Nathalie's Gourmet Studio @ Solaris Dutamas

Having lunch with a bunch of food bloggers is fun! Imagine a group of people come together to share a common passion - FOOD (obviously). Simply introduce yourself if you spotted unfamiliar faces and then just sit down and chat while waiting for the food to arrive. Everyone will whip out their usual weapon - camera - to take pictures of the place and its surrounding while waiting for the food to arrive. For the pros, normally you'd see them with DSLR while simple guy like me are always armed with my trusty 1 year old Canon Ixus :) Similar scene can be seen when the food arrive where no one can touch the food or drink until the cameras have finished snapping!

However, I have to be as efficient as most of them in posting up this blog, especially Becky of thenomadgourmand fame who had posted up about this place 2 days after the outing. Every other posts will have to wait. It's only a matter of time before Memoirs of a Chocoholic post her write-up. For me, I don't wanna ketinggalan jauh by posting this blog a few months later (judging at my speed in posting up new blogs right now).

The decision to join them at Nathalie's was last minute. I had to make sure that the time is right as there were a lot of things to do on that day itself. Jenn and I made it on time :) locating this place wasn't easy as it was my second time going to Solaris Dutamas (the first time went to The Pink Sage which was facing the main road). But being a person who has good sense of direction, nothing is too difficult for me :P

Joa-Quim arrived earlier than us while Becky came shortly. We were shown to our table which was outside the restaurant itself. Honestly, the chairs were very short and thus making it rather hard to dine comfortably.

I like the place a lot - the decor was simple and contemporary, everything inside and outside were neat & tidy. There was a corner where they actually sell the macarons but the section was rather crampy with only a small passage.


I managed to snap a picture of Chef Nathalie herself in the kitchen where they prepare all the food for the customers. There is another kitchen which is used to conduct culinary classes.

Complimentary freshly baked breads were served together with butter. Still warm & fresh, every bite on its crunchy outer crust was a delight! However, I still prefer Prego's version of bread :P

Jenn ordered the Ricotta & Herb Raviolis, Carrot & Ginger Broth (RM30). It was a hit for me. Personally, I think that the carrot & ginger broth was superb! Its puree was orange coloured and sweet - I never knew that these 2 could make a perfect match. Halfway through the meal, I switched my meal with Jenn's!

Jerine (it's nice to meet you) and I meanwhile had the Chicken & King Prawns with fennel ragout & bisque sauce (RM37). Another lovely creation from Nathalie's that made me craving for more. The bisque sauce was simply fantastic & added another notch to the already great dish!

Joa-Quim ordered 2 dishes - 1) Revised Momotaro Tomato Mozzarella (RM23) as starter; and 2) Beef Cheek Bourguignon with fresh pastas (RM47) as the main course. I managed to try the starter (thanks J) and was completely blown off by the sweet tomato jelly at the bottom (made by pure tomato juice). The accompanying fresh tomato was just... well, you know, FRESH! And the basil cream on top was good too!

No comment on the beek cheek dish as I don't eat beef (so does Jenn) but you finished the whole plate right, J??? LOL!!! It looked very nice though (how I wish that I could take beef)

Becky started with Vegetable Quiche, mixed lettuce with preserved lemon dressing (RM18). The quiche was packed with flavour and still hot inside, a perfect comfort food.

by the time her Nathalie's Revised Chicken Nuggets with emmental cheese dip & Ratatouille (RM15) arrived, she was already not feeling well. Looking at the Ratatouille, I could not help but to think that it looked the same as Hakka Mui Choi! DOn't blame me because first, I have never seen a real Ratatouille dish before and second, I thought that it should somehow look the same or at least similiar to what I've seen in the Pixar's movie Ratatouille... LOL! What happened to this dish in the end?? Most probably ended up in someone else's stomach I assume :P

Jenn's Virgin Mojito (RM11) was refreshing!

Joa-Quim ordered the All Chocolate Dessert (RM15) to complete her meal. Trust this girl when she said that the dessert was good because she's a Chocoholic after all!

Another thing that Nathalie's is famous for is the Macarons. There were a few who claimed that her macarons are the best in KL so far. Costing at RM4.40++ per piece, I had the Praline and Black Sesame to be shared between both of us. Jenn said that it was too sweet and being someone who can withstand sweet stuff, I somehow had to agree with her. Flavour-wise it was great though!

Leo's verdict - My Saturday lunch started well and ended very well! Wished that I could stay a while longer but since Jenn had doctor appointment, we had to leave early. Before that I managed to meet up with Paranoid Android and Ciki who came here around 2pm for their lunch appointment. It was rather embarassing moment for me when PA actually didn't recognise me (who happened to sit right in front of him) and asked "Where's Thule?"

Nathalie's Gourmet Studio
Unit A4-01-5
Solaris Dutamas
Jalan Dutamas 1
Kuala Lumpur

Hon Kee Restaurant @ Jalan SS21/1A Damansara Utama PJ

Who's familiar with Petaling Street area? I mean... someone who knows every crook and cranny of this area? I'm not one of them (obviously!). But Jenn used to read law for a few years here in ATC, which is located within walking distance to Petaling Street. Naturally, she knows more on where to eat delicious food here compared to me.. who never appreciate good food until I dated her! So I have to thank her (hope you read this dear!)

Whenever she had class early in the morning, she would come earlier to savour a bowl of piping hot porridge together with a plate of sang yue (raw fish slices)... that was what she told me. I didn't even know on their existence until Honkee Porridge opened their stall in Hutong Food Court @ Lot10 and then in Damansara Utama or simply known as Uptown among PJ-ites! Now I don't have to drive all the way downtown just to have this delicacy :)

So one early (I mean very early.. like 7++am) weekend morning, I arrived in front of their Uptown outlet. Parking was a breeze unlike weekdays where you would have a hard time finding a spot.

And already there were morning crowds enjoying their porridge while reading newspapers!

Their signature dish is Porridge with Raw Fish Slices @ RM5.50. With this price, you would get a rather big bowl of porridge and a plate of "wan yue" slices which was doused in the aromatic sesame oil. Texture-wise the porridge was very smooth and aromatic due to the sesame oil and spring onions. The key is to eat the porridge while it's still hot! Simply dip in the fish slices into the hot porridge for a while and it's good to eat. Normally I am not a fan of porridge, as I have a perception that porridge is only reserved to sick people. I was wrong & my perception was changed forever :)


Chee cheong fun with pork curry @ RM4.90 - the curry gravy was packed with flavour. However, I thought that the pork as it was not proportionate with the amount of chee cheong fun.

Century egg @ RM1.50 - Jenn just love century eggs! it went very well with the porridge.

You Tiao or fried fritters @ RM1 each - If you are early enough, you would see them bringing in fresh you tiao in when you arrive here. Crispy & non-oily, this was my favourite stuff to dip into the porridge.

Leo's verdict - Honkee has been in business since 1949! Now the sons took over and expanded the business. If you see a blue Subaru Impreza parked outside, that means he's in the shop! Boy do they know how to promote their shop by adding a Facebook page (by the way, I am a fan on their facebook page). And they have done a very good job! Now Honkee Porridge is available in Hutong Lot10, Damansara Utama, Bandar Puteri Puchong and the latest outlet in Taipan USJ! Strategic location with good population catchment and we don't have to drive all the way down to Petaling Street just to savour the famous porridge. Service was good and what I like best about this place is that they open very early for business (suits me as I wake up around 7++am). My only grouse is that the drink is below par... they should really improve the standard of their tea & coffee!

KTZ Food @ SS2 PJ

We, the Chinese, simply love dessert! I'm not sure if we are the race that invented the concept of dessert but one thing for sure, we are very good at coming out with a lot of choices for desserts.

In KL, we are spoilt with choices to satisfy our sweet teeth. So many places have sprung up lately but there is one that will always hold a special place in my heart. KTZ Food or simply called "Kei Tak Sik" (Remember to eat in Cantonese) have been doing brisk business for a very long time. Originated from Kepong Baru (their very first outlet), they have actually opened up branches in 1Utama, SS2 and Jalan Imbi (but has since moved to Low Yat Plaza). Their former Jalan Imbi outlet was the one that I patronised the most when I came to KL more than 13 years ago! I remember that it used to be the IT thing to bring girls here for desserts. Back then, it was quite easy to charm the way into their heart with sweet desserts :P just like what I did!

Enough of the history lesson, it's time to get back to the desserts. The time I came to their SS2 outlet, they had just renovated the entire premise. Now the outlet spotted modern Oriental feeling. All the spaces are utilised by using square or rectangular tables. coming here at night and you would normally be greeted by the sight of this! (full house) Normally the turnover is rather fast as some patrons would leave as soon as new customers come. I was considered lucky that night as a table was made available when I arrived.

Jenn & I normally come here for their dessert, be it hot or cold. For me there is one and only one thing that I will order - Mango Loh @ RM6.00. Probably one of the best place to feast on this delectable and sweet stuff in Klang Valley.

Jenn has this Peanut butter (Fa Sang Wu) @ RM2.60 - too sweet to our liking, very artificial. Chef Loong (also in SS2) whip out kick-ass fa sang wu IMHO!

Wall band @ RM3.80 - I wonder how they came up with this English name. It's woh beng in Cantonese :P this dish is actually lotus seed paste. Taste-wise was OK, however the crust was not crispy.

