KAMPUNGBOYCITYGAL A MALAYSIAN FOOD & TRAVEL BLOG

Famous for their aroma and taste, truffles are the jewels in Italy’s gastronomic crown and Garibaldi is offering a special menu as part of white truffle season, which started in October and lasts till January.

Haiing from our neighbouring country of Singapore, Garibaldi is perhaps one of the most renowned Italian restaurants in town.

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If you are going to be stuck in traffic along Jalan P Ramlee or Jalan Sultan Ismail, why not make a detour to Nagomi Japanese Restaurant? Every weekdays from 6pm to 10pm, one gets to enjoy shabu shabu buffet with over 80 varieties for only RM 32.80++ here. The buffet is also available during weekends and public holidays, from 12noon to 230pm and from 6pm to 10pm.

At-Nagomî Shabu-Shabu, each person has their own individual pot, allowing them to choose their own broth and customize their meal. One can opt to add in kimchi paste, ginger paste or spicy miso toban paste into their Nagomi signature soup base for that extra kick too.

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With Christmas just around the corner, it seems that almost every night there’s a party or dinner to attend — or host! If cooking isn’t your thing on the holidays, fear not. For the whole month of December, pay a visit to Twenty One at Changkat Bukit Bintang or BSC for a 3 course Christmas set menu at RM 75++.

Twenty One Tables + Terrace at BSC introduced a new level of sophisticated yet relaxed dining, and lounge bar experience to the discerning party people and diners.

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New Zealand Natural recently hosted a special cooking session at The Cooking House in Desa Sri Hartamas. I just learnt that there are many ways in which people are able to indulge in ice cream such as making dessert out of it! It was truly an eye opening experience. We also got our hands dirty and had some fun creating some icy desserts.

Merkaine from The Cooking House is very nice, sweet, bubbly and animated.
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Gourmands celebrate the opening of Samplings on the Fourteen in Berjaya Time Square Hotel six months back. It wasn’t until recently that we finally stepped into the restaurant upon Siew Yee’s gracious invitation.

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KL is to welcome a new member to its dining scene with Upper Deck, a chic restaurant and bar in G Tower Hotel that is barely one month old.

Commanding unparalleled views of Kuala Lumpur’s famous skyline, the restaurant emulates the elegance and simplicity one experienced in a dining room with its sleek wooden floor, floor-to-ceiling large windows and simple yet stylish furnishings.

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The Mid-Autumn Festival, with the fullest moon of the year, is a time for family reunions and nothing is more synonymous with the moon festival than the mooncake. It seems like the F&B boys in Malaysia have an early start on moon cake this year. The flavor selection is also getting better each year. Truffles, durian,  birdnest, cheese, bacon, you name it, they have got it.

What about some coffee and dessert flavoured mooncakes from Starbucks? This year, Starbucks is introducing 4 new tantalizing flavours – caramel macchiato, tiramisu, green tea chocolate and hazelnut latte.

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Since the damaging March 11 catastrophic that caused a tsunami and radiation leakage to devastate the Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures in Japan, a lof of us have deter from consuming Japanese food. The mass paranoia have cause a lot of Japanese restaurants to experience a slow down in business.

Kin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant stands out when they started to implement a double checking step for radiation on all their imported ingredients using a radiation detector. Do you know that they are the first restaurant in Malaysia that uses the radiation detector to do the daily food scanning? The little device costs a whopping RM7,000 and there are no ready stocks in Malaysia at the moment.

Kampachi – radiation reading: 64

Pickles – radiation reading: 78

Gas mantle – radiation reading: 4665!

Gas mantle, widely used in kerosene or liquified petroleum gas flame has a higher reading because the mantle emits radiation when lit to generate bright white light.

Some fact about radiations: Radiation is all around us, all the time. The energy spectrum has included microwaves, radiowaves, infrared radiation, UV radiation, X-ray, etc. At high attitudes airlines fly, passenger and crews are exposed to higher-than-normal radiation levels of between 3 and 9 microsieverts per hour too. (1 sievert = 1000 millisieverts (mSv), 1mSv = 1000 microsieverts).

Radiation exposure around the Fukushima nuclear power plant reach levels of 400mSv per hour. A single dosage of 1000mSv could cause radiation sickness but not death. A single dosage of 5000mSv could cause death to those who were exposed to it within a month and a 1000mSv reading could cause fatals within week. You get the drift.

more readings: http://www.world-nuclear.org/education/ral.htm

So the conclusion is not to worry too much all Japanese imports have undergone vigorous inspection by the Japanese and Malaysian Ministry of Health.

If the worry persists, it’s ok because Kin Shui Tei has chosen to stop using Japanese products all together and seek alternatives from other countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Norway and Alaska while others continue to use selected ingredients from the southern part of the country.

Let’s do some light reading after such a heavy discussion, shall we?

Thanks to the invitation from Kin Shu Tei, we got to sample chef Ikuo Tanabe’s master piece once again.  The little education session put us at ease; we enjoyed our food thoroughly without any worries.

Kin Shu Tei’s interior is simple and the colours of the whole restaurant is easy on the eye and rather classy.

Special Hokkaido chirashi sushi – RM98

I must say the food presentation was expertly done and the raw ingredients were so fresh that it is a lot like tasting the ocean. We really liked the rice imported from USA; somehow it just tastes better compared to Japanese rice. :p

Seasonal Anago Tempura – RM30

The crispy sea eel tempura was a great combination with the special dipping sauce – chef’s special sweet sour sauce with spring onions.

Smoked Ayu – RM55

The moist, flaky fish with a delicate smoke flavor was really good. Highly recommended!

Beef tofu Katsu don – RM38

On the surface, it’s a seemingly simple dish, but there is so much going on – a delicate layer of tofu wrapped with beef roll and coated in a crispy bread crumb batter. This tops my list as well.

Lamb rib steak – RM50. Lean and juicy, the lamb rib steak was grilled to perfection. The thick sauce looks appetizing and tasted great at the same time. Special mention must be made regarding the potato salad; so creamy and so delicious!

We had an early birthday celebration for KampungBoy courtesy of Debbie and the restaurant manager.

The make shift “cake” is so pretty! Kudos to the sous chef for such an innovative master piece.

It was my third time to Kin Shu Tei and we have never been disappointed. It is one of the long standing Japanese restaurants in town, partly attributable to Chef Ikuo Tanabe’s dedication and strict standard applied. He is such a perfectionist, and we have seen it with our own eyes.

Kin Shui Tei
C/o Tropicana Golf & Country Resort,
Jalan Kelab Tropicana,
47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-78042079 / 03-78804437 ext 315

Thanks to Jade from Mustard Tree Communication and Academy of Pastry Art Malaysia, we had a fun filled day of hands-on baking pleasure.

Before we got our hands dirty, Jade took us around and we gasped upon seeing these impressive art work! Scroll down and feast your eyes with these beautiful work by the tutors and students from APAM.
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Valentine’s Day is a day where couples express their love and affection for each other. For long distance lovers, just because your loved one is away from home doesnt make the day any less special. Rejoice the special day with your friends and families whom you have always love dearly. This year, I had an early Valentine’s Day celebration at J&R with my best friend whose husband is residing in the States.

As the purveyors of fine food & wine, Jarrod & Rawlins has been serving only the best food and wines with warm friendly services for the past decade.

table for two

Our Valentine’s Day Set Meal For Two comprises of two shared starter, a huge main course platter, dessert and coffee or tea.

Mango, Avocado & Roast Chicken Salad

This looks like the perfect summery salad. Drizzled with a tangy dressing, this appealing salad makes a colorful and tasty alternative to the usual bowl of greens. The avocado slices were creamy and buttery, the cherry tomatoes and mango cubes were sweet and juicy and the greens were so fresh that I almost felt like a grazing cow.

