To get to Chinatown (Yaowarat) Bangkok, the fastest way is via the boat ride, since it avoids traffic and it’s cheap. First, we took the BTS to Saphan Taksin, and once we’re out from the station we followed the crowd and saw Sathorn Pier barely 3 minutes away. At the pier though, it could be confusing because there are several private boat companies offering boat rides for tourists and there’s also the Chao Phraya Express Boat Service (taxi), which is referred to as the ‘boat taxi’. We have been there twice and during our first time, we blindly bought tickets from a counter at the pier for 25  baht/single trip. Looking back, we found out that we’ve actually bought tickets from the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat, which charged a higher price especially to the tourists. The local boat taxi doesn’t require you to buy a ticket at the pier, but only collects the fare on the boat itself, for a cheap 15 baht!

One of the boats from Peninsula Hotel, Bangkok

Price of taxi fare in Bangkok

Chao Phraya Express Boat Service at Sathorn Pier

Being newbies in the first visit, we were anxious of missing the boat so we bought tickets at the first counter that we saw. That was a mistake. The only counter that collects money at the pier is for tourist boats. The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat charges 25 baht for a single trip and a whopping 150 baht for unlimited trips along the Chao Phraya River. The only difference between this boat and the taxi boat is that it came with a tour guide who talked about the Bangkok attractions during the journey. Also, since it’s more expensive, the boat was relatively empty with more seats to go around.

Chao Phraya Tourist Boat

25 baht for single trip

Chao Phraya Tourist Boat

More empty seats at the tourist boat

During our second trip though, we were more alert and found out the way to take the local boat taxi instead. We were asked to wait at the waiting area nearby the signage below (Sathorn) and were told that the taxi would come in 20 minutes time. You could see many locals and some seasoned tourists waiting patiently at the pier for the taxi to come. Once it arrived, all of us flocked towards to the boat and it was filled to the brim within seconds! There was a conductor who went around collecting fares from the passengers, a mere 15 baht per person. To me, the boat ride was just the same as the tourist boat that we took last time, but at a much cheaper rate.

Wait for the boat taxi near this sign

The local boat taxi at 15 baht/ride

To get to Chinatown, we had to alight at Ratchawong Pier, which is Pier No. 5. If you are taking the boat taxi, do get ready and walk to the boat exit one pier before your destination to avoid missing the station. Since the taxi was crowded with passengers, it was quite a challenge to move about especially if you are sitting near the front of the boat. We only started to move to the exit at the pier itself and almost couldn’t make it out of the boat! When you’re in the boat though, don’t forget to enjoy the ride and scenery – they can be quite gorgeous.

The Millenium Hilton Hotel from afar

The Millenium Hilton Hotel

View from the boat

Some flats along the river

Saucer with flag of Thailand

Another majestic building by the river

More shop houses

The gorgeous Wat Arun

Wichai Prasit Fort

Royal Thai Navy Headquarters

One of the piers

We got down at Ratchawong Pier (barely!) and saw the map of the Chinatown area. From the pier, we walked for a couple of hundred meters and saw a narrow lane on our right, filled with colourful shops and packed with people. We thought, that must be it! And so, we joined the crowd and immersed ourselves among the stalls and stalls selling all kinds of accessories, bags, leather goods, shoes, clothes, household items, bed sheets, you name it! Oh, and don’t forget the multitude of street food stalls along the way too. It’s such a narrow lane that when someone stopped to buy food, half of the lane would have been blocked.

Chinatown area map

Towards Chinatown

Colourful mobile phone straps

Street food rules!

More stalls – handphone accessories, hats, pouches, etc

And if you’re (un)lucky, you would encounter motorcycles and trolleys carrying goods along the narrow lane. Once they come  by, the whole lane would have been blocked and you would have no choice but to escape into the stalls to avoid getting squeezed by them!

Coming through!

Accessories and crafts

We spent only an hour or so in Chinatown since we were in a rush to go back, and to me, that wasn’t enough! There’s still so much more to see and experience there, especially the temple (Wat Traimit) and the BBQ skewers. This area is so alive and vibrant, it makes one feel happy just being a part of it.

