Kenny Food Cart @ Aman Suria

Timeless Comfort Food

There are some dishes that will always be pure comfort food, food that one can tuck into every day and not get tired of it. Just simple and no frill dishes, cooked over years from recipe handed down from generations. These are dishes that one automatically turns to when one feels restless or tired, when one craves for a taste of home cooking or simply when one wants familiar comfort flavours.

Kenny Lock’s father has been ladling bowls of Teng Chai Chuk since 1993 on Alisan street in the evenings. Regulars continue flock till Kenny decided to move into this new space at Aman Suria. Now diners can enjoy their signature Teng Chai Chuk in the comforts of the Kenny’s Food Cart.

Kenny’s Food Cart offer diners a minimalist décor with bright and cheery ambiance. Whether you choose from alfresco seats or the dining area with cool air-conditioning, the shop is spacious with a laid-back vibe. His father’s food cart is cleverly incorporated into the open kitchen space area as a reminder of how it all started.

Menu is straight forward with signatures of single dishes and a few rice dishes, soups, snacks and add-ons. Look out for Kenny’s specials of the day as he prefers to offer specials based on fresh produce.

Homemade Chrysanthemum Tea (RM2.50)

The Signature Teng Chai Chuk (RM9) is what everyone comes for. A piping hot bowl of smooth and creamy congee topped with crispy anchovies, roasted peanuts, chopped fried fish cake, crispy rice vermicelli, century egg and scallion, it’s a delicious sight to behold.

The delicate savory flavours are moreish and tasty. Each spoonful of the silky congee is further elevated with all the other condiment flavours and textures. Utterly comforting to the tummy…

Fried Fish Belly Porridge (RM10) is another dish to order. The same yummy congee is served with fried fish belly. The lightly fatty belly is so good that one may seriously consider ordering more of it.

If there is one must add-on, it’s the Fried Fish Paste (RM4 for 5 pcs). Made from scratch daily, Kenny keeps quality in check, using fresh fish paste, minimal seasoning and shapes these by hand before frying them. Super addictive whether eaten with the congee or o its own!

The Cantonese style Loh See Fun (RM8.50) has the silky and soothing flavours of eggy gravy blanketing slippery soft rice noodles with meat and vegetable. The generous finishing of crispy fried lard cubes, fried shallot and spring onion is what makes this bowl so tasty.

More familiar favorites and this one is decent too. The Fried Loh See Fun (RM8.50) had a lovely breath of wok hei. Simplicity prevails in the form of savory soy sauce, egg and veggies with the rice noodles.

The Signature Mushroom Pork Noodles (RM8) came doused in rich dark brown gravy with minced pork and mushroom, braised egg and some crisp lettuce. The thin egg noodles had a nice bite and the brown sauce tied all the rest nicely.

Kenny’s Fried Chicken (RM4.50) is scrumptious! Simply irresistible, the chick is crispy and very juicy with just the right balance of salty and tasty note. So good, this one also warrants another order…

Pork Chop (RM10) fans will also enjoy Kenny’s version. Well-marinated the unctuous salty notes is moreish yum. Very tender and mostly lean with charred edges, the pork chop is also very juicy and goes well with all the other rice and noodle dishes or on its own.

For some extra snacks, there’s also Wantan Soup (RM5 for 5 pcs) and Fried Dumplings (RM4 for 3 pieces). The Fried Dumpling win hands-down over the Wantan soup in my books.

A very enjoyable and affordable meal at Kenny’s Food Cart! Most dishes start from RM8 to RM10 and add-ons as well as snacks are also value-for-money. If you’re craving for comfort food, Kenny’s Food Cart is the place to be…

KENNY FOOD CART

K-G-11, Jalan PJU 1/43,

Aman Suria,

47301 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7497 2199

Facebook: www.facebook.com/k.foodcart

Leng Loong Seafood Restaurant, Seri Kembangan

Lenggong Kong Xi See Fong Choy

It’s always a great pleasure to discover new eateries, especially when they are homestyle restaurants that one can enjoy on daily basis. Comfort food always makes me feel good. Dishes that can make me think of yester years are often dishes that taste the best. This round, a new See Fong Choy opens in the heart of Seri Kembangan at Taman Equine at Bandar Putra Permai. Leng Loong Seafood Restaurant brings a taste of Kong Xi cuisine to the city.

I got to know of Leng Loong Seafood Restaurant from one of the owner Ryan who also happens to own several other eateries. He was excited about this latest venture of Leng Loong Seafood Restaurant together with the chef of Leng Loong. Leng Loong’s chef hails from the town of Lenggong, Perak. The humble chef has been whipping up loads of Kong Xi dishes from his heritage and has also mastered other cuisines as well.

Both wanted to bring a taste of Kong Xi See Fong Choy dishes from Lenggong to foodies and that is how Leng Loong Seafood Restaurant was born. Staying true to the Kong Xi roots, Leng Loong serves up signature dishes using special ingredients like Lenggong homemade noodles, Lenggong chili sauce and more. We went during a Sunday lunch and were treated to a list of humble and delicious Kong Xi dishes.

Since we had our kids with us, the chef whipped up his Golden Sand Fried Rice for them. I am not kidding, the fried rice is utterly aromatic and delicious. So much so, the adults kept stealing spoonful after spoonful of the eggy fried rice. There were bits of prawns and lap Cheong that was really enjoyable and the rice was fluffy and eggy, just the way many of us loved it!

Lenggong has its own noodles and Leng Loong has gone to miles to bring this into the restaurant. The chef personally makes trips to Lenggong to replenish the noodles for his signature Leng Loong Homemade Noodle. The noodles are fairly thin and have a good firm bite. The noodles are also alkaline-free. Chef whipped up these noodles with prawns, pork and vegetable in a dark brown sauce and crowns them with lardons of pleasure.

The signature noodles are to be savored with special chili sauce. The noodles are flash fried and then braised in the brown aromatic gravy. These have a good bite and make great comfort food. The crispy chu yau char is highly addictive, rendering a luscious irresistible urge to keep on slurping the noodles. This was so yummy, we reordered another plate…

Next up, Leng Loong Kong Xi Claypot Fish is a popular dish in the town. The method is to literally steam-baked the fish in the claypot with sauce till it is fully aromatic and cooked. This one has shredded ginger and garlic with some coriander as a finishing. The tilapia is pretty decent and sweet.

Kong Xi Tau Pok is and will always be one of my favorite foods to enjoy. This typical Kong Xi dish uses certain meaty and soft tau pok, often similar to those from Bentong. These are stuffed with a filling of minced pork and chives and cooked in broth. Each bite has juices filling my mouth with delight. The tau pok is soft and the filling is very flavourful. I can easily eat quite a few of these Kong Xi tau pok myself.

The next dish also came in a claypot. Kong Xi Rice Wine Claypot Chicken uses Fa Tiew wine to create its signature aroma and flavour. The dish has chicken chunks sautéed with ginger in the dark savory and sticky sauce before being laced with loads of Chinese rice wine and crowned with coriander. Make sure to savor the dish hot for maximum flavours. The claypot also helps to keep this dish warm. I could eat bowls of rice with this dish alone. This dish is perfect for anyone of all ages and is pure comfort food at it’s best.

Kong Xi Fried Pork is also another favorite at the table as these were literally gone in minutes. Boneless pork chop is well marinated with Nam Yue fermented beancurd and other seasoning. The seasoning is robust and moreish. The pork is very crispy with a tender meat. They also make good snacks with beer so one plate of this Kong Xi Fried Pork may not be enough if you are an ardent fan of hog just like me.

Though stinky beans or Petai are not my favorite, I did try the Kong Xi Stir Fried Stinky Beans that is sautéed with minced pork in a spicy sambal sauce. The beans still retain a good firm bite. It’s a decent dish that many would like if they are petai fans. I think I’ll skip this for the rest of the other dishes…

I like how rustic the Golden Salted Egg Prawn is. Normally, the prawns are usually coated in a smoother salted egg yolk sauce but chef kept this rough and sandy for extra flavours and textures. Coupled with curry leaves, chili padi and other fragrant bits of ingredients, the Golden Salted Egg Prawns is very sinful and scrumptious. I kept scrapping for that salted egg mixture to go with my rice. I have long concluded that any ingredients when paired with salted egg will always be a favorite dish of mine. Must-order at Leng Loong!

