iamthewitch.com |
- Birthday Celebration in Mezze
- All About Bibimbap
- Malaysia International Fashion Week 2011: Backstage
- Taiwanese Food Promotion
- Win a Trip to ICEHOTEL Sweden!
- Time Out KL Food Awards 2011 Winners
- Dramatic Modeling
- Getting to Pangkor Laut Resort
- Bowling with Puma Social
- Paragon Thai Food Village
| Posted: 30 Nov 2011 05:40 PM PST  Today marks the beginning of December, a date which is all the more special for two of my dear friends Foong and Caroline, because it’s their birthday. To celebrate their special day in advance, we had painstakingly planned a ‘surprise’ birthday dinner for them at Mezze. If planning a surprise for one person is hard enough, try planning for two! Both Eric (Caroline’s other half) and I had to come up with different stories to get them out for dinner on the same day, while making sure both of them never got to talk about it. It was quite nerve-wrecking. And finally, the day came…
Pictures on Mezze It was our maiden visit to Mezze and once we entered, our first impression was that the restaurant reeked of smoke, probably coming from the cigarettes and cigars at the bar area which was just next to the dining area. We asked for a table upstairs instead but were informed that the section upstairs was closed on that night (or perhaps there is no dining area upstairs? Can anyone confirm?). We had no choice but to switch to a table further in, in the hopes of alleviating the smokey smell.
Carbonara (RM26) I have heard from a few friends that we had to try the Spaghetti Carbonara if we ever dined in Mezze. What makes it different was the raw egg yolk that it was served with, in a shell. The presentation itself scored some points, even before we started eating. We mixed the whole egg yolk onto the pasta before digging in. Perhaps we shouldn’t have put in the whole yolk because some of us found the pasta to be overly creamy afterwards, almost soggy. I didn’t mind that it was creamy but thought that it lacked flavour. Still I can’t be a good judge of this because I seldom order carbonara pasta. I’m more of a marinara or aglio olio type of person.
Add in the raw egg yolk for a creamier texture Foong chose the Olio Bacon pasta, which I thought fared better than the Carbonara. The texture of the spaghetti here was firmer and more al dente, while the generous amount of bacon gave it a nice savoury flavour. This was actually pretty aromatic!
Olio Bacon (RM29) My choice was the Funghi au Truffle pizza, topped with sauteed mushroom, tomato, mozzarella, oregano, rocket and a drizzle of truffle oil. From the looks of it, I’m guessing they have a wood-fired oven, which gave the pizza the occasional charred edges and crispy crust that I love. The crust was sufficiently thin and light, and had the right amount of cheese on top. The addition of mushrooms and a light drizzle of truffle oil gave a subtle earthy taste. I actually enjoyed this pizza and would have had more if we were not sharing.
Funghi au Truffle (RM28) Majority of our dining group preferred the Salmon Pizza though, which looked quite similar except that it’s topped with slices of smoked salmon. Again, I loved their thin, light and crispy crust layered with cheese. I also thought the addition of rocket leaves not only made the pizza appear more attractive, it balanced out the savoury and cheesy flavour perfectly.
Salmon Pizza (RM31) The best dish that we had that night had to go to the Chargrilled Spatchcock Chicken or spring chicken. Our first impression was that the chicken was small – but it was so good! It was skilfully marinated and meticulously grilled to a shiny golden finish that was bursting with flavour in every bite. The skin was crispy and thin with no apparent layer of fats, while the meat remained juicy and tenderly delicious. My only gripe was the small size of it so we only had a couple of bites each.
Chargrilled Spatchcock Chicken (RM34) Last but not least, a birthday cake for both the birthday boy and girl. Since the success of the Durian Cheesecake that we bought from Caffe Cino last time, we decided to try the Cherry Cheesecake this round from the same bakery. Unfortunately, I thought that the cherry cheesecake came short of the Durian cheesecake. Somehow the flavour of the cheese was neither here nor there – I couldn’t decide whether it had more flavour of the cheese or the cherry. Anyway, that’s not important because this was not a cake review session.
Cherry Cheesecake Here they are, the birthday boy and girl! A very Happy Birthday to both of them. Many happy returns and may all your wishes come true! I have said it before and I’ll say it again, that I’m truly thankful that our paths crossed.
