Hainan Chicken Rice Shop, Kuantan

Chicken rice is serious business in my family - comes with being Hainanese, I think. It surprises people sometimes, when I tell them how much of a staple feature chicken rice is in our celebratory menu. Chinese New Year - check, Chap Goh Meh - check, mooncake festival - check, dumpling festival - check, birthdays - check; well, you get the point. It goes without saying that we're pretty hard to please when it comes to chicken rice, especially when it comes to the condiments and we're always on the lookout for a good, authentic chicken rice spot. (For the days in between festivals, you know)

Hainan Chicken Rice Shop
52-62 Loring Tun Ismail 8,
25000, Kuantan, Pahang

The descriptive name can be quite difficult to uphold - but this outlet has gotten the nod of approval from the generation above mine. While not exactly like our home-cooked fare, it passes the test, and with accompanying roast pork, one cannot complain.

  

Chicken prep is a delicate affair when it comes to chicken rice - getting the cooking time right is key as one doesn't want to end up with raw chicken, but there's also that fine, fine line between perfection and over-cooking. We've had many a debate over methods in my family - everything from cooking times, to amount of garlic needed, to whether or not to use an ice bath as the final step. They've managed to get their cooking time just right here, resulting in succulent, smooth chicken, doused in delicious salty-sweet soy sauce. Our version of the chicken employs far, far more garlic than anything you get outside and that still holds in this case. There are times when I wonder if all that garlic that we so liberally stuff our chicken with is accepted practice only in my family.


And of course, the special little bonus - a serving of crispy-skinned roast pork, which come to think of it, is one of those dishes that transcends all dialects, doesn't it? 


 
To balance out the meat, fresh, crunchy, just-cooked beansprouts.

A (refillable) bowl of soup, some fragrant rice, or white rice, if you prefer and lots of pounded ginger and chilly - and you've got yourself a hearty meal.

With that said, I'm still on the lookout for garlicky chicken - any recommendations, anyone?

Hai Peng Kopitiam, Kuantan

The original Hai Peng Kopitam in Kemaman is quite the icon, one of those must-stop tourist spots that is almost always has a crowd. Its spin-off (I wouldn't really call it a branch) in Kuantan is, however, more of a local spot for a coffee and comfort food rather than a hustly-bustly tourist attraction - which I actually very much prefer.

Hai Peng Kopitiam 

Jalan Haji Abdul Aziz, 
Kuantan, Pahang 25300


 
I love a good roti bakar - its something so beautifully simple, something that really hinges on how good the individual components are (and there aren't that many!) and getting the proportions right. The roti bakar in Hai Peng is perhaps one of my favourites - the home-made bread is thicker (and deliciously fluffy) than most versions and toasted just right, the kaya is lovely and the butter is the bridesmaid, as it should be (I'm not a fan of butter-overpowered renditions). For an added flavour dimension, I like to dunk corners of the roti bakar into the chicken curry.

 
Another must-have - the punchy, satisfying laksa. You'd be hard-pressed to find a table in the kopitiam that doesn't have a bowl of this. 

 
Nasi lemak with chicken curry, which is the brother's go-to (and yes, that's the chicken curry that the roti bakar gets dunked in).

 
And of course, what's a trip to the kopitiam without a good cup of white coffee? Hai Peng started out being about the coffee - and it doesn't disappoint. 

As far as kopitiams go, Hai Peng is probably always going to be somewhere at the top of my list and it you were to make me vote - the one in Kuantan would win, hands down.  

Duck n' Such, Hartamas Shopping Centre

Duck is right up there on my list of favourite proteins, so a name like "Duck n' Such" really does call out to me. There have been quite a few write-ups about the place of late, and it's not often that one comes across a restaurant that's really all about duck (and a few other "such"es) - so yes, a visit is definitely warranted.

