Sik Thong Ba @ Cheras Traders Square

Sik Thong Ba @ Cheras Traders Square was our next destination for dessert after our wonderful Japanese meal at Two Chefs Lab because of its convenient proximity.  It was already 10.30 pm then but we were shocked to see a queue when we got there (but it turned out to be just a short wait only).  Wow, people still eat dessert at such a late hour? O_o

Well, I guess so...since we were also there to sik thong ba which literally means eat sugar lah! ;D  Actually, not really...we just wanted to adjourn somewhere so that we could chat some more.

Since they converse mainly in Chinese/Mandarin, I got my friend to make the orders at the counter.  We got this Eight Treasures in Ginger Soup or Soya @ RM13.90 and we chose a soya & tau fu fah base with brown sugar syrup.  It was a visual feast for our eyes as well as our palates.

Since there was no detailed description in the menu, the eight treasures I'm guessing are taro, purple & orange sweet potato balls (more like rectangles), boba pearls, red beans, peach gum, soya/tau fu fah base and brown sugar syrup.

The tau fu fah was smooth and slurp-worthy.  We added on black sesame rice balls (3 pcs) for an additional RM4.50 coz my friend requested for the add-on as it's her favourite (well, mine too). ^_~  The balls were chewy and delish with a fragrant sesame filling.

Taking a bit of everything, we each customised our own bowl and could tweak the sweetness to our liking since the brown sugar syrup was served on the side.  I enjoyed the silky smooth soy pudding base with only a tiny bit of the syrup as the chewy taro balls, black sesame rice balls, tapioca pearls, refreshing peach gum and sweet adzuki beans provided the natural sweetness needed. ^.^

Our next dessert for sharing was not on their regular menu when we were there in (apparently it's a limited edition) but I saw a pic of it online, so we enquired and was pleased to find out that it was available that day...the Matcha Black Glutinous Ice @ RM18.90 (perhaps it's on the permanent menu now).

It featured a matcha ice cream, a match pudding, black glutinous rice, mini rice balls and soy milk ice.  My friends, being matcha fans, absolutely loved the matcha ice cream and (wobbly) pudding.  The texture of the pudding and creamy ice cream was done right...the matcha flavour was quite pronounced for me (and that's because I'm not that big a matcha fan).

So I left most of it to my friends while I enjoyed the smooth soy milk shaved ice with the soft, chewy black glutinous rice and mini rice balls...and partaked in more of the earlier dessert (which I preferred).  Due to the mild, pleasant bitterness of matcha, this dessert will be embraced by those who don't like their desserts to be excessively sweet.  Durian lovers can opt for durian flavour which comes with durian ice cream & durian flesh.  There's also mango flavour which comes with mango ice cream and mango cubes.

P/S: Sorry for the weird colour background in the photos...don't understand why it turned out that way (two different coloured background based on two different desserts - one orangey and one bluish)...probably due to my phone camera (though my friend's phone camera also had a similar result) or the place's lightings (more likely) that made the photos that way.

My Personal Opinion

These little bowls of happiness was a happy ending to our earlier wonderful Japanese meal.  It truly affirms their high ratings and reviews...a testimony to their popularity (and the many branches all across Klang Valley).  I think it's also partly due to their very reasonable pricing with many of their desserts coming in at around RM10 or under and the more special ones not costing more than RM20.

The next time you need a sugar rush, Sik Thong Ba may be your answer.  Well, as Annie Lennox said "Sweet dreams are made of this.  Who am I to disagree?"...and that should be that! ^o^

Sik Thong Ba

37G Jalan Dataran Cheras 2

Cheras Traders Square

43200 Balakong

Selangor

Two Chefs Lab @ Bandar Mahkota Cheras

I've been to Two Chefs Lab @ Bandar Mahkota Cheras before (many years ago) and remembered my experience to be a positive one.  I did want to return but somehow conveniently forgot about them (coz there were loads of other places I wanted to try) until now.

Seeing that they've withstood the test of time (and is still around almost 10 years later) is proof itself that the food is still good...and since my friends and I have been having mostly western-type meals in our makan gatherings of late, we thought we'd have Japanese for a change.

The very first thing I wanted to order was this Hamaguri Niniku @ RM18 because I remembered it so well from the last time I had it.  The price went up by only RM2 (from 9 years ago) which is highly commendable.

