EC Delicious Blog

Kampung Fried Rice

2012-01-28T16:19:00.000+11:00

'Low Saang' CNY 2012 (29120120)

2012-01-21T02:54:00.000+11:00

Beware of this Restaurant

2012-01-18T13:44:00.001+11:00

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: PCK
To:
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 8:22 AM
Subject: Fw: Beware of this Restaurant

Subject: FW: Beware of this Restaurant

Subject: FW: Beware of this Restaurant

It is the same with the Southern Seafood at Terminal 3, Subang airport. If you order fish, you better ask about the price or your pocket will be lighter.

WHAT A DAYLIGHT ROBBERY!

Dear All,

To those golfers who golf in Awana, please be aware if you intent to eat in this restaurant and check food price before you place your order.

Dear All.............

Last week, I brought my guests to Genting Highlands. After a day 'above the clouds', we decided to have dinner at the Gohtong Jaya area on the way down.

We ordered some dishes and decided to have a steamed fish as well. So the captain recommended 'sultan fish'. The steamed fish came. HALF, and plain steamed. Good & fine.

But when the bill came, it came to over $500 !! We were shocked !! We were told the fish was 1.4kg ( & please bear in mind, its ONLY HALF A FISH ) at RM 320 per kg! RM 420!! This was daylight robbery. We were not informed by the Captain that a kg of the Sultan fish would cost us RM320 and there was also no signs of such pricings anywhere in the restaurant.

When we checked with the cashier, she told us, its correct !!

Of cos, it was our mistake for not asking the price first.

Anyway, on the way back to KL, we stopped at Unique Seafood, PJ, where one can choose a live fish. The most expensive Soon Hock swimming in the tank is RM135 per kilo. Asked them about the Sultan fish, it is going for RM100 a kilo.

Will be sending this letter to the newspapers, Tourism board, etc etc; and friends, pls pass on to all on yr email list.

CHEATED.

Dinner (Sun Jan15 2012) - Yee Sang, Crabs, stewed Belly Pork (not in the pic coz ate first and forgot to snap)

2012-01-16T02:16:00.000+11:00

BruceLy Burger @ Tropicana City Mall, PJ.

2012-01-15T21:09:00.000+11:00

How to make Sukiyaki すき焼き

2012-01-12T20:47:00.000+11:00

* If you received this in your mailbox, click on link "EC Delicious Blog" below to view the blogpost*

chanko nabe - What Sumo Wrestlers eat every day ちゃんこ鍋

2012-01-12T20:39:00.000+11:00

Jan7, 2012 Saturday Dinner - Fish Head was on the menu. Man, look at those set of teeth!

2012-01-08T03:08:00.000+11:00

Jan7, 2012 Saturday Dinner - Fish Head was on the menu. Man, look at those set of teeth! Don't ask what fish it was, I didn't ask or wanted to know!
FYI, the 2 blobs you see in pics 26 & 27 were the eye of the fish. I don't know really, some people love to eat the eyes!!! Don't they know fish has poor eyesight!

My Saturday lunch (Jan7, 2012) - Banana Leaf Rice with Curry Mutton, Rasam, Tairool and Morool - Yummy! Put on a couple of kilos!

2012-01-07T18:39:00.000+11:00

Malaysian Yummies!

2011-12-26T02:34:00.000+11:00

Quiz: Malaysian fruit but not rambutan, what is it?

2011-12-25T19:02:00.000+11:00

Cantonese Turkey for Christmas

2011-12-12T14:22:00.000+11:00

Chef Chew of Zuan Yuan at One World Hotel Petaling Jaya demonstrates how he prepares Cantonese-style braised turkey for Christmas.

Halal pork picture a hoax, says NTUC FairPrice - 25Oct2011

2011-12-05T21:00:00.000+11:00

Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut

2011-12-03T22:42:00.000+11:00

Bought 2 of these bubblies today Sat Dec 3rd 2011

Eating up Malaysia's neglected east coast

2011-11-29T17:49:00.001+11:00

A road trip up Malaysia's less traveled side uncovers things both mouth-watering and eye-catching

By Derrick Chang 28 November, 2011

I am a frequent visitor to Malaysia's west coast and Malaysian Borneo.

But a six-day drive up the east coast was a new cultural experience not only for me but also for a friend from Kuala Lumpur who learned more about his own country on our short trip than he did in school.

Tanjung Lumpur fishing village.

The much-traveled west coast of Peninsula Malaysia is a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian culture.

But to experience pure-breed Malaysian life a trip out to the peninsula's three east coast states of Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan is a must. They host a few popular resort islands, but in general the three states are a given a wide berth by the tourist trade.

Nasi dagang.

My hope of using public transport to do this trip is dashed quickly. Long distance bus services are almost non-existent.

So after flying into Kuantan, the capital of the state of Pahang, we rent a car. We are told to head to the coast to visit some traditional fishing villages and in particular to the Tanjung Lumpur for ikan bakar or grilled fish.

Banana leaf grilled aji aji with chili sambal.

We watch as fresh fish is brought in and sampled "aji aji" -- fish grilled in banana leaves and smothered in a fiery sambal paste; it costs about US$1 for half a kilo. The fried clams and calamari in a chili sauce also give a lingering memory of fresh seafood.

Chili clams.

A visit to Malaysia is incomplete without taking in some of the majestic mosques. We tour the blue mosque at Kuantan and the Crystal Mosque at the Islamic Civilization Park in Kuala Terengganu.

The latter is a unique experience for those who don't know much about Islam or want to brush up on their Islamic history. There are several models of famous Islamic monuments from around the world on display but the main attraction is the gleaming Crystal Mosque, best visited at dusk.

The Crystal mosque at the Islamic Civilization complex in Kuala Terengganu.

Being a photographer and a bit of an early-bird allows me to catch some of the beautiful sunrises on the east coast.

Sunrise at Dungun beach, Terengganu.

For the best sunsets, we decamp at Dungun, a quiet seaside town north of Kuala Terengganu. The long stretch of beautiful white sand opposite our hotel was empty and we took in the most spectacular sunrise all by ourselves.

Banana leaf grilled calamari with chili sambal.

Arriving at our final stop, Kota Bharu, the famed Kota Bharu central market allowed us to rub elbows with Malaysian hawkers selling everything from fresh fish, turtle eggs, locally grown rice and tree bark shampoo.

Kota Bharu central market stalls sell everything from aubergines to turtle eggs.

As well as eclectic shops on the ground and first floors, the second-floor food court hosts many places that sell traditional Malay treats cooked along with authentic Thai favourites due to Kota Bharu's close proximity to Thailand.

Don't touch those giant prawns -- they look good but could be days old.

Whatever you choose, don't order the huge, juicy looking prawns on offer at every stall. I was going to order one of these giant prawns (that were as big as my fist) until I was warned that they're only displayed for ornamental reasons.

Nobody eats them because they're expensive and it's an open secret that they're often days old. They'll only be replaced with new prawns after they start turning black.

Locally grown flowers used for bathing.

With the highways so easy to navigate, the people, food and weather so superb, it won't be long before I'm plying the east coast roads again.

getting there

Regular flights connect Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan and Kota Bharu to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Avis, Hertz and Mayflower are the largest rental car companies in Malaysia and offer good deals on weekly rentals. Many rental cars are equipped with GPS.

Derrick Chang is a Canadian photojournalist based in Hong Kong. His work has appeared in Time, the New York Times, CNNGo, Huffington Post, and other Asian media outlets. He enjoys hiking from one mountain village to another, waiting for the golden light and dining on street food.

Hangzhou's best restaurants

2011-11-29T16:49:00.001+11:00

There's something special for every day of the week in Hangzhou

By Rueben Marley 29 November, 2011

First-time visitors to Hangzhou will quickly realize there's no shortage of restaurants to visit and amazing local dishes to discover. In other words, there's precious little time to waste on hit-or-miss culinary misadventures. That's where we come in.

To guide you round the city's best eateries, we've compiled a seven-day Hangzhou food checklist that will serve up the best without breaking the bank.

Monday: Grandma's Kitchen (外婆家)

Stir-fried cauliflower and bacon is one of the most popular dishes in Hangzhou.

With its multitude of convenient locations throughout Hangzhou, this successful Chinese chain restaurant is the order of the day for visitors who want to dine like a true local.

Grandma's Kitchen is a quirky phenomenon that must be experienced to be believed, with legendarily long wait times during the dinner rush that only seem to underline its reputation as the undisputed champ in mid-range family restaurants.

The restaurant presents a large menu full of clear photos and reasonable prices.

Just point at what you want, be prepared to wait, then dig in and chew on the fact that you've got six more days of fun ahead.

8/F, Bldg. B, Hangzhou Tower, No. 1 Wuling Square, near Huancheng Bei Lu 武林广场1号杭州大厦B座8楼, 近环城北路, +86 571 8517 5778, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 4 p.m.-9 p.m., www.waipojia.com

Tuesday: Green Tea (绿茶)

Northern Chinese crispy lamb gets a local twist with Hangzhou ingredients.

Hangzhou's local cuisine doesn't need to be mired in stuffy mainstays like West Lake sour fish or stir-fried Dragon Well shrimp.

Thanks to visionary local restaurateurs who have taken things to the next level with daring dishes that break away from tradition, tourists can enjoy more creative culinary expressions made with locally sourced ingredients.

Green Tea Restaurant has become recognized as a revered innovator that takes healthy risks in designing its foods, often delivering delicious rewards to those who take a chance.

With two locations to choose from, visitors can decide if they wish to dine in the city or, if they prefer, make a voyage up winding mountain roads to the restaurant's original location.

Either way, reservations are recommended before dropping in, as there will likely be a lengthy line at the door.

83 Longjing Road, opposite the back door of Zhejiang Hotel 龙井路83号, 浙江宾馆后门斜对面, +86 571 8788 8022, 10:30 a.m.-midnight

Wednesday: Yun Shui Yao (云水谣)

One of Yun Shui Yao's greatest attractions is the picturesque backdrop contrasting modern and historic Hangzhou.

With two venues in Hangzhou, Yun Shui Yao brings inspired dishes with all the flavor and character of China's famously remote regions, including Yunnan and Guizhou.

The restaurant serves some of Hangzhou's best fusion at prices that don't soar through the roof.

Both of the small, understated locations provide an experience that feels a lot less like being in the city and a lot more like being tucked into a hideaway destination.

The recommended best-seller is the fish-head platter, which may sound freakish to some, but doesn't disappoint, with tender, flaky meat in a rich and spicy broth.

17-23 Donghexia, Xiaohe Lu 小河路东河下17-23号, +86 571 8694 9407, 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Thursday: The Vineyard (味雅咖啡)

The Vineyard provides authentic American pub foods that are hard to find in Hangzhou.

On your fourth straight day of Chinese fare, The Vineyard provides a chance to recalibrate those tired taste buds.

The restaurant's food has gained well-deserved notoriety amongst Hangzhou's expat community. Thursday nights are set aside for the weekly trivia competitions that keep them coming back for more.

It's comforting to find a venue in Hangzhou that provides consistently authentic Western fare with a healthy dose of American attitude.

Vineyard has fulfilled many a deprived diner's needs, with classics like bacon mushroom melt burgers, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches and New York-style pizzas.

Drinks are a straightforward affair, with a decent selection of imported and domestic beers and an enormous wine list.

Located near Zhejiang University and some of the most popular bars and clubs in town, Vineyard is a great launchpad to start a big night.

1/F, Zhongtian Mansion, 173 Yugu Lu, near Tianmushan Lu 玉古路173号中田大厦1楼, 近天目山路, +86 571 8763 2388, 10 a.m.-midnight (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.)

Friday: Hubin 28 (湖滨28)

Hubin 28's spacious and elegant interior provides a perfect backdrop for dining.

Returning to Chinese food on your fifth day should be done in style.

Hubin 28 is the perfect way to segue into excellent Hangzhou regional dishes prepared to Hyatt's international standards.

While this isn't the cheapest venue, the value for the money is excellent if you're in the mood for a high-level experience that makes the most of local cuisine and fusion concepts.

Along with the tantalizing menu, the decor will transport diners to a place that reeks of refinement without making them feel they have been disconnected from the roots of Hangzhou's unique flavor.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of dining at Hubin 28 on a Friday night is being smack in the middle of Hangzhou's tourism and nightlife district and right next to virtually everything worth seeing.

1/F, Hyatt Regency Hangzhou, 28 Hubin Lu, near Pinghai Lu 湖滨路28号杭州凯悦酒店1楼, 近平海路, +86 571 8779 1234, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m., www.hangzhou.regency.hyatt.com

Saturday: Sawasdee Thai Restaurant (萨瓦迪泰国餐厅)

Sweet and spicy chicken is a popular favorite, while shrimp cakes on sugar cane take taste to the next level.

Since opening in 2009, Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale West Lake Hangzhou has quickly become one of the most important landmarks for tourists who don't want to stray too far from the city center.

You can still sample a bit of Hangzhou's nightlife at safe distance from a venue where helpful and friendly English-speaking staff are on hand.

Besides having a fabulous buffet, the Wyndham (as locals refer to the hotel with the longest name in town) brings Thailand's trademark cuisine to visitors and natives alike, with authentic dishes that are simply some of the finest available for the price.

2/F, 555 Fengqi Lu, corner of Fengqi Lu and Huancheng Xi Lu 凤起路555号, 凤起路和环城西路路口, +86 571 8761 6888, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., www.wyndham.com

Sunday: Crystal Jade Garden (翡翠花园酒家)

The Japanese-designed interior provides a natural skylight during the day and an amazing view at night.

It's your seventh day on the prowl through Hangzhou's best-loved local spots, and an authentic Cantonese/Shanghainese meal is a good way to round out your culinary adventure.

Crystal Jade Garden is tucked within the picturesque tree-lined walkways of Xihutiandi on the edge of West Lake.

Probably the best part of dinning at this venue -- besides the comfortable and inviting decor -- is the fact that you can have a full-blown banquet fit for a king. Alternatively, take things in smaller bites with a dim sum menu that rivals anything you'll find in Hong Kong.

It's easy to spend a leisurely afternoon in Crystal Jade Garden's elegant dining room, which will give you a perfect chance to reflect upon your week spent rubbing shoulders with the foodies of Hangzhou.

Building 10, Xihutiandi, 147 Nanshan Lu, near Xihu Da Dao 南山路147号10号楼, 近西湖大道, +86 571 8702 6618, +86 571 8702 7887, 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

About the Author: Rueben Marley is a U.S.-born Hangzhou-based chef. He and his food have been featured in many Chinese media, including CCTV, ICS, and China Daily. Rueben's biggest claim to fame is when a local street vendor identified him as "the foreign TV chef."

Lunch @ EuroDeli @ Damansara Kim, PJ - 20111120

2011-11-20T23:51:00.000+11:00

Pork Knuckle, 3 variety of Roast Pork and Sausages with sauerkraut and mash potatoes. Cholesterol level shot sky high.

Tri-colour organic Quinoa

2011-11-14T20:41:00.000+11:00

For rice eaters who wish to cut down on their carbohydrate intake by cutting down on rice can opt for Quinoa instead.

Ipoh Comes To PJ Chicken Rice

2011-11-13T15:46:00.001+11:00

This restaurant has been in existence for at least 40 years at their current location in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Their specialty is Hainam Chicken rice. Also their spicy pan-fried clams is another favorite. A single order of a plate of either the steamed or roasted chicken rice costs only ringgit 4.50. Damn bloody cheap but a small plate of the spicy clams costs ringgit 15 (or was it 12.50? I forget now).

Giant Pumpkins @ Village Grocer, 1Mont Kiara Plaza, KL

2011-11-05T16:34:00.000+11:00

Vietnamese Sour Fish Soup @ Canley Heights, NSW - 2011Oct25

2011-10-28T20:15:00.000+11:00

Vietnamese Sour Fish Soup @ Canley Heights, NSW - 2011Oct25

Sydney Fish Market - 2011Oct25 (2)

2011-10-28T20:09:00.000+11:00

Sydney Fish Market - 2011Oct25 (1)

2011-10-28T20:05:00.000+11:00

Westfield Centrepoint Foodcourt - Oct24, 2011

2011-10-28T12:04:00.000+11:00

2011Oct24 - Sydney Chinatown - Pho Pasteur Vietnamese Restaurant

2011-10-28T02:37:00.000+11:00

2011Oct24 - Sydney Chinatown - Pho Pasteur Vietnamese Restaurant

2011Oct24 - Sydney ChinaTown - Restaurant KungFu Ramen

2011-10-28T02:30:00.000+11:00

2011Oct24 - Sydney ChinaTown - Restaurant KungFu Ramen

2011Oct24 - Lunch at BBQ King in Sydney Chinatown

2011-10-28T02:17:00.000+11:00

Malaysian 'sinful' but yummy cuisine!

2011-10-23T22:32:00.000+11:00

ECGMA says: Sinful as in health-wise, will send your cholesterol through the roof! Ha!ha!
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Mexican for Dinner!

2011-10-07T23:59:00.000+11:00

ECGMA says: had vegetarian for lunch. Sounds healthy but made so hungry when dinner time came. Went Mexican for dinner. Order one too many for 3!

"Testicle Pizza", "Battered Testicles" Among 31 Recipes in First "Testicle Cookbook"

2011-09-22T02:11:00.000+10:00

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=238579

"Testicle Pizza", "Battered Testicles" Among 31 Recipes in First "Testicle Cookbook"

LONDON, October 2 /PRNewswire/ --

- "It's Italian Pizza With Serbians Balls," Says Gourmet Author

- Tastiest Testicles are From Bulls, Stallions, Ostriches

- Best Aphrodisiacs are Sheep or Stallion Testicles

- Multi-Media Book Includes Video of Author Peeling, Slicing Testicles; Preparing "Testicle Pizza"; "Testicle Pie"

Recipes for "Testicle Pizza", "Battered Testicles" and "Bull Testicles With Bechamel Sauce" are among 31 dishes served up in the world's first testicle cookbook.

"The Testicle Cookbook: Cooking With Balls" (http://www.yudu.com/testicles) is published today as a multimedia e-Book on YUDU (http://www.yudu.com), which lets anyone publish, share, buy and sell their own digital documents. It comes complete with video demonstrations of the author cooking dishes including Testicle Pizza, Testicle Pie and Testicle Goulash.

Ljubomir Erovic, the book's author, is a testicle cook and gourmet from Serbia, where testicles are a traditional delicacy. He is also the founder, organiser and driving force behind The World Testicle Cooking Championship (http://www.ballcup.com), which has been held annually in Serbia since 2004.

"This book is a small step for testicle cuisine but a giant leap for cookbooks as a genre", says Richard Stephenson, CEO of YUDU. "Multi-media cookbooks open new possibilities - such as, in this case, being able to watch the author peel and slice testicles." (The book includes a how-to video on slicing frozen testicles.)

Erovic, 45, has been cooking testicles for over 20 years. Although self-taught, he is probably by now not just Serbia's but the world's leading authority on testicle cuisine.

The ingredients for his testicle pizza recipe include cheese, onion, pepper, bacon and bull's testicles. "It's Italian pizza with Serbian balls", explains Erovic. His recipe for omelet with calf testicles starts, "Remove fine veins from the testicles and put them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes".

But the book also contains more cordon bleu recipes, such as "Calf Testicles In Wine" (white or red but not sweet) and testicles with bourgignon sauce.

His book contains recipes for testicles from over a dozen different animals: from bulls and pigs to rams, stallions and ostriches. Recipes range from "Pig's Testicles With Potatoes" to "Bull Testicles With Bechamel Sauce".

