Omma's Oven MOVED

'Wholesome is awesome'

We had a lovely evening in Omma's Oven, Lintas. I've always been a bread addict...chemically gluten addict! This cafe is what I've been waiting for! Exact hit! I could spend whole evening here, if they allow.

Thanks to a friend's recommendation, we basically decide to go on the same day of discovery to real live the goodness. 

This is a small unit that sell wholesome bread that always has something inside. Extended bread menu like 'cranberry+poppy' 'pumpkin seed+fig' 'walnut+prune' 'apricot+almond' and well promoted 'sunset treasure' which is a Japanese style bun with stuffing creamy cream cheese, tangy apricots and earthy red beans. 

I tried cranberry+poppy and hubby ordered apricot+cheese, both taste fabulous. You have to go over and try it for yourself to believe me. On dining in, you can choose to add on butter @RM1 or olive oil+balsamic vinegar @RM1. 

While serves more of organic tea, the variety is quite limited to that and coffee. Keep our finger cross and hope the drink menu will expand. 

They have 3 types of loaves at the moment:- 'olive+herbs' 'walnut rye' and the ever family favorite 'basic wholemeal'. This series has no added sugar, eggs and milk so you can ease your worries on food allergies. 

All of their productions has no artificial coloring, emulsifier, preservatives, improves or softener. 

OMMA'S OVEN moved to new location

- opposite Kedai Kopi 10

Beyond Veggie by Secret Recipe

Gone are the days of predictable vegetarian lasagnes and stuffed peppers- try out fresh ideas with Beyond Veggie by Secret Recipe.

This is not some conventional veggie restaurant, more of a veggie fusion coming from this part of the world. They serves from Red Wine Vercemillie (Taiwan) to Thai style fried flat noodles (Thailand) to Nasi Goreng Kampung (Malaysia?) to Veggie based pizza. We give Thai style fried flat noodles and Tom Yam Noodle our first time.

Now, don't you go comparing the original Pad Tai that u had in your local Thai restaurant. 

Here in Beyond Veggie, they serve their noodle with superior ingredients like Shibu-Ji Mushrooms, zucchini, yellow and red bell peppers. At the side, they thoughtfully add in 1 skewer of mushrooms stalk satay, some Acar, and a few crackers. The satay is well marinated while the Acar tasted like the ones made by our grandmother. 

Hubby ordered Tom Yam Noodle. It's more of Tom Yam Spegethy with a lot of vegetables and it's not overly spicy. I'd say it taste more like Curry Laksa because of the added coconut milk. 

Worth a try

Beaufort Sipitang 一日游

Aramaiti! Happy Harvest Festival to all! Any plan for this Kaamatan? Same question, asked again and again for over a month before the Day itself. MIL is coming-to-town so we cancel our trip back to Tenom. Hubby suggested Sipitang Satay! Off we go. 

Sipitang is a town, district and also a parliament constituency located in the interior division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It is the closest town in Sabah to the Sarawak border, and is 44 kilometers south of Beaufort and 144 kilometers south of Kota Kinabalu, the state capital.

You may go all the way to Sipitang then pitstop Beaufort on your way back KK, we pitstop-ing Beaufort, on our way up (or down) to Sipitang. You will definitely pass by Beaufort town anyways. 

Along the way to Beaufort, there's paddy field, Palm Plantations and 'kerangaus' Kerbau(s) and Banggau(s)! Some weird new words hubby created and we laugh till ‘tu pat tong’ (Hakka) = tummy cramps. 

Hubby has quite some memorable childhood in Beaufort’s small town and on their old train. Hubby (family holiday trip) used to take their train from Beaufort down to KK during school holiday. 

Even though just a train ride, it is an anticipated journey especially for a kampong boy like him (he loves to refer himself as the kampong boy). They used to have couple of old aunties carrying rattan baskets selling sweets, chips, some pickled mango, ‘corn on the cob’ – boiled corn or commonly known jagung rebus. Maybe due to upgrading progress and cleanliness of the station, unauthorized ‘hawk-ing’ is prohibited.

