Super Saigon @ Persiaran Ampang

When we last dined at The Daily Grind in mid-July, we noticed a new restaurant next door that had taken over the space vacated by Flint Bar & Restaurant.

So, we made a trip here wanting to try Flipp, a new Japanese fusion restaurant, but was politely informed that they were fully booked when I walked through the door.  Oh well, another time then...and that's how we ended up at Super Saigon @ Persiaran Ampang since we were already in the area.

The only decor that caught my eye were the beautiful blue ceramic plates (that I adore) adorning their feature wall.  Hey, I wouldn't mind owning some of these. ^_~

Since we were at an eatery specialising in Vietnamese food, obviously Pho would be top on the list of things to order.  I was pretty excited when I saw my bowl of Beef Pho @ RM18.90 arriving with medium rare Aussie sliced beef (as the ones I've had before usually comes with cooked through beef) together with some white onions, scallions and cilantro.

It's also common to see pho served with garnishes of bean sprouts, Thai basil (sometimes Vietnamese mint might be included), a wedge of lime and fresh Thai chilli peppers.

Vietnamese dishes are also usually accompanied by condiments of sweet, salty, spicy and sour flavours for you to tweak to your liking, so expect to find chili oil and hot chili sauce (like sriracha), fish sauce, hoisin sauce and their special sate sauce (or what we'd call sambal) on the table.

Well, just in case you don't know how to go about eating pho, there's even a guide (at the back of the menu) to show you how you can eat pho like a pro! ;)  But there's no hard and fast rule, you can eat it anyway you deem fit.

I dunk the bean sprouts in, squeezed in the lime and added a drizzle of fish sauce...that's how I like mine.  I'd leave the stinky Thai basil leaves alone coz I just hate those.  I usually leave out the fresh chilli peppers too but this time I added them in (and I'll tell you why in a jiffy).

My first mouthful of the rice noodles (much like kuay tiao), I immediately detected something unpleasant.  I took a second bite and confirmed that the unpalatable taste was still there...and that's why I added all the bird's eye chillies in the hope that it'll help mask the taste.  But, unfortunately, it didn't.  The medium rare beef was perfectly fine though, nice and tender (and if you need your beef cooked a bit more, just dip them into the broth though the broth that came wasn't all that hot, not even hot enough to cook the bean sprouts which retained its raw taste).  In the end, I just ate up the beef slices and left the rest of my pho untouched (the noodles even tainted the broth).

I've come across this offensive taste (and smell) of kway teow before but it's always from our local noodle stalls, never from a Vietnamese eatery.  I've rejected quite a few kway teow based on this but if the noodle shop is still good, I just make sure I don't choose kway teow as my noodle of choice.  I don't know how best to describe this unpleasant taste but it's almost like cockroach smell to me (sorry if the comparison sounds offensive to you).  I don't know if any one of you has ever experienced this before but I have many times...and it only seems to happen with kway teow! >.<  I don't know if the noodles weren't fresh (that day) or if it's due to the choice of their noodle supplier (as in chemicals used in the manufacture of the noodles) or that the handling and storage of the noodles was compromised or merely that my tastebuds are just overly sensitive.  That's why I usually stay clear of kway teow in soup noodles unless it passes my taste test after trying.

In the end, I had to order something else and went with the Crispy Spring Rolls @ RM13.90 (for 6 pcs) wrapped in minced chicken and prawns, served with a sweetish-sourish dip containing pickled vegetables of carrot and jicama.  The rolls were freshly fried, came piping hot, were super crispy and had a good ratio of filling...so, no complaints on this.

Our other order of Broken Rice with Grilled Lemongrass Chicken @ RM18.90 was served with lemongrass chicken, fried omega egg, pickled vegetables, cucumber shreds and a slice of chicken meatloaf together with a dipping sauce.  Nothing stood out, it was just edible.

For drinks, we had Pandan Lemongrass @ RM4.90 (a tall glass but diluted in taste) and La Juiceria's (bottled) Fresh Orange Juice @ RM5.90 (that turned out to be pretty sour).

When the server came to clear our plates, he was at least alert enough to notice that my bowl of pho was hardly eaten and asked if there was something wrong with it.  So I told him.  He just acknowledged what I said and walked away without offering any gesture to mitigate the situation.  Well, kudos to him for noticing...but he might as well not have! >:(

My Personal Opinion

The fact that the server didn't offer to mitigate (or resolve) the issue clearly demonstrates the level of service here. Maybe it was for the best as it made it that much easier for me to decide not to return.

Looks like this was an un-PHO-gettable experience for me...and I don't mean that in a good way.  Un-pho-tunately for them, I'm not so pho-giving, so this bowl of pho would be my first.....and last! >_<

Super Saigon Pho Cafe
No 34 Persiaran Ampang
55000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2856 9998

How many ways can you eat bacon?

It must be pretty cool to have Bacon as your last name...and even cooler when you're part of a band called Bacon Brothers!  Though I don't see Kevin Bacon as quite the leading man material, I did enjoy watching him in his early films (like A Few Good Men & Apollo 13 and later in Mystic River).  And who can forget the dance classic that launched his career....Footloose (I'm a sucker for song-and-dance movies (both old and new)...and musical movies too.

