Crave 11 Jan 2013 by Crave Malay Mail

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Penang Food Picks

Crave explores Penang hawker food in the Klang Valley

CHAR KWAY TEOW Literally translated, to mean fried ﬂat rice noodles, this dish is cooked over a charcoal ﬁre with lard to give it a fragrant aroma. It is also fried over high heat with light and dark soy sauce, chilli paste, prawns, cockles, bean sprouts and spring onions. Our pick: The wok hei fried noodles from Robert’s Char Kuey Teow (Restoran Say Huat, 1083, Jalan 17/29, Section 17, Petaling Jaya, Tel:012-3730360) is well

worth the long wait. Each tasty strand has no traces of oil residue. A plate of the well fried noodles is ﬁlled with lap cheong (wax sausages) slices, bean sprouts and spring onions. However, the cockles tend to be little rubbery and the prawns are rather nondescript and small. Other good picks: Penang One, Lorong Selamat Char Kway Teow at Restoran Lam Hing Leong, Jalan USJ14/1L, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya.

CURRY MEE The Penang version is distinguished by its pale coconut milk broth that turns a deeper red, when a scoop of smoky spicy sambal is added into it. Expect to ﬁnd goodies like cuttleﬁsh, coagulated pig blood cubes, beancurd puffs, prawns, long beans and bean sprouts in a typical bowl.

AIR BATU CAMPUR Best for hot days, this refreshing concoction is made from a mountain of shaved ice that is liberally doused with sweet syrups and evaporated milk. Topping this cool dessert is a scoop of ice cream. Dig deep within to discover grass jelly, sweet corn, soft red kidney beans, and attap chee (palm fruit). Our pick: The New World Park Foodcourt version found at Penang One. Using ingredients prepared by the stall owners, this cool treat tastes even better than the one up north, due to a secret ingredient, a scoop of peanut butter ice cream,

brought in specially from a Northern supplier, Marco Polo Ice Cream. The sarsi syrup and rose syrup mingle well with the creamy taste of the peanut ice cream to make it a dessert to beat the heat. This particular stall, used to be located at Swatow Lane since the 1923, and is now run by the third generation of the Lee family. This dessert is believed to be invented by their grandfather, a Chinese migrant named Lee Kar Tee. He was inspired to create this icy cold dessert after watching Indian cendol sellers. Other good picks: Kwan’s

Our pick: Stall locat Restoran OK, Jalan S SS2, Petaling Jaya. Ge early in the morning b to score a bowl of this sought after curry mee. it to be gone in 60 minu

Other good picks: For free version try Lorong S Tahun.

PEN EA

Madam

Hankering fo food from up north, here’s

KUEY TEOW TH’NG Literally comfort in a bowl, this soupy dish comes with shredded chicken, ﬁsh balls and an aromatic topping of fried garlic with garlic oil. The stock is made by boiling pork and chicken bones, while the addition of the fragrant garlic uplifts the broth with its wonderful aroma. Some stalls in Penang, also sell the duck version, with a deeper tasting broth. Our pick: Penang One’s duck kuey teow th’ng (RM7.90) is a slurp worthy creation. This version in the Puchong eatery is brought in daily from Ler

Lum stall, Cecil Street Market Hawker Center, in Penang. The stall is said to have more than 30 years heritage of preparing this particular noodle. The silky kuey teow noodles are topped with slices of shredded pork meat, duck meat, fish cake, fish ball with pork meatball, and coagulated duck blood. What makes it exceptional is a delicious wholesome broth, topped with aromatic fried garlic. Other good picks: Find a decent fish and chicken version at Restoran O&S.

FRIDAY 11 JANUARY 2013

HOKKIEN MEE Also known as prawn mee, the orange coloured broth is made from prawns, onions, pork bones and chilli paste. It is also topped with deep fried shallot crisps that add ﬂavour to the broth. A typical bowl will have pork slices, prawns, water spinach and bean sprouts. Some versions add a halved hard boiled egg. Our pick: Champs Bistro (Lot F10, First Floor, Centrepoint, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Tel:03-77225800;

THE MALAY MAIL

PENANG ONE This eatery works on the basis of importing all kinds of hawker eats from Penang on a daily basis. Rather than enduring the four hour drive up north, your other alternative is to head towards Puchong. Expect all kinds of Penang eats under one roof from char kway teow, prawn paste chee cheong fun, Swatow Lane’s famous air batu campur and the list goes on. Each favourite dish is from a popular stall. In keeping with the authenticity of each item, everything is imported from Penang except eggs and vegetables. In future, the plan is to add more stalls such as Padang Brown’s famous popiah with crab meat, Bangkok Lane’s satay babi, Carnavon Street’s oh chien and Kimberly Street’s kueh chap. Plans are also underway to franchise the business to bring it all over the Klang Valley.

Lot F136, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Tel:0322881855) for a “damn shiok” bowl for RM23. Despite its hefty price, this rich broth is well rounded with a pork and prawn taste. Two large prawns, a generous portion of pork ribs, lard fritters and fried shallot crisps complete this huge bowl of goodness. Other good picks: Restoran Lim Mee Yoke (14, Jalan SS2/10) and Restoran O&S.

5, Jalan Bandar Puteri 2/1, Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor, Tel:03-80520181.

RESTORAN O&S

ted at SS2/10, et here by 7am s highly Expect utes.

ASAM LAKSA

a pork Seratus

NANG ATS

Voted by CNNGo as one of the top 7 eats in the world, a bowl of the laksa broth is a balance of sweet, sour and spicy nuances achieved by boiling tamarind, pineapples, laksa leaves and a sweet fish like mackerel. Add a dollop of prawn paste, give it a swirl to balance out the tangy taste. Our pick: The aromatic bowl

of tangy asam laksa from Restoran O&S is filled with laksa leaves, a hint of tamarind and chunks of mackerel fish. Other good picks: Penang One, Stall at SS2 pasar malam and the stall along Jalan Petaling (the entrance to the Petaling Street wet market).

or some good hawker s our guide around the Klang Valley

Our pick: The stall at Restoran O&S that calls it Penang Chee Cheong Fun. The jovial stall

55, Jalan 21/12, Paramount Gardens, Petaling Jaya

LORONG SERATUS TAHUN Originating from a stall in Penang that only served curry mee, it has now been expanded into cafes that serve a plethora of Penang food. This family business run by the Moeys is keen to kick start a franchise business hence they decided to tweak their recipe to be pork free. The must-eat is still the curry mee, a coconut milk enriched broth topped with a spicy chilli paste. A bowl of noodles is accompanied with cuttleﬁsh, prawns, tofu puffs and cockles. In keeping with the porkfree label, this one has no cubes of coagulated pig’s blood. Other good eats here include the chee cheong fun and char kway teow. 56, Jalan SS2/66, Petaling Jaya. Tel:0378778757; 4A and 5A, Jalan USJ10/1J, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Tel:03-80811757; Unit 10, Scott Garden, Scott Rimbunan, Jalan Kelang Lama, Kuala Lumpur, Tel:03-79837757; Lot FC12, Eat Food Village, Level UG, Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

PRAWN PASTE CHEE CHEONG FUN Unique to this state, is the interesting combination of silky rice rolls with an aromatic sauce made from prawn paste. Some stalls, even mix it with sweet and chilli sauce to give it a one-of-the-kind taste combination. The balance of the prawn paste is a delicate one, tasty enough to keep you coming back for more but not until you smell out the whole ofﬁce.

Prepare to wait it out at this corner coffeeshop that has made its name for the numerous Penang eats here. This place houses the Penang styled chee cheong fun and the delicious asam laksa. Other must-eats include the kuey teow th’ng and popiah. Not just limited to island eats, the forever busy coffeeshop is also popular for the yong tau foo and fried bananas.

EDITORIAL NOTE

owner’s version is silky with a tasty prawn paste sauce. It is generously topped with roasted sesame seeds and deep fried shallot crisps to give it lots of aroma. Due to time constraints, the stall owner sells the chee cheong fun rolls unfurled, rather than the Penang version, which is still rolled up. The stall also sells a curry version. Expect to fork out RM2 for a small plate.

These smooth rice ﬂour cakes have a slight bite to them. It is best eaten chilled and drizzled with a palm sugar syrup.

Other good picks: Penang One, Lorong Seratus Tahun.

Our pick: The version from Penang One that is brought

TEE NYA KUIH in from the New World Park Foodcourt stall. It has a nice chewy texture that goes well with the aromatic gula Melaka syrup. Two ﬂavours are offered, a plain version and a mild pandan ﬂavour.

