3iLinG

CNY+Birthday Dinner @ Ming Room BSC

2012-02-05T15:54:00.005+08:00

One of my favourite Chinese Restaurant in town is the Ming Room, located on the 3rd floor of the New Wing in Bangsar Shopping Centre. Under the Oriental Group of restaurants, they have altogether 8 outlets which I frequent some of them occasionally. However, I find this one here in BSC offers a good variety of dishes as well as consistent quality.

And thus I organised my own birthday dinner here last week with my family. So happened that Jasmin was in town and I asked her to join us for a meal here.

Since it's Chinese New Year, a toss of Yee Sang is almost customary. I don't know why, but I really love this dish and it's always wonderful to have a group of people tossing the yee sang together. We ordered a medium portion of Jelly Fish Yee Sang which is something different from the usual salmon yee sang that I have been having for the past 1 week.

Lou ah! Lou ah! Huat ah! Huat ah!!!

I love it! The jelly fish added a chewy and slithery texture to the dish. The crackers are crispy and the plum sauce is not too sweet. And boy, I think I ate the most of it!

For starters, we also have a plate of mixed roast which consists of roast pork and bbq pork (char siew). Usually there will also be a portion of roast duck but since we have been eating roast duck for so many days, I decide to do without eat. I didn't know the dish came with some slices of steamed tofu and pickles. It's really a good combination.

Dad was craving for suckling pig the first day he landed in KLIA. Even in Ipoh, we didn't manage to have any and so for dinner, my mom asked me to order it for him. I gave a day advance notice just in case they ran out of suckling pigs! It was very well prepared. The pig was lean, the skin was so crispy and fragrant! At RM280 a pig, it might be quite pricey but at least it's a good pig.

This is one of the dishes that I would order during the CNY. It's a dish of mixed vegetables such as sweet beans, asparagus and lily bulbs with cuttle fish. Usually there's also some lotus root slices but they don't have it here. I love this dish as the beans are succulent and the cuttlefish makes a good match.

Another dish that one should order here is the Kailan vegetables cooked two ways. The stems are stir fried and the leaves are chopped into thin strips and fried until it's crispy. The look of this dish is already a wonderful sight and coupled with the taste, it's a winner! The stems are crunchy and addictive.

Very smooth tofu topped with chopped spinach and deepfried. It's served with an oyster and superior stock sauce laced with spinach and mushrooms. Heavenly!

It's also almost customary for me to have lap mei fan (rice with waxed meat) every CNY. The Ming Room does it best and so I returned year after year at least once every CNY to savour it. This dish also happened to be dad's favourite and so I ordered a small pot which actually is enough for the 7 of us because of the many dishes we had before it. The rice is cooked in a claypot and the waxed meat is served separately. The liver sausage is especially good and smooth, the waxed duck was nice and not too salty, the rice is fragrant but the best of all is that they do serve the "ngaku" or arrowroot (which is a type of chinese potato) together. The arrowroot helps clean the palate and neutralise the saltiness of the waxmeat. Hmmm.. very good!

And the dinner would not be complete without a dessert. I was craving for some "Lui Sa Tong Yuen" which is Glutinous Rice Ball with Black Sesame filling. Although we had to wait for sometime for the dessert, the waiting was very worthwhile.

The dinner came up to about RM600+ and there were no corkage charge eventhough I brought my own wines. We had a bottle of Billecart Salmon Rose to start off with and then followed by a red wine. Thanks to my parents for picking up the tab!

THE MING ROOM
3rd Floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Bukit Bandaraya, 59000 KL
Tel: 03- 2284 8822
Fax: 03- 2284 3822
GPS: 3.142827,101.667164

Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie's @ Menara Taipan KL

2012-02-02T08:35:00.000+08:00

I've never been to Nathalie's Gourmet Studio at Solaris Dutamas despite its raving reviews and its famed macarons but I was glad that I get to try Nathalie's 2nd outlet here in Menara Taipan, replacing High Tide, the previous fine-dining restaurant. It must have been due to the poor visibility of the restaurant that leads to poor patronage as this place is not as bright and lively like Menara Hap Seng which lies opposite the road.

Though the menu looked thick, it has only a page on ala carte, another page on 2 different set menu choices (RM150 & RM165) and then 1 page dedicated to its degustation (RM220) and a few pages on beverages. Haha...

Initially I wanted to try their set menu, comprising of 4 courses but the one that I was interested in has mismatched courses resulting in the starter and mains having foie gras as their main ingredient. I think 2 courses with foie gras is indeed too overwhelming to the palate.

Thus, I resort to ordering ala carte. For starters, I ordered a Scallops in Soup and Carpacio with Spring Vegetables (RM40). The scallops carpacio are raw and arranged neatly in bowl. Then, a waiter will pour the soup into the bowl, with all the other ingredients immersed in the warm soup. This will cook the scallops carpacio indirectly but at the same time, you can still taste the freshness and tender texture of the scallops. The sundried tomatoes is quite a good compliment to the soup.

My dining companion ordered a Two Salmon Tartar (RM34). And I managed to taste his dish as well. I prefer this to a steak tartar. The salmon tartar was mixed with a layer of French Green Lentil Salad and finished off with an orange reduction. The rocket leaves give the salmon tartar a more robust taste and at the same time it feels a little citrusy. Definitely an appetising start to a meal.

To go with our dinner, wine is almost a must. Friend wanted to drink Burgundy and I volunteered to pick the bottle. I was eyeing the Gevrey Chambertin and my favourite Chambolle Musigny but too bad none is available that day. The sommelier recommended that I give this Demessey Mercurey 1st Cru Clos L'Eveque 2009. I was rather sceptical as it was 2009 and I thought it might be a little too young to drink. This is my 1st encounter with Mercurey and apparently it is a small village producing predominantly red wines from the Pinot Noir grape variety, and a small quantity of white wines from Chardonnay.

On the palate, it was rather tight at first but gradually opens up after a while. There's some woody aromas and lots of blackberries and raspberries coupled with a balanced mouthfeel. It's velvety, light-bodied and best served around 16 degrees celcius. At RM300 a bottle, I felt it was a little expensive. However, if you want to bring your own bottle, they would allow it on a 1 for 1 basis where you have to buy a bottle to get your corkage waived. That's very reasobnable.

For mains, my friend had the Turkey New Age (RM68) that comes with foie gras and porcini stuffing, and served with truffle celeriac puree and foie gras juice. From the look of the dish, it looks like there's quite a bit going on in there. The ingredients are very rich and the portion is just right.

I didn't know what to order and a staff recommended me to try their Blue Lobster and Crab Linguines (RM95) as it is their best-seller. Ok, I'll be adventurous and try it. When the dish came, I kind of have a small shock as the dish looked so messy from the presentation. I understand that this might spun from the chef's creativity but the mains looked lost in the midst of all the sauces. I felt that there were too much sauce and the dish is a little too salty. The lobster was a little too dry as well and the linguine is soft. This didn't really tickle my palate despite all expensive ingredients. However, I did enjoy snacking on the fava beans aka broad beans.

My friend asked me if there is room for dessert. I felt full but I insist on a sweet ending to a meal because it's my first time here and I should really give their desserts a try. While the Mini Saint Honore is not available on the ala carte menu, I was told that I can order it eventhough it's in the set menu. The creampuffs have a caramelised layer and they are all in miniatures. I love the dessert which came with vanilla ice-cream. And the decoration, don't they look like tadpoles with a long tail? But my friend thinks they looked like sperms. Hmm...

Our dinner here costs almost RM700. Looking at what we have ordered, I think it was a little too pricey. But no doubt there were some really good dishes and maybe 1 or two misses. I also heard that Nathalie will only be in this kitchen for dinner and for lunch, she'll be at the other outlet at Solaris Dutamas. The service was good and it's indeed a stellar dinner.

Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie

Ground Floor, Menara Taipan,

Jalan Punchak (off Jalan P. Ramlee),

50250 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2072 4452
Website

Best Dinner of Year 2011

2012-01-30T20:59:00.013+08:00

The best dinner of the year would of couse took place at one of the best fine dining restaurant in town. This dinner was partly organised by me as I wanted to celebrate two of my friends' birthday with a Bang. No it does not include a bunch of waiters and waitresses singing a Happy Birthday song but it includes a lineup of exceptional wines that are almost rare and good food. Lafite @ Shangri La KL thus came to mind due to its consistent quality and convenient location.

I've always stressed on the importance of a good bread basket before a meal. At Lafite, I love the fact that they have a basket of a few bread varieties to choose from. There's also an interesting squid ink bread in black if you are into quirky food. I loved all the breads!

I brought along 3 bottles of wines - Jacques Selosse V.O Blanc de Blancs, Pur Sang 2006 and Domaine Du Pegau CDP 1998. If I start my story on these wines, I think it'll take at least sometime to read. But it's important for me to record my experience with these wines as I might not be able to sip them again. Read on and you'll know why.

If you think that you've tried the best champagne out there, you might want to get yourself a bottle of this and compare. I thought I've tried the Kings of champagnes from Krug to Cristal but I kept my mouth shut after I discovered a Jacques Selosse V.O which stands for Version Originale.

Version Originale is Anselme Selosse’s great multi-vintage cuvée, aged 42 months before degorgement, and bottled with little or no dosage (which typically means little or no sugar added at all). Anselme's work has been most glittering and has more than once been referred to as revolutionary with uncompromising brilliance in the winemaking world which include low yields, chemical free vineyards and creating terroir based wines.

I love my champagne and the excitement to try this bottle has been building up since a few weeks before the dinner. It was told to me that it's going to be a fabulous experience, one I would never forget and by putting money where my mouth is, this bottle does not only worth every penny, it's a champagne that is just out of this world. His prices, at almost SGD$600 and given the work that goes into the making wines coupled with the overwhelming demand, was deemed fair.

This champagne is so distinctive in terms of its aroma, palate and texture. It's like a Burgundy with bubbles. How often do you decant a bubbly? With this, it actually taste exceptionally well after decanting about half to an hour. Instead of a champagne flute, a burgundy glass would be perfect! The bubbles are elegant but the nose is intense. Words are hardly sufficient to describe my experience with the V.O. but I'm so excited to share the tasting notes. There's something so sexy about this bubbly - ripe pears, cider, yeast, the wonderful oak perfume, honey, lime and the fragrant apples all trying to lure me for a sip. If Adam couldn't refuse the temptation of the apple, then this is a sip I couldn't refuse. It was rich, full of body, citrusy and it's really like a burgundy with soft, delicate bubbles. I've never tasted such stylish, full of confident and stimulating champagne. Not only it's lingering on the palate, my mind was totally blew out too. What a brilliant bottle!

That's just the description for 1 bottle. Imagine we drank all of these bottles that night. I think a 5-page post would then do justice to all these outstanding wines. The next bottle that had left me with such a long-lasting impression was Didier Dagueneau's Pouilly-Fume Pur Sang 2006. An exceptional wine always come from an equally outstanding winemaker. Didier Dagueneau has been called a nonconformist, independent, eccentric, and maverick by producing some of the greatest white wines from Loire or probably the whole of France. He's not called the master of all sauvignon blanc grape for nothing!

PurSang in French means Thoroughbred, where some journalists used to joke about Didier using a horse to till the vineyards. This wine is produced from a vineyard called La Folie in the south of Saint Andelaine where deep clay and limestone make up the soil. It has a soft upfront and on the nose, there's flowers, nuts, fresh grass, citrus, lemon and verbena notes. The aromas are almost identical to my Loccitane Verbena shower bath! The nose is so refreshing and inviting, something so distinctive and unique. With an hour's decanting, it has opened up to a very creamy yet succulent palate of bursting honeysuckle, tangerine, tropical fruits with sweet melon and balanced minerality. With such a great acidity, this wine is of superb length and lingering finish. Mesmerising and impressive!

What makes his wines more valuable today is that Didier was tragically killed in 2008 when he was 52 years old in a ultralight plane that he was piloting. He had a problem with the take off and it eventually crashed and the world has lost such a talented winemaker. The 2 superstar whites produced from single vineyards were the Silex and PurSang in which I've written about the Silex here and now I've describe the PurSang 2006. You might baulk at the prices but his Sauvignon Blancs (around SGD$220) are not to be compared with those of the New Zealands if you know how Didier make his wines. It's unfortunate that after his passing, many would never know how wonderful the Pouilly-Fume can be.

For starters, I ordered their chef's recommendation of Delicious of the Land and Sea (RM85). Yes, for a starter the price might seem like it's over the top but if you look right down to the ingredients, you'll find that the price is quite reasonable. On the top layer, there's a butter poached lobster, followed by seared foie gras, cherry tomato confit and covered with white truffle foam. The soup base tasted like a lobster bisque and I absolutely love the succulent and fresh lobsters. Paired it with the foie gras and you'll get a robust taste with different textures. Wonderful finish!

Another starter that is worth a try is the Black Truffle Tagliantelle Pasta (RM38). Though it's supposed to be a starter, the portion is quite generous. The pasta is freshly made, and then it's cooked with parmesan cheese, chives and black truffle cream. Very simple dish with simple ingredients but the secret was the texture of the pasta and its balanced flavours. It's truly a rich pasta and my friend finished every morsel of it!

It was very generous of a friend to bring along a bottle of his 2004 Cheval Blanc. This is a Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Knowing that I have not tried a Chateau Cheval Blanc, this is like my birthday! One of the best vintages for Cheval Blanc would be the 1998 before 2009 comes along and was rated a 100 pointer by Robert Parker. This 2004 (around SGD$240) scores a 94 by Wine Spectator and what I liked best about this bottle is that it has earthy and black berries aromas that are so intense. If you nose it a lil longer, you'll get to trace some hints of tobacco and maybe some flowery notes as well. On the palate, you can't help but notice its silkiness, velvety texture and elegance. There's lots of ripe fruits but it was rather tight and complex. Let it breathe and it'll taste much better. Medium-bodied, great length and bright acidity!

For mains, I had the 200g Grilled Kobe Wagyu Rib Eye (RM170). It comes with cherry tomatoes, french beans which are all grilled as well and a potato fondant and rosemary sauce. The potato fondant is made out of thin slices of potato assembled into a short tower. It's buttery and has a very nice grilled flavour. The Kobe Wagyu as expected was tender and juicy due to its marbled fats. The taste of the fats is dissolved into the meat when it underwent the grilling station and the result is that you get a very succulent and intense taste of butter and nuts. Yummy!

With all the superstar wines, a dessert is almost unnecessary just so that the wines can have a lingering taste on our palates. Probably we were too high to remember, but there were 3 desserts. We has a Valrhona chocolate soufle (RM30) and then a Raspberry Yuzu Orange Cheese Cake (RM30). This cheesecake has interesting layers of colours which reminded me of the "kuih lapis" that I used to eat. Of course, this is only more posh with the use of Pistachio sponge cake, yuzu orange sabayon, raspberry jelly, mango peels and wafer with cocoa nips. Aesthetically beautiful, creamy texture and tangy finish. It's all good!!!

I'm glad that I've finally decided to end this post although omitting two wines that I should have written about them - the Ruinart Brut Rose and the Domaine Du Pegau CDP 1998 which are equally outstanding too in their own ways. It took me the whole night to write this post and I'm glad I've finally put it down. The dinner had taken place a few months ago when the new chef was still absent from Lafite and due to procrastination, I've only decided to pen it now. Though without a chef, the sous chef has been doing such a wonderful job. And the best thing was, someone went and picked up the bill! hehehe....

