ori-udon. highlighting the flavored sanuki {さぬき} udon, ori-udon collaborated with the renowned udon expert, fujimoto-san of sanuki udon in taman desa in paying tribute to the noodles that is characterized by its square shape and flat edges.located on the lower ground floor in the mid valley gardens mall, the noodle shack sits right next to cold storage. its decor has taken a liking to the modern wood theme as it mimics the interior of noodle shacks in japan. coupled with the open dining area with an open kitchen, it creates a more casual and relaxed ambiance.there wasn't any waiting for seats since it was without a crowd attributed by the fact that it was still early for dinner. the menu was predominantly udon and with sides of tempura/karaage as well as kushiage {串揚げ} or deep fried skewers for your choosing.

fresh handmade udon - soup :: niku beef udon (rm 9.9o)swimming in clear warm broth, the udon were crowned with thin slices of beef which were slightly under-seasoned but overdone, which was a tad disappointing. the yolk from the soft cooked eggs dispersed its richness throughout the soup as i pierced the chopsticks into the yolk. the soup had a simple, clean flavor profile that allowed the noodles to shine but i thought i detected a slight hint of ginger in the soup. the freshly handmade udon makes a difference with its springy, chewy texture that was pleasant. it was cooked el dente that granted lovely, satisfying slurp-fuls. i thought the soup needed more of a punch of flavor.

ori udon set menu :: set 4 - mentaiko + karaage + green tea (rm 13.9o)served with a dollop of the coral colored yumminess, seaweed strips, a spoonful of mayonnaise and finally completed with a soft cooked egg.stirring all the ingredients together, the el dente noodles were coated with a thickened, rich sauce of mentaiko and mayonnaise, decorated with speckles of dark green from the seaweed. the mentaiko 'sauce' had a rich, salty, savory, subtly spicy, briny seafood flavor that created a celebration on my palate. it may not be for everyone though especially if they are not one for prominent flavors of the sea. personally, i have not eaten this version of yummy mentaiko udon before which i think is rather special.a side of fried chicken which was marinated in ginger, garlic and soy aka karaage { から揚げ} was served with teriyaki sauce sassed by hot japanese mustard. while the dark meat chicken remained juicy and moist, the coating could have been crispier and less greasy. the sauce is a saving grace that compensated for the chicken's shortcomings especially the hot japanese mustard that gives a kick similar to its traditional counterpart of wasabi coupled with the savory, tangyness but with a tinge of sweetness.

side dishes :: kakiage (rm 3)a basket of shredded vegetables, prepared tempura style. a combination of thinly shredded vegetables - which i guessed are carrots, onions and burdock root meant a natural sweetness, with the satisfaction of biting into the slightly crispy tempura shell that encased the soft inside. addictive, especially when dipped in the teriyaki-hot japanese mustard sauce.
however, the greasiness quickly became evident which may have attributed to the tempura shell being less crunchy. the flavors are nice but execution had some room for improvement.

for fans of green tea, rejoice because the tea (hot or cold) is refillable.ori udon has called mid valley gardens home since the end of 2o13 so it is a mystery that i haven't notice this quaint noodle shack until last week. the phrase "better late than never" aptly describes the discovery of ori udon because i foresee a follow up visit when the cravings strikes, especially for its mentaiko udon.

for the full post and more photographs, you can find it at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/07/ori-udon.html

