Auntie Sim Kitchen @ Damansara Uptown

 

Regal Comfort Chinese Dishes

 

A restaurant that has been running past a decade in the bustling township of Damansara Uptown, Auntie Sim Kitchen has been serving up Teochew and Hong Kong style Cantonese dishes to ardent foodies. What started as a casual café has now been elevated to private dining as well as casual Chinese dining space to appease palates of all diners.

 

The restaurant is named after Elaine Sim, more commonly known as Auntie Sim to many, who is so passionate about ensuring her diners enjoy quality and tasty dining at Auntie Sim Kitchen. Strongly focusing on the quality of the ingredients, Elaine often travels to source the ingredients from Hong Kong herself. The restaurant has two floor dining spaces. While one can opt for the ground floor for a casual and comfort ambiance, they also have the option to head upstairs for more privacy dining with private rooms available as well as main dining room.

 

Menu is full of dishes and those first timers like me was obviously impressed with the list of choices. From premium seafood, soulful soups, to succulent beef and pork as well as the humble chicken rice, there’s even the traditional Teochew braised duck and pork, the menu literally caters to even the finickiest eaters as well as those who seeks comfort dishes.

 

The Traditional Teochew Prawn Balls (RM35) and Szechuan Style Salt & Pepper 3 Combo (RM25 small) came highly recommended as the restaurant’s signature bites to whet the appetite.

 

Heh Cho or Traditional Teochew Prawn Balls had us tucking into balls of sumptuousness. Deliciously moist, the prawn and meat filling had a solid bite encased in crispy beancurd sheet. From the perfect balance of crispiness to juicy filling, it’s certainly a must-order at Auntie Sim Kitchen.

 

A trio pairing of eggplant, squid and Shimeji mushrooms, skillfully fried to light crispiness and finished with a tasty coating of chiu yim sums up Szechuan Style Salt & Pepper 3 Combo. The dish is so light and easy to enjoy, we polished this off happily that evening.

SuperThai Restaurannt @ Damansara Uptown

Terrific Thai Flavours

Damansara Uptown has always been a hotspot filled with lots of restaurants and businesses all tightly packed in the Square. There are so many options when it comes to food and the list of cafes, restaurants, fast food and kopitiams are quite mind boggling. Here's one more we found recently that is worthy of a visit if you're looking for affordable Thai food in the area.

Brought to us by the team behind The Good Guys, SuperThai Restaurant is a hidden gem that serves rustic and humble Thai cuisine at pocket-friendly value. Despite its operation for a year, the restaurant remains low key, operating on the 1st floor, right above Capitol Nasi Dagang on the same row of shop lot as The Good Guys.

The restaurant is designed with minimalist industrial concept. SuperThai chose to focus on doing what they do best, serving rustic and flavourful Thai dishes in their photo-filled menu. One can opt for regular a la carte menu or go for the lunch specials as well as the single portion dishes.

Tuck into porky SuperThai signatures like Flame Grilled Pork Neck (RM28) or Pork Knuckle in Sweet & Sour Sauce (RM55). It’s always a plus point for me when swine shows up on a menu. Pork neck, well marinated and chargrilled till smoking and tender, the Flame Grilled Pork Neck is also given a boost of spicy flavours with a side of piquant heat and garlic notes in the green chili sauce.

The Pork Knuckle in Sweet & Sour Sauce goes through a tedious process of marinating, boiling and deep frying before its cut up and drenched in a sweet and sour sauce with some bell peppers and onions. Gelatinous bits with tender meat is very appetizing with fluffy steamed rice. There is a lovely balance of sweetness with sourness that tantalizes the palate to keep enjoying this porky dish.

It’s literally never a Thai meal without a Tom Yum soup! The version of Tom Yum Seafood (RM27) is rustic and liberal with heat and tangy flavours, almost to the extent of raw flavours. There’s generous amount of prawn and squid in the soup as well. This soup hit all the right spot in terms of flavours and richness, concluding a satisfactory note in a Thai meal.

The Basil Leaf Minced Meat (RM18) was a personal favorite of mine. I enjoyed the sheer simplicity of minced meat sautéed in an unctuous soy sauce and fish sauce based sauce perfumed with basil leaves. It’s also garlicky and has a subtle heat that teases my palate with much addictiveness. Give me this dish alone with steamed rice and I would be thoroughly satiated as a meal.

The Stuffed Squid (RM29) came highly recommended. One of the most ordered item on the menu, the dish is best eaten hot. Two whole squids, tentacles and body, stuffed with juicy minced meat filling topped with green coriander, garlic and chili sauce as well as copious fresh garlic slices are steamed and served with plenty of tasty broth. The robust flavours and well-balanced Thai flavours of savory, sweet, spicy and sourness made the dish appetizing and hearty.

Somehow the Thai always know how to make a scrumptious Crispy Omelette (RM12). The version here is near perfection with fluffy omelette that has a crispy edge. Super yum for diners of all ages…

The next dish of Steamed Fish with Lime Sauce (RM48) is another classic one that appears in Thai restaurants here. The fish is beautifully steamed in the piquant broth. The broth is what makes this dish and it was certainly flavourful with lots of garlic, fresh herbs, lime juice and chilies. One has the option of Patin fish or seabass so check with the server on the availability of the fish for this dish.

The Thai Steamed Prawns with Glass Noodles (RM28) was decent with prawns on a bed of sautéed chewy glass noodles. It is nicely redolent of sesame oil fragrance with garlicky aroma. A good dish though I have had better ones elsewhere.

I do like the twist on the Tom Yum Kai Lan (RM15) but I would have loved the tom yum flavours to stand out a bit more since it reads tom yum. Nevertheless, the vegetable dish is well cooked and tasty.

Moving on to single dishes, diners should really enjoy SuperThai’s single dishes such as the classic Pineapple Fried Rice (RM18). We certainly like the addition of luncheon meat in this rice dish studded with chicken, pineapples, raisins and peanuts.

I really enjoyed the value-for-money Special Nasi SuperThai Set (RM20 + a free drink). It’s a full platter of rice with various dishes that is utterly pleasing, especially when one is dining solo. One gets Tom Yum Soup, Green Curry Chicken, Salt & Pepper Squid, Mango Salad, Crispy Omelette, BBQ Pork Belly and special Seafood Sauce. Super satisfying set meal that is a little mini buffet on its own!

Another dish that is equally drool worthy is the Thai Pork Leg Rice (RM17). The chopped braised pork leg is moreish with lean meat as well as gelatinous tasty bits and skin. The flavours are sublime with hints of spiced soy sauce that goes well with the braised bean curd, soy sauce egg, pickled mustard, soup and pungent chili sauce.

All the set or single portion meals are available all day long. Other ones to try includes Thai Beef Noodles (RM15), BBQ Pork Neck Rice (RM14), Mince Pork Basil Noodle (RM11), Phad Thai (RM13), Tom Yum Petai Rice (RM14) and more. These also comes with a drink.

Lemon grass (RM3) to wash down all the spicy and robust flavours of Thai cuisine.

There may not be many choices of desserts at SuperThai but the ones available is sufficiently satisfying for me. The house made Coconut Ice Cream (RM10) is heavenly on the palate. Lusciously creamy and topped with tapioca coated water chestnuts, peanuts and more, this dessert is rich and satisfying.

We also enjoyed the twist of the classic Mango Sticky Rice (RM10). Usually served warm but I admit to really liking this version of creamy coconut laced sticky rice with fresh sweet mango served with coconut ice cream.

Reason to visit SuperThai? Pocket-friendly Thai dishes with lots of flavours!

SUPERTHAI RESTAURANT

29, Jalan SS 21/1a,

Damansara Utama,

47400 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 60 3-7710 5888

Facebook: www.facebook.com/superthairestaurant/

Business Hours:

Lunch          12.00pm to 2.30pm

Dinner         6.00pm to 10.00pm

Las Vacas @ Glo Damansara

Beefing it Up at Glo Damansara!

Las Vacas has been serving up beefy goodness since 2007 when its first butchery shop opened. After a decade later and four outlets later with the latest one at Glo Damansara, Las Vacas is still a beefy hotspot for awesome steaks and more.

The new outlet at Glo Damansara is wonderfully spacious and nicely designed. While one can opt for comfort in the main dining area, there is also an al fresco area to enjoy your meal. Barely a year old, this outlet already had quite a few private events with Chef Muhammad Amirull Azahar leading the kitchen and culinary team.

Las Vacas owners – Freddy Azman and FD Idzham FD Iskandar takes their meat seriously and ensures that quality is their main priority at Las Vacas.

Las Vacas is renowned for diners selecting their choice of the best beef cuts and marbling before getting the kitchen team to whip it up to their liking. There is always a solid range of premium quality beef ranging from grain fed to grass fed and to the premium wagyu up to marbling of 9. All beef are wet aged for 3 weeks to produce beefy robust flavours. Food ingredients used are halal certified. Fear not if beef is not your thing as they also serve chicken, lamb, salmon as well as pasta, burgers and sandwiches.

