doggyjames says...

Sumi-Ka Yakitori Restaurant, SS15

2012-01-29T17:21:00.014+08:00

SS15 is slowly known to the general public as a hidden haven for authentic Japanese cuisine. With so many Japanese expats and retirees setting up shops in the area, dozens of Japanese restaurants would give any dedicated foodie a tough time choosing a place for a good meal. Sumi-Ka is one of such places, which serves real good authentic Japanese yakitori or barbeque skewers.

Sumi-ka has that old time traditional Japanese yakitori shack feel, if you've been to Japan or even watched any travel shows showing traditional Japanese cuisines. The place is small with limited seatings, so telephone booking is a must if you want to have a meal there with a few friends in any given day. Any like any decent Japanese restaurant, there is a large selection of Japanese sake, shoju and cold local and imported Japanese beer.

Me and my bunch of food loving friends reserved a place by the open kitchen, where one would have a great view of cooking action live from the boss himself, Ota-san The place is really energetic, with screams of welcoming to guest and energetic cries from the kitchen whenever an order is made/food is served.

It is best to order food directly through the waiters without looking at the menu, just ask the waiter whats the special of the day and he/she would recommend what cuts of meat or vege you should have. Unlike most modern establishments, the waiters here are all locals who speak perfect Japanese and would make the best recommendations for you.

We started off with Miso Soup and Baked Onigiri. The soup was really flavourful and remember to tell the waiter how thick you like your soup to be, I had mine extra thick. The baked onigiri was done really well, on par with those sold in Japan.

Then came the army of beef skewers. The different cuts and marinated bits of beef were all very very good. The meat was flavorful and tender, the marinates done just right and if you are lucky, they would have beef tendons in stock which I absolutely adore. The must have however, would be the miso marinated beef ribs. These are slightly more expensive than the other items but trust me, you would remember the experience for life.

The pork belly here is a must have too. fatty, aromatic with a nice portion of lean meat on it, the taste is simply magnificent. We tried the bacon wrapped garlics and pork & fish eggs which was sublime as well.

Another interesting dish here is the chicken soft bones. chewy, full of roasted chicken flavours and perfect with the in house chili powder.

Pigeon eggs, prawns and ginko nuts were great too. Simply seasoned with imported Japanese salt, the taste was simply amazing.

Dinner was completed with a serving of caramel pudding. I was on a no dessert diet yet it looked so amazingly simple and yummy. The comments were great! Not too sweet with just the right amount of caramel.

Each skewer would set you back RM4-7 depending on what you order. The beef are pricier from RM9 and above. Do ask for the daily chef's specials as well. Be careful on the amount though as a meal would be really expensive. We spent about RM80 per person there without any alcohol.

Here's a map and details of the place for you readers. Sumi-Ka is located along Jalan ss15/4, right above a laundry shop. Parking's a bitch but its worth looking for one :D

Sumi-Ka Yakitori Japanese Restaurant, ss15
19, 1st Floor, Jalan ss15/4
Subang Jaya, Selangor

Tel: 03-5632 9312

Opening Hours:
Dinner only, 6pm - 12pm

doggyjames says...simply delicious. Limited seats yet if you do get a seat, prepare for a culinary multiple orgasm.

T-Bowl Concept Restaurant, Sunway Pyramid

2012-01-16T17:30:00.009+08:00

So T-Bowl Restaurant, which I guess borrows its name and idea from Modern Toilet has landed in Malaysia a few months back. Being a great lover of funny ideas, I have always wanted to try the food there ever since I heard the news and finally, after almost a year of waiting, me and a friend finally got there for a pre-movie lunch one fine afternoon.

One would immediately be attracted by the restaurant's funky designs, mainly using toilets and bathroom equipments and its bright colours. It was a really nice change in terms of ambiance for me from the usual brown wooden walls and white concrete floors. Even the seats were made from (I hope not used) toilet bowls, funny would be the least of my thoughts, haha.

Heck, even the menu has a toothbrush!

We started the meal with drinks first, Mango Yogurt Shake (RM6.90) and White Coffee with Grass Jelly (6.90). Taste-wise they are alright, much like what you'd get in one of them HongKong theme cafes like Kim Garry.

I ordered the Cheese Baked Rice (RM14.90) which has braised pork belly, minced pork, chicken floss and half a stewed eggs on top of white rice. The meal was served in a potty but seriously, I did not laugh. The presentation looks a little too...normal for me. Tastewise its OK by best, I had better braised pork. The cheese lacked taste as well.

My lunchdate ordered the Chicken Chop Rice, which comes with an odd piece of scallop on the shell. No toilet bowl this time, just a plate shaped like a toilet bowl lid. The chicken was tasteless to be honest, and the fried rice lack any taste as well. A total disappointment.

The only thing good we had here was the ice cream. The ice cream itself is thick and really flavourful, while the generous amount of fruits were fresh and tasty.

Satisfied? Yes with the deco and ice cream, food were really disappointing.

T-Bowl is located in the new wing of Sunway Pyramid, next to TGIF and Ninja Joe, near the Nike concept store. You dont really need a map and address to Pyramid, do you?

T-Bowl Concept Restaurant (Sunway Pyramid)
Lot 1F-96-97, First Floor,
Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall,
No. 3, Jalan PJS 11/15,
Bandar Sunway
46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: 016-8086661

www.t-bowl.com

doggyjaames says...great deco, less than average food.

CUTEST.VIDEO.EVER.

2011-12-19T09:05:00.002+08:00

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.........

Kobe GyutakuYakiniku & Steak, Subang Jaya

2011-12-18T15:36:00.010+08:00

One night while talking about dinner plans with my newest makan buddy, we decided to go for this little place in ss15 which supposedly offers one of the best Japanese BBQ experiences in town. And since it was the beginning of month when our wallets are still filled with salaries, we decided to go all out and treat ourselves there.

First thing's first in a Japanese restaurant, miso soup is a must. The cool drizzling weather allows for a hot bowl of soup fortunately. The Misotan (RM28) is meant for 2 person here so its fine with us. The miso soup here is pretty basic but good, one could taste real miso paste being used and the slight hint of Bonito broth used to prepare the soup. A good belly warming bowl of soup this one.

And with our bellys properly warmed up, we moved on to the BBQ items. A couple plates of beef tongues (Jyo Tan Shio) both with and without miso marinates (RM 35 each) are good starts for the meal. The tongue is so fresh they could be meant for sashimi as is! The charred flavours were more awesome though, beefy, tender and very very aromatic, hard to resist a few more helpings for anyone! The simple lime sauce for the tongue were great as well, adds a good kick into your beefy experience!

The next dish was one which I look forward to after reading all the review online, Tokusen Yukke or beef sashimi (RM35). Though we order the normal beef instead of the grade 6 Australian wagyu or kobe beef, which cost a bomb, the beef were splendid! The presence of pine nuts and a quill egg adds a really good depth and dimension into the dish. Must have ah!

The grilled beef experience continues with a good marbled Jyo Karubi or the prime beef ribs (RM38). Needs no further introduction or clever copywriting, just look at them marbled fats and grill marks!

We order a serving of Salmon Yaki (RM22) just to complete the whole Japanese experience here. The generous chunk of salmon fillet was served in an aluminum foil and filled with butter for a smooth silky taste. The onions placed under the fish prevents the fish from burning and adds a welcomed aroma to the dish.

Food here is definitely awesome and the dining experiences is out of this world. Though some may think a not so famous restaurant hidden in a quiet suburb is not as good as those famous ones in KL, I beg to differ. I would prefer Japanese BBQ over Korean ones anytime simply because of its choice of beefy cuts and the lack of smokiness around the place. A definite positive recommendation for anyone here.

Here's a map of the place for you readers. Kobe is located in ss15, the same street as Peppercorn cafe and Old Town White Coffee near Taylor's Business School. Parking in ss15 is always hard but you can try parking at the car parks next to the wet market.

Kobe Gyutaku Yakiniku & Steak, Subang Jaya
52, Jalan ss15/4,
Subang Jaya, Selangor

Tel: 03-5638 2923

http://www.takumi.com.my

Advance bookings are advised due to the lack of tables here, but thats the best part of this place, total privacy!

doggyjames says....Really good authentic Japanese BBQ experience, prices maybe steep for most of us but its really worth it!

Uncle Seng Noodles, ss15

2011-12-10T14:04:00.008+08:00

Friends. Besides being there for you when you need them the most and a shoulder to hang on when you are in the pits, not to mention making fun of you every chance they get, they are the ones who would bring you to undiscovered eating gems every once in a while. And this week, one of my closest group of friends decided to have lunch at this little hidden gem in ss15 Subang Jaya, Uncle Seng's Home Made Noodles.

The setting of this place is pretty simple, just a few tables probably not more than 15 scattered around a small shop and the kitchen is well hidden behind the shop. It's always crowded during lunch time and expect to wait for more than 30 minutes just to get a seat anytime during lunch hours. Luckily, I was late and the friends saved a seat for me, not before making fun of my awesome time keeping skills.

Being late and rushing to get to our after lunch karaoke session (yes, us guys loved to sing to the likes of The Carpenters and The Beatles), I decided to settle for the basics: Fresh homemade noodles with wantons and BBQ pork loins. After a brief 15 minutes wait, a steaming hot plate of noodles arrived in front of me.

Noodles here are prepared with the simplest ingredients, just noodles, the sides of your choice which would range from BBQ pork, wantons, roasted pork, fried pork to chickens feet and chinese mushrooms and a simple soup based sauce. Chilli sauce can be added for that extra kick but having a slight sorethroat that day, I decided against adding too much chilli sauce. Good thing is the soup based sauce was good enough for me, with just the right hint of sweetness and saltiness. The noodles were fresh and very springy, must have characteristics for homemade noodles.

