Review: The Zun Kitchenette @ Shaw Parade

**Non-halal**


I've read about The Zun Kitchenette sometime back in the papers and knew where it existed as we go round Pudu area rather often but somehow there isn't any urge to check them out as the complex they were located in is errmmm a rather dead place, not to mention notorious as well :p

I supposed we were destined to check out The Zun Kitchenette as that evening we went round Pudu area in search of a "nice" dinner (as how Capt'n Hook had put it before he came to pick me up) towards the tail end of CNY but the few restaurants that we wanted to go to were closed. Since it was a wet evening, I suggested to have some NICE soup in a NICE surrounding as our fave soup place was closed as well. So that was how we ended up in Shaw Parade!



Parking is rather easy but you'll need to spiral up to get to the carpark otherwise park outside the complex. This carpark is not that friendly and rather dim so do bring along a bouncer friend or two. As far as I know, on the Ground floor, there are two places opened - Eu Yan Sang and Purple Cane. Funny how one Chinese medicine hall and tea centre have restaurants operating within them. To get to The Zun Kitchenette, one just need to look for Eu Yan Sang which was their flagship outlet in Malaysia and walk further in and you'll see the restaurant in a glass enclosure. Way back inside there's even a TCM clinic and a tuina and foot massage centre! As the waitress ushered us in, she told us the food served here are healthy stuff and do not contain any MSG. We were wowwed indeed. Yes... it never ceases to amaze us to unearth a treasure ermmm in a rather dead complex right in the city centre!

Once we were done with our order, we were served some tea like looking liquid in clear tiny teacups. Further poking and checking, the round bit you see there is actually crushed ice shaped using ice-cream scoop. I had a shock upon my first sip hahaha cos it's so sharp! Not my fault actually cos when we asked the waitress she mentioned the name in Cantonese which of course we won't have any idea what it is. After we were done with it, we went over to the shop outside to check out what it was.



Oooo it was actually Propolis and Honey Vinegar. We were told to drink this cold, in fact the colder the better in terms of the taste which we totally agreed so much so that we carted 2 bottles home hahaha they're very good in marketing, aren't they?

Our soups arrived first... Capt'n Hook had Chicken Delight Herbal Soup (RM10.00). I took a teeny sip. The clear soup was "sweet" in its own element. Should do Capt'n Hook's troubled throat some good.



As for myself, I've no idea why I asked for Bak Zhan Black Chicken Soup (RM10.00) as I detest bak zhan soup when my mum made them for me when I was much younger so much so that my mum stopped making them after seeing me crinkling my nose each time. I cautiously took my first spoon of the soup but I was delighted that it tasted totally different from the horrible stuff that my mum gave me. Perhaps it was the quality of the herbs used or could it be because I'm more tolerant now? Seriously I've a different perception of the bak zhan taste now as it has the "kum" (golden) after taste as oppose to my bitter (pun intended) experience.



Since there were just 2 of us, we decided not to have rice with dishes. We gotten ourselves single portion of Seafood Fried Rice (RM18.00) and Stir-Fried Noodles (RM12.00). Seems expensive huh for single portion however, I have to said it's well worth the price. The rice have loads of crunchy prawns, few pieces of chopped scallops and I think squid. The chopped spring onions in it made the rice rather fragrant. Geeshh... I must be getting old not able to recall. The rice they've used is aromatic and slighlty glutinuous texture which I supposed signified the quality of the rice used for the grains turned out separated.



Don't let the simple name of Stir-Fried Noodles fool you. We loved this noodles to the bits. They've used sarng meen (fresh noodles or usually known as wantan noodles) that retained the al dente texture that I liked. Fried with beansprouts, julienned carrots, strips of shitake mushrooms and seafood, yes more seafood! The portion is just too much for the 2 of us after walloping the rice that we doggie bagged half of them home.



Capt'n Hook had his fave Guilingao Herbal Jelly (RM4.80) for dessert. He gave this 2 thumbs up saying that this was how one should taste like coupled with the real thick honey that was served on the side.



As for myself, I was too stuffed to have any birdnest desserts listed in the menu so I continue sipping my Rooibos Tea (RM5.00 for 2 paxs) to ease digestion.



Just in case you would like to know the Chinese names to the dishes above.



For once in a long while, I don't have to drown water down my throat after dinner. We loved the simple yet exquisite meal and yes, we're returning to check out the other dishes soon. Watch this space ;-)

My only concern is how to curb their clever marketing strategy and the shopaholic in us :p for you can get those yummy herbs, vinegars, bird nests, honey etc that you've tasted in the restaurant on your way out???

BTW, there is The Zun Express at The Gardens, Midvalley serving express meals like soups and noodles. It is located on the same row as Nyonya Colors and Belanga.

Note: If you have Eu Yan Sang membership card, you're entitled to a 10% discount in the restaurant. You can apply immediately too, just pay RM12 for one year membership. There is a service charge of 10% and our total bill of the above meal came up to RM65.80.


The Zun Kitchenette
Lot GL-01 Ground Floor
Shaw Parade
Changkat Thambi Dollah
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603-2118 6860


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