Concept Kitchen Archives

In Chinese Food By Taufulou 7 Mins Read

Best of Penang Street Food @ Penang One – Kota Damansara

05/08/2013 No Comments

[close down – only left at Bandar Puteri, Puchong]

Any of you love Penang food? I guess most of you do right and most of you would travel up North during long weekend for the awesome street food. Guess what! Now we have discover one new outlet that newly open in Kota Damansara recently that sell alot of best Penang street food under one roof, known as Penang One. Their first outlet is in Bandar Puteri, Puchong.

Located in the heart of Kota Damansara where parking would be a big headache for you and this doesnt stop us from hunting it. Since our first visit, we have been going back as regular and I must say that the food is as good as where you can find in Penang. Definately not 100% but its at 80% similar which is good for us down in Klang Valley here.

I am sure many of you still have yet discover fully where is the best food in Penang and the same goes to me. The owner have this big mission that wanted to provide folks in KL for good Penang food and therefore he himself as a Penangnite have work out a contract with all this famous hawker people to provide all the ingredients. All this being transport down to KL 2 days once. Therefore the taste is pretty much 80% the same as the famous hawker owner train all the staff themselves..

The owner have marked down all the famous hawker stall location in the map and light history on the wall where he brought down here.

Here you go on the list if you fancy any of the street food.

Place here are pretty cozy and service here is pretty good~

If you worry how they cook your meal and they have open concept kitchen for your viewing and those of you who loves the Tambun Biscuits & now they are available here too with the brand Him Heang which is one of my favourite brand. Now you need not queue that long as its while stock last daily.

Lets see what we can have here and 8 of us are already very hungry.

What is available in the menu is sufficient to stop our craving back in our hometown and we particularly ordered the whole menu, to try out on the taste.

Homemade Otak Otak which is one of my favourite, no doubht that this taste exactly the same as one of my favourite stall. Steam to perfection that its soft on the outside and a huge slice of fish being inserted in the middle with fragrant leaves that absorb it very well. RM4.50 I have no complain in that.

Those of you that miss Chee Cheong Fun, its all the way from Macalister Road. Prawn paste is good and just thick enough to coat around the chee cheong fun and although its not from my favourite Genting Kopitiam but this is as good as an alternative for me. @RM 3.90

I certainly love Bak Chang – Special Dumpling @ RM 8.90 and alot people come here make a take away back to other country as they are being made fresh and air tight it in a pack of 8 if not mistaken. Then just put it into a boiling water for 5 minutes then you can eat it after that, with sticky rice and not too salty yet with generous amount of Ingredient.

Another version of Bak Chang will be the white base and if not mistaken is the Teo Chew style as the filling is more towards peanuts. Not bad either as Ken loves this one and me prefer the traditional one.

For Loh bak is hail all the way from Kheng Pin Kopitiam if not mistaken as I did saw a visual on that kopitiam on the wall. The Loh Sauce is as good as it is that is thicken, prawn crackers are fried to perfection. @RM 11.90

The Asam Laksa is pretty well known in Lorong Selamat that I have not try before. When you talk about Lorong Selamat everyone’s thought would be Char Koey Teow! Nevertheless this is as good as it is, that cook with alot of mince fish meat and top with a few slices of fish as the top as we add on with additional RM1.50 . Soup is as good as the famous ones in Penang, sour enough and light spicy end with fish fragrant taste.. @ RM 8.50

This is another stall that I have not tried before in Penang which is Kampung Jawa Char Koey Teow and I ask my friend they say its very good and their business hours is only from 7am – 10am daily and have to wait at least 30 minutes – 45 minutes for your plate to be serve. Will go back and try the original one but before that, the Char Koey Teow in this outlet best most of the stalls in KL. Cook till with wok hei and the koey teow is slight dry to my linking and top with huge prawns @RM 9.50

This is the Yam Cake @ RM 5.50

Ahh, version of Curry Mee is hard to find in Klang Valley they need to be serve along with pork blood. Most of the curry mee here is in curry soup base. Penang version is, soup is fragrant with light pandan and mild santan taste the follow I add in one full scoop of curry to make it fiery red. Perfect as it is. @ RM 8.50

I get to know that Klang Valley is not pretty well known for Duck Meat Koey Teow Soup but i have always love mine in this version. Sou is sweet and filled with duck meat, fish balls, pork balls and fish cake that all is home made except pork ball.

