Showing posts with label 4-Star Food. Show all posts

[FOOD] 20151111 Sunrise Beach Restaurant @ Sunrise Beach, Koh Lipe, Thailand


Just check in your hotel/resort in Koh Lipe and no idea where to grab a bite while the walking street will only open in the evening? Why not have a try at the Sunrise Beach Restaurant by Sara and Gong next to Wapi Resort which is recommended by the local guide after we have booked our island hopping trip.

Located about 5 minute walk from the Walking Street, this cozy little restaurant is opened almost all day long, with the beautiful fronting of the Sunrise Beach.

They serve Thai and Western Menu with offering such as individual meals like various kind of fried rice, noodles, pad thai, or sandwiches, fish and chips or spaghetti. Ala carte menu is also available for those who preferred sharing portion of traditional Thai dishes.

Pricing is slightly on a higher side as expected for a tourist area and a distanced island. Generally food here cost from 80 Baht to 250 Baht while beverages starts from 60 Baht onwards. Acceptable pricing given the portion served.

They also have snorkelling gear and kayak for rental for those who are interested.

Sunrise Beach Restaurant, Sunrise Beach, Koh Lipe, Satun, Thailand.
Telephone: +660836575719
Opening Hours: 7:30am until 9:00pm

TO GO


From the inner arch/entrance (not the beach arch) of the Walking Street, walk towards Sunrise Beach direction until you reach Gypsy Resort or Wapi Resort. Then turn left if you enter from Gypsy Resort or turn right if you enter from Wapi Resort. If you get lost, just walk along the beach and enjoy the view while spotting for the signboard above. Another landmark will be Adang Sea Divers.

Get a local map from the tourist counters, some maps will tag Sunrise Beach Restaurant within their maps.



SPECIALITY



The restaurant is a cozy little hut on the sand with an awesome beach fronting with cooling breeze while you enjoy your meal.


On a calm day, you may get to enjoy the view and the two tones of sea water right from your table. The ordering here in Koh Lipe is a bit different where the waitress will ask you what meat would you like to put in your noodle/dish, choices include chicken, pork, seafood, squid, crab, and etc. Of course, the price varies according to the ingredient used.

Pad Thai with pork - THB 90 (RM11)

A dish that I will always order when I'm in Thailand would definitely be their national dish of Pad Thai. However, from the looks, the Pad Thai served here is different from their siblings in mainland Thailand where it is lighter in colour. Taste wise is a tad more sour than the usual Pad Thai I had and taste very different from those Pad Thai I had in Bangkok. Nevertheless, it is still a good dish despite I sensed heavy used of seasoning/MSG.

Coconut Shake - THB70

A glass of Coconut shake to quench your thirst under the hot sun.

Various type of Fried Rice - ranges from THB 90 to THB120 (RM11 to RM15)

They have various type of fried rice available such as pineapple friend rice, seafood fried rice, crab fried rice etc. It might look the same but taste wise is totally different from one another. The rice is fried until fragrant with good "wok hei". The fried rice taste good with enough flavour despite mainly derives from seasoning. The portion is big and is enough for two light eaters.


Bird's eye view of the Fried Rice.

Spicy Spaghetti with Herbs and Basil - THB140 (RM17)

The Spicy Spaghetti with Herbs and Basil is like a mixed pot of ingredients fried with spaghetti. It tastes like our local maggi goreng but using spaghetti instead of maggi noodles if you want a accurate description.


Most of all, just enjoy your meal after your swim or kayak trip and relax.

SUMMARY


Food was tasty despite heavy use of seasoning, at least it's better than a tasteless meal. Price wise is on a higher side as expected for a tourist area with average spending of RM20 per head. I only tried their individual menu and skipped the traditional Thai food as I will be trying those for dinner. Overall a good meal with affordable price at a serene place made this restaurant a recommended place for breakfast or lunch.

