Oriental Spoon, Sooka Sentral (Halal)

1. 

IMG_8989

When the mind wanders to the gutter, there is no turning back.  That’s all I can say when I heard the name Oriental Spoon.

Oh, their tagline’s “Wholesomely Oriental”.  *big smile*

2. 

Fatboybakes decreed that I had a non-existent social life and took it upon himself to ensure that I was suitably entertained at night by issuing me an invitation to dine at Oriental Spoon (upon the request of his “Godma” who instructed him one morning over breakfast to “get your food blogger friends over to Sooka Sentral to try out Ming Lee’s new restaurant”).

IMG_9024 IMG_9010
IMG_8996 IMG_9012
Clockwise from top left: Steamed “Siu Mai” with fresh scallops – RM 12, steamed minced chicken buns (char siew pao) – RM 8.00,  steamed glutinous rice with chicken – RM 8, steamed prawn dumplings (Har Gau) – RM 10

Let me just put on record that I am ecstatic about the fact that there is now a decent restaurant in the KL Sentral area.  My office is located quite close to KL Sentral, a popular destination when it rains and I am looking for a quick bite at a covered location.  But as we all know, KL Sentral offers less than appealing fare, and thus Sooka Sentral has become a boon to me, ensuring that I shall never have to starve again.  There are ample carparks here and it is located a little away from the main transportation hub, which means that I can zoom in and out within an hour.

IMG_8992
Wu kok – RM6

Oriental Spoon serves dim sum as well as items from the ala carte menu.  Do note that food served here is halal, so it is a great choice if you’re looking to spend some muhibah time together.  My favourite item of dim sum must surely be the yam dumplings (wu kok) which fulfilled my criteria of a very light and crumbly exterior with a delicious mince filling that didn’t make me notice the absence of that animal-that-should-not-be-named.

IMG_9057
Lotus root pastry

Another dim sum item that I thought was absolutely delicious was the lotus root shaped pastry that screamed of butter in a flaky shell with a minced chicken/lotus filling.

IMG_9031
Radish cake – RM6

For radish cake with a difference, I recommend the radish cake with bonito flakes.

IMG_8998 IMG_9016
IMG_9020 IMG_9019
Steamed spinach buns

Henry the Hedgehog* wasn’t spared.  The poor little critter, stuffed with a delicious black sesame filling, looked a sorry sight after the ordeal he had to endure.  Well, he didn’t last long.  His popularity was apparent, and his last sibling ended up in “Godma’s” handbag.

*name given by Fatboybakes
IMG_9044
Steamed black pepper short ribs (Lamb) – RM 12

The lamb was very tender and despite a slight gaminess, it made for a good substitute for the animal-that-should-not-be-named.

Dim sum is served only until 5 pm.

IMG_9094 IMG_9083
IMG_9078 IMG_9062
Clockwise from top left: Stir fried lotus roots with celery and almond flakes – RM 15, salad prawns, lychee prawns (two combination prawns), stewed beef with white radish – RM 8, deep fried Garoupa fish with flavoured meat sauce (RM 8 per 100 g)

The ala carte menu carries a wide range of items and it is easy to be blown away by the presentation of the food.

IMG_9069
Oriental three combination ( Bamboo fungus rolls, Black pepper sotong balls , Venison in birds nest)

The Oriental Three Combination dish deserves mention. The portions were served individually in a contemporary display; a chinese soup spoon held the bamboo fungus rolls while the delicious flaky birds nest housed the venison meat. This is a special order if you wish to try it.

IMG_9103
Stir fried crab with salted egg yolk (RM 55 per kg)

Just like its sister restaurant (Bangsar Seafood at One Bangsar), Oriental Spoon also serves delicious crab dishes. The stir fried crabs came in a very thick salted egg yolk sauce that clung to the shells, just the way I like it.

Due to the lack of dinner traffic at Sooka Sentral, Oriental Spoon currently closes early (at about 8pm), but they’re apparently willing to stay open for you if you inform them earlier. They also do takeaways and deliveries (within the area – call to find out if you qualify) between 11.30am and 8.00pm.

