Food Explorer & Home Chef
Was looking for a dinner venue and literally stumbled upon Saba-Hae. Game for anything new and especially if prices are accommodating, we gave this a try. The simple, fuss-free restaurant is styled after outlets that offer quick-grab-and-go services. There is also a long table and …
Annyeonghaseyo! In recent years, I’ve become a bit of a fan of Korean food and am always on the lookout for a good deal for BBQ. As a belated birthday dinner for No. 1, we made a visit to Seo Gung Korean BBQ. The restaurant …
Since I had to pick up something from Old Klang Road area, Littlepeople Cafe popped up on the list of cafes to visit. Waze got a little confused and took us on a detour. But finally, found it on the ground floor of a residential apartment block.
Surprisingly expansive when we stepped in, the cafe was anything but little, rather it was invitingly spacious and bright. As you enter, the hexagon-shaped open coffee counter is the first thing that catches the eye as well as the large glass window right at the opposite end, revealing the kitchen. If you’re worried what goes into your food, the chefs have no qualms about you checking out what they put inside.
No. 3 said that it looked like it was like a page from Ikea’s brochures as quite a bit of furniture and utensils are from there. At least Little People doesn’t come off as another one of those cookie cutter bare industrial-style cafes.
Come here all the way, of course, must try the coffee. I found the long black somewhat on the acidic side but the coffee connoisseur, No. 1, said it was actually fruity and very good. Ok-lor. Surprisingly, I preferred the latte more, even though usually I don’t like the milkiness. But generally, coffee here is above average with different coffee beans on promotion so that’s good to know.
The main star of the menu seemed to be the handmade pasta, so we ordered that for what was supposed to be late tea but turned into an early dinner. For its price, given how it’s made from scratch, I’d say it’s worth the buck, as other cafes charge just as much for commercial pasta anyway.
Out of three – Pasta Beef Ragu Alla Bolognese, Pasta Seafood Arabiata, Pasta Alla Carbonara – two were quite commendable. All three was with tagliatelle pasta, firm, cooked al dente and had a good bite to it. Prices averaged about RM26 to RM28 per dish, other variations may be cheaper.
The minced beef ragu had a sufficient dose of cheese, and the flavour, a good balance of salty, creamy, cheesy, comfort, all in one mouthful.
This was my favourite while the cabonara was satistfying too, not overtly rich. Though I wish they had prepared it how the Italians make a proper cabonara, using an egg rather than cream and cheese to provide the creaminess, as that would have gone perfectly with the handmade pasta.
Two impressively huge prawns and some calamari topped the seafood arabiata, but my beef was the sauce which was slightly on the watery side and too tomato-ey sweet for my liking.
The thin crust pizza was more like a tortilla rather than crust, and served on a plate. Maybe if it was on a pizza plate, then the crust could have been more crisp. For RM15 though, it was surprisingly very filling. The topping was generous and cheesy, though a bit heavy handed on the onions. Not quite pizza as I imagined but still pretty tasty. It’s the only pizza on the menu anyway.
A popular dessert here is the Popiah ice cream, which we didn’t get to try. I hear the Avocado toast and House Salad with couscous are highly recommended as well. Next round maybe.
Tried the soft serve which had the oddest flavour – kuih bangkit – which reminded me of coconut ice cream. It seemed a bit much for a soft serve at RM15 but I guess it’s considered cafe pricing?
In an old part of town which doesn’t have that many new cafes to hang out in, Littlepeople is a welcome addition.
Address: Ground Floor 01, Avantas Residences, Jalan Klang Lama, Taman Shanghai. Tel: 03-7971 9209
It was a long time in making, 10 years since the last special bin release, but right at the start of 2020, Penfolds has already made history by releasing a new, rare wine from the 2016 vintage – Special Bin 111A Clare Valley Barossa Valley …
In the sweltering afternoon heat, Moët Hennessy Diageo (MHD) Malaysia further raised temperatures when it ushered in the Year of the Rat at Plaza Arkadia with a lion dance performance by one of the best troupes in the country. In conjunction with the CNY festivities, …
I was making my way to Nuromen, one of my favourite Sarawak beef noodles joints, as I haven’t been there for a while. Was surprised to see a burger stall in front as I entered.
Turns out, it was The Burg, which used to be on the lane next to Standard Chartered bank, a few doors away. Apparently, the council came and took away Arthur Cheong’s canopy. He’s a one-man show who specialises in really awesome gourmet chicken burgers.
Thankfully, with a little help from friends, he has a new home. But with change, there’s always a period of adjustment as customers don’t know moved few doors away and that his opening hours are now different.
But on the upside, now there are tables and chairs where you can eat in comfort without worrying about the rain. The Burg is open for lunch and dinner now, instead of dinner and supper.
Real chicken thigh
So what’s The Burg about? If all the chicken burger you’ve had before had some unidentifiable minced meat, stuff those and try some real fried chicken thigh meat, fried till crisp and juicy, slathered with The Burg’s special homemade sauces of buttermilk, salted egg, sesame or Japanese curry. The meat between the dense buns is a hearty-sized protein, and you get a fair share of salad sandwiched in between as well.
My favourites are the savoury Salted Egg (anything with salted egg scores extra points!) and the rich, creamy Buttermilk Burgers, and there are other choices too, beyond the fab four. It’s just RM9.90 per burger and just an additional RM1 for a portion of fries. Where to find these days?!