Duck n’ Such
Lot G11A & B,
Ground Floor,
Hartamas Shopping Centre
Tel: 03 6143 2285

We were there for dinner one rainy weekday night and after getting just a little bit confused by Hartamas Shopping Centre (that place never ceases to confuse me), we found the outlet, and found that we were the only ones there (I have to admit, we were slightly unnerved by the lack of other customers).

 

 
The leafy fruity salad - as promised, a lovely mix of greens, grilled duck breast and nuttiness, topped with a deliciously fruity date vinaigrette reduction. This is clearly one way of getting people to eat their vegetables.


 
Salted vegetable and plum duck soup. We had high hopes for this one - with it being one of my childhood favourites. While the soup definitely packed a punch - it packed a bit too much of a punch. It would perhaps have been a lot more comforting (as soups should be) if the sour notes were tuned down by just a couple of notches. 


 
The Duck n' Such Signature Peking duck wrap, one of their (as so-named) signature dishes. Serving crispy, Peking duck with roti jala instead of the usual steamed, paper thin Chinese pancakes puts a giggle-worthy Malaysian twist to the dish. One can also opt to have their duck served simply with lettuce leaves, without the roti jala - for a lighter meal, perhaps?

 
 The skin was light and crisp, and the trio of accompanying sauces (sambal!) were good complements.

The overall menu is an interesting one and while a few kinks have to be worked out here and there (perhaps with just a little more time), I'm hoping that this will will grow into a dependable place to get your duck fix.

Fong Lye at the Gardens

There are a few places at the Gardens that are never without a queue come meal times, and I noticed that Fong Lye is one of them but there's something about the efficiency in which they deal with the queue that reminds me very much of Din Tai Fung - and I suspect that that's the reason why the queue doesn't intimidate customers.


Fong Lye Taiwanese Restaurant
Lot T208
3rd Floor
The Gardens
Mid Valley City
Kuala Lumpur
Tel No: 03- 2282 8699

Fong Lye runs on a simple, hearty concept - set meals with a few options for sides. One can get a little spoilt for choice, and I remember hmming and hawwing for quite sometime over my options on my first visit to the restaurant. Sets generally feature a main dish accompanied by rice (or noodles, in same cases), soup, and a small selection of appetisers.

 
This time though, it was a simple - dad wanted soup so we thought that the steamboat set would be perfect. I'm not entirely if the set is meant for one but enough food came for two, so no complaints there. The set came with a nice little mix of ingredients - thin slices of pork, golden mushrooms, fish derivatives and my personal favourite, slices of pumpkin (I'd never thought I'd see pumpkin as part of a steamboat set before).

 
Clear, mild soup - no overseasoning here. 

 
Some fried mushrooms on the side - coated with batter that tasted not unlike a deep fried Chinese doughnut (from the addition of Chinese five spices to the batter, perhaps).

 
A special soy sauce mix (we detected some white radish, among other things) that was a lovely complement to everything. 

While it probably doesn't serve up the best of the best, Fong Lye is a good place if you're on the lookout for a complete meal (fish and egg in tomato gravy, anyone?) and with good, quick service as well as a pleasant ambiance, the queue really doesn't come as a surprise. 

Little Korea, Solaris Mont Kiara

I had my heart set on steaming hot soup, and not just any soup but one that had that distinct Korean flavour that's always such a thrill. Having spotted a few Korean places in Solaris Mont Kiara before, we decided to just park our car and take a walk to suss out the options. Little Korea won hands down on first impressions - with the smell of meat being barbecued and the slight buzz from diners who were already tucking into dinner despite it being a bit before dinner hour.

Little Korea Korean Restaurant
5-3 7-3 9-3, Jalan Solaris One
Solaris Mont Kiara,
Kuala Lumpur

Sure, the sizzle from the barbecue was tantalising but when one's heart is set, one's heart is set. Hot pot it was.

 
To kickstart the appetite - eight side dishes, and a nice little mix of dishes too.


 
At the top of my list - light, smooth, comforting steamed egg. 


