NOT a food blog
I am definitely the Poster Child of the Month with THREE incidences of food poisoning in May. My last bout, which happened just days ago, was the worst. I mean, what good is a 2-day medical leave from work if I can’t even bring myself to watch the Asian Food Channel on Astro? The mere sight of food made me want to retch my guts out.
I’ve forgotten what good food tastes like. Ah, woe is me.
Ok. I’m done spilling my guts.
I suppose I should look at the bright side. Anything’s better than having a hedgehog stuck in your mouth.
The good life. When good friends get together for a meal. (Obviously, this happened way before The Evil Grip got hold of me, and is in no way related to the topic above.) I’ve always enjoyed going out for dinner because, for at least a couple of hours, I get to forget about work. Laughter’s certainly the best medicine, and the company of friends, the right friends, is my umami.
We supped over spareribs (RM16) in a mildly spicy sauce which was steamed together with sweet potatoes, a contrast of flavours, and while I wasn’t overly excited about the sauce which tasted a little chalky, I loved the tenderness of the meat. The white cabbage in claypot (RM13), came in a clear broth with bits of minced pork, sliced mushrooms, foo chuk and dried shrimps. This was a delicately flavoured dish that derived its sweetness from the white cabbage. The Canadian seabass (RM39) was fried first, then a spicy sauce was liberally spread over it. We ordered a side portion of fried mantou (buns) to mop up the gravy. The fried intestines coated in sesame seed (RM13) was an afterthought when we had already ordered all the other stuff, but I’m glad we did. It was chewy on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside; probably one of my favourites that night.
This dish will be forever etched in my memory. Unpolished rice formed the base – the rice had been steamed in stock and had a soft (not fluffy) texture. The rice was subsequently topped with a crab which was chopped into several pieces, and steamed until the flavours gradually combined. I loved the rice which could be eaten on its own as it had absorbed all the different flavours. The meat of the crab was also very sweet. It was definitely worth the RM34 pricetag.
The rice crusts (RM28), similar to Rice Krispies but in little tablet forms, were a delight to eat. A sweet sauce made of sea cucumber, cuttlefish, prawns and meatballs was poured over the rice crusts. The crusts soaked up the sauce resulting in an lovely combination of chewy and crispy bits.
The New Formosa Restaurant has been dishing out great Taiwanese cuisine for a very long time, and has always been a restaurant of choice whenever we’re looking for something different. Now I’m waiting for my tastebuds to get back to normal so that I can visit this restaurant again.
New Formosa Restaurant
46, Jalan SS2/24, 47300 Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-7875 1894, 03-7875 7478.
Food, for me, is a means to an end and not an end in itself.
Food, for me, represents the love of family, the fellowship of friends, and the community and communality it brings.
lotsofcravings
May 30th, 2008 at 8:55 am
WAHAHAHA…are you trying to imply that the taxman will bite you in the butt if you dont pay up??
nicely done i like..in fact any form of pimping in a ohh famous blog is greatly appreciated even if its done in an abstract manner..
jason
May 30th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Shucks… are you feeling better now? *hugs
fatboybakes
May 30th, 2008 at 9:48 am
oooh, i am so impressed, you have non blogger friends that you hang out with…. (i gathered that from the paragraph ending with umami)
HairyBerry
May 30th, 2008 at 10:08 am
girl, how much more creative can you get ar? who would have thought of those cover thingies…
didn’t know you were cirit-biriting…get well soon, ya!
fbb, you wrong already lar. click on the “good” and “friends” words and you’ll know who her friends are…hehe…get ready to be hentam”ed” by ll on that…hehe…
Lyrical Lemongrass
May 30th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Joe: I still remember the phototaking session. “Look meaner, Joe!” hahaha.
jason: It comes and goes. If it comes too often, there goes food blogging. 😛
fatboybakes: Wei, what happened to the extra pair of glasses I virtually gave you?? Cis bedebah. I understand, you don’t have much time these days to read, what with your new TOTY and all.
HairyBerry: I’ve always enjoyed vandalising pictures. 🙂 Yeah, the cirit birit started the day I met you in Palate Palette leh. Never stopped since. 😛 Thanks for pointing that out….FBB is getting old and needs reading glasses.
Mei
May 30th, 2008 at 10:20 am
omg.. that crab and rice thingy looks fantastic… its 11am.. and its making me hanker for lunch i tell ya…
Kenny Mah // Life for Beginners
May 30th, 2008 at 10:29 am
The posters are HILARIOUS!!! Don’t mind you using my Grip of Evil at all. After all, some people have already experienced it… to their utmost pleasure…. Ahem. Yes, where was I? The food. Ya, good. Hehe.