Lafite
Shangri La Hotel
11 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
T: +(60 3) 2032 2388
Website

The Water Dragon Year

2012-01-28T17:46:00.005+08:00

It's been a year of ups and downs and finally the Rabbit hops off and here come the Water Dragon. I hope it'll be a wonderful year and not to mention the 3 vital things which are truly important in chinese culture - health, wealth and success. Therefore, to start the year with a bang, I've bought myself some lottery tickets, hoping to strike a pot of gold someday this year. LOL... (so far, I haven't even strike a dime but I will not give up!)

Dad was home for CNY from Qatar and we all missed him so dearly. It's a tradition at home that we had to serve him and mommy tea in order to get the ang pows. At the same time, we have to recite some meaningful Chinese New Year greetings and it's really a challenge. So sometimes, we ended up with crap messages like may the share market be bullish and may mommy never scold us so much this year. Heheh...

It's also a time of togetherness. We went to Pavilion KL on the 1st day of CNY because Dad has a biz appointment in the city. At the same time I went to the YTL Open House at JW Marriott and Dad's friend gave me the biggest ang pow ever - RM50. How often do you get so much from a stranger?

It's really disappointing to see the value of ang pows nowadays. 20 years ago, I get RM10 from relatives and then 20 years later, I am still getting the same amount. What happened to the cost of inflation? Even friends gave me RM10 nowadays which is a big increase from RM2 and RM5 you get from strangers a decade ago. And I can predict that the ang pow will be capped at RM10 for a long long time.

In financial point of view, house visiting for singles is a nett loss activity. You bring a gift that costs more than RM30 and you get a RM10 ang pow in return. Where's the ROI?!! The only way to get your ROI is to eat all the cookies and drink all the beer! I'm kidding. Afterall, CNY is all about giving and celebrating. Thus the ROI is not applicable. But you can always gamble and make back the money!

It's also a time to meet your childhood friends! I've been back in Ipoh for a few days and I managed to visit my dearest friend Jasmin whom I know since we were in MGS and then David who came to the restaurant on surprise and poked my shoulder. It's so good to meet up at least once a year to know that you've not been forgotten! Lol..

It's also the time of the year to put on some kilos! Gosh, I've been eating non stop from the 1st day of CNY to this day. There's so much to eat and I think I easily finish the whole tin of Kuih Kapit at my relatives' house. I think the amount of 100Plus I drank for these few days is more than what I drank in a year! Before we make our way back to KL, we had to stop by at Funny Mountain to taste the best Tau Fu Fa in the world! It's so yummy!!!

And that includes waking up at 8am to go to your parents' friend's house to see 3 dragons and 8 lions danced around the house.

The Lim family wishes you a very Happy Dragon Year!

Tossing Coins at Fontana di Trevi

2012-01-24T06:07:00.001+08:00

Perhaps one of the most famous icons of Rome would be the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi). If you've watched movies like La Dolce Vita, Roman Holiday, When in Rome, or even the Chinese TVB drama series Triumph in the Skies, you'll see a very beautiful fountain in Rome and that's the famous Trevi Fountain. At 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, it’s the biggest baroque fountain in the entire city of Rome and almost every tourist to the city would make their way to this fountain at least once.

When in Rome, you'll notice that there were quite a number of fountains but none of them is as famous as this fountain here. A little history about the fountain which I read from the travel guide: Trevi Fountain was originally built on this spot in the mid-15th century, when the tradition of building fountains to mark the end point of an acqueduct of the three roads (Acqua Vergine). The acqueduct was destroyed by invaders in the 6th century, but repaired in the 15th century by order of the Pope when the first fountain was built. The Trevi Fountain today, which was completed in 1762, is still served by that same Acqua Vergine acqueduct.

This place is horribly crowded and so you won't miss this spot if you're traveling on foot without a guide. A tricky note is that you should always ask for directions as this fountain is not located along some main roads. It's located in the midst of some old buildings with small roads. This place is a haven for pickpockets so beware of your bags and pockets. Don't take pictures with those Gladiators as they are there to make big bucks from you. Apart from that, it's still a place that one has to visit when in Rome. The fountain is indeed big and magnificent.

While you're there, don't forget to toss a coin. There's a legend about throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain. Watch the people. The original legend says that if you throw a coin into the Trevi, with your right hand over your left shoulder and your back to the fountain – that will ensure a return to Rome. In modern times, thanks to the film “Three Coins in the Fountain,” it says throwing one coin means a return to Rome, a second coin leads to a new romance, and a third coin leads to marriage.

Err... I think I threw 4 coins. What does that mean? A road leading to eternal happiness? Haha...
Did you know that about 3000 Euros is collected from the fountain daily?!! The coins are collected every night and the funds have been used to fund a supermarket that serves the poor of Rome, the Italian Red Cross, as well as other local charities. There are attempts of people trying to jump into the fountain and perhaps take the coins but there are many policemen all around the fountain eyeing on you!

I think it'll be good for our economy if we have such a fountain in Malaysia. RM3000 daily will do a lot of good to our economy too!

Beware of Gladiators!

2012-01-22T13:37:00.004+08:00

This is the story of Gladiators at the Pantheon. They are not your swordsman in the Roman Empire because here, they make a fast killing on tourists by offering to take memorable pictures with you even without telling you that there's a price to pay.

I knew from the start that taking pictures with them comes with a price but at the spur of the moment, you'll think that it's nice to have pictures with these gladiators since you're in Rome. The trick is, always ask how much it costs! And bargain, bargain and bargain...

This is the story of my encounter with a Gladiator at The Pantheon.

After some haggling and my refusal to pay, he say he'll just charge us both 5 Euros. These guys are really persistent and they followed us around. In the end, we both just pay the money and got rid of him. A friend told me that he told the Gladiator that he will delete all the pictures and so he wouldn't need to pay. And at last, he only paid 2 Euros. Wow.. good deal!

Apart from these irritating Gladiators trying to lure you to take pictures with them, the Pantheon is actually a very nice place to visit. Situated not very far from the Trevi Fountain, this Pantheon, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.

Inside the building, it has a very interesting central opening that overlooks the blue sky. The height to the central opening and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft). It is after all, one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. Admission is free.

Piazza della Rotonda, 12, 00186 Roma, Italy

Run, Eiling! Run!

2012-01-21T06:04:00.000+08:00

Those are the lines I've heard for the past 2 morning runs I had while in Rome.

"You can do it!"
"Run, Eiling, run!!!"

It's no easy feat when running in the cold. It's my 1st ever morning jog in the cold where the temperature falls below 7 degrees celcius. I'm used to hot and humid weather where one starts sweating before the run but here in Rome, I only sweat after the run and my hands were freezing!

On the 1st morning run, we made it to the Colosseum. I only managed to catch a glimpse which is less than a minute and then we ran back to the hotel. From the hotel to the Colosseum and back, it took us almost 30 minutes for a 4.24km distance. I made it!

On our 2nd run, my colleague had a brilliant idea. He suggested that we should run to another country. What?!! It's just a short distance to the Vatican City (which is in fact a sovereign city state) and we just ran all the way until we reach the St Peter's Square.

We passed so many beautiful sights and buildings along the way. Too bad as I have no opportunity to stop and admire them (or rest) as my colleagues are really crazy runners. They can run so fast and full of stamina. I'm at least 1-2 minutes behind them every time!

But in the end, I still made it! It's 4.02km from our hotel to the Vatican City and back. After that, I had a quick shower and head out for our meeting at 8.30am. I must say that I really enjoy having a morning jog in the cold and in a new country. It just make the whole experience a whole lot better. And after the morning workout, it kept me warm throughout the day in Rome. So bring your jogging shoes the next time you're away and you'll be surprised how wonderful a morning jog could be!

Have you sent out your CNY greeting?

2012-01-19T08:36:00.001+08:00

I think in years to come, the act of sending out Chinese New Year cards during this festive period will be extinct. Just ask ourselves, how many greeting cards have you bought last year and how many have you actually personally sent? Well, I can honestly tell you that I've sent 4 Xmas cards (real cards) and 3 postcards in 2011.

These are the CNY cards I received from my high school friends when I was in college. Looking back, I have accumulated a drawer filled with hand-written cards and sometimes I would just sit back and run through all of them again. I miss you guys ~~and your cards.~~

The internet, e-greetings and whatsapp have taken over the sending out of CNY cards due to 3 reasons - cost, time and hassle-free. Gone are the days when one anticipates for the cards to be hand delivered by postmen, collecting the stamps from the used envelopes and hanging the CNY cards received in the house as part of the decor. Gone are the days...

This year, I made a cute e-greeting and I sent it out using my Facebook which makes everything so much easier. Yes, I'm truly guilty for not buying any CNY cards and personally posting them. Maybank added a very cute CNY app in its Facebook page to allow users to create an e-greeting with lion movements and music that you can customise, check your Zodiac mash-up and then entertain your guests with some CNY facts that they might not know.

I love hand-written cards but technology makes life a breeze and this is what I did and sent out a while ago. The best thing is, Maybank is selecting one daily favourite to win the RM250 Ang Pow and the 3 best lion dances created stand to win a real lion dance performance to be sent to the winners house. Contest ends 31st Jan 2012 so don't wait till it's too late!

I also played with the zodiac mash-up and I happened to be an Aquarat! Lol... that's pretty interesting.

And after that, you can scroll through the CNY facts that you would want to know. They have quite a number of topics and you can wow someone with that.

It's a pretty good app to send out greetings, win prizes and do some fact-finding. Try to use it to send out your CNY e-greetings and I'm sure your friends will like it. Log on to Maybank CNY FB app here.

Kiasu mode ON. It's CNY, who doesn't want free money and lion dance?

Urban Spoon Bistro @ Sri Hartamas

2012-01-16T20:35:00.006+08:00

On the 2nd day of New Year, I was invited by Sean & Chef Tawfeeq Seow whom are the owners of Urban Spoon Bistro in Sri Hartamas, situated at the building right opposite the Hartamas Shopping Centre. It's quite a new place and I was surprised that I didn't know about the existence of Plaza Damas 3 which already house a few restaurants since its opening a few months ago.

My sister, Yiling and I were invited and so we thought it would be a good idea to go together. At the very same day, there was a birthday party going on at their bistro located on the 1st floor which caters to private functions. Everyone was so busy but despite that, we still have very good service from the staff.

Apple Mojito, Watermelon Margharita, Soho La, Lychee Gimlet

(RM25/glass)

What's a better way to start the year off with some cocktails? I personally like the Soho La which has interesting layers of colours and also a play of textures. Their Mojito was a little off tune that day and thus I prefer the watermelon-based cocktails for a fresh afternoon.

The restaurant has a cosy yet upmarket style with the blend of colours by matching the gloomy colours with bright strips of turquoise. I like the classy bar and the naked brick wall. However, seating wise may be a bit tight and not too spacious.

The chef asked us what we would like to try and as usual, I told him that I'll leave the menu in his safe hands. We started off with a Soft Shell Crab Tempura (RM18). This salad is an interesting twist to the normal soft shell crab salad because they used a thai style sauce on it. There's apple papaya som tam and also garlic dressing. It's really a good start to the meal with the sourish and refreshing taste.

Next, we had a Roast Beef Salad (RM18) which consists of french beans, shallots, lemongrass, chilli, eggplant with lime and fish sauce dressing. This also reminds me of a thai style appetiser but the main ingredient which was the roast beef was just a good compliment to the salad. You can taste the juicy beef slices which is aged and hand-sliced. It's really a good piece of meat! Now imagine all those taste interwovened into one dish. Yummy!

We are into really serious spicy business here with the next dish presented to us in the form of fried breaded Jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese (RM18). I was skeptical at first to try it as I am not a big fan of spicy food but in the end I did convince myself to try one. At the first bite, it was sweet and you can taste the cheese but towards the end, you can feel the spiciness creeping into your tongue. Well, it's not too spicy and if I can take it, anyone can too!

Carrot and orange bisque (RM14)

This soup is made with orange, carrot with seafood ceviche and braised leeks. It's interesting to see an orange goes into making this soup. It's creamy, but lucky it's not starchy. You have to really consume this while it's still warm. The tangy taste is very subtle but the more distinct taste comes from the seafood and leek.

We're finally moving into mains after at least and hour and a half there. Things were moving a bit slow that afternoon and I guess it might be the party that's going on upstairs. We heard that the Emperor Tang Duck Confit (RM38) is a must try. The presentation is really impressive with a use of roasted baby potatoes, french beans, soy and calamansi reduction. While the duck did have a crispy skin, I felt that the meat was a bit dry. The sauce was a combination of sweet and savoury but somehow I felt that there's something missing with this dish.

Yaki fillet of cod (RM55)

I personally like the cod with sauteed tomato, oyster mushroom, seasonal vegetables, wasabi mayo, anise-mirin glaze, bonito flakes. The fish was fresh and you can see the flakes of the fish beautifully lined. The bonito flakes is certainly a very odd ingredient to the dish but it does pair very well because you get this roasted umami taste to it.

Perhaps one of the best mains we had that day which everyone enjoyed was the Cajun Wagyu Beef Burger (RM38). It is served with home-made spicy tomato chutney, cheese and a fried egg. The minced beef patty was good because the meat has retained it's juiciness and fats through the grilling process and the egg yolks oozes out as you cut into the burger.

After almost 2 hours there, we were still not finished. Coming up, we had 3 desserts. We had a Zesty crepe with vanilla ice cream which is not in the menu yet, Black pepper tamarind macerated strawberry & peach (RM14) with chardonnay au gratin & watermelon-basil slashy and a Chocolate cherry fondant (RM18) with vanilla ice cream and alcoholic option if you prefer. All the desserts were very good particularly with the chocolate dish that comes with preserved cherries and oozing chocolate that make you dance.

We weren't quite done here until the ~~fat lady sings~~ coffee were served. We had a cuppa and a good conversation with Chef Tawfeeq Seow whom has a bevy of experience from his previous stint at some of the 5 star hotels in KL. Although fusion is the word best describe this restaurant, it's certainly not one of those that serve half-past-six fusion food. For the price you pay for, I must say this is a good deal.

An obligatory picture of satisfied patrons and the chef.

Urban Spoon Bistro
Plaza Damas 3,
Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-6201 2108
Facebook
Business hours: Mon - Sun 11:am - 11:00pm

My 1st jog in the Cold

2012-01-10T22:06:00.002+08:00

This is probably my first time running in a cold weather. It was 5 degrees Celsius and it took me 30 minutes to complete a 4.24km distance. I think it's quite an achievement because my 2 colleagues have been cheering me on when I wanted to slow down and walk instead of jog.

During this short run, we managed to pass by the San Vittorio Emanulle II. it's a beautiful giant building, well lit up as it was still dark. The U Turn point is the Colosseum. It's such a beautiful structure although I only managed to admire it for a a minute.

Wanted to post pictures but dunno why the pictures didn't went through. I'll post it soon. Ciao!

Bon Journo

2012-01-09T17:14:00.002+08:00

Bonjourno, I'm in Roma.

The Vatican City
I managed to catch a glimpse of the Pope!

The Pantheon

My Roman Knight!

More adventures soon! Ciao.....

The Hill @ Bukit Damansara

2012-01-08T05:31:00.000+08:00

Other posts can wait but I can't let this one get away. This is the begining of a bad experience at The Hill. If you have the patience to go through some of the reviews and comments, you can see that there has been lots of complaints about this place. Well, being a curious person, I decided to pay The Hill a visit, at least once.

I made a reservation for 8 people that night knowing that this place would be crowded. We got a table near the bar counter where the kitchen is also situated and you can smell the food from where we sat and I don't really like it. They have 3 menus - Drinks, Cocktails and Food. The Food menu was kind of limited and it's filled 3-4 pages of Japanese cuisine such as sashimi, sushi and some bento sets.

