Breakfast Spread @ Premiere Hotel, Klang

Today's is a short post. I've had quite a number of friends holding their wedding reception at Premiere Hotel in Klang. Since it's quite far for us PJ folk, my friends and I decided to book a night's stay there for some girly catch-up. The room is far better than I expected and the washroom definitely meets my standards =P Here's what I had from the complimentary breakfast buffet.

My kind of breakfast (RM 32)

Nasi lemak for breakfast yum! They've also got beef and chicken rendang which are awesome and totally melt-in-your-mouth. Love the spicy sambal, crunchy anchovies and fragrant coconut milk infused rice too! Basically they've got the perfect nasi lemak. Apart from that there are also some western breakfast items such as chicken sausage and hash browns, pastries and toast. Chicken noodle soup is also available if you prefer something warm and soupy in the early morning.


PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Olive



Premiere Hotel
Bandar Bukit Tinggi
Klang
Tel: 03 3325 6868

Nancy's Kitchen @ Jalan Hang Lekir, Melaka

We could not decide which famous Nyonya restaurant to patron but our native Malaccan friend mentioned that all the yummy Nyonya restaurants are located further away from the town; the ones in the city centre are too commercialised. But as we did not wish to drive out of town, we just went to the first Nyonya restaurant that caught our eye which was Nancy's Kitchen at Jonker Walk.
      

Signboard

     

Shop front

   
From the exterior, you can probably expect what the interior will look like. The shop was quite small and a little cramped. We were seated on the upper floor and the floorboards were extremely creaky. There was this kid at the next table who kept running around the small seating room. The floorboards were shuddering with his thundering stomps but his parents didn't say anything - I kept thinking the floorboards might give way anytime, sending us all tumbling down >.< The stair steps were also narrow and steep - if you have large bones, I suggest it's best to sit on the lower floor =.=
      

Fromt of menu

 
The front cover of their menu looks really nice with a demure nyonya browsing through a book. I'm sure the proprietress herself was trying to replicate that image but...I. would. have. to. say. she. failed. =.=

      

Chicken Candlenut (RM 10)

 
The chicken and thick curry gravy was really good and went very well with rice. The chicken was moist and tender and had absorbed all the wonderful flavours and spices of the curry.
 
We asked for 1 candlenut to try as we did not know how it tasted like and it's lucky we did as it was one big nut. The candlenut was quite salty and tasted something like the canned fried dace in black bean sauce. It took some getting used to but the flavour isn't too bad. Just take a little at a time - the black nut you see near the top of the picture could feed 5 of us.
   

Fried Egg Cincalok (RM 6)

   
The fried egg with shrimp paste was quite salty and flavourful which can only mean one thing - it goes extremely well with rice! =D After a few mouthfuls, the saltiness got quite addictive and I just kept going back to the dish for more. Poor friend who wanted this as I think I ended up eating most of his share...sorry >.<
   

Brinjal with Chilli (RM 8)

   
The brinjals were grilled very well and it totally absorbed the flavours of the chilli paste and bits of chicken...my favourite dish of the lot =D
 

Nyonya Laksa (RM 6)

   
The Nyonya Laksa was filled to the brim with goodies. Its thick coconut-infused curry gravy was very fragrant but its taste was a little subdued (but then again I'm no nyonya laksa expert <shrug>). Still, our friends polished off the bowl so it must be good.
   

Pork Fried with Beancurd Skin (RM 6)

 
This dish was very crispy and its well marinated meat went very well with the chilli sauce dip which is not pictured.
   

Steamed Spicy Fish Paste (RM 10)

 
The otak-otak was extremely smooth with a strong coconut milk taste - very good.
 
Nancy's Kitchen also serves popiah with lard which is prepared outside the shop near the entrance. I was tempted to order it but decided not to after I saw the numerous flies buzzing around the staff and popiah she was making =.= That's a warning there.
 
But in conclusion, Nancy's Kitchen serves awesome (someone's) mum's cooking! Do make a trip there when you're in town even though it may be too commercialised =)
 

 
PawPoints: 4 Paws
Pawket: Onion
    

Nancy's Kitchen
7 Jalan Hang Lekir
Off Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock
Melaka
Tel: 06 283 6099

Maya Brasserie @ Maya Hotel, KL

I think many companies always hold corporate events at Maya Hotel so here's a quick overview of the dishes available for dinner buffet at the hotel's all-day cafe Maya Brasserie.

Love the look!

