Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Dark, smoky, and slightly shady. A tad comfortable for a drink or two, but sitting on those stools while relishing one’s meal may prove to be rather …. tiring.

Arriving late for a dinner (at 9pm, mind you), we were surprised at the turnout at Chili’s in KLCC. Half-expecting an empty outlet, we were stumped as the place was packed, and a queue was forming. All non-smoking seats are taken, and we had to wait.

Hungry brain cells marred rationality, and I quickly opted for an available table right smack in the middle of the smoking area. With only tall stools, and little back support. Ouch.

The guacamole, sour cream, cheese shavings and tomato salsa for the Fajitas

Mushroom Jack – Grilled chicken and beef (or chicken only, or beef only), smothered with melted Jack cheese, and sauteed fresh mushrooms, bell peppers and onions (RM36.95)

Bacon Burger – Beef patty topped with smoked bacon, aged cheddar cheese, mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato and pickle. Served with homestyle fries, with skins intact. (RM20.95)

Perennial favourite of many sweet-toothed – Molten Chocolate Cake (RM19.95)

Japanese Casual Pasta & Cafe Restaurant – “Casual” is an understatement here.

The chic, bright and airy interior of the restaurant

Vanilla Float and Fresh Grapefruit Juice (complimentary with the sets ordered)

Prawn & Chicken Gratin – Penne with Wafu Cream Sauce

Doria – Spicy Cod Roe & Potato (Rice with Wafu mentai mayonnaise sauce)

Oozing with cheese; melted, creamy and glorious cheese, the rice baked with potatoes and spicy cod roe could be a meal on its own. The spicy cod roes provided much of the flavour, slightly spicy and saltish, topping the bland baked potatoes, and complemented perfectly by the creamy cheese melting onto the rice with wafu sauce. A perfect combination, if there ever was one.

The Gratin set was priced at RM13.80, while the Doria set was RM12.80. The selection of pasta at Pasta de Gohan is mind-boggling. I did not bother to count, but there were at least 50 types of pasta cooked with any methods imaginable. Fusion, hybrid, un-original (or original), or whatever the detractors may say, one can NEVER be bored with the endless selections here.

Location : PASTA de GOHAN @ LG2.126A, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, 3, Jln PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel : 603-5621 8166

Here’s some fusion-ized pasta-lovers : kampungboycitygal, Christine, masak-masak, & Ai Wei

Ladies & gentlemen, the newest (or at least, new to me!) addition to the ever-expanding line up of eateries in Pavilion, the MINISTRY OF FOOD !!!

Read about this chic cafe serving Japanese style desserts and beverages from other food blogs over the past few months. A timely resurgence of interest to Pavilion’s rather lacklustre range of restaurants and simple cafes. ‘Twas either too taxing on the wallet (restaurants on top floor, especially), or the meagre run-of-the-mill outlets at the lower ground floor.

Of course I can’t deny the appeal of some, the new Mr Baoz from Taiwan is interesting, but mixed reviews had me doubting. And when one’s craving for some snacks/desserts, it’s either JCo’s donuts (there’s a limit to the fresh appeal of the doughnut craze, and I’ve reached that long time ago), The Loaf’s pastries and still-delectable Uh-Hu-Hu Cheesecakes, and John King’s egg tarts.

Place your order and pay at the counter before you’re served

Cozy and bright ambience

Shira Sesame Hokkaido Gelato Mini (RM9)

Macha Mixed Imo (Soft serve with green tea sauce, red bean paste, yam and Japanese sweet potato) @ RM11

A top selection at MOF, and highly recommended by floggers alike, the Matcha Mixed Imo was served in a boat-like serving bowl, aesthetically-pleasing and leaving a lasting impression on the senses. The smooth and almost liquid-like texture of the soft serve (the soft ice cream made from Hokkaido milk, akin to McD’s soft vanilla ice-cream, but a bit smoother and none of the overpowering vanilla flavour) glided down the throat effortlessly, and the melting green tea sauce and sweet red bean paste intensified the flavours and complemented each other so well.

Imo refers to the imported Japanese sweet potatoes, and they’re deep-fried with light batter. The warm sweet potato and yam provided a hot and cold sensation when eaten with spoonfuls of the others. Blissful. But I’d recommend the sweet potatoes over the yam. (Note : you can have BOTH morsels of sweet potatoes, or BOTH yams, for the same price, if desired)

Location : MOF Japanese Sweets and Coffee @ Pavilion, Lot 1.02.00, Level 1, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03- 2144 1489

Those who helped in spreading the lurve : Masak-masak, Shell Food Station, and Yowazzup?

According to the proprietor’s daughter, who was the one running the shop with her family, they hailed from China, and Dong Bei is one of the pioneer Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. This restaurant is situated among a whole stretch of Chinese restaurants, serving an array of Chinese cuisine of different origins, from Szechuan to Teochew food. Dong Bei is literally translated to East-North, referring to a region in Northern part of China, or better known as Manchuria (the old name).

She explained to us (or rather, warned us) to brace ourselves for the slightly spicier than normal Chinese fare, resembling Szechuan’s offerings, but a notch below (thankfully!), in the Hot-o-Meter. This is because the province mentioned above experiences quite a cold climate, hence requiring the extra heat from all the chillies and peppercorns.

Refreshing, cooling herbal concoction promises to soothe the throat … or douse the flame

Without further ado, the lady (girl?) placed two glasses of herbal drinks, most probably “Yeung Sam Sou” (a type of wild ginseng?) with red dates. Oh well, in preparation for the hot stuff?

Salad of raw beancurd strips with julienned cucumber and coriander

An appetizing amalgam of flavours, the salad consisted of tossed raw beancurd strips (imported from China, not available in Malaysia) with cucumber, and coriander as garnishing. No mayo was sighted (duh … ) but some chilli oil with a faint hint of garlic was used to erm, lubricate the greens. A light and wholesome appetizer, with slight crunch, albeit oilier than your usual healthy salad.

Roasted (or stir-fried) pork ribs with salt and pepper

The small cutlets of spare ribs stir-fried with some red and green chillies, with adequate amount of chilli oil were savoury, but a little salty. And if you leave the meat to bask in the oily sauce, you’re guaranteed to experience well-soaked ribs, bursting with chilli oil. Not spicy, no worries.

Wood Ear Fungus stir fried with carrots and spring onions

The wood ear fungus (Muk Yee) is imported from Northern China, and delivered a crunchier bite compared to local’s produce. It was indeed true, and this simple vegetable dish was a delight to relish, crunchy and flavourful. My favourite dish of the evening. And what’s more, NOT too oily to boot.

Ma Lat Chicken Wings

Szechuan food aficionados will swear by the Ma Lat chilli paste, an ultra spicy, tongue-numbing concoction of the hottest dried chillies and peppercorns imported from the Sichuan province. But at Dong Bei, the heat has been toned down, probably to deviate from the resemblance to Szechuan food.

But still, the Ma Lat chicken wings served in a big, simple steel bowl, came in a generous portion, definitely meant for sharing. The chicken meat was tender, and bursting with flavour, but the peppercorns and dried chillies combination may prove to be slightly intimidating to some. I can stand the spiciness, but I just can’t stomach the greasiness. At the lower part of the dish, large bean sprouts and cucumber strips were drenched, and drowned in the spoonfuls of chilli oil. If you’re one who avoids oily food, this may be the ultimate bane of a dish.

All in all, the spread reminded me a lot of Beijing’s food. Especially when their signature dish, the “Water-Cooked Fish” (Sui Zhu Yue) is also widely and proudly served in most Beijing’s restaurants. You’ll be forgiven for thinking the fish is a humble dish cooked in soup, or water for that matter. But in reality, the fish is submerged with OIL, lots and lots of oil. The oil is supposed to maintain the smoothness of the flesh, and not meant to be drunk. But the sight of a whole fish “swimming” in oil will definitely deter a healthy eater. We were not served this dish, for a whole fish can feed a family of four.

They’re opened for business everyday, from 12pm to 12am, EVEN on Chinese New Year. Imagine that. Sorry, no prices for the dishes, as the meal was FOC. Muahaha … Thanks, Jason!

Location : 280, Changkat Thambi Dollah, Off Jln Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel No : 03-21487694.

A typical scene come lunch hour @ Din Tai Fung, The Gardens

Having sampled other Xiu Long Bao in other outlets (such as THIS), I’m still searching for a really tasty version of the small dumplings. And glad to say, Din Tai Fung passed the test, with flying colours.

The accompanying supporting characters …

Appetizer of crunchy, julienned wood ear fungus, red chillies, glass noodles and whatnots (RM2.00, yup, NOT complimentary)

The first and only outlet in Klang Valley, and Malaysia (correct me if I’m wrong), Din Tai Fung is located at the lower ground floor of The Gardens, Midvalley. The floor with Purple Cane, Nyonya Colors, and of course, Rak Thai.

Be sure to arrive early for lunch, else the queue might be a potential deterrent factor. On weekends and public holidays, you’ll be lucky to find a seat come peak hours.

