Nasi lemak

Steamed coconut rice, sweet and spicy anchovy sambal sauce, fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, fried or boiled egg, and some sliced cucumbers. These are the basics for a plate of Nasi Lemak, Malaysian's national dish. 'Fatty Rice' is what it literally means and the fat is referred to the coconut milk cooked with the rice making it rich, fragrant and yummy. This dish is also usually served with beef / chicken rendang and stir-fried kangkung (water spinach).

The basic ingredients to prepare a good anchovy sambal sauce are ikan bilis (anchovies), shallots, onions, garlic, ginger, dried chili paste, belacan (shrimp paste), lemongrass, tomatoes and some salt and sugar to balance up the flavor. The key to cooking the perfect tasting sambal is to fry the chili paste in generous amount of oil until the oil separates from the paste and turn to a slightly darker color.

On the other hand, cooking the coconut rice is actually really simple. For 2 cups of rice, add 1 ½ cups of water and 1 ½ cups of coconut milk. Also add in some sliced ginger for the aroma and some salt to taste. Yes, its that easy.

Cooked this for dinner a few days back and the husband loved it. In fact he declared this, the best Nasi Lemak he had ever tasted, even better than his mum's! I also served this for brunch when my friends from Malaysia was over and it was a hit. Will definitely make this dish again when more friends and family are over!

Good food and entertainment, Teppanyaki style

How often do you get both good food and entertainment in one place? Vicki's Teppanyaki & BBQ is the place to be if you fancy live cooking experience. Not only do they serve mouth watering dishes, but the chefs here also have a very good sense of humor and never fail to entertain their customers while whipping up dishes at the same time. 

This restaurant is a perfect place if you would like to entertain your guests, clients or even have a small party as they offer a private dining experience. Their menu varies from chicken to lobster, all cooked on the iron griddle with special skills. It was my second time here and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time.  

salted fish fried rice

squid cooked in sambal belacan

Chicken cooked in special sambal sauce

lamb cooked in spicy sauce

mixed vegetable with mushroom and tofu

our very funny chef who made us laugh with his tricks

Muslims can also enjoy this experience as this restaurant is certified halal. Vicki's Teppanyaki & BBQ is currently having a lunch promotion where diners would get 50% off their bill when you dine-in at their restaurant from 11am-3pm daily. (not applicable for drinks). 

Below are videos of some of the tricks shown to us during our dining experience at Vicki's Teppanyaki & BBQ.

the salt and pepper trick

tossing the eggs

the art of frying egg

the funny chef posing for me 

Tempted to try? Their restaurant is located at Le Anh Xuan St. 42., Ben Thanh Ward, Dist. 1, HCMC. Go ahead and experience it for yourself!