iamthewitch.com |
- The Beauty of Pangkor Laut Resort
- Grand Opening of Amber Chia Academy
- Eat-All-You-Can at Shabuland
- Christmas with Alvin and The Chipmunks!
- Aunt Ann’s Roast Pork
- Christmas Spirit at Prince Hotel
- Fashion, Fine-Dining & Free Flow of Beer!
- Early Christmas Eve Dinner
- Birthday Celebration in Mezze
- All About Bibimbap
| The Beauty of Pangkor Laut Resort Posted: 12 Dec 2011 08:15 PM PST  Finally, after much delay, I shall continue writing about our wedding anniversary at the absolutely breath-taking Pangkor Laut Resort. There are many places that we have visited domestically and around the world, but Pangkor Laut Resort (PLR) is easily one of the few that we wouldn’t mind returning. The experience was nothing short of spectacular, and a very memorable one at that! We were taken care of from the moment we stepped onto the jetty, right to the moment we left the boat. It was the first-class service that made us, the paying customers, felt satisfied and worth every penny spent.
The Sea Villas Even in the boat from afar, we could spot these Sea Villas sitting amidst the calm emerald waters, a welcoming sight for every man on the sea. Unfortunately, we did not stay here since it was way above our budget.
Flowers changed daily Once we were greeted by our friendly escort, Ben, he sat us down at the lobby and handed us a piece of paper printed with the map of PLR. He had already scribbled some notes on it, informing us on the different activities offered and their schedules.
Map of Pangkor Laut Resort Since we were there early and our room was not ready yet, Ben offered to take us on a tour around the island.
Towards the villas
The gym and TV room I particularly loved the stretch of path along the Sea Villas! There’s something about walking on wooden planks built on stilts on the sea that gave me a sense of serenity, so much so that I didn’t really mind the hot sun.
The wooden path on the sea
Walking on emerald waters
The path to the Sea Villas We took the 15 minutes walk to the Spa Village, and made our way back when it was time for lunch. Since we had numerous meals at the PLR, I thought it would be a better idea to compile all the food pictures into a separate post, and only focus on the room and the surroundings in this post. By the time we were done with lunch, our room was ready!
Some of the Garden Villas Our package was supposed to be a Garden Villa, but apparently we were upgraded to a Hill Villa. Ben, who’s ever so enthusiastic, walked us to our villa situated up in the hills. From the lobby, we had to walk to the Jim Thompson boutique where the lift was. Yes, there was actually a lift that transported us up the hill! From the lift lobby, it was another 5-10 minutes walk to our villa. So I guess you could say that it’s about 15 minutes walk on average to get to the villa, which might not be so appealing to some. Well if you’re not used to the idea of walking, there’s plenty of shuttles around to fetch you up to the lift lobby.
Swimming pool
View from the pool Our Hill VillaOur villa was incidentally situated next to the Pavarotti suite!
The giant king sized bed
Couches at the balcony
Sun bed for tanning! Inside, the giant king sized bed was extremely comfortable with four extra plush pillows. Oh the feather pillows were so nice to hug!
The king sized bed
The welcoming elephant
The superb pillows
LCD TV and couch in the room
Slippers from PLR
Welcome fruits The villa was so huge that there was actually a sliding door that separated the bedroom from the rest of the villa. There was a separate room each for the bathroom and toilet, and two wash basins! I love places with 2 wash basins! It meant that I could brush my teeth any time that I want to, or spend hours in front of the mirror without being pushed away by Saucer.
The toilet
Shower room
Two wash basins
Toiletries Wait, the best has yet to come – there was a huge outdoor bath tub as well! We were initially quite wary about the outdoor bath tub but it was actually quite safe. It opened up high above to the jungle and trees, out of the view of passers-by. Perhaps the only thing that one should worry about, is monkeys!
The outdoor bath tub that opens into the jungle
The outdoor bath tub
With natural light
Just to get the perspective of the size of the tub
The dressing table What we loved about our villa was how quiet it was at any time of the day. It’s so secluded and surrounded by greenery that we felt healthier just by breathing the fresh air every day. Oh and don’t forget the gorgeous view of the sea from above too!
View from our villa Some of the other amenities in the room included the mini bar filled with drinks, two large wardrobes, umbrellas for the rainy day (very useful!), coffee and tea-making facilities, and an electronic safety deposit box.
