Ribs King @ Asia Cafe, Subang SS15

It definitely has a catchy tune to it. But to be the king, you must have something really good to back it up. So lets see ever Ribs King really is the king of ribs. Located in Asia Cafe food court of SS15, they cater mainly to the students of nearby colleges such as Taylor's and Inti.



And to satisfy these teenagers' cravings, Ribs King offers pork chunks or pork ribs cooked in various styles including traditional rib sauce, butter, sambal, and many others.

We tried the Sambal Spare Ribs (left/RM8.90) and the Spicy Butter Spare Ribs (right/RM7.90). The ribs are served with rice, fried egg, and steamed vegetables. Portion wise they are quite hearty with everything a student needs :p The ribs served was quite decent in terms of taste and freshness. Although I found the Spicy Butter sauce a bit too starchy, the Sambal Spare Ribs oozed flavor and provided a nice level of heat.

With so many flavors and styles to choose from, its an ideal dinning option for students there.

Ribs King

Asia Cafe, Jalan SS 15/8

Subang Jaya, Selangor

Rosedale Bistro @ Cameron Highlands (Part 1)

A bit of a backlog, for the Christmas of 2010 I was invited by SS' family for a trip up Cameron Highlands. I always thought I was good dealing with cold temperatures. I guess not anymore. It was freaking cold! Jacket, jeans, and socks couldn't insulate me enough from Cameron's sub-15 degrees weather. Well its good to know that such climates can still be enjoyed in Malaysia considering the amount of deforestation and pollution occurring everywhere. I guess the recent cold spell over Malaysia must have also played a part. As I post this, its a cold and rainy Sunday morning, a weather spell that seems likely to continue into the Chinese New Year. Winter New Year anyone? ;)

Anyway back to the highlands, Rosedale Bistro is an establishment in Tanah Rata that we visited twice in our 3 day stay. Word has it this place has been operational for over a couple of decades. Besides serving dishes, they also have a small bar serving beers. Not a bad stopover for a group of friends just looking to chill and have a drink.

Tanah Rata and the other towns along the way have developed so much over the years, lending to terrible traffic standstills. A word of warning; never access Cameron Highlands through Simpang Pulai as a 1 hour journey can easily turn into a 3 hour nightmare as traffic clogs up the 4 or 5 towns on the way up, especially during public holidays and weekends. A safer bet would be the road up from Tapah.

Rosedale Bistro offers a clean and warm ambiance with nice decorations and wall fixtures. Christmas spirit gave its extra touch this time of year. The upper level of the establishment also has a small balcony, offering dinners some of that cold fresh air.



Our first visit to Rosedale was the day we arrived and on a cold and rainy night, the best cure is a hot and boiling pot of steamboat. Rosedale's steamboat may not be as great as major establishments in the Klang Valley, but on a cold night, hot soup never tasted so good ;)



Soups are a choice of Chinese Herbal Soup, Chicken Soup, Tom Yam or a combination of them.

Ingredients offered were reasonable enough but nothing to shout about. Prices are RM18 per head or RM17 per head for 3 or more dinners. An option would be to order a smaller pot to share and order other dishes to compliment it. Waiting times might be an issue though. As it was Christmas, they seemed to be understaffed and this poor waiter guy had to handle 6 or more tables by himself, including taking orders, serving dishes, and cleaning up.

Our second visit during lunchtime was a breeze though. More dishes on that in Part 2 :)

Rosedale Bistro

42-A, Jalan Besar

Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands

Pahang

Tel: 05-4913159

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

Ice Room @ Bandar Baru Bangi

Bangi is currently developing well with new shop lots opening in every corner. And with new shop lots, you get new eating places! And among the newest are PappaRich and Ice Room.

Decided to give Ice Room a try since the weather was hot and I've heard quite a bit of their desserts. Located on the same row as PappaRich and a few other modern cafe-like outlets, Ice Room stands out with their green exterior. If I'm not mistaken, this same outlet can be found at Lot 10's Hutong, which means it had to be something special. There's also a frame commemorating a visit from the local food show; Jalan-jalan Cari Makan. And check out the interior art; aren't those the cutest ants you have ever seen?

Well, lets see how they fare in terms of food. Ice Room serves nearly similar types of dishes you can find at places such as Old Town, PappaRich, and Uncle John's. Nasi Lemak (RM7.90), Tomyam (RM8.90), Spaghetti (RM8.90), Fried Rice, and Toasts are your standard fare, nothing to shout and nothing to complain about. But price wise, there are about a ringgit cheaper than the previously mentioned outlets.

Besides these, they also have a wide variety of other dishes to choose from; western and Asian included. But there's one thing that separates Ice Room from the rest...

Shaved flavored ice topped with fruity toppings and served extremely cold! This thing right here challenges Malacca Jonker 88's cendol for the trophy of best dessert! Its that good! There's loads of flavors to choose from and we opted for the Passion Fruit & Mango Snow Ice (RM7.90). It was de-wait for it-lightful! Yes, too much of Barney Stinson for me ;) If you want winter heaven with each scoop, this is the gateway there. I'm not sure how the other flavors fare, but reviews from my friends tend to lean on Passion Fruit & Mango and Mango Pamelo Snow Ice as the best on offer.

Reminds me of that famous 90s hit; Ice Ice Baby!

Ice Room Bangi

45, Jalan Medan Pusat 2D

Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor

Picture Roll : Kissaten @ IOI Boulevard, Puchong

Ambiance : 8/10

Food : 8/10

Value : 6/10

Kissaten Coffee & Restaurant

D-G-57 & 58, Block D, IOI Boulevard
Jalan Kenari 5, Bandar Puchong

Little 7 Wonders Kitchen @ Kajang

Kajang folks should know this outlet quite well. Some of you probably grew up eating their dishes. Now relocated to the shop lots just next to Convent Kajang, they became popular when their small shop was near the Kajang wet market. They are popular for the variety of dishes on offer at affordable prices.

Among their crowd favorites are Butter Chicken Rice (bottom left), ZhaCheong Ramen, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Nasi Goreng Ibu (Mother's Fried Rice). Prices for the dishes range between RM4 and RM6 unless you opt for some chicken chop combo (top left) which will set you back about RM9. But it was rather disappointing and I suggest you stick to their much better rice and noodle offerings :)

Little Seven Wonders Kitchen
18-1, Ground  Floor

Section 10, Off Jalan Bukit

Kajang, Selangor
 

Tel: 012-2268433, 019-3827383

GPS: N2.98949, E101.791033

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

Nasi Bojari @ Madam Kwan's

Madam Kwan's is now a common sight at most malls across the country. Serving mostly Malaysian delights across the cultures of Malay, Chinese, and Indian mix and a douse of oriental and western dishes, it is an ideal destination for foreigners who are not comfortable with the hot and humid outdoors of our street shops. Although the best food might still come from the streets, Madam Kwan's quality of dining has been high and has remained there for quite some time. And one of Madam Kwan's signature dish has to be Nasi Bojari (~RM21).

I'm not too well informed on the history of this dish, but I believe it has its roots from Indonesia. Lightly colored and flavored rice served with sambal prawns, beef rendang, and pieces of crispy outside tender inside fried chicken makes up this dish ideal for 2 moderate eaters. The rice smells so aromatic, you could actually skip on eating it. The sambal and rendang sides are a delightful affair and surprisingly low in oil. The fried chicken achieves the balance of taste, juiciness, and crispiness that KFC should be envious of.

I also highly recommend their Sago Gula Melaka (RM5.50) for those who would like to end with a sweet touch. Sago in a bowl of coconut milk served with a generous portion of thick brown Malaccan syrup; delightful :)

Tappers Caffe @ CapSquare

Located in the quieter section of Kuala Lumpur city center is Capital Square; a newly built social and dining destination. Located along Jalan Mushi Abdullah, Capital Square provides adequate and cheap underground parking of RM2 (FREE if you watch a movie at TGV CapSquare).

To live up to its name of the latest dining experience in town, CapSquare boasts outlets such as Modesto, Tappers Caffe, Coffee Bean, Starbucks, Jarrod & Rawlins, Four Seasons Chinese Restraurant, Kohinoor Indian Restaurant, Bayernhaus, Thai La, and Urbanatic.

Although the list seems impressive, there are still many empty lots, and because the flow of people there is not heavy, it can get really quiet at night. But if you are looking for a quiet place to walk around, have a meal, and watch a movie, this is your place.

Earth Hour Walk 2009 was held here back in March. It provided CapSquare with much needed publicity. Due to its location and lack of entertainment outlets, most people are still drawn to KLCC which is located only 1km away.

Back to the food road; Tappers Caffe. A hearty meal required before catching X-Men Origins! :)

Hot Coffee ~ RM2.50

Tappers Caffe is a modern version of an old coffee shop selling a fusion of dishes with Malaysian roots. A hot cup of coffee to start things up. Thick and savory.

