The Checkered Life

When in Türkiye

2011-04-15T17:00:00.001+08:00

Instead of being greeted by the friendly, classic good looking air hostesses, what caught my attention immediately was the passengers on this midnight flight bound for Istanbul.

Right when I stepped into the aircraft, the whole deck of passengers - boys, men, uncles, old men - ALL turkish, turned and starred at me, for being the only asian and female passenger. For the next 11 hours, I felt like a goldfish in the aquarium or a monkey in the zoo. Is it not common for a girl to travel alone to Istanbul in this 21st century?

As expected, the taxi driver was totally zero in Inglize (English), so does 80% of the population. Showing him the address in Turkish doesn't help either. He dropped me in the middle of the city, pointed uphill and drove off. I can imagine myself, being stranded in the middle of the city, continued to receive strange looks from the locals. To my surprise, there are hardly any tourists around. I was climbing all the way up to the top, searching high and low for the Istanbul branch office but to no avail. I managed to ask a few youngsters (hoping that they have at least studied basic English in school?), in the end some pointed downhill, some pointed further uphill, some left and some right (Yay...), what a good start to Istanbul.

I survived on doner kebabs from the back alley during my 2 nights stay in Istanbul. Unfortunately I didn't get to see much of city. Oh wait, I did manage to catch a glimpse of a quarter of the famous blue mosque when I was on the cab with my Turkish colleague, he was screaming "Ahhh....the grand Sultanahmet Camiiand!" and pointing excitingly at a small tip of a building (erm, which wasn't blue). Sigh.

The next morning, right at 5 am, I received my morning call from the neighbourhood mosque and it went on for more than half an hour. Since I can't get back to sleep, I was hoping that I can arrange an hour off to visit the Trojan Horse (as in the big wooden horse that was filled with Greek warriors in the Trojan War myth, not the virus) before catching the flight to Antalya but I was sent to the airport 3 hours ahead instead by my kiasu colleague. Double Sigh.

Here's a magnificient depiction of the Trojan Horse, but my colleague claimed that the real horse looks nothing like this. Hmm...

Picture courtesy of http://www.weblogturkey.com.

Antalya was far more pleasant than the dusty Istanbul. The small town reminds me of Florence, with quaint shops and friendly neighbourhood. My assignment in Antalya was to complete an acquisition of a hotel that is located along the beautiful Mediterranean coastline. The sunset along the coastline was magnificent, very picturesque, albeit the mood was spoilt by the smokers around.

Being close to the coastline means that seafood is in abundance in Antalya. Thanks to my Turkish colleague, I avoided tourist traps and get to eat at places that locals hang out.

At night, I walked around the town, stopped by a small shop and picked a few postcards. The shop owner offered me a cup of hot cay, which was very comforting on a freezing night. After gulping down the tea I realised that I shouldn't. Erm, didn't your mum tell u since young that u shouldn't accept things offered by strangers? Anyway, I was probably thinking too much, and to quote my Turkish colleague 'Do not get too wary, this is Turkish hospitality'.

Back to the story, I was still uber concious after the cay. The owner asked if I want to affix stamps to the postcards which I happily said yes. A minute later, I saw him gliding the back of the stamp with his tongue o__o But then again, the postcard was meant to be sent out. So, if you are reading this and you receive my postcard from Antalya, that is my most local Turkish souvenir for you, with the blessing of the shop owner. Muahahahaa....

I shall end this post with a picture of a half sunken ship along the coastline, I heard from the locals that it crashed into the coast during thunderstorm months ago and it was left abandoned there till now, probably turning into another historical site. Hmm...

Breakfast at Tsukiji

2010-10-29T12:00:00.021+08:00

Like the past 7 days in Kansai, Tokyo was pouring grumpily from day to night. In fact the wind was so strong that it broke my trusty black umbrella the night before at the cross-road of Shibuya.

I took the JR line, transitted at Shinjuku Station and was immediately greeted by horrendous human traffic during morning rush hour. My mojo was depleting as I spent almost an hour walking up and down looking for Oedo subway line. The station master was totally eigo wakarimasen and I was on the verge of giving up on my Tsukiji breakfast.

Fortunately I didn't as my senses kicked in. I reached Tsukiji late morning and it was still pouring.

I walked into a small cosy place and ordered a large bowl of don with my limited nihongo and sign language. It was quite an experience sitting at the bar counter, watching obasan and ojisan moving around the kitchen. As expected, my bowl of maguro and sake don was lovely.

I finished my food and handed over the empty bowl and teacup to obasan. Everything is self-service here. Obasan spoke a few nihongo words, but all I could say was ‘Nihongo Wakarimasen’. I should have picked up a few more words before leaving for this trip.

I continued walking around Tsukiji in the rain looking for more food. I passed by the long queue in front of a Ramen counter a few times and was tempted by the queue more than the food. It was Ramen by the way. I never liked Ramen, just like how I always shudder at Indian food.

In the end, I succumbed to my kiasu spirit and joined the queue.

There were two ojisans in the kitchen. One was cooking noodles and another one was slicing char siew. Beside the Ramen counter was a row of tables with no seats. They only serve one (1) type of Ramen which is good for me, as I don’t have to use my private limited nihongo to order.

I got myself a corner and slurped my bowl of Ramen with piping hot rich stock. I swear at that moment, I’ve forgotten that I wasn’t a Ramen eater.

Standing beside me were two Hongkies speaking in Cantonese:

'Li Gor Hai Gai Thong Lei Gar' (This is chicken soup base)

By the 7th day, I was deprived of Cantonese and felt like 'ching chong-ing' with them on the Ramen - "Hai Meh, Ngo Yi Wai Hai Jzu Guat Thong Lei Gah Leh" (Isit? I thought it is pork bone soup leh). Of course I didn't as the socio-phobia in me knocked sense into my head.

Half way slurping through the noodles, I took out my blackberry, took a picture of it and sent to Hairy – the Ramen fanatic, while he was peeling his usual orange and kiwi combo for lunch in the office.

I still kept this picture in my blackberry. Somehow I find it more appealing than my Gucci.

Oh here's another unrelated but wondrous creation that I discovered. I was drying my clothes at the laundry room one night and saw this in the vending machine.

Gasp.

It is Asahi Stout, which is 200 times smoother than other ang moh brands. Too bad I've not been able to locate it in SG supermarts.

And guess what, my first dinner when I returned to SG was Shoyu Ramen at Parco.

Sigh, I miss my Tsukiji breakfast.

The Betrayal

2010-02-01T23:30:00.006+08:00

If Hoegaarden was true love, what is Sapporo?

An affair.

Because you don't get to taste it often.

Hokkaido Fair @ Isetan, Scotts Road, Singapore.
Till 9 February 2010

More about Sapporo.

Because Time Waits for No One

2009-08-11T01:50:00.000+08:00

Friday 7 August 2009

I took out my keys to open the front gate, the corner of the wall was empty. It was an unbearable scene.

Rewind 9 years

Friday 2 March 2001

"I just bought a dog. You can have it. Yeah, from a client. No choice, a new way of entertaining client. Big business mar...heh heh"

That was from my cousin. I immediately ran to his house, which was a few blocks away from mine.

I was looking around, trying to spot a cute brown puppy. Could it a Golden Retriever? Or a Labrador? Hmmm...it could be a Terrier or a Beagle. I don't mind. I was already grinning.

"Where? Where? Where? Where is the dog??

My cousin pointed at a steel cage. Behind the black bars was a fur ball in white...

Which looks nowhere near like a 'dog'.

I showed my cousin a sepuluh sen face. "Huh? I thought you told me it is a 'dog'?"

"Yeah. A Pekingese what. It is a dog, you dummy. Oh but it does look like a cat hor? Garfield..hahahah!"

The next thing I know is that something furry landed on my lap. It is her. She came towards my direction and cuddled up herself on my lap comfortably. She was not wary of me at all.

That was the sweetest thing I have ever seen in my life.

I looked at her in her eyes. "We'll go home together, ok?"

She wagged her furry tail. I think she answered 'yes'.

* * * *

I believe, Marley aside, she is by far the most difficult and fussy dog to keep.

She sworn by heart not to take any dog food. Pedigree premium biscuits, chewy sticks or chicken-in-can. She spat out whatever dog food that we bought.

Her peculiar eating habits will make you wonder if she reincarnated wrongly into a body of a white Pekingese. She really knows how to eat.

She likes durians. D24. No kampung. No thai.

Like owner, like dog? I don't deny that.

My stay with her didn't last too long. 2 years later when I finished my high school, I left her at home and moved to Subang Jaya to do my A-Levels. And then it was degree in Australia, followed by working in KL. Until now stationed down south.

Wherever I go, she remains the one closest to my heart.

Until the day when my mum returned home to find her laying on the floor in her usual position, but this time round stone cold.

It hurts me everytime to think about her departure. What really happened to her while no one was around at home, and the things that I would give up just to listen to her barking at the background whenever I call home or to see a running fur ball whenever I open the front gate.

I hope you had a happy life whilst staying with us.

Rest in peace, my girl.

# 2 The Black Echoes

2009-07-03T15:33:00.018+08:00

Read the first part of the Tales of Saigon here.

That irritating sound won’t stop.

It just won’t stop bothering me.

258 was the number of days that I have been counting.

There it goes ... I heard the sound again, echoing in the tunnel.

I moved myself to the adjacent burrow. I can feel that it is coming towards my direction. Wait, something is not right here. From the back of my body.

......

Was I dead or did I just pass out in the dark? All I can feel is the numbness in my nerves.

I hate the sound of machine guns.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I grabbed the handle strongly, so strongly that I almost clutched myself to the seat right in front of me. The bus was rocking a hard way through the terribly uneven muddy path.

'The absorber is worn out.'

Again, my head hit high into ceiling of the bus as it runs over a huge crater on the road.

We joined a day tour to Cu Chi and Cao Dai for less than USD 7. For that price, I certainly didn't expect a long arse journey on the bus. I think my lungs, kidneys and stomachs sagged by 1.5cm after spending 5 hours travelling on the rocky road.

Our Bobby Chinn look-alike tour guide was very entertaining.

'Miss, whe du yeu kam frum?'

'Malaysia'.

'Ohhh...de land famous for robbers!'

Astounded by his reply, I found out later that he means ‘rubber’. Certainly one of the most interesting remarks in this journey.

The journey throughout Cu Chi was a remarkable one. I was particularly amazed by their perseverance and determination. Imagine a bunch of Viet Cong soldiers living in the dark, humid and claustrophobia-inducing underground. The American troop described the conditions within the tunnel as ‘black echoes’.

We did try to explore one of the sections of the tunnel that has been expanded to accommodate taller/ larger sized tourists.

It ain’t fun.

I was a fool to believe that the tunnel has been enlarged to accommodate the big size us. *imagining walking around the tunnel freely like visiting museum liddat*

Half way crawling through the tunnel (I almost laid flat on the floor and creep towards the end), I was sweating and screaming in my heart…the tunnel seems to be never ending. How did the Viet Cong soldiers manage to survive in the tunnel for 20 over years when I find the dark claustrophobic atmosphere unbearable for mere 2 seconds?

I am a true brat spoiled by modernity.

After the exploration, I found something amusing. I really wanted to try that real thing. At least once. The guy recommended M16, so I bought 10 bullets (USD 17) for that.

It still ain’t fun lorrrrr.

I was a fool to believe that ear muff works. The NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) is close to ‘0’. The impact of the shot was so powerful that every shot leaves my ear drum with a numb (wee wung wung…wee wung wung…) feeling.

Special thanks to Hairy for capturing all my retarded looking moments.

Food was more or less the same throughout the 3 days. Pho, Pho & more Pho(s) which I enjoyed thoroughly.

I’m glad that I insisted on trying out Nguyen Trung’s coffee on our last day despite the fact that we were supposed to rush to the airport.

We ordered “The Legend” which was nothing like the ordinary Starbucks cappuccino. The coffee was really strong and bold, definitely one of the highlights of my trip. *Love*

Later on when we return to SG, we found out that there is actually a branch located at Liang Court, Clark Quay. *Double Love*

My fave picture of all

*
For now, I’m more than happy to return to my comfort zone, happily munching on my routine subway ham and egg, surfing dumb websites, and crossing the road without the fear of being smashed by 58 motorbikes into a slab of tomato paste in the middle of the road.

Bar none, I still love you, Saigon.

Yellow stars missing in sight ...

-The end-

Tales of the Unexpected from Saigon

2009-05-21T13:49:00.000+08:00

.
#1: Untold Secrets of the Message Room

When darkness falls, everything turns into a picture of dead silence.

I stepped on the narrow staircase leading to the underground.

'Shhh...be quiet...you don't want to wake them up...let me show you the way.'

I saw this young boy when I stumbled upon this place. In fact, I saw him everywhere. From the main door, the message room to the combat officer room... He was there, everywhere.

I lost him soon after.

'Tub...tub...tub...'

The floor is so thin that I can feel the tremble. I heard that coming from the back.

'Dooom...'

When darkness falls, everything turns into a picture of silence ... a dead silence.

.
.
.
.

.
.

.

I didn't dwell myself too long in that B-grade horror flick as I walk through the underground tunnel of the Reunification Palace.

Oh by the way, I was at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) for 3 days. Thanks to the free air tickets from the lucky dip.

The first, second, third and fourth floor didn't excite me. There were numbers of meeting rooms, conference rooms and dining rooms of different themes, a place previously resided by the presidents.

We were just wandering around the Palace and stumbled upon one eery staircase that leads to the dark underground. That really intrigued my interest.

There were secret rooms (or message rooms) with bulky and dusty switchboards, the very 60s phones and the good old typing machines.

Hairy attempted this shot ala Wong Kar Wai mode that inspired the series of dark tales.

The young boy is definitely not from our hallucination but he was really everywhere. Everywhere that we went. He loves blocking our way, interrupting at the background when we were shooting photos and looking at Hairy with a creepy smile.

'Sekali you see him in one of the black & white pictures hung on the wall' said Hairy with a blank look.

How interesting.

Obviously we didn't spot him in any of the pictures, in fact the pictures shown were depressing and disheartening. Nuclear bombs, massacre and concentration camps. I just want to get out of that place.

Back to reality, we were caught in the middle of the junction with motorbikes coming from all 4 directions and with 58 bikes honking at us at the same time, as if we were blocking their ways *sweat*

Funny mode of transport in Vietnam

I was literally distressed, I think a bowl of piping hot noodles would be a good cure.

We dropped by Ben Thanh Market (we call it the 'Beh Tahan Market') and zoomed straight into the food section.

Tell me about pracitising food hygiene, there were a few dead cockroaches lying under my seat.

To eat or not to eat? Gulp...There goes my first bowl of pork knuckle noodles in Vietnam and L-S (diarrhea) on the very next day.

At night, we strolled along the night market street and the dai chow stalls came into sight. Born to be gluttons, we settled for another round of food.

The return of the alcoholic.

Can you believe that a bottle of Saigon beer costs only 90 cents (10,000 dong)?

But that 90 cents can only give you a taste of gassy plain water. I stopped at one bottle.

Oh well, the journey didn't end here. In fact it only started the next day - a five hours helluva extreme journey that can only be found in Vietnam.

To be continued.

Photo credit to the legendary Hairy from Black Tie White Lie.

That 3 Days in an Island

2009-04-21T12:01:00.015+08:00

Different from what the title would imply, I’m not writing a hopelessly romantic getaway post. In fact, the trip was initiated by a not so amorous reason – to clear Fishy’s annual leave for the first quarter of 2009.

Hokkaido was in the list.

Koh Samui looks not too bad either.

Infomercial break: Visit http://www.pranaresorts.com/ , a newly established boutique resort by my company in Koh Samui :D

Whatever it is, the plan was to fully utilise our passports and travel out of Singapore. Ding dong here and there, after all the cost and time factor consideration, we ended up here…

Bintan Island.

An Indonesian Island that is blardy near to Singapore and is the well-known beach holiday travelling spot for Singaporeans, something akin to Malaysian travelling to Port Dickson.

The island has become so popular among Singaporeans that all prices are denoted in Singapore dollars. And nothing is cheap here.

Lunch was in the resort beside a muddy pool.

Trying to be adventurous, I picked some funny looking fruits from the buffet spread counter, thought it would have tasted something like lychee. But yiaks…the flesh was so hard and it tasted like one semi-sweetened garlic. To date, I still have no idea what is the name of this fruit. Shit, or was it only a plastic display.

After all the funny food and fruits, our next plan was to show off our assets.

I mean the colourful bikinis that we brought.

For that 3 days we took the risk to ride on the ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) or known as the quad-bike.

The ride was a rough and tough one, across the muddy pool, sandy pathway, up the hill, down the stream, and the whole vehicle was so hard to navigate that I almost crashed myself right into a tree. .
.

15 minutes on the road and we regretted. Blardy hell, we even paid for one full hour of ride that cost us SGD 80. We suffered through the whole ride with aching fingers, dirty black face, dusty eyes and cuts – I think I hurt myself when I lost control and drove passed one thorny branch.

The evening was spent on the beach attempting beachy jumps.

Piggy did the "pray-while-you-splash-water" jump.

I attempted the "as-if-I-did-yoga-by-the-beach" pose.

Why am I always so determined to make myself look stupid.

Oh, and we saw an island swam us by...

The holiday was not too bad after all, albeit abit commercialised as the whole island is dedicated to earn monies out of Singaporeans.

I had fun.

We had fun.

