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.

Flowers for Mothers

Mother's Day was fast approaching and my boys had been asking me what I would get for Puan Anita. Well, she is their mother, so the idea must come from them. Still no news.

The Bukit Bintang entrance at Pavilion though had some really nice fake tulips on display. Not sure if they were a start for something more spectacular. Would have to wait and watch. Could do with many more of them ....

Mother's Days

Noticed the plural at the title. I'm blessed to have both set of parents still around, and for the weekend, that meant a couple of dinners. Friday, I took my Mum to Rebung in Bangsar. My Mum prefer Malay food. And earlier tonight - Saturday - we went to Corus Hotel. My Mum-in-law preferred Chinese food.

On both nights, we were caught in the rain. And the traffic was pretty bad as well.

The dinner at Rebung was nice, and the surprise was it was quite empty on the evening we went. As a result, the service was great. Food was pretty consistent as expected. Nothing special.

The dinner at Corus however was not that great. Not what I would call value for money. Luckily I wasn't the one picking up the tab. My brother-in-law did the honour.

Mother's Day Part II

My Mum prefer a traditional Malaysia restaurant. And her favourite had always been Rebung, an outlet ran by a local celebrity chef, Chef Ismail. The last we went there was about three months ago, and the quality of the food there had always been consistent. We sort of like knew what we were in for every time we called in.

Since it was Mother's Day weekend and all, I decides to book the table. It turned out that there were plenty of space available, although we managed to get a spot indoors.

Always disconcerting when the chef at the restaurant took to the karaoke ..... and that was what happenedThe food was good as expected, and all my favourite was there. Satay, asam laksa and daging salai. Those kept me happy.

But the highlight of the might was definitely Chef Ismail's singing. He was on the karaoke for quite a while. Yes, he was actually at the premise, and greeted us at the table, which made my Mum's day.

It was a good evening, certainly better food wise compared to the evening before at Makan Kitchen. And it cost less as well.

I must say, I was impressed at the consistency of the dishes there. For the last few years that we've been frequenting the restaurant, the food had been good. We always found something to keep us happy. But the parking there still needed sorting out. It was painful trying to get a space even though the place was only half full.

Anita, my Mum and my sister, JuliaI also noticed that the restaurant had expended to the bungalow next door. But it was outdoors and was rather too warm for out liking. We still preferred the space indoor.

Just by sheer consistency, the restaurant still retained my recommendation.

Mother's Day Part I

Round One of our Mother's Day weekend dinner was at Makan Kitchen, Double Tree in KL. It used to be one of Anita's favourite but after tonight's affair, I don't think that she was in any hurry to return. It was, to put it mildly, disappointing.

The spread was poor, with only limited local selection. The main bulk happened to be Indian, and it was not great. I'm a fan of Indian food, but this was worst than the Mamak stalls. In fact, it was an insult to compare this to my local mamak. It was really bad. The rice was overcooked, while the naan was the opposite. The daal and curry was too plain - it seemed that they left the spices in the cupboard.

The only highlight was the satay. It was as tasty as I remembered it here and the peanut sauce that came with it was top notch. The kebab was not too bad either.

There was no salad, and there was no Japanese item on the spread. The dessert was also left wanting. There was only 3 dishes to go with rice if you wanted to go for the Malay selection. As for Chinese, the less mentioned the better.

Apparently they had a new chef just appointed to the outlet. A gregarious American gentleman called Adam who went from one table to another introducing himself. He only started there three weeks ago, previously stationed in China from what I heard. He certainly had his job cut out to sort out this shamble. And good luck to him.

So, for the next few months, I'll pass on coming back here.