The birthday boy and girl
Caroline & Eric
Saucer & witch Although the food at Mezze was rather good, we were pretty turned off at the end of the dinner when the smoky environment became almost unbearable. There was no proper separation between the bar and bistro area, and since the whole place was enclosed and air-conditioned, it meant that the smoke was circulated internally. At one point, a few of us even had watery eyes such that we decided to leave earlier than expected. I really hope something would be done to improve the air ventilation here or at least give diners the option to dine upstairs. I’m sure diners would appreciate this gesture to protect them from second hand smoke.
The company that matters Mezze Wine Bar & Bistro |
| Posted: 29 Nov 2011 06:20 PM PST  Bibimbap, the most common and lovable Korean meal is what I would refer to as the “Korean mixed rice”. Served with warm white rice topped with vegetables, seaweed, sliced meat, a raw egg and most importantly, the flavoursome gochujang (chilli paste), the combination is mixed thoroughly before being savoured. Oh what a hearty bowl of comfort! There are two variations of Bibimbap, you either take it cold or take it hot on a hot stone bowl, the latter known as Dol Sot Bibimbap. Having traveled to Seoul before, I have to say Bibimbap was the meal I had most of the time, because it’s delicious, reasonably priced and quick to serve! Fine, maybe it had something to do with the fact that I only know what Bibimbap meant from the Korean menu.
All you need in one bowl Back to Malaysia, Ko Hyang Korean Country Delights is one of the many Korean restaurants making a prominent mark in our food scene. You’d be happy to know that this restaurant was started by a family (Ms Chung Hee Jung & parents) who originated from Incheon, Korea, with recipes that have been passed down for generations. Their first outlet in The Gardens Mid Valley has received tremendous response from the locals that they have currently branched out to an impressive 5 outlets. We were at the branch at 1 Mont Kiara last week for dinner and found the place to be very comfortable and clean. Their open kitchen was also well-maintained, with every step of their food preparation exposed to the public.
Clean open kitchen of Ko Hyang
Unlimited side dishes including kim chi Our dinner started with some side dishes or banchan, including the famous kim chi that are all refillable. Our first dish was the Goon Man Du, or pan fried home made chicken dumplings which were fried to perfection! To me, perfection meant that the skin was fried to a golden brown without any sights of burnt carbon, has no trace of oil and produces a crispy sound with each bite. On top of that, the fillings of chicken and vegetables inside were juicy and bursting with flavour. This is definitely a must-order!
Goon Man Du (RM9.50) Of course, when we’re at Ko Hyang, how could we miss out on their signature Bibimbap? Saucer ordered the cold version of rice mixed with vegetables, chili paste and chicken, topped with a sunny side up. Give it a good mix and we have a bowl of orangy-red rice that is savoury, slightly spicy and a little bit sweet. Don’t be hindered by the red mixture thinking that it’s very spicy, because it’s not, really.
Bi Bim Bap – Chicken (RM17.90) Similar to the Bibimbap, I had the Dol Sot Bibimbap that was served in a hot stone bowl. The ingredients were pretty similar except that I had it with sliced beef instead of chicken. The stone bowl still sizzled when I mixed the combination, emitting an irresistible aroma in the process that had me salivating before I ate. It was definitely a good appetite-stirrer, the process of mixing that is. Between the cold Bibimbap and the one on hot stone, I preferred the latter because there’s always something about piping hot food that makes it taste so much better and comforting to the tummy, don’t you think so?
Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap – Beef (RM17.90)
Well-mixed Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap Some of the side dishes we tried were the Pa Jeon and Kim Chi Jeon, both pancakes except that the former had seafood and the latter had kim chi. These were both pan-fried to a crispy edge and were surprisingly not oily. I preferred the Kim Chi Jeon, which I found to be more flavourful and tasty with the addition of savoury and spicy kim chi. Again, not overly spicy so don’t be put off by the redness of the pancake.
Pa Jeon (RM11.50)
Kim Chi Jeon (RM11.50) Apart from the side dishes, Ko Hyang also offers something more substantial if you prefer more meat than vegetables. The Dak Bokem is a good choice that comes with a plate of stir-fried chicken and a bowl of rice. The chicken was well-marinated with a savoury and spicy flavour while retaining its tender texture. The addition of sesame seeds made the combination all the more aromatic. This was really quite good!
Dak Bokem (RM17.90)
Saucer enjoying his bowl of bibimbap
Ko Hyang dining environment Ko Hyang is what I would call a fuss-free dining venue where the menu is straightforward, the food is served in a jiffy and the dining environment is clean and unpretentious. It goes without saying that the food must be good too, to keep people coming back frequently, because the country-inspired dishes here make you feel right at home.
Ko Hyang Korean Country Delights, 1 Mont Kiara Ko Hyang Korean Country Delights |
| Malaysia International Fashion Week 2011: Backstage Posted: 27 Nov 2011 06:11 PM PST  Who would have known that dreams really do come true? 10 years ago, I was on the audience side of the fashion show, staring up at the models strutting the runway, wishing to be one of them. Fast forward 10 years later, I was living the dream, walking the runway for the first time ever at the Malaysia International Fashion Week 2011, organized by MIFA. After months of training and practice at the Amber Chia Academy, I was finally given the golden opportunity to catwalk at this prestigious annual fashion affair.
The prestigious Malaysia International Fashion Week 2011 by MIFA Since it was also my first ever fashion show, it meant so much more to me. I was having butterflies in my stomach a few days before the show, nervous and excited at the same time. Curious to know what happens behind the scenes during a fashion show? I’m more than happy to share my first experience backstage.
Sabrina waiting for her hairdo More than 20 of us were chosen to model for the 11am show entitled “A Tribute to Mickey and Friends”. Our call time, or the time that we’re supposed to be on location, was 4 hours earlier at 7am. Ungodly, I know. We were there before the sky was bright, and waited for further instructions.
Waiting for hair-styling First stop was to the make-up room, where our make-up was sponsored by M.A.C. The make-up team was quick and efficient, completing our make-up in about half and hour or so. We were then asked to move to the hair room, where another team from Snips Hair Salon was going to style our hair.
Make-up by M.A.C. team I thought handling such a big group of models would be chaotic but it was really quite systematic. Those who were waiting for their make-up would do their hair first, and vice-versa. Before long, we were all done by about 9am. We were then ushered to the backstage, to be briefed on the choreography on stage and to perform a rehearsal. I finally walked the runway for the very first time during rehearsal and boy, was it long! In my mind, all I could think of was “Please, don’t slip!”.
Backstage After the rehearsals, we met with our respective designers to try on their clothes and to be briefed on the order of our appearance. Our group was going to wear clothes designed by 2 different designers – Andy Yap and Michelle. Soon, it was 10.30am, just half an hour before the show. We all changed into our respective outfits, complete with accessories and all, standing by at the backstage. Make-up artists and hair stylists were also standing by, always ready to touch up this shiny face or pin up that stray hair. Everyone was working as a team, it was really impressive.
My outfit
Kim Low
Sabrina – can you guess what character she was portraying as?
Amber Chia standing by backstage Shortly after 11am, we heard the emcee starting the show. We were asked to get ready and queue up. The show has begun!
What can I say? For a first-timer like me, I was indeed nervous and perhaps trembling a little, walking in front of a huge crowd under the bright spotlight. There must have been dozens of camera in front of me, with flashes everywhere. I was secretly relieved that I was wearing a pair of sunglasses during my first walk, at least I would not be blinded by the bright lights. Thanks to Saucer who was there to support me and take pictures of the show, I have these amazing shots to share! Enjoy!
Amber Chia doing the final walk The whole show took about an hour to finish, but to me, it felt like it’s over within a blink of eye! Everything had happened so quickly, the queuing, the changing of clothes and the walk – it was all over now. What an exhilarating experience it has been. Sure, I did not have the best walk – I still had to improve on the confidence and ‘wooden-ness’ of my walk, but as Amber said to me backstage – “Always remember to have fun on the runway!”. And have fun I did. *Read more about my training at Amber Chia Academy here & here. |
| Posted: 24 Nov 2011 05:45 PM PST  A few months ago, we were supposed to fly to Taiwan for a one-week holiday. Our bags were packed, our money changed, and our cameras were all charged up ready to go, only to have our plans cancelled due to a house break-in. Our wallets, laptops and most importantly, our passports were stolen. The unexpected incident had caused our trip to Taiwan to be cancelled and a lot of inconvenience in recovering important documents. So when Prince Hotel informed me that they were having a Taiwan Food Promotion at Tai Zi Heen, I couldn’t help but cheer up just a little bit.
