Sungai Besi Wan Tan Mee @ Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur

For many years, I have been hearing about this famous Wan Tan Mee place in Sungai Besi that is open in the evening till the wee hours. I have heard so much about the place but never got the opportunity to visit them since Sungai Besi is a little off my radar. Somehow, along with some friends who are Wan Tan Mee lovers, we planned to head there this evening since a visit to this stall has been long overdue. 

The Famous Wan Tan Mee Stall

It is a stand alone Wan Tan Mee stall right along the main Sungai Besi Road. We were here at around midnight and the place was packed with customers. There were a lot of cars parked by the side of the road and they even have a private parking space just before the stall. My recommendation would be to park at this private parking space since it's a little more secured than just leaving your car by the side of the road with no visibility at all. 

Their menu had a few variations to their main offering which is the Wan Tan Mee and a few other add on dishes. Practically, there is at least 10 plus variations to your Wan Tan Mee that you could choose from. This includes simple differences like Char Siew or Siew Yuk and they even have Pork Ribs Curry Wan Tan Mee as well. Prices are not cheap and that naturally comes with popularity. Service levels were speedy. The waiters were quick to take your orders but the waiting time was quite a bit. Not that they were slow but it's solely because they had too many orders.

Leong Sui @ RM 1.80

Siew Yuk @ RM 18.00

Their Leong Sui was something that we all enjoyed. It was concentrated and really refreshing. So much so, we had two glasses each. My rating for their Long Sui would be 9/10. Their Siew Yuk was really good as well. The skin was crispy, the fatty part sufficiently moist and the meaty part really juicy. Overall, it was a treat and my rating for this shall be 9/10 as well. 

Char Siew Wan Tan Mee (Small) @ RM 6.80

Clear Soup with Wanton's

We had ordered the small portion of Char Siew Wan Tan Mee since that's the norms that we would go for. I found their Char Siew to be decent only, nothing great to shout about and it was a tad too fatty for me. My rating for this shall be 8/10. Their Wan Tan Mee was also nothing great. Honestly, I have tasted much better ones even in Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps, it may have been very good once upon a time but the quality has surely dropped now. The noodles were not as springy as they should have been and the overall mix of sauces were so so as well. If I were to rate this, 7/10 shall be my rating. They had also served a bowl of clear soup that comes with a few pieces of Wantons. The soup was nice and the Wantons were above average quality. Again, 8/10 would be my rating for this. 

Sungai Besi Wan Tan Mee is a stall that needs no introduction to Wan Tan Mee lovers in the Klang Valley. They are so famous and have been around for decades. However, I found their Wan Tan Mee to be above average only. Perhaps, the quality has dropped over the years. However, their Siew Yuk was really good and that is something that I would recommend here. Nevertheless, still a decent plate of Wan Tan Mee to have, especially when you're craving for this in the wee hours. 

Address: 190-H, Batu 2 1/2, Jalan Sungai Besi, 57100 Kuala Lumpur.

Business Hours: 1800 - 0300 Daily

Restoran Choon Tien @ Kajang, Selangor

Restoran Choon Tien is a Chinese food court that is located in Taman Berjaya, Kajang which is on the Sungai Chua side of town. This place has been around for a reasonably long time and they do have a good number of stalls that operate during the day and night. 

Restoran Choon Tien in Jalan Berjaya 10, Taman Berjaya

There are different set of stalls that operate during the day and another set of stalls that operate during the evenings. The anchor tenant operates the drinks and mix rice stall both day and night. There are a handful of good food stalls here and my favourites are the Char Kuey Teow stall along with the Satay stall. 

Chicken Satay @ RM 0.90 per stick

The Satay stall is located outside the main dining area and they are only open in the evenings. I find the satay here to be really good and perhaps on par with the famous names in Kajang. The Peanut Sauce comes with some chilli as well to spice it up and together, it's a fantastic combination. The Satay itself is lean, not too sweet and quite tender. My rating for this Satay would be 9/10 and the Peanut Sauce 8/10. 

