2008 December | Motormouth From Ipoh

Uncle Duck Hong Kong Steamboat @ Times Square, KL

December 30, 2008 | 237 views | 20 Comments »

Uncle Duck steamboat restaurant has opened its doors for business for quite some time. However, as it’s tucked in one corner, hidden amongst the countless eateries in Berjaya Times Square, many wouldn’t have chanced upon it.

Had it not been my aunt’s recommendation, I would never imagined dining in Times Square either. Seriously, I’ve never been able to find good food there. Anyone?

Spacious, with chandeliers and various lamps for sale, hanging as both decor, and light source

The place was rather empty, on a weekend’s afternoon. Not much fanfare, but as soon as we were seated, the place did remind me of typical cafe/restaurants in Hong Kong.

One glance around the place, and you’ll be pleased at the bright and airy ambience. And various paper cuttings on the wall suggested the popularity of this place, coupled with a Ho Chak’s emblem, completing that line of media coverage.

The sesame sauce was a killer. Slightly nutty, sour and sweet, it went perfectly with the meat

The electric stoves are somewhat built-in, saving space, and rendering mealtime faultless, in case you do not wish to have any steamboat meal.

Talking about steamboat here, the variety on offer was mind-boggling, with so many types of soup base to choose from; Satay base, Clear broth, Spicy base, Ginseng soup, etc. I chose the set with beef slices, and tomato and fish base, if I remembered correctly. The receipt I’m having is a bit washed off, sorry.

Sliced Beef Set (RM19.90)

With the usual accompaniments of vegetables, beancurd, an M-sized Prawn, etc.

Kinda reminded me of shabu-shabu ….

The thinly-sliced beef was gorgeous, presentation-wise; before and after cooked. Sweet and fresh, the beef was cooked in an instant when swished in the bubbling soup. Oh ya, you control the ‘fire’ yourself, but rest assured it’s a no-brainer. Even a child can operate that electric stove, I tell ya …..

Especially noteworthy aside from the beef was a prawn, and the rice noodles. When dipped into the accompanying sesame sauce, the beef was divine. And at RM19.90, may sound pricey, but you’re getting what you pay for. And small-eaters can share a set, and order some sides.

Roasted Duck Rice set with a drink (RM6.90)

If you’re not a fan of steamboat, no worries. They offer a rather expansive menu of items commonly found in Char Chan Teng, namely rice and noodle dishes, and more.

With a name like Uncle Duck, surely you’ll be expecting a lot from their duck dishes, no? The Roasted Duck Rice set came with a Ribena drink, but the portion was too limiting to judge. But I’ve had better ones, and the roasted duck here ain’t as crispy as I’d preferred.

Location : UNCLE DUCK (HK) STEAMBOAT RESTAURANT @ 03-107, Third Floor,Berjaya Times Square,No. 1, Jalan Imbi,55100 Kuala Lumpur.Tel : 03-21448998

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Categories: Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Food
Tags: KL, Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Food, Steamboat, Times Square
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Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh in Klang – One of the Oldest Around …

December 28, 2008 | 605 views | 10 Comments »

Still reeling from that hangover? Long weekends, peppered with so many offdays = FUN. If only we have summer/winter holidays as well. Wouldn’t that be ideal?

Felt bad to have snapped the uncle while riding a bike … but no flash, no worries.

One of the oldest Bak Kut Teh (BKT) in Klang, the town seemingly synonymous with BKT, traffic jams and erm, the Indian street, Seng Huat is commonly referred to by the locals as THE Bak Kut Teh under the bridge, in the older part of Klang town.

The 2nd or 3rd generation of the legacy that is, Seng Huat

Klang houses an astounding number of outlets selling BKT. From wet to dry, from traditional to the modernized versions, and served in porcelain bowls, to claypots.

The older version of BKT does not incorporate a lot of herbs, hence the darker, and thicker soup with HUGE chunks of meat, ranging from the belly to the ribs, and even a WHOLE piece of rib. Personal interests come to play here, as some prefer the commercialized version in claypot, with lots of ingredients such as mushrooms, pork balls, vegetables and stronger herbal aroma,

The paper cuttings dated some 10 yrs ago … testament to its popularity transcending generations?

At Seng Huat, the concept is slightly different. Entering the corner shoplot right beside the pedestrian-cum-vehicles bridge, you won’t fail to notice 1) the crowd, 2) the guy (or lady) chopping up a storm, picking on pieces after pieces of meat from the ‘cauldron’, and serving them rapidly in bowls for consumption. Yup, without the bells and whistles of golden mushrooms, balls, innards and such. (But of course, you CAN request for extras)

Single portion for RM6.50

The meat was tender, fall-off-the-bones type (if you order ribs), and delicious. You have to request for chopped garlic if you’re one who can’t live without them. Some older outlets DO NOT serve chilli padi (bird’s eye chilli) nor garlic as they claim the condiments ‘spoil’ the natural sweetness and flavour of the pork. One such outlet is nearby, a street away, somewhat related to Seng Huat, yet even older. Yup, something of Jurassic proportion.

The soup base was not as addictive as Teluk Pulai’s version. You can’t really taste the herbs as obvious, in comparison. The rice was not drizzled with much onion oil as I’d preferred, and only sprinkled with miniscule amount of fried shallots. Gimme a whole bottle of them, anyday!

Mixed Pig’s Innards (RM6.50)

The stomach, intestines and whatnots came separately, in a rather big serving. If you’re eating alone, refrain from ordering a bowl to yourself, as after the 10th piece of intestine and stomach, I felt a bit ‘jelak‘ from all the unwanted parts.

Overall, the place came short of my expectations. Or probably I was expecting too much from Klang’s (over)hyped BKT? =)

Location :
SENG HUAT BAK KUT TEH
9, Jalan Besar, Klang.
Business hours : 7.30am – 12.30pm, 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Telephone : 6012-309 8303.

Comments: 10 Comments »
Categories: Klang Food
Tags: Bak Kut Teh, Klang, Klang Food
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A Unique Xmas Eve Dinner – With Geoducks, Oysters and All ….

December 26, 2008 | 235 views | 19 Comments »

A short post, on a cool and lazy Friday morning ….

~~ THE XMAS EVE DINNER @ UNIQUE SEAFOOD ~~

Tis the season to be jolly …. no turkey … but instead got us some geoduck, seafood and such ….

Mexico Geoduck Sashimi

Geoduck is a type of large clam living in salt water, boosting a rather …. obscene appearance. Ahem, I mean, just look at the size and structure of it. Refer 1st pic.

The texture of the meat is springy, with minimal hint of off-putting fishy taste commonly associated with clams. Eaten fresh and raw, the sliced meat of the siphon (neck) of the geoduck was served on a bed of shaved ice, and complemented by the accompanying Japanese soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

If you’re one who would squirm at the sight of something so un-cooked, armed with a pole in hand, no fret. Help’s at hand ….

Steamboat of herbal soup base, with accompanying vegetables, tofu, and even noodles

Just slightly swish the piece of geoduck in the soup, and voila! Cooked meat in an instant, much akin to abalone in texture and flavour. But highly recommended to eat them raw though, to fully savour the bouncy texture and freshness of the meat.

Fresh Oysters on the Rocks, served with Lemon Wedges

It’s Xmas eve, and some may wanna get down and dirty. Whoops, I meant, some may ‘need’ the extra zinc (or Zing!) in their (love)lives. Thus, raw oysters come to the rescue. Though a measly one piece won’t do any good. Yet, I’m an oyster-addict, raw or baked with cheese, it’s all green lights for me.

Boiled Live Tiger Prawns

Served with a garlic chilli sauce, and another plate of fiery dark chilli oil, the tiger prawns were fresh, and the flesh was sweet. But the sizes varied greatly, some S-size (more like a shrimp!), while some XL (mini slipper lobster-like). And they could’ve thrown in more, in the spirit of the holidays, generosity would be much appreciated. Some got one, some got two.

Crispy Roasted Chicken

Then things got downhill, sadly. The roasted chicken was NOT as crispy as claimed, and the meat was already cold, and far from tender. And I’m not referring to the breast meat even. With plum sauce, if I’m not mistaken.

