of our first dish, it must have taken less than 10 minutes. And all the other dishes came and were completely served within 5 minutes. Such a commendable task considering it’s full house that night.
Sun Tea (RM12.90) My niece Heidi ordered the Black Pepper Chicken which was one of the recommended dishes in the menu. The size of the chicken chop was huge, using a whole chicken thigh that was well-marinated and tender. The sauce was savoury and peppery but not overpoweringly so. I think she enjoyed her chicken very much that night for the 8-year-old managed to finish the whole thing on her own!
Black pepper chicken (RM15.90)
Salmon Steak (RM19.80) Saucer had the Sizzling Chicken Chop which was served sizzling hot with a cover on top. The aroma was redolent and appetizing, topped with a generous amount of garlic sauce. Again, the chicken chop portion was sizable, tander and smooth. The only gripe was that the garlic sauce was not garlicky enough, rendering the gravy just savoury and nothing else.
Revealing the Sizzling Chicken Chop (RM21.90)
Topped with garlic gravy My order of Cheese Chicken was grilled chicken topped with a slice of cheese and a layer of ham on top, drenched with mushroom sauce. I loved this! The chicken was grilled to a golden brown with slightly charred edges without stripping off its moisture within. The layer of cheese melted nicely in between the chicken and ham on top, giving it a nice cheesy and savoury taste all in one bite. Also not to forget is the piece of fried bun on the side, which looked harmless but was so good. It was almost like deep fried mantou but nicer.
Cheese Chicken (RM18.90) Last but not least, we shared a serving of Chicken Wings, which arrived in glistening red with a side of chilli dip. The chicken wing was well marinated with hints of honey on top, which gave it a slightly sweet skin. While these did not blow our minds, we found them pretty decent as finger food.
Chicken Wing (RM3/pc)
Dining environment of Star Village The dinner experience at Star Village made us understand why this was such a favourite among the locals. The service was prompt, the ambience was cozy, the food was reasonably good and price was affordable. It’s definitely a place that we would go to for that Western food fix without having to burn a hole in our pocket!
Star Village Western Food Star Village Western Food Steak House |
| Thai Boxing & The Story of Erawan Shrine Posted: 05 Jul 2011 07:00 PM PDT  Visiting Bangkok or any part of Thailand wouldn’t be complete without watching some Thai boxing or going to the famous temples. Frankly, I’m not a fan of boxing but to be able to watch it live in front of my very eyes is an experience that I would like to have at least once! Thai boxing is aplenty in Bangkok, with huge posters displaying the fights on some of the shop lots along Bangkok, as well as boxers demonstrating on moving trucks on the streets. If you’re like me and wouldn’t want to spend money on these shows, there’s a free alternative that you can go to!
M.B.K. Fight Night Every Wednesday from 6 to 8.30pm, head on to M.B.K. Center in Bangkok to witness the MBK Fight Night. We happened to walk past the mall coincidentally on Wednesday and saw a large crowd around this area that we just had to go check out. It turned out that a fight was going on, and most of the audience were cheering for their favourite fighter whenever he scored a point.
Fight about to start We managed to watch one of the fights going on by 2 foreigners. If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch some locals in the ring for some of the fights.
Round 1 – start! The beginning of the fight was pretty mild and boring, but as the crowd got heated up, the fight became more violent. In fact, I saw some blood at the mouth of the guy wearing the red shorts towards the end of the fight!
It can get pretty rough To head to MBK Center, just take the BTS (Sky train) to National Stadium station and follow the signs to MBK Center. You will definitely pass by this ring! ****** Moving on, the next day, we visited one of the most talked about shrine in Bangkok – the Erawan Shrine, also known as the Four-faced Buddha statue. Getting here is quite easy – take the BTS to Chitlom station, and follow the signs to Erawan Shrine or Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, and you will see a row of stalls selling flowers just outside the shrine. Along the way, you would have passed by Amarin Plaza, so you’d know that you’re on the right track.
Amarin Plaza along the way Once you see a row of stalls selling flowers and incense, you’ll know that the shrine is just around the corner.
