skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I really had to get out of the house! After locking myself in the room, staring at the monitor, furiously and vigorously typing away on the keyboard, slipping the pages of my textbook, and scratching my head to figure out a way to answer the assignment, I seriously needed fresh air and the sun. So, last Sunday despite the unfinished assignment, I tagged along with my friends for a dim sum lunch at Shark Fin House, located at Lt. Bourke Street in Chinatown. Ivy from Precious Pea did recommend me to try the food there. Of course, I shouldn't miss this opportunity.
Shark Fin House is very well-known among the Asians, and it's claimed to be the best yum cha place in the city. When me and my friends reached the restaurant at 11am, there was already a loooooonnnngggg queue outside. So,I thought: "The food must be really good." 
Don't expect to eat in peace during lunch time. It's a busy bustling place with three floors which gets very packed at yum cha. Luckily, my friend made a reservation. Otherwise, we would be lining up with the crowd outside. 
I liked the chopsticks. They were classy.
We started off with Phoenix Talons (凤爪). They were actually chicken feet! My friends loved them but I was disgusted with the appearance and just thinking about what could those feet have stepped on (you know what I mean...) before the chicken were slaughtered made me feel sick. But, I did try a tiny piece after being persuaded by Lynn. It was tender and nicely marinated with black bean sauce. But, that's it for that day.
I forgot what's the name for these cute buns. They were like pineapple buns with char siew filling. The outer layer was crispy with tangy lemon and a tinge of custard flavours. Although the filling was good, I could barely taste anything because there was too little. 
Century Egg Porridge. Both Hui Jen and Jeffery had this and they liked it. 
Char Siew. This dish was served cold and it wasn't as tasty as I expected. Slightly bland and insipidly marinated. Then, came the steamed items:
Siew Mai. There were good stuff! The juice from the pork filling oozed out instantly when I sank my teeth into the succulent meat. 
Prawn Dumplings. Delicate dumplings with whole fresh, huge prawns beautifully wrapped in almost translucent starch skin. It's a must order!
I have no idea what these were called. They had the same filling as the Siew Mai, except that they were wrapped in wantan-like skin. Tasted normal to me.
Baked Scallops with Cheese. Fresh scallops baked with tiny prawns and minced pork with melted cheese on top. 
Fried Calamari. I'm not a big fan of this rubbery-like seafood. Again, with the power of my friends' persuasion, I reluctantly bit into one of these ghastly looking tentacles. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I thought. It not only tasted delicious, but also I didn't feel like eating rubber. I found myself eating more of these later on *Giggle*
Sweet Cream Buns. 3 cute little steamed buns with milk custard filling. Absolutely gorgeous and heavenly good!
Look at the bright orangey filling. 
Egg Tarts. They were so tiny that you can just pop the whole thing into your mouth. They tasted average, nothing to shout about. 
Jeffery was raving about the Durian Tarts. The sound of the 'D' word made my face twisted into an expression of repulsiveness. I HATE durians! I know...You may think I'm stupid to dislike the king of fruits in Malaysia. I had tried to like it but it just didn't work out. When these lovely tarts were placed in front of me, its strong nauseating smell rushed through my nostrils and I nearly puked. And again, my friends convinced to try just a small piece. Trying my best not to breath, I took a bite. Eww! The taste! The smell! I just couldn't take it! I put the rest back on the plate and washed it down with lotsa tea and another egg tart to cover the taste on my taste buds. No more durians! Anyway, durian lovers would love these because the filling are made of real durian flesh. 
Although we were so stuffed when approaching the end of the meal, we couldn't help but wanting to try this Mango Pudding. I must say that the taste was great! Very mangoey but the texture wasn't smooth and creamy enough to melt in your mouth. Overall, I think the food was ok and the portions were quite small compared to the other restaurant I went, not as good as I expected. The long queue was a wrong impression to show that it's the best because I've tasted better ones and the service was bad. The food arrived slow and the wait staff forgot our orders. Maybe my expectation just gets higher and higher. Guess I will have to keep looking for a better one.
