i love that my dad's hometown is penang island - the home of awesome and yummiest local delicacies in malaysia.

one of the greatest thing is the opportunity to visit the island of 'you-can-find-the-best-food-anytime-and-anywhere' with the family almost every year and to top it off, at a reasonable price. definitely one of the many reasons why i grew up becoming a foodie.

if you're craving some penang love, penang road famous teochew chendul opened a franchise in klang valley, more specifically paradigm mall just last weekend so you can get a snippet of the soul of penang here in petaling jaya.seating is limited since it is confined within a petite shop on the lower ground. i adored the simple decor that reflected an updated version old school coffee shop that you would find in penang - adorning multiple shades of green, rustic brown and grey and i loved that it was clean!

a few of our familiar cuisines made an appearance on their menu and a couple of classics with their personal twists. there was one unfamiliar one that even my dad has not heard of - kuang jiang apparently is a teochew dish of fried slices of yam, which we skipped this time around.

teochew delights :: assam laksa (rm 7.90)

assam laksa, arguably the most famous hawker food in penang is one item that cannot be missed while in penang and i was interested in tasting how this compared. the broth was clear and light on flavor with a good balance of tamarind tartness countered by slight sweetness, and light on the spiciness with an herbaceous infusion of aromatic ginger flower (bunga kantan). the dark shrimp paste (heh ko) accentuated the flavors of the broth.the nicely cooked noodles were topped with some freshly sliced raw onions, pineapple and lettuce. the mint imparted a minty freshness in the soup. i definitely needed an extra spoonful of shrimp paste, which intensified the taste of the broth that was slightly too light. however, the amount of fish was so scarce that i had trouble finding any fish meat.

teochew delights :: penang curry mee {noodles} (rm 7.90)unlike the rich and creamy curry noodles found elsewhere in malaysia, penang curry noodles has a lighter milky broth. served with a spoonful of chili paste, the broth is mixed completely with the paste to complete the flavor profile. digging into the milky broth, there were other hidden treasures of fresh perfectly cooked seafood consisting of fresh shrimps, cuttlefish and cockles on top of the tofu puffs.the broth in this bowl of yumminess was light, milky with a good balance of heat with a very slight hint of sweetness. the great part is that it isn't as creamy nor heavy nor greasy from the coconut milk and chili oil - which is difficult to find anywhere else. i have to admit the serving size is small for the price.

teochew delights :: rojak (rm 6.90)

this shack serves a lot of my favorite local cuisines including rojak buah which is a malaysian version of a fruit salad of jicama, pineapple, unripen mango and fresh cucumber (it's lacking the unripen papaya) with a shrimp paste dressing. the different textures married with the variety of flavors that flirt with the taste buds makes this an apt representative of the different cultures in malaysia jumbled into one harmoniously. the dressing typically consists of water, shrimp paste, chili, lime juice and sugar. i was slightly disappointed when it was missing the crispy rice flour cracker that i was looking forward to - probably the best part of rojak buah and was compensated by tofu puffs and slices of brown squid. however, i have to admit that the tofu puffs were ideal to absorb the delicious umami with caramel-like quality dressing with some heat mellowed by the slight sweetness contrasted by the end note of undertone bitterness. my mom agreed it was yummy and guessed the secret ingredient was palm sugar to replace the sugar to elevated it to another level.

teochew chendul :: original (rm 4.90)the namesake of the food joint - the original teochew chendul. my dad spoke to the staff and we were astonished that the cendol was specifically delivered all the way from penang, every morning at 5am. the cendol itself only had faint whispers of pandan but texturally, this was made just right. the shaved ice keeps this dessert chilled, perfect for the warm days, where we are treated to a delicate balance of caramel sweetness complemented by the smooth, creaminess of the coconut milk.

a lovely level of sweetness but the elements of palm sugar (aka gula melaka) and slightly diluted coconut milk resulted to the flavors being a little muted. the price might have doubled against the original one at my dad's hometown, but so is the serving size.

with the flavors profile that almost rivals its counterparts at their place of origin, penang road famous teochew chendul is a worthy cure for your penang delicacies cravings right here in klang valley, just with a heftier price tag.

my relationship with macarons started off shaky to the point we almost called for a break up in california but reconciled months after with promise of better things in chicago and subsequently progressed into adoration in tokyo before growing into love in kuala lumpur.
macarons are one of the most delicate desserts that require quite the finesse to achieve the perfect balance in flavors and textures. so i am constantly in search of one that would even come close to gratifying my picky sweet tooth .