Biere-ing out @ Brotzeit

2009-02-27T18:37:00.003+08:00

A glass of wine? White or red?
No thanks. A couple pints of beer would be great.

Drinking botol would definitely agree with me on that. Just like how we always order a dozen of hoegaarden and test each other in counting backwards from 10 in French.

But why do I always get indifferent looks when I say that. Fishy said I shucks, girls don't drink beer like a pig. Especially when I go by a dozen pints and not a sip.
.

At the end of this month, Hairy is turning old again.

'Don't tell me where to go for my B-day. Unless to the durian shop. I'll keeeel you...'

Great. I will make the call – this time round, bring out Paulaner's greatest creation!

Last week when I stumbled upon Brotzeit's website, the weissbiers were calling me and I have to make reservation right away. Having beer is a luxury, paying $15 / RM 36 for a pint of fermented yeast is definitely economically ineffective when times are bad like this.

I struggled a while. And I found the answer. No big deal, we can do it during Happy Hour, yay!

Weissbier 500 ml $12.50 (Happy Hour)

Don't condemn me. I denied the fact that I am turning into a hopeless shopaholic when times are bad. The thing is, when times are like this, you are encouraged to spend more.

Everywhere is having clearance sales.

Even airlines are cutting fares like doing charity.

When it comes to food, I have no reason not to splurge.

The German Pork Knuckle ($36) served is so darn generous. The side serving of the potato salad is huge and the Sauerkraut (braised white cabbage) is of unfinishable portion.

Roasted leg of the poor swine

The Sausage Platter ($32.50) looked equally intimidating to me. The platter came with 8 types of sausages: spicy chicken, smoked pork, lamb, curry, garlic ... and I lost count.

"This is meat-crazy. We have to ta-pao." I yelled.

"Excuse me. You think you are a small eater meh." Said with his signature rolled-eyes.

Fine.

A side note to that, we ordered another Bavarian Fladenbrot a.k.a German Pizza ($18.50) that came with 16-square pieces of flatbread topped with Blackforest ham and emmenthaler cheese. Picture not shown here. Arhem, I deny the fact that I am a big eater.

What's more, the meal was ended with much surprise, to him.

I pissed him off.

With a candle on the tiramisu.

I requested for their signature tiramisu made with weissbier to be served with birthday greetings on the side beforehand. Candle was not in the request, I swear.

But I wanted to piss him off further. I wonder how he looked if the restaurant crew were to gather in a circle and sang him a birthday song in German, aloud.

And then everyone around clap their hands...ahah...now that's more like it.

Okay lucky hairy, the crew didn't sing the song. But I made him blew the candle and made a wish.

That was a good one.

Oh, and by the way, when times are bad, the birthday tiramisu is free-of-charge.

Happy 29th, Hairy.

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant

VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk,

#01-149/151

Singapore 098585

Tel: (65) 6272 8815

http://www.brotzeit1516.com/

Clumsy and her Mont Blanc Parfait

2009-02-06T10:37:00.013+08:00

.
Clumsy is the champion of the day
She was rushing like a blay
Suddenly she fell into the drain
Not again???
She yelled in dismay
And so she climbed to the bay
Prayed to God to put her ligament in place
Oh yes, and please bring the pain away

Clumsy looks no sexy
The cast was so damn heavy
Her mind is turning crazy
She needs more energy
Limping with the tongkat like an old lady
She found this new born baby!

Okay, this is a gross one. What actually happened was that I injured my knee again this year right before CNY. Read more about the the previous ligament tearing experience here.

I am a devoted believer that God creates dessert to make girls happy. Not for guys as they are too egoistic to show their affection towards those tiny petite sweet looking creatures.

Marvelous cream definitely looks marvelous, the cool black signage and the classy display case with gelatos and french parfaits almost turned me into a monkey.

I pointed at the mont blanc parfait
You are coming home with me babe!

This is the physics of the great creation of Mont Blanc :

This is the actual Mont Blanc French Parfait.

Layered with chestnut swirls, custard ice-cream and vanilla sponge, I gobbled it down with no regrets.

Now bring me the Belgium Noisette Cream !

*Pictures courtesy of Marvelous Cream and Hairy.

Location: 1 Raffles Link #B1-04 Citylink Mall (Cityhall MRT)

Neroteca - The Christmas Lunch

2009-01-21T16:49:00.001+08:00

8:23 am

I was walking (half running) as usual to catch the train on time to work. 15 minutes of rushing across 2 streets, 3 junctions and 4 traffic lights, I get a lot of funny sights along the way.

Today was 3 aunties standing at the bus stop, one took out a new toilet brush that she just bought and this initiated a heated discussion on what brush shape does the best cleaning job. Opposite the taxi stand, a couple was arguing, pushing each other. And then there was a guy sitting on the bench with large headphones and a black tee with striking yellow wordings - "I am a bastard". Yes, you are.

What a sight - something that I don't get to see when I drive to work in KL. Should I complain for not having the freedom to drive around here or just feel contented with the fact that I get to move my lazy arse, to walk more and explore more.

They said go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.

Walk further, we found Neroteca.

Rewind 27 days t0 25 December 2008 ...

Crusty bread and balsamic vinegar, balsamic vinegar and crusty bread. I just can't resist this combination, and I ended up having two baskets of them.

The Pork Chop Milanese looked nothing more like a piece of deep fried pork chop that you can get at RM 5.90 elsewhere. Sink your teeth in it and you'll be able to tell the difference - RM36 for this piece of pork chop is well worth the hefty price tag.

The Genovese salad came in a humongous bowl, the portion came far in excess of an ordinary one as I got quite sick of the salad leaves drenched in balsamic vinegar towards the end. It is best shared among 2 - 3 as a side salad.

Tiramisu is always in the dessert list. Neroteca's version was great, with nicely soaked sponge fingers layered in between mascarpone.

The creme brulee did a good job despite its aching sweetness. Love the slightly burnt crisp crackling sugary coat on top.

It was supposed to be Christmas lunch, in fact it was the only decent meal I had on Christmas Day. Collateral purpose was to bid him farewell and *ahem* pass him the shopping list before he flies off to London for 7 days. Burberry was in the list (initially) but thanks to the crisis, I resort to something else - Just because I want to get something (at least something) out of L.O.N.D.O.N.

"Rubbish toy", he said.

But I love it.

Price list:
Pork Chop Milanese - RM 36

Genovese Salad - RM 29
Tiramisu - RM 16

Creme Brulee - RM 16

Location:

NEROTECA

8 Lorong Ceylon

50250 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia.

Website: http://www.neroteca.com/

Life at 24 ...

2008-12-31T21:05:00.006+08:00

is happy yet miserable.

I woke up this morning with a dreadful mindset – it’s the last day of the year, can you believe that? I thought the year just started not too long ago.

I told myself weeks ago that I must come out with a post before the year ends and today is the deadline, finally. What to do? I’ve been a lazy bump (in blogging la) ever since I moved down south.

Life at 24 is like a roller coaster, dramatic and full of excitement.

I moved down south.

I changed 2 jobs down south.

I moved from the north to the east and back to the north of Singapore in 6 months.

I had heaps of good Japanese food down south.

I lost my wallet with everything inside.

I bought another cheapo wallet with fewer things inside.

I went to Bangkok. Spent SGD 700 and came back with a bag of rubbish.

I went to Phuket. Spent 4 days looking at beaches and bitches.

I went to Macau. Spent 3 days having milk pudding everyday. (It’s seriously good and sent me right off to haven)

I love my office that overlooks buildings, buildings and buildings.

I love my room that overlooks buildings, buildings and buildings.

Life at 25…

indicates a stage where you have spent a quarter of century on earth.

*Duh*

At the age of 25,

I want to go Brisbane to see my brother and his de facto wife.

I want to go Melbourne to see my bestie and her de facto husband.

I want to go to the top of Eiffel Tower and shout ...

But for tonight, I just want to sleep till year 2009.

Have a merry new year ahead :)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wood Fired Pizza @ Spizza

2008-12-12T17:47:00.010+08:00

Sliced parma ham with rock melon (Augusto)

If I have the supernatural power to read one’s mind, I want to know what the heck is in your mind.

If I can choose to be someone for a day, I want to be you cus I want to know what the heck is in your mind.

If I can wreck one’s head to read one’s mind, I’ll choose you cus I want to know what the heck is in your mind.

This is how it started…

* * *

It was a total put off when I saw the name of this restaurant. Spizza? How uninspiring.

But I keep in mind what my mum always tells me, ‘never judge a book by its cover’. It is as good as telling me not to judge a guy by his under-average height and over-average weight. Erm, my apology.

It proves my mum right (again) as I read the story behind the name of the restaurant ‘Spizza’. The menu was interestingly portrayed by the individual names of each dish.

· 23 pizzas named after Italian women

· 9 desserts named after famous female opera characters

· 12 starters named after the emperors of Rome.

I wonder what were you thinking when you created Augusto. Why would you pair Sliced Parma Ham up with Rock Melon? A pig and a fruit? That disturbing thought just came across my mind. Somehow the saltiness of that piece of ham blended well with the sweetness of rock melon. Lovely.

Out of the 23 Italian women, we went for Quinta for the night. All because of the black truffle sauce.

Quinta came to us with a simple presentation, down to earth and unpretentious (just like me). It was topped with black truffle sauce and an egg, only.

I’ve never tried truffle. I was so amazed when I learnt about how much one gram of truffle can cost and how French glorifies this ugly fungus as ‘the diamond of the kitchen’.

In fact, I still didn’t get it even after having Quinta. Maybe the quality of the black truffle sauce used was compromised due to recession, maybe the unique taste and flavour the black truffle sauce evaporated in the wood-fire oven, maybe it was black and not white truffle sauce...duh...

In short, having Quinta is like having Mc Egg with black truffle sauce.

While some people describe men as pizza and women as spaghetti, for us, it is always the opposite. Spaghetti is never my thing. So when I was asked to choose the type of spaghetti sauce. I suggested having ravioli instead, at least it is more like eating ‘sui kow’ (Chinese meat dumpling) mah.

He showed me an irritated look. Fine. We’ll go All’arrabbiata then.

I didn’t have much of the arrabbiata. It was like spicy tomato sauce, yet I still topped it up with chilli flakes and black pepper. He claimed that the spaghetti was the best dish of the night so I guess it is worth trying if you choose to dine here.

The Homemade Venetian Tiramisu was named after Turandot. Irregularities were suspected as we sank our teeth into the spongy texture. Orange liquor instead of brandy was being used and the plate came decorated with mulberry sauce.

The meal costs me SGD 60 but we left with barely half-filled stomachs. Bar none, I don’t mind revisiting this place, you know I can’t resist thin-crusted wood-fired pizzas. But no more Black Truffle Mc Egg.

Price (to the best I can recall):
Sliced Parma Ham and Rock Melon – SGD 11
Black Truffle Pizza (12”) – SGD 17
Spaghetti All’arrabbiata – SGD 16
Tiramisu – SGD 9

Location:
Spizza (Club Street)

29 Club Street

Singapore 069414

Tel : 6224 2525

http://www.spizza.sg/

Rochor Beancurd & Katong Laksa

2008-11-18T00:10:00.009+08:00

Rochor Beancurd House 梧槽豆花水

I get excited over simple things. Plain & pale, nothing elaborative, like a plain scoop of matcha ice-cream, a bowl of tasteless white porridge, or even a plate of sashimi without wasabi.

And guess what, that really gets my adrenaline pumping when I stumbled upon this self- acclaimed "best tau hueh with chinese crullers (yaw char kueh) in Singapore and maybe Johor Bahru". I knew I have to try it. Tonight itself.

Chinese crullers and tau hueh (or known as 'tau foo far' in Malaysia) are my all time fave food but pairing them up was my first attempt -- and they just don't match.

Bar none, I've heard about pairing up crullers with salted hot soya milk in Taiwan and it's apparently the fave breakfast for the Taiwanese. For now am already hallucinating about soaking the crispy crullers into a bowl of piping hot soya.

Tau hueh - $ 1

Crullers - $ 0.90

Katong Laksa

Her eyes were rolling so big and look like they are going to pop out of the eye socket anytime soon -- as she yelled at me "You mean you are a food blogger, 10 months down here and you've never tried Katong Laksa ??"

What the heck, I was thinking. Can that bowl of ever famous Singapore Katong Laksa tasted more heavenly than my fave Sarawak Laksa?

$ 3.50 Katong Laksa

I paused for a while after the laksa was served -- "Don't they provide chopsticks?"

He looked at me as if I've asked the most idiotic question ever -- "Don't you know that Katong Laksa is supposed to be eaten with soup spoon, a.l.o.n.e?"

Fine.

I added 3 heaped spoons of chilli paste into it wihout even sampling the taste. *Blush* I felt like being whacked by a broomstick. Talk bout underestimating Singapore's chilli paste. The laksa is actually fiery on its own.

That really made me ponder a bit.

There were times when I hope things could be simpler but you chose to go against the flow, just like a complicated judgment that need to be read over and over again till I find the full stop.

But I've came to term with it. At least I know that when everything fails on me, I can still find solace in that plain bowl of beancurd, a bare piece of cruller or a simple bowl of Katong Laksa.

My quantum of solace.

Location:
Rochor Beancurd House
2 Short Street (near Bugis MRT)

Katong Laksa - other proper review

Loy Kee Best Chicken Rice @ Balestier Road

2008-10-05T22:24:00.010+08:00

I hate expectation.

For me, most of the time, expectation always lead to disappointment.

It’s like when you were young, you were expected to get straight As for all subjects.

When you completed your high school, you were expected to pursue ‘useful’ courses.

When you struggled to complete your degree, you were expected to graduate with first class honours.

When you finally get out of the school, you were expected to join the workforce and get a handsome pay.

And when you secured a good job, your boss expects you to hit unreasonable targets .

Recently, I realized that I’ve been putting sky high expectation on food ever since I started blogging.

I was told by someone that Loy Kee has the best chicken rice in town. Interesting enough, they even have an interactive website displaying the menu and the pix of celebs who visited their place.

http://loykee.com.sg/

Steamed chicken set meal for one ($ 6)

Roasted chicken set meal for one ($ 6)

A plate of char siew (BBQ pork) with tree bark-like texture ($ 4)

Fried beancurd

All in all, the food was surprisingly normal. Nothing to shout about though it is acclaimed as having the best chicken rice in town.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Boss, I’m overstressed and underpaid, I expect 10% increment by next year.”

*Stunned for 20 seconds*

“Goodness, we are facing recession now, have I not taught you how to manage your expectation??”

*Sulk*

Yes, 8 months down here and the best thing I’ve learnt is to come without expectation and leave without disappointment.

*Peace*

Loy Kee Best Chicken Rice

342 Balestier Road

(Next to Shaw Plaza)

Ph: +65 62522318

Everything Belgian @ Brussel Sprouts

2008-09-07T22:45:00.001+08:00

“Brussel Sprouts a Belgian restaurant,

Canelle a dessert bar,

Or The Canteen for expensive canteen food…”

3 choices were presented before me for my birthday celebration. I immediately vote for Brussel Sprouts, a place set up by a Belgian celebrity chef Emmanuel Stroobant. Why would the owner name his restaurant after a type of unappealing vege? I thought.

The ambiance of the restaurant was totally out of my imagination. Different from the pictures displayed in their website, the restaurant looks more like a lounge, a bistro to chill out with alcoholics.

Brussel sprouts were nowhere to be seen in the menu. Fair enough, I was more attracted to their mussels with over 17 types of serving style. From cooking with White Wine, Tarragon Cream, Kriek Beer, Leffe Brune Beer to Chilli Padi, Curry and Tomyam. A small pot of mussels costs $ 18 while a big pot is priced at $ 38. Both comes with free refills of extraordinary fat fries.

We had a pot of Brussel Sprouts Special (celery, onion, parsley, butter, black pepper) and a pot of “Devilled” (chilli padi, tomato, curry, coriander, lime).
The Foie Gras Terrine with Pear, Belgian Endive and Duvel Beer Chutney ($19) was ordered by the goose liver fanatic. To me it was only a piece of fat liver layered with jello.

For main course, I picked their Homemade Pork Sausages served with Daily Stoemp ($24). The serving of the sausages was huge and went well with their thick gravy.

Dessert was Forest Fruit Crumble with Balsamic Scented Pear, Fruit Compote and Ice Cream ($10). The bunch of Forest fruits was achingly sour, topped with a scoop of ice cream with unknown flavour. Maybe I should have ordered their Belgian Waffle with Belgian Chocolate :) There is always next time.

All in all the dinner was great, esp when someone foots the bill :p A place that I’ll definitely return for more mussels and fat fries.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

80 Mohamed Sultan Road

#01-12 The Pier @ Robertson

Singapore 239013

Tel: +65 6887- 4344

Fax: +65 6887- 4144

http://www.brusselssprouts.com.sg/index.html

Tung Lok Signatures @ Clark Quay

2008-08-16T20:39:00.001+08:00

How does it feel like to meet someone for the very first time?

Butterflies in the stomach?

Sweating palms?

Thousand imaginations flew into my mind as I walk closer and closer to the destination.

“I’m at Orchard MRT, wearing a white top…I’m very tall”

And I replied with another sms:

“I’m wearing a black top, black blazer, black pants, black mascara and black pumps. I’m very short”

I immediately spot the person, true enough, very tall indeed.

As we met for the second time, I suggested going for Chinese food instead.

What drew me to Tung Lok is their award-winning celebrity chef Sam Leong and their modern Chinese cuisine.

