Malaysia Food Review Blog | Event and Promotion | Travelogue - Relish by Rae

5 Reasons to Visit Independent Artisan Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 00:31:00 +0000

Independent café is mushrooming in these recent years, ever since the world is blown with the third wave coffee culture. It was started late here but growing in a very fast pace that almost 2 new cafes will be opened each month. Based on CafeHop KL, there are a total of 129 cafes recorded to-date and majority of them are found in the Klang Valley. That is a huge number!

There is nothing wrong of being a big fans of Starbucks or Coffee Beans & Tea Leaves, to name a few, but if you are serious about cup of Joe, you would choose not to go back to them after trying an artisan coffee.

Let’s see why you should visit an independent artisan café.

1. Freshly roasted beans.

Some cafes are equipped with a coffee roaster so that they can roast the beans freshly every time. The green beans are carefully selected and roasted to bring out the distinctive flavour of the beans, and some blend them accordingly for espresso that you can find nowhere.

2. Right extraction from the coffee puck.

A double shot espresso is pulled from a double dose of ground coffee in 25 -30 seconds to 60ml or 2oz liquid with a beautiful crema on it. The puck is tamped with the right amount of pressure. The nominal doses for a single shot of espresso is 7g and doppio or double shot is 14g, but many cafes have raised the dose sizes to 8-10g for single and 16-20g for doppio. Whatever it is, consistency is the key.

3. Right temperature of milk

Milk frothing has really a nice scientific explanation behind a nice cup of white. Milk is foamed and steamed for one reason – to enhance and elevate the sensory experience of coffee. The milk is to be heated to about 65 degree Celsius, anything beyond 70 degree Celsius literally kills the milk in both taste and texture that eventually ruin the final coffee product. So, under a good barista, you hardly get a latte or cappuccino that would burn your tongue.

4. Correctly frothed milk

With the right temperature, properly frothed milk will create beautiful microfoam that tastes sweet and rich. It is never a detergent-like foam.

5. Beautiful latte art

A beautiful latte art is unquestionably a nice piece of art to be appreciated but it does not mean it tastes better. It simply means the milk is frothed properly in the right temperature and nice microfoam.

Free Rides with Uber to & from Awesome Canteen, Boran, & Mr Wolf, with exclusive rewards

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 01:42:00 +0000

Explore Petaling Jaya's favourite neighbourhood restaurants this week with Uber, which is offering free rides to & from Awesome Canteen in Taman Paramount, Boran Classic Thai Street Food in Sea Park, & Mr Wolf in Taman Sea, with exclusive rewards awaiting you at each destination!

Visit any of these three restaurants this week, flash your Uber email receipt or trip history on your phone to show that you enjoyed a complimentary ride to the outlet, and the restaurant's staff will be pleased to provide you with the following:

Awesome Canteen: A 10 percent discount off your bill.

Boran Classic Thai Street Food: One complimentary Cha-Yen (Thai iced tea) worth RM5 for every RM20 spent.

Mr Wolf: 10 percent off food orders, plus a complimentary dessert selected by the restaurant (minimum spending of RM80 required).

Customers are entitled to redeem their reward once at each outlet. The reward must be redeemed on the same day as the free ride to that outlet.

This promo will be valid from Tuesday, July 19, to Sunday, July 24, 2016 (please key in the promo codes from Tuesday onwards).

Claim your free rides (worth up to RM20 per ride) for all of these three destinations by applying the following promo codes on Uber:

Two free rides to & from Awesome Canteen: EDKLAWESOME

Two free rides to & from Boran: EDKLBORAN

Two free rides to & from Mr Wolf: EDKLWOLF

Please key in the restaurant's exact name as your starting point or destination for the free rides to take effect.

The free rides are valid for all Uber users, including both new and existing users.

Worthy Book, The FnB edition 2014-2015

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 14 Dec 2014 11:05:00 +0000

Worthy Book™ F&B Edition 2014 – 2015 is a food guide and voucher booklet that gives you RM '000s worth of meal discounts, deals and even freebies at some of Malaysia’s most popular F&B eateries. It is really ideal for your family, friends, colleagues and loved ones!

There are a total of 180 food vouchers in the book, featuring 44 brands of restaurants and F&B franchises in Malaysia. The voucher can be redeemed over 100 shopping malls in Klang Valley, Penang, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Kelantan, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak. There are quite a number of popular restaurants where you can redeem the voucher, like Sushi Tei, Din Tai Fung, Kim Gary, Steam Room, Blackball, Domino's, Carl's Jr, BBQ Chicken, Sushi King, Papa John's Pizza, myBurgerLab and many more. Besides, there are also some exciting eateries that you can visit for new dining experience, Santouka in Pavilion, 798 Shabu Shabu and 798 rice bucket in Sunway Pyramid, Cultura in Bangsar and Morganfield's.

It is surprising that the redemption is fairly simple. We visited one of the participating restaurants, Sushi Tei. All we need to do is order the meal, show them the voucher for redemption and wa-la... enjoy the meal.

Sushi Tei, one of the participating restaurants for Worthy Book FnB Edition.

Salmon Sashimi at RM 11.80, but it's FREE with Worthy Book.

Besides, you can even redeem Soft Shell Crab Maki (RM 9.80) for FREE.

The FnB Edition is available at all major bookstores (MPH, Popular, Times, Borders, Kinokuniya) and selected myNEWS.com outlets in KL and Selangor for RM 29.90 and the saving is very much more than this. Grab one today and use them by 31 Aug 2015.

For more information and details, check out their following sites:

W: www.worthbook.my

F: www.facebook.com/worthybook
I: www.instagram.com/worthybook

T: www.twitter.com/worthybook_my

B: www.worthybook.blogspot.com

Y: www.youtube.com/user/WorthyBook

More Than Just Mille Crepe at Food Foundry, PJ Section 17

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 14 Dec 2014 04:08:00 +0000

Food Foundry at Happy Mansion, Section 17 Petaling Jaya is one of the places well known for their mille crepe and coffee. However, that is not just what they can offer. They serve wide range of hot food from the kitchen ranging from starters, burgers, wraps, sandwiches, pasta, fish and chop.