"it cannot be too sweet... it can't be too soft.. it has to have a crispy exterior... its flavor should be more than just sugar......"

my acquaintance with les deux garçons began at shell tower in 'little india' earlier this year in january. the danger of temptations was imminent considering it was close enough for me to drop by for some sweet surrender way too often. i wonder if it was a blessing in disguise that i haven't heard of their main patisserie located in taman desa and their more popular location in telawi, bangsar which started more than two years ago. as it is now, i have visited enough times that the friendly staff recognizes me as i walk to the macaron counter at their shell tower kiosk.

variety of macaron

 

much more than just macarons in their reportoire, this french patisserie flaunts what malaysianinsider.com coined as the best croissants amongst all the viennoiserie as well as a range of other desserts that could fulfill one's sweet desires. these confections don relatively steep price tags; justifiable by the creative flavor combinations and attention to detail in each creation which could ultimately lead to contented satisfaction. and like the french, coffee is enjoyed with the dipping of croissant at breakfast while coffee serves as meal-enders after the serving of desserts at lunch and dinner which explains their breakfast sets of black/white coffee with a piece of viennoiserie that ranges from rm 10 - 12.

the petite kiosks of les deux garçons are dressed in classic combinations of black and white hues sprinkled by occasional gold fonts, the perfect canvas for displaying their bright, colorful desserts. the bangsar and shell tower outlets are more designed for to go desserts but has a few small tables at these locations.

coffee :: hot caffe latte (rm 9)

absolutely thrilled to find illy coffee, and had high expectations that it would rival my favorite coffee from espressamente illy. perhaps i have found a nearer coffee substitute!
first sip, it made me frown slightly.

 

" too bitter"
slightly over brewed. sigh.

the lessons from my coffee appreciation class crossed my mind - the taste of coffee is not determined merely by the quality of the coffee beans but also very dependent on the barista's skills & moods.

perhaps it was a bad day for coffee. hopefully, better luck with the pastries...

le favori :: pistachio biscuit tender . raspberry brûlée . pistachio mousseline . white chocolate . cocao dust. (rm 17)resembling a block of miniature golf green, this pistachio dessert was surprisingly light on pistachio taste but seemed to feature green tea although it wasn't described in the place card. the raspberry tartness gave it a fresh tart berry-ness that was inviting and echoed an overall delicate demeanor that was reflected similarly in the two-toned soft textures. if there were white chocolate, i didn't discern it, which was a delight for me.

l'amer :: 72% dark chocolate mousse . biscuit tender . black mirror glaze . chocolate fence . chocolate pieces . gold leaf . (rm 16)this confection sang a tribute to dark chocolate with its mousse-like consistency that highlighted the richness of the cacao creaminess but was borderline too sweet for my liking. while it was good, i didn't feel it was anything outstanding but perhaps the chocolate addicts may sing a different tune than myself.


le marquis :: noisette dacquiose . crispy feulletines . chocolate creameaux . 72% dark chocolate mousse . black mirror glaze . crushed hazelnuts . gold dust (rm 17)in comparison, l'amer pales in comparison to the this work of art made out of chocolate hazelnut whose name is le marquis. equally as grandoise in creamy chocolate richness but with a nuttier disposition, each layer was a textural symphony to the taste buds. savoring in nibble-fuls, i was greeted with pleasant surprises from the play of different ratios of chocolate to hazelnut of each layer and smoothness from the mousse and crunchiness of the crispy feulletines and hazelnut for a textural treat. the playful creation that engaged both the flavors and textures in a nice balance made this an irresistible lure for a nutty chocolate escape. it was on the brink of being too sweet but was mellowed by the hazelnut.

tarte au citron :: pâte sucrée . biscuit joconde . citron creameux . burnt swiss meringue (rm 14)a departure from the chocolate desserts, the lemon tart was a mini tangy citrus explosion. we had a slight difficulty cutting through the crust but granted it was a rather flimsy plastic fork so it might work better with a proper metal utensils. skipped most of the crust which was a crumbly, buttery shell to hold the tangy, slightly tart, sweetened citrus pudding crowned with the sweet, soft, marshmallow-like torched meringue.

