Laziz

28.04.2008
We were invited to the opening ceremony of Laziz Restaurant located at Mont Kiara. I have never been to a middle eastern restaurant for a very long time, so I was more than delighted to savour some middle eastern dishes.

Welcome to Laziz (menu book)...

We were there half an hour before the opening. We met the owner, Mr Mohamad and chatted with him for a brief moment as he was busy with the preparation. Mr Mohamad who is from Yemen is a friend of my wife.

The ground floor...Stairs to the upper floor...

The beautiful ceiling lights (in sketch format)...The tiles with Middle Eastern artwork...

Family members, relatives and friends thronged this makan place at 8.00pm and everybody was well dressed for the opening ceremony (except for us, we were in our office attire :p)

We had a bit of everything. We had saute beef, hommos, vegetable platter, lamb cubes, kebab, fried chicken (middle eastern style) and pesto. We actually wanted to learn more about the dishes but since the owner and his personnel were busy, we decided not to bug them.

All-in-a-plate...I should have eaten the food separately and accordingly. Some of sauces provided were meant to be taken with certain dishes. Instead, I mixed everything together in a plate. One of the creamy looking white sauce was really hot. I swallowed a spoonful of it (thinking that it could be as sweet as mayonnaise) but I was totally wrong. From there on, everything tasted very "pedas", making it difficult for me to evaluate the taste of other dishes I had throughout the night.

We promised Mr Mohamad that we will come again and will go for his specialty dishes.

Laziz
18, Jalan Solaris 5, Mont Kiara,
Off Jalan Duta Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: (to be provided)

Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Rating: U

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!
U = Unrated

Green House Thai Cuisine

27.04.2008
On Sunday afternoon, we went to SS12 with intention to have lunch at Kafe Bawang Merah. We read a review of this cafe at Cumi & Ciki Food Blog. But the cafe is closed on Sunday. So we had to look for an aternative makan place. We have been to almost every corners of Subang Jaya (inclusive of USJ) and we are running out of ideas of where to go....

While driving around SS15, we remembered that there is this Thai restaurant next to JM Bariyani House in SS18. And within minutes we reached that makan place called Green House Thai Cuisine Restaurant.

The Incredible Hulk colours - Green, green, green, inside out green!
We have no clue what the menu or pricing would be like. We just hope that the food is acceptable and the price is reasonable. We don't need another "disappointing" makan outing (like the one we had a day earlier).

Once we entered the outlet, place was slightly empty. Only three dining tables were occupied. That was not a good sign for us. Either the food is expensive or the food is crap.

We sat down at within seconds, the waiter came to us and "literally" threw the menu onto the table. Seriously! I'm not kidding! He just dropped the menu and the walked back to the kitchen.

When I opened the menu book, I looked at the price and it seems that the dishes are reasonably priced. Lega! And the selection is rather extensive. Green House serves starter like mini popia, roti udang, variety of soups, vegetable, chicken, beef, prawn, squid and lala dishes. Most of the dishes are priced between RM5.00 - RM10.00 per plate. The prawn dishes are slightly expensive, priced at RM16.90 per plate while the fish is based on market price.

Not wanting to "waste" money, we ordered "entry level" dishes:

Nasi Goreng Chicken Teriyaki @ RM7.90 - Teriyaki... Thai or Japanese?Nasi Goreng Beef Teriyaki @ RM7.90

Waallaa! The chicken and beef tasted really good. It was well marinated with the teriyaki sauce. The rice had a bit too much pepper (to our liking) but it was savoury nonetheless!

Sweet & Sour Chicken @ RM9.90A litle bit soggy and the chicken is slightly on the soft side but the chicken meat absorbed the sweetness and sourness of the sauce making the dish more "terasa".

Kailan Ikan Masin @ RM4.90

I would prefer a less soggy dish but the "kuah" was somehow rather tasty.

We practically enjoyed our lunch at this makan outlet and have no hesistation to recommend this eatery to anyone.

Green House Thai Cuisine
7, Jalan SS 18/6, Subang Jaya,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-56325290

Cuisine: Thai
Rating: Food = B

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Restoran Puteri

26.04.2008
We went to Restoran Puteri located at TTDI's commercial centre years ago for a buka puasa buffet meal. The meal was ok.

Never thought of going to Puteri again until we read about Puteri's brand new opening, a spacious outlet with ample parking located on a hill at the edge of TTDI's township.

After a third attempt, finally we managed to locate Puteri, the restaurant that housed a wedding of a famous celebrity few months ago.

We entered the indoor dining hall around 8.00pm. Place was empty.

As for the dishes, every single dish is "high in price, low in taste! :p"

Ikan Kembong Goreng Berlada @ RM12.00Ayam Padang @ RM12.00
Kailan Goreng @ RM7.00Disappointing! That is all we have to say!

Restoran Puteri
Lot 3074, Jalan Datuk Sulaiman,
TTDI, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-77284886

Cuisine: Malay
Rating: Food = D

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Rebung

Celebrity Chef Ismail (see bottom pic* - on the right) and his business partner, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, the famous local Angkasawan (pic* - left) opened a restaurant named Rebung in 2004. The restaurant which occupies a 1960s-style single-storey bungalow is located in Bangsar Park, KL.

We reached Rebung at around 9.00pm. Well, it was a bit too late for us to enjoy the "lauk-pauk" spread as there was nothing much left for us to look at.

Since it was drizzling, we opted for indoor dining. The indoor dining section was empty. Five minutes later we ordered Nasi Goreng and Mee Goreng. We were expecting a "tasty" Nasi Goreng & Mee Goreng but to our dismay, the nasi and mee were totally tasteless (by our standard). I asked my wife "How's your Mee Goreng?" and her respond was "Hmmmm..." She then immediately asked me "And your...?" I cut her off before she could finish her sentence by saying "Urrrghhh..."

Short while later, we left the restaurant. I had a quick chat with Chef Ismail at the payment counter. He was promoting his outlet and dishes etc etc etc. I wanted to tell him that his dishes didn't live up to expectation but I guess, I have to be fair to him as I have yet to try any of his signature dishes.

Next time perhaps...

* Snapshot is taken from The Star

**********Extract From The NST**********

When people think of mum’s food, they head for Restoran Rebung where chef Ismail Ahmad cooks in the style taught him by his mother, writes SHANTI GUNARATNAM

“MY life is all about hard work and dedication, and I enjoy working the graveyard shift to ensure the smooth running of my restaurant,” says celebrity chef Ismail Ahmad. His is a familiar face in the country as he has appeared in many cookery programmes on television as well as dramas.

His Restoran Rebung in Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, opens from 11am till 11pm and the jovial Ismail and his eight-member kitchen staff are kept busy all the time. Actually, he says, he works 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

“There is so much to do – organising the day-to-day running of the restaurant, planning the menu and cooking the dishes.” His customers come because they want home-cooked food just like what their mothers and grandmothers prepare for them. The slightest mistake with ingredients or cooking methods will find them complaining. “We are kept on our toes all the time.

In this business, it is important to give customers what they want and not what we think they want,” he says. “The secret to good savoury dishes and desserts lies in the coconut milk which must be fresh.

When I was growing up, my mother and grandmother constantly drilled into me the importance of using freshly-squeezed santan. “My late mother was a fantastic cook and she could whip up anything including kurma, briyani and other traditional dishes. Her butter cakes and pineapple tarts were the best,” he adds.

Besides running the restaurant, Ismail also caters for weddings, corporate events and family functions. Since the restaurant opened in October 2004, it has enjoyed brisk business. During the Ramadan, it has full bookings for the whole fasting month.

Ismail has leased the building next door to hold cooking classes for anyone who is interested in Malay cuisine. “During the school holidays, children can also come in and learn to cook. An academy such as this is a good idea because many chefs want to give classes but don’t have a suitable location to do so,” he says.

What To Eat
Customers of Restoran Rebung look forward to dishes such as daging salai, brinjal cooked in chili, the various types of masak lemak, sambal tempoyak, rendang, pecal and ulam. Also popular are kampung style fried rice, fried noodles, soups and other dishes.

“The buffet is popular. On weekends, especially Sundays, lots of people come in the afternoon and stay on till closing time. Some even go home for a few hours and come back later for more food,” he says.

How Much
The buffet lunch at Restoran Rebung is RM35 and the buffet dinner which comes with satay and entertainment, is priced at RM40. Those opting for a la carte dishes usually pay RM5 for a portion of daging salai, RM4.50 for tempoyak sambal, RM4.50 for a piece of fried tenggiri and RM3.50 for a plate of ulam with sambal belacan.

Traditional cakes such as kuih lapis, koci, talam, onde-onde, anak dara dua bilik, sepang rebus etc, are sold at RM1 per piece while a bowl of sweet green pea porridge, pengat pisang or bubur pulut hitam is RM3.50 each.

The restaurant also offers a fine selection of Cuban cigars from RM27.

**********End Of Extract**********

Rebung
4-2, Lorong Maarof,
Bangsar Park, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-22832119

Cuisine: Malay
Rating: Food = D (based on the dishes we had)

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Pappa Kopitiam

15.03.2008
The Adventure continues...

[Read related previous adventure here]

We headed towards Pappa Kopitiam at a snail's pace. Not because we were not eager to see what Pappa has to offer but we (basically me!) simply had to "control macho". Hehehehe!

Once we entered Pappa Kopitiam, I "frantically" search for a suitable spot so that those at Pak Li Kopitiam would not be able to see me having another round of meal (this time at Pappa Kopitiam). Hahaha!!! My wife, totally not amused with my behaviour, said "Dear, please sit down, order your meal and enjoy the dish!" I senyum lebar and replied "Yes mam!" Hehehehe!

While Pak Li Kopitiam offers some Penang-based food (Mee Udang for example), Pappa offers some Ipoh-based dishes, for example Ipoh Prawn Chicken Koay Teow Soup and Ipoh Chicken Koay Teow Dry Curry.

We asked the waiter number of questions pertaining to the menu but we got nothing from him. He can't speak neither English nor Malay. Instead of him getting another waiter who can converse in English or Malay to serve us, our waiter decided to stay put and continue to "amuse" us with his "I speak no English, no Malay" antics. That was a total turn-off. In the end, we ordered three "starter" meals - roti bakar, french fries and fish cakes.

The makan experience was salvaged by the great ambience. The modern decor makes this makan place looks a little bit "posh" (for a kopitiam outlet).

Since we didn't order any main dish, we have nothing much to say about the "starter" dishes we had. You can read an in-depth review at 3-Meals.Com

Pappa Kopitiam
No 2-1, Jalan PJU 5/5,
Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-61417128

Cuisine: Kopitiam
Rating: Food = U

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!
U = Unrated

Restoran Santai

18.04.2008
Restoran Santai at TTDI looks much better now (after the 2007 refurbishment exercise). It is brighter and more inviting.

Santai serves typical Malay dishes. I love the steamed siakap and kerapu but at RM28.00 (minimum price) per serving (for 2 people), price is too steep especially bila tengah bulan. Kena tunggu hujung bulan baru boleh order. Hahahaha!

Last year, we took our relatives for lunch. My wife's uncle ordered nasi goreng kerabu and kerabu mangga. I never go for any kerabu thingy but after I had one "cubit" of that kerabu mangga, I became a fan of kerabu mangga.

So during my last visit to Santai, I ordered kerabu mangga together with ikan masak tiga rasa and udang tepung.

Kerabu Mangga blends perfectly with Ikan Masak Tiga Rasa
The so-so Udang TepungIkan masak tiga rasa did not leave any impression but when I took it with kerabu mangga, the combo taste "exploded" in my mouth. I can't defined the taste but the tiga rasa sauce blended perfectly with the slightly sour kerabu mangga. It was........... SEDAP! (Man! I really have to work on my English and vocab :p)

If you are in TTDI and not sure where to makan and you are keen to have Malay food, think of Santai. Alternatively, you can also opt for Puteri, Baiti's (slightly expensive), Resepi Bonda or Pucuk Paku.

Restoran Santai
10, Persiaran Zaaba,
TTDI, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-77288173

Cuisine: Malay
Rating: Food = B- / C+

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Big Blue Marble

Some of my favourite websites / weblogs on the Big Blue Marble* (aka Earth):

P.H.O.T.O.G.R.A.P.H.Y
PHOTO-TECHNIQUE
Pentax Photo Techniques
Canon Enjoy DSLR
Nikon Creating Better Pictures
Fujifilm Hints & Tips
Kodak Photography Tips
Olympus Photo Lessons
Panasonic Photography Tips
DP Composition Tips

PHOTO-MAGS
DP Review
DC Mag
DC Resource
Pop Photo
DSLR Photography
Outdoor Photographer
Night Photography
Strobist
Steve's Digicams
DPhotoJournal
DIY Photography

LENSES
Sigma Lenses
Tamron Lenses

PENTAX CONTINUUM
Pentax Life
Rice High Pentax Blog
OK1000 Pentax Blog
Pentaxian
Pentax Forum
Pentax Forum (DP Review)
Pentax SLR
Pentax Imaging
Pentax Photo Gallery

