De' Parlour @ Pandan Indah

I noticed De' Parlour @ Pandan Indah, a restaurant specialising in western cuisine, opened in my neighbourhood during the pandemic (circa mid-2020) but never gave it a thought to try as most western restaurants in my taman ain't good.  Besides that, most of them tend to serve localised western food to cater to the majority of the tastebuds or demand here.

There isn't much demand for western food here (unlike dai chow restaurants that are always crowded)...and many such western restaurants have come and gone.  I think that's probably attributed to the type/mix of people living here preferring Chinese food over all else (unlike more affluent tastebuds in neighbourhoods like TTDI, Damansara, Bangsar, Mont Kiara and such).  So you can understand my apprehension at trying out this western joint since localised western food isn't on my wish-to-eat list.

But seeing that they've been around for 3 years already (and had survived the pandemic!) gave me confidence that their food may be somewhat decent, so we walked in one weekend evening.  The interior certainly looked elegant and tastefully designed (like a proper western restaurant, I thought to myself, possibly the best looking restaurant we have here for now).

It was quite deserted when we walked in on a Saturday night (!) to see only two occupied tables.  Can't say I'm surprised since many seem to choose the venue only when there's some sort of celebration (birthdays usually) as evidenced by the numerous photos on their FB Page (which actually made me first notice the rather quiet background devoid of customers)...hehe (as evidenced in my photos and witnessed by myself too)! :O  

Once seated, we were given the menu by a Chinese gentleman (who I believe is the owner or co-owner if I recognised him correctly from their Facebook Page) who spoke to us in Chinese, which I wasn't expecting, before we promptly make known to him that we don't speak Mandarin.  This was the first western restaurant I've been to that converses in Chinese (not only that but the menu also has a Chinese translation!) to cater to the mostly Chinese-speaking community of this neighbourhood (luckily he's equally adapt at speaking English).

Perusing the menu, I was glad to see that they're definitely not serving localised western dishes with the likes of atas (premium) food ingredients like miyazaki, wagyu, octopus, caviar and foie gras...and truffle seen on the menu.  We started with a shared appetiser of Garlic Chilli Prawns @ RM40 which stayed true to its name. The prawns (there were 6 pcs) were garlicky alright with a good dose of spicy flavour from the chilli flakes.

The medium-sized prawns were firm and fresh (with 2 pcs each) resting on a buttered and absolutely pillowy piece of bread (there were three slices of bread in total).  The bread benefitted from the overflowing chopped garlic which made it the perfect vehicle to soak in all the garlicky flavours.  It was great starter for sharing. ^o^

My son wanted their Signature Creamy Mushroom Soup with Truffle Oil @ RM22 and the soup was fairly thick with the right consistency and full of the requisite mushroom flavours except for an unpleasant aftertaste that lingered in my mouth...and from the description on the menu, I just knew it had to be the truffle oil! >_<  Not everyone is averse to the taste of truffle oil (my son was indifferent to it).

Fresh truffle is opulent and delicious...and then you have the evil twin of fresh truffles...the ghastly truffle oil! O_o Commercially produced truffle oil (that comes out of a bottle) is nasty (perhaps there are different grades of truffle oil and some can be better).  Celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, has made known that he thinks it's one of the most pungent, ridiculous ingredients known chefs.  For some, it may be lost on them...but for me, it tasted just vile...pungent with a chemical aftertaste that lingers in the mouth.  I shudder at the thought of ordering the other mushroom soup, their Signature Truffle Mushroom Soup with Truffle Paste & Truffle Oil (yikes!).

With an order of soup, you can add on a basket (or more like a plate) of Garlic Ciabatta Bread @ RM10 even though the mushroom soup came with a slice of toasted baguette already.  This bread was equally fluffy and soft like the earlier one.

Moving on to the mains, my son had the Aglio e Olio with Beef Bacon @ RM36 which was spaghetti tossed in garlic and chilli flakes with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.  Overall, the taste was decent with a fair dose of garlic and chilli flavours according to my son.

I liked the look of the seared beef bacon and the slices were plentiful.  There may seem to be a fair bit of olive oil on the plate but tossed that together with the pasta and the resulting taste didn't feel oily as it had some spiced flavour and juices (from the cherry tomatoes) that stopped it from being cloying.