The tastiest testicles, says Erovic, come from bulls, ostriches or stallions. "Sheep testicles are also delicious", he says. "But I don't like boar testicles."

"All testicles can be eaten," says Erovic, "except human, of course."

Some of the recipes, such as the one for "Pig Testicles", come with both serving suggestions and learned footnotes, such as:

1. During and after the meal, home-made dry white wine is recommended with a good song and music.

2. Note: The pig castration season is May or June.

The book has recipes for not just battered testicles but also for breaded and fried ones, plus for testicle stew and testicle pie. There are two recipes for testicle goulash, including one called "Erovic-Style Goulash With Stallion or Bull Testicles". Only testicle quiche is missing.

Most of the recipes have been devised by Erovic himself but some have been contributed by others. Most are from Serbia but there are also a few from Macedonia.

Aphrodisiac

Testicles are rich in testosterone. Everyone from the Serbians to the Chinese to Erovic himself consider them to be a powerful aphrodisiac. The Chinese believe that eating them on a regular basis can boost a man's libido and cure impotence. "The best for aphrodisiac properties are sheep and stallion testicles", says Erovic.

The World Testicle Cooking Championship has become an international culinary event attended by chefs from countries including Serbia, the Republic of Srpska, Greece, Finland, Norway, Hungary and Australia. It has also entered the Guinness Book of Records as the event where a record amount - one metric tonne - of testicles are prepared.

Countries other than Serbia with a tradition of testicle cuisine include USA, Australia, India, Pakistan and South Africa.

"Testicles have been a delicacy in Serbia for as long as anyone can remember", says Erovic. "And the same is true across much of the world."

- The ancient Greeks thought that eating sheep's testicles before battle
made a man stronger.
- The Romans believed that eating the testicle of a healthy animal would
cure health problems with a man's own testicles.
Says Erovic: "Testicles have been enjoyed for so long by so many peoples in so many places that the only strange thing is that no-one before now has ever compiled a comprehensive testicle cookbook."

Notes to Editors:

- To View the Book: http://www.yudu.com/testicles
- Top Ten Terms for Testicles
Testicles are cooked, eaten and enjoyed across the world, where they are known by a variety of names, including the following:

- Animelles (the culinary term for testicles, especially lamb testicles)
- Bulls' Jewels
- Cowboy Caviar
- Montana Tender Groin
- Organ Meat
- Rocky Mountain Oysters
- Rognons Blancs ("White Kidneys")
- Stones (a traditional/historical name)
- Swinging Beef
- Sweetbreads
- White Kidneys
- About YUDU.Com And YUDU Ltd

YUDU (http://www.yudu.com) is a free ePublishing tool, marketplace and library, which lets you: publish online for free; buy, sell, share or view ePublications; and keep all your digital creations in one place: your personal YUDU library. YUDU lets you publish multimedia digital brochures, magazines, catalogues and books, plus photos, music and podcasts, and add them to your personal YUDU library - for sharing, selling or just your own reference. YUDU is an ePublishing website and marketplace that brings creators and their audiences together.

YUDU Media, the owner of http://www.yudu.com is already a multiple award-winning digital publisher of online and multi-media brochures, catalogues, magazines and newspapers. It recently helped launch the digital edition of Metro, the UK's leading free newspaper. YUDU, based in London, Lancashire and Boston, won five business awards in five months earlier this year.

YUDU (http://www.yudu.com) provides a free self-publishing-on-demand service to complement the professional provided by YUDU Publishing Pro (http://www.yudu.com/pro/). The new YUDU.com targets small businesses, consumers and "pro-sumers" (or producers who are also consumers).

Contact for Further Info: press@yudu.com

TO VIEW THE BOOK: http://www.yudu.com/testicles

Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of YUDU LTD

PR Newswire Europe Ltd.

209 - 215 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NL
Tel : +44 (0)20 7490 8111
Fax : +44 (0)20 7490 1255
E-mail : info@prnewswire.co.uk
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Having my 'pull-tea' aka 'Teh Tarik' by myself and this cat sleeping under the table in Desa Sri Hartamas, KL

2011-09-11T23:21:00.000+10:00

ECGMA says: Having my 'pull-tea' aka 'Teh Tarik' by myself and this cat sleeping under the table in Desa Sri Hartamas, KL

Malaysian Seafood

2011-09-01T22:27:00.000+10:00

ECGMA says: seafood dinner consisted of spicy lady's fingers (okra), spicy clams (La-La), chilli crab and spicy egg-yolk squid. Every dish mildly spiced. Then the mess after!

Malaysian ABC (Ais Batu Campur)

2011-08-29T01:04:00.000+10:00

Ice shavings with sweet syrup (red and brown sugar) with green wormy-like and black-cubed jelly, red beans and corn/maize. Good for a hot humid day!

Excellent cooking skills - [SINA video]实拍沈阳男子手提12把大勺同时炒菜

2011-08-15T12:03:00.000+10:00

Singapore Chilli Crab and Pasta

2011-08-07T23:23:00.000+10:00

The difference between ABC's (Australian Born Chinese) and MBC's (Malaysian Born Chinese) - my younger boy preferred pasta whilst the oldies went for the Chilli Crab!

Chili Crab, Seafood Noodles & Sweet Sour Honey Pork @ Chinatown, Singapore

2011-08-07T03:13:00.000+10:00

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Man vs. Wild - Eating Giant Larva

2011-06-07T19:06:00.000+10:00

*If you received this via email, click on the link at "Posted by ECGMA to ECDelicious Blog" to view the blogpost"*

Fish Sound Soup?!?!

2011-05-26T11:33:00.000+10:00

ECGMA says: Saw this is at local Chinese Restaurant near Taman Bukit Maluri, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Wendy's Testing New Chicken Sandwiches

2011-05-04T02:01:00.000+10:00

http://m.csnews.com/mtop-story-wendy_s_testing_new_chicken_sandwiches-58630.html

Wendy's Testing New Chicken Sandwiches

Foodservice - May 2,2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Wendy's isn't ready yet to cluck about the new chicken sandwiches the fast-food chain is testing, but customers in Columbus can try them for themselves.

Spokesman Denny Lynch confirmed to Columbus Business First that the chain's newest take on chicken is being tested in the Columbus market, but he declined to share any other details about the products or testing plans. However, a visit to a local Wendy's found:

• Bruschetta Chicken, topped with diced tomatoes, chopped basil and a balsalmic glaze.
• Bistro Cheddar Chicken, with cheddar cheese and a bistro sauce.
• Asiago Club Chicken, with aged Asiago cheese and applewood-smoked bacon.

Customers can get any of Wendy's chicken filets -- homestyle, grilled or spicy -- with the sandwiches, according to the menu boards. All come on butter toasted buns.

The Dublin, Ohio-based restaurant chain has been gradually remaking its menu since its 2008 acquisition and conversion into Atlanta-based Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc., rolling out everything from new ingredients to completely re-imagined products, the report noted.

Wendy's CEO Roland Smith and Chief Marketing Officer Ken Calwell earlier this year said new chicken items would be tested in 2011. The company also has new hamburgers in test, dubbed Dave's Hot 'N Juicy Cheeseburgers, which are expected to go nationwide later this year.

The new burgers and new chicken, which could replace current burger and chicken offerings, are part of the brand's "real food" push, touting quality ingredients and fresh-made products.

S. Pellegrino's 2011 World's 50 Best Restaurants

2011-04-23T13:56:00.000+10:00

ECGMA says: #51. Kafe Rasa Utara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (?!?!)

The clip below is titled "Kafe Rasa Utara" but not too sure if it's the same as the KRU of BTS, KL. Most probably, it is.

*Click on the link 'EC Delicious' below to view the blogpost*

European restaurants dominate, but list features new entries from China, Peru and Russia

By Tiffany Lam 19 April, 2011

Chef Rene Redzepi of Noma after his restaurant was awarded the best in the world.

The 2011 S. Pellegrino “World's 50 Best Restaurants List” is out, with Denmark’s Noma landing on top for the second year in a row, and Spain’s El Celler de Can Roca and Mugaritz capturing second and third.

The annual award, organized by Restaurant magazine and now in its tenth year, is widely considered to be the Oscars of the restaurant world. Results are voted by a 837-member panel of industry experts from 27 regions around the world, including chefs, food writers and restaurateurs. There are no set criteria for judging and votes are cast based on personal dining experiences.

Noma, headed by chef Rene Redzepi, is famed for its imaginative treatment of regional ingredients. CNN reported that a day after the best restaurants list came out in 2010, Noma received more than 100,000 requests for a table.

The list is dominated by restaurants in Europe, with only five restaurants in Asia-Pacific cracking the top 50 list.

China made its first appearance on the list: Chef Richard Ekkebus’ modern French restaurant Amber at Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong was placed 37th.

Japan’s Les Creations De NARISAWA, which serves unorthodox French cuisine cooked with organic soil and charcoal, is placed at number 12, claiming the Best in Asia award for the third year running.

Nihonryori Ryugin, at number 20, is the fasting rising restaurant on the list, up 28 places from last year.

Other entrants in the Asia-Pacific region including Quay Restaurant in Sydney, placed 26th, and Iggy’s in Singapore following close behind at number 27.

Restaurants from Peru and Russia also made the list for the first time. Peruvian restaurant Astrid Y Gaston was placed at number 42 and restaurant Varvary in Moscow, Russia, appears at 48.

Five-time chart topper elBulli in Spain is missing from the list this year as chef Ferran Adrià will serve its last meal as a restaurant on July 20, 2011.

It will reopen as a nonprofit gastronomy think tank in 2014.

The top 50 list:

1. Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)

2. El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)

3. Mugaritz (Errenteria, Spain)

4. Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)

5. The Fat Duck (Bray, England)

6. Alinea (Chicago, Illinois)

7. D.O.M. (São Paulo, Brazil)

8. Arzak (San Sebastián, Spain)

9. Le Chateaubriand (Paris, France)

10. Per Se (New York)

11. Daniel (New York)

12. Les Créations de Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)

13. L'Astrance (Paris, France)

14. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Paris, France)

15. Hof Van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)

16. Pierre Gagnaire (Paris, France)

17. Oud Sluis (Sluis, Netherlands)

18. Le Bernardin (New York)

19. L'Arpege (Paris, France)

20. Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan)

21. Vendôme (Bergisch Gladbach, Germany)

22. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)

23. Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)

24. Eleven Madison Park (New York)

25. Aqua (Bath, England)

26. Quay Restaurant (Sydney, Australia)

27. Iggy's (Singapore)

28. Combal Zero (Rivoli, Italy)

29. Martín Berasategui (Lasarte-Oria, Spain)

30. Bras (Laguiole, France)

31. Biko (Mexico City, Mexico)

32. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)

33. Il Ristorante Cracco (Milan, Italy)

34. The Ledbury (London, England)

35. Chez Dominique (Helsinki, Finland)

36. Le Quartier Français (Franschhoek, South Africa)

37. Amber (Hong Kong, China)

38. Dal Pescatore (Mantova, Italy)

39. Il Canto (Siena, Italy)

40. Momofuku Ssäm Bar (New York)

41. St. John (London, England)

42. Astrid y Gastón (Lima, Perú)

43. Hibiscus (London, England)

44. La Maison Troisgros (Roanne, France)

45. Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)

46. De Librije (Zwolle, Netherlands)

47. Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville (Crissier, Switzerland)

48. Varvary (Moscow, Russia)

49. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)

50. Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo-Bizkaia, Spain)

Staff writer Tiffany Lam produced and scripted current affairs documentaries and was a reporter for a local English newspaper before making the brave, brave decision to write about things she’s actually interested in at CNNGo.

For fire eaters only: these chillies bite back

2011-04-12T11:17:00.001+10:00

Conrad Walters

April 12, 2011

Chilli pickers Jarmilla Alders, left, and Linda Sartoris.

A FARM in Lake Macquarie is growing what may be the world's hottest strain of chillies, but preparing them for the public is a task akin to chemical warfare.

The variety, bright red and about the size of a dollar coin, is called the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T.

Its grower, Marcel de Wit, of the Chilli Factory in Morisett, sent samples for chemical analysis to ascertain just how it measured up.

Fierce ... the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T.

The answer was stratospheric, reported EML Chem in Melbourne, where normal duties can include working with explosives.

Chilli potency is measured on the Scoville scale. A jalapeno, as used in Tabasco sauce, contains about 5000 Scoville heat units; a bird's eye chilli packs between 50,000 and 100,000.

The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T sample topped 1.46 million.

Mr de Wit says this is a world record, but that, like chilli itself, is hotly disputed. Guinness World Records says the present record holder is the Naga Viper chilli, measuring 1.38 million.

A sauce containing 58 per cent Trinidad Scorpion Butch T chilli, and called Scorpion Strike, will be launched at the Royal Easter Show. For portions of the manufacturing process, Mr de Wit dressed in protective clothing including an industrial gas mask to fend off the fumes as the chillies boiled.

Videos of Mr de Wit and Neil Smith of the Hippy Seed Company, which brought the chillies to Australia, show them struggling to eat the raw chillies. From behind fogged glasses, Mr Smith likens the experience to applying a soldering iron to his tongue and throat.

Mr de Wit's wife, Connie, said she finds the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T too fierce for her palate, although she has watched braver souls try them.

''A lot of people start sticking their tongue out and start flapping their hands around," she said.

Despite an intensity that would overpower most, the chillies are said to have a fruity taste. ''It's a bit like a banana and an orange together - like a fruit salad," said Mr de Wit, who answers to the title of the Hot Chilli Chef.

Asked for advice on how to use the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T in cooking, he advised: ''Very sparingly.''

40 Shanghai foods we can’t live without

2011-04-07T18:45:00.001+10:00

From simple street fare to Bund-style cuisine, here are our picks for the most delicious and iconic food items that define the Shanghai food scene

By Joanne Yao and Jake DeLois 18 May, 2010

Although Shanghai's oily, sugary and soy sauce-doused cuisine can't be heralded as the best eating on the mainland, we love our food here in Shanghai. And, in a city that offers so many culinary options, from roadside stalls to Michelin-star restaurants, we wanted to celebrate that, with a list of the 40 foods you can find in Shanghai that we simply can't live without.

Xiaolongbao.
1. Xiaolongbao (小笼包)

We just had to get this one out of the way first since no list of Shanghai's favorite foods (it was part of out 11 best Shanghai snacks list) would ever be complete without the mention of our famous soup dumpling, xiaolongbao. The dumpling, cleverly hiding its soup within its delicately pinched wrapper, has reached cult-like fanaticism in this city. Even though it burns the mouths and tongues of novice dumpling eaters (Note: you have to puncture the dumpling wrapper to let out the steam, and then slurp the soup slowly before shoveling the xiaolongbao down), we just cannot live without this Shanghai classic. We love it so much, in fact, we've even taken a few xiaolongbao tours of Shanghai.
For your own xiaolongbao tour try: Phat in Shanghai's Xiaolongbao Bike Ride

2. Di Shui Dong ribs

Listed as number 19 on our list of 50 reasons why Shanghai is the world's No. 1 city, these fall-off-the-bone ribs are as succulent as there are tender. Sweetly braised in soy sauce, these put those miniature rib appetizers to utter shame. And, without the small bones found in those ubiquitous appetizers, the meat on these solid ribs can be inhaled in a matter of seconds.
Try: Di Shui Dong, multiple locations, 2/F, 56 Maoming Nan Lu, near Changle Lu 茂名南路56号, 近长乐路2楼, +86 21 6253 2689

3. Braised eggplant (红烧茄子)

Few truly love eggplant before they come to China, but once here, almost everyone's a convert to this purple veggie. Of all the eggplant dishes offered in this city, the braised version of this hearty vegetable is by far the most savory. Stewed in shaoxing wine, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sugar, chilies and sometimes even pork, this Shanghai favorite has become a staple menu item at most restaurants. It boasts the perfect combo of saltiness, sweetness and savoriness -- and we don't feel so guilty eating it because it's a veggie.
Try: La Gong Fu, 57 Yajiazhai Lu, near Changshou Lu 杨家宅路57号, 长寿路

Grilled oysters (炒生蚝).
4. Grilled oysters (烤生蚝)

Shanghai is sea food foodie heaven and we have an entire street dedicated to oysters, mussels, scallops, crawfish and abalone (and for cheap!) to prove it. Every vendor on Shouning Lu has a slightly different take on three preparations of grilled oyster: oysters with black bean sauce, oysters with chili oil and garlic, and wannabe French oysters in 'cheese' sauce. You really have to try each tiny shack to find your favorite. Luckily for you, Shouning Lu is open 24 hours a day.
Try: Han Ji Shao Chao (韩记烧烤), 26 Shouning Lu, near Xizang Nan Lu 寿宁路26号, 近西藏南路

5. Chicken of the fields: aka frog (田鸡)

Don't be grossed out. Below that slimy skin lies meat that is superior to chicken in every way. Frog is the soulmate to your cold Tsingtao, and Shanghai's four-legged answer to the buffalo wing. It's cheap and plentiful and, because of these qualities, we've found that virtually every restaurant line cook can whip up a masterful dish of frog. Our favorite is the gan shao niu wa at Xiang Li Ba Ba: a large pizza-sized plate piled high with spicy, tender frog, crisped rice cake nubs, potato slices and bamboo. If you're a beginner try the San Gu Bullfrog.
Try: Xiang Li Ba Ba (香里巴巴), 217 Hongqiao Lu, near Gongcheng Lu 虹桥路217号近工程路, +86 21 64483777. For novices try: San Gu Bullfrog, 882 Zhaojiabang Lu 肇家浜路882号, +86 21 6469 4611; or, 3 Fenyang Lu 汾阳路3号, +86 21 6466 6155

6. The M Pavlova

Correction, the famous M Pavlova. Forget cocktails, trade in your yuan for a sweet slice of this meringue torte heaped with tropical fruit and glazed with tangy passion fruit sauce. Dry and crispy on the outside and soft like angels once you dig in, the M Pavlova is far tastier than any beaten egg whites have the right to taste. Read our Another 51 Facts you might not know about Shanghai article and you'll find that in March 2010 M on the Bund sold 694 Pavlovas, for which 1,250 egg whites were used.
Try: M on the Bund, 7/F, 5 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu near Guangdong Lu 中山东一路外滩5号7楼, 近广东路, +86 21 6350 9988, www.m-onthebund.com

Stinky tofu (臭豆腐).
7. Stinky tofu (臭豆腐)

Certainly the smelliest food in the city, stinky tofu -- fermented and plenty offensive to the nose -- is one of Shanghai's favorite snacks, and one many foreigners love to hate. Our view: you can't hate it until you give it a try. Deep fried and doused with soybean paste and red chili sauce, the crispy outer shell of the oddly mild food (considering its stench) encases crumbly and almost sweet tofu. You know you've become a true Shanghailander when you smell this stuff from two blocks away and start running towards it -- and learn that the really good stuff doesn't actually smell that bad.
Try: Yunnan Nan Lu, near Yan'an Lu 云南南路, 近延安路

8. Choose your own adventure… in seafood

If you haven't visited the Tongchuan Lu seafood market strip, go. Go now. This is the place to test and refine your haggling skills as hunger will drive you to a new level of motivation. Once you amass a selection of fresh seafood (you can buy everything from scallops to sea cucumber at restaurant prices if you negotiate, or take a Shanghainese speaking friend), take your seafood to any of the restaurants on the strip. The chefs will cook it all up so you can devour everything on the spot. For more on Tongchuan market, check out our guide.
Try: Tongchuan Lu Shanghai Fish Market (Tongchuan Lu Haixian Shichang), Tongchuan Lu, near Caoyang Lu 铜川路，近曹杨路口, open 24 hours

9. "The chicken has no sexual experience" (童子鸡)

We appreciate tongzi ji, or young chicken, if only for hilariously awkward menu translations like the one above and contributions from the local vernacular ("tongzi ji" is slang for a younger man dating an older woman, or another name for a male virgin). Tongzi ji are eaten for their especially tender meat, which is stir-fried with green peppers or edamame (the Japanese don't get to keep them all to themselves) or made into a medicinal soup.
Try: Tang Yun Qing Feng (唐韵秦风), 4/F, 580 Tianyaoqiao Lu, near Lingling Lu 天钥桥路580号4楼, 近零陵路, +86 21 6161 9788

Hanging roast duck.
10. Hanging roasted duck

This is the 'Hai's answer to Peking Duck: honey glazed roasted ducks found at almost any wet market in the city. We love getting a bird and watching the butcher go to town on it, quickly and near seamlessly chopping through bones and deploying the juicy pieces into Styrofoam containers. This duck is great in soups, on rice, with noodles -- heck, we love it right out of its carryout box.
Try: Yunnan Nan Lu, near Yan'an Lu 云南南路, 近延安路

11. Caramel strawberry kebabs (糖草莓串)

A descendant of the classic Sweet Hawthorne Kebab (糖葫芦), the appearance of these ripe, crunchy-sweet strawberry kebabs in vendor stalls announces "Spring is here" to Shanghai. Get these strawberries at the height of their season in May. If you're lucky, you'll find a vendor who will glaze them before your eyes in a wok full of bubbling sugar.
Try: Fruit kebab vendors usually congregate in front of malls, park entrances or in tourist locations. Check for freshness and go for the ones that are individually bagged if available.

12. Raw, drunken crab (醉蟹)

Don't let those translucent crab parts and globs of orange roe intimidate you. Drunken crab, made with spotted sea crabs, is a must-try for its textures: the flesh is yielding like cold sashimi, the roe creamy but firm. The complex flavor of Shaoxing wine can be bit of an acquired taste (especially in drunken crab, the flavor stands out like a nudist on a subway) so try it first with a bit of rice or porridge.
Try: Jesse Restaurant, multiple locations, 41 Tianping Lu, near Huaihai Lu 天平路41号近淮海路, +86 21 6282 9260. Can't get a reservation at Jesse's? Try Xiao Nan Guo's version. Xiao Nan Guo, multiple locations, 214 Huanghe Lu, near Beijing Xi Lu 黄河路214号, 近北京西路, +86 21 3208 9777, www.xiaonanguo.com.cn

Shengjianbao (生煎包).
13. Shengjianbao (生煎包)

What's not to love about a fried fatty pork dumpling? Not a whole lot. This local snack made our list of Fattiest foods in Shanghai ... that we'll never give up. Yang's is of course the city's go-to place for this sage-spiced and greasy snack. Even though Yang's has moved out of its Wujiang Lu stall, fear not, as they can still be found on the newer (west) side of the same street. We love these so much, we've even taken a class at the Chinese Cooking Workshop to learn how to fry the perfect 'bao.
Try: Yang's Fried Dumpling, multiple locations, 2/F, 269 Wujiang Lu, near Taixing Lu 吴江路269号2楼, 近泰兴路, +86 21 6267 6025. To learn to cook your own shengjianbao (and just about any other Chinese food), check out the classes at Chinese Cooking Workshop

14. Element Fresh's miso yogurt dressing

This dressing is liquid ecstasy. The first few times we tried the Laffa Bread Salad, we immediately fell addict to its miso yogurt dressing. Now when we order the salad, we don't think twice before asking our waiter for an extra serving of it, just so we have enough to dunk the laffa bread into. Who said anything about eating a salad because it's healthy?
Try: Element Fresh, multiple locations, 1/F Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Xikang Lu, 南京西路1376号, 近西康路, +86 21 6279 8682, www.elementfresh.com

15. Niangao (年糕)

Soft and chewy sliced Shanghai-style niangao is an old-school treat that remains a salvation for bachelors cooking dinner as well as a popular lunch order at local noodle joints. Stir-fried with leeks and pork, or for special occasions mixed with pieces of hairy crab in a sweet brown concoction, niangao is freaking delicious. We love the sweet, gooey, chewy hairy crab niangao at Wang Jia Sha.
Try: Wang Jia Sha (王家沙), 805 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Shimen Yi Lu 南京西路805号, 近石门一路, +86 21 6253 0404

Mapo doufu (麻婆豆腐).
16. Mapo doufu (麻婆豆腐)

Although mapo doufu is technically a Sichuan dish, Shanghai has adopted the tantalizingly spicy creation as its own, as it can be found in most restaurants here. As legend has it, an outcasted pockmarked-faced old lady (mapo) created this dish featuring the tongue numbing huajiao -- flower pepper. Just make sure to eat it with a bowl of rice, a tall glass of milk or, more likely, a cold Tsingtao, as this stuff can be tortuously, though addictively, hot.
Try: Spicy Joint (辛香汇), multiple locations, 4/F, Dabaishu Creative Garden, 930 Quyang Lu, near Handan Lu and Tengke Lu 曲阳路930号大柏树创意园4楼, 近邯郸路, 腾克路, +86 21 6470 2777; also see our Chopstick Challenge: Mapo Doufu for the best three mapo doufu dishes in the city

17. Squirrel shaped Mandarin fish (松子鲑鱼)

Also known as sweet and sour mandarin fish, this dish originates in Suzhou, a short hop from Shanghai. At first just an order for Shanghai-ning on holiday there, it became so popular that it was put it on the menu of every fancy Chinese restaurant in Shanghai. The Mandarin fish is scored, deep-fried into its distinctive 'squirrel' shape and covered with a tomato sauce, shrimp, pine nuts and bamboo.
Try: Mei Wei Zhai (美味斋), 246 Shandong Zhong Lu, near Hankou Lu 山东中路246号, 近汉口路,+86 21 6322 3250

18. Late night street noodles

Nothing better concludes a great night out than a hearty bowl of stick-to-your-ribs street noodles of virtually every variety. Stir-fried with greens, sprouts, spam or pork, an egg and a liberal amount of MSG and sugar, there is actually never a bad time to enjoy these. And even with a few former famed foodie streets closed, these carts can still be found at night dotting lanes and streets throughout the city.
Try: One of the best late-night noodle locations is found on the corner outside Cantina Agave, Changle Lu, near Fumin Lu 长乐路, 近富民路

Shanghai decadent brunch.
19. Hedonistic Champagne brunch

Nothing illustrates Shanghai decadence better than waiters pouring bubbly and a spread of 100 plus dishes from all over the world. We're talking hours of epic eating here. Partaking in a humongous buffet with endless Champagne is something that you need to experience at least once in Shanghai, especially when there are Bund views involved. Luckily, every almost five-star hotel does a version of the Champagne brunch.
Try: See 'Ridiculously extravagant brunches' in our Shanghai brunch guide

20. Kababs

If it's a food, we'll put it on a stick and grill it for you in Shanghai. Breakfast, lunch, dinner or even at 3am, kabobs are always a safe bet for something savory and delicious. Whether we're eating squid, lamb or green bean kababs, they always make for a great snack. Our favorites are the Xinjiang yangrou chuan'r (羊肉串) -- mainly because the pieces of skewered meat are alternately pierced with a piece of fat and topped with a delicious cumin-based seasoning mix.
Try: Friday Muslim Market, Changde Lu in between Aomen Lu and Yichang Lu 常德路, 近澳门路和宜昌路

21. Red jujubes stuffed with glutinous rice, Xin Tai Ran (心太软)

The name "Xin Tai Ran" is a play off a classic Chinese pop song about a soft-hearted woman. In this case, the soft heart is a rice cake -- as in sweet jujubes stuffed with mochi and served in a sweet glaze. Most Shanghainese restaurants offer some version (only in Shanghai with our sweet-loving palates would this dish scream "appetizer!" not "dessert!"). The best ones are freshly prepared when you order.
Try: Jesse Restaurant, multiple locations, 41 Tianping Lu, near Huaihai Lu 天平路41号近淮海路, +86 21 6282 9260. If you can't get into Jesse's try 1221's honey glazed version: 1221, 1221 Yan'an Xi Lu, near Panyu Lu 延安西路1221号, 近番禺路, +86 21 6213 6585

Hairy crab.
22. Hairy crab (大闸蟹)

This species of crab is so popular, many fake versions of the Shanghai crustacean can be found when it's not even hairy crab season (which is in autumn). Believed to have the cooling yin (of yin and yang) effect on the body, the female crab roe is where it's at (although this is the subject of pretty heated local debates), and is a seriously good eat. Don't be intimated if you don't know how to deconstruct this delicacy, check out our 'how to' guide or ask the waitstaff at the restaurant for help.
Try: Tongchuan Seafood Market (pick a vendor, then pick any restaurant and they'll steam these up for you). For a more relaxing meal try: Wang Bao He (王宝和酒家), multiple locations, 603 Fuzhou Lu, near Zhejiang Zhong Lu 福州路603号, 近浙江中路, +86 21 6322 3673; or Xinguang Jiu Jia, 512 Tianjin Lu, near Guangxi Bei Lu 天津路512号, 近广西北路, +86 21 6322 3978

23. Muslim hand pulled noodles

What's better than noodle soup? Easy -- noodle soup where the waiter creates the noodles in front of your eyes. Flash-boiled in a savory broth for a mere instant, these noodles will surely hit the spot. The ball of dough is quickly stretched, twisted, and then stretched again until perfectly thin noodles are produced.
Try: Although you can get these noodles on almost any corner, a favorite of ours is Niudawan Lanzhou Hand Pulled Noodle, 560 Tianmu Lu, near Hengfeng Lu 天目路560号, 近恒丰路, +86 21 6317 7117

24. Water boiled fish in chili (水煮鱼)

The 'water boiled' part of this dish's name is total deception; the water is actually oil. We're talking tender slices of fish (often wild catfish) completely suspended in a massive bowl of chili oil, with bean sprouts and more dried red chilies just in case. Don't be intimidated, most of the versions of this famous Sichuan dish are spicy but bearable. Do go to a reputable restaurant so you don't run the risk of ingesting gutter oil.
Try: Spicy Joint, multiple locations (all require advanced reservations, but it's worth it), www.xinxianghui.com

Hongshaorou (红烧肉).
25. Hongshao rou (红烧肉)

Love Hongshao rou? You have that in common with Chairman Mao and 90 percent of people ever to try this dish of soy sauce braised pork belly. A dinner time staple, the amount of hongshao rou cooked each night in home kitchens and restaurants in Shanghai is surely epic. Our favorite version is the signature hongshao rou from Jesse Restaurant, which comes in a rather sweet, soy glaze and just the right fat to meat ratio (clearly more meat than fat). It's a secret recipe, but look carefully and you'll notice they add diced cuttlefish to offset the porkiness of the meat. Classic.
Try: Jesse Restaurant, multiple locations, 41 Tianping Lu, near Huaihai Lu 天平路41号, 近淮海路, +86 21 6282 9260

26. Mini wontons in soup (小馄饨)

Piping hot bowls of tiny wontons suspended in broth, garnished with cilantro, dried shrimp and strips of egg regularly start off our morning. As you head out for the day you can find wet market grannies-cum-xiao wonton sellers making these little treats rapid fire by clasping mini-wrappers and minced pork together in their hands.
Try: Cheng Xin (盛兴点心店), 528 Shunchang Lu, near Yongnan Lu 顺昌路528号, 近永年路, +86 21 5306 7325

27. Drunken chicken (醉鸡)

Forget enjoying a meal while a bit inebriated, some of the best foods in Shanghai have already beat you to it. Of all the drunken varieties of dishes in Shanghai, we love the cold dish of drunken chicken the most. After the chicken is steamed and chopped into pieces, it then marinates overnight in a bowl of punishingly strong baijiu, or other hard liquors. Served chilled, the poultry is a heady, salty delight.
Try: Chun, 124 Jinxian Lu, near Maoming Lu 进贤路124号, 近茂名南路, +86 6256 0301

Shanghai high tea.
28. Afternoon Tea

There is afternoon tea, and then there is High Tea in the afternoon Shanghai style. Shanghai's elite, of course, prefer the latter. As one of the greatest gifts to Shanghai from the Brits, High Tea at the Peninsula's ceremonious Tea at the Lobby is both decadent and delicious. Complete with the 18 piece Lobby Strings, the light meal boasts a collection of Peninsula Signature Teas, which are best complemented by the lavish selection of finger sandwiches, breads and petit fours. Many thanks to the Duchess of Bedford for introducing us to this traditional and fashionable -- not to mention pretty darn aristocratic -- experience.
Try: Peninsula Hotel Shanghai, Bund 32, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu 中山东一路32号，近北京东路, +86 21 2327 2888

29. Whisk hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows

Before Whisk, we couldn't find decent hot chocolate in Shanghai, much less hot chocolate with adorable, chubby homemade marshmallows. So although Whisk has gotten a lot of flack from neglected customers, we still wax nostalgic about those oh-so-holdable mugs and that thick chocolate soup though its become easier to get a cuppa at hof and Charmant. Still, here's credit where credit is due.
Try: Whisk Choco Café, 1250 Huaihai Lu near Huating Lu, 淮海路1250号, 近华亭路, +86 21 54047770; for the hot chocolate new players, try hof (30 Sinan Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu 思南路30号, 近淮海中路) and Charmant (1414 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu 淮海中路1414号, 近复兴西路)

30. Shanghai smoked fish (熏鱼)

We already love their clothes, but another reason we love Shanghai Tang is because of their modern interpretation of the classic Shanghai liangcai (cold dish) Shanghai smoked fish, offered on their weekend brunch menu at the café. Delicately fried, the cold fish is bathed in a sweet and savory brown sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.
Try: Shanghai Tang Cafe, 2-3/F, 333 Huangpi Nan Lu, near Taicang Lu 黄陂南路333号2-3楼, 近太仓路, +86 21 6377 3333

Crawfish.
31. Crawfish (小龙虾)

Here we are, back at Shouning Lu for a food that Shanghailanders go crazy for in the summer: crawfish. The 35-plus degree weather is just not bearable without these weekend buckets of crawfish tossed with chili consumed alongside cold, cheap Tsingtao with lots of friends chowing down as well. Don't be scared to sit eye-to-eye with locals as you challenge them to a crawfish de-shelling battle on their own turf.
Try: Any place on Shouning Lu, but we like 17 Shouning Lu, near Xizang Lu 寿宁路17号龙虾馆,近西藏路, +86 21 6328 0098

32. Hi-Chews

So simple yet so delicious, you can buy Hi Chews -- the irresistibly sweet, chewy fruit flavored candies -- at almost any Shanghai convenience store. Out of the half dozen or so flavors, we cannot bring ourselves to stop chewing the peach flavor. Better than any Starburst, the peach is the perfect blend of sweetness and artificial goodness that makes us come back for more. And more.
Try: Available at Family Marts, City Shops, and Carrefours around town

33. Shanghai-style fried noodles

Shanghai cumian -- a thickly cut pasta -- is Shanghai's gift to the wondrous world of noodles. Served at most dumpling joints, Shanghai-style fried noodles are usually stir-fried with beef, chicken or pork (sometimes even shrimp) then cabbage and onions. As in most Shanghainese cuisine, a soy sauce-base is mandatory. Slurped up at most restaurants in the city, there is no shortage of this dish. The best, though, are found at Ming Ming Can Ting.
Try: Ming Ming Can Ting, 269 Beihai Lu, near Xizang Zhong Lu 北海路269号，近西藏中路, +86 21 6352 5967

Paul Pairet's lemon & lemon tart.
34. Paul Pairet's lemon & lemon tart

This tart is unbelievable. It is a candied lemon stuffed with a lemon sorbet, a lemon curd, and vanilla Chantilly. It's then served with lemon sable. With a single pierce of the rind, the lusciously tart and sweet filling oozes out -- and the three-day process to make it has been completed. Don't even bother trying to share it, you'll end up being caught in the middle of a bitter spoon war. This is the single best dessert in the city.
Try: Mr & Mrs Bund, Bund 18, 6/Floor, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Nanjing Dong Lu 中山东一路18号外滩18号6楼, 近南京东路, +86 21 6323 9898

35. Congee (粥)

There is a place you can always count on to help with a porridge craving: Dingxi Lu. Although this food street houses a variety of good eats from across China, every restaurant, whether they specialize in Cantonese, Shanghainese or any other type of cuisine, also does congee. Chaoshan Sha Guo, a must-visit spot for seafood congee lovers, will let you pick out your food as it swims in the tanks. Then they cook it up in a big, earthenware pot and voila -- creamy, umami-licious congee.
Try: Chaoshan Sha Guo (潮汕砂锅粥馆), 805 Dingxi Lu, near Yan'an Xi Lu 定西路805号, 近延安西路, +86 21 6282 5882, open 24 hours

36. All-you-can-eat Japanese buffets

Shanghai has the best Japanese buffets in China by far, thanks in large part to the Japanese expat community in Hongqiao, which we're told is the largest in the world outside of Japan. The quality and variety of the sashimi, sushi, tempura and izakaya-style snacks available here is astounding (and also greatly vary in quality), especially considering that sushi buffet in Beijing translates to a sorry spread of California rolls plus fake juice. All-you-can-eat-and-drink deals usually cost an average of RMB 150 per person.
Try: These Japanese food deals can be found at almost any Japanese restaurant in download, for one in closer to the Japanese community try Chu Hua (初花), 1446 Hongqiao Lu, Gubei Wan Hotel, near Gubei Lu 虹桥路1446号古北湾大酒店3楼, 近古北路, +86 21 6219 1910

Lion's head meatball,
37. Lion head meatballs (狮子头)

What's not to like about giant Chinese meatballs? Lion head meatballs might not be as big as a lion's head, but they are delicious anyway, sort of like the foie gras of meatballs with indulgent crab meat and a creamy texture. The delicate, porky nuances of these meatballs are quite irresistible with rice (lots of it). Bet the Italians are kicking themselves that they didn't think of this one.
Try: Hai Jin Si (海金滋), 240 Jinxian Lu, near Shanxi Nan Lu 进贤路240号, 近陕西南路, +86 21 6255 0371

38. Green onion pancakes (葱油饼)

The best green onion pancakes come from little old grannies (and grandpas) who get up at 6am to cook, knead and slap these petite bing in the city's many nongtang. If you're lucky enough to stumble across such a person in the morning (the long lines heading into residential buildings are a hint), make sure to pick up a green onion pancake.
Try: Ah Niang Cong You Bing (阿婆葱油饼), Lane 578 Xiangyang Nan Lu near Zhaojiabang Lu, 襄阳南路578弄口, 近肇嘉浜路

39. Dry fried green beans (炒青豆)

To add a bit of green to most Chinese tables, many Shanghai restaurant-goers grab a plate of these delicious and dry-fried beans. Sauteed with vibrant red chilies and ground pork, these veggies are then lightly tossed with soy sauce and a touch of sesame oil. Tan, a regular at the Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, tells us he just "can't have a meal without this dish." It boasts two of Shanghai's favorite ingredients: it's got sugar and spice…and everything nice.
Try: Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, 2/F, 269 Wujiang Lu, near Metro Line 2, Nanjing Xi Lu Station, exit 4 吴江路269号4楼, 近地铁2号线南京西路站4号出口

40. Portuguese egg tarts (蛋挞)

We love Portuguese style egg tarts, and in Shanghai, Lillian Cake Shop is synonymous with this eternally popular pastry. And with the motto: "We probably have the best egg tarts in town," who can resist this sweet treat? Lillian does consistently tasty Portuguese style egg tarts with soft, flaky crusts and a filling just like crême brûlée. They fly off the shelves after 5pm during rush hour. Plus, they seem to be present on every busy downtown corner (the cause of Shanghai's eternal traffic jams or sweet relief? Something we'll continue to ponder).
Try: Lillian Cake Shop, multiple locations, 988 Nanjing Xi Lu 南京西路988号, +86 21 6218 9680

Noodle Eater’s Hair Guard

2011-04-05T17:33:00.001+10:00

by edwin on January 18, 2009

Those who have long hair and a penchant for noodles will definitely find the Noodle Eater's Hair Guard to come in handy the next time they tuck into a bowl of ramen or udon. After all, instead of taking the obviously easier way out of tying one's hair or putting them in a hair net, why not make yourself look silly with the Noodle Eater's Hair Guard? Granted, it does its job well but the person(s) who created it might as well throw in a small fan at the top so that those hot clumps of noodles picked up by the chopsticks can be cooled down lest you burn your tongue. It's been around for a while now, surprisingly.

