Ally Archives

In Chinese Food By Taufulou 3 Mins Read

Toh Soon Cafe 多春茶座 @ Campbell Street, Penang

23/09/2012 No Comments

One of the place that me and my friends had been talking for ages is to come to this very old classic for breakfast. It was on the long weekend when I was back to Penang and I got drag by a few of them to hunt for this place and finally we are here. Toh Soon Cafe operates in a small ally at Campbell Street that this place is one of a favourite hang out place during my grandparents time.

It was those good old times whereby you can see alot of people sitting here enjoying their coffee while reading newspaper as this place serve Hainanese breakfast, that operate by an old couple.

Cannot deny that this place is pretty well known now by many people, thanks to blog and Facebook had sligltly popularize this place. AS it is long weekend, definately you will see alot of tourist in this cafe.

Please do have patients in this cafe while waiting for your toast and coffee as it is handle by these old couple and help of friends.

Many people came here just for the classic breakfast, which is toast, steam bread, half boil egg with coffee.

Keke, you will never get to see this super classic toaster, that is modified from oil barrel burn with charcoal at the bottom as at the deepest level, there is where your bread are toast and head further up, there is where your hot water is being boiled. 2 in 1.

Toh Soon Singature drink, Kopi . .. Not so bitter compare to the others, slightly robust in coffee and I always prefer mine with milk. My friend ended up having 2 glass of this.

I still prefer mine in hot for breakfast.

another signature here I would say is their steam bun. Its soft near to cotton that spread with simple kaya and butter. Definitely they are more generous in their ingredients compare to any franchise chain.

To eat it in more classic, I usually will dip it into my kopi as taught by my grandfather. To be even more classic, you can pour your coffee onto the base plate and drink it from there.

Toast bread range:

This is one of a unique one as the bread had slight chocolate taste and toast then spread with kaya and butter. Nice.

so this is how I enjoy my simple classic breakfast over the morning. Just perfect. Nothing much to shout about as only one thing that you must not miss is their steam bread. Loving it.

Parking here can be a pain in the ass as its very limited. Therefore you can try Lorong Kampung Malabar (next to Lebuh Campbell) where there’s a lot of parking always available and just walk into the lane only about 50m away.

-= Ka Ching =-

Food Rating 7/10, ~ just normal classic breakfast -Stamped-

–Warning– This is based on my individual taste. Try it at your own risk-

Location:
Toh Soon Cafe 多春茶座
Campbell Street, Off Penang Road,
George Town, 10100 Penang
Tel : 04 2613754

GPS Coordinates: N5 25.118 E100 19.916
Map: http://wikimapia.org/#lat=5.4187637&lon=100.3320032&z=18&l=0&m=s&v=9

Business hour: 8am to 6pm (Closed on Sundays)

In Featured By Taufulou 5 Mins Read

Acme Bar & Coffee (ABC) @ Troika, KL

08/05/2012 No Comments

How I found out this place is when I was browsing thru TimeoutKL and I saw a visual that attracted me to click on it and in my thought, hmmmm . . .since when we have such a nice cafe and found out that its Acme Bar & Coffee which is a new restaurant that open its door to public since last December 2011. This cafe is located under a very high end condo at KL known as The Troika that have a great modern architecture design on the building. Its hard to miss on the location. The place also host some retailing and offices units.

Well, AcmeBar & Coffee or known as ABC is well situated on the ground floor of this building.

I just love the ambiance of the place that offer a very New York kind of concept. .

As you enter the cafe, you will be greeted by their well train friendly staff and will seat you accordingly. .

As you went in, the interior design itself will blow your mind away . .

Even they have a dining place that looks like you are dining in an little ally space and these area are expose to all natural light which makes it a perfect place to be seated if you plan to take nice picture of on the food or friends. As it was fully occupied then we were seated in another comfy section.

We choose to be seated on the comfy sofa area that overlook on the wine rack and coffee bar counter.

Just love their classic coffee machine that makes me think that I have seen that some where only I remembered that its something that looks alike to the movie Green Hornet that Jay Chou acted along with a coffee machine to brew coffee for his boss. I am just as amaze with this coffee machine.

