Food Review: Aroi Thai @ Paradigm Mall, Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

We currently live near Paradigm Mall, which has frequently become our haunting ground when it comes to food. As of late, Paradigm Mall seems to be undergoing renovation with new tenants and food vendors, which earns a much needed thumbs up from me! The latest F&B to join their family was AROI THAI, a Thai food joint.

Store front. You can see the occupants to the left and right are opening soon.

From the menu, you can see that the prices are very affordable. The Boat Noodle, Boat Selection and Street Selections are bite-sized and very affordable, at RM 1.90 each, and they also have the BIG Meal for regular portions.

You can also opt for the Set Meal, which comes with a drink and dessert at a reasonable RM 13.90.

The lunch crowd and interior is very clean. There are bamboo logs and kite-type fabric hanging from the ceiling for an authentic look and feel. They have also placed lemongrass stalks randomly on every other table for extra decor.

As the food court facing the restaurant has yet to open, there was a slight somber feeling.

Condiments such as chili flakes, sugar, soya sauce (or fish sauce?) and chilli sauce to help zing up your meal!

We ordered the bite-sized Boat Selection of Hot Basil Minced Chicken - Pad Kra Pow Kai - and Green Curry Chicken on Rice, each bowl for RM 1.90. To be honest the colour of the Green Curry didn't excite me - the colour was quite light. Tastewise, I had hope to be hit by a powerful spice kick, but it was quite mild in flavour. The Pad Kraw Pow Kai looks a bit more exciting in terms of colour. Tastewise it didn't taste as fresh as I had hoped; I barely taste the basil, but I felt a slightly fieriness of chilli.

Pad Thai and Red chestnuts dessert. Traditionally, the jackfruit is served with this dessert, instead they had topped it with mango. They had also drizzled the dessert with rose syrup taste, so taste-wise the dessert had an unusual taste compared that we're used to. To me, the Pad Thai had the most flavorful taste out of all the dishes served. It had a vibrant taste based on a squeeze of lime juice, sweetness from the nuts and palm sugar, and a spicy kick thanks to the chilli flakes. There were crunchy elements thanks to the raw beansprouts.

Beef Glass Noodle, which tasted almost the same as Boat Noodle franchise. To me, the soup taste is generally not to my liking (it has a very strong and pungent beefy taste, and the stock is quite sweet).

Crispy wanton skin and fried spinach leaves. Both were fried to golden crispy perfection, but I wished they had strained the fried items on kitchen towel, as the oil residue was still quite strong on the food.

My Thai Fried Squid Ring special which they forgot about. The batter was quite thick. A disappointment.

Rating:

• Variety: 5/5
Definitely lots of options to choose from, from bite-sized, to regular plating, to noodles, rice dishes, or sides, with wide variety of drinks and dessert to choose from.

• Taste: 2/5
I was really disappointed with most of the dish tastes, which tastes watery, bland or imperfect texture. To me, the redeeming dish was the Pad Thai.

• Value for Money: 5/5
Price-wise, even for a F&B the price is very low. The dishes are quite affordable.

• Cleanliness: 5/5
As a new restaurant, everything was definitely spotless. The only thing I noticed was that the menu seemed oddly battered, for a new establishment.

• Service 4/5
Friendly staff, unfortunately they forgot my menu item, which they had even printed a copy of the receipt after we ordered.

• Ambiance: 4/5
Love the vibe with the hanging bamboo logs.

• Overall: 2/5
It's a shame the food quality was not up to far, however I do hope the taste factor was attributed due to the fact that it was just recently opened. I would give it a bit more time and visit again to try other dishes, to see if there have been improvements. Watch this space!

Aroi Thai,

LG, Paradigm Mall, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

(Next To Penang Teochew Chendol)

Halal and Muslim-Friendly Guide to Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan! - Sojibo Halal Restaurant, Diver City Tokyo Plaza, Odaiba

Originally, my husband intended to go to Japan for a business trip, on which me, our daughter, my mom and little brother tagged along with. My mom had never been to Japan, and it was an opportune time for all of us to go.

