Comida @ Solaris Dutamas, KL

Having not read any reviews prior to dining at Comida, I thought it was a posh burger place like The Daily Grind. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed when I reached the restaurant.

Comida Burger (RM 24.90)

The Comida Burger consists of a 200 g beef patty on a bed of lettuce, topped with sauteed mushrooms and cheese. It's a big whopping burger and we had trouble finishing everything.

Bacon Burger (RM 23.50)

The Bacon Burger sits on a bed of pickles and is slathered in tomato sauce. Two bacon rashers are given.

Burgers here is fuss-free and portion is a little bigger than at other places. The thick-cut fries were average - nice but not exceptional. As you can probably tell, my lack of adjectives and gushing says it all =.= I doubt I'd return as I can think of many other places I'd rather eat at at this price.

PawPoints: 2 Paws
Pawket: Tomato

Comida
D2-G3-1, Solaris Dutamas
1 Jalan Dutamas 1
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 6211 2662
Mon - Sat: 11am - 12am

Super Kitchen Chilli Pan Mee @ KL

Super Kitchen Chilli Pan Mee is situated along the same row as Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee and serves as a competitor to keep Kin Kin's price in check.

Chilli Pan Mee (RM 6)

The chilli flakes are also placed in a plastic container for customers to decide the degree of spiciness they want. The bowl of noodles is big with lots of minced pork, lots of fried onion and lots of deep-fried anchovies as well as a poached egg. The bowl of soup is large too with sweet potato leaves and beaten egg whites.

Big portion

As you can see, the portion is much much bigger than Kin Kin and has more value-for-money. It fills you up well compared to the measly portion served at Kin Kin. The taste is quite good too as the ingredients are fresh and the egg is poached just right. The chilli flakes, although very good, somehow lacks that extra secret ingredient which draws repeated visits to Kin Kin despite their small portions and high prices. The same is true for its noodles which although good, lack the springiness of Kin Kin's homemade ones. However the chilli pan mee at Super Kitchen is still very yummy and the restaurant is just as packed as Kin Kin's come lunch time. Worth a visit if you're ever near one of their branches.

PawPoints: 4 Paws

Pawket: Dough

Restoran Super Kitchen
33, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman 1
Off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2697 0998

Restoran Fong Keow (Pottery) Bak Kut Teh @ Klang

I know, I know, everyone has their own favourite bak kut teh shop in Klang so no comments there. Here's a write-up on my favourite stall Restoran Fong Keow at Taman Intan which I think sells the best concentrated bak kut teh =D JS disagrees, of course...

      

Shop Front

      
You can spot the shop immediately after you exit Federal Highway. I'd say they're doing pretty good business to be able to take over so many lots.
      

Yau Char Kwai

     
The yau char kwai here are crispy when eaten on its own but of course, it tastes best after having absorbed the herbal soup.

      

Yam Rice

      
The Yam Rice is very fragrant - you can smell the yam-my aroma even before the plate is set down. The addition of dark soya sauce helps make the rice look less bland and enhances the taste of yam. But I think I prefer white rice to better taste the herbal flavour of the soup.

     

Bak Kut Teh for 2

    
We had the full works - lean meat with lots of innards, beancurd skin, button mushrooms and iceberg lettuce. See how full the claypot is? It is filled to the brim with meat, meat and more meat. There was so much meat that it was quite hard for us to scoop the soup.
    
They were very generous with the amount of innards, namely pig intestines and pig stomach. JS doesn't take those so I very happily finished them all =D We also found a lot of lean meat in the claypot which had just the right proportion of fats to meat. It was so much that we could hardly finish it...we were arguing over who the last few pieces belonged to =P
     
Now the all important factor - how does the soup fare? I like mine super concentrated and at Fong Keow, the soup consistency is thick and full of herbal goodness and so so so concentrated. It's hard to explain...just try it out for yourself =P We asked for a refill halfway through and we finished the soup to the last drop. Now what does that tell you about the taste of Fong Keow bak kut teh? =D

     

See how concentrated the soup is?

   

So whenever you're wondering where is a good place for bak kut teh in Klang, just head on over to Restoran Fong Keow for a taste and (I hope) you'll be hooked =D

    

PawPoints: 5 Paws

Pawket: Onion

     

Restoran Fong Keow (Pottery) Bak Kut Teh

53 Jalan Batai Laut
Taman Intan
Klang

Tel: 03 3343 7479

Daily: 8am - 9.30pm

Modesto's Capital Square @ CapSquare, KL

When Modesto's is mentioned, I automatically think of a posh place with expensive Western / Italian meals, therefore I was quite surprised when I found out they have a different lunch menu for Asian fare apart from the standard set lunch menu comprising Western meals. The Asian lunch menu is fairly affordable too for lunching executives.

Complimentary starter

The complimentary crackers and salsa are very yummy - I can't get enough of them =)

Cantonese Fried Kuey Teow with Chicken (RM 9.90)

The Cantonese Fried Kuey Teow comes steaming hot with lots of wok hei even though it's a gravy-based dish. The chicken pieces are very tender and smooth and the noodles absorb the flavours of the gravy fully. The ginger and scallion adds to the aroma of the gravy.

Stir Fried Glass Noodles with Beef (RM 9.90)

You can smell the wok hei the moment the plate of Stir Fried Glass Noodles with Beef is placed on the table. The glass noodles are springy and savoury, the bean sprouts crunchy and fresh and the huge beef pieces tender and moist. A large sprinkling of deep fried dried shrimps further adds to the flavour of the dish. Very very good.

Nasi Goreng Kampung (RM 10)

The Nasi Goreng Kampung tastes slightly different compared to those sold at mamak stalls as it seems to be covered in dark soya sauce rather than belacan paste but is still good nonetheless. The runny sunny side up and extremely crunchy deep fried anchovies are a good accompaniment to the fried rice. The crackers are also very yummy.

Fried Rice with Chicken and Shrimp (RM 10)

This dish of fried rice with chicken and shrimp is also yummy and flavourful. It also comes with a runny sunny side up and crunchy crackers.

Hokkien Mee (RM 9.90)

The Hokkien Mee looked very real and authentic but sadly it lacked the wok hei. Otherwise it is pretty good for a halal version.

There are hits and misses but all in all, Modesto's is a good place for lunch if ever you pass by Capsquare (there are limited food choices at that area =.=). Not sure if other outlets have the same promo.

PawPoints: 3 Paws
Pawket: Dough

Modesto's Capital Square

Lot G-02/03/03A, Ground Floor
Cap Square Centre
Tel: 03 2697 4020
Mon - Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 3am

Jin Xuan Hong Kong Dim Sum @ Damansara Jaya, PJ

This place is always packed with families on weekends enjoying a late dim sum brunch. This is a good place to go as the dim sum are affordable and there is a huge variety. The downside is that it is really packed on weekends and you have to register at the counter where they'll call you once a table is available.

      

Customers spilling onto the road

       

Minced Pork Century Egg Congee

     
The congee was good overall but it was not very smooth as you can still feel the rice grains. For this price however, it is acceptable.

     

Minced Pork Potstickers

     
This was quite good although the skin was a little thicker and the bottom of the potsticker was not crispy enough. I wished they provided 2 saucers of ginger and vinegar dip as one is not sufficient. Or at the very least, more ginger shreds. I think the potstickers at Esquire Kitchen are the best d^_^b

    

Prawn Cheong Fun

    
The cheong fun was smooth and silky and the prawns were of average size. Quite good, I'd say.

   

Loh Mai Kai

    
Loh Mai Kai was not bad though I think the char siu is a bit too sweet for my liking.

   

Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice

     
The Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice was value for money as the lotus leaf's fragrance permeated the glutinous rice. JS enjoyed this dish as it had lots of filling. The salted egg went really well with the glutinuous rice and bits of meat.

   

Abundant filling

     

Steamed Prawn Dunpling

     
The prawns here are big and bouncy. Very nice.
   

Steamed Pork Dumpling

     
The Siu Mai here are also humongous. Lots of filling with a sweet taste to it due to the pork juices.

     

Braised Chicken Feet

     
The chicken feet here are not intact =.= The sauce is also much thicker which wasn't really my preference.

    

Yam Puff

    
Yam Puff was good with crunchy outer layer and creamy yam within. The char siu filling was sweet and it complemented the taste of the yam on the outer later.

   

Deep Fried Prawn Dumpling in Cheese

    
This was the most expensive item on the menu =.= The fried wantans were very crispy and the prawns inside were huge. My bro loved the cheese topping.

   

Egg Tart

    
The egg tarts were flaky and eggy. JS thought that they were not too bad although he had tasted better ones elsewhere.

  

Cha Siu Bao

    

The char siu pau here had lots of filling although the pau skin was a bit too thick for my liking.

In conclusion, do come to Jin Xuan Hong Kong Dim Sum for a variety of relatively cheap dim sum. If you're looking for something refined, I'd suggest Grand Palace at Pavilion.

     

PawPoints: 3 Paws
Pawket: Onion

     
Restoran Jin Xuan Hong Kong 

59, 61 and 63, Jln SS22/19
Damansara Jaya
Tel: 03 7729 6866
Daily: 7am - 11.30pm

El Meson Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar @ Bangsar, KL

I had never thought of stepping foot into El Meson as it looked quite posh and therefore must be expensive since it is located in Bangsar so I was really happy to find that there was a non-halal breakfast offer on Groupon that I snapped it up before you can say "Err...".

     

El Meson

       

Shop Front

     

Cool artwork

       
Love this artwork displayed on the wall, really brought out the bull in the picture. The wall was also adorned with a grid of block prints which I found really nice.

