Velly Important ... Best Food Places Are Relocating!!! Meng Kee & Max Kitchen

Where in the world is the world's best charsiu (barbecue pork)??? Of course its Meng Kee at Tengkat Tong Shin (parallel to Jalan Alor). You would think that HK which probably has the best siulap in the world, would also have the best charsiu... WRONG... HK is the best place for all your roast goose, roast duck, paikuat, yaukai, etc.. but they cannot get the charsiu right. I have brought my friends from overseas to eat charsiu at Meng Kee, and no matter where they are from, they have never tasted such perfection - perfection has to mean that its moist meat, the outer layer is lightly burned, always with at least 1/3 fat, the burnt edges are not burnt really but rather the exquisite carmelisation of sugar/ caramel/ honey (or whatever their secret ingredient is), I suspect from what I see, they do a two-three time barbecue on the outer layer, baste-barbecue-baste again-barbecue-but it has to be swift and the fire controlled so that the inside meat does not get dry.

http://epicurious.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/meng-kee-char-siew-kl/
Get a hold of this picture by Epicurious Girl, go to her blog for more info and photos:

The fact that it is also probably the most expensive charsiu around is only to be expected.

Anyway, Meng Kee will be at their current place till end of this week only. They will be off for two weeks before reopening at a shop lot on Jalan Alor, next to Hotel Nova, or directly opposite Wong Ah Wah famous barbecue chicken wings. More details, please call 017-6388648 or 016-9093721.

Glistening, caramelized pork ... (photo from Motormouth From Ipoh blog, access via:

http://j2kfm.blogspot.com/2008/06/meng-kee-char-siew-tengkat-tong-shin-kl.html )

Is something happening to Tengkat Tongshin, why then are so many eateries moving out of that road ... anyway, another of my favourite Max Kitchen has moved as well. Maybe its the Transformers' effect as it now has a highfalutin name Max@iHaus at Jalan Jati off Jalan Imbi (off Jalan Inai as well, lol). Its a great location, its a refurbished bungalow. The bungalow is actually a showroom / showhaus for iHaus , a German interior / kitchen/ furniture products. The setting is marvelous with lots of parking. Food is still excellent though we don't get to see Max cooking now as the kitchen is hidden away. The fun part is to walk around testing the furniture and marveling at the kitchen design and other products.

Its very difficult to find but thankfully Max was smart enough to put up flags/directions once you turn into Jalan Inai / Jalan Jati.

Max, everything was great except you need a much much better wine list, its too second rate and why the concentration on Margaret River wines? I like the Australian emphasis but its slanted, I am not for paying very high prices but there are certainly better choices for wines in the RM120-200 range: try Rymill, Turkey Flat, Kennedy & Wilson, Michael Hall, even De Bortoli, Knappstein.


p/s: for a much better look at Max@iHaus and the food, please go to: Precious Pea's blog
http://preciouspea.blogspot.com/2009/06/max-ihaus-western-dining-wines-events.html
Max.@ iHaus: Western Dining, Wines and Events is located at:
Lot No. 32 Jalan Jati
Off Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel. No: 603 - 2142.9720
Opens daily from 11.00 a.m. till 11.00 p.m.