Jaipur Mahal, Glomac Cyberjaya, Cyber 4, Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Address:
No 7, Block H, Jalan GC9,
Glomac Cyberjaya, 63000
Cyber 4, Cyberjaya,
Selangor D.E, Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Lunch:
1 PM to 3 PM
Dinner:
5:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Ok, here's the odd thing. They have breakfast in their menu but they stated that their opening hours starts from 1pm? Not sure what is their exact opening hours.

Time Visited:
8:20pm. Sunday night

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Kadai Mushrooms, Balti Gosht, Steamed white rice and Masala Tea.

I meant to visit this place a few times back but I just keep putting it off and it was supposed to be the one at Jalan Ipoh but only today was I finally able to spare the time to visit an outlet of Jaipur Mahal. I decided to go for the one at Cyberjaya since nighttime, there will be no traffic there and parking would be a breeze. I also thought that the place would be quite quiet and empty being at Cyberjaya at night. When I arrived there, I was quite correct. There were only 1 other table occupied when I stepped in but later on, there were a few other families who came to eat there. Being a very pure North Indian restaurant, the people who ate there were, well, Indians. I was the only Chinese who was there to dine and also the only person who went there on my own. LOL.

The snooty display of the North Indian permeates the restaurant and the staff put on much class and air of superiority like a butler and jeeve. Despite sitting far from the counter, the staff were attentive enough to my needs. I guess that's mainly due to the emptiness of the place during that time before others walked in. I made my order and off they were to prepare my meal. As an appetizer, they serve me some Indian chips and I believe the other one is a dessert? Because it's sweet. Well, I could be wrong. It could be an appetizer. I have no idea what those are called. LOL. I'm not really well verse with Indian dishes. Those 2 items were compliments of the house.

They took little to no time to bring me my meal, surprisingly. Before I knew it, everything was already served to me. The mushrooms were lacking, I wish it was of a stronger taste but in the end, if you ate a lot in succession, you can taste a stronger taste of it. I quite like the Balti Gosht. That to me was something most strongest in it's taste. It's actually tender lamb that's cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic and ginger with some herbs and spices. This was my favorite among all. The steam rice that they gave were basmati rice. Long thin looking but they cooked it really nicely and it goes well with all of the other dish. I came to conclude my meal with my masala tea. Unfortunately too the masala tea was lacking in strong taste. Everything just seemed so pale in their taste except for the chips and the lamb. But I did enjoy the meal. It's not that it didn't taste nice. It just wasn't as strong a taste as I expected. I also liked the quiet atmosphere which is always a plus for Cyberjaya area. LOL. At such a late hour over there, Not only there's plenty of free parking with very wide roads so no jam at all, but also the very quiet place. Like a small town but with very huge area and very developed roads and buildings.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM50.45. Well, I don't really consider it expensive despite it's name. LOL. Maybe I've been too influenced by Korea seeing that I was just back and food over there is expensive compared to over here. There's 6% GST but no service charge though they had good service.

Final Verdict:
I shall rate this 7/10. For their ambiance, their service, and what they really are for. The food overall is not bad but I certainly would like some dishes to have a more stronger taste.

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The Narra, Dataran Millenium, Seksyen 14, Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Address:
G001 Dataran Millennium, Jalan 14/1, Seksyen 14 46100 Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Daily, 11:30am - 10pm (till 12am on Friday and Saturday)

Time Visited:
6:45pm, Sunday

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Embosilog & Coffee

I've never been to Philippines before nor have I ever tried their food. So this is the first time ever I've ever tried Philippines food and I can tell you it was good. I'm not sure how Philippines itself would've tasted for this dish I had called Embosilog but the one I tasted at The Narra was good.

After having a cup of coffee at Aku Cafe right in the City Centre, I headed to The Narra for my dinner. At first, I didn't intend to go dinner at all after heading home from work this day. I was all worn out and tired and wishing I wasn't born at all but I had a short nap and then forced myself to clean the whole house and then forced myself to go out since it was still early. Well, It took a lot of effort to go all the way to City Centre for a cup of coffee but that's just what I did. And after spending about over an hour there and am difficult to move, I pushed myself to get going and to get some food. About 15 minutes later, I ended up at The Narra. This place was so noisy and hyped up blaring Bon Jovi songs a very vast difference from Aku Cafe that I was in previously where it has the serenity and quietness inside. And being a Filipino restaurant, it looks like all of the staff are Filipinos.

I picked a spot I like right at the corner and I sat myself down then one of the staff brought me the menu. I just simply ordered something at random and ended up picking the Embosilog. LOL What's written on the menu on what Embosilog is was embotido, sinangag and itlog. Filipino-style meatloaf, garlic rice and fried egg. A quick google on it and the Filipino wordings is actually what's written in English. LOL. Embotido is a pork sausage, sinangag is garlic rice and itlog means egg. I see.

Though the dish looks simple, it's actually very delicious. Well, according to my taste. The pork sausage has some complex flavors in it and interestingly, I see some raisins on it. Not much. In fact, very little but enough to give out some interesting taste to the pork sausage which is to provide some sweetness at times. Interesting. The garlic rice mainly derive it's garlic taste from the fried garlic sprinkled on top and enough to make it appetizing just on it's own while the egg adds some girth to the taste profile.

