Rak Thai @ The Gardens Mid Valley

I love Thai! Love their culture (always polite with a smile!), love their people (ever friendly), love their country (with so many beautiful places to go) and most importantly... love their food! I'd say this before but I don't mind saying it again... after Chinese, my next fav is Thai food!! Just can't get enough of them :)

One of my favourite places to eat Thai food is Rak Thai located in The Garden Mid Valley. Rak Thai literally means "Love Thai" in English. After a few trips to The Land of Smiles, I could speak a few basic Thai words. Of course, I would never ever compare to those of Unkaleong or Paranoid Android who speak almost fluent Thai. The 2 guys spent a few years in Thailand!! Me??? Just went to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Krabi for holiday so far :P

Back to the topic... Rak Thai is actually located somewhere in the middle of LG level of Mid Valley and The Garden itself. The first time we went there, The Garden has not officially opened for business yet. I remember having kickass som tam here and that was it.

Back for the second time, I noticed that business was brisk for this restaurant but not to the extent that we had to wait for table. The place was spacious and service was rather fast. Some of the workers are actually Thai and were more than happy to serve me when I spoke basic Thai with them :)

Some of the local Thai produce such as chilly paste and fish paste were sold there. To those who love to cook Thai food, they offer variety of products to choose from.

A dedicated place to make the delectable som tam.

And also mango sticky rice. The sight of those sweet mango proved too much to resist.

Since it was lunch time, we ordered their Set Lunch for 2 which was priced at RM39.60++. For the price, these are what you will get:

1) Rak Thai platter (2 pcs each) - grilled squid on skewer, pandan chicken and Thai spring roll. Note: the squid and chicken were quite oily but still within acceptable level. Delightful starter!

2) Thai pineapple fried rice - decent dish but appetising enough for me (don't forget that I'm not a fussy eater!)

3) Phad Ki Mau - Thai style of fried kuey teow plus basil leaves, and did I mention rather spicy?

4) Mango sticky rice - sinful dish but it made sure that our lunch ended in sweet note :)

5) 2 iced lemongrass drink - my favourite drink so no complain.

Leo's verdict - plus point is that Rak Thai is located in a shopping mall which made it easier for me to dine whenever I go shopping. With a family, I couldn't be too adventurous these days. Most of the time, I would take Jenn and Sher Ryn out shopping because it's cooler compared going outside. This time I didn't manage to eat the som tam but there will always be next time!

The Spread @ The Gardens Hotel & Residence, Mid Valley City

Not many people know about this newly opened restaurant located inside The Gardens Hotel & Residence. My friend, Pat, walked pass by one day and was informed by the management that they were having promotion for early lunch. Paying only RM68 nett... we decided to check out on the offers. Otherwise we would have to pay RM80++ for normal price once the promotion is over.

The whole place looked deserted when we arrived, making us felt nervous if the food & drinks were not up to the standard. But everything looked just fine (^_^) - new, cosy, cool, contemporary.

I started taking photos around before we sat down to eat... starting with the fruits section. Yes they were all real and they would cut fresh on the spot for you. What you gotta do is just ask for the fruits that you want. Your wish is their command!!!

One of my favourite sections... always the first section that I took my food (^_^) fresh seafood...

Oysters... well, it was not big but fresh! All I need is lemon and Tabasco sauce... and it's good to go.

Sashimi anyone??

Tuna and abalone slices...

Salmon and seabass...

Butterfish and octopus...

Assortment of breads with 3 different butters... plain, garlic and herbs.

Cold dish... such as salad, pickled fruits, etc.

Assorted canapes...

For cheese lovers...

Local sauces... cencaluk, sambal belacan, sambal kicap, etc...

Local dishes...

Delicacies... yummy! My stomach started to groan...

See the sign??? LOL!!!!

Satays... the peanut sauce was not bad!

Make your own waffles...

One of my favourite Indian food... Chicken Tandoori!

With various types of curries...

Finally, dessert sections... looked promising!

And these too...

The reception counter..
For display only...

Actually I ate a lot of food.. but I don't wanna put too many pictures here... maybe a few!


Jenn wanted pasta... aglio olio style... the cook whipped it out for me...

This was how it looked like but it was plain and we didn't like it!

The ice cream was good... tried the black sesame and kiwi & I love it!

Leo's verdict - The Spread gave me a good first impression due to its overall soft colour for its interior. In fact, the special discount was only given for 4 diners and above. But Jenn wasn't feeling well that day, so there were only 3 of us. Still the manager gave us the discounted price. The food was OK in general... at least for me. For buffet lovers... this place is worth given a try...

Nyonya Color @ The Garden Mid Valley

You can find a lot of places offering breakfast here. But if you want to know which one offers good breakfast, just look at the queue. Like this one.. lol!

Their concept was similar to those kopitiam, but with extras such as cucur udang and variety of kuih-muih to choose from.

The layout is simple...

They even sell own produce such as paste, rojak sauce, roasted kopi powder, etc...

Nasi lemak packet @ RM2.50 - Well, it's more expensive from what you normally get outside but this is the price to pay especially when you are having it inside high-end shopping mall.

Sambal was quite spicy but good nonetheless, with generous amount of anchovies and peanuts. Quarter slice of egg is included as well :) burp!! (excuse me!!)

Soft boiled eggs @ RM2.20 - the eggs were not so fresh, as the yolk was stuck at the egg shell as I opened them.

Teh tarik @ RM2.40 - one of my favourite drinks for breakfast. You would have noticed it if you read most of my blogs. A decent one but still good enough for me as long as it's not too sweet. Still, I prefer the one in Park Village.

Leo's verdict - I used to come to Mid Valley a lot when Jenn was still working here. But I never stepped into this kopitiam once. Next time we come here to shop, I will drop by to try their other dishes again. Stay tuned! By the way, they also have another outlet in 1-Utama Shopping Centre (Old Wing)