I just have to admit that this is the first ever food review

session where we were made to feel like kings. We had an awesome time eating

like no tomorrow. Let our diet plan fail, who cares!

The bistro like environment is just marvelous with the

wooden circles in the middle that make it very cosy yet retains the bar

environment. The F & B here has only 1 word of description – MUY DELICIOUSO!

The alcoholic drinks are so tasty and there is a very wide

spread of specialty Japanese drinks in the whole menu. Our no. 1 favourite were

the Yuzushu (Yuzu Wine) and Umeshu (Plum Wine) which have fragrance minus the

strong alcohol and bitter taste. Yuzushu (RM 19.80) and Umeshu (RM 17.80) on

the rock were just incredible with the unique taste inside. My friends even

ordered 5-6 glasses of Yuzushu! The Cuba Libre

Cocktail (RM 17.80) has a strong rum taste that is well balanced with coke.The Apple Frazzel

Mocktail (RM 8.90) has just a little apple flavor with soda.

Pickled Plum Sour (RM 17.80) has just a little plum taste so I feel

that this place is not well known for non-alcoholic drinks.

All cocktails cost only RM 17.80. Pink Shawa-Shawa (RM 17.80) is quite diluted by the time I drank it so I could not be a good judge but quite good in diluting my other alcohol.Kinshiro Glass Rice

Shoshu (RM 20.80) has a very strong rice wine taste, something that I

cannot take. I guess rice wine is not my thing. Ginger Highball [RM

20] that is whisky with ginger ale was a little too diluted for me. I prefer

drinks with a strong taste but I guess it would be good for beginners.

This is the first time I actually tried Sake. Can you

believe it? I sipped the Sake like a brave girl, for the sake of being a food

reviewer or at least I can proudly say I have tried this. The blue bottled Shochikubai

Mio Sparkling Soda – 300 ml [RM 61] is like alcoholic soda with the

best taste I have ever had. I can safely say that I would accept this as a gift

if you were to offer it to me (ha ha). It is so refreshing and cooling for the

throat and soul. First up on the menu is for the yakitori lovers. It is the Chicken Thigh Skewers with Leek (Negima)

[RM 7.80]. It is so tender and juicy. The best part is that it was not

overly salty like the ones at the hypermarket or any other Japanese street café.

It also does not have too much teriyaki sauce or soy sauce. The Torikawa Chicken

Skin Skewers [RM 7.80] is a tad too oily for me as I am not a big fan of

meat skin but the others seem to take a liking to this. The Eihire Grilled

Ray Fin [RM 12.90] has a certain form of moisture enveloped in it. The good

thing is that it is not rubbery like the normal dried cuttlefish. The best part

for me, is that it was not salty or oily. It tastes good with mayonnaise and a sprinkle

of fish roe. The Nankotsu Karaage

(Deep-fried Chicken Soft Bone) [RM 18.90] is something very different. Well,

the Japanese are always very resourceful and creative. Fancy making a dish of

out soft chicken bones? I have been to one Chicken-based Japanese restaurant in

Hartamas which makes use of every part of the organs of the humble chicken

including ovaries to make a dish and sell it to you for about RM 20. The

deep-fried chicken bone is quite special, and can be ordered by those who like

to go down a different lane. The Ishikari Nabe [RM

19.90] is salmon and vegetables in miso-based soup. It looks normal but the

soup is sweet, the natural sweetness coming from salmon, tofu, cabbage and

vegetables. The radish plays a core role in making this soup a cooling feature

for the body. The best part about Japanese soup is their ability to retain the

taste without oil and overload of salt like how the Chinese cook the dish. It

is no wonder that the Japanese society has the oldest population. Ramen Sarada [RM

16.90] is another dish welcomed by the stomachs of the health conscious. It

contains ramen noodles, lettuce, onions, non-oily omelette, and shredded

cucumber, bacon, leek, carrot, cherry tomato with sesame dressing. The salad is

raw and fresh as though it was just picked from the garden the way Jamie Oliver

does his. It is also refreshing that they included sliced bacon inside. What I like

is the non-existence of guilt because there was not a tinge of oil felt inside

the bacon, hence making the experience of eating bacon here something enjoyable

compared to eating the western bacon. The Imo Mochi [RM

8.90] is touted to be one of the popular snacks here. It is Hokkaido Style

Deep fried mashed potatoes which was made to taste like fish cakes. It is sweet

as it is coated with goeey honey. Potato Mentaiko Yaki

[RM 13.90] :Is a sizzling Hotplate of potatoes with seasoned egg

roe and cheese. This is definitely a must-try. The potatoes are seasoned in

such a way that you cannot feel the carbs or the overly hard part of potatoes.

