Back in KL, in time for tomorrowโs ๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ ๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ & ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ awards ceremony. In the meantime, Iโm taking advantage of my time here to explore the latest developments in KLโs food scene.
The most exciting one has to be ex-Oriental Cravingsโ proprietress, Fay Cheng, and her former head chef, Lau Lib Seng, renewing their 18-year working relationship at Oriental Cravings at the new, two-week-old ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด on the 3rd floor of the spanking new KLGCC Mall. Itโs been packed since it opened on 24 Oct - Oriental Cravings command an almost cultish following amongst KL-lites.
Again, the dynamic duo presented some very, very good comfort food. We ordered too much, then surprised ourselves by licking everything clean. What we had:
Claypot ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฉ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ถ๐ฏ - rice noodles braised in an unctuous, utterly delicious sauce, then topped with a raw egg, to be stirred into the noodle casserole and bind everything together, whilst adding to the richness of the dish. A firm favourite - 75 kg of ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฉ ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ถ๐ฏ or 250 claypots of this dish alone were sold last Saturday!
Golden bean-curd, with its crisp-exterior, silken-soft inside, topped with minced pork and preserved vegetables. My fave for todayโs lunch.
Pigโs trotters with black vinegar and ginger - good to the last drop.
Braised bitter-gourd with eggs. This is a very โPenangโ tze char dish - to get any better, one needs to make a 350km/ 217-mile trip up there to Penang itself.
Steamed minced pork & tung choi (preserved vegetable) patty. My grandma used to make this for me 50 years ago. I could eat this every day!
Chee cheong fun with curried pork & potatoes. This is one of those dishes we conceptualize in a dream. This is one made real.
Water spinach (kangkung) with sambal belachan. Best version ever, with the most tender green shoots used.
For dessert, we tried their ultra-light ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ช ๐จ๐ฐ๐ถ sponge cake, lightly pan-fried in butter. This is a variation of Elegant Innโs billowy-light, cloud-like Golden Custard Cakes, but a caramelly one. A delicious variant indeed.
If I live in KL, Iโm sure to eat here ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ day! 
Address
Third Serving
Lot 3F-03, Third Floor, KLGCC Mall, 1, Jalan Bukit Kiara 1, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603-2011 9187
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm, daily
