4 FOOD TAKEAWAY & DELIVERY OPTIONS

With the Covid19 pandemic still omnipresent, restaurateurs and hoteliers have pivoted to a new playbook – offering takeaways and food delivery to survive and keep the business going.

Restaurateurs and chefs have to raise their game, relooking at viable in-house specialities that can withstand the tricky transportation journey to the intended destination without compromising the eventual taste quality too much.

These four ‘tried and tested’ food takeaways and delivery service providers are worth considering if you are tired of the heat and wish to get out of the home kitchen:

Nasi Lemak Lah!

This nasi lemak specialist comes recommended by a foodie friend. Initially I was sceptical until I tasted the offerings myself. From there on I was won over - proof of the pudding being in the eating you know? 

The rice has nice discernible coconut milk aroma, the fried anchovies and peanuts, crispy without being burnt and the sliced cucumber, fresh and crunchy. Most importantly, the sambal hits the spot with its balanced sweet-hot nuances. If you order the fried lemongrass chicken, be sure to sprinkle on those crispy bits from the fried chook to the rice to amp up the deliciousness.

My favourites are Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Serai (RM13.90), Nasi Lemak Chicken Curry (RM14.90) and Nasi Lemak Sambal Sotong (RM14.90) but seriously, my family members who had tried the sambal sotong and mutton curry can vouch they ain't too shabby either.

I have included the menu here for reference. Order yours now via Grabfood or direct through Nasi Lemak Lah! WhatsApp: Simon +6017 779 0115 and make your payment via transfer to:
KASI NASI SDN BHD
PUBLIC BANK
Account no: 321-5577-624

The Oriental Group

While dine-in is now permitted with compulsory SOPs in place, the house specialities of this established Chinese restaurant group can be savoured in the comfort of home.

We tried the excellent Mother’s Day Set (RM398 nett for 6 persons) from Oriental Landmark: Boston Lobster Guangdong Style, Braised Soon Hock with Yam, Smoked Farm Chicken, Fried Rice with Teochew Spicy Sauce and Stir-fried Seasonal Vegetables with Garlic.

Portions were generous and most importantly, the food is packed with care to ensure the taste quality stays close to that of dining-in at the restaurant. Kudos to the culinary team for stepping up their game under such trying circumstances.

 

Also available for takeaway and delivery include the trademark Oriental Group’s Chargrilled Iberico Pork Ribs (RM18/100g), four different preparations of Boston Lobster (RM220, 1.2-1.4kg each) Dim Sum (easy heat and eat) and Premium Japanese Dried Scallop Dumpling (RM48) among others. To enhance noodles or fried rice, served as a complementing dip for seafood and other dishes, you’d find the Teochew Spicy Sauce (RM28) a great condiment for the pantry.

Enjoy 20% takeaway discount when you place your orders now till the end of MCO! https://www.facebook.com/orientalgroupmy/

Xiao Long Kan

It was such a novelty experience, having Xiao Long Kan HotPot at home. This was enhanced by the loan of Xiao Long Kan's signature dual-section brass Hotpot + Induction Cooker (shown in pix below).

We opted for the resto's famous Tomato broth and the Mushroom broth - both are distinctive in their own way when eaten with the various assortment of ingredients: meat slices, chewy noodle strips, lobster and meat balls, greens, etc.

 

 

️All the choice of ingredients comes nicely packed in reusable containers with 20% OFF for all Xiao Long Kan Hotpot Takeaway items (except soup base)

Xiao Long Kan Hotpot is available on Hungry App for delivery within 20km. Alternatively, delivery can be arranged by calling the outlets:

Fahrenheit88☎️: 0124671381/0102209618 (KL outlet)

Penang☎️: 0124789982

Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur

Perennial Malaysian treats, salads, soup, Western, Japanese, vegan-friendly, gluten-free, dessert and beverage can be enjoyed in the comfort of home thanks to the culinary team of Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur.

We give thumbs up to the hearty and filling portions of Nasi Tomato and Ayam Masak Merah with Jelatah (RM18) as well as Nasi Kerabu with Ayam Goreng Rempah, Telur Masin, Kelapa Parut Ikan & Keropok (RM18) featured in Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur's Takeaway Menu.

Each set comes in compartmentalised containers so there’s no mess and the different specialities remain distinctly delicious. The Salmon Teriyaki set with Japanese rice, mesclun salad and miso soup (RM28) also scores well since it is a complete, balanced meal by itself. The huge jarred Chickpeas and Corn Kernels with Feta Cheese & Green Salad (RM23) is substantial enough to feed a family of 2-3 depending on the voraciousness of your appetite. 