Nothing has changed except for the plating coz they obviously couldn't plate it the same way (because of the uneven no. of clams) now that you get 7 instead of 8...lol!  But you get the same great taste of grilled hamaguri (clams) topped in a rich, creamy, lightly salty niniku (garlic) sauce that tasted much like a torched mentai sauce with added garlic flavour (made more garlicky by the sprinkling of garlic chips on top).

The conveniently opened clams took up the entire space of the clam shells, so I'd say they were rather huge and thick.  So good that I could devour a few more plates of these! ^.^

Next was this Hamachi Carpaccio @ RM25 of yellowtail (or Japanese amberjack) sashimi known for its clean, subtle taste which makes it ideal for raw preparations in the form of sushi or sashimi.

The super fresh fish slices were served with a housemade yuzu truffle shoyu and lightly garnished with tobiko and finely chopped spring onions.  The hamachi has a delicate, buttery, tender texture with a mild, slightly sweet flavour.  Another wonderful dish.

Another carpaccio dish that I ordered was this Kuro Buta (Black Pork) Carpaccio @ RM19 featuring torched sliced pork with homemade chilli vinegar sauce.  The black pork (I believe) implies Iberico pork slices.

Lightly seared, thinly sliced, the Iberico pork slices were served with slivers of white onions, topped with a sprinkling of togarashi (a Japanese chilli blend) and sesame seeds as well as a garnish of ito togarashi (thin red threads from dried chilli peppers), the pork slices were nicely tender with a mild hint of spice.

Tuna Tataki @ RM19 was our next dish showcasing sashimi-grade tuna that's usually eaten raw or rare (lightly seared on the outside) served with a condiment of onion shoyu (finely chopped spring onions & onions) on top.

Here the slices were quickly seared on just one side and you just need to dip this in ponzu (if offered) or a little soy in this case (and wasabi if you like, I don't!) offering a fresh, light and slighly savoury bite.

We finished our starter dishes for sharing with a Japanese staple of Kani Cawanmushi @ RM16 featuring a silky smooth steamed egg custard with a topping of crab meat (kani).  I believe fresh crab meat was used instead of those imitation crab (coz those would have strips of red visually), so this tasted loads better.

What I found amusing was that this cawanmushi was actually served in a cawan (lol)....a typical coffee cup we drink coffee from......and not the usual Japanese tea cup.  Other choices of cawanmushi include ikura (salmon roe) and foie gras (duck liver).

Now...onto our mains for sharing, starting with the TCL Chirashi Don @ RM57, probably one of their signature dishes (since it carries their TCL name), which is typically a rice don topped with a variety of the chef's sashimi selection.

It highlighted a bowl full of fresh ingredients of salmon, tuna, white tuna, amaebi (sweet prawn), and octopus together with unagi (done shirayaki style which is grilled eel without the sweet sauce glaze) and tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette) and finished with a topping of ikura (salmon roe).  Everything was absolutely delicious and fresh! ^o^

This was followed by the Hamburg Don @ RM36 with a housemade beef patty on a bed of rice served with an onsen tamago and garnished with some slices of vinegared daikon (Japanese white radish) and chopped spring onions.

Cut open the egg and let it drool lusciously into the rice...and into your mouth! ;)  The beef patty was tender and flavourful (with a bit of beefy taste but in a good way) and the overflowing egg yolk provided that extra silky smoothness to the patty and rice.

Our final main dish for sharing was the Signature Cold Pasta @ RM42, something I don't often see on menus and something I've not had before (although I've had chilled soba dipped in a cold broth before and enjoying it).

This dish of cold truffled angel hair pasta, topped with crab meat, uni (sea urchin) and caviar, was sitting on a bed of shoyu concoction.  The pasta tossed in the shoyu gave it a savoury flavour and it was delightfully chilled, something different that I enjoyed. ^_^

For drinks, we had Green Tea Latte (Cold) @ RM12 and fresh juices of Guava Soursop @ RM11 and Orange Pineapple Mango also @ RM11.

My Personal Opinion

My return visit resulted in the same good dining experience I had almost 10 years ago...my only regret was that it took me so long to return.

I thoroughly enjoyed everything I had here but the standouts from this visit were (still) the grilled garlic clams (that never failed to impress), the impeccable freshness of the chirashi don and the unique signature cold pasta.

If you happen to live in the area (like one of my makan buddies), this neighbourhood gem of a Japanese restaurant should be on your must-visit list.  Haiz, if only it was nearer to me (or in my neighbourhood), you'll see me there regularly! ^_~

Two Chefs Lab

23-G Jalan Temenggong 27/9

Seksyen 9 Bandar Mahkota Cheras

43200 Cheras

Selangor

Tel: 03-9011 9910

Ikea Swedish Cafe @ Ikea Cheras

I'm sure everyone is familiar with Ikea when it comes to getting some really nice, modern furniture & fittings to refurbish, redecorate or brighten up your home...and if you're familiar with Ikea, you'd be equally familiar with their cafes too.

