F1 Grab & Go

Special thanks to The Gardens Hotel & Residences for extending this food review invitation.

The Gardens Hotel & Residences rolls out its latest drive-thru offering this week. Strategically placed curbside, the F1 Grab & Go breakfast allows motorists to grab a bite speedily and in style.

There are 5 items on the menu; each is affordably priced at RM5.00 or RM10.00 net. The bestselling choice is the Mercedes Nasi Lemak With Sambal Udang (RM5.00). The sambal has the perfect spiciness that fires one's taste buds on all cylinders!

Another popular choice is the Williams Mee Hoon With Sambal Udang (RM5.00). Like the previous dish, the rice vermicelli is seasoned with sambal that makes it simply irresistible!

Other breakfast choices are Aston Martin Smoked Salmon Burger With Hollandaise Sauce (RM10.00), Ferrari Savoury BBQ Chicken Wrap (RM10.00) and AlphaTauri Potato Curry Puffs (RM5.00 for 2 pieces).

Each take-away meal comes with a cup of coffee or tea. This is the perfect place to get your caffeine shot in the morning!

As icing on the cake, get your car tires polished during the 45-second pit stop. In fact, a convoy of Porsche cars dropped by this morning to take advantage of this complimentary service!

The F1 Grab & Go offer is available on weekdays from 7:00am to 10:30am. Some dishes are sold out rather quickly, so arrive early to avoid missing the action. As for hygiene? Fret not, all members of the pit crew are masked up!

Name: F1 Grab & Go
Address: The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 03-2268-1188
Business hours: 7:00am-10:30am, closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Website: https://www.stgileshotels.com/hotels/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/the-gardens
Coordinates: 3.11988 N, 101.67612 E
Directions: The Gardens Hotel & Residences is located at the west side of Mid Valley City. The F1 Grab & Go pit stop is on the left side of the one-way road, just a stone's throw from the hotel lobby.

Good Luck Kopitiam

The Palette is a trending dining hotspot in Setapak. The venue is located between Aeon Big and McDonald's. Good Luck Kopitiam (好彩南洋茶室) is one of the eateries here. The proprietors used to run Restoran Ho Choy (好彩茶餐室) in the 1980s.

Good Luck Kopitiam serves local dishes that fellow Malaysians are familiar with. The restaurant preserves the traditional kopitiam atmosphere with elements of Hong Kong-style "cha chaan teng" (茶餐厅).

Barbecue Pork Pastry (叉烧酥, RM4.80) comes in two pieces per serving. The baked pastry is glazed with honey and coated with sesame seeds. Unfortunately, the pastry is too dry for my liking.

Lucky Fried Mee Hoon (好彩炒米粉, RM4.90) is cooked reasonably well. The rice vermicelli is topped with cabbage and fried shallots. Chili sauce on the side really helps to accentuate the overall taste.

Dried Shrimp Chili Ban Mee (虾米辣椒板面, RM10.90) is served with minced pork, mushrooms and fried anchovies. The noodle dish comes with a bowl of soup that contains sweet leaves (马尼菜).

Minced Pork Loh Shu Fun (大头菜肉碎老鼠粉, RM8.90) has similar ingredients as the previous dish, but uses springy "loh shu fun" instead. This type of noodle is also called "rat noodle" because it resembles a rat's tail.

Curry Noodle Soup (招牌咖喱面, RM12.90) is served with chicken, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, tofu puffs, yardlong beans and mint leaves. Alas, the curry is not as tasty as I expected; more coconut milk would certainly help.

Curry Chicken Nasi Lemak (咖喱鸡椰浆饭, RM13.90) is one of the main highlights on the menu. The rice is infused with coconut milk and pandan. The dish comes with hard-boiled eggs, fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, cucumber slices and sambal (chili paste) too.

We also ordered a serving of Ham, Egg, Chicken Floss Long Bun (熏肉蛋鸡丝面包, RM7.50). The bun resembles a croissant but is not nearly as flaky.

My choice of drink is Ho Ga Sai (虎咬狮, RM5.90), which literally translates as "tiger bites lion". This popular drink from Taiping combines the bold taste of coffee and the familiar sweetness of Milo.

The food at Good Luck Kopitiam is somewhat acceptable, but there is certainly much room for improvement. Meanwhile, the price is pretty reasonable considering the fact the restaurant's air-conditioned ambience.

Address: The Palette, Shop 12, Taman Danau Kota, 53000 Kuala Lumpur
Contact: N/A
Business hours: 8:30am-11:00pm, closed on Mondays
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Kedai Kopi Shin Lok

Kedai Kopi Shin Lok (新乐茶室) is a popular kopitiam in Jeram. The eatery is located at the main road between Kapar and Kuala Selangor.

To save manpower, customers are asked to order and collect food at the service counter.

