restoran taiping ho chiak...

This is a rather old post, since October last year if I am not mistaken! Time just flew after the new account came in and I kinda slowed down on my blogging. So am gonna give a brief one below instead of wasting the pictures.

Restoran Taiping Ho Chiak is located very near the ex Ruby Theater in Sea Park, PJ. Its down along KFC which should be a well known landmark for that area.

The decor inside is very Baba Byonya'ish in my opinion and gives a rather homely feeling to the place. At the time was around 2pm so it was rather quiet.

It was the start of the day for us so Sunshine and I had the White Coffee (RM3.00) which tasted okay but I would still prefer Old Town's to this.

For starters we had the Taiping Popiah (RM3.60). This was rather yummy. Not too oily and had a very good crunch to it. Not to mention the filling was really good. The only drawback was the chilli sauce that came with it was rather diluted and tasteless.

I had the Nyonya Curry Mee (RM5.90) which came smelling fragrant. The soup is rather thick which is how I like it but some might find it overpowering. It came with nice quantity of ingredients like Tau Foo Pok, lady fingers and bean curd skin. Only thing missing would be the cockles but I think for health reasons was left out. The soup was rich and yummy. :D

Sunshine had her favourite Prawn Mee (RM6.90) but sadly did not come up to her standards. I don't think its easy to sell prawn mee so it doesn't surprise me that they failed to meet the mark. The soup was rather watered down but as a plus point it did come with reasonable amount of ingredients.

All and all this place did show some promise. There were other interesting items on the menu but sadly haven't had the time to return and try it out. Hopefully one of these days will stop over for lunch again. I end the post a picture of their cute toothpick dispenser. Cheers.

pssst, hes back...

Guess what? It does seem kinda early but my favourite fast food burger is back in town! :D

Yup its the almighty Prosperity Burger. This time they've come up with a double variety to boot. *droools*

Gonna get me some this weekend! ;)

uncle cheng special beef at section 17, pj...

Another ancient post. Should have posted this about 6 months ago. Uncle Cheng's Special Beef Noodle does not really need an introduction. Many floggers have already written about this place and a simple Google search will yield dozens of reviews.

Many people might struggle to find this place as its located deep within Section 17, PJ. Although with the popularity of 6 to 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak, My Elephant and Food Foundary am sure you'll find ya way somehow. ;)

Everything sold by Julian (son of the original Uncle Cheng) are beef related. You have beef noodles (dry or soup), beef tenderloin (in broth), mixed beef (tripe, meatballs, beef slices in broth), dry beef slices and even bone marrow soup. The latter of the 2 are rather special so they aren't available daily and runs out real fast if they do! :(

Unfortunately I have only tried their beef noodles (both dry and soup) and boy are they yummy! The meat slices are juicy and tender while the beef ball is nice and springy. I remember trying beef noodles in Seremban where the sauce was over powering but Uncle Cheng's is just nice. Doesn't give you that jelak feeling. I also like the sprinkle of preserved cabbage and peanuts. Gives a nice crunch and break of taste from the beefy contents.

However if you like something soupy you can always go for the beef soup. The broth used is full of flavor and smells heavenly. Even the dry variety gets a bowl of it and without fail it will be slurped till the last drop! :D

This is the best place to get my fix of beef noodles. Always consistent and Julian is a very friendly chap. More than willing to chit chat. Give this place a try if you are in the vicinity. You won't walk away disappointed.

Uncle Cheng's Special Beef Noodle, Khasiat Cafeteria, Sec 17/12, PJ.

kluang station at ikano power center, kl...

This is one of the few posts which I have kept in draft mode for ages. Have always been interested in trying out this place ever since I saw them at Ikano Power Center. Especially when I saw that they serve Hainanese Chicken Chop. *droools*

This outlet of Kluang Station is located on the 2nd floor if I am not mistaken. Anyways you can't miss it, as you go up the escalator you'll see it in front of you no matter what floor you are on.

