Restoran O & S

Since the last post, I've been running (what's new, HairyBerry?) and more importantly, training for a few races in the coming months. I've progressively increased my mileage and discovered some new running routes around the neighbourhood. The cool evening breeze during this rainy season has been a great motivator too.

September and October mark the most auspicious period for Chinese couples to tie the knot. Besides the wedding invitation, I was also roped into becoming a best man, performer and emcee for a good friend's wedding just two weeks ago. Stressful, well, a bit. And that's because I had to memorise a Bublé number, which was something new to me. But it was really good meeting my primary and secondary school classmates there.

So, despite the inactivity here, no, I'm not dead. In fact, I've never felt more alive.

At the recent pool party, Sushi said that I'm now 1/3 of my previous size. Some friends and colleagues even asked if I've contracted any fatal disease that has caused the shrinkage. Definitely not. I'm just running longer and farther.

Therefore, I need to eat a lot too, to refuel. Weekdays are pretty much the same - bread, fried noodles, soups, savoury cakes, cookies, fruits and a few cups of good old Milo. I look forward to the weekends, usually after a Saturday morning run, when I would spend time catching up with family and friends over brunch. Big brunches, mostly. There was nothing atas about these eateries but that's cool. These are some of the most common hawker centers and coffee shops in KL that serve good food. I'm excited to blog about them all.

For a start, there's Restoran O&S. The main reason that has kept me away from this coffee shop is the crowd. But this time, the parents insisted on revisiting. Arriving at the unGodly late hour of 10 am (because I had to complete my weekend run earlier), I thought we'd have to shed blood and tears to secure a table. Well, we did have to wait but the patrons have been very considerate. They would leave after finishing their meal and not stay put to chat. Or was I just plain lucky that Saturday?

I had to try the infamous assam laksa. Beneath the golden broth were chunks of mackerel and that, to me, was worth waiting for. The more expensive versions served at the local coffee chains don't come close to offering this much of meat, really. I was expecting intense sourness but it turned out rather sweet, perhaps due to the generous loading of ripe pineapple. I like mine sour and hot, but that's just me. We've also had, among others; popiah, beef noodles and char kway teow. Nothing mind-blowing, but they were all good.

Perhaps quality is more definitive, as compared to good. The ingredients used were fresh, the portions seemed consistent and reasonable, and most of all, tasty. The sellers were very friendly too. For less than RM10 (or RM5, even), what more can you ask for these days?

I'd observed other stalls at O&S that had also attracted a stream of patient customers. The food must be good. Hmmm, looks like I'll have to return to try them all. And to beat the crowd, I guess I'll just have to run earlier...or faster.

Restoran O & S
1, Jalan 20/14
Paramound Garden
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Nasi Lemak at Medan Selera 223 (among other things)

Domestication, albeit reluctantly, has reminded me of how expensive groceries are these days. Every cent counts, really. But I'm determined to only lose old habits, not interests, with my now frugal financial management system - something that I'd learnt from some multinational corporations. It's doomed to fail but I guess it'll be a good learning curve.

Frugality has led me to shop at discounted gift certificate or coupon websites. Most, if not all, of the products and services offered are of a leisurely nature than necessity. And I’ve been a stalker cum customer for a month now. Hear me being foolishly paradoxical here.

One of the coupons that I'd redeemed was for a few hair treatment sessions. My friends and relatives can attest to my evident hair loss problem and I must say, are more concerned than myself. With a significant, shocking discount, I thought it’s worth a try. Miraculous treatment or not, at the very least, I'll be able to get a diagnosis from the package, I thought.

Session 1 was a psychological war field in the consultation room. I understood the severity of my receding hairline from the scans and their explanation but to inject every consolation and solution with a special, promising treatment and its obvious advantages was too much to bear. These customized treatments are not cheap. I bargained hard, just to know their cheapest offer. Throughout the process, I've been approached by two very persistent consultants. Their marketing skills were good, no doubt. One empathetic-looking consultant said it's a pity if I continue to neglect my oily scalp and start balding at such (flipped and studied my customer profile) a young age. I must admit that I was slightly, just slightly sold at that point. Regained sensibility, I reminded myself that I came to redeem my coupon, got a diagnosis and understood my situation, unconvinced of the procedures and therefore, unwilling to pay the exorbitant amount. That's that. They'd done their best and I tried to be understanding. For courtesy sake, I'd informed them that I can't make a decision at that point as I won't be available for treatment due to my tight travelling schedule. And that I'll return when I can afford the time. They restrategized. Apparently, I can even be treated abroad as well - by purchasing their DIY treatment kits. There were many, many points worth debating there including the effectiveness of DIY kits versus in-house treatments and the content of the kit. But they are running a business and it's only right for them to sell. Unfortunately for them, I wasn’t convinced.

In the 1.5 hours of Session 1, I wondered if appearance should hold such importance in one's life. And if it's worth the cost. I'd only say yes if it's related to one's profession or that it affects one's health condition. Why bother when my family, good friends and (ex) girlfriends have been accepting of my different shapes, sizes and looks throughout the years? No one seems to think less of famous figures like Bruce Willis, Prince William and Vladimir Putin just because they are balding, right? With my head wrapped under the steamer, I felt ashamed. But at least I now know that my scalp's ridiculously oily. So, I should perhaps wash my hair 21 times a week to unclog and prevent more blockages.

Speaking of good friends (I've digressed too far and wide in this post, haven’t I?), we were at Medan Selera 223, another uncharted territory for me, much like the hair treatment center. At night, it’s a busy and crowded al fresco foodcourt that tests one’s vigilance in securing a seat. Reward comes in small packs of nasi lemak with savoury, mildly spicy sambal that’s best smoothened and flavoured with a couple of soft-boiled eggs. And there’s the list of usual beverages like teh tarik and Horlicks to keep the conversations going. Here, affordability means that it’s able to attract people from all walks of life. Regardless of the buckets of dripping sweat (it’s quite hot and humid here), worn out clothes AND receding hairline, everyone’s having a good time. And that’s all that matters, isn’t it?

Medan Selera 223
Jalan 223,
Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia

Hokkien Mee Me!

Back in the 80s, there was a TV commercial selling cornflakes that I thought was misleading. Well, to me, at least. It started off by comparing a young kid’s reaction to two types of breakfast. On the right (yes, I even remember the layout!), he had a bowl of cornflakes and looked really happy. On the left, he was served some dark, fried noodles that resembled very much like Hokkien Mee. And guess what, he looked terribly disappointed. Every time that commercial was aired, I’d say (to the TV screen), ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I’m not against those tiny golden crisps fortified with dozens of nutrients but if the marketer decides to force supremacy against Hokkien Mee (or any stir-fried noodle, for that matter), it gets personal.

My affection towards this calorific, deathly dish is obvious, if you’d read my previous Hokkien Mee posts. Time and again, I'd mentioned that in the last decade or so, I’d never been wholeheartedly satisfied, even with some of the more established stalls in KL/Selangor. I was told that perhaps my ideal Hokkien Mee had never existed, that it’s all in an idea of perfection that I’m indulging. Definitely not. I remember how it tasted back in the older days – a savoury stock and slightly sweet dark soy sauce reduction done to a sticky consistency, coating every strand of thick egg noodle, sprinkled with the quintessential dried, pounded flounder, glistened and aromatized with a layer of hot lard oil. Sometimes, there's the additional fried shallot oil too. Let’s not forget a sharp, pungent cili boh/belacan dip that cuts through the sweet/savoury reduction, adding a new dimension to already exciting taste. Jaded that I am, with my ceasing torch, I continue to find that taste, good taste, long lost.

On an accidental night after a light shower, a few of us old kids decided to finally visit the two infamous Hokkien Mee stalls, located at the opposing ends of a stretch along Jalan 222, Section 14 in Petaling Jaya. Both were equipped with fast-paced and knowledgeable, mostly foreign staff. Ahwa’s version had a matte finish – an emphasis on dark soy sauce that ensued a sweeter aftertaste. What lacked, I thought, was the compulsory aroma (wok hei) of hot lard oil. Hence the missing shine as well. Peng Yuan, on the other hand, was glossy and aromatic. The sauce was less reduced and leaned towards the savoury side. Despite the loose consistency of the sauce, as a fan of all things savoury, I’d personally liked Peng Yuan’s more.

Ahwa's Hokkien Mee

Ahwa's What-Darn-Whore

So far in this blog, I’ve rambled too much about Hokkien Mee but not so on the other definitive Chinese noodle dish, Cantonese-style. I must say that I’m a big fan of its more popular variant - the (90% phonetically correct) what-darn-whore or thick rice flour noodles (whore fun) topped with an egg-starch sauce. The browning of whore fun is important to provide wok hei and separate the stacked strands. Ahwa did a good job at that. Their assembly with a smooth, sufficiently gelatinous egg-starch topping sealed the deal for me. I would have been more enthusiastic about Peng Yuan’s version if not for finding a broken toothpick (let’s hope it was unused) in the sauce.

