Dining out is a very common practice in our society.

Eating in certain dining environments doesn’t really qualify it to be a “restaurant experience”. Eating at a food court or a fast food establishment is a different style of dining, based around the principles of cost, convenience, and consistency.

Consistency especially applies when it comes to places like McDonalds. Their success is based around a formula. No matter where you are in the world, you know exactly what to expect.

This is always the risk when it comes to a restaurant.

There is nothing in theory to guarantee an experience in a restaurant.

A restaurant provides, for arguments sake, the following:

* A la carte service – that is, someone takes your order
* Food prepared fresh – well, as fresh as the quality controls that exist in a kitchen
* The presentation of a menu, as well as a beverage list

Generally, there is one indisputable fact that defines a restaurant good.

That is, a diner pays for ease and convenience, and to receive an experience that differentiates between eating at home and dining out.

Having said that, a paying customer would expect a certain degree of expectations. Here are some good examples.

When you come into a restaurant, you are greeted in some shape or form. So understated, it should be one of the key aspects of any service environment.

Basics are pointed out to you. Often this could be specials. Sometimes, to break the server/customer relationship ice, you could point out where the facilities are. But essentially, management should work out what might be confusing to a potential guest and explain it to make them comfortable.

A guest does not have to signal for attention. Ever. This is what makes great service. No matter what, there is just the right balance of service that you to be able to get what you want.

Nothing infringes on your experience. For me, one of my pet hates is finishing your meal, and having your dirty plate sit in front of you for more than a couple of minutes.

But most importantly,

If something does go wrong (such as human error) that the restaurant DOES NOT ignore the problem, apologizes, and in some shape or form, fixes the problem.

Also, little pieces of detail help.

You want to hear music that isn’t intruding. As I like to say to team, loud enough to notice, loud enough to muffle the next tables noise, but not so loud as to prevent conversation between a tables conversant.

A clean bathroom. Have team check on this regularly. Nothing is quite as off putting as to going to a toilet with appropriate paper, soap, or the like.

Overall cleanliness. But do it properly. For example, its good to clean tables (in the absence of linen), but advise team not to aim the spray like a gun and shoot the table so the cleaning fluid rebounds and hits other tables – and guests.

But above all, the experience is best when you are looked after.

When you are treated “nice”.

The industry is not called hospitality for nothing….

The bitter gourd (also known as bitter melon) looks like a cucumber but with ugly gourd-like bumps all over it. As the name implies, this vegetable is a melon that is bitter. There are two varieties of this vegetable: One grows to about 20 cm long, is oblong and pale green in color. The other is the smaller variety, less than 10 cm long, oval and has a darker green color.

Now that you’re gotten acquainted with the bitter gourd, let’s get to the interesting bit. Bitter gourd is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavor, typically in stir-fries (often with pork and douchi), soups, and also as tea. And more recently, I’ve discovered a restaurant here in Klang Valley that serves everything bitter gourd. That’s right … from bitter gourd juice (yup, you heard me right) to dish and soup.

Fu Kua Restaurat (Fu Kua translates to bitter gourd in chinese) is located in Taman SEA, Petaling Jaya, just right behind Hong Leong Bank. Out of curiosity, I checked out the place one day. The crowds swells up during dinner so it’s advisable to go get a table earlier. Ordering seems easy enough, especially if you can read chinese menus. Fortunately for me, the menu has english translation.

Since I don’t really fancy bitter gourd (it’s a childhood thingy …. just don’t ask ….), it was tough for me to order the dishes. Especially when almost every dish is made up of bitter gourd … in some way. There’s like bitter gourd with black beans, bitter gourd with meat, bitter gourd with ….. sigh, you get my point.

Anyway, after some contemplation … I manage to order something basic. Bitter gourd soup, bitter gourd with salted eggs and another meat dish which I can’t recall the name. And here’s the surprising thing! I actually ordered bitter gourd juice. Yup, call me crazy but I just couldn’t’ resist the temptation!

So the drink came and I took a sip. The facial expression on my face was priceless, or that’s at least what my dinner date told me. After recovering from the initial shock, my first reaction was to totally abandon that bile tasting drink! So I did. I order something a little more decent …. coke.

The dishes weren’t that bad and in fact it tasted quite alright. Not as bitter as I expected it to be. The soup was quite tasty and the bitter gourd with salted egg was quite good too. As I was taking it all down, I felt like as though I am going through a detoxifying diet. Yup, that was pretty much it.

