Ooh Lala @ Pandan Indah

Besides Pulau Ketam Seafood Steamboat that has been operating in my neighbourhood for many years, the other newer steamboat player is Ooh Lala @ Pandan Indah that has been around since late 2023.

But as the name implies, this steamboat restaurant is obviously focussed on lala/clams-type steamboat but they also have a wider variety of food on their menu that includes snacks, noodles, rice and desserts.

On our first visit, we tried the Crispy Fried Sotong @ RM9.90 which featured very crispy deep-fried squid in a well-seasoned, medium thickness and tasty batter.

I was expecting the squid rings to be on the chewier side (based on the many experiences I've had with fried squid) but this was surprisingly rather tender to the bite.  I also thought that the price was relatively cheap compared to the portion of squid we got.

Another shared snack we tried was this Crispy White Prawn @ RM9.90 which was equally delicious as well.  I could see from the looks that it had the same batter coating as the previous crispy fried squid.

The tiny white prawns with shells on were fried to crunchy perfection, so there's no worry as you can eat the crispy heads and tails too.  Again, I thought it was a great portion for the price charged.

One of my favourite things to eat these days is Salted Egg Pumpkin @ RM9.90.  It's a dish I order regularly at dai chow places though the version wasn't quite as good as the ones I ate at dai chow restaurants.

But they were still acceptable and yielded soft (perhaps a tad too soft), sweet pumpkin thereby making the salted egg coating less crispy + the saltiness could also be dialed down a notch.

As mentioned earlier, this place specialises in lala steamboat and they put on quite a show if you order that. Each serving of steamboat (RM38) comes with 1 kg of lala.  They would fry some shredded ginger and cili api in some shaoxing wine which will burst into flames (for a bit of a side show...lol) once it comes into contact with the charcoal fire.  Finally, the clams and soup are added into the claypot...and that becomes the soup base for your steamboat.  You can then order/add on whatever proteins or vegetables you like for your steamboat.

Since my family isn't overly interested in anything soupy (which includes steamboat), let alone a lala steamboat where the soup base has ginger and Chinese wine in it, I've to resign myself to the fact that I won't get to try this.  Of course I can go it alone but I feel it's not worth paying RM38 for the soup base + the 1 kg of lala may be too much for me to handle.  Even if I could finish the lala by myself, I won't be able to eat anything else for the steamboat.

So, my best (and only) way to try their lala would be in their Lala Bihun Soup (without milk) @ RM15.90 and the bowl was filled with some shimeji mushrooms, lettuce and a single red bird's eye chilli (for a bit of heat, I suppose) and lala, of course, garnished with fried garlic bits and chopped spring onions.

They use the thicker-shelled clams here (instead of the thin, elongated ones) which I prefer as they tend to have less sand in them.  I was very happy with the freshness and size of the clams.  You can clearly see that the clam meat is rather plump yielding juicy clams to the bite.

As for the clear soup base, it was alright though there's still room for improvement for a better, all round flavour.

The Lala Fried Rice @ RM14.90 is more in the wheelhouse of what my family would rather eat in a place where everything is soupy...lol!  It's fried rice served in a claypot topped with a fried egg.

The darkly coloured fried rice made it look more like claypot chicken rice.  It's a simple rice dish fried with lala meat, egg bits and chopped spring onions.  I didn't taste this but my son mentioned it was a bit on the oily side.

Since the earlier lala got my seal of approval, I revisited (on my own) to try other noodles, one of which was the Lala Prawn Mama Mee @ RM19.90.

The bowl came with a chockful of ingredients of lala, prawns, shimeji mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, egg bits and lemongrass in the soup.  I added chopped spring onions and coriander.  At first, I was wondering what mama mee is only to find out when served it's actually instant (egg) noodles (Mama brand, I assume).

I do like this brand of instant noodles and meehoon...and the thick green (spinach?) noodles didn't disappoint with its soft, springy texture (not overcooked).