He had a brief meeting at Odaiba City, so we tagged along to see Odaiba Bay. Post-meeting, we ended up at Sojibo Restaurant, a Halal-certified restaurant located at Odaiba City!

I love their restaurant food displays, it looks so real! Upon entering the restaurant, we knew it would be a good meal as we saw many locals dining in.

One of the menu options, which my husband and brother ended up taking. 1,649 Yen is approximately RM 54++

Menu illustration vs acual food, looks pretty accurate!

Imaan loved the green tea!

She was also obsessed with the edamame.

I opted for a simple prawn tempura udon. Unfortunately for presentation sake, when my tempura prawns arrived, the bottom half that was soaked in the broth ended up with a soggy batter. The one untouched by the broth had a promising glimmer of a golden and crispy batter. The broth itself was intense and rich, as it should be due to the simplicity of this dish.

My mom opted for a duck ramen. The duck was incredibly tender, with a hint of smokiness. The leeks added a subtle sweetness to the dish, lifted by the broth. When this dish arrived, the aroma from the broth made your mouth water.

Imaan stole one of my prawn tempura.

Obligatory family shot! 

My mom and Rayan in front of the restaurant.

We actually had trouble spotting the restaurant, obviously as none of us can read Kanji; we only spotted it because of the Halal certificate. This was taken post-meal; you can see there are locals queueing waiting for dinner. 

Generally, Japanese restaurants are very attentive and careful when it comes to Halal concept; if they serve alcohol at the premise, they do mention it, and any alcohol, as well as the glasses used, are stored and prepared in a separate area from the kitchen, such as the note on the bottom right. It's a simple note, but this thoughtful gesture meant a lot to us. It seemed to me they went their extra length to ensure the Halal preparation was very thorough; many restaurants even prepared separate utensils to be used specifically only for Halal meals. 

Rating:

• Variety: 4/5

A lot of options, from rice to noodles to suit all taste. 

• Taste: 4/5

Really clean tastes that let the main ingredients to shine through. 

• Value for Money: 5/5

I do believe that Halal food is generally more expensive in Japan especially during dinner time, so expect a meal to be between RM 40 - RM 80. Some no-frills meals were as low as 800 Yen.

• Cleanliness: 5/5

Most Japanese restaurants that we dined in was generally spotless.

• Service 4/5

We were seated all the way at the back, so it was hard to get the waiter's attention. However, they were very sweet to Imaan. 

• Ambiance: 4/5

Cozy with dimmed lights, packed with diners but not overly noisy.

• Overall: 4/5
A convenient and cosy spot for Muslims! You can definitely dine-in without was-was. Based on all the other restaurants, this was the only place that had a queue when we left, a positively good sign!

Sojibo, Diver City Tokyo Plaza Halal Restaurant
1-1-10 Aomi | 6f, Koto 135-0064, Tokyo Prefecture
+81 3-5520-1310

Food Review: Fish & Co. Malaysia Cheesemeltz Promo @ Paradigm Mall

Fish & Co. is a casual, full service family chain restaurant that serves seafood in a pan. Once in a while, we would visit Fish & Co. whenever we had a seafood craving. As seafood is quite costly nowadays in whatever restaurant you frequent, it's an indulgent treat for us once in a while. Which was why we were excited to discover the promotion of the Cheesemeltz series with 30% discount.

I added on Soup Of The Day (Fish Chowder) + Drink (Orange Juice) to my meal so my daughter could enjoy some seafood goodness. The soup is has thick texture, but every bite is a mouthful of seafood explosion in your mouth. It has a very creamy taste. For RM 10.95, it's a good deal as the soup itself is a big portion.

My daughter waiting for the next spoonful of Fish Chowder... 

Our order of Fried Calamari Rings. Fish & Co. offers you fried or grilled. I prefer the Fried version, as the crunchy crispy coatings provides a nice satisfaction against the succulent rings. RM 18.95.