passion :: silky passion mousse . mango coulis . biscuit joconde . velvet chocolate coat . chocolate piece (rm 17)one of les deux garçons unsung heroes of the tangy passion fruit and its loyal classic sidekick, the sweet mango. a light airy mousse that captured the tropical breeze with a bright yellow coat that pulled me in like a bee drawn to a fragrant flower. the sweetness of the soft biscuit joconde with light nuances of vanilla that countered the fruity tart fragrance of the passion-mango fruit combination just works for me.

macaron lovers are spoilt for choice with the variety of macaron flavors les deux garçons has to offer and i've had the pleasure (and perhaps displeasure?) of tasting 8 out of the many flavor combinations - one of which was the premium macaron (doubles the price of the regular macarons - i just had to to satisfy my curious cat inside me){ casis } sweet and texturally pleasing. the flavor was a punch of blackcurrant.perfect for those who loves the fruit.

{ dark chocolate }cloyingly sweet, despite it supposed to be dark chocolate rendition.the filling in the middle wasn't creamy, which was disappointing.

{ cho + passion} dark chocolate sandwiched between passion fruit shells where the former overpowered the latter in an unflattering way. too sweet for me.

{ rasp, rose & lychee }mimicked the flavors of ispahan but no where near the counterpart.
no distinct prominent flavors.

{ wasabi }interesting, yes. a favorite, nope. accented the wasabi punch which was odd in a dessert.

it has come down to my top three favorites that i've tried, thus far. a disclaimer: these three are top of the eight i have tried and thought it was special to make it to the list.

winter truffles :: premium (rm 1o)the fine gold dust shimmers on the two off-white, delicate meringue cookies that hugged the almost pearl white colored filling. the aroma of strong earthiness of the truffle emanated as i took a sniff, followed by a punctuation on the taste buds. it was a strange sensation when this petite confection hits the tongue - it was strongly earthy alternating with the sweet which was interesting in an odd way.

but i have to give the patissier kudos for his/her audaciously adventurous spirit in this creation.

pistachio (rm 5.5o)pistachio flavored - done right. light on the nuttiness and balanced on the sweetness. enough said.


salted caramel (rm 5.5o)perfection in the texture - the smooth meringue thin shells had crispy exterior, enveloping the chewy, airy, almost ethereal under the crust that embraced the soft, smooth and light creamy filling to make a complete masterpiece. what makes it outstanding is the balanced collaboration of the salty and the sweet from the salted caramel.les deux garçons is gradually making its mark in the desserts industry via some of its chef-d'œuvre in the forms of croissants, macarons and cakes. whilst there are some room for improvement for some of the creations, its outstanding work of art called the salted caramel macaron has claimed a spot in my heart that induces a nagging craving to seek almost constantly for its sweet comfort.

to that, i'd say:
"go on..... give that salted caramel macaron a try.
you know you want to" ;)

to read a full review and all the photos, please read on at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/03/les-deux-garcons.html

despite not having to have visited vietnam before, i've had the chance to try some vietnamese food while i was in chicago at argyle, the city's vietnamese 'town' filled with local asian grocery stores in the center of many pho restaurants and banhmi cafes owned by residents of vietnamese descent.daniel nguyen and chris bui are two best friends from hanoi opened a cafe to share their love for the food they grew up with - the banhmi. located in damansara uptown where the parking in itself is an adventure itself, you can find this petite cafe a couple of doors away from 'the ship' restaurant.

the cafe's decor was clean, simple and minimalist. the brightly lit petite space was sprinkled with colorful vietnamese art pieces to mirror its identity amongst the high top counters and high communion table in the middle of the cafe.what i love is the fact that they bake their baguettes fresh since what makes and breaks a sandwich is the bread as the vehicle to encase but at the same time showcase the filling. for the freshest & out of the oven bread sandwiches and your #outofoven #osofresh and #osmokinghot experience, there is a baguette reload schedule of 8am, 12:3opm, 1pm and 6pm. read on to find out if the freshly baked baguette was worthy of all of its hashtags.
drink :: vietnamese milk coffee (hot/ice) | premium vietnamese milk coffee. deliciously rich and creamy. this coffee is authentically vietnamese. you won't be loafing around after having this stuff (rm 4)typically i would go for hot coffee, but it just seemed right to get this particular iced. i liked the strong coffee flavor but with a slight distinct indescribable flavor. it was a smidgen too sweet that it masked the bitter undertone slightly and top that off with creaminess.

