I ♥ Madam Kwong

I've been wanting to blog about this little gem in Boxhill that I've discovered last year and has since dubbed as my favourite Malaysian shop... and it's none other than the awesome Madam Kwong!!!

When I told The Boyfriend that I am finally doing this post, he said to me, "I'm surprised you haven't already done it considering how much you love Madam Kwong." Well, I have to admit, I've been pretty slack, haven't I? I guess I also didn't want to really share at the start. :P

You cannot imagine how ecstatic I was when I first discovered Madam Kwong, well, for a number of reasons:

♥ They serve very authentic Malaysian hawker food! Om nom nom...
♥ They sell a variety of frozen Malaysia durians! *burp* :P
♥ They have freshly made nyonya kuih daily!

I've tried some of the kuih's and I have to say, so far so good - I am very impressed at how authentic and tasty they are. No surprises why they sell out quickly so be sure to get in early, or miss out! ;)

Now to the best part! Let me tell you my fellow friends, Madam Kwong does one of the best Har Mee (or as the Penangites call it - hokkien mee) I've ever had in Melbourne. The first time I had it, I even finished drinking the broth. It was THAT amazing!

And because of that, it deserves a second close-up shot! Just look at that! ;) Every time I visit, I'm torn in between as I want the har mee yet being the greedy me, I want to try something else.

It's quite a tough task having to convince The Boyfriend to do half-half with me as he loves his har mee a little too much to share!

Their Char Kuey Teow was also really good and far exceeded my expectations! I like how there was a nice level of wok-hei (flavour imparted to food by a highly heated wok during the process of stir-frying) fragrance which I really appreciate in my CKT!

You can opt for either mild, medium or spicy. Although I am not one to tolerate spice, I got a little ambitious and went for the medium thinking it would be moderately spicy, but oh hell no, my tummy was on fire! But worth it. So yum! :)

Once, I tried the Ipoh hor fun but sadly was a tad disappointed. The broth was rather bland and my spoon couldn't help but find its way to The Boyfriend's bowl of har mee for some ommph!

I have also, on a separate occasion, tried the Assam Laksa that my cousins have raved bout. Although the flavour was there, I much prefer Laksa King's version. Something wasn't quite right but I couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what. I've yet to try the Curry Laksa which The Boyfriend's mum has commented on, but that's next on my list.

I guess just like any other restaurants, Madam Kwong also has her "hit and miss". But one thing remains consistent throughout; and that's the super duper yummy ondeh-ondeh!!! *slurps*

Think the combination of coconut, pandan and juicy gula Melaka bursting on your taste buds with every piece you pop into your mouth!

Oh my, gimme some ondeh-ondehhhhh now!!!

If you're not a follower on Twitter, you might not have heard of my ondeh-ondeh story.

I was craving ondeh-ondeh for over a week and finally managed to talk The Boyfriend into taking me there during the weekend. As we were in the queue waiting to place our order, the lady in front of us bought the last box of ondeh-ondeh. Nuuuuuuuuuuu! (T_T)"""

The worst thing was, she sat right next to us and after they finished their meal, I watched as she cracked the plastic container open and eyed as she slowly popped the beautiful green round pieces into her mouth. Arghhhhhh!!!

At that point in time, I was this close to grabbing the box of ondeh ondeh and run for my life. This close. The boyfriend cracked up laughing because I was all ^#+£€<%}^#* urghhh! He thought it was really funny, but to me it was pure torture. :(

I then took away some kuih lapis to share with The Brudder instead. He demolished them so quickly. "Better than Malaysian ones" was his remark after he was done. Coming from someone as picky as he is, I guess that says something about Madam Kwong, doesn't it? ;)

I also tried the chai-kuey (steamed vegetable dumpling) on another visit and this really hits home! It is one of my favourite pasar malam (night market) snacks.

I cannot reiterate enough how much I love Madam Kwong's - it is a staple on my favourites list.

The Boyfriend and I have been to Madam Kwong's many times, and more to come for as long as they are open for business. Well, they better not close down the shop, or I will cry BIG TIME!

I would highly recommend you visit Madam Kwong if you haven't already! I give them two thumbs up, no, actually make that four (plus another two from the Boyfriend)!

Thinking of where to go for the weekend? Well, think no more, I've sorted that out for you. ;)

An old flame

I remember how my heart raced everytime I laid eyes on you.

