Sassorosso Italian Restaurant & Wine Retailer

Sassorosso, KL.

When it comes to my choice of a nice birthday dinner, it has to be Italian. I just love the typical cozy setting, white table cloth and a guaranteed array of fine wines and good food. So this year, for my very belated birthday treat, we went downtown to the heart of KL city to check out Sassorosso. Tucked away at a quiet corner, Sassorosso (Red Stone in Italian language) is housed in a nice white bungalow, a stone throw away from the likes of Passion Road and Market Place Restaurant & Lounge. Parking is a bit of a problem there. You probably have to park along the road and pay a private car park attendant RM4 to ‘look after’ your vehicle. Nevertheless, this place is really nice and from the front entrance, you get a magnificent night view of the Petronas Twin Tower as the backdrop.

The Drinks

We started going through the wine list and was recommended a 2008 Negresco Garda (Red wine) at RM198 a bottle.

For a start, to quench our thirst, we ordered a bottle of aqua frizzante or sparkling water (RM15). While we waited for our food, they served us a basket of pastry with olive oil / balsamic vinegar dip. Apart from the fine wines and liquor, they serve a good range of grappa and prosecco as well. This I think would be a nice place to come for their weekend lunch buffet and sip prosecco and grappa all day long!

The Food

For antipasti, we ordered the traditional Lentil soup (RM18) and one of the day’s special, which is the Salmon & Butter Fish Carpaccio with pine nuts, rocket salad and shallots vinaigrette (RM32).



Traditional Lentil Soup

The lentil soup was nice and full of ‘warmth’. It tasted a bit bland at the beginning, but towards the end, the flavours started to blossom, probably due to nice wine we were sipping.



Salmon & Butter Fish Carpaccio



The Salmon & Butter Fish Carpaccio was very interesting. The butter fish has got a nice soft, yet firm texture and the red peppercorn really accentuates the flavour of the fish. And I must say the shallots vinaigrette add a nice crunchy side to the dish and was really refreshing.

For the Primi, we had the Squid Ink Tagliatelle with fresh scallops and broccoli (RM42). The squid ink pasta is nicely al dente but the taste of the squid ink is not so obvious. The scallops were quite fresh but not very well infuse with flavours. Overall, it is nice.

Squid Ink Taliatelle with Scallops & Broccoli



For Secondi, we ordered the Braised Rabbit & Shallots in Red Wine Sauce served with Mashed Potato (RM48). Not many Italian restaurants does rabbits and we were surprised to find it on the ‘tonight’s special’ menu. The last time we had it was at Al Baretto Trattoria in Recco, Italy. So we asked for it without having second thoughts. It was not disappointing at all. Really tasty and full of that gamy flavours. And the wine that was recommended was spot on, full bodied with a fruity finish. Perfect match for our food, in particular, the rabbit dish. Hitz the Spot!

Braised Rabbit & Shallots in Red Wine Sauce

As always, we must never skip the Dolce in an Italian restaurant. We went for the Pannacotta and fresh plum poached in caramelized red wine (RM20). Not the usual caramelized version, but this was nice with a good firm texture and the sweetness of the plum plus the sour tinge from the red wine really compliments the pannacotta. Nice.

Pannacotta with fresh plum

Ambience

Verdict
Overall, Sassorosso is a nice Italian restaurant with a cozy ambience, nice settings and serves good straight forward Italian cuisine from pastas to oven baked pizzas to meats and a good range of drinks to go with your meal. A good indulgence for special occasion, this is a nice place to take your date.

Location
Address:
Sassorosso
9, Lorong Yap Kwan Seng
50450, Kuala Lumpur


Tel: 03-21666428
Fax: 03-21666429

Website: http://www.sassorosso.com.my/

Map:
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Ming Kee Restaurant at Seapark a.k.a Basement

Basement, Seapark PJ

This place has been around in Seapark for the longest time. Not sure when, but it existed way before I shifted to Seapark in 1995. Even then, it has established itself as one of the favourite dinner joint for the residents there. The stall is called ‘Ming Kee’ but amongst my friends, we called it ‘Basement’. Why? Simply because it is located slightly lower than the main road and to access the restaurant, you have to take a few steps down. During the day, there are a few food stalls operating with the anchor tenant selling drinks and ‘Mixed Rice’. Infact this mixed rice stall has quite a few variety of dishes of which I patronize quite a fair bit. The ‘Basement’ stall only operates in the evening and by as early as 5pm, they will start taking orders.