Stalls selling flowers and incense
View from outside – Filled with devotees Even though we went there on a weekday, the shrine was packed with people – devotees and tourists alike, they all seemed to know what to do and where to go. We took a few minutes to observe the situation and find out what we were supposed to do.
The four-faced Brahma Statue: Face of Peace and Health, Face of Good Fortune, Face of Good Relationships and Face of Protection against Evils From the entrance, there’s a booth at the right corner that sells incense and flowers. Each set costs about 30baht, consisting of 4 wreaths of flowers and some incense. One is supposed to pray all 4 sides of the statue, placing one wreath of flower and burn 3 incense sticks at each side while saying one’s prayers. Since there was such a crowd, the smoke from the incense and the heat from the sun made the task quite a challenging one.
Pray all 4 sides of the statue Look at all the garlands of flowers surrounding the statue. It just shows how important and popular this shrine is, so much so that a man that vandalised the shrine back in 2006 was killed by the bystanders eventually. I tried to get a clearer and better shot of the statue but the incessant smoke from the incense made the picture look hazy and blur.
The golden four-faced Brahma statue Now for a bit of history of this statue (taken from the information board):
This is where you should light up your incense After praying, we saw that most people would head to this huge golden urn filled with water. Believed to be holy water, a small bowl was provided to scoop up the water to sprinkle on one’s head, face and hands.
Huge urn filled with holy water Throughout the years, many have said that this shrine has granted their wish. Apparently, when a wish is granted, the devotees thank God by granting classical Thai dancers to dance in front of the God. Some even offered these huge teak elephants which were on display around the shrine.
Teak elephants as a sign of thank you
witch at Erawan Shrine After the whole ritual under the hot sun, one was bound to become sweaty and warm. This was when a sweet and cold coconut drink would work wonders! Located just outside the shrine, there were several stalls selling cold drinks and coconut to quench our thirst especially on a hot afternoon. Each coconut cost about 50baht, slightly more expensive than the usual price but we were desperate!
Thai coconut The experience of visiting Erawan Shrine definitely enlightened us with the Thai culture and tradition. It’s an experience not to be missed if you visit Bangkok. Of course, you get a bonus if your wish is granted! Visiting hours: 6.00am – 11.30pm
Saucer with a cute girl
The Thai Ronald McDonald Ending the post with some shots of cute statues around Bangkok! |
| Traditional Korean Food at Seoul Korea Posted: 03 Jul 2011 06:48 PM PDT  Whenever I talked to my friends about the food in Seoul Korea, they'd think that I flew to Korea when, in fact, I meant the nice cosy restaurant located in Taman Desa, KL. Operated by a couple of Koreans, this restaurant boasts of authentic and traditional Korean BBQ with a warm and rustic environment. Not only the owners, but the wait staff there were mostly Korean, giving us that out of the country feeling when we dined there.
BBQ Spare ribs Each table was well-equipped with a charcoal stove, complete with an adjustable smoke suction vent dangling from the ceiling. Since we were there during lunch, we had the choice of ordering from the Set Lunch menu as well, which was available daily including weekends. We ordered the Tuk Bokki set which came with ginger tea and dessert.
Burning charcoal
Individual smoke suction vent The Tuk Bokki (Korean rice cake) was spicy and savoury, with lots of vegetables in the mix. I would have preferred it more if the rice cakes were a little firmer and chewier, otherwise, the taste was pretty delicious.
Tuk Bokki Set Lunch (RM10) The amount of side dishes (banchan) given was rather generous, with the usual suspects – kimchi, pancake, anchovies and seaweed, among others. But I was impressed that they also provided jelly fish as one of the sides! Also, when you order above a certain amount, you'd get a portion of steamed egg for free, just like we did.
Side dishes / Banchan
Complimentary steamed egg The Pork Bulgogi Set was also from the lunch menu, which was meant for 2 persons. The meat was flavourful and tender, which was perfect with the complimentary bowl of rice. The addition of caramelized onions only made the combination so much sweeter and juicier. Yum!
Pork Bulgogi Set for 2 (RM30) The star of the day was unmistakably the Pork Spare Ribs BBQ. The portion for one person was pretty sizable with 4 thick slices of ribs well marinated and cooked to perfection in front of our very eyes. I loved the fact that the suction vent was adjustable so the amount of smoke that escaped was minimal and we didn't have to leave the restaurant smelling like BBQ.