If you love New World Park Ice Kacang then you gonna love this as it taste exactly the same. I prefer the Ice Kacang @ RM 6.50 more than the Cendul.

This make no exception as well Tee Nya Kuih from there as well @ RM 3.50. Have to be serve chill then add in gula melaka to eat along. Soft as it is and gula melaka is not too sweet.

Muar Chee @ RM 3.90, as the difference is the peanut base as its slightly more fine.

Rojak @ RM 7.50 is not the best one from Penang to my own preference but some they love it as well.

This is my very own special request on my chilhood snacks. A huge slice of Seng Kuang then top the rojak sauce on the top add on with peanuts after that.

This is what happen to us when we found something good and hail all the way back from our hometown. We order so much that we inteded to give it a sharing at first and end up most of us having each plate each.

If you are craving for Penang food and lazy to drive all the way up north, here is one of the best place you can find in Klang Valley and no complain at all. It beats alot of stall out there, and had become our weekly affair, some is daily. 😀

Price is pretty reasonable with the concept that the owner is trying to do and portion is average. Not too big nor too small or if you compare to KL serving portion its definitely slightly smaller. A highly Recommended place by me for Penang food.

*NON-Halal

-= Ka Ching =-

Food Rating 9/10, good stuff, highly Recommended! -Stamped-

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

Location;
Penang One
16-1, Jalan PJU5/7,
Dataran Sunway,
47810 Kota Damansara,
Petaling Jaya.

Tel: 03-6151 1083

GPS Coordinates: N03 09.071 E101 3.396

In Food By Taufulou 3 Mins Read

Geo’s Cafe @ Desa Sri Hartamas

09/07/2013 No Comments

What is the first instant thing when people say Hartamas? Instead of luxury housing area, it comes to me food. Smack right in the heart of Hartamas you can see rows of shophouses that is filled with alot eateries and some offices. Well, there is actually one hidden place that is flock with many young people during night.

Its Geo’s Cafe, that had been operating in this area for a few years now, starting off their business by sharing a hawker stall, evolve to burger truck and now they have settle down in a proper shop now. Not only that, their business is so good that now they are planing to take over another shop in the corner to cater for family crowd.

Its not a huge shop but the sitting area are all being place at the walkway pavement.

they also practice open concept kitchen.

Geo’s Cafe food offering are more towards western fusion, with street gourmet burgers, Italian range and some local cuisine.

Geo’s Extreme Lamb Burger @ RM 13 – single homemade lamb patty with cheddar cheese, homemade GorGEOS sauce, fresh lettuce, slices of onions, with sesame bun.

Drench in sauces and smells good when it was serve as it does taste as good as it smells. Patty is soft along with melted cheese and their own special sauce that add the kicks of it. The patty also have little lamb taste that make it nicer. 🙂

Their Speghetti Carbonara is not bad, creamy and the speghetti is slightly overcook.

Beef Steak serve with Pasta @ RM 23 – serve with a choice of mushroom, blackpepper, garden salad with thousand island dressing and serve with aglio alio pasta. Love their aglio alio which is light in garlic taste and aromatic.

If you are there chilling with your friends then Chicken Wings @ RM 8 – Honey coated chicken wings serve with creamy cheese sauce. Is one of the snacks you must order. Serve pippin hot, crips on the skin and pairs well with their cream cheeze.

Surely this turns out to be one of the hotspot for many young people as during dinner they attract more young family crowd too. Will be one of my hang out spot soon too as they are pretty well known with their sisha.

*HALAL

Location:
Geo Cafe
11 Off Jalan 26/0A,
Desa Sri Hartamas,
50480, KL
the road inbetween Pelita & Kantin.
(opp Police station)
Hartamas.

Operation hours:
7.30pm – 3am

View Geo’s Cafe in a larger map

In Featured By Taufulou 5 Mins Read

Great Mediterranean Food at Bondi Junction @ Setia Walk, Puchong

10/02/2013 No Comments

I am starting to like Setia Walk in Puchong to be appear another main joint of drinking and eatery place. Spreading out their lovely landscaping that is one of the main crowd puller that provides great ambiance which is something unique compare to other mall. Bondi Junction.

This would be my second time here as still find parking here is a bit confusing or there weren’t proper signage up yet at the moment. Last round that I came, I visited Sushi Tei and now came back here for second round, we are in hunt for one Mediterranean food located at Block F level one. First timer here looking for this shop, surely will be lost locating. Just look for Ding Tea, and its above it.

A simple casual dining place whereby you can just hop in anytime. A place whereby its decorated with simple hanging decorations, and why Australia flag is there, its because mainly the influence are from Australia, hence Bondi Junction is the name of the shop whereby its a place in Sydney.

Its pretty amazing that they have this open concept kitchen yet you don feel that the smoke from kitchen is coming out. Maybe its non-air condition and pretty well ventilation around the area that do not make us feel it.

A simple menu with good offerings for us to hunt from. Price of dish are pretty decent.

I have tried this previously when we first drop by after my meal at Sushi Tei and instally we fall for this Focaccia Bread with 4 dips @ RM25. Made freshly by the chef with only limited offerings available. When it was place onto the table, the aroma of the freshly bake bread with rosemary and olives dotting the flat loaf entrails into our nose and just couldn’t wait to get a bite of it. .

Comes with 4 dips: sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, black olives and balsamic vinegar, and I prefer the sundried tomato and feta cheeze are awesome combination.

Wild Mushroom Soup @ RM 11 are all in homemade style with fresh ingredients that cook on the spot. Its flavourful that we need not even add in any black pepper that the taste is already there. How could we resist the temptation of this.

Roasted Pumpkin and Red Capsicum Soup @ RM 11 would be something unique for the night as there are hint of little spicy pepper taste and both are equally good. In the end, we order the soup again for another round.

This doesnt look like pizza as the own version of Bondi Junction Meat Lovers @ RM25 topped with turkey ham, pepperoni, minced beef, onions, capsicum, olives and mozzarella. The dough are prepared daily for pizza and made fresh. Its slightly different from any other pizza that I had as the crust is thin and near to bread. I prefer meat lovers more.

Bondi Special @ RM27 – with basil pesto, olives, sundried tomatoes, capsicum, pepperoni, egg, onions and mozzarella.

To me, super star of the night would be Beef Lasagna @ RM18. After one bite of this, it instantly hit onto my top chart as one of the best. Soft filling inside out with carefully baked melted cheeze on top, with chef special tomato base sauce that make it outstanding. -Highly recommended for Beef as I think it taste much better than Chicken.

Beef Bolognese Spaghetti @ RM15 Minced beef in Napolitana sauce with basil and parmigiano. I think this is not bad as I had the lasagna first and I think it had overpower the taste this. Spaghetti is al-dante.

Most people would misfire this dish – Chicken Gordon Bleu @ RM30 for one of a simple reason that the chicken breast would end up very dry. As for here, it suprise us that its not dry yet still quite juicy and aromatic with cheeze & ham taste in it. Well done.

Stuffed Seafood Chicken @ RM30 is one of a unique this that I have come across as pan-seared chicken roulade stuffed with chopped seafood served with pistachio sauce, greens and grilled herbed potatoes. Its a very well balance dish with greens, roasted potato and the sauce of pistachio taste unique. What makes it perfect is with red wine that pulls the taste up very well.

Roasted Salmon with Red Pesto @ RM32 a dish that looks very healthy to me. With colourful veggie and lemon for you to squeeze on.

Comes dessert time, rarely no one will say no.

Crème Brulee, Classic Apple Pie and French Lemon Tart, @ RM10 each.

At that point, we were pretty stuff and yet the picture of this Russian Benny @ RM17 – fatty salmon, mushrooms and toast with the thick creamy Hollandaise sauce keep calling our name. Its agreat breakfast that we order 2 portion. Do let the waiter know you prefer runny yolk as one dish the yolk are pretty cook. Of course with this great breakfast would not be complete with. . . Coffee.

Coffee in Bondi Junction are pretty good. I love their Mocha and Flat white. They are price in between RM6 and RM9

Valentines is just around the corner and looking for something pretty simple with great food, definitely this outlet would be another recommendation by me even for ordinary dining with friends and family.

Location:

Bondi Junction
F-03-1 Block F, Setia Walk
Persiaran Wawasan, Pusat Bandar Puchong
47160 Puchong

Tel: 016-6197565 (Willy Chan)
Email: [email protected]

In Featured By Taufulou 4 Mins Read

Picknik Comfort Food Cafe @ Publika

18/12/2012 No Comments

There are many new restaurants popping out in Publika as one of the addition recently is Picknik Comfort Food Cafe. If you do watch Masterchef Malaysia, that Nik Micheal Imran is one of the finalist. Following his father’s footstep Dato Nik Ezar, cooking was his passion and already can see his creativity in cooking since then. Just 23 years old with his first restaurant pairing with his dad had come out with this cafe.

