Showing posts with label comfort food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comfort food. Show all posts

Sunday, January 07, 2024

DANISH COMFORT FOOD AT DENHYGGE

Smørrebrød
or sandwiches is popularly eaten in Denmark. Cold dishes are also prevalent according to Niels Jensen, the owner of Denhygge, a Danish restaurant.

Together with his wife Olga, Jensen takes great pride in serving traditional, home-style Danish comfort food at Denhygge. 
Hygge (pronounced hyoo-guh or hoo-ga) is the sense of comfort, cosiness and conviviality; creating a feeling of contentment and well-being within the Danish home. It’s part and parcel of the Danish lifestyle and the Jensens hope their customers will enjoy an immersive hygge experience at Denhygge.
 
After retiring from the corporate world, Jensen decided to open Denhygge with the aim of introducing Danish food to local customers here. “Sandwiches, cold dishes and pork are commonly eaten. However, we serve some hot specialities as well,” said Jensen.
 
Opened in November 2022, Denhygge boasts clean lines, austere décor within: an open-plan kitchen served as the key focal point alongside a faux fireplace with mantelpiece. A spiral staircase decked with miniature flags, rustic wood accents, and large picture windows blend cohesively to create a welcoming, homely setting.

A made-to-order artisanal nuts and seed-laden dark rye bread forms the basis for their range of sandwiches. Accentuated with a mildly sweet and aromatic curry spiced mayo, sliced red onion and crispy pork lard, the Marinated Herring on Rye Bread with Egg (regular RM26, large RM32) won instant approval with its tantalizingly tart-tangy-briny-sweet accents.
 
The Roast Beef on Rye Bread (regular RM24, large RM30) also proved on-point. We gave two thumbs up to the tender, blush-pink slices of roast beef topped with creamy remoulade, zingy horseradish and fried onion.

Delectable sliced pork belly seasoned with spices played a leading role in the delicious Rullepølse (regular RM22, large RM28); layered atop rye bread with onion and diced aspic. Those diminutive dices of savoury meat jelly packed sublime, full-bodied flavour thanks to it being a solidified reduction of pork jus and browned onion.
 
Equally notable was the Pork Liver Pate (regular RM20, large RM25) sandwich. Lending textural contrasts to it were pickled cucumber and crisp-fried bacon pieces; the flavoursome combination balanced out the paté’s indulgent richness.
 
Jensen also offered his fish cakes and cubes of pork in aspic to sample. The Danish version of fish cakes incorporates potato mash in it, rendering its texture softer compared to local one which is springier.
As for the pork cubes, they were brimming with rich meaty flavours. Unsurprisingly to be honest as Jensen had devoted hours of preparation into its making.
Hot dishes are offered and changed often in the Jensens’ attempt to cater to local patrons. During our visit, the week’s speciality of Stegt flæsk or Danish-style Fried Pork Belly (RM55) could have been a stand-in for local roast pork. Served with boiled potatoes and creamy parsley sauce, the customary Danish Christmas dish was rather delectable albeit texture-wise, we found it harder and drier.

Danish dessert tends to be simple as underscored by the Danish-style Apple Pie (RM18). The apple compote used a mixture of red and green apples for the pie filling’s requisite sweet-sour taste profile. Served with crushed macaroons (almond flour cookies), red currant jelly and lightly sweetened and vanilla-accented whipped cream, the light dessert was a nice option to conclude our maiden visit to Denhygge.

For reservations at DENHYGGE DANISH RESTAURANT, call mobile no: 012-824 0020. Address: F13, Empire Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business hours: Mon-Sat 10 am to 10 pm (last order 9 pm), closed on Sundays.

 

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

SOONG KEE@SETAPAK SERVES MORE THAN BEEF NOODLES


Established in 1945 by its eponymous founder Soong Kee, this 6-decade old lou jiu phai (notable brand name) beef noodles in Kuala Lumpur drew only loyalists during the early days.
Today, the business has grown beyond its original premises, with newer outlets making their way into mall-based food courts and independent set-ups appearing in commercial suburbs.
Although synonymous with beef noodles, Soong Kee has expanded its menu to include non-beef offerings, to widen its appeal amongst today’s familial crowd of multi-generational diners.
Our recent visit to Soong Kee in Setapak is an enlightening experience – we discovered new things to enjoy in addition to getting reacquainted with the tried and tested.  Firstly, the signature Beef Ball Noodles (dry/soup RM8.90) and Five Spice Beef Tripe Noodles (soup/dry RM10.90) especially the kon lou (dry) version remain a perennial fave to hit the spot. 