The casual eatery is filled with quite many people so be prepared to wait for a while before you are seated.

Mixed salad

Quarter roast chicken

Seabass fillet

Blueberry Mille Crepe RM 12

Overall, the food and ambiance was alright, but with the food charges at mid range, I personally wish it is air-conditioned as we went in the afternoon and it was quite hot. Perhaps the best time to visit is either morning or late evening?

Food Foundry
BG-8, Happy Mansion, Jalan 17/13, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Tel: 03-79553885 / 03-7932 2322
Mon - Sun: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: ♥♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Baby Back Rib at Tony Roma's Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 10:05:00 +0000

I was spoilt many times with good food in the US, like Texas barbeque, Mexican food, American Chinese cuisine and not forgetting, the baby pork rib. It is almost impossible to have any of these signature dishes in the American restaurants in Malaysia as most of them choose to serve no pork.

So, to really enjoy the same dish again, instead of flying all the way to the US, I visited the Tony Roma's during my trip to Singapore in July. There are 2 Tony Roma's branches in Singapore, one is in Orchard Road, the other is in the Suntec City Mall; I chose to visit the latter.

I wanted to have an early dinner so I arrived at the restaurant at 5pm but was sad to find out they were on break in between lunch and dinner and would only re-open for dinner at 6pm. Oh my! It was painful to wait.

It was painful to wait for an hour for the restaurant to open business again for dinner, but it was also good for being the first customer of the session as we need not to wait too long for the food to be served.

Tony Roma's at the Suntec City Mall

The house salad portion was just alright for one person, not much actually if you were thinking to share. The salad wasn't too fresh, you may just skip this.

House salad @ S$6.90

This is the long waited and craved full original baby back rib that I actually ordered. It was moist, juicy and tender. I like the barbeque brown sauce on it, a little sour, sweet and smokey. Although it's a full rack, I could finish it all by myself. I recall the US portion to be slightly bigger than this.

Full original baby back rib at S$38.90

There should be a lot more restaurants serving baby back rib in Singapore, so if you are craving for one and yet can't find any that you know, Tony Roma's may be your quick fix. Enjoy!

Tony Roma's Suntec City

3 Temasek Boulevard #B1-123

Suntec City Mall, Tower 5Singapore 038983Tel: (65) 6337 9055 Fax (65) 6337 9722

Operating Hours:

11.30am - 3.00pm (Mon - Thur)

6.00pm - 10.00pm (Mon - Thur)
11.30am - 10.00pm (Fri - Sun)

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: NA
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥ (in local currency)

The Australian Toby's Estate in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 15:35:00 +0000

Singapore is bombarded with so many independence cafes and cafe chain from overseas. I have actually planned to visit a few before my Singapore trip. Sadly, I could only make it to one on the day before I returned home.

Toby's Estate is the cafe from Australia, which serves hot food and coffee. It is located in Robertson Quay, about 10 minutes walk from where I stayed, the Holiday Inn Express Clark Quay. I woke up a little early as I did not want to miss a nice caffeine fix before I headed home. The walk to the Robertson Quay is certainly a very enjoyable thing to do on a Sunday morning, the landscaping is beautiful and nicely maintained. Surprisingly, there are quite many people in the Robertson Quay headed out for breakfast.

Located along the Singapore river, Toby's Estate cafe can be easily spotted in the Robertson Quay.

There are plenty of seating both inside and outside the cafe. As I wanted to explore more, I picked the air-conditioned indoor seating.

Coffee roaster in the cafe.

Merchandises - freshly roasted beans, barista tools and keep cup.

The industry feel of interior design looks nice. I enjoy seeing the barista working on every piece of art and coffee making, and so I always prefer sitting near the barista counter. The service is rather standard, staff are not too friendly. Maybe 9am on Sunday was too early for them as they did not smile much.

The barista counter

Latte with Roydk blend @ S$5, medium to high acidity - not my preference, but it was nice.

I also bought home a 250g pack of Woolloomooloo blend. It is nicer than Roydk, less acidity, more of earthy and chocolate tones.

Toby's Estate Singapore

8 Rodyk Stree #01-03/04

Singapore 238216

Tel: 6636 7629

Monday-Sunday 7:30am-6pm

Rae's rating
Food: NA

Coffee: ♥♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥ (in local currency)

Sushi time at Itacho Sushi, Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 03:47:00 +0000

Sushi Tei and Itacho Sushi are two popular and affordable Japanese restaurant chains in Singapore and the latter is actually from Hong Kong. The restaurant was filled with customers and we needed to queue for dinner around 7pm.

One of the biggest promotion they run in the restaurant all year round is the salmon skin sushi at S$0.40. That's really a good deal so we thought of giving it a try, but the actual reason we wanted to try Itacho Sushi is mostly because of the crowd.

Salmon and skin soya sauce @ S$0.40 per piece. It satisfied my curiosity but not my taste bud.

Whatever sushi is offered on the menu, they come in one piece so if you were to order multiple pieces, be sure to write it down on the order sheet correctly. I ended up sampling assorted sushi and udon. The Nigiri sushi was handmade right, I like that the sushi rice still held in one piece when I picked it up, but I wish there would be a little more vinegar in the sushi rice. I ordered fatty Salmon sushi at S$1.70 per piece, Yellowtail sushi at S$2.50 per piece, Smoked Salmon sushi at S$1.50 per piece, roasted Salmon with Cod fish at S$1.60 per piece, roasted Salmon roll at S$4.00, avocado & softshell crab roll at S$5.80, softshell crab handroll at S$4.90 per piece and a grilled mackerel with salt at S$8.00.

Fatty Salmon Sushi @ S$1.70 per piece and Yellowtail Sushi at S$2.50 per piece.