We were here for their Ramadan specials as well as their regular menu. For the month of buka puasa, Las Vacas Glo Damansara will be serving choice of 3 dishes specially concocted for diners. We tried the Aromatic Spice Pilaf Baked and Grill Chicken & Gravy (RM38.90), a generous portion fit for two eaters. Fluffy spiced up rice studded with nuts and raisin, baked with a grill spiced chicken goes really well with tasty tomato salsa, fried potatoes and two gravies, we enjoyed the dish a lot.

There are two other options of Arabic Puri Bread with Lamb Shank (RM77.90) and Vacas Ribeye Steak with Garlic Creamy Mash Potato and Raspberry Sauce (RM77.90) for the buka puasa menu as well.

The signature and most ordered dish in the regular menu is Las Vacas Famous Beef Wrap (RM21.20). Looks are deceiving in this case as the dish looked plain when it arrived. Beef rolls wrapped with julienned vegetables and drenched in cheesy beefy sauce was described in the menu. One taste of this roll and it was superb in flavours. The beef roll was tender with some crunchy from vegetables. The sauce was amazingly flavourful. Rich and creamy with beefy essence, that sauce would have also gone well with steaks. A must-order if you’re at Las Vacas!

For cheese lovers, there’s the Oozy Mozzarella Sticks (RM18). Golden batons of crumbed cheese that oozes with hot melting cheese is served with tomato anchovy salsa. Decent and great as snacks or for kids.

The Classic Caesar (RM18) is worthy of an order. Solid creamy garlicky and cheesy flavours on crisp lettuce with long crunchy croutons, generous shavings of parmesan cheese and a soft poached egg.

Our first beef arrived and the Grain Fed Ribeye (RM100 – 280gm) didn’t disappoint. Beautifully thick and juicy, the ribeye smells wonderful. Well charred and cooked to medium for my liking, the ribeye had a good bite with a tasty note. Served with smears of spice oil and rich brown sauce with toast and side salad, the steak is very satisfying for that price. There is also a small portion if you’re not a big eater.

The Wagyu Ribeye MB7 (RM65 per 100gm) is even better in flavour than the ribeye. Sliced a bit thin as the ribeye was bigger in size, this one is a hearty 200gm portion. Due to the thinness of the cut, the beef was almost well done. Nevertheless, it was still very juicy and the flavours are simply amazingly moreish. If you are one to prefer flavour over texture, this one is worth splurging for as the flavours are superb and the beef is amazingly tender.

Lamb Chops (RM55) are another meaty option and executed beautifully with good smoky char aroma. Three pieces of well-trimmed lamb chops that is succulent and well-seasoned cooked to medium doneness for perfect texture. I like how meaty the lamb chops and thus making it a hearty and filling portion.

We also decided to try the Salmon Fillet (RM51.95). Minor setbacks for this one as the salmon was too well-cooked for my liking but the crispy skin on the salmon is commendable. Another plus point on the dish was the yummy and creamy soft spinach that goes so well with the fish. Let the staff know if you prefer your salmon medium like me else it will be cooked well done.

When the Lamb Burger (RM29.70 – 250gm) arrived, I stared at it in awe. The thick lamb patty looked so luscious and tempting. Las Vacas offer several weights on their burger patties and we opted for a thick one since we love our burgers with thick meaty patties. Served with golden spiced fries, the lamb burger is delicious. Juicy, tender and tasty, sinking your teeth into the toasted sesame seed bun with the patty and all its trimming is very satisfying.

There’s also set lunch available during week days with several options of choice of your dish with an Iced Lemon Tea. We tried their vegetarian version of Pomodoro with Broccolini Pasta. The past is cooked al dente and delicious. We didn’t miss any proteins as the pasta is already well flavoured and cooked well.

Lots of choices of quality meat, Las Vacas at Glo Damansara is a great place to get your steak fix. Good quality meat don’t really need much sauces, just enough salt and pepper works wonder on the beefy goodness. Coupled with the lovely ambiance, it’s a place to unwind with good steaks!

LAS VACAS

Lot G19 & G19A, Glomac Damansara,

Jalan Damansara,

60000 Kuala Lumpur,

Tel: +60 3-7732 3677

Facebook: www.facebook.com/vacasglo

Instagram: www.instagram.com/vacasglo

Business Hours:

Daily 10.00am to 10.00pm