I enjoyed the food very much and find it rather interesting. What's more, I feel that it's cheap so in Philippines, I bet it'll be way much cheaper since our currency is bigger plus it's their own food which is available everywhere. LOL. They also have some Philippines item for sale on the shelf which I decided to grab a bag of chips to try at home. Well, I haven't try it yet as I write down this post, so if you wanna know how it taste like, why not go there and grab one yourself. LOL.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM13.80 is all it costs for the meal with 6% GST and NO service charge. The bag of crisps costs less than RM5.

Final Verdict:
7/10. I enjoyed the Filipino dish very much. I wonder would it taste way much better in the Philippines? Hmm.

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2Ox, The Row, Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Address:
54-56, The Row, Jalan Doraisamy, Chow Kit, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Daily, 11:30am - 12am

Time Visited:
Saturday, 6:45pm

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Duck Leg Confit & Sangria (with White Wine)

After a long day working, I decided to unwind at 2Ox located at the Row which was famously known as Asian Heritage Row and is known for their notorious nightlife. By the way, 2Ox is not twenty x but rather 2 ox. LOL. I really thought the O was an 0 at first.

So I arrived there fairly early but of course parking over there was a breeze right in front of the restaurant, the catch is....you have to pay RM10 for the parking. Pfft. These scalpers. Anyway, since it's right in front of the restaurant, it's okay. Sitting outside, the menu was already on the table so I just need to pick it up and browse through it. It looks like they're just readied for dinner not too long ago since most of the staff were merely lingering around inside and I can't see anyone that's manning the outside of the restaurant. But there's 1 that comes in and out serving a tourist at a table where the guy seems to be busy with his Apple laptop. I soon made up my mind on what to ordered and signaled to a gentleman to take my orders.

Along came the bread as an appetizer with some greenish oil condiments to go with the bread. The complimentary appetizer was great with the bread being good just by eating on it's own and that dip that comes with it goes very well with the bread. I was asked if I liked more bread once I finished but of course I declined since I wanna save some space for my Duck Leg Confit and my Sangria.

The Duck Leg Confit was beautifully cooked and glisten along with the ambiance light and that it's carefully placed on top of some beans and the Dauphinois potato gratin. The beans and potatoes provided quite a crunch to the dish while the orange sauce that accompanies the Duck Leg Confit went very well with the meat. The end product of the duck is simply delicious and it may seemed like just a lovely looking dish but the taste did exceed what it looked like. It was delicious through and through and as I peel the layer of skin away to expose the inside meat of the duck, I was greeted with a steaming hot delicious, moist meat. Throughout my meal, the duck stayed hot and warmed throughout and so there was never a moment where it dropped in it's tastefulness. I was truly satisfied with it and so I would say the RM80 price on it is what it is truly worth. As for the Sangria, there was a many mixture of orange and apples in it thus giving it a refreshing taste. The white wine that was in the mixture was nice and all in all, a good Sangria nonetheless.

After I slowly enjoyed off my drink, I headed back home with satisfaction.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM108. RM80 for the duck, RM28 for the Sangria. There's 10% service charge involved and 6% GST.

Final Verdict:
7/10. Food was excellent and drinks were not bad. Service was okay.

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Restoran A'Tan Coffee Shop 阿旦私房菜, Taman Connaught, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Address:
125, Jalan Sarjana, Taman Connaught, Cheras 56000 Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Thurs - Tues: 11am - 10pm with 3-5pm break

Time Visited:
7pm, Saturday evening

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Sausage Fried Rice with Egg and Lemon Tea Iced

While I was searching for this restaurant, I noticed that the parking at this place is fast and quickly disappearing and so I parked my car the moment I saw a parking spot. Unknown to me, it was just at the shop itself already.

With a faded sign and one below that's hidden at the inner sanction also a much plain signage on the top, despite the fact that there are 3 signs to tell you that there's the shop, it's still easy to miss to me. I find that the people within this vicinity take their dinner about this time around late 6pm to early 7pm. The dead giveaway indication would be the scarcity of the parking and the many people flocking to eateries; This place included. There were still some place left when I got there and so I plonk myself down to the nearest table where the menu was already present there. After browsing through it, I placed my order and await for it.

From what I gathered during my time there, most people who come here are already regulars who lived around the area and the staff there also recognize a lot of them. The waiting for the food was tiring because it was so slow to come out. I guess a lot of care in preparing the food has been done. LOL. The food eventually came and it seems rather eye-pleasing. The wonderful vibrant colors of the fried rice with the perfect fried egg on top just makes it easy to spot as the star when the redness from the table and the walls which I find it quite an unusual color to pick for a restaurant just seemed to dull off the surrounding view. The taste of the food was rather okay. Nothing of fantastic annotation but satisfactory enough for the tummy. The lemon tea was just your ordinary, nothing unusual lemon tea. Their drink signature is actually the A Tan White Coffee but I didn't try it that day. I was already full of 2 cans of coffee that day.

Though I'm not sure why the long wait for the food but I deduce that it could be because this is actually more of a restaurant where you order vegetables and meat to go with your rice rather than individual dishes. That could very well be the reason.

I went off feeling really tired and sleepy as I began my long journey home. I tried it out going home without the GPS and initially got really lost and got stuck in a jam instead. Eventually, I found familiar roads and managed to make my way home. Phew. What a very tiring day.

Total Wallet Damage:
Erm. I forgot what's the total price and I wasn't given a receipt. But in the menu, it's written that the fried rice costs RM7 and the Iced Lemon Tea is RM3.60.

