Sunday Roast - Healy Macs at Publika

Sometimes I find I can go years without visiting a local place, Publika Mall being one of them and recently lightning struck twice during a weekend when I had to visit on both a Saturday and Sunday.

Publika is an upscale neighbourhood shopping mall located in Solaris Dutamas, Sri Hartamas, a sprawling up-and-coming residential development. The basic layout consists of a mall and some shop lots on each side of it but at different levels due to the hilly nature of the adjoining land.

I was due to meet some friends for lunch at a cafe and other than the name and that its in block D I had no idea where exactly the cafe was so I tried checking the website only to find that it was down. Upon arrival at the mall I found that the information screens were also down and when I approached a security/info counter their outlet list is only for units inside the main mall and not in the adjoining shop units.

The next day I had to return for something and decided to stop for late lunch. After looking for somewhere to eat, deciding to try Red Bean Bag, then being perplexed that it shuts its kitchen from 4-6, we then found an outlet of Healy Mac’s and to our delight they were serving Sunday roast.

After taking our seats and being given a menu the issues began. A common problem I find in KL is that when a restaurant isn’t particularly busy the staff become oblivious to what is happening around them and that day we seemed to just become invisible. The staff seemed to be a mix of different nationalities (usual places) who didn’t really gel together and communicate well which compounded the problems.

Eventually we managed to call somebody over and asked him where there menu for the Sunday Roast however he had no idea what a Sunday roast actually was. After getting some help he finally took the order and a while later the chef came out to see us and check what we actually wanted due to the clueless waiter getting it all wrong.

I’m certainly no connoisseur of Sunday roasts however what was served up wasn’t impressive. The 2 slices of beer were cut so think they were like gristly steaks accompanied by 2 mini potatoes, 2 mini mash scoops and some other veg.



It tasted average I have to say I wasn’t impressed and will be in no hurry to order another one from here. The service didn’t improve after the meal and the staff were happy walking around ignoring people and forgetting orders.

On the positive side live Irish music was provided a group of people who seemed to just turn up, sit at a table and jam which was pleasent and the Guinness wasn’t bad either.

KFC Malaysia - Restricted Menu

KFC in Malaysia is hardly the greatest advertisement of the KFC brand.

The service is often poor due to the staff being being slow and just larking around with their colleagues. To compound the problem the staff have such short term memory loss that they typically are unable to remember more then one item for example they have to keep checking the counter to see what we ordered 1 Zinger burger err what next?... err a coke, what next? ... errr wedges, hence the reason for the queues.  Owing to press reports of past incidents of staff attacking customers who complain its probably best to just keep quiet.

In addition a big concern is the hygiene standard because many of their restaurants I visited had dirty tables and a floor that was full of dirty marks and dropped food. Unlike some fast food outlets, KFC Malaysia don't seem to prioritise cleaning and housekeeping.

During the CNY holiday I visited an outlet in Wangsa Maju and was disappointed to find that the menu had been restricted from 9-17 Feb.



I've never experienced KFC UK, Singapore or Thailand doing this to why do KFC Malaysia do this?

Yet another feather in their cap of bad service awards.

Ikea Restaurant in Malaysia

I recently got dragged to Ikea in Malaysia during the recent Chinese New Year holiday long holiday. As expected the store was quite busy but bearable.

One thing I've never understood is the attraction of their restaurant considering the abundance of good affordable food.

On the particular day that I visited the queue stretched the full length of the restaurant which has to be the longest I've seen there.

Now if the food was fantastic or very very cheap then I may just see the logic of queuing for hours but hello this is Ikea, hardly the gastronomic paradise of Malaysia.

I really don't get it so perhaps somebody could help explain this attraction to me?

Suzi’s Corner @Ampang Point, KL

After another long break since my last visit I recently visited Suzi’s corner one Saturday evening. Nothing much has changed since my last visit, the steaks were as tasty as ever and the diverse crowed makes it a nice place to hang out for a while.



Served with fries, green beans and a steak sauce





Medium cooked which is just the way I like it







Yes I know its greedy but the cheese nann is good to help soak up the steak sauce





Something to help keep me cool



The only criticism I had was that the service by the staff who provide the drinks and other (non steak) food was slow and disorganised for some reason that night.

