Sunday, August 26, 2007

Heavenly Highlands

Heavenly Highlands
Sunday August 26, 2007
By Helen Ong


Cameron beckons with its calming scenery, beautiful gardens and farms.

THERE’S a good reason why the Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most popular resorts. In fact, there are plenty of good reasons.

The new road from Simpang Pulai makes for quite a pleasant drive, and despite what people say about global warming and higher temperatures there, the cool weather is obviously the greatest draw.

During the day, it is sunny but pleasantly mild, and warm enough to go about in shorts and T-shirt, although a cardigan on standby is always advisable.

Surreal English experience: You could be in Surrey.Surreal English experience: You could be in Surrey.


It definitely cools down when the sun sets, but the low temperature and high altitude will give you a good night’s rest. However, do have your bath during the day when the ambient temperature is still comfortable enough to shed your clothes.

Cameron Highlands produces a lot of our vegetables not just because of its altitude but also because of its high rainfall. Chances are it will pour when you are there, so don’t forget your waterproofs or umbrella.

The beautiful scenery and lovely houses like the newly-refurbished Cameron Highlands Resort and Ye Olde Smokehouse will transport you to Shakespearean times in Stratford-upon-Avon with their black and white mock-Tudor buildings.

Combine the first two and you will see why it’s very pleasant even if you do nothing more than go for a gentle stroll after a meal, or a more energetic hike around the golf course – the cool weather will ensure you don’t get hot under the collar, (literally, if not metaphorically). The 18-hole public golf course is relatively cheap, and although there are no buggies, the walk is not arduous.

Panoramic: Visitors to the Cameron Bharat Tea House located on the road side between Tanah Rata and Ringlet in Cameron Highlands will be treated to this breathtaking view of the plantation’s rolling hills and manicured tea bushes.Panoramic: Visitors to the Cameron Bharat Tea House located on the road side between Tanah Rata and Ringlet in Cameron Highlands will be treated to this breathtaking view of the plantation’s rolling hills and manicured tea bushes.


There are also surprisingly many other things to see and do, like the Cactus Farm, Rose Centre, Butterfly Farm, etc. At the Boh Plantation in Sungai Palas, learn about how it was started by Englishman J.A. Russell and visit the original 1920s factory. Enjoy the calm scenery from the viewing platform – tea, tea, everywhere – and purchase traditional and flavoured varieties at their gift shop.

Take the opportunity to visit some vegetable and flower farms on the outskirts of town – the greens (and greens, yellow, reds and other colours) are amazing. When you tuck into a crunchy sweet corn plucked straight off the plant, you’ll understand why it got the name in the first place.

According to Kodimani, who runs the Kasihmanis Strawberry Farm, one of the oldest, just outside Brinchang, there are now many places which produce this delicious temperate fruit.

Luscious: Strawberries galore!Luscious: Strawberries galore!


Some invite you to “self pluck” (sic), and enjoy a host of by-products, from homemade jams to milk shakes and ice cream. They are so plentiful that many restaurants offer fresh strawberry juice, thick and delicious, which makes a pleasant change from orange or apple.

Every other shop seems to be cashing in on this speciality. Apart from jam, you can buy strawberry pillows, balls, balloons, toys, mugs and jugs ? the list is endless. Some are cute, others a bit kitsch and a few are downright tacky, but there’ll be something to please everyone back home!

And if you go to the Pasar Malam, held on Friday and Saturday nights, vegetables and flowers are abundant and cheap. Go near closing time and a big bag of mixed vegetables will cost just RM10.

An important consideration is food, of course, and Steamboat is popular as it is ideal for the weather, and there are many restaurants which offer this – just take a stroll along Brinchang and you’ll see.

However, there are other things on offer, from Uncle Chow’s in Tanah Rata which has a good selection of local specialities to many other cuisines.

Cheery: A burst of sunshine from yellow chrysanthemums.Cheery: A burst of sunshine from yellow chrysanthemums.