 
We decided against a kimchi-based hot pot, opting instead for a pork rib hot pot which featured a less spicy broth. When it arrived at our table, in all its bubbling, gurgling glory, we knew that we'd made the right choice. Bordering between soup and stew, our pot came with a generous amount of pork ribs, cabbage, chunks of potatoes and springy bits of golden mushroom. 


I'm rather unaccustomed to seeing such huge chunks of pork ribs - despite their size, they were deliciously tender and had a lovely, hearty, porky goodness to it.


 
I like that Korean restaurants usually cover all bases - our meal ended on a sweet (and refreshing!) note with a serving of fruits and a sweet drink made out of rice ("Barley, but rice," offered our kind waitress).

It's a good thing we decided not to add a serving of Korean-style pancake to our order - the "small" hot pot was more than enough for two, what with the bottomless side dishes. In fact, I reckon that the hot pot could comfortably feed a party of three or four (and yes, by comfortable I mean not leaving the restaurant chiding yourself for thinking that you could handle "just one last bowl of soup").

 
So yes, steaming hot soup - check. I see myself coming back for more - and how can you not, when a restaurant wishes all its diners "all the best"?

A Sneak Peak: Chilli's Bar & Grill, Paradigm Mall

Trial runs and sneak peeks don't come along very often yet there I was, seated at a table at the just-about-to-open Chilli's Grill & Bar in Paradigm Mall, eager to see what the new addition to the Chilli's family had to offer.

Chilli's Grill & Bar,

GB 01 (Ground Floor), 

Paradigm Mall

1, Jalan SS 7/26A,

Kelana Jaya, 47301

Petaling Jaya, Selangor 



 
 While the full menu wasn't available for the trial run, the full range of drinks and most of the crowd favourites, food-wise, were available.



Tender and flavourful, the Southwestern Grilled Lamb


The New York Strip, which got a nod of approval from my dinner buddy.


The El Nino Margarita - such a good-looking cocktail, don't you think? 

The dinner buddy - savouring his last morsel of beef. 

The Tropical Sunrise Margarita

Chilli's has always been rather popular for their margaritas (oh, those huge servings!) and while both margaritas were satisfying, the El Nino Margarita came out on top for me (so much so, I ended up swapping drinks with my dinner buddy).



For dessert, cheesecake served over strawberry sauce. Smooth creamy cheese, addictive biscuit base (I think I'm going to start extending the biscuit base up to the sides of all my cheesecakes now) - a lovely end to the meal.

 
The new outlet seems to be off to a good start - service was smooth, the staff friendly and the food up to par. I think it's safe to say that it's going to do its older siblings proud.

Officially opens its doors on Friday, 21st September 2012. 

Din Tai Fung, The Gardens Mall

I remember having an entire meal made up of dumplings when we were in Beijing a few years ago - dumpling after dumpling arrived at our table and after awhile, we couldn't tell the pork-chive ones from the pork-carrot ones from the vegetarian ones. A serious case of over-dumpling-ness. That didn't put me off dumplings, though - in fact, it was that dumpling meal that got me taking dumplings seriously, not just as a side dish to a main meal but as the star of the meal in its own right.

Din Tai Fung

The Gardens Mall,

Mid Valley City

LG207, Lower Ground Floor

Tel: +603 22832292

We were on one of our mother-daughter weekend shopping excursions in Mid Valley City and were looking for a place to re-energise after all that exercise (read: looking out for good deals should be a sport). I have to admit, the pictures at the entrance of Din Tai Fung are quite a good idea - we were tempted at first glance. Dumplings galore - that's difficult to resist.


Xiao long bao - pork and broth encased in a thin, delicate dumpling skin, perhaps the star of the menu. Best eaten hot, and with a tiny bit of vinegar and fresh ginger.


Shao mai - we weren't expecting it to be a twist on the xiao long bao, but we aren't complaining. The dumplings looked a lot like flowers in their vases and unlike the usual shao mai, these little pockets contained the xiao long bao broth as well.


