Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh

How would I describe a PERFECT Sunday morning? Laying in bed until 11 am (tired from the usual Saturday night out) and start off the day (half, actually) with a good brunch, read the newspaper for awhile, and head back to dreamland once more. But then again, that’s just wishful thinking. When I’m back in KL, Sunday mornings are spent packing for the later trip back to Singapore.

Last Sunday, there was a slight change in plan though. Due to the overwhelmingly lack of bus tickets these few months (we all know why) and the end of the long weekend, bus tickets to Singapore were sold out the week before and the only available resort was the midnight bus. That means I’ll be going back to work on Monday with a “cooler than thou” junkie look while proclaiming that panda eyes are the next IN thing after doughnuts.

Pathetic stories aside, it was a blessing in disguise as I was able to join Cousin Andy for Bak Kut Teh (pork in herbal soup) in Klang! According to him, Teluk Pulai is one of the most celebrated Bak Kut Teh restaurants in the area. So, we had to get up quite early (there goes one half of my PERFECT Sunday) as it was quite a distance from our residence in KL and the fact that this place gets very crowded with meat worshippers, especially on weekends.

By the time we arrived around 9.45 am, the restaurant was already packed to the brim. Despite the chaos, service was attentive and the courteous lady boss (I presumed) assured us that we will be seated as soon as a table is available. About 20 minutes later, we managed to secure our seats at a rather cosy corner in the restaurant.

Since we came with empty stomachs, orders were quickly placed. The typical yau char gwai (deep fried dough) was served, as a starter. Though not too oily, the skin was not crispy and the fried dough was not aromatic. On the other hand, the herbal soup to soak the fried dough was rather flavourful. There was a burst of flavours from the five-spice powder, Chinese angelica and soya sauce.

While waiting for the rest of the dishes, we brewed ourselves a pot of warm and soothing Chinese Tea with tea leaves courtesy of an aunt of mine. I could only identify the tea as a superior "high mountain" breed from China.

It didn't take long before 2 bowls of spare ribs were served. The meat was tender and I must say it came in quite a generous portion. The soup tasted rich and was similar to the one served with the fried dough, only sweeter, thanks to the juice from the meat and the bone marrow. The fluffy rice went well with the soup.

We also had the braised chicken feet. The succulent feet were firm with a touch of elasticity, thanks to the collagen content. The deep fried layer of skin was quite aromatic and tasted sweet, most probably due to the infusion of the braising herbal stock. Though a good choice, I personally preferred the soft, almost overcooked type of chicken feet.

Last came the signature Claypot Bak Kut Teh, which was served pipping and topped with crisphead. Being a Hokkien-styled Bak Kut Teh, the sweet, refreshing dark brown coloured soup was again, rich with five-spice powder, Chinese angelica and soya sauce. Where's the cilantro, by the way? But the star of the dish has got to be the parts of the unfortunate pig, each part contributing a different texture and taste to the dish. The pork belly was soft and (for the daring ones) the layer of fat was aromatic and slightly springy. The stomach was smooth and tender, much to everyone's delight. The soya sauce soaked bird eye chilies complemented the bland stomach well. I personally enjoyed the intestines the most. Honestly, I have not had such huge intestines in a very long time. The well-cooked pieces were soft and flavourful. It was also quite aromatic and did not leave an unpleasant smell that most intestines exhibit. Since I was quite excited about this dish, I didn't snap as much photo as I should. In fact, I only took 1 shot.

The breakfast cost us RM78.70 (for 6 pax). A commendable price considering the generous portions and the fact that each of us had 2 plates of rice! I should also note that the pork used was very fresh too.

All the dishes were flavourful and we didn't suffer one of those after-meal-MSG-thirst effect. As much as I enjoyed the meal, I thought it lacked in subtlety. It could have tasted even better with the addition of cilantro, black peppercorn and cloves of garlic. Well, at least I have enjoyed the other half of a PERFECT Sunday with a good brunch!

