Private Kitchen Hong Kong Cuisine, Damansara Uptown: Cantonese See Fong Choi!

A Taste of Hong Kong See Fong Choi in Petaling Jaya!

My apologies to my readers as I have been away the last few days on family trips with my dearest sister and her family, hence the minimal updates on my gluttonous blog! J

Traveling with kids is tough and requires lots of effort and patience. Since my little one is three year old, parents out there can imagine what it’s like to travel with all those little extra necessity for little ones. Back in the bustling city of KL, I heard about one of the latest additions of See Fong Choi (often translated as Private Kitchen of individual’s depiction of a certain cuisine) featuring Hong Kong Cantonese Cuisine in Damansara Utama called Private Kitchen Hong Kong Cuisine. Glad that I definitely do not have to travel all the way to Hong Kong with my little one to savor a taste of Hong Kong, a bunch of us gathered at the heart of the business area of Uptown to check out what Private Kitchen has to offer!

Located along the row of HSBC or next to Perodua shoplot, Private Kitchen is helmed by Chef Lam Fai from Hong Kong. Decorated comfortably in brightly and warm wood colors, there are two floors in the restaurant with one for regular dine-in and one for private function. Seated comfortably with our teas and barley drinks, we were quickly recommended to Chef Lam’s signature dishes.

Don’t you love those pretty Flower Teas that bloom into a glorious spectrum of blossom while gently flavoring the water with a light flowery essence?  Said to be filled with some health benefits, the flower teas are light and refreshing while gorgeous on the eyes!

Appetizers of Long Spring Rolls (RM10) and Shredded Chicken with Private Kitchen Special ‘Ma La’ Sauce (RM12) were served within minutes and we tucked in happily into crispy rolls dipped in Thousand Island sauce. Shredded chicken dressed in a light spicy piquant sauce rest on top of a bed of crunchy sour marinated cucumbers. Refreshing and easy to chomp down, the light appetizers provided a nice start to our dinner that night.

As soup is extremely important in every Cantonese household, we had to start off our meal with the chef’s Long Boiled Soup of the Day, featuring Arrowroot Soup with Lean Meat and Dried Octopus (RM6).

Cantonese Chicken with Sand Ginger Sauce or ‘Gong Sik Sar Keong Kai’ was beautifully cut up and served in a tear drop platter with a side of the special ginger sauce. Tender chicken was almost boneless and juicy with a light chicken essence broth. The accompanying ginger sauce was bursting with lots of pounded ginger and spring onion. Surprisingly not too overpowering, the combo of chicken and ginger sauce was simple comfort food to be savored with a bowl of steaming hot rice.

When we were recommended Private Kitchen Stir Fried Prime Beef Fillet with Strawberry Pepper Sauce (RM28), we were expecting a sourish sweet taste but instead we savored a sweet and slightly peppery flavor in dish. This dish took our breathe away and everyone unanimously agreed to order another plate of this tender juicy beef that was superbly succulent and flavorful. Bits of bell peppers and onions added some crunch factor and sweetness to the dish. Simply a Must-Order at Private Kitchen for beef lovers!!

I have always had chicken with lemongrass but never pork! Pan Fried Pork Chop Lemongrass (RM25) showcased lightly battered tender pork rib pieces perfumed with a light citrus aroma of the lemongrass herb. Present was also bits of coriander and red chilies to add more flavors to the dish. Despite all the herbs used, the taste was fairly light and the pork was moist. A side of pickled vegetables added a refreshing counter balance with the pork. A beer would have been the perfect partner for this dish.

Private Kitchen Braised Chicken in Claypot (RM22) was another rendition of pure home-style dish aimed to please even the discerning diners. Brimming with tender chicken pieces, soft rounds of potato balls, mushroom, bell pepper and green pepper, the dish exuded an earthy warm savory flavor of supreme soy sauce and its vegetable flavors. A light hint of sweetness and spiciness detected from the green peppers but it is so mild, kids might not even know it’s there. An absolute darling dish with rice!

Made famous in Hong Kong, the dish of Private Kitchen Typhoon Shelter Prawns with Chili & Garlic (seasonal price) was actually switched up from the original crab to prawns. Also available with crabs, depending on the availability (call to avoid disappointment), the rendition of crustaceans covered in a mount of minced garlic and chilies is unctuous enough to ward of any vampires with a few kilometers! Bittersweet with hints of spiciness, this dish was created with garlic lovers in mind… J

My passion for pork was always made known on the top of my voice… seriously; pork to me is glorious gluttony at its best! With that said in mind, we also savored Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Special Salad Sauce (RM32). Chef Lam certainly knows how to make meat tender as the ribs were sacrilegiously soft in texture. Coated in a sinful creamy sauce that echoed between a salad or mayonnaise dressing, the ribs were buttery scrumptious!

While some may scoffed at the idea of garlic chives, I tend to embraced this with glee! Private Kitchen Sautéed Chinese Chives with Dried Shrimp and Shredded Dried Cuttlefish (RM18) was executed with suave perfection. Stir-fried briskly in Chef Lam’s own XO sauce, the garlic chives was accompanied by some bean sprout and dried seafood. Pungent in a good way, the balance of flavors and textures was truly delicious in my books.

Last but not least, our carbohydrate was in the form of Portugese-Style Fried Rice with Braised Pork Belly & Seafood (RM16). Decent fluffy fried rice with bits of olive vegetables and slices of bacon and seafood was sufficiently comforting.

Dishes at Private Kitchen do exuded a home-style rendition of Cantonese cuisine beautifully. Being the newbie in town, it’s worth checking out this place if you are up for some See Fong Choi ala Hong Kong style! News does travel fast and I already noted some artiste and infamous people making their mark at this restaurant. Private Kitchen also caters to buffet for private functions. I certainly would not mind returning for some more home-style fare of Typhoon Shelter Noodles with Pork Chop and Private Kitchen Stir Fried Prime Beef Fillet with Strawberry Pepper Sauce!

Private Kitchen Hong Kong Cuisine
103 Jalan SS21/37
Damansara Utama (Uptown)
47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: 03-7728 8399

Email: privategourmet103@gmail.com

Business hours:

Lunch 11.30am – 3.00pm

Dinner         6.00pm – 10.00pm

Closed on Tuesdays