Final Verdict:
6/10. Well, decent enough to eat but kind of a long wait for my food and it can get pretty full during peak time.

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Restoran Super Kitchen Chilly Pan Mee, SS2, SS2, Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Address:
42, Jalan SS2/10, SS2,
47000, Petaling Jaya (PJ),
Selangor, Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Daily, 8:30am - 10pm

Time Visited:
6pm, Sunday evening

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Traditional Pan Mee Soup and Coffee Iced

I don't know when this got into my list but I figured it's probably the influence of my colleague who loves pan mee. But then again, she likes the one that's the Klang version where it's thick and it's torn by hand instead of the rolled out dough version. Anyway, I decided to give this a try and the nearest branch that's closest to me is the SS2 one.

Their main place is somewhere in KL at off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman but somehow I've never heard of it before. I came here a bit earlier than intended due to it starting to rain. It wasn't difficult to find the place since I've frequented Chow Yhang plenty a times in the past but only just when I came for the pan mee that I discovered Chow Yhang to have relocated to the back shop in the middle. But this is about the Super Kitchen Chilly Pan Mee.

There was plenty of parking available when I arrived but there's close to none when I was leaving. Guess it's a bit early for folks to partake their dinner at around 6pm in SS2. The entrance door to this place looks dilapidated and somehow when I entered, I wasn't really greeted as oppose to later on where most customers were really greeted and handed their menu. I had to signal to the waiter to bring the menu after I've sat down. Hmmph. It was merely a one page menu with the back listing all the drinks. Though this place is about pan mee, there's also other types of dishes like rice but mostly pork dishes. Almost everyone will definitely go for the dry pan mee but I went for the soup one instead to have a taste. Of course, if you wanna add those chilly into the pan mee, dry on is the way to go since adding the chilly into the soup version will merely make the soup spicy instead of being able to taste and eat the chilly directly with the noodles.

Though it's just 6pm with not many cars outside, this place actually draws quite a fair share of customers and some of the curious residents who occasionally comes in to have a look at the menu to see what else they have to offer. It took quite a waiting for my pan mee to arrive and when it did, I saw that they give quite a big portion. Quite value for money for such a big bowl. It fills me up nicely. There's a nice egg given as well and the rest of the normal pan mee ingredients like anchovies and loads of minced meat in there. The pan mee may be averagely tasty but the portion more than makes up for it. The loads of ingredients in there also makes it worth anybody's while. Add in lots of chilly to enhance the taste and you're sure to finish up the whole bowl.

After that hearty meal, I decided to take a stroll around the block to see what else is there before heading back home.

Total Wallet Damage:
I think I didn't take the receipt and I don't remember the total price. But I think the Pan Mee costs RM7.80 per bowl. Not sure about the drink. Looks like I'm slacking since I don't blog much nowadays. Haha.

Final Verdict:
6/10. A nice decent big bowl of Pan Mee if you're craving to have some and you're at SS2 area since it's available till late nights unlike those hawker stalls.

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Chao Zhou Bak Kut Teh, SS18, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Address:
7, Jalan SS 18/1b, Ss 18, 47500 Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Opening Hours:
9am - 2:30pm & 5pm - 9pm
Closed on Mondays

Time Visited:
Friday evening, 7:30pm

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Mix pork meat including Pork Stomach & Intestines & Chinese Tea Ice

I remember eating here once or twice a very, very long time ago with the best boss I've ever had brought me and some of my department's colleague here to eat Bak Kut Teh. I wonder what happened to him? Probably had left to live in Singapore for good.

Anyway, today's the day that I decided to try again this Bak Kut Teh shop since I can't remember the taste of this place at all. It was a very unlucky day for me. Things just don't seem to go my way and I lose money instead of making money from working. On top of that, I was mistaken as someone else and had a good scolding from that person when I had never met him before at all. Finally, I took my car to service and today's the last straw that I'm taking there to service ever again. Today really hit the nail on the coffin because I found out that I was lied to by the person who attended to me. I specifically told him a few times to check what was loose under my car and fix it back up for me. But when I get my car back, there's no mention of them checking it and so I specifically ask about it. The person then said that the foreman had found nothing missing and no problem and he himself had checked it and found no problem too. That was so surprising to hear that because I saw something was loose under my car and I tied it myself with a string to prevent that thing from hitting the ground. I showed him and he took it to take a look at it again. Then he came back and started saying about how my side skirt had a problem and the clips were all gone which I already know a long time ago but that wasn't the thing I told him to check. Then finally, in a nonchalant manner, he told me it was the undercarriage and that they had tied it up with cable ties. I hate being lied to especially when it's people whom I trusted. I'm never going back again. Reminded me of that all too familiar person who lied to me through and through and hurt me till I'm beyond repair but yet people believe that person more than I do even though I've never lied to them at all just because that person is way more fun to hang out with. That's why I've stopped hanging out with those people anymore and hence A-Lone Diner is born. LOL.

Anyway, enough with my back story and my unlucky day. This post is about Bak Kut Teh. More specifically, Chao Zhou Bak Kut Teh. The guys at the service center since to have used up a lot of my petrol and so I needed to go to a petrol station to refill. I was thinking of the place near my home but I saw way too many people queuing up there and so I decided to pump near this Bak Kut Teh place. But to get to there during peak hours was difficult as I needed to make a lot of detours to avoid the jam so that I don't run out of petrol in unpredictable traffic jams. Finally, I manage to make it here. *Phew* This area seems to have more people coming here for food than during lunch hours. LOL. Must be those Subang residents who decided to stop here for dinner to wait out the jam.