You can choose the spiciness level (you can ask for spicy, less spicy or extra spicy...this was spicy) and your choice of protein such as seafood (RM42), salmon (RM35) and smoked duck (RM30) besides beef bacon for your pasta.

My husband had the Roasted Chicken Leg with Hot Sauce @ RM42 served with mashed USA potatoes (that was chunky and coarse) and sauteed vegetables of broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas and baby corn.

We went for this more unique chicken dish (swayed by the words "limited serving each day on the menu") as the other would be the more common grilled chicken chop with black pepper, mushroom or BBQ sauce.

The chicken was irreproachable in tenderness like any grilled or roasted chicken should be...it's difficult to fowl-up (lol) an easy-to-nail roasted chicken dish.  I thought the sauces were what saved the dish from being just a mundane chicken dish.  The sauce at the bottom had fresh, zingy and spicy flavours while the one on top was some kind of brown sauce. ^.^

I was craving for steak and so I ordered the Moo Moo Sirloin @ RM85 (there was no ribeye on the menu) which is made up of Australian Grain Fed Beef Sirloin with Brown Truffle Sauce.  I'm not sure why the flower was there...is it to make the plating pretty?  I'm sorry but I'm going into chef mode a la Gordon Ramsay here and say...why put something on a plate if it's not edible (and by that I mean we would not want to eat crysanthemums, flowers which we use to decorate our homes, unless they're food grade edible flowers)! >_<

First thing I noticed when the dish arrived was that the steak was devoid of any charring.  Without a good sear, the steak wouldn't have that nice seared crust to seal in the juices or have that smoky taste that I've come to adore.

Cutting through the middle to see how the steak was done, I felt a lot of resistance on my knife...and knew instantly that it wouldn't be a vey tender piece of meat.  As you can see, the meat was also cooked beyond the medium rare doneness I requested and it was underseasoned as well.  I expected a lot more from a RM85 piece of meat! O_o

But the worse thing was yet to come.  Pouring some of the brown truffle sauce at the side, the nasty taste of truffle oil was even more pronounced in the sauce.  And yes, I ordered the sauce (all their steaks come with this sauce only) + brown sauce is what I usually go for and I thought the truffle oil taste wouldn't be so apparent in a brown jus.  The best thing on the plate ended up to be those thick-cut fries and roasted vegetables of red + green capsicum and onions served with the steak...haiz.

I had a double mix of Orange & Apple Juice @ RM15 and requested for 3 glasses of water without thinking twice, not knowing then that water was chargeable at RM1/glass as it's usually free at western restaurants/steakhouses I've been to (it was listed as filtered water by Coway in the receipt...gee, premium water, is it?) @_@  Though RM1 glass is a negligible price to pay, I think a restaurant of this calibre (with its pricing) should at least not charge for water in principle.

At the start of the meal, after ordering, we were offered free membership and I did take it (at this point I obviously have not tasted the food yet) since I knew the points gained from this meal would be quite substantial (not to mention the sign up points) + there was even a tempting slice of free Mille Crepe Cake (I chose Cappuccino Oreo Caramel) thrown in.

Who says no to free cake, right?  But alas, the cake was too firm (and a little cold) for my liking, the result of being in the chiller for far too long I reckon. >.<

My Personal Opinion

I came here with high expectations for 3 reasons...1) the reviews were pretty good (it garnered a 4.2 rating on Google), 2) it managed to survive the pandemic and 3) judging from the photos of the food I've seen online which looked really inviting and delicious...but, in the end, it didn't quite hit the highs I was hoping for.

I think they wanted to differentiate themselves to be a more premium western restaurant based on the premium ingredients they use (one of which was the truffle) and the prices they charge (possibly the most expensive restaurant we have here).  Many restaurants put truffle on the menu as the ingredient has always been associated with something luxurious...and it is when fresh or real truffles are used whether grated or in the form of shavings (I've had both in foods like siu long bao, over eggs and on fries)...and they taste great...but the cheaper imitation, not so great.

