Ichiban Boshi - Sunway Giza

When you have a craving for sushi around Kota Damansara, and you'd fancy a quick lunch, pop down to Sunway Giza. There are a couple of food offerings around the area, and Ichiban Boshi is probably one of your better options.

The staff are surprisingly attentive and once you get pass their enthusiastic but less than authentic welcome, you shall be ushered to your table. As with many sushi restaurants, there is the ubiquitious sushi conveyor belt running around the centre of the restaurant, with your usual offering of nigiri and sushi.


The sushi is decent, with the fish quite fresh. The tempura's batter was a little thick but still crispy and not overly oily. I had the Double Niku Udon. When the udon came, it was pipping hot but a little salty. The noodles were firm and made good slurping. The beef balls and beef were well marinated, but again a bit on the salty side. With unlimited refills of green tea, and about RM30 a person, it's a good place to come for a decent meal when you are sick of hawker food.

Original Nasi Kandar Kayu - Dataran Sunway

I think it's about time I write about a good local food spot, rather than just high end steak restaurants in Chicago. Honestly, when we get back home, we want to eat rice. Original Kayu has now become an institution, starting out in Penang and spreading it's wings out to KL as well as other regions such as far flung Kota Damansara.



Just round the corner from the office, if you have the craving for Malay Mamak food, honestly this place is pretty darn good. However, because it is better than your average Nasi Kandar, it comes at a price too. Briyani is RM4.50 and the fried sotong can set you back another RM6.00. All in all, a plate with briyani, sotong, mutton curry and veggie can be as dear as RM18.00. Nevertheless, despite the heavy price tag, it gets 4 out of 5 stars for taste. It is Malaysian comfort food in it's truest sense, just like pasta to the Italians and fried chicken to the Americans.

Drinks are reasonable on the other hand, and in full honestly, it is a decent place. It's actually very clean, with no real smell to the restaurant.

I am inclined to think that you're allowed to indulge once in a while.

Kawatoyo Restaurant - Narita, Japan

A clean break away from steak and right into another country, Narita is a quaint little town which largest feature is the airport right smack in the middle. Otherwise, it is famous for one regional speciality, and that is unagi, or eel. It is perhaps unsurprising that his city in itself like so many other Japanese cities would have it's own unique characteristics as well as local specialities.

A walk down the alleyway lined with shops and restaurants would take you to the temple, and past the temple is what I would like to call the "Unagi" district. There is this one shop in which no visit to Narita would be complete without. The decor is simple and traditional enough: wooden panels with bamboo mats and highly polished wooden tables. There is no English name to this restaurant though. The name of the restaurant comprises of two Japanese Kanji characters proudly displayed above the shop front.



Right in front, you can see their chefs preparing live eel. This is not for the squeamish but obviously in Japan where quality and freshness are of paramount importance, this is certainly a display to reassure their regulars and the tourist that they are serving up nothing but the freshest produce.

The crowd is a lot smaller in weekdays so that would be your best bet to go for a meal. If you happen to be there on a weekend it would certainly be far more crowded, with snaking lines both for lunch and dinner, with the dinner rush starting as early as 4pm. The crowd is predominantly Japanese with the odd foreigner lucky enough to know the existence of the place. After being sat down by a beaming hostess, you'd be asked to order. At this place, there is one option and a couple of variations in what is a speciality restaurant. There is simply no other reason to order anything else though.



Served in it's lacquered box on a bed of the most fragrant Japanese rice available, the eel was grilled to perfection. WARNING: After you taste this, Unagi Don would never taste the same. It is simply brilliant. Accompanied by the free flow of hot ocha or Japanese Green Tea, it is a true Japanese dining experience. The service is ever smiling, ever polite and ever accommodating despite the language barrier. After you're done, in the true tradition of Japanese efficiency, there is no hanging about when there is a crowd waiting to be seated. You're up, shuffled out, and profusely thanked upon your exit. Smile and bow. You don't want to be the odd gai-jin out.

Chicago Cut Steakhouse

Perhaps I have an obsession with steak, or the appeal of the Windy City steakhouses are just too much to resist. Coming back for more it seems as I made my way down on a surprisingly warm January evening to one of the new kids on the block, the Chicago Cut Steakhouse. Located along the banks of the Chicago river nestled within 300 North Lasalle which is a large office block.

Entering in jeans and a casual jacket, I was initially intimidated by the suited crowd at 8:30 in the evening. However, the host was extremely accommodating and they ensured that I would have an enjoyable evening. My server for the evening was Dave, and he really took the time to ensure I wasn't too lonely on my 2 and a half hour long solitary gastronomic journey.

