a lil' fat monkey: The Comical Food Blog from Malaysia

Jamie and Nigella Talk Dirty: Can You Stomach It?

2011-09-22T09:55:00.000+08:00

Let's talk dirty for a bit on this pissing Thursday morning.

The most undesirable thing for a foodie to have is food poisoning, resulting from the consumption of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food. Urgh!

And who should be so lucky to have that honour bestowed upon them? Yours truly! What greeaaaat fortune would it have not been if it wasn't granted upon when one was busy enjoying a patriotic long weekend. Hence, one has been in hiding and exorcising the contents of one's stomach like Linda Blair. The rest of the time, one was just tied to a bed. Blasted milkshake. Should have just stuck to Gin.

Off with their heads!

Anyway, I'm sure you're not here to hear me rant about dirty food in my faux-Queenly accent (spending many hours sitting on the throne does that to you). We'll leave that to the real Queen_UK. For those expecting some XXX-rated materials from the blog title, I can assure you that what I'm about to share is nothing short of erotic and would most definitely give a whole new meaning to the term "food porn". And maybe, pop a bone or two for some of ya. *wink*

Some fella with too much free time on his hands (possibly bedridden and down with some form of foodborne illness too) and OCD editing skills has put some of amazingly steamy videos up on the youtube recently.

No need to wonder what Jamie Oliver's sexy lisp sounds like in bed no more. Especially after he tells you, "I've got a a bit of a bone. It's not hard, it's just over a centimeter thick...". Lovely!

But of cause, we can't be talking dirty without the Sex Goddess of Food TV herself, Nigella Lawson, right?

"Who's going to complain about the scent of pussy whofting through the house...?"

Possibly the best line in the history of cooking shows... Ever! How can you not be charmed by that? It certainly made my days in bed.

Now, who's looking forward to the weekend talking in the kitchen?

P/S: Oh and for all you old skoolers, 80gumdrops just posted a new one with the original Domestic Goddess, Delia, earlier today.

Pastry Union: A New Baker on the Block

2011-09-14T09:42:00.001+08:00

Another year, another new baker comes along to a take a slice of the online cake industry. Once upon a time, this business was a niche thing where only a brave and talented few dared venture into. Nowadays, almost everyone is an online baker. Question is, are they good enough to get a little piece of that cake and eat it too?

Pastry Union is one of these new kids on the block. Set up by the friendly-faced pastry chef, Yin Wong, who has long dreamed of doing something just like this all her life. Apparently, she tells me, she has started making dark "chocolate" cookies out of mud since the age of 5. But along the way, under the pressure of a typical Chinese upbringing, she was conditioned to pursue a more realistic career. Her studies brought her to Australia, Canada and eventually China, where she ventured into a cafe business with her husband in Shanghai. She sold cakes, pastries, sandwiches, and mugs upon mugs of coffee to happy regular customers and thought that life couldn't get any better. Her mum - always the practical one - jested during one of her visits, "With all the education you have, you ended up jual roti (selling breads) in China?”

However 6-months later, as fate would cruelly have it, that jual roti lifestyle came to a halt and the cafe had to closed under unfortunate circumstances.

Not one to really give up, she put that sad episode behind her and quickly enrolled herself into the esteemed culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu in London. Her skills were highly prized and she was later invited to work at the 5-star Connaught Hotel prior her graduation. Of course she took that chance. She then found herself leading the pastry section at the award-winning Sage restaurant upon her return to Kuala Lumpur. And in the last 2 years, she also has a hand in educating and cultivating the creative minds first year students at one of the city's best culinary schools.

Her back-story may be expansive and impressive, but it was her artistry that really caught my eyes. I couldn't stop lusting over the simplicity and exquisiteness of her carefully crafted cakes, which were featured on the media profile booklet she had sent out as part of a self-marketing effort. They looked almost too pretty, and being a sucker for these things, I quickly wrote back to her so I get to see them for myself.

Sitting across the cozy table from her at a local Starbucks one Saturday morning, this chocolate lover revealed to me that she develops her cakes by concept and sketch before anything else. Her imagination takes her through layers and textures before finally experimenting with its taste. Perhaps this is what one would call drawing inspiration and flavours. I certainly found all of these quite intriguing and fascinating.

She tells me how she would fuss over the smallest details and takes her an average of 2-3 months to develop each of her creation. The Devil is her interpretation of the tempting ingredient, while Moo is a tongue in cheek way of visually interpreting her love for two desserts - cheese and chocolate. Now, one doesn't need to choose between two separate desserts when it's fused together. The Garden is perhaps her most romantic and abstract concept which showcases the freshness of a garden in bloom right after a heavenly shower. She has also previously designed cakes for weddings and smaller projects with florists.

Now, the true test of baker is of course the taste of the cakes. And this is where my experience started rolling down a slippery slope. With the exception of the Garden (thanks to the underlying cranberries), I felt that the flavours in the other two were not interesting. They lack of real dimensions and the flavours didn't evolve further. How unfortunate as I was expecting to be blown away after all that hype and build up.

To say that my expectations were thwarted would be mildly understating it. I could see everyone on the table thinking the same after a spoonful. It's not that they tasted horrible but we felt shortchanged like the kid who unwrapped the biggest present under Christmas tree only to find a penny inside. Which was a pity, these beautiful works of art could have easily won many over with a little bit more effort paid on taste rather than form.

This has left me thinking if she should have adopted the conventional way of baking a cake instead - flavours from scratch, rather than from sketch. But for now, it's back to the drawing board. I really hope Chef Yin continues developing and tweaking her recipe to make them perfect for the palate as they are to the eyes. Each of her creation is beautifully designed and her level of finesse is indeed undoubted. A great craftsman doesn't come along everyday and I would really like to see her succeed.

A special thanks to Yin for sparing her time to speak to me and openly sharing her cake creations.

***

Pastry Union
For all orders and enquiries, please refer to their website www.pastryunion.com

Li Yen, The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur: Mooning over Mid-Autumn Festival

2011-09-12T03:26:00.002+08:00

Today is the 15th day of the eight month in the Chinese lunar calendar, which makes today - officially - the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節). I know it is hard to keep track when the day is actually celebrated, given how early mooncakes of many different varieties are sold as early as July each year. Ironically, this festival is one of the few most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, other than Chinese New Year and the Winter Solstice Festival.

Traditionally on this day, Chinese families will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn moon and indulge in a giant feast as they mark the end of the fall harvesting season. The moon on this night, which parallels the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, is said to be the most exquisite as the moon is at its roundest and fullest.

Food writer S.C. Moey wrote in her book, Chinese Feasts & Festivals (Periplus), "Before scientific exploration scaled the heavens and disappointed romantics with some of its discoveries, the moon enjoyed more esoteric connotation - it was the domain of a goddess, a playground for fairies, and the embodiment of all that was feminine. For a greater part of the last millennia, it was inconceivable that the moon was just a space rock."

In the last 4 years of this blog's existence, I've never failed to let a year go by without writing a post featuring mini snow skin mooncakes from The Ritz-Carlton KL's Li Yen's. This goes to show how big of a fan I've been of the delightful Moët & Chandon Champagne Mini Ping Pei - a signature creation by the hotel, which is sold exclusively during this time of year. Over the years, they have also introduced new flavours but this still remains as my ultimate variety when it comes to moon cake. I just cannot sing enough of its praises.

This year, the hotel's Dim Sum Chef Tan Tiong Guan and his culinary team have once again challenged themselves and introduced two more new flavours along with last year's favourite, the Moët et Chandon Rosé Imperial Mini Ping Pei. The 2011's collection sees the introduction of bolder ingredients and flavours. The combination of Wasabi and White Lotus may sound scary and raise an eyebrow or two, but I am pleasantly surprise to find it subtle and dare I say lovely(?).

On the opposite end of the scale is the Green Tea Ping Pei with Custard and Salted Egg filling. This odd pairing sent me searching for greener pastures as the soft and pillowy snow skin resembles one that is made of black sesame. I was quickly corrected by our host that roasted green tea leaves are hardly green to the eye. The filling was very interesting and funky at the same time. But nevertheless, I enjoyed it more after the first few bites. I supposed you can't really go wrong with anything that has salted egg yolk in them, right?

Li Yen, is Ritz-Carlton KL's award-winning Cantonese restaurant is also one of my favourite spots for dim sum in the city. A few baskets of steamed dumplings and buns here would easily make my day, especially after a morning screaming at misbehaving contractors. Nothing like the pleasures and comfort of dim sum to calm a monkey down.

Special thanks to the handsome Englishman, Ollie, for inviting me over for lunch, which was also a great chance to catch up with celebrity bloggers like KY Speaks, Fatboybakes and The NomadGourmand. I hope you get hold of the Angry Bird lantern you wanted *chuckles*

And, happy moon cake festival to all of you!

***

Li Yen
The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur
168, Jalan Imbi,
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603-2142 8000

Eat. Learn. Move: Rick Mereki's Awesome Short Films

2011-08-26T08:20:00.000+08:00

Thank God it's finally Friday! We can all take a little breather and look forward to the weekend now.

While we're at it, I'd like to share a super cool series of 3 beautiful and compelling short films with you about one guy's documentation of what he claims to be the journey of his lifetime - 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage - all in hopes of turning 3 ambitious linear concepts based on Travel, Learning and Food. Eat, Pray, Love comes to mind?

Perhaps one day, I too might get the chance to produce such visually stimulating documentaries of my own adventures of eating and traveling. Oh, how one can only dream.

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

So which one is your favourite? Personally, I'm torn between the yummy Eat and seamless Move videos. Too cool for words.

All videos are produced and directed by one multi faceted filmmaker-illustrator-photographer, Rick Mereki. Check out his Tumblr page HERE.

Simply Mel's, The Sphere Bangsar South: Eating at My Table

2011-08-24T11:45:00.001+08:00

Our table is brimming with good things to eat. Some might say that it is over-spilling as we over-indulge (once again) in Aunty Melba’s cooking. The Panda and I have really grown to like the food here. Keluak Sambal, Chincalok Omelette, Papa Vincent’s Fish Cutlets, Crispy Belachan Wings and Salt Fish Pickle almost always make it to our table. Along with weekend specials like Pineapple Prawn Malay Curry, Sambal Petai with Prawns, Durian with Coconut Cream and perennial favourites like Crab Stuffing, Lemongrass Chicken, Beef Tongue Semur and Pongteh Chicken. Although we hardly say “No” to any recommendations from the house, we realized we have yet to try half the menu, even after many a weekend dinners over at Simply Mel’s.

It’s hard to label the kind of food that is served here. Initially, I thought they only specialized in Malaccan Portuguese cuisine – which means a whole lot of Devils’ Curry and spicy baked fish. But it soon dawn on me that it isn’t the case. Perhaps, it’s easier to call it Eurasian home cooking because at the heart of it all, that’s what it is - inspired or otherwise.

Don’t come with the expectations of savouring on the most authentic and run the mill recipes from Melaka, because you’ll be deeply disappointed. So brace yourself. Instead you'll find that Mel’s cooking is well marinated and seasoned by the memories of her childhood and is what she would serve to her family at home, as did her mother - Simple, honest, and from the heart.

Such family oriented food should never be eaten alone. After all, as the great American food writer M.F.K Fisher once wrote, “Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.” Every weekend, we bring a small and new group of friends to join us at our table - most of who have traveled far and wide and returned for a taste of home. Oh, what a treat this is to see their smiley and satisfied faces.

Our dinners here are never complete without stuffing ourselves further with delicious helpings of butterfly pea flower-tinted glutinous rice slathered with heaps of Mel’s own traditional coconut jam (Kaya; which is going to be bottled up for sale from September onwards), Sago Gula Melaka, Pulut Hitam with dried Longan, and washed down with a cup of Illy Cucumber Latte. On several occasions, the Salted Gula Melaka and Durian ice cream from The Last Polka has also managed to creep onto our table. I really have no idea how they got there seeing how stuffed we are.

Now you can see why we are often ushered to the biggest table at Simply Mel’s despite being a small party of four. And if you ever want to eat like a monkey here, ask for my table. Don’t be surprise to find a plaque with my name on it one day!

***

Simply Mel's
Unit 1-1A, 1st Floor, The Sphere,
No. 1, Avenue 1, Bangsar South,
No. 8 Jalan Kerinchi
59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6 03 224 14525
GPS: 3.11142,101.66748
Business Hours: 7-days a week, 10am - 1030pm

A Slice of Heaven & Just Heavenly: Hari Raya Centrepieces

2011-08-20T14:07:00.002+08:00

Malaysians are a giving bunch but with the festive season fast approaching comes the usual anxiety over what to give and bring to an open house.

To help many urbanites along and expanding the choices of gifts in the market, A Slice of Heaven and its parent company, Just Heavenly, has introduced their new line of CENTREPIECES aimed at adding more festive colours and decorative warmth into every home celebrating Ramadhan and Aidilfiti. Imagine these beautiful works of art showcased alongside a table laden with seasonal sweet and savoury goodies.

Lighting up the holy month of Ramadhan are the beautiful Pelita Ramadhan (Light of Ramadhan) and Bulan Ramadhan (Ramadhan Moon), available in their signature chocolate or traditional sugee fruit cake (a recipe which has been in the founder’s family for generation) base. Menyambut Raya (Celebrating Raya) is well-made for the high flying executive who looks out of his window and into the kampung home of his childhood, transporting him back to his fondest memories growing up. While Buloh Raya (Raya Bamboo) brings out more treats with a bamboo trays offering Dodol and Chocolate pieces for friends and family to nibble on before they dig deep into the cakes.

Lets not forget that Syawal also overlaps Merdeka (Malaysia’s Independence Day) this year. Wau Malaysia (Malaysian Kite) is the perfect celebration of our high flying nationalistic spirit on a slice of cake. Every cake in the Centrepieces collection are available in various sizes and shapes.

A Slice of Heaven has also unveiled their latest collection of cupcakes. Fans of mobile game Plants Vs. Zombies and Angry Birds will definitely rejoice in their neatly crafted cupcakes and they are now available for orders. Finally, for those seeking something less sweet, Just Heavenly’s new Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcake flavour will have you stuffing your face silly.

It’s not called a celebration until you’re stuffed like a blimp!

***

For enquiries or orders, please contact: +603-2287 9866 or visit the following links for more information: A Slice of Heaven and Just Heavenly.

W App for iPhone: A New Kind of Escapism

2011-08-17T02:45:00.000+08:00

For years, I had a happy pre-vacation ritual. I’d head to my regular Tower Records and lose myself in aisles of CDs and DVDs. After finally emerging from the store – usually with “some” purchases in hand – I’d move on to a nearby Borders where I’d go through travel books and magazines, rarely resisting the temptation to buy even more items which I clearly have no time nor space for. Then, I would head home and spend countless hours trying to compile enough mix-tapes (remember those?) and bury myself nose deep in the pages of guidebooks like Lonely Planet and Rough Guides and try to remember every Do’s and Don’ts for my upcoming destination.

However, in the last couple of years, things in the physical media world started to change. Tower Records have folded up twice over and Borders is currently resorting to opening smaller outlets here in Malaysia as a cost-saving measure. Personally, not only have I been spending more time building up a digital music library courtesy of Apple’s iTunes store (which has now rendered my CDs only slightly less quaint that LPs), I’ve also been traveling around with more digital guides. I’ve been spending my money on travel Apps the way I used to splurge on books. And you know what? There’s a whole wide world of travel apps out there (free or payable – I can’t help but feel like a kid in a candy store) to help me maneuver around any city or country around the globe like a local – and then some. Much more than any Borders can ever offer.

As a consumer of things, I’m thankful for this great digital exodus. Thanks to Steve Job’s crew, I can now put my entire – almost - CD and DVD collection onto a handy music player that also happens to be my telephone/movie player/travel guide/booking agent/internet browser/email client/camera/forex calculator/translator (it does everything except print money) too. They are such perfect travel companions to have in my pocket and I can travel freely without guilt or effort lugging many a dead tree product around. I find myself increasingly relying on them these days. I believe that more and more travel-based companies are also aware of this global trend and are moving towards this strategy.

I haven’t been traveling much recently but I can now look forward to a couple of trips for the remainder of the year. I'm very excited about them and of course, without a doubt, digital media will be a big part in making them enjoyable.

***

For my upcoming trip to Maldives in October, I was happy to find out that W Hotels worldwide – one of the two retreats which are hosting my stay there - has just released their very own iOS app. It may sound like they are a little late to game given how many hotels out there have their own apps, but how many can actually boast having their own exclusive access to a fully integrated music experience – definitely a first for the hotel industry. Savvy guest can access a whole list of exclusive music content curated by W’s Global Music Director, Michaelangelo L’Aqua, from DJs all over the world via a live streaming platform provided by MIX.dj. W loyalists (or W-irgins like me) can now dip our toes into various playlist created to reflect different moods, locations and spaces and immerse ourselves into the hotel's brand of holistic lifestyle before stepping foot into any of their stylish properties worldwide. Plus, they make fabulous dinner or pool party mixes at home.

Beyond music, the W Hotels iPhone app also features:
Explore W Hotels Worldwide - Find, explore and book W hotels and retreats around the world.
Get Local - Check out the local weather, get directions or take a first look at W photos.
Get Insider Access - Find out about special events and exclusive W Happenings in each destination through the "Insider" tab on each hotel page.

But the feature I’m looking forward to use when I land in W Retreat and Spa Maldives is the Have it Delivered feature. All I have to do is tap on the “I Need” tab for immediate service on anything I wish for, 24-hours a day - a great extension of the W's signature Whatever/Whenever service. How’s that for total awesomeness? I can't wait.

The W iOS app also provides fashion finds, and other meaningful ideas about “what’s new and next”. And shopaholics will go into a tapping frenzy when they visit the Bring W Hotels Home tab, where they can get instant, on-the-go access to The Store (W’s take on the traditional hotel gift shop). It is exciting to see an elite hospitality brand like W Hotels embrace the digital world and new technologies in order to connect with their audience – a clear extension of the brand’s promise to offer a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions in fashion, music and entertainment around the world.

***

The application can be downloaded free of charge at www.whotels.com/music or through the Apple App Store at www.whotels.com/mobileapp

Ploy, Work @ Clearwater, Damansara Heights: Ploy With Your Food

2011-08-11T18:07:00.003+08:00

I'm sure you've realised how little I've posted over the last two months. I blame work for taking up my daylight hours, and procrastination for ruling my nights. For a while I was too lazy to lug my camera around (I so need one of those tiny and chic system cameras) and on days which I did, I was too tired to actually take it out and shoot anything. Which clearly explains the use of Hipstamatic pictures in the last few posts. And to top it all, I kept revisiting old favourites and comforted myself in their cooking. So there wasn't much to write about. Really.

Now that my European counterparts are busy baking themselves in the summer sun, I've decided that it is time to get back into some serious foodie action and scour our city's rich offering of new eateries. And what better reason to get started than the celebration of two birthdays, at one go. My birthday was in the middle of July while my BFF's falls somewhere towards the end of August (I better look it up on Facebook again, so I wouldn't embarrass myself for not wishing her on the actual day). We therefore decided to do a double celebration in a new place no less (Lord knows how we BOTH needed some new materials for our blogs) and found PLOY through EatDrinkKL (who else right?).

Ploy means ‘gem’ in Thai and is the brainchild of Jared Lim, an Asian private equity investor by day and an avid food fan by dinner time. Culminating from years of travel, experimentation and unadulterated gluttony, the restaurant is a study in neo-modern Asian cuisine. At the heart of its kitchen, their dishes are inspired by the gems of Japanese and Thai cuisine - the interplay of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and umami flavours, marrying the meticulous preparations from both countries with the use of the freshest ingredients. But their inspiration doesn't just stops there, apparently it spans over 4 continents and resulted in dishes which caters to the palate of those who crave for Asian spices in not-so-Asian dishes. That is, of course, a long winded way of saying that they serve fusion *cringe* dishes here.

There is no denying that the menu is as creative and playful as its uber-swanky interior (I heart the private dining room most!). Our meal started with an addictive serving of Crispy Nori Tempura with teriyaki sauce. It was almost like eating fried unagi without the buttery eel. Before Queen Lemongrass and I could actually finish snapping the first dish, along came our orders of Warm Wasabi Mashed Potato (mildly flavoured), Mini Drumstick Karaage (a good munch and crunch), and a crispy and wafer-like crusted Blue Crabmeat Ployzza (Ploy's version of a pizza), quickly filling up every inch of our table top. Nibbling of salads also came flooding in as we struggled to work our rusty photography skills. The Yummy Pla Duk Fu, a familiar crispy and pounded catfish eaten with a fresh helping of mango tossed in a sharp and tangy lime juice dressing. Personally I preferred the Ploy's Pomelo Salad with roasted duck, fresh lime, mint leaf and chili dressing much better.

Most of the dishes here are served in lilliputian portions. So, it was recommended that we order a huge variety and share them within the table - Asian style. However, that didn't mean we gave the kitchen a license to liberally flood our table with orders all at once. Because at this point of the meal, the service staff just went into hyperdrive and started bringing out the rest of our orders (much to our annoyance), even after being told to slow down. I have no idea why they were rushing us when the place was hardly filled.

Well, rushed or not, we moved on to the visually captivating Ploy's Black Fried Rice. This rice dish, fried with squid ink, seafood, sprinkles of crunchy sweet Thai basil and topped with a raw egg - which we had to stir it in ourselves - was as lovely as it looks. A good balance of taste, neither the squid ink nor the holy basil overpowered each other. This combination was well matched with the silky and creamy texture from the raw egg. Fans of Japanese marinated roes of pollock will find joy in the Linguini Mentaiko, with loads of popping orange beads stirred into the pasta together with strips of seaweed and dollops of fresh cream. Well-seasoned, the dish would have scored highly if the pasta wasn't overcooked. Now, if you think these dishes seem vaguely familiar, it's because the chef was previously from the now-defunct Pla Dib in Sri Kembangan.

Our main event, the Tender Beef Ribs - a promise of ribs braised for over 12-hours in the chef's signature (kinda tom yam-ish) sauce - didn't quite bring out the big hurrah from us. Perhaps it needed more TLC, but at the same time it was hard to complain when it was priced at only RM36.00. Honestly, that amount of meat on the bone was already a bargain. Sushi rolls were quite unique. It was lovely biting into the Pink Lady - a gem consisting of soft-shell crab, avocado and cucumber and wrapped with slices of fresh strawberries on top. Mr. Big was a velvety texture of tuna, salmon and avocado wrapped in rice and nori sheet.

If you thought that was enough to stop us from consuming more, well think again! We added an order of Kimchi Fried Rice and Crispy Japanese Kare Rice. The former was a flavourful mixed of rice with fermented Korean cabbage and tenderloin beef strips, which Po absolutely lapped up. The other queen and I were both bedazzled by the latter instead, a giant crispy rice cake dish smothered with chicken curry roux. The menu tells us that the dish was originally introduced to Japan by the British when India was a colony, and it is now a beloved Japanese national dish. I'm sure if Queen Lemongrass ruled over this country, this too would be our national dish.

It seems Ploy is quite the popular spot for birthday celebrations. Our own celebration, with a devilish cake no less, was separated by a thin curtain from that of one celebrated Xandria Ooi (who coincidentally shares the same birth date as I do!). We skipped desserts for the evening (phew, I don't think we could have eaten any more), but we managed to toast with some creative cocktails like the spicy Tomyamtini (Absolut Blue, lemongrass, ginger flower, kaffir lime leaves, chili and lime), a sweet Pardon My Pandan (Captain Morgan's, sour rhubarb, lychee, cucumber, pandanus leaf and gula melaka) and a harmless Spunky Monkey (pure chocolate mocha and milk). No prize for guessing who had the mocktail.

You hardly need to break your bank to dine here as prices are quite reasonable. Currently, the gorgeous and exclusive private dining room (easily fit 20-pax) can be booked with no minimal spend charges. Set lunches are also available from Monday to Friday to cater to the office crowd around its vicinity and affordably priced only RM19.90.

***

PLOY
Work @ Clearwaters
Jalan Changkat Semantan
Damansara Heights
Tel: +603-20950999

Buka Puasa @ Sheraton Imperial KL: The Essence of Melaka

2011-08-08T09:09:00.003+08:00

The holy month of Ramadan is once again be upon us and for many Malaysians, this is a great time to renew ties and gather together over a meal. Buka Puasa (breaking of past) during this time also provides the perfect opportunity to savour on some of the best Malay cuisines all around the country.

At the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel, one can take a culinary trip down memory lane with Melaka-born Chef Jamsari Bin Mohammad as he cooks up storm from his delicious childhood memories. Aptly named the Essence of Melaka, this buka puasa spread showcases the best of comfort food which the chef has come to love during his growing years.

Chef Jamsari started his culinary career in a 5-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur. After a few short years, he joined the culinary family of the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel in 1998 as its First Commis. In the last 12 years, he climbed the career ladder to become the hotel’s Malay Chef today. When questioned about his success, he mentions that it is not something hard to achieve - all you need is do is to believe, enjoy and be passionate about what you like doing best. Such good advice!

Ever since he started his first job at the age of 21, Chef Jamsari has been besotted with food. While he personifies happiness and is chatty amongst his friends, he makes no compromise when it comes to creating authentic and traditional Malay cuisines. Diners to Essence’s buka puasa buffet have much to look forward to. From traditional recipes passed from generations to generations to colourful "live" action stations.

Assam pedas is a dish close to Chef Jamsari’s heart as he believes this is THE dish Melaka is best known for. Be prepared to take on a spicy gastronomical journey when you stop by this stall. 2 types of assam pedas sauces, with distinctive tangy fragrant of tamarind to assault your senses - in a good way. In addition to the special assam pedas sauce, there will be the Assam Pedas Daging Tetel sauce – which is a true Melakan recipe.

Each night, Chef Jamsari will also prepare a variety of assam pedas dishes showcasing 5 or 6 types of fish, beef, prawns, crabs and a variety of vegetables - which diners can make their choices from a cold station and watch his team of chefs cook up a storm right in front of you. The Assam is simply packed with punches and will definitely see you scraping the bottom of the claypot. Gutsy, soulful and full of flavour. I envy his childhood now.

If tamarind is not your fancy, fret not. Essence boast more than 100 mouth-watering Ramadan specialities as well as International dishes. Sample on the restaurant’s signature favourite such as *takes a deep breath*... Roasted Whole Lamb with Nyonya Sambal Marination and Roasted Potatoes. Needless to say, the ‘must-trys’ are our sumptuous local fare like Hainanese Chicken Rice Ball, Sambal Udang Petai, Satay Celup, Daging Masak Semur... *pant, pant*... Sayur Labu Kundur Masak dengan Ikan Bilis, Grilled Fresh Oyster with Cincalok, Acar Berempah Kampong Air Panas, Roti Canai, Murtabak, Roti John, Ikan Bakar and more.

But just before you write this off as a glorified traditional street affair, Essence lashes out other specials on the buffet tables like Steamed New Zealand Mussel with Ginger, Chili, Saffron and Lime, a selection of Sushi, Sashimi and California Hand Rolls, Creamy Mushroom Soup, Steamed Dory with Lemon, Mango and Tomato Duxelle Salsa, and much, much more.

Dessert fans need not worry as a huge red cabinet of sweet endings (or beginings, whichever you prefer) awaits you in the quiet corner of the restaurant. I'm sure you will not be disappointed with the their selection of traditional favourites like Seri Muka, Kuih Lapis, Kuih Talam, Bengkang Bunga, Kasui, Bingka Ubi, Ang Ku, Kuih Gandus, Onde Onde Buah Melaka, as well as other tempting delights – Cheese Cake, Blueberry Creme Brulee, Chocolate Banana Cake, Carrot Cake, and variety of cool Ice Creams, amongst others.

The buffet is priced at RM108.00++ per person and is available for dinner only from August 3, 2011 till August 27, 2011. What’s more, this is one promotion where you’d want to take advantage as we will be giving away two complimentary seats for every 10 paying guests. There will also be nightly lucky draws and slices of date cakes for diners to take home.

Special thank to Evelyn and the team at Sheraton Imperial KL for the invite to savour on this lovely spread.

***

Essence Restaurant
Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel
Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
For reservations, call +603-2717 9933 or Email restaurant.imperial@sheraton.com.
For real time reservations, visit www.eatdrinkandmore.com/sheratonimperialkualalumpur.

For those who would like to buka puasa in the comfort of their homes or in more exclusive venues, the hotel also extends similar menus for outside catering or in its various function rooms. For cozy company gatherings or private get-togethers, do contact the hotel’s Catering team at +603 2717 9900 to find out more about the various Ramadan catering packages.

Gerai Makanan Japanese BBQ @ Taman Desa: A Smokey Birthday Celebration

2011-08-03T12:30:00.000+08:00

"Are you sure you want to eat there?"
"Why wouldn't I? I hear the food's good."
"I have no doubt in that. It's Hunk-san's place after all. But it's your birthday, wouldn't you prefer some place fancier?"

It's funny how quickly everybody assumes that I'm a food snob with high taste just because I write about food. Truth be told I'm easily satisfied when it comes to matters of the stomach. I can tolerate most eating environments and I consider myself quite daring when it comes to trying exotic dishes as long as the food taste good. The only thing I just can't tolerate is BAD food. Seriously, is that too hard to ask for? A pre-requisite which hardly needs to be bestowed upon a snobbish title.

Seriously.

Two evenings later, after a grueling month at work, I found myself in the dark backalleys of Plaza Faber in Taman Desa with 3 other makan friends staring at Hunk-san's new venture with wide eyes. Like an odd mirage out in the dessert, this tiny "gerai makanan" (food shack in english) was a surreal image. Its little signboard hanging out of its side was fuss-free but hardly nondescript, it spelt out exactly what the place was all about: "Gerai Makanan Japanese BBQ."

For the uninitiated, Hunk-san is Mr. Seiji Fujimoto, who is also the owner of the most sexy udon store in the whole of KL - Sanuki Udon, which happens to be located around this neighborhood too.

Under the red lights of its iconic akachōchin lantern, all 8-tables were taken up by mostly of Japanese clients with warm sake in one hand and ice-cold Asahi beer in other, hovering patiently around a plastic fold-out table as they wait for their meat slices to cook on the shichirin grill. Our eyes were quickly drawn to another corner where a trail of flickering ember dramatically rose to the sky as a worker prepared a new batch of ogatan (traditional charcoal briquettes made from sawdust) for another table, using an electrical table fan. As we looked in disbelieve at the reality of this whole scene - felt like we warped through space and time and found ourselves in Tokyo - the patrons turned around and stared right back at us with yakuza-like dagger eyes. I think they dislike how we have just intruded their secret hideout.

Yakiniku (焼き肉), literally meaning "grilled meat", is a Japanese term which is used in the broadest sense to refer to grilled meat dishes. But do not confused this with yakitori, which often refers to grilled chicken (and other form of meats) on skewers - which was served at last year's birthday celebration. Once thought to be a variant of galbi dishes modified by Korean living in Japan, this style of cooking using bite-sized meat and vegetable on griddles over flame of wood charcoal is now widely accepted as Japanese BBQ.

In this yakiniku restaurant, diners could order several types of prepared raw ingredients including beef or pork rōsu (loin and chuck slices), karubi or baraniku (short ribs), butabara (pork belly), offal, liver, beef tongue, chicken and a few more variants available from their singular A4 page menu. The ingredients are then cooked by the diners, several pieces at a time, on a grill placed in the middle of the table throughout the duration of the meal. You can choose to either dip the cooked pieces into a sauce mixture of Japanese soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, garlic and sesame or just eat it on its own, as they are typically marinated with salt.

You can also choose to start your meal with an order of Lamb Jingisukan (Japanese-style Mongolian hotplate), and savour on tender pieces of lamb which were very well-marinated. We also ordered the curious Offal Meet Soup, made mostly of tripes and innards slow cooked for hours in a radish soup with plenty of vegetables. You may also want to try the Rice & Egg bowl - Japanese rice, topped with raw egg and drown with the same delicious offal soup gravy. Down this all with a bottle of Ozeki sake, which only cost RM16!

I can now see why the other patrons were so protective of their little secret supper club.

No birthday celebrations would have been completed without a slice of Fatboybakes' cake, which Kenny and his Devil has kindly arranged for in their warm home. The droolsome Salted Caramel Chocolate, complimented with the Diva's freshly brewed coffee was the perfect way to chill out for the rest of the evening. The night ended with sweet smiles, hearty laughter and a gift suited for Le (not so) Petit Prince.

No.1, No.2, and No.3 - thank you for the wonderful evening.

***

Gerai Makanan Japanese BBQ
Center Court, Plaza Faber,
Jalan Desa Jaya, Taman Desa off Jalan Klang Lama,
58100 Kuala Lumpur.
Business Hours: Opens everyday, from 6 p.m until whenever the last customer leaves.

BIG Things Are Happening at The Daily Grind, Bangsar Village II & Delectables by Su, The Gardens Mid Valley

2011-07-25T09:47:00.001+08:00

BIG is a beautiful word isn't it? Impressive and suitably powerful too I must say. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is perhaps the biggest liar on earth and whoever who came up with the idea that good things only come in small packages must have been trying to make up for their own shortcomings. Seriously, who doesn't like big things? For starters, there is always more to enjoy if you wanted to, or share (or flaunt perhaps) with your friends/family whenever you feel like *ahem* gloating. Big car, big bank account, big house, big beds, big heart, big boys, big br-... I could seriously go on and on, but I'm sure you can see by now why size matters.

You know what they say: "Once you go big, you can't go back. 'Cause nothing else would measure up ever again."

Having said that, we do live in a world of jaded superlatives and it takes a whole damn lot to really wow us. So when our friend and the owner of The Daily Grind invited a few of us to test out their latest invention - a giant burger - we were just nonchalant about it until they pulled out this magnificent wonder of a burger.

Inspired after a couch potato session watching an episode of "Man Vs. Food" (what else?), they started to create the towering O.M.Goodness Giant Burger!: a 6 kilogram monster – 2kg of freshly ground juicy beef patty, 1kg of cheese, 1kg of pickles, tomatoes and lettuce patch, and finally sandwiched between 2kg of freshly baked multigrain bun to give a healthy illusion.

We picked up our jaws from the floor just in time for it to be served. This 10-inches diameter burger could easily be carved up into 10-12 slices and shared around. As my elegant BFF puts it, the true test of a good burger lies in its ability to be lifted up, held between your fingers as the juices drip down your wrist, and take a big chomp through the entire cross section. And don't even try to talking at this point. Your jaws will be in for a good work out. And remember to lick up all the spillage too.

Halfway across town, another friend has also started putting her little monsters up for sale. I said little because everything is just tiny in comparison to that humungous burger earlier. However, these giant macarons (think the size of an average palm) from Delectables by Su could easily roll over and crush the conventional-sized macarons if they ever get into a fight. See, another reason why big is awesome.

Being oversized has its advantages, it creates the most pleasurable of texture. The top part breaks delicately with a gentle bite to reveal a soft pillowy layer of ground almonds that mashes together with the generous filling.

Currently there are three flavours available: Pink Salt Chocolate, Marmalade and Caramel Latte. The last was easily my favourite among the three. I can't say if it is the aromatic and bitter ground coffee granules at the top which helps to contrast the oozing caramel filling on the inside or if it was just the way it looked (which I found more masculine compared to the other two). The star of the other two flavours were their filling no doubt, the handsome rich Salted Chocolate ganache in pink shell while a curious kamquat jam lends an oriental twist to the yellow Marmalade version. However, I felt they were much too sweet for my liking.

Anyone who is familiar with Su's products can continue to expect these macarons to be packed nicely - this time individually boxed in a clear plastic container over a small sheer material and tied in their signature bow. A sweet gift for your friends or yourself.

It's time to take a big bite into the sweet life now eh? *wink*

***

The Daily Grind
Lower Ground Floor,
Bangsar Village (old wing)
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2287 6708

Note: O.M.Goodness Giant Burger! is now available at RM360++. A 48-hours pre-order is required ahead in order to get your burger made to perfection. Put two sparkles at the top and it'll be perfect for birthday celebration.

Delectable by Su
Lot S-213, Second Floor
The Gardens
Mid Valley City
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6012-508 1855

Note: Giant Macarons are priced at RM10.00 each. They are available in limited numbers at both store, so do call ahead to avoid any disappointments.

Dining at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur: A Night of Discovery

2011-06-28T11:11:00.001+08:00

The city of Kuala Lumpur is a cozy kampung (village) populated by over 1.4 million fascinating individuals and with just as many places to worship. But it recently dawned on me that the only place anyone has spoken about going into for a prayer these days, is a restaurant - where single people worship each other over great food and even better wine. I can't tell for sure if grace was said before these meals, but for their sakes, I hope they did. Relationships and food are like the new religious couple of the century. And sex, of course, makes good desserts after. In short, this entire process is known to many of us as a 'dinner date'.

Finding the right place for a dinner date is often just as painful as finding the right person to go on one of these dates with. Singles weed through hundreds of hopeful candidates only to find out that there are only a handful of options worthy of second dates. Ahhhh... this my friends is the bane of single-hood. A particular restaurant scene from the first season of the HBO series, Sex and the City, easily sums these all up.

Miranda: Y'see, this is why I don't date -- the men out there are freaks.
Carrie: Well, that's completely unfair.
Miranda: I'm sorry, if a man is over 30 and single, there's something wrong with him. It's Darwinian -- they're being weeded out from propagating the species.
Carrie: Okay, what about us [single girls over 30]?
Miranda: We're just choosy. I'm getting more shrimps.

Like restaurants, some of these potential candidates can either freak you out or make you feel just right at home on the first date. Comfort it seems is a highly sort after virtue, followed closely by great communication skills to ensure an entertaining evening. The last thing you'd want is an awkwardly silent date. Suddenly, I can see the appeal of going on a speed date. The concept of being able to dump a bad candidate before the first 10 minutes are up is extremely enticing.

Before I go any further off tangent, lets go back to the topic of finding the right restaurant shall we?

So if dating and dining are parallel in so many ways, would the concept of speed-dating work in the F&B world? Well, about two months back, the good people of Le Meridien KL experimented with the concept and showed off their own culinary version of speed-dining. Along with Cumi & Ciki, KY Speaks, Chaokar Smokes, and Mr&Mrs. Fatboybakes - the few lucky bloggers invited to discover every restaurant in the establishment, all in the course of one evening.

THE OBSERVATORY: Like all dates, the first moments are the most fleeting. Copious amount of drinks and getting to know one another. Social lubricants, these cocktails and champagne were along with a selection of colourful ice-breaking amuse bouche (tomato and strawberry gazpacho served in test tubes, pan seared tuna sashimi and sesame wakame salad, and martini of tomato salsa with mozzarella mousse and pesto). We were also introduced to the new guys on the Le Meridien team.

FAVOLA: Every fable starts with a great "Once upon a time...". But here, at the hotel's famed Italian restaurant, it began with a sampling of tomatoes, cheese and bread before the duo of antipasti were served in a yin-yang composition.

From the freddo (cold) selection comes a silky orange-coloured smoked salmon with cold cucumber and macadamia puree. And in a bid to make a lasting first impression, an excellent serving of wild mushroom risotto in clear beef broth and pan seared duck liver sealed it for us.

PRIME: Cattle calling seems to be another specialty of the chef and his entourage of cooks-in-black. Before we sat down for our mains, we were all taken to the private room in the back where beefy hunks of meat were paraded in flesh and blood. It's no wonder why this famed-award-winning-restaurant is called Prime. Of course, everyone in the room was eying the best piece of meat in the room - the Grade 12 Wagyu.

Ask and you shall be given. It was no doubt indulging. The men on the table ended up getting our hands dirty and licking off the sweet ribs bbq sauce from our fingers. Meat eating is after all a very medieval concept. Washed down with a bloody good red wine. Really, what more can one wish for?

LATEST RECIPE: As the saying goes, there's always room for dessert. And here in Le Meridien KL, desserts are housed in a huge room called Latest Recipe. All the fair maidens in the swooned as we walked passed the buffet dessert spread. I think their hearts would have stopped a beat when a platter of the prettiest desserts (consisting of honeydew sago shot, carrot cake, lychee tart, choc mousse with citrus jelly, vanilla crème’ brule, and agar agar) landed in front of them. Some even said these were better than sex. Is it just me or women are plainly delusional. For those with a Hansel-Gratel fetish, this is definitely your playground. Teppanyaki ice cream, freshly made belgian waffles, cocktails...c'est la vie.

At the end of the night, it was actually quite hard to say which restaurant made a better impression. But, I'd definitely want to visit PRIME over and over again, perhaps with a real date in tow. It's unfortunate that this speed-dining concept isn't something the hotel does regularly. However, guest could enquire with any of their friendly staff if you wish to replicate the same gourmet tour of all their in-house restaurants. I'm sure Le Meridien KL would happily oblige.

A big thank you to Andrew, Damien and Chef Antoine for your kind hospitality.

***

Dining @ Le Meridien KL
Observatory, Favola, Prime and Latest Recipe
2, Jalan Sentral,
Kuala Lumpur Sentral,
50470 Kuala Lumpur
For Reservations, call the Dining Desk at +603-2263 7434 or email: dining.lmkl@lemeridien.com

J.J Abrams "Super 8" and Inspiring Italy at Favola Le Meridien KL

2011-06-10T07:40:00.019+08:00

To be honest, there is not a lot we can thank for from the 80's. But the one thing the decade of bad shoulder pads did get right was movies with children.

Sure, there have been getting and there are still plenty of movies that have children as lead characters in the past two decades. But the children we've seen on the silver screen these days usually are emotionally like adults (generally most things with Dakota Fannings, Abigail Breslin or Chloe Moretz); are the creepy horror movie characters (think anything that resembles Ju-on and its nasty Hollywood remakes); or are the juvenile action heroes (Kick-Ass, Harry Potter and the likes come to mind). And lets not forget vampires too these days.

What we don't see a lot of are children being just children. However, I feel that might all just change after watching Super 8 earlier tonight. Which I have to say was just mint (for the uninitiated, that's '70s speak for cool!).

J.J. Abrams' new movie focuses on a group of children who accidentally get involved in something sinister when a train wrecks in their small town. While "Super 8" is another movie that puts a group of children in the forefront of the action, critics and bloggers are raving about the movie's success at getting back to the kind of adventure that made a lot of the ‘80s movies so popular, and so memorable to adults today. J.J Abrams also unveiled that this is his most personal film to date, in which he takes us back to his own geeky boyhood love of monsters, things blowing up and the magic of making movies.

Like many of us, Abrams grew up with films like Close Encounters and E.T and there are definitely Spielberg-like echoes in his Super 8, then again Steven Spielberg is also the producer of this movie too. But Abrams insists he's doing more than an homage to those classic films of the '70s and '80s.

In his interview with moviefone, J.J Abrams said, "Many of his [Steven Speilberg] films shared elements that this movie visits. I hope that when people see 'Super 8,' they realize it's not just a Xerox or a film just aping other movies. The heart of the movie involves these kids and their parents and each other. But clearly, it's influenced not just by Steven's movies, but films by John Carpenter. I was so influenced by their movies as a kid, it felt like the appropriate thing to use them in this film." He also cites Charles Laugton's The Hunchback of Notre Dame's heartbreaking story, Irwin Allen's disasters movie and even Japanese Toho monster movies as inspiration.

Humorous, heart-warming, action-kicking with childlike innocence and feel good factor, J.J Abrams' Super 8 is the sort of movie Hollywood should be making to bring back that good ol' movie magic charm.

SUPER 8, the movie opens internationally at a cinema near you this weekend.

***

The problem with not blogging frequently, is that my posts are piling up like a hill behind me. And just when I finally get around wanting to write about a dinner I had "recently" about a month back at Le Meridien KL, along comes another event. Since this is more time sensitive, I'll go right ahead into posting this first.

Like director J.J Abrams who clearly believes in innovation, Chef Fabrizio Bigi also highly believes in creating on top of something which has been perfected before. His approach in reinventing aged old classic Italian recipes has garnered him an invitation to the Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur, as the guest chef at their signature Favola Italian restaurant.

Chef Fabrizio hails from the north of Italy and grew up on a diet consisting mainly of parma ham, parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and loves doing creative things. He reckons that if he wasn't a chef, he would either end up a painter or a musician. But as fate has it, he ended up choosing a career in cooking and started off owning his own restaurant back in his home country by the age of 30.

Then one day in 2003, he felt like he needed a change, sold his restaurant, packed his bags and went out to discover the world. It was also then, that started learning the English language and within 6-months later, he found himself a job in Egypt as a chef. Good fortune continues to push him along and it hasn't stopped since then. Nowadays, China is his base and works for the kitchens of Prego at The Westin Beijing Financial Street.

At the recent press launch, Chef Fabrizio shares with us that the secret to contemporary Italian lies in the play of new texture, flavours, aromas and most importantly - like all good Italian craftman would say - style. He tells us how he would usually start off with an imagination of how the dish would look like before he actually cooks them. Watch this video below as he demonstrate to us how to reinterpret a good ol' Eggplant Parmagiana.

Fresh off its successful Vietnamese culinary event recently, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur is now showcasing another gastronomical extravaganza, wit the Tastes of Italy. Held from June 4 - June 12, 2011, this dinner promotion will feature guest Chef Fabrizio Bigi - the master of contemporary Italian cuisine - and enjoy the wide array of over 20 dishes that will be displayed at the Favola Italian Restaurant - with his own interpretations of Italian favourites including the Eggplant Millefeuille, Fresh Goat Cheese and Basil; Saffron Risotto, Crispy Seafood and Red Rossi; and the Spaghetti Maine Lobster and Fresh Spring Herbs Pesto, to name a few. Prices range from RM25 - RM130 per item on the promotional ala carte menu.

***

Favola
Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
2, Jalan Sentral,
Kuala Lumpur Sentral,
50470 Kuala Lumpur
For Reservations, call the Dining Desk at +603-2263 7434 or email: dining.lmkl@lemeridien.com

Debbie Teoh's A Touch of Nyonya Influence, Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur: Celebrating the Memory of Puah Kiam Ti Chang

2011-06-06T11:37:00.002+08:00

When I was a little boy, triangular indigo-and-white glutinous rice dumplings were an annual treat. Auntie Tan, my late god-mother, made these bamboo leaf-wrapped bundles to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. The festival is also known to the Chinese as Duānwǔ Jié 端午節 or Double Fifth as it is observed on the fifth day of every fifth lunar month and the custom of preparing and eating Stuffed Rice Dumplings (chung or zongzi 粽子) is most associated with it.

In the past, zongzi were made in honour of the misunderstood and wrongly accused Chu Kingdom scholar, Qu Yuan 屈原 (c. 340 BCE – 278 BCE). When the warring state fell into the hands of the Qin army (whose leader was to become the first emperor of China), Qu Yuan wandered aimlessly. On the fifth day of the fifth moon, he came to the Miluo river with a weary and depressed heart at the fate of his beloved motherland. He sat down and composed a poem - the much celebrated Huai Sha - in which he poured out his grief. Then, in despair, he jumped into the river and drowned.

Dramatic, I know. But the Chinese have always loved a poet, and one who lived and died heroically for his country, stirs the imagination with the power of romance and melancholy beauty. When the poet's body could not be found, the surrounding villages threw rice-filled bamboo stems into the river to honour his soul. Hence, began the custom that survives until today.

Auntie Tan had her own version of telling this story, one that I would remember each time I sink my teeth into these tender parcels. She told me that the rice was to feed the dragon in the river (according to ancient beliefs, the dragon ruled the waters and determined the distribution of clouds and rains) so it will not feast on the poet's body. Being the kid that I am, I would imagine myself as a fire-breathing dragon chomping away endlessly on these Nyonya chang. Of course, now I know the story was just a ploy to fatten me up - I was a scrawny kid back then. Auntie Tan made them using her family recipe, which has been passed down through generations. The Puah Kiam Ti Chang, as it's name suggest in peranakan Hokkien, is a sweet and savoury rice dumplings stuffed with a tiny chopped pieces of pork belly meat cooked with candied melon strips and spiced with coriander seed and cekur ginger root - which is significantly different from the Hokkien or Cantonese variations.

Today, Chinese the world over celebrates Duan Wu. But, it would never be the same without Auntie Tan's smile and dumplings. Oh, how I miss her.

***

Growing up in a nyonya household meant that its kitchen was my playground. My godmother, a nyonya from Penang and married to a southern Baba from Melacca, would laboriously work 8-hours a day in there while I run amuck around her. Must have drove her nuts. But I think, secretly, she knew that I was watching her every move at the corner of my eyes.

Clad in sarong and a heavily powdered face, she would bent down low in the kitchen's air-well pounding ingredients all morning in a tiny mortar. Come afternoon, she fills up the entire house
with a thick air of the most wonderful perfume and aroma, stirring up an appetite in my tiny belly. Fiery, spicy, flavorful and, most of all, full of wholesome love. Without knowing it back then, she gave me my first lessons at being a gourmand.

These days, finding a restaurant which serves traditional nyonya cooking is far and apart. In fact, it is a dying art due to its meticulous preparations and impossible hours - which turns off any young impatient cook. However, for those who can withstand the heat and master those skills, they grow into beautiful cooks. Such is the superpower of one Debbie Teoh, who effortlessly stood before us in a stunning black kebaya top with a sarong pants. Her face was perfectly made up with her curls elegantly tied up in a loose bun behind her porcelain face. Who would have imagined that this beautiful lady has actually been slaving away in the kitchen for the entire day?

Debbie Teoh, is a celebrated local food personality who wears many hats - she is a chef, foodie, author, food stylist, ambassador of the Nyonya cuisine and culture with over 15-years of experience in the F&B industry. A true-bred Nyonya who hails from Malacca comes from a line of inspiring cooks, it is no wonder she is such a natural when it comes to Peranakan cooking. She also contributes regularly to food magazines such as Flavours and Oriental Cuisine. And from now until 3rd July, Debbie is showcasing various Nyonya specialties for buffet lunch, dinner and high-tea during her stint as Chatz Brassarie's guest chef.

Expect specialties like dainty Kueh Paiti stuffed with crabmeat, prawns and julienned vegetables; the delicate flavours of the Hu Pioh T'ng or Fish Maw soup in English which has been boiled for over 2-nights; a simple Steamed Ladyfingers with extraordinary side dips like soy-sauce with fried garlic and the tau cheo (soy bean paste) with chopped chili and calamansi; a creamy and tangy Sambal Goreng made with tamarind, coconut milk, sourish blimbi or belimbing buloh (bamboo starfruit), and topped with chopped cashews. Who says buffet are boring?

If there is one dish which you absolutely must try, it has to be the Kari Buah Keluak Kay. Debbie's opium nut chicken curry is to die for. Authentic and meticulous, this dish resonates the lessons she has inherited from generations of sarong-clad ladies before her. Buah Keluak, as I found out, is actually the nut (some say it is the seed) of the Kepayang tree or Pangium Edule that grows wild in the Malay region. People say that the nut is poisonous and the hydrogen cyanide contained therein must be cleaned off properly. Traditionally to neutralize the poison, the nuts are prepared by burying with ash and then soaking in water for about a week.

When properly prepared (chopped and pounded finely, seasoned with salt and binded with egg white) the black kernel of this nut imparts a dark colour into the curry. The pitch-black meat of the seed is soft and oily, almost like opium (hence the name). It tastes a bit like a strong mushroom, with the barest repellant-yet-alluring hint of truffle. It's an acquired taste, but I've always liked it. It was a real treat to dig into them especially when eaten with Nasi Kunyit (steamed turmeric glutinous rice) and the oh-so-wonderful Sambal Kiam Hu (salted fish chili). If you're interested in the dish, please do enquire ahead for its availability to avoid any disappointments.

Dessert lovers are not left out too. A selection of nyonya sweets are available daily, like the Seri Muka and O'giou Jelly which we sampled.

At the end of the preview session, Debbie surprised us with a platter of her signature Puah Kiam Ti Chang. I couldn't stop myself from indulging in them despite my protesting waistline. Her dumplings took me back to a more innocent time when life was as beautiful as the distinct blue of the bunga telang (butterfly pea flowers). Alas, this was not part of the promotion. And on that note, I'll end this post with a deep sense of appreciation to Debbie and the communications team at Parkroyal KL for the meal.

***

Chatz Brassarie
Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur,
Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-2782 8301

Note: For weekdays, the buffet lunch is priced at RM58++ per person and the buffet dinner is at RM78++ per person. During the weekend, the Nyonya selection is available for high tea at RM52++ per person. UOB, American Express and Standard Chartered credit card holders get a 20% discount promotion. A special Father's Day brunch is available at RM65++ per adult and RM32.50++ per child with a interactived children's cooking workshop. Nyonya dishes will also be available in the a la carte menu during the promotional period.

Day Trip: Photowalk at Morib Beach, Hai Yew Heng Pau & Cendol Banting Kamarudin

2011-05-18T08:20:00.006+08:00

Adele angrily launched straight into the chorus of her hit single, "Rolling in the Deep". Groggily I came out of slumber and instantly regconised the ringtone. I picked it up and checked the time, it was half-past-bloody-six in the morning. Damn, it's still dark out there. Who on earth would be calling me so early on a Sunday? The excited voice on the other side seems to think otherwise.

Belonging to one Ms. Ciki, it sprang off with the chirpiest of good morning pleasantries. Groan. Why do all morning calls have to sound so chirpy? But even if I wanted to, it was too early to launch into verbal assaults of any kind. And there is no way I could bark (waitamin, monkeys don't bark) at this sweet perky thing who I vaguely remember saying "Yes" to just a couple hours ago. I painfully made my way out of bed...... slowly. I really wanted to get up, really!

Half and hour later, Cumi dan Ciki pulled up on my driveway and off we went for another monkey adventure. Thanks for asking me along!

I. MORIB BEACH

Approximately, 80-minutes drive later we found ourselves surrounded by whispering casuarinas and swaying palms which visually combs the golden sandy beach and from the top of the newly built esplanade, we watched small crabs scuttle away and disappear into the sand below us. This is the coast of Morib, formerly a popular seaside attraction located on the southern parts of Selangor, Malaysia. Cyclist and day-trippers seems to be drawn to its coast, spreading out a mat and resting to a picnic breakfast beside the shady grove.

Morib Beach (Pantai Morib) also holds historic significance, noted as one of the first landing points on the west coast of Malaysia for the British and Indian Army liberation forces at the end of World War II in September 1945, marking the end of the Japanese Army's occupation of Malaya. Also located around the beach are the ruins of old government buildings and the royal graves at Jugra, including an abandoned palace from the 1800's but we were too hungry to explore them.

II. TANJUNG SEPAT

A further 15-minute drive from Morib along the Straits of Malacca, lead us to the town of Tanjung Sepat. Primarily, this sleepy hollow is a fishing town. Most of its residents are somehow connected to the fishing industry, although the relative importance of fishing to the economy today is dwindling due to pollution in the Straits itself.

While strolling around in search of breakfast, we stumbled upon Hai Yew Heng, a local pau or bao (Chinese steamed bun) producer. Frankly, prior to this, I've not heard of them. But what we gathered from the framed up newspaper and magazine clippings is that they are very popular, drawing in visitors from all over including celebrities as far as Hong Kong. The writings on the wall claim that the buns are so popular that a quota is imposed to just two pau per customers. Business owner Mr. Lee Chin Teck who inherited the business from his father explains that they do so in order to meet the high demand and every walk-in customer would get a chance to savour their specialty, especially during weekends and festivals when up to 50 tour buses would make a stop at their factory.

This is also the same article that claims customers would have to pre-order their buns via telephone before arriving or risk a 2-hour wait. Either it's full of PR horseshit or it was just our lucky day. Plenty of buns to spare and not a tour bus in sight. Then again, it was still early. The crew in the kitchen were busy preparing trays upon trays of pau doughs and stuffing them with a variety of homemade fillings, perhaps in anticipation of a larger afternoon crowd later. Apparently, they makes and sell over a thousand buns a day. Impressive.

Hai Yew Heng produces Hainanese styled pau, which are larger and flater than their Cantonese cousins. Although the primary dough is mixed by modern machineries, they are still manually hand-flattened and filled with 豆沙(red bean), 加央(kaya, or coconut jam), 花生(peanut), 生肉(sang yuk, or pork meat with egg), 菜(vegetables) and 梅菜(mui choy, or preserved vegetables and minced pork). We were told that local produce are sourced and used - the pork comes from the nearby pig farms, while the kaya is made from local chicken eggs and coconuts harvested from the surrounding orchards as well.

We found the steaming hot buns to be fluffy, light, airy with a warm sweet scent of cooked yeast. Connoisseurs of dim sums might like to know that the pau has the texture a Fatt Go (steamed rice cake) with the chewy bite of a Ma Lai Go (steamed egg cakes). Our favourite of the day would have to be the Mui Choy variety, stuffed with a tasty savory and sweet filling. The eggy and aromatic Kaya stuffed bao was also a hit. However, all is not gold, the signature Sang Yuk pau didn't find favour in us as it was too peppery for our taste and a tad too dry. Also, do be prepared to fork out about RM1.10 to RM 2.20, which is possibly more expensive than what you'd find in the city.

Hai Yew Heng
No. 405, Jalan Pasar
42800 Tanjung Sepat
Kuala Langat, Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Tel: +6012-272 9009
Operating Hours: Mondays to Fridays 1.00pm - 6.00pm | Weekends and Public holidays 10.00am - 6:00pm

III. Banting

En route back to KL, we stopped by at Banting which is the principal town of the district of Kuala Langat. Banting has a reported population of slightly over 48,000 residents and is situated on the banks of Langat River (Sungai Langat in Malay). It is a Rest Town or Bandar Persinggahan on the old Federal route since it is close to the historical Bandar Jugra, the former royal town of Selangor.

The afternoon sun was scorching down on us and Cumi knew the exact way to cool us down. We chanced upon a tiny little shack located next to the open-air taxi terminal in the heart of town. The stall is surrounded by sweaty locals waiting for their orders. Standing on the other side of the stall is a smiley Indian-Muslim chap, presumedly Kamarudin since his name was plastered on all sides of his stall. He was a friendly guy, never once too busy to take down orders or look you in the eye and flash his pearly whites. Everyone hovers around the front of his stall and silently watch his every move.

Like clockwork, he begins by taking an orange bowl with his left hand, scoop in a couple tablespoon of red beans and magenta sago pearls, then swiftly placing the bowl under a rustic wooden shaver which has seen better days. Then using his right hand, he laboriously move the block of ice back and forth over the sharp blade very quickly, several times over. Pure white snow starts to fall into the bowl underneath until it mounded into a miniature mountain before he pulls the bowl out and ladles in a long scoop of santan (coconut milk) concocted with weeny strands of green pandan-flavoured mung bean and rice flour 'noodles'. And, finally, he drizzles a good amount of gula Melaka (coconut palm sugar syrup) right on top before serving the dessert.

Being the wide eyed out-of-towner that I am, I switched on the Hipstamatic app and started shooting away to the amusement of the locals. One of the man asked where we was from in Bahasa Melayu and continues to tell me that "Inilah cendol paling best di Banting. Memang top!" ("This is the best Cendol in all of Banting!") with two thumbs up as if his words had no conviction whatsoever.

One sip of this Cendol was all it took for us to be fans. Any dish this uncomplicated requires top-notch ingredients. While there is not much one can do about the quality of the ice, but one can't possibly argue with the extra rustic sensation one get from manual hand-shaven ice or the tiny hand made pasta which was light, slightly bouncy, toothsome to the bite, and fragrant with pandan leaf. The noodles, red bean and sago jelly married perfectly with the fresh and slightly salty and coconut milk; and the rich and complex caramelised flavours of the palm sugar syrup too. And it cost all but RM1.00 per bowl. What a steal.

Cendol Banting Kamarudin

Taxi Terminal along Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad,

Kuala Langat, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Tel: +6016-6527456

The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur: A Royal Wedding and Traditional English Afternoon Tea

2011-05-11T08:12:00.043+08:00

Two weeks ago, the world stood together and shed happy tears for the royal union between one simple Kate Middleton and His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Master of Arts (that's His Royal Highness' official title by the way). And regardless of what your feelings are on the monarchy, it is always nice to see a young couple in love. And a fairy tale ending like theirs is truly a testament that fantasies do come true and a universal tale of hope for many. The wayward world today is indeed much in need of a good old fashion love story.

***

While some are lucky enough to be married into the palace, the same can't be said for the golden tea empire. Here, only a selected few were born with a silver (tea)spoon in their mouths and groomed to be for greatness as Royal-TEAs. Ronnefeldt TeaMaster® title holder, Mr. Andreas Aufmkolk, is tea drinker for as long as he can remember, and grew up in the northern regions of Germany where tea drinking is very much a way of life. In 1994 he kick-started his association with Ronnefeldt while working a property that served the tea. In 2007 he trained and achieved his TeaMaster® Silver qualification in Frankfurt where he successfully completed the course covering history, the processing of tea as well as a two-hour examination and blind tasting.

His recent visit to Kuala Lumpur was a rare opportunity for a few of us foodies and tea lovers to learn more about the various traditional and modern teas, get a qualified opinion on where the industry is heading to and what new blends and trends there are to watch out for. During the afternoon session at The Ritz-Carlton KL's Lobby Lounge, Mr. Aufmkolk conducted a formal presentation and interactive tea tasting to introduce and explain the 40 different types of specialty teas that they sell. With over ten years of experience in the tea industry, he is easily a recognised authority on the beverage.

For anyone who has experienced the Traditional English Afternoon Tea at The Ritz-Carlton KL, the three tie Tea set over-flowing with freshly baked scones, quiches, mouth-watering finger sandwiches and delicate pastries is a sight in itself. The rumble of the tea cart containing over 40 different kinds of Ronnefeldt tea presents an altogether different sight and a luxurious challenge to those thinking they were just in for a simple cup of tea. Who knew tea drinking was such a chichi affair?

We were of course lucky to have Mr. Aufmkolk with us who started the edu-TEA-tion session by giving a short presentation on the history of tea and where Ronnefeldt started from. I know some are guessing that they are British. I thought so too, only to find out they are a German family-owned company. Mountbatten-Windsor comes to mind?

He then went on to introduce the different Ronnefeldt tea groupings, explaining the subtle differences between them and their origins. In honor of the head of the family who attended the tea session, here's what the old man have to say:

Darjeeling Summer Gold - A black tea, though the name does not necessarily reflect the color of the brew. The brew is a gorgeous light golden color. Hails from the Mahanadi Valley India.

The High Grown Ceylon - Grown in Nuwara Elya (above the clouds) in Ceylon, it is a delightfully light but yet fragrant tea. My favourite of the lot.

Irish Whisky Cream - Another black tea, with guess what? A natural whisky flavour. Isnt that amazing. Thats like alcohol-less whisky. Lovely, but not for me. It's cruel, tantalizing me like that.

Fancy Sencha - A green tea, very chinese, and very drinkable.

Jasmine Gold - Very chinese tea like. Palatable, and seemed to go well with the savouries.

Herbs & Ginger - I love this non-tea tea, an ayuverdic blend of ginger, verbana,very refreshing, and I suspect wind repelling. (though we wouldn't say that in polite company).

Soft Peach - another infusion, with no real tea leaves. Very feminine.

* Blatantly copied and pasted from Ah Pa's blog. You can read the rest of his post HERE.

Before concluding the afternoon affair, Mr. Aufmkolk also talke about his own life experiences, favourite types of tea (First Flush Darjeeling and Oolong) before ending with a blind tasting session for the everyone to put their newly learnt skills to the test all while complemented by the luxurious Afternoon Tea set of scones, sandwiches, quiches and pastries which were excellent with the teas.

Ronnefeldt is a partner of Ritz-Carlton globally and their teas are easily available at their esteemed properties. And rather unfortunately, they are not available on sale in the retail market. Special thanks to our British friend and PR Executive of The Ritz-Carlton KL, the handsome Oliver Ellerton, for having us over. This new-found knowledge would definitely last for an eterni-TEA.

***

The Lobby Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur
168, Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur, 55100 Malaysia.
Traditional English Afternoon Tea is available daily except on Sundays.
For enquiries/bookings, please call +603-2142 8000.

How to Photograph Food & Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows Gastronomy 2011 with Chef Cheong Liew

2011-05-07T00:26:00.039+08:00

Make no mistakes about it that everyone, and I mean everyone, can take photographs of food. It's blatantly easy, all you need is a camera, and you start shooting. Viola. Food shots. But making a dish look like culinary pornography, that's a whole different thing all together - it's an art form that only a handful can master. Ask the Queen of DSLR! But what she'll tell you is that it requires a little more skill than just owning a good camera and tough luck trying to get her as your shifu. She's one busy woman.

I'm no expert at it and I'm still looking over her shoulders to learn a trick or two. Until I've earned my stripes and able to advise you what to do, I should perhaps leave it to the experts to show you how food porn is properly done. Here's a very good video guide on How to To Shoot Food Photography by the Fstoppers.

But you know what I think, being able to photograph a dish that is already beautiful to begin with makes a whole lot of difference. I've been lucky enough to come across many wonderful and visually delighting creations in the past. And come next week, when the good people behind the Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows Gastronomy 2011 host their first installment of this year's event, I know I'm going to be in for an evening of photographic and gastronomic pleasure.

The dinner event will be held in the tranquil grounds of the sole surviving major Anglo-Indian mansion outside India, the Suffolk House in Penang. Taking place over three nights from 11 – 13 May 2011, connoisseurs of high living will experience in the finest culinary masterworks created by Australian based multi-award winning and also known by many as the inventor of Australasian Cuisine, Chef Cheong Liew.

Chef Liew has been labelled as one of the 10 "hottest chefs alive" by the American Food & Wine magazine, and even inducted into the Hall of Fame in the World Food Media Awards. A incredible feat for a chef who hails from Malaysia. And I'm sure his homecoming is something to look forward to.

The chef is set to prepare a 6-course meal and naturally to be paired with Hennessy X.O. If you’re curious and would like to know what is in stall, you can take a look and salivate at the menu on the Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows' website.

But alas, the event is strictly by invitation only. Now, my only concern is getting a seat right next to the Queen and watch her every move as she photographs the food. I hope I return with enough pictures to share with you. If all fails, I'll probably steal her camera. But don't tell her my plans. After all, she doesn't read my blog.

***

You can read about my experience at last year's Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows Gastronomy 2010 HERE.

Samplings on the Fourteen, Berjaya Times Square Hotel: Venezuelan Gastronomic Festival 2011

2011-05-03T08:13:00.012+08:00

In this day and age, a family unit isn't necessarily made up of the people you were born to live with. Families are, after all, the people who supports and encourages you, pushes your buttons, kick your lazy fat ass, beat you down and pick you back right up; be your pillar of strength, a shoulder to cry on; they are there to protect you, feed you, nurture you, educate you *gasp for air* sing and dance with you, laugh with, cry with, bitch about other family members with; shelter you, accept you and most of all, love you. That's quite a tall order and not all traditional family are able to fulfill such roles. Hence, as we grow older and more into our own person, we tend to build our own support system. In some societies, these support groups are known as friends. But, I like to simply call them my family.

My new family is as big, loud, and crazy as they come. And the funny conversations and silliness between us could rival those of TV's Modern Family any day. They come in all sorts of names, titles, colours, shape and characters; like The Hater, Ah Pa, The Queen-cum-BFF, Sister Banana, The Goddess, Fairy God Mother, and that long illustrious list is still growing by the day. Case in point, when J&K (whom shall be henceforth known as the Nannies due to their recent outstanding contributions as my babysitters) recently got invited to an event organised by their neighbour upstairs, they asked me along... as their Mother, no less. It's a lil' confusing, I know.

What they didn't tell me that it was an official event hosted by the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Malaysia. So, there I was seated down in the posh settings of Samplings on the Fourteen listening to their neighbour, who spoke in a Sofia Vergara lilt - caressing every word before releasing it, as she regaled us about the day she got to know the Nannies.

The story goes that late one night she and her husband were hosting a salsa party in their apartment, and they received a rude call from the security office asking them to tone the party down as some neighbours were complaining. Of course they neglected the warning and continued to dance away. It wouldn't be called a salsa party if everyone just sat quietly right? Half and hour later, they found the said displeased neighbour knocking at the door.

"Hi, we live downstairs and we would really appreciate it if you can play quietly. It's past 1am and we're trying to get some sleep."

"Oh, so you were the neighbour who was complaining. Tell you what, let us make it up to you. You can start with this glass of margarita!"

J&K stayed on, one drink after another and danced until the sun rises in the morning. They say the rest is history. And I'm definitely self-inviting myself to the next party! *sniggers*

The dinner event was nothing short of a fiesta either. Bright colours and live music were bursting everywhere lending a local Venezuelan feel to the atmosphere. It was held in conjunction with the Gastronomic Festival launch, a part of the 6th Annual Venezuelan Week 2011, jointly organised with the Embassy's co-partner, the Berjaya Group. KL-lites can now until 8th May, enjoy authentic Venezuelan cuisine specially prepared by Chef Carmen Rawstron, who recently launched her cookbook entitled ‘My Venezuelan Cuisine’ at the Samplings Restaurant.

Our menu that evening was filled with the chef's creations of :

Entrees - Sopa de planto verde adornada con almendras tostadas / Cream of Plantains with Almond Crisp, which somehow reminded us of a mild curry even though we've been told by the chef that they only spice used was pepper;

Mains - Pastel de chucho con salsita de coco con ensalada de pina y lechugas troceada de vinagreta blanca / Spotted Stingray & Plantain Pie with Coconut Sauce and Mixed Salad and Pineapple, a typical coastal dish originally made with shark's meat, this tropical flavoured fish dish was a clear favourite with everyone that evening;

Desserts - Torta de guanabana / Soursop Cake, a sweet and light dessert cake.

My new Latin American friend, who I am still in awe of her beautiful accent, also informed us that a special Venezuelan Mother’s Day Luncheon will be held at the restaurant on the 8th of May to commemorate that special day.

When I was young, I've always dreamed of having a big, nice and awesome family. But now, I'm stuck here with this ridiculous bunch, pretending to be my Nannies' Mother. It still sounds strange saying it. Well, we may be from different worlds, but somehow we fit together. Love is what binds us, through fair and stormy weather. And for that I'm grateful and blessed to have my "family" by my side. I love them.

Thanks to everyone at the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and especially the neighbour upstairs for being such fun and wonderful host for the evening.

***

For more information on the 6th Annual Venezuelan Week 2011 and Gastronomic Festival, please contact The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela at 03-21633444/21633445 or visit the official blog HERE.

Back to Being Strangers, Again: A Short Story

2011-05-02T09:16:00.017+08:00

Since it's a holiday here for us Malaysians who are enjoying the extended weekend, I thought I'd share this video with you - which I think is very well produced and written. It hit home in more ways than one for me, and I hope you can spare 15-minutes to enjoy it too - either for the story or the eye candy.

It's the sad truth, in the end we're all back at where we started off.

Enjoy your break, strangers!

Ben's General Food Store, Bangsar Village I: Weekend Wonders

2011-05-01T15:07:00.045+08:00

The man who gave us the well-loved Delicious chain, Benjamin Yong, has been hitting the KL food scene with many new openings since breaking out on his own. Within the last six months, we've seen the launch of Plan B, T Forty Two and more recently, Ben's in Pavilion and KLCC by his new outfit, the Bright Ideas Group. And lets not forget Canoodling which has been operating since 2010.

While his efforts and enthusiasm for introducing new concepts have been much heralded and welcomed, I have often felt that his outlets suffered in giving an overall good dining experience. Take Plan B for instance, while they have the food and ambience down to a tee, the same could not be said about their painfully slow and below average service despite having 20-odd staff hovering around the dining room. Or T Forty Two, once again while the interior is a sight to behold, the food has left many feeling rather lukewarm.

So, when a friend of mine spoke highly about Ben's General Food Store, his latest concept-restaurant which opened in Bangsar Village (where else?) less than two weeks ago, I took it with a pinch of salt. A BIG one at that too.

Being a visual person, it was given that I was going to love the store's concept and interior. This time it is styled in a modern-country-barnyard-cafeteria which serves a quick selection of no-frill dishes. Once again, very well done. One could also draw similarities to his previous projects, D'lish and Delicious Ingredients. For now the cafe bit is up and running, and I'm sure foodies alike are just waiting for the grocer side of the store to be in business. I hear they will have an in-house butcher, a fine cheese and fresh gourmet food deli section.

A colourful array of fresh salads greet customers as they enter the restaurant. Here you can choose to order them as individual portions or a combination platter of up 3 different salads. I'd admit that I've always been a fan of his green creations, and here I was wowed again by choices like the Panzanella Bread Salad, Orechiette Pasta with Baby Peas, and even the simple Greek Salad was scrumptious.

What sets this new restaurant apart is the spotlight on pizzas as their headliner. Here you would find rustic, fluffy flat bread (think Indian na'an) with all kinds of toppings on the top. So far, I've tried the simple Napoletana consisting of tomatoes, mozarella, anchovy, olives, roasted garlic, capers and fiery chili paste, which I absolutely adored. If anchovy isn't your thing, opt for the Giamberi Piccante which is similar and fiery as well. The Funghi pizza topped excessively with mozzarella, fresh wild mushrooms, mascarpone and truffle oil, was also a quick favourite around the table, but one can only have no more than a slice and a half before calling it too much. I would have also liked it better if the truffle oil was more fragrant to cut the creaminess of the melted mascarpone. Meatlovers should not miss the Il Carnivore! A pizza here could easily feed 2 people.

Don't forget to try the sweet pizzas as well, which comes in half the size of a regular. I have to say that the Chocolate, Banana and Mascarpone was really good and indulging. They also have a selection of daily desserts on display next to the salads. I'll recommend to try the Chocolate & Walnut Brownies à la mode and Peach Cobbler with a cup of coffee or T2 tea from Australia. I was told to give their Tiramisu and Carrot Cake a go too. Perhaps, I'd just do desserts on the next visit.

Ben's General Food Store isn't the kinda place for you to enjoy a slow lunch at. The seatings here aren't the most comfortable and music is rather loud. If you wanted a place to catch up with your friend's topsy turvy life stories, you can always do that on Facebook in the comfort of your own home. What it is, is a place you head to for a healthy quick bite which most fast food chain restaurants are not able to provide.

That said, it has great potential and I would really like to see it flourish. While the servers were excellent in their rounds and food came quickly, I wished the bill came breezily too. It's not so much of a problem for us, but what is the point of rushing us through our meal and then takes forever with the bill. It really doesn't help with the fast turnaround of tables, if that's what they are after. During my second visit, the coffee and cake took a good 15-minutes to come when the place was clearly just 1/3 filled. I hope these are just teething problems for now and be rectified in time because I really enjoyed the food here and I might have just found myself a nice place to frequent for pizzas. Here's hoping.

***

Ben’s General Food Store
Lot G 17, Ground Floor, Bangsar Village I,
Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 9am-10pm daily
Website:www.thebiggroup.com

Pierre, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong: Our Grand Finale

2011-04-26T08:17:00.149+08:00

I was out on a walk in Chinatown last weekend and noticed a peculiar sign at the back of the flower market. It read:

"Please leave all your personal problems behind when you leave home for work."

What a very odd place for such a sign, I thought. I could have sworn that it was directed at me. I went home thinking that someone was secretly trying to tell me to start writing again. It isn't very nice to keep people waiting, my conscience told me. I know that. And as much as I would like to leave all my problems at home, but unfortunately I do most of my blogging there.

It is unfortunate that fate recently dealt with a set of bad cards over and I'm still trying to recover from all that has happened, in a way I best know how - by keeping silent. However, I also realized that perhaps I shouldn't deviate from my task any longer. The best way to get over this hurdle is to face it head on -painful as it may be. What doesn't break me only makes me stronger, right?

Hours before my mojo was taken away, I found myself up on the 25th floor of Hong Kong's legendary Mandarin Oriental hotel with McCutie. We were greeted immediately by a friendly hostess in traditional Chinese dress complete with high slits and mandarin collars. She took the rather unglamorous shopping bags filled with last minute souvenirs from our hands, handed it to a butler and showed us to our table where our gracious host was waiting patiently for us. As he stood up to greet us, a friendly waiter came up with a black jacket for McCutie. He explained, apologetically, that the restaurant maintains a strict dress code. By now, I'm pretty sure that Geoffrey, the hotel's social media/e-commerce manager, is not too impressed by our shabby time keeping skills or fashion sense either. I could't help but think that we would be shown out the door with one more dining faux pas.

The restaurant we are dining in this evening is superstar Chef Pierre Gagnaire's pied-à-terre. The 25th floor may not sound very high up on this sky scrapping island, but there is no doubt that they are at the top of their game. In fact, they just celebrated their 2nd Michelin star awarded by the highly revered gastronomic guide. It's not very surprising given how monsieur Chef Gagniere is often regarded as THE wizard of innovative French gastronomy and is no stranger to such high accolades. He returns to the restaurant a few times a year and from what I've gathered, it is said to be a grand event when that happens. For me, the stunning view here alone is worthy of 3-stars. Where else can you get an almost 180-degree floor to ceiling windows framing the gorgeous Victoria Harbour and a grand view into the central business district?

AMUSE-GUEULE: Pepper clams with Chickpea Flour +Almond Crumbles + Apple Paste with Poppy Seed + Yabbies with Lemon and Mango.

Most of the time, the chef leading the culinary team here is the celebrated chef's protégé, Olivier Elzer from Gagnaire’s team in Paris. He and his team was committed to impress us right from the start, arousing our palettes with an adorable selection of popcorn-sized amuse-gueule or "titbits", which were all at once sweet, savoury, acidic and chewy.

Just when our bouches were amused and seduced, a trolley filled with many more small dishes pulled right up next to us. I half expected for the waiter to ask us to make our selections like we would at a dimsum restaurant. Then, I was told that these were actually the real amuse-bouche that the chef has specially prepared. Luckily I kept my mouth shut and silently watched the waiters assemble them in swift poetic movements. I soon learned that this artistic installation is the signature presentation style of chef Gagnaire.

AMUSE BOUCHE: Lettuce with Bone Marrow and Black Olive + Seaweed Salad with Sesame + Beatroot Chutney with Star Agnes + Morel Mushroom Cream with Linquorish + Clams with Tuna Cream and Banana.

And when asked if there was a particular flow as to how we should partake this exquisite course, Wilfred, our waiter simply replied, "There is no particular order, but if it was was me, I'll go straight for the morel as that is my favourite." He was right, no matter where we started, a kaleidoscope of different flavours tantalized our taste buds.

Dining at Pierre is a pleasure for all senses. Its interior, while dramatic is nothing but a simple backdrop to its real star - the ornate and almost architectural cuisine. The restaurant saw the world-wide introduction of a new style of cooking called ‘note by note’, created by Pierre Gagnaire with chemist Hervé This back in the early 2000's. Made entirely of simple compounds, this style of cooking sparked a new and controversial revolution in the gastronomic world. At a time when the world demands for more "natural" products, cooking with science to create new taste, odors and textures seems a little too provocative. For me, it is just a case of po-tay-toes versus po-tah-toes. If you think about it, we have been consuming compounds like water, sugar, salt all our lives. Live and let live.

The trolley pulled right up next to our table again, this time with big shinny silver domes covering our plates. Hidden under them was my special entrée du jour.

BLACK WINTER TRUFFLES: Yabbi with Cream & Shaved truffles + Green & White Asparagus + Julienne Truffles Salad.
(*note: I may be wrong with the names of this course. I didn't note the specials down.)

This seasonal truffle course is a novelty and must for any truffle fan. While it may sound like an overkill, surprisingly it was not. Each element was prepared with different considerations to showcase the truffle's diverse properties. For instance, the taste of sea and earth complimented each other as cold sweet pieces of yabbi, richly smothered in an airy cream corn-like flavoured truffle cream with fresh slices of black truffle underneath giving the entire dish enough body and a nutty flavour to endure more than a just few bites. As Malaysians would say, "Tak jelak".

TOURTEAU / KING CRAB algues et Obsiblue prawns: Whole claw; Cauliflower/Colombo mayonnaise, Tosakanori seaweed + Crab meat enrobed in Kombu seaweed jelly + Obsiblue prawns, paprika marinade; Endives with carcass dressing + Bavaroise with Amontillado, Dulce/Nori seaweed salad.

LOBSTER & MUREX: Blue Lobster salad seasoned with « Pierre » olive oil; walnuts, aloe-vera, ginger, lime and cebette + Lobster quenelle, Zezette Broth + Lobster enrobed in Bisque, crispy shiso leaves + Spicy Murex, green lentils « du Puy ».

SOLE & OYSTERS: Sole Meunière, leek and oyster “David Herve” + Gillardeau oyster, beetroot flavoured with Campari, glazed eel + Flat oyster “Yvon Madec”, Champagne sauce + Fine artichoke mousse.

and,

BEEF/ RIB EYE: Grilled rib eye enrobed in Sarawak pepper butter + Eggplant Tempura, deep-fried parsley/sage/sandy garlic cloves + Red onions with Yusu + Nathalia salad.

LANGOUSTINES: Pan-fried Terra Sienna Langoustines with passion fruit + Grilled langoustine, black Culatello ham, chips + White Port mousseline, soya beans and kiwi + “Verdurette” spaghetti.

The mains were once again astonishingly intricate and elaborated. The restaurant's manager, Julien Gardin, waltzes over and lyrically recites the name of the dishes and describes them in great details at the start of each course. Listening to his gentle accented explanations is akin to consuming the dishes before actually tasting them. Now, that is an evangelistic quality which we don't see everyday.

Julien also cheekily suggested that no French dinner is complete without tasting some cheese and returned with a "small" selection after our mains.

Three types of French fresh goat cheese + Ewe milk velouté, almond paste/green tea + Pear sherbet with Roquefort blue cheese, kaki fruit pulp.

The sherbet was my favourite. I love how the icy bits were encased with a savoury note. Either that, or I was ready to move on to desserts at this point. Pierre is after all the winner of Time Out HK's 2010 Dining Awards in the Dessert and Sweets category. No doubt I have been anticipating this moment for a while now.

9 CONDUIT STREET: Light pistachio mousseline + ‘‘Parsley, coriander, arugula’’ + Cachaça granité, galia melon soup, cucumber and green mango.

It was funny after reading through a list of sugary goodness, I ended up choosing a "salad" for dessert, which was surprisingly light and good. The mousse was bitter, grassy, earthy and almost verging on being rabbit-food, but once you dig deep to the bottom of the glass, the sweetness of the melon and acidic mango just lifts everything up. I would happily have this on a hot summers day out in a park basking under the sun. Sublime. A must for every weight-conscience epicure.

Special thanks to Geoff, who is a foodie himself, for the generous invitation and the one-of-a kind experience (and for patiently waiting for this post to be published). Also to the Pierre team for your warm hospitality. I would have to say that their impeccable level of service is perhaps the best I've ever come across - thus far. And I'm not judging this from the perspective of an invited guest, but I could see that the same level of attention has been given to everyone in the restaurant. Bravo.

***

Post-script: The experience at Pierre alone could have been the best curtain closer to any trips McCutie and I have ever been on. However, the climatic ending to our HK trip was marred by a personal tragedy a few hours after the dinner. Hence, this post wasn't the easiest to write. Over the past few weeks I've tried writing this over and over again. But I could never get pass the first two lines without feeling heavy in the heart.

Today, I'm happy to have finally broken through that emotional barrier and share this with you. Hopefully, with this "blockage" out of the way, I can now resume my regular supply of jovial foodie comics. Thanks for patiently riding this out with me.

***

PIERRE
25/F, Mandarin Oriental,
5 Connaught Road, Central Hong Kong
Tel: +(852) 2825 4001
Fax: +(852) 2810 6190
e-mail: mohkg-pierre@mohg.com

Weekend Soundtrack: Bruno Mars "Lazy Song"

2011-04-16T09:33:00.007+08:00

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song - Free Music Videos - New Artists

The video of Bruno Mars' latest single, Lazy Song, has just been premiered earlier in the week and guess what? It features a bunch of talented dancing monkeys! I wish I could dance like them. But you know what, I just don't feel like doing anything and I just wanna lie in my bed all day.

Monkey business aside, I gotta admit that this song has been my weekend jam from the moment I heard it on his debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans.

Anyway, y'all have a good weekend...hopefully NOT doing anything too.

Recipe: Michael Elfwing's Chicken Liver Pâté and Red Onion Jam

2011-04-13T10:39:00.011+08:00

My kitchen is my sanctuary, or so I've written about it before. It's a warm and comforting cave where I can slowly spend hours cooking my fears and insecurities away. Ultimately, this ritual also comforts my aching stomach and does wonders for my broken heart. The smile on the faces of my family and friends as they enjoy every spoonful of the dishes I've whipped up is at once joyous and gratifying at the same time.

Last week, I was invited to a potluck dinner organized by the @heavenlycake duo, of which the criteria was to bring something made from Chef Michael Elfwing's cookbook. Since this was an opportunity to cook something I've not done before, I chose to make his Chicken Liver Pâté and Red Onion Jam together with my fabulous partner is crime, @agentcikay.

To be honest, I was completely shitting in my pants from the moment I committed to the recipe. The recipe may look easy enough, but I couldn't really see how I was going to pull this off.

My fears stemmed from:
1. An inadequate experience or knowledge in fine cooking (I'm more of a Jamie than Ferran);
2. I've no idea if my tiny kitchen was equipped enough;
3. I'm intimidated by the guest list - which reads the who's who in foodie-land. Plus, the Chef himself was gonna be there, as the guest of honor no less.

Irrelevant fears or not, a great sense of self-doubt started to kick-in. But, we held our chin up high and marched on with smiles on our faces. Well, at least Ciki could since she marched off to get her fingernails manicured with encouraging words like, "Why don't you just buy some instead?" Well, I would to if I couldn't cook like her. Having said that, it was the perfect partnership. She paid, I learned something new and we were happily stuffed.

To be completely honest, I found the recipe rather easy to make. It was a complete surprise how well it turned out and how there wasn't a need for any complicated techniques, exotic ingredients or high-tech equipments involved. With enough planning and understanding, any home cook could have easily made this. I found separating the process into two parts made the whole process less stressful. The jam was made a week in advance, while the pâté was made a day before the dinner. Easy peasy, liver-licious.

If you decide to challenge yourself in the kitchen, here's the recipe and some of my own side notes to help you out.

Chicken Liver Pâté
(serves 10 | cooking time approximately 2.5hrs)

600g chicken liver
300ml milk
50ml cognac - thanks to my alcoholic Ah Pa for supplying!
150ml port wine
6 shallots, finely chopped - I used Indian shallots; cheap and pungent
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
600g butter - I prefer using salted butter
6 whole eggs - medium sized
A pinch of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper

1. Clean the liver and remove the white sinew holding the livers together. Soak the liver in milk and cognac for 1 hour. Remove the liver and pat dry on kitchen paper. Combine port wine, shallots and thyme in a pot and reduce over medium heat until all port has been evaporated an been soaked up by the shallots and remove from heat. This is the most aromatic part of the process. So, enjoy it. Heat butter over low heat and add liver and shallots, cook gently until the liver is medium-cooked. Liver should look opaque on the outside and but still soft on the inside.

2. Now, take a deep breath and brace yourself for the gross part. Pour the liver and butter mixture into a blender and blend until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add the eggs one by one, once incorporated into the mixture, strain the mixture and pour into a terrine mould and bake at 140°C for 50mins. I used a large Pyrex baking dish instead of a terrine.

3. Once cooked, let the pâté sit in the warm oven until it completely sets before taking it out to cool. This is to avoid a giant crater as the pâté rises during the baking process caused by trapped air from the blending earlier. Once cooled, let the pâté sit in the mould overnight and unmould the following day or eat it straight out from the mould with some crusty bread. Best served with red onion jam for extra bite.

Red Onion Jam
(makes 1kg jam | cooking time 1-hour)

1kg red onion - I used large Australian red onions
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
3 bay leave I find dry ones more aromatic
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon whole all spice powder
1 10-cm cinnamon stick - or use two 5-cms instead as it is readily available here
150ml red wine vinegar
150ml full-bodied red wine - I used some leftover Australian Shiraz
100g sugar - I used brown
100ml water
2-3 tablespoon of honey - found some organic Australian red gum tree honey in my kitchen cabinet

1. Heat olive oil in a deep sauce pot and saute the onion and spices until soft but without colouring. My heat was set on low. This should take about 7-10 minutes.

2. Add the vinegar and wine and reduce until about a third remains, then add the sugar and water. Simmer the mixture until it thicken and become glossy. Pour in the honey and simmer for another 2-minutes. Don't worry if this doesn't look anything like a jam or puree. I actually panicked because it resembles a pickled onion dish. But according to Chef Michael, it was perfect! Joy.

3. Cool and keep in sterilized glass jars or freeze for up to 3 months. This red onion jam goes well with red meat and is a great condiment on any antipasto platter. I stored and refrigerated mine in an airtight tiffin carrier.

Hello, Is It Me You're Looking For?: How to Make an Entertaining Travel Video

2011-04-04T09:40:00.002+08:00

Firstly, I must apologize for going on a hiatus without much of a notice. Rest assure that I've not disappear from the face of this earth. I'm still very much around - alive, but not necessarily kicking if you know what I mean. And as much as the title of this post is much related to my recent M.I.A (missing in action) status, it is purely coincidental. We'll get to that in a bit.

While I was enjoying my brief R&R period, I developed a new-found interest in videography. It was pretty easy given that everything I needed was on my iPhone, which is almost like a handy pocket knife. It could almost do everything. I'm sure they'll soon develop an app that could actually cut through worldly materials. And if they ever did, remember that I called it here first.

Now back to the videos. Videos and travels aren't exactly a new combination. Many have been recording their journeys way before the iPhones made their way into our lives. Steve Job and his colleagues just made it easier to carry a decent quality video camera (and a whole bunch of editing tools) in our pockets now. But what I'm interested in making are travel videos that aren't exactly your regular "Hi mum, I'm here, we did this, and we're heading off there" sort. Because I know I'm much better off shooting yet another spoof of youtube sensation, Rebecca Black's ridiculous-yet-catchy "Friday" video (over 80-million hits and still counting!).

Speaking of spoofs and social media, here's an example of how to make an interesting travel video, using a mixed of photographs and video clips from the iPhone. A day before my recent trip to Bali, a particular homemade Lionel Richie missing person poster made its viral rounds on the internet, delighting people everywhere. It surely did put a smile on my sad face when I saw it. Needless to say, the headline of the poster quickly became the catchphrase of the trip and inspired a few of us to make this silly video with it.

The video was made possible with the following apps: 8MM (video) + HIPSTAMATIC (still) + iMOVIE (editor). Of course, this video wouldn't be half as entertaining without the star quality of a certain cute and hilarious Nadia. Come to think of it, it was she who showed me the Lionel Richie "Hello" poster in the first place.

So here's my little pointer:
1. Choose a story to tell other than the place you're at. Let the place you're in stay as lovely as the backdrop its meant to be.
2. Pick a few interesting and relatable subjects to talk about (food, friends, trees, animals...etc) and focus your video around it.
3. Edit it with idiot-proof video editors like iMovie or Splice. My favourite would have to be iMovie since it comes with Themes which acts as perfect visual glue to hold all the bits and pieces together.
4. Upload it instantly on your blog, youtube or even Facebook.

It is a great way to remember the trip by and I look forward to making more entertaining travel videos and I sure hope to see one of your creations soon too.

Have a good Monday now.

Restaurant Sek Yuen, Jalan Pudu KL: Forever Young

2011-02-16T08:33:00.049+08:00

My gong-gong (maternal grandfather), left his home in Southern China and arrived in Malaysia at the beginning of World War II because of poverty and a lack of job opportunities. He believed that life in another country would be much better than staying put in China. His hope to provide his large family with a more comfortable life was, however, met with great disappointment. Like himself, many other workers who fled the motherland had to endure plenty of inhumane working conditions, physical abuse by employers and laborious working hours.

But over the years, with hard work and determination, he landed a job with the prestigious Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and worked his way up. By then, my mum who is the youngest in her family was already in her late teens, his family was now living a very comfortable lifestyle. Gong-gong, I was told, believed that the best way to spend his hard earned money was on food and his favourite restaurant was Sek Yuen in Pudu. He would spend many of his days and eventually becoming friends with all the workers and customers. He would treat his family to many feasts and attended countless weddings and birthday banquets at this now iconic restaurant. Oh, what a fabulous time it must have been for this over sixty years old restaurant.

These days, its grandeur is no where close to its former glory as Kuala Lumpur's most celebrated Cantonese kitchen. However, walk beyond its depilating retro facade and be enthralled by their long-forgotten recipes which have stood defiantly against the city's modern landscape. Even the antiqued stoves in its cavernous kitchen are still fired up by chopped wood. Nowadays, they don't make restaurants like they used to anymore.

Mum tells me that every Chinese New Year, she and her siblings would help grandfather slice up fresh ingredients for their reunion Yee Sang - using a recipe he has learned from the his friend, the master chef, served with of thin translucent slices of raw wan yue seasoned with a combination of sesame and cooking oil, pepper, Chinese 5-spiced powder, fresh ginger slices and lime juice. The lady preparing the Yee Sang today carefully mixes the fish with the seasoning using the back of the chopsticks so she wouldn't puncture the mackerel slices.

Customer favourites like the Kah Heong Chai Choi (loosely translated as Family Home Mixed Vegetables) and Kwai Fah Tan, a crab meat omelette which resembles a giant osmanthus flowers, requires a lot of kung fu (skills) from the restaurant's brigade of elderly kitchen staff uniformed in white Pagoda tees over white shorts.

If you would like to savour on either one of the restaurant's signature crispy Pi Pa Duck with a dreamy plum sauce or the fork-tender, Pat Poh Ngap (braised duck stuffed with 8-treasures like mushrooms and various types of nuts), do remember to call and order ahead.

Simple pleasure comes from every day dishes like Stir-fried Kangkung (Water Convolvulus) with Beef and Sweet and Sour Pork. So flavourful we ordered two portions each and lick the dishes clean. Rice here is slow-cooked over wood fire and the result is a fragrant aluminium bowl of fluffy white rice.

On occasions like the Lunar New Year or a birthday banquet, they conjure up the special Lap Mei Fan (assorted waxed meat rice), an aromatic dish using the same fluffy white rice tossed together with onion caramalised in pork lard that drives everyone insane and craving for more.

I never really got to know my grandfather, he passed away before I turned two. So I am grateful that Sek Yuen's cooking hasn't changed much and has provided a way to connect with gong-gong through his favourite dishes here. I'd like to think that I've inherited his love and passion for food. And I've definitely no qualms sharing his favoured restaurant with my friends and visitors alike.

Today, the restaurant is runned by the third generation with not a younger face in sight. Who knows what the future holds for them. For our sake, I really wish for the sun to never set on Sek Yuen. But from the look of things, nightfall is inevitable and one day this charming place will vanish into the dark and its dishes will remain a nostalgic memory. Here's hoping it wouldn't be soon.

***

Sek Yuen Restaurant
313-1, Jalan Pudu
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-92229457 / 03-92220903

Malabar Palace, Hartamas Shopping Centre: A Hot & Spicy Friendship

2011-02-14T08:29:00.016+08:00

I'm not sure if I've told you this before, but my bestie (not to be mistaken with the BFF) and I have a strange anecdote for a bad day. We'll meet up, rant and numb ourselves with a blistering huge dose of Indian curries. Indian food is like music, if made right it is a symphony of taste. Each dish has its own intricate beat and rhythm, like the fleeting strum of the sitar or drumming of a tabla, as the flavours hit our palate. Food is, after all, the music to our bellies and calms the soul.

Our love affair with spices may not have been very long nor noble, but Indian cuisine enjoys a special place in our hearts. The very first meal I've ever had with Lis was an Indian one. Back then we were just two odd and uncool (or were we just too cool for the other wannabes in designer-labeled jeans?) strangers forced for company. It was lunch and nothing fancy. We had roti telur with fish curry at a mamak stall just around the corner from our art college. I can't remember if we've eaten them with extra onions or sambal, but I remembered we had a good time poking fun at the other weirdos in our class. That would be the start of many more Indian-inspired breakfasts, lunches, tea breaks, dinners and suppers shared over the next 2-years of our miserable lives studying there. After college, we've each set out on our own ways to opposing sides of Australia, and never really kept in touch.

It wasn't until I was back in Kuala Lumpur a couple years later, through the advent of ~~Facebook~~ Friendster, that I found a silly picture of her pushing a shopping cart down the streets of Melbourne and wearing a humiliating hoodie. Very salah (wrong) and un-glam on so many levels. At that moment, I knew I had to save her from any future embarrassment on social media. To my delight, we met up and picked up like old times. We had fun but I gave her an ultimatum. She had to choose between that ridiculous profile picture or future spicy dates with me. Suffice to say, the picture has now vanished along with Friendster and we continued our long tradition of bitching and curries. Although these days it seems a little harder to do so, she's married and I've a partner who's spice-intolerant, but we'd jump at the opportunity whenever we can.

This time our hot session brought us to Malabar Palace in a dark and tiny corner of Hartamas Shopping Centre. The ambience is nothing as regal as its name suggest, but the food is definitely laced with gold here. Our first taste of the vegetable chutney with finely chopped up French beans, carrots, and bittergourd confirmed everything we've ever read about this nondescript Northern Indian restaurant. We wiped the shot glass clean with a basket of paper thin pappadams before any of the starters arrived. Next, the Chicken Tikka Wrapped in Indian Thin Bread was plated beautifully like something off a high-end joint, but its unpretentious prices definitely hold no hint of that fact. Perhaps, the chef's experience working at the Mandarin Oriental and Shangri-la Hotel has something to do with its artistic flair.

We loved the Vegetarian Tandoori Grill that came with a combination of paneer tikka (grilled farmer cheese), chunky cauliflower tandoori (covered with a sour and mildly spicy yogurt marinade seasoned with garam masala, garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper and red chili powder) and bhara potatoes (which is stuffed with dried fruits, nuts and cheese) sizzling on a hot plate. The highly recommended Malabar Palace Special Chicken Curry is an immaculate creation with tender chicken pieces cooked in an ultra buttery and tangy coconut gravy - flavoured by mustard seed and curry leaves. Its rich sauce made the perfect dip for our fluffy Naan orders.

At this point we were beginning to feel stuffed, but as always we would have ordered more than we can chew. Having said that, we also find the portions here slightly bigger compared to most Indian restaurants in town - definitely value for your money. Our lunch was completed with the arrival of the Meen Masala and Aubergine Masala. The former is a sauteed fish dish which is underwhelming compared to what we've tasted so far, while the diced aubergine sauteed in ground spices and herbs was bursting with creamy flavours.

Desserts were definitely out of the question this time around. We've learned to leave some room for sweets when we have another bitch and curry session here in the future.

Like I said earlier, this wasn't an expensive meal at all. Starters are no more than RM10, tandoori and curry dishes ranges from RM15 to RM30 depending on your choice of meat; while the choices of Naan average about RM3.50 each.

And by the way, Happy Valentine's day everyone. May your days ahead be filled with love and everything sweet.

***

Malabar Palace
G-13A, Ground Floor,
Hartamas Shopping Centre,
60 Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +6012-264 5045.
Business Hours: Mall operating hours.

Note: It is best to reserve a table for dinner as there is limited seating available.

Eat Pray Love: 3-Ways to Spend A Romantic Getaway in Western Australia

2011-02-10T07:43:00.009+08:00

Through author Elizabeth Gilbert’s best selling novel, ‘Eat Pray Love’ and its film adaptation starring none other than the gorgeous Julia Roberts, many have been inspired by her journey to three of the world’s most remarkable places; Italy (eat), India (pray) and Indonesia (love). But unlike Ms. Gilbert, many of us do not have the luxury of a book deal or the ability to run away for a year long break just to find ourselves. Given that short vacations are usually the order of the day, the first place that usually comes to mind when I truly need to find my balance, is Perth and the surroundings of Western Australia. The state's extraordinary and vastly diverse regions provide a perfect opportunity for any visitors to embark on their own version of ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ journey, especially for a romantic getaway, all within a single country.

For an unsurpassed culinary adventure, venture into the South West of Western Australia where the famed Margaret River, an easy three hour drive south from capital city Perth, lies.

Chosen as one of the top ten regions in the world in 2010 by Lonely Planet, Margaret River is the perfect location to indulge your gastronomic senses with locally produced sweet treats including chocolate, fudge, cheese, yogurt and ice cream to tantalise your tastebuds. Stop over at the Margaret River Providore and browse its spectacular array of products such as homemade jams, wines, oils, and sauces made from produce in its own vineyards, organic olive grove, orchard and vegetable. Or have a meal with the very same ingredients in its cafe.

The region has over 90 cellar doors and over 200 vineyards, one is spoilt for choice. A few of the most beautiful ones to enjoy a romantic meal are Vasse Felix, Leeuwin Estate, Cullen, Clairault and Xanadu where the flavours of the freshest local produce are perfectly paired with some of the world’s most outstanding wines. Bon Appetit!

After sampling the delicious delights of Australia’s South West, make your way up to Australia’s only monastic town, New Norcia. Just a two hour drive north east of Perth, New Norcia is a tranquil and spiritual town reflecting monastic, Aboriginal and European heritage. Join a town tour to get a look inside the 160 year old monastery or share in the daily rhythms and routines of the Benedictine monks by staying at the Monastery Guesthouse. I'm not too sure about what the abstinence rule in this little hamlet is, but all couples, regardless of their beliefs, will find themselves stilled by the soul of this tranquil community. Time out for some peace and quiet perhaps?

Alternatively, if you are heading back to the state's capital, drop by the Fremantle Prison. This former high security prison's Anglican Chapel is one of the finest and most intact of early prison chapels in Australia. Its foundations were laid in 1855 by inmates, and the chapel was completed and furnished by 1858.

As the centrepiece of the eerie Main Cell Block that faces west over Fremantle, the chapel dominates and anchors the entire prison site. And believe it or not, it is now one of the more unique places for couples to tie the knot. Gives a whole new meaning to the term "lifetime imprisonment" doesn't it?

Finally, complete your ‘eat, pray’ journey by falling in love in (or with) the beautiful Coral Coast. I embarked on an ultimate 10-day road trip to discover the region back in 2001 and never regretted a moment. Some of the pictures featured above were from that said trip.

Embrace the sights at Pinnacles, one of Australia’s most unique landscapes marked by towering limestone spires and Shell Beach, one of only two in the world, formed from billions of tiny shells. I'm sure you wouldn't mind dolphins crashing your romantic early morning date along the shores of Monkey Mia.

For the more adventurous couples, may I suggest an exploration to the magnificent Murchinson River georges of Kalbarri National Park and spend the day either relaxing on a river cruise or packed with daredevil activities from abseiling to sandboarding. Then finally, wind down under the twilight sky at an outdoor cinema watching the latest Hollywood releases before snuggling up together in a cozy tent underneath the stars.

***

For further reading:

I've previously written travel tips post, 5 Fantastic Ways to Spend Your Day In Perth, and a guest post on 10 Things to Do in South Western Australia via Cumidanciki.com

For my food related posts and restaurant reviews on Perth and Western Australia, please click HERE.

You may also want to visit the official Tourism Western Australia website for more information on each region, accommodation and restaurant to help plan your own unique ‘eat, pray, love’ journey. Photo credits: St. Ildephonsus College Chapel and Romancing Wine shots were featured with the permission of Tourism WA.

Erawan Classic Thai & Fusion, Kota Damansara:

2011-02-08T12:35:00.024+08:00

The Thais have been cooking up a storm since the imperial days of our city's muddy banks, and any visit to a Thai restaurant traditionally calls for a colourful spread of curries and tom yum which would set any out-of-towner's heart and tummy of fire. But for many locals, like myself, their gaudy golden ornamented decor has lost much of its lustre and can be a tad boring.

Having said that, every now and again a rare exception emerges. You know, that one tiny little gem which shines brighter than the rest - a valuable commodity in the much diluted and fickled Thai scene. Hidden far away from the city's blinding lights is Erawan, a little cozy place whose creamy curries and sexy salads has been a magnet for those in the know. I obviously did not know until much recently as I always blindly walked pass it countless of times for our regular fix of Hainanese Chicken Rice in the shop next door.

Inside, the typical gigantic golden statues that one regularly finds in a Thai joint are replaced by hand-painted frescos on the wall of birds and trees; huge displays of fresh orchids in warm hues of orange, purple and white; and muted (but nevertheless interesting) furnitures. The only sign of its Siamese lineage is a small collection of mystical figurines and jewelry locked up in a wooden case with glass window standing right at the back of the restaurant. I like how this feels more like a home than a temple or palace with nothing too dramatic to distract your attention away from the real masterpiece - the food.

Each dish is presented exquisitely with artistic respect for lines, forms, colours, texture and layout. Even the colours and patterns of the plates are taken into consideration. A visual delight in every possible manner. The flavours of dishes are also equally as colourful.

We began our meal with the fresh 4-Angles Bean Salad (RM38), tossed with chicken strips, huge and springy squid and prawns, hard boiled egg, crushed peanuts, roasted and grated coconut, crispy shallots and drizzled in a spicy and sweet house dressing. It was a wonderful combination of aroma, texture, crunch and flavours with every spoonful. The ladies enjoyed the Refreshing Pamelo Salad (RM30) very much, which uses only specially selected pomelo from Thailand as the restaurant owners find them sweet, juicy with a slight tangy taste which are apparently missing in the local versions. And for now until the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, Erawan is also serving a special Prosperity Yee Sang with a Thai twist, think more fresh ingredients with pineapples and mangoes thrown in with a special spicy and tangy plum sauce. Unbelievably pleasurable and healthy at the same time.

Curry takes centre stage here with complex flavours and vibrant colours. Our eyes zeroed in on the Soft Shell Crab with Curry Cream (RM42), a unique and dreamy blend of stir-fried crab with curry powder, fresh green herbs in a cloudy and silky egg and chili paste oil sauce. Erawan's Panaeng Beef Curry (RM38) is equally as striking. Not to be confused with the local island north of Malaysia, this is a traditionally prepared dry curry, much like a rendang. The secret behind its oh-so-tender meat is a 3-6 hours simmer in coconut milk. Highly recommended for beef lovers.

Cockles are one of those things you either like or hate. There's not sitting on the fence with these things. I for one never liked them. But there's something in the flavours of the Cockles Curry with Betel Leaf (RM38) that goes so well with the tiny painstakingly de-shelled and boiled cockles that I didn't mind helping myself to a second spoonful of it. Not to be missed are also the Boneless Roasted Duck Curry (RM38), a red curry thats naturally sweetened by pineapple and green apple; and Green Curry with Pure Tinggiri Fish Paste stuffed with Thai Salted Egg (RM32).

Among all Asian desserts, I would rank the Thai's one of the highest. And here, I wasn't let down one bit. The creamy texture of the Roasted Banana is enough warrant a second return, while the Mango Sticky Rice, scented and greened by pandanus leaf, is as always a pleasant to have, especially with an entire fresh mango served up.

The food served here blurs the line between home-cooked flavours with the flairs and service of fine dining. However, while I find the salads and curries Thai-rrific, I didn't particularly find the other dishes that mind blowing or rapturous. The others around the table that evening might beg to differ. Food after all, like all things artistic, is rather subjective don't you think?

The restaurant is run by Anan and Korn, who both believes in serving you the best dishes in the freshest way possible, a goal that has ultimately led to the restaurant's inclusion as one of Asia's finest restaurants in 2010/2011 and voted as one of the Top-5 restaurants in Malaysia by The Miele Guide Asia. So to enjoy a specially prepared meal here, you would have to play by their rules a little by making reservations and pre-ordering your dishes. The main reason for this is that most traditional Thai dishes require a great deal of preparation with regards to the ingredients and Chef Korn is the only one overseeing the kitchen.

A word of caution though, NEVER be late for your booking or ask for sambal with your food.

***

Erawan
No.22-1, Jalan PJU 5/16,
Dataran Sunway Kota Damansara,
47810 Petaling Jaya.
Business Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 6pm to 10.30pm and only lunch at the weekend. Reservations are advised: call 03-6141 2393. The menu is available on their website.

Insta.grub: Chinese New Year Open House

2011-02-07T10:38:00.010+08:00

How is your Chinese New Year celebration coming along? Mine has been extremely colourful and flavourful at the same time. I've been stuffing myself silly with so many delicious goodies in every hue on the Pantone chart. From my mum's cooking to friend's open houses, this is indeed a vibrant time to celebrate.

Who says it is just the season for red and gold eh?

Thanks to @Pureglutton for whipping up a "simple" lunch for us so savour. If the above Instagram is anything to go by, that's by no mean a humble feat. You're truly the Mistress of the Kitchen.

- Posted from my iPhone

Insta.grub: Chinese New Year Food Coma

2011-02-04T11:31:00.004+08:00

It's only the second day of the lunar new year and I'm stuffed like a pig that is ready to be roasted. And from all the tweet and Facebook updates I've been reading, I know I'm not alone. Come next week, I'm sure the gym will be packed with many prosperous and guilty souls since all these feasting started waaaaay earlier than the actual festival itself.

Case in point, Queen Lemon(grass) organised the troop together for something she calls the "Reunion before the Reunion Dinner". And indulged we did on delicious classic Green View dishes like Suckling Piglet, Sang Har Meen (River Prawns Noodles) and of course no Chinese New Year reunion is complete without Yee Sang. We tossed two whole plates on a spinning lazy susan while shouting auspicious phrases. We were so loud, you'd think we're screaming Chinese profanities (choi!) with chopsticks instead. Talk about going over the top!

Now, I'll try to say these in the most gentle Cantonese I know how: Kong Hei Fatt Choy, Sun Tai Kin Hong, Sum Seong See Seng, Chut Yup Ping Onn, Tai Kat Tai Lei and Long Mah Jing Sun. Have a thumping new year ahead.

***

Green View Restaurant
# 6 & 8, Jalan 19/3
46300 Petaling Jaya
Tel: +603-7958 1076
Businee Hours: 11:00am - 11:00pm, daily. They are open all throughout the Chinese New Year period.

Wonton Soup: A Recipe to Cure Homesickness on Chinese New Year

2011-01-31T08:25:00.021+08:00

Chinese New Year is just around the corner and this is traditionally a time to spend with our nearest and dearest. While there are many of us who look forward to the holidays, I also know of just as many who dread spending time with their kins. I am sometimes guilty of this too. We complain about anything from nosy and prying relatives to the lack of wow in our ang pows (red packets) and try our best to make a great escape. But, what we sometimes forget is how lucky we are to be able to be around people who loves and cares for us. For others, the luxury of having their family close to them is a distant memory and the festival is nothing more than just another working day in the country which they now call home.

Such is the life of guest blogger and a dear friend, Msiagirl, who has spent many, many years abroad. I am honoured to share her story with all of you today.

***

Chinese New Year: Away from Home for 27 Years
by Msiagirl

I’ve spent more Chinese New Years away from home now than I remember spending at home at all. Some I’ve let slip away without knowing the date, marooned somewhere without even the possibility of a take-out noodle. I’ve had faithful letters from my mum sent to a vast frozen Prairie, a Long Island suburban wasteland, an Appalachian town, and a Catskill house perched on the side of a mountain. Maybe you get the idea. I like isolated places and I like my solitude. Don’t get me wrong, I adore my friends and I have lots of them, just not all at once. So basically, I never celebrated Chinese New Year and I would read my mother’s letters about how much Ang Pow I’d got from my kind and generous Uncles and Aunties, and about the family dinners and how they had seen so and so at Open House. But I never could really write back about what I’d done that year. In fact, I probably didn’t really know what year of the zodiac it was on the Chinese Calendar. Alilfatmonkey didn’t know he asked me to write a guest blog sob story.

However, I got married and moved to England, and was forced by coupledom to engage in social dinner parties where I’d shyly make some wonton soup for the genteel shire-folk of the small town I lived in. I’d travel up to London to get wonton skins in Chinatown and keep them in my freezer. And if we were entertaining around the time of the 15 days of Chinese New Year, I would carefully request a pound of mince pork from the butcher, and dust off my tin of water chestnuts. You could buy Toasted Sesame Oil in the local Sainsbury’s foreign food section, some Spring Onions and some minicorn (if I was feeling rich). Then I would season the pork with white pepper, soy, sesame, grated ginger. I would add chopped water chestnuts and spring onion and stir it up together. I would take all afternoon making simple triangles of wonton. This is when I would miss my family, because this is when I’d imagine sitting round the table gossiping and making wonton together. A pound of mince pork makes quite a few wontons, so several platters of wonton later, I could dust the flour and the egg off my hands and make the soup. I like to make a shortcut soup - a cube of chicken/veg stock, some shallots, the minicorn and more spring onion, egg drop and another shot of soy and sesame oil, and when it is at a rolling boil right before the guests sit down I’ll drop the triangles of wonton in to bob and float about in the steamy broth. After many “oohs and aahs” down the years, I began to get more confident with making chinese food. Everyone would still ask me what Year of the Zodiac it was: but I bought myself a book to keep track of it.

So for the last few years, when my mother sends me a Chinese New Year card with a picture of the correct Zodiac Animal on it (she now knows how clueless I am) AND the exact dates of the Chinese New Year, I know it is time to plan the New Year Party. Because for the last few years, there’s a core circle of us who gather at my house because I know they miss Asia, or wish to know more about it. M is from Yorkshire but his Mandarin is better than mine as he works in Shanghai and Tokyo, he met his wife R when they worked together in HK in a bank and she works with a Vietnamese company now. B’s grandfather lived in Singapore and wrote a book about Spirit Mediums of the Buddhist Culture and C’s whole family have spent the last 3 years in Singapore, where she painted and drew the rapidly vanishing old houses and buildings, and volunteered as a tour guide at the Peranakan Museum.

We are the flotsam and jetsam of the global village. Any other Malaysians or Singaporeans passing through are invited of course, and the children, whose benefit this is for: spill from room to room dressed in any form of chinese dress we can find in our old trunks and cupboards. My guests bring me decorations for the house: double happiness stickers, mini tangerines, rabbit milk candy. They bring me old maps of Singapore, Vietnamese hats. I begin cooking two days before, buying groceries from the local Asian Grocery (hurray!) and huge bags of rice. I always make my mother’s yellow bean vinegared ribs with crunchy chilli pickled cucumbers, a big slab of salmon in hoisin sauce and black sesame seeds on a bed of very fine shrimp egg noodles, black soy sauce chicken, vege tofu stirfry, yellow sticky rice. I’ve made assam pedas and tamarind shrimp. Sago with gula melaka. We all eat enormously and we are happy together because what we all remember from Asia is the food, and the companionship of eating it. The children leave with an orange and a big Ang Pow filled with chocolate coins leftover from Christmas stockings, sometimes they forget the orange, and they don’t mind the coins are just chocolate.

I’d better look out in the post for my mother’s card soon, and get my big pot out for wonton soup. Plus this year I’ve looked it up, and I now know it is the Year of the Rabbit.

Kung Hei Fatt Choy!

***

Msiagirl's Wonton Soup Recipe
"Make your wonton with as many friends or family as possible whilst having a good gossip about life."

Ingredients:

Wonton
1 packet frozen wonton skins
About 450g mince pork or chicken
3 eggs (whole)
Grated ginger to taste
Soy sauce to taste
White pepper
Finely chopped water chestnuts and spring onion
Finely grated carrot
Finely chopped raw prawns (optional)
Toasted Sesame oil
1 Beaten egg for sealing

Soup
1 pot of water
Stock cube or boil up some bones for stock
Vegetables of choice like some greens which you drop in at the end or more spring onions
and Beaten egg if you like egg drop (optional)

Method:
1. Season mince with soy, ginger, white pepper, sesame sauce. Add the chopped prawn if you like.
2. Add in the chopped vegetables and 1 egg (if you like it firmer, add some cornstarch but I don't). Stir well
3. Get a teaspoon and spoon a bit of meat into a wonton skin
4. Fold edges over to a triangle (or fancier, I don't how)
5. Seal the edges with beaten egg tightly, you will get an idea of how much after a few tries!
6. Get soup water to a boil, add the stock cube. If adding carrots or turnip add now. (If adding green veg, add last)
7. When water is on a rolling boil, drop in the egg if you want egg drop
8. Then, drop the wontons in: the skin turns see-through and sticks to the pork when they are cooked
9. Turn down the fire, put in the green veg
10. When veg is cooked, ladle out in bowls for everyone to share
11. Finally, eat them hot with some Chiu Chow Chilli oil.

***

Msiagirl is a talented poet, aromatherapist, mother of two, a tree hugger and a hippie at heart. She hails from Penang and now resides in some English countryside. But whenever she's back in town, she whips up a gorgeous brunch for all of us. She used to blog a very long time ago on her blogspot site, which is still a treasure throve of her many haikus and poetry. But nowadays she prefers to wax lyrics over Twitter and her photographs on Instagram.

Follow Msiagirl on Twitter or Instagram: @msiagirl

Note: All pictures are from the private collection of Msiagirl with the exception of her picture in her garden, taken by Kenny Mah. Used with permission.

Aik's Asam Laksa and Prawn Mee Stall, SEA Park Market: My Sunless Sunday Fix

2011-01-30T15:11:00.007+08:00

Bah! It's a very wet and gloomy day here in KL today. Where's the sun on SUNday?

Rainy days just make me crave for a stocky bowl of hot soup. Ideally one that is spicy, sour and pack with all the punches. A much needed something that will warm up the body, lift up the soul and make the sun shine from the insides of my belly.

And my remedy for such a day is a good bowl of Penang Asam Laksa, a rice noodle dish with hot and sour soup made primarily with mackerel (ikan kembung) and dried slices of tamarind fruit (or asam jawa keping), the distinguishing ingredient that lends its name to the dish. The fish is poached and then flaked. Other ingredients that gives Penang laksa its wonderful malange of sweet, tangy and savoury flavours and wonderful aroma includes lemongrass, galangal (lengkuas) and chilli. Vietnamese mint or laksa mint (daun kesum), finely sliced cold cucumber, pungent red onion, sweet pineapple, and the pink torch ginger flower or bud (bunga kantan). This popular local dish is never complete without topping it off with a generous amount of hae ko 蝦羔 (petis udang), a sweetish thick and gooey prawn paste that completes the flavours of the dish.

I usually get my fix at the mobile hawker stall in front of the Seapark Wet Market since it's close to my home. This make-shift stall is run by a husband-wife team who also sells Penang Hokkien Mee or what we KL folks refer to as Mee Yoke/Prawn Noodles. Both items are equally good and popular. The wife would usually tend to the Asam Laksa while her husband takes are of the Prawn Noodles. While its nice and cool to enjoy your noodles here on a cool day, it's advisable to pack them home when the sun is shining down brightly. Trust me, you don't want the smell of the wet market to ruin your appetite.

***

Aik's Assam Laksa and Prawn Mee Stall
In front of Sea Park Market
At the corner of Jalan 21/ 17 and Jalan 21/11A
Sea Park, Petaling Jaya
Business Hours: Lunch - 5pm daily, except Mondays.

Insta.grub: Pineapple Tart Woes

2011-01-30T09:16:00.010+08:00

Hi, I'm a Pineapple Tart junkie. These are just crazy good!

I cannot stop popping these crumbly and buttery pastries with tangy and sweet pineapple jam centres into my mouth. I love how they gently away before I pop another one in and let it melt all over again. I know they are meant for the Chinese New Year, but I'm already down to my final few pieces. I don't think they'll last until then. I.Just.Cannot.Stop.Eating.Them.

Donations for Pineapple Tarts are most welcome.

- Posted from my iPhone

Chynna, Hilton Kuala Lumpur: Standard Chartered Extravagant-8 Menu for Chinese New Year

2011-01-26T08:16:00.014+08:00

There are definitely plenty of good meals to look forward to during the Chinese Lunar New Year. It is no surprise given how food plays an important role in our custom - be it to feed the living or to sweeten the spiritual world in hope of a blessed year ahead. Therefore, the Chinese's mad quest for culinary auspiciousness during this time of year is forgivable. And in this highly commercialised world, all of these "ong" usually comes with a hefty price tag, after all nobody should ever be stingy when it comes to the matter of fortune. As the old saying goes, "If small fortune does not go out, bigger fortune can never come in."

Fortunately for some of us, if you’re a Standard Chartered credit card holder that is, the Here For Good bank has organized a special something to help you boost your “wealth” for the coming new year. From now until 17 February 2011, you and a party of 8 can feast away on an assortment of propitiously named dishes at 8 well-respected restaurants around Kuala Lumpur, for only RM888++. That’s a steal considering how much these restaurants usually charge for their regular Chinese New Year set meals.

What's not to be happy about? Lets do a little math shall we?:

1 Standard Chartered bank credit card + 8 superstar chef + 8 top Chinese restaurants + a customised Extravagant-8 Set Menu = 8 smiley faces + 8 happy tummies + great savings + big recognition.

Still no convinced? What if the above equation comes with a chance to win an iPad 64GB wifi+3G*? Now, isn't that just extravagant or what?

One of the said 8 top Chinese restaurants featured in the Extravagant-8 campaign is Chynna at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur. The affable Chef Lam Hock Hin and his team have created a healthy menu that would definitely make you hop into the year of the rabbit with a gusto. No doubt that the season calls for obsessive eating and over-indulging, but the restaurant's array of organic dishes changes that perception without tasting like rabbit food.

A little pre-dinner entertainment courtesy of the resident kung fu tea master had the girls ducking their head to avoid the flying teapot and long snout before they were served the restaurant's signature 8-treaasure tea, which complimented the crispy shredded duck with meat floss appetizer.

The dinner officially started with a newly-designed Yee Sang that contains no fish whatsoever. Instead, you find threadlike organic melon (better known as “Sharks Fin” melon) strips in place of actual sharks fin, tossed together with gold pumpkin cubes and a colourful collection of fruits, heaps of toasted peanut and sesame seed. In an admirable community effort to help preserve our ocean’s bounty, Standard Chartered has taken a stand against the used of any sharks fin in their menus. Perhaps, it was the absence of the usual junk that usually goes into this appetizer or it was the peanuts, but I thoroughly enjoyed the textures and flavours of this Organic Yee Sang very much.

Unlike some of the other restaurants, each dish is pre-plated and served to us individually. In a clever twist to the classic Hot and Sour Soup recipe, Chef Lam adds in a good amount of piquant Korean Kimchi for that extra kick. I’m no fan of starchy soup or Scezhuan flavours to begin with, but this had me begging for more. Quickly, we moved on to the Steamed Canadian Cod with Fishermen sauce. The umami-oozing sauce is made with sweet sautéed strips of onions and mildly accented by dauchi 豆豉 (fermented and salted soy beans), coriander leaves, tiny dried shrimps (har mi 虾米) and peppery chili sprinkles that were neither overpoweringly present nor spicy and draws your attention to the sweetness of the fish. Highly swoon-worthy. The chef informed us that the cod used were of the small scaled version which has a sweeter flesh. All those added zing just made these two dishes very addictive and unique.

While the Stewed Sun Dried Oysters with Fatt Choy served with slow braised peanuts and chicken cubes was slightly on the salty side, I was really happy that we weren't served another platter of boiled brocoli and dried seafood drowned in oyster sauce. The oyster was wonderfully fragrant and HUGE, while the peanut added a nice texture to the dish. Carbohydrate fans would be delighted with the Wok Fried Shanghainese Nian Gao (flour cake noodles) with cabbage and mushroom.

And finally, dessert arrived in the form of Ginger Syrup with Black Sesame Glutinous Dumplings. While the dinner may not seem to be lavished with many dishes, we walked home feeling just nice without the sickly feeling of overeating. A case of quality trumping over quantity.

Special thanks to Chef Lam Hock Hin and Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia for the wonderful evening. And of course to the Lemon for throwing an invitation my way.

***

Chynna, Hilton KL
3 Jalan Stesen Sentral,
Kuala Lumpur.
Reservation Tel: 1-800-80-1818 (Malaysia only) or +603-2264 2264
Business Hours: Sun-Thu, 7am-11pm; Fri-Sat, 7am-1am.

This is the 2nd post written for the Extravagant-8 Menu campaign. Read about Tai Zi Heen @ Prince Hotel's review HERE.

*Note: Standard Chartered is currently giving away the highest range of iPads when you spend RM4,000 or more on your credit card. Check out their website for more information.

T Forty Two, Bangsar Village II: Of Birthdays and Burp-days

2011-01-24T07:53:00.004+08:00

Today, two years ago, was the day when my life as a food blogger truly began. Before that, I was just a boring food diarist. That afternoon, at the newly-minted Delicious @ Dua Residence, I was bestowed upon a new BFF, a future Ah Pa and a fellow monkey comrade all at once. I often look back at that very day as my own birthday. Funny, given that we were actually there to celebrate the 30th birthday of our dear Life For Beginners. But in the end, it was my life that has been given a new beginning and a reason to celebrate.

Today, two years later, and here we are again celebrating Kenny’s birthday with a familiar crowd. BFF’s here and so is Ah Pa. The Devil and McCutie too. My hairy monkey brother may be stuck on the little red dot down south, hopefully sans the cheese now (ask the Diva). But, we are definitely not short on monkeys as Sista Banana and her shiny new manicured fingernails are here to represent. I am very grateful for the people who are seated around the table tonight. No doubt this is a smaller do, in a darker ambiance. More chic, as some would say. And French too, notwithstanding.

I’m sorry for hijacking your tea-for-two with the Queen. I’m sorry to disappoint you with our presence when all you wanted was a quiet night out to sap, rant and whine. I know it wasn't very easy for you to get a date with Her Royal Highness. I’m sorry for all those nights she has turned you down because she had to spend it with me. She is, after all, my BFF now. I’m even sorrier that you figured out our plans and had to give us your best surprised impression when you showed up. I’m sorry I was late, and I didn’t catch any of that fictitious gratitude. Hooplas aside, what I’m really sorry for is not enrolling the Devil nor that Lyrical Lemongrass to your Lying, Cheating, Deception & Deceit for Beginners class prior to the surprise party. Perhaps, you would have thought them NOT to mention about the camera. Imagine how perfect the plan would have worked out.

Actually, f**k that! Let me take all those ‘Sorry’s back. Because to be honest, I’m not sorry one tiny bit. It was a really good excuse to have everybody around the table celebrating another milestone for our friendship. McCutie and I also wanted to pass you last year’s Christmas present, which has now doubled up as your birthday present as well *sniggers*. You are just too impossible to get hold off. Lucky us, the Pope canceled on you (the nerves!) tonight and here we are dining in this casual-chic French restaurant. As if the cosmic stars were aligned, we are here in a restaurant founded and run by the same group of delicious people who cooked our food two years ago.

Despite our epic fail efforts, you put on the warmest of smiles much to our relief. As we break our breads together, you tell us how you realised that you were going to be ambushed. I'm glad you still have your sense of humour intact under that thick romantic skin of yours. Our conversations are as delectable as the Duck & Pistachio Terrine served with cornichon (that’s gherkins in French) and beautiful pear chutney that could have been easily mistaken as apples. I wish I could say the same about the visually enticing Puff Pastry Tart filled with huge escargots sautéed in garlic and parsley butter. Unfortunately, the filling left us cold. Then, tales of how our dear Queen Lemongrass has been recently been reduced to just A Whiff of Lemon had the whole table in stitches, as we pass around the T Forty Two salad - crisp salad leaves and seven seed mix tossed with a tarragon truffle dressing much to everyone’s delight.

The birthday boy made orgasmic faces with every mouthful of his hefty yet tender Veal Escalopes with creamy wild mushroom sauce, served with mashed potatoes; the Devil seems to be enjoying his Linguine with Clams and all its white wine-green chili-oregano-garlic juice at the other end of the table. Perhaps, they were both fantasizing about showering together. I dare not confirm this.

Her Majesty could never say “No” to pampered bovine cheeks whenever they are available. Gamey as this version is to me, our beloved royalty swallowed every bit of her luscious Daube of Wagyu Beef Cheeks with great poised and elegance. More beef came our way in the form of Classic Grilled Sirloin Steak served with French Fries, French Beans and a greenish T Forty Two sauce which I presume is just as French as the rest of the accompanying sides. My Shoulder Rack of Lamb is smokey and charred on the outside and juicily pinkish on the inside, served on a bed of ratatouille and preserved lemons. Overall a decent dinner, but nothing comes close to the evening's stellar company.

In one final stunt to surprise our resident poet, Fatboybakes pulls out his most intricate and decadent cake to date, his homage to the la Cerise sur la Gâteaux – a new trick he picked up at the Academy of Pastry Arts (which is a French baking course too by the way). Kenny’s birthday cake is richly decorated, by Ah Pa's standards this is the equivalent to a Renoir or Monet masterpiece, with layers upon layers of chocolate and bananas. Just no cherries. Not for a grown guy whose cherry has been popped a long time ago. Bananas seems rather apt for the occasion. After all, the birthday boy is surrounded by us monkeys. Queen Lemon included.

Yes, my life as a flogger (as we food bloggers are known to some) wouldn’t be constantly filled with colourful days like these if it wasn’t for Life For Beginners. And neither would would my meals be as memorable. So, I thank the day when he was born because I am now blessed with this wonderful gift of friendship. His birthday, my burp-day.

Happy Birthday, Bro!

***

Read all about Kenny Mah's hilarious account of the same evening HERE.

***

T Forty Two
Bangsar Village II,
No. 2, Jalan Telawi Satu, Bangsar Baru,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: +603-2287 6566

Insta.grub: Toast & Roast, SS2

2011-01-21T15:40:00.003+08:00

Glistening half-and-half (that's half fats + half lean meat ratio) Chinese BBQ pork belly aka char siu. Sticky, sweet, indulgent and eaten with a bowl of springy Hakka Noodles toss in pork lard and minced. Oh, what a glorious Friday lunch it was.

- Posted from my iPhone

***

Toast & Roast
No. 20, Jalan SS2/72
Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel:+6016-682 2249

Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel & Residence KL: Standard Chartered Extravagant 8 Menu for Chinese New Year

2011-01-21T08:25:00.062+08:00

There's no doubt that we Chinese people do not mind a little help when it comes to auspicious matters during the Lunar New Year. The Yee Sang 鱼生 (raw fish salad) is perhaps a dish that is most synonymous with the season because of its "powers" to draw in good fortune. However, prosperity is a classy act and doesn't hangs herself on just anybody. Like Ali Baba, your mission is to decipher her secret code before she reveals her bedazzled cave to you. To save you from the embarrassment of screaming out "Open Sesame" when you partake in the tossing of Yee Sang 鱼生, here's an easy step-by-step guide on what you should actually say to usher in good fortune for the rabbit year:

1. Greet your fellow diners and guests around the table with the main Chinese New Year greetings: "Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财" (wishing you a prosperous new year) and "Wan Shi Ru Yi 万事如意" (may all your desires be fulfilled) when the dish is placed in the centre of the table;

2. Next, squeeze in lemon juice over the raw fish slices and say "Da Ji Da Li 大吉大利" (good fortune and blessings);

3. As you put in the fish slices over the platter of salad, say "Nian Nian You Yu 年年有鱼/余" - a wish for abundance and good fortune. "Fish" and "abundant" have the same pronunciation "Yu" in Chinese. Therefore, fish is always used as a symbol of abundance;

4. "Long Ma Jing Shen 龍馬精神" - the wish of good health and vigorous spirit of a dragon horse (a fabled winged horse with dragon scales in Chinese mythology) comes when you sprinkle pepper over the plate;

5. When the cinnamon powder or five-spiced powder is added, say "Qing Chun Chang Zu 青春常驻" (wishing you everlasting youth and a long life);

6. To grease in more wealth and prosperity, be sure to say "Rong Hua Fu Gui 荣华富贵" when oil is poured over the salad;

7. This is followed by the pouring of sweet plum sauce and a wish of "Tian Tian Mi Mi 甜甜蜜蜜" (may your days be sweet and happy);

8. Sprinkle a mountain of 'golden ingots' or better known as crispy crackers over, obviously the most unhealthy bit of this salad, and say "Man Di Huang Jin 满地黄金" (may gold fall on your feet);

9. And finally, invite everyone to toss the salad with phrases like "Yue Lao Yue Qi 越捞越起" and "Lao Dao Feng Shen Shui Qi 捞到风生水起", which literally means "the higher you toss, the higher your fortune" and "toss until the winds and the waters rise up high as the mountains" for a good year ahead.

If you should find yourself not being able to recall any of the above auspicious sayings, chanting "Big Money, Big Bonus, Big House, Big Car and Big Luck" will probably work just as good.

However, if you are really superstitious and not convinced with my modern chant suggestions, the next best thing is to get yourself a Standard Chartered credit card. You see, in conjunction with this years Chinese New Year celebration, the best chefs from top 8 Chinese restaurants in the Klang Valley have been selected to cook up a storm with a customised Extravagant 8 menus. This first-of-its-kind dining experience is priced at only RM888++ per table of 8 pax as the number "8" is most commonly associated with prosperity in the Chinese culture and you may want to rub some 8 on yourself. But naturally, this prosperous Eight-travagant experience is only exclusive for Standard Chartered credit card holders.

This promotion goes on between 20 January and 17 February 2011. During this period, not only will your gastronomical journey includes somebody to help with the auspicious Yee Sang sayings (all you have to do is just pick up your chopsticks and toss), you will also be treated to free fortune cookies!

Apart from Tai Zi Heen, other participating restaurants in this campaign are: Li Yen @ Ritz-Carlton KL, Shanghai @ JW Marriott, Celestial Court @ Sheraton Imperial, Zing @ Grand Millennium, Gu Yu Tien @ Chulan Square, Elegant Inn @ Menara Hup Seng and Chynna @ Hilton KL.

Special thanks to Standard Chartered and the Queen for the dinner invitation.

***

Tai Zi Heen,
Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur,
Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2170 8888

Huck's Cafe, Jalan Gasing PJ: A Secret No More

2011-01-18T10:40:00.025+08:00

Jerry Maguire used to be a typical sports agent: willing to do just about anything he could to get the biggest possible contracts for his clients, plus a nice commission for himself. Then, one day, he suddenly has second thoughts about what he's really doing. When he voices these doubts in a written manifesto entitled "The Things We Think and Do Not Say: The Future of Our Business" to the applause of his peers, but ends up losing his job and all of his clients. In the now immortalised silver screen moment, before he 'eased out' of the office with a box of his belongings and a gold fish, he mouthed the famous last words,"Who's coming with me?".

I would imagine the scene was far less dramatic for Huck Seng when he decided to throw in the towel on his previous job as an ad man, for something more fulfilling. It was a gutsy move. He then picked up cooking with his spare time (which he then had ample of), posted some food porn on Facebook, then his friends "like" 'em pictures and kept pestering him to cook. And that's how his dinner parties eventually became Huck's Cafe, a secret supper club for his friends. His friends brought in more friends, soon a Facebook page was launched, EatDrinkKL blogged about it and just like that, the cat got out of the bag. Today, one would have to book some two weekends in advance depending on availability (you can try your luck last minute and see if any parties have pulled out on their reservations). Otherwise, weekdays are your best bet.

While the concept (or cult?) of an underground home bistro has been steadily growing in popularity, operating outside the realm of official restaurant in places like London and other many other American cities, where small groups of food-minded strangers gather at long tables to meet others and eat well. Although Huck's Cafe is designed in this fashion, different group of diners would have the luxury of their own table in the upper floor of his suburban home in Petaling Jaya. Opening his doors to only about 15-20 people every night, Huck lovingly prepares and cooks all the dishes himself with the help of two kitchen staffs.

In an awkward case of you didn't had me at "Hello", the Mushroom Tom Yum Soup was a weird concoction of vegetables and mushrooms swimming in a diluted fish sauce broth. And brocolli, really? Clearly a false start. His hearty Cream of Mushroom, however, wowed everyone else and cleared our doubts. Our first sight of the handsome chef was when he brought out a foil package to the table. He cut it open with a pair of scissors to unveil tender pieces of chicken breast marinated with thyme and white wine baked with potatoes and 5 types of mushrooms. He called this dish "Sealed with a Kiss". The famous Cottage Lamb Stew Pie was delectably sweet and peppery with chunky lean meat hidden under a mountain of baked mashed potato. Every bite was a screaming "Show me the Money!" moment. I like the taste of his Grilled Lamb Chop with Pepper sauce, but my friend found it to be too undercook for his liking. So, remember to specify how you like yours done. Your meal comes with desserts and a hot after-dinner drink too, just make your choices on the day itself.

While Huck's cooking will not blow your mind off, it will definitely touch the heart simply because his food is soulful and bursting with homemade flavours - qualities lacking in run-the-mill restaurants. I'm so glad I've made my way here enjoyed every little bit of my time dining at this 'secret' supper club. Oh, what a discovery!

***

Huck's Cafe
Reservations and enquiry can be made only through Facebook.

Insta.grub: Indomie Supper

2011-01-17T23:10:00.001+08:00

Some nights belong to the warm company of a plate of Indomie Goreng and a cloudy poached egg.

Good night, everybody.

- Posted from my iPhone

Sambal Hijau, Kampung Sungai Penchala: Green, Green (Nasi) Padang

2011-01-13T11:48:00.025+08:00

Taman Tun Dr. Ismail may be the default haven for Malay food and restaurants around Petaling Jaya. But let me tell you this, in a case of the grass is greener on the other side, cross under the Penchala Link underpass and you'll discover many Malay eateries there that would make TTDI residents green with envy. Even Muhibbah, one of city's most loved no-frills Halal Chinese restaurants has given their stamp of approval by moving on to the greener pastures of Kampung Sungai Penchala recently (read Masak-Masak's blog on their relocation).

Sambal Hijau is one of the few gems I've come across here. I have the cooking guru, Rohani Jelani, to thank for highlighting this Nasi Padang-styled place to us. I've no idea why it has taken me this long to actually step inside for a meal, but I'm glad to finally put my procrastination aside and paid them a visit.

Lord knows how much I would have missed their tasty beef rendang that melts in your mouth, swathed in rich rempah (spices) and sitting on a bed of rice that has been doused with a concoction of kuah (gravies) from all the various Padang dishes. Green herbs and vegetables in form of ulam, a perfect foil to the richness of the curry dishes, eaten with the restaurant's namesake sambal hijau (green chili paste) - a tangy and mildly spicy cilantro, garlic, green chilies pesto with a bitter aftertaste from the pea eggplants - will have you double dipping your cucumber sticks like there's no tomorrow.

It was hard to keep count on how many delectable dishes they have exactly on their long spread. The only thing that could rival its length was the impatient queue behind me as I took my turn in scooping up (and photographing) the dishes from silver square trays. I acted like a kid in a candy store when faced with their equally colourful array of crab curry, chicken curry, beef rendang, masak lemak sotong (calamari curry), sambal kerang (chili cockles), gulai urat lembu (beef tendon curry), prawn sambal, fried chicken and fried fish in sambal, kerabu pucuk paku (fern and herb salad), and many more.

Ikan Bakar (grilled fish) lovers will be pleased to find choices of grilled ikan terubuk, ikan kembung (mackerel) or ikan keli (catfish) are made-to-order. While many swear by the sweet and bony terubuk, I've always preferred the velvety catfish whenever I have Malay food. They are great eaten with the accompanying dips of kicap manis with shallots and cili padi, sambal with the shallots and cili padi. Though the three types of dips are to be eaten with different types of fishes, I just put all three into my plate and sweat it out.

One other appetizing favourite that you musn't miss is the nenas masak lemak ikan masin - a light turmeric, galangal and chili curry flavoured with fried salted fish bones and contrasted with sweet pineapple slices in a milky suntan gravy which you MUST flood your rice with. The secret is to take loads of the pineapple and not touch the salted fish one bit. Don't forget the crispy ayam goreng rempah (spiced fried chicken), sambal bitter gourd and brinjal and the kerabu pucuk paku too!

I have to stop myself from describing more about the food here because I can still go on forever. So to cut the story short, just bring an army of friends with empty stomachs and give any dish that catches your eyes a try. Chances are you will not be disappointed and it is kind to your wallet.

***

Sambal Hijau
#2990 Kg. Sungai Penchala, Jalan Damansara
Tel: +603-7725 3259
Business Hours: 6:00am - 2:00am (almost 24-hours)
Directions: If you’re coming from LDP or Bandar Utama or 1Utama, take the Penchala Link Exit 1101A and keep left, then take Exit 2317 and turn left into Kg Sg Penchala at the traffic lights. Make another left as you approach the second set of traffic light and the yellow-coloured Masjid Jamek Taas. Sambal Hijau is located next to the mosque. You may park at the open lot next to the restaurant.

Ad Hog, Sunway Damansara: Angry Birds' Victory Dinner

2011-01-11T08:18:00.038+08:00

With over 50 million downloads across all platforms, Angry Birds may perhaps be one of the greatest runaway hits of 2010. If you've been buried inside a fat hole like some of 'em pigs in the game all through last year and have no idea what I'm blabbering about, then here's what you need to know. Angry Birds is a puzzle video game, in which players use a slingshot to launch a flock of birds attempting to retrieve eggs that have been stolen by a group of evil pigs. To cut the story short, here's a little background of this never ending feud.

The popularity of Angry Birds have also spawned references on television shows throughout the world. Israeli comedy show Eretz Nehederet (in English: a Wonderful Country), one of the nation's most popular TV programs, featured the Angry Birds in a hilarious mock-up peace treaty sketch. The skit satirized the recent failed Israeli-Palestinian peace attempts. The video quickly went viral across the world.

And, to take it all a step further, here's my version on what happens after that event. These "Fowl" Birds continued to fight for the freedom of their precious eggs from the trotters of their green porcine arch-enemies. As of last Christmas, they have won the battle... at least until Rovio releases the next limited edition seasonal specials. And to celebrate their victory the now Happy Birds headed straight for the pork-iest of restaurants around, Ad Hog!

Complimentary Pork salad - a refreshingly crunchy kerabu-like salad with a tangy dressing binding strips of greens and orange with chunky pork belly slices. I can't help wondering if it would have tasted better if the pork belly were fried and crunchy. Food for thought.

Enchiladas with pork – now, this was good. Like really, really good. We had two of these warm rolls stuffed with pork chili.

Babi Guling - this was not how I remembered the famous Balinese roasted pork dish to be. Yet, I find Ad Hog's lemongrass-spiced tender pork strips version to be addictive. By the end of the meal, we doubled up on the portions. Perhaps, it was the magical sambal at work too or the fact that it was just RM16.90 - an incredibly great value for its portion. Whichever the case was, I wouldn't mind returning just for this. Available only during lunch hours.

Chicken Pogs – Deskinned chicken thigh meat with sausages hiding under a layer of bacon exterior contrasted with a sweet berry (and balsamico?) sauce. The pigs must have really gotten under the Angry Birds skin really bad for them to be dressed in bacon! This was a clear favourite around the table.

BBQ Ribs – Smothered with cummin and slightly charred, albeit flavourful especially with the accompanying salsa, the rack could have been meatier and juicier.

Ad Hog is definitely a hole in the wall sorta place where you wouldn't be able to find it unless somebody points them out to you. There is no doubt that this is truly a porklicious restaurant. Sam, the owner is an experience pork master, so you'll be in good hands dining there. He is also very hospitable and funny. However, do keep in mind that all these come with a hefty price tag too. My only regret was not ordering the to-die-for Roast Pork a day before. So, remember to call before hand if you intend to sink you teeth into the creamiest and crunchy pork belly or I've been told. I'll return again for the Babi Guling and a taste of that Roast Pork soon. OK, I'll have the Chicken Pogs as well. Gotta save some money to splurge on them cute Angry Birds plush toys *sniggers*.

***

Ad Hog
25, Jalan PJU 3/45
Sunway Damansara
Kota Damansara, Selangor.
Tel: +6019-312 1922 (Sam)
Business Hours: Closed on Mondays

Zuan Yuan, One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya: Spring Awakening

2011-01-09T08:15:00.045+08:00

In the cycle of things, the end of a year is followed by a new beginning. The Chinese lunar calendar pinpoints the dawn of spring as THE time for renewal and the beginning of a new cycle. This can be any day in the first two months of each new Gregorian calendar, and this year it falls on the 3rd February.

This joyous event has been referred to as the Spring Festival (Chunjie), the Time of Beginning (Yuanchen), and The First Day (Yuanri). Mostly, it's known simply as Chinese New Year. Each new year signifies a turning point in the lives and fortune of the Chinese people - a compelling reason to celebrate. The slate is wiped clean; starting afresh, untouched and brimming with hope and endless possibilities. It is everybody's wish to start off the year well, a desire matched equally by the Chinese love of tradition, symbolism and ritual. Not to mention food too.

The season of gastronomic extravagance commences with a family reunion dinner on New Year's Eve. Every member of the family is present for the grandest feast of the year, except for married daughters who will be with their in-laws. Auspicious messages flow trough the table with the presence of pork, chicken, duck, "treasures" from the sea such as oysters, abalone and sea moss - all combined in winning formulas to attract wealth, luck and success, and are served in abundant quantities for the coming year.

The days of slogging days away in the kitchen are far and a few these days as many restaurants and hotels caters for such events. And to help usher in the year of the Rabbit, One World Hotel's Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant has prepared a wide plethora of auspicious dishes and set menus for anyone seeking such conveniences. Through the invitation of Bangsar Babe, the foodies grouped together and had a noisy time catching up and feast as any regular family would.

It is customary for Chinese restaurants in Southeast Asia to start their menus with a colourful and delectable platter of raw fish salad. The Yee Sang 鱼生 is considered an auspicious dish as the term used for mixing the salad together sounds almost the same as the words "increase in abundance, prosperity and vigor" in Cantonese. Traditionally the dish is made with slivers of fish, turnip and carrot strips mixed in with a sweet and tangy sauce. Zuan Yuan's version had added seaweed and assorted fresh fruits for a healthier bite. And since this was (mostly) everyone's first toss of the year, we screamed out various "auspicious wishes" (吉祥话 or Jíxiáng Huà) on top of our lungs while we toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks. It is believed that the height of the toss reflects the height of the diner's growth in fortunes, thus diners are expected to toss enthusiastically.

Diners at the hotel's restaurant will be spoiled by their lavish set menus which have been specially curated by their very own Executive Chef Michael Chew. We managed to sample the crispy Roasted Duck with Unique Spicy Sauce, a specialty by the chef I was told, before moving on to the plump Wok-Fried Tiger Prawn Hong Kong Style. These freshly fried crustacean were topped with addictive bits of dried shrimps, which reminded me of heh bie sambal. Don't tell anyone but I quietly consumed about a dozen of these springy babies.

The Steamed Coral Fish with Pickled Radish and Chili was served together with a beautifully plated Braised Dice Sea Trasure, Dried Oyster and Sea Moss in Golden Bag with Green Garden. While the latter dish name may be a tongue twister, a bite into the golden bag (which was a tofu skin pouch stuffed with diced sweetened tofu and vegetable) would pleasantly appese even the most discerning of tongues.

If pork lovers need any push to dine at this Halal Chinese restaurant, then let it be their version of Lap Mei Fan (assorted waxed meat rice). A parcel of fluffy rice steamed in lotus leaf and perfumed by fine kosher preserved meat, which includes a special turkey liver sausage, from Hong Kong no less. Talk about pulling out all the stops. Given that pretty lasses were the majority at our table, the chef brought in an impromptu dish in honour of their beauty. Double-Boiled Consommé of Chicken with Chrysanthemum. No offense to his beautiful gesture, but thankfully the soup tasted way better than how grotesque the dish looked. The meal ended with a Double Boiled Sea Coconut with Organic Bird Nest, Red Dates and White Fungus accompanied by a warm piece of Katafi Fillo filled with Deep Fried Avocado Custard and Homemade Niangao. Niangao, or New Year's Cake, is a staple offering as its name rhymes with "higher year" connoting the attainment of hopes and ambitions. No doubt the meal ended on a high note too.

***

Special thanks to Florence and Crystal of One World Hotel for hosting us. All the dishes above are selected from across the restaurant's festive set menus, and they are available at different periods in the next two months.

I. Appreciation Set Menus
3 specially created sets priced from RM888++ per table of 8-10pax, available from now until 31 January 2011. Add on 2 bottles of organic red or white wine for RM120++ and menus are available for lunch and dinner.

II. Prosperity Yee Sang
4 different Yee Sang, with choice of Seaweed and Assorted Fresh Fruits, Salmon and Shredded Sweet Turnips, Chuka Hotate (scallops) and Jelly Fish or Sliced Abalone and Snow Pear. Priced at RM55++ per half portion and RM110++ per full portion. Available from 21 January 2011 onwards and also available for takeaway.

III. Auspicious Lunar New Year Set Menus
3 set menus starting from RM988++ per table of 8-10pax. Available from 1 February to 20 February 2011.

***

Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant
One World Hotel, Ground Floor
First Avenue, Bandar Utama City Centre
Petaling Jaya
Tel: +603-7681 1159 for reservations/enquiries.

alilfatmonkey Featured on UKTV's Good Food channel: Atul's Spice Kitchen Malaysia

2011-01-07T08:33:00.024+08:00

Somewhere late last year, I was featured on UKTV's Good Food channel along with @agentcikay from Cumi & Ciki in a program called Atul's Spice Kitchen Malaysia. This is the very first time that alilfatmonkey has ever been on TV.

"Look mum, I look silly on television!"

Double Michelin-star chef Atul Kochhar traveled the length and breadth of Malaysia to explore our diverse traditional cuisine that has been, for generations, influenced by Chinese, Indian, European, Thai and Arab flavours. Throughout the recording of this series, he met up with many local food producers and chefs (yes, Chef Wan too!) in a bid to learn how all of these flavours have fused together and helped shape our repuation as a global food paradise.

Many of us in this part of the world may not be familiar with chef Atul, but back in London he is known as a master of spice and has been credited for redefining Indian cuisine in his Benares Restaurant, in Belgrave Square. As with this monkey, this was also the chef's very first TV presenting role.

The series was first aired on UKTV’s Good Food channel from 24th October 2010. Check your local guides for the repeats in the future. I've been told it has been syndicated to go on for the rest of the year too. And through the advent of technology, I am thrilled to find the episode (episode 2) that we were on posted for the world to see via youtube (thanks tehriddlers, whoever you are!).

Thank you to Elizabeth and the team at Denham Productions for including us on the series.

Celestial Court, Sheraton Imperial KL: A Taste of 2011

2011-01-06T11:46:00.027+08:00

Back in November last year, wine enthusiast and food lovers were shown a new experience by the team of Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur. This was my first time attending, thanks to Ah Pa who invited us lesser mortals to one of their legendary entertaining events. By us lesser mortals, I meant me, myself and I because the other blogger who was also invited, Aly, is way up there with the popular angels.

Guests were given a preview of what to expect from Celestial Court in 2011, the hotel's extravagant Chinese restaurant, which serves some of better Halal Cantonese cuisine in the city. I used to visit the restaurant on a weekly basis for its Dim Sum. I hardly noticed that it was halal at all.

It was good to be back in the restaurant and this time it was for a different experience. For the new year, the restaurant will offer a more exclusive and somewhat more Western dining concept with more wine pairing menus in the pipeline and individual servings instead of the traditional communal dishes laid out on a lazy susan. That evening, our dishes were served with beautiful South Australian wines from the Clare Valley where Taylors were attracted to nearly forty years ago for the sole purpose of growing world class Carbanet Sauvignon. Since then, the Taylors family has passed down generations of winemaking secrets in order to produce the best wine from that region.

The culinary team of Celestial Court enticed diners with a celebration of 6-course Chinese dinner which started with pre-dinner hors d'ovres, huge and plump steamed prawn dumplings (har gao) and the piping hot deep fried seafood balls with molten cheese. The crisp and light Taylor's Estate Savignon Blanc 2009, was perfect for with the light tasting seafood dishes and actually remained one of the table's favourite throughout the evening. The dinner opened with the trio of Duck and Bamboo Shoot Salad, Crispy Roasted Duck with Plum Sauce and Steamed Fish Cake which was beautifully presented and accompanied by the sweet and easy Taylor's Estate Clare Riesling 2010.

More seafood came in the form of Pan-fried Scallop and Crab Dumpling with Stuffed Bitter Melon in Black Bean Sauce. Pretty much a high-class yong tau foo with a nice piece of perfectly cooked scallop. The accompanying Taylor's Estate Chardonnay 2008 left me dry and so did the next course of Chili Marinated Cod Fish with Miso Yellow Pepper Jus. Well, actually the stogy sauce didn't do much justice to a perfectly cooked cod. I would have enjoyed it more with a simple superior soy sauce and nothing more than a little coriander garnish.

Lucky for us, all of that were quickly forgotten when the exquisite Braised Oxtail Consomme La Mian was served. I love the texture of the noodles and how flavourful and wholesome this clear broth was. Easily the best dish of the evening. The dish was paired with the Taylors Estate Pinot Noir 2008 and a refreshing citrus sherbet, heavily perfumed with passionfruits, cleanse our palates for the next course, Hakka-styled Slow Cooked Lamb Neck with Sticky Rice wrapped in Lotus Leaf. By then I was too saturated to say what the Taylors St. Andrew Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 tasted like. But if it was anything like the lamb, it was tender and flavourful as the rice. Too bad I was really stuffed by then and couldn't take in anymore.

Lastly, the meal ended with a delicious interpretation of local desserts, Kuih Koci Pulut Hitam and Teh Tarik Ice Cream. What a nice way to end the meal I'd say.

This wine pairing menu was specially crafted by Executive Chef Ho Boon and his team and was priced at a valuable price of RM188++ per person.

Special note: Celestial Court is currently closed for renovation and will re-open from 17th January 2011 onwards to usher in the year of the Rabbit. Thanks to the generous Fatboybakes for extending the invitation and Cindy and Evelyn of Sheraton Imperial for graciously hosting us.

***

Celestial Court
Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel
Jalan Sultan Ismail
Booking Reservations: +603-27179900 ext. 6988
Business hours:
Lunch - Celestial Court serves dim sum, a la carte and set menus for lunch daily from 12 noon til 2.30pm on Mondays – Saturdays, 10am – 2.30pm on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Dinner - Celestial Court opens from 6.30pm til 10.30pm, 7 days a week.

Home + Food: Now, This Is Love

2011-01-03T08:23:00.012+08:00

I've been told that there is no real recipe for making love (pun not intended). Apparently, it usually just happens (again, not intended). But whoever said that is a fool. Love can be made (seriously, get your head out of the gutter). I knew that even from a young age. And it usually starts from the kitchen. The older generation have thought me to embrace the alchemy of cooking and its magical power to bring people together, to nourish not only our stomachs, but to also bring us joy and feed our souls. That is the true way to a person's heart, and the seed to all that is love.

I may know my way around the kitchen, but I'm definitely not gifted with the talent to wax saccharine poetry out of candles. So, I took the liberty of adapting a dear friend's lovely post for your reading pleasure in the following paragraphs.

***

This is me, realising you are the kitchen that I do not run. This is you, the recipes we hold, the dishes that we have made. This is us, the beans running through our hands, the perfume of fresh herbs in our noses, the visions and the flavours of everything that we may dare cook. To not risk is not to live, they tell us; yet to risk is danger without caring enough first. We try to make a lasagna, a delicious sauce threaten to take forever, yet two hands assembling it is greater than the sum of only one.

These are four different families, whose pretty plates have been emptied out. Cold and stained no matter how clean they stand, how empty. But turn up the heat and warm the pots; these meals can be cooked again, bigger and tastier. Our hearts the same, our tummies larger.

These moments, these time, last not forever, shall fly like winged doves. These are sacred, as though blessed by the Heavens above. These are LOVE.

***

A celebration of company: Home-cooked steamed fish with superior garlic sauce, stir-fried cabbage, spicy pineapple prawn, and sweet pork belly in dark sauce served over steamed white rice prepared by the one whose kitchen doesn't smokes and has the most efficient 'dishwasher' to clean up right after dinner. We finished with a quick mango royale dessert in front of the idiot box.

A celebration of tradition: Pot luck means that everybody bring something to the red-clothed table hoping for no clash in dishes or food poisoning after. We stuffed ourselves crazy with roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, crackling roast pork, McCutie-safe non-spicy sweet pumpkin chicken curry, roast chicken wings, penne aglio olio, oven roasted courgette & carrots, sourdough bread, Oprah Winfrey endorsed Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownie, and the new sherbet flavours courtesy of Magnolia before the Christmas gifts exploded out of their wrappers.

A celebration of kinship: A new year's eve tradition 3-years running where yours truly cooks for the Chuyeo clan. This time we had lychee & citrus salad with Greek dressing, Chinese-style fried chicken parcel (ji bao gai), farfalle genovese, and Mama Chu's tender Portuguese pork chops with little leftovers for breakfast. For desserts, I made Donna Hay's peach & lemon pannacotta for the first time. Was kinda grainy but nobody died and we all made it to 2011 safely!

A celebration of beginning: New year, new beginnings. Ever more so for the new parents as we gathered to welcome their new addition to the family. Beautiful baby Madeleine's full moon party was a traditional feast of red eggs & pickled ginger, ginger and wine chicken, fried glutinous rice, steamed turmeric glutinous rice, chicken curry, spring roll, fried noodles, stir-fried greens and a colourful spread of Nyonya sweet cakes. Oh, how could I have forgotten to mention the fantastic roast pork too. Congrats Paprika & Mik!

P/S: A huge thanks you to all for inviting us into your lovely homes and celebrating the last couple of weeks with us. And special thanks (in advance) to Mr. Mah. *wink* You know I love you, bro!

It Has Been A Pleasure: Hennessy Appreciation Grows Gastronomy 2010

2010-12-31T14:48:00.023+08:00

I don't know what it is exactly that made me wait until the very last day of the year to post this up. It's been well over 4-months since the event. I don't know if it was the traveling or the back-to-back projects at work, or was it that I simply just fell in love with Instagram and forgotten about the rest of the world. But in some ways I'm glad to end the year with one of the best and definitely the most memorable eat-perience of 2010.

By now the specially erected gastronomic pleasure "dome" has already been taken down. At the height of its 6-days event, it was a sensorial wonderland for all who were privileged enough to attend. Up until then, I've never seen so much black drapes covering a place that didn't look like a funeral. This was far from it. It was like a dark fortress of solitude that rose from nothing. Yet, there we stood at its entrance in awe of it all (where did these come from?), walked down its red carpet (the only red we ever saw the entire night) and thus began our journey to a night of appreciation with Hennesy X.O and the finest X-treme Chinese cuisine, masterfully created by Hong Kong's Michelin-star chef Alvin Leung. It was a visual feast when the other gastronomes of the high living showed up in full regalia too.

First up at Appreciation Grows Gastronomy 2010 was a tasting session of the Hennessy X.O luxurious blend guided by the handsome Regional Brand Ambassador Arnaud Mirey. The house of Hennessy are masters in the art of blending fine aged cognac eaux-de-vie (clear, colorless fruit brandy that is produced by means of fermentation and double distillation) and has been creating fine cognac for seven generations since 1765. This heritage and savoir-faire has earned their fine cognac a worldwide following and appreciation, making them the world's number one cognac and one of the world's most sophisticated spirits.

Our gastronomic journey continued deeper inside the spectacular dining room under a dome of lights, awash with a dazzling 360-degrees visual projection that magically changes before every course was unfolded.

It was a fine and fitting hommage to centuries-old recipes perfected through centuries of innovations, the controversial chef Leung created this avant garde feast of over six courses which began with the molecular-spectacular Glass Garden, made with baked morel "soil", dehydrated enoki "plant", braised caterpillar fungus and green onion puree. Next came the Har Mi with a perfectly executed crouton of carabinero, sauteed capellini, roasted cherry tomatoes and deep-fried sage. After a serving of the Palate Fantastique, pan-fried foie gras with meticellulose and xantana, diners were presented with the Kukomi Intrigue. The latter was an indulgent and buttery dish created from boiled chicken stock, sous vide egg white, foie gras and julienne truffle.

The next course was the Wagyu Wonders, the chef's specialty of sous vide wagyu striploin and black truffle in a pan-fried cheung fun. Unfortunately for me, I didn't understand the Eastern Ascent which was served at the end of the meal. This dessert was definitely unforgettable with kikorangi blue cheese, milk, cream and dried longan granita which left a bad taste in my mouth. However, it was a blessing that chef Leung decided to create an impromptu petit four of Tiramisu laced with cognac nonetheless made the sweet ending to a deserving meal.

Each of the dish above complemented the distinct taste of the premium cognac. A sip of Hennessy X.O together with the dish produces a fuller sensation. During the course of the dinner, we were also given the opportunity to taste the smooth and delicate Ultra Limited Edition Mathusalem created by the house's master blender and secret keeper, Yann Filloux.

In his thank you note, Managing Director of Moet Hennessy Diageo Malaysia, Mr. Frederic Noyere, likened chef Alvin Leung's culinary achievements with the creation of Hennessy's fine cognac saying, "Leung's dedication to perfection mirrors our own. Just as he has spent years perfecting his craft, refining age-old recipes for the modern palate, the brand has evolved over centuries to create the world's finest and original X.O from the Cognac region enjoyed by the most discerning."

***

It's a relief to finally post this up. Special thanks to my BFF, Queen Lemongrass who extended the invite over on behalf of MILK PR and Moet Hennessy Diageo Malaysia (formerly known as Riche Monde Malaysia). I hope I've not let Her Royal Highness down with this late entry.

On that note, I'd wish everyone a safe celebration as we bid farewell to 2010 and usher in 2011. Happy New Year!

A Page from My Shanghai Diary: The Wandernut Trails

2010-12-28T23:47:00.062+08:00

It's about time I complete my series on Shanghai. And there is no more appropriate day to do this then on the final #TravelTuesday of 2010. My trip to the Paris of the Orient wouldn't have been so enjoyable if it wasn't for a friend of mine. Actually, she's a friend of a friend and a friend of another friend who has up to June this year lived in Shanghai. She's now back in KL, but we've still not met up before. So to thank her, I'm dedicating this post to Ms. Wandernut, whose comprehensive 11th hour guide showed me the city through her eyes. It almost felt like she was there with me. Thanks W!

***

Day-2: The French Concession

[Click on this link if the slide show doesn't show on your browser]

This is the most enchanting neighbourhood in all of Shanghai. And not to mention the most pedestrian-friendly too. As I strolled through its narrow streets under the canopies of closely planted trees, I found myself taking the pace down a notch or two just to take it all in. It is possible to spend days here indulging in nothing more structured than aimlessly wandering, nosing down alleys and peering into courtyards of tidy town houses, smart apartments blocks and religious structures. All of which were built between the 1920s through 1940s in every imaginable style which modern architects could dream up.

Shanghai has also the highest concentration of art deco buildings in the world and this neighbourhood is without a doubt the art deco home of China. Between the Time Out city guide's Deco Dawling and Wandernut's notes, I managed to spend a whole entire day just exploring this charming four-square mile section of old Shanghai. At the end of the day I rewarded myself at Yu Massage (1-hour feet massage and 1-hour body for only RMB156).

Wandernut's powerpoint guide pointed towards Jesse 41 for a real Shanghainese experience. A brilliant recommendation on her part. Over the years, the restaurant has also been voted by many local and international magazines as THE place to go for a sweet local meal. It's a little on the pricey side though.

Lunch @ Tonkatsu 176, Jiaozhou Lu (near Beijing Xi Lu) 胶洲路178号 (靠近北京西路)
Dinner @ Jesse 41, Tianping Lu near Huaihai Lu, 天平路41号, 近淮海路
Rejuvenate @ Yu Massage, 366 Wuyuan Lu 五原路

Day-6: Tian Zi Fang 田子房

[Click on this link if the slideshow doesn't appear on your browser]

I personally think the Tianzifang trumps redevelopment projects like Xintiandi for the fact that nobody has to be evicted to make space for more monstrous projects.

While walking down the maze of narrow lanes at Taikang Lu ('Art Street'), cosmopolitan Shanghai was the farthest thing on my mind. At a glance, this area is a colossal mess of old and refurbished local styled brick houses known as shikumen - once an architectural symbol of old Shanghai. But upon a second look, the faces of local residents and their homes starts to surface between their commercial neighbours. The area still holds an old charm that isn't fictitious or recreated. They live harmoniously together with the new elements. And all of which deserves a second glance and our appreciation.

At the heart of Taikang Lu are many art studios and galleries, which feature local contemporary works of design, painting and photography. This area has also been home to many artists seeking a reprieve from the threat of demolition of artist's villages and communities by property developers in the last decade. There are also many local boutiques as well as other quirky small business mixed in with laid-back cafes and bars, which draws in the yuppies, fashionistas, designers and expatriates to this bohemian utopia. I would have gladly spend all my days here exploring every nook & cranny.

In the words of Wandernut: MUST NOT MISS THIS PLACE!!

Lunch: New York Style Steak & Burger, No. 22, Lane 155 Jianguo Lu, 建国路155弄22号
Coffee/Hot Chocolate: Kommune, Bldg 7, 210 Taikang Lu, 泰康路210号7号楼

Day-7: Puxi & Pudong

[click here to view the Huangpu slideshow if the video doesn't appear on your browser]

The Bund (or Waitan 外滩 to the Chinese) grandly skirting the Huangpu river, is the cities signature skyline since the days of yore. This historical 2 kilometre-long waterfront, with its magnificent line of grand buildings which housed some of the world's biggest financial institutions, cemented Shanghai's standing as not only Asia's leading financial and commercial centre by the the late 1920s but also the region's only international city then.

I left the visit to The Bund until the very end with a good reason. I didn't want to get high on the city's hedonistic lifestyle before I could appreciate its lows. True enough, when strolling down the grand dame in the height of summer seemed a little too hot to handle, I quickly checked myself into the highly profiled M-on-the-Bund (my first choice Mr & Mrs Bund is only open for dinners on weekends). While the food here is fine, it wasn't exactly as mind blowing as its excellent service and marvelous view for a weekend brunch - of which I found to be very reasonable at RMB258 for three courses. If the weather wasn't hot, I would have loved to sit on the balcony as I raise a pinky and toast my demure porcelain cup of tea to the majestic view of modern China across the Huangpu.

Speaking of Pudong, I headed over in the late afternoon. I made my way to the Super Brand Mall 正大广场 and went straight to the food court in the lower levels in search for some egg tarts. I had half a dozens from Lillian's Cake Shop a few days back on Nanjing Road and I've been craving for more since. I was told they were widely available across the city. I took these with a cup of ice tea to the promenade area below the Oriental Pearl Towers for a front row seat to watch the sun set behind The Bund.

Finally, the day ended on high note. I went up to the observation aisle, a stomach-churning glass bottomed walkway, on the 100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Centre. No doubt the view of the Shanghai's 20-million lesser mortals from up there was priceless.

Brunch: M on the Bund, 7/F No.5 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, 中山东一路外滩5号7楼
Snacks: Lillian Cake Shop (main outlet) 988, Nanjing Xi Lu 南京西路988号

***

The complete Pages from My Shanghai Diary (shot in hi-contrast)

Day-1: The Dumplings of Shanghai

Day-3, 4 & 5: Food at the Shanghai World Expo 2010

Day-8: An Unexpected Breakfast Loaf and Fuxing Park

Daikanyama, Changkat Bukit Bintang: One Year Later...

2010-12-27T12:38:00.037+08:00

Wow, what can I say? It's been a year since I last blogged about this little watering hole in the thick of the hottest street in KL. But why do I sound surprised at the sound of a year passing by so quickly?

I remember coming in here for a review with my blogging buddies Cumidanciki and subsequently celebrating AhPa's surprise birthday party here. I've also returned a few time over after that. And then, II dropped the place like a hot potato about 7 months ago. Why? I felt I knew it's monochromatic red-tinged menu too well and quite frankly, I was bored of the food here. Do not get me wrong, the food here is excellent as what I have written before. However, I'm a guy who enjoys variety and after a while, I can't deal with the same taste over and over. There were only so many Today's Specials they could come up with until I became bored. So I stopped coming.

Then out of the blues, an invitation came our way to try the new menu offering from Daikanyama. On one hand I was stoked that they are launching a colourful new menu, but on the other a little doubtful since I've heard rumours of a recent management changed. I didn't know what to expect. All of that was dispersed when a familiar friendly face came into the dining room. It was none other than the friendly master chef Edwin Yau. He quickly went round the table and charmed his way with everyone else before introducing the new additions to the menu, which includes:

- Moo Beed Teri salad - a healthy appetizer with salad greens and grilled beef cubes.

- Soba with Prawn salad - salad green with chunky tempura prawns and sobar served with a velvety sesame dressing. Lovely stuff.

- Nasu Dengaku - grilled eggplant with sesame paste. The magical thing about this dish is the use of toasted white sesame on one half while the other is sprinkled with black sesame instead. It's amazing how these subtle acts make a whole lot of difference. Definitely a favourite

- Mini Scallop Pizza - here we see Edwin rehashing the restaurant's specialty dish by swapping the shredded mushroom and meat topping with scallops and inoki instead. The yumminess has been escalated another notch.

- Lamb Yakitori - Nothing comes better to these lambs grilled over fired with nothing more than salt and pepper. Every bite was ecstatic, the meat was awesomely juicy and tender to the bone. A MUST order.

- Salmon Truffle Oil Tataki Maki - Well, this isn't exactly a new item per se. It was just never officially on the previous menu. I love how he went, "Nah, your favourite-lah" when he served it up. It's true, this aburi-styled (surface is torched) salmon laid on a bed of truffle oil infused mash potato and topped with crispy garlic bits has been on my order list since he introduced it. Can't go wrong with this.

- Chawan Mushi with Smoked Duck - I've never been a fan of chawan mushi but this combination of silky smooth steamed egg custard with slices of bacon-tasting smoked duck has sure gotten me smitten.

- Unagi Tofu Age - This was almost a molten tofu dish. Deep fried breaded tofu with a buttery yet smokey grilled eel filling and served with a special garlic sauce.

- Soft Shell Crab with Salmon Maki - A neo-sushi if there ever was one. Crispy soft shell crab wrapped with a slice of raw salmon topped with mango and a special sweet and spicy sauce.

- Saikoro Steak - Pan fried beef cutlets with Wafu sauce.

- California Cheese Maki - A more traditional sushi rice roll with crabstick, avocado, cheese and eel

Overall I was glad to return to Daikanyama for a taste of what they have to offer in the coming year. The quality of the food churned out by his efficient team in the kitchen has been very good and is still the main reason why I will keep on recommending them when it comes to neo-Japanese restaurants. Staying consistent and current in the volatile food business world, where restaurants, chefs and wait staff come and go like a came or musical chairs, is an admirable quality. Edwin also shares with us that the restaurant plans to hold monthly theme-menu where his team will push the boundaries of Japanese-fusion cuisine even further. I can't reveal too much but do follow their facebook page for more details.

Thanks to Edwin, Rudy and Shermaine for the invitation. A special thanks to NY recommending me (ok lah, I ruv you too).

***

To read my previous review of Daikanyama, click HERE

***

Daikanyama
42, Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603 2141 0323

Merry Christmas To All...

2010-12-23T12:17:00.003+08:00

To all our foodie friends who have shared countless of meals and made wonderful memories with, we would like to wish all of you a blessed Christmas. And may all your Christmas be filled with lots of yummy delicious food and laughters.

And to all readers of the blog, happy holidays to you too.

Lots of love,

Qwazymonkey & McCutie

Note: all bad sweaters were generated using the Sweater-izer app for iPhone.

Sunday Roast, Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur: T'is the Season to be Roasty

2010-12-23T08:48:00.001+08:00

Every Sunday afternoon, many British families sit down together to indulge on a veritable feast of roasted meat served with an accompaniment of roast potato, mashed potato together with Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, vegetables and gravy etc. It is a tradition with a long pedigree.

This tradition is also popular in some countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Other names for this meal are Sunday dinner, Sunday lunch, Sunday tea, Roast dinner, and Sunday joint, joint being a word that specifically refers to the joint of meat.

How it all began...

So, what is the big deal with the British and their roast on Sundays? Why only wait until Sunday? Why can't they be like Malaysians and feast on roasted chicken and crackling roasted pork all they want, whenever they want to.

Well here's a little history behind the meal. It seems the tradition started a long, long, long time ago. In medieval times the village serfs served their masters for six days a week. Sundays however were rest days, and after the morning church service, serfs would assemble in a field and practice their battle techniques. They are then rewarded with mugs of ale and a feast of oxen roasted on a spit.

It is also believed, according to the ever reliable wikipedia, that this tradition survived because bakers could not bake bread on a Sunday (anyone knows why?), so their ovens would be used to roast meat. The meal is often comparable to a less grand version of a traditional Christmas dinner in these cultures.

These Days...

The tradition has continued on as technology allows the meat to be put in an oven to roast on a timer before the family goes off to church and be ready to eat when they return.

AND, at the Ritz...

No other brand of hotel says luxury quite like the Ritz-Carlton. And when they decide to feature the timeless tradition as the star of their weekend, you can be sure that they pull out all the stops. Every Sunday, between 11:30am to 3:00pm, the intimate and cozy Lobby Lounge with its warm rosewood walls is turned into a feasting salon. Unlike most hotel's weekend buffet, this session was surprisingly very relaxed. I say this because at most buffets there would be a throng of families running and screaming around, and ugly people with their maids fighting for food. It's completely the opposite here. Everyone is well-dressed, good looking and a splendid model of high society. There wasn't a single child in sight. And seats were well-spaced out giving patrons more room to breath and talk in their own private space.

The spread here, despite being smaller by most conventional hotel standards, is extensively made out of fine quality food. We were enthralled by the appetizer bar that was gloriously decked with oysters, springy prawns, lobsters, an assortment of cold cuts, gazpacho, grilled vegetables with balsamico dressing, stuffed loaves, an artistic display of terrines and unlimited amount of pan-seared foie gras with portobello mushroom. In the salad corner, you can freshly tossed your own Caesar Salad in a giant hollowed out parmesan mould and add as much anchovies, sundried tomatoes, parmesan shavings, garlic crisps and grated truffle as you want.

Sounds a lot like Fatboybake's heaven doesn't it? And I've not even mentioned the wonderful array of cheese from around the world, fresh sushi and sashimi, and freshly baked bread loafs to be eaten with none other than Echire butter of course.

We had to keep reminding ourselves to make room for the mains, we are after all here for the roast. You have a choice to choose any one dish of either beef, lamb, fish or turkey (since it's the holidays season). The superstar would have to be the aged Black Angus prime ribs. Select your choice cut - rare, medium or well-done and watch the chef skillfully carve it by the side of your table and serves it with delicious Yorkshire pudding, stewed cabbage, and roasted kipler potatoes. And like any self-respecting Sunday roast, the beef is drizzled with a gravy made from the meat and marrow jus.

If you choose the fish, you'll get an assembly of salmon flakes, savoury rice, egg and creamy sauce baked inside a light and fluffy puff pastry. We were told that this is a traditional Scandinavian dish. It is served with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and beetroot. Unfortunately, the lamb and turkey wasn't as interesting for me as the others though.

It is funny how whenever we say that we cannot possibly eat any more, we find ourselves stuffing our faces with desserts like we have an extra stomach. Actually, I'd highly recommend that you to bring an extra stomach for the sinful offering of cakes and pastries, macarons, toffee apples and other sweet offerings. There's even a dedicated chocolate table with a chocolate fountain! Willy Wonka has nothing on the people at Ritz-Carlton.

Speaking of them, here's HUGE thank you to one Mr. Oliver Ellerton, the Public Relations Executive at the Ritz Carlton for spoiling us with such a big feast.

***

The Lobby Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur
168, Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur, 55100 Malaysia.
The Sunday Roast is served between 11.30am and 3.00pm every Sunday and is priced at MYR 130++ per person.
For enquiries/bookings, please call +603-2142 8000.

Delectable Treats by Su, Pavilion KL: No Tricks, Only Treats.

2010-12-19T12:03:00.000+08:00

I know it is cliche to say how quickly the year is coming to an end, but that's the truth. 2010 has swift by in the quickest manner and memories of what has happened in the year seems blurry to me now. I can't recall much before October. Thankfully I have this blog to look back and remind me that I actually do have a life outside work.

Speaking of hard workers (I'm glad I'm not the only one in this rut), I'm sure Su of Delectable feels the same about the year of the tiger too. After a year of building a name for her physical store in The Gardens and charming her way into our hearts with her line of cupcakes and other goodies, Su took the plunge and launched her second venture in Pavilion KL. On top of that, orders for her exquisitely made-to-order designer cake have been flourishing to a point that I hardly get to see her sunshine smile for lunch or coffee anymore these days. Lets not even mention the playdate, which I have a feeling isn't happening anytime this year. Bah!

OK I'll cut her some slack now. We did finally manage to meet one afternoon recently. The thing is we both happened to be in the same mall that day. She even gave me a private tour of her new shop. This was actually a good thing as I missed my chance to do that or hobnob with celebrities at its opening party. I was busy attending my own birthday party then.

Honestly, Delectable Treats as a shop isn't much compared to her cake studio at the Gardens. Despite a smaller presence the store is pack with its own punches. Just to differentiate the two shops, Delectable cake studio concentrates on designer cakes, and Delectable Treats concentrates on its namesake: treats! Here you will find every shelves and nook stock with her trademark cupcakes and merry men cookies, while adding a whole new repertoire of new goodies like chilled layered desserts, multiple tiered cakes, loafs of layer cakes, chocolate cakes and cheese cakes. My favourite new thing has to be the Oatmeal & Raisin cookies which comes a Delectable blue tin with an air-tight lid! There's even jars of Happinuts on sale.

Her new concept store also sells other non-food items like aprons printed in the trademarked Delectable yellow strips, cute jelly purses with specially made pins of characters like Lulu and Teddy. Makes perfect stocking stuffers don't you think? Specially created Christmas gift sets are also available, that comes in a Yellow Tin Bake ware set (pink whisk, gingerbread and Xmas tree cake mould) with matching Delectable apron and mitten.

Delectable Treats is in fact a dream come true for the bubbly Su, whose world is often filled with rainbows and butterflies (with the occasional rain and floods too). She once dreamed of a place where she could make everyone happy with goodies from her family's kitchen and a host of sweet treats. And here she is now, making and selling items which she has grown up with and things she has invented to feed her housemates back in Sydney. Makes me wonder what life might have been if I have met her during her Uni days.

I know, I'll be A-Damn-Fat-Monkey.

Actually, being her friend these days isn't all that bad either. In fact, it is a real Treat. She often shares her favourite new discoveries in a mall with me (like ChaTime bubble tea and Brotzeit, but that's story for another time) and we go off in search of many benda bodohs together. These little pockets of adventures with little-miss-sunshine here always bring out the little kid in me.

***

treat noun /triːt/

1: an especially unexpected source of joy, delight, or amusement;

2: something special that you do or buy for yourself or someone else

***

Delectable Treats by Su
P6.03.00 Pavilion KL Mall (next to Times bookstore),
Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603 2144 5157

Full menu of all available goods are on the official website.
And read the untold story behind some of her items in Delectable Treats on her blog.

Hot, Cheap & Greasy: My Ultimate Penang Street Food Guide

2010-12-17T14:38:00.004+08:00

I spent the last weekend working up in Penang. *groan*

My only consolation was being able to indulge in some of the world's greatest street food feast ever. *yippee*

I stuffed myself really good and I did it for every meal each day I was there. *hooray for the tastebuds, but boo for the expanding waistline*

And not only did I come home with the knowledge and memory of new-found places to eat, I returned with a few new friends from this northern island too.

Penang, thanks for feeding me well.

After days of torturing my friends and followers with my endless stream of instagrams and tweets, here's a full list of everything I've managed to wallop on this trip. This has got to be one of the best Penang's street food trails ever. Eat and be merry!

*My only regret is not having enough space in my stomach for some nasi kandar. But I hear there's an awesome one in Lebuh Chulia called Nasi Kandar Beratur (literally translated as Nasi Kandar with a Queue). Can't wait to return and try this. Tell me what you think if you have tried it before.

***

Low Eng Hoo coffeeshop
Perhaps more on the pricey side, but this goggle man's Char Kway Teow (fried flat noodles) is full of wok hei (breath of wok/fire power - an essential quality in Chinese cooking) and tasted excellent. For that price you also get 3 large pink and springy prawns, a couple slices of lap cheong (Chinese waxed sausage) and a handful of tiny cockles stirred into the noodles and served on a plate laid with a piece of banana leave. A few steps away in Kafe Heng Huat is where the previous goggle wearing CKT seller has set up her own place. Food's still good, but you just have to bear with her pricing and her I'm-all-that attitude.

Add: Lorong Selamat, Georgetown, Penang
Business Hours: Mornings til late afternoons

Sungai Pinang Foodcourt
The concept of a Bali-styled foodcourt complete with huts isn't exactly revolutionary, but do make your way here for some unique treats which is not often synonymous with this island. Try the silky smooth Grilled Aubergine with Garlic, Grilled Salt & Pepper long beans, Belacan Fried Chicken, Salted Fish Fried Rice and a mee jawa like Prawn Noodles (not to be confused with Penang Hokkien Mee)

Add: Corner of Jalan Sungai Pinang, Penang
Business Hours: Lunch and Dinner til late.

Anba Coconut Trading Pte. Ltd
Cool yourself down and quench your thirst the natural way. Enjoy the refreshing and sweet fresh coconut water in Abu Siti Lane. This row of pre-war shophouses is THE place to go to for coconuts and they have been trading here for the last 20-over years. You get to choose from regular coconut to the sweeter and more fragrant pandan coconuts (frankly I have no idea how the sweet aroma of screwpine leaves ended up in these coconuts but it's oh-so-good!) and even coconut jelly. What I love most about this place is scrapping the translucent young coconut meat with a piece of its shell.

Add: Lorong Abu Siti, close to corner of Burma Road
Business hours: 10:00am to 7:00pm. Closed on Sundays.

Seng Lee Cafe
This has definitely got to be my favourite breakfast place in all of Penang. I come here for the authentic taste of its Mee Mamak (Indian-Muslim styled fried yellow noodles). Watching the uncle toss the noodles in a gigantic cauldron is a show by itself, and beautifully coating them with egg, tofu, mixed vegetables, tomato sauce and the magic ingredient - a spicy cuttlefish sambal. Damn syiok! This mee mamak stall has been operating for generations and is believed to be the birth place of the dish. Across the lane, one can also find a good grilled roti bengali (to be eaten with sof boiled eggs) and a smokey turmeric-infused pork satay vendor that serves them with a special sweet potato sauce.

Add: Corner of Jalan Burma and Lorong Bangkok, Pulau Tikus, Penang
Business Hours: 8:00am - 630pm. Closed on Mondays.

Pulau Tikus Market
Next to Seng Lee, this is another breakfast favourite of my mine. This is where I will get my Asian-styled pancakes fix. First is the traditional Indian Apom that's baked in a claypot over charcoal at Swee Kong Coffeeshop at the corner of Moulmein Rd and Burma Rd. Be enthralled by the skills of the pancake maker and his heat-proof fingers as he whip them up. The apoms are crispy and flaky on the side while the middle is thicker and pillowy. Then go across towards a mobile stall parked outside Kwai Lock Coffeehouse a crispy Apam Balik. This version is like a thin and crispy crepe filled with your choice of fillings. I always stick to the original roasted peanut, sugar and corn combination.

Further down the street is a push cart selling Ban Chang Kueh located in front of Queensway. Here is where you'll find a thicker and more chewy version pancake that's slow-cooked in a hot iron flatpan, once again over charcoal fire. Once ready, you'll find its generous amount of crushed peanuts and brown sugar filling oozing out with every bite. All of these are best eaten when hot. So dig in as you move along the street.

Also, if you are curious as to how Putu Mayam are made, there is a stall here that do just that. Even my local Penang friend was fascinated by it.

Add: Along Jalan Pasar, Pulau Tikus, Penang
Business Hour: Most stalls operate from 7:00 - 9:30am.

Kafe Sea Pearl Lagoon
A well-hidden and modest looking seafood restaurant located behind the Tai Pak Koong temple and beside the sea overlooking the north channel. Its modest cooking methods have also resulted in the popular Salt-baked Prawns and Baked Crabs that is both smokey and bursting with the flavours of the sea. Do order the excellent Fried Spring Chicken, Or Chien (Oyster Omelette) and the best fried spring roll I've ever had. Thanks to gorgeous CK Lam for revealing this place to us and for her wonderful company.

Add: 338 Mukim 18, Tanjung Tokong, 10470 Penang.
Business hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm
GPS Coordinates : N05 2748.8 E100 1828.9

Goodall Cafe

This not so little food hawker centre is located opposite the Penang Chinese Girl School. Visit it for its famous Assam Laksa, which had us ordering seconds upon slurping its delicious broth. Or perhaps it had something to do with the rain that evening. Also worth trying there is Lobak (pork rolls), Char Kueh Kak (fried carrot cakes) and Mee Jutawan (which is a crossed between Hakka noodles and Wantan noodles).

Add: GoodAll, Jalan Gottlieb, 10350, Penang

Business Hours: Dinner til late.

Kimberly Street Hawkers

When night time falls, I love to drop by here for a a bowl of Duck Koay Chiap. For over 30 years, this particular stall has been selling its famous combination of mixed stewed "spare parts", which includes anything from duck meat, duck blood tofu, pig ears, pig intestines and an a hard boiled egg. And all of these are eaten with koay chiap which is a kind of flat and thin square noodles, its texture is similar to koay teow but slightly thicker. I'm not a real fan of innards but the rich soup and noodles is what I'm really after. And that heavenly chili paste that comes with it. Also, do try the Char Kway Teow and Penang Chee Cheong Fun here. They are both really ho chiak (hokkien for tasty).

Add: Junction of Jalan Kuala Kangsar and Lebuh Kimberly, Georgetown, Penang

Business Hours: Appx 7:00pm - 11:30pm

Restaurant Kapitan

Lebuh Chulia is known for its Indian Muslim community and this restaurant is one of the many located in this area often referred to as Little India. Strategically located at the corner, locals flock this restaurant in the late hours of night to soothe their hankering for Chicken Tandoori and Cheese Na'an. But it is their

Susu Badam that has gotten the restaurant on my Must-Return-to-Again list. Thanks to CK Lam once again for pointing the place out, we got to savour a cup of warm cow's milk cooked with saffron, cardamon, cinnamon, almond, raisins, sugar and cashew nuts. It was the most comforting and smoothest combination a milk can ever be. Guaranteed to give you a good night sleep thereafter. So much for calling it "Energy Drink Booster".

Add: 93, Lebuh Chulia, Penang

Sim Kin San coffeeshop

The entire island may be bombarded with the tagline "Penang Famous Hokkien Mee", but this is one place where that claim is not an exaggeration. Zero in on Ah Soon Kor Har Mee stall that's located at the front of the shop for a bowl of noodles drenched in a stock that is thick and rich with prawn flavours. For RM1 extra you'll get roast pork added in, or you can go straight for a premium bowl which is topped with roast pork and fried mantis prawns for only RM5! That's a steal by Penang's standards. Another thing worth mentioning is the Fried Pancake stall, where fluffy traditional western pancakes bits are "fried" with an egg, raisins, almonds and loads of butter. What an indulgent way to sweeten your meal here.

Add: 168 , Jalan Rangoon, off Jalan Mcallister, 10400, Penang

Business hours: 7:00am - 2:00pm. Closed on alternate Mondays

Apong Guan and Apom Chooi

This two stalls are located no 20metres apart from each other. Both kiosk looks rather similar and they both sell the same banana pancake which our childhood memories are made of. Heck, these two stalls are operated by two brothers, who sadly after a family squabble, are no longer in good terms with each other. Guan is the more popular among the two due to his friendly nature. It's a joy to see him wearing a genuine smile while making these pancakes. He even talks and entertains his customers who normally have to wait about 25-40mins. You see, he can only make 9 of these fragrant banana filled coconut pancakes at a time and topped them up nicely with a spoonful of creamed corn just before they are ready.

The atmosphere around Chooi's stall on the other hand, is more sombre. He is less chatty and looks more serious. He pays good attention to his apoms though. The truth is, as much as they claim that their recipes aren't the same, nobody can really tell the difference. Really. Only perhaps on an off day, Guan's version may come off a little eggy and Chooi's can be a little burnt. But if I have to brave traffic and parking around these area, I guess a friendlier face will help make my day brighter.

Add: Push carts along Jalan Burma, in front of shophouses close to Union Primary School

Business Hours: Appx 11:00am - 8:30am, closed on Sundays.

An Evening with Anna Olson: Caramel Banana Cheesecake Recipe

2010-12-10T07:44:00.001+08:00

Recently, 30 lucky customers had a chance to hob nob with Asian Food Channel's star chef Anna Olson at an intimate and exclusive session organized by household and professional use appliances giant, Electrolux.

Chef Anna Olson, on her very first trip to Malaysia as part of her Southeast Asia tour, graced the newly opened Electrolux concept store in Kota Damansara and treated all guests to a baking demonstration. She made none other than her signature dessert, the Banana Caramel Cheesecake. Now, which monkey wouldn't just perked up and paid attention upon hearing that right?

Anna was kindly assisted by the emcee of the evening, Ms. Xandria Ooi, who was still glowing radiantly from her wedding day. Talking and stirring bananas at the same time, she really takes the multi-tasking host role to a whole new level.

The both of them danced around the kitchen effortlessly as they went on chatting away like old friends while Anna puts the cheesecake together. We were regaled with funny cake disaster stories making her seem more human than her sugar goddess title makes her out to be. She was warm, she generous with her tips along the way, and told us how much she loved our Gula Melaka throughout the entire course of the demonstration.

A big thanks to Fatboybakes for hooking us up on this wonderful event. Since I've had front row seats that evening, let me share that experience with some videos I took and edited with my handy iPhone 4 *sniggers*

***

Banana Caramel Cheesecake (Makes a 23cm cheesecake)
Recipe by Anna Olson

Crust
12 crunchy oatmeal cookies
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Banana layer
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon rum or lemon juice
3 firm bananas, sliced

Cheesecake filling
910g cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
seeds from 1 vanilla bean
5 large eggs

Caramel topping
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon corn syrup or lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease the bottom of a 23cm springform pan and wrap the outside of the pan in foil.

To prepare the crust: In a food processor, pulse oatmeal cookies with pecans to an even crumble. Add melted butter and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom of prepared springform pan (not up the sides) and bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool while preparing bananas.

To prepare the bananas: Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and brown sugar, stirring until melted and bubbling. Stir in the rum or lemon juice and add bananas. Stir just to coat and warm. Pour into cooled crust.

To prepare cheesecake: Beat the cream cheese until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Add sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition. Beat in butter and vanilla bean seeds. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour the cheesecake batter over the caramelsied banana layer in springform pan. Place springform pan into a baking dish and pour hot tap water around it to come halfway up the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees Celsius and bake for another 30-40 minutes, until filling puffs up slightly around the edges but still moves a little in the centre when shaken. Remove the pan from water and allow to cool for 2 hours before refrigerating overnight.

To prepare caramel topping: Combine sugar, water and corn syrup or lemon juice in a pot. Bring to a boil without stirring and cook, uncovered until it turns a rich amber colour. While cooking, occassionally brush down the sides of the pot with a brush dipped in cool water. Once sugar has reached desired colour, about 7 minutes, remove from the heat and carefully stir in whipping cream (watch out for the steam and bubbling). Return to medium heat and simmer until reduced y a third, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Chill until thickened but still fluid about 15 minutes. Pour caramel over cheesecake and chill completely. This can be done up to 8 hours before serving.

To serve: Run a knife carefully along the inside of the pan to loosen, remove pan and slice with a hot dry knife.

*Note: recipe was blatantly lifted off Masak-Masak's blog. Thanks Boo!

Friedchillies Annual Foodsters' Award Winners 2010: Love Your Street Food Campaign

2010-12-05T16:25:00.010+08:00

When it comes to street food, nobody knows them better or make them better than the Malaysians. It's no doubt a biased opinion. I know some might argue that it's Thailand or, God forbids, Singapore. But there is no argument that a local plate of greasy Char Kway Teow, fluffy Roti Canai, fiery Nasi Lemak, lard-ladened Hokkien Mee or even a bubbly cup of Teh Tarik are the first things that come to mind each time we return home from any excursion away. Nothing calms us or make us feel more at home than the food that's out on the streets.

Which is why I highly admire the guys and girls behind Friedchillies for organizing the annual "Love Your Street Food" campaign with the aim of recognizing dedicated street food vendors for all their hard work and putting up with extreme conditions just to feed our hunger. Call it a KL street food hall of fame, call it the people's choice awards, it's no doubt that a campaign like this is much needed. Somebody needs to tell these hawkers that they are loved and cherished. Food enthusiasts gathered in numbers, nominated and voted for their favourites. The climax of the 2-month long campaign is the Annual Foodsters' Award, where the winner of the best vendor in each categories were announced.

Best Pisang Goreng - SS2 Goreng Pisang Stall
Nominees: Azmi Pisang Goreng, Mr. Chiam's Stall in Brickfields

Best Satay - O Mulia Satay
Nominees: Hj Samuri, Satay Malaysia

Best Crabs - Fatty Crab
Nominees: Nong & Jimmy Thai Seafood, King Crab

Best Nasi Lemak - Village Park
Nominees: Tanglin, Nasi Lemak Famous

Best Kopitiam - Yut Kee
Nominees: Sin Seng Nam, Chawan

Best Assam Laksa - O&S, Paramount Garden
Nominees: Mark's Assam Laksa, Alisan Laksa

Best Maggi Goreng - Stevens Corner
Nominees: Nasi Kandar Bestari, Lotus Family Restaurant

Best Roti Canai - Valentine Roti
Raju's, Restoran Kayu Nasi Kandar

Best Char Kuey Teow - Aunty Gemuk FAM
Nominees: Restaurant Soon Leong, Restoran Seng Lee

Best Chicken Rice - Restaurant Satellite Chicken Rice
Nominees: New Ipoh Chicken Rice, Nam Heong

Best Burger - OM Burger
Nominees: Burger TTDI, Jackson Burger

Best Banana Leaf Rice - Kanna Curry House
Nominees: Restoran Sri Nirwarna Maju, Vishal Chettinad Mess

Ribuan tahniah diucapkan kepada semua pemenang! A heartiest congratulations to all the winners, but in my eyes, they are all winners. Once again, thanks for filling up our bellies at the oddest hours and places. I know I would have never found my passion for food without all of you out there.

And of course to the Adly and the Friedchillies gang, keep up your good work and passion. Psst... These viral videos are awesome!!!

Keropok Lekor, Terengganu: Fishing For Compliments

2010-12-01T09:15:00.000+08:00

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day;

Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

~ Chinese Proverb

I'm not sure if you'll agree with me, but I see many similarities between selling fish in a market and selling yourself during an appraisal at the end of each year.

A fisherman would head out to the seas everyday, sailing out at the early hours of the morning and braving its wrath and fury without a clue what they will return with. Everything rest on faith and their experiences. They cast their nets out, haul it up and do it over and over again until the call of the first prayer. And before the sun breaks over the horizon, they return with their catch. Some days are good, while others are not. And when it's dry, it's really barren with not a tail to their name. Everyday, come rain or shine, they still go through the same routine. Working hard out at sea.

When they arrive at the port, they hand their catch over to their families who'd take over to sell them at the market while the fishermen spend the rest of the day mending their nets under the scorching sun. Their sons or daughters would display the day's catch for all and sundry to browse and purchase.

But laying out their fathers' hard work on the silver trays doesn't guarantee a good day of sales either. Their fish are just as good as their neighbours. They start by dressing up in bright colours. They even wear a handsome smile on their face for good measures. Then comes the blocks of ice to help keep their harvest fresh and keep the "fishy" air at bay, especially in our tropical weather. They start chopping up the fishes to show the early morning aunties and makciks, hoping the textures and colours would entice them. They even put up little cute signage and labels to be noticed. And when nobody does after all that work, then they start to make desperate and loud calls.

"Fresh fish!"
"Big fish!"
"Pretty fish!"
"Any kind of fish!"
"Buy 1, free 1!"

Some even resort to selling themselves short. All so they can draw attention to their tiny little 5' x 5' stall and sell off all their hard work. Doesn't that just sounds a little too familiar? The desperate and sell-fish cry for attention or validation, the tiny cubicle, the whole year of hard labour and being adrift at sea with many others fighting for the same salvation. Not to mention going home with a fishy smell too.

Just saying.

***

A couple of months earlier I made a working trip to Dungun, Terengganu. During one of the mornings, I managed to visit the town's Pasar Besar (the main market). I've always wanted to experience a wet market on the eastern coast as I've heard much about them, especially the abundance of seafood offering (Terengganu is blessed with the longest coastline on Peninsular Malaysia), fresh farmers' crops, and food peddlers. However, I had a mission in mind. Mum has already requested for some keropok lekor (fish crackers), a local snack that is originated from Terengganu and has become one of the many culinary pride of the state since.

The Keropoks here are traditionally made by grinding fish, of various grades, into a paste and mixing it with sago. Basically, there are two types of keropok. The first one is a tube-shaped that resembles long sausages called Keropok Lekor (fish sausages) and the second one is the cracker called Keropok Lekor Keping (sliced fish crackers).

Keropok Lekor, comes in a wet slippery sausage-like paste and can be enjoyed in two ways: deep fried for a crunchy and chewy sensation, or boiled and eaten while it is hot. The boiled version is often preferred by the residents of Kampung Losong as a healthier alternative as it doesn't involves any oil in the preparation, hence earning this version the Keropok Losong nick name.

If you are not a fan of "fishy" smell or taste, then it is recommended that you try the deep-fried Keping version instead. It is also made up of larger tube-shaped paste that is sliced very thinly and let out to dry under the sun. This process hardened the paste into chips, which helps the keropok to be stored much longer, unlike the lekor that has to be eaten fresh. Once again, you will need to deep fry them before consumption. This crunchy finger snack is nice to be eaten alone or dipped into a local chili sauce-vinegar-sugar mixture.

***

Anyway, the time of year has arrived again for one to fish for compliments and to see if a pat on the back is in store. Let's hope you sell your fishes well. All the best.

***

Good quality keropok can be found at various spots around Terengganu:

Kuala Terengganu
Kampung Losong, 007 Stall (near floating mosque) | Pengadang Baru Weekend Market ( every Tuesday) | Panji Alam Weekend Market (every Thursday) | Batu Burok Hawker Centre (Friday) | Pasar Payang Central Market | Cabang Tiga Market

Marang
Kampung Kelulut Weekend Market (Saturday) | Alongside Marang Road

Dungun
Kuala Dungun Weekend Market (Thursday) | Pasar Besar Dungun

Kemaman
Markets at Kerteh (Tuesday), Kemasik (Sunday, Wednesday), Chukai (Tuesday)

Besut
Kuala Besut

* extracted from Tourism Terengganu website.

Anson Food Company, Section 17 PJ: Diamond in the Rough

2010-11-29T08:22:00.096+08:00

"The Chef and I wanted to share how great it was to grow up in a small town. The food especially is a distinctive memory which invokes happiness, family and laughter. We want to share the authentic flavours which comes from the used of good ingredients and not from flavour enhancers. And finally, we also want to reintroduce the concept of 'simplicity' in an otherwise complicated world," says Jenifer, the owner and proprietor of Anson Food Company.

This simple restaurant is nuzzled in the same neighbourhood as her other and more popular restaurant, Food Foundry, in the quieter parts of Section 17. The location is just perfect as it enhances its "small town" appeal. Called after the former name of Teluk Intan (which is translated as Diamond Bay), the restaurant set up is nothing more than just 4 grey walls, plastic chairs and tables and a bouquet of flowers placed in front of a feature wall with decals. In such a humble setting, the attention is definitely focused on their food.

"Chef Ooi hails from Teluk Intan and he started cooking out of interest. He takes after his mother's Nyonya roots. He has no formal training except in the kitchens of the restaurants he worked in while in England and Ireland. He is a natural in the kitchen and we are both very passionate about retaining a little bit of the past from the little town which we grew up in," she explained when asked about the origins of the restaurant's name.

Jenifer continues her story and tells us how she met the Chef. Her cousin introduced them over a simple home-cooked dinner prepared by none other than the chef himself. After that fateful day, she decided to open up this restaurant as a platform to showcase his talent and food. And just like that, my dining buddies and I were treated to an array of appetizers that consisted of a tangy and addictive Nyonya Acar; a crispy and well-seasoned Pork Roll ('Bak Kien') that is usually a festive dish; the Sesame Prawn Toast an unmistakable 80's party snack; and the Aromatic Crispy Duck, which was eaten together with a mix of julienne cucumber, spring onions, sweet bean sauce and chili paste rolled inside a thin popiah skin.

The lunch, hosted by Jenifer and her good friend, Mr. Alan Bligh (former TV personality and now a highly sought after voice telent and emcee), had us eating around a large round table with food enough to feed the entire town of Teluk Intan. It actually brought back memories of big reunion dinners I used to have with my extended family during the Chinese New Year. My relatives would have also served dishes like the Steamed Pork with Salted Fish, Sweet & Sour Pork, Hakka Pork Belly with Yam and Nyonya Curry Chicken in their respective homes. Anson's version of the steamed pork was easily their best dish. There was also a slight twist to the sweet & sour pork as they used fried pork balls instead of slices - just like how my Grandaunt used to make them. However, I would have loved it more if these balls were a little more meaty - if that makes any sense.

We were also treated to Sambal Aubergine, Steamed Fish with Anson Sauce, Anson Braised Duck and Assam Seafood. The Assam broth may look watered down at first sight, but one sip and you'll find it pack with enough kick, sourness and an extra ingredient - shrimp belacan - that made it 'pop' in your mouth. Now, I would have called it perfect if only it was a little bit more spicy. Just a little.

We washed all these down with the help of one specially concocted Tamarind Spritzer.

About a week after, I found myself back at the restaurant with two colleagues. We were hankering for some porky goodness and I led them here. We quaffed down our bowls of rice with the Nyonya Curry Pork that was bursting with lemongrass flavours, the silky Tri-Colour Steamed Egg topped with heaps of chee yao char (pork lard crutons) and the familiar yet excellent tasting Hokkien Five Spiced Pork with Egg. The braised pork went really well with a sourish and pungent sambal belacan served on the side. It definitely lifted our tired bodies and we happily went on to catch a movie after dinner.

"Teluk Intan is really more than just chee cheong fun for those who know better. My most recent trip back was filled with other goodies like bak kut teh and steamed fish head in light soy sauce for breakfast, nasi kandar for lunch; sticky rice with char siew and heong peng for snack and finally dai chao for dinner," Jenifer quipped when we question her about the absence of the town's most popular dish.

It is nice to have a non-halal place like Anson to remind us about the simple taste of home-styled Chinese recipes with Nyonya influences. However, the only drawback is that the taste of their dishes can be inconsistant and I've been back several times to notice this. The same dishes can taste very contrasting on separate occasions. When I asked, they simply replied that perhaps the marinade hasn't matured as much as the last. Perhaps.

I'm pretty sure this little suburban diamond can sparkle even brighter once they have polished off this temporary setback.

For the price conscious, most meat dishes average between RM19 - RM26, while dishes with seafood would cost more. Personal rice and noodle dishes are also available for about RM12. Jenifer has told me that they are currently in the midst of creating a Porky Lunch Menu consisting of simple one plate wonders like minced pork or pork chop over rice, with a side of vegetables and omelette for about RM10-RM13. I'm sure my colleagues would be looking forward to that once it is available.

Special note: Thanks to Jenifer for spending time with us over the weekend and responding to my multiple emails, and also to Alan for hooking us up with our first lunch here.

***

Anson Food Company
#619, Jalan 17/10
46400 Petaling Jaya
Tel : +603- 7955 2336
Business Hours: Opens Tuesdays to Sundays, 12noon to 3pm (lunch) and 6pm to 10pm (dinner). Closed on Mondays

Time Out KL Food Award 2010: Best Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur

2010-11-28T09:10:00.023+08:00

A couple days ago, the winners of the Time Out KL Food Awards 2010 were unveiled as the F&B industry celebrates the best dining out experiences in the Klang Valley.

It is the first year that the Awards have been presented formally and the results were kept a closely guarded secret right up until they were announced in a ceremony akin to the Oscars. More than 400 restaurateurs, key players in the F&B industry, sponsors and local celebrities attended the glittering award ceremony at MAPKL where the MCs for the evening , noted local celebrities Will Quah and Joanne de Rozario, presented each of the delighted 67 shortlisted outlets with their certificates and iconic trophy for the winners. Guests were also treated to a musical showcase by local indie star, Yuna, at an afterparty.

Winners were chosen from shortlists in 18 categories, which were been selected after an initial round of voting, so every outlet involved in the awards was chosen by real KL-ites who nominated their favourites and then selected a winner from the shortlist during a three month voting period on www.timeoutkl.com.

I thought some of the results were deserving, some predictable, a few categories I was clueless about, while the rest were a little questionable and shocking. But hey, who am I to argue with the voice of the public. As the saying goes, one man's meat is another's poison. I just know I had a great time cheering for my favourites when the MCs read their names out.

However, the aim of such awards is not solely just to recognise the best. They exist to show that culinary excellence exist across the Klang Valley and how the dining scene can continue to grow and improve with the support of publications that place food at its heart and encourages its readers to eat out more often. And when KL-ites come to acknowledge, vote and choose the ultimate winner, it's an official 'Thank You' and a pat on the back for their outstanding contribution to our gastronomic enjoyment. In the end, everybody's a winner.

However, a winners have to be crowned in each category and below is the complete list:

Best Chinese | Chynna (Hilton KL)

[other nominees: A Little Dim Sum Place, Celestial Court (Sheraton Imperial KL), Li Yen (Ritz-Carlton KL) and Zuan Yuan (One World Hotel)]

Best Continental | La Bodega

Specially Commended | El Cerdo

[other nominees: The Apartment, Bijou, Cafe Cafe, Hakka Republic, and twentyone kitchen+bar]

Best Healthy Eating/Vegetarian | Marmalade

[other nominees: Annalakshimi, Country Farm Organics, FitFor2 and The Yogitree]

Best Indian | Bombay Palace

[other nominees: Kanna Curry House, Saravana Bhavan, Spice of India and Sri Nirwana Maju]

Best Italian | Prego (The Westin KL)

[other nominees: Bar Italia, La Risata, Nerofico, Sassarosso, Tatto and Villa Danieli (Sheraton Imperial KL)]

Best Japanese | Fukuharu (Terrace @ Hock Choon)

[other nominees: Gonbei, Hajime, Kampachi and Rakuzen]

Best Malay | Bijan

Specially Commended | Enak, Starhill Gallery

[other nominees: D'Cengkih, Makan Kitchen (Doubletree by Hilton), and Restauran Rebung Chef Ismail]

Best Middle Eastern | Al Amar

Specially Commended | Tarbush

[other nominees: Al-Andalus, Al-Rawsha, and Hadramawt]

Best Seafood | High Tide

[other nominees: Bangsar Seafood Garden Restaurant, Fisherman's Cove, Restaurant Fatty Crab, and Restaurant Green View]

Best Steak House | Prime (Le Meridien KL)

Specially Commended | Qba, The Westin KL

[other nominees: Angus Steakhouse, DISH, Meatworks, and Tony Roma's]

Best Thai/Indochinese | Tamarind Springs

[other nominees: Basil Leaf, Kinnaree Thai Restaurant, MyThai, Rama V and Sao Nam]

Best Mamak/Hawker | Nasi Kandar Pelita

[other nominees: Hutong Lot 10, Murni's, Suzy's Corner and Yut Kee]

Best Pub Grub | Jarrod & Rawlins

Specially Commended | Sid's Pub

[other nominees: Finnegan's, George & The Dragon, and The Green Man]

Best Fine Dining | Lafite (Shangri-la)

[other nominees: Frangipani, High Tide, Sage (The Garden Hotel & Residence) and Senses (Hilton KL)]

Best New Restaurant | The Pressroom

[other nominees: Albion KL, Giovino, High Tide, Il Lido, and Mandrin Grill (Mandarin Oriental KL)

Best Independent Restaurant | Albion KL

Specially Commended | Rama V, Jalan U-Thant

[other nominees: A Little Dim Sum Place, Al-Amar, and Cafe Cafe]

Best Restaurateur | Edward Hyde (Gastrodome - La Bodega, the Pressroom, Espressamente Illy)

Specially Commended | Benj Conway of the Nero Group (Nerovivo, Neroteca, Nerofico, High Tide)

[other nominees: Werner Kuhn (El Cerdo, El Cerdito, Werner's), Rudy Stecca (Ciao, Ciccio, Cipolla) and Benjamin Yong (The Delicious Group)]

Outstanding Chef of the Year | Chef David King (Prego, The Westin KL)

[other nominees: Chef Nathalie Arbefeuille (Nathalie's Gourmet Studio), Chef Pierre Chahda (Al-Amar), Chef Cedric Darthial (Mandarin Grill), Chef Michael Elfwing (Senses Hilton KL), and Chef Evert Onderbeke (High Tide)

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. If you haven't already eaten at any of the above, you may want to click on some of the restaurant's names to read my past reviews.

Krabi, Thailand: You Make Me Smile

2010-11-23T10:35:00.001+08:00

I don't know who the original singers or writers of the song below are. I just vaguely remembered it from a TV commercial in the 90's (or was it the 80's?). I was still a child then but its lyrics came to mind when I was going through the pictures from my recent trip to Krabi. Recent is use very loosely here. But anyhow, the words of the song just sums up everything I love about traveling in first place.

This post is dedicated to the everyday folks in Krabi who welcomed every visitor to the land of smiles with their big hearts, big cheers and big smiles. They even made all our bellies smiled happily too.

Thank you or should I say ขอบคุณครับ [khop-kun-khráp]

***

A smile is quite a funny thing,
It lightens up your face,
And when it's gone you never find
Its secret hiding place.

But far more wonderful it is,
To see what smiles can do.
You smile at me, I smile at you,
And so one smile makes two.

She smiles at someone, since I smiled,
And then that one smiles back,
And that one smiles until, in truth,
You fail in keeping track.

And since a smile can do great good,
By cheering hearts of care.
Let's smile and not forget the fact
That smiles go everywhere

Smile, Smile,
It isn't hard to do,
Smile from your heart,
And the world smiles with you.

Norwegian Seafood Gala Dinner: A Viking's Victory Banquet

2010-11-20T15:33:00.028+08:00

The hall's alive with music,
Lyre, harp, and faden;
The banquet tables of the king
With feast are heavy laden.

Great dogs lay by his feet,
Sentries guard the door;
Tricksters entertain them,
His warriors cry for more.

Mead flows now like honey,
Filling each raised horn;
Echoed cries of victory
Warriors lips adorn.

Lovely women dancing,
Boasts of bravery;
Mead and meat and bread,
Stews of savory.

Tonight their mood is joyous;
The battle now is done,
They celebrate the end,
Of a war they nobly won.

When morning lights the vale,
They'll float the funeral pyre,
To Valhalla send the slain
On longships lit by.

'Viking's Victory' by Sokarjo Stormwillow. © All Poetry

***

The ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur was indeed rapturous when Wilhemsen Maritime Services was announced the winner of the Malaysian Norwegian Business Council (MNBC) Innovation Award. The award is given out every year to an outstanding member of the council to acknowledge its excellent performance as well as its contribution to increasing and sustaining business and cross-cultural understanding between Norway and Malaysia. Our Minister of Tourism, Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, presented the award together with His Excellency Mr Arild Braastad the Ambassador of Norway to Mr Dag Schjerven, President and CEO of Wilhemsen Maritime Services. Congratulations.

The award ceremony was held in conjunction with the Norwegian Embassy's annual Seafood Gala Dinner. A spectacular seafood feast was laid out by renowned chef Frank Naesheim and his team. All the seafood was flown in from Norway and presented in both Norwegian and Asian cooking styles. This includes Norwegian salmon in all its many, many, many (did I mentioned many?) various forms (smoked, grilled, cured, poached, steam, pureed, creamed, sauteed, stir-fried, satayed... you named it, they have it!); and a multitude of other oceanic display of mackerel, Tuna, Atlantic halibut, caviar, scallop, herring, crayfish and kingcrab.

Invited guests were also well-entertained by His Excellency's humorous tales and histories of the Vikings complete with visual aids featuring one of the most lovable vikings around, Hagar The Horrible. Well-known evergreen Malaysian pop-band, The Alleycats, also performed at the gala dinner. I guess when there's fishes, there's always cats around.

Special thanks to our Makan Fairy Godmother, Marian of Scribe Media Link, for the invite. And congratulations to His Excellency and his team at the Norwegian Embassy for a successful and enjoyable evening.

Photo Credits: Additional photographs on the final strip borrowed from @agentcikay and @boo_licious. Many thanks!