The crowded boat taxi

More than 2 years ago, I visited the first Din Tai Fung in KL for the launch of its new menu and to witness the preparation of the 18-fold Xiao Long Bao. Fast forward 2 years plus later, I have lost count on the number of times I visited Din Tai Fung, usually for the cute dumplings and my favourite la mian. Many have said that the original Din Tai Fung in Taiwan is much better than the one we have in KL, but I can’t comment since I have never been to the former. Still, that didn’t and wouldn’t stop me from visiting Din Tai Fung again especially when they have a new outlet at e@Curve! Hooray to those staying in BU/Kota Damansara.

Delicate Xiao Long Bao

The perfect accompaniment for XLB – Ginger and vinegar

The latest Din Tai Fung (DTF)  is located at e@Curve, a prominent shop lot that you won’t miss even from afar. We were there during their soft launch to try out their items and service even before it’s open to the public. Being in a big group of 10, we fired our orders away, thinking that we would be kept waiting for the long list of food. Surprisingly, our order came within 15 minutes, and they came as fast as we could eat, if not faster. Mind you, that night the restaurant was full of invited guests of the owner, so we were not the only occupied table around. One word to describe their service – efficient!

Stewed Beancurd with Honey Sauce (RM7)

House Special Appetizer (RM4.50)

As with my previous visit, we tried some of their appetizer dishes from the menu, ranging from the cold dishes such to hot ones. I’m happy to report that my favourite appetizer dish of Stewed Beancurd with Honey Sauce still tasted as good as it was 2 years ago – juicy and savoury. The Taiwan Century Egg was very well-received too, with its rich and smooth yolk made from duck egg.

Spicy Jelly Fish (RM7.80)

Taiwan Century Egg (RM4.50)

From the hot appetizers, I loved the Spicy Pork Wanton, smothered in fiery hot chilli oil. The wanton skin was absolutely thin and smooth, while the fillings of pork and shrimp were succulent and generous. Top that with spicy chilli oil, you’ll have me smiling (and slurping) away.

Spicy Pork Wanton (RM10)

Spicy Vegetable Pork Wanton (RM9)

Deep Fried Shrimp Pork Wanton (RM10)

There’s a fair share of deep-fried items from the menu, with the prominent one being the Mango Shrimp Roll. This had a nice balance of flavour from the savoury shrimp and the sweet mango, coated with spring roll before being breaded and fried to crispy perfection. It is quite sizable too, definitely a dish meant for sharing.

Mango Shrimp Roll (RM8)

Of course, what would a visit to Din Tai Fung mean without trying their famous Xiao Long Bao? There are several varieties offered now, from Xiao Long Bao with crab meat to Xiao Long Bao with Truffle – there’s bound to be one that tickles your fancy. My favourite of all times is still and has always been the classic Xiao Long Bao – super thin skin wrapping succulent and juicy meat in a dollop of delicious broth. Top that with shreds of ginger and vinegar, and you’ll find yourself slurping and munching away at the same time, marveling the delicate work of art that goes into the preparation of each dumpling. It’s true, this is the reason why Din Tai Fung is popular.

Xiao Long Bao (RM11.80)

Shrimp and Pork Shao-mai (RM13.80/ 6pcs)

For something more exotic, we also tried the Truffle Xiao Long Bao, the addition of truffle evident from the darker bits blended within the meat inside. The flavour of truffle was strong and fragrant, but I’d like to think that it’s an acquired taste because I still found myself liking the original version after trying this.

Truffle Xiao Long Bao (RM36)

Truffle in Xiao Long Bao

Apart from the appetizers and Xiao Long Bao, we shared some of the more substantial dishes, including the wholesome House Steamed Chicken Soup, Shanghai Style Deep Fried Fish and Baby Green Beans with Minced Pork. If grandma was there with us, she would have given her nod of approval for the green beans – they were aromatic and flavourful, but on top of it all, they were young and fresh.

House Special Steamed Chicken Soup (RM13)

Baby Green Beans with Minced Pork (RM16)

Shanghai Style Deep Fried Fish (RM18.80)

At this point, we were already more than half full, but our orders of la mian (noodles) and rice had just arrived! That day, as with my previous visits, I ordered the Fragrant Spring Onion La Mian that had a pleasant aroma from the spring onion oil. Give it a good mix with the superior soya sauce and what you get is a bowl of springy noodles that are QQ and savoury. If I had to comment, I would have preferred the pork slices on top to be roasted (think siew yuk!) instead of boiled. That would be simply marvellous.

Fragrant Spring Onion La Mian (RM12.80)

Springy and aromatic – yum!

Cha Jiang La Mian (RM12.80)

Pork Chop

Shrimp Pork Fried Rice (RM15)

Last but not least, desserts! My 3 top picks from the menu would be the Mini Sesame Bun, Chilled Mango Pudding and Gui Ling Gao, in no particular order. The buns were especially fluffy and nice when eaten hot from the steamer. Each piece was filled generously with delicious black sesame paste that was not too sweet. The mango pudding was nice when it was still chilled, but somewhat lost its appeal when it warmed to room temperature. For Gui Ling Gao, we were given a bottle of honey to flavour it with, and I thought the taste of the sweet honey managed to compliment the slight bitterness of the Gui Ling Gao perfectly. This, I can definitely finish on my own.

Mini Sesame Bun (RM5.50)

Chilled Mango Pudding (RM7.80)

Gui Ling Gao (RM6.80)

That night, we ate and ate to our heart’s content. Great food, great environment and great service, there’s absolutely no reason we wouldn’t return again.

Din Tai Fung Restaurant

Din Tai Fung e@Curve
G17-G20, Ground Floor e@Curve,
No. 2A, Jln PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara,
47810 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel No.: +603 – 7728 3218
Website: www.dintaifungmalaysia.com

Pork burger lovers, rejoice! With the popularity of pork burgers gaining, there are more restaurants now offering pork burgers as their signature items. One of such is The Hungry Hog, aptly named so for offering pork items as their signature dishes. It was technically our second visit to the place, because the first time we were there was a Monday, and it’s closed on Mondays! Never make the same mistake again my friends. We persevered and returned on another day, this time complete with reservations.

Three Little Pigs

The dinner which was supposed to be a replacement from the one on Monday, was skilfully arranged into a surprise celebration for Eric‘s birthday. Yes, he was the one who suggested the place and time, but he wasn’t aware that we had a surprise in store. Since the party had not arrived yet, we ordered some Chunky Fries to munch. They were served fresh off the fryer, still crispy and hot inside. But we ended up regretting ordering this, because our burgers later on were served with so much fries that we couldn’t finish them!

Chunky Fries (RM4.90)

We also ordered the Siew Yuk to share – 2 slabs of BBQ pork served with this spicy and soury sauce that went well with the meat. The pork slices were made up of 3-layered meat, a slice of crispy skin, a slice of fat and a slice of lean meat sandwiched into one. My favourite part was the crispy skin, so I loved eating the edges of the meat!

Siew Yuk / Roasted Pork (RM11.90)

The multi-layered pieces of meat

The Keropork (yes no typo there) was probably coined from ‘Keropok‘, which is a Malay term that meant crackers. These cracker-like snack was made from pork skin and was deep fried to crispy perfection. However, having a piece or two of this would suffice, since it’s loaded with lard. This is definitely meant for sharing!

Keropork (RM5.90)

We have heard so much about the pork burger here, so we couldn’t resist from ordering the 3 Little Pigs, their signature burger. It was cutely named so due to the three forms of pork sandwiched within the buns – pork patty, pork bacon and ham! Let’s not forget the melting cheese on top, giving it a nice savoury and creamy texture in addition to the juicy pork patty. My initial response to the burger was, it’s not that big! But lo and behold, never judge the book by its cover. It could be the thick pork patty, or it could be the creamy cheese, but by the time I finished the burger, I was so full I couldn’t finish my fries. It’s probably one of the best value pork burgers around town.

3 Little Pigs (RM15.90)

Combination of pork patty, pork bacon and ham

Since we went nearing the Chinese New Year season, there was a special Porksperity Burger on offer. Being festive, Saucer ordered this to try out. It’s a glorious combination of runny egg on top of melting cheese, grilled pork patty, yuk kon (dried meat) and plum sauce. What a clever fusion of east and west, don’t you think? I had a few bites of it and thought the addition of ‘yuk kon’ made the burger that much more delicious. I wish they would make this a permanent item on the menu, because I definitely want to go back and try it again.

Porksperity Burger (RM22.80)

Fried egg, cheese, pork patty and dried meat (yuk kon)

The melting egg and cheese

Savoury and juicy

Last but not least, a surprise for the birthday boy! We bought a cake and presented it to him towards the end of the dinner, much to his amusement. Happy 25th Birthday!

Birthday boy

Moist Chocolate sponge cake

Aside from the amazing company that night (we talked and talked until the restaurant’s closing time!), I have to say I really enjoyed the pork burgers at The Hungry Hog. If only they have more branches nearer to my place, I’d definitely visit it more often. Here’s to a Porky Chinese New Year!

The Hungry Hog

The Hungry Hog
71, Jalan SS15/4C,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel No: +6012 – 225 0877
E-mail: thehungryhog@gmail.com
Business Hours: 12.00 to 2.30pm, 6.00 to 10.00pm (closed on Mondays)
Website: www.hog.my

Happy Chinese New Year 2012! Can’t believe the CNY holidays are all over! And now we’re back to reality. Can I just say that I’m suffering from CNY hangover? Anyway, for those of you who are still having holidays, let me just say I’m jealous! But for the rest of you, let’s make the rest of the week better by feeding ourselves with CNY cookies, mandarin oranges and yee sang. This is going to be a pictorial post on the highlights of my CNY during the past few days. Perhaps glaring at the pictures longer would make me feel just a tad better?

CNY Lantern

Chinese tea perfect for catching-up sessions with relatives or friends

Who could miss out on CNY cookies? My favourite are peanut cookies and pineapple tarts!

Mandarin oranges or ‘kam’ in Cantonese, rhymes with gold (in Cantonese)

First day of CNY at 7am :O

These days, more and more modern families are opting to celebrate the reunion dinner with either Steamboat or BBQ, since they don’t require that much preparation work. With BBQ, we just need to buy and marinate the meat beforehand and the cooking process would be done during dinner itself. That was what we had on CNY eve – BBQ but with an extra dish of Aglio Olio Spaghetti, which was cooked by me!

Saucer was the ‘chef’ that night

Some of the food we had

Aglio Olio Spaghetti with seafood and bacon

Our dining table

“Dik dik kam” – what is this called in English?

On the second day of CNY, it’s a custom for the couple to visit the wife’s family. Back at my hometown, my grandma would never fail to cook up a storm. Most of the time, there would just be so much food that we would have plenty to make ‘Choy Keok‘ (a dish cooked with leftover food mixed with cabbage). During dinner on the second day, we had Yee Sang that we bought from Kam Ling, together with various dishes cooked by grandma.

Plum sauce drizzling on Yee Sang

Yee Sang

Chinese waxed sausage “Lap Cheong”

Steamed chicken

Steamed grouper

The full works

Those were the highlights of my CNY, peppered with visits from relatives, friends, watching CNY movies on TV and munching on cookies. So how did you celebrate your CNY?

Last weekend marked another special occasion in our family. After the wedding of my brother barely half a year back, it was now my cousin sister’s turn. The wedding dinner took place at InterContinental Hotel KL, and the food was prepared by the Chinese restaurant Toh Lee. As family members of the bride, most of us were there as early as 5pm to make sure everything was in order. The tables were all set, flowers all blooming and the AV system all ready to go. I was given the task to tick off guest names at the reception but before that, I couldn’t resist from taking pictures of the gorgeous settings in the ballroom. If you can’t tell already, it was largely decorated with beautiful peonies.

The beautiful peonies decorating each table

To be honest, it was the first time I saw peonies up close. They’re not grown here and had to be imported all the way from Holland! It’s a good thing that they happened to be in season or there wouldn’t be so many of them decorating each table in the ballroom.

The guest list

Even the cocktail tables were decorated with flowers!

Snacks at the cocktail area

Entrance to the Junior Ballroom

Some pictures and wedding invitation of the bride and groom – don’t you love the flowers?

Since we’re early, we had the opportunity to visit the ballroom before the guests arrived. I loved how very warm and pink the whole combination looked. The flowers really did make a big difference!

The main table

Settings on the main table

A closer look at the peonies

Love the colour combination of hydrangeas

Guest tables

The Junior Ballroom

The wedding cake with pink roses

A picture with the flowers

The bride and groom

The couple with their family

During the cocktail hour, we took some pictures using the props given. Here are some taken by my brother that night.