My order of Ebiko Gratin. I ordered it not knowing what to expect. The grilled white fish was cooked perfectly, however I found the Ebiko Gratin topping to be slightly sweet to my liking (I think it was the mayonnaise sauce?). The ebiko provided nice surprise element of saltiness. Promo Price RM 18.85, Original Price RM 26.95.

My husband's order of Baked Mozzarella White Fish. I loved the taste of this dish! The succulent white fish worked perfectly with the melting, gooey cheese mix. Sinfully delicious! Promo Price RM 18.85, Original Price RM 26.95.

My daughter is eyeing the plump and juicy lychee from the Lychee Mojito. It has a very refreshing taste, boosted by the burst of fresh lychees in every bite. RM 12.95.

Our total bill. The original total would have been RM 96.75, so thank you Fish & Co. for this promotion!

Rating:

1. Variety: 4/5
1. Considering the promo was for the cheesemeltz series, they offered a good mix of cheesy offerings (there was also Pesto Parmesan and Grilled Parmesan), maybe they could offer different types of fish to cater to those whose tastebuds are not so white fish-inclined.
2. Taste: 4/5
• I don't think Ebiko Gratin would have been everyone's cup of tea, but I loved the Baked Mozzarella White Fish. Would order that next time. The fried calamari rings was to die for. And the mojito was the right blend of sweet and fresh!
3. Value for Money: 4/5
• For RM 18.85 per cheesy baked fish meal, I thought it was very reasonable! 
4. Cleanliness: 4/5
1. Relatively clean, although I think there's room for improvement.
5. Service 4/5
• There was a slight issue with my seating placement, which can be improved. I have informed the management regarding the matter and they will resolve the issue. The fisherians were quick to assist with the order and helping to clear the plates when we were finished.
6. Overall: 4/5
• I wish the promo was longer so I could try the other variations of the cheesemeltz! I do think if the Ebiko Gratin topping ratio to fish was perfected, the fish could have tasted differently. Otherwise, everything else was spot on!

Fish & Co. Malaysia Cheesemeltz Promo, Selected Outlets @ Malaysia

14 - 18 August 2017
Address (Paradigm Mall):
CF-53 Paradigm Mall,
No. 1, SS7/26A, Kelana Jaya,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Website: http://fish-co.com.my
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fishncomy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishncomy/

*This post was not sponsored or endorsed by Fish & Co.

Food Review: McDonald's Spicy Korean Burger

So the latest food craze (because in Malaysia, 90% of the things that go viral are food-based) is McDonald's Spicy Korean Burger. It was so popular, that it was temporarily unavailable for a while. The first time I had it was on a trip to Pahang, and I had half the burger after my mom and aunt decided to have a "bite" (equals half the burger). To my recollection, my half of the burger tasted quite good even though I only ate it 30 minutes after purchasing it.

So when I wanted to purchase it again, the burger was unavailable. I was quite happy to hear the news that it was available again, so I headed to McD to tapao the lunch meal.

By the time I returned to my office, the chips/ fries looked exactly like the photo, the drink had melted slightly so it was more pale, and the burger was waiting to be unveiled...

Messy. Sloppy. Full of crunchy veggies as seen in the photo. The charcoal bun is as black as in the photo. There was sauted onions and some bright orange sauce slopped onto the burger.

My first bite into the burger was as memorable as the first time I had it. 

• The beef patty was still warm and juicy. It was quite thick, and not thin as other regular burgers. The burger patty itself was full of spice and flavour, so you could have Oriental influences in every bite.
• The sauce was, I'm sure, kimchi-inspired. To me, it reminded me of the Samyang noodles. The spice level increased more and more with every bite. Suddenly, the spice had creeped up to me, and hit me smack, bang, on my tongue, to the point where I turned to my collegue and said, OMG IT'S REALLY SPICY. Do bear in mind that after I gave birth, my spice level somehow reduced and I tend to find food that I would normally find not spicy (prior to giving birth) now spicy.
• The vegetables consisted of crunchy lettuce head and purple lettuce, with julienned carrots to add a much needed crunch to the burger and also to cool down the spice from the sauce. 
• The saluted and caramelised onion added a touch of sweetness to the burger, adding a great balance of sweet to the savoury dish.
• The charcoal burger itself was a regular burger bun, except for the colour, reminiscent of the charcoal colour. 
• As you can see from the photo below, eating the burger was a messy affair, with the sauce dripping everywhere.

