Delicious Siong Tong Lala & Hokkien Mihun @ Kedai Makanan Ming Hoe, Jalan Ipoh

The cheap eats are fewer and farther in between these days, but we have found a few will keep you and your wallet stuffed full. Kedai MakananMing Hoe, which we affectionately refer as Jalan Ipoh hokkien mee, is one of it.

This unassuming looking famous restaurant is usually crowded until closing time. Many has complained of long waiting time, so get there as early as 6pm or as late as 10pm. Weve been coming back to this restaurant for a few times and recently came back again for dinner. The food was great, as usual and reasonably priced. These are some of the must order dishes.

Signatare Tofu (RM 10). The tofu was nicely breaded on the outside and had bouncy, solid feel when we took a bite. It was a surprise in every bite as we found our teeth sink into a combination of fish paste, shrimp paste and tofu. Highly recommended!

Siong Tong Lala (Clams in Superior Soup, RM 15) was spotted in almost every table. It was definitely the best siong tong lala that we have ever had. It makes Lala Chong or Lau Heungs version pale in comparison. The secret lies in the fresh clams with sweet, rich and briny flavours. The superior soup was real! ly addic tive, with a nice kick thanks to the addition of chili padi, shredded ginger and a generous dose of Chinese wine.

Ming Hoe also draws the crowd with their famous Hokkien Mihun (RM 6) but we always asked for Hokkien Mihun Mee. Its a personal favourite; don;t ask me why Full of wok hei and with a generous amounts of fried pork lard, it was utterly delicious.

This is Chao Pek Ger (Stir Fried Rice Cake, RM 6). The texture is very much similiar to Shanghainese Nian Gao and Koreans tteokboki but the cooking method is almost akin to the hokkien style of stir frying. It was nice at the first bite, but after a few bites, you get a little sick of the taste. Will recommended this for sharing.

Ming Hoe serves no frills, cheap, damn good food that we kept going back for. It was quite an experience to sit outside and watch the owner cooking up a storm with high flames.

Kedai Makanan Ming Hoe
Jalan Ipoh, 51200 Kuala Lumpur.
(between HSBC and Indian Temple along Jalan Ipoh)
Tel: 03-40443669
Open from 6pm till late, closed on Monday.

Discover Lunch @ Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar, The Gardens, Kuala Lumpur

Hubby's parents traveled 11,000 km to visit us and their two grandchildren for the first time in Malaysia. Where better for lunch than my favorite restaurant, Sage. I was excited to bring them there since I have been telling them how good the food there is.

We got off to a flying start since both of them love ginger beer and the complimentary drink just happens to be that. They were also impressed with the freshly baked bread and accompanying basil dip. It also helps that the restaurant interior is chic and the service is excellent.

Open Kitchen

The Fricassee of Mushrooms with Seared Sea Scallop and Foie Gras was absolutely heavenly. The luscious foie was delightful and melt in the mouth... I wished for the foie to linger in my mouth just a little longer.

Hubby had the Poached Crayfish with Rock Melon Salad and Vinaigrette. A dish bursting with color as well as texture. The crayfish was meaty and taut and was complimented well by the sweetness of the rock melon.

One of our guests had the Roasted White Pomfret with Cuttlefish and Spanish Anchovy Sauce. The fish was cooked to perfectio! n, howev er the cuttlefish was a little too rubbery for her liking.

No complains from the three of us as we happily ate our way though our Wagyu Beef Striploin with Mashed Potato and Sauce A L'Estragon. The beef hit the spot.

For dessert, both our guests opted for the cheese platter, which consisted of Brie de melun and Rocquefort cheese. It was served with fig terrine and homemade bread.

Hubby and I had the Fresh Plum and Banana Crumble with Homemade Ricotta Ice Cream. This was a disappointment as we did not like the taste and texture of this dessert. The only saving grace would be the ice cream. A little birdie told me that Sage might be getting in a new pastry chef, so hopefully we would see some improvement or changes in the dessert department.

