Nose to Tail Eating @ El Cerdo

El Cerdo- nose to tail eating

Never one to be found hanging around Changkat Bukit Bintang for dinner, we found ourselves at the quaint little street again one fine evening as the craving for Parma Ham was too strong to be resisted and brushed aside as yet "another nasi lemak craving..." It was a weekday night, we didn't make any reservations. Well even if the restaurant is full, there're still so many choices out there. We can always make a quick exit to their next door neighbours, Bermuda & Onion or Flam's or Frangipani or even back to Chiaroscuro. But weekday being a weekday, we were lucky to get a table for 2.

Jamón Serrano from Spain- RM38

Imported high quality Spanish cred & air dried ham

served on rock melon and salad with Balsamico dressing

A menu was swiftly handed to us and it was a pork-lover's paradise! From left to right, up to bottom, all the items have some hints of pork (ok except the desserts and drinks). We couldn't quite make up our mind between the Paella or the Ham Knuckle. In the end, with a flip of the invisible coin, Paella it was. But for starters, it was the Jamón Serrano from Spain- in laymen's terms, Parma Ham with Rock Melon. The rock melon was too sweet, so sweet that a little piece of it is enough to complement the salty ham.


Paella- RM88
With Seafood, Chicken, Chorizo Sausage and Pork

It is a bit ironical, come to think about it. I was just saying in the car on our way there that I am not gonna have rice in an expensive restaurant as we were discussing on whether anyone of us had risotto (a type of Italian rice) before. And we ended up having Paella... a type of Spanish rice.

It was a very tough decision between the Ham Knuckle or Paella as both dishes are enough for 2 pax. After a bout of pushing the decision making to each other and flipping invisible coins, Paella won. And Paella we had. This being my second time having the Paella, first was at La Bodega's.





The Paella was dense with flavour- not surprising when you have a combination of seafood and poultry with the strong tomato flavour. Perhaps it is appropriate to say that the Spanish Paella is equivalent to our Chinese Claypot Rice. The portion is just right for 2 persons.


"Hot & Cold"- RM19.50
A sinful combination of Hot Mixed Berries and Red Wine
On Vanilla Ice Cream

Now, with the amazing starters and delicious mains, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could end the dinner with a sweet dessert? The dessert that managed to catch my attention was "Hot & Cold". They say "opposite attracts", I wonder how true it is. But as evidenced by the Parma Ham with Rock Melon in the starters, I guess it is safe to say, yes opposites do attract! The mixed berries were warm and instantly melts the vanilla ice cream. Yes, there was a strong hint of red wine too. The kitchen was very generous with the berries too.


Temptations...

If the name El Cerdo rings a bell in your mind for something outrageous they do... Yes, you've got the place right. They not only serve suckling pig, they also cut it with white plates and then smash the white plates after that. So, there can be quite a commotion in the restaurant whenever a suckling pig is served!


El Cerdo
43 & 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.
(Opposite The Green Man Pub & The Magnificent Fish and Chips Bar)

[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.]

A Parisian Affair @ Café Café KL

Café Café's signature chandelier w crystal drops

"Stepping into Café Café, one leaves the mundate streets of Kuala Lumpur and is immediately enthralled by its lavish interior; magnificent Occident in this part of urban Orient. Café Café, quintessentially Parisian - echoes of the combination of Le Quartier du Marais, Montmartre together with a touch of Moulin Rough perhaps? offers those with a discerning eye and taste, a delicious smorgasbord of visual and appetising designer fetish.


Interior deco- cozy and quintessentially Parisian

Many urbanists have already claimed Café Café as their home away from home. An indulgent in luxury, rewarding with comforts of haute decadence, an escape from the harsh industrial and minimalist chic of too many modern restaurants. Here, the ones is to know enjoy privileges of classic dining, without pretentiousness. Classic yet modern, formally relaxed, flamboyantly simple. Café Café is truly a pastiche of styles that some together to enchant. A refreshingly informal place to meet freiends, colleagues, or even a special acquaintance.

Sumptuous dining in a classic European style; Café Café affords its patrons a unique atmosphere, where an opulent interior enable one's imagination and inspiration to be truly stirred..." (excerpt from cafecafekl.com)

Complimentary bread w balsamic vinegar & olive oil

Where does the tradition of starting the meal with bread w balsamic vinegar & olive oil come from? Is it an Italian or French tradition? Bites me, I really don't know because nowadays if you go to a steak house, Italian or French restaurant, this is the default 'appetizer before the appetizer' while waiting for your actual appetizers to come. Common, but good stuff.


Pan-seared Foie Gras

One of our main motives to come by Café Café is the Foie Gras. Since our last meeting with the Holy Grail of food (at least for me since FG is so expensive!) at Senjyu Sushi, we opted for the RM149 set dinner. The cheaper set, RM69 didn't have this on the menu. The more expensive set RM200+ was wayyyy beyond our bank account capacity.

Because the Foie Gras deserves a paragraph on its own :) Words can do no justice to describe this. It is so bloody awesome, every bite melts in your mouth. Soft buttery texture with an excellent gravy that very well complemented it. It makes life worth living and goose worth killing. Hehe just joking. I think I want to open a goose kandang and harvest all their livers and have foie gras everyday!


