DeHunan Hotpot @Fahrenheit 88 Jalan Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur ~ Hunan's Vibrant Flavours

HUNAN'S VIBRANT FLAVOURS
@DEHUNAN HOTPOT

DeHunan Hotpot Restaurant @Fahrenheit 88

Dining at DeHunan Hotpot has taken me and my family to a fiery and spicy gastronomical dining experience, a special culinary journey of Hunan cuisine tasting DeHunan's scrumptious spread of Hunan menu. We were looking forward to some tantalising hot spicy flavours and they really did an excellent job with their spread of authentic Hunan dishes, all specially cooked and prepared by their chefs from Hunan Province, China.

Currently with 2 outlets in the neighbourhood of Kuchai Lama and Bandar Puteri Puchong. DeHunan Hotpot has finally branched into the city centre with the latest branch newly opened and strategically located at Fahrenheit 88 Jalan Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur.

Spice and Fire - I think is the best way to describe the vibrant flavours of traditional Hunan cuisine. Also known as Xiang cuisine, stems from a province that has an age-old reputation as 'Land of Fish and Rice'. It's also one of the Eight Great Traditions of Chinese gastronomy. You can find out more about the exciting info about Hunan cuisine from here  

De Hunan has a private room that can serve up to 12 customers per room. Perfectly suitable for business entertainment, family gathering, birthday celebration, event organizing and so forth. With a seating capacity of 266 pax, the restaurant is a well designed to provide the customer private dining feel while savouring the delicious Hunan cuisines with family or friends.

Lovely Décor of  Chillies

Spacious Contemporary Dining Space

I was pretty impressed with their spacious, comfortable and contemporary dining interior. Brightly lit hotpot restaurant, decorated with pretty cute bright red chillies hangings against light wood panel walls.

There’s also a window seating area, from which you can enjoy your meal with the view of the ever thriving Jalan Bukit Bintang while savouring the mouth-watering selections on the menu. A great place with cosy and casual environment for you and your friends to dine in.

Diners at DeHunan Hotpot must sample their tasty appetisers ranging from some healthy treats to some sinful but delicious treats like the pickled cucumber, seaweed, foo chok and pickled pig ears. Do note that appetisers like these differ from day to day, so not to be boring for returning customers.

Pickled Pig Ears, Seaweed, Foo Chok, Pickled Cucumber 

RM 3.50 per serving

( From Top Left clockwise )

Really refreshing and good-tasting starters to open up your taste buds with cold, spicy and sour dishes. My favourite was the cold and crunchy zucchini, extremely addictive till I can finish the whole bowl on my own. The tofu and seaweed were not bad either.  

Hunan cuisine is notable for its liberal use of chilli peppers, shallots and garlic which give the dishes hot spicy flavours, fresh aroma and deep colour. During our dinner review to savour some of Chef Li Zhen Fang's toothsome dishes, we started off with Hunan Farmer Style Fried Pork.

Hunan Farmer Style Fried Pork 

RM 22

Hunan Farmer Style Fried Pork, a simple and delicious dish, which comes with a fragrant spicy flavour and full of Wok-Hei. The green chillies and garlic were cooked with marinated pork belly while the nutty flavour comes from the deep-fried green chillies seeds that were cooked together in this dish. Loved this dish to bits, will definitely come back for more. 

Deep-Fried Spicy Chicken with Dried Chili 

RM 30

Next, one of the highlights on their menu is the Deep Fried Spicy Chicken with Dried Chili. Juicy and tender chicken thigh marinated with beer, Chinese wine (fah tiew cao) and salt were deep-fried before frying with dry chillies till fragrant. Topping it up with sesame seeds bring out aromatic flavours, seriously this is another dish you must try.

Intimating dish to try by the sight of the large portion of dry chillies in the dish, but don't worry, it's not as hot or spicy as it looked. One of the most popular Hunanese dishes, it is easy to see why, as this seemingly uncomplicated dish is a hothouse of flavours.

Stir-Fried Beijing Cabbage 

RM 20

Their menu also offers less 'hot' dishes such as this simple Stir-Fried Beijing Cabbage with Pork Belly. A complete dish with a good portion of vegetables and meat, the Beijing cabbage leaves are plucked by hand and not cut for some special reason and cooked on high heat with marinated pork belly. The crunchy fresh vegetables were cooked "al dente", full of wok-kei with a smoky flavour. It is a definite favourite at the table. 

     

Fried Homemade Beancurd with Salted Egg 

RM 18

Creamy with melt-the-mouth sensation, this savoury salted egg and tofu dish was a real winner. No eggs were used as we were told, Chef Li's expertise in Hunanese cooking crafts out authentic and richly-flavoured oriental delicacies from just 2 simple ingredients of salted egg and soft tofu. My young son really enjoyed eating this dish with a delicate texture and it went well with the bowl of hot steaming rice.

