Jin Shan Cheng Steamboat

Steamboat places are mushrooming around Sunway's Dataran Mentari area. Sometimes I just wonder whether the feng shui there is good for opening a steamboat business or people just like to jump on the bandwagon when they spot something is doing well in that area. This often makes the business becomes diluted and most often not, the food in 9 out of 10 shops there is below par.

Jin Shan Cheng is another steamboat outlet, except unlike the other steamboat shops in the neighbourhood that thrives on buffet concept, JSC is solely ala carte. The establishment is on the 1st floor which means you'll need to walk up a flight of stairs. My first impression?

0_O errrrrm is this a steamboat place? *walks into the shop* ok certainly looks very dodgy here. There were hardly any filled tables and I had the feeling of walking into a dodgy Chinese restaurant with China import waitresses, red lanterns, unclothed tables, wornout cushion chairs. Hmmmm.



We were given a menu ala HK tick yourself style. Sauces and tidbits were then served to us but we declined the tidbits. The sauces available are chilli oil and flakes (ala chilli pan mee), peanut sauce, sesame paste and fermented fu yu.



We ordered the Winter Melon Ham soup base which came slightly cloudy with wolfberries, winter melon and few slices of chinese ham to give it a sweet taste. We also opted for a spicy base in the middle. The pot was really quite huge!

Being the ever enthusiastic foodies we are, here are what we ordered:
- fish noodles (RM8), beef slice (RM18), pork slice (RM8), crispy pork intestines (RM6), golden mushroom (RM6), smooth bean curd (RM2), fu zhou fish balls (RM8), pork balls (RM8), fish balls (RM8), meat roll (RM8).



The hits were definitely the beef and pork slices, very razor thin but when dipped in the boiling soup it cooks and unfolds perfectly. The balls were so-so. The miss would be the crispy pork intestines that were unfresh, we left them untouched completely and also notably a miss would be sighting of a baby cockroach on our table.

If any chance I would ever be back is to take away the awesome beef and pork slices (note- take away not dine in!).

Eiling's review on JSC here.


Jin Shan Cheng
42A-2 Jln PJS 8/2,
Dataran Mentari,
Bandar Sunway, 46150 PJ.
Tel: 03-5631 8220

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Bavarian Bierhaus

Such tragic ending for the pig :(

Am I the last food blogger to ever blog about this? But like they say, "Better be LATE than NEVER!"

Ok, so I have in mind all you readers out there already know the existence of this German restaurant in The Curve that is famous for their BIG beer kegs (Paulaner I think?) and BIG pork knuckles and BIG sausages. They say everything is BIGGER in Texas but I think German deserves a mention too.

As for Malaysia, well we have the BIGGEST mooncake, BIGGEST ketupat, BIGGEST lemang and whatnot as well!


House Specialty Pork Knuckle- RM58

To be honest, the pork knuckle is really HUGE! Those pigs must be damn well fed! Upon dissecting it, well I guess what makes this body part HUGE is cos of the fats... A caution should be placed on all pork knuckle dish (western or chinese)- Beware of Fats. Eat At Your Own Risk!

It was deep fried to perfection, crispy, crunchy, meaty and fatty as well. It goes well with the brown sauce and mustard too. The potatoes were good too, I love potatoes done in this way.


Mixed Sausage Platter- RM70

I am a great BIG fan of meaty sausages and this comes as another must order as seen in everyone else's blogs. There are at least 10 variants of bratwurst on the platter- lamb, beef and chicken served with a side of sauerkraut (finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented) and potato salad with bacon bits.

Another caution on this dish- Can be Very Very Very Filling.

A glimpse at the next table, one whole family of 5 persons were having the same dishes as us, while there were only 2 of us! Hahahaha, certainly overdosed with meat. But no wastage though, as I took away the sausages and had it for breakfast for 3 days.


Bavarian Bierhaus
Lot G66,
Ground Floor,
The Curve, PJ.
Tel: 03-7728 8269

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Sage @ Gardens Residences

Dear Readers,

These are pictures from Sage @ Gardens Residences, taken (& eaten) sometime back. Mention Sage and the instant reaction is that it is synonymous to the fine dining scene, but of course there are many fine dines out there but Sage is just about as good as it gets (or at least towards the 'once in a blue moon' affordability, price-wise).

Due to the complicated foreign language names of the dishes, I shall localize them so that laymen like you and me can understand.

