Sate Kajang Hj Samuri @ Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya

Wowza! Almost 5 months without a single food review! I've been pretty busy (ok...sorry for using the same excuse again and again....). Well, actually.....I've been lazy, plus, my harddisk crashed, so all the food pictures were gone *sob*.

Ya know, it's not easy to take those photos, 'coz you need to act like a paparazzi and keep snapping till you get the best shots. Sometimes, you're mistaken for a spy, and you get dirty, suspicious looks from people. Or even worse, your hungry friends get impatient and hostile when you forbid them to touch the food before you snap a photo of it. And while you're so engrossed with taking pictures, they quietly finish the (your) food without you noticing. So, it's not an easy task.

Anyway, to make up for the past 5 months of snoozefest on this blog, I'm gonna be talking about..... satays! *squeeeeeal*


Ever heard of friends telling you how fanatical they were, driving all the way to Kajang just to try the satays there? Well, here's a piece of good news, because they've shipped a shop-load of Kajang satays to Damansara Uptown, PJ! If you know where HSBC is, just drive on to the next row of shops. You'll see a a signboard in yellow with the shop name Restoran Sate Kajang Hj Samuri (No. 79, Jalan 21/37). Here's a picture of it. (Actually, I'm embarassed to show this picture. It's too blurry. But, for the sake of all satay lovers, I will post it here)

See, I told you it was a horrible picture.
I fail at paparaz-zing

Here's a clearer signboard inside the restaurant
(Again, the reflection of the light somewhat ruined the picture)

When I was there, it was almost 9pm, and many people were already in the shop. It looks simple and cosy, and you could actually see the customers totally enjoying their food.

Dude in white makes me wanna go to the shop, like, pronto!

They have a variety of satay meats, such as chicken, beef, beef stripes, chicken liver and fish. All these are priced at RM0.60 per stick. There are three more exotic meats such as rabbit, venison and mutton. These three are slightly pricey. I wasn't really adventurous I guess, and while I was there, the meats were all sold out with only chicken and beef left. So we ordered 10 sticks of chicken satay and 10 sticks of beef satay. They also serve other food such as fried rice, mee, bee hoon/kueh teow at a very reasonable price (from RM3.00 onwards!)


I was delighted to see a big bowl of satay sauce (or known as kuah) and a smaller bowl of sambal served seperately. The satay sauce is a pure mixture of peanuts and pleasure, and the sambal is to be added into the satay sauce to bring out the flavour and give a tingle of excitement.

Going nuts over the satay sauce!

Sambalicious

Then comes the plate of cucumbers and nasi impit. Dip them into the satay sauce + sambal to enjoy the sheer joy of spicy peanut taste.

Nasi impit yum yum

Just as I was happily savouring every drop of peanut sauce, the highlight of the night arrived. I couldn't even begin how thrilled I was and my tummy was screaming for attention. The satays were a feast to the eyes and looked much bigger than I thought.

Great sataysfaction!!!

I took a bite of the chicken satay and boyyyyyyyyy, fireworkksss~!! The meat was soft, delicious and the taste just penetrated into every inch of my tastebud! And when you dip it into the sauce, it adds more flavour to the satay. However, the beef satays were a bit tougher and bland. I didn't like it. But all was well, 'coz the chicken satay made up for the flaw in the beef meat. Va-va-voom!!

Ok, enough said (sorry my laziness is kicking in again). Nothing beats trying the real thing than just sitting down reading a food review and fatasizing about the taste!

Sun Huat Kee Restaurant @ Lucky Garden, Bangsar

Wow, I haven't been blogging for quite some time now. Been pretty busy lately and it has been nothing but madness for the last couple of weeks! (And also, still grieving over Anoop's departure on American Idol! :( )

Alrighty, time for some simple yet delicious food!

Ten years ago before setting foot in KL, I had no idea what "pan mee" was. I would ask, issit something that looks like plank? (coz "Pan" carries the meaning of "plank" in Chinese). Then, I discovered that it was actually a kind of noodle which we'd call "Mian Fen Gao" ("flour cake") in Johor. Ahh, one of my favourite dishes! =)

Pan Mee (which actually means Flat Flour Noodle) is made of flour and looks flat (haha, ok, so I actually explained it according to the name). So recently, the bear brought me to this shop called Restoran Sun Huat Kee at Lucky Garden, Bangsar (next to Domino's). He said they sell really delicious pan mee, especially their dry curry pan mee. When we reached there, man, I tell ya, the place was packed and there was no parking at all! We had to double park our car and grab a seat right in front of the shop to make sure we were able to keep a look-out for angry faces who would start honking obscene melodies when their cars are blocked.

Sun Huat Kee

Ok, here's the thing, if you want to order their pan mee, you'll have to walk up the stairs located beside the shop to place your order. That's the only place where they prepare pan mee, while other food will be prepared downstairs.

The sign hanging in the middle says "Pan Mee" with an arrow pointing up,
indicating that the pan mee must be ordered upstairs

You can either have your pan mee sliced into strips of long flat noodles, or request to have your pan mee peeled into pieces. After waiting for some time (geez, they do take quite a long time to prepare the food, given that pan mee is actually a very simple dish to prepare). Anyway, it was worth the waiting, because when the food arrived, I almost drowned in my saliva!

My oh my, come to me babeh!

The curry is not too thick, not too spicy, and I love the fragranted smell. The noodles are just nice, very springy and not too tough. They even serve it with huge chunks of tender chicken and wedges (yes, they actually make the potatoes taste like wedges! Except that the wedges are soaked in rich, creamy curry!)

One big bowl + one small bowl + drinks are priced at only RM10++. The pan mee (or should I say the curry) is like an addiction. Once you taste it, you can't stop. You'll find yourself craving more and totally hooked to it without mercy. This was what exactly happened to me. I actually dreamt about it week after week, bugging the bear to bring me there again and again whenever I could. (I guess the bear must be regretting it now haha!)

Anyway, do drop by for a bowl of pan mee if you can, and oh, please save some for me too! ;)

Anoop Desai & Matt Giraud made it to the Top 13 of American Idol!!

Hah! I know this has nothing to do with my usual food blogs, but I'm so overwhelmed now and my heart is shrieking with joy! Two of my favs on Season 8's American Idol - Anoop Desai & Matt Giraud have made it to the Top 12! Ooops, I mean Top 13!!! Yes, Top 13! Just like what Ryan said - the first ever on American Idol! Wooo hooo!!

Congratulations to both of them again, especially Anoop who had to go through all the "sweet but nasty" surprises haha! Go to Youtube and check out some of the songs he did with his former A-Cappella group "Clef Hangers" from the University of North Carolina.

One of my favourite songs from them would have to be this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1-SIzlBF9Y

Enjoy the video, and once again, good luck to both Anoop & Matt G. All the best guys!

Hauen Khon Restaurant 海云轩@ Amcorp Mall, PJ

Feelings erupt. Emotions flow. This is one rare experience that sets my heart racing and makes my adrenaline run high. This, is the kind of excitement that I'll never forget about Korean food. Funny but true, their food actually lifts your spirit up and gives you a dose of what happiness truly is ....


Ok, maybe I exaggerated. But it certainly puts a smile on my face especially after a hearty meal. My first encounter with Korean food dates back to 4 years ago at Hauen Khon Restaurant, Amcorp Mall (upper floor, same row as McDonald's).

Haeun Khon - one of my fav Korean restaurants!

They serve a wide variety of Korean dishes, and believe it or not, they sell Japanese and Chinese food too! I've tried some of their dishes before and have no complaints about them. (However, I need to apologize that I'm only going to do a review on one dish for this time. Yeap, just one dish)


The shop is not big, and is usually packed with customers during lunch time. The dim light settings and cute, elegant ornaments were just some of the few things combined to exude a sense of "Korean aura".

Cute umbrellas, lanterns etc
to create a warm & fuzzy feeling!

And as usual, I would order my favourite dish - Kimchi JJikeh set meal (priced at RM15.90) and a glass of hot green tea.

