What's For Dinner?

Please take a number

2009-06-24T10:26:00.008-05:00

Dear foodies,

My apologies for the long hiatus. Currently attempting to finish up my final semester of grad school. Ah, the trials and tribulations of an indentured monkey!

Will update with more om nom nom food porn whenever I can.

Meanwhile, here's a homemade peach bellini while you wait.

Only in Alsace

2008-07-19T04:27:00.005-05:00

As I was traveling in the town of Colmar, in the Alsace region of France, with my friends, I had a good laugh when I saw this:

It reminded me of the bazillion roundabouts we have back home. But this one is better, there's a mini vineyard in the middle of it. Mmmmm....grapey!!!

Dreamin' of The Rhein

2008-07-18T22:35:00.001-05:00

What I would give to be in Köln right now....

I'd be sipping ice cold Kölsch on a lazy river cruise down The Rhein...

and savoring every drop of the magnificent view...

Bliss...

Long Overdue Post

2008-06-26T00:28:00.002-05:00

Hey folks, sorry I haven't updated my blog in such a long time. I've been busy with school, work and travelling. I just got back from Europe a couple weeks ago. Had a blast touring with the orchestra in Germany, France, and Switzerland. I also got to hangout with my brother in Manchester and met up with some good friends at London. When I found out King Tut's exhibition was in town, I was so stoked!!! I had to extend my stay there just so I could go to the exhibit and go to Camden Market. The best part of my London trip was Borough Market, one of London's oldest market. I had really good Jamon Iberico. OMG, all I'll say is it's like butter. It just melts in your mouth....or rather...my mouth. I bought some as a gift. If I could get away with it, I'd bring a whole leg back in my luggage!!!

Quick updates on my take on what's happening in the food scene

Read this on NY Times yesterday, pissed me off really bad. Geez!!! I can't believe they're closing down the mill!! I'm sure they'll still use the White Lily label but it won't be the same. Sigh.
So, Stephanie won Top Chef 4. She and Richard were my top 2 choices.
My favorite and most beloved radio show, The Splendid Table, won the James Beard Award for Best Radio Food Show. I have every episode on on ipod. Lynne Rossetto Kasper, you rock my Saturdays!!!
It's no surprise that Grant Achatz, from the famed Alinea of Chicago, won Outstanding Chef Award.
Isaac Becker (112 Eatery), Tim McKee (La Belle Vie), and Alex Roberts (Restaurant Alma) were nominated for Best Chef in the midwest. However, Adam Siegel ( Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro, Milwaukee) won the award. I checked out their menu...hmmm...very small. I would like to see one of our Minneapolis guy win the award. I know they do good work!!!
I finally got to eat at the newly reopened Cafe Levain. They have a wonderful tasting menu (including a vegetarian one) on Sundays. I didn't get to taste everything as I had to leave early but my favorite was the cold English Pea soup and the perfectly grilled scallops. Service was great. Thank you Chef Adam and his staff for the wonderful experience. Do drop by there. If you have room for dessert, drop by my favorite ice-cream haunt, Pumphouse Creamery, located around the corner from Cafe Levain and Turtle Bread Company. They have the to-die-for Sea Salt Caramel with Candied Pecans (pronounced P-cans). I had a scoop on Friday night and had to stop by there for another fix on Saturday. I got a friend hooked to it too. She had two cones on the same night and refused to share, lol!

Top Chef Season 4

2007-11-09T23:08:00.000-06:00

According to seriouseats.com they have already begun filming....in Chicago. I'm so excited! I've been following top chef since it started. I'm looking forward to the new season.

ps. Meghan's Blaaaah has photos.

Tsukiji Market Sushi Breakfast

2007-09-11T14:26:00.000-05:00

Sushi breakfast. Just the perfect meal after wandering around Tsukiji all morning.

Toro, amaebi, some kind of clam, ~~Shamu the Whale~~ Kujira, Grilled Toro

Anago (sea eel) - yummy!

Close up shot of the toro. It was very fresh but not as tender as I thought it would be.

For dessert, squid ink ice-cream. It doesn't taste weird at all.

