Confessions Of The True Foodski

Singapore Airlines subsidiary low cost airline named Scoot.......

2011-11-01T15:35:00.001+08:00

Singapore Airlines have recently unveiled it's latest subsidiary low cost airline. And, well....It's named SCOOT. Not sure about the name though, but i feel that it's about time that Singapore Airlines have a better version of Budget carriers to rival the likes of JetStar and AirAsia.

B777-200 Scoot Livery (Pictures from Scoot.com)

I think that the corporate color scheme is gonna be yellow and it will look something like this picture above on their livery. Looks like a cartoon plane to me!. But it's still early days though. Maybe they would change the design and come up with something non cartoonish. They recently have appointed new Scoot CEO Campbell Wilson to spearhead it's vision into the low cost air travel market.

“We chose the name ‘Scoot’ for many reasons, not least because it‘s different. Rather than the tried and tired “airlines” this, “airways” that or “air” yawn, it’s short, sharp and snappy. It stands out.”
—Mr Campbell Wilson,
Scoot CEO

Scoot's gonna be using former SQ's B777-200

Hmmm....Seems reasonable enough. But when it begins to much fanfare next year, i hope that this really picks off like AirAsia and be a dominant player in low cost air travel!

“Scoot’s contemporary, down-to-earth philosophy behoves us to be online from day one. The current presence is simple but as we develop, our presence and transactional capabilities will progressively develop along with us”
—Mr Campbell Wilson,
Scoot CEO

They’re coming in 2012 to bring you a new travel experience. They’ll eventually start with a fleet of Boeing 777s (former SQ planes) and a safety, security and operational DNA reflecting our heritage. And they plan to be much more different from the other low cost carriers. So do log on to their web page or you can like them on Facebook too. You can send suggestions, ideas or anything that you want to see in the new Scoot. You can link to their website by clicking on http://flyscoot.com/.

Back to Singapore from Hong Kong on Singapore Airlines...

2011-10-31T00:54:00.000+08:00

This post covers my journey from Hong Kong to Singapore on SQ. As i had taken the incoming flight from singapore on SQ's latest A380, this time i booked an earlier timing instead of waiting for another 2 hours for the A380 which was scheduled to depart at 1730hrs. 4 days spent in hong Kong was truly amazing and awesome, food was damn good and so was the ease of getting from point A to point B. Pretty much reminded me of Singapore. Transportations like the MTR, public buses, trams are so efficient but what i don't like is that Hong Kong is so densely populated and if you ever fly above Hong Kong, you'll see many buildings being built close together and they have to build them high too!

Check out time was 1pm, as i extended it cause my flight was only gonna be at 1500hrs. Once checked out, took the hotel shuttle bus to the Airport Express Town Check-In Station. Proceeded to the SQ check in counter and seems like no one was there, as most of them are checking in at the airport instead. Check in was efficient, didn't wait too long. After about 5 minutes, we received out boarding passes and then took the lift down to the Airport Express Train Station. It's just located at Basement level as there are lifts going down directly. Had to top up $150HKD to my Octopus Card for the train ride. Waiting time for train takes about 15-20 minutes and the traveling time takes about 25-30 minutes into the HKIA.

Hotel JEN

Hotel JEN entrance

The hotel's shuttle bus that runs hourly

Airport Express Town Station and Check-In

Waiting for the train

Reminds me of City Hall MRT station

Yup, it's SQ!

HKIA

Departure Hall

After reaching HKIA, got thru customs and immigrations very efficiently and we headed to Popeyes Restaurant. Popeyes in Hong Kong International Airport are the only Halal certified fast food chain there. Only bought large fries for the time being to cure my afternoon hunger as i didn't want to eat a full lunch before flight. I wished that i had applied for the Priority Pass earlier before making this trip. That membership really is useful as you could go to the designated CIP Lounges that are available at major airports globally. Imagine, somebody greeting you at the door and welcoming you into the lounge. Taking a break on a large comfy sofa, while munching on the snacks and sipping on a cup of Cappuchino while awaiting to board! Now that's the 'high' life i should say...hehe.

Popeyes

China Airlines A340-500 loading up

Dragon Air A330 parked at gate with Cathay Pacific in the background

SQ 863 B777-300ER to Singapore

Destination : Singapore
From : Hong Kong
Flight : Singapore Airlines
Flight no: SQ 863
ETD : 1505
ETA : 1835
Aircraft Type : Boeing 777-300ER
Class : Economy
Seat no : 51J, 51K

Boarding announcements are made at 1430hrs and the business class and priority passengers are allowed boarding first followed by families with children and then Economy passengers. At the door of the plane was greeted by 2 lovely Singapore Girls addressing me by my last name and wished me a good afternoon. As i made my way down the aisle, managed to snap a the Business class seats along the way! As we were seated and buckled up, the crew began handing out hot towels and some welcome drinks for that signature SQ service standards! Not many airlines would serve you welcome drinks and hot towels.Captain welcomed us on board and did the usual stuff like informing the travel time, speed, altitude and other info.

Business Class

Economy Class

9" inch IFE screen powered by KrisWorld

Passengers boarding and steward attending to queries

View of planes from cabin

Luggage being loaded up

Push back and ready to taxi towards runway

Waiting for clearance for take off

Speeding down the runway

Taking off

Ascending into the skies


Beautiful blue skies with little clouds

Somewhere above South China Sea

My Muslim Meal that i have pre booked

Cucumber and Yellow capsicum salad with Cherry tomato

I arranged the tray making it look more tidier and neat for photo taking

SQ logos on cutleries


Dessert was given a cup of Haagen Daaz Ice cream

Encountered some turbulence along South China Sea near Malaysia

Watching episodes of The Simpsons to pass the time

Over Malaysia

Meals were served about an hour after taking off and i pre booked the Muslim Meal. The meals served on the incoming flight from Singapore was not that good as i had a hard time chewing my mutton! This time i was served Mutton Masala and Peas with Basmati White Rice. This time they got it right on the tenderness and flavor of the mutton! Melts in your mouth as i happily tucked into my meal and leaving no prisoners behind! One of the best inflight meal i had on SQ. The dessert served was a small cup of Haagen Daaz Ice cream. Vanilla ran out so had to settle for Cookies and Cream. After a heavy meal, what a better way to cool it all down with an excellent brand of ice cream. Halfway in the flight, we encountered some minor turbulences over South China Sea near Malaysia. Other than that , the flight was uneventful. Watched the whole episodes of the Simpsons for an hour and a half.

If you are coming from western Malaysian Coast, you can see this bridge

Changi Coastline

Over Changi Beach

Landed

B777-200 being unused due to the low flight demands

Taxi to gate

Parked at gate and disembarking

Total flight time took about 3 hours and 10 minutes, rather early than expected time arrival. Landing was smooth and within minutes, we were already at the gate ready to disembark. Overall flight experience on SQ was good. I would fly Singapore Airlines anytime but to certain destinations only, as their prices are much more expensive than other carriers such as Emirates, KLM or Qatar Airways. But still my heart lies with Emirates for overall inflight experience! Stay tuned for more trip reports and stories.....

Hong Kong....The city that never sleeps!? Day 3 and 4

2011-10-30T15:38:00.000+08:00

Third and forth day in Hong Kong. Nothing much to do other than eat, shop and eat again! This trip really makes me hungry as i'm a freak about food! Took the shuttle bus from Zen hotel as usual going towards the Star Ferry Pier. Weather was clear and sunny, unlike other days before which was cloudy and misty. Visited an exhibition at Victoria Harbor Hong Kong Exhibition Centre. There was an expo in digital, electronic products such as HD Plasma TV's, Turntables, State of the art speakers and amplifiers.

Passing by IFC Center

Visitors flocking in the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre

A marching military band was playing at the entrance, manage to get this pic

My ticket into the expo for HKD$60

Cool Vinyl player, state of the art!


Used usually for DJ's

Awesome Pioneer DJ Console

LG Plasma HDTVs

Spent 2 hours roaming around the expo listening to sound systems and demos. Pretty much an 'earful' for those who can't stand loud and orgasmic noises. As if i'm going to bleed from my ears after hearing those awesome sound systems!

The next best part of the day is as usual, EAT! Having scoured around Victoria Harbor, no Halal food seems in sight. Thanks to the web portal called Zahibah, i found some Halal food outlets nearby Wan Chai area. I decided to give Ebenezeer's Kebabs and Pizzeria a try as i heard rave reviews that they get from loyal customers in Hong Kong. Tucked away in the junction of Lockhart Street and Luard Road, there lies the one outlet available in Wan Chai. Ebenezeer's has since expanded their outlets into other parts of Hong Kong's districts even there is one located in Lantau Islands at the Ngong Ping Theme Village. If you ever need to try them when in Hong Kong, visit their website at http://www.ebeneezers.com/ for more info and locations!

