OCEAN SEAFOOD REELS IN THE CROWD

These were the critters that caught our eyes in FB with pixs of their roe-laden chunks. Crab fiends (there's a few in every family and foodie gang) wouldn't want to pass up on the chance to savour the crabs which are served at Ocean Seafood restaurant in Kota Kemuning.

Billed as Signature Crabs in Superior Soup (RM15-RM68 depending on crab size; XXL at RM90/kg), the crabs' natural flavour melded well with the punchy Chinese yellow wine used to cook them. After the first sip, you'd be wanting more.

Scallops, squid and prawns were some of the treasures we dug up from the plate of Seafood Fried Rice on our visit to Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Kota Kemuning. There were wispy bits of fried egg and crab meat hugging the rice so my teen almost hogged the entire serving to herself. Obviously it had passed her taste test.

As odd as it may sound, the Salted Egg Tofu was the day's show-stealer at this no-frills seafood resto. Both adults and kids tussled over the tasty pieces which had egg tofu speckled with chopped carrot, spring onion and wood ear fungus deep-fried in a light, moist coating of crumbly salted egg. A dish worth returning for.

The unassuming looking Signature Claypot Steamed Snapper (RM18-small, RM25-medium, RM28-large) is a notable choice when you dine here. Our order came sizzling hot to the table with the aroma of Chinese wine wafting up to leave us drooling. Sweetish sliced onion, fresh coriander and light soya sauce enhanced the inherent sweetness of the fish. Scrumptious!

We also like the well-rounded, slightly caramelised tangy-savoury notes that fully suffused the Assam Prawns (RM18). Very appetising indeed.

Its closest rival has to be Sambal Petai Squid (RM18), a speciality that calls for plain rice to capture the resultant bright, zingy heat and strong accents. The chunky pieces of squid coupled with the crunchy okra and stinkbeans were delightful especially for those of us who relished such robustly flavoured offerings.

Ocean Seafood also serves crabs prepared in a variety of ways including White Pepper Ginger Scallion Crabs. The white pepper overtone was surprisingly assertive, augmented by the warm biting nuance of ginger. Certain preparations such as steamed with egg, stir-fried with dried chilli or salted egg would require an additional charge. The resto sometimes run special promotional packages with crabs so it's best to call ahead prior to your visit.

Tiny silver fish lent crunch to our dish of Scallops with Sweet Beans in XO Sauce (RM18). After the surfeit of seafood, the toothsome beans were partaken with much enthusiasm.

Although the resto wasn't air-conditioned, the ceiling fans are adequate enough to keep the heat at bay. We reckon evenings should be slightly cooler. From the number of tables and chairs set aside, this second branch of Ocean Seafood is slowly but surely drawing in its own following after the success of its original brethen in Puchong.

For reservations, call OCEAN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, tel:  016-245 1369, 010-221 0188, 012-220 8898 or 012-381 5703. Address: No.2, Jalan Anggerik Vanilla 31/AF, Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, Selangor

TEN HOT HITS OF CHENGDU CAN DO

Mapo tofu, hot pot and dan dan noodles are some of Chengdu’s most famous dishes. Hailed as UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy, the capital of Sichuan province sets foodies’ imagination and tastebuds alight with its plethora of kick-ass chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. Local dishes run the gamut from fried and stewed to steamed and boiled with strong fiery-hot to sour & spicy flavours.

To spur more Malaysian visitors to visit Chengdu which is also home of the world-famous giant pandas, the Dorsett Grand Chengdu has flown in their chefs: Zhou Xiang Rong, Bill Wang and Harry Chen for a charm offensive; enticing food-loving locals to sample the city’s piquant fare at the Chengdu Can Do Food Festival from 27 October to 16 November.

Topping the hot chart is Beef Shank with Chilli; the slices of flinty meat flecked with bits of red chilli gently scorching the tastebuds amidst the leafy bright freshness of coriander.

Coming in a close second is the ‘ma la’ (tongue-numbingly hot) yet tender Steamed Chicken in Chilli Oil with a rounded nuttiness from the generous sprinkling of sesame seeds in it. Blunt the burning effect with some Papaya with Honey Sauce or refreshing Lettuce with Sesame Paste.

Briny and zingy accents coupled with crunchy texture rule in the Marinated Black Fungus with Chillies and Jellyfish Head in Vinegar with cucumber strips heralded a welcome change of flavour dimension as the appetisers go.

Third winner has to be Double Boiled Duck Soup with Pickled Radish – an appetisingly sour, salty and mildly spicy broth with little yellow chilli padi in it. The faint-hearted may opt for a slightly unctuous but heartwarming Seafood Broth with filigree strands of egg or Assorted Mushroom & Bamboo Pith in Superior Soup – by far, the mildest broth with a peppery edge similar to that of pig’s stomach soup.

Notable mains to look out for include Steamed Fish with Chopped Chilli, Green Peppercorns and Garlic, Kunpao Prawns and Beef Ribs with Green Chilli. We picked the bones clean off the fish; its inherent sweetness amplified by the accompanying piquant topping.

Kungpao Prawns

Cashew nuts, rotund dried baby chillies and diced spring onion lent layers of textural and robust dimensions to the springy prawns coated in some caramelised sticky sauce; effectively reining in a bit of the diminutive chillies' kick-ass hotness.

Interestingly, the chopped green chillies piled atop the beef rib slices tasted more herbaceous than spicy hot; its fresh acidity balancing the meat’s lush richness.

More little round chillies made their presence felt in the Braised Duck with Chillies. Bathed in mildly tangy-sweet tomato sauce, the duck was so fork-tender that we could scoop up the meat with a spoon.

Ramping up the hotness to mega sweat-inducing levels are Braised Sea Cucumber and Braised Abalone with Mapo Tofu. The first offered a plethora of textural contrasts – from the crunchiness of bamboo shoot to slippery succulence of mushroom set against the warming heat of ginger, the smoky zing of diced red bird eye chili, the fresh clean taste of chopped green scallions and the pungency of garlic.

Tart and zesty hot, Chengdu’s famed mapo tofu – diced custard-soft beancurd flavoured with Sichuan peppercorns, red chilli oil and minced pork was given a luxe touch with whole abalones bearing criss-cross patterns.

The Boiled Dumplings with Chilli Sauce were decent too; stretchy wheat skin parcels generously filled with minced chicken with scallions. Again the ubiquitous chilli paste gave them a delicious punch that won’t scorch your tongue too badly.

It would be unthinkable not to try the Poached Noodles with Vegetables in Hot Chilli Oil. Freshly hand-made by the chef in attendance, the rough ribbons of chewy noodles are pleasantly tangy having been tossed in a sourish vinegar-based dressing with black fungus giving extra crunch.

Vegetable dishes are no less intriguing in the Chengdu foodscape. The crunchy and sweet Stir-fried Cabbage with Chillies won us over with its faintly charred overtone.

Spice fiends may prefer the Mixed Vegetables in Chilli Oil – a lethal pool of tart and fiery-red chilli oil brimming with fish cake, fish balls, bamboo shoot, beef balls, squid and sliced lotus root.

Surprisingly, the Boiled Mustard in Mineral Water was better than we had expected; the green’s delicate sweetness enlivened by a dollop of ground chilli paste.

The Chengdu Can Do Festival is held at Checker’s Café and served buffet-style at RM88++ per adult for lunch and RM108++ for dinner.

CHECKER’S CAFÉ, Dorsett Regency KL, Jalan Imbi, KL. Tel: 03-2716 1000