COMFORTING CHOICES AT HAWK & FISH

One doesn't go to a resto just for its kick-ass sambal but Hawk&Fish may just draw chilli fiends there for that reason. It's a casual eatery that strives to be one up from your local chap farn (economical rice) set-up - the resto's clean, air-cond and the local fare pricing is just a few ringgit more of what you'd pay at kopitiams.

 

We love the pub grub fare on the menu - they're perfect for Happy Hours when you can graze without overdoing it. The mod industrial concrete finishing and exposed ceiling sets the stage for wire-structured chairs and round glass tables coupled with some wooden dining furniture.

The first culinary chart-topper that bowled us over is The Pound Pork Balls (RM18, 3 pcs) - wickedly delish, oversized hand-made and fried minced pork balls with melted, stretchy mozzarella oozing out of them.

Wrapped in thin chive omelette and streaky bacon, you'd go barking mad over the Dogs In A Blanket...and Quilt (RM25) - devilishly scrumptious, chunky pieces of thick sausage enrobed in fluffy omelette AND crispy bacon strips. Trust me, the smoky-brininess and mellow oniony-sweetness meld so beautifully together, it's hard not to wax lyrical over it.

An assertive zingy hotness ensures the house speciality of Spicy Wings (RM20, 6 pcs) fly high with diners; a commendable Asian take on the Western classic of Buffalo wings.

Good wok hei breaths lively charred accent into the Char Kway Teow (RM15) here. The flat rice noodles take the fiery heat of the house sambal to heart, regaling one's palate with fiesty smoky hotness. Prawns, squid and beansprouts help to ramp up the deliciousness further. Diners can also opt to have the whole works  such as fried chicken wings (RM6) or a sunny-side up egg (RM2) thrown into the equation.

Fried rice fans would have much to cheer and chew on at this eatery. The Homespun Fried Rice (RM20) comes in three versions - spicy Pound special, Thai- or Chinese-style. Don't let its pared-down appearance fool you. Chilli fiends would find their tastebuds set alight by the unabashedly robust nuance especially for the hot ones; render to tongue-searing heights by the insanely hot house sambal. Besides chopped bacon bits (hurrah!), supporting cast for the rice dish includes fried chicken wings, a fried egg and more sambal.

Uncle Chee - a long-time TTDI resident and cook - does tour of duty for lunch with his range of chap farn staples. He's also instrumental for the presence of signature specialities such as Dry Style Bak Kut Teh (RM15), Ancestral Original BKT (RM15) and Herbal Wine Chicken (RM15) at Hawk&Fish.

Personally, I'd plump for wong jau gai (herbal wine chicken) any day. Mildly sweet with a warm boozy aftertaste, the chook with ginger, red dates and fresh coriander will give you a nice heady buzz. A comforting tummy warmer that should goes best with plain rice.

Admittedly, the hardcore Hokkien in me is ambivalent about the Dry Style BKT. Darkened by lashing of dark soya sauce and flavoured by local herbs and spices, the porky dish is agreeable. I guess I couldn't get pass that it looks more like tau eu bak - braised pork in dark soya sauce. But any urban singleton or small nuclear family who hankers for home-style offerings, this heirloom recipe of Uncle Chee's should satisfy familial food cravings.

Soup lovers would probably prefer Uncle Chee's Ancestral BKT as the milieu of pork, button mushroom, enoki, beancurd puffs and innards come bubbling hot in a claypot of herbal broth. Die-hard BKT fans may find the soup too mild for liking but as the owners tell us, it's good enough to assuage sudden BKT cravings especially when one can't run to Klang on a mere whim.

The only dish that didn't measure up during our visit was Fish & Chips (red snapper RM30, dory RM20). We found the fish fillet somewhat tough and leathery...it could have been a one-off hiccup so fans of this British classic should try this house speciality and judge for themselves.

Dessert is simple - you can try crisp Apple Pie that looks disconcertingly like those from a famous fast-food chain. 

Hawk&Fish is worth checking out - it's a viable alternative especially for lunch when you rather eschew fast-food or be hot and bothered eating at local kopitiams.

For reservations, call Hawk & Fish, hp no: 011-2627 6544 / tel: 03-7732 2328. The outlet is at 50 Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Business hours: Mon-Sat 11am-3pm; 6pm-11pm. Closed on Sunday.

NEW GRAND MENU DEBUTS AT IPPUDO

Ippudo Malaysia - the local chapter of Japan's renown ramen chain unveiled its new grand menu recently at Pavilion KL. Regional operations consultant Tomo Kudo (below pix) said the new items will give local diners a taste of modern Japan while staying true to founder Shigemi Kawahara's philosophy to innovate continuously.