They don’t have a menu. It is a ‘no frills’ place and the food there are simple stuff. Although some of their dishes are quite elaborated, in general they do everything from poultry to seafood to noodles. I have tried every single dish from this restaurant as it was my daily fix during my 8 years as a resident there. It got to the point where I didn’t have to order my food; they will just decide my dishes for me and surprise me with the day’s special. Now it has become one of our traditions to meet up once in a blue moon there. The blue moon appeared recently and we (the basement gang) met up for a simple dinner of home cook style dishes and beers.

 

Will.i.am, Sylvia & Kirk (One big happy family)





Suresh & his bottle


























The Food

Butter Pork Ribs (Nai Yao Pai Guat)

This is one of the specialty there...a definite must have. Everyone who tried it loved it to the bones! Imaging pork ribs done in butter prawns style. The crispy and fatty feel of the pork ribs and the deep fried curry leaves, eggs and a bit of chili padi just accentuates the flavours of the pork. Lovely, this one. I have not come across this style in other restaurants. Hitz the Spot time and time again!

Deep Fried Tilapia wrapped in aluminium foil

This is another interesting dish. You can choose to have a Siakap fish or in this case, a simple Tilapia. This fish is first deep fried and then wrapped in alumimium foil with a sauce mixture (probably worcester sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce mix) and onions and then steamed to get the sauce and all the flavours absorbed into the fish. A nice alternative to deep fried fish.

Ginger paste steamed chicken

Drenched with ginger paste (young ginger, spring onions, garlic, soysauce etc), at times, the ginger paste could be over-powering and packed with heat. A bit inconsistent for this dish. Sometimes they get it right. When they do, it is quite a nice variation to have with the other stuff as it breaks the monotony of the salty, spicy taste from the other dishes.



Sizzling Plate Tofu



This dish needs no introduction. Tofu (Beancurd) with shrimps, button mushroom, peas, lean pork served on a sizzling iron plate. Well, the excitement lasted as long as the sizzle. After that, it is just plain beancurd dish. Nothing special.



Stir Fried Vege with garlic



Shanghai Noodle (Cha Cheong Noodle)

Another specialty here is their popular Cha Cheong Noodle. They use the same thick fat noodle normally used in cooking their Hokkien noodle. The base sauce for this noodle is their favourite worcester sauce. The cook here seems to be a big fan of it. This noodle dish comes with freshly julienne cucumber, onions, minced pork, fresh chilli, garlic and beaten eggs. The ingredrients come together like a perfect match, complimenting the otherwise tatseless nature of the noodles.The freshness of the julienne cucumber is interesting and the big surprise is the beaten eggs, stir fried lightly and simmer into the sauce. The texture of the eggs fit in nicely. This Cha Cheong noodle really hitz the spot!



Cantonese Style Fried Yee Mee



Simple and nice, this is their version of the ever popular cantonese style fried yee mee. Stir fried with seafood and egg based sauce, it is simply tasty.

Ambience

Simple coffee shop style. If you are particular about cleanliness, then you better skip this place. Its nothing fancy but you can relax and go with your pyjamas without the patrons there giving you a second stare. Prices are reasonable. You can even bring your own fish from your fishing trip over the weekend to cook at the restaurant. They will just charge you for the preparation. Service is prompt but be warn, you might have to wait for quite a while if you get there during the peak hours. Personally, I have experienced a 1 hour wait for food. So do bring along your newspaper and a deck of cards to fill up your waiting time.

Verdict
I am very bias when it comes to Basement. Don't know why. Maybe it has a nostalgic feel for me and the fact that it fed me well for many years when i was staying nearby. Nevertheless, i still recommend it to my friends and i still crave for that butter pork ribs and the Cha Cheong noodle every now and then.

Location
Opposite the Seapark KFC. You won't miss it.
Address: Jalan 21/19 Petaling Jaya.




Devi's Corner @ Bangsar

Banana Leaf Rice at Devi’s Corner, Bangsar.

Banana Leaf Rice, the mother of all cravings, one of the things I missed the most when I travel abroad for more than two weeks. The first thing I want to ‘kena ‘ (hit myself with) the moment I touch down on home soil is a good meal of banana leaf rice flooded with curries of all sorts. It is food that I would sometime dream of in my sleep on a Saturday morning, moments before I wake up with an embarrassing drool on my pillow. So, what is so titillating about this piece of banana leaf ladened with all these yummy treats? Well, it all depends on where you are having it. They all look the same at your typical Indian restaurant but I have tried enough variations to know a few good places to dig in. And one of my favourite restaurants is Devi’s corner at Bangsar.

