Good Eatings

Making dessert

2011-10-12T22:52:00.001-07:00

As a lover of sweet desserts, nothing pleases me more than making my own desserts at home. Right, today we are making green bean dessert. Yum!

"I'm Back!!!"

2011-08-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

I know, I have not update my blog in quite a loooong time. I was caught up in some other things, been busy at work, and then laziness sets in, and the rest, as they say, is history.

BUT...

I am baacckk!!!
I will put up a new post soon.....YAY!!

Back to eating now!

DELIcious dinner

2010-12-12T01:02:00.000-08:00

Recently, my boss came all the way from the UK for his annual visit. And, as customary to such occasion, we decided to give him a treat at the DELIcious restaurant located at The MARC Residence along Jalan Pinang. The place, I ahve to say, is pretty secluded, and is blocked form view from the main road. So, if you intend to visit the place, first, get yourself to KLCC Twin Tower, from there, head towards the direction where the MNI Tower is located. Then, just walk a bit further up along the road until you see the Marc Residence building, and voila, you're there.

The whole place is awashed in white, and the decor is done in simple minimalist-style, evoking a sense of spaciousness and freedom. Their signature look is the barren tree with empty bird cages strewn all over them, which I took to be a symbolic gesture of freedom, because these cages do not contain any birds. They all fly freely..And these empty cages light up when the day turns into night too, a symbol of hope, I'm sure..

Now, as the whole staff from my office was there for the occasion, it would be quite a hassle for me to label all the meals that we ordered. So, instead of providing written description for each dish, I decided to let to pictures themselves do the talking here. Enjoy...

Bubba Gump Shrimp revisited

2010-12-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

In early December 2010, I had the opportunity to personally vist the Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant at Sunway Pyramid with a good friend of mine. It was the perfect outing, as a way to review the restaurant from my own point of view, and also because it was my birthday treat. So, with great excitement, here I present to you all good readers, my own dining experience at the place....

The place is very easy to find. At the main entrance of the Sunway Pyramid, just look to your right, and you'll see it. Really, you can't miss it.

My friend insisted that I take photos of the desserts section of the main menu. They all look delicious, but, alas, we didn't order any.

As you can see, right behind my seat, there are bottles of alcoholic beverages for decor. There's also Jenny's outfit on display. The whole place is filled with reference pieces from the Forrest Gump movie.

The ambience is very very western, and comfortable. For Muslim readers who are wondering whether the place serves alcohol, the answer is yes. But, we did see at least three tables occupied by Muslim couples and families. So, I guess the place is halal to visit for Muslims, as long as they don't order any alcoholic drinks.

For starter, we had the Calamari Rings, which is basically a salad toss with fried squids. It is tres delicious!!

For the main course, I had the Mama's Southern Style Fried Chicken, which is a very traditional Western servings of boneless fried chicken, corn, mashed potatoes and veggies. Overall it is a decent meal. it proved to be too much even for me, as I couldn't finish it.

Meanwhile, my friend ordered the Mama Blue's Southern Charmed Fried Shrimp. According to her, it was a bit on the bland side.

Well, there you have it. A second dig at Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant, the place to be if you're yearning for some decent Western foods, Southern-style. You can learn more about them by visiting their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=205205437368.

Run Bubba Run!!..All The Way To Sunway Pyramid

2010-11-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

What does Tom Hanks and Ancient Egypt have in common? Nothing, except both have been mildly (or in the case of the latter, blatantly) exploited for commercial gains. In the heart of the bristling, modern town of Sunway is a mall that is built in the shapes and style of an ancient pyramid, guarded by a lion sphinx...And in this pyramids, instead of catacombs and tombs of pharaohs, one will find all sort of retail shops and eateries, including one that is called Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Yes, anyone who have seen the Tom Hanks-Goes-Retarded Flick will be amused to know that the whole restaurant spot the theme of Forrest Gump. Although what mental handicap has to do with delicious foods is anybody's guess.

My food-enthusiast-slash-colleague, Miss Veron, has the opportunity to give this restaurant a try recently. So, she did a 'Ran, Veron, Ran' to the restaurant with her boipren Kevin, as well as two of their close friends, Sheeven and Cathy.

Happy couple # 1 Veron & Kevin - in matching outfits

Happy couple # 2 - Sheeven & Cathy - acting all lovey-dovey

The whole place has a very rustic, cowyboy town feel to it. It's like stepping into the Wild, Wild West..

Ooohh..they even have mock cowboy-indian stage play. How very interesting!

Choice phrases from the Forrest Gump movie adorned the walls..

Look! Old-fashioned cowboy washing basin, complete with el-cheapo toilet rolls..

Veron said they use signs such as these to catch the waitpersons' attention..Too bad they don't have more options like 'Skip, Forrest, Skip', or 'Somersault, Forrest, Somersault', or it would be REALLY fun!!

For quenching thirst, they ordered Bayou and Sunburst, which are fruity vodka beverages...

For filling growling tummies, they ordered these...

Cajun Shrimps

Veron: "Served with garlic bread, there were a lot of shell-less juicy shrimps in a splendidly spicy buttered sauce with loads of flavour.

ABSOLUTELY YUMMY!! ;p"

Lt Dan Drunken Shrimp

"This was so so satisfying... We first tucked into the stick-thin fried potato strips...yummy! then we dived in for the chargrilled shrimps and spicy sausages. the sauce looked cheesy but was supposed to be non-alcoholic bourbon sauce, but it was tasty nonetheless. As for the mashed potatoes, it was divine. each spoonful of the smooth mash just melted in our mouth...."

Bubba's Baked Seafood Rice

"Looking at the richness of the melted cheese melted flooding the whole dish made us so full already ... HAHAHA! but of course we all took scoops of the cheesy rice served with a variety of seafood and spinach. SO FILLING la with the Parmesan and Cheedar Cheese."

Four Very Satisfied Customers..

"With all the good food and great company of friends, we had an awesome night full of laughter and contented stomachs. "

The place does look very cosy, and the foods, really yummy!..It seems like the perfect place to visit for that heart-stopping good meal.

Bubba-licious!!!

Snowflake Taiwanese desserts, Pavilion KL

2010-11-13T00:43:00.000-08:00

Aside from Starbucks beverages and those yummy pearl bubble teas, I have recently developed another craving. And for that, I blamed SNOWFLAKE, the Taiwanese dessert chain that one can find in Pavilion KL, as well as my friend, Seth, who introduced me to their tasty offerings. The chain serves both hot and cold desserts, and you can even set your own level of sweetness. Which is good news for diabetics. For the rest of us, it's one buzzing trip to sugar-land that you won't forget.

This is the bestselling signature dessert, priced at RM 6.50, a heavenly concoction of taro balls, creamer and grass jelly..

Trust me, this is one dessert you don't want to miss out. The next time you're in the mall, seek their stall out and get yourself some sweet treats!!

Satay Kajang at HUTONG food court, Lot 10

2010-11-13T00:31:00.000-08:00

If you are a Malaysian, you must have come across such 'three-for-ten' deals at least one to two times when buying stuff at pasar pagi or shopping in malls. Where you can find three socks for ten ringgit, three shirts for ten, three cans of mushroom for ten...and the list goes on. In short, very few can resist such three-for-ten bargain deals. I know I couldn't.
BUT, not all three-for-ten deals are that desirable..as I've learnt during a recent trip to the Hutong Lot 10, the so-called street food haven for KL folks. Heck, they even created a Facebook page for HUTONGLOT10, if you're interested.
I noticed several new food stalls have opened (a few are under renovation), including one that claimed to serve Satay Kajang and Penang Rojak. And that's literally what the sign board says too - "SATAY KAJANG & PENANG ROJAK".

So, I guess the stall only serves two dishes. Being a great fan of Satay Kajang, I decided to satisfy my craving and curiosity by ordering the....what else...Satay Kajang set. Now mind you, it will set you back for RM 10.40, after adding the government tax.

And for that price, this is what you get....

Three, count them, T-H-R-E-E satay sticks, along with the usual array of peanut sauce, onion, cucumber and rice cake. Granted, the satay meat is larger than what you would normally find at other places, but I'm just not sure if three sticks of these are worth the price I paid.

They taste just OK, by the way. Nothing to shout about. Although, I did find them to be too oily for my liking..When I look at the menu, i saw that if you want to add more rice cake, cucumber or onion, you'll have to pay additional RM 1 for each. Well, the good news is..the sauce is free to add. And the onion is really fresh. So fresh indeed, that the aftertaste stayed with me for two days afterward.

So, there you have it. Three-for-ten satay set. Whether you think its worth the price or not, really depends on how much you like satay as well as personal preference. Give it a try if you just.

P/S: the Penang Rojak, which i didn't try, is priced at RM 5.90, in case you're wondering.

PapaRich Fahrenheit KL

2010-11-13T00:04:00.000-08:00

PapaRich has opened a new outlet recently in the Fahrenheit Mall KL, and i find it to be a very relaxing place to hang out for light meals and dinners. Like its other outlets, the outlet serves a wide range of popular local foods like Nasi Lemak, Noodles and Char Kuey Tiaw.

The ambience is great. Comfortable and easy on the eye, with the whole place awashed in soft lighting..

I just love the foods here...And also, there are many types of beverages you can find..including my favourite red bean cendol (RM 7.90)..mmmm..

And then there's the soya cendol (RM 6.50), which is also a mouth-watering beverage..

The delicious Char Koey Tiao, priced at RM 9.90

The Naan with curry chicken (RM 6.50) is also a pure delight...

Another of my fave meals, the dry noodle with chicken rendang...slurrp..

For side attraction, PapaRich also serves Chinese flavoured snacks like siew mais and baos...The prices range from RM 3.50 to RM 5.30 per set of threes..

Here's two other variations of their signature dry noodle..

And their 'boey-tahan' Penang char koey tiow...

Some of other drinks that they serve..

which go very well with their peanut delightful butter toasts, perfect to satisfy those tea-time cravings..

Return to the Pancake House

2010-10-30T05:26:00.000-07:00

Ash and I dropped by the Pancake House restaurant in Pavilion KL recently to check out their newly-revamped menu. And we have to say we're not disappointed at what they are offering right now. I have never been a great fan of pancakes, but I gotta say that I enjoyed every mouthful of it here.

What's wonderful is how they mix and match the pancakes with other dishes to create mouth-watering set meals, just like this one that I ordered, the Pancake Chicken Splatter that is priced at RM 14.50.

For Ash, she ordered the Pancake Sandwich, which costs RM 8.80, and Iced Tea for RM 3.80.

We were in a bit of a rush this time, so I'm definitely going back there very soon to sample more of their pancake-inspired meals. :)

Another Trip to Nando's Chickenland

2010-10-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I've got the Peri-Peri Fever this month. The hot chick beckons, and I feel compelled to answer....I had lunch one day at Nando's Peri-Peri Chickenland again in Pavilion...

This time, I went for the quarter chicken set that comes with two side dishes, priced at RM 14.95, and a good cup of joe at RM 5.90. Good times!!

Bubble Bobble!

2010-10-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

I''m sure a lot of you folks out there are fans of bubble tea, or sued to be fans of the novelty drink. It was such a craze and so popular back in the early 1990s that you cna find bubble tea stands in almost every nooks and corners. So popular, in fact, that one of my colleagues actually quit his job to become a full-time bubble tea vendor. Needless to say, his venture failed, as the popularity waned and people got bored of it.

Well, guess what. I think the ubiquitous bubble tea is making a comeback! And I for one couldn't be happier. Still, you wouldn't be able to find many bubble tea stands nowadays, and the very few that I've tried didn't really live up to expectations.

But one particular bubble tea chain, called De Taste Bubble Tea, is about to change all that. I came across one of their outlets in Wisma Cosway (1st Floor, Lot 1.76) by accident, and out of curiosity, and a little bit of hope and anticipation, I decided to give it a try.

And try I did. many, many times...My oh my...their bubble teas are marvellous! Let me tell you, i prided myself to be a bubble tea enthusiast, and I know the secret to a good cup of bubble tea lies in the texture of the tapioca pearls and the strong flavour of the tea. This outlet offers a wide range of bubble tea flavours, including my favourite, capucchino (RM 4.00). There are many other fruity flavours to choose from, you could order a different flavour for each day for an entire month! The original red milk tea is just priced at RM 2.50! Cheap and tasty! Now, that's a combination you can't say no to!

Now, apart from bubble tea, the outlet also sells sandwiches, from toasted egg, cheese to tuna, with prices ranging from RM 2.50 to RM 5.00. And that's not all, they also have Taiwan Mee Sua (Rm 6.00), which comes in four versions, namely filament stick, chicken floss, oyster and sotong balls. Last but not least, they also have Somen, another type of noddle dish, priced at RM 6.90.
So, do give them a try the next time you're in the area. I heard they also have an outlet in One Utama...