Travellers may find themselves here for one of several reasons: to whitewater-raft the Padas River, to catch or arriving on the train to/from Tenom.

Ok, if you still remember how our old KTM train is (when I say old, give and take some design from the 80s to 90s), then it resemble something like that. I heard that there’s 2 types of train – the local and special cabin for tourist. Apart from the fare, special cabin was supposed to be more comfy. Has yet to have the chance, but I will try it one day. Maybe just a short trip from Beaufort to Tenom perhaps.

There is famous Beaufort Noodle but we had not digest from our breakfast so we will try it another day. If you are wondering where you should be heading to for a good plate of Beaufort Noodle, you may try Kedai Kopi Kim Fah. It’s the first before they start branching in KK.

Weng Fung Bakuteh (Klang) 永丰巴生肉骨茶

Couldn't stop myself from posting this article. I admit I'm not a huge fan of that I'll have it as breakfast, lunch and dinner but I'm a fan. I've tried those in Klang, Batu Tiga, Kapar, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Duta, somewhere near Petaling Street, the one near DSH... just to name a few. Now I've made my point yahhhh

We revisit one of the usual Bakuteh yesterday. There is a few available in Kk area, but we seems to develope a liking to the soup from Weng Fung Bakuteh. It taste more herbal, not peppery ... So I reckon it's more towards the KL style bakuteh.

They do serve other dishes like salted fish steam pork, Hakkan style wine chicken, dry bakuteh etc

We always order a pot-for-two with everything inside (RM20), rice and vegetable. This visit cost us a total bill of RM 38.50 

They featured a few times in Groupon so some of you might be familiar with. They open up another branch in Iramanis. 

The main reason urges me to post this article is - we-would-not-have-any-revisit after this. They serve our clay pot bakuteh and we noticed a lot (A LOT) of baby cockroaches running around at the base plate (below). 

Those babies were nesting happily in the base but due to the heat of the clay pot, they run out! Some made successful landing on the table and run away! Some hide back inside the base after the temperature reduced! When there's babies, it meant there's more mommy and who know how many is there in their kitchen or storage place! That's is for us! We ain't gonna go there again! Maybe due to placebo effect, I feel that the soup is not as good as it was before. However, this is only apply to me personally and my personal opinion only. These photos was taken with my Iphone4 but you still can make out what it is...should have my DSLR with me

Final verdict? Seriously? You may have different dining experience.

Ambiance:  (partial open-air with fan)
Price:  (value for money)
Food: (towards KL style bakuteh)

Address: Weng Fung (Klang) Bakuteh
Lot 2, Block J, Ground Floor,
88 Market Place, Sri Kepayan,
Lorong Pusat Komersil,
88/1, Jalan Pintas 
88300 Kota Kinabalu
Tel : 016 - 832 1221

Hànôi phô - Metro Town CLOSED

Another Sunday to explore new taste. We have pass by Hànôi Phô numerous time but wasn't appealed to dine in until today. We went over for lunch so we only order 2 main and 1 side.

As starter, we had Hanoi Handmade Spring Rolls - Nèm Hà Nôi (RM7.90 for 6 pcs). 

It's expected that the dish arrangement would be different from what shown in menu but the filling is still totally different from what other Vietnamese spring rolls I've had previously (I've tried Vietnam Kitchen and Little Vietnam). More of the vermicelli rather than pork stuffed with other ingredients like black fungus mushrooms, onion, carrots and some egg (I think).

Next dish serve up is Vietnamese Special Fried Rice (RM8.90). Bland and nothing special...yah, well after tasting it, confirmed it's bland and nothing special of its special fried rice except it's stickier compare to our usual Chinese fried rice and very oily (for me). If it's not because of that-hard-to-see minced pork and cube luncheon meat, I thought it's more like economy fried rice from morning market.