pickle & fig means two things for me.
o1. one of the listed top 2o must-try coffee places in kl visited by says.com.
o2. mission o3: brunch edition.pickle & fig's idea is simple - summarized in three words:
cafe. panini. smoothie.
and it was exactly that, plus some.
but where were the pickles and figs?minimalist is their approach to its industrial chic decor but was lacking accent pieces to bring completeness to its theme: in fact, slightly TOO minimalist/simplistic: a concrete space (both walls & floor) + wooden pieces/furniture + cushioned benches with comfy pillows + industrial lighting pieces.our late morning brunch visit left us spoiled for seating options since it was a quiet morning for them. there were even a couple of patio seating if you fancy the warm ambiance outside. i quickly picked the one with the cushioned benches, which also gave me a great view of their huge artfully written chalkboard menu, that gave the space a punctuation of green and some character to the petite establishment - a contrast to the otherwise monotonous grey, black and wooden space.a selection of fruit smoothies dominated the chalkboard on top of choices of hot pressed panini, cold sandwiches and fresh salads. there were a couple of other snack bites and 2 "others" for those who are not in the mood for bread: traditional fish & chips as well as carbonara pasta. its hearty and healthy selection of sandwiches was a lovely departure from the typical brunch cafes.
once you've selected food and beverages desired, head over to the counter to place your order. oh, it's cash terms only!it was only that after i've paid for my food that i realized there was a monthly specials menu next to the cash register, with po' boy occupying the top half - i wished i could have tried their rendition of the famous southern favorite from {rmc}'s home state, lousiana, to see if they could do the sub justice.
coffee :: latte (rm 8) & cappuccino (rm 8)
cappuccino for me, please!
sometimes, i like to ummm.. mix things up... hehe.
i know, latte and cappuccino are essentially the same with the exception of the thick layer of foam.lo and behold!
it was a pretty good rendition of the espresso + hot milk combination that resulted to a creamy cuppa with light bitterness of the espresso, which i enjoyed but towards the end of the sip, i pursed my lips from the deep bitterness of the foam that lingered unpleasantly for a short moment.
"sigh..so close."
even so, it was one of the better brews i've had.the intricate coffee art alongside the distinct layers of the coffee and foam held so much promise but {hr}'s comment: average.
cold gourmet sandwiches :: smoked salmon and cream cheese | smoked salmon, capers, chives cream cheese, lemon tarragon mayo and mixed greens on focaccia (rm19)to match its decor, pickle & fig serve the sandwich on a metal sheet tray lined with wax paper, with sides of fried potato wedges and a tiny side salad. the side salad was leafs of lettuce tossed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette. to call it a full sandwich would be unrepresentative. a decent amount of fresh salmon slices, lightly cured when tasted on its own, smeared liberally with the tarragon mayo and sprinkled with briny capers.alas, 'twas was the day where the herb called tarragon that conquered and overpowered sandwich-ville with the spicy, sweet anise aroma that were much too stronger than the rest of the ingredients. the cream cheese was cowering behind the mayo that i couldn't taste much of the tangy cheese-like fullness. while the focaccia bread, well, i wish it took on a more chewy texture.
i have to commend the presence of the wedges, who came to the rescue and stole the show. {hr} seconded my views of this starch greatness. still warm in its crispy jacket, the potato wedges were cooked to perfection with the insides soft and seasoned aptly with salt, pepper and spices.
hot pressed panini :: rotkraut pastrami | beef pastrami, rotkraut, mozzarella, russian dressing, infused oil on wholemeal or white bread (rm 19)an interpretation of the classic reuben where its main ingredients are corned beef, swiss cheese, russian dressing and sauerkraut stacked between two slices of rye bread, the rotkraut pastrami mimicked with minor differences.the cheese was melted beautifully with toasted, crispy bread. i understood {hr}'s sentiments of the panini which was good but not close to being his favorite when he was sharing his reminiscence of the fantastic delicatessens in NYC and the abundance of the thinly shaved, smoked corned beef surpassed this local interpretation, at least twofold. {hr} would have loved a bit more zing, which was lacking in the rotkraut and smokiness of the meat in the sandwich too.
one of the drawbacks was the size of the sandwiches was barely enough to satiate our hungry bellies, something we were hoping for its price tag. perhaps the lunch crowd had a different view as they poured in and filled the cafe despite the slow start in the morning.
pickle & fig gathers and offers sandwich favorites with classic flavor pairings, both hot and cold. and the smoothies. and the coffee. just as they've promised.
and oh, yes. i am still searching for the pickles and the figs.
for more photos and other reviews: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/05/pickle-fig-ttdi.html

my relationship with macarons started off shaky to the point we almost called for a break up in california but reconciled months after with promise of better things in chicago and subsequently progressed into adoration in tokyo before growing into love in kuala lumpur.
macarons are one of the most delicate desserts that require quite the finesse to achieve the perfect balance in flavors and textures. so i am constantly in search of one that would even come close to gratifying my picky sweet tooth .