For a meal that cost close to RM300 (for the three of us), there are many better options I can think of where I'd come away more satisfied but, having said that, they aren't all bad (and certainly not a lost cause altogether) since there were some dishes that they did get right.  I think they're better at making generic/common western dishes (like pasta and easier to nail proteins like chicken or fish and dishes with a local twist or flavour).  If I do return, I'd certainly stay far, far away from steaks (my bad actually, should have known better since they're not a steakhouse specialist) + stay clear of anything truffle-related on their menu (the same thing with foie gras too, not good quality ones can also be a bit nasty tasting). ^_~

De'Parlour

2G Jalan Pandan Indah 4/33

Pandan Indah

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 013-391 1316

#ewew cooks Stir-Fried La La with Garlic & Chillies

Inspired by the really good tasting la la I had at Restoran Stadium Negara recently, I thought maybe I could replicate the Stir-Fried La La with Garlic & Chillies at home.  So, I went searching to buy some good la la (hopefully).  It's not something that's always available at the wet market I go to (+ I don't go often) and when it's available, it may not always be at its freshest.

I recently came across Barang Dapur Basah (BDB), through Shopee Live, selling all kinds of fresh seafood.  The good thing about buying through that platform is that you can see the items you want to buy live (you can ask them to show you during their live session a particular product in their cart/bag and ascertain if you like what you see before buying)!  So, I got a packet of la la at RM7 (for 400g) to try just to see if they're any good or if the freshness is of an acceptable standard.

At first glance, I was pretty happy with the size of the la la I got which turned out to be a lot bigger than I expected (even bigger than the ones I once bought from the wet market).  But I was also disappointed that they came with quite a few broken shells.  That, I think, was due to the packaging...vacuumed sealed and packed only in plastic (and not in a box), so it could have been crushed by other (heavier) products on top of it during the delivery process.  I rinsed them again (even though they claim the la la have been prewashed and ready for cooking) and made sure I picked out all the broken shells before cooking.

If your la la is fresh, you'll need only the simplest cooking method to bring out its flavour.  I wanted to imitate the one I had at Restoran Stadium Negara and that is to stir-fry them in garlic and chillies.

You start by sauteeing a few slices of garlic in some oil.  Some places I find like to saute them in a lot of shredded ginger (which I'm not fond of even though I love ginger) as I find that too much of it interferes with the original taste of the la la actually.  We obviously know the reason why eateries add so much julienned ginger and that is to mask the fishy flavour, if any, in case the la la is not at its optimum freshness.  I prefer to use ginger slices (for that purpose) so that I don't end up with mouthfuls of ginger.

Once you smell the aroma of ginger, you can add in your chopped garlic (I used 5 big cloves) and bird's eye chillies (I used 5 cili api as well).

Saute the aromatics for a few seconds before adding the la la.  Cover (and shake) the saucepan to let the la la steam and it'll just need a minute or so to cook.  Season with salt and white pepper (I used a pinch of chicken stock as well).

Drizzle a splash of shaoxing wine (I added a little water as I wanted a bit of sauce) and bring it to a boil to let the alcohol burn off.  It should take only a few seconds.

The next step is optional if you're not a fan of coriander...but since I am, I threw a bunch of chopped coriander into the pot, switch off your stove, give it a good stir and pour onto a plate.  I served it with even more fresh coriander on top.

Taste wise, I was happy with the acceptable freshness and size of the la la.  Of course I was hoping for the la la to be a bit more plump but that's not always possible with la la we buy from the market.  Hawkers can get hold of la la that's super fresh and plump as they have their regular suppliers who bring them the freshest catch.

There's no denying that the aromatics of ginger, garlic and bird's eye chillies all played a part in enhancing the freshness and taste of the la la.  The fragrance from the abundant garlic (make sure you don't get them too browned as you want to taste the garlicky flavours and not the crispiness of it in this dish) and heat from the bird's eye chillies were the flavour contributors to the dish.

I like the freshness the Chinese parsley brings to the dish as well which can only happen when it's homecooked as the ingredient is not favoured by many...that's why most eateries don't use it.  It's more frequently used as a garnish on top of a dish (rather than in the dish itself) which you can push aside if you're averse to it (like my family would always do).

The five bird's eye chillies that I used gave quite a kick of spiciness to the la la, so if you want it less spicy, please use less (like three).  Also, if you wish to not bite into one (by accident) or wish to pick them out, the chopped coriander will make that task a little harder (so omit the coriander though I had no problem picking them out either). :P

The stir-fried la la made for a nice light lunch (for me) with half a bowl of rice.  Seeing that I was pretty pleased with the la la I bought from BDB, I'll certainly get them again but will need to get two packets for the two of us (my husband is not a fan of la la)...and omit the coriander! ^_~

#ewew cooks Ipoh Kai Si Hor Fun (or Shredded Chicken Noodles)

For those who have followed my blog long enough, you'd know I have a "thing" for Ipoh kai si hor fun (also known as Ipoh sar hor fun, kshf in short).  My love for it knows no bounds! ;)  I simply love to eat this noodle....but only in soup form (none of that dry-style nonsense which my family begs to differ, of course....lol).