Thank you, Ming Lee, for inviting us to sample the lovely food. And thanks, Jade, for organising this. Thanks also to Fatboybakes for ensuring that my social calendar isn’t so empty, but I’m sincerely and deeply grateful for the delicious pear upside down cake and wine which you so generously brought (this remark said with tears in eyes). 

IMG_9106 IMG_9115

Good night everyone.  I’m off for some Oriental Spooning with my hubby.

Oriental Spoon
1st floor, Sooka Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, 50470, KL
Tel: 03-2261 3222

Opening hours: (Mon – Sunday) 11.30 am – 8.00 pm
(Dim sum is served until 5 pm)

Thunder Thunder Thunder Thundertea! Lui Cha at Ho Boh Restaurant, Bukit Tinggi Klang

1. 

Thundertea rice

If you were born in the 80s or earlier, the fervent cry of Thunder Thunder Thunder Thundercats may be nothing new to you.  After all, there were only 3 TV channels those days:  RTM1, RTM2 and TV3 and like it or not, one didn’t have much choice and everyone watched the same TV programmes.  That is, if one even bothered to tune in.  But now, just like how I am repulsed at the sight of ikan kembung goreng (fried mackerel), the only type of fish which was forced down my throat on a daily basis at the university’s dining hall by those affable makciks for four traumatic years of my life, similarly, I have the same repulsion for the 3 local TV channels.  I am accumulating my therapy bills in my tattered Badminton Master shoebox…..bills which will make me rich one day when I find a lawyer foolhardy enough to take my case.  Thunder thunder thunder……..

2.

Since my Chinese ethnicity is as watered down as the toddy served in most restaurants these days, you will understand how my mind normally draws a blank when someone mentions Hakka food.   Khaw yoke, a dish of pork belly and yam slices is usually the first thing that comes to mind, but really, there is a myriad of wonderful food that I’ve always enjoyed, not knowing its origin until I researched it further.  I later found out that two of my favourite dishes, chicken in rice wine and pork trotters in black vinegar had Hakka roots.

Last night, after the usual humming and hawing about where to go for dinner, we ended up at Ho Boh Hakka Restaurant at Bukit Tinggi Klang.  On an aside, I am amazed how Bukit Tinggi has exploded into a culinary diamond in the rough, when only 20 years ago, it was an undeveloped piece of land.  Where did all these restaurants come from?

Lui Cha

We had the house specialty – Lui Cha (Thunder Tea Rice) (small – RM5.90).  It consisted of a bowl of rice covered with various crunchy vegetables like chopped long beans and leek, a mixture of dried shrimp and hard bean curd, and roasted peanuts.  A serving of mint tea in a bowl stood by the side;  one can choose to either pour the tea over the rice or drink it separately.  I found the tea refreshing, although somewhat thin, but was assured that they could make it thicker to my liking if I so preferred.  It had a rather grainy texture due to the combining of mint leaves, peanuts and tea leaves which were ground to a paste and later diluted with water to form a soupy consistency.  The overall flavour of the Lui Cha was very refreshing, partly due to the illusory effect of its green appearance.

Chicken in Yellow Wine

Naturally, I couldn’t resist the Chicken in Yellow Wine (small -RM7) but found the wine a little too strong…..

Pork Trotters in Black Vinegar

…and the Pork Trotters in Black Vinegar (large RM9.90) which was just perfect.

Also check out Jules Eating Guide to Malaysia for more Hakka favourites at this restaurant.

Restoran Ho Boh
No. 8, Ground Floor, Jalan Batu Nilam 3,
Bandar Bukit Tinggi, 41200 Klang.

Tel: 03-3324 0547/ 012-322 6781

Open 10.30am to 10.00pm

collage

My 5 year old nephew, a satisfied customer….

Celestial Court, Imperial Hotel Kuala Lumpur

1.

Dead ah? It’s heartening to know that if I’m ever kidnapped, someone somewhere would notice my absence and send me a text message such as this.  As for its effectiveness, perhaps channelling a message like this through a psychic would be a better idea, assuming I were really, uhmmm….you know…..in that condition.

I apologise for the lack of updates.  It has been a month and a half since I last saw my internet stay alive for more than 5 minutes at one time.  It is almost like my grandpa giving himself a handjob.  Yes, I’ve complained (not about grandpa).  I am now on a first-name basis with the customer service department of my internet service provider, and we are fast realising that we can’t stand each other.  I am beginning to think that they are intentionally trying to get rid of me so that I can unload my angst on another service provider.

.

2.

On a happier note, we threw a surprise party for hubby’s parents as they celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.  It was a masterful deception and I think all those involved should give themselves a pat on their backs.

collage

I prayed for sunshine, and God decided to make it blazing hot.  Moral of the story:  Be specific in your requests.  “Dear God, I wish for sunshine, but not too much…say about 28 degrees Celcius.  Bring out the clouds at 2.18pm so that the floral arrangements I so diligently worked on from 8.00am to 2.00pm do not wilt.  And if You choose to let it shower, please do so at about 3.20pm and let it stop at 4.50pm so that the grass doesn’t get soaked ‘coz You know that this is a garden party.  And please, please, please give me a gentle breeze so that I don’t sweat like a XXX (no inappropriate words please when talking to God) in my very uncomfortable formal clothing which I am forced to wear because there will definitely be a group photo since father-in-law is obsessed about taking family portraits.”  Remember to breath.

Note: Cakes by Audrey (email me for contact information – her prices are very reasonable and her cakes are delicious!), flowers and decorations by Lyrical Lemongrass.

.

3.

When I signed up for the Starwood card a year ago, in return for the 500+ ringgit which I paid for the card, I received a stack of vouchers for freebies which included loads of free meals at participating restaurants, subsidised accommodation and cakes.  I’d like to think that it’s human nature to leave everything till the end, which is precisely what I did.  Come 1st April, I looked at the stack, looked at my husband, looked at our schedules and screamed.  There just weren’t enough weeks to use them all up.  So in a mad rush, I used one to treat a friend in Sheraton Subang, another to treat a Makan Club member at Al Nafourah Le Meridien, enjoyed a romantic meal with the husband at Villa Danielli in Imperial Hotel and the final weekend was spent at Celestial Court where we bumped into fellow blogger, Fatboybakes, who was doing precisely the same thing – rushing to utilise his vouchers before the expiry date.  Yes, free food stresses us out.

collage

Upon comparing the All-You-Can-Eat menu with the ala carte menu, I realised that the difference wasn’t that significant.  (Incidentally the AYCE menu is only available for those presenting the Starwood voucher.)  But ala carte prices are not exorbitant, ranging from RM8 to RM11 on average.

We gorged ourselves on chicken char siu baos (yes, it’s a halal restaurant), prawn wantan with konnyaku in a spicy chilli sauce, chee cheong fun with shrimps and deep fried stuffed chinese crullers with squid paste in a rather sweetish sauce which I found a little cloying.  I liked the yam puffs which contained minced meat and a very faint miso flavour while the husband preferred the spring rolls with shredded roast duck fried to a crisp and coated with sesame seeds.  If there’s one thing I’ve disliked since childhood, it’ll have to be sesame seeds, and when I’m forced to eat it, I literally swallow it.  We also had the deep fried shrimp bean curd rolls with cheese which was rather ordinary and some very good fried rice with a generous portion of assorted meats.  Note that a single serving of fried rice is huge, and can easily feed three.  The roast duck was good and tender, and I thought the accompanying sweet sauce just competed with the flavour of the duck.  Desserts were just okay; my chilled mango pudding was tinted a shade too yellow and had too much of a jelly-like texture.

P1080420-1

Noticing us from a distance, some adorable stray kids dropped by our table and sat and chatted with us.  I don’t really think they were stray though, even if they didn’t have tags on their collars, as they had nice round tummies that had most likely seen foie gras and blue cheese.  The restaurant was soon filled with loud conversations of Ultraman and digging up gardens for lost treasure.  We will not be held responsible for the destruction of any gardens subsequent to this conversation.  We are merely entertainers.  Children have to be accountable for their actions, even if they’re only 5 years old.

Celestial Court
Imperial Hotel
Jalan Sultan Ismail
Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-27179900