"it cannot be too sweet... it can't be too soft.. it has to have a crispy exterior... its flavor should be more than just sugar......"

my acquaintance with les deux garçons began at shell tower in 'little india' earlier this year in january. the danger of temptations was imminent considering it was close enough for me to drop by for some sweet surrender way too often. i wonder if it was a blessing in disguise that i haven't heard of their main patisserie located in taman desa and their more popular location in telawi, bangsar which started more than two years ago. as it is now, i have visited enough times that the friendly staff recognizes me as i walk to the macaron counter at their shell tower kiosk.

variety of macaron

 

much more than just macarons in their reportoire, this french patisserie flaunts what malaysianinsider.com coined as the best croissants amongst all the viennoiserie as well as a range of other desserts that could fulfill one's sweet desires. these confections don relatively steep price tags; justifiable by the creative flavor combinations and attention to detail in each creation which could ultimately lead to contented satisfaction. and like the french, coffee is enjoyed with the dipping of croissant at breakfast while coffee serves as meal-enders after the serving of desserts at lunch and dinner which explains their breakfast sets of black/white coffee with a piece of viennoiserie that ranges from rm 10 - 12.

the petite kiosks of les deux garçons are dressed in classic combinations of black and white hues sprinkled by occasional gold fonts, the perfect canvas for displaying their bright, colorful desserts. the bangsar and shell tower outlets are more designed for to go desserts but has a few small tables at these locations.

coffee :: hot caffe latte (rm 9)

absolutely thrilled to find illy coffee, and had high expectations that it would rival my favorite coffee from espressamente illy. perhaps i have found a nearer coffee substitute!
first sip, it made me frown slightly.

 

" too bitter"
slightly over brewed. sigh.

the lessons from my coffee appreciation class crossed my mind - the taste of coffee is not determined merely by the quality of the coffee beans but also very dependent on the barista's skills & moods.

perhaps it was a bad day for coffee. hopefully, better luck with the pastries...

le favori :: pistachio biscuit tender . raspberry brûlée . pistachio mousseline . white chocolate . cocao dust. (rm 17)resembling a block of miniature golf green, this pistachio dessert was surprisingly light on pistachio taste but seemed to feature green tea although it wasn't described in the place card. the raspberry tartness gave it a fresh tart berry-ness that was inviting and echoed an overall delicate demeanor that was reflected similarly in the two-toned soft textures. if there were white chocolate, i didn't discern it, which was a delight for me.

l'amer :: 72% dark chocolate mousse . biscuit tender . black mirror glaze . chocolate fence . chocolate pieces . gold leaf . (rm 16)this confection sang a tribute to dark chocolate with its mousse-like consistency that highlighted the richness of the cacao creaminess but was borderline too sweet for my liking. while it was good, i didn't feel it was anything outstanding but perhaps the chocolate addicts may sing a different tune than myself.


le marquis :: noisette dacquiose . crispy feulletines . chocolate creameaux . 72% dark chocolate mousse . black mirror glaze . crushed hazelnuts . gold dust (rm 17)in comparison, l'amer pales in comparison to the this work of art made out of chocolate hazelnut whose name is le marquis. equally as grandoise in creamy chocolate richness but with a nuttier disposition, each layer was a textural symphony to the taste buds. savoring in nibble-fuls, i was greeted with pleasant surprises from the play of different ratios of chocolate to hazelnut of each layer and smoothness from the mousse and crunchiness of the crispy feulletines and hazelnut for a textural treat. the playful creation that engaged both the flavors and textures in a nice balance made this an irresistible lure for a nutty chocolate escape. it was on the brink of being too sweet but was mellowed by the hazelnut.

tarte au citron :: pâte sucrée . biscuit joconde . citron creameux . burnt swiss meringue (rm 14)a departure from the chocolate desserts, the lemon tart was a mini tangy citrus explosion. we had a slight difficulty cutting through the crust but granted it was a rather flimsy plastic fork so it might work better with a proper metal utensils. skipped most of the crust which was a crumbly, buttery shell to hold the tangy, slightly tart, sweetened citrus pudding crowned with the sweet, soft, marshmallow-like torched meringue.

passion :: silky passion mousse . mango coulis . biscuit joconde . velvet chocolate coat . chocolate piece (rm 17)one of les deux garçons unsung heroes of the tangy passion fruit and its loyal classic sidekick, the sweet mango. a light airy mousse that captured the tropical breeze with a bright yellow coat that pulled me in like a bee drawn to a fragrant flower. the sweetness of the soft biscuit joconde with light nuances of vanilla that countered the fruity tart fragrance of the passion-mango fruit combination just works for me.

macaron lovers are spoilt for choice with the variety of macaron flavors les deux garçons has to offer and i've had the pleasure (and perhaps displeasure?) of tasting 8 out of the many flavor combinations - one of which was the premium macaron (doubles the price of the regular macarons - i just had to to satisfy my curious cat inside me){ casis } sweet and texturally pleasing. the flavor was a punch of blackcurrant.perfect for those who loves the fruit.

{ dark chocolate }cloyingly sweet, despite it supposed to be dark chocolate rendition.the filling in the middle wasn't creamy, which was disappointing.

{ cho + passion} dark chocolate sandwiched between passion fruit shells where the former overpowered the latter in an unflattering way. too sweet for me.

{ rasp, rose & lychee }mimicked the flavors of ispahan but no where near the counterpart.
no distinct prominent flavors.

{ wasabi }interesting, yes. a favorite, nope. accented the wasabi punch which was odd in a dessert.

it has come down to my top three favorites that i've tried, thus far. a disclaimer: these three are top of the eight i have tried and thought it was special to make it to the list.

winter truffles :: premium (rm 1o)the fine gold dust shimmers on the two off-white, delicate meringue cookies that hugged the almost pearl white colored filling. the aroma of strong earthiness of the truffle emanated as i took a sniff, followed by a punctuation on the taste buds. it was a strange sensation when this petite confection hits the tongue - it was strongly earthy alternating with the sweet which was interesting in an odd way.

but i have to give the patissier kudos for his/her audaciously adventurous spirit in this creation.

pistachio (rm 5.5o)pistachio flavored - done right. light on the nuttiness and balanced on the sweetness. enough said.


salted caramel (rm 5.5o)perfection in the texture - the smooth meringue thin shells had crispy exterior, enveloping the chewy, airy, almost ethereal under the crust that embraced the soft, smooth and light creamy filling to make a complete masterpiece. what makes it outstanding is the balanced collaboration of the salty and the sweet from the salted caramel.les deux garçons is gradually making its mark in the desserts industry via some of its chef-d'œuvre in the forms of croissants, macarons and cakes. whilst there are some room for improvement for some of the creations, its outstanding work of art called the salted caramel macaron has claimed a spot in my heart that induces a nagging craving to seek almost constantly for its sweet comfort.

to that, i'd say:
"go on..... give that salted caramel macaron a try.
you know you want to" ;)

to read a full review and all the photos, please read on at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/03/les-deux-garcons.html

" burps & giggles"hmm. an intriguing name for a restaurant/cafe.

well, its whimsical name was what initially captured my attention but it was the other blog reviews that brought me there.there was a wait list when we arrived but managed to get a table in 5 minutes because we agreed to squeeze in a small table. i savored the artistic, bright and disjointed art murals that crossed the three petite old school shops. a collection of vintage rustic decor pieces gave the restaurant character that revolved around childhood nostalgia. my sisters, on the other hand, had a different views on the decor and wasn't too fond of it.

the pork free menu can be found all around the shop on chalk boards but it irks me that they didn't have printed menus. since there was a lack of manpower due to cny celebration, the restaurant served only a limited menu of gourmet burgers and i was slightly disappointed since i was looking forward to taste some savory crepes. good thing they still offered the other item i came here for - the prized wagyu burger!

burger :: bam-bam burger | wagyu pattie, egg, cheese, tomato, beetroot, carrot, horseradish, onion (rm 28 )prized wagyu patty for under rm 30 is considered a steal. the tower of sunny side up egg, slice of slightly melted cheese, wagyu patty, a thick slice of tomato and beetroot with a slather of horseradish sandwiched between the slightly toasted burger bun with carrot slaw.

just listing out the ingredients itself is quite the mouthful, so needless to say, trying to wrap my mouth around the burger was definitely a challenge that i had to resort to knife and fork to devour this (i'm probably getting a disapproving look from burger connoisseurs - sorry!)let's begin with the star of the burger - the patty. since the meat was finely minced, it was difficult for me to discern if it was truly wagyu. cooked medium well, the well seasoned beef patty was moist and juicy to the point it falls apart but i would have preferred a better crust on the meat. the burger was over-sauced from the carrot slaw made it very rich on top of the sunny side up egg. in the midst of the different flavors, the cheese and beetroot faded into the background, almost unnoticed. a solid burger but would have definitely preferred less sauce on this burger that over powered everything else.

chicken sausage & cherry tomato quiche | soft baked eggs in puff pastry (rm 10)burps & giggles calls it egg tart but it resembled more of a quiche to me. this breakfast favorite can be found in the pastry display by the counter.

encased in a buttery and flaky puff pastry, the chicken sausage pieces and eggs were soft baked where the undercooked yolk oozed its golden love over the dish to give some nice richness, which is makes it lovely.while it was tasty and my sisters actually chose this as a favorite over the burger for the simple pleasures of breakfast elements, it could have shone brighter with a sprinkle of seasoning, more cherry tomatoes for a tart freshness and fresh herb to just bring the whole dish to a home run.

coffee :: latte (rm 10)i was first greeted by lovely coffee foam art. call me a picky coffee drinker, this latte was overbrewed, proven by its over-bitterness. (btw, i know coffee is supposed to be bitter but good coffee has a great balance of bitterness and tartness) so i wasn't a huge fan of this glass of latte.

cake 10 | cheesecake (rm 10)the dessert choices of the day were also as limited as their entree menu. my sister picked out a cheesecake, which had a base that i'd venture a guess was oreo crumb crust. perhaps an oreo cheesecake? sadly, there was something slightly off putting about the flavors, which was also too sweet for me. there was the occasional punch of mint, which i am not a fan of and neither is the edible confetti on the cake.

burps & giggles has a promising menu with a huge selection that could make boys burp and girls giggle except it didn't really happen for us. with a some finesse in the execution of food, it could leave us in stitches.

for more photos and full review, check it out at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/02/ipoh-burps-giggle.html

despite not having to have visited vietnam before, i've had the chance to try some vietnamese food while i was in chicago at argyle, the city's vietnamese 'town' filled with local asian grocery stores in the center of many pho restaurants and banhmi cafes owned by residents of vietnamese descent.daniel nguyen and chris bui are two best friends from hanoi opened a cafe to share their love for the food they grew up with - the banhmi. located in damansara uptown where the parking in itself is an adventure itself, you can find this petite cafe a couple of doors away from 'the ship' restaurant.

