Pre-Ramadhan Foodie Misadventure @ Bara Bistro

{yummy}

Malaysian past time activities is eating. We greet each other with the phrase “Hi, dah makan?” (Hi, have you eaten?) Friendly neighborhood restaurant opens 24 hours a day. Serving all kinds of food, from the humble plain toast to chicken chops at 3am! Only a Malaysian can plan for their supper while having dinner. And along the way I heard through the grapevine that even expatriate are acclimising to this way of life. Welcome to Malaysia, the land of vast variety of delicacies and cuisine from all over the world.

As the fasting month approaches, many pre-Ramadan lunch, tea, dinner and supper were arranged in the anticipation of having breakfast at dusk instead of just after dawn. I am not an exception either.  Among them I went to Bara Bistro @ Axis Atrium in Ampang, Selangor, bordering the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, and just a stone away from the City of Kuala Lumpur. I ordered my standard menu, Nasi Lemak with spicy fried chicken and cucur bilis (fried anchovies in dough). My companion Id ordered special burger and white Nescafe.

My Nasi Lemak was below par and the chicken was over spiced and fried to burn! So, it loses its juiciness. The sambal (chilies paste) was way too spicy even to my third companion HH who came later who simply loves chilies. However, the cucur bilis were as expected fried to near perfection but too oily. The accompanying sauce tastes more like chilies' in vinegar! The Nescafe was just right, well mixed and shake with its frothy form which was creamy. 

The special burger was moist with sliced cheese and fried egg top with generous mayonnaise and layered with crispy salad and sliced tomato.  Id cut it into halves and HH help herself to it. Id is a small eater. I had a bite and my teeth sink into its layers of goodness. Maybe I will order this special burger instead in future.

As I patron this place quite often, I definitely will come again for my caffeine fix! Notwithstanding, the ambiance is very appealing and inviting. It is a comfortable place to relax after work with a glass of Nescafe and some finger food and just gossip your time away. The ambiance is definitely an 8 or 9 on Acepaizah scale. On some day the food is palatable and value for money, but not on this visit. My Nasi Lemak is definitely a 5 on Acepaizah scale!

{burger, nescafe, cucur bilis,
nasi lemak}

caffein kisses

~Acepaizah~

 16/7/12

Lunch at 4pm @ Kelfood Restaurant

{Ayam Percik & its accompanying condiments}

I am hitting a brick wall. No, I am not talking about writer’s block.  Figuratively I am enjoying a long plateau of my weight crisis and the graph does not look presentable and we are in mid July of the Gregorian calendar! After careful and quick observation through my analytical mind, the main contributing factor emerges. It is the easily accessible delicious mouth watering food in the land of 24/7 fast food, hawkers and family friendly restaurants.

Last week was such a stressful time for me with work piling and my monthly test approaching at neck breaking speed. So after the panic button were turned off on Saturday a few of us decided to celebrate with a bang. So our entourage of 5 cars and a motorbike made our way to Kelfood Restaurant along the Middle Ring Road at Taman Melati, Kuala Lumpur, approximately 6 kilometers from the Islamic International University Malaysia.

Kelfood is a short form for Kelantan Food. Kelantan is a state in the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula bordering Thailand famed for its sweetness in most of its dishes. It was about 4pm when we reached Kelfood Restaurant. It is tea time but we have not had our lunch. After a brief browsing we pile up our respective plates. J had a plate of Nasi Dagang (Rice and raw mixed vegetables) and grilled chicken and salted egg. This is a local cuisine originated from the states of Terengganu and Kelantan (both in the east coast of Malaysia). I had rice with grilled chicken and a long slice of cucumber, squared bean and egg in thick coconut gravy. W and M had mixed rice too while Wg had chicken rice and French fries. I ordered an extra bowl of chicken soup which I ended gently forcing S to slurp it.

The foods were simply delicious. The chicken pieces were well marinated and grilled to perfection. The chicken meat was tender and juicy. The accompanying sauce is reasonably sweet and spicy with just the right amount of chilies and I think there is a lingering sour’s after taste. This grilled chicken is called Ayam Percik (Ayam means chicken). In all honesty, it is in its authentic taste, texture and flavours! This grilled chicken will be sold at every Ramadhan bazaar in the city of Kuala Lumpur during this forth coming fasting month, i.e. the Ramadhan month. However, due to human greed, some of innocent buyer will be short changed by unscrupulous vendors.

Now what’s my Ayam Percik verdict? I give a 7 on Acepaizah scale. Will I satisfy my hunger pang at Kelfood in future? Definitely! It is a clean and comfortable place. The waiters and waitresses are polite and friendly with ready genuine smile on their face. It is a value for money place.

ayam percik kisses

~acepaizah~

14/7/12