Mini bar
Large wardrobe with bath robes and umbrellas
Coffee and tea making facilities Once we were done with unpacking our stuffs, we took a short nap and woke up at around 5pm to head towards the Emerald Beach. The Emerald Beach is the only beach in PLR that is suitable for swimming, since the other beaches could be filled with jelly fish and sea urchins. Located at the back of the island, one could hike towards the beach through the jungle (about 30 minutes) or take the shuttle there. No prizes for guessing which route we took!
Washrooms at Emerald Beach We were there not to swim, but to admire the sun set. The sea was amazingly emerald in colour! While waiting for the sun set, we took the opportunity to snap pictures of the sea, the beach and of ourselves!
At the Emerald Beach
A stroll on the beach
Some of the corals
Posing with the sea #1
Posing with the sea #2
The calm waters in the evening
View of the beach
Sun beds by the beach
Perhaps a wade while waiting for the sun set?
The green waters
To view the sun set, there was a platform just next to the beach that gave a very nice view of the sun.
Admiring the sun set
View of Emerald Beach
Sun set at Pangkor Laut Resort #1
Sun set at Pangkor Laut Resort #2
The clear water
Another shade of emerald waters
The beautiful sunset at Pangkor Laut Resort Ah, the beauty was indescribable. I was so glad to be able to catch this view on an evening in the midst of rainy season! More posts on PLR food coming up soon. For a complete set of pictures, check out my FB Album. *My previous post on Pangkor Laut Resort – Getting to Pangkor Laut Resort Pangkor Laut Resort |
| Grand Opening of Amber Chia Academy Posted: 11 Dec 2011 05:40 PM PST  Amber Chia is easily one of the most hardworking and dedicated supermodel around. Started as a model from a young age, the lanky lady is now not only a gorgeous mother to little Ashton, but a very successful businesswoman. With the aim of discovering more local talents, she has started her first Amber Chia Academy early this year, with the aim of opening a total of 3 academies by end of the year. She has not only reached her target, but has surpassed it with the opening of her 4th academy last week at Berjaya Times Square (BTS).
Amber Chia Academy at Berjaya Times Square I first knew Amber Chia personally during an opening ceremony of a restaurant. I was fortunate to share the same dinner table with her, and managed to have a short conversation with the friendly model, only to have her asking me to join her academy due to my height. I pondered the thought and eventually took the plunge. With her busy schedule and wide circle of friends, I wouldn’t expect her to remember all of her students. But during my first fashion show in MIFW, I saw her backstage and she told me that she’s proud of me to finally have my first walk. It may not mean much to anyone, but to me, it meant that she cared. And she really does care about all her students.
Some of the ACA graduates with Amber Chia and team
The radiant Amber Chia in red The opening ceremony of the BTS branch could not be better in timing since it was also Amber’s celebration of her 30th birthday.
The runway Strategically located in the middle of the metropolitan Kuala Lumpur, the academy in BTS covers an area of over 2,000 square feet on the 8th floor. It is also the first ACA with a noticeably more upscale and futuristic design, its luxurious exterior and interior inspired by world class modeling and makeup studios. Having attended my classes in the Jaya One branch before, stepping into the BTS studio definitely gave me a different feeling – so much more chic, modern and huge!
A token from the witch
The ACA signature heels The good thing about a branch in a shopping centre is that the academy will be open every day of the week, hence offering weekend courses as well. That’s good news for working adults! In addition, there will also be new classes offered for kids and nail art courses for beauty students starting from next year.
Food served during the opening
The spacious studio
Esther Tan
Esther Tan, Amber and Nadia
Catwalk guru Benjamin Toong
ACA students Sheena & Wafa The event was made even more excited with the presence of renowned fashion designer, none other than Dato’ Jimmy Choo, someone that Amber refers affectionately to as her ‘brother’. He was an extremely humble man who’s soft-spoken and always with a smile.
The ACA team with Dato’ Jimmy Choo
with Dato’ Jimmy Choo After we’re all satiated with the buffet spread and the unlimited servings of Kronenbourg 1664 beer, the show finally started. We were treated to a fashion show and a makeup showcase by graduates and current students of ACA.
Benjamin getting excited to start the show
Makeup showcase #1
Makeup showcase #2
Amanda Cheng
Sheena Liam
Cheryll Ho
Josephine
Angelica Yap
Kurt Chin
Reina
Leon
Yu Ling
Gwen
Wafa After the show, there was also an introduction of the team at ACA, including make-up guru Desmond, catwalk instructors Esther Tan and Kit Leu, as well as the catwalk guru Benjamin Toong. Oh, and don’t forget a special appearance by little Ashton! Yes, he’s already walking the runway at such a young age – impressive!
Kit Leu
Ashton Before the event ended, we celebrated Amber’s 30th birthday with a huge cake and a birthday song. She was clearly happy and overjoyed with the successful launch of her studio and an amazing crowd singing her a birthday song. Here’s wishing her a very happy birthday and may there be more local talents discovered in the fashion world. Make us proud!
Happy Birthday Amber
Amber Chia Academy BTS For more pictures, check out the Facebook album here. Amber Chia Academy Berjaya Times Square ******** On another note, did you know that the iPhone 4S is coming to town? Pre-register at www.celcom.com.my/iphone to get an exclusive invite to Celcom's Official Launch happening on 16 Dec, at La Bodega, Bangsar Shopping Centre KL. Pre-registered customers will enjoy priority queue at the launch. Get the best iPhone yet!
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| Posted: 10 Dec 2011 06:10 PM PST  Shabu-shabu, the Japanese version of steamboat or hot pot, is one of the meals that I look forward to during the recent rainy evenings. With so many of such restaurants mushrooming in the Klang valley, one is never short of choices! Shabuland is one of the latest player in town, occupying a spacious corner unit in the booming town of Bandar Manjalara. When it comes to hot pot, I very much prefer the shabu-shabu style due to the individual pot that we get to customize according to our own desire.
Raw ingredients on kaiten belt To make the experience much better, the raw food at Shabuland is served on small plates on a moving kaiten belt that are easily reachable from every table. This meant no forcing yourself around in crowds to get food!
Variety of sauces
Unlimited servings The variety of seafood offered included scallops, prawns, bamboo clams, crab and my favourite fish meat noodles. Before we could start, we had to choose the soup of our choice – ABC soup, herbal chicken soup or tom yam. No prizes for guessing which one I went for!
Scallops and fish meat noodles
Crab makes the soup taste so good! Of course, shabu-shabu wouldn’t be complete without the presence of sliced meat. There was a choice of either pork or beef slices that were only served upon request, to ensure freshness of the meat. I like to give the meat slice a quick swish in the bubbling hot soup, nothing more than 10 seconds, to get it to be tender and moist. It’s so addictive that we kept asking for refills!
Unlimited servings of pork slices
Beef slices Besides the variety of seafood, there were the usual suspects of fish balls, meat balls, dumplings, noodles and so on. Of notable mention was the dumpling (sui kow) that was really sizable and generously packed with meat fillings.
Bubbling pot of tom yam soup
Gigantic dumpling (sui kow) After stuffing ourselves silly with the all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu, we were craving for something cold and sweet for dessert! Thankfully, we saw the ice-cream box nearby, serving a variety of ice-cream flavours including mango, durian, chocolate and vanilla among some. That’s not all, there was another counter that served YoYo ice (yao yao ping) as well! It’s actually the first shabu-shabu restaurant that I’ve seen serving this delectable shaved ice that comes in many flavours. Eat them after the steaming hot meal and get instantly refreshed.
Unlimited beverage of choice
YoYo Ice (yao yao ping)
Comfortable and air-conditioned environment We ate and chatted and ate again to our heart’s content. The good thing about all-you-can-eat meals is that you can eat as much as you want to or as little as you want to, whenever you feel like it! We could be chatting away with a cup of YoYo ice in hand in one minute, and swishing the sliced meat in another, all the while catching up with good friends over funny stories.
Shabuland Restaurant
Shabuland Promotion Adult – RM29.90nett Promotion: Buy 10 Free 1 head charge. Get the stamp card and collect 1 stamp for each person’s charge to get a free head charge after 10 stamps. Shabuland Restaurant |
| Christmas with Alvin and The Chipmunks! Posted: 08 Dec 2011 05:30 PM PST 
Ah who can forget this festive and catchy tune by Alvin and the Chipmunks? I still remember watching the show a few years back and this song just simply could not leave my mind! I found myself humming to it day and night, even in my sleep.
Colourful selection of cakes Last week, we went to Cinnamon Coffee House in One World Hotel to be infused with a Christmas-sy atmosphere. The Chipmunks Christmas song was playing in the background, huge Christmas trees donned the lobby, boxes of Christmas presents were laid on the table and Alvin, Simon and Theodore were spotted having a blast with the kids. If I didn’t know better, I’d think that Christmas was here already.
Christmas spread We were actually there to sample the Christmas buffet, and to spend some time with the adorable kids from House of Joy. Earlier, the children hung up their Christmas wishes on a 20-feet tall Christmas tree in conjunction with the hotel’s Grant-A-Wish programme. They were also given individual Christmas presents by the hotel staff, just before they sank their teeth into one of the most comprehensive buffet spread offered. Of course, the line at the ice-cream counter was especially long.
Whole roasted Turkey with vegetables Meanwhile, let’s take a look at what the buffet spread is offering for this year’s Christmas. As usual Turkey was on the table, ready to be carved upon request. Since I am not a big fan of turkey, I opted for the carving of the day, which turned out to be Beef! And my gosh it was good! It was done medium rare, with the insides still pink but not bloody, and pleasantly tender. I have to say I’m pretty impressed to get such good quality beef in a buffet spread.
Beef
Beef done right! The selection of seafood included prawns, mussels and fresh oysters. But what was more interesting was the sashimi. The salmon sashimi was pretty fresh and bouncy, just like those you can find from decent Japanese restaurants.
Fresh seafood For appetizers, there were the usual cold salads, cheese platter and a variety of nuts for topping.
Cold Platter selection
Assorted nuts and Salad bowl
Imported cheese Another of my favourite dish was from the Pasta station. It’s not secret that I adore pasta so when I saw the selection available, I had to refrain my over-ordering. I settled for the black Squid Ink pasta, and requested for it to be cooked Carbonara style. To be honest I was a little wary with how the pasta would turn out, because squid ink pasta could be quite tricky to cook. If it’s not done right, iIt could easily end up having a strong fishy smell.
Pasta station with assorted sauce Thankfully, the I was not disappointed. The Carbonara Squid Ink spaghetti was actually pretty good. It was smooth and not overly creamy, with slices of ham and mushrooms mixed within.
Creamy squid ink carbonara pasta Last but not least, desserts! The dessert spread here has got to be one of the most extensive one, ranging from the chocolate fountain with assorted skewers, to teppanyaki ice-cream, crepes, Malay kuih, tarts, pastries, pudding and lots and lots of cakes! It was impossible to taste all of them without getting sugar-high.
Mango pudding & Tiramisu
White Christmas cake
Spiced date cake – recommended!
Christmas Yule Log
Raisin bread
Mini Swiss roll
Assorted mini red velvet, chocolate cake and tarts Apart from those listed here, Cinnamon Coffee House also prides itself with its famous Nasi Briyani. If you’re here, don’t miss out on the satay too, it was most flavourful and tender, you’d be surprised. Look at how happy the kids were, eagerly anticipating their dinner accompanied by balloons.
Children from House of Joy
Give a gift of smile
Alvin and the Chipmunks While enjoying dinner, we were also entertained by the cute chipmunks who were busy taking pictures with kids and adults alike. They’re simply too cuddly and adorable to resist!
Bubbles up in the air
Cinnamon Coffee House dining environment Christmas Eve Festive Revelry Christmas Day Gala Buffet Christmas Day Hi-Tea Galore Cinnamon Coffee House, One World Hotel |
| Posted: 07 Dec 2011 05:31 PM PST  End of the year is usually when parties are held with lots of people, good food, booze and plenty of fun! Are you planning to host a party soon? Then I’ve got something amazing to share with you. Aunt Ann’s Roast Pork is the bomb! A knowledgeable lady who does business from her home, she invited us over one night to sample her signature Roast Pork Shoulder. Without any expectations, we entered her premises only to be welcomed by the glorious aroma of freshly roasted pork. It being dinner time, I couldn’t stop my stomach from growling and my mouth from salivating.
The sexy piece of Roast Pork shoulder What makes it different?Instead of the commonly used pork belly that is often too fatty for most, Aunt Ann uses Pork Shoulder instead. Don’t be fooled, pork shoulder is actually much harder to roast compared to pork belly, because of the thickness of the lean meat within. It certainly requires some skills to ensure that the pork shoulder is roasted evenly from outside right to the deepest core.
The glorious Roast Pork Shoulder Without further ado, we watched Aunt Ann slice the piece of meat gradually but surely, while emitting the unmistakable crisp from the superb skin. Needless to say, at that point, all of us were on the verge of going on our knees, to worship the glorious slabs of meat that were screaming out to us. I was this close to grabbing a slice from the chopping board itself!
Chopping the roast pork
Look at the layers! The trick to cutting it, according to Aunt Ann, is to only cut out the portion that you can finish at a time. This is so that the moist within the pork could be retained. You see, once the pork slices are cut, they tend to dry up when you leave them out for a period of time. So Aunt Ann only cut out a plate at a time, and replenished when it’s empty. Look at the amazing layers of the pork shoulder rolled up. Only a slight layer of fat, a golden layer of crispy skin and plenty of tender juicy meat! I swear, I thought the meat was going to be dry seeing that it’s all lean, but it’s surprisingly moist and tender. And the skin, oh the skin! I tried my best to refrain from eating too much of it but I couldn’t withstand the crunchiness and the burst of juices with each bite. I now declare that I’m hopeless when it comes to resisting Aunt Ann’s roast pork skin.
The best part is the skin! Apart from Roast Pork, Aunt Ann also makes a mean Roast Lamb. Each piece at a minimum of 2kg, was nicely well-marinated with lots of herbs and spices, before being roasted to perfection.
Roast Lamb
Sliced Roast Lamb The Roast lamb also came with a jug of brown sauce, which enhanced the flavour and helped make the lamb juicy and tasty.
Brown sauce on the roast lamb To complete the meal, we had some baked tomatoes and tomatoes on the side. It was a wholesome meal of fiber, carbs and lots of protein! It was the first time that I actually had ‘siew yoke’ and only ‘siew yoke’ to my heart’s content, without having to remove the unsightly fatty layers that I usually do with pork belly.
Baked tomatoes
Baked potatoes and capsicum
The complete meal (of course I had more than one serving of the roast pork It was one of the most memorable and enjoyable meal that I’ve had in the company of warm and friendly hosts. Of course, the Roast Pork did make things a lot better too!
The standard size of Roast Pork How to Order?
Payment method: Bank-in and fax the payment slip. Aunt Ann’s Roast Pork |
| Christmas Spirit at Prince Hotel Posted: 05 Dec 2011 10:43 PM PST  It’s barely 2 weeks to Christmas now! How time flies! End of the year is always my favourite because of the festive mood, the more laid-back environment at work and the continuous binging on food!
Pretty cupcakes! Before that, let’s take a look at some of the Christmas spread as offered by Eccucino. I enjoyed the Roasted lamb the most. It was quite tender and moist, and together with the tasty gravy, it was bursting with juices. Another dish I liked was the Steamed Seabass, which was fresh and had silky smooth flesh. It was also nicely paired with the ginger-sesame sauce, making it delectable without the fishy smell.
Salad bar
Tuna wrap
Kambing Kurma & Ayam Goreng Berempah
Roasted lamb
Steamed seabass with cabbage and sesame-ginger sauce
Chicken schnitzels Of course, how can Christmas be complete without the Christmas desserts? The standard log cake was there to welcome us. So was the cute Gingerbread man! Not to forget was the ice-cream counter with plenty of flavours to choose from and a variety of toppings to be added. My favourite was the chocolate and vanilla ice-cream topped with chocolate sauce, Oreo cookies and lots of love letters.
Christmas log cake
Chocolate cakes
Gingerman says Hi! The kids from Agathians were all nicely dressed in the festive red t-shirts and were extremely excited with their party packs. Each one of them couldn’t wait to break the party popper open with a resounding pop! Once they were seated, the General Manager of Prince Hotel Mr Tim started to hand out Christmas gifts to the children individually. It was quite a sight to behold, seeing the kids to be so well-mannered no matter how young they were, and to receive their Christmas gifts with a polite “Thank You”. Puts a smile on my face!
Kids from Agathians Shelter Home enjoying lunch
Party pack
Pulling the party popper
“Anything else inside?”
Trying out the masks
Magic clown shaping balloons
Gingerbread house ready to be decorated by the kids
Christmas gifts to the kids Apart from the Christmas lunch, the hotel also prepared some fun activities for the kids such as gingerbread house decoration, magical clown show, face painting and sand painting. The kids were having so much fun that by the time we left at 4pm, they were all still busy with their gingerbread house.
The kids say Merry Christmas! Eccucino’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Dinner buffet is priced at RM118++ per adult. Children under 12 dine for FREE. On another note, the Mezzanine lounge will also be transformed into a Christmas Brunch area from 12noon until 3pm on Christmas day, priced at RM108++ per adult and FREE for children under 12 years old. Prince Hotel and Residence Kuala Lumpur |
| Fashion, Fine-Dining & Free Flow of Beer! Posted: 04 Dec 2011 07:55 AM PST  I need to go shopping! Find out why at the end of the post!
Get invited to the exclusive Fashion Event! A little background on how Kronenbourg’s beer is produced:
Kronenbourg 1664 Currently there are 2 range of Kronenbourg beer in Malaysia, the first being the the Kronenbourg 1664, a clear and bright golden-coloured liquor with a thick and creamy long-lasting froth. There is also a very lively carbonation, comprising tiny masses of bubbles lacing the glass. Its taste is slightly bittersweet with a distinct citrus hop taste further defined by a refreshing clean crisp and uncut flavour. The medium bodied Kronenbourg 1664 also has a sparking mouthfeel and is ever so slightly acidic with some good malt flavour upfront, a little sweetness and a tiny hint of cloves. The beer aroma has a dominant scent of flowery hops, citrus fruits and malt aroma. There is also a touch of yeast, fruits (banana and Mirablee plum) and pepper in the aromatic mix.
Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 On the other hand, I am a fan of the Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc, a refreshing white beer with underlying notes of coriander and cloves with an intriguingly distinctive balance of subtle citrus and fruity flavours. It brings out traces of fruits with hardly any hint of spiciness, which one would expect from a wheat beer. The taste follows along in much the same vein and finishes clean with a touch of dryness. More importantly, it’s not even bitter – very easy on the palate!
L'APERITIF Fashion by Kronenbourg Now now, as for why I need to go shopping, it’s because I’m getting myself prepared to attend this exclusive and glamorous event known as the L'APERITIF Fashion! I know it might sound like a mouthful, but it is actually a version of the French Happy Hour, intrinsic to the French Culture of 'art de vivre' (art of living) – a celebration of good friends, good food, good spirits and good conversation. This year, the featured designer would be our very own Gallo by Thian, a local designer known for her distinctiveness and individualism style.
Fall/Winter 11/12 Collection from Gallo by Thian What is this event about? Attendees can expect to be whisked away into a glamorous French Affair in the middle of down town Kuala Lumpur. There will be fashionable people all around, fine dining, display designs from Gallo by Thian and a makeup station by L'ancome. All this coupled with the exquisite taste of Kronenbourg 1664. In other words, it’ll be a night of glitz, glamour, fine dining and free flow of beer in the company of beautiful people! How to WIN passes? That’s right! Kronenbourg is kind enough to sponsor a pair of tickets to this exclusive event to you lovely people. To win a pair of tickets to the L'APERITIF Fashion Event on the 15th of December 2011 at The View G Tower, simply complete the following slogan in no more than 10 words:
Closing date: 9th of December 2011 If you have the best slogan as determined by the representatives at Kronenbourg, can we go shopping together please? For more information, follow their Twitter at @KronenbourgMY or Like their Facebook Fan Page at www.Facebook.com/KronenbourgMY. Good luck and hope to see you soon! |
| Posted: 01 Dec 2011 10:15 PM PST  Christmas came early! This year, I had the chance to savour turkey a month before Christmas, thanks to Sanook’s invitation to sample their Christmas eve dinner menu. I have been to Sanook several times now and I have always admired the calm and peaceful surrounding of the restaurant that faces a lake. It definitely gives me a break from the hustle and bustle of the chaotic city traffic – almost like a place out of town, when in fact, it’s located in the heart of PJ. Thankfully, on that night, it had just stopped raining, so the air was still cool and crisp with a light breeze. Just perfect.
Whole roasted turkey The Christmas Eve Dinner consists of 5 courses – Appetizer, Soup, Mains, Dessert and an unlimited serving of Turkey carving on the side. #1: Appetizer - Italiano pan-fried scallop with breaded honey tiger prawn The sizable scallop was seared lightly resulting in slightly brown edges while still maintaining the juices within. Topped with alfalfa, I thought the combination was quite unique – the mixture of sweet and plump seafood with crunchy greens. You either love it or hate it. Fret not, if you don’t enjoy the greens, gently push them aside and savour the juicy scallop on its own. For me, I much preferred the breaded honey tiger prawn. It was deep fried to a crispy finish with succulent flesh and a very tasty sauce. A combination of honey and tomato, the sauce was simply to-die-for.
Italiano pan-fried scallop with breaded honey tiger prawn #2: Soup - Fresh black mussel soup Mediterranean style When the second course of soup arrived, it certainly raised a few eyebrows, for the sight of soup was almost non-existent. But after the first sip, I understood why – the soup was rather rich and thick. Each spoonful was bursting with a plethora of flavours from the generous amount of seafood used – shrimps, mussels, squids, fish and more. It was naturally sweet and savoury with a tangy hint from the tomatoes. Even though the portion was small, it was satisfying.
Fresh black mussel soup Mediterranean style #3: Main Course - Pan-fried salmon with tempura baby crab OR For the main course, we had the choice of either salmon or steak. Since I was in the mood for seafood, I chose the salmon. My first impression? The salmon fillet was huge! It may not seem much from the photo, but I actually had trouble finishing it towards the end because the flesh was thick, dense and compact. Taste wise, I would have preferred the salmon to be pan-fried just a tad longer to get the crispy skin and more of the golden-brown layer on the surface. On the other hand, I enjoyed the tempura baby soft-shelled crab that was served on the side. It was deep-fried with a light and savoury batter that was not cloying. The addition of greens on top also helped to balance out the flavour. Best of all, it was still crunchy even after 15 minutes being served. Well done!
Pan-fried salmon with tempura baby crab
The soft-shelled baby crab – nicely done! #3: Main Course – Grilled rib-steak ala Americano Another choice for the main course was the grilled rib-steak, which I had the chance to sample thanks to Caroline. The portion of the steak was sizable and had a nice charred surface on top. I was close to regretting my choice of salmon when I had a bite of her steak. She asked for medium and it was executed just right – pink and juicy insides without the sight of blood. Couple that with the mushroom sauce, it was pure steak joy. If you love steak, I’d suggest you to choose this for your main course.
Grilled rib-steak ala Americano #4: Dessert – Sweet creamy honey pineapple studel in wantan skin For dessert, we had something quite unconventional – pineapple strudel in wantan skin. It was different from the normal studel such that instead of pastry layers, crispy wantan skin was used. And to top it off was ice-cream that covered the pineapple fillings within. Served with some blueberries and kiwi, I thought the addition of sweet ice-cream was good to balance the tarty flavours from the fruits and the pineapple.
Sweet creamy honey pineapple studel in wantan skin #5 Turkey – Unlimited servings on the side Last but not least, unlimited turkey carvings on the side for patrons to enjoy. The roast turkey was stuffed with polenta, fresh pineapple and dates, served with mixed Italian herbs sauce. On the sides were the colourful combination of baby carrots, beetroot, grapes, brussel sprouts, roast potatoes, goose berries, snow peas and pineapple chutney. My, even this side dish could be a complete meal on its own! Towards the end of the dinner, I was already too full to sample much of the turkey. To be honest, I’m not much of a turkey person, since I found the meat to be usually quite dry and bland, just like chicken breast. So I usually eat it with lots of cranberry sauce or in this case, pineapple chutney.
Carving the turkey Christmas Eve Dinner at Sanook
Dining environment at Sanook next to a calm lake So if you would like to spend your Christmas eve away from the busy city and the horrendous traffic, why not give Sanook a try? Did I mention that it’s located just next to a calm lake, giving it the extra edge of being more romantic?
Sanook Bistro & Sports Bar Sanook Bistro and Sports Bar (Free Wifi) |
| 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 |
Around the island, the sight of fresh and colourful flowers floating on a big pot of water was a common to be found. In fact, these flowers were changed daily, so every day I would see different flowers decorating the pots. Such attention to detail!
The wooden path leads us to Uncle Lim’s Kitchen and eventually to the Spa Village, which is a private wing that is not open to children/non-spa customers.
Every evening, someone would come and turn down our bed, place a bottle of water on each side table, dim the lights and light up an aroma incense stick. It was incredible.
During our 3 days there though, we were lucky not to have encountered any of them within the vicinity of our villa. 
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