Restoran Soho Seafood

16.02.2008
A, E, I, O, U…

Five options… yes five restaurants in one locality… Soho Seafood, Rimbun Klasik, Yankies Hut, Village View & Kagumas Cafe…

Nak pilih mana satu? I ‘refused’ to do the thinking, so I asked my wife to make all the thinking, leaving me free to focus on my driving. “Mmm…Why don’t kita tengok dulu semua tempat?”

Semua tempat? Alamak!!! I smiled.I knew somehow rather that would be her answer. Hehehehe!

Kagumas Café was the 1st stop… Next was Soho Seafood, followed by Rimbun Klasik and finally Yankies Hut. We skipped Village View.

Soho Seafood was our choice.Soho Seafood serves almost anything under the sun – from local delights to western dishes, from burger to satay and not forgetting sweet desserts!

After 10 minutes, we were ready to order. We ordered ikan bakar, daging kicap, kailan goreng & udang tepung. The waitress recommended house specialty dishes and we picked Thai Sizzling – lala, prawn, crab cooked together with mushroom, broccoli and black sauce.

Ikan bakar was not properly done and remaining dishes had the ‘standard’ taste – it doesn’t mean that it is not tasty…just that you can get the same taste elsewhere…

But the house specialty dish, Thai Sizzling was quite good. It wasn’t super-sedap, but it was sedap enough to our liking. The black sauce* blended well with the lala, prawn, crab, mushroom and broccoli.

We will definitely go for other house specialty dishes on our future visits to this makan place!

* Black sauce – not sure what it is made of…

Restoran Soho Seafood
Bangi, Selangor.
(full contact details will be provided later)

Cuisine: Local + Seafood
Rating: Food = B- (for house specialty dishes), C (for the rest)

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

Pak Li Kopitiam

15.03.2008
This time we ventured into another area in PJ called Dataran Sunway (of Kota Damansara). You can find more than 10 halal restaurants in this new business area alone. So after venturing into every corner of Dataran Sunway, we agreed to go for another kopitiam adventure.

We opted for Pak Li Kopitiam and once seated, we noticed the image of Maria Sabri of JJCM having meal at Pak Li's plastered on one side of the wall - Maria being Maria, gave her famous "sedap sangat" face and usual thumbs up sign! Hehehe!!!

As for the menu, Pak Li provides more dishes than I had anticipated. Prawn Mee for Naz and Lemon Chicken Rice for me.

Prawn Mee
The Prawn...
Lemon Chicken Rice
Prawn Mee was quite ok, but no where near the original (Penang) prawn mee. As for the lemon chicken rice, the steaming hot rice (in combination with the cold lemon chicken) magically managed to salvage the dish and put a smile on my face. I would actually prefer if they could at least reheat the chicken slightly before serving me the dish.

The only dilemma we had was - we were still hungry due to insufficient 'intake'. Hahaha! Since the dishes are being (very) reasonably priced, so to be fair, we can't complain much on the food portion. Basically, we didn't learn our lesson from our previous 'adventure' at another kopitiam outlet. Hehehe!

If you are looking forward to have a 'heavy' lunch or dinner at any kopitiam outlet, you better order multiple dishes because one dish will not do wonders to your hungry tummy. Trust me!

And what did we do next? Did we order additional 'supplementary' dishes? Other customers did just that...

Nope! We were 'smarter' :p

We immediately stepped into Pappa Kopitiam which is located directly opposite to Pak Li Kopitiam for another round of meal!!!

Pandai tak???

Another kopitiam, another adventure...

Hohoho!!!

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

With kopitiams sprouting everywhere, how does a businessman secure a competitive edge in this business? KASMIAH MUSTAPHA speaks to the owners of the Pak Li Kopitiam outlets. PROBABLY the best thing about Pak Li Kopitiam is that it serves more than your regular kopitiam food. Sure there are the butter and kaya toast, coffee, tea, cham and half-boiled eggs but the menu does not end there. You can also feast on Katong laksa (its specialty), lemon chicken rice, nasi lemak kari, asam laksa, prawn mee and nasi lemak vegetarian, just to name a few. The drinks selection offers ice-blended tiramisu, cappucino, mocha, chocolate, mango and more.

