I remember going to this pork friendly (or rather unfriendly, if you’re a pig, it really depends on where you stand 
) establishment way back when it opened. I stayed at Dataran Prima Condominium when I came to KL again in 2008 and this was just around the corner. It generated a lot of buzz when it came out – and I thought it closed down and haven’t been there in years, until last night.
It was a rainy night and also a Chinese festival (Winter Solstice) and we decided to go back to see if it’s still open. It was…and business is booming!
I mean that literally, we arrived early so we were seated within 5 minutes but there were others waiting on stools while it rained for an hour! It’s the only shoplot that has a security guard to direct and seat people too. Haha!
(He did also help us get into the car by escorting with dual umbrellas)
Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale (RM 18)
This is a “craft brewed” beer that’s brewed in Oregon, following the Midwest theme. They have a couple of beers from that region (mostly from Rogue Ales) at a reasonable price so I had this maibock with dinner. It’s an import, robust (it’s a bock, not an ale as the name suggests) with all the sediments you’ll expect to find, I liked it.
Betty’s Midwest Kitchen is known for their porcine menu offerings – I remember their “Dog Food” best, which is fries and pork and cheese all churned together into a melted and delicious mess. This time, we ordered three mains:
Pulled Pork Burger (RM 12)
This is another popular offering – a filling main with fried burger buns and pulled pork at a reasonable price. I like the way they fried the buns and the slow-roasted and shredded pork tastes good with their “secret” BBQ sauce.
Baby Back Ribs (RM 32.50)
This is probably the most expensive item on their menu. It’s grilled pork ribs marinated in their special rub and sauce and grilled to succulent tenderness. That’s the menu description, the reality is a bit of a let down. I remember them having way better ribs than this. The dish we had last night was rather disappointing.
I recommend Racks Bar and Baby Backs in Changkat Bukit Bintang if you’re looking for awesome ribs (wonder if it’s still open?).
Pork Chop with Apples (RM 23)
Hot off the pan, their pork chops are pan-fried to juicy tenderness and served with their delicious house mash potatoes (love their sauce). There’s two huge chops and the apples naturally goes well with pork – you know the cartoon pig with a *shiny red apple* in its mouth ready to be roasted? 🙂
I liked this dish, it’s one of their better ones. The entire meal cost RM 94.05 for the both of us. Betty’s Midwest Kitchen charges RM 0.30 for iced water according to their menu but they waived it for us in the bill.
Overall, the service was decent and the food was good. However, it wasn’t as good as when I ate here years ago. It’s still intensely popular and they enforce a lot of rules (like no seating until entire party is there) so I guess they must still be doing something right. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, but it’s just not the awesomeness that I remember it to be.
My dear made me some tong yuen for the Winter Solstice and that’s a wonderful dessert to end the night! <3
Betty’s Midwest Kitchen
Jalan PJU 1/43, Aman Suria,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
I remember my first time coming to this place. I had the dog food and the juicy lucy with an apple crumble to round it off with some lime soda. Had a food coma that lasted me 4 hours.
Yeah, I used to come a lot too! 🙂
It was literally a 5 minute walk (2 shoplots away) but I usually drive there anyway. I also drive to Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar, which is just below the condo I used to live in. Haha!
I can imagine! Eating that much would give me a food coma instantly.
Dude,we will buy you real American food of the west coast and Midwest , yeah Chicago Steak house when you are here..you are on your own when you go to New Olean. Go get you visa.
Yeah, working on the visa buddy! 🙂
Cheers for that! We’ll definitely meet up with you and FF when we’re stateside!
Yea i’m a pig which explains why i don’t eat pork :p
Haha! I wasn’t referring to the Chinese Zodiac! 🙂
I’m a chicken but I eat a lot of chicken.
Winter Solstice? That was last night! Gee! You’re fast. Mine will only appear after Christmas, already scheduled…lined up with all the rest in the queue.
Pretty untraditional way to celebrate a traditional festival but ah well…mine wasn’t either – we went ethnic.kampung style. Place sure is crowded, food should be good.
Yeah, I wrote it just after we had dinner for Winter Solstice! 🙂
It’s hard to keep traditions going, especially over here. I guess not many people do follow it nowadays, not even my parents.
It’s usually my grandma who does it. Too bad, a lot of traditions are dying but not everything – we still eat the tong yuen!
it’s a combination of so many different factors hor, why some restaurants thrive beyond expectations. i’m still waiting for betty’s to open a second branch … i bet they’d be a hit at nearly any other PJ neighborhood too, since their reputation now precedes them! 😀
Indeed! 🙂
I’ve always puzzled about it as well, and have thought about opening my own place. Oh well.
I bet they’ll do well in any other PJ neighborhood too! The customer base is certainly there.
I am very hungry now and the dishes above certainly looks very good to me, if not for you.. 🙂
It tastes good to me too! 🙂
Don’t get me wrong, they do have nice food, it’s just not as awesome as I remember it to be!
Maybe we ordered too much, I had the rest of the ribs to go and it was really good the next day.
i miss eating tang yuan the last pic~ T.T
You can always make some yourself! 🙂
It’s quite easy to do – just need to make the balls and cook it in sugar water.
i’ve always read about this place but have yet to venture out there myself. i really should! it looks decent enough 😀 thanks for leaving a comment— somehow, i’ve never been a huge fan of archives (for my sites). i think there’s something about a person reading through old stuff of mine that unnerves me (odd, i know. seeing as how my site is a public one). anyway, i’ve included a link to my archives. (:
hope it helps (though i still wouldn’t really understand why anyone would like to read every everything i put up).
thanks for your constant comments. it’s nice to receive. unexpected.. but pleasant!
Yeah, the food is pretty good! 🙂
I don’t like the queue though, it seems like a bit long to me, and it’s not like, say, S.Wine, where you can surf the net or shop for groceries while waiting for a table.
I keep my archives coz I want to remember what I’ve done since I started the blog when I was in uni in Melbourne since 2002. It’s like my journal!
You remind me, I keep putting off the blog revamp, need to do it now! Thanks!
Man, that burger looks good. And the ribs too. Haven’t had a hearty meaty meal like this for a long time.
Yeah, the pulled pork burger is good! 🙂
It’s reasonable too, at RM 12, it’s cheaper than what Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar tries to charge me (RM 14) for a takeaway dinner!
I use to live at Dataran Prima condo, just two blocks away.
This isn’t Midwest cooking, more like Southern. Oregon is in the Pacific North West. The food looks interesting, but someone needs a map, as they are off by about 2500 miles 🙂
From Rogue River, Oregon …
Thanks for the clarifications! 🙂
I don’t know why they actually call it Midwest Kitchen. It seems like they have roots (family?) there from a photo wall in the restaurant.
Cheers for dropping by!
Ooh …. I think they served good pork chop there !
Yeah, the pork chop with apples! 🙂
The mashed potatoes with gravy that goes with it is awesome, love their in-house gravy.
I heard Pork Chop with Apples!!! I love that and it has been many porky years I last ate this in overseas! I will go to this shop soon!
Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve been back too! 🙂
I moved three times after this so although I’m often there in the afternoon, I seldom go at night since LDP can get really jammed my place now.
It’s not the 30 second drive it used to be. Haha!
People said that the ‘dog food’ is nice too! But I think it’s just so so la… never been here for a long time ady
I’ll say the Dog Food is a very filling and tasty dish too! 🙂
It’s just RM 10 – has fries, pork and cheese and the portion is huge! You have to eat this fast though or else it’ll become a hard mess.
Me too! We haven’t been there for a long time until the Winter Solstice dinner!
Rogue Ale is from the west coast, not midwest… heh
Thanks for the clarification! 🙂
I’ve always thought people referred to Oregon as the Midwest (since California is the true West Coast) and Rogue Ale is from Oregon so I thought it was right…but then again I’m not that familiar with US geography. Cheers!
Oregon is on the west coast, actually touches the Pacific ocean just north of California. Midwest usually means states like Illinois or Missouri….. Maybe the owners meant mid west coast? 😛
Yeah, maybe that’s what they meant! 🙂
Cheers for the info mate!
Come stateside and I will bring you to the place where the Juicy Lucy started! It doesn’t get more midwest than Minnesota 🙂
I will! Thanks for the standing invite Skwermy! 🙂
I’m still planning to go to the US but it might have to be after Japan since I want to go for at least a full month!
Dear, one of the things I mentioned to you is the few in-house rules to comply with..haha.In fact, they really enforce it,right.. Nevertheless, it was still a hearty meal we had and enjoyed over the rainy night. <3
Haha! Yeah, but it’s a good dinner that we had that night! 🙂
I’m glad for that dear, it’s all these simple things that makes me feel like the luckiest person to have you. Love you always dear!