La Gomera - Malaysia First Spanish Buffet

Name of Restaurant:
La Gomera Restaurant

Address & Contact:
Blk E-LG-1 & 2 Neo Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/1 Bandar Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +603-7710-0262

Business Hours: 
6pm to 11.30pm

Price:
Reasonable

Specialty:
A good spread of tapas and spanish food

Rating:
3.5/5-Star. Service ok. Aircon

Remarks & Opinion:
The place is cozy and quiet. Good for dning with friends. As for the food, buffet spread is good. A section for the tapas, main food and another one in the kitchen where you choose your food and the chef will cook for you. Good experience. Enjoy the pictures:-

main spread

Tapas & Salad Spread

Paella

Dessert Section

Seafood Soup

Tortilla de Potatoes

Tapas

Lobster Salad

Garlic Rice

Spanish Chicken Drumstick

Celery with prawns

Desserts & Fruits

Spanish meatballs (beef) in tomatoes sauce

Spanish Beef Stew

Spanish Beef Tripe

Spanish Lamb Stew

Tapas

Egg custard and chocolate mousse

Fish with parsley sauce

Chicken Al Ajillo

Tapas

Salad

Salad

Of Talisman and Mystical Protection

We have heard people going the extra mile to obtain such mystical protection by paying great amount of cash and to the extent of selling ones soul or integrity and dignity! It is believed that these are deemed the "weapons" that we, in the human realm, should have with us to counter any ills effect that will falls upon us or cast upon us by the unhappy evil spirits or through the evil work of a medium engaged by us human!

It is through our madness in acquiring wealth, popularity and one notch better than our peers that drives us to such extent. Through greed and jealousy we have forgotten God and have given reverence to human being who are deemed the masters and expert in feng shui, fortune telling, mediums and black magic.

Have we ever stopped for a moment and think - God has given us the best talisman and mystical protection (if that is what sinned human being like us are after). It is God's blessings and protection! Have we forgotten that there is a covenant between God and us? All he want from us is for us to obey the ten commandments, which has only two main category i.e. Love and be loyal to God and to love our neighbours! It is a covenant of LOVE that we had with God!

Only if we can start by taking a step back and love one another as we are all God's children and be like a big family, what ills can befalls us and which evil can conquer us under God's strength.

Start living a God's authorised way of life and receive his blessings and protection immediately

Herein a story shared with me from my lovely aunt in Australia - it is about a soldier, hiding in a cave, and his encounter with God behind enemy lines!

".....As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave. Hah, he thought. What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humour. As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while. Lord, forgive me, prayed the young man. I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."

Remember: We all face times of great trouble. When we do, it is so easy to forget the victories that God would work in our lives, sometimes in the most surprising ways.  Whatever is happening in your life, with God, a mere spider's web can become a brick wall of protection. Believe He is with you always and you will see His great power and love for you.

Restaurant Tuck Kee

Name of Restaurant:
Restaurant Tuck Kee

Address & Contact:

1-3, Jalan King, Off Jalan Pasir Pinji, Ipoh, 31650 Perak

Tel:+605-255 3870 ,+605-241 9071

Business Hours: 
10am - 3pm and 5.30pm - 10pm

Price:
Reasonably Good

Specialty:
Traditional Cantonese dishes - signature dishes like the yin yeong prawns in sweet-sour sauce and salad sauce, stir-fried fish maw, beancurd, kong yi chee and hoi sum. They also serve "Kai Fei" noodles usually ordered on birthdays

Rating:
3.5/5-Star. Service ok. Aircon

Remarks & Opinion:
Opened since 1969, Tuck Kee is one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Ipoh. The roast duck, pork sausage and roast pork are very popular here. However,for today,we were invited to a lunch that served Giant Sea Cucumber and a few other cantonese dishes as per photos below:-

Loong Suen Hoi Sum (Dragon Boat Sea Cucumber)

Loong Suen Hoi Sum (Dragon Boat Sea Cucumber) - This dish is stewed using Southern China famous giant sea cucumber (Chui Poh Sum) which has a thick flesh that gives one the mouthful feeling when its in the mouth. Accompanying the sea cucumber are fresh high grade scallops, flower mushrooms, chicken fillet, chestnuts and and decorated with fried yam to represent the oars of the dragon boat.The based of the stew is oyster sauce - tasty and is not overwhelming with the sea cucmber retaining its flavour while the rest of the sea cucumber companion each retaining their individual unique flavours while enhancing the flavoursome sea cucumber. Most importantly the dish is balanced and not gluey. Overall this dish is superb and will definitely return to savour it again. Price wise is fantastic - at RM350 one can't complain.