One thing that immediately struck me was their iPad wine list. You could view the wine, the description, the reviews and even the location of the vineyard came up on Google maps. An ultra-modern twist to their extensive and expensive wine list. Very impressive. I opted for a glass of an absolute winner, the Orin Swift "The Prisioner", the red wine that won my heart at David Burke's Primehouse.


The first course was unorthodox, and I had it at Dave's recommendation. It's not actually on the appetizer menu and more commonly served as a seafood main. It was what was called a "Tristan" Tail. A Tristan is a smaller species of lobster found off the coast of South Africa, and air flown daily to the restaurant. It was unlike any other lobster I had tasted. Simple enough, served with liquid butter and lemon, it has a sweetness as well as a beautiful rounded taste that cannot adequately be put into words, but rather experienced. That was a fine start.


For the main event, the first time round was a non-starter. Despite it's young age, this restaurant is already famous for their USDA Prime Aged-On-Site steaks. Unfortunately the first of my Bone-in Filet Mignon was overcooked, coming out a good medium, rather than medium rare. That was swiftly replaced with my new steak coming out piping hot and perfectly done. The favour was unbelievable, and certainly one of the top two steaks I had in Chicago, the best probably being Gibson's. The mushrooms were equally wonderful.

The downpoint unfortunately was the dessert. The Apple Cobbler came out piping hot, but had way too much flour for my liking. Though it wasn't overly sweet, it was a large portion and possibly not up to the standard of the other two courses I had.



After dinner, Dave gave me a personal tour of the kitchen and the ageing room, which was a great little touch to end a very unique dining experience. This is a special little steakhouse, and if they could just work a little more on their pastry menu, then I believe that it would have a great and rosy future on the Chicago dining scene.

Chicago Cut Steakhouse
300 North Lasalle
Chicago, IL 60654, United States
(312) 329-1800

David Burke’s Primehouse

A break away from the traditional wood panelled and white aproned steakhouse, David Burke’s Primehouse is a sight for sore eyes and rumbling bellies. The modern décor and the fine setting made it truly a steakhouse for the 21^st Century. With Chef’s David Burke’s latest pride of Chicago, there was no doubt we were in for quite a special night at The James Hotel.

This place is remarkable as it was the one steakhouse where the server had left such a big impact on me, that I can still remember his name and face. Brian was a bubbly and down to earth character, who gave poignant and practical advice on what was obviously a delectable menu. His greatest impact on me must have been the introduction of a little Napa Valley wine called Orin Swift’s “The Prisoner” 2008. The wine’s name lived up to it’s billing as when the prisoner was released, we found it aggressive and full bodied with a little mellowness in the aftertaste, a wine which must be consider in this writer’s opinion, one of the best accompaniments to a quality piece of dried-aged steak.

For appetizers, we opted for the wagyu beef sashimi and the foie gras. Both dishes were done to perfection, but the wagyu beef was simply outstanding, both in terms of taste and presentation. The beef was perfectly sliced, and served on a big block of Himalayan salt. It cannot be described but rather, it has to be experienced.

The main course was special. You would think that after 4 steak restaurants in 6 days we would be so sick of the beef, but David Burke’s cow is unique in itself. First of all, he has his own farm in Kentucky and his own 2500 pound Black Angus Bull. The resulting cattle is used to produce the highest quality prime cuts which is then aged in their in-house facility for up to 75 days to produce beef of unparalleled tenderness and flavour.

The medium rare 55-day Bone-In Rib Eye came perfect, and paired with truffle asiago fries and the wine made it possibly the most satisfying dining experience I’ve had anywhere. Like the starters, the steak has to be tried to be believed. This is a MUST HAVE whenever you are in Chicago.

We thought we could round a perfect night with a perfect dessert. Brian’s timing could not have been better. After the plates have been cleared and we had a bit of time to digest, he swoops in with the dessert menus. We promptly obliged after he suggested that we should indulge in one of their sweet treats. In truth, the Apple Cobbler was wonderful but also on the sweet side which almost became over powering. We promptly alerted Brian of our mild dissatisfaction, and he must have taken it to heart as no sooner as we had said that, he arranged two servings of complimentary home made sorbet to be brought to us to “kill off the sweetness” as he so quaintly put it.

So with a bulging belly and a massive tip, we rounded off our grand tour of Chicago steakhouses, which what must be the best steakhouse in the mid-west. We couldn’t be more satisfied.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Chicago Chop House

What has been known as the granddaddy of steakhouses in Chicago, Chicago is as much an icon as it is an institution. We went in a large party of six, expecting to be wowed. Unfortunately, we were sorely disappointed.