I had a decorating project to do recently and found ourselves visiting Ikea quite a bit the past few months...and what do you do after loads of walking, browsing and buying?  Well, you eat, of course...and like everyone else most people, we'd eat at the nearest place available too and that would be the Ikea Swedish Cafe @ Ikea Cheras, the branch we were shopping in.

I've eaten at their cafe countless times, in fact each time I shop there, I'd end up wanting to eat at their cafe.  I started eating/shopping at their Damansara branch long before the Cheras branch nearer me opened. Actually, their food is quite ordinary (and some are mere processed food) but I enjoy comfort food once in a while...and my favourite dish here is none other than their signature dish of Swedish (Beef) Meatballs @ RM6.50 (this is the kids portion actually with 5 meatballs, hehe) with mashed potatoes (very smooth) & broccoli served with lingonberry jam.

The very first time I had this (back when their only branch was in Mutiara Damansara), I was apprehensive when I saw it served with lingonberry jam...I thought how would the sweet flavours go with something savoury.  That was the first time I learned that (sometimes) sweet and savoury flavours do go well together.

This is the more appropriate adult portion which have 15 meatballs (I think) but I once had that and found it too much for me, so I get the kids size (lol) + that way I've space to eat something else.  I noticed from their website (recently) that there's a size in between with 8 meatballs @ RM12 (not sure if that's available at the cafe though).  When they're super busy (which is like all the time), presentation takes a back seat.  It's just like getting food from a canteen, you queue and push your trays along, and they scoop/plonk whatever you want onto the plate.

The meatballs have a slightly dense texture...you can choose between beef or chicken meatballs + there's also an option for plant-based meatballs but I personally prefer beef...and rolling them in that luscious brown sauce (which was pretty delicious) and a little dip in the jam (which used to be a big dip when I wasn't refraining from sweet things) took them from mundane to good enough.  If I wasn't on a low-carb/low-sugar diet, I'll cart a jar of that lingonberry jam home.

My son also likes to eat their simple Fish & Chips @ RM12.90 served with a dollop of mayo and a wedge of lemon.  This I can see would be very popular with kids.....even the picky ones!

There was a time when I was having my usual and I caught a waft of something fragrant permitting through the air and realised that it was some delicious-looking, fragrant-smelling fried chicken wings that many were having.  This is the Fried Chicken Wings with Gochujang Sauce @ RM14.90 for 4 pcs (RM21.90 for 6 pcs). RM3.50 for a whole chicken wing (that includes the drummette) is a very good price if you ask me.

I know I wanted the fried chicken wings but wasn't particularly ecstatic when I learned it was served with gochujang sauce.  Luckily the sauce was served on the side but my fears were unfounded since it didn't taste anything like an authentic gochujang but closer towards a chilli sauce we're more familiar with.  The wings were piping hot and they were fragrant all right.  I'm happy! ^.^

The reason why I order a kids portion of meatballs is when I plan to have their Mushroom Soup @ RM4.90 and Garlic Bread @ RM3.90 (2 pcs).  Their mushroom soup is just nicely thick (of course it's not among some of the better mushroom soups I've had) but it's adequately satisfactory, finished with a dash of pepper (unfortunately, they only have white pepper packets available).

Their garlic bread is also not in the conventional form of a common baguette or bread roll but in slices (and I like that they use wholemeal bread).  Well toasted with butter and parsley with a fair amount of garlic taste, they're still crispy to the bite even though you find them abundantly in a tray and prepared ahead of time.  I think the sheer crowd makes this particular item move fast that they're regularly replenished (and thus able to stay crisp).

And to crown off all that is their unlimited refills of drinks (both hot and cold)...certainly a boon to some who get to enjoy free-flow drinks while resting their tired legs after all that shopping.  For cold drinks, you pay just RM2.50 to get an empty glass and for coffee (or tea), an empty coffee cup will be given...and what's even better, it's free if you're an Ikea member.

You have a wide variety of food and snacks to choose from such as mains of baked salmon, chicken chop, roast lamb, beef steak & ribs including beef wellington, pasta, sandwiches & salads), snacks like chicken lasagna, wontons, spring roll & more, desserts of pastries, cakes, apple pie, panna cotta, etc., even plant-based dishes and a kids menu, so there's something for everyone.

Probably their most famous pastry is their Curry Puffs @ RM7.80 for 6 pcs (or RM1.40 a pc) with a generous filling which is still a steal at today's prices (used to be RM1 a pc or RM5 for 6 when I first started eating them if I remember correctly).  Definitely one of my favourite curry puffs to have...and I've had it countless times (oops) coz I'm always tempted to buy them when I'm there.  The only thing that'll deter me from buying is the super long queue! >_<

My Personal Opinion

Although their food is nothing exceptional, I thought they did a more than decent job bearing in mind that the food is mass-prepared and cooked much like in a cafeteria or canteen.  The only downside is that you have to queue and get your own food...and the queue is always extremely long (luckily it moves along fairly quickly due to their large workforce).

I know some people don't like this canteen-like food...but I fine with it! ;)  It's comfort food for me which can be enjoyed in a clean and pleasant environment...after furniture browsing/shopping.  My favourites here are the Swedish meatballs, garlic bread, mushroom soup and (recently) the gochuang fried chicken wings.

Even if the food is not extra-ordinary, we can't complain about the prices.  C'mon, breakfast prices start from RM3.50 (you can even get a nasi lemak with fried chicken for just RM5.90)...now where can you get a hearty meal at such a reasonable price?  I can certainly see why the cafe is always so crowded coz it's so popular with families! ^_~

Ikea Swedish Cafe

Ikea Cheras

No 2A Jalan Cochrane

Taman Maluri

55100 Kuala Lumpur

San Tai Thong @ Taman Tenaga, Cheras

A typical dai chow meal is a very common choice among Chinese families when the home kitchen is closed. Obviously eaing dai chow is now a preferred makan choice too due to my restricted diet since I can order 4 dishes (for the 3 of us)...some of which I can eat and some my family can eat.  This dai chow place, San Tai Thong @ Taman Tenaga, was first discovered when I ordered food delivery from them.  Seeing that the food turned out decent, I was confident enough for a dine-in visit.

On reaching the place, we were greeted with a typical-looking shoplot (as it's expected with many dai chow places).  An advertising board inside the restaurant shows that they've been in business since 1987 (!) before moving from Taman Permata, Cheras to its present location (where we found them in 2022 and have been patronising since).

Suffice to say that everything we ate here have been pretty decent, of course some are better than others. All of them don't need introduction or much explanation as they're common dishes we'd find in any dai chow eatery.

Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables (Mui Choy) - This was one of the first dishes we tried that was part of a set meal (since I've tasted this via food delivery) and have since had it at the restaurant numerous times.  This is one of their signature dishes.

Black Sauce Roasted Pork @ RM20 - This is just siu yuk being fried with lots of garlic and dark soy sauce (a dish we can execute at home easily with good market-bought siu yuk). ^_~

Aluminium Foil Wrapped Pork Ribs @ RM20 - Comes with a bit of visual flamboyance (flames) when the foil is unwrapped.  The sauce tastes sticky-sweet like marmite but the ribs need quite a bit of bite.  Didn't quite wow us (other than its visual presentation)...lol.

Salted Fish Pork Belly Pot (Ham Yue Fa Lam Poh) @ RM20 - A favourite of my family for its fatty thinly sliced pork with a salty aftertaste (although the salted fish is always never enough).

Sweet & Sour Pork @ RM18 - Nicely crispy without being heavily drenched in sweet & sour sauce.  Liked that it had the addition of fresh (not canned) pineapple cubes.  However, there can be inconsistency in the sauce on some days (this was on a good day)! ;)

Ginger & Spring Onions Pork Slices @ RM18

Nyonya-Style Steamed Tilapia @ (around) RM30 - The Nyonya sauce is a bit like an assam sauce, just that the sourness is not as sharp.  You can taste hints of lemongrass, tamarind and kaffir lime in the sauce which is lightly tangy with just a little heat.  The fish was accompanied by long beans, ladies finger, brinjal and pineapple cubes.  Absolutely appetising and refresing to eat as the sauce was so good that you'd want to load up on the rice.  The fish was also steamed just right with a nice, soft texture.

Spicy Tom Yam Siakap @ (around) RM85 - We had it with sea grouper (also known as ikan kerapu or ikan siakap/barramundi/Asian seabass) that was deep-fried first before being drenched in tom yam sauce which turned out just ok (the earlier nyonya sauce was loads better).  Maybe because I was looking for flavours closer to a tom yum soup but in a much thicker sauce.  Fish prices are based on type and weight of fish.

Sweet & Sour Fish Slices @ RM25 - Fish slices (with no bones to contend with) is always a favourite of many (and my family is no exception).  But sweet & sour fish has to be ranked as probably the most preferred way of eating fish slices coz what can beat crispy slices of fish in a sweetish sauce, right?

 

Salted Egg Fish Slices @ RM25 - Anything coated in salted egg is always good though this was the first time we had it with fish (it's usually prawn or squid).  This one turned out far better than I anticipated and you can bet we'll be ordering this more regularly.

Dry Chillies Mantis Shrimps @ RM25 - Very crispy and you do taste a bit of heat of the dried chillies in this kung po-style sauce (others we had before is usually on the sweeter side with no spicy taste at all).

Yam Basket @ RM20 - For lovers of yam (of which we are) with a filling of mixed vegetables.

Fried Beancurd with Dried Radish & Minced Meat @ RM18 - The sauce of minced pork, fragrant dried prawns and savoury chopped radish over their braised tofu was a hit.  The dried prawns they use is really fragrant and fried till crispy.  The combo of dried prawns and radish was a good pairing to bring savouriness to the otherwise bland tofu.  The best (and our favourite) tofu dish here.

Sizzling Beancurd with Minced Meat & Egg on Hot Plate @ RM20 - Again a regular staple (and most ordered) tofu dish you'd find at any dai chow place.  I guess it's regularly ordered coz food on a hot plate is not something we can replicate at home.

Spicy Minced Meat Tofu - this one we won't be ordering again.

Tofu with Broccoli @ RM20 - We usually find a tofu dish cooked with vegetables on the bland side or having a subtle taste but this one turned out to be more savoury which surprised us.  We found very fine bits of something all over the dish which I suspect is finely blended dried prawns which brought it that added umami flavour.

Foo Yong Tan or Fried Omelette @ RM12 - Typically a fried omelette dish with small prawns (sometimes there's bits of char siew) and some vegetables (usually onions and chillies but this one had Chinese chives also).

Stir-Fried Cabbage with Dried Prawns @ RM15 - Their dried prawns are chopped very finely which give the dish the added fragrance.  One of our favourite vegetable dishes here as they sir-fry it expertly without the cabbage being too soggy or too hard.

Belacan Kangkung @ RM12 - was hoping for more belacan taste.

Curry Mixed Vegetable @ RM20 - At first look the curry didn't have much of that requisite red, fiery oil on top but the curry flavours turned out far better than it looked.  Would definitely order this again.

Sizzling Eggplant with Minced Meat @ RM18 - The flavours were good but (unfortunately) this eggplant dish came stir-fried with that dredded herb - Thai basil which we don't like! >.<

Stir-Fried Yau Mak @ RM15 (L)

Salted Egg Pumpkin @ RM18 - Just like the salted egg fish slices, this was excellent with the softened pumpkin slices.  One thing I can say is that they do their salted egg dishes very well here...not too salty nor too sweet.

Stir-Fry Sweet Potato Leaves @ RM12 - Even a simple stir-fry veggie like this can be inconsistent.  When done well (quick stir-fry on high heat) not much water will be released (and not overly soft), then it's perfect like this one.

If it's your first time here and you don't know what to order, just go with any of their pre-arranged set meals like we did (you simply can't go wrong with any set) + they're also good value.  I've had 3 of their set meals here...Set Meal 1 @ RM63 (Braised Pork Belly with Mui Choy, Salted Egg Pumpkin & Tofu with Broccoli), Set Meal 2 @ RM92 (Nyonya Steamed Tilapia, Braised Pork Belly with Mui Choy again & Homemade Beancurd with Dried Radish & Minced Meat) and Set Meal 3 @ RM168 (Tom Yam Fish, Aluminium Foil Wrapped Pork Ribs, Yam Basket & Stir-Fried Yau Mak) including rice and Chinese tea.

My Personal Opinion

 

As mentioned above, all the dishes we had were decent in terms of taste and we like that they're very reasonably priced and affordable (from around RM12 - RM40 a dish minus fish & prawn dishes).  They're also well-known for their crabs which I see quite a lot of people ordering (they're pricey, of course) but I'm too lazy (my family included) to deal with the mess of eating crabs.

Just like phonghongbakes has found her regular dai chow place, similarly this one is ours at the moment until we can find one that's right in (or closer to) our neighbourhood.

San Tai Thong Seafood Restaurant

13 Jalan Semilang

Taman Tenaga

Cheras

56000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 016-274 5355