Travelogue around Asia Pacific Part II

Penang - We went to a Penang kueh chap shop for lunch.   It is basically an Innards restaurant - but this is a Duck's innards yummy.... Penang Famous Kueh Chap A mixture of duck's innards A delicious mixture of the famous Penang's kueh chap - you will find the stomach, intestines, meat and gizzard (a muscular, thick-walled part of a bird's stomach for grinding food). Ching Tng To cool it all off with a nice bowl of icy Chng Tng.....as desert.

Penang - Donny with his shinny black beamer drover us to this Good Friends Seafood restaurant @ No 84, Mukim 9, Pulau Pinang, 11920 Jalan Teluk Kumbar.   The seafood is fresh and reasonably priced.  We ordered a wide variety of seafood dishes. steamed helicopters  seafood noodles stir fried vegetables clams Locals called this lala clams and this was stir fried with ginger and spring onions. Sting Ray Pepper crabs

Jakarta - Taste Paradise restaurant is an award winning restaurant and one of Singapore's top 10 restaurant and not surprising to be at Plaza Indonesia. Beef with French beans The beef was marinated well and tasted very tender.  I like the french beans so much because it gives a nice crunchy bite to the taste. Kai Lan with salted vegetables Soft bean curd Beef with porcini mushrooms  The porcini mushrooms are very popular which gives an earthy taste to the beef.  These mushrooms are harvested in the wild and has to be consumed within a few days of harvesting. Sea Bass steamed with soya sauce A very good meal and will be coming back for more...

Jakarta - We went to one of Jakarta popular traditional restaurant and without a doubt it has the most classy decor in whole of Jakarta.  The ambiance takes you back to medival Javanese era with statues and paintings surrounding dining area.  This is repeatedly recognised as one of the Top 10 restaurants in Jakarta. Medival Javanese design courtyard deco Besides the decor the food is fresh and really good.  The waiter presented to us this huge oversize menu with cuisines I have never seen before.  So, we went with what was recommended and generally what we know.  Satay is one we are very familiar with. Satay on a charcoal stove Soto Asem Iga Sapi IKAN Keputren Daha Minced fish BBQ over a charcoal stove. same IKAN This is content of the pandan leaf wrapping opened up.  In the photo, it looks disgusting but it actually tasted very good and fresh. Nasi Merah Red rice in the shape of traditional Indonesian puppet. Bo...

Phnom Penh - I think there were too much hype about this Friend the Restaurant by Backpacker tourist.  Though this restaurant was ran as a good cause to provide street children an income and also a  training school for cooks; the food was simple,  came in small portions and was expensive. It was not very far from our hotel about a short 10 minutes walk. Chicken with Pumpkin As you can see from the pics small portion and simple home dishes....not worth going there.  But their sister restaurant Romdeng was excellent.

Phnom Penh - Just across the road, there was a Mochi shop and we pop in for another round of desert. Kane Mochi Our Mochi And then for some serious Jenga game... Why so serious?

Phnom Penh - We went to Phnom Penh popular restaurant - Mali Restaurant.  The food is pretty , fresh, good and tasty. Beautiful decor Ready for food Cambodian sausage Slices of pork Morning Glory Moringa soup This Moringa soup is claim to have medicinal properties of Moringa leaf and pumpkin flower consommé. Fish Prahok Kampot Crab Fried Rice Coconut ice cream Malis restaurant is also famous for their delicious deserts. Definately worth coming back again.

Phnom Penh - Dinner was at a top Italian restaurant in Phnom Penh - IL Forno.   I had their pork ribs and it was exquisite to perfection. Pork Ribs with spinach  Very delicious meal and worth coming again for a good pork ribs.  

Phnom Penh - After our lunch, we decided to visit one of Cambodian darkest nightmare with history shrouded in death and torture.   This place is Tuoi Sieng Genocide Museum (most famously called S21).   Over 20,000 people were prisoned and murdered in this old school compound.   At the end only 12 confirmed survivors.   The admission to his museum was USD 6 with the audio headphones. The audio took me through all 32 grim stations and I left the place in a very sad and heavy heart with so many deaths in a location that once was filled with joy and laughter. 14 anonymous graves Rules for every prisoner elevated sight of the 14 graves prison entrance The Khmer rouge erected barred wire fences to prevent prisoners from committing suicide after numerous torture. Memorial for the deaths at this former school

Phnom Penh - The old French colonial building that house this restaurant has a rich Cambodian history that once own by the Van family for the sole purpose of the Indochina Bank.  When the revolution broke out, the Vans family fled the country and the property was forcefully acquired.   In 2003, the Van family purchased it from the elected Cambodian government to start this French exquisite restaurant.   Currently, one of the top 10 best restaurant in Phnom Penh. Bread rolls and butter We were the only guest during lunch and chose their business lunch set menu.    It was very nice to have the bread rolls hot and soft within. Cheese ravioli with tomato and basil sauce The presentation was good and the dish was even better. Potato Salad This dish was chosen by Lesley and Air... Stew Pork Cheek with red wine and rosemary An excellent dish and I love it so much.   The pork was so tender and well marinated. scrimp and small scallop ...