More Than Words: Salmon Salad

Sunday, June 21, 2015

[FOOD REVIEW] Dream Cafe @ Taman Mount Austin, JB

Do you ever feel like you are too afraid to live your dream? We would all love to live our dream but sometimes we allow our fear of failure to limit our ability to achieve them. But there's this one young man who follows his heart and strives to make his culinary dream into reality. He owns a cafe of his own only at the age of 28, and what's a better name for the cafe other than ''Dream Cafe''?

Patrick is the proud owner and chef of Dream Cafe. His passion for cooking has taken him to work in kitchens at hotels in Singapore and also restaurants in JB before starting his own business. Starting a cafe from scratch is not easy, especially with so much competition these days. He shared with us his determination to change the cafe atmosphere in Malaysia where there are not many cafes serving good and authentic western food.

''I put in effort in every food I serve to ensure the quality.'' Patrick said, with determined look in his eyes.

It must be a wonderful feeling to see how your cooking made people happy.

Thai Style Salmon Salad RM15.90

A colourful and healthy start for the night. Bits of almonds were sprinkled on top to add crunchy taste to the salad. Be surprised by the chunks of salmon you will find in between the greens.

Cauliflower with Spicy Sour Cream RM8.90

I love cauliflower, but have never eaten cauliflower soup - I know I must give this a try. At first glance I thought it was a pumpkin soup, but it was actually the carrots which give it a bright orange colour. The sweet taste of the carrots and creamy texture of the cooked cauliflower, I swear there's nothing more comforting than this.

Fried Oyster with Homemade Tartar Sauce RM 13.90

Dream Cafe's fried oyster is crispy outside and tender inside. A great starter with homemade tartar sauce for dipping. The sauce had a tinge of spiciness to it which totally spiced up the dish. My favourite of the night!

Herb Butter Dory with Raisin Rice RM15.90

The main courses Dream Cafe served were equally impressive as well. Herb Butter Dory with Raisin Rice has dory fillet which was drizzled with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. The fragrant rice was sure to please the tastebuds and leave you yearning for more.

Beef Bolognaise Pasta RM22.90

Patrick proudly recommended his Beef Bolognaise Pasta, in which he spends four and a half hour daily to make the sauce all by himself. He revealed to us his recipe which contains onion, celery, carrot and tomatoes. I am not a big meat lover, but I love every bit of it because it was a dish cooked with sincerity.

Salmon Steak with Herb Crush RM32.90

Who doesn't love salmon? Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, salmon is a healthy option for many people nowadays. This salmon steak was cooked to perfection with fresh herb and bread crumbs on top to add extra flavour to it.

Milk Pudding with a Scoop of Ice Cream RM11.90

..........not forgetting a perfect dessert to end the night. :)

Patrick reminded me of my dream. I always find it hard to free myself from destructive fears and doubts about my ability to achieve my dream. But you know what, life starts with a dream. Add faith, it becomes a belief. Add action, it becomes a part of life. Add patience, hope and time, it ends with a dream come true. Thank you Patrick, for showing me how lucky it is to live my dreams doing what I love and loving what I am doing. To waking up each day with excitement at what the day may bring. I will hold on to my dream.

''Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die. Life is a broken-winged bird. That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams, for when they go. Life is a barren field, frozen with snow.''

Langston Hughes

What is your dream?

p/s: Check in on fb next time when you visit Dream Cafe to enjoy a 10 percent discount!
(promotion ends at the end of June)

Dream Cafe

Address:

No.27, Jalan Austin Heights,

Taman Mount Austin,

81100 JB.

Tel: 07-3641052

Operating hours: 12pm - 11pm (Mon-Thurs)
12pm - 12am (Fri-Sun)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreamcafeaustin

Saturday, January 24, 2015

[FOOD REVIEW] B.E Cafe @ Taman Molek, JB - Part Three

I love indulging in lazy weekend evenings with a book in the hand and sipping a cup of cappuccino for hours. One of my favourite cafes in JB has got to be B.E Cafe, not only for the coffee but also the amazing atmosphere. (You can read about my previous experience here and here) This time round, Ma Cherie girls were invited to their old branch, also at Taman Molek. Let's see what they have for us this time!

1. Atlantic Salmon Salad RM 19.90

What's for appetizer? Here we have freshly cut atlantic salmon, lightly grilled, which then carefully laid onto fresh greens. The salmon was beautifully carved with simple yet exquisite details. Topped with their homemade lemon dill dressing, it is no ordinary salad. Tasty, nutritious and filling!

2. Creamy Pumpkin Soup RM 13.90

I love pumpkin. This beautiful soup is hearty and comforting, with fresh pumpkin softened in the chicken soup, which then puréed to perfection. It was so smooth and creamy that it will make you fall in love with pumpkin, too!

3. Classic Eggs Benedict RM 20.90

I love eggs - I don't know what I would do without them! They are delicious any way you cook them. So needless to say, I love egg benedict. B.E Cafe's poached eggs were tender on the outside and creamy inside, topped with the buttery hollandaise sauce. The egg was then served on daily baked muffin and ham.

4. Wild Mushroom Rosti RM 18.90

Not many cafes in Malaysia serve rosti, so this makes B.E Cafe stand out. A simple rosti has well-seasoned grated potato, fried until golden and crunchy on the outside and remains soft on the inside. Best to eat with the homemade sour cream at the side. As always, I love B.E Cafe's mushrooms!

5. Club Sandwich RM 15.90

Also called a clubhouse sandwich, B.E Cafe ensures the quality of their sandwich by using only daily baked and toasted bread. The delicious combination of ham, tomato, cheese, lettuce, cucumber and scrambled egg is hard to resist. Sided with fat fries to satisfy you even more!

6. Triple Royale Cake RM 9.90

A delicious dinner is great, but dessert makes it better. With the combination of chocolate cheese, creamy mascarpone cheese and soft chocolate cake, this triple royale cake is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the sweet tooth. Sweet, rich and sinful.

7. Carrot Cake RM 9.90

This carrot cake was moist and delicious - often carrot cakes are dry. The addition of coconut adds a sweet and delicate flavour that you are going to love. Cream cheese frosting elevate this carrot cake from ordinary to extraordinary. Totally to die for!

8. Granola RM 12.90

I love how B.E Cafe present granola in this small, little cup. Contains yogurt, walnuts, berries and crunchy cereal. The sourness of the yogurt goes well with the sweetness of the berries.

9. Cold Brew RM 12.90

Before ending the night, we had this cold brew. It is light, refreshing and incredibly smooth, definitely an appealing alternative to hot coffee. And the best part is it captures the essence of coffee.

Time flies when you are having plenty of good fun. Thank you B.E Cafe for the awesome service, and Jack who invited us over and being so helpful and understanding all these while. Here's a picture of Ma Cherie girls to express our gratitude to our fellow readers. We hope to produce more good food reviews for you in the future! Hope you find my reviews helpful. Thanks for reading! :)

Click on the link below to read more about B.E Cafe! :)

B.E Cafe #1 New Branch - Drinks

B.E Cafe #2 New Branch - Food

B.E Cafe #3 Old Branch - Food and Drinks