Iberico Bak Chang by JY's Signature

During the last Dumpling Festival, my neighbour gifted me a piece of bak chang to try but it wasn't any ordinary bak chang but an Iberico Bak Chang by JY's Signature (sent to her courtesy of her daughter overseas).

You see, since visiting her son in US, she is now used to eating Iberico pork and find our local pork hard to take (too porky a smell for her).  Well, I'm sure most would agree that Iberico pork does taste better for sure but then it also costs a lot more (probably more common and much cheaper over in the US compared to here).  These days, you get to eat bak chang all year round and not just during the Dumpling Festival (and I'm sure that pleases a lot of people). ^.^

The Iberico bak chang came vacuum packed and frozen.  Great that the packaging comes with a diagram of all the various cuts of the Iberico pig too which serves to educate us on what parts we're eating (and the Spanish terms for them as well).

My first introduction to Iberico pork was through Iberico Kitchen some 7 years ago (note that they have moved twice but glad to see they're still going strong at their current location in SS2 PJ).  Buoyed by that excellent introduction to Iberico pork, I continued my Iberico dining with El Iberico and Curious Kitchen.

Let's see which Iberico cuts I've had the pleasure of eating already....I've eaten their ever popular spareribs, cheek (or jowl), collar, pork chop, top loin, shoulder loin, iberico ham (or jamon iberico), even Iberico siew yuk, Iberico pork chop from a Chinese restaurant and now Iberico bak chang...lol.

The bak chang was bigger in size than the usual bak chang I buy and on opening it, I could see that the glutinous rice dumpling was abundantly filled with.......

1)  Black eyed beans - I actually prefer mung beans (or luk tau) but don't mind black eyed beans either so long as I get to eat chung...lol.  If you like to eat your beans whole, the black eyed beans would be a better option since mung beans are usually cooked to a more mushy consistency.  I'm actually starting to appreciate black eyed beans more these days.

2)  Chestnuts (or foong lut) - there were two actually when you'd usually get one in most chungs (coz of their much smaller size).

3)  Salted egg yolk - ah, this is what I look forward to most...a bright orange, oily-looking yolk for the best quality and creamy taste.  This one was of a very decent quality indeed.  Not sure if this was one or two yolks...well, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

4)  Dried shiitake (or Chinese) mushrooms - again, there's usually one piece but this one has two.  This ingredient is not critical for me as the given ones are mostly the lower quality, thin-type and all black cap (not those white flower top shiitake mushrooms).

5)  Finally, the pork - the piece de resistance in any glutinous rice dumpling as the fatty pork is what gives the chung its all-round flavour.  But this is no ordinary pork but a piece of slightly fatty Iberico collar....and, somehow, because it was Iberico pork, I was able to eat up the fatty part also without it being too gelatinous or cloying for me.

Was it good?  Definitely. ^o^  The glutinous rice was nicely soft and all the ingredients came together for a well-flavoured chung.  Flavour wise, did the piece of Iberico collar taste significantly different from regular pork?  Not really, maybe just a smidget more flavour than regular pork.  Not when it was stuffed together like that in a flavourful chung.  Yes, the meat was super tender but you can also get this from chung makers who manage to cook their regular pork just as tender.  Because the bak chang was so fully loaded with ingredients, there wasn't much space left for the glutinous rice...I would have loved more of it though! ;)

Well, if you're feeling a little bit extravagant, then you can certainly order this bak chang which retails for RM21 a piece (alamak, 3x the price!).....but but but...I can get 3 pcs of (normal) bak chang for the price of one wor! O_o  Ok-lah, the price goes down to RM18 a piece if you order 4 pcs.  I suppose if it wasn't at three times the price, I would buy them in a heartbeat.  Maybe I'll reserve these for special occasions only or when I feel like splurging.  I know I'll probably get it at some point but for now, I guess I'll just rely on my regular sources for bak chang....hehe! ^_^

My Personal Opinion

JY's Signature (opened end of last year) operates a deli and frozen food store and they have a physical shop in Jalan Ipoh.  They also offer pre-cooked, ready-to-eat Iberico ribs, healthy raw meat, sauces and all sorts of Iberico pork products including Iberico satay (with sauce), moo ping (Thai satay) and siu mai (I've not tried any of this).