For starters, we ordered a Portobello Mushroom (RM15) which is grilled together with some bacon bits and topped with Mozarella cheese. It's very nice but the mushrooms are really small. I prefer my Portobello mushroom to be in wholes rather than halves.

Then, we had a Green Monster burger (RM28) which has a lamb patty, Chicken Fingers (RM12) that comes with a Honey Mustard sauce for dipping, Soft Shell Crab Salad (RM18), Fettucine Funghi (RM32) with Chicken and Mushrooms, Fried Salted Egg Calamari (RM14) and the Vongole (RM25). I think the Fettucine Funghi was done quite well as you can taste the creaminess of the sauce and the grilled chicken flavours. The rest of the food is quite commendable except for the Soft shell crab salad which I didn't like the dressing.

According to the menu, their best seller is the Watermelon Slush (RM40) which has a concoction of Vodka, Midori, Lychee Liquer and Watermelon. It was stated that 10,000 watermelons were sold so far. Well, I wasn't sure for the record but my friends who ordered it said that it sucks. It was too bitter and they enjoyed eating the watermelon than drinking it. I say, RM40 can buy you many watermelons!

Happy Hour is until 8pm. What kind of happy hour is this? The offer is to Buy 1 pint of beer and get 1/2 pint free for certain beers. I managed to order 1 pint in a nick of time, 1 minute to 8pm. Pheww.... Liquour is very expensive here with Hoegaarden and Stella Artois going for RM32/pint. 1 Carlsberg bucket of 5 beers is at RM83.

The worst thing is that the service sucks here. Most of the workers are foreigners and they sometimes can't understand what you want. For example, I asked them for plates and cutlery and they send 1 plate less and when I want them to change my plates, they left the new plates on our table and don't bother collecting the used ones. We had to bring our beers to the bar counter to get them to open for us instead of them coming to out table. They are not competent and not alert at all. Sigh... and the bosses were not interested in providing the best service to the customers. We saw them wandering around but provide no help at all to the workers. How sad...

In the end, it's the company of good friends saved the day. I would never come back again. This is not only a watering hole but a lousy drinking joint. I won't pay RM1150 for a bottle of NV Krug! I only laughed at those who did, if there's any!

The Hill
(a few doors away from Jarod & Rawlins)

23, Lorong Dungun
Damansara Heights
Kuala Lumpur 50490
Tel: +6016 229-1505

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh @ Singapore

2012-01-05T20:42:00.005+08:00

A Bak Kut Teh business that has been thriving for the past 30 years old couldn't be wrong right? I happened to chance upon the Song Fa BKT outlet at New Bridge Rd one morning when I woke up and didn't know what to eat. This was in November when I was suddenly craving for bak kut teh in the republic. I heard that the BKT in Singapore has a different taste from the Klang BKT that we Malaysians are used to and so I googled "the best BKT in Singapore" and it brought me to this place.

It's very easy to locate this shop. It's a corner shop located along New Bridge Road where you can reach there easily by MRT and the station is Clarke Quay.

I've always think that chinese tea is a must when it comes to eating BKT. The hot chinese tea will balance the meaty taste and it cleanses the palate. And I liked Pu Er. It's even better if the Pu Er tea leaves has been aged. The cups are so small that I will need to drink from 3 cups to quench my thirst. Here, they have a few stoves with a kettle where you can refill the hot water yourself.

Pork Rib $6/8 (small/regular)

In any BKT, of course ordering the pork rib is a must! It doesn't come in a big claypot but the soup is refillable (rejoice!). There's lots of garlic and the soup is a clear soup with heavy pepper taste. I actually don't mind this peppery BKT for a change. I think both the herbal and peppery BKT does have its fans. For the very 1st time tasting the Singapore's BKT, I kind of like this taste as well. I find this soup less robust in taste which gives me room to eat more.

Pig Stomach Soup $5.50/7.50

Since this is not a claypot style BKT, I can't order my pig stomach, intestine and all the other ingredients to be added into one pot. Here, you can order it separately. Sharing the same soup base as the pork rib, this pig stomach is very good as it goes very well with the peppery taste. Soup is refillable as well.

Side Dishes

For the other side dishes, I ordered a Braised Chicken Feet ($3.50/5.50), Braised Pig Intestines ($6/8) and Salted Vegetables ($1.20/2.20/3.20). I love the chicken feet that comes with a generous serving of beancurd skin. The feet is very tender and it just slides easily from the bones. The braised intestines is good but I still prefer it to be served with the peppery soup. And the salted vegetables whets the appetite.

Overall, I did enjoy a good morning breakfast at Song Fa. And that morning, it happened to be drizzling and it makes it a perfect weather to indulge in BKT. After that, I've made a revisit and tried the other dishes too. Yummy!

Song Fa BKT

11 New Bridge Road (Tel: 6533 6128 )
17 New Bridge Road (Tel: 6438 2858 )
#01-01
Singapore 059383

Website

(Upp. Circular Road) - Beside The Riverwalk

CLOSES ON EVERY MONDAY

11 New Bridge Road : Last Order @ 9.30PM

17 New Bridge Road: Last Order @ 10PM

BUS SERVICES: 2, 12, 33, 54, 147, 190, 851, 961

MRT STATION: NE5 CLARKE QUAY

Cooking a Feast on New Year's Day

2012-01-03T21:16:00.003+08:00

Happy New Year!

Instead of beating the crowd to a New Year's dinner in town, I decide to cook my own new year dinner. Afterall, it's a good time to test out one's cooking skills especially when there are willing guinea pigs around. The guinea pigs are my sister and her bf.

Entree: Pan Seared Foie Gras with cherry tomatoes and grapes

I got some frozen Foie Gras de Canard (duck foie gras) from Singapore to complete the entree. It's just very simple to do it at home. All you need is to take the frozen foie gras out from the freezer and let it rest for about 15 minutes. If you like it rare, you don't need to let it rest too long.

Firstly, sear the foie fras on a pan preheated with a drizzle of olive oil. Dish it out when it's golden brown. Arrange it on a plate with the cherry tomatoes and grapes that have been halved. Then, drizzle it with Balsamic vinegar and sprinkle some sea salt and garnish with some thyme. It's ready to go!

The foie gras needs some salt to enhance the taste of its fats and which the sea salt in my opinion is a better choice than the normal salt. The balsamic balances the fatiness of the foie gras. The sweetness of the grapes goes very well with all the savoury tastes from the dish. To pair with the foie gras, we had a bottle of Billecart Salmon Rose to go with it. It's one of my favourite rose!

Main: Roast Prime Aged Beef with Rosemary

Remember the slab of meat I got for a present a week ago? My friend got me this chilled aged beef all the way from Singapore. Yeah that piece of meat weighed at 700gm and I decide to share it for the dinner. I had marinated the beef the night before with fresh rosemary, garlic, Ornellaia olive oil and some pepper. On the day of cooking, I took the beef out of the refrigerator and let the temperature come up to the room temperature before taking it to the pan to seal the outer layer of the meat. It has to be seared on all the sides of the surface. After that, I put it onto a baking tray lined with foil and roast it in the oven for 15-20 minutes until it's a medium.

The result - it's not perfect but at least it's not worse than some of the restaurants out there. I think it has to do with the quality of the meat. This beef was so juicy and tender and perhaps I wasn't the best person to cook this or else it's considered wasted. However, I was glad that the meal turned out to be very good and we all enjoyed every morsel of it.

Cheers to a good home cooked dinner! After that, I had to sweep, mop and wash the kitchen. It's really tiring and I will really think twice about cooking up another feast again!

NYE 2011: A time for reflection

2011-12-31T11:07:00.002+08:00

It's the time of the year again, the very last day of 2011. And here I am sitting in front of my desktop at home, reflecting the things that had happened for the past 364 days. This very last day of the year, I woke up early to go to the wet market to get some meat and vegetables, had chee cheong fun for breakfast, washed all the clothes and bedsheets and now sending out New Year messages.

Yes, it does not sound very much like a happening person. I guess when one gets older (yes I'm another 1 year older in another month's time), the less one would party. If you were to count the days I went partying or clubbing, I could safely declare that the amount of our public holidays is more. Nowadays, I like to stay at home, have a good rest and keep up with the house chores especially when mom goes traveling. And since I travel almost 50% of the time, it's good to fully utilise the house whenever possible.

I can't believe 1 year passes by so quickly. The work life has been a mixture of good and difficult times but I'm sure I can handle the obstacles. It only makes me wiser and more determined to do better in 2012. My job has brought me places and new experiences which I could never imagined and I am truly blessed. What I've learnt this year - resilient & determination.

Traveling was abundance. This year alone, I've went globe trotting from asia to europe - Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, Sri Lanka, Brussels and Paris. On domestic holidays, I went to Langkawi, Cherating, Penang & Malacca. I've also started running this June and from there, I've participated 3 different runs of 10km - Standard Chartered KL, Putrajaya Night Run & Penang Bridge Run and my personal best record is 74mins. Next year, I plan to do at least 5 runs and hopefully I'll be able to move on from 10km to maybe a 14-16km run.

The essence of 2011 would be the friends I know. I've got a bunch of cool colleagues and I love their company. We work together, we do runs and trips together, and we play our favourite lunch time game of foosball together! Love life is improving. Sometimes things happened for a reason and it's when you least expect it. I do see a journey laden with road blocks but no one knows what will happen if you take the path less taken. I hope one day, I would be able to recite Robert Frost in confidence that I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

And to that, we'll end the year with no less than a glass in hand.

1 shot of Balbair,
1 mug of Beer,
Let's all Cheer,
To a Happy New Year.

The video with such a catchy tune that should end the year.

AcmeBar & Coffee @ The Troika KL

2011-12-28T07:00:00.002+08:00

"Beep beep"

Sorry this is no Acme Corporation that was featured in the Wile E Coyote and Road Runner cartoons we used to watch when we were kids. The AcmeBar & Coffee at The Troika is a new establishment of good food and coffee which fits the description of an edgy, classy and trendy cafe in the heart of the city.

Sunday the 18th was the perfect day to stuff ourselves at the buffet brunch at ABC. It was also Yiling's birthday and I made a reservation a week in advance just to make sure that we won't miss this brunch! The Troika is located on Jalan Binjai which is just right opposite the PNB Sime Darby. If you're coming from Jln Tun Razak, take the exit on the left after G Tower, then take a left turn at the junction before Hotel Nikko and go straight along the road. You'll see The Troika on your right and the parking is at the basement level B1 which is for visitors. It's convenient and easy to navigate.

I am impressed with the interior design of this cafe. This place has a loft for private events and it's airy, spacious and I love the big windows that allows the sunlight to penetrate through. It wasn't too warm either and it's just so comfortable dining here.

Cut the crap and head straight to the buffet spread. One advice though - don't come here expecting that you'll get salmon and oyster sashimi, nasi lemak and fried noodles. This is not your typical buffet. Over here, they serve a pretty good variety of healthy looking but yet delicious salads and greens. There's also a carving station for roast beef, lamb and spring chicken. The salt baked red snapper was another stunning dish that I patiently waited for. For something more filling, they do serve spaghetti (but it was not al dente), french fries and rice to go with the roasted vegetables.

Some of the dishes that I could remember were - Roast & Dried Tomato Salad, French Beans + Mangetout Beans, Puy Lentils with Sour Cherries Bean, Potatoes & Green Pea Salad, Grilled Zucchini Eggplant Tahini, Pastrami with Romaine Lettuce, Smoked Duck Pizza with Mozarella cheese and tomato, a pot of mussels and prawns.

With the brunch priced at RM89++, it's a pity that it doesn't come with drinks although they do provide you with water. I ordered a bottle of red from Cotes du Rhone called Clos du Caillou 2009 since Yiling the birthday girl doesn't like bubblies and white. It's kinda weird to be drinking red for brunch but since she's the brithday girl, I'll just do whatever she fancies. And they serve wines in an "O" glass (what Riedel calls it). According to the staff, it's a way of drinking wine from Spain. Hmmm....

I also checked out the desserts while snacking on the salads. The prawn bisque was so flavourful and these are served to you at your table because it has to be consumed while it's still warm. What I liked about this place is that the menu for brunch on Sundays are not the same every week. This is to ensure that customers can come back every week and expect something different.

The dessert spread is quite limited. They have freshly fried Churros that goes with the melted chocolate, Sago pudding with Gula Melaka, Profiteroles, chocolate cakes, fruit cakes and freshly made papaya & lime ice-cream served to your table.

I also ordered a slice of cake with a candle for Yiling's birthday. That slice of cake costs me RM12. I should have just took a piece of cake from the dessert table and stick that candle into it. Therefore, I give some minus points for this place for not having that "small" personal touch to add to the customer's satisfaction. For her birthday, I bought her the Nike+ Running Band with watch and censor. She has started running recently and I need to motivate her!

Overall, I enjoyed the food here and I will return to try their ala carte menu. This place does not encourage you to bring your own bottles. If I'm not wrong, the corkage charge here is ridiculous. Their coffee are from Illy and they do serve a twist of your favourite local food here. KL need more places like this.

UPDATES 2012: Sunday Brunch Buffet with free flow sparkling wine featuring “Dom Plageoles Mauzac Nature” for only RM199++ (without pairing RM99++)

Acme Bar & Coffee @ The Troika

Ground Floor, The Troika, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2162-2288

Facebook

Opening Hours : 11am - 12am
(Fri & Sat till 1am)

The Joys of Creampuffs

2011-12-26T07:41:00.000+08:00

Merry Xmas everyone!

Hopefully Santa has been really kind to everyone this year. Well, Santa did gave me a present - it was a toothache that comes with wisdom. I wanted to go and see a dentist but after waiting for 1 and a half hours and it's still not my turn, I gave up and decide to live with the pain.

Santa also delivered a box of creampuffs to me for Xmas. Knowing that I had toothache, snacking on these creamy creampuffs helps me forget about the pain. hehe...

The creampuff, which is also known as profiterole, is actually a choux pastry shaped in a ball with a hollow inside that can be split into half and filled with whipped cream or with my favourite custard and finish that off with a sprinkle of powdered sugar if you prefer. It's been one of my favourite tea-time snack or a dessert ever since I was a kid. Mom used to make them and I try emulating but failed badly. The choux pastry seemed too soft and sometimes it collapsed after I took it out from the oven.

Yes, there are many commercially made creampuffs out there but nothing tastes like a homemade one. One of the popular ones here available in our country is Beard Papa. I've tried it before and it didn't strike a right note on my tastebuds. The creampuff is big, too airy and dry. I prefer mine to be dainty, moist and creamy in the inside. Just until recently, I found one that is to my liking.

It's Kee's Creampuffs. They do not have a shop and orders are taken through their Facebook page or the telephone. I find these creampuffs unpretentious, delightful and yummy. It has the right amount of custard filling that is smooth and creamy which I can finish it in 2 bites at the same time maintaining my ladylike manners.

A little more info on the people behind Kee's Creampuffs : It was a hobby turned into a real business idea. They started with just some small orders around the neighbourhood and now that the word has got around, the business has finally kicked off. They are now set to take on to the online world and show everyone what they have to offer - nothing but the best creampuffs!

These creampuffs are homemade and thus there are no preservatives. Therefore, these delectable creampuffs has to be refrigerated and consumed within 2 days from the delivery date. I love it when these puffs are served chill. Of course I didn't finish the box of 25 creampuffs alone. I shared it with my colleagues and they all love it! Although they do not have a physical shop right now, I hope one day they are able to have a bakery of their own.

For those who loves a choux pastry, you'll understand the joy of a cup of tea and a creampuff in hand. Ok, make it two, no three, no... maybe all! I think I gobbled at least 5 creampuffs from that box. I'm glad I've found something so wonderful!

And since Xmas is all about sharing, I'll let you know where I got these delectable treats.

