it is ranked 6th by korean tourism organization (kto) as one of the top 10 korean dishes.

its popularity in south korea is astounding, so much so that koreans consume the most of this beloved dish in the world, often needing to import in order satiate the cravings of the locals.

and its name is SAMGYEOPSAL{삼겹살}.

essentially thickly sliced pork belly {돼지고기}, the name is inspired by the three distinct alternating layers of fat and meat where it is literally translated to three 'sam'{삼}, layer 'gyeop' {겹}, meat 'sal' {살}. typically uncured, not seasoned and not marinated, samgyeopsal is a barbecue dish {고기구이} where the meat is grilled over the charcoal grill or in this case, flat cast iron griddle over gas stove. this allows the meat to shine in its true essence and the 'seasoning' comes after the cooking.located in solaris mon't kiara, the restaurant replicated its flagship store's decor in south korea including the eye catching cute-sy little piggy table number that is hung just below the lamp. clean and simplistic, it starts with cement floors and wooden panels that lined the walls while the other half of the wall are ceiling high windows to allow the sunlight to illuminate the restaurant. there is one main dining area and also a few private rooms for bigger party of diners. practicality was reflected with the barrel-like stools with removable cushion that doubles as a bag storage and the utensils kept in the drawers at the table.like samgyeopsal, palsaik's name has meaning rooted within; 'pal'{팔} is eight while 'saek' {색} translates to color - the signature dish: the fresh pork belly {생삼겹살} marinated in eight sauces - ginseng {인사}, wine {와인}, pine needles {솔잎}, garlic {마늘}, herb {허브}, curry {커리}, soy bean paste {된장} and hot pepper sauce {고추장}.8color set {팔색한상} | palsaik pork belly which is not only good for your health but also tasty, seasoned with 8 different ingredients - set for 3~4 persons; set + seafood soup + vegetables (rm 112)

{건강에 좋고 맛도 좋은 여덟가지 색깔 스페셜하게 즐기는 팔색삼겹살}the seafood stew - a clear broth with mixed vegetables, tofu and seafood of crab, shrimp, mussels, clams and squid in a shallow metal hot pot that turns fiery red as the soup simmers to a bubble. the soup (is also refillable!) was spicy with mild seasoning but didn't manage to extract the flavors of the fresh seafood into the soup without overcooking the shellfish.(p.s. the daikon cube on the stick is not edible but instead is used to clean the flat griddle of grease throughout the cooking process)the grilling was done with two batches where the first four strips were marinated in the lighter sauces followed by the stronger flavors.while the first four strips were grilled to perfection, they are stacked aside while the rest of the pork belly were placed on the griddle.each strip of the samgyeopsal had its own subtle differences and wore the flavors as you would expect them to.

the strips of pork belly had a good fat to meat ratio making them succulent and meaty simultaneously as the warm tart and mildly spicy kimchi contrasted the cool raw vegetables and the rounded saltiness of the soy bean paste. my favorite has got to be the soy bean paste, garlic and the hot pepper sauce for the occasional heat. more importantly, discerning the eight different nuances in flavors that tickled the five elements of taste in one meal has made this a rather special samgyeopsal experience.

side dishes :: cheese stir fried rice {치즈복음밥} (rm15)

with the five of us sharing the meal, we added an order of rice to fill our hungry bellies, which was prepared at the table by the staff. in similar fashion as 'dalkgalbi' {닭갈비}, as we have consumed the seafood broth to a minimal amount, the broth will be mixed with the leftover kimchi from the griddle which would become the base for the fried rice.it was simple and quick by adding sesame leaves for the punch of herbaceous brightness to counter the mild spiciness of stock absorbed by the rice, mild saltiness from the seaweed and finished the creamy meltiness of the cheese. it was a a pretty tasty encounter although my personal preference would be to add a small spoonful of hot pepper sauce!palsaik korean bbq restaurant offers something slightly different from its counterparts. while i would have had a happier belly if they served a few more side dishes {반찬} (including the spicy green onion salad which is surprisingly enjoyed in seoul {파절이} - a perfect accompaniment), the concept of samgyeopsal marinated in eight different sauces that deliciously seduces the taste buds in a mild manner had won me over. although the menu is very limited, it is worth trying out at least once with family/friends who crave for pork belly goodness with a twist!

[#protip: as with other korean grill restaurants, you will come out smelling like korean bbq! dress lightly since it will be warm with all the grills on the go!]

"breakfast, lunch, dinner;

'creamy' rice, spicy sambal;

irresistible."

village park restaurant nasi lemak.

this place needs no introduction.

the proof is in the constant crowd inside and outside the restaurant throughout the day although i can only really vouch for weekend mornings.

in fact, it is one of the top searches for the argubly best nasi lemak in klang valley. i've got to admit that i was a little very late to the party and yes, i finally had my plateful a few weeks ago to try for myself what draws the malaysian crowd back for many years. trust me, malaysians are huge on nasi lemak - they take the art of this delicious local favorite very seriously!i was lucky on both visits - i managed to get a table in under five minutes, granted you have to be a little quick to snap up a table as diners leave. or perhaps be willing to share the table with strangers - a necessitated communal dining experience, if you will ;)although village park restaurant seems synonymous to nasi lemak, there are other offerings as well ranging from noodles, kaya-butter toasts and rice with dishes for your choosing. but why not try their most popular signature dish especially if it was my first time there. and yes, this entry will be dedicated to just that one dish.15 - 20 minutes of after watching many plates of nasi lemak whizzed past us (and not without me staring at the staff expectantly, hoping it was ours), it was finally here - the moment of truth. village park is famous for its nasi lemak but their speciality lies in the nasi lemak ayam goreng (rm 9) or literally translated 'fatty rice with fried chicken'. for variety sake, we also tried the rendang daging ('beef rendang') (rm 8.50) rendition.all the fixin's made their appearances - the chili sambal, the fragrant rice, half a hard boiled egg, a handful of crunchy fresh ground nuts and cripsy, salty anchovies, a couple slices of fresh cucumber and of course the huge piece of dark meat, leg quarter, all strewn almost in an organized haphazard manner.

one of the main stars that makes it nasi lemak is the chili sambal (chili paste with blended onion). my personal preference is a fiery spiciness balanced with the slight sweetness mingled with the onions. unfortunately, village park's had a milder disposition that was decent but not memorable. it was one that i didn't find myself reaching for with every spoonful of rice.speaking of which, the essence of a great nasi lemak is the rice itself, which only a handful has mastered that skill in the many different nasi lemaks i've tried. soft, fluffy yet you can taste each grain of rice with the fragrance of pandan and ginger whispering its presence softly in the midst the subtle creaminess of the coconut milk, finished with salt to bring out its flavors. the rice was yummy that i would have happily wolfed down the rice on its own although i wouldn't have mind a bit more decadence of the coconut milk.the signature of the nasi lemak ayam goreng - a generous portion of the leg quarter, fried in secret blend of spices. warm, succulent and juicy meat encased in a golden brown shell of a skin seasoned and marinated generously with spices which i detected notes of tumeric, garlic, ginger and perhaps lemongrass.i loved the little, runaway, savory crispy bits of batter that gave it that occasional punch of salty in between bites of the mildly seasoned meat. yum.the beef rendang was definitely overshadowed by the fried chicken. while the flavors had the makings of a great rendang, my mom thought the kaffir lime leaves would have elevated the fragrance and added another dimension of mild tangy-ness to the dish. on the other hand, i thought the parts of the beef pieces were a tad chewy, overcooked and borderline dry. sad face.