Ok, ok, let's get back to the real bacon, shall we?  Bacon is undeniably delicious.  Any bacon-eaters disagree?  Or any bacon-haters out there?  It's salty...it's fragrant....it's crispy..it's just so darn good! ;)  It perks up just about any dish when it makes an appearance...and oh, beef (or turkey) bacon doesn't count. ^_~

#1 - Bacon...as it is


The simplest way to have bacon is.....as it is.  It's good even on its own!  Just pan-fry it to yield that charred, crisp, fragrant taste...be it streaky or back bacon! ^o^


One is never enough.....have two :)


Better still, just make it three...hehehe!

#2 - Big Breakfast

Bacon is the 'most important component' of a Big Breakfast...and that's according to me!  What's a big breakfast without bacon, eh?  They go hand in hand for that perfect fry-up.

#2 - Bacon Sandwich


One of the easiest breakfasts to put together at home that'll get you the popularity vote is a simple bacon sandwich.  I do mine with added omelette.

#3 - Candied Bacon


Candied bacon is a very addictive snack with its sweet, sticky glaze.


Though you can buy them off the shelves, you can just as easily make them yourself at home too.  I made it with great success.

#4 - Bacon French Toast


What makes french toast even more decadent?  When they're topped with crispy strips of bacon, of course...and sprinkled with even more bacon bits.

#5 - Bacon Roll Dim Sum


Bacon is so well-liked that it's even used in dim sum, usually wrapped around fish paste in a sweet & sour sauce.

#6 - Bacon Burger


And what's a burger without stuffing in a few strips of crispy bacon...get them in there! :P

#7 - Bacon-Wrapped Cocktail Sausages


Pigs in a blanket are little cuties of mini sausages wrapped in a blanket of love.  If smoked sausages are used, they'd be called bacon-wrapped l'il smokies.

#8 - Bacon Fried Rice


A comfort, carb-loaded dish that you can elevate with strips of fragrant bacon to make it even more yummy.  Ditch that diet! >_<


Bacon is so desirable that it has even replaced char siew and lap cheong in Chinese-style fried rice...one that many Chinese homes cook.

#9 - Bacon Bruschetta


An easy-to-put-together cheesy breakfast or tea time snack is bruschetta with bacon, tomatoes, basil and cheese.

#10 - Bacon Jam


Well, it's called a jam for a reason, so you can pretty much spread it on anything you want...bread, crackers, chips, maggi mee, roti canai...anything you can think of really! ;)

#11 - Bacon Potato Salad


One of my all-time favourite salads that don't have any greens is a potato & egg salad with added crispy bacon bits for that crunch!

#12 - Bacon Twists


Slightly charred bacon-wrapped puff pastry with gooey cheese baked to perfection to create a moreish hors d'oeuvre.

#13 - Bacon Pasta (Carbonara Style)


It's cheese-y, it's cream-y, it's bacon-y....it's spaghetti carbonara with bacon...and oh, you may need to put on your fat pants afterwards.

#14 - Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Bacon


If carbonara is not your jam, spaghetti aglio olio with bacon could be.

#15 - Bacon Garlic Toasts


What's better than garlic toast?  Bacon garlic toast, y'all....breakfast of champions! :D

#16 - One Pan Breakfast


My one pan breakfast with bacon that's easy to cook and good to eat with minimal washing up to do...you eat directly out of the pan! ;P

#17 - Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus


This is another classic bacon-wrapped recipe.  You can make it at home too...with french beans as a cheaper alternative to asparagus.

#18 - Bacon Mashed Potatoes


My not-so-tiny specks of bacon make the potato mash tastier, don't you agree?

#19 - Mushroom & Bacon Soup


A mushroom soup is already so good on its own but can be even better topped with bacon shavings for that extra umami flavour.

#20 - Smoked Bacon Steak


A thick cut of bacon can also double up as a steak.  Eat first, think later.

#21 - Poached Eggs & Bacon


I wouldn't mind a rasher of bacon sandwiched between a poached egg and a slice of toasty bread that's waiting to soak in the oozy yolk...what can I say, my cup egg runneth over.

#22 - Bacon-Wrapped Enoki Mushrooms


Even a Chinese BBQ shop gets inspiration from this Western-inspired dish more commonly served in cafes.

#23 - Bacon Salad


And what makes salads taste infinitely better...but not healthier?  The culprit is bacon.  Add fried bacon to any salad and you won't say no to a salad again.


Ok, an extra poached egg wouldn't hurt either.

#24 - Grilled Bacon


It's commonly offered at BBQ places...simply grilled for that lovely charred deliciousness.

#25 - Baked Eggs in a Bacon Cup


It's sheer joy to dig in and find a bacon lining around the ramekin.

#26 - Bacon Potato Hash


One of the things that go together....like tweedledee & tweedledum...is potatoes & bacon, roasted to crisp, fragrant perfection :)

#27 - Bacon Pancakes


For something that's both savoury and sweet, pancakes stuffed with bacon can be treated as dessert or breakfast, your choice.

