Archive for May 2015

SUCKER FOR SUPPER: MINGGU CAFE, PARATHA TOASTED SANDWICHES

No Comments »




A
s someone wise once sang, or at least I imagined he sang – I got that suppertime, suppertime sadness. I find myself feeling that way, albeit not exactly with that tune in my head, but more so than not when I find myself wanting company of friendly faces and guilty pleasures I want in my mouth. The latter being food.


I wrote not too long ago on the allure of cheap and tasty food at odd hours in a piece right HERE and Minggu Café run by Mr. Minggu is no exception.

Charming is the way I’d put this stall, as it neither is a café nor does it run throughout the “minggu” (Minggu is week or 7 days in the Malaysian language). What it is good for, is an interesting take on frozen paratha and sinful filling. Oh yes, frozen.  

Throw your perception of “authentic” Indian food out of the window, as this simple guilty pleasure is something of an Indian meets Grilled Cheese kind of meal. “Tasty food is tasty” is a phrase I’d use to shield myself as I imagine you foodies out there rolling your eyes at how I can willingly put such inauthenticity in my mouth. That is the thing about Minggu Café though, as authenticity is not something it promotes. What you see is what you get.


The most common and sought after items in his menu are what we will be talking about today. What Minggu does mostly with what you order is toast two parathas and once adding the filling (usually with cheese); he sandwiches and covers them under a lid to allow the filling to heat up. This process is very much likened to that Grilled Cheese experience I talked about.


With whatever filling you choose to have, the paratha skin will be as you imagined. It’s thin and lightly crisp, while being soft on the inside and as you get into the filling, what you will find is gooey cheese. For those wondering, yes it is sliced cheese and not cheddar so you will be missing the sharp saltiness that cheddar brings.



One of the things I did try was the Kaya and Cheese Paratha. If you are wondering if it tastes strange, then yes. I have to admit it does taste strange as the gooey slightly salty cheese and sweet kaya does not blend as well as Minggu recommended. What is recommended when available is Kaya and Bananas as the classic pairing always makes for a good combination.


Finally, the Mushroom and Cheese Paratha is a good pairing with the rich and smokey flavours of julienned mushrooms complimenting the slightly savoury cheese. Once hot, what you have is gooey cheese and mushrooms sandwiched together by thin crispy and yet chewy parathas that makes a rather interesting take on a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.


Places to go in Kuching during the supper hour can be scarce, but if you’re into weird food and cheese paratha sandwiches that can be sliced into pizza shaped bites to be shared with friends, then you may just be in for a treat.

Minggu Café is opened daily except on Mondays from 6am to 3pm and 5:30pm to 11pm. It is found in Lorong 10A of Sungai Matang Kanan  in the map or opposite E-Mart Batu Kawa.

OODLES OF NOODLES: HO JOO LAKSA

1 Comment »



I
f you don’t want to get into a heated argument in the town of Kuching, then there are a few conversations you’ll want to stay away from. Religion, politics, sports and “best” food spots are to name a few. Because this is a food article, let’s talk about the kinds of “best” food conversations you should specifically stay away from. Those kinds are the ones that concern Kolo Mee and Laksa.


Few kinds of food compare to how dearly Kuching-ites hold these two close to their heart, especially if they reside in shops that they have a special bond to. That bond is something shared and created in various ways, from childhood favourites or a special discovery. 

If we’re talking about bonds, few shops though or Laksa stalls more specifically like the Laksa Stall in Hoo Joo Coffee Shop, 3rd mile can say that they’re an expert in making bonds. They’ve been in the bond making business for 40 years and making it on a recipe that is now 90 years old. That’s a really long time to be making bonds and really good Laksa for that matter.

If she’s been selling Laksa for that amount of time and the recipe is that old, you’d be wise to ask me if I’m suggesting that this is a place for the best Sarawak Laksa. I wouldn’t blame you for thinking so, but no. I don’t believe there is a “best” place, as there are so many great kinds out there! But what you can’t run away from, from a good bowl is a really really good broth.  


The Aunty that’s been making Laksa here is an expert at it and has been providing consistent delicious tasting Laksa from the day she opened this stall. She’ll be proud to tell you that this is possible due to her making her own paste for her broth, which doesn’t make her subject to changes in taste from paste providers which a lot of Laksa stalls in Kuching are using.

What you’ll taste here may be different from what you’re used to, as the first thing you’ll notice is how balanced the flavours are. There isn’t a natural kick of flavours that is common in most stalls, but a very welcome balance of the sour and savoury while also maintaining a very smooth creamy broth that you’ll have no qualms with finishing till the very last drop.



Apart from the delicious broth, you’ll notice the most simple of garnishes that top the noodles. It’s a welcome change from the gimmick of large prawns and extravagant parts of the chicken. Everything in this bowl is modest and well thought of. The prawns, though admittedly were a bit overcooked on the day of taking these pictures were sized big enough to finish in one bite while the chicken strips used were juicy and were able to soak up the broth well due to the careful way it was stripped.