Appetizers


Complimentary- Fried Sushi Ball


Foie Gras with Vege Tempura


Duck Confit with capers, olives and rocket salad


Assorted Mushrooms

****

Main Course


Foie Gras and Angel Hair Pasta


Risotto with Scallops and Prawn


Lamb Rack


Angus Beef

****

Desserts


Strawberries with Vanilla Ice Cream


Almond Blancmanger


Ice Cream Blackberries and Pastry


Almond Cream with Apples and Vanilla Ice Cream

The dinner set menu was at RM140++ per pax, with a choice of an appetizer, mains and dessert each. While it's definitely not an everyday dinner affair, the food, ambience and setting does the pricetag justice. This is the place one must go if looking for a fine dine (wine not included) without burning a big hole in the pocket.

Set Lunch goes for RM100++, while Chef's Menu at RM160++.


Sage
The Gardens Residences
6th Floor,
The Gardens, Mid Valley City,
Lingkaran Syed Putra.
Tel: 03-2268 1328
www.gardenshtlres.com/dining.htm

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Colourful Bowls of Desserts @ Little Penang Cafe

Red Ruby with Strips of Jackfruit- RM5.90

Desserts are a vital part of a meal, I am sure many out there will agree with me (especially the girls *wink*). A good dessert can end the meal on a high note, whereas a bad one will leave you hanging there, angry and disappointed... and leave you feeling empty even after you have had a full meal.

So here's 2 of my favourite oriental/asian desserts (wanted to say Malaysian but I think red ruby is made famous from Thai, also known as tub tim krob?). The red ruby is made to look like mock promegranate but actually it's made of water chestnut. Top it with ice shavings and coconut milk and strips of jackfruits, this dessert is just yummilicious!


Cendol- RM5.90

Looks like the cendol is not from Malaysia either, haha. Read from Wiki that it originated from Jakarta, Indonesia. I guess cendol is such a common type of dessert that it needs no introduction anymore?

Aaaaahhhhh, would love a bowl of this dessert now.


Little Penang Cafe
G43, Ground Floor,
The Curve.

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

The Final Episode of Malacca

Jonker Walk

Malacca is dubbed the historic state of Malaysia. Well besides being a land rich in historical buildings and nolstagic feel, Malacca is also known as the Land of Good Food (LGF- Other LGFs include Ipoh, Penang and some of the outskirt areas).


Takoyaki stall- I love this snack!

Jonker Walk or Jalan Hang Jebat is inarguably the most famous (and probably overrated) but it is the one place everyone will go to appreciate the historical buildings, antique scouting, food searching and souvenir buying. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, Jonker Walk will transform into a night market, except you won't see any vegetables or poultry being sold. There are traders lining along the pedestrian street selling knick knacks, souvenirs, street snacks, crafts, jewellery etc.


Curry Laksa

Whenever we are in Malacca, Jonker 88 will be a sure drop-by for their curry laksa and durian cendol. I am not a fan of this artery clogging but colour inducing bowl of noodles but my makan partner in crime gives his thumbs up all the time for this! Mmmm mmmmmm.

I am an assam laksa person :)


Durian Cendol

I headed for the durian cendol instead. Durian + cendol, can the equation get better than that? Although this has been weeks ago, can't explain the sudden cravings for cendol these few days though, still hasn't got my fix of it yet. Any good cendols around PJ- preferably near Section 19?


Putu Piring

I'm ashamed to say I have never seen, ate or even know what putu piring was until I was shown the 'light'. Putu pirings are steamed rice flour filled with gula melaka and topped with grated coconut. Hot, fluffy and packed with sweet offerings, these traditional sweet cakes sells at 80¢ per piece and even Jason (aka Ah Xian) from Astro approves of it (click here)!



Jonker 88
88, Jalan Hang Jebat,
75200 Melaka.

Putu Piring
252, Jalan Tengkera,
75200 Melaka.
Tel: 06-282 1505
Business hours: 6.30-10.30pm, closed on Sundays

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Mille Crepe @ Nadeje

Original Mille Crepe- RM8.50

Still on the Malacca episode, today's post will be on the famous Nadeje Mille Crepe. In KL, the only place you will probably see this (or at least the one I know) is at Food Foundry and I have heard and read too much about the standard and quality of the food not as good as it used to be. True enough, my first encounter with FF left quite a bit of impression on me that I vowed to revisit when I can finally drive and find my way there. Fast forward, think the food now is overrated and pricey... and the supposingly special Mille Crepe cakes are not that good anymore.

Haven't tried Nadeje before but read so much about it being more 'original' than FF's. So here we are at Nadeje!


