Lot 10 Hutong @ Lot 10, Kuala Lumpur

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 8.5
  
• Price (1-10): 7.5
  
• Environment (1-10): 7.5

24 December 2010: Lot 10 Hutong is located at lower ground floor of Lot 10, Kuala Lumpur. It serves some of the famous hawker food in KL. The highlight of Lot 10 Hutong is that some of the stalls are hand-picked by Tan Sri Francis Yeoh.

When taking the escalator down to lower ground floor of Lot 10 where Lot 10 Hutong is located, there's a wood-carved signage showing Lot 10 Hutong in Chinese. It is written by "Chai Lan", the Hong Kong famous food critic.


First of all, we ordered the famous Petaling Street Kim Liam Kee Hokkien fried mee (RM8.90++). It's fried to perfection where the sauce is well absorbed into the noodles and it's neither too dry nor too oily. However, I think it's a bit too expensive for this type of hawker food. I think the rental in Lot 10 Hutong is quite high. I would rather go to Petaling Street to eat the real hawker food at the price of hawker food. Anyway, if you are look for a more comfortable dining environment to eat hawker food, this is the place.


Next, we tried Klang famous Mo Sang Kor bak kut teh. We ordered a set (RM15.20++) which includes a small bowl of bak kut teh with meat (quite a lot of meat), rice and chinese tea. We chose lean meat with minimum fat. Although the meat is lean, it's still very tender and the bak kut teh is well absorbed into the meat. The bak kut teh itself is very tasty as well.


While I was waiting for food, a trolley selling herbal drinks passed by me. Without asking the price, I ordered a Guai Ling Gou and Lo Hon Guo herbal tea, which cost RM10 in total... They taste quite ok but not worth the money. I should have asked how much is it first before buying. My mistake...


In conclusion, I think Tan Sri Francis Yeoh has taken very good initiative to group all the famous hawker food under one roof. However, I think it's a bit too expensive. Besides, the layout of the food court is like a maze. Some stalls are hidden at corners which you can hardly notice.



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Hisago Japanese Restaurant @ Straits Quay, Penang

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 7
  
• Price (1-10): 6.5
• Environment (1-10): 8.5

18 December 2010: Hisago Japanese Restaurant is located in Straits Quay, Penang. Straits Quay is a new retail mall in Penang opened end of November 2010. A quay of wharf is a structure on the shore of a harbour where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths, and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.

My 'Penangite' friends introduced me to this new hangout place. We went there for a gathering dinner. Since most of us were very hungry at the time we arrived at Straits Quay, we decided to eat in the restaurant nearest to our parking lot, Hisago Japanese Restaurant. Too bad that we were a bit late and all window seats were occupied. If we were lucky enough to get window seats, we will be able to see the breath-taking view of the quay. However, despite the view, Hisago offers quiet and comfortable environment for small group of friends to hangout and chit-chat.

We could see that Hisago is still new because the proper menu is not ready yet. We were given a temporary menu where the names of dishes are in Japanese, some were without English description.


After a brief Q&A session with the waitress, we decided to order a few ala carte dishes and share among 4 of us. Here's what we ordered...

• Kimuchi Kaisen Nabe (RM24++) -> Seafood kimchi soup. Quite tasty and appetizing. Worth a try.
• Salmon Teppanyaki (RM28++) -> Average. A bit too plain.
• Tori Yuzu Shio Yaki (RM20++) -> Grilled chicken. Quite tasty with juicy chicken meat. Slightly too salty, yet recommended.
• Ika Sugata Yaki (RM18++) -> Grilled squid. Tasteless. Not recommended.

Generally, the portion of the food served here is quite small. We ended up having second meal at Secret Recipe less than 1 hour after the meal. The rice is RM3++ per bowl and green tea (bottomless) is RM2++ per glass.

Here's the location of Hisago Japanese Restaurant:
3E-1-1, Straits Quay, Sri Tanjung Pinang, Tanjung Tokong, 10470 Penang.


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Kafe Siam @ Sungai Petani, Kedah

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 7
  
• Price (1-10): -
  
• Environment (1-10): 7.5
  

17 December 2010: I attended my cousin's wedding dinner at Kafe Siam in Sungai Petani. Kafe Siam is a double-storey, air conditioned restaurant that serves Chinese and Thai food. Here's what we had...

I did not manage to snap the photo of the prawn because I was forced to sing on the stage together with around 10 other cousins. I also missed the dessert, which is ice-cream potong by Kochabi.

In general, the food served there are quite nice but most of them are too salty. For your information, my tolerance level for saltiness is definitely above average.

Here's the location and contact of Kafe Siam:
Address: No. 291-293, Lorong 9, Taman Bandar Baru, 08000, Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Tel: 04-4418332



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GoGung Korean Restaurant @ The Gardens, Midvalley City

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 6.5
• Price (1-10): 6
• Environment (1-10): 8.5

15 December 2010: We went to GoGung Korean Restaurant for a colleague's birthday lunch celebration. Since he likes Korean food, we decided to give GoGung a try despite some review on how expensive is the charges. It is managed by Koryo-Won and is located in The Gardens Mall, Midvalley City. It offers quiet and comfortable ambience, which is suitable for gathering in small group.

Fortunately, GoGung offers set lunch, which is generally much cheaper than ala carte. Here's the menu for set lunch...

Here's what we had...

• Bulgogi (RM25 per set)-> according to my colleague, the beef slices taste great.
• Dengjang Chigye (RM20 per set) -> according to my colleague, it is basically seafood in miso soup, which taste quite alright but the so-called seafood consists of only 5 small clams and a few tiny shrimps.
• Dolsot Bibimbab (RM20 per set) -> a mixture of minced meat, seaweed, vegetables, egg and rice. Fortunately, the birthday boy seems to enjoy this a lot.
• Seafood Udong (RM18 per set) -> this is what I had, udon mee in seafood soup. Before I comment on this, I would like to state that I'm not a Korean food lover. To be exact, I'm in fact a Korean food 'hater'. Back to the food... it's seriously tasteless. I won't pay for this again even if it's offered the price as low as RM5.

• Side Dishes -> I don't like these but the birthday boy enjoys them a lot. According to the birthday boy, the mushrooms are very juicy...
• Pajeon -> fried pancake with some vegetables. It's the best food I had here so far. Very crispy when it's still hot but it gets soft and oily once it cools down. It comes with the lunch set. If you would like to order it as ala carte, it costs RM30 for the size of a regular pizza.
• Bento Set (RM25) -> a typical Korean bento set with rice, meat and side dishes.

In conclusion, GoGung failed to change my perception towards Korean food. I will try to avoid it if I have a choice.

Warning: Green tea here costs RM8 per glass. It's advisable to order plain water instead. It's FOC.

Here's the location of GoGung Korean Restaurant:
Lot T-212, 3rd Floor, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.


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Restoran Kin Kin (Chilli Pan Mee) @ Pandan Indah

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 8
• Price (1-10): 8
• Environment (1-10): 7.5

11 December 2010: Kin Kin is famous for its chilli pan mee. In fact it’s actually famous for its home-made dried chilli. It’s a branch for the famous chilli pan mee in Chow Kit area. I visit this place once a month in average, especially when I need an air-conditioned and economical place to have my lunch during hot and sunny afternoon. Each bowl of pan mee costs around RM5-RM6.

A few newspaper and magazine have published articles on Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee, as shown below:

Here’s what we had…

• Chilli - This is essential at Kin Kin. Chilli flakes fried with some additional flavouring. It plays an important role in making the pan mee taste better. Without this, those are just ordinary pan mee you can find anywhere.
• Dry Pan Mee - served with an egg (nicely done, to be mixed with pan mee later), anchovies, spring onions, etc… It’s meant to be mixed with their chilli flakes, and ends up become the famous chilli pan mee.
• Pan Mee (teared) with soup - Ordinary pan mee soup, tastes ok. The teared pan mee is a bit too thick and too big piece. I prefer smaller pieces that can fit nicely into my mouth

Here’s the location of Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee @ Pandan Indah:
Address: No. 6G, Jalan Perubatan 4, Off Jalan Pandan Ilmu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.


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Chong Ko Hakka Noodle @ Pandan Indah

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 8.5
• Price (1-10): 8.5
• Environment (1-10): 7

7 December 2010: Chong Ko’s hakka noodle originates from an old restaurant in Kuala Lipis, Pahang more than 50 years ago. The cooking technique of the hand-made noodle is inherited from 3 generations earlier.


I have been a regular customer in Chong Ko Hakka Noddle in Pandah Indah since 2-3 years ago. I eat there at least once in a fortnight.

The signature dish here is original hakka noddle, mixed with braised chicken stock and sprinkled with minced meat. The hakka noodle there is very springy and solid. Many people like to add a lot of the special home-made chilli sauce into their original hakka noodle until it looks really red, like curry noodle. There are two types of hakka noddle, the normal and fine ones. I personally prefer the normal type.

You can find the list of available dishes here from the order form below:


My favourite is curry chicken hakka noodle. It is served with curry chicken meat by default but you can opt to replace it with fish balls or pork balls without additional charge. I would like to highly recommend the pork balls. The fish balls are just ok, I don’t really like it. The curry there is thick and tasty. However, it’s recommended to go in the morning if you would like to try their curry because towards lunch time, the curry is not that thick anymore. I suspect they mix water into their curry when the curry is finishing. Here’s the curry hakka noodle (with pork and fish balls) we had…


Here’s the location and contact of Chong Ko Hakka Noodle @ Pandan Indah:
Address: No. 5G, Jalan Perubatan 2, Taman Pandan Indah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-4280 3150
Opening Hours: 9.00am - 5.30pm daily (Closed on Monday)


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Fei Chooi Fish Head Restaurant @ Pandan Indah

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 6.5
• Price (1-10): 7
• Environment (1-10): 7

4 December 2010: I came across this Fei Chooi Fish Head Restaurant some time ago. Since my dad is a fish head lover, we decided to give this place a try. It is a corner shop, quiet spacious and good air-ventilation. Prior to ordering, we were thinking if they serve grouper fish head. However, to our disappointment, they only serve 1 type of fish head, which is 松鱼头. I’m not sure what’s it called in English.

Here’s what we had…

• Steamed fish head (清蒸松鱼头) (RM24) -> The fish itself is tasteless, but the texture is ok, quite fresh. The alcoholic taste in the sauce doesn’t go well with the fish. I don’t really enjoy this dish. It’s kind of disappointment.
• Pork ribs (梅子排骨) (RM8) -> Average taste, nothing special, very bony. I can hardly find big piece of meat.
• Beancurd with dried-shrimps (虾米豆腐) (RM5) -> Average, the shrimps are crispy but not tasty enough.
• Stir-fried kangkung (清炒蕹菜) (RM9) -> The best dish of the meal. What a joke. The kangkung is young, goes well with the garlic and chili padi.

In conclusion, this restaurant serves average dishes at reasonable price. I don’t think I will go again.

Here’s the location and contact:
Address: 55G, Jalan Pandan Indah 4/6B, Pandan Indah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-4296 6184


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New Restaurant Ipoh Chicken Rice @ Sri Petaling

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 6.5
• Price (1-10): 7
• Environment (1-10): 7

27 November 2010: I had lunch at New Restaurant Ipoh Chicken Rice, the Sri Petaling branch. This branch looks like newly renovated, tidy and clean. It’s a recommended place to have lunch especially during hot and sunny afternoon.

The headquarter of New Restaurant Ipoh Chicken Rice is in Jalan Gasing. Besides, there are few other branches in Midvalley, Bandar Puteri Puchong, Lot 10 and Giza Mall.

Here’s what we had…

• Roasted Chicken (Small) (RM4) -> Taste normal, edible. I won’t specifically recommend.
• Roasted Pork (RM10) -> Expensive, small portion, meat not tasty enough, skin not crispy enough, overall too fat.
• Soup (FOC) -> Ajinomoto soup, I’ve no idea what soup is it because I could only taste ajinomoto. After tried first sip, I would not want to take another sip.

Here's the location and contact of New Restaurant Ipoh Chicken Rice @ Sri Petaling...
Address: Address: No.1, Jalan 13/149L, Bandar Seri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-9057-6128


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Chili’s Grill & Bar @ Mid Valley Megamall

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 6
• Price (1-10): 6
• Environment (1-10): 8

25 November 2010: I had a gathering dinner with colleagues (ex & current) at Chili’s, Mid Valley Megamall. Here are what we had…

• Bottomless Tostada Chips (RM10.95++) -> I think it’s the most worthy dish in Chili’s because it’s bottomless. We ordered it while waiting for everyone to be there. Chit-chatting with friends, while munching the chips is such as enjoyable experience. The chips are very thin and crispy. The salsa sauce is very appetizing, although it’s served cold. It’ll be better if the sauce is hot. Fyi, I’m not a chips lover but I like the tostada chips. We refilled 5 full plates of chips.
• Spaghetti Chicken (RM21.95++) -> I personally do not like the spaghetti, taste weird but I cannot explain where the weird taste comes from. The chicken is quite tasty though.
• Creamy Chicken (RM24.95++) -> The grilled chicken is tasteless, hard and dry. The carrot and beans are not fully cooked, very hard. Please do not order. It’s a waste of money.
• Fire-Grilled Chicken & Portobello (RM32.95++) -> I did not try this but my friend likes it a lot, especially the mushrooms.
• Jalapeno Steak Quesadillas (RM31.95++) -> I did not try this either but I could see the portion is huge and my friends enjoy it.

I personally do not like the food here. However, the portions are really huge. Most of the main courses are meant to be shared by at least 2 person. Anyway, I don’t mind going again but I’ll only order the tostada chips

Here's the location and contact of Chilli's @ Mid Valley Megamall...
Address: Lot G (E) 012, Boulevard Mid Valley Megamall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-22876788
Business Hours:
Sunday - Thursday :11.00am - 11.00pm
Friday & Saturday :11.00am - 12.00am


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Village Roast Duck @ Bangsar Village

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 7
• Price (1-10): 7
• Environment (1-10): 7

22 November 2010: Village Roast Duck is a newly opened food outlet in Bangsar Village. It is located at 1st Floor of Bangsar Village Shopping Centre. From the name, you should know what is the signature food there, roast duck. Hence, we ordered roast duck rice set, which comes together with soup. It costs RM12.90++ per set. Here comes the roast duck rice set:

• Roast Duck Rice -> Quite big portion, a lot of duck meat. The waiter actually asked if I would like to have the bone removed. Good service I would say. As for the food, the meat is not bad, but the roasted skin is not crispy enough. I personally don’t really like the sauce as well, a bit too sweet for me. Something special (weird) that worth mentioning here is that the duck rice is served on plate with chopsticks by default. What a combination!
• Soup -> As shown in the photo above, the soup is only have bowl full. The photo is snap right after it’s served. I haven’t drink any of it. The taste is not bad though.

In general, I think this place is quite pricey considering the type of food served. For duck rice, I still prefer Uncle Duck @ Times Square or Hong Kong Food Culture @ Low Yat Plaza. These 2 food outlets are under the same management, hence they serve almost the same food. The duck rice set, served with soup and drinks, costs RM6.90. The portion is smaller than Village Roast Duck but the skin of roast duck is crispier and taste better. Besides, it is better value for money.

Anyway, here’s the contact details for Village Roast Duck:
Address: Lot F8, 1st Floor, Bangsar Village Shopping Centre, 1, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-22874128
Opening hours: 11am-10pm (Monday-Friday), 10.30am-10pm (Saturday-Sunday)


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Restoran Baby Seafood @ Batu Belah, Klang

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 7.5
  
• Price (1-10): 7.5
  
• Environment (1-10): 6.5

12 November 2010: Before departing for sight-seeing and photography session at I-City, my friends and I had a gathering with friends at Restoran Baby Seafood, Klang. It is an air-conditioned restaurant serving mainly Chinese and Thai cuisine. Since there are 10 of us, we ordered 8 types of dishes which cost us RM244 in total. Here are what we had:

• Mango Prantis Prawn -> Crunchy and crispy prawns. Not bad.
• Spinach with Soup -> Quite good. We emptied the plate within 10 minutes after it’s served. Maybe because it’s the only vegetable dish ordered
• Tauhu -> So so.
• Fish Maw in Claypot -> Big pieces of fish maw.
• Tom Yam Steamed Fish -> Steam fish over charcoal stove, signature dish here. I personally think that it’s not hot and sour enough.
• Deep Fried Squid -> Crispy and quite tasty.
• Thai Pork “Hand” -> Quite dry and hard and “fatty”. I personally do not enjoy this dish.
• Stuffed Chicken Wing -> Unique preparation method, boneless chicken wing stuffed with ham, cheese, vege, etc… One of the signature dish here. Taste ok.

Address and contact of this restaurant...
Address: Restoran Baby Seafood, 186A-1, Jalan Sungai Putus, Batu Belah, 40150 Klang.
Tel: 019-213 5807


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Amarin Heavenly Thai @ Mid Valley Megamall

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 8
• Price (1-10): 7.5
• Environment (1-10): 8

2 November 2010: Amarin Heavenly Thai is my favourite restaurant in Midvalley. There are discounts for payment using particular credit cards:

• 15% for CIMB, Amex, etc… (I forgot the rest)
• 10% for HSBC, Aeon, etc… (I forgot the rest)

Here’s what we had…

• Thai Fish Cakes (RM15++) -> RM3++ per piece of common fish cake. Seriously regretted for ordering it, blame my dad… Not recommended, waste of money and space in stomach.
• Tom Yam Prawn in Young Coconut (RM16.90++) -> Tom Yam soup is so so. Prawn is fresh and solid. Coconut flesh is good as well.
• Green Curry Chicken (RM16++) -> Tasty, thick and creamy green curry. One of my favourite dish here.
• Steam Fish (Siakap) with Lime & Chilli Sauce (RM46++) -> The lime and chilli sauce is wonderful, very appetizing. I was drinking it non-stop as if I’m drinking soup. It tastes better than the tom yam soup here.

Links to previous relevant posts:

• 14 October 2008
• 20 June 2008
• 10 April 2008

Here's the location and contact of Amarin Heavenly Thai @ Mid Valley Megamall...
Address: Lot S045, Level 2, Mid Valley Megamall, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03–2938 3187
Business Hours: 12:00 noon till 10:00 pm daily


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La Gomera Spanish Buffet @ Neo Damansara, Damansara Perdana

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 7
• Price (1-10): 7
• Environment (1-10): 7

1 November 2010: La Gomera Restaurant is the 1st Spanish Restaurant serving buffet dinner. It is located in Neo Damansara. In order to avoid disappointment, it is advised to make prior reservation. The normal price of the buffet dinner is RM49.90 per adult. However, I bought the meal vouchers at promotion price (40% discount) from mydeal.com.my. Hence, it eventually costs RM29.95 per person. Please take note that any food wastage will be charged RM20 for every 100g.

You can choose to dine indoor or outdoor. For indoor, you will be nearer to the food but I personally do not like the noise made when pulling the wooden chair away before heading for food. However, for the moment, it is not advisable to sit outdoor because there are constructions going on around Neo Damansara.

A wide variety of appetizers and tapas are served. Although I’m not appetizers lover, I tried some of them and they are overall quite tasty. I saw people queuing up for the lobster salad when the crowd started swarming in after 7pm. I’m glad that I went at 6pm sharp

Besides, there are also a variety of main dishes served, such as meat, seafood, pizza, pasta, etc…

• Meat -> There are chicken, beef and lamb. Since it’s a halal restaurant, no pork is served. I’ve stopped eating beef so I only tried the chicken and lamb dishes. Most of them taste quite nice especially chicken al ajillo and black pepper chicken wing.
• Seafood -> There are fish, prawns, clams, squid, oyster, scallops, etc… My favourite dish of the night is clams with parsley sauce, very tasty and appetizing. Normally I don’t eat parsley but I love this dish. The rest taste alright but I would like to emphasize on the fish slices which contains a lot of short and tiny bones. This is very dangerous for kids and troublesome for adults.
• Seafood Platter (Zorzuella) -> A seafood platter is served to each table. The seafood is fresh and tasty.
• Seafood Rice (Paella) -> It’s a well-known Spanish dish but I will not recommend the paella in La Gomera. The seafood is alright but the rice is far too salty. Take note that I like salty food. Hence, if I say too salty means it’s really too salty.
• Soup -> There are cream mushroom soup and cream pumpkin soup. The mushroom has very strong burnt smell and taste. I informed the staff about it but he did not apologize and did not change the soup. Since it is burnt, I did not finish the soup but the staffs refuse to take away the bowl of unfinished soup. I guess I’ll be charged if I don’t finish it hence I forced myself to finish the bowl of burnt mushroom soup.

There are more dishes further inside the restaurant where you need to order by placing the clips (with your table number) into the bowl dedicated for each type of dish. They include…

• Pasta -> There are pasta with seafood, bolognese, tomato sauce, carbonara, etc… I tried the one called Pasta La Gomera since it sounds like the signature pasta there and as expected, it taste great. Something that I’ve never tried before but I like it.
• Pizza -> There are a variety of pizza as well… Similarly, I ordered Pizza La Gomera and it’s not bad as well.
• Meat/Seafood -> There are fresh oyster, grilled fish, squid, scallops, chicken, steak, lamb chop, etc… They are generally satisfactory.

Finally, here comes the drinks and desserts…

• Drinks -> Free flow of drinks of wide variety, which includes cold (orange, mango, cincau, ice lemon tea, etc), soft (pepsi, 7up, etc) and hot (black coffee, espresso, cappuccino, milo, teh tarik, etc) drinks.
• Fruits -> There are watermelon, pineapple, papaya.
• Ice-cream -> Refillable Walls ice-cream of 5-6 different flavours.
• Cakes -> Very few variety and my mom describe them as ‘cheapskate” cakes. People were queuing up to grab the only cake that looks more complicated, which is tiramisu. However, it is disappointing (too sweet and soggy), my mom can bake 10 times better than that.

In conclusion, if it’s at full price, I won’t go again. However, at 40-50% discounted rate, I don’t mind going again. From variety point of view, it’s of different class from places like Jogoya or Tenji. However, the quality of the food is generally ok. Worth trying if the promotion is still on.

Here's the location and contact of La Gomera...
Address: Block E-LG-1, 2 Neo Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/1, Bandar Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petalling Jaya.
Tel: 03-77100262
Business Hours: 6pm to 12am daily


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Imperial Rama @ Highlands Hotel, Genting Highlands

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 6.5
• Price (1-10): 6
• Environment (1-10): 8.5

31 October 2010: We went to Imperial Rama again, twice in a month. This time is for my bf’s post birthday celebration dinner. We decided to try something new, hence we ordered from the “October Weekend Specialties” and “Healthy Food” menu. Here's what we had...

• Thai Braised Pork Shoulder (RM38++) -> from October Weekend Specialties menu, not available other days. The portion is too big for 2 person. The texture is quite good, tender but not too fat. The taste is normal, nothing special. The vegetable (choy sum) used in this dish is too hard (old). It’s really a challenging task for my braced teeth to eat the vege… I won’t recommend this dish.
• Steamed Marble Goby Dumpling with Vegetable & Noodles (RM28++) -> from Healthy Food menu. When I ordered this dish, I forgot that it’s meant to be healthy. Hence, the soup, the noodles, the fish dumplings (everything) are plain and almost tasteless…
• King Prawn Tom Yam Soup (RM15++ per person) -> a must order dish here, best tom yam soup I’ve tried so far. BUT, for this round, it’s not as good as my previous visits. It’s slight too sweet, less sour and spicy this time. I wonder what cause the difference. However, it still tastes good!

In conclusion, I will still recommend Imperial Rama but be ware of what to order and what not to order.

Here's the location and details of Imperial Rama...
Address: Level 2, Highlands Hotel, 69000 Genting Highlands, Pahang.
Tel: 03-61011118 (Highlands Hotel General Line)
Opening hours: 12 to 2.30pm (Lunch), 6- 9.30pm (Dinner)


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Here are the links to the posts of my previous visits to Imperial Rama:

• 3 October 2010
• 16 March 2009
• 23 January 2009

Zouk Cafe & Bar @ The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 6.5
• Price (1-10): 6.5
• Environment (1-10): 7

29 October 2010: Zouk Cafe & Bar is located at Ground Floor of The Gardens Mall (next to the entrance, facing Mid Valley Megamall). Before this, I’ve never thought of trying this out until I came across the “1 For 1 Lunch Promo”. In conjunction to my bf’s birthday eve, we headed to Zouk Cafe Bar before the promotion ends. Here are the promotion banner and lunch menu…

I’m eligible for this promotion by paying using my Amex Credit Card. Although it’s stated in the lunch menu that the lunch promotion includes ONE complimentary plate of tropical fruits, it’s not applicable for “1 For 1 Lunch Promo”. I wonder why is Zouk so petty that they want to save the plate of fruits. Since it’s 1 For 1, at least serve 1 plate of fruits, for god’s sake, it will make the customers happier.

Put the free fruits aside, here’s what we ordered…

• Seafood Aglio Olio (RM22++) -> Angel hair pasta tossed in virgin olive oil, chilli flakes and garlic served with prawns and scallop. To be exact, there are actually 3 prawns and 1 scallop, which are quite fresh alright. The angel hair pasta is quite tasty and appetizing with the herb and chilli flakes but I slowly found it a bit too salty later on. I couldn’t managed to finish it but I think it should be a decent portion for guys.
• Briyani Rice with Chicken Tandoori (RM22++) -> Steamed briyani rice with chicken tandoori served with papadom, acar rampai and vegetables dalcha. The portion of rice is smaller than average but taste alright. Chicken tandoori is quite meaty and tender but tasteless… Not recommended.

In conclusion, considering the normal price of the food there, it’s definitely not worth the money. Besides, if you would like to have a peaceful meal, don’t even consider Zouk because it’s located at the entrance of The Gardens Mall, facing Mid Valley Megamall. Many people walk to and fro the two malls all the time. Furthermore, if you want to have a quick meal, it’s not recommended to go to Zouk because their service is quite slow.

Here's the location and details of Zouk Cafe & Bar...
Address: Lot G-223, Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603-2288 1997


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LeVain Boulangerie Patisserie @ Off Jalan Imbi

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 8.5
• Price (1-10): 7
• Environment (1-10): 8

16 October 2010: LeVain Boulangerie Patisserie is a European-style restaurant serving mainly stone oven-baked breads, pastries and cakes. It is located at Jalan Delima, Off Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur (next to Fukuya Authentic Japanese Cuisine). The interior of the restaurant, which is spacious with high-ceiling, is very poshy and elegantly decorated.

Besides a wide variety of breads, pastries and cakes are served, there are also some breakfast and main meals. On top of that, there are some hand-made chocolate available for free testing. Since it’s my first time there, I randomly chose a few breads/pastries, as below…

• Turkey Ham and Egg Bread (RM3.20) -> taste great, with soft, fine and tender bread
• Chocolate Danish (RM3.60) -> crispy outside, tender inside, with rich chocolate filling
• Chocolate Coronet (RM3.00) -> rich and creamy chocolate filling and coating
• Chicken Curry Donut (RM3.80) -> crispy donut with delicious curry chicken filling

In general, I enjoy my breakfast at LeVain. I will go again to try out other pastries and the cakes.

Here's the location and details of LeVain Boulangerie Patisserie...
Address: No. 7, Jalan Delima, Off Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2142 6611
Business Hours: 7.30am till 9pm daily


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Imperial Rama @ Highlands Hotel, Genting Highlands

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 9.5
• Price (1-10): 6.5
• Environment (1-10): 8.5

3 October 2010: My dad’s 60th birthday dinner was held at Imperial Rama. Imperial Rama is a Thai-Chinese fine dining restaurant located at a secluded corner in Level 2 of Highlands Hotel, Genting Highlands. It provides an elegant and great dining ambience.

The birthday dinner was attended by 15 people, occupying 2 tables. We ordered 2 set meals, costing RM798++ per table (the set meal changes every month), as shown below…

Here’s the snapshots of what we had…

• Imperial Pomfret Fish with Crispy Ginger Oyster -> Pomfret slices are fresh, solid, fine and tasty. Crispy fried oysters are delicious. Even the bone of pomfret is fried until crispy and edible.
• “Teow Chew” Shark’s Fin in Casserole -> Taste just right.

• Braised Slice Abalone with Dried Seafood in Golden Brown Sauce -> Delicious!
• Pineapple Spare Rib with Crab Mushroom -> Spare ribs are crispy outside but very soft and tender inside. The taste is great as well.
• Stir-Fried King Prawn with Pepper & Glass Noodles -> King prawns are fresh and tasty. Sauce from the king prawns are well-absorbed into the glass noodles. Best glass noodles I’ve ever had.
• Mango Puree with Sago -> Very fresh mango taste with delicate texture.
• Banana with Lotus Pancake -> Very unique. Pancakes normally go with lotus or red bean filling. The banana filling goes really well with lotus taste. I don’t normally eat banana but I can’t stop myself from having 2nd piece of this banana lotus pancake. Something different and worth trying. Highly recommended.

All my guests are satisfied with dinner. There was only compliments, no complaints. In conclusion, this meal is really worth the money.

Note: Kindly be advised to make prior reservation to avoid disappointment.

Here's the location and details of Imperial Rama...
Address: Level 2, Highlands Hotel, 69000 Genting Highlands, Pahang.
Tel: 03-61011118 (Highlands Hotel General Line)
Opening hours: 12 to 2.30pm (Lunch), 6- 9.30pm (Dinner)


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Links to previous relevant posts:

• 16 March 2009
• 23 January 2009

Ciao Ristorante @ Jalan Kampung Pandan

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 8
• Price (1-10): 7
• Environment (1-10): 9

1 May 2010: Ciao serves authentic Italian food. It is the oldest Italian restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, opened in 1992. It used to be located in Jalan Tun Razak. Recently, it is newly re-located in Jalan Kampung Pandan, just off Jalan Tun Razak. The restaurant resembles a rustic Italian country house with a cozy garden and man-made lake overlooking at the golf course, and with ample parking facilities.

We had two different types of pasta dishes for dinner but I forgot to snap the photos of those. I can’t recall what did we order but they taste alright. Luckily, I did not forget to snap the desserts…

• Chocolate Lava Cake (RM22) -> warm, thick and rich, melted chocolate sauce filling flowing out from the cake. Thumbs up. Highly recommended.
• Tiramisu (RM16) -> quite tasty alright, although I’m not a tiramisu lover.

After a satisfying dinner, it’s really great to have a walk at the garden, looking at the man-made lake and golf course across the lake. It’s really a place to consider for those who wish to have a garden wedding.

Here's the location and details of Ciao Ristorante...
Address: No. 20A, Jalan Kampung Pandan, Off Jalan Tun Razak, 55100, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-9285 4827
Business Hours: 12pm-2.30pm (Monday-Friday), 6pm-11pm (Monday-Sunday)


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Ming Ren Restaurant @ Highlands Hotel, Genting Highlands

Rating:

• Food (1-10): 7
• Price (1-10): 7
• Environment (1-10): 8.5

31 March 2010: Ming Ren specializes in lamb dishes. It uses unique blend of Cantonese culinary methods and Xinjiang’s traditional spices and seasonings in preparing the lamb dishes.

Ming Ren is located at Level 2, Highlands Hotel, Genting Highlands. It offers very quiet and comfortable environment to enjoy a peaceful lamb-based meal. Here’s what we tried…

• Stir-fried Lamb with ‘Zi Ran’ (RM25++) -> ‘Zi Ran’ is a Xinjiang’s traditional spices for lamb. The lamb slices are very tender and go just right with the special spices. Recommended.
• Lamb Soup (RM15++) -> Very very strong smell and taste of lamb, which I don’t really enjoy. Recommended for hardcore lamb lovers.
• Stir-fried Hong Kong Choy Sum -> Normal taste. Fresh vege. Nothing much can go wrong.

In conclusion, I will recommend this restaurant for lamb lovers but not those who are just ‘ok’ with lamb, like me

Here's the location and details of Ming Ren...
Address: Level 2, Highlands Hotel, 69000 Genting Highlands, Pahang.
Tel: 03-61011118 (Highlands Hotel General Line)
Business hours:
12pm till 2.30pm, 6pm till 9.30pm (Monday - Friday)
11pm till 2.30pm, 6pm till 9.30pm (Saturday - Sunday)


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