And just before settling the bill, I challenged myself to finish my bitter gourd juice. And to my utmost surprise, the drink was bearable. The bitter taste was not as bad as it is on the first time. My theory is that all the bitterness in the dishes may have neutralized my taste bud …..

Looks aside, did you know that the bitter gourd has excellent medicinal virtues. It is antidotal, antipyretic tonic, appetizing, stomachic, antibilious and laxative and that’s why the bitter gourd is used in native medicines of Asia and Africa.

So if you got what it takes, I challenge you to finish that glass of Bitter Gourd Juice ……

Fu Kua Restaurant
Unit 19, Jalan SS23/15,
Taman S.E.A.,
47400, Petaling Jaya
11am to 3pm and 5.30pm to 11pm

Seri Kembangan is never short of ‘interesting’ dine options. For example …

1. Ikan Bakar Garam (Salted BBQ Fish) – Behind the hokkien association
2. Weng Heong BBQ Chicken/Duck/Pork Rice shop – just after Public Bank
3. Farmland Porridge Steamboat – Opposite South City Plaza
4. Leong Ya Yong Tau Fu/Ji Bao Gai – Opposite Serdang KTM
5. Sister Lam Yong Tau Fu – On the way to Serdang town from Equine Park
6. Hakka Yong Tau Fu near market
7. Cheng Fatt Restaurant
8. Chinese restaurant (uses charcoal to cook noodles, opposite Cheng Fatt)
9. Hoi Tong BBQ Steamboat Restaurant @ Bukit Serdang
10. Hakka Village Restaurant @ Bukit Serdang
11. K.C.W Curry Fish Head @ Serdang Raya (same row with no.12’s Pan Mee)
12. Pan Mee (night only) @ Serdang Raya – in front of a car repair shop
13. Ye Ren Bak Kut Teh + Steamed Ikan Haruan + Spicy Chicken + Siong Tong La la
14. Yap Beng Dry Bak Kut Teh + Stir Fried Shark @ Equine Park
15. Tomyam Noodles (tue,thurs and sat only) @ Beside soft drink factory, opposite Public Bank there

But before you start making lunch and dinner plans, here’s one to get the ball rolling. Kien Kee Sup Pedas Ayam Kampung (or direct translation would sound like “Kien Kee Village Chicken Spicy Soup”) is located behind the Post Office in Seri Kembangan.

The places opens every morning at 9:30am, closes at 3:00pm and opens again in the evening from 6:00pm till 9:00pm. So if you’re up for breakfast, lunch or dinner … they’ll be more than happy to have you. So what’s the specialty in this place?

Try their Sup Pedas (Hot soup or lat thong).

Also known as lat thong (hot soup) in Chinese, this clear soup gets its distinct warming and spicy taste from the use of crushed black peppercorns. The soup is spicy enough to tingle your senses but not burn your mouth. The soup is also sweet tasting from the use of an assortment of pork meat, stomach and intestines. The owner claims it is useful in alleviating coughs.

Next, also try their “Fa Tiu” Chicken. Served in a claypot, the tender chicken pieces are coated with a thick and slightly sweet soy sauce, which goes well with a bowl of white rice. The addition of “Fa Tiu” wine just before serving adds an alluring aroma to the dish.

With that much meat consumed, one must strike a balance. Thus … don’t forget to forget to order some vegetable dishes, albeit a simple one. Like the one I had below ….

And here’s how you get there. If you have your GPS, check coordinate : N 3 1.332 E 101 42.29099 .

Contact Details
Restoran Kien Kee
D-1, Jalan 10/3
43300 Seri Kembangan
Tel: 012-350 9900
Opens 9am to 3pm, 6pm to 9pm, close on Monday
Note: They are at the road behind the Sri Kembangan Post Office if you need a landmark

Flattened Chicken? Backside Soup? Happy Soda?

When I first visited Jakarta, Indonesia some years back … I had quite an an exciting culinary adventure. Other than extra strong spices, food varieties are quite similar with ours in Malaysia but it’s the name of the food that shocked me. Nasi Goreng Gila (direct translation … Crazy Fried Rice) …. Sup Bontot (hmm … how do I put this …. backside …. ass …. behind …soup?). I mean, these are just some of it that I can remember.