Taste
☆☆☆☆
Good but heavy reliance on seasoning/MSG
Value
☆☆☆☆
On the higher side but expected and affordable
Service
☆☆☆☆
Communication might be difficult as some waitress speak limited English but pointing on the menu does help. One of the waitress is able to speak simple mandarin. Good service nevertheless.
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
Beach fronting with sand and flies but overall cutleries are clean
Opening Hours
07:30am until 09:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
Free Wifi available but connection is hit and miss
Parking
N/A
Website
Email: sarajiab@hotmail.com

GPS: 6.488939, 99.309924
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[FOOD] 20140325 Oh Chien (Oyster Omelette) @ Lam Ah Kopitiam, Lebuh Chulia, Penang


If you visiting Chew Jetty and thinking whether you could have a snack around, then look no where else other than Lam Ah Kopitiam where you can get good Oh Chien (Oyster omelette) and beef noodle. However, if you are looking for a cafe to have a quick fix, then you probably will be interested with China House.

Lam Ah Kopitiam is located at the junction between Lebuh Chulia and Beach Street, right opposite the fire station with many murals around. There are two famous stall in this rather run down kopitiam, the English speaking lady boss also makes good "lemon" juice (lime juice).

I will only be writing about the omelette and I personally don't take beef, hence the beef noodle has to skip.

194 Lebuh Pantai, George Town, 10300 Pulau Pinang
Telephone: N/A
Opening Hours: 10.30am until 04.30pm (Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday)

TO GO


Lebuh Chulia is very accessible via public transport like public buses, cabs or even tricycle, but most of the time we will be driving and have to park along Pengkalan Weld (if you are visiting Chew Jetty) or along Lebuh Victoria. Trying to find a parking a Lebuh Chulia will probably end up turning another big round back.

Travel on foot after you have parked your car and walk towards the fire station at the junction between Lebuh Chulia and Lebuh Pantai (Beach Street). Lam Ah Kopitiam is located right opposite the fire station.



SPECIALITY



I have been to this particular stall few times when I visit Penang. Prices have gone up over the years, which is expected, but the quality remains more or less the same. The Oh Chien from this stall is different from the rest as it has a crispy texture, made from tapioca and corn flour batter (I presume?) as opposed to typical egg and gluey texture style of Malaysian Oh Chien. Both has its credits and it's a matter of personal preference. Most important is the ingredients must be fresh (we don't want to end up having food poisoning at food heaven like Penang right?).


Despite the popularity, the stall is rather quiet every time during my visit. Probably I like to come to Penang during off peak season to avoid the crowd. Uncle carefully cooks each order as observed from the way he cook.


As you can see from my pictures, the presentation of Oh Chien is very different from the typical ones. The crispy batter acts as base with oysters fried separately and served on top. The serving comes with the special chilli sauce to go along with it.

The texture is the main difference while the oysters are flavoured very differently as opposed to the typical omelettes that are very heavy in egg. It's something different to try if you are looking for something special. Small portion will cost RM8 while large one will cost you RM10 nowadays.

SUMMARY

Taste
☆☆☆☆
A different texture and flavour as opposed to typical oh chien
Value
☆☆☆☆
Slightly on a higher side
Service
☆☆☆☆
No comment
Cleanliness
☆☆☆☆
Rather run down coffee shop
Opening Hours
10.30am until 04.30pm (Monday to Saturday)
Closed on Sunday
Wifi
N/A
Parking
Limited, have to park very far
Website
N/A

GPS: 5.415361, 100.339491
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[FOOD] 20140517 Number 6 Restaurant @ Patong, Phuket


Phuket is one of the popular island destinations in Thailand, welcoming millions of tourist from all around the world. During a company event back in 2014, I got the opportunity for a short visit to Phuket for its beautiful beach and vibrant night life.

While I have skipped most of the pubs and clubs at Bangla Road in Patong Beach, food is something I will never skip when visiting a new place. While looking for a dinner spot at Patong Beach, we were recommended to give Number 6 a try. Please be reminded to inform your cab driver to go to the one near the beach instead of the one uphill as they have another branch up north of Patong Beach with free transportation provided at the same price and quality but a different environment.