Available now until 23 May from 11am to 6pm, Chef Hasbullah and his team will be bringing these comforting eats to your home via Hotel Maya Kuala Lumpur's special #takeaway menu through Beep Delivery: www.hotelmayakl.beepit.com or call 012-282 8187 for enquiries. Free delivery for a minimum spend of RM60 (within 5km radius of the hotel) and RM80 (within 10km radius).

A HOT AND STEAMY AFFAIR AT XIAO LONG KAN

Chinese hot pot is all the rage now. From major shopping malls to suburbia, provincial Chinese hot pot in all shapes and guides have stealthily conquered the local food scene. Now, Chengdu’s famed Xiao Long Kan Hot Pot restaurant has also jumped onto the bandwagon with the opening of its maiden outlet in Bukit Bintang.

Established in 2014, Xiao Long Kan (XLK) holds true to its guiding principles of providing ‘flavours from the soul, quality with integrity’. This Chengdu hot pot restaurant chain commands long queues of customers who seek to experience its signature hot pot with a wide selection of meat, fresh vegetables, handmade meatballs, innards and offal in assorted broths prepared using an age-old traditional recipe.

 

Sited within the bustling retail strip of Bukit Bintang, XLK occupies a multiple-storey block with a cosy waiting area on the ground floor. Decorated with ornate Chinese doors, a majestic dragon wall sculpture and a pair of faux antique chairs, it leads into a charmingly decorated dining space that won’t look out of place in a Chinese martial arts movie.

More seating and private rooms are available upstairs but be prepared to burn some calories as you ascend stairs. Rustic wood-trimmed semi private dining pavilions inspired by the Qing Dynasty, dramatic wall murals and modern Chinese lanterns form a theatrical, immersive backdrop that ‘transports’ you to ancient Chengdu.

In our quest to sample the best of XLK’s signature broths, we opted for the 3-flavour Hot Pot comprising Mala(Spicy)/Mushroom/Tomato (RM48) soup bases. While waiting for the hot pot to come to a boil, we amused ourselves by whipping up the simple dip: open up the mini can of oil provided and mix it up with some oyster sauce, vinegar, chopped garlic and fresh coriander.

Notable appetisers to stave off hunger pangs during the wait include Fried Crispy Meat (RM16) – yummylicious tender, lightly battered fried pork strips with a dusting of fiery hot chilli flakes on the side and sausage-shape rolls of Brown Sugar Rice Cakes (RM13) that are toasty crisp on the outside and delightfully chewy inside, with muted sweetness.

Once the hot pot is bubbling away, we had a field day dunking in the assorted items into the different soup bases. Spice fiends looking for an adrenalin rush will revel in the trademark tongue-numbing, sensorial-stimulating broth. Our dining party aren’t made of such stern stuff so our preference geared towards the savoury tomato and more delicate mushroom stocks. The overall taste improved progressively as more ingredients made their way into the hot pot.

 

Among the distinctive specialities worth savouring are the hand-made Rose Meat Balls (RM26), the robustly marinated XLK Spicy Chilli Beef (RM48), Shrimp Paste (RM38), Australia A5 Beef (RM90) and Ling Long Rolls (RM20) – crispy deep-fried beancurd sheet rolls.

 

Offal and innards are highly sought-after among XLK clientele especially the paper-thin Sliced Kidney (RM16), cubes of Pork Blood (RM10) and a rarity in hot pot menu: Duck Intestines (RM28).

Crowd-pleasing choices such as Pork Neck (RM20), Luncheon Meat (RM17) and Quail Eggs (RM12) are also available alongside premium servings of White Prawns (RM52) and Bluefin Leatherjacket (RM22).

Textural interest and extra nutrients can be gleaned from plates of Shiitake (RM8), Enoki (RM8) and seasonal greens like Spinach (RM8).

 

We found the XLK service team admirably on the ball despite the restaurant’s early days. Soup and drink refills, extra orders, clearing of soiled and empty tableware, etc are dealt with swiftly. A block-long queue already formed outside the door on the first day so it looks likely Xiao Long Kan will go full steam ahead in repeating its hot streak of success in Kuala Lumpur.

At this moment, Xiao Long Kan Hot Pot Restaurant only accept walk-in customers. Address: Lot 03, Block D, 179 Fahrenheit88, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily 11am to 2am.