Friday, January 28, 2011

My Cookbook @ Sunway Giza, Kota Damansara

Asian food, with a fusion twist :) ....

Sunway Giza (and the general Kota Damansara area) has already become somewhat of a food hub, with My Cookbook being one of the more recent additions to the already wide array of eateries:
Outside My Cookbook....

I had spotted this "egg-cellent" looking restaurant from Sean's blog (EatDrinkKL) and just HAD to try it so I dragged a bunch of friends over to accompany me.

Anyway, we all found the ambience nice - comfortable, modern and with a quirky style (eg. the feature wall which had pots and pans as decorations):
Nice ambience inside....

It was a fairly big and ravenous group that night (meaning: We ate a LOT) so I'll try to keep the descriptions short & sweet - breaking it into what I found nice and what was ok.

APPETISERS:

Nice:
- Seafood Cake (RM 11.90+)
Delicious seafood patties....

I enjoyed the thick patties of chunky seafood - it was fragrant and had a nice balance of tender yet with some bounce/ bite. :)
(Was pleasantly surprised, as it looked kinda bland and uninteresting at first glance)

- Prawn Bisque (RM 8.90+)
Cholesterol soup? So yummy tho....

This was a real crowd pleaser that night - slightly heavy but smooth broth, bursting with a heartwarming prawn flavour and with pretty yummy wantons too.
(Note: This is pretty much the same soup base as the king prawn kuey teow so don't order both in one seating unless you really love it THAT much)

Ok:
- Soft Shell Crab (RM 11.90+)
Deep fried crabs....

Fairly crisp and without any "fishy" smell - not a bad choice if you feel like having something deep fried.

- Smoked Omega eggs with fish roe & shimeji mushrooms (RM 8.90+)
Eggs in a row....

*shrugs*
Nothing really bad about them (eggs were a good texture - not too hard, yet not too runny) but didn't find the taste very special.
(Just tasted like normal but fairly well executed hard boiled eggs)

(Sorry) Not so OK:
- Cheese balls (RM 8.90+)
Not very cheesy balls....

Slightly crispy on the outside but kinda starchy inside (potato filling),... and without the oozing cheese that was advertised in the menu photo.
(Boo)

- Deep Fried Smoked Salmon (RM 11.90+)
Deep fried fish pieces....

Wasn't crispy enough and the fish didn't have much fragrant salmon taste.

MAINS:
Nice:
- King Prawn Kuey Teow (RM 26.90+)
*LOVE*....

I'd say this is probably the restaurant's signature dish with it's silky strands of kuey teow, luxuriating in a steaming hot bowl of that lovely robust prawn soup and of course, topped with a half of a juicy big prawn.
(Another favourite amongst the group that night)

- King Prawn Porridge (RM 26.90+)
*ALSO LOVE*....

- Robust prawn flavour (but lighter than the prawn kuey teow soup base) balanced with a hint of ginger.
- Big, fresh, meaty prawn (2 out of 3 times - 1 person got a much smaller one).
- Perfect thick yet smooth consistency of the porridge.
LOVED this.
:) :)
(I'll admit, it's not cheap if you consider that "it's only porridge" but I think the big prawn justifies the price)

Ok:
- Char Siew Salmon (RM 26.90+)
Healthy choice....

The salmon was juicy enough, with an interesting slightly sweet "char siew" glaze that did not overpower.

- Pandan Rice with Curry Chicken (RM 15.90+)
Interestingly presented....

Pretty good - the rice was fluffy and matched well with the tender chicken.

- Fried Kuey Teow (RM 15.90+)
A Malaysian classic....

Tender noodle strands which still had a nice bite/bounce, a bit of wok hei, with 3 fairly big prawns perched at the side.
(It's actually very good for restaurant standards - just missing a little oomph to match/overtake the awesome CKT gurus at the coffeeshops/ roadside stalls)

DESSERTS:
- Black Sesame Soya Milk (RM 8.90+)
Delicate dessert....

A simple but unusual combination of a soya bean "soup", black sesame ice cream and a peanut jelly - the flavours were light and refreshing, making it a good end to a satisfying dinner.
(I think that some may find the flavours a bit too delicate though)

Overall, I really enjoyed my meal, as there were some really stand out items... Will definitely be heading back for the Sang Har porridge and kuey teow soon - perfect comfort food!
(Although I better keep an eye on my cholesterol levels if I do... )


So it's: Nice modern ambience, friendly service, decent range of Asian food with a twist at reasonable (but not exactly cheap) prices BUT nothing bad really - just that not everything on the menu is perfect yet there are the "winners" that'll definitely keep me coming back again :).....


Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:


My Cookbook @ Sunway Giza, Kota Damansara
A-12, Sunway Giza, No.2, Jalan PJU 5/14, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 55/++ per person
Parking: Difficult on weekends

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-6140 6113
Opening Hours: 12nooon to 12midnight

NO PORK SERVED



MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Eat Drink KL
- Sun, Sea and Sand
- Heart's Memories


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20 comments:

  1. so many new outlets opened after my last visit :( many months ago

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  2. ya, this place would actually be more aptly named "My Cholesterol," due to its choice of ingredients :D
    the char siew salmon does sound quite interesting (haven't managed to order that one yet). and it looks like it comes with cheese balls by the side, so we wouldn't really need to order cheese balls separately! =)

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  3. Heard they have some really nice desserts! On my Makan List, this one :)

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  4. thanks for the good information!
    ah, just that this place is not cheap

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  5. to thule aka leo:
    You know what that means? Means it's overdue for you to go back there! :)

    to Sean:
    LOL. That would be the more honest/straightforward name but it may scare away new clientele...

    to PureGlutton:
    The desserts taste fresh but generally quite delicately flavored - refereshing though! :)

    to ai wei:
    Well,... it's not cheap but the price is ok if you consider the quality of the ingredients, I guess? :)

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  6. I would love to visit this place. The food looks so awesome and delicious.

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  7. Cholesterol soup? I like the sounds of that, hehe. ;)

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  8. to dining room tables:
    Hope you can try it. Some of the food there is really yummy. :)

    to Life For Beginnners:
    Yarrrr. Cholesterol soup is excellent soul food! Bad heart food tho. lol.

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  9. Wishing you and your family a wonderful and prosperous new year. Kung Hei Fatt Choy!

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  10. Hmmm..prices aren't exactly cheap hor? But the prawns look so goood!

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  11. To babe_Kl:
    Thanks babe! *hugs* Hope you have a fantastic new year too - may the year of the rabbit bring u, cap'n hook and Boi Boi lots of happiness and prosperity.

    To unka Leong:
    Well the prices are like that because it's Sang har and not mini shrimp or hae bee! :p

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  12. Some nice dishes they have! Although I have to admit prices are pretty steep hor..

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  13. to iamthewitch:
    Well, overall the prices for some of the appetizers seems more on the pricey side... but I think the mains are ok - especially since the sang har was so big! :)

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  14. the food is good enough ~ i work at there b4 ! xD love mycookbook ! xD

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  15. to skyong93:
    Agree with you completely! :)
    (Lurve the food there)

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  16. The price was very expensive consider this kind of food. I love the creativeness but the taste was not worth the price we are paying for especially giving a half cut king prawns.

    One king prawns in the market cost RM 1-2 only if you purchase from supplier and they are charging us for RM 25 for half cut king prawns. Booo!

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  17. to Ronnie:
    Well, I'm not sure about the price from suppliers... but if it makes you feel better, I'm sure lots and lots of prawns and other goodies went into the making of the soup - if not then it couldn't have tasted so kauw, right? :)

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  18. Really great article with very interesting information. You might want to follow up to this topic!?! 2012

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  19. Have you ever thought about publishing an e-book or guest authoring on other websites? I have a blog based upon on the same subjects you discuss and would really like to have you share some stories/information. I know my viewers would appreciate your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e-mail.

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  20. to anonymous:
    Haha.. I dont think I'm good enough to write an entire book/e-book. :)

    What's your blog? There's no link here....

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Appreciate your thoughts, opinions and feedback. :)