Don’t be fooled. Not all Devi’s corner is good. This is the only Devi’s corner I know that ‘specializes’ in their banana leaf rice and are damn serious about it. Very packed on weekends during lunch hours, I always make it a point to get there by 11:30am and secure my favourite table right at the corner beside the windows. 1st Floor is dedicated to serving banana leaf rice. If you just want to have your usual roti canai, mee goreng and teh tarik, I suggest you stay downstairs and not deprive banana leaf rice enthusiast of a seat on top.

The Food

The highlights of Devi’s Bangsar are the Kerala fish curry and the crab curry. I love to flood my plain rice with a mixture of both these curries. Trust me, it is heavenly. You have a choice of dhal curry (lentils) or Sambar, Kerala fish curry and crab curry to pour over your rice.

The Starter Set

The Kerala fish curry and the crab curry is simply gorgeous and equally as rich but the fish curry is spicier. Filled with bits of fish pieces, the kerala fish curry is probably one of the best curries you can have to compliment your meal. Splash in some onion curry (which is also served at the premise), you will have a ‘mind blowing’ gastronomical experience. Sigh! I can’t seem to complete this article without drooling all over my keyboard!

Kerala Fish Curry

Lets just say, if you can take the heat, just ask them to drench your rice with kerala fish curry and crab curry. Dig in with your hands to feel the intense flavours as you lick the rich curries of your fingers…my oh my…this is pure indulgence! HITZ the SPOT !

Rasam

Then follow up with a sip of that spicy sour rasam (Indian ‘soup’ with tomatoes, tamarind, pepper and spices) to wash down all that gorgeous flavours. This would boost your appetite further and make you want to ask for more rice and curries. However, don’t over do it or you might end up with difficulty breathing and walking later on.

The place also serves a great variety of other South Indian dishes. A standard banana leaf rice set comes with a serving of 3 types of vegetables of the day, ranging from deep fried bitter gourd, cabbage with spices like mustard seed, ocra, potatoes with onions etc and rice. They also throw in interesting condiments like dried chillis (packed with power), chutneys and papadam (crackers). 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You can add on additional dishes like mutton, fish, chicken etc. The mutton varuval (dry lamb curry with cumin seeds) is good and tasty. The deep fried tenggiri fish (mackerel) was nicely done, crisp on the surface and soft and juicy when you take a bite. I can’t say the same for the fried chicken. They tend to over fried the chicken and reduce it to half the size. It was dry to the bones and not good at all.

Mutton Varuval

Fried Tenggiri

Deep Fried Bittergourd

Chicken Curry

Okra

Mango Chutney

Ambience

Comfortable solid furniture. Air conditioned, which is much needed with all that spicy food and our extreme weather. Gets very crowded at peak hours with the limited seats so you have to make reservations if you are going with a big group.

Verdict

All in all, this is one of the best banana leaf rice place in town. In terms of the curries, probably the best. Don’t think you can find these tasty Kerala fish and crab curry anywhere else in town. I swear by it….and my Indian friends Julian and Mike too !

Special Guest




Location

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Address
Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur
(Opposite Bangsar Village II)
69, Jalan Telawi 2,
Bangsar Baru, KL.

Tel: 03-2282-7591

Duck Egg Fried Koay Teow @ Ping Hooi, Penang

Ping Hooi Char Koay Teow

When in Penang, do what the Penangites do; Eat Char Koay Teow. That’s right! You have not been to Penang if you don’t get your ass to the popular places to savour the legendary Penang Koay Teow (Fried flat rice noodles). They are usually fried with eggs, chinese sausages, chinese chives, bean sprouts, deshelled prawns, cockles, chili paste and garlic.

There are apparently a few popular koay teow stalls recommended by many. You have the Lorong Selamat, the Macallister Road etc. I have never wondered far from these beaten paths of great koay teows until last year when I spent the new year eve celebrating a couple’s engagement party in Penang. They took a whole bunch of us to a quiet corner of town to this stall that does char koay teow differently from the rest. They use duck eggs instead of normal chicken eggs to fry the koay teow. Sounds interesting doesn’t it.

Prior to that, I have never heard of duck egg fried koay teow. I do know that duck eggs are richer and stronger in flavours. It enhances a dish when it is used as thickening or coating ingredient but in Koay Teow?

The stall that we went to is called Kafe Ping Hooi. Located at the corner intersection of Lebuh Melayu and Lebuh Carnarvon, this place was empty when we arrived. Normally this is not a very good sign when you are the only patron. The shop was really old and has got a yesteryears feel to it. Since it was recommended by our dear friends, we gave it a benefit of a doubt. Turns out the version here is a killer!

