KL Sedap 2014 Part 3: Mohd Yaseen Nasi Kandar Pulau Pinang

So my family has actually been visiting this same Nasi Kandar joint since Mein Bruder and I were just kids. We used to drive up to KL a lot for holiday and this was always the first stop. It's either we'd drive there straight after arriving in KL which would normally be close to lunchtime and we'd park and makan there or at most we'd pack a few and eat at the hotel.

Yeah we know there're so many Nasi Kandar places in KL right? Guess there's just something special about this one...

They've got quite an array of dishes for you to choose from. Granted that most of them are variants of the same thing (e.g. chicken or prawns cooked in 3 different ways) but you're still going to be hard pressed for choice let me tell you that.

And this place is old school so the rundown is really simple.
You join the queue and when you reach the counter, there'll be a guy ready with a plate of rice. You then proceed to tell him what you'd like piled on your plate and he obliges.

And when you're done, that's when the magic begins!
The guy will then proceed to finish off your plate with a little bit of every type of gravy there is there.
A little bit of this and little bit of that. What you end up with is a plate of yum!

Not sure what I mean? Check this out!


And that's considered not much okay! I've seen guys literally scoop out a little gravy from as many as 10 dishes onto a plate!! Well, suffice it to say that you'll have a very flavourful meal!

But what exactly can you choose from?

So you'll see this giant price list on the wall but not all the items will be available at one time of course. But rest assured you'll have quite a few to choose from. Let me give you a better idea of what you might consider getting.

I know this is not the best picture I could have snapped but hey I was impeded by the glass!
Anyways, this is a chicken dish. In fact, this is the #1 chicken dish here! I'm guessing this is listed as Ayam Kicap on that pricelist but it's far from just being your average Ayam Kicap trust me.

Pretty much everyone gets it because this is the bomb and they wheel this dish out by the bucket (literally) because it's such a sell-out item that goes really fast! It's got a very distinct taste which is really something that makes you wanna have more and more.

They've also got other types of chicken such as Honey Chicken and Masala Chicken but trust me and try this first okay.

Other big ticket items are the seafood dishes and it's not a guarantee they'll be out because I guess it depends on what they can get at the market too.

Crabs are a rarity and the prawns are always a big draw. But the Fish Roe is always the bomb am I right? But don't have too much okay leave some for the others LOL

So this is what our plates looked like.

The plate on top is mine and costs about RM13 somehow. Well, I wasn't counting because this was really a great plate of makan. I always have a little extra Salted Egg on there!!

They also have a few vegetable dishes for you to choose from but I always garnish with a simple serving of ladyfingers and also they have this cucumber/pineapple pickle thing.
Sometimes, simple is best!

My Darling Wife's plate costs a bit more because of the prawns and the fish roe so it;s about RM20. She opted for the Masala Chicken by the way which had a bit of a spicy kick.

And you can wash everything down with some Ais Limau!! Refreshing!

Adam's Verdict:
Nasi Kandar 4.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Nasi Kandar 4/5

The only other Nasi Kandar joint we've tried was Nasi Kandar Pelita.
Yeah it was not bad but I guess maybe because we've been going for so long so it's might be a habit. But there's no doubting the Nasi Kandar here is power.

My Dad has been to Penang and tried the 'original' Nasi Kandar there and he tells me it's really quite different from the Nasi Kandar we get in KL. Well, the original may be different but I think I might still prefer this version instead. :)

PS the newly renovated sign outside the shop reads MOHD YASEEM for some reason...
Maybe a typo?? LOL well look for the old school sign in the shop or just look for the queue.

Mohd Yaseen Nasi Kandar Pulau Pinang

351 Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Operating Hours: 24hrs Daily
Closed between 1-2pm on Fridays

The Manhattan FISH MARKET: New and Bolder!

I'm sure you have all seen the teasers we have been leaving for you on our Facebook and Instagram pages right? Well, they have all been leading up to this!!

The Manhattan FISH MARKET launches 43 New and Bolder Sea-lections (see what they did there?) which means more tasty makan for us and a wider selection to choose from so that everyone can find something they'll like!

Yes. You read right. That's 43! FOUR-THREE!! Power right!!
The Halal Food Blog Team was honoured to be invited to take a sneak peak at the goodies that are in store for us! Let's take a look at some of them!!

Oyster Roulette ($7.95)

Image courtesy of The Manhattan FISH MARKET

In the appetizers department, all your oyster lovers are in for a treat!
They have a new appetizer called Oyster Roulette and the concept is interesting!

You guys know about Roulette right? Where it's a game of chance to see who's the 'lucky' one?
Well, you're served with 4 poached oyster shooters in a bed of ice. These poached oysters are bathing in a spicy chilli concoction. The catch - 3 of them are mild but 1 of them is the super spicy one!

Besides a great idea to spice up your dining experience with friends and family, the oysters are amazingly fresh too and the chilli 'sambal' here is pretty tasty too!

But for all you 'hantu chilli', not to worry. You can ask them to make all 4 the spicy type if you'd like or vice-versa if you don't feel like burning your mouth off. LOL

Onion Glory ($7.95)

One of my personal favourites of all the dished we tried that evening was something they called 'Onion Glory'. Seriously so good!

It's a big onion which has been individually peeled off slice by slice and then coated in a special crispy batter and then it achieves full deep-fried glory!

The outer coating is super crispy and tasty with some special seasoning! Maybe it's just me but I'm a sucker for this kind of thing but I'm sure all you onion lovers are gonna love this too. And don't worry about having 'onion breath' later this is a good quality white onion so you can enjoy the flavour without too much problems later on!

It's served with kind of like a ranch dip which goes perfectly with the deep-fried onion slices!
I could honestly finish off a serving all to myself!

Ocean Gems ($5.95)

If you're the type that likes to start with a salad before the big dishes arrive, then maybe you'll like the Ocean Gems which gives you a salad with a little bit of extra bite to get your meal started.

Nice crisp lettuce, cucumber, carrots, bell peppers and this is all mixed in with some prawns and also some plump and juicy scallops! The seasoning is on the tangy side which gets your tastebuds up and going and the fresh seafood give you a nice texture with the fresh veggies.

Okay? Ready for the mains? Here we go!

Curry Hill Seafood ($16.95)

So this is a curry dish inspired by Murray Hill (in Manhattan, New York) which apparently is the place to go to for Indian cuisine in that area.

You've got a slipper lobster, some fish slices and also some succulent mussels all cooked together in a curry which is sure to get some of you going for more and more. The curry is expectedly a fish curry since it IS a seafood dish and it has quite a zing to it too!

Oh they also have a Tiger Prawn version ($14.95) if you're a prawn person!

Served with some battered vegetable (kinda like a tempura style) and also some baguette for you to soak up all that curry!!

Ocean Perfect Perch ($15.95)

All you Sambal Fish lovers (like me) are gonna jump for joy with this dish.
One of the dishes I absolutely LOVE to order when I visit The Manhattan FISH MARKET is the Crispy Whole Barramundi which is a whole fish deep-fried and smothered with fiery spicy sambal.

Well, if you're not into digging into your fish and dodging the bones and such, this is a perfect choice for you because the Perch is already filleted and just just have to enjoy!

Served with some rice and some veggies to give you a perfect plate or rather a Perfect Perch!
PS yes the sambal has a spicy kick to it!!

Fishy Chicky Bang Bang ($13.95)

Okay now let me tell you about Fishy Chicky Bang Bang (which also happens to be my fave dish that evening by the way).

So after hearing the name, you're probably thinking "Is it Fish or is is Chicken?" and when I tell you it's actually BOTH FISH AND CHICKEN you're gonna go "No lah cannot be!!" right right?

Top layer Chicken, Bottom Layer Fish

So the top layer is actually a fried chicken fillet which was sheer perfection I tell you. The batter was crispy just the way we like it and the chicken meat so succulent! The bottom layer is dory fillet and these two are joined together in holy gastronomy by melted Cheddar cheese!!