Number 6 is a family run business, serving typical Thai cuisine at a very reasonable price, hence its popularity among tourists gained over time. Despite not being the best Thai food around, what I liked about Number 6 is the service, speed and reasonable priced food at decent quality. Typical serving here ranges from THB70-THB200. Not to sure any price increased after so long.

Number 6 Restaurant
Thanon Ratuthit Songroipi Road, Patong, Phuket
Telephone:
Opening Hours: 8:30am until 12:00am

TO GO


Most of the hotels and resorts in Phuket will provide transportation to Bangla Road or Patong Beach. Otherwise, just catch a taxi or cab to either one destination, or best to get the driver to drop you at Jungceylon Shopping Mall, which is the biggest shopping mall at Phuket todate.

From there, walk towards north along Thanon Ratuthit Songroipi Road until you reach a cross junction, continue straight and you will see UOB bank at your right side. Number 6 Restaurant is just further ahead at your left.



SPECIALITY


*pardon me for the poor quality pictures as colleagues are very hungry after the long queue*

The restaurant was packed and a long queue was seen during my visit but the waiters and staff efficiently cleared the queue, making the waiting time as short as possible for hungry patrons. We were seated quickly and menu presented immediately and off the waiter go to serve another table. Everything here is swift and fast to cater the huge crowd. Dishes are also served very quickly after order as most of the dishes are popular dishes that will be ordered by every table.

Fried Mince Pork with Sweet Thai Basil - THB100 (RM11)

The waiter recommended fried mince pork with sweet Thai basil, which is a very common dish in Thai cuisine. The serving is rather small but reasonable for THB100 but the taste beats my expectation as the dish was very fragrant and flavourful albeit tend to be at a saltier side, which goes well with rice by the way.

Garlic and Pepper Squid

Next to serve is the garlic pepper squid, with fresh squid stir fried with garlic and pepper. Not to bad for a dish like this but can give it a pass if you want to try something else. Price should be around THB100-130.


The stir fried chicken with cashew nut taste very much like our Malay style paprik. No complains for the portion and taste.


Green curry chicken is typical with no surprises. Just to compliment with white rice.


The grilled squid was surprisingly good with fresh seafood, grilled to almost perfection with nice char flavour and trace of garlic with tender and succulent texture. We liked it so much that we ordered a second dish to satisfy our carve.

We also ordered a plate of Pad Thai after our meal to try out and it tasted not too bad although there are more Pad Thai selections around. Overall, the meal cost us about THB200 per pax including beer. Not too bad for a satisfying meal (or probably too hungry).

SUMMARY


I would recommend to give Number 6 a try if you have no other options in mind. It is not the best restaurant around but definitely one of the recommended one mostly predicated by the affordability and decent quality. However, if taste or time is your main concern, you probably need to look for somewhere else.

Taste
☆☆☆☆
decent Thai cuisine with some surprises
Value
☆☆☆☆☆
Bang for buck at a tourist area
Service
☆☆☆☆
Fast and prompt but tend to overwork by the crowd
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
somewhat dirty and oily environment
Opening Hours
08:30am until 12:00am (Daily)
Wifi
N/A
Parking
N/A
Website
N/A

GPS: 7.893641, 98.298480
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[FOOD] 20140614 Cameron Organic Produce Steamboat @ Brinchang, Cameron Highlands


What's the best thing you can have in a chilling weather? Steamboat it is! Cameron Organic Produce Steamboat is one of the few steamboat restaurants in Cameron Highland that offers organic vegetables right from their very own organic vegetable farm.

This steamboat restaurant has been operating since 1999, offering quality food at reasonable price. One very unique feature of the restaurant is that they used traditional charcoal instead of conventional gas stove or induction cooker.

Their menu is simple and straight forward, with the Option A for chicken broth or Option B for vegetarian soup, at the same price of RM20 per pax. Quite pricey if you compare it to the price for a normal steamboat we have on normal steamboat restaurants but still reasonable, giving the fresh ingredients provided.

Reservation is recommended as the tables are filled up fast especially during peak season and dinner hours. Their organic vegetables are also available for sale if you would like buy some.

Cameron Organic Produce Steamboat
金马伦有机蔬果
10, Bandar Baru Brinchang, 39100, Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia
Telephone: +605 491 4807 / 5011
Opening Hours: 12:00pm until 10:00pm (Daily)

TO GO


Navigating through the narrow roads in Brinchang could be challenging especially when the steamboat restaurant is located some where hidden within vegetable distributors. Parking can be an issue here due to limited parking lots, hence do expect to park further away.


SPECIALITY



The restaurant was packed during my arrival around 7pm and we had to wait for some time just to get a small table at the very edge of the shop. The simple one pager menu describes the difference between both the normal set and the vegetarian set. However, you still pay the same price despite being just vegetable only, which I believe will be well compensated with generous amount of greens.


Here comes the charcoal stove with glaring hot charcoal pieces, boiling up the soup pretty fast as the heat emitted by charcoal far exceeds the heat generated by gas stove. Notice the bottle of garlic oyster sauce at the side? It's actually the restaurants another specialty and it goes very well with the bland blanch vegetable, giving you a similar taste if you stir-fry your vegetables with oyster sauce. Not forgetting the very special homemade chilli sauce that also goes very well with the meat dish. Both sauces adds a lot of brownie points to the steamboat, and it is also available for sale although not cheap.


The veges are very fresh and green as shown in the picture above. If you would like to have more, you can order extra as side dish.


The meat and seafood are also adequately provided for RM20. Good thing is that the meat are also very fresh with tiger prawns, chicken breast meat and squid. The serving above is for 2 pax which you can probably guess the serving for per pax. Other ingredients including some processed food like fish balls, squid balls, crab sticks and fu chuk (dried bean curd films) are also provided along.


Lastly, the chicken broth served is well prepared with no MSG (as claimed by the owner). Only clear soup is available, in order to emphasizes the freshness of the ingredients provided. 

SUMMARY


Overall the dining experience here at Cameron Organic Produce was very pleasant especially under the cooling weather with fresh ingredients served. The taste is not spectacular but the freshness of the ingredient says it all. You will not feel any burden unlike some other restaurants that are too heavy in flavour or meat. The steamboat here is very healthy and well balanced. Recommended if you have no idea where to settle your dinner but do expect long queue during peak seasons.

Taste
☆☆☆☆
fresh and healthy ingredient served with simple broth
Value
☆☆☆☆
Service
☆☆☆☆
Cleanliness
☆☆☆
Opening Hours
12:00pm until 10:00pm (Daily)
Wifi
N/A
Parking
Limited
Website
http://www.cameronorganic.com.my/

GPS: 4.491827, 101.387618
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[FOOD] 20141107 Nancy's Nyonya Kitchen @ Jonker Street, Melaka


Note: Nancy's Kitchen will be relocating (or relocated) soon to 13, 13-1 & 13-2, Jalan Kota Laksaman 3/8 Taman Kota Laksamana Seksyen 3, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia.

Nyonya cuisine is very unique to Melaka (Malacca) due to the blend of cross cultural marriage between the local Malay community and the Chinese way back during the Melaka empire history. The men are known as Baba while the ladies are known as Nyonya. The cultural blend has also create a fusion of the culinary of both cultures that creates a unique cuisine known as Nyonya cuisine.

There are so many Nyonya restaurants around Melaka and most probably you will only have the chance to sample one or two restaurants during your trip. Nancy's Kitchen is conveniently located right at the side alley of the famous Jonker's street, hence I don't really understand why they would want to move out from here to somewhere further away from tourist spots.

There are mixed reviews about Nancy's Kitchen on the food quality as well as service as many have rated their food to be average and above, while service is pretty much depending on which waiter is serving your table. As for my own experience, both food and service quality are acceptable.

The restaurant is small and maintains the interior of the old and traditional architecture of the shop with a mezzanine floor located at the back of the shop to cater for more tables. Do expect long queue on peak hours and it is best to visit before or after peak hours.

I would personally recommend you to try their individual menu and desserts, or if you fancy some Nyonya kuih and cookies. Most negative reviews were due to ala carte dishes which I avoided during my visit.

