One of my favorite dishes to cook during my time in the States was scallop fried rice, the reason is two folds – it is very delicious, and scallops are very affordable there (a pack of 8-10 huge scallops went for less than $10).
first, “marinated” your scallops and prawns in brine
Back home in Malaysia, scallop is quite a prized ingredient, so having scallop fried rice is a bit of a luxury. That is unless, you get the seafood from East Malaysia. I picked up some frozen scallops and prawns while on a work trip to KK a week ago, so I immediately thought of recreating the very same dish that I’ve been missing.
boil the vegetable, and pan fry the seafood separately
Here’s how you can cook this simple scallop and prawn fried rice at home, feel free to substitute with other shellfish or seafood items if you like.
Ingredients (for two servings):
a dozen scallops, medium size
6-8 prawns, medium size
vegetable (choi sum)
2 bowls of steamed rice (cook from 1.5 cups)
1 bulb of garlic, chopped
2 eggs
soya sauce
cooking oil
black pepper & salt
start by frying garlic, then rice, and finally eggs
Cooking instructions:
marinate seafood with brine for 5-10 minutes before cooking
boil the vegetable separately for about 5 minutes, add a tablespoon of cooking oil to the water to make it smooth and more palatable
heat up 3-4 tablespoon of cooking oil and fry the seafood for about 2 minutes, set aside
reuse the same cooking oil but add another 3-4 tablespoon
fry garlic till fragrant
add rice and 2 tablespoon of soya sauce (dark soya sauce optional), fry for a minute
add pepper to taste
split the rice in the middle, and add eggs
continue frying until eggs are cooked
plate everything and serve!
scallop and prawn fried rice with a side of vegetable
This fairly simple dish only takes about 10-15 minutes to cook, tastes pretty awesome too. Total price for two person came up to be about RM 20 or so, I got the seafood from KK airport.
A couple weeks ago I was invited to a lunch review at the new Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur. While I have been to the hotel previously for events, I had no idea how good looking the restaurant on the 38th floor was until this visit.
Grand Hyatt is located at KLCC, directly next to the KL Convention Center on Jalan Pinang. The lobby of the hotel is actually at the top floor (39th), and you get to marvel at the beautiful KL city view through those floor to ceiling glasses while waiting to check in. Marvellous concept, I was impressed.
Thirty8 at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, with 360 degree city view
Walking down a flight of stairs (or take the elevator if you would) from the lobby and there’s THIRTY8. THIRTY8 takes up the whole floor and consists of several open and interactive kitchens serving traditional Chinese cuisine, Western dishes, as well as Japanese fair and a bar.
With huge panel of glasses that span across two floors, THIRTY8 is flooded with natural sunlight. The ambiance was simply one of the bests I’ve ever dined in. If you want to impress someone, this should surely be in the short list.
the Chinese chef from Guangzhou
Since there are actually several different open kitchens on the same floor, I like to think of THIRTY8 as several different restaurants without walls in between. The advantage is that you can order different cuisines and share the same table. It’s almost like a extremely high class food court if you will.
For our session, we sampled the Chinese set menu. There’s a minimum order of 2 pax. The sets are priced at RM 188, RM 208, and RM 238. We had the fortune of trying the RM 238 version.
radish in sweet soy sauce, pacific clam with kailan, jellyfish and fungus in vinegar
The first there were cold dishes. Radish in sweet soy sauce is a little bit like pickle but a bit juicier and crunchy, a bit of an acquired taste but I like it.
Pacific clam with kailan was succulent and fresh tasting, I’ve had it prepared as sushi & wasabi, but it actually does go well with the kailan as well.
My favorite cold dish turned out to be jellyfish and fungus in vinegar. This dish carries a bit of a kick with bits of chilli in it, and I really liked the mixture of fungus and jellyfish prepared in a way that it is almost impossible to tell apart by their texture or taste, but half way between chewing you’ll notice the subtle differences and be rewarded by the intricacy of it.
crispy prawns with bread crumbs and garlic,
double boiled chicken soup, fish maw, papaya & snow fungus
The last appetizer was crispy prawns with bread crumbs & garlic. It was fresh and I thought the chef balanced the breading and spiciness from dried chilli pretty well. The skin is almost like in between butter prawn & fish & chips. I liked it.
