Toh Yuen Chinese Restaurant, Hilton Petaling Jaya explores the authenticity of Chinese cuisine with a local, personal touch, by crafting an extensive a la carte menu with recipes from China and the restaurant regulars all-time favourites.

Retaining one main concept from previous menu, Master Chef Lee emphasizes a healthy menu which consists of fresh ingredients and Chinese herbs. He, however, has added something new by introducing traditional Chinese fare to local food lovers, as a result of his fruitful travel and culinary learning in China. To get the best out of the taste, Chef Lee also keeps the natural flavours and refrains from using artificial preservatives and additives.

Chilled Pacific Clam with Salsa

Tangy salsa topped with Chilled Pacific Clam brings out the appetite in you for a start. It is a perfect choice where sour taste always make you want more food. The serving style also kinda cool which hardly Chinese restaurant serve this resemble a fine dine way.

Offering the guests a sense of ease, Chef Lee has kept a simple approach to the Chinese authentic delicacies, with minimal adjustment to local taste buds. Some of these delicacies include Pan Fried Lamb Rack with Mongolian Sauce, Deep Fried Lamb with Cumin and dried Chilli, Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup, Steamed Fish with Dried Mandarin Skin Sauce, Deep Fried Fish with Yu Feng Ginger Sauce and many more.

Deep Fried Lamb with Cumin & Dried Chili

The lamb were tender and filled with the marination sauceflavours. I am not a lamb person but this, I love it! A reasonable accepted level of smell with a lots of peppercorn and dried chillis balance the overall tas! te.

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Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab with Garlic & Chicken Floss

Fresh and quality ingredients are selected carefully to conjure mouth-watering dishes. For example, Chef Lee opted for more fresh fish and even included local fish such as Sarawak River Patin in the menu. Apart from it, herbs are also used liberally particularly in Chinese soup. Speaking of the wisdom of Chinese kitchen, one shall not miss the soup as it is an integral part of Asian diet. The nourishing Chinese herbal soup such as Double Boiled Black Chicken with Ginseng Tails Soup and Double Boiled Dried Scallops with Saffron moisture the lungs and skin, replenish nutrients and are good for digestion.

Double Boiled Village Chicken with Chong Cao Hua (Cordyceps) Soup

Double Boiled Village Chicken with Chong Cao Hua (Cordyceps) Soup replenish the nutrients in your body. A warm bowl of soup in every Chinese cuisines make you feel warm at heart and healthy at the same time. If you find that cordyceps are too strong for you, you can go for theDouble Boiled Chicken with Shi Hu (Dendrobium Stem) Soup.

Double Boiled Chicken with Shi Hu (Dendrobium Stem) Soup

Double Boiled Chicken with Shi Hu (Dendrobium Stem) Soup

Braised Sea Cucumber with Flower Mushroom & Abalone Sauce

Steamed Canadian Black Cod Fish with Yu Feng Ginger Sauce

Thick cut of succulent black cod steamed and laden with special ginger mix on top! A must order for fish lover. The fish fillet were juicy and the superior soya sauce brings out the dish to its full potential.

Sauted Fresh Prawn with Salted Egg Yolk

Big bites of prawns sauteed and coated with salted egg yolk. At first I thought it was coated with cheese. But after bite on them, ohh la la! The fragrant of salted egg yolks flooded my mouth with its richness.

Sauted Gong Bao Vegetable Chicken with Yam Ring

When we were there, this dish I would say is the most ordered on every tables. This is a dish where it combines a few nuts, beans, vege and chicken served on a deep fried yam ring resemble a birds nest. You can eat the whole thing! The yam ring were crispy and tasty.

Deep Fried Smoked Duck with Fruit Sauce

The portion may look small to you but the taste is big! I never tried pairing smoked duck with fruit sauce but this one made it taste like a Spanish tapas that are good to eat in any occasion.!

Sauted Venison Slice with Chinese Croissants & Cumin

Deep Fried Banana with Strawberry & Cheese Cake

While we hope to get the taste as closed as to the traditional dishes in China, we also made some changes to the ingredients used, so that the dishes such as Xinjiang Fried Rice with Diced Chicken will appeal to all Malaysian taste buds said Chef Lee, whose experience spans over 10 years in exploring the depth of Chinese culinary tradition and culture.

Adding to the already impressive famed Dim Sum menu, the new a la carte menu of Toh Yuen is pleasing to the palate, health and easy to appreciate. Providing an oriental feel and a sense of tranquility, dining at Toh Yuen is perfect for family, friends gathering and business associates casual meeting. Available daily for lunch and dinner.

For reservations, please call 03-7955 9122 extn 4073/4. Visit Hilton PJs F&B blog, www.ZestPJ.com for the latest F&B promotions and entertainment scenes. Also, visit www.petaling-jaya.hilton.com for more information on Hilton PJs other products and services.

Aside from the new ala carte menu, it is time to start planning for your mooncake giftings. Time are not far away from the celebration which you dont want to make last minute order where everything run out of choices.

Toh Yuen Chinese Restaurant of Hilton Petaling Jaya celebrates the joyful Mid-autumn Festival with its new range of robustly flavoured snowskin selections and premium baked mooncakes from 1th August till 30th September 2012.

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erfecting the art of gifting, the ! handcraf ted mooncakes are elegantly packaged with an oriental flair in three vibrant themes red and black, turquoise and green. It is an ideal gift for business associates, friends and family to convey ones warm greetings and heartfelt wishes.

Snow Skin Mooncake with Yam and Strawberry

Snow Skin Mooncake with Red Bean and Banana

Snow Skin Mooncake with Pumpkin and Pandan Paste

Snow Skin Mooncake with Lotus Paste and Sunflower Seeds

Snow Skin Mooncake with Green Tea and Cheese Cake

Snow Skin Mooncake with Durian Paste

DOWNLOAD ORDER FORM HERE

Website :http://www.zestpj.com/toh-yuen/mid-autumn-treasures-toh-yuen/

Two Birds One Stone @ South Yarra

Come to think about it, we haven't exactly ventured into the South Yarra / Toorak area for breakfast unless you count taking away pastries and bread from the Movida and French Fantasy bakeries. So it was rather good timing to visit the area when I read from Twitterland about the opening of Two Birds and One Stone, just off Toorak Road.

Opened by the same guys from Three Bags Full (so I heard), the place is warm and inviting (well anywhere is at this time of the year). There's a big communal table which is similar to Three Bags Full too. If there was one difference I can spot, it is the people around us. Everyone seemed all dressed up, prim and proper (despite the fact that it was 9.30am on a Saturday morning) and I suddenly felt a little under dressed.

Get over that fact and you will be rewarded with good coffee made from a rather handsome machine and hearty filling breakfast choices.

Now apart from being a common phrase, killing two birds in one stone, the phrases are also part of the menu. Two Birds is the one with the lot; eggs, mushrooms, spinach, bacon, sausages, tomatoes and this awesome relish. Many have wowed about their sausages but I don't recall anything wow about it (or mainly because the Wife must have given me such a small piece). I believe the One Stone is the vegetarian version.



Although the portion looks smaller compared to the big breakfast, it was just as filling. After months of looking out for, I guess "different" breakfast items, it was nice to go back to a classic and nothing is more classic than a egg benedict. The shredded ham was nothing like the ones you get in your ham and cheese sandwich, it was meaty and intense and offset by a light and acidic hollandaise sauce.

Being 5 minutes away from home, this is a brilliant option but having to wait 10 minutes for a table at 9.30am, we might have to lose a little more sleep to arrive earlier.

Address and contact details:

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5 stars. One of those breakfast places where there's nothing wrong with it except for the queue and in this case, how well dressed everyone seems to be (this is after all a posh area).

Kheong Kee Bak Kut Teh Restaurant@Pandan Indah.

Saturday lunch time with my buddies, we went to Kheong Kee Bak Kut Teh@Pandan Indah.

We have been eating here for quite a number of years and it is my first post about them.

Normally we will be their first customers and get the best table with two portable air-cond blowing towards us (can be very hot due to the low ceiling).

Alas ! today, the restaurant was booked for some tourists from Hong Kong.

And we were seated outside the restaurant at 11:45 am (the afternoon sun at it's hottest) even with the many overhead fans at full speed it was of no help.

We sweated profusely after the meal !

Parking is ample.


Clay pot Bak Kut Teh-filled with meaty pork ribs, tender chee chang yok, pig stomach, intestine, mushroom and lots of Chinese long cabbage-the piping hot herbal soup was quite robust with it's own unique herbal taste-Rm28/. Soft, spongy and airy Tofu puff and Bird's eye chillies in soy sauce-Rm2/. Deep fried Kong Sai Tofu puffs with generous fillings of fish paste, pork and spring onion-Rm5.50/. Hot and spicy curry chicken (mostly chicken thigh meat used)-fragrant and appetizing-Rm7/. Blanched lettuce topped with deep fried shallots and light soy to compliment all the meat-Rm5/.

Total bill:Rm60/
Location:No:2, Jln Pandan Indah 4/10,
Taman Pandan Indah,
55100 Ampang, Selangor
Tel: 03-4292-4576.

New Menu @ Mandarin Grill, Mandarin Oriental KL

This week, we were invited to sample the new menu at Mandarin Grill in Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. Our meals here have been nothing short of exceptional, so we expected no less from Chef de Cuisine, Reto Weber this time.

Chef Reto Weber's menu changes according to the season, using locally grown ingredients whenever possible as well as the freshest and highest quality of ingredients imported from around the world. His dishes are always like work of art, and are extremely pleasing to the eye.

While waiting for our food to arrive, we stuffed ourselves silly the freshly baked bread. Oh my gosh, they were so good... most of us went for several helpings. It's hard to stop at one.

Bread that's worth a mention.. ;)

Wine for the evening - Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2011

To start, I chose the Black Angus Beef Carpaccio (RM70) - the beef was sliced thinly and tasted light on the palate. It was complemented well with the slightly salty sauteed wood mushroom (served in a potato ring) and Parmesan. Meanwhile, Hubby had the Pan Seared River Prawns (RM65), served with a spring vegetable salad and paprika dressing. The prawns were fresh and taut.!

I was extremely happy with my choice of mains- the Organic Lamb Two Ways (RM165) which was very delicious. The lamb loin was perfectly cooked, and the meat was juicy and tender. Another way lamb was served on this platter was as a filling for the tortellini. This was served with a celeriac puree and Balinese pepper sauce.

Hubby was on a seafood theme tonight, so he had the Halibut Saltimbocca (RM148) served with smoked duck, sage, braised lentils, greens and saffron jus. Nicely prepared but not as nice as my lamb... hehe ;)

12 hours braised pure Angus beef short rib (RM135)

If I could, I would choose to eat BOTH desserts on offer. Chef Holger's desserts are always delightful and it's no secret that I am a HUGE fan of his maca! rons. Hu bby had the Granny Smith apple tart, served with creme fraiche ice cream and berries sauce. The slightly tart apples made this extremely light and appetizing. Though the portion was quite large, we easily finished it and even wished there was more.

I ordered the dark chocolate sphere served with yoghurt sorbet, almond crumble and passion fruit, which I shared a little with Hubby. The chocolate sphere is served and then hot chocolate sauce is poured on top of the sphere, which will melt it and reveal a "surprise" in the centre. We were impressed, the concept is similar to a dessert where we had in a Michelin restaurant in Mesana few years ago. Chocolate lovers will surely love this rich dessert.

Hot chocolate sauce is poured over the sphere

What's the surprise? Any guesses?

Petit fours, including my fav MO macaron ;)

KLCC Park

To read about my previous visit, please click here. For Mandarin Grill's full menu, please click here to view (posting soon).

*All photos without watermark are courtesy of Mandarin Oriental KL.


Pork-free.

Price: Starters start from RM32, up to RM75. Mains prices range from RM68 to RM285.

Location: Mandarin Grill, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2380 8888

GPS Coordinates: 3.155514, 101.711555

Setiawangsa Ride by a Group of Foldies

Our starting point at AU2 Setiawangsa AEON and the time was 7:50 in the morning.The weather was excellent and we were heading for food as mostly came empty stomach.A coffee shop very popular among the students of TAR College near Wangsa Maju LRT Station. A good place breakfast.Mostly ate this nice & delicious Sarawak NoodleOur foldies neatly parked in front of the kopitiam.All concentrating on their food and it's important for the day.All fully charged & ready to pedal.Auto-regrouping at a traffic light.Nice & quiet road of Taman Melawati.End of the road @ Empangan Klang Gate.At a waterfall of Klang GateWe avoided using the heavy highway of MRR2 and used mostly kampong roads such as this.Crossing underneath of MRR2 highway and heading back to Wangsa Maju.

Flashing through the market of Setapak Jaya and making heads turn.

By the lake edge of Titiwangsa.

Introducing a good hide out under big shady trees for a good rest and recharge.

Our foldies also had a good opportunity to rest too.

A beautiful skyline of Kuala Lumpur it would be better if it's not hazy.

A green carpet welcoming these foldies to Kelab Golf PDRM Titiwangsa.

At a traffic light of Jalan Semarak formerly known as Gurney Road. Bye bye to all the nice Mat Salleh names.Taking short cut via Kg. Datuk Keramat & Keramat Permai before entering Taman setiawangsa.The last stage of the ride @ Bukit Setiawangsa.The route we rode on a beautiful day. and clocking approximately 50km.

This ride was jointly organised by KK Fong & myself upon a request by Rivern Yong. It was a good experience for both of us. We hope to do more if we can. Safe riding & see you again.