So, how many ways can you eat bacon?  Plenty of ways, it seems...this is just the tip of the iceberg (but these are all the photos I could remember I have).

You can use bacon to wrap just about anything....scallops, oysters (angels on horseback), fish, steak, pork loin, shrimps, dates (devils on horseback), water chestnuts, stuffed jalapenos, tomatoes, corn on the cob...you name it and there'll be one out there.  Anything wrapped in bacon....is wrapped in love!

There's even bacon cookies & cupcakes, bacon milkshake, bacon ice cream, bacon salt...the possibilities are endless.....Go bacon! ^o^

Jin Xuan Hong Kong @ PJ Old Town

The last time I came here for dim sum, well not exactly here but at another branch of theirs in Damansara Uptown, I never got to try any yam stuff which I didn't know then was one of their signature items.  They had so many variations of it....yam puffs, yam encrusted prawns, yam rings with mixed vegetables and maybe more! ;)

Since we were in the vicinity one Sunday morning, we decided to drop by Jin Xuan Hong Kong @ PJ Old Town and finally get to try their signature item.

True enough, as soon as we were seated, one of their servers was peddling the yam ring with mixed vegetables but I decided against it as I thought the dish may be too filling.  This crispy yam ring, in a larger form, is a staple of many tai chow restaurants (referred to as fatt putt) and it usually comes with a filling of kung pao chicken with cashew nuts or an assortment of mixed vegetables.

I wanted to have a go at more dishes, so I politely said no to the yam ring. ^_*  The menu showcases their signature items, some of which I've already eaten at their Uptown branch.  These were what we had this round.

While having your dim sum, you'll see many servers coming by to peddle some of their items...and they're usually the more expensive ones (so clever!) like this Marmite Spareribs @ RM13.  They were sticky-sweet alright but you'll be doing a fair bit of jaw exercise chewing down the ribs.  Suffice to say I won't be having this again.

Since I've had the carrot cake stir-fried with taugeh before (and they weren't served steaming hot coz they were pre-fried ones sitting in the dim sum cabinet), I decided to go for the Deep-Fried Turnip (or Carrot) Cake @ RM5.50 this time.  It was really good and among some of the better ones I've had (and the best thing is you don't need it to be served hot).

We had to order the Siew Mai @ RM5.50 again coz this was one of very few siew mai we really enjoy eating.

A dim sum item we repeatedly order is the Fried Beancurd Roll @ RM6.50.  The beancurd skin is crispy but the prawn filling is minced, not whole prawns like the ones we love at Loong Seng.

Deep-Fried Eggplant @ RM6.50 is another must-order item for us and these were plump and juicy with a thick filling of fish paste.

The Lor Mai Kai (Steamed Glutinous Rice) @ RM5.50 is pretty decent too.  The glutinous rice is nicely cooked with the desired softness.

What can we say, we love our glutinous rice, so another order of the Fried Sticky Rice @ RM5.50 (which we enjoyed the last time) was inevitable.  The rice was fragrant with bits of lap cheong (Chinese dried sausage), dried prawns, egg and scallions.

Next, we tried something new, something I saw in their dim sum cabinet.  It looked like their house-made Fried Fish Cake @ RM10 studded with some chives or green onions.  Not too bad.

While prying into their dim sum cabinet, I also chose some kind of fish, prawn and meat paste-stuffed fried beancurd puffs @ RM10.  When I pointed to it, the server immediately squeezed some mayo over it before I could stop him.  Not sure why the mayo is not served on the side but I didn't want that so I asked him to give me another one without.  This turned out pretty tasty and one of my favourite items here.

Of course this time round, I must not miss out on trying their yam items, so I got the Fried Yam Pastry @ RM5.50.  The yam paste turned out alright and the crust was light and crispy but it was the minced pork filling that I didn't fancy.  Unfortunately, this won't be among some of my favourite wu kok.

I never fail to tapau (pack) their Steamed BBQ Buns @ RM5 (for two) whenever I eat here coz the buns here are really good, soft and fluffy with a char siew filling that's truly delicious.  They should have just stuffed this filling into their wu kok.

I didn't care much for their Cold Kopi-O Kosong @ RM3.50 though.

My Personal Opinion

The last time I blogged about their Damansara Uptown branch, I wrote that some people thought (based on what I read online) that the Uptown and Damansara Jaya branches are the better ones and to avoid the PJ Old Town and Kota Damansara branches.

Well, now that I've tried the PJ Old Town branch, I really can't taste the difference.  Recently, I also happen to come across a review by choiyen.com and she seemed to have enjoyed her dim sum experience at the Kota Damansara branch.  Perhaps there's no truth in it. ^_~

Obviously, there are some dim sum items that I liked and some I didn't but I'm sure you'll find a mix of some good ones from their vast variety on offer here.  Among some of my favourites were the fish stuffed root (which I now know as sang kan yuen), fried sticky rice, siew mai, deep fried carrot cake, brinjal, stuffed beancurd puffs and steamed BBQ buns.

Jin Xuan Hong Kong Restaurant
No 19 Jalan 1/21 (Old Town)
46000 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 03-7781 5688