Who Loves Fish Cake.....Besides Me?

One of my most favourite things to eat is fish cake (or fish paste)...which doesn't come as a surprise since I adore eating fish!  In my food outings, I've had the privilege of coming across (and eating) some really good fish cake.

When it comes to what constitutes a good fish cake, there are divided opinions...two schools of thought, if you may.  There are those who like them with a very springy texture while others prefer a more chewy, not too bouncy texture...I'm the latter.

One of my favourite fish cake comes from this shop, Yin Kee Fish Ball Noodles @ Jalan Pudu Ulu, specialising in fish ball noodles.  They obviously make their own fish balls and fish cake, both are by-products of their own-made fish paste...and they're both really good.

This fish cake is a cross between lightly springy and slightly chewy...and it's among one of the best fish cakes for me (I'd put this at the very top of my list).  We like to order this separately as a side snack.  The same fish cake is also cut into thin slices to be used in their fish ball noodles.

Another well-loved fish cake is the one from this yong tau foo/chee cheong fun shop, Yap Hup Kee @ Pudu.  It goes without saying that one of the best ways to use own-made fish paste is to make yong tau foo with it...and the fried fish cake is one of our favourite items (and also one of their costlier items) to order here.

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a 100% fish cake though as I feel it's far too tasty to be just fish paste alone. I've long suspected that there may be some pork in there.  The texture is more dense, not bouncy at all...and we absolutely love it (my family's favourite) irrespective if it's just fish or fish+pork! ;)

Next on the shortlist is one that will satisfy lovers of firm and bouncy fish cakes and it's the one from Ah Koong Restaurant @ Pudu.  It's a bit too bouncy (for me), a sign that the fish cake probably has too much flour in the mix though I don't mind eating it too.

I especially like the convenience of their vacuum-packed, ready-made ones that I can buy for use in some of my homecooked dishes.  It's something fast and easy to use that I rely on quite regularly at home.  I usually use them in a stir-fry with vegetables.

From a chee cheong fun stall located inside Kedai Makanan Red Leaf @ Jalan Loke Yew (now known as Piau Kee Kopitiam), I discovered another worthy fish cake.  I've not included this chee cheong fun stall in my reviews coz the taste is nothing worth mentioning but found that they were willing to make a fish cake for me on the spot.

So I grabbed the opportunity one day and took up their offer (and if I remember correctly, it cost me something like RM10).  The portion might look very little for the price coz it's pure fish paste + it deflated when it was served (by the way, it tasted terrific)! :O  I actually witnessed them taking a portion of pure fish paste and frying it in the wok where it puffed up looking like a 'real' fish cake before deflating (I'll let you in on a little secret/tip in my next post why this happened).

Straying a bit further from home to find another decent fish cake is the one in Tang Pin Kitchen @ SS2 PJ though we have not been there for a long time.  I remember their fish cake has a texture quite similar to Ah Koong's, maybe not as firm but still pretty springy.

There used to be one near me which offered a pretty good fish cake which we enjoyed (at dinner time) though the place has since closed but I'd mention it nonetheless since it deserved a place in my "fish cake list"...lol.

The texture is the springy type, but only slightly and certainly not overly bouncy, something along the lines of the ones in Tang Pin Kitchen.

And finally, closer to home, I've only found two choices, not great choices, but they'll have to do if I'm thinking of having fish cake.  One is from Tasty La La Noodles and the other, HoLiao Noodles, in my neigbourhood.

Perhaps I may have eaten some other good fish cakes which I can't remember but these were the five that stood out enough for me to remember...lol!  Yap Hup Kee (which my family loves) and Ah Koong (where I also buy their ready-made ones) are now the two places I frequent most for fish cakes although (personally) I think Yin Kee yields the best fish cake I've tasted so far but it's not a place I can eat regularly at as my family is not into fish ball noodles. :'(

The Brew House @ SS2 PJ

If you're on a budget, then this place, The Brew House @ SS2 PJ, should probably be on your radar for its very affordable and reasonably-priced food with hefty portions.

