CHASING FOOD DREAMS: Indonesian

Showing posts with label Indonesian. Show all posts

May 1, 2015

Indonesia Food Festival @ Link, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar

Enak Banget! Indonesian Food Festival

Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar is proud to present the Indonesian Food Festival from 11 May to 29 May 2015 at LINK All Day Dining. The festival will provide guests, whether they are professional gastronomes or adventurous diners, to try out something new and exciting - a worthwhile experience not to be missed.

LINK, a beautifully spacious All Day Dining restaurant seats 360 and runs on the concept of interactive show kitchens where dishes are prepared as fresh as possible to your orders. For the month of May, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar has specially invited Sous Chef De Partie Untung Pardiona and Demi Chef De Partie M.Ramli from their sister property in Jakarta to immerse diners with unique culinary dishes and transport diners to Indonesia through this exciting culinary experience.

Members of the media and bloggers were invited to a sneak preview of the delicious Indonesian feast to come this month. We were tempted with lots of Indonesia classics from appetizers to mains and desserts.

Tauhu Telur, a simple and yet popular dish of fried bean curd and egg never fails to please many palates. It is savored with a piquant sambal and crunchy vegetables as a snack. There was the Beef Dabu Dabu Salad, a spicy beef salad punched up with lots of spicy bird eye chilies, shallot and fresh tomatoes in a citrusy dressing. It’s not overly heavy but sufficiently flavourful with a good hit of heat.

One of the highlights of Indonesia feast is the Kambing Guling. Tender and succulent lamb is nicely grilled with a lovely note of spices.

I highly recommend the Rendang Daging Padang as it was a melting pot of gorgeous creamy flavours with lots of spices. The beef was fork tender and well infused with the flavours of coconut milk and spices. It was rich and moreish, pairing well with rice or bread. There was also Tongseng Kambing, a braised lamb stew that originates from Surakata in Indonesia. The stew uses tough meat like goat, lamb or beef and is simmered till tender with lots of vegetables, spices and herbs. This one is creamy and tasted like a light curry.

Then there is the Ayam Penyet Plecing Kangkung, a dish from Lombok, Indonesia, which is chicken marinated and baked. This one is quite moreish and the chicken has a robust aroma of shrimp paste.

The Nasi Goreng Daun Mengkudu is delicious. Fluffy rice grains are fried with a special leave named Daun Mengkudu.

Sayur Labu Dengan Udang is also another dish perfect with rice. Its stewed pumpkin cooked with prawns. The flavours are more on the sweeter note with the pumpkin and a little tangy with the tamarind.

Do try the Soto Ayam Madura, a lovely and aromatic noodle soup in style of Madura, an island off the north-eastern cost of Java that is popular in Indonesia. The soup is spiced up with lots of cinnamon, star anise and other spices and laced with lots of fried shallot for its distinctive aroma.

Desserts are also a must so save some room for Kolak (or Kolek) which is a sweet broth of banana and pumpkin in sweet coconut milk and Singkong Goreng which is fried tapioca.

Other delectable Kuih Muih like Klepon, Ondeh Ondeh, Kuih Lapis Sagu, Dadar Enten and more are also available.

Of course there are plenty more of other international dishes at all the live interactive kitchens at LINK. The dessert bar alone is enough to keep me happily satiated!

In addition to presenting dozens of selected food, LINK also displays attractive decoration and fantastic costumes that incorporate Indonesian style to reflect the culture and gives guests the feeling of being in Indonesia. The famous wayang shadow-puppet, stone figures and Indonesian batik are among the decoration that will be seen at the outlet. What is also interesting about this year’s festival is that LINK invites Indonesia dancers to perform and introduce their traditional dance as a momentum to reflect their country diversity of ethnicities and culture throughout the dinner.

The whole Indonesian food experience is offered at an attractive price of RM120.00nett per person only (50% discount for children between 6-12 years old), commencing from 11th to 29^th May 2015 (6.30pm to 10.30pm). Reservations can be made by calling LINK All Day Dining at +603 2298 1855.The operating hours will be from 12.00pm to 3.00om (Lunch) and 6.30pm to 10.30pm (Dinner).

LINK RESTAURANT

Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar

No.1, Jalan Pantai Jaya, Tower 3,

59200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 603 2298 1888

Email: info@pullmankualalumpur.com

Website: www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-7962-pullman-kuala-lumpur-bangsar-/index.shtml

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Pullman-Kuala-Lumpur-Bangsar

September 18, 2012

Ayam Penyet Ria, Summit Subang USJ: A Smashing Good Time at Indonesia’s Ayam Penyet Ria!