When the Asam Steamed Talapia arrived, we all couldn’t help but to smile at the fish’s mouth. Though this dish is pretty much available here, this version is still a good one well executed. The gravy is decently tangy, spicy and savory with lots of long beans, eggplant, onion and tomato pieces. My only gripe is that the sauce is a bit too thin but flavours are still decent.

Although soups are usually a beginning dish to start each meal, ours ended with it. Old Cucumber Boiled Soup is rather delicate and a pleasing dish to end a meal of so many dishes and to sooth our tummies.

We also had a Chilled Dessert of ‘Nai Tung’. Its milk and cream set with gelatin. The ending is simple and sweet.

For this festive season, Leng Loong is also offering Chinese banquet course set menus priced at RM398 or RM588 for a table of 10 person. Enjoy Yee Sang with various dishes this festive season with reservations in advance.

Leng Loong Seafood Restaurant is your perfect neighborhood restaurant. Diners can expect simple homestyle dishes that can be enjoyed on its own or with rice. Prices are affordable for daily visits. Highlights of this restaurant include Leng Loong Homemade Noodles, Kong Xi Tau Pok, Kong Xi Rice Wine Claypot Chicken, Kong Xi Fried Pork and Golden Salted Egg Prawn.

LENG LOONG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

No.21, Jalan Equine 9B,

Taman Equine,

Bandar Putra Permai,

43300 Seri Kembangan

Tel: 017 247 1183 / 017 912 8414

Business hours:

Lunch: 10.30am to 2.30pm

Dinner: 5.30pm to 11pm

Closed every alternate Wednesday

Croisette Café, Bangsar: New Swine Additions with Classic French Favorites!

Croisette Café Goes Oink-Oink!

Here’s another reason to visit Croisette Café if you haven’t. The French café has taken on the hog and vamp up its menu with new pork dishes. Of course there are many reasons as to why one should visit this café hidden in Cascadium Condo in Bangsar besides the new swine attraction.

Croisette Café is helmed by Chef Pierre C. with his wife, the lovely Michelle. It is a cozy and personal place to enjoy French soul food whipped up by Chef Pierre himself. The dishes are hearty and delicious and dining at Croisette won’t burn a big hole in your pocket. The biggest reason for me would have to be the desserts. The desserts are handmade by Chef Pierre and they are just so damn sexy and good. Saving room for desserts at Croisette is a requirement and not an option!

Our evening meal kicked off with pate on toast… Pork Pate to be exact. This amuse bouche is a French classic turn miniature bite. The homemade Pork Pate is cut thick and lies on a golden piece of crostini before being crowned with baby gherkin, tomato and herb. Despite its miniature size, the flavors of the pate are marvelously rich, creamy and nutty.

A brilliant amuse bouche that left me wanting more…

Savor the Pork Pate with wine and your senses will be elevated even higher… after all, the French savors the very best of their cuisine with wines.

If I can raved a whole paragraph about their amuse bouche, imagine what other dishes would entail. So please bear with my mad ravings of what Croisette has to offer…

The Salad Landaise served with duck confit, gizzards and smoked duck looked so pretty at sight. All at once, I can see colors and textures in the salad. Mixed mesclun greens provides a soft bed for slices of pink smoked duck, crunchy gizzards and shredded rich duck confit. Cubes of croutons, tomatoes and a light citrus dressing seals the deal. Despite all the meat and offal, the salad is light and easy to enjoy.

We moved on to another French dish that uses butter to its maximum effect. Baked Mussels with Herb Butter, Escargot Style is just as good as I had remembered on my last visit. Plump orange mussels literally swim in a glorious pool of luscious herb and garlic butter. A light squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens up the rich butter sauce and the sweet mussels.

Simple and so good!

There really is nothing to hide with scallops. If cooked well, the bivalve mollusk is a sea treasure to enjoy. Here, the Pan Fried Scallops with Leeks Fondue has nicely seared scallops enjoyed with slow braised creamy leeks. One can feel the love in this dish. Pretty on the plate, the flavors are sweet and creamy with a delicate leek fondue that is so yummy.

You may not want to share this dish… I know I didn’t.

Bavarois Prawn Bisque, Avocado Cream and Cream ‘Grelette’ seems to be a mouthful. And yet, it is simply a dish that has three main components. Savory chilled prawn bisque set with gelatin is accompanied by pureed avocado cream and a cold savory cream sauce.

Texturally unique, the bavarois has a mousse consistency and a bit of crunch from crushed cracker base. The dish overall is very creamy from the prawn bavarois to the avocado cream and another cream sauce. I don’t mind the richness of the dish and find myself spooning a few happily. I do like the intense flavors of the prawn in the bavarois. This dish could be debatable since many may not succumb to its chill savory factor of mousse since we are used to sweet ones.

Grosse Raviole Crèpe is one big ravioli stuffed with mushroom and duck foie gras, scented with truffle oil cloud. It’s a dreamy dish… one that I could just keep savoring endlessly.

Thin soft pasta enrobes earthy sautéed mushrooms with creamy and nutty foie gras. What takes the ravioli to another level is the highly prized truffle oil and perfumed the dish as we savor it bite after bite. The sauce has earthy mushrooms essence and goes well with the ravioli, making it extra juicy. This dish won the thumbs up among our table that night.

Chef Pierre’s Duck Confit with Potato Sarladaise and Mesclun Salad is a proven fact that the French does the best duck confit. I have enjoyed this several times and each time is always a delicious moment. The duck leg is rendered slowly in its own fat till it is soft and rich in a wonderful meaty duck flavor. Just before serving, the leg is crisp up in a pan till golden brown.

As what I had also raved previously, the Potato Sarladaise is really good. Cooked in duck fat with lots of garlic and parsley, the potato is flavorful and a perfect accompaniment for the duck.

We also enjoy the Salmon Fillet with Braised Green Lentil du Puy and Merlot Reduction Sauce. The salmon is nicely cooked but I would have love a crispy skin. The lentils are braised till just tender and cooked with a deep robust sauce. It’s pretty much a comfort dish that evokes French fair cooked with lots of care.

Another main course that really exudes French soul is a piece of good beef prepared well. Our Beef Rib Eye Flambéed with Brandy, Black Pepper Sauce and Gratin Potato has all the elements of a great dish.

Rib eye with a little fat is seared to medium raw and flambéed with brandy for the oomph flavor note. Though the rib eye is already good enough as is, the black pepper sauce gives the meat another flavor. It is creamy and rich, peppery and bold. The last check would be the potato gratin. Baked till tender, it has a lovely crust and is creamy and tasty.

Simply a beautiful plate of flavors…

We finished our main course of the night with a Fillet Mignon Pork with Grain Mustard. Using the fillet mignon of pork, the eye fillet is cooked to a medium pink. The pork is tender and moist. The grain mustard sauce really goes very well with the pork. I like the bold mustard sauce as it gives the pork such a punchy note. Another dish that takes minimal ingredients and elevates them into a scrumptious dish.

Desserts are definitely Chef Pierre’s forte. Choosing one would be almost impossible. So why not savor a few? We had Bavarois Pear and Chocolate, Gateau Fraisier and Chocolate Parfait with French Macarons. The Bavarois Pear and Chocolate had a dark rich chocolate mousse with a light ginger cream while the Chocolate Parfait oozes with dark bittersweet chocolate cream and candied orange peels. The Gateau Fraisier with Patissiere Pistaches has sponge sandwiched with fresh plump strawberries and a pistachio crème pâtissière.

There are more awesome desserts on Chef Pierre’s repertoire so make sure to try as much as possible. I still remembered fondly of his Passion Indulgence where passion fruit meets chocolate indulgently.

I like Croisette Café a lot. Having a meal there is always a pleasure. Everything is laid back and inviting unlike most French restaurants where they tend to go fine dining. Now that Croisette Café has taken on the oink, there is even more reasons to visit. In addition, Croisette Café is heading up north where Chef Pierre and son are opening a branch in Penang. So folks up there north, do follow their Facebook for updates on the Penang branch… you won’t want to miss this!

CROISETTE CAFÉ

Level 3, North Block Cascadium Condo

28, Jalan Penaga Bukit Bandaraya

59100, Bangsar Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 016 330 4477 / 014 665 7944

Email: croisettecafe@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Croisettecafe