As I enter, an old woman greeted me and asked me what I like to eat. She then had asked me on different ingredients and I said yes to everything. LOL. So it's a mixed pot of meat for 1 person with pork stomach and intestines and also a bowl of Chinese Crullers. There was quite enough portion of pork meat inside compared to Ah Sang Bak Kut Teh but mostly is the pork intestines. There's about 2 Taufu Pok and the broth was quite watered down and feels as if a lot of MSG instead of herbs in it because it makes me feel very thirsty. But the meat was satisfying enough though the taste of the overall dish could be improve a lot more. It does satiate your cravings should you be around Subang Jaya area but there are definitely way a lot more better shops to eat Bak Kut Teh than this place, As for the Yau Char Kuey (Chinese Crullers), it's so hard to eat on it's own. I have to soak it long so that its' soft enough to eat. It has been left out for way too long. Probably had bought it somewhere else in the morning. :(

Well, the upside of this place is that there's plenty of place to sit and eat. LOL. In fact, most customers here are just lone diners like me. Haha.

Total Wallet Damage:
Altogether is RM18. 

Final Verdict:
5/10. There's tons more better Bak Kut Teh places to eat from rather than here.

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Hutton Mansion Wine Haus, Georgetown, Penang Island (Pulau Pinang), Malaysia

Address:
149, Jalan Hutton, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours:
6 pm to 12 am. Closed on Sundays.

Time Visited:
Saturday, 7pm

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Their Set Dinner, I chose the Amber Chin's Signature Aglio-olio with Pork Belly and to drink, White Wine. Tomato Soup.

"So what are you doing in Penang?" That seems to be the theme of my visit there. Many seemed to ask me this question and each time I'm at the receiving end of this question during that day, I pause for a moment and my mind will just be slated blank. To tell you the truth, I don't even know why I drove all the way to Penang at such a late time of the day just to have a bite and depart back to PJ on the same day. I guess all I wanted to do is distract my mind by keeping myself busy.

Let me start earlier. The day started off with me working from morning till after lunch time where I can't really recall whether I did eat my lunch or breakfast or not but one thing's for sure, I started heading for Penang when the clock surpass 3pm. I stopped by at Sungkai to refuel my car and after that, it was all the way straight to Penang non-stop. When I reached Penang, it had already turned 7 o'clock. Just the perfect time for dinner. And so I headed to Hutton Mansion Wine Haus. It started to rain heavy when I arrive but that didn't deter me.

Hutton Mansion Wine Haus is actually the restaurant that's associated with the Hutton Mansion boarding hostel. I guess that's the main business as oppose to this F&B side. When I was there, I was the only person to enter for food. I was hospitably welcomed and been shown the menu. The sofa area of the place looks congenial, cozy and tones you down a notch. The lighting gives me a sleepy feel and puts me at ease. They allowed me time to look at the menu and I went for their Dinner Set which consists of many main course choices....just different pricing. LOL. As I await for my pasta, I gazed out of the window and get lost in the rain. Over on the opposite side, there's a wine shop and there wasn't much of anyone walking by the road except for a few tourists.

Pretty soon, I was served my wine. The wine was easy on the throat and wasn't heavy on the alcohol level. It provides a certain sweetness syncing with some soft touch of sourness. It certainly was a very pleasant to the mouth feel. I was soon served the appetizer which they name it "Duck Salad with Orange Sauce". Okay, so it's more of a descriptive name rather than an intriguing one but at least you know what you're getting. LOL. Though there's merely 2 peels of mandarin orange on top, the citrus taste permeates throughout the whole of the salad due to it being splashed with the orange sauce and the strong taste only is rivaled by the duck's salty taste. The duck is thick in it's slices and was tender. A nice combination in all even though the greens merely provided a crunch rather than it's refreshing leafy taste.

The next dish is the Tomato Soup. It's served together with a garlic bread which proved to be an odd combination. Without the garlic bread, the Tomato Soup taste way better so I much prefer separating the 2 to eat. The tomato soup was rich though not too thick. Enough for a satisfying slurp that I lapped up the whole dish.

Next came the main course. Garnishing includes some olives that provided some taste of sweetness and I can see sprinkles of cheese but my tongue fail to detect any of it when I put it in my mouth. The pork belly was delightful and some has a crispy texture outside and provides a somewhat chewy taste. It can also sit there for awhile and the pork belly is still warm when I ate it even to the last bit. It was a little too spicy for me since they spruce it up with cili padi but nothing a little water can't combat.

The staff of the place was very hospitable but also gave me ample space I need and only approach when necessary and occasionally just to get my feedback. Not bad even though I was the only one there, they still made sure that everything's alright with me. With a little wine, low lighting and the rain outside, it made me feel rather sleepy and so after that, I decided to go grab some coffee at The Safe Room down the road instead before heading off home. Thanks for the hospitality, Hutton Mansion Wine House.

Total Wallet Damage:
Just RM48 all in. Pretty sweet! No mention of GST nor service charge anywhere so I guess they don't charge.

Final Verdict:
7/10. The food was good and the selection of wine was nice. The only thing is the Tomato Soup does not go with Garlic Bread though you can just eat it separately. Although all the food is good, I just felt as if somethings missing. It's like it could've been perfect if something is added to it. Or maybe there could be dessert? LOL. Or maybe it's just because I had one of the most awesome set lunch ever at Sage Restaurant & Bar, The Gardens not too long before this and I just can't stop comparing that to this. That's not a fair comparison. Haha.

