Citrus Plus Cafe & Restaurant @ Subang Jaya SS15

Well, my city-life food exploration has officially begun! First place up is Citrus Plus Cafe & Restaurant. Recommended by a friend, this place has its roots from Sarawak and this can be seen in certain dishes on the menu which is infused with Sarawak's much hailed black pepper. I'm a pepper maniac, so this is right up my alley.

Nothing much to shout about the ambiance of the place and also a bit too dim for my liking. The picture above needed loads of lighting up :p Citrus Plus' menu is quite extensive and covers everything from soups, pastas, and pizzas to chops, seafood and baked rice. But one thing they specialize more on are burgers. And for good reason.

I haven't tasted Secret Recipe's Shepherd's Pie before but I'm sure it can't beat this one! Citrus Plus' Shepherd's Pie (RM8.50) is flavorful, sinful and satisfying with each scoop. Juicy minced meat covered with mashed potato, topped with cheese and baked till pipping hot, definitely one to share and enjoy. Don't let its small size fool you. It really is filling.

I took forever to decide what to eat and in the end since it was a Sarawak-influenced eatery, I decided to try the Smok'in Burger (RM11.90); consisting of a crispy patty topped with cheese and caramelized onions and smothered with a layer of awesome Sarawak black pepper sauce. This sauce made the burger! That is why Sarawak black pepper is freaking awesome! Oh before I forget, the burger is served with fries and coleslaw :p

Thankfully we canceled an order of Seafood Breadbowl (RM9) as we were already full with the 2 dishes. But this dish comes highly recommended as well and so I shall try it on my next visit here. There's also an ongoing promotion till January 31st. Click here for more details.

Food exploration in this part of the city is off to a good start. What's next?

Citrus Plus Cafe & Restaurant

45, Jalan SS15/4D

Subang Jaya

Tel: 03-56211249

Frontera Sol of Mexico @ Jaya One

I celebrated my birthday a couple of weeks back and SS treated me to some awesome Mexican stuff. Thanks gal! :) After experiencing a highly satisfying Mexican delight at Las Carretas last month, it was hard to think anything could top that. And was I wrong about that.

Although the atmosphere at Las Carretas excelled at bringing out the best of Mexico, Frontera showed its Mexican passion in its authentic dishes and tequila-infused drinks. Burritos, chipotle, fajitas, chilli con corne, enchiladas, and cheeseburgers are the order with the day together with a variety of margaritas and no less than 6 types of tequilas to choose from!

Dining area is reasonably lit but it could have borrowed more from the Mexican theme as how Las Carretas has done.

You can't go to a Mexican place and not order a margarita. Hence, introducing the Horny Margarita (RM22.95). A weird name for a margarita but besides that, the HM is a real knocker; infused with Sauza Hornitos 100% blue agave tequila and good till the last drop! Frontera supposedly serves the best margaritas in town, and by the taste of the HM alone, I can only conclude that to be true. There are about 4-5 other margaritas to choose from which are pricier than this, which can only mean better.

To start off things, we ordered the Frontera Fiesta Platter (RM34.95) which comprises of (clockwork from top) Stuffed Jalapenos, Habanero Hot Wings, Golden Chicken Tender, and Taquitos de Pollo served with salsa verde, honey mustard, and blue cheese dips. The stuffed jalapenos at Frontera are way spicier than those at Las Carretas and my guess is the seeds are left intact, giving it a real spice kick. Golden chicken tender were some reasonable boneless fried chicken that went very well with the dips, and the famous Taquitos de Pollo are hand-wrapped corn tortillas filled with chicken and then flash fried. A highly recommended starter, especially if you're in groups of 3-4.

Oh wait, I missed one more. Habanero hot wings! Its literally hell on Earth! There's 3 levels of spiciness to choose from but I can only remember the one that mattered.. The spiciest.. The Inferno! I know I know.. It might blow a hole in my tummy or intestines, but how can I leave this place without trying the hottest wings in Malaysia?! And then the moment of truth. After your first bite, you might feel you have this monster under control, but after a while it hits you with all guns ablaze! Frontera's Habanero hot wings is not only damn hot, it taste good as well. I would have eaten my second piece of wing, but I didn't want to order too much water :p Order this with your crazy friends, and watch them cry. Remember.. Inferno!