Drunken Chicken @ RM11.80

Of course, they serve not only XLB and LaMian (hand-pulled noodles), but various other Chinese dishes as well. One fine example being a cold appetizer in the form of ‘Drunken Chicken’. True to its name, the cold cuts of chicken thigh exudes a hint of Chinese cooking wine aroma, enveloping the palate with a refreshing, yet strong aftertaste. Don’t worry, the meat may look pink, but they’re not raw. Crunchy, and light, this entree teases the palate for more to come.

Cha Jiang La Mian (Hand-pulled Noodles with Minced Pork & Beancurd) @ RM12.00

Foodie of the Day, my lunch companion, Mr T chose the La Mian for a substantial meal, as opposed to me who wished for something lighter, after a heavy breakfast of Bak Kut Teh. He had nothing but praises for the Cha Jiang La Mian. I wished I had sampled a few strands, but slight misfortune while chewing on the Drunken Chicken rendered me ‘handicapped’ from fully enjoying my meal. Shucks …

And ladies & gentlemen, the acclaimed Xiu Long Bao !!!

If it’s your first time here, I highly recommend their XLB, aka Mini Pork Dumplings with Soup, encased within folds after folds of thin skin, an important aspect when relishing these morsels of goodies. At Dragon-i, the fillings of pork meat was a tad dryer than Din Tai Fung’s, and the skin was not as translucent/thin as I’d hoped for. But the XLB from Din Tai Fung was a step above the rest, as they say. And the soup was NOT of tongue-burning temperature, further enhancing the “one sip of soup, one bite of pork” experience. Dip them into the julienned ginger in vinegar sauce, and you’d secretly hope you’re not sharing the portion. Hoard them all, baby ….

A shot of the Drunken Chicken – Culprit to a bleeding tongue =(

Savour them one bite at a time … OR throw the whole dumpling into your mouth, feeling the squirts of sweet, yet savoury soup

A thoroughly satisfying experience. Will definitely be back for more, once I’ve tried everything (worth-trying, I might add) at The Gardens, possibly.

A ‘brief‘ history on Nippy Noodles and their signature homemade noodles

The noodle is no doubt the main attraction at this restaurant, supplemented by the supporting cast of wanton (pork/prawn dumplings), char siew (caramelised BBQ pork), siu cheong (herbed liver and pork sausage), siu yoke (roasted pork) and so forth.

They allocate a special room for the manufacturing of the noodles, in clear view of the patrons, a gimmicky yet interesting concept. Basically, as vulgar as this may sound, the chef making the raw noodles from the mixture of flour and egg (not just any eggs, but Omega 3 eggs, mind you) will ride on a HUGE & long bamboo ala piggybacking on a horse, and erm, bounce up and down while exerting pressure on the flour mixture.

BBQ Sliced Pork and Wanton Noodles (RM6.20)

The result? You’ll get the most springy or QQ egg noodles you can ever find. Really. The noodles come in thinner strands than the one at the usual wanton mee stalls, and deliver an almost crunchy-like texture, teasing the palate for more after every slurp. Of course, serving’s not that big, but should do with the accompaniments of BBQ sliced pork (char siew) and Wanton. The char siew was nothing to shout about, but the Wanton was another story altogether. If I remember correctly, other than the minced pork and prawn paste, they included crunchy carrots and some other vegetables, rendering the filling fragrant, and delivered a satisfying bite.

Herbed Liver & Pork Sausage + Wanton Noodles (RM6.20)

You can have practically all kinds of meat to go with your bowl of noodles, which you can choose to have them dry (tossed with some soy sauce) or wet (in clear broth). To fully savour the noodles amazing texture, go for the dry one, I’d recommend.

The Siu Cheong (Herbed Liver and Pork Sausage) is one of the rarer variety of roasted meat to be found in your everyday chicken rice stall nowadays. When I was small, I used to order them every time I had my meals at a chicken rice stall. Though the sausages at Nippy’s were packed with flavours, but somehow the taste was not memorable, nor they demand another visit just for them.

I can have a bowl of the noodles sans the supporting characters, anyday …

Their menu’s pretty extensive, and I believe their wanton (dumpling) skin in soup is one of their more popular choice, and so is the sui kow (larger dumplings with meat and vegetables). Didn’t realise Kuchai Lama’s Entrepreneurs Park houses so many eateries. There are various outlets that caught my eyes, and I’ll be sure to return for more. =)

Location : NIPPY NOODLES RESTAURANT @ No 25, Jln Kuchai Lama Maju 7, Entrepreneurs Park, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur. Tel No : 603-79821781.