The Mulberry Cottage Kitchen @ Kalumpang, Selangor

Having had some friends visiting from Kuala Lumpur, we decided to check out this new place in Kalumpang called The Mulberry Cottage Kitchen. Well, it's not really that new per say. I believe they were previously located in Taman Universiti, Tanjung Malim and moved to this new location in Kalumpang a couple of months now. This restaurant specialises in British style grills and is located in Kampung Keliang, Kalumpang. The address can be a little tricky as it mentions Kerling but in actual fact, it is just a stone's throw away from the Tanjung Malim toll plaza. Assuming that you are coming from the toll plaza, at the end of the road, pass the traffic lights, turn right and keep driving straight. In a matter minutes, you would be able to see this place on your left. 

Grand Entrance To The Restaurant

This Would Be The Turn In From The Old Trunk Road

Love The Garden Theme

Lovely Lighting

Outdoor Garden Seating Area

Garden Seating Area

Rustic Indoors

The Ambiance Was Lovely

Cute Little Toilet

It now makes sense to me as to why they had moved away from the conventional restaurant in Taman Universiti. The owners surely had a vision in mind. We have many such Western restaurants in town but this was a dine in the garden concept, one that is found in Kuala Lumpur and I am glad that he had brought the idea here to this quaint little town. Long Garden driveways leads to a lovely garden style seating and a rustic indoor dining area. Owned by the couple Mr. Al and Chef Rose, they have done a tremendous job in transforming this piece of land to what it is today. I can see lot's of work in progress, perhaps they are doing the transformation in stages which perfectly makes sense. Having had some rain earlier in the day, it was lovely sitting outdoors amidst this garden like feel deep in some remote village. Parking for now was limited, perhaps this is one that they should work on or perhaps they are already working on it. The moment we arrived, we were greeted by Mr. Al and he was indeed quite a chatty chap. Walked over with a smile and handed the menu over to us. There were quite a number of customers that he had to attend to and it make perfect sense to just hand over the menu, attend to the rest that are ready to order and come back to us shortly once we have glanced the menu.

The Menu

The Menu

Budget Menu

Budget Menu

Budget Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

Specialty Dishes

The above are just some of the pages from the lengthy menu. It was quite comprehensive, ranging from budget meals right up to some luxury dishes. Some may feel that the prices are steep but I don't quite think so. Think of this as a concept pricing and you'd be able to digest it better. A coffee in an Indian Muslim restaurant is say RM 1.40 and the same at Starbucks is RM 14.00 . Why do we pay more? For the coffee beans? Nah! It's the concept that Starbucks provides and it the same here. A Chicken Chop out there could be RM 10.00 and here it's slightly pricey, nevertheless for the concept, I would say that it's very much worth it. After having given us our space in deciding the orders, Al returned in a while and he was quite helpful with the order making process giving us recommendations and even to some extent of explaining the dishes themselves. With Al's help, we were done in a matter of minutes and left to catch up on our conversations.

Cutlery

Cutlery

Orange Crush @ RM 2.50

Within minutes of registering the orders, the cutlery were sent over and I was very glad to see that these were some proper cutlery. Not those flimsy ones but real knives that could actually cut through meat. Thanks Al for providing these. We had ordered one of those budget meals and as such, we added on one of those add on drinks. Priced at RM 2.50 per jar, the Orange Crush was served ice cold and the volume was decent.

Asam Boi @ RM 10.00

Another quality drink that was served was the above Asam Boi. Not those diluted versions but one that came with a zing to it. I would rate this at 8/10 .

Mocha @ RM 6.00

A Blend Of Four Different Tea Leaves @ RM 7.00

They have a good selection of Tea and Coffee and from what I understand from Al, they are planning on adding another Coffee Bar with a Barista in the future to be able to serve those Tea and Coffee connoisseurs too. As for this evening we had a Mocha that was priced at RM 6.00 and another blend of four different tea leaves and this came with a price tag of RM 7.00 . Both were nice and I would rate them at 7/10 .

Ice Lemon Tea @ RM 8.00

Just like the rest, this too lived up to expectations and was served unadulterated. A lovely fix and I would rate this at 8/10 .

Grilled Chicken Wings @ RM 10.00

One of the starters that we had ordered was the above Grilled Chicken Wings. These were not served dry with Barbecue sauce but were topped with a blend of Mushroom and Black Pepper Sauce which apparently is the house specialty. Portion was huge and came with some Salad on the sides. The Chicken Wings were fleshy, not those bony ones that we get in Pasar Malam's and the sauce surely added a twist to the conventional taste. I would rate these at 7/10 .

Lamb Burger In Basket @ RM 10.00

Lamb Burger In Basket @ RM 10.00

Comes With Cheese

Strips Of Streaky Lamb Slices

This Lamb in a Basket was one of their budget dishes and for RM 10.00 , I would say that the portion was very good. Streaky and juicy Lamb slices were topped with a number of sauces, vegetables and cheese and these were served with crinkle cut fries on the sides. The lamb was juicy and one really needs to get their finger's messy to truly enjoy this. I absolutely loved it and would highly recommend this dish. For me, this would rate at 9/10 . The fries were perfectly done too.

Chicken Chop @ RM 15.90

Chicken Chop @ RM 15.90

Mixed Sauce

This Grilled Chicken Chop was another preparation that lived up to our expectations. A huge portion of tender chicken grilled to perfection was served with some salad, corn on the cob and a mix of the house specialty sauce. The chicken itself was succulent and sweet and the sauce complimented it well. I would rate this at 7/10 .

Us Enjoying Our Dinner

Bill For The Evening

In short, good food, lovely ambiance, amazing service and reasonable prices. A perfect evening that we had. If you think that the prices were steep, let me share something with you please. We arrived at 8.30 pm and were here till 1.00 am. That's how long we spent chatting after the hearty meal and there was no one that was looking at us strangely, expecting us to leave. That's the kind of hospitality that we got here and for that, the price paid was very reasonable. I even remember asking one of the guys there what time they close and he answered that they officially close at around 1 am but as long as there are customers, they are willing to wait. Just loved that statement and guess what, even as we were leaving, there were more people coming in for supper and they happily served them. If you are looking for a place to have a relaxed dinner, then look no further. This shall be your destination in this part of town. I wish Al and Chef Rose all the best and keep up the great work guys!

Address: No. 46, Jalan Besar, Kampung Keliang, Kalumpang,

                44000 Kerling, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 1800 - 0100 Daily

                             Closed on Thursdays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmulberrycottagekitchen/timeline?ref=page_internal

Telephone: +6012 380 9188 & +6012 651 9188 (Mr. AL)

Taste Of Chennai @ Rawang, Selangor

Taste Of Chennai is the latest restaurant to open along the Indian street (Jalan Welman) in Rawang, Selangor. They had opened sometime in March this year and within a few days of their opening, I had visited them and tried their Rice and curries. If you would like to read about that experience, please do click on this link. http://venoth.blogspot.my/2015/03/taste-of-chennai-rawang-selangor.html . This evening, I decided on drive back from Kuala Lumpur using the old state road passing through Rawang town and as it was already 5 in the evening, we thought of doing a quick tea stop at this restaurant. Our norms has always been Nesan Curry House which is just a few doors away but since these guys were relatively new, we just wanted to check out the tea time cakes here. 

Restaurant Taste Of Chennai along Jalan Welman, Rawang

Love The Design

This restaurant is not difficult to find. Jalan Welman is just a straight street and this restaurant is located next to the Hong Leong Bank, a few doors away from Nesan Curry House. The design is beautiful, perhaps the best Indian restaurant in Rawang when it comes to design. They have an air conditioned dining hall as well as a small open air area for smokers. Since the all of us smoke, we decided to sit outdoors. Even this section is well decorated and ventilation is taken care of using wall and ceiling fans. 

Our Selection Of Cakes For Tea

Vengayam (Onion) Bajji

I was surprised to find the kind of variety they had as far as the South Indian cakes were concerned and they were all freshly made on site. If I am not mistaken, there were at least 12 varieties and as it was impossible for us to try them all, I just selected a few each from those that we like and this we broke into smaller bits and shared among us. It's for tasting after all and this would be the best way to try as many as possible. I do not know the individual pricing of these items but will provide the total of our bill this evening later on. Now, time to taste the cakes.