Nancy's Kitchen
Old: 7 Jalan Hang Lekir, Off Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
New: 13, 13-1 & 13-2, Jalan Kota Laksaman 3/8 Taman Kota Laksamana Seksyen 3, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia.
Telephone: +606 283 6099 / +6013 - 618 3608
Opening Hours: 11:30am until 5:30pm (Daily, closed on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday extended to 9:30pm)


TO GO


The old location is conveniently located at the alley of Jonker street which is the same junction where Geographer Bar is located. 


The new location is located nearby but further away from tourist hotspots which requires you to drive or take a cab.


SPECIALITY



It was late in the afternoon and I was looking for some new places that I have yet to try and bumped into Nancy's Kitchen. After checking some online reviews, I decided to give it a try despite some mixed comments. The tiny space was packed with patrons and I was escorted up to the mezzanine floor at the back of the shop, passing through their pastry counter and warmly welcomed by a waitress who is in charge of the floor. The squeaky wooden planks gives a chill when walking on it, worrying the old wooden structure might collapse.


I skipped Pai Tee for the starter and ordered the five spice lobak (spring roll with meat paste seasoned with five spices) instead as I noticed their Pai Tee is not that appetizing from the looks (sorry about that!). I was also curious how different is the Nyonya lobak in comparison to the well known Penang lobak. Taste wise, it's a milder version of Penang lobak and I still prefer the Penang ones. 


I know this Kampung Fried Rice has nothing to do with Nyonya cuisine but I was craving for fried rice after reading the menu hence decided to order it. The fried rice is well cooked and flavoured with good amount of ingredients and nice kick of chilli. Not too bad if you fancy some fried rice.


To compliment the Nyonya cuisine, I ordered a bowl of laksa (curry noodles) and the colour of the curry is very inviting. The curry is thick and rich with flavours with generous amount of ingredients including two big prawns! Overall it's a good laksa that we savour until the last drop.


Not forgetting my usual habit of ordering a bowl of cendol for sampling and surprisingly the cendol served here in Nancy's is better than my expectation with good balance of the Gula Melaka (Palm Sugar), coconut milk and of course the fresh cendol. It was so good that I ordered another bowl to top up. 

SUMMARY


Despite the mixed reviews about Nancy's Kitchen, my experience during my visit was pleasant with unexpected findings. Although I only ordered the individual menu instead of normal Nyonya cuisine, the servings did not disappoint and the waitress who attend us was friendly enough as opposed to the online reviews that condemned on the poor services. Perhaps it very much depends on your luck and fate in meeting someone. It's a pity that they will relocate to another place and hopefully they will improve their food and service to another level thereafter.

Taste
 ☆☆☆☆
 Not the best but did not disappoint.
Value
 ☆☆☆☆
Reasonable value with good portion and serving
Service
 ☆☆☆☆
Reserved comments.
Cleanliness
 ☆☆☆
Can be improved.
Opening Hours
11:30am until 5:30pm (Daily, closed on Tuesday)
Friday and Saturday extended to 9:30pm
Wifi
Yes, password: nancykitchen
Parking
Limited.
Website
Nancy's Kitchen Facebook

GPS:
Old: 2.196385, 102.245928
New: 2.197523, 102.239654
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[FOOD] 20130803 Privilege Restaurant & Bar @ Telaga Harbour, Langkawi


Privilege Restaurant & Bar (PR) is a one of a kind, fine dining restaurant and bar serving Western-Malaysian fusion food in Langkawi. It's a small restaurant located at the first floor of a end-lot shop at Perdana Quay, Telaga Harbour, just opposite The Loaf Bakery.

The owner Peter settled down in Langkawi some time ago and started the restaurant business. He and his team are very friendly and accommodating to all his guest's requests. Privilege Restaurant is highly reviewed by visitors around the world, thanks to its excellent service with personal touch.

Despite the excellent service and cozy environment, the food was disappointing for a nice upscale restaurant like this. Credits given for the innovation to create the fusion between western and Malay cuisine, the taste however was just mediocre. Perhaps my expectations were high back then. Don't get me wrong, the food is still good and pack with elements of surprise, but it is just not there yet to be called the best.

