Sometimes I wonder why so many KL-lites love driving up to Penang to eat. Why drive few hundred kilometers for Chinese hawker food when you can have something equally great at Old Klang Road?
This round's review will be on Restaurant Choy Kei, located at Happy Garden. The restaurant has great food but doesn't look appealing. The ventilation isn't that good and it gets really hot in the afternoon. Bring loads of tissues along. Notwithstanding all these unappealing factors, Restaurant Choy Kei is a treasure trove of great food.
There are three stalls that are worth mentioning in this restaurant namely the stalls that sells pork noodles, chicken rice and fish head noodles.
My personal favourite would be the pork noodles stalll. The pork noodles stall serves excellent dry version of pork noodles. Their noodles come with a generous serving of minced meat also black pepper minced meat underneath the noodles. The soup on the other hand comes with pieces of soft and tender pork meat and also a half boiled egg. The stall closes around 2pm.
The fish head noodles stall is also quite well known. Its somehow related to Win Soon - Restaurant Ah Soon Fish Head Mee. I was told that the taste of this noodles is around the same with Win Soon's fish head noodles. Thus, I believe it is good. Check out Kuchai Boy's review at his blog.
The xes.cx makan team tried looking for this place couple of months ago but we couldn't find it. We were told that their barbecued pork (char siew) is excellent. We finally found the place, many thanks to Juan who brought us there after our Pushmore session. It's located in the middle of a row of shops with a yellow signboard with restaurant name written in green and red. No wonder we couldn't spot it.
We found a spot almost immediately. But the service was quite slow. It took some time for someone to come to take our orders.
We ordered couple of bowls of Hakka Noodles and RM10 worth of char siew. As the name suggests, the Hakka Noodles is cooked Seremban style (plain and wet). Tasted just exactly like the ones I tried in Seremban.
As for th char siew, zommmgggg it's ssso gooood!! The meat was soft and sweet. The fatty parts literally melt in your mouth!
Restaurant Famous Seremban Favourites opens everyday except Tuesday. Char siu is only available after 10am.
Address :
No. 80-1 (Ground Floor), Jalan PJU 1/3B,
Sunway Mas Commercial Centre,
47301 Petaling Jaya
Contact No :017-279 8582
We had breakfast at Restaurant Yong Len for breakfast before heading to Damai to climb. Yong Len has been around ever since I was in primary school. Throughout the years, the only stall that still lives in my mind is their prawn noodles stall. I remember it being so spicy until I couldn't finish it.
15 years or more later, on a Sunday morning, I tried the prawn noodles again. It didn't taste as spicy as it did 15 years ago. Probably my taste bud has developed an immunity to spicy food. Of course, it tasted good. The kangkung was soft and the chicken meat was thinly sliced. The boss was also quite generous with their soup. I asked for a refill and she obliged without hesitation.
Other than prawn noodles, there's one stall selling Nyonya kuih and other Chinese pastries. We bought a box of ang ku and some other miscellaneous kuih as snacks for our climbing session. The ang ku is not bad but its a little bit too oily. Nevertheless, it's one of the rare places where you can find people selling Nyonya Kuih.
House of Fish Ball is a Chinese restaurant which serves, among otheres, Teo Chew fishballs and fish cakes. This place is fondly known as the "No Piggy Place" because it claims that it doesn't serve pork.
I was told that there are a number of branches for this restaurant. My usual branch would be the one at Uptown Damansara.
My favourite meal is not only their homemade noodles but also their lime juice. It comes in a clear glass with a piece of pickled lime sour plum on the bottom. Once mixed, the drink becomes brownish!
It's so good that you can actually but a container of it.
Once you're done with your meal, they have numerous desserts for you to choose.
The other thing that really interests me is thing particular gadget which can trap flies. It has two rotating cylinder which some how attract flies. The flies are thereafter trapped in a clear casing. I wonder how it works.
[Edit: Video of the creator of the gadget. Thanks Henry for the link]
This was recommended by Sui Lin after she read a review by masak-masak. Sui Lin organised a so-called ‘singles’ dinner at Chuka Zanmai couple of months back. Unlike Chuka Zanmai’s sister restaurants e.g. Pasta Zanmai, Sushi Zanmai, to me, this place doesn’t live up its standards. Perhaps it’s because I’m not a big fan of “Chuka” (Japanese styled Chinese food).
