Saturday, July 9, 2011

Nadaman at Shangri-la

Shangri-La has been having this 40th anniversary celebration where limited seats have been available every day since May for a 40% discount for all their restaurants. I managed to make it to The Line once, and a few times to Nadaman. The lunch sets are pretty good value with the discount, and one weekday afternoon I went there with a colleague for a midweek perk up. We shared both versions of the Kaiseiki Ryouri - one's a more standard menu for $50, and the other a premium version (Hiru Kaiseiki) for $60.

This was the appetiser for the Hiru Kaiseiki:

Top: milk bonito mousse with bonito broth jelly, marinated deep fried fish with vinegar, and "chingensai" - whatever it is! The bonito mousse was pretty unique, with a very savoury taste. I quite enjoyed it.

Our sashimi:
I was surprised they served salmon, since the Japanese consider that an inferior fish

Clear soup with fish and prawn cake
Chawanmushi
Grilled gounard with Japanese pepper, seaweed, leek and plum dressing
The main dish for the normal set was a teriyaki cod, together with some simmered vegetables
The cod was pretty good
The vegetables were very standard


The Hiru Kaiseiki had a hot pot of salmon, chicken and vegetables with miso butter. I found this a little too sweet for my liking

It also came with mixed vegetable rice


The rice was not too bad

The dessert for the Hiru Kaiseiki was really good - black sesame pudding with caramel sauce. After eating so much, it was difficult to stuff in much more!




The lunch sets are much better value than the dinner sets, and the 40% offer ends 31 July.

Coffee places around the office

Thanks to coffee-addicted colleagues, I've recently become more aware of coffee stalls around the Tanjong Pagar and Chinatown areas. Somehow having a good strong cafe latte after lunch makes going back to the office a lot easier.

Shots at Ann Siang Hill does a real pretty coffee - the first time I was there, I got a face in my latte.

Another time, I got a cat. I think they froth the milk really nicely but I'm not a fan of the coffee blend they use - slightly too acidic for my tastebuds.

The Plain at Craig Road just behind Duxton Plain has got great coffees and an amazing laid back feeling. I could sit there all day reading the papers and drinking coffee.
Cuppa Choice is perhaps my favourite among the 3, although it's a bit of a hike if I'm not eating around that area. Their cafe lattes have this amazing kick, and they're good enough to take without sugar even though I love the raw sugar that they serve with the coffees.



The Plain at 50 Craig Road
Cuppa Choice at 3 Temple Street

Friday, July 8, 2011

Yut Kee, Kuala Lumpur

The husband and I were in KL for a wedding recently, and stayed at the Sheraton Imperial along Jalan Sultan Ismail. We were quite keen to try a local coffeeshop for breakfast the next morning, and upon the advice of a KL-based friend, managed to find Yut Kee about 10 mins walk from the hotel. She said that the Hainanese pork chop and butter cake were very good, although both didn't sound too appealing at 8am on a Sunday morning.

When we got there, we took one of the last available tables. It was crowded even at 8am in the heart of KL city.

Must be Mr Yut Kee himself looking proudly at all the accolades


Loved the old school menu on the wall


The exterior of the shophouse was nothing to shout about - one simple coffeeshop at the edge of a very nondescript row of buildings


Loved the old school mosaic floor tiles
Noodles cost RM6/7 and the pork chop was like RM10. No idea how the Malaysians can afford the cost of living there.




The kopi was fantastic - strong and thick and full of flavour


The husband ordered Lum Mee, which was really tasty - the soup stock was rich with lots of prawn and pork stock, and wonderful with sambal belachan


My curry mee was normal - nothing mind blowing, and I was slightly disappointed given the hype of the place. But then again, no one else ordered the curry mee - everyone was eating pork chop. So maybe the locals do know better.

By the time we left at 8.30am, there was already a queue for tables. Definitely worth a visit perhaps for lunch next time.


Yut Kee is along Jalan Dang Wangi, and within 5 mins by foot from Dang Wangi LRT station.


35 Jalan Dang Wangi at the junction of Jalan Kamunting

Open every day from 8am to after lunch except Monday