Effective smoke suction vent The ribs were grilled until the edges were charred and emitted a salivating aroma. They were they cut into small pieces so that we could easily place them on the lettuce leaves provided before wrapping it up to eat. Juicy, savoury and tender, we definitely couldn't get enough of this!
Sizzling pork in the making
Slices after being cut
Complete serving of Pork Spare Ribs BBQ
Side condiments for the pork BBQ
How to eat Korean BBQ – wrap it tight and pop it in your mouth! Our last dish was the Kimchi Soup, which had plenty of vegetables in it. It was moderately spicy and savoury, but Saucer thought it lacked some meaty goodness. This dish was filled with mushrooms, cabbage, onions and some glass noodles. If you're a soup person and wouldn't mind the lack of meat, this would be perfect!
Kimchi Soup (RM16)
Dining environment at Seoul Korea The meal ended with a glass of ginger tea and a piece of sweet watermelon each as the dessert. Overall, we were pretty satisfied with the quality of the food as well as the reasonable price tag of each of them. I wouldn't mind coming back again especially for the delicious BBQ pork!
Seoul Korea Restaurant on the first floor Seoul Korea Restaurant |
| Kronenbourg Blanc at View Rooftop Bar Posted: 01 Jul 2011 09:15 PM PDT  It’s the weekend again and what better way to groove to the beat than with a bottle of icy cold French beer? Kronenbourg 1664 recently launched their delectable wheat beer called the Kronenbourg Blanc at the swanky View Rooftop Bar on the 29th floor of G Tower. Stepping into the bar on a week night, we were surrounded by smartly dressed working professionals who seemed to be unwinding after a day at work. But what attracted me more was the amazing view of KL city at night, coupled with the Twin Towers on the background.
Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc
Petronas Twin Towers The bar was constantly filled with music, red-faced people and best of all, continuously flow of Kronenbourg 1664 beer.
The crowd and the beer
T-shirt drawing station by Paintlust The huge bar had several sections of seats but my favourite has got to be this long row of couch at the back of the bar, with a full 180 degrees panoramic view of the city. Best of all, it’s away from the crowd and noise, which is perfect for kicking back and catching up with a good friend or two.
Comfortable couches Some of the pictures of the KL night view:
KL night view #1
KL night view #2
More Kronenbourg 1664 Beer
My first bottle
with the gorgeous ladies: Weizhi, Christine & Ivy What can I say? Good beer, amazing view and wonderful company. That’s how weekends should be. Have a great one! |
| The Ugly, Greasy and Sloppy OM Burger Posted: 29 Jun 2011 06:35 PM PDT  To be honest, I’m not a fan of supper. I usually try to avoid eating past 10pm at night since the metabolism rate is slowest after that and whatever that goes into the body will stay in, if you know what I mean.
Make no mistake, burger drenched in oily butter Located just in front of a brightly-lit 7-11 shop, this burger stall has been around for more than 20 years, operated by an Uncle only during the hours of the night. The first thing I noticed once I reached was the thick slab of butter he used on the frying pan, which was already drenched in oil as it was. Thick pieces of beef and chicken patties were completely soaked inside the boiling oil, emitting that unmistakable aroma that caused even the most disciplined eater to go weak at the knees.
The price list Even though the menu seemed pretty extensive, most of the patrons only ordered either the Chicken or Beef Special, obviously their signature. We followed suit and ordered a Beef Special, coated with cheese and egg.
Beef patties deep fried in butter and oil The wait for our burger was at least 20 minutes, with constant patrons coming and going ordering the specials. During our wait, I couldn’t help but observe how the uncle worked, churning our burgers after burgers like clockwork. The patties were thicker than most of the street burgers that I’ve even before, and they’re left to fry in oil until golden brown and crispy while he prepared the fried egg and cheese that would wrap around the patty.
Beef patty on fried egg
Double beef patty with cheese in between When orders piled up, the uncle would make several burgers all at once. This is where you would see him breaking out several eggs on the tray of oil, spreading them out and then placing the necessary cheese slices and burger patties on top. After drizzling them with some chilli sauce, he wrapped (loosely speaking) the patty and cheese up with the fried egg.
