where and what to eat lah?

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Jake's Charbroil Steaks has been a well-kept secret nestled in the leafy enclaves of Damansara for the past 28 years. Located at Medan Damansara, along the highway from PJ to Damansara Heights and ironically next to the first Victoria Station branch in Malaysia.


In the 80s to early 90s, whenever we talked about steaks, it had to be either The Ship or Victoria Station. I had fond memory of my first steak experience at The Ship in the early 90s. During that time, it was like the best steak ever. It was humongous with really thick slab of juicy and tender steak. Somehow, over the years, their steaks became thinner, more expensive and less enjoyable.


Jake's brings diners back to an old cowboy town atmosphere with the old Wild West decor of brass cooking utensils, saddles and cowboy-themed staffs. The interior space is rather small and claustrophobic with bandwagon style seating arrangements.


Known to many from near and afar as a place relied upon for a memorable treat, Jake's has been serving top quality steaks to generations of royalties, ministers, dignitaries, captain of industries, leader of men and is still going strong. Ministers like Tun Mahathir, Abdullah Badawi, Anwar Ibrahim and their families, all have dined here before.


Honestly, I didn't expect such run-down, dark and cramp steakhouse to offer premium steaks like Angus, Kobe and Wagyu. Jake's is definitely oozing with character! If you don't fancy dining in such a run-down rustic restaurant, you can go for Jake's new branch at Starhill Gallery.


For appetizers, crispy potato skin (RM 9.90), with crunchy capsicum, onions, beef bacon and topped with cheese. Didn't really like it, the skin was too thin, overly dry crispy and the vegetables were too lightly cooked.


Chili beef (RM 20.90) with corn chips and hot dips. The chili beef was warming and amazing but a little expensive.


Australia wagyu rump steak (RM 98), perfectly and beautifully grilled with its seared criss-cross griddle marks. The rump steak is a full-flavored steak that is considered to be the cheapest of all premium steak. In true Jake's fashion, these steaks were subject to minimal preparation and marination in order to allow the natural flavours of the meat to emerge.


Every mouthful was consistently flavourful, tender and juicy even without any sauce and minimal marination. It was perfect with slightly charred exterior and warm juicy pink center.


All the steaks are served with boiled vegetables, corn on a cob and baked potato with sour cream and bacon bits. Just like the good old days, it was such a nostalgic fondness. Also, ask for the mustard, it was one of the best mustard I've ever had! Bitterly sourish and it will kick you through the nose.


BBQ spare rib (RM 98), a meaty, more textured cut with BBQ glaze and rich in flavors.


Jake's Texan beef burger (RM 28), charbroiled medium well beef burger served with french fries and boiled vegetables.


Really thick and rich beef patty that worked best with hot wasabi-esque mustard.

Verdict: Premium steaks can be fairly expensive these days. For the price paid for, Jake's is definitely far better than The Ship and Victoria Station. But how will this old Jake's stand against the age of time with the new rising and cheaper competitions?


Address:
21, Jalan Setiapuspa,
Medan Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2094 5677
Business Hours: Opens Mon - Sat from 12pm - 3pm and 6pm - 11pm. Sun from 6.30pm - 10:15pm only
Pork Free: Yes
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 3.139884, 101.657942
Map:

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Starting from 13 May till 3 July 2011, embark on a Nyonya cultural journey at Chatz Brasserie in Park Royal Hotel, Kuala Lumpur with lavish Nyonya cuisine. Chatz Brasserie welcomes Chef Debbie Teoh, a leading Nyonya culinary expert into its kitchen as a guest chef to present the diners with array of eclectic dishes that focus on authentic Nyonya flavors.


Nyonya cuisine is the result of unique blending between the Chinese and Malay cooking techniques that originated during the early descendants of Chinese migrants who settled in Malaysia and Singapore, inter-marrying with local Malays. Cooking Nyonya food is no simple affair with its recipes that are usually handed down from one generation to the next.


These exquisite and highly flavorful cuisine requires abundant amount of time, patience and skills. The unique flavor of Nyonya recipes is determined by the rempah, a combination of spices pounded for hours with pestle and mortar into very specific texture and density.


Armed with more than 15 years of experience, Chef Debbie Teoh is a perfectionist, author of numerous acclaimed cookbooks and the Queen of Nyonya cuisine. A true bred Nyonya from Malacca; whose father is a Baba from Malacca while her mother is a Nyonya from Penang with both sides of her family being inspiring cooks. Naturally, Debbie's forte lies in both Southern and Northern Nyonya styles - the use of coconut milk sets the Southern Malacca Nyonya dishes apart from the Northern counterpart of Penang which is more influenced by Thai cuisine with the usage of sourish tangy flavors.


Located at the lower lobby of Park Royal Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Chatz Brasserie is a cozy and trendy restaurant that brings you traditional comforts in a contemporary setting. This restaurant offers all-day lavish local flavors and international cuisines via their buffet spreads alongside with an extensive ala-carte menu.


Luckily, I was one of the privileged few foodies invited along to embark on a Nyonya culinary adventure together with Chef Debbie Teoh and her specially created mouth-watering menu.


For appetizer, the eye-candy and alluring gorgeous pie tee treats; deep-fried crispy thin cup shell with deliciously cooked shredded jicama, carrot, shallot, chopped prawn and crab meats. Making a great pie tee is no small feat, the cup shell was aesthetically delicate and crispy with brilliant combination of fresh ingredients assembled together. According to Debbie, the original pie tee supposedly has prawn and crab meats but due to cost constraint, most of the pie tee outside has taken it off or substituted it with something cheaper. Great things do come in small packages!


Kapitan chicken, a distinctively Nyonya flavored thick chicken curry dish which conjured up some of the olden Malacca atmosphere. With key ingredients like lemongrass, belacan, coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves, we couldn't help smelling the wonderful aromas wafting all over the table. It was perfect combining it with a bowl of steamed white rice with all the symphony of flavors that parade down your throat.


Hu pio (fish maw) soup with rich mixture of cabbage, carrot, jicama and handmade prawn balls in a clear chicken broth. We didn't expect this was a Nyonya dish at all. Debbie said, it is actually a very popular home-style soup for big occasions like the Chinese New Year. Let's not forget, the Nyonya is mainly Chinese too.


The clear sweetness of the soup from the assorted vegetables were very hearty and comforting. Plus, the handmade prawn balls were fresh and flavorful with a bouncy texture.


Steamed lady fingers served with superior soy sauce in garlic-infused oil and tangy spicy chili sauce with belacan prawn paste. Surprisingly simple dish but deeply imprinted in my mind as one of my favorite. I specifically adore drizzling it with the flavorful and fragrant superior soy sauce in garlic-infused oil!


Sambal kiam hu (dried salted fish chili paste), the aromatic saltiness and spiciness from this dish really brings out the appetite in gobbling up bowls of steamed white rice.


Prawn sambal, full-bodied creamy gravy made from coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, belimbing assam, nutty blends of cashew nuts and succulent fresh prawns. It was bursting with authentic Southern Nyonya flavors that exhibits a greater Indonesian influence.


For desserts, we had the o'giou / ogio jelly topped with bits of calamansi lime zest and ice shavings. The jelly was mild in taste but with a firm slithery bouncy texture and served with honey lemon juice. It was refreshing, cooling and zesty after a sumptuous meal. Not too quite sure how it is related to Nyonya but it tasted quite similar to the Taiwanese lemon honey jelly or also known as ai yu ping (愛玉冰).


Nyonya kuih is a very popular delicacy and it comes in different shapes, colors and textures with a selection of sweet and savory taste.


Kuih seri muka, a two-layered dessert with steamed blue glutinous rice forming the bottom half and a green custard top layer made with fragrant pandan juice. The kuih was indeed top notch quality with the firm sweet and salty contrast layers.


Not forgetting a refreshing glass of teh tarik to cherish together with the Nyonya kuih.


This promotion offers a rare opportunity to learn about the unique authentic Nyonya cuisine priced at RM 58++/person for buffet lunch, RM 78++/person for buffet dinner, RM 52++/person for weekend hi-tea and also available in selected ala-carte menu. For UOB, Amex, Park Royal Prestige cardmembers and as well as guests staying in, there will be a 20% discount off.


Moreover, during Father's Day on 19 June, kids get to become "Little Nyonyas" and cook up some delicious Nyonya dishes for their dad with Chef Debbie Teoh. This Father's Day brunch package inclusive of cooking class for kids is priced at RM 65++/adult and RM 32.50/child.

For enquiries and reservations, please call 03-2782 8301 or email to chatz.prkul@parkroyalhotels.com.

Verdict: Authentic Nyonya cuisine that was once nearly disappeared and in danger of near to extinction since not many willing to learn in preserving its traditional roots. Better not miss out this golden opportunity to taste this authentic cuisine well-known for its spices and heritage characteristics in the center of hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur.


Address:
Park Royal Hotel,
Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2782 8301
Promotion Period: Daily from 13 May - 3 July for lunches, hi-teas and dinners
Pork Free: Yes
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 3.14422, 101.71232
Map:

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I was recently invited to my first poon choi experience organized by Table for Eight together with a group of foodies. It was a great experience and initiative from Table for Eight whereby like-minded individuals get together for foods that can't be eaten alone - unless you're like me who eats multiple times in the same place before reviewing it.


Restoran LYJ, a restaurant located in Kg. Baru Sungai Buloh which is well renowned for its poon choi. The only problem was finding the place without a GPS. It looked simple in Google Map until you arrived there seeing nameless roads and confusing detours that might take you to Ipoh. Obviously, I was lost spending 30 minutes driving around Sungai Buloh and almost went to Ipoh.


Poon choi (盆菜), pun choi, poon choy or big bowl feast is a traditional dish originated from the southern Hakka villages and often served during religious rituals, festivals, special occasions and wedding banquets in the open area. Over the years, LYJ's poon choi and Paul Lee, the restaurant owner and master chef, have attracted many celebrities such as the famous Hong Kong godfather of Chinese food, Hugo Leong (ToTo), our local Axian (阿贤) and many more.


It was said that poon choi was invented when the locals gathered all their best food in a wooden basin to feed the Song Dynasty's young Emperor and his army who fled from the invading Mongol troops. This royal feast was truly a rich cultural experience representing the sense of togetherness and reunion through sharing even though we're not fleeing from anyone.


Two versions, either the RM 500 or RM 258 for less luxurious package. Of course we had the lavishly extravagant version for all 12 of us. It was served in a rather shallow stainless steel basin heated by a portable gas stove. Each layer has their unique flavors. The bottom layer mainly composed of bland-flavored ingredients that soak up the meaty essence flavors that have trickled down while the top layer was more of presentation of the most luxurious and glorious ingredients.

From the top, there were abalones, scallops, shark fin scrambled egg, fried prawns, steamed kampung chicken, roast duck, dried oysters, nam yue pork ribs and broccolis. In the middle, there were stuffed ma yao fish, braised pork knuckles, pork belly, chicken feet and at the bottom, there were mushrooms, fish maws, chestnuts, bean curd skins and bamboo shoots. You are supposed to attack from the top first to the bottom.


The pork knuckles and pork belly were braised to perfection, it was so tender and fattening juicy at the same time. Most of the ingredients in the middle and bottom layers were all infused with the simmering rich flavored sauce. After several servings, my taste bud was overloaded with meats, the nasty oiliness and the intense flavors from the sauce. With a bowl of steaming white rice, it'll be perfect!


To balance back all the richness from this basin of goodness, you can have the steamed mantou (RM 0.90/pc), pork lard rice (RM 3) or normal white rice. Weirdly, they ran out of pork lard rice on that night. I don't think it matters, drenching a bowl of steaming white rice with the poon choi's glorified sauce made it equally pork-ish and lardy anyway!


Preparing the poon choi is a tedious process from steaming to deep frying, pan grilling, poaching, roasting, braising and then carefully layered to achieve the synergy between the layers. Therefore to avoid wastage, we viciously mopped up all the left overs and sauce with the steamed mantou!


Apart from poon choi, we had the famous standing roast chicken 栋笃鸡 (RM 38). Creatively presented visually and perfectly roasted in a "standing" position. Like everyone else, curious why it was presented this way. The only logical reason that I could think of, maybe it had to do with efficiency? Using this specially designed 2-in-1 roaster hanger and dish, the chef is able to roast the chicken inside the hanging furnace and serving it out instantly once it is cooked without the need to remove and chop the chicken.


With given gloves and scissors, we pretty much DIY-ed the entire chicken by ourselves and in return, we had a perfectly roasted fresh chicken with delicate crispy golden skin and tenderly moist meat.

Pumpkin glutinous rice (RM 38), yet another creative flair from the chef. However, the elegant combination of sweet golden pumpkin with grainy sticky glutinous rice stuffing wasn't as great as it looked.


It was decently okay but not fantastic. Sadly, the glutinous rice couldn't pick up much of the sweetness flavor from the pumpkin.


Blanched kailan, given as part of the poon choi.


Pako/Paku pakis fern salad (RM 18), served cold with refreshing lime dressing and topped with fried crunchy shallots. Absolutely appetizing and highly recommended dish!

Verdict: A memorable and worth-paying for the first experience of having poon choi. There are many more specialty, creative and delicious-looking dishes in LYJ that we have yet to try, definitely will be back!


Address:
PT 11, Jalan Perkhidmatan Kampung Baru,
47000 Sungai Buloh,
Selangor
Tel: 03-61402698 (2 days in advance reservation for poon choy)
Business Hours: Opens Tues - Sun from 11am - 2.30pm and 6pm - 10pm
Pork Free: No
Taste:
Value:
GPS: 3.196972, 101.569087
Map:

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