Their vegetable and dumplings are delicious, if you like your veggies. The first time we ordered these dumplings, the waitress informed us that the dumplings would filled with more greens than pork and very kindly asked us if we would be alright with that. We were more than "alright with that", and have ordered these on every visit since. Dip in a bit of chilli for an extra kick.


Din Tai Fung doesn't just serve up dumplings and this is perhaps my favourite non-dumpling dish, pumpkin fried in salted egg. Coated with a delicious layer of salted egg, the chunks of pumpkin are crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. I had never had this combination of ingredients before this and I've been wondering why ever since.



La mian with minced pork and mustard greens.


The menu also features a selection of la mian (pulled noodles) and rice dishes. The noodles are lovely and smooth and broth-based noodle dishes are generally light, mild (but flavourful) affairs. One gets a choice between normal and Japanese rice for the rice dishes and on what visit the brother ordered a serving of fried pork and shrimp Japanese rice, which was pleasant but paled a little in comparison to the other more punchy dishes on the table.



Pork and shrimp fried rice


Eating at Din Tai Fung may require a bit of strategising as there's always, always a queue at conventional meal times. However, despite the crowd, waiting times are generally not very long - they seem to have an incredibly efficient system both with handling the crowd and queue as well as with food preparation. My guess is that that's what's kept people coming back, on top of the food, of course.

Desserts at KTZ, SS2

So what does one do after a meal at New Paris? - one simply hops into the car for a short drive round the bend to KTZ to satisfy the sweet tooth. Sure, we'd just had a huge dinner, but there's always room for dessert, especially if is it's a KTZ one (besides, a birthday celebration should end on a sweet note, no?).

KTZ 

22 Jalan SS2/63,

Petaling Jaya
Telephone: +603 7877 2499

We'd had a rather disappointing round of after-lunch desserts at the Mid Valley Megamall Tong Pak Fu branch just earlier that day so we were hoping that KTZ would make up for it, show us how it's really done.




 
Red bean lou - for all those red bean-inclined people (read: me). The crunchy, roasted cashews add a lovely crunch to the somewhat creamy red bean and sago combination - I was sold at first bite. 

 
The ever popular mango lou - I reckon that no table would be complete without at least one of these at the table. They're always generous with the large, sweet, juicy chunks of mango - and topped with the little mountain of shaved ice and sago, it really does make for an extremely satisfying dessert. 

Mat Tou Lou - a large serving of mango lou with a few extras thrown in, as the name suggests. 

They really did show us how it was done, serving up desserts that were a far cry from the watered-down fare that we had in Tong Pak Fu. Their warm desserts are also pretty satisfying, for those days when you feel like a comforting bowl of mung bean or black glutinous rice dessert. KTZ serves up savouries as well, though, I say that desserts are clearly their forte.

 
The little brother, all smiles, with his mat tou lou. 

New Paris, SS2

It was the cousin's birthday recently and it didn't surprise me at all that when asked where he'd like us to gather for some birthday indulging, he said, "Paris!". Having grown up in the area, he's always had a soft spot for the place, perhaps a result of a mixture of childhood familiarity, good food and amazingly short waiting times.

New Paris

No. 62, 64, 66, Jalan SS2/72,

47300 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor, Malaysia.

 

The "New" Paris spots a large, bright, unmissable sign and is a far cry from the small outlet that it used to be. One gets a sense of the efficiency that is to come even before stepping into the restaurant - on my last visit, I was very quickly directed to a parking spot right in front of the restaurant and was helped along as I parked so that my car would take up the minimum possible space. 

 

  Braised pork knuckle - nothing like a good pork knuckle dish to kick of the celebrations. Braised till deliciously tender, this was a real winner.  

One of our must-haves - stir fried lotus root with a nice mix of other vegetables (and those delicious roasted cashews). What's different about the one here is the slightly cheesy sauce that lightly coats the vegetables, a bit of fusion, if you may. 

 

The Chinese restaurant staple - the simple (but incredibly satisfying if done right) deep fried fish with soy sauce. 