The most expensive siew yoke (roast pork) I’ve ever eaten so far. $9 for a tiny plate and comes with a slab of mustard, it is highly recommended by food reviewers and the restaurant itself as appetizer.

The hot stone pot rice looks impressive but it tasted like a bottle of extremely salty soy sauce.

The colourful combination of ingredients for the noodles immediately caught our attention. Too bad it tasted like a bottle of plain distilled water.

As we tried to lower down our expectation, the homemade spinach beancurd came to rescue.

And in case you wonder who is that tall chap…

She is JOjo, Malaysian born, Singapore trained, currently pursuing Traditional Chinese Medicine (cool eh~), tall, sweet looking, silky straight hair, very available...but make sure you are above 190 cm :)

Nearest MRT: Clark Quay

#02-80/89/93/94,
6 Eu Tong Sen Street,
The Central

Singapore 59817

Ministry of Food - My Izakaya

2008-07-28T00:45:00.005+08:00

Have been feeling uninspired lately. I'm fully aware that I've abandoned my dearie blog for 2 weeks :I Maybe it's because of the bad food that I've eaten or the 'lovely' people that I've met. *Darn, since when I'm full of excuses...*

Rewind 4 weeks ago...

I received a message from teckiee who planned to drop by SG for retail therapy. Tonnes of suggestions on places to eat were thrown at her and yet we ended up queueing for M.O.F - My Izakaya.

I love this place for a few reasons. The staff are over attentive in refilling green tea; the desserts are superb and I love the free voucher given out by them that has no expiry date.

Tofu Avocado Salad $ 6.80

Unagi Hot Stone Rice $ 6.80

Ramen $ 8.80

M.O.F's signature Macha Imo $ 6.50 - Fried potato cubes + green tea sundae

Shiratoma Zenzai

Nice catching up with you again, teckiee :)

Location:

Marina Square

6 Raffles Boulevard

#02-128E Center Stage

Tel: 63342202

Bugis Junction

200 Victoria Street

#02-45 Bugis Junction

Tel: 65-63386466

P/S: I think I'm seriously in need of a long break away from this island a.k.a 'pressure cooker' to get my groove for food hunt back. Grrrr.....Save me....

The tale of Harrie Berrie

2008-07-14T21:34:00.008+08:00

*Note:

The star of this post specifically requests not to link in whatsover way to his blogsite nor feature his real name and any of his body parts (for ex his signature goatee) that may lead to personal identification.

Name changed to protect privacy.*

Rewind 28 years...

Back when what seemed like an eternity ago, a rascal was born.

Grew up in Chow Kit area, he was a happy-go-lucky boy playing the cards of life. Having had a ball of a time during the first two decades of his life, he thought he ought to do something constructive and thus ventured down south to pursue his degree.

The rascal then ended up in the Land of the Rising Sun. Having spent 2 years with unlimited supply of fresh otoro, he left his ohana chan and went back to join the kiasu community.

The first few years passed rather uneventfully and he decided to go back to school and continue with his e=mc(square) affair.

2.5 years and the nightmare is finally over.

My heartiest congratulation and wishing you every success in the future.

Continue to pursue your dream and hopefully it will be realised somewhere someday.

Way to go, harrie berrie!

P/S: I admit I'm doing this to irritate him.

Tom's Palette

2008-07-07T03:38:00.008+08:00

'We used to know nuts bout ice-cream but we ended up running an ice-cream parlour', said the ex-engineer and his wife, an ex-media designer.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of a run down shopping mall, I wouldn't have noticed its existence if not for the positive reviews featured by other SG floggers.

What lures me to pay this parlour a visit is their 100% homemade ice-cream as claimed in their website and all the extraordinary flavours that are no where to be found either in the supermart cooler or commercialised ice-cream chains.

'Ice-cream is not only bout vanilla, chocolate and strawberry', said the owner.

Imagine Chocolate Stout made from a unique combination of belgium chocolate and guinness stout; Chrysanthemum; Longan and Red Date; Chilli Chocolate; Curry Apple; Basil; Salted Caramel; Wasabi Lime; Bacardi and Vanilla ... no kidding, all these flavours went thru a series of trial and failure by the couple and the list goes on ...

When he asked me for suggestion of new flavours, I gave a terribly boring and unimaginative answer... 'Green Tea please' ... and that was before he showed me the 2 metres long list of flavours suggested by the customers - 'Sugar Cane, Pina Colada, Mangosteen, Water Chestnut, Mee Goreng (huh??) bla bla..'

Anyway, that day I was not in the adventurous mood and picked the conventional Black Sesame and Walnut Banana while the alcholic went for Rum & Raisin and Chocolate Stout.

Apparently their ice-cream was made with milk instead of cream so as to cut down on the fat content (hehe...good reason to indulge more). Even so, the texture of the ice-cream is still creamy and lovely with the density on par with Italian gelato.

Did I mention that their ice-cream is so darn affordable? A small cup for 2 flavours is only priced at $ 2.50 while a tub for 3 flavours costs $ 11.80.

Ice-cream aside, am particularly impressed with the fact that the couple gave up their job and went on to pursue their dream by setting up this small scale ice-cream making business. How I wish I could run an ice-cream parlour as well and I'll make the best green tea ice-cream on earth. *Dream lah*

Location:

100 Beach Road

#01-25 Shaw Leisure Gallery

Singapore 189702

Website: http://www.tomspalette.com.sg

Izakaya Nijumaru and his authentic Japanese Food

2008-06-21T22:40:00.020+08:00

I wouldn't have stepped into this place if not for the positive reviews and the feedbacks i got from my colleagues on their authentic Japanese food.

The place looks plainly rustic.

The chair looks very 80s.

The Japanese lantern looks as if it has been hanging there for a decade.

The door looks worn out.

And most importantly, the lighting shucks and we had a hard time taking pictures of the food.

We ordered both of the restaurant's signature bentos -- their Nijumam bento ($18) and Unajyu set ($ 20). Nijumam comes with tempura, grilled fish, sashimi, braised dish, miso soup and rice. A pretty good deal to sample a wide variety of food.

Braised Pork Belly from the Nijumam bento

The pork belly was topped with mustard which I find the taste abit funny. Texture wise, I only had the lean meat part. The cholesterol laden bit was left to the lard lover.

The Unajyu set came with two big slabs of unagi kabayaki. Again, a good deal for that kind of pricing.

This Salmon wrapped with Bacon dish ($12) was recommended by the waitress as the star dish of the day. The combination sounds interesting but taste wise it still lacked the surprising element. Aiks...picky eater + food blogger are plainly hard to please.

All in all, though the deal is good, the food was not memorable. Perhaps the initial expectation placed on this place for authentic japanese food was too high.

Feeling unsatisfied, the picky eaters moved from the run down eatery to the high end Paragon @ Orchard Road and made another stop at this well known dessert cafe -- Project Shop.

I had the Homemade Steamed Lemon Pudding ($12.90) which smells terribly seductive with intense buttery and milky flavour.

The lard lover had their G3 (Green Apple + Ginger + Green Lime) Cheesecake, priced at $ 7.90.

Luckily the desserts saved the day and the disappointments from the Japanese meal.

And I ended the meal with a sweet note...my masterpiece...

His masterpiece...

Now don't you agree that girls have better sense of creativity?

Hmmm...

Locations:

Izakaya Nijumaru

Cuppage Plaza #02-10

Tel: +65 62356693

Project Shop Cafe

Paragon Shopping Centre

#03-41/44 Orchard Road

Tel: +65 67356765

$ 33 Sashimi Buffet + Crazy Moments @ Hanabi.

2008-06-12T00:00:00.000+08:00

My loving relationship with Hanabi started a month ago.

'I'm going for $33 Sashimi buffet at Hanabi tonite', announced my colleague.

I immediately lost control and was literally pulling his collars.

'Buffet? Sashimi? For only $33? WHERE???'

Since then, I have visited Hanabi 3 times in a month.

The first visit was with Simon and Uncle N where I forcefully changed the venue from Ma Maison to Hanabi.

The second visit was with my friend who came down to visit me and I forcefully fixed the meeting venue at Hanabi.

The third visit was with my bunch of colleagues for birthday celebration and I forcefully set the celebration venue at Hanabi.

My intention was pure. I just want my sashimi.

Imagine free flow of Sake, Maguro, Tako, Hamachi and Ika which were surprisingly fresh. The quality of the food served and the freshness of the ingredients were way beyond expectation at such affordable pricing.

Another plus point is their ala carte style where we just have to place our order and wait to be served. The extensive menu drives me crazy everytime I look at it, from sashimi, sushi, maki, temaki, teppanyaki, yakitori, ramen, udon, soba to japanese curry. Too bad desserts are not included in the buffet, or else I would have walloped 10 scoops of matcha ice-cream for each visit.

The pictures were taken during my colleague's birthday celebration. For the whole nite, I was busy juggling with sashimi and photo shooting. For more food pix and description, kindly refer to Simon's review.

That nite we were the noisiest & craziest bunch in the restaurant. Shooting photos like nobody's business.

But we really had fun that nite and most of us have problem sleeping after the dinner. Probably due to the high level of endorphin released.

I now declare Hanabi as the official meeting venue for those who come down to visit me.

Location:

Hanabi Japanese Restaurant

331 North Bridge Road #01-04 Odeon Towers Singapore 188720

Phone:

(+65) 6338 6626

Everything Dessert

2008-06-01T00:10:00.003+08:00

I wonder why girls are especially fond of desserts while guys always go for their taichow. For me, dessert is like the essence of my life. When dining out, the first thing that i zoom into is the dessert menu and the last thing that i enjoy is always my piece of dessert.

Dessert is also known to have healing properties. When I'm terribly depressed and sick, a scoop of matcha ice cream never fails to put a smile back on my face.

Banana torte from Suchan

Tiramisu from Cafe Cafe (highly recommended)

Green tea sundae from Ajisen Ramen

Strawberry and apple pudding from Cava

RM1 chendol from Restoran Muar

Flower blossom from Haagen Dazs

Strawberry smoothie from Sit a Spell Cafe

Green tea tiramisu from Ocha Cha

Apple Crumble Cheesecake from Pick n' Brew (highly recommended)

Strawberry chocolate sundae from Delicious (great for gloomy days)

Green tea mochi from Yuzu

Macaroons from Big Boys Oven (antidepressant effect)

Matcha azuki cake from Ocha Cha

Strawberry ice from MOS Burger

Famous Ah Baling tong yuen with peanut soup

Chocolate Souffle with vanilla ice cream from Max! (seriously highly recommended)

Chocolate parfait from Haagen Dazs

Matcha float from Shokudo

Last (but not least), pecan walnut chocolate mud cake courtesy of XLB :)

Am going for Japanese gelato again tomorrow. Are you not hungry for dessert yet?

Home.Fukuya.You

2008-05-21T19:33:00.019+08:00

1. Home (but) sick

Was home last weekend to see my parents and my dog but I fell sick the very next day.

'Count yourself lucky that you fall sick when you are home', said my mum.

Am still on medication now, apparently the penicillin and my sickness made me slept throughout the whole weekend.

2. Spring cleaning

Was doing spring cleaning last weekend and found pile of photos and albums.

Come to think bout it, you were gone for quite some time but it feels just like yesterday.

Is it me missing you or you missing me? The world doesn't seem to be the same to me anymore.

3. Family gathering

Was asked to join the family gathering last weekend after missing-in-action for 3 months.

My grandma is still cute as ever with the same pattern everytime we meet.

As expected, the hug always follows with the same question.

'So, when are you getting married?'

4. Fukuya @ Bangsar, Jalan Ara.

Was there (finally) last weekend having heard bout the positive feedback on their Kaiseki 8 course lunch set, affordably priced at RM 52.

Served course-by-course, the lunch set came with 8 different dishes. Regrettably, I was quite sick when having the meal. Bar none, I still think that it is a pretty good deal at this kind of pricing. Well done to the chef as the ingredients used were very fresh, coupled with the right seasoning and cooking time, a revisit for their 8 course meal is a definite.

First course: Appetizer

Second course: Clam Soup

Third course: Sashimi

Fourth course: Grilled Salmon

Fifth course: Softshell crab

Sixth course: Yu Tofu

Seventh course: Somen

Eighth course: Dessert

Too bad I don't find the dessert appealing, unlike other floggers who were being served lavender ice-cream during their visit, what I had was flat and super chewy mochi with crushed peanuts.

5. You

On our way back, I told you,

'If I was to categorise people whom I have met so far into two groups, they have to be people whom I wish I never met before in my life and people whom I couldn't feel more grateful in knowing them even though it's a mere acquaintance'

For that I thank you for all the memories and joys that we have shared.

Thanks for bringing out the best in me.

Location:

Fukuya

One Bangsar, 63B Jalan Ara

Bangsar Baru

59100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel : (+603) 2282 1111

Website: http://www.fukuyaonebangsar.com/

Italian Asian Cuisine @ Buko Nero

2008-05-15T00:56:00.000+08:00

What happened in April 2008...

1st attempt on MONDAY:

'Thank you for calling Buko Nero. We are closed until FRIDAY. For reservation please try your luck again this Friday.'

2nd attempt on the next MONDAY:

'Thank you for calling Buko Nero. We are closed every MONDAY. For reservation please try your luck again on Tuesday.'

3rd attempt on TUESDAY:

'Thank you for calling Buko Nero. We are only opened for dinner. For reservation please try your luck again at 6.30 pm.'

4th attempt at 6.30 pm:

'Reservation is full for April. The earliest available date is 14 May 08 (one month later).'

Tell me.

Numerous good reviews bout this italian asian fusion place + Fantastic rating on their food + Reservation to be made ONE month ahead + Numerous attempts to make reservation. How tempted are you in trying out this place? I admit all these factors motivated me to go thru all the hassles just to pay it a visit.

Counting down the days...30 days to go....and finally tonight it is...

I was so excited and had my camera ready in hand. Angle, checked; Lighting, checked; Presentation, checked; Macro setting, checked... 'Kee-Chak'...'Excuse me, no photo shooting is allowed'. *Sulk*

Too bad I was being refrained from snapping pix. Guess I have to switch to altenative mode then...my discreet handphone with 2 megapixels blurry pix. Better than nothing lor.

The bread basket with balsamic vinegar came with surprisingly strong aromatic smell. The texture was as lovely as the taste. I even requested for more balsamic vinegar to go with the buns.

For full course, I had their 5-course-set-dinner, priced at $ 48.

1st course:

Smoked salmon tartar with beetroot dressing.

Interestingly stacked up in 2 layers of minced smoked salmon and unidentified fish, paired up with tad sourish beetroot dressing.

2nd course:

Brocolli, basil and crab meat soup.

Served in a chinese soup bowl, the soup did taste like chinese shark fin with crab meat soup. Decent taste with a hint of sweet crab broth. Too bad it lacks the 'wow' factor.

3rd course:

Blood orange sherbet.

The refreshing sherbet is used to cleanse the palate before sampling the ultimate main course.

4th course:

Rigatoni with braised cod, trout and brinjal ragut.

Thanks to the rich tomato base with fresh cod and trout, I quite enjoy this dish that came with big fat rigatoni.

5th course:

Milk chocolate and coconut cake with gula melaka coulis.

The surprise element was the wonderful texture of the milk chocolate and coconut cake. Crispy outer layer with soft, warm and near molten texture in the inside. Pair it up with the can't-go-wrong-one-lah gula melaka coulis. True bliss is all I can say.

My only regret was being refrained from snapping pix of the food and the ambiance with a proper camera. Although most of the food lacks the very 'wow' factor, somehow this place 包涵了我最初的梦想. Since young (I'm talking bout my childhood days), I have always wanted to own and run a small cosy restaurant like this. Warm lighting with Lisa Ono's music in the background.

Buko Nero reminds me that I still have a dream that I have been keeping to myself all these years. And the dream goes on...

Location:

126, Tanjong Pagar Road.

The real HOT line:

(+65) 63246225

The Yogitree @ The Gardens.

2008-05-06T01:50:00.000+08:00

*In the office*

Boss: We are going to experience the worst economic recession since Great Depression. So you all know what to do lah.

*Over the phone*

Mum: Wei, the economic is going downturn. Rice already increased price, Gardenia also getting more and more expensive. You got save money or not?

*Looking at my shopping bags*

Me: Of course got lah.

*At The Yogitree*

I was abit stunned when my Flaky Salmon and Crab Cakes were served. Guess recession impacts on the portion of the food served as well. Piled on top of another, the Salmon and Crab Cakes were only of the size of Chinese Chess pieces. By the way, this dish costs a whooping RM 15. Bar none, the presentation and the texture were lovely. Wish they could serve more tomato relish though. Oh yah, recession.

The signature Duck Pear Salad (RM 22) came highly recommended by the restaurant crew. The salad reminds me of the Roast Duck Breast Salad that I had in Jarrod & Rawlins. The portion is comparably smaller. Somehow I still prefer JR’s light sourish salad dressing over Yogitree’s sesame oil dressing.

The Pasta Carbonara came with beef bacon, mushroom and egg (RM21). Beef bacon can be substituted with Salmon at the price of RM 25. By the way, did I mention that no cream is used in cooking the rich and creamy carbonara sauce?

Feeling unsatisfied, I ordered a serving of bread pieces with Mediterranean dip. The
hummus came with a strong burnt smell or is it supposed to taste like that? The highlight
of the meal has got to be the multigrain focaccia.

*When footing the bill*

He: Better start saving money now. You know how bad the economic is now.

