Magnum Presents : The Best Of Belgian Indulgence, Celebrate Pleasure!

A word of thanks to Salina & Associates PR Sdn Bhd for the invite to the delightful Magnum event, "Magnum Presents : The Best Of Belgian Indulgence" at Magnum Cafe, Mid Valley Megamall.  Arriving at venue slightly early, I kept myself busy with my camera; taking photos of the place.

The upper area of Magnum Cafe was specially closed off for the event.  

The Topping Bar with a wide variety for one to customized their own Magnum ice cream.

There has been a constant line of people, queuing up to have a taste of the Magnum ice cream varieties but more so for the opportunity to customize their own Magnum ice cream.  We were given the chance to customize our own Magnum after the lunch event. One can choose from a Vanilla or Chocolate Brownie Magnum with a coating and drizzle of either Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate or White Chocolate and 3 toppings from the many varieties to choose from (there are some non standard toppings to choose from like chilli flakes, rock salt, goji berries!), 

I'm Not A Chef, Kota Damansara

I'm Not A Chef  (INAC) is one of those places that I frequent as I drop by now and then when I wanna wind down for the night. You might even find me helping out there, hehehe.... That is because INAC is run by two people; Nat and Stef.  It's an incredible task that Nat (the one who is a chef but yet not a chef!) and Stef (does everything else except the cooking!) go through daily from 10 a.m. till 9 p.m. except their rest day which is on Sundays.

Regulars would end up lending a hand or just wait patiently (during peak lunch hour) for their food to arrive. With reasonably priced and tasty Western/local food, it's a routine that the regulars willingly go through. This place is a favourite with students since it's within the vicinity of Segi University.  Actually, this is good and bad for INAC.  Good in the sense that there's a steady flow of diners. Bad in the sense that some of these student diners take advantage of the free wifi.  e.g. They come in a group of five and would only put in an order for two drinks and then they spend the next three to four hours or more on the internet! So, with this explanation, do note that there is a sign that states that each customer is required to have at least a minimum one drink order.

You can hardly catch a glimpse of Nat during lunch hour (she will be cooking at a furious pace in the kitchen!) and a busy Stef who is almost too pre-occupied to even breathe as she deals with the maddening lunch crowd order and demands. However, come non-peak period, you can find Nat and Stef chatting with the regulars.  For the rest of us who are at INAC for the food primarily, it's a cozy place where one can chill. Seriously,we make ourselves at home! To get a gist of what I mean, drop by INAC :o)

Here are pics of my favourite food from I'm Not A Chef ... Oh, I must mention that Nat does the desserts herself too!

Juan Valdez Cafe Origins, Intermark Mall

On April 1st, Juan Valdez Cafe Origins opened its first cafe in South East Asia, right here in the heart of Kuala Lumpur at Lot G-22, Ground Floor, Intermark Mall.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was graced by the Charge D'Affaires of the Embassy of Colombia in Malaysia, Mr Camilo Salazar and President of Procafecol, Hernan Mendez. The cute highlight of the ceremony was not only the appearance of Mr Juan Valdez himself but of him together with Juan Valdez's mascot donkey!

Caffebene Is Here in Malaysia @ Sunway Pyramid

An impromptu outing with Coffee Kaki  (CK) led me to Caffebene (which means Good Cafe) on a busy Sunday afternoon. This international Korean coffee chain finally hit our shores with the first outlet in Sunway Pyramid.  Thankfully, finding a parking bay was easy if that meant parking on the roof ... at 1.20pm, ample bays up on the roof. For easy access to Caffebene...enter car park through the Sunway Convention Centre and head up to CP7 (Level 7), unless you manage to find empty bays available on the lower floors.  Taking the escalator to the mall all the way down till you hit the shopping mall floor where TGIF and Padini Concept Store is located.  Caffebene is just a floor below.  Once you are there, try to control yourself from over ordering with all the goodies in store (for those unfamiliar with Caffebene, check out their menu HERE and you will see what I mean!).

