That day when we went here for lunch, my girl went to see a movie in the evening and it was quite late when she got home, around 7.30 p.m. Well, that was late by our standard as usually, we would have our dinner at around 6.00 p.m. but it was perfectly all right as that was during the school holidays so we were quite flexible where everything was concerned. Most importantly, that was the time for her to relax and enjoy herself, a welcome break from the dreary days she has to spend at her school in the jungle.
We headed to this place…
…here where we had a pleasant and delightful dinner once.
My girl had their Australian strip loin steak (RM19.90, special promotional price)…
…which she enjoyed a lot and she loved the mashed potatoes too.
I did try a bit of the meat…
…and yes, it was very nice – nicer than any beef steaks I have had elsewhere before this. Of course, she had it well done – we do not get fresh beef here and I am quite wary about the imported frozen ones that we have around here, never mind that some may claim that it is air-flown or what. You certainly would not catch me having it red and oozing with all the blood and juices though people insist that beef is tastier and more tender that way. This one was nice and tender – even for ol’ toothless me – and was very tasty.
I was torn between the baked saltcrust white tilapia and the chicken cordon bleu and in the end, I decided to go for the later. Unfortunately, the waitress came back to inform me that it was not available. Tsk! Tsk! I was rather put off by that so I just decided to order their nasi lemak (RM12.90)…
…to see if it was any good. The moment it was served, I was put off by those bland, not-all-that-crispy mini-keropok (prawn crackers). I just cannot understand why many cafés here love to serve those by the side of their dishes…and another thing that would put me off would be the ones where everything would be buried under all the squiggles of mayonnaise. So NCAA (no class at all)! I wouldn’t mind it one bit if they had given a couple of those cheap salted fish, RM2.00 for a whole bag of those at the supermarkets here. At least, those would be one of the standard condiments that usually go with a plate of nasi lemak and would not stick out like a sore thumb!
The fried egg…
…was not done the way I would like it. Obviously, they used a pan to fry it and they flipped the egg so that was why it looked like that. Thankfully, they removed it from the fire sooner so the yolk was still a little soft and a little bit runny, not horribly hard and overcooked.
The sambal was so-so, not quite like the regular nasi lemak sambal but it was all right and the fried chicken…
…was…like fried chicken. Period.
Of course, when it comes to nasi lemak, my prime concern would be the rice and for reasons known only to them, they were using basmati rice…with a hint of some spices used in the cooking but no, there was hardly any fragrance of the santan (coconut milk) nor the pandan (screwpine leaves). Why call it nasi lemak when it is far from being lemak, I wonder? I guess it is pretty obvious whether or not I would order this should I ever drop by here again.
As for my missus, she stuck loyally to her chicken chop (RM8.90, special promotional price)…
…with mushroom sauce and yes, like the previous time when she had it, it was good.
The total, inclusive of drinks, came up to RM50.60 and even though that was substantially less than what I had paid for our lunch that day (RM76.00), we certainly derived a lot more satisfaction from the latter…especially with that very disappointing nasi lemak that I had.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
The strip loin steak is such a steal at that price. I would go and eat that everyday until the promotion price is over. Haha. I’ll have it medium rare though. I don’t like it well done.
I hear they do do it that way upon request, with the blood flowing all over. No, thanks! I’m no Dracula, he he he he!!!!
I think I’ll go for the steak.
Placing an order for steak can be quite tricky when eating out. Not many places do it well nor is the meat hung. If it’s well hung, all the better.
I prefer the cheaper cuts esp brisket in beef. I can turn it into salt beef or pastrami.
They are expansive in the supermarkets and eateries. Often, the former is rather salty.
Serve the salt beef or pastrami thickly sliced, hot from the stove, with mustard, picked cucumber and good bread. So good.
Dunno all that much about beef – see my reply to Irvine’s comment below – nor most of what you’re talking about and I only know “hung” in a very different context. 😀 😀 😀 Here, it’s just steak…and the expensive ones would be air-flown anus…oops, I mean angus and wagyu. I have had beef bacon and beef slices, dunno if they’re salted or pastrami or what, at hotel breakfast buffets in KL, not here, but no, give me pork bacon…anytime!
I mean the cheaper cuts of beef esp the brisket.
Brisket is cheaper? I love brisket – may get it at the beef noodle places at times. Great for stews, I think…but no, I hardly ever see that among the imported frozen cuts, mostly chuck, I think.
Good quality meat esp beef (whole carcass or half carcass) is generally hung or placed on a rack in a controlled environment for couple of weeks or more.
The process alters the beef by two means. Firstly, moisture is evaporated from the muscle. The resulting process of desiccation creates a greater concentration of beef flavour and taste (it should not be gamey). Secondly, the beef’s natural enzymes break down the connective tissue in the muscle, which leads to tender beef.
Yes, I’ve seen them doing that on tv, some continental European country.
Ah yes, gamey!!! Dunno exactly what that is but I think that’s the word – I never order beef steaks here anymore as those that I have had would have that taste or smell that puts me off – probably that is what you mean by gamey. Ok for curry and stews but not grilled and served as steaks. I did not detect that here and that is why I say it was nice.
Lamb has its unique smell too – my missus would not touch it…nor duck. I don’t mind a bit of the smell but there are places that do it really well, no smell, very nice. But I guess it is safest with chicken and for one thing, it is the cheapest anywhere in town. Even pork now ranks as high as beef and lamb where the price is concerned.
so much land over there but no farms? The food looks good, and definitely cheap 😀
A whole lot cheaper than there, that’s for sure.
Well, it’s jungle here, thick jungle, not grassland…not savanna but it’s just Sibu, I guess. Dunno if it’s the Foochow population, so very few Malays…and beef used to be a lot more expensive than pork or chicken. The government-backed Sarabif is doing very well in Kuching even till today, opened an outlet here sometime ago but it closed down in no time at all so we only get imported beef – the nicer ones are from Australia or New Zealand, not from some other countries, but being frozen, what we get here would not be all that fresh…or nice.
There was one Malay stall at the wet market here run by an old Malay man. He had either retired or died and the descendants are running the business but they only slaughter once in a blue moon and according to the lady at a coffee shop near my house, all the beef noodles places would book ahead and grab all…and freeze…for use, no chance for the general public. I guess that is enough for them to get by and they are quite happy with it. The father used to open the stall and have beef for sale every morning without fail. The generation today, no longer like those in the past…like how having steaks in my younger days was quite unheard of. Times have changed.
How disappointing your nasi lemak. I dont like that mini keropok too.
I dunno what culinary school or college teaches them to do that – it wouldn’t be so bad if it is nice like some of the big ones from Mukah or where. So pissed off when I see those – the ones with the bright colourful edges, even worse!!!
Like what I were served when I went to Lil’ Baba (Baba Nyonya) few weeks ago. So generous with those small crackers but they turned soggy so fast. Somehow my kids enjoyed them. Lol.
My hubby had salted fried rice in Permai last week and they served with those nice big fish crackers. Somehow the whole dish tasted good. Haha.
Kids! Even my girl, to this day! She would stock up on those packets of crackers and chips in the house to enjoy while watching tv or whatever.
Yes, they do give the big ones with their fried rice or whatever at some Malay stalls – those are quite nice, not bad. Not these small ones. Eyewwwww!!!! The best would be the giant ones at Fisherman. Bet you remember those…they would give you as soon as you’re seated but they do not come free. Thankfully, they are nice, great with their chili sauce.
RM12.90 for the nasi lemak which is not tasty, I would rather go for the chicken chop on promotion price.
Yes, so very much cheaper – the promotional price and most importantly, it was much nicer but my missus wanted that so I had to order something different so I would have something to blog about. 😦
The presentation for the nasi lemak… hmmm….
Nicer than the one here
https://suituapui.wordpress.com/2016/08/31/honey-honey/
but tastewise, more or less. 😦
The strip loin steak looks moist and tender…and tasty!
Yes, it was good. Only what I had wasn’t…and expensive. 😦
I don’t care for rare steaks too.
Neither do we…never mind how fresh the meat may be.
Oh dear, perhaps better luck next time. I wonder if the baked saltcrust white tilapia would fare any better or was it not available as well.
Not sure. I did not order that one – lots of people sharing stuff about farmed tilapia…and salmon…and mussels and everything. In the end, there will be nothing left to eat. Tsk! Tsk!
You can do a better version of the nasi lemak anytime, Arthur! 🙂 My appetite would also go downhill if it is served like that… hahahaha… Anyway, as long as the taste is good, all will be justified…
What was wrong with it served like that? I thought the presentation was ok, just the mini keropok and the taste, especially the rice. No, I tried cooking my own once and no, it was not very good. There are some QUITE good ones at the Malay stalls and shops…but like everything else, one must know where to go as even at those places, there are some that are not good, maybe even worse!
Oh no. How disappointing when the dishes is not how we imagined.
Especially when it is so expensive. Really pissed me off that they can’t do it well and yet they want to include it in the menu for reasons known only to them – surely they must have eaten it themselves and know it is not good.
that strip loin steak melissa had isn’t too bad, cheap too at less than RM20. Give me one of those! 😀
Currently on promotion. The items on the regular menu do not look all that cheap.
Wow that steak is really reasonably priced. I think I pay the same for a piece of steak (uncooked). LOL. Eat more.. 😉
I wouldn’t mind ordering that should we drop by here again…but not the nasi lemak, thank you very much.