Pho Bo @ Pho Gia Truyen, Hanoi

They say if there is a large crowd, the food there must be very delicious.  For Pho Gia Truyen @ Bat Dan Street, Hanoi, this is definitely the case.  Popular among both locals and tourists, this is one pho place you must not miss if you are in the Old Quarters.

Pho, a popular Vietnamese breakfast, is thin rice noodles served in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef.

Pho in different regions are prepared differently - the taste and presentation is heavily influenced by the richness of the local agricultural and economy.  The southern pho is usually more complex as more ingredients are used while the northern pho, on the other hand, uses less ingredients and is more simple, served without beansprouts and herbs.

Here at Pho Gia Truyen, the northern-style pho is sold.  There are three types of pho to choose from:

1. Tai Nam:  Rare flank steak (45,000 VND)
2. Tai:  Rare steak  (40,000 VND)
3. Chin:  Well-done brisket (35,000 VND)

For the sake of lowering the chances of food poisoning (that means rare is out of the question), we opt for the pho chin.

The soup was "Wow!" - fantastic.  Do not be fool by the clearness of the soup because it is packed with a lot of flavours and spices, making it very fragrant and sweet.  Imagine how many beef bones they have used in making this flavourful broth.  It was so wholesome so much so that you will feel as though the adrenaline is pumping fast into your bloodstream.  No wonder even the Vietnamese are willing to queue up for a bowl of pho here.

One thing I like about their soup is that it does not have the strong beefy smell, that sometimes can be a little unpleasant.  It was so good that I finished every single drop of it.  In a way, it did tasted like keoy teow soup, except that the flavour is more intense and less oily.

The beef brisket, which has been thinly sliced, is very tender.  Plus, they were very generous with it.  Even towards the end, there are still a lot of beef in my bowl.  On top of that, the thin noodles are silky and not oily at all.

I did notice many people adding vinegar and hot chilli sauce.  Not sure what it tasted like, so didn't have the courage to add in any.

They also have another side dish that accompany this delicious street food, which is dau chao quay or fried bread stick that you can dip into the soup, just like how we do in bak kut teh.  We didn't have this unfortunately, as we initially didn't know what it is called in Vietnamese.  Pity.

Now, Pho Gia Truyen is a self-serve style eatery.  You need to queue up, order, pay and then collect your noodles before proceeding to the tables (if you are really lucky enough to find one).  The queue can be a little long, but the wait is definitely worth it.

Majority of the seatings are tiny wooden stools by the side-walk.  If you're very lucky, you may get a normal table inside the shop.  Otherwise, you may have to stand while eating.

  

As for us, KS was in charge of ordering, while I "hunt" around for seats.  Sitting on tiny stools by the side-walk with lots of used tissues strewn on the floor below the tables, was not so bad after all.  Like they say, be like a local and enjoy the experience.

Pho Gia Truyen
49, Bat Dan Street
Old Quarters
Hanoi

Open in morning and night

Dinner @ Sizzlers, Damansara Heights

Getting to Sizzlers @ Damansara Heights can a bit difficult especially if you are coming from Petaling Jaya.  But if you do make the effort to come here for a meal, it is actually quite a nice place to dine as the restaurant is beautifully decorated and quiet.  But, in terms of the food, I felt it was just normal.

I ordered the Sizzlers Fettuccine Carbonara, which was quite disappointing.  The cream sauce is lacking flavour, making the dish a bit tasteless.  The accompanying toasted garlic bread was good, though.

On the other hand, the Sizzlers Signature Chicken Chop was relatively much better.  This fried crumbed chicken with melted cheese on top, is served with mushroom sauce, grilled vegetables and potato.  The sauce is okay, although I find the sauce insufficient because the dish is very dry.  The grilled vegetables are delicious as they have been sauteed with herbs, and they add a nice touch to the dish.

Overall, the experience is just so-so, nothing fantastic but still okay.  Also, the portion is slightly on the smaller side especially the chicken chop.

Sizzlers

 B-0-3, Semantan Suites,

Block B, No.10. Jalan Semantan,

Damansara Heights,

50490 Kuala Lumpur

Organic Meal @ Medifoods, Subang Jaya

Last weekend, I brought my parents for a dinner at Medifoods @ Subang Jaya a very nice, quiet and relaxing restaurant.  Medifoods, which have its own farm, serves mainly organic produce.  But, if you decide to go meat-less, they do have a dedicated section in the menu that is purely for the vegetarians.

We ordered the 1/2 free-range roasted chicken as the main dish.  The chicken is very succulent and the skin is roasted until crispy - the crispiness is very similar to the Peking Duck.  It is well-marinated with just enough spices and dipped with some of the not-so-hot chilli and ginger scallion sauce, it is truly delicious.  I like the chilli sauce because the acidity gives a very refreshing and appetizing feel.

Next is the organic kailan, which is blanched and served with soy sauce and shallot oil.  The vegetables are cooked very well and presented beautifully.  The vegetables are not too hard until you need to chew a lot.  But despite the softness, the vegetables still look very green and fresh.  The soy sauce is just nice - not too salty.

The handmade pan-fried organic tofu is very smooth and soft.   You can taste the soybean, so you know it is made of the real thing.  The gravy is actually sweetened soy sauce, and goes quite well with the tofu.  Although quite plain, but the tofu is quite flavourful.

It also comes with a bowl of superior chicken stock soup with lots of mixed organic vegetables.  The soup of the day was salted vegetables soup with tofu.  The soup is quite sweet with all the vegetables, although it is slightly salty (well, salted vegetables, what do you expect).

