Tag: restaurant

Layang Layang Makan Makan

Every time I post a local food dish, some of my North American friends would react by saying they wish they can try it sometimes, Through my America based Malaysian friend Calene Chew (on FB) I found out there is a good Malaysian makan place named Layang Layang Malaysian Cuisine (translated as kites in Malay). It is in Milpitas, California, a city between San Jose and San Francisco. There are many other Malaysian restaurants in California, of course, but this one is recommended and tested by Calene, originally a Penangnite with demanding taste-buds,

They have Malaysian favourites like Prawn Mee, Assam Laksa, Ipoh Fish ball noodles, wonton mee, mee goreng, nasi lemak, mutabak, satay. ikan bakar. nasi goreng, cendol, ABC and Bo Bo Cha Cha and teh ais, among others. Yes, Americans. You have Latin cha cha, we have bo bo cha cha.

There is also an outlet in San Jose. You might also be a Malaysian or Singaporean craving or missing home food. I have eaten at many Malaysian restaurants all over the world and the thing that irks me most is a native of the country walking from table to table to see what Asian customers are eating and then interrupt by saying: “That looks good. Waiter, can I have one of the same, please. Whatever this is?” Happens a lot in UK, especially. Please stop doing this. It is very rude. RTFM! – Read the fucking menu.

Layang Layang Malaysian Cuisine locations:

San Jose, California
1480 South De Anza Blvd
San Jose, CA 95129
Tel. 408 . 777 . 8897

Milpitas, California
181 W. Calaveras Blvd
Mipitas, CA 95035
Tel: 408 . 263 . 6788

Piictures from Layang Layang website at http://www.layanglayang.us/

#malaysianfood #penang #california #layanglayang #milpitas #usa

Korean Seafood And Spring Onion Pancake

Korean Seafood And Spring Onion Pancake.

One of the nicest things to eat at a Korean restaurant is a Spring Onion Pancake. At B Bap, it is fried with eggs, seafood and spring onions. It is both crunchy, fluffy, crispy thin and is cut up into slices like a droopy thin crust pizza. My favourite is from Taiwan House in Ampang Point mall. Spring onion pancake is also a traditional Chinese home cooked dish using eggs, scallions, Chinese chives or ku chai and onions.

Panasonic Lumix GM-1, ISO 250, f4, 1/125 sec.

#foodphotography #bebap #nusentral #mall #lunch #pancake #seafood #springonions #korean

Yik Mun’s Hainanese Chicken Chop

Yik Mun kopitiam in Tanjung Malim was a popular stopover during the heydays of Federal Route 1. The Chinese steamed buns shop was an institution.

Now run by third generation descendents, the restaurant is located outside the old town. A shophouse factory in town churns out the assembly-line buns. They are no longer hand-made.

I didn’t order their famous pau (steamed bun) this time. It tasted lousy on a previous visit. Fortunately, the shop sells other local food including the famous Malaysian invention; the Hainanese Chicken Chop.

I am a bit OCD when I see salad dressing carelessly splashed all over the dish. The Hainanese chicken chop’s gravy is a speciality by itself. Typically, it has oyster sauce, HP sauce, Worcestershire sauce and blended secret ingredients in it. It must not be contaminated with Thousand Island dressing.

That aside, the chicken chop here tasted “so so” and the portion seems to have gotten smaller. At RM 14 ++, it is not cheap for a small town.

Nevertheless, the shop was packed when I was there. I guess a good reputation from the past can go a long way. Try it yourself and let me know what you think, if you are in town. Yik Mun is Halal.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 1000, f4, 1/60 sec.

Inside Hitz Cafe

On one wall, there is a big mural of old Tanjung Malim town painted by a young local artist. I was also fascinated by this corner where nature created art too.

From a photography perspective, natural light from the sun can enhance the atmosphere or ambience (spell or say ‘ambiance’ if you want to sound uppity when you are not). Sunlight is a factor beyond the control of anyone on a casual visit though.

On a paid gig with the right budget, I can easily re-create the same by bringing a truckload of lighting equipment and a big electric generator. On a personal outing, I am happy to use the sun when the timing is right.

Late afternoon sunlight was seeping through the glass facade and casting nice shadows on the vintage marble-top kopitiam (Chinese coffee shop) table and chairs.

Saw this by chance while walking back from the washroom at the rear of the restaurant. Yeah. Moral of the story: Bring along your camera bag when you go wash your hands.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f4.5, 1/250 sec.