Anyway, CK went to get a table while I stood in line to order.  They will give you a device that flashes and vibrates when your order is ready.  However, when CK went to pick up the order, CK came back with a staff who carried the order to our table instead.  One of their signature items is Bingsu.  Bingsu (shaved ice with toppings) is a popular dessert found everywhere in Korea.  Well, Caffebene's has a wide range of Bingsu (green tea, strawberry, cookies & cream, coffee - to name a few) and they are truly a feast for the eyes as well as your tummy.  With the current hot weather in Malaysia, surely this was as easy choice for me (no hot coffee for now!).

See what I mean? Isn't it lovely looking? This is a Coffee Bingsu (Single RM10.80/USD3). It looks heavenly and it taste nice too, though CK found it a tad sweet. It was generously "smothered" with toppings!

I thoroughly enjoyed my Strawberry Bingsu....The Strawberry ice cream sweetness level was just nice, sitting on a bed of generous red bean.  There were quite a lot of strawberries on and in the shaved ice.  They looked like a type of strawberry variety as they were all rather tiny and of the same size (I had even thought that they could be raspberries) and on the sour side.  This was okay as it went well with the sweetness of the shaved ice dessert.  The Bingsu is rather huge, it seemed almost bottomless at one point but on a hot day, I manage to finish it on my own.  Otherwise, I think it's a good size for 2 to share.  Would definitely come back for this!

Friday Quick Bite Series : Kafe Mee Jawa @ Solaris Dutamas

It's Friday! Another round of Friday Quick Bite ...  Been hanging around near my office of late and with the ever increasing number of eateries that have been cropping up (and some gone... R.I.P.), we are totally spoilt for choice.  As they say, it is not that we have no choice in life, it's whether we make the right or the wrong choice in life.  Such as it was that we made the right choice, when we walked around Solaris Dutamas/Publika area searching for a quick meal.  Following SYee and Cadence around, we ended up in Kafe Mee Jawa.  And when you're at Kafe Mee Jawa, what do you order? Mee Jawa of course!

Friday Quick Bites - Teriyaki Pork Burger @ Kissaten, Jaya One Petaling Jaya

(NON-HALAL)


Just as I am recovering from my Phuket holiday and getting back to routine, the weekend's here again (Yay!) and come next week, I'm off again for another mini holiday ...

It's Friday (no more jokes/parodies about Rebecca Black's hit, please!), here's another Friday Quick Bites series ... presenting Kissaten @ Jaya One.  I had previously blogged on Kissaten for another Friday Quick Bites post too.  Check it out it HERE.

*taken with HTC Sensation

One of my faves along with the usual order of Teriyaki Chicken Onsen Tamago Pizza from Kissaten (in Jaya One, though I quite like the outlet at IOI Boulevard too).  Served sans the usual potato wedges/french fries ... this beauty is quite substantial size serving and can definitely fill one's tummy!  I love the mix of runny egg yolk & the teriyaki sauce along with the moist meat pattie. The burger bun is comes with generous amount of sesame seeds too.  I normally 1) cut this into half, 2) remove the top bun and 3) eat this part by part with my fork & knife else there will be messy hands and maybe traces of meal evidence on my Ts! Hahaha....

Both outlets are open from 11am till 12 midnight on weekdays and till 2am on weekends! Woo Hoo! I've asked before, apparently kitchen closes at 1am (if my memory doesn't fail me).  Fancy having a Teriyaki Pork Burger at such an hour :o)?

Kissaten
L12A-1-1 Palm Square
Jaya One
72A Jalan Universiti
Petaling Jaya

D-G-57 Block D
IOI Boluevard
Jalan Kenari 5
Puchong Jaya

I would rather be having a burger and beers with my mates but I can't do that when I know I've got to dance

- Michael Flatley

Jessica Johnson Tea Room @ Bandar Sri Damansara, KL

UPDATE AS AT 2013 :
JESSICA JOHNSON is now open on
Tuesday - Thursday  8.30am to 5.30pm.