Taiwanese Tea set
Immaculate table setting From 18th to the 30th of November 2011, Tai Zi Heen will be offering set menus specially crafted by their guest chef from Taipei Garden Hotel - Executive Chef Wang, to amaze the patrons with his contemporary Taiwanese delicacies. Known for his expertise in creating dishes that preserve the original essence of Taiwanese traditions, I could barely contain my excitement while waiting for the food to be served.
Light bites and condiments The first dish of Dried daikon radish omelet was a walk down memory lane. Omelet just the way grandma used to cook when I was young – savoury, fluffy and aromatic. Apparently, the dried daikon radish had been preserved for 3 whole months. The omelet was thick with a slightly crispy outer layer. Simple but good! Sometimes, the best food does not need to be complicated.
Dried daikon radish omelet (RM20/RM30/RM50) The dish that nailed it for me was the Traditional Three-Cup Chicken. Served in a claypot, this dish still sizzled at time of serving, emitting a most delicious aroma that stirred up our senses. Someone from our table immediately asked for a bowl of rice to go with this flavourful dish. The term ‘three-cup’ actually referred to the 3 cups of sauces used in marinating the chicken – 1 cup of superior stock, 1 cup of sesame oil and 1 cup of dark soya sauce. The combination was pretty tasty especially with the tender chicken.
Traditional Three-Cup Chicken with Superior Stock, Black Sesame Oil and Dark Soy Sauce (RM28/RM42/RM70) The Vegetables and Seafood Soup turned out to be rather pleasant with plenty of vegetables and beancurd sheet. But what was most impressive was the abundance of seafood found within, especially the prawns. They were extremely succulent and plump, a nice accompaniment to this dish I would call my comfort food.
Vegetables and Seafood Soup (RM55/person) The presentation of the next dish certainly raised a few eye brows with the gigantic whole crab making a statement of its own. Presented in a large bamboo steamer, the Steamed glutinous rice topped with crab meat came in a huge portion. Since one could only eat so much of the sticky glutinous rice, this dish was definitely meant to be shared with a large party. I thought that the rice could use with more flavour especially from the crab. Also, the use of the bamboo steamer was important to keep it warm because the rice was a chore to eat when it’s cold. As for the crab, it was undoubtedly fresh and sweet although I still think that peeling crab is a lot of work.
Steamed glutinous rice topped with crab meat Finally for desserts, we had some traditional Taiwanese pastries called Sun Cake and Beef Tongue Cake. Very interesting names, I thought. These were both pastries with malt sugar filling within, except that the Beef Tongue was lightly pan-fried to a brown finish and had the shape of a tongue, while the Sun Cake was round in shape. There was certainly no beef involved.
Sun cake & Beef tongue cake (RM21/6 pcs) Before we left, we had the opportunity to watch Executive Chef Wang prepare the famous pineapple cakes for us. The ingredients used include flour, eggs, custard powder, butter, shortening and of course, home-made pineapple jam.
Ingredients for pineapple cake
Mix well
Pastry and pineapple filling
Delicately wrapped
Fitting into the square mold The Pineapple Cakes turned out to be meticulous square shapes with thin pastry. The pineapple filling was thick, dense and generous, while the pastry was fragrant and crumbly. I wouldn’t mind having several pieces of this.
Pineapple cakes (RM21/6 pieces)
Thick and compact pineapple jam within Having tried some of the authentic Taiwanese dishes made me feel a little better after missing out on my Taiwan trip earlier this year. If you noticed, the dishes served were nothing too fancy but good old home-cooked dishes that we are familiar with, only with a Taiwanese twist. If you had the chance, do chat Chef Wang up too, he’s such a friendly chap and will only be around until end of the month.
