Sunday, March 28, 2010

Meng Chai Seafood @ Miri

4-star2

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It is kind of difficult to find a good restaurant during Chinese new year. Not many restaurant opening and even they did, surely there are lots of people. It was nearly 1 week after chinese new year, 3 of us had a thought to find something good to eat for our dinner. Passing by the Meng Chai seafood restaurant, I saw lots of people in the restaurant, and with its word “Teppanyaki  铁板烧) attract us. It was difficult to find a parking place there, because it located beside the road. We drove round and round the area, still unable to find a parking place. Finally, we just had to park our car far behind the shop lots.

After we sat down, saw that there were few tables still not yet served. Well, Teppanyaki styles I guess have to need to wait for some times for our turn. To order vegetables, you can just directly make your order to the waiter, and for seafood, you may go to choose the fresh seafood yourself.  For good is, they would tell us the price for fresh and frozen seafood, and give recommendation on dishes and the way of cooking. It not likes some other restaurant, try not to let you know the price and charging you a high price at the back or giving a bowl of seafood that is much enough for 3 persons. Feel this restaurant is kind of “honest”.

Surprising me lots are the foods, are extremely DELICIOUS. First of it was the River Prawn, a very big one, RM80 per kg, and as the recommendation given, ½ kg is enough for 3 of us. With Shaoxing wine and the freshness of the prawn, I even drink the prawn soup, what can I said --- OISHII (DELICIOUS) ~

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Next was Babylonia . It was the first I ate this and bigger size than I thought. Is kind of fun to pull it out and will feel irritable if it’s tail break off while I pulling it out, leaving a big portion inside its shell, really want break its shell to eat it. It was delicious too, and very fresh, LIKE it.

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Next was spicy octopus. Not bad, It quite good to serve with rice, but seems the spices had cover its freshness of the seafood. Opps...had ate a lot before I remember to take a photo of it.

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Lastly, a plate of vegetable, to balance our meal.

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All these dishes plus 3 bowls of rice and 3 chinese tea, cost total less than RM 100. Delicious seafood with affordable price, surely I will go there again, and more frequently.

Disclaimer:

The comments and ratings are based on the particular experience and personal opinion.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Laksa @ Lutong Cafe, Miri

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Located in old Lutong area, near to the Lutong market, Shell and Petronas Company, everyday you can see there are lots of people in Lutong Cafe. There are two stalls here are quite well-known: Porridge cook by using charcoal, and Laksa stall. Unfortunately, the porridge stall was off on the day I went, so I will just introduce the Laksa stall in this post.

The Laksa stall is operated by an aunty, and besides Laksa, it also has others choices: Fried mee, noodles with soup, and wantan. I try the fried mee before, and like it a lots. You can smell the delicious of the mee while the aunty still frying the pan. What can I say is good, but a bit heat and you will feel sore throat after eating.

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Back to the Laksa, if you order Laksa they will serve you with Shrimp paste, not spicy just a bit salty but tasty. On top of the meehun are the fried egg and chicken slices, and some sprouts. It taste quite good, not too spicy and just for RM 2.00, I will say is quite cheap in Miri area where you will not find as cheap as here.

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If you are staying nearby, or passing by, maybe you can try this Laksa or fried mee in the Lutong Cafe as breakfast, it will be a good choice. Well, I will go there again to try the porridge and share in the next post.

Disclaimer:

The comments and ratings are based on the particular experience and personal opinion.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Double Star Restaurant

4-star2
I have been there for few times, and I do like this restaurant not just because of the tasty of the foods, but also the warm atmosphere. The first impression on this restaurant is a restaurant that quite similar as those young café restaurants KL which I miss so much in Miri.
The decoration of this restaurant is simple but comfortable. What I mean for the warm atmosphere? Is because of the warm smile and politeness of the waitress; they would not show impatience when I keep flip over the menu but still do not know what to order, but will recommend some choices for me and even walk towards and turn their menu board to my seat, just to let me see clearly what are their today’s special. It has variety of foods: from Chinese chicken rice, to Western style toast and even Thai's Tomyam soup noodle. One more thing, they charge at a reasonable price, a price which I consider as cheap in a café restaurant.
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This time, we had ordered two rice meals for our dinner: Spareribs with bitter gourd rice and Fish steak rice.  For drinks, we had ordered Grassjelly and a cup of hot green tea. The grassjelly was too icy, too much ice in it.
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Spareribs with Bitter Gourd
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Spareribs with Bitter Gourd served with rice and soup

 















My favourite --- Beef with Egg Rice ~YUMMY~

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Fish Steak with Rice
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Extra order: Steam Salmon with tofu (bean curb)
All the meals are served with soup, and soup of the day is dehydrated Chinese cabbage (干白菜汤), my favourite.
Everything seems good in Double Star, but one thing to say is maybe they should update or change their menu book because it has started peeling and flaking.
Double Star Cafe & Restaurant
Lot 514,
Ground Floor,
Pelita Commercial Center,
Miri, Sarawak

Disclaimer:
The comments and ratings are based on the particular experience and personal opinion.

Excapade Sushi, Kuala Belait, Brunei

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I love to eat Sushi and Japanese beef noodles, both are my favourite, especially from SushiKin. Been told by friends many Malaysian like to go Brunei for sushi, because is cheaper and delicious than Malaysia sushi restaurant. During weekend, two of us drive all the way from Miri to Brunei – Excapade Sushi in Kuala Belait. It located quite near to Miri, just take roughly 1 hour plus to reach. After pass by the Brunei Bridge which is just near the Brunei immigration checkpoint, turn left you will a big teapot statue at the roundabout, turn into the second junction and then turn left, you will find the Excapade Sushi restaurant.

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What I found was most of the cars parking in front of the Excapade Sushi are with Miri car plate number. It was raining day, but the rain stopped before we reach the restaurant. I thought it had been full of customers because heard that is a need to make an appointment if do not want to wait long for seat, but luckily there were just few customers inside.

I was quite excited when I found there is beef noodle in their menu - Sukiyaki Nabe Beef BND 9.00 (Brunei Dollar), and had ordered one to try. Same as SushiKin, using a hot pot in serving, but a bit shocked with semi-raw beef as I usually prefer well cook. Well, is ok for me to have a try on this. Besides the beef, most of the bowl are vegetables and just a little udon, seems like udon is not the main ingredient in this dish. Comparing this with the Sukiyaki Nabe in SushiKin, I of course will prefer the later one (SushiKin), not just because of the taste of the soup, is also due to the beef was cut into slices together with other ingredients: toufu and onion, make it a perfect match, love it indeed.

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Another dish was Salmon Tofu Nabe BND 6.00. I would this rather than the beef noodle above. The taste is just nice and with egg, salmon plus toufu, make it delicious.

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We just ordered one plate of sushi to try - Salmon Salad Sushi BND 2.50. The size is much bigger than those sushi that I have ever try and it quite yummy too, really impressed me.

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Add up all together plus two cups of green tea, make it total BND 19.50. It seems cheap if it is in Malaysian Ringgit, after converting into RM, I still think that it is just almost the same as Malaysia sushi restaurant. But if anyone staying near Brunei or will be going there, Excapade Sushi is really not bad to go for, because the foods are quite good and diffrent choices.

Disclaimer:

The comments and ratings are based on the particular experience and personal opinion.