Kee's Creampuffs

Contact information:
Facebook: here
Email: keescreampuffs@gmail.com
Mobile: +6017 384 2813

Price:
25 pcs and above: RM0.80 / piece
100 pcs and above: RM0.70 / piece
300 pcs and above: RM0.60 / piece

*Minimum order of 25 pcs. RM7 delivery fee for PJ and selected KL areas.

Malacca One Day Trip

2011-12-23T08:56:00.005+08:00

Honestly if it's not been my group of colleagues, I wouldn't be traveling to so many places around the country for some good food and fun activities. It's been such a great year and we've been going to Penang to run together and just recently we were in Malacca on a weekend for a day trip. Traveling in a group of friends is so much fun!

One of the much talked about food to try in Malacca would be the Chicken Rice. They are special because the rice are served in a shape of a ball. And the place which most people reckoned to be the best would be this shop called Chung Wah which is situated at Jalan Hang Jebat, at the starting point of the famous Jonker Street.

I don't think anyone will miss this shop as you can obviously see a very long queue outside the quaint little coffeeshop. We were there just before 11am and we had to queue for almost an hour just to get a table.

And just right in front of the shop, there's a local delicacy shop called "Sam Shu Gong" selling all sorts of local products such as coffee powder, biscuits, spices and also Durian Chendol! While waiting in line for the chicken rice, I bought a few durian chendol for everyone (who eats durian). Well, it wasn't the best durian chendol I've tasted but at least it's cooling on a warm day while waiting in the queue. Don't forget to get a few packs of their 3-in-1 coffee powder as they are very good and worth buying!

Once we got a table, the ordering process is really a quick and easy one. Someone would take your orders and usually it's just ordering the chicken and then how many plates of rice balls. For drinks, we ordered the lime barley which is a twist to the normal barley. The lime adds a zesty taste to the drink which I love.

There is only one man doing all those chopping and he must be really tired after so many hours. We ordered a whole steamed Hainanese-style chicken and the rice balls comes in 5 for each plate and it's the size of a golf ball. I'm sure it won't be sufficient for those who have a big appetite. One reason you should not over order is that there are so many things you can eat on the same street and so don't over eat at one place.

While it's an interesting concept to be having chicken rice balls instead of the normal rice, it's not something that I find worth queuing up for an hour or two. The chicken is flavourful but not silky smooth. Eating here has to be brief and quick as people are waiting for the tables outside and you won't feel comfortable to hang out here to chat. The bill comes up to about RM6 per person. I would suggest that if you have not tried this place, give it a go and I'll only come back if I don't need to queue more than 30mins.

Chung Wah Coffee Shop
18, Jalan Hang Jebat, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia
Open Daily: 7:30 am to 3:00 pm

After a chicken rice meal, you can just take a stroll along Jonker Street if you're interested in shopping. The things that you can get here includes souvenirs, antiques, some clothes and accessories but most of the shops here are selling these keychains and small items which sometimes you couldn't resist buying.

Of course we do have a second round of eating. We came to this shop called Jonker 88 where there is Asam Laksa, Chendol, rojak and Pai Tee available. It's a self-service outlet where you have to queue (yeah it's all about queuing here in malacca) and get your food and then look for a table at the back of the shop. The seating capacity is limited, so I suggest you get someone to look for a table and the others to queue for food.

I had a bowl of Asam Laksa and then a bowl of chendol. While the Asam Laksa is tangy and spicy, very much unlike the Ayer Hitam asam laksa I had in Penang, it's quite nice because I like the spicy taste with a pinch of lime juice. However, it's not the best. Food tastes average here but it's the company of friends and the spirit of trying the local food that exceeds the importance of the quality of taste.

And lastly, along the streets, you'll find stalls like this selling grilled cuttlefish. They are not cheap but they make a good snack if you have a bottle of icy cold beer in hand. On every Saturday, there's also a night market which starts at 6pm where you can start shopping and eating all again too!

By the time we got back to KL, it was past 12 midnight and we headed straight to Murni at SS2 for supper!

A Revisit to Bistro à Table @ Jln 17/54 PJ

2011-12-21T00:10:00.000+08:00

I told you that I would be revisiting the restaurant after a much unsatisfactory dinner the last time I was there. And here I am again after the 1st visit 2 weeks ago (review here). I just want to give this place another visit to see if it's worth coming back here again.

This time, I went there during a weekday instead of a weekend and I was quite surprised that this place was also fully booked on a Thursday.

For the entree, my friend has the Veal Sweetbreads with Poached Duck Egg Salad (RM45). I haven't the sweetbread in this style. Usually I had it pan seared but in a salad, this is the first time. This is the thymus gland and according to the chef, this is the better sweetbread. The conclusion is that I still like them to be pan-seared.

I had the self-saucing Ravioli with shaved Alba white truffles (RM58). When you order this dish, the chef herself, Isadora Chai would come out and shave the white truffles in front of your eyes. I wished she could have shaved more of it into my plate. This is a very nicely executed dish with the egg still soft and moist in the ravioli.

We brought our own bottle - the Napa Valley Dominus 1999 which I've written before here. I find it drinking well after letting it breathe for at least 30 mins. It's only worth bringing your own bottle if it's a good bottle as the corkage charge here is RM60. And non-negotiable.

This is the Cannelloni of seared scallops and school prawns in Lobster bisque with a slice of Indonesian black nut tapenade (RM62). I wanted to eat scallops and this seems like the dish to order. The scallops and prawns are diced into cubes and you have to eat it together with the lobster bisque cause it gives it the saltiness and added flavour to the otherwise bland stuffing. The "buah keluak" which is also the Indonesian black nut tapenade is interesting. I usually see it in the Nyonya cooking but in a western dish? This is quite new. I like the crispy tapenade that goes with the bisque as well.

My friend has the Shredded Duck Confit Parppardelle (RM52) for the main dish. I can't comment cause I didn't try it.

Mangosteen Pavlova with Chantilly Cream & Candied Cucumber (RM19)

This is one helluva crazy dessert that I've ever eaten. It's so amazing that the baby mangosteen tastes so good with the pavlova and cream. I've never heard about candied cucumbers and I find this dessert simply refreshing and creative. Hats off to the chef. Too bad they told me that they won't be serving this anymore until they are able to find more baby mangosteens. You know why? The half of the supplies goes to Isadora's stomach. Well, that's what she told me. Haha...

Ode to Newton (RM37)

This is one dessert that according to the menu, you can only order this past 9.30pm and to allow 25mins waiting time. If I get this right, it means that by the time you have this dessert, it's 10pm. According to Isadora, the reason why it can only be done after 9.30pm is that they have to coordinate the hot and cold kitchen so that this dish can be served perfectly together. I was lucky that night as I manage to get this dessert a bit earlier.

This is a combination of a candied ginger souffle served with a pure Mexican Vanilla bean Anglaise and on one side you have a warm ginger beer with a Lemongrass ice hemisphere where the Nutmeg & Cinnamon ice-cream sits on top. After a while, the ice slowly melts and the ice-cream would fall into the ginger beer mixture. You can slowly sip the ginger beer as you indulge in the perfectly baked souffle. A very interesting dessert!

I must say that the dinner ended with a good note. Service was much better compared to the weekend dinner that we had. Maybe because it's less busy and the chef was in a good mood. She was quite chatty and nice on that night. They are closed on Mondays but every 1st Monday of the month they would be having a Degustation night with a specific theme. Well, in the end, it's still up to you to decide if it's worth spending at least RM300-400 for a meal here without the wines.

Bistro à Table
No.6, Jalan 17/54,
46400 Petaling Jaya.
Facebook

Tel: +6014-338 5888
+603 7931 2831

Opening Hours:
Tue - Sun : 6.30pm to 11pm

Breakfast all day at Brew & Bread @ Kota Kemuning

2011-12-19T06:23:00.000+08:00

There's a new breakfast place in town, and it's in my neighbourhood. Need to do a hip, hip, hooray for that as the dining scene in Kota Kemuning is indeed getting a little boring. Yiling discovered this place and she has been there before and in fact she has been going back to this place numerous times already. I personally have been there twice so far.'

Taking over the previous Klafz restaurant, Brew & Bread is the brainchild of a newphew and aunt whom also started Kheng's Kopitiam, which is just a few outlets away. I must say that it's a brave move for them to start such a concept in this neighbourhood as I find that people living here likes to venture out for food rather than eating in.

Besides specialising in coffee, which the name suggests, they do serve a reasonable variety of breakfast dishes which can be ordered all day long as well as the pasta dishes. I had a Cappucino (RM7) on my first visit. Here, they use only illy coffee and it's one of my favourites. However, the barista was very busy and didn't manage to create a coffee art for me :(

This is the Truffle Mushroom (RM9) under the Sandwiches menu. It's stuffed with sauteed shitake, Swiss brown and button mushrooms seasoned with truffle oil. The sandwich came hot and the portion is just right for 1 person.

The only fresh juice that they are selling is called OJ which simply means Orange Juice (RM7). I felt that the OJ is really worth the price as what you get is pure orange juice squeezed freshly with adding any sugar or water. This is a refreshing drink after a morning run! I wished they would include more fruits into their fresh juice section and it'll be perfect!

Or if you don't feel like having a heavy breakfast, you could always order a Petit Four (RM10) which consists of 4 pastry selection according to your preference. The chocolate pastry and the apple filling pastry is quite nice.

One of the dishes that caught my eyes was this Eggs Waldorf (RM18). It has poached eggs, cherry tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, potato salad and focaccia. The nice touch of this dish is actually the grapes. The grapes gave a interesting sweetness to the dish after all the savoury tastes. The eggs were poached well, giving the egg yolk a runny texture when I cut across it. A very nice dish to start the day!

The Eggs Benedict (RM18) is also another popular dish. My sister likes this one. The poached eggs, the chicken ham and the hollandaise sauce all blends in very well. However, I think it would be much better if the portion of the Hollandaise sauce wasn't that generous.

If one doesn't like eggs or bread. There's always a choice of pasta. I had a Fettucine Basil (RM15) which consists of spinach, prawns, parmesan, and basil. Lucky the Fettucine wasn't overcooked and I can taste the basil in the pasta. A very nice dish indeed at a reasonable price.

The last time I came here was after a morning run with my sisters. Since it's just located at the shops opposite the lake, it makes it a convenient place for some satisfying wholesome breakfast!

Brew & Bread
No. 10, Jalan Anggerik Vanilla M31/M,
Kota Kemuning, Seksyen 31,
Shah Alam, Selangor,
40460

Operating hours: 0800 - 1900 (hrs)
Off day: Thursday
Email: info@brewnbread.com

Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice @ Maxwell Food Court Singapore

2011-12-17T06:34:00.000+08:00

It was such a lovely Monday morning in Singapore. It's always nice when you're on vacation right? But that very day, the weather was good, not too hot and it's a short taxi ride from Mount Elizabeth to Maxwell Food Court near Chinatown.

My plan was of course to eat the famous Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice which I've had it before here and I had to line up for it. So I thought at about 11am, there should be no crowd and I can easily get my hands on it in a breeze. Unfortunately, it was not opened. In fact, most of the stalls are not opened at that time. I wasn't sure if they are closed on Monday or it is too early.

So I decide to give a try at this stall. It's called Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice and it looked so weird with all the chicken bones hanging in a neat line. I mean, how wrong could a plate of chicken rice goes in Singapore where everywhere you go, there's always a chicken rice shop. I believe the amount of chicken rice stalls in the republic exceeds those of 7-elevens?!!

They also do provide 3 types of sauces - ginger, chilli and dark soya sauce. This is a self service food court. I was lucky as there were no queue at all and the process of ordering to getting my meal takes less than 3 shots of picture taking. It costs me SGD$3.00 for a plate.

The rice was very nicely presented. You could see that the grains of rice are in perfect shape. However, I find the rice slightly undercooked. It's very slight and I guess they must have been undercooked because it's still early. By the time it gets to lunch, it should be perfect.

As for the chicken meat, I find it funny that mine doesn't come with the skin. I want the skin!! Who the hell eats Hainanese Chicken Rice without chicken skin? Doesn't make sense right? It's like eating KFC without the crispy chicken skin. But I do like the idea of a boneless chicken. Saves me the hassle of taking out the bones. The chicken meat here is smooth and tender but it wasn't as good and as silky as the chicken from Tian Tian. The sauce lacks a little saltiness as well.

Overall verdict - I still prefer my favourite chicken rice from Tian Tian which is just located near this stall. I haven't forgotten my mission in Singapore which is to try all the best Hainanese Chicken Rice there and see which stall is truly the creme de la creme.

Tong Fong Fatt Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
Stall 17

Maxwell Food Centre
1 Kadayanallur Street
Singapore

Forlino @ One Fullerton Singapore

2011-12-14T09:22:00.015+08:00

Monday is usually not the best day to start the week. Who the hell would have the mood to dress up for dinner at a glitzy sassy fine-dining restaurant, sipping wines and champagnes, indulging in all those rich culinary and then waking up early the next day to go to work knowing that it's only Tuesday - the week has just begun. Well, maybe those who doesn't have to go by the official clock in hours would! I'm not one of those but since I'm on holiday, I could do that too.

And that very evening, I was taken to a beautiful Italian restaurant at One Fullerton located in Marina Bay which is built on Singapore's reclaimed land. The restaurant, Forlino, pride themselves as Singapore's Finest Italian Restaurant and I'll tell you why I had to agree whole-heartedly.

I'm quite a fussy person when it comes to a fine-dining experience. A fine-dining experience starts at the moment you stepped into the restaurant, down to the cutlery and service to the moment you waltzed out the door. I expect nothing but a stellar dining experience if I were to pay through my nose for that meal, boy.

The dinner at Forlino started on the right note. We were ushered to our tables with a GREAT view of the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer and the Merlion. After taking our orders, they served us the still water, the Silex that we brought to the restaurant and then our amuse bouche. I must say that for every fine-dining restaurant, the amuse bouche is the first dish to impress. Well, the creampuff with Parmigiano and drips of bell pepper puree was impressive. It's light, fluffy and the cheese wasn't too overpowering either. E Buonissimo!

For appetisers, I had a Pan Roasted Goose Liver with Lambrusco Wine and Motello Cherry (S$32). What I loved best about this dish is that the goose liver was so tender, moist and fine. The sauce and poached pear slices was a good combination, resulting in the savoury and sweet taste. Then when I laced it with the Motello Cherry, it tasted even better because the this cherry has a rich and complex flavours. Don't be surprised if you taste chocolate in it too. I told the Chef that there should be 2 cherries instead of one!

My dining partner ordered the Spanner Crab with Tuscan Bread & Tomato Salad and Champagne Vinegar (S$32). Initially I wanted to order this but since I can steal a bite from his plate, I should order a different dish instead. It's aesthetically impressive from the bowl and on the palate, it's as good as it looks. The whole combination was refreshing, tangy and it has interesting textures of tomatoes, crab meat and greens all interwined together. An appetising entree indeed which is building up to the mains.

Silex 2005

One of the wines that I really wanted to drink was this Silex from Didier Dagueneau, one of the greatest Sauvignon Blanc producers in the world and dubbed as "one of the greatest winemakers of our generation". Sadly his legacy could not be continued as he died in a microlite accident in the Dordogne region of France at the age of 52 in 2008. He was also known as the "wild man of the Loire" due to his notorious behaviour and his different approach at winemaking. Therefore, his wines are immensely pleasurable as they are special, as unique as the man himself. As wine writer James Turnbull puts it: "No other wine born of silex soil has the firm and austere authority of Dagueneau’s."

Having tasted the Pur Sang 2006, I can't quite take my mind off Didier's wines. And now, having the opportunity to taste the Silex, probably his most famous wine, I would have an orgasm even before sipping. Seriously if you think a Sauvignon Blanc is just another white, you'll be so wrong until you've tasted Didier's Silex or Pur Sang. This white from Pouilly-Fumé has so much minerality that you'll find this a surprise. On the nose, you get these white flowers, verbena and nutty notes. It has a light yellow hue, indicating that it's still young and on the palate, you'll get to taste the zesty, floral notes as well as its richness and balanced acidity. Though this is not as lime-zesty as the Pur Sang, I find this very much elegant and refined. A 96 pointer from Wine Spectator is quite a fair review. I don't think I'll ever have a chance to taste his wines anymore and so it was indeed a cherished moment when I sipped my last glass of Silex 2005.

After the appetisers as we were enjoying the wines, we asked them to hold our mains for another 15 mins. After a while, the staff came up to our table and served two identical covered plates to us and I thought to myself, "how come the two mains come in the same plate although we ordered 2 different dishes". And voila when the lid was lift off!

It was Chef Mario Caramella signature dish - the Spaghetti 'alla Chitarra' with Lobster which I wanted to order initially but decided to go for the beef cheeks instead. It was indeed a very nice surprise 2nd course which I didn't expect. To be able to describe this dish in words might not be something I am able to do but to put it this way, "the dish was so well executed that I find no words to oblige a 2nd helping". The pasta was cooked al dente, absorbing the sauce so well and the lobster is still moist, juicy and tender. You can taste the burst of freshness and the sauce is not overpowering as well.

This is the main I ordered - Wagyu Beef Cheek with 100% Chocolate and Red Wine sauce (S$45). I ordered this due to 2 factors, one being I shall not give beef cheeks a pass if it's in the menu and second, I am intrigued with the combination of chocolate with beef cheeks. Actually, there's so many dishes on the menu that I wanted to try but sadly I don't have the space for everything. The beef cheeks is braised so tenderly and the chocolate and red wine sauce doesn't seemed to be a red eye to the dish. It blends very well, creating the slight sweet taste to the meat. There's also the herbs, carrots, onions and well mashed potato that is fine and beautiful to pair with the richness of the wagyu beef cheeks.

This is the Milk-fed Veal Shank with Vin Santo Wine and Forest Mushrooms Ragout (S$58). It's funny that I seldom take veal though it's supposed to be a very good piece of meat due to the young cattle instead of the meat from older cattles. This veal shank is delicious! The meat is extremely tender, meaning no extra amount of strength needed to chew this. I must say that Chef Mario is very good with sauces as they tend to pair the dish so well and you'll want to have every morsel of it!

1997 Arnaldo-Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco

To go with our mains, we had another bottle of wine, this time a red made with Sangratino grapes made by Arnaldo Caprai which is considered as the Best Producer of top quality Sagrantino di Montefalco in the region of Umbria in Italy. This is one of those Italian wines that I've not tasted nor heard before and surprisingly, it exceeded my expectations. On the nose, you get these leathery and chocolate notes. On the palate, I can taste the ripe fruits such as plum and blackberries, there were also herbs and earthy notes with a touch of oak. The tannins are still young but it's a silky wine with a good balance and decent length. It's about S$250 for this bottle but I think it's worth it, considering we are drinking this at Forlino.

Our dinner seemed like a never-ending meal. It's a Monday and there were only a few tables which granted us extra attention from the staff due to a reasonably quiet day of the week at the restaurant. I didn't order any desserts and Ganesh, the restaurant Manager has the liberty to decide what we should be having to give a sweet ending note to our dinner. My wish came true, as they really served me their signature Molten Lava Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Ice Cream and Persimmon Coulis. Well, I was thinking to myself that this dessert better pass Eiling's chocolate test or else I'll fail this dessert miserably. First bite into the cake and I was memerised beyond words. The chocolate was oozing out and the cake was so chocolatey! My perfect chocolate dessert needless to say!

Then there was also the Tiramisu which they claimed that it's one of the best desserts too. Okay, I'll take a spoonful and see if it's really that good. Well, one thing for sure, there's liquer in there which makes the Tiramisu more "real" as I dislike having a non-alchoholic tiramisu. The cocoa powder was rich and the textures were all there. I'll still stick to the Molten Lava Chocolate Cake thank you! It's one of the best chocolate desserts I told the Chef, almost speechless when I was trying describe how good it was.

Whimsical deco, impeccable service and fabulous waterfront scenary.

The phrase above truly summarised my experience at Forlino. I like how meticulous they are towards the service and also in their set-up of the tables. The staff did iron each table cloth one very table! Every dish was served in perfect manner, with explanation of the dish and politeness. The chef was friendly and he came out to greet his customers as well. The food was excellent, timeless menu, impeccable service, picturesque waterfront view and wonderful company. Forlino is truly a class above the rest.

Limoncello & Chiacchiere

Just as when I thought dinner has ended, Ganesh came holding a cute glass container holding a gold amber liquid. Desserts hasn't quite ended as in every Italian tradition, we should end with either a shot of Grappa or a Limoncello. I prefer the latter which also happened to be the chef's own special concoction which he made it himself. Very wonderful limoncello with hints of sweet honey. I think I had 3 shots because my date isn't fond of sweet stuffs.

One of the best dinner dates I ever had! This place is worth visiting again and again. I'm sure my 2nd visit won't take too long.

Forlino

#02-06 One Fullerton | One Fullerton Road Singapore 049213 | Tel: 6877 6995

Opens Daily

Lunch: 12pm - 2.30pm | Dinner: 6.30pm - 10.30pm
reservations@forlino.com
www.forlino.com

Ricetaurant @ Bangsar Village 2

2011-12-11T10:00:00.000+08:00

Last weekend, I told Merkaine that I wanted to try this restaurant in Bangsar Village that serves everything rice. It was quite a brilliant idea to come up with such a name for this place. It's called Ricetaurant, which indeed serves many rice dishes!

This is another restaurant by the BIG group which owns other eateries like Ben's, Plan B and also the Canoodling next door to Ricetaurant which serves everything noodles! How creative! I like the deco of this place, modern oriental chic design. Less is always more. I love the lineup of silver tiffins on top of the open kitchen counter.

Look, even their menu is printed in the form of a school workbook which they amicably called it as the "Primary School of Rice". How cute. Even the inside pages where the names of the dishes are printed in the blue squares of the workbook. It looks like one of those workbook used for mathematics.

Since Merkaine is still very full from the Chee Cheong Fun breakfast, she decides to have just the dessert. This bowl of sea coconut is indeed refreshing on a hot afternoon.

I felt like having a bowl of porridge that afternoon. On the menu is the Teochew Porridge with Condiments (RM17.90). Yes, it might me the most expensive porridge but at least it comes with a bowl of soup of the day (Radish soup on Saturdays), condiments such as salted egg, preserved vegetables with chicken, fermented tofu, crispy anchovies, roasted peanuts, mushrooms and bittergourd. Ok, out of that 8 little dishes, there are 2 that I don't take.

The set also comes with a dessert of the day which is the green beans with wheat porridge. Although this is also not what I would usually take, I did finish the whole bowl. Green beans aren't exactly my favourite.

After that, I cool down with a glass of Lemograss Green Tea. The total bill adds up to about RM40+ for all these food that we have ordered. I don't mind coming back to try other dishes but there's something I need to say here. The staff here aren't exactly the smiley, friendly type. There seemed to be something that all the BIG restaurants share - unfriendly staff. Hmmmph!

RICETAURANT
2F-29, Bangsar Village 2,
No. 1, Jalan Telawi Satu, Bangsar Baru,
59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Contact : Leong / Wong : +603 – 2287 1566
Opening Hours :12noon – 3pm daily & 6pm – 10pm daily

Website : www.thebiggroup.co/ricetaurant/

Define your Future

2011-12-09T09:00:00.000+08:00

Yes, these are indeed 3 very big words. Honestly, when I was in high school, I didn't know what I wanted in life, how am I going to get there and will I get there? Thinking about the future is really a serious thought and heck, I don't even know how to start!

That's why, parents played a major role in our lives. Not only they are our closest role models that we live with from the day we are born into this world, they are also the ones whom influence our way of life from the start. My mom decides what I should study after high school and even right to my first job. That's how important my parents are in shaping my future. Of course, the rest is up to us.

I started my career in the chocolate industry taking care of a local chocolate brand portfolio. It was my 1st job and I thought why not give it a try to see if I like what I'm doing. From that day onwards, it was no looking back and I'm onto my 3rd chocolate company and has almost 7 years of experience in this industry. I've gone through chocolate tastings, chocolate development, sales & marketing from small brands to international brands. And that, I must thank my education which sets the path for me.

Walking down the path in choosing the right institution of higher learning is no easy feat. Imagine the hundreds of colleges/universities to choose from locally and maybe thousands internationally. How could one choose? It's not like walking down the aisle of a supermarket choosing a packet of orange juice where you can pick another label if you don't like the previous purchase. But choosing the right college/university is crucial. It's your future!

And the best way to learn more about the institution of higher learning that you're about to choose is to attend its Open Day. That way, not only you can get clarifications from the institution, you can also visit their campus and find out about the facilities apart from the programmes offered. Remember, it's not all about studies, extra curricular activities and events are equally important in shaping who we are.

So why not head on to Sunway Education Day on the 17th & 18th Dec, 9am to 5pm to explore the many pathways to your dream careers. There will be talks and showcases, or drop by to chat with their education experts who are ready to help you choose your preferred education path.

Explore, Experience and Enjoy the interesting events around Sunway Campus on Education Day weekend!

Campus Showcase

- Discover Sunway Campus: The convenience of our bus transportation, the new Sunway Monash Residence, the generous Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and cutting-edge research we do here.

Culinary Masterpiece

- Culinary magic unfolds as Sunway Hospitality students craft a sumptuous 3-course meal and inviting pastries just for the guests!

Works of Art

- Watch the talented crop of artists from Art & Design and Performance & Media show off their amazing works at the idea3 Gallery and the Roof Top Theatre.

Career Test

- Explore which career is most apt for you through our computerised Aptitude and Interest Test.

They are open every day from now till 15th January 2012. Opening hours are 8.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays and 10.00am to 4.00pm on weekends and Public Holidays. Info here.

Did you also know that?

Fact #1! Sunway University is voted as Reader’s Digest Gold Trusted Brand Award 2011.

Fact #2! Over RM80 million Scholarships awarded through the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation!

Fact #3! ACCA @ Sunway is the only programme in Malaysia with 8 Consecutive Platinum Status.

Fact #4! Sunway VU MBA programme is ranked 6th top MBA in 2011 in Australia by Financial Review BOSS and utilising SAP-Software Enabled Teaching & Learning approach.

Fact #5! Sunway is the only provider of ICAEW programme in Malaysia

Fact #6! Sunway Diploma in Hotel Management, Culinary Arts and Events Management programmes are validated by Le Cordon Bleu.

Fact #7! Sunway degree programmes are validated by Lancaster University, UK, (Ranked 9^th out of 100 Universities in The Times Good University Guide 2012).

Fact #8! With Sunway BSc (Hons) Accounting & Finance; you can gain exemption for ICAEW/ ACCA/ CIMA/ CPA!

Fact #9! Experience campus living with Sunway Monash Residence, Sun-U Residence and Sun-U Apartment and enjoy a safe campus environment with the presence of committed Ancillary Police and trained security professionals.

DEFINE YOUR FUTURE
through A WORLD of EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

I've chosen mine. Have you?

My collection of self expression...

2011-12-07T07:33:00.003+08:00

It was a wonderful Saturday. I started my day having an early appointment of body scrub and massage which I treated myself once in a while. Then, I called my gf out to have lunch and shop around at Bangsar Village. It's afterall one of my favourite hang out place due to the choice of eating outlets here.

While walking up the escalator, I told her that I have to go into this shop - Cuffz. It revived quite a few memories, dated back to my second job with Fidani. At that time, Cuffz only had 2 boutiques and the owner and staff managed to change my perception towards cufflinks. I thought it was a "guy accessories" but it turned out that women can wear them too and look extremely stylish. And from that moment onwards, I was collecting cufflinks!

My sisters too got into the frenzy and we started buying cufflinks and shirts to match our new found accessories. I think I have about 10 pairs in total now but all of them are quite formal designs.

I was really tempted to get one of those quirky cufflinks which is also a novelty item.

I bet no one knew these duckies are actually cufflinks. Don't they look cute?!!

These are for those whom can't live without coffee!

One particular boutique that I go to is Cuffz because of their variety and wide selection of cufflinks which exceeds 3000 designs?!! I'm sure everyone whom walked into the boutique will find something they like. I really liked the new cufflinks which they featured at the counter for Xmas and the prices are reasonable too as they start from RM139 and semi precious stones cufflinks would be more expensive. Eric, one of the partners of Cuffz was very friendly. He showed me the most expensive pair he had at the shop at a whopping RM1888! What a lucky number. Haha...

Merkaine insisted that I take a picture of her with the angry birds cufflinks!

But I fell in love with the led cufflinks that emits light when you press the switch.

Both of us can't help but oohed and aahed at all the cufflinks. I wished that I have lots of money to buy all the cute cufflinks that I have eyed upon. Back to reality, Eiling! I can only afford one and I knew what I wanted! To me cufflinks are more than an accessory, it's a form of self-expression. The kind of cufflinks you wear can sometimes tell what type of person you are!

I wonder what will people say when I wear those duckies to work? Hehe...

And of course they have more than cufflinks. They carry shirts, vests, ties and also belts. As for something special, they have collar pins, shirt studs, tie pins and button covers. I think it's quite easy to buy a gift here if you are looking for one for the guys. You can't possibly go wrong with these acessories. I was also looking at the ladies' shirts which have sleeves catered for cufflinks. Wow, can't believe their variety has increased from the time I first started patronising Cuffz.

Cuffz at Bangsar Village 2

So do hop over to Cuffz this Xmas to check out the accessories. It's so nice to meet Eric again as they have been so busy expanding that I haven't seen them for more than a year! Last I heard, they will be bringing the store overseas! That's great news. And for this, I wished them success. And, thanks for allowing me to take all these pictures!

Check out on more promotions and info at their Facebook page here.

Bistro à Table @ Jln 17/54 PJ

2011-12-04T18:45:00.007+08:00

Bistro à Table (pronounced "ah-tah-bl") has been opened for a couple of months and I've finally made my way there thanks to the suggestion from Yiling and Calvin. Initially, we had some trouble looking for this place as the restaurant is tucked in a corner of 2 rows of shop houses hidden in the housing area of Section 17 in PJ. It's way easier if you know where Decanter is located as it is just behind that wine place. This place serves French with a twist which they called it "adaptive French cuisine".

This place has a very simple deco where I'll say, one look see all! It doesn't look like those fine dining places with romantic setting and dimmed lights as this place here has a simple dining set up and interesting hanging bulbs from the ceiling coupled with some orchid plants. This place is in a buzz on last Saturday night. It looks like its location is not a factor to deter them from coming.

Introducing the 4 food critics of the night, haha... my sis says that we are the secret Michelin Star food judges. Lol.. I won't dare to say that as I'm seriously not too fussy with my food but I'll prefer that the price that I pay for is well justified with the quality of food, ambiance and service that I am getting.

Chateau Citran 2006

I bought a bottle of Chateau Citran 2006 which is my last bottle as I really like this red from Haut-Medoc for its quality and affordable price tag (about RM200). Robert Parker gave it a 75 points which I felt that the rating was fair. The wine does has some weaknesses. It's nose was not too expressive but on the palate, you can taste the ripe fruits such as blackberries and it's a soft wine. However, after half an hour to 1 hour, the structure of the wine changed slightly. It opens up and tasted much better. I think it'll be a lot better given more time to cellar it.

