Kong Kee Seafood Restaurant

We went looking for a place to eat Malaysia style hokkien mee and found this place.

It looks like we were in the wrong place though. Signs everywhere was promoting their deep sea giant grouper. Of course we didn't dare order that. Our pocket may not be that deep. But we cheapskeate, die die must try so we ordered the fried grouper skin. The skin comes deep fried like keropok. There is a whole lot of oats, I think, on top. Not too bad.

The waitress recommended the black chicken soup. It was served in a claypot but the waitress served up the soup in individual portion. The chicken meat and the herbs were placed separately on a plate. I believe this is the first time the kids have black chicken soup. The black chicken meat didn't look too appetizing although they were actually quite tender but the soup was good. Not too herbal and yet strong enough.

We opted for a white pepper frog leg since we had never had frog leg in this version before. We were disappointed. It was not spicy enough and not flavour full enough unlike the usual diced chilli frog leg.








And of course, we had the hokkien mee. The noodles look more like the udon style type but it was okay no complain.

Overall, the food was a tad disappointing. Maybe we went to the wrong place for the wrong type of food since their specialty was grouper and we didn't really order that. Also, it was a bit too high class for Malaysian food and the prices reflect that.

So we shall continue to hunt for a better cheaper version of Malaysia Hokkien Mee in Singapore. Any recommendations?

Makan Bali - Ayam Betutu

On the 3rd day of Bali, the guide bought us to this place where there were surprise surprise - no tourist or at least the majority of the diners were locals.

This place sells Ayam Betutu which is some thing like our beggar chicken ie the chicken have been slowly cooked for a long long time before it can be eaten. The chicken comes in different level of spiciness and we ordered the average spicy.

I don't know what went into it. It is a little like our Ayam Soto or Ginseng chicken. Very tender but extremely spicy.

Throw in the kangkong again and I finished my Avocado in double quick time.

We also  order the sate lilit.Kinda like our satay except that the meat is a mix of seafood and the skewer are not those tiny puny little sticks but some part of cane sugar. A bit dry but very fragrant.

Another item we ordered was the otak. This one killed me. It was hell of spicy but I think this was also the meal that got rid of all my ulcers.

By far the best meal and value for money meal throughout the trip. Authentic Balinese food at local prices. Definitely worth a visit.

Is she the chef?

Makan Bali - Malioboro

Before I went over to Bali, I checked the trusted Lonely Planet guidebook and the number 1 recommended food to try is Babi Guling. So naturally the first thing we did when we reached there was to ask our driver cum guide to bring us there. But of course, he didn't and instead brought us to this place.

This seems like a  tourist trap. The place was crowded wist th Chinese speaking people very obviously from Malaysia, Singapore and a splattering from China. No local! 

Anyway, we ordered the house speciality, the "soft boned" chicken or Ayam Presto Teluk. This is supposed to be so pressured cooked until it is so tender and soft that even the bones can be eaten. 

We also ordered a rather weird looking dish which looks like some sort of toufu and jelly but is actually known as tempeh or fermented soy.

We also goodnu goodnu ordered the kangkong with sambal chilli and which we discovered later is almost like what kimchi is to Korean. It is an almost must have at every meal!

And finally, I had my first of countless Avocado juice.The avocado juice here is blended differently from those back in Singapore. A whole lot of gula melaka is added to it to sweeten it and forming beautiful pattern in the process.

Was the food good? Did the driver cum guide took us for a ride?

No, the chicken was great. With a layer of egg on top and it being so so tender, I could really have eaten the bone except that there was always this fear of getting chicken bone stuck in my throat which stopped us from devouring the whole chicken.

And for those who loves spicy food, M rated the sambal kangkong as first class. The kangkong was just blanched and not overly cooked like our local version and there is a nice crunchiness to it although I must admit the sambal was a tad too spicy for it.

Our first meal and really one of the most satisfying of the whole trip.

Hongkong Soya Sauce Chicken

Out for lunch and went I couldn't get any teochew porridge after going through 3 hawker centre; sold out; closed and sold out respectively, I was left scratching my head wondering what to eat.

There was this stall which always have a long queue. It was selling soya sauce chicken, not something that I eat on a week day and certainly not for lunch but since I had nothing else to eat, decided to join the queue. The signboard said Hongkong Soya Sauce Chicken. The only other soya sauce chicken that I like used to be the Upper Cross Street Soya Sauce chicken. Was this good? Should be, judging from the queue and the adverts

The delicious chickens hanging from the display window. The chickens are braised right at the stall not delivered from some factory in Woodlands or Bedok.

Everybody was ordering half a chicken to take home. Me, I ordered a plate of noodle and ask for roast pork to be thrown in as well. To my surprise, it only cost $3.50.

But cheap price not withstanding, how does it taste? Why not find out yourself? Me? I went back on one of my off day and bought half a chicken home.

The stall is on the 2nd floor of the Chinatown Food Centre. Just walk around and look for the soya sauce chicken stall with the long long queue. 

Mama's Chicken

Passed by this new place in the afternoon and decided to go back in the evening to check it out.

With a name like Mama's Chicken, no prize for guessing what is its specialty.

The menu was a mix of local and Australian style food. There was "Ang Moh" chicken as well as local chicken all prepared in some curious mixture of fast food cum cafe style. The sign at the counter says Self Service but the waitress came to take our order and delivered all the food.

We ordered the house specialty, the Parmagiana, which is a chicken patty with cheese and tomato sauce on top served with french fries and peas. This is supposed to be the Australian influence meal although me think it is more Italian than Australian. Anyway, it didn't taste too bad and its portion was big enough.
We also ordered a grilled chicken, a bowl of Chinese Chicken Noodle, a cold pasta and a fish & chip.

The grilled chicken was liked those we get at supermarket like Carrefour. It was fairly well done and not too dry. The Chinese noodle was quite unique in that it didn't use the usual wanton mee or instant noodle but a sort of very thin crunchy noodle. So how was the food? At average price of $6.00 to $8.00, it was certainly good value for money. The portion was of decent size. The food was okay. Nothing fantastic but I had tasted worse and for the ambience and price, I really can't complain.

Too bad the place was totally empty. We were there at 7pm on a Saturday night and it was empty! Diners on East Coast Road on weekend evenings are usually jammed packed but not this one. We were the only customers throughout out time there. A lady did walked in, browse through the menu and promptly disappeared through the back door. Me think with its type of prices, it should do much better if it were in a food court instead of a shop house.

Very likely the next time I pass by the place, it will have close down.

Popeye

Surprised the family when I announced that we were going to eat fast food for dinner on Sunday evening. Had heard alot about Popeye Chicken and decided must go and try one time. Went to the outlet at T3.

The place is quite small so had to wait a while before getting a seat.

Ordered 4 pieces chicken combo which comes with 4 pieces of chicken, 2 sides and 2 drinks. For the sides, we had the whipped potatoes which a friend said was simply the best. Also had the prawn combo (they called it popcorn shrimp) and the fish.

The chicken was indeed good. Fried nicely on the outstide yet soft and moist on the inside. The prawn and fish was also nicely fried. The kids loved the whipped potatoes and I quite like the 'biscuit' which is actually fried bread. Unfortunately, the drinks had lost its frizz and tasted very flat otherwise the whole meal could have been very satisfactory although a bit sinful for the body:)