LOCAL FORUMS
KL Flickr
PSPJ
ShutterAsia
PhotoMalaysia
Photokaki

O.T.H.E.R.S
BLOG-O-SPHERE
Sky Juice's Scribbles
Paul's Autoworld
What! No Tea & Scones?
Fried Chillies
Masak Blogspot
Warehouse Sales

EXTRA
Star Online
New Straits Times
BBC News
IProperty
Internet Movie Database
Rotten Tomatoes
How Stuff Works
About.Com

ACCESS PANEL
Facebook
Flickr
Lifelogger
Multiply
Wordpress
YouTube
GMail
Yahoo! Mail

SPECIALISED SEARCH ENGINES
For Images
FaganFinder
PicSearch

For Music
Songza

For Videos
Blinkx

For Blogs
Technorati
Blog Search Engine

* Big Blue Marble was a half-hour children's television series that ran from 1974-1983 in syndication. Distinctive content included stories about children around the world and a pen-pal club that encouraged inter-cultural communication. The show was a very early example of gentle multiculturalism. (Source: Wikipedia)

Teapot Cafe

Many many years ago, on our first date, I took my wife (girlfriend back then) to this quaint 'British style' cafe located in SS2, Petaling Jaya. The menu features local delicacies and western favourites and Teapot is also popular for its afternoon tea savouries - scones, eclairs (filled with fresh cream), mushroom and onion quiche. Teapot also offers wide variety of teas (served by the pot) – Earl Grey, English Rose, Jasmine to name a few.

More details at RasaRasa.Net

Teapot Cafe
169, Jalan SS 2/24,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-78753024

Cuisine: Local + Western
Rating: Food = B / C+, Ambience = B

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Chatters Cafe

Chatters Cafe is a well known makan place in Subang Jaya. Chatters Cafe serves local delights such as Nasi Ambang, Nasi Briyani, Nasi Tomato, Laksa Johor as well as Western dishes such as Fish & Chips, Chicken Chop and Spaghetti. Price is slightly high but on the plus side, the chef ensures that the food quality (taste and portion) is properly monitored and maintained - hence there is no worry on whether the dish that you are going to have this time (say Nasi Ambang) is going to taste differently than the one you had in your previous makan session.

**********Extract From MyMesra**********

Teringin pulak tekak ni nak makan makanan Johor dan Perak. Tapi dalam suasana yang ‘cosy’. Chatters menjadi tumpuan tak kira dari golongan keluarga hingga remaja. Nama Chatters ilham pemiliknya sebab nakkan pengunjung bersembang sesama sendiri sebab itu tak ada TV kat sini macam tempat makan lain.

Chatters berkonsep seperti kafe ekslusif. Bagi yang tak pernah makan menu kampung macam nasi ambang yang terkenal di Muar, datanglah ke sini. Kita bersama Marina Mustafa yang berkerja di Chatters sejak tahun 2002. Demonya untuk kita Chatters Lempeng. Dimakan bersama rending atau sambal. Satu lagi demo pulak, Nasi Goreng Chatters. Specialnya guna beras Basmathi, dihidang dengan telur mata kerbau, rendang daging dan acar rampai.

Selain konsep santai, tenang dan selesa menjamu selera, pelanggan boleh mendapatkan pelbagai majalah hiburan dan ilmiah. Hampir 300 tajuk majalah dan surat khabar dijual di sini. Hidangan di Chatters disediakan secara ala-carte dan restoran ni boleh memuatkan dalam 140 pelanggan.

Nasi Briyani - RM8.50
Kuih Muih - RM0.60 Satu
Tapai Aiskrim - RM4.80
Gula Melaka - RM1.80
Tapai Ubi - RM1.80

**********End Of Extract**********

Chatters Café
15A, Jalan USJ 11/3,
Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-56311586
&
125 & 127, Jalan SS 17/1A,
Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-56327225

Cuisine: Local + Western
Rating: Food = C+, Ambience = B

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Baiti's

12.04.2008
On our way to Homst Restaurant, a signage caught our eyes. It says "Authentic Malay Food". Authentic Malay? Hmm... It doesn't say whether the cuisine is from Negri Sembilan or Melaka or Northern states. Feeling curious, we stepped into this neat looking restaurant named Baiti's to have a look at the menu.

Baiti's serves nasi lemak, fried rice, fried mee, lontong and Malay type 'lauk pauks' ie fish, chicken, beef cooked in various styles - kari, masak lemak cili padi, kurma, asam and rendang.