Continue the slightly surreal English experience with classic ‘Afternoon Tea and Scones’ which are available everywhere ? with strawberry jam, of course.

It’s a wonderful place to go for some R&R, but don’t even attempt it during public or school holidays, as locals were happily recounting tales of four-hour long traffic jams stretching from just Kampung Raja to Brinchang. Parking, accommodation and restaurants become scarce resources and command much higher prices.

It’s even more enjoyable when there’s a group of you. As the night sets in, it’s very cosy to draw the curtains, have a few drinks, for medicinal purposes only, of course, play mahjong or some other games. If you’re looking for some away-time, then head for Cameron Highlands. -- Sunday Metro.


Sunday, August 19, 2007

Vicinity of Tapah

Pristine retreat among nature
Sunday August 19, 2007
By MAZNI MUSTAFA
Photos by LEW YONG KAN and ZABIDI TUSIN


Within the vicinity of Tapah town are many recreational parks that are both alluring and exciting.

NOT many people are aware that there is more to Tapah than a little town with bustling day activities and quiet nights.

Within its vicinity are numerous places of interest that are both alluring and exciting.

Waterfalls, recreational parks, jungle trails, mountain peaks, hot springs and even the traditional route to Cameron Highlands, are all close to this town, which is about 67km south of Ipoh and 160km north of Kuala Lumpur.

It’s a laid-back town with several streets, mostly filled with sundry and trading shops, textile centres, local restaurants, a market square and several banks.

Steamy attraction: The Sungai Klah hot spring park in Sungkai is fast becoming a popular haunt for families and tour groups from all over the country.
Steamy attraction: The Sungai Klah hot spring park in Sungkai is fast becoming a popular haunt for families and tour groups from all over the country.



You may look for some local snacks or try some popular Malay cuisine unique to Perak at several restaurants here.

Alternatively, head for the recreational parks that promise more than just soothing green and blue mountain views.

Hidden from a distance by the rugged rainforest, these parks comprise several waterfalls and crystal clear streams amongst the hills. The parks are well equipped with facilities for day-trippers and picnickers.

One such waterfall retreat that is popular yet not too crowded is the Kuala Woh recreational park where a large, swift, clear water stream flows through.

What makes this spot interesting and different is its stream.

It has both icy cool and close-to-boililng water flowing in different parts of it.

A unique work of nature, one could take a warm bath with the added benefit of natural minerals to invigorate the skin and rejuvenate the body and mind.

There are jungle trails here too and close by is the trailhead to Batu Puteh mountain, which is over 2,000m high.

Splashing time: Picnickers having fun in this icy cool stream at the Kuala Woh recreational park.
Splashing time: Picnickers having fun in this icy cool stream at the Kuala Woh recreational park.


There are also several villages belonging to the orang asli or the indigenous people of the area and one can get a brief insight into their lives here.

Kuala Woh is 20km from Tapah town and some 20km further up towards Cameron Highlands is the lovely Lata Iskandar falls.

Visitors driving up to Cameron Highlands using the traditional route will not miss this waterfall located very close to the road.

The water is a little chilly for bathing but people do stop to take photographs or look for souvenirs along the road dotted on both sides with little stalls.

Local crafts, some jungle products and wild honey are sold here.

Not far from Tapah and clearly seen from the North-South Expressway is the Lata Kinjang waterfall. It is about 25km away and vies for the top spot among Malaysia’s highest waterfalls.

The waterfall is spectacular and has some basic facilities at its base.

It is a picture-perfect spot and you can get there by driving north along the old trunk road.

Drive 20km south of Tapah and another pristine haven unfolds.

Popular corner: The Nasi Kandar Capati Corner in Temoh near Tapah. Travellers attest to the delicious and soft capati served by the restaurant located along the Ipoh-Tapah trunk road.
Popular corner: The Nasi Kandar Capati Corner in Temoh near Tapah. Travellers attest to the delicious and soft capati served by the restaurant located along the Ipoh-Tapah trunk road.