Talk about having fun with food… here’s a Smashing reason why!

Ayam Penyet Ria, an Indonesian chain from Batam, made its mark in ever crowded food hall in Summit Subang USJ mall. Literally translated into ‘smashed marinated fried chicken’, the restaurant serves up a traditional Ayam Penyet among other dishes from Ibu Ruth’s authentic recipes, an infamous Indonesia culinary expert. What once used to be served only during special occasions to courts of royalty and guests of honors, one can now savor this at all times in a quite a few countries all over Asia.

Called what you may but Ayam Penyet is to Indonesia what Nasi Lemak is to Malaysia. Flavors and variations depend on the origin of the regions and each has their own secretly guarded recipes. While I would not think much about dining on this Indonesia specialty, I was very pleased with what tasted at Ayam Penyet Ria. Basic décor with efforts to mimic some form of Indonesian décor, the restaurant, located beside McDonald, is dressed up in wood themed with bright yellow chairs. Minimal and simple, décor was not as impressive as the food.

My first time sipping Indonesian beverages like Teh Botol Sosro and TEBS and I preferred Teh Botol Sosro over the latter. It’s quite mild Jasmine Tea despite its dark coloring. TEBS needed some getting used to because I don’t really know what to make out of tea with soda. Be on the safe side and order delicious and refreshing Kedondong Juice and Cucumber Juice like me!!

Gado-Gado (RM5.50), an Indonesian Salad, is made up of blanched and fried vegetables served with loads of prawn or fish or Emping Keropok and peanut sauce. The version here is very commendable as we all polished the very delectable salad faster than it was served! Loaded with soft blanched vegetables of bean sprout, lettuce, potato, cabbage, fried beancurd, the creamy nutty and tangy sauce was superbly beautiful. The side of red chili sauce made this salad even more desirable in flavors while the crispy crackers provided texture and flavors to the whole salad. I loved it spicy!

They served what they do best… Ayam Penyet Set (RM12.50)! Whoever thought to smashed the fried spiced chicken sure loves to play in the kitchen. Crispy spice marinated chicken are served with crunchy golden bits with sides of white rice, blanched kangkung, fried tempe and beancurd, raw cabbage and cucumber and its signature sambal. I didn’t see much smashing on the chook but who cares?

Using free range chickens only, the chook was moist and tender while skin was crispy goodness. Flavors are not overly heavy but you can bet it was jazzed up with that awesome spicy and sweet sambal! I adored the combination as it had a wonderful comfort food feel to it the overall flavors. High points go to the beautifully fried chicken that was not oily at all and that gorgeous sambal… J

Out of the six variations of Penyet, we also tried Udang Penyet Set, Lele Penyet Set and Iga Penyet Set. The Udang Penyet Set (RM12.50) is marvelous! Without any expectation, the four pieces of prawns were big and juicy and most important of all, fresh!! For the price they charge, this is a superb meal on its own. Prawn lovers, you must order this set for a real treat of crustaceans.

I may come for Ayam Penyet but it was Iga Penyet that won my heart! Beef Ribs well marinated and tender, the moist beef was lusciously good in every bite. Flavors are just spot on for me with its caramelized sweet and savory flavors. Make sure to savor this with the spicy sambal for another level of flavors. The Iga Penyet Set (RM16.90) also comes with all the trimmings as other set meals.

Lele Penyet Set (RM11.50) comes with a whole crispy fried catfish. Looked a bit bony to me but rest assured, the flesh is smooth and sweet. Surprisingly the fish is very tasty while the crunchy bits added more texture to the fish. Order only if you are a fish lover else take my word and go straight for the Iga Penyet or Udang Penyet!

There is also Empal Penyet (Fried Beef – RM11.90) and Bakso Penyet (Meatball – RM11.50) sets for those who prefer meat without bones.

At a glutton’s table, there are always add-ons. One can add-on Rendang Daging (RM5.90), Satay (RM10.00), Terong Penyet (RM 3.50) and Gado-Gado (RM5.50) for extra satisfaction. We loved the Rendang Daging so much, we had more add-ons for this dish! Melt-in-the-mouth tender, the beef rending is marvelous rich in spices. Although it’s filled with loads of spices, flavors are exuberantly delicate and creamy. Crispy aromatic fried shallots added a lovely touch to the rendang. I would go back alone just for this dish!

Ayam Penyet Ria also offers soups and noodles with some sides. The Sup Ekor Lembu (RM10.90) is heavenly perfumed with fried shallots and filled with loads of earthy goodness in the broth. I am not much of a fan of oxtail but the broth is really praise worthy as it is soothing and deliciously savory.

We also tried Soto Ayam (RM5.90) and Bakso Kuah (RM5.90). Soto Ayam’s broth is laced with turmeric, making the thin rice noodles tainted with the yellow spice. Fairly light in flavors, the noodles come with shredded chicken, egg, fried shallots and coriander. Bakso Kuah featured beef meatballs with rice noodles in a broth that echoed the oxtail soup earlier. Indonesia flavors are dominantly perked up with fried shallots and coriander, lending a similar aroma and flavors echoing throughout this meal.

Yes, it was a beautiful first time experience in enjoying Ayam Penyet and its variations. Although ambience is nothing to shout about, food and prices are truly worthy. Dishes are very flavorful and sumptuous with a surprising delicate touch. Kick up all the flavors with Ayam Penyet Ria’s spicy sambals. All ingredients served at Ayam Penyet Ria is sourced from halal suppliers. Must orders are Iga Penyet, Udang Penyet, Rendang Daging and Gado-Gado!

Free Ayam Penyet Set Meals for a lucky Malaysian Reader!

1) Comment in this blog post to say why you want to try Ayam Penyet Ria.

2) Leave your email and name in the blog post and winners will be selected randomly.

3) Winner will be announced on 20^th September 2012 in this blog post.

Lucky winner will receive 2 Ayam Penyet Set worth RM12.50.

*Valid for dine in only at Ayam Penyet Ria Summit Subang USJ till 15^th October 2012 with T&C applies.

Winner Announcement!

Using Random Generator, the lucky winner is MelissatheGreat!! You will be contacted by email shortly.

Congratulations Melissa....hope you like Ayam Penyet Ria! :D

AYAM PENYET RIA

LG 37 & 39B, Lower Ground Floor,

The Summit Subang USJ,

Jalan Kewajipan,

47600 Subang Jaya,

Selangor

Tel: 603 8023 5780

Website: www.ayampenyetria.com.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AyamPenyetRia

Business Hours: 11.30am – 10.00pm Daily

October 3, 2011

La Teh Café: Nurturing Nanyang Legacy with Authentic Southeast Asia Cuisines!

Recently, I spotted a new café just down the road in my neighborhood with a catchy name called La Teh Café. Since I was looking for a place to chow down some grub, I headed there a taste with some friends last weekend!

The whole place had an urban and contemporary ambience with its dark wood interior, beige walls, green hints of plants and traditional sketches and motifs on the wall. I felt it reflected a sense of Malaysian culture in the whole ambience in a modern way.

There also a sense of natural elements in the theme in the whole café that makes me want to hang out there for a nice cuppa with friends! La Teh café is based on the concept of Asian cultures in food and also shares the Nanyang culture of great coffees and teas.

There are lots of pictures of its signature dishes everywhere and since the photos are so gorgeous, it makes me want to order a bit of everything. J

See the traditional posters of our Asian heritage imprinted artistically? I simply adore such art adornment which has a strong meaning to it rather that just looking beautiful.

I found out the even the logo of La Teh was designed to reflect a boat carrying herbs to its destination.

We started off with some interesting looking drinks like the Mojito (RM10.95). A drink full of citrus and mint flavors, it was just refreshing and fulfilling!

This drink caught our attention immensely with the red chili in it! Ginger Branch (RM9.95) had an interesting twist in it and I could taste the citrus, ginger and definitely the chili in it. I love this and have to order this the next time I come. Thumbs up for their drinks as I m so looking forward to also trying many others like Legend of Lemongrass, Legend of Mint Lemon, Lychee with Watermelon and more… J

We spearheaded into our orders of food and were surprise that the portions were big! Lovely and perfect, especially for gluttons like me… as I dislike those small portion food places that simply do not justify the price you pay for in regular cafés. I don’t mind paying if the portion and quality for food is decent for its price! J

Lemongrass Drumstick (RM8.95) is a replica of the infamous Vietnamese sugarcane prawns except this one is perfumed with lemongrass. Juicy and savory with hints of sweetness from the minced stuffing, I adored this on its own even without the chili. Something beautiful to snack on and is simply addictive.

Our order of Vietnamese Cha Gio (RM6.95) or simply spring roll was exceptionally crispy with its lacy netting wrap. One of my fried kept raving about this and also devoured this happily to himself…hehehe.

Gosh, I think it has been almost 4 years since I had a Vietnamese Bánh Mì (RM9.95) since I was not able to find one in KL. So when I saw this on the menu, I was so happy and put in the order with any hesitation at all. Basically, it’s a local Vietnam subs that had the influence of French in the form of the bread and pate. French crispy baguette sandwiched with meat, jalapeno, carrots, cucumber and herbs was pretty decent. It had all the good elements of savory, sour, spicy and sweet from the essence of the Vietnam influence and we love the chips that came with it! I do wish that they have the pickled radish and carrot to make this even more delicious. All the Vietnamese breads come with a glass of icy lemon tea.

A friend of ours orders this delectable looking sandwich, Sandwich with Chicken Ham & Egg (RM7.95). See how stuffed this sandwich is? I didn’t taste this but that fella was satisfied with his sandwich… enough said… J

We couldn’t help ourselves when we spied Sambal Petai Prawns (RM10.95) on our neighbor’s table, so we had one too! Redolent of the quintessential spices, the sambal was spot on as it had strong flavors without being over spicy. Prawns were fresh too.

I personally think there are two fabulous stars among the meal we had and Thai Pad Thai (RM11.95) was one of them. The fried thin kway teow noodles were absolutely fabulous!! The strong present of the four elements of distinctive Vietnamese flavors of spicy, sour, sweet and salty was really amazing. The gorgeous noodles had great wok aroma and was dressed up with amazing textures from raw crunchy beansprouts, minced meat, fresh garlic chives, tofu, peanut, chili powder, sugar and lime. The balance of flavors was amazing and it was pungent in a good way. We had to battle for this dish!!!

We also sampled the Cold Noodle with Chicken Fillet (RM10.95) which also came in an impressive presentation. If you like herbs and salad, you would definitely enjoy this dish. The dish represents the healthier version of noodle salad topped with lots of raw vegetables and herbs and has the Thai sweet, sour and spicy dressing to coat it. Chicken fillets were marinated and grilled to lend the smoky aroma to the salad. You can also have this with beef or vegetables instead of the chicken.

The other star of the menu that stole my ‘stomach’ (wink!) is the Nasi Ketuk with Chicken Rendang (RM16.95). Apparently this is an Indonesian dish and I love the authentic presentation and sight of the gorgeous platter of mouthwatering dishes on it. The blue tinted rice had a very nice fluffy texture topped with bits of shredded meat floss and it well superbly well with the thick spicy gravy of the big piece of chicken rendang. The side shallot oil and belachan chilli is addictive and I would ask for more to go with the fried kangkung leaves, egg, pickled papaya and crispy crackers! The whole combination was just a kaleidoscope of flavors. I must return to order this soon… double thumbs up to the chef!

Here is another version of Nasi Ketuk with Fried Kampong Fish (RM14.95). Equally good but I would suggest asking for some gravy with this. The fried fish was so aromatic when it arrived on our table so you can tell it’s freshly fried. Yum…

The Tomyam Rice Noodle with Giant Prawns (RM18.95) looked good but I didn’t try this as I was too busy walloping Nasi Ketuk & Pad Thai. The giant prawn certainly live up to its moniker as I could see it filled with the prawn roes.

Someone ordered the Thai Olio Olio (RM10.95) that looked quite interesting. I also didn’t taste this one but I heard it was spicy!

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (RM9.95) was decent. Filled with lots of pineapple cubes, cashews and raisin, the rice was fluffy and had a decent flavor of light hint of spices with tangy sweet pineapples. I like the pickled papaya served with this.

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (RM10.95) was a huge portion. The broth was fairly light so I felt it needed a bit more kick. That said… it can be remedied with addition of lime, chili and herbs! Beef was thin and pink so it was quite lovely.

We tried two desserts and found the Mango Jelly with Coconut Cream (RM9.95) to be more creamy and luscious while the Mixed Fruit Jelly with Nata De Coco (RM8.95) to be more refreshing! I also spied Snowflake Fruit Ice and Slurpees for my next adventure with La Teh Café!

Overall, the food here is really valued for money because the portion is fairly big and quality is very good. Small eaters would definitely be able to share a meal here. Service faired good while ambience was spacious and comfortable .There are some amazing dishes there that I would definitely go back for. I also saw their signature Curry Laksa, Satay, Nasi Ketuk with Tandoori, Nasi Lemak Sambal Petai, Crispy Noodle with Giant Prawns and more to try on my next planned visit… Yes! I am already planning my next visit!!

Oct 4^th, 2011

Just found out there is a fabulous deal with Everyday.com for La Teh Cafe!