Sao Nam @ Tengkat Tung Shin, KL

,
Located in the heart of Bukit Bintang area, Sao Nam is a place for fine Vietnamese cuisine. It is located behind Jalan Alor... on the same row as the famous Meng Kee Char Siew. Jenn & I never notice this place even though we had been passing by a lot of times before. This particular road has a lot of guest houses and restaurants, making it hard to find parking most of the times.

Along the road of Tengkat Tung Shin...

They placed a menu outside... ever noticed that this place was awarded with Malaysian Tatler's Best Restaurant from 2005 to 2008??

A glance from the outside revealed nothing special...

But please... pass through this door to know what's inside!

It is a very nice place to dine - cosy and contemporary settings. The whole place was dimly lighted and air conditioned, creating a romantic feeling even in the afternoon.

The bar with a lot of liquors...

Lunch sets were offered at RM18++, but since we had taken our lunch earlier, we only wanted to have drinks and desserts.

The menu... you can find typical Vietnamese food and drinks here, including their famous coffee.. plus cocktails, imported beers, wines and liquors.

Jenn asked for their Caramel Custard (banh flan) @ RM8++ - a sily smooth-textured egg custard with Vietnamese coffee and caramelized sugar. It was bitter on the first bite and pleasantly sweet on the next... thumbs up!!!

I had the famous Belgium's Hoegaarden White Beer @ RM18++ - cool!

Leo's verdict - the prices are on the high side as I mentioned before, FINE VIETNAMESE CUISINE!!!! But if you are feeling romantic and don't mind driving all the way to KL, risking yourself stuck in the traffic jam... do come for the experience. I will definitely come back for either lunch or dinner soon (^_^)

Meng Kee Char Siew @ Tengkat Tung Shin, KL

Char siew is one of my favourites. I could never get enough of char siew... if not for health reason, I think that I can eat it almost everyday! Anyway, it is always hard to find a place that can whip out great char siew... I'd been in KL for a few years and yet, I couldn't find a place where I can give my thumbs up to... call me picky but then, I have my certain expectations on this particular dish.

The first time I heard about this place was through my friend's word of mouth but I didn't pay any attention because the place was quite far from where I stay. Until I saw Ah Xian's program introducing this place... so I didn't wait long and quickly planned a day out to KL city centre with Jenn to give it a try.

Parking is not easy to find especially if you come here during lunch hour, not to mention that it's even harder to find a table to sit... as the lunch crowd keeps on coming in non-stop, supposedly for the famous char siew. We were lucky to find a table as soon as we walked in, as someone has just paid the bill and leaving.

Situated in a old-style house turned shop, there is no sign board but there are 2 stalls in front of the shop... one mainly for take-away and the other one for dine-in...

Ah Xian had been here...

The condition was quite stuffy and noisy.. you would hear people shouting here and there... lol! They even washed dirty plates and cups outside!

We ordered char siew and chicken for 2 pax...I had to say that the char siew really lives up to its expectation. It was really good! It felt like the char siew melted in my mouth once I put it in. The only downside was that the fat layer can be quite a turn-off for those who are health-conscious, but then... it's the fat that makes the char siew so darn aromatic!!!

Complimentary soup will be given once you are seated... and please decide on whether you opt for white or oil rice, as they would serve the latter if you didn't request.

Barley drink is just nice to cool your body down...

Leo's verdict - Getting here can be frustrating at times due to the lunch traffic. My suggestion is that you come here before 12pm and you will be able to find yourself a table easily. As for parking, you can either park at nearby open carpark or try your luck to park nearby the restaurant. But it will be very well worth your effort, as the char siew lovers will find this dish delectable! Thumbs up!!!