Mutton Rendang Rice ~ RM11(approx)

Since it was only the two of us, SS being the other, we decided to get 2 dishes and share them. First up, Mutton Rendang Rice. I wouldn't had imagine any place outside home that would serve mutton like Tappers did. Fat-less mutton chunks cooked to tender perfection and encrusted with rich rendang flavor. I was truly amazed. Being an Indian, my taste buds are all hot and spicy, but the dish did not disappoint. Rice is served with prawn crackers, cucumber slices, egg, and a light onion garnishing.

Hainanese Chicken Chop ~ RM10(approx)

Next up, a nothern Hainanese influenced Chicken Chop. Ironicly, Yut Kee Coffeeshop, famous for its Hainanese Chops, is located not far from here (going soon!) Its very hard to get authentic Hainanese Chops these days. Tappers Caffe's version of the dish was not bad. 2 pieces of chicken deep fried till golden-crusted and topped off wit steamed potatoes and vegetables, and a tomato-based sauce. The sauce could have been thicker and less sweet. Well not the best chops you'll find around, but a satisfactory meal :)

.
..
...

I'm drinking to remember... - Wolverine

Tappers Caffe
G21, Persiaran CapSquare
Capital Square
50100 Kuala Lumpur
03-2691 2888

Paddington House of Pancakes @ Gardens

When I first heard of Paddington man did I drool over it. The images of thick pancakes with melting butter and maple syrup.. Mmm.. Sinful.. But who cares aite..


SS and I decided to pay a visit to the new Gardens' outlet for our tea time after a day of shopping at Midvalley. I also managed to locate a winery in Garden's which sells a rare Jacob's Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Red Wine for RM 76. I'm going to buy that one day and age it! =)


I liked the interior designing of the place. Wooden furnishing with mirrors on the sides, slim chandeliers with a nice yellow ambiance to balance the area out. There we even sofas for those wanting the extra soft touch.


Paddington has by far the thickest menu I have seen in my life. It took us 20 minutes going through it 2 times as there were so many items to choose from. Initially I assumed Paddington focused more on pancake varities. But that was not the case. Surprisingly, most of its dishes are far from the classical pancake. Dishes ranged from salads, pies, lasagnas, and pastas to pancake burgers, steaks and a lot of other meat-infused dishes. Even the pancakes had different sizes, from the minis to the dollars to the stacks and not forgetting the outrages toppings . Theres so many choices even I can't remember them all.



For drinks SS had the Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows and I had Venice Coffee with Whipped Cream.

I knew what I was going to order even before entering the place. Classic pancakes! Genuine and original.. Nothing more, nothing less.. So I ordered the Classic Pancake Stack with Maple Syrup. The other option would be Honey Syrup.


Doesn't that look gorgeous.. A stack of 3 pancakes, served with butter, strawberry jam and maple syrup. I should have added on another stack to this as they allow the addition of another stack for a lower price.


Look at that.. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. The only downside to this is the pancake has to be eaten hot to be enjoyed. Thus the chilling air-conditioning inside doesn't really help in that aspect.


Okay, I can't remember the name of the dish SS ordered as it was downright complicated :p But as you can see, it comprises of a long lean grilled chicken sausage served with a few other ingredients and abundance of cheese on a thin flat crispy creep.


Overall I give Paddington House of Pancakes a thumbs up for its variety and tasty pancakes. Prices aren't too expensive if you go for their pancake selections and the ingredients used are fresh and rich in flavor. Now if only someone could reduce the temperature in there...

Paddington House of Pancakes
The Gardens
Lg216 Lingkaran Syed Putra
59200 Kuala Lumpur
03-22874872‎

Kuching Part I : AirAsia

First of all I would like to thank AirAsia for the wonderful and safe flight across the South China Sea, and also for their delightful choices of cabin F&B =)




So does food really taste better thousands of meters up in the air?











As you can see.. Not bad the choices available and at an affortable price. Do note that some food items are 10% cheaper if ordered when booking tickets online.





Sandwich combo (RM8) which consist of Chicken & Cheese Sandwich and Hot Chocolate.









Who needs Milo when u have this chocolicious gem..












On the return flight I was really up for Pak Nessar's Nasi Lemak Ayam.. To my dismay, by time the food cart reached me, it was all gone :( So I settled for 1901's Snack Attack (RM 7).



Frankly speaking, my brain just shut off when I opened it..I'm too clumsy to be doing this.. So I passed it to Pearl to handle it :p







And wallaa!! Meat, relish, mayo, chilli sauce, pepper and salad.. Complete and wholesome meal =)