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.