We decided to give it a go. We opted for daging dendeng, ikan masak lemak, sayur campur and ayam kari (dishes came together with plates of hot rice). It wasn't super-sedap but it was good enough to 'persuade' us to make another visit.

The Second VisitThis time we went for the following dishes:
Mee Goreng (RM6.80) & Nasi Goreng Cina (below) (RM6.80)...Daging Kari (RM5.80)...Pucuk Paku (Gulai Lemak Cili Padi) (RM3.80)...And the verdict this time - everything was bland, flat, flavourless. Thumbs down! (Perhaps a different chef prapared the dishes this time around...)

Note: I wanted to 'cut & paste' the (usually neutral) review made by the NST over here but that particular article is no longer available on cyberspace.

Updated on 22.04.2008: Here is the extract from the NST

**********Extract From The NST**********

When architect Shahizan Hasnan decided to turn restaurateur, his mother’s cooking was the inspiration. EU HOOI KHAW gets a taste of the results.

BUFFET STYLE: Help yourself to the day’s specials.
SHAHIZAN Hasnan wants to bring back the tender loving touch into Malay traditional cooking. He recalls the time when his mother used to spend hours just to get four to five dishes for lunch ready, when spice and chilli pastes were ground by hand and the food painstakingly prepared.

“We couldn’t do the rendang tok for you today because it needs two days of preparation,” explained the owner of the newly opened Baiti’s in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. No matter, as there was the enticing presence of two rows of clay pots at the side of the restaurant filled with Masak Lemak Cili Api Udang Galah, Kurma Ayam, Pucuk Paku, Sambal Kerang, Beef Rendang, Masak Lemak Cili Api Ikan, Ayam Goreng Berempah, Mango Kerabu, Ayam Goreng Berempah, Pandan Chicken, onion omelette and Pengat Durian. It’s the day’s specials, with more to be ordered from the a la carte menu.

Cooking has been Shahizan’s passion from the time he was studying architecture in Scotland. He has decided to put aside his profession for the time being, after eight years in it. “A lot of art that goes into Malay cooking is now gone, and I aim to keep the pride of it alive.” He has the help of his mother Datin Hanim Haji Nordin, to train the cooks, test the food and give her seal of approval. There is a refined touch about the dishes, that don’t have too much oil, salt, sugar or coconut milk, a rare thing indeed in many Malay restaurants.

The gracious lady added to her wide repertoire of dishes as she moved from state to state with her husband (a chief police officer) and family. Shahizan has taken upon himself the task of recording his mother’s recipes in proper measurements, with the aim of compiling them into a book, for posterity.

Shahizan’s favourites are the lontong and nasi lemak that he cooked while living abroad. Both are signature dishes at Baiti’s. The nasi lemak is cooked with basmati rice; the appetising aroma of santan wafts into the air as the rice is served hot on a banana leaf on the plate, with sambal ikan bilis, fried ikan bilis, serunding, peanuts, hard-boiled egg, pineapple acar and keropok.

Basmati rice does not give you that sudden rush of energy that often leaves you lethargic; its slow release of energy, and its lower glycaemic index make it suitable for diabetics. Shahizan hopes to make that known.

We liked the nasi lemak, with the hot and sweet sambal, with a sour tang. There is jelatah or acar at the side, made with pineapple, chilli, cucumber and big onion. The other condiments of fried ikan bilis, a fragrant serunding and egg make it a complete, satisfying meal.

We tasted a very delicious lontong that has a darker orange tinge in its coconut gravy, attributed to a grand uncle’s recipe in Singapore. The taufu pok soaks up this spicy but not too rich gravy with hints of fried dried prawns. Long beans, carrot, lots of fried shallots and of course the cubes of nasi impit or rice cake made this complete.

The Mee Goreng is a must at Baiti’s. It reminds me of the Indian Mee Goreng that I used to have in Ipoh. The thin yellow noodles are moist, each strand embraced by the spice and chilli paste (a special “warisan” sauce), and egg. Squeeze the small lime over the noodles and they taste so good. The noodles are not oily at all unlike those at the mamak shops.

Shahizan had selected the masak lemak cili api udang galah, asam pedas ikan tenggiri, ayam kurma, pucuk paku and pandan chicken for our lunch as well. The light yellow creamy gravy for the Udang Galah was surprisingly light, yet flavourful. It was an excellent pairing for the rich, fat prawns. “It’s just chilli, fresh turmeric, serai, coconut milk and skimmed milk,” said Hanim.