Hubby ordered Rice Vermicelli Chicken Soup Large - Bun Gà (RM10.90) that umm looks more like a bowl of Vietnamese vermicelli. They are very thoughtful as some customers might have some preference on topping, separate the toppings on a small cute serving plate. It is all up to you if you want to add in topping - celery, mint leaves, bean sprout, yellow onion, and chopped bird eye chili. I feel that this is still a decent bowl of vermicelli.

Now, food and drinks, they always serve the latter, later! Shop is full during lunch hour and almost all table had their drinks after their food arrives. The usual drinks we will have is definitely,Vietnamese drip-drip coffee, after all its Vietnamese restaurant. It's a big big disappointment.

We order ours, iced with condensed milk. Upon arrival, condensed milk is pre-mixed with ice. By the time our coffee finished dripping, our cup is full with iced water (no more ice, so our coffee is no longer iced coffee). We have to pour away the iced water (wasting some of the condensed milk) before we pour in our coffee. Mine taste so bitter (cause by lack of condensed milk?) but i prefer my coffee slightly bitter anyways.

Final verdict? There might not be second visit for me.  When you order their noddle, there’s either the usual (Sabah type) vermicelli or traditional Vietnamese Noddle for you. 

Ambiance: 9/10 (Close door - Aircon)
Price: 6/10 (not worth the value)
Food: 5/10
Verdict: Worth trying if you have nothing else to dine in that area

Address: Block E, Ground Floor, 

Lot 8, Metro Town

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Telephone no:- 088-384 258

CLOSED

REPLACED WITH SOCIALIZED CAFE

Guilin Rice Noodle (桂林米粉 - Pavilion Bundusan (CLOSED)

Ooohhhoho overslept this morning by far.... So instead of going for brunch, it's our lunch. Cancel off cook-our-own-lunch plan and head out to Pavilion Bundusan looking for new eatery. Hubby indirectly suggested Gui Ling Rice Noddle in Pavilion Bundusan.

We order 1 bowl Braised Meat Rice Noodle (卤肉米粉) soup RM 6.50 and 1 bowl of Dry BBQ Pork Noodle (烧锅肉米粉) RM 6.50. All order serve in rice noodle and you just choose the meat or the condiments. The more chewy rice noodle is much thicker version of normal rice noodle we usually have and it absorbs the flavour more without soaking up the broth. 

Let's start with the soup, clear bone broth that uhh frankly speaking, not much flavour in it. However there's a purpose of having the clear broth - to allow customers to add in their special chili flakes. 

It's a drier version of oil chili flakes we tasted else where and when you add in about a tsp to the broth, tadaaa instant change the whole taste experience (recommends for adult only-it's quite spicy). The meat wise - it's not braised too long but stil have a tinge of braised soya taste thus maintain it's shape and texture even when it served in thin slice.

As for the BBQ pork, it's the crunchier and served thinly sliced instead. I had mine only 3 layers - the crunchy skin (10%), the lard (45%) and the meat (45%). I don't take the fatty part, so it's a big put off for me but overall the meat is roasted to perfection. Maintaining it's juiciness and doesn't take away it's meaty taste while the skin is perfectly crunchy. You may think that it's tasteless but once you mix it with the soya sauce beneath, it taste just right. One thing for sure is that the noodle doesn't become sticky and clump together even after 30mins an still taste good. 

For those who doesn't take spring onion or celery, do remember to ask them to omit it. They tend to put a lot on top of your noodle. There's also some peanuts and preserved diced long beans to enhance the taste. 

Address:- Block E-39-G, Pavilion Bundusan, Jalan Bundusan, 88300 Kota Kinabalu

Tel:- 016 849 8700

Love Cooks - Golden Pile Bun (黄金堆)

Been craving for plain steam buns (mantou-馒头). One of my aunt made this soft fluffy - almost cottony steam buns and she would always keep some for me to take back home (she stays in KL). I finished the last one she gave just few days after Chinese New Year.