Seriously I never like potatoes but this one is simply amazing. The fish roe

and cheese blended so wonderfully, atop starch like potatoes. Ontama Tsukune

Teppanyaki [12.90] : grilled minced chicken (soft bones) with hotspring egg

is what I would have preferred compared to the ubiquitous burger. Coming from a

non-burger fan like yours truly, surely this incredible taste review means

something to you. The best part is that there is not much oil oozing out unlike

the common burger. The soft half-boiled egg that acted like a bull’s eye is a

perfect dollop of icing on top of the patty. If you ever wonder what makes this

dish delicious, care to relate it to the “chicken and egg story?” Wakadori Zangi [RM

13.90] is Hokkaido Style deep-fried chicken thigh. To me, it is just

normal, like karaage chicken.The Burikama Yaki [RM

42.50] is a grilled yellowtail collar fish. It reminds me of the deep fried

ikan Gurame Terbang in Bali. The fish is so delicious and crispy, but in the

Japanese version. It was so crispy that one could bite through the bones. Hokke Hiraki [RM

52.90] is grilled Atka Mackerel that is actually Hokkaido styled salted

fish. It bears reminder of those salted fish hanging in the market of Sarawak.

It is most suitable to eat this together with the -1 Degrees Asahi Beer [RM

20.80 for Medium glass], through the true blue Japanese way, “KAMPEI!” Tonpeiyaki [RM 12.90]

was the best version of Okonomoyaki I have ever known simply because it is

served without rice inside which makes it less fattening with less carbs. It is

actually omelette with sliced pork and cabbage. Of course you can have your

traditional Okonomoyaki (RM 17.90) of traditional Japanese pancake with sliced

pork and bonito flakes. The Stir-fried vegetables with 4 thick slices of salmon was

just amazing. I think that kind of forgotten that the original dish in the menu

is sliced pork with stir-fried vegetables [RM 12.90] and ended up putting in

salmon or they just thought of creating a new dish with salmon. The star dish of Hokkai

Kamameshi [RM 36.90] is a great mystery when served and laid on the table.

We all stared at it and then relented to let the waiting begin! It is a big

steel and wood pot that takes 20 minutes to cook raw Japanese rice. The natural

juices of seafood such as king crab, scallop and salmon was absorbed into the

rice, creating a fragrance like no other whereby the rice was not even

overburnt like how we Chinese have our Claypot chicken rice. The shimeji

mushrooms were a delight to be eaten and it was juicy and not overcooked. I

guess when it comes to cooking, we are safe in the Japanese hands. The most famous dish finally turned up. It is the highly

anticipated Nagashi Somen Setto [RM 27.90]. It is THE FLOWING Somen Noodle Set.

It comes served in a special equipment, that has a “Play” and “Pause” button to

make water inside the machine swirl like a waterfall. We can choose to have Cha

Soba or the Green Mee Sua. It looks best in the camera and in water if we use

the cha soba. Step 1: Add ice to make the water icy cold and the ice will

then cool down the noodles.

Step 2:Add in thinly sliced zucchini, cherry tomatoes and

also baby mandarin oranges into the cold water. Press "Play" for the water to swirl together with the ingredients. Step 3: Scoop up the soba noodles and dip it inside the

individual bowls containing a special soy sauce that is not too salty.

Step 4: Add condiments such as spring onions and shredded

cucumber into the small bowl and lastly, dip the entire thing into your mouth,

and voila, you are in soba heaven! It is said that in Japan, the original way of eating this is

through a bamboo machine whereby one would scoop the slippery soba that flows

down the bamboo. Then, if Japan is out of bounds for you financially, then this

is the next best place.Addition of noodles cost RM 8.90. Addition of tempura cost

RM 12.90 and the tempura is simply amazing. The ebi and eggplant and another

item were just simply incredible. The tempura was well-balanced in coating and

the batter was smooth and not overly oily. Cha Soba with assorted tempura costs RM 20.90 here.

After this, we were served a dish fit for the kings – Buta Hakusai Nabe [RM 29.90] which is

another signature dish here. The thinly sliced pork belly with Chinese cabbage

in Mille Feuille Claypot was just amazing. This is a great dish to eat in

winter. Every single piece of pork belly is layered with Chinese cabbage. The

natural sweetness from cabbage and pork belly contributed to the sweetness of

the soup. Finally, it is time for dessert! No matter how full we were,

there is always room for dessert.

Yuzu Shabetto [9.90] – Japanese citrus sherbet, beats all the complicated matcha series or any other creamy dessert they have. Sometimes, people say that simplicity is best. I always find it hard to like simplicity, so I cannot believe it when I contradict my normal self today. The citrus pieces bears a truly strong zest to it, and would never leave citrus and fruits lovers disappointed.Matcha De Roru [RM

14.90] is green tea crepe rolled rice cake with red bean inside. After all

the creamy crepes I have tried, this definitely rules them all. True Japanese

crepe, that is neatly wrapped with not a mistake. The Shiratama Matcha

Kurimu Zenzai [RM 12.90] is a delight for us as it comes together with rice

flour dumplings with green tea ice-cream and red beans. For me, the Yuzu

ice-cream still beats the green tea ice-cream. Probably once you have had your

first love, nothing else compares to it. Kakuren bo Aisu [RM

14.90] looks very special but in actual fact it contains vanilla and green

tea ice-cream with rice cake and red bean. I guess the art of presentation of

food scores highly here to make one feel hungry when the food is served even

though you do not know what is inside.

I was exploring Kuchai Lama as usual. 

Dad ordered the chicken thigh herbal soup with white rice. 

Mum ordered the plain pork noodle soup with seaweed, salad and bean sprouts. The soup is clear without hints of oil. I love the super spicy chilli that they use here. 

Even better is the Red Curry with fake crabstick, onion, pineapple, and meatballs and also glass noodles. I liked the curry so much that I finished every drop of it. 

The food here are the most reasonably priced at less than RM 10 per bowl. 
 

I have passed by Sukiya countless times previously but never went in. My ex-boyfriend said it looks expensive as he has the impression that every Japanese food is expensive. Now that I come today, I had the shock of my life when I saw the prices of food here at only RM 6.90-RM 7.90 for a don or any rice item with chicken or beef etc! 

There were quite a number of customers even though it was only 11 am. Probably it is due to the low prices of food which makes it affordable for families. 

I ordered the Gyudon Japanese Curry Rice with seasoned beef which cost RM 12.40. I only had to add RM 5.50 to make it a set with side dishes of preserved cabbage and also seaweed, both of which are amazing as appetizers. There is not a tinge of curry powder taste in this dish, unlike the japanese curry I ate in franchise restaurants. 

My friend ordered the Oyakadon chicken with egg rice at only RM 9.90. In this day and age, there is still a Japanese restaurant that sells food at less than RM 8, with awesome taste! We added RM 6.90 for a Kara-ague Set of Miso Soup and deep fried chicken. I am not a proponent of deep fried items so I only ate a piece of this. 

Initially I thought that Seoul Garden only sells steamboat but it turned out there is a new concept of selling hotpot and korean food, only in Main Place and also Cyberjaya. 

I was attracted to the cheapest and most worthwhile glass noodles in the world, at only RM 8.90! The best part it that it consists of so many ingredients inside such as shredded carrots, fresh mushrooms, 4 big prawns, 3 mussels, spring onions, onions. The glass noodles are thoroughly mixed with a lot of flavours and has absorbed the soy sauce to make it blackish, done just the way I like it as it was not oily at all, unlike those that I have eaten elsewhere. 

My friend ordered the Beef Bulgogi Kimgaru Rice (RM 16.90) which comes with a beautiful bull's eye egg on top. The dish is very simple yet delicious. It is almost like eating in a Korean home. With a top up of RM 5.90, one can get 3 banchan of your choice. I chose the Spinach Namul, Bean Sprouts Namul and also Marinated Cold Clams. The banchan are filled to the brim. 

There was a promotion of Sparkling Sour Plum juice, whereby the original price is RM 5.90 but there was a RM 2 discount. The juice is normal and taste like any plum juice at the coffee shop. 

It is better to order the free flow Hot Korean Bailey Tea or Cinnamon Tea which have strong flavour and taste and also nutritious. 

I am definitely coming back due to the affordable and tasty food. 

Being relatively stuck in PJ, I have never actually ventured to Balakong. Well, in my old university days, I remembered Balakong as the place for Jusco where I usually watch movies at the cinema. This time round, I came here and realized that there are so many cafes here and one of them is Restaurant Red Gold Steamboat that looks like a kopitiam. There is one a/c room inside. This place has been opened for 13 years so being still there in the F&B industry means that their food should be good. I thought that this is a new cafe, when I first arrived. It is a 'no-nonsense' place. When I arrived at 2.30 pm, the place was still teeming with the Sunday late lunch crowd as the relative of the young boss, Mr Steven Tan, has been operating the Yong Tau Foo business for over 30 years elsewhere in the vicinity. Later on, they operates in the day time at this place because the "Dai Chao" is only opened at 4.30 pm onwards. Even so, the opening hours is quite special for it is opened at 4.30-11.30 pm every day whereas the Yong Tau Foo with noodles opens at 7.30am-4.30 pm every day. The afternoon shift sells Da Chao and also steamboat. The steamboat costs RM 17.80 for a set for 1 pax. 98% of the steamboat ingredients are homemade because Steven is also a seafood supplier. 

