Category / PJ area
April 28, 2013
Haze and I both knows how to enjoy a piece of good beef, but unfortunately good beef are usually only available at very up class restaurants (such as Prime or Mandarin Grill); and speaking from experience, those from the more affordable places often disappoints.
Then there’s Las Vacas, a no-frill restaurant and retail that offers prime cuts of beef and lamb at very decent price.
Las Vacas at Kelana Jaya
Las Vacas is basically a meat shop with professionally trained butchers and a kitchen. They stock a wide selection of meat and you can either buy raw to grill at home, or dine in.
There’s Angus, Wagyu, grain fed, tenderloin, ribeye, sirloin, lamb shoulder, and even salami, sausages, and burger patties.
grain fed tenderloin and wagyu ribeye
We went there for the first time a few weeks ago, I ordered a medium rare tenderloin, while Haze asked for her Wagyu ribeye to be prepared rare. Prices of meat is indicated at the display per 100 gram, and normal cut is usually 280-300 grams, though you can always choose a bigger/smaller portion according to appetite.
There’s a cooking fee (RM 15 if I remember correctly) on top of the price of the meat, and you get a small serving of salad (quite forgettable) and a piece of pretty decent garlic bread on the side.
love that my tenderloin was cooked to perfection – medium rare
The meat did take a while to get prepared, and I believe it was because they actually let it sit before serving to ensure they are properly moist. There’s Dijon mustard and A1 steak sauce if you like, but I love my steak as is with nothing but basica salt & pepper seasoning to fully enjoy the unadulterated taste of meat.
The result was excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Dinner ended up at around RM 180 including a couple bottles of premium carbonated drinks. Pretty reasonable for what we got, will visit again.
Address:
Las Vacas
No.23, Jalan SS5A/11 Kelana Jaya
47301 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia
GPS: 3.095934, 101.604719
Tel: 03-7874 0711
Web: lasvacasmeat.com
Hours: Tues – Sunday, 10am – 10pm
April 19, 2013
Dae Jang Gum Korean restaurant was actually one of the first Korean BBQ restaurants that I visited some 7-8 years ago. It was always under my impression that I’ve already written a review on it, but that was obviously not the case. Better late than never, so here goes.
Dae Jang Gum Korean BBQ at Seksyen 14, Petaling Jaya
Situated at the other end of the same building that includes Digital Mall in Petaling Jaya, Dae Jang Gum is a pretty old establishment. I suspect that the restaurant probably looked the same when it first opened for business years ago.
The decoration is dated, tables and chairs are old, but at least those BBQ vents still works very well. Then again, we’re here for food, right?
good variety of banchan, and their kimchi jiggae is one of the best
Like most Korean BBQ restaurants, there’s quite a selection of different types and cuts of meat available to choose from (minimum order of 2 servings per table to start the grill).
We chose Dae Ji Mok Sal (grilled pork neck, RM 28) and Bul Galbi (marinated beef spare ribs, RM 62) for the grill, and 2 bowls of kimchi jiggae (kimchi soup) for the four of us.
Service is pretty decent right here, and we were served about a dozen different types of banchan (small Korean dishes) within minutes.
grilled pork neck, fresh and unseasoned
The kimchi soup is really the reason we come here for. They are the thickest and most flavorful kimchi soup that I’ve had in a restaurant (the only thicker version is when we cook it at home). The spicy broth goes very well with the steamed rice provided, and that thick, almost-overpowering aroma and taste, superb!
Grilled pork neck doesn’t taste too different from pork belly, the dipping “sauce” is basically sesame oil with salt and goes well with the meat. Optionally, you can wrap it in a piece of lettuce before chewing em down. Flavor isn’t exactly intense, so if you want something stronger, other marinated versions might be more suitable.
galbi – marinated beef ribs, always rich and delicious
Marinated short ribs, or Galbi, is is one of my favorite Korean BBQ dishes, and the version at Dae Jang Gum did not disappoint. The beef is grilled to perfection and then cut into smaller pieces for your enjoyment. I like to wrap it in a piece of lettuce with some sauce and a piece of garlic to complete the flavor experience. Good stuff.
Yuki, Horng, & Haze
We usually spend about RM 30+ per person for a wholesome dinner here. Expect to pay a bit more if soju is involved, and alternatively you can order single dishes or go without BBQ meat to stay within a more limited budget. Whatever your decision, don’t forget to order the kimchi jiggae.
Address:
Dae Jang Gum Korean Restaurant
20B-2 & 20B-3,
Section 14/20,
46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
GPS: 3.110188, 101.635439
Tel: 03-7957 2613
March 15, 2013
First of all, let me get the most important message across.
On the 18th March 2013, head to any one of the over five thousand participating McDonald’s across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa and you’ll get to enjoy the biggest regional breakfast giveaway in conjunction with National Breakfast Day.
