Shīfu

Lorong Bentong Makmur 25

Taman Bentong Makmur

28700 Bentong

Coordinates: 3.518023, 101.922779

Today is the day of reckoning. Both Brendan and Cat had an appointment with Shīfu to check on the progress of their respective ailments.

Brendan came last month suffering from a sprained ankle, while Cat complained of back pains. Both were given the full treatment consisting of the usual massage to clear the ‘blocked’ blood vessels (the best we could translate from Shīfu’s explanation) and the very painful pin pricks in the affected areas to drain the ‘bad blood’.

This time around Cat was spared the pin pricks, and got away with just a body  massage. The same could not be said about Brendan, who endured even more pin pricks. The following cringe-worthy photos will tell the tale:

it has begun

holes have been pricked

pointing to the offending 'bad blood' here...

and here

Shīfu amused by Brendan's cringing

undeterred nonethless

all done here

still some more 'bad blood' here

further examination

almost done

All drained of ‘bad blood’ Brendan was told to come for one final treatment in four weeks’ time.

Kedai Makanan & Mee Aik Kee (益记饭档面餐)

Gerai MDB (along an unknown road)

28700 Bentong

Coordinates: 3.521933, 101.906984

Barely a month has passed and we’re back in Bentong for a follow-up visit with Shīfu early tomorrow morning. I took half a day’s leave and we left for Bentong in the evening. After a quiet two hour drive we arrived in Bentong close to 7:00pm and immediately checked into Hotel Kristal, our favourite budget hotel in the heart of town.

As was the case the last time we were in Bentong, our dinner was spent at Aik Kee.

we're back!

it was a quiet Friday evening

And as was the case the late time we were here we ordered the ¹Yam Ring with Kung Pao Squid and Fried Kailan (Chinese broccoli) but to change things up a bit instead of the Chicken in Thai Sauce we opted for the Kung Pao Chicken, and added a Steamed Fish for good measure.

¹a spicy stir-fry Chinese styled dish made with chicken, peanuts, vegetables, and chili peppers

steamed fish

fried kailan

kung pao chicken

yam ring with kung pao squid

bon appetit!

As always we enjoyed our meal immensely, plus its proximity to a running brook made the entire evening enjoyable and relaxing. It was as though Brendan and Cat were in the eye of a storm, the storm being the treatment they will endure at the hands of Shīfu tomorrow morning!

Coco Z Kr

LG001-1A Lower Ground Floor Sungei Wang Plaza

Jalan Sultan Ismail

50250 Kuala Lumpur

Coordinates: 3.145468, 101.711388

After the excellent lunch at Vinh City we did some window shopping around Sungei Wang Plaza and ended up on the lower ground floor.

Cat immediately asked me to try the Korean shaved ice shop located at the entrance to the Plaza. Its website proclaimed: “First in Malaysia! An exciting Korean integrated lifestyle concept combining food and fashion under one outlet at the main entrance of Sungei Wang Plaza!”

We learnt later that they longer operated the Korean Jewellery and INCOCO Nail products here, and will mainly focus on authentic Korean food in the future.

at the entrance to Sungei Wang Plaza

serving Korean shaved ice

 

bingsu king?

limited but appealing choices

I tried the Mango Bingsu while Brendan ordered the Chocolate Chips Bingsu. Cat abstained since she was still full from the lunch we had earlier.

mango

chocolate chip

let's have us some bingsu

After the fiery meal at Vinh City the shaved ice provided us with a welcomed relief. However with each bowl of shaved ice costing us more than RM10 this relief came at a pretty hefty price in our opinions. 

Vinh City

TC.035 Third Floor Sungei Wang Plaza

Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Coordinates: 3.144643, 101.710798

Situated very close to the food court we used to come to before it closed down, Vinh City has been a more than worthy alternative to Big Food Street for lunch at Sungei Wang Plaza.

east corner of the 3rd floor?

not our first time

we love the vibe it gives off

Despite being diminutive in square feet Vinh City feels warm and welcoming. Tastefully decorated it makes no bones about the cuisine to be expected here.

traditional fish crackers

wall of memories

while celebrating all things Vietnamese

Cat opted for the Chicken Pho; I tried the Beef Fried Rice while Brendan had the signature Beef Pho.

Cat's chicken pho

with accompanying bean sprouts

she's delighted

my beef fried rice

and lovely iced coffee

Cat's beef pho

he can hardly wait

What can we say? A big thumbs up for their authentic Vietnamese cuisine. In fact from what we've read online everyone has been raving about the authenticity of Vinh City's dishes.

And with the entire meal costing us almost RM50 Vinh City barely manages to squeeze within the classification of the everyday food for the everyday person.

Bentong Coffee House (文冬杂雪屋)

No.52 Jalan Ah Peng

28700 Bentong

Coordinates: 2.239256, 102.257933

Our little walkabout around Bentong town left Brendan hungry again, and for good reason. Starting our walk at approximately 8:45pm we were engrossed with the sights of Bentong town that before you knew it two hours had passed.

We’ve been coming here off and on since my parents moved away from Kuala Terengganu to Bentong all those years ago. I think it’s been ten years since they settled down in Bentong, and whenever we’re here during any festive season be it Christmas or Chinese Lunar New Year Bentong Coffee House has been our default suppertime coffee shop.

right across the Bentong wet market

a rare late night eatery in Bentong

Since only Brendan was hungry Cat and I ordered drinks. Cat had a glass of freshly squeezed orange while in my case a small bottle of Tiger beer since I did not drive, and our budget hotel is barely five hundred metres away. Brendan ordered his customary Lamb Chop and as always found it well done, in more ways than one.

our beverages

Brendan's lamp chop

he can hardly wait!

If you’re looking for a place to hang out or have a hankering for some Western food do give Bentong Coffee House a try.

Bentong Walk(about)

(general vicinity of)

Jalan Chui Yin

28700 Bentong

Coordinates: 3.523448, 101.906744

After our excellent dinner, we decided to take a walk around Bentong town. Being a Sunday night, the town was pretty quiet save for the usual traffic heading to and from Gua Musang.

Heading north west along Jalan Chui Yin we passed an old Chinese school that recently celebrated its centenary. Despite being an old school with presumably lots of history SJK (C) Khai Mun Pagi did not have much of an account when we looked it up online.

an old school, literally

Each Saturday night this stretch of road will be cordoned off to accommodate ‘Bentong Walk’ that, in the words of gobentong.com was supposed to “boost the economy in this place. Hoping that through the joined efforts of people there, can create a unique night market in Bentong, let Bentong to be more lively. In the early stage, they have already recruited 20 to 25 stalls. The vendors can sell their own unique products and snacks there. We believe that this project can unite the citizens in Bentong to build and create a different Bentong culture, to give a surprise to the tourist.”

site of the Bentong Walk

I love the font!

Beside the school was the Bentong Chinese Town Hall, there was another historical building with its year of inception clearly engraved as 1914 atop its front façade. Again, this building did not have much of an account when we looked it up online.

another old building

Heading north east along Jalan Wayang we ended up on Jalan Loke Yew which is the main road for those heading to Kuala Lumpur from Gua Musang. We then headed south east along Jalan Loke Yew, and I snapped a few photos of the things we took interest in.

feng shui shop?

relic from the past

the main trunk road in town

We turned south west along Jalan Pasar, and as the name suggests led us to the Bentong wet market.

low-light shot with a prime lens

Brendan was hungry (again) and we knew just the place that will strike his fancy and satisfy penchant for ‘Western’ food.