Vowed to learn and make some myself, I found a few recipes available on the internet and do some adjustment on the weight, additional savouries, and most important on the kneading time. Also, my new present-from-hubby stand mixer has been sitting comfortably in its box for quite sometime so it's play time. You know how people says there's too much chemical in pre packed food, too much preservatives in pre prepared food, so I'm gonna make some with the water roux (Tang Zhong-汤钟) method.

Initially I wanted to make Pandan Steam Buns, it's hard to get from local supermarket and I'm too lazy to get to the wet market just for a few pieces of Pandan leaves. Let's make some Pumpkin Steam Bun instead. I still have some left overs in my fridge from my Vegeterian ABC soup so I skinned and puréed it.

Ooohhh the buns are so soft and fluffy. I've decide to make a bigger batch just so I can have extras to give to one of my girl friend. Once it's cooled, I packed it and freeze it for her to come pick it up the next evening.

Suddenly come to me where we used to have steam buns with curry chicken. It's my family favorite esp when my dad bring us out to picnic by the beach or waterfalls. Then, my mom will just buy canned curry chicken and bring along, unless her good mood calls and she will cook us, her curry chicken. One of the best dish from her. Tadaaaa, I so happen, make some curry chicken myself to go along with my steam buns, just enough for our dinner and left over some gravy for breakfast dipping tomorrow morning... Yummm

Here's the recipe:-

300g Superwhite Pau Flour

30g Sugar

3g Salt

2tsp Instant Yeast

1/2 cup of Pumpkin (sweetened with sugar and puréed)

1/2 cup Water Roux

3 tbsp Water

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Methods:-

1) Sieve flour,sugar and salt. Make a hole in the middle and add in instant yeast, pumpkin puréed and water roux. Mix at low medium speed (i used speed 2/6) for 5 min interval with water. You might need to add in more water or reduce to suit the type of flour that you are using - it depends on the water retention of the flour.

2) Add in vegetable oil and increase speed to medium high (I used speed 4/6) once all oil had incorporated into the dough. You add in oil last just to let the gluten to develop. Mix for 15 min or until you see the dough become very very elastic. You will be able to pull to very thin film with your fingers without breaking it.

3) Let the dough rest for 1 hour. I rest mine 2 hours. Poke your floured index finger to the centre. It will resemble our belly button and you know it's proofed enough.

4) Shape as desire and proof it for second time for another 1 hour. I found that the longer you second proof, the fluffier the bun gets. It gives time for the dough rise and trap gas bubbles in it. 

5) Steam the buns over boiling water for 15 min. Wait till it's slightly cooled before taking it out from steamer. This protects the bun from collapsing due to sudden drop of temperature. See an example I have for you below, just so you know how funny it looks like. 

Mt Fuji - Worlds' Heritage

It's a challenge both physically and mentally from the moment we woke. I'd say... The moment before bed the night before Mt Fuji Tour.

We've missed the originally planned bus, first bus that leaves Shinjuku Stn at 7.10am directs to Mt Fuji Kawaguchiko Stn, totally sold out! That leaves us one final option-take local train ... Trains ... Multiple if train changing to reach our destination. This also means we have to leave hotel before 5am = 4am! (our time) waking at 3am! 

Yay... We only managed to run and step onto the 1st change train sharp at 5.35 am local time. Next comes our nightmare. We are lost! We we're suppose to only change 2 more time before we take a 50min tram to Kawaguchiko Stn. A wrong time direction, wrong interchange station and a wrong info given by the Mrt attendance made us late! So late. 

We finally reach Kawaguchiko Stn at 8.55 am (our time-which also meant we were good 1 hour late!) however we had help from the lady from information centre, calls directly to our tour guide, a lovely Japanese lady. Told us to wait for15-20 min while they (yup everyone in the bus) comes back to pick us up from Kawaguchiko Stn so we can continue to join up the tour. While we were waiting, 2 Malaysian (lost, blur sotong like us) ladies join us. 

It was a fantastic tour. 1St stop was Mt Fuji itself. Standing tall, naked for us today. We are so lucky! There wasn't any cloud for it to hide so we had our sweet time taking photo with it. Bear with the cold...COLD weather that is. The highest temp there is not higher than 7°c... I was freezing! Running out of time before we can fully submerged to the breath taking view, like little ducklings, off we go to next destination, the garden of Mt Fuji-another hidden Jem to have Mt Fuji photo taken. Price to pay- has to hike up a step rocky path and few flights of stairs....it was well worth it for the Breath... Life taking view.

Time to break for lunch. A simple lunch from the station cafe. Too tired to walk around. Conserve some energy for 2nd part of our tour. 

The Wind Cave with a good 30 min walk in Mt Fuji 800 years old jungle, the lakes, and finally the Ice Cave. Every stop was killing! The view it is. 

Good story doesn't ends after we say good byes to out driver and tour guide. We planned to buy the 6pm bus bound for Tokyo Stn. I have a glinche that there will be limited seats if available. I basically run over to the ticketing counter after saying byes with our lovely tour guide. Lucky me and devil me... I took the last 2 tickets available. Leaving other couples taking 8pm bus back downtown.

Kedai Kopi 'kaya' Raya 花生包

Keningau is a sprawling timber and agricultural town and major town located in the Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It is the oldest and largest town in the interior part of Sabah.

We've planned for this trip since a year ago or so. Finally! We are here. Okie! I admit I was skeptical when I heard there is such soft, fluffy, and aromatic bread in Keningau. I was stuffing my mouth-full with one bread follows by another right after the lady deliver our bread to our table.

Family run corner shop tuck away from main road, Kedai Kopi Raya. Bread was made by the owner's son in their small first floor bakery and sell in their ground floor shop. Best time to visit is slightly after lunch hour. Freshly baked bread, out from oven around 12.30 pm and continues to add more variety as time near to 2pm. Caters more for tea break.

Apparently their most famous is their peanut bun. One of the kind where their peanuts are smoother and creamier. 

Next, they put a generous layer of peanuts on top of another generous layer of butter. On first bite, the soft fluffy bun greet you, then the crunchy fragrant peanuts flows in so smoothly with the butter. The mouthful peanut aroma lasted till after we finish our bun and elegantly wash down with their yet another famous 'Tea C'

Never waste the tiny space in our tummy and long journey to Keningau, we tried a few other bun and find most of then equally superb. 

We are spoil by so many choices available - the Yam Bun, Nestum Bun, Red Bean Bun, Tau Sar Piang....

The list just goes on and on and on and on....

Above is Nestum Bun (right side) RM1.40  and Cheese Bun (left side) RM 1.40. Personally I prefer their Peanut bun and Yam Bun, simply because Cheese Bun are just too cheeezy-with-butter yet Nestum Bun is a bit bland where its' taste-overtook-by-butter. 

Next round, if you happen to come to Keningau, this is a place that you must come over. Thinking of buy some extra buns and bring then back to KK, all of it are out of shape. Made a mental note, must bring a huge container on my next trip. Then I can bring back this delicious bun with me. 

Pardon me on these low quality photos, I took it with just my Iphone. Will bring along my DSLR and upload more photo on my next trip....

Final verdict? Make a note, must bring a huge container on your trip. Those buns are so mouth watering that it would be great if you have bigger tummy for all of it. 

Ambiance: 4/10 (traditional coffee shop)
Price: 7/10 (so worth the value but compare to Keningau area, consider medium high)
Food: 8/10
Verdict: Must visit

Address: Lorong Bumiputera 4 

There is no complete address but you can refer to map below: turn in from KFC Keningau main road