Cannot deny that the barista is well train to brew on the coffee with smooth froth as what I was train up last time. Just only that the price of the coffee restrict me from ordering one. A simple latte that cost RM15 which I felt that not worth it.

Menu are pretty simple from late breakfast to ala cart menu all in one.

As you were seated along, every table will be offered a complimentary bottle of water. One of the thing we found out that the glass have some fishy smell as my friends wasnt aware on that until I told them. I guess either they used dish washer or just mix along with something else while washing along.

When I saw other blogger blog about this place, their Cake counter certainly attracted me the most with all the tempting cakes being on display and what we think of it is, this place must have stayed super clean that to ensure no flies are coming in cuz its left expose open.

As I am taking picture from this distance, I can smell nice aroma trailing on my nose which is the Cempedak Cake.

We arrive here pretty late in the noon and yet still decided to try out their late breakfast so we kick start off with Salmon Mousse @ RM 19

The first dish really kick start our day as the salmon mousse act like a jam for the bread to spread it and the taste is just absolute perfect , smooth and aromatic with their own home made toast bread .. – Recommended!

Next to opt for healthy option my friend went along with Cheeze Salad @ RM 29. When we see these plate wondering where are all the cheeze.

Till we cut it only realise that the deep fried ball is actually cheeze. The salad is dress along with thin slice green apple and season pear which I thought it was salmon chunks. 😀 Well, this dish wasnt finish by my friend as its quite plain and nothing to shout about .. 😉

and here come mine Asparagus and Duck Bacon @ RM 19 comes with 2 sunny side up, toast bread and duck bacon chunks.

AFter eating finish only I realise that the plates are different and makes the whole thing become ABC. . .nice~

A slice of cake that tempted me to try is this Cempedak Cake @ RM 15, that have pandan sponge cake in between the layer. The cake smells very nice and aromatic, as we find that the pandan cake if it was done more sponge and not so solid a bit more dry would be perfect and the cempedak taste is less sweet then it would have been a perfect piece of cake.

If you are looking for a place to dine with perfect ambiance, this place is certainly a good place to be or chill, and if you are talking about the food its not too bad as I think its way overprice, besides that the service is good! Total bill came up to RM 95.10 as I find that I can find better food for that kind of price. 😀

-= Ka Ching =-

Food Rating 6/10, so so lah~ Recommended for its ambiance -Stamped-

–Warning– This is based on my individual taste. Try it at your own risk-

Location:
Acme Bar & Coffee
Ground Floor at the Troika
19 Persiaran KLCC
50450 Kuala Lumpur
(Behind Intercontinental Hotel – previously known as Nikko Hotel at Jalan Ampang)

Tel: 03-2162 2288

www.acmebarcoffee.com

In Butterworth / BM By Taufulou 2 Mins Read

Abang Is Char Koey Teow @ Lorong Alka Ria

12/11/2011 No Comments

This round, lets head to the local favourites that was told this stall operate in an ally back in those days, as their business boom up, then now they have gotten a shop right at the corner busy junction. A local favourite that miss by many locals around the area is this little Halal Abang Is Char Koey Teow, which is more towards malay version which is located in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

It might look very empty, as I was their during dinner hours, which they just started operation, as it heads towards woo hours, the crowd will start pouring in.

In their menu, they have limited choice of food to chose from as this is what they are good at according to my friend, also very reasonably price.

This is what they are famous for, wet version of Char Koey Teow or what I called it Koey Teow Basah as I order a small one, because I just had dinner at another place before heading here. One reason that attracted many people to drop by is their soup base koey teow, taste a bit sweet, salty and a bit thick in flavour, every spoonfull you get to drink with soup that is just perfect. Portion is just right at RM3 for small. You can try their special as filled with more seafood that price at RM5. Pretty good deal.

I have tried before a few Malay version Abang IS Char Koey Teow and definately this stall hit the top at the moment. Its a crowd favourite around the neighborhood, if you do drop by, you can give it a try. . .