Uncle Mao Special Braised Pork 

RM 30

Uncle Mao Special Braised Pork as it was named after Mao Zedong, so we assumed it is definitely Uncle Mao's favourite porky dish. Mao was born in Chaochan in Hunan province, thus they decided to name it after him. 

With imported pork meat from China, the chunky pork belly are braised and stewed in high pressure cooker with lot herbs and spices resulting into a luscious sinful dish of pork belly in thick dark sauce with rich flavour.       

Spicy Skewered Prawns in Hunan style 

RM 33

Hunan Yuen & Yang Steamed Fish Head - 'Ling' Fish 

RM 60

A synonymous Hunan fish dishes to try is the Hunan Yuen & Yang Steamed Fish Head - 'Ling' Fish. With an intense spiciness from the imported Hunan's green chillies, this is one dish that is not recommended for the faint-hearted. The Hunanese are famous for their use of the sharp punch of vinegar-pickled chillies with salt. 

Although it looks very appealing and quite colourful with the green chillies, red chillies and scallions used, but the spiciness actually numbs your tongue with a burning sensation to the lips after the diced Hunan green chillies kick in.

Noodles were added to soak up the salty and spicy sauce from the fish dish and eaten together for an overall spicy and fiery tasting.

Sizzling Skewered Lamb

RM 28

Lamb lovers, do check out these juicy and tender Australian lambs served in skewers. Marinated before being deep-fried and topped with a combination of fresh ingredients such as garlic, onion, fresh red chillies and the signature green chillies (xiao mi jiao 小米椒 ).  

Following up after the mains dishes, we were treated to some very unique hotpot soups at DeHunan. So if you are craving for a hotpot meal with a dash of yummy goodness, do check out their selections of 4 types of No-MSG soups ranging from fish head soup, pork bone soup, duck soup to chicken soup. 

Fish Head Soup 

Small Pot - RM 15 (per pax) / Big Pot - RM 40 for 4 pax

Hunan cuisine is noted for pungency, thanks to its generous but judicious use of spices, especially the use of chilli, which is as standard to Hunan cuisine. The special seasoning of Hunan cuisine includes soy sauce, tea seed oil, spicy oil, Chinese red pepper, fennel and cassia bark, each of which adds its own particular colour and flavour to the cuisine.

Duck Soup

Small Pot - RM 15 (per pax) / Big Pot - RM 40 for 4 pax

Both soups flavour were intense, salty and tend to be oilier. Lots of spices like the star anise and mandarin peels were added to bring out the pungent and robust flavour in the duck soup. For the fish head soup, the spiciness comes from the use of three types of chillies to give it a distinct rich yellow colour. Be prepared to thrill your taste buds as authentic Hunan steamboat dining experience has been brought that much closer to you by DeHunan Hotpot.

Choose from the steamboat menu with up to 40 items including fresh seafood, chicken, pork, lamb. beef, meatballs, fish balls, vegetables, mushrooms and more. It was an enjoyable steamboat dinner as there are many types of ingredients to dunk into flavourful broths, feasting our palate with a rather unique herbal duck soup and spicy fish head soup. 

 

Fresh Tiger Prawns goes well with both flavours

Premium Sliced Australia Beef Fillet (RM 18) & Sliced Pork Shoulder Loin (RM 14)

Golden Sweet Potatoes with Honey

RM 22

For desserts, the Golden Sweet Potatoes with Honey was a pleasant surprise, giving us a break from the hot and spicy dishes. Deep-fried sweet potatoes coated with tapioca flour and custard powder mix was fragrant and crunchy, with soft and warm insides. Bursting with flavour and crisp from the sticky honey coating, these golden sweet desserts would leave you wanting more!

 Delightful Sweet Desserts 

Potato Pancake 
RM 10 for 4pcs

 Happy Eats with my sister,Alice and daughter, Clarrisha (on the left)

Tummy Happy Food Tasting Day For the Ladies

DeHunan Hotpot
Lot 2.05, Level 2 Fahrenheit 88
No 179, Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03 - 2141 3469

Website: www.dehunan.com
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/DeHunanHotpot

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The Champ Kitchen @Taman Perindustrian KIP Kepong Kuala Lumpur

Hidden Treasure of Kepong

The Champ Kitchen 
Serves Some of The Best Braised Pork Knuckle Dishes in Town

One of latest discoveries on my gastronomic adventures is The Champ Kitchen in Taman Perindustrian KIP, Kepong in the Klang Valley. Okay, I know this a bit far-fetched, but if you want to savour real good porky dishes, The Champ Kitchen is the place to visit. Read on and check this restaurant out, then you will understand the trip I made was worthwhile.