main menu :: o school | the original vietnamese baguette served with pâtés, homemade mayonnaise, ham, pickled radish & carrots, chili, cilantro, and lemon grass chicken. one sandwich fits all (rm 8.2o)a apt representation of what the traditional vietnamese banhmi is made of, which i was quite surprised since this wasn't something i have gotten at the banhmi store in chicago. with the usual suspects of the pickled radish & carrots and more than just a handful of cilantro as garnish, i was interested in seeing how the lemongrass chicken, ham and pork pâtés worked together. oh, i will get back to the baguette in a bit.with all the ingredients, it was intriguing that the pâté, ham and chicken was still light in flavor. the lemongrass seasoning in the roughly chopped chicken was merely a soft whisper, a complete opposite what i've had before in the past. the pickled julienned carrots and daikon presented a nice contrasting crunchy texture with a sweet and lightly tangy. the combination of the sandwich filling was pleasant and moist that equates to a pretty good sandwich.

yeah i'll come to the baguette soon. don't worry, i didn't forget about it.

main menu :: o bbq | fresh baguette served with bbq pork, sunny side-up egg, homemade mayonnaise, pickled carrots & daikon, and of course, vietnamese chili sauce (rm 8.2o)i was looking forward to the bbq pork, anticipating what i missed and loved about the banhmi i've had in chicago. with the same basic foundations of bread, pickled salad and cilantro, it was then the bbq pork and sunny side up egg that were supposed to take center stage. i was rather disheartened by the pork. it wasn't moist and in fact it was overcooked and dry, a stone throw's away from being meat jerky. so much so that it took over my thoughts and distracted me from the flavors of the meat itself.

the egg yolk was cooked all the way through, far from being called a sunny side up because the richness of the creamy yolk would have gone a long way to compensate for the over grilled meat but would have appreciated some seasoning on the egg. the sandwich description mentioned vietnamese chili sauce which tasted more or less like regular chili sauce. it was an uninspiring sandwich that fell flat.

one thing i noticed about the sandwiches is that the filling was stacked in a way that was hard for me to get all the ingredients into one bite so i could appreciate the nuances of each components separately and combined at the same time.

extras! :: fresh baguette | tuesday to friday (rm 2.5o)finally, i've arrived on the bread. read more about it on my blog entry

{owy}'s assessment was similar to mine - the sandwiches here were tasty but would we call it authentically banhmi is still up for discussion. the flavors were muted with the exception of the pickled salad of daikon and carrots & garnishes of cilantro and they needed to step out of the shadow to be what could have been a outstanding. since i love the fresh baguette to crumbs bits, perhaps my next visit is to try something off the menu that is not the cafe's namesake - the hearty stew seems like a attractive choice.

o banh mi, a good effort but there's definitely room for improvement.

for more photos and full entry please find it at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/02/oh-obanhmi-damansara-uptown.html

fat spoon had me at its decor.

well, at least enough to get my attentionmy story with fat spoon started with a friend's instagram picture. like its decor, i found the whimsical creativity of using story book favorites we used to grow up with somewhat endearing . a blasphemy to book lovers though >.<located in damansara uptown, its exterior is reminiscent of the petite colonial houses in penang island and malacca, with detailed accents - a home-y feel that is inviting.i am kind of a sucker for vintage inclined decor in a modern setting, which was its main theme. it's interesting how fat spoon is able to make disjointed pieces of decor work tastefully together, which i loved. almost eccentric but artsy. to give it a cozy ambiance, the presence instax of happy moments, the rustic feel of the furniture pieces with the backdrop of walls of exposed clay bricks completes the whole stage. i was expecting the story book menu so i wasn't taken aback when i was handed peter and jane books. the menu was an interpretation of malaysian homemade classics with a fusion of different cultures, which i have yet to decide whether it was good or bad.

grandma's recipe :: sambal fried rice | wok friend rice with sambal belacan and dried prawns served with kunyit fried chicken (rm 11.90)a favorite at fat spoon, i usually try to not take huge chances with food choices when it comes to my first time at restaurants. i was expecting a plate of spicy fried rice but instead was surprised by the sambal belacan served separately in a little dish. well, i suppose you could decide the level of spiciness you'd like that day. the fried chicken with a lovely seasoning of salt, pepper and tumeric was fried to perfection resulted to crispy skin and moist inside. i wish the piece was a tad bigger. the fried rice had the pleasant surprise of the chopped up dried shrimps in it, lending an occasional seafood-y burst of saltiness but in general could have used a bit more seasoning.. the undercooked long beans could have definitely used some more time in the pan. the main star of the dish - the sambal was a spicy yet delicious accompaniment that worked so well with the rest of the ingredients.

