Three Cities, Three Eateries

I was travelling much over the past two weeks. Here is a quick review of three of the many restaurants I visited. 

Hakka Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, opposite the Pavilion.

It was one of my favorite restaurants back in the 1990s. I love Hakka dishes. My grandmother was a Hakka and an excellent cook.

The food turned out to be a major disappointment. Even the most basic Hakka dish, the braised pork with preserved vegetable in soya sauce (“mui choy kau yok”) was dry and tough.

The place was busy and my observation is that it is now more a place for tourists.

Hashida Sushi, Mandarin Gallery, Singapore

This is an authentic Japanese restaurant in the upmarket Mandarin Gallery, with excellent sushi. Set meals are offered in the menu but you can always order ala carte, for a price.  A piece of toro costs S$45. It was excellent, but yes, too expensive.

Chef Hung, Taipei

Somewhere in Taipei, Taiwan, is this really good Taiwanese beef noodle store. The beef noodle costs approximately RM26 a bowl.  The restaurant was extremely crowded when I was there, with busloads of tourists and locals alike.

The crowd outside the restaurant, as shown in the photo, were patrons waiting to get in.  Inside, people literally wait beside you for a seat.  But try you must when you are in Taipei next.