I must admit, the noodles are really good on its own. Om Nom Nom Nom...

From RM4.50 a pop, this is probably one of the better tasting homemade noodles available in Subang. I just wish they were here during my college days, could see myself reporting here everyday when I had limited budget that time. LOL

Here's a map of the place for you readers. Uncle Seng's is located near Taylor's Business School in ss15, same row as secret recipe with very limited parking. I reccomend double parking for all you fearless souls.

Uncle Seng Fresh Homemade Noodles
68, Jalan ss15/4B
Subang Jaya, Selangor

Opening Hours:
8am - 4pm everyday except Mondays

doggyjames says....post dedicated to the members of KittyFC: InjuredEric, ITGuyJonC, OssumPossumMicurl, KHH Kang, Freshie Foo, Waikitty, MiloNazzy, KSF and MIC member Kumar. There, finally a post dedicated to u boys.

Not All Carbs Are Created Equal

2011-12-03T16:58:00.003+08:00

I have been following a new diet these past 2 weeks which made me feel more energetic and performed much better in the gym: the Paleo Diet. In short, Paleo dieters follow a strict diet of more or less eating like how our cavemen forefathers used to: large amount of protein, no processed food, selected spices and drinks (I can live without coffee though so I still drink 2-3 cups a day :p) and large amounts of vegetables. Whilst most dieters go without carbs, I do add in some "healthy carbs" into my diet which I feel provides me with a good helping of fuel to burn during my gymming sessions. Here are some carbs which could actually help us slim down or achieve our physical goals:

Good Carbs

I now love couscous and wheat pasta :)

Do have a go at Paleo diet and try and take in some "good carbs" if you could. You will feel more energetic too and seriously, I do not have the 3pm slump now :D

doggyjames says...eating healthy is a choice, and seriously you do not need to sacrifice good food to achieve your dreams of having a great body!

Park Village Restaurant, Klang

2011-11-20T14:57:00.013+08:00

My family always had the tradition of having Sunday dinner in Klang along with my grandparents and seriously there are too many good dinner spots in Klang, but I could do without the crowds and limited parking spaces. Which is why Park Village, situated in a quiet spot in Taman Intan Klang has been one of our favorite dinner spots. It is peaceful, homely and being the only restaurant in the row of offices there, has lots of parking spaces during the weekends.

One soup we would always order is their version of Lala in Superior Stock. This soup is not the usual ones you get around the country, it has a generous serving of medicinal herbs in it and taste more like a medicinal soup than your usual Lala Soup.A perfect way to start off any meal.

A famous dish here is the Hokkien Noodles (RM 8 for 2 person). The serving was generous enough and there is more than enough Wok Hei or heat when they prepare the noodles, making it really aromatic and flavorful. Oh and pork lard were aplenty too, keeping to the Klang standards of oily yet yummy good. Heh.

The Curry Lamb (RM 16) is a hit too. This is more like a Chinese style curry for you who know how how chinese style curry is like, its not as flavorful as Indian style ones but still packs a punch, yet subtle enough so you won't sweat like a dog, or in this case sweat like doggyjames. woof.

For vegetarians, do try their Vegetarian Dish, direct translation: Buddha's Aroma (RM18). It's actually a stir fry of seasonal vegetables, tofu and beancurd skins (fuchuk). Really flavorful despite the lack of meat and other flavour enhancers. My vegetarian grandma's favorite this one.

Something of a house specialty here, the Claypot Duck (RM18) is a must try. The duck meat is first fried to give the skin a crispy texture, then braised in a claypot with bean paste and spring onions to add in some extra aroma.

German Pork Knuckles (RM42) is served here too. Crispy skin, flavorful and tender meat, all the criteria for a good pork knuckle!

Park Village is definitely a place which offers really good food with great value. Do ask the servers for the chef's specials and you may find yourself unearthing one gem after another!

Here's a map for you readers. The restaurant is quite hidden just if you can find your way to Jalan Batai Laut 3, near Taman Rashna Primary School, you'll have no problem finding the place.

Park Village Restaurant, Klang
No.62 Jalan Batai Laut 3,
Taman Intan Klang, Selangor.

Tel: 03-3343 5953/3560

HP: 013-390 2500 (Ms Goh/Mr Chan)

doggyjames says...a great undiscovered dinner spot in Klang, truly worth trying.

Football Player Got Eaten Alive by Bushes

2011-11-15T13:21:00.002+08:00

NOT the best goal celebration idea.... teehehe

JJ Cakes & Swiss Rolls, Ipoh

2011-11-08T19:17:00.006+08:00

Got a whatsapp message from a friend one fine afternoon asking me if I wanted any swiss rolls from his hometown of Ipoh, and my immediate reaction was huh??????? Think Ipoh and I bet you wouldn't even think of swiss rolls right? The friend however was quite persistent and I decided to get a couple of swiss rolls from this place which he so highly recommends.

Boy was that the best decision ever. Luckily I made him took pictures for the blog as well. heh.

I got 2 rolls, one cempedak and one durian (RM12 per roll). The whole car was filled with them lovely durian and cempedak scent on my way home after grabbing the swiss rolls from him. Did not expect this to happen...and I actually sped home to enjoy the swiss rolls.

The swiss rolls were oh so fragrant, the whole house was litterally filled with the wonderful fragrance of cempedak and durian the memont I stepped home.

Both rolls were fluffy and soft, just the right texture for a really good swiss roll. The fillings were the stars however. Generous with the filling, jam packed with bits of cempedak & durian and the fragrance would still linger in my mouth even after a strong cup of coffee. Oh God, One bite sent me to Swiss Roll heaven....

These are the images of the shop in Ipoh, Never been there before but I could imagine the place filled with hungry customers!

With so many fancy cakeshops in KL, this place would do more than hold their grown with their swiss rolls i reckon. And with RM12 a roll, I reckon the price is quite alright, especially with so many other flavours to choose from according to the friend :D

Here's a map of the place for you readers, I hope it's the correct one though.

JJ Cakes & Swiss Roll, Ipoh
36, Jalan Chung Thye Phin,
Ipoh.

Tel: 05-241 5796

Operation Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 9am - 9pm
Sunday: 9am - 8pm

http://www.jj-cakes.com

Facebook

doggyjames says...If you are visiting Ipoh, remember to visit this place, too good to miss!

TeaRoom by Bel Jee, Bangsar

2011-11-05T21:31:00.012+08:00

When a cafe gets famous even though its location is not that obvious, you know it's bound to be good. That's exactly what Bel Jee's Tearoom offers, great food in a quiet side of Bangsar.

I was introduced to this little cafe by a friend who works here part time, and was pleased to find that the environment here is actually quite peaceful and private despite having only a few tables. What caught my eyes the moment I stepped into the cafe was their pretty cupcakes which are really detailed and unique, you can see the chefs giving their full attention into making such a common item, always a good thing in my books :)

And if you decided to read a book here but forgotten to bring your book, fear not! Cupboard full of novels here :D

Me and a lunchmate decided to go for the Beef Sheppard Pie (RM7.80) and Chicken & Mushroom Pasta Bake (RM7.80). The pie was really good for me. The mashed potatoes were smooth and the filings simply marvelous, just the thing to counter a cold and windy afternoon! I thought the pasta was a little blend but my lunchmate loved it, and there were a generous amount of meat and mushroom in her meal, and instant hit with her! The side salad which is actually a potato salad is simply amazing as well, loved it!

It was a pleasant surprise for me that Bel Jee uses Segafredo coffee to make their coffees, one of my favorite coffees! Despite that, I got myself a Green Tea Latte (RM7.90), a result of having 5 cups of coffee earlier, did not wanna get a heart attack anytime soon. The latte was really smooth and the presence of green tea is obvious despite a generous amount of milk. Me likey :D

The lunchmate decided to go for Cafe Almond Mocha (RM7.90). I took a sip and it was really good, it was almond-ny yet was not overpowered by the almond taste. Perfect execution!

And then....dessert came ^^

First to arrive was the White Chocolate Cheese Cake with Lychee and Maschapone Cheese (RM8.50). The verdict? ZOMFG GOOD! The cake was fluffier than most cheesecakes out there because of the maschapone cheese and yet, has a really profound chocolaty taste in it, a perfect match made in heaven!!!

Next to come was the Croissant Bread Pudding with Raisins and White Chocolate Sauce (RM4.50). This is the first time I've come across bread puddings made from croissants, a very pleasant masterpiece I must say, it was not too wet and the pudding was actually quite crispy because of the croissant. The white chocolate sauce? simply heavenly :)

And last but not least, my favorite :) Double Chocolate Brownie with Chocolate Sauce (RM4.80) Chocolate on chocolate woohooooooooooo!!! Could go better with a scoop of ice cream though but nonetheless, chocolaty goodness this one!

The owner Bel was around when I was there and she told us that she started out as a self-taught pastry chef who does customised orders at home. Just look at the cake below, isnt it cute? Thumbs up to this former business consultant who decided to quit her boring 9-5 job and open her own cafe!

BelJee specializes in customised cakes as mentioned earlier, Imma getting my pal's bachelor party cake from BelJee soon instead of a boring cake from a random bakery since designs can be customised....hehehe

Here's a map for you readers. TeaRoom by BelJee is located at Wisma Volkswagen along Jalan Maarof, just look for the building with a big VW sign on it and the place is located on the G floor.

TeaRoom by BelJee, Bangsar
Ground Floor, Wisma Volkswagen,
No.7 Lorong Maarof,
Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2201 1806

Opening Hours:
Mondays to Fridays: 8.30am - 6.30pm
Saturdays: 10.30am - 3.00pm
Closed on Sundays and public holidays

http://tearoombybeljee.blogspot.com/

Facebook Page

doggyjames says...great food, great coffee and most importantly...Superb Cakes!