the plain nasi lemak had most of the foundation right while the fried chicken takes it to another level. the serving size is huge that it held me over breakfast and lunch. [#protip] if you are a smaller eater, one option is to share one piece of chicken (rm6) between two plates of plain nasi lemak (rm3) oh, take away here also means queueing up in the very long line to get your orders and then moving into another line at the payment counter. so be prepared to wait even if you were here to get a to go meal.my parents opined village park restaurant serves above average nasi lemak but they've had better and my parents has had their fair share of nasi lemak. i'd concur with them since there were some room for improvement but so far this is one of the better ones i've tasted. (my next project is to try out the nasi lemak my parents love!) however, there was probably added msg in the dishes since we were gulping down glasses of water to quench the thirst after our meal there.

a good plate of nasi lemak this is, definitely worth a visit to try it for yourself if you are willing to wait for just a bit..

one of the relatively newcomer that opened in july is beam cafe, located in bandar sri damansara, which is a little ways away past one utama shopping mall on the ldp heading to damansara. unfortunately, the rain decided to 'rain on my parade' as i was hoping for the beautiful stream of dusk light to illuminate my photos with a lovely flair.capitalizing on the vast space and high ceiling, the cafe is dressed in a industrial chic decor with its main hues of cement grey walls, black detailing of the inner structures that contrasted with the home-y rustic wooden furniture, exposed red brick walls and several potted plants to bring that punch of needed color to the cafe. the walls were adorned with whimsical art pieces, which breathed a special charm to the place.

oh, how i crave for natural lighting for my photos.the space was oddly cozy.. one that i wouldn't mind spending hours in. my favorite features have got to be the lights fixtures and the coffee-related one-of-a-kind hand drawn graffiti/ art pieces..it was not difficult to see where beam cafe's passion and respect lie - the coffee. elegant coffee machines flaunted themselves on the shelves that line the walls and a couple of tables. red coffee roasters revealed themselves grandiosely on the second floor. a centerpiece table where the barista offers hand-brewed or by siphon technique (love!) in brewing freshly ground, aromatic blend of coffee beans.[#protip] pick a table and once you have your chosen table number, order and pay for your food&drinks at the counter. the drinks list on the blackboard at the back of the counter is only a fraction of what they have offer - a complete menu book can be found at the counter.

[#protip] oh btw, it's cash only!from its limited offerings of entrees (four variations of both panini and salad - that's eight to choose from) on top of the many options of sweet pastries and local kuih, we opted share one of each with a nice cuppa joe for me and a cup of hot chocolate for {mh} to drown the rainy blues away.ang mo pattern | latte (rm 11)i always crave for caffeine especially in a cafe that pays meticulous attention to its coffee conception. the best way for a coffee taste test is the basic espresso+milk combination - the latte. crowned with a lovely foam art, that familiar coffee aroma wasn't prominent but the first sip more than compensated for that. the temperature was just right, the bitter undertones of the espresso lingered with the creaminess of the milk. smooth finish. a well done cup of latte which i would rank as one of my favorites after its counterparts from espressamente illy and azzurro.

hot picks | hot chocolate (rm 12)this was worthy of a cheer-me-upper for {mh}, which was depicted accurately by its foam art in the form of a heart. her thoughts on the cocoa goodness was "the chocolate drink was quite nice. very rich." so if comforting sweetness is what you're looking for as a pick-me-up booster for the day, this might be the beverage for the job. ;)

panini | roast chicken panini (rm 18)it was a panini kinda day. well, more precisely, we were both starving and craving for carbs to hit that hungry spot. toasty sandwich, served with a side salad of tossed greens in a rather thick italian dressing. a little lighter on the vinaigrette would have done the salad a whole lot more justice but i really liked the mix of the peppery arugula (it's called rockets here) to contrast that burst of sweetness from the sweet cherry tomatoes. the potatoes were seasoned - cooked through perfectly but slightly chilled.if i had to describe the panini in three words - chicken pizza sandwich.

with slices of roasted chicken with more than a handful of julienned raw onion + green bell pepper, the usual suspects of tomato slices and lettuce, glued together with a generous amount of perfectly melted mozzarella cheese, sandwiched in between perfectly toasted bread.

simple and light on flavor but seasoned aplenty while featuring the individual components in a wonderful manner. the chicken was almost borderline dry but i loved the melted cheese that came to the rescue, done just right where the melted cheese pulled satisfyingly as i took bites. a great play on the textures although i am not a huge fan of raw onions - but granted that is really a personal preference.

salad | japanese seafood salad (rm 18)we were very much looking forward to the salad - we are suckers for seafood, after all - especially after a successful session with the panini. a mixed seafood bounty of shrimp, flaky cooked tuna and scallops with edamame to complete this japanese-inspired salad, rested atop a bed of coleslaw...

"wait...wha.."

-- yes. coleslaw. tossed in a creamy sesame dressing.

the coleslaw threw me off -- like, a lot.

i suppose it's probably because coleslaw wouldn't be the first thing that come to mind when i think of japanese salad.this salad rendition was disappointing after a promising start with the panini. the main stars of the salad - the seafood - could have benefited from slightly less cooking time and a tad more salt/seasoning, which was resonated throughout the muted/mild flavors of the rest of the salad. we agreed we would have been happier with another order of panini to be shared.

with its coffee in the spotlight, BEAM - which is actually the abbreviation for 'bean expedition at manufactory' - displays such love and respect for every stage of their coffee masterpieces creation. and while i haven't tried their sweet offerings, i have read that 'when tea meets coffee' seemed to reign as the crowd favorite. in all, it's a great place to get your caffeine fix.

while you're at it, consider getting a panini too ;)


more details and pictures check it out at: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/09/beam-cafe.html

if i were on foodnetwork's "the best thing i ever ate: banana edition" - this would probably be it.located in brickfields (hence, its name), mr chiam and his son set up their push cart just across from ymca, in front of a food court called one sentral restaurant that accommodates a plethora of food stalls. as i arrived to mr chiam's stall, it was warm as a table fan ran at the highest speed, trying its hardest to keep uncle chiam cool as he fries batches and batches of these coveted snacks.mr chiam's pisang goreng stall ALWAYS attracts a huge horde of followers to the stall. and yes, that statistic includes me. what amazes me is the fact that his son is able to remember everyone's order without having to write them on a piece of paper and he almost always get them right. like, how do you even do that?!80% of the time that i've been there to treat myself with a piece or two of these sinful cravings, i was always be greeted with the same answer....or variations of it:

"oh? there is none left. you'd have to wait for 30 minutes for the next batch".

- "oh? okay....," as i sighed in agreement to wait.

the other 20%: i'm thrilled by my awesome luck and leaves with big satisfied grin as i skip in glee, gently swinging a plastic bag of sweet delights in my hand.at rm1.20 each, the heart of the pisang goreng aka fried banana/banana fritter is the ripen pisang raja (king bananas) from pahang, which measures to almost twice the size of the commonly used banana.still warm and almost creamy as the banana was freshly fried in the pot of hot oil, the crunchy shell albeit slightly greasy, shattered and gave way easily as i took my first bite. it reminded me of a sweet, caramelized banana encased in a light, crispy thin shell of batter. it was then i knew i was in trouble. such a heavenly addiction.on top of the stall's namesake, mr chiam has also mastered the art of making a chinese delicacy "nin gao" (literal translation: year cake), which is also known by its malay name - 'kuih bakul' (literal translation: basket pastry). made by stacking a thick slice of the sweet sticky rice cake sandwiched in between a slice of yam and sweet potato finally coated to be deep fried to perfection.the balanced ratio the natural sweetness of the sweet potato followed by the gooey, warm and sweet sticky rice cake that has a texture that is reminiscent of soft but chewier toffee and then mellowed by the creaminess of the yam. it's a gratifying dessert that is pleasurable to the taste buds and to the soul. it may end up being too sweet for some but it is so addictive that it is hard to stop taking bite after bite after the first.with over 20 years of experience under mr chiam's belt, it was evident why the stall has earned a permanent spot in the hearts of the locals and subsequently a perpetual queue at his stall, patiently waiting for a share of their favorite snacks that some may have even grew up eating.

