Vegetarian Lunch @ Gandhi's (Brickfields)

We wanted to celebrate my colleague's birthday. He is a strict vegetarian, so for his Birthday, we brought him to Gandhi's. The place is very packed and food can be cleared by 1.30 pm.

The restaurant offers rice with 30-40 dishes for customers to choose. At night, they even offer menu dishes. 

Alternative to rice, you can also choose idli or other flour dishes, depending on day.

Below are the various combo we all picked for ourselves. 

We are all terrible big eaters :D

Even with our plate full, we are still looking at the serving table and other people's plate. Haish.. terrible.

As the restaurant is named after the great man, not only there are food for tummy, there are also food for thought. ❤❤❤

Map: https://goo.gl/maps/cZevt5jCCTJ2

Address: Gandhi's Vegetarian Restaurant, 28, Jalan Scott, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

森苑 E Farm Restoran

On the way back from Kuantan, Sis and Bro In Law suggested we stop by at the foothill of Genting for dinner. The English name of the place is quite funny - E Farm. The location is not somewhere you might come across easily. But the food was good.

The environment is cooling and relaxing.

The restaurant offers good river fish. For those that are not familiar with Chinese food, river fishes can be very expensive due to its rarity. So please do not order if you are not sure and did not ask the price properly. 

Anyway, the dish that made a mark in my head is this free-range chicken in pig stomach soup. The soup is strongly peppered. But the chicken skin is the most crunchy I have ever tasted. The only other time I tasted such crunchy chicken skin is in Betong, Thailand.

The river fish we ordered is called "Sun Yue". I have no idea what species or its name in other language. But the meat is smooth and firm. And most importantly, because it is not farmed fish, there is no smell of river soil (if you know what I mean). The best way to eat a fresh free-range fish is steam.

The next interesting dish is the frozen sweet sour pork. A good frozen sweet sour pork must be crunchy cold on the outside and juicy hot inside. They have made it quite well. 

Then we have seafood tofu for the kids.

The steamed calamari is suitable for people who are on "Clean Diet". Too clean for me :P

The price of the whole dinner is not cheap, but given the quality of food, we'd say it is quite fair. We would go back again if we do pass Karak Highway again.

MAP: Google Map to E Farm

森苑E Farm Restoran, Kampung Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, Malaysia

Spring Water Bak Kut Teh @ Sungai Lembing

Haha.. By virtue of the whole town's water supply is from spring water, everything and anything you eat also it is called SPRING WATER XXX.

We went to Sungai Lembing Mining Restaurant for bak kut teh lunch as recommended by the resort owner. When we settled down in the restaurant, we understand why he recommended that restaurant. The restaurant is decorated with posters of the resort as well. Hmm.. you scratch my back, I scratch your back.

Anyway, the bak kut teh was ok. The pot include a big bone (as long as the pot's width) with meat attached. The meat was tender. I won't say the soup was particularly fragrant. Overall the bak kut teh was just average. No complaints.

They also have vinegar pork trotter. I think it was not too sour. A nice to have.

 They also sell roasted pork and char siew. The roasted pork is crispy and more flavourful than Ah Ding's (Refer Post on Ah Ding). The char siew was tender and sweet. 

 Other than the spread below, we had wanted to try their pau (steamed bun), but at 2pm, they are all sold out. Maybe other times then. 

MAP: Google Map to Spring Water BKT

Quickie: Ngap Thui Mein (Herbal Duck Meat Noodles) @ Bidor

Everyone goes to Pun Chun, while this stall in Restoran Sin Thean Thean stays inconspicuous at the corner (cross beween Jalan Besar and Jalan Dewan Orang Ramai).

The lady sells herbal duck noodles and wanton noodles.

Just the look at the noodles already win over Pun Chun's.

Need I say more? Don't think so.

MAP: Google map to Sin Thean Thean

Sungai Lembing's Ah Ding Charcoal Roasted Pork (林明阿定柴香烧肉)

We came with some expectation. It was mentioned everywhere and the crowd was impressive. This picture was taken before the stall is even selling. This is just the pre-sale queue.

They start selling around 5.30pm, but the crowd/queue starts earlier around 5ish. So if you are kiasu, better be there early.

 The selling point of this place is:

1. The pork is roasted using charcoal instead of gas, which gives it a specific fragrant and juiciness.
2. The pork is roasted whole, which retains its juice and flavour better than those roasted in parts.

The oven

The production for the day

They only sell on Fridays and Saturdays, so if you are interested, plan your visits accordingly. 

 Other than roast pork, they also offer Char Siew and Siew Cheong.

Another thing to note. It is better to park outside. If you park right in front of the house/stall, be ready to get stuck in the heavy traffic.

Was it good? Ok only la...

For better experience, eat there and then when it is still crispy (because taste wise, it was a bit flat for me)

MAP: Google Map to Ah Ding

Restoran Foon Lock @ Kampung Bukit Tinggi

I love to stop by Kampung Bukit Tinggi whenever I travel to either Genting or Berjaya's Bukit Tinggi. I would eat and shop some unique foodstuff there. So far, we kept going back to Restoran Foon Lock as we miss some of the food there. 

One of its specialty is the Sang Har Don Fun (freshwater prawn glass noodles). 

The prawns are extra large (to the extent that you'll find meat in the prawns' claws). It is slightly spicy so kids may not be suitable. 

Claypot ginger wine chicken 

Double-boiled freshwater turtle soup (Don't ask about the taste, I didn't take it)

Deep fried tofu. Not memorable.

Kids and visitors' favourite. Stir-fried Crispy Pork Belly. It is thinly cut. Crispy and tastes salty-sweet.

Another specialty of Foon Lock: Claypot Freshwater Fish. To tell the truth, I don't really get this dish. The only plus I see this is that the claypot keep the fish warm. Other than that, it is much the same like a steam fish.

Traffic and parking is a problem there. People goes there during weekends for food and shopping vegetables (especially ginger). But going there once a while on holiday, it is still bearable.

MAP: Google map to Foon Lock

Hoong Tho, eating memories

It was at least 25 years back when we would visit Hoong Tho, for Wat Tan Hor, Jar Wanton, Yue Sang Juk and Yue Watt Yee Meen. Along the way, we stopped coming due to the area turning touristy and the sometimes exorbitant price they charged during the festive seasons. But there are some good memories with my family that jam or price cannot stop me from coming back, though not as often.

I remembered having Yue Watt (fish paste) in Hoong Tho. So we ordered a plate of Giong Choong Yue Watt (Fish Paste Fried with Ginger and Spring Onion)

We also ordered Jar Chuen Kuen (Fried Spring Roll)

Wat Tan Hor - Flat rice noodles with smooth egg sauce

Hoong Tho Meen - basically yee meen (dried fried yellow noodles) with thick sauce with sprinkles of Har Ji (shrimp toast)

As kids, the highlight of our visit is the fried wanton with sweet sour sauce. I remembered that dad always had to request for extra sauce because we kids love them.

Now the same thing applied to the next generation. Wonder if the kids will have similar fond memories like we did.

Map: Google Map to Hoong Tho

Personal glimpse: The fondest memory I had was having Yue Pin Juk (Fish Slice Porridge). This was where I was introduced and where I fell in love with cantonese porridge. They used to set up a small stove at the front of the shop to serve up this dish. But now they no longer serve porridge in Hoong Tho. Maybe some things are best left in the corner of our mind to be drawn out once in a while and reminisced. The longer it is kept, the sweeter they are.

En En Coffee Shop (fka Deli Miu Cafe)

I wonder if I have shared Deli Miu Cafe before. If yes, then this is just an updated name of the shop. The stalls are still the same.

 So what's good here? 

The noodles. The chicken. And the satay.

This is Hokkien Char with meatballs. Basically it is fried noodles with soy sauce accompanied by some meat  (here they serve with fish, prawn and meatballs) and vegetables. If you like spicy, mixed in some sambal belacan into your noodles and your Hokkien Char is elevated to a different level.

The belacan chicken wings is another must if you are a meat lover. The chicken is fragrant. Crunchy on the outside and tender inside.

The highlight for our family is the Mee Sua Gor. This is rice vermicelli cooked in thick soup. It is eaten with black vinegar. For better kick, add in pickled green chilli. My kids had 3 bowls each.

The satay is nice. The pork satay is even better. It tasted like Thai bbq skewered pork. The meat is tender and full flavoured.

Map: Google Map to En En
Look for: Maybank/Petron along Jalan Ayer Itam