Leo's verdict - Apart from dessert, they also offer some other food items in the menu - all with the hits and misses. One particular dish that I like is their Noodle with preserved vegetable and minced meat, Not really a good place to chat as it was very noisy. Located on the same row with Sanbanto, expect this place to be packed with patrons at nights and parkings are hard to find. If you are patient enough, you can reward yourself with a bowl of sweet dessert to cool yourself down afterwards.

P.S: I just noticed that Joe of lotsofcravings just posted a blog on KTZ in Kepong :) check him out

Cafe Stelle by Raffles @ Pavilion KL

Jenn & I are pretty much traditional Chinese, but with a modern mindset of course. We basically have meals 3 times a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner! Pretty much like everyone else I guess :P with the exception of supper which I have stopped for the longest time ever since my waist breached the 35" barrier! Well, once in a blue moon I would actually break the rule.. read my words "once in a blue moon"!!!

Then there's high tea! This term to me, my friend, used to be reserved to those rich tai tai who don't have to work coz their husbands are filthy rich enough. So their only activity is shopping, shopping and shopping. And once they are done shopping with many bags in their hands, it's time to go for high tea session to show off their stuff. Or maybe I watch Hong Kong series too much when I was small??? LOL... when I came to KL, I only realised that even families can have high tea together, provided that their pocket is deep enough. A high tea session in hotel can set you back at RM68-RM88++ per person. So do the math for a family of four (parents with 2 grown up children) :P get the idea?

So when I heard from my friend that a new cafe in Pavilion KL is doing high tea for RM25 nett per person, it piqued my interest. Jenn couldn't believe when I told her for the first time too. So both of us had late breakfast one Saturday and went to Cafe Stelle.

Café Stelle occupies a long, elevated podium and features a runway, mirroring the café’s stylish environs.

For the price that we were paying, we got Bruschetta, smoked salmon, scones, strawberry dipped in chocolate, muffins, carrot cake, etc. All of them were served using a display-like tray.

Condiments - strawberry mousse, butter and marmalade!

Our choice of tea - the waiter actually brought out a case of tea selections for us to choose. In the end, we settled for Chamomile & grand wedding tea.

Leo's verdict - Overall, it is a nice place to relax and unwind after shopping around Pavilion. However, there are choices are fixed compared to what you would normally get in hotel. I can't complain much since I only pay RM50 for two of us. I wanted to take more pictures of the cafe but the supervisor actually came up to me and told me of their no photography rule. Oh well, at least I got to snap a few without their knowledge :P by the way, the high tea is only from 3pm to 6pm.

Char Siew Zhai @ Jalan PJU 1/3F SunwayMas PJ

In the past, Aman Suria area (part of Kampung Chempaka) or Dai Gong as the Chinese call it.. was famous for its gangsterism activities. By the way, I'm just saying what my friend (who lives in PJ all his life) told me. You would still notice the Chinese Village on the left and right before you reach commercial area of Aman Suria from Lebuh Bandar Utama. Just be careful while driving here, as most cars were driven by the aunties without looking left or right (they tend to zoom across the road despite I'm less than 10 metres from the junction) while the motorcyclists are still without helmet.

Nowadays, Aman Suria is famous for another reason - char siew!! Well, at least among the food bloggers. If you think that Ming Kee's char siew is the best, then you have got to come and try the char siew here. only then you can give the final verdict. I don't know about you but I think that 747's version of char siew is the one to beat (for now) followed closely by FSF's and Ming Kee's (but it's just me).

Since everyone was raving on Char Siew Zhai's noodle, it was only a matter of time before I came here. And since I live nearby, a drive to Aman Suria on weekend morning is a breeze. Parking is even easier!

Only a few tables were occupied and I got to choose a table directly under the fan (can't risk making my daughter sweats). Menu was simple with a piece of laminated A3 paper.

Didn't manage to take picture of the foreign workers tossing the noodle high up in the air though, as I was busy feeding Sher Ryn. From what I know, the noodle is boiled before going through a cold bath to retain its springy-ness. Then the worker will throw the noodle up in the air and catch as it falls down to make sure that the moisture is well-drained.

BBQ Pork Wantan Noodle @ RM4 - Jenn normally would go for light breakfast and therefore, a simple plate of wantan mee with char siew is enough.

Combo roast meat noodle @ RM7 - I asked for combination of char siew and siew yoke to go with my wantan mee. Frankly the noodle was great, perhaps one of the best I've ever tried. Their char siew was good & decent but far behind if they were to be compared to 747 and FSF. Siew yoke?? Forget it... maybe I'll try other offering next time.