grandma's recipe:: spicy beef macaroni soup | a comforting bowl of spicy beef broth over served over macaroni (rm 11.90){wy} was in the mood for something soup-y and i was more than happy to give it a taste when she offered. the one sip, i thought the taste was lackluster and lack the seasoning. it was missing the robust flavor that i was searching for when it was neither here nor there with the spiciness but it did offer some comforting warmth. {wy} requested for a couple more of lime halves to try to spruce up the flavor profile which helped give it a tart note to the monotonous broth.

grandma's recipe:: dry spicy beef macaroni | dry version of our signature spicy beef macaroni garnished with coriander & topped with medium boiled egg (rm 11.90)

this was probably my least favorite of the bunch. the under seasoned noodles was topped with equally under seasoned beef which rendered the dish bland. so much so that the coriander was a pleasant addition although i am not a huge fan of the herb.

spicy - ever so slightly. dry - yup, perhaps too dry that i had to shower the noodles with the side bowl of soup (which was also a move to add flavor). i even had to ask a couple more lime halves to salvage the meal but even after the addition, i just couldn't finish it. the medium boiled egg was cooked very well though but not enough to make up for the rest of the meal.

desserts :: red velvet cake (rm 9.90)one of my favorite cakes, i'm always searching for one that blows me away. the classic pairing of cocoa infused cake with cream cheese frosting, this one did not have the right proportions of sweetness (it was too sweet) and the tartness of the cream cheese to counterbalance. the other flavors were so pronounced that it took the cocoa flavor out of the equation. and what surprised me even more was when they served the cake warm - it was probably heated the microwave for a few seconds. i chuckled at the first warm bite...never have i had red velvet cake warm especially with cream cheese frosting and it threw me of in a not so good way.

where the food is they serve is a reflection of its decor, fat spoon serves malaysian classics which we have grew up eating in our homes but with minor updates with the chef's personal twists. unfortunately, i think i am more besotted by its decor more than its food. if you're interested in trying, i'd say keep to the classic favorites.

south korean's premium organic brand famed for its soft serve ice cream - milkcow - the craze for this creamy cold dessert spread like wildfire on a summer's evening as soon as it found its first malaysian home in a kiosk on the lower ground of the gardens mall, located just across from cold storage.even months after its opening in november 2014, the long queue at the counter persisted out of the petite shop dressed the recognizable cow spots of black and white. with only a few small tables for dine-ins, it's probably a better idea to find your favorite spot at the mall to enjoy your cold cups of milky goodness..

made with all-natural organic ingredients, milkcow offers milky way, which is the starting point for the other ten options paired with some organic toppings. there is also the occasional new creations that grace the menu for a limited time, so look out for those!
organic soft serve ice cream :: milky cube | natural honey comb (rm 13)introducing milkcow's signature creation, the milky cube. the sole reason behind my strong desire to try it out for the first time despite the intimidating queue.the foundation: the soft serve ice cream itself. whispers of mild sweetness and of intense milky creaminess with a silky lightness that cools as it coats the tongue in a pleasant manner. hence, making it an ideal base for the lovely, floral notes of the liquid gold of honey that trickled down from its hexagonal wax cells. it may not be everyone's favorite due to the wax lining of the honey comb. the price tag may be a tad steep but it was evident why after the first spoonful which tasted just the way it promised - made with organic high quality ingredients.

organic soft serve ice cream :: black pearl | chocolate sauce, organic salt, cocoball topping (rm 11)with the same beginnings, this was a sweeter choice between the two... the chocolate sauce was rich molten cacao, balanced by a very light sprinkle of salt.as you savor your way to the bottom of the cup, a sweet surprise of chocolate maltesers greets you with its crunchy malt honeycomb center for a texture difference - a nice crunch against the backdrop of soft, smooth ice cream. it was slightly too sweet for my liking even with the salt and a little heavy on the richness but managed to get a nodding approval from my mom.milkcow offers at least eleven of their sweet and cold selections built from the same foundation of all-natural milk base soft serve ice cream, topped with organic toppings. what i love about milkcow is the all natural flavor and the quality ingredients that shines in their own right in each bite.

while some call it overrated, i call it 'yum'! try it for yourself to see which camp you belong to