I need to do a better job at posting on this blog, as this was from a trip to Bangkok last year….
Anyway, if you find yourself at Thong Lo, an upscale area in Bangkok with quirky cafes and plenty of Japanese restaurants, this Khao Jao Thai Restaurant is one modern eatery serving pretty traditional Thai fare worth checking out.
Khao Jao Thai Restaurant, Bangkok
The restaurant is located along Thong Lo 17 Alley, a stone’s throw away from a popular hipster watering hole that is The Commons. It’s air conditioned, tastefully decorated, and offers quite a good selection of traditional dishes to choose from (see menu below).
For the three of us, we had the prawn with petai, bamboo shoots yellow curry, a plate of vege, and stuffed omelet.
The petai came with pretty big and juicy prawns, with a strong, slightly sweetish belacan taste that was also spicy, a perfect combination.
Yellow curry bamboo shoot carries a slight sourish note which goes well with rice but requires some getting used to. Omelet and vege completes the meal, they did not disappoint either.
Would not hesitate to go back there again.
Address: Khao Jao Thai Restaurant Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand GPS: 13.735404, 100.581653 Hours: 10 am to 8:30 pm
Fish noodle is one of my favorite noodle dishes ever, and being situated by the coast with access to great ocean haul and a knack for making the best out of these sea bounty, it’s not secret that Kota Kinabalu offers some of the best seafood noodle restaurants.
jewel garupa soup, with kanlau mian on the side
A few weeks ago, during one of my now almost routine visit to this East Malaysian city, we got the opportunity to check out one of the more “hidden” fish noodle restaurants by the name of Notung Kusan Cafe, sometimes also known as Seafood Ah Huat.
The restaurant has just recently moved from a household set up to a proper shop lot situated at Dongongan, just a stone’s throw away from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Do check to make sure you’re not routing to their old location if you decided to visit this place (use the GPS info below).
Notung Kusan Cafe Mihun Soup, Kota Kinabalu
There are a few options to choose from when it comes to noodle, we picked kon lou mee (dry noodle), to go with fresh fish slices, jewel garupa was available so we went for that. There’s also fish stomach, fish egg, and fish head if that’s what you crave.
The portion for two pax (RM 35) was huge and came with loads of thick cut super fresh fish fillet that’s cooked so the texture was just right – soft, almost crumpling on first bite but not in an “unfresh” sort of way. I really love it.
The tomato soup base was quite subtle, but takes on the sweetness of seafood itself, a plus point if you ask me. The dry noodle too was properly seasoned and I thought compliment the seafood quite well.
super fresh chunky fish fillet, awesome fish skin too
I think this has just became my favorite fish noodle place in KK right now, they open from morning till around lunch time, and I’ve heard that they may close whenever there’s no fresh fish or when owner goes out fishing. Do try to call in to avoid disappointment.
For availability, Fatt Kee is the one to go, they’re pretty good and open all the time.
Several weeks ago I found myself at Desa Park City at Yee Hou’s place, with the boy promising that he’d bring me to one of the better wantan mee stalls around the area – Ming Kee Wan Tan Mee at Taman Bukit Maluri.
Ming Kee Wan Tan Mee, Taman Bukit Maluri
The restaurant is located at the heart of the small township, basically surrounded by the busy morning market. If you go on a weekends, expect to spend some time in getting your car parked, but you’d also be rewarded by the energy and joy of the market, with fresh produce and freshly slaughtered meat for your picking, all at rather reasonable prices too.
The restaurant itself has a single stall set up straight out of the 80s, with the operators probably still wearing the same cloths and enthusiasm from a few decades ago, when TV had a dial, and you’re interrupted by Berita Malam Ini in the middle of your favorite CNY movies.
chicken feet, or curry chicken? Take your pick
Anyway, the stall offers wantan mee in a few different options – the classic chasiu & wantan, curry chicken, or chicken feet. The latter two being the recommended options, so that’s what I tried.
Curry broth was thick and flavorful, with a healthy portion of chicken drumstick too, but if you eat chicken feet at all, the version here is definitely one of the better ones I had this part of Klang Valley, they’re soft, tender, and almost melt in your mouth, no teeth required!
the “sui kao”, or dumpling, is proper delicious too
Sui Kaw here is proper delicious as well, and I’d definitely asked for more pork cracklings the next time I’m there, and yeap I’d wan to go there again.
Address: Ming Kee Wan Tan Mee 33, Jalan Burung Tiong, Taman Bukit Maluri, 52100 Kuala Lumpur GPS: 3.200758, 101.631882 Tel: 03-6251 0032
Ngau Hor, or Cantonese style fried beef noodle, isn’t exactly a dish that is offered in many places. Truth be told, I can’t say that I’ve tried many ngau hor in my life, but if you ask me which one I’ll have right now, this version at New Apollos kopitiam will be my take.
New Apollos at USJ 4
New Apollos is a busy kopitiam this part of Subang, with perhaps over a dozen different stalls operating within. The ngau hor stall offers Kong Fu Chau, Sang Har Mee (river prawn noodle), and also venison, in addition to beef noodle (I should try them).
For RM 11, you get a big plate of Cantonese style hor fun with generous helpings of super tender beef coated with starch, its flavor perfectly balanced as well. If you love this dish, you’d enjoy this version.
ngau hor (beef noodle), perfectly executed
Kuih Teow Soup is also good here, along with the rather unique offering of paus, check out the New Apollos tag.
Address: Restaurant New Apollos 2, Jln USJ4/6B Subang Jaya GPS: 3.051770, 101.576209 Hours: Lunch and Breakfast, Closed on Tuesdays
A couple weeks ago, I had the slight unfortunate fortune of being involved in a minor accident. The Malaysian system is such that you can’t go to just any police station to make reports, but certain specific traffic police station to do the deeds (eh, upgrade already please), which explained how I got to this part of town in Klang – Sungai Kapar.
Restoran Ji Yang, Sungai Kapar
After having sorted out the reports with authority, it was quite a bit past my initial dinner time, so naturally I wandered around to the closest restaurant, in this case – Ji Yang Restaurant, an unassuming “tai chao” place this part of town.
Having no idea what is good, I seek recommendation from the server, and that’s how I ended up having one of the best curry pork rice I’ve ever tried.
curry pork rice, single serving
For RM 7, there were plenty of pork slices perfectly prepared and drenched with spicy curry paste, and made perfect with just the right amount of red chili, onion, and curry leaves. It was as tasty as it was fragrant, perfect.
If I ended up at this part of town again, I’d not hesitate to try their second best dish, perhaps.
Address: Restoran Ji Yang 12, Jalan Sungai Kapar Indah 3c, Sungai Kapar Indah, 42200 Kapar, Selangor GPS: 3.096571, 101.385858
