Lunch at Katie's Stove

My Dad wanted to have a steak but unfortunately when we got to the door of Victoria Station this afternoon, the place did not have electricity and was not able to take in customers. We ended looking elsewhere when Anita came to the idea of going to another restaurant just a block away - and with electricity.

She planned to have her school reunion later in the week there and we decided to go and visit.

The entranceYou can also sit at patioDream. Believe. Smile.Today's specialThe place was called Katie's Stove, but despite the name, they mainly do local Malay and Johore dishes. Good decision as it turned out in the end as it soon started raining.

The place was an old converted colonial house which was recently renovated. Rather bare and basic to be honest but it served its purpose. The menu was also pretty basic. There was a set of menu for the day - which both my parents went for - which basically was rice, fish and vegetables with drinks. I had nasi goreng kampung and Anita had laksa johor.

Cosy chairsThe inner sectionCooling drink

In the end, the meal was alright. The price was quite reasonable as well and the venue I must saw was not the most strategic.

Definitely worth another go, as Anita said the laksa johor was rather good. Fast service and maybe suitable for those quick lunch getaways.

Subak

It was a rather unusual name. I was sure there was a meaning behind it. Something profound!

That happened to be the name of the restaurant we tried last weekend for Mother's Day dinner. Located at Bukit Lanjan, it was certainly secluded although only 5 minutes away from the Curve and TTDI. The concept? Pretty much Malay traditional, but the food certainly wasn't. It was fusion, ranging from tom yam to wagyu steak. The only thing missing was sushi!

And the food was gorgeous. And the ambiance was certainly romantic, something I wouldn't mind taking Puan Anita for a date to.

Idlan having a feel of the ambianceThat's one big shell!That lead to the washroomThe buffet area was closed that nightThe dinner on Saturday evening was for my Mum, and my sister Julia and her family was there as well. We arrived there first, so Idlan and I went about exploring the restaurant while waiting for Julia to turn up. The layout was a plot of land on top of a hill, with the central area being open with a small water feature. The area in the outside were for big groups, while more private seatings for couples were scattered across the water feature, with the tables decorated with fresh flowers and lit with candles, to the sound of flowing water.

There was also area a separate area for parties. That evening there was a small wedding reception going on.

The path leading up to the restaurant looked rather slipperyThe children talking about games ....While the parents having a look at the boutique That's a nice touchI had a spare rib, Idlan had nachos, Anita had soto, while my Mum had some rice. My Dad went for steak. The food actually arrived in good time, and they were very well-presented and was very well-prepared. My rib was a bit too raw for my liking, but the soto and rice was delicious. All the food was prepared a la carte although there was a buffet area, which was closed that evening. The owner mentioned that there would be buffet during Ramadan.

We had a great time. The host came over to our table to greet us. There was also a small boutique owned by the owner's niece at the reception which Anita had a look at.

A wedding reception going on at one endAlmost doneThey travelled quite a bitLocated at the top of a hill meant that it took a bit of a climb to get up, which may be tricky if you have a bad knee. It may also be slippery when wet. The parking was also hap hazard by the roadside, and since the area was located in the middle of nowhere, security may also be an issue. Better be careful where you park!

I would highly recommend this restaurant for its food and ambiance. The price was also quite reasonable. More information about the restaurant is available here.

Wondering about Wondermama

I've been hearing about Wondermama for quite some time. Anita been there on a few occasions and enjoyed the food. So, after my haircut this afternoon at Avenue K, I stepped into one for a spot of late lunch.

The setting was local, with the theme being old kopitiam. There were nice touches such as big mugs and some old paintings on the walls.

Those now-famous window panesThese games really brought out old memoriesWhat caught my eye on terms of the decorations were this old games we used to play when I was a boy. It was before the days of scratch cards. You pay a few sens to draw a lot from the game which when you open would reveal a number. You then match that number to see if you won something. Something similar to a lucky draw. The thrill of winning was always there although deep down you'd know that the house would always win and make a profit. A mini gambling scheme. Not sure if it was still legal now though.

And then came the food. They were actually rather good. I ordered maggi mee complete with seafood. Idlan had some nachos with minced meet. Anita had some salad while Irfan enjoyed some pasta. As you could see, the food were fusion.

Time to orderIrfan with his three-layered drinksMy seafood maggi mee gorengI ordered plum - asam boi - and lemonade for drinks and it was ace. The iced Milo also came in big mugs, and tasted home made.

I would definitely come again although the nearest branch to my place would be in Bangsar Village. The price were reasonable too, very clean and the staffs were very attentive. At least to us...

Not Much of a Delight

Last Thursday, Anita followed her Dad who came to my clinic for a quick work-up after he had not been feeling well back in Kelantan. We did some blood tests and scans, and by the time we reached lunch and everything was done, I was peckish. Anita had been keen to go to Kelantan Delight for ages now. So, we had our chance today. It was in Subang Jaya after all, right next to Empire Gallery, but parking was tricky since the MRT work was going on right in front.

The place was actually pretty empty for lunch. Only five tables were occupied, but I soon found the reason why. The service was atrocious!

The food was actually rather good. Unfortunately they claimed to be suffering from a serious case of staff shortage. There was only a couple of waiters on duty, and they had to help the cook as well.

This was a shame since the place was usually quite good, with decent food and reasonable service.

Not rushing there any time soon ….

Tasik Raban

For lunch, my father-in-law wanted some local Malay cooking. Tempoyak, ikan patin and all. On the last few occasions we were back in Kuala Kangsar, we went to Tasik Raban for his fix.

It was a local Malay Food restaurant located about 30 minutes out of Kuala Kangsar. The main draw there was the fish. They have the best, fresh local catch. Located on the main road to Gerik, it was popular among the motorcycle riders making the journey to the East Coast.

Place was still emptyLooks fresh, but not my kind of fish ...Ulam of courseAnd the grillTime to head homeOn a Monday afternoon such as today, there were hardly any customers and we were able to pick and choose the fish we wanted from the grill. Anita loved the food more than I did - I was more of a sea water seafood guy rather than a fresh water fish fan. And, I was definitely not a fan of tempoyak.