Even though the price is on the higher end, I would still recommend this Iberico bak chang coz it does taste really good sans the difference in its more "atas" fei chu yoke (higher end fatty pork) for a once in a while indulgence when the pocket permits. ^_~

JY's Signature

Lot H-GA-02 Block H

Ground Floor Rivercity

No 1 Jalan Selvadurai

Off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah

Jalan Ipoh

51200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 011-3666 6340

myBurgerLab @ MyTown Shopping Centre

When one mentions burgers or gourmet burgers, you bet the name myBurgerLab would be in the mix.  Started by 3 friends who had no experience in the F&B industry in 2012, the brand was an instant hit and became a mainstay in the gourmet burgers industry.

Going from strength to strength, myBurgerLab now spans six branches located throughout Klang Valley in Seapark, OUG, Sunway, Cyberjaya, MyTown and Bangsar.  Not only that but their success led to spin-offs (like popular TV series lah) of myPizzaLab in Seapark, Desa Sri Hartamas and Subang Jaya and Chick n' Buns in Hartamas Shopping Centre.

After hearing that myBurgerLab is phonghongbakes favourite burger + news of them selling out daily during their heydays were well documented, there can be no further doubt as to how good their burgers are.  With an outlet opened near me in MyTown (in 2018), there can be no more excuses of not trying though I know I'm a decade late (lol)...better late than never, right?

For my first try of myBurgerLab's gourmet burgers, I got myself the Hangover (Set) @ RM32 (inclusive of soft drink and RM1 for the packaging).  First impression....I was indeed impressed by the thick quality paper box the burger came in.  The picture of a double beef patty (on the box cover) being pressed down by a fork with juices flowing was enough to get me salivating.

The Hangover burger was described in the menu as a beef patty paired with mushrooms, topped with a crispy hash brown and covered in maple syrup for a combination of sweet and savoury flavours accompanied by a side of awesome fries.  Sounded very promising....but that was all it was unfortunately! >_<

Let me dissect my burger experience for you.  First of all, when I opened up the box and placed the burger on a plate, I realised that there was no accompanying maple syrup.  Neither was it already drizzled on the burger (I peeked).  That was the first bummer! >.<  Missing out an accompaniment (like a sauce) is not accepted SOP from a gourmet burger joint....from a fast-food burger chain, maybe.  I used to get missing creamers, sugar and chilli sauce from McD (and having cheese when I requested for no cheese) but that's probably easier to forgive and forget seeing the price of their burgers.

Let's start from the top.....the burger bun itself.  This is myBurgerLab's signature bamboo charcoal bun that's freshly baked to yield fluffy, tasty and oh-so-addictive buns.  It was soft and fluffy indeed but tasted bland like any charcoal bun...maybe that's how they want it to be for the rest of the burger ingredients to shine.  I felt it was just a tad dry too maybe because the sauce (in this case the maple syrup) was missing + I also had no runny egg yolk to help its cause.

I think charcoal buns, when they first came out, was a bit of a novelty but it's now quite common in many burger joints.  It's a pretty sight alright and looks striking in photos because of the contrasting black.  But I'd settle for a brioche bun anytime with its complimentary sweetness against the savouriness of a buttered and grilled bun (even better).

Lifting up the burger bun, I could see a piece of nicely fried hash brown.  The hash brown was perfectly fried to yield a crispy exterior with the finely diced potato cubes offering a good bite.  The hash brown was good but probably from a frozen food supplier like Simplot (coz I doubt they'd take the trouble to make their own hash brown)...hehe!  They offer this as an add-on in other burgers at RM3...and if it's offered with your burger of choice, I suggest you to take it...lol.

Underneath the hash brown lies a thin piece of lightly grilled tomato....too scant to offer much to the burger but still welcome that it's there for juiciness.  And beneath the grilled tomato was the beef patty itself.  It was seasoned well and cooked to medium doneness (as advertised) as it was still a little pink in the centre. The patty was well seared achieving a nice crust on the edges of the patty but not as juicy as expected (and certainly quite unlike the juiciness depicted in the photo sticker on the box....lol).  Overall, it was still a very decent patty.