The house special, tofu that's ever so slightly crisp on the outside topped with a simple (but effective!) mix of minced meat and salted turnip.

New Paris also serves up other "tai chow" favourites like Marmite (insert meet of choice here), braised pork ribs and kung po chicken. If you're the sort who thinks a meal is not complete without a good serving of soup, you can get your soup fix here, too. 

 

The birthday boy was happy (so were the rest of us) - few things are more rewarding than sharing a meal with family, what more one that involves braised pork knuckle.

Holiday Foodsteps: Honeymoon Dessert, Bugis Junction

"That's my favourite dessert place! I tried some desserts when I was in Hong Kong!"
One of my travel buddies is rarely excited about anything, so this spoke volumes. 

We'd spotted Honeymoon Dessert pretty early into our excursion to the Bugis area. Bugis Junction was still sleepy then, with the shutters of most shops (including this particular one) still down. We spent most of the morning wandering around Bugis, watching the area come alive bit by bit. It was noon by the time we found ourselves back in Bugis Junction, ready to settle down to lunch.

Yes, being on holiday gives you an excuse to have dessert for lunch - not dessert WITH lunch but JUST dessert for lunch.

We were disappointed to find that the outlet wasn't open yet but as I had my nose was pressed up against the glass, desperately trying to peer into the restaurant for any indication of opening times, a young lady strolled past, heading straight for the door - we were Honeymoon Dessert's very first customers for the day.

Honeymoon Dessert

#01-70, 200 Victoria Street

Bugis Junction, 

Singapore (188021)

From the traditional end of the scale - double boiled papaya and snow fungus. A little something to make you feel like you're home.

The menu is extensive - the hot and cold, the traditional and the more innovative. Choosing is difficult, and while my travel buddies seemed to have been able to make their choices pretty quickly, I was stumped.


Tofu pudding with mango, one of the many tofu pudding combinations available.




What one orders when one cannot decide - red bean and grass jelly, topped with green tea ice cream. They managed to create something out of all my favourite Asian dessert elements (perhaps the only thing missing is something soy-based). It was quite a triumph of a combination - everything from the lovely green tea ice cream to the not-too-sweet red bean.

Hong Kong style dessert outlets like these have become quite the rage nowadays (much to might delight), though I've never had this red bean, grass jelly, green tea ice cream concoction in Kuala Lumpur yet. Am open to recommendations!

Plan B Roasters and The Gingerbread Man, B.I.G, Publika

Sundays are for giving into your whims - breakfast at noon, random nibbles for lunch, you get the picture. When a friend wanted to meet up for a catch up and a light bite on Sunday afternoon, I thought of the coffee bar and laid-back picnic tables that line one side of Ben's Independent Grocers.

Ben's Independent Grocers, 

UG - 1A, Publika


 
Cappuccinos from Plan B Roasters - foamy, flavourful and a satisfying afternoon pick-me-up (and don't you think the different coffee art patterns was a nice little touch?)

We were presented with the menus from B'Witched upon settling down at a table but decided to pick out our treats from the display counter over at the Gingerbread Man (the bakery section of the grocer) instead. Bakeries are hard to resist - enough said.


 
The Gingerbread Man has a nice array of (larger than normal) goodies to offer - one really does get a bit spoilt for choice. After some extensive hemming and hawing, we finally settled on a 50-50 split between sweet and savoury. Pictured here: the (slightly obscured) chicken curry bun, the wagyu and onion bun and a sugared doughnut. While not the best we've had, they were all still pleasantly light (yes, even the savoury buns) and sufficiently satisfying.


 
The English muffin - perhaps the largest English muffin I've ever seen. Pillowy soft, and oh-so-comforting eaten warm with the cream and jam.



 

I like the atmosphere they've managed to create in B.I.G - the slight hustle and bustle of people picking out groceries, the smell of coffee and baked goods, goodies on display everywhere you turn. Ahh, those clever, clever people behind B.I.G.