Teluk Pulai Claypot Bak Kut Teh
32, Jalan Batai Laut 5, Kaw. 16
Taman Intan, 41300 Klang
Selangor.
Tel: +603-33445196, +6012-2389806, +6012-6571236 (Mr. Ng)

Basil Leaf Restaurant

It was getting late and we were hungry and slightly lost. Eventhough Anthony had been to this restaurant recently, we still required some time to get our bearings right. The dark and empty roads were not very helpful either. Personally, I wouldn't have thought that there are clusters of restaurants in this quiet part of Ampang. As we turned into Jalan Damai, we began to see dimly lit bungalows with signboards. Those must be restaurants, we reassured ourselves.

Call me artistically-declined, but for whatever reason there was, the Basil Leaf Restaurant signboard was so poorly lit, we passed by once without noticing it. A sigh of relief when we found the place. Ample parking spaces were available and I was surprised to see how quiet this place was on a Saturday night.

As we entered the facade, soothing sounds of flowing water and beautifully landscaped IndoChine-inspired garden welcomed our arrival. The al-fresco dining area was even more impressively decorated with zen-inspired statues, stones and colourful lotuses. The Chinaman in me was reluctant to dine al-fresco at first, as we do pay for the air-conditioning afterall. Since the majority wanted to enjoy the humid and exotic outdoor ambiance, I had to give in.

The beverage menu was quite extensive, ranging from generic soft drinks to exotic concoctions to wine. We had the Orange Juice (RM12), Coconut Juice (RM8), Lemongrass Juice (RM7) and a bottle of 1.5 litre Eau Claire (RM6!).

As for the food, this Siam/IndoChine themed restaurant boosted a diversed array of dishes, ranging from the typical Thai dishes such as Tom Yam and Pineapple Fried Rice to rarer delicacies such as Grilled Beef with Laotian Sauce.

We started off with the Mieng Kam (RM16), a do-it-yourself Thai snack where flavourful ingredients such as minced garlic & shallots, chopped bird eye chili and lemongrass, diced lime, crushed peanuts and dried shrimps are wrapped with betel leaves and topped with a special chili paste. The ingredients were quite fresh but I expected crunchy dried shrimps instead of the soft type and toasted peanuts too. The chili paste was a tad too sweet for my palate, perhaps due to the overuse of brown sugar. There was also a slight hint of dried prawn paste.

Next came the Prawn and Crabmeat Cake (RM18). The breaded and deep-fried cakes were springy and sweet. I'm not sure how they managed to mince the meat to such refined texture, but it sure tasted rather artificial, somehow. I would have preferred the cake with bits of prawn flesh thrown in, for the extra texture. The complementing sauce was optimally sweet with a touch of savouriness. I'm guessing it's honey with a dash of soya sauce or nam pla (fish sauce). Not impressive.

The Thai Pineapple Fried Rice was rather bland, despite the generous amount of ingredients such as chili, scallion and pineapple. The pineapple was also quite raw, hence the lack of sweetness and fragrance in the fried rice. A letdown.

Our last main for the night was the Saigon Fresh Crystal Rolls with Fresh Prawns (RM16). This dish scored high with its presentation but merely passed the taste test. The skin was too thick while the overall ensemble tasted rather uninteresting, despite the freshness of the prawns, leading to the overbearing taste of the peppermint. The dipping chili sauce, which was savoury with a hint of dried seafood aroma, couldn't enhance the taste of the rolls.

We were looking forward to the desserts after the rather unimpressive mains. The Thai Mango with Sticky Rice (RM12) was perhaps the saving grace for the night. The hearty glutinous rice was soft and blended well with optimally ripe mango. A dressing of rich coconut milk added extra smoothness and aroma to the dessert.

The Water Chestnut and Jackfruit Concoction (RM10) was rather simple and unimpressive, despite the sweet and aromatic jackfruit used. Basically, It was just a combination of jackfruit, water chesnut, coconut milk and ruby & emerald coloured jellies. Nothing more, nothing less.

Last on the dessert list was the warm Vietnamese Tapioca Pearls with Honey Dew served in Coconut Milk. The dense and fragrant coconut milk absolutely empowered the overall taste. The honey dew, which came in a green puree-like form, was very mild (almost non-existent) in flavour. The tapioca pearls added extra texture but were basically tasteless.

The dinner cost us RM147.20 (3 pax). If you enjoy dining in an exotic contemporary setting with good service sans good food (really average at most), this is the place for you.

Basil Leaf Restaurant
35, Jalan Damai
Off Jalan Tun Razak
55000 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-2166 1689
Website: http://www.basilleafrestaurants.com/

Marmalade Kafe (again!) @ Bangsar Village 2

Theory of relativity, law of attraction, chemistry, the black hole, karma, destiny, Chumbawamba, Kawabunga or whatever you call it, I am always drawn to Marmalade Kafe whenever I’m in Bangsar Village 2, even when I'm not looking for healthy, comfort food. It happens so naturally. This is my 5th visit to Bangsar Village 2 and 4th visit to Marmalade. Goosebumps? Personally, I have nothing against this lovely cafe and actually find some of the dishes like the Moroccan Lamb Shank and Carrot Cake very delicious. Ranked among the best in town (in my books, at least), if I have to be more specific. But no matter how great it is, I wouldn’t intentionally spend so many weekends visiting the same cafe and neglect other potentially great eateries, right?

This time around (last Saturday afternoon), I intended to pay SuChan a visit as I wanted to confirm if the Tiramisu is really the same as Alexis’, a thought that has been haunting me for awhile now. But as I entered the restaurant, I could feel a bad vibe and the waiter confirmed that by saying that they ran out of Tiramisu. Feeling rather disappointed (to put it mildly), I came out of the restaurant, wandered about the rather quiet mall and actually stopped right in front of Marmalade!

I surrendered to fate, but promised to make full use of my visit this time around. That means having other specialties besides the lamb shank.

I’ve tried the Sounds of Havana Salad (RM14-light portion) before but since I brought along a first-timer, I thought it was only appropriate to introduce this popular item. The salad, which consisted of mainly freshly cubed juicy red & yellow capsicums, pineapple & coconut salsa, tender chicken meat, haloumi (grilled cheese) and crisphead, was visually appetizing. Lets not forget the signature alfalfa sprouts topping too. A dressing of mustard vinaigrette was almost inconspicuous, an indication of the right amount of dressing applied to the salad. A dressing drenched salad can be a nightmare. A spoonful of the colourful mixture revealed an explosion of taste, including sweetness from the vegetables and pineapple, slight richness from the dressing and savouriness of the haloumi. Textures were also aplenty, thanks to the vegetables, grated coconut and chicken meat.

Next up was the Turkey Mushroom Quiche (RM16). I have heard so much about the quiche but somehow, never tried it before. The portion was quite huge, I must say. It was warm and filled with a generous serving of mushrooms and turkey ham. Though some might find it slightly bland due to the addition of milk in the egg mixture, I actually thought the savouriness was well-maintained, with a touch of freshness (from the milk) to boost. The only thing lacking, I thought, was a dash of freshly ground black pepper. The side greens, lightly dressed in balsamic vinegar, were commendably fresh.

Consistency was well-maintained in terms of the quality of the Carrot Cake (RM9 per slice). The generous amount of ingredients such as shredded carrots and walnuts contributed their distinctive aromas and textures to the cake. I can't be sure if butter was used, but the moistness of the cake (which was just right, by the way) suggested the replacement of butter with oil. The layer of cream cheese coating on the cake was rich and slightly tangy, a good contrast to the sweet cake. Decorations or not, the crushed nuts and pumpkin seeds gave the cake even more texture and flavour. The candied orange zest was a nice touch as it exhibited a totally contrasting taste and scent to the cake. A pleasurable dessert.

I must confess that despite all the hype about cupcakes (which is now so passe, due to the emergence of donuts), I have never had one before. Since I planned to order the right dishes at Marmalade this time around, I had myself my very first cupcake (with vanilla icing) at RM5.00. At first, I scraped away all the icing (how silly of me) and directly attacked the cake, which crumbled slightly as I took my first bite. Sensing the inappropriateness of the taste (bland, I guess), my sensible mind told me to apply the icing on the cake and eat it. And I was glad I did because it tasted so much better. The icing was not too sweet nor overpowered by the vanilla flavouring. Overall, the cupcake was alright for me, but not a dessert that I would have preferred.

