Dissatisfied with his apology, Islamic groups demand Vatican envoy leave Malaysia

From Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch:

Last Tuesday, Archbishop Marino issued a statement conveying "apologies for any misunderstandings and inconveniences" that his earlier defense of the rights of the Christians may have caused. He also reiterated that he "firmly believes that inter-religious dialogue is the means to promote good relations among peoples of different faiths, who can discover the beauty of each others' belief."

Not satisfied with that, Islamic groups are today demanding that he be expelled from Malaysia.

Appeasement never works. Neither does "dialogue." I explain why the latter is doomed to failure in my book Not Peace But A Sword.

"Islamic groups demand Vatican envoy leave Malaysia," from AFP, July 19:

Several Islamic groups today demanded the recall of the Vatican's first envoy to Malaysia, describing him as an "enemy of the state" after he supported the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims. 

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Vatican's mission in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Muslim-majority Malaysia, after prayers on Friday, urging the government to expel Archbishop Joseph Marino. 

Marino, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur less than six months ago, recently elicited a rebuke from the government after he waded into a religious row over the right to translate "God" to "Allah" in Malay-language Bibles and other literature. 

He had described arguments supporting the move put forward by the Catholic Church in an ongoing court battle with the government over the issue, as "logical and acceptable".
He was on Tuesday summoned to the foreign ministry over his remarks, and has since apologised. 

It was not enough for some Muslim organisations in the country, however. 

"Joseph Marino is an enemy of the state. His actions have strained race relations in the country," said Ibrahim Ali, president of right-wing group Perkasa. 

Ibrahim has previously drawn controversy by calling for the burning of the Bible.
"Marino must leave Malaysia," said Hasan Ali, the head of Islamic group JATI, who urged the government to close the mission and not to accept any envoy from the Vatican. 

The government has argued that the word "Allah" should only be used by Muslims, as it fears using the word in Malay-language Bibles is an attempt to confuse and proselytise. 

Yesterday, a Malaysian couple known for publishing a sexually explicit blog were charged with sedition and denied bail after they caused outrage with a prank Ramadan greeting on Facebook that showed them eating pork -- which is forbidden in Islam. 

Malaysia has more than 2.5 million Christians in a population of 28 million, of which about 60 percent are Muslim.

Malaysia 'Galloping' towards Islamization, says Prominent Bishop

Threats to close Vatican office as nation takes sharp pro-Islamic turn

UCA News via ICC/Persecution.org

In Malaysia, the tone of the anti-Christian campaign has become shriller. One of the new government’s first moves was to amend the Administration of Islamic Law so that consent from only one parent or guardian was required for a child to be converted to Islam. It drew flak from an array of rights groups, lawyers and politicians, and surprised by the fierce reaction, the bill was withdrawn earlier this month.

Yet it is not over yet. Some see it as an attempt by the government to shore up its conservative Muslim voter base, while others say it is a sign of the continuing Islamization of Malaysia. Other examples abound: the barely veiled threats against the papal nuncio Archbishop Joseph Marino, who has defended the rights of Malaysian Christians to use Allah as the word for God in the Malay language, are cause for concern.

"If he does not retract his statement in seven days, we will have….to ask the prime minister…to close the Vatican office and ask that the ambassador be sent back to the Vatican," said the radical Malay-Muslim supremacy organizations, Peraksa and Jati. Their accusations of an attempted ‘Christianisation’ of Malaysia signals rising tensions between the country’s disparate religious groups.

Around 60 percent of Malaysia’s population considers themselves to be Muslim; just over nine percent are Christian. Conflict between the two groups has been on the rise for several years, since the government in 2009 lifted a ban on the use of “Allah” as a translation for “God” in Malay-language Bibles. The ruling was followed by a series of attacks on Christian worship sites.

And last year, as the country prepared for elections, the government was forced to ditch the name of a seminar on "the threat of Christianity" after it was accused of attempting to stoke anti-Christian sentiment in a bid to win the Muslim vote.