Garlic escargots

Escargots! In a much simpler way to savour without having to use the tweezers and all that equipments. It came in 3 little cups, with 2 escargots in each cup, drowned with chopped garlic and melted butter. Sinful? Yes.


Pink Wagyu Cheeks

The mains! There was a choice between chicken, beef and fish. No prize for guessing which poultry we chose- BEEF! When the dish came, I mistaken it for dessert! But of course wouldn't embarass myself by saying out loud :p Upon closer inspection (can't blame me, the lights were so dimmed!) it is the wagyu cheeks. To be honest, the wagyu was the star that night IMHO. The Foie Gras comes close to second, maybe about 0.00000001% variance hehehe. It was so tender, so so so tender, that it actually need no effort to even chew! It melts in your mouth. With a little hint of red wine, the meat was really good. Flavourful and tender, I'll give this a 100% A1 grade.

If ever I'm coming back, I'll definitely order this as a main again.


Slow-Cooked Lamb Shank- RM38

We ordered an ala carte lamb shank for sharing. The kitchen was very generous with the serving. What can you tell of the lamb shank just by looking at the picture? AWESOME. Again, meat was very tender too. It has a little sourish flavour to it contributed by the tomatoes, both gravy and meat complemented each other well.


Creme brulee

A dessert to complete a wonderful meal- creme brulee. Creamy and sweet, just the way we love it and this is how every dinner date should end- on a high, sweet and tasty note.



The only letdown besides the high price is they don't allow photography of its interior. Food and human photography are allowed though. It was quite a putoff to our high spirits and cheerful mood as we have read and heard so much about the nice decoration and wanting to do some photography on it.

Oh, if you're planning to come by, do observe their chairs. I suppose it is one unique thing about Café Café's interior decoration as well- no 2 chairs are the same :)

The total bill consisting of one RM149 dinner set an ala carte lamb shank (RM38) with a bottle of mineral water (RM4) came to RM250.10 after all the (un)neccessary taxes.



Café Café
175, Jalan Maharajalela,
50150 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2145 8141
www.cafecafekl.com

[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.]

Of Colorful Cuppacakes & NY Resolutions

12 Cuppacakes for the 12 months of 2009


Never too early or too late for Christmas


Winnie the Pooh gone orange!


Ugly duckling to beautiful swan


Butterfly kisses to you





These cute looking cuppacakes were seen on the dining table one fine evening. Mom went for some cake decoration class and I think she did a fine job at this. This is called the art of decorating cakes using fondant and marzipan. At least now cakes and muffins don't have to look so conventional and dull. My favourite was the snowman! I especially suck at clay moulding so I think mom did a great job and definitely worth some pictures.

For better resolution pictures, please visit my flickr set.

~

2009 NY RESOLUTIONS


#1. Drink more water! Opt for mineral/still water when eat out. If there's a choice between liquor and water, first drink liquor then drink loadsa water :D


#2. Cut down on unneccessary purchases (Read: impulse buying). I bought a fedora which isn't in my size and used it once for less than 15 minutes just because I wanted one for a costume themed event.


#3. Pamper myself with good food so long as I can afford it. If I cannot, then make someone to treat me HAHAHA.


#4. Be less lazy. Don't we all say this every year?


#5. Last year, I made a resolution of paying every eatery outlet at The Curve a visit but it is still not achieved because I refuse to dine at kopitiams. This year my resolution will be pay a visit to every eatery outlet at The Curve EXCEPT kopitiams and overpriced common hawker fare.


#6. Just for sakes: EARN MORE MONEY $$$ without robbing the moneychanger or bank.

Since losing weight and all that doesn't work on me (infact I need to gain weight and meat), the resolutions above looks quite achievable righttttt.... :D

Thai Express @ The Curve

On NYE, C and I headed to Mutiara Damansara area so that we could be early to grab a parking spot and catch a movie to kill some time before the countdown at night. We hadn't had lunch and C suggested going Thai. Besides Sutra (which I reckon is pricey), Thai Express was the only choice and since we both decided to give this place a try.

Thai Express is pretty easy to locate with all the striking colors and situated just next to Baskin Robbins. Although there weren't a crowd, the service was really bad! One look at the waiters and you can see why. After we got seated, there wasn't anyone to bring us the menu, we had to get it ourselves! After browsing through the menu and ready to order, again the waiters seem to be very preoccupied with something else. Urgh, this calls for some "minus points" even if the food taste damn good.


Seafood Tom Yum Soup- RM12.90

Any Thai meal will not be complete without the Tom Yum Soup! Thai Express's version is not too spicy and won't make you choke after a spoonful. It also has a considerable serving of squids and prawns. It makes quite a good appetizer.


Thai Green Curry Chicken

The Thai Green Curry Chicken did not disappoint either. It went really well with the white rice. I think C really enjoyed it as he polished the bowl off!


Soft Shell Crab Glass Noodles- RM20++

I am always attracted to anything on the menu that reads SOFT SHELL CRAB. C, knowing how much I love my crabs, suggested we should order this. It's one of the priciest item on the menu. The dish arrived in claypot style, with 2 pieces of soft shell crab. The glass noodles tasted alright while the crab was just how soft shell crab should be.