So if you’re in the vicinity, pop by and support this leng chai! I confess I’m a sucker for industrious young people who try to beat the odds and strike out as self-made entrepreneurs, and it helps that The Burg’s food is worth thrice that of any Western fast food chain!
Address: 28, Jalan SS21/39, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: 018-381 3101
It’s not even officially Chinese New Year yet, but festivities are already full on. A grand lion dance performance regaled guests and shoppers at the fountain area of Plaza Arkadia, Desa Park City in Kuala Lumpur with acrobatic stunts on high poles, ushering in the …
With Christmas barely over weeks ago, the season of the Rat is already on the way with shouts of ‘Huat ah’ already ringing in the air on Jan 1, if not earlier. It’s double the Huat (prosperity) this Chinese New Year with Tiger Beer as …
After being abroad for a few days after Christmas, I had a hankering for spice and wholesome Malaysian food. Some good old-fashioned value for money grub.
One of my latest favourite haunt for Nasi Bojari is Dua by Skohns. The sister restaurant Skohns in Damansara Perdana specialises in Western fare, but Dua in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur is all about local food. It’s been open for more than two years (it is after all a new year already) but a closely guarded secret I guess as it’s upstairs and not easily seen. There’s a play area for kids and the TV plays kid-friendly shows so parents can eat in peace.
What’s heartening is that it’s not offering some whitewashed local dish sold at extravagant prices in a clinical air-conditioned environment. Rather, it is darn good nasi choices that you would be proud to bring your in-laws to try, with true blue sambal that will knock your socks off and at very reasonable prices.
I’ve eaten at Dua a couple of times and so far, the quality has been quite consistent.
I have never heard of Nasi Bojari until I was invited to a popular and well-known restaurant chain in town for lunch. It came with chicken that was over fried and dry to the point of being stringy; shredded beef that couldn’t make up its mind whether it was rendang or serunding; a few pieces of cucumber and tomato. The most attractive thing on the plate was the rice while the scariest was the atrocious price tag.
Looked it up and Nasi Bojari is supposedly an Indonesian dish originally meant for royalty whereby it just means the rice comes various colours of red, yellow and white.
Dua conjures its own version of Nasi Bojari that comes with fragrant rice, a generous piece of chicken, acar, half-boiled egg and sambal sotong. Granted the chicken can also sometimes be a little dry too as it’s a large piece so it’s tricky trying to keep it juicy yet all cooked through. But the acar is nicely pickled to give that contrast in flavours and the sambal sotong is the bomb! This is no half-baked made for Caucasian tongue condiment but loaded with proper spices with real kick so definitely not for wussies. For this full-on meal, it’s just RM16.50.
The other dish I discovered here that made my day was the Lamb Shank Beriani. More often than not a popular offering at Indian or mamak coffeeshops, the Beriani Rice at Dua is milder but no less fragrant. Some places I’ve been to load up on cardamon, fennel seeds and clove that it can be too much of a good thing.
It comes with acar, papadom (crackers), a bowl of dhal curry and, of course, the main highlight is the lamb which is fall-off tender, flavourful and moist. OK, stop me here, I’m gushing a little but I’m so thrilled that this only costs RM15.
The colourful arrangement of the Nasi Kerabu will be the first thing that catches your eye as the rice is blue, dyed by the colour from butterfly pea flower, sitting on a bed of yellow salted egg gravy. The Salted Egg Chicken is not bad, with a bit of crunch on the outside and a hint of the salted egg though their Ayam Goreng Rempah or Percik, cooked Malay style is even better. What really stands out for me is the sambal, as it has got a hearty taste with enough power to make your tongue tingle. Prices start from RM10 depending on your choice of meat.
The other dishes I’ve tried is the Nasi Lemak Pandan, which also comes with a choice of different meats – beef rendang, ayam goreng rempah, sambal sotong, etc – delicious and dependable Malaysian staple that can’t go wrong – at similar prices.
The Soto (RM8) has more glass noodle than nasi himpit (compacted rice) which is fine by me, drenched in robust, comforting soup that will warm your gut.
Dua also has some Western fare – the cheeseburger was actually very good as the homemade patty was juicy, nicely textured without being mushy or tough and large, accompanied by an even more generous portion of fries. Some green at the side would have been good such as some cucumber or lettuce in the burger, but then, I can’t really complain at RM10. The double patty is RM15. I can’t vouch for the pasta dishes though as I’ve not tried any of these. Oh, and they also have Roti John, by the way.
Dessert here offers a choice of scones (given the name, you would think so, right), waffles (cendol waffle is interesting), coconut ice cream (I like this more than Sangkaya as I find the latter too much like frozen santan) and bubur of the day. I’ve tried the pulut hitam which is legit and thick at RM3, better than most tong sui stalls as it’s proper black glutinous rice and not just gruel thickened by flour.
While understandably not every single dish shines, generally I like the quality of food at Dua and given its very affordable prices for Kuala Lumpur standards, this serves as one of the most attractive factors. Service is friendly and fast (most times) and they even offer discounts for certain days of the week.
You don’t have to thank me, just invite me when you go check out Dua by Skohns, OK?
Add: 12A, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-7731 6954
Well, hello 2020! It’s been a nice long break, but let’s not make it any longer lest you forget to eat with me! Seeing how Chinese New Year is just around the corner, let’s start with a bang with The Regent Chinese Cuisine, which styles …