Food/Beverage: 9
Ambiance: 9
Value: 9
Service: 6

Previous review: http://www.maninseat12a.com/2011/03/steak-hut-suzis-corner-ampang-point-kl.html

Suzi’s Corner
213/26 Jalan Ampang batu 4 1/2,
Jalan ulu kelang
Ampang, Malaysia, 68000
17:00-05:00
Please note: The Steak Hut stall is only 18:00-23:00 and is closed on Tuesdays
Tel: 03-42566720

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/suzis-corner/187090090532?v=info

Tony Roma’s @ One Mont Kiara

On a Saturday 25th Feb we visited the Mont Kiara branch of Tony Roma’s for lunch and to shelter the rain.

I’m not a regular at Roma’s so I was looking forward to something different. Upon entering via the front entrance the staff seemed busy and disorganised and it was a while before we were attended to.

The choice of tables offered was limited not because it was busy but rather because so many tables were uncleaned and dirty.

Eventually a table was cleared and a menu given although after being left for a while it took several attempts to contact the staff to place the order for our food & drinks.

Now a point to make is that next to my wife's chair was a large splat of food on the floor from a previous diner and despite several requests to clear it no action was taken.

We ordered the chicken cesar flatbread pizza and a chicken swiss & beef bacon sandwich. Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of the food but what I will say is that the flatbread was delicious and the sandwich was hearty and filling. The beer was on a 1 for 1 promo which is always a nice bonus.

Despite the food being good it was rather a disappointing event because of the poor service and cleanliness whereby many tables were left uncleared for a long time ( 20> mins).

The staff said that they had been busy due to a voucher promo and the upper section of the restaurant was closed for some reason but their headless chicken impersonations made things worse.

There is also a complete back of background noise, perhaps the lack of music or TV noise is the issue but it created a strange ambiance.

Overall if it was pretty mixed bag with good food but poor service and cleanliness.

Food/Beverage 8
Ambiance 3
Value 7.5
Service 4

One Mont Kiara
Lot G-23A, Grd Flr, 1 Mon't Kiara,
No.1, Jalan Kiara, Mon't Kiara
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603-6203 0580
Fax: 603-6203 0601
http://www.tonyromas.com.my

House Frankfurt @ Bangsar

My first week in Malaysia back in September 2000 was somewhat what of a whirlwind. Coupled with the excitement of exploring the nightlife in my new home and my London colleagues travelling on a business trip to KL at the same time it was a absolutely manic. One of the first places we visited was House Frankfurt in Bangsar Baru and I still remember my lack of enthusiasm as a brit having to visit a German restaurant and bar in Malaysia.

I remember that I enjoyed the food and atmosphere and subsequently returned several times over the following years and was never disappointed.

Bangsar has gone through many changes over the years and despite the nightlife scene effectively ending in 2003/4 there are still some good places to eat and drink and House Frankfurt is one of them still going strong.

I often walk past in the afternoon and see Peter (the owner) give me a wave and feel somewhat guilty that we don’t visit anywhere near as often as we should.

We recently found ourselves in Bangsar early one Saturday evening and decided to call in. A warm welcome was received from Peter and decided to sit at the bar

The drinks selection is not as extensive as some other speciality bars and restaurants although there was no complaints from myself.

For dinner I ordered a bruschetta as an appetiser and a chicken schnitzel as the main course.

The bruschetta was a little plain being serviced on sliced bread but schnitzel and the accompanying potatoes were tasty.

My wife ordered the beef goulash for the appetiser and seafood spaghetti as the main course and found the food tasty. I helped finish the appetiser and concur that it was delicious.

Overall I enjoyed my visit and will return again, hopefully on a more frequent basis

Food/Beverage 8
Ambiance 8.5
Value 8
Service 9

12, Jalan Telawi 5
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Tel.: +60 (3) 2284 16
http://www.housefrankfurt.com
Note: Non Halal

Breakfast @ Alexis, Great Eastern Mall, KL

Of the 3 recommended meals per day breakfast is typically my favourite meal even if I do have to wake up relatively early to take it.

Having lived in Malaysia and Singapore for many years I’m as partial to a roti telur + teh tarik as I am to a full English fry up in the morning.

I’m always on the lookout for the ultimate western breakfast but so far I’ve yet to find it. For me the lack of pork isn’t an issue so it's a case of finding a balance between quality vs quantity. Many hotel buffets offer a good breakfast but for the purpose my breakfast reviews on this blog I'll treat them as separate.

Some of the so called expat favourites and not high on my list for several reasons reason, either they are very oily and/or the portions are small and the price is high.

Over the coming weeks I'll try ad review as many places as possible then produce a summary. If anybody wants to recommend a place then free to leave a comment.