On the hunt for Macau's lesser-known restaurants

2011-04-01T14:18:00.001+11:00

One man seeks the best giri giri chicken, Brazilian beans and rice and alternatives to Lord Stow's in the former Portuguese colony

By Christopher Cottrell 30 March, 2011

Take it easy and grab a bite off the tourist paths in Macau. Photo from hern42 on Flickr.

I was on a hunt for fufu rice in Macau, but the good West African restaurant I knew had vanished.

I shouldn't have been surprised given that the restaurant was located on the bottom level of an abandoned shopping mall in northern Macau.

Run by a few guys from Angola, it had served a delicious yam and cassava fufu rice mash that added to Macau's post-colonial palate and recalled flavors of the once mighty Portuguese empire.

Like many of the disappearing flavors of old Macau, I would have to search harder to find my fufu rice fix.

African fix

Its kitsch and delicious at AfriKana.

So I went to the AfriKana restaurant and bar at the boardwalk empire of Fisherman's Wharf, figuring it must serve up some sort of fufu rice.

Turned out AfriKana has been transformed into an evening bar with a menu of all manners of meals. At least the giri giri chicken, kitsch thatched huts and open air ambience remains.

Nevertheless, with fresh barbecue and beers, AfriKana remains the best African restaurant in Macau, recalling the days when Cape Verde, Mozambique and Angola were under one Portuguese roof, together with Macau, Brazil, Goa, India, Malacca, Malaysia and East Timor.

AfriKana, Macau Fisherman's Wharf, Avenida da Amizade, Macau peninsula; tel. +853 8299 3678; Sunday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-2 a.m.; Friday-Saturday and public holidays, 5 p.m.-4 a.m.

Beef ball soup success

Pepperoncini's are the perfect topping for beef ball soup.

Frustrated without fufu, I left Fisherman's Wharf in search of a simple yet Macanese treat. Beef ball soup served in chicken broth with thin noodles and topped with pepperoncinis.

Just a block away from the MGM on the corner of Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpcao and Avenida Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, I found my prized pepperoncini and beef ball soup at Sopa De Fitas E Café I Kuong Chiu Fok.

I found the simple eatery -- metal tables, neon lighting, no-frills decor -- under new management and changing its name from Sopa De Fitas E Café I Kuong Chiu Fok to ... what?

A young waiter with a gold chain on his neck wasn't sure what the new name would be, but he assured me the glass jars of pepperoncinis would stay.

The spicy beef balls and noodles made a delicious meal for just 13 patacas. For the sake of my tastebuds, I hope this place has staying power.

Sopa De Fitas E Café I Kuong Chiu Fok, G/F, corner of Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpcao and Avenida Dr. Sun Yat-Sen; tel. +853 6274 8221; 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.

Struggling Brazilian

Owner of Yes Brazil, Maria Jesus knows how difficult it is to maintain a restaurant in Macau. A native of Brazil, her authentic restaurant is a stone's throw down the hill from the iconic St. Paul's ruins.

"The rents are getting higher and higher," Jesus told me. "I am surviving, but barely."

Her daily rice, vegetable and meat dishes, however, draw in a regular Portuguese crowd, plus curious tourists on their ways to the St. Paul's ruins and Fortaleza history museum.

Her caipirinhas are the best in Macau, but must be ordered in advance so that she can procure the potent cachaca.

While local Brazilians rave about the Brazilian restaurant Fogosamba's churrasco at The Venetian, Jesus retains the soul of Macau's Latin American with her small Yes establishment.

There's more soulful Brazilian dining in a tiny courtyard behind the St. Francis Xavier church in Coloane Village.

Local popularity

"Kiu Kai," said a wizened woman with a broad grin when I asked about the Cantonese name of a restaurant I found where the streets barely have names.

To get to this nondescript place, I wandered up the tiny alley Travessa Da Igreja just next to St. Francis Xavier church. Turning right at the end of the alley at the Rua Do Meio and the Travessa da Pipa, I found a little place immediately on the left.

The humble "Kiu Kai" restaurant offered alfresco dining next to an outdoor preparation board with a cooker inside a small room. I was told the macaroni pork chop soup with tomatoes is an instant hangover cure and that the place is popular with locals, seldom tourists.

Estabelecimento de Bebidas Kiu Kai (Cantonese nickname "Kiu Kai"), Travesa da Pipa, Coloane Village; tel. +853 2888 2139; Daily, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. Closed on public holidays.

Baked Macanese

Mussels baked with mashed potato.

If you want to muscle in on more hearty Macanese mains, consider the fresh mussels at Estabelecimento de Comidas Man Lei Cheong Seng.

I found it just up the road from the A-ma temple on the Macau peninsula. For 68 patacas, the mussels came stuffed with mashed potatoes. They were topped with parmesan, baked so the potatoes are slightly crisp, and served on a hot iron plate.

Other stunning plates here included baked bacalhau codfish with mashed potatoes and baked pork chops with cheese.

Estabelecimento de Comidas Man Lei Cheong Seng, Calcada da Barra, 17-19, Macau peninsula; tel. +853 2855 8355; Noon-3 p.m. and 6-11:30 p.m.

Proper dessert

My trip could end at only one place -- Lord Stow's bakery, for a proper Macanese dessert of egg tarts. In Coloane village, I had three locations to choose from and opted for the one in Coloane town square. Walking by the riverside, I savored the tart's sweetness and crisp crust.

Lord Stow's, 1 Rua da Tassara, Coloane Town Square; tel. +853 2888 2534; Daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Of course, many Macanese might contend that the best desserts are not to be had at Lord Stow's, which has become tremendously touristy.

The popular alleyway cafe, pastelaria and restaurant Caravela rests in the shadow of Dr. Stanley Ho's Grand Lisboa casino. It is where many of the resident Portuguese community congregate for toasta mista ham cheese sandwiches, espresso, red wine and desserts. Plus gossip galore.

Caravela Café Pastelaria Restaurante, Patio Cmdt. Magta e Oliveira Number 7, Macau peninsula; tel. +853 2871 2080; Daily, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sydney's Wafu 'sushi nazi' serves diners a raw deal

2011-04-01T14:09:00.001+11:00

ECGMA says: Sure, members only but now with the nuclear issue in Japan, how many of these members will be queuing to get in, eh?

Fed up with diners not finishing their food, this Surry Hills restaurant denies entry to new customers. And us

By Janine Israel 31 March, 2011

The closest you will probably get to Wafu's food. Perhaps. We didn't get to see it, so stuck up this file photo instead.

It's the most exclusive restaurant in Sydney. While a meal won't set you back much more than $30, only an elite few are privy to its organic, home-style Japanese fare.

If you're not already a "member" of Wafu restaurant in Surry Hills, or if chef Yukako Ichikawa is not in a conciliatory mood or doesn't like the look of you, then forget it. Say "sayonara" and take your appetite around the corner to Matsuri -- her ex-husband's restaurant with a far more embracing door policy.

Sydney's "sushi Nazi" established her formidable reputation a year ago. Fed up with the excessive food waste generated by picky or non-hungry diners, she began offering a 30-percent discount to those who finished their meals.

She then offered "membership" to customers who polished off everything on their plates (lemon slices, gari and wasabi excluded). Those who failed to finish their food were told not to return.

A year on, it seems Wafu's "policies" -- displayed on the Cleveland Street restaurant's front window and pictured below -- have become even more authoritarian.

When I visited Sydney's Wafu recently for dinner, despite there being only five customers in the 30-seat restaurant, a large sign on the door stated, "Do not come in!!! Wafu club members only!"

How to get in

Becoming a member at Wafu is no easy feat.

First-timers are advised to turn up with an existing member. Even then, service is not guaranteed.

Two females were turned away by a flustered Ichikawa because one of the women had forgotten her membership number.

First-timers are advised to turn up with an existing member. Even then, service is not guaranteed.

For those without friends in high places, getting a seat is even trickier.

The policy on Wafu's website advises that if you come as "only two people" you might get served.

First-time patrons are also advised to arrive "hungry, as Wafu is a place to eat –- it is not a café to simply chitchat." Also, to bring "a sturdy reusable container" to take home any leftovers.

Trying our luck

Despite not being a member, I had adhered to all the rules -- we arrived with just one other person, a raging appetite and a suitable plastic container.

So we decided to try our luck.

First, we asked one of the five diners if she could pretend she was our friend.

She refused, saying that lying could jeopardize her membership and her reputation as a good, compliant customer. She suggested, however, we ask Ichikawa about her cooking classes as a way of breaking the ice.

Heeding her advice, we waited at the counter until Ichikawa acknowledged our presence.

"I'm interested in your Sunday cooking classes," I nervously explained.

Ichikawa's face lit up. "Send me an email," she replied courteously.

"And I'd really love to eat here as well," I added hopefully. Perhaps a little too desperately.

Ichikawa's smile dropped and her voice rose.

"At the moment I can't take any more members. I can't waste any more of my time explaining my policy," she said.

And with that, we left, walking dejectedly around the corner to her ex-husband's restaurant on Crown Street.

The place was packed, thanks to the steady stream of Wafu refugees -- including those two ousted females lacking a membership number -- who were busy drowning their rejection in bowls of steaming miso soup.

getting there

Wafu
460 Cleveland St.
Surry Hills NSW 2010
tel. +61 (0)2 9319 1880
wafu.com.au

Singapore’s top 5 new hawker food spots

2011-03-29T19:32:00.001+11:00

Call them hawker centers, call them food courts: Singapore's culinary circuses put the awe in gourmet

By Sally Q 28 March, 2011

The surroundings may have changed but the food remains yummy.

Singapore's hawker centers were once wet, dirty and dim shelters crammed with all forms of street food.

As the country took on a more modern face, its food spots followed suit, with many of the island's hawker centers upgrading or moving indoors in the 1990s to air-conditioned food courts.

While foodies bemoaned the loss of authenticity, diners with delicate constitutions and wary of reusable cutlery cheered.

Years on, hawker centers -- or food courts -- are a vital part of life and the undisputed source of Singapore's best food.

As the Little Red Dot adds celebrity chef eateries to its dining scene, these five swish, new food courts -- or hawker centers -- are making sure people remember that Singapore's street food is here to stay.

Remember this old favorite? Now you can get your mouth around an ice ball again at Singapore Food Trail.

Singapore Food Trail

In the 1960s hawkers were simply cooks with wooden pushcarts who perched at the roadside or in front of shophouses.

They set up tables beside their carts, used a Milo tin for a till and served soft drinks in bottles; and kacang puteh (local snack of mixed nuts) was packed right on the spot, in a paper cone assembled by the kacang puteh man.

All these can still be found, at the Singapore Food Trail -- a 12-stall, five-kiosk, three-cart, 800-seat, 1960s-themed hawker conglomeration.

Harking back to pre- and early independence days are stalls from all over: satay bee hoon from Old Airport Road, nasi lemak from Selera's at Adam Road, Hainanese chicken rice from Ah Huat at Bugis Street and the revered High Street Tai Wah pork noodles.

The setting is no less kitsch than its counterparts on this list (we're looking at you, Food Republic Beer Garden) and true to their theme toilets are not on the premises -- you have to head next door to the Singapore Flyer.

Fortunately there are three washbasins, so you can keep those hands clean and stomach bug free.

USP: Bring back the 1960s, arguably Singapore's most exciting era.

Level 1, Singapore Flyer, 30 Raffles Avenue. Sunday-Thursday 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.

Even if the live entertainment sucks at Food Republic - Beer Garden, you won't lose your appetite when you can get a whiff of freshly cooked oyster omelet.

Food Republic - Beer Garden

The junior member of the Breadtalk-owned franchise is a beer garden in St. James Power Station's car park.

What it lacks in size (a shoebox compared to the other four locations), it makes up with fanfare.

Within this cozy area is a decent attempt at re-enacting the charm of yesteryear: bird cages strung in between lamp posts, antique bicycles, old-fashioned pushcarts with tarpaulin tops, kiosks and truck stalls.

Of the 19 operators, the beef tripe satay from former Lau Pa Sat stall Satay Power and ngoh hiang (five-spice meat roll) from Zhong Zhong Fine Spices are definite crowd-pleasers.

But the biggest draw has to be the Street Bar -- it has a full selection of local and international beer, spirits, wines and even the Singapore Sling.

Sway -- or not -- to the live performances by artists from the St. James troupe. You can't deny this gives the Singapore Food Trail a run for its money.

USP: Call it nostalgia eatertainment, the spot makes a good attempt to revive the old days of food streets, giving it a lift with the live entertainment element.

St. James Power Startion, 3 Sentosa Gateway. Open daily 6 p.m. till late.

The breakfast of many locals ... yesterday, today and tomorrow. Slurp down a bowl of beancurd at Food Republic - VivoCity.

Food Republic – VivoCity

Another Food Republic brainchild, VivoCity takes us back to the first half of the 20th century with its décor: aged wooden beams and roof shingles shelter suspended bicycles and bird cages.

Nestled within the 900-seat atrium is the structure of a Hakka house, and a Chinese sedan chair, wooden carriage and horse trough. Even the baby chairs are old-style.

Don't expect the food to date back to those times: perhaps only the Lau Di Fang Scissors-cut Curry Rice (originally at Jalan Besar in the 1920s) and the Lau Dai Hua Minced Pork Noodles (Hill Street Food Centre from 1932 to 1986) can claim to have experienced the era this food court was modeled on.

Other stalls to look out for: Sergeant Chicken Rice, started up by one of the original Mandarin Hotel Chatterbox chefs, Kiang Joon Toh; and Thye Hong Fried Hokkien Mee Fried Noodle, formerly found at Newton Circus.

USP: The retro décor and the dim sum carts propelled around the food court … fantastic news for lazy foodies

Level 3 VivoCity, 1 Harborfront Walk. Open Monday-Thursday and Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

It will cost you a bit more for your plate of nasi padang at Food Opera but it will be worth it.

Food Opera

The third, and last, of the Food Republic branches to be included in this line-up adheres to an opera house theme -- a structure that, in this case, is a contemporary refuge for specialty local dishes.

The famous Scotts Beef Noodles found a home in this modern art-museum-like space, as did local tze char mavens Fatty Weng Restaurant and Ah Wok Restaurant, fan-loved Yong Heng Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles and highly regarded Hong Kong dim sum house Luk Yu Teahouse and Restaurant.

Local artist Chen You Bing's two mythical animal sculptures displayed in the middle of the atrium might take some getting used to, so will the 700 clear, black and purple acrylic chairs, the ornate chandeliers and life-sized driftwood horse by British sculptor Heather Jansch.

But the 25 stalls hold their own; where else on Orchard Road hosts a congregation of street food spots so established they've decided to go against the flow and branch out into food stalls, in such modern setting nonetheless?

USP: Orchard Road is hardly a food mecca, so this is about as close as it gets.

Basement 4, Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn. Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays 8 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

The kachang puteh man: An old favorite revived at Rasapura Masters.

Rasapura Masters

As food courts go, this one's really hit the big time.

It's not just its location in Marina Bay Sands (the classier of the two casinos) or the court's massive girth; it's also that this 24-hour "taste-city ("Rasa-pura") food court has got an ice-skating rink, theaters and celebrity chef restaurants as its neighbors.

You are who you're next to, right? But has street food really gone high class? Not quite.

Sure, modern Indian fine dining restaurant Song of India's only food stall is located here, but a stall by any other name is still a stall.

As Song of India moves a step down to catering to the masses, stalls of local food institutions like Lau Di Fang, Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh and Sin Kee Famous Chicken Rice have stepped up.

All 24 stalls have met on this middle ground, except probably where pricing is concerned -- a plate of nasi padang could set you back a whopping S$13.30.

Cringe all you want; it's still way cheaper than going to the neighbors.

USP: Call it the food court of the high-rollers, when all the fancy celeb chef creations have been consumed, hunker down to some real food, Singapore style.

Canal Level, Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave. Open 24 hours.

Guilin beer fish, stuffed snails and snakehead hot pot

2011-03-15T03:07:00.000+11:00

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=466139

Guilin beer fish, stuffed snails and snakehead hot pot
March 14, 2011: 12:00 AM

Xu Wei

GUILIN City in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region not only offers stunning natural scenery but also a "sour spicy" adventure in eating.

Because of the humid and wet weather, pepper is a must on the menus in Guangxi, just like in its nearby Sichuan and Hunan provinces.

Unlike the hot spicy "tongue-numbing" Sichuan dishes and the "dry spicy" Hunan dishes, Guangxi cooking has a fresh aroma and a "sour spicy" flavor.

My four-day vacation in Guilin was the best tour I ever had in terms of the wide variety of fresh, delicious and nutritious food and delicacies. Much of it cannot be found in a metropolis like Shanghai.

The Lijiang River is abundant with fish, shrimp, crabs and snails. It was said that late Chairman Mao Zedong loved the Wuchang fish, a specialty of Hubei Province, while late Premier Zhou Enlai favored the fish from the Lijiang River.

Following the recommendation of locals, I chose the Jinlongzhai Restaurant in Guilin for its authentic dishes.

Since the rivers in the region are crystal clear and unpolluted, fish comprises a large part of the local diet. I ordered the Jiangu fish fresh from the river - in other parts of China it is commercially raised.

The steamed fish was tasty and tender, lightly flavored, accompanied by a sour and spicy sauce.

The fish bones are not a problem; they are very few and tiny, but still not edible.

River snails with pork stuffing is popular. The snails of Guilin are big and meaty, cooked with shallots, pepper, ginger and the famous sanhua (literally "three flowers") rice wine of Guilin. The wild snail meat is tender and more fragrant than that of commercially raised snails.

Although Guilin rice noodles are available in Shanghai, the authentic noodles in Guilin taste more delicate and rich. They are made from rice flour and oil. Cooked in broth, they are served in a bowl of soup made from pork, garlic, peanuts, peppers and radishes. Pickles and condiments can be added.

That dinner was superb, and there were more pleasures to come on my following two-day trip to nearby Yangshuo, an ancient town only an hour's drive from Guilin.

There are two famous dishes that should not be missed: the beer fish and the ban yu (snakehead fish) hot pot. Both are easily found in restaurants along West Street, a shopping and dining area that attracts many foreigners.

Beer fish is a household dish. The Lijiang River fish is braised in local beer with fresh vegetables and green and red peppers. Beer fish in other cities doesn't taste the same.

My favorite dish was the hot pot made with snakehead fish. As a hot pot enthusiast, I have tried many different types of hot pot and this ranks among the very best.

The Fugui Pavilion restaurant on West Street is well known for this hot pot. A snakehead, which weighs 1-2 kilograms, can be made into around 10 dishes of semi-transparent fillet to be cooked in the hot pot. The crispy-cooked and nutritious skin is served as an appetizer with chili sauce and shallots. The dipping sauce containing vinegar, fresh chilies, shallots and garlic is the best hot pot seasoning I have tasted. It's a little sweet, sour and spicy, highlighting but not overwhelming the flavor of the fish.

I added local wild plants to the hot pot of milk-colored fish soup for a delicious and nutritious meal.

Guilin is famous for its "three treasures" widely used in cooking - chilies, pickled tofu and sanhua rice wine. The wine has a history of more than 1,000 years.

The city offers many unique snacks, such as Guilin sour pickles and luohanguo (monk's fruit) tea.

Savory Guilin sour pickles include many kinds of salted and sour vegetables such as peppers, radishes, sauerkraut, sour beans, bamboo shoots and root mustard.

Luohanguo tea is a favorite of locals. The special fruit grown primarily in Guangxi is sugar-free but tastes sweet and is very fragrant.

Containing all kinds of trace elements, the tea is used in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of treatments. It is said to moisten the lungs, detoxify the liver, get rid of phlegm and work as a laxative and general detoxifier.

Although the fruit is around 300 times as sweet as sucrose, it is the preferred natural sweetener for diabetics, people with hypertension and overweight patients.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Cooking Thai: 5 basic ingredients that can be used in hundreds of dishes

2011-03-13T18:22:00.001+11:00

Marinades, sauces, dressings and pastes. Like cookie dough, these Thai basics can be used in countless ways

By Leela Punyaratabandhu 8 March, 2011

Falling in love with Thai food? That's easy. People the world over do just that on an hourly basis.

But getting the flavor nuances of your favorite Thai dishes just right, especially when you're first starting out, is more tricky. The complexity of the cuisine -- perceived or actual –- can be quite intimidating.

While it's natural to go after Thai recipes labeled "quick" or "easy," it doesn't take long to find out that "quick" doesn't always mean "easy," and "easy" doesn't always imply a short list of commonly-found ingredients.

So what's a newbie chef to do?

Just as it's more efficient to master one basic cookie dough recipe that leads to countless variations through different add-ins and flavoring agents, beginners can also learn some basic components used in Thai cuisine -- each of which leads to hundreds of different dishes.

Here are five ingredients found in countless Thai meals that deliver a lot of bang for your buck.

They can help ease you into Thai cooking, and will prepare you for a more advanced stage of your culinary journey where your palate becomes more accustomed to how Thai food tastes and your skill is solid enough to help you further refine your creations.

1. Basic Thai meat marinade

Grilled baby back ribs, marinated in fish sauce, palm sugar, and the basic marinade paste.

This marinade paste is the key ingredient in several meat-based dishes. To make it, pound into a smooth paste two parts peeled garlic cloves, two parts chopped fresh coriander roots (or stems, if the roots are not available) and one part whole white peppercorns.

This master paste is the essential ingredient in many well-known dishes: grilled skewered pork (Mu Ping), grilled chicken (Kai Yang), pepper-garlic pork (Mu Thot Kra Tiam Prik Thai), and even the famous Thai-style fried chicken (Kai Thot).

Different recipes call for additional seasonings, such as fish sauce, palm sugar, oyster sauce or soy sauce, in varying amounts. Invariably, this paste serves as the foundation for all of them.

2. Basic spicy salad (yam) dressing

Grilled shrimp and green mango salad dressed with the basic dressing and topped with roasted cashews.

The bare-bones version of Thai spicy salad dressing comprises three main ingredients: fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh chilies. The standard formula is one part fish sauce, 1.5 parts lime juice, plus how ever many chilies you can cope with.

A pinch of sugar is often added to round out the flavor, but it's optional. This basic dressing works with countless combinations of ingredients and serves as the main component of dishes such as glass noodle salad (Yam Wun Sen), and seafood salad (Yam Ta Le).

Add some toasted rice powder and use dried red pepper flakes in lieu of fresh chilies, and you end up with a very basic dressing for various Isaan meat salads such as Lap and Nam Tok.

To make a basic dipping sauce for grilled or steamed seafood (Nam Jim Ahan Ta Le), just add fresh garlic to the basic dressing and purée it.

Adjust the quantities when you deal with ingredients that are naturally sour, sweet, or salty. The fish sauce:lime juice ratio will need to be tweaked accordingly.

3. Thai chili jam (Nam Prik Pao)

Thai chili jam (Nam Prik Pao),

Many ingredients are rolled up into this intensely flavorful and extremely versatile paste which is generally regarded as a secret ingredient at Thai restaurants.

Thai chili jam is used as a dip, a relish, a bread spread; it can also be used to accent a stir-fry or a salad, resulting in a variation of the same dish that has a more smoky and complex flavor.

Commercial Nam Prik Pao from the supermarket is your ally as you inch your way towards a more advanced stage of Thai cooking competency.

Click here for a full explanation of this essential Thai ingredient.

4. Red curry paste

Poached jumbo shrimp in red curry sauce.

This is perhaps one of the most loved and the most versatile composite ingredients in Thai cuisine.

Fry up some store-bought red curry paste with the first and most concentrated extraction of coconut milk for an easy curry sauce, then add your favorite meat and vegetables to the curry mixture. Season with fish sauce.

Liven up the whole dish with a handful of fresh basil towards the end. Be creative with meat and vegetable combinations. Hundreds of permutations can be created out of this simple curry sauce.

5. Sweetened coconut cream

Mock pomegranate seeds (Tap Tim Grop) in basic sweet coconut cream.

This is as simple as diluting coconut milk to a desired consistency and sweetening it by heating it up with either white or palm sugar until the sugar dissolves.

The amount of sugar is dictated by individual taste. Add a tiny pinch of salt to round out the flavor and you're on your way.

Sweetened coconut cream forms the base of both warm and cold desserts such as bananas in coconut cream (Kluai Buat Chi), pumpkin in coconut cream (Fak Thong Kaeng Buat), mock pomegranate seeds in coconut cream (Tap Tim Grop), and several more.

After having spent years studying ancient inscriptions, Leela recently came to realize that she would rather write about food than decipher old chicken scratch.

Mumbai’s most 'dangerous' dinners

2011-03-09T04:23:00.001+11:00

Mumbai's most 'dangerous' dinners

Mumbai's southeast corner became a hangout for the underworld in the 1980s -- and also home to some mean dishes. It would be a crime not to dine in these restaurants

By Sanjiv Khamgaonkar 8 March, 2011

Shammi kebabs are grilled on the footpath at Noor Mohammadi's.

As the financial and entertainment capital of India, it should be no surprise that Mumbai attracts a fair share of criminals. Gangs battle for dominance using the same tools as gangsters everywhere: extortion, money laundering, prostitution, drugs, financial fraud and arms trafficking.

Mob crime in Mumbai spiraled out of control in the late 1980s.

Any activity that generated money was fair game. Industrialists and builders were easy pickings. Pay up or die was the message.

Some danced to their tune. For others, especially the film industry, it became a symbiotic relationship. The gangs and their feats inspired movies.

And in turn the success of these movies inspired the gangs to get their pound of the pie from filmmakers.

Interiors, Sarvi. When I asked who the owner was, the guy at the counter pointed at his picture high up on one column. His descendants don't seem to want to be identified.

Considering all the major gangs had a free communal eating place or a 'handi' in their strongholds for their members, it wasn't long before several 'dons' took a fancy to the restaurant business.

A series of unfortunate events in the early 1990s and the public outcry thereafter spurred the Mumbai Police into a revamped and rearmed force which began to answer bullet for bullet.

The big dons -- Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan -- fled the country. And it scarred the rest for life.

Arun Gawli, now elected to the state assembly, who describes himself as a former Mafia don, sees himself as a virtual prisoner in his own mansion, living behind a phalanx of armed guards, CCTV and four separate locked gates, out of fear of what he calls "police contract killings."

As if the police crackdown wasn't enough, the world financial meltdown last year troubled the underworld too. Shootouts, extortion calls and contract killings in Mumbai almost came to a halt in early 2010.

It had been hit by what other industries call a "slowdown."

Today, Mumbai ranks as one of the safest large metropolitan regions in the world.

And the area in the southeast part of the city, roughly from Mumbai Central to the Docklands, which was and still is a hangout for the foot soldiers and the dons, is the focus of my culinary journey.

So roll up your sleeves, splash yourself with hand sanitizer and get ready for a feast in the dons' lairs. Don't be surprised if you find yourself sharing a table with some rough looking characters.

After all, good food is not the monopoly of those who walk the straight path.

Sarvi

184/196 Dimtimkar Road, Opposite Nagpada Police Station, Nagpada Junction, Byculla West; +91 98 3353 3305. Open 9:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.

No signboard at the entrance. A small piece of paper with a rubber stamp of some other entity is passed off as the bill.

A "that's not important" answer by the man at the counter when asked to divulge the name of the current owner. This 97-year-old eatery tries hard to be incognito.

But their food shouts out.

All you chefs who run fancy restaurants, hang your heads in shame -- the kebabs are some of the best I've eaten anywhere. They are not drowned with spices, just lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and a hint of mint.

You can taste the meat. Soft and it melts in the mouth, the kebabs could pass off as galoutis (extra soft kebabs first created for a toothless Nawab of Awadh, a former kingdom in North India). And remember, when we say meat here, it is beef.

Sarvi has other signature dishes too.

The bheja masala fry (brain fried with spices) in a subtle gravy is superior. Wonderfully deceptive in appearance, the masoor (lentil) pulao hides generous amounts of spiced kheema (minced meat).

The food is mildly spiced and not greasy and that is a good thing.

In general, the food is far more sophisticated than I'd expected.

Simple marble top tables, peeling paint and a high ceiling are all the décor you can expect. They cook their kebabs by the windowsill, cleverly seducing passers-by with the aroma of grilling meat.

And true to form, the man at the counter refused to part with any recipe. Adds to the mystique of the place, certainly.

Exterior, Sarvi. Now where's the name board? They are so famous they don't need one.

Kebabs being grilled by the windowsill at Sarvi. The aromas fill the street outside and draw customers in.

Noor Mohammadi

179, Wazir Building, Abdul Hakim Noor Mohammadi Chowk, Bhendi Bazaar; +91 (0) 22 2347 6188. Open 8 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. Cash only.

A huge goat catching an afternoon nap blocks the entrance. As I walk past, not wanting to wake the beast, I see a man slouched over a large tawa frying mince patties.

A large menu in Hindi and Urdu dominates the small place. Friendly wait staff recommend the specialties of the house.

The nalli nihari (mutton shanks) arrives and one bite of the soft and tender meat in a rich gravy of marrow mopped up with a crisp roti and you know it's in quite a different league.

Rich, greasy, cooked with lard and steeped in spices, it explodes with flavor. Though a traditional breakfast dish, popular demand has extended its availability till noon.

Next up, the Sanju Baba chicken -- named after a film star (Sanjay Dutt) whose recipe it is supposed to be. Drowned in oil and of an indeterminate flavor, I wouldn't recommend it.

The chicken white biryani, on the other hand, is rich and tasty and unlike any biryani I've eaten. The ghee dal (yellow lentils cooked with clarified butter) is just what it says it is -- generous helpings of ghee added to the yellow dal and topped with more ghee -- sinfully tasty.

Started in 1923, the third generation of the Noor Mohammadi clan now runs the place. And thankfully, the interaction of meat with grease continues.

Noor Mohammadi's big menu board. A problem if you can't read either Hindi or Urdu.

Noor Mohammadi's nalli nihari is a hearty breakfast meal that can keep you going for a long time.

Radio Restaurant

10, Musafir Khana, Palton Road. +91 (0) 22 2261 7171. Open 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Cash only.

Situated down a narrow lane with hawkers on both sides, you could easily mistake the place for a waiting room of a railway station. Old fans rotate crankily, ancient furniture sits next to gaudy sun mica furbished ones.

The extremely high ceilings echo with orders shouted out by waiters. And on a busy day, as many as 8,000 people leave satiated.

The hit dish here is called murg Taliban. You heard that right. Taliban. Small cuts of chicken marinated in a green chutney and stir fried with a rich cashew based gravy.

It was heavy, but nice in a once-in-a-while kind of way.

Their mutton kheema was outstanding. And in places like this, you can ask them to top it off with a fried egg, sunny side up.

Truly wicked and truly yummy. And if you ask them for a ghotala, they will scramble an egg in.

The seekh kebabs were good but not as juicy as the ones at Sarvi. Their bheja fry had a tomato twist to it, and you must wash it all down with a nourishing paya soup (trotters).

The owner, Mohammed Jabir, supervises the operations much like a stationmaster would. And he's got a big responsibility -- he has to keep the kitchen fires going, which were first lit in 1935.

The cavernous interiors of Radio Restaurant.

Murg Taliban, the most popular dish at Radio Restaurant. An arresting name in these times!

Delhi Durbar

197, Corner of Grant Road, Kamathipura; +91 (0) 22 2387 5656. Open 11:30 a.m.-1:30 a.m. Credit Cards accepted.

Tell any taxi driver you want to go to Delhi Durbar at Kamathipura and he'll take you there. And maybe even join you for a meal. That's how popular this place is.

Comparatively young among the pack, (it's only been around for 37 years), Delhi Durbar still stands on its own when it comes to good food.

Among their memorable dishes, I would definitely count the raan sikandari. A whole leg of young baby lamb marinated in a lightly spiced masala, mixed with yogurt and grilled in the tandoor to perfection.

Crisp on the outside, the leg yields tender succulent meat as you dig in.

Another favorite of mine here is the butter chicken. It's a little tangier than what is served elsewhere and crisp rotis seem to vanish when you dip it into the gravy.

The same thing happens when you order their dabba ghosht. A rich dish, they use a lot of cashew in this stew-like mutton dish garnished with salli (thin slivers of fried potato).

The owner, Jaffer Bhai, sums up his philosophy on food this way: "Only when you can be generous and large-hearted towards others with food will you really enjoy eating yourself."

The original Delhi Durbar signage. They've modernized the look of the logo to go with the times.

Sikandari raan at Delhi Durbar. A winner all the way.

Writer, filmmaker, foodie, and digital artist. Currently working on my first 'Bollywood' feature film.

It’s easier to get a table at Tetsuya’s, but now you’ll need your passport

2011-03-07T05:01:00.001+11:00

It's easier to get a table at Tetsuya's, but now you'll need your passport

March 6th, 2011 | Author: Online Press

AT $310 a person plus wine, it's up there with the world's most expensive dining experiences but chef Tetsuya Wakuda has no shortage of customers at his new Singapore restaurant.

To the Sydney chef's amazement, the reservations book at Waku Ghin includes many Australians, especially from Perth, who are travelling especially to eat at the 25-seater.

Diners include the former Singapore prime minster Lee Kuan Yew and his Prime Minister son Lee Hsien Loong. Some regulars visit three or four times weekly.

They have a radically different dining experience to Wakuda's Sydney restaurant, Tetsuya's. Every savoury dish on the 10-course menu is cooked in front of the diner in one of four small dining rooms.

It took seven years to persuade Wakuda to open in Singapore.

At 743 square metres, the space was far larger than anything he wanted. More than that, Australia's most celebrated chef was happy running just one restaurant, in Sydney.

But the owners of Singapore's new $US5.7 billion casino complex Marina Bay Sands were never going to take no for an answer. Finally, he relented but on his terms. Waku Ghin seats just 25 diners with two sittings a night. "That's 50 people every day … more than enough," said Wakuda.

The extensive use of curved walls and small dining rooms disguises the large floorspace.

And for the man who loves kitchen equipment almost as much as the food prepared, much was designed by Wakuda.

Before opening, Wakuda visited Singapore "hundreds of times", but even he is taken aback by the locals' enthusiasm.

"Their passion for eating is incredible. It's a national sport. They just love to eat … It's obsessional almost."

In the kitchen "Singapore is a different challenge [to Sydney]".

"The produce is amazing. You pay for it, however; it's extremely expensive. Everything has to be imported and and while European is OK, Japanese is expensive and, as I am Japanese, people expect it. They expect Japanese seafood. They ask if it's local and if it is they say 'I don't want that'."

Like their capacity to eat, Singaporians' capacity to spend knows almost no bounds. The restaurant uses three kilograms of caviar a week.

by SUE BENNETT

* The author travelled courtesy of Marina Bay Sands.

Shop to make breast milk ice cream | Reuters.com

2011-03-04T03:43:00.000+11:00

http://us.mobile.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE71N4GB20110225?ca=rns&feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&rpc=rns

ODDLY ENOUGH
Shop to make breast milk ice cream
Fri, Feb 25 13:56 PM EST
LONDON (Reuters) - A specialist ice cream parlor plans to serve up breast milk ice cream and says people should think of it as an organic, free-range treat.

The breast milk concoction, called the "Baby Gaga," will be available from Friday at the Icecreamists restaurant in London's Covent Garden.

Icecreamists founder Matt O'Connor was confident his take on the "miracle of motherhood" and priced at a hefty 14 pounds ($23) a serving will go down a treat with the paying public.

The breast milk was provided by mothers who answered an advertisement on online mothers' forum Mumsnet.

Victoria Hiley, 35, from London was one of 15 women who donated milk to the restaurant after seeing the advert.

Hiley works with women who have problems breast-feeding their babies. She said she believes that if adults realized how tasty breast milk actually is, then new mothers would be more willing to breast-feed their own newborns.

"What could be more natural than fresh, free-range mother's milk in an ice cream? And for me it's a recession beater too -- what's the harm in using my assets for a bit of extra cash," Hiley said in a statement.

"I tried the product for the first time today -- it's very nice, it really melts in the mouth."

The Baby Gaga recipe blends breast milk with Madagascan vanilla pods and lemon zest, which is then churned into ice cream.

O'Connor said the Baby Gaga was just one of a dozen radical new flavors at the shop.

"Some people will hear about it and go, 'yuck' but actually it's pure, organic, free-range and totally natural," he said. "I had a Baby Gaga just this morning and I feel great."
Sent by Maxis from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Shop to make breast milk ice cream | Reuters.com

2011-03-04T03:22:00.000+11:00

Hunting for Bangkok’s hidden dining greats

2011-03-02T19:53:00.001+11:00

A CNNGo reader shares three of his favorite lesser-known Bangkok restaurants, which he discovered with the help of in-the-know locals

By Michael Hoyt 1 March, 2011

Bangkok is a city full of fantastic food, but most of its true great restaurants are difficult to find. That's because they're located slightly off the beaten path and known only to the locals.

Armed with the ability to read Thai and some cooperative Thai friends, I have come across some wonderful places to eat. Here are a few of my favorites.

Ran Arhan Jaan Diaw

In the shadows of MBK, Ran Gan Ahan Jaan Diaw is a favorite among Chulalongkorn University students. Open late to accommodate the students, this is a great option after a night out on the town. Serving an extensive menu of classic Thai food, it's guaranteed to leave you satisfied.

Best Dishes: For starters, you can order pad prik Thai tam talay (vegetables, peppers and seafood). Large dishes are 70 baht. Small dishes served with rice are 30-45 baht.

Chula Saca 2. Tel: +65 (0)85 165 2183. Open daily, evenings till late. Menu: Thai

Rod Dee Det

Rod Dee Det is a favorite among Thais wanting a quick eat, meaning it could be difficult to find a seat during regular eating hours. The chicken stew is well worth the wait; you'll probably want more than just one serving.

