Review: Haidilao Hot Pot @ Sunway Pyramid

Hi lovelies! ❤️

I’m back on WordPress for the time being! Finally have some spare time off work to blog!

Today I’ll be writing a food review on the highly raved-about steamboat/hot-pot which just opened its first branch in Malaysia! Hailing from China, it has opened its first branch in Sunway Pyramid late March 2019. I’ve read about friends who queued up for about 2-3 hours in line for their turn! I happened to take a break on a weekday and decided that it’s a good time to give it a try!

Being a banana (can’t read or speak in fluent Mandarin), it was a feat for us to communicate with the waiters, but thankfully they were accommodating to our requests and able to read our body language too.

If you have never tried Hai Di Lao (HDL), worry not! I wrote this post in hopes that it serves as comprehensive guide on how to wait in line, order, what to expect and also on how to queue for their free manicure service!

We reached on a weekday at 10.40am. Based on the operation hours, they open at 10.30am. But queue numbers were distributed as early as 10am. I was told that they also distribute numbers at 2pm slot, but apparently it’s not the same for every branch.

You’ll be given a queue number and QR code for you to scan and keep track of your turn in your phone. It’s live time, however be mindful that there might be glitches, from what I read from the reviews.

We did not loiter around Sunway. Instead we tried to fold paper cranes and also busied ourselves with various snacks and herbal drinks. They will come around and serve the snacks to you. Coloured papers are provided for you to fold a specific number of paper cranes in exchange for a dish. Couldn’t recall but I remember friends who managed to fold enough in exchange for plates of noodles or vegetables.

We only waited for about an hour. By 11.40am, it was our turn (number 40). Perfect for lunch time! After being ushered to your seats, you’ll be given a iPad to place your order.

Couples will be delighted to know that HDL offers two sizes of portion: Normal portion or half portion. Normal portion feeds about 4 or more pax, half portion feeds 2-3 pax. The prices are exactly half, proportionate to the portion.

Portion for 3-4 pax, Half for 2 pax.

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The norm is to order 4 soup bases to make the most out of the HDL dining experience as to try as many flavours in one go! The quarter soup base ranges from RM8 to RM11. You can opt for hot water for one quarter of the soup, to save some money or if you want to try your hand in creating a soup base from your own sauces concoction!

In the pic above (clockwise), we ordered Three Delicacy soup (herbal base with three types of mushrooms), Tomato soup and the famous Mala soup! My favourite was three delicacy and tomato. Not quite of a Mala fan to be honest.

RM8 is compulsory charged per pax for the sauces, condiments, fruits, fried noodles, ice cream and soya bean pudding. They’ll charge you on the headcount.

I love the mushroom sauce and seafood sauce!

My own concoction! I would say I prefer this over their Haidilao sauce! I used mushroom sauce, peanuts, shallots, chives, seafood sauce and some chilli sauce.

This is one of their Haidilao sauce. I honestly didn’t like it because they loaded it with celery and it overpowered the sauce, couldn’t taste anything besides the minty celery…

Also a Haidilao sauce. You may get the kind waiters/waitresses to make one bowl for you! Add some soup into the bowl and mix well.

This is a must-order for me every time I eat hotpot! Cheese tofu! 😍

Ordered full portion pork belly cause I don’t eat beef 🙈

Highly recommend their fish slices!

Bliss of eating hotpot on a weekday lunch! 🤤

Hi, love 👋🏻 ❤️

One shot before we put the food into the pot and it gets messy.

Apron, hair tie, sleeves cover and plastic cover for phone were provided! I look like an actual ah sam (aunty) here 🤣

My turn for gel manicure! 💅 TIP: The services starts at 12pm, you may place your number earlier thou. I placed mine right after I entered at 11.40am. I was told by the waiter that that I’m no.9 in queue. Fill in your name and hand phone number on the iPad provided and wait until you get a call from the manicurist.

I only got to my turn at 1.20pm! I get now why some of my friends had to wait for hours for their turn.

Not OPI brand but better than nothing right? I chose no. 028. Also, remember to remove any nail polish off as they don’t provide services to remove your nail polish and gel polish lols 😂

Pleased with the free manicure! ❤️

Bling bling! Just in time for my SG trip! ✨

xoxo 💋

Review: San Nae Deul Korean BBQ Buffet

Hi lovelies! ♥

Being Korean food lover (for as long as I remember), I’ve tried numerous highly rated Korean BBQs in KL over the years! This time, my friends and I visited San Nae Deul Korean BBQ (Empire Damansara branch) for their buffet! This BBQ joint has been around KL for a few years already! Although San Nae Deul has a few branches, I’ve only tried the Ikon branch and Empire Damansara branch. Ikon branch in Cheras has one of the worst service and food ever, it was so bad that I ranted of that branch when I tried it. If you want to try San Nae Deul, go to the Empire Damansara branch or Bangsar South one! I heard from friends that the Bangsar South branch is okay as well!

I’m a regular at this BBQ joint, but I always went there for ala carte only! Portion and price-wise for ala carte dishes are affordable and reasonable! If you have a big appetite, try out their buffet selection instead! We went on a weekday lunch time, so the buffet for adult comes up to RM39 (RM45 after including 10% service tax and 6% GST).

Most of the dishes from the menu are included in the buffet, such as BBQ pork, chicken, beef, squid, kimchi jjigae, doenjang jjigae, pajeon (pancake), ddukbokki, fried chicken and more. Drinks are not included in the buffet thou.