Teh Tarik

Teh O

Coca Cola

I had the Teh Tarik, my Dad the Teh O and my brother as always went for a can of Coca Cola. Well, I don't blame him as it was a pretty hot afternoon and we had traveled long mileage the entire day and a sugar boost surely helps. Both the Teh Tarik and the Teh O was good. Perfect South Indian style of preparation with minimal sugar and served hot. For me, I would rate these drinks at 9/10 .

Ulunthu Vadai

Perfect Texture

Their Ulunthu Vadai was very good. Fried to a golden brown perfection, it was soft and extremely tasty. I wonder how they managed to make it as good as the ones found in Tamil Nadu. The inside was soft like cotton. Filled with spices, it was on the spicy side of preparation, nevertheless it was simply great! Loved it. I would rate this at 9.7/10 .

Valakkai (Banana) Bajji

Valakkai (Banana) Bajji

Valakkai Bajji is a common Tamil tea time snack in Tamil Nadu and I was surprised to find this here. This is fried using unripe banana's and as such, the ingredients added in the batter is key for it's taste and these guy's nailed it once again. Thin slices of Banana along with the spicy and thick coating gave it a superb taste. Another good one and I would rate this at 9.5/10 .

Paruppu (Dhall) Vadai

Paruppu (Dhall) Vadai

This Paruppu Vadai was superb! Most places would add very little Dhall but these guys have done an amazing job with this. Also, a lot of masala had been added thus making it quite spicy. Just loved it. I would rate this 10/10 .

Maruvelli Kilangu (Tapioca) Bonda

Maruvelli Kilangu (Tapioca) Bonda

It's been years since I ate some good Maruvelli Kilangu Bonda and this was a real treat for me. Mashed Tapioca along with some grated coconut and sugar and deep fried to perfection. As you can see from the above photograph, it was so soft and I was finding it difficult to hold and take a photograph. Amazing it was! One of the best preparations that I have tried. Not too sweet and just perfect. I would rate this at 10/10 .

Paasipayiru (Green Mung Dhall) Sakkarai Bonda

Paasipayiru (Green Mung Dhall) Sakkarai Bonda

Almost similar to the previous one, this one however was made using Green Mung Dhall, Palm Sugar and similarly deep fried. The taste was heavenly. It was so good that I could not resist having another one. A highly recommended cake here. How can I rate this anything less than a 10/10. Heavenly!

Curry Puffs

Filled With Spicy Curried Potatoes

Their Curry Puffs were good too but not great. The skin was a little hard and should have been slightly softer. The filling however was tasty. I think an Indian from India must be making these cakes and that is why all the previous ones were excellent except this one which is very much a Malaysian version.I would rate this at 7.5/10 .

Vengayam (Onion) Bajji

Another one of my favourite snacks that was simply perfect here. Though it was deep fried, the onions were still fresh and tasty and very much tasted like an Indian Version to Onion Rings or perhaps it's the other way round. He he. Jokes aside, excellent it was. I would rate this at 9.8/10 .

Us Having Tea

Overall, I am amazed with the Tea Time cakes here. Everything that we tried was excellent except for the Curry Puffs which could have been better. We had 10 cakes plus Teh O, Teh Tarik and a can of Coca Cola and the bill was RM 10.60 . Cheap? I think that it's an amazing deal. Surely a place that I would highly recommend for Tea!

Address: No. 63, Jalan Welman, 48000 Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0700 - 2200 Daily

Rudy's Hainanese Chicken Rice & Poridge Stall @ Tanjung Malim, Perak

Rudy's Chicken Rice & Porridge Stall has been around for many years now in Tanjung Malim. I have been his loyal customer for 35 years and that is a very long time indeed. In my opinion, as far as Steamed Chicken and Porridge goes, there's no one in town that could come anywhere close to Rudy's and this, I am willing to take anyone's challenge and will stand firm with my decision. Being a very fussy person, if I have been a loyal customer for almost four decades, that in itself should give you an indication as to how good his preparation is and ask any local, they would surely back me up. 