Beneath the meat patty was the sauteed mushrooms atop fresh lettuce with some scant sauce (this burger does not come with cheese).  The sauteed mushrooms were properly seasoned and adequate in taste but ended up as the culprit that made the burger soggy.  I initially thought the fresh lettuce was some form of sauteed greens (like spinach) coz it was so soft and disintegrated (bits of which were left in the paper bag after I slipped the burger out onto a plate).

The sauteed mushrooms must have been scooped on top of the lettuce right after they were cooked while they were still hot thereby causing the fresh lettuce to wilt (and darken) tremendously and the bun getting soggy as a result (just cooked mushrooms tend to leak out water too).  You can see just how soggy the bottom piece of the bun was.

And because of that, you can't hope to hold the bun with your hands and eat it the way a burger should be eaten.  I had to eat it with a fork and knife. :O  That aside, I wasn't able to get the true experience of the burger without the maple syrup...and didn't get to find out if the sweet and savoury flavours worked in this case (though I know it has worked before in my other food experiences).

As with any burger set, it comes with a side of their Awesome Fries (if you sell it as awesome, it better be).....well...it didn't quite turn out as awesome as promised.  That's because they were no longer the thick cut fries (that I've seen online, with skin on) but replaced with shoestring fries (don't know when this took effect or whether it was due to the fries shortage experienced lately or they simply changed supplier or changed to a cheaper type of fries). >:(

These shoestring fries, though crisp on the outside, just weren't as fluffy on the inside as one would get with better quality, thicker cut fries (the insides tasted a bit powdery like those frozen fries bought from supermarkets).  If I wanted lower quality shoestring fries, I'd get myself a cheaper McD burger and fulfill myself with lower expectations.  To say the fries was a disappointment is an understatement.  The saving grace was the red dipping sauce that was creamy, tangy and moderately spicy.

My Personal Opinion

I know it's not fair to judge them on only one burger experience but with the burgers costing in the region of RM30 - RM40 (via delivery), let's just say it isn't the cheapest burgers around, so I certainly expected more based on the price point.

Until they improve their SOPs (on how to roll out a complete burger to ensure no missing items) or do some R&D to find the best way to serve the hot, freshly cooked mushrooms (maybe it should be prepared ahead and left to stand at room temperature first?) and not present an overly soggy, I can't help but be cautious so as not to end up paying for something that's going to be less than satisfying.

I actually lined up the next 2 - 3 burgers that I wanted to try after making this order but (sadly) had to take a step back.  But having said that, I do admire myBurgerLab for how they respond to criticism from customers and (hopefully) they'll take all the constructive feedback and strive towards being purveyors of the best burger experience (as they claim or aspire to be).

Perhaps when their fries become awesome again and they re-introduce the cheese crisp (I read that this had been dispensed with...I may not like melted cheese but I do like a fragrant cheese crisp after trying it at another burger place)...and hopefully no more foul-up in the orders, I may still revisit this burger brand one day...for their burgers were great once (based on reviews) and can be again...but for now, it's a No for me! :'(

myBurgerLab

G-020 Ground Floor

MyTown Shopping Centre

No 6 Jalan Cochrane Seksyen 90

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Vadai Stall @ Ampang

I don't each much Indian snacks other than Bombay mix or muruku campuran (a lovely medley of spiced, dried nuts, peas, lentils, chickpeas, flour crisps, curry leaves, etc.), murukku and pakora.

And I know very little about Indian food (except for their various roti and banana leaf rice).....and even less about Indian snacks but what I do know is that I absolutely love vadai! ;)

I only recently found out what they're called actually.  They're Medhu Vadai and Vadai Kacang Dhal.  I call the former vadai with a hole (much like a doughnut lah) and the latter vadai without a hole! LOL

I found out their names when I found this Vadai Stall @ Ampang on ShopeeFood.  Medhu vadai also have a lot of alternative names (it's astonishing just how many, you can Google it).  Medhu (wiki says) is the Tamil word for "soft", so medhu vadai literally means soft fritter....and indeed it is.

The medhu vadai from here tastes really good, tasting of being fried in fresh oil, not too greasy and always arrives piping hot (since I'm only about 10 minutes away).  Before this, my favourite were the ones from Kanna Curry House but that's just too far away for me to be able to enjoy them when I want.