With its first of its kind open concept kitchen in Malaysia, is one of the main attraction that this outlet have. I still do remember I used to like to sit at the kitchen bar area to see the chef cook my dish. This outlet certainly brings back memory. I am not saying Teppanyaki cooking but a proper meal cooking.

Derive from the tagline comfort food, means that its a normal dining with great use of ingredient and for many people to enjoy. Creating pleasant ambiance that feels like home, with a simple menu for you to choose on your favorite food.

You can see Chef Nik in action and even you can talk to him. Not only that, they do have regular that love sitting at the bar area, dine and see him cook.

Menu is not huge but good enough to make you headache on your selection.

Its a very simple decoration that they have to suit on their tagline comfort food.

Dato Nik host us the dinner and its amazing to see his passion and burning desire on the things that he do, that his sumarry of life journey as a chef and corporate world is just to be admire. Alright, lets put that aside and head to the main selection.

Virgin Mojito, Shirley Temple and Lemonade.

Head start with something simple Stracciatella @ RM 7 where the soup is being served with the Itallian chicken consomme infused with Parmesan, croutons, parsley, and egg white ribbons.

A light and simple soup to start off your meal.

Watercress and Pear with Nuts @ RM 13. Fresh peppery watercress tattered with sweet pears, strawberries and almond flakes and special mustard dressing. Sweetness of pear and light sourish of strawberry with their special mustard sauce just balance it well. Then Dato Nik tell us why he added crushed almond in, is to give a crispy and crunchy bites

If you need something to munch while waiting for your mains, then Deep Fried Squid @ RM13 is a good option to go. Looks ordinary fried squid but the sauce is to die for which is chili salsa. A well balance sauce that give a perfect match to the squid.

Busy preparing our mains.

As it pass late dinner, more and more crowds are coming in.

The lamb Cutlet @ RM 20/piece

I must say this is the super star of the night, with one great marination that they have over the day, meat is so juicy and tender that the sauce of kimchi pairs very well although it sounds weird at first. I would not mind to have this 5 pieces on my own. Highly Recommended!

If you love adventure, this is another of my favourite that took a long process to do this according to Dato Nik. Chicken Liver Pate @ RM 16 is also known as one of the signature in the restaurant that you shall not be miss. Pureed chicken liver with butter that chill in a process that blend the taste very good and I have it in one bite. Flavourful, light and simple. – Recommended~

Spaghetti Marinara is something to go after. I do not prefer my spaghetti to be in tomato sauce or red. Filled with calamari, fish, prawns, clams and herbs in napolitana sauce is the sauce that win my heart away. @ RM 30

Spaghetti Aglio Olio is one of a classic range with just garlic and chili flakes of course olive oil. RM 14; with prawns RM18

Another great salad not to be miss.

If you are asking me where got nice Halal restaurant to dine during Christmas, surely this is one of it to be in the list.

Location:
PickNik,
UG1-05, Block A4,
Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.
(facing main road/above Papa Rich)

Tel: 03-6411-6499

In Chinese Food By Taufulou 5 Mins Read

Moon Cake @ Lai Poh Heen, Mandarin Oriental, KL

11/09/2012 No Comments

I am excited as setting my foot for the first time in this restaurant Lai Poh Heen in Madarin Oriental. I have read many good feedback about this Chinese Restaurant and further more, one of my favourite chef is here, Chef Ricky Thein that I got to know him when he is in Prince Hotel Tai Zi Heen.

As you walk thru the main entrance, you will be greeted with friendly staff then follow by a huge open concept kitchen that the chefs are happily greeting along too.

Then you will reach this porch huge dining area that is well attended with many of the waiter. It is a newly refurbish restaurant.

If you are in a group or need some private space, can request for their close door dining area.

As for this round, we are invited along to sample their mooncake creation for this year 2012

As I see the display that prepared for us, I just cant wait to sample any of those. It just look appetizing as mooncake is a once a year celebration and I always ended up eating alot.

The molding of Mandarin Oriental logo is so nice on the traditional mooncake.

If I got a chance to skip nutty mooncake I would just skip it, as I just do not prefer these nutty type, but the rest were enjoying every bite of this as they said its just lovely. Rich in ingredient and fragrant.

You may say I am classic yet I still prefer the classic Lotus paste with single yolk. Lotus paste is smooth, and I just love the skin texture as it is a bit like smooth sand, and aromatic skin. Perfect!

