Food Finds
Lot 10 KL is one of the best places in all of KL if you are a fan of Japanese food, the lower ground floor the 4th floor of this building is home to some 2 dozens Japanese restaurants, serving up anything from shabu shabu, to omakase sushi.
Today, let’s look at one of their less glamorous outlets at Isetan the Japan Store’s supermarket section – Hirashima Sushi.
Hirashima Sushi, Isetan KL, Lot 10
Hirashima Sushi is basically the sushi counter for the supermarket, with an open chiller section not unlike many grocery stores in the city – offering pre-packed sushi/sashimi cuts to go.
What’s different at Hirashima Sushi is that they happen to also have a small sushi bar offering sushi bowls and selected nigri sushi (menu below), priced from RM 36 to RM 88 and comes with free flow green tea.
toro kaisen don – tuna belly, uni, ikura
Being a huge fan of toro (tuna belly), I went for the toro kaisen don (RM 88). The bowl of sushi rice comes with four slices of tuna belly, uni (sea urchin), and quite generous amount of ikura (salmon roe).
Quality wise it was rather decent, and definitely packs a punch above it’s asking price if you ask me. There aren’t many places you can have this sort of combination below RM 100. I was well satisfied.
hotate kaisen don, Elizabeth
My dinner date for the day, Elizabeth, chose the hotate kaisen don (RM 68), basically the same set with raw scallop instead of tuna belly. I had a piece of the scallop and was happy to say that it definitely did not disappoint.
I have a feeling I’ll be going back to this place again pretty soon.
Address:
Hirashima Sushi
Lower Ground Floor
Isetan the Japan Store
Lot 10 Shopping Mall
Jalan Bukit Bintang
GPS: 3.146462, 101.711758
For Sarawak Laksa lovers who makes PJ their hunting ground, most of you would have tasted Aunty Lan’s Sarawak Laksa, who used to operate at NZX food court since 2017.
The stall has since moved out, and for many weeks many of us was at a loss on where she’s moved to.
Tin Ha kopitiam, Kampung Subang
Well, today is your lucky day, thanks to Uncle Meng, I was informed that Aunty Lan has moved to the new location just a few minutes away from Subang Airport, at Tin Ha Kopitiam.
Located at the light industrial area of Kampung Pinggiran Subang, this new kopitiam enjoys a very good location when it comes to parking on a weekends. Also, if you’re a fan of good prawn mee, Johnny’s Prawn Mee & Loh Mee is just a couple minutes away.
Aunty Lan’s sarawak laksa, now at Tin Ha kopitiam
Anyway, we’re here for the Sarawak Laksa, and I’m happy to say that they are just as good as I remember – with thick gravy that’s full of flavor, and generous ingredients of three prawns, those eggs, shredded chicken, and bean sprouts. It’s proper to me, and some of my more knowledgeable Sarawakian friends agree.
those prawns are proper
If spicy breakfast isn’t your thing, the kolo mee is a pretty worthy alternative around here. For the uninitiated, kolo mee isn’t just wantan mee without dark sauce or wantan, the noodle itself is very different from your usual wantan mee, with a lighter and springier texture to i, I find myself enjoying it quite a bit.
Sarawak kolo mee is pretty good too
Unfortunately the Koay Chap is sold out when I was there, I’ll make it my mission to have Aunty Lan’s koay chap again soon!
Happy food hunting!
Address:
Tin Ha Kopitiam
39, Jalan Apollo U5/192,
Bandar Pinggiran Subang,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor
GPS: 3.156444, 101.548167
Tel: 03-5887 4905
Those who’s been following this space for a while should know that I’m a huge fan of curry mee, but usually for me though, curry mee is the Penang version that comes with pork blood, prawns, santan broth, and those sambal with a charred note.
Curry Mee stall at Sun Fatt Kee, Seapark
However, being a food enthusiast with an open mind, I am always up to trying anything that is good, even tho certain dish may share the same name and hence, somehow has an unfair prejudice attached to it, from a cultural-location superiority complex basis.
Anyway, what I am trying to say is, there’s also awesome non-Penang curry mee. Especially this version at Sun Fatt Kee kopitiam, PJ Seapark.
The curry mee stall at this kopitiam has been serving up (according to many) the best curry mee this side of KL.
A bowl of this curry mee comes with your choice of noodle, perfectly prepared shredded chicken, tofu pok, long beans, bean sprouts, sambal, lime, and possibly the best cockles in any curry mee you’d find, from anywhere, and I don’t use the word “best” lightly.
curry mee with perfect cockles
Yes, a bowl cost RM 7, and yes, the portion isn’t big at all, but I’ll be damned if I don’t go over and order me another one pretty soon.
And this time I’ll make sure I get them with extra cockles!
I usually favors Penang style curry mee, but can’t say no to this one
The same kopitiam has one of the better nasi lemak at night, and opposite it there’s the Soo Kee Ipoh kueh teow soup during the day time.
Address:
Jalan 21/11b,
46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
GPS: 3.109920, 101.622301
I’m always a fan of a good bowl of Penang style kuih teow soup, a dish that somehow seems to always play second fiddle to pork noodle in Klang Valley.
While my kolo mee fix at Restoron Tropikiri was on their rest day, I took the opportunity to give this prawn mee and kuih teow soup stall a try.
kuih teow soup & prawn mee stall, Restoran Tropikiri
As it turned out, it was one of my lucky days, the stall offers a version of kuih teow soup that comes with duck meat.
A bit of background for those who aren’t familiar with this dish, Penang style kuih teow soup usually comes with kuih teow in a clear broth with fish ball, duck/chicken/pork meat, sliced fish cakes, chopped spring onion, fried garlic, and sometimes a bit of pork lard and even coagulated blood (like the O&S version)
The version here is as proper as any, the soup was light yet carries a sweetness undoubtedly contributed by duck meat, and the bits of fried lard certainly gave it an extra savory taste. I enjoy the bouncy fish ball that was included as well.
If you want a comfort breakfast that doesn’t attack your sense of taste too early in the morning, this dish is never a bad idea.
Penang style kuih teow soup with duck meat
Address:
Restoran Tropikiri
2, Jalan BM 1/2,
Taman Bukit Mayang Emas,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
GPS: 3.125287, 101.595897
When it comes to proper Indian food in KL, you can’t go wrong by pointing to the district that bears the name “Little India” in the city – Brickfields.
Unfortunately for many of us who does use the car as mode of transportation, this area is also quite notorious when it comes to getting a parking spot. Not to mention about the traffic around the area during busy work week lunch hours.
Legend’s Nasi Briyani Kambing + extras
For this reason, even though I’ve heard about Legend’s clay pot nasi briyani for quite a long time, I’ve yet to visit the restaurant to give it a try…. until I find them on the listing on GrabFood!
Working in KL, food delivery services such as GrabFood is really a godsend, no longer do we have to get confined to eating nearby the office, or worse, having to bear with the traffic driving out and try to get back to work within one hour (or two hours on Fridays but the traffic is even worse!)
GrabFood delivery service at KL
It’s safe to say that many of us are familiar with ordering ride sharing services such as Grab, and thankfully using their app for food delivery is just as simple.
To start with, you can use the same credentials & payment methods on both apps.
Also, if you’re new to GrabFood, use KYSPEAKS15 promo code and free RM15 to your order, twice!
GrabFood – ordering is easy as 1-2-3
GrabFood app divide their offerings into different cuisines, and with each restaurant there’s also an estimated time from order-to-delivered timing, sometimes as low as 15-20 minutes.
Once you’ve made your order, a confirmation email will be sent out, and then there’s the fun part – you get to see the progress in real time – the order received at restaurant, food being prepared, rider picked up your meal, rider in transit, and finally arrival!
GrabFood – seeing your lunch coming towards you in real time!
One of the coolest thing to me must be the way we get to see the riders delivering the meals in real time, on a map view with a moving icon and estimated time of arrival. This is an extra convenience for people who work in office towers that disallow delivery services to get into the building, we don’t have to waste anyone’s time by waiting downstairs, or having the riders wait unnecessarily. For residences though, you usually get the food delivered directly to your door step instead, even better!
The GrabFood network is expanding quite rapidly with more restaurant offerings as well as coverage in delivery area, do check it out on Android Play Store or Apple App Store.
Again, if you’re use to GrabFood, use KYSPEAKS15 promo code to enjoy free 2xRM15 to your orders.