Located along Luard Road in Wan Chai area

Certified Halal

Chicken Kebab and Crinkled Cut Fries

Simply awesome and filling meal!

Cafe like fast food environment, clean, modern and hip!

It's clobberin Time!

Food was at a reasonable price. Menus included from Samosa, Potato fritter, Spring rolls to Briyani Rice with Chicken, Mutton or simply just Chicken, Mutton Kebabs and other side dishes available. It's usually packed during lunchtime with office workers looking for a decent and fast meal without ever burning a hole in their pockets.

Off to Time Square, where i bought a Barcelona Home kit and a Chelsea Away kit. Total price for both jerseys were $750HKD. Got discount as i paid using MasterCard. 20% discount was shown outside, well that really tempted me and bought these.

Final night in Hong Kong, so we decided to go look for the best Halal Indian Restaurant. I came across an interesting and rather unmanly naming restaurant called Gaylord Indian Restaurant. Yes folks, it's really called Gaylord! Well i guess whoever the owner is, maybe he was drunk when he came up with that name...hehe. It's situated in Ashley Road, which was full of pubs and restaurants during the night.

Back in Kowloon

Chicken Tandoori with Briyani Rice

Also had the Kofta Masala and Tandoori Mixed Grill Platter

Nice ambience with Indian music played in the background by live performers.

The food prices range between HKD$20-30 and menu was interesting as they have mixed grill platter, traditional Bryani, Murg Makhani( favorite), Lamb Kofta Balls in Spicy Masala and many more. This restaurant is a must try for Indian Cuisine foodies, when coming to Hong Kong.

The address are as follows below:

GayLord Indian Restaurant

25 Ashley Road
Hong Kong
2376 1001

Hours: Sun-Sat 11:30am–10:30pm

Subway: Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Kowloon

Inaugural flight to Bandung on Silkair, The region's best airline.

2011-10-11T19:10:00.002+08:00

11 October 2011 marks another inaugural route launch from SilkAir. This time the destination is Bandung. The capital city of West Java, Bandung is a cool, green enclave that still bears traces of its colonial past. The Dutch opened tea plantations in the area in the mid-19th century and over time, Bandung evolved into a resort city with magnificent art decorations and architecture that makes the city such a visual pleasure.

New retro fitted ergonomicaly designed seats

You can visit Bandung all year round. During the wet season (September – April) the temperature is pleasantly cool between 17 – 20 ˚C. The distance from the Husein Sastranegara International Airport (BDO) to the city is about 4 to 5 km. Flight journey takes about 1 hour and 40 mins, with three flights weekly between Singapore and Bandung. SilkAir are using the Airbus A319 on it's inaugural route.

Airbus A319

One of the country's top tourist destination is the Mount Tangkuban Perahu. It is a dormant volcano 30 km north of the city of Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java, Indonesia. It last erupted in 1959. It is a popular tourist attraction where tourists can hike or ride to the edge of the crater to view the hot water springs and boiling mud up close, and you can even boil an egg on the hot surface!

Mount Tangkuban Perahu Volcano Crater

There are also other popular Bandung must see attractions such as the Gedung Sate, Villa Isola, Kawah Putih, Ciater Hot Spring, Saung Angklong Udjo, Kampong Gajah which is an amusement theme park. For hardcore shoppers, you can explore fashion products at Paris Van Java and Pasar Baru Trade Center.

Villa Isola by Charles Prosper Schoemaker

Tapai Ubi being hanged to dry

When you are in Bandung, it is recommended that you try their Sundanese cuisine. It is one of the most popular traditional food in Indonesia, and it is also easily found in Indonesian cities. The Sundanese food is characterize with its freshness; the famous lalab eaten with sambal and also karedok demonstrate the Sundanese fondness for fresh raw vegetables. Similar to other ethnic groups in Indonesia, Sundanese people eat rice for almost every meal with side dishes of vegetables, fish, or meat are added to provide variety of taste.

Sundanese restaurant called Balibu

Nasi Sunda with Fried Kampong Chicken, Fried Tofu, spicy chilli sambal, tomato and lettuce.

Ikan Goreng Gurame or Deep Fried Fish Gurame

Night view from Punchak Bandung

If you haven't been to Bandung yet, do give it a try. It's much more less hectic and busy than Jakarta. See ya!

Kitchen Unconfidential

2011-10-07T20:36:00.000+08:00

Alrighty folks! There will be an event on the 3rd of December 2011, held at the OSAC, in Telok Kurau. It's regarding about Food Business Management, Sharing the importance of Costing in Management and a Networking session with fellow business entreprenuers. It will be from 2pm till 6 pm and there will be a live demo 'hands on' cooking session with Chef Kamal Fondueman and fellow Chefs including me, showing you some tricks up our sleeves to impress you with some wonderful dishes that we have in store.

Further details about this event, you can visit the following website mentioned below:
http://ku.joozs.com/
You can also like us on Facebook @ Kitchen Unconfidential

Get your hands on the boldest & thinnest BlackBerry yet at any #SingTel retail shops, SingTel Exclusive Retailers & here

2011-09-15T14:14:00.000+08:00

Blackberry Bold 9900

The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 powered by the latest BlackBerry 7 OS and featuring a brilliant touch screen with an outstanding QWERTY keyboard, it’s the boldest and thinnest BlackBerry yet.

With an elegantly brushed stainless steel frame, sculpted surfaces and advanced composite backing, the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone is as lightweight and durable as it is feature-packed.

BlackBerry® QWERTY keyboard with 24-bit high-res touch screen powered by Liquid Graphics™
BlackBerry® 7 that offers the smoothest and fastest BlackBerry® experience ever
Getting things done faster with a 1.2GHz processor
8GB on-board memory
5MP camera with flash

	SingTel BPL Watch BPL matches LIVE and be updated with news, match lineup and team standings.
	My SingTel Check your SingTel bills, local data usage, and redeem exclusive deals with Red Rewards points!
	MobileTV Watch your favourite dramas, variety shows & news on the go!

Just click on the link below:

Get your hands on the boldest & thinnest BlackBerry yet at any #SingTel retail shops, SingTel Exclusive Retailers & here

Fright Night movie premiums! Check it out!

2011-09-14T21:45:00.000+08:00

Fright Night

Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) is a high school senior who’s on top of the world — that is until Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door and Charlie discovers that he is a vampire preying on the neighbourhood.

Jerry has bitten you and now it’s time for you to turn all your friends into vampires!

For more information visit: http://www.facebook.com/FrightNightSingapore or simply just click on the link : Jerry is preying on your neighbourhood. Assist him by turning your friends into vampires & win #FrightNightSG movie premiums! Check it out!

Spaghetti Di Funghi Recipe

2011-09-14T14:28:00.000+08:00

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients :

200grams of Spaghetti (any brands)
3-4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt, Black Pepper
4 teaspoons of Chilli Flakes or Finely chopped dry chillies
A handful of chopped flat leaf Parsley
50 ml of chicken stock (optional)
2 teaspoon of dry Oregano
Grated lemon zest of half lemon
5-6 Brown Mushrooms/Shitake sliced
1 whole onion, finely diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Cooking process :

1) Heat up stove and fill 3/4 full of water into your pot and let it boil. Once water is boiling, add 2-3 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Salt is to season the boiling water so that the pasta won't be bland and olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking. Make sure after placing the pasta into water give it a proper stir and not to let it stick together. You want to make it loose instead of the pasta clinging together. Leave it to cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or El dente. Reason you cook between this timing is because if you drain the pasta, the process of cooking is still going on as you are going to put the pasta into the mushroom mix. If you tend to cook the pasta a bit longer, it will overcook and it's gonna be horrible.

2) Heat up medium sized pan over medium heat. When pan is nice and hot, add 3 tablespoon of Olive oil into pan. Add onions and garlic. Saute till onions are soft and then add the chillies and mushrooms. Saute for 2 minutes or till mushroom slightly shrinks. In this moment, if your pan is slightly dry, add a few tablespoon of pasta water into pan. Then add the stock in, season with 2 pinch of salt and pepper and the lemon zest. Let the stock reduce.

3) Once pasta is cooked, drain the water and make sure you save some of the pasta water as you might need it in case your pasta is too dry. After the sauce is reduced, add in pasta into pan and mix thoroughly making sure the pasta is nicely coated with the sauce. After mixing well, ready to serve and garnish with a handful of grated Parmesan cheese and drizzle a little bit of EVOO. Mangia!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Emirates Trip Report from Istanbul to Singapore

2011-09-13T20:47:00.000+08:00

Welcome to my trip report on Emirates from Istanbul to Singapore. This post will cover the food, service and journey of the IST-DXB-SIN leg. The last day of my time in Istanbul was just mainly doing some last minute visits and buying some souveniors, as i had posted in the last article. Checked out of my hotel at 1pm and bid goodbye to the hotel reception and thanked them for the wonderful hospitality. Made my way to the tram station and off i go to the airport.