I ordered a bowl of “hot stone rice” with unagi. I am not sure whether the rice is meant to be burnt and dry. The only thing that intrigued me was their coffee that comes in a special bag.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t very tasty. The milk in the bottle tasted better.
Price is quite reasonable. My hot bowl costs me RM22. Oh, the place is Wi-fi enabled too!
Chuka Zanmai
P-2C, Ground Floor
Hartamas Shopping Centre
Jalan Hartamas
Kuala Lumpur
YHK Yong Tow Foo is one of the famous Yong Tow Foo restaurants in the Klang Valley. Their main shop is located at Pudu. This review would only be on their Damansara Utama branch.
The only thing that attracts me here is their chee cheung fun. If you order the 'big' version of it, you'll get a bowl of noodles in the shape of Mount Kinabalu. Their chee cheung fun has a soft and springy texture and its served with a generous serving of sweet sauce.
Big & Small
Unfortunately, their selection of yong tow foo is poor and is unhygienically displayed. So far so good, no diarrhea.
The drinks on the other hand is nothing to shout about save for one drink which appears to look like orange juice with barley extracts on the bottom. When I first saw it, I thought it was orange juice with barley. But it's actually barley water. It tasted good!
My friend Adrian brought us to one restaurant in Klang. The restaurant, Siow Tiow Restaurant, is well known for its shark fins soup and oh chien (oyster omelette).
Klang is also well known for its underworld activities. When we arrived at the restaurant, couple of prostitutes were hanging outside the restaurant.
No pictures of prostitutes here la.
The restaurant itself looks quite dodgy. The facade was brown and old. It was like an old restaurant from Hong Kong movies – gangsters may pop in any minute to chop up some people for Bah Kut Teh.
The range of food is quite limited but Adrian being a regular there, knows what is good. He ordered, amongst others, the famous shark fin soup, prawns and oh chien (oyster omelette).
pr4wns!!
wooweeee nomnomnom sharkfinnn
Surprisingly, the shark fin soup came in a big claypot bowl. It was thick and had loads of substances in it. Extremely yummy.
Apparently the oh chien is highly recommended by many. It tasted OK to me. Prawns are so-so too.
The price is reasonable but I read some reviews saying that it's too expensive. Nevertheless, our shark fin soup, prawns, oh chien and 2 big plates of fried noodles costs around RM200 (for 6 of us).
Address: 58, Lorong Gopeng, Off Jalan Goh Hock Huat, 41400 Klang, Selangor
Tel: 03 3342 2462
Business hours: 11.30am to 3.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm
Close: Open every day
Cendol is a traditional Asian dessert which basic ingredients consist of shaved ice, coconut milk, starch noodles with green food coloring, and palm sugar. Red beans, glutinous rice, grass jelly, and creamed corn are sometimes added.
In a small park along Jalan Damansara in Taman Tun Dr Ismail lies a small portable stall – on a bike, serving cendol. It’s manned by an elderly Indian man.
The method of churning out the cendol is extremely old school. A block of ice will be grinded against a wooden with a blade in the middle. Shredded ice will then fall into a bowl which later is filled with coconut milk. It does look a bit unhygienic. Nevertheless, it’s tasty, especially with Indian uncle’s sweat.
The park is a great place to enjoy a bowl of cendol on hot day with insects flying around.
Other than cendol, there is a famous stall selling rojak, an Asian fruit and vegetable salad dish.
Finally, an entry about this restaurant after being a regular of this restaurant for the past 2 years. This restaurant has a history of more than 70 years. It has been around since the 1920s and currently manned by the second generation. Its owner, Jack Lee inherited this restaurant from his father, Mr Lee Tai Yu.
The interior of this restaurant is something to look forward to. Old memorabilia and antiques are peppered around the restaurant with newspaper write ups about them all over the wall. The most prominent thing on the walls of Yut Kee would be the portrait of Mr. Lee Tai Yu.
The service is extremely good. A number of Myanmarese helps out with the restaurant. Every time I step into the restaurant they would greet me "same??" - confirming whether my order is the same as usual. You can see me strolling into the restaurant almost every weekday morning.
Unfortunately, the restaurant gets extremely busy during lunchtime. Seats are limited hence it is normal to share tables with strangers.
During the recent public holiday on 20 March 2008, the xes.cx makan team drove into the heart of Kuala Lumpur for lunch at Yut Kee. We ordered steamed bread, Hainanese Chicken Chop, Lum Mee and half boiled egg.
