Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Mutiara Damansara Food: Minori Japanese Restaurant Special Kaiseki Omakase Set


Minori Japanese Restaurant which is located at The Royal Chulan Damansara Hotel 1st Floor No.2 Jalan PJU 7/3 Mutiara Damansara 47810 Petaling Jaya is famed and popular for its various Omakase dishes which offers it's' client a multitude of special exotic ingredients. +BestRestaurant ToEat got to taste the new offering of this season Kaiseki dishes specially crafted by the Great Master Chef Takahiro. You can also read our previous review of another exotic dish which is Cod Fish Sperm from this link.


We started our special "Kaiseki" Omakase meal with an appetizer which is the "Yum Tofu and Grilled Seasonal Eggplant with Crab Sauce, Ginger Flavour, and Mountain Caviar". This appetizer is served chilled and it was a delight to taste the many flavours from the ingredients and condiments. We started off with the soft tofu with crab sauce and move to the Eggplant which when eaten with the salmon roe exudes out a slightly natural salty taste. The Mountain Kaviar  which is used here as the topping is actually a black seed which gotten its name because of the same texture like of the caviar.


Our next course is the soup; what the chef has created was the special Steamed Eggs with Ohitashi Organic Wasabi Leaf and Asari Shell with Yuzu Orange Flavour broth. Normally in Japan the Ohistashi is cooked with Spinach but the Chef uses the Wasabi leaf for this dish. The silky soft steamed eggs are actually Chawanmushi which is topped with a citrusy orange yuzu flavour broth. Paired with the succulent Asari meat; it enhances the full flavour of this soup.


As with any Kaiseki meal, our grill item for the day is the White Miso marinated Butter Fish "Saikyo Yaki". The flaky soft meat texture of the butterfish was grilled to the right char thereby exuding the natural sweetness of the fish. Paired with Vinegar Tomato, Wasabi Lotus Root, and Sweet Potato, it marries a vinaigrette, sweet and mustardy taste of these side dishes to the grilled fish.


After the grilled food, we had the Nimono, which is a simmered dish. For this, the chef has prepared the Tender Beef Tongue With Special Sauce. Normally beef tongue is very chewy and has a rough texture, but the chef; using this method of cooking which is simmering the beef tongue in stock over a period of time until the liquid is fully absorbed into the beef tongue is able to cook the beef tongue until the soft meat like texture.


To finish off our Kaiseki meal, it is a norm to serve a rice based dish; our Shokuji is the Scallop Porridge Minori Style With Fried Cherry Blossom Prawn. The chef uses the combination of dried and fresh scallop to cook this very flavourful porridge. Each spoonful of porridge is filled with the dried scallop and coupled with the sweet flavour of the Blossom Prawn, it was a wonderful end to our meal for today.


For desserts, we had the Warabi Mochi and Green Tea Parfait served in a cocktail glass; lined with cut strawberries and smash adzuki bean and the chewy warabi (jelly-like) mochi at the bottom of the glass.


For sake lovers, you can try out the sake pairing that we had, the first one was the Jumai Daiginjo - a very smooth sake. This is the only Sake in the world that is brewed using the legendary Kikusui Sake rice.



and the Funaguchi Kikusui Nama Genshu which came in a can and has a very flowery and fruity taste. Sake in a Can is renown for its freshness as it does not go thru the normal pasteurization and dilution process. The Sake is can directly from the source and this enables it to maintain its natural aroma and flavour. Best served chilled.

Monday, April 11, 2016

My Burger Lab Sunway - Burger With A Passion - Bandar Sunway Petaling Jaya Food



What has Ultraman, Animal and Yellow Submarine have in common? These are  names of burgers that are served at My Burger Lab. Recently BestRestaurantToEat went for a burger feast at My Burger Lab Sunway Cafe which is located at 3, Jalan PJS 11/9, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.


My Burger Lab has been dishing out their specialty burgers for more than 3 years; each burger that comes out of the lab has unique characteristics that will tantalize your taste-bud i.e. from spicy, sweet, savory and all that special flavors and taste.


Now, at My Burger Lab, it is not only about burgers as they have also developed special appetizers to start your meal with and desserts to end your meal too. So, you can really have a complete full course.


We had the opportunity to taste the first starters which were the special Sloppy Fries 2.0 (RM13.50). The Fried fries with skin on are fried to a crisp and laden with Sloppy Chicken which has a slightly spicy paprika flavor and topped with a runny sunny side up eggs.  A simple fries with a character.


For the greens, customers can choose the Magikarp Salad (RM13.50); comes with fresh garden salad which has Smoke Salmon with crunchy charcoal croutons and topped with a tomago like boiled eggs with a Honey Italian dressing. The salad also has sprinkles of pumpkins seeds to give a different bite texture to the salad.


For Burgers, we started with the Ultraman 3.0 Burgers (RM18.80). Why it is called the Ultraman Burgers; in Cantonese Ultraman is called the "Ham Tang Chew Yan" - which literally means Salted Egg Yolk Super Man; no wonder this burger is coated with a generous luster of salted eggs sauce on a piece of fried crispy chicken thigh which is marinated with kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass and served with lettuce. A must for fans of salted eggs yolk.


This is then followed by the A+ Burger (RM16.00); which is a piece of sous vide thick chicken breast (this cooking method ensures the meat juices are intact) and is then grilled and slapped with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, shitake and enoki mushrooms.


The third burger that we had is the Swiss Take Burger (RM16.00), we like the natural taste of the sauteed shitake and enoki mushroom which is flavored with oyster sauce and blended with the cheesy taste of the Swiss cheese. For those that still loves a meatless burger; this will be a great choice.



Our second last burgers were the Kick In The Face 2.0 (RM18.90). We really like this burger as the taste of the Jalapenos and red onions gave a slightly spicy taste to the thick beef patties which were sandwiched with Horseradish Mayo and Green Pepper Relish to give a hint of slight vinaigrette taste to the overall burger.


The last burger for the night is the Animal Burger (RM13.90)  Not in the standard menu but can be ordered if there are any. This burger has a mustard-grilled patty with slices of onion and topped with a special in-house secret recipe sauce.


You can either paired your burgers with a Root Beer (RM9.50). This Root Beer is the Original Stewards Root Beer that comes with a glass bottle.


or choose the good old American style where you paired it with a Milk Shake. For us, we tried the Peanut Butter Milk Shake (RM13.90) and the Oreo Milkshake but my vote is on the Peanut Milkshake.


Lastly for desserts, we had the Lava Brownie (RM15.90). The chocolate brownie is served in a warm pan and topped with 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream. The chocolate brownies are baked with almond nuts and served with a sizzling sauce.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Bangsar Food: Brotzeit German Bier Bar and Restaurant - Rise and Shine German Style Breakfast at Bangsar Shopping Centre Kuala Lumpur


There is a saying that "Eat Breakfast Like A King, Lunch Like a Prince and Dinner Like a Pauper". With this in mind +BestRestaurant ToEat went to taste out the latest breakfast menu at Brotzeit German Bier Bar and Restaurant located at Bangsar Shopping Centre.


Brotzeit is renowned for its German cuisine as we have reviewed earlier. Click Here for our earlier review; it is also popular with its hearty breakfast set. As an add-on, you can start your breakfast with a chilled glass of orange juice to detox your body.


With the new breakfast menu, our first brekkie is non-other than the Signature Breakfast Set (RM32.90). This set is on the heavy side and is great for those big eaters while the small eater can order this to be shared by 2 persons. This platter comes with two farm fresh eggs, slices of streaky bacon, 2 Nurnberger sausages on a creamy bed of mashed potatoes with slices of ham, belly bacon, Emmenthaler cheese, onions and tomatoes served with multi-grain bread.


Next on is the Hangover Breakfast set (RM28.00); it comprises with a tummy warming goulash soup, slices of fried bacon, smoked salmon with a fried farm fresh eggs and served with a Laugen bread roll. 


This is then followed thru with a special chef creation of the Farmer's Omelette (RM22.00). The slices of potatoes together with bacon, sprinkles of herbs and eggs are fried omelette style. We like the combination flavours of the omelette and is paired with the fresh garden salad with pesto sauce and served with a sunny side up eggs and multi-seed bread. This is quite a filling meal for a person.


The next dish is my favourite as I just loves roast pork belly. The set is called the Crispy Pork Belly (RM26.00). Laden with a layer of fats, the pork belly are roasted to a deep crunchy crisp. Served on a bed of sauteed spinach with mushroom and tomatoes; it gives a different texture, taste and flavours of this set. It is served with a choice of either fried, poached or scrambled eggs and comes with a multi-seed bread.


For pancake fans; you can opt for the Savoury Pancake (RM 22.00) for a change. The thin pancake is wrapped with bacon, feta cheese, tomatoes & olives. Served with fresh garden salad and a choice of either fried, poached or scrambled eggs and comes with a multi-seed bread.


For the sweet tooth, you can try out the Soft Crepe Duo (RM18.00). The soft crepes are filled with Nutella and strawberry jam to give a sweet and slight sourish tastes. It is then topped with chopped nuts and fresh fruits to give a different texture and refreshing taste with a drizzle of chocolate and apricot sauce.

All the breakfast set comes with a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea. So, if you yearn for some top quality western breakfast, the Brotzeit hearty breakfast set will definitely kick start your day.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Klang Food | Fong Keow Bak Kut Teh Restaurant With A History of 30 years - Taman Intan Klang


There are 2 very popular dishes from Klang, the first is Bak Kut Teh and the second is seafood. You normally would not be able to find both these dishes from one restaurant. +BestRestaurant ToEat was invited to taste this at Fong Keow (Pottery) Bak Kut Teh Restaurant which is located at 49, 51, 53, Jalan Batai Laut, Taman Intan, 41300 Klang, Selangor.


Back around 27 years ago, when I was based in Shah Alam, yours truly used to frequent this shop on most Friday as Chinese food especially pork dishes are only served in Klang but after a lapse of that period, it was good to be invited to taste out this restaurant after such a long absence.


Recently, Fong Keow (Pottery) Bak Kut Teh Restaurant has undergone some renovation and has now offered others dishes; in particular seafood and restaurant style dishes as they are able to have a good and reliable seafood supplier and a chef that is able to craft out these special dishes.


Also, on the plan is to make this restaurant a place to taste some special authentic Chinese tea. We had the pleasure to taste the burdock tea instead of the normal Chinese tea offering of Ti Kuan Yin or the Jasmine or the King Tea (Cha Wong) which will be our choice of tea to be paired with the Bak Kut Teh. The taste of the burdock tea has a very mild taste of the ginseng. Normally burdock is used as one of the ingredients for soup; but in this case, we had it as a tea. It takes some getting used to it to appreciate this tea.


The first dish on the table is the none other than their signature Bak Kut Teh in a clay-pot. For true Bak Kut Teh aficionado like me, the best style to eat Bak Kut Teh is in the plain style which is just with the BKT broth with the choice of meat but once it is in a clay pot, it tends to dilute the concentration of the flavourful broth as these ingredients like the beancurd, button mushroom and tau foo pok which has a watery texture will make the broth less flavourful. Our pot of Bak Kut Teh came with a big bone with pig intestine and pig stomach is for 2 pax (RM27.00).


Next is the dry version Bak Kut Teh (RM29.00) with Pork Spare Ribs as the meat of choice. As they are not the pioneers to serves this version; the level of acceptance for this dish is just passable for me, My preference still goes with the brothy version.


The following other dishes are the new items that are served in the revamped restaurant, which the first is the Drunken Clams (RM25.00). We like the taste of the broth which has a strong wine taste coupled with the taste of the ginger and chilli padi. The Clams are from their supplier in Pulau Ketam which is delivered on; whether they are able to net it from the sea on that day. So, do check out when you order this.


The next dish is the Sauteed Oyster Mushroom With Prawn (RM20.00); a very unique but tasty combination coming from the soft texture of the mushroom intertwined with the crunch of the fresh peeled prawns.


Next is the Golden Sand Bean Curd (Kam Sa Tau Foo) (RM12.00) which is heavenly coated with salted eggs and stir fried with fresh chilies leaves that will leave you salivating for more rice to slurp up the enticing sauce.


After which we had the Crispy Chicken With Thai Sauce (RM20.00) - The breaded chicken are fried to a crisp and served with an in-house made Thai Style sauce which has a vinaigrette taste with a mixture of fresh cut onions and mixed with crushed peanuts. We love the taste of the sauce.


For our doses of greens, the restaurant has a special order of the Green Dragon Vegetable aka Royale Chives ( 韭菜 ) (RM13.00) which is from Cameron Highlands; we were told that this is a hybrid version emanating from the chives family that we are familiar with; has a distinct sweet taste once it is cooked. We like the texture and the way it was cooked which is Stir Fried as it retains the nice texture and we can taste the natural sweetness of the vegetables.


The next time, if some members of your families or friends would like to eat restaurant food or seafood; while some of you still yearn for your Bak Kut Teh, then you can head over to the Fong Keow Bak Kut Teh (Pottery) Restaurant to taste both the type of dishes.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Old Klang Road Food | Le Pont Boulangerie et Cafe - Sweet Sensation - New French Dessert Crafted Just For You.


For those that are a real fans of desserts, you would probably heard about Le Pont Boulangerie et Cafe located at 6, Lorong 1/137c, Batu 5, Old Klang Road 58000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan. +BestRestaurant ToEat was invited to taste this newly launched dessert series aptly named the Sweet Sensation to mesmerise your taste-buds to this French love affair for pastry, desserts and coffee.


The inspiration behind the name Le Pont (French for ‘The Bridge’) comes from the desire to capture the vision of a unique space where people can come together and forge new friendships and the aspiration to create a food & beverage concept where food and drink connect seamlessly.


Le Pont Boulangerie et Cafe has a modern yet comfortable cafe cuisine setup; serving traditionally artisanal yet innovative breads and pastries for all to enjoyed with the custom-roasted house blend coffee and specially-crafted drinks.


Le Pont Boulangerie et Cafe during the month of March and April 2016 is having this special Sweet Sensation dessert series; which marries the exquisite taste of its specialty crafted Coffee and desserts.The Sweet Sensation features world famous coffee presented in a unique serving style together with six signature desserts that will leaves your sweet tooth cravings.


Central to the entire menu is the Coffee Origin Platter (RM18.90) which is a captivating three-in-one serving style of the Himalaya Supersonic blend. As Head of Coffee David Leong quips; to enjoy this coffee platter we start off with the filtered brew which exudes out only the pure and natural taste of this highly sought after bean from El Salvador; Next we tasted a coffee mocktail which was sweeten by the blue berry syrup with a tinge of lemon. Finally; is to taste the aromatic espresso brewed with textured milk which enhances the full aroma of the special blend.


To paired with this special coffee brew, Pastry Chef Padzli has specially created a delectable short crust pastry baked with coffee mix from the Himalaya SuperSonic beans. We were very impressed by the after taste of the soft chilled brulee like texture of the filling. The distinctive aroma of the coffee taste lingers in our mouth long after we have eaten the pastry. Diners can savour as a single slice of this Coffee Tart at RM12.90 or the whole tarts at RM43.90.


Next on the table was the Le Pomme (Warm Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream) RM15.90. We love the flaky, fluffy texture and the buttery taste of the tart which has a nice crisp when bitten into it; while the thinly sliced apples which was cooked; has a nice texture coupled with the soft vanilla ice cream was a real treat to tantalized our sweet tooth.


This is then followed by the Le Noisette (Crunchy Hazelnut and Chocolate Bar with Mascaporne Cream) RM 17.90. The slight crunch when you cut out the pastry which has a rich hazelnut taste was nicely paired with the Mascaporne Cream and served with strawberries at the sides to give you a blend of a slight sourish sweet taste.


Next is the Peach Melba (RM16.90). This dessert is more like a parfait in which you can taste the different texture as you dig into this special serving glass. The middle section which has soft sorbet like texture has a tinge of tangy taste from the peach while after a few scoop, you will discover the taste of the light crunch of the Almond crumble.


The second last dessert on the table is the Apple Crumble Tart (RM10.90). As with the earlier Apple Tart, it is the same cut apples which is served on a bed of frangipane and topped with Almond Crumble.  There is a hint of light cinnamon taste in the filling.


The last dessert under the Sweet Sensation series is the Caramel & Mixed Nuts Tarts (RM 10.90). This is a baked short crust pastry filled with mixed nuts and soft caramel that is topped with chocolate mousse; which has a velvety texture and a generous spread of mixed nut at the bottom of the chocolate mousse making is an enticing taste to nuts lovers with a sweet taste.


Overall, Le Pont Boulangerie et Cafe do offers great coffee with a fine Sweet Sensation dessert for the month of March and April for you to savour and indulge in this delicious dessert offering with your families and friends.