Peng Yuan's Hokkien Mee

Peng Yuan's What-Darn-Whore

On a different occasion, the old kids decided to explore Sunway Giza on a Saturday night. The main complex didn’t excite us much but the young and fashionable seem to enjoy thronging here on weekends. Nearby, at an extended shoplot, we found a branch of yet another infamous Hokkien Mee institution, Restoran Damansara. This one offers a menu and additional fried lard bits. Perhaps due to an overwhelming amount of oil insulating the sauce and noodles, it turned out rather bland. But the shine and colour did look sinfully appetizing though. The Cantonese version fared better with a crispy web of fried rice vermicelli (bee hoon) and whore fun soaked in a subtlely flavoured egg sauce.

Restoran Damansara's Hokkien Mee

Restoran Damansara's Cantonese Stir-Fried Ying Yang Noodles

There are a few Hokkien Mee stalls left on our list but to be honest, I’m not too optimistic looking at the names. One of which I had frequented some years ago, way before they decided to go big with mediocre and expensive Hokkien Mee. I’d never been back since. Although the long lost taste may not be found in the near future (not never, hopefully), every outing with the old kids was fun, as we reminisced the days of being wild, young and free. Now, I wonder if they remember the cornflake commercial.


Restoran Ahwa and Peng Yuan Hokkien Mee
off Jalan 222 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia

Restoran Damansara Hokkien Mee
35, Jalan PJU 5/9 Kota Damansara
Selangor, Malaysia

Marufuku Udon

2003 was exceptional. It was the year I stayed in Japan for work. During the long breaks, I would travel to different parts of the Honshu island. These exciting trips don't come cheap, of course. Nothing's cheap in Japan, anyway. To ensure that I have enough money to travel, I've devised a plan - economical lunches at work.

Unlike other colleagues, my lunch at the canteen cost a mere 600 yen. Yet, they were filling and rather decent. There were no fancy sides like hijiki or edamame or fried tofu; just a plate of plain curry rice and some udon. In the summer, udon was served cold and topped with chopped scallion and fried tempura bits. During the cold winter days, they came with piping hot shoyu broth and a slice or two of surimi-based ingredients.

Udons come from many different prefectures in Japan. The Sanuki type (from Kagawa) is probably one of the more familiar ones to us in this region. My favourite is the slithery, thin Inaniwa from Akita, which unfortunately is only available at more well-established Japanese restaurants.

I try not to pay too much for noodles like udon because I feel that it's something that I can make at home. Just throw in some bonito flakes and konbu into a pot of hot water and a stock's ready in minutes. The zaru version is even easier to make! And that is why I like Marufuku.

The menu has an element of fusion in it. Okay, so fusion may be too controversial a word, especially in terms of food. Integration then. Instead of chikuwa or crabsticks (shudders) or Hello Kitty-shaped kamaboko (faints), local ingredients like wanton and taufupok (fried beancurd skin) are used. If you ask me, blanched mustard greens sound more practical in udons than to be served with chee cheong fan (flat rice skin rolls) in those fancy dim sum restaurants. A cha (zha) cheong (minced meat stew with vegetables and fermented soy bean paste) topping should work too, and I believe is a hit with the local tastebuds.

For lunch that afternoon, we had the House Special, Curry, Salada and Nabeyaki (Claypot) Udon, along with sides like Kakiage - both the original and pumpkin versions. I should also note that green tea is refillable here. The House Special had the udon pre-mixed with soy sauce and when combined with the broken poached egg, was nice. The curry version came with lots of ingredients like minced meat, onions and diced carrot. Personally, I would have liked the curry sauce more robust in taste, and with a thicker, stickier texture. The ensemble of local ingredients used in the Salada (salad in Japanese) reminded me of a rojak, which is original and interesting. The sesame dressing was not as sweet as those bottled ones sold at the supermarkets, so that's good. Instead of the usual claypot yee mee or chicken rice, give the Nabeyaki a try. For the same price at some foodcourts, this is a refreshing change. A kakiage should be light and not overly soaked in oil. Marufuku's a good reference.