Friday - Sunday 12pm to 9pm
Close on Monday


Well, I've been to this place a few times ... and I do love this place for it is cozy and peaceful dining here. Little has been blogged about Jessica Johnson and I wonder if it's because us regulars actually want to keep Jessica Johnson away from others; our little secret of our hideaway from the hustle and bustle of the city or for other reasons that I do not know off. But I think it's only right that I pass this along ...

It's easy to walk pass this place and not notice it. The small shoplot that's sandwiched by mostly auto repair shops, it's located a few shops away from Pos Malaysia. There's an easel displaying some rather small pics of food along with some handwritten description just outside its swing glass door that is plastered with window stickers. Go through the door and you'll see a small table on the left that is actually a tiny office space where one can buy general insurance and renew their road tax! To your right, you'll see a bakery section and further along in...about 5 tables (small and large) resembling a cosy English Tearoom with classical decor and surrounded by artificial silk flowers and rustic looking cabinets (which are for sale too!) I kid you not! See for yourself!

Friday Quick Bites - Kissaten @ Jaya One, Petaling Jaya

(NON-HALAL)


It's time once again for another Friday Quick Bites post! I like the simplicity and the clean look of Kissaten and enjoy dining here. It's one of those places where you still have the bliss of enjoying one's meal amidst the pleasant ambiance and yet don't have to speak in hush tones, you know what I mean?

While much has been said about their Char Siew Pizza, my highlight is on something else. I am a creature of habit sometimes when it comes to ordering the same dish when I dine at the same place. But only for certain restaurants ... while at other times I might feel adventurous and try something new! However for Kissaten, I'm the former - when I come here, I end up ordering Teriyaki Chicken Onsen Tamago all the time.

Friday Quick Bites - Bad Ass Coffee @ Tropicana City Mall Petaling Jaya

It's Friday! Yay .... and another post for Friday Quick Bites series. This time it's from my very own backyard mall again, Tropicana City Mall :o). It's simply so convenient for me to pop over whenever I want a quick meal (or even a movie plus some grocery shopping). Anyway, I found something that I absolutely like going back for, time and time again. While people might go to Bad Ass Coffee for their coffee, I'm usually there to grab a hearty lunch/dinner - ordering my fave set meal - Hawaiian Burger. At RM16.90 a set, it comes with your choice of coffee/apple or orange juice and a REALLY big donut. It's a big meal and unless one is very hungry, two can share a set actually. If there's three of you, order two sets then (that's what the 3 of us did and we still couldn't finish the donut as we were really full).

Pics taken with Sony Ericsson W995

As there were three of us, Glorious Jade ordered an additional drink - Moroccan Mint this time round (RM10) which she said was lovely...

Apart from their range of coffees, they have 9 tea variants for one to choose from. This is a shot of the cute tiny colourful tea boxes on display at the counter.

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge Sweet Essentials & New Addition!

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge had earlier launched "Sweet Essentials" campaign that ended on 31st Jan 2010.  The campaign managed to raise RM20,000 for Pride Foundation which is a non-profit organisation that promotes breast cancer awareness and improving accessibility to treatment and care towards Malaysian women.  RM1 from every transaction made at Theobroma Chocolate Lounge outlets during that period was donated towards Pride Foundation.  The cheques were handed over during a media event held early last month to Pride Foundation Chairman, Datin Azrene Abdullah by Hing Yiap Group Bhd's Executive Chairman Chi Oi Meng.  Salina & Associates PR, also contributed RM2,000 towards the foundation.

There was a crepe making demo, highlighting one of the newer items - Chocolate Chips, Pistachio, Biscuit Crumble & Sultana Crepe.  We were then given a chance to make and customize our own crepe!  There were other goodies for us to feast on too ...

Chocolate Affair - One of my fave ... Chocolate fondue with 4 seasonal fruit varieties.