Years later, today, I still have that exact same feelings - exhilaration.

I can't remember the last time I held you so close and dear to me.

But I knew the touch was magical.

I remember smiling just looking at you.

You brighten up my dull black and white world with pretty colours.

I want to go back to yesteryears...

To taste that same innocence, and pure happiness.

You're like a gem to me. And you always will be. Then, now, forever.

I miss you so much. I can't seem to get you off my mind.

Especially in these couple of weeks when I'm feeling all homesick.

I keep having vivid images of you playing at the back of my mind.

I've been thinking about you, and the times we shared together.

And I wonder, if I'll get to see you again in the coming few months.

Or do I have to wait til end year to be able to hold you in my hands?

But God was kind. He knew I needed you. And He sent you to me. :)

You have no idea how happy I was, when I saw you sitting there.

I couldn't help it. My instant reflex just rushed over from afar.

And I held you so tight in my embrace, I was afraid I might crush you.

Yes you, my childhood love.

*********

P/S: I stumbled upon this old post that I wrote back then in 2008, posted those years ago then re-saved as a draft. So, I figured it needed to see daylight again. (:

How many of you remember these colourful babies? Did you also love eating these fancy gems?

Mamak Melbourne - nay for me!

If you've walked along Goulbourn Street in Sydney, you would not miss the crowd that forms a long queue, as they await their table into Mamak Sydney.

I've always wanted to try, but the long queue puts me off everytime. Plus, I always have a long to-eat-list to conquer when I'm in Sydney, I figured I shouldn't waste any tummy space on Mamak.

So when I heard that Mamak has landed itself on the Melbourne grounds in the CBD along Londales Street, I thought this could be a good chance.

I was skeptical as to how good they could be, yet curious as to why the queue in the Sydney Mamak is always so ridiculously long.

Curiousity got the better of me. The Brudder and I agreed to meet up our friends at Mamak after work one Thursday night. You can say that maybe I'm biased with my opinion, but here are my two cents.

So where do I begin? The fried chicken wasn't THAT tasty and could be way crunchier. And for $4 a piece? So not worth it. I'd rather have Norsiah's or Papparich.

We were also unhappy as to how the chicken pieces weren't fried properly - when we bit into the meat, some had blood oozing out. 

 

The waiters were however very helpful - when we sent one of chicken pieces back, they happily replaced it with another. For that Mamak, you get a thumbs-up!

Moving on to the ball of roti canai - I don't really have much complaints really. I do appreciate how it was crisp and flaky on the outer layer, but wish it could be that little bit fluffier.

The dahl and curry were lovely. But hey, look at the sambal served the size of a 10 cents coin! Stingy much?

And the Spicy Maggi Goreng which wasn't served quite like my local mamak's style. Leen who had this did say it was okay-okay only. Nothing spectacular.

I'd say the same for the Nasi Lemak - taste average but has an expensive price tag.

Seriously WHY?!! It was jam packed by 6pm, and I seriously do not understand how so?

In my opinion, Mamak deserves the big 3 O's which stands for:

• over-rated
• over-hyped
• over-priced

Period.

I spoke to a couple of friends who have been to Mamak and most of them share the same opinion as myself.  "Not worth it" and "food so-so only lah" are amongst the most popular feedback that I gathered.

If you ask me, I'd say, "go to Papparich Doncaster please!" Yeap, that's like my favourite phrase. At least for now until I get sick of it.

The Boyfriend and I often find ourselves at Papparich almost every weekend. Trust me, I'm collating a bunch of photos to share with you! And when I say a bunch, it is quite a bunch. ;)

Would I return to Mamak Melbourne again? Most probably not.

Well, not unless my friends die-die want to go, then I guess I'll have no choice. But I would not succumb without trying to convince them otherwise, that's for sure.

If you haven't already read the review featured on The Age... the writer clearly hasn't been to a REAL roadside mamak as she claims to. And a dollop of sambal?!! Lies one. It was more like a 'dot'. Meh, I'm not impressed.

Malaysian Oriental Wok

A pink plate of fragrant chicken rice, topped with dark-soy-sauce-drizzled steamed hainanese chicken, a sprinkle of sesame seed and spring onion, served with a small dish of chilly sauce and a side bowl of chicken broth, was all I needed on days when I'm homesick.

This is by far the best chicken rice I've tasted here in Melbourne, at this small shop, Malaysian Oriental Wok, hidden away at The Causeway (a back lane between Bourke and Lt. Collins).

Although it's a little pricey at $9.80, but I really really liked it. The chicken is juicy and succulent, and the rice was very fragrant. Even the chilly sauce was good!

I used to frequent Hawker's Cafe (at Lt. Bourke and Russell Street) for their chicken rice, but they closed down quite a while back, and I was needless to say, devastated.

Thank goodness I've found myself an even better substitute. Next time if you're craving tasty authentic chicken rice, you know where to go to!

When I was reading through food review blogs, I was warned that the aunty who runs the shop was a little grouchy. Some even dubbed her as The Grumpy Aunty. But they were certainly wrong.

Grumpy Aunty was so chatty and she was telling me all about her family and daughter, Dr. Victoria who now resides in Singapore.

She even told us about Ipoh Hor Fun and Ipoh Ngar Choi Kai (bean sprouts chicken rice), and going to the extent of explaining what they really are when I mentioned that I've never been to Ipoh.

She was going on and on for more than 15 minutes, and was only willing to bid goodbye when she had other customers walking in. So yeah, I would dub her as The Friendly Chatty Aunty. :D

Hot: Chillipadi

Although I live only 10 minutes away from Chillipadi, I have been there only once and have never thought of returning again until Ashley from Food Pampering Yourself invited me for a food tasting opportunity at Chillipadi, Melbourne Central.

My last dining experience at Chillipadi in 2009 wasn't a pleasant one, but I believe that everyone deserves a second chance, and so does Chillipadi. Having said that though, I arrived having no expectations at all and frankly, I was actually rather impressed at how much improvement they've made over the years.  

Milo Dinosaur

We each had a drink while waiting for everyone (or more like the fashionably late Allan teehee) to arrive before we can kick start dinner. I initially wanted to order the Milo Gozilla, but they unfortunately ran out of ice cream. But well yes, the Dinosaur isn't very different. 

Chicken Lobak

We kicked off with a dish that drifted my mind right back home to Malaysia - the chicken lobak. For those of whom are not familiar, lobak simply is meat (usually pork) wrapped in crispy fried beancurd skin.

It was a good start; the chicken was tender, and the fried beancurd skin was crisp. The only downside is that it made me miss home, and my aunt's really good pork lobak.

If you're wondering why they used chicken instead, it's because Chillipadi caters also to Muslim and they are certified as Halal, which means NO PORK, NO PORK! (If you're Malaysian, you'll get the joke!)

Duck Salad

The duck salad is what it is that you see on your screen - fresh green salad, cherry tomato, shredded turnip, walnuts, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and duck of course, tossed in what I believe is mirin dressing.

Their take on the salad with an Asian slant might be pretty simple, but it certainly was light and refreshing.

Penang Char Kuey Teow

There are so many versions of char kuey teow and all of the cooking styles differs in the various states in Malaysia.

Chillipadi takes on the Penang version, and is a tad bit spicy, but what can I say? Nothing better than a nostalgic taste of home. 

Braised Homemade Silky Tofu

I'd offer only two words: smooth and silky - just the way I like my tofu to be. Oh, while I'm at it, may I add another word, wait, make that two: super yummy! ;)

I could do with a whole plate to myself, and gah, looking at the pictures, make me want to run to Chillipadi, like NOW. Easily my favourite dish of the night!

Beef Rendang

Just so you know, I am always labelled as the "failed Malaysian" simply because I cannot take spicy food. But Chillipadi's beef rendang is a tad bit Australian-ised maybe? Well, it wasn't too spicy for me, in fact I think I ate quite a bit of it. But with rice, of course!

Roti Reuben

Named after its creator, Reuben, this crispy roti is wrapped with mince chicken then drizzled with mayo and sweet chilli sauce. The comforting supper food, I'd call it.

Crispy Oats Prawns

This is what we call the 'Nestum Prawns' in Malaysia. The prawns, covered with flaky Nestum oats are fried until it achieves a crispy texture then served with more flakes of crispy oats, which is my favourite bit.

Southern Indian Fish Curry

The mix of spices made this dish so aromatic and tasty, and the fish fillet were beautifully cooked too. What I loved most about this dish is the vegetables that comes with the curry, namely lady finger (aka okra), long beans and brinjal (known better as eggplants here).

Although it does look like it might give me a heart attack with my low tolerance of heat, I actually fared pretty well with this dish, again with the aid of rice. #phailmalaysian

Calamari Salad

As beautiful as it looks, the calamari salad was perhaps the dish that did not stand out most for me, because I have very conveniently forgot how it tasted. All that I could remember was a hint of tangy-ness within - not very helpful, I presume? 

And to think that we were done for the night, Uncle Robert (the owner of Chillipadi) turned up at our table as we digest in the amount of food we very satisfyingly had and introduced us to his "best roti maker".

That was followed by a phrase I don't know to laugh or frown at, "try some of our Chilli India food".

My stomach was already close to bursting, yet when we were served with more food, I very excitedly gobbled them up, expanding my stomach that one inch wider.

Dosai

This huge rolled-up crepe-lookalike, is known as dosai, which according to Ashley, is made of rice flour and a bit of fermented yeast.

It is light, crispy and breaks easily (resulting in me making a big mess), at our convenience to snap a little, bit by bit and dipped into the three side dippings. 

Tandoori Chicken with Briyani Rice in the background

The tandoori chicken was succulent, juicy, and perfectly cooked. Goes very well with briyani rice, but I had only a couple of mouthfuls and damn, I wished I wasn't so bloated!

Butter Chicken

Although the chicken was very tender and juicy, the sauce was a tad bit too rich and creamy for my liking.

I remember how confused I was because although it looked very much like butter chicken, it did not taste much like it.

Auntie Li did clarify though, that the Southern Indian style could be slightly creamier than what we get from back home. 

Roti Canai

Cooked to a crisp, this flaky roti canai keeps me very well satisfied until I get home to my 80cents mamak roti canai.

I have to say that these are the best roti canai I have ever came across in Melbourne. The fact that I couldn't help but nibble even when I was very close to wanting to unbutton my jeans, explains it all.

Roti Tisu

This is another type of roti, that is very much crispier and serves pretty much like a dessert.

The roti tisu, in the shape of a tower, was drizzled generously with chocolate syrup and condensed milk, then sprinkled over with peanuts.

It was the final dish to arrive, and at this point everyone went, "Whoah, so full!" but it was polished off rather quickly. Like they always say, "There's always space for sweets!" Guilty as charged! :P

Sakura Blossom Green Tea

To finish off this wonderful feast, Auntie Li (owner of Chillipadi) served us with some Sakura Blossom - green tea infused with rosemary.

I loved how aromatic and refreshing the tea was, so I asked Auntie Li where she got 'em from. She very proudly shared that it was from Lucipia located in QV Building - I am so going to get myself some!

All in all, I had a very pleasant experience and I will definitely go back to Chillipadi again. In fact, I think it should be very soon.

But I will take it easy the next time I pop by, because that night when I got home, I did regret eating SO much. Don't want yet another food coma because my waistline simply can't afford to. :P

Thank you Uncle Robert and Auntie Li for hosting this complimentary dinner that you were way too generous with, I think my button was THIS close to popping.

And of course, not forgetting Ashley from FOOD for organising this food trail to Chillipadi - my tummy was belly satisfied! ;)

Disclaimer: My reviews are 101% honest, and purely based on my dining experiences and how I feel about the food at that point of time. It was an absolute delightful feast, and I have to say that the quality has definitely improved since I last dined there in 2009.

Taste of home.

This year is my first time being away from home for this long, and I've been quite homesick since mummy flew back a month ago. But in exactly 3 months, I'll be home... I so can't wait! And of course, it goes without saying... Being homesick = constant craving for Malaysian food!

But I can get my fix for curry laksa and asam laksa at Laksa King; roasted chicken rice at Coconut House; and hainanese chicken rice at Malaysian Oriental Wok... But what about my favourite Hokkien Mee?

I thought I was never going to get a decent plate of hokkien mee here in Melbourne, not until a friend recommended us to Jade Kingdom, which is located all the way in Heidelberg Heights.

Jade Kingdom is pretty much like a homecooked food restaurant. I'd say its style is almost similar to the open-aired kopitiam-like restaurants in Malaysia. And you know what they have which I reckon is best?