Serrano Ham, Smoked Salmon, Chorizo, Pickles and Olives

The cold cuts sets us off well, whetting the appetite for our main courses.

Combination of Hickory Baby Back Ribs+Grilled Prime Rib Eye Steak+Seared Fish Fillet+Selection of Pork Sausages
with
Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Chunky Roast Vegetables, Dijob Mustard, Applesauce & Red Wine Glaze

Our eyes opened wide when the huge platter was presented right in front of us. Are you sure that the platter is meant for a couple, instead of 3-4 pax?

The Hickory Baby-Back Ribs is our old favourite. It was moist, full of smoky flavor and finger smackingly delicious!  And the charred bits along the edges are a smoky treat. I like the Dymatite sausage the best. It had great chilli kick, and was packed with juicy meat within. The grilled prime rib eye steak tasted great, but was a little too tough for me. The seared fish fillet was crispy on the outside and juicy within.

The starters and mains were great, but the dessert was bit of a let down though. The cakes turned out to be dry and crumbly.

top up RM 40+ to enjoy two glasses of house pouring wine.

J&R Damansara Heights is offering a V-Day Set Meal For 2 at RM 220+ per couple or RM 260+ per couple with wines. However, they are fully booked on the 14th, with some tables still available on the 13th. Tables are still available at the Hartamas outlet (RM 65+ per pax, different menu) and the Ampwalk outlet. Please call to make a reservation.

I’m wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope everyone, no matter single or attached, will enjoy this special day with happiness and lots of love!

*thanks to Elaine and J&R for having us over

Desa Sri Hartamas
36, Ground Floor, Jalan 27/70A,
Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel 03-2300 0708,
Fax : 03-2300 0706
Email: srihartamas@jarrod-rawlins.com

Damansara Heights
No.6 Lorong Dungun, Damansara Heights,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel 03-2093 0708,
Fax: 03-2095 3221
Email: damasara@jarrod-rawlins.com

Ampwalk Mall
Ampang Lot G08B, Ground Floor,
The Ampwalk, 218 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel : 03-2166 0708,
Fax: 03- 2166 7708.
Email: ampwalk@jarrod-rawlins.com

Kota Kinabalu
Block E-29 G & E-30 G, Times Square, Off Coastal Highway, 88100 Kota Kinabalu
Tel: 088-231 890 / 860

Sushi Tei is one of those Japanese restaurants that offers good quality Japanese food that is light on the wallet. When we were still staying around the PJ/Damansara area, we always make it a point to drop by Sushi Tei for a light lunch/simple dinner after we are done with our groceries shopping at Carrefour, Tropicana City Mall.

So we were absolutely delighted when Sushi Tei invited us over in conjunction with their new menu launch (ends 31st March 2011).

new menu items are marked with asterisk ‘*’ sign.

Edamame (RM 4.80). We love edamame – steamed with a bit of salt, it is a great snack loaded with tons of health benefit.

Wakame Salad (RM 11.80). This light, refreshing salad possesses just the right amount of crunchy seaweed, greens and tangy sauce.

Kani Avocado Salad (RM 14.80). In my little humble opinion, I would say that this salad has it all. Sweet succulent kani (crab sticks), creamy avocado, briny tobiko and fresh, crisp greens.

Sashimi Moriawase (Hamachi, Salmon, Tai) – thick cut, fresh but not to the extend of literally melt in your mouth; considering the price that they are charging.

*Deep Fried Shirauo (whitebait fish). Deep fried to perfection, these little fishes were really addictive! I snacked on fried little fish like french fries!

Tempura Moriawase (RM 13.80). Probably my least favourite of the night; I found the batter a little too greasy for my liking.

Takoyaki Balls (RM 8.30). Filled with a generous amount of ingredients, the takoyaki balls were nothing out of the ball but they tasted pretty decent.

Assorted Sushis

*Crunchy Tuna Roll (RM 18.00). The creamy texture of the tuna combined with light mayonnaise, and its tart flavor combined with seaweed, nicely contrast with the crisp batter.