Steamed Pak So Kong Teow Chew Style

Either Deep fried Soon Hock fish, or Pak So Kong steamed Teow Chew style. I was informed by the manager when I called and booked that they’ve ran out of Soon Hock. So left with no choice, we took up his offer on Steamed Pak So Kong.

A cheaper species compared to Soon Hock, the Pak So Kong came in a pair, with barely enough flesh to feed 10, let alone 13 of us. The set was for 10 pax, of course. The flesh reeks of muddy smell, a bane for fish lovers, and especially annoying when served in a restaurant of Unique’s stature. The Teow Chew style of steaming did not save the fish in any way. Thumbs down.

Fried Rice

As we were seated in a VIP room, we were served by a rather attentive (if not obstructive) waiter, who even took great effort in scooping fried rice into the bowls for each and everyone of us. However, the rice was nothing to shout about, an everyday affair with no bells and whistles, even my grandma cooks better version. =P

Honey Sea Coconut with Longan

Dessert came in the form of extra-sweet Honey Sea Coconut with Longan, all from the cans, I suspect. Least we were not served fresh fruits platter, the easy way out for most restaurants. But they could’ve whipped up a (mini)storm and cooked some hot “tong sui” (sweet soup), or something special. The Chinese pancakes (Woh Peng) I had some time ago in Unique would be a welcome replacement.

The Special Geoduck and Oyster promo set is priced at RM398+ for 10 pax. Not exorbitant, yet not really enticing, given the choices. The meal came to roughly RM454, for the towels, nuts, and Chinese tea for all.

P/S : Funny celebrating Xmas eve with a seafood dinner at a Chinese restaurant? Hahahaha …. The very next day, me and my family had our Xmas lunch at a Japanese restaurant. Talk about irony ….

Location : Restoran Perak Unique Seafood No 5, Persiaran Lagoon Sunway 1, 31150 Ipoh, Perak. Tel 05-5486010 / 016 2615622

Comments: 19 Comments »
Categories: Ipoh Food
Tags: Chinese Food, Ipoh, Ipoh Food, Seafood, Sunway City, Tambun, Unique Seafood
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Homecooked Hakka Dishes @ Pandan Indah, KL

December 24, 2008 | 303 views | 13 Comments »

Are you singing Hallelujah … yet? Eve of public holidays got me a little … hyped up, sometimes. And salivating at the prospects of a long, long holidays. Away from work, from the office. And ushering in the new year, with hundreds of resolutions unfulfilled over the years, digged out from the closet and revamped.

Roughly translated to “Home-Cooked Dishes Restaurant”

No turkey or Xmas pudding yet. Though doubtful we’re gonna have any. But the ever-present fruit cakes in my house may masquerade as food of the season.

Here’s something from Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur. Another good find, amidst the hundreds (possibly) of eateries around the area. A simple restaurant serving everyday dishes, mostly Hakka-influenced ones. At reasonable prices, and with rather tantalising taste.

They serve individual meals, as well as dishes to go with rice, or noodles

I’ve passed by this outlet countless times, but never had the interest to step in. The signboard only shows Chinese characters, hence a banana like yours truly could not grasp what category this restaurant falls into. Until my aunt brought me over one fine day …..

Water Chestnut + Sugar Cane Drink

You can even see the stalk (?) of sugarcane in the drink. Soothing ‘Leung Sui’ (herbal tea), perfect for the rainy weather that afternoon. The whole of KL was shrouded in the mist and non-stop rainfall that particular day.

Mui Choy Kau Yuk (Preserved Vegetables with Fat Pork Belly)

One of the staple food of the Hakkas; the Mui Choy Kau Yuk served here was commendable, with soft/tender braised pork belly, not overwhelmingly fat and greasy. Though not as stellar as the one I’ve had in Hong Kong (click HERE to drool), at about RM6-7 per serving, the dish scored brownie points with us.

Blanched Choy Sum

A simple dish of greens. Compulsory, and guilt-free. I can’t sing praises for such a simple dish, but served with some fragrant fried garlic bits, the greens served its purpose perfectly.

Salted Chicken

And the third dish for both of us, the Salted Chicken with herbs. Another resemblance to the one served in Cheun Cheung Koi in HK. Smooth, tender flesh, infused with the strong herbal taste of the sauce, a rather healthy choice, albeit the saltiness. But complemented the rice very well.

Far from hearty or something of gastronomic stature, yet a safe choice for lunch or dinner. And endorsed by 8TV’s Ho Chak as well, unexpectedly. Gotta be good, right?

Location : to come later ….. sorry!

MERRY X’MAS in advance !!!

Comments: 13 Comments »
Categories: Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Food
Tags: Hakka Food, KL, Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Food
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I Ain’t Craving Much … (Oriental Cravings @ One Utama)

December 22, 2008 | 89 views | 19 Comments »

Sometimes searching for a good restaurant in a shopping centre can be tedious. Cheap food does NOT equal good food on most instances. And yet, a pricier option does NOT translate to great food. You get my drift? …. Oh well.

Oriental Cravings @ 1 Utama Shopping Centre

Situated next to Jarrod & Rawlins, THE supposedly one of the maestro of everything porky, Oriental Cravings has her own following, usually crowded during dinner hours, enticing passer-bys for a visit. All this while I’ve flicked off this particular outlet, keeping in mind another run-of-the-mill, mediocre Kopitiam wannabe. Yet what I failed to notice was that Oriental Cravings serve mostly Chinese cuisine.

The place was brightly lit, exuding a clean and yet rustic charm, reminiscing of traditional Chinese restaurants of yesteryears

You can either sit inside, soothed by the comforting air-cond and minus the smoke and hot air if you choose to dine al fresco. Unless you want to smoke, I don’t see a reason for picking the latter option. The fans btw, are merely decorative.

Starting with a hot (or rather, warm) cup of coffee, the beverage was passable, roasted well without the hint of burnt beans, and glided down the throat perfectly. The other glass contained apple & aloe vera juice, courtesy of Fruitree can drinks. Need I say more?

8 Treasure Fried Rice ( RM11.90)

Ahem. From the menu for individual servings, the options looked and sounded tempting. From Bah Kut Teh meal for one (RM15.90) to Sweet & Sour Pork Rice (RM12.90), and various noodles being served. I picked the 8 Treasure Fried Rice, for the sheer number of ingredients thrown in sounded too good to be true. Chinese sausage, roast pork, BBQ pork, prawn, chinese mushroom, peas, carrot, corn, and topped with omelette. Wow …. I was expecting a gargantuan serving of a juggernaut of a fried rice.

But take a look at my serving of fried rice above, and you’ll understand my exact emotion that moment. Mouth wide open, with a gaping hole and empty brains. =O

Nobody said anything about extra-finely chopped ingredients, and 2/3 measly shrimps?! Though credits must be given to the nicely fried rice, fluffy and not sticky, yet with mild ‘wok hei’ but paying RM12 for a plate of fried rice seems ….. absurd.

The sambal belacan which saved my plate of fried rice

Roast Pork Curry Laksa (RM13.90)

Fortunately, redemption arrived in the form of a gigantic bowl of curry laksa, brimming with roast pork, pork meatballs, tauhu puff, long beans and brinjal. And typical Nyonya laksa, with lots of coconut milk (santan, to you and me) in the curry. I completely forgot what noodles they gave though. But the portion was so huge, my dining companion was having trouble finishing the portion. I dumped my plate of 8 Treasure (ahem) Fried Rice and digged in, gladly.

Had the gravy been less oily, the bowl of laksa would’ve scored higher marks in my book. After a few scoopfuls of the curry, I’ve to surrender, picking on the ingredients instead. A little too much,at one sitting. But still heaven and earth compared to the fried rice.

The next table’s order of Sweet and Sour Pork was soooo drool-licious! I was stopping myself from crossing over and picked a piece. But a serving at nearly RM20, I think.

Location : ORIENTAL CRAVINGS @ G359, Phase 2, One Utama. Tel : 03-7727 2581.

Comments: 19 Comments »
Categories: Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Food
Tags: 1Utama, Chinese Food, KL, Kuala Lumpur/Selangor Food
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Bee Gaik Dining Place – Nyonya/Chinese Cuisine here in Ipoh

December 21, 2008 | 438 views | 15 Comments »

Lazy Sunday …. Spent half a day at Lost World of Tambun in Sunway City, and came back utterly disappointed. Compared to Sunway Lagoon, or Genting Theme Park, this so-called ‘attraction’ in Ipoh is a crying shame. Paying RM25 for merely TWO dry rides, and some random slides and pool, just wont cut it. And you still have to rent the float for two, at an additional RM12, and the locker at RM10. Parking’s at RM1. If you’re seeing numbers, I’m seeing stars ….. *_*

Bee Gaik Dining Place – Serving authentic nyonya and chinese food in Ipoh

Backtrack a week or two ago, we went for a family dinner at Bee Gaik, over in Ipoh Garden South. It’s been some time since we’ve visited, most recent memory involved family outing with grandpa, who’s been watching over us from above for a good 15 years now.

Two floors of dining, in a comfortable air-conditioned seating area, albeit lacking in terms of tables and space

Since then, Bee Gaik has reinvented itself into a household name of sorts, providing catering services on top of dining pleasure. But if you’re coming here on a weekend or a public holiday, be sure to book a table, else risk wailing away …. I mean, waiting away. And the scarce number of tables somewhat forced most patrons to be seated upstairs. If you’re with an elderly, you know how much a hassle that’ll be ….

Kapitan Chicken (RM13)

We relented and trusted the waitress’ recommendations. Mostly signature dishes from their rather extensive menu, covering mostly Nyonya-style cooking, and some Chinese dishes. The Kapitan chicken resembled dry curry chicken, with chunks of chicken thighs and wings cooked in the slightly spicy, fragrant, piquant and delicious gravy. Do not be deterred by the fiery orange colour of the curry, the chicken can be stomached even by toddlers.

Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish (RM6)

Crunchy, fat bean sprouts … Ipoh’s style, stir-fried lightly with some crispy salted fish. A simple dish for those who have a love-hate relationship with greens, yet guilty enough to not avoid their fibre intake. Sprinkled with some chopped spring onions, the ‘taugeh’ served their intention well; polished off in mere minutes.

Curry Asam Fish Head (RM24)

One of their top-seller, the curry asam fish head managed to deliver, with chunks of fish head and meat cooked in the sumptuous gravy, not too spicy, yet fiery and tangy enough to tantalize that tastebud. With generous servings of brinjals, ladies’ fingers, onions, tau-pok (beancurd) and tomatoes, nobody can put down this dish as completely NOT healthy. Drench/pour those lip-smacking gravy onto your plate of fluffy white rice, and savour away ….

Tung Po Yuk (Braised FAT! Pork Belly with Sauce) (RM12)

If you’re thinking, how can a Nyonya restaurant serves good Chinese dishes, you’re wrong. Their Tung Po Yuk is marvellous. Two thumbs up to the unassuming, simple yet brimming with flavour dish. The pork was not as scaringly FAT as I may prefer, with lean meat dominating the portion, but the melt-in-mouth texture of the upper layer of pork skin was very addictive. And even the leaner part was tender enough to require lesser-chewing.

Soak them up with the ‘mantou’ served with the dish

And the soft ‘mantou‘ (white buns) are meant to be dipped/dunked/soaked with the delicious gravy, not wasting every single drop of the glistening, brownish-gold juices. I’m salivating now, still remembering the combination of flavour that worked so well.

But I’ve always been a PORKY-type of guy, loving everything porky, hence existed the slight bias. Sue me.

There are so many dishes that I wanted to point and order erratically, but I managed to hold my horses. There’s always another visit down the line …. right?

Location : BEE GAIK DINING PLACE @ 10-10A, Tingkat Taman Ipoh 11, Ipoh Garden South, 31400 Ipoh. Tel No : 05-546 8601. Closed on Tuesdays. Operating hours : 11.30am-3.00pm, 6.00pm-10.00pm.