Hainanese Chicken Chop
Lum Mee
Steamed bread
My personal favourite would be their half boiled egg and steamed bread served with butter and their home made kaya. I must commend Yut Kee for their perfect half boiled egg - not too cooked or raw and shell served at room temperature. It never fails to amaze me how they manage to maintain such quality. The home made kaya on the other hand comes deliciously in a thick texture. You can even tahpao them back home.
My other recommendations would be:
- roti babi
- toasted bread
- lum mee
- Hokkien fried noodles
- swiss roll (with kaya filling)
- Hainanese chicken chop
Address: 35, Jalan Dang Wangi, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2698 8108
Business hours: 730am to 5pm
Close: Monday and last Sunday of the month
I've never been a big fan of Chinese fish head noodles. However, after trying the fish head noodles served at Restaurant Ah Soon Fish Head Mee @ Kuchai Lama, I'm now a big fan of it. Other than fish head noodles, they also serve other variants e.g. prawns and fish balls. Notwithstanding the aforesaid, this review would only be on the fish head noodles.
It comes in a big bowl with generous pieces of fish meat, fish ball and ham choi (salty vegetable). To me, the highlight would be the soup itself which lead the xes.cx makan team draining the entire bowl of soup.
The vermicelli are specially made by the restaurant owner which I admit is quite tasty. There are no other types of noodles served in this restaurant other than their own vermicelli.
However, the drinks served at this restaurant is crappy. Avoid ordering custom made drinks e.g. English tea and stick to Chinese tea or 100 Plus (if you decide to order Coca-cola, make sure it comes in a can).
Location : 46, Jalan Kuchai Maju 9, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur
Located in an alley between two coffee shops, this small curry noodles stall is quite well known in OUG. Its only open in the morning (until afternoon). One can enjoy alfresco dining underneath the morning sun.
The curry noodles come in a thick curry sauce with pieces of chicken and barbecued roasted pork (char siew) thrown in it. The char siew is quite tasty - you may order extra. Further, it's not very spicy.
Nescafe is not bad too :D
If I'm not mistaken, the stall is closed every Tuesday.
One of my newest makan hangout is Kedai Kopi D.U. My favourite stall would be the the stall which serves pork noodles. The taste of their noodles and soup are quite distinct.
Other than pork noodles, the said stall serves pan mee (home made noodles).
I would highly recommend that the dry version be ordered so that one can enjoy the noodles and soup separately.
I never say no to Japanese food, should anyone suggest it - depending on my budget for the day, of course. However, an ex-colleague was treating me for dinner and I had no hesitation in saying yes!
He said a client once brought him here and he enjoyed the teriyaki chicken tremendously. Since he was starving and we were stuck in the traffic on Jalan Sultan Ismail, we managed to turn off into Jalan Stonor to the bungalow-restaurant.
I almost jumped out of my seat and rushed to the exit when I saw the prices. Set dinners are priced between RM70 - RM160 (if I recall correctly). The chicken teriyaki set is RM70 while I chose the tempura set priced at RM72.
For my set, the first appetiser served was a piece (?) of shishamo cut in half. It was ok, I think. I would have preferred it to be a bit more crispy.
My ex-colleague's first appetiser was a plate of sashimi and sushi, and I stared at it in dismay. I WANTED IT!!!! I LOVE SASHIMI!!!! I stared at my shishamo and tried to make it last as long as possible. Sobs.
Seriously, we at www.xes.cx do not believe in being outdated with the latest craze, ok? Just that, we end up enjoying our food so much, we forget to sneak some pictures!
You must know by now that donuts (doughnuts!) from Big Apple Donuts are everyone's favourite. Because they're soft. They're sweet. They melt in your mouth. They're RM2.00 per piece, the same as Dunkin Donuts'.
Located behind TGIF and near Eden's Restaurant, although they occupy only a small lot, there are always customers in line, choosing their donuts.
I was initially apprehensive at first, thinking that everyone was exaggerating the quality of the donuts. But today, I had a Boston Creme from Dunkin Donuts, and suddenly I found myself disliking the hard chocolate icing on it.
This is an acquired taste. It is a rice dish topped with several types of vegetables (shredded tapioca leaves, radish, leek, diced long beans, etc) and sometimes peanuts, together with a bowl of pounded green tea, basil and mint leaves.
The first time I tried it, the 'tea' had a strong minty taste, which went well with the rice and vegetables. The other half thought I may not like it, as he anxiously watched me take my first spoonful.