the cafe's decor was clean, simple and minimalist. the brightly lit petite space was sprinkled with colorful vietnamese art pieces to mirror its identity amongst the high top counters and high communion table in the middle of the cafe.what i love is the fact that they bake their baguettes fresh since what makes and breaks a sandwich is the bread as the vehicle to encase but at the same time showcase the filling. for the freshest & out of the oven bread sandwiches and your #outofoven #osofresh and #osmokinghot experience, there is a baguette reload schedule of 8am, 12:3opm, 1pm and 6pm. read on to find out if the freshly baked baguette was worthy of all of its hashtags.
drink :: vietnamese milk coffee (hot/ice) | premium vietnamese milk coffee. deliciously rich and creamy. this coffee is authentically vietnamese. you won't be loafing around after having this stuff (rm 4)typically i would go for hot coffee, but it just seemed right to get this particular iced. i liked the strong coffee flavor but with a slight distinct indescribable flavor. it was a smidgen too sweet that it masked the bitter undertone slightly and top that off with creaminess.

main menu :: o school | the original vietnamese baguette served with pâtés, homemade mayonnaise, ham, pickled radish & carrots, chili, cilantro, and lemon grass chicken. one sandwich fits all (rm 8.2o)a apt representation of what the traditional vietnamese banhmi is made of, which i was quite surprised since this wasn't something i have gotten at the banhmi store in chicago. with the usual suspects of the pickled radish & carrots and more than just a handful of cilantro as garnish, i was interested in seeing how the lemongrass chicken, ham and pork pâtés worked together. oh, i will get back to the baguette in a bit.with all the ingredients, it was intriguing that the pâté, ham and chicken was still light in flavor. the lemongrass seasoning in the roughly chopped chicken was merely a soft whisper, a complete opposite what i've had before in the past. the pickled julienned carrots and daikon presented a nice contrasting crunchy texture with a sweet and lightly tangy. the combination of the sandwich filling was pleasant and moist that equates to a pretty good sandwich.

yeah i'll come to the baguette soon. don't worry, i didn't forget about it.

main menu :: o bbq | fresh baguette served with bbq pork, sunny side-up egg, homemade mayonnaise, pickled carrots & daikon, and of course, vietnamese chili sauce (rm 8.2o)i was looking forward to the bbq pork, anticipating what i missed and loved about the banhmi i've had in chicago. with the same basic foundations of bread, pickled salad and cilantro, it was then the bbq pork and sunny side up egg that were supposed to take center stage. i was rather disheartened by the pork. it wasn't moist and in fact it was overcooked and dry, a stone throw's away from being meat jerky. so much so that it took over my thoughts and distracted me from the flavors of the meat itself.

the egg yolk was cooked all the way through, far from being called a sunny side up because the richness of the creamy yolk would have gone a long way to compensate for the over grilled meat but would have appreciated some seasoning on the egg. the sandwich description mentioned vietnamese chili sauce which tasted more or less like regular chili sauce. it was an uninspiring sandwich that fell flat.

one thing i noticed about the sandwiches is that the filling was stacked in a way that was hard for me to get all the ingredients into one bite so i could appreciate the nuances of each components separately and combined at the same time.

extras! :: fresh baguette | tuesday to friday (rm 2.5o)finally, i've arrived on the bread. read more about it on my blog entry

{owy}'s assessment was similar to mine - the sandwiches here were tasty but would we call it authentically banhmi is still up for discussion. the flavors were muted with the exception of the pickled salad of daikon and carrots & garnishes of cilantro and they needed to step out of the shadow to be what could have been a outstanding. since i love the fresh baguette to crumbs bits, perhaps my next visit is to try something off the menu that is not the cafe's namesake - the hearty stew seems like a attractive choice.

o banh mi, a good effort but there's definitely room for improvement.

for more photos and full entry please find it at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/02/oh-obanhmi-damansara-uptown.html