Wagyu Pho, Bukit Jalil, KL

We chanced upon Wagyu Pho during our recent visit to Pavilion Bukit Jalil. The restaurant is located in one of the shophouses facing the mall, adjacent to Parkson Level 2 exit.

Since the restaurant is called Wagyu Pho, the boys said it would be a crime not to order the Wagyu pho (RM36.90). It comes with Wagyu beef slices, served rare, which continues to cook in the hot broth. They serve some Thai basil and culantro, which you pick off the stalks / tear into smaller pieces and add to your broth. Using a unique family recipe, the broth has been boiled for 12 hours, for a rich, typical Saigon taste.

They also have regular pho (RM18.90) or mixed pho with sliced beef, beef balls, tendon and brisket (RM28.90).

Pork-free. Full menu can be viewed here.

Opening hours: 11am - 3pm; 5pm - 10pm. Closed on Mondays.

Price: Total bill RM131.60 for 4 pax.

Location: Wagyu Pho - Vietnamese Noodles House, Aurora Place, D-1-10, Plaza Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +60 16-502 4968

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Recipe: Vietnamese Salad with Chicken & Prawn

Whenever we mentioned salads in the past, BabySumoKids will go "but we don't like salads". I guess that's because some salads we've had in restaurants are a little sad (just some random leaves with dressing all over it).

All that changed when they tried this Vietnamese salad with chicken and salad and now they think salads are wonderful. Now, they even put in requests for me to make this salad for them.

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This salad comes with sliced cabbage leaves, julienned cucumber, shredded chicken breast, blanched prawns, Vietnamese mint and regular mint, shredded omelette, vermicelli noodles and toasted cashew nuts, dressed in a Vietnamese inspired dressing - sweet, tangy and spicy flavours, all in one. You can enjoy this salad warm or cold. Vibrant and delicious, definitely a keeper!

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Vietnamese Salad with Chicken and Prawn

Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Vietnamese Bible

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
100g vermicelli

3-4 Chinese cabbage leaves, sliced

1 cucumber, julienned or spiralized

150g chicken breast

12 prawns, peeled and deveined

A handful Vietnamese mint (daun kesum), chopped

6-8 mint leaves, chopped

3 eggs

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp cooking oil

A small handful cashew nuts (or crushed peanuts)

For the chicken:

1. Fill a saucepan 2/3 full with water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the chicken and reduce to medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and leave chicken in covered pot for a further 15 minutes.

2. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Once cool, you can shred the chicken. Reserve the chicken stock for other uses.

For the omelette:

1. In a bowl, crack eggs, season with light soy sauce and lightly beat with a fork. In a large frying pan, heat cooking oil over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add half the eggs and swirl to form a thin omelette. Cook until egg is 80% set, then use a spatula to flip over and continue cooking for 20-30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining egg.

2. Allow omelette to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then roll up and thinly slice the omelette.

For the vermicelli, Chinese cabbage and prawns:

1. In a large pot of lightly salted water, cook vermicelli for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl of cold water. The vermicelli will change from translucent to opaque after a few minutes. Before using, drain well. 

2. In the same pot of water, blanch the Chinese cabbage for 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

3. In the same pot of water, add the prawns and blanch for 40-50 seconds, until the prawns are cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

To assemble:

1. In a large salad bowl, start by placing vermicelli. Then top with shredded chicken, Chinese cabbage, shredded omelette, Vietnamese mint, mint, and finished with the prawns in the centre. Garnish with toasted cashewnuts and pour over the dressing. (I usually leave out the chillies when pouring in the dressing in case it's too spicy for the kids)

2. Toss the salad along with the dressing and enjoy!

For the salad dressing
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 red cili padi, deseeded and chopped
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp caster sugar

1. Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl, until sugar is dissolved. Taste, and adjust to your liking, with more lime juice, fish sauce or caster sugar.

Vietnamese salad with chicken and prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken and prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken and prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken prawn Vietnamese salad with chicken prawn
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Recipe: Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

I have been making lots of Vietnamese dishes in the kitchen lately. What's not to love - Vietnamese dishes are so vibrant, healthy and delicious!

