Canton Kitchen branch @ Rampai Busines Park, Setapak

 

Claypot Kampung Chicken. The spicy gravy is appetizing. The meat is a not as tender as it looks. Are you saying it doesn't look tender at all? You could be right after all...

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The "Four Big Heavenly King" vege dish. Fresh, crisp, crunchy and errr, chewy too (except for the brinjal of course). Pretty good, just a little too oily for my taste.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Mouth-watering! This simple homemade signature dish (Minced Meat Bean Curd) is a good alternative to the Japanese taufu that we so often hear (and eat). Of course the crisp chopped French beans and choi po (salted vege) toppings serve well to balance the soft and smooth texture of this homemade taufu. :))))

Rating: 5/5 stars

 

Shrimp Fried Rice. Just look at those shrimps. If I am not wrong there are at least a dozen of them here!! If only the rice was less oily, I'd have given it a 5/5 rating. So remember, request for "less oil"when you happen to drop by this restaurant.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Moe de Cafe @ K-Gallery, Bandar Menjalara

 

 

If you have never experienced being served by a waitress dressed as French maid, pop by at Moe de Cafe, or 'maid cafe'. For the uninitiated, "Moe" is a term used within the anime world referring particularly to a moekko character meaning "a blossoming or "budding" girl.

Maid cafe has its provenance in an area in Tokyo called Akihabara, where waitresses are dressed as French maids. They and also the Cosplay (costume play) cafes have proliferated like bacterial spores at 63 degrees Celsius after which Akihabara (originally an electronics town) was transformed to a "city of Otaku" (people with obsessive interests, particularly in Anime and Manga).

With chic black and white settings rightly reflecting the dress colour code of the 'maids' or moe's, and red  neon strips accenting the walls, Moe de Cafe is a cosy spot to chill out with friends while being served by charming moe's. The venue, suitably dim, greets you with strains of catchy popular tunes. For ardent Anime fans, there are a ton of comics, stacked neatly on shelves flanked on one side of the wall, for free browsing.  

While the menu is not entirely original, it features a fusion of Asian and Western foods which include comforting rice and noodle dishes and a plethora of yummy yummy snacks and desserts. As a 'rice-bucket' myself, I opted for the Cheese Baked Rice with Chicken Chop. Microwave-baked, the dish comes with smooth tender chicken meat and with pleasing cheese flavour that lingers titillatingly at the back of the palate long after the meal has been tucked in. A must-try!

While the graciousness of the floor staff are commendable before and while food is served, it dissipated into thin air the moment you hand in your cash! Not that I was expecting one nor was I 100 metres away that they have to shout, but does a simple "Thank you" or "Please come again" gesture so hard to come by?

P.S. Kids today (Tfy & Tpm) are so fortunate--they dine in chic restaurants sampling Sichuan Sizzling rice while we, at their age, could only afford chee cheong fun and road side nasi lemak! ^^ 

Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
Location: Google Map

La Manila Cafe @ Mid Valley

 

La Manila cafe, nestled among other eateries on the 3rd floor of Mid Valley's food haven, is one place to consider if you're still hankering left and right for some sumptuous popular street foods. Amongst all, the dish that comes up top in my list is no other than the spicy Curry Chicken Rice.

Served with two (yes, two) pieces of tender chicken meat topped with its exquisite signature curry gravy, this delicious meal pairs superbly well with a serving of fresh acar vegetables and Indian keropok. A hearty meal that will sure to keep your dose of protein/carb ratio in check.

Add a few more ringgit, if you can still tuck in, for a perfect sweet ending indulging in some toothsome variety of cakes and pastries--Secret Recipe style! But for me, I'll leave those sweet tooth of mine for next.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Restaurant Ho Ho May @ Bandar Menjalara

 

"You should try this!" my foodie cousin insisted enthusiastically. Being a lover of Italian pasta myself, I had decided to give it a go. After settling down in a quiet corner i placed my order. If you've never heard of Spaghetti Carbonara (me neither!) fret not! All you need to know is it's one of the most popular Italian pasta dishes; and, you have to love cheese to love it.

