Hokkien Lor Noodles

So this may not be the best Penang Prawn Mee aka Mee Yoke aka Penang Hokkien Mee outside of the state. Nevertheless it deserves mention for serving the two distinct soup base when combined, satisfies my Penangite-ness. This stall in the coffeshop offers Penang Lor Mee better known as the dark sauced Lam Mee in Kuala Lumpur besides the former. Combine the prawn-y broth (reddish in picture) and gooey one (the darker part) in a bowl, we will get what Penangites call Hokkien Lor! New to you? Then I've achieved the point of this short post. *pat self* Seriously, do try when possible at stalls which sell both. Satu harga dua rasa, memang berbaloi!

Phitoy, not a Penangite obviously, preferred to order the more conventional. He ordered from a hot favourite stall here. Its business was so good that queue plaques have to be given out.

Mixed Pork Noodles (vermicelli).Verdict:- what's the fuss about?

The corner coffee shop in at Bandar Puchong Baru (across the main road from IOI Mall) and looked like this:-

The Bird…….

This place is unlike any other. However, before I proceed, we would like to thank the owners of this restaurant for inviting us food bloggers to sample their food and to Sidney of Big Boys Oven for organising this event.
Allow me to feed with you with my honest rating of this place. If you think that the name of this restaurant is weird, wait till you step into it. This is a must go for antique lovers. Heaps of antique items are on display, ranging from ORIGINAL old records, posters, photos, cups, bowls, trays and lots more. Being Kiasu, I was the first to arrive and was immediately snapping photos of the outlet for you viewing pleasure….. We started with a fruit juice made from a local guava variant known as the “Kedondong” with sour plum (“Asam Boi”). I dig this drink, for it wasn’t just a tasty thirst quencher, but a real refresher after a hard day in the office. On the menu, it’s listed at RM 3.50. Go for it.

Next up, the 4 heavenly kings with “Petai”, 4–angle beans, long beans and eggplant stir fried in “belachan” and dried shrimps was delightful. The taste and fragrant was mouth watering while we were busy snapping photographs of this plate. Priced at RM 10, it’s worth a go but spicy hot lovers may want to request for more chillies when ordering.
This is the coffee chicken wings. Essentially grilled chicken wings pre-marinated with coffee beans, this dish tastes better than it looks. At RM 7.90 per plate for 2 pairs, it’s just like your average grilled chicken wings but with an added touch of coffee flavour in it.
The 3 flavoured tiger prawns was a firm favourite among us. The texture - freshly succulent and the flavour – sweet, spicy and everything nice. Truly unforgettable. A small serve is priced at RM 14 while crustacean lovers like me can opt for medium or large serves. I think this recipe could expand to include another crustacean member, the CRAB. I’m once again, salivating…

The Butter King Fish they serve here is superb. Preferably eaten while it’s hot, the gravy goes extremely well with white rice and unlike any other, it doesn’t leave you with that greasy feel after a spoonful of gravy. Priced at RM 29, it’s definitely worth it.
Here we have the 5-treasure chicken (RM 18), served wrapped in aluminium foil not unlike herbal chickens, this dish gave me mixed reactions. The flavour was nice, aromatic and goes well with rice, but I reckon that I change of meat would suit this flavour better.
In line with the unity of races in this country, the Bird also offers what seems to be one of the favourites during its lunch hours, the Nasi Muhibbah. Served with green chicken curry, fish fillet, nyonya sauce and 2 types of vegetables, it packs a hearty meal if you’re having it alone. The fish fillet was flavoursome, slightly spicy and goes very well with the rice or even by itself. Available for RM 16.90.

This is their version of Seafood Tom Yam. Prawns, squids, tomatoes, onions and coriander leaves complete this authentic soup. Price starts from RM 16.90 for a small serving, perhaps fit for 2 to 4 people. While the taste is definitely there, the aroma seems lacking, due mainly to the choice of spices that different chefs practise. I was once told by a Thai friend of mine that tom yam recipes in Thailand varies from street to street but one must be a true connoisseur to enjoy the various types.
Finally, the Sarawak Laksa. This made me craving for more despite being the last dish served. I had my first Sarawak Laksa experience in KL many many years ago and it wasn’t as authentic as I’d expected it to be. The Bird’s version is perhaps the closest to the Sarawakian version I’ve ever tasted. The soup is super thick, topped with chicken and egg slices and I, Fezzaboy had no less than 4 rounds of this. This is by faaaar, the best I’ve tasted. At RM 6.90 per bowl, this is a “must try”. All in, the food was great. I’d certainly frequent this place if I were near the area. My tummy rating is a strong 8.7/10. Alright folks, print the following coupon and present it to get a 10% discount on your bill.

Hoca Specialty Coffee Cafe, KLCC

Watched Beowulf? No, let me entice you. Angelina Jolie plays a wet seductress. Anthony Hopkins in a flapping loose loin cloth. A Geek (It sounded as such to me) super egoistical warrior fights overblown decaying man-eating Smeagol in the nude.

Note: Early bird movie ticket costs RM8.00 each.

A leisure Sunday breakfast at our country’s iconic shopping mall on a Sunday. An interesting spot where I indulged in people watching (Hey NJoe , I spied you ..) while Phioty read the papers. Bliss. Then off upstairs for a movie. What could I ask for more? Maybe Monday a holiday …

It’s self service. So, stand in line (there’s none on weekend mornings) at the cashier, voice your orders or just poke at the pictorial menus, pay, collect your items and be seated either near the relatively small lot’s entrance or away from the shuffling shoppers behind the service counter.

We shared these simple breakfast items at premium prices. Location location location.

Café Latte (lighter colour) and Mocha Latte (darker colour).

French Toast. I slathered mine with butter. Phitoy as usual, awarded me an incredulous look. Nothing new. Sometimes I’ll even sprinkle sugar on top.Plain Toasts with Soft Boiled Eggs (Morning Glory Set). Oh, saw they used Gardenia bread. Good to know this café has light soy sauce on hand. Those who been having the eggs with salt instead, trust me you are deprived.A light breakfast? Of course. After the less than 2 hours movie, it’ll be lunch.

The bill:-Location:- Ground Floor, Kuala Lumpur City Center. Near the underground pedestrian pathway to the Putraline LRT station.

Carl's Jr!!!!!!

While we await Tummythoz's pictures, allow me to post a short one... CARL'S JR.!!!!

Yeah, it’s here at last. Been waiting a long time for this outlet to be opened in Mid Valley. While I was doing some shopping with my cousin during Deepavali week, we were coming up the escalator hoping to get some tickets for a movie. Guess it wasn’t meant to be when we saw Carl’s Jr., fully opened.

Without hesitation, we went in and grabbed 2 combo meals of the same, the Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger with drinks and fries. Instead of having 2 packs of normal fries, we decided to upgrade one of our serving to the Chilli Cheese Beef Fries.

Sadly, this was s shopping trip and hence my camera was left at home while my trusty Samsung D600 phone ran out of battery. Hence, pictures were taken using a Nokia 6300 phone. I like the phone but the camera’s way off. Sorry for these lifeless pictures......

The Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger (what a mouthful!) was really filling. 2 burger patties, chicken bacon (not motivating) and cheese make up this famous burger. I had extra pickles on it from the bar which is free for all and my next 15 minutes were spent enjoying every single bite of this burger, savouring its strong ‘western’ flavour.

The fries were pretty regular though my cousin would have preferred more salt on it. The upgraded Chilli Cheese Beef Fries were a bit too soggy coz when you have corned beef and cheese over it, this is the end result. I would have preferred wedges instead just like KFC’s.
All in, the price was approx RM 53 and my tummy rating had to come a few hours after the meal as the analytical side of my brain was temporarily shut off for this meal……

My tummy rating: 8.5/10

Ahem *discreet cough*

Yup. Back since Sunday.

Nope. Jason, not Japan – oh Hokkaido how I wish to spa till wrinkly in your hot springs. Nay, Judy though fervently hope to say ‘Off to Australia’ with a casual wave in the near future. Ting-ting-ting (a chopstick against an empty condensed milk can – that’s all I can afford after this trip) !! Sze, you guessed correct. *stubbing out a couple of ants* You want the can? I’ll wash it real clean.

Landed in Shenzhen, bus-ed over to Hongkong. A few days later, train-ed over to Shenzhen, overnight in a spa (sounds intriguing huh) then taxi-ed to the airport.

5 women let loose in Hongkong and Shenzhen. Went in one, lugged back 2 suitcases each. How not to when shopping booty even included packs of dog food, bottles of ‘tit-ta-chau’ (medicated ointments) and boxes of Chinese herbs, squeezed among new clothes, shoes, perfumes, hair products, bags and more bags. Did I mention bags?

Oh we had plenty to eat too just not much time to decipher the menu and ingredients. Maybe should had rephrase it to 5 female bananas let loose in Chinese territory. So, lots of guessing, pointing and confusion when ordering in restaurants with only Chinese characters menus. Thanks to our newest contact there, we ate very well. Thanks to our dearest newest contact again, we were able to maximize our funds for material things. Yes folks, a huge chunk of our eats were paid for by our loveliest newest contact there. Friends, if you are looking to work overseas, please go anywhere but Hongkong and let’s not ever lose contact. =D

Overall food was good but tend to be a tad salty. Didn’t capture most of the meals though. Tired soles aching shoulders leading to trembling fingers – signs of successful long shopping outings – produced less than unflattering food pictures. (-_-)” To further justify my lack of flogger spirit, are you aware that all the eateries there, no matter what size or location just DO NOT issue you a copy of the bill? Being my ardent reader (ahem, fluff own feathers and new jacket, ahem again), you know how lost I am without such chits. Since our darlingest newest contact settled most of the bills, I was quite shy to keep reminding her to make such request. For those she managed to get, the items are in Chinese! *sweat buckets so spray on more new perfume*

I beg for some time to sort out the more presentable food pictures (after finished putting away newly acquired stuff naturally). Hopefully can get the dish names translated. *cross all limbs*

In the meantime please come back soon for some old drafts ..

Oh, excuse me while I go wave hello to all my fellow bloggers .. *see, got new bracelets*

VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE:-

THIS YOU MUST DO (for fun-lah) - please vote for Fantastic Four and The Apple Crumble Team here. They are diehard floggers who have showcased many delicious food for all to salivate online. Don't believe, click here, here, here and here.

Let's help them win so maybe they'll treat me! Just half joking. =P

New Paris Restaurant.

Yeah, same old place some might say. This place has been around for quite some time now, and it was once, one of my favourite dining destinations back in the late 90’s when it was still operating from a rundown shack. Moving over to a proper premise, they continue to attract customers from all over town.

In line with the French passion for revolution, New Paris has redefined the meaning of fast food. The speed of its service and presentation is indeed worth a clap or two and let me assure you, I’ve never been served faster than any other restaurant I’ve set foot on. Six Sigma perhaps? Ladies and gentlemen, this is FAST FOOD at its fastest.

Another revolutionary feature of this place is the ease of clearing up tables to prevent customers from having to wait. Here, tables are wrapped with multiple layers of red plastic and is simply removed together with the plates, bowls and etc to the washing area, thus revealing another layer of fresh and clean plastic for the next customer. Magnifique.

Since it was just the 2 of us, we had rice with just 3 dishes. The infamous tofu with minced pork, a plate of “choi yuen” stir-fried with garlic and "field frogs" (also known as “Tin Kai”) stir-fried with ginger and spring onion.

The tofu with minced pork has always been one of my all time favourites thanks to the use of preserved vegetables which not just gives the entire meal a delectable fragrant, but 3 different textures - crispiness from the pickled vegetables, tenderness from the minced pork and softness from the tofu. Goes well with or without rice. Here it is:
The stir-fried choi yuen came less than 5 minutes after the tofu. I love this dish, so long as it’s fresh and not too salty.
Last but not least, our final dish, stir-fried field frogs with ginger and spring onions arrived in no more than 5 minutes after the vegetable. Serving was big and you get thick chunks of meat, all full of flavour thanks to the generous amount of spring onion and ginger.
All in, I kinda like the food but some dishes are definitely pre-cooked and hence, it brings the rating down, especially the pork ribs. The last time I ordered the pork ribs, it was served in circa 2 minutes or so only! Well here’s the link to Tummythoz’s previous post on this place.

http://tummythoz.blogspot.com/2007/02/new-paris-restaurant-sdn-bhd-ss2.html

1) Tofu with minced pork – RM 7
2) Choi Yuen vege – RM 6
3) Field Frogs in ginger and spring onion – RM 20

Tummy rating: 7/10

McDonald's Breakfast set

Only a simple sentence should sum up this breakfast - Next time, I'll stick to my favourite. Oh, the muffin was dry and tough. Same goes for the sausage patty. Had to soak it thoroughly with chilli sauce which luckily I like.

Spy the time, date and location of this meal? My holiday destination requires a Visa to be issued at the Embassy nearby. I am flying off shortly (taxi picking me up at 3.45am *gulp*!). Wanna make a guess to which country? I'll be back in a week's time and hopefully I'll bring back good food pictures to share. In the meantime, Fezzaboy, eat all the muruku on my behalf, ok!

H A P P Y D E E P A V A L I !!!!!!

Penang......more food.

Lorong Selamat – Char Kuey Teow and Ice Kacang.

Now, back to Penang. On our second day, we decided to head to Lorong Selamat for some hawker food. In Penang, the usual suspects are Char Kuey Teow, Cendol and Ice Kacang.

This Char Kuey Teow is indeed one of a kind. Why? The lady who does the frying wears industrial goggles to protect her eyes from the “emissions”. Cool.... We aren’t talking about radioactive emissions here but I’m sure you would try your best to avoid the smog from a char kuey teow stall failing which, your hairdo will smell deliciously of char kuey teow at least until your second hair wash. The queue was LONG too, lasting for almost 20 minutes before I could get my plate. Still, it turned out great with its strong aroma, big-succulent prawns and flavourful taste. This experience has made my subsequent char kuey teows rather pale.
Tummy rating: 9.5/10

From the same restaurant, I ordered a bowl of ice kacang while waiting. This came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on it and instead of “gula melaka”, they used “sarsi” syrup to sweeten it. I last had this type of ice kacang when I was a kid back in KL, so long ago that I can’t even recall when and where I had it. It’s good to know that this is still available, and believe me, my first spoonful of this really turned the time back on me. Be that as it may, I still fancy the regular ice kacang with gula melaka instead of this. Perhaps a longer stay in Penang may change my preference. Went well with the plate of hot and spicy char kuey teow.

Tummy rating: 8.0/10