They say it's pretty similar to Uncle Don's (also in the same SS2 area) but I haven't been to Uncle Don's, so I wouldn't know.  The extensive menu covers everything from snacks to soups & salads, Asian-style rice & noodle dishes, curries, Thai-inspired dishes, western mains, pizza & pastas.

We chose the Salted Egg Fish Skin with Pork Floss @ RM10.80 from the snacks menu and, when it arrived, we were taken aback with just how generous the portion size was.

The savoury salted egg sauce-coated fish skin was crispy perfection on earth, made even more delicious with the equally generous sprinkling of pork floss.  They were very addictive and would definitely make a good beer snack.  It ended up to be the best thing we ate that night...so, so good! ^o^

The snacks list was especially long....rightly so since this is also a place known for frozen beers and beer drinking.  Other options include the usual favourites of fried chicken skin, fries, moo ping, pigs in blanket, salt & pepper calamari, crispy pork bacon, nachos, pork gyoza, pork char siew and more.

We also had the Mushroom & Bacon Soup @ RM10.80, a creamy and intensely flavoured mushroom soup made with sauteed mushrooms, topped with porcini oil and bacon bits, and served with a grilled garlic-infused buttered bread that's soft, not hard like most baguettes.

Our chosen main was actually an item from the snacks menu, the Porky Platter @ RM25.80, a snack item that was clearly meant as a sharing platter.  The platter comprised of sticky pork ribs, roast pork and pork sliders, one with luncheon meat and the other with braised pork.

The sticky ribs were ok-tasting but they weren't the best cut of ribs, if you know what I mean (it's not those that have a single long bone, there are some short and soft bones).

The roast pork wasn't quite the roast pork we know but more like deep-fried pork.  It had crunchy (not utterly crispy) skin with a slightly porky smell which I didn't like.  I don't know why but I always seem to taste this overly porky smell when roast pork is done in western-style cafes.

The pork sliders were nothing special, one was just with luncheon meat between a soft bun that you can't fault while the other was with braised pork.

I went with a chef recommended dish of Brew House Signature Pork Steak (250g) @ RM19.80 with mayo-laden, coarsely shredded cabbage slaw (though the menu said apple slaw), grilled peach and potato puree served with creamy peppercorn sauce.

The pork steaks (two pieces) were sufficiently tender, just not tender enough.  But then again, what pork steak will be super tender....my quest continues to find that elusive tender pork chop.

I did like the accompanying peppercorn sauce (much like the usual black pepper, just not as hot as some I've had).  Without it, the pork steak would be on the dry side and not-so-nice to eat (that's why I asked for more sauce).

I happened to glance over to the two ladies (sitting next to our table) and they shared the Hainanese Chicken (or Pork) Chop (RM13.80) that looked thickly coated, over-fried and dry in a very tomatoey-coloured sauce (hmmm, not something I would order after seeing it).

Knowing that we'd be feasting on a porky-loaded meal, we made sure we chose drinks that were zesty, like this Ice Honey Lemon @ RM8.80 and Fresh Orange Juice @ RM10.80, to freshen our palates.

My Personal Opinion

The main dishes I tried didn't quite endear me with their taste possibly because it was just too much meat (for me) in one sitting.  The draw factor for its popularity is certainly its low prices (with most mains costing below RM20) and big portions.  If you're ok with the unimaginative and simple taste of localised western food (and some processed food forming part of the ingredients), then you'd probably be ok with the food here.

I think the place is more suitable for buddies on a budget to hang out and chill, drinking copious amounts of cold beer with one hand and eating beer snacks with the other.

The crispy and utterly moreish salted egg fish skin with pork floss alone is enough to warrant a trip here (or return trips) for just that...perhaps with a couple of cold beers as accompaniment.

The Brew House
No 27-G Jalan SS2/75
47300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 03-7865 6815

C Wine & Bites @ Damansara Kim

Of late, my friends have taken a liking to wine and enjoy a glass or two with dinner.  We had already made plans to come to C Wine & Bites @ Damansara Kim to chill, chat and sip some wine after dinner somewhere else.

Unfortunately, that dinner at Tujoh Cafe @ SS2 PJ ended up massively disappointing as it was a spur of the moment thing when we couldn't snag a table at our original dinner venue! T_T

Anyway, that one is done and dusted...and we were eager to see what's in store for this one.  Located just above farm to plate, fully stocked shelves of wine greet you on the right when you come through the door.  If you're well versed with wines and know exactly what you want, you're welcome to make your own selection.

Since we aren't (well versed with wines, I mean), I came with a specific wine in mind which I read about on a blog.  My friends and I have not tried rose wine before, so we wanted to do just that.

I basically chose La Vie en Rose Cotes de Provence @ RM146 a bottle based on how theyumlist described the wine.  Just so you know, they sell wines by the bottles here.  The only wine you can get by glass is their house pour.  So, if you're one of those (like me) who can only drink a glass (maybe two tops), then please bring enough people with you to share a bottle (or share the cost)...haha! ;D

That's our rose chilling in the ice bucket :)

I have to say this is the wine I enjoyed the most from the few wines I've tried (my friends liked it too)...and I have theyumlist to thank for recommending this. 

This one felt brighter and more refreshing...and it was also much smoother and easy to drink compared to any of the red and white wines I've ever drunk before this (some of which I actually found hard to drink).

So, for non-drinkers who had never really liked wine (or even found some difficult to drink), this would be a great introduction to drinking and enjoying wine, this rose wine (from France) specifically.

Ok, enough with the wine already....let's get to some of the scrumptious bites that are available for your wine pairing.  The menu isn't extensive with just 3 light bites and 5 items from their grill.  Basically, we just ordered everything on the menu which didn't require pre-ordering.

Starting with the Sun-Dried Tomato Bruschetta @ RM15 (for 6 slices), there was nothing to fault.  The grilled bread was rubbed with garlic and brushed with olive oil, then topped with sun-dried tomatoes and melted cheese, and grilled to crispy perfection.

The other well received bruschetta was the Roasted Mushroom Toast @ RM15 (for 6 slices) with each slice of bread topped with a thick slice of juicy eryngii or king mushroom and a sprinkling of parsley.  What is there not to like...simple deliciousness of nibbling on crispy baguette with meaty mushrooms :)

The final item from their bites menu was the Spicy Chicken Wings @ RM20.  The four pieces of well seasoned chicken wings (drumette + wingette) were beautifully scorched to render them oh-so-juicy-&-smoky....absolute yum! ^o^

The Spiced Iberico Pork Skewers @ RM43 comprised of 3 sticks of fragrantly well charred and flavourful chunks of Iberico pork interspersed with deliciously grilled onions and red, green and yellow bell peppers.

The grilled Norwegian Salmon @ RM38 was perfectly cooked with a still pinkish centre and an utterly crispy skin.  The skin was so, so, so crispy you could hear the crunch when your knife went through it.  Not only that but the salmon was very fresh too (we were more than satisfied after the disastrous salmon we had earlier).

We loved the Spicy Chicken Wings so much that a second helping was in order.  Tinged with just a slight spiciness, the wings were devoured just as quickly as the first.  Finger licking good, I could easily eat all of it on my own.  

If you find the menu too limited, they allow you to order from the restaurant downstairs (since C Wine & Bites is co-owned by farm to plate's owner).  In fact, you can have your dinner upstairs if the restaurant is full and order anything from the restaurant's menu.

You'd be amazed at just how a small but capable kitchen can produce such palatable dishes.  Yours truly was nosy enough to check out the kitchen and found out that they use a salamander (or a salamander broiler to be exact) to produce that restaurant-quality charring.  And all this while I thought a salamander is a lizard-like creature.  Hey, I need a salamander in my kitchen....and I don't mean the lizard kind...kekeke! ;)

cin cin!

My Personal Opinion

This more than made up for our 'not-so-happy meal' earlier.  Definitely a good place for some light bites (even dinner) with a good selection of wines as accompaniment.  The menu may be short and simple but with an eye on taste and quality.

You know what, I'm slowly starting to appreciate wines...some wines at least.....and that's me taking baby steps....haha! ;)

If you need a place to chill....sip on some good wines...and snack on some good (albeit limited) finger food, you know where to go.  

C Wine & Bites

First Floor 4A Jalan SS20/10

Damansara Kim

47400 Petaling Jaya

Selangor

Tel: 019-223 6328

Salad Earth @ AEON MaxValu Prime, Sunway Velocity

Tucked inside Aeon's premium supermarket is a salad bar, Salad Earth @ AEON MaxValu Prime Supermarket, Sunway Velocity, that offers a small selection of hot dishes (mainly pasta) and cold salads at RM3.39 per 100g.

On one side (at the front), though I see ten covered-trays of supposedly hot food on offer, I've only seen half of them filled at any one time when I was there (perhaps I was late and they've been sold out already).

Some pasta options of San Remo Spaghetti Tom Yum....

......and San Remo Spaghetti Spicy Aglio Olio with Mushroom.

Some cooked protein options of HP Gumbo Fish Fillet (I have to say this one is quite delicious looking)...

.....and McCormick Miso Infused Chicken that you can add on to your pasta choices.

I tried the Spicy Aglio Olio with Mushrooms.  The flavours were satisfying but filling a roughly 6 x 6 inch box half way up will easily reach 300g already.  That means a small portion of pasta (suitable for a small-eater) would easily cost you RM10, so you probably need to fill the box almost all the way up for a more substantial meal...but that would make it no cheaper than what you'd get at restaurants! >_<

The salad options on the other side of the salad bar (at the back) are more consistently replenished with all six trays filled with some form of cooked/made salads.

McCormick Paprika Potato & Egg Salad

Mix Fruits Salad

The other half of the salad bar is filled with trays of four types of fresh salad leaves, julienned carrots and cherry tomatoes...and a salad dressing of Thousand Island.

Since everything is priced at RM3.39 per 100g, you can mix and match with a combination of a few different types of salad in one box.  I did just that...I filled my box with a combo of 3 salads...Mix Fruits Salad, McCormick Paprika Potato & Egg Salad and Stir-Fried Hokto Mushrooms with Wakame together with a helping of lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes plus an additional dollop of Thousand Island dressing.

Take note that although RM3.39 per 100g may sound cheap but it's relatively easy to hit past 300g if you're not too 'careful'...hehe! ;)  I find that the packaging is so convenient for us to stick it into the fridge and unseal when we're ready to eat.

The McCormick Paprika Potato & Egg Salad, in a Thousand Island-type dressing, with large chunks of potatoes (cooked just right) and hard-boiled eggs, sprinkled with paprika, was really enjoyable.

My other absolute favourite here is the Mix Fruits Salad, in a mayo-type sauce, made up of fresh, juicy fruits of red and green apples, watermelon cubes and orange segments with dried black and golden raisins.

The crunchy apples, juicy watermelon, tangy oranges coupled with the texture of the dried raisins, makes this an extremely pleasurable salad.

Each time I come here, I don't seem to give other salads a chance (San Remo Orange & Ginger Vegeroni, Olive Herb Chicken Salad and Marmite Shredded Chicken Salad) as I'm always after these two salads.  Be smart and fill your box with more fresh salad leaves if you want your box to be lighter...kekeke! ;D

The process is simple...once you've filled your box with the goodies you want, someone will assist you to get the box sealed, weighed and attach a price to it before you proceed to the counter for payment.

Looking at it more closely, the pasta and/or proteins may not turn out all that cheap as a sizeable portion can easily cost you between RM15 - RM20 for a filling meal which isn't far off from the RM18 - RM25 price tag for a freshly cooked, warm plate of pasta at cafes.  The salads are probably more worthy for between RM10 - RM15 for reasonable portions.  But it's certainly a clean, convenient and great way for a take-away meal to the office or back home.

Salad Earth
AEON MaxValu Prime Supermarket
B-01 Sunway Velocity
Lingkaran SV
55100 Kuala Lumpur