To go with the roasted chicken is the chicken rice.  Cooked using unpolished green rice and chicken broth, the rice is very tasty and not oily at all.  Eating the rice alone is very nice.

For drinks, we ordered the pot of mixed floral tea to share.

After the meal, we felt it was a little not very filling, so my parents decided to order another dish - the vegetarian claypot yee mee, served with a lot of mixed vegetables and beancurd puffs.  The gravy is very light, and even without the use of meat-based stock, it is very sweet.  But I find the noodles a bit overcooked.

One thing we like about Medifoods is that the owner has grown a lot of plants in the restaurant.  It's like stepping into a garden - very cosy and cooling.  There's both outdoor and indoor seating, and beside the restaurant, is the shop area selling organic goods.


Medifoods
59-61, Jalan SS18/6
47500 Subang Jaya
Selangor

Steamed Tilapia @ Kedai Makan Lan Je, Rawang

When it comes to steamed fish, it can’t be denied that Lan Je has become a common household name.  It became so popular that there are at least three other branches around Klang Valley.  So, I convinced KS to bring me to the place where Lan Je first started the famous steamed fish – Kedai Makan Lan Je @ Rawang.

You don’t get a lot of choice here – only one type of fish cooked in one style.  The only thing you can customize is whether to have it spicy or not.

The signature dish, obviously, is the Steamed Tilapia fish, steamed with a lot of minced garlic and ginger, served in soy sauce.  If you opt for the spicy version, then chopped cili padi will be added.

Here at Lan Je, the policy is that one person gets one fish and so, the fish is not very big.  If you want to solely eat fish, then it is advisable to order one for each person.  Otherwise, one is sufficient for two person.

The fish is very juicy and fresh, which I believed is because they have maintained the quality by rearing the fish themselves.  The minced garlic and ginger are also very helpful in removing the fishy smell, making the dish nice and addictive.

Besides the signature dish, there were other side dishes, but KS warned me that these other side dishes may not be very interesting to shout about.  In fact, I beg to differ because the other two side dishes that we ordered – Stir-fried Yau Mak & Minced Meat Tofu – were also quite tasty.  Presentation-wise, they may look a bit unappetizing, but it is flavourful (confirmed it is not because of MSG).

Of course, if you were expecting variety of dishes, then you will be disappointed because choices are pretty limited.  The good side is you do not need to stress your brain to decide what to order.

The stall is pretty clean and they have installed cooler fans in the premises, so you don’t need to worry on a hot weather.

Now, I have heard of horror stories about how long the wait (for a table) can be.  So, do be prepared if you intend to dine here because tables are very limited and the serving time can be a little slow.

As for us, we were pretty lucky as we came after the peak lunch hours and so, waiting was not that bad.  Would definitely come back for a meal again.

Kedai Makan Lan Je

27-28, Block C

Jalan Rawang

Gerai MPS, Batu 16

Rawang

GPS: 3.305728, 101.591931

Coffee Time @ Coffee Famille, Kota Damansara

If you have a thing for coffee, then you definitely should drop by Coffee Famille @ Kota Damansara.  You know their coffee is good because the moment you pushed the door open, you will immediately be greeted by a very strong but lovely aroma of freshly roasted, brewed coffee.  Boy, does it make me feel excited with the smell.

Looking at the menu, only did we realize that there's so many types of coffee to choose from.  Not knowing what to drink, we requested the waiter to recommend, who is superbly helpful as he took the time to explain which coffee would be suitable to our liking (he knows his stuff).

For KS, who prefer strong black coffee, he recommended the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe (RM 16), which according to him, has a distinct fruity (citrus) and flowery taste that will leave a very unique aftertaste.  Beware, because it is very very bitter at the start.  But, if you take the time to let the coffee gently travel across your tongue (as though you are drinking wine), you will be able to taste the fruitiness of the coffee behind that bitterness.  KS loved it very much.  I love the homemade biscotti - sweet and cruncy.

As for me, I prefer the coffee with milk, so Homey Cafe Latte (RM 12) was recommended to me.  It is coffee latte with gula melaka.  However, the taste of the gula melaka was not very distinct.  But, it is nevertheless a very nice cup of smooth, fragrant latte.

We also ordered the Famille Sandwich (RM 15) - their house-baked rosemary bread sandwiches filled with chicken ham, mushrooms, vegetables and cheese, accompanied by a refreshing salad.  The bread is super fragrant and because it has been lightly toasted, it was warm and crispy.  The bread is not too dry and tasted very good.

For desserts, we ordered the Tiramisu (RM 12), a must-have coffee dessert.  This beautiful dessert is well-presented and you can know how much effort they have put into this dessert.  It's like a piece of art that you  would stare forever.  I also love how much espresso taste it has.  All the flavours of the tiramisu, - espresso, mascarpone cheese - blended perfectly well without overwhelming each other.  Not too sweet, but not too bitter.

We love the whole setup of this cute, little cafe because it is very relaxing, just like home.  If you need a quiet spot for some private time, or hangout with friends for some small chat, this is a very nice place to visit because it will leave you feeling totally recharged (of course, there's the caffeine kicking in).

By the way, if you are a cyclist, you get 10% discount.  What a good way to encourage me to start picking up cycling.

You can visit their website or their Facebook page for more info.

Coffee Famille

6-G, Garden Wing

Sunsuria Avenue

Persiaran Mahogani

PJU5 Kota Damansara

47810 Petaling Jaya

(near Tune Hotel)