 

We ordered 5 servings of pork, squid and beef for 3 pax! Kimchi jjigae, ddukbokki, rice and fried chicken. We ate only 5 servings of meat because we left some stomach space for desserts at Haraju Cube later on! 😀

The meat portion is less than the portion given for ala carte, almost only half the plate. We had to reorder a second time to add on meat 🙂

 

Samgyupsal, gochujang pork and squid. The meat served is fresh and marinated well 🙂

 

Kimchi jjigae

 

Ddukbokki

 

Fried chicken with and without spicy sauce. I prefer the ones without the spicy sauce, the sauce tastes just like normal chilli sauce.

 

Tiffany H’s ratings!:

Price: $$$ – RM35++ for a Korean food buffet is considered cheap, and without compromising on the quality of meat and taste as well. Would definitely revisit on special occasions

Food: ✦✦✦✦✦ 5/5 – Fresh meat, wide range of dishes to order for buffet 🙂

Service: ✦✦✦✧✧ 3/5 – Automatic bell provided at each table. Attentive staffs 🙂

Atmosphere: ✦✦✧✧✧ 2/5 – Even though this restaurant is fully air-conditioned, it wasn’t well ventilated because there isn’t any exhaust hoods built above every table! It caused the whole restaurant to smell smoky and at the end of the meal, we were all smelling like BBQ meat.

 

We continued our cafe hop at Haraju Cube and Cat in the Box after our filling lunch. Will update soon! 🙂

xoxo

 

Review: Summer at 17°c at Connaught Avenue

Hey lovelies! ♥

I ran some errands in my uni on Wednesday and thought of having lunch nearby with Adrienne, so we decided to try out this new cafe in Cheras area! Summer at 17°c opened sometime in May this year and is located nearby Econsave Cheras and Cheras Sentral. It is easily spotted as you pass by KK118 food court and Econsave road leading to Connaught/Jalan Cheras.

 

The cafe is a corner lot, on the first floor

 

Closed on Monday. Open on Tuesday – Sunday from 11am to 7pm. I guess they cater only for brunch and early dinners 🙂

 

You’ll be greeted by murals at the entrance

 

Cats! ♥ My favourite! 😀

 

I went on a weekday around 1.30pm and the cafe wasn’t packed. Managed to choose seats with great lighting and background! 🙂

 

Summer at 17°c serves all day breakfast, pastas, waffles, chicken chops, cakes, tea and coffee 😀 Price range is reasonable with at around RM17 to RM19 per main dish. Perfect place to get hot food and linger around for desserts as well!

 

A bear like the one from “Bear in the Big Blue House”

 

The iconic deer mural! 😀

 

I like the bright, clean and simple interior. It’s spacious enough and leaves enough room between each table for privacy. This cafe is perfect for photography as well, lot’s of natural sunlight! 😀

 

Baby’s breath at the corner of the cafe 🙂

 

Summer Lilikoi Tea @RM11 and Iced Mocha @RM13. Adrienne ordered Summer Lilikoi Tea, which is a refreshing sour passion fruit mixed tea. I ordered the iced mocha and it’s surprisingly very chocolatey! I prefer my mocha with more chocolate than coffee honestly, and I love this iced mocha! It was milky and didn’t dilute much when I finished the mocha.

Every food photographer’s dream! Instagram away using the flowers on the table and position it whatever way you want! The cafe is so brightly lid! ♥♥♥ The plates and food plating is on point too! 🙂 We ordered two main dishes, both are the chef’s recommendation (spot the chef hat icon in the menu!).

 

Salted egg yolk pasta @RM18. We both wanted to get this pasta, so we decided to share this instead and order another main for sharing so that we can try out more dishes 😀

This is undeniably their best pasta dish in the cafe! Love this fusion dish, there’s an Asian twist to this pasta! The egg yolk sauce has a creamy consistency but isn’t that heavy. This dish reminds me of Nestum butter prawns from Chinese restaurants 😀 There are bits of chilli padi for the extra spiciness and curry leaves in it too.

 

Summer Asian Chick @RM19. Chicken chop with sweet and sour sauce, potato wedges, croissant and salad. The chicken is fried and drenched with sweet and sour sauce (something like Worcestershire sauce) topped with a slice of cheese (I prefer the cheese to be more melty). The sides are okay, no complaints 🙂

 

My camera eats before I do 🙂 I’ve gone wayyyy past that phase of feeling embarassed of standing to take a few shots of my food :p Everyone that knows me are already familiar with me positioning the plates and props the moment the food arrives 😀

 

LOLOLOL just graduated on Saturday and done with degree life at last! 😀

 

Tiffany H’s ratings!: 

Price: $$ – Typical cafe food pricing, one main dish portion is wide enough if you’re feeling hungry. Best part is no service tax and GST included, so what you see on the menu is what you are paying! 😀

Food: ✦✦✦✦✦ 5/5 – A cafe that is worth coming back for its food and beverages! I will definitely try out the crepe cakes next time! Was tempted to order it for desserts but I was feeling full already (and a little sleepy zzz)! And I’ll probably get the salted egg yolk pasta again (so goodddd!! ♥) 🙂

Atmosphere: ✦✦✦✦✧ 4/5 – bright, clean and simple 🙂 Love the fresh flowers on each table too. What I found hilarious was that there is a frequent loud thump from the floor above, it’s because there’s a martial arts centre upstairs. So we know whenever someone is being K.O-ed upstairs lolololol 😀

 

Summer at 17°C Cafe
Address: A-G-1, Connaught Avenue, Jalan 9, Taman Bukit Cheras (Opposite Econsave Len Sen)
56000, Kuala Lumpur
Contact number: 03-9107 9797

 

xoxo