Surprisingly, I liked it! Ooh whee! I practically felt healthy for having such a dish that I'm wondering if I'll lose weight faster if I have this on a daily basis for lunch. Except for the rice, though.
You can mix the ingredients together and pour the 'tea' in, or sip the tea separately, like how some people prefer.
The second time I tried it was at SS2's Restoran Sun Hin Loong, which is just ok.
Can someone recommend a really good one? ;D
a friend and i ate at Gin Ger Restaurant which is situated across from Kim Gary Restaurant and Only Mee (the bright orange eatery) in Hartamas Shopping Centre. It is a branched out from the one at Central Market.
"Cuisine: Asian
.... sumptuous array of Asian delights such as Nyonya Kueh Pai-Ti, Seafood Otak-Otak, Melaka Spicy Brinjal and Homemade Bean Curd. Prices reasonable, one decent dish starts at RM8." [source]
because i enjoy japanese buffets, because everyone was raving about it, i finally tried out the up and happening taiwanese eatery called Jogoya at Starhill, KL the other day. the price is pretty steep, ranging from RM68++ to RM88++, depending on what time you go.
we were asked to first pay for our entrance which we thought was a bit funny. usually buffet restaurants tend to threaten customers with food wastage penalty, right? i don't think they do it here, but correct me if i'm wrong. ;P
there was food at every nook and corner of the restaurant! that little clip there? it's your table number and for food to be cooked, be it tempura or teppanyaki or soup, you drop the clip into the bowl at the display console and the cook will prepare the dish of your choice and it will be delivered to your table. you don't have to stand around and wait. ;)
My brother in law has just opened a new branch restaurant at Kelana Jaya. It's called Cowboy Station.
Here's the map
It’s next to a lake therefore the ambiance is nice and cooling. However, please wear long pants as there are loads of insects at the moment. My brother in law is trying to get rid of them now.
Then my sister gave me a history lesson of the place..
Sister: do you know this is a haunting spot at night?
Me: really??? What kind of haunting spot???
Sister: haha, do you know at night... men would come here and...hehehehe.. you know la, what gay men does to each other..
Me: LOL !!
According to my brother in law, his staff including the cook are former employees of Victoria Station! Therefore, its like having cheap VC steaks!
As requested, here's the direction to the famous Seafood Pork Noodles of OUG, Old Klang Road.
Price ranges from RM4 to RM6.
You have a choice of soup or dry version. As for noodles, you have a choice of mai fun, kuew teow, lou shu fun or mee. It comes with minced pork, prawns, clams (lala), slices of pork, seaweed (on request), pig intestines, cuttlefish (sotong) and so on.
Recently I've been eating at this coffee shop before going to court. It serves really great toasted bread with kaya (pandan paste) and butter and also yummy breakfast set!!
It's also very popular among lawyers as it is located opposite the Malaysian Bar Council.
Other than their toast bread, their Hainanese chicken rice and pork chop are excellent.
The block of shophouses in which Sin Seng Nam Restaurant is located was built around 1906. In Sin Seng Nam Restaurant, pictures of the old Kuala Lumpur hang along the walls of Sing Seng Nam Restaurant. It's an interesting sight.
Unfortunately...
Their service is sometimes quite terrible. I have, on couple of occasions, got screwed by the Indonesian waiters.
Me: Eh, Ada butter tak? (Do you have butter?)
Woman: Mengapa tadi tak cakap??? (Why didnt you ask for it just now?)
(walks off)
I thought she would come back with butter, but 10 mins later...no sign of my butter..fugger..
Bahger, I felt like screaming, "WOI JANGAN CAKAP BANYAK! HANTAR YOU BALIK KE INDO BARU TAU!!!" (WOI DONT TALK SO MUCH! I'LL SEND YOU BACK TO INDONESIA!!"
However, complaining to the boss would be of no use at all because the boss is worst than them...
Chuo Ming overheard a conversation between the boss and a Caucasian tourist.
Tourist: Hi..what does this say in the menu?
Boss: Read it yourself. I got no time to explain to you. If you dont like it, go to another restaurant.
I found a branch of Sin Yee Kee Beef Noodles @ Restaurant Lucky, Jalan Radin Anum 1, Bandar Baru Seri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.
Priced @ RM4 for a small bowl and RM5 for a large bowl, you'll first find it weird to have peanuts on your noodles. But once you have a taste of it..oOoOOooohhh...you will want more.