Besides this, they do offer other classic mooncake too such as white lotus paste, lotus paste with single yolk, lotus paste with double yolk, red bean and lotus paste with single yolk and diced chicken ham with almond.

pandan flavour mooncake & Durian mooncake – Back: Blueberries and grated coconut

For Durian snowskin, this is by far one of the best I have come across as they use D24 to make it along and it taste exactly like eating durian yet in chill version. – Recommended!

Jeng Jeng Jeng, this is by far the section that I am staring at the whole night. For the first time I come accross Chocolate mooncake!

Available in 4 different flavour and 4 if it looks very tempting and mouth watering.

Dark chocolate with star anise and red bean ganache

White chocolate with orange ganache and cream

Milk chocolate with peanut butter crunch – If you give me 4 pieces of this, I would be very happy, as among the other 3 I prefer this more. I guess I am bias one side as I just love anything with peanut butter. Not too milky chocolate and the peanut butter just pair well. It just give you the feeling like you are eating Reese peanut chocolate.

Dark chocolate with salted caramel ganache

I just love double boil soup. As this was place infront of me, I can just smell the sweet scent of soup occupying the air as I quickly capture the picture and get a soup of it. It just taste awesome sweet as like how the smell occupying that instant moment. Imagine how good the soup would be that is filled with huge scallop and abalone that is juicy and chewy. It is something worth spending on this Double-boiled Abalone Soup with seasonal dried deluxe seafood and baby cabbage at RM 188.

Jasmine Tealeaf Smoked Chicken, chicken meat is soft and if flavourful with tea leaf flavour. Slight moist with the sauce that pair along and eat along with the garlic just make the whole taste more outstanding. @ RM38

Another eye opener as Crispy egg noodles with Assorted Seafood and Vegetables @ RM 48. Crab is succulent sweet with huge scallop and noodle been deep fried that store along with gravy.

something which might look simple to cook along yet Special seafood Fried Rice being cook evenly fragrant that filled with wok hei that makes every one enjoy every bite of it. RM36

Durian pancake @ RM38 – for 3 pieces

One of the best pancake you can get around the area, as I gulp this whole big piece in one bite and let the aroma burst into my mouth. Strong taste of durian detected with a good quality durian being included as the meat, wrap along with thin fried egg slice then chilled along. Taste awesome!

As one desert just make our craving engine started, and every one just browse thru the desert menu on what to have. Guess what we order in the end. We ordered the whole desert menu. 😀

1) Chilled Mango Puree

2) Chilled Almond Bean Curd

Black Sesame Panna Cotta

Lemongrass Jelly

1) Warm Sweetened Red Bean Puree

2) Double Boiled Five Treasures

3) Hot Gingko Nut and Snow Fungus

Chinese Inpired Chocolate Coconut Dome

Double Boiled Sweetened Ginger Tea with Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Dumpling

Banana Split among so many desert, this is one of the best on my preference and something that worth ordering. @ RM22

Coconut Pudding and Pea-shaped Green Tea Dumpling

Mango Pudding with Chocolate Twirl

In the end of the meal, we were all very satisfied and you can place your mooncake as the form above and do go for their Chocolate version, Snowskin Durian and classic lotus paste with single egg yolk.

Location:
Lai Po Heen Chinese Restaurant (Pork Free)
1st Floor, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Kuala Lumpur,
Kuala Lumpur City Centre,
50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel No.: +603-2179 8885
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com/kualalumpur/dining/restaurants/lai_po_heen/
Opening Hours: Lunch (12.00-2.30pm weekdays / 10.30am-2.30pm weekends), Dinner (7.00-10.30pm)
GPS Coordinates: N 3 09.360, E 101 42.700

In Indonesia By Taufulou 2 Mins Read

Crystal Jade La Mian xiao Long Bao @ Grand Indonesia, Jakarta

22/07/2012 No Comments

I have been to Jakarta couple of times back in many years ago till this year I revisit the country as my friends wedding took place. I remembered that, Grand Indonesia had open not long ago at that time and my friend took me to this restaurant Crystal Jade which she loves it alot that located on the ground floor of its mall that was so pack with people and queuing up to go in few years back.

Since I am here again, decided to drop by at the restaurant again to have late lunch, reach here about 2.30pm on weekdays could have guess it that we no need to queue to get into the restaurant. By the restaurant name itself, already known that its famous for Xiau Long Bao and also La Mien.