Indulge The Kampung Fare This Ramadan at Swiss Garden

I got an email invitation from Flavor, Swiss Garden Hotel KL to taste their Ramadan Buffet Spread which offering over 100 mouth-watery delicious dishes and there sure wanting myself to be present. As I arrived that night, I was greeted by a team of chefs headed by Chef Wong Yean Loong and watched them bring out the whole huge Roasted Lamb out from the kitchen. I was informed that it took six hours to prepare the lamb which was marinated with traditional ingredients such as lemon grass, galangal and turmeric. The Roasted Lamb was the main highlight of the night served with black pepper or mint sauce accompanied by Nasi Briyani. I managed to taste the tender juicy lamb, it was lovely and so was the Nasi Briyani.

The recommendations for the night were the Udang Masak Tempoyak, Rendang Tok, Sup Ekor, Bubur Lambuk and there were a lot more to feast such as Kerabu Aneka Laut, Rojak Penang, Bergedil Daging, Ulam-ulam Kampung, Ikan Masin Gelama, Ikan Masin Sepat accompanied by specially prepared Sambal-sambal and Sup Tradisi. The dishes were well recommended as my all time favorite dishes were Rendangs and Tempoyak and the chefs had them done perfectly delicious and so authenticly.

I went through the buffet spread served, as usual me being myself all the time and found Udang Masak Sambal, Ketam Masak Berlada, Ikan Patin Masak Tempoyak, Ayam Goreng Serai, Ikan Sembilan Masak, Pucuk Paku Lemak Serai, Daging Masak Padang, Nasi Goreng Nenas with Udang Kering and Ayam Pangnang Perchik. There were also grill food such as Satays, Ikan Bakar and Sotong Bakar accompanied by Bee Hoon, Mee Bakso, Mee Tom Yam, Mee Rebus and Laksa Johor which were totally a local delicious food. I got to confess the Pucuk Paku Lemak was done perfectly hot and so desirable. There were a huge spread of lovely desserts that I adored such as the local kuih muih and nyoya style, gateux, mousses, sago gula melaka and also kurma fruits.

The Ramadan Buffet Dinner will be available from 6.30pm to 10.30pm every night, from the first day of Ramadan until Hari Raya. It is priced at RM80++ per adult and RM40++ per child or senior citizen.

For reservations, call 03-2141 3333, e-mail: fb_sghkl@swissgarden.com or log on to www.swissgarden.com

Chef Mohd Firdaus Redzuan created the dishes for this lovely Ramadan buffet spread.

Delicate Dim Sum That Wooed My Heart . . .

It was time for lunch and I was at Pavilion meeting up with Sunny, decided to have Dim Sum. I still recalled my friend, Shirley who had been telling me so much about the delicious Dim Sum at Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel. As since the place was just behind Pavalion and without wasting any seconds and to fill my hunger, I dragged Sunny to try out the Dim Sum.

Tai Zi Heen looked perfect place to be, a sure relaxing place to dine. As we sat down, the chinese tea was poured and the menu was handed for us to select and make the ordering. Here were the Dim Sum we had . . .

This was steamed crystal seafood dumplings filled with pumpkin . . . gorgeous, such a lovely and inviting piece of art. I particularly loved the bright orangy color and the freshness taste of the seafood fillings . . . so refreshing.

This Dim Sum really surprised me indeed and you may ask why? I got to confess that whenever I ordered my Dim Sum, I will never do without "Siew Mai" (Pork Dumplings). As Tai Zi Heen is halal, and to indulge a "Siew Mai" can be unimageable but I was totally wrong. . . . I ordered steamed chicken and shrimp dumpling with fresh scallop and black pepper "Siew Mai" was truely a heaven. It was very moist, tasty and you can bite into the crunchiness of the shrimps . . . I can defintely imagine my day.

This transparent light blue crystal dumplings looked so gorgeous and had make me craved not to eat them as of their beauty . . . so authentic and yet so divine . . this was steamed shrimps and scallops dumplings with vegetable.

How can we do without "Har Kau" when indulging Dim Sum and ordered a basket of steamed crystal dumplings filled with truffled shrimp "Har Kau" . . . absolutely delicious.

Due to hunger for deep fried Dim Sum, I ordered something rather interesting . . . a crispy shrimp and kiwi coated whole oats. Did I say lovely . . . yes I defintely did . . . a thumbs up to the chef . . . it was done perfectly with a wasabi dip . . . perfect and was gorgeous.

It was an amazing Dim Sum lunch and we will defintely be back next week to try out their new dinner menu with 50% discount! . . . SidneyK

Authentic Delicious Dining and A Nite to Remember

I had been sms-ing with Gabey Goh recently about our interview with the local newspaper and I decided to meet up with her.

SMS
BBO: "Hi Gabey, shall we meet up for a chit-chat over dinner?"
Gabey: "Can, where shall we meet?"
BBO: "How about at New Farmosa?"
Gabey: "OK!"