Me: Oh yah, then why are we still eating here?

*Counting…*

He: Oklor, RM80 divide by 2.3 = $ 35 divide by 2 = $ 17.50 per pax. Not that bad lah.

*Nodding in agreement*

Recession doesn’t count when it comes to food.

LOCATION:

F237B, 1st Floor, The Gardens

Japanese Pasta & Pizza @ Shokudo

2008-04-28T00:35:00.002+08:00

The Japanese food craze continues.

I never had so much Japanese food in my life to the extent where there was a period I think I reached saturation and I felt like puking when I see Japanese restaurants.

To alleviate my sickness, I suggested having Japanese fusion food instead. Salute me not.

I picked their Salmon Spring Roll that came with smoked salmon wrapped in rice paper roll transculent like my skin *background: someone pukes when reading this*. The spring roll was beautifully presented. Nice to see, nice to shoot, once you eat, time to puke. Sorry, I don't mean it. Nice presentation aside, the spring roll was too ching to my liking.

He went for the Beef Stew Miso Pasta. Non-halal food for me so I didn't get to sample it. But I guess the picture says it all. I recall his comment was 难吃到呕, or somewhere along that line. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Am not a noodle person so I went for their Okonomiyaki with chicken teriyaki. The crunchy paper-like thin crust was a plus point but the toppings were stingy like my ex-boss.

Still yet to try out Pasta Zanmai @ One Utama but am already skeptical, partly horrified by this dining experience.

Price range from $9.80 for Okonomiyaki to $14.90 for nonsense Pasta. I admit, I am being biased.

Location:

Shokudo Japanese Pasta & Pizza

1 Raffles Link

#B1-23 Citylink Mall

I lost you

2008-04-21T15:28:00.001+08:00

I know I have been posting emo write-ups lately and I was planning to post a cheery food review this week. 人算不如天算. God knows I have to do it again.

*Sigh*

I lost my wallet, with everything inside.

The best thing is that it happened after I withdrew my savings for the month. After few rounds of ransacking and paying my first visit to Balai Polis Singapura, the best thing to do to cure my sadness is of course ..... to eat.

When the kind soul offers a free treat to drown my sorrow, I couldn't be more grateful.

'Eat all you can. Treat it like an ala carte buffet.'

I had the Fruity Tiramisu that neither look nor taste like tiramisu...but I couldn't care less. All I need is sugar, sugar and sugar.

Together with my cash, cards and my shopping vouchers (darn!), I lost my dearie wallet, packed with my good old memories inside.

'Perhaps this is a good start for you. Start afresh from scratch. Ain’t this the reason you move down south?'

I couldn't agree more.

I lost you, at times I still miss you, but it is time for me to get a new one ............. maybe a new Coach wallet I saw the other day that comes with pink lining.

Oh, and why are you not going home? Did you loss your wallet too?

To the kind soul,

Thanks for always being there when I need food to drown my sorrow.

Locations: Coffee Club @ Clarke Quay

Ma Maison, Home Away from Home.

2008-04-13T10:53:00.009+08:00

Location: Ma Maison @ Central, Clarke Quay.

Style: French Japanese Cuisine

Time: Friday evening.

"How do you define happiness in your life?", one asked.

For a moment I was stunned.

What does happiness mean to me? All the while I was trying to cure sadness in my life with food.

"Perhaps my happiness is measured against the quality of matcha ice-cream I can get", I answered. Sounded rather unconvincing, I know. I looked into the menu and tried to trace a sign of happiness instead.

The picture depicting a huge plate of paella immediately caught my attention. I knew I have to have it tonight. I gave him a broad smile as I sank my teeth into it. I made the right choice, finally after numerous attempts in searching for the right one to come by.

He pointed at the picture with a plate of black goeey stuff. I gave a skeptical look. The idea of having a plate of spaghetti coated with black coloured secretion from an ugly sea creature certainly doesn't appeal to me at first. But this time round I was wrong. Never judge a book by its cover and I learnt the lesson. Good thing doesn't come easily, what's more when it comes totally unexpected.

Those who followed my blog would know that I don't take beef no matter how tempting they look. Rest assured, this plate of Doteni Hamburger tasted as fantastic as it can get by looking at the way he indulged in that poor cow's meat.

The key to check out at the payment counter.

And when the question came again, I paired up my answer with a smile.

"Though tonight might not be the happiest moment in my life, I believe it is almost there. Near, very very near."

Price:

Paella - $ 23.80

Cuttlefish ink spaghetti - $ 15.90

Doteni Hamburger - $ 19.80

Of Life and Tong Yuen

2008-04-06T00:06:00.001+08:00

*Scribbling my table calendar*

It has been 2 months since I moved here for good. Time for personal performance review like what my boss did on me at work. I looked into the mirror and put on a pretentious smile. I have not changed much, didn't I? Except getting 2 more prominent eyebags.

Trying hard to recall any significant achievements in the past 2 months. Perhaps it is the first time I managed to board the right train on the right platform on my own, or the first business that I closed for the company, or even the impressive number of eateries that I have conquered so far (put aside the fact that 90% of the food cannot make it).

Far fetched. Yes I know I'm stretching further and further away from that bowl of tong yuen.

I was feeling rather restless that nite after work, itching for real food, I walked from Clarke Quay to Outram and finally to Chinatown all the way in my 3 inches pumps (with the help of one kind soul in giving direction of course). After strolling around, I stopped in front of this Ah Baling Tong Yuen stall.

I sat down and looked at my big bowl of tong yuen that came with 5 different fillings in peanut soup. All the 5 glutinous rice balls looked the same to me. I sniggered... Isn't life like this? you have no idea what you are going to get next.

True enough, I didn't expect it to be that heart warming.

From peanut, red bean, yam, green tea to sesame fillings. Bit by bit, I wolfed them all down. Life like this, when things turn out to be nasty, people turns out to be ugly, I'll eat it all down.

Bring it on.

Mochi Ice-Cream

2008-03-31T01:22:00.003+08:00

He says:

Sweet. Sweet. Sweet.

Stop. Standby. Go.

Still Sweet.

By the way, they taste like medicine with a sugary coat.

I say:

Don't trust him when it comes to dessert.

I was pretty excited when I passed by this Mochi Creamery Outlet that offers over 20 varieties of colourful mochi ice-cream, from azuki, dark chocolate, blueberry, pistachio, passion fruit to unique combination of chocolate coconut, chocolate espresso, strawberry dark chocolate etc.

I had a hard time picking which flavour to sample. The only reason that held me back in trying out all their flavours was that double scoop of Japanese gelatos that I had before stumbling upon this Mochi ice-cream outlet. Talk bout overdose of sugary stuff ever since I came to Singapore.

After thorough consideration, I picked three traffic light colours -- green tea (green), mango (yellow) and sakura (red). Every bite of that dainty dessert was a unique experience for me.

My only complaint was the hefty price tag -- S$2 for a small little cube of ice-cream encased in thin glutinous rice skin. Bar none, I'll still come back for the remaining 17 flavours of their mochi ice-cream.

He, who thinks that he is too hot just because the mochi ice-cream melts in his hand.

See?

*Eyes rolled*

Location:

- Bugis Junction

- Raffles City

Shokudo, the Japanese Marche

2008-03-23T02:16:00.000+08:00

Imagine a caucasian wearing kimono or a japanese girl with blonde hair & blue eyes. That was my very first impression when I stepped into Shokudo. Tapping on the dining concept of the ever famous Marche Movenpick, Shokudo's move to translate it into Japanese style certainly excites me.

Like any bazzar-style restaurant, you'll be given a meal card to order food from each stall, which I find it abit troublesome. Heck, I'm getting lazier and lazier nowadays, I just wanna get seated and wait for the restaurant crew to serve me and bring food to my table.

Bar none, it was quite fun walking around and get to see the way the crew prepares the food (pathetically slow actually). Shokudo is divided into a number of sections and territories, from sashimi & sushi counter to ramen section, tempura stall and dessert corner etc...

Drinks

Japanese Pizza

Miso Stew

Mushimono

Japanese Dessert

Japanese Gelato *Eyes Glowing*

Tempura

We had the Sashimi Moriawase at $ 15. Fair enough, the fresh cut was pretty impressive for that kind of pricing. A good try.

As usual, the ramen fanatic can't leave a Japanese restaurant without having a bowl of ramen, no matter how bad it tastes. The verdict for this bowl of Char Siew Ramen? Bet you can tell from the look.

Yes I admit am a rice barrel. I went for their Katsu Curry Rice ($7.80). The curry flava was not memorable but at least it fares better than that bowl of ramen.

This plate of Unagi Tamago ($5.80) got me waited for quite some time. *Eyes rolled* I wonder why it took so long for him to cook an egg.

The gyoza ($5) was condemned by Mr. Ramen for being loaded with MSG. My only complaint was the stingy filling for that kind of pricing.

Heh heh...finally the highlight of the meal -- my Macha Float. Priced at $4, the scoop of macha ice cream came floated in a sea of macha latte & crushed ice.

I finished my macha float till the last drop but I was not done yet. I continued my journey of indulgence with another 2 scoops of Azuki Macha and Black Sesame from Ministry of Food. True bliss...I mean my ice-cream. A revisit to Shokudo? Hmmm...

Location:

252 North Bridge Road

#B1-44E Raffles City

Tel: 6837 3793

That bowl of XO fish head noodles

2008-03-16T12:57:00.008+08:00

Thank you for participating in my syiok sendiri guessing game. The answer is…is…is …. something that turns wmw off … XO fish head noodle it is!

I have been eyeing on this noodle stall since Jan this year…having deferred the plan week by week…last Thurs we finally made our way there, partly lured by wmw’s review on this place and her luscious food pix.

Tucked away in a corner of a shoplot in Buona Vista, this place is certainly not easy to locate esp for someone like me who is forever hopeless in direction and navigation. Not to mention that this place is not accessible by MRT, Uncle N made me walked all the way to this place in heels. Aiks, for the sake of good food!

This place is famous for its fish head noodles that come with XO soup base and seriously big and juicy chunks of fish.

Another specialty is this stir-fried hor fun (flat noodles) with bean sprouts and fish slices. There you go, another plate of goodies loaded with fish.

Prawn paste fried chicken wings recommended by the stall owner which wmw missed out during her visit was surprisingly crispy and flavourful.

The bill came up to S $28 for 2 pax. Yes, money can buy happiness, esp when all it takes is a little price to pay for a satisfying comfort meal. Anyone coming down south for food hunt? Let’s go for XO fish head noodles :)

.....................................................................

Holland Village XO Fish Head Noodles

Blk 46, Holland Drive #01-359

(Opens Daily, 12 - 2.30pm, 5 - 11pm)

Tel : 6778 3691

Guess what I had last week...

2008-03-12T00:57:00.000+08:00

Hehe...yet another lazy post. Poor me, I am deprived of good food and have not been going out for food hunt quite some time due to my dreadful workload in this tiny island.

Anyway, last week I managed to strike a few eateries off from my 2-meter eating list. Guess what I had last week...look eery from this pic but it was really d'lish!

Update coming soon...

cha cha Ocha cha

2008-03-04T00:15:00.000+08:00

Initially, it was supposed to be a day filled with excitement and anticipations but it turned out to be the other way round. Perhaps I was just too tired ... maybe the expectation that I placed on them was skyhigh.

It was Oscar Movie week over here and I managed to catch up with some good movies (konon-nya) over the weekend. It started with Sweeney Todd which I thought it was quite interesting though still feel disturbed by a few explicit scenes. Can't believe that someone feels inspired after watching the movie and had fun rhyming like Todd @_@

The next movie was No Country for Old Men which I wouldn't have watched it if not for Oscar. What makes it the best picture of the year? Why is the storyline so predictable? Why? Why? Can someone please enlighten me on this?

Following the dinner (another disappointment) at Olio, feeling extremely unsatisfied (quality & quantity wise), we headed to Ochacha for desserts.

Shame on me being a matcha dessert lover but never got to try it back in KL. I was so delighted to know that Ochacha actually originates from Singapore, which means better quality of food in their Singapore outlet?

But why? why? why?

I picked their ice blended matcha with azuki beans ($6.80). The texture tasted exactly like matcha ice cream with azuki beans on top (heck, what am I trying to say...) with a tinge of bitterness.

The matcha cotton cheesecake ($2.90) was another 'surprise', The texture was fluffy but I can't taste anything else but the aching sweetness.

Similarly for the matcha black sesame cake ($4), I was anticipating for some really good desserts but it was not. The taste of the black sesame layers and matcha crumbs on top of the dessert was not apparent.

The highlight of my day was this Gyokuro ($6.90) -- a plain cup of premium green tea. It was being refilled for 3 times (only), actually I can still go for 3 more rounds.

Was I too picky or fussy? All I want is just a piece of bitter sweet dessert.

Malaysia:

The Gardens, MidValley City
Pavilion, Jalan Bukit Bintang

Singapore:
252 north bridge road raffles city shopping centre #B1-44f.

Pakcik's Birthday

2008-02-29T01:19:00.006+08:00

It was Pakcik's birthday,

he went to Marina Bay,

to reminisce about his good old day,

where he dumped a girl on valentine's day.

Sorry, I was just trying to rhyme. No, Pakcik didn't go to Marina Bay and dumped a girl on valentine's day (maybe some other days lah). But it was his 28th birthday.

So off we went to Holland Village to source for good food, not to mention that he kept pissing me off by suggesting sushi and sashimi. At last he decided to give N.Y.D.C a try, featured by wmw recently.

Have to admit that I was more impressed by the ambiance and the interesting menu rather than their food. The setting is vibrant and lively with colourful paintings around. Their menu is the most creative I have ever seen in my life, it is as good as reading kiddo story book. Each of their dishes are uniquely named. I had 'The Picasso' which was basically a 7-inch pizza with toppings of your choice. The greedy me chose 4 toppings: italian ham, pineapple, mushroom and bell pepper. The pizza base costs $8.95 and the price for each topping ranges from $1.50 to $2.25.

Pakcik had the 'Tears of the Heaven' priced at $15.50 (Choi, why you choose this dish on your birthday). The dish came loaded with pork bacon and spaghetti in creamy sauce. As usual, his comment is 'I cook better spaghetti'.

The dessert menu was extremely tempting, thanks to their funky names. I went for their 'Mango Tango' ($10.50) which came with their signature New York cheese cake and homemade mango ice-cream.

Pakcik had his birthday Mochamisu ($6.95) = Mocha + Tiramisu.

The verdict?

He finished his piece of cake.

I didn't.

And I was caught sulking at the aftermath.

As quoted by uncle, the service was excellent but the food was far from excellence. For me, my only complaint was that piece of New York cheesecake which was overated.

Last but not least, happy birthday pakcik!

No more Japanese food lar

2008-02-25T19:41:00.004+08:00

Tell-a-tale: I'm bao

I'm bao.

Xiu long bao.

I'm juicy and piping hot.

I'm tasty inside out.

Crap, I think my brain is infested with worms and getting retarded for overloading myself with sashimi.

Come to think bout it, last week I've gone totally crazee bout Japanese food.
On Monday, I had sashimi bento for lunch, ramen for dinner. On Thursday I had sushi for lunch. On Saturday I made 10 rolls of maki, I have probably walloped half of it. On Sunday, I had Kampachi for lunch and ramen (again!) for dinner. And today I had Saba Teriyaki set for lunch.

I swear I'm going to abstain from Japanese food for the next 24 hours.

Back to food. Last week I managed to meet up with citygal for dinner who came all the way to Singapore for conference and retail therapy. We met up at Vivo City and ended up in this Bosses restaurant which serves Shanghainese food, something ala Dragon-i and Crystal Jade.

Aside from juicy bao, we also had seafood noodle with big juicy prawns and the savoury claypot waxed meat rice.

And ended our meal with melting custard bun...yummy!

Eh, forgot to mention the big boss of the night. Thankiu Pakcik Nic for footing the bill...kakaka

The day when I stumbled upon you again

2008-02-19T01:19:00.010+08:00

Once a upon a time, when I was young (not that I'm very old now), ABRSM exam was my most terrifying nightmare. The world falls apart when I finished counting down the days to the actual exam date.

But each horrifying experience always follow with a comforting good meal, either at KFC or McDs (eh...what were you thinking, I was only a primary school kid back then).

There was a year where my exam was held near KLCC and I had my comforting meal at this Japanese fast food outlet...too bad it has since closed down in KL for no good reason and I miss it dearly.

Imagine how delighted I was when I stumbled upon this outlet again in Singapore. I even revisited it twice in 3 days time. It just brings back the memory of my good old days.

Can't help but love their rice burger.

Ebi burger ($3.90)

I also had their strawberry ice ($1.60 for 3), which is coated with white chocolate on top and stuffed with freezing cold vanilla ice-cream.

Now that's a little price to pay for a comforting meal.

Location:
MOS Burger
Check out their outlets in Singapore here.

Coming soon:
Ramen at Clarke Quay
Ah baling glutinous rice balls at Chinatown
Hokkaido ice-cream at Clarke Quay

Till Pakcik nic remembers to take his alzheimer medicine and send me the photos taken with his hi-tech camera.

Max!mum satisfaction

2008-02-15T01:47:00.003+08:00

Another farewell dinner with my ex-colleagues but no more Japanese food this time round :p

That day we maxed out his credit card at Max! for a wonderful dinner with max!mum satisfaction...by giving him the privilege to tease me for the whole nite...

'You better eat more tonite, there are no yabbies in singapore.'

