Food Explorer & Home Chef
Over 2,000 people were present when Guinness Malaysia, the Official Beer of the Premier League, crowned its first Grand Prize winner at the spectacular Guinness Matchday event held at Sentul Depot recently. The sheer joy on Gregory Isaac’s face was unmistakable when his name was …
Stumbled upon Lee Ga in Desa Sri Hartamas while in search of authentic Korean food beyond the usual BBQ one of those days. Korean cold noodles aren’t as popular here but naengmyeon done right, is really quite refreshing and tasty. The version at Lee Ga …
Built around the theme of a canteen, the resto offers popular Japanese incantations and free-style fusion dishes that are pocket-friendly, suitable even for those not so keen on the usual raw Japanese offerings as most stuff here are cooked. A place I’ve been meaning to visit, we went to the branch in Kuchai Lama.
The blue facade outside leads to a clean open space inside with long benches – much like a workplace canteen. At the counter stands a mangga character (sorry, not familiar with mangga) along with various snacks and tidbits for sale.
We ordered one of the recommended must-haves – Ommu Rice. At RM19 for 3 large pieces of fried chicken, it made sense to add on and order 5 pcs for just RM22. Generous portion, the taste of the Japanese curry rice was decent, and fried chicken nicely crisp outside, juicy inside.
My fav was the Sizzling Oyster, so delish, and it came with some lettuce you could wrap the oysters with. I wanted the miso cauliflower but wasn’t available that day so we settled for Wasabi Tartar Chicken which was alright, but then, it was just fried chicken with too much Wasabi mayo. Not so exciting. The Unagi Maki was quite tasty and I would recommend it in a heartbeat.
But the Gyuniku Udon was ordinary and didn’t stand out in terms of the broth or the beef. Was alright but definitely can’t compete with the ramen shops out there.
What was unbeatable was the prices. Definitely value for money and a great stopover for a quick Japanese-inspired lunch.
Add: 18-G Jalan 2/114, Kuchai Lama Business Centre, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur. Hp: 012-580 0883
Off the eaten track, 3 handsome abang – Irham, Ehsan and Syariman – have banded together to open Hening in a lovely vintage bungalow off Jalan Damai in Kuala Lumpur. Decor has been kept simple, original rooms and terrazo floors retained and walls decorated with …
So happy that Emilio Cibo E Vino KL opened in my hood. Showcasing true blue Sicilian fare, Emilio is in Glo mall, PJ and offers almost home-style Italian food, as though your Italian friend invited you for dinner. Mussels or Zuppa Di Cozze E Vongole, is …
Almost every other Nyonya resto offers Melaka-style Peranakan food so it was a nice change to find Herba & Rempah offering flavours that’s Penang influenced instead. Owner/cook Jay Mee, formerly a PR consultant, started her online biz during MCO which transitioned into a physical shop early this year. Recipes are all her grandmother’s and she does a great job of melding the herbs and spices together to create rich, complex flavours.
The colourful roti jala which went viral for its creative Malaysian flag-inspired design, was as good as it looked, paired with a creamy santan rich chicken curry. All natural vegetable colouring were used. Another popular starter was the pie tee in which Jay Mee offers a 2-in-1, with jiu hu char for filling instead of just jicama. Gotta eat this fast as the shells get soft real fast.
Our fav was the delicious salted fish Vegetable Curry. Deep flavours that resonated with our palates, perfect with rice. Could have eaten a whole bowl of blue pea flower coloured rice too, especially with the sambal hae bee (shrimp) and petai. The rendang tok, a Perak Malay specialty, was also nicely done. Seems Jay Mee’s grandmother had a penchant for Malay dishes and included a number of staples to her list of fav.
Seafood dishes have to be ordered 2 days in advance for now as Jay Mee wants to keep her food fresh, and they’re a little shorthanded as well. So if you wanna try stuff like pineapple longan prawn curry and kerabu sotong, will need to call ahead.
Individual rice sets are available, enough for lunch for one. Choices range from curry chicken, rendang tok to salted fish vegetable curry that come with a bowl of blue rice and some kangkong.
For dessert, we tried bubur cha cha, Sago gula melaka and or nee (yam paste). Tastewise they were all great, except the yam and sweet potato pieces could be chunkier, and I prefer my fav sago gula melaka without nangka.
Found the food here above average and most enjoyable though my biggest personal quibble was that it lacked that spicy kick. Apparently Klang Valley people have low tolerance for spiciness so the taste here is gentle on the tongue and doesn’t burn. But I guess if you do want it spicy, it can be arranged.
Herba & Rempah is now open for lunch week days and both lunch/dinner for weekends.
Add: 13-1, Block i, Jalan PJU 1/37, Dataran Prima, Petaling Jaya. Hp: 017-2091898
Jim Beam, the world’s number one bourbon brand, cranked up the excitement at the highly anticipated Jim Beam Highball Bash 2024 at APW Bangsar on Sept 26 and 27. Attendees came together to vibe with their tribe with dynamic personalities and Tribe Leaders in their …
Sitting pretty on the 51st floor of THE FACE Style hotel, Molina is the product of a partnership between epicurean Datuk Alex Tan and 2-Michelin starred chef Sidney Schutte from the Netherlands. A visionary chef, keen to bring a spectrum (also the name of his …
I was whisked away over a weekend to Solaire Resort Entertainment City in the Philippines recently, and what an experience it was! The huge imposing facade of Solaire Resort greeted me way before I was anywhere near, it’s that big. Once we arrived, it was 5-star treatment all the way, from the moment we checked in to the luxurious room and culinary experience, as well as excellent amenities.
