Manhattan Fish Market @ Sunway Velocity

I can't remember when was the last time I dined at Manhattan Fish Market (I think it was at least 5 years or probably more than that) though my post in 2014 would serve as an indication (but I do remember having it again after that).  For a fish & chips restaurant chain, I actually prefer their competitor, Fish & Co, though you'll find more Manhattan Fish Market outlets than Fish & Co which is a testimony to their popularity and they're still going strong after all these years.

So, when we couldn't think of what to eat one evening, we took up GrabFood's hotdeals promo of RM12.50 off and ordered from Manhattan Fish Market @ Sunway Velocity (sorry-lah, this is a stale post and what we had is no longer in its promo menu...hehe..but you'll still see parts of it here and there in the menu).  When one can't decide what to eat, getting a combo platter is the easiest way out your as you don't have to decide what items to get individually.  These days with food delivery, it has not only made us lazy to cook and lazy to dine-out but also lazy to think...haha!

So, we got ourselves the Family Savers B for 2 pax @ RM54 to share....it's quite similar to their current SFC (Scallop Fish Chicken) Single Platter for RM44.90 but with a few more things thrown in.

Included in the package were two bowls (aka two plastic containers) of Soup of the Day which turned out to be Mushroom Soup that's always a favourite when it comes to cream soups.  This was one that had a more concentrated flavour of cream than mushroom but nothing loads of freshly cracked black pepper can't help.

There were some slices of bread (to accompany the mushroom soup) that appeared to be a poor imitation of garlic bread.  They seemed to have been buttered and pan-fried (on a flat top grill) on one side only and were neither crispy nor toasted (the other side was just plain, soft bread).

The Family Savers Platter also came with a serving of Spicy Shrimp Olio tossed in onions, garlic, chilli flakes and black pepper that tasted alright, nothing particularly outstanding.  Before you jump for joy at the sight of so many good-sized prawns, just know that these are not succulent spicy shrimps (as promoted) but tasteless, crunchy, frozen prawns which I'm not fond of but at least they weren't those with the translucent look and were perhaps better quality ones (just only slightly).

As for the Family Savers sharing platter, it was made up of goodies that included hand-battered fish fingers, fried scallops and grilled chicken with sides of garlic herb rice, vegetables and hand-cut chips.

This is a fish joint after all, so we start with their hand-battered fish fingers which is made from dory, I presume.  Though dory isn't favoured by many (me included), I thought these ones were quite acceptable (and there were 3 large pieces) as the batter was nice and crunchy and the meat flaky and soft (perhaps this was a better quality dory or the batter coating more than did it justice).

Next were the little morsels of fried scallops (there were at least 8 - 9 of them) that were nicely battered and well fried for that crispy, delicious bite.  Again, who can complain about something fried, right? ;)

Probably the most surprising was the inclusion of a piece of grilled boneless chicken thigh as I wasn't expecting chicken from a fish/seafood joint.  The flavour wasn't too shabby either as it was well-seasoned and nicely grilled.

Finally, the sides of garlic herb rice (there was quite a lot of it) underneath all the goodies (ok-lah, the rice was rather bland), vegetables of blanched broccoli and carrot (unseasoned and could be cooked a little softer) and hand-cut chips (salty, crispy, really enjoyed this one....who can say no to crisp chips) completed the ensemble.

Three types of sauces were given....mayo, a sambal and some kind of garlic herbed-type sauce, the latter two of which I didn't truly care for.  The sambal was the worst of the three.  Better to just rely on some good old chilli sauce.

Rounding up the Family Savers package were two complimentary drinks...a soft drink (Coke) and a bottle of (Minute Maid) orange juice.

This was a very filling platter for two (that even three smaller-eaters can share) and we struggled to finish all the components, so there's really no cause for complaint based on the price we paid for a value-for-money package (at around RM40 after discount) in relation to the good portions we got.

Since we were happy with the value to portion, we had it a second time since we (my son especially) quite enjoyed all the different (fried) components of the platter overall.  The second time was even better as the fried items were clearly fried longer for a better browning which made them more fragrant and further enhanced its flavour.