Supreme sea eel is another most pick sushi. However, I find it rather too dry. The grilled eel is very thin and over-cooked, definitely not my favourite.

Supreme Sea Eel @ S$6.20 promotional price (Actual @ S$6.80).

I find that eating out in Singapore isn't cheap, considering the average earning per person is higher and the strong Singapore currency, which should eventually make the cost of food lower. The high cost of dining out or any service field is most likely due to the higher labour cost and rental. If you're thinking to save a little on your trip, it's wiser to go to the local hawker stalls or food court, like those you can find in most shopping mall, Chinatown or the newly renovated Lau Pa Sat. Besides, it is also a very good way of experiencing the local's life.

~~Anyway, I will need to search for the receipt to confirm the total damage of the night.~~ The total damage of the night was S$57.90.

Overall, the dining experience was good, service was fast, raw seafood wasn't so fresh and the food was moderate leaving some room for improvement.

Itacho Sushi
Bugis Junction, Singapore

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: NA
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥ (in local currency)

Tim Ho Wan, the Michelin Star Hong Kong Dim Sum in Plaza Singapura, Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 01:30:00 +0000

I always crave Tim Ho Wan's dim sum since I had it the first time during my trip to Hong Kong, which is one of the Michelin One-Star restaurants available in the region.

It was a great opportunity to hop to their branch in Singapore during my trip. There is always a long queue at the door, but we actually went there at odd hour so that we don't have to wait for too long. The interior design and table arrangement is similar to those in Hong Kong, space is tight and table is small, so I tried not to order so much at once.

Baked bun with BBQ pork, vermicelli roll stuffed with pig's liver, pan fried turnip cake and steamed egg cake are the big 4 dim sum in Tim Ho Wan. I've tried both 2 of them in Hong Kong and they were lovely.

Source from Tim Ho Wan page

The legendary baked bun with BBQ pork is one of the best sellers. The bun is crispy on the outside and soft in the inside, the BBQ pork filling is flavourful and juicy. It smelled and tasted so great that I wished I could have more.

The legendary baked bun with BBQ pork @ S$4.50 for 3 pieces.

The sticky rice in lotus leaf was very aromatic.

Sticky rice in lotus leaf @ S$5.00

The steamed dim sum like prawn dumpling and siew mai were very nice. The ingredient was very fresh, the seasoning was done light but right. Unlike in Malaysia, there isn't any sweet dipping sauce or chilli given. In fact, that is the right way of eating dim sum as the chef would have served the dipping sauce if it's meant to eat with it. So, never ask for one.

Prawn dumpling @ S$5.50.

Pork dumpling with shrimp @ S$5.00

Lastly, Tonic Medlar and Osmanthus cake, the never-missed dessert.

Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus cake @ S$3.50 for 3

I was too busy eating and didn't manage to take all the photos. Overall, the taste is still good, somehow I find it better in HK. It is never cheap eating dim sum in Singapore, the price is comparable to many local dim sum restaurants but it is slightly more expensive than that in HK if I remember correctly.

I left happily with very full stomach.

Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum
68 Orchard Road #01-29A
Plaza Singapura
Singapore 238839
Tel: (65) 6251 2000
Opening Hours:
10.00am – 10.00pm (Monday – Friday) Last Order @ 0930pm.
09.00am – 10.00pm (Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday) Last Order @ 0930pm.

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: NA
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

6 Places to Visit in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 03:30:00 +0000

It has been about 10 years since my last visit to the Lion City, Singapore. I was lucky to re-visit her for a business trip, just to find out she hasn't been really changed much. If you plan to visit Singapore, here are a few places you can consider.

1. The Orchard Road

It is the ultimate shopping heaven. I enjoy taking a stroll here as it is landscaped with flowers and greenery, creating pockets of cool, natural calm amidst the hectic urban sprawl. There are plenty to see and feel even if you are not into shopping much. The luxurious boutiques offer tax refund at the airport, so be sure to get the tax refund form and receipt from them.

2. Chinatown

It changed quite a bit, more hawker stalls and eateries now but majority are run by people from China. However, you can still find some local hawker stalls slightly further away from the Chinatown centre. Alternatively, you can take the MRT to Telok Ayer and walk about 5 minutes to the newly re-opened Lau Pa Sat for more choices. You can choose to visit the museum, Hindu temple and the famous Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.

The beautiful overhead bridge to the Chinatown

Hindu temple in Chinatown

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum in Chinatown

Local food at the hawker stall is very affordable

3. Bugis

Bugis Junction is one of the malls found in Bugis. There is a market right opposite of the Bugis Junction where you can find souvenirs, clothes, fruits and food.

4. Marina Bay

Land reclamation was carried out in Marina Bay, forming what it is today. Multiple attractions here - the Casino, Marina Bay Sands hotel and its well-known Skypark and Gardens by the Bay. Personally, the Skypark and Gardens by the Bay are worth paying a visit. It is also a good choice to stay at the Marina Bay Sands hotel as you get to access the Skypark observation deck and the infinity pool for free, a very happening place at night.

On the way to the Marina Bay Sands hotel (behind me).

There are observation deck, infinity pool, restaurants and bars in the Skypark, a very happening place at night.

The Infinity pool at Sands Skypark, exclusively for hotel guests only.

The infinity pool stretches 150m across the Skypark, 57 storeys above the ground. The hotel guests can swim at the pool and enjoy the scenery with a drink.

Overlooking the Gardens by the Bay

5. Clarke Quay

Many restaurants and bars can be found at Clarke Quay. It's never a quiet place at night.

6. Sentosa Island

There are a few ways to get to the Island - cable car (expensive), Sentosa Express (S$4 per entry) or even by foot (S$1 on weekdays, free on weekends).

There are a lot more changes in the Sentosa Island since Resort World makes multiple attractions available here, like the Casino (bring your passport if you would like to enter), Universal Studio, Marine Life Park, S.E.A. Aquarium, Adventure Cove Waterpark, Dolphin Island and Trick Art Museum.

The Food republic in the VivoCity.

BBQ chicken wing in the Food Republic

Universal Studio in Sentosa Island

The Resort World

The beach, Sentosa Island.

For something different, you can go for the Night Safari.

Have a lovely trip, guys!

Recipe: Clam Chowder

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:19:00 +0000

I like clam chowder ever since I had it the first time in the Los Angeles. Back here, it was nice to find a few restaurants serving this but very few could make to my preference. Here's the recipe I used for making a delicious clam chowder today. Hope you like it too.

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)

2kg fresh clams, scrubbed

200g thick unsmoked bacon or pancetta, cut into small dice

1 onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp plain flour

2 medium waxy potatoes, chopped into 1cm dice

150ml double cream

Knob of butter

Seasoning:

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

Put the clams in a large pan with 600ml water. Cover, bring to the boil and steam until most are open, then pour into a sieve with a bowl underneath to catch the cooking liquid.
When cool enough to handle, remove from their shells and discard these. Roughly chop the clams, if large. Strain the liquid through a couple of layers of paper towel, or cheesecloth – you should have about 1.2 litres.
Meanwhile, heat a medium pan over a medium-high heat and fry the bacon in its own fat until this begins to render.
Add the onion and fry until this is soft, the bacon is crisp, and both are beginning to brown.
Add the bay leaf and flour and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.
Slowly stir in the clam liquid, then add the potatoes.
Simmer until these are tender (about 10 minutes), then stir in the cream, clams and butter.
Heat through, season to taste with plenty of black pepper and salt if necessary, and serve.

Little Hoof, Bandar Puteri Puchong

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 02:27:00 +0000

We have wanted to visit this place for long until this time.

Little Hoof is another great restaurant to go for pork at a slightly more affordable way. The setting is a mixture between casual and classic. I was hoping to see more lively colours and harmony, but that could be just because it was dim at night.

Off-white.

It was nice to have a complementary chips as we were deciding what to have for dinner.

The mushroom soup was quite standard, taste a little like Campbell soup with additional sliced mushroom.

Mushroom soup RM 7

We skipped salad and went straight for main course. The creamy mushroom bacon sauce in the pork chop tasted similar to the mushroom soup, but the grilled pork chop was quite good. It was still tender and a little juicy.

Pork Chop in Creamy Mushroom Bacon Sauce RM 25

If you would prefer something more refreshing, pork chop in spicy apple plum sauce may be your choice.

Pork chop in spicy apple plum sauce RM 24

The Little Hoof

Jalan Persiaran Puteri 1, Bandar Puteri Puchong.

Tel: 03-8066-6626

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: NA
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Quick Depresso Fix at Brew & Bread Coffee Bar, Sky Park, One City Subang

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 03:30:00 +0000

Brew & Bread has opened their first branch at Sky Park, One City Subang. Settling in the Sky Park that is full of eateries, Brew & Bread stands as just a coffee bar that serves coffee and pastry. It is also one good independent cafe for the coffee lover to visit in Sky Park. The design is modern and comfortable, fill with a little green, making it a perfect place to meet up with your friends just for coffee.

Brew & Bread at Sky Park

The register and barista counter was seen as soon as I walked into the cafe. There is a loft space catering more people

The coffee bar

Unlike the Brew & Butter in Kota Kemuning, this branch serves pastry only. There is a dessert display chiller full of pastries and cakes in the centre of the cafe.

The pastry

More tables are available at the loft.

It's my second time of having the green tea cake, the first was in their cafe in Kota Kemuning. The first experience was surprising while the second one was just alright.

Green tea cake

Every brewing step is carefully carried out, from dosing, tamping to extracting the cup of Joe.

6-oz Latte @ RM 9

Latte

More latte

Brew & Bread Coffee Bar
Sky Park, One City Subang

Rae's rating
Food: NA

Coffee: ♥♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

All About Pork at S.Wine Cafe, Publika KL

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

If you are craving for pork chop, pork sausages, salad with pork, soup with pork, pork burger or even pork pasta, I would really recommend S.Wine cafe in B.I.G. Publika Kuala Lumpur.

Interior

S.Wine house salad is very flavourful with mixed green and pork bites.

S.Wine House Salad (RM 28) & Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice (RM 10)

The pork chop was half-inch thick, pan-roasted to well-done and topped with Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is pickled shredded cabbage, it makes the well-done pan-roasted half-inch thick pork chop tasted moist and not oily. The lightly seasoned mashed potato sideline was chunky and nice.

Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Sauerkraut (RM 32)

Between the garlic and Arugula sausage, I personally prefer the former as it tastes much better and stronger, it's also more satisfying.

Garlic Sausage and Arugula Sausage (RM 10 each)

The grass jelly with vanilla ice-cream and espresso (Affogato) is really a wonderful dessert to conclude the meal. Grass jelly with Affogato is surprising a great combination that is worth trying.

Dessert - Grass Jelly with Vanilla Ice-Cream and Espresso (RM 13). Creative!

S.Wine Cafe
Ben's Independent Grocer
Lot 1A, 83-95
Level UG1, Publika, Solaris Dutamas,
Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
03-6209 1716
11am-10pm (Weekdays)
9am-10pm (Weekends)

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambience: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Standing Theory, The Distinctive Café in SS2

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 00:30:00 +0000

Standing Theory at SS2.

It is awesome to discover a great café in SS2. Standing Theory, hidden within the residential area of SS2, opens its door to the public in November 2013 and serves one of the best coffees in this region. In addition to the great coffee, what makes this café unique is that it serves pork. Walking into the café, there is seating outside of the café, but I always prefer to pick the indoor one with air-conditioned. The barista and register counter is on the left as I walked in and there are about 8 4-seater tables a long table for 8-10 pax and a large round table.

The barista and register counter.

Standing Theory, a simple and rustic café with super casual ambiance.