The ayam kurma had a similar refined quality; with no heavy spices and rich coconut assaulting your tastebuds. For the first time I enjoyed chicken kurma which still had all the requisite flavours while cooked with a subtle hand.

The pucuk paku just had a touch of coconut milk, and stayed green through light cooking. I have made asam pedas the litmus test of a good Malay or nyonya restaurant. This passed with flying colours. I liked the sharp sourness, hot chilli and the fragrance of bunga kantan in the thick gravy hugging the fish.

I did find the Pandan Chicken a little oily, because it needed to be deep-fried.

We had saved room for the Nasi Kunyit with Pengat durian. The yellow glutinous rice was excellent, with each grain separate from each other, and just out of this world with the pengat durian. The out-of-season durian from Pahang had been procured with some effort.

Baiti’s has begun catering services, and hopes to provide home delivery soon. “Orders can also be done looking at our menu on the internet,” Shahizan said. He hopes to have paintings displayed on the long maroon wall at Baiti’s soon. It’s a space for artists who can also sell their work.

The restaurant is open from breakfast-time until 11pm. Staples like toast with kaya and eggs, and coffee, and nasi kunyit with a curry dish are available throughout the day.

Baiti’s is located at 36 Persiaran Zaaba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Call 03-7729-9918 or visit http://www.baitis.com.my/

**********End Of Extract**********

Baiti's - Authentic Malay Cuisine
36, Persiaran Zaaba,
TTDI, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-77299918

Cuisine: Malay
Rating: Food = C+ (1st visit), D (2nd visit); Ambience = B-

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Eden @ Subang Parade

01.01.2008
Eden serves Oriental & Western cuisine in a warm and inviting contemporary setting. You can also grab a quick bite at Eden's open Dim Sum Bar or choose to dine in complete exclusivity in Eden's private dining rooms with a capacity of up to 20 pax.

Eden had a Monday nite special promotion (or was it a Tuesday nite special?) back in 2007 - 50% off the bill on all steak dishes. I had spare rib steak. The steak was overcooked and the taste was not to my liking. However, the lack of "yummy-licious" factor was compensated by huge serving portion and of course, the great discount in price. So, tak perlu lah nak komplen banyak banyak! Hehehe!

Final toughts... not so yummy-licious but on the plus side, Eden offers extensive menu, great seasonal promotions (price-wise) & a cozy makan atmosphere!

Eden @ Subang Parade
LG31 & G29, Subang Parade,
5, Jalan SS 16/1, Subang Jaya,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-56377781

Cuisine: Oriental + Western
Rating: Food = C, Ambience = B

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Restoran Silarasa

We came accross Restoran Silarasa by accident. We didn't try the main dish. So, we can't say much about the food... Anyhow, here is a review by Babe In The City - KL

Restoran Silarasa
G94, Ground Floor,
The Curve, Mutiara Damansara,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-77100358

Pizza Vs Satay

19.04.2008
One of our favourite makan place is located in Subang Jaya.

Pizza Vs Satay (PVS) has been around since late 90's.

The 'open air' dining section...The dining hall with aircond...Staying true to its tagline "East Meets West", PVS serves a variety of local and western dishes.

You can start with something light - toast, garlic bread, pizza sticks, mussels, soup, sandwich, satay...

Then you can move on to local delights such as nasi lemak, laksa Johor, fried rice, assam laksa...

And for those who fancy western food, the selections are quite extensive. Under seafood, you have number of selection such as grilled fish, fish & chips. Then under chicken, you have roast chicken, chicken chop to name a few. Under beef, you have steak, rib-eye and under lamb, you may go for grilled lamb or lamb chop.

Fish & Chips...And if you are not into fish or meat, you can always go for pizza and spaghetti.

Seafood fettuccini with tomato sauce...What we like - satay ayam, grilled beef salad, nasi lemak, spaghetti and fish & chips!

If the food is not up to your liking, I'm sure setidak-tidaknya, you will appreciate the cosy atmosphere!

Note: Stay away from Italian fried rice and Italian grilled chicken...

Italian Grilled Chicken... the meat is slightly 'liat'...
Pizza Vs Satay
16, Jalan USJ 9/5Q, Subang Jaya,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-80239050

Cuisine: Local + Western
Rating: Food = mostly B, Ambience = B

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Tupai Tupai

When a friend recommended me this makan place, I thought he was just fooling around. Tupai Tupai? What kind of name is that? He told me of his makan experience at this restaurant located at Jalan Bukit Petaling and a week later, I decided to give a go...

Tupai Tupai is located behind Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR). To get there, take the Federal Highway and Jalan Bellamy.