I'm sure many of you have heard of Bo Luc Lac before, also known as Vietnamese Shaking Beef. Bo means beef and luc lac refers to the shaking of the wok and tossing the beef back and forth during the cooking process to get an even sear on the beef. If you haven't tried this dish before, you definitely should - it's so so good!

For this dish, you should use a nice piece of steak (preferably with not too much fat), so rump or sirloin would be ideal. The beef is cut into small cubes, marinated (for at least 2 hours) and then seared over high heat for only 1-2 minutes, until the exterior is caramelised and is still nicely medium inside. The tender beef is then topped on a refreshing salad of lettuce leaves, marinated shallots and cherry tomatoes.

Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Vietnamese Bible
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2-3 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
400g rump or sirloin steak, cut into cubes
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 spring onions (green parts only), finely chopped
1/2 large red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 tbsp cooking oil
3-4 iceberg lettuce leaves, sliced
4 cherry tomatoes, halved

For the marinated shallots
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar

1. In a large bowl, place steak cubes, fish sauce, light and dark soy sauce, caster sugar, half the garlic and 3/4 spring onion. Mix well and leave to marinate for 2-3 hours.

2. For the pickled shallots, place all ingredients in a small bowl and use your fingers to mix and separate the strands of onion. Leave for 10 minutes.

3. Arrange lettuce leaves on a plate.

4. Heat wok over very high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef and remaining garlic. Toss and shake the pan to keep the meat turning until cooked medium rare to medium. This will only take about 1 - 2 minutes. If you are using an induction or ceramic hob, you can just toss the meat around using a spatula. Add the chilli and cook for a further 20 seconds.

5. Spread the meat and pan juices over the salad. Top with marinated shallots and garnish with the remaining spring onion and cherry tomatoes. Serve with rice.

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Recipe: Vietnamese Stir Fried Chicken with Pineapple & Peppers (Ga xao dua xanh)

One of our favourite tropical fruits is pineapple. Besides having it for after-dinner dessert, they're great added to your pizza, fried rice or stir fries.  A couple of weeks ago, I tried making this new dish -  Vietnamese stir fried chicken with pineapple and peppers, also known as ga xao dua xanh.

I used green capsicum, to complement the other colours (or you may use any other colored capsicum that you have at hand): orange from the carrot, red chilli, yellow pineapple and more green from the spring onions. Love the refreshing, sweet touch the pineapple chunks add to the dish too. What a great, colorful dish! Eat the rainbow, they say.. it's good for you ;)

Vietnamese Stir Fried Chicken with Pineapple & Peppers (Ga xao dua xanh)
Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Vietnamese Bible
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
300g chicken breast or fillet, cut into bite-sized chunks
3 tbsp cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 capsicum, cubed
1 small yellow onion, cubed
1/4 carrot, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 large red chilli, deseeded and sliced
2 spring onions, cut into 1 inch lengths
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh or canned pineapple, cubed


1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and stir fry for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove to a plate.

2. Reheat the wok and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Stir fry the onion, carrot, capsicum and garlic for about 2 minutes, until softened.

3. Return the chicken to the wok and season with oyster sauce, fish sauce and black pepper. Add the spring onions and red chilli and stir fry for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the pineapple to warm through, about 30 seconds. Taste and season with more fish sauce if necessary.

3. Serve with rice.

Vietnamese Stir Fried Chicken with Pineapple & Peppers ga xao dua xanh recipe Vietnamese Stir Fried Chicken with Pineapple & Peppers ga xao dua xanh recipe Vietnamese Stir Fried Chicken with Pineapple & Peppers ga xao dua xanh recipe
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Recipe: Vietnamese Pickled Carrot & Daikon

If you're a fan of Vietnamese food, chances are you've come across these pickled carrot and daikon in your banh mi. Since we have lots of free time, I decided to make some at home - you only need some simple ingredients for the pickling solution such as rice vinegar, salt, sugar and water. Leave for about 1 hour, and they will be ready to eat!

Tangy, slightly sweet, crunchy and refreshing - love it! We used these pickles in our version of egg banh-jo, a cross of two famous sandwiches - British egg banjo and Vietnamese banh mi! Do look out for the recipe in this post.

Vietnamese pickled carrot and daikon

Pickled carrot and daikon
Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from Vietnamese Bible
Makes 2 cups


Ingredients
1 large carrot, peeled
1/2 daikon, peeled

For the pickling solution
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 1/4 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup water

1. Cut the carrot and daikon into 2 inch lengths, then slice thinly. Stack 3-4 slices together and cut into fine shreds (like thin matchsticks). Place in a heatproof bowl.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the ingredients for the pickling solution and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Pour over the carrots and daikon, stir and cover. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour before using.

3. Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Pho Vietz, Mid Valley Megamall, KL

Pho Vietz is a great place to grab a Vietnamese meal in Mid Valley. On their menu, you will find traditional Vietnamese street food such as pho, banh mi, Vietnamese coffee and dessert.

Hubby had the Traditional Banh Mi (RM12.90), a crusty French-style baguette filled with pork liver pate, roasted pork, pork ear terrine, meatloaf, coriander and pickled vegetables. Totally satisfying.

I had the Spring roll and grilled pork patties vermicelli  (RM16.90) with tons of fresh vegetables such lettuce, beansprouts, cucumber, carrots and mint with a side of dipping sauce. Great for those looking for a healthy, delicious lunch option.

Click here to read our previous review of Pho Vietz.

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm daily.

Location: Pho Vietz, Mid Valley Megamall LG-033, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2144 7178

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Ara Vietnamese Noodles, Damansara Jaya

Recently, we were in the Damansara Uptown area, and when dinner time arrived, we were craving for a hot bowl of noodles, so we decided to visit Ara Vietnamese Noodles. Despite the restaurant being very busy, the service was fast.

On the menu here, you will find authentic homecooked Vietnamese dishes at affordable prices, including noodles and rice dishes.

We ordered two bowls of Pho Bo (RM9), Vietnamese beef noodles topped with tender slices of beef. The soup was flavorful, a very enjoyable bowl of noodles. Price is very reasonable too! We also added-on beef balls (6 pieces) (RM6.50) for the kids.

Hubby had the Braised pork and egg with coconut water served with rice (RM10), also known as com thit kho nuoc dua. The pork was tender and delicious. If you would like to make this at home, you can check out my recipe here.

We also shared the Fresh spring rolls with prawns (RM6) / goi cuon - nice and fresh!

Vietnamese drip coffee (hot) (RM5)

Menu at Ara Vietnamese Noodles

Opening hours: 10am - 3pm; 5.30pm - 9pm. Closed on Mondays.

Price: Total bill RM53.50 (including 3 drinks).


Location: Ara Vietnamese Noodles, 45, Jalan SS 22/11, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia (Street parking available).


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Hometown Vietnam Kitchen, Taman Connaught, KL

We discovered Hometown Vietnam Kitchen while we were at Taman Connaught recently. This little shack is operated by a Vietnamese owner/chef, with a menu serving Vietnamese food such as pho, spring rolls, rice and noodle dishes.

I had the beef pho (RM8) which came with all the right components - the noodles, beansprouts, Thai basil, and a generous amount of beef. The soup could be better but for the price, I thought it was passable. For best pho in KL/PJ, see here.

Hubby had the Fried pork noodle (RM7.50) which was pretty good. I enjoyed this more than my pho, as it was nicely seasoned and had plenty of wok hei. The noodles were like Cintan curly noodles, stir fried together with beansprouts, carrots, onion and pork fillet. I would order this again for sure! The Iced Vietnamese coffee (RM4) was excellent too - super caramel-ly and thick.

Hometown Vietnam Kitchen menu

Operating hours: 7am to 6pm daily. Closed on alternate Mondays.

Price: Total bill RM19.50.

Location: Hometown Vietnam Kitchen, Jalan Cerdas 1, Taman Connaught, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (opposite 99 Speedmart / Beans & Yogurt - paid street parking available).