The outdoor seating

This simple and rustic café serves not just good coffee, it also serves limited choices of quality food not more than RM 20 with different menu for lunch and dinner. That really gives another good reason for coffee lover to drop by day and night to sample them.

The lunch menu

The dinner menu

Standing Theory serves black at RM 7, flat white and cappuccino at RM 10, but not latte. On top of that, they also serve cold brew, ice coffee, tea and hot choc.

Flat white at RM 10.

Con canne is a pork dish, slow-cook with tomatoes, capsicum and red kidney beans, serves with corn muffin. It is an interesting food on the lunch menu that worth trying.

Con canne at RM 17

Judging from the taste of the coffee, milk and latte art, one can really tell Standing Theory is quite serious about coffee. The flat white is strong and rich.

Beautiful latte art on the flat white.

V.D. Roll, similar to the Vietnamese Banh Mi, is served with BBQ pork patty in my favourite French baguette with pickled radish and carrot, cucumber, peanuts, coriander and chilli padi. The BBQ pork patty is delicious, complements with assorted vegetables making it very appetising. It is a good portion for lunch.

V.D. Roll at RM 13

My favourite lunch dish has to be the savoury B.B.C. waffle. The waffles is caramelised with Gula Melaka syrup and topped with smoked bacon, banana and Fat Baby Cornflake ice-cream. Yummy! Everything on the menu is special, but this is light yet nice that I would recommend to you.

My favourite savoury B.B.C. waffle

Overall, the coffee and food is great. It is definitely a great place to hang out with friends. If the people running the café can be a little friendlier, that would certainly improve the interaction with customers and warm up the ambience to have customers stay longer.

Standing Theory

26, Jalan SS2 / 103,

47300 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Tel: +60129716425 & +60162124421

Email: standingtheory@gmail.com

Business Hour: Tue - Sun: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Cash Only

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: ♥♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambience: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Mr & Ms Cafe, Oasis Square Ara Damansara

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 01:43:00 +0000

Mr. & Ms. Cafe at Oasis Square is definitely another good place to hang out with friends over brunch in Ara Damansara. Whether it's the basement or the open air parking, there are surely ample of parking lots for the visitors, and of course it comes with a reasonable price. The lunch crowd starts to build up on weekday after 12.30pm, but if you're coming for weekend brunch, be sure to be a little early.

Part of the menu on the black board.

The Interior

It is a very casual and simple cafe, I can't say I like the interior design much even though the dark ceiling, but it is still a good place to catch-up with friends and families. Besides, they do accept reservation for 6 pax and above. So, call in if you have a big group.

Cosy interior

Mr. & Ms. Cafe carries Arabica beans from Degayo, grown in Indonesia. As usual, I've ordered a latte at a very reasonable price of RM 8. It's quite smooth and mellow. The right amount of microfoam and temperature, it's not bad! It wouldn't be your choice if you prefer strong and intense coffee.

Latte at RM 8

The seafood marinara came in quite a generous portion with mussel, squid and prawn.

Seafood marinara

Next, we also sampled one of their signature dish and best seller, the Meaty Big Brekky for brunch. The big plate was filled with toasts, scrambled egg, hash brown, chicken sausages, beef bacon, ham, tomato and some peas. Scrambled egg was quite moist and soft; and everything else was quite standard.

Meaty Big Brekky @ RM 21.90

If you would prefer a smaller portion, I would personally recommend you either the eggs benedict (RM 14.90) or the salmon scrambled eggs. I like the combination of toast with lovely scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, topped with a little cheese. The smoked salmon was sliced in thick but small pieces.

Salmon Scrambled Eggs @ RM 15.90

Expect the small table to be filled with food and drinks.

The only comment I have about this place is probably the dessert in the refrigerated display case. They are not really attractive enough to get me into trying them and I always think... maybe next time. Your thought?

Mr. & Ms. Cafe

B-G-3A, Block B, Oasis Square,

Jalan PJU 1A/7, Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7859 6665

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Sat - Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Accept credit cards

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: ♥♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

* photos taken with iPhone4s.

Coffee To Go at Epiphany Coffee, Oasis Square

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 06:20:00 +0000

Latte with double shot espresso at Epiphany Coffee.

It is always nice to have coffee to go while driving or in the office, especially after a heavy meal for lunch. This day, we had a quick lunch in one of the restaurants in Oasis Square, Ara Damansara. Surprisingly, there are numerous cafes in this place, so finding coffee can be less tricky, but finding a good one can be.

Epiphany Coffee and Tobacco is located same row as Tappers, opposite of the Coffee ETC. As soon as we stepped into the cafe, there is a small section of Tobacco on the left and the outdoor seating for coffee is on the right.

There are many selections of drinks available in Epiphany Coffee, while both coffee and tea are available for your choice. Also, hot food is available to fix your hunger, you get to choose from pasta, baguette, eggs and salad. They serve cakes and cookies, too, for those with sweet tooth.

All espresso-based coffee comes with double-shot. I ordered a latte for myself. It is strong and bold, less complexity and acidity, milk was not frothed well, does not really bring out the sweetness of the coffee. At the price of RM 10, I would say it is a little expensive and not much to my liking, but worth trying.

Menu on blackboard.

Assorted cookies are available.

The dessert fridge is just right next to the register counter.

You get to choose the indoor or outdoor seating.

Cosy corner.

The barista counter.

Epiphany Coffee & Tobacco
D-G-06, Block D, Oasis Square Ara Damansara, 2, Jalan PJU 1A/7A, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Tel: 03-7859 9998
Daily 10:00 am - 11:30 pm

View Larger Map

Rae's rating
Food: NA

Coffee: ♥♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Fiery Fusion Thai at Fa Ying by Rama V, Paradigm Mall

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sat, 24 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Multiple award-winning Rama V Fine Thai cuisine has a new concept restaurant at Paradigm Mall. Fa Ying, a modern Fusion Thai restaurant situated at the Boulevard of Paradigm Mall, offers a casual setting to the diners with an alfresco lounge area, great spot for those looking to chill out.

Fa Ying by Rama V

Modern and casual setting

Spotting a full bar, the restaurant serves a variety of cocktails, beer and other non-alcoholic drinks.

The fusion menu includes some interesting dishes like Fettuccine with river prawn in Chu Chee sauce at RM32, Thai Minced Beef served in Cucumbers at RM12, Grilled Scallops served with Spinach at RM16, Pomelo Salad with Prawns at RM16 and The Thai Beef Burger in Nam Tok Style at RM22. Don't worry, the traditional Thai dishes still stay in the menu.

We choose to sample the traditional Thai for quick lunch. Both tom yum and green curry were good but too spicy for our liking.

Tom Yam Seafood, very spicy yet still tasted good.

Green Curry Chicken, love the thick and fragrant curry.

Stir-fried vegetables

Fa Ying by Rama V

GB-08, Ground Floor, Boulevard,

Paradigm Mall, Kelana Jaya, Selangor.

Rae's Rating

Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Recipe: Black Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Tue, 20 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Black Bean Soup

Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong province and is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of Chinese cuisine. Slow-cooked soup or lou fo tong in Cantonese is usually a clear broth prepared by simmering meat and other ingredients over a low heat for several hours.

Black bean is an excellent source of protein, fibre and is also packed with antioxidants. Making soup with it, is nourishing and good for women during pregnancy and confinement.

Black bean - photo courtesy from Health

Ingredients:

Half chicken about 500g

500g black beans （黑豆）

2 pieces of candied date （蜜枣）or 10-15 pieces of red dates

Seasoning:

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the black beans in water for 3 hours
Boil chicken in water to remove the fat and blood. This helps to produce clean soup base.
Put all ingredients and water in the stock pot and boil with high heat for 1 to 2 hours followed by low heat for about 2 hours.
Season with salt to taste and serve.

Delicious Sushi at Inaho Sushi Sky Park, One City Subang

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sat, 17 May 2014 13:37:00 +0000

Nigiri Sushi

Inaho Sushi at Roof Top, Sky Park.

Following the visit to Sky Park, One City Subang, we had simple lunch at Inaho Sushi.

We arrived early thinking to enjoy the meal slowly, but we were bad luck enough to find that it only opens from 12pm. After spending about an hour at the Sky Park, we returned to the restaurant again as their first customers.

Set lunch promotion

Beautiful and casual setting.

We were the first customers of the day.

The setting is simple, beautiful and cosy. The menu is extensive and price range is similar like Rakuzen, big sister of Sushi Zanmai.

A sushi yakizakana set comes with assorted sushi, yakizakana, chawanmushi and miso soup. What best is the customer get to choose salmon, saba or sanma for the fish and the preferred cooking method, whether it is shioyaki or teriyaki.

I had shioyaki salmon, it was fresh and tasty.

Set lunch - Sushi Yakizakana set at RM 33.

The sushi is something not to be missed at Inaho Sushi. The sushi rice was very good, it was vinegared, tasted light and just right. Lovely! The generous thick slice of seafood with the vinegared rice was balanced and fresh.

Special set menu

Lunch set menu

Inaho Sushi
Roof Top of Sky Park, One City Subang.

Rae's Rating

Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Dynamic Korea in Winter Day 8 - More Shopping and Returning Home

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:30:00 +0000

Having a full set of American breakfast while overlooking the city before we checked out the hotel.

As we opted for Korean Airline, we got to laze for a while in the room and continued the remaining itinerary before returning home. The double room in the Summit Hotel is the smallest among the hotels we have stayed in South Korea as the cost of living is the highest in Seoul, but we don’t mind that as it is conveniently located just 10-15-minute walk to Dongdaemun. It was another cold morning with ambient temperature at -4˚C. We had a full set of American breakfast with juice and coffee in the hotel while overlooking the city.

The double room in the Summit Hotel, Seoul.

It was cold early in the morning.

After that, we headed to the Healthy Liver shop, another must-stop shopping spot in South Korea. According to the tour guide and salespersons, majority of the Korean take liver health supplement that is made from Hovenia plant to help liver detoxification and protection for drinking plenty of alcohol. Similar product can be easily found in convenience store such as 7-11, marketed as a small bottle drink with a liver sign on the label. I did see some yoghurt drinks with a digestive system sign on the label but never notice there is another product for liver. If you have the chance, find out and let us know about this. Anyway, we bought a set of 480 tablets for close to RM 3,000 and it is good for 4-month supply for 2 adults.

4-month supply of Healthy Liver cost about RM 2,800+.

Lunch was supposed to be on own expenses but we had that covered as a replacement for the lunch on Day 2. It was glass noodles. After that, we could even buy some Korean snacks and souvenirs in the same building.

Posing at the restaurant for lunch.

Food in Korean is very healthy with little seasoning and salt to taste.

It was close to 12pm by the time we arrived at Incheon International Airport to catch the flight back to Malaysia at 4.55pm. That marked the end of our exciting Korea Winter tour, conducted in Mandarin but the tour leader can speak Cantonese. We had a great time bidding farewell with our tour guide at the airport before we checked in. It is really a good choice to fly with Korean Airline as the boarding time is in the evening as opposed to Malaysia Airline in the morning so we got more time in the airport to do final shopping! *Yay!*

Incheon International Airport.

After checking some skincare and cosmetics, I got some at really good deal as it is duty-free. If you do plan to buy some Korean skincare and cosmetics, it is worth to do it at the airport. Next, we decided to have some authentic Korean food before we board the flight. They are just so delicious and we will miss the food here.

Cold noodles, a must eat food during Winter in Korea. I like this!

Udon

Sushi.

Korean Airline offers a good variety of food and snack for the passengers. We were given dinner and some snacks like hot pizza and Korean rice roll similar to the onigiri. I also had some wine and it was good.

