Zestful Eats

Upperstar Pepper Grill and Bar is a two story restaurant and bar opposite Hyatt Hotel, Kota Kinabalu. I went there on my last night in Kota Kinabalu to have dinner with my old classmates (including Tim, Megan and Fara).

They serve mostly western food. I had the Lamb Chop – which is generally my choice when I’m not really sure what to eat – and the Hot Chocolate. I also had a Garlic Bread.

The Garlic bread (RM3.70) was three measly slices and was a bit burnt and hard. Not that nice. The Lamb Chop (RM12.95) was two big pieces that were not too fatty with a side dish of fries and coleslaw. The hot chocolate (RM4.95) was just average.

Overall I think its quite reasonably priced food with a good environment. We had fun talking and reminicising about old times.

Upperstar Pepper Grill & Bar
Block C, Lot 8, Ground Floor,
Segama Complex,
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Tel : 088270775

Sorry for the lack of updates but I’ve been busy with exams and schoolwork. Then I went to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah for a friend’s wedding. I used to stay in KK for 7 years and there is this one restaurant that I never miss to go everytime I’m in town which is Little Italy. Rach, Derek and I went to Little Italy on Sunday night to satisfy my craving to eat their sandwich.

Calzone (small) – Alla Salsiccia (RM19.90). Its basically a folded pizza. This one has lamb in a tomato based sauce

Puccia di Pollo – Chicken and Mushroom sandwich. This is what I have been craving for. (RM18.50)

Sal. Casereccia (RM32.90) – Lamb kebabs. This is really nice and juicy. I can’t rmbr what’s the full name of this dish but that’s what is written in the receipt.

Little Italy Pasta and Pizza Corner is a small corner restaurant at the heart of town near Wisma Merdeka that is a great hit – especially with foreigners. So do go early because this place is always full especially during meal times.

Little Italy Pasta and Pizza Corner,
Ground Floor, No 23,
Jalan Haji Saman,
88813 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah,
Malaysia.

Tel : 088-232231

I have always associated Delifrance with breads, sandwiches and their oh so sedap garlic baguettes which taste fantastic when you re-toast them in an oven. Best garlic bread ever.

Ah but recently (well perhaps not so recently) I just found out that that Delifrance introduced Bistro Delifrance which serves heavier meals. Its basically like a restaurant concept instead of just a deli or cafe.

One day we were deciding what to eat and the Bistro Delifrance looked interesting so we popped in. They have this promotion where you get a free soup when you order a main course. NOt only that, certain main courses comes with free flow of soft drinks.

French Onion Soup (RM7.20) - Honestly nothing particularly fancy or nice about it. The garlic bread is good though. Not too hard or tasteless. Not something I would pay 7.20 for. Luckily it came FREE with the main course.

Provencal Lamb Stew (RM19.90) – This was quite nice, not too chewy. A nice change to the usual black pepper or mushroom sauce, this came with a tomato based sauce full of mixed herbs. They gave 2 pieces and underneath is really nice fluffy mashed potatoes.

Baby Back Beef Ribs served with Soft Drink (RM38.00) – The meat was so soft and it was falling off the bone. Really nice. I thought the sauce was a bit too salty but my fren said it was okay. Underneath is plain boiled spaghetti which went well with the BBQ sauce.

All in all, it was not bad for western cuisine. The food was all nicely presented and cooked well. With just one miss (the onion soup) I wouldn’t hesitate to go again. See the full menu here. Oh by the way, not every Delifrance outlet is a Bistro tho. Here’s a list of locations, addresses and numbers for Bistro Delifrance outlets.

So here’s the recipe for the yummy Creamy Potato Gratin which i adapted from Yahoo! Food. My sisters and I cooked this for Father’s Day and it was a huge hit!

1 large garlic clove
halved 1 kg potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 cup grated Chedder, set aside 1/4 cup.
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
Butter, for casserole dish

Heat the oven to 160 degrees celcius and line a baking sheet with foil. Rub the inside of a casserole dish with the garlic, pressing hard so it releases its juices. When the garlic juice dries, generously butter the casserole dish.

Layer the potatoes in the dish, seasoning them with salt and white pepper as you go. Be generous with the salt and pepper. Add a light sprinkling of cheese.

Combine the cream and milk in a large measuring cup or a bowl. Pour the cream and milk over the potatoes. Put the dish in the oven on top of the baking pan you covered in foil (to catch any spills) and leave to bake for about 45 – 60 minutes. Poke a knife through to test if the potatoes are soft.

1. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake for about 10 minutes till the cheese is melted and browned. Leave to sit for 10 mins and serve.

This is a very simple and plain recipe but tastes nice. Usually I make mashed potatoes but this is a much easier option. Enjoy!

There’s this place that I really like to go and eat when I’m in One Utama. Its Zuup Soup Bar. Its somewhere on the Ground floor next to Bee’s Bakery. I don’t know why this place is always so quiet and looks like it has no customers everytime I’m there, but don’t be fooled! The food is delicious!

I ordered the Seafood Clam Chowder in Bread Bowl (RM11.90) As you can see, its served in a huge bun that has been hollowed out. Its a creamy rich soup with croutons (cubes of fried bread) on top. It also has a lot of clam, potatoes and other great veggies.

I was there with my youngest sister and she ordered the set. It RM9.90 as well which consisted of ham and cheese toasted sandwich with salad on the side and Pink Guava juice.

Even though its a soup bar, they also serve other food such as Wild Mushroom Cappucino (RM6.90), Minestrone Soup (RM6.90), Pan Seared Dory with Angel Hair Pasta and Cheddar Garlic Sauce (RM17.90), Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Mint Sauce (RM20.90). Prices might differ slightly.

I feel hungry just writing about it. Hehe! Sadly not many people know of this yummylicious place! Go and check it out.

Zuup Soup Bar (pork free)
LG 223, Lower Ground Floor,
1 Utama Shopping Centre, Lebuh Bandar Utama,
47800 Petaling Jaya,
SELANGOR.
Email: zuup@ycan-ventures.com

Technorati Tags: one utama,soup,zuup,sandwiches,lamb rack,bread,bread bowl,petaling jaya,selangor,afforable,delicious

Aree was craving for mashed potatoes at around 10.30pm and so we were asking friends for recommendations of places to find western food at that hour.

We decided on Williams in Kelana Jaya. Its a roadside stall selling all kinds of food but their specialty is western food. The portions are really huge, especially if you order ‘special’

We had mango blended – a refreshing ice blended drink with mango and lychee and some nate de coco. If im not mistaken it was around RM5 or 6.

Erin had Indomee goreng (double) with beef bacon.It came with a fried egg. Very sedap and peppery. Not sure how much it was tho.

Aree had Surf and Turf – A piece of steak and a huge prawn. The prawn was boiled then the flesh all scooped out and cook Thermidor style (like Lobster thermidor) in a creamy sauce. The steak was nice and tender with mashed mushroom topping. It came with some pickle, mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce.
Price : RM 40

I had the lamb ribs. Three HUGE ribs, all most 25cm long. Not too dry or tough with a yummy mushroom sauce. Served with mash potatoes and cream sauce. I didnt quite like the mint sauce because it was spicy and tasted like that mamak mint thingy they served with tosai. But the lamb was delicious.
Price : RM30

All in all, we had a really filling dinner/supper at the cheap price of RM100 for three of us, that’s RM34 each. I doubt you could get that kind of price in a posh restaurant.

Williams
Coming from Puchong side via the LDP, the Kelana Jaya station is on your right and on the left is the bus stop. After the overhead pedestrian bridge, turn left. At the 2nd traffic light, turn left. After the 7-eleven, turn right. Williams is the last shop at the left side of the road, the one with lots of people.