For me, it's the lovely aroma of the clear prawn stock that sets it apart from all the other soup noodles.  And that was what led me to wonder if I could make this successfully at home, so I gave it a shot just for the fun of it.

With any bowl of kshf, you start with the broth which is quintessential to the success of your kshf.....and you begin by sauteeing prawn heads (about 20 of them, leftover heads from 1 kg of prawns I bought and peeled) in some oil.  The more oil you use, the more prawn oil you'll have at the end.  As soon as the prawns cook and turn bright orange, you'll see a stream of prawn oil being extracted from the prawn heads.  That's umami right there!

Next, add the desired amount water to the sauteed prawn heads (I used an amount that's good enough for two bowls of kshf) together with some chicken bones (I used choi yin kai bones for a richer flavour).  Simmer on low heat (for at least 30 - 45 mins or until you're pleased with the flavour) to extract all the flavours from the chicken bones and prawn heads and season accordingly.  You can choose to add sugar (or rock sugar) for some sweetness but I chose not to.  See that lovely layer of orange hue goodness in the stock? ;)

At the end of it all, you'll get this bowl of deliciously rich, umami prawn-flavoured stock which was good enough for two bowls of kshf.  I was quite surprised that it was so easy to do and it looked really legit! ^.^

And that's pretty much all you have to do!  All you really need to make is the stock.  After that, all you need to do is to assemble your bowl of kshf.  Place your hor fun or kway teow in a bowl together with some Chinese chives and beansprouts (all lightly blanched).  I actually got these ingredients from the ex-Chang Kitchen boss coz since I was only making a bowl for myself, I didn't want to buy a whole packet of noodles or a bunch of chives and beansprouts just to make one portion.

Top it with some cooked prawns and shredded chicken (you can poach these two, for a little while, till cooked, in the same broth that you're simmering.  And just because it's a homemade version, you can put in big prawns...and more of it (which you won't get if you have it outside coz prawns are expensive and the hawker will usually give you measly ones).  Hah..hah...only in a homemade version can you find the liew more than the noodles.

Make sure you get the stock boiling again before pouring it over your bowl of noodles...and my homemade kshf is ready for eating! ;)  Finish with a sprinkling of homemade fried shallots (yes, I do make my own fried shallots)...but no, this came out of a bottle (make sure they're good quality fried shallots ya).

Does the broth look legit or what?  The rim of the bowl even has that foam/bubbles you see in a real bowl of kshf cooked by a kshf sifu.

In fact, my broth is even more orangey in colour than what you'd get outside...and that's because it was made with the bones of choi yin kai and not the normal broiler chicken.  Those of you who have made soups with both types of chicken before will know the difference.  Since discovering the much richer, more umami taste, I don't make soups with regular chicken anymore.

Of course, if you're making your own kshf, you can opt for larger, fresher prawns to give you that (prawn) satisfaction you need which you don't normally get from an ordered bowl since they're usually smallish.

Taste wise, to be honest, it's not as good as those from the kshf masters and that's because I refrained from adding any sugar to my stock (this obviously gives sweetness to the stock, some hawkers use rock sugar)...and no msg, of course! >.<  I think it's decent enough for a homecooked version lah! ;P

Before I attempted this, I didn't know that it was so simple to make.  Now I look at hawkers selling kshf as having a much easier job compared to other noodle hawkers selling say curry laksa, prawn mee, wantan mee or fish head noodles, for example.  A hawker once told me (the couple was selling siu chow or stir-fry noodles) that they were closing and switching to selling pork noodles instead coz the work is much easier (apparently pork noodles is the easiest as you just need to prep the stock and cut up the raw pork).

In the end, if you want to show your skills at making kshf at home (to guests), then it's worth the while (if you're making plenty), otherwise just go out, order a bowl and safe yourself from all the hassle (of making just one portion).  I did it just to see if I can...and realised it wasn't that difficult.  One thing I did learn from this cookout is that I now know not to throw away the discarded prawn heads as I can make a good stock out of it...and use that stock to make soups. ^o^