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Manna Story
In preparation for an upcoming visit to Seoul, we decided to get into the mood by having some Korean fare. Manna Story is considerably one of the more authentic versions to be found in a shopping mall setting, and is known to be good value-for-money too. The outlet at JCube actually brings a pretty unique dining experience, not exactly busy, brightly decorated, and over-looking the ice-rink. shades of the wintry feel in Seoul.
Originating from the shop-houses of Telok Ayer Street, the Manna brand till today attracts a steady clientele of Koreans and locals alike. K-Pop artistes such as Rain and Shinhwa have also supposedly visited the main branch, according to pictures found on the walls. Since moving to malls such as Plaza Singapura and JCube, the mainstream version of Manna Story have been bringing authentic Korean dishes to the masses. 
i recall a hearty serving of 12 types of Banchan, or side dishes, the last time i visted Manna Story. so i guess the modest serving of 4 is a sign of current economic times. undaunted, we went ahead to order some of the Korean favourites. for someone like me with a more delicate tolerance for spicy Korean food, this was good training for the days ahead in Seoul. 
we went for this Budae Chigae, which was a scrumptious mix of ham, sausages, tofu, vegetables and ramyeon immersed in a well-flavoured kimchi soup. it was quite a generous serving, suitable for 2 people and certainly no less satisfying than an army-stew hotpot. on top of that, we had a serving of pork bulgogi delivered on a hotplate and a dish of traditional Korean rice cakes or Topokki. the meats were well-marinated with the right kick of spice, although the Topokki tended to get a little drab after awhile (maybe too big portions of the same thing). 
i'd always have a soft spot for Korean noodles and this ramyeon dish warrants some mention. nothing too fancy, just Korean ramen in kimchi with egg, seaweed and chicken. the spices within the broth and the texture of the noodles somehow makes this dish real comfort food. strangely, our much anticipiated Korean steamed-egg turned out to be the disappointment of the evening, overly soft and absolutely bland. what happened? nonetheless, Manna Story remains a popular family restaurant at various shopping centres. the outlets are often packed and attracts people of all ages. though it may have lost abit of the hype that it started with, we'd still come back here the next time there's craving for a simple Korean fix. 
Manna Story 2 Jurong East Central 1, JCube #04-19, Singapore 609731 Opening Hours 10 am to 10 pm (daily) Manna means delicious food from heaven.. fyi KL Eats
another road trip up to Kuala Lumpur for the Formula 1 Grand Prix, tried a few more eateries so we're adding on to this ever-building host of food. the Malaysian capital has no lack of Street offerings and we thought it'd be a good idea to share some local delights as we strike off more from our bucket list..
Restoran Yup Hup Kee 
we actually found this place by accident while looking for something else. attracted by the huge crowds outside the shophouse, our curiosity got the better of us. Yap Hup Kee is predominantly a Hakka Yong Tau Foo stall selling assorted pieces of yong tau foo. They do their fried selection wonderfully and these dishes are often accompanied by Chee Cheong Fun (either with curry or sweet sauce) and Lao Shu Fen 老鼠粉.. Restoran Yap Hup Kee 45 Jalan Brunei Barat 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 9 a.m - 5 p.m, 5.30 p.m - 11.00 p.m (closed on alternate Tuesdays) Restoran Wong Ah Wah (W.A.W Restaurant) 
Jalan Alor is a famous night food street in KL which is home to several seafood and tse char restaurants. one of the more prominent ones that we were recommended to try was Wong Ah Wah, even though more specifically, we were told that they did their grilled chicken wings very well.. they offered a variety of seafood and chinese dishes, with their fried Hokkien mee, salted egg sotong, bamboo clamshells and roasted pork noodles amongst their popular dishes. Their chicken wings were okay alright, portions are showing signs of economic inflation but what could you expect when you are still very much getting value for money? we thought the hokkien mee lacked the "wok hei" that Kim Lian Kee (see below) brings, but we'd somehow always enjoy eating here each time we come.. Restoran Wong Ah Wah 1, 5 & 7 Jalan Alor 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 7 p.m till late Lot 10 Hutong 十号胡同 
it's abit odd that we're talking about a foodcourt within a shopping mall, however, the foodcourt located at the basement of Lot 10 - mall off Bukit Bintang, comes with some history. Or so they claim, to have taken famous hawkers that survived past 2 to 3 generations off the streets, to ply their trade in this foodcourt. all the brands are supposedly heritage brands and you'd have the best of KL hawker fare under one roof. Lot 10 Hutong 十号胡同 Lot 10 Shopping Centre, LG floor 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 10 a.m to 10 p.m Restoran Yut Kee 
this classic Hainanese eating house has been here for the longest time. located on the fringe of Dang Wangi, this place attracts regulars and tourists alike to savour their culinary delicacies of traditional Hainanese origin. its quite a standard menu, but everyone who tries their Hailam Mee, Roasted Pork with stuffing and apple sauce, Belacan fried rice and pork chop would certainly agree that this is a must-visit stop whenever you come to KL.. Don't forget to pick up some marble cakes and kaya swiss rolls as you leave, they make a great after-meal snack! Restoran Yut Kee 1 Jalan Kamunting 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 7.30 a.m to 4.30 p.m Hong Kee Claypot Chicken Rice 
street food located at the end of KL Chinatown (Petaling Street) was as we expected, crowded and not the best in terms of sanitation. but judging from the crowds that gather at every stall, nobody really minds.. Hong Kee's claypot chicken rice were given some good reviews so we picked them amongst others. the orders were surprisingly fast moving and the rice was what you'd expect from claypot rice, waxed chinese sausages with soy-sauce chicken and salted fish to give the rice its flavour.. nothing fantastic though, and judging by the speed of preparation as well as the electric fans to replace traditional fanning of the charcoal stoves (see picture), we think standards have dropped. Komugi Cafe 
nothing like an afternoon tea at upmarket shopping mall Pavilion to chillax and people-watch. we found this chic Japanese cafe which offered a wide selection of cakes, coffee and other pastries. They even carry the millicrepe, which is all the rage these days, didn't see red velvet cake though. They also have their own selection of mixed fruit/vegetable juices that are freshly blended and bottled in-house. and oh, do bring home their hazelnut cookies and check out their coffee art... Komugi Cafe Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur Lot 24/1A, Tokyo Street, Level 6 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 10 a.m to 10 p.m Wong Mee Kee 
after many failed attempts to try this unsuspectingly great roast meat (failure due to their erratic opening schedule), we finally managed to try this. as testified by many who have visited this roadside stall, their roast pork is absolutely fantastic. the skin is crackling crispy while the meat is fresh and tender. the chicken and char siew are normal but everyone who visits this place raves about the roast pork. though they only start selling at 12.30 pm, be sure to arrive early to ensure that you'd get a seat... Wong Mee Kee 30, Jalan Nyonya 55100 Kuala Lumpur Operating Hours: 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm RA Nasi Lemak 
this nasi lemak is touted as one of the best in KL. located on the roadside of Jalan Raja Abdullah in the Wang Dangi area, this malay version of economical rice draws hordes of locals daily. the beauty of nasi lemak is the fragrance of their rice and RA does their rice superbly well. it is not sticky, fragrant and served in a traditional wooden barrel. the chilli that goes with the rice is sweet, and has a sedap kick that comes shortly after. many patrons go for their selection of dishes including spicy sotong, chicken drumstick and rendang... RA Nasi Lemak 15 Jalan Raja Abdullah 50300 Kuala Lumpur Operating Hours: 6.30 am to 10 pm (daily) Kim Lian Kee 
another stall found within Petaling street in Chinatown. Kim Lian Kee specializes in KL hokkien mee similar to the one served at W.A.W, however, this one has more flavour as it is stir fried in more black sauce and lard (unhealthy dishes tend to be tastier). the stall has since ventured to other dishes and many branches, but the one along Petaling street maintains its very traditional outlook. we tried their hotplate deer meat and kai lan during the visit there, safe to say, this tze char stall is recommended for a simple dinner feast... Kim Lian Kee 49 Jalan Petaling 50000 Kuala Lumpur Operating Hours: 5 pm to 4 am (daily) The ones that got away.. Sze Ngan Chye (85 Jalan Petaling) a legendary stall selling salted roast duck that seems to be very well-known amongst virtually everyone in Petaling Street. everyone claims it is there but we seemed to have missed it. online reviews say that are closed on Mondays, maybe thats why.. Koon Kee Wanton Mee (Petaling Street, Chinatown) We chose claypot chicken rice over this, thinking it was just wanton mee. On hindsight, this seemed the more popular option and probably would have delivered more satisfaction. something to try next time! |
..ThE lEgEnD..
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Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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