for a the full entry and all the photos, find it at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/08/mr-chiams-pisang-goreng-brickfields.html

one sunday morning, i was sitting in a quaint restaurant, enjoying a similar affability and ambiance that i remembered. for proud co-owners of the kitchen table restaurant & bakery, marcus and mei wan, it was their passion and dream of opening a restaurant coming into fruition.both the chef and baker were completely in their element as former was expediting at the open kitchen while the staff was putting together the sunday brunch menu dishes and the latter was brewing lattes and cappuccinos at the front counter where her vibrant baked goods flaunted themselves in the glass display.the quaint restaurant was styled in modern minimalist accented by industrial chic details of the white-washed brick walls, echoed by the arrangement of white tiles at the counters. several vintage industrial lamps and spotlights fill the dining space which were contrasted and complimented by the warmth of the wooden floors, tables and chairs . it was a classic theme - clean and simple but at the same time cozy as the sunday morning sunlight streamed in through the windows. a comfortable and relaxing space.the dainty sunday brunch menu proffered three options - which were all classic brunch selections but marked with 'the kitchen table' twists and of course, a selection of pukka tea flavors and espresso based cuppas.teas - pukka teas :: lemon, ginger & manuka honey (rm 9)served in a clear teapot, we gave it a few minutes as the tea steeped. {mh} took her first sips and thought it was very light in flavor (maybe too light) with an after taste to the tongue that dissipates after several seconds. out of curiosity, i tried a sip of it which funnily gave me an impression of fennel notes in the steep.

coffee :: latte (rm 9)adorned with coffee art, the latte smelled promising as the comforting familiar whiffs of the coffee emanates its way to a pleasant start to my brunch. as much as the aroma was lovely, the latte was alright with sharp bitter endnotes - not quite the best but not bad.

sunday brunch :: chamomile french toast crunch, cornflakes, macerated strawberries, gula melaka syrup (rm 19)two pieces of thick cut toast (brioche, perhaps?) soaked in the egg-milk mixture infused with chamomile (it maybe that i tasted the addition of buttermilk too), caramelized in butter in a pan. the chamomile introduced itself at the first bite but quickly disappeared in the crowd of the other ingredients. but a few bites in and i think it needed more time in the pan to cook the center and to give it its crispy edges i desired.

it was a mark of ingenuity with the sprinkle of cornflakes for crunch although i wouldn't mind another small handful for more texture contrast. more than that, my favorite part was the bruleed sugar on the top side of the toast for additional crunch and pleasant caramelized sweetness of the sugar that contrasted the lightly tangy cream that was akin to mascarpone. i loved the twist with the use of gula melaka syrup to complete the french toast which exemplified the kitchen table restaurant's infusion of local ingredients in their menu. it was crunchy vs soft and tangy vs sweet done almost right. almost since i would have loved additional syrup to elevate the sweetness.

sunday brunch :: soft egg, streaky bacon, tomato jam, watercress & sourdough (rm 19)the base: sourdough slathered with excellent tomato jam, both made from scratch.
the bacon, perfectly cooked soft eggs and watercress salad were cushioned graciously.once again, the tomato jam stole the show (although i have to say the smoky, salty and crispy thick cut bacon came in as a very, very close second) with its sweetness weaving through the tartness of the tomatoes. partnering with the balanced flavor profile was the fresh crispness of watercress tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette. to top it off, the golden richness of the yolk coated each bite-fuls of sweet, salty, smoky and citrus-y herbaceous flavors to bring it to a full circle. a delicious ode to the classic breakfast favorite.the kitchen table restaurant & bakery's food philosophy was evidently reiterated in their creations, rooted in their respect and love for each ingredient in their new american approach infused with local ingredients. short conversations with marcus and mei wan hinted that the brunch/lunch/dinner spread may be expanded over time but kept to a single page menu with the possibility of seasonal menus. in fact, my second session at the restaurant is in the planning, and this time for lunch/dinner. i can't wait.

for full post and more photos: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-kitchen-table-restaurant-brunch.html