Its prime location in Siam Square makes it a great place to eat either before a movie or during a day of shopping.

Best Dishes: Chinese-style beef stew with rice, 30 baht. Chicken stew and rice, 30 baht.

Siam Square Soi 7. Open daily, lunch and dinner. Menu: English, Thai

Ran Kuay Jap Nai Ake

Located in the heart of Chinatown, this popular eatery specializes in quick and easy Thai-Chinese food. Its location makes it a perfect place to eat while exploring temples and searching for market deals.

Best Dishes: Kuay jap, 40 baht. The place is named after it! Crispy pork, ground pork and white noodles in broth.

Yaowrarat 9 (right next to the sign). Open daily, lunch and dinner. Menu: English, Thai

About the author: Michael Hoyt has lived in Thailand for the past four years. He is on a quest to find truly great street food. In his spare time he travels around Asia in search of the "land of milk and honey" for five dollars a day.

Michael submitted this piece as part of CNNGo's iReport section.

Thailand’s 6 most delicious-but-stinky dishes

2011-03-02T19:09:00.001+11:00

ECGMA says: #1 is my favourite! The stinky bean is known as 'petai' in Malaysia. Man, the after 'effects' will blow you away, just don't follow after one to the toilet who has eaten these beans!
http://maxloh-something2share.blogspot.com/2009/04/petai-contains-three-natural-sugars.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkia_speciosa
http://tinyurl.com/4ayh5tz

____________________________
If you can get beyond the fact that these meals smell like farts and old fish, your taste buds are in for a pleasant surprise By Moragot Kongkiatkul 18 February, 2011For the most part, Thai food smells just as it tastes -- fantastic. But there are exceptions. Here are six super stinky dishes that shouldn't be judged by their nasty aromas.

1. Pad Sa Tor

Pad sa tor is a famously tasty dish from southern Thailand with an extremely strong smell.
Sa tor -- stink beans -- are stir fried with chilis and chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. In fact, I vote this delicious dish the absolute stinkiest in Thailand.

Basically, it smell likes flatulence. But many Thais love it because it does have an incredibly flavorful taste and health benefits to boot.

Some studies have found stink beans can have a positive impact on controlling/preventing diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, anemia, PMS, depression and constipation. Some even claim they're a great hangover cure.

Pad sa tor is normally eaten with rice and can be found in most Bangkok markets. Unfortunately it's rather hard to find in restaurants or supermarkets because it is considered country-style food.

Stink rating: 5/5

2. Kao Klook Gapi

Kao klook gapi is simply rice mixed with shrimp paste. Kao means rice, klook means mix, and gapi means shrimp paste. Thais normally eat it with side dishes such as fried mackerel, a cha-om (acacia) omelet and parboiled vegetables.

This dish is one of my favorites because it's filling but contains lots of supposed health benefits as you get a whole set of nutrition in one dish. That said, it can be rather spicy and will leave your mouth in desperate need a of a breath mint afterwards.

You can find kao klook gapi in pretty much any Bangkok market or restaurant. Some people also like to eat the shrimp paste with sour unripe mango.

Stink rating: 3/5

3. Som Tam Pla-Ra

Som tam pla-ra is the smelliest variety of the world famous spicy papaya salad from the northeast, as it's made with fermented fish.

Some Thais prefer only the fermented fish sauce in their som tum, while others want the whole stinky fish thrown in as well.

Many people even take their love for som tam pla-ra to the next level by throwing some salted field crabs in there (see photo). Certainly an acquired taste.

Whatever style you like your som tam, it's best enjoyed with other side dishes such as sticky rice, rice noodles, roasted or fried chicken, grilled pork, ground pork salad and spicy liver salad.

Tip: Don't bring a plate of som tam pla-ra into an air-conditioned room because its stink will seep into every nook and cranny and stay there for hours.

Stink rating: 4/5

4. Tao Jeow Lon

Tao jeow lon is a dipping sauce made of fermented soybeans cooked with coconut milk and chilis. Personally, I can't stand this one because in addition to the stink it also resembles a bowl of baby's vomit.

Nevertheless, a lot of people love it because it does indeed have a strong, satisfying taste and is packed full of nutritional benefits.

Tao jeow lon is most commonly eaten with fresh or parboiled vegetables and hot rice. You can find it in pretty much any Bangkok market or restaurant as it's really easy to make.

Stink level: 3/5

5. Pla Kem

Pla kem -- sun-dried salted fish -- is actually at its stinkiest levels before it's cooked. But even after it hits the frying pan it still gives off a pungent stench.

A simple dish, pla kem is usually topped with a little bit of lime juice, fish sauce, shallots and chili and eaten with a side of hot boiled rice. As most Thais love to eat meals with strong flavors, these ingredients give more oomph to the pla kem.

You will find a lot of fresh pla kem in towns near the coast because most styles of this dish are made with salt-water fish. But here in Bangkok you can also find them in any market, supermarket or restaurant.

Stink level: 4/5

6. Kao Neaw Durian

The durian gets a lot of flak for being the world's stinkiest fruit. It's one of those foods you either love or hate. No in-between.

Personally, I love it. Particularly when it's served in coconut milk with sticky rice -- the delicious kao neaw durian.

Durian is extremely nutritious because it is rich in vitamins B, C and E and has a high iron content. It also contains high levels of the amino acid tryptophan, known to alleviate anxiety, depression, and insomnia, and create feelings of happiness, by raising levels of serotonin in the brain.

Even if you hate the smell of durian, just give it a try and you might be surprised. It's very addictive, but never bring it into air-conditioned areas, on public transportation, into your car or even store it in your refrigerator because that stink will linger for a couple of days.

Stink level: 3/5

The 6 tiniest Shanghai cafes

2011-03-02T18:57:00.001+11:00

We find the smallest, 'coziest' places to sip coffee in the city, and tell you what to expect when you go -- besides almost sitting on a stranger's lap

By Debbie Yong 22 February, 2011

In a busy, densely packed city such as Shanghai, it's inevitable that you end up sharing a dinner or coffee table with a stranger or five sometimes.

For those used to chaos, it can feel strangely vacant to have a table to yourself once you leave the city.

Just for those who have grown accustomed to sipping their coffee elbow-to-elbow with strangers, we sniff through Shanghai's back alleys and stoop under low corners to bring you five of the smallest -- ahem, coziest -- places where you can get your Java.

1. Wonder Coffee

Wonder Coffee: Good for cooing with a loved one or sprawling out over a post-meal coffee at one of Xintiandi's swanky restaurants.

The mezzanine level is an inherited feature common to all the shops along this stretch of Madang Lu, but the young architect couple who own this tiny Shanghai Cafe managed to cleverly work around the space constraints.

The resulting 12-seater Wonder Coffee is a leaf straight out of one of the interior design books displayed around the cafe.

People never seem to want to leave, so go on a weekday afternoon if you don't wait to have to wait for a seat upstairs -- although the cozy, paper lantern-lit atmosphere and soft jazz in the background make the wait worthwhile.

Claustrophobia factor: 5 out of 5. Stooping is required to get to the two tables on the 1.2-meter high mezzanine level so it might be tricky for those on the tall side or those with achy backs, but the scant space also makes a good excuse to huddle up close to a romantic target.

Coffee: 3 out of 5. Roasts from different regions of the world are available, and the shop offers a nifty tea-time set where you can get a dessert and coffee, tea or hot chocolate for around RMB 30-40 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Service: 2 out of 5. Not too warm yet not unpleasant, the owner and her soft-spoken middle-aged mother who man the shop generally leave you alone unless you call for them. They make infrequent checks on the mezzanine level, so you're better off ordering your coffee before heading up there.

Don't leave without: Make sure to sprawl out on the cushions around the low tables upstairs, and chat, undisturbed, with your friends for hours. A small curtain between the two tables above gives small groups privacy but can be drawn apart to accommodate big groups.

Wonder Coffee, 290 Madang Lu, near Zizhong Lu 当路290号, 近自忠路, +86 21 5306 5996, hours: noon to 10:30 p.m.

2. Stormy Cafe

Stormy Cafe: Good for brooding over a dark, bitter brew on a gloomy day or downing absinthe shots in a nicotine haze.

Started in 2009 by a Japanese couple who have since returned home, this Shanghai cafe is now owned by a 24-year-old guy and former regular patron Chen Chen.

Don't mistake his boyish looks though for inexperience, this man has caffeinated up in various cafes around Shanghai and knows the industry inside out. But, despite a number of years of coffee-making experience, Chen refuses to be called a barista.

"Everyone in China wants to claim to be baristas, but they are all fakes. Working at Starbucks doesn't instantly make you a barista," he says. "It's easy to make a cup of coffee, but few people can make a good cup of coffee."

Claustrophobia factor: 4 out of 5. Reviewers on Dianping think the cafe's liberal smoking policy is unsuitable for the 20 square meter confined space, while others find the cafe's gray concrete walls slightly depressing. But Chen Chen thinks it's because patrons more familiar with the dime-a-dozen girlie cafes out there can't get used to his place's masculine vibe.

Coffee: 4 out of 5. The Stormy house blend (RMB 20) packs a mouthful of flavor with a perfect bitterness, while the cappuccino (RMB 30) comes adorned with smiling teddy bear patterns somewhat incongruous with the shop's atmosphere.

Service: 4 out of 5. Service is pretty attentive as the place is small and it's easy to get the owner's attention. He may seem like one of those grungy, aloof types at first, but on a slow afternoon, he even hands out complimentary cookies and can go on for hours once you get him started on the topic of coffee.

Don't leave without: Take advantage of the cafe's 11 types of absinthe -- don't ask for recommendations though. The former owner loved his tipple, but Chen is a teetotaler and has only sampled one type so far.

"I passed out soon after," he says with a mock-fearful look.

Stormy Cafe, 229 Danshui Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu 淡水路229弄1号后门, 近复兴中路, +86 21 6374 3576, hours: 8 a.m. to midnight

3. Chabrol Cafe

Chabrol Cafe: Good for catching indie flicks with friends and meeting fellow film and music fanatics.

Situated in the far end of an alley in the Jing'an Villa estate, Chabrol Cafe was started by four friends in their late 20s as a gathering place for their friends in the design and film industry.

The place is named after Claude Chabrol, one of the French New Wave directors, of whom the owners are big fans.

Unless booked up for a private event, they do nightly movie screenings at 7.30 p.m., so check their website or call ahead for the movie schedule.

"I don't like watching commercial films in big cinemas so I was intrigued by this place," says first-time customer Emily Zhai, 22. "The atmosphere reminds me of those little shops in the Beijing hutongs."

Claustrophobia factor: 2 out of 5. There are only 12 indoors seats, so get there early if you know a popular film is being screened. Thankfully there's an additional private room in the garden which can seat six to eight.

Coffee: 1 out of 5. Coffee is not really their strong suit -- they only have a standard latte and cappuccino drinks available, and none of the fancy roasts like in the other Shanghai cafe joints. The Lady Grey Tea (RMB 28) is a good lemon alternative for non-coffee drinkers.

Service: 3 out of 5. With most of the guests being regulars, the owners seem slightly awkward when it comes to welcoming new patrons. With up to four of them running the shop on weekends, we also have a hard time telling who are the owners and who are fellow patrons.

Don't leave without: Browse the huge shelf of movie-related books and magazines, most of which are imported books from the owners' personal collections and are rarely sold within China.

Chabrol Cafe, No. 93, 1025 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Nanhui Lu 南京西路1025弄静安别墅93号1楼, 南汇路, +86 21 6253 1906, hours: 12:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the winter and until 11:30 p.m. in the summer

4. GZ Cafe

GZ Cafe: Good for a refueling stop while shopping along Nanjing Xi Lu.

Also within the Jing'an Villa complex, this Shanghai cafe's brightly lit and colorful interior makes it seem like the most spacious of the cafes featured here.

"You're right in the middle of the city, but you don't feel it in this quiet lane with few people," says owner Wu Xingfu, 40, who claims to be the area's first commercial tenants when they opened the 30 square meter shop in August 2007. "We were immediately attracted to the Old Shanghai feel of this place when we first saw it."

The cafe also runs cookie and cake baking classes on the weekends.

Claustrophobia factor: 1 out of 5. The cafe can take about 25 to 30 guests and there's a large square table and a long table to accommodate big groups.

Coffee: 4 out of 5. The owner and his business partner are both coffee connoisseurs.

A display on the counter claims that there are only nine remaining cups of Panama Geisha coffee -- considered the champagne of coffee -- left in stock. Owner Wu says that he has even had Hong Kong and Taiwanese guests fly over just for a taste of that particular brew.

Service: 3 out of 5. Service quality can seem pretty erratic. The owner and a male waiter greeted us cheerily when we came in and were helpful throughout, but when we tried to get the bill, a female waitress seemed like she couldn't care less.

Don't leave without: Make sure you try some of their teas. GZ may be known for their coffee, but just as much dedication goes into brewing their teas. We were also delighted by their tasty Turkish Apple Tea (RMB 28), which comes served with a boiled apple slice.

GZ Cafe, No. 162, 1025 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Jiangning Lu 南京西路1025弄162号, 近江宁路, +86 21 5213 2139, hours: noon to 10 p.m. (Tuesday to Sunday)

5. Life Cafe

Life Cafe: Good for travel buffs who want to swap stories or people new to town who want to make new friends in Shanghai.

Run by a friendly Shanghainese, former marketeer Summer Sun, 29, this two-story Shanghai cafe exudes a strong youth-hostel vibe. Its walls and shelves are decked with travel pictures and souvenirs given as gifts to the owner by her regular customers.

You have to walk through a large yard to get to the cafe but once inside, it feels as though you've been invited into a friend's home.

Claustrophobia factor: 3 out of 5. The cafe actually consists of four separate sections: Two private rooms upstairs and a living room and reception area downstairs. The compartmentalization of the space makes each section seem tiny but the airy stairwell gives the place an appearance of being larger.

Coffee: 1 out of 5. You can tell a place is not really big on its coffee when its coffee listings come in the middle of the menu, after the alcohol and other drinks listings.

Go for the wine instead -- the room upstairs doubles up as a wine cellar and the owner is an expert. She even serves brie or Camembert cheese as sides.

Service: 5 out of 5. Possibly the friendliest service we've had of all the five venues, which started from the moment we entered till we left.

Don't leave without: Strike up a conversation with Summer or one of her other long-time customers.

Regular customer and Zhejiang native Ying Wen Xing, 24, likes the youth hostel vibe of the place.

"I didn't know anyone in Shanghai when I first moved here last August but I got to know so many new friends here -- now we even go out once a week for meals or other gatherings," he says.

Life Cafe, 427-1 Julu Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu 巨鹿路427号-1院内2楼东南, 近陕西南路, +86 21 5228 8027, hours: 1 p.m. to midnight

6. iLost corner

iLife: Good for photography buffs, people who like to douse their coffee with alcohol, and those who love to shop, even when sitting down for coffee.

Part of a chain spanning Huangshan, Suzhou and Shanghai run by a group of friends, the Shanghai cafe outpost of iLost is run by a magazine photographer Ken Chan, 27, and his girlfriend.

Nearly everything in the shop can be purchased, from the artwork hung on the wall by student painters to handicrafts and toys made by the female boss and friends displayed out in the front.

Claustrophobia factor: 1 out of 5. By far the largest of the six cafes featured, the 60 square meter, 20-seater shop even has an outdoor garden in the front where the owners host frequent barbecue gatherings in the summer.

Coffee: 4 out of 5. The signature blend, the iLost coffee, comes with a dash of brandy, Baileys and Kahlua for the iced version, and with whiskey, Baileys and Kahlua and has won international awards even before the chain was started. Perfect for warming up on a winter's afternoon.

The café also serves warm Coke with ginger -- supposedly a good cure for colds.

Service: 5 out of 5. The friendly waitress greets you from the moment you enter and serves free warm water with refills. The WiFi password is also written on every table in the cafe so you don't have to ask.

Don't leave without: Attending one of the regular talks on photography-related subjects by Chan and his photographer friends.

iLost corner, 4 Shaoxing Lu, near Ruijin Er Lu 绍兴路4号底楼, 近瑞金二路, +86 21 6437 5616, hours: 10 a.m. to midnight

Debbie Yong is a former newspaper journalist whose bad case of itchy feet has brought her across continents in search of an education. The native Singaporean was an English Literature undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, a postgraduate student at the London School of Economics, and is currently completing her Masters at Shanghai's Fudan University.

Juna Rorimpandey: Indonesia's wildest, hell-raising chef

2011-03-02T18:54:00.001+11:00

Drug overdoses, jail time, street fights, kidnapped ... the executive chef of Jakarta's Jackrabbit reveals his shocking past

By Sara Schonhardt 28 February, 2011

Indonesian chef Juna Rorimpandey, 35, describes himself as "the black crayon in the box."

"But you can't help noticing the black crayon!" he says, laughing.

The heavily tattooed, Harley-riding executive chef at trendy new lounge Jackrabbit has been turning heads with his clever dishes. His Monte Cristo sandwich with homemade jam or the spinach pappardelle with a kick of chili are stunning.

But it's his rebellious past that marks him out from the crowd.

Here's a little look at some of the crazy things Rorimpandey has gotten up to.

CNNGo: How fast have you gone on your Harley?

Juna Rorimpandey: Maybe 110 miles per hour. I don't really pay attention.

I started riding Harleys back in 1992, when I was 17 years old. I was quite the rebel. We used to have this group, Bad Bones, and I was one of the founders. We were pretty scary, we rode fast, we didn't care where we went.

I'm one of those guys who likes an adrenaline rush. I do a lot of stupid, silly adventures, and riding bikes is one of them.

CNNGo: When did you last break the law?

Juna Rorimpandey: A few months ago I bribed the cops for some stupid traffic violation.

The last time I got caught, though, was in the United States at the end of 2006. A street fight. It was like the show "Cops," when you try to take off and cops are coming from all directions, and they throw guns on you.

It was an everybody on the ground kind of deal, and we were all handcuffed in the middle of the street.

CNNGo: What was it about?

Juna Rorimpandey: My friend was in a car accident and the guys he rear-ended beat him up, so he called us and when we got there it was already a fight, so we just jumped in.

Unluckily, I had to be the one who pushed the envelope. I went to jail for two days, had a court trial, probation, community service because I got pinned the hardest. I pretty much demolished the other guy's car, a BMW.

In the States I used to be a sushi master and customers would buy us drinks. The more we got tipsy the faster we would make sushi.

—Juna Rorimpandey, chef

CNNGo: What's the closest you've ever come to death?

Juna Rorimpandey: Uhhhh, I've been kidnapped; tortured; almost got shot in the head; overdosed and woke up in the hospital still foaming from my mouth, needle still hanging in my vein while I was passed out.

You name it. I've lost count. There's nothing cool about that. I had my crazy years.

CNNGo: What were you kidnapped for?

Juna Rorimpandey: I have a strong personality and I don't bow down just because you're the son of a general and you try to buy me. But that was before, now I'm wiser.

CNNGo: How drunk have you been at work?

Juna Rorimpandey: In the States I used to be a sushi master and customers would buy us drinks. The more we got tipsy the faster we would make sushi.

Actually, I enforce drinking at work on weekends. Every Friday or Saturday when the guys do a great job I make shots for everybody.

They call it the speed rail shot because I mix up everything on the [bar]. To me it's nothing, but I have to challenge them with rock-paper-scissors just to get them to drink. It's silly, but life is short.

CNNGo: You no longer do drugs or smoke, even though most of your friends do. Why?

Juna Rorimpandey: I'm always the different kid. I never followed the trend. People say it's hard to quit smoking, but I think that's a bunch of BS. To me it's all in the mind.

I have a strong personality and I don't bow down.

— Juna Rorimpandey, chef

CNNGo: What would you love to tell diners who complain about the food?

Juna Rorimpandey: I have no comment. I'm not an asshole about that kind of thing.

CNNGo:You love working with meat, so what do you think of vegetarians?

Juna Rorimpandey: I don't understand the talk behind it because I'm a cannibal; I eat everything.

Anything that God created, you can kill it and eat it, as long as you kill and eat it and don't just kill it for fun. I'm not really religious, but it does say in the Bible that you're the master of all living things on this Earth, as long as you don't abuse that.

CNNGo: Who would be your three fantasy dinner guests?

Juna Rorimpandey: Anthony Bourdain, just because he's a rebel. And then probably two of my favorite chefs, Thomas Keller [from French Laundry] and Marco Pierre White. He made [Gordon Ramsey] cry. Now there's a bad boy in the kitchen.

CNNGo: Have you ever made anybody cry?

Juna Rorimpandey: Yes. I made somebody here quit on the spot just because I slammed a wall that happened to be made of stainless steel. I don't do that often. It was just a terrible lunch service.

CNNGo: One thing you will never put in a dish and why?

Juna Rorimpandey: I'll use anything.

CNNGo: Your tattoos draw a lot of attention. What's special about them?

Juna Rorimpandey: I had my back started when I was 15 in Bali; it was a homemade machine with a single sewing needle. It was really primitive.

This one [on my right shin] is three chefs, a French executive chef, an American burger flipper and a Japanese sushi master, so it kind of resembles me, all the three combined.

getting there

Jackrabbit
Cyber 2 Tower, Jl Rasuna Said Blok X-5 No. 13, Jakarta
tel +62 021 2902 1357
www.jackrabbitjakarta.com

Sara has lived in Thailand and Cambodia and currently lives in Jakarta, Indonesia. She likes to keep moving and uses these pages to write about the exciting things she learns along the way.

Kamasutra Chocolates

2011-02-20T19:42:00.001+11:00

Beer Facts

2011-02-13T19:24:00.001+11:00

Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast
with theYahoo! Search weather shortcut.

5 Chinese eating habits explained

2011-02-09T01:25:00.000+11:00

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5 Chinese eating habits explained

Why shouldn't you stick your chopsticks in the rice? How do you politely snip off noodles? Myths and superstitions of Chinese dining unraveled here

By Trista Baldwin 31 January, 2011

No doubt you once thought that as soon as your skills were honed, you’d become the chopstick-wielding version of Edward Scissorhands, embarking on a masterful two-pronged exploration of China’s culinary culture.
Well, not quite.
Chinese dining etiquette is built on tradition, not dexterity.
We asked Lawrence Lo, founder of LHY Etiquette Consultancy Limited, to explain the enigmatic cultural origins of some common table manners, just in time for your Chinese New Year banquet.

Take note: this is where your chopsticks should end up.

1. Do not rest chopsticks vertically in rice

While it may minimize the transition time between the voracious gobbling of food and intermittent sipping of a Tsingtao or cup of cha, stowing chopsticks in this way is neither prudent nor polite.
Meaning: It’s a harbinger of death.
Just as the number four, si (四), is considered inauspicious for its homophonous relation to the word si (死), meaning death, the sight of two upright chopsticks in a bowl is reminiscent of the incense sticks that the Chinese traditionally burn in veneration of deceased loved ones.

But you can easily avoid unwittingly displaying this dark omen.
“In restaurants there are always chopstick stands,” says Lo. “So it’s natural to put your chopsticks there.”

If in a tiny mom and pop establishment lacking the niceties, resting your chopsticks on the edge of your bowl instead will not incense those around you.

2. Never turn over the fish

In Chinese restaurants, the standard is for a fish to be served whole.
After working your way through the tender top side, it may seem logical to simply flip the fish and continue. Unfortunately, doing so has an unforeseen consequence.
Meaning: You’ve capsized the boat.
According to Lo, this is of more concern in regions that rely strongly on fishing or are located along the coast.
“The fish symbolizes the boat,” he explains. By turning it over, you’re casting the hapless fishermen into Davy Jones’ locker.
But you don’t have to resign yourself to picking and prodding. Using your chopsticks, pick up the backbone at a point near the tail and gently pull upward until you’ve dislodged the bone from the meat beneath. Then simply slide the “boat” to the side of the plate, and continue eating.

Forget cake, let them eat noodles instead.

3. Birthday noodles

Chinese tradition calls for a birthday girl or boy to slurp a bowl of noodles as a celebration of the many years ahead. And as “Lady and the Tramp” so aptly demonstrated, that one long noodle can be a great thing.
Meaning: It symbolizes longevity.
In this case, that long strip of noodle is a metaphor for the long walk of life. Yet this tradition comes with an addendum: do not cut the noodles.
“That symbolizes cutting your life off,” says Lo. It's not a very positive message on the day of one’s birth.
Thankfully, cutting applies mainly to severing with a knife or with chopsticks. Biting is a practical and, Lo says, acceptable way of ensuring you don't look like a hamster with filled cheek pouches. “You should slurp your noodles,” Lo adds. “That means it tastes good. It’s like swishing wine in your mouth so that it mixes with oxygen -- it’s the same idea.”

4. Tea tapping is a must

A tea cup should never be allowed to run dry.
Your host, or members of your dinner party, will regularly refill the cups of those around them, who tap the table in response. Go ahead and follow suit.
Meaning: It’s a show of thanks.
According to legend, there was once an emperor who regularly impersonated a commoner in order to get acquainted with his people.
One night, while at a teahouse, the emperor poured tea for his accompanying servant.
“Traditionally, the servant would have kneeled down to show respect, but that would have betrayed the emperor’s identity,” explains Lo. “So he tapped the table instead.” Two fingers, two knees.
“There’s a stronger tea-drinking culture in southeast China,” says Lo, adding that the habit may be more prevalent in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Regardless, saying “thank you” is just as permissible, so don’t fret if this custom isn’t second nature to you.

For the first round, play it safe and opt for even.

5. Always order an even number of dishes

When out with a sizable crowd, you want to ensure you order enough food. A rule of thumb is to order dishes equivalent to the number of people in your party, plus one. But if you’re an even-numbered crowd, this will put you at odds -- in numbers and in fortune.
Meaning: Odd number of dishes symbolizes death (again).
“For regular meals, you’d always order an even number of dishes, because an odd number is usually only ordered at a funeral meal,” says Lo.
This has nothing to do with homonyms, but rather with qi. According to Chinese belief, odd numbers are associated with yin qi rather than yang. In the yin-yang equation of balance, yin is cold, yang is hot -- dark and light, death and life, respectively.
Lo adds a qualifier: “This applies more to banquets and formal events, and is mostly related to the first-round order. You can add dishes as you need them afterward.”
Thankfully, Lo assures us that in informal settings among friends, no one’s likely to be counting.

Restaurant head chef talks about drainage oil in China

2010-12-22T18:28:00.001+11:00

Restaurant head chef talks about drainage oil in China

March 18th, 2010 by Key | Posted in News | 43 Comments »

From Sina:

I am not going to say which city, which restaurant, I don't want to lose my job. But I want to talk about the current situation of the drainage oil (地沟油). I am working at this sizable restaurant as the head chef, so I know some information about this.

Our restaurant's waste oil is usually produced in two ways: the used oil after frying many foods and the waste oil from the water after washing dishes and pots.

Used oil is stored in bins, people will pay to collect them, not stored waste oil is dumped into the sewers, and this waste oil is also fished out later. There is a big hotel near my home. Many times at night I saw minivan carrying many barrels, people in the car open up the manhole covers and connect to the hotel kitchen, using a long spoon to pick up the oil floating on the water surface.

To be frank, big restaurants and big hotels are the main places producing drainage oil.

In the city I am in, people already clearly scooped out the big restaurants and hotels' sewage pathways. Now it was already exposed on CCTV, the relevant departments have been keeping a tight grip, so the cases of fishing sewer waste oil are fewer now, however purchasing used oil is still very common.

Used oil and the floating oil fished up from the sewers are now all called drainage oil. Drainage oil must not be consumed by people. It can only be used as raw materials for producing chemical products. However there is profit in this, the trend is an above average restaurant can produce 100 kg of used oil in a month, each kg sells for over 1 yuan, so the profit is 200-300 yuan a month. Not only this, the people come to fish from the sewers also pay the restaurant; they pay 200-300 a month.

Do not underestimate the sewers, every time they can pick up 10- 20 kg! Therefore, people are in competition for fishing the waste oil. These people must pay the restaurants and hotels money each month. After a deal is formed, hotel security guards only permit these people to fish out waste oil and deny all others. If someone pays a higher price then they will be permitted instead.

In the city where I live, say a medium-sized restaurant produces 100kg a month plus the dumped waste oil being fished out the total drainage oil produced in a month should be around 4,000 kg. Where does it flow to after the drainage oil is collected?

Of course the dinner table!

Now the people who collect drainage oil are not only those workshops that specialize in drainage oil processing, but also including some fast food restaurants. Because drainage oil processing is simple: put it in a huge pot and heat it up, then add some chemicals, the residues and impurities in the waste oil are separated and sink to the bottom of the pot. The upper layer clear oil looks no different than the normal oil if just looking at it. The price for this oil is only 3 yuan per kg, and the normal edible oil costs 9 yuan per kg.

The drainage oil is usually used by fast food restaurants, food stalls, street food stands and including some companies' in-house cafeterias. Because the cheap price, and it looks clear enough, drainage oil becomes the choice of the evil owners. Actually small food shops' oil consumption is not small, especially the boiled fish and hotpot etc. using drainage oil saves a lot of money.

However that is not all, medium sized restaurant needs 400kg oil a month, purchasing it from the supermarket can be very costly, so they usually order in bulks to be delivered to them.

There is always loopholes, when each new restaurant opens, there will be grain and oil distributors contacting them. In the end which distributor gets the contract all depends on the price, just like any competition. As for the quality of the oil usually is only determined by human eyes. But the oil delivered in the big white bin does not have any information about the manufacturer, production date and expatriation date. The chefs here do not even know where the oil we use is produced. Say, if the distributor mixes in fake drainage oil, there is really nothing we can do.

We are most afraid of using drainage oil, because if oil producer mixes in water, it would sizzle and making loud noises when heat up. It is easy to determine that, but drainage oil is undetectable.

However the hotels and restaurants have their difficulties too. The profit for selling waste oil each month is not so great; of course profit is still the reason. Also, there are also legitimate factories here specializing in processing waste oil for producing chemical raw materials. These factories come to collect waste oil, not only refuse to pay the restaurant; instead restaurant must pay the factories a fee. Obviously we give something away to them, but still have to pay them? Restaurant manager feels that this is unreasonable. But waste oil must be dealt with, so when people come to pay for them, of course the restaurant is willing. In fact if the legitimate factory comes to collect the waste oil and we don't have to pay, we would have been willing too.

Among the variety of kitchen supplies oil is the most chaotic and the hardest to regulate. The masses regard food as their heaven, the safety of edible oil is already affecting food industry's credibility. Everyone should have the mind set of using safe oil, absolutely opposing the evil oil. At the same time issues of recycling waste oil should be addressed so that the evil oil market will decline on its own.

***

'Home of black rice' makes its mark

2010-12-05T03:09:00.000+11:00

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2010/201012/20101204/article_456328.htm
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Where to go to really grab your goat

2010-12-05T03:08:00.000+11:00

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2010/201012/20101204/article_456358.htm
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Eat your way through a cold-free winter

2010-12-03T01:44:00.000+11:00

Eat your way through a cold-free winter
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2010/201011/20101130/article_455894.htm
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Mr Jabbar making roti canai in Summit USJ, Mamak Village

2010-11-30T00:20:00.000+11:00

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Wuhan's wealth of food and history

2010-11-22T23:11:00.000+11:00

Wuhan's wealth of food and history

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=455171
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Divine dumpling: Xiaolongbao

2010-11-14T20:20:00.000+11:00

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=454518
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Where you can still get a cheap meal in Johor Bahru

2010-10-07T13:05:00.001+11:00

Where you can still get a cheap meal in JB

New Straits Times | Tue Oct 5 2010

Taman Pelangi food court remains one of the few eateries in the state selling relatively cheap food.

Malaysia, October 5, 2010 - Living in Johor can be costly to an average person now that the state continues to prosper with the development of the Iskandar Malaysia economic region.

But when it comes to food, Johoreans, particularly those living in Johor Baru, know where to get a decent meal at an affordable price.

Taman Pelangi food court, for example, remains one of the few eateries in the state selling relatively cheap food.

The food court has at least five stalls selling such popular dishes as soups, fried mee and nasi campur.

At Kak Ita stall, for example, customers queue early to enjoy the stall's side dishes of chilli chicken, spicy fried fish and stir-fried vegetables.

A plate of white rice, with a serving of chicken, beef or fish and one serving of vegetable, is sold for an average of RM4, perhaps the cheapest meal in the city.

A glass of fresh mango, watermelon or guava juice is priced at RM1.

Rosmi Hassan, 52, who manages the stall with his wife Rozita Ramli, 47, said his stall's lunch-time crowd are usually workers from nearby offices.

The food court has been popular for more than two decades and most of its owners have passed down their businesses to their sons.

The customers, as expected, appreciate the food court's prices and treat the place as their canteen, visiting it often to have most of their meals.

Civil servant Ramli Bakar said he has never paid more than RM5 when he eating at the food court

"I don't have to spend so much for food when I eat here. Living in the city can be expensive, you know," he said.

The food court is strategically located in the middle of a residential area behind the popular Plaza Pelangi shopping centre.

Read more: Where you can still get meals for a steal http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Whereyoucanstillgetmealsforasteal/Article#ixzz11RmE2VSP

Penang Satay

2010-09-23T02:15:00.001+10:00

Dog Meat and Rooster Balls: The 10 Most Exotic Asian Foods

2010-09-18T13:39:00.000+10:00

01/14/09

Photo by Harry 棟樑

Eating in Asia requires a certain degree of guts and a wild sense of adventure.

1. Thailand's deep-fried grasshoppers

Right in the heart of Bangkok's red-light district, street vendors peddle a huge array of deep-fried bugs – from ants to hornets, caterpillars to grasshoppers. Anything that hops and bites is fair game for the palate. Add some chili powder, and you're in for a sizzling, jumpy ride.

Photo by avlxyz

2. The Filipino Balut

The boiled half-hatched egg is exceptionally crunchy as you sink your teeth into the partially-formed fetus, complete with feathers, eyeballs ,and translucent skin. The locals like to dip it in vinegar and soya sauce. The down side- you might find feathers stuck between your teeth! Mangababaluts (balut-makers) can be found in the district of Pateros, Manila.

Photo by Hanoi Mark

3. Dog meat in China

Have you ever thought about why only the Chinese eat dog meat? Try it for yourself and you might find out why. Hugely popular in Southern China, namely Guangdong and Sichuan, stewed dog meat is offered by most restaurants in winter, while some are even dedicated to selling only dog platters. Even along the bustling Meishi Street in Beijing, there are a few posters advertising dog meat for sale.

4. Singapore's turtle soup

Though they're close to extinction, turtles are cooked with Chinese herbs and made into soups in the eastern world; the Chinese believe turtles are aphrodisiacs and are excellent for health. Despite all the traditional sayings, modern Singaporeans love the medicinal soup for its thick texture and herbal taste.

5. Oriental chicken feet

Sharp and thin chicken feet are a common delicacy in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. As a popular dimsum (steamed snacks in bamboo baskets), chicken feet are stewed in black bean sauce and steamed for a long time before the soggy skin crumples and the cartilage becomes chewy. Be careful of the chicken's toenails though: you don't want to choke on them!

Photo by epup

6. Rooster's testicles in Taiwan

Bouncy balls bigger than you'd imagine, with thin veins and a tight plump texture, these testicles are only suitable for the daredevils with the balls to try them. The male chicken testicles are usually boiled and eaten simple and plain, but you can always ask for spicy stewed or garlic stir-fried.

With a tight skin like a sausage, the interior of the testicles taste soft and tofu-like. Be sure to find some in the famous Snake Alley Market in Taipei.

7. Hong Kong's home-grown Chau taufu

There is nothing exotic about tofu (bean curd), unless it's of the overwhelmingly strong variety! 'Chau' means stinky in Cantonese and the dish literally lives up to its name, smelling like a bucket of human dung left out for 2 weeks. Locals hunt down this fermented and deep-friend goody in the Mongkok Night Markets, where you can definitely smell it from afar.

Photo by kudaker

8. Isaw Manok in the Philippines

Barbecued chicken intestines are a national dish for the Filipinos, who have a soft spot for internal organs. Chicken gizzards, liver, and heart are all grilled on bamboo skewers, garnished with sweet and spicy sauce, and cooked to perfection. Not enough to satisfy your senses? You might just prefer the barbecued chicken head or pig's ears.

9. Malaysia's durians

Known as the king of fruits in Southeast Asia, the durian's prickly green appearance and exceptionally strong and odd (some say vomit-like) smell have led it to fame. But that's not all there is to this quirky fruit; its yellow, soft, and tasty meat has earned durian its crown in Southeast Asia.

Most foreigners frown at the thought of savoring this bitter yet sweet fruit, but soon enough, the heavenly taste is sure to win them over. Don't forget to try the best species, D24, for the fleshy and juicy meat!

10. Indonesian bats

Besides flying off the back of a vampire, bats can be eaten as well. Sold in Malioboro Street of Jogjakarta, bats are often smoked to crispiness. They might look gory, like skeletal brown mice, but taste like beef jerky, especially the stiff wings! Locals in Manado love their specialty – the Fruit Bat Soup, where an entire bat is cooked in coconut milk, and the soft meat on its feet and wings is savored.

About the Author

Nellie Huang

Nellie Huang is a worshipper of the sun, wild adventures, and new discoveries. Her love for food has brought her travelling through culinary capitals Italy, Greece, Thailand, Vietnam, Morocco, and Turkey. She has taught in Spain and Tanzania and lived in Miami and London. Now in Asia, she writes for interest, works as a freelance translator, and continues exploring her thirst for the unknown. Read her blog here.

Puffer Fish - Eating Poison Fish

2010-07-05T13:49:00.000+10:00

The puffer fish is a very expensive dish to eat...but watch out, it can kill you.

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Eating Places - KL/PJ/Selangor (Malaysia)

2010-06-15T14:09:00.001+10:00

Compiled by ESTHER CHANDRAN

Fusion creations

Discover the uniqueness of fusion cuisine highlighting a delectable blend of local cuisine with a Western twist served in a three-course set menu at The Village.

The Fusion Creation Set Dinner featuring Roasted Aubergines with Minced Lamb, Grilled Spicy Spring Chicken with Truffle Coconut Sauce and Japanese Rice and Cinnamon Ice Sabayon is available in June from Monday to Saturday, from 6.30pm till 10.30pm. The set dinner is priced at RM88++ per person.

The Village is also offering a lip-smacking selection of fresh seafood on barbecue from tiger prawns, squids, scallops, crabs, clams, salmon to Spanish mackerel barbecued to perfection according to your liking.