Duduk Cafe, e@Curve Mutiara Damansara

(HALAL)

After a weekday seminar which ended at noon time, Glorious Jade and I decided to catch a movie at e@Curve (formerly Cineleisure) to clear our mind from all the info overload. Having had a quick lunch earlier (to be in time for the movie), we decided to look for some light grub after the show. As we headed towards the escalator to go down after the movie ended, I saw the bunting that was put up by Duduk Cafe - a cafe I have not heard of. Glorious Jade and I then decided to check it out and found it at a rather obscure place away from the already quiet main area (this was at 3 plus in the afternoon). Duduk Cafe is owned by Deligateux, who are makers of frozen and non-frozen cakes and pastries - Deligateux ? I have heard of :o)

There weren't any other customers there and we were deciding whether we should give the place a try ... and you know what? I'm glad we did! Duduk Cafe itself is a cosy inviting place, occupying a small area that faces Watson and 7-Eleven on the 1st floor. Aptly name, Duduk means "Sit" in Bahasa ...

Duduk Cafe has an adequate menu for simple meals that ranges from pasta, lasagnas, pies, hotdogs, nasi lemak and even porridge. Vetting through the simple two page menu, it also lists hot and cold drinks (Mocktails & Frapps too!). Oh, do take note that Duduk Cafe accepts cash only.

The prices of the mains are relatively cheap when compared with the rest of the restaurants located at e@Curve and The Street e.g. set meals which consists of a main dish, drink and a slice of cake ranges from RM8.90 to RM10.90! So Glorious Jade and I figured that the serving should be rather small, good enough for light meals. We went ahead to order the Bolognaise pasta. When it was served, we were surprised ...

Sunday or Anyday Is A Great Day @ Coffee Ritual, Section 14 Petaling Jaya

First thing first, I'm sure those who have visited my blog before would noticed the change in the layout and I'm still in the midst of tweaking it. Quite a change from my previous "black" layout, eh? There is an added "Location" feature after "Labels" at the bottom of each post which has a Google Map link. Note the extra tabs on top - Home, More About Me/Contact, Where I Ate and My 3D Food Wall (check out my food pics here!). Thanks Blogger ... finally (but better late than never! ).



After a hectic Saturday and an early start on Sunday morning, I happily joined Ash and Kev at Coffee Ritual as I really needed my coffee and what more at a place where I can chill out. I am no coffee aficionado, but do know that I truly enjoy each of my visits here. Somehow or rather, I never took photos during my earlier visits. I guessed it's cos I just wanted to chill whenever I'm here, hence, no camera with me. This time round, I decided to use my handphone camera function :o). I first visited Coffee Ritual about a year back, enjoyed the experience and have been dropping by now and then for a cuppa and dessert. Now, let me share my ritual with you whenever I'm here in Coffee Ritual - a ritual that is highly recommended by me ...

Order a cup of Single Gourmet Origin Coffee - Brazil Fancy Santos (RM6), brewed using a Vacuum Coffee Maker (Siphon Coffee Maker)

Crêpe with Berkeley Farms Ice-cream (RM9)

The creamy ice cream with the aromatic thin crêpe (I do believe there's sweetened creamer in it which I absolutely love!). Having these two together is enough to make one sing ..."O Happy Day...O Happy Day..." :o). It's another one of those weekends that we all should experience more often ... how was yours?

*Photos taken with Sony Ericsson W995



Coffee Ritual (Website with Location Map)
35 Jalan 14/20, Section 14
46100 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel : 603-7956 1080
(Mon-Sat 10am-11pm)
(Sun & Public Holidays 9am-10pm

Typica Cafe, Shaw Parade Kuala Lumpur

OL, Soo and I went on a food journey not too long ago and Typica Cafe was our last stop for the day. However, this little and simple looking cafe won my heart over with its coffee and dessert. OL drove into the heart of town one weekday and we stopped here for a tea(coffee)time treat. We knew exactly what to order for dessert but we had to deliberate over the selection of coffee. However, once we told the staff what we wanted for dessert, the staff gave us some recommendations as to which coffee would pair well with it.

We followed her recommendations and I ended up with the Guatemala Ice Drip Coffee. A frozen coffee ice cube is served in an empty glass. The staff then pours the coffee from a mixer into the glass before you.

The Guatemala Ice Drip Coffee (RM16) - Drank black, the aroma and flavour of the roasted beans were wonderful. It was full bodied and had a pleasant aftertaste with a bitterness that was just spot on without being too overwhelming. While I'm not a coffee aficionado or one who can analyse in detail, I do know that this was indeed a great glass of coffee.

