Today, I'm gonna blog about a restaurant which I have frequented more then a year.
Z.G.M Ramen is situated along Jalan Imbi opposite Sakura Restaurant and specializes in szechuan cuisine. It's recently refurbished and takes up two shoplots. The old section serves as a smoking section while retaining the old furniture while the new section is decked out banquet style. To the uninitiated, szechuan food uses mainly garlic, chili and szechuan peppers while some dishes is garnished with peanut flakes and sesame seeds. Szechuan pepper has a very unique flavour. It has a slight soury overtone and creates a tingling numbness when bitten.
Pickled cucumber in chilli oil and szechuan peppercorn
Pickled cloud ear fungus in chili oil
These appetizers have a similar spicy sour tang. I am guessing they used the same marinade. Certainly whets my appetite :)
Stir fried chili beef
This is a pretty standard dish. Beef stir fried with dried chilies, carrots, onions and capsicum. The meat was juicy and not overly cooked and the medley of vegetables really brings out the meaty flavour. A one time only dish for me though.
Steamed lamb ribs
Le Dip
This is hands down my favourite dish at Z.G.M. The ribs were lightly seasoned and then steamed until the meat literally falls off the bone. Some of you might be put off by the amount of fat but this is the way I like it :) This dish is a prerequisite everytime I come here and sometimes the meat may be a bit more 'gamey' than usual.
The dip consists of chopped garlic, chili oil and vinegar strained with szechuan pepper and goes really well with the lamb.
Direct translation : water cooked fish
This is another highlight of Z.G.M. Fish fillets cooked in..you guessed it, szechuan peppers, dried chillies, chili oil, cabbages and water spinach. A lot of the dishes uses the same type of ingredients but different preparation makes each dish unique. This dish also comes in variations or pork, beef and frog legs. By the way, the fish is not exactly cooked in water, what you see is mainly oil -_-
Mixed vegetable
I find this dish rather unique, taufu cooked with century eggs, capsicum, cabbages and some other stuff I can't make out. It has a very light and cooling taste despite having century eggs, something nice to counter all the spicy and oily dishes.
Basil chicken
I used to like this dish until they decided to stinge on the basil. The chicken is cooked in finely chopped basil with sliced potatoes and pickled chillies. This dish didn't used to be soupy and a lot more basil was used so the whole dish is green in colour unlike what you see now :(
Despite some letdowns, I will still frequent this restaurant and there are heaps more dishes I haven't tried. It's nice comfort food especially during cold rainy weathers but be warned, szechuan food is heavy on msg, salt and oil.. not exactly a healthy meal.
Z.G.M Ramen
Lot 124, Jalan Imbi
Kuala Lumpur
Open daily : 11 - 10pm
Tel : 03-2145 1211/2141 1195
0122376919