One of the places I frequent from time to time which is close to my home is Alexis Bistro at Great Eastern Mall. The Alexis Bistro & Bar has been around for some time and is a popular Jazz club and restaurant is the evenings.




At the weekend the breakfast menu is served from 10:00 – 15:00 and I’ve frequented a few times over the past year or so. During the breakfast hours the restaurant is pretty quiet but dont let this put you off.


During my visit I chose the hearty set with a side order of roasted potatoes


My wife ordered the scrambled egg, bacon, toasted brioche, caramelised fig with wild rocket and seemed to enjoy it.I

I enjoyed the breakfast (as usual) but it did miss the wow factor. The service generally good and food tasty so no complaints. The ambiance is ok however at night when the live acts are on the place really comes alive with great atmosphere.


Food/Beverage 7.5
Ambiance 7
Value 7.5
Service 8

Alexis Ampang
Lot 10 & 11 Great Eastern Mall 303
Jalan Ampang 50450
Kuala Lumpur Tel:
603 4260 2288
http://www.alexis.com.my

The return to the Market Hall restaurant @ The Pavilion, KL

Following my previous article on the Market Hall I’ve been meaning to return for some time however up until recently certain events seemed to have conspired against me. When the restaurant opened there was a fair amount of buzz and although I no longer hear so many people talking about it, my previous review is one of the most popular pages on this site judging by the number of hits that it receives.

Finally on the 2^nd May we managed to return for dinner. Due to it being a public holiday the restaurant was pretty quiet and were promptly shown to our table.

I had been looking forward to trying the lamb balti pie and several minutes after the order was taken the waiter returned to inform me that it had finished. To say that I was disappointed was an understatement and I fail to understand why sufficient pie’s can’t be made.

After some deliberation the daily special was recommended which was basically a lamb stew in a tomato based sauce with a poached egg in the middle. My wife ordered the winter risotto and we had an appetiser of cheese filled spring rolls and side orders of herb roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli.

The service was prompt and the issues highlighted in the previous review didn’t occur which is pleasing.

Complementary bread with dips is served.

A little while after ordering our food I noticed a blackboard containing fish dishes which we hadn’t seen due it being partly obscured by a light fitting. There is no mention of this is the menu , no prompting by the staff so I wonder how the majority of customers notice this.

The starter was an interesting concoction of spring rolls filled with ricotta and gorgonzola cheese and for me it seemed to work well and certainly made a change from the more common style of spring role.

Our main courses arrived together with the side orders which is a rare occurrence in restaurants in this part of the world and is something I prefer when eating western food.

I have to say that I’ve never seen a lamb stew like this one. The sauce was very red and the egg in the middle was most unusual. So how did it taste?

The sauce tasted like a bowl of tomato puree or perhaps a jar of pasta sauce and had a very strong tomato taste. This was overpowering and rather too strong with no real taste of any herbs or spices. The lamb was fairly tender and very lean but couldn’t really be tasted due to the over powering sauce.

The egg seemed to go ok however I could imagine that some people maybe put off my this. The dish to me was a complete let-down and although I had no problem finishing it I would not order it again.

I'm not a risotto fan so it would be a little unfair for me to fully judge this dish. To my wife and I it looked a little uninspiring and the taste was not quite what she was expecting.

The vegetable side orders were simple and tasty and made a nice accompaniment to my bowl of tomato sauce (lamb stew).

 
Although we like the setting we felt that the food was a let-down this time especially after the good food served the first time we visited. Perhaps we chose the wrong dishes but I’m not so sure.  

I will visit again at some point however with so many restaurants in the Klang Valley it may be a while before I’m back.

Food/Beverage 6
Ambiance 8
Value 7.5
Service 8.5

**NOW CLOSED**

Market Hall & Bedroom
Lot 6.01.03 & 6.01.04
Level 6 Pavilion KL Shopping Mall
No. 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
+603.2141.9622
http://www.markethall.my/
http://www.bedroomkl.my/

Delicious – Bangsar Village II

A few years ago we seemed to be forever visiting Delicious for breakfast, lunch or tea with the Bangsar Village outlet being our preferred venue of choice. With so many places to eat in the Klang Valley and with places such as Delicious having a queue at peak times its easy to end up skipping a place for several months.

Last weekend after a long absence we returned and had a rather mixed experience at the Bangsar Village outlet. I had no intention of blogging my visit but the experience left me so disappointed that I changed by mind.