Soup was next, and it was a double boiled affair involving fish maw, papaya, and snow fungus. The soup was very very sweet but in a good way, I believe partly contributed by the addition of papaya. It was very good, and I really loved the whole chunk of fish maw in the bowl. It was boiled till very soft but yet retain it’s structural firmness, excellent.
braised whole abalone, mushroom, oyster sauce
Braised whole abalone was our first main dish. It was a simple pairing with broccoli and black mushroom in oyster sauce. The execution was very good, with abalone prepared to the perfect consistency that makes it very easy to manage. It was a good change of taste after the stronger tasting prawns.
braised boston lobster, scallops, vegetables
Continuing our seafood affair was the braised Boston lobster with scallops and vegetable. These two are some of my favourite seafood ingredients and they did not disappoint. I was imagining the broth to be in the most luxurious wat tan hor ever, one that I’d be able to eat everyday.
steamed cod fish, black bean chili sauce; Chinese style salty glutinous dumplings
Next up was steamed cod with black bean and chili sauce, and it was just perfect. Black cod is generally not easy to mess up, but also pretty difficult to prepare it that much different from every other kitchen. I like the version here with the condiments really enhancing the seafood very well.
Our last dish of the day was Chinese style salty glutinous dumpling, and well, to be honest, I think it was just weird. I’m used to dumpling being sweet with maybe black sesame fillings in ginger soup, but this one’s .. salty, and had chicken. As it turned out, this is the traditional dish in Guangdong Province to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, as explained by the chef.
I’m guessing it’s one of those things you do just because it’s a tradition and maybe not necessarily because it tastes good. That or it’s an acquired taste.
baked and snow skin mooncake, KY & Joyce
After the set meal, we also sampled some of the mooncakes offered by THIRTY8. The mooncakes here are made in house as well, and while not overly fancy, they were of good quality. This post is a bit too late to talk about mooncakes now so I’ll just leave it at that.
If you want good food with a great view to match, THIRTY8 would fit the bill. I’ve yet to try other cuisines there but as far as Chinese cuisine goes, you won’t go wrong.
Address: THIRTY8 Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur 12 Jalan Pinang 50450 Kuala Lumpur GPS: 3.15381, 101.71234 Tel: 03-2182 1234 ext. 2340
My siblings are all like me when it comes to food, super adventurous, and always looking out for new and delicious food to try. Last weekends when I went back to Penang for “cheng beng” (tomb sweeping day), my brother brought me and mom to East Coast BBQ at Sungai Pinang food court for some awesome BBQ seafood.
East Coast BBQ at Jalan Pinang food court, Penang
The difference between East Coast BBQ and the other 10,000 other Chinese ikan bakar places is the sheer variety of seafood they offer. Instead of just the usual stingray, lala, and a few different fish species, they have at least a dozen different types of fish, 4-5 different shellfish, prawns, cuttle fish, corn, long beans, brinjal, and even Shishamo (Japanese “pregnant” fish)
BBQ scallops, egg plant, and long beans
What we really came here for though, is their scallops. For the three of us we picked half a dozen pretty big size scallops (RM 6 each) to be freshly BBQ’ed. Topped with plenty of garlic and other granish and perfectly grilled, they were fantastic! Anyone who loves scallops will definitely not be disappointed.
BBQ Brinjal (RM 8.50) is another one of their speciality. The eggplant is split into half and topped with finely chopped garlic and garnish not unlike the one used on the scallop and then grilled till soft. While the “toppings” are the same, the flavor comes out completely different and proved to be another winning dish. I love it.
BBQ long beans (RM 6 each) was a little simpler and seemed to have only curry powder/paprika on them. Very mildly spicy, but otherwise not entirely too interesting.
fried lala, sotong bakar (bbq cuttle fish)
We also ordered a big portion of fried lala (RM 36), but it turned out to be a disappointment. My favorite lala of all time is probably the one at Alisan at PJ SS4, and while the seafood here is fresh and juicy, the sauce of the lala was one dimensional (in this case, powderish feeling curry) and we ended up not finishing this dish.
Grilled cuttle fish (RM 19, by weight) did turn out to be another well executed dish. The cuttle fish was crispy on the outside and juicy within, mom loves it and so did we. The accompanying sauce perfected the dish.
Mom, KY, and younger brother Win Sern
If you’re looking for some reasonably priced grilled seafood in Penang, this is definitely one of the places to check out. My brother said that from what he heard, their grilled fish isn’t particularly special, so if grilled fish is what you really look for, I’d suggest going to Song River at Gurney Drive instead.
Address: East Coast BBQ Sungai Pinang Food Court Jalan Sungai Pinang Georgetown 11500 Penang GPS: 5.400029, 100.325711 Tel: 04-281 0943 Hours: dinner and supper
I first discovered Fukuya Japanese restaurant while having lunch at the cheaper alternative that is Levain right next door (decent “Italian” food, great for lunch), and subsequently paid a visit all by myself a couple months ago when I was overcame by the craving for some good Japanese food.
I’ve been there a few more times since, this review is from 3 separate visits to Fukuya, twice for lunch and once over dinner.
Fukuya Japanese restaurant at Jalan Delima, KL
Located at Jalan Delima, Fukuya is situated in a building that was most likely a posh single story bungalow in its previous life.
The restaurant is classy with minimalistic but tasteful decoration, and there’s also free valet service on premise.
Siero set with scallops, RM 43++, lunch
The menu for set lunch includes some half a dozen sets ranging from RM 40 to 80, with a choice of main ingredients in many of them. (check out their website for menu)
My first trial was the Siero set with scallops in favor of grilled eel or salmon. It came with tempura, sashimi, salad, miso soup, chawanmushi, pickles, and small dessert. While RM 43++ isn’t exactly a cheap lunch option, what you get is certainly value for money. Ingredients were fresh, and those four huge scallops? They were fat, juicy, and absolutely delightful.
The tempura, chawanmushi, sashimi, and even miso soup were all of quality and did not disappoint in my taste buds.
Wa-Sushi bento, RM 58++, lunch
The next visit was also over lunch, this time with Horng and I ordered the Wa-Sushi bento (RM 58++). This had tofu, chawanmushi, salad, a selection of sushi, some grilled seafood, vege, miso, tamago, and more.
For those who kept complaining that we don’t get proper sushi here in Malaysia, this is the place to come. You get the raw fish touching the plate on both ends while sitting on the sushi rice. The ratio of fish vs rice was right, and everything else was again, top notch.
I have to go there again to try their other set lunches, for science!
Sashimi set, RM 110++, dinner
My most recent visit to Fukuya was with Haze over dinner. We ended up there due to my memory playing tricks on me thinking I had a food review at Renoma Cafe, which was actually happening only a week after.
I went for the plainly named Sashimi set (RM 110++). The set includes chawanmushi, miso soup, appetizer, pickles, desserts, and of course – those glorious raw fish. I’m usually not a huge fan of tako sashimi (octopus), but the version served here was so good I actually miss it now. Of course, like all proper Japanese restaurant, freshly grated wasabi is served.
Agedeshi tofu, Tempura, Karaage, Unagi rice
Haze chose to order ala-carte instead of set and went for agedeshi tofu, tempura, karaage (fried chicken), and unagi don (grilled eel rice).
She gave nothing but glowing reviews of the dishes ordered. I particularly like the fried chicken, it was something simple but yet they just seemed to hit the right spot on its taste and texture. It might sound crazy, but I think this is a dish worth trying if you’re there.
Haze and KY, well satisfied at Fukuya
Dinner ended up costing us over RM 200, but we left happy and I’m sure to return. Fukuya also serves wine, sake, and choices of desserts. One day when I hit the lottery or something, I shall try their chef’s recommendation seasonal kaiseki course *keeping my fingers crossed*
Address: Fukuya No 9 Jalan Delima, 55100 Kuala Lumpur GPS: 3.14629, 101.72064 Web: fukuya.net.my Tel: 03-2144 1022
Fa Ying at Paradigm Mall is the new foray into modern Thai cuisine by the same people who run Rama V at Jalan U Thant.
If you aren’t exactly a Thai historian, the name Fa Ying (means Princess) might sound a bit bizarre for a Thai restaurant. According to the owner, Fa Ying was the name of the playful sister of Rama V, the revered Thai King who was credited to the modernization of Siam. Since this outlet serves a “playful” interpretation of Thai cuisine to the sister restaurant Rama V, hence the name Fa Ying.
Pretty neat, I thought, but maybe adding “Thai restaurant” at the back of that big sign board bight help a little. 😀
Fa Ying Thai Restaurant at Paradigm Mall
The restaurant is located at The Boulevard at Paradigm Mall, the semi-outdoor area under the office block with a set up that’s not entirely unlike the “covered alfresco” area at Pavilion. It’s pretty much open air while still sheltered from the harshest of elements.
Fa Ying also spot a full bar, serving liquor, cocktails, and beer
For those likes some proper drinks to go with Thai food, Fa Ying is definitely a place to go. Spotting a full bar, the restaurant serves a variety of cocktails, beer, and other drinks.
Some of the drinks we tried were:
Mango Thai Pandan RM 21
Thai Tom Yam RM 21 (funny name..)
Mojito Selection RM 24
Lemongrass Basil and Mango Sparkler RM 13
They also serve a fishbowl drink called Marquessa (RM 100) that comes with dragon fruit, cucumber, Absolut blue, burnt orange peel, white wine, and soda. It’s like a potent Thai version of Sangria.
While not an expert in cocktails by any means, I did enjoy their drinks.
lamb, fish, and seafood sate
Lets move on to the food.
We sampled three types of Thai satay here. The lamb satay (RM 20) was flavorful but without the overly strong “lamb” taste that some people dislike.
Fish satay a tender and soft, while the seafood satay with prawns & mussels were refreshing and went very well with their sourish sauce.
minced beef in cucumber, watermelon salad, pomelo salad
Minced meat in cucumber (RM 12) looked a bit like sushi but carries the distinctive Thai taste. The cucumber provided nice contrast to the meat, without the requirement of steamed rice to complement the meat. I’ll wouldn’t mind this as beer food.
For those who loves to go green, watermelon salad (RM 12) and pomelo salad (RM 16) will do the job just fine.
grilled scallops served with spinach and manow sauce
Our favorite appetizer of the day goes to this beautifully presented grilled scallops with spinach and manow sauce (RM 19). The scallops were perfectly seared, and the sourish manow sauce provided just the kick to complete this seafood experience.
I also think that this dish offers excellent value.
cod fish with manow, spaghetti with river prawn, Thai green curry pesto
Codfish with Manow (RM 42) provides a choice for those who loves this buttery fish, I find no fault in the execution of this dish, except that it’ll probably leave some room for dessert.
Spaghetti with Thai green curry pesto (RM 22) and spaghetti with river prawn (RM 32) are among the two pasta dishes offered here, both were a bit spicy and definitely not masking their Thai origin. I find the experience a little strange, but perhaps it’s something you get used to.
roast duck sandwich, grilled tenderloin with green curry
My favorite main dish goes to the roast duck sandwich (RM 20). It was simple yet brilliant, and I wonder why it took so long for anyone to come up with this. It was utterly delicious and I would go back to Fa Ying just to have this. (btw my colleague Sheng had this and gave his approval as well)
Lastly, we also sampled their grilled tenderloin with green curry mushroom (RM 42). Perhaps I’m spoiled by those high grade beef at Prime, but for less than RM 50, the meat was decent.
Thai desserts at Fa Ying
Like most Thai restaurants, Fa Ying serves a variety of traditional desserts. I liked the fried banana fritters with vanilla ice cream, and their mango with sticky rice was pretty good as well. Each of these dish comes with half a strawberry, leaving the trace of the “playful” nature of Fa Ying.
We had a pretty good session at Fa Ying, and it is definitely a place I’ll revisit (if not just for the roast duck sandwich!). Mention ‘PRINCESS’ as password and get 10% off food bill before 1st of February 2013.
If you are looking for Thai food with a bit of a twist at a place with nice ambiance to bring a date, this would be a sweet choice.
Address: Fa Ying Thai Restaurant The Boulevard, Paradigm Mall Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya Selangor GPS: 3.108806, 101.59564 Tel: 03-7451 2933
start by frying garlic, then rice, and finally eggs