It’s the Sungai Klah hot spring park in Sungkai, a spot that is fast becoming popular among families and tour groups from all over the country.

The attraction is its hot spring, which is said to have therapeutic values that help heal skin ailments, arthritis and other illnesses. Its setting is also picturesque with forested foothills of the Titiwangsa Range straddling the area.

This spot attracts some 5,000 visitors monthly and they come here to enjoy facilities such as a one-metre deep swimming pool, three other small soaking pools, a reflexology path and four indoor saunas.

The area is also located close to several orang asli villages and it is interesting to see these people carrying out their daily activities by the stream that flows through the area.

From the park entrance, a 202m boardwalk takes visitors through lush greenery and fantastic close-up views of natural springs emitting hot vapour clouds.

The park also boasts two man-made waterfalls and is beautifully landscaped with herbal and medicinal plants such as tongkat ali, kacip fatimah, jerangau, mata pelanduk and pegaga.

Traditional massage services are also available here.

While city-weary folks increasingly seek natural adventure and relaxation, food and eating out is another form of adventure here.

Along the Sungai Batang Padang riverbank in the middle of the town is Restauran Kualiti.

Sizzling: Grilled freshwater fish is among the mouth-watering dishes served at Restoran Kualiti. There are also grilled squid, prawns and chicken that are served with assam gravy or black sauce dips.
Sizzling: Grilled freshwater fish is among the mouth-watering dishes served at Restoran Kualiti. There are also grilled squid, prawns and chicken that are served with assam gravy or black sauce dips.



Though it is a humble-looking restaurant, you will be surprised to find over 100 types of favourite Perak and Northern Malay food served here.

Some of the mouth-watering fare include chicken, beef, quail, seafood, mutton and vegetables, prepared in different styles of kampung (Malay village) cooking such as gulai tempoyak, curry, assam pedas, masak lemak, gulai, kerabu and rendang.

The most popular item on the menu here is the ikan patin masak tempoyak (a type of freshwater fish cooked in fermented durian gravy) – a native delicacy in northern Perak.

Restaurant owner Hashim Jani, 70, believes in treating his customers like “kings”.

“We ensure the quality of our food and service is always up to mark, hence the name of our restaurant,” says the ex-army man who started the business with his wife in 1982 to supplement income following his retirement.

There are also assam and curry fish head as well as grilled squids, stingrays, and freshwater fish from Tapah and Teluk Intan that come served with assam gravy or black sauce dips.

The restaurant also serves over 15 types of ulam (fresh herbs and vegetables) with a variety of sambal and beef, oxtail, cow’s tripe, and chicken soups – all prepared in traditional Malay cooking style.

If you like Chinese food, Hainanese specialities are served at the Keng Chong Restaurant at Jalan Station in Tapah town.

A migrant from China started the outlet and it has been a popular eating place here for the last 100 years.

Hot pau: Wong Chee Hong, 66, serving a customer at his Keng Chong Restaurant
Hot pau: Wong Chee Hong, 66, serving a customer at his Keng Chong Restaurant.



Its owner, Wong Chee Hong, 66, says his grandfather started the restaurant, and it is most popular for its Hainan dumplings (pau) with various sweet and meat fillings.

Wong makes the dumplings using recipes passed down by his forefathers.

“I am the third generation making the pau. I can assure customers that the taste and quality has not changed,” he says.

Also sought after at his restaurant is the ‘lo mai kai” or glutinous rice steamed in bamboo leaves and cooked with chicken, mushroom and meat.

Other items are fried eel with dried chillies and stir-fried frog with ginger.

About 6km north of the town along the old road to Ipoh is the Nasi Kandar Capati Corner.

It’s in the little town of Temoh, just by the junction to Chenderiang.

The stall is famous for what it is named after – capati, the staple north Indian toasted flatbread.

Its proprietor, Mohd Yazid Mohamed Ashraf says people just love his capati as it is soft, thin and tasty.