It is recommended to make your reservation prior to your visit to avoid disappointment as the restaurant is usually full.

Privilege Restaurant & Bar
B8, First Floor, Perdana Quay, Jalan Pantai Kok, 07000 Langkawi Kedah
Telephone: +604 - 956 1188
Opening Hours: 12:00pm until 11:00pm (Mon - Sat)


TO GO


The Perdana Quay is located at the Telaga Harbour which is towards the west side of the island, with a good view of sea and yacht. However, the location is kinda remote and it's recommended to rent a car as grabbing a cab may not be easy.


SPECIALITY



Dealing with the reservation was hassle free as the owner, Mr Peter was very attentive and responsive.  He would try his very best to accommodate any special request made to make your visit an enjoyable one. I was warmly welcomed by the service staff and directed to my table. There are only limited tables available in the restaurant and I could understand why it is always fully booked.



The interior was cozy and dark with modern western style restaurant decoration. The harbour fronting seats are limited hence you need to make your reservation as early as possible. 


Like some fine dining restaurants, the waiter will serve something (usually fresh and light) to awaken or cleanse your palate to avoid the residue taste from the previous course to overpower the next. In this case above, it's actually a starter or a awakening element to initiate your meal. I couldn't recall what it is made of as the taste is not really recognised in my limited "database".

New Zealand Lamb & Potato Curry Samosa with Imli Ki (Tamarind Chutney) - RM20 (current price)

I started off with a starter, New Zealand Lamb & Potato Curry Samosas with Imli Ki (Tamarind Chutney). It's a freshly made lamb samosa with a fusion of local curry.


I like this dish with it's strong curry flavour and tender lamb wrapped in the fresh and nice pastry. The tamarind sauce further enhances your taste buds. Two pieces definitely not enough.


In between my starter and main dish, a lime sorbet with pandan was served to cleanse your palate for the main course.


My main dish, Lamb Shank served with Basmati Rice and some sauce (turmeric? couldn't remember). This dish is no longer available in their latest menu. I probably can guess why. The lamb shank taste mediocre with heavy taste of blood. Overall didn't really enjoy my lamb shank as I had some better ones else where.

Roasted 5 Spices Duck Breast with Fried White Raddish Cake & Seasonal Green - RM48 (current price)

My partner had the Roasted 5 Spices Duck Breast with Fried White Raddish Cake & Seasonal Green. This is an awkward dish as I don't see how the fried white raddish cake is able to compliment the duck breast and with the bak choy that doesn't really blend with concept of fine dining where it's hard to eat. Probably bak choy was used to go along with the fried white raddish cake to symbolize the oriental side of the dish. The roasted duck breast was also mediocre where a normal cafe's smoked duck can easily beat this. Definitely not worth the price paid.


Fresh apple juice to accompany the meal.


Last but not least, dessert as recommended by Peter, a homemade smoked banana ice cream, which according to Peter, was their latest experiment. Flavour was at the heavy side but overall still a pleasant dessert to end the meal.

SUMMARY


Overall, dining at PR really does make you feel privileged and was an enjoyable meal despite the let down in taste. If you are looking for place in Langkawi to have an enjoyable night, then PR will definitely be up the task to serve you with a slight compromise in food especially the main course. The starter and dessert are up to mark and decent but the main courses were disappointing. Perhaps other main courses may not fair as bad. PR built up its reputation in Langkawi mostly through its service than the food as most of the reviewers are foreigners who may not have an idea on Malaysian cuisine.

Taste
 ☆☆☆☆
 Disappointing main course but still good.
Value
 ☆☆☆
 On the higher end and pricey for the food but worth it for the service.
Service
 ☆☆☆☆☆
Excellent service
Cleanliness
 ☆☆☆☆☆
Opening Hours
12:00pm until 11:00pm (Mon - Sat)
Closed on Sunday
Wifi
Yes
Parking
Ample
Website
http://www.privilegerestaurant.com/

GPS: 6.368568, 99.682423
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