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 3 - Hai Peng Kopitiam @ Kemaman & Awana Kijal Resort

I realised that I had taken a lot of pictures during my East Coast trip and the blog might get too long if I insert one by one. A quick chat with my one of my best friends (Andrew Lo) whom I regard as my own brother & he told me to download Photoscape in order to combine several pictures in one, thus saving space... btw, it's FOC :) Thanks a lot bro! I knew that I could count on you like I always do!

We started our journey up north towards Terengganu after having light breakfast. Why light? Because Kedai Kopi Hai Peng was on our list to stop by on the way to Awana Kijal. Since it was only less than an hour away from Kuantan, we figured that we had a good cup of coffee would kick start otherwise an ordinary day! Since it was my first time going to Kemaman, I was worried that I could not find this place. However, this white building was visible from the main road leading towards Awana Kijal (if you see Public Bank, it's just opposite the bank).

True to its name, Hai Peng was packed with patrons most of the time. This place still maintain its old school way with some touch of modernity. LCD TV (behind the cashier) is used to introduce their food and beverages; some old (is it antique?) plates were seen hanging on the wall; pictures of the kopitiam in its early days as well as the founder were proudly hung on the wall; and variety of kuih-muih were placed on the wooden table in the middle of the shop for patrons to choose. It took us 5 minutes to secure a table for ourselves.

The kopi panas that Jenn's parents had was aromatic when it was served. One sip and I could see their eyes brighten up. "Wow! We have not tasted such good coffee for a long time" came their reply. My choice of kopi ais was not bad either! I wanted something cold rather on such a hot weather. It was rich and robust with each sip.

It took us another 20 minutes to reach Awana Kijal. Even before we came here, I had done some research on this resort. If you are looking for plenty of activities, then this is not the place for you. Our objective was to relax and therefore, it suited us. I didn't take many pictures of the hotel as I was busy taking pictures of Sher Ryn. to those who have not been here before, do not.. I repeat, DO NOT have high expectation on Awana Kijal. The rooms although clean, the interior seriously need refurbishment as the carpet, bed sheet and the wall look like from the 80s.

As soon as we checked into our respective room, Sher Ryn started exploring & venturing to prohibited areas.. starting with the cupboard. But then, I loved to see her mischevious look so I just let her continued with her ways.

Since it was hot outside, we decided to have lunch in the hotel instead. The resort is quite big and some places can be hard to find. Our lunch at Waterfall Cafe exceeded our expectation. Quite frankly, I never expect their food to be good especially after reading mixed reviews on their food through tripadvisor. My choice of nasi goreng with grilled seafood (squid, chicken and prawn) burst with flavour. The fiery belacan got my attention too! I had a mouth of the nasi ayam berempah (herbal spiced chicken) and thought that it was good too. The chicken was aromatic and tender. The curry however, tasted just like regular curry out there.

After the lunch, I sent Jenn's parents for Balinese massage before heading to the swimming pool. Did I ever mention that Sher Ryn loves swimming pool? Ever since I brought her to the pool for the first time, she couldn't get enough of playing with water. As it was still scorching hot outside, we planned to go to the beach later in the evening. Jenn just watched by the pool side as Sher Ryn and I had fun. Well, a pregnant woman should not move too much. The father and daughter had great time together... we just kept ourselves at the shallow areas. The swimming pool too looked it need refurbishment.

Alright! Time's up... it was time for Sher Ryn's afternoon nap and therefore I wrapped her with the newly bought robe & went back to our room.

After recharging the battery, the little princess was ready to hit the beach for the very first time. Initially, we thought that she would love the sand and the sea. Instead she stayed close to Jenn when she tried to put her down. Once Jenn left her by herself so that I could take pictures of her, she got nervous and started to cry. Her expression? Priceless (just look at the combination of pictures)

It didn't take her very long to get used to the surrounding. She started to play with the toys that we bought from Toy'R'Us. I built many sand castles which she destroyed shortly after.. sigh! Little children are very good in destructing stuff :) happy daughter and mom!

Look! An extra pair of feet (^_^) and soon, another one will join us!

Our dinner was at Grandview Restaurant late in the evening. The restaurant is located right outside Awana Kijal. There are only two rows of shophouses in front of the resort so you should be able to find it in no time. My friend reckoned that I had dinner at Grandview as the food is better (according to him). It was still early when we arrived but it was packed in less than 30 min. Tiger beer to cool down!

Most of the dishes that we had that night were good! Especially the sweet, sour & spicy soft shell crab. The gravy was great to be paired with white rice. A recommendation by the waiter, it didn't disappoint.

Butter prawn was another hit with us! The aroma of butter enveloped all the prawns and curry leaves added extra zing to it. The fresh and succulent prawns were finished in no time.