The entrance to Atlantis Hotel, good and cheap

One last shot of Sultanahmet area

Metro cabin

Metro to Havalimani Airport Station

Made my way down to Sultanahmet Tram station which costs me only 1.50 Turkish Liras per trip and i needed to get off at the last tram stop which is Zeytinbumu and change to the Metro train. This Metro will take me directly to Havalimani Ataturk Airport Station. The journey from Sultanahmet to Havalimani takes almost an hour including waiting time for the train. I reached the airport at around 3pm and wander off to look for a place to sit down and maybe take a nap. My flight check in counter only opens at 6.50pm and my flight was scheduled at 2150pm. Well being early doesn't hurt, but the waiting time at the airport hurts as much as my butt sitting on the bench looking left to right, right to left looking at passengers walking past. I must say that the Turkish Airlines Stewardesses are very damn pretty! Also there was free access to WIFI and i happily logged on to my Facebook to check and update my status...Tried to sleep on the bench, but it was pretty hard and my back hurts. That was already off of my mind and stayed awake for the next 3 hours before checking in.

Check in time : 1850pm

ETA Departure time : 2150pm

ETA Arrival Time : 0130am (DXB time)

Airline : Emirates

Class : Y (Economy)

A/C Type : Boeing 777-200

From : Istanbul Ataturk International Airport (IST)

Destination : Dubai International Airport (DXB)

I hate these benches!

Boarding Gate 219

GE 90 Engines roaring!

As cool as I.C.E on Emirates..

Passengers settling down

Preparing for push back and taxi to runway

Take off and goodbye Istanbul!

Smoked Salmon with Olive and Lentils salad

Chicken Tikka with Beans and carrots

Chocolate Mousse

My complete inflight dinner

Check in was a breeze and no fuss. After immigrations, i headed straight towards Gate 219 and before entering, went thru another final security check. Did some plane spotting to pass the time and boarding announcements were made at 2115 pm. Priority boarding, Gold, Silver and Business Class passengers were to board first followed by those with children, then followed by economy. Greeted by name at the door and promptly showed the way to my seat. A Filipino stewardess asked me where am i from and i told her i was from Singapore. We chatted for a while before the other passengers began to arrive. We began push back at 2145pm and the crew began handing out hot towels. A good gesture of service as they are now following SQ's standard procedure in service excellence. Hot towel was all i need to freshen up my face a bit to prevent me from sleeping throughout the flight. Took off at 2155pm and began ascending to cruising altitude. Take off was smooth and the captain announced that a smooth flight is ensured with minor turbulence over Iran. After reaching cruising altitude of 37,000 feet, the crew sprang into action and began preparing the inflight meals. Menu cards are given to each passengers shortly. Special meals are handed out first followed by the normal menu.

I had the Chicken Tikka with Beans and carrots. Dessert was Chocolate Mousse and appetizers was Smoked Salmon with Olive and Lentil Salad. Chicken was moist and got that smokey flavor to it. Appetizers were good too. Salmon, fresh. Lentils salad was seasoned well and the Chocolate Mousse was the sweet delight to finish off a great meal!

Reaching Dubai soon

Oh look, stars!...Nah, just the mood lightings in the cabin.

Nose view camera of the plane

Taxiing to gate

Parked next to a B777-300ER

Flight itself was uneventful. I watched Iron Man 2 for the remainder of the flight to Dubai. As the flight was only 3 hours and 30 minutes, no snacks were served. but the crew began their rounds for Coffee and Tea service. As we are approaching Dubai, the Captain made an announcement for the timing in DXB, passenger transits and told the crew to do final checks prior to landing. We remained in a holding pattern as the traffic in DXB was heavy. Landed safely 10 mins later than the scheduled time. I had to rush towards my transit gate as my flight to Singapore was already started to announce for boarding. Time was 0145am and my flight was boarding at 0200am. Had to go thru a long line of security checks which i had to endure for 10 minutes waiting in line. After the checks, i ran to my next boarding gate and to find that the waiting lounge was empty as the other passengers have boarded. Luckily i wasn't the only ones late for boarding.

ETA Departure time : 0245 am

ETA Arrival Time : 1405pm (DXB time)

Airline : Emirates

Class : Y (Economy)

A/C Type : Boeing 777-300ER

From : Dubai International Airport Terminal 3

Destination : Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1

Sunrise over the Bay of Bengal

Flying over the coast of Mumbai

Awesome sunrise. Who needs IFE when you have this!

Foccachia Sandwich of Chicken and Zucchini filling with chocolate chip cookie

Flying towards western Sumatra

Flight Info Display


My breakfast meal consist of Noodles with Kung Po Chicken and Shitake Mushrooms

Egg Noodles with Kung Po Chicken and Shitake Mushrooms

Crossaint and sour dough bread with Fruits

Flying along the West coast line of Malaysia

Batu Pahat Coastline

Some islands surrounding Singapore shores

View of Marine Parade and East Coast Park

Tanah Merah MRT within sight

Changi MRT depot and Changi Business Park

It's good to be back to a more familiar surrounding

Parked next to a Cathay Pacific B777-300

My next flight to Sin took off at 0235am and the total traveling time will be 7 hours. Crew handed out hot hand towels and menu cards after reaching cruising altitude. There was to be a slight turbulence over the Bay of Bengal nearer towards Mumbai. Midnight snacks were served first, as some of the passengers were sleeping, the ones who were awake are served along with Coffee or Tea. It was a Foccachia Bread with sliced chicken tandoori with zucchini. Chocolate Chip cookies were also given. Tasty, but i can't finish the whole sandwich as i was still full from the previous flight. The whole flight was uneventful after the slight turbulence over Mumbai. Breakfast was served 2 hours before landing. I had the Egg Noodles with Kung Po Chicken and Shitake Mushrooms. Noodles was a bit dry until i mixed the sauce together. Wasn't bad and wasn't that good. Average i should say. The crossaint was flat and looked more like a boomerang instead of the bread.

Overall, was satisfied throughout the whole flight. Service was attentive. Food not bad. And the best of the best was the Emirates ICE which stands for the Informations, Communications and Entertainment. It has the best IFE out there next to SQ's KrisWorld and Qatar Airways' Oryx. I would gladly fly with Emirates anytime without hesitations! Landing towards Changi Airport was smooth as silk. Within minutes we were taxiing to gate and getting ready to deplane. If anyone has any doubts of which flights to take, try Emirates!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong Kong....The city that never sleeps!? Day 2

2011-09-13T01:05:00.000+08:00

The Peak Galleria Centre

2nd day in Hong Kong had already planned a trip up to the Peak, visit the Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, do some shopping at Times Square, eat lunch, shop and eat some more! We had free breakfast vouchers for the 4 days we stayed. Went down to the restaurant at 8 am and was greeted by the reception and we gave him our vouchers and he showed us to the table. Breakfast was basic actually. The normal stuffs like breads, cheese platters, fruits, some hot dishes, cereals and pastries as well. There's also an omelette station with a chef at the helm. You can choose with cheese, tomatoes, herbs, plain omelette or simply fried egg sunny side up.

Hotel JEN entrance

Free hotel shuttle bus

View of Kowloon

The 2nd building from the left where Batman attacked the Hongkies in the Dark Knight!

The hotels shuttle bus schedule begins at 8am daily and operates in an hourly basis. It goes to the Macau Ferry Terminal station, The Star Ferry Terminal Pier, IFC Convention Central and back to the hotel. Total journey takes around 30-40 minutes depending on the traffic.

Me awaiting to board the bus to the Peak Tram station

If you are going up to the Victoria Peak via the Peak Tram, you should take the open-top bus from the Central Star Ferry pier to the Peak Tram station. It is a short 10 minute ride and you get to go through the forest of skyscrapers in the central business district of Hong Kong. It is bus #15C. You can pay the fare of HK$ 9.80 by using the Octopus card or cash. If the weather is good, you can sit on top of the open bus to get wonderful views of the towers and buildings along the way. Unless you are like a block of ice and melts easily, come on down to sit in the air condition part of the bus.

The Peak Tram Station

Mr Jackie Chan sayin "Haro!" Just Kidding.

The station was damn full and waited for 2 more trams before we could get in.

Arrival of the 3rd tram

Me got lucky standing next to the door

Peak Tram Operating Hours are from 07:00 to 00:00. Extended services will be provided during special events or public holidays. The frequency of the service is every 10-15 mins. The prices for Adults is HK$20 for one way, HK$30 for return trip. As for children aged between 3 to 11 are priced at HK$ 6 for one way, HK$ 9 for return trip. Seniors above the age of 65 and above pay HK$ 7 for one way and HK$ 14 for the return. Payment can be made with Octopus card too. Taking a bus or minibus from/to The Peak offers a different experience to the Peak Tram, therefore you may take bus No.15 or minibus No.1 from the public transport terminus underneath the Peak Galleria Shopping Centre.