We also ordered their Chili Cheese Burger (RM22.95) upon the waiter's recommendation. Big, juicy, spicy, and tasteful; a burger that could easily fill 2 tummies, the CCB is topped off with a layer of cheese and the best chili con corne I have tasted in my life! Forget Chili's non-spicy or Wendy's watery version, the chili con corne here is spicy, chunky, and the way a good chili con corne is meant to be. You can also order their chili con corne separately which is served with onions and nachos.

On the house for the birthday boy; chocolate brownie with ice cream :) At this point, I was too full. But what can I say, it was good :)

Lets just say it didn't end there. Although she denies it wholeheartedly, it felt like SS was getting her sweet revenge for me making her down that tequila on her last birthday :p Anyways, with 6 types of tequilas to choose from, here's the Sauza Gold (RM14). Clear and easy going stuff.

Being me with itchy fingers, I was wondering how would the Sauza Gold compare to the others. So I decided to try a shot of 1800 Anejo (RM16). If the Sauza Gold tasted lighter and clearer, the 1800 was stronger and richer in taste. Frontera tend to have promotions on their tequila shots which can go as low as RM50 for 6 shots. So do look out for them.

Overall it was an awesome birthday dinner and one that I wont be forgetting anytime soon ;) If I had to compare Frontera to Las Carretas, I would say Las Carretas gets my thumbs up for their ambiance,decor, and superior customer service, whereas Frontera nudges ahead in the dining and drinking department, but both represent excellent Mexican dining destinations in town.

Frontera Sol of Mexico

18-G-2, Blok L, Jaya One

Jalan Universiti

Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-79588515

Las Carretas Restaurant & Bar @ Ampang

Forget Chili's! This is my new favorite Mexican restaurant! How could I have missed it all my life!

I've been wanting to visit this joint for a while now and I finally did. Since it was a special occasion for me and SS, I was quiet eager to give Las Carretas a try, and so we headed to their Ampang outlet.

A slightly dim but colourful atmosphere greets you, Las Carretas' Ampang outlet is comparatively smaller but makes up for it with loads of memorabilia and Mexican-themed artifacts. No corner on the wall were left-untouched and you really get that Mexican feel.

Complimentary nachos! What the.. I had to fork out RM10 for these in Chili's! And they even taste better! Jumbo Margarita (RM27) serves two and is ideal for sharing. But this is by no means child's play. Even though Las Carretas has several other more potent margaritas on offer, I was surprised this one had quite a good kick to it, testament to the quality of tequila used I suppose. Las Carretas also serves a variety of other cocktails, beers, coffees, liquors, and wines at reasonable prices.

One item that caught my eye on the menu was Poppers; deep fried battered Jalapenos stuffed with four types of cheese. Why wouldn't I try it! You could either have 3 pieces (RM9.90) or 6 pieces (RM16.90). It was a perfect starter with hot melting cheese oozing out with each bite. I only wished the Jalapenos were hotter. Habanero version perhaps? :p Crema Campinones (RM9) was one of the best mushroom soups I've tasted with fresh ingredients and chunks of mushrooms giving a flavorful and authentic taste to it.

Main course was Mixed Fajitas (RM30.90). You can choose your fajitas to come with either chicken, beef, prawn, lamb loin, or a mix of chicken and beef. Whichever you choose, you can bet it comes juicy and tender. Together with the other condiments of onions, peppers, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese rolled into a tortilla, this is another I feel beats Chili's version. Las Carretas also serves a wide variety of steaks and frequently holds offers for high quality meat and seafood on their website.

It was a truly memorable first visit to Las Carretas. Food aside, the best thing we enjoyed had to be their excellent service! From the time we set foot into the restaurant, the friendly and attentive waiters made you feel comfortable and pampered. And if you are celebrating a birthday, you can have one of them wear those huge Mexican hats and play happy birthday on a guitar! Now how cool is that! Las Carretas may not be as famous as Chili's, but if you ever cross paths with them in Ampang, Subang, or Damansara Heights, I can bet you'll get a better Mexican experience.

Las Carretas Restaurant & Bar

22 Persiaran Ampang

Kuala Lumpur 

Tel : 03-42571668

Web : Las Carretas

'Night Only' Nasi Lemak @ Taman Prima Kajang

I know my flogging rate has been kind of slow these days. Been busy with my thesis which will be done by the end of November! :) In the meantime, I have a lot of posts to clear up. So lets start with this, my dad and sis dropped by this place and they liked it. So I thought I'll give it a try. Malam Sahaja Nasi Lemak is located behind Maybank in Taman Prima Kajang and is part of a shop lot with other hawkers as well.