In Malaysia, each of the 222 McDonald’s Breakfast Restaurants will offer FREE Egg McMuffin to the first 1,000 customers from 7am to 10am on Monday (18/3/2013). So wake up and grab yours, don’t miss out!
McDonald’s on a Sunday morning, Egg McMuffin, coffee, and hash brown
Last Sunday I was joined by Cheesie, Huai Bin, Nazwan, Cik Epal, and some of our fellow readers for a meal of McDonald’s wholesome breakfast and a kitchen tour at McDonald’s outlet at Sri Damansara.
We started the day with an Egg McMuffin, coffee, and piping hot hash brown. If your Sunday, or in fact any other day does not start out with a wholesome breakfast, then you are missing out the most important meal of the day, I previously wrote about the importance of breakfast in “Lets talk about breakfast” post.
some of my readers brought their kids for the kitchen tour, too cute
It was pretty awesome to be meeting some of my reader’s kids at the event. Kristen’s husband brought his cute daughter, and Mycelt came with two kids too. Thank you for coming!
The 50 odd strong crowd were then separated into a few batches for the McDonald’s kitchen tour.
one of the most efficient and cleanest kitchen anywhere
Little known fact – my first ever real job was being an employee at McDonald’s right after my PMR examination, it was a valuable experience and I learned a lot from the job.
So to me, the kitchen tour is a little bit like a homecoming event after some 20 years absent from being in one. I was impressed to see that they have managed to make the place even cleaner and more efficient than it already was from years ago.
Employees who handle food must thoroughly wash their hands and wear gloves while cooking. Food are made to order, with only the patties and eggs being prepared minutes prior and kept in what they called universal holding cabinet. So the Cheeseburger or Egg McMuffins you order is as fresh as it gets.
reliving the days when I was a McDonald’s employee almost 20 years ago
On Sunday, I also had a chance to put my long forgotten skills into use once again. While it took me probably around a minute to get it done, seasoned employees get it done in seconds. Their efficiency is impressive, and the whole kitchen is kept spotlessly clean, I need to adopt the same mentality at my own kitchen.
and here’s a group photo, smile!
We had a great time with breakfast and kitchen tour at McDonald’s, and I certainly hope the kids enjoyed themselves (especially going into the giant freezer). Thank you to those who came and I hope you had a great time.
So don’t forget to head to a McDonald’s this 18th March, 2013 and get your free Egg McMuffins to kickstart your workweek! Click on National Breakfast Day to learn more.
February 12, 2013
Chinese New Year is the time for family and friends to sit together for a good meal, and after so many traditional Chinese dishes, it’s good to take a break and get something that’s a little different. Which was why I was quite delighted to be invited to Kelantan Delights for a food tasting session about a week ago to sample some of what they have to offer, with a promise of a twist.
Kelantan Delights at Subang Jaya
Kelantan Delights is a classy restaurant that serves Kelantan and Southern Thai cuisines, for the past 10 years or so they called KLCC home, but have since moved to SS 16 Subang Jaya as well as a branch at Sooka Sentral. The restaurant was also judged as the best Halal Malay Restaurant 2005/06 by Halal Journal.
So we did expect some quality here.
tid bits to start, our menu of the night
While waiting for guests to arrive, we were served with some tid bits consisting keropok lekor, cucur udang, pohpiah goreng and so forth. They were presented like tapas, and we certainly welcomed them.
somtam yee sang, something different
A pretty long lion dance routine later, we gathered around and had a round of “lou sang” session that I’ve never experienced before – with somtam yee sang! It was refreshing and different, but to be honest, I did miss the raw fish a bit. I think having a few slices of raw salmon might make this even better. Fans of somtam would certainly love this.
pohpiah basah and coconut tomyam with prawn
Our first dish was pohpiah basah. Filled with sengkuang, vege, carrots and more. It tasted pretty good especially with the chili sauce and crushed peanuts provided. My only complain is that the skin was a tad too thick.
Next come Kelantan Delights’ specialty – coconut tomyam with prawn. It was one of the spiciest tomyam soup I’ve ever had, but I finished it all. The sweet coconut meat somehow worked wonderfully with the sourness and spiciness of tomyam, I wonder why it wasn’t served everywhere.
ayam masak merah, garupa with dried chili, butter prawn, sayur kolok
Ayam masak merah was properly cooked and flavored heavily but in a good way, best served with steamed rice. Garupa with dried chili was crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, it was surprisingly easy to consume, no messy bones to deal with as the preparation method have dealt with that problem.
I thought the butter prawn was perhaps a bit too soft, but it was flavored “correctly”, and sayur kolok was a welcoming change in taste with the coconut milk based soup that mellows back our taste buds down a bit.
kailan ikan masin, kacang buncis goreng, kerabu ikan bilis
A trio of spicy vegetables followed. Kailan ikan masin, kacang buncis goreng, and kerabu ikan bilis. These dishes were good, and while slightly over powering eating them on their own, some steamed rice or fried rice would be wonderful to accompany them.
daging bakar, sambal udang petai, nasi goreng ikan masin
By this time, I was already pretty much over stuffed. So the daging bakar, while flavorful, was perhaps a bit filling for me. But as a petai fan, I really enjoyed the sambal udang petai dish (and again wished I had some steamed rice!)
By the time nasi goreng ikan masin was served, I was only able to sample a small spoonful. I liked it.
bubur pulut hitam, lompat tikam, Fresh, KY, Haze
Dessert came in the form of bubur pulut hitam (black glutinous rice) and lompat tikam (jump & stab, what a name!). I managed to sample a bit of these sweet dishes and my tastebuds were left wanting for more with my stomach begging me to stop.
If I were to come to Kelantan Delights myself, I’d probably limit my orders to 5-6 dishes for a group of 6, and have some steamed rice to go with some of the spicy dishes, and definitely the tomyam. As for somtam yee sang, well, you might want to try something at least once, right?
Address:
Kelantan Delights
Ground Floor East Wing Wisma Consplant 1.
No 2 Jalan SS16/4 47500 Subang Jaya
GPS: 3.081102, 101.583806
Tel: 03-5611 7845
January 28, 2013
A couple weekends ago we were invited to the opening of Royal Flush Chinese Restaurant, the latest venture from the group behind Tom Dick and Harry, Hoofed, and Ali, Muthu, and Ah Hock.
Located at the relatively new Oasis Square at Ara Damansara, Royal Flush sits within a grand three story building that could easily be mistaken as a shrine or palace. The interior lived up to the positive first impression of the building from the outside, it is beautifully furnished with what you’d expect from a classy Chinese eatery.
Royal Flush Chinese Restaurant at Oasis, Ara Damansara
Five private rooms sits above the common dining hall on the ground floor, and there’s an outdoor rooftop moonlit garden as well. I was well impressed of the ambiance the place.
crispy spring rolls
We were first treated with some tidbits before dinner officially kicks off. The crispy spring rolls tastefully presented on a bed of sprouts, it was crunchy on the outside and moist within, we made quick work of them with ice cold beer.
cucumber with pork floss and chestnut, “twin cold combination”
Cucumber with chestnut and pork floss probably took a hint from Japanese cuisine with it’s sushi-like presentation, but tasted distinctively Chinese. Combination of meat with the freshness of cucumber and the crunchy chestnuts worked well.
After these two dishes, our dinner from the 9-course Chinese New Year menu officially starts.
First to be served was “twin cold combination“. The oyster shot was delicious – fresh juicy oyster in a special light sauce that has Japanese soya sauce, lemon, and other touches in it’s list of ingredients. The shellfish, on the other hand, is served with kiwi fruits and tomato. I liked the seafood but am allergic to kiwi, so perhaps missing from the total experience.
dimsum combination, grilled cod fish, grilled scallop bacon
The second dish was dimsum combination, with xiao long bao, fish ball, and siu mai. These measures up to some of the better dimsum dishes I tried.
Cod fish is one of my favorite seafood, and the execution from the chef in this grilled cod fish dish did not disappoint. The exterior lightly charred with a taste of honey, it was exquisite and delicious.
Grilled bacon scallop had it’s origin from pigs in blanket, with the scallops successfully elevate the status and sophistication of this otherwise simple dish. A couple grilled ginko nuts were served on the side to provide some balance.
grilled pork ribs
The third grilled (and final) grilled dish was the grilled pork ribs. It was sweet, succulent, and would certainly please any pork loving diner. While the dishes might not look heavy, we were starting to get a little bit full by this dish.
asparagus, abalone fried rice
A simple dish of asparagus with bonito flakes provides the comfort to your mom that something green is consumed, and the main dishes is capped off with abalone fried rice that’s served with a beautiful whole scallop in the middle. Of course, there was no way I was going to waste this, it was soft, succulent, and how abalone should taste like.
doubled boiled bird’s nest, KY & Haze
The two desserts served together in this RM 1,200 CNY set menu (for 10 pax) were double boiled bird’s nest and crystal peanut dumpling. Dinner was well satisfying with very good food and excellent company, if I had to nitpick, the only criticism I can think of would be the lack of traditional soup in the CNY menu. Then again, you can always order that separately
Royal Flush promises a wide variety of other dishes – including geoduck, suckling pigs, yee sang, and more, many of these would be bold and modern interpretation of traditional dishes, while others, closer to the origin. If the quality is consistent to what we experienced over this review session, Royal Flush would be a force to reckon with in the higher end Chinese cuisine market.
Address:
The Royal Flush
Central Piazza, Oasis Square Ara Damansara,
2, Jalan PJU 1A/7A, Petaling Jaya
GPS: 3.11352, 101.574612
Tel: 012-211 7810, 016-2912 737, 012-299- 7598