The view from the tram

Entrance to Madame Tussaud's Museum

I have already been to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum before in Shanghai. As my brother had never been in one, i bought 2 tickets for us and entered. Tickets cost HK$160 for Adults, HK$90 for children aged between 3-11 and HK$90 for seniors aged 65 and above. A bit pricier than Shanghai i must say. But i hope it offers more than what Shanghai has in store. Madame Tussauds Museum is a renowned chain of wax museums founded by Marie Tussaud of France. Hong Kong is the first and one of the only two permanent Madame Tussauds museums in Asia, the other being the Shanghai branch, which opened in 2006. The Hong Kong branch houses almost 100 wax figures of internationally known personalities and celebrities, with Asian figures taking up more than a third of the total, of which sixteen were from Hong Kong. Artists such as Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, Anita Mui and many more are available. Sports celebrities such as David Beckham, Tiger Woods, Ronaldinho and many more are also there. Below are some of the photos i took, actually many that i took, but only gonna post a few.

The closest thing i ever get to Ronaldinho

We spent about 2 hours in the museum taking pictures and do some read up on their display. Felt hungry and search for something light to eat. Came across this ice cream joint at level 3(i think), of the galleria. It sells ice cream in a crepes. I had the Banana with Chocolate Syrup, Crepes with Vanilla Ice Cream and it was awesome! On a hot day, ice cream beats everything else! You gots to have ice cream! I scream for ice cream!

EA Games Centre and Store

Cloudy view of Hong Kong City

Still cloudy over Victoria Harbour

At least i get a clear shot of this

Looks like Bruce Wayne's Mansion and underneath is the Batcave

Condos on a hillside

In the tram on the way down to Town.

Somewhere along Wan Chai Road

IFC Convention and Shopping Centre, also the Airport Town Check in is there

As soon as we headed back down from the Peak, we went to Wan Chai Road, The IFC Convention Centre and Repulse Bay. Walked along the beaches of Repulse Bay and got a few pics. Then went back to town just in time for dinner. My friend told me that there is a mosque in Hong Kong that has a canteen or restaurant i should say, within the building itself. Managed to Googled it up and found the address and the name of the mosque. It is called the Masjid Ammar & Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre which is located at 40 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai. The restaurant is called Islamic Centre Canteen, and are within the premises of the mosque which was at the 5 level. Many Muslim travelers come to this mosque to eat, pray and go for seminars held by the mosque. Even the Hong Kong residents come to eat here. I heard also that the food was good at a reasonable price. They serve all Halal food ranging from Dim Sum, Noodles, Fried Rice, Meats( no pork) and vegetarian dishes. Food are made to order and are using fresh ingredients.

Halal Menu Card

Located at level 5 in the mosque

Egg Foo Yong of Prawns

Egg and Sausage Soup

Stir Fried Broccoli with Cod Fish slices

Hong Kong Seafood Noodles

Steamed Chicken with Sesame and Ginger Sauce

5 dishes for 2 person.

The dishes we ordered are simply superb. No complaints and no need to wait for half an hour for food to arrive. Service was quick and the aunties there are very warm and welcoming. They do serve you Chinese tea upon order or you can have soft drinks or even hot drinks too. Chicken was moist, tender, juicy and succulent. Noodles was not the spicy version as i am customed to but it works. Broccoli cooked perfectly, fish slices are great. both seasoned to perfection. As for the egg omelette, it was well seasoned, not over cooked, generous portions of shrimps and the soup was delicious. Overall, it was F**kin-tastic! Total bill was HK$275. Money well spent on good food is all that matters. After a hearty meal, we headed back into town to catch the Symphony of Lights at Victoria Harbour. The timing for the event starts at 8pm daily. We took a cab and went to Central Star Ferry Pier to catch the 1950hrs ferry to Kowloon. As soon as we boarded and began to sail. The show was about to begin and i started taking pictures and do some video of the event. Below are the pictures.

Waiting for a cab

Taxi uncle doing his best Tokyo Drift impression

Man...was he fast!

Symphony of Lights about to begin

Ferry heading to Kowloon

Lights and green lasers

The final seconds before we dock into Kowloon Pier

Walking towards the Space Museum

Statue at the Avenue Of Stars

Great night shot of the skyline

Me with the night skyline in the background

Jordan MTR Station

Train cabin. Same as Singapore's MRT train.

Sky Lounge back in the hotel

Sky Lounge Buffet and bar counter

Orange juice and Kiwi Juice after a long day

After wandering around in Kowloon and visiting the Avenue of Stars, we decided to head back to the hotel to get some rest and get ready for another long day of wandering around Hong Kong. Took the MTR from Jordan station back into Hong Kong Central MTR Station. It was a solid 12 hour marathon of sightseeing, eating and more eating! Once got back into hotel, redeemed our coupons for free drinks at the Sky Lounge before heading back to our room to sleep. Stay tuned for the next post...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hong Kong....The city that never sleeps!? Day1

2011-09-12T16:21:00.000+08:00

The night skyline view of Hong Kong from Kowloon

This trip was back in August of 2009. It was a last minute kind of thing because the holidays in Singapore was on the 9th of August as we are celebrating Singapore's Independence as a nation. So i took the liberty of booking a flight on the 7th august which was on a Friday and planning for a return home on the 10th.

There were many airlines having cheap airfares. Those were Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, United Airlines and Northwest Airlines. All were in the region of S$400-500 per return ticket. What caught my attention was that Singapore Airlines had assigned the latest A380 on the SIN-HKG route. and the promo price was S$388-488. As i had never been on the A380 before this was the best excuse that i have to book Singapore Airlines. Went to their website, logged in, signed in with Kris Flyer and the rest was history! I booked for 2 pax as my brother wanted to tag along. After making payment and all, received confirmation and i'm good to go!

Changi Airport Terminal 3 Departure Hall

Automated Check In Machine for Singapore Airlines

Glad that i used the machine as there was a long queue for check in.

That's my boarding gate, Gate B7

SQ A380 being loaded up

The new Queen of the Skies, what a beauty!

Boarding began at 9.15 am and Priority, PPS Members Club, Kris Flyer Gold, Business and First classes are being announced to board first followed by the Economy passengers. Was greeted by a gorgeous stewardess at the door and directed the way to my seat. As i walked along the aisle, another crew greeted us with a friendly smile and chatted briefly with us. Now that's what i call quality service. Once the passengers were on board, the cabin crews began their final checks and going around handing out Hot towels and menu cards. Not many airlines nowadays do that. SQ has been the gold standard for most of the airlines to follow for years. I began flirting with the controls of the IFE and once the crew handed out headsets, i began browsing through their music and movies library. Not bad choices, as they have all the latest and up to date music and movies.

KrisWorld screen menu

AC/DC in the air!

Cruising altitude of 39,000 feet


Nasi Kuning with Curried Okra and Lamb Rendang

39,000 feet over south China Sea

View of Lantau Island during landing

Cabin view during landing

Taxiing to gate

Arrival terminal

Walking towards the train shuttle

Signs after immigrations

Takeoff was smooth and i must say that the A380 is very quiet. You can't even hear the roar of the engine when taking off. The A380 is definitely an awesome piece of machinery ever to be produced by Airbus. Service began after reaching a cruising altitude of 38,000 feet. The crew served the special meals first and i have ordered a Muslim Meal, as the menu on SQ are not entirely Halal as they do serve pork too. The other passengers had either Nasi Lemak with Sambal Prawns, Egg Omelette and Chicken or Fried Egg Noodles with Pork Char Siew. My Muslim meal for the flight was Nasi Kuning (Yellow Rice) with Lamb Rendang and Curried Okra. My brother was served the same meal too. We began digging into our meals and i must say that the rice was a tad bit hard, lamb was too hard and curried Okra was good. 50% of the lamb Rendang was inedible as it was hard. Taste was good but overall disappointing though. But the apple crumble dessert was the savior of my inflight meal. Followed by a few cups of apple juice to wash it down and was done. Movies on the KrisWorld library was extensive with a mix of old and up to date movies. So i watched G.I JOE for the remainder of the flight.

2 hours and 40 minutes has gone by and the Captain announced to the passengers that we were beginning descending towards Hong Kong International Airport. Crew began clearing rubbish, retrieving headsets and checking passengers seat belts to make sure they are fastened. Final approach was quite bumpy as the weather approaching HKIA was cloudy. Landing was bumpy though but who the hell cares as long as we are safe. Plane went to the gate, passengers began their restless procedures to deplane very quick as i was still sitting down awaiting for them to go. Deplaning took about 10 minutes and we had to take the train from arriving terminal to the main terminal for immigrations. Immigrations was full of many tourists awaiting to enter and it took about 30 minutes to get through security and customs. The first thing to look for after immigrations was the Airport Express train. The journey from HKIA to Central station is HK$150, and you can use the Octopus card for easy traveling to and fro. You just need to top up a certain amount for travel on Hong Kong's public transportation system. This can be bought at the Airport upon arrival.

Airport Express station

Map of the MTR system in Hong Kong

Central Station

Journey towards Hong Kong Central was 20 minutes. The station comes with a check in counters for those wanting to check in earlier in town without worrying for time. They can check in their baggages too and carry on doing on final shopping at shops nearby. My hotel was called the JEN Hotel located at Queens Road West. This hotel was later renamed Traders Hotel, but the interior are still the same. Took a cab from the Central station to our hotel and encountered many slow traffics along the way as it was late lunch time. Many of them going back to work or doing deliveries. The ride costs me around 40 HK$ and took about 15 minutes. My friends told me not to take the taxi as it is damn expensive, but for now, i just need to get to my hotel quick.

Queens Road central

Hotel JEN Lobby

Welcome message on LCD TV screen

Twin Beds with a nice view of the harbour

Water sink next to the door

Great cable channels. They even have pay to view porn!...

Night view of the harbour

Served with Naan Bread, Potato Kofta balls Masala and Tandoori Chicken

Fish Briyani that i had

Upon reaching hotel, bellboy took our bags and escorted us to the concierge and began check in process. As our room was the mountain view, we had to check in at level 28 which was the SKY Lounge. Check in was a breeze and got my room access card after furnishing my details of payment. Once we sorted out all our stuffs, got out of the hotel and walked along Queens Road West to look for some dinner. Overcame a Halal Indian Restaurant which was featured in Zabihah website,forgot what the name of this restaurant was. We ordered white rice, Potato Kofta Balls Masala, Naan Bread and Chicken Tandoori. Even it took about 20-25 minutes for the food to get out from the kitchen, it was worth the wait! The Fish Briyani that i ordered was f**kin delicious! Fish cooked to perfection, rice full of flavor. Never could i ask for more! One of the best briyanis that i have had in a long time. Naan Bread was moist not hard, Kofta balls Masala got that spicy zing to it and the balls itself was simply Ballin!...hehe. Chicken Tandoori was a bit dry on the inside though but still packed with much flavor. The total bill was 170 HK$ which was okay to me. As long as it delivers the goods, then i'm happy! Went back to the hotel full and gettin ready for the next day..

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Istanbul, The Capital of Culture.......And Kebabs (The Last Day)

2011-08-11T12:44:00.000+08:00


View of my small but comfortable room

Day 5, and it's the last day in Istanbul before heading back home to Singapore. I would definitely miss this place as i fell in love with this city since the first day i arrived. The sights, sounds, the smell of fresh baklavas, and of course the Kebabs! The highlight of my trip was definitely the Bosporus boat tour. From there i had seen the sights i could never get when traveling on land and the beauty of Istanbul itself.

Since it was the last day, i had an early breakfast, then went to back to my room to pack my stuffs as my check out timing is 1pm. It was supposed to be 12pm but i requested for late check out and the reception gave me an extra hour, so i don't mind at all! After packing my stuffs, left the hotel and went straight to Taksim Square. Took the underground tram from Kabatas to Taksim Station and reached within few minutes.

Taksim Square

Heavy traffic in Taksim Square

Taksim Metro Station

Taksim Square is a major shopping, tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops and hotels. Many tourists have flocked to this district for some photography, eating and whatsoever. I noticed that this is pretty much the modern part of Istanbul and with the loud honking of the cars, buses and motorcycles, this was definitely one of the busiest city in Turkey! Traffic jam was as always been a factor there, as when i was walking along the streets, i can see the disgruntled look on the drivers faces as they are stuck in a jam. Well, what else is new in this side of the world! Thank God i have not chosen to drive on this trip!...Hehe.

The buildings are pretty much modern and a blend with the old. Al fresco dining, fast food eateries, local food joints and shopping galleries filled the sidewalks of Taksim. When i took a look at my map, i noticed that Galatasaray's Sami Ali Yen Stadium was just a few Metro stations away from Taksim. So went ahead with the journey form Taksim Metro to Sisli Metro Station.

Underground Taksim Metro

Same subway system back home

Sisli Metro Station

Ali Sami Yen Stadium, home for Galatasaray Football Club

Galatasaray Spor Kulübü, (Galatasaray Sports Club) is a Turkish sports club based in Istanbul, most notable for its football section, also known as Galatasaray S.K.. It also fields teams in Athletics, Basketball, Wheelchair basketball, Volleyball, Water polo, Swimming, Rowing, Sailing, Judo, Bridge, Equestrian and Superleague Formula Motorsports. Galatasaray Sports Club is one of the most important members of Galatasaray Community as Galatasaray University and Galatasaray High School.
Usually seen on the sports channel in either Champions League or Europa League, here i have first hand look at the stadium in all of it's glory! Too bad can't go into stadium as it was closed for maintenance works. Grabbed a few photos and saw a small building just across the stadium parking lot, it was the club shop. Went in and browsed every item there is available. Finally came to a conclusion and bought me a Home kit of Galatasaray for 70 Liras. It's much cheaper here than back home. It would cost me about 90-120 bucks! After wandering around, saw the time was 11.30am. Quickly took the Metro back to Taksim station and transferred to the Underground tram back to Kabatas and took the tram back to Sultanahmet. The underground tram from Taksim to Kabatas was efficient and modern. Clean and spacious too. Here are some pics of the tram!

The tram itself, modern, clean and efficient

The tram platform

Baklava

Total costs a mere 32 liras for this set meal

I headed back to Sultanahmet and was hungry. Luckily, restaurants are readily available along DevonYolu road, which is in Sultanahmet. With so many options available, i opted for the one with many types of dishes to choose from. It's like back home at a Nasi Padang stall, choosing your dishes at the counter and pay as you go. The chicken dish was so tempting thay i had to choose it! Also chose a mixed vegetables dish and a dessert. The dessert was the traditional Turkish pastry called the Baklava. Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and much of central and southwest Asia. The total meal costs me about 32 Liras and ate to my hearts content. Thia was a damn good meal that i have eaten in Istanbul. Bought some souvenirs for some of my peeps back home and went back to hotel to check out. Gonna miss this country and this city! Up next will be my trip report on Emirates, the service and the food on board!...See ya!

Istanbul, The Capital of Culture.......And Kebabs (Day 4)

2011-08-10T15:43:00.000+08:00

It is day 4 and my final rounds of exploring Istanbul. This time i head out to the Dolmabache Palace. It is located between Kabatas and Besiktas, which is on left shore in entrance by seaway from Marmara Sea to Boğaziç. It is located on the European side of the Bosporus, served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1922. I took the tram from Sultanahmet to the stop in Kabatas and walked along the coastline for 10 minutes to reach the palace. The Dolmabache palace is open o the public
on weekdays from 9:00 to 15:00, except Mondays and Thursdays.

The coastline along Kabatas

The map of the Dolmabahce Palace ground

Entrance to the Dolmabahce Palace

The entrance into the palace grounds

The water fountain and small pond

Before entering the palace, i had to go to security screening and was told that no photos are allowed once i start the tour inside of the palace. So no photos of the palace interiors. Met with a Malaysian couple at the gates and asked me am i from Malaysia!?...I said i was from Singapore and they formally introduced themselves to me and said they were on honeymoon. We chatted for a while before going on separate tour guides as they hired a private tour instead of the group. Once entered the palace, i sat down and waited along with 8 other tourists for our tour guide to begin the tour. The interior of the palace has western influences in Turkish architecture, and ornament shape, called "Turkish Rococo", the baroque style pavilion, where was built by remaining under Western influence, began to show itself on summer palaces and dispensers. There is a crystal chandelier on the main hall. This Bohemian chandelier was given to Ottoman Sultan as a present from Queen Victoria. The staircase on the main hall is also made from crystal.

The most important part of the palace is the room where Atatürk, founder of Turkish Republic. had spent his last days in this room and died here. Sounds very eerie right!?..Visiting a palace where the founder of Turkey died!..The interior is well restored and it has been there since it was built and we can't touch any of these items and furnitures as i believe they would be afraid that we cause damage!

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey, spent the last days of his medical treatment in the palace as his health deteriorated. Atatürk died at 9:05 a.m. on November 10, 1938, in a bedroom that is now part of the museum. The room itself was left untouched since. There is also 'The Secreteriat's Rooms'. It is also referred to as the 'Tile Room'. There hangs the largest painting in the palace collection, a depiction of the Surre Procession by Stefano Ussi, hangs on the left wall of this hall. Surre was used to refer to the caravans which travelled from Istanbul to Mecca during the religious month of Recep. It bears the monetary aid which was used to support maintenance and decoration of the Kaaba, also providing financial assistance to the local population of Hejaz.

Entrance into the palace

View from the foyer

The back door after the tour

The gate to Heaven, hehe.

After the tour had some final photo shots of the palace, i went across the street to visit the Besiktas Football Club's home stadium, Fiyapı İnönü Stadium. This club had beaten Manchester United (Yeah, that bloody team!) in the Champions League 2009. I went to the club shop and it was closed. so i went through security and headed into the museum instead. The museum showcases the past and present trophies that the club has won. Pretty impressive for a small club in Europe but big in Turkey. Managed to sneak into the gallery stand and took some photos of the field and the stadium seating gallery!

The Besiktas FC Fan Shop

Finally, i went back to Eminonu tram station and bought a Bosporus Tour ticket for cheap. This tour brings you along the Bospurus Sea and the bridge that links the European side of Turkey to the Asian side of Turkey. The Bospuros is the world's narrowest strait used for international navigation, it connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. It is connected by the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea, and thereby to the Mediterranean Sea. A cheap way to explore the Bosporus is offered by the public ferries that traverse the Bosporus from Eminönü, on the historic peninsula of Istanbul to Anadolu Kavağı near the Black Sea, zigzagging between the Rumelian and Anatolian sides of the city. The ferries dock at the Boğaz Iskelesi. The prices may vary according to the type of the ride, and some feature loud popular music for the duration of the trip.

Bosporus boats docking at the terminal

One of the operators ferry for the Bosporus tour

The first to board

View of the Kabatas and Besiktas area

Under the Bosporus bridge

A castle along the Bosporus Sea. Definitely not He-Man's crib

Titanic-esque ship

Yildiz Park & Palace, in Ortakoy

View of the Dolmabahce Palace

If you take the traditional ferry's Bosphorus tour all the way to the end, you will have to wait three hours at the northern terminus of Anadolu Kavağı for the ferry's departure for the return to Istanbul. But you can get off the boat in Sarıyer, have lunch, then ride south along the shore. If you take the TurYol or other small boat, you'll be back at the Galata Bridge in less than an hour. The most impressive sights are along the southern shores of the Bosphorus, nearest to the city: Topkapı Palace, the mid-Bosporus Maiden's Tower, the Selimiye Barracks (where Florence Nightingale worked), Dolmabahçe Palace, Çirağan Palace, Yıldız Park & Palace, the chic art-boutique-and-cafe scene in the village of Ortaköy, the pretty Ottoman baroque Mecidiye Mosque, and the Bosphorus Bridge. So if you are planning to go on the boat tour, just take note on which one's the real deal and also beware of touts!.....After the boat tour, spent the rest of the evening back in Sultanahmet having my dinner and proceeded back into my hotel. Last part of my Istanbul journey in the next post!....See ya!..

Confessions Of The True Foodski: Mocktail recipes for Birthday Parties, House Warmi...

2011-08-09T23:16:00.000+08:00

Confessions Of The True Foodski: Mocktail recipes for Birthday Parties, House Warmi...: " Simple Mocktail recipes for Birthday Parties, House Warming Parties or any other occasions. Introduction : Mocktails are mock cockta..."

Kirai_Licious

2011-08-08T17:38:00.000+08:00

The 'makers' of Kirai_Licious are passionate about preparing roti kirai. :) Each piece comprises of 2 layers of the 'net'. Let the pictures in the album titled 'Packages Offered' do the presentation of our passion. Have fun exploring!

Roti kirai is good to be eaten on its own or with curry gravy or with minced beef fillings. We make fresh to order and to upkeep the quality, we recommend that our products are to be consumed within the same day. As a food provider, we are here to promote quality and freshness in delivering your order.

We cater to small events, with a minimum order of 50 pieces. We can recommend different kirai types to cater to your special event.

Our recommendation as follows:

We cater for birthdays, kenduri’s, house warming and other parties. With an option of ‘Kirai with Curry’ or ‘Kirai Rolls’.

‘Kirai Rolls’ condiments are minced beef with potatoes and mixed vegetable fillings. It is easy to be eaten on its own! Our roti kirai consists of 2 layers of the ‘net’.

‘Kirai with Curry’. Do it the old, fashion way- dip the roti kirai with curry! With a choice of Chicken or Beef Curry. To make it tastier, we will throw in 5 more pieces of 'Roti Kirai' free! You know, even food are best eaten when it comes with cost-free 'extras'!

General Information

Package A:
Kirai Roll
Quantity: 50 pieces
Perks: FREE 2 pcs for every 50 pieces ordered
$30 per 50 pieces

Package B1 or C1:
Roti Kirai
Quantity: 50 pieces
Perks: FREE 5 pcs of for every 50 pieces ordered
Prices at $35 with choice of (B1) beef or $30 with choice of (C1) chicken curry

Optional: Egg salad for $6 per tray
( consists of eggs, tomatoes,cucumbers, salad sauce)

Package D
Roti kirai only
Quantity: 50 pieces
FREE 5 pcs for every 50 pieces
$15 per 50 pieces

Other charges:
Delivery charge is free for eastern areas and is chargeable at $15 for northern/southern/western part of Singapore. Self- collection can be arranged.

Price Range	$$$ (30-50)

Email	: kirai_licious@yahoo.com

Facebook :

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kirai_Licious/189517691061176?sk=info

Backhome Guesthouse - Backpacker’s Hostel in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

2011-08-08T16:53:00.000+08:00

http://backhome.com.my/blog

Welcome to BackHome KL – Backpacker’s Hostel in Kuala Lumpur

BackHome… is where you want to be.

Backhome Guesthouse is Malaysia’s leading Backpacker's Hostel.

We created a list of what backpackers want, checked it twice and came up with a great concept that’s fun, cool and inviting!

With a convenient location that puts you right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, we are the perfect starting point to all the adventures that await you. Historic Merdeka Square, cultural Chinatown, bustling Little India, the iconic KL Twin Towers, and the glitzy shopping area of Bukit Bintang are all within walking distance.

We also have it all figured out when it comes to comfort. Chill out back home (yes, pun intended!) where a nice friendly vibe runs through – from the in-house café, to the lounge and sky courtyard… or simply hit the sack on our ultra comfy beds!

So whatever rocks your world, we’ve got it.

Clean and Comfortable!
Central location in Kuala Lumpur. Walking distance to LRT and convenience stores.
Contemporary design.
Cool attached Cafe.



	PRINT & MEDIA:
	1 \| 2 \| 3

FairPrice Family Cook Off TV

2011-08-08T16:37:00.000+08:00

FairPrice Family Cookoff

FairPrice is searching for the best family of home cooks in Singapore!

We are looking for great families of 4 people who want to star in season 2 of the FairPrice Family Cook Off TV series.
So if your family love to cook together and enjoy great home style cooking why not register for the TV show?
Simply complete the registration form on this website and upload a recipe as well your family photo for your chance to be invited to the auditions for the FairPrice Family Cook Off TV series! There are amazing prizes to be won including a family holiday to Western Australia, FairPrice Vouchers and a Bosch kitchen!
You can also upload a video of your team cooking together to impress the judges. So what are you waiting for? Click on the registration form to enter!

http://www.cookoff.com.sg/

Butter Prawns with Hollandaise on Bed of Pea Sprouts Tapas.

2011-08-03T21:57:00.000+08:00

Ingredients :

4-5 Tiger prawns De-shelled (Leave tail skin on) Remove the dirty part of prawns and butterfly cut the center.
Salt, Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
50g butter (Melted and strain away foam)
A handful of Pea Sprouts (Washed and drained)
2 Egg Yolks
Half of Lemon juice

Method :

Hot pan. Add in butter and melt. Do not burn butter. Then strain off the foam with spoon and set aside once done to cool.

For Hollandaise sauce, 2-3 egg yolks into bowl and beat them for 2-3 minutes. Add in the melted butter gradually and place over lightly boiled water and whisk till thicken. Once thicken, remove from heat and season with a touch of salt and pepper, season to taste. Add a few drops of lemon juice into sauce to give that lemony flavor. Set aside.

Now for prawns, heat pan. Add 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Lightly season prawns with salt and pepper. Once pan is hot, add the prawns in and saute for 2 minutes each sides or till cooked. Add in a knob of butter into pan and glaze the prawns with the melted butter in the pan. It gives your prawns a buttery flavor and gives a nice golden finish. Then finally, 2 drops of lemon juice on each of prawns. Once cooked, set aside.

For vinegrette, 3 tablespoon of olive oil, add the juice of half lemon, season with salt and pepper and add 3 tablespoon of water. Mix well and add in Pea sprouts. Toss them into vinegrette and serve on plate. Place prawns on top, scatter around and just drip the Hollandaise onto prawns. Drizzle the balance vinegrette around the prawns and serve.