I'm not sure ever I'm reading the signs properly or what, but there seems to be a big emphasis on 'malam sahaja' (night only). Did they register the shop under that name? :p Anyway, this stall is manned by this presumably Indian husband and wife team. You have a lot of choices to go with your nasi lemak. Among them, fried fish, chicken curry, chicken rendang, mutton, fried and hard-boiled eggs, long beans, cockles sambal, and squid sambal. Although some items like mutton might not be served everyday. But by the far the hottest item on the menu is their fried chicken.

Legend has it, as soon as the chicken leaves the hot oil, they are swarmed by starving and snappy aunties who seem like they mite die if they don't get their hands on it. Anyway I was packing so I took a fried chicken, fried egg, and long beans. Onion sambal, nuts, and cucumber are the usual addons.

The nasi lemak is a mix of hits and misses. Its not bad, but it could have been great. We start with the hits; the rice was aromatic and top notch nasi lemak material. The sambal was spicy and flavorful and has that Indian spice touch to it. Malaysian should already know Malays, Chinese, and Indians cook their sambal differently from each other. Malays tend to be on the sweeter side, Indians on the spicier, and Chinese somewhere in the middle of the two :p Anyway with all the hype surrounding the fried chicken, I only found it to be average. Besides being tender and juicy, its seasoning was rather plain. However, from my excessive drinking of water, I believe they use quite a bit of MSG. I did see them using it when cooking the long beans. Maybe I'll ask them to reduce it on my next visit :)

If you are in the area and in the mood for some spicy nasi lemak, this is the place for you. The rice and sambal is excellent. Oh did I mention, its also dirt cheap. Nasi lemak with egg and long beans with 3 pieces of chicken came to just RM9! Just don't mind the oil, heck its already called NASI LEMAK!

Malam Sahaja Nasi Lemak

Jalan KP1/1

Taman Kajang Prima
Kajang, Selangor

GPS: N2.981968, E101.816589

Soph's Birthday @ Pavillion & Paradize Poolside Coffee House

It was Sophia's 23rd birthday, and the gang had something in store for her. First of all, Happy 23rd Birthday to you again Soph :)

Most of you are already aware of the variety of food available at Pavilion KL's Food Republic. You see visit my previous visit here. After luring Soph to the western corner of Food Republic, we delved into their wide array of dishes immediately as we were all starving as hell. Sorry Soph, I didn't get to take a picture of your "maggi mee" tom yam soup :p

From the western corner (clockwise); we ordered fettucine carbonara, lemon dill fish, pizza (forgot which flavor), and beef & mushroom fettucine. The western and Italian-themed dishes here are relatively cheap but tasty at the same time. This is one food court you must not underestimate. Perhaps because this chain is from Singapore ;p 

After satisfying our stomachs, we took a short drive over the corner to Paradize Poolside Coffee House, located in the compound of the KL Lodge Hotel. Paradize is nicely set up with a small pool outside surrounded with wooden chairs and tables, and a fair amount of greenery.

Venture inside and its time to shake your body with some latin music! Every Fridays at Paradize is Latin Night! Dance Bachata, Merengue, and Salsa to their latin beats on a very nice and open dancing space. Expect a lot of good and seasonal dancers here. Do not be overwhelmed by your inexperience as there are also beginners around including myself :p

Entry is charged based on your choice of beverage; RM10 for a mineral water, RM15 for a Tiger, or RM20 for a Corona. Ironically Paradize Coffee House is known for their Teo Chew Porridge, but perhaps another time when we're not dancing :)

Overall it was a good night; good dancing and good sweating.. The most fun way to loose weight.. Dancing..

Paradize Poolside Coffee House

KL Lodge Hotel

2 Jalan Tengah
Corner Jalan Raja Chulan & Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur

Mother's Day @ Piccadilly & Bangkok Masala, Milennium Square

Located just under the condominium that Millennium Square sits are two kitchens that serves the same dining space; Piccadilly and Bangkok Masala. Most in PJ know this place as just Piccadilly and its easy to see why; sounds cooler? Anyhow, the two restaurants are worlds apart. Piccadilly serves mainly western dishes including chops, pastas, burgers, and anything that would go with football by the look of its menu. Bangkok Masala on the other hand serves a wide variety of Asian-themed cuisines.

The dining area is well spaced with nice wooden furniture and ambient lighting. As you can see, loads of television sets occupy the space and sporting telecasts is the main draw here. I'm reckoning this place is a full house during the entire course of the ongoing 2010 World Cup. The place also offers beers at relatively cheap prices.

From Piccadilly, we ordered a couple of Lamb Shoulder Chops (RM14.90); two medium-sized lamb shoulders served with fries and long beans. Yes, you heard me right; long beans. The only reason they would have resorted to this is if long beans is actually cheaper than corn and peas; a terrible side. The lamp meat was slightly thin and also slightly salty. Otherwise, it was only an average dish considering its cheaper price. The health-conscious might want to give this dish a skip; a lot of oil.

From Bangkok Masala; Plain Naan (RM2.50) which was quite nice. The naans here are thinner than usual, but this made it easier to eat, and not make you fill your tummy too fast.

The naans paired excellently with the next two dishes from Bangkok Masala; Tandoori Chicken (RM5) and Butter Chicken (RM12.50). The mint sauce served with the tandoori compliments the chicken and the naan well. Perhaps saving the best for last, the butter chicken saved the day. Although I would have guessed that the dish turn out yellow in color, this butter incarnation has Northern Indian influence written all over it. Packed with chili but also having that thick butter cream texture, this is the absolute best dip for our naans: highly recommended.

Of the two, Bangkok Masala gets my vote over Piccadilly. Piccadilly could likely satisfy most of the sport-lovers who throng the place as they wouldn't give a d*** much on how the food taste like. Anything fried in oil, and you have a winner :p Bangkok Masala's dishes on the other hand feels more refined and the different Asian cooking influences gives you more variety to choose from. Dining here also includes a 10% service charge.

Oh yea, before I forget.. Happy Mother's Day mum :) Or is that super belated by now? :p

Piccadilly & Bangkok Masala

Millennium Square, Dataran Millennium PJ
98, Jalan 14/1, 46100 Petaling Jaya

03-7955 3655

Evening by the Beach & Kensington Revisited

Its a day we've been deprived of a very long time.. A quiet time by the beach with the sound of waves crashing the rocks, the salty sea breeze, the orange radiance of the sun lightning up the seas and trees, and the company of each other..

Darn.. Those clouds had to put a dampen on things..Depending on which time of the year you visit these shores, the position of the sun can change quite dramatically.

This stretch of stony ground complete with benches, a small playground, public restroom, and a bridge spanning a small bay is excellent for soaking in the sight of the setting sun. Even noticed a number of people fishing. There's also a long stretch of sandy beach next to this area and for Port Dickson standards, it is quite clean.

Picked up some small delights on the way; this 'apparently' is chocolate fudge. I recommend not going to this bakery located opposite the Port Dickson Hospital :)

Standing on the bridge which is said to connect the land to Pulau Burung (Bird Island). I'm assuming those marshes in the background is the island or what remains of it during high tide.

The sun looks sad behind those cloud covers.. Hopefully it would be more cheerful on our next visit :)

The colors of the evening sky never seize to amaze me.. The variety of colors blends together to perfection and exudes the feeling of calm and content.. But for us, content is never without food! :) On the way back from PD, there's only one place we'd stop at.. The special place..

Kensington has remained largely the same since our last visit here.. The heavy rain upon arrival, the white cloths covering the tables and chairs, the warm water in clear glasses, and the indecisive looks on our faces as we want to try every item on the menu :)

Looking not to over-stuff our tummies, we ordered two to share; the first was Carbonara Pasta (RM14). The funny part came when I asked the waiter ever it was spaghetti or fettuccine, he said spaghetti. I like my carbonara with fettuccine and asked ever the chef could replace the pasta, and he said there's only spaghetti. So anyhow, when the dish came, it was fettuccine! Sweat! Why did I even waste my energy talking.. Haha.. Besides that, it was a creamy, yummy, and chicken sausage-filled delight :)

Next up was BBQ Lamb Rib (RM19.50). Typical to Kensington, the meat was very tender and fall off the bone. Easy for most to eat, but sometimes I like fighting with my meat. I must have been a carnivorous animal in my past life :p Anyhow, for a BBQ themed dish, the sauce was a bit more on the sweet and sour side.

Overall it was still a satisfying dinner at a very affordable price. The only thing that has changed is that prices on the highly rated dishes have gone up a bit. I'll give them a benefit of doubt on that. What isn't going up these days right? Oh wait, our salaries! :p At a lot of modern dining places, we pay more for the place than the actual food we eat. I could never eat peacefully in a restaurant with chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and lined with silver and gold in every corner. I'd feel out of place. Give me great food on a stool and I'm all yours! ;) Bottomline, Kensington offers you good food with a honest setup at a price that does justice to both.

Beach view

6th Mile, Beach Road

Port Dickson

Kensington

34, Jalan Era Square 3

70200 Seremban

06-7687288

A table for three, a bill for two @ Uncle Chilli's, PJ Hilton

I know it has been eons since I last did a proper blog post. Inspiration to write has been running low this past months. Anyhow, SS managed to win herself some Red FM food vouchers for this place a lot of floggers are currently raving about and lucky me got to share some of that. Boasting a new menu, Uncle Chilli's is once again bringing out the fire at the PJ Hilton.

The interior is cosy yet vibrant, suitable for couples or small groups alike. The nightly performances can be screen through a class panel separating the dining area from the bar and stage.

For starters, we decided to delve into some Fried Calamari Rings with Chilli Salsa (RM19). Nothing to shout about yet but the chili salsa and mayonnaise dip made the dish. There are 7 other interesting starters to choose from.

I opted for their Burger (RM22) which has been getting attention due to its mammoth proportions. And believe me when I say, I think it taste better than Chili's version. A thick chicken patty, cheese, mushroom, beef bacon, turkey bacon, and fried egg with spicy salsa and guacamole makes this burger a mouthful. It doesn't stop there. The burger is served with relish, cherry tomatoes, salad and your choice of fries, wedges, or tortilla chips. After typing all that, now I'm quite sure its better than Chili's.

Other dishes in this price range include made to order sandwiches, pastas, and pizzas.

SS had her eyes fixed on one and one thing only; Lamb Chops (RM57). Three big cuts of char-grilled imported lamb meats, its texture and taste was a delight to the senses of the tongue. As you chew on each cut, you can feel small amount of fat slowly melting and oozing out those awesome flavors. Served with your choice of rosemary potatoes, mashed potatoes, fries, or wedges, I highly recommend it.

And as for dessert; Warm Chocolate & Amarula Pudding (RM19) with macadamia nut ice cream and peanut butter crunch . I'm no dessert expert, but what I enjoyed about this dish was you could get three different textures with three different taste in every spoonful. A delightful blend in a beautiful presentation.

For those who are new to Uncle Chilli's, this is the best time to try out their various new dishes with your friends or loved ones.

Ikea Meatballs + Italiannies 2 Course Meal

This is one of my late 2009 backlogs; before watching the premier of New Moon, SS, Soph and I decided to fill our stomachs up a bit, starting with a bit of Ikea delight. We came here to try its much talked about meatballs. Other dishes on offer include roasted chicken, pasta, and desserts to name a few.

Their Swedish dishes look inviting on appearance but are a bit small on serving size. So its best eaten in between meals if you find yourself hungry.

I can't remember whats its full name but what you get is 10 meatballs coated with a mushroom sauce and served with fries and raspberry puree. Or was it blackberry? Need to check back on that. Nether less,  it was actually a not too bad of a combo. For a price of about RM10, this is an ideal meal to be shared between 2 or 3 people as an appetizer. And yes, it tastes as good as it looks :) Bottomless cappuccino or coffee goes for RM2 a cup.

Next stop was Italiannies to try their latest 2 course meal offer, modeled after TGIF's.

This way, customers will be able to try multiple dishes on the cheaper side or share them among friends. On the downside, dishes here may be altered in terms of ingredients used to lower cost. For example, the Spaghetti Carbonara is served with with chicken sausage cuts instead of bacon strips. I would have preferred if they maintained the bacon strips but decreased the serving size to justify the lower pricing. That way, its taste and quality is maintained.

Your complimentary warm bread served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar; never gets old.

For the appetizer, we ordered the Pizza Caprese; a medium sized crispy and thin bread dough served with onions, sliced tomatoes, herbs, and cuts of Parmesan cheese. This dish has seriously nothing to shout about, a third of the bread will have to be forced down your throat due to the inadequate toppings.

You could try the Toasted Bruschetta if you prefer a wetter taste to your bread.

Here you have the Spaghetti Carbonara lacking the all-important bacon strips that made this dish a household Italiannies name. Credit-wise, it was still a decent meal. And a filling one at that :)

Awaiting the premier..

I like Edward Cullen's eyes and also wolves. So where do I stand? Team Edward or Team Jacob? The answer is.. neither :)

Italiannies

The Curve, Mutiara Damansara

Petaling Jaya, Selangor

03-77281715