Calpis Hisbiscus- RM8.50, Cafe Mocha- RM8.50

I have to admit, the cake here is better. Not too sure whether I've been psychologically hypnotized to think Nadeje's version is better from all the reviews, but the cake does taste good, and creamier. A little too pricey for a piece of cake though methinks. The drinks are ok, though really the Calpis Hibiscus is meant for those with an acquired taste :/

Overall a good place to have a teatime/evening tea break :)


Nadeje
G-23 & 25, Jalan PM4,
Plaza Mahkota,
75000 Melaka.
Tel: 06-283 8750

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Malay Style Seafood @ Crystal Bay, Malacca

Pick me! Pick me!

Seafood is always synonymous to Chinese/Western style of cooking- the lavish kind you can find at big but sometimes overpriced seafood restaurants? When in Malacca few weeks back, a kind local friend of ours took us for seafood- Malay kampung style seafood.


Cook me! Cook me!

This seafood place is located quite far from the Malacca city centre (by small town standards, I think it is far) and the place is called Crystal Bay. Quite a nice name but the actual on site location begs to differ, ha ha. Anyway, that's besides the point. There are a few stalls, all in the seafood business so naturally we picked the stall with the most people. There are a variety of catches for you to pick your dinner from. We picked our fish, prawns, squid and kupang.


Warm Nasi Lemak- RM0.50 per pack

The style of eating here is with nasi lemak, small but warm and fluffy. An average person can probably gobble 3 or 4 of this at one sitting. But of course, we're not here for nasi lemak, so we shall leave space for the main dishes!


Udang Bakar (Grilled Prawns?)- RM4.50 each


Butter Prawns- RM4.50 (each)

We picked 6 prawns, 3 done in butter style and the rest purely grilled to taste the freshness. The prawns are big and fresh, I think they are fresh water prawns. Bakar style of butter style, both were fresh and tangy.


Ikan Jenak Bakar (Grilled Jernak Fish)- RM19.50

For our grilled fish, we chose the Jenak type. This was fresh too and the grilled aroma was too good to be resisted!


Sotong Bakar (Grilled Squid)- RM10

While the sotong bakar was nothing fantastic to shout about, it was fat and tangy which will surely send the cholestrol level rocket high! Oh and grilled crispy tentacles are yums!


Kupang (Local Mussels)- RM8

Surely, there's got to be something soupy among all the grilled dishes right? We ordered the kupang which are also known as local mussels (not as big, fat, and orangy as the western ones) done in sweet & sour style. For RM8, I think the dish was quite a steal!

The total bill came up to RM66.45 for 3 persons inclusive of nasi lemak and coconut water.


Warisan Aroma Kita Stall No.2
@ Crystal Bay, Melaka.

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

'Best Pork Satay in Melaka'

Besides being quite annoying when they can't locate the satellite, GPS is actually quite a useful tool especially for those on a makan trip! We located this pork satay shop (captioned as the best pork satay in Melaka) through the GPS point of interest function.

Let me bring you the 'Best Pork Satay in Melaka'!



Now, to be honest, I love pork and all things porky (except char siew pao's fatty lard, as publicly announced in my FB few days ago, with much objection from certain csp lovers and a few support from anti-csp fatty lard members), so naturally I should LOVE pork satay right? Wrong! I like chicken satay more... hehe.

Anyway, I can't deny that this 'Best Pork Satay in Melaka' is tasty, with the grilled fatty bits in between and grilled flavours, it is quite addictive. We went in with the objective of trying "2 sticks" and ended up having 20 over sticks! There were also grilled intestines (yums!) and grilled coagulated pork blood (yuck!).



The satay is at 55¢ a stick.


Kedai Satay Xiang Ji
50, Jalan Portugis,
Off Jonker Street (Jln Hang Jebat),
Melaka.

disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Restoran Manis Sayang, Malacca Nyonya Food

Good food and big cities usually don't come hand in hand. It is in the small outskirts, kampung terpencil that you find cheap tasty food. Malacca, Ipoh and Penang would be the usual suspects when it comes to small town, good food but of recent years, these places have gone on a rocket high inflation- all the supposedly famous eatery outlets have compromised the taste for higher prices. Le sigh.


Sweet potato crackers?

Therefore, on my most recent visit to the historical town, makan partner-in-crime and I decided to skip the famous commercialized overrated places in search of other Malaccan food.

We heed a fellow Malaccan's recommendation of Nyonya food- Restoran Manis Sayang, which is actually quite famous as Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan and even the Thai Deputy PM or something/someone have been there!


Cendol biasa- RM2

Can't seem to run away from having a good bowl of cendol when you're in Malacca... I like mine rich in santan and gula melaka.