The thin rice vermicelli noodles are also worth noting as they were both springy and had a nice bite to it. It’s always a welcome addition when Laksa noodles are cooked beautifully as there is rarely anything worse than badly cooked noodles that are either too hard to bite on or too soft and slimy to enjoy.

I spoke earlier about bonds, and patrons I’ve spoken to who frequent this stall speak of how these noodles remind them of childhood. It isn’t the idea of Laksa that reminds of it, but rather the exact taste and flavour of it. This is the product of consistency and it’s consistency from being able to create what you serve from scratch and knowing exactly what you put in your meals that builds a bond and trust based on flavours. Flavours that you know you can turn to that remains like an old friend in an ever-changing world.

Ho Joo Laksa is open daily from 6am - 11pm.



The original content of this article belongs to The Borneo Post SEED and can be found HERE. Head on there by clicking the picture below for more great content and happenings in and about with Sarawak. 

OODLES OF NOODLES: ANGEL'S MENU MEE JAWA

1 Comment »


I
 would like to think of myself as an adventurous person when it comes to food. As a dashing young Chinese boy in the small town of Kuching, adventure when we talk about breakfast is NOT ordering what you usually order in a specific Coffee Shop.

Why yes, my logo does have its own signboard now. 

Imagine going to your favourite Laksa Coffee Shop and ordering Nasi Lemak instead. Kwong Hup is that very example of what I am talking about. It is a shop known to me and someone very dear to my heart as a place where we default to for Popiah. It is not, a shop where I’d go to for a plate of Mee Jawa instead. The very idea of doing something like that till recently would have been preposterous! Fortunately, it no longer is.

Now for those who have read this blog for a while now will know of the Mee Jawa post I wrote of HERE, and if you are looking for said similar experience in Kwong Hup’s Angel’s Menu, you will be in for a treat. If you like something different, that is.

Miss Angel's husband and a very good looking arm, if I do say so myself


This gem of a stall was opened in Kwong Hup about 5 years ago by Miss Angel (Yes, that’s the stall owner’s name), her husband and daughter-in-law whom I heard was where the recipes came from. What makes this place special is how proud they are of their food, and when you see it finally arrive at your table, you can see why.


The most notable difference you may spot is how the colour of the gravy is different from what we may be used to in Kuching. Instead of the pale yellow, as you can see, it takes a slightly redder hue. Unlike many others, sweet potato is evidently used in the recipe.


From the way it looks, to its texture and the hint of sweetness just ringing of authenticity, it is hard to deny how much flavour is added when sweet potato is not swapped out for flour for texture and sugar instead for sweetness. What is also present is the savoury salty flavours of presumably ikan bilis and sourness from tamarind.


The proteins present which is the egg and beef are rather underwhelming as they are both rather dry and do not do much to add to the dish other than texture. The flavour of the beef is very mild, but better that than strong flavours that clash with the gravy.


The tofu available is also rather nice to have, as the burst of flavour you receive after it soaks up the gravy is always a welcome addition.


Overall, what you should be getting is a burst of flavour from the gravy that is sweet with a salty and sour undertone coupled with mild proteins that add texture and garnishes that provide a rounded sweetness and a slight chew.

Once again, this is different from what you may be used to, but different is good. Being different shows that there are others out there, purposefully doing things against the norm because they believe in what they do. In this case, they believe that that difference is what makes it delicious. That is exactly what is present with Angel’s Menu. 

Kwong Hup, Angel’s Menu is open daily from 6am to 1pm except on Mondays when they are closed.

SUCKER FOR SUPPER: THIRD MILE, BBQ FISH BARBECUE SEAFOOD

No Comments »



P
eng Hu is known to Kuching-ites as a method in which a kind of fish is grilled and has sambal belacan lathered over it. Peng Hu is also known to most Kuching-ites as a kind of anomaly in their food culture. You see it in almost every major food street but no one really knows where or how it started. It just popped out of nowhere like a 7-11 down the street, and everyone just accepted what it was and went along with it.

The most common “Hu” used, the Stingray is debatably what the first variation of this dish consisted of. The stingray was the fish most commonly used as it was considered cheap, most likely due to the lack of any natural flavour in its flesh. Due to its mild flavour, enhancing said flavour was necessary and Sambal being a common condiment, it was only natural that it was used on the Stingray.


Nowadays, the Stingray isn’t the only fish associated with the Peng Hu moniker, as the variety of “panggang-ed” fish has increased in number depending on availability and personal preference.

Peng Hu is usually a tricky dish to order as its price in comparison to most dishes will require you to share the cost with a few friends, which is why it is perfect for late night suppers as one fish is usually never enough for a meal among friends, but perfect if you need a snack to go along with a couple of beers.


The problem with simple dishes like Peng Hu is that there are only so many things to mess up. The fish and the sambal. If you mess up either one of the two, you are left wishing for more; and if you mess both up, well you’d wish you never came out in the first place. Imagine an overcooked chewy fish with dry tasteless sambal. It’s every Supperhunters nightmare. Or mine at least.



Aunty Lillian and her husband of, BBQ Fish and Barbeque Seafood despite them not really serving anything BBQ, are in the business of getting both components right. They have been doing so for little over a decade. 12 years this year in fact.

As most places are, the price of the choice of fish is determined by its weight. The fish of choice today is the Belokok fish, as it is known to be meaty and of few bones. Let’s freshen things up, as we’ll try to throw the owners off by ordering something they’re not amazing at. Key word here is TRY. SPOILER ALERT: We failed. Fish was delish.

RM28.00

The fish came and do not let the unusual look of the sambal deceive you as its colour is due to the intense nature of the sambal. Its sambal has a hint of sweetness and tang but still intense with the flavours pungent sambal.  


The fish, simply put has a mild clean flavour and is firm and moist. Perfect for the condiment of the sambal.


To top it off, the zest of lime is the perfect combination to lift the dish as the tangy sambal compliments the firm and neutral protein of fish.



Peng Hu is a simple dish that is easy to learn but hard to master. That is a fact that most of us are used to, but with the right hands taking care of your meal, the simple things become simply delicious.


Third Mile BBQ Fish, Barbecue Seafood is open daily except Tuesdays from 6pm to 10pm. 

Please follow the map below for directions.

Thank you for dropping by! If you enjoyed this post, please like or share and follow Urban Palate on Google+! The mini profile is on the top right of the page :)






BONKERS FOR BURGERS: BURGER BABI BAKAR

No Comments »



W
hen you have a mother who is very proud of her cooking and uses the freshest ingredients possible to make a meal, you are not going to be insane enough to tell her that the reason you are not hungry is because you snuck a trip to the Street Burger stall near your house to get your fix. Now I’m not going to lie. When thinking of clean eating, road side burgers are not going to be anywhere near that list. But that is why it is so good.


Burger Babi Bakar follows suit with the Roadside/Street burger stall vein as they recreate the flavours that we all know and love, especially on those meals we spoke of earlier. For a while now, the biggest draw to this house-stall-restaurant is in its name, as not only are they one of the few places that serve pork burgers, but they flame grill them as well. When you get to see your meat being cooked in a flame, how can your inner caveman not be enticed?

I had a bad hair day.
As a word of caution you need to either come before they open at 7, or be prepared to wait more than half an hour for your burger.




What I love about stalls is being able to see how your food is being prepared while waiting and as usual, I’m the annoying customer that stares at their handiwork and preparation while Julian, cameraman extraordinaire distracts them away from my gaze by getting all up on their grill with his camera.




Now on to that grill we talked about. Patties are placed on this flame grill and from what we are told; it is all prepared by the owner himself.  The benefits of using a flame grill as we can see, allows for uniform cooking which is important for patties of this thickness. The right cook can be hard to achieve as it is easy to overcook them and even easier to burn the outside while under-cooking the inside.


It can be argued though, that patties would do better when cooked over a charcoal grill as the flavour of smoke would enhance the flavours of the meat.


As for add-ons, we’ll take a look at their egg. It is a welcome sight to see a Street burger stall that makes their eggs in a sunny side up/over easy fashion instead of the omelette style that is prevalent in so many others. The eggs being cooked this way allow for a firmer and thicker body of texture to the egg instead of the flat and thin omelettes we are so used to. These eggs are cooked over butter and drizzled with Maggi Seasoning, quintessential in all Street Burger Stalls.




Bacon is also offered here and cooked over their flat top till crisp and a pork sausage that they slice open and into half to make for quicker cooking and easier arranging on the buns.

When I mentioned that this is very much a Street burger, I was not kidding as you will notice your sliced cabbage and cucumbers for crunch and fresh onions for aroma. That, and your ever abundant amount of mayonnaise and chilli sauce.


The finished product tastes as good as it looks. As you have your first bite, your taste buds will identify with the soft buttery bun, the fresh tasting crunch from the cabbage and cucumbers, the sharp salty cheese, crunchy bacon, buttery fluffy egg and that juicy pork patty. As most foods that taste good and are associated with your childhood, they transport you back to a simpler time.

The last sentence you read may also be the biggest problem with these burgers though. It reminds you too much of the burgers you already know so well that can cost you RM3.00 in almost any other street.



RM9 for a burger with an egg and bacon, and a burger at RM12 with the ingredients mentioned earlier added with a sausage and ham, it may be unfair to have to pay triple if not quadruple the cost of a normal street burger.

Barring of course the pork patty that is seasoned well and cooked till juicy, those flavours created are drowned in mayonnaise that is creamy and sweet and chilli sauce that is also sweet. The bacon also being drowned thus masking its flavour, only serves to add crispy texture to the burger while the sausage added is merely also sweet and ham that is once again dare I say it, sweet and neither has the flavour and texture of cured and brined meat.


Overall, what you are getting here is a Street burger and there’s nothing wrong with that. Part of the charm of the burger is both its simple flavours and being affordable. Unfortunately, the worth of what you are paying for is highly debatable at Burger Babi Bakar. Granted what one is willing to pay for is subjective, but if price is not an issue when it comes to having a meat as delicious as pork in your Street Burger, you have every right to spend it like the hordes of people that help Burger Babi Bakar sell out on most nights.

Burger Babi Bakar is opened on Monday to Friday, from 7pm to 10pm or until they sell out.

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »