Jiu Niang

After our icy breakfast, we went for lunch at Din Tai Fung, Taipei 101 and order dishes that we could not get in KL. Need to get a number and then wait for the number to be called. Both of us waited for about 20 minutes. There were many people in the queue but the numbers were moving fast.

2 cups of tea (foc) and 2 saucers of julienned fresh ginger (foc). We ordered a small plate of starter which is a lightly blanched vegetable known as chayote and these are its shoots (lóng xü cài / 龙须菜 / 龍鬚菜 which literally means "dragon-whisker vegetable"). I don't think we can get this vegetable in KL. This dish costs NTD 100+ (NTD 110 after 10% service charge so the price is about MYR 14.75 nett with the exchange rate of NTD 100 - MYR 13.40).

Luffa Prawn Xiao Long Bao (10 for 1 serving in a bamboo basket) - NTD 340+ (NTD 374 nett which is about MYR 50.10). Luffa is also known as Loofah (Luffa aegyptiaca or Luffa acutangula). Please refer to my previous post for the details and how delicious the fillings look and taste.

The bowl of dessert on the right is "Jiu Niang" (酒釀 / 酒酿 / fermented glutinous rice) with two glutinous rice balls filled with sesame paste (tang yuen) - NTD 110+ (NTD 121 which is about MYR 16.20).

"Jiu Niang" is fermented glutinous rice so you get fermented glutinous rice floating in a sweet syrup liquid with a small amount of alcohol from the fermentation. The texture of the rice is like soaked puffed rice so one will need getting used to the spongy or rather mushy texture. This is my friend's favourite dessert which we cannot get in KL too.

The plate of vegetables on the right is known as A菜 - NTD 180+ (NTD 191 nett which is about MYR 25.60). Please refer to the order chit below that states the dish as A菜 as proof. After searching for another name for it online, I found that it is also known as Taiwan Sword Leaf Lettuce. It is almost like eating Tong Ho (茼蒿 / Garland Chrysanthemum) because it is somewhat crisp even after being stir fried.

Order chit for 3 items.

Proof that the vegetable dish is just known as "A菜". Total bill for these 4 dishes for 2 pax: NTD 803 nett which is about MYR 107.60 which is rather pricey but we don't get to eat these food here in KL. Even Din Tai Fung KL does not have these items on its menu so since we are in Taipei for just 1 day, might as well eat the food there that we cannot get in KL.

Twice a Day

Recently I was in Taipei for just 36 hours so I make good use of my limited time there by eating all my favourite food.

As mentioned in 2014, this is my favourite shaved ice with just 3 toppings - lotus seeds, yam cubes and peanuts with no syrup added to the ice shavings at TWD 100 (MYR 13.40 nett). Back in 2014, the price was TWD 70 for 3 toppings so prices for food have also increased overseas, not only locally.

My friend and I also shared two glutinous rice balls at TWD 80 nett (MYR 10.75 nett). The hot tea is foc.

We ate the above at about 10.35 am after the eatery opened at 10.30 am.

Later in the evening, I have another round of shaved ice before I leave the country. This time instead of peanuts, I chose white fungus which looks like shaved ice in the photo above. The price is the same for 3 toppings - TWD 100 nett.

Second round at 7.35 pm on the same day. I requested for no added syrup to the shaved ice too.

Mr Tuk Tuk again

Tom Yum Fried Rice - MYR 9.80 nett. Full of flavours. Can be shared between 2 small eaters.

Crispy Fish Fillet with Mango Salad - MYR 13.80 nett. I like the mango salad but find the coating for the fish fillet to be a bit thick.

Shrimp pancakes - MYR 8.80 nett. Tasty, similar to cucur udang.

Pomelo Salad - MYR 13.80 nett. I like this dish the best because it is very refreshing.

A pot of hot tea for 1 pax at MYR 2.50 nett and add a cup for MYR 1.50 nett.

The receipt says "Additional Cup" at MYR 1.50 nett. A bowl of white rice costs MYR 2 nett so this lunch for 3 pax is only MYR 52.20 nett which is quite a good price.

Zang Zang Bao

About a month ago, I walked past a neighbourhood bakery and noticed a banner outside its shop promoting its latest chocolate product with the name "Dirty Bun" and thought nothing much of it except to wonder - why name something edible dirty. Then a few days after that, I was in another bakery in the city center and saw their chocolate product being named "Dirty Bun" too. What's going on - I asked myself and turned to Google.

It was then I found these two links: here and here - seems like "Zang Zang Bao" (脏脏包 where Zang means Dirty and Bao means Bun) is popular in Beijing where people will queue for 3 hours just to buy it. Unfortunately or fortunately there is no queue here but that did not stop bakeries from jumping onto the bandwagon.

I have not tried it yet and don't think I will be trying it because I do not like the idea of chocolate powder falling all over the place when I eat this bun. From what I read, Zang Zang Bao is a chocolate croissant covered with chocolate powder and filled with chocolate custard.

Last weekend, while doing my weekly grocery shopping in Midvalley Mall, I took note that two other bakeries have joined the race but there was no queue at all.

Is the taste worth MYR 6.50 ?

This popular bakery is now featuring Zang Zang Bao as its latest product. I did not check its price.

This is the banner of the neighbourhood bakery that caught my attention initially.

Baker Loft which is located in the shop lot that used to house Sea Nian (2016) and  Yau Hao Fook (2014). It just opened mid or end  of last year (mid or end 2017) if I am not mistaken.

McD Nasi Lemak Burger

It is about time that they have this special burger here. As I was having a cold, I asked my friend to try it out for me.

The fried boneless chicken thigh has coconut flakes in its crispy batter so we get the santan (coconut milk) taste. Apart from the chicken, there is a fried egg, slices of cucumber and onions with sambal sauce. My friend said it is worth a try but the chicken meat is too tender. 

I think they should find a way to include peanuts and anchovies in this burger. Maybe by adding a piece of crisp (keropok) which has bits of peanuts and anchovies in it. As I prefer to eat beef, I hope that they will have a Nasi Lemak Beef Rendang Burger too.

This set costs MYR 16.95 nett.

WG Wendy

A single mushroom melt beef burger from Wendy's at MYR 10.50 nett.

Anyone remember this burger chain from a long time back?

WG Ping Wah

The dishes are: Silky Smooth omelette, deep fried fish with fried slices of ginger, braised chicken with fried garlic, slices of potatoes with pork, beancurd and vegetables. Total costs is MYR 190 nett for 10 pax.

A bit of each dish with a quarter bowl of rice.

Ping Wah eatery at Paramount, PJ is well known for its Hainanese cuisine.