Kani to Salmon & Avocado Maki, serve with yogurt sauce.

Dynamic Roll

*Volcano Maki (RM 7.80). The maki in melted cheese roll topped with seaweed and tobiko tasted really good. The myriad of texture and the taste was an eruption of flavor!

Teriyaki Salmon. This is such a crowd pleaser; the teriyaki marinade gave the salmon a wonderful kick of flavor. Our only gripe was that the fish was slightly charred.

Teppanyaki Chicken (RM 16.80). The juicy, boneless chicken cubes weretoo mild for my taste bud.

Meat Gyoza (RM 9.80). The gyozas were well executed – crisp on the outside, hot and juicy on the inside.

Yuzu Ice Cream (RM 7.00)

Goma Ice Cream (RM 7.00)

Shio Ice Cream (RM 8.00)

Chocolate Wafer (RM 7.50)

Pino (original, RM 8.00)

We ended our meal with some ice creams and sweet pastries. My favourite has to be the Shio ice cream (salt flavored ice cream). The ice cream combines the classic sweet, creamy ice cream with a little zing of saltiness for a pleasing combination of flavors. You got to try it to fully appreciate the great flavor!
Judging from the crowd that they draw each night, many share the same opinion that Sushi Tei is extremely popular with its consistent quality and affordable pricing. It is definitely a place worth revisiting again, and again.

Sushi Tei
Lot G-16, Ground Floor
Tropicana City Mall
3, Jalan SS20/27
47400 Petaling Jaya
GPS: 3.130757,101.626421
Tel:03-7728 4299

Valentine’s Day is here again! Guys, if you are under immense pressure to pick a romantic spot for that special occasion, fret not! Japanese is never a bad choice when it comes to impress your date. This Valentine’s, enjoy a very romantic Love Bento at Nagomi Japanese Restaurant. The atmosphere and the ambiance of the interiors will surely enchant your date.

Thanks to the management of the Nagomi group, it is a privilege for us to be among the first group who sample Nagomi Love Bento, a romantic treats specially crafted for you lovebirds this Valentine’s. The food review session brought us to Nagomi Menara Hap Seng. Little did I know that Nagomi has turned into a full fledged Japanese restaurant, instead of a shabu shabu specialty restaurant. The menu has also undergone a revamp and whilst old favourites remain, there are some new dishes which are well worth trying.

For only RM99++, Nagomi Love Bento is teemed with seafood dishes and other delicacies, including traditional sashimis and with some romantic twist.

The ladies adore the heart shape sushi roll and rose shape sashimis very much. They just looked too cute to be eaten! The guys can’t stop sing praises over the grilled king prawn with cheese and white sauce, soft shell crab salad and suziki senbei. And our sweet ending – rich and decadent chocolate brownies with hazelnut ice cream tasted really good!

Portions were way too big for the ladies; most of us can’t even finish the whole bento. Couple can actually share a love bento and order something else, probably from the ala-carte menu.

Love Sushi Roll (Love Shape Sushi with Strawberry & Avocado)

Rose Shape Sashimi (Combination of Salmon & Tuna Sashimi topping with Tobiko)

Suzuki Senbei (Home-made Seabass Crispy Cracker)

Soba Soft Shell Crab Salada (Soft Shell Crab Salada serve with Buckwheat Noodle)

King Prawn with White Sauce (Grilled King Prawn with White Sauce)

Chocolate Cheese Brownie

Nagomi Valentine Lover’s Bento will be available from 11th of February until the 14th of February at both Nagomi Jaya 33 and Nagomi Menara Hap Seng

Please call for Reservation:

Nagomi @ Jaya33
PG-02B, Ground Floor, Jaya33
3, Jalan Semangat, Section 13,
46200 Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-79562330

Nagomi @ Menara Hap Seng
Suite 1-19, 1st Floor, The Podium,
Menara Hap Seng (formerly Mui Plaza)
Jalan P. Ramlee,
50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel:03-21416332