Now if that doesn't get you I don't know what will because this was THE BOMB!!

And as if I wasn't impressed enough, they added this beautiful sunny side up egg resting in a nest of fried spaghetti! Talk about showing off some skill!

The final main we have here features one of the signature trademarks of The Manhattan FISH MARKET and I'm taking about something that's sure to 'light' things up geddit geddit?
(Yeah I know I know enough of the lame jokes right? Okay let's go!)

Flaming Cheesy Baked Rice ($15.95)

All you baked rice lovers are gonna have a field day with this one.
Imagine a fresh Dory fillet that rests atop a bed of herb rice. And then imagine some cheese added to the mix there. And then we torch the bugger!!

The result is fantastic!! (Or as they say in these parts - FIN-tastic!)

Dig into a great steaming dish of deliciousness. Great flavours and you're gonna love this if you love cheese. And we can see it takes great skill to handle that torch okay one wrong move and it's toast but they obviously have the professionals over here because this was perfect!

So right about now you're probably thinking about dessert am I right?

Strawberry Flamin-go ($4.95)

Here's a dessert they actually use the torch on (for the marshmallows on top!)
You've got a chocolate sauce right at the bottom which you have to dig through some mango pudding for. You've got some fresh mangoes and strawberries in there too!

And of course, finish off with some marshmallows for a sweet finish!
And at that super price, this is a steal!!

Super Fruit Crumble ($4.95)

I actually quite preferred this one. Maybe I'm a sucker for ice-cream!

This is, to put it simply, an Apple Pie in a glass!
It's got the yummy crumble right at the bottom which like the apple pie crust and then you've got tasty apple sauce (with apples) all topped off with some cool Vanilla ice-cream.

Don't even let me start on how tasty this was. Apple pie and Vanilla ice-cream is one of the best combos ever and now you can have it all in this nifty little glass!

Lemongrass Cooler ($6.00)

I love Lemongrass aka Serai and absolutely don't mind it in a drink at all.
This is a refreshing beverage that gives you the great flavour of lemongrass infused with lychee, Camomile tea and even some Aloe vera in there too.

Super refreshing and a great beverage to go along with the food you're gonna enjoy.

To be honest, I had a hard time choosing which drink I was gonna have but this one won! In a close 2nd place was the delicious-sounding 'Melon Breeze' which is a strawberry, watermelon and lemon mocktail! Sounds good right?

Well, besides the dishes we have covered here, there are also some other items on the menu that are definitely interesting and tasty enough to have a mention.

Icy Hot Fish Bananas ($7.95)

You wanna talk interesting then you've gotta mention the Icy Hot Fish Bananas.
Oh yeah it's bananas coated with fish paste  and deep fried to perfection. Top that off with some Vanilla ice-cream and strawberries!

Definitely one that we're gonna try when we head back to The Manhattan FISH MARKET soon!

Volcano Island ($40.95)

We know how much you guys love your platters and here's one to reckon with!

The Volcano Island includes a serving of Curry Hill Seafood (choose from Slipper Lobster or Tiger Prawns), fried scallops, spicy poached Dory nuggets and Volcano Mussles served with Garlic Herb Rice and also some baguette too!

Great for sharing1 Especially if you were planning on trying the Curry Hill Seafood so now there's something for everyone at great value too!

Well, not only have they updated their menu, The Manhattan FISH MARKET has in fact added 43 new dishes to their menu which mean 43 new flavours for you to check out. We've only covered a few here and we're already counting the days til we visit again!

The new menu launches TODAY 12 November 2014 so makes plans and head down to The Manhattan FISH MARKET ASAP to enjoy their new delectable offerings!

A special shout-out to new friends we met while dining at !The Manhattan FISH MARKET!!
Big up to Swee Geok from Make Your Calories Count and Meiling from Universal Scribbles! Check out their blogs by clicking on their names there okay!!