The ladies seemed to have enjoyed their Homemade Tea at RM7 each. The Chrysanthemum Orange Tea was richly flavoured with both the ingredients while the Chamomile Lavender Tea was rather soothing. The unadventurous me had the Ice Lemon Tea (RM6). Sad to say, that was the only beverage I managed to take a snapshot.

We also bought a piece of Strawberry Friand (RM4) for supper. I didn't have a chance to taste it as Dad snacked on it a few hours later.

The bill came up to RM88.55 for 3 pax, including the friand.

Quiche, checked. Carrot Cake, checked. Sounds of Havana, checked. Cupcake, checked. Lamb shank, checked. Lamb kofta, checked. Other non-specialties, checked. Despite the healthy, comforting yet delicious dishes, I really hope that "fate" will lead me to other eateries when I visit Bangsar Village 2 again.

Do check out my first (more optimistic and obliviousness to "fate") review on Marmalade here.

Marmalade Kafe
Lot 1F-18, 1st Floor,Bangsar Village II,
2, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru,
59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-22828301

Paulaner Bräuhaus German Micro-Brewery Bar

Just a quick pre-Spageddies post.

Straight after dinner, we headed to Paulaner Bräuhaus for a quick beer fix before calling it a night. A good lager is always welcomed.

Ah Yew had the golden Munich Lager (S$ 14.50 - 0.5 litre), which was light and smooth with 4.7% alcohol content. A great finish for the night.

The rest, including myself, went for the more adventurous Munich Dark (S$12.50 - 0.3 litre), which like the name suggested, came in a golden dark brown hue. Apparently a Munich specialty, it was rich in malt flavour and creamy as well. Alcohol content: 4.8%. A lighter version of Guinness Stout but still a good brew, nonetheless.

Personally, I still prefer Asahi's super dry beer for its smoothness and taste.

This bar also serves other interesting beverages and food. Perhaps we should pay an official visit in the future.

Paulaner Bräuhaus Singapore
9 Raffles Boulevard,
Time² @ Millenia Walk,
Singapore 039596
For more information, visit: www.paulaner.com.sg

Spageddies Italian Kitchen @ Marina Square

We were spoilt for choice.

Despite the countless restaurants/cafes/bistros/foodcourts in the City Hall/Marina Square/Suntec City areas, we found it hard to decide on THE perfect eatery on the night of Deepavali. Readers might be anticipating THE perfect eatery that we have chosen, but disappointingly, THE perfect one was finally decided based on the nearest walking distance from our point of exhaustion.

Perfect or not, Spageddies at Marina Square instantly greeted us with it's cosy Italian setting and smiling staff. I have been to the Paragon (Orchard) branch before and was not amused by the food at all. Despite the reassurance from my friends, I was prepared for the worst. Luckily I had Bak Chor Mee an hour ago, I told myself.

Browsing through the menu, Mikey was fast to order half a dozen of baked escargot or French Snails (S$8.50). I was surprised with the order and didn't expect much from it. This is afterall, an Italian restaurant. The relatively large snails turned out quite flavourful, albeit the slightly overcooked meat. The melted cheese, combined with finely chopped garlic provided a rich and aromatic flavour. Addition of herbs would have accentuated the taste and scent.

Next on the list was the Grilled Chicken Primavera (S$16.50). According to the menu (which included Katakana characters), this dish was voted by Excellent food Award on exceptional culinary skill and consistency in 2001 & 2002. Recognition aside, this dish was again, quite flavourful. The al dente spaghetti, was stir-fried with olive oil, heaps of garlic and chili flakes, I appreciate the well controlled usage of salt and the pungency of the garlic chopped. The addition of vegetables (including broccoli, cherry tomato, and carrot) and slices of tender wood-grilled chicken added texture and flavour to the spaghetti.

As the Seafood Sizzlelini (S$46.50, serves 2 persons) was served, I was reminded of a paella as the spaghetti was basically covered by a generous amount of seafood including mussels, prawns and crayfish. The densely flavoured neapolitan sauce was very appetising and tasted rather sweet, perhaps to due to the juices from the fresh seafood. It also complemented the naturally bland spaghetti very well. I enjoyed the bell peppers and onions the most as they were surprisingly fresh and sweet.

