Restoran E & L @ Tanjung Malim, Perak

As part of my Hainanese Chicken Chop series from Tanjung Malim, here is the third and last entry. This little town is located about 64 Kilometers away north of Kuala Lumpur. This dish is a novelty dish of my hometown. This Hainanese Chicken Chop recipe belongs to the Eng family who previously used to manage the Rest House for more than 6 decades. However, after the recent amendments to the local council law which requires a Bumiputra to run the rest house, they have been told to leave and now they operate from his late brother in laws shop here. Restaurant E & L also has been around for more than 40 years. At its inception, it used to be a watering hole among the local police officers but today after Mr. Loo's demise, it had been taken over by Mr. Eng who is the brother in law of Mr. Loo. Do note that this is a Halal restaurant. This Hainanese Chicken Chop had once been a favourite dish to three of the late Sultan's of Perak, whereby the last one was Sultan Azlan Shah. 

Located Along Jalan Slim Lama, Same Row As Yik Mun Restaurant

Interior Of The Restaurant

Chinese Tea @ RM 0.50 , Still Served In Those Solid Beer Mugs

Luckily the tradition continues. As we are old timers here, all we need to do is to call in a few hours before hand and inform what time we would be coming and the number of pax. It is a very basic restaurant, the deco still being the same from the yesteryears...but the food has been ever consistent and is simply delicious. Besides the Hainanese Chicken Chop, their Hainanese Chicken Rice too is extremely famous and is another must try item here.

Cutlery

Toast and Real Salted Butter

This set here, as with other Hainanese Chicken Chops, comes with toast and some salted butter. A lovely combination which goes extremely well with the leftover onion sauce.

Hainanese Chicken Chop @ RM 10.00

Lovely Onion Gravy with Peas

Chicken Is Char-Grilled Over Amber

Delicious!!!

Comes With Loads Of Onions

Fried Russet Potato's

The Hainanese Chicken Chop here is different to the others we find in Kuala Lumpur. Those in Kuala Lumpur are deep fried whereas this, is char-grilled to perfection and has the lovely onion sauce and green pees as toppings and Lea & Perrins Sauce at the base. Here the Chicken Chop prices have not increased much over the years. When I was in school which is some 30 years back, it used to cost around RM 6 per plate and today it cost a mere RM 10.00 per plate. This dish is heavenly and we get a lot of people coming from afar just to have this Chicken Chop and I would definitely be optimistic that you too would be impressed by the taste. Definitely a recipe that you would not see elsewhere. I would rate this preparation at 9.5/10 .

I do hope many of you out there would be able to try this delicious dish from Tanjung Malim soon. To find this restaurant is easy. Just drive on Jalan Besar, which is the main street of Tanjung Malim until you reach a Hindu Temple. From this Hindu Temple, you would be able to see the famous Yik Mun Pau shop. This restaurant is at the other end of the same row of shops. Since the Aunty has aged now, they may just close the restaurant for the day if she is not feeling too well and therefore it is best to call before coming, especially if you are coming from a distance.

Address: No. 5, Jalan Slim Lama, 35900 Tanjung Malim, Perak.

Opening Hours: 1100 - 1600 Daily

Telephone: +605 4596 367

Restoran Yik Mun Tg. Malim Pau @ Tanjung Malim, Perak

As part of my Hainanese Chicken Chop series, here is the second entry from Tanjung Malim, Another one that is worth visiting. Restoran Yik Mun Tanjung Malim is one of those restaurants where I have been dining for more than 30 years, since it belongs to my classmate. I have blogged about this restaurant before and that was on it's Pau's but there is another item here that is worth trying which not many know of, and that is their Hainanese Chicken Chop.

The Restaurant Located Along Jalan Slim Lama

Interior Of The Restaurant

For those who do not know how to get to this restaurant, once you exit the Tanjung Malim toll plaza, keep going straight until you reach the traffic lights. Here, you would need to turn left. Keep going till you see a large Hindu Temple on your left and at this point, if you look right, you would be able to see this restaurant. Those days all the staffs were Chinese, locals from the town but today all the staffs are Indonesians, except for the chef who is a Pakistani boy from Tanjung Malim. This boy was my junior in school. Seeing me today after a number of years, he personally came up to our table to greet me and eventually he was the one who took the orders. So nice of him to still remember me. 

Their Menu

Their Menu

The menu was very good, all their items had a photo of the dish to giver better idea of the dish. Except that they were pricey. Well, this place has been elevated as a tourist destination on Malaysian Travel Maps and as such, it's not surprising that they charge premium prices. 

Hainanese White Coffee @ RM 3.20

The Hainanese coffee was served in a restaurant branded mug which is a recent improvisation here. Previously they used to serve it in the old school Hainanese coffee shop cups. The coffee was definitely good, bold & sweet and was up to the mark. They must have reduced the price of this. In 2014, this was priced at RM 3.50 and now it's down 30 cents. I guess someone must have complained. Anyway, I would rate this at 9/10 .