After being left standing at the front for a few minutes whilst ignored by several members of staff we were finally called through and shown to one of the small tables adjacent to the glass wall separating the outside smoking section.

The issue of being ignored continued with the staff passing by our table completly oblivious to the fact that we would like to order our food and drinks. The strange thing about this was that we were sat near a small ordering station but the staff operating that area seemed completely spaced out and in their own little world.

Finally I called somebody over to order the food and drinks.

I ordered a lamb shank pie which was a mini lamb shank in a pie dish with a potato top plus a side dish of garlic potatoes and my wife ordered a classic Rueben.

 

I’m rather partial to a lamb shank and this pie was pretty tasty. From previous visits I know that the garlic/herb fried potatoes are nice and the side order complimented the pie well.

My apologies for no pics of the Ruben however the feedback was that it was pretty tasty.

Whilst eating I finished my fruit juice but did anybody see fit to ask if we are ok or would we like another drink or even some iced water which some other customers had in a different section? Nope they just drifted around adjusting tables and continuing to be in their own little world.

In many restaurants within this region I believe that they must have a shortage of plates because as soon as you finish your food you are likely to have your plate snatched by the staff. Delicious during this visit were no exception and bizarrely the space cadets (staff) took my empty plate whilst I’m still chewing the food and then after I picked up the last potato from the side dish they grabbed the bowl before I even had time to put the potato on my mouth.

It was only when I saw my the expression on my wife’s face when I realised that it wasn’t a bad dream.

After the meal I was still a little thirsty but the glass was still empty however the plate snatchers seemed oblivious to this.

I decided to write a note on a napkin stating something along the lines of “I’m an empty watermelon juice glass and everybody ignores me. Please nice waiter will you refill me” and then placed the note at the top of the glass.

Now to test whether the plate snatchers were really awake I moved the glass near the edge of the table and as if by magic the glass is snatched. No comment is made and before you can say one more drink please the glass had gone and was heading for the dishwasher.

After a moment the staff returned to their station and we sat wondering what would happen next. Well the answer was absolutely nothing and nobody bothered to ask us if we wanted desert, water or even the bill and the staff just kept on passing by.

Finally I stopped somebody and requested the bill and the formalities were promptly dealt with.

The food was pretty good (as usual) but the service leaves a lot to be desired. I wish now that I started filming it and perhaps the next time that this kind of thing happens I will place it on YouTube for all to see.

Food/Beverage: 4
Ambiance: 7.5
Value: 7
Service: 1.5

Delicious
Lot GF-1, Ground Floor, Bangsar Village 2,
Jalan Telawi, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603 2287 1554
http://www.delicious.com.my/

The Londoner Brew Pub – Bangkok

In the past I’ve always tended to stay away from the English/Irish pubs in Bangkok and prefer to eat/drink in less contrived places. Perhaps as a result of being away from the UK for so long I started to have a greater desire to sample some UK food such as Sunday Roast Dinner and real ale.

After a quick morning raid on Chatuchak market to pick up some items we found the previous day it was time for lunch. For some reason the thought of a relaxing roast dinner came to mind and after a quick check on the internet I found several options not too far away at the other end of Sukhumvit road. In addition I thought it would be a good place for a blog review.

Owing to the Londoner pub being a brew pub and having a buffet lunch our minds were quickly made up and we set off. The pub is easy to find being on the corner of Sukumvit Soi 33 in the basement of the UBC II Building.

When we first entered the I was surprised at the size of the pubs dark cavernous interior and large buffet which its generous selection.

The pub was very quiet although we decided to try it anyway and certainly have no regrets. The buffet lunch is served from 12-3pm and then dinner from 6-9pm and includes a selection of fresh salad, roasted meats and deserts.


The cost by local standards is quite high at THB 470 however for this kind of meal it's reasonable especially when a Burger King Whopper meal at Suvarnabhumi costs more than THB 300.

I was looking forward to trying the home brewed Londoner’s Pride Cream Bitter and have to say that I enjoyed it very much. As a big fan of Fullers London Pride this wasn’t too far off the real stuff and made a change to the keg conditioned London Pride served in Singapore.

The brewery is located towards the rear of the pub and some of the equipment can be seen in the picture below.

My wife is not an ale fan so she ordered a mojio and when it arrived in a pint glass I knew that we would be in the pub for a while!

Due to us arriving quite late we only had around an hour of buffet time remaining so we quickly got to work.
I skipped the starters and went straight to a big helping of roast beef, lamb, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese and other vegetables.