All I know is that they're made from dhal (some mention whole urad dal or split black lentils but don't ask me why they're called black lentils when they look white while some say it's made with white lentils...very confusing!).  Never mind, I just need to eat them...not make them.  They're then grounded together with a mix of onions, green chillies and curry leaves (these I tasted) and some spices.

I also detected a perfume-y fragrance, almost anise-like flavour, I think they were fennel seeds (they could also be cumin seeds since they look almost the same).  The medhu vadai was fragrant with a nice crispy exterior and soft on the inside.  It was a very tasty vadai unlike some that went a bit overboard with the spices that it became overpowering.

The vadai kacang dal on the other hand has a much coarser texture compared to the medhu vadai.  The dal is grounded but some are kept whole to give a nice chunky texture to the vadai for a denser bite but just as good. ^.^

 

But, between the two, I like the medhu vadai a lot more.  So good.....I can even eat five of these in one go...and would like to indulge more regularly if I could! ^o^

The delicious-looking photo of the kacang hijau (green lentils) on their menu tempted me to get one to try. The fritter tasted full-on with 100% kacang hijau in the mix.  The one in the photo had a bit more batter around it while this one was very soft and mushy.  I guess you have to fully love green lentils if you're to love this.....I guess I didn't love it enough! ;)

Finally, I also got a karipap (curry puff) to try...and it wasn't anywhere near good (quite obvious from the photo, isn't it?), so you can safely skip this.  I should have known better that Indian vendors (I'm assuming it is lah) wouldn't be very good at making curry puffs which I feel the Malay vendors are better at.

Everything shown here is priced at RM1 a piece (via ShopeeFood) and they also offer cekodok pisang (banana fritters), cucur bawang (onion fritters), kuih ubi kayu (cassava/tapioca kuih) and putu mayam (idiyappam/string hoppers) though those are usually unavailable...not that I'd want to try anyway after the failure of the karipap since all of them (other than the putu mayam) are what I'd usually associate being made by Malay vendors.

My Personal Opinion

The medhu vadai is the real scene-stealer here.  I'm overwhelmingly happy that I've found a stall (I believe it's just a roadside stall) that churns out a good vadai just a short distance away from where I live.  I can now allow myself to enjoy the pleasure of eating this beloved snack when I want to.

Perhaps I shouldn't be so enthusiastic after all as it isn't the healthiest thing to chow down but I can't help it coz it's so addictively good.  Eat first. Think later.....I say! :D

Vadai Stall

Jalan Wawasan 2/10

Bandar Baru Ampang

68000 Ampang

Selangor

Ipoh Ipoh Kafe @ SS2 PJ

I heard about this place, Ipoh Ipoh Kafe @ SS2 PJ, dishing out a mean bowl of kai see hor fun for a while now and since it's one of my beloved type of noodles to eat, it was only a matter of time before I found myself here for a dine-in.

After reading reviews by bangsarbabe (who didn't like it as much) and thokohmakan (who loved it) as well as their restaurant's Facebook and Google ratings (the latter two made for some juicy reading which I'll tell you about later), I knew I had to visit.  We were there on a Sunday morning and was surprised (but glad) that we got a seat quite easily.

Ipoh is synonymous with kai see hor fun making it one of their most successful exports, so to speak, to other States.  People flock to Ipoh just to have this kway teow with shredded chicken together with their well-known fat beansprouts and poached chicken.  Of course I had to start with none other than a bowl of kai see hor fun and went with the Kampung Chicken Horfun Soup Jumbo @ RM17 (go big or go home, right?).

First look at the bowl of kai see hor fun was impressive indeed.  Described on the menu as "thigh or drumstick with extra prawn", I could see three good-sized sea prawns (they use ming ha here), I believe it's one extra from the regular bowl) and it delivered on freshness, firmness and sweetness.  Then you have the aromatics that are critical in a good bowl of kai see hor fun...Chinese chives, fried shallots (freshly made, not pre-fried ones out of a packet) and a lovely, vibrant layer of prawn oil.