Sunshine and I have actually eaten here twice. Both times I had the same thing which am sure you can guess what while Sunshine tried something different.

Her first round she had the Nasi Lemak (RM4). This was pretty good as the rice was fragrant and the sambal had a good mix of chili and belacan. Sadly though for the price I don't think its justified for plain nasi lemak but thats mall dining for you right!

Sunshine's 2nd fare wasn't any better. This time it was the Beef Rendang Rice (RM8.90). This dish was rather dry and plain tasting. As you can see from the picture it isn't even pleasing to the eyes. I would pick any stall located throughout Klang Valley and they would serve much better rendang and way cheaper too.

Now its my turn. Considering I ate it twice you should realise that I was a happy camper with my choice which was the Hainanese Chicken Chop (RM10.90). Although not as good as Yut Kee in KL but good enuff for something close to home. The chop itself was fried just about right with a crispy egg batter crust and the gravy had enuff onions and mushrooms to be lapped up on its own. The green peas on top was also a nice touch.

Overall I guess I would only return for the Chicken Chop. Everything else isn't really up to par and the drinks isn't much to shout about. So if you are a fan of Hainanese Chicken Chop, you might want to give this joint a try. :D

Kluang Station, F07, IKANO Power Centre, Mutiara Damansara, PJ.

killiney kopitiam at jaya one, pj...

Its been ages since I did my last food review. I have a handful pending actually but just haven't found the time to post em'. This post however is what I had for lunch just a couple of hours ago.

Killiney Kopitiam is a Singaporean kopitiam chain which was originally founded in 1919. Yup thats a long way back! I heard about this place a couple of years back where the only outlet I've seen was in Damansara Uptown. Unfortunately due to the poor parking situation there, I never managed to try this place out. This particular branch is located at Jaya One along Jalan University, PJ.

First up in any kopitiam is to try out their coffee. Sunshine and I both had Kopi Ais (RM2.50). It came in a nice tall glass and tasted pretty good. Not too sweet or too strong. A rather good start to the meal.

We both wanted something light so we decided on trying out their noodles. They looked really yummy in the menu. Sunshine settled on the Mee Rebus (RM5.80). When it came it smelled and looked good. Sadly though the moment she put it in her mouth, it all went downhill. The noodles were ok but the gravy was way below par. How can one enjoy noodles when its gravy isn't up to task? Think Nyonya Colors still serves the best mee rebus in town. At least cafe type mee rebus that is.

I wanted to try something new so I decided on the Singapore Katong Laksa (RM5.80). Just like Sunshine's noodles, it came looking yummy and rich. Sadly though thats about as good as it got. The soup, albeit rich in lemak flavor was too oily to enjoy. The only plus point was the tauhu pok which were fresh and crispy. I left half the noodles behind as I couldn't take the oily soup.

As an appetizer we ordered one set of Roti Bakar (RM2.30). Sadly though it came half way through our meal. What made it worse? The simplest of dishes turned out to be the worst I've ever tasted. Never thought anyone can screw this up but I guess theres always a first! The bread was stale while the kaya & butter didn't even taste like they should. We practically left half of it untouched. :(

This might be cos the place is new but I will never return to Killiney Kopitiam. They bastardized a simple dish like roti bakar. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. My road side mamak serves up a much better fare and 1/3 the price! :P

Killiney Kopitiam, D-6-1, Level 1, 55LG2, Block D, Jaya One, No. 72A Jalan Universiti, PJ.

mega mac...

Am sure most of you are aware of the heavy advertising by Mickey D's recently in relation to their iconic 'Big Mac'. All you gotta do is recite the Big Mac Chant within' 4s and you got yaself a free Big Mac. Sounds like sweet deal right? Sadly its easier said than done!

"Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun."

I tried reciting it to myself a few times but couldn't manage 4s or even close to that for that matter, so I decided to give the challenge a pass. Instead I was more interested in trying out the Mega Mac (RM9.99). Just imagine DOUBLE the yummy goodness of a Big Mac. *drooool*

Finally after almost 2 weeks of the promotion I got my hands on one. Check out the nice oversized box the burger came in. Enticing no?!