The restaurant lacked space and we were cramped into a small table laid for six against the wall. Although it was early, at only 6 o’clock at night, the service was close to abysmal. It took more than 10 minutes to get the menus and another 15 minutes before we could order. Hardly a good first impression. Naturally, the server would rattle off the specials and we opted for seared tuna belly and some scallops as a starter. Overall, it was delicious with the tuna seared just right and the scallops moist and fleshy. We also had lobster bisque, but it was starchy and heavy, which wasn’t the best thing to have immediately before a large steak.

As for the mains, it was truly pathetic that they would implement a ‘split’ charge of $20 when each steak is over $50! Sure, the steaks were great, and we could cut them straight though with the non-serrated knives, but there are other steakhouses just as good, with meat just as wonderful, and the sheer arrogance of the restaurant management seriously damaged our dining experience.

Naturally to complete the meal, we opted to share a couple of desserts, which in all honesty were nothing special. However, the biggest shock came at the end of the meal when the cheque arrived. Between six persons and one bottle of wine, the total came up to $1,049.00 with the tuna belly at $50 a piece! Absolutely appalling. To add insult to injury, they slapped on the 17% gratuity which meant for absolutely abysmal service, they had just pocketed $180 for nothing! We split the bills, got our coats and left. At the time of this review, I had heard they were going out of business. In my head, I thought the cost of our meal was enough to keep them running! Good riddance to them anyway as I have no intention of returning.

Overall Rating: 1 star

Morton’s The Steakhouse

The Chicago stalwart and the restaurant which secured Chicago’s steaks firmly on the map, Morton’s is an institution with two steakhouses in Chicago, and more branches scattered across other states. It certainly gave a feel of a rustic steakhouse, more so than Gibson’s with wood panelling, and vintages scattered around the dining room.

After being greeted and shown to your table, your server promptly comes around with a large tray of their freshest produce, ranging from the steak cuts to the vegetables. Apparently at Morton’s, they place great importance on the understanding of their produce in order to better appreciate the food when it does come out. After a whirlwind tour of their menu, in which the less than attentive diner would have probably lost them in what is a very well rehearsed speech, they finally dish the menus out to you for you to get on with the show.

To start off, we had their lobster bisque. The lobster was fresh and the chef had successfully managed to retain as much natural flavour as possible while adding a great amount of flavour to and texture to the soup itself.

The steak that came was good but it did not blow me away. We opted for the famous Bone-in Rib Eye which has more or less used as a point of reference for us. There was no doubt that the steak was well cooked, but it lacked the flavour that we were longing for and although by no means disappointing, it was not our favourite.

Naturally no meal would be completed without dessert, and so we opted for their famous and aptly named Morton’s Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake, or their version of a chocolate volcano cake. It was very, very good. Well balanced without being over powering, the chocolate came running hot and simply delectable. Not being able to resist, we finished the entire thing despite our stomachs screaming in protest.

Overall Rating: 3 and a Half Stars

Smith and Wollensky

Our second stop on our grand tour of Chicago’s finest steakhouses was the famous green and white façade of Smith and Wollensky Steakhouse. This is a New York steakhouse, made famous for its appearance in the hit Hollywood movie “The Devil Wears Prada” where Andie runs into the restaurant to grab a steak for Miranda Priestly while trying to obtain a copy of the unpublished Harry Potter book. Located at an extremely scenic spot along the Hudson River, it gave off the finesse of a traditional, rustic steakhouse.

We walked in early at 6:00pm without a reservation, and we were greeted by a smiling hostess who immediately took our coats. We were shown to our table, and then no sooner had our bums hit our seats we were joined by our server. Although very friendly, he did not exude the same confidence and knowledge as our Gibson’s server did. However, we cannot be too harsh as Gibson’s did set the bar pretty high. Having said that, there was a pretty memorable conversation between myself and him, which went something like this:

Me: I’ll have the bone-in Rib Eye please. How many ounces is it?

Server: 26 ounces sir.

Me: 26 ounces!!!! How much does the bone count for?

Server: About 5 ounces. So that would be 21 ounces of meat. So that’ll be two bone-in steaks then?

Me: (flabbergasted) No, no, one would be fine! We’ll split it.

Server: Very good sir.

Maybe our server’s lack of empathy did indeed create a more memorable dining experience that it otherwise would. Skipping the starters, we went straight to the main event. The steak that emerged was truly gigantic. Carved at our table side, the meat seemed to be a perfect medium rare. However, the steak itself lacked a certain quality. Sure it was a good steak, but there was a touch of dryness that I just couldn’t get over. Fortunately, with a good glass of wine, the beef did not disappoint. However, great steaks should really be able to sing by itself.

For dessert, we decided to be a little adventurous and opt for the three varieties Crème Brule. It was certainly a dessert that was very well done, with the right amount of creaminess and sweetness in each one. It was a great dessert to share between two or more people and it certainly rounds off a meal quite well. However, despite the dessert, the overall meal had failed to impress and live up to the lofty standards expected of it. It is a steakhouse which has stood the test of many years, but with far more steakhouses continually popping up and innovating, its longevity may be called into question.

Overall Rating: 3 stars

Gibson’s Bar and Steakhouse

In all fairness, we were not in the actual restaurant, but rather Hugo’s Frog Bar which was adjacent to Gibson’s. Although we walked in at 6pm on a Monday, the restaurant was completely full, with well dressed patrons hanging about the bar while waiting for their table. We were obviously exhausted from the trip but the extremely courteous staff suggested that we eat next door as the steaks served were indeed from Gibson’s themselves. Feeling reassured, we took our seats in our first Chicago dining experience.

There are instances whether service is simply abysmal, passable or outstanding. For a traveller who is tired and hungry, the level of service is extremely important to the extent that it could make or break a meal. That night, the service was simply outstanding. Our server was flamboyant, affable and a brilliant salesman. Our plan for a simple dinner went straight out of the window as he made all the dishes on offer as well as the specials.

With our travel sickness and nausea disappearing, we tucked into our first course which was the New England clam chowder. Our server mentioned to us that that all their seafood was air-flown straight into Chicago to ensure the best and freshest produce are used in their cooking. There was no doubt that the clam chowder certainly lived up to the billing. The soup was nice and creamy, but not to the extent of cloying. The clams themselves were amazingly fresh and the dish was extremely well seasoned. Needless to say the soup disappeared quickly down our throats. Our other appetizer was the grilled shrimp which was tasty but not of great note.

Then it was time for the main event. We had the bone-in Filet Mignon, from the top 2% of USDA Prime Grade of beef, in short, the best of the best, coming in at 24oz with the bone in. Thankfully we did split the steak as it was way too much meat for one guy to handle. Done to a perfect medium-rare, the steak was extremely juicy and bursting full of flavour. The meat was easy to cut into and the flavour was incredible, especially when paired up with a glass of their house red. Obviously one can sing praises of their steak, but when many, many online voice join the chorus of satisfied diners, Gibson’s undoubtedly has a winning formula to have customers come back again, and again.

Beware of the side dishes as the servings are gigantic. Even the unassuming baked potato was easily 6oz which was extremely substantial. We also had a side serving of broccoli so we would not feel so guilty on our carnivorous adventures. Both were cooked and seasoned well, but needless to say, we did not manage to finish it.

Although completely stuffed and thoroughly satisfied, our night did not quite come to an end there. Our server, with a massively cheeky smile on his face, comes over and announces “Here comes the favourite part of the menu” while laying the two dessert cartes in front of us. Although there were absolute looks of horror on both our faces, we eventually succumbed to indulging in some of their homemade vanilla ice-cream. Though simple, it provided a sweet ending to what was a delightful meal.

The service was all around outstanding. Whenever our water glasses got to half full, there is the server with the refill immediately. Fast, quick and attentive to our every need, we felt right at home. The restaurant itself was dated, and some of the furniture was slightly antiquated showing signs of wear and tear, there was nothing which could detract from the quality of the food.

Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 4 and a Half Stars

Chicago’s Steak Houses, one at a time

This is a long overdue blog, which was supposed to be put up two months ago. Nevertheless, as long as the word get’s out, that’s what is important.

There has been heated debate as to which one of the hundreds of restaurants in Chicago can be ranked as the top steakhouse. After pouring through numerous travel guides as well as online reviews, I had shortlisted the top-five rated steakhouses in Chicago. Along with my friend, colleague and fellow foodie, Terence Tong, we went forth in our search for Chicago’s No.1 Steakhouse. For all the ratings, I shall be rating each restaurant out of 5 stars based on three criteria: ambience, food and service.

It would be appropriate that the on first night we arrived in Chicago after a delay in Kuala Lumpur, transfer in Narita, a terrible United Airlines Flight, a bumpy landing, and some surly customs officials after 28 hours of travelling, we made a beeline straight to the first of the steakhouses on our list: