Balik Kampung

Yummy local delights in Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya area....

It's Monday already, and I'm feeling pretty blue,
Still very busy at work, so here's another quick review.
:)

The Lunch

Many a time, P and I drove past Village Park restaurant in the Damansara Uptown area and thought to ourselves "WAH - so many people wan... Must try it out - the food should be good!" when we saw the rows and rows of double parked cars and hordes of people waiting outside.

So one lazy Saturday afternoon, we decided to brave the crowds and try it out:
The Exterior of Village Park...
Going into Village Park, you could appreciate that the owners had taken some care into the renovations, with a cheerful, simple and clean design. However, it was still pretty uncomfortable and noisy due to the hordes of people dining there and the waiters/ waitresses zooming to and fro in between tables of the tightly packed area:
The Hordes Of People Inside...
After securing a table (it didn't take too long when we were there but it really depends on your luck), we quickly went on to order the specialties there. First up, the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng (about RM7++):
The Fried Chicken Nasi Lemak...
Overall, I found the Nasi Lemak here nice:
- the rice was had that great balance of a firm yet not too dry/ not too moist texture, coupled with a light fragrance of santan and pandan,
- the sambal was thick, tasty but not too spicy (YAY! And not sweet too - hate sweet, watery sambal), and
- the chicken was a bit oily but deliciously tasty and crispy (meat was moderately tender).

As usual, P the Penang boy went on and on about how this Nasi Lemak isn't very nice (not fragrant enough, etc) and how his favourite haunts in Penang have even better Nasi Lemak but I found it to be nice enough.
(It's not in the "Great" category but it's definately well into the "Good" one)

Next up, the Assam Laksa (about RM5++):
The Assam Laksa...
Wowsa.
It is SPICY.
The clear, smooth broth is wonderfully sour and deceptively tame at first but within the 3rd or 4th spoonful, you will feel your lips tingling and tongue slowly but surely catching fire.

However, I really liked this tasty dish - served with Malay style noodles (which has more "bite" and a slightly starchy texture as compared to the Chinese style noodles) - so, I ignored all 3 fire alarms ringing in my mouth and went on to clean off the entire bowl.
(The Penang boy said that this dish is "Not bad" so that must mean it's pretty good since he has such lofty standards)

So it's: Casual coffeeshop setting with yummy Halal local food at a decent price BUT servings not very big and service/ comfort can deteriorate drastically during peak hours.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Village Park Restaurant @ Damansara Jaya, Uptown, PJ
(Damansara Uptown area)

Taste: 6
Ambience : 4*
Service : 6
Price** : RM 12/++ per person
Parking: Difficult

* Ok for a coffeeshop but it's still a coffeeshop lah
** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7710 7860
Opening Hours: 8am till 9pm

HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Kampung Boy City Girl
- Less Than Ten
- Bored Workers
- A Whiff Of Lemongrass
- Everyone's A Critic


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, PJ, Petaling Jaya,Damansara Jaya, Damansara Uptown, Village Park Restaurant, Local, Nasi Lemak, Kuala Lumpur