I recently checked out an Indonesian restaurant at The Curve and it helped ‘jump started’ my memories of Indonesian food adventures. Waroeng Penyet (directly translated as “Flat/flattened Restaurant”) is an upcoming chain of Indonesian restaurants opening it’s doors across Malaysia and Singapore. The outlet at The Curve is located on the 1st floor (just above MBG Fruit Stall and Sakae Sushi).

The restaurant is spacious as there are options to sit indoor if you prefer air conditioning or outdoor if you like fresh (almost) air. Having said that, visit them during lunch time and chances are you will need to queue up to get a place. The place is packed … but worry not. Apparently they will be occupying another outlet next door. That means mores space for them.

They serve a good range of local Indonesian cuisines ranging from their signature dish, Ayam Penyet (Flattened Fried Chicken) to Ayam Panggang (Grill Chicken), Soup Bontot (Ox-Tail Soup) and even Gado-Gado (Indonesian Salad with Peanut Sauce).

I’ve tried their Ayam Penyet once, unfortunately I find it quite dry and it’s not as crispy as they claimed it to be. Here’s how they prepared the Ayam Penyet.

Indonesian Style Flattened Fried Chicken, marinated with Java special sauce, fried to perfection sealing the flavours … Then Flattened to tenderize the meat and served with special crunchy batter … Not to forget hearty sambal, hot or mild … it’s your choice! ARE YOU HOT ENOUGH?

I’ll have to agree on the sambal bit. My advice to those non-spicy fans …. stay far away from it, and I mean it. I am a chilli-person (ok … ok…. for Malaysian standard) yet I find their sambal hot! But without the sambal, the Flattened Fried Chicken dish tasted quite naked. Yup, I said it. So, like they say … hot or mild, your choice. Be glad … because you can order the bottomless soft drink.

I’ve tried their Bawal Penyet (Flattened Fried Pompret) and Lele Penyet (Flattened Catfish) and it was good. Although the fishes were a little small portioned, it was made up by the deliciously crunchy taste. Each ‘Penyet’ dish is served with condiments such as some vegetables and 2 pieces of …. I am guessing fried tofu and Tempe. No, don’t ask … I don’t know what that is. You do the Googling…

And then there’s drinks. Jus Alpukat (Avocado Juice), Es Cendol (Cendol Ice)…. Soda Gembira (err … Happy Soda?). I almost couldn’t decide what to have … with all those interesting drink names and finally settled for Happy Juice … I mean, Happy Soda. Curiously, my inquiry lead me to find out that the ‘Happy Soda’ is actually a cocktail of F&N Strawberry with condensed milk and a certain Soda imported from Indonesia. There you go … Happy Soda. Strangely enough, I didn’t feel a thing after downing the whole glass.

Perhaps I’ll ask for a double shot next round.

Address
Waroeng Penyet
Lot 132, 1st Floor,
The Curve, Mutiara Damansara,
47800 Petaling Jaya
Tel : 017-2003988

Yup, I miss those days. But of course, what I miss most was weekend family outings to my favorite Bak Kut Teh shop in Pandamaran. We used to compete for the most plates of rice we could finish and you could see stacks of plates after we finish our meals. Sad to say, my favorite shop was long gone. And I stopped enjoying Bah Kut Teh ever since. I just couldn’t find anyone that could make Bak Kut Teh that good …. anymore. And I moved out from Klang …..

Nah …. just kidding. I moved out of Klang a long time ago, after graduating college to look for a job in the city. I still visit Klang occasionally but not as often as I wished to.

But recently, I stumbled upon another good Bak Kut Teh outlet in Klang. And suddenly, I am visiting Klang more often again.

The place is Restoran Weng Heong which is located at Taman Intan, Klang. Drive around Taman Intan and chances are you will easily find more than 5 other Bak Kut Teh outlets including the popular Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh. So what’s so different about Weng Heong? Well, externally you won’t spot much since all Bak Kut Teh shops look alike. Simple setups, plastic chairs and tables, kettles with hot water and practically no decorations whatsoever in the shop. You’ll find out the difference when you sink your teeth for the first bite. But first, you have to know how to order your food.

Ordering is simple enough if you know how to. Everyone has a personal preference when Bak Kut Teh is concerned. There are those who watch their diets …. i.e. they only take lean meat. With all the oily stuffs in the soup, I wonder how ‘lean’ can the meat be. But generally, you’ll need to know what you want to order. You make your order by specifying the “cuts” of pork that you want : fatty, lean, half-fat / half-lean, ribs, leg, spare parts (meaning intestines, stomach etc). My favorite is the leg and knuckle.

