iamthewitch.com |
- Passionately You
- Seafood with a River View
- The Charm of Juanita
- Tips for Product and Jewellery Modeling
- Another Post on Chilli Pan Mee?
- Herbs, Spices & Everything Nice
- Festival Dining at Lai Po Heen
- MIGF Experience at Mandarin Grill
- Sit Back, Relax and Chilla Cup
- Modeling for Bridal Shows
| Posted: 21 Oct 2011 06:15 PM PDT  Lovely morning on a Saturday? What are you doing for the weekend? If you’re free, do drop by Jaya One and support this amazing campaign called Don’t Duck It by Passionately You, a voluntary collaboration between Assunta Hospital, Asia Assistance, Jaya One and Pj Live Arts founded to encourage the community to support the cause for cervical and breast cancer awareness and early detection.
Don’t Duck It Party at Palm Square, Jaya One To kick start the party, they have DJ quizzes and game stalls. For the ladies, there will also be FREE breast examination and on-site vaccination at a special promo price throughout the day. Both activities will be conducted by the professionals of Assunta Hospital. If you’ve always been shy to learn about breast examination, this is the perfect time to come and find out more. After all, you won’t be alone!
Don’t Duck Breast / Cervical Examination! To have a better idea, here is the itinerary of what will be in store for the whole day on 22nd of October 2011. Best of all, entrance is FREE.
Itinerary Not to forget, there is also a flash mob happening at Don't Duck It Party. Check out the very informative video below and look out for hints at the end to find out what time it’s happening.
Flash mob tutorial For more information, check out http://www.dontduckit.com/ and pledge your awareness!
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 20 Oct 2011 07:23 PM PDT  Having worked in Penang before for close to 5 years, seafood was always an abundance. There were plenty of restaurants in Penang serving fresh and reasonably priced seafood, and most of them even came with a sea view! But after moving to the bustling metropolitan that is KL, having fresh seafood with a sea view has been a rare occasion, unless we drive all the way to Kuala Selangor. Thanks to my dear friends Eric and Caroline, we were brought to this place about 30 minutes drive away with fresh seafood and an amazing river view. Cape 9 is probably only known to the older generation foodies who seem to remember obscure restaurants by heart instead of relying on the GPS. We were there just before the sun set, and were treated to a calming and serene view of the colourful sky.
View of the sunset by the river We also spotted a boat docking just in front of the restaurant, wondering if that’s the fishing boat they used to get their fresh seafood supply.
The sight of a fishing boat? Without further ado, we ordered away, starting with some carb-laden dishes to accompany our seafood dinner. To be honest, the Fried Vermicelli (Meehoon) did not look very appealing when it was served on the table. Thankfully, what it lacked in presentation was more than made up for in its taste. What I loved the most about this plate of noodles was how it could be so tasty and yet not oily. It was fried with good skill, each strand evenly coated and no clumpy sight of noodles to be found. Of course, I wouldn’t discount the fact that being the first dish on a table in front of a group of famished people, food usually would taste just a little better.
Fried Meehoon (RM10) Another variety of the noodles was Fried Vermicelli with Clams (Lala). This plate appeared to have a darker hue, and had the additional seafood fragrance that was absent from the first dish. Don’t expect to find large sizable clams though, for I could barely spot them myself. But you could tell that they’re there from the taste, with the distinctive aroma of clams infused into the noodles. Well done!
Fried Meehoon with Clams / Lala (RM10) Instead of ordering the typical deep fried squid rings, we had the Nyonya Squid. This was cooked with such a flavourful gravy that would have been perfect with rice. It was a combination of sour and spicy that mixed with the natural sweetness from the fresh squid that made the whole ensemble work. It helped too, that the squid was so chewy and bouncy!
Nyonya Squid (RM18) The Salted Egg Prawns came with huge pieces of prawns, generously coated with salted egg. Now, many people dislike to de-shell prawns, finding it to be a messy chore. But to me, that’s where the best flavour is – the shell! I love sucking the salted egg from the shell and inhaling the absolutely glorious aroma at the same time. What I usually do is to lick the shells clean first before peeling them off, and then enjoy the succulent flesh within. Really, half the fun of eating prawns lies in sucking the shells – trust me!
Salted Egg Prawns (RM35) For something a little mild in flavour, we had Steamed Clams, which came complete with fire underneath. The clams were cooked in a gingery broth which was naturally flavoured by the sweetness of the seafood itself. Topped with some fried garlic, this simple dish served to be sort of a neutralizer in the midst of all our heavily flavoured courses.
