Remember 126 @ Bukit Tinggi Bentong, Pahang

Those who have been reading my blogs regularly (lol! not that I'm that popular) would know that I travel between Pahang and KL regularly. Living in a rather small & quaint little town can be quite boring after a while so what can be better than driving to KL which is like only 2 hours from my hometown :) it used to be more than 3 hours in the past but the route from Bentong-Raub-Kuala Lipis had been straightened up so it was a JOY for me.

In the past, Jenn & I could afford to stop wherever and whenever we wanted. Now with 2 kids in tow, planning is essential and most of the time, we would end up in Bukit Tinggi area around lunch time. With a lot of restaurants mushrooming in this area, you would be spoilt with choices. However, only a few of them really stand out from the pack and Remember 126 is definitely one of them :) despite its rather funny name, the food is good and service is relatively fast. Jenn & I have become their regulars and they would greet us with huge smile on the face. They even know Jenn's parents who dine there too!

The restaurant is HUGE and airy, something that we absolutely love. This restaurant is one of the most popular (if not the most) restaurants here and the evidence is shown by the almost full house state despite weekdays.

At the time I wrote this post, I had gone there countless times hence the amount of food that I am going to post in this blog. All in one mah :P

What I love most about the food is that the consistent standard. One dish that stood the test of time is the stir fried baby water cress with chopped garlic. The green was just so fresh and they would use finely chopped garlic than crushed garlic cloves (I'm very particular on this), therefore the aroma of garlic was infused into the water cress evenly. There were times that I would order the second plate as I could not get enough of this.

Another must-order dish in Bukit Tinggi area is the deep fried pork belly with caramelised sauce. For some reason, I never grow bored of this dish. I simply love the fact that the pork belly is very crispy , so crispy until I forgot the fat layer which I avoided most of the times. The sweet gravy was a pefect companion to the rice and enhanced further by the chopped onion. One grouse though was that the amount of onion sometimes more than the meat.

Another porylicious dish that must not be missed is the claypot pork belly with salted fish. As sinful as it sounds, I could not resist the aroma of high-grade salted fish that was used to cook this dish. However, their version was quite oily so for those health-conscious people.. stay away from this OK?

A trip to Bukit Tinggi is not complete without the fish! Yes... FISH specifically river fish. Here are some of the versions that I'd tasted - starting with steamed bak sou gong (silver catfish) with shredded ginger and superior soy sauce. Cost only RM30/kg.. even though this fish is not caught in the wild, it's meat was sweet and flaky without the dreaded muddy taste normally associated with reared ones. The fish is reared in the river uphill with constant flow of clean water. You can opt for the wild ones which easily cost double the price but generally still cheaper compared to KL's standard.

Steamed "wan" fish with crushed ginger is another favourite of us. Heaps of famous Bentong ginger were used to provide extra pungent taste (in a good ginger way) to this fish. Just beware of the fine bones which are literally everywhere in its body!

Steamed asam tilapia - without the muddy taste normally associated with this fish, the sourish and slightly spicy asam gravy was a heaven for us. It never fails to persuade me for a second bowl of white rice everytime.

Claypot curry fish head - garoupa head was used to prepare this dish and even though the name was exciting, the curry somehow failed to make its mark! I had better version in KL and in my hometown.

However, the fish head was fresh and the meat was definitely succulent! Just look at it :)

Other dishes include this stir fried bittergourd with egg - simple yet satisfying dish that I could not get enough of. It was a little bitter but I love it.

Claypot taufu with assorted vegetables was passable but not memorable.

Leo's verdict - on average our lunch here (3 dishes) cost approx. RM50 with the fish! Can you get a better deal anywhere in KL? Parking is ample and given that this area is less than 30minute drive from KL, a weekend drive here is not really that far away right?? Given the fact that we are usually stuck in the traffic jam for more than 30 minutes...

Remember One Two Six Restaurant
PT3347, Kg Bukit Tinggi
28750 Bentong, Pahang
Handphone: 012-2251894

Disclaimer:
1) I'm not paid to promote/endorse any particular event, restaurant or person in this blog. ALL are based on my unbiased personal opinion.
2) My reviews are based on my personal taste and preference and therefore may vary for others.

