A Dissatisfied Dinner @ Five Star Restaurant

Last year December, my dear and I visited to this restaurant called "Five Stars Restaurant". It's located at Batu Lanchang, next to the Ong Too Pain Clinic. I heard about this restaurant from an ex-colleague quite some time ago. What I remembered he told me was although the restaurant is named as "Five Star Restaurant", however, the price is reasonable, and the food is delicious. That's why I suggested to my dear to give it a try.

The first word from both of us when we walked out from there was "yaaaakkkkkkk!!!". We were totally dissatisfied with the food served. The food servings were really small. We found the price was over-charged based on the serving size. Take a look at the photos below, and I'm sure you'll nod your head.


Asparagus stir fried in sambal belacan cost for RM8. Quantity so less only and the belacan taste is not nice. The other day I bought a big bunch of fresh asparagus from Jusco, 500gms just cost for RM5 something. I tried to cook the same dish using 250gms of asparagus and it tasted much more better. With the huge serving, and the delicious taste, I would say I can cook better than the chef in this Five Star Restaurant. ^^


This dish is called Indonesian prawns. We were so surprise when we saw they served this dish on a plate coz all the previous curry that we took in other restaurants were served in a big bowl with lots of appetizing curry broth. These 5 prawns in so little broth cost for RM15. Pricey, isn't it?


Hot plate Japanese tofu, cost for RM6. I guess they just used up half tube of the Japanese tofu, which you can get at less than RM1 per tube. Furthermore, there's no egg included, and of course no fragrant smell lar...


The belacan fried chicken cost for RM7. I just manage to finish 1 small piece of it. It's hard and not tasty at all.

Dare you visit the restaurant?

Their add:
19-C, Ground Floor, Taman Sri Damai,
Lebuh Raya Batu Lanchang,
11600 Penang.

Tel: 04-6568605

Lotus Root Soup

Lotus root is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, potassium, copper and manganese, and a very good source of vitamin C. It is an ideal food for maintaining optimum health.

Lotus root soup is one of my favourite soup. I'm a lazy working lady that usually boil soup in the slow cooker. However, my personal opinion is this soup tastes better if cooks in pot or double boiler.

Lotus Root Soup


Ingredients:
1. 300g lotus roots
2. 200g pork ribs
3. 10 red dates (wash and drain)
4. 800ml of water
5. light soy sauce to taste.

Method:
1. Wash and clean mud from lotus root. Remove the skin and joints from lotus roots. Cut it into 0.5 cm thickness.
2. Wash the pork ribs to remove any blood and trim off excess fat.
3. Bring the water to boil in a pot. Add pork ribs into the boiling water and boil for half an hour. Remove scum from the surface of soup.
4. Add in the lotus root slices and red dates. Simmer the soup for another 2 hours.
5. Add seasoning and serve hot.

Winter Melon Soup

Winter melon soup is believed good for helping to relieve water retention during the advanced stages of pregnancy.

Winter Melon Soup



Ingredients:

1. About 200gms of winter melon, skinned and cut into cubes.
2. 12 red dates.
3. 200gms of pork ribs.
4. 800ml of water.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.

Methods:

1. Bring 800ml of water to boil in a pot and pour it into the slow cooker.
2. Add in pork ribs, winter melon and red dates.
3. Let it simmer under automatic mode for at least 5 to 6 hours.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Dim Sum @ Bali Hai

My family had breakfast at Bali Hai the other day when my eldest brother came back from Australia to see my mum. The place is located at Gurney Drive, just 150m away from Gurney Plaza, facing seaside. Bali Hai serve seafood during the night, but in the morning, they serve Dim Sum at very reasonable prices. The best thing is they even have free WiFi for all! The atmosphere is quite nice compared to many places, good for taking breakfast with your friends and family. I didn't come here before for dinner, so I can't comment much on that, but with the side aquariums with lots of seafood, i guess it's not bad too.


You can't miss the Bai Hai signboard


Steamed Dim Sum


Fried and baked Dim sum


Horse shoe crab


Geoduck -never tried that before, dunno how it taste like


Do they really serve these monsters for dinner?

Miso Soup

Miso soup is the traditional Japanese soup serves in almost all the Japanese restaurants. In fact, some are too salty. I searched through the net for the recipes, and manage to tried it out with ingredients based on my personal preference. It is easy to prepare. Once you have all the ingredients ready, it will just take for less than 15 minutes to cook.

Miso Soup

Ingredients:

Miso soup ingredients

1. 800 ml of water

2. Japanese tofu 1 tube, cut into small cubes

3. 8g of dashi stock. Remark: I don't have it, so I use half cube of Maggie chicken stock.

4. 2 tbsp of Miso paste.

5. Some enokitake (golden needle mushroom).

6. Chopped spring onions.

Methods:

1. Boil 800ml of water with chicken stock.

2. Add in tofu and enokitake, bring to a rapid boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Lower heat, place strainer on the surface of boiling soup, add in Miso paste, press down and stir to dissolve Miso paste into soup.

4. Off the fire as soon as it reaches boiling point. Sprinkle some chopped spring onions just before serving.

Miso Soup