I love the dark colours employed in the decor of Maya Brasserie and the orchid arrangement in a gigantic cement-coloured vase looked absolutely elegant. Very zen-like and peaceful with several ponds in the restaurant. However the pools do not have any barriers around it so watch your step or you might just hear a splash =P

Oysters and Crabs

Raw oysters and crabs which I did not try as I didn't want to risk a diarrhea and I was too lazy to wrestle with the crabs =(

Salad Bar

The salad bar here is quite interesting with a variety of combinations and flavours. By the time I got to the salads, they were half gone and I only took two varieties which interested me =(

Satay and Otak-Otak

It's quite rare to find otak-otak in hotel buffets, no?

BBQ Station

There were tons of ingredients ready to be barbecued such as sausages, marinated chicken and lamb, and assorted vegetables. A variety of sauces and condiments were also available to go with the barbecued items. Not pictured here was a station for deep-fried items too.

Minuscule Japanese Section

Imagine tons of people queuing up for this plate of sashimi =.= Do they not realise Japanese food is popular with the masses? Anyway when you finally get your turn, you can forget all about the others and just zoom in on the rectangular, shiny orange blobs on the plate. I'll tell you why after you scroll down...

Sarawak Kolok Mee Station

I've always wanted to try Kolok Mee but I definitely wasn't about to waste my tummy space with this so I still don't know how it tastes like =(

Haagen Dazs Ice-Cream

There were 3 flavours of Haagen Dazs ice-cream, namely chocolate, strawberry and chocolate chip cookie dough. There were also ais potongs which I doubt anyone would take when there is Haagen Dazs?

Cakes and Local Dessert

Plenty of local kuihs and cakes to choose from =)

Chocolate Fountain

Chocolate Fountain is always a favourite with the patrons and they have the obligatory marshmallows and strawberries as well as preserved fruits.

Main Course

As always, I need some main course items to fill my tummy so clockwise from the rice are chicken and beef satay and the usual accompanying onions and cucumbers, kam heong bamboo clam, stir-fried squid, crab with spices, assam stingray and lamb provencal. I racked my brains for descriptive adjectives for each dish but they were all average and tasted exactly as you assume they would taste (hope that helps =.=). I quite like the satay as both the beef and chicken were well marinated and were adequately charred yet juicy.

Sides

My favourites =D Clockwise from the soy sauce saucer are sashimi, futomaki, california maki, potato souffle, kerabu and strawberry chicken salad. The kerabu packed quite a punch in the sour department while the strawberry chicken salad tasted a little odd as the strawberry was sweet and my brain keeps telling me that chicken doesn't go well with sugary sweet stuff =.=

The potato souffle was very comforting and fluffy - I'd have taken more if I wanted to risk looking like a glutton but I was quite full from all the waiting for VIPs so we could start the meal. Both the futomaki and california maki were bite-sized and good...too bad there wasn't enough space in my tummy.

The sashimi were not too bad but the clear winner is that little blob of criss-crossed orange next to the saucer =D It was salmon belly sashimi and it was soooo juicy and fatty and slippery and melt-in-your mouth-y!! It was such a small piece but it certainly beat every single dish on the menu. Be warned though that it is quite tough to get more than one piece as they only display a few pieces of sashimi at any one time and I thought it'd be rude if I scooped up every piece of salmon belly from the display plate (scroll up for picture) =P

Dessert

Last but not least, I had chocolate-covered strawberries, marshmallow and rock melon, a small square of chocolate cake and strawberry and chocolate chip cookie dough ice-cream.

I hope you found the pictures (at least) informative. The buffet items were not too bad but I definitely wouldn't pay to eat these at a hotel.

PawPoints: 2 Paws
Pawket: Salami

Maya Brasserie

Level 1, Maya Hotel
138 Jalan Ampang
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2711 8866

Daily: 6.30am - 12am

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

Kelantan Delights @ Wisma Consplant, Subang Jaya

We celebrated CNY at Kelantan Delights, a supposedly famous Malay restaurant serving quality and authentic Kelantanese fare. When my friend mentioned this place, none of us heard of it before even though we've been staying in Subang Jaya for ages O.o If it makes it easier to get your bearings, the restaurant is located on the ground floor of Wisma Consplant.
     

Kelantan Delights

      

Interior

      
The interior is of modern Malay furnishing with lots of dark wood.

     

Sweets to curb spiciness

      

Kelantanese Specials

       

Keropok Lekor (RM 8.50)

      
This is quite good - crunchy fish crackers which are not oily. We had both the spicy and non-spicy versions but I couldn't really tell the difference between the two. The chilli sauce provided complemented the fish crackers well.

     

Nasi Dagang with Kerutuk Daging (RM 20)

      
The Nasi Dagang which is made from glutinous rice was moist and flavourful. It is served with a side salad and a choice of Gulai Ikan, Ayam or Kerutuk Daging. We chose the Kerutuk Daging which was very yummy and tender. A bowl of thick curry sauce was provided as an accompaniment to the rice.

    

Accompanying curry

       

Nasi Kerabu with Ayam Percik (RM 19)

         
The blue-tinged Nasi Kerabu is served with ulam (mixture of fresh herbs), prawn crackers and a sliver of salted egg. A rendang-ish gravy with dessicated coconut is served with the rice, making it much tastier compared to the Nasi Dagang in my opinion. I was looking forward to eating ulam as I have not tried it before but I was kind of disappointed as the raw vegetables were...raw and dry. Perhaps ulam is supposed to taste like this <shrugs> The prawn crackers were crunchy and flavourful.
       
Again there is a choice of Ayam Percik, Ikan Percik or Daging Bakar. We opted for the Ayam Percik which came with gravy. I found this rather odd as I'm used to the dry version so the gravy did not taste like Percik gravy to me. The chicken was rather dry too >.<

       

Nasi Tumpang (RM 15)

      
Oops the artistic-looking Nasi Tumpang got a bit destroyed in the unwrapping process -_-" I didn't try this so no comment. Looks good though. Will probably order this if ever I return.

     

Tom Yum Campur (RM 16.50)

     
The Tom Yum Campur was average, not very spicy and super oily. It contains lots of ingredients though like mushrooms, cauliflower, prawns and parsley.

     

Kelantanese Dessert

       
Unfortunately I didn't manage to get the name of this dessert =.=

     

Lompat Tikam (RM 6)

      
Did not try the desserts so can't comment too much on it.
      
Kelantan Delights apparently gets lots of rave reviews from floggers for being an exceptional Malay restaurant. I guess the food is quite nice for Malay cuisine since the Malay food most of us usually eat are from makeshift stalls.
    

PawPoints: 3 Paws

Pawket: Tomato

     
Kelantan Delights
Ground Floor, East Wing
Wisma Consplant 1
2 Jalan SS 16/4
Subang Jaya
Tel: 03 5611 7845
Daily: 11am - 11pm

TEMPTationS @ Renaissance Hotel, KL

At Renaissance Hotel, TEMPTationS is the Asian brother of Vogue Cafe =P It largely serves local fare with lots of curries, salad station, a small dim sum station, congee, Indian vegetarian dishes, local desserts, ice-cream and Western cakes. If you ever see a lunch deal for buffet at this hotel, make sure you go for the one at Vogue Cafe. That's not to say that the food here isn't nice, just that it is not too...worth it =P However I recently found out that the dinner menu for TEMPTationS looks quite different than the lunch one so have a look at the menu and decide for yourself =P

      

Reception

     
Buffet breakfast goes for RM 45, buffet lunch RM 79 and buffet dinner RM 109.

I was there for a training course and since lunch was only for 45 minutes, I did not take pictures of all the dishes...just the general ones and ones that I like.

       

Cold Cuts

      

Salad Bar

      

My 1st round =P

       
As you can see (in a clockwise direction), there's Biryani rice, chicken and beef satay, grilled prawns, salmon cooked in cream sauce, deep-fried calamari and assam fish. The salmon tasted a little odd with a very rich cream sauce - not my favourite. The assam fish was good but not spectacular. The Biryani rice was fluffy and aromatic. You can probably see my favourites in the next picture...

    

My 2nd round O.O

       
I spied Yong Chow fried rice!! And as you can probably tell by now, I'm a sucker for carbs =D So here are all my favourites - chicken and beef satay, grilled prawns and deep-fried calamari. I also took a cold seafood salad which was not too nice in my opinion.

The fried rice was really good with lots of wok hei, fluffy egg, french beans and mini shrimps. Do take the chicken and beef satay if you're there as they were so succulent and flavourful with the rich peanut sauce. Each piece detaches easily when you pull on it and the meat is never tough. The grilled prawns were average but fresh and big so I took seconds =D The deep-fried calamari with curry leaves were crispy and fresh and not chewy...very addictive.

      

There were a lot of other curries such as chicken, beef, mutton, and lentil as well as a variety of chutneys. I did not take those as I already had my fill, lunching at a mamak shack adjacent to my office EVERY SINGLE DAY =.= But I'm sure the curries at TEMPTationS taste nice =)

     

Mini cakes and pastries

      
I did not take too many pictures of the cakes as I was late in getting to the dessert section and most of the cakes were already smashed or overturned and did not look appetising at all =.=
      

Cake slices and buns

     

Cendol and Ais Kacang Station

                

So anyway, do give it a try if you plan to let a foreigner sample local delicacies at a hotel buffet and if you absolutely love local food =)
 

PawPoints: 3 Paws

Pawket: Salami

    
TEMPTationS @ Renaissance Hotel

Corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 2162 2233
Daily: 6am - 11am, 12pm - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm