Selamat Berpuasa

To all Muslim readers, here's wishing you

Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

&

Selamat  Berpuasa

Absolute Tribal...serving your senses

Sawadeeka...from Kuching!  Come, let's join me in getting our taste buds tingled all over.  I bring to you, the Absolute Tribal at The Hills Shopping Mall, Kuching which serves a good selection of mouth-watering Thai dishes.

On one occasion, my family and I headed here for dinner, just to try something different from our usual everyday fare.  Why here?  Yours truly is a food hunter, that's why!  And this restaurant does not disappoint me at all.  *glad*

Let's dig in...

Browsing the menu and deciding what to order was an ordeal.  Everything seemed just so scrumptious and attractive, and we could not decide.  But decide, we had to, nevertheless. 

Tom Yam Seafood (Tom Yam Thalay)

Thick, sour, spicy and flavorful.  This is indeed a Thai masterpiece.  Loaded with mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves, ooh la la...the broth is to die for.  The prawns, fish and squids, infused with the secret Thai herbs, were essentially fresh, making this dish a must-have.

Shredded Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

Shredded Papaya Salad...I'm loving it.  Looks rather labour-intensive to prepare for almost everything thrown into this dish is either cut or shredded rather finely.  You'll find a generous amount of of pound groundnuts mixing harmoniously with the shredded papaya, long beans, and chillies.  Doused with just the right amount of sweet, sour and spicy dressings, this dish makes you want to go back for more.  A good appetizer to kick start your meal.

Spicy Mango Salad (Yam Ma-Muang)

Another type of salad that we ordered - spicy mango salad, a dish which left me quite speechless. Another must-order dish.  Mark my word.  It will surely blow you away with its tastebud awakening flavours.  The combination of ingredients are simply out of this world.  Once, we asked for extra spicy.  Oh my...Biting into the crunchy texture of the shredded mango combined with crispy spicy cuttlefish, fresh red shallots and cili padi almost knocked me out of my seat.  But that hasn't deterred me from going back for more.  And I can easily finish a plate all by myself.  Such is the power of this dish.

Deep Fried Kai Lan (Kha-Na Tod)

Kai Lan deep fried to crispy perfection...How about that?  Initially, I thought this dish would just be a very normal dish, your usual homecooked fare.  But it turned out to be a rather impressive dish, garnished with meat floss, lending sweetness to the kai lan which sometimes leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Pandan Chicken

Unwrapping the pandan leaf reveals a very tender and juicy piece of chicken, very well marinated with a concoction of seasonings and spices.  The pandan leaf, keeps the juices of the chicken inside, hence lending a sweet aroma to the chicken which will definitely whet one's appetite.  This dish comes with a honey dipping sauce.

Pineapple Fried Rice (Khao Phat Sapparot)

Aroi!  This dish offers a unique taste and texture in one dish.  It can be a complete dish in itself. Chunks of pineapple and chicken, coupled with deliciously fresh prawns create a special flavour that is bound to make your dining experience a worthy one.  Hmm...it would be better though if the pineapple fried rice was served in a hollowed out halved pineapple. :P

Chicken Feet Kerabu

I heard eating chicken feet is an acquired taste.  To me, it is a delicacy in its own right.  Chicken feet is one of my favourite food, so it was no surprise that I ordered Chicken feet kerabu on my maiden visit to this restaurant.  It is one healthy dish and is usually eaten cold.  The chicken feet is deboned and marinated with lime juice, chillies, shallots, big onions and some sugar.  Come and try it.  Don't get cold feet when you hear cold chicken feet.  It's...AROI!  :)

The restaurant setup

My family and I enjoyed eating at this cosy restaurant.  Since our maiden visit, we have made numerous visits back there.  If you would like to challenge your tastebuds with unbelievable herbs and spices, but have no one to undertake this challenge with you, hey, I'm game for it.  Anytime.  :)

Recipe - Egg Tarts

The Pastry:

200g plain flour

1 tsp milk powder

25g castor sugar 

1/2 egg yolk

130g cubed cold butter

Filling:

100g castor sugar

250ml hot water

1¾ tbsp milk powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

Preparation:

(1)  Beat the butter, castor sugar and egg yolk until creamy and then sift in the flour and milk into a pliable dough.  Cover the dough with cloth and leave it for about 20 minutes.

(2)  Roll out the pastry in between two sheets of parchment paper.  Stamp out circles of pastry according to the size of mould.  Line the patty tins with the pastry circles.

(3)  Trim off the excess of dough and prick the base of dough with a fork.  Bake the dough in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes at 160°C.  Remove and let cool.

(4)  For the filling, dissolve sugar in hot water.  Stir in milk powder and salt.  Leave to cool and then add vanilla essence.

(5)  Break eggs into a bowl and stir lightly.  Do not overbeat.

(6)  Pour the cooled mixture into the eggs.  Mix well and then strain into measuring cup.

(7)  Pour the custard mixture into the pre-baked pastry until almost full.  Bake at 180°C for about 15 minutes or until filling is set.

Astana Grilled Burger

I have always wanted to sink my teeth into one of those roadside burgers, but I just never did stop by at any of those stalls until I heard about this grilled burger gerai at Jalan Astana.  Located at GPS Coordinate/Google Map: 1.575161,110.33595, this stall is just outside house No. 136, opposite a bus stop, and has a banner that spells ASTANA GRILLED BURGER which you won’t miss as you drive along the dimly-lit road.

This stall serves grilled beef burgers every day, except for Sunday which is their rest day.  And Saturday is special because they also serve grilled chicken burgers.

No. 136, Jalan Astana

The burgers come in different sizes, and of course, at different prices. The eclectic range of add-ons will surely thrill the taste buds of burger lovers to no end. You just have to go there and be witness to these mouth-watering creations yourself. 

On my maiden trip there, my makan kaki and I ordered Regular Beef Burger with Blackpepper Sauce and Regular Beef Burger with Meat Sauce. The moment I sank my teeth into mine, I was momentarily transported to seventh heaven. Not only was the beef patty flavourful, it was so juicy. It was not too overtly spicy. Just to my liking.

The beef patty is homemade from the freshest of meat daily. That we were told. Even the sauce is homemade. The lady who manned the stall assured us that they use only the freshest of ingredients.

Look at those mouth-watering beef patties

I must say that they also make hygiene their priority. 

Tadaaaa...our burgers!

Regular Grilled Beef Burger

On another trip there, I ordered a Regular Grilled Chicken Burger.  The grilled chicken patty was not as good as the beef patty. It was rather dry.  I guess I won't be ordering it anymore. :)

Regular Grilled Chicken Burger

So folks, wait no more. Go...go try it now!

Jom, iftar!

I thought it would be good to compile a list of 2011 Ramadhan Buffet Promotions in Kuching here so that it's easy to pick and choose!  Here goes:

(1)  BORNEO CONVENTION CENTRE KUCHING - Ramadhan Buffet @ the Great Halls

      5th - 26th August 2011, 6:30pm - 10:00pm

      Adult - RM65 nett / Child (5 - 12 years old) - RM25 nett

(2)  HILTON HOTEL - Ramadhan Buffet @ Waterfront Cafe

      1st - 31st August 2011, 6:30pm - 10:30pm

      Adult - RM89++ / Child (6 - 12 years old) - half price / Child (under 6 years old) - free

(3)  GRAND MARGHERITA HOTEL - Macam-macam Ada Ramadhan Buffet @ Orchid Garden Coffee House

      1st - 29th August 2011

      RM80++ (for ticket purchased after 31st July 2011) / RM70++ (for ticket purchased on or before 31st July 2011)

(4)  RIVERSIDE MAJESTIC HOTEL - Sungkei Ria Ramadhan Mega Buffet @ Blue Lagoon

      1st - 29th August 2011

      RM79++

(5)  PULLMAN KUCHING - Ramadhan Ramah-Tamah @ Ballroom

      The whole month of Ramadhan

      RM79++

(6)  MERDEKA PALACE HOTEL - "Mese di Digiuno Buffet"  @ Restaurante Beccari

      1st August 2011 onwards, 6:00pm - 10:00pm daily

      Adult - RM65 nett / Child (5 - 12 years old) - half price

(7)  GRAND CONTINENTAL HOTEL - Ramadhan Buffet

      1st - 29th August 2011

      Adult - RM55 nett / Child - RM25 nett

(8)  DORMANI HOTEL - Selera Ramadhan

      The whole month of Ramadhan

      Adult - RM33++ / Senior Citizen & Secondary School Children - RM23++ / Primary School Children - RM13++

(9)  SAMUDRA COURT - Iftar Ramadhan

      The whole month of Ramadhan, 6:00pm - 9:00pm

      ** Samudra Kopitiam - RM28.90 nett

      ** Flora d Station - RM24.90 nett

      ** Resto Galleria - RM18.00 nett

(10) THE BANQUET 
       1st - 29th August 2011, 6:00pm - 10:00pm
       Adult - RM44+ / Child - RM22+

(11) HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL Ramadhan Buffet
       1st - 29th August 2011
       Adult - RM48 nett / Child (6 - 12 years old) - RM25 nett

(12) DORSETT BOUTIQUE HOTEL Ramadhan Buffet
       1st - 29th August 2011, 6:30pm - 10:30pm
       Adult - RM25++ / Child (below 12 years old) - RM20++

(13) BANGKOK THAI SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Ramadhan Buffet
       1st - 29th August 2011, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
       RM35 nett
      

M-I-A

Woweee!  This blog comes 'alive' again after being silent for the past six months or so.  Yours truly was busy with things. :)

Stay tuned for updates, okay?

Pondok Laguna @ Crown Square, Jalan Pending

Pondok Laguna, located at the Ground Floor of Crown Square, Kuching is an Indonesian restaurant that serves many mouth-watering traditional and authentic Indonesian cuisine.  For those of you who thrive on igniting your taste buds with anything spicy, this is the place for you.

The interior is simple, with some decorations reflecting the Indonesian culture.  A bit dimmed though for the lighting mimics the pelita.

I have made numerous trips back to this place since I was first introduced to it last year.  For I am a hot & spicy food lover, the food ordered is mostly spicy.  Real spicy, I must emphasize.

Sate Campur (Mixed Satay) - Lamb, Chicken & Beef

Sate Campur is not something that I will recommend.  Each satay actually has its own gravy, hence, when the gravy for the lamb, chicken and beef satay get mixed together, you won't be able to taste the distinct flavour of each.  Go for individual sate doused with individual sauce instead.

Ikan Kerapu Bakar

The ikan kerapu was perfectly grilled and the chilli sauce was sweet and so spicy that it could burn your lips.  Just one word to describe it...SEDAPPPPP (delicious)!  It has been a 'must-order' on my every visit.

Paku Belacan

Paku is wild fern in English while Belacan is the shrimp paste.  When the two are combined, the result is: Yummy!  This paku was perfectly stir-fried, just how I like it to be.  Firm and crunchy, the taste and texture were testament enough to its freshness.

Belado Terung (Salted Brinjal with Chilli Sauce)

Yet another spicy dish, the belado terung.  Taken while it is still hot could stimulate the nerve endings in your mouth and tongue.  Then slowly, you could feel beads of perspiration forming.  :D

Ayam Betutu (Chicken Cooked with Herb Bali Style)

The herbs blended so well with the chicken, and together, they guaranteed you more complex flavours.  It was rather dry though.

Teppan Sambal Belacan Hasil Laut (Sizzling Pan Seafood)

Cuttlefish ring, small prawns, fish are the seafood you will find in the sizzling pan when you order this dish.    And..Oh my, it was truly appetizing!  The sauce was flavourful, infused with aromatic herbs and spices.  Simply irresistible!

Lumpia

Lumpia or spring rolls come in 5 pieces per plate.  I don't know what is the filling.  Everything was so finely minced and well-combined that I couldn't tell what the individual ingredients are.  I'll make a mental note to ask the next time I pop by the place.  These spring rolls tasted good.  The rolls were crispy on the outside and were not oily.

Gado-gado

Gado-gado is an Indonesian vegetable salad (blanched kangkung and bean sprouts, fried tofu, tempe and emping) served with peanut sauce dressing.  The vegetables might vary.  If you like Indian rojak, you are going to like this.

If you are planning for some events to celebrate or to just have simple meals with family and friends, do consider Pondok Laguna.  You won't regret.  That is if you're a hot-and-spicy food lover.

Recipe - Vanilla Ice Cream

Here's sharing a simple recipe with you.  15 minutes is all it takes to prepare it.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar (or less)

30gm non-dairy whipping cream

1tbsp vanilla

Steps:

(1)  Whip egg whites and sugar until stiff.

(2)  Whip all the other ingredients in a separate bowl.

(3)  Fold the two mixtures together (do not overmix)

(4)  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.

Hmmm...when one is bursting with the juice of creativity, nothing can stop her.  These few creations should be testimony enough.  From just plain vanilla ice-cream, voila...

Kiwi with Honey Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate topping

Hershey-Banana Split

Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberry topping

Well, folks, just let your creativity juice flow, and you'll be surprised at what you can create.