IR1968 Indochine Restaurant & Bar at Terrace at Hock Choon, Ampang

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Lyrical Lemongrass

At first….

I thought……

she was just……

another……

pretty……

face.

.
Do not say, “It is morning,” and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a new-born child that has no name.

from Rabrindranath Tagore’s Stray Birds

We are all nomads, but I find myself gravitating to a time when we used to quote from Tagore and smile at the discovery of a new truth. The aphorisms in Stray Birds are so simple and so clear that I sometimes think that our minds are clouded with complexities that blind us. I seek joy in things of beauty, sometimes in Prada, sometimes in a newly bloomed flower in my garden of weeds, and sometimes in a friendship with a red-haired friend. All very different representations of beauty, but which serve to open my eyes and heart like a newly acquired pair of spectacles presented to me by a heart surgeon. And while I always whip off my glasses when I’m being photographed, they’re placed back on my snub nose in a jiffy so that I may see again.

************

The whitewashed tables and chairs were the first items to catch my fancy at IR1968, an Indonesian restaurant which was established in Hong Kong in 1968 (an excellent vintage year, if I may add) and which only just opened its doors in our fair land. It was refreshing to see the vibrant coloured cushions against the white background and curtains with repetitive prints of tree trunks, a far cry from the stereotype frequently associated with Indonesian restaurants.

The food is not typically Indonesian; some of the dishes have Chinese influences and some of the flavours have been dumbed down to suit certain palates, but nevertheless, I was still impressed with the offerings on the menu when I visited the restaurant last week. Among the dishes, the Gado-Gado, a quintessential Indonesian salad containing tofu, bean sprouts, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, potato, egg and keropok, stood out. It was served with a thick and sweet peanut sauce. The Tauhu Goreng Telur – fried beancurd mashed into large chunks and fried with egg like an omelette -was fragrant and crisp and I thought it was lovely enough when eaten on its own without the peanut sauce or fried shallots.

The Rendang was tender and creamy, more like a thick curry and thus quite different from our Malay style rendang, but putting expectations aside, it was still very enjoyable. It was our first time trying Kari Buntut, an ox tail curry which was spicier but more watery compared to the Rendang. It was cooked, curiously enough, with a host of vegetables, taufu pok and beancurd sheets. Looking beyond the authenticity of this dish, it was excellent when eaten with a serving of rice.

The Sate Ayam came with succulent morsels of chicken but it lacked the requisite charred quality, and so I found myself more attracted to the chopped chilli and kechap manis sauce which was served on the side (meant to be eaten with the sliced cucumbers). Not a bad thing, especially when eaten with rice and the above two curries. The Chicken Wings, fried with shrimp paste, was highly addictive with its moderately spicy and pungent flavour.

I loved the noodle dishes. The Bakmi Goreng with Seafood in IR1968 is essentially Sang Mee (crispy noodles) topped with a delicious seafood sauce consisting of fresh, crunchy prawns and squid, and while the purists may dispute the label, I thought it was a very tasty Sang Mee dish. The Meehoon Goreng, a simple dish, was fragrant with the flavour of seafood and fried egg and sambal. An absolute must-order.

For desserts, skip the fried pineapple (which seemed to have come from a can) and try the pulut, a rich creamy concoction that will leave you quite satisfied.

Prices are a bit random. I thought the Taufu Goreng Telur expensive at RM18 considering that it contained only tofu and eggs, but the other dishes seemed more consistent in pricing. Be prepared to fork out between RM50 to RM80 per person for food, but rest assured that the ambience is warm and cozy enough that you won’t feel like you have given your pound of flesh.

For a cheaper fix, try the executive set lunches (presumably on weekdays only) priced from RM18.

IR1968
Terrace at Hock Choon
241-B, Lorong Nibong, Off Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 017-209 8477

For other opinions, check out:
Eat Drink KL
Masak-Masak
The Malaysian Insider

Acknowledgements: To my BFF, A Lil Fat Monkey, for loaning me his camera for three shots used in this post, to my dear friend, Hairyberry, for sharing many moments of Tagore with me, to my red-haired friend, Msiagirl, who brought so much love and beauty into my life….thank you.

The best does not come alone. It comes with the company of the all.

from Rabrindranath Tagore’s Stray Birds

Meehoon Goreng (RM18)

Bakmi Goreng + Laut (RM18)

Tauhu Goreng Telur (RM18)

Mee Kuah Wanton (RM18)

Rendang (RM30)

Ayam Kepak Goreng (RM15)

Gado-Gado (RM18)

Peanut Sauce for Gado-Gado

Nasi Kuning (RM5)

Kari Buntut (RM22)

Sate Ayam (RM18)

Accompaniments for Sate Ayam

Fried Pineapple with Chocolate Ice Cream

Pulut with Santan and Vanilla Ice Cream

Lemongrass la….

Pink Martini and The Pink Sage

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Lyrical Lemongrass

No Pink Martinis at The Pink Sage – Chai latte and peach, avocado and vanilla yoghurt smoothie

My orientation with Pink Martini came several years late. While Bald Eagle loved their Sympathique album, released in 1997, I was still grappling with the idea of who Pink Martini was. Wanting to appear totally informed on the day of the concert last week, I googled Pink Martini and was led to the Wiki page. Now, I always take Wiki pages with a pinch of salt, but this time, it was sprinkled with a quirky sense of humour as well. In describing the music of Pink Martini, this is what Wiki had on them: The goal was to create the kind of records with which one would hopefully never grow tired of. Records that could be played whether you were sad or gleeful. Cleaning, vacuuming around the house or seducing somebody’s grandmother.

Groan.

After that description, I went to the concert with somewhat diminished expectations, but instead, spent two hours being mesmerized by the music. When China Forbes sang Over The Valley from the album Splendor in the Grass, her voice soared with a clarity that could cut through the stillness in the Dewan.

When my husband seduces me with Pink Martini when I am old and grey, I shall think of Pink Martini and the Wiki page, and I shall nod and smile appreciatively sans teeth.

Pink Martini at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Kuala Lumpur

Pancakes

Pink is my favourite colour when it isn’t turquoise. Or green. Or blue. All things in moderation, I believe, and I own a pink handbag from Che Che New York to prove my earnestness towards that girly preference. Okay, you can stop pointing that gun at me, Toygirl.

The Pink Sage was Sean’s idea of curing me during my recent bout of illness. Understandably, the place had all the elements that would cheer me up. Loads of sunshine. Simple food. Pancakes. Aah, Buttermilk Pancakes. The past flashed before my eyes as I recalled an earlier visit to the outlet at Wisma RA (now closed), and how I was hooked on the buttermilk pancakes, ecstasy in three layers. This time, the pancakes were like Sean’s incessant singing to me, promising at the beginning, but flat in the end. It wasn’t as fluffy as how it used to be, but the corn syrup and warm boysenberry syrup provided good flavour and prevented it from being eliminated from Round One of the competition.

The Eggs Benedict served with smoked salmon on rye bread (instead of a muffin) was average. The poached eggs were okay, but the hollandaise sauce didn’t quite hit the mark. The Black Angus Cheeseburger fared better with its thick and moist patty, although the flavour of the reputedly superior meat was lacking. What I was totally disappointed with was Duck Pasta, which was swimming in a sea of oil and served with tough slices of meat. The texture of the pasta was also a little too al-dente for my liking. Thankfully, the Huevos Rancheros, an afterthought as we were winding down our meal, saved the day. The tortillas with sour cream, fried egg, tomatoes, beans, cheese and generous slices of creamy avocado were hearty and delicious.

The Pink Sage is now at its new address at Solaris Dutamas above PappaRich, and it is a lot more spacious compared to its previous location. Wine is BYO. Service is friendly and attentive, and it’s a great place to hang out with friends. There are various types of seating available, from booths to bar chairs.

The Pink Sage
A4-UG1-1 Solaris Dutamas
No. 1, Jalan Dutamas 1
50480 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 016-2052023

(Operational hours run from 8.00am – 11.00pm)

Also check out Sean’s blog here. The sweetie, despite being very likely to fail Simon Cowell’s stringent standards for singing, has a heart of gold. (Thanks a bunch for lunch!)

Other reviews:
Augustdiners
One2Two
Josh.my
Milo Ais, Satu!

Duck Mushroom Cipolla Olio Angel Hair Pasta

Huevos Rancheros

Black Angus Cheeseburger

Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon

Root Beer Float and Haagen Dazs shake

Sangria and Mojito Flavoured Iced Teas

Free water

Aliyaa, Damansara Heights

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Lyrical Lemongrass

Aliyaa holds many memories for me – memories of sharing a birthday celebration a couple of years ago with two special people in my life (with an FBB-created pavlova, no less), memories of being surprised with a gorgeous set of sushi cakes, and memories of meeting certain people for the first time there and enjoying friendships that have lasted thus far. There are other memories, but some are best kept within the confines of the four walls and staircase. Ah, it is a hard task to be secret-keeper and friend, especially when the white page of my blog beckons. My loyalty, however, is as steadfast as the cakes that FBB bakes for me, and for as long as he continues to feed me, I will not speak. Nay, my lips are sealed with chocolate and cream.

My first encounter with Sri Lankan food was, surprisingly enough, in a wintry kitchen in London. Bald Eagle’s uncle’s wife, a Sri Lankan lady whose training as a lawyer did not go amiss as she entertained us with witty and hilarious anecdotes of family life in perfectly punctuated English, cooked the most marvelous Sri Lankan dishes. Coming home after a long day of shopping and sightseeing to a plate of steaming rice and hot curry was the perfect antidote to combat the cold. It was in that very kitchen that I learnt how to make coconut sambol (masi) made with Maldive fish, grated coconut and lime juice, and subsequently smuggled some Maldive fish back to KL because at that young(er) age, I had no idea where to find such a versatile ingredient.

Our friend, Logan, loves spicy food, and since it was his birthday last week, Toygirl organised a surprise party at Aliyaa. Sri Lankan cuisine is known for being spicy, and in fact, it is even spicier than the South Indian food which is more commonly available in KL. Despite that knowledge, nothing prepared us for the onslaught of spice and heat as we drank copious amounts of water to sooth our burning tongues. It was a welcome problem, though, as the food was delicious, and so we carried on our masochistic behaviour of assaulting and battering our sensitive stomachs all in the name of pleasure. We were lazy to use our fingers, and skipped the house recommendation, the Sri Lankan crab curry. However, the Mutton Paal Poriyal was a worthy substitute, tender and tasty, cooked in a dry gravy with lots of cumin, chilli and curry leaves. The String Hoppers (made with rice flour) went wonderfully with the Mixed Vegetable Sothi, a fragrant coconut milk curry coloured yellow with turmeric. The Fish Curry was especially spicy, but I kept pouring it on my rice, virtually drinking it up and giving Logan a run for his money.

Aliyaa is located in a two-storey bungalow with a more formal setting downstairs, and a bar with an outdoor area upstairs. The furniture is heavy and sturdy, much like what Aliyaa means – “elephant” in Singhalese. The place seems to have survived the test of time (in restaurant years), so here’s hoping that my memories in this place will continue to live.

Aliyaa
8 Lorong Dungun
Bukit Damansara
50490 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2092 5378

Operating Hours: 12pm to 1am (Mon to Thurs), 12pm to 3am (Fri), 6pm till late (Sat), Sun closed.

Lamb cutlets