Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

Short of suffering the wrath of the KL-ites and city dwellers in confusion of whether Motormouth is still alive and kicking in KL, or scurried off back to his hometown with tail between his legs, let me assure you that I am still surviving here, thank you.

A little bit overwhelmed by the backlogs of reviews and travel articles that I should have finished ages ago, the sheer pressure of wrapping up 2012 on a high with everything cleared seems like a miracle now.

On this rainy Monday evening (what’s with the fickle weather nowadays? 20-12-2012?!), let me share a very brief overview of this Thai eatery tucked hidden within Happy Mansion in Section 17 that has been serving very traditional Thai fares for a while now.

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#1 – Fancy walking out from a cozy cafe situated on the ground floor of a block of flats? To imagine the convenience of it all if you’re a resident.

The slew of food posts from Section 17 probably has gotten into you. If you’re tearing your hair out and shouting profanities of the most vulgar nature, then I don’t blame you. There has to be an end to all saga, and for temporary relief measure, this post would be the last.

Not absolute, but relatively. There are still a few gems that I want to unearth (or rather, rediscover?) such as the seriously dilapidated food court (of a very muhibbah nature) near to the wet market, and the rojak + cendol mobile stall parked under the shades almost directly opposite of the market.

Since this has been barely two days into the extremely looonnnnggg and tedious week (no more historical Saturday in the making?!), I will spare you the elaborate ramblings and let’s get things on.

Read on for the full (partial or what’s left of it) review of MM Cafe @ Happy Mansion, Section 17. Read the rest of this entry »

Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate Mille Crepe Cakes @ Food Foundry; Your Neighbourhood Food Provider in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

Almost immediately after the dinner at My Elephant, we ventured over to Food Foundry to fulfill our intention for desserts and coffee; having in mind the preliminary perception that the latter would be a comfortable, swanky cafe perfect for an extended chat. It was a horrendously warm evening; and the spicy Tom Yum from My Elephant contributed much to the beads of sweat forming on our foreheads.

Food Foundry‘s tagline is “Your Neighbourhood Food Provider”. Never pretentious enough to suggest that they’re a fine diner, a bistro or cafe, or even a restaurant.

And they’re just that. No air-conditioning, they’re situated on the ground level of B block of Happy Mansion flats occupying two lots separated completely from each other by a wall adorned with a large mirror, with walls painted with quirky/colourful birds and trees and exuding a very laid-back aura.

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An eclectic fusion of colours @ My Elephant in Happy Mansion, Section 17, PJ

Didn’t I drop a hint sometime ago, on how this soldiering passion to uncover all the good gems (and some mediocrity thrown in for balance) around Section 17 will not be extinguished that easily?

Yes, and I am still much on track. My Elephant‘s the name of this not-so-hidden gem located at the ground floor of Happy Mansion; a chirpy, optimistic moniker for dilapidated blocks of flats in Section 17. They claim to serve quality Thai food with a healthy twist, and the chef hails from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand.

And thus, was this Thai feast experience suffice to nurture this perpetually craving soul?

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#1 – Dim lighting from the ‘adaptive, reworked chandeliers’ hanging precariously over the tables, the simplicity of the overall design lending a soothing mood to the ambience, and a contemporary finish that won’t make you feel out of place, even if you’re in jeans and sneakers.

Bistro à Table (pronounced “ah-tah-bl”, which means “To The Table” in French) brought an entire new game to the serene neighbourhood of Section 17 in Petaling Jaya. Mention Section 17 and my mind was automatically diverted to Happy Mansion (My Elephant, Food Foundry, MM Cafe, nameless chicken rice stall) and the various street fares (Hong Seng’s roasted meats and Robert’s Char Kuey Teow are good examples).

But never would I have imagined a French diner in the midst of the residential area. Maybe it was what Isadora desired in the first place. To inject some flair with her baby; this supposedly “hole-in-the-wall” humble outlet.

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Char Kuey Teow; one of the instantly recognizable Malaysian classic hawker fares much loved by people from all walks of life, transcending generations and territories.

First of all, Happy Weekend, people. Was away for a 2-days training stint at One World Hotel in Bandar Utama; and spent the whole day in the function room and having meals at Cinnamon; their in-house cafe. The buffet lunch served was good, with ample varieties; but lacking in quality. When you have more than 3 varieties each of cooked chicken, fish, lamb and beef, then a dedicated Japanese cuisine counter for sashimi and sushi, a distant corner for tempura and dim sum, and even a counter with satay, tandoori, roti canai and various chutneys, it’s hard to do everything to the best extent.

Which brings me back to what I had for dinner earlier this week. Robert’s Char Kuey Teow in Section 17, PJ. When you see there’s a proof of media coverage on display, it’s bound to be above average; no?

Can’t say that this blew my mind off; but for a Penang Char Kuey Teow in Klang Valley, I guess this can be parked somewhere around the upper ranks of CKT in Klang Valley? Read on to find out more.

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A mouth-watering portion of caramelized ‘Char Siew’ and roast pork seated atop the pile of fragrant oil rice @ Hong Seng in Section 17, PJ. “Mum, I found a good one!!“

There was a time when I had very high hopes for Satellite Chicken Rice; voted as the BEST chicken rice in Klang Valley according to a poll. But my dream was shattered; hope crumbled like a piece of worthless paper. Aside from the traditional set up; set against the neighbouring juggernaut of a New Ipoh Restaurant Chicken Rice outlet, Satellite did not manage to wow me.

And my esteemed impression of chicken rice in KL/PJ was reduced to dust.

Then, like how a fallen warrior rises up to his feet, Hong Seng came knocking with a plea to reinstate my faith in chicken rice in Klang Valley. So I was brought here for lunch one fine afternoon by a good Samaritan; promising an experience worthy of an accolade in this Motormouth’s good books.

Okay ….. we shall see. Read the rest of this entry »