The first dish are giant Prawn Mantis with 'Pei Fong Tong', a famous Hong Kong cooking stye. This I can tell you, is my top favourite here. It is not everywhere that we can find prawn mantis. They are so fresh, succulent, juicy, fat and delicious. They have also cooked it in a very unique way, that is, with a lot of deep fried chai poh, spread all over, thereby contributing to the aroma of the dish. The Prawn Mantis costs RM 15 for each piece and there is a minimum order of 2 pieces. If you ever come here, never forget to order this and I guarantee you will leave satisfied! But make sure you master the technique of opening the prawn mantis from the tail. Eating this today, has brought about reminisce of my childhood prying open the small prawn mantis at home. The Fish Head Claypot is cooked with spring onions and ginger, resulting in a wonderful aroma that covers the smell of fish. Thankfully, most places would have cooked this with a lot of salt but not the chef here. I love this fish and wanted to eat more but could not because had to keep for the others. Though the fish looks simple, do not be deceived because it is actually from the giant Dragon Garoupa, a sea water fish, swimming alive in the aquarium. This costs more than RM 30 whereby every 100 g costs RM 10. The price is determined by the weight of fish. The boss showed me the real fish later and I was so shocked by the sheer size! Hong Kong Style Steamed Clams with Octopus (S: RM 30, M: RM 50, L: RM 70) were quite big. The clams are also alive, in the aquarium. The clams are cooked with a lot of ginger and chillies so much so that they are enough to rid of the fishy taste. The octopus is so fresh and delicious. There is no taste of sand or mud inside the clams. I also credit the chef for not making this dish salty and muddy as per tasted elsewhere. The Crab Claypot with Deep Fried Pork Fat is another signature dish here. If you are a big fan of deep fried pork fat, you would go gaga over this dish. The crabs here are so fantastic, fresh, hard. The shell is also so hard. One can almost feel the freshness with every bite. Do come here if you like crabs a lot. It costs RM 72 per kg and definitely worth every penny. The Fried Rice (RM 15) is simple and fragrant, with a yellowish colour that makes it look like pineapple rice. There are a few tiny prawns. I also like the fact that the fried rice is not too oily. The Pork Intestine (S: RM 15, M: RM 25, L: RM 35) are the best I have ever had in my life because they used a very special cooking style that managed to cover the smell of intestine. It is cooked with garlic using Hong Kong style and a bit of chillis and dried shrimp. The intestine parts are made a little crispy, small and tasty, It is cooked with cili padi and the result is simply amazing in terms of taste and smell. If you like organs of pig, you should order this. The next dish is Dragon Leaves (S: RM 15, M: RM 25, L: RM 35) with 3 types of mushrooms that are shimeji, jade mushroom and fresh mushroom. The dish has a little too much oil perhaps because they wanted to make it look tasty and shiny in the photo. This is my other favourite vegetable dish due to the combination of my favourites. After that, we had another star dish, the Salted Egg Crab (RM 80) whereby the lightly fried crabs are covered thoroughly with creamy non-oily salted egg sauce. The crab taste permeates my entire soul and I felt like I were in crab heaven. The crab legs are so fresh and hard. The sauce goes very well with the lightly fried and non-oily mantou which has pockets that deep enough to withstand the thick sauce. If a person who dislikes salted egg like me, say this is delicious, then you can be 100% sure of the taste that manages to satisfy me who is very fussy when it comes to anything with salted egg. The Prawn Sauce Fried Pork (S: RM 18, L: RM 36) has crispy edges and the middle is retained. It goes well with their accompanying sauce that is slightly sweet and not overly sweet. The Deep Fried Fish Cake that is made in a round shape is the BEST one I have ever had. It sounds cliche, but come on, I am again someone who dislikes fish cakes so believe me when I say this is tasty. The skin is very thin and though deep fried, it retains the soft insides as springy and not too hard. They used true blue 100% Ikan Parang. The fish cake is best eaten with their non-oily sambal which makes me happy. I am from Penang so I can never take it whenever KL kopitiam and restaurants serve me the oily version of sambal. There are seafood promotions all the time. The current promotion is for oysters whereby if we buy 1 dozen of raw oysters for RM 9 each, we can get 6 free oysters which bring the cost to RM 6 per oyster. The oysters are fresh, big and soft and all imported from California. The owner said that Malaysian oysters are not fresh, too small and may contain toxic from the factories. They serve the oysters with big bottles of tabasco. Check out my video on oysters today : 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUjFZPjL3Ac&feature=youtu.be

(more photos in my facebook)