Blogger Masterchef Malaysia 2011 FINALS

2011-10-26T20:54:00.004+08:00

A very very belated post this one, as I was busy for the past 2 weeks because of work and a well deserved island holiday...heh

So from my previous post some of you might have known that I was lucky enough to get into the finals of Blogger Masterchef Malaysia about 2 weeks back, which was held LIVE in SACC Mall Shah Alam. So after all the hoo-haa and getting lost in Shah Alam (damn u so many roundabouts and one-way-roads), I finally made it there alive and was almost immediately thrown into the battle field.

And the mystery ingredient of the day was...avocados. The organizers totally threw a curve ball at us as we all thought it was going to be a common fruit or vegetables, heck even eggs in the box! I decided I was gonna make a sandwich thingy with some avocado salsa straight away, sticking to something I know well and not gonna take any chances this time around.

And this came out. I was happy with the presentation but was not happy with the taste. The avocados were somewhat still unripe and I added extra coriander to the salsa to mask the taste of unripe avocados, which proved to be a mistake. Ah well but here you go: French Toast with Mushroom Omelet and Avocado Cream served with Avocado Salsa, with a sauce of Avocado Coriander Cream & Basil Pesto, now say that out fast 5 times, heh.

Well the sandwich thingy turned out alright for the judges, but they didn't like my salsa because there were too much coriander in it, which overpowered the whole dish. Damn u coriander!

I was hoping the 2nd challenge, which requires us to cut some onions would save me some extra point. Well I was the fastest cutter (and bloodiest, as you can see) and quite frankly, I was pleased with the results :)

Here's doggyjames showing you how NOT to cut onions...

Well and it was over in a flash. I did not win anything but sources told me my name was placed 3rd overall :) Not a bad achievement if its true I must say :)

Wendy of http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/ was the champion and Wawa of http://eencyweency.blogspot.com came in 2nd. Good job to both of them! Great champs :)

A special shout out to all my friends who came during the finals. You peeps rock!

All's well ends well in the end, this experience has certainly ignited my passion for cooking again and friends reading this: expect to be invited to dinners at my future crib very soon :)

doggyjames says....now go watch the real thing on Astro, heh.

Geylang Lor9, ss2

2011-10-16T14:50:00.008+08:00

Despite all the claims from Singaporeans on Singaporean food (and yes, I still think Singaporean Chicken Rice taste like ****), the only good food coming out of Singapore for me at least is the frog porridge, especially the one in Geylang. So it was a decent surprise for me when a friend suggested we have Geylang Lor9 frog porridge for supper, right here in ss2.

Do not expect the hot, humid roadside stalls as the one you'd find in Singapore. You would be welcomed in a air-conditioned, nice environment with marble tables and chairs if you are here. And without any other *ahem* distractions like the one in Geylang, Singapore you are sure to enjoy your frog porridge here, a little more focused in the mind that is :)

It's a fairly straight affair when it comes to ordering your meals here, Frogs in 3 types of preparation styles: Claypot Frog Porridge, Claypor Spring Onions & Claypot Dried Chillies. Prices are determined by the number of frogs in each dish mentioned, RM12 for 1 whole frog, RM24 for 2 and RM33 for 3. I'd recommend you get 1 frog each in all 3 different preparation styles, if 2 person are eating. There are various stirfried vegetables as well but my mind wasnt on them at all lol.

This is the correct way of having Frog Porridge: Get a bowl full of porridge (can be frog porridge or plain white porridge, add pepper, sesame oil and soy sauce to your taste, and then add in frogs and sauce from the spring onion or dried chillies one. I'd personally like to add in both sauces and some pepper sauce with anything else, as that's the best way to enjoy the taste of the porridge and frogs.

Taste wise, the dried chillies version was of course, comes with a very aromatic smell and taste superbly well seasoned with a hint of spiciness and heat. The heat was however not overpowering and adds just the right amount of much needed taste into the plain white porridge. The spring onion version was really aromatic as well, and taste just right without any hint of spiciness, perfect for those who cant take hot stuff. The frogs were fresh and very tender, a sign of the chefs' great skills and attention to detail when preparing these dishes. Frog porridge are not an easy dish to make, and the chefs here really prepared them perfectly.

Prices here are alright in my mind, and although it's not exactly a direct replica of the Singaporean version, it definitely taste good for me and a perfect place for after drinking meals as it's open until 4am :D

Here's a map for you readers. it's located along ss2's 7-Eleven, right across the basketball court. They have branches in Sunway Mentari, Penang (Medan Angsana 3, Air Itam) & Jahor Bahru (Jalan Sengala, Century Garden).

Geylang Lor9, ss2
10, Jalan ss2/61,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: 03-7874 1233

Opening Hours:
11.30am - 4am daily

doggyjames says...a great find in ss2, certainly worth trying at least one heh?

Malaysia's Own Oktoberfest 2011

2011-10-14T12:13:00.006+08:00

If you are a beer lover like me, I don't need to explain what Oktoberfest is now, do I? This event made famous in Munich, Germany is now in Malaysia too! And I was at one of the events in ioi Boulevard, Puchong lately.

Lotsa stuff to do there besides drinking and socializing...

More drinking and games....of course I joined the drinking competition but unfortunately lost. I blame the pork knuckles and sausage platter.

And most importantly...hot chicks! and more drinking...

There are still a lot of events happen each week, so do check out Malaysia's own Oktoberfest 2011'sa FB page to find out more.

doggyjames says...PROST everyone!!! :D

Bloggers MasterChef Malaysia 2011 FINALS Notice

2011-10-12T13:53:00.004+08:00

After a week or 2 of nervous waiting and check my emails at least 3 times a day (new record for me, normally its 3 days 1 time), the venue and details for Bloggers MasterChef Finals were revealed.

Date: 15th October 2011

Time: 12.30pm

Venue: SACC Mall, Shah Alam (click for location map)

I do hope you peeps will drop by and support me, especially after I've seen what all the other contestants can do with their culinary skills....ITS GONNA BE A TOUGH FIGHT!

Also, I belive if you (hot chicks only, please no mankinis) dress in cheerleader outfits and scream out my name I'd perform even better, or get a heart attack from all the excitement, whichever comes first.

These will be the 10 finalist who will be gunning for the title of Malaysia's First Blogger Masterchefs, all of them really great cooks from what I experienced!

And their blogs:

Zamimie ~ http://zamimie.blogspot.com
Wawa ~ http://eencyweency.blogspot.com
Falihin Jasmy~ http://falihinjasmy.blogspot.com
James ~ http://doggyjamessays.blogspot.com
Yatie Sawanila~ http://sawanila.com/v10/
Baby Sumo ~ http://goodyfoodies.blogspot.com
Strawberi ~ http://mystrawberi.blogspot.com/
Jejai ~ http://teratakarmo.com
Wendy ~ http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/
Erna Malia ~ http://jabberholic.blogspot.com/

(details credited to Falih, another great cook who I place at the hot favorites to win this thing)

I will be donning my lucky Blue Malaysian jersey for the finals, so if you like me to win, do come in BLUE to show your support :)

See you at SACC Mall, 15th October 2011 12.30pm!

doggyjames says....lets do this KAMOOOOONNNN!!!!!!!

Otak Otak Place, Tropicana CityMall

2011-10-09T15:53:00.008+08:00

Ever since I had my first taste of otak otak in Muar years back, I have been hooked to this great culinary creation. Unfortunately it is not easy to get a good otak otak meal conveniently in the Klang Valley. This is where Otak Otak Place comes into the picture.

This is the go to place for me whenever I feel like having some good old traditional Malaysian meal especially after I grew tired of the thousands of boring modern kopitiams in town. You get a great choice of traditional Malaysian food rather than the boring coffee ice and bread at those place. Me and a bunch of buddies were at Otak Otak Place again after work and I decided to blog about this place after much delay.

The decor for all Otak Otak Place restaurants instantly brings one back to his or her primary school times. the brown exercise books as their menu is a really nice touch, and the perfect family game, haha....too bad kids nowadays would not be able to relive this kinda experience. We are a lucky bunch, the Gen X & Ys :)

We decided to start off with Steamed Otak Otak, both Fish (RM 8.90) and Prawn (RM10.90). The texture is different from the satay ones, as this is really light, smooth and even fluffy. The taste of fish and prawns were really there and it's the best way to start off anyone's meals.

For meals, we decided to have separate meals each and really, its just an excuse for me to steal everyone's share. heh. The Nasi Lemak Ayam Perchik (RM12.90) is the bomb here. rice was fragrant and fluffy and the chicken was done to perfection. Not overcooked and just enough spiciness. Nice one.

Nasi Lemak with Curry Chicken (RM9.90) was good too. The curry sauce was really flavorful and trust me, you'd need to order another bowl of rice for this.

Before you think its all Malay food here, they have a nice selection of chinese cuisines too. One of us decided to have Cantonese Rice with Beef (RM8.90). The sauce was okay and it goes well with the rice. It was alright but dont lah expect authentic chinese restaurant quality :)

I decided to go for the Mee Bandung Muar (RM8.90). The soup was really fragrant with lots of peanut bits and the noodles was good as usual. Finished till the last drop hehe.

For us who grew up before the 90s, this place is a great reminder of our carefree childhood, and I doubt kids nowadays would enjoy what we did years ago, before the times of internets and electronic games. The food is really good as well, some say just like grandma's cooking but of course, my grandma's cooking is much more awesome lah. hehe.

Here's a map of Tropicana CityMall for you readers. Otak Otak Place is located on the first floor, right on top of San Francisco Steakhouse.