The food we had were so & so... Perhaps, we ordered the 'wrong' type of dishes... Anyhow, please read the review made by NST below.

**********Extract From The NST**********

ENGLISH trifle for dessert in a Malay restaurant? That’s what customers look forward to at Tupai Tupai Restaurant in Jalan Bukit Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. The restaurant offers traditional Malay food as well as Chinese, Thai and Western cuisine. But it is the English trifle that draws their loyal customers back for more. The trifle is made of sponge cake, custard, jelly, fruits and a topping of ice-cream.

“Our biggest seller here is the trifle. Corporate clients and families keep coming back for more as we are the only restaurant serving this dessert every day for lunch and dinner,” says manager Mokhtar Musa. “We don’t serve the same type of trifle everyday as our chefs change the ingredients daily. We know who comes here often for the dessert. They include many celebrities, politicians and the corporate crowd.” How did the restaurant come to serve trifle instead of the traditional Malay kuih for dessert? Mokhtar says they had wanted to do something different for their customers from the day they opened, so the owners came up with the idea of serving trifle.

Tupai Tupai opened here in June 2002, so named after the many squirrels scampering around in the compound’s lush greenery. There are four pondok or huts, popular with families and groups for a get-together amidst shrubbery and large trees. While Tupai Tupai enjoys brisk business at lunch-time when some 60 traditional Malay dishes are cooked and served nasi campur-style to cater to nearby office workers, army personnel and others, dinner time is when families, VIPs and celebrities come in to savour the food. Siti Nurhaliza and Mawi are known to come in just before closing time at 12.30am to avoid unwanted attention. Indonesian artistes like Peter Pan, Rosa and Dewa, in Malaysia for shows and concerts, also often dine at the restaurant. Yes, you can do some celebrity watching and have good food at the same time.

What To Eat
For lunch, there are traditional Malay dishes like asam pedas, gulai tempoyak, rendang, masak lemak cili padi, assam rebus, daging salai, kerabu perut, kerabu mangga and pandan chicken. Nasi campur costs, on average, RM6.50 to RM7 per person inclusive of drinks. For dinner, customers’ favourites are siakap or jenahak in butter pepper sauce (RM26 for a small fish), prawn soup made from young coconut water (from RM22), Vietnamese dish using Japanese tofu served in minced prawn sauce (RM12), baby French beans cooked with chillies and dried shrimp (RM12), Thai-style chicken, deepfried breaded chicken served with sweet and sour sauce (RM15), black pepper fried noodles (RM6.80) and grilled chicken with black pepper or mushroom sauce (RM15.80). The restaurant also serves steaks, chops and grills for dinner. A serving of trifle costs RM6.

Opening Hours
Daily from 11am to 12.30am. Closed on Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Haji and Chinese New Year. Peak hours are lunch time and from 8pm till about 10pm.

Services
Tupai Tupai also offers catering service for corporate functions, open houses, seminars, birthdays and other events.

**********End Of Extract**********

Tupai Tupai
551A, Jalan Bukit Petaling,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-21432525

Cuisine: Local + Western
Rating: Food = C / C-

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Bora Asmara

We have been to Bora Asmara once. We had 3 dishes, but I'm not able to remember the name of the dishes... :p

We like the ambience... I think the ambience was better than the food itself! I should have taken some photos.

Have a look at the review made by a STAR journalist below...


**********Extract From The STAR**********

Relax and dine at this charming Balinese-themed restaurant nestled in sleepy Kg Sg Penchala - by Joleen Lun Jew

Driving along the busy Penchala Link, one would never imagine that a charming Balinese-themed restaurant , is nestled in quiet Kampung Sg Penchala, just a stone’s throw away from Taman Tun Dr Ismail. The unusual location proves to be a success as customers love the peaceful natural surroundings and ample parking of this cosy outlet.

Serene: The enchanting gardens of Bora Asmara.As you step through the wooden doors of Bora Asmara, you will be greeted by the sound of the gong, the Balinese way of saying welcome. Your ears will be treated to soothing sounds of the traditional Sundanese Gamelan sounds that can be heard in the background. The setting is just lovely with beautiful water features, rustic wooden tables and chairs, lit stone lamps, and Balinese decor tastefully placed around the outlet.

Customers may choose to dine by the ponds at the elevated main lobby, al fresco on the open terrace, inside the formal air-conditioned Bale Gede dining room, coffee lounge, or in one of their many bisek-biseks, private huts with Balinese-thatched roofing that fits six to eight people. You’ll have to make a reservation as these bisek-biseks are very popular with the customers.

Suhaili Abdul Wahab, Bora Asmara’s manager, said that they opened their doors to the public early May. “The management decided on the Balinese concept as Bali is very dear to them and they wanted to share this magical place with everybody. The restaurant was designed and built with a lot of love.”

Signature drinks: Lemongrass Chiller and Indonesian Bandrek.Bora Asmara has a wide selection of food ranging from Indonesian and local food to pastas. Try the Thai Seafood Otak-Otak which is creatively served in a swan made out of foil. There’s a generous serving of seafood cooked in aromatic spices. Another must-try is the Bali Dancing Fish. The flesh on both sides of the kerapu is sliced off the bone and deep-fried, making the fish appear as though it is swimming with wings. It goes well with the chilli padi soy sauce dip provided. Top marks too for the presentation skills.

For those who fancy Thailand’s celebrated dish, Bora Asmara offers tom yam with coconut milk. Expect to find huge prawns in the Seafood Tom Yam. The Mango Kerabu was equally tasty, served with crisp pieces of fresh fish.

There is also a fair variety of western and pasta dishes like the usual Fish N’ Chips, steaks and lamb. Grilled Caribbean Chicken is their signature western dish. I found the Fettucine Carbonara cooked light with just the right amount of cream.

Bora Asmara is proud of their Ethnic Drinks which include the Bandrek, an Indonesian spiced ginger tea which acts as a soothing night cap, and Lemongrass Chiller, a refreshing Balinese drink.

For caffeine addicts, try their delightful Cafe Mocha, a fine blend of Bora-Bora’s espresso Bellagio Turaffle chocolate with steamed and frothed milk. You may enjoy your drinks with Cuban Cigars also available.

Red matter: Thai Seafood Otak-Otak.The local Batak Band, Picha-Picha, adds character to the restaurant. The band strolls around each table and serenades the customers with music of their choice. Batak Bands, who can be compared to the Mexican mariachis, are known for being outgoing and talented. “We love performing that is why we sing and play with such passion,” said Suhaidi Nordin, a Picha-Picha member.

Suhaidi, together with three other friends, play golden oldies and lively Spanish beats that make you want to get up and dance. “We’ve had a 75-year old grandmother dancing to our tunes just the other night,” said the cheeky, energetic lad. They can play songs in many languages on their double bass, acoustic guitar, saxophone, conga and percussion. Picha-Picha performs every night except Sundays. The management is even thinking of organising a Poco-Poco line dancing night as there is ample space within the compound.

Art enthusiasts will be happy to know that Itu-Ini Artshop, carrying Balinese crafts and contemporary Balinese paintings by young Balinese artists, will be opening soon within the compound. Samples of the paintings are hung around Villa Cinta, a separate area catered for large group reservations and private functions.

Prices are reasonable, about RM8 a dish. Lunch buffet is available from 11am – 3pm in the dining room and offers local, western, Chinese, Indian and fusion dishes. The outlet is open for dinner from 6pm till 1am. Bora Asmara can be booked for corporate/private functions, product launches, annual dinners, cocktail receptions, buffets, parties and wedding receptions.

Direction: On the Pencala Link from Damanara Perdana, head towards Mont Kiara. Turn left to Sungai Pencala before you reach the Pencala tunnel. Turn left at traffic lights and go straight. The restaurant is on the left.

**********End Of Extract**********

Bora Asmara
Lot 2933, Kampung Sg.Penchala,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-77260964

Cuisine: Asian (Local, Thai, Indon) + Western
Rating: Food = C+, Ambience = B+

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!

Restoran Cerana Seafood

05.01.2008
Cerana is a floating restaurant serving Malay, Chinese and Thai style seafood dishes.

Cerana offers open air dining with covered and uncovered terrace.

We had:
1. Siakap steam - fresh and tasty2. Butter prawn - quite yummy3. Ketam cili - ok
4. Kembong masam manis - mmm...
5. Sayur campur - disappointing...

Opens daily after 5pm. More info here.

Restoran Cerana Seafood
Batu 7, Lebuhraya Cheras Kajang,
Cheras, Selangor.
Tel: 03-90749662

Cuisine: Local + Seafood
Rating: Food = B- / C+, Ambience = B

Rating System:
A = Recommended
B = Worth A Visit
C = Average
D = Below Average
E = Waste Of "Hard-Earned" Money. Seriously, I'm Not Kidding!