We were so overwhelmed by their delicious koay teow, we ordered a second round. The char koay teow was done to perfection with the colour slightly golden brown and not too dried. The duck egg apparently gave it a moist finishing and strong yet smooth flavour. Combining well with the thinly sliced chinese sausage, aromatic chinese chives, semi raw cockles, fresh prawns and crunchy bean sprout, this is really worth the travel. It HITZ the SPOT!

All I can say is duck egg fried koay teow rocks big time!

My perception of char koay teow has changed and I will never look down on duck eggs again…ever. Next time round, I wouldn’t want it any other ways. How come they don’t do it here in Kuala Lumpur? Do they even know about this?

Location

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Address:
Junction of Carnarvon Street and Lebuh Melayu.

GPS Coordinates: N5 24.873 E100 20.046

Hakka Noodle @ Jalan Sayur, Pudu

Chun Kee Hakka Mee 

I seldom wander into the heart of the city to hunt for food. It is simply because there are plenty of good foods within a 10 km radius from where I stay. Just the thought of the traffic congestion and my lack of knowledge in manoeuvring around the KL roads is enough to discourage me. But the truth remains. If I want to discover the best food that reflects the traditions and history of a country, chances are I can most probably find it in city street corners where merchants use to roam and cobblers and street vendors ply their trade.

So on one sunny Sunday morning, while accompanying a friend for a meeting down town, we stumble across a very busy coffee shop right across from where we were. With my dependable camera on hand and a huge morning appetite, we decided to investigate all that fuss.

When we finally got a table right at the corner, I realized what we have discovered; an old popular coffee shop that is well known amongst the city folks. The ambience is not quite your typical coffee shop. At the corner of a very busy street, you have to bear with the noise and fumes from the vehicles passing by. Don’t even think about looking down on the floor unless you want to do some forensic study on food remnants.

We ordered from all three stalls there. The stall right in the center sells curry mee (curry noodle).

Curry Mee Stall

You can have a choice of yellow noodle or vermicelli or a mixture of both. The curry broth is nice with a good spicy and rich balance. Filled with tow gay (bean sprout), chue pei (pork rind), meat balls, si hum (raw cockles), the vermicelli has a nice crunchy feel and well complimented by the softer yellow noodle.

Curry Mee

The pork rind and the huge cockles are the highlights of the curry noodle here. Apparently we just made it by ordering the last bowl coz they started washing up their stall after that. And it was only 12 noon. All in ‘half-a-day’s work aye. Apart from curry noodle, this stall also sells Kai See Hor Fun (Flat rice noodle with chicken strips in prawn broth).

The Saito Fish Ball Stall

Another stall parallel to the main Pudu road (Jalan Pudu) sells Sai Tou Yue Tan ( Saito Fish ball aka Wolf-Herring Fish ball). They have an interesting variety of fish balls and fish cakes; deep fried ones and boiled ones. We just ordered a mix of various types although you can actually order it with noodles.

Saito Fish Ball

This is nice as a side dish. The fish balls have got a nice springy texture but I’d prefer it to be a bit more ‘solid’. Comes with some bean sprouts as well and they are like the ones from Ipoh, all fat and crunchy….Nice !

Fat Towgay

The next stall is really the star of the place. This stall is called Chun Kee Hakka Mee. There is a sign above the stall that reads Dapu Mian (Dapu Noodles). Dapu is a small town in the eastern part of China’s southern Guangdong Province. Most of Dapu’s residents are of the Hakka ethnic group. So I assume the owner is from Dapu and this is his inherited recipe from his ancestors. This makes it even more authentic!

Chun Kee Dapu Noodle Stall

A small portion of noodle costs RM4.00, medium RM4.40 and large RM4.60.

I never liked my noodles drenched with soy sauce like the KL version of the wanton noodles. This Hakka noodle is completely pale and no soy sauce. That’s a good start. I believe if the noodle is tasty and fresh, you don’t need soy sauce to season it as the aroma that exudes from the noodles is good enough.

At Chun Kee, they use pork lard to coat the noodles. The lard gives it a ‘sticky’ feel at first bite. The combination of the aroma from the fresh egg noodle and the flavours from the pork lard is simply gorgeous. They serve the noodles with Char Siew (BBQ Pork) and Yuk Sui (Minced pork) and a few strands of vegetable. To me it is kind of like a Hakka Wanton Mee coz it comes with a bowl of wanton at the side. I must say, this is one hell of a Hakka mee. HITZ THE SPOT!

All in all, I would recommend you to give this Hakka noodle stall a try. I would definitely come around again.

Location

Address: Jalan Sayur, Pudu

Directions: Diagonally Opposite Sek Yuen Restaurant and next to a Klinik Ho.

Parking: You can park at the back lane behind the shop lots that are right across from the stalls.

Operating hrs: 6am to 10pm