Delicious Favourites

My family never used to patronise Delicious outlets due to their low standard of service and poor quality food - until recently, when we have discovered hidden gems in their menu. These gems (as well as smiles on the waiters' faces) have brought us back again and again.

The Delicious Group have many restaurants restaurants such in the new block of One Utama Mid Valley, the G-Floor of Bangsar Village II, in Marc Residences on Jalan Pinang and Dua Residency along Jalan Tun Razak. All these restaurants can be easily recognised by their iconic birdcage lamps and blue cushions. They have the same menu, though the quality of certain dishes may vary depending on the establishment.

One of our favourites would have to be the Green Curry Chicken worth RM 20. This dish isn't spicy, but contains enough of aroma and flavour to keep you satisfied. The bowl of curry also contains mushrooms, green peas and eggplant - and served with a refreshingly sweet Pomelo Salad and Rice with Kaffir Lime Leaves.

The Thai Styled Steamed Sea-Bass worth RM 22 seems to be done a lot better in the Mid Valley outlet than the Bangsar Village one. The fish was firm, but flaky - and without any hint of fishiness to it. The tangy, flavourful sauce complemented the fish wonderfully - and the simple combination of rice and fish made for a great dish.

My sister loves the Classic Beef Lasagne worth RM 20. This dish is comfort food at its finest, though I have to admit that the portions were unbelievably small. Despite the small portion, the beef was plentiful and the sauce was present in the right amounts. The Salad with Dressing was a great accompaniment to this dish.

On the whole, Delicious seems to be the ideal place to go to if you and your family can't decide on a place to eat. The portions on most dishes are large and the quality and service at the establishments have certainly improved. A great place to see and be seen, chill out, or discuss business - Delicious is not to be missed.

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 8.5/10

General Impression: 8/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Hong Kong fare at Room Eighteen

My parents and I were in Mid Valley one day, and we were in the mood for Dim Sum. After searching high and low for a restaurant, we finally stumbled upon Room Eighteen - part of the Thai Tong Group of restaurants. The establishment is located outside, on the Ground Floor - the same row as Starbucks Cafe, near to the Center Court of Megamall, Mid Valley.

As I looked at the drink list, there was a long list of teas and right at the end, an option where you could mix any of the two. Being a tea lover, I was deeply impressed with this and I ordered a Mixture of Jasmine and Oolong right away. However when the drink came - to my surprise, it was nothing but two teabags in a glass of hot water. I found it quite funny.

We were served Deep fried Tofu in a Sweet sauce as a complementary appetiser.

As for the food, we ordered Taro Yam Croquettes. Each portion ordered contains two pieces. This dish was slightly disappointing, as the yam wasn't crisp enough and there was a lack of filling. We also ordered the World's No.1 Baked Bun, which consisted of two pieces, and was nice, crisp and warm, with a sweet pork filling that complemented the bun.

The Chinese Herbal Xiao Long Bao was quite different from the other soup dumplings that I usually have. The soup in these dumpling had a much thicker consistency than most of the other ones. The herbal flavour of these dumplings was very bold and was a bit too strong for me. Personally, I did not like this dish - but I guess it all boils down to your personal taste in the end.

Up next was the Steamed Siew Mai. These pork dumplings were incredibly succulent, with just the right proportion of meat and fat it. The dumplings were also served steaming hot - an indication of their freshness. Then we were served the Spicy Tofu Skin Roll. This dish was quite surprising as it wasn't spicy - at all, though the skins were nice and crisp and the meat inside was tender - with the sauce being very subtle in taste and complementing the meat nicely.

The Signature Fried Rice that we had ordered truly surpassed our expectations, as it had the distinct flavour and texture that authentic fried rice seems to have. The prawns were not overcooked, being large and juicy, while the rice wasn't over-salted or oily. This allowed me to taste the flavours and textures of the other ingredients such as the anchovies, green beans and the carrots.

Lastly, we were served the Barbecued Pork Ribs topped with Sesame Seeds. These ribs were very tender and succulent and had a natural sweetness to it. This complemented the crisp skin which was baked with a sweet marinade. This pork dish was very easy for me to eat, as the meat came off the bone very easily and was cooked very well.

On the whole, Room Eighteen was a satisfactory restaurant for me - though it wasn't that great of a place to dine in as the quality of the food wasn't consistent throughout. The service too was rather slow - and the waiters seemed to be rather stressed out due to the large crowd that was having lunch that day. I would recommend you to come early or later to avoid disappointment, and the food would presumably taste a lot better and fresher, then.

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 5/10

Service: 4/10

Overall Taste: 6/10

General Impression: 5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Guiltless Pleasure @ The Yogi Tree

When asking the owner of The Yogi Tree about the whole idea of his restaurant, his reply was very simple - going back to basics. He claimed that if food were to be prepared with the freshest ingredients and everything were to be made from scratch, the food's taste would be further enhanced. My mum and I decided to put that claim to the test.

