vkeong loves good food, travel and photography!
Kuala Lumpur
Weekdays Set Lunch @ Silver Spoon Trattoria, Bandar Menjalara
Jun 16th
It is quite surprising for an unassuming place like Bandar Menjalara to have Silver Spoon Trattoria, a casual Italian restaurant that sparkles with tasteful decorations. I am saying this because when you compare it with the other restaurants in the vicinity that are mostly Chinese dai chow, Bak Kut Teh, dim sum and hawker centres, it would become obvious that Silver Spoon is a lot more upscale than the rest. That being said, you should know what to expect in terms of pricing.
A close friend of mine celebrated his birthday at Silver Spoon not long ago gave me his feedback, which unfortunately was not really encouraging. That, and coupled with the many invited reviews online, I decided to play safe by trying out their set lunch first, currently priced at RM21.90+ for a three course meal. To cut to the chase, overall the food is not bad but portion is quite small, and the kitchen service could be A LOT faster.
Edo Ichi Japanese Restaurant @ Solaris Dutamas
May 20th
Edo Ichi is the only Japanese restaurant at Solaris Dutamas. We have been shunning it because their prices seem to be on the side. But when the fish & chip restaurant we were supposed to try has closed down for good, Edo Ichi was left as the viable option.
Although we love The Pink Sage and would not have second thoughts of having our lunch there again, our initial purpose was to try something new. Besides, with the exception of Edo Ichi, the other restaurants in this vicinity simply do not spur our interest into trying them out.
Unagi Kabayaki Set @ RM32 – a standard affair but the ordinary looking chawanmushi managed to outshine the main dish. The portion is slightly smaller than what you would get from other places, more suitable for ladies I guess.
Heng Bak Kut Teh Delight’s (since 1963) @ Taman Kepong
May 10th
There are already so many Bak Kut Teh restaurants in Kepong and the number is still on the rise. Not surprising, given that Kepong has always been a food haven with countless eateries to choose from may it be satay, nasi lemak, steamboat, rojak or tong sui you are looking for. It might feel good to try new restaurants but sometimes, the existing ones are the ones that are really worth exploring. Such is my encounter with Heng Bak Kut Teh Delight’s at Kepong Garden, an old Bak Kut Teh eatery that has existed with the community for decades.
But first, I need to clarify that the other Heng or Heng Kee Bak Kut Teh you see in PJ or even in Kepong are not related to them, nor are their branches despite using the same Chinese name, cooking style and similar taste. Anyway, I shall not indulge you with details of their business rivalries since it’s none of our business.
The Sang Kuat Pou is the star dish here and it needs to be pre-ordered at least half an hour before reaching the restaurant. But this doesn’t mean you couldn’t have it if you didn’t pre-order. As long as you are OK with the half and hour wait, then by all means order it on the spot.
FYI, Sang Kuat is not a part of the pork. It simply means the cook will prepare your Bak Kut Teh using raw and fresh meat (with parts you specified), instead of using those cooked since early in the morning. Besides, some Chinese wine and more even more herbs are thrown into the soup to take the Bak Kut Teh’s flavor to an entirely new level. The end result is a pot of specially brewed Bak Kut Teh with extra aromatic soup and fresher tasting meat. RM30 for a portion of 2 pax.
The usual side dishes of tofu pok and yau char kwai are available with the latter largely depending on luck – sometimes you get it and sometimes you don’t. Although the yau char kwai here is not at the freshest it could be, it is still quite crispy usually.
Satay Station @ Kampung Pandan, KL
May 5th
I have always knew there is a popular satay joint in Kampung Pandan. Without knowing its actual name, I kind of accidentally tried it after stumbling upon Satay Station on my GPS unit. Apparently Satay Station is a chain restaurant with branches at Ampang, Setiawangsa and even Mont Kiara. Don’t expect the same pricing throughout all the branches though, Mont Kiara’s is about 20% more expensive due to its location.
A long satay grill manned by a few workers is the the first thing that greets the customer immediately. Talk about impressing the customers!