Before long, my Carbonara arrived. "Not very enticing", I thought the moment I set my eyes on it. But when I took the first bite, I was immediately engrossed in it. 'Mmmmm!'

The spaghetti doused in rich creamy Parmesan cheese sauce; with diced chicken meat and crab stick (no bacon); together, they really made my day. Admittedly, I haven't tried the 'real' Italian pasta, so I would not be able to make a direct comparison. Hence, the 4.5 stars.

Note: To make it a hearty meal, add a bowl of delicious black rice dessert. Yummy. Just RM8 all in. :b

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Location: Google Map

Dragon-i Restaurant @ The Curve

Soup-filled meat dumplings or Xiao Long Bao. This traditional Shanghainese delicacy is a must-try! If you carefully pick one up with your chopsticks, you could see the weight of the soup stretching the smooth, thin and translucent skin down. The best Xiao Long Bao, according to tradition, has skin so thin yet has the elasticity to hold the dough, meat and the soup in it. (info from the towelette pack). Well, I tried it, and it did exactly just that. Cool!

Ok, which is the best way to savour the bao?

You can of course puncture the skin first to allow the hot soup to seep out. Then only eat the it with a dab of black vinegar and a few slices of ginger (all these are provided); or you can eat it the way I did. :) First, I'll allow the bao to cool down just a little. Then I'll eat the it whole with the soup in it (with no vinegar or ginger). This way you can taste both the meat and soup in its original form. Mmmmmm.

Rating: 5/5 stars 

This Bucket Steamed Rice, chicken and Chinese sausage" dish was recommended by the captain. I told him I wanted something that can fill my growling stomach! lolxx. Anyway, nothing much was anticipated of this dish; how special can something as common as chicken, lap cheong and rice be, right?

How wrong was I! The rice is steamed just right; high grade lap cheong and mushroom are used (taste great); and the boneless, succulent chicken meat... Wow, a perfect 10 dish indeed!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Batu Pahat Nasi Briyani @ BRP 1/10A

 

Nasi kandar lovers, don't miss this! Located just opposite the new shop lots facing the back of The Store, this stall is smacked in between the other atap food stalls selling other Malay dishes. Although not as well-known as some nasi kandar stalls rated by some well-known food reviewers, I highly recommend it. For a start at least you'll have no trouble looking for a seat. ;)

For no more than RM10, you'll be served either chicken or mutton briyani rice with a plate of acar and dal curry. These additional "snacks" compliment the main dish superbly well. So what makes the whole briyani dish here so special? Other than the acar, it's the rendang style curry and meat (you won't get cubes of mutton meat or small pieces of chicken but the whole meat cut). The aromatic rice too proved to be a savoury delight for the palate.

Rating: 5/5 stars
Location: Google Map

Hong Kong's Food Culture @ Low Yat Plaza

This Hong Kong-style Shrimp Wan Tan Dry Noodle is unlike any other wan tan mee that I've tried. The homemade noodle is finer and tastier too. On top of this, what else, you'll be served a bowl of soup with five (not the usual three) plump and juicy shrimp soup wan tan. As you know this is a rare treat in KL. You should also try the roast duck dishes here.

Oh, if you like Mongkok style street food -- fried Taiwan sausages, curry fish balls, spring rolls, etc -- you can also order it from their snack stall upstairs (just a few steps up).

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Location: Google Map

Yow Kee Hainan Chicken Rice @ Jln. 2/36, Taman Sri Bintang

Two thumbs up! Popular among the residents here, Yow Kee Hainan Chicken Rice serves its customers tender and smooth steamed chicken doused in its signature savoury sauce. Just by looking at the picture above is enough to make your tummy kick, right? :-) The stalls opens for business around 4.30pm and closes about 8.30pm.

Rating: 4/5 stars
Location: Google Map

Hong Kong Dim Sum stall @ Jalan Development, Kepong

 

Managed by two Chinese nationals, this stall opens only in the evening. They serve very nice dim sum (but not the lo mai kai) and the Hong Kong chee cheong fun or rice noodle roll is especially unique.

The skin is not overly soft; the ingredient (I ordered char siew) fresh and generous; and the unique soy sauce wraps up the whole dish perfectly well. This is by far the best HK ccf that I've tasted!

It might not look very appealing (on the outside) but it tasted really good (and that's what really counts). 

Rating: 5/5 stars
Location: Google map

Dao Heong Restaurant @ BRP 6/11

Hainan chicken is one of their specialties. You should try it, it's pretty good--both the meat and sauce. :b The BBQ pork slice, however, is way toooooo thin for my liking. Very unfortunate... rating down 0.5. Do check these outlets: Yow Kee Hainan Chicken Rice and Restaurant Siew Ngap Fai.

Rating: 4/5 stars
Location: Google Map

Jin Xuan Hong Kong Dim Sum @ SS 22/19, Damansara Jaya

Savoury Glutinous Rice (lor mai kai). A must-try!! Reeeeally yum yum. Everything, and I really mean everything, from the seasoning, the meat to other toppings, was just right. Though slightly more expensive (RM4) than the normal coffee shop lor mai kai, it's worth your every cent!

Rating: 5/5 stars

 

Well, just look at the har kao's translucent skin. It's so thin you couldn't even feel it "melting" in your mouth. (I'm exaggerating!) :) Nevertheless, the sweet, fresh, juicy and plump prawn meat is real. Succulent!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Can be comparable to Tong Kee's egg tarts. Still good enough for high rating. ;) "Tong Kee's egg tart kalah to Canton I kao kao lahh," a real foodie friend commented. (I have yet to try it, Nicole.) ^^ 

Rating: 4/5 stars
Location: Google map

Restaurant Char Siew Zhai Wan Tan Mee @ Paramount Garden

 

The noodle texture, springy; sauce, good; wan tan, nothing to shout about--just slightly bigger in size; the char siew, however, is mouth-watering!

The best part of the pork is usually the belly with some visible fat (half fat meat) but this time I opted for lean meat. Thinking that I'll be given the non-meaty, dry, hard and rough meat texture, I lowered my expectation of a hearty meal...    

But to my surprise, the meat was soft and meaty; it's juicy, tender and roasted to charred sweet perfection! Need I say more?

I was really glad the stall owner didn't cut the char siew meat as thin as manila card as was done by some (as though they want to show off their culinary "skill!")

Rating: 4/5 stars
Location: Google Map

Ulu Yam Restaurant, 4/23A @ Jalan Genting Klang

Lunch was very much relished with us savouring the soft and tasty stewed pork and yam dish (wu thau khau yuk). Bad news for those on a diet as the oily part of the meat is, admittedly, the best! All in all, the dish was well prepared. And not forgetting the yam which was nice in taste and texture.

Rating: 4/5 stars

In comparison to Teo Chew Setapak Restaurant's similar pork roll lobak dish, this has a drier and firmer texture (less moist). The skin was crisp and teasing our taste buds, the aroma of the "five-spice powder" (5 heong fun) greeted us even before we took the first bite. A savoury side snack dish.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Teow Chew Restaurant @ Setapak

If you are into lum mee, here is one dish you should try here. This place is touted as the lum mee restaurant. The mee is homemade (see pic), and they use fresh saito fish balls and prawns. No doubt about this. Unfortunately today, the soup served was a bit on the "watery" side. Human error perhaps as business is always brisk here. Anyway, don't forget the vinegar. ;-)

Did you notice the fried rice? Ah ha, I bet you didn't! :) I rate it 3/5 stars. Definitely not enough "wok hau". This made the rice less aromatic and not as appetizing as it ought to be. Well, the cooks have to be quick as orders were pouring in fast during peak hours. Excuses, excuses...

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

This is one of their signature dishes: Fried dry white mee hoon. It may look plain and the least appetizing at first glance, unlike the scrumptious Hokkien mee or mee hoon doused in dark soy sauce, but I love the taste. And it turns out to be very appetizing. ok... the ingredients: fresh saito fish cake, meat balls, small onions, chee yau cha (fried pork lard), etc... this is my second time eating this dish d. =)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Crisp toothsome fried "lobak" Teow Chew style. Yummy, yummy. No, you won't find bits and pieces of pork meat to chew on here, but the soft mashed savoury fillings are what makes this dish unique. Very appetizing...

The restaurant opens around 10.30/11am and closes at around 3pm.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Quan Ice Cream & Coffee House @ Pandan Indah

 

Tantalizing. Banana Boat rocks!. Having a very sweet tooth (and not really proud of it!), I finally gave in to the temptation and had an ice cream. As always, spoilt for choice, I picked one of my long-time favourites: the banana split. I like the flavours of the two soft ice-cream towers: sweet corn and mango--blends perfectly well when they melt in your mouth. Topped with chocolate sundae syrup on one tower, and mango syrup on the other. A dollop of whipped cream and a cherry come in between on top of the towers. Together with some chocolate sprinkles and corn flakes toppings; and the banana of course (half on either side of those towers), this desert can really make your day. :))

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Seasons Vegetarian Restaurant @ Farlim, Penang

Vegetarian Jawa mee, anyone? Tastes just like its non-vege cousin, if not better! Sapu clean the whole big bowl including the soup except the bowl... yes, its that appetizing. ;)

Rating: 5/5 stars 

The Original Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar @ PJ SS2/10

 

If you are hooked on nasi kandar, then the Original Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar in SS2/10 will surely be on top of your list. After all it's a highly recommended nasi kandar stall by foodies all over; and naturally I too don't intend to give it a miss.

I hopped into my loyal 4-wheeled vehicle and was transported to SS2 in no time. Even before lunchtime, customers were already seen filling up the tables and queuing at the buffet of meat, vegetables and curries. The kitchen staffs, however, are quick with the ladle. I opted for briyani rice with mutton; a mixture of curries and keropok; and the restaurant’s signature seasoning to top it off.

So did I have a hearty RM11 nasi kandar meal? Unfortunately, not as anticipated... Apart from the briyani rice, the mutton and the curries DO NOT really stand out. As a matter of fact, the 24hr Indian Muslim restaurant near my place too offers equally as good curries (and mutton). :))

Rating: 4/5 stars

Old Town @ K-Gallery, Bandar Menjalara

Though not as mouth-watering as some Jawa mee that I've tasted, it's still one of my top-of-the-list dish whenever I frequent OT to feed my hunger pangs. I like the cosy reminiscent ambience here. It's another plus point for foodies--it can even make your mouth water at times... :)

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Restaurant Siew Ngap Fai @ Pudu

One of the best BBQ char siew ngap restaurant in town. But try to go before lunch, say around 11.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m., latest by 1, to beat the crowd and having more choices (other dishes incl curry chicken and salted mixed vege). Situated in Jalan Yip hing, behind the row of banks (PB, Am, RHB) in Jalan Pasar. The siew ngap goes well with sour plum sauce.

Note: I reached the place at 1.52 p.m. and see what was left for me... some really fat char siew meat (see pic)! Of course, during this time, you can have the whole restaurant to yourself!  

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Medan Selera @ Kepong (opp Jusco)

 

By now you'd have noticed that I'm an ardent fan of Jawa mee. This is by far, dare I say, the best Jawa mee in town. The one I took at one of the stalls alongside Kepong Baru market (picture below, looks appetizing ain't?) doesn't hold a candle to this. Not only the sweet potato gravy is uniquely tasty, they also serve generous portions of everything as well--e.g. the chee ma keropok (really crispy), sliced potatoes, bean curd, beansprouts, eggs (I requested a whole egg here), etc.

So skip over to "Hong Yuen Mee Jawa" stall when you're around the area.

Rating: 5/5 stars