Hainanese Chicken Chop @ RM 17.00

The Hainanese Chicken Chop here is prepared according to the authentic style except that instead of fried potato, they had provided some mashed potato's and also replaced the toast bread with a small piece of Man Tau Bun. This in 2014, was priced at RM 16.00 and now, it's RM 17.00 . Pricey yes, but I won't complain. As it does taste pretty good. If you look at the various Hainanese Chicken Chop preparations in town, they are all varied and none are alike. Hence, it would be impossible to compare apple to apple both in terms of taste and price.

Fried Chicken Topped With Peas and Onions in Tomato Gravy

Thick and Delicious Tomato Gravy

The Chicken was wonderfully prepared. This came with a different kind of batter and cannot be compared to the one shown on Monday. Even taste wise, it's very different. A decent portion, surely one that is larger than the one shown on Monday and was topped with a delicious batter of peas and onions in tomato gravy.The preparation was excellent and I loved it very much. Mildly sweet, mildly sour and mildly spicy, a perfect blend it was.  It is very rare to see the authentic Hainanese Chicken Chop served up to this level of taste. 

The Mashed Potato  was served in a small aluminium foil like plate. The preparation was definitely perfect. A small slice of the Man Tau Bun was provided in replacement of the tradition toast and butter. The Man Tau Bun was soft, sweet and creamy. Both were very good in fact. 

Overall, this is for sure a very satisfying dish. For me, I would rate this at 9.5/10 . I definitely would not compare them to their neighbours E&L as that is another unique family owned recipe, both excellent in their own class. As for this dish, definitely would be coming back for more and would bravely recommend it to all. For the price paid, one would return satisfied.

Address: Lot 6043, Jalan Slim Lama, 35900 Tanjung Malim,

                Perak, Malaysia.

Telephone: +605 4596 380

Opening Hours: 0900 - 2200 Daily

Restoran Ah Zai @ Hulu Bernam, Selangor

Since it is the Chinese New Year week, many would be back to their hometown and as such, I have decided to write about the three Hainanese Chicken Chop places in Tanjung Malim. This first place isn't quite in Tanjung Malim. It is in Hulu Bernam, Selangor but we locals cross over daily and have always assumed this too to be part of Tanjung Malim. Though state wise it may be different, it still shares the same post code. 

The Restaurant In Taman Goldenwood, Hulu Bernam

This restaurant is located in Taman Goldenwood, Hulu Bernam. The restaurant itself isn't an old one but the tradition is. I shall explain further. This restaurant started sometime in June, 2015. But the original stall has been one that is located in a coffee shop near the Bernam River and that has been around for about 60 years now. It was only recently that they had taken up this building and started their business here. Their main dishes are Cantonese style Yong Tau Fu, Curry Mee and Asam Laksa. Those three items sells like hot cakes. But only a handful of people know that they have Chicken Chop too and hence this post to help spread the word. A recipe that belonged to their Grandfather and the present generation has started selling this again. This was a forgotten dish during their parent's era as they concentrated on the Curry Mee and Asam Laksa business but it is great that the present generation has revived this dish once again. They are open daily from 5.30 pm till midnight and are closed on Thursdays. 

Mushroom Sauce Chicken Chop @ RM 13.00

Mushroom Sauce Chicken Chop @ RM 13.00

For those who prefer the Black Pepper variation, that too is available but this one with the Mushroom Sauce is the original dish. For RM 13.00 , the portion is good. It comes with a piece of deep fried chicken, some fries, salad and an omelette. 

Chicken Marinated In Spices and Deep Fried

I love the way they marinate the chicken. Not the usual style but it uses a number of spices and sauces to give it that zing factor and is deep fried to a golden brown perfection. Soft, tender and extremely juicy with no traces of oil. And the size is very reasonable for the price.

Thick Mushroom Gravy

And yes, this is one of the things that makes this dish so tasty. I wouldn't call this Mushroom Sauce, perhaps Mushroom Gravy is an apt word to describe this better. It's so thick, filled with sliced button mushrooms and is extremely thick and starchy. A perfect combination to that piece of beautifully marinated fried chicken. 

Salad and A Sunny Side Up

Before eating, one must nick into the yolk to get it all oozing out and that has got to be mixed with the chicken and mushroom sauce to give it the intended taste. And yummy, it is a very unique combination that would make you wanting for more. The fries too are fried to perfection and served lightly salted. Along with the salad, it's such a wonderful dish to have for dinner. For me, I would rate this dish at 8/10 .

We have a number of Malay owned Western restaurants in town but these Chinese owned Hainanese style ones are still limited to three. Among the three, this would rank third place. Over the coarse of this week, I shall be sharing the other two places as well. 

