It took me a second visit to finally catch the Sister Curry Mee stall open […]
Onn Kee Restaurant for Ipoh’s Signature Hor Fun Delicacy
Ipoh is a popular day trip destination from Kuala Lumpur. This Old Town that flourished through mining is a two to three hours drive from Kuala Lumpur. Ipoh White Coffee may be commercially known and widely available but it is only in the old town of Ipoh where one can take sample a favorite delicacy the local hor fun (kuey teow), taugeh (beansprouts) and Hainanese-style steamed chicken. There are a couple of restaurants to go to but a lot of locals pointed us to Onn Kee Restaurant.
Nomama: Of Miso Butter Dreams and Hearty Ramen
Much has been written about Nomama‘s artisanal ramen that I’ve expected little else probably worth sampling on a visit to shoot for a magazine. So the Kitayama Flank Steak came as a very pleasant surprise. It took me over an hour to finish my to-shoot-list and I expected the steak to be a bit tough after an hour of sitting on its dish but no, it was very, very tender (made me wonder how much more tender it was hot off the grill). The liberal use of Miso butter lent an irresistible, exquisite taste so much so that even if I just had a bowl of ramen, I managed to finish the steak by myself. The crispy tofu slices are a nice foil to the meat, not that my taste buds quickly grew satiated to the flavor.
Angeles Foodtripping: Finding Kimchi and Sashimi at Yu Fu In
A Koreantown in Angeles City? We’re probably too used to the concept of Chinatown that this idea seemed like a novel concept. Driving along the stretch of Friendship Highway, we passed a strip of establishments sporting signages in Korean with no English translations. Which ones are restaurants, it’s hard to tell. But for a taste of kimchi (the best one here for miles, so says our guide-friend, Tin, from the Angeles City tourism office), we bypassed Koreantown and headed to Balibago for Yu Fu In.
Finding Peace and Happiness
The shop is small with only four tables and save for some huge prints on the wall, it was rather nondescript, resembling the hole-in-the-wall eateries in Binondo. The two aircon units look fairly new but on several visits, they were never on. Not even the Binondo eateries were this hot. If you close your eyes for a moment and take a sniff of the air, you can imagine being in a Chinatown restaurant instead of a Makati hole-in-the-wall.
The steady stream of Chinese patrons coming and going seems like a good indication of how good (and authentic) the food is. Diners brave the stifling heat at Peace and Happiness Dumpling House so the food must be that good, right? That takes a taste test to find out.
Aquaknox: reloaded
The facade looks so much more welcoming with the clear floor-to-ceiling glass covered this time with bamboo slats in lieu of heavy drapes. Stepping inside, the interior is light and airy. The last time Happyfoodies was here was two years ago. A lot can happen in that span, in fact, a few of the restaurants we reviewed has sadly come and gone. Happily, Aquaknox has stayed on, reinventing itself along the way.