And if you’re into bones, just order “big bones” and this is what you get. Trust me, you’re need some sort of ’skills’ to really enjoy this choice of cut.

So what makes a good Bak Kut Teh. Again, this is personal preference but I’d like to share mine. 2 things to determine the quality of a good Bak Kut Teh. First is the soup, since that is the first taste. My choice of soup has to be thick with strong herbal taste that leaves a sticky after-taste in your mouth. Second is the meat. A good Bak Kut Teh chef knows how long it takes to cook the meat to a perfect taste that practically melts in your mouth. Read this … you can practically suck the meat off the bones. Now, that’s a good Bak Kut Teh. According to me, that is ……

Anyway, here’s the address to Weng Heong.

Restoran Weng Heong Bak Kut Teh
28, 30, Jalan 5,
Kawasan 16,
Taman Intan,
Klang, Selangor
Tel : 012-382 4408

Note : Is Bak Kut Teh halal? No? Haha .. silly me. But do read this interesting article.

I’ve been away for quite a while. Yup … job obligations. No choice. But that’s what everyone says, right? I actually miss doing this. I miss the rantings and bitching of culinary preferences among us ‘reviewers’ or better known as ‘foodies’. So here I am again, now that what I have to do is all done and the next one is not until June 2010.

For my new article, I could probably summarize it into a single sentence but then again, where’s the fun in that? So I shall elaborate further ….. here’s how it goes…..

I was at Cineleisure Damansara to catch a movie. The movie was a major letdown but let’s not go there … As I was saying …. I went there for a movie and usually followed by dinner like I always do (well, I do live just around the corner and cooking isn’t exactly my best traits so eating out are some of my best options …). Yup. I chose Mr Teppanyaki because I must have walked past it a million times but I just never went in. So here I am, finally … deciding to check it out.

Time check …. 6:45pm. The place was deserted. Probably too early for dinner, I told myself … and proceeded to find a place to sit. I sat next to the chef’s workstation to get a good view of him cooking and of course … for opportunities to capture a few shots.

Ordering food was a breeze, as long as you don’t speak. All you need to do is to point out what you want on the menu. Don’t get me wrong, you can ask but chances are, you don’t get your answer as the waiter can hardly speak properly. Or it’s probably just me. I ordered Lamb Teppanyaki, which is twice as expensive as the price of a Beef Teppanyaki (I wonder why). Anyway, I asked the waitress if the Beef Teppanyaki comes in dinner sets.

She stared at me …
I looked back at her …
She glanced at the chef …
The chef looked back at the waitress …
And finally both of them just stared blankly at me …
I gave up.

Yup, I could almost hear the deafening sound of silence at that moment. Anyway, they started cooking and what comes next didn’t exactly surprise me. There were 2 chefs (I am assuming they are, since they’re dressed as one) and if I am not mistaken, one was teaching the other to cook. Yup …. right in front of us. And trust me, it’s Cooking 101 …. Live! They went on for a while and finally served our orders.

Time check … 7:05pm. Great! My movie starts in 10 minutes and I am still getting a focus on my camera. Very quickly, I got a couple of shots and started digging in. Lamb Teppanyaki. Beef Teppanyaki. Tasted pretty much the same. Yet I paid almost double for the Lamb compared to the beef. Tempted to ask about it but decided not to. Not to be mean but I really doubt there’s anyone with the authority to provide me with a satisfactory answer.

I made a conscious decision on the spot. Never …. to step into this outlet. Ever … again. Was my decision a little harsh. I think … not.

Having said all of the above, it is still after all …. my opinion. Ever heard of …. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure? So, it’s up to your own judgment, eventually. If you’re up for a little challenge, by all means …. Cineleisure Damansara or now known as E@Curve is where you want to be.

Here’s more of the same views (if you fancy a little more reading) …
Live To Eat
J.Sanctuary
Limfy

Tucked in the far corner of Kuala Lumpur, there’s a place known as Segambut. I looked it up on Google and found that Segambut actually covers a much bigger area. Did you you know that from the high-end condominiums of Mont Kiara and Sri Kiara to the middle-class areas of Taman Sri Segambut and Bandar Manjalara, and the rural areas of Segambut Dalam and Kampung Sungai Penchala are all under the Segambut constituency? I was like … wow, I never knew. So much for my geographical and political knowledge.