The Manhattan FISH MARKET

16 outlets islandwide
www.manhattanfishmarket.com

Operating Hours:
Varies with different outlets

Pizza Hut - Squid Ink Linguine & Traditional Bolognaise

Yeah okay we know. Kinda unexpected to suddenly post about Pizza Hut when it's not a special item like the last time we posted on their special Hand-stretched Signature Series.

But hey. We passed by a Pizza Hut and ate there so we figured we'd post it.
After all, we love to eat right?

Squid Ink Lunguine ($15.50)

Okay I have to be perfectly honest and say this is not what I was expecting at all.
When I see pictures of Squid Ink pasta dishes, the squid ink is normally incorporated into the pasta during the actual making of the pasts which results in a black-coloured noodle.

I had no idea that sometimes, the squid ink was made into the sauce!
It was so unbelievable to me that I had to ask a few 'experts' who worked in restaurants that served Squid Ink pasta to confirm it. Yeah I know I'm a jakun. Anyways I'm not sure why I was making such a big deal about it since it was Mein Bruder who ordered it.

The sauce was very 'lemak' because of the cream but kinda lacked any seasoning. Maybe a little bit more could have been added to the sauce to give it some taste instead of just relying on the black squid ink.

There were some prawns and slices of squid to go along to for an extra bite by the way.
And a word of advice - the stuff stains your mouth and teeth so be sure to wipe to avoid any possible embarassment!

When they say Black Squid Ink, they mean BLACK Squid Ink!!

Traditional Bolognaise ($11.50)

I went for a safer bet and had the Traditional Bolognaise (said in my best Italiano accent).
Yeah I know. Kinda boring right? But I guess I just felt like going the traditional route for lunch.

The Bolognaise was pretty standard and it comes with 3 (kinda small) beef meatballs.
Serving was just nice for 1 and made for a pretty hearty meal. Meatballs were nice too and reminded me of the meatballs at Swensen's but without the black pepper kick.

Adam's Verdict:
Traditional Bolognaise 3/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Squid Ink Linguine  3/5

All in all a pretty standard set at Pizza Hut. I guess technically it's still fast food right?
A great tip is to go during lunch so you can have the Lunch Set Meals.

The cost between $9.90 and $13.90 (depending on your choice of dish) and comes with soup and a drink too! Well worth it! And for the record, the Traditional Bolognaise was part of the $9.90 set and the Squid Ink Linguine was part of the $13.92 set.

Pizza Hut

26 Restaurants Island-wide

Delivery Hotline: 62353535
www.pizzahut.com.sg

Penang Culture

Advertorial

My darling wife had gone to this makan place with her friends during the recent Ramadhan. I hadn't heard much about Penang Culture before that. Many months later, we finally got the chance to visit and tuck in to some Penang-style cuisine.

The first thing that surprised us after browsing through the menu was that they offered not only Penang favourites but even some other dishes that you might enjoy as well.

Penang Hokkien Prawn Noodles ($7.65)

First thing on our list was the Penang Hokkien Prawn Noodles.
We did some research on foods that everyone should try in Penang and this was definitely on those lists!

When someone says Hokkien Mee in Singapore, the first thing that comes to mind is the Fried Hokkien Mee aka Rochor Mee which is the half-beehoon-half-yellow noodles dish with loads of prawns fried up in prawn stock. But when someone mentions Penang Hokkien Mee, we are talking a nice big bowl of soupy goodness.

The first thing we tried was the stock which was full of flavour!
We were told that the stock was made with prawns and chicken which is what gives it such a rich and flavourful oomph and I could not help but keep gulping it down.

You will also get bee hoon and yellow noodles  so you can decide which you prefer.
But it's topped off with fish cake, chicken, boiled egg and 2 big prawns for you to enjoy!

Here's a tip - mix in the spoonful of chilli sambal to give your dish an even more spicy kick!

Penang Assam Laksa ($6.95)

Here's another Penang must-try!

We've had Assam Laksa before but this was a whole different story.
The spicy-sour fish broth was really the bomb. I thought I had found treasure with the Hokkien Prawn Noodles broth but for those of you going for a more tangy flavour - this is for you!

And the best thing is that it was not overly sour that you get tired of the taste after a few spoonfuls.
This was a very flavourful broth and boy was I hooked!

And here's a special touch that I never expected.
You see that spoon with the black liquid? It's Petis Udang (Fermented Prawn Paste)!!
Totally unexpected and added such a big difference to the dish!

If the broth was not enough to convince you that this was authentic Penang fare, check out the noodles.
These are not the regular thin Laksa noodles you'd normally get. These are thicker (very similar to Laksa Cap) and give you a great bite.

Pile on some noodles, sardines and yummy broth and take a big delicious SLURP!!

Penang Fried Koay Teow ($7.95)

Here's the dish that so many people were telling us to try should we visit Penang Culture.
One of the dishes that comes to mind when someone says Penang is undoubtedly Penang Char Koay Teow.

Don't be confused with the Singapore version which has loads of sweet sauce in it.
None of that here but definitely lots of chilli! Don't worry it's not going to burn your mouth off but if you're the type that likes your kway teow to have the full flavour of noodles and spiciness of chilli, this is for you!

Finish it off with some greens, beansprouts, eggs and of course - cockles!
A Penang hawker favourite available right here!

BBQ Seafood Platter for 2 ($17.95)

If you're looking for something to share, consider this a good choice of BBQ goodies so you can sample a number of things at once. It's also good for you to whet your appetite while waiting for your main course!

You get a nice mix of BBQ prawns, Satay and BBQ squid.
In fact, it's even enough to share between 3-4 people!

The prawns were great and I love it when they make it easy to eat. No messy peeling!
And the sambal was good too! Similar to the BBQ seafood type of sambal you get and this one was a little sweet but definitely spicy!

And I didn't get a chance to snap a picture of the squid but it was tender and not at all rubbery!

For all you Satay lovers, you'll probably enjoy the Satay here. The meat was tender and the satay sauce was good. Plenty of cucumber and onions for you to chomp down on but you might wanna ask for more sauce.
And I know you'll probably say that if wanna east Satay then might as well go somewhere that specializes in Satay but if you're at Penang Culture, the Satay is still something you might want to try if you're there.

Pink Guava Juice & Ampla Juice ($4.55 each)

They've actually got quite a selection of drinks at Penang Culture for to wash down all the yummy makan.

One of the more unique ones (and one I've never tried before today) was the Ampla Juice.
The Ampla fruit is also known by another name, Buah Long-Long, and is apparently a very healthy choice.
It has a distinct veggie taste but also have a very nice tang to it. Definitely gets the appetite going and is refreshing enough to cool your mouth down with all the spicy food.

They also have Pink Guava, Rambutan Juice and even Nutmeg Juice!!

King Of Cendol ($6.95)

JENG JENG JENG!!!

The King Of Cendol is the perfect dessert for you Durian Lovers.
Cendol, sweet red beans and coconut milk topped off with shaved iced, gula melaka and fresh durian!!

The cendol was soft and the red beans were nice and sweet. And the fresh durian was definitely the highlight!
Definitely a nice and sweet end to a very very satisfying Penang-style meal!

They also have other sweet treats for you including Ice Kachang and Bubor Hitam!
And for those of you who do not fancy durian, don't worry! All the desserts have a version which does not have durian so you have a choice too!!

What we had tonight was just the tip of the iceberg apparently.
So many more dishes to try including Penang Belacan Fried Rice, Penang Hokkien Crab Noodles and even Assam Curry Fish Head!!

This is a great place for a quiet meal for 2 or even for a family feast.
They even have special Kids' Meals!

And in case I haven't mentioned, the head chef in-charge of all the dishes used to be a hawker/chef from Gurney Drive in Penang so he must definitely know what he's doing right! I've never been to Penang but I think I've got a great idea on how delicious the food is!

Penang Culture

Changi Airport Terminal 2 Departure
Viewing Mall Level 3
#036-087-01

Tel: 6546 7793
www.penangculture.com.sg

Operating Hours: 10.30am til 10.00pm Daily
Last order at 9.30pm