Address: No. 63, Taman Goldenwood, Jalan Besar Ulu Bernam, 35900 Hulu Bernam,                                  Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 1730 - 0000 (Closed on Thursdays)

Cafe Olle @ Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur

Cafe Olle is a Korean owned cafe that's located in Desa Sri Hartamas, right opposite Naughty Nuri's. Of late, there have been many such cafe's that have been mushrooming in the Klang Valley and some of them have been really good. It was late afternoon and since we were in this side of town, we decided on giving this place a try. 

Love The Design

Air Conditioned and Open Spaces Available

Opening Hours

Simple and Elegant

I just loved the way they had designed this cafe. Reminded me of my experience in Korea as they were quite similar. It was just a small place but the space utilisation was perfect, without creating a cramped feeling for the customers. For smokers, there is a small non air conditioned space which once again was cutely designed. Being hot these days, we opted to sit indoors and the air conditioned seemed like a boon.

A Good Selection Of Cakes

A Variety Of Coffee

Besides having a great variety of coffee, they also had some delicious looking house baked cakes. Since we had a feast of a lunch earlier, we kept it to strictly coffee. Their Barista's were very professional and friendly. There was a point when my cousin had asked for Affogato and that was not on their menu but the Barista was kind enough to fix that drink for us. That's the kind of service that I always look out for. Besides the great reception that was given, I also felt that their prices were very reasonable. Another great thing to mention is that it's not a fully self service cafe. That is to say that once you have placed your orders, the drinks would then be sent over to your table unlike many other cafe's these days. Another plus factor here. 

Cafe Mocha @ RM 12.80

I just loved the way the drinks were served. It wasn't messy and the Barista's skill was evident in all the drinks. Clearly they have a good Barista who knows his stuff. The above Cafe Mocha was perfectly fixed. Not too much chocolate or coffee, the blend was just perfect. I would rate this at 9/10 .

Vanilla Latte @ RM 12.80

Another perfectly fixed drink. Creamy steamed milk along with a dash of vanilla syrup made this perfect cuppa. The only difference here is that we had asked for them not to add espresso, just a personal preference. Loved the drink and I would rate this at 9/10 . 

Flat White @ RM 10.80

Flat White @ RM 10.80

Since I like my coffee to be bold and not mild, I had requested for a double Ristretto shot of Espresso and as per my request, it was just perfect. Another excellent preparation and I would rate this too at 9/10 . 

Affogato @ RM 13.80

A Shot Of Hot Espresso

For RM 13.80, we were given two scoops of some amazing Vanilla Gelato and a shot of Espresso. A very good deal I would say and it tasted perfect. This again, I would rate at 9/10 .

Overall, we all were very happy with this place. The drinks were fantastic, the reception was great and the prices were just perfect. Definitely a place worth visiting if you're a coffee lover. And their cakes looked good too!!!

Address: No. 26-G, Jalan 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: Sun - Thurs 0900 - 0000

                             Fri & Sat    0900 - 0100

Telephone: +603 6206 3121

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ollecafe/timeline

K & R Catering @ Hulu Bernam, Selangor

We recently had a function at home and as I was looking around for a caterer, my Dad mentioned this place. The previous people that we used to cater from have unfortunately stopped doing so after the husband passed away. While keeping this place is mind, I checked a few other places that I am familiar with and they were all fully booked. Having had no choice, I went and enquired. These people have a small restaurant that only does breakfast business. They are located directly opposite the Petron Station (Old Esso) in Hulu Bernam. It is impossible to miss this place. It is a stand alone wooden structure and is directly facing the Petron station. Many years ago, this shop was run by another family and then it was known as Saravana Vilas. Having had the conversation with the lady boss, we then finalised the menu and price. To my surprise, on that very same day, they had six other bookings, yet they were willing to accommodate our orders as well. That took me by surprise. Never did I know that these people were so much in demand. It was then, my confidence in them was built. Having finalised the deal, all I had to do was to come on the actual day and collect the items. They had asked me if I would be able to supply the containers and to that we agreed. Makes things easier as I would not have to make another trip to return the utensils. And another thing that amazed me was the prices. It was at least 30% less than what the rest would have charged us. Very cheap indeed. Now, let's look at the dishes prepared by them.

Ghee Rice

I never knew that rice alone could taste this good until I tried this. It was absolutely delicious. Rice with ingredients and cooked with lot's of spices, it was a true delight. This was the best Ghee Rice that I have tasted. I have never tasted anything better than this even at those premium restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. I would rate this at 10/10 .

Mixed Vegetable

Their Mixed Vegetable was another good preparation, but it could have been better. Ingredients wise, it had it all but in my opinion, it was slightly overdone. I would still prefer them to be crispy. Tasty, but could have been better for sure. In my opinion, I would rate this at 8/10 .

