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Comida - The Way We Like It

>> Sunday, October 31, 2010

Date: 29 October 2010, Friday
Venue: Comida - The Way We Like It
Occasion: Official launch of Comida @ Solaris Dutamas
Overall comment: I can't say much about this place yet since I haven't really dug into their food! But so far, from what I have tasted, the pizza here is pretty good & the place is "happening" too! :)
Halal: Yes

Comida - The Way We Like It! was officialy launched yesterday, 29th October 2010 at Solaris Dutamas! The launch party was indeed fun-filled & very lively :) Thanks Basil, Reuben, Allison, & the team at Comida for inviting me to your party! :D Comida offers pizza, pasta, & a great variety of dishes to whet your taste buds...so if you're around that area, do give this place a try :)


Chef Sufiz Allatif with his Comida Seafood Especiale

Comida Seafood Especiale
A thin crust seafood pizza that's pretty light, yet satisfying :) Sink your teeth into prawns, squid, mussels, & even ham (non-seafood)

Calzone
Folded pizza stuffed with mushrooms & turkey ham...quite interesting :)

The highlight of the party was the 24" pizza eating competition! Interesting, eh? The entire sight of 3 pairs of people chomping into the really large slices of pizza just amazes me...

Do you recognize some of the participants? ;)


(I'll upload a video of the competition when I have better internet connection...)


Great crowd of people & a row of vroom-vrooms!



For something new, head to Comida & enjoy their specialties!

Comida - The Way We Like It
D2-G3-1 Solaris Dutamas
No. 1, Jalan Dutamas 1
50480 Dutamas
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel: (+603)6211 2662
Business Hours: Mon - Sat, 11:00a.m. - 12:00a.m. (Closed on Sundays)

Email: info@comida.com.my
Website: www.comida.com.my


Note: You'll find a map to Comida on their website. I can't give any ratings yet since I haven't really tried their food.



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Happy Halloween 2010!

>> Saturday, October 30, 2010

Dear PerutBesi's readers,

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Have a blast of celebration/party with your family & friends!

p/s: The drawing below was an inspiration the came to me suddenly during my training at Parkroyal Hotel KL :P


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Review: Vin's Restaurant & Bar

>> Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Venue: Vin's Restaurant & Bar, TTDI
Occasion: Farewell dinner for Kenny
Overall comment: I thought the food there was good! Furthermore, because we know one of the chefs (James Ong) there, he recommended us to their best sellers & ah, we enjoyed ourselves! For those who are looking for a drinking & chit-chat place, Vin's has an extensive variety of wine & alcohol for chilling out :)
Halal: No (alcohol is served at Vin's)

Message: Kenny, I know this post is out terribly late, but it's finally out :P

Thanks to Chef James Ong, we had a great time of food, laughter, & drinks! Indeed, it was a good decision to dine here! *throws confetti into the air*


 The exterior of Vin's
Tucked in the heart of Taman Tun Dr Ismail near Bandar Utama, surrounded by residential areas, you'll come across this classic, yet humble looking restaurant. Vin's is a great place for a delicious meal at an affordable price, accompanied by some quality wine/liqour.

 Some history...

I was at Vin's for a small farewell dinner with Kenny. Here are some of Chef James Ong's recommendations:

Vin's Chic Tikka Masala with Foccacia Bread (RM18.00/serving)
Boneless chicken that is lightly spiced with our secret spice mix. Lip smacking!
This was the bomb of the night...It was a terrific starter & we wanted to order another serving, but we still had so many dishes to savor! :D The chicken tikka masala was delectable! Thick, fragrant "pepperish/slightly spicy paste" with chunks of chicken. The soft foccacia bread went extremely well with the masala. No words suffice...you have to try it for yourself...I kid you not!

Excellent White & Red Wine (complimentary a.k.a. billed to Chef James Ong)
Bliss...Great dinner with some quality wine just makes us go wheeee.........

Lasagna Al Forno (RM28.90/serving)
Beef in tomato & herb base sauce lined with layers of thin pasta topped with mozzarella cheese
Almost everything that we ordered were either meaty or cheesy...fuh...SO fattening, but SO good!

Vin's Special Club (RM23.90/serving) -- taken off the menu as of 26th Oct 2010
Beef bacon, egg, ham, lettuces, tomatoes, & cheese smacked between 4 layers of bread!
The fries were crispy on the outside & soft on the inside, while the sandwich was too thick for my mouth! Hahaha...I had difficulties eating the whole sandwich, but it was a nourishing meal ;) Nothing extremely spectacular, but I love the colors!


Kenny & I enjoying the wine :)

Spicy Lamb Bolognaise (RM26.90/serving)
I must say that the wine goes extremely well with this dish...especially the red wine! (red meat with red wine...ahh...) This was my 1st time trying out a lamb bolognaise pasta. It goes really well with the Angel's Hair pasta instead of the usual spaghetti :) Furthermore, the slight spiciness of the minced meat blended perfectly with the pasta & gave the pasta a "new feel & taste". This was our favourite dish for the night! Very appetizing :)

Pasta Carbonara (RM25.90/serving)
Specially cooked for us by chef James Ong! :) This was excellent! The pasta was "correctly" prepared using eggs (instead of the common cream-based available in many restaurants in Malaysia), & well blended with the fragrantly fried beef bacon. You have to try it out for yourself!

King of Absinthe -EXTRA STRONG, PURE
We did not have this, of course! It's EXTRA STRONG alcohol - 92%!! I'm not an alcohol-lover, so I can't comment much nor tell you more on what this alcohol is like & what is is made from. We were just fascinated by the extremely high alcohol content & the shape of the bottle too :D


Vin's Bar
Name it & Vin's may just have something that you want! ;)


Map to Vin's Restaurant & Bar

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Apart from the recommended dishes featured above, Vin's also offers a wide variety of sandwiches, pizza, chops, salads, & of course, more pasta! So, if you're looking around for a cosy place for lunch/dinner, or even just a place for some drinks & chit-chat, do give Vin's a try. I'm quite certain that you won't be disappointed, especially if you order those that are recommended by chef James Ong & his dedicated team at the restaurant! :) I would love to head there again sometime soon! *yums*


Vin's Restaurant & Bar
6, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1
Taman Tun Dr.Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (+603)7725 9053‎
Business Hours: Opened daily for dinner 'til midnight


Ratings:

Presentation: * * * *
Price: * * *
Environment: * * * 1/2
Taste: * * * 1/2
Service: * * * 1/2


Overall:






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Succulent Satay, Anyone?

>> Monday, October 25, 2010

Venue: Terminal Satay Zul, Jalan Alor Akar, Kuantan
Occasion: Dinner with friends
Overall comment: This place is by far the ONE satay restaurant that never failed to satisfy me. The barbecued meat are juicy, generous, & very flavourful.
Halal: Yes

Satay is pretty much a well-loved food by Malaysians from all walks of life, various races, & religion. It is actually marinated meat (with tumeric & various seasonings & spices) grilled on a skewer, served with slightly spicy peanut sauce, fresh cucumbers, & fresh red onions). Satay is commonly found at Malay stalls/restaurants, but even the Chinese have their version of pork satay (alongside the usual chicken, beef, & mutton), which can be found at certain Chinese coffeeshops/restaurants in the country. Kajang's satay is said to be the most famous in Malaysia, but as the years went by, I personally believe (and I think there are many others who will agree with me!) that Satay Zul should be crowned the King of Satays!

The succulent chicken satay (RM0.60/skewer)
I must say that the peanut sauce here is "oh-so-good"!

Terminal Satay Zul started way back in 1974; that's like THIRTY SIX YEARS now! From its humble beginnings selling satay on a motorcycle, the proud owner of this thriving business, fondly known as Pak Zul, has come a long 'til he registered his business under the name "Restoran Satay Zul" in 1994. He retired in the year 2000 & since then, the business was taken over by his son, Faidzullah.

The restaurant was then given a new name, "Terminal Satay Zul", & is strategically located between 2 densely-populated residential areas, Seri Kuantan & Alor Akar. Anyone heading towards the famous Teluk Cempedak beach in Kuantan will never miss the sight of this busy restaurant along the Jalan Teluk Sisek. To date, Terminal Satay Zul has "mushroomed" yet another restaurant near the East Coast Shopping Mall in Kuantan!