My Personal Opinion

It has been many years since I've had Manhattan Fish Market and it was nice to revisit some old flavours.  The thing I remember the most is their smoky-tasting flaming prawns but that is best eaten on-site.  Flamed tableside, it was quite the show back in the day...lol.

I guess there's a reason why this global brand that first opened here in 2002 has grown to become one of Malaysia's favourite seafood restaurants...and the franchise is still growing from strength to strength.

All the different components of the platter we had were pleasantly flavoured and we enjoyed our simple discounted meal without having to crack our heads on what to order individually.  If the promotion comes back, we won't hesitate to order it again.

Manhattan Fish Market

2-26 Sunway Velocity Mall

90 Jalan Peel

Taman Maluri

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Restoran Famous Yam Rice @ Pandan Perdana

My husband who doesn't like to drink soups (nor eat soup noodles) will happily make an exception when it comes to pork offal soup made with either ham choy (salted vegetables) or white peppercorns.  I recently discovered one near us, Restoran Famous Yam Rice @ Pandan Perdana (self-proclaimed lah) and decided to pay a visit.

I'm not sure if this one is related to the BM (as in Bukit Mertajam) Famous Yam Rice which has an outlet in Mahkota Cheras.  From some Google photos, their signboard used to be similar (even some of the poster boards inside the shop) but the words BM is no longer in their signboard currently (maybe they once were the same but no longer the case now).  Similar or not, it doesn't matter to us since this is our first time eating there.

We came here for one thing and one thing only.....the Mixed Pork (Offal) Soup @ RM9.50 (S) with salted vegetables.  It had all the usual innards of pig stomach, kidney, liver, tongue and intestines (good...no blood cubes) including some meatballs, pork belly slices and lean meat too.

The soup base made with ham choy (or salted vegetables) which is my husband's favourite type of soup is slightly murky in looks.  I can't say that I loved the broth as much as I found it a bit too salty (of course, when it's salty, my husband likes it even more) and a little on the sourish side too for my taste bud.

We had a bowl each, he had it with white rice @ RM1.30 (L, RM1 for S) and tried to pour it scarcely over his rice as he wanted to reserve it for drinking later (but that was before we realised we could have asked for soup refills...haiz).

I had it with yam rice @ RM1.80 (L)....after all, the restaurant is called Famous Yam Rice, is it not? ;D  Not to worry, the L size rice is not big at all (RM1.20 for S), in fact they gave us default L without asking us.  I thought that the yam rice was pretty good, filled with yam chunks (decent amount for the price), fried dried shrimps and some fried shallots.

What I appreciated the most were the abundant mini dried shrimps which gave it that sea-salty and umami flavour.  These are unlike the larger, meatier dried shrimps that we usually use in our day-to-day cooking as these are extremely tiny, unshelled, paper-thin, translucent dried shrimps which are crispy and fragrant (they're called papery shrimps or shrimp skin in Chinese).

On another visit, we decided to get the Mixed Pork (Innard) Soup @ RM17 (medium or RM25 for large & RM33 for XL).  With more meat in the same-sized bowl, it meant we got less soup...and thought it'd be better if we stick to ordering our own bowl in future (that was before the server came and automatically refilled our soup twice which they didn't do the first time we dined here).

I notice that Chinese celery leaves (or daun sup) are more commonly used (instead of Chinese coriander which I much prefer) in strong tasting soups like pork innard soup (or beef) soup.  Perhaps the more intense flavour of these leaves are needed to take away the strong porky (or beefy) taste of the meat.

Well, if you're not an offal-type-of-person, you could always ask for just the Meat Ball Soup @ RM9.50 (small).  Not bad, good value for 12 decent-sized pork balls I have to say with a bit of fragrance from the dried cuttlefish embedded in the meat balls.

What I found quite different from other shops/stalls selling pork innards soup is their chilli condiment.  Here it's served with some kind of sambal paste with a squeeze of thick dark soy.  I didn't fancy this and didn't think it paired well with the offals.  I thought those that use a freshly blended chilli sauce (something similar to those served in chicken rice shops) was way better to provide a spicy, tangy lift to take away the meatiness (as well as provide freshness) to the dish.