I bet you're probably wondering, "That's all she ate?" Nuh huh!!! I had lots of sushi and sashimi there (didn't see fugu on the menu though). Unfortunately, I was so hungry that I only remembered to take a couple of pics!!

I highly recommend the sushi breakfast after visiting the Tsukiji market. Do check out the other wholesale stores there too. I managed to find moon salt at a specialty salt shop.

As I'm occupied with grad school at the mo, I won't be able to update as often. I'll try my best, k?

Laters.

McWHAT?

2007-09-11T14:24:00.000-05:00

Yes, folks. They have McPork in Japan!!!

Acadia Cafe, Minneapolis

2007-03-30T23:15:00.003-05:00

http://www.acadiacafe.com/

1931 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403-3747
(612) 874-8702

Here I am, on a Friday night, searching for some grub, internet connection, and shelter from the rain. I was pleasantly greeted by the sound of music from the theater located on the side of the cafe and, of course, the great lineup of beers on tap behind the counter! When I saw that they had root beer on tap, I just had to try it. I was feeling a little hungry as well. So, I ordered the vegan veggie salad (guacamole, sprouts, tomatoes, onion, and lettuce on an onion bun. It came with a side of potato chips. Total came to $5.99 ($1.99 for the pint of root beer). All of this comes bundled with free wi-fi. Sweet!

My only complain is that they close too early. Midnight on a Friday???? But...but...but they serve beer!!! Oh well. I still like this place. I'll definitely come back here again. Maybe not an hour before they close.

How To Make Vanilla Extract

2006-06-11T02:57:00.001-05:00

Being an avid baker and foodie, I'm always in search of a quality ingredients for my epicurean adventures. I remember when I was baking back home in Malaysia, it was always difficult to find GOOD vanilla extract. Most of store bought stuff have food dye, sugar and a bunch of unknown ingredients added. If you read closely at some labels, some read vanilla essence, vanilla flavoring or artificial vanilla extract. Yuck!!!

Several years ago, I ordered some online. I moved several times in the past 6 years and totally forgot about the vanilla extract till last year when I organized a bake sale to raise funds for hurricane victims. Wow, the aged vanilla extract really made the difference!!!

Last Christmas, a colleague gave me some vanilla extract her parents got from Mexico. Sorry to say, it was not to my liking. I tried searching for that vanilla extract company I purchased from several years ago but their website now sells arts and craft. That's too bad :(

After doing some research, I decided to make my own vanilla extract. It's not difficult to make although it's difficult to find good and fresh vanilla beans. Good vanilla beans must moist, pliable and have an oily sheen on the outside. Avoid buying vanilla beans from the grocery store. You might want to try a gourmet food store or from a reputable online specialty store.

Here are some ingredients and items you'll need.

Alcohol (vodka, brandy)
Vanilla bean (preferably Madagascar)
Airtight bottle or jar

Most recipe used this ratio - 1 vanilla bean to 1/2 or 2/3 cup alcohol

I used a 750ml bottle of vodka. It's somewhere between 3-4 cups.

I did not skimp on the vanilla bean since I got a good deal on some organic Madagascar vanilla beans. Some people choose to cut up the beans to 1 inch segments but I chose to cut a slit on the bean. Careful not to cut too deep or you'll end up getting the seeds on the cutting board.

Insert the beans into the bottle of vodka.

Seal the bottle. Label it with today's date and store it in a cool dark place for a minimum of 4-6 months. Best is 1-2 years. Check on it every once in awhile. Don't worry about the sediments floating in the bottle. You can strain it out when you transfer the extract to another bottle(s). You can buy glass bottles from craft shops. Get the ones with the airtight lids. Tie a ribbon around the bottle and stick it in a basket with some homemade goodies.....Viola!!! One less Christmas present to worry about. Have a baker/foodie in the family and not sure what to get them? They will appreciate the homemade vanilla extract :)

Mee Hoon Kueh

2006-04-09T23:38:00.000-05:00

A lot of people have been asking for my Mee Hoon Kueh recipe.

What is Mee Hoon Kueh?
It is a Hokkien dish. It is also known as Pan Meen (variations: Paan Min, Pan meen) or Mee Hoon Kerr.

Well, to be honest, I don't have a recipe. I learned by observing and helping my mom and aunties prepare it for our Sunday brunch. It's quite easy. Here's my sort-of recipe. Free feel to modify it to your liking.

Dough: all purpose flour, water (room temperature)

Stock: ikan bilis (anchovies), chicken or chicken bones (optional)

Ingredients/toppings (you can use anything you like): Choi Sum or any kinds of greens, chinese mushroom, mook yi (wood's ear, the black fungus stuff), thinly sliced pork or chicken, meatballs (good for kiddies), fried onions/shallots, fishball/fishcake, fried ikan bilis, green/spring onion etc

Dough:
1. Put flour in bowl or on table. In the center, make a crater and add water in. Mix with fingers. Have some extra flour or water handy in case it gets too sticky or dry.
2. Knead the dough until a stretchy consistency. If you have a mixer with a dough hook, that'll save you a lot of work!
3. Put dough in a bowl and cover with a clean damp cloth. Let it sit between 30 mins - 1 hour.

Stock:
1. Boil ikan bilis in water.

2. Strain the ikan bilis out and put stock back in the pot.

What's Next?
There are 2 ways to make the noodles - pasta maker or free-style. Most hawker stalls use the pasta maker because it's more efficient. I prefer the latter method because it's more fun when you get everyone in the family involved. Oh yeah, have a rolling pin or a clean bottle handy.

1. Cut the dough into small balls and roll the dough. It'll be easier to stretch out the dough and it won't be too chewy.

2. Make sure that the stock is hot (but not rolling boil). If the stock is not hot enough, your mee hoon kueh will come out sticky and gunky. You can season the stock if you'd like.

3. Put in meat/meatball etc. If you're using mook yi (wood ear) or mushrooms, put it in now.

4. Put in dough pieces. You'll know they're cooked when they float to the top. Crank up the heat. Stir the pot so the mee hoon kueh don't stick to each other.

5. Put in the veggies at the very last minute. Turn heat off.

6. Scoop mee hoon kueh into bowl. Decorate with fried shallots and green/spring onion. Serve with a side of soy sauce with cut chillies.

If you've tried this recipe, do let me know how it turned out! Enjoy!

Chinese New Year Gathering Dinner 1

2006-01-31T00:54:00.000-06:00

For the first time since I moved to this godforsaken town, I finally hosted a dinner party. Well, it was more like a Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner, minus the family part. The guests I invited are Malaysian friends I just met. (Believe it or not, they found me through my blog!!!) They are definitely nicer than those I met at the Feast of Nations event that I attended earlier last year.

Thanks Leena for bringing all that wonderful food. I really appreciate everyone's help with the cleanup! :)

Let's see if I remember everyone's name...Leena (LP from CNY ChaChaCha Guo Xin Nian), Pooi Hua, Ah La, Shien. Not in pic: Nick (the camera guy) and Sim Yin who came later. Don't worry people, I'll upload more pics later. Credits to Nick for the pics.

I made Mee Siam, Veggie with Spicy Peanut Dip, and Tofu, Veggies with Scallops. Leena and friends made Yee Sang, Chilli Fried Crab, and Veggies with Shrimp.

Yee Sang with Smoked Salmon

LOUUUUUUUU.......
Gung Hei Fat Choi
Pou Pou Kou Seng
Man See Yuee Yi
Nin Nin Yau Yuee
LOL, I can't think of anymore wishes!

It was amazing that we almost finished all the food except for some crabs, Mee Siam and veggies. Leena and friends came from an earlier dinner engagement. Wow! I don't know how they could stuff all that food in!

Thanks everyone for a lovely time. Despite all the good food and good company, I really wish I was home with my family :(

ps. more pics later

Dragon-i Restaurant, Cititel, Midvalley

2005-12-11T19:41:00.001-06:00

After I read KY's post about Dragon-i, I remember I went there during my last visit home. My parents have been telling me about their ramen and fried rice. They got me so worked up about it that I really had to taste the food for myself. We went to the one at the Cititel Hotel Lobby at Midvalley.