Nyonya Chap Chai- RM10 (small)

Colorful nyonya plate of cabbage, carrot, tomato and black fungus with fried beancurd skin provide a balanced meal.


Cincaluk omelette- RM7 (small)

Overheard from a dear colleague and supplier singing praises of the Malacca cincaluk omelette and was thus thrilled to find this on the menu! Slightly salty but makes a good accompaniment to white rice!


Udang Lemak Masak Nanas- RM18

This was recommended by our Malaccan friend. The prawns were fresh and no, those are not potatoes but pineapples, hence the name of the dish ;-) Contrary to what you see, it's not spicy at all! The pineapples do give a different flavour to the dish.


Ayam Pongteh- RM10

Ayam pongteh is also known as miso soy chicken. It is braised and and usually comes accompanied with potatoes and mushrooms. The gravy is excellent on white rice and the chicken is tender and flavourful. If there's any word to describe the potatoes, it would be 'bonus' to a homely dish.

See, this time we didn't kickstart our Malacca food ventures with chicken rice balls!


Restoran Manis Sayang
618, Taman Melaka Raya,
75000 Melaka.
Tel: 06-281 3393

disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Dubrovnik, Pearl of The Mediterranean

Dubrovnik
Pearl of The Meditteranean

Dubrovnik is a Croatian city and is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One of the benefits of globalization is the array of international cuisines you can find on our local shore. Put your passports and boarding pass aside, let me take you to Croatia!

p/s: I had initially thought Dubrovnik is a Russian restaurant.


Bread with Ajvar

I guess it's becoming a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for all these international cuisines restaurants ie. French and Italian to serve bread and most commonly balsamic vinegar, but in this case, Dubrovnik offers it with ajvar (a type of Croation vegetable salsa-like dip). The bread is served warm and the ajvar dipping is different from the usual balsamic vinegar.


Due Colori Soup- RM16
Perfectly divided plate of creamy leek-spinach with asparagus and cauliflower soup

I am not a big fan of vege blended things, I like my veg to be whole and cooked. So I was a bit skeptical on a vege soup... until it arrived and I had a spoonful of it, oh how wrong I was! The soup was great, especially the green part. The cauliflower part tasted a tad bland but when paired with the leek-spinach and asparagus portion, my skepticism towards vege soups was temporarily removed. This is a Must Order from the appetizer section.


Strukli- RM15
Fresh cheese dumplings, pan fried with bread crumbs, served with sour cream

The waiter attended to us recommended Strukli as an appetizer. Cheese has never been on top of my appetizer list but we decided to give it a shot since it was a Chef's Recommendation. When the dish arrived, it looked nothing like dumplings, or at least the Chinese type (in my mind, dumplings = wanton/sui gao/woh tip). Now I know what Croation 'dumplings' look like! Not a recommended dish for those watching their weight or lactose intolerant. After a piece of Strukli, I felt like my dinner was done.


Flambeed Steak Korcula- RM58
Prime beef loin marinated with spices and Dijon then pan-fried on butter with special mushroom sauce and cognac

I usually have my steak in a piece, not in pieces, so this was quite a change from the usual steak dish. The main is accompanied with some fried onion rings, some blanched vege, and some fried potato-like balls . The steak is nice and tender and has quite a distinct taste but in my humble opinion, a little too oily.


Lamb Peka- RM50
Traditional Croatian way of preparing meat or seafood, under and iron bell for 3 hours in the wood burning oven

The Lamb Peka was another recommended dish. It was stated that the dish needs booking in advance but on that day it was readily available. Hmmm, not too sure on the contradiction but I guess it's a lucky night for us. I'm not usually a fan of ordering lambs but my makan partner in crime was craving for some lamb... the comment on this dish is that it wasn't flavourful enough, at least for the price to pay. We found out that they stuffed some garlic in the lamb, so that was a bit of consolation as the garlicky part has a bit more substantial taste. The dish is served with saffron rice and some vege.



In my humble opinion, I like the service, ambience and the decorations- perfect for a good dine out with your loved one and/or friends/family. However, for the price to pay, the food were not as good as I hoped to be. Then again, this is the Malaysian tastebud talking, perhaps the dishes were meant to taste like that- the Croatian way. The soup was a clear winner that night and we'd love to return again to try out some other dishes to prove ourselves wrong.


Dubrovnik
J-OG-14, Solaris Mont Kiara,
No. 2, Jalan Solaris, Mont Kiara,
Kuala Lumpur.

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]