I have suddenly found myself craving for something hearty without having to break my budget. Since I had really liked the food there before, mother decided to bring me back to Sam's to try something else from their menu. 

Aside from their salad and carbonara, another thing that came highly recommended was their grilled chicken thigh. Now I should mention that I have never really been a fan of chicken, not unless it is deep fried to golden perfection. So I was a little apprehensive about having to order two portions of this that comes with a side of salad and wedges.Though to my surprise, it smelled and looked really good when the plates arrived. Placed in front of me were two plates of generously portioned chicken thighs that looked grilled to perfection. Although slightly dark in colour, I presumed it to be from the marinate of spices that the chefs had slathered the meat in. The taste was absolutely amazing and you would think that the marinate would be too overpowering judging by the colour, but it wasn't. Also the chicken was still nice and juicy on the inside while the exterior was perfectly crisp from the grill.

Although the portion of sides were rather small, I really liked the wedges which were crispy on the outside but perfectly fluffy inside. I wish they gave more of that so I could mop up the juices that leaked out of the chicken.

Definitely recommend this dish! 

I had to meet someone for work and since we lived nearby, we decided on having brunch at La Risata. It's been a long while since I had last visited the restaurant and remembered really liking the food there. So that's where I decided to meet.

Although my companion already ate beforehand, I went ahead and ordered something for myself as I hadn't. The dish that I wanted was the potato gnocchi with red pepper cream sauce with chorizo sausage, it was the best thing I have ever tried. However they did have something else rather similar which was what I got.It's the Spinach Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Cream sauce. The dish also came with some fresh rockets, grilled vegetables and a portobello mushroom. If you were a big eater than this meal could feed you very happily, but if you have a smaller appetite then this is a good order to share between two people. 

One would expect something with so much potato & flour to be super dense. But somehow La Risata has a way of making it incredibly light and airy. Plus the addition of some spinach in there really gives the gnocchi a whole new flavour which I personally really liked. The sauce was nice as the tomato flavour mixed with some cream and cheese really changed a usually tangy sauce into something different. 

I really like visiting La Risata because of the ambience and the service each time I am there is amazing. Would definitely be back for more~

This area of Ampang is widely known as little korean town because there is plenty of Korean restaurants and also a supermart. You are spoiled for choice of which establishment you would want to dine at when you're there. Even if you go there often, you would never be able to try them all because there are just that many. 

A friend recommended to try Korea BBQ Jal-Dae-Ji because he's dined there once before and liked the simple but tasty food that they offered. Unlike many places that has table with the roasting pit at the middle of the table, this did not have that so if you want some BBQ meats they'd grill it for you outside. That means you won't be smelling like grill smoke when you exit the restaurant.

What they do serve however is mainly simple almost home-cooked korean food. The side dishes that is offered there isn't plentiful like some other places. But it's all done well even though they are rather simple. The kimchi that they give tastes more homemade than storebought as the pungency of it was just right and then the other dishes tasted pretty good. My favourite were the fried anchovies with peanuts because they were the perfect amount of salty and sweet. 

Just the side dishes alone was enough to keep me happy with a bowl of steaming hot white rice. But of course we were looking to try their main dishes too. I forgot what this was called. But it's basically a simple soup that has some noodles in it and also pork slices. This is how I imagine the best comfort food to taste like because having this delicately sweet bowl of hot soup with rice and all the banchan made my friend so happy that night. It was not too expensive either as it only cost Rm18 and it comes with rice plus refillable sides. 

So worth eating there and I would definitely be back to try all the other things on the menu because they were not at all overly expensive but in a good sized portion. 

The best friend and myself had been craving for something non-local to eat. Since it's a Friday, we were not looking forward to driving into town where the traffic would be too crazy and then leaving would be another problem too. So we opted to dine at our favourite Korean place in Solaris which is DaoRae+. We arrived a little before the dinner rush hour so the restaurant was not too packed and we got a table instantly the moment we arrived. The staff were hospitable though not many of them smiles but that's easily overlooked since they are quite prompt with taking orders and also serving all the side dishes once you have ordered what you wanted. One thing I really like about Korean meals is the assorted ban-chan that are served to you without additional charge. Most of it are in small portions but refillable (perhaps for free) when asked, but please do not take this for granted and merely gorge on these without ordering anything else. 