Several burgers at once
Hot dog with beef patties in one Well I used the term ‘loosely speaking’ above because, to be honest, his wrapping skill was bad.
The ugly burgers
Sloppy and messy Finally, top the burger patties with mayonnaise-laced burger buns and they’re all ready to go. Just look at the Beef Burger special – sloppy, messy and greasy. Be prepared to get your fingers and face dirty!
Beef burger special Some people like to pack their burgers home, saying that the juices and the oil would be absorbed by the burger buns along the way, making it all the more delicious. But for a first-timer like me, I’d like to eat it once it’s served, just to savour its piping hot goodness.
Sloppy and ugly but the best street burger yet! I took a bite into the burger and was immediately sent to burger heaven. The beef patty was thick and juicy, had crispy edges and was bursting with flavour. The mayonnaise, cheese and chilli sauce made the combination deadly and addictive, making your face and fingers dirty for a darn good reason. Oh, and it was definitely worth breaking my rule of no food after 10pm!
OM Burger Stall at Ampang Jaya OM Burger (in front of 7-11) |
| Posted: 27 Jun 2011 06:10 PM PDT  Do you remember last time during school days, there used to be student exchange programmes where several selected students would be sent overseas for a month or so in exchange for students abroad to experience the life in Malaysia? Well the same concept has now been widely practiced in many other fields of work including the culinary one too. Recently, several chefs from The Eton Hotel Shanghai came over to One World Hotel to showcase authentic Shanghainese dishes for a limited 10 days only.
What do you think is this?
Traditional Guzheng music playing in the background Known for its rich and slightly sweet flavours, we were there to sample one of the set menus on offer. The first dish was Three Shanghai Style Appetizer, consisted of Deep Fried Prawn Shanghai Style, Spicy Pomfret and Preserved Bean Curd with Black Fungus. Not surprisingly, these dishes were all served cold, as is the norm in for appetizer dishes in Shanghai.
Preserved Bean Curd with Black Fungus Of these three, I liked the Spicy Pomfret that was fried before mixed with a sticky and spicy sauce that instantly opened up the palate.
Spicy Pomfret
Deep Fried Prawn Shanghai Style For soup, we had the Hot and Sour Soup Shanghai Style, a thick and smooth broth of black fungus, mushroom, ginger and egg white that was sour and strong with ginger flavour.
Hot and Sour Soup Shanghai Style Interestingly, the Sauteed Shredded Beef with Pepper was extremely soft, almost like the texture of bean curd when placed on the palate. Even though I enjoyed the spicy and peppery flavour of the beef, I would have preferred the beef to be more firm for a better bite
Sauteed Shredded Beef with Pepper The most attractive dish of all had to go to the Braised Whole Eel with Soya Sauce. The presentation of its serpentine body with its head in the middle resembled that of a snake and had all of us in awe. The flesh was soft and flavourful but be careful while eating this as the bone was still intact. The gravy was savoury and appetizing that Saucer asked for a bowl of rice to go with it.
Braised Whole Eel with Soya Sauce The Braised Chicken with Potato reminded me very much of something that grandma cooked. It was homely, non pretentious and simple. The chicken meat was tender and smooth but the potatoes were really the star for absorbing the gorgeous flavours of the gravy within.
Braised Chicken with Potato As with most Chinese set menus, there will be a dish of vegetables near the end of the meal, and this was no different. For our vegetable dish, we had the Sauteed Scallop with 'Bok Choy' and Mushroom. This was nicely presented with huge scallops, juicy mushrooms and sweet vegetables. Eat these three together to get that burst of earth and savoury flavour mixed with the freshness of the greens.
Sauteed Scallop with 'Bok Choy' and Mushroom When the Steamed Vegetable Dumpling came, I wasn't sure whether it was actually a dessert or appetizer dish since we usually have dim sum as appetizers. I took a piece of it and realized it did not matter as long as it tasted good! This was generously packed with vegetables that gave it a nice crunch when bitten into.