Rudy's Stall Beside The Old Rex Cinema

Just Opposite This Celcom Store

A Simple Set Up

A Few Tables

Those days, he used to be in front of the Pork Market that was then opposite Restaurant Sin Hong Hin along Jalan Douglas. Of course, that Pork Market is no more, Restaurant Sin Hong Hin is no more and even Jalan Douglas had been renamed to something else these days and in the late 90's, after the demolition of those structures, he had moved to this present location which is along Jalan Loke Yew. This new stall is right beside the old and dilapidated Rex Cinema. Parking is much easier here. If you come along Jalan Loke Yew, once you sight the Celcom store on your left, try to find a parking bay. This stall is located on your right. One would have to walk in for about 30 meters to get to this stall. It is not easily visible from the street as there are another row of stalls facing the road and this, is right behind them. The place is just a simple no frills stall. Limited number of tables as the customer turnover is very quick. You don't get people sitting for long hours at Chicken Rice stalls and therefore this set up is more than enough for him. Besides Chicken Rice, his Porridge too is very famous and prices are quite reasonable. Of course, they have been steadily going up over the years but still very much acceptable. Rudy starts business at 11 am daily and this goes on till around 6 pm. Best to come before 5 pm as his Chicken sells quite fast. He does not have the roasted variety and specialises solely in Steamed Chicken. Good that he only does what he is good at as there are many other places that are famous for their roasted variety instead. Since he had made his name with this, best he stick with it. 

Chinese Tea Ice @ RM 0.50

Rudy At Work

I was here late today and the place was not too crowded. I arrived at 4 pm and that gave me a comfortable seating. He is assisted by his wife and another helper. Besides doing this business, he also runs a gym come evenings. Rudy has always been a bodybuilding fan and is a bodybuilder himself. I used to admire him in his younger years. Well coming back to my meal this afternoon, I decided to go for his Chicken Rice instead of Porridge. Just a preference and no specific reason. Perhaps, my next trip here, I would go for his porridge and share that too with all of you. His drinks are limited to Chinese Tea and Herbal Tea and I went for the previous and this was priced at RM 0.50 per glass. After having registered my order, he was back at his station.

My Chicken Rice Set @ RM 6.00

This Chicken Rice set comes with a plate of Rice, a plate of Steamed Chicken and a bowl of clear soup. 

White Rice

If I had come earlier, then I would have been able to enjoy his Yellow Butter and Ginger Rice but unfortunately, at this hour it had all been sold out and I had to settle for this plain rice. That was fine with me as I really love his Steamed Chicken and that taste would compensate this. Nevertheless, if you come early, then you'd surely be able to enjoy that too.

Clear Soup

The Clear Soup was tasty and is generally boiled along with some spices and those waste parts of Chicken. If you would like to have a second helping, he always obliges and provides them complimentary. Do note that he does not add MSG in his soup. I would rate his soup at 9/10 .

Steamed Chicken

If one was to order the standard Chicken Rice, that would have been just RM 4 something and the chicken would be above the rice. As I just love his preparation, I always order more in a single plate and at times, have even ordered for up to RM 10.00 of chicken and finished it all by myself. His Steamed Chicken is just so tasty that I am yet to see one in Kuala Lumpur that comes anywhere close to this. Tender and juicy pieces and they are lip smacking good. Even the ones in Ipoh aren't as good as this. Served with some soy sauce at the base along with some garnishing, this is indeed a treat for any Steamed Chicken lover. For me, this rates nothing less than 10/10 . 

Chili & Ginger 

This is another one of my favourites here and how can I have my Chicken Rice without this. This is his own preparation and he adds almost equal amounts of chili and ginger into this and it is a taste to remember. Very different to the ones that you get out there. In a single sitting, I can literally finish half the bottle and this is exactly what happened this evening. I would rate this at 9.8/10 .

For RM 6.00, this was simply a divine meal for me. Over the years, the taste has not been compromised even a bit. One that I highly recommend and from my writing, I am sure one would be able to gauge how much I love the food here. Absolutely fantastic! The next time around, I shall do an entry on his Porridge instead. 

Address: Along Jalan Loke Yew (beside the old Rex Cinema),

               35900 Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 1100 - 1830 Daily