My room, located at the Sky Tower, was huge and felt more like a suite. But I’ve a thing for nice bathrooms and my fav part of the room was the elegant bath tub which came complete with bath salts and scrubs. I made sure to try this out at least once during my stay here! Sadly, didn’t get a chance to jump into the inviting and humongous pool or try the jacuzzi, but so glad to have sneaked in a massage at the spa in between. The lovely spa offers a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of city living, offering a space of tranquility featuring therapeutic massages, body scrubs and other indulging treatments. No chance to work out at the Gym but if there’s a need to pretty up for dinner, there’s even an in-house salon for that.
Just exploring the Resort alone made up my 10,000 steps for the day. There’s lots of shopping to be done here as well, though a little rich for my wallet, as all the top labels from Gucci to Celine can be found here. Wait, when I strike it rich at the casino, I’ll be back!
You won’t go hungry here as there are 19 dining options to choose from ranging from Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Italian and Filipino, among others, including 3 signature restaurants helmed by top-rated chefs, not to mention a cozy pattiserie for coffee and cakes.
Fresh
This was our breakfast station, offering an international and local buffet spread. The layout was a little different from most hotels as the food was cleverly organized in such a way that one could easily see everything available at a glance. The selection was amazing, ranging from Continental breakfast choices, pastries and deesh fruits to Japanese, Korean, Chinese and food from other countries, and local Filipino specialties too, of course. All these, just for breakfast! And, it caught my eye, the buffet at night also offered ‘unlimited lobster’!
#FreshAtSolaire
Yakumi
No need to look too far for Japanese fare. We had the full spread – sushi, sashimi, soup, chawanmushi, grilled Alaskan king crab, Robatayaki chargrilled beef and dessert, not forgetting sake too! What’s more attractive was the open kitchen smack centre of the restaurant where you can see the chefs cutting the sashimi, frying the teppanyaki or grilling the food. Starting with generous chunks of sashimi from Toyosu market, we had rock lobster, bluefin tuna and Hokkaido scallop; conger eel sushi and Hokkaido ikura sushi; Lobster miso soup; foie gras egg chawanmushi; grilled miso marinated gindara, Alaskan crab with miso mayo; along with Robatayaki grilled beef. Ordering sake was an experience in itself, as the specialists made recommendations and poured them into sake ‘carafes’.
Yakumi also has a Sunday Brunch affair with 8 buffet stations to enjoy authentic Japanese dishes.
#YakumiAtSolaire
Waterside
Loved the food here, my only regret was that we were all still too full from breakfast to be able to eat much! The menu offers Western cuisine, appeals to anyone and everyone who loves good hearty food. We enjoyed a well-made ‘green-goodness salad’ consisting of chickpeas, cucumbers, fennel, dill, quinoa with lemon zest; tuna tartare and beef croquette. What stood out for me was the chargrilled cabbage (so yums!) and the fish and chips were one of the best I’ve had in a while. And would you look at that gorgeous Spiced BBQ Pork Ribs and US Tomahawk?! Wish we had more stomach space to indulge, especially the Toasted Marshmallow Smores Tart and Burnt Cheesecake.
#WatersideAtSolaire
Red Lantern
Solaire’s premier Chinese restaurant offers a journey of tastes and flavours with the best of China’s regional specialties. We had dim sum; prawn pumpkin soup with abalone; braised USDA beef short ribs with Chinese herbs; quinoa spinach and wok-fried noodles with scallop and bok choy. I confess though, my Malaysian tastebuds are a little fastidious as I lean more towards the quality of Chinese food back home.
Red Lantern also has a dim sum brunch buffet with over 46 varieties.
#RedLanternAtSolaire
Finestra
An Italian fine-dining establishment within the Resort itself, one whole wall of the restaurant features an extensive wine selection. Dim the lights, languish in the romantic settings, enjoy the soothing music and savour the traditional Italian fare given contemporary touches. Finestra offers the perfect rendezvous to impress someone you love.
We enjoyed a full course menu that spanned from scallops; balik salmon with nori power; traditional hand-cut beef tartare; artisanal fusili with Sicilian prawns to US prime striploin (or roasted toothfish on polenta) and of course, Finestra’s tiramisu. The extensive selection of breads in the beginning was an indication of a meal to remember.
Rated one of Manila’s top 20 restaurants, it offers a seating capacity of 120 pax and you can also experience Finestra’s Sunday Champagne Brunch, where you can enjoy unlimited flutes of champagne and a diverse selection of alluring Italian dishes.
#FinestraAtSolaire
For reservations and more deets on Solaire, check out www.solaireresort.com
#solaireresort #solaireexperience #preferreddiningdestination #philippinesthings
It’s literally been more than 2 decades since I last visited Manila in the Philippines for a fashion shoot. I can hardly remember much of it – bits of Makati, the old church, going around in a taxi – that’s about it. This time round, …