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Isaki Japanese Restaurant, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Address:
1-0, 1-1, Jalan 7/70a, Taman Seri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Daily, 12pm - 2:30pm and 6pm - 12am

Time Visited:
6:45pm, Saturday evening, Christmas Eve

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Buta Don, Ehire, and Orange Juice

It's Christmas eve and I've spent the whole day working since the early morning with a break for lunch in between. And now that the day is done, I've actually ran myself ragged and have made myself sick again. LOL. But it hasn't turn into something serious yet like last week where I ran a high fever and vomiting. Today was just merely dry eyes causing it to be painful which in turn cause me a headache. So I went back home around 5:30pm when it started to rain to catch a nap so that I can come to this place to try for my dinner.

On my way over around 6 something pm, it started to rain heavier and when I reached the destination, it looked as if it's closed. But upon approaching on it's main entrance, it's proven that it's opened with lights and the works and staff manning outside. So I sat myself down on one of those picnic benches and started to scour and scrutinize the menu in detail before finally deciding on the Buta Don with Ehire. I asked what Ehire is and the foreign worker (all are foreign workers in this restaurant) told me that it's the fried skin of the fish. Something like that. LOL. I initially ordered a Green Apple Juice but they ran out, so I went with orange juice instead.

Service was a tad slow at this joint though the workers seems to be very quick handed with things. Anyway, the Ehire came not too long after the drink arrived and I started munching away at it. It's really delicious. Tasted like eating cuttlefish. At the side was dabs of mayonnaise condiment to go with it sprinkled with chili powder on top. The combination was great and wasn't an adjunct item even though the Ehire was tasty enough eating on it's own.

Along came the Buta Don. I must say for that big bowl of rice with loads of pork meat in it, it's well worth the RM22 I'm paying for that. It may not be overly fantastic but enough to satisfy my pork cravings and for me to deem it above average. Well worth the cost.

I soon finished up to quickly head home to nurse my headache and to write this out.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM66.45. 10% service charge included and 6% GST imposed.

Final Verdict:
6/10. For a bowl that big, the Buta Don is well worth the money to eat and it tasted quite good too. As for the Ehire, it's more on the expensive side though it was rather tasty. This place has a lot of complaints from customers on their slow service and inattentive staff but so far I didn't encounter that much. Maybe because I was sitting at such a prominent location and being just one person sitting at such a big table, it's bound to draw attention. LOL. I've also seen comments people indicating that this place is pet friendly as well.

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Lavo, Menara Lien Hoe, Tropicana, Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Address:
No. 8, Persiaran Tropicana & Jalan Tropicana Utama, Tropicana, 47410 Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Sun - Thurs: 12pm - 1am
Fri & Sat: 12pm - 2am

Time Visited:
Saturday, 6pm

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Beef & Onion Soup, Sirloin Steak, Banana & Chocolate Bread Pudding and a Strongbow.

A retreat from glee, that day with the gloomy weather looming around, I get to moving towards Lavo to have my dinner that day after a day of working.

I've been given a hefty amount of vouchers to use and with only me dining at that time, I decided to lavishly spread on my dining. I ordered a full course dinner with soup, a main course and dessert to finish off with a Strongbow just for kicks though the Strongbow will be coming out of my pocket as it doesn't include drinks to be used with the vouchers. The wait staffs were friendly especially the head staff and I was received very warmly and welcoming towards me. I was shown to my seat and were given ample amount of time to make my decision. The staff were very attentive and everytime when I was ready to signal them they already knew I was about to call them and head towards me. They served me with a smile all the way, cleared all my dishes when I was just done and even ask if I needed anything when I was about to have my dessert. Kudos to the very good service that I was given. They're way on top as one of the best service I have received in my life!

So there I was awaiting for my food. It actually didn't take long for my food to arrive and they did it really proper. They really followed through the course by course given to me instead of one shot coming out everything. I really loved the treatment I received. The first of course came the soup. When I received the soup, I then remembered that I had it before when I attended an event here. But of course, the beef and onion soup. No wonder it sounded so familiar. However, I can tell you that it was leaps and bounds better than the time I had it during my attendance of the event. The soup was full of flavor and was given a nice garlic cheese bread which went really well with the soup. The soup, full of it's glorious flavor was brought further to live with that superb piece of tender beef in it and chewing on that as I savor on the broth really had me lapping up every last drop of it. As oppose to during the time of the event, the soup gave out a lackluster and dull taste which were really as if opposites ends to this time of tasting, like night and day.

Once I've finished, a little bit of wait on the Sirloin Steak but wasn't too long a wait. I've asked for medium well which was cooked till right and initially, I didn't quite like how it tasted. I soon found out why, I was only eating the fatty part! As I got to the meat, I soon found that it was proper and decent, a fine meat to eat. Though it wasn't the best, but still good enough to be eaten and with each bite, gradually the taste grows on me and I kind of liked it. The peppercorn sauce too was a grower. It tasted a bit weird to me in the beginning, but I gradually eased into it and soon quite liked the taste. The mashed potato and sauteed vegetables were a little bitter and bland, but that only highlights on the meat more.