While waiting for out table, I noticed a banner.Apparently, the chef of this restaurant won some award and made it to the Guinness Book of Record for something. Whoo, they got a lot to live up to. The food better be good!

Some would described this as a classier version of Kim Gary Cafe and Restaurant. Hmmmm....the food is a little pricier and the wait for food is longer than Kim Gary.

Here's what we order. Some greens with mushrooms, deep fried squid, fried rice, fried ramen with seafood and mango sago dessert (mong goh sai mai lou).

Overall, I liked the fried rice and ramen best although they were a little on the oily side. The deep fried squid was tasty but the batter was too thick. A dessert was a waste of money. It was like diced mango with some sago in thick starchy milk. The starch smell was very strong! Bleargh!

Hmm...I would go there again now that I know what to order. Just don't order dessert!

Kampachi, Equatorial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

2005-11-29T02:57:00.000-06:00

Kampachi is my absolute favorite Japanese restaurant in KL. I don't go there for the buffet. I go there for the quality of the food. If you're the type of person who looks at the price first when you get the menu, you're in the wrong place.

Check out the awards they have received.

Amaebi (sweet shrimp), toro (tuna belly) and sake (salmon) sashimi They salmon they used are not Atlantic or farm raised kinds. The ones we ordered were from Norway.

Check out the fat on the toro :P~~~

A visit to Kampachi will not be complete if you didn't try their Soft Kani Maki (soft-shelled crabs sushi). Forget about the ones you get at genki sushi. These are to die for!!!

I'm not sure what is this dish called. It's deep fried tofu with bonito shavings. Very good!

Tempura Moriawase

It was Sanma season when we were there. All the fish was flown in from Japan..FRESH!!!
Sanma Shioyaki

Dad ordered. I'm not sure what it's called but it was freakin' yummy!
It's some kind of fish head soup.

It was soooooo good that we ordered 3 more portions. When we checked the bill, we found out each portion costs RM80. It was pricey but it was worth the price.

Macha with Azuki beans. It's not too sweet. Very good!

Sunday Lunch with The Ng Family

2005-11-21T00:05:00.000-06:00

Here's a glimpse of the Ng family Sunday Lunch at Old House (that's where my first uncle's family lives)

Here's everyone helping to make the Mee Hoon Kueh. It's also known as Pan Meen. Most of the Pan Meen you'll find at hawker stalls are made using pasta maker. It's more efficient and less labor intensive compared to our free-formed Mee Hoon Kueh! LOL!

The soup usually consists of ikan bilis (anchovies) or chicken bones. Every family has its own recipe.

Here's how the Mee Hoon Kueh turned out! Yummy!

My first aunt made steamed pomfret with ham choi.

My dad ta pau-ed some yong tau foo

The spread! I made a vaggie tray and chocolate cake. Look! That's my cousin Hong!

Mm Hai Gua?

2005-10-11T19:59:00.000-05:00

I was waiting for my sushi takeout when I thought I saw something odd in the glass display.

I went for a closer look.
WTF? Tiger balls? Tiger sauce?
Haahahahaha.....it's not really made of REAL tiger balls lah! It's just salmon nigiri! LOL!
Tiger Sauce? It's wasabi, lime and chile sauce!

Another Kopitiam???

2005-09-15T23:58:00.000-05:00

My dad read about this kopitiam on the newspaper and we went there for breakfast this morning. Unlce Lee Kopitiam is located in Taman Tun. If you're coming from PJ, take a right at the traffic lights after the Taman Tun Market...it's the second last shop on your left.

I ordered the Prawn Mee. Not bad. A little on the oily side because of the chicken and chilli oil. I prefer it to La Manila's Prawn Mee.

I didn't like the Fish and Chips. The fries were overdone and the fish wasn't fresh. It still had the river fishy smell :(

Their Chicken Chop was pretty yummy. The chicken was first fried and the gravy was poured over.

