Set Lunch @ Dae Jang Geum (Sec.14 PJ)

Hiya! Been quite a while since I last posted. Been to and back from a girlies trip to Macau and Hong Kong, and in the midst of it celebrated my birthday too! Lots of fun, shopping and eating. Will post a food review on this trip later.

Today, I just want to introduce one of my favourite place to lunch - Dae Jang Geum Korean Restaurant in Section 14, PJ. What I liked most are their set lunches. To me, it's quite a steal at only RM12.90++. Take a look.

With the set lunch, you can have either beef, pork (by the way, it's non-halal), chicken or seafood. Except for the former, the rest are cooked in a sweet chilli bean paste sauce that I really, really like. The beef is cooked in another different sauce garnished with ginger. Not bad too. The set includes a variety of kimchis and appetizers and a bowl of rice. Besides that, you will also be given a dessert (usually a chilled korean tong shui) and some freshly cut fruits. What a bargain!

Of course, you can always opt for its a la carte menu. Here's what my colleague had, the Kimchi Soup Set.

With ala carte orders, you will be served a variety of free-flow kimchi.


Dae Jang Geum Korean Restaurant
Section 14, Petaling Jaya
(corner shop lot, above Kemaman Kopitiam).
(* I was told that they do have branches in other parts of the Klang Valley too)

Other Review(s):
Good Food, Good Life

First Birthday Cake of the Year

Pandan Coconut Almond Cake

Baked my first birthday cake of the year. It was actually for my maid. I was in the kitchen on Saturday baking a Sweet Corn Jelly Layer Cake to bring to a dinner that night when my SIL told me that our maid's birthday was just 2 days away. As I still had some time to kill till dinner, I thought that I will bake her a birthday cake.

As it was a spontaneous decision, I had no idea on what to bake for her. A quick scan on what ingredients I had available in my pantry and I finally decided on a Pandan Coconut Almond Cake.


Very simple to make and it was rather light yet delicious.

Ingredients:
1 prepared pandan-flavoured sponge cake (or vanilla flavoured).
1 cup dessicated coconut, toasted and mixed well with 2T castor sugar
1 cup almond flakes, toasted
1 to 1+1/2 cup whipping cream (I used Whipee)
2 -4T superfine sugar
1/2t Pandan paste

Method:
1. Slice cooled sponge cake into 3 even layers.
2. Whip cream to soft peaks. Add sugar and pandan paste and whip till stiff.
3. Put one layer of sponge onto a cake board. Spread a generous layer of whipped cream onto it.
Sprinkle toasted almonds and dessicated coconut on top of it.
4. Repeat with another layer and top with the 3rd layer of sponge cake.
5. Cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream. Decorate the sides of the cake with
the remaining coconut or as you wish. Keep cake chilled.

Absolutely Addictive!

Recently, I discovered a new "method" of one of my favourite snack - dried cod fish fillet. Just roast it in the oven for slightly less than 5 mins at 190 celcius. Keep a watch on it until it turns golden brown (be careful for it burns easily!). Stuff it into your mouth and you will instantly be addicted to it. Crispy and crunchy and compared to chips and other junk food, this is a relatively healthy snack. Try it!

A Post-Christmas Treat (Christmas Flogging Exhange)

This is a very belated post indeed. Blame this on the recent unpredictable internet connection.

Last month, I particpated in the Christmas Flog Exchange organised by Hinata of The Hinata Diaries and Joone of Nibble Scribble. It's similar to a Christmas gift exchange cum Blogging-by-Mail concept. Basically, you write a food-related Christmas wish. Once compiled, all the participant's wishes will be published on the organizers' blog. You choose someone else's wishes to fulfill and you will be paired up with your wishee.

I wished for a "Christmas-related" surprise and a surprise was what I got! Albeit a very pleasant one... My secret santa was Umami and she sent me a lovely box of home-made mini Christmas mince pies. When I mentioned 'lovely box', I really mean it in a literal way. Just take a look, such a beautifully decorated box!


The mince pies were made by her sister who runs a small catering business named Special Treats in KL (tel: 012-3336668), specialising in finger foods, cupcakes and western dishes. What can I say, the mince pies were absolutely yummy! Sweet fillings encased in delicious buttery crusts, they are pretty addictive and were gone in no time as the little ones at home could not get their fingers off them!


Thanks to Umami for providing such a delightful treat that made it seems like Christmas all over again, and to Joone and Hinata for organizing such a fun event!

If you are curious about what I got for my wishee, take a look here. :o)

Happy New Year 2007!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you had a wonderful break over the weekend. I spent mine in Langkawi. Good food, fun company, balmy weather, bright nights, soft sandy beaches and flowing champagne… It was indeed fun and memorable!

One of the places that I visited was THE LOAF Bakery and Bistro at Telaga Harbour Park, a Japanese-styled bakery opened by Tun Dr. Mahathir.

There was much hype from people who had gone there before, ranging from absolutely gorgeous bread to exorbitant prices! So I had to see for myself even thought that means waking up early in the morning after a very late night on our last day (my flight was in the morning too) for a 15 minute drive to this place. But no regrets one bit, the harbour-fronting bistro was lovely with gorgeous yachts view so much so that for a while, I imagined myself being in Monte Carlo or some place like that.


Although breakfast sets are available, we ordered some freshly-baked breads from the shelves with coffee instead and had our breakfasts sitting outside near the waters.

Almond Cream Earl Grey Brioche, Almond Croissant, best-selling Toasted Coconut Flakes (if I remember correctly, it is a flat-type of sweet brioche). I immediately fell in love with the Almond Croissant and the Coconut Toast. As far as I could remember they are among the best breads that I have tasted in Malaysia!

Look at the inside of the warm & buttery croissant!

These were what my friend ordered. Couldn’t remember their names but they are the savoury types. Not bad but can’t beat my croissant and Coconut Toast!
Their coffees were good too, very strong and gave me the much needed “kick” to fully wake me up. My friend ordered their house special Iced Latte. Truly special, I would say. It came in 2 frozen cubes of coffee in a tall glass. Hot milk was then poured over it, instantly melting the frozen coffee cubes and voila, Iced Latte!

The Loaf also has a proper dining menu (and even a chef’s degustation menu). Expect prices to be on the high side. Baked goods averaged about RM5-8 per piece. One small loaf of raisin bread costs RM10. Coffee was about RM8 and the Iced Latte was about RM12. If you are keen on trying out this place, do not despair if you are not traveling to Langkawi anytime soon for the chef told me that they will be opening an outlet in the soon-to-be completed Pavilion in KL. So keep a watch out for it!

The Loaf Bakery & Bistro
Telaga Harbour Park
Pantai Kok, Langkawi.
Tel: 04-959 4866