I had 2.5 bowls of udon at Marufuku that afternoon. That says a lot, doesn't it?

On a different note, I'm rediscovering Jaya One. Besides Marufuku, there's also a cafe at another block called The Bee, which looks rather pretty. With delicious cakes (I can be certain of that), ice cream from The Last Polka and a good crowd, I think I'll be visiting again. Soon.

Marufuku Udon
Blk L, Unit 18, Level G, Phase 1
Jaya One
Tel: (+603) 7957 6368

The Bee
Blk K, Unit 2A, Level G, Phase 1
Jaya One
Tel: (+603) 7960 1557

LP Noodle Station

Ah, a blissful week. Just like slurping one steaming hot cup of instant kim chi ramyun after another. Perhaps attending a happy event like a wedding ceremony has brought back some good luck (I’m Chinese – the semi-superstitious kind). Work aside, life in the past 5 days involved enjoying a bunch of new songs, interesting reads and good food. By the way, does anyone know that in a traditional Chinese wedding, when a bridegroom ushers his bride into his house straight from the typically horribl interestingly decorated car, everyone has to literally turn their backs on them? Apparently, in failing to do so will have the luck of the guests be forced out of their system by the strong qi discharged from the newly wedded couple. It's only when they rejoin the guests after the bedroom ceremony (nothing sexually-inclined, unless potties are your thang) that they are allowed to meet face to face. Some valuable notes from the resourceful aunties there.

The weekend is here again but there’s no wedding or tea-ceremony to attend. Darn it. Let’s just hope that good luck from the previous week hasn't expired and will continue to run through the weekend (at least) and may there be more pork noodles too. The gorn low (dry-tossed) kway teow and bee hoon combination’s my favourite. Densely flavoured, moist ground pork is a must. A generous scoop of lard or fried shallots oil is almost necessary. Some thick slices of sweet liver sausage complete the universe.

I thought of LP (some Hokkien friends out there must be tickled by this acronym) Noodle Station as I had my gorn low meen for breakfast at a wet market in Cheras, a few hours before the wedding. Coincidentally, Qianli Xiang (the loh mee restaurant in my previous post is located just some lots away from LP. The universe has spoken. I had to, at the very least, flash this LP on my blog.

Rubbish aside, LP is a fine, modern kopitiam. There are the usual nasi lemak, condensed milk-based beverages and kaya toast. What’s interesting is that, in between, there’s pork noodle. And from my observation, there’s at least a bowl on every table. I’m not going to exaggerate and claim this to be whatever bestestestest thing ever because it isn’t. But in all honesty, it’s a bowl of satisfying comfort food. The ground pork's well-seasoned and the sausage's sweet and smoky. A more daring splash of aromatic oil would have been appreciated. On the other hand, I wished the curry chicken was less oily. Oh, or was it designed to have the floating layer of oil be applied to the noodle? The curry chicken here relates to the Chinese version – less spicy and somehow dilute. In general, I think the pairing of chicken curry and gorn lou meen is a champion. Imagine the explosion of flavours when soy sauce meets curry leaves meet pork meets coconut milk meets shallot oil meets sesame oil and tell me it's not worth drooling over.

As mentioned earlier, I've been enjoying some new songs that I've discovered while mindlessly surfing the web. One of them is Melody Gardot's If The Stars Were Mine, which the unripe words seem like a cross between The Sound Of Music and Disneyland. But that's just old cynical HairyBerry babbling. It's a great string-backed, bossanova track laced with MG's sultry voice. So, while I'm still all chirpy and enjoying this rather peculiarly lucky week, here's wishing everyone a good weekend ahead. :)

LP Noodle Station
Jalan SJ 1
Taman Selayang Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia

Restoran Qianli Xiang

That was an unfortunate Saturday at The Gardens, Mid Valley City. Despite the pleasant surprise of bumping into LifeforBeginners, the Devil and the Diva, I had to keep a distance from the happy, healthy trio. In my hand was a bag of flu medicines (soluble tablets, pills, etc). The signs of a virus attack were clear as I returned home from a run in the drizzle that morning. I needed heat! A hot bowl of tau fu fah, some sweet horse legs and crispy yau char kway from the noteworthy I LOVE YOO! would turn things around, I thought. It didn’t take long before I started sneezing incessantly in front of the snacks and had to dash to the nearest pharmacy.