THE BEST HOKKIEN MEE IN MELBOURNE!!! :D

I am not kidding! I've tried hokkien mee in quite a few places and all of them were so bad, I was so highly disappointed. All, except for Jade Kingdom's! Of course, it is not exactly similar to the ones back home, but it's the closest you can get. At least it can fix my cravings temporarily! :D

Their sizzling beancurd also tasted very similar to the ones back home.

The kangkung belacan, which they named 'sambal kangkung' on their menu is so good. The brudder kept reaching out for this dish . You might think, "Oh, so what's the big deal?" May you keep in mind that my brother is one who HATES and does not eat ANY vegetables. ;)

This dish - chicken yam pot - reminds me very much of my grandpa. Years ago, he used to bring my extended family and I to this restaurant called 'Luk Fook Moon' every weekend, and the chicken yam pot never fails to find itself on the order list.

Jade Kingdom does the yam pot really well, but not so much the chicken. I remember it being nicer the previous time I tried. I'm pretty sure they didn't use dark soy sauce then. Maybe they ran out of light soy sauce? :P

Of course, I couldn't say 'NO' to ais kacang despite being on a diet! :P

I was smiling away as I finished my dessert and my friend said, "Everyone whom I come with to Jade Kingdom always walk out the door with a smile on their face."

It's true. This is my third time there, and like the previous times, I proudly flashed a big wide smile on my face as we left. :D

Kepala or Kelapa?

When I was young, I used to confuse myself every so often between both the Malay words: kepala (head) and kelapa (coconut). But of course I can tell the difference now.

Having lived here in Melbourne for 3 and a half years now, my Malay has deteriorated SO badly that I can't even make up a full sentence in Malay to save my life. Yes, it is THAT bad. It's sad considering how I used to top my class in Bahasa Melayu during those high school days. Oh wells.

Speaking of Malay, reminds me of home. I've been so homesick lately that all I crave for is Malaysian food. Especially my favourite CHICKEN RICE! :D Even after my visit to Malaysian Oriental Wok, I still wasn't satisfied. I needed more Malaysian food dosage!

It was in the middle of the night, at 2.36am when I told SuperKev, "Let's go for lunch at Coconut House tomorrow." And so we did.

They practice hawker style - order and pay at counter then wait for food to be served. The signs that were put up were very Malaysian too. It does give us a homely feel. Even most of the staff there were Malaysians. :D

When we first stepped in, it was full house and there weren't any seats available, except for a table or two outside. Thankfully a couple stood up, and we managed to secure our seats. Otherwise, we would have to brave ourselves in the cold outside. *shrugs*

My BBQ Chicken on Rice that costed me only $7.60, which is rather cheap considering Melb's standard food price. Moreover, this is the closest chicken rice you can get to Malaysia's roasted chicken rice. Only the chilly sauce needs a tad bit of improvement, otherwise it's more or less enough to satisfy my cravings. :D

I remember when I first had BBQ Chicken on Rice in Coconut House... Instead of serving us with a bowl of classic chicken broil, a bowl of peanut and pork rib soup was served to accompany our chicken rice. Thank goodness they realized that the peanut soup don't go well with chicken rice. ;)

SuperKev decided to go for the steamed hainanese chicken rice. I tried a little, and I didn't particularly enjoy it. So I sorta came to a conclusion: Roasted Chicken on Rice at Coconut House and Steamed Hainanese Chicken Rice at Malaysian Oriental Wok.

SuperKev was super greedy, he ordered a nasi lemak with fried chicken. Of course, I gave it a try. My verdict? I'd suggest you to go to Nasi Lemak House on Grattan Street if you want a good plate of nasi lemak.

Why, you may ask? The sambal tasted really weird and it was so spicy. I didn't like the rice too. It was too coconut-ish and sticky yet dry. The rice and the sambal are the most important element when it comes to nasi lemak... So yeah, you get my drift. ;)

But I heard that they serve pretty good wanton noodle with BBQ pork. Maybe someday I'll try, if I walk in and don't feel like eating chicken rice. Although I highly doubt that'll ever happen. Or maybe if you've tried, you can leave me a comment to tell me your verdict?

Tummy grumbling for some cheap Malaysian food? Easy peasy! ;)

Head over to 449, Elizabeth Street to rumah kepala kelapa, peeps!