Steamed Vegetable Dumpling
Bonus – Kwai Fa Gou (Osmanthus cake) Finally for something sweet, we had the Eight Treasures Congee that consisted of red dates, rice, lotus seed, mung beans and kei chi among others. Served cold, I found this very different from the typical desserts due to the presence of rice in it. It was not overly sweet but rather heavy as a dessert dish.
Eight Treasures Congee
Platter of fruits The authentic Shanghai dishes were made possible thanks to the 4 chefs hailing from Shanghai: Chef Terry Yu Ning (sous chef), Chef Fanny Le Fei (chef de partie), Chef Lion Yu Sheng (wok 1) and Chef Navy Yang Tian Hai (steamer 1) from The Eton Hotel Shanghai.
The Shanghai Chefs
Dining environment at Zuan Yuan Restaurant These Halal Shanghainese set menus are priced from RM380++ per table of 4 as well as ala carte menu are available for lunch and dinner. For more details on the other menus available, click here. The chefs will only be here until 2nd of July 2011.
Zuan Yuan, One World Hotel Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Surisit – the Neighbourhood Thai Kopitiam Posted: 23 Jun 2011 06:31 PM PDT  “Kopitiam”, a term coined by Malaysians to signify a local coffee shop, is the rage right now. Almost every corner of every street in KL, there's bound to be a Kopitiam or two, mainly serving toasts, coffee, eggs and snacks especially for tea time. So when I came across Surisit Thai Kopitiam, I was curious to find out how this kopitiam differed from the others. Owned by 3 Thais (Surik, Rivon and Sita – now you know how the name came about!), this neighbourhood kopitiam is actually a restaurant that prides itself in serving authentic, village-style Thai food with a kopitiam environment. The marble table tops and wooden ancient-looking chairs are tell-tale signs of how the kopitiam culture has caught on.
Sour Orange Curry Fish
Kopitiam environment in Surisit Located along a rather quiet road in the neighbourhood of Taman Tun Dr Ismail, you’d be surprised to find this particular restaurant bustling with business at night when most of the other shops along the same row have closed. I was fascinated by the decoration around the restaurant, featuring old style coffee cups as well as colourful bottled drinks, including Fanta. I ordered the Soya Cincau (soya bean with grass jelly) drink that turned out to be pretty concentrated and had a generous amount of grass jelly within.
Colourful bottled drinks
Soya Cincau (RM7.90) Service was prompt even though it was a busy night, and we were served with our orders within 20 minutes.
White rice served on a traditonal-looking plate To start the dinner, we tried the Kerabu Pucuk Paku which was served cold. The paku (wild fern shoots) used was young and soft, but most importantly, they were nicely marinated with a slightly coconuty, sour and spicy gravy, making it an addictive appetizer.
Kerabu Pucuk Paku (RM14.90 – S/ RM18.90 – L) According to the lady boss, one of the most popular dishes ordered from the restaurant was the Tom Yam Ka Moo, which was clear tom yam soup with braised pork hocks. Oh yes, they serve pork here. How often do you find pork used in tom yam soup? This surprisingly turned out to be pretty good – clear broth that was very sour and slightly spicy, giving the much needed kick after a long day at work.
Tom Yam Ka Moo (RM25.90) For something more home-cooked, we tried the Cha Om, also known as the Thai style fried egg omelette. This simple dish was fried to perfection with crispy edges and a golden hue that was extremely savoury and redolent. The fluffy Thai omelette has to be one of the best in town.
Cha Om (RM9.90) The star of the night though, had to go to Mun Thod Gapi, essentially a dish of crispy fried pork with shrimp paste and deep fried lemon leaves, served with fiery chilli sauce on the side. When I saw this, I was elated! I remember very well eating the same dish in Bangkok and I raved about it in this post. Never did I imagine that this dish would be available in this quaint neighbourhood kopitiam, just a short drive away! True enough, the fried pork was as good as I remembered it – crispy and savoury skin, tender and juicy meat, plus that hint of shrimp paste that made it all the more delicious. This is definitely a must-order.
Mun Thod Gapi (RM16.90 – S / RM24.90 – L) Even though many favoured the clear tom yam broth above, I personally loved the sour and spicy soup that came with the Kheng Som Pla, a sour orange curry fish with vegetables. Most of the time, the fish dishes that I ate in Thai restaurants were steamed, but this was not. The fish was first deep fried until golden and crispy, then soaked in the orange broth which I would like to call, the Elixir of Joy. The deep frying method was a genius idea as it prevented the fish meat from going soggy after being soaked in the soup for long. While the fish maintained the certain bite and firmness to it, the soup was altogether a different story. It was spicy and sour, somewhat like assam laksa but better than that. And it was extremely addictive! I ended up almost slurping up all the soup and neglecting the fish.
Kheng Som Pla and its amazing soup I call the Elixir of Joy (RM32.90) Seeing how much we enjoyed the fish, the chef also presented us with another version of crispy deep-fried fish topped with spicy chili, lime and garlic, that was not on the menu. The fish was fresh as evident from the flaky meat, and had the crispy and crunchy edges that were perfect with the spicy gravy on top.
Crispy deep-fried fish with lime, chili and garlic Another dish that came highly recommended was the Kao Klut Gapi, also locally known as Belacan fried rice with sweetened pork. The right way of eating this would be to mix everything on the plate, plus the sweetened pork, together thoroughly. The combination of savoury belacan rice with sweet pork and crispy fried shrimps was just too good to resist. Beware of those fiery bird’s eye chilli though, for small as they were, they could make you sweat.
Kao Klut Gapi / Belacan fried rice (RM14.90 – S / RM18.90 – L) Finally, for something sweet to calm that spicy tongue, we had the Torb Tim Krob or Red Ruby dessert, served with thick and aromatic coconut milk and slices of sweet jack fruit. The coconut milk was slightly salty and very rich, making it almost too sinful to finish one bowl on my own.
Torb Tim Krob (RM5.90) The Mango Pulut was impressive too, with a big piece of sweet mango on top of glutinous rice topped with thick coconut cream. Again, this was another rich dessert meant to be shared.
Mango Pulut (RM8.90) Dining in Surisit gave me the feeling of going to a friend’s house and having that friend prepare a nice home-cooked meal for us. It was a cosy and warm experience, of course made all the more better with authentic and tasty Thai dishes. It was also, if I may say so, a Thai Kopitiam at its best.
Surisit Thai Kopitiam Surisit Thai Kopitiam |
| Posted: 21 Jun 2011 06:10 PM PDT  Japanese food has become such a permanent part in my life that my body automatically craves for it at least once a week. It is comforting to know that many share the same sentiments, and we could all rejoice in unison whenever a new Japanese restaurant comes to town. Kin No Mizu at The Intermark happens to be one of the latest additions to the family, serving authentic Japanese food in a fine dining environment. Set in a contemporary environment with a mini river and waterfall running around the tables, this restaurant boasts of elegance as well as tranquility.
Salmon roll
Modern Dining environment Starting our dinner that night was the Tofu Salad which came with a side of 3 different dressings – wafu, kimuchi and plum. While the salad was plain, I enjoyed the mixture of kimuchi and wafu dressing on it, together with slices of century egg that made it more appetizing.
Tofu Salad (RM18) If greens are not the thing for you, perhaps something more sinful like the Sukiyaki Croquette might work. Four pieces of deep fried, golden nuggets filled with savoury mashed potatoes, peas and minced beef marinated to perfection. Eat this once it's served to get the inevitable crunch from the breaded skin.
Sukiyaki Croquette (RM12) Seafood Kimchi Nabe was a claypot of kimchi soup filled with generous ingredients such as prawns, scallops, salmon, carrots, mushroom and glass noodles. Served piping hot, this was slightly spicy and sweet, evidently from the seafood used in it. The clear soup was light but addictive, and it had me downing one bowl after another. Slurp!
Seafood Kimchi Nabe (RM38) The Assorted Tempura was a platter of deep fried prawns, fish and vegetables, freshly fried to a golden hue. I liked that the deep fried items were not drenched in oil, and they all had the nice crinkly bits of flour at the edges that gave them a nice crunch.
