The Tan Yiek: cuisine

Legit speaking, Marta is the restaurateur of Marta's Kitchen, who originated from Spain and has deep culinary passion to make home cook recipe great again to the public. They are using quality ingredients imported from Spain for most of the dishes cook in Marta's Kitchen.

Dining space in Marta's Kitchen is beautiful to be at, especially during day time when there's natural light coming in from the window, shining upon the Moroccan tiles, elegant female Mafia, aesthetic dangling lights and such. The bar section reminds me of the Mediterranean bar by the beach with its turquoise colored bar station that blends perfectly with the light orange within the bar rack.

Started the evening with Marta's wide choice of Spanish tapas. One of the special tapa from the menu was the Fish & Chips with Squid Ink Aioli (RM 30.00). The fish meat was fresh and big, love the crisp battered that was well fried to golden perfection. Having Squid Ink Aioli at the side to enhance the taste of the fish and chip as it brings salty taste to it.

The other tapa that was on table, Pinchos Morunos (RM 20.00) that was marinated pork kebabs that uses the best mixed spices from Spain. Honestly, nothing special about the mixed spices and it did feels bland after eating the pork kebabs. It needs more seasoning.

Many reckons that the paella is a must to try when you are in a Spanish or Valencian restaurant. Here in Marta's Kitchen, the best selling menu item goes to Squid Ink Paella (RM 37.00). The dish was perfect to me as the rice was cooked to al-dente. The flavors are bold and rich. The dish stood even better when there's a dollop of cream fresh and a fresh large prawn on top.

Another dish that I highly recommend is the Juicy Iberico Pork Rib (Half Rack - RM 85.00). The juicy pork rib that is marinated with sweet & sour sauce, served with hot spicy sauce at the side as a compliment to each other. In my opinion this half rack portion also sufficient up to 4 pax.

My personal summary:

Better to make advance reservation to avoid disappointment (Crowd comes in during peak hours). Overall service is good. Certain tapas lack of seasoning, however, very subjective to individual palette. Recommended the Squid Ink Paella and Juicy Pork Rib.

Score

Price: 3.0/5

Service: 3.5/5

Ambience: 3.5/5

Food & Beverages: 3.5/5

Marta's Kitchen @ Desa Sri Hartamas

Jalan Sri Hartamas 22, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.

Daily: 11.30 AM - 11.30 PM

martaskitchen.my

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Many said the best place to have banana leaf is to visit the hot areas like Bangsar, Petaling Jaya and such. In my personal experience, I have been there done that BUT none of the restaurants are able to impress me and their price are usually slightly expensive.

If you want the best price for your meal, come and visit Puchong area. Plenty of great banana leaf restaurants scattered around the town. Allow me to introduce you to Chakra Catering Services located at Bandar Puteri Puchong. Good for banana leaf enthusiasts and good for those who seek for unique foodie experience.

The restaurant is at first floor, patrons required to take out their shoes and place at the stairs before entering the dining area.

Front door and cashier.

The dining layout may appear unique for most people. It feels like an on-going festival but some said it feels like the old childhood days when you are in a tuition center. Space inside is quite small actually, that is why the kitchen is separated, based on ground floor.

Banana leaf plating presentation.

Chakra's banana leaf (RM9.00).

Unlike any other restaurants, here comes the unique proposition offered by Chakra, their colorful banana leaf that is served with assorted vegetables, homemade watermelon yogurt (middle left), sweet-sour plum (middle right), papadam and vadai. On top of the rice that comes with the banana leaf set will be the crab masala, yogurt dhal and fish curry. Not to forget that it also comes with rasam and sweet payasam at the side. It is value for money given its food offering from the restaurant, the taste is slightly different compared to the others due to the direct imported spices. I like the homemade watermelon yogurt, it does compliment well with other side dishes and it helps to mellow down the heat from the curry.

Surra (RM 8.00)

The owner of the restaurant recommended to try the so called baby shark meat. Why not? So, I gave it a try on the baby shark meat, taste wise, it is similar or should I say that it is exactly the same like eating shredded chicken slice. Best mixed with curries.

Mutton (RM8.00)

I understand that many cant accept the gamy taste of mutton. But here in Chakra, they managed to manipulate the gamy taste away with their secret recipe, I personally guess its their spices all the way from South India. Very unique indeed, sweet and the spices masked the gamy taste of the mutton about 70-80%.

Fried Fish (RM 8.00)

I would not expect deep fried fish to be tender on the inside mainly because of the cooking method, but this piece of fish is the exact opposite. Crispy outer with tender inside. Well done chef!

In summary, one of the most unique banana leaf restaurant that you can find in Puchong. A restaurant with remarkable spices, value for money, delicious and unique dining layout! A word of advice, there will be a long queue during peak hours, sometimes the queue can be a staircase long - so be there early or later. Cash only, folks!

"Good people, good food"

Score

Price: 3.5/5

Service: 3.5/5

Ambience: 3/5

Food & Beverages: 4/5

Chakra Catering Services @ Bandar Puteri Puchong

11, Jalan Puteri 7/9, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor

Daily: 9 AM - 3 PM only.

03-8060 2991

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I was stranded in hunger, swiping my screen endlessly, looking forward to a restaurant that I can entrust my hunger satisfaction with. This is where Jyu Raku pop-up on the Google recommendation list, boasting the finest quality of their Japanese cuisine with more than 500+ positive reviews. I then navigate myself there.

Jyu Raku meaning "long life with happiness", it is a casual dining Japanese Restaurant with Japanese heritage since 2008. Serving fine exquisite Japanese cuisine, which most of their ingredients are imported & air-flown from native Japan. The restaurant prides in serving authentic Japanese cuisine with a twist of modern flair, prepared by the Master Chef from Japan.

Maguro Natto to Nagaimo (RM 20.00)

I started with this bowl of tuna that served along side with the fermented soybean and quill egg. Extremely not my cup of tea. Its very slimy and it has some sort of odd taste but providing good experience for those who are new to this. Quill egg is to increase the texture, adding body to the overall dish.

Jyuraku Roll (RM 33.00)

This is the restaurant's special, the Jyu Raku roll basically contains assorted ingredients such as salmon, unagi, baby lettuce, tempura crisp, mayonnaise and topped with fresh salmon roe and wrapped with cucumber slice. Good for those seek for more green and different mouthfeel. Combination was great but can be better in my personal opinion.

Tsubaki (RM 28.00)

6 piece of Nigiri sushi. Every fresh cut is fresh and generous in size. Straight forward and clean flavors - one word, delicious. My favorite will be the scallop sushi.

Take (RM 58.00)

Take consists of 6 pieces of Nigiri sushi, 1 piece of Gunkan and 1/2 piece of Hosomaki sushi. This order has different set of sashimi cuts compared to Tsubaki (RM 28.00). I must say that the sashimi slice is big and fresh! You can never find generous nigiri portion elsewhere!

Himi Udon Cold(RM 23.00)

One of my favorite dish. Silky smooth cold Himi Udon that is easy to slurp. Dipping sauce compliments well with the given condiments to enhance the flavor. Pretty straight-forward right?

Verdict

If you are looking for finest quality of Japanese cuisine at a very reasonable price in a casual settings, Jyu Raku at SS15 Subang Jaya will be the best choice. Not to forget that the fresh cut of every sashimi is fresh and big cut. Don't believe? Try out yourself.

Score

Price & Service: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5

Food & Beverages: 4.5/5

Jyu Raku @ SS 15 Subang Jaya

13, Jalan SS 15/5a, Ss 15, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor

Open Daily from 11AM to 10PM.

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It is hard to find quality bistro these days. BUT thankfully Chef Darren Chin decided to open his little retreat named - Bref by Darren Chin, an alternative way to enjoy his work of art in an affordable manner. Bref by Darren Chin is a contemporary Parisian Bistro that public can enjoy dining delicious meal, at a moderate priced meal.

Went there as a couple, that have my seat placed at the kitchen counter. At the kitchen counter, you will be able to experience open-kitchen concept, witnessing how the young Chef de Cuisine runs the show. The waiter will brief you on the menu and give you some recommendation!, but please be aware that the menu is seasonal and will change periodically.

2016 BK Wines “One Ball” Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, Australia (RM 42.00, by the glass)

Knowing what I will feast later on, this glass of white wine was the right decision I ever made. Vibrant and full of brightness, able to cut through extremely high fat content and cleanse my palate. Comes with a fruity sensation such as blueberry and orange, then leaving behind pepper, cloves and very obvious honey.

Food

Complimentary Antipasti - Crusty bread accompanied with Giant mammuth olives, piquillo peppers, pepperoncini & onion jam.

Loving the warm crusty bread. The mix giant mammuth olives, piquillo peppers pepperoncini and onion jam was outstanding.

[Antipasti] - Torchon of foie gras fait a la maison (RM 55.00)

Two pieces of round seasoned foie gras accompanied with Chiang Mai's wild flower honeycomb at the side. The fattiness of the foie gras blends well with the authentic honeycomb from Northern Thai, gives a creamy nutty sensation on the tongue. Sadly, not my type of dish. Anyway, good experience thou.

/pro-tip: looking for combo with this dish? order a glass of champagne of any kind OR sweet wine of any kind. For cleansing palate wise, you may ordered like what i did above or you may ask the server to recommend you a few wine with high acidity characteristics/

[Pasta]- DC's Signature (RM 75.00)

Prior to my experience in Bref, was wondering what's the hype with this dish that the netizen had been raving about? Surprisingly, this is the best dish I ever had in my life. A plate with cold somen, covered with aged ponzu, topped with Hokkaido bafun uni and roasted celeriac. Great texture within the somen, the aged ponzu blends well with the noodle. What more when there's exquisite ingredients on top of the cold somen. Portion of the noodle was on-point. Very satisfying.

[Main]- Australian grass-fed rib eye steak au poivre (280-300gms) (RM 120.00)

An Australian grass-fed rib eye steak with roasted celeriac cream, buttered kale. To me, this dish is just "so-so", no Wow factor. Maybe an aged Wagyu can impress me. The size is just right for two pax, but if you are a bodybuilder, the portion is awesome for your gains.

[Pasta]- Spaghettini with fresh red prawns from Kuala Selangor (RM 58.00)

"The simplest meal is the hardest to cook" - Ah Xian (2018), during his interview with Chef Darren Chin, got me curious and wondered why would Ah Xian said so? It is true, a simple pasta dish like this may look so simple but when it comes to preparation, it is another story. Thus, this pasta is pack with great taste and aroma. Pasta texture was on al-dente, the tomato passata taste great with seafood broth mixed in. Simply delicious.

Dessert

Chocolate (RM 35.00)

Have you tried tasting local cacao? It is as good as imported cacao. The 60% & 70% cacao was used in Chef Han's Chocolate Royale, planted and grown by the Semai hill-tribes in Sinderut, Pahang. Garnished with boozy macerated cherries, dark chocolate creme and chocolate crisps. Taste delicious, minimal sweetness and leaving behind pleasant creamy mouthfeel.

Seasonal fruit (RM 35.00)

A dessert for those with over-filled tummy, something light and refreshing, may opt for this.

This bowl of dessert filled with poached fresh peaches, dollop of Duo of Mara de bois strawberry & Philly cheese ice-cream, topped with muesli crumble.

Verdict

If you are looking for good contemporary European meal with Asian twist, enjoying meals in a big group - this is the place to be. Good food, good wine.

Score

Price & Service: 4/5
Ambience: 3.5/5

Food & Beverages: 4/5

Bref by Darren Chin
26, Ground Floor, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Mon - Sat: 6pm till late
Closed on Sunday

Facebook: Bref by Darren Chin

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The last time I ate pork was months ago and it was called Bak kut teh (meat bone tea), most classic and prominent dish derived from Hokkien or Teochew clan. Bak kut teh is a meat dish cooked in broth popularly served around Malaysia or Singapore. However, this time I had decided to pay The Hungry Hog a visit because they are serving pork too!

Pork burger, ribs, pork chops, hommade sausages, asian staple with pork... You name it! - The Hungry Hog has it all ready!

In the inside, the decorations, furniture, plateware, cutleries and menu book are pretty simple, straightforward and neat. The lighting rather subtle to emit a comfortable, not-so-flashy rays, so that others can enjoy their palatable dinner here in The Hungry Hog. Hungry Hog can cater up to the maximum of 25-40 pax easily without any delay and I like the speed of the service that they are providing, flawless.

Here's The Hungry Hog Menu.

a) Hog House Special (RM 21.90)

Going green? Here's the Hog House Special contains romaine lettuce, ham, bacon, eggs, cubes of avocado, french beans and cherry tomatoes that dressed with balsamic vinegar. Nothing special to brag about this green...

b) Huevos Rancheros (RM 18.90)

This one is unique because its half health-conscious and another half towards sin. Huevos Rancheros served with pulled pork meat, tortillas, salsa, sunny-side up eggs and avocados slices. Grab the tortilla and fill em'!

c) Bangers & Mash (RM 19.90 because with mix)

Bangers & Mash appears to be one of the most ordered dish throughout their entire service. The dish, no doubt, absolutely vibrant and it almost seems like a German dish to me. Anyway, Bangers & Mash served with homemade pork sausages and mash potato dressed with onion gravy along side with green salad. Must order!

d) Phad Khrapao Muu (RM 14.90)

Tired of eating pasta in Western-style? Here in The Hungry Hog, they offered spaghetti in Asian variation. A plate of al dente spaghetti served with Thai-style spicy minced pork meat and topped with a perfect sunny-side up egg :) Awesome.

e) The HogFather (RM 98.90)

Meet the sinful HogFather whereby a plate is covered with assorted parts of the pork. This plate contains pork chops, pork patties, pork meatballs, pork ribs, homemade pork sausages, siew yuk (roasted pork meat in Chinese term) and pork bacon strips! A plate that can feed up to 3 pax.

f) Bacon Gelato (RM 9.90)

Bacon Gelato??!! YES! You heard it right, its a vanilla-flavored gelato ice cream with real bacon bits inside! The top was dressed with maple syrup as a compliment to the gelato and bacon bits.

Conclusion
If you are looking for a restaurant that serves pork, The Hungry Hog is the place to have it as they serve quite number of delicious pork meals at an affordable rate! Before I forget, be there early or make an early RSVP to avoid any disappointment, and also they accept cash term only!

.
The Hungry Hog (Same row as Oregi)
Address: 61, JALAN SS15/4B, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Hours:
Closed on Monday
Tuesday - Thursday: 11 am to 10 pm
Friday - Saturday: 11 am to 11 pm

Hog's Page: http://www.hog.my/

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Maguro Natto to Nagaimo (RM 20.00)

Jyuraku Roll (RM 33.00)

Tsubaki (RM 28.00)

Himi Udon Cold(RM 23.00)

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