Tony Roma's @ The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley

2010-10-17T00:12:00.000-07:00

Ahh....it's been a long while since I visited Mid Valley, the sanctuary of the well-heeled shoppers in the Klang valley. Since my last vist many many moons ago, the mall has expanded and evolved into an even bigger mall. It's effectively called a megamall now. The most notable addition is the Gardens Mall section, which houses many international and luxury brands. And here is where one can find an impressive food mecca, where rows and rows of eateries, restaurants, cafes and other food shops can be found....

I had the opportunity to check out the food mecca recently with a colleague. After much deliberation, we settled for Tony Roma's (LG 217, Mid Valley City, No.1, Medan Syed Putra, 59200, KL. Phone: 03-2282 8243) for an early dinner.

Now, this is my second visit to a Tony Roma's restaurant, and what I have discovered is that they serve meals in huge portion...and the prices are medium-to-high...So, if you're not a big eater, do opt for sharing meals with your friends and family instead of ordering individual meal for each person. Trust me, most of the time, you wouldn't be able to finish any of the meal on your own. This is the best place to share foods...

Me and my colleague, we decided to order two dishes. One of it is the Buffaloe Bites, which are boneless chicken breast served with Carolina Honey Sauce. It is really, really good!!! The price is RM 17.90.

The other dish we ordered is the Chicken Mojo, which are grilled chicken breasts served with Mojo sauce, pineapple salsa, vegetables and rice pilaf....Yum yum yum...that's all I have to say. The price is RM 31.90.

Other than good foods, Tony Roma's is also well-known for its hospitality. Every now and then, one of their staff will approach our table to query us on the food and to see if everything is up to our likings. How nice...good service is hard to find nowadays, so we really appreciate the extra efforts they put in there at Tony Roma's in keeping their customers well-served and well-fed.

Oh, and do keep your receipt when you're done, because it entitles you to a RM 10 discount on your next visit. Let's hear it for Tony!

Garden Lifestyle Store & Cafe @ The Curve Mutiara Damansara

2010-10-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

Once again, my food-enthusiast and fellow colleague, Veronica, has been generous enough to share with us yet another of her foodie escapades recently. This time, she and her BF as wellas a pair of newlyweds, Justin & Sacher, had a night out at Garden Lifestyle Store & Cafe The Curve. Wow! That's a mouthful!
According to Veronica, the place has a jungle ambience, with lots of greenery and flowers, as well as pots and vases that are actually for sale for those who have a green thumb.

But that's not all, theres' also a BIG-ASS white piano that pipes out romantic tunes all night long. Oh, it all sound so romantic, isn't it? I just wish the piano player is more properly attired, you know, with coats and all. That Ah Beng get-up clashed so violently with the piano that it's becoming more distracting than engaging...

Oh, and what's this? A tiered water fountain in a gigantic cage? Lovely...

Awww..the lovely couple, Veron and his BF, Kevin...

And here's the newly-weds....Justin and his wife, Sacher....They are practically glowing with happiness...awwwwww..

OK, on with the foods...

For starter, Mr Married Man Justin enjoyed a bowl of the Chef's Homemade Wild Mushroom Soup (RM 9.90) with a slice of garlic bread. Perfect to kick-start that appetite.

Mrs Married Woman, Sacher, ordered the Thai Green Chicken Curry (RM 12.90) with a tower of white rice. The gravy was tasty with the mix of spices, but it was not at all chilly-hot.

The green curry looks yummy..but what's with the rice tower?

Her hubby had the Spaghetti Marinara (RM 17.90) - a good portion and was tasty enough for the hungry man. The spaghetti in tomato and basil sauce had muscles (i mean, mussels), prawns and clams.

Well, the happy-as-clam look says it all....

Meanwhile, the other hungry man, Kevin, chose to have the Garden Black Pepper Chicken Chop (RM 17.90). There were two cuts of grilled chicken served with black pepper sauce, French beans and some potatoes. The portion was a bit small for him, and he wished he had ordered some white rice or fragrant nasi lemak rice to make it a more wholesome meal.

Yeah, I'll say it's not enough for a man, let alone a hungry man. OOhh..look at those colorful umbrellas in the background...

And as for the hostess of the night, Veron, she originally ordered the Fish & Chips. But was later told that the fish was not fresh enough to be served and was asked to order something else. (I am truly grateful not to be served with stale fish, she said). Hence she chose to have Deep Fried Breaded Chicken Cutlet (RM 17.90). There were two cuts of crispy boneless chicken cutlets filled with cheese served with mushroom sauce, a salad and French fries.

Her verdict? - YUMMY!

But wait..why there's no photo of you enjoying your meal, Veron?

Well, there you have it....Garden Lifestyle Store & Cafe at The Curve. I wonder why it's called the 'lifestyle store"? It sounds like a supermarket.

Anyway, thank you so much Veron for sharing this with us. The foods truly look delicious...If I were with you guys, I would definitely opt for the green chicken curry, my favourite curry dish.

However, she did have one gripe about the place. According to her, "the open concept of the cafe resulted with many shopping mall patrons constantly walking through the dining area. Despite of the manager making an effort to relocate us to another table and trying to make us comfortable, people were still walking through the area from every corner. There was no sense of privacy and comfort for patrons of the cafe. I think the outdoor area of the cafe should be blocked off to non-diners."

Well, I totally understand how that could be annoying. I have one tip for you, Veron...next time, sprinkle some tacks around your table...That would stop people from coming close. :)

Beware!!! There's a New Daily Kopitiam in Town!!!

2010-10-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

There's a new shopping mall that has recently opened its doors in KL, and it's called Farenheit. As if there aren't enough malls around the Jalan Bukit Bintang stretch already, we now have yet another place to hang out and dine. And dined I did one evening after work.

The place is called Daily Kopitiam. Zero point for originality and -3 points for creativity. I hereby implore all future restaurateurs to resist using the word 'Kopitiam' in the names of their establishments, because, let's be honest here, it's an overkill already. We have way too many 'kopitiam' this, 'kopitiam' that...it's sickening!

Now back to this place, Daily Kopitiam, which is located at the lower ground of the mall. I'm gonna be brutally honest here. This place is a mess....Not the physical kind of mess..but the overall experience of dining here is a mess. Allow me to elaborate...

First, their menu sucks! It offers the most basics of what an average kopitiam would offer, but even less. There are, I think, five to six types of meals you can choose from, and that's it!

I ordered the nasi lemak biasa, but was told that the meal is only available during breakfast time. Fine, the other option for me would be to order the so-called Nasi Lemak Special. And here is where I have the second problem. You see, looking at the menu, the only difference between the nasi lemak biasa and nasi lemak special, is that the latter comes with an extra serving of curry chicken and a fried egg. Now, my question is this - why can't they just remove those extras and serve me the nasi lemak biasa? And why is it nasi lemak biasa is ONLY available for breakfast, but the Special version is available throughout the day? Does this mean if I come during breakfast time, I can only have nasi lemak biasa, but NOT nasi lemak special? I just found this PERPLEXING!!!!

And it gets better....They actually forgotten my order after what seemed like 30 minutes of waiting. I have to remind them. And when the dish finally arrived, they give me two forks, instead of a fork and spoon. And the nasi lemak special ain't that special after all..unless you call that cheap china plate that they used to serve the nasi lemak is special. The sambal is cold and underwhelming...the veggies, soggy and bland, and the curry chicken is so oily, I can feel it coating my throat and pumping up my fat counter the moment i put the piece of chicken in my mouth. And yeah...if you noticed..there's no fried egg!! There's no frigging FRIED EGG!!! The price? RM 10.90

My fellow blogger, Ash, ordered their Penang Curry Mee (RM 9.90), which was as oily as the recent BP's oil spill disaster.

For drink, I ordered the oh-so-fancily-named Ovacano, priced at RM 6.90.

People...I'm telling you..NEVER had I been MORE DISAPPOINTED in my life, when I learned that Ovacano is nothing more than a glass of Iced Milo with spoonfuls of the cocoa powder sprinkled on top. Iced Milo? for RM 6.90? And oh..the taste is horrible too. I mean, really, how could anyone screw up a simple drink like iced milo??? Ovacano My ASS!

Meanwhile, Ash ordered the three-layer tea, also priced at RM 6.90. It doesn't look impressive at all.

And that's just the foods and drinks.....While we are eating, one of the lady staff actually started to mop the floor, something that no respectable restaurant should ever do during working hours when there are customers dining. The strong scent of the floor detergent really make the whole dining experience worse. Oh, and did I mention that there are two customers sitting next to our table who are, all the while, busy swatting away at mosquitoes? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you read it correctly, there are actually mosquitoes in an air-conditioned restaurant that is located INSIDE a mall!!! Unprecedented, really...Next thing you know, the flies would be coming in for a big party.

So, to wrap it up, here's what I thought: if you're a fan of bad foods and horrible drinks with misleading names, yes, then please visit this kopitiam. But if you're sane like me and most other people, then do yourself a favor and stay away....

Getting Hot and Spicy with Peri-Peri

2010-10-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

Whenever you develop a craving for some hot chick with a spicy attitude, you know there's only place where you can go to satiate that need. I'm talking about the Peri-Peri Restaurant, which is fast becoming my favourite place to have a satisfying dinner with a hot chick, or two, depending my appetite :).
Conveniently for me, there's a Peri-Peri restaurant located in Pavilion KL, so getting there from my office is just a matter of 15 minutes' of walking (10 minutes if you scamper, 7 minutes if you run, and 2.3 seconds if you are Usain Bolt).

The whole restaurant is awashed in flaming red and orange colours, it makes me wanna jump up the table, take my clothes off and do the chicken dance. But the risk of causing a mass vomiting stop me from doing just that.

Here's a picture of me in soft light..and down there is a picture of wooden sticks. I don't know why I took these pictures. And I don't know why I feel the urge to post these pictures. How's that for total randomness?

Hot! Hot! HOTT!!!!!

I had their Chicken kebab with two side dishes of beans and baked potatoes (RM 15.50). I can guarantee you, if you eat this with their hot chilli sauce, you'll be breathing fire by the time you're done. But, boy oh boy, was it a good meal...

After getting all hot and bothered, what better way to douse the flame than with a big glass of iced chocolate beverage (RM 6.90)?

I have to be honest..two hours after consuming those spicy kebabs, the inside of my tummy still feel fiery...And the next day, I had a mini peri-peri pooping that burns...but it was all worth it, if you ask me.

Who's up for a second helping?

A Round of Scrabble at Delifrance , Jusco Seremban 2

2010-10-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

Delifrance is a good place to hang out with friends if you just want to have some tete-a-tete with your good friends...and that's what I did with Kaarol one fine evening at Jusco Seremban 2.

It's not that usual to find friends playing timeless game like Scrabble. But it is a bit unusual to see people playing Scrabble on an iPad. And that's what we're doing this particular evening. :)

But of course, we came here for the food as well..

For quenching out thirsts, we hve the mushroom soup, the hot tea and the iced mocha....

And for filling our grumbling tummies, we had the Spicy Carbonara Spaghetti and the stuffed croissant. You can't be more French than croissant, I must say. And the garlic bread that came with my spaghetti is heavenly.....

And by the time we finished our meals, we also concluded our round of Scrabble. And i won too. :)

Delifrance, mon ami?

Oui, tres bien!!

Have A KimChi Good Time at Sil Ro Am

2010-09-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

Recently, I have developed a taste for Korean foods, especially their lip-smacking Yuk Gae Jang (spicy beef and vegetable soup). So, I was really keen to try out this Korean restaurant that has opened up in my own hometown. The restaurant is called Sil Ro Am, and it is located in the Era Square hotspot, which is fats becoming a food haven for the locals. I had my lunch there one Saturday with my friend, Kaarol, who have never tried Korean foods before (gasp!).

Now, the place is actually run by a Korean family, so you can rest assured that the foods they served here are truly authentic Korean dishes. The moment you step into the restaurant, it does feels like being transported to Seoul...Heck, even the two TVs in there are constantly broadcasting Korean dramas and movies!

They have a rather simplifed menu though...You get to choose any of he pre-set lunch box deals, priced from RM 10 each, or noodle/ramen sets, with prices ranging from RM 10 to RM 15. There are no beverage menu, because they serve cold tea to everyone. BUT - if you're a fan of Korean liquors, there's a whole fridge in the place that is stacked with all sorts of beers and other alcoholic juices. So, yay!

I ordered their Chicken Lunch set, priced at RM 10....

The lunch set is a pure delight...The kimchi tastes really good...and the chicken is deeelicious!! Loving it! The veggies are great too...

Meanwhile, Kaarol ordered their noodle set, also priced at RM 10...

The noodles are really nice, especially the soup....it's a bit spicy and less oily. A truly Korean dish.

I am really happy with this place so far. It has a homely feel to it, and the foods are great. Perfect setting for a family dinner or with a group of close friends.....Definitely recommended.

Organically good!

2010-09-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

Once in a while, it's good to just sit down and chow down some healthy foods. You know, foods that won't add to your caloric counter, heart attack risk, make you obese or just give you some bad gas afterwards. In a world where McDonald's and KFC outlets are practically everywhere you look, it can be really tough to make that conscious decision to turn away and say "No, I'm not going to abuse my body by going into these places, and I don't care how good their fries taste or how delicious their fried chicken are!"

Well, there are places like WOODS Bio Marche where you can eat with a peace of mind, knowing that the stuff you put inside your mouth will be good for your body. This neat looking cafe is located at Wisma Bukit Bintang, KL, right smack in the golden triangle area.

The place is clean, pleasant and nicely-decorated. The moment you step into the restaurant, you can actually smell it...the air is somewhat differenthere ...they just feels cleaner here...or is it just me? :)

Anyway, a glimpse through their menu showed that they have quite a variety of foods here..They have organic noodles, organic grains, organic soups, organic appetizers as well as set lunches that differ from day to day. Not only that, in front of the cashier counter is a refrigerated section where you can buy fresh organic vegetables to cook on your own at home. How cool is that???
You want more? Ok, they also have organic tea, organic coffee, organic unsweetened soy as well as organic ice blended enzymatic fruit juices. Everything here is purely organic, and therefore good for your body!

The set lunch I picked is called the Hikari Set, priced at RM 13.50.

The brown rice taste surprisingly good...and the veggies also tasted different..They are not oily at all, and you can actually feel the freshness and crunchiness with every bite. Loving it! And the meat-looking thing, I forgot what it's called, is also not bad, though a bit bland.

The organic tea and miso soup that come with the lunch set is also refreshingly good.

I think it's a good idea to eat organic food at least once a week, so that our body can benefit from the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are otherwise lacking in our day-to-day greasy food choices. At WOODS Bio Marche, not only you get good foods and variety, but also affordability. I mean, really, the price you pay for one trip to this place just about equals a meal at Burger King....

So, start eating healthy today, and get organic baby!

KS Steamboat Restaurant @ Kemayan Square, Seremban

2010-08-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

Fans of steamboat in Seremban can now rejoice as there's a semi-fairly-new place that serves bitching steamboat...The place is KS Steamboat Restaurant, which is located in Kemayan Square.

Just like most steamboat places, the place practises the DIY concept, so you just pick and choose whatever you want. Prices are fixed at RM 0.60, RM 1.20 and RM 2.00 per stick, depending on what you pick. They also have different types of porridge and satay celup, at higher price points. The place has one big refrigerator where you can pick what you want to eat, as well as one grill-cum-barbecue corner, and another small table for veggies and fried foods. The owner told us that they used to have much more variety, but have to cut down after taking stock of what people like to eat most and what aren't. Well, in terms of variety, I think they're doing not bad at all.

Now, the place's operating hour is set at 5pm to 4 am. This means, for all you night owls out there like me, you can now enjoy steamboat even in the wee hours of the morning. Splendid! Perfect for late-night gatherings for friends and families alike.

Now, you can also choose to have plain soup or satay gravy as the base. Being the adventurous type, I opted for the satay gravy of course...

Mmmm....let the feast begin....

Is it just me, or are everything here just taste really delicious!!! They go very well with the satay gravy!!

I didn't managed to take a picture, but I have to tell you, their pork and beef sausages are really really good!!! Oh my! And the little squids are not bad too!

As you can see from the pictures here, things get progressively messy as we dug into our meals. At this place, you are expected to make a big mess...sauces all over the places, hands everywhere, and sticks flying off the plates...You notice I didn't post any face pics here, cos, as you may well realise, when people are really enjoying their foods, and things get messy and you get sweaty and all, you look far from pretty..:)

SO, I would definitely recommend this place...and I'm looking forward to come back again very soon for my next steamboat feast.

iGentis...be warned, infectious food inside?

2010-08-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

Despite having a name that sounds more like an infectious disease, iGentis is actually a fusion restaurant that you can find in Seremban 2's Jusco mall. I was having lunch one day at the place with my gal pal, Kaarol, and decided to do a quick review...

Bored while waiting for the food to arrive, Kaarol resorted to playing with our drinks. We ordered the Passion Green Tea and Lemon Green Tea, each priced at RM 2.90. And you thought they were just Iced Lemon Tea, didn't ya?

I ordered the Singapore Laksa Mee, which is priced at RM 7.90. Now, my problem with the dish is, it doesn't look like nor taste like laksa. First of all, it's not spicy, and then, it has a weird sweet taste to it, and the laksa is a bit too thick. Overall, it looks like a a sickly little experiment gone wrong. Maybe that's what they meant by 'fusion'..And oh, by the way, can I just say that I absolutely HATE those crab sticks that they put in there. You know, those frozen crab sticks you can easily buy from any supermarket? I TRULY, DEEPLY, MADLY hate them!! And there's a lot of it in this dish....And what's this? No clams?? Are you kidding me? A laksa dish is not a laksa dish unless you put clams in it!

Meanwhile, Kaarol ordered the Bee Hoon Soup, priced at RM 6.90. It looks bland, and tastes bland. And they put lots of the fish sticks, which I REALLY REALLY hate! ughh!

We also ordered their Fried Chicken Wanton, priced at RM 6.90, which, thankfully, is delicious for a change. Crispy yet tender, when consumed with the sauce, this side dish truly eclipsed some of their main meals.

So, there yo have it.. iGentis i located at G52, Ground Floor, Jusco 2 Seremban 2,

Phone : 06-601 5787. Mediocre to bad food served..

Have a Cow at Yee Kee Seremban Beef Noodles shop

2010-08-28T18:02:00.000-07:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...Seremban beef noodles are among the best in Malaysia, just like our very own version of Laksa Mee/Meehun and Siew Pau....That's why I was ecstatic to learn that there's a new restaurant in town that will be serving this dish..I simply have to try it!
The restaurant is called Yee Kee Seremban Beef Noodles, and is located at No 32, Jalan Dato Lee Fong Yee, 70000 Seremban. You can also check out about the place at their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=68240829024. This restaurant is also the first one to have attained the Jakim certified HALAL label, so Muslims now can also enjoy the fabulous beef noodles too!!!!

The place is a sight for sore eyes. Everything looks so modern, clean and pleasing.....They even have free wi-fi....Maybe it's just me, but after years and years of enjoying beef noodles in rather foul environment (read: wet market), this is a rather refreshing experience! There's a huge mural of cows on one wall, while on other walls, they have put up photo frames with bovine motifs. They really went all out on decorating the place. I LOVE IT!!

Other than just beef noodles, the place do serve other dishes, like beef jerky rice, beef rice and pulut with beef jerky..For those who are not exactly fans of beef, there are non-beef dishes to look out for, such as the ever-popular nasi lemak, tom yam, java mee and bali chicken....

Now, you can order just the beef noodles at RM 6.00 per bowl, or, you can opt for their set meal, at RM 12.50, which gives you a bowl of beef noodles, a bowl of beef balls, one ice lemon tea and a serving of guilinggao, a famous HK dessert.

My brother and her girlfriend enjoying the beef noodles...

Overall, I would say their beef noodles are really nice. The only complaint I have for now is their soup/broth is a little too bland. And the beef balls are unimpressive...OK, that's two complaints. But on the whole, this place deserves a visit if you are a beef noodle fan. For those of you who have yet to sample this delicious dish, now's the time...

Turkish Delight at Bosphorus

2010-08-21T04:32:00.000-07:00

There's this fine Turkish restaurant located on the top floor of the Pavilion mall in KL that serves some of the most mouth-watering dishes in town....for a price. The place is called Bosphorus, which, according to Wikipedia, is another name for the Istanbul Strait that forms part of the boundary between Asia and Europe. And here I thought it's a name of some chemicals or minerals only found in Turkey...

You can find the restaurant at:

BOSPHORUS FINE TURKISH CUISINE
Oriental Comfort Sdn. Bhd.(742454-K)
6.33, Level 6, KL Pavilion Shopping Centre,
Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-2142 4000
Fax:+603-2142 4001

The restaurant is all granite wall and plush furnitures, true to Turkish architectural styles...and there's both indoor and outdoor sections to choose from. Although I have to say, if you want to dine in a grandiose manner, or looking to impress your guests, choose indoor seating. It looks like a harem, very comfy and posh...

For starter, we are served this dish that, for the life of me, couldn't remember the name. Its in Turkish. But do believe me when I say it is absolutely delicious!!! The sauce, especially, has a sour and spicy twang to it. When you eat it with the bread, it's like heaven for the mouths....

I ordered a drink called the Istanbul Punch (RM 16.90), which is a delightful concoction of fruit juices. It has the texture of a good smoothie, but much better taste....mmm...I love it!

My fellow blogger, Ash, as usual, had her tea..the so-called Turkish Tea (RM 7.90). According to her, it's not that different from Teh Boh (ooppss)....

For main course, we ordered the Karisik Izgara platter (RM 139.00), which is a very expensive serving of different types of grilled meat. This is enough for two persons. If you are eating for one, go for the solo version that comes at RM 59.90.
I will have to say that the dish is absolutely delicious! Juicy, tender beef, lamb and chicken served with generous servings of rice and fries.. It is a wonderful introduction to fine Turkish cuisine for me.

As you can see from the prices, dishes this good do not come cheap. So, please prepare to spend a bomb when dining here. Would I come again? Sure, if someone is buying :)...

Dining With Friends at Ecoba Restaurant & Bar

2010-08-21T03:52:00.000-07:00

Deep inside the mythical land that they called PJ, there exist a magical place named Ecoba Restaurant & Bar where you can eat the most amazing foods and drink the most delicious beverages while rainbow-coloured unicorns prance around you and angels with...oh...alright, that's not true except for the PJ part and the name of the eatery. Recentl,y one of my food-loving colleagues, Veron, had dinner at this place with her boyfriend Mr Kevin, accompanied by her cousin and boyfriend, and was kind enough to do a 'third-party' review for me.

Now, a quick Google search on the place reveals an interesting tidbit : the restaurant is catered for horny people...it's true, if you go to their website, you'll be invited to do stuff like Oogle at beauties, have a Quickie in the open (oh, my!), and generally have a good time Forking, Spooning and Biting (if you're not aroused by now, you should check your pulse..no, not the one down there, you pervert, the one on your wrist!).

Well, the place is located at:
B-G-02, Level 1, Menara Bata (Tower B), PJ Trade Centre

8, Jalan PJU 8/8a, Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, SELANGOR, Malaysia.

Call 03-7710-1118 for further enquiries.

Now the whole place has a jungle feel to it...with what look like a giant angsana tree being the centrepiece.

Well, just because it looks like a jungle in there, doesn't mean you can behave like savages and expect the waitresses to serve you juices while wearing coconut bras :). I mean, after all, this is a respectable establishment.

A quick glimpse at the menu tells us this place serve mainly western foods, with the usual suspects of spaghetti, pizzas, ribs and chicken chops. So, all you local Ah Bengs and Ah Lians won't be able to get your chee cheong fun fix here. Jokes aside, the prices seemed pretty standard too, not too exorbitant and not too cheap..just nice.

Ladies and gentlemen, our guests for the evening are:

The Tarzans: (L-R) Mr.Justin & Mr. Kevin

The Janes : (L-R) Ms Veronica & Ms Sacher

The main courses:

Aglio Olio with king prawn pasta (RM 18). According to Veron, the pasta was a bit bland, as not much herbs used, and there were only three prawns..

The Mushroom soup (RM 8.00)

It's very thick and creamy, and the taste is a bit overbearing...

Roasted spring chicken with creamy mushroom veloute (RM 23). According to Veron, the chicken was tender, though the creamy mushroom veloute is a bit too much though. Well, at least there's a lot of non-oily fries to satisfy you on the side.

Ecoba's well-kept secret - Chicken Chop (RM 18.00). For this piece de resistance, Veron said "the grilled chicken was a little oily but it was tender and the taste was mildly sweet and peppery. With the mushroom veloute served in a bowl, it was nice to dip pieces of chicken but the gravy was very thick, milky and rich. The serving of french fries was placed on a little salad mix of honeydew and papaya that was refreshing to eat."

The Oxtail soup (RM 15.00). The soup is spicy and tasty, with generous amount of oxtail meat and croutons. Just looking at it makes me drool

The Pizza Pepperoni (RM 20.00). According to her, this was the best dish so far, as the pizza has a thin quality yet very crusty, and loads of pepperonis to go around.