We set out to treat our guests to a great lunch that afternoon, and I believe we succeeded. :)

Opening hours: Lunch:Monday to Friday 12.00pm to 2.00pm; Dinner:Monday to Saturday 6.00pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Sunday.

Service: Excellent.

Price: RM100 nett. 10% off with The Gardens Club card.

Location: Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar, The Gardens Residences, Level 6, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2268 1328

Website: http://www.sagekl.com/

Fukuharu-Terrace @ Hock Choon.

Call or SMS: +60 (17) 209.8477 for reservations

A new F&B destination with 9 restaurants & bars.

- Fukuharu Japanese, Authentic & Unpretentious, won "Best Japanese" by Time Out KL 2010 & the Miele Guide 2011 nominee
- IR1968 Indonesian, (03) 2141-3550, www.ir1968.com, nominated to the Michelin Guide 2011
- Nordsee Seafood
- Berliner Stube German (Coming Soon)

- Cafe at TERRACE serving serious illy Coffee
- Cellar at TERRACE
- Poolside Bar at TERRACE

Address: 241-B Lorong Nibong off Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
(Behind Hock Choon Supermarket & opposite SuCasa Hotel)

Email: JLiang9@hotmail.com

Open 7 days a week, from 10:00am to 12:00am, including public holidays (read less)

Terrace @ Hock Choon is a F and B destination with 9 restaurants and bars.

On Father's Day, I was treated by my children to a great varieties of authentic and unpretentious fusion Japanese cuisine at Fukuharu located along Jalan Ampang..


Fukuharu won " Best Japanese Restaurant" by Time Out KL 2010 magazine and was The Miele Guide 2011 nominee.

The restaurant's exterior is rectangular, boxy with clean spacious line and Zen-like in the night, interior was decorated with simple furnishings, unpainted wood, cement, soft lighting, glass panel on one side and most important-we felt very welcome.

Overall the food was visually pleasing to the eyes, fresh, made with lots of tender,loving care and skills and as we shared most of the dishes the various smell, taste, flavors and textures was a delight to our palates.

Service was excellent.

Parking is ample.

Potato Salad-cold mashed mild, creamy flavored potato with sliced green zucchini, mild tender fresh red leaf lettuce, tomato and topped with flying fish roe-Rm10/Mentai Sushi (3 plates)-cod fish roe with torched tamago-pickled ginger on the side-delicious and creamy-complimentary.Tori Shioyaki-meaty and well pan fried-with finely cut spring onion stalk and a salty grated dip on it's side-Rm30/Butter fish Sashimi-served on cubed ice with grated Daikon and a dollop of Wasabi paste-texturally nic! e but bl and-enjoyed it with a soy sauce/Wasabi paste mixture and a piece of the intense strong mint flavored chiso leave-Rm26/ Eringi Yaki Grilled)- thickly sliced mushroom stalk topped with lots of fried garlic/finely cut spring onion-earthy flavors-Rm14/ Ahi Katsu-pan fried breaded tuna steak rolled with nori sheet served with nutritious organic leafy sprouts/fresh green lettuce/flying fish roe-melt in the mouth sensation with each bite-my personal favorite-Rm38/ Edamame Tempura-lightly batter-easy to eat-crunchy-with a dip of green tea powder with salt-a good snack with beer-nutritious and yummy!-Rm17/Spider Roll (Big)-Calrose vinegar sushi rice rolled with grilled Unagi/zucchini/flying fish roe seated on streaky mayonnaise sauce-Rm28/ Chicken Teriyaki-grilled and well marinated with sweet soy! sauce a nd sprinkled with sesame seeds-meaty and fragrant served on the side with mashed potato topped with sliced zucchini/tomato-Rm25/ Tempura Moriawase-lightly batter with soft wheat flour-deep fried over hot oil-consists of sea prawn, soft shell crab, eggplant, a bunch of Shimeji mushroom, Shiitake mushroom, okra-with a light dipping sauce-Rm38/Unagi Kamameshi-grilled Unagi with nori sheet strips (Japanese seaweed), strips of omelette over steamed fat sticky Calrose rice-fulfilling-Rm36/Hiyashi Kamo Oroshi-Sliced succulent pinkish duck's breast meat with a layer of fat between it's skin over a bed of cold Soba noodle with sliced okra, toasted sesame, grated radish, nori sheet strips (Japanese seaweed), spring onion-excellent- RM22/ Chawan Mushi (3)-steamed savory egg custard-warm, silky smooth texture with bits of chicken and mushroom in it-Rm24/(l-r) Macha(green tea) ice cream-RM14/-Goma Dare Kinako (white and black sesame) ice cream-(2)-smooth, creamy and was not too sweet-Rm28/ A happy family photo.

Total bill:Rm360/
Location:241-B, Lorong Nibong.
off Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel:017-209-8477.

Ocha & Bella (Menteng)

Ocha & Bella is a restaurant in Morrissey Hotel (ex-Citadines) which opened in March 2011. I didn't try the food there yet, only the cocktails, so I will keep this blog review short.

For me, Ocha & Bella is one of the most charming modern-design restaurant in Jakarta. Its designer, Willis Kusuma, is also behind Social House and Pesto, but it reminds me even more of Maja House in Bandung. Ocha & Bella has a different vibe whether you sit near the bar, in the open-air garden, or in the main dining room. For this reason, I think it is suitable for any occasions: Dates, late drinks wi! th colle agues, hang-out, or even solo.

The menu focuses on Italian and Japanese food, with prices that are quite high (for instance around Rp100k for a pizza with tax). Again, I didn't try so I won't comment. At the time of writing (June 11), the Chef is Italian so there are reasons to believe the food should be fine. The only thing I had was a Mai Tai cocktail (Rp90k++) and it was perfect, both for the taste and the presentation.

Overall: Very recommended, at least for having a drink. I read on other blogs a few complaints about the service and I would partially agree with it. I felt Ocha & Bella was a little snob and not welcoming upon entering. As I talked to the waiters and bartenders later on, this bad impression left, and I had the usual smiles from everybody when I left.

Opening hours:

Everyday, from 11am to 11pm (midnight on weekends)
Live music on Sunday afternoon from 12pm to 3pm

Ocha & Bella

In Morrissey Hotel (previously Citadines)
Jl. KH Wahid Hasyim No. 70 (that's at the end of Jalan Jaksa)
Menteng, Central Jakarta

Phone number: +62- 21 310 5777

Fax : +62-21 3156 777

Email: whatsup@ochaandbella.com

Facebook: Ocha & Bella Jakarta
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ocha_and_bella
Website: http://www.ochaandbella.com/

The Goods caf (Snacks/American Food)

The Goods caf is a restaurant in Plaza Indonesia, inside the trendy department store The Goods. They serve mostly snacks and American food, with a few asian favourites such as the Nasi Goreng.

The restaurant looks a lot like other venues you may find in malls in Jakarta, and in particular Social House, which is also part of a store, Harvey Nichols. It is designed with simplicity to make it resemble a sort of warehouse, with cement on the floor, no proper ceiling and shared tables.

I had two pleasant surprises with this place: Firstly, while it remains expensive, it is more affordable than nearby venues with similar food (Kitchenette, Bistro Baron). Secondly, the food is quite tasty and worth what you pay for it.

We had the Steak-frites (Australian rib-eye, handcut fries, Barnaise sauce, Rp130k++) and the Grilled Chicken Sandwich (spicy Tartar, Rosemary shoestring potatoes, ciabat! ta, Rp55 k++).
Steak Frites (Rp130,000++)
Grilled Chicken Sandwich (Rp55,000++)The meat of the steak was decent, though you can get much better value elsewhere in Jakarta (try Super Steak). The sandwich was excellent, with real, crusty bread, fresh lettuce and a creamy sauce. The accompanying tiny french fries were not really necessary, but it made the whole dish look singular.

Overall: The Goods caf is perfect for a snack or a short meal while you are shopping in Plaza Indonesia. I wouldn't advise to have a formal dinner there though because the choice of food is limited. The Goods is also a cool store with a lot of original and creative clothes, you should take a few minutes to visit it.

Opening Hours:

Everyday, from 10am to 10pm

The Goods Cafe
Plaza Indonesia Extension L4 # 14
Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav 28-30, Jakarta 10350

Phone number: +62 21 29923628
Website: http://thegoodsdept.com/
Facebook: The Goods D! epartmen t Store

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thegoodsdept

Showcase Lunch @ Lafite, Shangri-la Kuala Lumpur

Lafite for a lazy lunch?...that sounded like the perfect Friday.


Despite the heaving traffic in downtown Kuala Lumpur, I managed to make it to the hotel in a nick of time.





It's been a while since I dined here (Read about our previous visits here.)


There's little tweaks here for the better such as the slightly friendlier service. It's still not perfect though as they tend to leave us to our devices that getting the check was a bit tiresome (waving to get their attention).





One major change was the lunch menu. There's a new selection of dishes and different sets available.


Firstly, the showcase lunch is priced at RM88++, which includes a selection from the showcase (aka that spaceship shuttle lookalike in the middle of the restaurant, a choice of main course and the dessert of the day.





Other set menus also include the Business Set Menu for RM108++, which consists of a three-course meal with a choice of soup of the day or truffle orzo pasta for the appetizer, three choices of protein (meat, poultry or fish) for the main and an affixed dessert.


The other set is called Executive Set Menu for RM128++, which is quite similar to the Business Set Menu except it has four courses. You get two starters - a soup of the day and truffle orzo pasta. Then comes the same three protein choices for main and the affixed dessert.


A la carte choices are also available.





We went for the Showcase Lunch, ordering various choices for our main course.


Honestly I didn't think much of the Showcase's selections since it looked almost like a buffet spread - left out a while that it looked mighty dry and lonely.


Chief favourites was the tuna tartare served with a squid ink cracker and a dab of avocado puree. Also good was the octopus paired with the sweet mango on a skewer. The pumpkin and coconut cream was a weird combo as the pumpkin didn't have a sweet taste and the coconut cream tasted from a can. The prawn was too salty and the salmon roll with kebab was mediocre.


What's lovely to start with is the bread basket esp! ecially with its beetroot buns. They have the earthy taste of the beetroot that colours it a beautiful ruby red.





I was blown away by my main course - the parmesan corn fed chicken served on squid ink scrambled egg, green asparagus and pesto. I loved how it resembled the siu yoke with a golden crust. The tender chicken meat is topped with a crispy thin parmesan crust. The black eggs add a nice soft touch to the meat and while it didn't have much taste, it was an eye popping sight.


Equally worthy was the American Kobe-style beef short ribs (simply melt in the mouth) with a fava bean ragout, crispy spiced bread crumbles and carrot strow. On the other hand, the citrus thyme cured Norwegian wild salmon had a soft oily mouth feel of the pink fish famous for its Omega-3 oils. It is served on sauteed romaine lettuce, potato dumplings and lime jus.


But I reckon the best was the chocolate bar, an unassuming name for a wondrous dessert. Rich chocolate filling with a beautiful flaky and crunchy crust. The pink flower and the caramel sauce added a touch of beauty. Simple looking but so divine.


Despite the hitches of a cold and boring showcase selection, I must admit I enjoyed the meal at Lafite. It is also slightly less artic in customer relations so it makes pleasant dining.




Lafite
Shangri-la Hotel
Jalan Sultan Ismail
Kuala Lumpur




Tel:03-2074 3900


(Pork Free. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed on Sundays. For more pictures, see the Flickr set.)


*Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here is entirely based on my personal tastebuds and may vary for others. This review is time sensitive; changes may occur to the place later on that can affect this opinion. The reviewer also declares that she has not received any monetary or non-monetary compensation from this place for writing the review.