Terminal Satay Zul @ Jalan Alor Akar
Photo taken from my.88db.com

This restaurant offers an extensive range of satay: chicken, beef, mutton, liver, venison (deer), & "stomach" (called "perut" in Malay...I'm unsure what animal's stomach is served, but I'm assuming it's the cow's). Apart from satay, one will also be able to indulge in their Nasi Lemak & Nasi Dagang. Anyone who loves the fragrantly barbecued meat skewers will certainly not be disappointed by the juicy & flavourful satay, commonly served with nasi impit (compacted rice), cucumber & onion slices. Not to forget is the thick, authentic spicy peanut sauce that gives the barbecued meat an extra "kick" & "umphh"! Without the peanut sauce, the barbecued meat won't really be "satay"!

Nasi Impit (RM2.00/set)
Their nasi impit is slightly softer than expected, but still very palatable. I can eat just the "compacted rice" with the peanut sauce!

Mutton (Kambing) Satay (around RM0.80/skewer)
One of their better satay variants...scrumptious! :D

Venison (Rusa) Satay (around RM1.20/skewer)
I have never tried venison satay, but somehow I feel that venison tastes much better & more authentic when stir-fried with ginger & spring onions (Chinese-style)

This restaurant will usually be packed with people almost EVERYDAY! It opens only for dinner 'til midnight, but it also offers catering services (satay, nasi lemak, & nasi dagang) upon request.

If you're around Kuantan, do try this place out & I am quite sure that if you're a satay-lover, you won't really be disappointed. Of course, this is a personal preference ;)

Map to Terminal Satay Zul

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Terminal Satay Zul
A2600, Jalan Alor Akar
25250 Kuantan
Tel: (+6019) 960 8454 (Farah Ezlyeeza)


Ratings:

Presentation: * * 
Price: * * * 1/2
Environment: * * * 1/2
Taste: * * * *
Service: * * * 1/2


Overall:






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Not just claypot chicken rice!

>> Saturday, October 23, 2010

Venue: Restoran Gafan, Taman Connaught, Cheras
Occasion: Dinner & catch-up with good friends
Overall comment: Interesting variety of claypot rice (not just the usual chicken!) at an affordable price.
Halal: No

Gafan (add rice?) has been around for a rather long time. It's one of the more famous claypot rice places, yet I have never tried it 'til of late. My friend, Mary, who lives nearby the Cheras Gafan outlet (there's apparently another outlet at Paramount Garden) was the one who suggested this restaurant for dinner. It's one of her family's favourite places for dinner & she was very pleased to introduce me to this place. Frankly speaking, I rarely go to Cheras unless I have anything important that I've to do or unless I've to meet up with friends who live in that area.


Gafan @ Cheras has 10 different types of claypot rice (who says that only claypot chicken rice exists?)! A small claypot of rice ranges from RM7.00/pot - RM10.00/pot, while a large claypot of rice costs RM13.00/pot - RM19.00/pot, all depending on the main ingredients of the rice dish.

The 10 different types of claypot chicken rice available are:
  • Drunken Chicken Rice
  • Salted Fish Chicken Rice
  • Sausage Chicken Rice
  • Black Pepper Chicken Rice
  • Bean Curd Sauce Chicken Rice
  • Thai Chicken Rice
  • Mutton Rice
  • Prawn Rice
  • Black Pepper Steak Rice
  • Fish Rice
I had the opportunity to try out 3 of Mary's family's favourite :)

Salted Fish Chicken Rice (RM7.00/small, RM13.00/large)
I find this okay only. I remember digging into better salted fish chicken rice at PJ Old Town & Damansara Jaya. Somehow this rice dish isn't as fragrant & aromatic...but I have to say that the claypot here looks rather clean & new! Hahaha...maybe it's all in the pot. The other restaurants/roadside stalls have quite 'seasoned' claypots, which probably gives the "extra kick" to the rice dish!

Black Pepper Steak Rice (RM9.00/small, RM16.00/large)
This was by far my favourite among the three that we ordered that evening. I enjoyed the pungent taste & smell of the black pepper, & I think the beef was tender & "juicy" too!

Prawn & Fish Rice
This was quite interesting. It's not on the menu as it's a special request by Mary's mum. She said that the rice tastes nicer with both the fish & prawns together. I believe what she said is true. By having both the fish & prawns in the same claypot, the rice dish seems "sweeter" & more "seafood-ish". This was my 2nd preference...hahaha...