You don’t disappoint your family by cutting short a weekend outing. I survived MVC by wanton-wrapping by the dozen and napping at the public benches placed along the way as they shopped. Then, came lunchtime and the sick one was asked to decide. Remembering mum’s mention of an Ulu Yam loh mee restaurant in Kepong Baru, I suggested that we give it a try. Why loh mee? Because it’s soupy, hot and served with black vinegar - an appetizing, cleansing potion that I believe can prevent (and hopefully, cure) any ailment. I’ve read a report on a family in China that consumes black vinegar everyday and that portrait of them literally defines living in the pink of health. Inspiring!

My suggestion was not well-received. Apparently, there’s a better option in Taman Selayang Utama. Qianli Xiang or fragrance traveling a thousand miles in Mandarin (how paradoxical, considering my now reddened, stuffed nose!) has been around for a few years and is quite a favourite among the locals. I was told that the noodles are homemade.

There’s always this scene in family-run, small Chinese restaurants during the busy lunch hours - sweaty parents heaving and shouting in the kitchen, the young children reluctantly fill up your empty teapots while the grandmother calmly cuts the vegetables at a corner of the restaurant. But in the late afternoon, activities are minimized to a gathering of generations at a table as the kids take a short nap, in preparation for the maddening dinner crowd. The calmness in the restaurant at that hour was soothing for a patient like me.

When it comes to loh mee (be it Penang, KL or Singapore style), I prefer the sauce to be minimally starched (I'm disturbed by the sight of a gooey, translucent dark sauce). A good reduction with some whisked eggs will just do for me. What I liked about Qianli Xiang’s loh mee was the noodle. The inconsistency in size may not be visually pleasing and perhaps, even border on being amateurish but that’s what makes homemade food unique, I guess. Slightly chewy, smooth and with just a hint of floury taste, it was nothing like the typically bland, tough and thick yellow noodles that usually come with a lye aftertaste. Ingredients like greens and pork were aplenty too, here.

My deteriorating condition was no excuse to not try the homemade noodles, fried…Hokkien mee style, of course! Given my rather insensitive tastebuds that day, I still found their take pretty darn good. Noticeably different was the drier coating of soy sauce-based stock, perhaps due to the absorbing nature of the homemade noodles, unlike the usual oil-sealed thick yellow type. And that’s how I like my Hokkien mee, as compared to the watery version. What’s missing was that extra dash of fried lard bits, which would have added some crunch and aroma to the dish.

Besides black vinegar, minced garlic is another proven therapeutic condiment served at most Chinese restaurants. I must have had a few tablespoons of it that day. The nose didn’t dry up as I hoped but man, there sure was a serious windy issue going on later that day. It was only a week later that I’d fully recovered from that bad flu. Lesson learnt – do not run when it’s drizzling on a sunny day because the immune system, perhaps confused with the high/low temperature, is greatly weakened. So, run only on a clear day or...when it really pours!

Restoran Qianli Xiang
27, Jalan SJ 1
Taman Selayang Jaya
Selangor , Malaysia

Chef Tam

Ask me about my graduation day and I’ll probably need to dig out my photo album to remember the details but this, my first taste of a lobster, I can describe it instantly.

In the early 90s, a very generous relative treated us to a Cantonese feast at the Tropicana Golf and Country Club’s Chinese restaurant helmed then by Chef Tam, or known as Tam Si Fu to his largely Chinese-speaking clientele. Dishes served that night included giant white crabs and, yes, lobsters. I remember exclaiming the unparalleled sweetness of its meat, which I should now properly characterize that taste as being umami. Such exhilaration that I told my folks that I was not planning on brushing my teeth that night, to have that taste linger in the mouth for as long as it could.

In the years that followed, through some winning bets, we’d been fortunate enough to be invited (again) by the relatives to dine at Chef Tam’s restaurant, which had moved several times since. Every meal here was a lesson in modern Cantonese cuisine and a discovery of new dishes; like shabu-shabu geoduck and steamed multi-star grouper.

Not surprising that our lives, not unlike those shown in the family dramas on television, flashed before our eyes. Although we can now afford to dine here occasionally without depending on lucky strikes, everyone seems to be too busy for dinner on weekends or has moved to a new city.