And finally, the dessert of Banana & Chocolate Bread Pudding was brought to me once I'm done with the main course. Unfortunately, presentation-wise, the ice cream had melted quite a bit but it didn't deter the good taste of the overall dessert. The bread pudding did mix well with the banana at the center and having the chocolate contributed significantly to it's sweetness, it all came together as a medley of a well orchestrated dessert. I took delight in eating that and though I would say there's room for improvement to it like a much stronger tasting ice cream or instead of the banana just dead center of the bread pudding and could be spread out more with more slices of banana, it did sufficient of it's duty as a dessert and I'm much pleased with it.

The ambiance on the outside was quite a nice chilling and relaxing environment that I meld into. I soon needed to check the bill and take my leave though I could just laze around there all night long.

Total Wallet Damage:
Well, I had RM100 vouchers to use for the food which had knocked off the total of RM87.45 for the food alone. RM15 for the dessert, RM15 for the soup, RM45 for the steak. 10% service charge and 6% GST imposed. Totally worth the 10% service charge with the service they rendered to me. As for the Strongbow, it costs RM23.30 inclusive of again the service tax and GST.

Final Verdict:
8/10. A very nice place to get some drink and the food is delicious as well. I can also testify to during that time of the event that they do know how to pour a lovely silky smooth perfect pint of Guinness. It's definitely a place worth visiting again in my books. They don't discriminate me as just one person coming in, neither did they skimp on their service just because I'm using vouchers. Instead they treat me very nicely and I am well pleased with their service, food and environment.

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Dining Hall, Bandar Menjalara, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Address:
53, JALAN 3/62A, Bandar Menjalara 
Kepong, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Mon–Sun:
Noon–11:00 PM

Time Visited:
8pm, Saturday night

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
BBQ Pork Belly and a 100 Plus

After a hard days work which was totally worth it, I headed off to Kepong to Dining Hall for a try.

The way to the place was jammed as fuck but it's no biggie. I'm in no hurry anyway. Once I've arrived at the vicinity it was already 8pm but weirdly enough I'm not hungry at all. Inasmuch, I'm more tired than hungry. The place looks kinda empty but there are patrons there dining. I guess with an area such as these, with plenty of food dining places to choose from, this is already considered a good crowd. As I enter and sat myself down, I noticed that there were only two persons overseeing the whole entire area in the front. A lady that looks bossy who mans the cash register and a young guy who seems to do all the running around attending the tables, serving the food and drinks and clearing it. They didn't seem to notice me even though I sat myself down quite near to the counter but pretty soon they do and I was handed the menu. When I flagged down the woman to take my order, it seems that she doesn't take orders (or doesn't take MY order as I saw her taking some others) and she signaled for me to wait as she beckons the already busy young man to attend to me. After awhile, he does and so I proceed with my order of BBQ Pork Belly and a 100 Plus to rehydrate.

It took quite a while but finally the can of 100 plus with a glass of ice came and pretty soon I noticed why it took so long (or an excuse I made up to console my parched throat) and that was because it wanted to come with the food. And so there it was, the glorious food in all it's glory appeared before me with the accompaniment of my drink. As I dig in to the BBQ Pork Belly, it does taste quaintly nice but the odd sweet sauce which I believe is of apple goes in a weird direction if eaten with the BBQ Pork Belly. A pretty good portion of it eaten will leave me feeling a bit queasy as I devour further. This rarely happens to me when it comes to pork but for this dish, that's what it does. The fries were a bit bland but that's just due to lack of salt seasoned on it and was merely the sensation of fried potatoes. I hardly touched the coleslaw because that's the type I don't really fancy. But overall, I would say it was an okay dish. Maybe because my taste buds are kinda shoddy nowadays and that my appetite is slowly losing.

Anyway, that's my opinion on it, average. The ambiance looks kind of nice with some inspirational quotes on the walls and some of the decoration do look nice. Other than that, that's just about all I have to say about this place.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM30.30. GST 6% is imposed but not service charge.

Final Verdict:
6/10. Well, food is average, pricing is okay although there are pricey items in em if you want something fanciful. Just that I wouldn't trust this place to handle such high end stuff that's why I stuck with the BBQ Pork Belly. Service was a bit slow but then again, it's just that one guy that does most of the work and there isn't a service charge anyway.

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Ben's, Pavilion, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Address:
Lot 6.11 Sixth Floor, Pavilion, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Daily, 11am - 10pm

Time Visited:
Tuesday Evening, 7pm

Attire worn:
Business

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Classic Spag Meatballs and Iced Lemograss Tea

This happened sometime back when I was just out for the evening to watch a movie that I was supplied a pass to. Rarely do I traverse out on a working weekday night anymore because:
1) There just isn't anybody to hang out with
2) I'm tired by the end of the day
3) There's no reason for me to go out on my own.
So ya, this night was one of those rare nights where I ventured out on my own due to having a movie to watch that night and it was called "Nine Lives".

To be honest I don't really remember much that night just that I was eager to try out Ben's at Pavilion on that day before the movie. So I walked in and was greeted accordingly and were seated. The ambiance were set to a more romantic and fine dining approach so as a lone diner, you may be a little intimidated on eating there on your own. The staff there were quite accommodating and were helpful in their service and were attentive to who walks in and out of the restaurant. After glancing through the menu, I finally decided to go for the simple and classical spaghetti and meatball to see what they can do differently with it. Well, you can't really go wrong with the classics, right? If you really can fuck it up, then you're really a fuckup. LOL. To drink, I went for the Thai approach and ordered the Iced Lemongrass tea.