Mun Cheong Chicken - nice and glorified name given to a more popular version called Hainan Chicken. Mun Cheong is a deity which promotes intelligence and wisdom. Thus was wondering what has he got to do with Chicken! Later was informed (nor verified) that his origins is Hainan Island and that explains the name of the chicken named after him not for his work but his origins. Taste wise - normal for the "kampung" chicken, not exceptionally smooth and the ginger sauce that comes with it is nothing to shout about - they should have used the Genting Highland's buntong ginger which is smooth. Served with chicken oil flavoured rice, though tasty but would have been better if they had used higher grade rice. Priced at RM59, is a dish that I would not say overpriced but I will not return to savour it again the next time.Overall, it is good for one try.

Sliced Garoupa - stir-fry with shallots. Overall ok but would have been better if it is seabass which has a softer and smoother flesh. Taste wise as expected of a standard cantonese restaurant.

Hang Heung Pat Poh Sor (Aromatic Almond with 8 Treasured Vegetables) - Lightly fried almond springled generously on eight selected vegetables i.e. celery, lotus roots, gingko, waterchestnuts, corn, carrots, enoki, sweetpeas. Presented not in the desired manner but taste is very good. The almond is able to match each and every of the eight selected vegetables and overall the vegetables flavours do not conflict with each other. It is really a tastebud adventure savouring this dish - as you have almost everything - from the crunchiness to the sweetness to the aromatic and the savoury. This dish reminds me of never to judge from looks!

Egg white steamed with pandan coconut - This dessert served piping hot and the aroma from the coconut is so good that makes one tastebuds tinkles! It gives you the "must taste" even after a heavy meal. However the actual tasting gives one the anti-climax from the promising aroma that oozes from the coconut when served! The egg white is bland and its a bit over-steamed. Thus, the egg white is not so smooth. At RM6 per coconut (which is not expensive), it is not a dessert that I will try again unless they modify the recipe by probably adding ginger juice and likely sweetened milk to extract the best out of the coconut water. Meantime it is good as a one-timer!

Overall the lunch was good with the stewed giant sea cucumber as the star. The cost of the lunch was RM526/- and YES I will visit this restaurant again to savour the sea cucumber again and other signature dished such as its smoked duck, fish maw, and birthday noodles, etc.

Penang Bay Kopitiam

Name of Restaurant:
Penang Bay Kopitiam

Address & Contact:
66, SS15/4, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Tel:+603-56317899

Business Hours:
Not available

Price:
Average - relative to an aircon kopitiam

Specialty:
Traditionally  it is the "char siu pau" but now a variety

Rating:
3.0/5-Star. Service ok. Aircon/open air

Remarks & Opinion:
Did not know what to eat and was driving around and chance upon this interesting place - comtemporary decor with clean white brown theme! Just gives you a feeling of comfort and cleanliness! Probably It was the decor that caught my attention. Though I like the decor, on second thoughts was thinking will I be making a wrong decision as most kopitiam don't serve good food and in addition most are ready made/microwaved food. Anyway can't leave as I have entered - will give it a shot! Herein my opinion on the food:-

With a wifi of 5mbps and ample power points, this is one place to consider to work and eat for those who do not like to be bogged down within an office environment like myself.

    Penang Assam Laksa

When it was served, I was not paying attention (was replying to an email) as I have actually resigned myself to just enjoy the environment and not the food. The aroma from the assam laksa was so captivating that I put away my phone immediately and focus on the bowl of inviting assam laksa. I tasted the soup and I am right - the aroma and the taste is as good!It is not watery and not spiking or ascerbic. It carries a well balanced savoury tatse with a tinge of tanginess that keep you scooping the soup. I would have rated this assam laksa higher if not for the noodle. It is too soft. Well, what is left of a full bowl of soup tells you something special about the soup!

