FOOD & FUN AT SAMA-SAMA FOOD FIESTA

Guests were treated to food and fun in a carnival atmosphere recently at Sama-Sama Hotels KL International Airport from 19 to 23 April. Besides the wide variety of tempting dishes served, the event featured fun fair type games, a roving clown and screening of movies and cartoons for children. A Beer Garden was also included to cater to the international clientele.

A battalion of 21 chefs from Sama-Sama Hotel KLIA, Sama-Sama Express KLIA and Sama-Sama Express klia2 teamed up to present popular local, Western and Lebanese food at the different stalls set up at the sprawling Rooftop Garden of KLIA.

Although we were spoiled for choice with 21 stalls to choose from, we zoomed in for Sama-Sama Signature Mee Rebus. The tasty serving came with thick, sweetish gravy smothering yellow noodles, slices of fried beancurd, a wedge of hardboiled egg and crispy fritters.

I also enjoyed Laksa Kedah, tantalising rice noodles in tamarind and flaked fish gravy. Fresh cucumber strips, onion and thick gooey prawn paste were the accompaniments for this offering. The delightfully sour broth was surprisingly zingy on the palate but that added to its irresistible appeal.

Family-friendly fare which proved popular with the young ones was the pretty Sushi Rolls served at the Japanese stall. Both traditional and reverse rice rolls with assorted fillings were attractively presented so many diners made a beeline for them.

Rice fiends had a gala time sampling Nasi Dalcha Daging Rendang Mamak. The aromatic rice was redolent with fragrant spices and really hit the spot when eaten with chunks of tender beef rendang, veggie pickles and crackers.

Noodles seemed to dominate our favourite eats list that evening we were there. The Char Kuay Teow had plenty of wok hei, that splendid smoky accent few cooks managed to imbue into this tricky dish. Chives, egg and beansprouts lent textural dimension although the tiny cockles were nothing to shout about.

Heh, our penchant for Penang fare was obvious as we followed up with a serving of Pasembor Penang after that. While it wasn't the best, we agreed the version was decent enough to pass muster.

 

If you like watching chefs in action, stop by the Curry Puff and Apam Balik stalls. These local snacks deserved equal standing with foreign imports like waffles and pies...in my opinion ours taste way better and are much cheaper!

Thumbs up for the Apam Balik which came in normal and pandan variants. The pancake was crisp and crunchy; the thickness too was spot on.

Colourful and rich, the variety of Malay Kuih left us in a sweetly jovial mood. Washed down with a cup of hot Teh Tarik, we couldn't cope with much more food. How we wish we had tummy space for Hainanese Chicken Rice, Rojak Sotong, Ikan Bakar or Chef Ammar's signature rice and curry specialities but alas, it was futile for us to fit anything else in.

If you missed this Food Fiesta, fear not. Sama-Sama Hotels may organise similar events in future and possibly for the fasting month so keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming news. 

A TASTE OF KOREA AT MIDO

'Mido' in Hangul means 'taste' and it's the true taste of Korea enterprising owner Joseph Lee aims to deliver when diners step into his restaurant. Mido's brick, mortar and timber façade resembles that of a traditional hanok (Korean house). Step past the heavy set wooden doors and you'd find a charmingly rustic wood-clad interior -- a testament to Lee and his team's hard work and labour of love.

From the delicate paper lanterns and textured walls to faux windows and latticed partitions adorned with ‘tal’ or Korean masks, almost everything were designed and custom-built by hand for the restaurant.

Sturdy wooden bowls of Pumpkin Soup warmed us up while we perused the menu. The simple broth was thick without being gluey, its ethereal sweetness primed our palate for dishes with substance to come.

Apart from the customary Banchan (six types of Korean appetisers and side dishes), the conversation-stopper has to be Spicy Pork Skin (RM20) – a rare find comprising smooth, toothsome pork skin doused in a piquant gochujang sauce. The texture resembled that of brown sotong but acquired a distinctly different dimension when dipped into the side dish of roasted soya bean powder.

Regular K-food appetisers of Seafood Pancake (RM25) and Kimchi Pancake (RM25) are also available. The squid and prawn pancake made perfect pairing with Makkoli (RM28), traditional Korean rice wine. Somewhat zestier on the palate with a robust kick is the Kimchi Pancake, an agreeable combination of batter and fermented pickled cabbage. 

Fried twice and heavily seasoned, the Korean Fried Chicken Wings (RM25) in normal or spicy mode should hit the spot well as a crowd-pleasing opener. Each resto boasts its own marinades so it’s worth sampling the versions here just to ascertain if they can wing it with you.

Unlike other Korean barbecue restos which have protruding suction hoods hanging down from the ceiling, Mido has them tucked away underneath the dining tables. The modern contraption proved its prowess as smoke and cooking fumes were extracted silently from the table-top grills, ensuring by the time we departed the resto, none of us reeked like burnt barbecue!

The selection of meat is limited to five for the barbecue: Pork Collar (RM30 for 200gm), Marinated Chicken (RM28 for 200gm), Marinated Pork (RM33 for 200gm), Chili Paste Pork (RM33 for 200gm) and Marinated Beef Rib (RM65 for 280gm). According to Lee, the meats are aged in sealed, vacuum-packed bags to retain moisture, develop deeper flavour and ensure juicy tenderness upon hitting the grill.

Photo courtesy of Chasingfooddreams

Once you have decided on your choice of meat, staffers will grill everything up for you. But if you prefer a hands-on experience, that’s doable too. Derive better enjoyment of the meaty offerings by wrapping them up in fresh lettuce leaves smeared with Mido’s house dips: basil, sesame oil with salt, ssamjang, or peanut.

My fave dish at Mido has to be the sweetish Bulgogi Casserole (RM48), a popular speciality representative of K-cuisine. Laden with assorted vegetables, the thinly sliced beef in sweet soya sauce broth was utterly sublime.

On the tangy, zesty spectrum is Tofu Kimchi Casserole (RM45). While some of the ingredients may be similar to bulgogi, the broth is subtly perked up by the inclusion of pickled cabbage or kimchi. Thick slices of smooth beancurd tempered the equation. Personally, I hanker for a more assertive broth but others may find it up to par.

Seafood and fresh tofu combine to give the house Doenjang Soup (RM22) additional textural interest and umami-richness. Best suited for those who relish savouring boldly flavourful soup for the soul.

Clay kimchi storage urns, stone slabs and traditional woven slippers decorate the outside of Mido

For less than the cost of a LCC ticket, Mido is worth a visit for those wanting to temper their Hallyu fever.

Call tel: 03-7865-9779 for reservations at MIDO KOREAN BBQ RESTAURANT, 11-G, Jalan SS2/64, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.