Usually when I order Big Mac they make a bad job of preparing it. It turns up all messy and lopsided. Surprisingly though this came neat and nice. Damn it smelled soooo good. Always did love the smell of a Big Mac, which to me is a definative scent of McDs, apart from their golden french fries of course.

So how was it? Firstly it was one hellave challenge to just get one bite! LOL. It tasted alright. Double the meat and cheese. Sadly little low on the special sauce. After about half way through, it hit me. This was overkill. I did manage to finish it but I doubt I'll order it again. The regular Big Mac will do for me. ;)

mj cafe n restaurant at jaya 33...

The recent rain storms have put a real damper on dinner during work days. As we have only 1 hour to grab a meal, we can't really go far. So when it rains many places that we frequent (stalls mostly) are off the list.

Recently we have Jaya 33 as an option. Sadly though all the restaurants are mid level or higher so its not ideal for daily meals. However Sunshine and I stumbled upon a place right at the back called MJ Cafe N Restaurant. Its reasonably priced offering typical mamak/kopitiam/economical western food.

First we ordered our drinks and I tried their cold cham aka yin yong aka coffee mix tea (RM2.20) while Sunshine just had warm water (RM0.50). The cham had a good mixture and tasted rich enough.

When it came down to food we were both famished. So we wanted some rice. I went with the Pineapple Fried Rice (RM7.90). It came with a nice fried egg on top. The garnish of pineapply slices and cucumbers were sad as their were all dried up. God only knows how long it has been sitting out. The rice itself was pretty good. Not typical Thai style but good enuff. There were alot of yummy pineapple bits inside which gave a nice flavor.

Sunshine wanted something spicy so she went for their Thai Fried Rice (RM6.50) which wasn't really spicy. It did have a nice sourish taste though which she liked. Accompanying the fried rice was stir fried chicken cooked in soy sauce. It was alright I guess. Something different.

Overall a reasonable place to visit whenever it rains or we get bored of the regular fare. Only downside would be parking, a typical Jaya area issue.

MJ Cafe and Restaurant
PG-12, Ground Floor, Jaya 33, No. 3, Jalan Semangat, Section 13, 46200 PJ, Selangor.

burgers at tony roma's, cineleisure damansara...

Tony Roma's has been in Malaysia for about a year now. Its a popular American chain who are famous for their flame grilled pork ribs. Unfortunately we won't be able to try em' as they decided to go halal when they opened up shop here. You can however get your hands on some beef ribs which I hear is just as yummy!

I have passed this outlet in Cineleisure Damansara tons of times but it never really tickled my fancy. Finally last week while roaming about Ikano, the Curve & Cineleisure looking for lunch, Razman and I decided to give this place a try.

As it was lunch both of us didn't really want anything heavy. So we decided on some burgers. Before we ordered we were served complimentary bread with garlic butter on the side. Real yummy stuff. Sadly didn't manage to take any pics. Sorry la was too damn hungry! ;)

After deliberating I settled for the Shiitake Mushroom Burger (RM22.90). As expected in these sorta places, the portion was huge. Even wondered how the hell I was gonna fit all that in my mouth. LOL. Loved the wonderful aroma of freshly grilled beef patty, melted swiss cheese and mushrooms. The burger came just as I ordered it, medium well. Unfortunately though I wasn't happy with the meal. The burger did taste good but the patty seemed to have some hard bits which kinda put a damper on things. On a plus note though the fries were cooked just right and were sinfully yummy.

Razman was too lazy to decide so he just went with the Roma Burger (RM20.90) which is their take on the classic. Didn't hear any complaints except that he asked for medium rare but got medium well instead. Forgot to ask him if he has the hard bits as well. He did leave a happy camper so maybe not.

Guess at the end of the day, don't think I would come here for burgers. Would rather plonk that kinda money in Chillis or Burger King for that matter. Not sure about other stuff though and don't mind coming back for dinner one day. will definately blog about if I do. :D

Tony Roma's
G-29(II), G-32 & G-33, Grd Flr, Cineleisure, Mutiara Damansara.

restoran famous seremban favourites...

I'm a fan of all things pork. So when I read about this place that serves lovely char siew (barbequed pork) so near my home, I couldn't help but get my butt over there to give it a try.

One afternoon, Sunshine and I took a drive to Sunway Mas in search of this place. Luckily being rather familiar with the area, I found Restoran Famous Seremban Favourites without much fuss. Would advise most to study the map below before heading out to this place as to not get disappointed.

As expected the first thing on my mind was to get some juicy char siew. Ordered us a medium plate (RM10) of lean meat and waited patiently for it to arrive. Within' moments it came with the sauce on the side, which is a good thing as at times the sauce can be very overpowering. At least this way we can control it to our liking.

The verdict? Well I thought the char siew was heavenly but Sunshine thought otherwise. She prefers it to be lean and tough while I loved how 'melt in your mouth' it was. I would have to agree with most floggers that this would be the best char siew in town, for me at least. We were there rather late (3pm) so no siew yoke (roast pork) for me to savour, which I heard is just as good. Guess its reason to drop by again soon huh! Hehe.

For my main meal I decided to try their Hakka Mee (RM3). A very simple noodle dish with colorless gravy and minced meat. It may look dull but never trust a book by its cover. The broad noodles as well as the seasoned minced pork works well together and topped with pickled green chilis is a definate winner!

Sunshine wasn't keen on most of the noodles on offer so she settled with the safe bet of Wantan Mee (RM3). Sadly though it must have been the worst wantan mee we've had in a long time. I would definately advise you guys to stay away from it. The noodles wasn't springy and the sauce was bleh. It was so bad Sunshine barely ate half of it. :(

All in all it apart from the wantan mee, this place looks promising. Wide variety of food as well as heavenly char siew. Would definately visit again least for the yummy porky goodness. For more reviews on this place you can check out the floggers below.

Ipoh Mali Talak Sombong!
masak-masak
KampungBoyCityGal
You Get What You Give...

Restoran Famous Seremban Favourites
Location: 80-1 Ground Floor, Jalan PJU 1/3B, Sunway Mas Commercial Centre, Petaling Jaya.

old town white coffee at section 19, pj...

Think most of you would be familiar with Old Town White Coffee cafes. This modern kopitiam chain which has branches (77 as of 16th January 2008) all over Malaysia has been around for quite awhile now. Being a fan of Ipoh Old Town White Coffee for years, I couldn't help but try this place out when they opened up near my office. :D

As expected the highlight of this place has definately gotta be their COFFEE. From their infamous White Coffee to Hazelnut White Coffee to Nanyang Memorably, which is their take on Cappuccino I think. Love the frothy top and thick coffee flavour. Do give the Hazelnut variety a try as its really good. You can taste then nice nutty flavour on top of the smooth coffee. Yummy!

One surprise I had from Old Town cafe is their teas. I didn't think it would amount to much but one sip and I was hooked. Their White Milk Tea is quite similar to Hong Kong's Nai Cha whereby its very creamy. They also have something called Xi Mut Milk Tea which is suppose to be silky smooth, will have to give that a try one of these days. ;)

When it comes to food, Old Town does have a wide array of choices. From toasts to rice to noodles. Sadly though only their bread related stuff are nice, everything else isn't worth a try unless you are REALLY hungry. Hehe.

I have tried all the types of toasts on offer and none of them disappoint. From the heavenly French Toast to their scrumptious Thick Toast (plain, kaya or peanut butter) to their light and crispy Kaya Toast. If you want something heavier you can also give their Tuna Toast a try which is really yummy.