'You will miss Malaysian food, their char kuey tiao is sweet.'

'You will miss your old work place cus your cubicle is going to be darn small.'

'Order more desserts, who knows the government might ban ice-cream in singapore like how they ban chewing gum.'

@_@

I have been longing to pay Max! a visit since months and months ago. Surprisingly, the food was really really good despite my sky high expectation on it after reading all the great reviews. This is a place that I would definitely revisit though I don't fancy western food.

Check out their colourful plates. Btw, I think my censoring technique still sucks, I thought I made her looked like a blind people wearing a pair of shades.

For starter, we had yabbies lobster, char grilled with lemon oil flavoured artichoke salad. Priced at RM35, the dish came with 5 fresh and juicy yabbies, grilled to perfection. I reckon this is a must-order dish at Max! for shellfish lover.

The lamb cutlet with mint sauce (RM50) was equally good. Again am not a meat lover but the chunks of lamb cutlet were very nicely done while retaining the juicy texture.

The best fish I have ever tasted in my life? Drumroll please...

Taadaa...cod fish it is!

A dainty piece of cod fish cassoulet with bacon, butter beans in chardonnay laced garlic broth (RM42). Sorry my otoro, even you have to rank after this piece of heaven sent fish.

We also had tuna loin seared rare with pan seared baby octopus and piparras chilli (RM28). Another must-try dish at Max!.

Lastly, we ended our meal on a sweet note with warm chocolate souffle and vanilla bean ice cream. Even my guy colleague who claimed that he doesn't have a sweet tooth (konon-nya) find the souffle delicious.

The bill came up to RM200 plus for 3 pax, including wine & beer. Absolutely worth every cent spent. Another excuse for me to come back to KL ... soon. .. for my cod fish.

Btw, heard from my colleague that the Braised Shiraz Wagyu Beef Cheeks with mushroom ragout (RM60) is another signature dish of Max!. Didn't try it this round as I pantang beef.

Mr. LKH, I think you should screw your neroteca plan and head to Max! first.

Location:

Max! Kitchen and Wines

27 Tengkat Tong Shin,

Kuala Lumpur.

Tel No: 03 - 2141 8115

Yo! Sushi @ Pavilion

2008-02-12T02:16:00.001+08:00

Yet another farewell dinner ala Japanese...

Those who followed my blog would know that I'm a sucker for sushi and sashimi to the extent that I can have Japanese food 3 meals a day 7 days a week. Huh, so you think that I'm crazee? Am sure our gorgeous president of JFKA can do better.

I was tempted to try this sushi chain after hearing all the nice & good things about it. But when I suggested Yo! Sushi, my makan kaki who treated me with this farewell dinner was skeptical at first...

Eww...this sushi chain looks so commercialised.

What? A sushi chain from a gwai low country?

Are you sure it is worth trying ohh?

Oh yeah btw, the operator of this sushi chain, Farah Khan brought Yo! Sushi all the way from London to Malaysia. Huh? London? And apparently it is doing really good biz over there.

I almost gone crazee when I saw plates and plates of sashimi running on the conveyor belt in front of me. I grabbed a plate of salmon tataki, tuna tataki (seared sesame seed crusted salmon/ tuna with citrus dressing) and shiro maguro (premium butterfish), price range from RM12 to RM16.

For hot food selection, I had their vege gyoza (RM5), chicken firecracker rice and ramen (RM10-RM14).

People who loves refills would love Yo! Sushi as they offer unlimited refills for green tea and miso soup (RM5).

Now the verdict...

For sashimi, I was confused when I sank my teeth into the thick slices of premium sashimi. Not that the taste was extraordinary but the it was just so not right and doesn't appeal to me at all. Though the texture was lovely, I thought the fish which was sourced from the far away land of Norway & Scotland instead of Japan tasted different from the usual sashimi that I have in Japanese restaurants. Aside from that, the fish slices were juicy and fresh and the portion was reasonable for that kind of pricing.

As for the hotfood selection, it is titled towards fusion instead of the usual authentic Japanese style.

Anyway, don't take my word for it. Maybe I was not prepared for fusion fast food...Perhaps it is time for me to change...but I still prefer the good old Japanese dishes lah...

Location:

Lot 1.18A.01, Pavilion, Jalan Bukit Bintang. Kuala Lumpur.

See other review by masak-masak .

Happy New Year

2008-02-06T17:27:00.000+08:00

Am back in KL for CNY celebration :)

Will update with more reviews soon. Till then, have a great celebration ahead.

Eat more, drink more, sleep more and get more angpows...I know I will.

A Crazy Japanese Food Galore

2008-02-01T01:29:00.000+08:00

I can’t believe that I’m still lost with the MRT system in this small island. Okay I admit I’m hopeless. I can still get on to the wrong train even in KL itself. I was overwhelmed by the crowd in the MRT, along the road, in the shopping mall, etc etc. The living space is amazingly ‘cosy’ (open the door and jump onto the bed in no more than 2 steps). I felt extremely exhausted without my car. I miss my car.

But thanks to you. The crazy Japanese food galore made my stay fruitful.

Sushi Tei @ Ngee Ann City

Too bad I left my camera at home on the first day :p To view similar food pix, check out his previous review here.

The dinner was great, we had a few Hokkaido Promo Items like the killer Otoro Sashimi, seafood ramen and something something salmon. I think I had 80% of that plate of sashimi. President LL, you may consider recruiting him as our Singapore rep for JFKA.

I love Sushi Tei.

Waraku @ Marina Square

The next day we walked all the way from Cityhall to Marina Square when sourcing for good Japanese food and we found Waraku.

The pricing is more or less similar to Sushi Tei, affordable (if you don’t convert lah) for the fine quality of food you can get there.

I had the Waraku Reimen (Cold Noodles) priced at $9.80. I love the toppings and the springy noodles but the sesame sauce for dipping was abit greasy for me.

Mr. food guide had the Porky Udon priced at $12 ++. The oversized bowl of Udon came with one big chunk of pork with a few layers of sinful fat sandwiched in between.

Cute sesame grinder for noodles.

For dessert I had the Matcha ice cream as usual, priced at $3.80 (cheap cheap, if you don’t convert lah).

His eyes glowed when he saw this Truffle ice cream in the menu, priced at $8. I thought it tasted fine cause it was my first time sampling truffle ice cream but he seemed to have a lot of complaints bout it. Check out his review (coming up soon).

I love Waraku.

Azabu Sabo @ Marina Square

We went back to Marina Square to hunt for good Japanese food (again). How crazy can one go after Japanese food?

Azabu Sabo is famous for its wide range of Japanese desserts like matcha & black sesame ice cream served in numerous ways. I really had a hard time deciding which dessert to go for.

Finally I settled for one large bowl of matcha ice topped with vanilla sundae ($ 8.80).

And another bowl of black sesame ice.

The desserts are certainly more exciting than the mains. I had the sabo style teriyaki chicken rice bento ($11.80) while he had the pork cutlet with scrambled egg bento ($13.80). Tasted average.

I love Azabu Sabo (desserts only).

I now declare this island as a safe place for JFKA members to hunt for good Japanese food.

Next stop gonna be the Central Plaza in Chinatown with one building of Japanese restaurants. *Anticipating*

I Heart Moka Pot Coffee

2008-01-27T12:06:00.000+08:00

...Pick n' Brew...

I love the name of this cafe as much as their coffee brewed in moka pot.

In fact, it was one of the most enjoyable lunches I ever had. We took our time to enjoy our meal, we had it course-by-course, from soup to starter to main course and ended with nice aromatic Indonesian and Sumatran blend, paired with a piece of Apple Crumble Cheese Cake, what more can you ask for?

Am not a coffee person but I just can't help but to fall in love with the coffee brewed in moka pot by Pick n' Brew. Being the first cafe to bring this concept into Malaysia, according to Jackson, the idea of moka pot is to bring rich, syrupy attributes of espresso to coffee lovers.

RM8 a pot

Apple Crumble Cheese Cake

Oh yes, by the way, Pick n' Brew is a cafe managed by our beloved friend-Jackson from Living in Food Heaven. Thanks to wmw for bringing me to this cafe located in a far away land (Glenmarie) and sponsoring my lunch (seriously last farewell treat from her :p).

For the benefit of the coffee lovers out there, here are the types of coffee bean offered by Pick n' Brew:

Colombia
-Colombian coffee has a rich balance to them possessing both a fair amount of body and acidity often showing sweet fruited notes suggesting raisins or plums with a touch of nutty flavour

Brazil
-Featuring big-body and low acidity, Brazil offers a husky fruitiness and hints of dark chocolate notes with a sweet nuttiness.

Kenya
-Highly prized for its exotic characteristics, Kenya demonstrates layers of complexity from fresh zingy citrus snap to dark fruit and winey flavour notes mixed in with generous acidity supported by a fairly full body.

Sumatra
-Flagship for the Asia/Pacific cup profile, Sumatra is a smooth, full-bodied coffee with classic earthiness and strong low-tones power.

Indonesia
-Slightly rustic with thick mouthfeel and lingering finish, Indonesian coffees typically displays earthy, husky fruitiness and spicy flavour notes.

That day Jackson brewed a pot of Indonesian and Sumatran blend with strong husky and earthy aroma minus the sourish aftertaste. No doubt the best coffee I ever had. Bliss...

I need t0 revisit soon, another round of caffeine fix with two moka pots all on my own. Anyone tagging along?

Other reviews:
Jackson
Teckiee (with map attached)
Precious Pea (with map attached)

Pick n' Brew Cafe
No 2, Jalan U1/17,
Seksyen U1,
Hicom Glenmarie Industrial Park,
40000 Shah Alam, Selangor.

Operating hours
Monday - Friday : 8am - 8pm
Sunday : 8am - 3pm
Close on Saturday and public holidays

Note: I'm leaving for sg in a few hours time, not sure if I have access to internet, yet. But I'll be coming back for CNY. Till then...

Have a farewell--Part I

2008-01-22T01:23:00.000+08:00

I never realise that I have a big bunch of good friends till I have to say good bye.

I have been busy catching up with friends and attending my farewell meet ups recently. Still have 7 more appointments to go before I leave KL for good. Rest assured, I will miss them loads.

Following from my last post on my last day at work, I went out for a movie with my brother and cousin after work and treated them with Japanese at Sushi Groove. Didn't take pictures this time round, do check out my previous review here.

The next day I declared myself as officially jobless, dragged myself out of the bed in the morning and headed to Isetan for retail therapy (yippee!). After a few rounds of card swiping sessions, I met timothy from 3meals.com for farewell lunch at Din Tai Fung. Thanks to tim for the treat and his precious time. I lost count on how many phone calls he picked up when having lunch :D Also didn't take pictures this time round, check out my previous review here.

Fast forward to dinner time, I met up with the floggers gang (wmw, jason, christine , chris and ekeng) for farewell food crawl at Jalan Alor.

First Stop: Restaurant Muar

We started off the crawl by having chendols and Nyonya food at Restaurant Muar. Check out my previous review here. Unfortunately we had to wait for 40 mins for the food to be served due to short of water supply in that area. Where did they get water from then? We dare not imagine further, at least we are still well and healthy the next day :p

Ekeng who pengsan-ed while waiting for the food to be served.

Luckily the food that was finally served made the long wait worthwhile. We had crispy fried egg drizzled with soya sauce (RM7), seafood beancurd (RM16) and butter kailan (RM10). This is one of the few places I would recommend for simple yet delish homecooked dishes.

RM1 chendol

Second Stop: Jalan Alor

Despite the short of water supply, we still made Jalan Alor our next stop for our food crawl.

We had grilled fish (RM15), grilled squid (RM15) and escargot-like shell fish (RM20). I enjoyed every bite of the lovely dishes.

Third Stop: Haagen Dazs

Yes, I suggested having desserts.

Yes, we walked all the way from Jalan Alor to Bukit Bintang for desserts.

Yes, I agreed stopping by Haagen Dazs for desserts.
Yes, I was the only one who didn't order any desserts.

I only remembered that I had my craving for ice-cream fixed at Gelatissimo that afternoon when I stepped into Haagen Dazs. Having decided not to exceed my daily allocated quota for desserts, I told the rest of the gang I'll only stick to plain water :p

Jason's flower blossom (RM29.90) - choose 6 ice-cream flavours of your choice served in a waffle bowl.

Christine's cookie crunch (RM22.90) - cookies & cream ice cream served with crushed cookies chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Wmw's macadamia nut crunch (RM26.90) - soft baked cookies served with cookies & cream, cookies & chocolate and macadamia nut ice-creams.

Ekeng's sinful fix.

Ekeng's haagen dazs moment, with disturbing food paparazzi.

Christine & Chris' sweet moment.

Made me wanna share the same sweet moment too. Guess who was hiding behind the haagen dazs menu.

What a coincidence, Wmw and Chris actually wore the same Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt that nite! Now guess who is who :p

Everyone with satisfying smile (ehmm...except jason..releks lar!)

Last Stop

Gathering adjourned at around 1am, we stopped at BHP station to feed the car with fuel this time round and headed back home to get a few more hours sleep before we resume our food crawl the next morning with another group of floggers...to be continued...

I kiss my work goodbye

2008-01-17T01:50:00.000+08:00

My cutie moo

I changed three jobs in the past 12 months but only this company etches a place in my heart. I have always enjoyed working with this bunch of people and to be honest I can't recall any 'lowlights' of my experience working with this company, ehmmm ... maybe except a few instances where I have to stay up in the office till midnight. Other than that, I just love all the things that I so used to do with the people in the office.

I took a few days to do spring cleaning, clear and tidy up the mess in my room to avoid terrifying the next lawyer to come :p At the same time disturb the others and reminisce the past.

Start with returning all the books. Aiks, farwell... No more law books in the future.

Gonna miss my whiteboard that I used to write nonsense on it.

And not to forget this bunch of people...

Left: My senior a.k.a makan kaki who gave me a retarded look.
Right: The legal clerk who thinks that she is too pretty to be seen.

Left: The ever important debt collection expert.
Right: The 'nothing is impossible-Singh' of our department.

Left: Our classy Datin who always come with matching baju, shoes and bag.
Right: The lawyer next door whom I always bully. Check out his terrifying look.

To my surprise, they treated me with two Japanese farewell lunches :)

And a gift set from L'occitane which I adore.

Last sight of my room before I turn off the light.

I kiss my work goodbye.

WIP @ Bangsar Shopping Centre.

2008-01-14T01:35:00.000+08:00

'We are going to wip @ Bangsar Shopping Centre for our Association's gathering', announced my boss.

'whip???' I was like, shame on me being a food blogger who has no idea bout this new eatery in town.

Till I saw the restaurant signage...

ahmmm...she was referring to that 'W'ork 'I'n 'P'rogress restaurant.

Ambiance wise, it is quite creative and cost saving since the restaurant theme is 'Work in Progress'. The background music was abit too hip for corporate luncheon but great for buddies' meet up.

Take a look at their story...

And now, back to food. Sad to say it was rather disappointing for the price paid but the drinks did make up for it. So I guess next round I'll just stick to their drinks and fill up my tummy next door instead.

Apple Mint (Recommended)

Smoked chicken RM25 (Triable with medium low expectation)

Chicken Makanwala RM25

(Triable with medium low expectation)

Giant ice kacang topped with a scoop of haagen dazs vanilla ice cream RM19

(Not recommended for that hefty price tag, the pakcik selling RM1 ice kacang at the roadside fares better)

Sing Chow Beehoon/ Stir fried vermicelle RM19

(Triable with low expectation-My makan kaki commented that her mum cooks better beehoon)

Pepperoni Pizza RM33

(All makan kakis commented that it is disappointing, tasted abit bland as the pizza came with too little tomato base so I guess it is not recommended. The only plus point is the thin crispy crust)

Check out lyrical lemongrass' gorgeous review here.

I love Mango Mania

2008-01-07T00:46:00.000+08:00

Mango Mania @ Bangsar

Good news for mango lovers like me :) I spotted this funky bright yellow cafe along Jalan Telawi one night and decided to give it a shot. I have since revisited this cafe for a few times for their superbly smooth frozen yogurt.

I love their attentive service as well, you will be greeted with cheery crew members and a small cup of their signature 98% fat free mango frozen yogurt for sampling once you step in.

You can choose to have plain vanilla/ plain mango/ mixed mango & vanilla frozen yogurt, priced at RM6.90. To indulge more, you can opt to add fresh fruits like strawberries, mango cubes or kiwi that costs about RM3.90 extra.

This place is great for health conscious people as their frozen yogurt and smoothie are made from real fruits and natural ingredients. You can even go for their sinful looking cakes that are low in fat and come with less sugar.

Aside from their healthy desserts, Mango Mania also offers hot food items like mango burger, pasta, sandwiches and salad.

I had their Mango Salad (around RM12.90 I think) which was topped with crunchy anchovies, mango slices, crispy wholemeal bread cubes, sliced boiled eggs and crushed garlic.

My makan kaki had their chicken sausage (RM14.90) which was overpriced for that kind of serving or maybe that is the price to pay for healthy food.

All in all, we thought the place is great for meeting up with friends and indulge in delectable desserts minus the guilt. Their hot food is not recommended but don't miss out their mango frozen yogurt and smoothie!

Location: 36, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru (Opposite EON Bank).

I wish, I dream...