The day came, I was so excited, so "kan cheong" even worst then the "kan cheong kitchen" over TV8, I was so nervous that I even poof up like dollies . . . lol! and end up late. When we arrived at the restaurant all the guests were sitting waiting for us and so did the the first main dish...oppsss!. . . . OMG! Gabey brought her photographer along, walio leh, I felt so like a movie star .... ahemmmm maybe not so handsome (handsup maybe got lar), singer also can lar. Stangely that nite I did not go to the powder room at all. . . anyway Gabey was so nice and so was our hostess and owner Jeanie, I felt so at home . . . we end up like long time friends.

By the way Aidan and his friends were there too . . . . so was our celeb p***boy Simon Seow. So we flicked out our camera and started taking food photos then dishing into those delicious food. The first dish was the Formosa Special combination dish which consist of fried butter eel, jellyfish in garlic sauce or sour plum sauce (cold dish), deep-fried pig intestines with sesame seeds, fried spare ribs with pickled pineapple and rice crust, popped rice with pork & fish maw in black pepper sauce.

Formosa Special Combination Dish

Formosa Special Combination Dish, Deep-fried Pig Intestines with Sesame Seeds

Formosa Special combination dish, Fried Butter Eel

Formosa Special combination dish, Fried Spare Ribs with Pickled Pineapple

Formosa Special combination dish, Jellyfish in Garlic Sauce

Formosa Special combination dish, Rice Crust, Popped Rice with Pork & Fish Maw in Black Pepper Sauce

The Formosa Special Combination Dish was awesome delicious, I like the pop rice especially when eaten with coated sauce. The eel was ingeniously created, so awesomely delicious as the texture was to my liking, . . . I thought for a second it was tofu and agrued with one of the guest. Overall this dish was marvellous, done perfectly. Next came the shark fin soup, was good and I had two bowl . . I just can't live with a bowl soup a day, ...... just like an apple a day, seriously.

Shark's Fin Soup with Fresh Crab Meat, shredded Baby Scallops & Bamboo Pitch

Roasted Crispy Suckling Pig Hong Kong Style

This roasted piglet is a such winner, very crispy, succulent and fragrant indeed . . . just can eat it by itself without the hoi sin sauce.

Grilled Garlic Tiger Prawns & Fried TV Butter Prawns

Stuffed prawn stick with fish paste was something done uniquely, as I usually don't come across with the stuffing, it tasted good and well marinated . . . the butter prawn was good, simple and tasty.

Steamed Canadian Sea Bass with Chinese Mushrooms, Salted Cabbage & Tomato

I will alway go all out for healty eating and steaming is part of my preaching. When this dish was placed, I thought it was cod fish, "wow it's huge", I shouted. Then Jeanie calmed me down and told me it was a canadina sea bass. The sea bass was steam perfectly as the texture of the fish was tender and perfect, well time, got to say it is not easy to steam a fish as when it is over cooked, the texture of the fish can be very hard and dry. But this one was done just as it suppose to be, well done chef.

Fried Asparagus, Fresh Lily Buds, Gingko Nuts,Lotus Roots and Pumpkin

For those who loves vegeterian dish would like this dish, even a meater myself find this such irresistable.

Steamed Yam Rice in Hollow Bamboo Taiwanese Haaka style

This rice dish was cooked perfectly and surprisingly the yam did the trick to enchance the taste so perfectly that I had two bowls of them.

Assorted Pudding, Green Tea Aloe Vera, Honey Herbal, Yam Ginkgo (no lard, low sugar), Custard Caramel

The restaurant's famous dessert was placed on the dining table, awesome to have them, they we not too sweet and tasted deliciously.

Toffee Yam

Next came the killer toffee yam, perfect to end the night's dinner. I got to say it needed skill to make this dessert. . . melting the sugar on the boiling hot oil and coated the battered cooked yam with sesame seeds and then cold them in a chilled icy water to harden the coating. I justr adored it! Crunchy outside and tasty yam inside, great texture.

Look, look. .. . . Sunny Yaw took a memorable photo together with Jeanie and Gabey. It was most fruitful night, food was fantastic and the gathering was so fruitful. The dinner for 10 guests the night exclude drinks and dessert was RM520 plus 5% service charge.

Mee Rebus & Rojak, Abdullah Mastan Ghani, Teluk Intan

Teluk Intan or Talunk Anson is a very famous town in Perak with it's own famous leaning clock tower and situated along the river bank. I was there for a weekend and discovered this delicous Indian muslim noodle called "mee rebus" aka steam noodle situated in the heart of this little town.

All the delicious toppings such as curd soya bean, potato and fried crispy onion fritters.

This the delicious mee rebus coated with delicious spicy sweet tomato sauce.

This is rojak, which consist of the toppings without the noodle.

The weather was warm, indulge into a glass of mix scrapped ice is the best thing to do. A great thirst killer. A plate of mee rebus or rojak is only RM2.50 and it is a great bargain that you cannot find in Kuala Lumpur . . . . SidneyK