Ordered ice almond milk - on its own it taste fantastic. It is creamy but not thick and "sandy"! and most important it is not overly sweet. However, something is wrong with me. How can I order almond milk to go with assam laksa!Gosh!

Foh San Restaurant

Name of Restaurant:
Foh San Restaurant

Address & Contact:
51 Jalan Leong Sin Nam, 30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Tel:+605-2540308

Business Hours:
Other than Tuesday, opens daily including Sunday & Public holidays

Price:
Depending on menu

Specialty:
Traditionally  it is the "char siu pau" but now a variety

Rating:
3.0/5-Star. Service ok. Aircon/open air

Remarks & Opinion:
I have not been visiting this famous dim sum restaurant in Ipoh for a long time because there is nothing new and dim sum is just dim sum other than the expertise in creating them. What irks me is not the food quality but the long queue and the chaotic management.Recently, I had a little time on hand, and gave it another shot - to my surprise the queue is still there but the management somewhat is more organised. Another round of surprise, the chef has become more creative and the food served is better. Herein below my views and comment on the food I ordered:-

Loh Mai Kai - This is one of the pivot dish of all dim sum. Glutinous rice steamed with chicken, chinese sausage, and mushroom. At Foh San, I believe the chef select the glutinous rice for steaming as I didn't find any uncooked or bad ones. The chicken is smoth and well marinated and the taste is light but tasty which gives a "feel good" feeling!

Steamed ginger, milk with egg white - This is really superb! Been trying to find this dessert, but none that I have found so far is authentic - they are either too sweet or watery or just BAD! This dessert I tried at Foh San is the real thing! The taste is balanced and smooth - it just slither through the tongue and goes straight in. To know how heavenly it is, you need to try it!

Wok-fry glutinous rice - this is another winner! The glutinous rice is well selected and the aroma is just perfect! This is different from Loh Mai Kai as this is not steamed but wok-fry. Thus the aroma is much distinct! Not oily yet the glutinous rice is not soggy and mushy.

The phoenix claw (chicken feet) - texture not gluey, a bit spicy but just not soft enough. However, it is good enough for me. Fore the older folks, this would have failed.

Vegetable Dumpling - The texture of the skin is crystal-like yet not soggy! It is not gluey but feels good in the mouth. Taste wise is balanced. The filling are dried shrimps with turnips and carrots.

Fish Paste Ball - the fish meat is springy yet does not give you the "false" feel. Taste wise, those that do not like celery will not like it as the chef mixed tiny bits of celery to mask the fishy smell which he succeed.

Char Siew Pau - The star of Foh San. Was told that people from South such as KL or JB and from the North e.g. Penang comes to Foh San for this. It is pork, thus I will not know the taste, but I tried the skin and it is really good. Not sticky yet soft and aromatic.

Fried Carrot Cake - probably I am already stuffed as I somewhat feels that this dish from the old place is better. Nonetheless, it is still good by any standard but a bit pricy at RM5/plate.

Some creative fried new stuff -using fish meat to wrap prawn as fillings. Taste good but a bit oily.

Good Chines Tea - No dim sum should go without a pot of good chines tea. As dim sum tends to be oily and gives you a heavy and full feeling (which surprisingly Foh San didn't), a good strong chinese tea is heavenly when taken with the variety of dim sum.

Foh San - With this newly built restaurant, Foh san ensure that its authenticity is kept and yes they did. One can still feel the authenticity with a cleaner version. They still kept the waitresses pushing carts peddling their food (minus the saliva as food are kept hygienically), and one new addition is that they have specially built carts that allows one to add hot water - the cart has more than 10 hot flasks to meet your hot chinese tea demand. Another new addition is a row of balcony seats which I love - it gives you the "alfresco" feel in an authentic chinese dim sum restaurant. One can enjoy the morning breeze while reading newspaper and tucking in the food! That's what I call LIFE and FOOD enjoyment!