       

Love the ceramic-tiled table!

       
Some of the tables were made of smooth dark wood whereas others had an inlay of beautiful ceramic tiles with a Spanish feel.

Another sign outside the shop

Yet another array of beautiful ceramic tiles proclaiming the shop's name by the pavement.

     

Drinks Menu

     

Breakfast Menu

      
Aside from the Breakfast like a King meal which we had, the other breakfast options included Huevos Revueltos, Eggs Benedict, Eggs on Toast and Toast with Butter and Preserves.

     

Breakfast like a King with Streaky Bacon and Sunny Side Up (RM 25)

       
This was my Breakfast like a Queen =D It came with two sunny side up eggs, homemade pork sausage, two strips of streaky bacon, a rather flat rectangular hash brown, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms and wonderfully toasted bread with butter on top.
    

• The eggs were fried just nice with still-oozy yolks.
• Streaky bacon strips were really good with crispy fatty bits.
• Homemade pork sausage was quite compact and flavourful and the insides were moist and juicy...reminded me of the awesome pork sausages in UK =D
• The hash brown was good and over here at El Meson, it is not fried to a crisp so it was still a bit wobbly even though it's flat and has been fried. On our 2nd visit, it was exactly like McDonald's crispy version and I was one happy kid =D
• Baked beans were...well, baked beans.
• The sauteed mushrooms were excellent but the portion was absolutely minuscule =.=
• Ooo the toasted bread was absolutely wonderful! The bread was quite compact and was toasted to perfection with crispy, crusty browned edges. It was an awesome accompaniment to the eggs and beans and sausage. If they had given me more slices, I would have gladly polished them off. Even now, I'm still reminiscing about the amazing toasts <drools>

Final verdict...absolutely satisfying! Would definitely return again and again for the affordable yet very yummy breakfast set.
       

Breakfast like a King with Back Bacon and Scrambled Egg (RM 25)

       
JS also had the Breakfast like a King but he ordered scrambled eggs and back bacon instead. As you can see the scrambled eggs were extremely good as they were moist and eggy and yolky. The scrambled eggs are definitely worth ordering.

      

Complimentary bread basket with garlic butter

     
When we returned to El Meson for a separate lunch session, we were served a complimentary bread basket. This time the slices of bread were just warmed through and not as good as the breakfast toasts in my opinion. The melted (liquidy but still solid) butter had a strong garlicky flavour.

     

Mushroom Soup

     
The Mushroom Soup was part of the Executive Set Lunch and was served in a black ceramic bowl which contrasted nicely with its milky colour and the sprinkled grounded black pepper. The soup which was also drizzled with a round of olive oil was extremely creamy, well-blended, thick and smooth. The bread went extremely well with the hot soup.

     

Executive Set Lunch - The Ultimate Pork Burger (RM 35)

       
The Ultimate Pork Burger is definitely the ultimate pork burger. Served with a rather pathetic piece of lettuce and crispy roast potatoes, the juicy pork burger is topped with mushrooms, caramelised onions and bacon. The sesame seed bun was fantastic with butter slathered on one side and toasted - this marks the first time I've finished the whole bun of a gourmet burger.
     
The compact and juicy pork patty topped with melted cheese was definitely the best both JS and I had ever tasted and currently edged out all other gourmet pork burgers we've tried by a huge margin. The bacon pieces on top were good although I prefer mine to be grilled to a crisp.
   
The homemade roast potato cubes were excellent, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Very addictive, I might add.

   

Paella Valenciana (RM 27)

     
As the paella orders in the main menu are usually for 2 people or more, we were surprised to see a paella option in the lunch menu for 1 person hence we ordered it in an instant. The Paella Valenciana consists of short grain Spanish rice slow-cooked with chicken, chorizo, pork and green beans in a hearty and rich chicken stock for approximately half an hour.
    
The paella is really moist and flavourful. My favourite bits were the rice and green beans =P Perhaps I was full from the Ultimate Pork Burger so I didn't find the chicken and chorizo particularly appealing. JS thinks they are good (as he does every dish <whistle>) but I'm sure they are as the chicken is not dry and the chorizo is juicy.
    
I noticed service isn't very good though. The waiters and waitresses somehow can never spot me waving for them and a request for refill of a glass of water takes ages to materialise =.= But all in all, El Meson is really worth a visit. Try to come during lunch as the meals are slightly cheaper or if you're an English breakfast person like me, you definitely have to make a trip here before 11am =)
    
P/S: Wow I just found out the last 4 digits of their telephone number is the same as my car's license plate! Mr El Meson, if you're reading this, can I get a discount please? <big puppydog eyes>
  

PawPoints: 4 Paws

Pawket: Tomato

    
El Meson Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar

61-63, Jalan Telawi 3
Bangsar
Tel: 03 2282 8290
Mon - Fri: 11am - 11pm
Sat - Sun: 8am - 11pm