“It goes well with the sardine or mutton curry. People can also request for chicken and fish head curry,” says Mohd Yazid who has been running the restaurant for 22 years.

There are many other places to eat here, including a fast food restaurant if you are not into local cuisine.

The variety of food here will certainly complement the wonderful and fulfilling experience visitors to this delightful place will have from its natural surroundings. -- The Star.


Friday, August 17, 2007

Penang wins football tourney in Cameron Highlands

Penang wins football tourney
Friday August 17, 2007

PENANG became the champions of the Datuk Pathmanathan Cup Under-16 football competition when they defeated Selangor 2-0 in the final held at Cameron Highlands recently.


Winners: Mifa deputy president T. Mohan (right) looks on as Devamany (second from right) helps the Penang team lift the trophy.
Winners: Mifa deputy president T. Mohan (right) looks on as Devamany (second from right) helps the Penang team lift the trophy.



The four-day competition, held for the second consecutive year, was organised by the Malaysian Indian Football Association (Mifa) with support from Cameron Highlands MP S.K. Devamany.

As the champions, Penang received RM4,000 while Selangor settled for RM2,000.

The losing semi-finalists – Perak and Kuala Lumpur – were declared joint third and received RM500 each.

Putrajaya won the fair play trophy. Kuala Lumpur’s P. Tamilarasu was the top scorer while Penang’s S. Puvaneswaran was voted the man of the final.

Devamany, who was the guest of honour, gave away the prizes to the teams. -- The Star.


Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Rare orchid and new species may be exhibited

Rare orchid and new species may be exhibited
Tuesday August 14, 2007
By Christina Koh


TANAH RATA: A rare orchid and an Amorphophallus species unique to Cameron Highlands might soon go on display once it is proven that they are new discoveries.

Cameron Highlands district officer Datuk Mohamad Noor Abdul Rani said they were considering showcasing the plants at the Cameron Highlands Mountain Park in Parit Falls set up by Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and the Forestry Department.

The park, expected to open this year, will feature mountain flowers, orchids and other plant species, especially those endemic to Cameron Highlands.

“The two plants would be a testament to the region’s rich biodiversity and a valuable attraction for eco-tourists,” Mohamad Noor said.

One of the plants is an Amorphophallus plant recently discovered by a group of scientists led by Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat during a FRIM botanical expedition.

Mohamad Noor said the plants, which came in two variants of purple or white flowers, had been surprisingly found growing near the side of the road at the foot of Gunung Jasar.

“A team from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak is now studying the Amorphophallus plant to determine if it is a new species, and if it could be safely moved to a new habitat,” he said.

He added that the plant could be unique to the highlands, since other Malaysian Amorphophallus species were all usually found in the warmer lowlands.

“In Indonesia, the Amorphophallus plant is called bunga bangkai because of its corpse-like stench. However, the ones in Cameron Highlands are much taller,” he said.

The other new discovery Mohamad Noor was hoping to display is the rare Monomeria orchid, a genus of orchid previously not found anywhere else in Malaysia.

Environmentalists Embi Abdullah, 59, and N. Madi, 52, first came across the orchid last year while trekking in the jungles of the Ruil mountains. -- The Star.


Ambulances ‘can’t handle terrain’ of Cameron Highlands

Ambulances ‘can’t handle terrain’
Tuesday August 14, 2007

TANAH RATA: The RM112mil Cameron Highlands Hospital that opened in January may have impressive facilities but has had to borrow ambulances because the ones it has cannot handle the hilly terrain.

The hospital has been borrowing two ambulances from hospitals in Kuala Lipis and Temerloh after staff realised that the three new ones, sent by the Health Ministry’s engineering division, could not handle the highlands’ hilly terrain.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who visited the hospital yesterday, expressed surprise and said the ambulances had to be modified to handle the terrain.