Leo's verdict - Simply put it... the noodle was very springy and even those picky eaters would think the same. One thing that I love the most is that the place is air-conditioned which is a plus point. Pickled chilly was not good while the beverage was below standard so you can consider to bring your own drink :P lastly, if you were to ask me, I would still go back to 747... as I have yet to find a better char siew that can surpass 747's benchmark. 747's noodle even though not as springy, it was good enough. What I'm looking for is the slightly charred caramelised piece of pork belly that will melt in my mouth. Occasionally, I would order their curry mee as it was good too!!! Google 747 char siew and you would find many blogs on this place... even though I have to beg to differ on Becky's view that FSF's char siew was better :P guess that everyone's taste bud is different!

NON-HALAL

DARN!!! And I thought that my town is safe!

I always read news on the houses that were robbed or broken into, where the house owners lost their valuables. I also used to think that those people were really unfortunate to face those predicaments, but I never really gave it a serious thought that my house was also at risk. That is, until it was broken into for the first time last night (my very first experience with theft).

My house is located in a neighbourhood where a lot of cops are living there. That is why the thought of my house being broken into never crossed my mind (seriously). There is also one kindergarten which is located directly opposite my house which practically make the area a rather busy one. And yet I miscalculated... I totally forgotten about the concept of work & holiday. Work - the cops still have to work and not stay at home. Holiday - it's school holiday and most people have taken leave to bring their children on vacation. That makes my house vulnerable to those buggers.

We were returning home from my in-law's place after dinner around 8pm and the first thing that Jenn asked when I parked my car was "Hey! Why didn't you lock the door?" My very first instinct was "S**T"!!! I dashed into the house just to find the place was ransacked... total mess! First thing to do was to check on the loss... jewellery and some cash were missing! Important documents were fortunately left untouched.

A careful look at the aluminium grill revealed that it was prised open by force

The cupboard where the valuables were stored was ransacked!

All the cabinets were not spared too...

The door was dusted by the police to check on the fingerprint!

It took me whole night just to make report at the police station. It pays to have connection with the police force, as they were more efficient and faster to get evidence at the house. After collecting fingerprints, taking photos and recording our statements - I have to tell you, ala CSI-style :) of course, do not expect the likes of David Caruso and Gary Sinise lah! They left.. and then we cleaned up the house.

Later at night...

I couldn't sleep... my eyes were wide opened, imagining on what would it be like if we were at home at that time. With a steel rod by my side (precautionary move), I was worried that they might come back again. Then I realised that rushed into the house without checking if the thieves were still inside, jeopardising my family's safety. I was so concerned with the loss at that time...

Then I looked at my wife and Sher Ryn who were sleeping soundly by my side. I gently stroked my daughter's hair and thanked God that she's alright! Things that are lost can be earned back, but there is only one life. We were so pre-occupied with other things in our lives.

P.S: Next time I'm going to do is to install alarm system. I don't feel save and secure anymore after this incident.

Family safety is always the first! How often we forget that! :)

Ah Tuan Ee @ The Curve PJ

Despite knowing its existence for the longest time, Jenn & I have never seemed managed to make it here. That was, until one particular day when I was feeling a bit adventurous that both of us decided to give it a try. Nyonya food was normally not in my highest priority when it comes to dining out.

We didn't know what to eat when we arrived at The Curve one Friday evening. Then we spotted Ah Tuan Ee's as we crossed over from IKANO Power Centre using the overhead bridge. Lazy to venture further, both of us decided to try this out.

Interior was done Peranakan style... but I reckon more towards Oriental style!

Pineapple fish @ RM20.80 - Fish slices topped with pineapple and sweet & sour sauce. Comfort dish but I thought that the fish slice was rather big . It would be perfect it was smaller :) the Pineapple provided a sweet note to the dish.

Perut Ikan @ RM16.80 - one of Penang's favourite! Concoction of 12 different vegetables & herbs, with prawns and fish maw, cooked to perfection as a spicy, sweetish, sourish, soupy and truly aromatic dish. Let me see how to put it... the gravy tasted just like asam laksa. From its outlook, it looked just like rojak sayur-sayuran but I have to say this.. not everyone appreciate perut ikan so it's more like an acquired taste!

Stir fried brinjal with sambal @ RM11.80 - a simple and flavourful dish but not memorable.

Fried sotong @ RM18.80 - fried squid rings coated with spicy flour & served with sweet chilly sauce. The squid rings were lightly battered with curry-like powder before deep fried, resulting in a delightful crunchy dish. Loved it to the bits! I cleaned almost 80% of the plate :P

Leo's verdict - Overall our dinner was satisfactory. The supervisor was very helpful in recommending the dishes to us even though I didn't ask for any. Dishes were served rather fast and cleaned up as fast too... LOL! Just remember to try the fried sotong ok?