Here’s the unexpected clincher: meehoon or rice vermicelli is even better than mee when it comes to capturing the lush flavour of that beefy mince.
If you want more of the extra lieu (ingredients) such as Beef Balls (5 pcs RM5, 10 pcs RM10), Beef Slice (RM10), Five Spice Brisket (RM12) or Five Spice Tendon (RM13), the various items can be ordered a la carte.
Should you have family members in tow who eschew beef, Soong Kee now offers alternative options such as Char Siew Wantan Mee (dry/soup RM7.90) and Chicken Curry Mee (RM9.90). We can vouch for both the noodle variants especially the latter. Not only is the spice quotient pleasantly tantalising, the coconut milk creaminess is also nice enough without being cloying.
 
Accompanying comfort food dishes such as Fried Wantan (5 pcs RM4, 10 pcs RM8), Wantan Soup (RM6.50), Fried Dumplings (RM6.50) or Dumplings in Soup (sui kow) are plump and chockful of tasty mince filling; crowd-pleasing fare for both adults and kids.
 
 

Healthy Poached Vegetables (RM5.50) and succulent Steamed Chicken (RM9) are also served should you wish to supplement your meal with more substantial dishes for the family.
Call Soong Kee tel: 03-4141 8124 /016-924 0507 for delivery or take away (self pick-up) orders. Soong Kee is open during CMCO from 10am to 8.30pm daily. Address: 22A, Jalan Danau Niaga 1, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur

Monday, July 08, 2019

FRESH TAKE ON CHINESE CLASSICS AT KITCHEN RESTAURANT


Steamed fish used to be a staple favourite of my late Dad. As kids, we didn’t care much for it but now, I realise why Dad was such a stickler when it came to steamed fish dishes. Nothing measures up to the fine, silky smooth texture of an on-point steamed fish — the Steamed Pomfret with Deep-fried Ginger Shreds we relished at 文華輕小厨 Kitchen
Restaurant at Damansara Kim is an excellent example.
 
Just the show-stopping presentation of the dish alone elicits much ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ from our dining party. By the time the sumptuous fish hits our palate, we are well and truly hooked. Generously garnished with finely shredded deep-fried ginger and soused in fragrant superior soya sauce, the exquisite fish easily ranks as one of the most memorable ones I have had. Take note this signature dish needs to be ordered ahead of your visit though.
Now occupying the space where Extra Super Tanker used to be, Kitchen Restaurant is run by the same owners so expect your fill of hearty and comforting Chinese food, tricked up with inimitable touches of the resident chef’s.
While the pragmatic and functional setting is unlikely to hog the social media limelight, bona fide food lovers comprising neighbourhood residents, the white collar and family crowd are unlikely to grouse about the air-cond premise and low-key, casual vibes.
 
For curtain-raiser, we can vouch for the delightful Era Rojak Sotong. A winsome take on regular fruit rojak, with the inclusion of crispy deep-fried squid rings. Some may dismiss it as an odd combination but the lush sweetish-savouriness of the rojak sauce works cohesively well with the fresh crunchiness of pineapple, young mango, jicama, cherry tomatoes and cucumber interspersed with that of tender squid.
A whiff of the appetising saucy aroma is enough to make you drool and anxious in getting to grips with the house speciality of Baked Freshwater Prawns with Ginger and Spring Onion. To fully appreciate and savour the creamy roe and sweet, succulent meat of the prized crustaceans, it’s best to get your hands dirty.
Braised dishes are another forte of the chef here. My friend tells me the braised yam and pork ribs in claypot remains noteworthy but the current contender of Braised Tofu with Meatballs, Fish Maw and Mushrooms also ticks all the right boxes.
 
 
I’m partial to the utterly sublime pork meatballs. Bigger than golf balls, they incorporate minced prawns and diced waterchestnuts for extra texture and well-rounded flavours. Braised together with smooth, soft cubes of fried beancurd, spongy fish maw pieces and tender mushrooms, the resultant pot of homely goodies is transformed into a surefire crowd-pleaser.
 
The super crispy skin and juicy meat of the Roast Duck with Superior Sauce (Jiong Wong Siew Ngap) proves equally memorable. Instead of serving the sauce separately as a dip, the chef serves the duck on top of it. Hence each piece is touched by dabs of the house sauce, enhancing its meaty appeal and inducing one to eat more. This is another house speciality that also needs to be pre-ordered in advance.
 
 
Birthday celebrants may want to savour the signature Fried La Mian with Mushrooms, Egg and Pork Lard Croutons. Fresh hand-pulled noodles and crunchy dices of chee yau char play a key role in amping up the dish’s appeal. Slick with an irresistible, flavourful sauce with hints of zingy hotness, the delicious, slippery smooth noodles taste even more delicious with shredded omelette, white shimeiji mushroom and scallion.

For reservations at Kitchen Restaurant, call tel: 03-7732-1329. Address: 48, SS20/10, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Accessible via MRT Kajang-Sg Buloh line; disembark at the TTDI station.

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