And exactly what dessert did we order (this came highly recommended by OL who had tried it earlier and loved it!)?

Caffe Greco, North Beach - San Francisco

After going for a dance party one Friday night, a few of us wanted to have coffee and cakes. I for one had no idea where to go for sure, being a visitor and didn't even think that there were still cafes opened near to midnight in San Francisco (unlike the nightlife in Kuala Lumpur!). Well, apparently if there were any establishments opened at such a time, it would be in the North Beach area...where mostly the artsy and unique stores are located.

Caffe Greco has been around since 1988. Situated in North Beach, it's one of the better known coffee places around town for their great tasting coffee, sandwiches & desserts and yes, it was still opened.

Most of the patrons preferred sitting out on the pavement area to enjoy the cold breeze while drinking coffee but not us. Being a tad cold for us, we opted to sit inside.

The entrance - Caffe Greco has two seating areas on the inside

A Pick n' Brew Halloween at 1 Utama

Was at 1 Utama today and they are currently running Halloween activities at the Highstreet Area on the Ground Floor. They have decorated the area very nicely according to the Halloween Theme. I was happy to know that Halloween is being celebrated here as it really a fun-filled event coupled with the fact that Halloween Day will always be a very special day to me :o)

Smiley, Silly and Scary Ghosts hanging around the spooky trees - watch out for 'em!

Joy Cafe, Jalan Riang 11 Happy Garden KL

(NON-HALAL)

As I was having dinner with my friends, we mentioned about our lunch at Joy Cafe many months ago (10 months to be exact!) and said that we should make another trip back there again. Coming home, I look through my archives and found Joy Cafe's photos and decided to finally blog about it.

It was after church and the lot of us (in two cars) decided to heed CW's recommendation and try out a new place (new then, it's about 1 year plus by now!) in Happy Garden. Apparently CW was saying the the lady owner, Joyce, used to cook lovely food for the church group gatherings before she finally decided to go into the food business for real together with her husband.

We had a tough time going through the menu selection as they had quite a variety. In the end most of us ended up ordering the Braised Beef Brisket Noodles (RM8.50).

The noodles are handmade by themselves and were al dente; lovely QQ bite to it. The beef brisket was tender to the bite but wasn't that soft and I enjoyed chomping on the white radish cubes too while slurping up the delicious soup.

Joy's Nasi Lemak Special (with chicken rendang and sotong, RM8.50). While the chicken rendang and sotong came across as rather normal to me, I did however like the rice as it was very fragrant and the grains are separated and not mushy. The sambal was quite hot, the way I like it!

Pick n' Brew @ 1 Utama, Ramadhan Buffet

Last Friday, a bunch of us met up at Pick n' Brew at 1 Utama for Ramadhan Buffet dinner. Present were of course Jackson himself (see his photos HERE), Precious Pea, FBB, Jason (who arrived an hour later!) and we had fun eating and catching up with each other. We heard a bit of food tales from Jackson, travel tales from Precious Pea who had just return from a short holiday in Australia. We also heard some flowery tales from FBB (hahahaha....), whilst we just heard a few words from Jason as he was the usual quiet self :p.

As Precious Pea and I were the first two to arrive, we went around taking photos of the food. Seeing that there were too many food items to cover, she and I agreed to cover different items and link our post to each other. Well, her post is already up and I realise that she took photos of most of the items and I covered a lot lesser! Oops! Anyway, check out her post HERE with a whole lot more photos! I have linked FBB's and Jason's post here since they got their post out by now.

Part of the buffet spread; the area for salads, soup and desserts (local kuih, cakes and cookies)


There were several varieties of salad but the one that caught my eye was the Apple & Barley salad. Nice and different, found it rather refreshing.


Hot Dishes (clockwise from 12 o'clock) : Lamb Rendang, Seafood Rice, Beef Cutlets, Chicken Rotisserie, Sotong with Spicy Peanut Sauce, Roast Vegetables

To accompany the feast, they also have side dishes like salted eggs, salted fish, tempeh and more...


Beef Kerabu

Bread & Olives Cafe, Ampang

A few month's back, Jason organised a small floggers' gathering in Ampang. Why so? Cos some of us have heard about the view at this place and wanted to go there and see it for ourselves.

Going there was rather complicated as most of us weren't to sure where to start! Hahaha....with directions printed out, KampungBoy CityGal, Jason, Simon, Cookies Cream and myself set out on journey in two cars to the top of the hill. Since we didn't know the way, we made sure we started early so that we won't get lost in the dark! Hahaha...anyway, going up earlier is also better as we were told that the area up there can get rather congested and one might end up having to park their car at the foot of the hill and walked up. Talk about working up an appetite!

After taking many lefts, many rights and going straight...we arrived at the top of the hill. We stood there for quite awhile, just taking in the wonderful sight before us. Now, there are several restaurants on top of this hill and we have heard and read that the food served at most of the establishments have not been having favourable reviews. However, we were told that Bread & Olives Cafe served the best food up here as compared to the rest and so, we chose to dine at Bread & Olives Cafe that night.

The al fresco dining area (one can also choose to dine indoors)

Brussels Beer Cafe, Jaya One Petaling Jaya

(Non-Halal )

(For Those Above 21 Years Of Age)
Don't Drink and Drive

I know I was suppose to continue with a post on the picnic I had over the weekend but instead I'm posting on the other weekend discovery; Brussels Beer Cafe again.

What happened was that I was supposed to have dinner with JC and E in Jaya One, venue yet to be decided. However, JC and E decided to hit Brussels again since Happy Hours were calling them. When I reached there around 7pm, they were still drinking and Mr Jägermeister (more about that name later!) was there too.

Soon, we were ALL drinking ourselves to a "happy" state though Happy Hours were long over. Hahaha...and we still haven't decided where to eat.
Here's an assortment of beer on the table; Hoegaarden, Leffe and Carlsberg Extra Cold

At this time, Danny came over and asked us girls whether we would like to try Girl Liquer. We haven't heard of it and and wondered how it would taste like and Danny promptly served us a glass of Girl each. Mr Jägermeister was perplexed that he didn't get a shot but Danny told him Girl was for girls only. Guys should try a shot of Jägermeister (and Mr Jägermeister became him name henceforth).

Girls with a glass of Girl (RM15) - a clear drink of a mix of Lychee, Raspberry, Premium Vodka and Cognac. Don't be fooled by the sweet thing, this Girl isn't as easy as one thinks ;o), Girl has 25% alcohol flowing through!

Chili Espresso, Sooka Sentral

I was traumatized on Sunday morning when I went for my wisdom tooth surgery. It turned out that I had a deeply rooted tooth that was actually the size of a molar that grew sideways (since it didn't have enough room at the back of my lower left gum!). After almost sitting in the dentist's chair for 2 hours, I was relieved when it finally came out after it was split to 3 parts! I was strong at first but 3/4 way through, the ordeal was just too much for me and tears started rolling down. The dentist stroked my chin to console me...hahaha! She apologised that I had to suffer and later she even called on me when I was back home to see how I was doing and said sorry for making me cry. Hehehe...I was surprised that she called, it was a nice of her to do so. Since then, I've been recuperating from my ordeal and decided that I'll post something that I had done earlier for Food Street Malaysia to save myself some time and work and I decided to pick Chili Espresso from the numerous assignments I had. I really enjoyed the simple and tasty fare from Chilli Espresso and have had another round of Mee Mamak when I went there again on my own time.

*****

Not knowing where Sooka Sentral was exactly except for the fact that it's near KL Sentral, I drove and parked in KL Sentral. Do note that parking around Sentral can be quite an expensive affair, the rates are at RM4 for the first hour with every subsequent hour at RM2.20. One can of course, take the LRT to KL Sentral and make your way across on foot like I did. I somehow manage to head into the right direction and found myself staring at a brand new Sooka Sentral building (almost perpendicular to Plaza Sentral and KL Sentral itself) and soon found Chili Espresso.

Turns out there are a few new eating spots here and I looked forward to trying out the food at Chili Espresso as it's also by the same team who's responsible for Isthmus KL. Of course, Chili Espresso is based on a different concept from Isthmus KL; a cafe that serves up favourite local meals (well, not so local if one is talking about the Percik Ayam Siam, more on that later...).

Upon entering this 2^nd 3 month old Chili Espresso outlet here (their first is in Northpoint, Mid Valley City), I felt the immediate warmth from the reddish hues of their interior. Sitting down with Czar, we went about tasting the food here and with Czar, the “Unearthed Iron Chef” (that's the title I awarded her for obvious reasons), Chili Espresso food was put through the taste test.

The Fried Mee Mamak (RM11.50) came served on a fiery red plate. I caught a whiff of it before I took a bite and knew it was going be good. Yellow noodles fried with prawns, tomato, potato, eggs in spiced sauce, I loved the way it tasted. It had the “wok hei” (the result of food cooked in a searing hot wok), which is essential when it comes to ALL fried noodles. Czar said it tasted good but would have preferred the noodles to be “more dry” but it was okay by me. If you like it dry or spicier, let the staff know when you order this crowd favourite.

Now, this was an interesting dish for me to try. The Herbal Nasi Cina Kampong (nasi ulam) was presented in a lovely way, with the several types of ulam (raw vegetables) surrounding the herbal rice like a “moat” on a banana leaf. I destroyed the “moat” easily, mixing the ulam into the jasmine rice together with the sambal belacan that was served separately. The warm herbed rice and ulam mix turned into a fragrant and flavourful delight.

Most of you would know that I'm not a fan of fish and the Herbal Nasi Cina Kampong (RM9.50) comes served with Ikan Tenggiri. However, this fish got my attention as it was fried, topped with chili gravy and wasn't fishy at all (something which I'm quite particular about). Eating the chili Ikan Tenggiri with all the spices, herbs and ulam harmoniously blended together was an enjoyable experience. I personally would ask for extra sambal to kick it up a notch!

Next was the “Percik Ayam Siam” (Grilled Thai Chicken) served with Nasi Minyak, Mango Kerabu and some Pappadam (RM14.50) on a banana leaf. The Percik Ayam Siam being the highlight of this dish was put to the comparison test with my favourite Yati Ayam Percik from Kota Bahru. I have yet to find one that comes close to Yati's around Klang Valley and how did Chili Espresso's version fare? It came quite close; a pleasant surprise indeed. The chicken is cooked on lava rocks to replicate the same smoky flavour which was evidently present and the meat was tender. The boneless and cut grilled chicken pieces came topped with spicy coconut gravy (other ingredients remain a secret! Hahaha) and was delicious. The gravy was not as creamy as my Kota Bahru favourite and was also a tad sweeter. Nevertheless, we ate it all up without a single drop of gravy left on the plate (Note to self : Ask for more gravy next time!).

Now, the Inchi Kabin was not on the menu but it seems they do serve this tasty Nyonya version of fried chicken occasionally, so do check on availability. Marinated with spices, the taste of the fried chicken was further enhanced with a special dip; “grandma's” special recipe with added bird's eye chili (cili padi). Czar said it has hints of five spice powder and nutmeg; we couldn't figure out the rest!

Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience at Chili Espresso and I told myself that I will dine here again (which I did!). Added with the pleasant environment and friendly staff, I won't mind paying the pricier parking charges. Chili Espresso : A welcomed “fiery addition” to the local food scene!

Chili Espresso
G-5, Sooka Sentral
Jalan Stesen Sentral
50470 Kuala Lumpur

Opening Hours : Monday-Saturday 8 a.m to 8 p.m

Contact : 03-2785 1938

First Outlet : Unit B-G-5, Ground Floor
North Point, Mid Valley City
No. 1, Medan Syed Putra Utara
59200 Kuala Lumpur
Contact : 032282 6113

*****

And here's my quote on my recent trauma...

Some tortures are physical
And some are mental,
But the one that is both
Is dental.
~Ogden Nash