By the way, the corkage charge is at RM60 which I felt was quite high considering that they have a very limited wine list which the price ranges from RM140 - RM580. If I'm not mistaken, I used to enquire about the corkage charges when it was still new and I was told it was only RM50.

Entree

We had two entrees to share. The first one being the Cointreau Duck Parfait with Cornichons and caper berries (RM19). While the duck parfait was done very well (it's like a pate where foie gras is blended with duck fat and eggs) and it was served with slices of toasted baguette, I didn't really paired them with the cornichons (gherkins), onion rings and caper berries as I find them a bit messy to eat as the other ingredients would just fall off from the bread.

The other entree which we saw many people ordering would be the Coddled Maple Syrup Egg with Crouton Dust and Fleur de sel (RM16). The staff told us that we have to mix the eggs inside the shell and pour over the crouton dust. I guess the Fleur de Sel (hand-harvested sea salt which is more flavourful) has already been mixed into the egg. Then after you have mixed it up, just dip the asparagus into the egg mixture and eat! Two asparagus sticks could have been better instead of 1! It's an interesting dish but I find it too sweet maybe because there were maple syrup. I would prefer a savoury egg instead but this is just my opinion.

As for mains, we ordered a Stuffed Cured Quail with parsnip puree and puy lentils (RM68). The quail dish is very tasty with a savoury and robust taste from the stuffings and a sweet note from the sauce and parsnip puree. But somehow, there were something lacking in the dish. Perhaps I didn't like the pairings of the quail with the puy lentils.

The 2nd mains we had was the Risotto with fresh Chanterelles, Trompete de la Mort & Morel Mushrooms with a 30-month Parmigiano Reggiano (RM42). Basically, this is a risotto dish with lots of different mushrooms. The Chanterelle is a type of mushroom that is orangey in colour and has a convex to funnel-shaped cap. A very rich dish and it was perfectly executed.

The last dish of the night would be this Australian Lamb Rack with pink pepper jus & crispy savoy cabbage (RM85). While the lamb is cooked to a medium well which my sister preferred it to be, I really like the juiciness of the meat and the cabbage was also well-executed. However, with that price, I felt that the portion was too small. There were only 2 racks while if I'm not wrong, most of the places which I've gone to would at least serve 3-4 racks.

Initially I wanted to have a dessert but looking at the dessert menu, I couldn't find one that ticks my palate. So, I decided to skip the dessert and call it a night. Some of the interesting facts I've noticed while in the restaurant is that Chef Isadora Chai, whom helmed this place is a very outspoken person. She's like the lady version of Gordon Ramsay. We heard her shouting from the kitchen "There's no fish! There's no more fish for tonight!!!" Her voice echoed to our table and this petite lady is not someone you want to mess with.

She came over to our table to ask us about our experience for the night and we honestly told her what we felt that could have been better. First of all, for all fine-dining standards, a warm plate to serve the dish is almost a compulsory as the dishes came in a bit cold. Service should be top-notch but it was below my expectations as a good service includes explaining to the patrons of the dish that has been served. And then she excused herself to bid some of the patrons goodbye and never came back to at least thank us or provide a closure to the conversation as she darts off to another table to chat. I don't know how I should react to this.

Although the food were commendable, I have to critically rate this place because I felt that with the prices that they are charging, this is considered a high-end, fine-dinning restaurant which should live up to its name in trying their best to give the patrons the best experience they can. Ok, maybe I was too sensitive to be disappointed with the nitty-gritty details that would have been nothing if you just want to go there for a good meal but because we also took the hassle to locate the place after getting lost while on the way there to find that it's not an experience that we're looking for.

Would I come back? I think I would come back and see if it's any better on my 2nd visit and to try a new menu. The staff told me that they change the menu almost daily and so that would be the incentive to come and try the other dishes.

My second visit here.
Sister's review here.

Bistro à Table
No.6, Jalan 17/54,
46400 Petaling Jaya.
Facebook

Tel: +6014-338 5888
+603 7931 2831

Opening Hours:
Tue - Sun : 6.30pm to 11pm

La Vie En Rose @ Jalan Raja Chulan, KL

2011-12-03T17:58:00.005+08:00

I read about a new place to dine in town - La Vie En Rose from one of the blogs that I religiously follow at Eat Drink KL. Check out all his posts on this place here. My friend and I decide to check it out yesterday after our dinner at Muar Restaurant on Tengkat Tong Shin. We were there not to dine but rather to have a drink and check out the place which I've been telling him about but he didn't believe me that there's a new place to dine on Jalan Raja Chulan.

This place might be easily missed as it is a bungalow located on a slightly higher grounds, on a small hill slope which connects to Changkat Bukit Bintang. If you're coming from Jalan Raja Chulan where The Weld Shopping Centre is located on the right at the traffic light junction, you just need to go straight for 300m and you'll see a Shell petrol station on your left. Right after Shell, there's a slope going uphill adjacent to the road and it's quite tricky as you'll need to do a sharp U-turn to the left to go up to the restaurant. For convenience, you can just park opposite the restaurant at the open car park on the other side of the road.

The space is too tight for the big cars to be parked uphill and it takes my friend's driver quite sometime to turn his car around to exit the place. I prefer walking up the slope anytime rather than put a dent to my car.

This place has an open concept and it's wonderful if you happened to be there on a rainy day where it's cool and breezy. The chef of this place is none other than Chef Jean Michel Fraisse from Toulouse. He is one of the chefs whom teaches at HTC, the French Culinary School in Menara IMC. The chef has been helping many restauranteurs and hoteliers alike to realise their culinary potential and he has been an executive chef when he was just 23 years old.

It's a pity that I didn't get to try his culinary skills that night as we were there just to drink after dinner. However, I did manage to check out the menu and it seemed that they have a pretty nice French menu with some of the dishes that were not served in many of the French restaurants in KL. For the drinks menu, it's somehow very limited and I'm very disappointed with some of the selection.

To be honest, the wines that I deem drinkable are way too expensive and overpriced at RM550-900 a bottle and the medium-priced wines range from RM120-290. I ordered a bottle of Gingondas, Les Conventines 2008 which is at RM200. The single malt whisky available was only Macallan and the champagne were NV Louis de Sacy, a boutique champagne which is not agreeable to my palate. Hmm... I had a tough time choosing my drinks.

The Gigondas appeared to be a disappointment. Initially, the wine was too cold and we let the wine rest a while. The first sip was tight and closed. After half an hour to 1 hour later, I found that the wine didn't really open up and it lacks a finish. A wine from Rhone Valley usually has lots of ripe fruit together with earthy and leathery notes but this one here just didn't tickle my palate. They should have offered the E.Guigal Gigondas on the list.

At the same time, my friend offered me the aged Por Larranaga petit corona which I couldn't resist. It's so good to be smoking a Por Larranaga as it offers a sweet, full of honey and some spicy flavours with a medium-bodied smoke. Very balanced and complex.

I had an enjoyable night chatting with Alex, whom is also from Toulouse and is one of the chefs there and thanks to him, I got to know more about this restaurant and the bakery which is just next to the dining area. This is also a perfect place for a small event which can accomodate from 50-120 pax. Although I told him that I didn't really enjoy the drinks menu, I'lkl definitely come back to check out the food!

From whisky to dinner at Muar Restaurant, and then La Vie En Rose, Elixir Club, my last stop was at Bar Italia having a night cap of sparkling rose. Haha... what a Friday night!

la vie en rose
restaurant francais-bar-bakery-shop

39, Jalan Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6 012-2905 342 (vicki)
+6012-2907 645 (alex)
+603 2078 3883

Email: info@cusisine-studio.net

Ippudo Tao @ UE Square, Singapore

2011-12-01T09:05:00.006+08:00

You know what's really good on a cloudy, rainy day? Besides my craving for a Bak Kut Teh during this type of weather, the other would actually be a bowl of hot and steaming ramen! Any bowl of ramen is not good enough. It has to be the ramen from the "ramen king" whom is none other than Shigemi Kawahara, the founder of Ippudo in Fukuoka, Japan.

The story of Ippudo dated back in 1985 from its first outlet in Japan with just a seating capacity of 10. Ever since, the name has grown to 49 outlets in Japan, 1 in New York and 2 in Singapore. This outlet here in UE Square is the 2nd outlet in Singapore with the collaboration of Tao, the renowned Japanese Drum Group after its first branch at Mandarin Gallery.

I like the ambiance which transports one's soul to Japan with its play of black, red and wood colours. It evokes a sense of passion, the very same passion that those chefs have to prepare the best bowl of ramen to its customers. For your info, Ippudo was also the first to refer to broth by color, Shiro (white) and Aka (red), which soon became a standard industry practice. And till today, Shiromaru and Akamaru continue to helm as Ippudo’s signature ramen.

For starters, Ervin ordered a plate of Ippudo Pan Fried Gyoza, which he insists that I have to try. At that time, I was thinking to myself wondering what's so special about Gyoza? It's served everywhere at the Japanese restaurants. However, it did turn out to be something special. When the dish came, it looked to me what we called an "Apam balik" where there's a layer of crispy flour and egg batter. When you turn the crispy layer over, there's 6 pieces of chicken meat dumplings attached to it. The dumpling didn't appeared to me as pan fried as it tastes like it has been steamed but the bottom has been lightly pan seared together with the crispy layer. I like the contrasting textures that did not sacrifice the juiciness of the dumplings. MUST-ORDER!

This is also no ordinary agedashi tofu. This is Agedashi Tofu & Karaage No Mizoreni which is the agedashi tofu served with fried chicken karaage and light Japanese sauce. The tofu is no doubt very silky smooth and the fried karaage pairs very well with the subtle flavours of the sauce. Yummy yummy.

I was feeling a little adventurous and decide to try a new way of eating ramen. So, I ordered a bowl of Tsukemen or also known as "dipping noodles". Tsukemen is similar to ramen but the noodles and soup are served separately, where the soup is not added into the noodles. This is one of the traditional ramen styles in Japan where the noodles are served cold, yet the soup is hot. You'll need to dip the noodles into the soup before eating just like how you would eat a bowl of cold soba. I enjoyed this so much that I managed to finish the whole bowl of it all by myself even after the Gyoza and Agedashi Tofu.

The soup for Tsukemen is richer and more concentrated than the usual basic ramen soup so that you get the instant flavours absorbed into the ramen as soon as you dip the thick and smooth noodles into it. Usually the soup will diluted if you soak the noodles in the soup for long. Therefore, this way of eating ensures you get the best broth during the whole process. And to show you're enjoying the ramen, slurp your noodle noisily and don't be afraid that you'll be getting disapproving stares from other patrons. That's the best way to show your appreciation to the chefs.

Ervin had a bowl of Tao Aka Chashu which is actually spicy noodles with simmered pork belly. They used the signature Ippudo tonkotsu broth, which is blended with Japanese fish stock and spicy miso paste. For this ramen, they used the thin curly noodles as opposed to the thick flat noodles which I had for the tsukemen. The soup is very flavourful due to the pork broth but there's no smell of pork here. It's not very spicy and it's definitely the perfect bowl for a rainy day!

I've finally found a place for a good bowl of ramen in Singapore, all thanks to Ervin who brought me here for lunch. The service was efficient, the noodles were cooked just right and the soup is delicious. The bill came up to about SGD$70+ for the both of us. Yes, it's very expensive ramen but I don't mind splurging on tasty ramen once in a while. To me, this place championed the Hokkaido Santouka Ramen in Pavilion KL.

Slurps!!

Ippudo Tao
207, River Valley Road
#01-55/56 UE Square
Singapore 238275
Tel: +65 6887 5315
Website

Opening Hours

Mondays to Thursdays
11.30am-3pm (Last order at 2.30pm)
5.30pm to midnight (Last order at 11pm)

Fridays to Saturdays
11.30am-3pm (Last order at 2.30pm)
5.30pm to 2am (Last order at 1am)

Sundays
11.30am to 11pm (Last order 10pm)

The Saff @ Keong Saik Rd, Singapore

2011-11-29T10:57:00.005+08:00

During the recent two-day holiday trip to Singapore, I've discovered a very nice and most importantly, affordable boutique hotel in the republic. A night's stay in any of the 5 star hotel chains will be enough to send my bank account in red (ok, that's exaggerating but still, it's so expensive!). It was quite a last minute decision to go to Singapore as Monday is a public holiday in Malaysia and thus I booked myself a return ticket with First Coach at just RM128 compared to taking a flight at RM400.

I discovered this hotel on Agoda, which offers one of the best rates for online hotel bookings. The last time I stayed at Hotel 1929, I passed by this hotel (which is just right opposite) and I told myself that I have to give this place a try as it looks very charming from the outside.

The Saff : A Boutique Hotel

The Saff, a name taken from the precious saffron is located on Keong Saik Road, the same row as Keong Saik hotel. This is very near to Chinatown and it's just 5-10 minutes walk to the Outram MRT Station. Down the road, there's a variety of food outlets, starting with one of my favourite restaurant - Nicholas Le Restaurant, an interesting outlet for pasta called Pasta Inc, a few wine bars and some coffeeshops for breakfast, lunch and supper till 3am.

I love the reception area. It's done with a multi-cultural decor with influences from countries suchas Morocco, Thailand, Persia, Turkey and Spain. I like the elaborate golden counter and the hanging couch. The use of brightly hued lime green, fushia and butter yellow which definitely perked up the whole place.

There are 2 floors for this hotel. The first thing I walked out of the lift on the 2nd floor, I'm already impressed with the doorway. The corridor is nicely painted, scented and brightly lit. The doors come in bright blues, greens or reds which is so cool!

I took a room without windows which costs me S$140 a night. I don't mind a room with no windows for a 1-night stay as I won't be spending much time in the room anyways and why waste so much money just because of a window (with no view)?

The room is quite nicely decorated and mine is a lime-green themed room with purple furniture. I was quite satisfied with the size of the room which has space for my luggage, a big mirror, a wardrobe complete with fridge, a safe, and a separate area for the toilet. Unlike Hotel 1929, this hotel offers a bigger space and better location of the toilet instead of just a transparent glass cubicle beside the bed as a toilet.

For the same price, though without a window, I'll definitely opt for Hotel Saff. And the receptionist wasn't as friendly as she doesn't smile but at least I got what I wanted and it's quite a good deal staying here. I will come back again!

A satisfied customer of the hotel.

I decide to blend in with a sexy pink top too! Hehe...

The Saff
Website
55, Keong Saik Road,
Singapore 089158
Tel: +65 6221 8388
askme@thesaffhotel.com

Under the Xmas tree...

2011-11-26T10:08:00.006+08:00

Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town!

He's making a list,
He's checking it twice,
He's gonna find out
who's naughty or nice.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

I'm going to tell Santa that I've been a really good girl this year and I deserve a very nice pressie! You know what I loved most about a Xmas tree? It's actually all the presents that are waiting to be opened under that tree! Too bad that my family don't really celebrate Xmas and we don't do gift exchanges but I managed to do it with some friends and colleagues during this time of the year.

The excitement lies in the opening of presents because you'll never know what's in there for you! Unless of course there's a budget set for the presents (which sometimes are set at RM10) which makes it so difficult to afford a nice present.

Then of course I remembered the times we exchanged presents at KY's xmas party where we played a game of opening presents. People are allowed to hijack the presents that have been opened and the laptop bag was one of the most sought after gift, going through 5 people at least! It was fun but of course there were lots of interesting presents such as the cocktail shaker, war craft and also a pack of pork bacon!

So for this year, you know what I've love to find under that Xmas tree?!!

Haha, this is by far the best choice for Xmas. Ever since its launch earlier this year, this smartphone has been a buzz from US to Malaysia. It's powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform and has a 1.2GHz dual-core application processor which provides unrivalled merits of multi-tasking capabilities. This is a perfect gift for technology fans. (more info on the phone here)

I've recently been addicted to mobile gaming. Sometimes I get too bored in the plane, I'll just take out my phone and start playing the games. If you like gaming, this phone rocks simply because the Samsung GALAXY S II’s Game Hub lets you to download high quality games, with 12 social network games and 13 premium games. With an accelerometer, a magnetic sensor and gyroscope sensors dynamic hand and arm movement games stand out from the crowd. The slightest tilt and you’re dead – now that’s entertainment. Besides that, the loudspeakers are impressive and the sound quality is more than passable for me!

Check out the Video!

This phone is also slim & light which makes it easier to carry around. One of the best smartphones out there. The phone retails at RM1899. I told my sister about my Xmas wishlist and she said "siao ah?!! I won't buy this for you!" So it looks like I have to be a really nice girl and hopefully Santa would be nice enough to drop this present into my mailbox on Xmas eve!

This is the must try No.7 @ Air Hitam Penang

2011-11-25T08:18:00.005+08:00

Seriously if you want to try the one and only listed as No.7 of the world's 50 most delicious food (according to the CNNGo survey), this is the place! It all starts with a bowl of fragrant, mouth-watering asam laksa from this particular stall here located at a T-junction at Jalan Pasar in Air Hitam.

It's a stop you must make before heading to the Kek Lok Si Temple which is just 5 mins walking distance to the foot of the hill where the temple is built.

Maybe the secret lies with the cast-iron pot they used?

I wasn't sure if there's a name for this stall because all you can see is a bold red signage with the word LAKSA printed in gold lettering on the wall behind the stall. I think there's at least 5-6 people manning this small stall here where you could catch all the action. But then, you might be disrupting their flow, just like what I did when I was trying to snap a close-up picture of them.

But this is not a place for everyone. You have to brace the traffic that passes through the narrow streets of Air Hitam, the hassle of looking for a parking (which is not impossible if you're willing to walk under the hot bracing sun), and slurp your asam laksa at the hot and sometimes smelly market under the prying eyes of customers trying to get your table.

Yes, it's going to be an uncomfortable ambiance to dine but who cares if you're having the best of the best asam laksa right? It's always worth going an extra mile for good food.

We called this an Asam Laksa masterpiece.
Don't expect a stellar dining experience but learn to appreciate this messy art.

This is certainly a different kind of asam laksa that I'm used to. The broth is thick and flavourful due to the mashed mackerel fish, lemongrass, drizzles of prawn paste, slices of onions and chilli which makes the soup spicy and tangy. The noodle is cooked "al-dente" without being too soggy and the mint leaves are refreshing. However, don't expect this to be the sour asam laksa that you're used to as this one here has more taste of the fish and the prawn paste which gives it a sweeter finish.

It's very appetising and sometimes you'll end up having 2 bowls like my colleague here. The asam laksa only come in 1 size and it costs RM3.30/bowl (which used to be RM3.00 last year). It's not surprising to be having 2 bowls of this as the portions are really small. I too, would have two bowls if it wasn't a food marathon trip!

I think it's very delicious but I'm somehow not convinced that this is the best asam laksa that is available in Penang. Maybe I've yet to discover the best but so far this is very good.

After that, you can cool down with a glass of refreshing and sweet sugar cane juice freshly squeezed before your eyes.

LAKSA

Pasar Air Itam,
Jalan Pasar,
11500 Air Itam,
Pulau Pinang

Business Hours: Opens daily from 11.15am - 7.30pm

Hawker Stalls at New Lane @ Penang

2011-11-24T09:38:00.005+08:00

I was recently in Penang during the last weekend to take part in the Penang Bridge International Marathon 2011. No, I'm not running a full marathon but it's my 3rd 10km run for the year. I shall write more about my experience running in Penang soon. But the trip itself was also more like a food marathon - it was eating from daylight to twilight!

The ladies whom partook the run.

We stayed at the Traders Penang, which is situated along Jalan Magazine, where Komtar & 1st Avenue is just next to each other. It might look like an old hotel but I must say that the rooms are still well maintained and it's clean. A very comfortable and convenient hotel. Just down the road, within 5-10 minutes walking distance is the Macalister road which you can find a number of eateries. And along this street, you can spot a bustling line up of hawker stalls along New Lane Road (Jalan Baru) that you can feast your eyes and appetite on!

The first thing I ordered is the Chee Cheong Fun!

Cuttle Fish with Kangkung

Oyster Omelette (Hor Chien)

Pig Innards Porridge (Chu Chap Chuk)

This is one helluva porridge with crispy pork intestines. Must-try!

Fried Radish (Char Koay Kak)

Lor Bak
This is a Penang delicacy which is marinated minced pork, then roll in thin soybean sheets and then deep fried.

Char Koay Teow
This is forgettable. Definitely not the Penang quality one expects it to be.

Hokkien Mee
This is prawn noodle in Penang. Quite ok but certainly not the best.

Leng Chi Kang
Apart from Ice Kacang, this is another popular drink/dessert in Penang.

Overall, this hawker place here rates fairly well but the only disappointment here is the Char Koay Teow. It's really convenient as it's just near the hotel and for a budget dinner, this is the place! For all those food and for 8 people, the bill came up to about RM100.

Operating Hours: 7.30pm to 12am

Location: Lorong Baru, Penang

(off Macalister road, and nearby to Sunway Hotel)

Want to WIN a party cruise on a yacht?!!

2011-11-21T19:25:00.001+08:00

She's a 53 footer, a nimble but gorgeous built. And with a hydrodynamic and sleek figure, it makes her perfect for the water. She's built for speed, capable of performing as one of the fastest on the water. When she's not spraying seawater on her competitors, she's actually quite gentle. Let her performance WOW you.

I'm talking about Baby Tonga - a luxury sailing ship, complete with white marble tops, varnished mahogany furniture and Alcantara upholstery. Baby Tonga has 3 fully airconditioned cabins, with 3 toilets and showers and a whole lot of ammenities equipped for an extended holiday!

After all, it is a Beneteau First 53f5 model, a collaboration between Bruce Farr & Pininfarina, the italian design company behind the sleek & beautiful luxury brands such as Ferarri and Maserati. So, what if I were to tell you that you will now stand a chance to WIN a cruise on Baby Tonga with your friends (a very luxurious experience!!) by taking part in mini game on Strongbow’s FB tab.

Guinness Anchor Berhad - one of the key regatta sponsors and the sponsor of Baby Tonga's impressive stockpile of Strongbow cider.

Did you know that Strongbow has become an addition to the crew? Baby Tonga is now powered by Strongbow, UK No.1 selling cider which helped the crew to cool down and takes away the intensity of the heat from the sailing! This clear, carbonated, golden appearance of Strongbow Cider might make it look like a regular beer - but one taste will prove it's anything but. It's made from the fermented apple juice of 50 different types of apples, which have been specially selected to guarantee its premium taste. It's then brewed to perfection before being bottled and shipped to Malaysia and the rest of the world.

My sister and I both love the cider. Not only it's refreshing, it helps to energize myself under the intense heat of the afternoon. When it comes to night, the crisp of Strongbow sets the mood for more drinking and good food! Ziling has been drinking this for the longest time before she introduce this great cider to me. She's now trying to convert me into a cider drinker... hehe... It's truly an enjoyable time drinking Strongbow together while catching our favourite TV show.

Want to know how great it feels?
Get one and try it for yourself!

Don't forget to take part in the Strongbow Sail & Win contest on FB and win yourself a party cruise aboard the yacht. All you need to do is to sail the yacht as fast as possible through the race course and answer 3 questions and you'll be in the running to win some cool prizes!

Daniel's Home Made Pan Mee @ Kota Kemuning

2011-11-19T08:14:00.000+08:00

Thank God that now Kota Kemuning has some decent food for us people whom are staying in the neighbourhood to have something to nibble on. Those were the days when a meal in the neighbourhood is solely for survival purposes. Nowadays, many better eatery has been popping up, namely the famous Bidor Pun Chun Duck noodle, Pao Xiang BKT, Jalan Imbi pork noodles and now an addition to my choice of breakfast includes the pan mee from Daniel's.

Thanks to Yiling whom discovered this place that serves home made pan mee (Hokkien style flat flour noodle) which is usually served with minced meat and sweet potato leaves.

As you can see on the menu, they serve more than a dry & soup version of Pan Mee. There's a chilli pan mee, Seafood Pan Mee and also a Hakka style pan mee. This is a good strategy to ensure that the customers don't get sick of eating the same style of pan mee every time they come here.

This is the Hakka Style Pan Mee. It resembles the Hakka Noodles with a generous amount of minced meat, fried shallots and spring onions except that the noodle is substituted with the pan mee. A light noodle but packed in taste from the meat and fried shallots and not too dry.

Yiling has the soup version of pan mee which is served with sweet potato leaves, some minced meat and fried anchovies. I find the taste of the soup acceptable but somehow the noodles wasn't as smooth and slippery as I imagined it to be. For this type of noodle, I still prefer the ones at Berkeley garden.

I ordered a Chilli Pan Mee which looks very appetising. It has minced meat, fried anchovies, dry chilli paste, fried onions and topped with a poached egg. Wow, the chilli is indeed spicy. Just spoonful of it is enough to make me sob and went all teary-eyed. Yeah, I'm really a lousy spicy eater. Not as good as the Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee but better than average for me.

Besides that we also ordered some meatballs to go with the noodles. These meatballs are RM2 for 5 pieces and they come in a size of 20 cents coins which goes right into my mouth in one bite. The pork balls are nice but not excellent. The milk tea that I ordered was a little too sweet. I wonder if sugar price has gone down?

Overall, this is not too bad a place if I have a pan mee craving and didn't want to venture too far out of the neighbourhood. This place is bright, tidy and clean which come as the plus points. I like their creativity portrayed in their pan mee art hung on the wall. It's refreshing!

Daniel's Home Made Pan Mee
38 Jalan Anggerik Vanilla M 31/M
Kota Kemuning, Selangor.
(right opposite Kota Kemuning Food Court, the row of shophouses behind Maybank)

Tue - Fri : 10am to 9pm
Sat - Sun : 7.30am to 3pm
Off on Mondays

Are we idiots?!!

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000+08:00

Seriously does the government think that its citizens are a bunch of idiots? That they can conveniently stage some drama and expect us to believe it? I think we have been living in a country full of lies for the longest time and life is never a bed of roses here! Heloo, where have you been all these years our dear government officers? Some of your citizens are not dumb you know?!!

If there's one thing I would like to say about our country which is really apparent is the way we handle each criminal and corruption offences. And these cases either ended up as laughing stock to other countries or it brings shame upon us. For example, did you know that the Police have lost evidence related to the high-profile robbery case where three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers have been charged? Remember the case where 3 money changers whom are going to board a flight to Singapore in KLIA has been robbed by 3 Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior officers in a men's toilet. These officers have been then arrested in connection with an extortion-cum-robbery case involving RM1 million. (Read more here)

And guess what happens when the case is about to go through the trial? The evidence, which consists of RM11,700 and a wallet have gone missing from Menara 2 of the Selangor police headquarters in Shah Alam. The wallet also contained an MACC identification card and a credit card. This evidence is vital to the court case which the hearing has been fixed on Dec 6th and has now gone missing. Now the police officer in charge of the items is making a police report on the missing evidence. How ironic? Or how convenient?

There is just so manuy possibilities running through my head now after reading this case. Who do you think would have taken the "evidence"? Or why the evidence is so easy to be stolen? Isn't it supposed to be kept in a safe or something? It was learnt that police procedures state that case exhibits involving cash are to be kept in safety deposits, only located in the rooms of a district police chief, state police chief or state CID chief, and not in an office. How could things go missing in a police station? If we couldn't trust the police, why put it there in the 1st place?

Afterall, it's just a drama. So, now without the evidence, all hell breaks loose. No one gets punished and no one is fired right? Well done Malaysia for making yourself shameful again.

We citizens are no idiots k?!!

Chyniis (Chinese Restaurant) @ SS2 Mall PJ

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000+08:00

If you're looking for a nice modern chinese restaurant that serves pretty good dishes away from the fanciful chinese cuisine like abalones and sharks fins, you can always hop to Chyniis which is situated at SS2 Mall. This place gives me a cosy feeling with it's lighting and nice interior.

It has a simple menu with Chinese as well as English but without pictures which leaves you to your power of imagination. What awes me was the classification of its "Sang Har" noodle (King Prawn) under "Starters". Who the hell eats such humongous plate of noodle for starters?!!

Ok, now we do. Yiling wanted to order this dish and this dish is charged at RM15 per 100gm. For this plate here for 5 people, it came up to RM115 which consists of 3 monster prawns. This dish is very well executed here. I like the prawn flavours that sipped into the sauce and noodles. It's indeed a recommended dish here.

Next up, we had the Crispy Pork Belly with Chargrilled rolled cuttlefish (RM24 for small portion). This is truly a sinful dish. The pork belly is crispy and I like how this dish is complimented with mango kerabu and tangy sauce to take away the taste of the oil.

This is the Tea Smoked Village chicken (RM38). This is just half a chicken. Smoked chicken is always one of my favourites as it's not easy to do it at home. The chicken is tender and very aromatic due to the smoky flavours. Yummy!

My sisters have always like a simple tofu dish. They prefer the steamed homemade beancurd with fried onion sauce (RM20 for small portion) over the other types of beancurd that comes with more complicated ingredients. The tofu is very smooth and silky, almost like a steamed egg texture.

Lastly, we had the Spinach in Superior stock (RM18) which is cooked with garlic, dried shrimps and fried century eggs. This dish does not live up to the expectation as we find the stock to be quite tasteless.

Overall, we enjoyed a good meal at Chyniis and I'm looking forward to returning here to try out more dishes. One thing though - their corkage charge is quite pricey. A corkage for a bottle of wine will cost you RM50, sparkling wine at RM60 and spirits (with mixers) at RM150. For a restaurant like this, the price of corkage is over the top! This is a place if you don't mind forking out extra moolah for chinese food.

Another note - sometimes it's really frustrating to be talking to the staff and then to find out that they didn't understand a word you say. I know that most of the staff working at the restaurants now are either Nepalese or Burmese but the management could have at least given them a name tag that states the language that they can speak or understand. Or else, I should start learning a few words from their native language?!!

Chyniis
G 45, 46 & 47, SSTwo Mall,
40, Jalan SS2/72,
47400 Petaling Jaya.

Tel: +603-7956 7288

Yamada Japanese Restaurant @ SS15 Subang Jaya

2011-11-14T08:13:00.005+08:00

Honestly, there's so many Japanese restaurants mushrooming in the SS15 neighbourhood that I've lost count on the number of such establishments. It was out of the blue that we came to Yamada because we couldn't decide what to eat. It was dinnertime and we were looking for a place where we can bring our own bottles and Japanese cuisine is one of the choices since the food would go well with the 2 champagnes that we were bringing to the restaurant. Moreover, we were delighted when I called and make a reservation and was told that there will not be any corkage charge.

Moriawase 5Hinmori (RM80)
This is the Chef's selection of 5 types of sashimi.
Overall, the selection is quite fresh but the mackerel is quite fishy.

To go with the sashimi, of course we had to pop a champagne. One thing about bringing your own bottles here - don't expect they have proper glasses. They didn't have the champagne flutes and we had to settle for the old school champagne glasses that you see at a wedding dinner champagne fountain. I think the next time around, I'll bring my own glasses.

We brought 2 bottles of champagne. One is the Lanson Brut 1996 which I bought from Langkawi at a duty free price. I saw it on the shelves and it's quite a good buy and since I've not tried this champagne house before, why not give it a go? This is one of Champagne's oldest houses and with such a price tag (under RM200), it's quite a steal. It has a strong golden hue with zesty aromas. I can taste some of the lemons and tangerine flavours but the finishing wasn't too well. I suspect that the bottle isn't kept properly at the retail outlet because the taste wasn't that graceful and elegant as described by the label.

Ah... nevermind as we still have the Tattinger to save the day. The Tattinger Prelude is produced exclusively from the Grand Crus vineyards in the Champagne region. This non-vintage blend comprises of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and making full use of the aged reserved components to build up its taste profile. Opposite of the Lanson, Tattinger has a pale yellow hue with creamy bubbles. It has fine texture, zesty lemons, roasted nuts and a complex taste. For a NV, this is really a good bottle! (Wine Advocate gives it a 90 points in 2009)

Ebi Tempura (RM28)
Not bad with the light batter and succulent prawns.

Spider maki (RM25)
This is always a must-order dish for me as I love a good soft shell crab roll. However, this one here has too little soft shell crab in them and the roll is too big.

Cha Soba (RM20)

Cold Green Tea Buckwheat Noodles. Vivid dirty green colour and smooth & slippery texture. Quite refreshing.

Salmon Maki (RM8) & Tobikko Maki (RM8)

This is a simple salmon & flying fish roll which I like it to go with the pickled pink ginger and shoyu.

Saba Shio Set (RM50)
Calvin had a dinner set that comes with the grilled Mackerel with salt, deep fried chicken and a choice of udon or soba noodles. The fish is well grillled and I love the slight salty taste.

Chirashizushi (RM50)
Ziling had this dinner set that comes with sashimi served on rice and a choice of udon or soba. The rice is seasoned with japanese pink dry shrimps that is powdered. It's quite sweet. I felt that the rice is filling enough and with the noodles, you're full to the brim!

Kushiyaki 5Hon set (RM23)
This is the skewer platter with 5 different types of meat (Grilled chicken with onions, chicken, scallop, gizzard and prawns)

Overall, this is a fairly good japanese restaurant if you're looking for an averagely priced japanese cuisine. The deco is simple and nothing too glamorous here so that you don't need to dress to the nines to dine here. Our bill came up to about RM380 for the 5 of us. The best thing is, I can BYO!

Yamada Japanese Restaurant
5, Jalan SS15/5A,
Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: +603 5631 9181

Opening Hours: (Daily)
12 noon to 3pm
6pm to 11pm

Phone or Tablet? It's Samsung Galaxy Note!

2011-11-12T12:57:00.003+08:00

Samsung has launched another yet impressive smartphone with the Galaxy Note. It has the protability of a smartphone but the functions of a tablet. Samsung called it a new type of smartphone with so many on-the-go core benefits which is illustrated in the picture below.

The benefits are endless. At the sametime, do check out the specifications here.

World's 1st 5.3" HD Super AMOLED display (large screen display)
S Planner manages complicated schedules in an easy and intuitive way
The best multi-input experience on the go (Touch screen & S Pen)
S Memo: S Pen optimized advanced memo
Instantly Capture and Annotate Any Screen
Expressive personalization of photos and videos
Rich communication of ideas and emotions
8MP camera with powerful camera feature
2500mAh Battery
HSPA+ 21Mbps or 4G LTE with 1.4GHz dual core processor
Business Experience with Enterprise Solution
Efficient real time record to planner & memo (S Planner & S Memo)

The size of a Samsung Galaxy Note compared to a Samsung Galaxy S2

If you look at the size comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Note is not very much bigger than a S2 because it wants to maintain the portability and on-the-go benefits. However, the 5.3" screen is allowing one to view more in one glance with minimum scrolling and screen transitions.

The best multi-input experience on the go

You have the ability to freely capture and create ideas anywhere and everywhere with the Galaxy Note. You can even do sketch drawings or write notes with increased accuracy and ease with the S Pen. This is a combination of full touch screen and the most advanced pen input technology featuring an array of functions including pressure sensitivity, preciseness, speed and more. Also, the S Pen functionality is deeply integrated into the GALAXY Note’s native applications to provide a richer interactive experience.

Check out the S Pen experience in this video.

This is one of those phones that makes you want to run out and get one right now. I love the doodlings with the S Memo and the ability to capture and crop the picture that you wanted and keep the only necessary. Sending out messages would be fun too with these features. Also, S memo lets users record all forms of ideas instantly. Various Data can be captured into S Memo and users can edit or share the memo. I can just imagine the fun I'm going to have with this phone. If you like gaming, this is also another awesome phone to own because it features a high resolution & large display and a Samsung Gaming Hub.

I would be able to do all this with the S Pen!

Ooh... Can Santa get me this phone for Xmas? Check out the awesome features of this phone here too! It is a new type of smartphone.

Plan b. @ Bangsar Village 1

2011-11-10T21:46:00.004+08:00

If Plan A doesn't work, there's always a Plan b.

Since I'm on leave on Wednesday, I decide to go to Bangsar for a lunch and then watch a movie at 1Utama. Anyways that's the best day to catch a movie due to the discount. I've been longing to watch the Real Steel and finally I managed to do it. It's indeed a very nice movie with lots of touching moments and good acting as well.

Back to lunch, Plan b. is one of the outlets that I wouldn't mind returning to. I like the simple deco and cosy ambience coupled with the good food. This is also the place where you can still order from a breakfast menu until 6pm. The last time I was here, I had a breakfast set and a really good Velvet cake but this time I let my friend do the ordering.

Soft-Shell Crab Salad RM19

This is really a nice salad with a combination of watercress, slices of crunchy green apples, cucumber served with harissa mayo and deep fried soft-shell crab. However, we find the soft-shell crab too oily. For me, the salad is enough to fill me up and I don't think I can have another dish if I were to eat this on my own.

Nasi Dagang RM24

The Nasi Dagang came as a wrong order. We did not order this but the waiter took the wrong order and so being a Malaysian, I just accept it -loh. The nasi dagang came with a bowl of Gulai Ayam (yellowish spicy-curry like sauce with chicken) and Solok Lada (stuffed green chilli with mackerel), acar rampai (pickled cucumber and carrots with and keropok (savoury crisp made from rice flour with prawn flavours). I must admit that I seldom take Malay cuisine but this bowl of Gulai Ayam is really good. It's not too spicy and the chicken thigh is tender.

Chicken Percik RM24

It's interesting to see a plate of blue rice being served. This Chicken Percik dish is served with herbs and a nicely marinated chicken. I like the taste of the chicken but I don't really fancy eating the plate of herbs and greens. It's just not my type of food.

The overall dining experience could be better but I have to say that the service that I got that day wasn't very satisfactory. Not only they got the order wrong, they didn't even return with a plate when I requested for one. I just hope that they will buck up on their service as I really like this place here.

Plan B
Ground Floor, Bangsar Village I,
59000 Bangsar, KL.
Tel: +603-2287 2630

Rebirth of a Classic - The Prequel

2011-11-08T09:25:00.000+08:00

I saved the night on Tues to attend this event. It was my first time attending a watch event and thanks to Kelvin for bringing me along. The theme was all about going back to the classical days and we all have to dress to the roaring 20's. I did a little search on what people wear in the 20's era and decided that I should pile up on the pearl necklaces - afterall, that's all I have!

The event starts on the 3rd floor, in front of Prada with the registering of guests and viewing of the Bell & Ross watches. After that, we were ushered into the ground floor where there's an empty area which turned into the Bell & Ross event area where there's an endless flow of canapes and booze. Lots of photo-taking as well before the show starts.

It was really an eye-opening experience to me. The event was very well organised with beautiful deco, quality finger food and sparkling wine from Chandon Yarra Valley. The Pavilion KL Bell & Ross boutique launch party was graced by the CEO, Carlos Rosillo which brings the guests back to the 1920's. Two new designs, Wristwatch WW1 and Pocket Watch PW1 was unveiled as well.

The Pocket Watch PW1 & Wrist Watch WW1-96 Grande Date
The design is indeed classic and I love the clean look.

I love the fact that most of the guests took the initiative to dress up. Just like the people in the picture above, they really play the part! It gave me a feeling that we are all back to the twenties and everyone was having a good time!

At the same time, Mr. Frank Benjamin (chairman of FJ Benjamin) was just sitting in front of me and he was a very friendly guy residing in Singapore. We shared some pretty funny jokes of the republic. Maybe the highlight was the conversation between Amber Chia and me. I asked her how did she become so skinny after the birth of his son. Seriously she's even skinnier than before! I was quite surprised that she's a very friendly and her English has improved a lot. Kudos to her.

I never had an empty glass the whole night!

The performances for the night includes a rendition of songs by Deana Yussof, a tap dancing performance by Jojo Struys and then more singing with a nice live band.

Thanks to Kelvin & the chocolates are nice too!

It's indeed a very enjoyable evening & night. Though I'm not the biggest fan of Bell & Ross, they do carry a few watches that I would dream of buying. Ok, for now RM26k is a bit too much to think of. I shall forget about that BR S Pink Gold & White Ceramic watch. Sob Sob...

*all pics are courtesy Kelvin aka Lanatir

Chef for the day

2011-11-06T22:35:00.006+08:00

I was so proud of myself being able to wake up early in the morning (at 7am) on a Saturday to accompany my mom to the market. Usually I only do that when my mom is overseas. Yesterday I was in my mojo and it's the day to cook something new!

The both of us went to the market with 2 baskets and we both came home with our both hands full of goodies such as a spring chicken, some pork belly, vegetables, cikus and some nice herbs which I intend to make the most of it when mom isn't around.

My first attempt was to boil a soup which I've not done before. I think I've gotten bored of my own ABC and winter melon soup. It's time for a change because I read this wonderful book of soups and there's just so many that I've yet to try. And so I thought, why not start with something simple?

Dried Fig and Pork Soup
It's a clear, sweet soup with a little porky taste.

The ingredients for this soup is pretty simple, maybe the simplest I've ever seen because there's only 3 ingredients involved according to the original recipe - 500g Pork (upper leg meat), 15 dried figs & 2500ml water and some salt to taste. But instead of using the upper leg meat of the pig, I used the back bone, near to the pig tail. Mom has a box of dried figs from Turkey in the fridge and it's perfect!

The steps are pretty straightforward too. I boiled a pot of water and let the pork bone simmer for 5 minutes before removing them from the pot. The dried figs are also washed and slightly cut on the sides so that the flavours from the figs can be absorbed by the soup easily. I used a double boil pot where the water in the pot is already boiled before I add in the pork and figs. After that, I double boiled it for 4 hours. After that, you can add some salt to the soup or it's good to be taken on its own too.

The results? You get a sweet and very clear soup because the soup is double-boiled. The secret is also in cooking the pork before adding to the soup to give it a clear soup effect. Besides that, it also removes the gamey taste from the pork. It's not Ziling's favourite because she doesn't like sweet stuffs. To me, I'm okay with the sweet soup because it tasted better with a pinch of salt.

For dinner, I wanted to do a healthy dinner without too much carbo and I thought of the "Kwai Fa Chi" which is actually fluffy scrambled eggs with vegetables and "sharks fin" if it's done in the restaurants but many have substituted it with the transparent rice vermicelli.

Eiling's own version of Kwai Fa Chi

It's actually very easy to prepare. I first check my fridge and see what I can use to make this dish. You can basically create your own recipe too. It's really that easy. For this recipe I used:

Carrots (thinky sliced)
Beansprouts
Firm tofu (mashed)
Shimeji mushrooms
Clear Rice Vermicelli
"kam wah foh tui" (chinese cured ham)
3 eggs
Lettuce

Seasonings
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of stock granules
1/2 tsp of sesame oil
1/2 tsp of light soya sauce
a dash of pepper
1/2 tsp of shaoxing wine

Firstly, beat 3 eggs in a bowl with the seasonings except the Shaoxing wine. Then add the eggs into the mashed the tofu. Heat up the pan with some oil and stir fry the carrots, mushrooms and the small dices of the chinese cured ham until it's fragrant. Then pour in the eggs mixture and stir it to avoid over burning of the eggs. Do it like how you would do a scrambled egg. Add in the rice vermicelli and the beansprouts and stir for a while before adding in the Shaoxing wine.

After that you can garnish the plate with a piece of lettuce and serve the dish over the lettuce. To eat, simply select a lettuce leave and then spoon some of the kwai fa chi into the lettuce. Wrap it up and eat! Ziling was the 1st guinea pig. According to her, it lacks the "wok hei" meaning the taste from a good stir fry from the big wok using a gas stove. It's true, I also felt the same. I didn't use a wok and I didn't use a gas stove.

But, at least it still look presentable!

I am determined to try again and this time I plan to add in some form of meat to give it a more meaty and robust taste to make up for the lack of "wok hei". Wish me luck!

Tenjin Japanese Restaurant @ Grand Millenium Hotel KL

2011-11-03T08:28:00.000+08:00

This is my 2nd visit to Tenjin. We had a kaiseki menu that night, a Thursday night where they have a fresh supply of ingredients flown in on this day of the week besides Tuesday.

A good japanese meal is incomplete without a good sake. We started off with some Billecart Salmon Rose and then followed by a bottle of Bijofu, Junmai. Don't ask me about sake as I really have no idea at all what it is all about. All I knew was, the sake was light and refreshing with subtle notes of passion fruit. This is brought in by one of my friends. I love the creamy texture too.

The kaiseki menu has 8 dishes which my friend has asked the chef to specially prepare for that night as some of the dishes might not be available on the menu.

Ikura & Uni (salmon fish roe & sea urchin)

Chef Kunio Kuwabara (also known as Kuni san) having fun with us.
That's the Katsuo Tataki Salada (Lightly grilled bonito salad with a garlic ponzu dressing).

Kanpachi, Otoro & Kimetai
(Amberjack, best part of the tuna & big-eyed red fish)
The Kanpachi is delicious and can you just look at the silver-glittering lining on the fish?
The Otoro has such a nice marbled fat. Heavenly.

M8 Teppanyaki Wagyu
Tender, succulent & it goes quite well with the sake.

Fish Head Clear Soup
Very light and refreshing after some rich-tasting food.

Sanma Shioyaki
(Salt-grilled Pacific Saury which is Japanese Seasonal Fish)
Chef Kuni does very good grilled fishes here & this is one of the recommended.

Saushoku Don (Minced Toro, Uni & Ikura)
It's delicious but somehow I think that it's boring to be having the same combination of ingredients like the earlier entree for a don.

This is an additional dish which we ordered towards the end of the night because we still have some sake left. It's complimentary by Chef Kuni and he called this his version of "Hokkien Mee". That was hilarious but somehow it tasted very nice despite the lacked of black soya sauce and pork lard.

In addition to food, we had a Dunhill Robusto Cigar each and also our 2nd bottle of sake for the night - Kubota Senju. The Dunhill might not be a Cuban, but this Nicaraguan Signed Range didn't really disappoint me. As you can see, it has a very nice reddish brown colour, the cigar burns quite slowly but the ashes is firm. It tasted like coffee with some spiciness but quite full-bodied. Not a bad cigar at all. I still have half a box left of this!

The bill came up to RM250/pax and RM400 for the bottle of Kubota Senju. I think the menu seems to be reasonable with the dishes served. Previous review Here.

Tenjin Japanese Cuisine
Grand Millennium Hotel KL
160 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603 2143 9399
email: tenjin@tenjin-gmkl.com
Website

Business Hours :
Lunch - 11.30am - 3.00pm
Dinner - 6.00pm to 10.30pm