Recommended: Very good dim sum @ Concorde Hotel KL (non- halal) – Xin Cuisine

Becky’s 1 Minute Summary:
What: Semi fine dining Chinese restaurant serving nouvelle Cantonese cuisine and Hong Kong dim sum.
What to order here: This marks my 3rd visit to Xin for dim sum. I have since tried almost everything on the dim sum menu. You can’t go wrong with the basics of prawn and pork dumplings. Desserts are a must.
The steamed pork bun (char siew) and the signature ‘Lau Sa Pau” is best eaten hot!
Overall experience: Good.
Price: RM6.50 – RM18.00 per portion of dim sum. Some comes in sets of 3 morsels.

For the long story, read on. :)

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Xin Cuisine is one of the “old but gold” Chinese dining restaurants in KL hotels.
Not many outlets in hotels are non-halal; and out of the few non-halal ones, even less serves consistent and good quality Chinese cuisine with justified prices.
At Xin, you are assured of taste and quality for the prices paid.

I’m a bao lover so both the Char Siew Bao and Lau Sa Pau (RM9.50) are staples for any of my dim sum meals.
This Lau Sa Pau is one of Xin’s signatures and it is simply divine. Tear the soft, thin skin apart to release the rich lava of salted egg custard within. Proceed to savour with caution as it is hot!

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Xin Cuisine, Concorde Hotel KL – homely, classic pork dishes – BBQ crispy suckling pig, braised pork belly, slow-cooked pork tendon

Being Chinese, pork is a staple meat in our diet.
From simple stir-fries to braised dishes and curries, we love our pork and we grew up enjoying our families’ classic home cooked recipes.

For those lucky enough to have their families near, these dishes may be an everyday affair.
For most of us, a home cooked meal is a luxury, perhaps enjoyed annually during Chinese New Year or maybe monthly during hometown visits.

Pork dishes - Xin at Concorde Hotel KL-006
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Read more about the article Dim sum in Ipoh – Chef Fatt – known for its pau/steamed buns

Dim sum in Ipoh – Chef Fatt – known for its pau/steamed buns

Becky’s 1 Minute Summary:
What: Decent traditional dim sum with good bao and fried kueh kak (fried radish cake).
What to order here:
I was told that the must-trys are the pork bao but seriously, I doubt any of the dim sum here will disappoint you badly.
Overall experience: Satisfied with what I had. Not my top choice for dim sum in Ipoh though.
Price: Price starts from about RM3.50 per portion of dim sum. Some comes in sets of 3 pieces. Some 2. Just like any other dim sum outlet.

For the long story, read on. :)

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I was here before my visit to Sun Kim Aik so my expectations were still under manageable levels. Now I have got to admit that I still prefer Sun Kim Aik over Ying Fa (which has shut down), Sun Kok Kee at Bercham and even here – Chef Fatt.

Still one has to admit that Chef Fatt has its merits. For one it is right in town, so the outlet is a breeze to locate – walking distance from the trinity of famous dim sum in Ipoh – Foh Sun, Ming Court and Yoke Fook Moon. It does offers a large variety of dim sum, some pretty unique. Prices are fair enough for Ipoh city and service is pretty decent.

Here’s what we begin with.

good ipoh dim sum - Chef fatt hong kong dim sum-003
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Gue Yue Tien, Chulan Square – Chinese New Year menu 2014

Becky’s 1 Minute Summary:
What: Non-halal. One of the top fine dining Chinese restaurant in KL serving modern Chinese gourmet delicacies.
What to order here: The focus of this review is on their 2014 CNY set menus so do refer to the attached menus below.
I would recommend going for the unconventional creations for an experience of Chef Frankie Woo culinary prowess.
Overall experience:  Expect premium ingredients, aesthetically pleasing dishes and a good balance of modern and old time classics. Enjoy traditional Chinese specialities with fresh, updated twists as well Frankie’s creations influenced by Japanese and French culinary techniques.
Price: RM398++ (4 pax), RM598++ (6 pax), RM798++ (8 pax).
RM888++ – RM3999++ for per table of 10 pax.

Valid: Now – 14th February 2014.

For the long story, read on. :)

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From the very first dish my eyebrows were raised with the sight of thin, wiry pipefish heaped on top of lettuce leaves circled with salmon slices.
No it couldn’t be, I’ve told myself, all the while staring wide-eyed at these seahorse-looking creatures on top of my yee sang.

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Dim sum in Grand Imperial – 1 Utama, Hartamas Shopping Centre

For the Grand Imperial group of restaurants I would normally patronise these 2 outlets. One was due to the proximity to my home and another due to the ease of parking on weekends. On Raya day this year, instead of lemang and ketupat, my friend Clifford treated me to some dim sum after our meeting.

I wasn’t complaining. I had always enjoyed my dim sum at Grand Imperial. And after 20 ramadan buffets, the thought of eating another lemang makes my stomach churn.

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Burgers in Bangkok – Firehouse Pub & Restaurant and 25 Degrees Bangkok

I do wish I had tried more burgers in Firehouse while in Bangkok. There was time for only one before the #DIAsiaTourism Awards Night and subsequent evenings plans were disrupted no thanks to heavy rain and jams worst than the ones we see in KL.

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Macau Pork Chop Bun – Tai Lei Loi Kei @ Hutong Lot 10

A favorite of both locals & tourists, Lot 10 Hutong has successfully bought together some of the best, most famous local food together in a single destination of comfort and convenience.
Just yesterday Tan Sri Francis Yeoh announced the launch of the Hutong brand in Guangzhou, China, a globalization move that every one of us as Malaysian should be proud of.
Now Malaysian food (really authentic ones) will be available in Zhujiang (in Guangzhou), in the Fuli Yingxin Building starting August 2013.

hutong - lot 10 - local hawker food KL
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