Otak Otak Place, Tropicana CityMall
Lot L1-58
No.3 Jalan ss20
Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel: 03-7728 0403

Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm daily

doggyjames says...a really nice place which brings us back to our carefree childhood, no worries, no racism, no adult problems :)

Blogger MasterChef Malaysia Semifinals, The Cooking House

2011-10-05T20:43:00.013+08:00

I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the finalist of Blogger MasterChef Malaysia, organized by Astro & Nuffnang as mentioned before. The event was held at The Cooking House in Hartamas on a chilly Saturday morning along with 19 other bloggers, yet everyone was so phyched up for the event :)

Along with a few friends, we met up at one of the coffee shops nearby and adjourned to The Cooking House around 10pm. It was to be a half day event with 2 challenges: the invention challenge and skills challenge which at the point of time, no one has any idea what to expect. And I was caught in my WTFOMG mode once I had a look at the itinerary.

We were to be judged by 3 esteemed judges: Chef Ryan Khang, the resident chef and cookbook author; Astro Channel Manager Azlin; and of course, the big daddy of all food bloggers, KYspeaks.

Right the customary introduction and speech, we were ushered into the kitchen and the first challenge was thrown to us: The Invention Challenge. We were basically given a mystery box containing the following ingredients: chicken breast, zucchini, bell pepper, carrot, chillies, mushroom, tomato, egg, potato, lemon. I terus got into panic attack.

The I remembered a recipe from The Secret Meat Business. The hours spent on the sofa watching cooking shows finally came in handy hehe. Full of Adrenalin, I got into NINJA mode and started cooking! RAWR!

The time limit is 45 minutes, the stage is set and all of us have our aprons and mittens on. Time to do some serious cooking!

And plate it! Ommph!

And there you have it, doggyjames' version of Pan Fried Chicken Breast with Cajun Coating Stuffed with Herb Butter on a bed of Mediterranean Salad. Oh la la c'est marveilleux...no?

Our dishes were then placed on the table and awaits judgement. The other contestants' food were all soooooo ossum! Wow!!! Luckily the judges didn't puke when they tried mine....fuuuh

Then for the skills challenge, we were supposed to poach some eggs. This one I totally failed. Booo

Well I reckon my poached eggs did not score high in terms of skillfulness, hopefully the smiley face gave me some sympathy points.

Now THIS is how poached eggs are supposed to be like, silky smooth! Courtesy of one of the finalist who wowed even the judges.

Well its was good to know that I eventually stumbled into the finals :) Checkout the 5 finalist here

Group picture of all the contestants that day, good job peeps!

And a super big thank you to my friends who came, you peeps rock!

Some of the prizes all of us got, good end for the day :)

The finals will be held on 15th October 2011, venue is unannounced yet. Do come and support me as I will post the details up soon :)

Now, imma faint.

Bloggers MasterChef Malaysia really is a fantastic experience. But this is nothing compared to the real thing....MasterChef Malaysia!

Cant wait to see what the best of Malaysia could cook up...stay tuned to Astro Ria this month for the first episode! Details as per below:

- MasterChef Malaysia launch date – 22nd October 2011

- Show title – MasterChef Malaysia
- Program Details: – MasterChef TX will be starting from 22nd October 2011, every Saturday – Wednesday, 9.00pm. Master Class will be on every Friday, 9.00pm.

- Program channel – Astro Ria (Channel 104)

- Official Site URL – http://www.astro.com.my/MasterChef/
- Facebook Page Link- http://www.facebook.com/MasterChefMalaysia
- Twitter Link– www.twitter.com/MasterChefMY

Cant wait :D

Blogger MasterChef Malaysia Semifinals, Teaser

2011-10-04T01:08:00.008+08:00

So doggyjames went to this Blogger MasterChef thingy and competed with a great amount of equally enthusiastic and highly skilled chefs for a place in the finals of the same event....and since the pictures are still with my entourage :) here are some pictures which I took from one of the finalist, Kak Sawanila :D

Introducing the first 5 finalist for Blogger MasterChef Malaysia!

Zamimie of zamimie.blogspot.com/

Wawa of eencyweency.blogspot.com/

Falihin of falihinjasmy.blogspot.com/

And of course, Kak Sawanila of sawanila.com

And..oh yea, this dude

Wait, thats me...

I got in!!! woohoo!!! XD

More pictures and details from the day itself will follow. At the meantime, do make time on the 15th October 2011 to watch doggyjames battle it out on Blogger MasterChef Malaysia, details follow soon :D

doggyjames says...finally...those years of forced to cook to survive paid off!!! hello ladies ;)

Ireland's potato, Sunway Pyramid

2011-10-02T22:20:00.004+08:00

I have to admit at times it's not really easy to find a decent snack whenever you are in a mall. Sure you get the usual fast food outlets and thousands of different restaurants but most of them do not offer any decent snacks.

Along came Ireland's Potato, and it has fast become my go-to place for a snack whenever I am in Midvalley or Sunway Pyramid, especially before a movie....surely its better than overpriced popcorns and coke!

I was there again with a friend for our movies and of course, Ireland's Potato was our pre-movies snack. We decided to go for simple potato chips with 2 different sauces, my favorite Pickle Mayonnaise(RM8.80) and Special Cheddar Cheese (RM11.80).

The pickle mayonnaise was light with a tingling sense, which you'd get from really nice pickles. If you are one of them who likes chips with mayo, this would be an elevation of satisfaction in terms of taste. Simple yet amazing.

The special cheddar cheese was sinfully tasty. Fragrant cheddar was heated up to perfection and has that really nice pulling effect when you bite into the sauce. Imagine this with beer, truly bliss.

They of course offer more than just chips and sauces. Do give a go at their potato skins, one of the best skins for me in Malaysia. And I have heard good reviews for their chicken balls as well.

Ireland's Potato have several outlets around town, the one in Sunway Pyramid is located right outside the entrance of GSC cinema, no way you'd miss it.

Ireland's Potato, Sunway Pyramid
F1.MZN.02, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall,
No 3 Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway, Selangor.

Facebook Page

Website

doggyjames says....I believe this place would be the place to go to for most who has the hots for potatoes, finally a place who place potatoes on the grand stage :)

I Am In!!!

2011-09-28T15:41:00.003+08:00

Woohooo, got an email from Nuffnang yesterday but it was in junkbox hahaha

Guess my entry worked hehe...and a BIG thank you to everyone who supported me y'all.

Now I am allowed to bring a guest to The Cooking House in Hartamas, any volunteers? ;)

My Recipe to become Malaysia’s First Ever Blogger MasterChef !!! RAWR!!!

2011-09-25T20:27:00.016+08:00

RAWR!!!! Fear me for I will be Malaysia’s First Ever Blogger MasterChef!!!

(ignore the teddy bear apron, I couldn't find my KISS ME BABY I AM THE CHEF apron)

MasterChef Malaysia Details

MasterChef is a worldwide phenomenon. A cooking reality show, that although doesn’t allow viewers to vote, has still broken viewership records in US and Australia. MasterChef is a success because not only is Food something we are all very passionate about but the show only allows amateur cooks to compete. Malaysians who love cooking but never had a chance to really showcase their skills and be appreciated, now get the opportunity! Get ready for the MasterChef phenomenon to take over Malaysia on 22nd October 2011!

- MasterChef Malaysia launch date – 22nd October 2011

- Show title – MasterChef Malaysia
- Program Details: – MasterChef TX will be starting from 22nd October 2011, every Saturday – Wednesday, 9.00pm. Master Class will be on every Friday, 9.00pm.

- Program channel – Astro Ria (Channel 104)

- Official Site URL – http://www.astro.com.my/MasterChef/
- Facebook Page Link- http://www.facebook.com/MasterChefMalaysia
- Twitter Link– www.twitter.com/MasterChefMY

And since I did not get the chance to join Masterchef Malaysia due to my crazy schedule a couple of months back, imma come out with a BANG with Malaysia's First Blogger Masterchef! So this doggy gonna show you how to prepare one of his favorite meals! RAWR!!!

First...get doggyjames' favorite doggy biscuits and put them nicely on a bowl...

Ohwait....

Its supposed to be human food innit? Scrap the doggy treats idea then :p

Here you go then, human food. Here's doggyjames' take on steak & salad, one of my tastiest personal culinary inventions :)

Ribeye Steak on top of a bed of French Dressing Salad and Meehun.

What you need:

1 piece of steak (you can use your favorite cut of steak, I prefer Ribeye :)
1 serving of meehun or vercimelli (1 handful per person should be enough)
Rocket leaves
Cherry tomatoes
Spring Onions
clove of garlic
Onion
red chilli
coriander
lemon
Cracked blackpepper
Salt
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Egg
basil
paprika

The recipe calls for all 3 major components to be stacked up and arranged together accordingly, namely the Salad, Meehun & Steak.

So, lets start with the steak.

We do not need to marinate the steak much since I prefer to have the meat to have its OMMPH!!! beefiness. So just layer the meat with a simple mixture of 3 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar, and then put on a generous amount of salt and cracked black pepper and let it sit for 5 minutes. (you can go to the toilet if you want....wait...better not)

Heat up the pan and apply a generous amount of olive oil, its OK even if you think there are too much oil, we are going to reuse the oil later on. Gently put the steak into the pan and cook according to your prefer doneness. I like mine medium well, so its 6 minutes on one side, and 3 minutes on another. Here's an easy method to test the doneness of your steak with your hands.
No, don't put your hands into the oil....

After the steak is done, take it out and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes so the natural juices in the steak can be kept inside the meat....DO NOT KACAU THE MEAT DURING THE COOLING PERIOD!!!

Next, Let's do the meehun.

Use the left over oil from the steak and add in 1/4 onion, a clove of garlic and 1 red chilli, all finely cut so the flavours could truly showcase themselves. You can add more oil if you want but that's strictly according to your taste. Try and scrap most of the charred bits from the bottom of the pan to extract more beefy goodness. (No need to wash pan, doggyjames likes hehehe)

Next, add in the cooked meehun and stir fry them together. You can then add in salt or soy sauce for more taste and right at the end, add in the finely chopped spring onions and coriander. At this point, TRY not to curi makan...I know its hard but handcuff yourself at this point if you must.