While the debacle over the use of “Allah” can be seen as an issue of dissent between Muslims and Christians, the attempted conversion ruling would have affected all religious minorities in Malaysia. The big question is: what religion should children adhere to if ones parent leaves his or her religion to convert to Islam? There have been several cases in the past few years, where a father – in most cases a Hindu – converted to Islam and subsequently converted the children without having sought the mother’s consent.

The government claims the sole purpose of the bill was to rectify the lack of a legal provision for child conversions at the federal level. However, by attempting to legalize the right of the converted parent to convert the kids to his or her new religion, the government abandoned a cabinet decision made in April 2009. Back then the government agreed that minors were to be bound by the common religion of their parents while they were married, even if one parent later becomes a Muslim.

The prominent Bishop Tan had called the bill “morally and ethically wrong,” unconstitutional, and proof of the “galloping Islamization” underway in Malaysia. Many protested the ruling, from Chinese and Indian component parties of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, to the Malaysian Bar, to cabinet members and various rights groups.

 “It is not fair to say that one parent can determine a child’s religion if the parent decides to convert to Islam.... As a lawyer and a Muslim, I am not comfortable with the situation,” Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had told the Malaysian daily, The Star.

The government has withdrawn the bill, yet more recently made Islamic and Asian Civilisation Studies compulsory for local students in private universities. With Chinese Buddhist organizations condemning the move as an “attempt at indoctrination,” it appears this conflict will continue well into the future. 

Larkin Bus Terminal: Mee Bandung

Mee Bandung (RM4.00)

So my darling wife and I headed down to Larkin again with my parents in tow.
After we settled our errands, it was makan time!

Everyone was having Nasi Campur but I wasn't in the mood for rice.
In the end, I settled on some Mee Bandung.

I've actually never had Mee Bandung outside before as in I've never ordered it when eating out.
In fact, the only other time I've had it is when my darling wife cooked it for me at home once.
I really wasn't sure why I ordered it other than I didn't know what else to have. Was it going to be yummy?

YES!

This was definitely a tasty serving of Mee Bandung!
The gravy was really tasty and the shrimp taste was  not overpowering at all.
And they definitely were not stingy with the topping either. Chicken, egg, fishcake and vegetables galore!

One thing I have to point out is the big serving of noodles that comes along.
I do like my noodles but I got tired of it after awhile and ended up scooping the remainder out while I finished up the delicious gravy.


According to checks on the internet, Mee Bandung originated from Muar which is in Johor.
I'm not sure if the people are from Muar but they sure know how to make a decent bowl of Mee Bandung.

Adam's Verdict:
Mee Bandung 3/5

This is the 2nd best Mee Bandung I've ever had.
My wife's version still wins :)

Gerai Mak Milah (MS24)

Kompleks Pengangkutan Awam Larkin (3rd Level)

Operating Hours:
9.00am til - 9.00pm Daily

KL Sedap Part 7: Krispy Kreme

Okay so we have come to the end of our KL Sedap Series.
My darling wife and our guest reviewers, Razali & Azim, have joined me in exploring just a tiny fraction of the makan paradise we know as Kuala Lumpur.

And although this it the last post in the series for now, I have a strong feeling that it might be the most popular in the series.

Oh come now. There's no need to be shy.
Everyone I know has a soft spot for doughnuts. Specifically - Krispy Kreme.

I remember a time when Dunkin' Donuts completely dominated the doughnut market.
When my family used to travel into Malaysia, there would surely be a few boxes of Dunkin' Donuts in the car with us on the way back.

But it appears the times have changed.

Since Krispy Kreme appeared in KL, it seems that it has completely dominated the doughnut scene not only there but everywhere else.

