ronnycakes reviews: Ippudo Ramen, Pavilion KL

Being a ramen fan faced with a highly anticipated new ramen chain, I wouldn’t miss being standing in line within the first few weeks for all the world. For me, the best ramen I’ve tried so far still remains as Santouka, but I think I’ve finally met another bowl of ramen that could definitely give Santouka a run for it’s money.

Ippudo originated in 1985 from Fukuoka Japan, and claims that they were the first to refer to broth by colour which soon became a standard industry practice (as seen in Menya Musashi as well). The Shiromaru and Akamaru style of broth are still considered as Ippudo’s signature ramen. Ippudo has since expanded all over the world to Sydney, New York, Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Sydney and Singapore. The founder of Ippudo, Shigemia Kawahara is no small fry either as he is considered Japan’s “Ramen King”, winning the title in a competition in 2005. As for Ippudo, it has won Tokyo’s Ramen of the Year Award for 2010-2011 and even Santouka Ramen was opened by one of his disciples.

With all that, how can I not be excited to try it out myself?

We went early to skip the queue, but even at 11.30am, the shop was already almost packed to the brim, and as we left the place, we saw a queue slowly starting to form.

The interior design is of spotlights and wooden fixtures, with white-black-red being their main colour scheme. Bowls and spoons used in serving the ramen are also utilized as modern and trendy decor.

For starters we had the Curry Cheese Harumaki (RM10). Deep-fried spring rolls with a crispy exterior and soft curry-cheesy interior. One thing definitely worth mentioning about Ippudo is that unlike the other ramen chains that make ramen the sole offering of the menu (with the exception of rice or other generic Japanese dishes), Ippudo actually has a very extended side dish menu varying from fried corn to miso tofu in a stone pot. Definitely will have to check those out some time.

I went for the Shiromaru Tamago (RM28); Ippudo’s original tonkotsu broth served with ultra thin noodles, belly chashu, bean sprouts, kikurage and spring onions. I found the soup to be lovely and flavourful and somewhat lighter than the one at Santouka. Another plus point at Ippudo is that they let the diner decide how cooked they want the ramen to be. That’s definitely something my mum would appreciate because she always complains that Santouka’s ramen is too undercooked.

Wils had the Karaka Tamago (RM30); which is tonkotsu broth flavoured with special spicy miso and ground pork with a flavoured egg. This one was definitely something I felt blew everything I’ve tried out of the water. What made this unique and different was the addition of ground pork. Absolutely yummy!

 
The chashu you get at Ippudo is slightly fattier but has a melt-in-your-mouth consistency.

Enjoying our bowl of ramen and can’t wait to go back for more!

Price-wise, Ippudo is slightly steeper than the other ramen chains we’ve reviewed but I think that the slight price increase is definitely justifiable by the taste of the broth. Don’t miss this one if you’re as big of a ramen fan as I am!

Address:
Level 4, Pavilion Shopping Mall,
Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Map *here*

ronnycakes reviews: Carnation Cafe, Disneyland Park, Anaheim

Once again, it seems like we’ve left our blog lying under a thin layer of dust, especially after we took a long break after coming back from our holiday in the States (!!), and especially after getting over that severe jet lag that I was feeling. It’s been 10 years since my last plane trip and I’ve never travelled further than South East Asia before, so the long-haul flight and 16 hour time difference was especially hard on me. The first few days I looked absolutely horrifying in photos because I was so god darned tired. XD

Anywayyyyy, I only have one word to summarize our trip: FUN! :D
Especially Disneyland... gosh, it’s like my idea of heaven. I know, I know, I sound like an absolute child. But really, I had such great time. The rides were awesome, the “cast members” were ultra polite, and everything was super whimsy and vintage and old-school Mickey.

Food there was pretty expensive though, but on our last night at Disneyland Park, Wils and I decided to splurge and have a meal at one of the park restaurants, and we went for Carnation Cafe which has made a name for itself for serving honest American fare at prices that are not too cut-throat (for American standards that is).

I had a Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken (USD14.99), Grilled Chicken, Spinach, Boiled Eggs, Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms, and Pickled Onions tossed with Warm Pancetta-Mustard Seed Vinaigrette.
One thing good about the USA is that all portions are at least twice the size of the ones you get here in KL. Salads over here would hardly be enough for a snack let alone a meal. So anyway, this warm spinach salad was one of the best salads I had over there... it was such a change from the generic romaine lettuce, and the dressing was tangy and savoury.

 
Wils had his Main Street Cheeseburger (USD11.99): Angus Chuck Patty, Tillamook Cheddar, Tomato, Red Onion, Lettuce and House Sauce on Toasted Brioche. He told me it was one of the best burgers he had (or maybe we were just super hungry haha).

I still miss that salad.

 
 

 

 

 
  

I miss Disneyland even more. :(

Address:
Carnation Cafe
Disneyland Park
Main Street USA
Anaheim, CA 92802

Map *here*

ronnycakes reviews: Crumbs x Luxbite Christmas Macarons, 1U Petaling Jaya

‘Tis the season to be jolly and grow fat from all the food and sweets and because the year-end holiday season mentality is eat first think later next year (or maybe that’s just me hehe). One thing I looooove about the Christmas season is all the imported indulgent sweets and chocolates that come pouring into supermarkets – the other day I spotted mint chocolate M&Ms! But since Wils and I will be jetting off to LA next week, better save our stomachs (and our pockets) by spending over there instead. :D

I recall saying that macarons were probably not my most preferable sweet but recently by some mysterious power I’ve found myself slightly addicted to them... maybe because I just haven’t managed to find good ones in the past. After spotting these Crumbs x Luxbite macarons on Facebook, I immediately had to have Wils get me a box because they were just too damn adorable.

The super adorable Teddy and Santa macarons are 100% handpiped (!!!) and designed by Aleena from Crumbs, whilst the two conventional looking ones are imported from Luxbite Melbourne and are anything but conventional in taste. One box of four costs RM30 and comes in two combinations:

• Teddy Bear and Santa Chocolate Hazelnut Praline
• Watermelon and Guava
• Peanut Butter and Jelly

• Teddy Bear and Snowman Chocolate Hazelnut Praline
• Mandarin Jaffa
• Ribena Lemonade

The one that Wils picked up for me was on recommendation from Luxbite, the Teddy Bear and Santa set.

The macarons are so adorable that I really couldn’t make myself bite into one of them.

 

 
The Watermelon & Guava one was a thick layer of watermelon flavoured buttercream with guava bits (which felt a little bit like coconut bits) whilst the Peanut Butter & Jelly one was a peanut butter ganache with proper jelly. Both tasted heavenly and were crisp and fresh, but I personally preferred the Peanut Butter & Jelly one because of how the sweet and savoury paired together.
The Hazelnut Praline one was as yummy as the Luxbite ones, and I especially loved the chocolate ganache. Adorable and yummy!

These macarons will be available in the booths outside Isetan 1st floor at One Utama until 25th December, so hurry before they all sell out! I’m sure these would make charming and wonderful gifts for all your loved ones. I’m sure I would like another box. :P

Address:
Crumbs x Luxbite booth
Outside Isetan 1st Floor
One Utama Shopping Mall
Petaling Jaya

Map *here*

ronnycakes reviews: Ramen Taiko, Mon’t Kiara Shoplex

It’s been a while since I’ve last reviewed a ramen place, and this one has been sitting in my files for quite some time. Having lived in Mon’t Kiara for more than 10 years, there are still some places that have been around for a long time which I still haven’t tried, and one of these is Ramen Taiko. Located in a rather quiet corner inside Mon’t Kiara Shoplex (for those that are unfamiliar with the names, Mon’t Kiara Shoplex is where Baskin Robbins and Las Vacas is located), Ramen Taiko specializes mostly in ramen but offers a variety of other Japanese dishes as well.

I had the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen Set (RM19.80++) which came with free flow tea and 3 pcs of gyoza. Whilst no ramen will ever beat Santouka in my books, Ramen Taiko’s serving was pleasantly tasty, with a soup that was rich, milky and savoury from the pork bone broth. Definitely something I would recommend.

Favourite candy egg! Eggs in both noodles were nicely done.

Mum had the Tokyo Shoyu Ramen Set (RM16.90++) which was a soy-based soup. It’s less rich than the tonkotsu soup base and would be perfect for those who prefer their ramen on the lighter side.

Gyoza was done nicely, pan-fried to perfection and the filling was juicy on the inside. While it was delicious, it still couldn’t beat Matsuba’s gyoza which is one of the best I’ve ever tried.

All in all, Ramen Taiko is perfect for a ramen fix on working weekdays, or if I’m being too lazy to venture out of Mon’t Kiara. On my list of tastiest ramens, I think Ramen Taiko can take the 3rd or 4th spot. Do note, prices are a bit steep if you don’t order a set lunch, and set lunches change every month.

Address:
5-0-2B,
Mont Kiara Shoplex,
Jalan Kiara, KL  50480

Map *here*

Wils and ronnycakes reviews: Frontera Sol of Mexico: Ramadhan Buffet, Jaya One

The time for fasting has rolled around again and this means endless Ramadhan buffets throughout the whole month that not only entice our Muslim counterparts but also the non-fasting among us! What’s most important for breaking fast is of course something delicious to look forward to after a long day, and that’s where Frontera Sol of Mexico comes in with it’s offering of Mexican Tex-Mex food.

We were incredibly fortunate to be invited by Chop Chop for an early preview of Frontera’s Ramadhan spread, so thanks to Chop Chop for the invite!

No-one can deny that Frontera offers a sumptuous spread, just take a look at their extensive buffet menu!

Beginning from 6.30pm for RM50++ per pax, you get to eat to your heart’s delight with 12 starters to choose from (buffet style so pile it on those plates!) as well as any main course you want from the list. After that, you can satisfy your sweet tooth by indulging on the wide range of desserts they serve.

A stage for live performances.

The starters buffet choices.

 
Unlimited leafy greens with two types of dressings and two types of toppings.

 

 
Left: Chicken Taquitos de Pollo, a blend of lettuce, tomato, onion, grated cheese and lightly grilled chicken meat all wrapped up in tortilla skins.
Right: Fish Taquitos de Pollo, similar ingredients but wraps up a deep fried fish fillet instead.

 
Soup was free flow, an offering of chipotle mushroom soup which was spicy and tangy. On the right is Mushroom and Cheese Bruschetta; crunchy and savoury.

BBQ Wings with a tinge of spiciness and had a delicious smoky flavour.

Crispy Tortilla Chips and Bacon Bits, deep-fried to crunchy perfection.

Beef Tostadas: shredded beef with grated cheese and tomato sauce on tortilla chips.

Tofu Tostadas.

 
Free flow ice lemon tea for Ramadhan buffet-goers.

Our respective starters plates :D
Love the fact that it’s free flow and all for the taking. Almost everything is delicious too!

 
On to the main courses! I had the Spicy Prawn Diablo which came with a side of grilled vegetables: zucchini and onions. Portion was quite generous with five or six large prawns. We were told by the waitress that the diablo would be incredibly spicy but even for someone like me (low spice tolerance alert) it wasn’t very spicy at all. Anyway, it still tasted delicious and would have gone great with the Mexican Rice offered in the buffet spread.

Grilled vegetables.

Wils had the Maple Glazed Salmon. The portion of salmon served was quite big, and the fish was very fresh with no trace of fishiness. It tasted slightly spicy and you could really taste the maple syrup all over the fish, which was controlled very well and no overdose of maple-ness at all.

Tres Leche Cake which we hear is saturated in milk. A little too creamy and sweet for our liking especially after a heavy meal.

Brownies were pretty good, not too sweet and had a nice crispy top.

 
Fruit Popsicles which were cubes of fruit in sugar. The owner let us know that it was supposed to be frozen (hence popsicles) but they couldn’t do it in time. We felt this was a little too sweet and sticky as well.

Mexican Flan which was the best dessert of the night. We could taste the aroma of burnt caramel; hands down the one that you should go for when having the Ramadhan Buffet at Frontera.

Fiesta de Fruita; grapes and a variety of fruits coated with condensed milk, an extremely sinful dessert!

The manager of Frontera who was the host of the night (who explained to us in detail on what went into each dish) serving a diner.

However, a few gripes we had would be that air-conditioning wasn’t cool enough and both me and Wils sweated profusely throughout our meal, and that sugar was a bit heavy-handed in the desserts especially after you’re all that cheesy and meaty food.

All in all, it was a great dining experience with a huge variety of food to choose from. For RM50++ per pax, it’s a bang for your buck. Frontera doesn’t hold back on portion and doesn’t compromise freshness for price. So head over to Frontera this Ramadhan for a truly satisfying and value-for-money meal that won’t disappoint.

Thanks to Frontera for having us and visit their Facebook page for more information! For reservations call: 03-79588515.

Address:
18-G-2, Jaya One,
No 72A, Jalan University,
46200 Petaling Jaya.

Map *here*