Favourite Eats of 2019

It's a new year.....a new decade....and a new beginning!  Hi, I'm b...a..c....k!  Did you miss me?  You did?......aww, that's great. ^.^  No?...oh well. :'(

Anyway, I've returned to publish one of my round-up posts that I promised (in my farewell post) just because it has been habitually done every year since I first started this blog at the end of 2013.  And by that, I mean I've been putting out summaries of my favourite eats every year, so here comes my final one for food I ate in 2019.

Last year, being the final leg of my blogging journey, I've been eating notably at mostly familiar places, so there aren't that many new eats really.  So the 2019 list has been condensed into just one post unlike in previous years (where I needed three, sometimes four, separate posts to complete listing them)! O_o

Dai Cha Dim @ Pavilion

This place seems to offer many of the cha chaan teng delights we've come to know but the food also has a distinctive local taste.  The texture of their wonton noodles, the shrimp roe, soup wontons, luncheon meat and milk tea make them instinctively Hong Kong-influenced.

But the flavours of their char siew, Hakka char yoke (braised pork belly) and sweet & sour fish made me relate to their more local flavours.

Black Man Nasi Lemak @ Kepong


This nasi lemak stall (which started out as a roadside stall) deserves my affection as it's among the few Chinese nasi lemak stalls that can stand tall among the more favoured Malay-style nasi lemak.  From their signature lemongrass pork chop (which my husband had) and popular spicy pork sambal to their chicken rendang and curried potatoes (which I had), they're a must-try for non-halal nasi lemak fans.

I especially enjoyed their choy poh (preserved radish) sambal cooked with har mai (dried prawns).  Note that they've relocated and are now plying their business at No 34G Vista Magna Block E, Jalan Prima 1, Metro Prima Kepong (012-376 7574).

Maven Coffee Store @ Taman Shamelin Perkasa

By far the nearest coffee place to me that's worthy of a stopover for a good cup (or glass) of coffee..and that's exactly how it should be treated, not as a cafe serving hot food as they can only do so much without a proper kitchen.

So, stick with simple, well toasted sourdough sandwiches (beef, chicken ham or tuna egg) or adequately thick, creamy soups (pumpkin or mushroom) here and you should be sufficiently pleased.

Y E Traditional Dumplings @ Pandan Jaya

It's obvious from their name that they are a rice dumpling specialist.  For me, they aren't my top favourite place to get bak chang but still decent enough as the glutinous rice is well cooked for that really soft texture that I like.  I just wished they would use better quality salted egg yolks.

Besides their signature dumplings, they offer a variety of rice dishes, noodles, porridge, dessert and side dishes for your main meals.  What got me on board were their more unique dishes (compared to other places) with a homemade taste.  I especially like their rather ching fish ball noodles and sang yue (snakehead/haruan) porridge but it's their side dishes, like Ah Ma taufu, fried chicken wings and meat rolls, that cemented me as a fan.

Kuey Teow Soup @ Soon Lee Coffee Shop, PJ Old Town


If you don't already know what you should order here, just look around at the tables and you'll know instinctively what you should be eating + it's obviously the busiest stall in this coffee shop.  This bowl of kuey teow soup is a cross between kai see hor fun (shredded chicken kuey teow) and fish ball noodles with the addition of pork slices.

What makes this bowl of noodles top-notch is the gorgeous-tasting broth (so comforting and yummy) and I (of course) adore the fact that it's made more fragrant with not one but two of the condiments I hold most dear (hehe!)...crispy (and insanely fresh) fried pork lard and garlic.

Rise & Shine by Tapestry @ Jalan Kamunting

You won't mind waking up to this sunshine-filled cafe which will charm you with its ambience, food and service.  Get yourself some bangers, salt beef, sarsi-glazed beef bacon or mushrooms...and crown that with a beautifully poached egg to start your day.  It's worth your while to rise and shine to a cup of coffee here.

Chui Lau Sinn @ Taman Maluri

There aren't many good fried Hokkien mee in my area (or I've not found them yet).  The ones that I used to frequent, their standards have dropped since they tasked it to their foreign workers to do the cooking.  So I googled and found this place serving good Hokkien mee and other fried noodles that are pleasantly tasty enough.

But the best thing here is still the fried Hokkien mee which offers a not-too-wet and not-too-dry consistency...and a surprisingly good, full of wok hei fried cabbage on the side too.

Fish Ball Noodles @ Red Leaf, Jalan Loke Yew


This coffee shop houses my current top pick for prawn noodles...and that's what I always have when I come here.  But on a very rare occasion that I did not, I stumbled upon a good fish ball noodle accidentally.

Coz this one came with excellent fish skin wantans (one of my favourite things to eat) but do note that this is not a standard ingredient in their bowl of fish ball noodles (just like elsewhere), so remember to specifically ask for the fish skin wantans as add-ons.

Emily's Steakhouse @ Jalan Sultan Ismail

A new entrant that will compete for your 'affection' in the steakhouse market is Emily's with its relatively small menu that's completely steak-focussed with limited options of other proteins.


But the affordably-priced steaks and generously-sized portions (including the sides of chips, peas & salad) more than make up for it.  Have it with their signature homemade black pepper sauce or, better still, in their rich creamy pepper sauce (my preferred choice).

HK Porky Noodle House @ Pandan Indah


This pork noodle gets the nod for its plentiful porky liew like their thickly-cut, properly-cooked and slightly-still-bloody liver, twice-as-long intestines (compared to elsewhere) and big-sized chunks of minced pork.

But, most of all, for the inclusion of pig stomach (which is among one of my favourite pork innards) and the choice of mixian noodles (both of which you don't usually find in other pork noodles) even though the cloudy broth may not be among my most-adored as it's a bit too robustly-flavoured for me.  I prefer the seafood version with prawns and squid as the broth has a hint of sweetness and lightness to it.

So, that's it.....my very short & sweet list (though there's nothing sweet really...hehe!).  As you can see, most of them are conveniently located near me.  It only goes to show people are usually drawn to or choose places that are geographically convenient for them. ^_*

*If you wish to check out some of my previous memorable eats throughout my food journey (though some are sadly not with us anymore), you can find them listed in Blog Categories under My Favourites.