So, there you have it, Ecoba, which seemed to serve decent foods and has a nice enough ambiance for a get-together among friends. If you want to learn more about the place, click over to http://www.ecoba.com.my/#/home. Or be their friends at Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/ecoba.eat.chill.oOgle

Now excuse me while I have a talk with the owner of the place about my coconut bra-wearing waitress suggestion

La Lot Vietnamese Cuisine - the virgin trip

2010-08-12T00:21:00.000-07:00

La Lot Vietnamese Cuisine is located on the 6th level of the Pavilion Mall, tucked in a corner that is home to several other internationally-flavoured restaurants. And since this is my first proper introduction to Vietnamese delicacies, I really had no expectations whatsoever when I sat down with my fellow blogger Ash for dinner one fine evening.

The restaurant looks clean and neat, with a particularly obvious Asian feel to it. I half expected the waitress to greet us in Vietnamese, but she didn't..which might be a good thing after all, considering the only Vietnamese sentence i knew is 'Chi ai map" - and that means "You're fat." (oh, the things you learned in university).

You can choose to dine inside the restaurant, where it's plushy comfy, or, like us, you can dine outside where you can look around the mall while you eat.

I ordered the Braised Chicken with Lemongrass, priced at RM 19.90.

The taste is alright. Personally, I feel the chicken was bit mild and I was left wanting.

For drink, i went to their Durian Cendol, which comes at RM 9.90.

For Ash, she ordered the Spaghetti Bolognaise served with Prawns, priced at RM 26.90.

I don't know what spaghetti has to do with Vietnamese cooking, but hey, since they are offering it, maybe they cook it in a special way..Ash said the dish is lovely, and I will take her words for it.

She also ordered a drink called the three-colour delight, priced at RM 9.90.

It looks like cendol with creamy topping..and I'm sure it is an absolute delight!

OK, so my thought was, we need to come back here soon to sample some real and authentic Vietnamese cookings. Consider this just an introductory course, folks.

Good Food at Grandmama's

2010-07-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

Grandmama's is a delightful little place in Pavilion mall that serves really delicious foods, as I've discovered recently during a lunch outing with my colleague Elaine. As she's rather camera-shy (most of my friends are like that, I don't know why..) I'll post here a picture we had recently taken during our company excursion to an island somewhere to the east of the peninsula.

We look GOOD!! haha

Ok, ok, back to the topic at hand. Grandmama's, as it turned out, offers a healthy mix of both eastern and western foods. Now, I have to say that the prices at this place is somewhat leaning towards the premium end of the spectrum, but hey, you have to acknowledge the fact that sometimes good foods come at a price.

Now, the place is actually divided into three areas, one is an in-house dining area like most enclosed restaurants, while the other two are open-space areas where the atmosphere is a much more relaxing one. We chose the open-space area inside the mall because we like looking at shops and people as they strut around us. Wea re kaypoh like that...If you like, and especially if you're a smoker, you can choose the other open-space area that is outside the mall...

Here is me again, with my trademark mugshot before the meals arrived. As you can see (or not), the open-space area is much more comfy as they have couch-seats that feels really good to the bums.

Elaine, or ELA, as I liked to call her, ordered the Nasi Lemak set that comes with big piece of chicken and some acar. It looks really good. Price is at RM 15.00.

Meanwhile, I went for their chicken rice set, priced at RM 15.50. Frankly, at that price, I expected more. Oh well.

The chicken rice is nice..though it's nothing to shout home about. I can't really say it's better than those I've sampled at other place. So, unless you're a REAL chicken rice fan, you might want to give this a miss. They have other foods that taste better, like their excellent Hokkien fried rice and Nasi Jawa, which I've ordered before. Now, those are definitely recommended.

For dessert, I ordered the yummy-looking Banana fritter, which set me back for RM 10.00.

The fried bananas are humungous! They have crispy outer layer, but the banana flesh inside remain soft and juicy! Hard on the outside, but soft on the inside (wink*wink*). Plus, you get two scoops of generic-tasting ice-cream. Now, me and ELA, being the pranksters that we are, decided to give the dessert a little ahem..'re-design', if you will. And the end result is, well...see for yourself..

For the more prudish of you, please move on and save your scowls of disaprovement (is that a word?). But you have to admit, it does look very convincing, hehe...

Dick jokes aside, the restaurant is indeed a good place to go for some good eatings. What I can vouch for is that they do have very good customer service. Their waitpersons are always smiling, attentive and helpful. And as we all know, good customer service is hard to come back nowadays, so savour it whenever you can.

Wong Kok Char Chan Teng, lunch-ing HK-style

2010-07-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

On the sixth floor of the Pavilion mall in Kl is a place called Wong Kok Char Chan Teng, where you can enjoy your meals in true HK-style. The place is rather spacious, and you will usually find a good crowd having their lunches, or dinner here. So, your 'arrival' timing is crucial here. You don't want to be whisked away to a dreadful corner seat with pathetic view just because you're fashionably late....

My friend Seth and I decided to have an early lunch here one uneventful Monday..And since he's rather camera-shy (read: un-photogenic), you'll get to see only my mug...

I ordered their Honey Chicken set with vegetables and rice, priced at RM 9.30, and their dee-licious Chocolate Lava drink, priced at RM 8.50.

The dish is yummy-licious. I love it. The chicken is sweet-tasting and very very juicy!

The drink is really, really humungous! At below RM 10, it is quite a steal compared to those you can get from a certain major coffee chain ( I won't name names, but picture a mermaid *wink*wink)

My friend, Seth (which is a dumb name, by the way) meanwhile, chose their Monday lunch set, priced at RM 9.90, which consist of a bowl of chicken noodle, soup, a cup of tea and a plate of fruit (and by a plate, I mean two sad-looking winter melon cubes, and one slice of pathetically-small melon cut into three even smaller more pathetic-looking pieces). But hey, I guess at that price, you can't really complain..

Here is me again, with my satisfied-looking mug after a good meal. My camera-unfriendly friend is forced to be my photographer that day. What can I say, some people are just destined to be BEHIND camera, and not IN FRONT. (well, since my friend made it very clear that he couldn't be bothered to checking out and reading my blog, I can make vicious jokes about him without fear of retribution mwahahahahahaha! Take that Seth!)

What I can say about Wong Kok CCT is that they have a huge variety of meals to offer, so you are surely to find something you like. The biggest plus have to be their prices, which I have to say are very, vey wallet-friendly. So, the next time your annoying friends/colleagues/relatives pester you about giving them a treat, feel free to bring them here for a wallet- and stomach-friendly eat-out.

Rich servings at PapaRich

2010-06-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

I recently had the good fortune to visit one PapaRich outlet in Puchong, thanks to the recommendation of a good friend of mine. The outlet we had our dinner is located at 101 Boulevard, Jalan Kenari 5, Bandar Puchong Jaya.

I have to confess that I've never been to a PapaRich restaurant before, being the 'ulu' boy that I am. This particular outlet is a sight for sore eyes. It has a very relaxing ambience, an I can just imagine how splendid it would be to spend a big whole chunk of a lazy Sunday afternoon here sipping your drink, enjoying your food, chatting with your buddies, reading a good book, or just surfing the Internet via the provided free Wi Fi on your laptop.

My friend ordered their Dry Koay Tiow with Foo Chok and & Sliced Chicken Meat, priced at RM 9.90. a

Meanwhile, I ordered their Ipoh Koay Tiow Soup with Steamed Chicken, also priced at RM 9.90, and their Honey Lemon Tea, priced at RM 4.20

The dish is really good. I really like the steamed chicken, which was prepared just right. This one is definitely recommended.

I really like this place, and their foods. The prices are very affordable too, IMHO. If you are interested to try them out, please visit their website at http://www.papparich.com.my/, where you can find the locations (plus maps) of all their outlets, as well as their menu.

Papa-papa-papadom!!....Bring out the Bengal Cuisine

2010-06-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

There's this little stall you can find on the third level of KLCC's Signatures Four Court arena that simply serves the most most-watering Bengali dishes. Aptly named, BENGAL CUISINE, this little stall will satisfy your tastebuds with North Indian specialties like papadom, briyani, chutney and so on.

You can sample one of their several available lunch sets that start from a very affordable RM 6.90 price range, or pick and choose as you go along.

My favourite is the chicken briyanai set that comes with a veggie side dish of your own, papadom and the accompanying bowl of gravy.

The papadom is really good, and this comes from someone who doesn't even like papadom.

The chicken is also a delight....all lean meat, cooked just right with the perfect combination of spices.

If you want to enjoy good Bengali cookings at affordable prices, this is a no-brainer! Try it, you'll love it. (P/S: This stall is actually tested and approved by 'Jalan Jalan Cari Makan', a local TV show that recommends the best restaurants and other food-serving places )

Betty Crocker's CookBook

2010-06-13T05:39:00.000-07:00

For all you food-lovers out there who likes to cook your own meals, you're gonna love this. If you have an iPad, there's a new app called The Betty Crocker CookBook, which is a free app that is chokeful of timeless recipes, from appetizers, to desserts, to main course meals and beverages.

The app has a clean, simple interface, where you can opt to search for recipes or ingredients.

As you can see here, there's an exhaustive list of recipes that you can find here. Ranging from fast, quick meals to full-on main dishes that require ample preparations.

Once you have picked a recipe, you'll be given a list of ingredients and a step-by-step guide for making the said dish. If you are connected to the Internet, you can sync preparation guide to your real-time cooking so you won't make any mistake. And for all you health buffs out there, each recipe comes with their own nutritional value info so you know exactly how healthy the meal is.

And if you don't have an iPad, don't worry, there's an iPhone version too. So, enjoy downloading and cooking...

Noor Chicken Rice Shop, Plaza Lowyat KL

2010-06-13T05:07:00.000-07:00

There's a whole level of eateries at the lower ground floor of the Plaza Lowyat, the definitive IT and tech mall in KL. One of the restaurants is Noor Chicken Rice, where me and Ash have our dinner one day.

Noor Chicken Rice, Cal Big Head

Their TomYam Rice, priced at RM 9.90. Looks simple enough, but actually not bad at all.

One of their special set of toast, boiled eggs and tea, priced at an affordable RM 4.90

The Nespresso, priced at RM 6.90

The Newly-Opened Pizza Hut restaurant, Terminal One

2010-06-13T04:57:00.000-07:00

Pizza Hut, Malaysia's favourite pizza place, has recently opened a new outlet in Terminal One, Seremban. The spanky new place was my choice for dinner one evening, and yes, I ordered and finished all these foods you see here.

Their Tandoori Chicken Pizza is quite a delight, I must say...

These chicken chunks, i forgot what are they called are pretty good too..

Revisiting Chocolate Lounge, Pavilion KL

2010-06-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

My second visit to the wonderful Chocolate Lounge, but this time, Me and my fellow blogger Ash opted for different meals.

The Iceberg Lady (RM 10.90)

Thai Curry Chicken Pie (RM 9.90)

Chocolate Chip Sultana Pancake (RM 14.90)

Their special brand of pizza (RM 10.90)

Old Town Kopitiam, Pavilion KL

2010-06-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

What is it about kopitiam that lures me again and again everytime food comes to mind? Does it have something to do with my upbringing? Where breakfast are usually served and enjoyed in such places? The fresh aroma of hot, steaming coffee, the mouth-watering kaya-butter toasts, the excitable chatter of people as they mingled and exchange gossips and hot news as they savor their first meal of the day? Does the atmosphere plays a role as much as the food do?

Granted, Old Town Kopitiam is not your old-school average kopitiam per se, but the chain has done quite well in presenting and re-imagining the old splendour of such places...at a price.

Now with numerous outlets at almost all cities in the country, you too can experience what it is like to have breakfast like in the good old days...well, except now with air-conditioning systems, rodent-free kitchens and basically more hygienic settings.

Honey Lemon tea (RM 4.50)

Xi Mut Milk Tea (RM 4.30)

Curry Mee (RM 8.50)

This is actually pretty good

Bread served with Blueberry jam (RM 4.90)

Kaya-Butter toast (RM 3.50)

Survive without food..WHAT???

2010-05-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

I came across a very interesting story today from Yahoo! News about a man in India who can survive without food!! I was like, WHAT???? How is that even possible? Apparently, the man, who's a yogi, has been able to stay alive for seven decades without eating or drinking. Now this sounds like fiction to me when I read it. And scientists in India are of the same mind when they ehard the claim. So, they decided to put the man under round-the-clock surveillance to determine whether he is telling the truth, or just another kook that make up stories.
Well, it turns out he is telling the truth. He has been put under watch since 22 April 2010, and until today (11 May 2010), he has not eaten and drank and IS STILL SURVIVING!!! How can that be??? I know I won't last a day without food. The human body is truly amazing....
You can read the original article here:

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20100510/tap-india-science-defence-food-offbeat-5bb9277.html
India studies yogic power for life without food

AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) - – A team of military doctors backed by India's national defence research centre is studying an 83-year-old holy man who claims to have spent seven decades surviving without food or water.

The long-haired and bearded yogi, Prahlad Jani, has been sealed in a hospital in the western city of Ahmedabad where he is under 24-hour observation by 30 doctors and will be subjected to a series of medical tests.

"The observation from this study may throw light on human survival without food and water," doctor G. Ilavazahagan, director of India's Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), told AFP.

The DIPAS is part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, India's state defence and military research institute also behind a grenade packed with chilli powder that recently hit headlines.

"This may help in working out strategies for survival during natural calamities, extreme stressful conditions and extra-terrestrial explorations like future missions to the Moon and Mars by the human race," Ilavazahagan said.

The tests on Jani include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, measuring brain and heart activity with electrodes and other neuro-physiological studies, in addition to blood tests.

The experiment started on April 22 and will take 15-20 days. Since the beginning, Jani has neither eaten nor drunk and has not been to the toilet, Ilavazahagan said.

"The exercise of taking this yogi under the medical scanner is to understand what energy supports his existence," he added, explaining that soldiers could benefit from his apparent ability to survive.

"Jani says he meditates to get energy. Our soldiers will not be able to meditate, but we would still like to find out more about the man and his body," he said.

Neurologist Sudhir Shah, who studied Jani in 2003 and is part of the new experiment, said that the extremely skinny but apparently active man faced round-the-clock observation.

"Two stationary 24-hour video cameras have been set up in his room, while a mobile video camera follows him whenever he needs to step outside," he said.

Jani, who dresses in red and wears a nose ring, grew up in Charod village in the Mehsana district in Gujarat and claims to have been blessed by a goddess aged eight, which has enabled him to survive without sustenance.

Shah said that Jani told him the key to his survival was a mystical and unexplained process by which he receives drops of water through a hole in his palate.

Analysis of data, to determine his secret or expose his fraudulence, will take at least two months, the doctors said.

Fasting is a part of Indian culture, made famous by independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, who brought himself to the brink of death on several occasions by refusing food and water to protest against colonial rule.

A monk from India's minority Jain religion -- devout followers of which undertake frequent fasts, sometimes to death -- claims to have deprived himself of food for one year, which is believed to be a record

"If you're busy with something you don't feel hunger, thirst, or the heat and cold," said Sri Sahaj Muni Maharaj, who took daily glasses of warm water during his fast which ended on May 1998.

"I'm busy contemplating the infinite," he told India's Outlook magazine one month before the end of his experiment.

At the Mamak's (Alfaa Maju)

2010-05-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

Alfaa Maju is one of my recent discoveries in KL, thanks to my fellow blogger Ash, who directed me to this place one day. The restaurant is located along Jalan Raja Chulan, next to a car park and Wisma MPL.This place is your usual mamak haunt that serves delicious foods at good prices. I highly recommend their tosay sardin and roti pisang, which are quite yummy and satisfying.
These short clips just to show you our recent visit to the restaurant, where we ordered their nasi lemak, roti pisang and tosay sardin.

Pepper Lunch videoblog

2010-05-10T07:53:00.000-07:00

AS I've mentioned before, Pepper Lunch in Pavilion KL is one of my favourite restaurants. And so, I've decided to do my very first videoblog there with fellow blogger Ash. As this a first attempt at videoblogging, needless to say, things do not always turned out as you expect them to be.
In the video below, I literally turned upside down because I failed to mentioned to Ash that the video recorder do not reorient itself...(or maybe she did it on purpose, I KNEW IT!)
This time, I had the Curry Beef with Rice, while Ash enjoyed her Chicken Pepper Rice set. The currye beef is delicious, with just the right dash of spiciness. And it doesn't make you feel bloated because the minimal amount of oil used.

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Curious about food?, then try out EPICURIOUS!

2010-04-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

There are tons and tons of websites out there on the Internet that cover the topics of foods and cookings, but one website that managed to caught my attention is EPICURIOUS (www.epicurious.com), which is really a fantastic site that covers almost all types of foods that you can think of. European, Asian, Middle eastern, Mediterranean, you name it, they have it. They have lots of user-submitted recipes and menus for you to try out, as well as food segments divided by festivities too. In short, the website is a one-stop shop for all your culinary needs.
You can sign up to become a member of the website. Once you do that, you will be able to save and collect all the recipes you like. You can even post and share your own recipes with other users too.
So, do check it out and see if you can't find something you fancy...

How to make Nasi Lemak, Hawaiian style

2010-04-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

MMmmm..nasi lemak..one of my top fave meals, especially for breakfast. I can't get enough of this iconic Malaysian dish. And I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of you out there who are also die-hard fans of this simple yet delicious dish.

Now, surprisingly, cooking nasi lemak is real simple too. Even a Chef from Hawaii can cook it, as the video below showed. Chef Felix Tai has managed to demonstrate the ease of cooking this dish, which I hope to try out soon. I will post a video of me making this dish later on, so watch out for that (and also wish me good luck). In the mean time, you can try it out yourself too..
I picked Chef Felix's video because he somewhat resemble one of my colleagues, Sharizal. :)

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My totally failed attempts at doing a video introduction..

2010-04-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

So, I've changed the looks of my blog recently, and so i thought it would be a piece of cake to do a short video intro of me welcoming you all to my blog. Simple right? Right???

Not really. You canwatch these videos of my failed attempts to do a short intro...and cringe...

Going Loco over Choco

2010-04-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

Ahh..chocolate....worthy food of the gods, sinful indulgence for mortals like you and me. Did you know that, contrary to popular belief, chocolate is actually good for your health? Recent studies have shown that consumption of dark chocolate can help lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke? Also, eating chocolate causes your brain to release endorphins, the same hormone that produces the state of euphoria that one gets from exercising. What else...Oh yes, chocolate is also an aphrodisiac, perfect for rowdy couples who want that little extra "ommph" between the sheets.
As if we all need reasons to consume chocolate la...However, do keep in mind that moderation is still the key in chocolate consumption. Eat too much of it, and expect to see your waist expand to horrific proportions...

Alright, enough public service announcement. Let's pay a visit to the delightful Chocolate Lounge at Pavilion KL. I highly recommend that you visit their website at www.chocolatelounge.com.my so that you can look at their menu and salivate. The site describes the place as a theobrama chocolate lounge, which, according to Wikipedia, "Theobroma is a genus of about 20 species in the family Sterculiaceae or sometimes classified as Malvaceae."......whatever.....

Anyway, what I find most amusing about the website is the funny "bloop bloop" sound effects that it make everytime you position your mouse pointer over the main menu options. Haha...Fascinating!!! Endless fun!!! I can make music with that sounds...

The place is hip..So hip it hurts! They painted the whole damn place in chocolatey brown so you will be induced to order more and eat more. And it worked! At one point, I was tempted to chow down on my chair cos it look so damn yummy. For people who are huge fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this place must be like their dreams come true.

My fellow blogger, Ash, was generous enough to give me a treat at this place one day. And of course, apa lagi, I jumped at the offer la...Rezeki jangan ditolak, beb!

The place serves a wide variety of chocolate dishes. You name it, chocolate desserts, chocolate drinks, chocolate cakes, chocolate dips...and so on and so forth.

We ordered their Chocolate Affair, which is fondue served with four types of fruits.

If these pictures do not make your drool, you are either very good at self-control, or plain abnormal!

My tongue was dancing with each mouthful....Melt in your mouth, and in your hands...

For drinks, Ash had a pot of peppermint tea, while I chose the mocha frappe...Deee-licous!!!

This is definitely one of those places that I would like to visit again and again, simply because everything on the menu looks so delicious, that I just have to try them all out. Highly recommended! If you like chocolate (and who doesn't), this is a no-brainer!

Mini-bite 2 : Mango pulut and Tosey sardin

2010-04-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

Go West (or not) at Western Cuisine

2010-04-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Western Cuisine in Pavilion KL is one of the few places that offer western foods at affordable prices. Tucked away in an awkward corner at the Food Republic level, the place is, unfortunately, easy to miss. But if you happen to stumble upon this place, do give it a try...

The place has limited open space, but not too bad to induce clautrosphobia. Decors are simple, clean and pleasent.

For such a small place, they do have quite an extensive range of meals to offer. You can see 'live samples' of their meals arranged in a neat row near the entrance. When you come across something you fancy, just point and pay.

I ordered their Fried Chicken with Rice, which is priced at RM 9.90

I like the dish., The chicken is well-done and tasty.For such a simple meal, it is surprisingly satisfying.

My fellow blogger, Ash, ordered their Spaghetti with white clams.

For some strange reasons, the place do not have a decent list of beverages. They only have two types, ice lemon tea and soya bean. When I made a face and scowled at the limited options, the supervisor (I presumed he is anyway ) is quick to tell me that I am free to order drink from outside and bring it in. Well, my question is..why not offer more drinks in the first place?

Anyhoo, aside from the less-than-impressive beverage list, the place is quite decent with its good meals. I won't endorse it, however...

Mini-bite : Oyster Omelette from THYE HONG

2010-04-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

There's this one outlet in Pavillion's food republic that is called Thye Hong that serves signature dishes from Singapore that have been well-published and recommended by some press. Their menu is comprised of dishes like Singapore Prawn Noodles, Oyster Omelette, Fried Carrot Cake and Hokkien Mee. Ash and I decided to give their Oyster Omelette a try, being the adventurous souls that we are!

Well, what can I say about the dish? It's...errr..interesting. It takes some getting used to...The first few bites are definitely weird for me, as the texture is all soft and mushy, like eating raw tender flesh covered with fried egg. But, in retrospect, I believed that this is one dish that I can grow to like. Over time. With repeat consumption. Hopefully. No. Really.
However, I do feel that the sauce that came with it can be further improved. Spicier would be better. Would I recommend it? Of course.

Pre-Birthday treat at Tony Roma's

2010-04-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Aside from being the month of fools, April is also the month when one of my best buds, Miss Lim, celebrate her birthday. And so, we decided to pay Tony Roma's a visit in Pavillion Mall KL for a pre-birthday treat, cos I'm generous like that. It's ok to celebrate birthdays earlier, or later, than the exact date, I guess, as long as the thought is there.

The restaurant chain started in North Miami all the way back in 1972 by a guy named...you guess it..Tony. He's supposed to have pioneered Baby Back Ribs, and the rest, as they say, is history. 200-plus restaurants and 27 countries later, they finally landed in Malaysia, and opened one of their local restaurants in the said mall. Tony Roma's, the RIBS, SEAFOOD, STEAK specialist.

The restaurant feels very 'homely', and the seating arrangements are designed in such a way to give you maximum privacy from other diners. Soft warm lightings from the walls, plus rows and rows of retro photo frames combine to make the ambiance a very inviting and soothing one.

For starter, we called for their Onion Loaf (half-a-loaf at RM 12.90). The loaf is deep fried, and filled with onion, served with their own BBQ sauce.

For whatever reason, i didn't like the taste of the loaf when we are eating it. However, in retrospect, I feel that it is not bad at all. And the more I think about it, the more I find it to be quite good. At the end of the day, I developed an itch to go back and sample more of it.

For our main meals, I ordered one of their lunch set specials, the Tuscany Pasta with chicken (RM 29.90). Free flow of soft drinks and free soup of the day complete the lunch set deal.

We chose the veggie soup

The pasta is good..The serving is huge, with lots of chicken and sliced tomatoes..sprinkled with cheese on top. I really love it, but couldn't finished the whole plate myself. If you decide to order this one, it's recommended to share with another friend.

Meanwhile, Miss Lim went for the Mojo Chicken set (RM 19.90), which is a total cheat, if you ask me....

As you can see from the picture, the chicken part fill up just a quarter of the whole meal, while the fries are all over the place. And to add insult to injury, the chicken is totally bland. I lost my Mojo from consuming this one.

To end our meals, we ordered their Chocolate Avalanche (RM 14.90) as dessert....

Dessert. Nice. Very good. End of story.

When I look at the receipt, it says we can get RM 10 discount the next time we visit the restaurant . Hmm..I wonder if there's an expiry date on the offer.

The whole experience of dining in Tony Roma's has felt somewhat "rushed" (my fault, as I can only get a one-hour lunch break), and therefore, I feel that I didn't really get to properly enjoy and savour my meals. However, I like them enough to want to come back again soon so that I can give a more rounded review.
Anyway, if you like TGI Friday and Chilli's, it's safe to say that you are probably going to like Tony Roma's, where you can get big, hearty meals in comfortable environment.

TONY ROMA'S RESTAURANT

Lot LG.1.15, Level 1

Pavilion KL

168, Jln Bukit Bintang

55100 KL

Phone : +603 2143 3378

Website : www.tonyromas.com

SERAI Satay Bar - Giving the old sticks new vibe

2010-03-10T19:45:00.000-08:00

Satays, as Wikipedia put it, is a street fare invented by the Javanese people before gaining popularity amongst the rest of the Southeast Asian countries. How accurate is that is debatable. However, what is not is the fact that satays is well-loved by all Malaysians, give or take a few souls.

The delicacy can be found at every nooks and corners of the country, and it used to be that Kajang has the enviable reputation of producing the best satays around. Nowadays, you can even find satays in shopping malls. WHAT CONVENIENCE!!

Which brings us to SERAI SATAY BAR in Pavilion mall, where Ash and I have lunch one day out of curiosity. The whole 'outlet', if you can call it that, cos it looks more like a cubicle-like stall, is very nicely designed to give a 'bar' feel, hence the name. It all feels very contemporary and hip, and I give them kudos for attempting to bring the appeal of satays to a whole new level. Now you can eat satays and looks hip at the same time too.

You can order to go or you can eat in, the choice is yours, though I have to say, what with just one table and two rows of bar counters, it feels like they prefer that you opt for take-away.

Here, you can go for their mini packs where each pack comes with six satay sticks plus two condiment sticks. You can choose chicken, lamb or beef. The price range from RM 9.60 to RM 10.20 each cup. Yes, they put the satay and the gravy into a big tall plastic cup that looks really cool.

You can also opt for the Jumbo Pack, which gives you 36 sticks or satay plus two condiment sticks. That will set you back by RM 50.00, which, though not exactly cheap, is not too bad either.

Both of us ordered their Nasi Goreng Special that comes with copious amount of keropok lekor and two sticks of chicken satay. All for the price of RM 6.90.

At first, when our meals arrived, we felt that the portion is a bit 'smaller' than anticipated. However, looks can be deceiving.

I also ordered another cup of chicken satays for the extra kicks.

I really love the idea of putting the satays in the cup. It's so convenient just to grab a cup and enjoy satays while on the go. I wonder if they are the first to come up with such idea. Satays in a cup, yeah!!

For drinks, Ash has her usual teh tarik (RM 3.70), while I go for the cold Milky Bandung (RM 5.00)

The Milky Bandung taste OK. Not really something I would choose to have again.

One thing I have to mention here is, how fascinated I am by one of the staff working there. He looks like a Chinese, very, very tall, and has one of the biggest set of hands I've ever seen. When he set our meals on the table, one of my hands is on the table, and by comparison, the difference is like between the hand of a baby and an adult. They're HUMUNGOUS!!! I almost withdraw my hand in shame, hahaha..I was totally fascinated by that! What did he eat to get big hands like that, I wondered. I could just sit here and watch Mr Big Hand cook in the open-air kitchen all day long....

Well, if you like satays, then you should check out this place. Head over to www.sataybar.com.my to see their full menu.

Serai Satay Bar

Lot pl.08.00

Level 1, Gourmet Emporium

Pavillion KL

168 Jln Bukit Bintang

56100 KL

Phone : +603-2143-7070

Email : serai@sataybar.com.my

Stuffing Faces at Kopitiam Daily @ Pavillion KL

2010-03-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

Is it just me, or are there waaaay too many restaurants that have somewhat similar names. "Kopitiam", Station Kopitiam", "Old Town Kopitiam"..and now, we have "Kopitiam Daily". Talk about being "kopi-cat".

Anyway, Ash and I decided to have lunch one day at this small cafe called "Kopitiam Daily" located on the fourth floor of Pavillion mall in KL. The mini-sized cafe has both inner and outer areas (read: smoking and non-smoking zones), divided by a glass wall in the middle. This way, you can stuff your faces while the smokers outside can have their puffs too. You Puff, I Stuff.

The decor and ambient screams "1950s Malaya, during a time when Ah Peks, Tangachis and Mat Dins used to have a cuppa in dinghy smelly wooden kopitiams while the Mat Salehs have their stupid tea.

What I ordered? the Ipoh Hor Fun, priced at RM 12.50.

Well, to be honest, the Hor Fun ain't bad at all. It does has that authentic, home-cooked taste to it. The soup is great too.

Meanwhile, Ash decided to go for Malaysia's number one favourite breakfast/lunch/dinner/supper meal - nasi lemak. Their Nasi Lemak Special is priced at RM 12.50.

Not content with giving extra-oily sambal, they add in a bowl of extra-oily curry chicken too. A quick Google run tells me that the average nasi lemak harbors between 380 and 450 calories. With all those extra oil, this one seem to pack at least 500 calories. Meanwhile, the average Hor Fun has (horrors of horror!!) 750 calories in it. So, between the two of us, we have consumed thousands of calories in just one sitting.....Learn new things everyday with Calorie Cal - your buddy with the extra fat...err..I mean facts!!

For drinks, Ash had her coffee, while I opted for something cold - the KOPI COLD (as stated in the menu). I think mine is called Kopi Cham (Is that right, Ash?). Yeah, pure genius here - can't even remember his own drink.

Both drinks are free, they come with the meals as lunch sets.

Kopitiam Daily - Good place to have lunch with pals and colleagues. Just don't count the calories, and you'll be fine.

Station Kopitiam Cafe @ Seremban Terminal 2

2010-03-05T07:07:00.000-08:00

Dinner at Station Kopitiam Cafe, a new eatery in Seremban Terminal 2.....

One uneventful night, while hunting for a new place to have my dinner, I stumbled upon this new place called Station Kopitiam Cafe in Terminal 2. Hmmm... it's almost 8.10pm, and the place is rather empty. It should be packed with hungry diners by now. Perhaps, the Mariah Carey song that is blasting through the speakers are keeping people away?

Anyway, I took a chance and walked in, only to be greeted by a rather plump but otherwise pleasant-looking Chinese girl who are manning the cashier. There's a gaggle of young male waiters at one end of the restaurant busy gossiping away, all giggling like excited schoolgirls, completely oblivious to the fact that a customer has just walked in.

'Halo, sir. One person?", the girl greeted me, with well-practised plastic smile. "Yes", i replied, suitably unenthused. The place is 90% vacant, save for two tables. After much deliberation, I decided on the table closest to the cashier counter.

While I plop down to my seat, she expertly fling the big rectangular menu on the table. Hmm..ok, let's see what's on the menu, shall we.. Flip, flip, flip...hmm, typical Chinese and Western dishes like sweet and sour chicken, fish and chips, fried rice, tomyam, etc etc etc. Having slipped into my lazy, comfort zone, I decided to order something that sounds like an unholy fusion of East-West- the Kong Po Chicken Chop Rice (RM 10.90) Sounds interesting enough. Hope I won't be disappointed. To be safe, I also ordered a pot of Tom Yam Veggie Soup (RM 5.90)

For drinks, she eagerly recommended the "Yes Tea" (RM 4.60), which, judging by the one-whole-page pictorial description on the menu, is their house special. With a name like that, how could I not say yes? Satisfied with my orders, she happily trotted away while I put on my 'scan face" and give the whole place a thorough work-over.
The place looks a bit too dark, with soft dimmed lights adorning the walls. Not that I mind. I love eating in the dark (among other things *wink*wink). It helps mask oily faces, drippy noses and bulging stomachs. Just a few tables from me, a young Chinese couple are stuffing their faces with God-knows-what...Well, at least the chick looks pretty. <Weeee-wit leng lui. Sik fan ah?> Meanwhile, tucked in the corner to my left, a small family of three are busy cleaning their plates too. Hmm..quiet night indeed. The only thing I could hear is that darn Mariah Carey song still blasting through the air. Talk about appetite-spoiler!
Bored with the non-crowd, I whipped out my PSP and play the new combat game I just downloaded. Minutes latter, my main dish arrives...

Yeah, It doesn't look very appealing...I was ready to be disappointed. And boy, was I ever. The chicken are well-fried and crispy, with sour-tasting sauce all over. However, I don't see the "Kong Po' part le.

Not long after that, my tomyam soup came....

The soup is a bit too thick for my liking, and it's not spicy at all. It tasted sour! This is more like a badly-prepared ABC soup. It totally lacked the 'spicy twang' that real tomyam soup should have. TOTAL FAIL!!! Admit it, Chinese people just suck at making curry and spicy dishes in general. Oh, wait a minute, there are mushrooms in my tomyam soup! I hate mushroom!! BTW, Is it really appropriate to put mushrooms in tomyam soup??? I don't think so.

Oh, in case you're wondering - I should have said NO to the Yes Tea beverage she suggested. It's like a watered down ice lemon tea with a very annoying stale tea after-taste. FAIL, FAIL, FAIL!

Hmmm..am i being too critical? Am I too harsh? Am I just being a total biatchh about this? Heck, no!

For serving bad foods, this place got my very own 'mug of disapproval'.

Dinner at SUMMER GARDEN RESTAURANT & CAFE, Era Square Seremban

2010-02-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

Era Square is one of the newer hot spots that Seremban town has to offer. The main area, called Era Walk, is littered with a host of pubs, bars and restaurants that caters to both Asian and Western palettes. One of the outlets, called SUMMER GARDEN, is a restaurant that serves mainly Chinese dishes with a dash of local influence. On a particular evening, I decided to invite one of my long-time friends, Eddie, to have dinner with me at this place. Located at 30, Ground Floor, Jalan Era Baru 3, Era Walk, the restaurant has a nice ambience that is obvious even from the outside.

We both ordered the Coconut as our drinks, as the tropical fruit is an excellent thirst-quencher. Price is at RM 4.80 each.

For the main meal, Eddie ordered the Fried Kueytiow with egg (RM 6.50), which comes in big portion, but a bit plain for my liking...

As for myself, I ordered the Assam Fish with Rice, which never came. Their excuse? The waitperson told me this - "Sorry ya mister, we're really busy la this evening." I see. So what he's basically saying is they're too busy serving other people, everyone but me?

We ordered two other dishes, the Thai styled Tauhu (RM 6.00) and Kangkung Masak Belacan (RM 9.00), a personal favourite of mine.

One other thing that I would like to bring up here is, they served all of our foods lukewarm. It kinda spoils the taste and the enjoyment of the foods...

Bad and slow service aside, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. That's because I would like to come back in the near future just to see if there's any improvement. I hope they do improve, or else, they shall feel the full wrath of my proverbial poison pen. And when that happens, it will no longer be summer in their garden. it will be a cold, cold winter of discontent!

Enjoying brunch at Kenny Rogers Roasters, Seremban Parade

2010-02-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

CNY day 3.....my sis and I went for another shopping spree at Seremban Parade, one of the more laid-back shopping malls that you can find in the sleepy town of Seremban. For brunch, we decided to visit Kenny Rogers Roasters, simply because it's been a long while since either of us have been to one of their outlets. This KRR restaurant is located next to the main entrance of the mall, with both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned areas catering to different needs.

When you talk about KRR, you can't miss out their legendary muffins. I just love their banana muffins! They should open another chain just for selling muffins. Chocolate muffins, vanilla muffins, coffee muffins, nut muffins, durian muffins.....mmmm..

For drinks, both of us ordered the ice blended mocha...which is goood!!

There's really nothing to talk about KRR's main offering, the quarter chicken meal. It comes with the usual three side dishes...BORINNGGG! It's about damn time that the chain revamp its menu. You hear me, Kenny?

That's not a happy face. On the plus side, the chicken is huge, unlike the meagre portion the KRR restaurant in KLCC Convention Centre dish out. (That's right, I'm calling you guys out!)

As for me, I decided to try out something new...(new for me that is)...their Tangy Chicken Spaghetti. It is better than what I expected, and my expectations are quite low..so go figure. The menu described the meal as having a hint of spiciness, and for me, that's the only saving grace for it. Otherwise, I would have chuck this into my expanding Compendium of Bland Foods.

Kenny Rogers just got ROASTED!

Enjoying CNY dinner at.... The House of Bento!!!!

2010-02-18T06:32:00.000-08:00

CNY day 2...me and my sis went for a late shopping spree in Suria KLCC before settling for dinner at the top-level food court, called Medan Selera Food Arena, where we discover.....THE HOUSE OF BENTO!!!!!!!! HOIITTTTT!!! MUSHI MUSHI!!!

For the uninformed, Bento is a Japanese art of lunch preparation, where you cook and arrange your meals in often colourful and creative way. The lunchbox used are rectangular, with compartments of different sizes to accommodate different dishes. Trust the Japs to turn something so mundane into an art form.

I ordered one of their specials sets, the Teriyaki Chicken Rice, which is priced at a promotional rate of RM 10.90. The chicken is nicely done, and the rice quite fragrant. Really, I have no complaints here.

My sis ordered the Kare Katsu Don, the curry chicken rice bowl, priced at RM 11.90, as well as a bowl of miso soup (RM 2.80) and Chawanmushi soup (RM 3.00). She's just nuts about soups!

On top of that, we also ordered the Idako (RM 9.00), a plate of seasoned baby octopuses. I kinda like it, but it's served cold, which don't sit well with me.

If you're a fan of Japanese foods, and especially like their Bentos, this is a place you must check out. It's good food at affordable range. Overall, we did have a good dinner at...... THE HOUSE OF BENTO!!!!!HOITTTTT! ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2010!!! ROAR!! ROARRR!!!

2010-02-16T01:42:00.000-08:00

Just would like to take this opportunity to say Happy CNY to everyone...Hope you all have a roaring good year ahead in the year of the Tiger. It's time to show off your stripes and earn your keeps.

GONG XI, GONG XI

PEACE TO ALL!!!

Your GoodEater,

Calvin F

Enjoying CNY breakfast at Old Town Kopitiam (ERA Square, Seremban)

2010-02-16T01:31:00.000-08:00

I think most, if not all of us, have been to Old Town Kopitiam, a chain of Asian fast food outlets that serves foods and beverages of the 'good ol' days'. It's a place where most of our parents can sit and reminisce about how in their good ol' days, they have time-tested goodies like white coffee, toasts, boiled eggs served with kicap, porridge and whatnots, in bustling good ol' coffee shops frequented by mothers who just came back from the wet markets, and old men who are chess aficionados and keep birds in wooden cages. Ahhh..the good ol' days indeed...too bad I wasn't born yet.
This Chinese New Year (the year of the Roraring Tiger 2010), my sis and I decided to have our breakfast at Old Town Kopitiam, just for old time's sake.

Sipping coffee from old-fashioned cups like these really do make one feels like travelling back in time. I could almost taste the air of 1950s....

For starter, I ordered the white coffee and toast with peanut butter...Ahh..the perfect breakfast, IMHO.

For more filling breakfast, we both ordered their Nasi Lemak Special.

Call me old-fashioned, but I still like my nasi lemak served on banana leaf. The fragrance of the leaf usually adds to the experience of enjoying my nasi lemak. Sigh, how I yearn for the good ol' days when banana leafs are aplenty...

Old favourites at OLD ASIA

2010-02-16T01:11:00.000-08:00

Located on the first floor of MENARA THE WELD in KL is a little spot called OLD ASIA that serves Asian fusion foods that are both tasty and pocket-friendly. It's a place where I visit quite frequently, whether on my own or with friends.

This time around, I ordered one of the specials, Sliced Beef cooked with black beans, served with rice (RM 12.90). The meal also comes with a free drink, Iced Lemon Tea. It tastes a bit too 'home-cooked' to me (read: bland). It's not too bad though, if you have a softer palette. I think, as a dinner set, it is just nice.

My friend, Ash, went for the Seafood Platter (RM 15.90), a sumptuous plate of oceanic delights (err...does that sound right?)

I think the picture speaks for itself.....

For further indulgence, my friend also ordered the Mixed Cendol (RM 3.90), another mouth-watering delight (oK, Ok, this is the last time I'll ever use that word).

OLD ASIA is a nice, quiet and comfy place to have dinner with a small group of friends. They also have a balcony for those who smoke or just want to dine while watching the mesmerizing KL traffic. I definitely recommend this place to everyone. What we sampled today is but just a small portion of what they have to offer. I will post more reviews of their menu offerings later on. So, stay tuned, folks.

Madam Kwan's Restaurant Beckons

2010-02-16T00:43:00.000-08:00

Madam Kwan's Restaurant has earned itself a quite good reputation amongst Kl-ites. It's a place to go to if you're craving truly Malaysian foods like nasi lemak, chicken rice and char kuey tiao. If you stumble upon their Suria KLCC outlet on any given day, chances are good there'll be a decent line of eager customers waiting to get in. The one that Ash and I went o this time is located in Pavillion KL, which, fortunately, is not as packed as the other outlets.

The place is really cosy, with light charcoal hue being used as the main colour palette to help invoke a calming sensation, strategic and comfortable table arrangement that creates the illusion of a spacious area, as well as harmonious implementation of a rocky stream that surround the outer perimeter that further lend a relaxing mood to the ambience....Yes, I read a book on Feng Shui, and I'm not afraid to give my 20-sen worth..Lillian Too, you better watch out!

I ordered their Char Kuey Tiow (RM 15.40), which is also a house favourite. The portion is generous, the taste...satisfying.

Meanwhile, Ash ordered their Nasi Lemak (RM 14.90), also a popular dish amongst its patrons.

For drinks, I ordered the Ice Campur (RM 6.80), which is so good that Ash couldn't resist 'stealing' some...As for me, I think it's a bit too plain...

For herself, she had the teh tarik (RM 5.60). Sh said the only time she order the drink is when she eats at Madam Kwan's. I'll take her words for it.

I wonder if the 'mug' on the mug is Madam Kwan herself....I think I heard of a place in Paris that is also called Madam Kwan, but instead of food, it specialises on something of a ......errr...more 'exotic' nature, if you get my drift. But that's another story for another blog.

This is a nice place, if you do not mind forking out a bit more for staple Malaysian foods that you can get cheaper elsewhere. Well, you pay for the ambience, I guess. I will suggest coming here once in a while when you can splurge a bit.

That's not for me...

2010-01-31T22:52:00.000-08:00

As a food blogger, I think it is an appropriate topic of discussions, and a timely one too, to talk about what type of foods that you wouldn't eat for ethical, moral, religious, cultural or just humane reasons. As we are all people from different backgrounds and beliefs, it is something to ponder over what type of foods that are acceptable to us, and what are not acceptable. I hope to get as many feedbacks as possible on this topic, so please leave your generous comments ok.

To get the ball rolling, here's a list of the type of foods I shun in general due to various reasons:

- shark's fin soup : This dish, ever so popular amongst the Chinese, is just plain wrong in my opinion. The demand for this dish is contributing to the decline in shark's population. Not to mention that it's also a cruel practise. I've been a consumer of this in the past, I admit, during my younger and ignorant days, especially during wedding dinners. But now that I knew better, I no longer care for it.

- dog meat : I don't even know where to begin on this one. As far as I'm concerned, dogs are PET. They're companions for humans. Not for consumption. They're called man's best friends for a reason. Again, the Chinese, along with many Asian countries, are proponents of this. Once, I watched a documentary where an Asian lady brought a basket full of live cute puppies into her kitchen, where she casually pick of the pups and place it on the chopping block. And then, she position the puppy belly up and, using a large butcher knife, slice the animal's belly open and start pulling the innards out while the pup is STILL alive!!!!! That visual haunts me until this day, people! It's true. Not only that, but I've also heard another cruel practise by dog-meat lovers where they would beat and torture the poor animal to death before cooking them. They believe that this would make the meat tastes better because the greater blood circulation or flow in the dogs during the beating process actually makes their meat more delicious. Now I'm not a violent person, but reading about something like this makes me want to hurt someone real bad.

pork : I know some of you would label me as a hypocrite because I still eat pork. However, my pork consumption has declined greatly, and I normally would not order something with pork in it unless there's no choice. I've been to a few pig farms and slaughterhouses during a short stint as a market researcher for animal feeds. Those little piglets are very very human-like in their behavior! And the way they keep adult pigs, OMG, it's pure torture people! The cage where these poor animals are kept in are so small they can't even budge an inch, let alone move. And they are being fed and fed until they're big and fat enough to be slaughtered. And here's the worst part: to those who have never witness a pig slaughtering, trust me, that's a jarring experience that will stay with you for the rest of your lives. The scream, the flow of blood, the long and torturous death...Now I can't say that I've sworn off pork forever. I still eat it form time to time, but eventually, I do intend to stop completedly

insects : eating insects are very popular in many countries. If you go to Thailand, you can buy fried grubs and scorpions form roadside stalls. I don't eat these because I personally don't like insects, and eating them is something so gross that my stomach just couldn't digest. I know a lot of people like such delicacies, and I respect that. Insects are supposedly to be more healthy and nutritious than meat, sooo..enjoy it if you like them.

turtles and toads : one word : disgusting! Those who likes them said the meat have health-boosting properties. I'm sure they are the same people who say the same thing about tiger's testicles and monkey's brain.

Fois gras :This dish, more popular amongst the Western populace, is made from duck or goose liver. Its literal translation from French is FATTY LIVER. There have been much controversies focusing on the cruel, force feeding practise that some farmers employ to make the poor birds' liver more palatable. Under such practise, the bird are being fed continuously until their liver grow so big, it occupy almost two thirds of their internals. Can you imagine the pure torture the duck or goose have to endure through this? Just imagine if your own liver grows so big it takes up more than 50% of your body...Try imagining that!

Do's And Don'ts of Eating Out (Part 2)

2010-01-31T22:02:00.000-08:00

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN EATING OUT

1. Taking too long to decide what to order : Ahhh..the menu. The first thing that we all get when stepping into a restaurant. Now I know a lot of people gets intimidated when facing a menu, especially one that's almost as thick as a novel. Too many options, too many choices, what to do, what to do??? Now, when in a situation like this, the sensible thing to do is to scan through the menu quickly to get a good idea of what are being offered. Also, this will give you a bearing of where the main sections are, such as the food section, beverage section, dessert section and other sections , thus making your second reading much easier. The proper way to order your foods and drinks from the menu is to go in reverse. Yep, that's right. Start ordering the least significant items before moving to the main course. Work your way backwards. For an example, try ordering your drinks, desserts or side dishes first, because these items take shorter time of consideration, so you should have an easier time deciding on them. Once you're one with that, you can spend more time to mull over your main course choices. Clever, ain't it?
If you're really stumped, it's not a bad idea asking the waitperson for recommendations.

2. Bring and eat your own foods : In general, it's considered a big NO-NO to bring and eat your own food to whichever restaurant you're going to. Unless, of course, you're a parent, and the food are for your child. Kids and parents tend to be able to get away with most things, it seems. And, if you must eat your own foods, do ask for prior permission from the staff, and try to be at least discreet about it ok.

3. Be obnoxious, too critical/ demanding: Admit it, some of us do get a bit critical or demanding when eating in a restaurant. The rice has to be just warm enough. The fish head curry is too spicy, the juice is too sweet. If you must make a demand, please do so in a courteous manner. No need to shout or give your blackest face to the waitperson. And, unless it's major screw-up, try not to demand to see the manager. No need for such theatrics....Aside from ruining your meals, you also don't want to piss off the restaurant staff. Trust me, all that horror stories you've heard or read about restaurant staff spitting, peeing and doing other unimaginable things to your meals, at least 90% of them are TRUE. I've personally worked in no less than five restaurants, plus a short stint in a hotel bar, and so I can vouch for that...The things that some of them do, *HORRORS OF HORROR!!!*. However, if your demand is reasonable, like the food isn't cooked properly, which can sometimes happen to red or white meat, or you find foreign objects in it, then by all means do ask for replacement. BUT, having said that, don't eat like half of it and then only ask for a replacement.

4. Make loud noises : It's really simple..people who are loud in public tend to give the impressions of bad upbringing and poor manners. You really don't want to be perceived as such and give your parents a bad name, do you? How many times have you seen a group of people in restaurants talking and laughing loudly, acting as if the place is their own home? How many have seen someone talking too loudly on their handphones, almost shouting even? Scolding their kids, clearing their throats loudly, etc etc. A bit of noises are tolerable, but ry not to overdo it ok. Think of other people who have to endure your hyena-like laughs, or even worse, your half-laughing-half-snorting. Burping and slurping are not OK too. I've seen a women who laugh so loudly and in such an intense manner that she was banging the table and rocking back and forth in her seat. I thought she was having a seizure or something. And I was unfortunate enough to be sitting behind her. The temptation to yank on her long hair was so great that I've to dig my fingers really deep into the table cloth. Thank God I am a quite patient person, or the newspapers the next day would have something interesting to read. Talking about spoiling the appetite. In short, try to be more considerate to other patrons of the restaurants.

5. Issues with tissues : This is a pet peeve of mine. Try not to leave your snot-covered tissues on the table, or worse, on your plate or bowl...That's just poor hygiene people! What I always do is to take whatever tissues I used along with me and dispose them in a trash bin somewhere. Spare a thought for the poor fella that have to clear your table afterwards.

Do's And Don'ts of Eating Out (Part 1)

2010-01-16T23:38:00.000-08:00

We all love eating out...it's so much easier to enjoy your food when you don't have to worry about preparing and cooking or cleaning up afterwards, isn't it? And with so many restaurants out there, with new ones popping out like zits on a teenager's face, we are truly spoilt for choices. However, how many of us are truly aware of the proper way to behave when dining in a restaurant? Do you have the proper table manners and dining etiquette down to pat? Do you know what's acceptable and what's deplorable? How do you carry yourselves in a posh restaurant or a casual cafe? Unless you're really the anti-social type, chances are you'll alway be eating with other people, be it your friends, colleagues, dates, friends of friends, relatives and whatnots. So, you don't want to give the impression that you're just out of prison every time you "attack" your food with gusto. Me and my family are guilty of this, cos everytime we eat out, we tend to 'attack' the food rather than slowly enjoy every bite. We can go through the whole seven-course dinner in just 15 minutes, believe it or not. I'm not sure if it's genetic, or we're just victims of poor dining etiquette.

Of course, you don't have to go all out with these etiquette and practise them to the T either. Or people will probably think you're a houlier-than-thou, uptight, pretentious little prick. Hmm..it's truly a fine line to walk.

Well, fear not food-lovers, for help is at hand with this handy guide to the do's and don'ts of eating out. And by no means that these tips are original or comprehensive. You can probably find all of these, or better tips, easily through Googling. But let me save you the time and hassle, so you can read all about them in one article.

For the first part of this article, I'll focus on the DO'S

Do's:
-Know your audience: when eating out with friends or other people, always make sure that the venue you choose is acceptable to everyone. Some people are vegans, while some can't take certain foods because of their cultural or religious practices. And then there're people who are allergic to certain types of foods. It pays to double check on this before deciding on where to eat. Also, when eating out with a bunch of seniors, choosing to go to Burger King is probably not such a swell idea. You don't want to see them pop their dentures when chewing the burger halfway. As well, some people may not like certain type of food, like for me personally, I don't like seafood or certain Japanese foods like sushi. So, checking on your dining mates' preferences before hand will SAVE you lots of headache.

- Be punctual: Because nothing spoils the appetite than waiting for late-comers. You're not fashionably late, you're just late. AND unless you're out there saving the world or making babies, always make sure yo arrive a bit earlier if not promptly. And the 'better late than never' excuse only applies if you're a celebrity or a VIP. We should make a new rule that whoever arrive the latest will have to foot the bills. Oooh, that will scare a lot of people into being punctual.

- Dress for the occasion: This mostly applies when you're dining in a 'proper' restaurant where they have a dress code. There's a distinct difference between casual wear and formal wear. A good way to remember it is this: casual is hat you usually wear when meeting up with friends, while formal is what you wear when attending weddings or going out with your boss. I think for most women this shouldn't be a problem, but for some men, it could be a HUGE problem . Also, I have to say for the ladies, try not to wear something so slutty that you'll have all the slimy uncles in the restaurant salivating over your half-exposed bosoms. As for the guys, just be more aware of your self-hygiene and try to look more presentable. Just take a good look in the mirror and sniff your armpits...that'll be a good start. I know some men who treat their washing machines like their closets: After washing their clothes, they just pull out random clean shirts and pants from the washer and put them on. Ever heard of ironing? What's that?

- Know your tableware: Again, this only applies if you dine in a restaurant where you'll likely to bump into Michelle Yeoh or Siti Nurhaliza. In most table set-ups, the sharp cutleries, aka your forks, are placed on the left side of your plate. The biggest fork is for your main meal, while the smallest is for your desserts or salad. Meanwhile, on your right side you'll often find your dinner knife placed along with the spoons. You should be able to distinguish between the soup spoon and tea spoon, the former has a rounder shape to it, and the latter will be the smallest spoon on your table. Sometimes, you'll also find a smaller knife that is used for cutting bread and spreading butter or jam.
The way these cutleries are placed and arranged depend on the way your foods are served. So you'll find the salad fork and soup spoon placed the farthest from your plate, as these are served first. So just work your way in, or towards the plate. If you're right-handed, like most people are, you hold the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right hand. And oh, before I forget, you place that napkin on your lap when you're eating, and on the table to your left side or on your chair when you have to excuse yourself from the table. You place it on your plate when you're done eating.

- What's on the menu?: It is also a good idea to ask the waitperson/chef on the house specials or hot favourites, especially if you don't knowwhat to eat. When you come across a dish you're not familiar with, always ask for clarification. This is often the case when you're dining in a country-specific restaurants, like an Italian or Jordanian restaurant, and you don't understand the language. It beats blindly ordering a dish only to regret it later when it turns out to be something you don't like. Those waitpersons, they are not there just to bring your foods or clear your tables, but they serve as your food guides as well. So feel free to fully utilise them! After all, that's what you pay service tax for. That dish in those lovely-sounding French words may sound tempting when read off the menu, but without knowing what they actually mean, it could turn out to be a glass of plain water with ice. And by all means, do not resort to using sign language or body gestures to convey what you want, because they're not retarded. Not everyone knows that you want chicken wings when you flap your arms and squawks...

- Compliment the chefs : .....if the foods are really good. On the other hand, if the foods are bad, just eat quietly and then blog about it..hahahaha..

- To tip or not to tip....: If you enjoy the great service they provide, or if you like the friendly, smiling, and ever-patient face of the waitperson, do leave a tip for them. Or if they're really gorgeous, tip them too. Bottom line: There're a lot of reasons why you should tip, but only one reason why you shouldn't. And how much to tip? Well, there's no proper tipping range, but I'll say anything between RM 1 and RM 5 is reasonable. Also, did you know that the proper to say thank you to the waitperson when he/she is serving your food or refilling your drink is to place one of your hands next to the plate or glass, and gently tap the table twice using your index and middle fingers?

(To be continued.....)

From the world of Pandora, to the arena of DOME (Durian-flavored ice, anyone?)

2010-01-16T00:16:00.000-08:00

Do you agree people, when I say that good movie and good food go together like good wine and meat? It's a real treat when it happens..Nothing beats the visceral combination of visual feast for the eyes topped by a sumptuous feast to titillate your taste buds. That's what I had one fine Saturday in Suria KLCC mall during an outing with a good friend of mine. First thing on the agenda for the day is a 3D journey into the world of Pandora, where all the Na'vi lives in perfect harmony, that is, until those meddling humans come in with gun fires ablaze, squandering all things in sight. Yes, AVATAR is an "awesome movie", to quote the Americans. And if you haven't seen it, run, don't walk, to the cinema before it's too late. It's a moving tale of.....err..what's that?....what? ......This is not a movie review blog you say? Really?? .. Right, right, right. Sorry, I tend to get carried away sometimes.
Anyway, before making our ways into the cineplex, we managed to settle down and quench our thirsts with Malaysia's favourite desserts, ABC! If you're familiar at all (and why shouldn't you?) with the layouts of the mall, just take the escalators to the food court located right below the cineplex and the ABC stall is slightly to the left when you come up the floor. Really, you can't miss it...They have rows and rows of fresh fruits adorning their display cases.

Anyway, I was delighted to find a durian-flavoured ABC on the menu, and of course, since I'm such a queen for the king of fruit, I HAVE to have it.

It does have an authentic Durian taste to it, but too bad, it only serves as a topping. When you finish that, you are left with just an ordinary bowl of ABC. Still, I love it!

My friend, on the other hand, decided on err...what is it again? Lychee ABC?

(THREE HOURS AND 45 MINUTES LATER....)

After the movie, we were scouring the whole mall looking for a good place to eat. As both of us are tech-savvy people with laptops, we want to find a place with wifi so we can surf the net while our tongue surf the plates...You'd be surprised how very, very few restaurants in the mall, supposedly the most visited mall in the country attracting tourists from all over the world, that have Wifi. It's atrocious really.

At long last, we found ta place with Wifi. Tt's DOME, one of those places where most of us walk pass by but never ever really has any intention of going in. It just doesn't have that 'welcoming' vibe to it, in my humble opinion. Plus, we are doubtful the place will have any decent things to eat. Boy, we couldn't be more wrong...

Perhaps it's the weekend, but the place was jam-packed with people. We were lucky, I guess, to find available seats at all. I ordered the nasi lemak chicken special, which according to the menu, is a house specialty.

That piece of chicken is HUGEEE!!!! It looks just like an ordinary plate of nasi lemak, but the taste is great, I have to say. And, surprise, surprise, even I couldn't finish it. Price is at RM 19.50. A bit steep..yeah..

My friend ordered the grilled chicken in creamy sauce, which is priced at RM 23.00.

It looks, errr, a bit uninteresting...and dry. And, judging by the non-reaction from my friend, I guess it is not so good. She did gave me a chunk to try, but since I couldn't remember how i tasted like, I just deduced from that memory lapse as to mean that the dish is mediocre at best. Ever heard of vegetables, people? Geez, would it hurt them to throw in a handful of broccolis to go down with those meat?

We also ordered the potato wedges (RM 8.50) as a side dish.

It tastes quite good actually, slightly better than the wedges you can get from KFC. And no, that's not a backhanded compliment, in case you're wondering...

Also, they have a beverage called ESPRESKI. I don't know why they call it that, but it's not very tongue-friendly....Even after looking at the name a few times, I still couldn't remember it afterwards. Is it Expressti? Kepresski? Espreksi? Espreseksi?

Despite its terrible-sounding tongue-twisting name, the drink is actually very very nice. I ordered the Choc-a-Bloc version, priced at R 17.50, while my friend settled for the Honeycomb Goldrush version, priced at RM 16.50. The chocolate-coffee concoction is topped with good chunks of the aforementioned chocolate biscuits, and my oh my....my tongue was dancing with joy at every sip. It's so rich and sinfully good, I know I'm coming back very soon just so I can have one again (and again..and again...). I believed someone from an obscure site summed up the drink perfectly : Crap Name, Awesome Drink. Hey, maybe that's what they should name the drink. Easier to remember than Esprek..errr..what is it called again?

So, DOME is actually not bad at all. You discover new things all the time. I love the ambience, it has a feel of a crowded, smoky little French cafe during a sunny Sunday evening in Paris with the clankety-clanking noises of plates and forks and the excited buzz in the atmosphere as people sit and gossip over good coffee and meals.....err...not that I know what would that be like as I've never been there...but imagine it, people, just imagine ok.

Good eating and happy burping, everyone.

It's Raining Mien at Rain Nudle House, Pavilion KL

2010-01-13T02:20:00.000-08:00

Hmm..choices, choices, choices. Sometimes, having more choices isn't necessarily a good thing. It tends to lead to bad decision. Choosing what to eat for lunch is an everyday battle for me (I know, I'm too privileged). But only it's because I have a very discerning palette (although some people say I'm very choosy). Once again, my fellow food blogger Ash and I made the choice to visit to the Rain Nudle House at the Pavillion mall to see what they are offering for lunch....

I'm not sure why they used the word '"Nudle"....is there a special meaning behind it? Or are they just wanting to sound cool? We will never know, nor care...

There are four set lunches that we can choose from. Ash chose Set 2 of the lunch deal, while I chose set 1, each priced at RM 17.90.

Mine is the Beef Nudle Soup that is served in a big bowl that reminds me of a potty training pot used for babies. I have to say that I am disappointed by it. The soup taste OK, but the noodle and the beef balls are a complete let down. IT tasted like something I can cook at home, and I am a pretty bad cook. And why do they have to put in so much taugehs? Those things are tasteless!!! So, you got a bowl of noodle that are no better than the taste of instant noodles you can make yourself...

Each set lunch also comes with a drink, in this case, we had iced lemon tea, as well as a side dish of either fish cakes or spring rolls. They are as generic as they come...bleurghhhh!!!!

In my humble opinion, Rain Nudle House has to really improve on their food quality as they are facing stiff competition from better eateries like Little Ben and Pepper Lunch. Personally, I won't return here unless they come out with 'better-than-average' fares. And they prices? Way too high, considering what they are offering!!

Seeing Red at Pancake House, Pavillion KL

2010-01-13T01:53:00.000-08:00

Sometime ago, me and my fellow food blogger-cum-colleague, Ash (I hope you don't mind me calling you this, I just think it's a cool-sounding moniker :)), had lunch at the Pancake House International, Pavilion KL. It's a chic-looking place with a RED HOT theme. According to Ash, restaurants tend to use red as their main interior color because it's supposed to inspire hunger. I don't know if this is true, but it sure worked that time. It's a red overdose, really...

As for me, a good restaurant is not just about the food, but the ambience plays an important role as well. And that's why, most of the reviews I posted feature equal number of interior shots and food pictures. Of course, there are some instances where this rule don't apply, such as when you are having a meal at a mamak stall or other roadside stalls where dusts, smoke and all sort of pollutants form part of your meals.

I ordered the House Specials Set, at RM 15.00, which is a mixed plate of taco, fried chicken, spaghetti and toast. An odd combination, for sure, but nonetheless, very satisfying. The taco is the best dish here, as it taste really fresh. The spaghetti comes in second, while the chicken is a bit too oily to be enjoyed. Some people even claimed that the dirtiest foods are usually the tastiest too. Well, that may be the case, but personally, I'm MORE THAN WILLING to sacrifice taste for cleaner eats.

Meanwhile, Ash ordered the Roast Beef Special set, also priced at RM 15.00. It comes with rice and generous amount of greens. Looks DEEELICIOUS to me....And judging by her face, it must be really good..

The lunch sets are hugely satisfying, though they are just a tad too pricey, if you ask me. Maybe that explains why we are the only two people in there, because you have to fork out a lot of RED ringgits for the bill (Bad jokes, I know...)

Me, doing my best food reviewer's pose.

Go RED!