KAMPUNGBOYCITYGAL A MALAYSIAN FOOD & TRAVEL BLOG

Ko Hyang (故乡)＝ my homeland

There’s a reason it is always packed – good food with reasonable price (from RM9.90 to RM 18.90). With free banchan and soup too!

Ko Hyang is no stranger to the foodies in KL. Owned by a Korean who used to study here, this kiosk like eating place serves home made korean food. The one page menu features simple korean favourites such as bibimbap, jap chae (stir fry glass noodles), jeons (pancakes) and some rice/noodles dishes.

I was there last weekend with the girls (Christine and Aiwei) and we ordered up a feast that can easily feed 4 to 5 people.

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Awareness towards healthy eating is growing and I often find myself torn – to be a granola-eating idealist or of just screw it, eat everything? As time goes by, I do realize that the same old universally applicable principles of variety, moderation and balance still work no matter what. So, here I am, alternating from one to another and most importantly, enjoy my food!

However, KampungBoy is very skeptical towards anything “healthy” or “organic”. He can’t stop rolling his eyes inwardly when I suggested lunch at Yogitree. Sigh, men and their carnivorous gluttony.

Tucked at a corner near to Isetan’s departmental store, Yogitree has never failed to caught my eyes. Mismatched furniture in a uniform color tone, chalk blackboard with specials written all over it, gorgeous cake showcase – these items blend in with the entire restaurant’s soothing atmosphere.

Yogitree emphasize on going back to basic cooking and the use of fresh, natural and largely organic ingredients. They also boast daily blackboard specials that will make your mouth water! On another side of the restaurant, there is this yoga specialty shop where yoga fanatics can find themselves busy picking and buying attires and equipments over here.

I spotted some other interesting items with Asian flavors such as hainanese chicken rice (with brown rice and organic chicken, can you imagine?) and nasi lemak where most the expats around us were having. It does make an excuse for a revisit, no?

Here’s some fruit juices to start our day! Simple and unpretentious, the fresh watermelon juice has a clean fresh taste to it.

Here comes the Full English Breakfast (RM 25) that comes with bacon, chicken sausage, organic eggs, organic home made baked beans, mushrooms, toast, fresh juice, coffee or tea. The portion isn’t exactly big, but just nice for a satisfying brunch. I thought the home made chicken sausage is so tasty and would be a great deal less fat than regular sausages. Compared to canned baked beans, our home made baked beans are considerably tangier and the beans are firm. Those baked beans were cooked from scratch and it sounds so intimidating to us (given up hopes to replicate it at home!)

KampungBoy secretly loves it because he stops offering me his food after I took a small bite on everything.

Quiche Lorraine with Bacon (RM 15). Even if it is ridiculously expensive at such small serving portion, I love it to every bit. It was creamy, rich and flavorful with tiny strips of bacons here and there.

Famous for their desserts that use real butter and organic flour, you definitely want to leave room for that wonderful homemade cakes/pies – churned right there! Our Pure Chocolate Truffle Torte (RM 12) is excellent, dense and moist but not cloyingly sweet. KampungBoy ended up having more of it than me!

Cute lil Girl – not for sales

All in all, Yogitree is a very charming, relaxing restaurant with excellent food so go with an empty stomach because you will leave with you belt open. It has totally changed KampungBoy’s perception towards healthy eating too. Healthy food can be as mouthwatering as creamy pasta or a sumptuous pork burger if it is done the right way.

The Yogitree
F-237B, Level 1,
The Gardens, Midvalley City,
Kuala Lumpur.
Contact: 03-2282 6213 | Opening Hours: 10 am –10 pm daily

After hearing SO MUCH of good things about Sage, TWO failed attempts in securing a table for two, and getting rejected for walk-in ONCE, we were here finally (drum roll please).

We took a lift next to Isetan Departmental Store and my heart jumps, thinking that we were just a few steps away from Sage – the talk of the town. Initially, we were rather surprised to see that The Sage is tucked away at a secluded corner next to the parking lot. Once I shoved through the heavy glass door, a young lady greeted us at the door with a welcoming smile and a jovial presence. We were promptly seated near to the open kitchen where Chef Takashi and crews were busy creating superb rendition of dishes. The ambiance is perfect – classy, lush but not intimidating, with the occasional melody of glass clinging, soft whispering and sizzling at the background.

We were taking our own sweet time in reading through the one page menu. Read aloud some of the names in the menu and you’ll be condemned to a near eternity of grueling tongue twisters (Is it just me?). We settled for Sage Dinner at RM 140 nett because it offers more value for money than ala carte pricea as such: Starters at rm58, main course at RM78 and desserta at RM30. Do the math. One can opt for an additional course (Chef Special )at RM160 nett or the degustation menu at RM240 nett where advance booking is required.

Complimentary Bread. The breads were all good; crusty, warm and soft.

