All Bout Food: 2009

Monday, December 28, 2009

A food journey through Malaysia - August 2009

I took a trip back to Malaysia in August 2009. The story of my travel will be told by the food I ate.

The first meal I had on my trip was on board Malaysia Airlines. I chose the Nasi Briani. Apparently, this is cooked to the recipe of Tun Abdul Razak, the second prime minister of Malaysia. It was quite good for airline food. As usual, there wasn't enough rice.

Nasi Briani

Upon arriving at Kuala Lumpur, I went to Pelita in Petaling Jaya and has my first taste of authentic roti chanai in a while. I also ordered the Indian rojak and teh tarik. What can I say? They were all delicious.

Roti Chanai and Teh Tarik

Indian Rojak

The next morning I had to have my favourite breakfast, curry mee. I went to the Lorong Seratus Tahun curry mee coffee shop in Petaling Jaya. I was surprised to find out that this place is now halal! While the curry mee is still good, it was not as good as before.

Chilli oil which is what "makes or breaks" the standard of curry mee

Malaysian Tea or simply "Teh"

It was off to my hometown Teluk Intan. Mumu prepared "Sambal Udang and Petai." I love this dish and my mum's is the best. Petai is an acquired taste and it makes your urine smell for a day or two.

Mum's Sambal Petai

From Teluk Intan we went on to Penang where I stayed at the G Hotel. I love this hotel. The rooms are spacious and the location is excellent.

The Gurney Drive Hawker Centre is virtually next to the Hotel. We went there for dinner. The food was not particularly good this time. In the past you could sit anywhere in the hawker centre but in this place to order from a stall in order to sit at "their tables." Problem is, it's hard to know whose table is whose.

I believe this is the famous gurney drive Char Keow Teow

Assam Laksa

Tau Hwa

The next meal was at "Song River" coffee shop. This place is also along Gurney Drive. Again, the food was a bit of a dissapointment.

Song River Hokkien Mee. It is usually good but this time it was not

Beef and Chicken Satay

Lor Bak

BBQ Chicken Wings

Otak Otak

The next breakfast was at the G Hotel. The G Hotel breakfast is not as elaborate as some of the others I have had there was still a good selection. Here are some of the food available. As Malaysia is a Muslim country, bacon is not served in any major hotel.

Congee With "Eu Char Koay"

Fried Eggs "Sunny Side Up"

Coffee and Guava Juice

Scrambled Eggs

Haha.. A mix of Nasi Lemak, Baked Beans and Sausages. Oh .. and Lor Bak!

What is a holiday if you don't catch up with old friends? A friend suggested we have lunch at a Thai restaurant in Nagore Place (near the old Great World Park.) I think the name of the restaurant is "Chilli." The food is good and the price was quite reasonable at Ringgit 200 for 7 person (by Australian standard. I don't know about Malaysian.)

Some kind of otak otak dish

Vegetables

Fish in Tom Yum sauce

Nangka (Jackfruit) dessert

Pandan Chicken

Prawn and Vermicelli

Salad with Sambal. I had forgotten about this vegetable. We don't have it in Australia.

Thai Omelette

Dinner that night was at a coffee shop in Burmah Road (junction of Macalister Lane.) I think the name is "Hai Aun." In the day time, the place serves hawker fare but at night it serves rice and dishes. The food is not as good as yo would expect in Penang but still good.

Tau Kwa, pring onions and Prawns. I cook this dish at home as well.

Pork Chop Hainan Style

Assam Curry Fish

Fried Chicken (Inche Kabin) with fried toasts

Choy Sum and Prawns

That same night I went for supper at a Nasi Kandar coffee shop on Burmah Road. I was not actually hungry but more "greedy."

Nasi Kandar. Rice, fried chicken, fish curry and okra (ladies fingers.) The nasi kandar at this place is delicious!

Having already tried the curry mee in Petaling Jaya, it was now time to taste the original in Lorong Seratus Tahun in Penang. This one definitely tastes better than the one in PJ, and much cheaper!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Grilled Fish

After watching "Master Chef" on TV I was inspired to whip up some seafood dish of my own.

This is the end result.

Grilled Pink Snapper with fried Cray meat.

Some Salsa, avocado, fried sweet potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, green beans, brocollini and mash.

Restaurant in Sembawang 25/4/09

A friend of my flying days who is now a Captain with SIA took me and other flying school classmates to a restaurant he guaranteed was very good. It better be as it was way out in Sambawang. Parking was a bit tricky on a Saturday night but we managed to find a spot. We had to walk a bit though. True to his word every dish the chef brought was delicious.

The ladies fingers was sold out. My friend said that was delicious as well.

Sweet and Sour Pork. Not too oily. Well cooked.

Stuffed eggplant.

This porkbelly stewed with preseved vegetable (mui choi) was a hot.

The star of the night. Steamed "Soon Hock" fish head. The head was full of snow white tender meat.

Another favourite of the night. Sambal kangkong.

Singapore Putien Chinese Restaurant 23/4/09

A friend took us out for dinner at Putien Restaurant in Kitchener Road. I thoroughly recommend this place. The food is fresh and delicious. We had two appetisers, iced bitter gourd with honey and cold sliced pork. I believe the price is quite reasonable although we "kena belanja" and didn't pay.

Putien's Website

The herbal prawn soup was different and tasty. I wouldn't have imagined a prawn soup but it was well done.

We had honey glazed pork, crispy chicken, steamed fish, sizzling tofu, sweet and sour pork and a vegetable.

Food Republic Food Court Singapore 22/04/09

First day in Singapore so any local food is good! We landed at 3:30 am so checked into Crowne Plaza at Terminal Three. In the morning we went down to level B2 and found .. "FOOD REPUBLIC." Eventually we realised that this food republic is everywhere.. Vivo City, Orchard Road. The stalls are consistent and the food nice and clean.