Taufu-Fa or soy pudding.

So many delicious desserts.

If you would like to try some Korean luxurious skincare products, in-flight duty free shopping is a very good option and much cheaper. I got myself some Sulwhasoo products and they accept either case or credit card.

Sulwhasoo sumlian eye cream USD 88 = 90,000 won

Spending a week in South Korea is one of the best excitements in life and this is definitely one of my favourite tours. It is good to learn more about this country and how the Koreans are succeeding in what they are doing. It is a shame for not be able to explore Seoul in depth this time but I will make sure I do in my next trip here.

Wrap-up

Tour fee: RM 5,200 ++ including airport tax, agent fees, tipping and travel insurance. There were tour members suggesting to tip more on Day 7, but that is optional. The surcharge and airport tax would be higher for Malaysian Airlines, but you will get to take 30kg check-in luggages. Korean Airline allows a cabin luggage of 12kg and a check-in luggage of 23kg.

The followings were not included in the package (per pax):

Rental for ski equipment and suit = 50,000 won
Ski gloves = 10,000 won
Rental for ski goggles = 15,000 won (varies)
Rental for life jacket at Ocean 700 = 4,000 won
2 meals

2 meals were not included in this package, but we didn't have to spend much on a simple meal. I suggest 50,000 won for a couple with 2 meals, but do prepare more if you plan for a scrumptious meal or fine-dining. As we took another meal (third meal) at the airport before boarding the return flight, that cost us another 31,300 won.

There is no bellboy in the hotel to help with the luggages but there was a group photographer following the tour to "help" us out on the luggages besides taking photographs for us. At the end of the tour, he sold us 30 pieces of photos bound together at 5,000 won each. We were told it is optional, but when it came to the end of the tour, we just thought of getting it. If there were next time, we might consider telling them no photo in the first place and just tip them accordingly for helping out with the luggages. Somehow, the photos are so beautiful especially those at Alpensia when we were busy skiing.

30 pieces of professional photos for a couple = 450,000 won

A total of RM 12,500 is the minimum spending for 2 if you plan to take up this tour package (8D6N Dynamic Korea Ski Fun & Jeju) by Apple Vacation Malaysia.

In fact, we exchanged for Korean won with RM 4,000 cash and barely left much. On top of that, we also spent RM 2,800+ for Healthy Liver and RM 1,800+ for Odbo Skincare with credit card. All in, it was close to RM 20,000 for the tour package, items listed in bullet form, other expenses and shopping/souvenirs. Hope that gives you an idea...

I have also listed down some of the shopping list and price in the following posts.

Apple Vacation is a reputable travel agency and travellers would choose them for the exceptional 4 or 5-star accommodation, variety of good food and specially arranged itinerary. Like other travel agencies, there are always some compulsory shopping stop, but you can always choose not to buy any.

I am very pleased and happy that hubby decided on this package by Apple for our honeymoon. It is a very sweet and loving memory that I will always cherish. :)

Dynamic Korea in Winter Day 7 - Seoul City Tour, Shopping and Bibap Show

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Accommodation in Seoul is the most expensive in South Korea, so I really don’t mind getting up early and head out from the small and expensive room. It was difficult to wake up so early in the morning as we shopped until midnight yesterday, but we were very happy spending some lovely and private time in Dongdaemun without being chased to catch up the schedule. That’s the minus of taking a packaged tour.

An early and cold morning with assorted of congees seems to be a great way to start off the day. Korean likes kimchi so much so that they would make congee with it. Besides kimchi congee, there were also pumpkin congee, abalone congee and seaweed congee for us to try together with some typical banchan or side dishes. Whether it’s the kimchi, pumpkin or seaweed, it’s cooked until dissolved in the congee, making it smooth and clean.

Assorted congee for breakfast sounds really good in the cold morning.

Warm breakfast in the early morning.

Day 7 was more of a shopping day, a happy and excited day for ladies. There are 3 must-go shopping spots in the itinerary and ginseng shop was among the list. I think we spent more than an hour in the building, which the sales person explained the benefits and grade of ginseng in Korea. Wild ginseng takes 6 years to grow before it can be harvested and there are 6 grades of ginseng in the market, while this shop sells only the first grade according to them. After about 15-20 minutes, we were taken to a room where they started introducing their products and of course, they are super expensive. Unquestionably, this is one of the highest grade seller, if not the best, producing good ginseng products. We were told these products are only available in Korea, so that’s the only chance or place we could get it if interested. Did we buy? No, because it is way too expensive. Those ginseng capsule that they recommended us, costs about USD 2,000 or easily more. Anyone buying it? Of course, and they bought a lot!

Shopping for ginseng

Skincare product was on the list, too. I have a little feeling that we were being kidnapped as the exact location was unknown, we were taken to a factory-alike place, climbed some staircases to reach a room with two long tables with mirrors and chairs, where the sales person walked us through the basic skincare steps, from cleansing, toning, moisturizing to sun protection and facial mask. In the class, we got to test their products, Odbo, which is under the same holding with The Face Shop and some other brands that I couldn’t remember. Odbo product is formulated for sensitive skin, but one of my tour mates developed rashes during product testing, so I am not really sure if it works well on sensitive skin. I bought some red ginseng mask, essence (though the lady said it can be used as moisturizer), SPF50 sheer sunblock in compact form and a special treatment product that I called a secret weapon against ageing. LOL Back to the skincare products, the compact form of sunblock seems to be a big thing in Korea according to the salesperson as it is fairly easy to carry and apply. Here is the list of items with price that I've bought:

Odbo anti-aging product 91,180 won x 4
Odbo sunblock 36,860 won
Odbo O2 cleanser 32,010 won
Odbo aqua soothing essence 36,860 won x 2
Odbo ginseng mask 36,860 won x 2

It costs me a total of 581,030 won, that was about RM 1,860+. I hope I did not just make myself broke here, but they did offer a better price if we were to buy more, on top of getting more free gifts, of course. Not just me, I think most people will enjoy shopping in Korea especially for skincare as they are very generous in giving out free gifts or samples. With the spending, I got an eye cream and many pieces of masks as free gifts.*yippee*

After the tiring shopping tour, it was wonderful to have charcoal BBQ pork. It's always enjoyable to savour in local cuisine as the taste and flavour is more authentic. In addition, the meat and vegetables are fresh, the Korean uses very little seasoning in cooking and yet they can bring out the taste of the meat so well. There is hardly any MSG in the food making me feel good and healthy dining in Korea. It’s simply delightful!