Local media members turn out in force to sample the plethora of new items, ranging from starters and ramen to dessert. The servings came fast and furious, causing us to scramble and snap pixs at lightning speed. Luckily, the photogenic dishes made it a breeze enabling us to settle down and relish them.

 

It was love at first bite the minute we sampled the Dashimaki Egg Roll (RM9). Ethereally fluffy, the Japanese omelette roll dotted with mayo and spicy cod roe was a definitive crowd-pleaser; priming us up for other goodies to come.

Suffice to say, we weren't disappointed. The lustrously rich briny flavour of marinated pollock roe and cod roe spread luxuriantly on the palate as we bit into the lightly Seared Salmon Rolls with Mentaiko (RM19), transporting us to culinary heaven.

 

It was splendid when you chase it with sips of Ippudo's Matcha Smoothie (RM9.90) - the fresh, faintly astringent green tea helps to cut any cloying aftertaste that linger. Coupled with some red bean mash and cream, the drink is refreshing to the last drop.

 

Simpler but no less yummy is Spicy Boiled Gyoza (RM13). The dumplings are generously stuffed with minced pork. Some shredded leek, light soya sauce and hot chilli oil are the pared-down condiments that lift them to delightful gustatory heights.

Passion about pork? Ah, then you mustn't miss savouring the Pork Grill (RM16) - a slab of tender, juicy pork loin served on hot plate with beansprouts, sweet corn and teppan sauce. Slivers of fried garlic flakes lend it a coyly smoky-sweetness that should leave you smacking your lips with great satisfaction.

Trust me, the biggest surefire crowd-pleaser would be Teppan Garlic Rice with Chicken (RM20). I really can't foresee any young adult weaned on a diet of pizza, pasta and mod Japanese food refusing this mound of garlic-fried rice and diced chicken amidst a moat of eggy, cheesy and creamy sauce speckled with chopped capsicum and sweet corn kernels...

Also unveiled at the preview were two new ramen variants - Shoyu Ramen and Kakuni Ramen, joining Ippudo's quintessential noodle repertoire. The nice thing about Ippudo is you can dictate how hard or soft you like the noodles to be...most ramen shops usually overcook their noodles (based on my own experiences) so such attention to detail is highly laudable.

A special clear chicken broth and shoyu stock forms the base for Shoyu Ramen (RM24.90) - its delicate accent just the platform to showcase thin springy noodles complemented by sliced pork loin, bamboo shoots, seaweed, leeks and naturomaki (sliced fish paste roll with a pink swirl).

The Shiromaru Kakuni (pix above, RM27.90) is supremely hearty in which ramen and a thick slab of belly pork simmered in Ippudo's special soy sauce come immersed in the chain's trademark tonkotsu broth, garnished with  kikurage (shredded cloud ear fungus), spring onion and beansprouts. Other variants available are Karaka Kakuni (RM30.90). Akamaru Kakuni (RM29.90).

The special spicy miso, cashew & ground pork really bestows much character and complex flavour to the Karaka-Men (RM25.90). You can also enjoy it with additional salted soft-boiled egg as in Karaka Tamago (RM27.90) while the luxe Karaka Special (RM33.90) throws in sliced belly pork, seaweed and salted soft-boiled egg as well.

We also slurped up Shiromaru Motoaji (RM22.90) - a classic Hakata-style ramen. The ultra-thin noodles with Ippudo's tonkotsu broth are accompanied by pork loin slices, beansprouts, kikurage and spring onion.

Special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil infuse big, bold flavour dimensions to Akamaru Shinaji (RM24.90) - a refined, modern-style ramen that consists of thin noodles with pork belly slices, spring onion and kikurage.

Simplicity rules the evening's dessert offerings. Mochi fans would probably love Daifuku (RM9) as the sweet treat features vanilla ice-cream enrobed in a thin layer of silky, stretchy mochi skin, placed on a slice of lemon and served with a fresh strawberry.

Mild, subtly flavoured creamy cheese atop soft cookie base makes up our second dessert of Cheese Stick. Its light, almost whimsy sweetness is comparable to eating ice-cream crossed with marshmallow. What a befittingly lovely end to mark the launch of Ippudo's grand new menu. 

For reservations, call Ippudo Malaysia - Pavilion KL (Tel: 03 2110 6233), The Gardens Mall (Tel: 03 2201 6238) & Bangsar Shopping Centre (Tel: 03 2011 6238). More info & details available from: http://www.ippudo.com.my

HK- STYLE ROASTS AND MORE AT MASTER CHEF KITCHEN

Kai tan chai is a cutesy name for those airy-light, spherical-shaped egg 'waffle' that you'd find at certain street food kiosks in Hong Kong. A convenient anytime snack that staves off unexpected hunger pangs, I was delighted to sample it again during a recent review at Master Chef Kitchen. Diners can expect this lovely treat for tea at RM5.80 per serving.

This simple, air-conditioned restaurant across the road from the newish OneCity in Subang USJ is several months old and specialises in Hong Kong-style roasts. Among some of its more distinct specialities are Beef Char Siew, Long Jing Smoked Chicken and Roast Duck.

Prepared by experienced master chef Chan, the roast specialities alone are worth repeat visits. The most intriguing in this repertoire has to be the Beef Char Siew (RM25) made using Australian beef - a winning creation that had earned the chef an award in a Chinese Muslim culinary competition.

Suffused in the chef's self-concocted marinade, the grilled meat reminds me somewhat of beef satay; its unique flavour profile a nice amalgamation of mildly caramelised sweetness and beefy gaminess. Lightly streaked with some fat, the moist beef slices are superb with plain rice. If you'd like to sample this, call and pre-order at least 2 days in advance.

The definitive show-stopper here is HK-style Roast Duck (RM16-RM68 depending on cut of choice and serving size). Chef Chan told us that he prefers to use slightly smaller ducks as they're less fatty and the meat is not as coarse once roasted. We love its flabby, faintly gamey nuance; slicked with the roast duck's own jus. Don't bother asking for thim jiong either - the chef won't hear of desecrating his masterpiece with local sweet bean sauce.

Of course, no Cantonese meal is complete without soup. Urban singletons or time-pressed nuclear families will find ample succour in a bowl of Lotus Root and Chicken Feet or Sweet Corn with Pork Ribs Soup - homely broths that are prepared daily. The variety changes constantly so do check what's in the soup pot when you visit.

Wantan Meen (RM12.50) is also synonymous with Hong Kong and both soupy and kon loh (dry) versions are served. The latter has been adapted to suit local taste but we love every strand the springy noodles that are tossed with dark soya sauce and crispy deep-fried pork lard.

Plump succulent pork&prawn wantans and greens complement the soupy wantan meen

The chef is equally proud of his Long Jing Roast Chicken (RM18-RM50) - his version of tea-infused roasted chicken. Steeped in a combination of Dragon Well tea and lou sui (braising stock) for about 40 minutes, the chicken is juicy and succulent to taste. Complementing it is a Hong Kong-style ginger & spring onion dip, to lend the meat a touch of zingy robustness. Delicious!

Of course, no HK roast repertoire can do without siew yoke (roast pork). I have yet to meet any Chinese who can resist a good slab of roasted belly pork with golden, crispy skin. Chef Chan certainly excels in this delightful offering - his ticks all the right boxes that should leave you clamouring for more.

Owner Eric Teong highlighted the selection of home-style dishes available such as Steamed Fish with Tau Gan & Wood Fungus, Ham Yue Fah Lam Poh (sliced belly pork with salted fish in claypot), Yuin Kwat Poh (braised soft ribs in claypot), Stir-fried Lotus Root with Nuts and Nam Yue (red fermented beancurd) that are perfect for family dining and communal sharing meals.

Braised with carrot and radish, the soft ribs form a thick, unctuously rich milieu that's rib-stickingly scrumptious when eaten with white rice. The fish is done the classic Cantonese way - with superior soya sauce albeit with the addition of tau gan (layered beancurd sheet) and wood fungus. Macadamia, almond, celery, carrot and dried octopus shreds play a laudable supporting role to the stir-fried lotus root with savoury-sweet nam yue.

On days when you just want something fast and simple, we recommend the hearty and perennial crowd-pleaser of Master Chef Fried Rice (RM14.50). Brimming with good wok hei, the soul-satisfying serving has plenty of chopped long beans and carrot, egg and pork char siew to boost its tasty quotient.

According to Eric, the restaurant offers a reasonably priced set lunch of rice or noodle with a glass of tea at RM9.90 per person. There's 21 options available so you'd be spoiled for choice.

Plans are also afoot to churn out Baked Polo Buns - another popular HK tea staple. These crusty top buns with barbecued pork filling are light yet substantial enough to satisfy growling tummies; ideal as a mid-morning or post-lunch snack.

For reservations and information, call Master Chef Kitchen - tel: 011-2313 6769. Address: D-01-GF, Garden Shopped OneCity, Jalan USJ25/1A, Subang Jaya, Selangor.