2008-01-02T11:48:00.000+08:00

I know I'm supposed to put up at least a post on new year. Hope it is not too late though ( today is already the 2nd day of 2008) count me lazee :p

New Year's Resolution

My new year's resolution? Too bad I never have one. But I do have clear goal to work towards too, I mean I 'used to have'. My targets and goals have always been study hard and not to fail my exams. Now that I have left my comfort study zone and joined the work force (heck, it has been a year since I became a corporate slave), I thought I have lost the focus in my life or should I set my target as 'earn more money'...hmmm...doesn't sound right to me but yeah at least I'm changing the currency of my pay this year.

Have things changed since 2006?

My messy study desk in aussie

Till now, my office...still messy as ever

Used to stroll along the street freely

Now stuck in the office and yet pretend to be cheery

Rewind...
Looking back at 2007, so far it was the most happening year for me as I experienced alot of drastic changes in my life. Work wise, I have changed 3 jobs in a year and now moving down south :p Aside from being financially independent and managed to pick up my driving skills after spending time in aussie like a retard, I'm glad that I get to know and meet more new friends via blogging last year. From the first day I met them during the Sandias gathering to the Damansara Heights Corporate Slave luncheon, potluck parties and food sampling events, I enjoyed every moment spent with this bunch of great people.

Moving forward
As you all know, I'm making a big leap by venturing down south. I have no idea how hard life is going to be there alone...yet. But one thing for sure, I can still have my hankering for sashimi and sushi fixed there...phew! So I'm all set to go!

My Dreams
I dream alot, day or night. I have my dream house by the beach, dream job (i.e 'work' from home) and a lifestyle to dream for. I guess my dream shall always remain as a dream, try not to realise it so that I can still dream on...

Have a great year ahead :)

Yuzu @ The Gardens.

2007-12-30T01:30:00.000+08:00

I have always wanted to visit this new Japanese restaurant in town which named after a citrus fruit called 'Yuzu' and I bet the restaurant crew was trying to dress up like the fruit as well in striking yellow :p

Ambiance wise, the setting is tilted towards contemporary with moderately fast beating background music which I don't really fancy when having Japanese food. The waitress and restaurant manager were over-attentive as I was about to yell 'leave me in peace!', or maybe that is what they called 'good and friendly customer service' :p

To start off, we had to have the strongly recommended appetizer--'Yuzu No.1' (RM20). What a name for a dish that is made of blended scallops, fish and vege baked in cream cheese, wrapped with seaweed and topped with a dollop of wasabi. Taste wise, I thought it was quite creative and tantalising. Do give it a try but take note that the portion is small enough where you can finish in two bites.

Next up is a big bowl of (crushed ice) sashimi -- Santen Mori that came with toro (tuna belly!), yellow tail and shell fish. The original price is RM98 but you can enjoy a 25% new opening discount for the moment (not sure when will the promotion ends).

Yikes, the presentation looks so inviting!

King Prawn Roll (RM28). Yes I admit, I just love to order Japanese food with nice presentation.

Still not feeling satisfied. We had another heavy dose of cholesterol-laden Hokkai Nabe, aka seafood hotpot. Orginal price at RM68 (25% off during promotion period). Great value for a big bowl of fresh scallops, juicy king prawns and big chunks of salmon in piping hot seafood broth.

Among all the Japanese restaurants that I have visited, I reckon that Yuzu has the most wide ranging dessert menu that excites me, from the usual green tea ice cream, their signature yuzu ice cream to the fusion green tea caramel pudding, matcha parfait and lots more for dessert lovers to choose from.

I settled for their yuzu ice cream (RM8) and Warabi Mochi (RM6) after scratching my head and flipping the dessert menu few times.

Their yuzu ice cream came with a blend of vanilla ice cream and a weak yuzu scent, different from what I expected. But overall a good try if you want to end your meal on a refreshing note.

Their mochi was heavily coated with green tea powder. My palette was firstly greeted with strong unbearable bitter taste but the bitterness didn't last too long as it ended with a hint of sweetness. An interesting palette experience I would say.

By the way, Yuzu is now having 'Fugu Course Meal Promotion', priced at RM135 for 2 pax (after 10% discount). Do give it a try if you have always been pondering whether you will be killed by having this legendary suicidal puffer fish. See precious pea's review on this Fugu Course Meal.

Location: T236, 3rd Floor, The Gardens Mid Valley City.
Tel: 03-2284 7663/7763

Fork & Spoon Cafe @ Kota Damansara.

2007-12-24T01:10:00.000+08:00

Another new cafe in this newly developed commercial area--Kota Damansara. Thanks to Sid for organising this food sampling event for us the gluttony gang. Before I proceed to lure you all with the authentic mouth watering nyonya food, I shall present the readers with a dining voucher as usual, do print this voucher out and flash it to the crew upon ordering. Bon appetit!

Fork & Spoon features wide array of nyonya and asian cuisine, with their specialties--Thai Laksa and Nasi Lemak being my fave dishes of the nite. We also had Roti Jala which disappeared within seconds after being served and we ordered for extra dose..lol

Fork & Spoon Nasi Lemak Special (RM11)

Other varieties:
Fork & Spoon Nasi Lemak Rendang Chicken (RM7)
Fork & Spoon Nasi Lemak Fried Chicken (RM7)
Nasi Lemak Biasa (RM3.50)

Roti Jala (RM6)

Other variety:

Toast Bread with Curry Chicken and Potato (RM6)

Fork & Spoon Thai Laksa (RM7)

Top it up with sinfully delicious prawn paste

We also had Fork & Spoon Assam Laksa (RM7) which was abit bland to me, lack the omph and kick for a bowl of laksa.

Other varities:

Penang Prawn Mee and Spare Ribs (RM7)

Chicken and Fish Ball Noodles (RM7)

Penang Fried Koay Teow (RM7)

Fork & Spoon Mee Jawa (RM7)

Porridge with Fish Fillets (RM7)

Nicely presented 'Yut Sek Har' Vietnamese Style Prawn with Rice. I love the assam gravy prawn which was very nicely done and infused with intense assamy flavour.

Stir Fried Petai with Prawns; and

'Kum Kong Kwat' Pork Ribs which are perfect match to this...

Beer tower (RM80). We dare you to finish this :p no prizes though. Btw, thanks to the owner's kind hospitality but we didn't manage to finish one whole tower...lol

Beside asian cuisine, Fork & Spoon also offers a few western dishes. We managed to sample this Lamb Chop with Rosemary sauce. The meat was nicely grilled and went well with the flavourful gravy.

Finally, we ended our meal with Xango aka mangosteen juice blended with few other type of berries claimed to have healing properties and numerous health benefits like antioxidant etc. Taste wise, it is abit sourish and sweetish though abit concentrated. Overall a decent healthy drink. Do give it a try :) Anyone interested in purchasing or in the retail of Xango may contact Jaee Ong at 017-366 9394.

All in all, I would recommend this place for those who love nyonya spicy and sourish dishes. Remember to bring along frens and the discount voucher ya! Enjoy...

Location: 26, Jalan PJU 5/11 Dataran Sunway Kota Damansara 47810 Petaling Jaya Selangor

Tel: 603-6140 8832

Fax: 603-6140 8332

...hence the start of a new chapter in my life

2007-12-21T00:03:00.000+08:00

Looking back at the ups and downs that I have been through for the past 12 months, I said to myself 'I will remember this year, 2007'.

Reminiscing the things that have stepped in and out of my life this year, I was abit overwhelmed at first but then I started to learn that this is 'life'. Though it is beyond expectation and knowing that there are many more hardships to come, it is the journey of life that I have to move on.

Work wise, I have just accepted a job offer based in Singapore. Yeap, it is a big step for me to make. Having stayed in the legal line for a year, I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and move into an industry that is new and fresh to me. Not to mention that I have to be physically parked in Singapore at least for the next 2 years. Will be moving there soon. And yeah, I will still continue to feature food, food and more food :p from Singapore of course.

I will definitely miss my dear malaysian floggers. You all are more than welcomed to visit me there and go for makaning sessions. LOL...sounded as if I'm not coming back anymore. Aiks, the flight only takes 35 mins wei. I will be back to fix my hankering for Malaysian food.

Till then, cheers to the start of a new chapter in my life and year 2008 in 2 weeks time.

P/s: Nope, I'm not closing down my KL food blog, more KL food reviews coming up :)

Shilla Korean Buffet Restaurant @ The Curve.

2007-12-17T02:14:00.000+08:00

Aiks, apologies for the lack of makan updates recently till ekeng dropped me a message asking me if I'm ok :P Thanks for ur concern ya!

Too bad today I'll be featuring a new in town but not-so-good Korean buffet restaurant located at The Curve. The pricing is somehow affordable, RM49++ per pax but with compromised quality and selection of food.

The ambiance is fine and cosy with modern settings but I find it abit weird though. The restaurant is very spacious but only less than half of the tables were occupied. The range of food served includes sushi, maki, a limited range of sashimi, korean appetizers, grills, poached seafood, ginseng chicken, noodles, rice, salad and barely appetising desserts :p

Take a look at the food...

Mussels with BBQ sauce (I think) and baked in cheese

Sushi and maki (so-so quality, nothing to shout about)

Korean Anniversary Noodles

(Find it quite interesting, abit sourish with the minced tomato on top and I think it comes with ginseng soup base)

Plenty of fresh oysters (hope they are fresh though)

Scallops baked in cheese (below par as the cheesie layer was way too hard and tasted stale)

Grilled lamb cutlets, chicken skewers in hot and sweet sour sauce.

Took too much of their white tuna, some smoked salmon and tuna.

BBQ chicken wings (appreciate if they come piping hot or was it meant to be a 'cold dish'???)

I thought the chocolate fountain would make my day after the unpleasant dining experience but duh...the quality of the chocolate used was not up to expectation...or was I too fussy :I

Hmmm...will I still pay another visit to this restaurant? After all the description of the food, I guess you guys know the answer...

LOCATION: First Floor, 147-148, The Curve. (Near Cafe 1920 and Vivo Pizza)

Great Excuse to Indulge

2007-12-10T10:10:00.000+08:00

Hiya! It's Monday again so chase away your monday blues by indulging in sinfully good treats. Buy ONE whole cake and free ONE whole cake at Secret Recipe, promotion only valid for today!!! And yeah, remember to share your cake with me ok? Heh heh...

The Jogoya promotion looks tempting as well, despite all the bad reviews earned lately. I guess it is worth the price, 50% discount for ladies! I'm going to wallop their Haagen Dazs ice-cream like no tomorrow :p

Chocolate Parfait from Haagen Dazs

2007-12-03T01:27:00.000+08:00

It's the day of the week again. I escaped from my pile of files and backlogs on Friday nite and went out for a walk. As I strolled along Bukit Bintang, the colourful and tempting Haagen Dazs signage caught my eyes. Time to indulge in some sinful treats I thought, so there goes my 30-day diet plan ( I already lost 29 days anyway).

That nite, I fed myself with a tray of 'free fat and free guilt' Chocolate Parfait (RM29.90). The Chocolate Parfait came with 4 types of superbly rich chocolate mousse...Too bad I didn't note down the types of chocolate mousse :p All I remember is that one is Belgium chocolate and one is Orange chocolate. Taste wise, to my surprise, the ice-cream like mousse was very rich and chocolatey, great for die-hard chocolate fans but it was too achingly sweet to my liking.

Am not sure what is this slab of whipped cream topped with orange peels and a slice of orange for. I tried to pair the cream with the chocolate mousse but the chemistry didn't work out well.

Aiks...guess I'll still stick to my classic fave green tea ice-cream on my next visit.

Haagen Dazs Outlets:

Lot 10; Mid Valley; Bangsar Village II, KLCC.

Sit a Spell Cafe @ Kota Damansara.

2007-11-26T01:38:00.000+08:00

After missing-in-action for a week, it's time for me to present you all with another new eatery in town and a discount voucher--good reason to pay this cafe a visit ya :)

Thanks to the birthday boy--Sidney for organising this makan session, I had a great time meeting up with up with some floggers again after a few weeks of house arrest , am now back to the blogsphere and ready for more food hunts.

From the Set Menu (RM18.90)

Sit a Spell Cafe offers value set meal that comes with soup, main course (Chicken Roulade or Lamb Shoulder), dessert and coffee/tea. The menu changes every alternate day.

Chicken Roulade (boneless chicken leg met wrapped with turkey ham and cheese) has our vote as the fave dish of the nite. The wrap was deep fried and served with mash potatoes & mushroom ragout.

Grilled Lamb Shoulder with mint and black pepper sauce. The portion was generous, it came with a big chunk of lamb shoulder cooked medium-well. Too bad am not a lamb person but other floggers gave pretty good comments bout it.

From the A la Carte Menu

The cafe offers western and asian dishes, all reasonably priced and comes with generous portion.

We love their Fish & Chips served with addictive self-blended tartar sauce (RM14.90) and Seafood Pasta that came loaded with mussels and tiger prawns (RM18.90).

If you can't survive another day without rice, go for their asian dishes like Balinese grilled fish in banana leaves, served with rice jewels or their signature Sit a Spell nasi lemak, served with curry or fried chicken (RM7.90).

Drinks

Strawberry Smoothie (RM4.90)

Ice blended chocolate

Desserts

Green Tea Tiramisu (RM7.50) -- love this! Just the right balance of sweetness with creamy mascarpone cheese layered in between green tea sponges.

Pandan Layer Cake (RM5.90) that reminds me of my childhood birthday cakes.

Royal Chocolate (RM5.90) -- Very rich and moist, highly recommended for chocolate lovers.

All in all, the food was good and reasonably priced. I esp love their homemade cakes. Do give it a try and remember to bring along the discount voucher ya :)

9 Course Meal @ Kura Japanese Restaurant.

2007-11-19T01:15:00.000+08:00

Following the disappointing dining experience @ Iketeru for 5 star pricing but average quality Japanese food, the JFKA die -hard honorable lifetime member continued her quest for good Japanese food that can sweep her off her feet...

And she finally found her new fave Japanese restaurant--Kura it is!

Calling all Japanese food lover, this is another Japanese restaurant that is worth trying out aside from the newly opened Kampachi @ Pavilion. FYI, the Malaysia International Gourmet festival (MIGF) is back again, from 2 till 30 November 2007. This time round we decided to give Kura's MIGF's menu a try.

The menu offers 2 choices of 'Authentic Japanese 9 Course Menu': Course A priced at RM 198 per pax and Course B priced at RM128. Having scrutinised both courses which serve more or less the same dishes, we decided to go for Course B.

We were seated in a cosy bird cage-like cubicle overlooking Damansara Utama.

Diners that go for the MIGF menu enjoy a free aperitif drink--Choya Umeshu (plum wine).

COURSE B: RM128 per pax

1st Dish: Kinzanji Wasabi Miso no Morokyu / Koimo / Shioiri Ginnan

To start off the 9 course meal, we had Japanese yam, cucumber salad and gingko nuts as appetizer.

2nd dish: Jikasei Zaru Tofu

This homemade smooth silky pudding-like tofu served on a bed of ice has my vote as the simple yet best dish amongst the lot.

3rd dish: Otoro/ Kanpachi / Salmon

Taadaa...finally the highlight of the course was served with 2 thick slices of toro (yummy!), salmon and yellowtail. The sashimi was very fresh and delish, love 'em so much.

4th dish: Madai to Ebi no Doumyoji Mushi

Next up is the Japanese steamed dish, we had steamed sea bream and prawn in sake.

5th dish: Unagi Kabayaki

Have to confess that I never had such a big and thick slab of unagi at a go before. The seasoning was just nice, unlike some Japanese restaurants that serve unagi with overpowering marinade.

6th dish: Ebi to Satsumaimo Tempura

7th dish: Hokkigai to Wakame no Sunomono

Thumbs up for this Wakame salad with vinegar dressing. Very refreshing and bud tantalising.

8th dish: Asari Misoshiru

The Miso clam soup was loaded with big fat juicy clams.

9th dish: Matsutake Gohan

Finally, we ended the 9 course meal with a simple but yummy bowl of rice cooked with gingko nuts and Japanese pine mushroom--a highly sought after exotic ingredient in Japanese cuisine.

Dessert--Jikasei Kurogoma Pudding

The course came with a dessert as well, the homemade black sesame pudding really swept my feet off. The texture was similar to their homemade cold tofu, smooth and slightly gooey, with bits of aromatic black sesame. Also available in green tea flavour.

Kura also offers a range of affordable set lunch & dinner, starting from RM25. We ordered a Zanmai Sashimi to Sanma set (RM45).

Sanma shioyoki. You can also opt for Salmon or Saba shioyaki.

Sashimi again! I feel so satisfied after loading myself with these goodies that have great therapeautic effect :)

Piping hot chawan mushi.

Interesting scoop of tuna spread that looked like the usual canned tuna but tasted fine.

Yeap, more desserts! I was so tempted by the dessert menu that offers a range of interesting Japanese homemade desserts.

I love their Strawberry Ice (RM9) that came with frozen real strawberries stuffed with vanilla ice cream. Too bad they only served 4 tiny strawberries, can't seem to get enough of these cuties.

Green tea ice cream with azuki beans (RM7). Somehow I don't really fancy the taste of their green tea ice cream, abit artificial for me. Just stick to their homemade puddings and strawberry ice or perhaps azuki beans soup with glutinous rice balls when it comes to desserts.

All in all, the bill came up to RM200 plus but it is worth every cent paid. This Japanese restaurant has my vote for good sashimi and desserts...oh yes, and nice ambiance.

Location: One world hotel, First avenue, Off dataran bandar utama, PJ.

Tel: 03-7681 1111

Hokkien specialties @ Hua Xing.

2007-11-13T01:24:00.000+08:00

Ask me bout Hokkien dishes and I can only name you two -- the signature black black Hokkien noodles and Hokkien red wine chicken mee suah. Little did I know that quite a number of my fave dishes like braised pork & tapioca noodles originate from this clan too. Thanks to Big Boys Oven for bringing us this gastronomic adventure @ Hua Xing restaurant.

Still not tempted yet? Take a look at the newspaper cuttings pasted all over the wall.

Tucked away in a corner of a row shoplots, it is easy to overlook this hidden gem if you are not familiar with this area. Hopefully this retarded map (yes, drawn by me!) is good enough for you all to locate this restaurant that offers great authentic Hokkien specialties.

We started off with a basket of homemade sesame and rice puffs, coated with gooey molasses. Apparently it is the Hokkien's tradition to give out these puffy goodies during wedding celebration.

The main dishes served were fantastic as well (no kidding), we had...

Braised pork (RM 18) that matches perfectly with alkaline kuih

Crispy deep fried brinjal (RM 10) that is highly recommended by the food sampling team. Warning: Highly addictive dish that will make you crave for more once you sank your teeth into the crunchy strips.

Taadaa...my fave dish of the nite has got to be this giant Curry Chicken Bun (RM 28). This is one of Hua Xing's signature dishes that needs to be pre-ordered at least a day ahead. The team enjoyed soaking up the soft melting bun into the thick yummy curry gravy. Absolutely delish esp for curry lovers.

Instead of having the usual Hokkien yellow noodles and Mee Suah, the taukeh recommended that we give their homemade sweet potato and tapioca noodles a try. Sounds interesting we thought.

The pre-cooked look.

Stir fried sweet potato and tapioca noodles (RM 10). The texture of the noodles was rather chewy but springy at the same time. A good try if you are bored of the usual mushy noodles. Taste wise, they were more or less the same like the ever popular blackie Hokkien noodles.

Our meal is never complete without desserts, as usual, Sunny from Big Boys Oven fed us with his new creation again and this time round we had petite chocolate and caramelised banana cupcakes. Do drop by their website and feast your eyes with their luscious desserts :)

All in all, we were very satisified with Hua Xing's good authentic Hokkien dishes, do remember to give their Curry Chicken Bun a try! With great hospitality, cosy warm ambiance that gives you the kind of eating-at-home feeling and affordable pricing, what more can you ask for? Hmm...probably a larger serving of food cus we just can't seem to get enough of 'em.

Location: (refer to the map lar)

Restoran Hua Xing

Lot 1-12, 1st Floor, Plaza Sri Setia,Jalan SS9/2, Seri Setia, Sungai Way.

Business hours: 11.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., 6.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.

Close on alternate Wednesday.

Middle Eastern fare @ Al-Nafourah.

2007-11-07T00:03:00.000+08:00

I first encountered Middle Eastern food when my company held its corporate lunch @ Bukhara Restaurant, KLCC. There, I got to savour their intriguing offerings such as hummus & chickpea puree served with fresh warm pita bread; assorted kebabs and their irresistable desserts. Definitely worth the try if you are bored of the usual Western, Japanese or Chinese food.

Two weeks later, we're back for more Middle Eastern fare and this time round the lucheon is held at Al-Nafourah, Le Meridien Hotel. Step into the restaurant and you are immediately transported to the mythical Arabian mode. We love the gorgeous ambiance with the beautiful concoction of Moorish and Turkish designs.

Food wise, we had more or less the same food sampled @ Bukhara.

Cold & Hot Mezzeh (Appetizer)

Hummus (Puree of chickpeas mixed with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil & paprika) -- Wish we could have more chickpeas.

Labneh be Toom (soft creamy cheese, dried mint & garlic) -- Refreshing & lite yoghurt-y taste.

Iman Bayaldi (Stuffed aurbegine with tomato, onions & garlic in olive oil) -- Yummy!

Kabak Mucveri (Zucchini Fritter) -- Deep-fried battered cucumber that tastes like Malay's cucur udang, served on a bed of Couscous.

Falafel (Broad Bean & Chickpeas Puree with garlic and coriander) -- Abit dry and choking but the taste is pretty decent when paired with the yoghurt-like dressing.

We just can't stop reaching into the basket of warm pita bread to go with the chickpea puree, fritters & aubergines. By the time we finished walloping the Mezzeh, we were already hall full (how to continue with the meeting after lunch??).

Somehow we just happened to have different compartment for good food. Time for some Lebanese grills and desserts...

Grill

Mashawi Mushakalah (Assorted Grilled Kebabs include charcoal grilled marinated beef tenderloin; Chicken Shish Tawok; Lamb Kofta)

Grilled Mediterranean vegetables

Top up the plate with more carbs--Ruzz Bilzafaran (saffron ghee rice) that reminds us of our local briyani.

Sweet ending

Mhalabiyeh (Soft creamy pudding made with rice powder and flavoured with orange blossom water) -- We truly adore this luscious dessert! Everyone around the table finished the smooth creamy pudding till the last spoon and I'm missing it dearly now.

Since it was a corporate luncheon, the food were all pre-ordered and the bill was well taken care of *grin* hence I didn't get to figure out how is the pricing like. Drawing inference from the usual 5-star pricing for fine dining, guess you should be ready to fork out around RM80 per person for a decent 3 course meal. Of course you can still opt for cheaper alternatives for Middle Eastern fare like Bukhara and Al-Marjan, both located @ KLCC.

LOCATION: Le Meridien KL, opposite KL Sentral Station.

Tel: 03-22637888

House arrest for 3 weeks

2007-11-04T15:50:00.000+08:00

The title says it all...I'm grounded for the next 3 weeks as per my doctor's instruction. Thanks to my parents and my bunch of colleagues for scaring me with all the bad consequences that follow from non-compliance. I better sit still and not strain my bad knee further :(

So the story goes... (dun laugh at me!)

On that 'lovely' thursday, I went for my aero dance class after work, I was 5 mins late apparently, skipped warming up and straightaway did all those vigorous movements. I was doing okay for the first half an hour till I heard 'pop' ! I TWISTED MY KNEE when doing that 360 degrees twist :I The worst thing was that I only rested for a few seconds and joined the class again ( I want to slap myself now for doing that). I didn't feel the pain until I reached home, I couldn't even walk properly and felt the inflammation fluid flowing inside my knee. Yiaks, better dun elaborate further...feeling queasy now.

My dad was about to drag me to see the Chinese Urut ('Tit Da') but I refused. Can't bear the pain of having my knee twisted again...

Anyway, I have been a good girl (I think), at least I went to see a doctor, got some pain killer, medicine to reduce swelling and metsal cream.

LESSON LEARNT: Stop all activities and rest when you sprained your joints.

P/s: Floggers feel free to deliver food to me.

***************************************************
TAG! TAG! TAG!

Got interrogated by meiyen with a series of question...so here you go:

Name one person who made you laugh last night?
Someone who is now 6000 miles away from me.

What were you doing at 0800?
Sleeping like a pig.

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Watching drama while chatting at the same time.

What happened to you in 2006?
Quite a bad year for me. Was studying in Aussie for my final year and was struggling with the crazee & unpredictable weather.

What was the last thing you said out loud?
OUCH! I twisted my knee!

How many beverages did you have today?
Water and Green Tea.

What color is your hairbrush?
I don't use hairbrush.

What was the last thing you paid for?
RM300 for my season parking and RM428 for my yoga class. All burnt in one day.

Where were you last night?
Sitting on my bed, can't move much with a badly sprained knee.

What color is your front door?
Dark Brown.

Where do you keep your change?
My purse.

What's the weather like today?
Hot & sunny--> Rainy-->Windy

What's the best ice-cream flavour?
Green Tea rocks! Esp from Haagen Dazs :D

What excites you?
Clothes, bags, shoes and Green tea ice cream.

Do you want to cut your hair?
Cut it last week.

Are you over the age of 25?
PHEW! Not yet :p

Do you talk a lot?
Yeah, why not. With the right time and person, I can talk alot of nonsense stuff.

Do you watch the O.C.?
Huh???

Do you know anyone named Steven?
Hmmm....nope!

Do you make up your own words?
When I'm inspired.

Are you a jealous person?
Heh heh...beware...

Name a friend whose name starts with the letter 'A'.
Ah Kow

Name a friend whose name starts with the letter 'K'.
Kuli

Who's the first person on your received call list?
Someone who is 6000 miles away from me.

What does the last text message you received say?
A message from someone who consoled me for being forced to rest my bad knee for 3 weeks.

Do you chew on your straw?
Yes, when I'm distressed.

Do you have curly hair?
Yes, if not for the rebonding trick.

Where's the next place you’re going to?
Can't go anywhere now...I WANT TO GO SHOPPING!!!

Who's the rudest person in your life?
Somehow I only have a good bunch of people in my life.

What was the last thing you ate?
Dried fruits.

Will you get married in the future?
Hmmm....I wish so.

What's the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
Somehow I have only watched one movie in the past 2 weeks--'Something's gotta give' starring Jack Nicholson and Keanu Reeves...go watch it!

Is there anyone you like right now?
Hmmm...dunwan to tell u!

When was the last time you did the dishes?
This morning.

Are you currently depressed?
YES!!!! I want to jog, do yoga and swim but I can't!

Did you cry today?
Apparently nope.

Why did you answer and post this?
Cus I have nothing better to do.
I just love answering questions!

Victims Tagged:

Chrisitine Leng from Brought up to share

Jackson from Living in Food Heaven

Daphne from More than words

ekeng from Cari makan in PJ

Kok from Not so complicated

Su Chan @ Bangsar Village II

2007-11-01T07:47:00.000+08:00

I love Banana Torte!

Bet this is the common scenario for corporate slaves when it comes to lunch time.

In the office...

Corporate slave No.1 : 'Whereabout for lunch?'

Corporate slave No.2 : 'Err...err...what do you think?' (looking at Corporate slave No.3)

Corporate slave No.3 : 'Huh???Anything lar.' (looking at Coporate slave No.4)

Corporate slave No.4 : 'Haiya, still got time, we will decide in the elevator'.

*Everyone nods their head*

In the elevator...

CS No.1: 'So where?where? Have to tell me if not where to head to?'

*CS No.2, No.3 & No.4 showing blank faces*

In the car...
CS No.1: 'Haiyor, I decide! Go thai, ok?'
CS No.2: 'I just had thai for dinner last nite.'
CS No.1: 'Then Japanese.'
CS No.3: 'I had Kampachi yesterday.'
CS No.1: 'Sandwiches @ D'lish???'
CS No.4: 'Yeee...dunwan packed food lar.'
CS No.1: 'Grr...Ask the flogger!'
Me: 'Su Chan.'

*Everyone nods their head*

To make our life easier, Su Chan comes out with a set lunch menu that offers over 15 varieties, ranging from Western, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Chinese to Malay. They even have 'munchies set' and 'on-diet set'.

For pocket burning purposes, these are some of their hi-end set lunches:

Fisherman's Wharf (RM53)
-Prawn & Mango Salad
-Grilled Salmon
-Dessert, Coffee/Tea

Pasta Special (RM41)
-Wild mushroom soup
-Chicken pesto lasagne
-Dessert, Coffee/Tea

Rack of Lamb (RM61)
-Soup
-Lamb Rack
-Dessert, Coffee/Tea

Mediterranean (RM40)
-Soup
-Herbed Chicken
-Dessert, Coffee/ Tea

Corporate Slave No.1 's pick: Ms. Saigon Special (RM 27) that came with...

Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Love this! The portion is so generous and the spring rolls were stuffed with loads of veges, omelette strips, prawns and chicken.

Vietnamese Beef Noodles

Local dessert of the day which was Pengat Pisang.

Corporate Slave No.2's choice: Laksa Delight (RM19) that came with...

Top Hats

Thai Laksa (but she complained that the laksa broth was not flavourful enough) and one local dessert.

I had the On Diet Set Lunch (RM13) that came with grilled chicken toasties and drinks.

Corporate Slave No.3 & 4 went Italian (RM40) that came with...

Wild Mushroom soup (yummy!)

Beef Lasagne (caution...piping hot melting cheese encased within)

The Italian set also came with a dessert, you can make your pick from the display case, featuring over 10 types of luscious cakes, brownies and tarts. I reckon that the guys are from the outerspace since they have no desire for sweetish stuff (how could they!). Nevermind, this means that the ladies get free desserts...heh heh...

Banana torte--The texture is abit hard and solid but we enjoyed the banana and walnut bits layered in between.

Emm...forgot the name of this wonderful piece of art which was packed with nuts and dried fruits.

All in all, we just love the set lunch menu, save us from scratching our heads on what to eat and not to forget, the lovely looking desserts...we will be back!

Other review:
Nipple Joe

Edo Jo @ Desa Sri Hartamas.

2007-10-30T07:33:00.000+08:00

We always wanted to try this unique-looking Japanese restaurant located at Desa Sri Hartamas.

5 months ago...

This restaurant looks cool!

Yeah...must be heart achingly expensive. We will wait till the next payday.

* * * * * * *

4 months ago...

Aren't we supposed to try this Japanese restaurant out?

Yeah...but pocket quite burnt this month...maybe we will wait till the next payday.

* * * * * * *

So the same convo went on and on till last month, we finally made our way there! And as expected, the food comes with hefty price tag :I

The ambiance is cosy and decent, with an impressive collection of Japanese rice wine. The menu offers a wide variety of contemporary and authentic Japanese food, but too bad they don't have my fave white tuna sashimi :I

I had their braised fish and radish set (RM 30) that came with rice, main dish, salad, miso soup, pickles and fruits. Nothing much to complain here.

Salad

Braised radish and fish

We also had Katsu Curry which was priced at RM32, 2 bucks extra when compared to my set meal. Fair enough, the gravy was very aromatic and flavourful but we still think that it is overpriced though.

The forever bland Yu Tofu (RM 12) which I added half a bottle of chilli flakes into it.

And my favourite gyoza (RM10) which was very nicely pan fried with juicy meat fillings.

Somehow this is just one usual Japanese restaurant no different from the others, some of their items are fairly overpriced but the taste was just mediocare. Till today, I'm still on the look for Japanese food that can sweep me off my feet. Few days ago I went to Iketeru with my colleague for dinner, hoping to get my hankering for fine Japanese food fixed but it was a rather disappointing experience. Guess it is time for me to lower down my expectation.

'Long live sushi and sashimi--JFKA'

Other reviews:

Nipple Joe

Julie the biscuit

1glutton12 months120 posts

2007-10-24T03:10:00.000+08:00

My very first post on KL People KL Food.

I can't believe that I finally have the chance to post this up! Unfortunately I totally forgot to post it on the exact date (supposed to be last Tuesday) where my blog turned 1 year old :p *malu* Was too bogged down last week.

I first came across food blogs when I was still doing my degree in Australia. That was when I first realised how delicious Malaysian food is. In fact, viewing food blogs at that point of time was torturing--imagine me looking and drooling over the food pix on the computer screen while munching baguette and rocket leaves.

Few months later when I eventually graduated, came back to Malaysia for good and started getting active in food reviewing and blogging. I enjoy the process thoroughly, learnt heaps of new stuff, made a bunch of new friends (our lovely floggers group!) and injected something interesting into my life via food hunting, food sampling and photo shooting.

So, happy birthday to my young food blog. Keep up the eating and reviewing dear floggers!

Din Tai Fung @ The Gardens, Mid Valley City.

2007-10-22T01:21:00.000+08:00

Aiks, another Monday but am not feeling moody today :D The main project that I've been spending much time on was finally completed on last Friday...yippee...and I managed to catch up with retail therapy sessions at Isetan as well.

Back to food, during our first visit to The Gardens, me and my colleagues had lunch @ Sushi Zen which was located opposite this ever crowded Shanghainese Dim Sum restaurant--Din Tai Fung. The crowd lured us to drop by for lunch the other day to see what is the hype all about. Just a piece of advice, try to reach there latest at 12 noon to avoid the crazee lunch crowd, not sure if they accept reservations though.

I recalled that we actually waited for around 20 minutes to be seated, patience...patience...for the sake of food.

Duh...finally after the long wait, we were served with the piping hot stuff in bamboo steamers. The choice of dimsums offered are more or less the same like Crystal Jade and Dragon -i but Dragon-i fares better in terms of variety.

The must-have in Shanghainese Dim Sum restaurant--Xiu Long Bao (cutie pie like me) priced at RM11 for 5 pieces. Have to agree with precious pea that the soup encased in the dumplings was not flavourful enough. Personally I prefer Crystal Jade and Dragon-i's version though.

Four of us shared a bowl of Zha Jiang La Mien priced at RM12. This bowl of noodles definitely has our vote, it came with minced meat, beancurd and edamame that went very well with the spicy noodles.

The most economical Mushroom Vege Bun (RM4 for 2 big buns) which I don't really fancy.

Take a look at the fillings.

Mushroom Vege Dumplings (RM9 for 4 pieces). The fillings are exactly the same like those found in Mushroom Vege Buns.

A plate of Bok Choy stir fried with garlic (RM12).

For desserts, we had Taro Xiu Long Bao (RM6 for 4 pieces) which was very nicely done.

And Layer Cake which my colleague commented that 'It is just a piece of tasteless flour'...LoL...but it is good for cleansing your palate though.

All in all, we still didn't get what is the hype about. Sad to say that I would still stick to Dragon-i when it comes to dumplings and other Shanghainese Food.

Other reviews by:

WMW

Precious Pea

Nipple Joe

Bonny's Kitchen @ Plaza Damas

2007-10-16T03:09:00.000+08:00

Hiya, it's Tuesday I'm back to work. Hope you all enjoyed your long weekend and all the ketupat and rendang over the Raya break :)

This time round I'm going to feature Hongkie dimsum from Bonny's Kitchen located at Plaza Damas, Hartamas. I came across to know this restaurant from precious pea and boo_licious where they gave good reviews on their dishes and dimsums, but what attracted me the most is their cute lil' custard buns shaped like poccupines...

So adorable!

Custard Buns (RM4)

We also had a few other dimsum items like Fried Yam Puffs aka Wu Kok (RM5) and Deep Fried Lotus Paste Ball (RM4).

Commendation must be given to Bonny's Deep Fried Lotus Paste Ball. This dimsum item received consensus from all of us that it is the best Lotus Paste Ball we ever had in our lifetime. Till now I can still remember vividly its crispy skin with soft melting lotus paste encased within.

Yummy!

Get what I mean?

Too bad the main dishes that we had were not up to expectation when compared to their dimsum items.

My colleague had the Fried Flat Noodle with Beef aka Gon Chao Ngau Hor (RM10) which was abit bland and substance-less.

I went for the Steamed Rice with Assorted Mushroom (RM8) which was even more substance-less. Felt abit deceived by the name of this dish in the menu as it turned out to be a bowl of white rice topped with normal vege and canned mushrooms.

Feeling unsatisfied with the mains, we decided to go for their desserts. This Sesame Roll (Rm10) was strongly recommended by the Hongkie co-owner who claimed that we won't gain weight by binging on this...Lol

Fair enough, this Sesame Roll was very refreshing. Topped with fragrant sesame seeds and accompanied with sesame sauce at the side. Great for sesame lover :)

All in all, we will still come back for their Hongkie dimsum items and desserts... I'm eyeing on their mango pudding and Herbal Jelly. Do drop by this place if you happen to end up @ Hartamas with a growling stomach.

Location:

PLAZA DAMAS

Lot J-0-1, Mayfair Service Apartment,

No.60, Jalan Sri Hartamas, KL.

Tel: 03-62014652

Jarrod & Rawlins @ Damansara Heights.

2007-10-08T00:57:00.000+08:00

Starring: Two insane Damansara Heights corporate slaves.

Description: This is how we behave on mundane Monday.

Yeap, it's Monday again! Hope you all had a great weekend. Not to forget Raya is coming real soon and we get 4 days off starting from this Friday till next Monday...yippee :D

Back to food, I believe you all have came across a few good reviews bout Jarrod & Rawlins. I have to admit that it serves really fine food, their homemade sausages and grilled ribs are simply not to be missed by carnivores. For me and my lunch kaki, Jarrod has been our default choice for gelatos as desserts, we never failed to drop by Jarrod for a scope or two on a stressful day after lunch at chap fan (mixed rice) stall or sandwiches at Subway.

This time round we thought we should make the owner feel a lil' happier by sampling their nice grills. Oh...do take note that you will be charged a whooping RM10 extra as grilling charges for ala carte grills.

My lunch kaki went for their set lunch, priced at RM25 which came with one starter, one main course and coffee/tea.

The starter tasted not bad, the crispy baguette was layered with poached egg and melted cream cheese on top...very creative we thought.

Then came her big chunk of grilled pork with dried apples and Swiss Rösti. According to her feeback, the pork was nicely grilled, crispy at the outside while retaining the juicy texture inside. Just go for it baby!

For someone like me who is more into desserts than big chunks of meat, this plate of duck breast salad (RM23) drizzled with balsamic vinegar would be a great choice.

Came dessert time and we were looking for something refreshing to clean our palates. The waitress suggested creme brulee and we decided to give it a go.

And duh...my camera's battery died before I managed to snap a pix of the desserts so just bear with the blurry handphone camera pix ya?

So...when our 'creme brulee' was served, we were like...'Huh? My fren, are you sure this is creme brulee???' Take a look...

We were so sure that they served us Chocolate Mousse cake cus the upper layer tasted exactly like chocolate mousse and the bottom layer tasted like how a pie crust should taste like O_o Somehow the two waiters insisted that it is creme brulee though...lol

So there you go, a great place to hang out with your frens, a place to fix your hankering for big chunks of meat and the one and only place for nice gelatos for Damansara Heights Corporate Slaves.

LOCATION:
No.6, Lorong Dungun,
Damansara Heights,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.

TEL: 03-20930708

Other reviews:
KY Eats
Tankiasu
Lots of Cravings
A Whiff of Lemongrass (with tips on how to piss off your husband and win him back)

Affordable Japanese Food @ Sushi Zen.

2007-10-03T01:24:00.000+08:00

Guess most of you (esp shoppers) are aware of the opening of The Gardens @ Mid Valley City. Yesterday I finally made my way there, thanks to my boss who wanted to do retail therapy there ('shopping' in layman's terms) :p

We were strolling in the mall, looking for food and this Sushi Zen located in the middle of the mall caught our eyes. We need sashimi to cure our depression.

Believe it or not, the pricing is so affordable that we rubbed our eyes twice to check if it was printed wrongly.

My colleague went for the Hokkai Chirashi Don priced at RM15.90 only. Still think that it is expensive? Take a look at the picture. The Chirashi Don came with abundant fresh salmon (ichiban!), scallop and salmon roe.

I went for the Sakura Chirashi Don, priced at RM15.90 as well and it was equally good. Looking at the picture makes my stomach growl for sashimi early in the morning :I My bowl of Chirashi Don came with salmon, tuna, octopus, prawn, crab and ebi roe. The portion was so big that we had a hard time finishing them.

We were tempted to order the sushi rolls as they are unbelievably cheap when compared with other Japanese fast food chains.

Ebikko Maki (RM4.90)

Sushi Zen is now my fave Japanese eatery to have my hankering for fresh sashimi fixed. So what's for lunch today?

LOCATION:
The Gardens
LG K02, Lower Ground, Mid Valley City.
TEL: 03-74923080

Chef & Brew @ Plaza Damansara

2007-10-01T00:44:00.000+08:00

As promised, revealing the answer for the last post...

List of participants:

Big Boys Oven--Ikea meatballs

Babe_kl--Purple brussel sprouts

Meiyen--Mushrooms

Jason--Boiled dwarf potatoes

Char Siew Bao--Chicken testicles

Tankiasu--Bull testicles

Wmw--Meatballs but not from IKEA

Nipple Joe--Yucky meatballs

Daphne--Mashed yam balls that look ewwww

Tim Low--Boiled Chempedak seeds in some kinda sauce

teckiee--So smooth one, sure meatballs meh

ilovepearly--Baked red potatoes

And the answer is.....weirdo looking MEATBALLS!

So the story goes...

I was looking for a decent and nearby eatery to have lunch on one mundane monday, little did I know that my choice turned out to be an unpleasant experience.

The menu is pretty extensive, offering western, fusion, chinese and limited japanese dishes. Ambiance wise, the place is cosy and comfy, you can choose to be seated outside and enjoy the garden view.

Taadaa...this is my choice of main which turned out to be a disaster--Swedish Chicken Balls (RM15.90) that look ewww and tasted terribly salty.

Char siew bao's main was Spaghetti Prawn Olio (RM23.90) which was quite decent but overpriced for such portion.

As usual, Char siew bao's daily dose of caffeine--Hazelnut Cappuccino (RM6.90).

For desserts, I was tempted to try the lychee sundae (RM7.90) which I expected them to serve me nice lychee flavoured sundae. To my horror, it turned out to be one scope of low quality vanilla ice cream and artificial looking and tasting strawberry ice cream, drizzled with bright red syrup and topped with 4 lychees. I was like...'huh???? So this is lychee sundae that costs me RM7.90?'. I didn't take the picture though as it was too unbearable presentation wise and taste wise. Sad....

Char siew bao went for the banana spilt (RM9.90) that tasted similarly horrible. Just avoid the desserts when you have to dine here.

Prologue: Bad Food Posts

2007-09-25T00:33:00.000+08:00

The title says it all. No luck in recent food hunts as I have two bad food reviews to share with you all. Stay tuned till I clear my backlogs :)

Eww..what is this???

D'lish for the Impatient Gourmet

2007-09-19T00:07:00.000+08:00

Good news for Delicious fan as it is now venturing into fast yet fresh food concept -- D'lish. Tucked away in a small cosy corner @ Bangsar Village but you can't really miss it as it appears to be quite aggressive in marketing their brand. Do take note of d'lish's funny lines with maroon background placed along the escalator.

Check this out. They even make their own packaging for drinking water but it comes with a price, RM1.80 a bottle, pocket-burning as expected.

I was so tempted to try their range of nicely decorated cupcakes. Make your pick from banana toffee, chocolate, carrot to vanilla. Priced at around RM6++ for one generous serving cupcake.

I had the vanilla cupcake (with a cute flower on top) while my colleague went for the carrot cupcake. Okay, I admit, I go for the look instead of the taste this time round. The vanilla cupcake definitely looks pretty but the taste was just disappointing.

My cupcake sprinkled with vanilla sugar

My colleague was more realistic then, she went for the normal looking carrot cupcake that tasted really fine. Recommended for carrot cake lover.

Done with desserts, now zoom into our mains.

My colleague had the gigantic curry chicken puff(RM5.80), you can opt to add a side serving of greens at RM4.80. The varieties offered include chicken pomelo salad, soba salad, thai salad, garden green and etc.

As for me, I went for one roast vege stack in focaccia (RM12.80) plus a side serving of garden green at RM 4.80. Pretty pricey for a plate of grass and too bad I don't really like the taste of the roast zucchini, egg plant and pumpkin with feta cheese. Somehow they reminded me of my gloomy days in aussie where I have to survive on sandwiches :p

All in all, I would still drop by this cosy place for more greens, I tried their soba salad on my previous visit which was not bad. And yeah, though their cupcakes don't really taste as nice as they look, I will still go for one or two, for the sake of the pretty cupcakes and the terribly tempting icing.

LOCATION:
D'lish @ G1a, Ground Floor, Bangsar Village, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru, KL.

TEL: 03-22881770

An incomplete dimsum post

2007-09-17T00:40:00.000+08:00

I'm so absent-minded.

Last month, I was reading Hong Kee Timsum posts by the luscious 4 sistas, ie president LL, precious pea, boo_licious and wmw, dreamt for the highly recommended Loh Mai Fan for quite some time and I finally made my way there...

But at the wrong time!

'Lao Pan, gimme the Loh Mai Fan now'

'Ah Moi, Loh Mai Fan is only available during weekends'

*heartbroken*

Anyway, I tried to cure the pain by having some good dimsums at Hong Kee...

I love the egg tarts, crispy lotus paste balls and stuffed brinjals (must try!) but the fried carrot cake was a big disappointment.

The Prawn Cheong Fun was above average, love the flavourful sambal so much. Other than that, the steamed dumplings, egg crepe rolls and fish balls are worth trying.

So this is an incomplete dimsum post. Application to bring me to Hong Kee again for loh mai fan on WEEKENDS is now opened for all, please drop your details at the comment box below.

LOCATION:

Hong Kee Tim Sum Restaurant

No 18 & 20, Jalan SS22/25Damansara Jaya47400 Petaling Jaya.

(Near Atria Shopping Mall)

Tel: 012-6069787

Opening hours: 7.00am to 3.00pm daily.

I'm Back in One Piece

2007-09-13T01:02:00.000+08:00

Hiya,

I'm finally back from Johore, after all the hard work..phew! Unfortunately I was too occupied with my heavy workload that I didn't manage to go for food hunt around that area...awww...

Anyway, I managed to snap some pix during my trip to share with you all...

So this is my hotel room, and to my surprise...it has a see-through bathroom!

Take a closer look at the bathroom.

Okay, now to my Johore office which I find this sign amusing...

Free Translation:

BEWARE! This is a men's room. If you are a lady, please knock the door before you get in.

That's all for now, yawn....I have yet to sort out my food pix so just bear with me ya! Nite :)

Away

2007-09-09T22:12:00.000+08:00

Hiya,

I will be away on a business trip to the southern part of the peninsula from mundane Monday to Wednesday. So stay tuned and have a great week ahead people :)

Cava @ Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar.

2007-09-06T00:53:00.000+08:00

I never knew bout this Jalan Bangkung place in Bangsar that is full of great eateries worth exploring till I joined my new company 3 months ago and made new lunch kakis, led by my boss who has great passion for good food and desserts.

On mundane Monday, my boss again brought us out for lunch at Jalan Bangkung and this time round we tried Cava, a rather high-end western eatery. I was so tempted to snap pictures of the restaurant setting and food, struggled for a while and I braved myself to flash out my camera in front of my boss and a bunch of senior lawyers.

So what are you doing this for?

Err...for my interest...

So you own a blog huh?

*Stunned!*

Yeah, no wonder she is my boss.

Okay, back to food. The menu is kinda impressive but comes with hefty price tag as well. I felt like ordering the paella (RM25 for small serving) but decided to go for the value RM25 set lunch instead that comes with a main course, dessert and drinks.

Complimentary toasted sliced baguette with a dollop of minced olives.

Make your pick from the wide selection of main course, from pasta, fish and chips, grilled fish to chicken. Too bad they don't offer paella as part of the set lunch promotion, I'll definitely try it on my next visit.

I chose to have their Spaghetti Marinara that surprisingly came in white instead of the usual tomato-based sauce.

A glass of Virgin Mojito, fizzy and abit sourish with a hint of mint.

Finally, the dessert of the day, guess it is strawberry and apple pudding, a very interesting concoction...

...but I still prefer my boss' chocolate dream...

Ahhh...one piece of heavenly good molten chocolate cake, highly recommended for dessert lover, I swear!

Check out Cava's official website here.

On our way back to the office...

XXX, next round we shall go Passage to India, an indian eatery, so that you can do your food review.

Redginger @ Northpoint, Mid Valley.

2007-09-03T07:58:00.000+08:00

I first came to know bout Redginger when I past by its outlet located at Damasara and I thought...hey, that's a cute name. Too bad I never got to try it till few weeks ago, tim from 3-meals.com called up and invited me to join the food sampling hosted by Elizabeth, the owner of Redginger.

Before I go on to torture, yikes I mean feast you all with food pix, I shall present my loyal readers a discount voucher, thanks to Elizabeth for the kind offer. You may present this voucher before placing your order to get a 15 % discount and a free dessert of the day.

Drinks
We started off with the unlimited flow of refreshing Kasturi Pomelo Special, a sweet, tangy and sourish plum drink generously topped with pomelo pulps.

Starters

A range of appetizers were served that nite. We had the Red Ginger specialties--Pomelo Salad, Rojak Buah, Chicken Lobak, Yau Char Kwai (Fried crullers) and my favourite spicy Otak-Otak--traditional recipe by Elizabeth's grandma.

Mains

For mains, Elizabeth treated us with innovative-yet-scrumptious Kam Heong Fried Koay Tiao. If you are bored of the usual char kuey tiao, do give this noodle dish a try as it comes slightly sweetish.

We also had the Ipoh Hor Fun which I think is above average; Laksa Lemak that came with thick fragrant curry gravy; Redginger Fried Rice which is another innovative dish loaded with sweetish raisins and salted fish chunks; and the Dry Curry Sang Har Noodles that I would order if I have a lil' extra to spend and indulge.

Dishes
You can also opt for some dishes to go along with you carbs: Black Pepper Beef which I myself pantang due to religious reason but this dish received pretty good ratings from other floggers and Steamed chicken with wine & salt that I would recommend for chicken lovers.

We didn't have any desserts that nite due to overload of carbs and dishes. Do go for their range of traditional nyonya desserts and kuihs placed at a display case outside the restaurant. And...don't forget to print out the voucher and indulge in good food. Enjoy!

Pricing
Rojak Buah--RM7.80
Pomelo Salad--RM8.80
Otak-otak--RM9.50
Chicken Lobak--RM8.90
Yau Char Kwai --RM5.50
Ipoh Hor Fun--RM13.80
Laksa Lemak--RM11.80
Redginger Fried Rice--RM14.90
Kam Heong Fried Koay Tiao--RM13.90
Dry Curry Sang Har Noodles--RM23.90
Black Pepper Beef--RM17.00 (small)
Steamed Chicken with Wine and Salt--RM 18.00 (with steamed rice)
Kasturi Pomelo Special--RM7.50 (tall glass)

Contact Details
Redginger (Mid Valley)

Block A, Mezzanine Floor,

Northpoint Offices Mid Valley City, KL

Tel: 03-2287 0890

Redginger (Plaza Damansara)

Medan Setia 2,

Plaza Damansara Bukit Damansara, KL

Tel: 03-2095 3118

Hiya, It's Have Your Ice Cream Day!

2007-08-30T08:32:00.000+08:00

Calling real ice cream lovers, do drop by New Zealand Natural in these 2 days, tomorrow is the last day to get their premium ice cream at 50% discount!

I received this email from my colleague yesterday and immediately after work I went to their Bangsar Village outlet to grab 3 tubs (1 pint each) of their frozen yoghurt and low fat ice cream.

By the way, I haven't finished my big tub of Cadburry creamy vanilla :p

Evil!

Share my sin, grab some ice cream from New Zealand Natural now.

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*1glutton*12 months*120 posts*

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Away

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Hiya, It's Have Your Ice Cream Day!

1glutton12 months120 posts