The food was nice but certainly not gourmet or even the best roast I’ve had but was tasty so no complaints. The service was mixed and perhaps because the pub was quiet the staff tended not to be that attentive although this wasn't really an issue to us on this visit.

After a refill I tried a few starters which included salad, a whole salmon and pate. The desert section looked good and there was a selection of apple pie, ice cream, cakes, fruits and other delights. The picture below doesn't show the rest of the table which was pretty full with other items to eat.

Free tea/coffee is also included in the price which is a nice addition for a post meal drink.

After the buffet finished we picked up a copy of the UK Sunday newspapers which are provided via Newspapers direct. I usually read the UK newspapers on the internet however there is nothing like reading the broad sheets whilst supping a pint of ale.

Unfortunately the pub also had a copies of the tabloids which kept my wife amused......

Whilst deciding where to go we noticed that there were several local English style pubs which were commended and took quick look at them:

The Bulls Head – a traditional style pub that seemed busy outside but quiet inside.

The Robin hood – This pub was very busy and many people seemed to be eating which was a good sign.

The Londoner has some mixed reviews and not having been there at other times i’m unable to comment on the atmosphere in the evenings or during big televised sports events.

We really enjoyed our relaxing lunch and although the food is far from gourmet we would recommended this to anybody who likes a relaxing buffet roast lunch.

Food/Beverage: 8
Ambiance: 7
Value: 8
Service: 7.5

591 UBC II Building, Basement B 104, Sukhumvit 33
Sukhumvit Road, Klongton Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Thailand
Tel: +66 2-261-0238-9
http://www.the-londoner.com/

Ayers Rock Butcher and Grill @ Wangsa Maju

Over the past few years Wangsa Maju has changed considerably with the opening of Wangsa Walk Mall and the adjacent Wangsa Link shop houses. As a result of the new developments several restaurants have opened including a branch of Ayers Rock Butcher and Grill.

After reading some positive reviews we recently decided to try our local branch on a Saturday night. The restaurant concept seems to becoming popular whereby there is a meat chiller cabinet with from which customers can choose the cuts of meat to take home.

The restaurant wasn’t practically busy although a few large groups occupied some tables after choosing our table we were presented with the menu. The menu is basic and the restaurant offers most cuts of meat, wagyu, sausages and burgers. In addition to meat Salmon, fish and Prawns were on the menu.

Things didn’t start well when my wife wanted the fish or the prawns only to be told that it was finished so she ordered the 150gm beef burger priced at RM15. I ordered the standard tenderloin priced at a reasonable RM45 and the menu states that all meals come with fries, salad and “special sauce”.

After 15-20 mins the waiter brought out a sausage meal and seemed confused when we told he that we hadn’t ordered that and a moment later my steak arrived. It was at this moment I realised that the waiter hadn’t asked either of us how we wanted out meet cooked with myself being partial to steak being cooked medium rare

I was starting to get concerned. The meat seemed to be several small thin cuts which is the first and I hope last time that a tenderloin is served that way. The steak was swimming in a black pepper & cream sauce and accompanied by salad and some cold potato salad.

After waiting some time neither fries or my wife's food arrived so I asked the waiter why there are no fries and was told that the menu said salad or fries. I disagreed and at this point I had to point to the menu and ask him to show where it said that and he conceded that he was wrong. Even if the menu had choices we were never asked.

After another 5-10 minutes a small basket of only just warm and undercooked fries arrived which were very poor. By now 35 minutes after arriving there was still no sign of the burger and we were informed that it would be another 10-15 mins and that the fries had now finished.

I really cannot believe that a restaurant which is situated within walking distance of a large Carrefour and a Cold Storage cannot get a bag of two of fries if they know that they are running low.

The steak was quite tasty however the sauce was over powering for somebody who is not a black pepper fan.

Almost 50 minutes after arriving the burger arrived and looked simple but good. The patty appeared to have been home made and was very tasty. Unfortunately the restaurant had decided that the burger would also be drowned in the special sauce which spoilt it a little.

The restaurant is halal and doesn’t serve alcohol so ice lemon tea was ordered.

The staff could clearly see that I was not at all impressed with either the service or food and to their credit a discount was offered when I paid.

I have to say that this was an extremely disappointing experience all round and although the prices are reasonable I cannot see myself going back there any time soon.

Food/Beverage: 4.5
Ambiance: 5
Value: 8
Service: 3

Ayers Rock Butcher and Grill
Jln Wangsa Delima 10
Wangsa Link
Wangsa Maju
03 4148 1333

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