We also had a bottle of 2005 Chardonnay from Folonari (Soave, Italy) at S$39. Tasted rather mild and fruity, it went well with the dishes. Other beverages consumed included soft drinks (S$3.90 each), iced lemon tea (S$3.90) and Italian Margarita (S$8.50).

With a little room left for dessert, we shared a Tiramisu (S$5.95).Credit must be given to the creatively designed top (cocoa powder dusting resembling the restaurant's name), Aesthetics aside, it was just alright for me. Definition of alright: well-controlled sweetness, soft sponge and generous portion of mascarpone. To me, the taste of kahlua was almost non-existence. Perhaps I was still in love with Alexis' version. The unripe strawberry and kiwi slices were also unnecessary, in my opinion.

The bill summed up to S$156.25 for 4 persons.

The food at Spageddies was quite decent and definitely a far cry from the experience I had at Paragon. With cosy ambiance to boost too.

Spageddies Italian Kitchen
No. 6, Raffles Boulevard
#02-138, F&G Marina Square
Tel: 6337 9156
Website: www.spageddies.com.sg

Bak Chor Mee @ Sim Lim Square

When it comes to shopping, people often cite Orchard Road/VivoCity (Singapore) or Mid Valley/One Utama (KL) as their favourite places to shop. As for me, Sim Lim Square at Bugis is a great place to hunt for bargains on electronic goods (especially computer hardware) and to update myself on the latest gadgets available. Don't get me wrong, I do have my fair share of love for my Tommys and Calvins but somehow, only sale items excite me. And when the place you love to shop includes a fantastic foodcourt (or that's what you've been told), you just know that you have to make time to pay a visit.

That's exactly what I did on Deepavali. Knowing how bad the traffic congestion can be on the North-South Highway during the holiday season, I stayed put in Singapore and had myself a little feast with a group of friends. Prior to that, I was at Sim Lim to check out the Micro-SD cards and bought myself a 2GB Kingston-type for S$31.50 (which I thought was a good buy). After the satisfying purchase, it was time for food.

I've never really paid attention to the foodcourt at Sim Lim Square until I heard that there's a famous Bak Chor Mee (Minced Meat Noodle) store at the foodcourt. This TeoChew delicacy is the best hawker food I've ever tasted in Singapore and I do try to make an effort to track down the best ones in town. So far, it's a tie between Ah Kow's (at Hong Lim Food Centre) and Tai Hwa's (at Crawford Lane). So, how did this version fare compared to the two giants?

For S$4.50 (large), the portion came rather huge for food court's standard. The mee kia (thin egg noodles), which was lightly seasoned with lard oil and soya sauce, came al dente. A dollop of chili paste was added to provide extra kick to the otherwise bland noodle. Side ingredients came aplenty and diversed, including fishballs, poached pork, stewed mushroom, fish cake, dumplings, chinese lettuce and scallion (as topping). Free flow of fried lard (a must!), Chinese black vinegar (a must too) and chili paste are also available, at your disposal. The crispy lard literally exploded in the mouth, releasing exceptionally aromatic flavour that complemented the noodles very well. Black vinegar and the mushroom added an interestingly contrasting and refreshing taste to the noodles. I wished they'd included a slice of dried flatfish, which would have added certain savouriness and aroma to the dish.

For an additional S$1.00, you can get a bowl of soup with 3 pieces of dumpling. I found the dumplings a tad too bland and lacked in ingredients (for the filling). To me, a good filling should include wood ear fungus, waterchestnut and again, flatfish. Then again, there's a limit as to what S$1.00 can offer.

It was generic Bak Chor Mee at it's best. Generously portioned with lots of side ingredients but lacked in subtly (taste-wise), as displayed by Ah Kow's and Tai Hwa's more traditional versions. Perhaps it was the control over usage of vinegar and soya sauce.

Minced Meat Noodles
Food Court @ Sim Lim Square
B1-08-26
1 Rochor Canal Road
Singapore 188504

Sage - The Restaurant

Exactly 7 days ago, I was privileged enough to be invited to join a monthly dinner at Sage (Robertson Walk) hosted by Kelvin from TimelessFacade (one of my Foodspirations). I must say I was thrilled as it was my first food outing since starting my blog 2 months back. It was not just a opportunity to savour some delicacies but also a chance to interact with other floggers (and bloggers) as well as to learn a thing or two about blogging from them.

As I entered the restaurant, I was greeted with a minimalistic-styled interior, which in my opinion, represented the type of cuisine Sage serves, which was modern European (particularly French). An opulent interior would have suggested a more traditional approach to the dishes, I presumed.

Despite tasting rather bland, the petitely cut herbed bread was rather fluffy. Similarly, the complementing butter also tasted bland. Salted butter would have heightened the flavour of the bread.

The complimentary amuse bouche (which literally means mouth amuser in French) was served next and looked rather interesting, thanks to the very contrasting colours of the layers in the shot glass. The cream-coloured lower layer of the glass consisted of compressed cooked pork and was covered by a layer of burgundy-coloured jellied tomato paste. The slight tanginess of the tomato paste complemented the richly flavoured ground pork very well. Once sandwiched between bread, it could be turned into a main dish instantly. An interesting opening for the night.

Next on the list was the first entreé for the night, the Seared King Scallops on a Salad of Homemade Squid Ink Capellini, Marinated Ocean Trout and Avruga Caviar, Braised Scallop Lips and Leek & Potato Vichyssoise. The scallop was well cooked and tasted very fresh. The al dente capellini complemented the savoury trout and caviar very well too, with its blandness. The caviar was also not too savoury nor tasted "fishy" and provided an interesting texture to the dish. The rich vichyssoise was flavourful but not overwhelming. A great dip for the bland herbed bread earlier. However, I wished the vichyssoise was served cold as it would provide an interesting contrast to the warm seared scallop.

The second and last entreé for the night was the Pan-Seared Duck Foie Gras with Pistachio Crust and Fig Compote, Granny Smith Apple Puree and a Dressing of Red Grape Mustard Vinegar. The sinfully rich and creamy liver was well seared (complete with a layer of crisp skin) and went well with the crushed pistachio coating, in terms of texture. The foie gras basically melted in the mouth, releasing an aromatic flavour, leaving everyone with a smile on the face. The chef must have contemplated on presenting a well-balanced creation in terms of taste as the compote, apple puree and mustard vinegar (each with its own distinctive taste) provided optimal tartness, which complemented the foie gras very well. Tres bon!

My main dish was the Caramelized Black Angus Beef Cheek Topped with Melted Foie Gras Mousse and a Fricassee of Mushrooms, Compote of Butternut Squash and White Onions. Despite the wonderful presentation, the ensemble tasted rather bitter, presumably due to the caramel sauce (slightly burnt, perhaps). The foie gras mousse did not provide much hindrance to the bitterness as it was by itself, a rich and bitter-prone ingredient. The compote on the other hand, tasted rather bland. Albeit the disappointment in taste, the beef cheek was actually very well cooked as it was flaky and soft at the same time.

Those who chose the Cod and Bouillabaisse seemed to have enjoyed the flavourful stew very much. The dish consisted of an Effeullie of Cod and Grey Prawns in a Seafood Bouillabaisse with Ratte Potatoes and Garden Vegetables Accompanied With Rouille on Toast.

No one chose the Lamb Loin for their main. A short description of the dish would be an Australian Grain Fed Lamb Short Loin with a Cassoulet of Summer Beans Scented with Garlic, Rosemary and Lardons, Crispy Parmigiano Reggiano and Roma Tomato Coulis.

Dessert consisted of Lavender Créme Brulée with Blood Orange Sorbet on Redcurrant Jelly and Navel Orange Meringue. The Créme Brulée was creamy in texture with good control of sweetness but I could not detect the scent of the lavender. Perhaps overpowered by the vanilla flavour. The meringue was light and crispy but did not ignite any amusement. The sweet sorbet and tangy jelly complemented each other well in terms of taste and texture as well, thanks to the creaminess of the sorbet and the firmness of the jelly.

Throughout the night, we also had a bottle of Pinot Noir (2005) from Huia (Marlborough, New Zealand) to complement the dishes.

The bill came up to approximately S$1000 (for 10 pax). A tad high for a dinner but I must say that most of the dishes were noteworthy and memorable, especially the scallop and foie gras. A great culinary adventure nonetheless, with great company to boost.

The taste of the excellent foie gras lingered on my mind until the next morning.

For more on Sage, check out this website:
www.sagerestaurants.com.sg

Botak Jones @ Clementi

I was reading the Sunday Times, dated 28 October 2007 and chanced upon this interesting article titled, "Ang Moh Hawkers" (which literally means Caucasian Hawkers) in the lifestyle section. It was about 2 permanent residents of Singapore (Botak Jones and Crazy Ang Mo) penetrating into the wonderful "Singapore Hawkersphere", each with their distinctive business philosophy, history and taste. There was even a comparison of food between these 2 eateries.Still, to me, despite all the hype, it's just "western food" lah. (My first ever Singlish/Manglish vocabulary on my blog!).

When a colleague of mine, Mr. D asked to me join him for dinner at Botak Jones (Clementi branch) last Friday, I was hesitant, not because of my preconception, but rather a dinner appointment with a group of food avids at Sage (which I will review right after this one) later in the evening. After much persuasion (it's an exaggeration), I agreed to give it a try.

You can see customers (mostly youths and the after-work crowd) queueing to place their orders as you approach the Kopitiam at Clementi Avenue 5, while the elders were seen enjoying their wanton noodles instead. At 6.20 pm, we still managed to secure a table. According to Mr. D, the queue can be astonishingly long after 7.00 pm (Clementi branch).

The first dish to arrive was the Botak Chez Set (S$8.00). The burger basically consisted of a piece of beef patty topped with melted cheddar cheese, a halved burger bun, raw onion rings and a slice of tomato. Despite the generic ensemble, the beef was rather fresh, moist and tender (unlike those hard and dry type found in some fastfood chains). The fresh raw onions added crispness to the burger but the cheddar cheese did not amplify the taste of the patty. Sides included crinkle fries and coleslaw. Taste aside, a definitively filling portion nonetheless.

Next came my Fish and Chips ($S6.50 - for the small portion). The golden brown fish fillets were rather thin but well cooked. Since there was no hint of "frozen fish" smell and the flesh was quite firm, I concluded that the fish was commendably fresh. A drizzle of lemon juice provided slight tanginess to the fish. I personally enjoyed the tartar sauce as it was optimally flavoured (I was not sure if capers were added) and did not leave me with a cringing feeling (some eateries tend to overuse vinegar in their sauce). Sides were similar to the first dish; crinkle fries and coleslaw.

Service was efficient (and friendly too) despite the stacks of orders while the price was alright (by hawker centre standard). By the way, Mr. D mentioned that the Cajun Chicken was highly recommended too. As we packed up to leave after our dinner, the queue already doubled in length.

Was the food worth the queue, you asked? If it's a 45 minutes queue, then, NO.

Botak Jones' slogan: damn good food, damn good price.
Nic's humble opinion: so-so food, affordable price.

Find out more on Botak Jones here:
www.botakjones.com/

Hari Raya Open House

While most people are anticipating the arrival of Deepavali tomorrow, here I am reminiscing the Hari Raya Open House Lunch at Azuan's house 2 weeks back...

As soon as we arrived at Azuan's colourfully decorated home, we were treated to an array of Hari Raya cookies. Since most of the cookies were homemade, authenticity was guaranteed and I couldn't wait to try all of them.

Kuih Samperit (butter and custard flour cookie) was one of those cookies that I wanted to try since I have not taken one in a very long time. It was light and soft yet not overwhelmed by the buttery taste. A very much milder version of a Kjeldsen's Butter Cookie. It also reminded me of those Dragon (with "red eyes") Cookies I had for Chinese New Year when I was young.

The sweet Oatmeal Cookie was crispy and aromatic while the Almond Cookie tasted rather bland compared to the former but was compensated by the crunchy texture of the lightly toasted almond bits. Other highlights included Butter Cookie With Melted Chocolate Flakes Topping and the Kuih Bangkit (Traditional Tapioca Flour and Coconut Milk Cookie).

For lunch, we had Mee Kari or noodles in curry soup (not Laksa, as posted earlier. Thanks, Azuan!). A refreshing change from the ketupat (poached rice stuffed in weaved pandan/screwpine pockets) and rendang (beef in thick spiced chili sauce) that we had been offered for the past few years (which were all very tasty, by the way).

The main ingredients for the Mee Kari were green cabbage mustard leaves, hard-boiled eggs, beansprouts and of course, noodles. Red chilies and fried shallots were used to add extra flavours and for garnishing. A complete array of ingredients albeit the missing fish cakes.

The curry diluted with coconut milk tasted rich and sweet, thanks to the many flavourful ingredients added into the soup, including chicken, cockles (love it!) and potatoes. These ingredients, together with the dried beancurd added different textures to the soup.

A great lunch to reconnect with close friends and their families. To me, that's what Open House(s) are all about. Hope to do this again next year. In the meantime, I guess I should start to construct a menu for my Chinese New Year gathering (not that I have had one before).

Thanks, Azuan for the food and great hospitality! And for the Laksa correction, too.

Meng Kee @ Rawang

A sigh of relief! The last quiz of the semester was officially over 2 hours ago and it's about time I post some reviews on my blog! Even I got a little bored looking at my "stagnant" site for the past 7 days in the office.

Let's continue with my "makan marathon" in KL 2 weeks back. After Marche and the Loaf, we headed to Rawang for the finale. No particular reason, just a suggestion from Cousin Andy who lives nearby.

I must say the long and expanding Jalan Rawang leading to the Rawang township (from Selayang, passing by the Templer Park Country Club) was surprisingly lively on a Saturday evening with Chinese restaurants burgeoning at both sides of the road, complete with screaming neonlights. Curiousity unravelled as to how good these restaurants can be. And there's only one way to find out.

But as I was imagining the type of food served in those restaurants, we pulled over in front of a row of garage-like, mostly unoccupied shops. There was only one shop that practically "opened for business" and I was told that we would be having dinner there. It was basically a bare shoplot (which I couldn't tell the front from back) without any slight form of renovation. In short, a garage that sells food. It was already 7.00 pm and the workers were just starting to arrange the tables and chairs. I was told that this restaurant caters for the night crowd.

We started off with the KL-styled Hokkien Fried Noodles. The portion came huge with generous amount of ingredients such as prawns, squid, green mustard cabbage and most importantly, crispy lard. However, the dark sauce was quite bland and diluted, which really lowered the grade of this dish. To me, a good plate of Hokkien Fried Noodles should be aromatic, dry and yes, oily. By the way, I forgot whether they provide belacan sambal (chili and dried shrimp paste).

This restaurant is famous for its Haruan (Snakehead Fish). The chef recommended the Stir-Fried Haruan With Scallions & Ginger and the remains of the deboned fish to be made a soup.

The soup tasted rather flavourful, thanks to the generous amount of preserved vegetables and tomatoes. Savouriness was well-controlled and tomatoes added a tangy flavour to the soup while the beancurd added texture. Despite being called "remains", there was still plenty of flesh attached to the bones and was rather tender and aromatic as well, thanks to the frying process.

The Stir-Fried Haruan, again was served in a generous portion. The thick slices of fish coated with oyster sauce were soft and didn't exhibit any hint of muddiness, in terms of taste. Scallion and ginger added a refreshing taste and texture to the dish.

Next came the Marmite-flavoured spare ribs. A typical Chinese dish nonetheless but the ribs were generously cut and tasted rather fresh. The sweet and slightly sour Marmite sauce complimented the crispy ribs very well.

After all the heavy dishes, the Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Leaves was welcomed. The young leaves were well-cooked and the heaps of crushed garlic added extra crunch and aroma to the dish.

Last came the Japanese Beancurd In Hotplate. Nothing fanciful, just beancurd drenched in sizzling egg-based sauce, complete with generous amount of minced pork, shitake mushroom, babycorn and carrots. Simple yet flavourful. Salted fish would have exclamated the dish.

A decent meal with the word "generous" basically tagged to every dish there was. Not much sublety in the dishes but flavours were well assured. It was also quite affordable (I can't recall the total price of the meal though).

Keep a lookout for Rawang, food-loving urbanites!