Is a superior product? Better variety? Great location?
Well when Krispy Kreme opened in the US, their Original Glazed® Doughnut quickly gained legendary status. When it spread closer to us (in HK), we started seeing people bring back these white boxes with green dots when they returned from their travels. Litttle did we know the treasures within...

In KL alone, they have 3 outlets. Two are located at Sunway and one more at Mid Valley Megamall.
The 3rd (and most convenient) is located at Berjaya Times Square. Why convenient? Well, quite a number of travellers who take the coach in and out of KL have the chance to take a coach operator who stops and picks-up at Berjaya Times Square.

This means lots of doughnuts for loved ones at home!
And as you can see from the picture above, you're gonna have quite a time choosing your doughnuts.

Original Glazed®

Without a doubt, the most popular doughnut at Krispy Kreme is the Original Glazed®.
The beauty in their doughnuts is not only in the toppings but the doughnut itself. It's really really soft and gives you such a heavenly feeling when you take a nice big bite.

And the best thing - it remains soft even after a few hours.
If you have to keep your Krispy Kreme doughnuts in the fridge, just pop em in the microwave for about 15 seconds before you serve and it'll be as soft as when you first bought them.

In the mood for something a little more decadent?
Well I'm a sucker for Orange Chocolate so I was helpless when I saw these beauties staring back at me.

At first, I though it was gonna be just the orange stripes which would give me the orange flavour but I was pleasantly surprised! The chocolate that covered the doughnut was a dark orange chocolate that was FULL of flavour! Quality is never a question and Krispy Kreme passes that with flying colours!

Not an orange chocolate fan?
Well then you might consider the Chocolate Dream - chocolate within chocolate!

But hey, I can't go through every single doughnut they have right?
Well I'll just lay them out for you and you can take a look for yourselves if anything tickles your fancy.

See anything you like?
I'm guessing some of you might be drooling like Homer Simpson right about now.
I know I am!

A single Original Glazed® doughnut costs RM2.50.
A half-dozen Original Glazed® sets you back RM12.00.
A whole dozen Original Glazed® is RM19.00.

Flavoured doughnuts are RM2.80, RM15.00 and RM23.90 respectively.

I didn't do very well for my maths but I reckon the best deal is the box of dozen.

And for the kids (or even yourself if you're looking to cut down on your sugar), they also have Mini doughnuts that promise to pack the same delicious taste as their bigger counterparts.

EAT ME!

Looks like I could fit one in my whole mouth. 
Really like Homer Simpson!

Adam's Verdict:
Krispy Kreme 5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Krispy Kreme 5/5

I think it's quite safe to say that Krispy Kreme is tops.

The big question is - when is Krispy Kreme coming to Singapore?
I've heard several rumours (as far back as 3 years ago) and read several online articles that say the brand franchise has already been bought for Singapore but so far no news on any outlets opening.

Some online forums claims that it's supposed to open in "March 2013".
Well it's already June anyways. Looks like I need to go to KL for my Krispy Kreme fix.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Berjaya Times Square
Level 1
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 60 3 21440790

www.krispykreme.com.my/doughnuts.html

Operating Hours:
Sundays to Thursdays - 8.00 am til Midnight
Fridays, Saturdays and PH Eve - 8.00am til 1.00am

KL Sedap Part 6: Pepper Lunch

Pepper Lunch is a very popular Japanese-style makan place that has been around for many years. The outlets in Singapore however are not certified Halal.

Well, luckily for us - the outlets in Malaysia are certified Halal!

So the concept is really simple but something that is still so attractive.
You get to cook your own food on a hotplate! I'm not talking about steamboat style or the kind of hotplate that is perpetually hot (like table BBQ). This kind of hotplate is heated up (to 260 degrees!!) so that you can cook the meat to your liking and then after awhile, the cooking stops as the heat stops as well.

If you like your meat medium rare, put it atop the vegetables to stop the cooking but if you're like me and you like it well done, leave it on the hotplate to cook through all the way to the end.

Check out this promotional video that also plays at the Pepper Lunch outlets. It's actually like an instructional video that shows how to cook the different menu items they have.



Looks good eh? Looks fun eh? Well it is!
It's always fun to play a part in cooking your food the way you like.

But they seem to have forgotten one item on the menu which also happens to be my favourite!
Let's take a look at how the expert does it...



Yummy! Absolutely mouth-watering I say...

Ribeye Steak (RM36.80)

So for those with a bigger appetite for meat (like me) then you should go for the Ribeye Steak.
It comes with a combo which includes rice and veggies so you get a balanced meal. Also includes a side of mashed potatoes (which isn't really anything special to be honest)

The meat is really really as tender as you would expect and of course, you are responsible for how well you meat is cooked so you can stop at medium rare or medium well if you'd like. I personally always go all the way for well done.

And yes - it really is as big as it looks in the photo.

Pepper Steak (RM29.80)

For those who prefer something a little smaller, go for the Pepper Steak.
This is basically a smaller size piece of meat (which happens to be a Sirloin cut by the way) plus all the additional sides as well.

The meat is still tender and not too bad considering it's fast food.
But the serving is much smaller compared to the Ribeye so if you're hungry, we suggest you go big.
Plus, for the minimal price difference, you might as well top-up.

But a word of advice though...

You will have to add these two sauces to your meat while it's cooking on the hotplate.
Your initial instincts will be to taste them first which is fine because they don't taste too strong when you taste them on their own.

But when you start putting it on the meat, please don't overdo it!
Being the hero that I am, I went all out and thought to myself "the more the merrier".
That was a mistake! Too much will make your dish very very very very very salty so go slow okay!

Seafood Aglio Olio (RM18.80)

No likey the meaty? No problem!

Pepper Lunch also offers alternatives which involves no beef or chicken at all. And one of them is the Seafood Aglio Olio for all you pasta lovers.

When we first saw it, our initial reaction was "Pasta on a hotplate is not a good idea" but we were willing to give it a try so that all our readers have a heads-up!

They give you a small dish of seasoning and olive oil which you are supposed to pour all over your pasta while it cooks on the hotplate and is probably supposed to keep it from burning.

Well it doesn't really burn but as you can see, it does tend to get a bit dry.
Maybe a little (or a lot) more olive oil would have been helpful?
Come to think of it, maybe you should think twice before having pasta on a hotplate.

Don't get us wrong. The taste itself was not too bad actually. But the dried up dish wasn't a hit.
So it's either you eat really fast before it dries up or maybe ask for extra olive oil.

PS don't bother asking for Tabasco sauce - they've never heard of it.
(Reminder -  this is Japanese pasta not Italian pasta)

Adam's Verdict:
Ribeye Steak 4/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Ribeye Steak 4/5

Razali's Verdict:
Seafood Aglio Olio 3.5/5

Azim's Verdict:
Pepper Steak 4/5

Pepper Lunch is definitely worth a try if you're in Malaysia. Wonder if they will apply for Halal certification in SG in future maybe?

Pepper Lunch

Pavilion KL
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Level 1, Lot 1.54
Tel: 60 3 21410228

Operating Hours:
10.30am til 10.30pm Daily

KL Sedap Part 5: Shimino Japanese Crepes

 

So at the top level of Pavilion shopping mall, there's a small section they call Tokyo Street.
You can find all kinds of Japanese-inspired shops there like fashion, accessories and even food.
There's even a shop that specializes in selling traditional Japanese tea including all the pots and utensils.

It's actually pretty nice to talk a walk around

One of those shops selling makan is this place called Shimino Japanese Crepes.
Japanese and Crepes are not 2 words I normally put together...
So how different is a Japanese Crepe from a Non-Japanese Crepe? Well let's find out...

And to help us find out we have our fellow guest reviewers;

Azim & Razali

 As you can tell, they've got smiles on their faces so the crepes must nice right?