Kimchi Jjikeh *Muah!*

The set meal consists of a bowl of delicious, spicy kimchi soup that will send drops of sweat down your spine! If you can't really take spicy food, you may request for the soup to be less spicy. You will be given a choice of either chicken or beef to be added into the soup. Dipping into the soup is like opening up a treasure chest - a bright light shines into your face as you uncover bits of precious treasures. This is because they add so much food into the soup and by drinking the soup alone is enough to fill up your stomach! They have tofu (which is so smooth), tong hoon (thin glass noodles), carrots, meat (chicken or beef), kimchi, celery, chilli padi and so much more. The taste? Awesome!

A bowlful of 'treasures'!

A few other side dishes are served together with the kimchi soup. Although each portion is very little, it's enough for the stomach especially after emptying the bowl of kimchi soup. The side dishes are not the same each day, so don't be surprised if they serve a different side dish the next time you visit again. The side dishes which I got for that particular day were tofu, ikan bilis, kimchi and papaya.

Smooth tofu that melts in the mouth



Kimchi



Ikan bilis - sweet, crispy and sticky



Papaya

All I wanna say is, RM15.90 for all these mouth-watering food is worth every penny! Can't wait be there again!



Business Hours:
Mon-Sun (Closed on alternate Mondays)
12:00noon - 3:00pm (Closed from 3:00pm-6:00pm)
6:00pm - 9:00pm

Change of blog name

Hi all, here's wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year (before it's too late!)

Just to let you know that my blog name has been changed from bonappetitemydear.blogspot.com to a shorter and simpler name ---> snackaway.blogspot.com.

Someone told me that the previous name was too long and hard to remember, so I had to change to a much easier name.

Continue to stay tuned for more food reviews! ;)

New Paris Restaurant @ SS2

Do you love Chinese food? Well, if your answer is yes, head over to New Paris Restaurant @ SS2 (same row as Red Bliss wedding studio) for an unforgettable treat to a feast of good Chinese food! (despite its european-like name)

It all began when my colleagues brought me to this restaurant for lunch one day. When we arrived there, dozens of cars were already parked outside the restaurant. It is not easy to find a parking place during peak hours, so if you ever decide to drop by, be ready to squeeze into any empty spot that comes in sight!

We ordered some of their popular dishes, such as the fish head curry, pig's leg, brinjals with petai, yam cake and ginger fish. The staff were attentive and service was good. Even the food was fast and we didn't wait long for them to serve the first dish - brinjals with petai and green beans.

A combination of purple & green!

I'm not a fan of petai, but I love brinjals a lot. It is not the taste of petai which I dislike, but the "aftermath" of eating it that horrifies me hehe (I'm sure you know what I mean). However, the petai adds a pinch of exotic flavour to the brinjals, making them tastier than usual. MMmm MMMmmm!

A combination of orange and green!

Next to arrive was the fish head curry served with green beans, tomatoes and other ingredients. The curry was not too spicy, and jelled perfectly with the rice. Some people dislike soggy rice, but I simply love my rice to be soaked in anything, be it gravy, soup or curry especially this!

And the wonderment didn't end there. The much-anticipated mouth-watering pig's leg was next on the list!

A must-try dish!

Though amazed by the size of it, we managed to finish the whole leg through "great effort"! The skin was crispy and the meat was oh so juicy and succulent. Pour their special gravy all over the leg and you'll experience an exceptionally unique flavour. We've tried pig's leg at another popular restaurant in SS2 as well but it was nowhere close to this. Definitely a must-try for all piggy lovers out there! *Hehe*

Yam-my yam-my!

Our minds told us we were almost full, yet our stomachs kept yearning for more. As we struggled to finish the pig's leg, the Yam Basket crept its way onto the table. By looking at the picture above, you can see that different foods are mixed together in the basket, such as mushrooms, carrots, green chilis, cauliflower, and etc. The taste? Lovely! The yam was firm but soft, and the mixture of food and gravy instilled different tastes into it!


Finally, when we were about to surrender, the ginger fish arrived. Elegantly coated in a glittering layer of fine ginger, the texture of the fish was soft and "soothing", removing every ounce of "fish" smell to bring out a flawless flavour!

Ginger fish with gravy...mmmm!!!

*Burp!*

I would certainly recommend this place to those who itch for good Chinese food! New Paris Restaurant serves not only good food but also at an affordable price. Go check 'em out today!

Pizzeria Bella Italia @ SS2

When it comes to Italian food, nothing beats the authentic Italian pastas and pizzas served at Pizzeria Bella Italia in SS2 (same row as Murni). The shop is nicely tucked away in a seemingly quiet spot, but the food certainly wins great attention.

My favourite Italian Restaurant :)

They serve a wide variety of Italian cuisines, and there were times I got totally lost in their menu. The pasta temptation was too strong to resist, so I ordered their yummylicious Fusilli alla Carbonara while the bear ordered the Spicy Calamari Pizza.

My Fusilli ala Carbonara! Fantastic!

Finally, when my Fusilli ala Carbonara arrived, man, what can I say... it was simply marvelous! It is a plate of short tube pasta served with beef bacon, mushrooms, egg yolk and garlic in cream sauce. The portion was big and the presentation was such a turn-on! Light but delightfully rich, the poignant flavour of the cream sauce imparts the best of it to this palatable dish.

Next came the Spicy Calamari Pizza.... It was love at first sight. There it lied, looking so beautiful, blushing with a natural glow despite under very dim lights...

Oh my sparkling gem!

The Spicy Calamari Pizza is topped with tomato sauce, cheese, squids, chillies, onions and herbs to propel the taste of this freshly baked bread to the highest! The spiciness was just nice, and the cheese topping was so smooth that it looked like a layer of egg. Chewy, crunchy, flavourful - all blended into one to create the perfect pizza sensation.

The bill came up to about RM40++ (plus drinks) and it was worth every penny!

So what more can I say? My feelings have shown it all. Words cannot describe how much I love their food. I applaud them for filling me up with all these emotions.

So if you're a pizza lover or you simply love Italian food, this is a place you shouldn't miss!

Shihlin Taiwanese Street Snacks @ The Gardens

As you take a stroll along the bustling walkway of The Gardens at Lower Ground, you will notice a stretch of various food shops and fancy food stalls. With all the fascinations going on, you might not notice a shop behind the row of stalls called Shihlin Tawainese Street Snacks (士林台湾小吃). Shihlin prepares popular snacks just like the way they do in Taiwan, and is one of me and bear's favourite hang-out places wherever we go. You can also find them in Low Yatt Plaza, One Utama, Ikano, Sunway Pyramid, Pavillion, Berjaya Times Square and other places.

The food stall @ The Gardens

Although they only serve a simple variety of snacks such as the XXL Crispy Chicken (which is really huge), Handmade Oyster Mee Sua, Crispy Floss Egg Crepe, Seafood Tempura, and Ricebox Set, the quality of the snacks is unquestionable.


Their signature snack - the XXL Crispy Chicken, really lives up to its name. It is huge, and I mean HUGE (you might wanna consider sharing it with someone else unless you don't mind having it all to yourself). The meat is spread out (with bones) and deep fried to make it crispy and golden brown.

XXL Crispy Chicken *Salivating*

However, they have a very "strict" policy. In order to preserve the original taste/texture of the chicken, they do not cut the chicken into smaller pieces, not even if it's requested by customers. I've seen many customers asking for the chicken to be cut into pieces due to the size, but their requests are usually rejected.


Next on the list, will be the Handmade Osyter Mee Sua. Honestly, I'm not a fan of oysters, because I dislike the raw, musty taste of it. However, the dark brown,thick texture soup, has a touch of fragranted oyster taste which reminds me of oyster sauce. The mee sua is simmered in a bowl of oyster-flavoured soup served with strips of chicken meat, oysters (which I don't eat) and sambal chili. The portion may look small, but it can be very filling. You will be savouring every spoonful of it until the end.

The mee sua...awesome!

Tasty chicken floss wrapped in crispy egg crepe is what Crispy Floss Egg Crepe is all about. Finished with a topping of sweet, juicy brown sauce, it gives the egg crepe a delectable, chewy taste. Definitely one of my favourites too!

Yummylicious!

On the other hand, the Seafood Tempura is actually slices of seafood paste mixed with other ingredients, tossed, flattened, and deep fried to bring out the perfect crispiness in it. The outcome? It actually looks like fries! One bite and you'll be addicted to it. It's also chewy and tastes a bit of every seafood meat.



To sum up everything, the food is delicious, it meets the expectation of most customers, and Shihlin is and will always be one of my favourite food places!