Fancy Breakfast Club at Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar

Hey, what's good, guys?

So here i am to bring you another review. Anyone recall Fancy Breakfast Club (FBC)? I think i've done a review about them few months ago. Last time they used to operate in a house to give customer a home feel with a brunch set buffet plus the aim to get customer to get to mingle. Fast forward to this month, after a few key events, they move to a more familiar spot at Jalan Telawi; street of foods to me. The team behind FBC still the same with few changes. This time around, they operate like normal restaurants with fixed menu rather than the concept they used to work with before. But according to one of the staff, Faris, he said they might change the menu every 3 months to freshen things up. The menu consists of creatively prepared food like Thosai Waffle & Kopi Aik Cheong Panna Cotta. A blend of malaysian favorites & western favorites. 

The menu

Plenty of mouth watering choices of the menu. I was really in few separate of minds while choosing what to order. The restaurant still maintain the modern design with lot of table for everyone. 

After ordering the food, we were served with house wholemeal bread with an olive oil with balsamic vinegar dip. The bread was soft when eaten fresh when served. 

Wholemeal bread with dips

First off is Brekkie Egg. From the description it sounded like an egg benedict but it wasn't. More like a burger or sandwich. 2 slices of wholemeal bread comes with poached egg, beef bacon, slices of avocado, brown butter mayo, shiso leaf & homemade sweet tomato chutney. It was really nice. Try not to eat it like eating a burger otherwise you'll get messy. The tomato chutney is a win of perfect combination of sweet & sour. 

Brekkie Egg

Next is Thosai Waffle recommended by the staff. A mix batch of thosai turned into waffle with shallots & chilis infused in it. Served with a grated coconut, tomato chutney & rendang ayam cili padi. No worries, it wasn't spicy at all but rich in flavor. More like masak lemak cili padi though. The waffle still maintain the thosai taste but more dense in waffle form. If anything, i wish there is more tomato chutney for the whole dish. 

Thosai Waffle

Finally, we finished off our meal with house specialty Kopi Aik Cheong Panna Cotta. Truth be told, i never drink Kopi Aik Cheong before but i'm a sucker for panna cotta so gotta try it. Made of base Kopi Aik Cheong infused panna cotta & topped with a whole lot of dark choc, crumbled kueh bepang & shortbread, it was nothing short of amazing. The coffee taste was nicely balance to match the topping & pudding. Pure win. 

Kopi Aik Cheong Panna Cotta

It's great to see the FBC team came back strong. There are a whole lot more nice food to try so definitely gonna return. 

Fancy Breakfast Club

(Above Sangkaya)

Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar

Neka Cafe at SS15, Subang Jaya

Hello folks,

Sorry for the long hiatus. Quite tied up these days plus I didn't really try new eateries lately but I will try to active as I was before. My mom & sis usually a hang out at this new place for a meal. They've been giving me a shout about this place but i haven't the chance to go plus it is located on the same row of the infamous Darussalam, imagining the parking & crowd easily turns me off right of the bat. Anyway, I was with my fiance when we decided to join my mom & sis for dinner. Alhamdulillah, we've managed to get a parking slot nearby the cafe on a first try. Phew!

Located just next to Darussalam & the other restaurant that folks usually cramping for food, looks like a challenge for small cafe like Neka but they managed to have their own crowd. Adapting a modern cafe concept, their food adapting a fusion style as well. Instead of typical food served by modern cafe, they served local favourites like char kuey tiow & nasi dagang instead. Here's a look at the menu. 

The menu

The ambiance is nice as well. The cafe is small yet still cozy. Indoor seating is recommended if you're aiming for a peaceful surrounding. 

They have desserts counter as well. Mostly consisting of tarts & limited choice of cakes. I didn't try them desserts though.

Desserts bar

My sis recommended this drink as soon as i open the menu. It was a sweet corn milk. I'm a sucker for sweet corn ice cream back in my childhood days. The drink was pleasant. The mint leaves for display purpose as no mint was tasted in it. Filled with sweet corns inside. 

Sweet Corn Milk

While we were browsing the menu, suddenly the waiter passed by carrying a big tray/pan with goodness inside it. We looked into the menu but found nothing about it. When we asked the waiter, he said it's their off the menu special Neka Big Platter consisting of butter rice, chicken chop, lamb ribs, beef ribs, lamb chop, prawn tempura, deep fried calamari, onion rings & mashed potatoes. A medley of everything. Well, almost everything. Served with homemade neka sauce. green apple kerabu & brown sauce. 

Neka Big platter

You can get more info on them by following them on their instagram nekacafe. 

Neka

Jalan SS15/8B, 47500, Subang Jaya

Naritaya at Asakusa

Hello folks.

This have been delayed for too long but now i thought of sharing it here. During my recent Japan tour, i managed to try one of the restaurant that serve halal ramen. Yes folks, halal ramen. Certified by our own government. Before this i've tried halal udon & japanese curry. Halal Ramen is something not easy to come by here in Japan as pork is one of the main element in the dish. Thank God, i managed to eat one authentic halal ramen before i left Japan. 

The restaurant located in a shopping district of Asakusa. Quite far from Ippin, another halal japanese restaurant serving ramen is located that I've tried but still within walking distance. Unlike Ippin, this restaurant is run by non-japanese workers. Indian or Bangladeshian perhaps. English is accepted so no worries on communicating. Menu mostly focus on Ramen with rice dish also included.

The menu

I was hungry on that day thanks to all those walking. So i ordered their hungry set which made of a bowl of ramen and a small bowl of rice topped with egg & chicken then veggies. 

Hungry set

To me, it was really fulfilling & fantastic. They have this chili oil for those who wanted a more spicy touch. The chicken broth was excellent. Ramen noodles wasn't soggy. The soft boiled egg is as it should be, japanese way. 

If you're craving for dessert, outside of the restaurant they sell kinda like malaysian own Gandus with custard cheese or red bean filling. Served hot. 

Naritaya

2 chome-7-13 Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo

Nasi JJ Kak Wok at TTDI Jaya

Hello folks. 

Every saturday morning, usually i have a basketball game with my friends & after that, we will have a post match lunch at Nasi JJ Kak Wok in Shah Alam. According to my friend, this is the main branch apart from other branch located in Setapak, Wangsa Maju & Damansara. The owner hailed from Kelantan when she decided to bring one of Kelantan famous food here in Klang Valley. 

Here in Nasi JJ Kak Wok, the owner keep it simple. The only food to eat here is Nasi JJ, nothing else. You have plenty choice of drinks though but nothing hipster level like drinks. So what is nasi JJ? Anything special about it? That depends on your tastebud. The dish is made of steamed rice, a scoop of ayam goreng kunyit, a scoop of thick, creamy gulai ayam & a spoon of homemade chili paste. Simple right? But their reputation are well known. Once the clock hit 12pm, expect a long line of queue for Nasi JJ. 

How they prepare Nasi JJ

To enjoy the most of this dish, you have to mix it all, in malay, just gaul it together. The gulai made of almost everything from the chicken (of course, minus the unwanted stuff). So if you're a fan of chicken feet & gizzard, you're in for a treat. The gravy was thick & creamy. Complimenting well with the chili paste which provide some heat to the dish. And this dish just cost a merely RM 5! 

Nasi JJ

I've heard, lets call it rumors that nasi jj in other branch not quite as good as the main branch. So if you're in Shah Alam, feel free to drop by.

Kedai Nasi JJ Kak Wok

Jalan Opera J U2/J, TTDI Jaya, Shah Alam

Marrigorri Boutique Cafe at Kota Bharu

Hello folks,

I've been busy lately with all these outstations & stuff so haven't got the chance to sit down in front of the pc to do some updates. But no worries, the updates will come but might be pretty slowly. Hold ya horses in the meantime. My latest outstation brings me to the east in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Rewind back to 2010, during my first ever solo backpacking trip to Melbourne, i got to know a cool malaysian couple studying there through a pal of mine. We went on a Great Ocean Road Trip together & kept in touch, via FB of course ever since. 2 months ago, they opened a cafe in their hometown called Marrigorri Boutique Cafe. He honed his skills during his time in Melbourne, cooking local delish like Char Kuey Tiow that captured hearts of the locals. Without further delay, lets get right into it. 

I didn't get the chance to ask why such name. Probably some Kelantanese dialect that i wasn't aware of. The reason it is a boutique cafe is because apart from serving food, they also selling some clothes wear imported from Melbourne. Shop & dine concept i suppose. Here, the food focus more on both local & western with a bit of fusion. 

The interior

The menu

The food mostly influenced by Aussie's cafe culture. There's only two of us but we just have to had their recommended Queen Char Kuey Teow (you have the option either wet or dry), Nasi Ayam Penyet Schnitzel Berapi, Beef Skewers & Churros (yes, it has landed in the east). Their Queen char kuey teow was quite a big portion. My friend order the gravy to be in the middle so it wasn't too soggy & runny. Just perfect. Filled with cockles & prawns. You can taste the soy sauce in it but not too overpowering. 

Queen Char Kuey Teow

Next is Nasi Ayam Penyet Schnitzel Berapi. Instead of using the usual Ayam goreng penyet, they used Deep Fried Chicken Schnitzel instead. The chili paste was indeed quite hot. Goes well with the chicken with crispy & lightly seasoned breaded. Comes with a small bowl of soup.

Nasi Ayam Penyet Schnitzel Berapi

The waiter just keep on passes by our table carrying the grills & we both know lamb chops would be very tempting but heavy for us so we opted for beef skewer instead. The meat was nicely grilled; tender & well marinated with sweet BBQ sauce. The portion wasn't that big just perfect as additional dish.

Beef Skewer

Lastly, churros. Yes folks, churros in Kelantan. Their churros was nicely crispy & dense and more importantly, not soggy. Dusted with cinnamon sugar & accompanied by a chocolate dipping sauce. Recommended. 