The soup base, with the beaten egg, was thick, rich and flavourful.  It had both spicy and sour notes, so it was like a cross between curry and tom yum.  Very appetising indeed...and it was a very filling portion for one.

The prawns were pretty large-sized for the price paid...and there were two! ^.^  You can roughly judge the size of it on the plate.  They were fresh and firm, no complaints there, just that you have to get your hands dirty to deshell the prawns.

You can help yourself to any of the condiments you need for your meal...and there are plenty of dips and condiments to choose from.  In my first visit, I remember they even had a bottle of shaoxing wine on the table for you to add to your soup to your heart's content (and I thought to myself, how generous of them).  On my next visit, it wasn't available anymore (I guess they wised up since wine is too expensive to leave in the hands of customers to use freely) though you can still get your hands on the wine at the condiment station.

Here, I picked a reddish sambal, a green chilli paste, crispy fried garlic bits and some chopped spring onions + coriander for some freshness.  My noodles hardly needed any chilli dips, they're more suitable if you're having steamboat.

Another dish I tried was this Crispy Fish Fillet Noodle (with milk) @ RM15.90 which had shimeji mushrooms, small bits of salted vegetable and lettuce.  I helped myself to the fried garlic and fresh coriander + spring onions (from the condiments station) and added them to my bowl.  The soup base was too thick and milky for my taste, so unless you like yours very milky, you might want to stay away from this.

The fairly crispy fish fillet was served separately.  I believe the fried fish was patin which had a nice, soft texture but I felt the fish was underseasoned on its own.  Luckily there was the green chilli paste to perk up flavours.

For drinks, I broke my curfew and decided to have the Kedondong Asam Boi @ RM7.90 as I can't resist if I see it on the menu.  It's my all-time favourite drink/juice to have...and for some reason, I always find this drink at steamboat places.  The other steamboat place in my neighbourhood, Pulai Ketam Seafood Steamboat also has it.  Maybe it's because you'd be sweating buckets when you eat steamboat that you need a cold, refreshing drink to cool you down.

The other drink above was the Calamansi Asam Boi @ RM7.90 that my son had.  Other times I just stick to Iced Barley (no sugar) @ RM1.90, the price of which startled me (it's dirt cheap!) as I've paid anywhere between RM2.70 - RM3.20 at old-school coffee shops for the same thing.  Surprisingly, the Tie Guan Yin (Chinese) Tea cost RM1.90 also.

My Personal Opinion

Ooh la la indeed.....though the food isn't fantastic enough (to garner a 4.8 rating on Google) but it's also not as bad as I was led to believe.  I now have two places in my neighbourhood to indulge in lala noodles (the other one being Tasty Lala Noodles) that's equally decent although Tasty Lala uses a different type of clam.  I prefer the clams here I as they're little bit more meatier while the soup base in Tasty Lala probably a tad better.

Of course this place offers more than just lala noodles, so if you happen to enjoy steamboat, tom yum/curry lala noodles or a (very) milky version of fish head noodle, this place may be worth your while.  And if you like some crispy snacks to go along with your meals, they have that too.

This place has been opened since late 2023 but it took me a while before I made my first visit.  That's because I was told the food isn't good, in the end it's best to try it out yourself.  This place occupies the previous space vacated by Poppo Kanteen (not sure if it's under the same management but the receipt has the name Poppo Canteen on it...and, incidentally, all Poppo Kanteen branches have closed down).

Ooh Lala

27G Jalan Pandan Indah 4/2

Pandan Indah

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-4288 6923

Dondang Sayang Coffee House @ Corus Hotel

It was a celebration of some sort and we received an invite from my brother-in-law to a makan gathering on National Day at Dondang Sayang Coffee House @ Corus Hotel.  Our go-to dining venue at Corus Hotel is usually Ming Palace but they were closed on a public holiday.

So, we decided to meet at the hotel's coffee house instead.  It has been a while since we last ate at their coffee house...our previous visits here were always for their high-tea buffets.  Since there was no buffet offered on that day, my brother-in-law made orders from their a la carte menu...and everything was ordered by the time my family and I arrived.