Besides rice and soup, they offer dry egg (or more commonly referred to as wantan) noodles and meehun soup but with porky stuff lah (such as pork knuckle, pork belly, intestines, stomach, kidney, meat ball, minced meat or lean meat.  I gave the Pork Stomach Meehun @ RM7 (S) a go during one of our visits.

I believe it came in the same soup base (with ham choy) although I felt this one was a little bit clearer, cleaner and lighter in taste (which I preferred).  Maybe this one had less spare parts steeping in the soup?  I liked the texture of the meehun (slightly different from the normal ones) and appreciated the inclusion of some pieces of crispy pork lard.

I also tried their Braised Pork Belly Egg Noodle @ RM7 (S) just to see how their dry noodles fared (with my husband eating most of the pork belly!).  Not my favourite as the texture of the noodles is the QQ-curly-type + the sauce was a bit too wet for my liking.  I was expecting it to be like the sauce for wantan mee but I was not expecting it to be so watery.

As with any shops selling braised meat, there's always the Braised Eggs @ RM1.50 each which I can't resist.....a must-order.  The braising liquid wasn't the best I've had as it has not quite achieved that lovely thick, dark, sticky sauce that I favour.

Then there's the Braised Tau Fu @ RM2 a piece (this was one piece, a rather huge piece).  From the looks, the tofu obviously needed a longer braise to take on a darker, more caramelised colour for the flavour to steep into the tofu.

In one of our visits, we also ordered the Braised Pork Meat @ RM9.50 as a side dish.  Though the description said pork meat, I think it was more pork belly meat as the layers of fat can be clearly seen.  It was tender nonetheless (and I can eat the bottom half...hehe!).

The Baby Romaine Lettuce (in oyster sauce) @ RM5 was there to fulfill something green in a meal.  Glad to see that it came with some freshly fried (but limp) shallots.

One side dish that I was very interested to try was the braised intestines but, alas, I wasn't fated to eat it. On my first trip, they ran out of the small intestines at dinner time (but had large intestines which I've never liked).  On my second visit for breakfast (at around 10am), it wasn't ready yet (even though their business hours was supposed to start at 9.30am).  And on my third visit for dinner again, they ran out of intestines again (both types).  I really hate it when shops run out of this and that...and cannot fulfill what they promise in their menu.  There was once they even ran out of pork belly! >.<

My Personal Opinion

From the name in the receipt (it says Zheng Ji Restoran Famous Yam Rice), I don't think they're the same ones as BM Famous Yam Rice (maybe they were affiliated once but not anymore although they do sell almost identical food).

When I looked closely at their Google photos (after 2019 + compared them to the BM Famous Yam Rice in Mahkota Cheras), I think I saw some subtle differences especially in the colour of their braised items and the thickness of their braising sauce.  This yam rice also comes topped with fried papery shrimps which the previous version didn't have.  That's just my observation but I could be wrong lah.

Seeing that 1) the flavour profile of the soup didn't offer much complexities other that just salty for me, 2) the chilli dip wasn't to my liking and 3) chasing after their ever elusive braised intestines isn't something I'm thrilled about, this will be a once-in-a-while mixed pork innards soup for us as we've had eaten better tasting ones elsewhere + it isn't something we should eat too often anyway.

Restoran Famous Yam Rice

25 Jalan Perdana 6/4

Pandan Perdana

55300 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 012-234 6881

My Final Post on Cookie

 This has to be the hardest blogpost I've ever had to write but it's something I felt I needed to do to pay a final tribute to my beloved furry companion in the hope it will help ease my grieving process that is necessary to begin healing.

In Loving Memory of Cookie

Born: Circa December 2012

Died: 12 March 2022

It wasn't that long ago when Cookie came into our lives.....tiny, hungry, alone and frightened.  He was rescued from our roof when his birth mother died under unknown circumstances.

It's a poignant reminder that I lost my little tiger in the Year of the Tiger.  Your time on earth was like a fleeting moment to me, way too brief.  You went away too soon but I hope you lived a happy and contented life with me.  A major part of my daily routine revolved around caring for you for the past 9 years that I don't know what to do with the time I now have on my hands.

