Fong Lye on Jalan Imbi

Sometimes we can be so blind sighted by the familiar. My friends and I always go to Oversea Imbi but for once, I remembered that there were other alternatives, like Fong Lye. So on this rare occasion we found ourselves at Fong Lye for dinner. We had just watched Coming Soon at Pavilion. I am a horror movie buff but this is only horrific in the sense that it was utterly rubbish. Casper the friendly ghost is more scary then this ghastly Thai flick but I digress. Fong Lye has been around for a long time and is only a few doors away from Oversea. So you will forgive us that we always forget it as the shop frontage is all of one shop lot and in dark green where else Oversea takes up four (?) shop lots and it brightly lit in RED! I don't know why I feel I need to justify. I can go out of my comfort zone. Really. 

As usual, we ordered more than enough. Surely these are signs that we are turning into our parents. Gasp! The surprising winner for the evening was a dish we were trying for the first time. Crispy fried pork fillet that was served in delicate slices. It had a crisp shell while the meat was still tender and moist within. I love the hint of nam yue (fermented bean curd) and mandarin peel. Definitely moreish. I also liked the crispy rectangles of tofu and braised yam with pork. Ding's favourite was an aromatic braised chicken dish that was infused with basil, dried chilli and mandarin peel. Its one of those dishes that you either really like or you might find overwhelmingly perfumed. I think I was most disappointed by the congee itself which was worse than congee I make and thats saying a lot! Its just short of rice floating in water. Not good. The claypot aubergine was very forgettable. Infact, the most memorable thing apart from the pork was probably the titbits they gave us at the beginning. I really liked the spicy and tangy lotus root. Delicious! Of course for those of you who don't live/work around Imbi, you can always visit the outlets at Gardens Midvalley or Desa Sri Hartamas. The menu is a little different but you get the gist of it ie. Taiwanese porridge. 

Unfortunately my photos don't do the food justice. My current phone has an amazingly lousy camera. Its a Sony Ericsson Walkman series and while the sound is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, the camera function is shockingly poor. I can't wait until the phone I want comes out. 

Hot In The City

Sweating in bed should only happen after a vigorous session of hot and sweaty sex. Instead, I was lying in bed, sweating into the mattress despite having the air con on full blast. It was so uncomfortable, even if Daniel Craig has been lying next to me, I would've just asked him to get me ice water and stop radiating so much manly heat! I have officially melted into a puddle of sweat. It has been so unbearably HOT! Last night I had some friends over and we actually ended up sitting on the marble floor because it was so much cooler. My girlfriends were so hot that they took of all their clothes and pranced around naked, splashing water on each other. Yea. No, not really. Made you hotter though! However they did change into shorts and t-shirts of mine. Hunky made a superb risotto but I was feeling so sweaty and gross. The risotto felt too heavy, too warm. We all had ice cream after hoping that it would cool us down but no such luck. This evening I was determined to be as cool as a cucumber. What I needed was something light, cool and virtuous, like a roasted pumpkin salad with feta, wild rocket, romaine, tomatoes tossed in a wholegrain mustard and honey dressing. I made sure to put lots of lemon juice in the dressing to make it nice and tart. Ahhhh it was sublime! I never thought I would say this but I really hope it pours tonight! 

Robson Heights Seafood Restaurant

Ever since the sisters and I gathered here for dinner about a month ago, I have been back three times. Coincidentally, always on a Thursday. By here I mean Robson Heights Seafood Restaurant. What a neighbourhood gem! All those years when Rafs was living in the neighbourhood, this restaurant was always overlooked. We had heard that it was; expensive, a ngak kwai loh place, mediocre, blah blah... As to whom we heard it from, none of us seem to be able to recall. This is why its so important to take whatever you read/hear with a pinch of salt and go try it for yourself. Heck, this place is good! Why drive so far out for seafood when you can get it right here. So close to Midvalley, you can dine and dash to a movie. 

And like all good Chinese restaurants, we were not given a menu. However, all their signature dishes were conveniently printed on the wet towel packet. Yes, the towel we have to pay RM1 for. Why is it okay to be get charged for what is essentially a wet napkin and some token nuts at Chinese restaurants? If it was any other cuisine customers would kick up a big fuss. Anyway, back to the food. All I can say is, the seafood here really is fanbloodytastic. I've tried the recommended claypot river king prawn with glass noodles and sang har meen. They are both equally delicious. The prawns are fresh, plump and springy with good head. That doesn't sound right but you know what I mean. The sang har meen is almost creamy from all that brain juice. Again, doesn't sound right but you know what I mean. The claypot version is like a really gorgeous bowl of prawn noodle. Aromatic, flavoursome, delicate and moreish. My next favourite dish has to be their baked pork rib with honey sauce. Mind-blowingly good and unbelievably tender, it would make Rob Rainford drop to his knees and cry. And last but not least, crabs. I've tried steamed with ginger and wine, salted egg yolk and marmite. They are all good because the crabs are fat and bursting with flavour anyway. 

So next time do yourself a favour and when you're done shopping at Gardens drive 1km to Robson Heights Seafood Restaurant and have good Chinese food without the Gardens price tag. However, if its ambience you're after, you ain't gonna find it here. A chinese restaurant is a chinese restaurant is a chinese restaurant...

Robson Heights Seafood Restaurant - 108 Jalan Permai, Off Jalan Syed Putra. 

Tel: 03 2274 6216

Other reviews: A Whiff Of Lemongrass, Masak-Masak, You Get What You Give, Kampung Boy City Gal

Status Quo

Can someone tell me what happened to January, February and March? How can we be in April already?! It just isn't possible and yet here we are. The Standard Chartered Marathon is looming ever closer and I still can't break through the 3km mark. I'm not sure whether its psychological but every time I hit 3km, my legs tell my brain, "I don't wanna do this anymoreee!". Well, it is an improvement from running for only 2 minutes in January I guess. I've been running around KLCC park once a week for 3 consecutive weeks already. Its actually quite pleasant in the mornings. Its nice to get some (semi)fresh air and people watch. The kwai lohs doing their morning run before heading off to work at 8. The group of kwai pohs power walking to the latest gossip. Men who shouldn't be in yellow lycra wearing yellow lycra and a t-shirt that doesn't cover what it should. Super fit elderly people that make me feel both slightly embarassed and inspired. And while I go round and round the track, I picture Bald Eagle and Ciki next to me, telling me "com'on, com'on". And thats great, but then I automatically think about LL and Ciki's blog and so I get hungry. When it comes to exercise, I am like a 4 year old - the first 5 minutes is fun, after that, next!  

Ironically, I've actually put on weight from all this exercise. I feel healthier but heavier. Must be all that muscle eh. The truth is, its from eating. Exercise makes me hungry! Doesn't help that there was 2 weeks worth of baking when I was trying out recipes and overdosed on frosting. I can't help myself, if I see a bowl of frosting I need to dip my fingers in there. I'm happy to say, the experimentation went well and I no longer feel any desire to eat cake! Ever! After days and nights of eating out, I decided to make a simple and healthy meal forHunky and I. Mee sua with Hong Kong kai lan and homemade meat balls. The meatballs obviously did not have the springy and doughy texture of the ones in the stalls but I prefer it this way. I like knowing what goes into my meatball. Finely chopped ginger, garlic, onions and water chestnut. They were perfect! Just what I needed. To finish off the dish, some deep fried garlic. Of course this meal would not have materialised if it wasn't for the delicious chicken broth which was bestowed upon me by my dearest Mum. Mum who once told me very seriously (imagine it in Cantonese, the effect is better), "I'm telling you, you better not be anorexic!" Um, is it any wonder why I am so delusional?