One fine day, we’d decided to revisit this Si Fu. A reunion like this called for the Hong Kong-born chef’s signature dish that we’d loved all these years – stir-fried lobster with superior stock. A good stock can only add to the flavour of the dish but it’s the skill that ensures the succulent meat be tender and coated just thinly with the lightly starched, golden stock. Although the dish was visually a simple blend of garlic, stock and lobster; the taste was very much sublime. What's more when the lobster was brought in fresh from the nearby live seafood wholesaler. New discovery number 1 this time around was 蝴蝶腩 or butterfly brisket. A search on the internet revealed that it's a cut near the stomach and mostly available in Hong Kong. Rendering in a claypot with scallion, shitake and ginger might sound tad conventional but it worked well, providing a flavourful, soft bite of the meat. New discovery number 2 came steamed with the classic soy sauce/fried garlic oil dressing - the 燕子斑 or swallow (as in the bird) grouper. It was perfectly cooked to have each flake still retaining some steam and moist. Why swallow? I don't know but I believe it has got to do with the size of the fish. I'm definitely looking forward to more of this sweet breed in the future. The head, tail and legs of the lobster were not wasted and used to umami-fy the yee mee or egg noodles, which was stir-fried with some aromatics like scallion and sliced ginger. Good stuff, of course.

And finally, some glutinous rice balls for dessert. A sip of the syrup that was heavily infused with ginger warped me back to my first taste it. It felt weird back then, this combination of sugar and ginger. But this time, it was very much comforting. And made sense too, basically to neutralize the richness of the sesame paste filling.

Often, the more experienced palate prefers newer and more exciting cuisines...but of course, whether new or exciting equates to being memorable is another matter. There are only a handful of dishes I had in the past 3 decades that are worth mentioning. Chef Tam's stir-fried lobster with superior stock is one of them. After all these years, I'm glad it's still as good as the first time.

Chef Tam
6A, Jalan Bidara 2/4
Taman Bidara
68100 Selayang
Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: (+603) 6138 8751

Restoran Anje Nasi Beriani Gam Johor

The thought of being confined in a room for days, frantically scribbling notes and memorizing facts in preparation for an examination marathon scares the s^_^ out of many, I'm sure. I decompress by lunching well, not luxuriously but well. During this period, I rediscovered the love for the portable, polystyrene packs of mixed rice (think stir-fried kangkung, sweet and sour pork, bittergourd with salted black beans and steamed eggs). What's there not to love about a palm-sized container of white rice, topped with all the dishes of your choice at a mere S$2.70 - S$4.00? The real happy value meal, if you ask me.

And inevitably, between clause 3.2.4.6.1.8 and 3.8.6.3.7.1 of the neverending man-made rules, the exhausted mind started wandering far beyond the books.

At one point, it went back to Bangi, on a Sunday in March. We were here to check out an infamous briyani restaurant, Anje. To me, Bangi is an unchartered territory and never had I envisioned this developing town to be filled with restaurants of attractive signboards and for some, renown as well. There must be a handful of them boasting the BEST briyani around but since we were new here, we decided on the tried and tested.

It's only a matter of choice of meat to go with the saffron-coloured rice. I went for the ayam kampung (free-range chicken) - fried and subsequently rendered in a sweet (from the heaps of minced shallot), heavily spiced (chilli, cumin, cinnamon, fennel, etc) gravy. Briyani is about that spoonful combination of dense, sticky sauce, velvety (or fatty) dalchar, crunchy achar and warm, fluffy briyani rice. In my opinion, Anje delivered but perhaps a gravy accentuated with a few more pinches of salt would have appeased my palate more. They offer interesting dishes like Mee Bandung and Mee Rebus as well.

As dangerous as it may sound, the mind wanders too, when we drive. Soon enough, we found ourselves at the nearby Uniten. I took notice of a note stuck next to the light and ceiling fan switches at the canteen. It literally means - Switch off the lights during daytime. Avoid wastage. It is a Satanic practice. Interesting choice of words from the university owned by an electricity utility company, I must say.

I'm definitely looking forward to wandering around Bangi again, in search of good Malay food. Soon after the last leg of my marathon, hopefully.

Restoran Anje Nasi Beriani Gam Johor
15, Jalan SS 15/1C
Bandar Baru Bangi
43560 Selangor
Malaysia

Sang Kee Wanton Mee @ 747 Kopitiam

Not sure if things have improved at Sang Kee but here are some personal tips that will hopefully help to ease the pain of waiting for their infamous char siew wanton mee.