Lastly, lets do the salad.

Wash and dry your rocket leaves and cherry tomatoes (you can use any salad leaves you want, its a free country!) and place them into a large bowl. The dressing are made stirring 4 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar, juice of 1/2 a lemon, lemon zest, basil, and just a pinch of salt and mix them well. Mix the dressing into the leaves and tomatoes and leave them there for 1-2 minutes while you prepare the last item which marries everything together...the poached egg! :D

OK...Seriously I suck at poaching eggs and this is my 3rd egg...pfft.

Lastly...5 minutes before eating...its time to put them together!!! WOOF WOOF!!! XD

First salad and meehun...

Then slice the steak into stripes...and for the chef only...eat the rest hehehe.

Then just place the steak and poached egg with a dash of paprika on top!!! :D

OK 1 more step...MAKAN!!!

BLURPPPP!!!

A wonderful meal, if I do say so myself...now NUFFNAG...Is THIS good enough to join Blogger MasterChef Malaysia ?

Oh yes, 1 last step to the recipe...when mum screams after seeing the mess in the kitchen, wash the dishes...

SO COME ON Nuffnang...Let doggyjames Cook Up a Storm as Malaysia's First Ever Blogger MasterChef!!!

...

Italian Cone Pizza, IOI Boulevard Puchong

2011-09-25T16:26:00.009+08:00

I have always been a Pizza lover all my life and once finish a 15 inch pizza all by myself during my Uni days (proud!), thats how I love my pizzas back in the days when the metabolism is still sky high. Unfortunately my appetite has not been as crazy as those days lately and it is not really easy to get a bunch of pizza loving friends to come out and share a big one together due to our work and family commitments.

This is where Italian Cone Pizza fits in, discovered when I was making my rounds at IOI Boulevard's bars.

You would not find traditionally shaped pizzas here because, well, its cone pizza! simply put the pizzas are shape as cones with the sauces, fillings and cheese fit inside a cone shaped pizza dough. An interesting concept for pizza on the go and for those who would be having their pizzas alone at times.

I was there yet again with a friend before we made our weekly rounds to the bars here and decided some Italian fare would be great for us before we get stoned on beers. We met at the place at about 3pm where there were not many patrons, placed our orders and less than 10 minutes later our food arrived. Truly good food made fast (curi slogan hehe).

I was feeling American that day and decided to go for the Classic Beef Pepperoni (RM8.90). They were really generous on the meet as each mouthful was filled with chunks of pepperoni, accompanied by their fragrant tomato paste and stringy cheese. How can anyone not love this! Becareful though as I would burn my tongue everytime I dine here, not because I was not being careful but its just too good to eat slowly! heh.

My friend decided to go for the Meatsaurous (RM9.90), which was packed with sausages, ham and pepperoni. It was a definitely hit with carnivors such as ourselves and of course, he burnt his tongue too!

With such prices, one would definitely get more than just a value meal. You would be getting great flavours and tonnes of filings, all wrapped in a convenient cone! Sets with soups and drinks are available as well for those who wants a complete meal.

Oh yeah, one more thing. Cone pizzas here comes with a plastic holder so you wont burn your hands while eating. I found out after this visit. Talk about getting pawned by a damn pizza.

Here's a map for you readers. Italian Cone Pizza Puchong is located at IOI Boulevard, facing 7 Elevens and near Paparich.

Italian Cone Pizza, IOI Boulevard Puchong
13A Ground Floor
Jalan Kenari 4
Bandar Puchong Jaya
Puchong, Selangor

Tel: 03-8070 4691

Operation Hours:
Daily 10am - 10pm

http://conepizza.com.my/

doggyjames says...a truly different way in pizzatechnology! A hidden gem if you ask me, certainly worth a try!

Thai Thai, Sunway Pyramid

2011-09-18T09:16:00.008+08:00

After a movie session with a friend during the weekends, as we were walking around Sunway Pyramid to look for dinner places we walked past Thai Thai restaurant, and immediately had our noses attracted to the aromatic spicy smell coming from the restaurant. Now despite not hungry yet because of the jumbo size caramel popcorn we had during the movie, we were intrigued and immediately decided to have our dinner right there.

I really liked the interior settings of the restaurant. There were the usual Thai paintings you'd expect to find in a Thai restaurant and yet the unique thing about this place is that it is really cozy and spacey. We sat on the side, because of the sofa and intimate setting over there. There is an outdoor seating for smokers alike, always a plus point in my books.

Being a Tom Yum soup lover, I insisted that we ordered a tomyum soup each. I decided on the TomYum Goong (RM12) and my friend decided to have the Tomyum chicken (RM10). The soup base is the same for both soups as we found out later on, the difference is only in the ingredients. The spiciness of the soup really hit the spot for me, and I ending up sweating like a pig halfway through the soup but it was sooooooo worth it! Albeit not as awesome as the real deal in Thailand, this is surely close enough for me.

As for the meal itself, we had the Deep Fried Boness Duck (RM16) as we were both intrigued by the picture. Although as usual, the real dish did not look as tantalizing as the picture, it was still very good. The fillet of duck was coated in tempura batter and was giving a quick dip in hot oil, accompanied by a sweet chili sauce. The taste of the duck was very much there and really tender.

We also ordered Kangkung Belachan (RM12) as we both love this dish. It is alright at best, as I would prefer the dish to be spicier and hoped they were more generous with the belachan.

We decided to have the Thai Iced Coffee to top off the meal and to provide some much needed caffeine for the drinking ahead. it was okay in my books though my friend really liked the gula melaka they added into the coffee.

Overall the meal was a decent one and I was more than happy to have my TomYum cravings fulfilled. The cozy settings makes this a really good place for couples and best of all, it's not really hard on the wallet!

Seriously you wouldn't need a map to Sunway Pyramid would you? Thai Thai is located next to Ole-Ole Bali and has both an entrance from inside the mall as well as outside.

Thai Thai
Lot OB-1D, Oasis Boulevard,
Sunway Pyramid.

Tel: 03-7491 9428

Operating Hours: 10am - 10pm daily

doggyjames says...a nice little Thai escape in Pyramid, easy to miss but you should try it at least once. Good review on their sticky rice mango dessert too :)

Get Drunk, Not Fat

2011-09-07T17:07:00.007+08:00

A friend of mine showed me this website recently, knowing how much of a hardcore beer tank...i mean how much i appreciate good alcoholic drinks. The website displays the calorie content for various alcoholic drinks, be it beer, spirits or cocktails. What I like about this website is that it shows the calorie to alcohol ratio for each drinks, which simply means how much calories u need to down to get sky high :)

Apparently the best drink is everclear, a 75%-95% alcohol content spirit FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU, drank neat, of course.

My favorite Strongbow cider has a score of 28.4, smack right in the middle of the chart between Kronenbourg 1664 (26.5) and Jager Bomb (47.9)...crap

Well, at least one of my favorite cocktails is placed at a healthier place with a score of 22.2 which means drink up!

Surprisingly enough, the beverage which scored the worst is Becks Non-Alcohol Beer. Figures since the beverage only has 0.3% (I wont even call it a beer, it's like calling myself Ryan Reynolds) and you need to drink A LOT just to get a little bit floaty.

The site even has a facebook page right here if you are interested.

This shows that if you wanna maintain your weight yet get sky high everyday, choose your drinks well. I've seen so many people going for light beer because they thought it's healthier to their bellies, suckers.

doggyjames says....Drink Up, Drink Wise & just down yer shots y'all!

Bangkok Trip, Part 3

2011-08-27T15:19:00.012+08:00

Continuation from Bangkok Trip, Part 2

3rd day was scheduled for sightseeing around historical places and what not. Something I am just OK with, more of a food person you see hehehe. Nonetheless, we were treated to another great breakfast of plain flat noodles soup, which reminds me of pork noodles back home, again with the awesome combination of chilli power, salt, pepper and vinegar readily available at the side.

We decided to go to the Golden Palace that day, and the best way is to take a ferry there along the Chao Phraya River. The sight was simply amazing, just look at them:

The Golden Palace was the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards, a magnificent sight if you ask me. We explored each and every little temple and buildings within the compound and of course, camwhored!

And more camwhores....

We spent who whole day there, leaving a very very tired group.

The night was spent for more shopping and since it was our last night in Bangkok, we drank like mad, AGAIN :D

The next morning we woke up and decided to have some pork noodles for breakfast before flying off, again it was an awesome breakfast :)

And left Bangkok in the afternoon...great experience :)

doggyjames says....Bangkok is truly a great city, friendly people, great culture, so much yet to explore....will be back very very soon I hope :)

Sitting Down & Stand Up?

2011-08-16T13:39:00.005+08:00

Apologies for not updating the blog for a while, been real busy (I do have a day job, which I will quit once I am Malaysia's top bloggers hahaha....meaning yea imma stuck with this day job) and could only do some occasional online reading with the phone in between errands and trips.

While I was reading through Fay Hokulani's blog (damn she's smokin' hot!), I saw an article which makes me glad imma not working in a desk-bounded job (think, accountants and admin staffs).

Surprised that the way I sit is supposed to burn more fat than the "correct way" of sitting, why still got tummy one???

click image for clearer view

*posted in LCCT Starbucks

Bangkok Trip, Part 2

2011-07-31T14:18:00.009+08:00

-Continuation from Bangkok Trip, Part 1 -

2nd day breakfast - Pad Thai & Iced Coffee in the hotel cafe because we got so drunk the night before (beer buffet, 600Baht per person, don't ask about the aftermath). I have never liked hotel food but this is really good! noodles were cooked just right, taste was tangy and flavourful, and eggs were fluffy! Even the coffee tasted great!