Steamed Clams (RM20)
Clams topped with ginger and garlic Last but not least, how could we miss out on ordering crabs? We chose the Kam Heong Crabs which were cooked with dried shrimps, curry leaves, shallots, garlic and curry powder, giving them an almost unmistakable aroma that would make even the fullest person salivate. Oh yes, it tasted as good as it smelled. Again, if you want to savour the best of the crabs, suck and lick the shells clean before de-shelling them. Half of the goodness of the crabs lie on the shell.
Kam Heong Crabs (RM51) The bill came to RM148 for the 6 of us, which was pretty reasonable considering we were all stuffed with delicious and fresh seafood.
The bill for 6 of us
Clean dining environment If you plan to visit this place, I’d suggest you to start driving by 6pm so that you can reach there in time to watch the sun setting beyond the river. It’s indeed a calming sight to behold, one especially rare if you live in the city like me. In fact, the scenic view reminds me that I should plan for a holiday getaway soon – perhaps an all inclusive holidays to Egypt would be a good idea?
Say goodbye to the sun
Cape 9 Seafood Restaurant Getting here could be quite tricky if you’re not familiar with the area, and the coordinates below serves as a rough estimate based on what we see on Google Maps. Proceed with caution, and if all else fails, call the number below for rescue.:) Cape 9 Seafood Restaurant |
| Posted: 19 Oct 2011 06:15 PM PDT  Juanita – this name has always fascinated me. Apart from the fact that it reminds me of Desperate Housewives
The Manila traffic jam during a rainy day Situated at the end of a row of shop houses, customers may have difficulty finding the entrance, as it is located to the side of the restaurant, through a small door. But once we’re in, lo and behold, we were swept away by the elaborate decoration in the charming restaurant. Plenty of chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, soft dim lights and colourful lamps and lamp stands all around the restaurant. It almost seemed mystical not to mention eclectic.
Filipino-Spanish inspired decor of Cafe Juanita
Plenty of chandeliers
Some of the hanging lamps We were there for our final dinner in Manila before returning to Malaysia the next morning. Our gracious friend wouldn’t let us leave before trying out authentic Filipino dishes, how could we?
Table setting at Cafe Juanita I was recommended to order the Atis Juice, apparently a nice and sweet tropical fruit in Philippines. Truth be told, I had no idea what Atis was, and our friend’s description didn’t ring any bell. I thought I was taking a risk by ordering it, but when it came and I took a sip, I instantly knew what it was – Sugar Apple! Wait, perhaps I should have added more exclamation marks to that sentence, because I absolutely adore sugar apple! It’s a fruit that my grandma used to by for me when I was little, and I loved to suck on the sweet and creamy flesh before spitting out the black seed. Now, I don’t have to worry about the seeds since all the flesh was extracted out into a glass of juice – what’s not to love? Extremely delicious and refreshing too especially when it’s served cold.
Atis Juice / Sugar-Apple – very good!
Atis / Sugar Apple fruit (source) Our first dish was Crispy Lapu-Lapu, also known as red grouper fish. It’s the first time we had grouper fish fried this way, with all the parts chopped up into pieces, including the fish head. I am very particular when it comes to deep-fried food, because I’d worry if the batter is too thick. Thankfully, they didn’t not overdose on the batter here. Each piece was lightly coated with flour and fried to perfection, while maintaining the moist fish fillet within. Best of all, it was also not overly oily – a bonus point for being somewhat health conscious.
Crispy Lapu-Lapu / Red Grouper Fish The next dish was my favourite of the night, hands down. What appeared to me as Pork Knuckle was known as Crispy Pata over there, which essentially meant the same thing. Regardless of what it’s called, this dish had the most amazing crispy skin that I’d ever tasted before. Each bite was accompanied with a loud crunch first, then followed by juicy and tender meat within. I really wonder how they do it – the meat inside was so tender until it fell off the bone effortlessly, yet the skin was so crispy. I don’t know about you but most of the time when I encountered crispy skin, it would also mean that the meat within had a tendency to be dry and rough due to the excessive frying. But this, this proved me wrong. Very well done!
Crispy Pata / Pork Knuckle Kare-Kare was the only dish with vegetables that we ordered, apparently also a specialty of Filipino cuisine. It was actually Oxtail and Vegetables in Peanut Sauce and it turned out to be pretty delicious. The sauce resembled very much to our own Satay peanut sauce, except that it was more milky. The oxtail was extremely tender, while the generous amount of vegetables within made this a rather wholesome dish. Very good with white rice too!
Kare Kare ni Juanita / Oxtail and Vegetables in Peanut Sauce Last but not least, our friend recommended for us to try the Special Cassava Cake, a local dessert in Philippines. Since it came with the tag of ‘Special’, how could we resist? The cassava cake was served with cheese on top and drizzled with caramelized sugar on the side. The texture of the cake was very similar to the Tapioca kuih bingka that we have in Malaysia, except that it’s a little softer and a lot more sweeter due to the addition of caramel on the side. This portion was good enough to be shared by 3 persons since it was quite rich and could be rather cloying if we had too much.
Special Cassava Cake
Staircase to the Mezzanine floor Needless to say, our final dinner in Philippines was far from disappointing. It was, in fact, very memorable in a good way, plus we could not stop ourselves from being in awe with all the chandeliers decorating the place. The ambience was simply romantic and peaceful, it makes one want to stay on for a nice long chat over a good cup of coffee after dinner. If we ever return to Manila, we’ll definitely be back!
Cafe Juanita Cafe Juanita in Pasig |
| Tips for Product and Jewellery Modeling Posted: 17 Oct 2011 07:30 PM PDT  Apart from modeling for fashion, models will get jobs modeling for products as well. Some of the more common products that appear on the runway include gadgets (camera, phone, GPS, laptops), handbags, sunglasses, sports equipment and jewellery. Modeling for products is slightly different from modeling for clothes because the main object now is the product instead of what the model is wearing. Therefore, as a model, she has to bring the audience’s attention to the product that she’s holding or wearing, and at the same time display the best of the product to them.
Hong Kong Jewelry show I think one of the hardest product to model for is probably jewellery, not because they’re expensive, but because some of the items can be so small (rings/earrings) and one has to be extremely gentle and elegant while modeling for these exclusive pieces. Also, the biggest difference between jewellery modeling and the rest is that the models usually have to walk very near to the audience, sometimes even mingle among them, so that they could have a closer look at the items. I was looking through some of the videos on jewellery modeling and found that in one case, the models just had to pose on stage, without walking, while showing off their jewellery. In another case, the models walked along the runway and then down to the floor level passing by the audience, just close enough for them to have a good look at the jewellery.
The Jewellery Show 2010 At such close proximity with the audience, surely there is no room for mistake. We were taught some basics on product modeling during one of the lessons at ACA, and we had to bring a whole bag of things to class, ranging from handbags, sunglasses, bangles, necklace, and even sports equipment. Also, we were requested to go with the smoky eyes make-up that we were taught before, and a ponytail with no fringe.
Girls getting excited! We were first taught how to model for gadgets/hand phones. In fact, the tips for product modeling are quite standard no matter which product is on display:
Modeling for cell phone We started with modeling for cell phone, where each of us had to hold our cell phone, walk down the runway while holding it, and pose with it at the end of the runway.
Make sure fingers don’t cover the product – hold with 2 hands …
.. or with one hand, it doesn’t matter Next, we were taught to walk with sunglasses. Most shows would require the models to walk with 2 pairs of sunglasses – one pair that is worn by the model and another pair being held for display. In most cases, the model would have to switch sunglasses during the walk, which is wear some practice might be required.
Walking with sunglasses #1 The change of sunglasses happens just after the first pose at the end of the runway, when the model turns around to walk with her back facing the audience. She has to remove the first pair and put on the second pair before she reaches the middle of the runway where she would make a half turn and walk down again, this time with the second pair of sunglasses. Without practice, this process might take longer than desired or might even delay the duration of the catwalk.
Change to sunglasses #2 Third product – handbags. This is also another item that requires some practice since we might be asked to carry 2 or 3 bags at a time. A model then has to figure out a way to show all the items in a systematic way without appearing too cluttered. Perhaps a first pose with the purse, then change to the handbag and finally to a sling bag.
Posing with bags Finally, we were asked to put on our jewellery/accessories and walk down the runway. The difference with jewellery modeling is that we might be asked to get closer to the audience, sometimes walk around them so that they could have a closer look at these delicate items.
Stephy with her bangles and ring
Jolene with her watches
Posing with bracelets and watches
Walking down the runway with jewellery Comparing product modeling and fashion modeling, I think my preference still lies with fashion. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Another Post on Chilli Pan Mee? Posted: 16 Oct 2011 08:55 PM PDT  What comes to mind when you imagine noodles, anchovies, poached egg and dried chilli? No prizes for guessing it right, for my tell-tale title has given it all away.
Poached egg goodness It was also fascinating to see the noodles being made right in front of your eyes, fresh from the machine. Each portion took merely a few seconds to turn from a slab of dough into strands of noodles.
Hard at work
Strands of noodles fresh from the machine Without further ado, I placed my order – there are only two options, either the dry or soup pan mee. To enjoy the complete satisfaction of Chili Pan Mee, order the dry one. It will come with fried shallots, anchovies, minced meat and a whole poached egg on a bed of noodles.
Dry version Pan Mee The chilli paste was stored in a separate container, so that you could control the level of spiciness you want your noodles to be. Just look at the chilli flakes – fiery red and shiny from the chilli oil, one can tell that it’s not going to be easy on the tummy! But I was well-prepared. I took one big spoonful of the chilli and mixed it with the noodles, all the while emitting a pleasant aroma that made me salivate even before eating.
The fiery chilli paste
Chilli Pan Mee (RM5.80) You know you’ve got a good bowl of chilli pan mee when the poached egg is perfect, the golden yolk flows into the noodles and coats them evenly, and the chilli flakes give the noodles a bright red sheen with bits of minced meat attached. The first bite of the chilli pan mee is the most satisfying one – after all the work of tossing and mixing, the excessive salivating due to the absolutely glorious aroma of chilli and shallots – came the ecstasy of firing up your senses with spicy chilli and bouncy noodles. Oh yes, Kin Kin did live up to its expectations. The noodles were exceptionally firm and chewy, while the chilli paste was spicy, spicy, spicy! But with a hint of aroma apparently from the addition of tea leaves within. It’s really different from the other chilli pan mee I’ve tasted before. This is good stuff. Needless to say, I was addicted to it and kept on slurping even though I was perspiring all the way.
Gloriously spicy chilli pan mee Since we were already there, Saucer also tried the Soup Pan Mee for the fun of it. It came in a big bowl also with a poached egg and anchovies! On top of that, there were slices of pork fillet and vegetables within. Of course, eating this after the chilli pan mee, I felt it to be a little too bland. My palate was already accustomed to the tasty and spicy chilli so I can’t be a good judge.
Soup Pan Mee But if you find it too bland like me, you can always add chilli flakes to it! Who says chilli pan mee has to be dry?
Abundance of noodles and more
Interior of Kin Kin Restaurant We were there circa 11am that Saturday, and service was pretty good, perhaps because the place was still less than half full. Therefore, I had absolutely no complaints about this chilli pan mee – it’s a bowl of noodles that’s worth sweating for! Literally!
Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee Restaurant Restoran Kin Kin |
| Herbs, Spices & Everything Nice Posted: 13 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT  Sri Petaling, the place where I spend most of my lunch time in, has recently evolved to be an emerging food haven, especially with the new establishments along the new shop houses next to The Store. The new restaurants kept popping up like mushrooms, so much so that it’s hard to catch up even though I lunch there more than 50% of the week! Herbs & Spices happens to be one of the relatively new restaurant here and had it not been Christine, I wouldn’t have stepped foot inside so soon since there are so many still in my long list to try out.
Crispy chicken chop Nestled in a row of eateries, it’s easy to miss out on this restaurant due to its rather dull signboard in green (owner had promised to change it soon) and the relatively quiet environment within. But as they say, never judge a book by its cover, so in we went. We were greeted with this huge poster on the various signature dishes, and our hopes were lifted.
Some of the signature dishes at Herbs & Spices We started with the Hainanese Mutton Soup, one of their must-order dishes that came in a bowl with generous amount of tender mutton and delicately flavoured soup. It was not overly gamey, if that’s what you’re worried about, yet tasty enough to know that enough time was used to cook this such that the mutton flavour was infused into the soup.
Hainanese Mutton Soup (RM10.90) My favourite dish that day had to be the Hainanese Chicken Chop, hands down. It was fried to perfection – the skin was very crispy but not oily, while the interior remained tender and juicy. Also, the gravy with green peas and onions really brought back memories – that’s how my grandma cooks it too. A well recommended dish!
Hainanese Chicken Chop (RM15.90) Alas, the same could not be said about the Prawn Fritters. I thought the amount of flour was too much and the prawn meat within too little. The result was eating something crispy but quite starchy. It would have been better with a lighter batter, I think.
Prawn Fritters (RM16.90) The Rib Eye Steak was not too bad too, grilled to a lovely charred finish on the outside. Edges of the steak were slightly well done but the centre parts were still pink and tender. I personally think that a good steak does not need any gravy, it should just be devoured as it is. So it’s a good thing that they put the gravy on the side, giving the option for the diner to eat with or without it.
Rib Eye Steak (RM28.80) It would seem that we couldn’t get enough of the chicken chop, for we also had the Spaghetti with Chicken Chop, which used the exact same chicken chop, but with a side of spaghetti instead of coleslaw and fries.