The Yogi Tree, also a boutique selling yoga accessories, is located on the First floor of the Gardens Mall at Mid Valley. As we had visited in the afternoon, the restaurant was brightly lit by a giant window that overlooks Pantai Hill. Apart from selling yoga accessories, the restaurant also sells organic foodstuffs which you can purchase - such as brown rice and pasta.

The first dish to arrive was our Duck and Pear Salad worth RM23. The dish was topped with toasted black sesame seeds. The salad leaves were crisp and the pear eventuated the sweetness of the dish as a whole. The balsamic and sesame dressing added a hint of tartness to the dish, and the dish's sweet and sour flavour complemented the flavour of the duck, which was tender and present in abundance.

Up next, came our Tagliatelle Al Funghi with Mushroom and Ceps with Truffle Oil worth RM23 too. The tagliatelle was served with a light cream sauce, which was of a good consistency. There was also an abundance of mushroom in the dish. The one disappointment I had, was that there was relatively no hint of truffle oil. I was slightly let down by this as I am a truffle lover and was especially looking forward to the pungent aroma.

As a dessert, we ordered the Pure Chocolate Truffle Torte with Whipping Cream, worth RM12. The portion of the torte was quite large, and the consistency of it was smooth. My mother, not known for her sweet tooth, consumed quite a significant portion of the torte. Her excuse: 'This is a healthy torte!'. The torte was simply wonderful, having the right balance of sweetness and bitterness.

We were given two homemade lemon-based sorbets to sample. The first sorbet was a Lemon and Cardamom Sorbet. This sorbet had an almost Indian like feel to it, tasting exactly an Indian kulfi, though only more refreshing. The next sorbet was a Lemon and Coconut Sorbet. This was without a doubt, one of the most refreshing sorbets I've ever tasted. The tartness of the lemon complemented the delicate coconut flavour, calling for a refreshing dish.

When I thought that the last was over, I was wrong. We were also given scoops of Homemade Vanilla, Sesame and Green Tea Ice Cream with Red Bean. The vanilla ice cream was delicate and smooth, while the sesame was aromatic and the green tea was bold in flavour. All three of these ice creams had the right amount of sugar present, and was frozen to a perfect consistency. It had a quality that was much better then Haagen's could ever offer - and it was much cheaper too.

On the whole, I was incredibly impressed with The Yogi Tree. The restaurant offered good quality fresh food with wonderful service, and lived up to their claim. Though the pasta didn't have the extra edge that I was looking for, the rest of the dishes were of an exceptional quality and I will definitely return to try their many dishes and speciality drinks. You should try The Yogi Tree too.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 7/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Lunch at Fong Lye Teahouse

Every time I walk past Fong Lye Teahouse at the Gardens, it seems to be packed with people - thus, I was deprived of chances to eat there - seeing as I hate long queues. Though, as I was walking past the establishment one day, I realised that it was relatively empty - so I took the opportunity to sit down and try the place.

Fong Lye Teahouse is a Taiwanese restaurant located on the Third Floor of the Gardens Mall in Mid Valley, right next to the Food Court. Since the restaurant specialises in their special sets, I decided to give the Sauteed Beef with Spring Onion and Ginger Set a try, worth RM18. The dish was quick to arrive, and the set was laid right before me was mind-blowingly large.

The set consisted of a Dumpling, coated with Bread Crumbs and Deep Fried. In it, contained seaweed - which complemented the dumpling well, though on the whole, the dumpling was rather salty. The Tofu with Chilly Sauce was sweet, and the sauce complemented the tofu well - which had a texture similar to that of deep fried cheese. The Fried Green Beans topped with Salted Fish were slightly overcooked, though the salted fish worked well with the sweetness of the green beans.

The set also consisted of a bowl of Clear Chicken Stock with Vegetables and Chicken. The chicken stock was subtle in flavour, and the vegetables were nice and soft. Though the chicken pieces were large, they were incredibly dry and tough to chew. And as for the rice, I was quite surprise to see that even it was topped with minced pork and mushroom - this gave the rice an extra herbal edge to it. Talk about going the extra mile.

Finally, the main highlight of the set - The Stir-Fried Beef - was kept warm by a small stove that was lit. The beef was reasonably tender, though some pieces of it were a bit overcooked. There was also too much of spring onions and not enough of beef. Trying to cut corners I see. Though as a whole, the dish - which were subtly flavoured by the ginger and chillies - was good enough for me.

Fong Lye is a truly unique place, offering many unique dishes such as the Taiwanese Burger (which I have yet to try) and the Peanut Mountain, an interestingly named desert. I would highly recommend that you come early to dine - or you might find yourself waiting for ages during the lunch and dinner hours, as the restaurant is filled with hungry customers munching on their food.

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Service: 5/10

Overall Taste: 6/10

General Impression: 7/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic