Recommended dish at Chong Fatt Seafood Restaurant. Circular Japanese egg tofu with crab meat is very good and delicious. The broccoli garnish added a nice dash of green as a contrasting colour.
Panasonic GM-1, ISO 1000, f4, 1/200 sec.
#foodphotography #tofu #eggs #chongfatt #chinesefood #cny
My first “yee sang” raw fish salad tossing dish for CNY. My aunt Annie and hubby William came to visit from JB. At Chong Fatt restaurant KL.
Asus ZenFone 3 image
#yeesang #asus #chongfatt
The fish biscuit, as it is known in Chinese, is usually made from either the Spanish Mackerel (Ikan Tenggiri) or the Wolf Herring (Ikan Parang).
The latter is also known locally as Saitoh Fish (in Chinese) because of its machete (parang) shape.
Unlike English fish cakes made from cod and potato patty, the Asian fishcake is without batter and uses freshly minced fillet paste mixed with flour.
When well done, the fish cake should not be too oily and possess an aromatic flavour. Under the fried crispy skin is the soft but springy fillet that melts in your mouth.
This is one of the better ones from Restoran Xin Yuen Kee in Kuala Kubu Bahru, famous for its Lor Mee.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 1000, f9, 1/80 sec.
I think it was Alisan coffee shop in the Masjid India area that pioneered the food court within a kopitiam. That was in the early 1980s and the concept has since been adopted by many Chinese coffee shops. The big and popular ones may squeeze as many as two or three dozen food stalls into a single shop lot.
Currently, one of the less common types of food served at such places is pasta. With the new burden of GST and the Shringgit (a term attributed to my friend Sidek Kamiso), the poor man’s Italian dining should become more popular.
If you are not a snob, this Seafood Pasta is good value as the portion and ingredients are generous at RM 9 nett. Of course, it won’t taste as good as that from an Italian chef who hand craft his pasta and blend the sauce from some time-tested family recipe.
Nevertheless, I like that I can customise it in whatever way I want at the kopitiam. No snooty chef or maitre d’ protesting because it is heresy to even suggest.
The fat Chinese cook here nodded his head happily when I requested a tomato-based sauce even though it is served dry.
I also like that I can order a barley drink to go with it and have dessert of Nyonya Kuih Lapis bought from another stall outside.
The coffee shop is at one corner of Jalan SJ6, Selayang.
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 320, f6.3, 1/250 sec.
I asked a friendly local for food recommendations. He suggested the Chinese Tom Yum stall down the road and I went there right away. Since the shop was quite busy, service was understandably slow. So I cleaned my lenses and a lady finally came to take my order.
She said there is no Tom Yam at her shop. Wrong place, wrong corner. Haha. She drew me a map and gave me directions as that other stall has no signboard or name. I ordered a drink, feeling bad that I used her table and received help. She said I shouldn’t feel bad and that I should hurry as the other stall might close soon. What wonderful people.
Finally found the real Tom Yum stall and they were friendly too, even though they are famous among locals. I ordered seafood Tom Yum with Kuey Teow (Chinese Fettuccine). It came with three fairly big (and fresh) prawns, mussels, loads of cuttlefishes and squids. Amazing.
Even more amazed to find out it is only RM 5.50 for the sumptuous bowl!
Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f9, 1/1250 sec.