Assorted Tempura (RM36) For mains, we tried the Chicken Teppanyaki, which in its own seemed to be a very common dish but in the hands of the chef, was transformed into a plate of irresistibly aromatic and delicious chicken pieces oozing with flavour. I was impressed! Truth be told, I did not have high expectations when it came to chicken dishes but this was rather outstanding, and even more so when eaten with the crispy garlic that came at the side. A match made in heaven, that's what it was.
Chicken Teppanyaki (RM25) The Grilled Salmon with Teriyaki was no less impressive. The piece of fish was nicely grilled with a slightly crispy skin, while the sweet teriyaki sauce managed to bring out the best of the salmon. Each bite was smooth and juicy, and when coupled with the teriyaki sauce, became a potent combination.
Grilled Salmon with Teriyaki (RM25) Each of the Chicken Teppanyaki and Grilled Salmon came with a bowl of white rice. If you're anything like me, a fried rice junkie, you'd opt for the Garlic Fried rice instead with an additional RM10 premium. Trust me, it will be a choice that you won't regret. The rice was fragrant, fluffy and flavourful without being overly oily. Couple that with some fried garlic, and you'll find yourself scooping the rice away just on its own. It's that good.
Garlic Fried Rice (RM10) / Foie Gras Fried Rice (RM32) Since we were there in a big group, we also ordered some other dishes to be shared, such as the Mizu Roll Sushi with Original Recipe. I wouldn't know what the original recipe was, but what I do know was that the roll was nicely packed with a whole tempura prawn, unagi, and some avocado slices on top, making it a nicely balanced meal on its own.
Mizu Roll Sushi with Original Recipe (RM36) Last but not least, to end the meal on a sweet note, we had the Green Tea Ice-Cream served with red bean paste on top. The ice-cream was smooth without the hint of coarsely shaved ice, and did not melt easily. A choice of Black Sesame ice-cream was also available at the same price.
Green Tea Ice-cream (RM8) Deemed as a Japanese fine dining place, Kin No Mizu proves to be more than that. It serves delicious Japanese food without being pretentious, and is more pocket-friendly comparing to other similar establishments. I definitely would not mind returning.
Kin No Mizu at The Intermark Good news! If you think dining at Kin No Mizu would break a hole in your pocket, then consider this Hahah deal that gives you more than 50% discount! Available from now til 26th of June 2011, includes:
Kin No Mizu Japanese Dining |
| Affordable German-Style Set Lunches Posted: 19 Jun 2011 06:13 PM PDT  I don’t know about you but Monday and I just don’t click. Just yesterday night, the thought of waking up to Monday the next morning was enough to keep me awake lying on my bed, tossing and turning hoping that time would pass slower. Anyway, to while the bluesy Monday away, here is a short post on a German restaurant and bar called Bavarian Bierhaus in Jaya 33. We were there last week for lunch and I found out that it was quite affordable considering its big portion, German food!
Grilled lamb The good thing about set lunch here was the different menu that was rotated daily, with several choices per day. This meant that a group of people could go here everyday and order different things to try out, which was what we did. We were there on a Friday, so we had the choice of either Sausages, Fish burger, Pork loin steak or Grilled lamb steak. We ordered 3 out of the 4 choices, with the exception of Fish burger. Each set cost RM19++ and came with a soup and a drink.
Daily set lunch menu Most of us opted for the Ice lemon tea and I was impressed to find that it’s not diluted or bland, as most free ice lemon tea drinks are.
Ice lemon tea The Soup of the day was Carrot soup, basically a concoction with plenty of finely chopped carrots. This was rather sweet and flavourful but lacked the creamy finish that would make it a whole lot better.
Soup of the day – Carrot Moving on to the mains, the Vienna & Thueringer Sausages came first – long and meaty sausages served with tuna salad and french beans. We had higher expectations on the sausages seeing that these were sort of the staple food of Germany but we were slightly disappointed. The Vienna sausages were especially common and tasted like the normal hot dog we could find from supermarkets, except that these were slightly fatter and longer. The Thueringer’s fared slightly better though not exceptional and the friend who ordered this wished he’d ordered something else from the menu.
Vienna & Thueringer Sausages Another friend opted for the Pork Loin Steak, which came in a rather sizable portion with plenty of potato wedges. I did not try this personally but the initial comments were good and delicious, with the comments changing to dry and bland towards the end. I guess the big piece of pork loin required longer time for the marinade or juices to seep through evenly, hence resulting in certain parts of the pork that were dry in the middle.
Pork Loin Steak As for me, I had the Grilled Lamb Steak which was initially mixed up in the orders, and only came when the rest were finishing their meals. Well, as they say it, good things come to those who wait, and boy was that true! The serving had two huge slabs of lamb steak, perfectly grilled with slightly burnt edges and an aroma that we could smell from meters away. Perhaps it was the long wait, or perhaps it was the growling stomach but the steak turned out to be extremely tender and juicy with just the right amount of gaminess within. There was just a minimal layer of fat at the edges that could easily be detached if you don’t fancy fatty meat, but otherwise, it just complemented the lamb and made it all the more juicy. This was one of the better lamb steaks that I had tasted and with such a huge portion, I’d say it’s definitely the best value set lunch for Friday!
Tender and juicy Grilled Lamb Steak If you ever visit Bavarian Bierhaus on Friday afternoons, do give the lamb steak a try. Even if you have to wait, it’s going to be worth it!
Bavarian Bierhaus at Jaya 33 Bavarian Bierhaus |
| Posted: 16 Jun 2011 06:22 PM PDT  Why the unusual title, you may ask? Well last weekend marked the opening of a new bistro and restaurant called EurAsia at Damansara Heights. As implied by the name, this bistro serves a fusion of European and Asian cuisines coupled with wine and spirits. The night started with the opening ceremony by the owner, graced by the presence of several local celebrities including Amber Chia, Chui Ling, Stella Chung and Dennis Lau. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was nothing short of colourful and joyous, especially for the proud owner Raymond.
Colourful opening ceremony
Raymond popping the champagne
Ribbon-cutting ceremony I don’t know about you, but I thought it was quite a touching moment to witness the event, especially for Raymond who was presenting his baby to the public for the first time. To make it more memorable, it turned out that it was also his birthday that night!
Amber and Raymond with dancers
Dancers during the opening ceremony Being invited as part of the media, I was fortunate to get the chance to dine with the celebrities on their first night of operation, in a private room. Hence, the title.
with Alan Yun
with Chui Ling
Amber Chia and family
with Malaysia’ top model Amber Chia Enough about the stars, let’s talk about the food served that night. It was a 4-course meal with either red or white wine to pair with. The first dish was Mixed Salad Greens and Asian Seaweed topped with Wafu Dressing which was colourful as well as healthy. If I had it my way, I would have done away with the onions, but that’s just me.
Mixed Salad Greens and Asian Seaweed topped with Wafu Dressing The second dish received unanimous praises from the table, particularly the Pan-Seared Foie Gras which had a slightly crispy texture at the edges but a melting soft and rich interior. The balance of heat during the grilling process was perfect and the lovely sauce on top just complemented the taste really well.
Pan-seared Foie Gras with Volcano Maki When the lovely trio of dishes appeared next, it was such a feast to the eye and the nose that I almost thought it too pretty to eat! Among this three, the most outstanding had to be the Grilled Lamb Rack. It was conveniently wrapped around the bone so we ate with our fingers! The rack of lamb was slightly charred on the sides, but a bite into it revealed tender and juicy meat that was bursting with flavour. It was gorgeous.
Surf & Turf with Pan-seared Salmon, Grilled Lamb Rack and Jumbo Fried Prawn Last but not least, another trio of desserts. It seems like this restaurant liked things in 3′s eh?
Homemade coconut ice-cream served with Rum Raisin layered cake & mix fruits Even though there were some hiccups in the arrangement of the dinner, just by judging on the food alone, I’d say they did pretty good for an opening night. I’m definitely going back for more of that lamb rack.
EurAsia Bar and Bistro EurAsia Bar & Bistro |
I thought the salad was weird though, with the liberal usage of jicama (sengkuang), green peas and carrot mixed with mayonnaise. Not an ideal combination, I’d think.
Just look at the final product below, where he haphazardly wrapped the fried egg on top of the burger, with big holes here and there. Not a nice sight to behold for sure, but we didn’t come here for a pretty burger, we came for a delicious burger.
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