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