#ewew makes Beef Salad

I would always fall back on salads (during weekdays) if I feel I've binged on too much unhealthy food during the weekends.  Usually, chicken is my 'go to' protein of choice in my salads...specifically lean chicken fillets as they're cheap, easy to handle and a breeze to cook.

But, lately, I've been having it so often I was getting tired of it.  So, when I was grocery shopping the other day, I thought I'd get some steaks instead and make a Beef Salad.

I came upon some steaks and chose this one that said Australian Ch Blade Steak (I'm not sure if the Ch is short for Chilled or Chuck).  Not that I know what cut this was, I was simply going for an inexpensive cut of meat. Costing RM4.39 per 100g, these two pieces cost me just RM11.50! ^.^

Now that I've gotten my beef, next is to get my salad leaves and the Classic Mixed Salad with Wild Rocket (I love rocket) has always been my undisputed choice for two reasons.  One, I get to eat a mixture of many types of leaves in one serving and, two, it's conveniently tripled washed so that you can eat it straight from the packet.

As I had finished my bottle of Roasted Sesame Dressing, I had to get some too and, this time, I found a twin pack that had a bottle of Thousand Island (with herbs) Dressing as well.

Back home, I simply seasoned the steaks with a good pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper and rubbed it with a bit of olive oil.  Then I threw it onto a hot pan (with more olive oil) to sear (you can also use butter).

Since this is beef from Aeon and I wasn't expecting it to be like super fresh, I decided to cook it to medium instead of medium rare....at least that was what I was aiming for...and crossed my fingers and hoped for the best! ;)

There's no point telling you how long I cooked the steaks coz 1) I just 'winged' it and 2) you may not have the same size and thickness of my steak...hehe! ;D

Cooking beef is not as forgiving (or as easy) as chicken or pork as you can overcook these two slightly and they still taste great...ok, maybe not great but still good.  Beef, on the other hand, there's a fine line between each level of doneness.

I emptied half a packet of my yay-no-need-to-wash salad leaves and tossed them in my favourite roasted sesame dressing.

Once the beef is cooked, take it out and let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing.  Put the sliced steak on a bed of salad leaves and throw in some quartered hard-boiled eggs for good measure.....and ta-da, my Beef Salad is ready!

My knife skills suck...I was trying to cut the slices on the bias (for a restaurant-quality presentation...kekeke!) but it didn't quite look that way in the end >_<

As for trying to achieve a medium doneness, what does that look like to you?  Still had a tiny bit of pink in the centre but reeling more towards medium well.....wakakakaka :D  That's why I seldom cook beef at home....and why I'd rather pay good money and have a professional cook it to the exact doneness for me *wink wink* (but this is cheap steak, so it's ok).

Expect to exercise your jaw a bit when chewing on this + the fact that it was a rather lean piece of beef. Well, what do you expect from this less-celebrated cut of meat?  It's a freakin' cheap RM5 piece of beef!  But it's ok, it wasn't all that bad + one needs a jaw exercise once in a while, right? :D

Although I knew I'd be able to eat only one piece of the beef, I was too lazy to fire up the wok (or, in this case pan), again the next day and having to contend with all that washing again.  So, in the fridge it went and, after reheating, it became well done! :O

This time I ate the mixed salad with the other dressing.  What can I tell you...even more jaw exercise needed but the Thousand Island Dressing (with herbs) was pretty tasty.

You may be able to eat leftover cold chicken salad....but beef salad I'd have to say...don't try it!  Cook it only when you want to eat it...otherwise you'd be chewing till the cows come home! ^_*

my Toast n Roast @ SS2 PJ

The last time we went to Toast & Roast, we ended up at the wrong place (not knowing then that the Google Map was showing their new address).  That wrong place however is now the right place for the new my Toast n Roast @ SS2 PJ....the original Toast & Roast by Sean & Angie.

When I mentioned about the old place (no wonder I didn't see them when I last dined there), I was told (by Angie) that the old place is now under a different management and run by Sean's side of the family.  I don't know Sean and Angie personally (and I don't wish to intrude on their privacy) but there must have been some sort of family disagreement that led to the split and them opening up their own place here.  What a bummer...no wonder people always say don't go into business with family! >.<  For the latest on their story, you can check out the write-up by vulcan post here.

Walking into the new place, this one's more comfortable and cleaner than a coffee shop but with minimalistic decor of cafe-like tables and chairs....and, a plus point, air-conditioning.  But it was also obvious that the renovation was kept to a minimum with plain cement walls and the retention of two different set of old floor tiles that was clearly left by the two previous (half lot) tenants.  We were here about two weeks after they opened and I could already see a steady clientele forming.

A quick glance of their menu shows prices and food basically similar to the old place with a few additions and some upcoming additions.  We went with an order of Char Siew Rice @ RM7.20 to start with.  As you can see, the strip of char siew had well caramelised edges with a nice tender texture.

I was hesitant to order their speciality again at first, the Hakka Noodle Original (with just minced meat) @ RM7 as it wasn't very satisfying the last time I had it.  But my husband say let's just order it and try since this could taste different.  And I'm glad I did.  This one tasted a lot better (and not as bland as the one I had previously when I had to use the char siew sauce to add flavour to the noodles).  When I showered this compliment on Angie, she was quick to add that this is made by none other than the original chef, her husband, that's why! ;)

I noticed that they now offer wantan mee (which I don't remember seeing in the old place), so that became our next order.  This was the Wantan Mee (Dry) with Char Siew @ RM8.  I think putting wantan mee on the menu is a good decision as there are quite a lot of people who simply don't like "white-looking" noodles and need to have the dark soya version for more flavour.  The wantan noodles here are flavourful, albeit slightly oily, and would please those who love their wantan mee very dry.  They're definitely tasty and more so with the added crispy fish flakes that offer a different dimension to the usual wantan mee.

The pretty ordinary wantans that came with the noodles.


Condiments of pickled green chillies and a good fresh chilli dip.

Of course, you can't come here and not order a portion of their most saleable item, their Char Siew @ RM11 (for small) served with a side of smoky, delicious char siew sauce.  This time I got the right cut of "pun fei sau" for the perfect balance of half lean and half fat that had that melt-in-the-mouth feel with a sticky caramelised outer layer that's not too sweet.  It's heavenly char siew that ranks among some of my utmost favourites like Chan Meng Kee (wantan mee), Uncle Meng (char siew) and Char Siew Zhai (wantan mee) in my opinion.

Glistening, caramelised, smoky char siew that beckons you to come and get it! ^o^

We complemented our meal with some side dishes, or more specifically fried dishes, of Fried Sui Kow @ RM4.80 (3 pcs/set).....

......and Fried Wantan @ RM5.50 (6 pcs/set) that were just there to provide some crispy snacking.  I'm looking forward to try their new side orders of Tortilla Wrapped Char Siew Bacon with Vege, English Muffin Butter and Mantou with Charsiew Bacon in BBQ Sauce (which I saw listed on their menu as 'coming soon').

My Personal Opinion

I've had the pleasure of eating both the 'half fat half lean' and the 'less fat' cuts of char siew (at both places) and both cuts are equally delicious.  So, make sure you specify the cut you want for maximum enjoyment.

There's nothing much to complain really but, if I were to nitpick, I wish they would dial down a bit on the oiliness in their wantan mee and char siew sauce.

If you want the original taste of Toast & Roast, make sure you seek out the new my Toast n Roast...and not the previous place! ^_*

my Toast n Roast
101 Jalan SS2/6
47300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 016-682 2249

Rojak & Cendol Truck @ Damansara Uptown

After our Sunday morning breakfast, my spouse brought me to this Rojak & Cendol Truck @ Damansara Uptown to "tapau" (pack) a packet of rojak for our lunch later (he's had this before as it's a favourite of his).

You'll find the truck parked in front of Texas Chicken at Damansara Utama.  I'm not sure what time the truck comes but we usually find it there around 11 am.

A packet of Rojak @ RM5 basically comes with 3 types of fried fritters...one that's thin and super crispy, one that's soft and not as crisp and one with a dense texture.

Everyone who loves rojak are usually after these fritters...and my favourites are the thin and crispy ones followed by the slightly crisp but softer fritters to soak up all the delicious "kuah" (rojak gravy).

The usual condiments of a whole hard-boiled egg and fried tofu with "taugeh" (bean sprouts), crunchy julienned "sengkuang" (jicama) and cucumber rounds up the dish.

You can, of course, add on additional "sotong" (squid) for RM1 extra or you could also ask for extra fried fritters at a price.  They use those crunchy-type cuttlefish here which isn't quite my favourite type of sotong.

We all know the rojak gravy is what makes or breaks the dish...and the one here has the right texture and taste with a good balance of sweetness and spiciness to it.  I can see why my husband likes this rojak.

It had the right thickness and I liked that the gravy is smooth and not too chunky nor overly sweet.  The fritters and vegetables serve as great vessels to absorb all the yummy kuah.

As with most rojak stalls these days, you'll find that most of them sell cendol as well since the two go hand in hand.  I've not tried the cendol here but I hear the shaved ice is quite coarse, so maybe this isn't for me since I like the shaved ice to be finer.

My Personal Opinion

As far as the fried fritters are concerned, the ones here aren't as good as the rojak & cendol truck in my neighbourhood (check out that review here).  But it's the flavour and texture of this rojak gravy that wins me over.  The taste of the gravy here is unlike the sauce of the rojak truck in my neighbourhood which is more akin to a satay sauce than a rojak gravy.

Now if only I can have the rojak fritters from my neighbourhood and the gravy from this stall, that will make one heck of a rojak! ^_^

Rojak & Cendol Truck
Intersection of Jalan SS21/1A
and Jalan SS21/58
Damansara Utama
47400 Petaling Jaya
Selangor

My blog turns three.....

Time flies.....and my blog has just turned three!  In cat years....that's like..what...30 years?...LOL!! :D  In blogging years, I don't know about others but 3 years is a l...o..n....g time for me.  It's another mini milestone I'd like to put on record in my blog.

When I wrote a post on reaching my 400th post a few months back, one of my readers posted a very good question that went like this:

What has been the biggest thing you've learned from the beginning to now?

And my answer at that time was (and now still is):

"Looking back, one of the biggest things I've learned is that the taste of food rarely stays the same (even days, months or years apart for whatever reasons).  So, the food we raved about previously may not be as good now (and I shudder to think what readers may think when they read some old posts and go, "Eh, she doesn't know what she's talking about!").  I used to think that way too but now I know better since I started food blogging myself.

A myriad of reasons can contribute to a change in taste....from the restaurant's standpoint, it could be change in chefs, inconsistent cooking, change in ingredients used (like freshness of produce and cheaper substitutes), change in service, change in owners, even a change in the way they run the business.  From the reviewer's standpoint, it could simply be just a case of a lifestyle change! >_<

But I've also learned something else from my 3 years of food blogging...and that is individual taste buds do differ greatly....and that's because we all have our inherent likes and dislikes...or it was simply a case of you not sharing similar taste buds as the blogger.....and that's ok...coz we're all created differently! ;)


Looking back on my three years of blogging, there has been some good moments and also some not-so-good moments.  One of those good moments would certainly be when restaurants appreciated my independent reviews and featured them on their Facebook pages.  Some would even go further to offer me discounts or a free dish when I returned to dine there again while others have offered to host me and my family to another meal.  I certainly appreciated the gesture though I've not taken up any offer of a fully paid meal.  You would think that these gestures only came from restaurants that received positive reviews from me but you'd be surprised to know that there are some that came from restaurants that weren't reviewed positively.  I guess those were the ones that are professional enough to take criticisms constructively and are passionate about what they do and strive to give their customers the best experience possible.

The other thing that I enjoy is when I get to trade comments with my (few) fellow bloggers who inspire me....and always have such sweet things to say! ;)


I'm also indebted to my readers who continue to visit...and help me achieve my 4-figure page view daily on a more frequent basis...so, thank you :)  These encouraging pageviews certainly do spur me on to continue writing....for now.

But with the good, there's also the bad...and that's the inconsiderate and rude comments I experienced on my blog.  I just don't understand why anyone would do that.  Because of this, I had to turn on the comment moderation to filter out such unwanted comments and negativity from my blog.  But I'm just going to focus on the good comments that matter than the sporadic rude ones that don't.

I've surprised myself that I've managed to keep this blog going for 3 years...but I did set myself a target when I first started...and I'm zeroing in on that target, so I know I will at least persevere until then as I don't believe in stopping until my target is met.
After that, we'll see........^_*


For now, I'm just going to celebrate my blog's third anniversary! ^o^

It's all about the Bacon by Five & Two Foods

I first got a whiff of this through The Star papers (sometime in the middle of the year) and, being the porkaholic that I am, I was consumed with bacon mania when I saw the article and their website photos.  And then I conveniently forgot about it until recently.

I could not hold out any longer, I have got to get myself a box of this good stuff....and that's what it said on the box itself!  Get ready for some.....Pop! Sizzle! Oink!

Opening the contents, with a smile on my face, this was what I got in my first box....Bacon Jam Original, Curried Pork and Candied Bacon Stix Original.

Let's start with Candied Bacon Stix that arrived in this neat foil package.  Tear open the packet and the bacon strips are wrapped in another piece of aluminium foil.

This is the Candied Bacon Stix (Original Flavour) @ RM23 (for 120g) which is the smallest pack (Small Bite). Of course, there are bigger packs, like the Big Bite (250g), Monster Bite (500g) and Colossal Bite (1kg) which also means you have to pay more (all the way to RM175)! O_o

I was expecting it to look like this (pic from their website)...dry and almost similar to bak kwa but it was not. It's slightly wet and sticky (from the marinade) and stuck together in its presentation.

That's because they take smoked streaky bacon and smother it in their signature sweet and spicy rub before grilling resulting in a sticky sweet glaze that's not too sweet with just a tinge of heat (and you can certainly taste the black pepper).  The bacon sticks (which looked as if they were cut in half, about 4 inches in length) were absolutely delicious as a snack.

Or eat this between two slices of toasted bread (with added omelette) like I did for breakfast....so good! These candied bacon sticks are going to leave you wanting more.

It has an average shelf life of two weeks but it's not going to last that long, I tell you! ;)  They ask that you refrigerate it right after you receive it but it probably won't even make it to the refrigerator.  It's so addictive I could finish it in one go if I really wanted to.  But I purposely kept some pieces just to see if they taste as good after refrigeration (this pic was taken after half of it was consumed already).

They recommend that you microwave the bacon sticks for 20 seconds for best flavour and texture.  To test their theory, I did just that...and, you know what, they still taste as good.  Or you could just eat it cold straight from the fridge.  So, you have no worries of storing lots of them in the fridge to eat over a two-week period.  But, by the following day, all the candied bacon sticks were gone! :(

The next item I ordered was the Curried Pork @ RM18 (for a 180g jar), their Best Seller from their Curried Meats Section (they also have Curried Chicken & Curried Lamb).

In it you'll find small pieces of pork meat cooked in a curry sauce that looks almost sambal-like.  You can taste the spices in the curry that reminds you of an Indian curry (with ingredients like garam masala, turmeric powder, dried red chillies, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and peppercorns).

Don't expect the pieces of pork to be tender coz it's not.  It has a bit of a chew and a tad dry (which is to be expected as it had to be cooked until almost dry) but the spices were a bit much for my taste buds.  It also looked on the oily side (when I opened the jar) but give it a good stir and it should be better.  If you're a fan of Indian curries, then this jar is for you.

You can use it to perk up your otherwise plain nasi lemak....like I did.

Or as an additional topping on your crisp roti canai (and I'm sure it'll be good with some fried rice or even just plain rice).

The other jar that I got was the Bacon Jam Original @ RM22 made with pork bacon, onions, garlic, chilli flakes, brown sugar, maple syrup and white wine vinegar.

The bacon chips, cooked in their secret sauce, have the texture of minced meat but you can certainly smell and taste the bacon.  It's sweet (slightly), spicy (just a tiny bit) and savoury all in one with a bit of a tang at the end.  It was praise worthy.

I started spooning the contents into my mouth....I could probably finish the whole jar in minutes but, two teaspoonfuls later, I told myself to stop.  This jar costs me RM22, I've got to make it count, I've got to make it last...haha! :D

Since it's a jam after all, bacon jam that is, it should be spread on toast, don't you think?  Or, take it up a notch, and stir it into some baked beans...before topping it onto your toast....yummeh ^o^

I'm sure it'll taste delicious tossed in pastas....but who wants to cook pasta when we have something quicker...maggi mee ;P  After all, this is all about convenient snacking, isn't it?

It makes a great dip...for french fries ;)

Or if you have any crackers, chips, nachos or biscuits....it works wonderfully with them too...absolutely delish :)  Can you imagine munching on these snacks in front of the TV? :O

All their jams are sold in 180g jars with an average shelf life of 4 months.  As they do not use preservatives, flavouring or colouring in their products, they're recommended to be kept refrigerated.  For best taste, warm up in the microwave oven for a couple of seconds but, if you're too lazy, just spoon out the portion you want to eat and leave it out to come down to room temperature...and you're good to go.

They have at least 10 types of bacon jams on offer on any given day with 3 types of Asian bacon, 3 types of curried meats and 3 flavours of candied bacon stix...check them out on fivetwofoods (I think they have a 'hot' product on their hands)! ^_*

My Personal Opinion

Of the three, my favourite was the bacon jam.  I can definitely see myself ordering that and probably the candied bacon stix again...this time maybe the Brazilian Bahian Flavour (for the candied bacon stix) instead. But I think I'll stick to the Original Flavour (for the bacon jam) since the rest have some type of liquor, beer or wine in them.

At an average price of RM25 for a 180g jar of bacon jam or 120g pack of bacon stix (that won't go very far...*wink wink*), it's the one thing that's holding me back from ordering and eating it on a more regular basis....but as an occasional indulgence...YESSS, please!! 

Well, Christmas is just round the corner....you might want to get yourself some to perk up your dishes...or simply for your own indulgence! ^.^