Spaghetti with Chicken Chop (RM15.90) We also shared a serving of the Lamb Shank which was quite enormous! I definitely wouldn’t be able to finish this on my own. Thankfully the meat was tender and easily fell off the bone, while the gravy was flavourful enough to bring out the best of the lamb. It also came with a side of vegetables and mashed potatoes – definitely meant to be shared.
Lamb Shank (RM26.50) Apart from Western dishes, this restaurant also has a Kelantanese chef who whips up delicious Nasi Dagang to give it an Asian twist. My favourite was the Nasi Dagang with Ayam Berempah, served with a glorious piece of chicken thigh, marinated and fried to an aromatic finish. Truthfully, I couldn’t care less about the rice, but the chicken was a totally different story. The addition of curry leaves also brought a new dimension to the chicken, even though it was good as it was already. Add to it some of the fiery belacan, and you’re good to go.
Nasi Dagang with Ayam Berempah/ Spice Chicken (RM12.00) If you’re not a chicken person, there’s also the Nasi Dagang with Ikan Tongkol which came with a side of fish. In my opinion, this paled in comparison to the chicken, so I’d still go for the chicken anytime.
Nasi Dagang with Ikan Tongkol (RM9.50) Saucer saw the picture of Nasi Goreng Sri Petaling on the wall paper, complete with satay (skewers) and a sunny-side-up and couldn’t resist from ordering one to try. It was a dish of fried rice with sambal on the side, nothing really spectacular, except that the satay was pretty tasty. I wonder if they sell satays on their own.
Nasi Goreng Sri Petaling (RM12.50) For desserts, I found the Sago Melaka to be quite good, but perhaps I’m a sucker for anything with gula melaka (palm sugar). All in all, the desserts definitely left us with a sweet palate after such a satisfying meal.
Creme Caramel (RM5.00) & Sago Melaka (RM4.00)
Apple Pie (RM8.00) & English Trifle (RM6.50) The experience at Herbs & Spices was actually quite an enlightening one. I walked down the memory lane with their delicious chicken chop, and met my love the gula melaka. Best of all, this place is comfortable, air-conditioned and has free Wi-Fi. I can foresee myself coming here more often for lunch! On another note, the year end is coming and I’ve booked my flight to Bangkok for a short getaway! Have you booked your Cheapholidays.com yet?
Dining environment at Herbs & Spices Herbs & Spices |
| Festival Dining at Lai Po Heen Posted: 12 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT  Chef Ricky Thein and I, we go back a long way. He used to be the Chinese Chef at Tai Zi Heen, where I had the opportunity to sample their Chinese New Year sets here and here. It’s no secret that I love his creations! Every meal was a satisfaction especially his signature Stir-fried prawns and Cod fish, both memorable and fantastic. So when I saw him at the MIGF Gala Launch recently, I was surprised to find that he’s now with Lai Po Heen, Mandarin Oriental KL. And his dishes were still as good, if not better! Therefore, I made a mental note to myself that I simply must visit Lai Po Heen to try out their MIGF menu this year, to show some support. And went there I did, sampling what must have been one of the best Chinese meals I’ve ever had.
The appetizers
Lai Po Heen MIGF 2011 Menu #1 Appetizers *** Chilled Vinaigrette Scented, Cucumber Roll, Roasted Duck, Yam Puff with Braised Whole Baby Abalone The first dish that greeted us was not only a feast for the eyes, but for the nose! The aroma of the yam puff was enough to make me salivate. And look at the little gem of a whole baby abalone! So precious that I took my own sweet time to savour every bite of it – firm, bouncy and juicy. Not to forget the cucumber roll with roasted duck, mango and dragonfruit that provided a burst of multitude flavours when eaten together. Sweet, savoury, warm and cold, they were all there. But if I had to choose a favourite, it would be the yam puff. It was so fluffy and crispy, without any hint of oiliness. Loved it!
Chilled Vinaigrette Scented, Cucumber Roll, Roasted Duck, Yam Puff with Braised Whole Baby Abalone #2 Soup *** Cantonese Style Braised Sea Treasure, Golden Melon in Supreme Broth When the second course arrived, I already had a great first impression since it was served in a whole pumpkin. Still scorching hot, the lifting of the pumpkin cover revealed a plethora of goodies within – scallop, shark’s fin and sea cucumber were just some of the sea treasures buried inside. That’s not all, the soup was just out of this world. It was exceptionally tasty, with the combination of all the precious seafood giving it a distinctive sweet and wholesome flavour that we just could not get enough of. It would be worth it to try out the MIGF menu just for this dish alone.
Cantonese Style Braised Sea Treasure, Golden Melon in Supreme Broth
Scallop and shark’s fin #3 Mains *** Dong Po Style Barbecue Scented Lamb Rib with Chinese Pear, Wok-fried Hong Kong Baby Siew Pak Choy The mains were separated into 2 dishes. The first was the Dong Po style BBQ lamb rib, which was grilled to a glistening finish and garnished with shreds of Chinese pear. If you’re observant enough, you would also spot the Chinese character written next to it, “羊 = yang” which meant lamb. It’s the little things like this that makes you feel special, knowing the chef put in special thoughts to the dish, isn’t it?
Dong Po Style Barbecue Scented Lamb Rib with Chinese Pear, Wok-fried Hong Kong Baby Siew Pak Choy #4 Mains *** Crispy Egg Noodles, Blue River Prawn, Prawn Roe and Egg Gravy The second main dish was similar to Sang Har Mee, crispy noodles topped with thick, egg-y gravy and completed with a huge half prawn filled with roe. Do a light poke on the prawn’s head and you’ll be welcomed with the oozing of bright orange prawn roe, a sight that would put a smile to your face indeed. The roe gave the gravy a semi-rich and smooth texture, a perfect match with the egg noodles. I could not stop myself from slurping away! This dish made the cholesterol gained worth it.
Crispy Egg Noodles, Blue River Prawn, Prawn Roe and Egg Gravy
The huge river prawn #5 Desserts *** Trio of Sweet Potato Purple Sweet Dumpling, Vanilla Sauce Chilled with Sago in Lemon Syrup & Sweetened Jelly with Osmanthus Last but not least, desserts came in a colourful platter of potato dumpling, osmanthus jelly and lemon syrup. The first to attract me was the purple dumpling, which was fried to a crispy brown finish but still had a velvety smooth interior, naturally sweet. Apparently the chef put a lot of effort in making this cute dumpling to be as soft and smooth as it was, and it was well-rewarded. It turned out to be my favourite on the platter. The jelly with osmanthus was quite an acquired taste, firm and sticky yet a little bland. It was good to neutralize the sweetness from the potato dumpling, I suppose. Finally, wash it all down with the chilled vanilla sauce in lemon syrup which was both refreshing and cooling. Such a splendid end to a wonderful dinner.
Trio of Sweet Potato Purple Sweet Dumpling, Vanilla Sauce Sweetened Jelly with Osmanthus Chilled with Sago in Lemon Syrup
Say Hi to Chef Ricky Thein The dinner was a pleasant experience, perhaps one that I would really recommend you to go to due to its good value. For RM228++, you get all of the above dishes plus a starter of pan-seared scallop (not shown in this post), which are all excellent with high quality ingredients, dish after dish. It’s a dining experience that I will remember for a long time to come.
Dining interior at Lai Po Heen Festival Dinner Menu: RM228++ per person without wine
Lai Po Heen at Mandarin Oriental KL Lai Po Heen Chinese Restaurant (Pork Free) |
| MIGF Experience at Mandarin Grill Posted: 10 Oct 2011 09:00 PM PDT  It’s the month of October, which means more splurging on the annual Festival menus by participating restaurants in the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival (MIGF). This time around, I was privileged to sample the MIGF menu at the posh and upscale Mandarin Grill restaurant at Mandarin Oriental Hotel. It was my first time stepping foot into this exclusive restaurant and I was in awe with their romantic ambience largely due to the huge fibre optics floral lights hanging from the ceiling, emitting pleasant soft lighting that set the right mood for the evening.
Glass of white wine - Carlos Serres Viura, Spain 2009
Elegant interior of Mandarin Grill I started the dinner with a glass of white wine – Carlos Serres Viura, Spain 2009, which was very smooth and easy to the palate. I was also pleased with my choice since the first course that night was of seafood, perfect for pairing with my white! #1 Appetizer *** Diver Scallops, Ricotta Dumplings and Tomatoes with Olives A sizable piece of juicy and plump scallop laid before my eyes, nicely seared and topped with aesthetically pleasing lobster bisque foam, it was just begging to be eaten. But I had to remind myself to devour it slowly and steadily, to decompose all the different tastes that this exquisite dish was presenting, and it was a well-rewarded effort. Each bite was a reminder of the creativity of the chef, the time put in for presentation and of course the perfect blend of tastes among the fresh scallop, beef pancetta and ricotta dumplings. The opening of the menu could not have been any better.
Diver scallops, ricotta dumplings and tomatoes with olives #2 Starter *** Foie Gras and Confit Smoked Duck Leg, Marinated Shimeji Mushrooms, Caramelised Orange Vinaigrette The starter was a delicate piece of foie gras surrounding confit smoked duck leg and then coated with black summer truffles. Truffles and foie gras in a single dish? I was in heaven. The duck confit was tender and aromatic, while the foie gras was velvety smooth and soft, just like butter. The combination itself was rather rich, but thankfully the caramelized orange vinaigrette on the side was there to balance the taste. Not to forget the cute little shimeji mushrooms on the side, which were succulent and crunchy, it was a dish well executed.
Foie gras and confit smoked duck leg, marinated Shimeji mushrooms, caramelized orange vinaigrette #3 The Refresher *** Iced Raspberry-Bell Pepper Cappuccino After all the richness, we were given a glass of iced raspberry-bell pepper cappuccino to clean our palate. By reading the menu description, I thought this combination was rather weird. Raspberry and bell pepper? I was skeptical. But I had to eat my words when the drink turned out to be absolutely refreshing and quite palatable. The taste of bell pepper was distinct but so was the raspberry. Together they balanced each other out and we ended up with a clean palate ready for the mains.
Iced Raspberry-Bell Pepper Cappuccino #4 The Main Event *** Slow Cooked "Sous-Vide Style" Wagyu Beef Cheeks, Summer Truffles, Celeriac Roots and Horseradish Foam The main dish was wagyu beef cheeks cooked "Sous-Vide Style", which meant the beef was packed in an airtight plastic bag and cooked in a water bath for about 72 hours, to ensure the meat was cooked evenly with the correct doneness. I’d say this painstaking process was well paid off, for the wagyu cheek was exceptionally tender and soft without being mushy. Best of all, this method retained all the flavours of the cheek, and then some. It was a piece of marvelous melt-in-your-mouth creation.
Slow cooked “sous vide style” wagyu beef cheeks, summer truffles, celeriac roots and horseradish foam #5 Dessert *** Albaco Chocolate Cremeux, Meringue, Passion Fruit Sphere, Frozen Yoghurt Last but not least, dessert was mandelbread/almond bread topped chocolate cremeux, accompanied with frozen yoghurt on the side. The chocolate cremeux had a texture almost like chocolate mousse but was richer and denser. It was like a cross between chocolate bar and mousse, and best of all, it used high quality Valrhona chocolate which was amazingly chocolatey. The bread was there to pair with the rich chocolate cremeux, but if you still find it too rich, there’s the frozen yoghurt which helped tremendously to neutralize the richness. Not to forget the cute little spheres on the side, notably the passion fruit sphere, which literally burst in your mouth! Such a pleasure really.
Albaco Chocolate Cremeux, Meringue, Passion Fruit Sphere, Frozen Yoghurt Couple the dessert goodness with a glass of sweet dessert wine, a girl could not ask for more.
Dessert wine – Muscato Brown Brothers, Muscat, Australia 2010
Chef Reto Weber The dinner experience of MIGF menu at Mandarin Oriental was nothing short of stellar, with every dish prepared with creativity and sense. Each course was well thought of, in terms of presentation, balance of taste as well as the suitable wine to pair with. I felt honoured just to be able to taste the brilliant work of Chef Weber.
Dining ambience at Mandarin Grill We tried the 5-course Dinner menu which cost RM258++/pax without wine. The 7-course dinner menu cost RM328++/pax while the Lunch menu cost RM218++/pax without wine. For wine-pairing dinner, add RM70 to the price. For the full menu listing, click here.
Mandarin Grill restaurant Mandarin Grill |
| Sit Back, Relax and Chilla Cup Posted: 09 Oct 2011 06:55 PM PDT  Sometimes during the weekend, all Saucer and I want is a place to sit comfortably, have some snacks and more importantly, a good cup of coffee. We have been to several places that serve good coffee in a comfortable ambience so far, but none with really delicious snacks. Last week though, we were introduced to this relatively newcomer in the cafe scene, called Chilla Cup (coined from chill a cup) in Subang Avenue. It was still spanking new and clean, with plenty of comfortable couches, free wi-fi and very cozy. Both of us found a good spot and started with our orders of coffee and snacks.
Hazelnut Latte (RM11) My order of Hazelnut Latte came topped with a smooth foam and a pleasant aroma. We were told that the beans are always freshly roasted and imported from Asia, Africa and South America. A sip of it and I knew I was going to enjoy my morning – it had a hint of sweet hazelnut, was full-bodied, smooth and not bitter at all. One thing I learnt about coffee is that good coffee beans are not supposed to be bitter unless they’re burnt.
Chilla Cup – Just the way you love it
Comfortable couches One of the signature items in Chilla Cup (aside from coffee, that is) is their freshly baked pretzels. I know when we talk about pretzel, only one brand came to mind but I was surprised to know that the pretzels here were fabulous! We tried the Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel which was served hot and drizzled with fine cinnamon sugar on top. For our convenience, they had also cut the pretzel into small bite-size pieces and each piece was warm to bite and oh-so-fluffy! Best of all, the cinnamon was not overpowering nor sweet, making this such a delightful snack over a cup of coffee.
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel (RM7.50) Saucer ordered a cup of Cappuccino, and after our coffee-making workshop last time, we learnt how to determine if a good cup of cappuccino has been made. We checked the layer of foam on top, which was supposed to be around 2cm thick and smooth. To our pleasant surprise, the cappuccino here passed the test with flying colours!
Cappuccino (RM9.50) Secondly, we also made sure the temperature was not too hot as a good cup of coffee should hover around 65 degree C. This is tested by feeling the cup with your hand, and the temperature should just be at the level that your hand can still withstand, instead of being scorching hot.
Thick and fluffy micro-foam Another snack that we tried was their Double Cheese Honey Thick Toast, which was generously topped with cheese and honey, giving this a twist of savoury and sweet flavour. It’s important that the toast should be sufficiently thick or the flavour of the cheese would be overpowering. I found this prepared at the right balance, with the cheese and bread toasted until the edges were crispy and golden. Yum!
Double Cheese Honey Thick Toast (RM10.50) Apart from plain pretzel, there is also filled pretzel in the menu – something new to us. We ordered the Pepperoni Filled Pretzel, thinking it was just pepperoni slices in pretzel, but boy were we surprised to see it stuffed with cheese! This was served piping hot so each bite of the pretzel was accompanied with the warm oozing of melted cheese that was filled with bits of pepperoni. Such a unique combination that was nothing short of glorious! If you haven’t tried filled pretzel before, I’d suggest you to start with this.
Pepperoni Filled Pretzel (RM11.90)
Cheesy and gooey pretzel Last but not least, we shared the Ham & Sweet Corn Tortilla, which amusingly looked like a pizza! It was not unlike thin-crusted pizza, with crunchy and thin crust really, and not to forget the generous amount of cheese on top too. Thinking back, I’m surprised we did not have ‘cheese over-dosage’ that day.
Ham & Sweet Corn Tortilla (RM12.50) With the free wi-fi, the comfortable couches, the soft music in the background, and more importantly, a wonderful company, we could just hang out here the whole day. Chilla Cup provided us with such coziness and comfort that we felt so at home being there on that Saturday morning. We’ll definitely be back!
Chilla Cup Cafe Chilla Cup @ Subang Avenue |
| Posted: 06 Oct 2011 07:10 PM PDT  As a new model, very often the first shows to model for are bridal shows, especially those organized by bridal houses. Very often, a model would be asked to parade with various types of gowns such as can-can, mermaid, A-line or even flowy chiffon gowns. Personally, I love wearing wedding gowns (which girl doesn’t?)! They are usually snowy white, elegant, pretty and sexy! Best of all, it gives a married lady a second chance to don on the gorgeous piece of outfit.
Wedding gown show (credits) So I was delighted during our class when we were told to put on some gowns to walk the elegant catwalk! Even though these were not wedding gowns, but they represented the different styles of a wedding gown – i.e. either mermaid or can-can style. For the first class, I learnt to walk with a mermaid gown.
Catwalk with a Mermaid gown (credits) All of us donned on our chosen gowns and took some pictures before the catwalk. Excitement of first-timers, you see.
Eileen with the slim white mermaid gown
Stephy with a gorgeous red can-can gown Our instructor that day was Kit Leu, and she donned the pretty pink can-can gown and flaunted it effortlessly. It was not easy due to its heavy weight and the long tail. One could very easily get caught with the tail and trip!
Kit Leu with her pink gown
My mermaid gown One of the significance with walking in a mermaid gown was that we had to kick the gown’s tail at the end of the runway before posing, to present the tail nicely spread out in front for the audience to see. Otherwise, the tail would just remain behind us hidden from the audience, hence taking away the beauty of the gorgeous gown.
Kicking the gown Here’s a video of me doing the elegant walk in a mermaid gown, with lots of room for improvement of course.
Video: Catwalk in a mermaid gown
Justin Alexander Bridal Gown show
Modeca Bridal wear show Note: This is Part 4 of a series of Advanced Modeling Catwalk course at Amber Chia Academy. Check out the remaining series here. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
If you can, learn the moves before you go so that you can be part of the fun!
Anyway, it is always good to learn something new each lesson. Stay tuned for the next post on modeling with can-can gown! 
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