Here's a picture of the infamous Bangkok traffic for you, serious traffic sucks.

After crossing the road in front of our hotel, we discovered a roadside stall which sells Pork & intestines. Reminds me of Bak Kut Teh at home but the sauce is really concentrated and the meat superbly fresh and the sauce really flavourful. We couldn't help but to grab a 2nd helping of breakfast for less than 30Baht per portion!

2nd day was shopping, and shop we did! Heck I even found my long lost twin brother in Ratchaprasong.

And a really, really good lunch at MBK food court. Whatever I said about food court food, I take them back...the food here is to die for!!! And cheap! Beef Noodles, Shredded Pork, Pad Thai (yes I am addicted to Pad Thai), a big bottle of Singha and even Mango Rice desert for less than 500Baht. Awesome lah!

Spent the whole day shopping (& drinking...) and went back to the hotel....NOT forgetting another camwhore chance lah!

Shopping day 2:

Supper was at Soi Cowboy, and we left the girls in the hotel. Awesome stuff that night :)

Mizu Japanese Buffet Lunch, Taman Tun Dr Ismail

2011-07-30T13:27:00.010+08:00

Me and my highschool friends were looking up and down for a decent Japanese buffet which would not cost a bomb lately (it was the end of month) and I immediately thought of a review of this place that I saw recently. Without much hesitation, we arranged a lunch trip to Mizu and were there soon after.

I always enjoyed Japanese buffet, and this is a great steal to me and Japanese buffet lovers at RM45 per person. The concept here is ala carte buffet, which I absolutely adored because that means the food would be freshly prepared and NO FIGHTING OVER FOOD hahaha. Well that's the usual concept anyways as we soon found out that Mizu was having open buffet that day. Feeling a little bit disappointed, we went in nonetheless.

The environment inside was comfortable and cosy, and smaller compared to Japanese buffets in hotels. 20 tables at most, which is good because there would not be another 80 tables fighting over food with you :) Despite the size, food offerings are aplenty and compatible to the big ones out there. Authentic Japanese sake and beers are available as well :)

We started the meal with some oyster and sashimi slices. Oysters were decently sized but was blenched in cold water after shelling, which got rid of some of the natural fishy smell. Good for some people who could not stomach the smell, bad for me who adored it :( Sashimi slices were fresh and decently sized as well, thick slices of salmon, salmon belly, butterfish and tuna...heavenly! I loved the miso soup here too, full flavoured and aplenty :)

We then decided to go for the ala carte buffet selection, starting off with tempura prawns, vegetables and fish. The items were lightly battered and seafood was really fresh! Awesome stuff this one and best of all, no fighting over the buffet line!

We had bbq meat on sticks, salmon slices, shisamo, cawanmushi and the usual Japanese items. All of which tasted really good, certainly at least on par with them 5 star Japanese buffets in town!

2 absolutely must try items here: teppanyaki beef and salmon head. The beef were tender, fresh, naturally sweet with a hint of smokiness and paired surprising well with the teppanyaki scallops. A true surf and turf this one. Salmon head is one of my all time favourite food items and those offered here were fatty, aromatic and really fresh! Bliss!

And wrapping things up with really good green tea & sesame ice cream (was busy eating, no time to snap more pictures :D )

Mizu really offers a good Japanese dining experience with a very reasonable price tag. Loved every bit of the place, the ambiance, selection of food and the dedication the chefs showed to their food.

Here's a map for you readers. Mizu is located in TTDI Plaza, and has only one entry point behind Sense bar. Buffet lunch is offered only on weekends but I reckon their ala carte items would be fantastic too.

Mizu Japanese Fine Dining
C-2-1, TTDI Plaza,
Jalan Wan Kadir 3,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-7728 6498

facebook page

doggyjames says...wonderful Japanese buffet with a very reasonable pricetag, awesome place for gatherings.

World's 50 Most Delicious Foods

2011-07-25T11:16:00.009+08:00

"Some foods you eat to stay alive, others you eat because not to would be a crime"

was the opener for this great article here, which I agree 100%. There are your usual rice and fried chicken, which we take for granted nowadays; and there are the foods which you really need to savour before you die.

Whilst the list is really informative, and I am glad some of my favorite foods are on the list and some providing me with must-eats in the near future (mental note: kalua pig & ankimo), I strongly disagree with the country of origins for some of the foods mentioned here.

At 45th spot, Singapore Chicken Rice??? Chicken Rice originated from the Hainanese Island in China (Wen-Chang Chicken), made popular by the Chinese population in South East Asia and to a certain extant, the Malaccan Chinese community who made serve chicken rice with riceballs! Its a Malaysian thing! How dare the author says its from Singapore??? Just look at the weekend crowd in Malacca and count how many Singaporean cars are there near all the famous chicken rice restaurants in Malacca! And if you have tried Singaporean chicken rice, you had to agree that they taste like crap!

the real chicken rice, found in Malacca....how can this not be better than the Singaporean crap in the following picture?

At 35th spot, Singapore Chili Crab. Singapore again? Again our Southern dot of a friend hijacked one of the best food items from another country and claimed to be their own. Chili crab has a long history in Sri Lanka! Not "invented" 50 years ago by some Singaporean Aunty! Get your facts right you kiasu hijackers!

Chilli Crab...SRI LANKA's national treasure

Them Singaporeans are lucky that the article credits the No.7 food item to Penang, Malaysia. Penang Assam Laksa FTW! Your hijacked food items can't even make it to the top 10, and we did, so there! :p

Penang Laksa kicks ass!

Whilst there are some clear mistakes in the article, do have a go at the article, really informative and would open our eyes to the world's best cuisines!

doggyjames says...Chicken Rice is sooooooooooooo Malaysian lor! And how come Bak Kut Teh & Nasi Lemak is not on the list?

Bangkok Trip, Part 1

2011-07-17T14:54:00.012+08:00

Long, long, long overdue post...

Me and some buddies had decided to go on a guys trip (well WAS a guys trip until some of us accidentally told his girl about the trip, which turned into an everyones invited trip) to Bangkok late last year, for some good old shopping, eating and just plain having a good time in a totally different city.

Left LCCT in the morning, flight was delayed but spirits were high!

Reached Bangkok just after lunch, after checking into the hotel we went to our highly anticipated 1st meal in Bangkok - McDonalds haha for their Samurai burger! Seriously though its crap

But the coffee stand outside McD made up for it. Packed full of strong coffee taste, freshly brewed from a chart and its better than any standard Starbucks sizes, AND it cost 350 Baht! Beat that Starbucks!

Oldmen managed to camwhore at the BTS train station.

Went to Chatuchak market for some much needed shopping therapy right after McD lunch, it was hot hot hot but lots of fun!

Saw some relatives there as well, infamous Chatuchak pets markets, cute lah!

Food at the market was fantastic! Got some freshly grilled prawns and beer for early dinner, not to mention all the various food stalls in the market.

Suckiti suck suck

Found a stall selling coconut ice cream, fantastic stuff this one!

1st day shopping evidence

We went to Sukhumvit for supper and late night drinking after going back to the hotel for some much needed rest. Did not bring my camera for obvious reasons (snatch thieves....yea...thats my reason...ahem)

*stay tuned for Bangkok Trip, Part 2

Ninja Joe, Tropicana City Mall

2011-07-16T14:12:00.011+08:00

All of us are guilty of being frequent fast food customers whether it's McDonalds, Burger King, Carl's Jr or Ramli burger. Whilst these fast food joints provide us with a quick solution to our daily munchies, I do crave a real good, juicy NON-HALAL burger every once in a while, which is priced reasonably.

In comes Ninja Joe, one of the newest burger joints in town serving fast food style pork burgers. And whilst I have been frequenting this joint for a good year or so now, it was recently during a intoxicated night out with a couple of buddies that I had the chance to review Ninja Joe's at Tropicana City Mall.

And boys being boys, we decided to go all out to prep us up for the boozy night ahead. On top of personal sets, we ordered 6 ninjas (RM23.90) as well, with all 6 sauces (original, teriyaki, black pepper, oriental, sweet & sour and spicy). These little burgers are great for sharing, though they can be enjoyed individually with fries and drinks. Build up is simple, just sauces, lettuce, tomato and a piece of juicy aromatic pattie sanwiched in a buttered bun. Simple build up, great taste. Love it!

I decided to have the Brucely burger for myself, with bacon & cheese added in and also drinks and fries (RM15.40). There are only 2 choices of drinks here, ice lemon tea or green tea which are welcomed alternatives to the usual cokes and pepsis. This is definitely the best burger here for me, instead of pork patties, they used a tick slice of pork cutlet and the bacon is aromatic & juicy, fantastic stuff! The fries are alright at best though.

My buddies decided to go for the big boss with bacon & cheese, paired fries and drinks too (RM 13). Made up of a large piece of pattie, lettuce, tomato, onion and an egg, the taste comes together perfectly. Add in a bacon, oh boy its heaven in your mouth. Another fantastic combination!

Needless to say the burgers here really prep us up for the rest of the night. 9 burgers, 3 guys, no problem!

Here's a map of Trpicana City Mall for you readers. Ninja Joe is located at LG, near the pet shop and entrance to the car park.

Ninja Joe @ Tropicana City Mall
(Non Halal)
LG 18, Tropicana City Mall,
No.3, Jalan ss20/27,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor DE

Tel: 03-7725 0834

Opening Hours:
Daily 10am - 10pm

Other Locations:
The Gardens Mall Midvalley, Sunway Pyramid

doggyjames says...though it's not the best pork burger in town, definitely worth a try! Wont be having McD anytime soon hehe

Plan B, Bangsar Village 1

2011-07-09T15:21:00.013+08:00

Plan B is one of the hottest restaurants in Bangsar currently, and it is easy to see why. I was there recently for a quiet dinner after an event with a friend and she suggested we have dinner there, which is fine by me as I have never been there before despite all the hype.