The ones served at DaoRae is quite the same as those served at other korean establishments. Their kimchi is really pungent and delicious although I am not sure if it is homemade or store bought. They also serve a nice bowl of salad with some sauce that I was not too sure what it was. Although it took a little long to arrive, they also provided a small plate of korean pancake. But I wasn't too fond of it because it tasted mostly like flour and was a little on the bland side. This was our main which we ordered to share. It's Kimchi Stew with Pork Belly slices and also ramen. If kimchi stew is your favourite thing then this will be even better to order because the soup packs an amazing punch, especially after it continuously boils while the ramen & tteokbogkki thickens to soup. 

I suggest ordering this to share between two people as there is plenty of other ingredients in it such as pork slices, tteok, tofu, kimchi and other vegetables. Then the ramen itself will make you feel full while you continuously drink the soup. Which is refillable because we asked for it and they added another bowl of it without charging extra. So yes, order this and share. Although our first main dish was enough to fill both of us happily, I wanted to order the Beef Bulgolgi because it's currently a favourite of mine. The one at DaoRae is probably one of the top 3 that I've tried because the beef is very tender but also flavourful from the marinade that they use and it also comes with the rice cakes. 

I was super full from the ramen and just indulging in those side dishes, but somehow the two of us managed to finish this dish. And also the kimchi stew with little to no waste.

At the end of the meal as we asked for the bill, a waiter brought out two glasses of plum juice and also a plate of fruits complimentary of the restaurant. Although my friend did not like the drink, I did because it's not overly sweet nor was it super tangy. This I really liked about dining at DaoRae, they always provide a good start and end to the meal without being too overly priced or commercialised like some other establishments.

Also just as you leave, someone will give you a lollipop each. Which I think is quite cute and nice touch that makes the patron want to return soon for the good food & service.  

If there is one meal I can eat daily unapologetically, it would be sushi. Although it is carbs mainly, this is something I will happily eat without caring about anything related to that at all. Since I was feeling like eating Japanese while I was at the Garden's, the first place that I thought of was Sushi Tei as it's fast becoming my number 1 favourite place to go-to for sushi.

Plus the line there is not as bad and the staff are always very attentive. Furthermore no waitress or waiter ever looked displeased to be working there which puts me as a diner in a pleasant mood. So I looked forward to ordering and eating once I sit down and offered a menu.My very first order is always going to be Ebikko. Particularly two orders of this all for myself which I can finish with ease. And Sushi Tei is never stingy with the toppings, plus I can tell that this is made to order by how crisp the seaweed is wrapped around the soft rice.

This to me is an absolute plus point for this restaurant unlike some that usually picks up the same order off the conveyor belt even though I ordered it from the kitchen. California Maki is also a favourite of mine. I like the filling as it has crab stick, avocado, tamago, cucumber and perhaps a radish. All of it wrapped tightly in a roll that is smothered in ebikko. So all of my favourite thing in one roll and I ate all six pieces myself. Another favourite of mine is the Salmon Mentai. This is really quite indulgent because the mayo and mentaiko sauce on top of the sashimi is really amazing, especially when it's just lightly torched. Putting this in your mouth with a touch of wasabi and soya sauce gives you a burst of flavour. The salmon is always fresh tasting and the rice is nice without being too hard or cold. Perfect bite! Soft Shell Crab Temaki is also another must order of mine. The crab was nice and crispy, fresh out of the fryer with how hot it was. Although I was already pretty full already after eating all the other sushi that I ordered, being greedy, I still finished this easily as it wasn't soggy tasting or anything like that.

It's clear that Sushi Tei is a pretty good place to go to for your sushi fix without breaking too much of your budget. Their food is fresh and tastes amazing, plus the service is also better than a whole lot of other places.