Madam Kwan's

While Madam Kwan's has kept its exact opening date under wraps, it failed to keep curious foodies from flooding the restaurant last Sunday. Despite the torrential crowds at peak hours, I was whisked into the restaurant in no time at 5pm- hooray!

With fluffy and well-separated grains, the light yet aromatic coconut rice was one of the best I've had- better than Grandma's and the now-defunct Wok & Barrel's! Its accompaniments were less spectacular, however. Not that there was anything wrong with the sambal ikan billis or crunchy, piquant achar- it's just that they weren't particularly memorable.

I'm being picky here, but the the curry chicken- though succulent- wasn't quite fall off the bone tender. And one probably expects a more generous portion of chicken with a $13.90+ plate of nasi lemak, no?

While I have not visited Madam Kwan's in KL, I felt that their nasi lemak was somewhat overrated. To think that I actually contemplated making a trip to the capital to satisfy my coconut rice cravings! Nevertheless, given the quality of the food and its relatively inexpensive pricing (considering the restaurant's prime location), I will return to Madam Kwan's if I happen to be at Vivocity- once the crowds die down, that is.

I settled for a steaming hot cup of teh tarik ($3.50+) as the chendol was sold out. Let me know if you try their signature dessert and nasi bojari- I certainly had a hard time deciding between nasi lemak and the latter!

Madam Kwan's

1 Harbourfront Walk #01-152/154

Vivocity

NYC: Momofuku Milk Bar

Cereal milk soft serve? What a work of genius. I mean, who doesn't love the sweet, malted milk at the bottom of a bowl of Frosted Flakes? This fabulous soft serve is slightly icy- just the way I like it- and goes hand in hand with the buttery crunch topping of toasted cornflakes. Nostalgia in a cup, mmm.

I'm equally enamored with their green apple cheddar soft serve, a delicately balanced swirl of refreshing fruit and bold cheese flavors. If only this was a permanent fixture on the menu!

Here's the menu at Milk Bar's East Village outlet.

I've got to admit, I've already gone for take two before publishing this post. The Midtown branch's menu offers a wider selection, and is far less cramped that the former to boot.

Kimchi croissants, anyone?

The corn cookie is also a must. It's addictively salty-sweet, and packed with the goodness of milk and sweet buttered corn. In no time, you'll be nibbling your way through the crunchy edges and chewy centre to another cookie. And another....

I don't get the hype over birthday cake truffles, and Momofuku's rendition failed to turn me into a convert. To me, they just taste...sweet. But cake pop lovers will probably go gaga over these. Moist, rich vanilla crumbs are balled up and coated in a white chocolate glaze- now one can have cake on the go without the mess.
 

The crack pie is, perhaps, the epitome of indulgence. With butter listed as its first ingredient, this crack pie better be worth all that saturated fat.

The filling's sinfully ooey and gooey, with a fragrant toasted oat crust. Get ready for a sugar rush- the crack pie so toothachingly sweet and rich that three forkfuls was more than enough for me. To be honest, it's not something I'll be addicted to.

A must-visit in NYC for soft serve and cookies, every time.

Poutine Week: Lucky's Truck

Like your poutine all jazzed up? Lucky's Food Truck gives an elegant French spin to Quebec's number one comfort food in its Poutine Week special, La Fameuse. Foie gras and red wine sauce stands in place of the ubiquitous brown gravy, melding harmoniously with the caramelized onions and duck confit.

The julienned fries soaked up the rich jus without turning soggy, and the cheese curds nested amidst were squeaky fresh and softened by the heat. Even the waffle-like garnish added a delicious crunch and sweetness to the creation.

Aside from the variety of specials on offer (how about a breakfast poutine with hollandaise and a fried egg (Faberge) or General Tao chicken-topped concotion from Poutineville?), I like the fact that participating restaurants are offering $5 sampler-sized portions during Poutine Week. My arteries are clogging up as I eat my way through Montreal's best poutines, but at least the damage won't be as bad this way.

Lucky's Truck
Currently based at L'Abreuvoir

403 Rue Ontario Est

Montreal, QC H2L 1N5

Happening Gourmand: Modavie

At the risk of sounding snobbish, I must admit that I'm not crazy over Restaurant Week and similar spinoffs, being one who visits restaurants with the intention of trying the best of what they have to offer. But at $15 for a three-course lunch in the charming Vieux-Montreal, the Happening Gourmand's discounted deals were not to be missed.

Le menu....printed on flimsy inkjet paper, I must add.

I loved the warm bread rolls. Should I grab the last bun in the basket?

Why order Nicoise Salad...

...when you can have baked brie in puff pastry? (Or rather, puff pastry with brie.) While the feuilleté can't match up to the crisp, buttery specimens abound in boulangeries, the mélange of flavors hit the sweet spot. Who knew that Asian pear and crushed walnuts would go so well with pastry and cheese?

The generously-portioned beef flank that evoked food envy. Served with a port and mushroom sauce.

I had the exotic-sounding Cavatelli Amatriciana, a Sicilian pasta with long rolled edges in a tomato-based sauce with  pancetta and onions. Why didn't I order the beef...

Walleye fillet with tomato salsa. Judging from the presentation of the dish (of lack thereof), I suspect that the sous chef had decided to let an apprentice take over the kitchen.

Starring the least messily-sliced tiramisu on the table... pardoned by its airy deliciousness. There was a good balance of cream to sponge, and the ladyfingers were soaked to just right. I personally prefer a richer version of this Italian dessert with more mascarpone, but that's another story.

I didn't manage to capture an aesthetically pleasing shot of the panna cotta, which came in a ramekin with a blob of jam on top.

Modavie's worth a try if you're looking for an affordable restaurant meal, but I'll personally save my calories for other dining expeditions. At least, I can now strike off dining in Old Montreal from my list of to-dos.

Montreal: Satay Brothers

I'm getting hungry as I type this post. Really, really hungry. You see, Southeast Asian cuisine in Montreal is as elusive as above-zero days in the Canadian winter. Just imagine my exhilaration when I discovered Satay Brothers at Atwater Market during fall! And to my delight, they've recently opened a temporary restaurant at 3911 Saint-Jacques Ouest for this winter.

Laksa was never a regular fixture in my diet back in Singapore. Perhaps it was partly due to the lack of coconut-milk-laden dishes in Montreal, but Satay Brothers' laksa had me falling head over heels with this spicy rice noodle soup. I slurped up every drop of the oh-so-very-lemak (or aromatic) chicken gravy with much relish. Ask for the triple spicy if you can handle the heat.

I love love love steamed pork buns. Or as it's more commonly known in Singapore, kong bak pau. Satay Brothers' nailed this Hokkien classic with tender soy-braised pork belly sandwiched in a spongy homemade bun, finished a kiss of sweet hoisin, sprigs of coriander and thin cucumber slices for crunch. A worthy substitute for my favorite Westlake pork buns back at home.

And for dessert, how about some... Nonya kueh? Oh joy! I ended off both visits with a generous square of kueh salat- a coconutty steamed cake of rich pandan custard atop sticky glutinous rice, warmed before serving.

Ironically, I found their namesake satay below par. Not that there was anything wrong with the tender chicken skewers- it's just that they weren't quite authentic. The marinade needed more sugar, and I like my meat with more chew. More importantly, the smoky aroma that only a charcoal grill can imbue was missing. On the other hand, I had no complaints about the fresh and tasty peanut sauce.

I'm being greedy here but a square of ketupat (a type of rice dumpling) would make a lovely addition!

Mee rebus traditionally comes with a robust, sweet gravy that's thick enough to cling on to the yellow egg noodles. Sadly, Satay Brother's rendition was watered-down and bore closer resemblance to a spicy beef soup.  

There's nothing quite like the taste of home. Thank you Mat and Alex Winnicki, for bringing Singapore's vibrant hawker food culture to Montreal.