Restaurant Chef Choi’s unpretentious food and setting make it a great spot for a family meal.
I’ll be the first to admit it: My parents drive me crazy sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love them.
I try my best to spend some quality time with them every week, which in the Malaysian context more often than not means making the time to have a good meal.
Recently, I decided to take them to Restaurant Chef Choi, which is located in an understated two-storey building off Jalan Ampang between the MCA building and Restoren Pelita.
This restaurant is not new, having opened back in 2003, but somehow I had never got around to trying it till I was brought there recently by some foodie friends. By the way, a nice bonus is that the spacious parking lot around the restaurant is free of charge, as long as you dine there.
It was quiet for a Sunday evening, which made my parents panic, for they have always believed that an empty restaurant is a sure sign that something is wrong with an eatery (either the food is not good or fresh, or maybe it’s just too expensive). I assured them that there was nothing to worry about, and soon they relaxed in Chef Choi’s comfortable and classy setting.
Service was friendly, with our mains arriving quickly — Braised Garoupa with Beancurd Rolls (RM108++) and Smoked Baby Pork Ribs (RM35++).
Of course, I much preferred the pork ribs with its fairly tender meat and appetising sweet, sour and savoury flavour. The taste was enhanced by a slight smoky aroma. My parents, however, preferred the fish with its simple uncomplicated sauce that managed to be savoury without being salty.
The lotus root dish.We also ordered some vegetables to balance out the meal. This came in the form of Fried Sliced Lotus Root with Water Chestnuts and Celery (RM23++). This simple dish turned out to be my parents’ favourite of the night.
Overall, the flavour was very ching (crisp and clean), and it had a nice textural mix from the moistness of the different mushrooms and the crunchiness of the lotus root, water chestnut and celery.
The great thing about Chef Choi is that you don’t need to spend a bomb to eat here. There are a variety of delicious fried noodles available, with my current favourite being the Tomato Meehoon (RM24++, small serving), which is actually not on the menu.
If you prefer the deepfried meehoon crispy, then eat it quickly, or let it rest for a while to let the sauce seep in. Either way, I find this piquant sweet and sour dish very appetising. I also love how juicy and fresh the accompanying prawns and squid are.
Tender and tasty ribs.We did not have any desserts that night as we were already too full by the end of the meal, but I have tried the crème brûlèe before.
It’s kinda strange to find a classic French dessert at a Chinese restaurant but they know what they are doing. The flavour of fresh vanilla beans in the cream and a not-too-thick layer of caramelised sugar make this a winning item.
The three of us had a really good time that night, and in the end my father was in such a good mood that he ended up paying, even though it was supposed to be my treat.
This was not what I had in mind, but, well, I’m not complaining.