The broth was not only exciting in looks but matched in taste as well with an intensely flavoured broth that was made from a bone broth base with lots of fried whole prawns (emphasis on the words 'whole prawns'...not prawn shells, ok).  The unmistakably taste and aroma of prawn was front and centre at first sip followed by a robust tasting broth.  It was good, there's no doubt about that...but if you prefer a clearer soup base, then this may not be for you.

The hor fun was slippery smooth and translucent alright, no complaints on that, just not as thinly sliced or silky smooth as the one I had in Ipoh which glides down my throat effortlessly.  In the end, it was certainly a very commendable bowl of kai see hor fun that not only looks good but tastes equally good as well.  Special mention must go to their use of fresh, good quality, sweet tasting sea prawns and the golden hue of prawn oil just brought out all the umami flavours.  Besides the jumbo version, you can order the classic kaisi horfun (RM10), kaisi set'isfy or big-lah (RM14.50) or just with kampung chicken (RM12.50).

Since I got the jumbo version with kampung chicken, there was no kai si (shredded chicken) in their signature Ipoh hor fun.  Instead, it came with a separate plate of kampung chicken (thigh or drumstick) on a bed of fat, crunchy, juicy Ipoh beansprouts.  My son actually reminded me to state the cut I wanted (you order via a written chit) but because the menu mentioned thigh or drumstick with extra prawn in its description, I understood it as being up to them to give us whichever cut was available (coz it didn't say "choose between thigh or drumstick").  In the end, I wrote down the choice of cut I wanted just in case (there's a story about this that you can read on Google).

While the poached chicken thigh was quite tender and flavourful, it wasn't as wat (slippery-smooth) as some I've eaten before.  The skin was also quite fatty that I had to remove them.  I did like the soy sauce underneath that was lighter in taste and I enjoyed the beansprouts tremendously.  But the accompanying ginger scallion dip wasn't as likeable (I've had better ones from chicken rice stalls, even my mom's homemade one tastes better).

Besides the ginger and scallion dip (on the chicken), you'll find some accompaniments on the table as well for you to partake as much as you like.  They had the fresh chilli dip (for their chicken rice and roasted meats), vinegared green chillies (for their wantan mee and chee cheong fun) and fresh bird's eye chillies (for anything and everything).  Unfortunately, the fresh chilli dip wasn't to my liking at all (there was this off-putting smell and taste to it).  I initially thought that the dip on the table was compromised but that wasn't the case coz when I couldn't finish the poached chicken, I asked for a takeaway rice and packed the unfinished chicken with it.  They gave me another packet of chilli sauce for the takeaway rice and I tasted the same unpleasant smell at home (so I threw it away).  Not sure what it was (the vinegar, perhaps?).  I could describe the smell but it would be too unpleasant to read.  Hopefully it was just a one-off and only happened to that one batch of chilli dip they made. >_<

My son ordered their Dry Wantan Mee with Char Siew @ RM10.50 served with 2 pcs of fried wantan and choy sum.  The char siew was luscious, tender and caramelised but the portion we got was just too fatty.  If you don't like overly fatty meat (like me), this may not be the char siew for you.  Nothing to like or dislike about the wantans, they were as they should be...crispy.

This wantan mee sauce though is a little different from the rest as it comes with minced pork and mushrooms (so it's a bit more watery).  Overall, I thought the sauce had nice flavours though my son didn't like that his noodles were cooked to death (as he puts it)...the texture was too soft for his liking as he likes it springy (personally I don't really mind softer noodles but that's just me as most prefer springy noodles).

I ordered the Curry Noodles with Char Siew @ RM11 for my husband coz he likes curry mee + I also wanted a taste.  The other options would be with kampung chicken or both.  We switched to wantan mee at an additional cost of RM0.50 coz we would change to this type of noodle if it's offered...but I've to say we've never been charged for such a change elsewhere! >.<  The curry noodles was served with char siew (the same fatty type you get in the wantan mee), pork rind, beancurd puffs, long beans, mint leaves and lime...basically the usual ingredients except without cockles and no sambal on the side.

The curry broth looked enticing alright but one sip and we knew instantly that we didn't like it as the balance of flavours was not right.  It was watery and though it didn't taste predominantly of curry powder and spices like Ipoh's version, it was also lacking that creamy taste of santan that's apparent in good KL curry mee.  Now, there's a debate on the style of curry dished out here and the owner is adamant that his is not Ipoh-style (yes, it's certainly not Ipoh-style lest I be chided to think that it is).  That's why he listed it as the chef's curry (he further explained).  So, Ipoh style it's not.....but it's also not the many delicious KL style I've had either....it's the chef's style that didn't get our seal of approval.

A final dish for sharing that I just had to try was their touted original Ipoh silky chee cheong fun that you can have with either fried onion oil and premium soy sauce, Ipoh (reddish) sweet sauce, curry sauce or mushroom sauce.  Or you can have it with a combination of sauces, their "Wen Lou" Chee Cheong Fun @ RM8 which comes with Ipoh's signature sweet sauce and chilli sauce (also from Ipoh according to the menu) or mushroom sauce that have bits of minced pork and mushrooms.

I welcomed the sight of freshly fried shallots and loads of fried sesame seeds.  The abundant sesame seeds gave it that crunchy dimension and added a lovely fragrance to the chee cheong fun.  The mushroom sauce I wasn't a fan, prefer it with a mixture of the reddish sweet sauce and chilli sauce.  Fried onion oil with premium soy sauce sounds like a combination I'd like too.

I tried their original brew of Chang Jiang White Coffee (Cold) @ RM4.50.....and nope, I still don't like this brand of white coffee.  You must be wondering why I ordered it in the first place....well, I didn't notice the words Chang Jiang. >_<

#A Long-Winded Story

Have you been eager to get to the end of this blogpost quickly to read some "juicy" stories?  Well, it's story telling time indeed....not a story I tell...but a story the owner tells himself.  So, I'm not hanging him out to dry since he kinda shot himself in the foot anyway.  Go to his restaurant's Facebook and Google ratings (click on "lowest ratings") and read it for yourself (and you'll understand what I'm getting at).

This guy obviously cannot accept anything negative being said about his food.  Some of his replies (to customers) are real shockers and downright rude.  You won't believe your eyes when you read his jaw-dropping replies but saying things like - 1) I'll refund your money x 2 or 2) Please be gone or 3) I don't want to serve people like you (and there are more)....I feel is just too much.  I'm not saying the customer is always right but if you're in the food business, you have to be able take what's thrown at you...and not go on the offensive.  Everyone's entitled to their opinion...even if you don't agree with it.

And don't even try to question the cooking of his food.  Someone once said his poached chicken was overcooked, he said it's not, the chicken was just a bit large that day, so the meat was not as tender.  He didn't need to react like that...just "take the critique on the chin" and say something gracious like "I'll try to do better next time".  Be careful not to say his curry isn't like Ipoh-style coz he'll pounce on you to say it's not supposed to be, that's why he clearly listed it as chef's style.

Not only that but he also tries to "educate" you about food (which comes off as him telling you he knows more about food than you).  Someone once said he put over roasted peanuts in the rojak, he said (it's clearly mentioned in his menu) that it's Sungai Siput style rojak which have roasted peanuts in the sauce (but that person was not questioning the peanuts in his rojak but what he meant was that the peanuts were over roasted as in burnt-lah!).  When an Ipoh mali guy commented that his kai see hor fun isn't quite like the ones from Ipoh, the owner reaffirms that he is born and bred in Ipoh and even suggests that the guy hasn't been back to Ipoh for a long time and asks him to reacquaint himself and try more Ipoh food! :O

When someone said there was nothing extraordinary about his kai see hor fun (kshf), he says he's an ordinary chef that knows how to cook a decent hor fun but not an extraordinary one.  He even counter-reacted to say his place is one of the most spacious dining area in Chow Yang area when a customer commented that she didn't particularly liked the place coz it's a bit small (he's defensive even when the comment is not about his food!).

And if you leave a one star rating without elaborating on the reasons why, he'll tell you rating in that manner is totally meaningless or that there must be some mistake as his food so far have gotten average to above average ratings.  I've never seen business owners reacting to negative reviews and ratings like that before. O_o

If you read his restaurant's Facebook posting, he comes off as arrogant and boastful to people who don't know him (like me, for instance).  Perhaps, he's not like that in person to the circle of people who knows him (I wouldn't know).  And he even boasts about how many bowls of kshf he sold in 7 hours...800+!  Maybe he posted it as a motivation for his hard work but it may come off as arrogant to others.  He may want to rethink about bragging how many bowls he sells a day, lest the Income Tax Department descends upon him...lol!  He even showcased his local hotel staycation (with his wife) while bragging mentioning that it cost him 600 bowls of kshf for a night's stay or his decadent "atas" meals of Tomahawk, wagyu steak and wine with his wife (sounds a bit show offy to me).  Don't you think such posts are more appropriate for his personal Facebook?  He should keep his business Facebook professional (and separate from his personal Facebook).  I'm only a customer, I'm not interested to read about your personal "exploits".

Of course, he has his group of supporters (online) too...his personal friends and family, regular customers or those who started off as customers and ended up as friends but, after a while, you'd realise the same names keep popping up.

He needs to treat his customers the way he wants to be treated himself...with respect (no-one wants to be shamed or belittled).  Stay humble and grounded.  Take constructive criticisms like a professional.  P/S: If he stumbles upon this blogpost of mine, I wonder if he'll come to my blog and say what he said to many of his customers who were negative about his food - we'll see, won't we?  He'll say he's trying to make a living...and I'm not trying to "kill" his business or his livelihood, he did this himself already by what he wrote on his social media platforms for all to see.  If anything, he's the "architect of his own downfall".

He's defensive about almost everything that have been said about his food - the taste of his food, the way he cooks his food, the way we interpret his food, the authenticity of his food...even down to the spaciousness of his place.  I'd like to end with a little story of my own.  I was at this chicken rice stall and ordered poached chicken rice. When the owner cut open the chicken, I saw that it was oozing a bit of blood and told him that it looks a bit too bloody for me.  The owner straightaway said, "I dip your chicken thigh into the hot soup to cook it a little bit more for you, can?.  And then he took it out, showed it to me and asked me if that's alright"  He didn't become defensive to say that's how a poached chicken is supposed to be cooked or people like it a little red like that or that's how to ensure the chicken stays tender and smooth or anything to that effect.

Hopefully, he (as in the owner of Ipoh Ipoh Kafe) reads this and learns to be always hospitable and gracious in the food business and polite in his replies.  If he needs some examples, here are some I picked up from other restaurants' Facebook...."We truly appreciate any feedbacks good and bad as we endeavour to constantly be better" or "We noted your feedback on other matters and we thank you for them.  We're always open to suggestions for improvements".  So there.  P/S: Sorry for making you read through such a long-winded story...I just couldn't stand it reading his rude replies and thought someone should stand-up to him for his rudeness.

My Personal Opinion

In the end, I'll still be objective with my review of his food and give credit where credit is due...and that his kai see hor fun is indeed good...oops, let me rephrase that - decent but not extraordinary (in the words of the owner himself).  Unfortunately, the rest like the curry mee (too watery and lacking that creamy santan taste), the poached chicken (not wat enough), the chilli dip and ginger paste (didn't hit the mark), the wantan mee (too soft), the char siew (too fat unlike the char siew by Sean & Angie's TNR that's also fatty but delicious), the chee cheong fun (this one acceptable-lah) and Chang Jiang white coffee (not my favourite)...all didn't impress, I'm afraid.

This will be my first...and last try of their kai see hor fun.....since my family is adamant about not supporting someone who treats their customers that way.  If they had known, they wouldn't even want to step foot in there (you see, I kept it from them before the visit).  My husband's motto on food has always been "even how good it is, I won't die if I don't eat it".

Now that I have tried his kai see hor fun (that's true to heritage taste in his words), it doesn't trump the one in Ipoh (at Moon De Moon) or my favourite one in KL (at Guang Ji Ho Fun).  These two are really good...and at Guang Ji Ho Fun, you can get wat and tasty poached chicken too.  At the end of the day, it's not in our nature to support someone who does not value their customers (but that's just us).  If it's not in your nature to be humble, don't be in the food business...that's all I have to say! ;P

Ipoh Ipoh Kafe

26 Jalan SS2/10

47300 Petaling Jaya

Selangor

Tel: 017-873 6733