Dr Chua visiting three-year-old Juliana Anak Hairy at the Cameron Highlands Hospital on Monday as medical student S. Gaitri (centre) and hospital director Dr Mahanim Md Yusof look on.
Dr Chua visiting three-year-old Juliana Anak Hairy at the Cameron Highlands Hospital on Monday as medical student S. Gaitri (centre) and hospital director Dr Mahanim Md Yusof look on.



“We will look into this. These ambulances are suitable for use in towns and rural areas, but the nature of Cameron Highlands’ terrain is such that they cannot be used here.”

A fully-equipped ambulance, he added, cost about RM300,000 but more needed to be spent to modify it.

On another matter, Dr Chua said there was a need to set up a haemodialysis centre in Cameron Highlands, adding that the ministry would look into the funds and personnel needed.

The hospital’s director, Dr Mahanim Md Yusof, said they currently had six kidney patients who travel to Kuantan Hospital, Tapah Hospital or Ipoh Hospital for dialysis treatments. -- The Star.


Monday, August 13, 2007

Hashers lose way in Brinchang

Hashers lose way, prompt rescue ops
Monday August 13, 2007

IPOH: What was supposed to be a simple daytime trek turned into a 17-hour ordeal for six Penangites when they got lost in the jungles of Brinchang, Cameron Highlands.

The team, all Hash House Harriers members aged between 41 and 54, entered the jungle from Kampung Sungai Ruil at 3pm on Friday and ex-pected to leave before nightfall.

Instead, they had to be rescued by a team of nine police personnel, se-veral forest rangers, orang asli and other villagers at 8am the next day.

All were unhurt. However, two fe-male members, known only as Ah Hoon, 41, and Chan, 47, had to be air-lifted out of the jungle by the Sungai Besi police air wing unit.

Cameron Highlands OCPD Deputy Superintendent Yahaya Othman said police received a report from one of the trekkers at about 11pm on Friday.

“After searching for hours, we found them near the river about 4km from the village,” he said, adding that the group got lost after mistaking the sounds of a river for the highway.

“They should have informed us before going into the jungle. All trek-kers should, especially if they are not familiar with the route,” he said.

However, team leader Goh Jin Poey insisted that the team had not gotten lost and had only underesti-mated the difficulty of the trek.

Goh, who left the group with another friend to get help that night, said the trail was short but the steep hill made it a problematic trek.

“We just had to stop because some were too exhausted to go on,” said Goh who conquered the same trail five years ago. -- The Star.


Sunday, August 05, 2007

When holidays were simply fun

When holidays were simply fun
Sunday August 5, 2007
By Shahriza Hussein


THEN & NOW

VACATIONING is something everyone looks forward to. But the destinations of today’s holiday breaks would have been sheer fantasy 50 years ago.

There was no talk then of travelling to Thailand, China, Australia, Europe and the United States. A teenager living in Kuala Lumpur would be excited about going to Penang or Singapore or even the Cameron Highlands for a few days. In fact, just going anywhere out of town was a big deal.

Today, youngsters think nothing of venturing on their own, even overseas. All they need are an absent-minded nod from an indulgent parent, a valid passport, an air ticket, some cash, a credit card and like-minded companions.

Back then, things were very different. For instance, I did not leave Malaya until February 1963, when I was almost 20, and even then it was for further studies, not pleasure.

My first solo trip to Bangkok was when I was 30 and it involved a two-night journey by train.

Were youngsters a timid lot 50 years ago? I don’t think so. It’s the circumstances that have changed.

Urban families were less affluent then. The priority was putting food on the table and giving the children a good education. Kids also tended to be more mindful of parental authority and families were more closely knit.

My entire family vacationed together whenever that luxury presented itself, the pet cat joining in.

We were fortunate to have had a family car as far back as I can remember and so our out-of-town holidays were always by road.

And what an adventure it was! I was seven or eight when I first went to Singapore. The route was circuitous: KL to Malacca, then to Muar, Batu Pahat, Pontian and finally Johor Baru and the Causeway.

The journey took almost the entire day as the road was narrow and there were time-consuming ferry crossings at Muar and Batu Pahat.

I was not aware that there was a shorter inland route and so I did not ask why we didn’t take that. I learned the reason very much later, as an adult: communist terrorists were active around Kluang and Yong Peng.

But for a small boy, everything was enjoyable, even the long journey. And our hotel in Singapore – the Sun Sun on Middle Road – was luxury itself.

I was certainly not aware that there were more sumptuous lodgings like the Raffles and the Adelphi.

We drove to Penang the following year, this time taking the trunk road as Perak and Kedah had become quite safe for travellers. Still, the journey took almost eight hours as the car needed some servicing in Taiping.

The ferry crossing from Butterworth to Georgetown was a delight and so was the food along Campbell Road. And things were cheaper than in KL because Penang, like Singapore, was a free port.

I remember seeing many Thai citizens and numerous perfume shops had notices in the Thai language.

But those long trips were a rarity. More usual during school holidays would be a day’s outing or, if it was for a few days, somewhere nearby like Port Dickson or Fraser’s Hill or even the Cameron Highlands.

Those places were more relaxing then. The highland resorts were much cooler than now and we went around in sweaters. And there was more greenery.

As for Port Dickson, we could go out at night during the low tide, armed with torches and wire-tipped harpoons, and return with a bucketful of flower crabs.

At low tide during the day, we would sift the sand at the water’s edge and be rewarded with baby clams. Once, I even came across a horseshoe crab.

When my father was based in Malacca up to the mid-50s, we often went to Tanjong Bidara for a day’s picnic.

There was no Terendak Camp there then and we usually had the place to ourselves. I remember the boulder-strewn beach and the fresh water pool just a few feet (metres today) from the sea. I also remember the giant hermit crabs hiding in the roots of the large trees.

Today, such simple pleasures are regarded as passé. If it’s a short break, it’s Genting Highlands for the high rollers and carnival-addicted families. Or it’s a weekend in Hatyai, just 550km away on good roads.

If it’s an extended holiday, the destinations would be Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Sydney or the cities of Europe and the American west coast.

But all is not lost. I sometimes take a drive on Sunday to the fringes of KL, to the waterfalls and forest parks.

I see families enjoying the simple pleasures of the past, picnicking the way my family did. There would be laughter and easygoing banter, with no timetable to keep, no stress, no bills to pay.

Some of us may scoff and dismiss these folk as members of the lower income group, enjoying themselves on the cheap. But weren’t many, if not most, of us the same not all that long ago?




# Shahriza Hussein loves reminiscing about the good old days. He is a Victoria Institution old-boy and was editor of ‘Auto International’ magazine for 30 years. He is currently publishing his novel in Singapore.


Saturday, August 04, 2007

Steamboat: Hot and steaming

Hot and steaming
Saturday August 4, 2007
By Alice Ching


The restaurateurs below lift the lid on what goes into their steamboat stock.

Local steamboat lovers were all hot under the collar after a local Chinese daily reported that Hong Kong actor Mark Cheng ran down Malaysian steamboat in a magazine interview, claiming that restaurant operators used carcass and stale meat to make the base stock.

Most were scornful of the actor’s dubious claim and dismissed his comments as being totally unfounded. But concerned, many diners decided to get steamboat restaurateurs to lift the lid on what exactly goes into the stock.

Far from plain: Happy Family Steamboat House has a variety of tasty dishes.
Far from plain: Happy Family Steamboat House has a variety of tasty dishes.



Ray Hiew Kok Yaw, who owns and operates Happy Family Steamboat House at the commercial hub in Taman Connaught, shook his head in disbelief when he was told about the actor’s comments.

“No decent restaurateurs will destroy their livelihood by cheating customers,” he said.

“He shouldn’t belittle anyone as those involved in the food business like myself are passionate about eating and food. I personally invested a lot of time and effort in learning the tricks of this steamboat trade from a Hong Kong sifu (master).”

Hiew said his steamboat stock is made from chicken boiled with Chinese herbs for four hours before it is strained to obtain the clear soup. Other soup variants available include tom yam, snow fungus boiled with papaya, and Hong Kong-styled porridge.

Opened in March 2006, the family-run outlet has a steady clientele thanks to its strategic location near a Giant hypermarket and a college.

Sizzling: Xin Cuisine Steamboat offers good soup.
Sizzling: Xin Cuisine Steamboat offers good soup.



Apparently the outlet’s porridge base is the most popular. A standard serving of ingredients for the steamboat consists of fish balls, fish rolls, sliced fish and chicken, brown squid, spinach, romaine lettuce, prawns, fu pei (stuffed beancurd skin), egg, white beancurd, and Chinese cabbage.

Customers can also order paper-thin slices of beef and lamb, pork tripe, intestines, liver and kidney, New Zealand mussels, fish maw, sliced pomfret, or jellyfish.

Hiew also offers simple but tasty one-dish meals like Ipoh Fish Ball Noodles, Shanghai Noodles with Minced Meat Sauce, Seafood Noodles in Plain Soup (or Spicy Tom Yam) and Braised Yee Mee. These are reasonably priced between RM3.80 and RM5.00 to satisfy the office and student crowd during lunch.

Those who want delicious home-style dishes for dinner should try their Hakka Char Yoke (braised pork), Braised Lamb in Claypot, Hong Kong-style Steamed Fish Head, and Braised Pork Belly in Claypot.

Petite Kaye Ong, who runs the relatively new Summer Kaye Garden (SKG) Restaurant in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, was unperturbed by the so-called “mini furore” caused by Cheng.

“It goes to show the actor doesn’t know what he is talking about. Anyone who cooks or has enough common sense knows clear soup may seem like the simplest thing to make but possibly it is the most difficult to get right.

“Do you think outlets that use bad meat and poor quality ingredients would be able to fool customers? The smell and taste would affect the soup, so there’s no way unscrupulous operators can get away with serving bad steamboat,” she said.

At Summer Kaye Garden, the steamboat stock is concocted with Chinese herbs such as kei chi (wolfberries), yok chok (Solomon’s seal rhizome), red dates, ginseng roots and dong kwai (angelica root).

For you to choose: Summer Kaye Garden adds a little spice to the steamboat formula.
For you to choose: Summer Kaye Garden adds a little spice to the steamboat formula.



The sublime soup is partaken with such ingredients as squid, fish balls, crabstick, squid rolls, sliced fish, watercress, prawns, fu pei (stuffed beancurd skin), egg, and Chinese cabbage. Cooked in the steamboat, the ingredients acquire a subtle herbal flavour. If you wish to add more heat to your highland steamboat dinner, you can opt for SKG’s spicy and sour tom yam stock.

With several superior soup bases to choose from (supreme broth, pork and peppercorn, fiery hot tom yam and clear porridge broth), Concorde’s Xin Cuisine Restaurant offers steamboat that is top-notch.

Here, diners can dunk a range of sumptuous morsels in the steaming hot pot – Australian scallops, fresh tiger prawns, mud crabs, fish maw, sea cucumber, green mussels, pomfret, home-made fish balls with black moss, assorted fresh mushroom, assorted fresh lettuce, deep-fried beancurd skin, white beancurd, yellow egg noodles and bee hoon.

HAPPY FAMILY STEAMBOAT HOUSE
Non-halal
No 12 Jalan Menara Gading 1
Medan Connaught
56000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (017) 338 0174

SUMMER KAYE GARDEN
Non-halal
F19 Jalan Lembah Jasar
Tanah Rata
39000 Cameron Highlands
Pahang
Tel: (012) 525 3186 / (019) 525 8003

XIN CUISINE
Non-halal
Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 2144 8750/2144 2200 ext 2338

Source: The Star.