Vegetable Kurma

The Ghee Rice and this Kurma complimented each other so well. Nothing much in terms of add in's but it tasted so good. I could literally live on these two items. For once, Kurma tasted like Kurma and not some watered down curry where I would have to guess that it's Kurma based on the colour. Delicious and I would rate this at 9/10 .

Ayam Masak Merah

This was a Wow dish. Tender cuts of chicken were cooked to perfection in that red, sweet and spicy gravy. Just look at the gravy. Mouth watering even when I look at it now. A fantastic preparation and I would rate this at 9.5/10 .

Mutton Perattal

I just loved the way they prepared this Mutton Perattal. Small cubes of mutton were cooked with lots of marrow and potatoes in a thick and spicy gravy. This was heavenly. Just this and bread would make a fantastic meal. I would rate this nothing less than 10/10 . Excellent!!!

Crab Masak Lemak

Since we had a lot of Perattal's, Sambal's and spicy dishes, this we had requested them to cook differently and they prepared it 'Masak Lemak' style which was just perfect. The crabs were perfectly cooked and served with a sweet and creamy gravy. A delicious preparation and I would rate this at 8.5/10 .

Prawn Sambal

Another Wow dish. I wonder how they are able to consistently cook so many dishes and all turning out to be so good. The dish was spicy, very spicy indeed and came with some very thick paste like gravy. Just the way I love it. And it was finger licking good!!! Amazing preparation. I would rate this at 10/10 .

Cuttlefish in Gravy

Goodness!!! This was another heavenly preparation. Not overdone, the cuttlefish were tender and juicy and the gravy.... it was sooooo good. Having added a lot of potatoes was another excellent thing. Man..... these guys are so good. I would rate this at 10/10 .

I wonder how I had not known about these people before, else I would have used them for my office functions too. These guys were simply excellent. Every single dish was a stand out. For the record, this is one place that I will highly recommend. Yes, they are just so good. Very reasonable prices and extremely delicious food!!! It looks like these people are going to be my choice of caterers in town.

Address: Jalan Besar Ulu Bernam (Opposite Petron), 35900 Tanjung Malim, Selangor,

                Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0800 - 1600 (They are usually open for orders or best to call before going)

Telephone: +6017 238 5662 

DOME Cafe @ Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur

It has been ages since I came to Suria KLCC. This used to be one of my favourite hang out places when it was newly opened. I think one of the many reasons as to why I had not been visiting them that often these days is simply because of the number of alternative malls which are closer to where I am based. Having had an appointment here this evening, I was delighted to visit them again. A place that brings about so many memories. It was a tea time appointment and we were supposed to meet at DOME Cafe. I ended up coming to the park entrance and looked around but couldn't find the restaurant. Previously, they used to be at the entrance facing Chinoz and I kept looking for them there. Only when my friend arrived, I was made to realise that they had shifted outdoors facing the park. That literally shows how long back my last trip was. The new premise seemed much bigger and spacious with more outdoor seating. No wonder they had moved here as it seemed like a better option. Being 5 pm, it was just too early to go for a full meal and so we opted for some drinks and snacks. Service was great as usual except that the waiter kept getting confused with our orders and we had to repeat thrice. Guess he must be one that is new. 

Cafe Americano

This has been my staple drink here. In fact, I have tried most of their coffee's and have always loved the brew here. Somehow, it just suits my taste buds. A medium bodied coffee with a bolder aftertaste. That's exactly my preference and without an exception, they had fixed it perfectly well this evening too. Some have a perception the DOME is generally expensive. In my opinion, no it is not. When comparing their general portion sizes and the kind of ingredients that is added to the dish, they are actually very reasonable. And not forgetting the lovely ambiance. For me, this was a perfect cup of coffee and I would rate it at 10/10 .

Scones With Jam & Clotted Cream

These classic scones were served with jam and clotted cream on the sides. A typical English dish that was near perfect. These were great but the one that has always been my benchmark were the one's that we get at KL Hilton. Comparatively, these still had room for improvement. I would rate these at 8.5/10 .

Potato Wedges Set

Golden Delicious Wedges

These wedges were absolutely fantastic. Fried with the skin intact, just the way I love it to a golden brown perfection. Mildly salted, they were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Just a perfect preparation to nibble on. Loved it and I would rate this at 9.5/10 .

Since it was tea time, there's not many dishes that I could share this time around. Perhaps if I get another opportunity soon, would be doing another trip and shall share more of their dishes. That aside, I loved the dishes that we tried this evening. Great food, decent prices and a fantastic atmosphere.

Address: Lot G-45A, Ground Level, Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, 

                50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 1000 - 2200 Daily

Telephone: +603 2165 1388

Website: http://www.domecafe.com.my/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DomeCafeMalaysia