Overall, the food was ok. I'd go there again for the Prawn Mee. I wouldn't mind trying the Curry Mee and Yam Cake. I didn't like cold Teh Si though. The tea wasn't ready made so they made some on the spot and added ice to it. The ice melted really quick and tea didn't taste that good.

So many roti shops and bakeries!!! I can't decide!!!

2005-09-15T10:09:00.000-05:00

With so many bakeries popping up like mushrooms everywhere, it's hard to know which are the good ones. Nah, I was never into the the Rotiboy buns. I tried one when I came home in December and it was nothing to shout about. The buns have been sitting there for awhile and they weren't as good as I thought they would be.

Anyway, here's my pick for bakeries. My favorite bakery (so far) is Bread Talk. If I'm not mistaken, I think they're originally from Singapore.

They're known for their chicken floss buns. Their Hokkaido Dome is the only reason why I like this place. You gotta try it! It tastes so wonderful right out of the oven. Crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside :P~~~

Sorry, I was so busy eating it that I almost forgot to take a piccie of it. Here's what's left! LOL!
Oh yeah, they also sells a variety of cakes and breads. I don't know which are good because all I want to eat is the Hokkaido Dome every time I go there!!

Restaurant Review: Where to find good Sang Har Min/Yin Yong

2005-09-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

Everytime I come home for a visit, I'll surely make a trip to my favorite Sang Har Min place. The restaurant is called Restoran Kow Siew (I'm serious. No kow siew, ok? LOL!). It's probably the owner's name. Anyway, it's located near the MPAJ building. I don't know the exact address but do ask if you want directions there.

They're only opened during lunch time and their specialty is Sang Har Min or Yin Yong. Here's the secret to ordering. You MUST add the dai tau har (big prawns) lor or else it'll just taste like any old yin yong. This portion is for two and we added two big prawns. Wahh...if you love seafood like I do, you'll love this! The gravy is practically oozing with kou and all the good stuff from the head.

Look at the difference between the small prawns used for regular yin yong compared to the big ones that were added in. Please excuse the messy plate!

muahahahahah...we really sapu finish the dish man!

What you should know:
1) They also serve yee min, fried beehon, and fried veggies.
2) Either go for early or later in the afternoon to beat the lunch crowd.
3) Food is on the pricey side if you order extra prawns. We ordered a normal yin yong for two, and the same thing but with the extra dai tau har, the total came up to about RM75. For drinks, we just had iced tea.

Restaurant Review: Nasi Kandar in Puchong

2005-09-13T17:25:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite Nasi Kandar places in the Klang Valley area. Every time I come home to visit my family, we'll surely come to this place for lunch. This stall is located in the kopitiam beside of the Puchong Tesco, along the main road. If you're driving from old Klang road, it's the kopitiam on your right, before Tesco.

Personally, I think this place is way better and hygienic compared to Acha's in Taman Petaling. I think they (Acha) hardly ever change the oil for frying and it's PITCH BLACK (just like the wok they use)!!! I used to enjoy eating there but I think it's quite expensive. The quality of the food is not consistent. Most of the time, it's either too salty or too oily.

The food at this Nasi Kandar place is very reasonably priced. This is what I had: Rice, lots of veggies, curry fish tail, fried fish (yeah I love eating fish!) and a fried egg. The parents ordered quite a lot too. 3 person, 5 meats/fish, and tambah nasi/papadums for around $15 bucks, drinks not included. I think it's a sweet deal. My dad sort of knows the boss and he gives a discount. The only setback is that this place is quite a drive if you live in PJ.

Oh yeah, the owner has more TLC than other Nasi Kandar stores. I'm not sure if it's because he knows my dad but he always asks how much and where to put the curry gravy. Sometimes, I hate it when the Nasi Kandar man flood the rice with so much curry gravy and it's so frustrating to eat.

What to order har? The curry fish is the best followed by Fried Chicken.

Restaurant Review: Boon Tat Seafood Restaurant, Pandamaran/Port Klang area

2005-09-13T16:54:00.000-05:00

If my memory serves me right, my family started frequenting this place since the 80s. The place is quite hidden and it's located in the housing area. There aren't any visible signs leading to this place. Besides having an appetite for seafood, you should also have a strong stomach and nose. This restaurant is located in a house (next to the owner's) and next to a big drain that smells like $#@*!!!!

This restaurant is known for their fried crabs.

They also have curry chicken but you have to know the boss personally and call a day ahead to order this! Bring a loaf of bread to eat with the curry chicken (not the gravy as it's very oily!)
Their Oh-Jian is ok. Goes well with the homemade chilli sauce.

This is one of my favorite. Steam Pomfret with Beehoon, teochew style. I eat the beehoon dry with the chilli sauce!! Very yummy!! :P~~~ (sorry the photo is not very clear)

Boon Tat also serves other kinds of seafood and some vegetables. The dishes I've mentioned are the most popular ones ordered by customers (except the curry chicken. That one you need connection lah!)

A fews things to know before going there.
1) The more the merrier
2) Be prepared to PAY $$$.
3) The owner and his staff mainly speak Hokkien and some Mandarin. If you speak Cantonese, you might kena slaughtered!!! LOL

Restaurant Review: Papa Kopitiam

2005-09-11T09:30:00.000-05:00

Papa Kopitiam is located along the shoplots outside of the OUG Yaohan on Old Klang Road. This place is suppose to be well-known for their kopitiam style coffee, teas, and roti bakar(toast bread with butter and kaya). They also serve western breakfast and local fares like nasi lemak and curry mee.

I ordered the teh ais. It was ok.

Whatever you do, DON'T order the fish noodles. At first, I thought it was fish slices with Egg Noodles (cooked like the dry wanton noodles). Ugh! It was terrible! The Fried Beehoon with sambal was better.

This place is nothing to shout about. It's an ok place to hangout if you're bored of the crowded Starbucks, Coffee Bean or Kim Gary.

Roti Canai breakfast at home

2005-09-08T00:06:00.000-05:00

This morning, dad tapau (take out) roti canai for our breakfast. The food were from 2 Indian restaurants. One was Kavita from Taman Petaling and the other was from Raju on Jalan Gasing (near PJ La Salle School). If you go to Kavita, order the Curry Fish (especially the tail) and the dahl. Their roti canai is so so. If you go Raju, the roti canai is good (better compared to Kavita) but we don't like the dahl. The kurma chicken and chicken rendang are good.

Dim Sum Brunch at Imbi Palace, KL

2005-09-07T23:36:00.000-05:00

After I dropped off my luggages at home, the parents and I headed to KL for brunch. We went to Imbi Palace. It's located near the Imbi Market. This restaurant also serves regular Chinese food but you can also order individual dim sum dishes. Check out their fish tanks! You can pick you seafood and they'll cook it to your liking.

Kam Pai Siu Yuk (Roast Pork). This is one of their specialities. This portion was a little on the salty side.

Hong Kong Style Fish Porridge. Very yummy!

Har Kow
Siu Mai

Steamed Yuee Mai/Fish Paste. It was a little on the bland side.

I'm not sure of the name of this dish. It's homemade tofu with choi sum and Japanese mushrooms. It's also the parents' favorite dish there.

Steamed Australian Mudcrab. Sounds yucky but it's not. It's steamed with egg whites and spring/green onion. Very yummy!

Disclaimer

2005-08-11T21:30:00.000-05:00

This blog is about the food I like, the food I make, and the food I eat. This blog also expresses my personal views and opinions on various food-related topics. If you feel my postings are offensive/crap/poo etc, you HAVE A CHOICE TO LEAVE!!!

All postings and photos on this blog are MINE, MINE, MINE!!! Please ask before you take anything. If it's not too much to ask, please use your name when you leave a comment. Anonymous or rude comments will be deleted.

Please feel free to use any of the recipes in this blog. If there aren't any recipes included in a post, it's probably because:

1) there isn't one
2) I modified a recipe (but forgot/too lazy to write down the changes)
3) I just made it up
4) it's a secret recipe :P

All of the restaurants that I reviewed are not guaranteed to be the best. Visit the restaurants at your own risk. If you didn't like the food/got sick/allergic from them, it's not my fault.

Itadakimasu!