ANYWAY, I shall bring you back to what I know best. Located at Segambut Utara (Segambut North) is a little township sprawled with small/medium industrial lots. And amidst these workshops and factories, is Restoran Yu Ai … a very popular spot for their Seafood Noodle. This place is actually a stone throw away from Mont Kiara/Solaris if you’re familiar with that area.

Yu Ai is a simple food eatery that serves only what they do best which is seafood noodle and their new menu, fish head noodle if you fancy that. Having been in the business for more than 11 years, they family recipe of the much acclaimed seafood noodle has been a favorite for many.

When you step into the outlet, you’ll be greeted by rows of seafood noodle condiments displayed along the entrance, followed by gigantic pots of soup bases. Plain, Curry and Tom Yam. And those are exactly the choices of order you can make. Perhaps this might help :

Step 1 : Choose your preferred soup base. Plain, Curry or Tom Yam
Step 2 : Choose your noodle type. Mee, Meehoon or Kuay Teow
Step 3 : Finally choose your choice of seafood. There’s prawn, fish, oyster, cuttlefish and clam.
Step 4 : Determine the size you want depending on your appetite (try small if it’s your 1st time)

Here’s a little hint, if your spicy intake level is moderate, go for curry. And if you do choose tom yam, try not to speak too often when you’re eating. You never know when you might get choked over the strong, thick taste of the tom yam. I knew … speaking from experience…. if you know what I mean.

You can also mix and match the choices of seafood, for example I only go for fish and prawns since I don’t exactly fancy the rest.

The price in Yu Ai isn’t exactly the cheapest in town and in fact, it has been steadily increasing over the years. A large bowl of seafood noodle will set you back by RM17.00 while the small one cost RM15.00. Might be a little pricey for many but if the place is still pack during meal times, who’s complaining?

Budget aside, I don’t mind visiting them occasionally and I love bringing my friends visiting from abroad to this place.

As mentioned, some might think this place is expensive while some thing otherwise. Here’s what some others wrote about Yu Ai.

Buurps
WeAteThis
Lots of Cravings
WAntAn Productions
Boredworkers.com

More information about this place.

Contact Details
Restoran Yu Ai (Segambut)
Address : No. 42 Jalan Segambut Utara, 51200 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours : 8am – 5pm
Telephone :012-335 5563

Restoran Yu Ai (SS2)
Address : No. 58, Jalan SS2/10, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening Hours : 11am – 9.30pm
Telephone :03-7877 8177

Ratings
OVERALL RATING : * * * (An expensive yet satisfying meal)
Environment Rating : * * (Typical coffee shop setup, choice of indoor and outdoor dining)
Food Rating : * * * * (Spared no expense on seafood. Love it!)
Service Rating : * * (Can be a little irritating during peak hours)
Budget Rating : * * * (It’s a choice meal. It’s a good deal if you’re a fan)

Operation Details
Average Price : RM17.00 (Large) RM15.00 (Small)
Operating Hours : Daily 8:00am to 5:00pm

I love steamboats. My friends used to tell me that maybe it’s a Klang thing. Perhaps it’s true to a certain extent. I come from a big family and when there’s a cause for celebration, we dine out. In a town like Klang, there’s only 2 places you can go if you have a family of more than 10. You either go to a seafood restaurant or a steamboat restaurant.

And I guess that why I grew with a certain preference for chinese food … and trust me, steamboat is as chinese as it can get.

I still remember the days where steamboats were served on aluminum pots heated up with charcoal fire. And to top it off, most steamboat restaurants were open-aired. The heat … the sweat … yet we enjoyed our food. These days, air conditioned steamboat restaurants are normal and steamboat pot were heated using gas or electric source.

One such outlet is the Grand Steamboat Garden in Taipan USJ. I was there recently as an invited guest by Wilson from PlacesandFoods.com to try out their new concept which I find quite interesting. Imagine a cross between sushi and steamboat. Well, you don’t exactly dip sushi’s in the hotpot! What I meant was … a conveyor belt. Choices of food were displayed along a conveyor belt, just like those you see in fast food japanese sushi restaurants. You pick your choice and eat your heart out. And that’s where the similarity ends.