Now Old Town White Coffee has opened another branch near my office at Jaya One. How am I to avoid them? LOL. Both of these outlets have become a regular haunt for Sunshine and I. Even the boys love hanging out there every now and then especially when the craving for a cuppa arises. :D

Old Town White Coffee Cafe
Location: 3 Two Square, C-18-01, Dataran 32, Jalan 19/1, PJ, opposite Toyota's flagship center as well as the Section 14 mosque.
Location: Jaya One, C-1-1, Block C, Unit 1, Level B2, Jalan 13/PJ.

hiatus...

Howdy folks! Sorry haven't been blogging for awhile now. Been preoccupied with other stuff so kinda lost track. Still owe you guys a write-up about my last vacation.

Just to fill in for now. Above is what I had for lunch today. Yummy Jackson's Burger! This time if was fish banjo with mustard. *drool*

Till the next time. Adios.

shihlin taiwan street snacks at 1 utama, pj...

Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks is a popular food chain from Singapore that focuses on famous Taiwan night market snacks. Their first branch in Malaysia was opened about 2 years ago at the Old Wing of 1 Utama Shopping Center. Same floor and close by to Tanjung Golden Village cinema.

Been meaning to try this place ever since they opened but always hesitated as most of the time the place is packed and there is very limited seating. Its just a tiny kiosk type establishment where the kitchen takes up most of the place. Finally got a chance when I passed the place around 2ish pm on a Friday. It was empty (although before I knew it got filled up, LOL)!

Their menu is simple whereby you have 4 items to choose from and 2 drinks (bottled water & soy bean milk). Prices for all the 4 are same which is RM5.50. The choices are XXL Crispy Chicken, Seafood Tempura, Crispy Floss Egg Crepe and Handmade Oyster Mee Sua.

The Handmade Oyster Mee Sua is a definate must have! Best to be eaten right away piping hot. It is served in a thick flavorful broth, nicely cut strands of mee sua, shredded chicken and 2 plump (and fresh!) oysters. You can choose to have it with or without chili but I highly recommend having it with chili. The chili sambal adds a good kick to the whole ensemble.

Another top draw has to be the XXL Crispy Chicken. This is similar to what Uncle Bob offers in most pasar malams. Tender deep fried chicken sprinkled with 2 types of powder, 5 spices and chili I think. Don't eat it right out of the deep fryer though as its freaking hot! If only they would cut it up for you as it would make it much easier to munch on.

All and all a great place for a quick bite. Price wise I would say pretty reasonable considering whats on offer in 1 Utama. If only they would expand with more seating. Am definately returning to try their Crispy Floss Egg Crepe. :D

Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks
Location: Lot S54 (2nd Floor), 1 Utama Shopping Centre (Old Wing), close to Tanjung Golden Village cinema.

3A yong tau foo at rothmans roundabout, pj...

This particular joint is a regular dinner haunt for Sunshine and I. Firstly its located very near office and lastly how can we resist some fresh healthy yong tau foo (YTF)! Restoran 3A Yong Tau Foo & Chee Cheong Fun has been around for ages. Can't recall how long but I still remember eating there almost 12 odd years ago. Unless of course it was a different YTF place then.

Its located just after Rothmans Roundabout, Section 19. Very easy to spot as its next to Restoran Green View, who is famous for their Sang Har Meen. Their menu range from all sorts of yong tau foo (fried or boiled) goodies, chee cheong fun (black sauce or curry), some noodles, veggy/meat/seafood dishes and chinese desserts.

The must have condiments for yong tau foo. Their pickled green chilis are really addictive. Sunshine can't stop eating it till she got a tummy ache one day from the overdose of vinegar. Hehe.

First up is always their Chee Cheong Fun (RM2.20). Smooth in texture and comes in a sizeable portion is very yummy indeed. Love the generous topping of deep fried onions, dried shrimp bits and sesame seeds. Gives the dish an extra ooomph. Both the black (slightly sweetish) and curry (not too spicy and flavorful) sauces are just as good.

