Buzzing with FOOD

What can you expect when you go on a field trip with a bunch of pure gluttons? It’s eating round the clock for sure!!

It was a planned trip to Kulim to join in a review session (more on that in later post), but there were many more ‘cari makan’ (food find) plans even before we leave the island on that faithful morning.

The review ended after lunch, at around 3pm. But that’s not the end of our food journey. One gave suggestion, another second the idea and off we go to the first pit-stop of never ending food.

We drop by to have something in this house. Guess what is sold here?

Laksa Kelang Lama!! This is the main shop and they have a branch in Taman Jaya, Bukit Mertajam (BM). I tried the one in BM before but I didn’t know the main one is located here. A small bowl is RM 2.40, while big one is RM 2.80. If you want to only take the soup, it cost RM 1.20!!

For me who constantly have home-cooked laksa, this one lacks in the oomph taste. It’s not spicy but just sour.

My mum usually fries prawn fritters when she makes laksa. Over here, the crackers is only made of flour, and is very thin and quite tasteless if you don’t dip it in the laksa soup! (I would prefer home-cooked version anytime over this~ who wants to try it when my mum makes it next time?? hehee)

They also sell Ais Kacang (RM 1.50). This one is good as the ice is finely blended and the syrups compliments well with the ingredients like peanuts, cincau, jelly and red beans.

A good cooling dessert to soothe the burning mouth. (Not burning for me though as I think the laksa is not spicy!).

Hard to resist isn’t it, especially on a hot sunny day!

OK, we were done at this pit-stop for laksa. It was then decided that we go to Megamall Penang area. To do what?? Eat of course!!

Laksa is not filling but instead makes you hungrier you know (due to the sourness)

We reached the next destination no long after.

This building used to be a public market, then a food court for dim sum, but now is home to Restaurant Ki Xiang.

What do they sell? Klang Bak Kut Teh (Herbal Pork Soup)!!! (Now while writing this I just realise that we were hunting down Klang food, first Laksa Kelang Lama, then now Klang Bak Kut Teh)

This is the boss, busy preparing all the available parts of the ‘bak kut’ (parts of the pork) that they offer.

Some tea (RM 3-5) to start of our meal. You can also opt for iced chinese tea (RM 0.50) if you start to sweat once you indulge in the soup.

Complimentary garlic and green chillies. You tiao (RM 1 per bowl) are also available.

Now on to the main attraction. This is what the boss have prepared for all of us.

Part by part

This is the tail part

Hoon Cheong (pork intestines)

 This shop does not serve individual bowls like the above, but just as a presentation to differentiate what kind of cuts/parts they have. When you order, they will serve it in a claypot to retain the heat. Some cabbage and mushrooms will also be added in the claypot. As for the intestines (RM 8 ) and enoki mushrooms (RM 4), it is cooked separately and served in individual bowls.

A bowl of rice (big RM 1, small RM 0.50) to enjoy the meal

This outlet also sells the dried version of Bak Kut Teh. Let’s take a peep at how it’s cooked.

Add some dried cuttlefish, dried chillies and green chillies. Then put in the chopped pork meat (brewed from the soup) and ladies fingers.

Add some dark soy sauce and seasoning. Then give it a blast of fire to start cooking it, stirring in between.

Almost done now, waiting for the gravy to dry and let the seasoning sip into the pork. Tah Dah!!…ready to be eaten. The fragrance is really something you cannot miss. It did made me stop what I was doing and just let the smell tickle my senses!!!

Dry Bak Kut Teh and Soup Bak Kut Teh. Price is charged according to per person’s serving (RM 8 per person)

As a comparison to the Klang Bak Kut Teh I had in Klang, the soup in Klang is more infused with herbal flavour. I believe the avoidance of brewing with mushrooms makes the soup more concentrated with herbs.

Over here, the soup is thick but lacks some strong herbal taste. Nevertheless, it’s considered one of the good Bak Kut Teh available in Penang!! The dry version…as I said, the smell when served, throws me away. The dried cuttlefish and ladies fingers is a great addition to this version. It is a little salty if eaten without rice though.

Compliment the meaty meal with some greens of cabbage blanched in boiling water and added with oil and dark soy sauce (RM 6). Mushrooms are added too!! I couldn’t be more happy as I just like mushrooms, in whatever dish!!!

This is a poster of the shop. This shop is open everday from 8am - 10pm!! All day Bak Kut Teh, whether for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even supper!! That’s good news for Penangites!!

And the map. Pass by the front of Megamall Penang. Turn right a few hundred meters ahead and you will see PC Depot on your left. Just go straight till the end and Restaurant Ki Xiang is at the left hard corner of the road.

And the GPS coordinate (thanks to Jason’s toy)

BURP….it was indeed a full meal. We surrendered and made our way back to the island, fully satisfied and happy to have filled our tummy to the brim. What started with a review session turned out to be a full day of food hunting!! Imagine how much food we stuffed ourselves! Will write about the review later as there was so so many dishes and drinks served!!!

 The year come and go. It’s time again to celebrate the Mooncake Festival, or formally known as Zhongqiu Jie (Mid-Autumn Festival).

What is this festival all about and how did it started? How do the Chinese here celebrate it? Some dailies have written and compiled some history, the significance and also the observation on how this festival is celebrated here in Malaysia.

Read: Moon Struck, A Full Moon on the Rise, Tales and Legends, Moonstruck Lady, Mooncake Festival 2009.

There are tons of versions on this folklore. But I feel, the essence of it is that it is celebrated together with the family to build a stronger bond, from adults to children. Undeniably though, I truly agree with one of the article above saying that "For the Chinese, it is another excuse to indulge in feasting and merry-making."!!!

Mooncakes (surprisingly also known as reunion cake) traditionally used to contain fillings of lotus paste with or without a salted egg yolk in the center to symbolize the full moon. But nowadays, with the modern era, there are a variety of flavours like five kernel (A filling consisting of 5 types of nuts and seeds,), green tea lotus paste, black sesame paste, six-grain paste and pandan lotus paste. Some unconventional ones include green tea with dragon fruit paste, nuts with roast chicken, durian lotus paste, red bean paste with chicken floss and sunflower seeds, pandan paste with egg cream and walnuts, coconut paste with pineapple. (I’m not making this up. It’s really something which is now on sale to the public in Malaysia). Recently, everyone is also more health conscious, and hence there’s a variety of low sugar paste fillings.

Too mind-blogging to consider? There’s even more now with the addition of ’snow-skin’ (non-baked, chilled mooncakes) versions, with fillings like mango paste, black sesame with tiramisu paste, green tea with white lotus paste and sake kuaci, chocolate whiskey, and even ice-cream and coffee versions!!

And now there’s even jelly mooncakes!!!

All these is enough to make the excuse of indulging in feasting these mooncakes forgive-able!!

Anyway this post is to wish all Chinese a Happy and Joyful Mid-Autumn Festival.

Here are some mooncakes which I managed to get my hands on.

Consumers nowadays prefer to buy smaller ones (like the mini mooncakes above). The one here has pandan lotus paste filling.

This baby mooncake, reputably to be the best in Shanghai, made by Sheraton Hotel, Shanghai. Looks normal, but it cost almost RM 30 per box!!! Each box is the size of a mini mooncake like the local ones here. Imagine the quality of ingredients used (and of course with the addition of "Shanghai’s living cost"..this baby is really an indulgence!!!). I really have to thank a dear family friend for sharing this with us.

Not forgetting, the moon biscuits (gong zai peng) which is usually filled with desiccated coconut or lotus paste. 

Have a feast of mooncakes and tea but remember to eat in moderation to avoid complications :)

~

Many moons ago….I went to Lavender Bistro.

Lavender sounds more like a tea house to me but this outlet is actually a bakery cum bistro.

The abundance of pastries and bread are displayed at the front section of the shop.

The open kitchen, meanwhile, is located at the side of the outlet. Here you can see the pastry chefs creatively making all sorts of pleasing-to-see delights.

Further into the outlet is where the bistro is, tables, sofas and chairs nicely placed to give a place for diners to sit and have a complete meal.

I like the classy look and feel of the interior although it is not using really classy materials. Don’t get what I mean?

The chandelier is actually a wall tile and not a real one, although from far it could fool the eye.

There are also string of beads or some sort hanging down from the ceiling and nice but not overly-bright lighting.

The menu consist of light to heavy meal.

For breakfast, one can opt for set meals such as Healthy Country Bread set, Wheat Bun set, Butter Roll set or Florentine Egg set - each comes with a complimentary coffee/tea.

For a more heavy meal, you can opt for soups, pasta, burgers or even fried rice and tomyam with vermicelli.

Of course the ‘sweet temptation‘ section of the menu like cakes and puddings can be ordered at anytime while stocks are available.

Red Plum Lime Soda (RM 5.90) and Iced Peach Tea

I had Honey Green Tea (RM 5.90). Haha sounds funny right?! Usually green tea is taken without sugar or honey but this combination taste quite pleasant after a few sips.

Also, Americano Coffee (RM 2.45 after a 50% promotional offer)

And we were there to actually get a bite on the sweet temptation. It was way past lunch time…so it’s more like having tea.

Cocoa Barry Walnut (RM 4.80)

Really soft and ‘chocolaty’ mousse. This was gone in a matter of seconds!!!

And a few pastries chosen from the front bakery section. Select what you want and put in your tray, then pass it over to the counter and tell them your table number. They will serve it to you.

Chicken floss bun (RM 2.50), Egg tart (RM 1.50), Charcoal (RM 1.50) - black square pastry, Chocolate Marble Square (RM 1.50) - layered square pastry, Xiao Ge Ge (RM 1.50) - long cake-like pastry. Not expensive considering the environment and service of the bistro. But a 10% service charge and 5% gov. tax is applied.

Now how I wish I can find such outlets in Penang. By the way, this shop is in the Jusco Mall in Bukit Tinggi, Klang.

Lavender Bistro
Lot G18, Ground Floor, Aeon Bukit Tinggi Shopping Centre
Tel: 03-3326 2793 

 Note:

This is going to be a start of more ‘many moons ago’ series post which I will be posting from time to time.

~

Young Heart Restaurant hardly needs much introduction. With a motto of ‘healthy living starts with healthy eating’, this restaurants strives to offer healthy home cooked food to its customers but with added quality and comfortable environment. 

Publication in various local dailies are a testimony of their wonderful offerings.

Ground floor setting 

VIP room setting 

They were recently spotted with a new menu and a lot of new dishes have been added to the long list of offerings.

Start of the meal by having some tea. Young Heart offers a really wide variety of tea, including flower tea and some not so well-known tea combination.

Pu Er Tea (left) and Natural Flower Tea Mixture - Rosehip, Hibiscus, Green Apple (right)

Mid Autumn Reunion Package (4 pax) @ RM 123 nett 

 
(pic courtesy of Jason)

Reunion Dumpling Platter (5 flavours-10 pieces) 

One of the main attraction here are the steamed dumplings (jiao zi). 5 different types are served in this package, 2 pieces each. The flavours/types are (from left) Prawn + Pork + Scallop, Pork + Spinach, Pork + Cabbage, Pork + Pumpkin, Fish + Water chestnut.

The fillings are finely chopped and equally distributed. I personally like the prawn + pork + scallop and also the pork + spinach type. The fish + water chestnut is quite similar to the other pork flavours but the addition of water chestnut makes it slightly more crunchy and juicy. Do eat the dumplings while it is hot or else the skin will hardened.

Soup of the Day - Green Papaya with Spare Ribs

Unriped papaya is used here, hence the yellowish-green cubes you see in the soup. The soup as a lot of herbs and spare ribs, making it very sweet. I can’t help feeling very homey while slurping down a bowl of this soup. Very ‘cheng tnee’ as hokkiens would say, meaning clear and sweet.

Cod Fish Ala Twin

The cod fish is steamed to perfection with light soy sauce and garnished with deep fried ginger. Accompanying the steamed cod fish is it’s twin but the fried version. Some places will offer deep fried fish which is hard and overdone but over here, there’s no complains at all as it still remains juicy inside while the outer layer is crispy.

Orange Pork Chop

Pork cubes are deep fried and coated with tangy orange sauce. The meat remains soft eventhough it was deep fried and the sauce adds a zing to whip up the appetite. This is a winner for the night. 

3+1 Cup Chicken

I didn’t realise this is the sort of 3 cup chicken dish as it was not drenched in dark soy sauce but just lightly seasoned. The taste is also not as strong as the one I tried in another chinese food restaurant. However the version here is slightly altered. This is where the +1 comes in - the red chillies. It was a good choice as the chillies added another dimension to the taste of this dish.

Stir Fry Kai Lan

This dish was originally meant to be Stir Fry Chayote Leaves with Shredded Chicken but due to rainy days, they were unable to get fresh stock of the Chayote Leaves. The name was intricate enough to raise a hope of trying for the first time but unfortunately it didn’t happen. So a simple Stir Fry Kai Lan is substituted. It’s a simple dish, with garlic as the main source of taste.

Deep Fried Young Heart Bean Curd

Cube-sized home-made bean curd which is cripsy on the outside but very soft on the inside. Eaten together with thai-style chilli sauce, this will be a hit for adults and children alike. 

