Funny Mountain Tau Fu Fah @ Ipoh, Perak

Giant signage makes it impossible to miss!

This is the most famous Tau Fu Fah in Ipoh, and possibly the best in West Malaysia. True to word, every mouthful is soft, smooth, and fluffy. Its texture is second to none, and you should definitely visit as early as possible because when their stock finishes, they're done for the day! The stall opens at 10.30am and you'll usually see a long queue, or patrons using the drive-through service available, to order. 

Silky, Smooth Tau Fu Fah

The Little Stall

For RM0.80, you get 2 very shallow scoops of the creamy, silky beancurd. You'll probably finish it in less than 20 seconds, so be ready to order 2 bowls to truly satisfy yourself. For those of you who are feeling thirsty, they also sell refreshing, cold soya bean milk.

I'll definitely need at least 2 bowls to satisfy my cravings =)

Verdict :

Toothpick says : Best Tau Fu Fah I've tried so far and by far!

Sandal says : No close contender as yet.

Address :
49, Jalan Theatre,
30300 Ipoh, Perak.
(near Restaurant Lou Wong Tauge Ayam KueTiau)

GPS : 

N = 4° 35' 40.93", E = 101° 5' 3.36"

Google Map :

4.594703, 101.084266

Restoran Makanan Laut Loong Sing @ Kampung Bukit Tinggi, Pahang

For very fresh and tasty Steam River Fish, you should always head eastwards to Pahang.

Beautiful evening

On a cool evening, we drove from KL to Kampung Bukit Tinggi, Pahang (approximately 45 minutes drive) to get a first-hand taste of their renown Steam Patin. Upon reaching, you will notice dozens of seafood restaurants around the area. We settled on Loong Sing, as we have heard good reviews from friends and family about this particular restaurant.

Look for this shop

For a party of 3, we ordered a steam Patin fish with soy sauce (Cheng Jeng style), spare ribs with sweet and sour sauce (Pai Kwat Wong), homemade fish paste with mushrooms and vegetables (Yu Wat), fried brinjal with garlic and cili padi, and homemade tau foo with minced meat.

700g Steam Patin @ RM42

True to word, the Patin fish was excellent! The texture was bouncy and firm, and most importantly, it was totally devoid of the raw fishy taste (in Chinese we call it 'Sang Mei') of river fish that you'll commonly find, when you order steam river fish in KL/PJ restaurants (excluding high-end Chinese restaurants).

Homemade Tau Foo @ RM8

Fried Brinjal @ RM6

We also enjoyed the smooth, creamy taste of the homemade tau foo, the crispy and chewy brinjal accompanied by little pieces of dried fried shrimps, and the sweet and sour tang of the fried spare ribs.

Homemade Fish Paste @ RM15

Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs @ RM9

However, we would advise against ordering the homemade fish paste as it had a funny taste that we couldn't place our fingers on. In my opinion, the fish paste from another restaurant, Loong Kee Restaurant in Gotong Jaya, is much better.

Outside the restaurant

Verdict :

At the price of RM91 inclusive of drinks and rice, we had a great and satisfying meal. Coupled with the clean and cooling weather up there, it is a perfect stop for a meal if you are on the way to Bukit Tinggi, or if you don't mind a little detour from your journey to Genting.

Take note however, the restaurant is located quite deep in. In other words, if you are coming from KL, take a left turn and make a U-turn to Kampung Bukit Tinggi. Following this road, you will pass a row of commercial shops (many seafood restaurants here) facing the KL - Karak highway (these shops should be on your left now). Continue driving and you will pass a little bridge and right before you reach the junction to the real village itself, you will see Loong Sing on your left.

Have a happy journey and a great meal there!

Toothpick says : I know where to go now, whenever I crave for a good fresh steam river fish.

Sandal says : This is the right place to stop for highway cruisers. Forget about Karak or Gohtong Jaya.

Adress :
No. 97, Bukit Tinggi,
28750 Bentong, Pahang. 

GPS : 
N = 3° 21' 0.21", E = 101° 49' 17.72"

Google Map :
3.350101, 101.821621

 

Xian Ding Wei - Taiwanese Tea Room @ 1 Utama Shopping Centre

If you're in the mood for Taiwanese food, you should visit Xian Ding Wei - Taiwanese Tea Room in 1 Utama.

When you look through their menu, you will notice that they have many different sets to choose from - sort of like the Bento sets you find in Japanese Restaurants, only it's Taiwanese dishes in this case. Each set comes with a choice of plain rice or braised pork rice, main course selection, 3 side dishes and a soup of the day.

Braised Pork With Spring Onion

Braised Pork Rice

During our visit today I ordered Set No. 10, in which the main course was the Braised Pork with Spring Onion at RM18.90++. The Braised Pork was tender, very flavourful, and served in a generous portion. It went very well with the Braised Pork rice I chose. For sides, I was given some preserved pickles which was tasty without being too sour, a slice of mushroom abalone with mayonnaise, and some nuts in a sweet brown sauce. Every bite was a delight as they were all uniquely different in taste. To wash everything down, was the complimentary Lotus Root Soup which was neither diluted or artificially sweet. Simply perfect!

Braised Meatball with White Cabbage

Side Dishes, which came with both sets

Sandal had Set No.8, in which his main course was the Braised Meatball(pork) with White Cabbage instead. His set was also priced at RM18.90++ and his main course consisted of  2 large meatballs, a few pieces of pork belly, black fungus, mushrooms and white cabbage, braised together in a thick brown sauce. The meatballs were very chewy and tasty, but the sauce was a little light in taste. Overall, it was a nice dish but we both agreed that the Braised Pork with Garlic from my set was better.

8 Treasures Snow

For dessert, we shared the Eight Treasures Snow at RM6.90. The Eight Treasures Snow consisted of assorted beans, peanut, yam balls, pumpkin balls, jelly, raisin, and figs. Nothing outstanding as the ice was lacking in syrup, but the various ingredients made it a very beany and chewy experience.

Verdict :

At a total price of RM54.85, it was a very enjoyable meal for us.  The food, nicely separated in different little bowls and saucers allowed us to slowly savour all the different infusion of flavours. Hands down, one of the better Taiwanese restaurants I've tried in PJ.

Toothpick says : Will definitely return to try their other sets.

Sandal says : The braised pork was good - a must try.

Address :

G360, Ground Floor, Rainforest,

One Utama Shopping Centre,

1 Lebuh Bandar Utama,

47800 Petaling Jaya

GPS : 
N = 3° 9' 0.73", E = 101° 36' 56.72"

Google Map :
3.150202, 101.615756

Oriental Pavilion @ Jaya 33

I have visited this restaurant a few times with my family, but most of the time we order dishes to share such as the smoked chicken, pork ribs with red wine, and etc. Based on my previous experiences, the Chinese food here is more fusion than authentic but delicious nonetheless. As Sandal's birthday was approaching, Oriental Pavilion sent us a RM50 voucher discount to dine in (If you sign up to be a member, you'll receive this voucher yearly about a month before your birthday. Membership is free =)).

With the voucher in hand, the both of us decided to be more adventurous this visit and ordered some dishes we have never tried before, such as the below :

Steamed King Prawns with XO sauce and glass noodles @ RM18 per pax (min. order 2 pax)

The portion for the Steamed King Prawns with XO sauce and glass noodles was extremely small. The prawns texture was bouncy but the prawns were utterly devoid of taste - sort of like biting into a tasteless rubber with strands of noodles to accompany it. I wonder whether they soaked their prawns in some sort of chemical to make it bouncier and the chemicals, while doing its job rendered the prawns tasteless. The XO sauce was spicy and tasted like the canned XO sauce that I used to buy from a Chinese mini market for like AUD5 in Australia. In my opinion, this dish was not only expensive for the amount served but disappointing in taste as well.

Pan-fried Stuffed Australian Scallop with Foie Gras @ RM28 per pax

Next up, the Pan-fried stuffed Australian Scallop topped with Foie Gras. Unlike the above-mentioned noodles, you can order just 1 pax for this dish. The portion once again was very small, the scallop tasted like a fried squid ball and the foie gras was so overcooked that the middle was firmed instead of melt-in-your-mouth. Guess I shall stick to the French the next time I decide to order foie gras.

Steamed Cod Fish with Fresh Bean Curd Skin & Black Fungus @ RM16 per pax (min. order 2 pax)

The Steamed Cod Fish with Fresh Bean Curd Skin and Black Fungus was generous in portion but the fish was just a tiny bit overcooked and like the prawns for the XO noodles, the fish was tasteless. Very odd, I really think that they soak their seafood in some liquid for too long.

Oriental Pavillion's Three Treasures @ RM18 per pax

The Oriental Pavilion's Three Treasures can be ordered for 1 person alone and it consists of 3 bite-size appetizers; bacon wrapped around a steam scallop with cream sauce, a cold prawn dipped in mango salad sauce and fried soft shell crab with plum sauce dipping.The mango salad sauce was fantastic; tangy and sweet without masking the taste of the prawn (not tasteless this time), and the soft shell crab was fried just right; light and crispy without being soggy and oily. I really enjoyed this dish and without a doubt, it was my favourite for the night.

Verdict :

For RM77.90 (after discount) our dinner tonight was not a very enjoyable one. Even with the RM50 voucher, it still felt like a ripped off due to the taste (the lacked of one actually in this  case) and portion. We left the restaurant hungry and unhappy. However, I shall not let this 1 bad experience deter me from visiting again as in the past I have had great meals here. If you do visit, make sure you order the Pork Ribs with Red Wine. It is divine ; )

Toothpick says : I will still return here for dinner but will definitely avoid the first 3 dishes mentioned above.

Sandal says : Very inconsistent and should just stick with their normal Pork Ribs with Red Wine and Smoked Chicken.

Address :

Lot P 104 & A,

1st Floor, Jaya 33,

3 Jln Semangat,

Section 13, Petaling Jaya.

03-79569288

GPS :

N = 3° 6' 38.05", E = 101° 38' 14.45"

Google Map :

3.110569, 101.637347

 

PJ Old Town Claypot Chicken Rice (opposite wet market)

Name-less Claypot Chicken Rice Shop

The Chef and his helper bustling away

In the mood for some hawker food, Sandal and I headed to PJ Old Town in search of the famous Claypot Chicken Rice. As neither of us has ever been there, we had to drive around until we spotted it.  We finally found it situated directly opposite the wet market. Although we looked high and low, oddly this restaurant has no signage advertising its name. 

Claypot Chicken Rice for 2

We settled for a claypot for 2 with salted fish.  When the food arrived, the waitress removed the lid and we were both blown away by the strong aromatic stench of salted fish. I think the smell was so strong because the salted fish was served separately in a little saucer in the claypot, instead of mixed-in together when cooking. The odor whetted our appetites and after mixing in the salted fish with the rice, we dug in hungrily. Although the portion was reasonable, the taste did not live up to the smell and both the rice and chicken were tasteless. 

Verdict :

The meal although disappointing, only set us back by RM10. If you still intend to try this restaurant, take note that they also serve double boiled soups and vegetables. Upon returning home, I googled and realized that we went to the wrong restaurant = p. The famous Claypot Chicken Rice shop in PJ Old Town is actually called Restaurant Veng Soon and it is opposite the bus station (not opposite the wet market) and on the same row as Public Bank. We shall be headed that way soon and we hope that you continue to follow us on our next gastronomical adventure!

Toothpick says : Bland and tasteless 

Sandal says : Time, calories and petrol - wasted

Address :

90A, Jalan Othman, 

PJ Old Town,

46000 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor

GPS :

N = 3° 5' 13.34", E = 101° 38' 44.43"

Google Map :
3.087039, 101.645675

Plus One Shabu Shabu @ SS2

Although this restaurant has opened in 1 Utama for quite a number of years, for some reason we have never really noticed it.  However, when their latest branch in SS2 opened just a couple of months back, not only did we notice it we decided to give it a try.

When we were in Hong Kong earlier this year we had the most marvelous steamboat in this Restaurant called Tack Hsin where they serve really lovely hand sliced fatty beef together with a variety of different soups you can choose as a base. Upon checking out the menu at Plus 1, we saw a similar concept and were truly excited that we might have found our HK replacement.

From top left (clockwise) pork balls, sliced fish, sliced pork, diced fatty beef, sliced lamb and fried bean

We ordered the diced fatty beef (RM 20), sliced pork (RM 15), sliced lamb (RM 15), Homemade pork balls (5 balls for RM7), Fried Bean (RM4) and a plate of sliced fish (RM6).

Super - Tasteless Pork Soup

Chew Chow Soup

Sadly this not a replacement but a below par imitation at a hefty price. The food portions here were small and the taste of all the meat ordered was ordinary lacking the sweet, succulent, chewy taste of fresh meat. Moreover the soup (we chose Chew Chow and Pork Bone with Corn) was tasteless, albeit charging us RM 4 per pax for it.

You Must Pay for This!

Additionally the restaurant charges RM1 per pax for their sauces, and even if you do not want any of their sauces they will still charge you. Packet cold tissues were RM1 per piece and drinks' prices were exorbitant for a restaurant of this standard. The cheapest drinks which were their carbonated drinks like coke, 100 plus, sprite OR mineral water were RM 4 per can.

Our total UN - Happy Meal came up to RM90 plus tax, and worse of all we were still  hungry when we left.

Verdict : 
This restaurant is not worth a try. Don't bother! And if you do decide to try it, make sure you bring a Mandarin speaking friend along. All the staff here can't speak Cantonese or English, only Mandarin.

Toothpick says : Bad! Mad! Sad!

Sandal says : There's nothing free here.

Address :

No. 76 Jalan SS2/60,

47300 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor

GPS :

N = 3° 7' 0.18", E = 101° 37' 19.85"

Google Map :
3.116717, 101.622181

Mum's Seafood Noodles House @ Kota Damansara

 

After a long week at work, I usually look forward to a hearty, delicious, unhealthy Friday dinner.  So last Friday, I had my heart set on trying Betty's Midwest Kitchen after reading quite a few reviews by other food bloggers around.

Unfortunately for me, Sandal came down with a bad cough, sore throat and flu a couple of days before, and had not recovered come Friday. So, we went rounding around PJ looking for something healthy (Sigh...the things we do for love...=P) and within a reasonable budget of RM40 and below .

Exterior

After 40 minutes of driving around aimlessly, we finally decided to give Mum's Seafood Noodles House a try. This restaurant has been open for 8 months and the service we received was warm and genuine. Sadly, most of the restaurants on this row of shops have very little patrons due to its location, which is kinda hidden. I settled on their Fish Head Bee Hoon at RM13.80 per bowl while Sandal had the Seafood Mee with Clear Soup, also priced at RM13.80.

Fish Head Bee Hoon

The fish head bee hoon was aromatic and tasty with abundance of seafood; deep fried fish, prawns, bamboo lala, mussels, and squid. My only complaint would be that the soup should have been more sour as I love my fish head bee hoon soup really sour. I have yet to find the ultimate one, but if you have, do drop me a message = )

Clear Seafood Soup Mee

Sandal's seafood soup was not to my liking as I found the soup too plain with only a strong pepper-ish taste. Sandal, on the other hand enjoyed it as he liked the way it tasted so clear, light & healthy. The seafood that accompanied both the noodles was plentiful and very very fresh.

Interior

Verdict :

For the amount of fresh seafood provided and the price paid, it was a reasonable and healthy meal that was worth at least a try. For those in the mood for rice, do not fret as the restaurant also serves a variety of seafood dishes.

Toothpick says : Love the fact that the seafood was so fresh. If the Fish Head Bee Hoon soup was sourer, I would definitely come back for more.

Sandal says : Fresh seafood and tasted kinda healthy. Guess they didn't use so much MSG.

Address :

Mum's Seafood Noodle House

22-G, Jalan PJU 5/21

The Strand Kota Damansara

47810 Petaling Jaya.

GPS :

N = 3° 9' 15.77", E = 101° 35' 33.21"

Google Map :
3.154381,101.592559

Chef Low Organic Kitchen @ Boulevard 10, Petaling Jaya

Exterior View

For organic vegetarians, Chef Low is the new haunt in town. Located in Boulevard 10, Chef Low's white clean spacious minimalistic deco beckons all. So one fine afternoon last week, a group of 4 carnivores decided to step out of their comfort zone to graze like a cow instead =P

Interior View

Talk around town is that organic + vegetarian = Very pricey bland food; good for the heart, but not for the soul. So, we were pleasantly surprised when we tried out the below food here.

Pesto

The Pasta Pesto at RM12.90 was delicious with strong hints of basil leaves . The portion was substantial, and it was tasty,  refreshing and light at the same time. But of course being the carnivores we are, we all agreed it would have tasted even more scrumptious if it had some seafood thrown in =)

Basil Fried Vermicelli (RM9.90)

Next up was the Basil Fried Vermicelli. The noodles had tons of vegetables and nuts fried together with it and tasted very fresh and healthy. However, I felt that there was a lacking in basil taste even though it was called Basil Fried Vermicelli.

Pineapple Fried Rice

The Pineapple Fried Rice at RM 9.90 was the most disappointing dish we tried here. There was no taste of pineapple at all and it was very very bland.

Mushroom Pizza

Lucky for us, the Mushroom Pizza at RM16.90 made up in taste for what the Pineapple Fried Rice did not. The crust was thin and crispy; the cheese used was light and fresh with a strong milky taste. Loved the alfalfa sprouts that came with it. Hands down, the best dish out of the 4 served!

Fruit Tea

Mini Shots of Fruit Tea

For drinks, we tried their famous Fruit Tea (RM 12.90 for a Large Jar served with tiny glasses, the size of tequila shots). As it was a warm day we were looking forward to this cold , invigorating, refreshing drink. We were surprised when it arrived as a warm drink instead. However, the fruit tea albeit being warm was lovely to sip on as the different fruits (apples, oranges & pears) boiled together with the tea, added a sweet, fruity taste to it.

Mango Pudding

Last but not least, we ordered this lovely yummy Mango Pudding. For only RM3.90, the pudding was light, fluffy and absolutely refreshing! Mango puree and little cubes of fresh mango  accompanied the pudding to give it a sweet, saccharine taste. For people with a sweet tooth like myself, this delicious dessert will not only satisfy but keep you coming back for more!

Verdict :
For those looking to give your liver a break, Chef Low's Organic Kitchen is just what you're looking for. Our meal came up to RM 73.40 inclusive of all the above, 1 coconut juice and 2 glasses of warm water. Do try the Carbonara Pasta when you're there, as I've heard around that it is quite good.

Toothpick says: Food for thought, did the food here taste satisfactory because our subconscious mind already prepared us for a bland boring meal knowing that it was organic vegetarian? Would we be satisfied if it was non vegetarian with the same amount of flavor? Who knows? Psychological or not, you decide : ).

 

Sandal says :  Worth coming back for but skip the Pineapple Fried Rice.

Address :

Chef Low Organic Kitchen

C-G-43, Camilia, 10 Boulevard,

Lebuhraya Sprint, PJU 6A, 

47400 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor.

GPS :

N = 3° 7' 56.5" E = 101° 36' 45.9"

Google Map :
3.132361, 101.61275

Frog Porridge, Geylang Lor 9 @ SS2 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Exterior view of the restaurant

To think that the food in Singapore is as good as the ones you can get in Malaysia is like saying Malaysia is cleaner than Singapore. So boy were we surprised when we stepped into Geylang Lor 9 (A Very Famous Frog Porridge Restaurant in Singapore) to try their fresh frog porridge.

Kung Poh Tin Kai

Keung Chung Tin Kai

As there were only 2 of us eating, we decided to order a small portion of Kung Poh Tin Kai (Frog cooked with Dry Chili) at RM 12, small portion of Keong Chung Tin Kai (Frog cook with Spring Onion) at RM12, and a mid size portion of plain porridge at RM4.

Plain Porridge

Now, I am not a big fan of porridge. In fact, porridge to me is for the sick. However, after tasting the porridge here I am 100% reformed! The plain porridge was served in a hot clay pot like the frogs and the texture was smooth, creamy, thick and basically as Goldie & the 3 Bears would say 'Just Right!'

A succulent piece of frog's leg. Yummy!

The water used to boil the porridge has been infused with other flavors before it is used to boil the porridge. This I believe adds so much more flavor to the porridge as compared to using plain water to boil your porridge. Additionally, I think starch might have also been added to give the porridge the perfect creamy thick consistent texture it has. The frogs on the other hand arrived sizzling in their respective clay pots. Once stirred, the sweet aroma of rice wine from the frogs' sauce permeated the air.

Mix it & start chomp-ing

Frogs as always are succulent, springy, and tender. If you'd like something spicy, the Kung Poh Tin Kai is the way to go. However, those looking for a runny nose, sweat inducing sort of experience will be sorely disappointed as the dish was only mildly spicy. On the other hand, if like me, you love a strong essence of rice wine with a light sourish vinegar tang, the Keong Chung Tin Kai would suffice. Both frog dishes are cooked with plentiful of spring onions and a little bit of ginger.. just the way I like it =)

Nice!

Verdict :

For RM29.90, inclusive of all the above and 2 glasses of cold Chinese tea, we were both full and very satisfied. Needless to say, I will definitely be returning to Geylang Lor 9 for more of their heart warming delicious porridge. So, for the 'War Of the Best Porridge' Singapore 1 Malaysia 0.

Toothpick says : Perfect texture. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Sandal says : Best porridge I've ever tried.

Address :

Fresh Frog Porridge

10, Jalan SS2/61,

Petaling Jaya,

Selangor.

GPS :

N = 3° 7' 1.8" E = 101° 37' 18.5"

Google Map :
3.117167, 101.621806

* For those planning to visit this restaurant, it is located on the same row as SS2 McDonald's but nearer towards the other end of the row, where Island Cafe is.