Oyster omelette - puny oysters but the omelette was fragrant. I just imagined that I was having telur dadar instead :P

Black pepper venison - tender meat and great sauce without over-powering the dish.

No complains on the green!!

Tomyam chicken - forget this! Sour is the only word I could use to describe this soup.

Leo's verdict - not many option to dine if you are looking for Chinese food as there are only two outside the resort. Otherwise we will have to dine inside the resort and pay exorbitant price for hotel food; or KFC which is also outside the resort. We visited Mesra Mall (about 10min drive from Awana Kijal) and also Kerteh Oil Rigs after the dinner.

Hai Peng Kopitiam
3753 Jalan Sulaiman
Chukai
24000 Kemaman
Terengganu
(6.45am – 6pm)
09 - 859 7810

Grandview Restaurant
No.12, Back Row, Jalan Persiaran Bunga Araya
Kijal Beach Resort
24100 Kemaman, Terengganu
Tel: 09-8642486

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.

Restoran Parkway @ SS19 Subang Jaya

My wife always say that I love to plan - be it traveling or eating! And she loves me for that :P I don't know whether it's good or not because it kinda spoil her. Whenever we go traveling, she leaves all the planning work such as the packing & itinerary to me. She just take out all her stuff and the rest will be done by me. For a while, I thought that she took me for granted but then... she's not really the organised type. I bet that the house would be thrashed should I go for outstation trip for a week or so (that is, without the maid). I can't stand the sight of things sprawling on the floor. Call me a freak but hey, that's me!

However, there were times when I felt clueless on what & where to eat! It happened one fateful day while on our way back from USJ area. She was VERY hungry & wanted to have dinner nearby. I dare not defy her because the look on her face at that moment was very much like a hungry tiger. Since we were passing by SS19, I looked to the left and spotted Parkway next to the highway... and made immediate left into the area.

This place is actually a hawker style kopitiam that doubles up as dai chow in the evening. Nothing much to shout for the interior.

Braised pork Hunan style - Similar to the preparation of tong po yuk but ala-Hunan style with the usage of 5 spices powder to provide flavour to this dish. Excellent choice as it was fork tender with perfect mixture of fat & lean meat. The gravy alone was enough to warrant extra bowl of rice.

Volcano taufu - according to the girl who took our order, this was their signature dish. The taufu was mixed with seafood and shaped like a volcano (not really like volcano but with a hole in the middle) with gravy, minced meat and other stuff in the hole. Served on a piping hotplate, it was truly interesting dish to feast on.

Veggie - no complain as the green was fresh.

Leo's verdict - I forgot the total bill but all I could remember that it was cheap. With a reasonably priced menu and rather fast serving time, I will be coming back here again even though I don't know when. The timing has to be right! If only it's not that far from home...
It's located right next to the highway leading from Subang Jaya (thru SS19) into USJ.

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.

Restoran Sim Hap Ke @ Jalan Waras 1, Taman Connaught Cheras

A few years ago when I was still working with Thule, I called Cheras my second home. Why??? Because my colleagues both stayed in Cheras area and normally we would have our yam cha session in Taman Connaught. Surprisingly, I never took notice that such a wonderful restaurant exists in this area. Frankly, I would never have known about this place if not for Precious Pea. Thanks! Once in a while, Jenn & I would go down to Cheras as her sister lives in Alam Damai (which is quite near to Connaught) and therefore, it would only mean a matter of time before both of us finally made our way here.

Some pictures of their popular dishes were pasted on the glass at the entrance.

Salt-baked lala - this is a truly different approach to making a lala dish. As far as I concern, I had only tried siong tong (superior soup) lala, kam heong lala but not salt-baked lala. Even though the lala was baked with salt, they remained juicy and thick. Naturally the meat will shrink a lot due to the extensive usage of salt in the process. They had the aroma from the slightly burnt salt and most importantly, it didn't taste salty at all. Just watch out for the salt bits scattered all over the plate :P

Thai style kailan with salted fish - appetising! The dish was sourish, salty and spicy. Perfect to go with a bowl of rice.

3 Flavour Ribs - Another winner for both of us. The usage of lemon, curry leaves and butter gave a distinctive flavour to the ribs without overpowering the whole dish. A must try dish here!

Leo's verdict - there are a lot of other interesting dishes that we wanted to try but there were only two of us. Total damage? RM38 for the 3 dishes excluding tea and rice... even with those stuff, it cost slightly over RM40! A value for money lunch indeed! You definitely can expect another post about this place soon, but if you can't wait.. head over to Cheras and try for yourself. Don't worry about what dish to order, as the friendly staff will recommend some dishes to you in case you couldn't make up your mind! Most importantly, it won't hurt the wallet :)