For starter, I chose the Feuillete of Anago with Foie Gras and Duxelles, loosely translated as puff pastry with salt-water eel, foie gras and mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots and herbs. The dish offers a myriad of flavor and texture! Think crispy layers of sweet and caramelized puff pastry, soft fatty salt-water eel and velvety smooth foie gras that leaves a trail of bovine juice in your mouth. Mmmmm…

Carpaccio of Wagyu with Sesame Vinaigrette and Asparagus. He had the wafer-thin slices of raw wagyu beef served cold, seasoned with sesame vinaigrette. The wagyu slices melts on your palate like the most sublime foie gras, and leaves a rich flavor behind.

What a great start to our meal!

My choice of main is the Lightly Salted Cod with Foie Gras, Roasted in Wood Paper (not foie gras again?). The cod and foie gras are impeccably fresh, with chock full of fragrant juices. Sauces are subtle, accentuating the natural flavor of the lightly salted cod and pan seared foie gras.

Rump Steak with Carrot Puree and Anchovy Sauce goes to KampungBoy, who is a steak person. The rounder pieces of steak with pink centre are actually the medallions, a cut of from the wagyu beef type. It is succulent, tender and very very tasty. On the side, we were given the braised ox shank topped with carrot puree. It is pleasingly tender and not at all gamey.

I was not entirely blown away by the Roasted Kougyoku Apples with Vanilla Ice Cream. Immediately, my face was contorting into a frown and later found out that Kougyoku apple is a kind of very sour apple from Japan. Sorry, I’m just not a fan of all things sour.

He made a smart choice by ordering the Ricotta Souffle served with Espresso Sherbet. Light, fluffy and airy, with a barely perceptible brown crust on top, the souffle is a perfect sweet ending.

The End – Coffee/Tea ?

What can I say? It was a very satisfactory dinner, the starters and mains were beyond excellence while we think that we are going to give it a pass to the desserts the next time (wrong choices maybe, as other floggers raved about the desserts).We will definitely be going back and would highly recommend this restaurant to everyone. Ooo yes, Sage is perfect for Valentine’s Day celebration and to impress your dates as well. Reservation is a must, unless you want to try your luck and get turn down.

Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar

The Residences Level 6

The Gardens, Mid Valley City,

Lingkaran Syed Putra,

59200 KL.

Tel: 03-22681328

Email: sagekul@gardenshtlres.com

Like clandestine gems hidden at the first floor, the Italiannies outlet at Mid Valley Gardens has a rather cozy and elegant interior. Coupled with the warm lightning and magnificent view overlooking the city, it does enhance the romantic ambience of this cozy little restaurant.

Joe, Yee Hou and us were here to sample Italiannies’ new menu that will be fully launched at the 6^th of November.So they said, “At Italiannies, our food is designed for sharing”. Still remember those family style big portions that can probably feed more than two famished guys? With Italiannies new promotion “Bowls of Pasta”, small eaters/ladies get to sample four types of pasta at only RM 29.90.

Grape Shake and Strawberry Shake

Clock Wise
Chicken & Mushroom (shiitake mushrooms sautéed with chili chicken tossed with cherry tomatoes and rocket lettuce and served with spaghetti). Angel Hair Pomodoro (angel hair pasta with chopped red tomatoes and sautéed with garlic in a light tomato basil sauce). Chicken Lasagna (layers of lasagna pasta, creamy cheese sauce, marinara sauce with melted mozzarella cheese and baked until golden brown). Salmon & Lemon Aioli (baked salmon flakes tossed with chilled lemon aioli mayonnaise and baby spinach over shell pasta)

Clock Wise
Fussili Pesto &Mushrooms (Pan-seared shiitake mushrooms served over chilled fussili basil pesto pasta). Classic Carbonara (fettuccine pasta tossed in light parmesan cream sauce with smoked beef bacon and fresh button mushrooms). Clams & Beef Bacon (beef bacon strips sautéed with fresh clams, onions and clam broth and served over fettuccine). Shrimp Linguine (linguine pasta with sautéed shrimp and served with marinara sauce).

Chili Shrimp (lightly sautéed shrimp with dried chilies and garlic over linguine).

My favourite would be the classic carbonara, angel hair pomodoro and shrimp linguine. The classic carbonara is sinfully rich, with egg, cream, butter, parmesan cheese all in one smooth creamy concoction but I’m not complaining! Simplicity can seem ingenious, as in the angel hair pomodoro and shrimp linguine which combined fresh pasta with tomato based sauce to mellifluous advantage.

Other than “bowl of pasta”, we also tried a new salad item – Californian Shrimp Salad with baby spinach and romaine lettuce tossed with Italian dressing topped with seasoned grilled shrimp, mango strips, orange, tomatoes & cream cheese. Being on medication (cough* cough*) has suppressed my appetite but this light and fruity salad is indeed comforting enough for those dreadful dry throat.

Drool flooded my mouth as the Quattro Platter wafted into my face. It consists of thinly rolled pizza dough topped with Philadelphia cream, mozzarella, parmesan and gorgonzola cheese over Italiannies herb oil. The fried dough was flawlessly crispy with melt in your mouth cheese bursting with a wonderful taste.

Another interesting new item would be the Italiannies lamb shank. This looks wonderful and I love lamb when it’s fall apart tender with plenty of fat innervating the meat. Even KampungBoy reckons that this fares better than any other version that he has tried.

Chocolate and hazelnut cake. This is a very rich and dense (almost flourless) chocolate cake but it was too sweet for my liking.

Last but not least, the infamous New York Strawberry Cheesecake arrived. “Only cheesecake that I would eat”, says Yee Hou. So you can gauge how good is it huh? The cheesecake boasts a velvety texture but is lighter than the usual cheesecake that we usually have. Drizzle it with plenty of strawberry sauce and you are in heaven.

It was an enjoyable lunch overall, with good food and good companion. The rest of us were entertained by listening to Yee Hou and Joe’s camera talk and their act of flashing and caressing their tools (toys).I think that with constant somber musings on recessions, downturn and credit crunch playing over our ears every day, it is time to tighten our belt a little bit. No more fancy/fine dining but for that little treat of a hearty Italian fare that is light on the wallet, Italiannies would be the obvious choice.

Our Deepavali week was a great one where we manage to meet up with KampungBoy’s sister and her family at Yuzu for lunch. Tucked away in a rather secluded corner at The Gardens, Yuzu is elegantly trimmed in a warm zen-like ambiance and the sophisticated interior here manages to make one forget about the strip center location.

To cure our hunger pangs, King Prawn Roll (RM28) and Tamago Roll (RM 6) were ordered. The king prawn roll is liberally stuffed with prawn, salmon and avocado but we were not entirely blown away by it. Cawanmushi (RM 8 ) and edamame (boiled soy bean, RM 8 ) were presented to KampungBoy’s cute little nephew and he was more than happy to help himself with it.

Aji sashimi (horse mackerel, RM 55), yogowa sashimi (RM 35), shiro maguro (white tuna, RM 35), salmon sashimi (RM 20)

Served on crushed ice, with wasabi and seaweeds along side, our order of assorted sashimi came in a little wood bucket. Aji sashimi was thick and sweet and obviated any need for soy while the deep fried aji fish bones are deliciously crunchy! The shiro maguro and salmon slices was beautifully marbled with a nearly dissolved in the tongue texture. Each bite is pure heaven! All the sashimis were perfectly fresh with intense sea flavors, a great harbinger of things to come.

Then we were (sort of) put-off when the uni/sea urchin (RM 150) arrived to our table. Uni aren’t exactly pretty, with its jiggly tongue like flesh in bold yellow color (reminds me of baby poops, ops!). “First, wrap a piece of seaweed around the sashimi, give it a quick dip, then eat”, says the waitress. Holding up the seaweed and scoop the uni in cautiously, I knew that we were all wrong the moment I put it into my mouth. Despite its hideous appearance, it does make up in flavor – fresh-tasting, custardy soft, slightly briny and subtly sweet.

Here comes the set while brings more value for money. Yuzu Bento (RM 38) is a special bento box with sushi, deep fried chicken, tempura, small soba, appetizers, egg custard, pickles, salad, small braised dish, tea pot soup, puddings and fruits.

KampungBoy’s sister who loves seafood had the Gyu Karubi Toubanyaki and Seafood Set (RM48) with sliced Japanese beef in hot plate and stone grilled salmon, scallop and prawn.

Lastly, we shared the Yuzu Gozen (RM 48) with assorted sashimi, assorted sushi, tempura, stone grilled beef, egg custard, 2 small appetizers, salads, fruits and tea pot soup. The best item has to be the stone-grilled Japanese beef with a heavenly scent of soy-seasoned seared beef. Grilled to perfection, the beef is succulent but retains a beautiful firm texture. Four small little cubes are too little to feed us!

Unadon (RM 20)

A soupy dish where everyone gives their two thumbs up – Ginmutsu Tofu Nabe (RM 68) with cod fish, soft fish cake, bean curd and vegetables came in a unique pot made of special washi paper. The cod fish is best eaten with accompanying special spicy sauce which brings out the sweet flavour of it very well. All of us like the soft fish cake very well too, it’s very different from the usual Chinese fish cake. The soup base with yuzu rinds has lent a subtly pleasant aroma to the soup, which added explosions of flavor along with the clear soup.

The Cutest Gap Mannequin Ever!

 Thanks for buying us the scrumptious meal!

Though a meal at Yuzu can take a chunk out of the monthly entertainment budget, it is generally worth it for the excellent quality and ambiance. For something that is light on the pocket, one can always go for the set meal which can easily feed two. The wait staff is always friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about everything on the menu too. I wouldn’t mind returning to Yuzu for some quality Japanese food in the future.

Yuzu Japanese Restaurant
T236, 3rd Floor
The Gardens
Mid Valley City
Kuala Lumpur
Tel No: 03 – 2284 7663