All of their yong tau foo choices are fresh and tasty. They only cost RM0.80 per piece which is pretty reasonable. The best fried stuff to order would be their Sui Kow, Foo Chuk and Wantan. The items come to your table freshly fried unlike some places that have it sitting outside for ages.

The best boiled stuff would be their Japanese Taufoo, Okra, Brinjal (slightly grilled) and White Taufoo. Love how silky smooth both the taufoo varieties are. Their soup is flavorful but I tend not to have too much of it. Not too sure if they use MSG or not.

If you are not up for yong tau foo, you can always opt for their cooked dishes which are pretty good as well. The Asam Pedas Squid, Fish or Sting Ray are really nice. Priced reasonably at RM8, RM10 or RM12 depending on portion. They also have nice Honey Fried Chicken and Homemade Taufoo.

To wash all of the food down, don't forget to try their homemade Soybean (RM1.70) drink. Especially piping hot during a rainy day. Very refreshing. Their Cincau (RM1.70) and Sour Lemon drink isn't all that bad either.

I would rate this as the best yong tau foo restaurant in Petaling Jaya. Service is good and fast plus their food always fresh and consistant. Give them a try one of these days and you won't be disappointed! :D

3A Yong Tau Foo & Cheong Fun
Location: 12 Jalan 19/3, 46300 Petaling Jaya, just after Rothmans roundabout & next to Restoran Green View.

uncle lim's cafe at ikano power center...

Uncle Lim's Cafe is a new favourite of ours. This modern kopitiam chain has been around for quite some time now and I think most would have tried them before. They have a total of 4 outlets in Malaysia located in major shopping malls. This particular review is from the one at Ikano Power Center, mainly because its the nearest to my home. ;)

Uncle Lim's tagline is 'Homegrown Tastes'. Their concept is to modernize our everyday kopitiam while maintaining its old charm. Very simple decor of old school tables and stools. Its also self service whereby you order, pay, collect your drinks and find a seat. Which is good cos you save up on the 10% service charge. Funny thing is its not entirely self service as most food items get sent to you as they have to make them first.



One of the main reasons why I like Uncle Lim's is their Kopi Susu (RM2.40 hot & RM2.80 cold) accompanied with some Roti Bakar (RM1.80). Whether its hot or cold I have always liked how consistant the coffee is. Very addictive indeed especially with some crisp roti bakar (toasted over charcoal). Their kaya is very rich in coconut flavor and spread rather generously. A definate must when eating at Uncle Lim's.

Been visiting this place quite a bit so have tried everything on the menu except for the Chicken Porridge (RM7.90) and Parang Fish Cake. One of their signature dishes is Uncle Lim's Laksa (RM7.90) which is actually Johor Laksa (using spaghetti noodles). The gravy is very thick, rich and creamy. At times a little too rich as half way through you'll feel sick to your stomach.

Another favourite is their Nasi Lemak (RM7.90). You can choose either chicken or beef rendang. Have tried both and they are rich, tender and delicious but prefer the chicken more. A special thing about their nasi lemak is the sambal is made with squid and is a mix of spicy and sweet. A word of caution though as the sambal and rendang is rather oily. So those that have sensitive stomachs might want to reconsider.

They do offer 2 non local delights which are the Chicken Chop (RM7.90) and Fried Chicken Fillets w/ Fries (RM5.90). Wouldn't really come here for it but it doesn't taste all too bad. As a quick snack they have curry puff (RM1.50) and otak-otak (RM3.50). Both I would rate as average. Think Ikea's curry puff is much better.

All and all I would definately recommend Uncle Lim's Cafe. Only drawback being its always crowded (which means a long queue just to order!) and its priced slightly higher than most kopitiams. Maybe a weekend brunch sorta place. Damn am craving for some coffee and toast now. :(

Uncle Lim's Cafe
Location: LG 15 (P1), IKANO Power Centre, No. 2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara, in between Pos Malaysia & Bread Story.