Executive Chef Wang and Chef Michael Wong from Prince Hotel Taiwanese Food Promotion is only available from 18 – 30 November 2011 Tai Zi Heen Chinese Restaurant |
| Win a Trip to ICEHOTEL Sweden! Posted: 23 Nov 2011 07:27 PM PST  Christmas is coming soon and what better way to celebrate than to eat, drink and have fun? Speaking of drinks, remember the silvery white-topped and refreshingly different beer, the Tiger Crystal? This seasonal beer is now back at your neighbourhood pubs for your drinking pleasure. I don’t know about you, but I’m not really a beer person. I only drink beers which are full-flavoured, smooth and easy on the palate, all of which the Tiger Crystal has. That, and the pretty bottle in silvery white has got me hooked!
Tiger Crystal So how does it taste like? It has a full-flavoured and a refreshingly different aftertaste. It’s the type of beer that I could go on and on drinking. You have to try it to get what I mean.
My bottle of Tiger Crystal – Refreshingly Different The question is, where can you get this beer? Only limited stocks are available in selected bars listed here: List of Tiger Crystal Outlets While you’re at it, why don’t you put the bottle to good use? To celebrate its comeback, Tiger Crystal has launched a competition on Facebook where the grand prize is a trip for 2 to the exclusive Icehotel in Sweden! Just look at the pictures I saw from the Icehotel website, they do remind you of James Bond’s Die Another Day, don’t they? Super cool! And what’s more amazing is that this hotel is actually rebuilt afresh each winter, since it melts away during spring. Amazing! Win a trip to Icehotel Sweden Would you like to sleep in -5C? (source) It’s such a chance in a lifetime! How often can you tell people that you’ve stayed in a hotel made of ice? To get a chance, simply follow the instructions from the Facebook app here and you’re halfway there. How to win a trip to Icehotel Sweden Step 1: Take a Refreshingly Different picture with Tiger Crystal
Step 2: Fill in your details Get your friends to vote in Facebook! As you can see, I have just joined the contest with my bottle of Tiger Crystal beer too. How do you like my Refreshingly Different pose? If you want to stand a chance to go to Icehotel, join the Facebook contest like me. But if not, may I ask for your kindness and generosity to vote for me? Pretty please? *Note: This is a sponsored post. |
| Time Out KL Food Awards 2011 Winners Posted: 23 Nov 2011 05:20 PM PST  The wait is over – after weeks of voting, the winners for the annual Time Out KL Food Awards were announced yesterday night (23/11/2011). I was happy to see a few of the restaurants that I voted for to appear as winners. What is your favourite restaurant?
Best Chinese Restaurant - Li Yen, Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur
Best Continental Restaurant – Hakka Republic Best Hawker/Mamak – Devi’s Corner Best Healthy Eating/Vegetarian – Marmalade Cafe Best Indian Restaurant – Kanna Curry House
Best Malay Restaurant – Bijan Best Thai/Indochinese Restaurant – Rama V Best Middle Eastern Restaurant – Al-Amar
Best for Pub Grub – Jarrod & Rawlins Best for Coffee – Espressamente Illy
Best for Seafood – Restaurant Fatty Crab
Best for Steak – PRIME, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
Blogger’s Choice award – Village Park Nasi Lemak
Best Japanese Restaurant – Kampachi Best Italian Restaurant – La Risata
Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Cilantro Best New Restaurant – Ben’s Restaurateur of the Year – Benjamin Yong Outstanding Chef of the Year – Chef Nathalie Arbefeuille Congratulations to all the winners! |
| Posted: 22 Nov 2011 05:05 PM PST  “Dramatic Modeling” – when I first saw this stated in my course syllabus, I had no idea what to expect. Were we expected to act? Were we expected to speak? Well, all of them were answered when the time came for that particular class. We were lucky to have Kelly Jagan, Ford Models Supermodel of the Year 2009, to be the guest instructor that night. The lanky lass is talented and can speak multiple languages including Mandarin and Cantonese. We were then briefed that dramatic modeling usually applies to shows for nail and hair, where big dramatic movements were made using our hands and body, just like dancing or acting in a mime.
Example of hair show (source)
Example of Nail show (source) Kelly was extremely fluid in her movements, walking and posing with her hands effortlessly and naturally without being over the top. I tried to mimic her movements but ended up looking very stiff and unnatural. Apparently, this would have been easier for someone who has dancing background, something that I don’t have. I found this class especially challenging for me, and all my movements appeared rigid and wooden. *sigh*
The very gracious Stephy My classmate Stephy was the star for this lesson, for she managed to move her hands gracefully and naturally, even for a first-timer! Wonder what’s her secret.
Posing for nails
Rebecca with her dramatic pose
Practice makes perfect! To get an idea of what dramatic modeling is, watch the video by Kelly Jagan below. She started by demonstrating to us how to walk during a Nail show, and later on continued with a Hair show.
Kelly Jagan with her dramatic modeling movements Note: This is Part 7 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 |
| Getting to Pangkor Laut Resort Posted: 20 Nov 2011 06:00 PM PST  Lately, it seems that beach holidays are the ‘in’ thing. Not wanting to miss out on the bandwagon, I booked a 3 day 2 night getaway to Pangkor Laut Resort for our 2nd anniversary. Yes, we’ve been married for 2 years now and it felt like forever. It was supposed to be a surprise to Saucer, so everything was planned discreetly, right up to the day of departure itself. I had informed him to make himself free for that particular 3 days, without letting him know where we were going to. Luckily for me, he’s not a curious person (unlike me!) and just followed my lead!
5-star Diamond Award Now many people might mistake Pangkor Laut Resort (PLR) with Pangkor Island, the more well-known counterpart. In fact, they are two very different islands that happen to bear similar names. Pangkor Laut Resort resides in a private island, occupying the whole island on its own and making it exclusive only to the patrons of the resort. That is to say that the access to this island is only allowed to resort guests and no one else. On the other hand, Pangkor Island is open to public.
The Pangkor Laut Resort check in office in Lumut After making the necessary reservations, we only had to make ourselves present at the check-in office at the stipulated time and let the resort staff take care of the rest. To get to PLR, one could either fly to Pangkor Island via Berjaya Air and take a boat to reach PLR, or one could drive, just like us. We drove to Lumut and parked our car at the multi-storey car park. The car park charged RM0.30/hour for every hour of the day, which meant RM7.20 for a full day of parking. From the car park, we made our way to the PLR check in office which was located at the corner unit of a shop house lot. Just look out for the signboard, it’d be quite hard to miss it.
Pangkor Laut Resort lounge in Lumut Once we got our names checked and reservation confirmed, our luggage was taken care immediately and we were seated at the lounge area with glasses of welcome drink (sparkling Ribena, I suspect). We were there 20 minutes before the scheduled boat departure, so we had some time to read the newspaper and enjoy our welcome drink.
Towards the jetty About 10 minutes before our scheduled departure, we were escorted by the staff to the jetty. For your information, the boat schedule is as follows:
Boats docked at the jetty We took the 11am boat and before long, we spotted it coming from afar. The boat ride was comfortable as we did not meet with any big waves on our way there. Within 30 minutes, we already spotted the sight of the Sea Villas on stilts, pretty gorgeous really.
Our boat to PLR
Safety first
To Pangkor Laut Resort we go!
Mini lighthouse in the distance
A yacht in front of PLR’s jetty
The calm waters towards the resort When we’re near the PLR jetty, we could observe how the waters were emerald green in colour and very calm. It gave us a sense of peace just by being there. Coupled with the fact that this resort is private, so we did not get the usual holiday crowd.
The lobby from a distance I suppose what makes the trip to PLR so memorable is how hospitable the staff was, and how pampered we were. Right from the moment we checked in at Lumut, we were made sure that we’re comfortable and had everything we needed. And when we reached the PLR jetty, there was a group of resort staff standing by with cheery smiles, welcoming each of us individually as we stepped out of the boat. We felt like royalty!
The first sight of PLR
Walking towards the lobby Once we reached the lobby, each couple was assigned to a personal escort. Our escort by the name of Ben was most cheerful and friendly, talking to us with a genuine warmth that made us feel at home immediately. He briefed us through on what was available at the resort, the activities, the restaurants and the facilities. He even helped plan our itinerary for the 3-day stay there. “It wouldn’t be just a boring beach holiday after all,” said the relieved Saucer.
The calm green waters
The jetty at PLR Since our room was not ready yet, Ben took us for a short tour of the resort and showed us the gorgeous Sea Villas. Before long, it was time for lunch! And what perfect timing it was too, for it started to drizzle. Ah, that’s a story for another post. Til then, have a gorgeous Monday without the blues!
Saucer says Hi
Welcome to Pangkor Laut Resort Pangkor Laut Resort |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:15 AM PST  A week ago, we were invited by Puma to go for a bowling event on a Friday night. It was ages since we last went bowling, so we put on our socks and bowling shoes, and were all geared up to bowl! The launch of Puma Social was held at Cosmic Bowl, Mid Valley where they introduced us the latest social sport – none other than bowling, of course. Entitled "Here's to the After-Hours Athlete", it paid homage to the champions of late night games such as foosball, ping pong, darts and arcade games, and applauded accomplished individuals who enjoy the smell of victory and the agony of defeat, whilst keeping track of their life's Scoreboard.
Puma Social Club
Here’s to the After Hours Athlete When we reached, we were randomly assigned to different groups by different-coloured wrist tags. Their intention was to mix us all up so that we get to play with new friends and start socializing. At first, I was not used to the idea of playing with complete strangers, but once we started playing, our goal was the same – to strike!
The wrist bands
Cosmic Bowl
Aiming for a strike
Getting ready to bowl with Caroline Halfway through the game, the emcee came and asked us to play a game of rolling the ball backwards. The one who scored the most pins would be given a prize. Guess what? Saucer won!
Bowling backwards
Rolling the ball backwards
Saucer won a Puma shirt
A group picture
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| Posted: 16 Nov 2011 05:38 PM PST  Who would have known, that less than 10 minutes from the city is a beautiful little Thai village nicely lit up at night? This is Paragon Thai Food Village, a gorgeous restaurant we accidentally passed by while we were driving around Cheras one night. The colourful and brightly-lit place was too attractive to ignore, so we gathered a few of our buddies and returned a week later to try their food.
Brightly lit Thai food village It was a rainy night, so the atmosphere was cool and the air was crisp. Just the perfect environment for spicy Thai food! The Mango Salad came in a pretty generous portion of shredded green mango on a bed of lettuce. Don’t underestimate this plate of salad though, it was superbly sour and spicy! Just perfect as an appetizer dish.
Mango Salad (RM10) Of course, how could we forget Thailand’s signature dish that is Tom Yam soup? The Tom Yam Seafood was served piping hot with burning charcoal within the fire pot. The soup was light but packed a punch! The first sip really sent me back to my senses with an explosively hot and fiery flavour. Within the soup, we found pieces of shrimps, fish fillets and calamari rings in addition to mushrooms and tomatoes. They certainly did not skimp on the ingredients. The more I drank this soup, the more addicted I was to it.
Tomyam Seafood (RM20)
More than just seafood Just like Tom Yam soup is a must-order dish for me, the Thai Style Lime Steamed Fish is a must-order for Saucer. If you think the Tom Yam soup was spicy, you haven’t tried this! The spiciness of this dish was a notch above the soup and it’s not for the faint-hearted. Each time I took a sip of the sour and spicy broth, I could feel it trickling down my throat all the way to my stomach, giving me a tingling hot sensation. It’s THAT spicy. On top of that, the fish we had was very fresh! Each piece was firm, smooth and flaky, you could tell even from the picture.
Thai Style Lime Steam Fish (RM30)
Flaky fresh and spicy! Since Caroline was not accustomed to spicy food, we ordered a plate of Pandan Chicken just for her.
Pandan Chicken (RM13) Last but not least, the typical Thai vegetable dish to order - Wok-fried Kangkung Belacan. Surprisingly, this was quite a big portion, more than enough to feed 4 of us! As with most of the other dishes we ordered, this was also spicy and savoury, perfect to go with the fragrant white rice. The hint of belacan was distinct and the addition of chilli made this all the more appetizing.
Wok-fried Kangkung Belacan (RM15) I won’t say that this is the best Thai food that I’ve ever tasted, but their food is mostly above average while their pricing is quite pocket-friendly. But more than everything else, the ambience made us feel like we’re out of the country. And that, my friends, is what makes this restaurant different.
Romantic gazebo in the centre
Paragon Thai Food Village Directions: Along the East-West Link, head towards Cheras. Just before the Batu 9 toll, exit left (before a petrol station) and you’re nearly there. The restaurant is also near the famous badminton court The Challenger in Cheras. Paragon Thai Food Village |
Here’s to more birthday celebrations and many more food outings!
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