Char Kuey Teow Stall At The Entrance

Char Kuey Teow @ RM 6.00

The Char Kuey Teow stall is located near the entrance. He makes it the Penang way and I find the flavours to be pretty good. In fact, it's one of the good ones that I have come across in Kajang. He doesn't add cockles, but he does add some Fish Cake, Shrimps and Bean Sprouts. 8/10 would be my rating for this dish. 

If you're around Sungai Chua area, I would recommend visiting Restoran Choon Tien. This is a Chinese foodcourt and there are two things that really stand out here. One is the Satay from the Malay stall and the other one would be the Penang Char Kuey Teow stall that is located near the entrance. The Satay is really good and is on par with the big names in Kajang. The Char Kuey Teow is one of the best that I have tasted in Kajang too. Definitely worth checking the place out. 

Address: Jalan Berjaya 10, Taman Berjaya, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.

Business Hours: 1700 - 2300 Daily

Maidin Sup Kambing @ Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Maidin Sup Kambing is a stall that needs no introduction to most Mutton Soup lovers in the Klang Valley. This gentleman has been in business for ages and is so famous that he has been promoted by a number of TV channels including the ASTRO Vaanavil Rasikka Rusikka Team. 

Just A Humble Stall

Located Right In Front Of AA Pharmacy

I have always wanted to try this Mutton Soup but never got a chance.  I have come numerous times to Lucky Garden Bangsar and it's always either his off day of he was sold out. Business starts at around 6 pm and goes on till around 11 pm. But if you want Mutton, then please be here before 7.30 pm as that tends to get sold out very fast. Even this evening, he had run out of mutton and we had to settle for his Chicken Soup. 

Prices

Ayam Kampung Soup @ RM 10.00

It's just unfortunate that we could not have his famous Mutton Soup as it was sold out and we settled for his Ayam Kampung Soup. The portion was huge and pricey too. The soup itself was something very unique, rich in spices and not the usual kind of soup that is mostly found in Indian Muslim restaurants. My rating for this preparation shall be 8/10. Definitely worth giving it a try when you're in Lucky Garden, Bangsar. 

Address: 30, Persiaran Ara Kiri, Lucky Garden, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.

Business Hours: 1800 - 2300 Daily

Bay Leaf Curry House @ Kajang, Selangor

Having heard that a new South Indian restaurant had opened up in Kajang town, I made it a point to visit them this afternoon. I for one am a person who loves a good Banana Leaf Rice meal and whenever there is a new place that opens up, I would make it a point to visit them and share my findings.

Bay Leaf Curry House in Kajang Town

Unlike many other restaurants that I have shared in Kajang, this restaurant however is not located in a residential area. They are located right in the heart of Kajang town along the busy Jalan Sulaiman. This area is almost like a little India with many shops that sells spices etc. Parking is definitely a challenge here and traffic is busy almost all day long. But if you're willing to go around in circles, then I am sure sooner or later, you would be able to find a bay. 

My Lunch Price At RM 6.50

We were here slightly after the usual lunch hours and their spread seemed just okay. Not much choices in terms of vegetarian as well as non vegetarian spread but I am assuming that they may have been sold out by the time we had arrived. The curries looked decent and nothing spectacular. So I went for some Rice, Chicken Perattal & Curry (from the claypot), Fried Potato and Petai Sambal and this lot was priced at RM 6.50 . This set came with some Rasam as well. Prices are definitely very reasonable but again, I have not tasted the items yet.

Petai Sambal

Chicken Curry

Their Petai Sambal was nice. It was fresh and the beans were not overdone. Flavours were decent too. My rating for this preparation would be 8/10. Their Chicken Curry that I had taken was from the claypot and I found it to be decent as well. Decent flavours and it was thick and nice. 7/10 shall be my rating for this. 

Curried Chicken

Fried Potato

Their Curried Chicken which again was from the claypot was decent as well. Meaty chunks and the spices were decent. 7/10 would be my rating for this. My brother went for their Mutton Perattal but seriously, that was below expectations. I had tasted that and in my opinion, that only deserves a rating of 5/10. Their Fried Potato was decent as well and my rating for this shall be 8/10. Do note that most of the dishes here are on the spicy side. 

Rasam

Their Rasam was decent too and again, this would be one that I would rate at 7/10. It could have been better with more spices.

To summarise my dining experience, I would say that their prices are quite reasonable but the food could have been better. Decent food for sure but there is room for improvement. If you're looking for a quick meal, that this might be an option. 

Address: No. 38, Jalan Sulaiman, Bandar Kajang, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.

Business Hours: 0730 - 2200 Daily 

Canton-i Restaurant @ Putrajaya, Wilayah Persekutuan

This evening we decided to check out Canton-i Restaurant that is located in IOI City Mall, Putrajaya. Actually, this is part of a big group of restaurants that have outlets throughout Malaysia. The place seems to be always crowded and I know for a fact that their prices are premium. 

The Restaurant in IOI City Mall, Putrajaya

Sauces

They have a very good system to manage their customers and crowd. Their staffs seemed to be very professional in their approach and everything happened methodically. Each table was set with all that a customer would ever need in terms of cutlery and sauces. Their menu seemed pretty impressive and they had so many dishes and they definitely looked good. Once again, you would never know precisely unless you try them. So we ordered a few dishes and with that in a matter minutes, the food was served. 

Iced Water @ RM 0.90

Steamed Peanuts @ RM 1.89

It's not surprising that they charge for Iced Water and again, the amount charged wasn't really high. There are some normal restaurants in Bukit Bintang area that charge much more than this. Their Steamed Peanuts were really tasty and addictive. My rating for this shall be 9/10. 

Char Siew & Siew Yuk Platter @ RM 33.02

Sauces

Their Char Siew and Siew Yuk platter was one that we thoroughly enjoyed. Their Char Siew was a little fatty and those that like it this way would surely enjoy this preparation. For me, I would rate this at 8/10. Their Siew Yuk was really good. Crispy and so juicy, just the way I love it and this I would definitely rate at 9/10. 

Sitr Fried String Beans @ RM 21.70

Roasted Pork With Tofu @ RM 26.42

The Stir Fried String Beans was good. The preparation was just perfect, not overdone and the add on's truly added to the taste. 8/10 shall be my rating for this. The Roasted Pork with Tofu however was a huge disappointment. The Roast Pork was nice but the Fuchok was hard like plastic. Seriously, it was that bad and it required a tremendous effort of chewing and that was really annoying. For me, this is definitely a shame and I would only give this 3/10. 

Deep Fried Cod Fish @ RM 101.88

Firstly, I know that this is pricey and we were already informed about the price when ordering. So, I shall not complain about that as we were prepared to pay. However, taste wise, it was not up to the expected standards. The fish wasn't fresh either and it tasted rather bland. 2/10 shall be my rating for this. 

Bill

To summarise our dining experience, I would say that their customer service was excellent and that was the only one that was good. Food wise, their Roasted Meat Platter was good and so was their Stir Fried String Beans. The Tofu dish as well as the Deep Fried Cod Fish which cost us RM 101.88 that you see above was nowhere near the expected taste. I know that these guys used to do some amazing food before but it's just sad to see that this outlet isn't keeping up to it's reputation. 

Address: LG-80, IOI City Mall, IOI Resort City, 62502 Putrajaya.

Business Hours: 1000 - 2200 Daily

Ten Hup Chee Cheong Fun @ Kajang, Selangor

Ten Hup Chee Cheong Fun is a very famous restaurant that has been around for three generations. This outlet is located in one of the wooden stalls along Jalan Changkat, right opposite the Kajang Wet Market. 

The Restaurant Along Jalan Changkat, Kajang

This place may seem like a very humble set up but the demand for their Chee Cheong Fun is really high and most often, finishes quite fast. They start business daily at 8 am and they close at 1.45 pm. If it's sold out earlier, then they tend to close earlier. Their off days are Thursdays. 

Shrimp Chee Cheong Fun (Small) @ RM 6.50

They sell three varieties of Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun, with shrimp, with Char Siew or a mix of Char Siew and Shrimps. We were here at 12 noon and by then, their Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun was already sold out and we had to settle for the shrimp version. 

The portion is huge even though we went for the smaller version. I think this is good to feed an average eater. What liked most about their preparation is the freshness of the ingredients. Even the shrimp was so fresh and tasty and the blend of sauces and chilli paste was heavenly. 9/10 shall be my rating for this dish.

If you're one that enjoys a good plate of Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun, I would recommend visiting Ten Hup Chee Cheong Fun that is located along Jalan Changkat, Kajang which is just opposite the Kajang Wet Market. This place has been around for ages and is now run by the third generation. Absolutely lovely food and it is so fresh and reasonably priced. Highly recommended.

Address: 824, Jalan Changkat, Bandar Kajang, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.

Business Hours: 0800 - 1345 Friday - Wednesday (Closed on Thursdays)

Sushi Zanmai @ Cyberjaya, Selangor

Sushi Zanmai is a chain of Halal Japanese restaurants that can be found in most of the shopping malls in Malaysia. In fact, the parent company runs a couple of sister brands that operate across the country. This evening, we were in the mood for some Japanese food and one place where we could be certain of getting good Japanese food at reasonable prices would be Sushi Zanmai. Luckily, they also have an outlet in DPulze Mall, Cyberjaya which is close by for me. 

Broad Variety To Choose From

Sauces & Cutlery

Cold Green Tea

One thing that always impresses me is the amount that they have invested in robotics and the present system that they have established in all their outlets. Everything happens in such a methodical manner and they are all extremely speedy. Things happens so fast and systematically and it's really impressive to see. Sauces, cutlery and all that you may need is neatly placed on all the tables and they are speedy to serve the drinks. The Green Tea here is good, regardless of which one you order, hot or cold. My rating for their Green Tea would be 8/10. 

Chawanmushi @ RM 5.80 

Spicy Chick Toji @ RM 12.80

The Chawanmushi that you get here is pretty decent. Of course, it would be right to compare this to the ones that you get at specialty Japanese restaurants or those run by celebrity Japanese chefs. This has got a taste of it's own. Though the egg isn't as soft and silky as the one that you would get at those celebrity restaurants, still for the price it is quite decent. My rating for this preparation shall be 7/10. The Spicy Chick Toji is something that I am trying for the first time. Firstly, it wasn't spicy at all but it had a mild hint of spiciness and a slightly sour aftertaste. Ingredients wise, it was Tofu, So Hoon and chicken bits. Taste wise, I would rate this 7/10. 

Saba Shioyaki @ RM 15.80

Ebi Mentaiyaki @ RM 18.80

Their Saba Shioyaki was good and the preparation here is one of my favourites. Perfectly grilled and the marination was awesome. 8/10 shall be my rating for this. Similarly, their Ebi Mentaiyaki was good too and topped with some delicious cheese. Another one that I would rate at 8/10. 

Assorted Sushi @ RM 29.80

View From The Other End

Sake Zanmai is a platter that comes with an assortment of items and it gets you to sample a little of each. Good for sharing and perfect when you're just in the mood to sample a little of this and that. Lovely preparation and they were fresh. My rating for this platter shall be 8/10. 

The Bill

For some consistently good Japanese food, Sushi Zanmai would be my choice of restaurant. Of course, it would not be fair to compare these guys with the specialty Japanese restaurants or even restaurants run by celebrity chefs from Japan. What you get here is decent Japanese food at reasonable prices. Most importantly, they are conveniently located in most malls in the Klang Valley. 

Address: LG 12 & 13, Lower Ground Floor, DPulze Shopping Centre, 

                Lingkaran Cyberpoint Timur, 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor.

Business Hours: 1000 - 2200 Daily