I will miss you claiming our sofa, bed, dining table, kitchen top, computer table, cushions and everything else as yours.

I will miss your incessant meowing for (human) food each time we eat.

And I will miss hearing your loud meows (in reply) each time I say "Cookie, you want chicken?"

 

But, most of all, I will miss you following me everywhere around the house.

I think even my next door neighbour will miss you.  Since she heard the news of your passing, she has forwarded me the photos she took of you over the years.  Your favourite spots were sitting on top of their car and between the flower pots watching the world go by (or watching out for male cats).

I do not wish to remember that skinny, frail looking body that you were (at the vet) when you left.

I want to remember you as the cute and cheeky cat, standing tall and proud, that I know you were.

I want to remember you sleeping in the weirdest, cutest and funniest positions that always made me laugh.

I want to remember you as the natural hunter-killer that you were...and the gifts you brought me though I may not show the same appreciation or enthusiasm for them as you did.

I want to remember that innocent look of yours when you were up to mischief.....it wasn't me, mommy.

I want to remember you hogging my attention by literally spreading yourself on my keyboard so that I had to focus on you instead of writing my blog.

I want to remember your many funny antics that always brought a smile to my face.

But, most of all, I want to remember you maybe not as the king of the world but certainly the king of my heart.

Your death came so swift and sudden that neither I (nor the vet) was prepared for it.  I didn't get the chance to cuddle you one last time or say a proper goodbye.....so, here it is instead.

A Goodbye Letter to Cookie

 Even as I write this, the emotions are still raw and my heart pines for you.  The hardest thing to get over was losing you...losing your unconditonal love, affection and companionship.  I didn't think it would be so difficult (and one can't begin to understand the bond that exists between owner and pet until one have owned and lost a pet).  The second hardest thing was seeing your lifeless body at the vet one last time and the cremation photos that followed.  I will always regret not being there to hold your hand tiny little paw when you slipped away.

I wish your time with me was longer than the 9+ wonderful years you had given me...not to mention the immense joy you brought to my life...but I can't be selfish.  You were so unfortunate to be afflicted with such a delibitating disease that I should be relieved you're no longer in pain. There'll always be feelings of guilt wondering if I had done enough for you.

You were my first pet.....and my last.  I don't have it in me to go through such an emotional experience again.  Everywhere I look...your stuff, your photos, your videos, everything around the house reminds me of you.

It has been an emotionally trying time for me since your passing....a very tough week, to say the least...but you're home now.  The hardest times to get through were the nights.  Each time I close my eyes in the silence of the night, my thoughts inevitably goes to you and the floodgates will open.  You come to me in the day as memories....and haunt my waking hours.

Photos and videos of you awaken poignant memories of happier times and bring tears to my eyes.  They say time heals all wounds but you've left such an indelible scar in my heart, I don't think it will ever heal...completely.

Rest now, my Cookie.....in eternal peace in kitty heaven.

You have been a very good cat.....the best pet and companion I (or anyone) could have asked for.

You were loved...so very much.

You will be missed....dearly.

Maybe I'll see you in my dreams.

Forever your mommy. T_T

Mummy's Noodles House @ Pandan Indah

Situated opposite Pandan Indah's police station, this pan mee restaurant has been around for at least 5 years but I've never tried (until now) coz there are just way too many pan mee eateries in my neighbourhood, some as stalls in coffee shops and some as full-fledged restaurants specialising in traditional pan mee.

If you were to throw a stone in my taman, it's bound to hit a pan mee eatery though they tend to come and go (many came and went) but this one seems to have lasted.  So, when I found Mummy's Noodles House @ Pandan Indah on ShopeeFood, I thought they must at least be decent to have stuck around for so long (and brave enough to open along the same row as the more well-known Kin Kin Pan Mee and much later too).

I actually stumbled upon this choice when I was trying to order something else but that eatery kept showing up as temporarily closed or shop is busy that I gave up after a few rounds of trying.  Well, they say sometimes things happen for a reason...and that's when I bumped into this promotion....Jom Support Kedai Kita with RM10 off for a minimum spend of RM14 on ShopeeFood some time ago!