Vegetable Bun (菜包, RM1.60) is the signature dish at Kedai Kopi Shin Lok. The bun is soft and fluffy indeed. It contains jicama (芒光) and hard-boiled egg.

The Yam Puff (芋角, RM1.80) here is quite popular too. It is made of taro paste filled with minced chicken and green peas. The outer layer has a delightful light crisp.

Going to a kopitiam would be awkward without ordering Kopi (咖啡, RM2.20). I like the bitter-sweet taste of local black coffee.

The food taste at Kedai Kopi Shin Lok is absolutely satisfying. The pricing is quite reasonable too. For customers who find Jeram too far away, the kopitiam has another outlet in downtown Klang.

Address: 1, Jalan Kenari 1, Taman Kenari, 45800 Jeram, Selangor
Contact: 03-3264-7591
Business hours: 7:00am-5:00pm, closed on Mondays
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Roti Bakar Hutton Lane

My breakfast today is at Roti Bakar Hutton Lane. The stall used to operate at Hutton Lane (Jalan Hutton) but it is now located at Jalan Phee Choon. Jalan Phee Choon is an alley between Areca Hotel and Penang Police Headquarters.

Roti Bakar Hutton Lane was founded in 1957. The personality whose likeness appears in the logo is Mr. Ansari. As son of the late founder, Mr. Ansari is still very involved in the stall's daily operations. When not taking orders, he is usually busy slicing bread and removing bread crust.

Roti Bakar Hutton Lane uses large loaves of bread called roti bengali. Contrary to popular belief, roti bengali has nothing to do with Bangladesh. Instead, it is a local invention of Maliia Bakery's predecessor.

I ordered a serving of Roti Balut Telur (RM4.00). Although it appears similar to French toast, the bread is not soaked but wrapped in beaten eggs. Roti Balut Telur can be enjoyed with Kari Ayam (RM3.00) or chicken curry.

Roti Bakar Georgetown (RM4.00) is a healthy breakfast meal which consists of buttered toast and soft-boiled eggs. One way to enjoy the toast is by dipping it in eggs. Despite its simplicity, the meal is pretty satisfying.

Teh Tarik (RM1.00) is perhaps the most popular drink in Malaysia. The tea has a bubbly consistency because it is repeatedly "pulled" between mugs.

Roti Bakar Hutton Lane has been serving the people of George Town for more than 60 years. This explains why it attracts a continuous flow of customers throughout the day. It is advisable to arrive before 8:00am because some dishes may be sold out quickly.

Address: 300, Jalan Phee Choon, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 017-571-6404
Business hours: 5:00am-1:00pm
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Nazzeeras'

Special thanks to Nazzeeras' for extending this food review invitation.

Penang Science Cluster has a workshop inside Wisma Yeap Chor Ee at China Street Ghaut (Gat Lebuh China). This non-profit organization strives to instill interest in science and technology among the younger generation. Penang Science Cluster is colocated with an intriguing eatery called Nazzeeras'.

Wisma Yeap Chor Ee is actually Nazzeeras' second outlet; the first one is operates from Kompleks Penjaja Desiran Tanjung. The menu here covers Mexican dishes, pasta, toasts, sandwiches, pastries and coffee. Thanks to the comfort of air conditioning, the café provides a relaxing ambience for casual dining.

Today's meal begins with Huevos Rancheros (RM20.90), which literally means "ranch-style eggs" in Spanish. This ubiquitous breakfast dish in Mexico is given a creative spin to suit the local palate. Besides eggs, the Huevos Rancheros is also made of Spanish sausage, tomato, cheddar cheese, basil and chili flakes. It comes with two slices of toasted multigrain bread.

Next, Chicken Fajitas (RM23.90) are primarily prepared from grilled chicken, onions and spices. This popular Tex-Mex street food is wrapped with flour tortilla, which presents a unique texture when chewed. I also find the spiciness rather tantalizing. Chicken Fajitas come with garden salad on the side.

Greek Yogurt Banana Smoothie (RM12.90) is one of the beverages on the menu. The yogurt's distinctive sour taste keeps one's palate refreshed between bites of spicy food. The drink is presented in a glass mug with a stirring rod.

Nazzeeras' operates from 10:30am to 6:30pm daily and is closed every Monday. While waiting for food to be served, feel free to explore the interactive exhibits in the Penang Science Cluster. There is also a small library with reading materials for people from all walks of life. The facility is open to the public and admission is free.

Name: Nazzeeras'
Address: 37, Gat Lebuh China, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 019-220-1355
Business hours: 10:30am-6:30pm, closed on Mondays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Nazzeeras
Coordinates: 5.41528 N, 100.34225 E
Directions: Nazzeeras' is located inside Wisma Yeap Chor Ee at China Street Ghaut (Gat Lebuh China). Street parking is available.