Ramadan....The month of fasting and the month to reflect.

2011-08-03T21:36:00.000+08:00

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and intimacy with their partnersduring daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual.

It's also a time to reflect and think about what wrongs or sins that we have done in our life. This is the month where self discipline, patience and Iman is greatly tested in our daily lives. Be it at work, school, home or travelling, it gives us an opportunity to cleanse our mind, body and soul. Well as for me, i look forward to cutting down on all the oily food stuff! I had enough of unwanted oil in my body already!....It's time to cleanse. Usually, for the fasting month, i don't eat too much after break fast. Just a meal and plenty of fluids will do me good. Patience during this month is another challenge for me, as i am a hot-headed person, not too hot that is. So this is a test of my patience for whatever crap that has been thrown in my way, be it at work, with friends or at home. Problems do arise but i have just got to deal with it!....

Preparations for Hari Raya this year will be simple and straight forward. Paint the house, clean my room, change the curtains and bake some cakes for guests to eat!. A staple in my family has always been the Kek Lapis Durian and Kek Roll Nutella!....Hmmm...Already looking forward to it!....Damn, control yourself man!...Fasting has just started and already been thinkin' about food again!.....Anyways, the normal dishes for Hari Raya are favorites such as Lontong, Sayor Lodeh, Rendang, Lemang, Satay, Sambal Goreng and many other dishes.( Too many to mention, hehe) I love it when my aunt cooks these dishes and has been for the past 10 years. She really cooks like my late grandmother, whom i assume is the best cook in the family, and her dishes really reminds me of way back when i was under the care of my late grandma. She was a former food vendor in the 70's at Seah Im Road selling malay dishes and taking care of 9 children (my mom, aunts and my uncles) at the same time!....She is the most hardworking person that i have ever known in my life!.....

Well, i have 26 more days of Ramadan left. Hopefully everything goes well without a hitch.

Inspire people with your motivating blog post in Dell Blog & Win Contest and stand to win attractive prizes!

2011-08-03T16:57:00.000+08:00

Inspire people with your motivating blog post in Dell Blog & Win Contest and stand to win attractive prizes!

Confessions of The True Foodski is based on my journey in the Halal Culinary world that i have experienced for 12 years of my Food and Beverage career. Also included are travel stories, tips, recommendations, photos and also Halal recipes that is created by yours truly and some of the Halal foods that i have eaten around the world. Be it on the ground, on a train, on a boat or in a plane, i came, i saw and i ate. So may i ask you this. Are you a Foodski?....

Thyme Infused Salmon with Sauteed New Potatoes and Tomato Basil Coulis

2011-07-28T20:34:00.000+08:00

Thyme Infused Salmon with Sauteed New Potatoes and Tomato Basil Coulis recipe

Ingredients :

1 or 2 portion fillet of Salmon
1 sprig of Thyme herb
1 bunch of Basil herb, chopped
1 can of Tomato sauce
2 clove garlic chopped finely.
Salt and Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 or 3 no. of Baby New Potatoes/Brastagi ( boiled and sliced)
1 tablespoon of butter

Method:

1) Salmon fillet, make sure it's dry and not watery. If so, pat down with kitchen towel. Score the skin side of Salmon, 1/2 an inch through the Salmon and across the skin. This prevents the Salmon from curling up when cooking. Take the Thyme leaves minus stalks, and slit it thru the scored side of the skin. Then season generously, with salt and pepper on both sides.

2) Potatoes, peel off skin and part boil them for 20-30 minutes. Once cooked, place them in cold water to stop the process of cooking. Set aside to cool down. Now for tomato coulis. Pan on medium heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, garlic in. Don't burn the garlic it will destroy the taste of the sauce. Add in tomato sauce immediately after the garlic and add in chopped Basil leaves. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and sauce is done. Set aside.

3) Slice the potatoes into 3 portions, each removing the top and bottom part. You will get a round shape.. Place them on plate and season the top with salt and pepper. Heat pan, 2 tablespoon olive oil in. Seasoned side first into pan and sauteed for 2 minutes each side. remember to season the other side with salt and pepper too. Once both sides get that golden color, a knob of butter into pan and a sprig of thyme. Baised/scoop the butter over the potatoes. That gives the potatoes flavor of the thyme infused butter and the gloss onto potatoes. Once done, remove potatoes and drain on kitchen towel to drain the butter. Set aside.

4) Now heat pan and 2 tablespoon olive oil into pan. Once hot, place skin side of salmon into pan and sear it for 2-3 minutes and then flip over to the other side and continue searing for 3 minutes. Simple, 3 minutes each sides. Baised the skin side of salmon with the oil getting it to crisp. Once cooked, flip to the skin side of salmon and remove from heat and let it rest for 1-2 minutes in pan. This will get the skin becoming more crisp. Set plate, a tablespoon of sauce onto middle of plate, stack potatoes on top and finally Salmon on the potatoes. finish off with sauce on the sides and garnish with thyme and basil leaves. drizzle olive oil and ready to serve.

Mille Fueille of Caramelized Apples Recipe

2011-07-27T23:18:00.000+08:00

Mille Fueille of Caramelized Apples Recipe

Recipe for Mille Fueille :

1 egg, beaten (For egg wash)
3 sheets of filo pastry sheets or you can use filo spring roll sheets.
I whole Red/Green Diced apples ( Can use strawberries, blueberries)
50 g of caster sugar
30 g of icing sugar for finishing
50 g of melted butter (once melt butter, strain away foam)

Methods :

To assemble the pastry sheets, brush the first layer of sheet with egg wash, followed by the next sheet and another. Total 3 sheets.

Use a round (or whatever shape you wish) /cookie cutter, and cut the sheets into 3 portions. Dust your plate with a bit of icing sugar and place the discs onto plate and dust the top with icing sugar.

Now melt butter on low heat and once the butter melts, strain off the foam at the top and the melted butter becomes clarified butter. The purpose is not to burn your pastry sheets when cooking it. Set aside and ready to use for cooking.

Heat the clarified butter on low heat and once it's hot, place the discs into pan and fry till golden brown on both sides. Once done, set a side on kitchen towel to drain off the butter.

Next is the caramelized apples, Heat pan on medium, add in the caster sugar, let it dissolve. It will turn slight brown. Don't use a spoon or spatula at this point. If it turns out too thick, just add a few drips of water to loosen it. Add apples into caramelized sugar. Just shake the pan in circular motion to coat the apples gently. Once the apples are nicely coated and softens, the pan off heat and set aside for assemble of pastry.

On plate, display the first layer of disc in the middle of plate, add a tablespoon of apples, then place the 2nd layer on top of the apples and followed by the last layer. At the top, Just place a tablespoon of apples and drizzle the caramelized sugar on top and around the inner plate. For finishing touch, sith icing sugar on top layer and ready to serve. Can be eaten warm but not piping hot. You can use strawberries, blueberries filling topped with lemon curd, butter cream or meringue too. Just be creative.

Cheers,
Happy cooking and pass it on! (Fad Foodski)

Istanbul, The Capital of Culture.......And Kebabs (Day 1)

2011-07-21T10:11:00.000+08:00

Istanbul, The Capital of Culture.......And Kebabs (Day 1)

Istanbul is a beautiful city with lots of culture, heritage and of course Kebabs. I decided to backpack solo again in November 2009 after my first solo trip to Shanghai back in May 2009. I'm starting to get a hang of it. The feeling of traveling all alone, without any friends, family or even loved ones gives you this sense of adventure into the unknown or i should say, foreign territory. I had to clear my work annual leave as i have more than 7 days left in the past year. So, i applied for 6 days and then booked my flight tickets on Emirates which was having a sale and i only paid S$1,250 economy class return fare to Istanbul, Turkey. My aunts and my late grandfather have all been to Istanbul, as it was part of the Pilgrimage tour package and Istanbul was included in their itinerary.

This trip was also a culinary adventure for me, as i'm getting exposed to authentic Turkish cuisine available in Istanbul and not those copycats that are served back home. The currency was no difference to Singapore dollars at that time. I didn't bring as many cash with me as i have my card on standby for last minute and unnecessary purchase. Only changed about S$500 and that was suffice for my 6 days there. Hotel i booked online from Zuji.com, was Atlantis Hotel. Cheap price, S$25 per night and i was laughing. It included daily breakfast and free in room Wifi. Good deal i must say! Made some necessary arrangements and i was good to go.

Boarding pass and passport ready

Ready for pushback and taxi to runway

Seat number 36K

Menu card distributed

First meal, breakfast of the day.

Inflight progress

2nd meal, a light snack of crossaintwich and chocolate flan.

Audio playlists on I.C.E

My plane took off from Changi Airport at about 9.45am and the flight time was 7 hours and 10 mins to Dubai International (DXB). The food that was served on board was much much better than the ones i had on Malaysia Airlines. Morning breakfast consists of Noodles with Cod fish fillet, shrimps with teriyaki sauce accompanied by a Danish pastry, fruits, bread roll, Cheese cake and a cup of yoghurt. It was a rather full house meal and managed to stuff it all down. Then watched some GI Joe on Emirates I.C.E which is the best form of Inflight entertainment by far in the skies. It has over 600 channels of premium entertainment, flight path progress, external aircraft camera views and live news such from BBC. Try topping that SQ. Service of the crew was nothing special but still attentive to passenger demands and needs. Second meal came about 1 and a half hour before landing. It was a Crossaint-wich of thick sliced cheese and Turkey ham and Chocolate Flan and choice of Coffee or Tea. Once landed, i went thru transit and went to my boarding gate for my connecting flight.

Interior of DXB Terminal 3

Plants and mini garden inside of Terminal 3

Loading up and ready for Istanbul

The old I.F.E with AVOD

Flight time to Istanbul was 3 hours and 45 mins and the flight was uneventful with little turbulence during take off. Meals were served after reaching cruising altitude. I chose the Chicken Tikka With green beans, carrots and Tortellini. This was the best main course by far. Chicken Tikka has that smokey flavor and the greens are sauted to perfection. Appetizer was Shrimp Cocktail and dessert, Chocolate Mousse.

Inflight meal from Dubai to Istanbul

Chicken Tikka With green beans, carrots and Tortellini

Shrimp Cocktail

Chocolate Mousse

Sun setting view from plane....Priceless

After my meal, watch a few movies to pass the time and before you know it, we were starting to descent into Istanbul. Crew did all the S.O.P before landing and took their places. Landing was smooth as silk. Once reached the gates, grabbed my sling bag and proceeded out to immigrations. No hassle there as i was cleared within minutes, then went to collect my backpack and off to look for the Havalamani Airport Metro station. Got lost for a minute finding the damn station, so asked the info counter for directions instead. Maybe was the long flight That messes me up in the head. The Metro was located at B2 and you have to buy a token before entering the gantry. My hotel is located in Sultanahmet. The train ride into town was about 40 mins and i stopped at the wrong station and got lost again(must be the long flight). So i took a taxi to my hotel and costs me 35 Turkish Liras. Found my hotel located in an alley, which i find a bit eerie at night as i was arriving at 7pm, it was already dark. Checked into hotel and went to bed after i sorted my things out.

Welcome to Ataturk Istanbul Internatinal Airport

Walking towards the Metro station

Hafif Metro

My room

Second day in Istanbul in the next part.

Istanbul, The Capital of Culture.......And Kebabs (Day 3)

2011-07-19T22:39:00.000+08:00

Day 3 in Istanbul. Legs were feeling a bit sore after walking for so long the day before. Woke up early as usual for breakfast, then proceeded to my first location, Hagia Sophia....after that i went to and underground Bascilia Cistern....its dark in there but very beautiful as the dim lights shadows the basement.

Entrance into the Hagia Sophia

Seated high on the dome of the apse are the Virgin and the Holy Child.

Arabic wordings on the walls

Bascilia Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. Also dubbed as the 'Sunken Palace'. The cistern is located 500 feet (150 m) southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu, was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Basilica is open every day from 09:00 hrs to 18:30 and the entrance fee is 10 TL (~7 USD) for foreign visitors. Underground waterway was used as a reservoir for water storage for the Great Palace and other buildings. Walk to the back of the Cistern, you'll find one upside down Medusa head supporting one of the columns. The place is dark and you feel as if like you're in a monsters lair. Beautifully lit up in the dark, perfect for photography.

Upside down Medusa head.

Turkish tea

This fish restaurant is located next to the Bosphorus ferry terminal

Grilled Mackerel with Potato salad

Boats docked at jetty next to Galata Bridge.

Strawberry Cheesecake.
I had to stop for lunch after i have visited the Bascilia Cistern

Silhouette of the New Mosue in Eminonu

A floating restaurant selling Balick Emin or Grilled Mackerels

Eminonu

A cart selling picked fruits

The front entrance of the New Mosque

Pigeons everywhere

Close up of pigeon looking over his flock

Inside the foyer of the New Mosque. A bidet

Next to the Spice Bazaar

After having lunch at the restaurant underneath Galata bridge, i decided to cross over to the the other side of the road to visit the New Mosque. There is a tram station just next to the Galata bridge, it's called Eminonu Station. Once you alight, you can see many booths selling Bosphurus ferry cruise. Some are authentic and some of them are simply touts offering cheap tickets for a lesser cruising time. Well back to the New Mosque. Hundreds of pigeons are flying around the entrances and the surrounding of the mosque and it's a perfect opportunity for tourists to take a photo up close and personal of the pigeons. There's a man that feeds them bread and selling merchandise around the front gate of the mosque too.

The Yeni Camii, The New Mosque or Mosque of the Valide Sultan (Turkish: 'Yeni Cami, Yeni ValideCamii') is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated on the Golden Horn at the southern end of the Galata Bridge. It is one of the best-known sights of Istanbul. Next to the mosque is an L-shaped market other wise known as the Spice Bazaar. Thousands of spices all over the world is imported or exported to this bazaar, which offers unique sense of taste, smell and look. Turkish sweet delights, cinnamons, nuts, seeds and dried fruits are available. So too are those flavored Turkish tea. I had bought a Rose flavored Turkish tea back home, and it was so fragrant and different from our normal breakfast or Lipton tea. There was numerous shops selling these items and if you buy in bulk or a dozen, you might get an opportunity to make a bargain, that is if you are confident of making one. but it's worth trying and you won't regret it.

Karakoy tram station

Galata Tower in the background

A long walk from the tram station to Galata tower

Magnificent view of Istanbul City

View of the Galata bridge

I then took the tram from Eminonu to Karakoy, to visit the Galata Tower. It's just one station away and the tram passes the bridge and you will get a view of the sea. It's long walk uphill towards the Galata Tower. It is a medieval stone tower in the Galata district of Istanbul, Turkey, just to the north of the Golden Horn. One of the city's most striking landmarks, it is a high, cone-capped cylinder that dominates the skyline and affords a panoramic vista of Old Istanbul and its environs. The nine-story tower is 66.90 meters tall (62.59 m without the ornament on top, 51.65 m at the observation deck), and was the city's tallest structure when it was built. The elevation at ground level is 35 meters above sea-level. The tower has an external diameter of 16.45 meters at the base, an 8.95 meters diameter inside, and walls that are 3.75 meters thick. There is a restaurant and cafe on its upper floors which commands a magnificent view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. Also located on the upper floors is a nightclub which hosts a Turkish show. There are two operating elevators that carry visitors from the lower level to the upper levels. It is not recommended for those who have fear of heights and the opening times are open daily from 9 am to 5 pm (7 pm in summer) for a few liras (half price on Monday).

Next part will be day 4. Stay tuned......

Mocktail recipes for Birthday Parties, House Warming Parties

2011-07-16T21:57:00.000+08:00

Simple Mocktail recipes for Birthday Parties, House Warming Parties or any other occasions.

Introduction :

Mocktails are mock cocktails, and does not contain any alcohol. Any drink recipe can be modified by simply leaving the alcohol out, however these recipes are some of the more common mocktails. These non-alcoholic drinks are great for serving the entire family and a nice alternative for party guests who prefer not to drink alcohol. At least you and your guests can party sober and alcohol free because we don't need alcohol to enjoy a party.

1. Afternoon Delight

Ingredients :

3 oz orange juice
3 oz pineapple juice
soda water
Cherry for garnish

Method

Pour the juices into a high ball glass filled with ice.
Top with soda water.
Stir well with plastic stirrer.
Garnish with Cherry into glass.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Broskis Brigade

Ingredients :

3 oz grapefruit juice
3 oz cranberry juice
soda water
lime wedge for garnish

Method

Pour the juices into a tall or high ball glass filled with ice.
Top with soda water.
Garnish with a lime wedge.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Designated Appletini

Ingredients :

2 oz apple juice
1/2 oz sugar syrup
1/4 oz lemon juice
granulated sugar for rimming
apple slice for garnish

Method

Add apple juice, simple syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake well.
Pour into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with granulated sugar.
Garnish with an apple slice.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Hot Not Toddy

Ingredients :

7 oz hot tea
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
grated cinnamon
ground cloves
grated nutmeg
lemon wedge for garnish

Method

In an clear coffee glass, pour the honey, lemon and spices.
Top with hot, brewed tea.
Stir well.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Lime Cola

Ingredients:

1 oz lime juice or juice from 1/2 a lime
cola to fill (Coke or Pepsi)
lime wedge for garnish

Method

Pour the lime juice into a highball glass filled with ice.
Top with cola.
Garnish with a lime wedge.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------