Belacan Long Beans

The belacan long beans was ok too. Actually the food was above my expectations after encountering with the bad service. I thought with service this bad, the food won't taste any better but it turns out that the food is (edible nonetheless) quite okay.


Iced lemongrass & Thai Iced Tea- RM5.90 each

I think it's recommended to share a drink as I couldn't finish mine! The food aren't all that spicy so I guess it's ok to share. Many said the food here is abit pricey (the drinks are), well I think that's just the standard pricing you'll get when you're dining in The Curve area.

Guess where we're heading for our dinner tonight! Somewhere that offers... foie gras!


Thai Express
G50, The Curve,
Jalan PJU 7/3, PJ.
(Main walkway, beside Baskin Robbins)

[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 Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar

The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar

I first came across this magnificent restaurant when I was just opposite it dining at Bermuda & Onion. Then, I told myself that I needed to come back here to try out how magnificent it is... the thought kinda slipped away soon after cos coming to this part of KL is really a nightmare itself- lack of parking, loadsa cars, no eating companion :-(



Just recently, C is back and we had initially decided to head out to Bangsar to pick up something and have dinner along the way. I was tasked to find a place we have not tried out before and I ended up on KY's blog (see KY, I look up to your blog!). I remembered the review on The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar and though neither of us had cravings for fish and/or chips that night, we ended up there anyway because the name is just too appealing (and because I'm not driving hehe)!

(The word "Magnificent" always remind me of some magician pulling up a magnificent trick or something)


Barramundi & Chips- RM34

We had the Barramundi & Chips. I think you get to choose what type of catch you want, not too sure if price varies according to type of fish though. Fried to golden perfection piece of fish with thick cut fries and tartar sauce, such a classic English meal. I remember my dad used to tell us he had so much of fish & chips when he was studying in England (of course that was like 3 decades ago?) and he still love a good ol' fish and chips whenever we dined western. Maybe I can bring my dad here next time.

The Barramundi was as good as it looks. The batter was quite different from the usual ones I have had as the fish is enveloped perfectly by the batter and once cut, the crispy crumbles fall and unveils a fresh and smooth piece of fish. A little bit of Sarsons malt vinegar and freshly squeezed lemon, dipped in a bit of the tartar sauce (we think it's homemade), I can see why the shop's called "Magnificent" now.

The thick cut chips rocks too.


Guinness Steak Pie- RM32

C also oredered the Guinness Steak Pie (as reviewed by KY). Initially we were also looking for the special Guinness dishes but was told that the promotion was till Christmas only. Luckily, the Guinness Steak Pie was still on the menu. The last steak pie I had was at La Bodega's and I thought that was pretty good. But all was about to change when I tasted this. THIS IS THE BEST STEAK PIE I'VE EVER EATEN.

The meat were so tender, the gravy was excellent- so full of flavour and you can really taste Guinness in every bite. While I don't drink Guinness (too bitter and I don't like beer anyway), this Guinness infused dish is pretty damn good. It was piping hot, look at the smoke! The gravy was a perfect pairing for the mashed potatoes as well.


Lingham's, Sarsons, Heinz, HP, Tobasco

If there is ever a comeback, I would definitely be ordering the steak pie again. The only downside of this place is that there're no book-type menus, the menu is written on the blackboard inside the restaurant which makes it bit inconvenient for those preferring al fresco dining. And parking still sucks.



The Magnificent Fish & Chips Bar
28, Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2142 7021
Business hours: Tuesday-Sunday (11am-12am)

[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.]

Famous Ngau Kee Beef Noodles

Famous Ngau Kee Beef Noodles

It was one of those impulsive decision to have dinner after a dinner. We were strolling along the roads of Jalan Alor, Changkat Bukit Bintang and Tengkat Tong Shin when we spotted Ngau Kee Beef Noodles. I remember reading a review on it by KY sometime back.

Then the conversation went,
"Should we have beef noodles?"
"But we just had dinner."
"We can always come back here, can we?"
"But what if we don't happen to come back here?"
"Ahh screw it, eat first think later!"

So both of us were seated. Not much of a crowd though, not a bad thing as it means fast service and we can take our own sweet time to savour it.


Mixed beef soup

We ordered the mixed beef option. Well you know what they say when you've not try everything and want to eat everything! Always look out for the "assorted" and "mixed" options! There was a mix of beef balls, beef tripes and meat. The soup was very flavourful, you can taste the burst of beef flavour in every spoonful.


Minced beef with wantan noodles- RM5

I didn't have much noodles as I was simply stuffed from dinner earlier. I think I would prefer the soupy version of beef noodles anytime and perhaps minced beef with wantan noodles don't appeal to me much. If Ngau Kee is not so far away, I think it would be a great place for late night supper and beef noodle cravings for me!


Colourful chopsticks



Famous Ngau Kee Beef Noodles
Tengkat Tong Shin,
Kuala Lumpur.
(Located adjacent to Jalan Alor and alongside the same street as Max! Kitchen & Restoran Muar)

[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.]