Showing posts with label 4-Star Service. 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

[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

[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

[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

GPS: 4.491827, 101.387618

[FOOD] 20141106 Amy Heritage Nyonya @ Melaka Raya, Melaka


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 many Nyonya restaurants around Melaka and you will probably have a hard time to choose which to try, especially when you do not have the luxury of time to try one by one in a short trip. Many will recommend to try the award wining Amy Heritage Nyonya restaurant, where the chef, Mdm Amy Koh has won a few competitions and also represented Malaysia to cook Nyonya food in the USA under the invitation by the Malaysia Tourism Board, which she proudly exhibits on the wall of the restaurant.

Amy Heritage Nyonya is a small cozy restaurant with no fancy interiors that's located at Melaka Raya, away from all the tourist hotspot. Some even recommends to make reservation as the restaurant would be normally packed during lunch hours, given the limited tables available.

On a recent visit to Melaka, I opt to dine at some other places than the usual famous spots and Amy happens to be in one of the list. Apologies on the limited pictures as I didn't intend to blog about it back in 2014.

75, Jalan Melaka Raya, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000 Melaka
Telephone: +606 286 8819
Opening Hours: 11:30am until 02:30pm;  06:00pm until 10:00pm (Closed on Monday)

TO GO



It's a bit tricky travelling along Melaka's streets due to the one way traffic policy. The nearest landmark will be the Mahkota Parade or the Mahkota Medical Centre, where the restaurant is actually visible from the main road behind Mahkota Parade. It's same row as Alliance Bank but not the same block. It's not easy to spot the signboard as it's rather...err not outstanding.




SPECIALITY


I would recommend to go in larger group in order to sample more dishes and unfortunately for me it's only two person with limited dishes to try. I arrived rather early before the lunch hour and the restaurant was rather empty in a normal weekday. The menu was rather limited but sufficient with most of the common Nyonya dishes available such as Pongteh Chicken, Ikan Chili Garam, Rendang, Curry etc.


I ordered the traditional Pie Tee (Top Hat) for a start. The crispy hat is made of roux that is deep fried using an angled mold to give it the angled shape. The hat is then topped with stir-fried turnip strips with tamarind and other ingredients. Finally garnished with omelette, coriander and chilli. Every Nyonya restaurant has their very own interpretation of Pie Tee and personally I felt that Amy's Pie Tee during my visit was mediocre, predicated on the oily hat that has strong presence of used oil and the pastry was overcooked with slight bitterness. The turnip filling was ok but not generous enough, I had high expectation on Amy but this dish turns out bad.


I also ordered the Fried Chicken Wings which was recommended online. The taste is very similar to typical Chinese fermented bean curd style fried chicken wings. This dish is also another disappointment as the drumlet was uncooked with traces of blood near the bones, probably didn't thaw enough before frying. Not to mention the chicken was not well marinated and felt the dish was prepared in a hurry.


Next would be the Cencaluk Omelette, which is also a very unique dish as no other places will use Cencaluk to prepare dishes. Cencaluk is actually fermented baby shrimps and is an unique cooking ingredient for Peranakan dish that is prepared in Nyonya cuisine. No complains about this omelette as it was well prepared, probably more cencaluk needed.


Last but not least, some greens for the bowel movement. There are a few typical vegetable dishes like sambal paku belacan, sambal kangkung, jantung pisang etc. I ordered the rather healthy steamed ladies fingers topped with a blend of ginger flower, lemon grass(?) and chili.


Not forgetting to try a bowl of cendol in every Nyonya restaurant. I would rate Amy's cendol at 6/10 with the rather dull taste. Something is really wrong today. Maybe Amy was in bad mood?

SUMMARY


Amy's style is more towards home cooked food instead like other restaurants who are more commercialized. I'm not sure what happened during my visit as my experience was bad. I was somewhat disappointed with Amy's offerings, given all the good reviews about this restaurant especially with all the awards and pride Amy has on her food.  Not to mention the price is on the high side given the small (and pathetic) portion served, probably to conserve quality of each serving? For the benefit of doubt, I probably need to give this restaurant a second visit to try some other dishes to give a fair comment. As for now, I would recommend some other Nyonya restaurants in Melaka like Nancy's Nyonya or Aunty Lee.

Taste
 
disappointing
Value
 
small portion with high price tag
Service
 
hmm..
Cleanliness
 

Opening Hours
11:30am until 02:30pm 
06:00pm until 10:00pm 
Daily. Closed on Monday
Wifi

Parking
Ample
Website
N/A

GPS: 2.186038, 102.253352

[FOOD] 20150510 Coco Tei 此処亭 @ Jalan Delima, Kuala Lumpur


Coco Tei, or previously known as Hajime, finally reopens in 2011 after their original premise at Jalan Damai was shut down by authorities along with other restaurants that operates at the row of bungalow.

Have long heard about Hajime but never get to try until they ceased operations. Fortunately, the same management team has reopened and relocated to Jalan Delima off Jalan Tun Razak under the new name of "Coco Tei", with a brand new concept but yet still serves quality food. Coco Tei is located at the Royal Selangor Yacth Club, next to Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie and Fukuya.

Coco Tei is known for their fresh and premium sashimi, along with their famous makis and not forgetting their creative cooked food. Coco Tei prides themselves in providing the best quality food that comes with the best services.

Luckily, the premium quality comes with an affordable price tag where RM100-RM150/pax will give you a very satisfying meal, unless you opt for something more premiun. If you are on a budget, you can give their set meals a try which ranges from RM48 to RM70 per set that has a little of everything without compromising on the quality.

Coco Tei
No.5, GF-B, Jalan Delima,
55100 Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia
Tel: 1800-88-6655
Fax: 03-2110-0418

Opening Hours:
(LUNCH) 10:30am until 2:30pm (Last Order 2:00pm)
(DINNER) 6:00pm until 10:30pm (Last Order 10:00pm)


TO GO


Coco Tei is conveniently (or inconveniently) located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur at Jalan Delima, off Jalan Tun Razak along with some other famous premises such as  Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie, Noble House, Noble Banquet and Fukuya.

Driving here would be the best option with complementary parking provided at the Royal Selangor Yacht Club. Cab or public bus is the only alternative transportation available.

It's quite challenging to locate this restaurant due to the lack of signboard and the main entrance is hidden away from the main road. You just need to identify the Royal Selangor Yacht Club with a huge outdoor carpark, or simply, just beside the Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie.



SPECIALITY



I was first brought here for lunch by one of my client back in 2014, subsequently has revisited a few times thereafter and tried their set meals, as well as ala carte meals.


The interior of the restaurant is unlike typical Japanese restaurants and more like a western cuisine restaurant with choice of normal seating tables, by the sushi bar or on tatami. Private rooms are also available on request.


The atmosphere is very cozy and relax, suitable for small gatherings and dates. The artificial tatami is actually an elevated floor with openings under the table as Malaysians are not used to the posture of sitting on a tatami.


Let's start off with their sashimi. The sashimi platter above came along with dinner sets. Most of the dinner sets are inclusive of sashimi, just read the fine print for more details on what's included in your set. Despite being included as a set, the quantity and quality of the sashimi is not compromised with fresh and thick slices of sashimi served that well worth the set price by itself! 

The sashimi for set meals will be chef's daily pick but you can always request for any personal preference. Personally I like hamachi and tuna the most and the picture above definitely will be able to tell you the freshness of the sashimi served.


Ala carte salmon sashimi salad is served with fresh greens and seasoned with sesame seed dressing. A refreshing starter before your meal and a must order if you are a salmon fan.

Salmon Sashimi Don Set - RM48++


Next would be the Salmon Sashimi Don with generous quantity of salmon sashimi and ikura served with sushi rice. The whole presentation and the fresh sashimi definitely makes you asking for more.


The cawanmushi that serve in my set meal. Not much to complain about this cawanmushi which is soft, tender and flavourful.


My pan grilled cod fish top with mentai sauce is perfectly cook where the flesh is firm and sweet, with additional flavour enhancement from the lightly torched mentai sauce. The portion might look small but the whole set is well compensated by the other dishes like the sashimi platter, cawanmushi and rice.

Pan Grilled Cod Fish set - RM58


Ala carte unagi don that is very generous in the portion of unagi, unlike some other restaurants that I had which only gives very little unagi and expects you to eat white rice only. The unagis are hidden under the blanket of eggs. The unagi are soft yet flavourful that is grilled to perfection.

Lady's set - RM55++

The lady's sampling set that has a little of everything that is suitable for first timers who wished to try the as many as possible that's on the menu. Typical dishes like salad, sashimi and makis are included in this set along with some special cooked food like fried tofu and steamed tofu with century egg sauce. I still remember when I first tried this combination back in 2014 when the chef is still experimenting it and gave us a sample for comments.

Golden Triangle Maki - RM28+

Not forgetting their famous makis that are freshly prepared upon order that is more premium than the ordinary sushis you found at other restaurants. Coco Tei is always in the innovation end of the Japanese culinary and often explore various combination of material to surprise her patrons like the Golden Triangle Maki above which is actually soft shell crab maki wrapped with seared salmon.

Golden Dragon Roll - RM32++

The Golden Dragon Maki is also another special maki and you will be able to see how it gets its "golden" name. The Golden Dragon Maki is actually ebi tempura maki wrappin with avocado and unagi slices, topped with edible gold flakes.

Matcha Ice Cream - RM10

Last but not least, the macha ice cream with red bean paste to end the satisfying meal. The macha ice cream is very rich in flavour and rather soft texture. Still I think that the macha ice cream at PJ Hilton's Genji is much better with creamier texture and richer flavour.

SUMMARY


Overall, Coco Tei is a very unique Japanese restaurant that believes in Kaizen. Their commitment towards food preparation is definitely worth two thumbs up. However, my last visit in May 2015 has observed a slight deterioration in terms of food and service quality. I would recommend for those who wished to try something premium and not burning a hole in your pocket to give Coco Tei a try. It may not be the best Japanese restaurant around towm but it is definitely a much better one.


Taste
 
 Premium quality with attention to details.
Value
 
Well worth the money especially their set menu.
Service
 
Prompt and friendly
Cleanliness
 

Opening Hours
(LUNCH) 10:30am until 2:30pm (Last Order 2:00pm)
(DINNER) 6:00pm until 10:30pm (Last Order 10:00pm)
Wifi
Yes
Parking
Ample and complimentary for restaurant diners
Website

GPS: 3.146714, 101.720666