A STAPLE: Nasi lemak with chicken curry.The outlet in Shah Alam’s Seksyen 7 opened last June. Pak Li Kopitiam is fast becoming a popular hangout for students in the area as well as office workers who are attracted by the cosy ambience and affordable food.No wonder then that in less than six months, another outlet in Seksyen 18 was opened. There are also two Pak Li Kopitiam outlets in Klang and one in Kota Damansara.

The outlets opened in 2005, set up by four partners. One of the partners, Desmond Ang, says they felt there was a need to offer more variety to customers than just simple kopitiam food. “We are actually bringing back the style of the kopitiam in the 1960s and 1970s with more dishes in the menu. Back in those days, kopitiam actually had more food and drinks than coffee and half-boiled eggs.“But over the years, as kopitiam started to make a comeback, people thought that these were the only foods available in a kopitiam. We are changing that perception.”His partner, B. H. Lim, agrees, saying that Pak Li Kopitiam’s wide range of food and drinks their gives them a competitive edge.

Ang and Lim, together with two others, have been partners since they set up the Nyonya Kitchen chain of restaurants 10 years ago. The restaurant’s central kitchen, according to Ang, is certified halal by Jakim. “We have been serving halal food all these years and we are familiar with the Muslim culinary preferences. When we wanted to expand our business, we ventured into kopitiam food because it is becoming acceptable to the Muslims.”

Ang says the name Pak Li is their tribute to the pakciks and makciks who are regular customers at Nyonya Kitchen and who helped refine their recipes. The name Li was also inspired in part by famous actor Bruce Lee, for his dedication to kung fu; and by the richest man in East Asia, Li Ka Shing, for his business acumen in building his empire, says Ang.

Ang sees the potential of more Pak Li Kopitiam outlets in Shah Alam in the coming years as there is demand for authentic local food at affordable prices. “We do not want to compromise our food just to get profits. To us it does not matter if we are running at higher costs and slightly lower margins as long as we can build a long-term clients base.” Ang and Lim do practise what they preach.

The delicious Katong asam laksa with thick curry gravy is only RM4.50 for a big bowl; the lemon chicken rice is RM4.50, prawn mee costs RM4.50 and the Pak Li curry chicken briyani is RM6.50. Try the thirst-quenching kedondong juice — another specialty of Pak Li Kopitiam. The drink costs RM3, ice-blended mango is only RM4.50, tiramisu coffee is RM3.50 and mint cool lime with cucumber is RM3.90.

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

Pak Li Kopitiam
47-1, Jalan PJU 5/11,
Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-61418608

Cuisine: Kopitiam
Rating: Food = 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!

Restoran Cowboy Station

01.03.2008
We had dinner at Restoran Cowboy Station or Cowboy Station Steak House located at Kelana Jaya.

I had grilled fish and Naz had steak. I can live with the small portion but the fish had no taste as if is was cooked in a haste and to add more insult, it was freaking pricey. Oh ya, the chips were being over-goreng, thus felt like I was eating keropok goreng. The steak fared no better.

Please read neutral review below.

**********Extract From The Star**********

Steak lover Ismawi Alek is so crazy about Western food, especially steaks, that his wife told him that he should make it his business. And that is precisely what Ismawi has done – he opened a food stall in Damansara Uptown Hawker Centre in Kuala Lumpur several years ago and called it the Cowboy Station.

The specialty dishes include steaks, of course, and other reasonably-priced dishes like chicken chop and lamb cutlet. Business was so good that Ismawi soon opened a second stall. Now, he is going “upstream” by opening a proper Cowboy Station restaurant at the Kelana Jaya lakeside in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Lamb Cutlet served with steamed vegetables and fries.
Together with his business partner and director, Wan Norain Wan Shamsuddin, Ismawi has taken over the former premises of a seafood restaurant and food court.

The scenic surroundings complement the new restaurant’s rustic brick-and-timber interior perfectly. There is a new jetty walkway and boat landing area complete with small dining tables for those who want to enjoy the serene ambience at dusk.

A range of frontier paraphernalia such as cowboy hats in various shapes and sizes, bows and arrows, posters depicting classic Western movies, and black-and-white prints of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and other screen cowboys give the main dining area an unmistakably “wild wild west” feel.

The menu features hearty staples like steaks. Diners can choose from 11 varieties, ranging from the house specialities of Cowboy Steak (RM26.80) and Love Me Tenderloin (RM19.80) to Char-broiled Cowboy Station Beef Spare Ribs (RM38.80). In addition, there is a wide selection of seafood and poultry dishes to keep non-beef eaters happy.

According to Ismawi, the outlet uses Australian and New Zealand beef and lamb cuts. “All meats are marinated with pineapple to tenderise the meat before they are cooked according to customers’ specifications. We also give the steaks a distinctive edge with our special concoction of black pepper sauce, brown sauce and top quality Sarawak black peppercorns,” he said.

Appetisers such as Escargots with Garlic Butter Sauce (RM15.80 for half dozen) and Freshly Baked Scallops (RM15.80, half dozen) with Herbs, Cheese and Chopped Parsley are a great way to start your meal.

The Cowboy Steak that we ordered was tender enough. Although my dining partner found the peppery Cowboy Sauce rather overpowering, I reckon its strong flavour would suit diners who like thick, robust sauces.

My Lamb Cutlet (RM24.80) was flavourful but a little overdone and slightly tough in parts. It was accompanied by a chunky mushroom and brown sauce.

Even though it was raining cats and dogs on the night we went, the eatery managed to draw a decent-sized crowd. We noticed several tables ordering the BBQ Spring Chicken (RM15.80), reputedly one of their best-selling items. It looked pretty delectable from the way a fellow diner at the next table was devouring her order.

If you prefer crispy, crunchy fried chicken, the Southern-style Fried Chicken (RM15.80) is a good bet.

For those who have a penchant for seafood, the Lakeside Platter (RM20.80) of grilled tiger prawns and squid, deep-fried fish fillet, scallops and crabmeat or the Kingdom of Heaven (RM38.80), a hearty dish comprising half a Lobster Thermidor, deep-fried fish fillet and scallops with grilled squid, is recommended.

Dessert is quite limited but the Cowboy Brownies A La Mode (RM5.80) should satisfy any sweet cravings. I prefer the Chocolate Milkshake (RM4.80) – it was a rich, smooth and chocolaty enough to rank as one of the better milkshakes I have had in a while.

Dressed in checkered shirts, jeans and hat just like typical cowboys, the service staff is warm and friendly and eager to assist. The outlet also has a private function room, Cowboy Saloon, that can accommodate up to 70, as well as an open-air function area for 200 called the Cowboy Ranch that is used for product launches, company dinners and personal parties.

While the outlet may not be Malaysia’s best of the best, the Cowboy Station looks like it will garner its own faithful posse of customers – namely, people who like affordably-priced Western dishes without anybody needing to get on their high horses.

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

Restoran Cowboy Station
Kelana Jaya Lakeside,
Jalan Stadium, SS7/15,
Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-79636369

Cuisine: Western
Rating: Food = D (tak sampai hati to give an 'E'), Ambience = 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!

House of Sundanese Food

30.03.2008
Based on review made by Maria Sabri of JJCM, we headed to House Of Sundanese Food at City Square, Johor Bahru to get a taste of Sundanese cuisine.

The entrance to the outlet... The dining hall... Everything on the menu looks delicious. If I could, I would order everything on the menu! Not knowing what specifically to order, the safest bet was to go for the package-for-4 meal option.

The menu...
We had the following: Ikan Seabass Bakar, Ayam Bumbu, Sambal Goreng Udang, Cumi-Cumi Bakar, Kangkung Cha, Tauhu Telur, Rice & Dessert (all part of the package) and ordered Ikan Nila Goreng, a deep-fried aromatic, spicy and crispy fish or famously known as the Sundanese "Dancing Fish" as an add-on.

Within minutes, we have our dishes on our table.
Ikan Seabass Bakar was sweet but not as juicy and succulent as we expected it to be.
Ayam Bumbu or Indonesian chicken curry with rich flowing sauce of blended spices and chilli gravy was a disappointment.
Sambal Udang Goreng - large prawns deep-fried together with Sundanese Sambal, tasted a bit flat.

Cumi-Cumi Bakar - squid basted with a sweet sauce and slowly grilled over charcoal was tasty but a bit 'liat'.

Kangkong Cha - where the kangkong is fried in soya bean paste was crunchy and delicious. This is the perfect vegetable dish to be eaten with the ikan bakar.

Tauhu Telur was truly delectable.

The restaurant's signature dish - Ikan Nila Goreng, a definite winner in my book.
For more details, please visit the restaurant's website here.

House of Sundanese Food
M3-04-06, City Square,
Johor Bahru, Johor.
Tel: 07-2266788

Cuisine: Sundanese
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!

Borneo Rainforest Cafe

We read an article on Tiara Jacquelina's Borneo Rainforest Cafe and decided to give it a try. The cafe is located right opposite the main entrance of the Sunway Hotel & Spa, next to an open space parking lot, basically at the same spot once occupied by a mamak "fine" dining" establishment back in the 90's. The mamak "fine dining" closed shop after a short run due to unreasonable excessive pricing. Hey, who would want to pay RM3.00 for a piece fo roti canai or RM4.00 for a glass of teh tarik...

We arrived at the destination on a cold drizzling night and had to opt for the covered dining area. If weather permits, we would love to dine alfresco as we could gaze at the stars and heaven (yeah right, hahaha) while enjoying each other's company and the meal, of course.

The cafe serves noodles, rice, grilled dishes, pasta and pizza. Most of the dishes fall within the affordable range (RM5 - RM20 per serving) except for grilled dishes which are slightly pricey (between RM20 - RM50). The selections are rather usual - mee bandung, mee hailam, laksa sarawak (the cafe's specialty), nasi lemak, nasi ayam, nasi kerabu, nasi dagang, satay, chicken chop, spaghetti and pizza. The most expensive meal would be the herbal chicken at RM50.00.

I ordered nasi ayam and Naz ordered spaghetti. To my dismay, none of the supplementary vegetable dishes were available. So I had to order satay as our side dish. The taste is acceptable (nothing to shout about) but the serving portion is unforgivable. Due to small serving portion, we finished our individual main dish in no time. The succulent satay gravy basically saved the night, everything else thumbs down. I paid RM37.00 for the meal (inclusive of an ice milo and 2 glasses of ice water). So go figure whether the food is worth the price... But if you take the environment into account, then RM37.00 COULD be a fair price...

The cafe was rather packed on that Sunday night and I noticed that most of the Chinese families already had their dinner by 8.00pm while the Malay families would throng the cafe after Isyak prayer. Cafe opens only for dinner.

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

A YEAR ago, a 'themed' food court-styled restaurant opened opposite Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel. Called Borneo Rainforest Cafe, it became popular due to the variety of food which were reasonably priced, and particularly for its setting. The dining areas, be it under the attap roofs or stars, were surrounded by palms and other lush foliage.

EXOTIC: The lively atmosphere at Borneo Rainforest Cafe.
There were also ponds all around, fed by cascading waterfalls. Recently, a bistro section was added. Inspired by the Iban long house, its decor sports various elements of Iban culture. The high attap ceilings and carved pillars are enhanced with large hanging lights made from rattan fish traps and teak wood furniture. With its subdued lighting, Sarawak artefacts and sounds of cascading water in the background, the atmosphere is unlike any other bar / restaurant / night spot.

The menu offers western (including pasta and pizza) as well as Nyonya, and Thai, and Malay BBQ cuisine. Each cuisine is prepared by chefs specialising in that particular style of cooking. The Thai homok talay, deliciously aromatic and bursting with fresh seafood and chicken kapitan, is cooked in a creamy rich sauce that is spicy yet not dominated by chilli. The butter prawns are also large. Talking of seafood, do not miss the signature dish, salt baked fish. Moist, tender, succulent and meaty, it is very good.

YUMMY: The delicious salt baked fish.
Most dishes can be ordered in small or large portions with prices ranging from RM13 to RM40 a dish. One can order smaller meals and snacks from the ‘Kit Kat’ kitchen at RM9 for a laksa and RM11 for a plate of nasi lemak. Children’s portions start from RM6.

The bistro also houses a bar called Ruai which offers a full range of cocktails from RM20 to RM28.The wines are priced from RM80 a bottle (house wine). A happy hour deal is on until 9.30pm with beer at RM35 per jug.

The bistro also features live music every night from the resident musicians, Big Band. If you crave privacy, there are three air-conditioned rooms on the top floor which offers a view of the band and dance floor. Diners have the option of listening to the music through speakers.

Whether you just want to take the family out for a meal, watch the sports channel on the wide-screen TV or simply enjoy the exotic surroundings, Borneo Rainforest will not disappoint. Open from 6pm till late (after 3am), Borneo Rainforest is at Persiaran Lagoon, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya.

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

Borneo Rainforest Cafe
Persiaran Lagoon, Bandar Sunway,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Business Hours:
Daily: 6.00pm to 3.00am

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!