He ordered 7 individual plates of food (mainly local dishes) for the seven of us...but all for sharing...and all the plates arrived almost simultaneously.  The Biryani Lamb @ RM58.62 came served with a flavourful tri-coloured biryani rice accompanied by a very refreshing vegetable pickle (of pineapples, cucumber, carrot, onions & chillies) and crispy prawn crackers.

The lamb shank was adequately tender and full of flavour from being cooked in all the rich and aromatic spices.  The tri-coloured biryani rice was delicious as hidden within the centre of the perfectly cooked basmati rice was some sauce (presumably from the lamb shank) which made the rice even tastier.

This was followed by a dish of greens, the Caesars Salad @ RM22.41 that was made up of really fresh, crunchy romaine lettuce, sliced onions, cherry tomatoes, olives, hard boiled eggs and sliced ham served with caesar dressing, of course.

There was this sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top but, luckily, this wasn't as pungent as some of the Parmesan cheese I've tasted before, so it ended up as a salad I enjoyed.  Only thing missing were some crispy croutons to bring that crunchy element to the dish.

Next was the Fried Mee Mamak @ RM24.13 garnished with a sunny side-up egg (that was executed well with a still oozy yolk), some crispy prawn crackers, some greens, a wedge of lime and a dip of bird's eye chillies in soy sauce.  I think there were some prawns in there too.

The mee mamak was fragrantly fried with egg bits and lots of vegetables (of choy sum, onions, tomatoes and taugeh).  The flavours turned out better than I expected and was really appetising with a squeeze of lime.  I'd even say loads better than many of the mee goreng I've had at mamak restaurants.  I really enjoyed this.

The spaghetti in the Seafood Aglio Olio @ RM24.13 was cooked al dente and tossed with ingredients of prawns, squid, green bell peppers, carrot, onions and served with a slice of buttered garlic baguette.

It was alright but probably my least favourite dish from here as it needed more chopped garlic and chilli flakes in the noodles for a punchier flavour.

Following after that was the Hainanese Chicken Rice @ RM28.44 which my brother-in-law said is a best seller here....and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.  For a more atas hotel version, the plating must be different lah! :D  The poached chicken was served with cucumber slices and tomato wedges, a soup that contained some silken tofu cubes with three dips of a fresh chilli paste, blended ginger and a not-so-common condiment of dark soy sauce.

Everything was respectably executed, the chicken tender and smooth, the rice sticky (I think there's some glutinous rice in there somewhere) and flavoured and both the chilli and ginger pastes were of very acceptable standards.  I was pleasantly surprised by the pretty commendable effort (for a hotel version) I've to say.

Next up was their rendition of Char Kuey Teow @ RM24.13, another highly popular hawker dish of kueh teow fried with prawns, egg, taugeh and chives served with a fried egg on top.

You'd find this plated up exactly like the earlier fried mee mamak with its prawn crackers, greens and fresh bird's eye chilli dip but minus the wedge of lime.

Our final dish was the Oxtail Rendang @ RM41.37 and it was super tender, flavourful and delicious.  I don't think I've had oxtail rendang before.  It's a little bit more unique that the more common beef rendang.

It was served with the same tasty tri-coloured rice, pickled vegetables and crispy prawn crackers...and the plating again was very similar to the earlier dish of biryani lamb).  The plating may seem a little old-school (and repetitive) but (hey) it evokes nostalgic moments in our past.  A bite of those three-coloured crackers with the yellow, green and red rims (which featured prominently in more than half the dishes here) brings back fond memories of eating it as a child.

For desserts, my sister-in-law picked some mooncakes @ RM36 each (since it was mooncake season!).....though we didn't eat them as desserts but as appetisers while waiting for our food to arrive...lol!

Of course I had to finish my meal with a Cafe Latte while others went with Teh Tarik, Fresh Orange Juice and a selection of ice cream.  The drinks here can be a little pricey (as would be expected in a hotel) but water is always available and refilled promptly as what you'd expect from a hotel's good service.

My Personal Opinion

This was the first time I've had eaten from their a la carte menu and I'd say I was pleasantly surprised at how successful they were at dishing up some hawker favourites.  Not only was I pleasantly surprised with the taste of the food, I was equally surprised that the prices weren't that upmarket (which I'm sure many, like me, will think they are seeing that it's a hotel coffee house).  I'd say the prices are within the range of some of the cafes and restaurants out there.  If I'm a guest at the hotel, I'd surely consider eating at the hotel coz the prices aren't that different from the nearby malls in the area.

If you're planning to hold a little celebration or get-together, this venue could possibly be a great choice since it's more quiet and not as hectic (as some overly popular cafes/restaurants)...but, most of all, you'll be eating in comfort amidst good service.  You can linger and chat for as long as you want (no-one's going to chase you off as there's plenty of space...lol....unlike some restaurants who would like to do so when they're packed). Less people also means less noise interference, so it's a place that encourages conversation with members of your dining party.

We stayed for more than 3 hours....food is always more enjoyable with good conversation.  If I had to pick a favourite, my top three would be the Fried Mee Mamak, Oxtail Rendang (with biryani) and Hainanese Chicken Rice.  Who knew that a hotel coffee house can be quite adapt at churning out good hawker fare.  If you're a tourist or hotel guest (or even a non-hotel guest), I think you'll be pretty pleased with their rendition of some hawker favourites! ^_~

Dondang Sayang Coffee House

Corus Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Ampang

50450 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2161 8888

Jing Hoe Mei (Dai Chow) @ Pandan Indah

Jing Hoe Mei @ Pandan Indah started out as a specialist of steamed dishes like fish, pork and egg.  During the initial months after opening, they were drawing full crowds almost every day, especially during the weekends where waiting for a table was the norm.

I only started eating here when the crowd subsided but in just two visits, I practically tried their entire menu (and that's when I noticed the crowd began to lessen).  After all, their entire menu is limited to steamed fish (done a few ways with different sauces), steamed pork, steamed eggs and (3 types of) blanched vegetables with oyster sauce.

Then I noticed a banner introducing their claypot fish curry and also dai chow dishes a while later.  I guess they realised they had to add more choices to their menu, otherwise the crowd will continue to dwindle down as diners need more variety to get them coming back on a more frequent basis.  That is why they're now also a dai chow place offering a variety of dishes that you can eat with rice.  These were just some of the dishes we had over four visits.

Claypot Pork Belly with Salted Fish @ RM23 - although we couldn't really taste salted fish in the mix, the sauce had good flavours and you can taste some heat with the dried chillies.

Thai-Style Mango Chicken Chop @ RM22 - loved the fresh, tangy taste that the shredded mango, onions and chillies brought to the dish with the crispy chicken in a lightly spicy and sweet sauce.

Dry Fried French Beans with Minced Pork @ RM15 - not quite the calibre of Esquire Kitchen's version but a very decent rendition and our family's favourite vegetable dish from here.  Definitely a dish worthy of repeated orders (which we dutifully complied).

Chinese Watercress Soup @ RM9.50 (or Sai Yeung Choy Tong) - there are two soups of the day, one with pork and one with chicken.  This one was obviously for me only (pork ribs and chunks of pork belly double-boiled with sai yeung choy).  I love double-boiled soups...I find them so much tastier than standard boiled soups.

Kung Po Mantis Prawn @ RM25 - deep-fried mantis prawn meat tossed in kung po sauce with crunchy red and green capsicum, onions and dried chillies but the sauce left us wanting (as it's not among the better kung po sauce we've had).

Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables @ RM25 - nailed the tenderness of the pork belly and (sweetish) mui choy but the sauce (again) could be better.  Sauces are very important in Chinese cooking as their success can make or break a dish.  I suppose it's the same in western cooking as well that they even have a specific position for a Saucier in a commercial kitchen whose role is as important as the Chef de Cuisine or Sous Chef.  Sauces bring life to a dish! ^_~

Pan-Fried Egg Foo Yong-Style @ RM18 - a simple dish of fried omelette with char siew (sometimes it's made with lap cheong but I always prefer the char siew version), prawns and shredded vegetables (usually onions, capsicum, carrot, chillies and spring onions).

Braised Eggplant with Garlic & Chilli @ RM16 - another frequently ordered dish since the first time we had it.  Bits of minced pork tossed in a garlic and chillies sauce with braised and softened eggplant.  Manyak sedap (as some Chinese would say)! ^.^

Stir-Fried Roasted Pork @ RM23 - this is a dish one would usually make with leftover siu yuk or siu yuk we buy from the market (they aren't as good grade as those siu yuk from roasted meat stalls + they're cheaper too).  At home, we'd simply fry them in thick dark soy with lots of garlic (not that I've done it before since there's never ever leftover siu yuk in my house!).  The one here stir-fried with onions and spring onions, the sauce tastes much better than just dark soy.

Steamed Egg with Tofu & Fresh Prawns @ RM18 - this was a dish we tried on an earlier visit at a time when they specialised in only steamed dishes.  The first thing I noticed was just how much bigger the prawns were this time (I think this coincided with the time of a reported drop in prices of prawns by 40% in the market).  If I had known then, I would have ordered more prawn dishes....lol.

Stir-Fried Kangkung with Belacan @ RM12 - a vegetable dish that's regularly ordered at a dai chow place is this ma lai chan ong choy that's a firm favourite of many.  I did like the ma lai chan lat chiew but wish the dish was a bit drier.

Stir-Fried Beef Slices with Mushroom in Black Pepper Sauce @ RM26 -  I was in two minds about ordering beef at a Chinese restaurant as some can be quite chewy.  Luckily I was proven wrong with this tender beef stir-fried with red and green bell peppers, onions and shimeji mushrooms.  The black (peppered) sauce was delicious too though I wouldn't mind a heavier dose of black pepper seasoning.  Yummmm! ^o^

This was the dish that impressed me the most from what I've tried here so far...and I'm sure it'll be regularly ordered from now on.  The price of RM26 for this dish is a real steal since beef is expensive.  I've had a similar but less stellar beef dish (recently) that cost me three times more! >_<

Tofu with Minced Meat in Chilli Sauce @ RM20 - a take on the ever popular mapo tofu but the sauce was a bit too wet and didn't have that authentic, true blue spiciness of the real deal.  Not something we'd order again.

My Personal Opinion

This has now become our go-to dai chow place since there aren't really that many dai chow restaurants to pick from in my neighbourhood.  Although I can't say they're good in every dish (that we tried) but I can certainly say they nailed some of them which have become our favourites.  Their decision to provide more variety than just steamed dishes is certainly a step in the right direction and this change bodes well for them as the place is back to packing in the crowds.

Let's face it, steamed dishes have limited fans coz the majority (children especially) wants a choice of food with sauces or food that is deep-fried and dai chow is always a welcomed family dining choice (especially with children in tow).  So, it looks like Jing Hoe Mei is not just a one trick pony at only steamed dishes, they're equally adapt at cooking other favourite dai chow dishes as well.

I hope they go from strength to strength as I certainly wouldn't want to lose a dai chow restaurant, a type of restaurant that's already sorely lacking in my neighbourhood.  It's a type of meal that's very ngam for my family (especially my husband who prefers to eat rice than anything else).  I also like that the food portions aren't too big and at the right prices too (of around RM22 - RM25 for meat, RM18 - RM20 for egg & tofu and RM12 - RM15 for vegetables), so we end up ordering four dishes for the three of us (the variety of which means everyone is bound to get a dish they like).

Update: The place has since closed (which came as a big surprise) seeing how they were doing very good business (always crowded with the need to wait for a table).  Unconfirmed rumours for the closure was due to a rift between the bosses and/or that profits/income weren't enough to make it worthwhile after paying off all expenses.

Jing Hoe Mei

No 38 Jalan Pandan Indah 1/22

Pandan Indah

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 011-3190 3753