I'm back! After 10 days MIA (missing in action), I'm finally back with more food for you guys to drool over. First of all, I would like to appologise for not updating my blog recently because I was stuck with assignment. I just submitted it this afternoon and I feel really relieved. Phew~Last Wednesday night around dinner time, I was cracking my head to figure how to answer the assignment questions...Heart pumping...Palms sweating...Brain storming...When suddenly the front door slammed shut loudly, followed by boisterous voices. That really annoyed me! Especially when I'm trying to concentrate. Judging by the familiar voices, I knew they were Yuan and his gang. The curious me went out to say 'hi'. They came over to my place to cook dinner! Yoon, the famous chef known among his friends cooked Bak Kut Teh for us. I was like "Great! I don't have to rummage my cupboard and fridge to look for food anymore".After about 1 and a half hour of waiting, dinner was eventually served steaming and piping hot on the table. I impatiently took a few photos of the food and started to dig in!
Bok Choy in Oyster Sauce. 
Bak Kut Teh. The star of the night. Although the soup was partly dried up due to evaporation, the broth's depth of colour and mouthwatering fragrance promised much. Another plus point for this dish was that it was substantially bulked up with Enoki mushrooms, Shiitake mushrooms, pork ribs, whole garlic, chunks of broth-absorbent dried tofu.
Chinese Crullers (a.k.a Yau Char Kuai). I just love to dip these crispy crullers into the bowlful of goodness, allow them soak up all the flavours from the broth and then pop them into my mouth. Mmm~
Tie Guan Yin (literally means Iron Goddess of Mercy). Yoon is a tea lover and he bought a box of Tie Guan Yin (one of my favourite tea), which released a fragrant orchid-like aroma that filled the room.
Last Thursday was one of my best girlfriends, Su Ann's 21st birthday. I didn't have any idea what to give her for her birthday because I hadn't had time to shop around for the present gift. But I wanted to make her 21st birthday to be unforgettable and meaningful. I organised a pot-luck party and gathered everyone at my place. I'm so grateful that everybody contributed. We cooked up a storm and I personally baked a cake for her, which was not up to my satisfaction. Oh well, I just need more practice. 
The guests were arriving and we were still preparing.
Hui Jen was making Teh Tarik.
Pull!
Let's dig in!
Ying Ying made 2 types of Omelets. This one was cooked with juicy button mushrooms, shredded carrots and topped with cheese.
This version had an additional of onions. She knew that the birthday girl hates onions, so this one was for the rest of us.
Kah Hoong whipped up a BIG pot of Mashed Potatoes. Although it's a bit dry, every spoonful was burst with flavours and goodness from butter, milk, salt and pepper.
Shao was too busy with work and didn't have time to prepare a dish for us. But she was very kind to buy heaps of everyone's favourite Mamak snack-Roti Canai from her current workplace. Although they were just merely pieces of frozen dough, they tasted fantastic after being pan-fried on a pan with a bit of butter. Crispy and mildly buttered. Tasted just like the freshly made roti canai back in Malaysia.
Sim prepared our favourite Japanese Curry. Everyone hearts this since their first try. All the guest gave this bowlful of lip-puckeringly spicy and pleasingly sweet feiry red curry a thumb-up.
I cooked Coca-cola Chicken. My friends liked it but I think it's a bit too salty. I'm gonna go gentle with the soy sauce next time.
Our birthday girls loves eggplants. But I was in doubt when I planned to cook this dish because most of my friends don't fancy eggplants. However, I made just for Su Ann. It was Stir-fry Buttered Eggplants with Minced Pork in Oyster and Sweet Thai Chili Sauce. Surprisingly and unexpectedly, Shao, Lynette and Kah Hoong who aren't big fans of eggplants commented that this was very nice *blush*
Some group photos. 
