SERAI Satay Bar - Giving the old sticks new vibe

Satays, as Wikipedia put it, is a street fare invented by the Javanese people before gaining popularity amongst the rest of the Southeast Asian countries. How accurate is that is debatable. However, what is not is the fact that satays is well-loved by all Malaysians, give or take a few souls. 

The delicacy can be found at every nooks and corners of the country, and it used to be that Kajang has the enviable reputation of producing the best satays around. Nowadays, you can even find satays in shopping malls. WHAT CONVENIENCE!!

Which brings us to SERAI SATAY BAR in Pavilion mall, where Ash and I have lunch one day out of curiosity. The whole 'outlet', if you can call it that, cos it looks more like a cubicle-like stall, is very nicely designed to give a 'bar' feel, hence the name. It all feels very contemporary and hip, and I give them kudos for attempting to bring the appeal of satays to a whole new level. Now you can eat satays and looks hip at the same time too. 

You can order to go or you can eat in, the choice is yours, though I have to say, what with just one table and two rows of bar counters, it feels like they prefer that you opt for take-away. 

Here, you can go for their mini packs where each pack comes with six satay sticks plus two condiment sticks. You can choose chicken, lamb or beef. The price range from RM 9.60 to RM 10.20 each cup. Yes, they put the satay and the gravy into a big tall plastic cup that looks really cool. 

You can also opt for the Jumbo Pack, which gives you 36 sticks or satay plus two condiment sticks. That will set you back by RM 50.00, which, though not exactly cheap, is not too bad either. 

Both of us ordered their Nasi Goreng Special that comes with copious amount of keropok lekor and two sticks of chicken satay. All for the price of RM 6.90.

At first, when our meals arrived, we felt that the portion is a bit 'smaller' than anticipated. However, looks can be deceiving. 

I also ordered another cup of chicken satays for the extra kicks. 

I really love the idea of putting the satays in the cup. It's so convenient just to grab a cup and enjoy satays while on the go. I wonder if they are the first to come up with such idea. Satays in a cup, yeah!!

For drinks, Ash has her usual teh tarik (RM 3.70), while I go for the cold Milky Bandung (RM 5.00)

The Milky Bandung taste OK. Not really something I would choose to have again.

One thing I have to mention here is, how fascinated I am by one of the staff working there. He looks like a Chinese, very, very tall, and has one of the biggest set of hands I've ever seen. When he set our meals on the table, one of my hands is on the table, and by comparison, the difference is like between the hand of a baby and an adult. They're HUMUNGOUS!!! I almost withdraw my hand in shame, hahaha..I was totally fascinated by that! What did he eat to get big hands like that, I wondered. I could just sit here and watch Mr Big Hand cook in the open-air kitchen all day long....

Well, if you like satays, then you should check out this place. Head over to www.sataybar.com.my to see their full menu. 

Serai Satay Bar

Lot pl.08.00

Level 1, Gourmet Emporium

Pavillion KL

168 Jln Bukit Bintang

56100 KL

Phone : +603-2143-7070

Email : serai@sataybar.com.my

Stuffing Faces at Kopitiam Daily @ Pavillion KL

  

Is it just me, or are there waaaay too many restaurants that have somewhat similar names. "Kopitiam", Station Kopitiam", "Old Town Kopitiam"..and now, we have "Kopitiam Daily". Talk about being "kopi-cat".

Anyway,  Ash and I decided to have lunch one day at this small cafe called "Kopitiam Daily" located on the fourth floor of Pavillion mall in KL. The mini-sized cafe has both inner and outer areas (read: smoking and non-smoking zones), divided by a glass wall in the middle.  This way, you can stuff your faces while the smokers outside can have their puffs too. You Puff, I Stuff. 

The decor and ambient screams "1950s Malaya, during a time when Ah Peks, Tangachis and Mat Dins used to have a cuppa in dinghy smelly wooden kopitiams while the Mat Salehs have their stupid tea.

What I ordered? the Ipoh Hor Fun, priced at RM 12.50.

Well, to be honest, the Hor Fun ain't bad at all. It does has that authentic, home-cooked taste to it. The soup is great too. 

Meanwhile, Ash decided to go for Malaysia's number one favourite breakfast/lunch/dinner/supper meal - nasi lemak. Their Nasi Lemak Special is priced at RM 12.50.

Not content with giving extra-oily sambal, they add in a bowl of extra-oily curry chicken too. A quick Google run tells me that the average nasi lemak harbors between 380 and 450 calories. With all those extra oil, this one seem to pack at least 500 calories. Meanwhile, the average Hor Fun has (horrors of horror!!) 750 calories in it. So, between the two of us, we have consumed thousands of calories in just one sitting.....Learn new things everyday with Calorie Cal - your buddy with the extra fat...err..I mean facts!!

For drinks, Ash had her coffee, while I opted for something cold - the KOPI COLD (as stated in the menu). I think mine is called Kopi Cham (Is that right, Ash?). Yeah, pure genius here - can't even remember his own drink.

Both drinks are free, they come with the meals as lunch sets.

Kopitiam Daily - Good place to have lunch with pals and colleagues. Just don't count the calories, and you'll be fine.

Station Kopitiam Cafe @ Seremban Terminal 2

Dinner at Station Kopitiam Cafe, a new eatery in Seremban Terminal 2.....

One uneventful night, while hunting for a new place to have my dinner, I stumbled upon this new place called Station Kopitiam Cafe in Terminal 2. Hmmm... it's almost 8.10pm, and the place is rather empty. It should be packed with hungry diners by now. Perhaps, the Mariah Carey song that is blasting through the speakers are keeping people away? 

Anyway, I took a chance and walked in, only to be greeted by a rather plump but otherwise pleasant-looking Chinese girl who are manning the cashier. There's a gaggle of young male waiters at one end of the restaurant busy gossiping away, all giggling like excited schoolgirls, completely oblivious to the fact that a customer has just walked in.

'Halo, sir. One person?", the girl greeted me, with well-practised plastic smile. "Yes", i replied, suitably unenthused. The place is 90% vacant, save for two tables. After much deliberation, I decided on the table closest to the cashier counter. 

While I plop down to my seat, she expertly fling the big rectangular menu on the table. Hmm..ok, let's see what's on the menu, shall we.. Flip, flip, flip...hmm, typical Chinese and Western dishes like sweet and sour chicken, fish and chips, fried rice, tomyam, etc etc etc. Having slipped into my lazy, comfort zone, I decided to order something that sounds like an unholy fusion of East-West- the Kong Po Chicken Chop Rice (RM 10.90) Sounds interesting enough. Hope I won't be disappointed. To be safe, I also ordered a pot of Tom Yam Veggie Soup (RM  5.90)

For drinks, she eagerly recommended the "Yes Tea" (RM 4.60), which, judging by the one-whole-page pictorial description on the menu, is their house special. With a name like that, how could I not say yes?  Satisfied with my orders, she happily trotted away while I put on my 'scan face" and give the whole place a thorough work-over.
The place looks a bit too dark, with soft dimmed lights adorning the walls. Not that I mind. I love eating in the dark (among other things *wink*wink). It helps mask oily faces, drippy noses and bulging stomachs. Just a few tables from me, a young Chinese couple are stuffing their faces with God-knows-what...Well, at least the chick looks pretty. <Weeee-wit leng lui. Sik fan ah?> Meanwhile,  tucked in the corner to my left, a small family of three are busy cleaning their plates too. Hmm..quiet night indeed. The only thing I could hear is that darn Mariah Carey song still blasting through the air. Talk about appetite-spoiler!
Bored with the non-crowd, I whipped out my PSP and play the new combat game I just downloaded. Minutes latter, my main dish arrives...

Yeah, It doesn't look very appealing...I was ready to be disappointed. And boy, was I ever.  The chicken are well-fried and crispy, with sour-tasting sauce all over. However, I don't see the "Kong Po' part le.

Not long after that, my tomyam soup came....

The soup is a bit too thick for my liking, and it's not spicy at all. It tasted sour! This is more like a badly-prepared ABC soup. It totally lacked the 'spicy twang' that real tomyam soup should have. TOTAL FAIL!!! Admit it, Chinese people just suck at making curry and spicy dishes in general. Oh, wait a minute, there are mushrooms in my tomyam soup! I hate mushroom!! BTW, Is it really appropriate to put mushrooms in tomyam soup??? I don't think so.

Oh, in case you're wondering - I should have said NO to the Yes Tea beverage she suggested. It's like a watered down ice lemon tea with a very annoying stale tea after-taste. FAIL, FAIL, FAIL!

Hmmm..am i being too critical? Am I too harsh? Am I just being a total biatchh about this? Heck, no!

For serving bad foods, this place got my very own 'mug of disapproval'.

Dinner at SUMMER GARDEN RESTAURANT & CAFE, Era Square Seremban

Era Square is one of the newer hot spots that Seremban town has to offer. The main area, called Era Walk, is littered with a host of pubs, bars and restaurants that caters to both Asian and Western palettes. One of the outlets, called SUMMER GARDEN, is a restaurant that serves mainly Chinese dishes with a dash of local influence. On a particular evening, I decided to invite one of my long-time friends, Eddie, to have dinner with me at this place. Located at 30, Ground Floor, Jalan Era Baru 3, Era Walk, the restaurant has a nice ambience that is obvious even from the outside.

We both ordered the Coconut as our drinks, as the tropical fruit is an excellent thirst-quencher. Price is at RM 4.80 each.

For the main meal, Eddie ordered the Fried Kueytiow with egg (RM 6.50), which comes in big portion, but a bit plain for my liking...

As for myself, I ordered the Assam Fish with Rice, which never came. Their excuse? The waitperson told me this - "Sorry ya mister, we're really busy la this evening." I see. So what he's basically saying is they're too busy serving other people, everyone but me?

We ordered two other dishes, the Thai styled Tauhu (RM 6.00) and Kangkung Masak Belacan (RM 9.00), a personal favourite of mine.

One other thing that I would like to bring up here is, they served all of our foods lukewarm. It kinda spoils the taste and the enjoyment of the foods...

Bad and slow service aside, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. That's because I would like to come back in the near future just to see if there's any improvement. I hope they do improve, or else, they shall feel the full wrath of my proverbial poison pen. And when that happens, it will no longer be summer in their garden. it will be a cold, cold winter of discontent!

Enjoying brunch at Kenny Rogers Roasters, Seremban Parade

CNY day 3.....my sis and I went for another shopping spree at Seremban Parade, one of the more laid-back shopping malls that you can find in the sleepy town of Seremban. For brunch, we decided to visit Kenny Rogers Roasters, simply because it's been a long while since either of us have been to one of their outlets. This KRR restaurant is located next to the main entrance of the mall, with both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned areas catering to different needs.

When you talk about KRR, you can't miss out their legendary muffins. I just love their banana muffins! They should open another chain just for selling muffins. Chocolate muffins, vanilla muffins, coffee muffins, nut muffins, durian muffins.....mmmm..

For drinks, both of us ordered the ice blended mocha...which is goood!!

There's really nothing to talk about KRR's main offering, the quarter chicken meal. It comes with the usual three side dishes...BORINNGGG! It's about damn time that the chain revamp its menu. You hear me, Kenny?

That's not a happy face. On the plus side, the chicken is huge, unlike the meagre portion the KRR restaurant in KLCC Convention Centre dish out. (That's right, I'm calling you guys out!)

As for me, I decided to try out something new...(new for me that is)...their Tangy Chicken Spaghetti. It is better than what I expected, and my expectations are quite low..so go figure. The menu described the meal as having a hint of spiciness, and for me, that's the only saving grace for it. Otherwise, I would have chuck this into my expanding Compendium of Bland Foods. 


Kenny Rogers just got ROASTED!

Enjoying CNY dinner at.... The House of Bento!!!!

CNY day 2...me and my sis went for a late shopping spree in Suria KLCC before settling for dinner at the top-level food court, called Medan Selera Food Arena, where we discover.....THE HOUSE OF BENTO!!!!!!!! HOIITTTTT!!! MUSHI MUSHI!!!

For the uninformed, Bento is a Japanese art of lunch preparation, where you cook and arrange your meals in often colourful and creative way. The lunchbox used are rectangular, with compartments of different sizes to accommodate different dishes. Trust the Japs to turn something so mundane into an art form. 

I ordered one of their specials sets, the Teriyaki Chicken Rice, which is priced at a promotional rate of RM 10.90. The chicken is nicely done, and the rice quite fragrant. Really, I have no complaints here.

My sis ordered the Kare Katsu Don, the curry chicken rice bowl, priced at RM 11.90, as well as a bowl of miso soup (RM 2.80) and Chawanmushi soup (RM 3.00). She's just nuts about soups!

On top of that, we also ordered the Idako (RM 9.00), a plate of seasoned baby octopuses. I kinda like it, but it's served cold, which don't sit well with me.

If you're a fan of Japanese foods, and especially like their Bentos, this is a place you must check out. It's good food at affordable range. Overall, we did have a good dinner at...... THE HOUSE OF BENTO!!!!!HOITTTTT! ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2010!!! ROAR!! ROARRR!!!

Just would like to take this opportunity to say Happy CNY to everyone...Hope you all have a roaring good year ahead in the year of the Tiger. It's time to show off your stripes and earn your keeps.

GONG XI, GONG XI

PEACE TO ALL!!!

Your GoodEater,

Calvin F