A boy goes Perth story! Finds good Perth food. Essentially, a Perth Food Blog. - no longer active!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Bites: Galangal Thai Cuisine @ East Victoria Park
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Bites: Kitchen Inn @ Kardinya
Another budget bite to tick off my list this week is Kitchen Inn. A successful business that first started in Thornlie, this little eatery has since expanded down to Kardinya and even as far as Melbourne. How is it possible that something that started little more than 4 years ago manage to expand so rapidly you might be thinking? I have not spoken to the charismatic family who owns this eatery, but I have some answers of my own from a foodie’s point of view. For starters, stick with the basics and keep it that way. Its cuisine style is from East Malaysia and here it is done the same way it would have been done back home. 80% carbs and 20% meat. To justify, keep the price low. The traditional favorite, the Kampua Noodle starts at $6.90 and that has not changed since it first opened. To be honest, I love it.
The noodles are cooked perfectly, the Asian Al Dente before being tossed in a lardy and salty sauce. To finish, slices of barbecued pork followed by a sprinkling of shallots and crisp scallions. Its taste reminds one so much of home and for me who just loves everything Malaysia has to offer in terms of food, this Sibu (East Malaysia) delicacy just helps to keep those cravings at bay.
If you are from the Peninsular like I am, we tend to add a little black sauce to our food and at Kitchen Inn, Kardinya those requests can be accommodated with no extra cost. Least to say, I was chuffed. While there is hardly any flavor in the black sauce or dark soy sauce, the beautiful caramelized color it gives the noodles is enough to make me drool. Kampua with Dark Soy Sauce for that added kick.
Put a few more dollars and you meat lovers can get your needs sorted too. So why not finish the Kampua Noodles with some delicious mince and crispy Roasted Pork?Even if you are not a noodle fan, Kitchen Inn offers a host of other traditional favorites such as Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice and even the famous Bak Kut Teh. For me, having the added homemade love in the preparation of such classic Malaysian dishes never grow old. In fact, I do not think anyone ever gets sick of such food. If you every come, do try their Crispy Chicken Wings which they tend to have every now and then. It is superbly moreish and I have never failed to get excited every time I order it. Delicious.
Never once have I finished a meal at Kitchen Inn feeling hungry. The serves here are simply gargantuan and with the help of a little chili oil, I always leave the bowl empty. That tends to get me a little bloated at times, but I still love this place to bits especially for their noodles which are prepared the traditional way. While I would not rank their other offerings like the Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice or Bak Kut Teh among the best, the convenience of knowing it is there when you want it is just pleasing. So if you are looking to eat like a king, and make the crowd happy for little money, do come and try Kitchen Inn.
See my first visit here to the original place here. WenY Bites: Kitchen Inn @ Thornlie
WenY
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Bites: Rice Noodle House @ Shelly
For me who has been craving for some wanton noodles since a week ago, I ordered the Rice Noodle House’s Dry Wanton Noodles. Not one of their specialty, but this is what a taste test is all about. Experimenting.The noodles for starters were cooked spot on. Not too soft or hard whilst still being springy. Easy to understand why this place is famous for their noodles. As for the wantons, they were pretty decent although nowhere near the standard of the ones I have had in Hong Kong. I like the seasoning of the noodles which had enough flavor from the concoction of essential Chinese sauces with a good hint of pepper. This one though felt a little sweet, possibly from the use of sugar/kicap manis.
At the end of the meal, we were all satisfied with the taste and quality in the food. But where size was concerned, it was pretty obvious that this was not your typical Australian serve where there was always going to be an abundance of meat and carbs. Really quite surprising considering I have seen photos of the Nasi Lemak served here that looks absolutely huge. Nonetheless, the Rice Noodle House in Shelly is definitely worth coming for the Malaysian classics it makes. But if you are hungry, definitely ask for extra noodles. In the end, putting its price (<$10), the quality and it’s location, this is definitely a hidden gem ;)!