Precious Pea
May 30th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I love those posters! Hahaha!
Yummy..i love the crab rice. I will return just for that! Slurps!
Get well soon sista. Stay off from oily stuffs for a while ok?
blind fatboybakes
May 30th, 2008 at 11:00 am
ooops, my bad. didnt see it was hyperlinked. HAW HAW HAW….so bald eagle spoke the truth….
Lyrical Lemongrass
May 30th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Mei: Which country you in now ar? Your watch needs adjusting leh. But yeah…do try that dish…you won’t regret it wan! 🙂
Kenny Mah: Eeeeyer….keep those dirty thoughts where they belong….on FBB’s blog!
Precious Pea: Yeah, the crab rice was really good. I need to go there again too, when my stomach’s better (when when when???).
blind FBB: Amazing how you have selective memory retention that day. Can remember this, but can’t remember the Jap party. I’m beginning to have doubts abt u.
Bernsy
May 30th, 2008 at 11:38 am
i hope you get back to eating soon, most non food bloggers don’t know the dangers that come with food blogging…… da evil grip.. hahahaha….. hazards we have to go through to post up reviews….
Get well soon..
blind fatboybakes
May 30th, 2008 at 11:45 am
get well soon? you sick ah?
Lyrical Lemongrass
May 30th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Bernsy: Yes! The sacrifices we endure for the love of our blogs!!! heehee.
Superblind FBB: Read the darned post!!!! Grrrr.
fatboybakes
May 30th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
“My last bout, which happened just days ago, was the worst. ” Since all this was in past tense, I assumed the it was in the past. Awwww, soooo kesian. I know the feeling of diarrhoea… isn’t it paradise when you can finally fart and know for sure that it’s not leaky! Laidat ah, okayler, get well soon too. I’ll say a little prayer for you. …whenever I wake up, before i put on my make up….
Precious Pea
May 30th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Errmm…for the Bak Chang?
ling239
May 30th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
the second pic… pity the Hedgehog >.<“
Lyrical Lemongrass
May 30th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
FBB: I am now imagining you doing a Rupert Everett. How apt.
Precious Sista: Yes!! I forgot about that!
ling239: You chose the right one to pity. 🙂
FBB
May 30th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
EUGHHHHH, rupert everett….pttoooooooi.
Paprika
May 30th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Flogging is a perilous task! I’m not even going to comment on all that glorious food. Hmmph. I know you are feeling better so am going to wish you a food poisoning free month ahead! 🙂
Henry Yeo
May 30th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My namesake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nipples, you are so going to pay!!!!
Anyway, get well soon. Maybe I might find you a chinese herbal cuisine shop to get your health back in good harmony. Do you want a aryuvedic practioner?
CrunchRex
May 31st, 2008 at 6:19 am
Poor gal..!! hope you are feeling better now..! food poisoning suxs.. big time..!!
Cynthia
May 31st, 2008 at 10:05 am
I hope that you are feeling a lot better.
Kenny Mah // Life for Beginners
May 31st, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Eh, if FBB is doing a Rupert Everett, dat mean you’re doing the Julia Roberts part, issit? Can I do Cameron Diaz? Er, I mean, can I do… 😛
Jian
June 1st, 2008 at 2:59 am
Alamak…but just try to make yourself think you are lucky because you did not have food poisoning during important makan festivities 🙂
Probably your body needs to ‘detox’ XD Get well soon.
neko-hime
June 1st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
wah, what you eat ah…… poster child for food poisoning …. then again i know how you feel … hope you feel better 😛
Msiagirl
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:00 am
Still can take picture even if tummy doing flip flops…err and still can go shopping….wink wink!
babe_kl
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
so kerlian, never mind, these episodes will make your tummy stronger kekeke take care sista!
kat
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
You need another reason to visit n.formosa? Got a good one coming soon. In another 10 days or so.. 😀
Gad! I so miss the ‘spare parts’ especially in BKTs..
J2Kfm
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
New Formosa again? guess the food really impresses?
THREE food poisonings in a month? hmmm, the taxing life of a flogger …. =P
argus
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Poor baby, I didn’t know. Was traipsing around with my two elder sisters in Italy, and then being a housemother-cum-tourist guide in Switz/Germany.
Ah, New Formosa is still new after more than 12 years with all its surprising yummies. Used to live near there when I couldn’t afford its goodies.
sam
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:22 pm
yummy!
New Formosa Restaurant Taiwanese Food | Food Point of Interest
September 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
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