Awesome Yakitori @ Sumi-Ka, SS15 Subang

I've heard about Sumi-Ka quite some time ago through a blog but I can't remember why we didn't make a trip there even though it's so near to home. Then SIL booked a table to celebrate her birthday and the fortunate me got to try the very famous Yakitori restaurant finally! 

So it is apparently so famous that you need to really book your table ahead of time and we even had a time limit of 2 hours to finish and be gone cos there were next customers who have booked the table! Wuah, this is like what I experienced in Taipei and Singapore man!

Looking at the tiny restaurant situated at second floor, it's not hard to understand why. The little restaurant is small with pretty small tables and spaces it feels almost like you are in a very homey Japanese restaurant in Japan itself. The service here are also very 'homey' (in other words 'cincai') as you see them taking orders casually and serve you the Yakitoris sometimes in a bunch and just place them on the plates that was already on your table. There were a lot of Japanese customers around us so I was already assuming the food must be good!
Anyway, here are what we ordered. Because we ordered some of the dishes recommend that are off the menu and were given a Japanese-written 'cincai' invoice, I can't be sure of all the names and prices but I'll try my best lar yea. :p

Edamame, RM5.

Some pork or beef ear/tongue in some sauce.

I am absolutely in love with the bowl of beef/pork ear/tongue/innards in probably Ponzu sauce and garlic and chili padi with lime juice. It resembles a Kerabu actually and I couldn't stop eating them!!! It was the perfect appetiser!

Beef Tongue, RM6 each.

Super tender imported beef.

Shiitake Mushrooms, RM4 each.

Mushrooms wrapped with pork.

Some Chicken.

More beef...

We ordered whole loads of meat, mostly some very quality and tender beef that were recommended by the staff. I think they are priced at at least RM10 and above. They were truly awesome I must say!
A lot of us also ate beef tongue for the first time and seriously, they were dangerously addictive!!! So tender and delicious!!! 

Scallops.

Squid, RM4 each.

Tubodai Fish, RM65.

Love the extremely fresh scallops too!!! Of course we shouldn't skip the very expensive Tubodai Fish! Urm, sorry I still prefer my Salmon. :p

Sweet Potato with Butter, RM8.

Baked Eggplant, RM9.

Grilled Rice Ball with Butter.

Oyako Don. 

Because these are Yakitori and we were sharing, we mostly sampled just with a bite of each items so it was good that we had some vegetables and rice dishes to fill the tummy. Most of them were okay with the outstanding one being the Grilled Rice Ball which I will definitely have it again if I ever go back to dine at the restaurant. The grilled rice has a very interesting texture and the butter provides the saltiness and a fantastic fragrant to it! Yumzzz!!!

We did repeat order for the beef tongue and scallops because they were our favourites of the night! :)
All in all, the bill came up to around RM330 plus (can't remember the exact price) which is actually quite decent for Japanese food for 6 adults. The only difference though, is that this is a Japanese meal (with quality, nonetheless) that may not fill your tummy enough. I would definitely love to go back again because I saw some items in the menu that I want to try still, but maybe one day when we decide to spend generously for these bite-size Yakitoris.

*The restaurant runs on cash term only so please be cash-loaded when you visit them!

Sumi-Ka Japanese Yakitori
1st Floor,
No. 19, Jalan SS15/4,
Subang Jaya,
Selangor
Tel: 03-5632 9312/ 016-224 9312

Unforgettable Durian Pie @ The Humble Pie Co, Section 17, PJ

After burgers, it looks like pies are the next big thing in KL city with a few outlets selling pies popping up. Well I have definitely no problem with that trend because I am personally a big fan of pies, especially after two years of enjoying quality pies when I was studying in Perth!

So we went to sample Humble Pie Co one night for supper with the SIL and BIL. Unlike the norm of rugged design, the little cafe is bright, clean and looks simple yet chic, providing a very cozy environment for its diners.

I'm in love with their interior design and simple yet comfy furniture. 

Although they named themselves The Humble Pie, their menu has more than just pies (both sweet and savoury), with snacks, pasta and main course included in the menu. We were asked to order everything at the counter but was charged service charge for that and that is always a big no-no for Deardo and I. SERIOUSLY RESTAURANTS OUT THERE, HOW CAN YOU CHARGE SERVICE CHARGE WHEN YOU RUN A SELF-SERVICE SYSTEM???

Chicken Bites, RM10.

Chicken & Mushrooms Pie, RM20.

The Chicken Bites, which is basically fried chicken wings was not too bad, especially how the rockets that they lay underneath the chicken tastes really nice with some of the oil from the fried chicken. It is however, a very simple dish to make. The Chicken and Mushrooms Pie was a huge letdown, with the fillings a bit too watery to our liking and it tastes like those recipes that I found earlier where the pies fillings are make with canned Campbell soup... I'm sorry but Deardo also agreed that my Chicken Pie tastes better. And to charge RM20 for that pie is pretty crazy! 

Durian Pie to the rescue!!!

I was so glad we chose the Durian Pie for dessert in stead of all other sweet pies available. At RM15, the pie is worth every single penny! The fresh cream and the pie base were awesome but the best thing about the pie is the real durian flesh which was impressively delicious when go with the cream! It was simply unforgettable and a must try for Durian lovers!!! :)

Latte, RM10.

Coffee was just decent but that isn't their main thing anyway.

Lil' Jolie with chocolate on her face again!!! :p

I think as a cafe that has 'pie' in their name, I expected more from them in their pies, which is supposed to be their specialty. With the Durian Pie being so fantastic and the Chicken & Mushrooms Pie being a failure, I'm assuming you can actually go give their sweet pies a try in stead of trying the expensive but disappointing savoury pies.

The Humble Pie Co
11, Jalan 17/45,
Section 17, Petaling Jaya,
Selangor
Tel: 03-7932 1793

Shirlexia's Chorizo Sausage Pork Pie Recipe

Remember my Chicken Pie recipe?

After that first trial, I was eager to try making the pie with different fillings. So the first trial was Chorizo Sausages (you may have heard of them here) which I have two more left in the freezer. So today I'm gonna share my own pie creation which I shall name it Chorizo Sausage Pork Pie.

What you need:
Chopped garlic and onions, 2-3 Chorizo Sausages cut into pieces, about two cups of minced pork, green pies, sliced mushrooms, cream, any type of stock (I used pork cubed stock), salt and pepper to taste, frozen puff pastry

What to do: 
1) In a pan/pot, simmer the garlic and onions with either oil or butter.

2) Add the sausages and continue stirring.

3) Then add in the minced pork and stir and let them cook.

4) Add in the green peas and mushrooms.

5) As the ingredients cook, add in enough salt and black pepper to taste.

6) Now add in stock then pour about half a cup of cream into the mixture. 

7) Let it boiled and you are done with the filling of the pie! 

8) Scoop the filling into the puff pastry in a muffin mold as seen as in my earlier post. Cover with another sheet of puff pastry then brush the surface with egg for a brownish colour then send into pre-heated oven at 180c for about 20 minutes. 
9) Let the pies cool down a bit then remove from mold and serve immediately or let them cool on lined tray. 

We had the pies for dinner with a side sauteed vegetables and they were awesome!!! These pies actually tasted better compared the the earlier chicken pie mainly because of the flavour from the Chorizo Sausages which make the filling a little spicy and comes with a nice spice fragrant! :)

My awesome Spanish-twist pies! :p

What's better to feel good about your own creations? Hehehe...
Maybe we should try using roast pork next?

Super Delicious Beef Dishes @ Gyuniku Restaurant

Gyuniku Restaurant, as its name says it, is a restaurant selling mainly beef dishes, both noodles and rice, with of course some alternative dishes with chicken for non-beef eaters. It's a Halal restaurant though, so no pork served!

It was really a random lunch choice so we ordered based on dishes that look pretty nice in pictures and here they are:

Sauteed Beef Rice, RM13.

Red Braised Beef Soup with rice, RM12.50.

Awesome ingredients! :)

Deardo's Sauteed Beef Rice has a very flavourful gravy (may be a little too salty without the rice) and the thinly sliced beef were very tender. Have the beef to go with rice, blanched vegetables and a fried egg and it really spells perfection! My Red Braised Beef Soup with rice is something similar to Hong Siew-style （红烧), only this one is slightly more tamoto-ish, which I really love. The soup comes in a claypot and has beef, beef balls and some awesome innards, with some radish and carrots. Despite sweating my heart out eating the dish, I really enjoyed it a lot! 

Oh my, I really want some of those beef soup now!!!

The bill came up to RM25.50 (without any extra charges), which is slightly expensive for workdays lunch. But it is a place I will definitely go back again one day when I feel like getting my beef-fix! :)

Gyuniku Restaurant
20, Jalan 28/70A,
Desa Sri Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-23000122