1) Bring a group of friends that you can talk to for hours.
2) Have some nice char kway teow from the nearby stall.
3) Wear something outstanding so that they can remember you.
4) If you are too hungry, queue for takeout (it’s faster, really).
5) Bring reading materials.
6) Annoy the lady boss by bugging her every 10 minutes.
7) Don’t bring older family members who hate waiting.
8) Settle for the table nearest to the stall.
9) Come very early.
10) Bring along some humour.

I’ve had some pretty good memories here – breakfasting with my folks, meeting up with a recovering Lyrical Lemongrass, catching up with The Girl From Abu Dhabi and A Malaysian Kitchen In Manchester, and of course, the consistently tasty bowls of wanton mee, covered with a light yet flavourful curry base and topped with sweetly glazed char siew. There’s also the springy, dry-tossed version, served with crunchy lettuce. Do request for the belly for that soft, rich, aromatic bite. Their char siew is meant to be eaten this way, I feel.

Sadly, I fail to see a system here. Even if I’m wrong, that there is an indeed a system, it’s time for a major overhaul. To have the lady boss reminding us of a long waiting time is a kind gesture, but to be the first to order, only to be served last is another issue altogether.

It’s been a few months since my last visit. Perhaps things have been ironed out now and the ordering system has improved. I do hope so, as with a few strong, more efficient competitors conveniently located within the vicinity, it’s quite obvious which of these the customer will not choose. Seriously, good char siew should not be wasted on a bad system.

Sang Kee Wanton Mee
SFS (747) Kopitiam
Jln PJU 1/3C,
Sunway Mas, Petaling Jaya
Malaysia

Cristang

Friends always ask of how I'm able to recall where and what I ate. There's no answer to it, really. If the food is good, it will just stick with you for a very long time.

Ham Bone Ambila

Nasi Lemak Goreng With Lap Cheong, Bacon And Omelette

Burger With Pork Patty, Chili Con Carne And Petai

Chocolate Banana Crepe

Take this for example. Lyrical Lemongrass suggested stink bean pork burger at the then relatively new restaurant called Cristang way back in July. With chopped petai in a burger, who really needs feta or cheddar? It was to me, a burger of multiple layers of savouriness and textures that could have been eaten with plain rice alone. The ambila coalesced the robustness of flavours of a curry, smokiness of grills and embellished with flaky soft cuts of ham. Delicious. As far as I'm concerned, nasi lemak goreng is nothing new but to have sweet waxed Chinese sausages and bacon thrown in, I think it's great. Can't wait to try this at home!

The diverse cultures infused into the Cristang way of life are well expressed in their choice of ingredients, I feel. Certainly a good Eurasian cuisine experience.

See, I do remember the good stuff without really trying.

But of course, there will be things that cling for the wrong reasons. Like their overpriced beers. Let me know if the prices are okay because we felt that they weren't the case on our visit.

Cristang
B-G-19, 8 Avenue
Jalan Sungei Jernih (8/1)
46050 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: (+603) 7956 7877

Check out Masak-Masak's post for links to more food from Cristang.

MM Café

Barbican non-alcoholic beer, peach-flavoured – the dude of the couple ordered this.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I had lunch with the “anywhere also can lah” couple. Despite the fact that one half of them had been residing in PJ for a few years, they’ve only dined once in Section 17. And it took them forever to remember the name of that particular restaurant. Such an adorable couple, this.

Since we were in that area, might as well visit a relatively new café (to me, at least) that I’ve read about. The couple obviously agreed - “anywhere also can lah” mah. We explored without an address and at one point, I was so convinced that we’d end up getting lost and be done with Food Foundry instead. We eventually found it, which was, taaadaaa, metres away from the mille crepe hall of fame.

It’s no swanky Delicious by Miss Read. No chic Café Del Mar tunes nor foie gras pate too. MM is a neighbourhood café that’s as cozy as it can get. I liked it, especially when it comes with free WiFi. There’s a banner that screamed best brownie in Malaysia or something like that. Oooh, this I have to try.

Lamb chop? You are ordering LAMB CHOP?? How unadventurous! Shouldn’t you be ordering beef stroganoff or something that I can’t even pronounce instead???

I was prepared to strangle her.

As it turned out, the lamb chop was good. Take away the sauce and we’ve got pieces of tender meat that were distant from the gamey distraction. It made me wonder the last time I had lamb chop, which was considered a luxury when I was a kid. You must be anticipating my choice of main. I had chicken pie. Oooh, how adventurous of HairyBerry, eh? Again, good stuff, despite the tiny portion. Equate it to the shrinking size of our beloved filet-o-fish. It must be the soft, slightly chewy skin and lacing of hearty cream sauce that made the pie so engaging. And then, we had desserts. A sort of powdery and bland tiramisu is not something I’ll order the next round. But I will have the brownies though. They prided themselves fairly well, for the brownies were delicious. Rich in chocolaty taste (why does phrase sound so familiar?), soft and nicely paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But…ahem, best? They should try our Ah Pa’s version also.

The sprouting of cafés is amazing, especially in new townships and malls. But the cynical part of me has always been associating them with menus filled with DIYs like spaghetti bolognaise, fries and burgers. You know, science projects that cost a bomb. What’s more when the taste is average at best. Definitely a waste of money, I think. It’s a different story here. So far, I enjoyed the honesty of the preparation and will not hesitate to return for other dishes. Hopefully they are good too.

MM fits into my “anywhere also can lah” relaxing weekend lunch list.

MM Café (an acronym for Mastermind?)
AG-1. Ground Floor
Block A, Happy Mansion
Jalan 17/13
Petaling Jaya, 46400 Selangor
Malaysia
Tel: (+603) 7958 8728

Restoran Pao Xiang Bah Kut Teh

The bak kut teh broth was originally made with tea, hence the name. Over the years, it has evolved into a consommé of complex herbs and spices to cater to the growingly complicated and demanding tastebuds. Still, the very essence of the comforting combination of tea and meat never left us. And it’s evident on every table in any bak kut teh restaurant.

Is it true that Chinese tea actually washes away fat, a line we so want to believe and as advised by the elders? Well, let’s see - it doesn’t contain much fibre to absorb the heart-clogging triglycerides we all love nor acidic/hot enough to cause the saturations to disintegrate. So, had our parents lied to us all these years? I don’t think so. They’d probably heard it from their parents as well. I came to a conclusion that it’s no more than to make us feel less guilty after that surrendering act of biting into a seductive cut of belly and letting the aroma that can only be described as impossible take us into momentary divinity.

There’s now a healthier alternative. Don’t stretch your imagination too far because it’s not to the extent of going manic organic or popping some new anti-bkt pills. Nothing vegetarian meat of sort too. There’s just less fat in every bowl that will, hopefully, prolong our lives by another 10 minutes with each sip of the soup or a bite of the fat. And that, I think, it’s already a new milestone for bkt.

It was also at this very restaurant that I learnt of a new side dish that had lived among the Hokkiens for the longest time. It’s called ju yau gou or lard cakes. Made mostly of lye water, it was meant to simulate the same texture of cooked, semi-solid lard. The cubes are independently bland but once dipped into the bkt broth, give this feeling of biting into that sensuous layer of pork belly that has been well-simmered. It's fake orgasm at its best. Of course, there will be people who question the usage of lye water and….the fun of a fake orgasm. What do I think? As long as it yummy...

I did say that there's less fat in every bowl. Now how on earth is that possible? Apparently, the meat is tightened using strings before being infused with flavouring ingredients. This method causes the exertion of higher pressure on the meat, and with sufficiently high heat, is able to squeeze out the molten fat between the skin and the meat. The heat also reduces the broth to give a richer taste. And if that's not healthy enough, the soup is supplied with herbs of medicinal purposes although I couldn't detect any but the usual Chinese angelica and 5-spice powder. It's good morning mental exercise in this restaurant too, as customers strategize to secure any of the limited tables.

There's one question on my mind, still. Now, if the oil's been extracted from the pork, does that mean that it's now IN the broth? The subject of evaporation is of no relevance as the smoking point of lard is somewhat between 120 to 220 degrees Celcius, which by then, would have mostly dried up the pot. So, how healthy is it, really?

(The above load of crap scientific analysis came from, yes, the same person who had 1 bowl each of spare ribs, pork knuckle and trotters to himself.)

Regardless of the fat-washing tea myth, the high smoking point and the lye water, I think the fact that the soup is flavourful and the flaky meat falls off the bone easily and that the collagen (or fat) literally melts in the mouth should guarantee another visit.

*Alerting fellow babitarians*

Lard cake cubes

Gigantic spare ribs

Individual serving of knuckle

Individual serving of trotters

Restoran Pao Xiang Bah Kut Teh
No. 45, Lebuh Bangau
Taman Berkeley
41150 Klang
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel: (+6012) 263 8869 / (+6010) 278 7230