Dinner at De Tai Tong Cafe

Tonight we went in rounds trying to decide on what to eat for dinner....we wanted to go for Japanese food, Korean, or another Tai Chow in Gurney Drive but too bad, they were not ready for dinner operations yet.

Finally, we went back to our Tai Tong in town. It was pretty hard to find a parking space as well...not sure why there's so many cars on the street today:p
We finally found a parking place and went in for our dinner.
Now we had to decide what to eat...haha...reason is simple; Tai Tong is not just the normal restaurant as they are one of the only ones that serves dim sum during dinner hours.

Usually we have dim sum but today we though of Tai Chow also:p

So, in the end, we had a combination of both:)

We ordered dim sum and then also ordered some dishes to try out.

Furthermore today I am extremely happy since I got a camera with me and need not depend on the cell to do my photo-taking....I am really sorry for the bad quality and non-appealing food photos on my blog previously as I only had cell camera with me:(

Anyway, today, you can feast your eyes on the food pics:)

We ordered the following dim sum; just 2 plates lar - for tidbit snacking while deciding on what to order.

Besides, my friend was fascinated with a new dim sum on the trolley today; some sort of squid/sotong ball with prawn garnished on top.

The squid ball with prawn. Not bad lar; but somehow it smells and tastes a little meaty to me. I know very well that this is a squid ball but somehow the smell was too strong; probably they steamed it near those meaty dim sum. Even my friend mentioned that the prawn smelt like pork:p

And this, was ordered by my friend; the siu mai (miniature pork dumplings)

He didn't comment much which meant the siu mai was ok lor:p

Then we tried to order some dishes. I called the waitress; the elder woman who's in charge of the Tai Chow orders and it took her some time to notice us...bummer.

Perhaps they already assumed or associated us to dim sum orders only:p

Anyway, when the lady finally came, she again, assumingly thought we only wanted the fish fillets broiled with ginger and spring onions...haha,somehow we always order that only to accompany our mini dim sum dinner:p

Today, I asked for recommendations and I think she is not too good in recommending the food as she had too much assumptions and was pretty hasty in deciding for us our order.

It's as if she was the one placing the order or making the decision and not us.

Hahaha.....

Me: What fish do you have?

Aunty: Fish fillet with spring onion, right?

Me: Ermmm....that's the only cooking style for fish fillets, right?

Aunty: Yes, okay....

Me: Ermmm...noooo...not that. What other fish do you have?

Aunty: 'Kue Kau' (grouper fish) steamed lorr...okay!

Me: Ermmm, any other cooking style?

Aunty: Steamed grouper is good lar....

Me: Anything else?

Aunty: Hmmm, steamed grouper is good lor, or you can try Thai or Teochew steamed.

Me: Besides that?

Aunty: Or you can try the Nyonya steamed style...we have okra with it. Sour and a little spicy; not bad lor.

Me: Hmmm...any coconut milk?

Aunty: Nope; it's only the curry or gulai which has the coconut milk. Try this one lar; not bad.

Me: Is it very spicy?

Aunty: Not very; just right.

Me: Oklar...... (and she left immediately before I can even say another word and I intended to place another order....bummer:(

I complained to my friend who was half-laughing while eating his siu mai.

Sighhhhh.....we beckoned her again and she came back

Aunty: Anything else you want?

Me: Any other recommendations?

Aunty: Oyster omelette lor (Or chien nui - directly translated from Hokkien as Oyster fried with egg...man, she always ask us whether we want to try this each time we visit the place for the past few weeks....sighhhh...)

Me: Haha....no, don't want that.

Aunty: How about some vege? We have kailan, bok choy, chai sim....

Me: How about tofu?

Aunty: Oh...we have the Chiew Pai Tofu (Signature tofu dish) which is homemade...we have stuffed fish, prawns and some vege into the tofu.

Me: Deep fried ar?

Aunty: Ya...it's fried. Or you can try the Hung Siew; we have minced meat. Or you can also try the Pou Siew....

Me: Do you have any claypot tofu?

Aunty: Ahhh...ya, we have the Sar Pou tofu....with vege you like (Beams)...cauliflowers, corns, mushrooms, pek chye, etc.

Me: Hmmm...oklar, Sar Pou Tofu...small ya...

Fuuuuuhhhh...finally, took so long to place 2 orders....but it was really funny, hilarious man. I didn't even find her annoying; she was too assuming most of the time...guess the level of familiarity with us regular customers is sinking in that she starts to know us too well to think ahead for us what we want to order and even deciding for us.

My friend was laughing....hahaha....comical lar; but I know these aunties have good intentions:)

They are really a friendly and customer-oriented lot...and I have no complaints whatsoever of their services so far:)

We waited for a while; sipping our tea...finished the dim sum earlier....and watching them serving other tables.

Finally our food came; the first to come was the Claypot/Sar Pou Tofu.....which, to my dismay came in a little wok.

The aunty was joking with us; gave the little wok a twirl...

Aunty: haha...see, so cute....it can twirl somemore

(Laughing:)

Our so-called claypot tofu or rather, Tofu in Little Wok:)

Not bad wor; really lots of vegetables and I really enjoyed the tofu. The texture of the tofu is smooth and tangy; it's egg tofu...just what I wanted at that time.

It is not the local white tofu; but it was the Japanese type of egg tofu...almost similar; but the Japanese tofu is definitely smoother in appearance.

The tofu was first slightly friend in the sauce and then stir fried along with the vegetables which accompanied it; cauliflowers(my fave!), mushrooms (button and shittake), napa cabbage, carrot slices, snow peas (too dried up dy:( ), pork, shrimps. Enjoyed this :)

Next was our fish; finally, the Nyonya style steamed grouper:)

This was the shot I took:)

And this was taken by my friend...I complained I didn't take a good enough shot mar:p

Hmmmm.... come to compare it; I still think I did a better job with the pictures...hehe*winks*

The sauce was pretty nice...really very Nyonya style....soury and spicy at the same time and yet at the same time, had that soury and sweet aroma...don't really know how to describe it lar. You should try it to know. I was only disappointed in the texture of the fish as they kinda over-steamed it dy...bummer....and this was my favourite fish...it really has a very smooth texture which is very delicate if steamed at the right temperature...cannot be too long; else it will harden very soon. Mum is the best person to steam this fish...I always loved mum's cooking especially when she steams all my fish!!!Yummmy:)

Another bummer was that the okra which was supposed to be the condiment of the fish; it was just one single okra and she mentioned it was garnished....garnished means comes in a bulk....sighhhh....guess this is expensive.

I find it very hard to get this vegetable everywhere; economic food and also Tai Chow....need to bug mum to cook this when I am home:p

We enjoyed our food tonight and it took us more time to finish our food. I was wondering how much this will cost tonight.

We finally paid the bill; RM31.40 for the dinner for 2 persons; which included:

A pot of chrysanthemum tea (RM1.60)

Squid ball with prawn (RM2.60)

Siu Mai (RM2.20)

Fish (RM18) - not bad; for a grouper:)

Tofu (RM7)

Total= RM31.40

Not bad lar; reasonably priced...and good service:)

Enjoyed my food tonight....hehehe...and hope you enjoyed the pics as well.....

Snapped this pic before getting into the car:)