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Bukit Bintang
Marutama Ramen – Best Ramen in KL @ Farenheit 88, Bukit Bintang
Nov 13th
Out of the few ramen restaurants I have tried in KL, Marutama Ramen is probably my favorite so far. And it is quite frustrating for me to know how good they are so late, given that they have been around for more than 2 years. As I know there are two branches currently, the first opened at Farenheit 88 in Bukit Bintang while the second one can be found at Empire Shopping Gallery in Subang Jaya.
Compared to the other ramen places, Marutama’s menu might seem to present more options but for the ramen, the choices are pretty straightforward. Basically you just need to decide on the broth (either spicy or non-spicy), toppings (chashu or pork belly – the latter is oh so good) and also whether you want extra marinated eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago).
If you love these ramen eggs and can’t get enough of them like me, I say go for it. Marutama cooks them perfectly with a deliciously runny yolk in the center, definitely a notch better than the others. One thing though, there’s no bamboo shoot in the ramen here. Not that I am complaining since I don’t particular fancy them.
Dim Sum @ Chuai Heng Restaurant, Jalan Bukit Bintang KL
Oct 19th
Given the countless places that serve dim sum in KL, I seldom revisit a particular restaurant within a short period of time as there are always more to discover. But I made an exception for Chuai Heng and had my dim sum brunch there for two consecutive weekends because their dim sum is really good, albeit slightly higher priced than the rest.
The restaurant might look normal from the outside but the interior is actually quite grand with a welcoming appeal. Dim sum is ordered using an a la carte paper menu and prepared to order so they always taste warm and fresh.
I absolutely love the Siu Mai @ RM7.80. It sounds expensive but the good thing is that each basket contains four pieces instead of the usual three. Each of them are made of some minced meat and least three pieces of sweet and succulent prawns with the desirable crunchy texture.
Some pumpkin slices add a different twist to the Steamed Pork Ribs. This is very tasty as well, but alas, we felt it had more bones than meat.
FLAM’s The Thin Crust Pizza @ Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL
Jul 9th
Tarte flambee is like a pizza, and if you looked up its origins you would know that it is actually a unique dish from Alsace – the fifth smallest region in France. Strictly speaking, you can’t call Tarte flambee a pizza but for marketing purpose I guess calling it a ‘thin-crust-pizza’ will sell better. You could get this rather unique food at FLAM’s located in Changkat Bukit Bintang and luckily, pizzas are not the only good stuff on the menu.
Since we are new to this variant of pizza, we asked for a recommendation and got the Mushroom Flam’s Deluxe @ RM38.80. The number of toppings (the types, not amount) are kept to a minimum, consisting of only mushrooms, a few types of cheese and herbs so that the flavors are simple, yet still enjoyable.
After placing your order you could see how your pizza is made right from the scratch. There is an open kitchen at the end of the restaurant where a huge, bright-red brick oven is at. The pizza is only baked in the wood-fired oven for a couple of minutes because of the thin dough.
Sao Nam Fine Vietnamese Cuisine @ Tengkat Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang
Jun 2nd
Fancy some Vietnamese food? Then head to Sao Nam at Tengkat Tong Shin where truly delicious Vietnamese dishes can be found. If you are a drinker then perhaps there is an additional reason to visit the restaurant, because Chef Tien who designed Sao Nam’s menu is the winner of creating the best matching Vietnamese main course for French Wine.
The Mangosteen and Prawn Salad @ RM32 is an award winning dish that deserves all the praise it gets. As far as salad goes for me, this has got to have the most unique combination of ingredients. It includes mangosteen flesh, tiger prawns, dried squid flown in from Vietnam, grated coconut and chicken slices complete with Chef Tien’s special kumquat dressing.
There are not too much greens though, except for the cucumber slices which are more like a side garnish. The salad exudes freshness and tastes appetizing with a nice mix of sweet, salty and sour flavor – I feel the dried squid (not as brown, dry and salty as the Chinese version) and kumquat dressing really made the difference. Simply a must try.
The Deep Fried Chicken Spring Rolls @ RM18 here is wrapped with fine rice papers, true to its Vietnamese roots. Although the spring rolls are not that crispy compared to our popiah, the filings (minced chicken, wood ear mushroom, carrot and yams strips) are much more compacted and taste tender. Plus, they managed to stay warm throughout the lunch too.