With such a good promotion staring me in the face, I just had to make use of it.  Since Mummy's Noodles House specialises in pan mee, we must start with the Minced Pork Pan Mee (Soup) @ RM9.50 of course with a choice of fine (aka thin), thick or slice (aka hand torn) noodles.  I went with the fine (or thin) noodles.

I thought the soup base was pleasantly tasty with a homecooked feel to it (just like mommy's cooking?...lol). I also liked the fact that they use mani cai (sweet leaf or cekur/pucuk/sayur manis), a key ingredient in pan mee, as their vegetable of choice instead of amaranth greens (or yin choy) which some would use.

The minced pork was decent too as was the crisp and fragrant ikan bilis (fried anchovies).  I was glad that they didn't go overboard with the shredded, crunchy wood ear fungus in their version (as in too much) since it isn't something I particularly enjoy in a bowl of pan mee.

On another occasion, I tried the Sliced Pork Pan Mee (Dry) @ RM9.50 and, this time, I chose the thick noodles.  The dark sauce was pretty ok in terms of taste.

The lean pork slices were tender enough, so no cause for complaint, just not as smooth as some you might have eaten.  Also happy to report that the fried onions tasted like the freshly own-made kind.

Of course, the thicker noodles offer more of a bite compared to the thin noodles but not overly starchy or clumpy as it was cooked just right.  Portion of noodles was good, more than enough for me.

But I must make a mention of their fresh sambal or chilli paste which I enjoyed thoroughly.  The usual ones I've had are normally overly spicy (and slightly more watery too).  The heat level in some is quite unbearable, so I'd end up eating the chilli paste only sparingly but Mummy's version (that's slightly tangy and thicker as well) I can finish all of it! ;P

Besides pan mee, they also offer kuey tiao and yee mee noodles (soup or dry) with a choice of pork balls, fish cake & fu chuk or fish balls (on top of options for minced pork or sliced pork).

To make use of the promotion of RM10 off for minimum spend of RM14, I had to order a side snack each time, the first of which was the Fried Fish Cake @ RM6.50 (4 pcs).

This fish cake tastes and looks exactly (even in shape) like those commercially sold fish cake that many eateries use as an ingredient in their fried noodles, char kway teow, fish ball noodles, curry noodles, etc.  So, you know what to expect...a lower quality fish paste with a highly bouncy texture. >.<

The Fried Chicken Roll @ RM7.50 (2 pcs) fared better than the fish cake.  If you're expecting the traditional lobak taste, you'd be disappointed as the filling didn't have that usual texture of meat you'd come to associate with lobak (even if this version was chicken instead of pork) although it did have that 5-spice flavour that's inherent in lobak.

The rather dense filling had a somewhat similar texture to fish paste with some crunchiness provided by the chopped carrots and yam bean (sengkuang) studded in the filling.  I suppose it's an acceptable side dish (I've had worse traditional lobak than this) if you want to have some nibbles for sharing besides a bowl of handmade fresh noodles.

The third side dish of Fried Fish Fuzu (I think they meant Fu Chuk) @ RM7.50 (3 pcs) that I tried (courtesy of my son's order of yee mee pan mee) turned out to be the best of the lot.  The beancurd skin was thoroughly crispy with a fish paste filling that was adequately seasoned with the right texture.

Even if it can't beat the favourite fried beancurd skin I've had here (which used to be offered at a fantastic price of RM3 but it's now pricier at RM5), it was still a very decent rendition.  What is it about crispy beancurd skin side dish that's so easy to please?  I like fish.....and I like crispy...that's why! ;)

My Personal Opinion

I have to say this ended up to be my most preferred pan mee in my neighbourhood so far besides my go-to pan mee from a food truck at our Friday night pasar malam.  Certainly one of the better ones here and one that I can enjoy during the day as well.

So, was it as good as the pan mee my mummy makes?  Well, I wouldn't know about that since my mummy has never made pan mee noodles.....kekeke! ^_~

Mummy's Noodles House

11 Jalan Perubatan 4

Pandan Indah

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 016-887 8003