Topped with a mouthwatering spread of Asian delights to fascinate your taste buds, the barbequed fare every Friday and Saturday takes place from 7pm until 11pm. The Seafood Barbecue Buffet is priced at RM79++ per adult and 50% off for children aged 6 to 12 years old. The Village offers a breezy dining area set on stilts over the stunning Putrajaya lake complemented by soothing music by the pianist. For reservations, call 03–8890 0000 ext 6812.

Scrumptious English afternoon tea at the Olive Tree

Afternoon tea, far from being a relic of the colonial period, has been elevated to a level where it has become a high point of self-indulgence and affordable luxury.

To experience this wonderful afternoon tea culture, The Olive Tree Café is introducing its 'Executive English Afternoon Tea for Two' which features a silver three-tier cake tray of assorted egg and tuna finger sandwiches, piping hot scones, divine cream cakes and assorted gourmet cookies.

To complement this delicious spread, a wide-ranging tea selection - Darjeeling, Jasmine Green Blossom, Earl Grey to Lemon Ginger Twist is available. The set is priced at RM19.80+. If you want a light afternoon tea treat, the 'Delicious Tea Scone set' comes with two delectable hot scones served with cream butter and strawberry conserve.

Diners can also request for the popular Banana Walnut and Choc Chip muffins if desired. For something a little more savoury and flavourful, there's 'Pepperoni Panini Finger Pizza'.

Delicious pepperoni served on fresh Panini bread with melted cheese is guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds. Another local favourite tea snack is The Olive Tree's 'Spicy Sambal Sausages on Buttered Toast' which is simply perfect for spicy food lovers! Fried spicy sausages slices topped off with chopped onions and crispy anchovies on hot triangle toasts will keep you craving for more! This spicy sambal tea set is priced at RM 9.80+.

The Olive Tree Afternoon Tea Sets are served daily between 3pm and 6pm. Priced from RM7.80+ onwards, each individual afternoon tea set is served with a choice of freshly brewed coffee, hot cappuccino or any selection of teas. The Olive Tree is opened from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and from 9am to 4.30pm on Saturdays. For details, visit http://www.theolivetreecafe.com.my/

Heavenly Hainanese fare

Starting June onwards, Hotel Armada Petaling Jaya is sending its diners off to the 'Hainanese Heavenlicious' food promotion. Priced from RM12++ onwards, executive chef Chew takes diners on a gastronomic journey into his good old days as a Hainanese boy.

No stranger in the culinary world, chef Chew who has 30 years experience has won numerous competitions and gained worldwide cooking experience. And when it comes to Hainanese cuisine, this bubbly chef learnt it from his hero; his grandmother.

Hainanese cuisine has a rich history dating back to the British colonial era because many Hainanese served as cooks back then. This led to the fusion of Hainanese dishes with English food which has brought about the revolution of Hainanese dishes. It is for this reason that Hainanese are best known for their Western specialties, today.

Chef Chew is well known for his Hainanese Chicken Rice as well as his Mama San Chicken Chop served with onion gravy and green peas. The Hainanese Chicken Pie, Hainanese Lamb Stew (lamb stew with beancurd strips served with rice) and Hainanese Beef Curry (tender beef curry with almonds accompanied with rice) and Fried Hailam Mee are other dishes to whet your appetite with. For reservations, call (03) 7954 6888 ext. 4557

VIETNAMESE

CUNGDINH VIETNAM RESTAURANT, One Bangsar, 63D-G Jalan Ara, Bangsar Baru, KL (Tel: 03-2283 5088). Business Hrs: Daily, lunch (noon-3pm); dinner (6pm-11pm). Pork-free. Cuisine from central Hue province with herbal drinks, Vietnamese snacks and seafood. Signature dishes are Fish Fillet with Dill (Cha Ca La Vong) from Hanoi and Special Cungdinh Steamed Crab and Fresh Tiger Prawn Broiled with Rice Wine.

WINE BISTRO

DIVINO WINE BISTRO, One Bangsar, 63F, Jalan Ara, Bangsar, KL (Tel: 03-2287 9968). Business Hrs: Wine retail - Daily (2pm-11pm); Wine Bistro -Mon-Wed (4pm-midnight); Thurs-Sat (4.30pm-12.30am). Happy Hours: Mon-Fri (4.30pm-9pm); Saturday (all-night long). A modern, no-frills outlet for wine enthusiasts to chill-out in and relish tapas with an Asian twist like Calamari with Salted Eggs and Curry Leaves Fritters or main courses like Spaghetti with Roasted Duck and French Beans and Baked Dory Fillet.

INTERNATIONAL

GASOLINE CAFE, 6F-51, T-Hop, 6th Floor Sungei Wang Plaza, KL (Tel: 03-2148 2622). Business Hrs: Daily (11am-10pm). Business Hrs: Daily (noon-2am). 'Halal'. It has an elaborate selection of Chinese and Western fare. It is targeted towards youth with private rooms for board games or card games.

D'LISH, Lot G1A, Ground Floor, Bangsar Village, 1, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2288 1770) and Lot G001, Ground Floor, Mid Valley Megamall (Tel: 03-2288 1770). Business hours: 8am to 10pm, daily. D'lish's menu has a variety of tasty salads like Tuna Barley Salad, Brown & White Olive Rice, Balsamic Wild Mushroom Salad, Garden Greens Salad, French Bean & Mushroom Salad and Mixed Grilled Vegetable with Pesto. Then there's the Asian favourites like Nasi Lemak with Chicken Rendang and Sotong Sambal, Nasi Kerabu with Ayam Percik and Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup.

FUSION

SEVENATENINE, The Ascott Kuala Lumpur, 9 Jalan Pinang, KL (Tel: 03-2161 7789 / 03-2162 7789). Business Hrs: Mon-Thurs (5pm-1am), Fri, lunch (noon-3pm); dinner (5pm-2am), Sat (5pm-2am). Pork-free. A fine dining outlet with a French chef who makes improvisations for Malaysians. Casual dining on the ground floor with more privacy upstairs. Within walking distance to the dance clubs on Jalan Pinang/Jalan P. Ramlee.

FRENCH

MARCHE, Lot G87, Ground Floor, The Curve, Mutiara Damansara, PJ (03-7728 9200/03-7727 8461). Business Hrs: Daily (11am-11pm). 'Halal'. Marche means 'market' in French and the outlet is creative, colourful and innovative. It takes its concept from Southern European markets. An abundance of food is served and prepared at numerous stalls.

JAPANESE JAPANESE RESTAURANT MUNAKATA, Mezzanine Floor, Life Centre, 20, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2166 7441). Business hours: noon to 3pm, 6.30 to 11pm, Sundays and public holidays - 6.30 to 11pm. Serves authentic and premium sushi, teppanyaki, a variety of a la carte and seasonal dishes. Set lunch and dinner are also available.

INDIAN PRIDE OF INDIA, 7G Jalan 22A, 70A Wisma CLK, Desa Sri Hartamas, KL (Tel: 03-6201 4477/019-690 3266). Business Hrs: Daily, lunch (11.30am-3pm); dinner (6pm-11pm). 'Halal'. The intriguing dish here is the Kofta Annarkali with the colours of India's flag. The Special Briyani Rice is cooked with fish and prawns. Other specials are Chicken Drumstick stuffed with Minced Lamb, Romali Bread and the Sweet Platter that comes with a mammoth sugar rush.

ITALIAN

CIPOLLA RISTORANTE PIZZERIA, 4 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, KL (Tel: 03-2287 2628). Business Hrs: Daily, lunch (noon-2.30pm); dinner (5-11pm). Non-halal. Named after the onion, the outlet has a modern rustic Italian setting with its own unique identity. A good place to enjoy pastas, pizzas and bruschetta. Popular for daily buffet set lunches.

PIZZERIA GRAZIE 4210, Lot SP-1 & SP-2, The Street Mall, Persiaran Multimedia, Cyberjaya (Tel: 03-8319 3328). Business Hrs: Monday to Friday (11am-9pm), Saturday (11am-6pm), Closed on Sunday. A quaint Italian restaurant tucked in a corner of The Street Mall. Pizzas dominate the menu and there are 17 types. Orders, large or small, are delivered free of charge within Cyberjaya.

WESTERN

RIBLEE'S, No. 41-1 Wisma CKL (1st Floor), Jalan 23/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-6201 0180). Business hours: Noon to 2.30pm and 6pm until late daily. Non-halal.The outlet specialises in pork ribs but there is a choice of other meats and fish available too. There's Fried Texas Egg Rolls for added crunch, Riblee's Bacon Salad, Angel Hair Pasta and the unique Smoked Bacon Steak to try.

SEAFOOD GOLDEN PALACE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, 119, Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2145 6933) Business hours: 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm. Sundays from 9.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm. Non-Halal. The restaurant occupies the former spot of the famous Regal Restaurant and Kam Leng Restaurant, dishing out various seafood dishes prepared Cantonese style. The outlet also dishes out Shanghainese specialties, dim sum and barbequed specialties.

CHINESE

BnY RESTAURANT, 29, Jalan SS18/1B, 47500 Subang Jaya (Tel: 03-5638 9623). Business hours: Daily, 11am to 2.30pm (lunch), 5.30pm to 11pm (dinner). Closed on Wednesdays. Among the dishes served here are Drunken Steamed Prawn, Shanghai Honey Duck, Shanghai Sweet Vinegar Fish and Claypot Yee Mein Ching among others.

Sundanese food: Not the usual Indonesian fare

2010-06-15T14:01:00.001+10:00

By FAZLEENA AZIZ
fazleena@thestar.com,my

Brisik Restaurant,
Lot M3-1, Palm Square, Jaya One,
No.72A, Jalan Universiti,
Seksyen 13, Petaling Jaya.
Business Hours: Daily (11am to 11pm)
Tel:03-7958 6681.

THERE are many choices when it comes to Indonesian food but Sundanese food is another venture of flavours.

Brisik Restaurant in Jaya One, Petaling Jaya, offers an array of Sundanese food cooked using owner Nusmawati Yunus' recipes.

Nusmawati, whose mother is Sundanese, said the food offered at Brisik are from her mother's recipe.

A feast: The Nasi Timbel Java.

She said while growing up, her mother had influenced her style of eating and cooking.

The restaurant also offers a variety of Siamese food, which Nusmawati gets from her father's side.

It's a fusion restaurant dedicated to her roots, which she feels strongly about.

"Sundanese food is mostly grilled, there are hardly any fried items and not much oil is used in the cooking.

"The gravy is also different because it is thick and not watery like most curries," she said, adding that the food was prepared fresh upon order.

Must-try: The Sundanese Dancing Fish comes with its own set of sauces.

She also said compared to most Malaysian food, there are more ingredients in Sundanese food.

Instead of the usual onions and garlic, Sundanese food has more spices and items to bring out the strong taste.

The Satagor is very much like the Begedil but instead of using fish and just potatoes, it has tauhu, some potato and chicken.

It is slightly softer in texture and tastes very different because of the beancurd.

As for the Tauhu Telor, another popular dish, the mixture of beancurd and eggs is made into a tall dish that comes with its own special sauce.

The Gulai Udang has a thick gravy and the prawns are grilled about 20% beforehand.

It has many ingredients with coconut milk, chili, cekur, galangal, onions, ginger and low fat milk, which makes the dish very rich in taste.

According to Nusmawati, Sundanese people do not eat a lot and their food comprises rice with one main dish.

Succulent: Kambing Lunak

While growing up, her mother would give them Wedang Jahe, a detox drink made with ginger and sugar before serving their favourite dessert, the Bubur Sum Sum.

She said the dessert was made from rice flour and eaten with either coconut milk and brown sugar or rose syrup.

When asked how the name Brisik came about, Nusmawati said it means noise in Bahasa Indonesia.

She likes the sound of the cutlery at restaurants, thus choosing the name for her place.

For the Sundanese promotion, the restaurant is offering a set with a starter, main course, dessert and drink.

Eating Live Octopus

2010-06-10T10:35:00.000+10:00

Why cook seafood when you can hack it up alive and eat it while it's still moving?

* If you received this in your mailbox, click on link "EC Delicious Blog" below to view the blogpost*

Unusual Food - Bull Penis

2010-06-10T10:33:00.000+10:00

* If you received this in your mailbox, click on link "EC Delicious Blog" below to view the blogpost*

Bull Penis Soup (yardie Style)

2010-06-10T10:32:00.000+10:00

This is used instead of Viagra in Jamaica. It is a soup made from the Penis of the bull. It is said to make a dead penis rise up.
Traditionally this is made more during the holidays. And yes I ate it...it actually is pretty good. However, if you don't have a significant other in your life it is probably not a good idea to eat it, as it is an aphrodisiac

* If you received this in your mailbox, click on link "EC Delicious Blog" below to view the blogpost*

Penis Soup in Malaysia Without Borders

2010-06-10T10:31:00.000+10:00

The boys are in the streets of the food capital Penang Malaysia where the soup de jour is Torpedo, ( Bull Dick Soup) and it looks shaftalicious. Cum join them on their journey!

Check out www.withoutborderschefs.com to learn more

*If you received this via email, click on the link at "Posted by ECGMA to EC Delicious Blog" to view the blogpost"*

Penis Restaurant - Comedy Time

2010-06-06T04:00:00.001+10:00

*If you received this via email, click on the link at "Posted by ECGMA to ECDelicious Blog" to view the blogpost"*

Food For Thoughts

2010-05-13T17:36:00.001+10:00

Natural Harvest - A Collection of Semen-Based Recipes

2010-05-09T20:52:00.001+10:00

Natural Harvest - A Collection of Semen-Based Recipes

By Fotie Photenhauer

(44 Ratings)

Paperback, 61 pages

Preview

$24.95

Ships in 3–5 business days

Semen is not only nutritious, but it also has a wonderful texture and amazing cooking properties. Like fine wine and cheeses, the taste of semen is complex and dynamic. Semen is inexpensive to produce and is commonly available in many, if not most, homes and restaurants. Despite all of these positive qualities, semen remains neglected as a food. This book hopes to change that. Once you overcome any initial hesitation, you will be surprised to learn how wonderful semen is in the kitchen. Semen is an exciting ingredient that can give every dish you make an interesting twist. If you are a passionate cook and are not afraid to experiment with new ingredients - you will love this cook book!

EC Delicious Blog

Kampung Fried Rice

'Low Saang' CNY 2012 (29120120)

Beware of this Restaurant

Dinner (Sun Jan15 2012) - Yee Sang, Crabs, stewed Belly Pork (not in the pic coz ate first and forgot to snap)

BruceLy Burger @ Tropicana City Mall, PJ.

How to make Sukiyaki すき焼き

chanko nabe - What Sumo Wrestlers eat every day ちゃんこ鍋

Jan7, 2012 Saturday Dinner - Fish Head was on the menu. Man, look at those set of teeth!

My Saturday lunch (Jan7, 2012) - Banana Leaf Rice with Curry Mutton, Rasam, Tairool and Morool - Yummy! Put on a couple of kilos!

Malaysian Yummies!

Quiz: Malaysian fruit but not rambutan, what is it?

Cantonese Turkey for Christmas

Halal pork picture a hoax, says NTUC FairPrice - 25Oct2011

Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut

Eating up Malaysia's neglected east coast

getting there

Hangzhou's best restaurants

Monday: Grandma's Kitchen (外婆家)

Tuesday: Green Tea (绿茶)

Wednesday: Yun Shui Yao (云水谣)

Thursday: The Vineyard (味雅咖啡)

Friday: Hubin 28 (湖滨28)

Saturday: Sawasdee Thai Restaurant (萨瓦迪泰国餐厅)

Sunday: Crystal Jade Garden (翡翠花园酒家)

Lunch @ EuroDeli @ Damansara Kim, PJ - 20111120

Tri-colour organic Quinoa

Ipoh Comes To PJ Chicken Rice

Giant Pumpkins @ Village Grocer, 1Mont Kiara Plaza, KL

Vietnamese Sour Fish Soup @ Canley Heights, NSW - 2011Oct25

Sydney Fish Market - 2011Oct25 (2)

Sydney Fish Market - 2011Oct25 (1)

Westfield Centrepoint Foodcourt - Oct24, 2011

2011Oct24 - Sydney Chinatown - Pho Pasteur Vietnamese Restaurant

2011Oct24 - Sydney ChinaTown - Restaurant KungFu Ramen

2011Oct24 - Lunch at BBQ King in Sydney Chinatown

Malaysian 'sinful' but yummy cuisine!

Mexican for Dinner!

"Testicle Pizza", "Battered Testicles" Among 31 Recipes in First "Testicle Cookbook"

Having my 'pull-tea' aka 'Teh Tarik' by myself and this cat sleeping under the table in Desa Sri Hartamas, KL

Malaysian Seafood

Malaysian ABC (Ais Batu Campur)

Excellent cooking skills - [SINA video]实拍沈阳男子手提12把大勺同时炒菜

Singapore Chilli Crab and Pasta

Chili Crab, Seafood Noodles & Sweet Sour Honey Pork @ Chinatown, Singapore

Man vs. Wild - Eating Giant Larva

Fish Sound Soup?!?!

Wendy's Testing New Chicken Sandwiches

S. Pellegrino's 2011 World's 50 Best Restaurants

For fire eaters only: these chillies bite back

Conrad Walters

40 Shanghai foods we can’t live without

Xiaolongbao.1. Xiaolongbao (小笼包)

2. Di Shui Dong ribs

3. Braised eggplant (红烧茄子)

Grilled oysters (炒生蚝).4. Grilled oysters (烤生蚝)

5. Chicken of the fields: aka frog (田鸡)

6. The M Pavlova

Stinky tofu (臭豆腐).7. Stinky tofu (臭豆腐)

8. Choose your own adventure… in seafood

9. "The chicken has no sexual experience" (童子鸡)

Hanging roast duck.10. Hanging roasted duck

11. Caramel strawberry kebabs (糖草莓串)

12. Raw, drunken crab (醉蟹)

Shengjianbao (生煎包).13. Shengjianbao (生煎包)

14. Element Fresh's miso yogurt dressing

15. Niangao (年糕)

Mapo doufu (麻婆豆腐).16. Mapo doufu (麻婆豆腐)

17. Squirrel shaped Mandarin fish (松子鲑鱼)

18. Late night street noodles

Shanghai decadent brunch.19. Hedonistic Champagne brunch

20. Kababs

21. Red jujubes stuffed with glutinous rice, Xin Tai Ran (心太软)

Hairy crab.22. Hairy crab (大闸蟹)

23. Muslim hand pulled noodles

24. Water boiled fish in chili (水煮鱼)

Hongshaorou (红烧肉).25. Hongshao rou (红烧肉)

26. Mini wontons in soup (小馄饨)

27. Drunken chicken (醉鸡)

Shanghai high tea.28. Afternoon Tea

Xiaolongbao.
1. Xiaolongbao (小笼包)

Grilled oysters (炒生蚝).
4. Grilled oysters (烤生蚝)

Stinky tofu (臭豆腐).
7. Stinky tofu (臭豆腐)

Hanging roast duck.
10. Hanging roasted duck

Shengjianbao (生煎包).
13. Shengjianbao (生煎包)

Mapo doufu (麻婆豆腐).
16. Mapo doufu (麻婆豆腐)

Shanghai decadent brunch.
19. Hedonistic Champagne brunch

Hairy crab.
22. Hairy crab (大闸蟹)

Hongshaorou (红烧肉).
25. Hongshao rou (红烧肉)

Shanghai high tea.
28. Afternoon Tea

Crawfish.
31. Crawfish (小龙虾)

Paul Pairet's lemon & lemon tart.
34. Paul Pairet's lemon & lemon tart

Lion's head meatball,
37. Lion head meatballs (狮子头)