I personally baked a cake for Su Ann. It was my first time baking this cake and I wasn't confident that it would turn out good. I was right! It cracked and it was too dry. I tried to cover the crack by applying whipped cream on top but it just wouldn't stay -_-" Bad cake...
Happy birthday, Su Ann! I wish you the fulfillment of all your fondest dreams.
A group photo with the birthday girl. We had a jolly good time that night. Thanks everyone for coming.
I have been having hectic schedules for the last couple of weeks. So much had been going on-Uni, work, stress, mood swings, sickness...Happening but undesirable. Well, let's don't talk about these anymore. Hmm~Let's talk about happy stuff. Food!On a Sunday 2 weeks ago, me and my friends went down to the city for an outing. I really needed to take a stroll outside...In the city...Anywhere! Because other than going for boring lectures and tutorials, I'd been working like a robot. By the time we had done our brief shopping at Victoria Market, it was already 3.30pm. We only realised that we hadn't taken our lunch because we were already so hungry and our tummies were growling like hundreds of drums rolling simultaneously. Like always, we couldn't decide what to have. Walking along Russell Street, Hoong and Ian started raving non-stop about the signature dishes of the restaurants in vicinity. 
Upon reaching King of Kings Chinese Restaurant, Hoong said proudly that the egg chiffon rice dishes were very good. I wanted to try it and compare with the egg chiffon rice I had in another restaurant (didn't blog about it because at that time my blog wasn't active yet). So,we went in. 
"Like most Asian restaurants in its league, this eatery serves an extensive range of chicken, pork and seafood dishes, alongside such items as roast meat and egg chiffon on rice. The simple decor is given an oriental touch with Asian-style lanterns and a strikingly large black and gold art piece adorning one of the walls."
The owner was curiously peeking out from the kitchen to check out what I was doing with my bulky camera when I was taking this picture. He gave me a thumb-up and flashed me a smile after this shot. Haha! 
First to arrive was Hoong's Crispy Pork with Egg Chiffon on Rice. The pork was substantial, meaty, fatty, juicy and crispy on the outside. 
Lynn decided on BBQ Pork with Egg Chiffon on Rice, and I think she made the best choice. She let me try one piece of the BBQ pork. It was nicely marinated! So full of flavour.
Ian ordered Braised Pork and Vegetables on Rice. Although this dish looked normal and simple, it came with a generous amount of fresh veggies and pork on a mountain of rice. 
I went for Braised Chicken with Egg Chiffon on Rice. I loved the chicken very much. It was very tender and the meat fell apart in my mouth. This was the best egg chiffon rice dish I had so far. The egg chiffon was soft, fluffy, moist and slightly crispy on the surface. *thumb up*
Last Sunday, we celebrated Khuang's early birthday at Longrain Restaurant & Bar, located within a converted warehouse in the heart of China Town.
If I wasn't told that it's a Thai restaurant, I would have mistaken it as an Italian restaurant. Ironically, nothing in this place symbolizes Thai, except for the food. I was really amazed with the decor and interior. It magically diffused a distinctive aura of sophistication and coziness from the bar with cocktails, the bustling, open kitchen, the long and round communal tables, the hanging, dim chandeliers, and warm service.
Longrain offers a wine list, which features a distinctly Victorian flavour. And the wines are to be slipped down your throats with the menu's hot, sour, spicy and sweet flavours. In order to get the perfect wine to complement the food, don't feel hesitate to ask for advice from the friendly staff.
That night, we had Oakridge's Carbenet Merlot 2004.
First to arrive was Egg Net with Beansprouts, Peanuts, Green Mango, Coriander and Sweet Vinegar. It was absolutely appetizing! The combination of various types of fresh veggies and crunchy peanuts went really well with the complementary dipping sauce which gave a tinge of sweet and sourish flavour to it. *2 thumbs up*
The next dish was Betel Leaf Topped with Smoked Trout, Chilli, Garlic, Galangal and Trout Roe. Tasted normal to me. Nothing to shout about and the portion was quite small.
Green Curry of Swordfish with Baby Corn, Snow Peas and Thai Basil. The swordfish was so fresh and tender that it fell apart in my mouth.
Crisp Skin Barossa Chicken with Spiced Plum Sauce. I loved the sauce so much that I couldn't help adding more to my rice.
Last but not least, Dry Red Curry of Braised Duck with Snake Beans, Wild Ginger and Holy Basil. This was the star of the night! The duck was braised to perfection...Tender...Meaty...Juicy...Went amazingly well with the thick, rich, fiery red curry. Mmm~
Overall, the food was good, service was very friendly and efficient. But, the prices are a bit too costly and the portions weren't big enough to satisfy all of us. Well, that's alright! At least I got to try new and good food ;)
Shark Fin House is very well-known among the Asians, and it's claimed to be the best yum cha place in the city. When me and my friends reached the restaurant at 11am, there was already a loooooonnnngggg queue outside. So,I thought: "The food must be really good." 
Don't expect to eat in peace during lunch time. It's a busy bustling place with three floors which gets very packed at yum cha. Luckily, my friend made a reservation. Otherwise, we would be lining up with the crowd outside. 
I liked the chopsticks. They were classy.
We started off with Phoenix Talons (凤爪). They were actually chicken feet! My friends loved them but I was disgusted with the appearance and just thinking about what could those feet have stepped on (you know what I mean...) before the chicken were slaughtered made me feel sick. But, I did try a tiny piece after being persuaded by Lynn. It was tender and nicely marinated with black bean sauce. But, that's it for that day.
I forgot what's the name for these cute buns. They were like pineapple buns with char siew filling. The outer layer was crispy with tangy lemon and a tinge of custard flavours. Although the filling was good, I could barely taste anything because there was too little. 
Century Egg Porridge. Both Hui Jen and Jeffery had this and they liked it. 
Char Siew. This dish was served cold and it wasn't as tasty as I expected. Slightly bland and insipidly marinated. 
Siew Mai. There were good stuff! The juice from the pork filling oozed out instantly when I sank my teeth into the succulent meat. 
Prawn Dumplings. Delicate dumplings with whole fresh, huge prawns beautifully wrapped in almost translucent starch skin. It's a must order!
I have no idea what these were called. They had the same filling as the Siew Mai, except that they were wrapped in wantan-like skin. Tasted normal to me.
Baked Scallops with Cheese. Fresh scallops baked with tiny prawns and minced pork with melted cheese on top. 
Fried Calamari. I'm not a big fan of this rubbery-like seafood. Again, with the power of my friends' persuasion, I reluctantly bit into one of these ghastly looking tentacles. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I thought. It not only tasted delicious, but also I didn't feel like eating rubber. I found myself eating more of these later on *Giggle*
Sweet Cream Buns. 3 cute little steamed buns with milk custard filling. Absolutely gorgeous and heavenly good!
Look at the bright orangey filling. 
Egg Tarts. They were so tiny that you can just pop the whole thing into your mouth. They tasted average, nothing to shout about. 
Jeffery was raving about the Durian Tarts. The sound of the 'D' word made my face twisted into an expression of repulsiveness. I HATE durians! I know...You may think I'm stupid to dislike the king of fruits in Malaysia. I had tried to like it but it just didn't work out. When these lovely tarts were placed in front of me, its strong nauseating smell rushed through my nostrils and I nearly puked. And again, my friends convinced to try just a small piece. Trying my best not to breath, I took a bite. Eww! The taste! The smell! I just couldn't take it! I put the rest back on the plate and washed it down with lotsa tea and another egg tart to cover the taste on my taste buds. No more durians! Anyway, durian lovers would love these because the filling are made of real durian flesh. 
Although we were so stuffed when approaching the end of the meal, we couldn't help but wanting to try this Mango Pudding. I must say that the taste was great! Very mangoey but the texture wasn't smooth and creamy enough to melt in your mouth. 