At least you don’t have to eat and count the colors of your plates like you usually do. This is because you’ll be charge a flat fee instead of how much you eat. But do bear in mind that if you waste food, they charge your leftovers. Can you imagine that? Well …. let’s put it this way, people go hungry on the other side of the world. I am sure you feel for them. So don’t waste, ok?

Range of dish choices are good … from paper-thin beef slices to seafood balls and of course, the usual vegetables and noodles. Occasionally you spot a couple of eggs roll by the conveyor belt that’s pretty much in your face. I made an attempt to count how many different types of dishes they offer by staring at the conveyor belt and stopped counting at 10. Cross-eyed.

If I am not mistaken, there should be easily more than 50 different types of dishes offered. Talk about spoilt for choices, eh? But I believe they could do more to add value. Besides raw stuffs, there’s also choices of ready-to-eat dishes such as my favorite .. the Honey Chicken .. yum yum …. and a couple of other items.

And the next most important thing to steamboat is the soup. There’s nothing like a well-prepared soup and these guys at Grand Steamboat really pamper you with choices. Available soup choices are chicken, herbal, prawn, tomyam and finally extra-spicy soup. I was contemplating between prawn and extra-spicy (I am a sucker for spicy stuffs) and finally the prawn won.

What I like most about the place is the ambiance. It’s bright and cheerful although I must admit that they should do something about the plain cement walls, that’s a little out of place. Otherwise, seating arrangements are pretty well spaced out.

I wouldn’t say this is the best steamboat restaurant I’ve been to but given the benefit of doubt, Grand Steamboat Garden could grow into one.

Contact Details
39G, Jalan USJ 10/1F,
Taipan Subang Jaya,
47610 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

The restaurant is located on the same row as Standard Chartered Bank in Taipan. It’s an intermediate corner lot.

Ratings
OVERALL RATING : * * * (plenty of room for improvement)
Environment Rating : * * * (could do with a little more identity)
Food Rating : * * * (decent, can be better)
Service Rating : * * * * (Well served. You may want to check back again during peak hours)
Budget Rating : * * (Could do with a little more value-adds)

Operation Details
Average Price : RM26.80 nett (adults) RM16.30 nett (children)
Operating Hours : Daily 11.30am – 2:30pm, 6.00pm – 11.00pm
Accepted Cards: : Master Card , Visa Card

Miscellaneous Details
Halal : Yes (but no certificate though …)
Dining Method : Dine-In lah of course. How to ta-pau steamboat???
Food/Cuisine : Chinese hotpot
Ambiance/Features : Simple and bright
BYO (Bring Your Own) Allowed? : Erm … I think I can sneak some pork chop into my hotpot?
Reservations : Yes

I must have walked past this restaurant at Gardens MidValley many, many times but I just never attempted to check it out. Perhaps there’s just too many restaurants of this genre around? But when Ken called recently to offer a session with Din Tai Fung, it was an offer I could not refuse.

After all, Din Tai Fung was ranked as one of the world’s top 10 restaurants in 1993 by The New York Times.

I did a little research about Din Tai Fung before attending the session. Finding out the restaurant’s specialty is the least I could do to prep myself. And here’s what I found from an excerpt in Wikipedia.

Din Tai Fung is an award-winning restaurant of Taiwanese origin, specialising in Xiao Long Bao (small steamed buns, marketed as “dumplings” in the West). Outside its native Taiwan, Din Tai Fung also has its restaurant chains in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States.

Almost immediately I have this burning desire to ask the question. What … makes a good Xiao Long Bao?

Armed with the ultimate question and a big appetite (the session was set at 10am … and trust me, I am NOT a morning person) I went for the session. I made it just in time as the session was about to begin and I was greeted by the owner of Din Tai Fung Malaysia herself, Ms. Lim Meng Lu. I was truly impressed with her gesture as she personally made time to attend to us despite her busy schedule.

And so our journey through culinary perfection began with a tour by Ms. Lim across their open-kitchen. First stop … the Xiao Long Bao station. This Shanghainese specialty, named after the small bamboo steamer (xiao long) it’s typically served in, is without doubt the dumpling lover’s dumpling. Xiao Long Bao should be sheathed by a skin that’s delicately thin yet resilient enough to encase its steaming, soupy contents.

There’s an art to making Xiao Long Bao – a dumpling nimbly crafted by the most expert dim sum chef should boast an amazing number of tidy little folds. Count ‘em – 18 at least, in good hands of a master chef.

Eating Xiao Long Bao required a certain amount of skills as well. Did you know the condiments to compliment the taste of Xiao Long Bao has to be accurate to get the taste “Just Right”? The ginger that is mixed in the sauce for dipping Xiao Long Bao has to be young and fresh ginger. The soy sauce use by Din Tai Fung has been pre-selected from 20 different brands to find the right taste that matches the original sauce from Taiwan.

1 part soy sauce
3 parts vinegar

That’s the right combination for the right taste. Why … to mix with your Xiao Long Bao of course!

Satisfied with my newly acquired knowledge, we moved on the dishes served. Laid on the table were several specialties of Din Tai Fung. The appetizers, according to Miss Lim were some of their best selling items in the menu. As I looked across the table, there were a few varieties of choices … none of which is my favorite. At least not before I tried them. I was never friends with stuffs like cucumber, bean curds or worst …. Century Eggs!

Someone wise once said … never judge a book by it’s cover and I guess it’s very true in this sense. After trying a little of every dish I found my new love! Especially with the one I never liked … Century Eggs! But after trying their Taiwan Century Eggs, my perspective towards it changed totally. Specially imported duck eggs with slices of pickled ginger and guess what? The usual pungent Century Egg after-taste is gone! And suddenly, I love century eggs. The magic hands of a chef ….

I am definitely going back again for their appetizers ESPECIALLY their Taiwan Century Eggs. Besides appetizers, Din Tai Fung is also popular for their La Mian which is type of hand-made or hand-pulled Chinese noodle. Here’s a good list of their latest menu items.

See what others say about Din Tai Fung

WMW
KL People KL Food
Malaysian Food Guide
Precious Pea
FoodPOI
Black Tie White Lie
Iamthewitch.com
SloppyChic

And here’s the address to Din Tai Fung Gardens MidValley
LG207 The Gardens
MidValley City
Tel : +603-2283-2292

I read somewhere that Nasi Lemak is the national dish of Malaysia. Well, I haven’t really thought about it but that’s quite true to a certain extent. Nasi Lemak is available on almost every street corner and in almost every local-themed restaurant, served with everything from chicken to beef to cuttlefish.

Best of all …. you can have Nasi Lemak for breakfast, lunch or dinner but I seriously doubt you want to do that, especially for health reasons. And I guess it’s a national dish because …… almost everyone enjoys a simple dish of Nasi Lemak ….

So what exactly makes a good Nasi Lemak? The rice? The sambal? or the condiments? It is a very personal preference but personally, I would go for all 3. It’s the combination of all 3 that makes the taste of Nasi Lemak … “complete”.

And I am happy to announce that I’ve found this perfect combination at Village Park Restaurant in Damansara Uptown. Well, at least according to my taste. What I like most about the Nasi Lemak in Village Park Restaurant is …. like what I said earlier, the right combination of …..

Coconut milk fragrant rice – not to mushy and not too dry. Just nice.
Sambal (Chilli) – not too spicy, not too sweet. Just nice.
Condiments – crispy anchovies, crunchy nuts. Just nice.

And if you fancy a little ‘extra’ on your dish, go for the fried chicken which looks equally good as well. Otherwise, there’s also cuttlefish and other choices of side dishes that suits your taste. As for me, my ‘complete’ combination of Nasi Lemak will be just plain Nasi Lemak with a piece of fried chicken drumstick. Medium done.

A little while ago, some folks decided to find out the best Nasi Lemak in town and Village Park Nasi Lemak was nominated. And here’s the result …..

11th April 2009 : The 1st Annual Foodsters Award : Village Park came in Champion !
20th May 2009 : KLue – Top 10 Nasi Lemak in the Klang Valley : Village Park came in 4th

So if you’re interested to try some ‘award winning’ Nasi Lemak …. do check out Village Park. And here’s their address …. with a map just in case you get lost.

Village Park Restaurant
5, Jalan SS21/37,
Damansara Utama,
47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Contact: +603 7710 7860
Business hour: 7am – 8pm daily, 7am – 6pm on Sunday and public holidays

What others say about Village Park Restaurant.

KampungboyCitygal
WaiSikKai.com
Memoirs of a Chocoholic
Food4Thot
Plusizekitten
Boredworkers.com
A Whiff of Lemongrass
Lessthanten