My foodies blogger friend, Logan Goh  had invited me to a food-tasting session organized by a popular Facebook Foodie Group ~ KL~吉隆坡美食~KL and Take Eat Easy.  

Hidden in the middle of Kepong industrial area, The Champ Kitchen opened its door to patrons in early July 2015 this year. This no-frills typical chinese restaurant is the brainchild of an ambitious chef turns businessman, who decided to churn out his family's century old heritage recipe to local folks in Klang Valley.

Driven by passion to ensure that true family recipes was preserved for generations to come, his love for good food has drives him to open up a restaurant serving his great-grandfather's family time-honoured recipes that has spanned over 4 generations. With 'The Champ Kitchen' now, his family's legacy lives on in the dishes he served to customers every day.

The Champ Kitchen, signature speciality dish is none other than the Claypot Pork Knuckle. Senior Yap, his father supervises the cooking of around 100 to 150 pork knuckles twice or thrice a week in the specially made big wok. You can never miss the sight of it as it was placed strategically right at the main entrance of the restaurant.

It was not my lucky day as I was not able to capture a shot of the big wok cooking during my review that day. But you can come by on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to feast your eyes on this big cook-out of over 100 pork knuckles in the big wok. Can just imagine the fragrant aroma with lots of herbs and spices that floats through the whole restaurant on those days!

He aims to make this flavourful prized dish affordable and readily available to more people. They serves a wide selection of dishes from ala-carte pork hind dishes to noodles and rice with add-ons side dishes to go with your meal. Since opening, The Champ Kitchen have been drawing in the crowds with reasonable prices and value for money with dishes starting from as low as RM5 to RM28 for a whole Dang Gui Salted Chicken.

Here are some of their Daily Special Signature dishes in the house are as follows:

 Claypot Pork Knuckle

RM 38

Age-old recipe handed down from his great grandfather, the Claypot Pork Knuckle was fragrant and aromatic infused with fresh ingredients prepared from scratch using the long hours of traditional cooking method just like the olden days. It features fall-off-the-bone meat that comes bathed in a luscious dark brown savoury sauce, an instantaneous hit with all pork lovers. 

As for me,  I loved the sauce for its rich flavour, aromatic with smell of almost every spice you can find to bring out the best in the dish. All pork knuckle lovers can rejoiced with this wonderful juicy and tender dish. You must first savour a spoonful of the gravy to check out the tastiness for yourself. Sauce is best eaten with not only rice but tasted good when dip with fried mantou buns too.

Dang Gui Salted Chicken
RM 15 (Half) RM 28 (Whole)

The Champ Kitchen came up with  a variety of all-in-one noodles and rice dishes that comes with the special pork knuckle, preserved vegetables and special 'hot spring' egg. Diners can choose variants of either rice, soup noodles or dry noodles with the delicious toppings.

'Hot Spring' Egg

RM 2

The Champ Kitchen's 'hot spring' eggs are actually egg cooked skillfully in hot water with a control temperature to produce a somewhat runny egg yolks. Unique as they are soft-boiled but the egg yolk is never fully cooked, it can be custard-like with a firm texture. You must try this impressive 'hot spring egg' with softly firm whites and creamy and runny golden yolks if you are dining here!

Pork Hind Rice
RM 14

Generous portion of the pork hind are served with flavourful preserved vegetables of ham choy, mui choy and a 'hot spring' egg in a bowl of rice.

Soup Pork Hind Noodles

RM 10 (S) RM 12 (B) 

Pork Hind Dry Noodles 

A similar version with the same toppings but instead of rice, diners can have the dry noodles ie. without the soup.

Pork Soup Noodles

RM 10 (S) RM 12 (B) 

Pork Dry Noodles
RM 8

Spicy Soup Pork Noodle

RM 12 (S) & RM 14 (L)

For those who prefer something hot and spicy, this is a good noodles dish to choose. Springy egg noodles served in spicy soup topped with shredded black fungus (mok yee), chopped scallions and a melt-in-the-mouth 'hot spring' egg.

An Array Of Appetising Add-Ons

Big-eaters can order add-on dishes to satisfy their cravings at The Champ Kitchen. Foodies can opt to have extra dishes of 'hot spring' egg, preserved vegetables (ham choy/mui choy), pork slices, pork lard rice, pork lard noodles and perhaps some sinful but absolutely delicious crispy pork lard! Goodness me !

Pork slices (2 pcs) RM 6, Ham Choy/Mui Choy RM 3, 'Hot Spring' Egg RM 2, Crispy Pork Lard RM 2

( From Top left Clock wise)

Slow Braised Beef Brisket With Rice

RM 10

Slow Braised Beef Brisket With Noodle
RM 10

Besides special pork knuckle dishes, beef lovers fret not as The Champ Kitchen also offers some Beef selections such as Slow Braised Beef Brisket to serve with your choice of rice or noodles dishes.

Simple & Classic Side Dishes of Egg & Tofu

Cold Tofu

RM 5

Vegetable Of The Day

RM 5

Apart from the pork and beef dishes, this restaurant also serves a variety of egg and tofu dishes to whet diners appetite. You will be spoilt with choice of 3 equally delectable tofu dishes cooked in 3 different styles.

 Salted Fish Minced Tofu

RM 8

My favourite among them was the delightfully comforting dish of Salted Fish Minced Tofu. Feeling nostalgic when eating it as this dish often reminds of my family home-cooked food. My late mom used to cook this Hakka dish for us when we were young as it was easy to eat and highly nutritious.

Steam Egg With Chives

RM 5

The Champ Kitchen also came up with some home-styled family dishes such as Steam Egg with Chives and its signature dish of Minced Meat Omelette. These other signature dishes are equally popular with dining families. 

Minced Meat Omelette
RM 8

A comforting delicious dish, is how I would describe the special Minced Meat Omelette. Generous portion of flavoursome minced pork meat cooked perfectly with eggs. This dish would go well with young and old alike, taste great eaten with a warm bowl of rice. Highly recommended, a must try dish to order at The Champ Kitchen if you are a serious egg-lovers! 

Pork Neck Skewer - 4 pcs 

 (RM 2 per skewer)

RM 8

 HK Century Egg Ginger
RM 5

Fried Man Tao Buns
@RM 1.50 per pc

While waiting for your dishes to arrive, diners can order some tasty appetisers to satisfy hungry tummies with snacks dishes such as pork neck skewer, Hongkong century egg with ginger and last but not least some freshly fried Man Tao buns.

Since its July 2015 opening, The Champ Kitchen's owner have been experimenting and introducing some new dishes to complement his brand new baby, The Champ Kitchen's new menu. As follows are his range of new creations specially made to tempt your palate.  

 

Braised Goose Feet with Fish Maw & Giant Mushroom

  Waxed Meat Claypot Rice (Lap May Fan)

Lamb Belly 

  Preserved Vegetable ~ Sweet Mui Choy Pork Belly   

 Sze Chuan Style Grilled Horse Mackerel

 HongKong-style Wanton Soup Noodle

Premium Double Boiled Soup with Shark bone, Old Hen & Fish Maw

Everyone knows that a warm and tasty soup will definitely put hearts at ease. The Champ Kitchen provides 2 soups of delicious, healthy and nourishing choices consisting of Premium Double Boiled Soup with Shark bone, Old Hen & Fish Maw and Lotus & Arrow Root Soup. 

Slurp your way into delicious goodness with a whole lot of nourishment to fill your tummy and reminisce upon those delightful soul comforting soups that's prepared by your mom. Definitely a great starting point towards leading a healthier lifestyle.

 Lotus & Arrow Root Soup

A must-have of the Chinese soups is the Lotus & Arrow Root Soup. Served in a mini pot, the soup was lusciously delicious and superbly rich in chicken flavours. Slow-simmered with combination of chicken feet, lotus, arrow roots and peanuts, this soup does wonders to clear your stress and freshens up the mind.

If you still have space for some desserts in your stomach after the scrumptious porky dishes, do try out some of their home made green tea ice cream or signature home made Sea salt ice cream. Wash down with some home cooked herbal tea or 'Kim Eng' herbal tea  to ease your body heatiness, chill & cool your stress away!

 Home Made Sea Salt Ice Cream

RM 5

Home Made Green Tea Ice Cream

RM 5 

Overall, The Champ Kitchen is a decent and good-tasting family restaurant that provides a varieties of ala-carte home-styled Chinese cooking dishes to go with rice or noodles. Meanwhile, they aims to provide everyone with affordable pork rice and noodles for young and old alike be it; the office workers, college students, young couples and busy working mothers among others. The Champ Kitchen also aspired to bring their simple yet tasty pork rice to all, making it a popular food for many seeking to have a quick and fast meal to fill a hungry stomach when eating out. 

I enjoyed my tasting session very much especially the pork rice. Priced at only RM 8, it's really a good price to pay for a delicious meal of pork rice with egg and preserved vegetables all thrown in. I loved the different texture and flavours of the tender pork slices, creamy lava 'hot spring' egg mixed together the sweet and sour of the ham choy with the mui choy. Thumbs up for that!

The Champ Kitchen

No 19 Jalan KIP 1
Taman Perindustrian KIP
Kepong
52200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 - 6275 1919 

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday - 11.30am to 8pm
                             Sunday - 9am to 7pm

FaceBook: www.facebook.com/thechampkitchen

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