Set in Bangsar Village I, Plan B was packed when we got there. We were lucky to grab a table without waiting as a couple was just leaving when we got there. I like the decos and the overall feel of the place, looks really sophisticated yet comfortable.

Food was prepared and served really fast over here, which never fails to get my thumbs up. The first dish to arrive was the ceasar salad (RM 18) without any add ons. You can choose to add on grilled chicken or smoked salmon, but my dinner date insisted we try it as is. And how right she was. The poached egg was perfect as the runny yolks provided a really nice background to the sale, which has freshly grated parmesan cheese, anchovies and crispy beef stripes. Everything complimented each other and this is definitely one of the best ceasar salads I've had.

I ordered the beef tongue sandwich (RM18), which I was surprised to find here. Beef tongue is one of the best cuts of a cow for me, as the texture is soft yet chewy, and incredibly beefy. The beef tongue here was exactly that, and did not fall under my expectations at all. A prefect match with horseradish and mustard. Sweet potato chips and pickled cucumbers which came with it added a nice touch to the whole dish.

The Moroccan Lamb Meatballs Spaghetti (RM19) was good as well, though I prefer my spaghetti to be done al-dante. Over here, its the standard al-Asian - the pasta was overcooked and too soft for me. The meatballs however was a work of art for me, it was juicy, well cooked with a hint of cumin, cinnamon and other various spices which works harmoniously in the mouth. The smoked eggplants were fantastic too!

Price wise, I think it's one of the best value for money places in town. All 3 dishes we had today did not even exceed RM20 and yet they taste tremendously well. Do try the cakes here as well as I heard they were extremely well.

Here's a map of Bangsar Village I for you readers. Plan B is located at the G floor of BV1, next to Starbucks.

Plan B
(no pork served)
Ground Floor, Bangsar Village 1,
Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2287 2630

Opening Hours:
daily 8am - 10pm

doggyjames says...a really nice spot in Bangsar, offering some of the best value for money and yummiest dishes in town!

Blogger Sports Carnival with CityGolf, Bangsar Shopping Centre

2011-07-06T15:36:00.006+08:00

I was lucky enough to be invited to Nuffnang's Bloggers Sports Carnival at CityGolf, Bangsar Shopping Centre lately. Being a (used to be) keen golfer, my golfing experiences in Malaysia is only limited to less than 10 visits to public golf courses in the country and weekends spent in driving ranges. So when I got the invitation from Nuffnang needless to say I was more than thrilled :D

What attracted me was the golf simulators here. I have only heard about these babies before this and have yet to try for myself. Besides golfing games there were pool competition and darts as well, in which I tried my paws at also, heh.

Take a look at CityGolf, the only place in town where you can golf and have a cold beer right after work, without facing the sun!

OK la if you wanna have a smoke or play some darts, you might have to face the sun.

Friendly bar staffs too!

The event started with us trying out the simulators and having a drink at the bar. Some finger food from courtesy of La Bodega were prepared for us.

Cheap beers too during happy hours!

Tried my luck at golf....got a pretty good score and was 1st place :D

For about 5 minutes...then I was pushed to the back....

So I tried my luck at pool...and lost...

Then tried...darts...and lost...@#$^^^$!!!

Congratz to the winners though :)

It was a really fun experience for me, being able to have a go at the golf simulators and meeting so many bloggers at once. I am even considering signing up as a member of CityGolf :D

CityGolf
4th floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre
285 Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya,
Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2282 0011

website

doggyjames says...a truly unique place for you golfers out there, certainly a welcomed change to the usual GCCs we are used to :D

Medan Ikan Bakar, Muara Sungai Duyung, Melaka

2011-07-03T13:42:00.013+08:00

During the first 2 years of my working career I was constantly driving down to Melaka for roadshows and promotions for the company and luckily enough was introduced to this hidden little gem by my then-colleagues (present-friends). Boasting fresh seafood right from the Straits of Malacca and the perfect cooking methods, this place certainly IS one of the best ikan bakar places in Melaka. Luckily enough, I was able to visit this place again during a working trip down to Melaka recently with some colleagues.

Choices of seafood here are aplenty. from fresh snappers, stingrays to calamari to various shellfishes. Modus Operandi here is pretty simple, just choose your seafood and let the counter guys know what kind of cooking method you preferred (I recommend bakar without anything so you can savour the freshness of the seafood) and just wait a little while for your food to arrive.

A tip for you: you would not need any plates whilst dining here. Just use the nasi lemak packs (RM0.60). Whilst simple, the rice is really fragrant and the sambal just spicy enough to tickle your tastebuds, providing the welcomed company to the fresh seafoods. The sauce, made from kicap manis ABC, lime juice, shallots, belacan and chilli is simply amazing, goes perfectly with any seafood on offered here.

During this visit, me and a couple of colleagues decided on red snapper, calamari and cockles. The red snapper (RM28) was done ala bakar cili and it was really, really fresh. the natural sweetness of the fish was simply amazing and when matched with the sauce, is really an orgasmatic gangbanging experience in your mouth.

The fried calamari (RM12?) is probably the one MUST HAVE over here. Simply battered and deep friend, the outer crust of was crispy and the calamari itself was tender, sweet, chewy and best of all, not overcooked and was just right.

The cockles (RM10?) were simply boiled with lemongrass, which provides a welcomed fragrant background to the dish. A pity I tend to avoid cockles for health reasons but my colleagues loved it and commented that the cockles was the freshest they ever had.

I can't really remember the exact price of each dish but the bill came to RM66 for 3 of us. Not too bad a price considering we had at least RM10 worth of drinks as well. Value for money? Definitely! Try coming early before 6pm otherwise it is almost impossible to get a seat or better yet, come after 8pm and you will have the whole night to enjoy your meal.

Here's a map and better yet, GPS coordinates for you readers. The place is really remote and not easy to find. Try going along Jalan Padang Temu from Melaka Town until you reach a quiet Malay fishing village, looking for a river with fishing boats along it and a small road on your right, turn in and drive for about 1 KM, Medan Ikan Bakar Muara Sungai Duyung is the first shop you see.

Medan Ikan Bakar Muara Sungai Duyung, Melaka
(Halal)
KM 4-5, Jalan Padang Temu,
Permatang Pasir, Melaka

GPS Coordinates: N211.166, E10216.997

Tel: 012-636 2339 (Pak Azmi)

Opening Hours: 5pm - 12am (not sure if they have rest days or not, but every time I go there they are open)

doggyjames says....certainly a hidden gem of Melaka, please I beg of you try it at least once!

Gay Receipt

2011-06-30T18:18:00.004+08:00

doggyjames says... 'nuff said

My Nose is Slutty

2011-06-27T13:30:00.005+08:00

If you are like me, really sensitive to bad air and suffer from what I call a leaky nose, this Vicks inhaler would be your best friend.

Its like sniffing powder, only more intense lol (so I heard. No. Seriously).

Then in my screwed up mind, I saw this:

It clearly says "Clears stuffy nose due to cold" but I saw slutty nose.

Hmmm...I mean it does get wet easily and enjoyed being poked by what seems to be a miniature giant vibrator...

doggyjames says...I have a slutty nose now

TJ Haus, Subang Jaya

2011-06-26T14:03:00.010+08:00

TJ Haus has been a household name for Subangites for years now for their take on what we know as "western food". From the days when our knowledge of western food only stretch as far as chicken chops and fish n' chips, TJ Haus has been dishing out authentic European cuisines at a small corner of the neighbourhood and quite frankly, is the place where I had my first experience of a true western meal as a kid ages ago.

I went there recently with a couple of friends for dinner as they were craving for western food that night. The place was packed full as it was father's day that day (I am celebrating father's day the week after because I did not wanna join in the overwhelming crowd that day....OK fine I forgot to book a table for my dad). Each of us have out favorites there as we are all Subangites and our food arrived less than 20 minutes later. Not too bad for a packed night. I particularly love the decor of the place, very old school and reminds me of some of the neighbourhood restaurants in Europe.

I particularly like their staircase, which is define by many as stairway to food heaven :)

We started off with a typical Venetian appetiser, the beef carpaccio (RM18). The thinly sliced beef tenderloin were given a treatment of tangy Italian vinaigrette and served with greens and pine nuts. The meat was tender and fresh, combines beautifully with the sauce. I could do without the garlic bread but I guess those are for the ones who cant really take raw beef on its own. A perfect start to the meal I'd say.

The first main was the Provence style loin of lamb(RM28). 2 pieces of lamb loin covered in herb & garlic brown sauce served with beef bacon long beans and roasted potatoes. The sauce was a little bit too salty for me but my friends loved it. The lamb was freed of any unpleasant lamb-by taste and the vegs compliment the meat really well. I particularly loved the crisp, flavouful beans.

Next was the Irish lamb stew (RM18), lamb cubes stewed with fresh vegetables in its own stock. The stew was really flavorful and packs a nice ommph! great with a piece of bread to soak up all the goodness. What I really liked is that the stew itself was not too thick, giving enough room for the meat and veg to showcase themselves.

I ordered the Grilled barramundi fillet with olive pesto served with herb roasted potatoes and veg (RM28). The fillet of barramundi was really fresh and the home made pesto really helped bring out its fresh flavours. One of the best fish dishes in Subang? I would vote for that :)

And what's an authentic western meal without some nice cold beer? :) I had a pint of Ordinger beer (RM12), which is a German beer with 8% alcohol content.

Here's a map for you readers. TJ Haus is located at ss18 along the end of NPE, near ss15 Subang.

TJ Haus
27A, ss18/1B,
Subang Jaya, Selangor DE.