Fresh Mango & Honey Crepe (RM8.90)

Fresh Strawberry & Chocolate Sauce Crepe (RM8.90)

So the first thing you notice is that the crepes are made into a cone shape which makes it easy to eat on the go. Try to think of it as like you're having an ice-cream or something.

The crepes itself are made to order which means you get it fresh. I guess they kinda have to make it fresh because the crepes would definitely be sucky if they we made then left to sit waiting for orders.

Whatever filling you choose, you can actually mix and match what else goes in the crepe.
Fro example, ours was actually a Fresh Strawberry and Honey crepe but we opted for the Chocolate Sauce instead and they top it off with toppings like almond flakes, peanuts, rainbow sprinkles etc.
But the one thing that you should leave alone is the fresh cream that is packed with the filling.

I actually thought it was going to be just whipped cream out of the can or something but it really was a nice surprise that it was FRESH cream! And they're not stingy with the filling as you can see. Packed full of sweet strawberries!

And they actually have wide varieties of crepes to choose from.
Classics like Banana Chocolate, Peaches, Kiwi and Pineapple and all ready for you to eat.
They also have more interesting flavours like Mandarin Orange and Coffee Jelly!

And in case you feel like having some savoury crepes instead, they have flavours like Roast Beef, Chicken Teriyaki, Roast Duck and Seafood Mayo.

Adam's Verdict:
Fresh Strawberry & Chocolate Sauce Crepe 4/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Fresh Strawberry & Chocolate Sauce Crepe 3.5/5

Razali's Verdict:
Fresh Mango & Honey Crepe 3.5/5

Azim's Verdict:
Fresh Mango & Honey Crepe 3.5/5

Well I'm not sure if it's different from any other crepe I've had but it's still a good dessert nonetheless.
Just try to maintain when you eat... Like Azim.

Shimino Japanese Crepes

Pavilion KL
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tokyo Street (Level 6) P6.16.00

Operating Hours: 10.30am til 10.00pm Daily

KL Sedap Part 4: Nasi Kandar Pelita

My parents started driving up to KL for short trips since we were kids.
And the routine was almost always the same - leave the house at 6am, drive up to KL, makan Nasi Kandar and then finally check-in at the hotel.

We would literally drive straight to the Nasi Kandar and have lunch first. Kind of like a tradition.
Our Nasi Kandar place is actually Mohd Yaseen Nasi Kandar (along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman) which my darling wife and I have had in a recent trip there.

But since her trip up to KL with a friend, she's been raving about the Nasi Kandar from Pelita.

I remember having it once but I can't really remember much.
And since our hotel this time was nearby a rather famous Pelita branch, Razali, Azim, my darling wife and myself decided to have a hearty lunch before heading out for shopping.

So what exactly is Nasi Kandar?

Apparently, Nasi Kandar actually originated from Penang and is basically mixed rice with an Indian influence. That means you'll get a wide spread of dishes including seafood (fish head, squid, crabs, prawns), meat (chicken, beef, mutton), vegetables and other assorted side dishes.

You'll normally also get a serving of veggie mix (normally cucumber, pineapple and carrot) as an accompaniment.

So far like normal right? But what makes Nasi Kandar unique?

Well just give the guy dishing out your food the 'word' and you'll find out.
Say 'kuah campur' and he'll put a little bit of each type of curry/gravy on display for you including the special 'kandar' gravy which is dark and tasty.

Don't worry he's not going to drown your rice in gravy until it becomes a soup.
But just how many types of gravy are we talking about here?

Well it's normally at least 5 types and mostly curry.
Crab curry, prawn curry, chicken curry, meat curry and Kandar gravy. If there's more then he'll put more.

So common things to have with your rice?
Chicken is a popular choice like fried chicken for example. They also have a special dish of chicken which is basically the chicken with the Kandar gravy. (RM6.00 per piece of chicken)

You can also have seafood. Prawns will cost between RM5.00-RM15.00 depending on size.
Squid will be about the same. And trust me - they have some pretty big prawns and squids.
You can even get a Fish Head (Curry) for about RM30.00.

Nasi Kandar with Ayam Kandar, Ladyfingers and Salted Egg

Nasi Kandar with Fried Chicken, Cabbage, Ladyfingers and Salted Egg

 The average price per plate for the servings above is about RM9.00.
And it may not look like much in the photos but believe you me that's a full meal right there.

For my Ayam Kandar though, it was a little different from what I usually have at the other Nasi Kandar place. It seems that here, they fry the chicken here first which mean they just put it in the gravy later.
This kinda makes the outer skin have that Kandar taste but the meat is completely clean.
Definitely a minus for me.

And apparently, Azim had the fish and he wasn't really impressed either.
Only the Fried Chicken seemed to be okay. Maybe because it was just simple.

And another thing. He may have put all the different curries and gravies for us but somehow it still turned out to be only a little bit of gravy on our plates. A case of stingy-with-the-gravy?
Normally at other (Pelita) outlets they apparently are a lot more generous and dish out the kuah the way it should be in Nasi Kandar.

Sotong Goreng Tepung (RM15.00)

We also decided to have the Sotong Goreng Tempura.
As this is only made to order, this would mean it was supposed to be fresh and hot and crispy but unfortunately this was not the case. I'm guessing it was sitting on the counter for awhile before the server finally picked it up and sent it to our table.

Anyways, don't expect much in the flavour department. The batter was completely tasteless.
But at least the squid itself was not overcooked.

Adam's Verdict:
Nasi Kandar 2.5/5 -- Sotong Goreng Tepung 2/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Nasi Kandar 2.5/5 -- Sotong Goreng Tepung 3/5

Razali's Verdict:
Nasi Kandar 2/5 -- Sotong Goreng Tepung 3/5

Azim's Verdict:
Nasi Kandar 2.5/5 -- Sotong Goreng Tepung 3/5

Pelita is actually a very famous Nasi Kandar chain in KL so I have no doubt that it's actually a nice place to have Nasi Kandar. Maybe we just went to the wrong outlet on the wrong day. Maybe next time other outlets might be better.

Oh. Any by the way. Avoid going during lunch hour unless you're okay with a large crowd.

Nasi Kandar Pelita

No 149 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: +60 3 21625532
www.pelita.com.my

Operating Hours:
24 Hours Daily (Closed between 1pm til 2pm on Fridays)

KL Sedap Part 3: A&W

Yes yes this is another place we makan-ed at when we visited in Melaka.
But if you remember, we didn't get to eat what we came for. And finally - now we can!

Beef Coney Dog (RM11.65 for the combo)

Yes, this time the guy gave us the correct Coney Dog!
And to be honest, compared to the Chicken Coney Dog, the Beef version is so much better.

Azim has A&W lots of places in Malaysia and he claims that the Coney Sauce here is actually below par compared to other A&W outlets he's been to. My darling wife, on the other hand, thinks the sauce is fine but they put too little on it.

Call me a sucker for meat but there's just something so.. something so.. satisfying.
The snap of the sausage is so much more evident and it tastes absolutely delicious. Topped of with the Coney sauce and onions and you have yourself a party right there.

Honestly - one is not enough for me!

Curly Fires

Of course, pair it with some Curly Fries and there's an even bigger party.

But you know what was the real kicker for this visit?
Remember that in Melaka, we were served the Root Beer Float in paper cup.
Well, thank goodness that's not the case here.

Classic Root Beer Float

That's right. A Classic Root Beer Float served in a frosty mug.
With scoop ice-cream (none of that Soft Serve nonsense) and they even get the Root Beer out of the old-school tap! That's what I call classic!

And it still tastes as refreshing as ever.

Yes! That tap!
When was the last time you saw one of those?!That's the original stuff right there!!

Not only are we not able to get the classic A&W in Singapore anymore, most of the places across the Causeway (and even in Indonesia) don't really keep many of the old A&W traditions that made it famous in the first place.

Nowadays, you get a paper cup instead of the frosty mug.
If I wasn't such a law-abiding person, I probably would have swiped the mug! Because you simply can't get it at that many places anymore!

And speaking of classic...

A&W Waffle with Double Scoop Ice-Cream (RM7.95)

I remember that the last time I ate this was in 1998 at the A&W in Bedok (besides the National Library).
And according to Razali, it hasn't changed a bit.

The waffles are still excellent and the standards haven't dropped at all.
You can have the single scoop for RM1.00 lesser but come on... you know it's gonna be the double...

Adam's Verdict:
Beef Coney Dog 5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Beef Coney Dog 3.5/5

Razali's Verdict:
Waffle with Double Scoop Ice-Cream 4/5

Azim's Verdict:
Beef Coney Dog 3/5

As you can see, it was a very satisfying meal overall.
I wish they would re-open A&W in Singapore. I'm sure people would still flock there.

A&W

Jalan Batu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.facebook.com/awmalaysia

Operating Hours:
10.00am til 11.00pm (Sundays - Thursdays)
10.00am til 12.00am (Fridays and Saturdays)

KL Sedap Part 2: Hard Rock Cafe

I'm sure you guys remember when we headed to Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) in Melaka right?
Well before there was HRC Melaka, there was HRC KL!

But before we start, let me apologize in advance for the quality of some of the pictures.
The place was rather dark and I had no choice but to fire the flash in most of the shots so they appear rather bright. But I guess that's better than having pictures of the silhouettes of the food right?

Hickory-Smoked Chicken Wings (RM26.00)

When you order your wings, you have to choose between either Classic (Normal), Tangy BBQ (Mild) or Heavy Metal (Spicy). Talk about lighting the fire of my appetite am I right?

Well it's basically like an order of Buffalo Wings.
The wings are tossed with the special sauce of your choice. They douse the wings with the sauce just nicely because you will get some on your fingers when you pick it up but not too much that it's overpowering.
Served with a Blue Cheese ranch dressing!!!

And at RM26.00 for half a dozen wings, it's a steal!!

Famous Fajitas Trio (RM55.00)

So these are the famous HRC Fajitas. (My mum's favourite!)

You have a choice of beef, chicken, shrimp, a double combo of two meats or a trio like mine!
It's served on a hotplate with a bed of sizzling onions. Awesome!

Fajitas Accompaniments

The Fajitas come with some accompaniments of course.
Some tortillas for you to stuff with the meat. You've also got lettuce, guacamole (avocado), herbed diced tomatos, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses plus sour cream!

So if you're looking to have a party in your mouth, all the guests are already invited!

I can tell why my Mum loves this so much.
The grilled meat on the hot plate taste so much better when they're still sizzling hot and getting to choose what you want (or don't want) to be in your tortilla makes it even better. In fact, ditch the bread and just eat the meat! It's totally fine!

Hickory-Smoked Bar-B-Que Beef Ribs (RM78.00)

This is something we wanted to have in HRC Melaka but we passed.
And my darling wife decided she wasn't going to pass it up twice in a row!

BRING ON THE MEAT!!!

The tender beef ribs come smothered in BBQ sauce and cooked absolutely superbly.
The meat is so tender you don't even need a knife! You can just use your fork to twist of the meat and it comes falling off the bone just like that. Wish they would have laid off a little on the sauce though because I'd rather enjoy a little more of that beefy flavour instead of the BBQ sauce which is also in the baked beans.

It comes with fries, coleslaw and some baked beans.
This is a MUST HAVE for any meat lovers!!!
(My mouth is literally watering as I type this now while looking at the picture above)

Adam's Verdict:
Hickory-Smoked Chicken Wings 3/5 -- Famous Fajitas Trio 3/5
Hickory-Smoked Bar-B-Que Beef Ribs 4/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Hickory-Smoked Chicken Wings 2.5/5 -- Hickory-Smoked Bar-B-Que Beef Ribs 4/5

Still so many items to try on the menu at HRC.
I reckon we'll be making our way there a few more times. At least.

Hard Rock Cafe (Kuala Lumpur)

Concorde Hotel
No 2 Jln Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: +60 3 27155555
www.hardrock.com

Operating Hours:
11.30am til 2.00am (Sunday til THursday)
11.30am til 3.00am (Fridays and Saturdays)

Kitchen closes at 10.30pm Daily

KL Sedap Part 1: Grand Seri Garuda Emas

So we're going to begin our KL Sedap series!

I know a lot of us probably travel overseas to KL more often than any other city.
It's convenient, not too far away and is a modern city but still rich in history and culture.
AND HAS PLENTY OF MAKAN!

Let's face it, whenever we go to KL, confirm plus chop plus guarantee we're definitely going to spend a good amount of time eating. There's just so much to eat! From the street stalls to the restaurants, there's simply no end I tell you!

Well anyways our adventure begins at a place that my darling wife went to on one of her previous visits.
She kept raving about this dish she had called 'Ayam Pop' which was apparently the BOMB!
We tried a version in Singapore but it was a complete disaster so we've gone to the original source of my wife's fascination with this dish.

And since this was a family trip, my trusted brothers-in-law (and fellow foodies) Razali and Azim were along for this makan adventure in KL. Read more about them at our Bio page!

So Restoran Grand Seri Garuda Emas actually serves authentic Minang-style food.
We're talking about good old 'put everything on the table and we charge you for what you eat' kinda thing.

As you'd expect, they have the usual Padang favourites like Daging Salai, various seafood and vegetables.
They even have otak (brains)!!

And let's not forget the favourite Cabe Hijau (Green Chilli)!!!

Yeah we all know about Nasi Padang (or Minang) but what about this Ayam Pop eh?

Ayam Pop

 So what's so special about Ayam Pop anyways?
Apparently, the chicken is marinated then boiled in coconut water.

So the coconut water does nothing much for the flavour of the chicken but it surely makes the chicken meat very tender while retaining a moist texture. And let me tell you something else. Another thing it doesn't help is the appearance! But appearances aside, this chicken is really super tender and you DO get a hint of the coconut water and when you bite into it.

Well, anyways Azim wasn't buying into any of the coconut water talk and says it doesn't make much of a difference. But both he and Razali agree that.. it.. doesn't.. look.. appetizing....

They give you this special sambal to go with the Ayam Pop.
It's basically a mix of petis (fermented shrimp paste) and chillies. It's actually pretty spicy but the petis definitely kills any chance of it being overpowering.

I love me some petis so this was definitely a hit.

But for those of you who aren't interested in any boiled chicken...

Ayam Goreng

Great news! They also some pretty good Ayam Goreng!
(It definitely looks better doesn't it?)

Adam's Verdict:
Ayam Pop 3/5 -- Ayam Goreng 3.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Ayam Pop 4.5/5 -- Ayam Goreng 3/5

Razali's Verdict:
Ayam Pop 2/5 -- Ayam Goreng 3.5/5

Azim's Verdict:
Ayam Pop 2.5/5

Well besides the Ayam Pop and Ayam Goreng, the rest of the dishes are really good too.
I really enjoyed the fried beef dishes and the vegetable dishes like 'Terung Sambal'!
Worth the trip if you're in the area and hankering for some Nasi Padang!

Restoran Grand Seri Garuda Emas

No 176 Jalan Raja Abdullah
Kg Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: +60 0322027170
www.garuda.my

Operating Hours: 10.00am til midnight Daily