On a side note, my friend Ida pointed out to me that they did a clever marketing ploy, imitating famous Korean posters when promoting their burgers.

 

Left: McD poster. Right: Original K Drama is Boys Over Flowers

Left: McD poster. Right: Original K Drama is My Love From The Stars

Left: McD poster. Right: Original K Drama is Descendants of The Sun

Creative, huh?

Rating:

1. Variety: N/A
2. Taste: 4/5
• It was spicy for sure, but each bite was a lovely harmony between all the saltiness of the beef, the freshness of the veggies and the sweetness from the sauted onions. The sauce added that Asian kick of Korean spice to the burger.
3. Value for Money: 3.5/5
• I do believe paying RM 16++ for a burger set from a fast food restaurant is a tad pricey, even if the burger was big.
4. Cleanliness: N/A
5. Service 5/5
• Burger was receiving in less than 5 minutes of ordering and paying for the burger. Tip top fast service.
6. Overall: 4/5
• I would have the burger again. However, I do wish they had a poultry version of the burger to appeal to Malaysians who can't eat beef during to religious purposes.

Spicy Korean Burger @ McDonalds, Nationwide @ Malaysia
Address: http://www.mcdonalds.com.my/promotion/article/latest-news-spicy-korean-burger-is-back

Website: http://www.mcdonalds.com.my
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/My.McDonalds/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcdonaldsmalaysia/

*This post was not sponsored or endorsed by McDonald's or any of its' subsidiary companies.

Food Review: Nathan's Famous @ IOI City Mall, Putrajaya

This little restaurant is tucked away, near the skating rink. If you're not the type to explore IOI City Mall, you might not have noticed this restaurant, Nathan's Famous, Inc. an American company that operates a chain of fast food restaurants specializing in hot dogs.

With just a staff of three, and a semi-full restaurant, this self-serving restaurant/ fast food concept (not sure of the concept) was a bit slow on the service.

Of course, the decor made you feel like you were in New York, with it's illustrations, black-and-white chequered floor tiles, American booth seats and photos of the original Nathan's displayed on the wall.

Upon receiving the burger, I was quite disappointed with the size as I paid RM 16.99 ala carte for a supposedly "10 Super Cheese Burger". 10 cm? Definitely not 10 inches haha.

For the price of RM 16.99, you get an ala carte burger with single patty, beefed up with two pieces of lettuce and tomato slice. Burger was overdone. Shame, as there was potential. Essentially, an overpriced Cheeseburger from McDonald's.

We thought this would be the best-tasting Chilli Cheese Fries, but nope... was disappointed by the dollop of cheese on top with the bare minimum covering of the chilli beef. This was RM 8.99.

My husband ordered this Cheesesteak which essentially was dried bread topped with a too much artificial-tasting Cheese. Is this what American Cheese tastes like? It looks very heart-attack inducing. This was a set, totalling up to RM 22.99, and the set came with fries and a drink, if you're wondering.

The best tasting item we ordered; the lemonade drink! 

The bill for two pax.

Ratings:

Food: 2/5

Service: 2/5 

Pricing: 2/5 

Overall: 2/5

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/NathansFamousMY/

Web-site:

http://www.nathansfamous.com.my/

Address: 

L1-13B, First Floor, IOI City Mall,
Lebuh IRC , ​IOI Resort City,
62502 Putrajaya
​Sepang, Selangor

Conclusion:

Won't be hurrying there anytime soon. I'd suggest a cheaper and tastier alternative of A&W's Coney Dog. I believe they need to adjust the taste for the local market, and improve their service as well as cooking style.