I first had Yoshinoya in 2005 during a business trip to KL. The outlet has been closed for quite a few years though. Thus, when I heard Yoshinoya was opening again in Mid Valley Megamall earlier this year, I was quite enthused about eating there again. If you’re not familiar with the restaurant, Yoshinoya is a Japanese chain that serves beef bowl (牛丼/gyudon).
I went to Hokkaido with my better half earlier this year and we both enjoyed the trip to Japan. I was especially taken with their food. With Michelin rated ramen and Michelin star sushi to choose from, we didn’t get to eat the more pedestrian offerings, least of all something like beef bowl. I frequently go to Sukiya near Kota Damansara but that shuttered too so it was good to eat at Yoshinoya again.
Ontama Beef Bowl (RM 15.80)
This is what I ordered. It’s the flagship Yoshinoya beef bowl with an onsen tamago (hot spring egg) as a topping. I love the onsen egg, the runny yolk provides the perfect sauce for the salty and flavorful beef slices. Samantha had this too, but in the small size (RM 13.80). You can add a bit more rice and beef for RM 2 if you upgrade to the large.
One of the best things about Yoshinoya (in addition to their awesome beef) is their righteous pickles. You can add your own at the self-service counter beside the ordering kiosk. The vinegary peppers acts as a palate cleanser of sorts, so you can enjoy each mouthful of beef as if it was your first.
Chicken Katsu Curry Rice (RM 15.80)
Michelle had the chicken instead of beef. Yoshinoya is a beef bowl restaurant but they do serve a limited side menu of chicken tempura with rice and chicken katsu curry with rice, probably to cater to Buddhists who don’t eat cow. I tried it and it was surprisingly good. I would still prefer their beef bowls though, but the chicken ain’t bad.
Yoshinoya straddles the strange place between quick service restaurant and Japanese dining. It’s a true blue franchise from Japan but it’s also a fast food option, which makes sense in the busy office blocks surrounding Mid Valley. It’s very popular during lunch. I was there with Michelle and Samantha – it’s located at the top of the concourse beside its sister restaurant Hanamaru Udon. The entire place is actually called Yoshinoya Hanamaru Mid Valley and has the two restaurant flanking a common seating area. I’ll definitely be back for more beef bowl action!
I remember eating the absolutely fabulous and rightfully famous Inanam ngiu chap in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah when I was based there a few years back. Ngiu chap is the local Hakka dialect for beef noodles, prepared in a distinctive way. The traditional Inanam style consists of a semi-clear broth but there’s another preparation which has a darker soy sauce tinged soup. This is the latter.
I was pleased to see an outlet for Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap open up near my place in Kota Damansara. It’s just been open for a couple of months and we wondered what shop will pop up there. I’ve been to Kota Kinabalu several times – samplingthelocaldelights, climbing Mount Kinabalu and even stayed there for 1 ½ years so I’m quite familiar with their food.
Their signature Ngiu Chap Soup Noodles (RM 13.90) is a hearty bowl of beef tripe, beef stew, beef slice, and beef balls in a rich broth. There’s HUGE chunks of brisket inside and the meat portions are *very* generous. There’s three types of noodles to choose from – yellow oily noodles, rice vermicelli and ho fun and I personally think the first choice is the best way to enjoy it.
You can also add on a portion of the following to your bowl of noodles starting from RM 2 onwards:
Beef tendon
Beef intestine
Beef heart
Beef liver
Beef tongue
Beef omasun
Beef tripe
Beef stew
Beef slices
Beef ball
Beef spleen
The Ngiu Chap Kolo Mee (RM 14.90) is similar to the above but separates the noodles from the soup. The waiter got our orders wrong and thought this is what my better half ordered so it took a while for me to realize that and send it back (she doesn’t like beef).
My dear ordered the Chicken Kolo Noodle (RM 9.90) which comes with pieces of chicken cooked with soy sauce. It’s an afterthought in a beef joint and it tastes just like that – dismal. The chicken offerings are for people who don’t like or eat beef and they’re not good at it. It tasted pretty awful.
However, I loved my order of their flagship Ngiu Chap Soup Noodles. Sabah Kampung Beef Noodles are good at what they do best – which is beef. I strongly suggest you eat beef noodles when you go or not go at all. This is strictly a place for people who love our bovine friends…in their stomach!
Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap is actually a true Sabah chain that came over to Peninsula Malaysia. It takes up a large corner shoplot and you won’t miss the bright signage. It’s always pretty empty though, it seems like it didn’t really take off here but their beef noodles are really good. I’ll recommend it if you like bowls of hearty beef noodles with lots and lots of beef!
Sabah Kampung Beef Noodles (Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap)
No 2-1, Jalan PJU 5/7
Dataran Sunway
Kota Damansara
I have written about some of the experiences I’ve had in Maxims Genting. Here’s the rest of it – the second and final post on the luxurious gastronomical and other adventures I had during my 2D/1N stay there. 🙂
Totally chilling in the Maxims Royal Suite.
There’s everything you could wish for in a suite – and probably some that you didn’t even know you want. 😉
I’m loving the jacuzzi!
The Maxims Royal Suite has guest rooms equipped with computers at the working table in addition to a huge dining table that seats 14 people! 🙂
It also has a balcony that’s even larger than my studio apartment at home. The “balcony” (patio) is actually located…
…right beneath the old Genting Hotel sign. How cool is that? 🙂
The newly refurbished Maxims looks nothing like the one I used to stay in as a kid. This is the floor area you’ll see in the Maxims Premier Room, Maxims Suite, and Signature Suite.
The suites are amazing and equipped with the latest in technology, like that huge 42-inch plasma TV there. This is standard in Maxims Suite and Signature Suite but the photo above shows the décor in the latter. There are two options to choose from – Modern or Arabian.
The other rooms at Maxims starts from RM 550++ for Maxims Premier – it’s their most basic room but it’s surprisingly luxurious. Here’s a video tour where you can see the amenities and services provided.
There’s even a bottle of Moet et Chandon champagne in the mini bar. How many hotels do you see stocking that? 🙂
Maxims is the place to stay in if you want the best experience in Genting. There’s accommodation for every budget – all the suites comes with a private butler (!!!) and starts from RM 1,320++ for Maxims Suite to RM 4,125++ for the Signature Suite. You can find the full list of features in each room/suite at rwgenting.com.
Anyway, after the grand tour of the Maxims Genting we headed to The Olive for a Continental fine dining experience.
The Olive is another award winning restaurant in Maxims Genting and there are private rooms where you can eat in relative…er, privacy.
Squid Ink Bread
The bread basket served up when you’re seated is filled with a selection of different varieties of bread. One in particular stood up – the squid ink bread.
It’s the irregularly shaped black bread that’s made with squid ink. It’s delicious when dipped in the vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
Portobello Carpaccio
This is The Olive’s signature dish for starters and it’s a wonderful plating of Tartufo nero (black truffle), shaved pecorino (cheese made from sheep), grissini (breadsticks), aged balsamic, and truffle oil soft herb salad. The black truffle is the highlight of this dish and the flavor goes very well with the mushrooms. I had quite a few helpings of this. It’s delicious and it comes highly recommended from me.
Bruschetta Pizzetta
This mini pizza is made with semi-dried Roma tomato, sauteed mushrooms, Bocconcini cheese, basil pesto, olive oil and aged balsamic. It’s delectable but a bit heavy so small eaters would want to share this with someone.
Lamb Rack
This 3 pin lamb rack comes served with a white bean cassoulet, braised artichoke, carrot puree and rosemary juice. You’ll love this if you like mutton, I was half tempted to order this for my mains before deciding on beef.
Chilean Sea Bass
This is the signature dish of The Olive. The fresh Chilean Sea Bass is served with mushroom ragout, buttered asparagus, ponzu sauce and wasabi, providing a bit of fusion there. You can’t go wrong with this one.
Wagyu Sirloin Steak
I went with the chef’s recommendation of a Wagyu sirloin steak with a Grade 8 on the marbling scale. The beef was so fresh that I immediately regretted having it done medium rare. It’s a great cut of Wagyu beef and it should be treated with the respect it deserves.
I’ll recommend you go for extra-rare (also known as a blue steak) – the quality and freshness of the meat really shines through. I had a taste of the extra-rare Wagyu tenderloin and it practically melts in your mouth. The chef mentions that it takes just as long to properly cook a blue steak compared to one that’s medium or well done – it has to be allowed to “rest” before being served.
The Olive has different cuts of steak and marbling grades but if Wagyu is not your thing, they also serve Black Angus beef, which has been grass fed for at least 150 days in the Australian countryside. There are a lot of sauces you can choose to go with your steak, from Creamy Garlic to Truffled Morel.
Crème Brulee
This wonderful dessert comes in a trio – starting from left, there’s the petite apple (which actually is a very tiny apple), clove ice cream, and crème brulee with rhubarb and blackcurrant compote.
A petite apple with a slice of regular apple. Gotta love the presentation.
I loved the creamy crème brulee with an almond biscotti on the side and I couldn’t stop eating the clove ice cream too.
Hot Chocolate Ravioli
Good things comes in threes and this dessert is no different.
There’s the black cherry gelee topped with orange blossom pashmak (a type of Persian candy floss).
Pistachio ice cream which has the consistency of pudding, a wonderful texture from the ingredients and a delightful taste that tantalizes the taste buds…
…and as the star of the show – the chocolate ravioli. It’s rich and sweet and the oozing hot chocolate from the ravioli would have you clamoring for more.
The Durian
This is the signature dish for the desserts menu of The Olive. It’s easy to see why. The aptly named dessert has The King of Fruits served as ice cream in a caramelized meringue with fresh strawberries.
Durian is a fruit you either love or hate. I’m a huge fan of durian and this beautifully made dessert (spiked to look like a durian) had me at first bite!
Chef Daniel Sheen took time off to chat with us and the question on how he created the chocolate ravioli popped out. This is actually the second version he’s come up with. He was in the kitchen attempting to fuse pasta and chocolate – essentially creating pasta made out of chocolate and out come the chocolate ravioli.
It’s always interesting to hear the chef talk about how his creations came about. 🙂
The Olive is also featured in Must Eat – it’s in Mandarin but a really interesting watch even if you don’t understand the language. The video tour and awesome food shown transcends linguistic processes. 😀
We adjourned to The Olive Lounge after the heavy dinner. There’s a live band playing in the background and the drinks menu features quite an extensive single malt Scotch whisky and wine list.
The sommelier recommended two bottles of wine…
…while Eiling chose the third bottle, being a bit of a wine expert herself.
I smoked one of her cigars while the entire group talked over wine and cigars. The Olive Lounge is a great place to relax and chat with soft music playing in the background. It was the perfect ending to one of the best dinners I’ve had in a while. Pure decadence. 🙂
Breakfast at Coffee Terrace the next day never tasted so good. 😉
Coffee Terrace has six different cuisines ranging from Chinese to Western and we all had a huge breakfast before heading back to KL.
Thanks for the experience Chloe, Irene, Dee Lin, and everyone at rwgenting.com! I totally enjoyed my stay at Maxims Genting and all that fine dining. 🙂
Ask anyone what Seremban is famous for and you’ll get a unanimous answer – beef noodles. Seremban beef noodles is unlike any I’ve ever had, it’s made using different noodles and has a lot of frills to it (the down-to-earth kind of trimmings).
The penultimate (wah, damn a lot of hyperbole in this post) Seremban Beef Noodles is located at Pasar Besar Seremban.
It’s unfortunately numbered 748 which translates to “go die la” in Mandarin. This is the original stall – the Genesis of Seremban Beef Noodles, if you will.
This photo fake one. Caydence doesn’t eat beef (or anything else for that matter) so I ended up eating both bowls.
There are dry and soup versions of Seremban beef noodles. This is the latter. I like the broth but it doesn’t have the oomph of the former.
The dry beef noodles on the other hand is fucking awesome. It contains generous portions of beef (various cuts and even innards) mixed with noodles and topped with a special black sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds and peanuts.
I think the brilliant bit about Seremban beef noodles is the texture of the assorted offal of beef combined with the noodles and the Crunch Factor (TM) of the peanuts.
I highly recommend you detour into Pasar Besar Seremban when you head down (up?) to Seremban. The beef noodles alone is worth the 40 minute drive.
Of course, if you have *cough* other incentives *cough* to drive there, then all the better. 😉
I wanted to cook something Japanese this weekend coz Aud got me this souvenir from Mount Hakone in Japan – a pair of chopsticks. It just so happens that my friend had Japanese Curry at home and she came over with a carrot and potatoes while I went shopping for the rest of the stuff.
You will need:
Japanese Curry mix Sumo rice Pork loin block Beef lung Peas in a pod Dutch mushrooms Eryngii mushrooms Potatoes Carrots Onions Seaweed and sesame rice flavoring
First off start slicing/cubing/peeling/dissecting/massacring all your vegetables, meat and fungi (except for the Eryngii mushroom ).
The pork loin block should be disciplined with your knife until they become cubes.
Cook the Eryngii mushrooms in a pot of boiling water and set it aside.
Next, start cooking the rice. The Rule of Thumb Index Finger (TM) applies in cooking rice. It is an agarration (TM) method if you lack cups or other standards of measurement.
Basically what you do is pour in the rice, rinse once with water and add water until it comes up to the first joint of your index finger. It should be noted that the tip of the index finger should be resting on the top of the rice, not the bottom of the rice cooker.
After that is sorted, it’s back to the Japanese Curry! Add some extra virgin olive oil and start frying your ingredients.
I added in the pork cubes before frying the onions – a mistake on my part. It would have tasted better to fry the onions before putting the rest of the stuff in.
Everything you have amassed up to this point (except for the Eryngii mushrooms) should be added into the frying pan in batches and given a good once-over. My frying pan is a bit on the small side so it kinda overflowed.
Transfer the contents of the frying pan into a pot and add approximately 500 ml of water.
I eyeballed it and added probably 700 ml or so of water so the curry wasn’t as thick as it was supposed to be. However, I put the leftovers in the fridge and reheated it for lunch just now and the consistency was perfect!
The meat and veggies should be boiled for about 30 minutes with the lid on before the Japanese Curry powder chunk and sachet of chilli powder is added in.
Wait for the Japanese Curry powder to melt and permeate the pottage before putting the lid on and let it simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
It’s now ready to serve!
We scooped the rice into a plate and added seaweed and sesame rice flavoring. The curry is spooned into the side of the plate and decorated with a Eryngii mushroom.
Japanese Curry tend to be a bit on the mild side but the chewy texture of beef lung contrasted with the lean pork loin and the medley of vegetables makes this dish work out very well.