Choy Sum (RM6.00/small, RM9.00/large)

Map to Restoran Gafan

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If you're adventerous & wouldn't mind trying out new ideas with claypot rice, Gafan may be a good place to start ;)


Restoran Gafan
40, Jalan Cerdas
Taman Connaught
56000 Cheras
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (+603) 9101 4024


Ratings:

Presentation: * * *
Price: * * *
Environment: * * * 1/2
Taste: * * * 1/2
Service: * * * 1/2


Overall:






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Review: Austrian Spread at Impiana KLCC Hotel

>> Thursday, October 21, 2010

Date: 13 October 2010, Wednesday
Venue: Tonka Bean Cafe, Impiana KLCC Hotel Kuala LumpurOccasion: Meet Austria in Malaysia Food Tasting(spread by Chef Helmut Lamberger)
Overall comment: Interesting Austrian dishes that are rarely available in Malaysia
. I enjoyed their cold starters, beef goulash, & apple strudel (oh, the apple crumble cake too!) :)
Halal: Yes

I was invited to a scrumptous meal at the Impiana KLCC Hotel recently for their Austrian spread. It was really delightful as I have never tried any Austrian food before :) The dinner was even more lovely with the company of Sharifah & Jihan, 2 wonderful MarComm personnel at Impiana KLCC Hotel, & not to forget, my new-found friend, Chef Helmut Lamberger!

Chef Lamberger has been with Impiana KLCC Hotel for the past 3 months as the Executive Sous Chef. Prior to stepping foot into Impiana KLCC Hotel's kitchen, he was working with various hotels in Malaysia, including a hotel in Langkawi. As an Austrian chef in Malaysia, he is proud to introduce some of his home-country's most popular & well-loved dishes. Among the many popular dishes are the apple strudels & the beef goulash!

The spread is currently available for both lunch & dinner until the 26th of October 2010. The lunch buffet is priced at RM50.00++ per person, while the dinner buffet is priced at RM78.00++ per person. There are also ala carte orders ranging from RM20.00 - RM50.00 per dish. So, if you're interested to find out for yourself what Austrian food is actually like, head down to Impiana KLCC Hotel & allow your curiousity to be satisfied :)

Note: Lunch is served from 12.30pm to 2.30pm daily while dinner is from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

Here's a preview of what I had that evening:

Cold Starter
Marinated Beef with Vinaigrette & Onion Rings
I can’t help thinking that such thin slices of beef tastes like tuna flakes minus the fishy smell :P It’s very appetizing since the beef is sourish & sweetish, with some fragrance of yellow onions. Nice :)
Beef Gelee
The Austrians spell “jelly” as “gelee”. This is probably not a very popular dish in Malaysia since jellies are usually associated with desserts, not a cold starter! Even the chef thinks it’s quite weird, but it is indeed an Austrian dish ;) In actual fact, I really enjoyed this appetizing dish! The “gelee” is made from beef stock + gelatine, & some vinaigrette was added to the dish to give it a sourish taste. Ah, perhaps I like weird food! :P

Beef Gelee (left) & Marinated Beef with Vinaigrette + Onion Rings (right)

Soup
Beef Goulash Soup served with Bread Rolls
Popularly eaten during the Crusaders’ time, this goulash soup was like a must-have to wake the men up from their hang-over. Since then, the goulash soup is a commonly drunk soup in Austria & is usually cooked with beef. This soup that I had was packed with herbs & I also thought that it was slightly too heavy on the salt. Nevertheless, it was pretty good as it was “kao” & the pungent aroma of the beef was just delicious :) The soup’s main ingredients were yellow onions, cooked until it dissolved, beef, potatoes, parsley, vinegar, tomato paste, & paprika, which gave the soup a slightly spicy taste. The soup is like a thicker version of our Malaysian “sup tulang”!
There was also the whole wheat bread roll, which was slightly cold by the time I had it. It would be so much nicer if the bread roll was warm! *aahhhh* This bread roll is just like any baguette i.e. hard on the outside, & soft on the inside. It goes pretty well with the soup :)

Main Dishes
Chicken Stew in Creamy Paprika Sauce & Boiled Potatoes
The one thing that came to my mind when I had this dish was “Hey, isn’t this stew like the goulash, but it’s with chicken?” The ingredients pretty much the same, except that this chicken stew has sour cream, celery, & carrots. It's delicious when accompanied by Malaysian's all-time favourite RICE!

