Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Restoran Nyonya (Sayur-Sayuran) Mama Sayang, Jalan Desa, Off Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur

Hubby had a vegetarian nyonya treat recently. For the non-vegetarians out there, Mama Sayang is pretty good with the nyonya food, meatlessness notwithstanding. The ambience in this restaurant was cosy, and very peranakan-ish.


They served us acar (RM2.50) as an appetizer. The acar tasted really authentic, rich with crumbled peanuts, and with the vegetables throughly marinated with spices (turmeric and vinegar, I think). Lovely!


Hubby had the honey lemon lime drink (RM3.00), I didn't quite fancy this drink due to its strong taste of preserved lemon.


I fared better with the ais kacang (RM2.50) which was soaked with milk and teeming with peanuts. Really rich, this one. I've read reviews of this restaurant's cendol in the newspaper before, so apparently this place is kinda famous for its desserts. Next trip, we will be trying that out.

Homemade beancurd (RM7.70) is a must-have. This is the best bean curd I've ever tasted, truly eggy. Better than any Japanese tofu.

Stewed "meat" with preserved vegetables (mui choy) (RM9.70) was something new to us. The meat was of course, made of soy product, and didn't taste like any meat I know, lol! Nonetheless, with the gravy and mui choy, it was ok, and it somewhat satisfied hubby's meat cravings.

Organic kangkung belacan (RM11.70) was ironically the most expensive dish that we had. The bits of "meat" it was fried with was again, soy product which tasted pretty good actually. This dish got a thumbs-up from me.

Our total bill came up to RM41.48, including service charge.


Restoran Nyonya (Sayur-Sayuran) Mama Sayang,
# 21, Jalan Desa, Off Jalan Klang Lama,
58100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-79846651

This restaurant is in Taman Desa, on the same row as Taman Desa Medical Centre and Maybank (the bank is visible from Old Klang Road). It's a corner shoplot opposite the Taman Desa fire station.


Our rating system for overall satisfaction with what we eat and where we eat....

1-bam = don't even bother
2-bam = good enough to fill the tummy
3-bam = a very good restaurant in its category
4-bam = excellent cooking, worth a detour
5-bam = exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey


We would give Mama Sayang a 3-bam rating.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Khuntai Restaurant, Off Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Whenever mom (in-law) is in town, we feast. We stumbled upon this new Thai restaurant just a few doors away from a Chinese restaurant that we usually frequent. Looking at the big crowd and judging from the dishes that were on their tables, we decided on the spot to give this restaurant a try.

We ordered Seafood Tom Yam, which came served in an old-fashioned steamboat-type dish with charcoal in the middle chute. The tom yam was teeming with squid and prawns. The soup was spicy, and had a lingering taste of belacan, which was something new to all of us. We ordered a small portion (RM18.00) but when the bill came, it turned out to be large (RM32.00). That would be my 1st grouse with this restaurant, since we emphasized a few times that we wanted small portions for all dishes. We had some trouble finishing this, due to its size.

We also ordered the sliced chicken meat with basil (RM12.00). This dish was really spicy, and loaded with onions and dried chillies to the point of the chicken being eclipsed by the condiments. I would say we've tasted a better version of this dish at another Thai restaurant that we frequent.

The shrimp petai (RM10.00) was an improvement, done in my favourite spicy sambal belacan style.

The lala in spicy sauce (RM12.00) tasted very much like the chicken with basil, methinks the sauce ingredients were similar, and the fact that both dishes contained basil. I preferred the lala version to the chicken.

The Kapal tofu (RM12.00) was a hit with hubby. Again, this was also spicy, and appeared to share an almost similar gravy with the lala and chicken. Hmmmmm.......







Driving down Jalan Gasing toward the Old Klang Road roundabout, take the last left turning (at the traffic lights) just before the roundabout. Go straight till the end of the road, and make a right turn. Go a short distance down that road and take the first right, on your left would be a row of shophouses. Go down that road and make a right turn. On your left you would be able to see Khuntai Restaurant in a row of shophouses.

Our rating system for overall satisfaction with what we eat and where we eat....

1-bam = don't even bother
2-bam = good enough to fill the tummy
3-bam = a very good restaurant in its category
4-bam = excellent cooking, worth a detour
5-bam = exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey


We would give this restaurant a 3-bam rating, the food was pretty good, though a bit pricey. The staff were all extremely polite, wishing all customers "Thank you" when they left.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Restoran Dim Sum Fortune, Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur

About 2 weeks back we went for a dim sum breakfast in Sri Petaling. There are 2 dim sum shops on the same row, but this one's my favourite, by virtue of its menu. It's usually rather crowded on weekend mornings.

The tables spill onto the sidewalk.

Dim sum.......lots and lots of it!

Being a prawn fanatic, I usually order anything with prawns in it. This one was so obviously prawny (RM3.00).

Har kow (RM3.00), love the crunchiness of the prawns to bits, the har kow skin was just right too!

Oooooh sweet and sour pork ribs (RM4.50), the meat was a bit dry, but the sticky, caramel-ish sauce was excellent!

I love the steamed pork ribs (RM3.00) at this place. It has a very strong garlic flavour, and is not laden with fats. I usually order countless plates of this.


My favourite thing on the menu, and the reason for my trips here...har mai (RM3.00). Instead of pork, this is filled with chunks of prawns and topped with fish roe!

Fried carrot cake (RM2.60).......hubby had it all as I wasn't a fan.

Hubby's meat-free diet left him nursing the steamed tofu (RM3.00).....

.....and more of the same.....fried tofu (RM4.50).