Pretending to be serious

3 generations of ladies in the house

Some of the props at the photo booth

I did not take pictures of food on the actual dinner itself since the environment was too dark and I was too busy eating. But here are some of the pictures of the food we had during a tasting session held a month ago. Most of the menu remained the same, except for the five combinations platter and dessert. I enjoyed majority of the dishes served but special praises must be sung for the Roasted Duck and Steamed Cod fish! It’s not very often that we get to eat duck on wedding dinners and this was roasted to a marvelous crispiness that didn’t remove the moisture from the flesh. On the other hand, the cod was served in a very generous portion, with silky smooth flesh that almost melted in my mouth. Thumbs-up!

Grand Five Combinations Platter

Loved this deep fried ham roll

Double boiled baby abalone with cabbage heart and bamboo pith soup

Roasted Duck Hong Kong Style with Five Spice Powder

Baked prawns with egg dust and oats

Steamed Cod with ginger and topped with superior soy sauce

Extremely flaky and smooth cod

Braised sea cucumber, pacific clams and mushroom with dried scallop sauce

Steamed lotus leaf rice with Eight treasure nuts

Chinese Pancake and “Min fa kou” (Cotton cake)

Lotus seed and lily bulb in sugar cane juice

Champagne for toasting ceremony

Oh I must also mention that dinner started just before 8pm, which is quite a rarity! Everything else followed according to schedule and the night ended with the couple’s first dance. So romantic! Here’s wishing them a wonderful, loving and happily-ever-after marriage, Theng and Jeremy!

The very yummy chocolate cake

Weekend is here! Not only is this weekend particularly long, it’s also very festive due to the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration! Well to start the brilliant season, let’s fill our tummy with a hearty Big Breakfast. This time, we visited Tom, Dick & Harry’s for the second time to try their breakfast and brunch menu. This menu is only offered during weekends from 10am to 2pm, so make sure you don’t wake up too late.

Food that makes you smile

There are 7 choices for adults and best of all, they all come come refillable juice, coffee or tea! It’s true, they have a big jug of juice at the counter and plenty of glasses so you can help yourself with refills. Next to the juice are two huge jars of coffee and tea, all for your drinking pleasure.

Choices of Breakfast

Free flow of juice, coffee or tea

Saucer ordered The Big Breakfast, which came with 2 sunny-side-ups, 2 grilled pork sausages, bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns, grilled tomato, bread and butter. Essentially everything that makes a hearty breakfast! Just look at those long pork sausages – they’re so bouncy and savoury, perfect to eat with the bread or on its own. Everything about this breakfast platter was right, the juicy mushrooms, the streaky bacon and the very crispy hash brown.

The Big Breakfast (RM23)

The long and bouncy pork sausages

Eggs on toast

As for me, I had the Savoury Pan Cakes, which came with 3 slices of fluffy pan cakes sandwiching sunny side up, bacon, ham and mozzarella cheese! Gosh I have to say I loved their pancakes! They have slightly charred edges which gave them a somewhat slight crunch, but their insides were still soft and spongy. Couple that with an egg, ham and bacon, pancakes never tasted better. Don’t be fooled by the size of this serving, it was really quite filling! I was already full after 2 pieces, and the meal lasted me until dinner. Very satisfying indeed!

Savoury Pan Cakes (RM18)

The slightly charred edges

Fluffy and savoury!

Again, what I love about TDH is generous portions and their nett prices. I know they might have just added the taxes into the price but the feeling of being charged nett prices is just different. Plus with the free flow of juice and coffee, I’d say this is one of the best breakfast deals around town. I’d love to go back and try the Eggs Benedick’s (yes, spelled with a K), who wants to join me?

Tom, Dick & Harry’s dining environment

Tom, Dick & Harry’s (The Scott Garden @ Tesco Old Klang Road)
Unit S-G-03A, The Scott Garden,
Kompleks Rimbun Scott,
289, Jalan Klang Lama,
58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +6019-697 5080 ( Carrie )
Opening Hours: Sun- Thurs (11.00 am – 1.00 am), Fri & Sat (11.00 am – 2.00 am)
Facebook Page: Tom, Dick & Harry’s Pub + Grub