Tel: 03-5636 4508

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 11am - 2pm
Dinner: 6pm - 11pm

Closed every 1st & 3rd Mondays of the month

doggyjames says...a really quiet and well hidden western restaurant which offers great choice of food and a private environment. Good place for your first date!

Poop Burger...?

2011-06-23T16:43:00.003+08:00

Hungry? Well you might fancy a POOP BURGER, created by – who else, a Japanese researcher.

The “meat” is processed from protein and lipids extracted from the excrements – then made more savory by adding soya and steak sauce. Scientist Mitsuyuki Ikeda believes that at some point in time, people will be open to the idea of having a poop sandwich.

He admits that “some people” may have a psychological aversion to eating artificial meat made of their own poop at first, but thinks many would be open to personally completing the food chain. He also notes that the burgers are extremely low in fat.

Not covered in the article, however, is feedback from Mr Ikeda on the taste of the meat.

doggyjames says...this recycling business is getting outta hand...

*article shameless hijacked from miketee.net

6 2 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak, Aman Suria PJ

2011-06-07T09:03:00.012+08:00

I was first introduced to this famous little western eatery by my colleagues from my first job, almost 5 years ago when we were attending a founction in SinChew office. I vaguely remember that was easily one of my most enjoyable lunch experiences as the food were pretty good & hearty, plus my bosses paid :D And when I found out that they were relocating to Aman Suria after one of my my daily gymming sessions, I knew I just have to try out the place with mah gym buddies!

So yesterday after gym me & Mike decided to go over there because he is on a Paleo diet and western foods provide lotsa dishes for this diet (which failed his diet later after some persuasion from me to try their famous nasi lemak). We reached around 9.30pm and found that the place was still quite packed with people, a proof that 6 2 10 still has a loyal following of crowds. Always a good thing to see.

6 2 10 has always been known for their pork nasi lemaks and western dishes. Mike decided to order the grilled chicken with brown sauce (RM14.50) because he reckons its a good paleo meal (refer above). Thats when the salesperson in me came in and insisted that he try the nasi lemak with pork as well, and the IT guy gave in hehehe. The chicken came first and certainly looked good. Chicken thighs were preferred instead of breast because naturally the cut has more flavours in it and for you who reckons chicken breast are healthier, the difference in calories is only less than 100. Why substitute great taste for such a tiny amount of calories? The piece was juicy & tender, just how a good piece of grilled chicken should taste like. fries were good too as I suspect they use natural cut fries instead of industrial ones. The brown sauce however could be a tad thicker and saltier.

I ordered the beef stew (RM16.70) and it arrived less than 10 minutes later. The stew has a very thick & beefy taste and has the scent of rosemary and thyme, just the perfect herbs to have with beef. I could taste that they use shoulder meat and has bits of beef tendons in it, remarkable combination. The meat was cooked for a long time I am sure as the pieces were soft and tender, and has a very please "off the bone" texture. Complimentary garlic bread were given and they did a great job sucking up all the leftover stew, good stuff!

The final dish was the best of the lot, Nasi Lemak with pork sambal (RM8.50). We wanted to order the pork rendang instead but it was sold out....come earlier next time!!! Nonetheless, the pork sambal taste great too, minced pork fried with sambal which is similar to Nam Phrik or Thai minced pork, something I really like. goes well with their fragrant nasi lemak, and spicy sambal. a winner this one.

Special request from Mike: "eh let me have a cameo appearance on your blog lah!"

So here is Mike sapu-ing 2 dishes at the same time...at night...after gym...and he still has his 6pacs! I hate him.

Food here is as good as I remembered 5 years ago at their old shoplot in Section 17, although the price has gone up a little bit, which is fine by me. The environment is certainly much better and its a really quite a comfortable place to makan. I would recommend their grilled fish & mixed grill as well, and of course their rendang prok & curry chicken to go with the nasi lemak. Beer is served too and BYO wines are welcomed.

Here's a map for you readers. If you are coming from LDP, turn left once you see St. Ignatious Church @ Kelana Jaya on your left. go straight all the way until you see Kayu restaurant on your right. Turn in with Kayu on your left and you'll see 6 2 10 on your left, a corner lot. parking is fine here at night but can be painful during working hours.

6 2 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak
C-21, Jalan PJU 1/45, Aman Suria
Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 012-601 9976 Eric

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday
Lunch 12pm - 2.30pm (Weekends open at 11an)
Dinner 6pm - 11pm
Closed on Tuesdays

doggyjames says...a really really good place for your western & nasi lemak needs, too bad they stopped their Sec17 shop but this one can be the next makan icon of Aman Suria :D

Tajudin Nasi Briyani, Medan Pasar Kuala Lumpur

2011-06-05T08:43:00.011+08:00

When it comes to food, I am undoubtedly a rice person (China-man mah!). And when it comes to the different varieties and preparation methods of rice, Nasi Briyani is undoubtedly ranked among the highest in terms of taste in my books. I am very fortunate to be working near one of the best Nasi Briyani stalls in KL, namely Tajudin Nasi Briyani in Medan Pasar.

This humble little nasi briyani stall has been the ultimate GO TO place for workers around Medan Pasar. Located in a back alley, kindly disregard hygienic and comfortable surroundings if you plan to eat here but trust me, the food is absolutely to die for.

The speciality here is their nasi briyani with fried chicken, which cost RM5. thats right, freaking 5 ringgit? Where to find in KL??? The meal comes with their signature smabal, which is smooth and sweet and not spicy at all along with fresh cucumber slices. I usually order a side of sambal eggs as well as I love some eggs with my lunch. The rice is very aromatic with a hint of saffron, and is really soft and fluffy, absolutely how good nasi briyani should taste like.

The fried chicken here smells absolutely impressive. I suspect they use kampong chicken as the meat is lean yet tender, and of course very very juicy. Make sure you load up the fried chicken skins & flour leftovers or charcoal bits as I like to call them. heh.

As for the smooth sambal, its definitely one of the best sambals I've ever tasted. The lack of hotness in this sambal compliments the rice really well without overpowering it. For those who prefers something with an extra kick, various curry sauces and extra hot sambals are available for you as well.

Besides fried chicken, Tajudin offers a lot more choices of meat as well, such as mutton, quail, fish and squid. They also serve roti canai in the mornings too.

Tajudin is realy a great find in the middle of KL, offering great food which comes with modest pricing. I personally go there every single week for lunch. So note that parking is non existing there and its absolutely packed during lunch as there are less than 15 seats there. I normally go there around 12 or 3pm just to beat the lunch crowd.

Here's a map for you readers. The place is really hard to locate if you are not familiar with the area. It's located between the old OCBC byuilding and a stationary shop, opposite a money changer shop. Look for the fruit stall facing the main road and Tajudin is just next to it.

Nasi Briyani Tajudin

Lorong Bandar 13 off Jalan Tun HS Lee,
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 012-265 3653/ 016-602 3737 (Mr. Tajudin)

Opening Hours:
10am - 4pm

doggyjames says...a great hidden gem in the middle of KL, this warrants a place on my TOP 10 Malaysian makan places, you die die must try!

Marco's Pizza, Kelana Jaya

2011-06-01T21:08:00.008+08:00

Whenever I drive along the LDP highway Marco’s pizza would always attract my attention, and to think that I have been driving past the place for the most of my working life and yet not visiting the place is just horrible. So one day me and a couple of friends decided to visit Marco’s for dinner after work.

Marco’s Pizza is really easy to spot but parking can be a bitch over there. The interior of the restaurant is quite nice, cooling and quite spacious and most importantly, quite clean as well. I was a bit surprised by the lack of customers during dinner time though, only us and another 2 tables.

We decided to go with 2 regular pizzas with soups and garlic bread for all 3 of us. The wild mushroom soup and garlic breads were the first to arrive. Soup was fresh with chunky bits of mushroom in it. Really nice and how a real mushroom soup is supposed to be: mushroom, water and cream, then mixed up. The taste however was a little bit too plain for me, and I had to add in some salt. Still a very good bowl of soup however.

The garlic bread was the show stopper here, surprisingly enough. Unlike those found in supermarket freezers, it was made fresh in the kitchen. Herb butter on fresh baguettes, simply awesome. Goes superbly with the soup.

Little less than 10 minutes later, our pizzas arrived. Marco’s Supreme is topped with smoked beef pepperoni, beef salami, turkey ham, capsicums, mushroom, onions, black olives, with mozzarella cheese & napolitana sauce. The combination worked well together, and it was loaded with cheese, a plus point when it comes to pizzas for me J Funny enough the smell were not as strong as I wold like it, but a good pizza nonetheless.

The other pizza was Marco’s which has turkey ham, mozzarella cheese, napolitana sauce with an egg on top. We ordered this because it reminded us of the famous Aussie pizza in Australia, which always comes with an egg on top. This however was a little bit of a let down for us. The egg were overcooked and became too chewy, a real no-no for me. The rest of the pizza however was good. Nice thin crust with a nice crunch and the sauce was just right, not too acidic and overpowering.

All in all it was a good meal for us. Pizzas here comes in 2 sizes on the ala carte menu: 9 inches & 12 inches though personal sizes are available for combo & lunch deals. 9 inch pizzas start from RM18.80 & the large ones start from RM26. The mushroom soup & garlic breads are priced at RM8.80 each.

Here's a map for you readers. Marco’s pizza is clearly visible from LDP highway when you reach Kelana Jaya, just after the church on your left if you are coming from Puchong and opposite the Kelana Jaya LRT station. They have another branch at Bangsar Village too.

Marco's Pizza, Kelana Jaya

81-85, Jalan ss25/2,

Taman Bukit Emas, Petaling Jaya,

Selangor DE.

Tel: 03-7803 5000

facebook page

Opening Hours:

10am - 10pm daily

Doggyjames says…a nice place which serves good pizzas for an affordable prize.