K.L, Malaysia: Restoran Min Max

The four of us sure knew how to work up a finale and we saved the best meal of the trip for the last. A delectable dim sum spread brought the amazing K.L experience to a close, a food-filled holiday that we would look back and wonder how we could have done almost nothing else but eat, eat, and eat. More than anything else, good conversations flowed and we got to know more about one another not only as food enthusiasts, but as friends. Hopefully there would be more trips together next year with an even bigger entourage.


Restoran Min Max is a Halal-certified Chinese restaurant within the PNB Darby Park building, located a couple of minutes' walk away from Nikko Hotel at Jalan Ampang. Dim sum here is highly recommended of course (served during lunch and tea-time), and even if purists would argue that pork-less dim sum isn't real dim sum, there are many of those who would attest to its taste and authenticity. What's more, this Halal dim sum comes with a very affordable price tag as well, with most items going for just RM2.99-3.99++ a serving. Amazing stuff.


This is going to be a potentially long entry, in part because we dined here twice and also because we ordered to our hearts' and tummies' content. Much to the amazement of the wait staff too, who remembered us for our DSLRs and well, good appetites heh. So now that we've got adorable Zoelene giving you a preview of just some of the things we ordered, let's look at them one-by-one.

Steamed Har Kau


A perennial favourite, the Steamed Har Kau did not disappoint at all with such juicy prawns inside. Try not to leave it out in the open for too long (we did on the first serving because of our photo-taking frenzy) because the skin will dry up quite quickly. Take it fresh and let the juiciness and moisture spill through, yums ;)

Steamed BBQ Chicken Bun


I distinctly remember the others at the table asking one another how close the Steamed BBQ Chicken Bun tasted to the typical char siew (pork) buns. We all thought these steamed buns were one of the best that we have tried in our dim sum experience. Sweet, tender, and even smooth too if you like.

Steamed Shark's Fin Dumpling


The Steamed Shark's Fin Dumpling didn't impress much, and I think it had to do with the rather dry dumpling skin that gave the dumpling as a whole a "rubbery" feel when chewed on.

Steamed Stuffed Scallop Dumpling


If you like your scallops thick, juicy and chewy, you'd love the Steamed Stuffed Scallop Dumpling.

Steamed Chicken Feet with Black Beans


The Steamed Chicken Feet with Black Beans was the only item that I did not taste, so I can't comment much on this.

Steamed Siew Mai with Crab Roe


A staple for any dim sum meal, the Steamed Siew Mai with Crab Roe was quite satisfying without being anything out of ordinary.

Deep-Fried Wafer Prawn Roll with Cheese


Like the deep-fried stuffed mushrooms (below), the Deep-Fried Wafer Prawn Roll with Cheese seemed pretty out-of-place on a dim sum table, not least because of the cheese. But if you like hot melted cheese and juicy prawns in a crisp breaded shell, just have this either at the very start or the end and it'll be fine.

Deep-Fried Mini Custard Bun


The Deep-Fried Mini Custard Bun was a joy to have - mini deep-fried mantou-like buns with sweet custard insides for the sweet-tooth in everyone.

Deep-Fried Sesame Ball


The Deep-Fried Sesame Ball had a sweet yam filling in it that I really liked. I had a couple of servings all to myself, greedy me. Best eaten when just served, it's all smooth and hot inside :)

Deep-Fried Bean Curd Roll with Fresh Prawns


Everyone's favourite snack. The table saw multiple orders of the Deep-Fried Bean Curd Roll with Fresh Prawns as we chewed on it like crackers. The only thing about these crisp "crackers" was that they were deliciously filled with juicy prawns. Lovely.

Pan-Fried Shanghai Dumpling


I'm not the biggest fan of the Pan-Fried Shanghai Dumpling because of the slightly... bitter(?) vegetables used in its filling. This one from Min Max didn't seem to change my opinion too much either. Probably an acquired taste.

Deep-Fried Stuffed Mushroom in Black Pepper Sauce


The black pepper sauce for the Deep-Fried Stuffed Mushroom is served on the side, but the flavours are a little off from what we've been having on the table. Still, not too bad if you're particularly ravenous.

Pan-Fried Carrot Cake


One of the less impressive items was the Pan-Fried Carrot Cake, which was ordinary at best and tasted quite monotonous after a while.

Pan-Fried BBQ Chicken Bun with Vegetable


The Pan-Fried BBQ Chicken Bun with Vegetable was somewhat of a pan-fried rendition of the steamed BBQ chicken buns, and I kinda liked both the same. One's crisp and the other soft, and both with piping hot fillings.

Fan Choy - Glutinous Rice with Chicken and Mushroom


A top favourite surely, the Fan Choy delighted everyone with its moist rice, tender chicken slices and sweet sauce. One of the best that I've tried in my life too I'd say. Brilliant.

Price
About RM2.99-RM3.99 for each serving of each item

* Prices subject to 5% government tax and 10% service charge.

Place
PNB Darby Park, Level 2
Lot No. 2-1, Jalan Binjai
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Nearby landmarks include: Nikko Hotel, the British High Commission (PNB Darby Park is actually situated between these two buildings) and the Ampang Park RapidKL Station.

Additional Comments
1. Certified Halal.
2. Dim sum hours: 1100-1500hrs (Mon-Sat) & 0900-1500hrs (Sun).
3. Reservations number: (03) 2166-8669.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.