Whilst it's not in a very prominent location in the new wing of One Utama (ground floor, opposite Armani?), Oriental Cravings has been around for quite a few years and has earned a pretty firm following amongst those who live/ shop in this area:
I, for one reason or another, had never eaten there before... but made it a point to go there with my mum one weekend because I heard they serve a decent Rice Wine Chicken (which my mum likes).
The decor of the restaurant feels classy yet homey, with tables spaced out quite well so that you don't feel claustrophobic despite it being packed with people:
I especially liked the small touches like the flowered tiles and nostlagic photos lined up on the walls - added a nice warm feel to the area:
Ok. You remember that I said that the reason why I came to this restaurant is because my mum likes Rice Wine Chicken?
Well, she's not entirely used to shopping center pricing and balked at the price of the Rice Wine Chicken Mee Sua (RM 15.90+):
So, in the end, I had to let her try it in a roundabout way - I ordered it for myself and insisted she try some.
Honestly, I don't really like this kind of thing (fairly strong/sharp aroma of the Chinese rice wine, with some sweetness from the chicken and fragrance of the ginger)... but my mum said it was nice so I guess that means that it's pretty good (for someone who does like this kind of thing).
(Personally, I struggled to finish it....)
I really liked the Chee Cheong Fun with Pork Curry (RM 5.90+) that the friendly "captain"/ senior waitress recommended to my mum though:
Although the serving size was a bit small (I think I can finish 2 plates!), it did cost only about RM6 and the chee cheong fun was that nice combination of silky yet slightly chewy, swimming in a lovely, fragrant pork curry.
The Honey Sea Coconut With Longan (RM 4.50+) my mum ordered was not bad - refreshing, and with a fair amount of stuff in it:
(It was nice that they could cater to her request of leeeeessssssssssss sweet please without making it yucky)
Also nice was the Iced Hainanese Tea (RM 5.50+):
A nice mix of coffee + tea + Milo, it was fragrant and smooth and (yay!) not too sweet.
Overall, I enjoyed the meal there. It's not exactly cheap, but I think it's ok for a yummy non-Halal meal in a shopping center (you are paying extra for the convenience lor)...
(Oh, btw: They also maintain a short but constantly changing list of daily specials, so that you will always have something new to try...)
So it's: Cosy, homey ambience, good range of simple yet delicious Non Halal Chinese food, reasonable prices for shopping center setting BUT nothing bad to way except it can be a bit packed during peak hours....
Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:
Oriental Cravings @ One Utama Shopping Centre
Lot 359 (Rainforest, Ground Floor), 1 Utama Shopping Center, Bandar Utama, 47800 PJ
Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 28/+ per person
Parking: Difficult on weekends
** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7727 2581
Opening Hours: 10am till late
NOT HALAL
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TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, One Utama Shopping Center, 1 Utama, Oriental Cravings, AsianChinese, Shopping Centre, Bandar Utama, KL, Kuala Lumpur
Posts
Yes they do have daily lunch specials and the place is always crowded during this time! I actually have a post pending on this place ;-)
ReplyDeleteAte there before. Their Claypot Lou Shu Fun and Honey Glazed Chicken Wings are quite good. You should try them out next time.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to try this place! The closest that I'd gone to was to Xian Ding Wei opposite Oriental Craving :P
ReplyDeleteyeah, one of the better non halal place in One U. Got some competition recently from the taiwanese restaurant just next to it though..
ReplyDeletemmm... nom nom! i watched inception oredi.. yay! :P
ReplyDeletei've always been meaning to eat here, but never quite made it.
ReplyDeletealso, pork chee cheong fan is something that's eluded me all my life. i've heard about it repeatedly, but have never tried it :D
to PureGlutton:
ReplyDeleteOh cool! Please post soon... Looking forward to read it. :)
to Chong:
Mmmmm.. Sounds good. Will try that next time, if I can resist stuffing my face with the Pork Curry Chee Cheong Fun... :D
to thule aka leo:
Got pork curry chee cheong fun there wei!!! Must try or you cannot call yourself a true pork lover. :P
to sc:
Yup, but I guess since non Halal restaurants are a minority in One Utama, they still have a lot of consumers to go around. :)
to Cumi & Ciki:
Yay! Hope your mind is not as messed up as mine from the movie. Haha...
to Sean:
Must try.... Life is better with pork curry chee cheong fun! :D
OMG I love rice wine noodles/soup and curry chee cheong fun. But I'm terrified of entering 1U coz of the jam. Looks like the best I can do is admire your pics and imagine the taste.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh.. this place is pretty good. But used to be better last time. Stil, cant complain for shopping complexs' food.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh.. this place is pretty good. But used to be better last time. Stil, cant complain for shopping complexs' food.
ReplyDeleteto Lyrical Lemongrass:
ReplyDeleteHaha.. I get what you mean but just arrive there at 10 - 10.15am on weekends and parking is easy peasy! :)
(Then no need to imagine the taste anymore....)
to the nomadGourmand:
Yup yup. It's one of the better choices for non Halal food in a shopping center. :)
(Actually I think the taste is pretty good,.. but of course the prices can't compare to the more authentic places...)
My housemate who is working in 1U refused to come here... saying tat the food are overpriced.. but it sounded ok in your post!
ReplyDeleteto jason:
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess the if it's compared it to the same food at non-shopping centre locations (eg. coffeeshops) then it seems very expensive.
... but I it's reasonable for a yummy meal in One Utama, right?
yup, overpriced, and nothing special. Personal opinion this one.
ReplyDeleteThough the Gu Lou Yuk looked mighty inviting, at about RM20 for a small portion, I spied.
to J2Kfm:
ReplyDeleteHmmmm... I wonder whether it's nice though? Hard to find good gu lou yuk in a shopping centre....