Kim Ma

One of the quietest Chinese restaurants ever, but well worth visiting for its wide range of both classic & contemporary recipes.

Szechuan chicken 'ravioli.' More like wonton or sui kow instead of ravioli. Still, it's deftly done & not too spicy, with flavorsome minced meat encased in delicate dough skin.

Stewed 'Shanghai' duck in claypot. A generous portion of reasonably tender fowl, with a subtle infusion of Chinese herbs.

King prawns with flat egg noodles in lobster broth. Not as stellar as hawker versions of sang har meen, but sufficient to satiate crustacean cravings.

More prawns, coated in coconut milk & cheese. Could comfort food be more cholesterol-laden?

Crispy ginseng milk with baked banana & citrus sauce. A sweet sensation; the perfect combo of light, crisp batter enveloping soft, silky cream.

Trio Conchay Toro Chardonnay (Chile). Wine is available by the glass, thankfully.

Kim Ma,

Palace of the Golden Horses.

Mas Amiel 2008 Vin Doux Natural

Mas Amiel 2008 Vin Doux Natural

What do I know about Maury? Well, its a Vin Doux Natural meaning its a sweet wine where the fermentation is halted leaving a little sugar and thus sweetness in the final product. A Maury is invariably made from Grenache from a little corner of Roussillon, to the north west of Perpignan.

This particular sample, Mas Amiel Vintage 2008, [Adegga / Snooth] was sent by The Perfect Cellar, a new internet provider of bottled alcoholic liquids! Retail price for this bottle is 18.99.

View this Maury as akin to a port, only a touch lighter in style. Still deep with blackberry laced flavours plus an edge of dark chocolate and a scattering of squished red fruits. Smooth. Warming. Alcohol 16%.

The Vins Doux Naturals of Mas Amiel have long been acclaimed for their quality. Their entry in The Wine Opus states the estate is recognized as the leading producer in the region. Cant get a better recommendation, one thinks! The wines of Maury are also acclaimed, when paired with chocolate based dishes, as an awesome combination. As it transpired the Mas Amiel Maury was rather scrumptious with one or two of my frangipane and chocolate tarts.

The retailers website gives a little further info

Mas Amiel is the largest and most important produce! r in Mau ry. Located in the heart of Cathar country, just below the ruined castle of Queribus, it was founded in 1816 when Raymond Amiel won the deeds from the Bishop of Perignas in a game of cards.

Spittoon.biz - A UK Wine Blog - We Spit... So You Can Swallow

Aun Kheng Lim Salt Baked Chicken @ Ipoh, Perak

Baby C went on a weekend trip to Ipoh, Perak with her grandparents a couple of weeks ago. They came home bearing (food) gifts -- one of them was the salt baked chicken or 'Yim Kok Kai' . Their Ipoh friends recommended the salt chicken from Aun Kheng Lim, the pioneers of salt baked chicken in Ipoh. Established since 1987, this is a must-try if you ever visit Ipoh.

Even though the chicken was tapau-ed back all the way to KL, after steaming for 5 minutes with the paper on, it was still very delicious. The taste of dong quai(Angelica sinensis) herb was quite prevalent, which I like a lot. There was some juices coming out from the chicken, herby and salty at the same time and we mopped it up with the chicken meat. I do find the taste very similar to the One Barrel Chicken ('Yat Tong Kai') that we had in Sim Hap Ke in Cheras (cos they use similar herbs).

I did not witness it for myself, but apparently the chicken is wrapped in the oiled paper then placed in a wok, covered with sea salt and baked using Chinese traditional cooking methods til succulent.

A chicken is sufficient for 3 persons to share. Though we were still hankering for more when we finished.

Baby C loved it too...

The shop is located inside a building with red/white facade, but make sure you go to the right shop since there are quite a few other brands there selling salt baked chicken too.

Full set of photos available to view here.

Opening times: 10am til chickens sold off.

Price: RM17 per chicken.

Location: Aun Kheng Lim, 24 Jalan Theatre, 30300 Ipoh, Perak.

Tel: 05-254 2998

GPS Coordinates:4.594734, 101.083542

Branch: 75, Laluan Tasek Perdana, Medan Tasek Perdana (Off Jalan Kuala Kangsar), 30010 Ipoh, Perak. (Tel:012-533 4993). Open from 11am onwards.