Penang has always been my favourite place. As a tribute to the island, this week’s issue is dedicated to all things Penang. We pick our favourite Penang street eats within the Klang Valley. They’re not exactly the same but as close as you can get to the real deal from up North. It’s a huge dining issue as not only do we cover street eats, there is also a peek into the latest dining place, Cantaloupe. Located at the Troika with a spectacular view of the glittering Petronas Twin Towers, this is a place you bring someone for a special meal when you’re

by Lee Khang Yi

Crave Editor

ﬂush with cash and want to impress. Lastly there’s also good old Italian food cooked with lots of heart at Osteria Realblue. Keep in touch by emailing me at khangyi@mmail.com.my Happy Eating!!

ADVERTISING SALES Rajan Gopal Senior Manager, Direct & Classifieds Direct line: 03 74951282 rajan@mmail.com.my

friDAY 11, JANUARY 2013

SKY HIGH DINING THE TROIKA luxury apartments are heating up to be the new dining hub in the city. Joining Acme Bar and Coffee, and a refreshed Kampachi is Cantaloupe that just opened its doors last week. The stylish joint that serves French food may be the new kid on the block, but the men behind it are familiar faces. Chris Bauer and Eddie Chew, formerly from Frangipani, now head up Cantaloupe, which is part of Troika Sky Dining on Level 24. In the next few months, other components will also be revealed: a wine bar named Claret, an Italian kitchen known as Strato and possibly an Argentinian outlet. The sky-high space offers sweeping views of the Petronas Twin Towers and its surrounding area. Top-notch service starts from ground level as you are guided all the way to the top. On the way to the bar and restaurant, you will get a peek into the future dining spaces, still a work-in-progress. Walk down the beautifully lit corridor to discover a dining space dominated by a double-height ceiling (Troika’s signature), and tall glass windows. This creates a vastness of space and offers unparalleled views of the twinkling towers. Dining nooks have also been created with long white drapes for privacy. Take care as you walk around as the area is covered with long black pools of water, a signature look, borrowed from Frangipani. For the brave-hearted, al-fresco dining is also available on a

vast balcony well protected by a high glass and metal railing. And for those who love after dinner music, there is even a grand piano. The orange-hued melons, a favourite of the duo is said to have inspired the restaurant’s name. There’s even a carpet with the same hue in the restaurant. Look closely though at the menu and you’ll spot a wolf’s picture howling under the stars, as Loup also means wolf in French The menu is still a limited one - a prelude to what will be unveiled in their official opening on January 9. Many dishes have well paired flavours, with smoke and foam elements that work together to produce dishes with flair to perk up your dining experience. Frangipani fans can also look forward to some classics, such as the tea smoked salmon and duck confit to make an appearance, albeit in a different form. For the limited menu, the dishes are loosely segregated into six sections: appetisers, mains and desserts. There’s no hard and fast rule, but the menu does offer some guidance for hungry tummies to order a course from every section or to limit yourself to just two courses, if you want room for dessert. The amuse bouche - a duck wafer dipped into a maple syrup foam and raspberry coulis – is a well concocted balance of savoury with a touch of sweetness that whet our appetites for more. Next, it was a flurry of first courses, like the pretty Oscietra Caviar “panna

The View from the Restaurant

cotta” lemon tapioca (RM89) served in a double wall glass container. The briny black eggs worked well the creamy pannacotta with a hint of lemon and a layer of tiny tapioca pearls. On the side, was soy cured salmon carpaccio. With a flourish, the opening of a stainless steel cloche, reveals a rich and satisfying Rosemary smoked lobster bisque, tomato jelly, beurre noisette cured lobster, lobster emulsion (RM56). Equally good was the Chorizo dusted scallop (RM75) that top a caramelised onion slice, and is served with wild seasonal mushrooms, parsley foam, “bacon” and ancho chilli oil on the side. Looking pretty in pale orange is the Foie gras “Canteloupe” (RM85), a slow poached montbazillac cured foie gras terrine served with rock melon jelly, orgeat mousse and a pink pepper Florentine. You are also given grilled country bread to accompany the deliciously rich terrine. Dig through the toasted oats crust to discover an interesting combination of peekytoe crab cooked ala “carbonara” (RM75). Relish each creamy bite with the applewood smoked duck breast (that bears a close resemblance to bacon!), winter truffles and a scattering of brussel sprout leaves In between courses, we taste an offmenu item, a funghi infused broth full of heady aromas. Even the palate cleanser is no ordinary sorbet, but a tea cube concoction, topped with a puff of kaffir lime foam.

The main course was a choice of seafood or beef. You had lobster with an unexpected pairing of beef tendon and a pan roasted gunard fish with a bouillabaisse filled croquette. Meat eaters will relish every bite of the Roast wagyu sirloin pave (RM145) that is served with a melt-inthe-mouth cheek pot-au-feu terrine with warm beef jelly and Japonaise sauce. Similarly, the Flash fried red wine poached filet mignon (RM125) is tender, being cooked sous vide and accompanied with slow cooked vegetables, porcini mushrooms and parsley noodles. Dessert is limited to only two choices at the moment, both equally delectable. First, there is a delicious deconstructed version of Apple Crumble (RM45). You start off with a fresh tasting apple juice sphere and work your way down the poached and dried green apple, cinnamon and aniseed milk foam to the burnt butter ice cream. There are no rules to how you eat it but whichever way it just means a refreshing end. On the other spectrum, a rich tasting Guanaja Chocolate Ganache (RM45) topped with crisp meringue and candied nuts makes a spectacular end. We savour each bite of the airy Manjari chocolate Aerobar and balance out the rich flavours with the refreshing yet light mint meringue “flottante” on the side. Expect to fork out a hefty sum, as the price for appetisers range RM48 to RM85,

THE MALAY MAIL

Foie Gras “Cantaloupe”

Chorizo Dusted Scallop

while mains is between RM85 to RM145. Dessert is priced at RM45 each. Despite a heavy price tag, dining here is a nice experience, with a fabulous view to boot that will impress.

Apple Crumble

Cantaloupe, Troika Sky Dining, Level 23A, Troika, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur Tel:03-21620886. It is only open for dinner for now.

Flash Fried Red Wine Poached Filet Mignon

Oscretia Caviar Pannacotta with Lemon Tapioca and Soy Sauce Salmon Carpaccio

ITALIAN COMFORT Assorted Cold Cuts

Pumpkin Ravioli

Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu

Burata

Bacon Risotto

Steak Florentine

WHEN IT comes to true blue Italian food served with a lot of heart, nothing beats Osteria Realblue in Solaris Dutamas. Chefcum-owner Mirko Barbieri, a Bologna native runs this simple no-frills trattoria. His Malaysian wife, Sherry who also speaks fluent Italian, is on hand to offer food recommendations. The emphasis at this casual place is fresh ingredients, brought in on a weekly basis from Italy, like the burata cheese. Split open the unassuming white blob and you will discover a wondrous creamy texture that only needs a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped rocket leaves and sundried tomatoes, to perk it up. In addition, there is a plethora of assorted cold cuts and a precious stash of Chianina beef that arrives every Thursday. The special

Italian breed of cattle raised in Tuscany is prized for its intense flavour. The best way to enjoy it is cooked Steak Florentine style – with a hefty three fingers thickness – slightly charred on the outside with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. It’s a steak that will give reputable steakhouses a run for their money. Other showstoppers include their comforting pasta and risotto dishes. The pastas have al dente textures coated in rich sauces. Our firm favourite is the Papardelle with a wild boar ragu, a combination of al dente flat strands, sweet tomato sauce and scrumptious bits of the tender meat. Even the funghi pasta, the mushroom version is a heady concoction with the cream and porcini mushrooms. We were equally smitten with the

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risotto here, perfectly cooked to a creamy with a slight al dente texture. You can have it flavoured with bits of bacon, earthy mushrooms, or topped with decadent truffles. Other good eats include the oxtail soup, and the artichoke salad that combines Jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms, celery, Parmesan cheese and truffle oil. Truffle lovers will be happy, as Chef Mirko likes to feature the black tubers in many of their dishes. Expect the truffles in top of risotto, or even their homemade pumpkin ravioli stuffed with sweet pumpkin puree and diced ricotta cheese. The signature dish, baked crespelle that consists of layers of freshly made pasta sheets layered with cheese is anointed with their aromatic tubers.

The best way to enjoy a convivial meal here is Italian style – dining languorously through the night – accompanied with friends and family, as you work your way down from the cheese and cold cuts, to the various pastas and risottos to end with a hefty T-bone steak. If you have any room for desserts, the restaurant also does their own tiramisu and pannacotta. Prices here tend to veer towards the high end, due to its fresh ingredients. Expect to fork out around RM70 to RM80 per person for a 3-course meal minus any expensive truffles. Osteria Realblue, A3-UG06, Solaris Dutamas, Jalan Dutamas 1, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-62070799. Open: 12 noon to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm. Closed on Mondays.