Tel: 010-507 8239

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Bahn Mi Cafe, Bukit Jalil, KL: Vietnamese Food

I love Vietnamese food! When our favourite Viet place closed down, I was devastated and was determined to find another place that serves good banh mi. This fairly new Vietnamese restaurant in Bukit Jalil, Banh Mi Cafe, came onto our radar recently. They have two other outlets in Puchong.

The menu features Vietnamese street food favourites such as banh mi, pho, bun bo, bun cha, bo kho, Vietnamese coffee and more, at pocket-friendly prices.

This is what we came for - the Banh Mi Thit Heo (RM8.80) - banh mi filled with grilled pork, coriander, pickled carrots and radish, and cucumber. The baguette was great - nice and crusty on the outside and soft and airy on the inside. The bread dough is made from scratch every morning using traditional Vietnamese techniques and ingredients. They were also generous with the grilled pork, tender with a sweetish glaze. It would be more satisfying though if this banh mi also came with egg (they have an option to add on egg, so we will do that next time). Overall it was a good banh mi and I spy a lot of other variety on their menu.

We also had the Goi Cuon Tom (RM5.90), fresh spring rolls with prawn. A nice fresh appetizer, served with a creamy peanut sauce.

I also had the Pho Bo (RM12.90), Vietnamese beef noodles. The portion was huge, and comes with noodles, and two types of beef - beef sirloin and beef brisket. The beef sirloin was still slightly pink when served, so it was nice and tender when eaten. The soup was flavorful, though I still prefer the one I had here.

Caramel custard (RM3.90) dessert for Hubby - with Vietnamese coffee poured over.

We enjoyed our meal here, and would definitely return when the craving for banh mi hits again.

Opening times: 10.30am to 10pm.

Price: Total bill RM32.65.

Location: Banh Mi Cafe, 2, Jalan Jalil Jaya 1, Jalil Link, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Limited paid street parking available)

Tel: 03-8999 2272


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Pho King, SS2, PJ: Authentic Vietnamese Food

We've known about Pho King in SS2, PJ for a while now, but because it is quite far from our place, we never took the initiative to visit until earlier this week when I had serious cravings for a good bowl of pho.

Pho King specialises in authentic Vietnamese food made with fresh, quality ingredients such as Australian beef, antibiotic-free pork, premium fish sauce, and fresh spices. The menu features appetizers, soup noodles, dry noodles, banh mi, rice dishes, drinks and dessert. To order, simply fill in the order chit and hand it over to one of the waiting staff.

After browsing the menu, I decided to go for the weekday set lunch, as it comes with a few sides I wanted to try as well as a drink (warm or cold Jasmine tea). A good deal at RM19.90 for the Beef Pho Set.

The set comes with a bowl of beef pho (I think it's a small portion), as well as two pieces each of fresh summer roll (goi cuon) and fried spring roll (cha gio). Beansprouts, lime wedge, chilis and fresh herbs (Thai basil and culantro) is served on the side and is to be added to the pho before you eat.

As I took my first sip of the soup, I knew immediately that I was on to something good. The broth was light yet full of flavour. They use 100% Australian beef so it's lovely and tender. Definitely a fantastic bowl of pho, made with love. The rolls were good too, and the portion size for the set was just nice for me.

The Fresh Summer Rolls comes with pork, prawns, fresh herbs and greens, and served with a delicious peanut sauce. The fried spring rolls, consisting of pork, yam, carrots and vegetables were nice and crispy.

Weekday set lunch menu

Hubby had the Traditional banh mi, with red pork and pate (RM12.50). The bread was nice and crusty, yet soft on the inside. Love the sound of a good bread as you bite into it. They also do a grilled pork version which we will try on our next visit.

Overall, we had a lovely lunch here, in a nice, air-conditioned environment. Would definitely return again for more of their authentic Vietnamese delights.

Opening times: 12pm to 9pm daily. Closed on Thursdays.

Price: Total bill RM36.

Location: Pho King, 153 Jalan SS2/6, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. (Street parking available - payment by parking vouchers).

Tel: 03-7865 3290



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