East Coast Trip Day 2 - Sungai Lembing, Sin Kee Hung (dried seafood) & Teluk Cempadak (evening)

On top of our itinerary list on the 2nd day was Sungai Lembing, a former bustling tin mining town located about 40km away from Kuantan town. Until the 1970s, this place was one of the major producers of underground tin and it was finally closed in 1986. Many people moved out to Kuantan shortly after and the town began to decline. Good thing is that Sungai Lembing is well-preserved and not over-commercialised. More information on the former richest town in Pahang is available here.

This also marked my first time coming to Sg. Lembing - I have never stepped my foot once here even though I lived in Kuantan until 1986. Many TV hosts from Singapore and Malaysia had come and covered story on this place and its food. Jenn's parents have asked me several times on this place whenever they saw it on TV. Some of the must-do while in Sungai Lembing:

1) Panorama Hill - breathtaking scenery can be seen as soon as you reach the peak of this hill which takes approx. 1 hour to climb. Picture taken from here

2) Rainbow Fall - one of the most beautiful creation on Earth! Arrived here early enough and the rainbow is literally in front of you! The water from the fall is so clear and clean that some locals even use it to cook mee or food directly. Picture taken from here

Our objective was to have breakfast and also to check out its surrounding area during our short stop here. Top of the list was the famous noodle and tofu from Sungai Lembing. It took us around 30min to see this sign!

This town obviously has its glorious days behind it... as many shops are closed & unoccupied along the stretch of main road. As I parked my car, my camera started rolling - Khek Association (or hakka); Market St & Bukit Panorama igns; the quiet stretch on the main road; and the hawker market.

The hawker market was quite big and you have to go deeper inside to savour the famous noodle of Sg. Lembing. This stall had the most customers and most tables were already taken by the time we got there. Lucky for us, we found one less than 2 minutes as some patrons finished their meal. Apart from the noodle, you also can order their yong tau fu and the must-have "San Sui Tau Fu" (natural spring taufu).


The Sg. Lembing noodle was similar to my hometown's Chong Ko noodle albeit smaller in size - same spring-y texture, what we call "QQ" as we sink our teeth in, plus it's free of preservative. Had to wait 10 minutes for them to get new stock from the supplier as it was already sold out by the time we reached the stall.

Some of the "yong liew" that Jenn & I picked from the selections - the lady owner told me that their yong liew were also made using the natural spring water.

The man who was braising the San Sui Tau Fu lifted up the lid to show me how they actually braised the taufu - what a kind chap he was!

Served in clear soup, we thought that the yong liew was good (maybe we were feeling hungry, having travelled so far just for breakfast!) but I'm sure that most of you can get similar ones in KL. As for the noodle, you can choose to have the clear soup or curry version. Personally, I like the clear soup version as the broth was sweet (the curry was normal)... but remember that the spotlight is on the noodle OK? Anyway, star of the day went to the San Sui Tau Fu! Soft and smooth, sweet (gravy) and salty (minced pork in the middle) at the same time... even Jenn's parents gave the thumbs up. We ended up ordering the second plate to share among us.

After that, they proceeded to the nearby confectionery shop to buy some homemade coconut biscuit. Me? I bought a packet of "gai cai beng" (translation - little chicken biscuit)

Upon leaving Sg. Lembing, I took them to the famous Sin Kee Hung to buy dried seafood. Located along the stretch of Kuantan-Gambang road, this place is by far the most popular shop among tourists who want to buy dried seafood in Kuantan. You are spoilt with the choices of seafood produce here - dried scallop (various sizes), dried oyster, dried shrimp, dried cuttlefish, anchovies, and the famous salted fish (Mui Heong Ham Yu). I bought all my supply of dried seafood here once in a while as it's definitely cheaper compared to when you buy those in KL. Ask them to show you their prized fish maw and you might be surprised by the sheer size of it! Long time friends of my parents, they had been in business for several generations.


We managed to visit Pantai Teluk Cempedak in the evening after dinner. Proud grandparents to our beautiful little princess - Sher Ryn! Strolling along the beach, the little one enjoyed herself by running around whilst blown by the cool sea breeze.

Leo's verdict - our day was packed but enjoyable! As the time was limited, I had to shorten the time spent at certain places but luckily they didn't feel tired at all. I didn't get to try the equally famous tomato mee (also made using the noodle) in Sungai Lembing. Now my plan is to organise a trip to the Panorama Hill and Rainbow Fall the next time I go to Sungai Lembing again. Anyone interested?

Sin Kee Hung Sdn Bhd
No. 1007, Batu 3 1/2
Jalan Gambang
25150 Kuantan, Pahang
Tel : +609 5366688, +609 5362288

Disclaimer:
1) I'm not paid to promote/endorse any particular event, restaurant or person in this blog. ALL are based on my unbiased personal opinion.
2) My reviews are based on my personal taste and preference and therefore may vary for others.

East Coast Trip Part 1 - Kuantan @ Alor Akar Seafood

Jenn and I had gone for a short vacation to the East Coast recently. The reason behind the trip was that she would not be able to travel once she gives birth to our second child in late Dec 10 or early Jan 10. And she wanted to bring Sher Ryn to the beaches rather than showing her pictures of beaches in the children books that we bought for her... you know? Experience the real thing :) she is definitely easier to take care of compared to when she was smaller. Her dad and mom tagged along during this 4D3N trip. It has been more than 10++ years that both of them have not gone to Kuantan. So Jenn & I planned everything for them - all they have to do was to pack their bags.

By the time we exited Gambang toll on our first day, it was already late in the afternoon and therefore we called it a day. We headed for dinner at Restoran Alor Akar Seafood which is located near my house in Air Putih area. My previous blog on this place can be found here. As usual, this place was hot & stuffy even though we got a table which was directly below a fan. Words of advice - wear light and choose a table next to the alley or facing the road. One of the famous restaurants in Kuantan, make sure that you come early during weekends or pre-book a table.

Now.. this is something to cool down the body from the heat :P

The green was the first dish to arrive - feeling hungry, we almost finished the whole plate before the rice was served!

Next was one of their signature dishes - Ginkgo Pork Knuckle (half portion). The presence of ginkgo made this sinful dish looked healthy!! Marinated with soy sauce before it was deep fried (this explained the dark-ish skin) & later braised with mushroom, ginkgo, fu chuk (beancurd skin) and their own sauce... this dish was truly exceptional! Fork tender & juicy meat with melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Steamed bak sou gong (catfish) - a different twist by using chicken stock & ginger to steam this fish instead of normal soy sauce. Topped with coriander, the fresh and succulent catfish won Jenn's parents over.

Oyster omelette - forget this! It tasted like normal fried egg without many oysters inside.

Salted egg crab - This dish was done so good that all of us licked the salted egg (infused with curry leaves) off the shell before devouring the crab meat. However, the shell was crushed too much to the extent that the tiny bits of shell was not visible to the naked eyes. I accidentally bit on one pieces too :( having said that, this is a dish to be enjoyed!


Leo's verdict - Total bill came at less than RM100! I realised that my parents ordered same dishes everytime we came here for dinner. There are still a lot of dishes that I have yet to try. Given the fact that they have been in the business even when my parents were still young, this restaurant stood against the test of time and still going strong! I just hope that they will solve the hot and stuffy condition of the place. Below is their contact details:

Alor Akar Seafood Restaurant
Lot 7695 & 7696,
Jln Kubang Buaya Off Jalan Beserah,
25300 Kuantan,
Pahang
Tel: 09-568 0720/016-952 7811

Open from 5pm-12 midnight (Mon-Sun)

Non-halal!

Disclaimer:
1) I'm not paid to promote/endorse any particular event, restaurant or person in this blog. ALL are based on my unbiased personal opinion.
2) My reviews are based on my personal taste and preference and therefore may vary for others.

Nasi Ayamui @ Jerantut Pahang

After posting on Krabi, it's time to get back on track... clearing up my backlogs which has been put aside for quite a long time. Been wanting to write after Chinese New Year but my hectic schedule has not been too nice to me. Went up North last weekend using the coastal road starting from Kuala Selangor up to Butterworth but didn't take any photo of some of the amazing restaurants that I'd gone to, because it was not convenient for me to take pictures in front of my customers.

Anyway, my friend had told me about a famous chicken rice restaurant in Jerantut. On my way back to Kuala Lipis, I passed by this little quiet town again. The clock showed 3++pm which was already past lunch time. Feeling hungry, I decided to try my luck to search for this place. It wasn't long before I spotted this sign.

How do I know that this IS the place??? For one, it is located next to the famous Guan Yin temple in Jerantut.

Lucky for me, it was still opened at that time... we were actually the very last customers of the day. The lady owner was kind enough to accommodate us even though she was preparing to call it a day. While she prepared our order, I started to utilise my camera.

She only had a fried chicken left so it left me no choice but to go with that selection... half of it to be precise. From the look, it looked very tempting!

Complimentary acar was given but it was forgetable.

The stewed eggs served as perfect side dish for our meal.

The half chicken came in a plate drizzled with sweet soy sauce. The skin was crispy while the meat retained its moist and very tender too. Perfect comfort food to my hungry stomach!

Leo's verdict - No doubt that this is the best chicken rice shop in Jerantut but I wouldn't suggest you to drive all the way to Jerantut JUST for the dish. They had opened a branch somewhere near the town area but I didn't get the exact location. Apparently they had tried expanding to Puchong area (the new parking mall opposite IOI Mall) but was closed several months later due to the poor crowd. Find your fav chicken rice shop to fix your cravings

Alor Akar Seafood Restaurant @ Jalan Kubang Buaya, Off Jalan Beserah, Kuantan Pahang

Even though I was born and raised (until 7 year old) in Kuantan, I don't have a fond memory of this coastal town which happens to be the capital of Pahang. My family moved to Kuala Lipis in 1986 and I literally grew up there. I still know the roads in Kuantan, but if you ask me about where to find good food in Kuantan.. I'd just shrug my shoulder and tell you "Gee.. I dunno leh".

But that doesn't mean that Kuantan is lacked of nice places to eat. As a matter of fact, I know a place or two that whip out good dishes that might just smack your senses away. Alor Akar Seafood is one of those old establishments that stood the test of time. Located less than 5 min drive from my house in Kuantan, my family always come here for dinner whenever they feel lazy to cook. My parents can be quite picky when it comes to dining outside... so rest assured that their tastes are as good as mine :P

Come here for dinner on weekends and you would normally be greeted with this sight... it is not an air-conditioned restaurant so it can be quite stuffy and hot when it's full house. Normally I would skip these places as I sweat easily and a lot too! However, for the sake of good food.. I don't mind getting drenched once in a while. Sometimes you will have to wait for tables but since the lady boss is a friend of my aunt, we could get a table with just a simple phone call.

This is what a typical Chinese restaurant would serve you while waiting for the dishes to arrive

And this is something to cool down the body - sugar cane in bottle!

Our family meal started with this - sweet & sour pork. Although it lack the crispy-ness that I normally look for, it made up with great sweet & sour sauce which enveloped the tender pork meat.

Sizzling homemade taufu with minced pork - not the most exciting dish but it was good enough for my family

Claypot nai yau (buttermilk) tiger prawn - one of the highlight of the night! the creamy buttermilk sauce infused with curry leaves was packed with flavour and the prawns were quite big and fresh too!!! The dish was walloped within seconds it arrived

Stir fried bean sprout with salted fish - I don't eat taugeh so no comment on this dish. The plate was cleaned in seconds by the hungry pack!

Claypot pork belly with salted fish or affectionally known as ham yue fa lam pou was another winner to me - no doubt, top grade salted fish was used to prepare this dish... resulting in a very aromatic dish. My family was so fast to clean the whole stuff that I didn't have enough of it. FYI, Kuantan is one of the major producer of dried seafood, so good grade salted fish is normally used in well known restaurants here.

Fried garoupa - the fish was fried slowly using oil and topped with onion, spring onion & ginger slice before it was served with top grade soy sauce (sweetish).

Stir fried veggie with seafood - gotta have some greens on the table.

Leo's verdict - This restaurant is not far from the main road of Jalan Beserah but one would easily passed it without noticing. Service was rather fast even when it's near full house. Price-wise it was reasonable as the total bill came to approx. RM160 for 12 of us :)

Alor Akar Seafood Restaurant
Lot 7695 & 7696,
Jln Kubang Buaya Off Jalan Beserah,
25300 Kuantan,
Pahang
Tel: 09-568 0720/016-952 7811

Open from 5pm-12 midnight (Mon-Sun)