It took awhile for my order to arrive as I surveyed my surroundings while soak up the calming and soothing atmosphere at this place. No doubt, Pavilion portrays out as the rich and famous lifestyle and this restaurant is no better in furthering that theme. The Lemongrass Tea had a big lemongrass stalk as a stirrer while the beverage looks of murky water. The taste was sweet in sensation and is merely of lemongrass taste and no tea like taste. It's also a good thing that they separated the syrup in a small jug shaped container so that you can add as much sweetness as you preferred. As I mentioned beforehand, I added in probably way too much syrup and it tasted merely of sweet sensation. But it's undeniably tasty.

Along came the Spaghetti and Meatball and at first glance, the presentation was very eye-catching and makes you wanna eat it. The taste I would say is quite good and that they do have the right amount of Marinara sauce that does not make me feel queasy due to overeating it. Instead, every scoop of the spaghetti will warrant some sauce onto it and I finished it off with just the right amount along with the meatballs. The meatballs may not be those Ikea meatball types but it's just as well because as I've heard, those Ikea meatballs has dwindled in their standards. This provides the right amount of rich taste of the meat and with the right amount of sauce on the dish, it was the perfect match.

The complain I have with the dish would be their grated cheese. It's in large strips and all settled at the top and due to the heat had melted and bunched together. I just wish they would've just went with cheese in a much finer form or if they were to do it this way, to be more spread out and fill the plate accordingly instead of being concentrated at one location. Because the way that they gave to me, I had a hard time separating and dividing it up so that I could get a little of cheese taste to go along with the meal. Instead, all I got was either way too much cheese or none at all. Rarely I manage to pinch it in with just the right amount to supplement the spaghetti and meatball.

I took my time being there and when the time came for me to collect my pass, I headed off to the movie theater to collect the pass. They had a small cat show there too in line with the movie which I enjoyed playing with the cats. Haha

Total Wallet Damage:
RM51.70. A little pricey but it's expected at a restaurant like this and an environment like Pavilion. 6% GST and 10% service charge included.

Final Verdict:
7/10. It's good for dates and has a nice romantic ambiance with a good place to have a quiet talk with your date. But as for a lone diner to dine in, it may be a little intimidating.

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The Pork Place, IOI Boulevard, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia

Address:
31, IOI Boulevard, Jalan Kenari 7,
Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47100 Puchong,
Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday
Lunch : 11.30am - 3.00pm
Dinner : 6.00pm - 10.00pm
Fresh Meat : 10.00am - 8.oopm

Time Visited:
Sunday evening, 6pm.

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Fried Pork Belly, Apple Puff and Double Decker Pork Bacon Burger

One day, a colleague of mine mentioned that she most love eating pork food at The Pork Place and so this lovely Sunday where all I did was laze around in bed all day, I decided to give it a try.

I soon found out that they're actually a place that's under the same brand where I use to love going to eat for my pork fix way back called Sanbanto in SS2. That's a bit of a surprise for me. So they did very well and decided to opened up another pork meat mart with dining area at Puchong. I wanted to see how they fair and if they had lived up to how I envisioned them of how they use to be at the Sanbanto place so I set foot upon The Pork Place. In this outlet, it has a similar vibe to how I know of Sanbanto at SS2 and that it contains slightly posh and romantic vibe. The simple menu with few pages on it arrived at my hands and I took the time to study out the menu in and out. And yes, it was basically what my colleague had described, a place mainly on all pork dishes.

Since I was lazing in bed the whole day that Sunday, I was feeling a bit peckish and somehow my ordering went wild with me going for the Fried Pork Belly, the Double Decker Pork Bacon Burger and an Apple Puff dessert. I wanted to order an Affogato but they didn't have coffee so I just skip the beverage and just went with their water to drink. The wall at one end were splayed with pictures of weird pig paintings in different apparels and characters while the center sits a big flat screen TV playing some food channel that caught my eye. During that moment, the program that was on was Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Home Cooking and the colors of the ingredients and food as he cooked away with some kids just had me glued my eyes onto it till my food arrives.

It didn't take long till a bowl of Fried Pork Belly was plonked on my table. I gather it's due to the lack of crowd during that period where they've just opened for dinner but still it's a very commendable effort that they're able to produce that Fried Pork Belly in such a quick time. It was delicious to say the least and despite it being pork belly, you can't really taste fat part in it and was all meaty parts which makes it really good without the guilt and remorse of getting fat psychologically and without the greasy feel of the fat upon your mouth. The sweet and tangy type of sauce that comes with the Fried Pork Belly was quite a good and provides a different taste to it if you decide to dip in it. When I was almost done with the bowl of Fried Pork Belly, my Double Decker Pork Bacon Burger came for me to consume.

It did look huge and somewhat of what I remember eating at Sanbanto with the plating different. It used to be in a row with the salad on one side and the fries on the other and although it's still the same layout basically, the plate has now been a bigger one instead of the "sitting-pretty-in-a-row" kind. The chips were okay and but the burger is a little too dry for me. But it's full of porky goodness and I quite love it but not as much as I used to before. Maybe because I overdose on the pork with the Fried Pork Belly earlier. LOL.

They cleared off my finished dishes and brought me my Apple Puff without me telling them and that is quite a nice service to me. They also refilled my water cup a few times even without me asking them which to me is quite a good service. The Apple Puff were a little disappointing because generally it's a small piece of apple pie that's halved with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and some cinnamon on top. To me, it was merely ordinary and a little overpriced at RM10.90 for that. That's the only thing that had disappointed me.

I left 2 hours later after I was in there with my meal complete and a very full tummy. I seemed to have gone overboard on the ordering but managed to finished everything anyway so all's good. LOL.

Total Wallet Damage:
RM63.25. GST 6% is charged but to my surprise, service charge isn't and yet they gave such excellent service. I should've left a tip had I known better.

Final Verdict:
7/10. Sanbanto, SS2 was my favorite go to place for pork last time and it's where I brought some friends to eat last time. But over the years, I staved off it due to me going always going for Nasi Kandar Pelita whenever I'm in SS2 but it was about high time I revisit with their renovated place. The Pork Place has some resemblance to the memory of Sanbanto in my mind but there are many points of difference as well. But I think my cravings for pork has finally diminished and at best would occasionally spur me for a visit or two but never the I just gotta have some today kind anymore.

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Li Restaurant, SS22, Damansara Jaya (DJ), Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor

Address:
47, Jalan SS 22/23, Ss 22, Damansara Jaya (DJ) 47400 Petaling Jaya (PJ), Selangor, Malaysia

Opening Hours:
Sundays: 10:30AM–5PM
Mondays: Closed
Tuesdays - Saturdays: 11:30AM–9:30PM

Time Visited:
7pm, Saturday night

Attire worn:
Casual

Item(s) Ordered (Photos taken as inconspicuous as possible with my phone):
Pork Toast, Go All Out, Blistered French Beans and Earl Grey Tea and Soy Milk Panna Cotta for dessert. My friend drank the Lemongrass Water

DISCLAIMER: This was not a lone dining experience.

It was the last day before my friend flies off to UK to further her studies. I very much wanted to spend one last time before she do so and with the great stroke of luck, she had this Saturday night free to meet up with me for a meal. :D

The decision that she made was to go to Li Restaurant to try and that's what we did. Being eager to see her, I arrived right on time at the stipulated time of meeting. Initially, I wanted to pick her up and go together but she was already out with friends that day and so we decided to just meet up with each other and I'll fetch her home. Around 15 minutes later she walked in and I was glad to see her. Though I had failed to rope in others to meet up with her that day, at least I found the satisfaction of me being able to see her.

The staff at this place was chirpy and very friendly. I can see that they're very dedicated with their job and their creation. Though it carries a Chinese connotation to it's restaurant, it's far from it and is actually a cafe. The design of the cafe is a modern meets antique items and reality meets fantasy with quirks like a sign indicating Narnia on it's store room door. Once the menu was passed to us, the overly enthusiastic waitress decided to explain the entire menu to us which we allowed her to do so. I can see her passion in it and she kept on explaining away on the items one after another with suggestions on what we should have. I see that it's a common practice for her and that's what she did throughout. Pretty soon, I decided to go with what she had recommended and that was Go All Out, a dish that's rice with Chicken and Pork Belly. My friend had earlier ate something and decided to go lighter and so she ordered the Pork Toast and some French Beans and we were to share everything.

With the many unique dishes that they've named up in their menu, I can see that they put some care into making the things because it took longer that I anticipated for their things to arrive. The Pork Toast came first and that's basically their homemade sourdough bread with Chili Mayo Sauce zig-zagged on top and some herbs (read: coriander leaves). Does it contain any pork? Mmm, I don't think so. Or maybe there is. But either way, I can't tell nor taste if there's any. The biggest taste among all would be the Chili Mayo which gives off some spice heat as you dig into the bread. The Coriander wasn't helpful in the taste department but overall, the pork toast mostly taste good with it's Chili Mayo. But does it have to be that expensive? RM9.50? Anyway, a good experience on eating that.

The French Beans tasted exactly how it should be and was seasoned fine. But other than that, nothing out of the ordinary. Moving on to the Go All Out, it is how it is described and that is Rice with Chicken and Pork Belly. The Pork Belly feels a little too fat for me to consume but the grilled chicken in it was nice. I like how they added a soft boiled egg into the mix which to me, anything with eggs make things greater because I love eggs. And putting in the soft boiled egg in there just makes it more wonderful. Me and my friend chatted the whole evening away with her very tired self showing on the occasional yawn. LOL. Sorry. But I just wanna make the most of this.

Later on, the waitress again appeared before us and asked if we would like to go for their dessert to which I obliged. I went with they Soy Milk Panna Cotta. It was okay. Sometimes I find it a bit too sweet due to the Gula Melaka but it does have it's tasty moment and I like the soft texture of the Panna Cotta. We later on adjourned to somewhere else for a drink and after that, we were surprised when we saw the same waitress as we were walking back to my car, she smiled and spoke something to us. I didn't think much of that at that moment and thought that it was my friend's friend but when she said to me that she's friendly, isn't she that's when it hit me that it was the waitress at Li Restaurant. A very friendly person indeed. I just wish I can always have an ounce of that happiness in me like her.

Total Wallet Damage:
All amounted to RM75.15. RM10 for the French Beans and so was the Panna Cotta, RM9.50 for the Pork Toast, Earl Grey Tea costs RM8 while my friend's Lemongrass drink costs RM5.90. Go All Out is the dearest in the list amounting to RM24.90 and there's a 10% service charge involved.

Final Verdict:
6/10. Nice friendly staff and good environment. Bright and cheery even though it's night time. Food is kind of so-so only to me though but above average.

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