Poached Emerald Fillet with Creamy Dill Sauce
I was Googling to find out what an Emerald Fish is & this was the only definition that I found: "a fish of the Gulf of Mexico (Gobionellus oceanicus), remarkable for the brilliant green and blue color of the base of the tongue; - whence the name; - called also esmeralda." All along, I thought this would be just like any fish dish at the buffet spread. However, the emerald fillet is slightly different. The fillet is much firmer in texture compared to the usual Dory fish that’s soft & smooth. This one’s quite the opposite. It has a slightly “fishy” flavour alike our local ikan Kuran/Tenggiri. The dill sauce was nicely done & does not have a strong “milky/cheesy” taste that can cause one to feel ‘jelak’. If you enjoy eating fish, this may be something different to tickle your tastebud ;)

Boiled Beef with Root Vegetable Julienne & Horseradish Sauce
Being a typical Cantonese, my taste buds have gotten accustomed to flavourful dishes. This dish wasn’t on top of my “List of Favourites”. It’s quite bland (since it’s boiled), but one thing good is that you can savour the pure taste of the beef & the root vegetables i.e. carrots & radish.
Clockwise from top: Chicken stew, boiled beef, & emerald fillet

 I have to admit that the Austrian dessert spread is really extensive (Just the Austrian spread! Not inclusive of the "non-Austrian" desserts available at the same buffet spread!). I'm not a great fan of desserts, but I surely loved the Apple Strudel & the Apple Crumble Cake! *drools*

Dessert
Famous Austrian Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce
A thin pastry stuffed with mashed apples, nuts, & raisins. I find this a tad too sour & not very sweet. The apples were quite fine & "mashy", unlike the apple crumble cake, which I actually prefer (I like to chew on the chunks of apples! :P) This was nonetheless lovely...it's Austria's famous wei!

Sacher Cake
This chocolate cake is a specialty cake from a hotel in Austria called Sacher. As written in the website Sacher.com, "The Original Sacher-Torte has been the most famous cake in the world since 1832 and the original recipe a well-kept secret of our hotel." Unlike the American moist chocolate cake, I find this chocolate cake to be slightly more crumbly & not as rich (although still quite rich with the dark chocolate "feel"). It was also quite sweet & felt like some "wake up call" for the Ruthless Eater! I'm not sure if the "real" Sacher Cake tastes alike, but this one's sure interesting!



Malakoff Cake
What a unique name for a cake. Topped with a thick layer of whipped buttercream over vanilla sponge cake, this cake is not to be missed for cream-lovers! This particular cake was soft in texture & contained peaches in between (me like!)

Hot Dessert
Pancakes with Cream Cheese Filling & Vanilla Sauce
I would not have imagined pancakes to be stacked to look like bread pudding...hahaha...I kinda enjoyed this hot dessert as it has a touch of fragrant cream cheese + raisins. The best part of this dessert is that it was not too sweet :)

Apart from the four featured dessert as above, Chef Lamberger prepared three more Austrian desserts for his diners :) Awesome!

*p/s: Liza, you would have liked this!

Apple Crumble Cake
Ah, one of my favourite desserts for the evening. It's sweeter than the apple strudel, the apples were more chunky, & the cake was more "floury", unlike the apple strudel's pastry :) I like!

Cream Schnitte
I didn't get a chance to savor this dessert as I was really stuffed with the vast variety of the Austrian spread. I am PerutBesi (Iron Stomach), not PerutGetah (Rubber Stomach) :D This dessert looks like a type of cream puff, but sadly I didn't taste even a bit of it :(

 Meringue Pie
I find this meringue pie slightly too sweet for my liking, although I admit that I enjoy meringues & pavlovas! Oh, I just love the fruity-tutti meringues/pavlovas....


Here are some desserts that I tried out (this was round 1 of desserts)

The stuffed PerutBesi with Sharifah, Jihan, & Chef Helmut Lamberger

Once again, thank you Impiana KLCC Hotel for the lovely meal & an enjoyable journey through Austria in a gastronomical way ;)

Another post on Impiana KLCC Hotel's spread: Click here
Write-ups from other sites: Kuali.com







Ratings:

Presentation: * * * *
Price: * * *
Environment: * * * 1/2
Taste: * * * 1/2
Service: * * * 1/2


Overall:






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