Churros

It was a really nice dining experience & good catching up with an old buddy. For those who wanted a change of food scenery, this is the place to go. 

Marrigorri Boutique Cafe

PT2296 Wisma Sri Suria SBJ,

Jalan Abd Kadir Adabi, 

Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Sojibou at Diver City, Tokyo

Hi folks.

I've been on a holiday to Tokyo recently. Apart from exploring the city & culture, I also explored the local food scene of course with limitation. As we all are aware, japanese cuisine are known for using pork & alcohol in most of their dishes. So finding a halal or pork free or alcohol free is vital for a muslim traveler like me. Recently Japan has started to increase their muslim friendly facilities. Prayer room & halal food production has been increase as well in preparation to welcome muslim tourist. 

I've found this restaurant by accident while finding a place to pray in Diver City. Formerly a maid cafe but replaced by a halal Japanese restaurant certified by Malaysian Islamic Association. It's like a beggar stumble on a fresh food. The restaurant is called Sojibou & located on the 6th floor. 

Their menu mostly focused on Soba dishes & some rice. They even bring in Malaysia own Brahim as part of their menu as well. 

The menu

The menu

I was so hungry that time so I have the Soba set with chicken cutlet over a rice. Kinda like Oyako don here in malaysia. It was certainly enough for sharing of two persons. The soba noodle was basic. Thin buckwheat noodle inside hot soy soup which slices spring onion. The rice with chicken was nice. Fried chicken cutlet on top of japanese rice with eggs & soy sauce. Some might find it lacking in taste but just add extra shoyu for more taste. This dishes feels healthy with less seasoning & salt. Some might like it. I know i am.

Hot soba set with oyako don.

Sojibou

6th floor, Diver City, Tokyo

Kueh at Seksyen 13

Hello folks. 

As a Shah Alam resident, I'm quite proud to see Shah Alam F&B culture are growing quite steadily. There are handful of cafe & restaurant that i have yet to discover & have to rely on word spread to discover them. Most of them are modern cafe blooming out of nowhere like mushrooms. What I've discovered recently was nothing short of amazing. Imagine this, a modern cafe themed serving only traditional malaysian food. Pretty neat huh? 

It all started when an officemate of mine checked in at this place via FB & i was starting to get curious about the name "Kueh". Then one fine day my mom bring back her leftover of lempeng that tasted so good & she said it was from "Kueh". So my curiosity got the best of me thus taking me to Kueh. It was a short distance drive like plus minus 5 minutes from where i lived. The interior is modern like cafe with some graffiti of Kueh in 4 different writings to symbolize Malaysia. 

Kinda like a hybrid cafe but the food focus mostly on malaysian food especially traditional kuih. You will find quite range of kuih from almost all around malaysia like Akok to Lepat Pisang.

Kuih counter

For those who are still alien to these kuih, no worries as Kueh have something modern in store for you. 

Cakes & Desserts 

As for the menu, it's all malaysian food. So if your tastebud leaning towards western cuisine, you might have a hard time. But for drinks, it's a mix between modern & classic beverages. Like the kuih, the food also a compilation of signature food around malaysia. 

The menu

As usual, first time being here made me wanted to try almost all but i know my limit. So for the kuih, we had puteri ayu gula melaka, akok, abok-abok, lepat pisang & pulut kelapa gula merah. We managed to finish all except we had to tapau the pulut kelapa. All kuih tasted true to the original. Their Akok a bit dense though. Probably more flour than egg but tasted still nice. Their puteri ayu gula melaka was soft & freshly baked. I like abok-abok. A sago with coconut filling infused with gula melaka syrup. Kinda like Sago gula melaka in different form and interpretation. 

From the top: Pulut, puteri ayu, akok, abok-abok & lepat pisang

For food, unfortunately their lempeng already sold out. So we had Nasi Hujan Panas, Roti Jala & Kari ayam & Laksam. 

I never had Nasi Hujan Panas before even though I've been to coast quite frequently and saw it. No i'm not sure when does it come from. The rice kinda like rainbow rice with all colors. Served with ayam masak merah, half boiled egg, a bowl of curry & acar. It was really pleasant. The rice was nicely spiced & flavorful. Ayam masak merah nicely balance between sweet, a bit of sour & spicy. The curry gravy wasn't too watery yet not too think. 

Nasi Hujan Panas

We had Laksam as well. A dish hailed from Kelantan. Made from creamy fish coconut gravy, thick flat rice noodle, beansprouts, cucumber slices & a homemade chili paste. The gravy was thick & flavorful with fish taste balanced well with the coconut milk. The chili paste provided extra spice & edge. 

Laksam

Lastly, we had their roti Jala. They served both yellow & green roti jala but i've tasted no significant difference in both roti jala. It was soft & moist. The curry gravy was similar to those served with nasi hujan panas. The chicken cooked perfectly & the meat was tender easily plucked. 

Roti Jala & Kari Ayam

Most of the food are available until dinner but the kuih sometimes might sold out by evening tea time. So get your kuih fast. 

Kueh

Jalan Renang 13/26, Seksyen 13, Shah Alam