*HALAL

-= Ka Ching =-

Food Rating 7.5/10, pretty good~ -Stamped-

–Warning– This is based on my individual taste. Try it at your own risk-

Location:
Abang Is Char Keoy Teow Lorong Alka Ria,
Jalan Bunga Raya,
14000, Bukit Mertajam, Penang
(at the corner junction next to Pos Office)

Operating hours:
7.30pm – 2am (i think)

GPS Coordinates: N5.36485,E100.45956

View Char Keoy Teow Lorong Alka Ria in a larger map

In Bangsar By Taufulou 4 Mins Read

RiceTaurant @ Bangsar Village 2

26/09/2011 No Comments

The funny thing is that, when May Ling ask me to join her for dinner and told me the name of the restaurant I was like hah? again and again. .. as the restaurant name is called Ricetaurant which is located in Bangsar Village 2 which I cant even remember when is the last time that I came here.

The changes here is quite alot that now host quite a number of nice cafe’s and restaurant in this building.

Get to know one of the reason that why the restaurant is name like that because of Asian’s culture that most of us need to have rice on most of our meals.

Ricetaurant offers best of dishes around the region that makes it a bit fusion style.

I like the restaurant design in such a way that, it looks like a small little hidden cafe in some ally when I was in Melbourne, with tree trunk and very classic kitchen utensils to be party of the design.

The place is not big, but good enough to provide us a very comfy dining space, with paintings on the wall and open space kitchen right in the corner.

I like their menu, it reminds me when I was in primary school on maths homework exercise book. Price wise is pretty decent which is not too over price with their portion being served.

1) Apple, Elderflower and Lychee – just a perfect drink that blend till just perfect that I can taste the apple skin and very tiny small cubes of lychee – Recommended

2) Hainanese Tea

3) Pineapple, Orange and Mint

Chinese Olives & Seafood Fried Rice smells good, that already know enough ‘wok hei’. The rice were fried till perfect dry, very fragrant in taste and just find that the black pepper taste slightly over power the overall taste. If they reduce a bit, it would be perfect.

One of my favourite of the night is Teriyaki Chicken, which had been marinated very well, then cook along that the chicken is soft and every piece that I bite, the chicken is well coat with the sauce. Recommended

A plain simple fried rice, that lean towards very simple chinese style is Chicken and Long Bean Fried Rice. Very mild in taste yet fragrant in wok hei and if you eat along with some curry dishes, just good enough to be satisfied for me.

Another star of the night is Claypot Chicken, Yam and Dried Prawns in Nam Yue Sauce. Cook so well that the gravy is just thick enough, and some yam that just melts along with it, with cubes of chicken is soft and perfect to eat along with rice. – Recommended

Sweet and Sour Fish

If I am not mistaken this is Belacan Fried Chicken which is out of my expectation, fried crisply and by dipping with the sauce adds a bit kick but I still think eat it plain is much better and along with any of the fried rice.

If you love cuisine from east, then this is another must order dish – Ayam Percik with Nasi Ulam

The trick is, you must mix everything up Oxtail Asam Pedas, Sambal Belacan, Salted Egg, Ulam-ulam, Salted Fish and then eat along. Taste is pretty authentic with the ones I have tried before.

After we are so full, I still decide to try out their Black Sticky Rice with Coconut Milk. Sticky enough, as the black stick rice cook till its soft and its a suprise that they add in lychee that makes it natural sweet on fruits, as I have always like mine to mix along with coconut milk which makes it perfect. Not many places I get to enjoy this and certainly this is one of the recommended desert for me.

After the whole meal, we are just satisfied and surely we are going to return for more, as most of the dish here are quite authentic and nice.

*Pork Free

Location:
RICETAURANT
2F-29, Bangsar Village 2,
No. 1, Jalan Telawi Satu, Bangsar Baru,
59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Contact : Leong / Wong : +603 – 2287 1566
Opening Hours :12noon – 3pm daily & 6pm – 10pm daily

Website : www.thebiggroup.co/ricetaurant/

In Featured By Taufulou 5 Mins Read

Dinner @ TarBush Restaurant,StarHill

19/12/2008 No Comments

Finally, after a few days of searching of restaurant, we have decided this will be the restaurant to be dine for the Team Bonding Champion’s held at Port Dickson last weekend. This restaurant have a nice ambiance as to my first time I went down to lower ground of StarHill and to my astonishment, the whole place is well decorated with alot of fine dining restaurants and the design of the area is just so good. It does not surprise me only during the first visit but definitely the rest also.

Tarbush actually serve Arabic food and the owner is also from Arab. Therefore with the origins of the actual culture, we give it a try.

The decoration of the restaurant is not bad but definitely its crowded, when it comes to celebration as that day it was not us only have celebration there were another big long table on next to us was about 14-18 people, and us would be 9 people. It was crowded until like the waiter and waitress have sneak thru the narrow ally of the chairs in between with us praying that the food don’t fall on our head. Communication would be a problem if you ask the wrong waiter or waitress as they are from Arab. They do have locals also but I definitely can say that during Tuesday night, the whole restaurant was full with foreigners and we were the only local customer that they have.

Caesar Salad

This would be the first dish of the night, a Caesar Salad. Can honestly said that it is just a salad, noting special on it and of course most of the team winner did not finish it as this is their first time in their life that start to eat a meal with a salad.

Mushroom Soup

The second dish that came up. Mushroom Soup. Definitely it looks ordinary, but when you drink it, it is so think and fill with mushroom blended. Not only that, the special ingredient that they add in was oyster. They blend mushroom and oyster together, that makes the taste nice and think.

This is my main course, forgot what it is called as I forgot to take the receipt back. But the whole meat is all lamb. The lamb is so tender and soft. Juicy and melt on the fats of it. The nasi beyani have the wok aroma. It goes very well with the nut and also eggplant.

This is the winner main course as most of them ordered this which is the Lamb.(forgot what’s the name also) This serving was not really nice, as the lamb is overcook. Some pieces of the lamb is burn because the reheat the food again. Even you can take one of the burn piece of lamb and throw the dog, will faint. It is just so hard. We complain on this dish.

Mix Grill

This is another main course we ordered. Its Mix Grill, This definitely taste alot much better compare to the Lamb thing. It is a mixture of Chicken and Lamb. Start off with the chicken, the chicken tendory is so juicy and soft as they cook it just nice, not too hard and ngam ngam cook. The Lamb is definitely the best in there, they season it with mint I believe as has strong taste of it, yet when you cut it, there will be the juice flowing out from the lamb. The pizza, from the top left is the nicest, they mince the lamb and baked in pizza style.

Caramel Pudding & Arab Dessert(Baklawa)

Caramel pudding taste normal, noting special on that. But definitely to our shocking experience, the Arab Dessert is the most expensive desert we ever encounter. It cost RM15 and it was only a few pieces on the dish. Looks like the left over that they manage to accumulate and serve it out. We were so ‘charm’ have to be like 1 person bite half. BANNED on it. It was not as nice as I ate when I was in Melbourne.

This are the chef that prepare our food. Definitely a good job to him, in the middle. We will come saviour on the lamb again. Definately the service in there was good by the supervisor Yaakob. Great job to you for serving us so good. During the complain of the lamb, he asked us what do we want for the compensation, in the end he gave us 1 more extra Sisha and 2 ‘Teko’ of Arab Tea.

9 of us dine in a total bill of RM650. Well, I guess it was reasonable. As 5 of them (champion had 4 dish course and 4 committee only had main dish and a drink.

-= KA CHING =- Stamped

Food rating 7/10 , GOOD(Fine food)

– WARNING –This is based on my individual taste. Try it at your own risk-

Location:

Tarbush Restaurant(Starhill Outlet)

No.LG 16, Starhill Gallery,

Jln Bukit Bintang

55100 K.L

Tel: 03-2144 6393

Ally

Toh Soon Cafe 多春茶座 @ Campbell Street, Penang

Acme Bar & Coffee (ABC) @ Troika, KL

Abang Is Char Koey Teow @ Lorong Alka Ria

RiceTaurant @ Bangsar Village 2

Dinner @ TarBush Restaurant,StarHill

Hidden Cocktail Bar, Her House, Chinatown KL

Waig by Chipta11a @ APW Bangsar

Heineken Ghosted Bar

Authentic Thai Chicken Rice from Thailand, Scotts Garden, KL

Hidden Cocktail Bar, Her House, Chinatown KL

Waig by Chipta11a @ APW Bangsar

Heineken Ghosted Bar

Nice Bubble Milk Tea Chatime from Taiwan had landed @ Pavilion

12inch Burger at Cravings Kitchen and Bistro @ Sunway Giza

Hong Kong Disneyland