We all have certain food preferences, but sometimes, it is necessary to get out of our comfort zone and look beyond our malay-chinese-indian mindset to see what’s available out there. And I’m not talking about Japanese which is practically Malaysian.
Let me tell you my story. A long time ago, a certain blogger (let’s call him the Verbose Stud) dropped me a proposition. An escapade, no less. Before you taint your mind with mental illusions and delusions, let me qualify this by saying that it was to be a culinary escapade. To cut a long story short (because this is, after all, a food blog) we ended up on the shores of Hadhramawt. Well not Hadhramawt (or Hadhramaut), the region in the southern tip of the Arabian peninsular (part of Yemen), but the latest restaurant at Chulan Square. A Yemeni restaurant, to be specific, because the Verbose Stud was an expert on all things Yemeni. Or was it Hadhrami? Anyhow, he was the man-lah, and I was the eager student, drinking in all his…for a lack of a better term….verbosity (“karut” in Malay).
We must order Yemeni today, he proclaimed. Not just any middle eastern food, mind you. Yemeni. I was game, because I was a middle eastern virgin, whichever way you looked at it.
The first dish that came to our table blew me away. I wanted to say *khala’a hudoomik haalan, a’takoon sharmutati fowree in appreciation of this wonderful dish of Mendy Lamb (RM20) served on a bed of fluffy rice (much like briyani rice). The beauty about this simple dish is that one can eat this without any curries or sauces as both the rice and the meat scream out a thousand flavours of orgasm. It was that good.
*wow, that’s a very nice shirt. I especially love the fig motif in the centre.
Most of you will know that I resist eating greens simply because Mum says its good for me. BUT let me tell you about a wonderful dish called taboulah (RM8) – made of finely chopped parsley, tomato, mint, herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. This is such a refreshing salad and can be eaten on its own, with the rice, or as a dip. The light dressing makes this a winner in the salad department. Move over Caesar, Taboulah is here.
The fish fillet (RM25) was good, but a little salty, so I ate it with lots of rice to downplay the seasoning. I thought it was strange to serve french fries on the side, but I gamely ate it dipped in taboulah.
When I requested for desserts, the waitress kept reminding me that the desserts were very, very sweet. I must have looked that ignorant to her. Anyhow, because we wanted to show you everything on the blog, we requested for one of each dessert. The baklava (RM2), a rich sweet pastry filled with chopped walnuts and further sweetened with syrup had a nice rich texture. The key is to nibble on it. One nibble, and one gulp of tea. Another nibble, another gulp of tea. There you go.
I liked the tamriah (RM2), a dessert made with date paste. Very sweet, but with the above procedure, you’ll survive. The basboosa (RM3), was a yummy tiny bit of semolina cake with syrup. You guessed it. It was sweet too. But that’s what makes the desserts so good. What’s the point of enjoying a dessert if it isn’t sweet or cloying? Everything in moderation, I say.
To finish the wonderful meal, we had Shaahi, an arabic tea. I liked this refreshing tea brewed with mint leaves and cardamoms.
I came away learning one important lesson. How to correctly pronounce Hadhramawt. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is something you’ll just have to ask the Verbose Stud. Coz it’ll cost you more than a piece of Mendy Lamb to bribe me to say that word.
Hadhramawt Restaurant
Lot 7 & 7A, Block B, Chulan Square
92 Jalan Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel 03-2142 2744
The good and forgiving people of Abu Dhabi whom I adore with all my heart and soul may view the pictures HERE.
Mmmm that lamb looks lustworthy indeed! Not sure about the fries being part of the whole “authentic” experience huh… 🙂
Paprika: Lustworthy? Absolutely. The flesh just falls off the bone. Yummmy!
Just drop by to wish you Keong Hee Fatt Chye.
Happy Chinese New Year…
fuah the lamb looks really nice… I am sure we could do with a visit sometime soon…
H er wat?? Looks like i just have to call up and ask is this err err err and hope i can con the fellow to say the that H word..
Kopi Soh: Chankyew chankyew and a Happy CNY to you too!!
Bernsy: Happy CNY to you and your wife! Yeah the lamb damn good, Aitellyew! You’ll love it!
Nipples: Hehehe. You want the arabic version ar? Maybe easier to read hor.
wahh….sedapnye….jahatnye…always enticing people from far far away land to salivate over ur food pictures…
taboulah sound so special to mii, aww i qill earse my ceaser salad and paste in taboulah~
Jian: Come to KL lar. Not that far away mah. 😉
yammylicious: Strangely, I understood you. 😛 Yeah. I’m gonna try making this at home. Can’t be that difficult, right?
Wow…unique-nya. I have never tried any Yemen food before.
Touched for the very first time
An exhilarating peak you climb
The Mendy Lamb relives my enzyme
The greens, so tantalised…I’m
A baklava…aural
Nibble? Impossible…
Sweeties crumble
Legs go feeble.
A certain food blogger had Yemeni
Taboulah and Even Some Briyani
But the highlight of Yemen
Apart from the Semen
Is some funny lamb that’s called Mendy
long grain rice! The lamb definitely looks good. So juicy and tender to sink your teeth into it!!!
Tabuolah it is, simply yet inviting. But not too sure it will take over caesar and crown as my fav salad. Verdict will be out when i try it *but when???!!sob*
i think yemen dessert is a lil similar to indian dessert? super sweet and rich. but delicious. Yup, moderation is the key =)
Btw, the test went pretty well for me. So any DHL?haha, UPS is accepted too~
Precious Sista: Now that I’m an expert *ahem*, I can take you there.
Nic:
Take me right now
The virgin cries
Your words consume her
Like a flame that fries
One baklava, she give you
She’s yours, she’s ravaged
If Bad Eagle reads this
I’m dead, I’m savaged.
fatboybakes:
There was a man in Yemen
Who looked upon his semen
He let out a gasp
And said in a rasp
I’ll be damned, but it tastes like lemon!
Jojo: Once you try taboulah, you’ll definitely switch sides. hehe. Gimme your address lah. I’m a woman of my word. 🙂
Oh, I’ve a few leftover mint leaves from making mint sauce for last night’s lamb whatchamacallits. You’ve inspired me to make the cardamom-mint-leaf tea.
By the way, I’ve put up a pic of Veal Rendang as promised on my blog but it looks a mite too yellow. 😉 (Hey, today I lose my non-vegetarian food-pic-on-blog virginity!)
fbb, ll: have you people finished with the Yemen-Semen rhymes?
anyone having CNY open house this year? FBB? Nipples? ;P
henry, that woman insisted that i write her a poem, just like nic (khkl) did….i didnt do it on my own volition….and yeah, i’m done.
The lamb looks yummy, lamb lover here likey!
Oops, that rhymed unintentionally…hahaha…
Argus: You virgin just like me ar? Wahhhhh.
Henry Yeo: Nope. My chinese side is feeling too stingy to celebrate this year.
Fatboybakes: And you FAILED, ma boy. F-A-I-L-E-D-D.
wmw: Ooooh another poet in the making. I’m getting giddy.
Gong hei fatt choy to you and yours .. 🙂 coming to your blog makes me feel like i am reading a professional write up by a columnist.. 😉 pictures are awesome..and pro looking as well..!! good job..! i really love your food blog.. 🙂
ei, this is a new restaurant ah? dun recall seeing this in chulan square…
Hadhramawt? Pronounce as Had-Ra-Ma-Wat lor, no?
Wah all the poetry on this site very rich lah. 🙂
Mama BoK: Happy CNY to you and your family too!! Awww thanks! You make me feel so special (in a good way, of course!). Will keep on improving for my readers/friends.
xiu long bao: Yeah, baru buka in January 2008. Wei…fail lah. Only two syllables correct. 😛
Msiagirl: Ummmm…*rubs eyes* You talking abt A Whiff of Lemongrass ar? Ummmm……FBB and Nic are the next litbloggers?? heehee.
what a exciting meal. I was only introduce to middle eastern food not long ago too. Simply love the baklava and taboulah!
Happy Holiday sister! And Gong Hei Fatt Choy too!
daphne: Me too!! Should we start a fan club? 😀
and jason…a happy CNY to you too!! Enjoy your holidays!
ha-dra-mot? hahaha din see the picture properly…long grain rice ….i absolutely fell in love with it…fluffy, nice aroma…had it in an indian restaurant in spore, Safrron Rice…aih *swoon*. The review is in xanga.
happy cny : )
Jian, almost there. 😉 Yeah, the rice is wonderful! Will check out your review.
happy cny!!
Happy CNY to you too, Jian!
11th February 2008
My wife and I were deciding what to have for dinner. (We live close to Ikea/The Curve in PJ) We don’t normally drive too far out of PJ.
And then she mentioned this blog recommending lamb briani. And for some reason, the craving for lamb was too strong to resist.
So we drove all the way to Chulan Square in the middle of KL. (And I shall never regret this drive).
We ordered Lamb on Rice (remember to ask for half kilo) and yoghurt with cucumber without much expectation of it being any different from any of the lamb briani we’ve had in our life.
the food arrived…… BOMB…… BOOM….. BALASTIC…… HEAVEN
the meat fell out of the bone….. the rice, fluffy (as my wife describes it)….
it did not need any gravy and yet wasn’t dry…. each spoon full was like the first….
no stinky lamb after taste….
we even ate the fatty part that came with the meat…..
I kid you not, this will be the best rice on lamb you’ll ever try…
and the price….. RM35 for 2 people. The waiter had the guts to mentioned that prices on their menu is the lowest in the Bukit Bintang area…. and I must agree to that when the bill arrived.
It’s the last shop on Chulan Square before turning into the parking area…..
I urge you, I ask you, I plead to you, I beg you to give it A TRY. hehe
We intend to take this drive to Hadhramawt (pronounced Ha-dra-mat) as often as we out craving for lamb with briani rice burns in our thoughts…..
Hi MH Tan! Wow…that’s some fantastic experience! It’s great that you took the chance and went for it. I would love to go back there again and introduce this wonderful cuisine to all my friends. Yes, the lamb is very very good!
I need you here to review the restaurants here!!!
I’m pretty sure all those food up there is available here, and perhaps more authentically so too. But I have never been tempted to try them so far. Wouldn’t it be a lark if I actually had middle eastern food back in kayel instead of here??
When are you coming lah? I still haven’t made any deposits in emirates palace-leh.. 😀 Still waiting for kaki…. hahahahah