The set above comes with a choice of clear hand-made noodle or rice (total of 4 servings)

The noodle is only lightly seasoned with sesame oil but don’t let it’s appearance and perception foul you. The noodle texture is very springy and the sesame oil give just the right amount of taste without overshadowing the real focus, which is the noodle itself.

Mid Autumn Romantic Package (2 pax) @ RM 55 nett

(pic courtesy of Jason)

Deep Fried Young Heart Chicken Wing

I kind of prefer the ones I had last time (which has the fragrance of kaffir leaves). This one is crispy but lacks a distinct flavour. Nevertheless you won’t go wrong with fried chicken, it’s just a classic which is enjoyed by everyone.

Deep Fried Prawn and Cheesy Dumplings

This is like a snack to enjoy while having your meal. Very proportionately sized and has a very crunchy skin.

The fillings inside. Do eat while it’s hot as the juicy prawns really squirts in your mouth when you bite it, while the cheese melts instantly when you cut it open. 

Steam Pork Stuffed Snake Squash with Egg Sauce (check it out here if you want to see how a snake squash look like)

Something similar I had the last time. The quality still maintains.

Stir Fried Enoki Mushroom with Brocolli

A simple stir fry vege to balance the meal. I love the addition of enoki mushrooms.

 Ying Yang Stuffed Egg with Sweet and Sour Sauce

This is something very unique and lovely, pleasing to the eyes and also to our tastebuds. Minced pork is stuffed in the egg and slightly pan fried and cooked with sweet and sour sauce.

Golden Osmanthus Pumpkin Pudding 

Both of the set meals above includes a dessert consisting of Golden Osmanthus Pumpkin Pudding. More like puree in liquid rather than pudding, this dessert is great for those who prefer to have a mildly sweet ending to their meal. Sago is added to the pudding to give some bite to it.

But if you are a mango lover (like us), it is highly recommended to substitude the pumpkin pudding with Mango Puree and Sago Pudding (additional RM 1 per bowl is charged). You can never go wrong with mango and since Young Heart uses fresh mango, this bowl of dessert is really heart-melting!!! I can slurp up 2 bowls of this!! Thumbs-up

This is the dried osmanthus flower and the syrup made out of it. 

To keep the mid autumn spirit alive, Young Heart is giving out complimentary home-made mini mooncakes with special flavours when you choose either packages above. This is more like "Kung Cai Peng’ (canto) or ‘Ang Kong Ngah Piah’ (hokkien). The crust is quite similar to mooncakes but the filling offered here is sambal dried shrimps!!! What a treat! The crust is real soft and the filling is very fine and tasty. If you can’t get enough of it and want to buy more back to satisfy your tummy, do ask the staff.

 If you are still feeling hungry after ordering the above, then here are two more highly recommended items to order. (Note: Not available in the package)

Stir fried Sambal Seafood with Fried Brinjal @ RM 10 (medium-size), RM 15 (large-size)

I was surprise how such a simple combination will bring out such flavourful taste. The deep fried brinjal was like eating tempura while the sambal seafood was not spicy but very aromatic and savory. By combining both, it worked wonders to the crispy brinjal and the rich seafood sambal.

Fiery Hot Noodle @ RM 8.80

If you are longing for ‘lat chiu pan min’ (Chilli Pan Mee), look no where but here. The hand-made noodle is topped with minced meat, fried anchovies, spring onion and a ‘medium raw’ egg. Add the chilli according to your preference but mind you, the name of this dish is Fiery Hot Noodle, so beware of the chilli power! We added the whole saucer of chilli and it was really super hot! But I liked it very much since I love spicy stuff!!

The aftermath of egg oozing out and addition of chilli, all stirred together. Tempting isn’t it?

Young Heart Mid Autumn Package will be available starting from 18th Sept 09. Yes, that’s 2 days away to get a taste of a healthy yet delicious meal. This offer will be valid until 11th Oct 09, so don’t wait too long. Please be aware that they are closed on 28th, 29th and 30th Sept 09.

Young Heart Restaurant is just opposite Bandar Baru Pulau Tikus Supermarket and a stone-throw away from the Pulau Tikus market. 

Map:

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Some ask what is gelato? What difference is it from ice-cream? Is it just another stylish name created by the Italians?

Well, generally it is not the same as ice-creams. It is flavorful, rich and creamy, and health-conscious!

But how can that be?? Rich and creamy do not go along with health-conscious!

 For a start, Gelato is both lower in fat and calories compared to traditional American ice cream. In the U.S. ice cream is generally made with cream, and is classified by its butterfat content (10% - 12%). Gelato is made from milk or water, which accounts for a lesser percentage of butterfat (5%-8%) and therefore calories and fat.

Also, gelato contains about 25% to 30% air, while ice cream can contain as much as 50% air, meaning gelato is denser because not as much air is whipped into the mixture. For consumers like us, it means more flavourful and rich texture!!!

Read the difference here

 Gelatissimo from Down Under (Australia) brings to our shore the real taste of Italia. Most of their product/ingredients are imported from Australia, so no compromising on the taste even though we are in Malaysia. Gelatissimo Pty Ltd is a 100% Australian owned company that utilises the best of Italian and Australian ingredients to create that real Italian gelato flavour.

They have choices of 1 Flavour cup @ RM 8.90, 2 Flavours @ RM 12.90, 3 Flavours @ RM 16.90. Some might be put off by the price but rest assured that the taste is more satisfying than normal ice-cream and that all the ingredients are specially imported from Australia! That should convince you to give it a try, right?

The array of choices available in this outlet. There’s about 50 or more flavours, and they rotate it around every week. So one week you might see certain flavours and another week it’s could be a totally different display. Feel free to take a scoop or two and try it out before you decide to buy any! They will be pleased to serve you.

3 cup sizes and the packaging provided.

I’m just gonna give you a small peep on how mango sorbet is made. Basically Gelatissimo went through a Sprint Process, then through Extraction, Blast Freezer and finally Decoration. Different places might go through different process but the last 3 method should be somewhat similar.

(for more info of other processes, read this)

From liquid to the creamy gelato 

The spatula used is not something to be kidding about. It has its importance!!

The waves created from the machine and handling of spatula is part of an art and decoration for gelato!

Gelato is not only an Italian ice cream but an art form. From the classic waves that are created right out of the machine, to spatulart, and an array of toppings and garnishes, and plated desserts, the aesthetic gelato creates is just as important to gelato makers as the overall taste. 

Gelato Waves

Gelato waves are the classic way gelato is presented in a pan. The waves are created during the extraction from the batch freezer. The gelato maker takes a gelato spatula (note: gelato is traditionally served with a spatula and not a scooper) and carefully collects the product as it leaves the machine and places in the pan. The technique is to collect the gelato so that it is almost in the form a tear shape and drop it into the pan.

Spatulart

Decorating techniques of gelato are endless with the many varieties of spatulart. More like a sculpting tool then a spatula, spatulart is a flat handheld tool that shapes gelato into various patterns that include shapes, rows, grooves and so much more.

and also have you seen Plated desserts before? (read more) 

Here’s the freshly-made gelato. The mango fragrance is really tantalizing and we were really lucky to be given a spoonful each as it really melts in the mouth!!!

Affogato @ RM 14.90

This is indeed a yummylicious treat. Ever tried something bitter-sweet? This is one of them - The bitterness of illy’s espresso and the sweetness of biscotti flavour gelato. This should be taken not seperately but both together to have the cold-hot, bitter-sweet effect. Real thumbs-up!!!

They use illy espresso (ready-packed)

Sample of the mango shake

Gelatissimo shake @ RM 14.90. They take the mango sorbet and blend it to give you a smooth and creamy shake.

And this is the 2 flavour cup gelato of green tea and Belgian chocolate. It is quite a lot actually and can be shared by 2 person.

Take-away cold-box if you decide to pack it back for your family and friends.

The friendly staff of Gelatissimo. Thanks to Jason and Gill for sending out the invite and to Mr. Hong, the marketing manager for his sharing on gelato!!

And as they say in Gelatissimo, "This temptation is guilt free with sorbet being 100% fat free and premium dairy between 90-97% fat free.".

So what are you waiting for? Give it a try!

Contact:

G-45A, Gurney Plaza, 10250, Penang
Tel: 04-228 0822
http://www.gelatissimo.com.au/ 

GPS:

 5°26.255′ N   100°18.571′ E

Anyway here’s a trivia:
(don’t take it seriously!)

 WHAT YOUR FAVORITE GELATO FLAVOR SAYS ABOUT YOU
Is It True That We Are What We Eat?

Most people know about their IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and many know about their EQ (Emotional Quotient), but how many know about their GQ (Gelato Quotient)?

GQ is a theory based on customer research at PreGel AMERICA that equates favorite gelato flavors with personality types. See what your favorite gelato flavors say about you.