Rakuzen.

For Mike's birthday, we had a simple celebration dinner of Japanese food @Rakuzen@Tropicana City Mall.

A relaxing place to dine and a menu with a wide array of choices.

Japanese food is one of the most ideal in the world-fresh, healthy, simple, colorful and pleasing to the eyes and palate.

 I was anti-sushi and sashimi but am now converted.

Overall the food is good and service is attentive.

Teppanyaki Zen-Rm38/

SS Yakiniku Zen-beef teriyaki with sushi set-Rm45/

The Kushiyaki Moriawase or Assorted Skewered Grills- scallop, chicken, shitake mushroom...etc- full of flavors-Rm35.

Salmon Head Teriyaki-grilled-smooth at the cheek and gill.-Rm16/

Caterpillar sushi roll-unagi and avocado-Rm22/

Yesai Itame-mixed vegetables of Chinese round cabbage, beansprouts, carrot and capsicum-garnished with Bonita flakes-Rm12/

Total Bill:Rm195/
Location: G-41/42, Grd Floor,
Tropicana City Mall,
3, Jalan SS20/27, Petaling Jaya.
Tel:03-7710-7000

 

Enak Rasa Ikan Bakar No:4&5@Terapong.

There are just too many Medan Ikan places in Melaka, streching from Ujong Pasir 
to Umbai.

We were spoiled for choices.

As it is a Puasa month, many Muslims break their fast here with a healthy meal
of grilled fish and other assorted seafood, otak2, nasi lemak....etc

As most of the popular Medan Ikan Bakar were crowded with diners, we drove
further inwards and opted for Perkampongan Ikan Bakar Terapong@Umbai Baru.

It is a much quieter and laid back, and is a 2 storey concrete building built along the shoreline,
with a big parking area.

A plump lady ushered us to her family run grilled seafood stalls at No 4&5.

There is quite a good selection of fresh seafood and fragrant yellow coconuts are available at their
drinks stall.

We had grilled fillet jenahak, sea prawns, lala, squid, otak2, nasi lemak and a mixed vegetables.

Overall the food was not too bad and reasonably priced 

Parking is ample.  

While waiting for the main dishes, we had fragrant nasi lemak bungkus with a dollop of spicy sambal chillies @Rm0.70/ and grilled otak2 @Rm0.70.

 Total Bill:Rm140/
Location:Perkampongan Ikan Bakar Terapong,
Umbai Baru, Kampong Umbai, Melaka.

Tel:017-616-1465/ 012-970-7500.

Thai Ho Chiak.

Dinner with my family on a Monday's holiday at Restoran Thai Ho Chiak, a Thai restaurant that opened two days ago.

Located next door to Restoran Greenview.

A sparkling new air conditioned restaurant with wooden pallets as decor for it's wall and ceiling and with posters of their food adorned on the walls, too !

Ordering of food made easy by pointing at what you want.

The captain who took our orders is quite "green" serving us big portions food for only the six of us.

The food that stands out are the Ba Bao Chicken which a soup and the seafood tom yam.

Parking is bearable.

Colorful posters of their food.

Ba Bao Chicken-Chef's specialty-Eight treasure chicken is actually a double boiled soup of half a chicken with herbs, dried scallop, fish maw, mushroom and topped with some shark fin- very nutritious indeed-Rm70/

Stir fried mixed vegetables with lean pork-a good mix-Rm18/

Prawn omelette- crisp and eggy but lacking in prawns-Rm9/

Sea food Tom Yam-with sea prawn, squid, fish, lots of finely slice lemongrass and oyster mushroom-full of flavors and kick with every slurp of the soup-Rm45/ 

Thai Thai fried trotters-a real big sized trotter (must be from an over sized pig)-the skin was crisp but the meat was too coarse-Rm48/

Complimentary assorted fruits.

Total bill:Rm244/
Location:2, Jalan 19/3,
Section 19, Petaling Jaya.

Seeri Authentic Thai Restaurant.

Last weekend after having our Bak kut teh dinner, the next door restaurant's Seeri Authentic Thai Restaurant caught our attention-it was packed to the brim.

A typical sure win sign that the food must be cheap and good.

We promised ourselves to come next week.

Tonight with Michelle and mum in tow we arrived there early.

The friendly waitress helps us with our order and after a wait of about 15 minutes-the food were served.

Parking is ample after 6 pm. 

Mixed Vegetables-a good mix of baby corn, choy sam, carrot, Chinese round cabbage,mushroom and green pea bean but it tasted so-so only-Rm12/

Kai Hor Bai Teu-Pandan Chicken-beautifully woven with fragrant Pandan leave then deep fried  -  well marinated and meaty-Rm10/

Tom Yam Kung in a clear soup boiled with lengkuas,onion, oyster mushroom, fresh chillies, lemon grass, coriander leaves -very fresh prawns-addictive-really prepped up our appetite-lime juice was too overwhelming -Rm18/

Khor Mu Yang-BBQ  Pork-thick and meaty sliced pork shoulder meat-with a brown sauce (pepper/ground peanut/chopped spring onion)- delicious-Rm 20/

Tod Man Pla-Fish cake-fried until golden brown- filled with finely chopped kaffir leaves, long bean, chillies, tumeric.......springy with a sweet thick mollasses like syrup dip- Rm12/

Tap Tim Krop-with lots of shaved ice and right amount of coconut milk, nangka (jackfruit) and tapioca starch noodle enclosed with water chestnut-but not to our expectations-Rm4/

 Total bill:Rm88/
Location:26-G, Jalan SS2/10,
Petaling Jaya,
Tel:03-7877-7859.
Close on Thursday.

Restoran De Maw.

Saturday lunch with my buddies-we went to Restoran De Maw a small and quaint Chinese restaurant located beside the Menara PGRM building in Pudu Ulu.

The interior Oriental design was a welcome change, with bright side windows-marble top tables and sturdy carved wooden chairs.

Photographs of the chef and his three gold medals tally are proudly displayed near the counter (the food must be good ! )

As it was a quick lunch we ordered two dishes with a complimentary bowl of "soup of the day"

Parking is OK-just beside the restaurant.

Herbal village Chicken served in an aluminium foil-was tender, firm and muscled-with crunchy black fungus, sliced mushroom/wolfberries-the broth was full of herbs and chicken essence flavors.

Mixed vegetable-mushroom / florets of broccoli & cauliflower / gingko /carrot / tau kan (soy gluten puff) / oyster mushroom in a smooth tasty gravy- fabulously good. 

Complimentary soup-double boiled old cucumber with chicken claws came in a big bowl-well boiled.

Total bill:Rm44/
Location: 18, Jalan Pudu Ulu,
off 3rd mile, Jalan Cheras,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel:03-9285-7833.

Old Fu Zhou Restaurant.

Orient Delights famous for their hand pulled noodles in TTDI Plaza have relocated to Damansara Kim with a new name Old FuZhou Restaurant.
They still served the same old Fu Zhou, Hakka and local favorites. 

The friendly and pretty lady boss was very enthusiastic and kept recommending their day's specials of vinegar pig trotter and red wine paste with pork and salted vegetables..

The restaurant is small, clean, air conditioned with about ten tables and a rack filled with packets of Mee Sua for sale.

Parking is OK.

Mee Suah (rice flour noodle) about 500gms for sale at Rm18/packet.Rice.

Oyster Omelette-with lots of finely chopped coriander leaves-very fluffy with small amount of juicy oyster-garnished with chopped spring onion.-RM14.90/

Fish Maw Soup-with sea cucumber-eggy/vinegar broth-tasted sweet and sourish-appetizing-RM19.90/

Stir fried red wine paste with pork and salted vegetable-a good combination-not too salty-very nutritious-Rm14.90/ 

Vinegar pig trotter-came piping hot with a generous amount of trotter and lean meat-not too choking-Rm18.90/

Mixed vegetables-Chines long cabbage, black fungus, beancurd sheet, glass noodle, mushroom cooked in oyster sauce-passable-Rm10.90/

Total bill:Rm120/
Location: 81, Jalan SS20/11,
Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya,
Tel:03-7725-5527.

ROYAL THAI-TROPICANA CITY MALL.

Today, my daughter Michelle, a Thai food lover was on leave from work and she was able to join us for dinner.

Her choice was Royal Thai in Tropicana City Mall, which opened not so long ago.

I was surprised when told that San Francisco Steakhouse, Santini and Royal Thai shared the same kitchen, maybe because of location wise or just to save space ???

Bun Tham, the friendly restaurant manager recommended some of their signature authentic Thai dishes to us.

Well padded and comfortable chairs.

The cutlery are heavy and bigger than normal sized ones, even the tissue paper is extra thick.

Fish Mango Salad-crispy deep fried Garoper fish fillet, fish sauce, peanut, overly sourish sliced green mango, diced onion served on a leaf of Chinese round cabbage-good appetizer-Rm16.90/

Stir fried mixed vegetables-florets of broccoli and cauliflower, long bean, sliced carrot and oyster mushroom with a tasty gravy-Rm14.90/

Green curry chicken-tender chicken meat, green mini eggplant and round eggplant topped with flavorsome Basil leaves-the creamy green curry chicken broth was not too hot nor spicy-Rm18.90/

Clay pot Eggplant & Tofu- garnished with pungent Basil leaves-a tad too oily-Rm8.90/

Lipton Jasmine tea to wash down all the oil-Rm5.50/

Total bill:Rm90/
Location:Ground floor, Tropicana Mall.
Petaling Jaya.
Tel:03-722-3798.

RESTORAN SIN KEE

Restoran Sin Kee is a no-frills Chinese/Western restaurant with cute yellow lampshades dominating it's overhead ceiling and is fully air conditioned.

We are their regular customers from their early years, when the restaurant was situated opposite (next to a SHELL station) to this present location.

We were there for lunch on Saturday and found that it was already seated with people, even before they start to take orders!

Parking is ample at a parking lot, a few shops away.

Yellow lampshades overhead.

Steamed grass carp (belly section)-awash with good grade sweet light soy sauce, a dash of Chinese wine and topped with lots of finely blended ginger, coriander leaves- the flesh was smooth and fine in texture

.

Stir fry mixed vegetables-full of ingredients like sliced fish cake, squid, prawn, button mushroom plus a bit of every kinds of green to satisfy everyone.

Soy sauce pork (tender loin eye muscle)-well marinated and oozes with sauce but was quite tough to chew!

Chicken Chop-Hainanese style-their signature dish-served with potato wedges, red bean, green pea and grilled tomato-brown sauce was tasty, mouth watering and chicken was well battered, tender and moist.

Double boiled sliced Lotus root soup-was clear and filled with lots of fresh groundnut, red dates, toasted cuttlefish and pork meat.

Fried rice-whole grain and not oily-with waxed Chinese sausage, egg, prawn and chopped spring onion-lovely serving.

Total bill:rm82/
Location: No.194, Jalan Tun Sambanthan,
Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
Tel:03-2274-1842.