Restoran Dim Sum Fortune House
130-1, Jalan Radin Anum 1,
Bandar Baru, Sri Petaling,
57000 Kuala Lumpur.
Mobile: 012-2584250/016-9794103


The retaurant is located opposite the Sri Petaling fishing pond, on the same row as Restoran Clan and Alison Kopitiam.

Our rating system for overall satisfaction with what we eat and where we eat....
1-bam = don't even bother
2-bam = good enough to fill the tummy
3-bam = a very good restaurant in its category
4-bam = excellent cooking, worth a detour
5-bam = exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey

We would give this restaurant a 4-bam rating.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Largely herbivorous

Having read Precious Pea's post on her roasted potatoes with bacon, I decided to give it a go. I used ham instead of bacon, and added carrots. Hubby added eggs without my knowledge!



We had salad and roasted potatoes and carrots for dinner.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Lucky (Beigey) the church dog

It's such a joy to see Lucky (ok his real name is Beigey and the priest calls him Boy Boy, but we just like to call him Lucky) every Sunday. He has become a familiar sight to us, and he does so love attention.

Here he is, sleeping on the cool floor of the priest's house.


Lucky spotted the camera.

Lucky woke up for a quick scratch.

Lucky posing for the camera, mid-scratch.

Hubby's meat-free diet

For health reasons, hubby has decided to stop eating meat (as in mammals and birds) and switch to eating some seafood and plant-based proteins, since last month. All the stuff I've been blogging, all the meat dishes that mom cooked, he's been denying himself....poor dear.
So cooking at home, we have stopped buying pork and poultry.....though I am not personally turning vegetarian. I love KFC too much.
Last night we cooked according to his new diet plan. Sardine fish in chickpea curry.

Nyonya curry powder (bought by mom-in-law from her Melaka visit)-dusted pan fried tofu.

Sambal petai......LOTS and LOTS of it.



Bayam and garlic stir fry.

This takes alot of getting used to.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Damansara Palace Restaurant, Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

2nd January 2008 was grand-uncle's 77th birthday and to celebrate, he treated us to a 9-course dinner at Damansara Palace Restaurant. The menu was lavish, with some of my favourite food (Prawns! Cod fish! Shanghai pancakes!). We got our own private dining room (for a party of 13) with a karaoke set, and I got to select all the old songs that I am inclined toward (Arthur's Theme, Stardust, Surfer Girl, Southern Nights, New Kid In Town....I could go on!).
The menu.

The feast started with the 4 seasons combo.......

.......which consisted of the very delicious salted egg yolk, oyster and prawn deep fried parcel. The way the salted egg yolk melts in the mouth, contrasting with the crunchy texture of the parcel's (beancurd?) skin was just luxuriant.

The 2nd item in the 4 seasons combo was crunchy squid and jelly fish with a slightly sweet-sour taste, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

3rd item was beancurd balls in oyster sauce.

4th on the 4 seasons combo was the stir fried snow peas and celery with scallops.
The sharksfin soup was very rich with ingredients, I could see chunks of prawn and crab meat along with the sharksfin. Taste-wise, the soup had just the right consistency, not too starchy nor too watery.

This was pure indulgence. Steamed, uber fresh cod fish (3 big slabs!) in soya sauce. Loved its rich, buttery taste and smooth texture, glides on the tongue like silk.

The Palace roasted chicken was actually pei pa chicken, with very crispy skin to be eaten with a sprinkling of salt and 5-spice powder. This tasted great as well, not too dry like what some restaurants tend to serve.

I took the chicken head, since it was, well, served! Was feeling adventurous (watched an episode too many of Bizarre Foods) and actually nibbled on the chicken comb which tasted alot like keropok (crackers). I stopped with the comb....no chicken face for me, thank you very much!

This dish was my favourite. Pan fried prawns with Thai sauce. The sauce was creamy, sweet, sour and slightly spicy, and had bits of cashew nuts mixed in. Greedy me feasted on 3 huge prawns, everyone was extra generous to the prawn queen.

Braised siew pak choy with abalone mushrooms and beancurd sheets. Good, crunchy and the bean curd sheets were very filling.

Longevity noodles....tasted rather like wantan mee with slices of pork. Pretty good, too bad I was stuffed to the max at that point and couldn't get much down.

Shanghai pancakes with tausar (red bean) filling. Light and fluffy.

And a sweet dessert drink to wash it all down. Longan with sea coconut.

Grand-uncle had a birthday cake from Secret Recipe called Chocolate Indulgence. We sang the birthday song, wishes were made, photos taken, the cake cut.

And I ended up with a generous piece of heaven. There was not much cake (as in flour) in this, it was 90% cream! Vanilla flavoured cream (the yellow parts) and chocolate flavoured cream layers came together to form this "cake". I LOVE it!! It was like eating ice cream, so rich and meltingly, sinfully good.
Damansara Palace Restaurant
1st & 2nd Floor,
Plot A, Persiaran Surian,
Jalan PJU 3/31,
47410 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Tel: 03-78015055
Fax: 03-78015581

From the LDP, turn left into the road that leads to Mutiara Damansara. Go straight, go through the underpass, go pass the Pelangi Damansara Apartments till you see a Shell petrol station on your left. Damansara Palace will be on your right. The restaurant is just before the Palm Springs Damansara Apartments.

Our rating system for overall satisfaction with what we eat and where we eat....
1-bam = don't even bother
2-bam = good enough to fill the tummy
3-bam = a very good restaurant in its category
4-bam = excellent cooking, worth a detour
5-bam = exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey
We would give this restaurant a 3-bam rating.