Charcoal BBQ pork tasted so much better than those in Malaysia. It could be the fresh meat, the weather or my very good mood that made me enjoying every moment in Korea.

The last compulsory shopping spots was planned for tomorrow. So, we got some time to shop at Donghwa duty free shop for some branded items or skin care products. Dongwha Duty Free accepts USD or Korean won or credit card. There are branded stuffs like Louis Vuitton (LV) and we made a visit, price was slightly cheaper than in Malaysia. If you plan to buy any, do drop by.

At the entrance of Dongwha Duty Free.

I did not leave this place empty-handed. I bought some skincare for myself, was told it's the first company that comes out with snail skincare products. It's worth trying.

It's skin snail mask USD 21 x 6
It's skin prestige snail ginseng cream USD 56

It was a mini free and easy session at the duty free shop. We didn’t shop much here as the prices for skincare weren’t differ much from the retail shops, so we planned to save the shopping time until tonight at Dongdaemun and took the time to roam around for a little while. I enjoy walking on the street, seeing what the Korean do and wear, and breathing every Korean air while I can. It is just so great to be on this land!

Further away is the Gwanghwamen, the statue of Admiral Yi Sunshin stands the nearest to the camera while the statue of King Sejong the Great sits between these two.

The Statue of Admiral Yi Sunshin.

Bus stop.

A tourist information booth.

We stopped by Holly coffee, which is just across the road, for caffeine fix. I ordered the signature real Belgian caffe mocha at 5,800 won, that was about RM 19. I have tried a few cafes in Korea while I can, I have to say if you are a true coffee lover, you can just skip having any in Korea. The coffee is way too weak for my liking and with the stiff price, it is just not worth it.

Getting my caffeine fix at Hollys coffee just nearby Donghwa Duty Free.

I ordered a regular Real Belgian Caffe Mocha at 5,800 won.

Moving on next, it was the Deoksu Palace. It is famous for its elegant stone road and also the only palace that sits alongside many modern buildings that add to the uniqueness of the surrounding scenery. The guided walking tour was short and there was not much time to really enjoy the scenery and take as many photos as we can, but it was worth visiting.

The second last stop of the day was the best time for the ladies. We spent about 2 hours in Myeongdong for shopping or sight-seeing.

Shinsegei

Feeling excited stepping my feet in Myeongdong while studying the map on whereabouts.

After finishing the palace walking tour, we took the tour bus to Shinsegae for the most exciting activity of the day. It's Myeongdong! From where we were dropped off, we took a 15-minutes walk to Lotte Young Plaza where the hot cosmetic brand 3CE launched by Stylenanda can be found. In fact, I've planned a long shopping list prior coming to Korea so that I won't be having pain deciding what to buy on the spot and I find it really efficient with this. Still, I spent about more than 30 minutes choosing the shades. Let's see what I've got for spending 97,800 won, about RM 310.

3CE eye brightener 19,000 won
3CE nail colour 4,000 won x 2
3CE shimmer stick 15,000 won
3CE loose powder 19,900 won
3CE face glow 22,000 won
3CE face maker 13,900 won

After getting what I always wanted, we walked back to Myeongdong to experience the best ever atmosphere surrounded by Koreans. I do feel a little regret spending too much time in 3CE as it was quite rushed after that. If you are on similar tour, forget about helping out friends' with the shopping list in Myeongdong as you can always do that at the airport.

Street food in Myeongdong.

Skin Food can be found in Myeongdong.

Some cosmetic and skincare shops would give free masks or samples to attract the customers. There are different promotions running by different shops even though it's the same brand, so buy if the deal is good.

Too many shops to visit within 2 hours. It's wise to plan ahead.

Are you familiar with this brand?

Myeongdong is a very happening and popular spot with so many locals and tourists. I can't find a good example in Malaysia that is same as Myeongdong, it is rather difficult to find a similar spot in Malaysia. Despite of the variety of snacks and street food, it was a shame that we didn't try any as the tour guide advised us on the first few days not to have any street food, worrying it would cause stomach discomfort. Alas, we shouldn't be bothering that since we would be returning home the next day. So, if you were on the same, go ahead and taste everything you find it interesting.

It was another thoughtful and tasty dinner after spending half day in the outdoor. It was like steamboat with pork. Soup and pork were really a good choice for us needing to replenish moisture and recover energy from the walking and shopping.

Soup and pork for dinner.

One of the things one shouldn’t be missed in Seoul is going for a musical show. Bibap, a bibimbap performance, is one of the popular shows. It is a very hilarious and enjoyable non-verbal performance, so you need not to worry if you wouldn’t understand the show, but warn you, go while you’re still full. We were arranged for front centre seats, and with the interaction between the performer and the audience, these are the best seats to take.

A lady tour mate disapproved this photo saying it's ugly. Hahaha...

It was about 9pm by the time the show finished. After returning to the hotel, we still had energy and time to walk to Dongdaemun again to do more late night shopping as there are multiple malls run business until early morning. There was an outdoor stage near the Migliore where some Korean hobbyists were doing free-style dance. It was very entertaining to watch them dance. We got some souvenirs from Doota, been to a few but this offered more choices and better price. These were among the items I've bought.

Tony Molly CC cream 16,800 won
Laneige BB cushion 37,000 won
IOPE BB cushion 40,000 won

p/s: You may refer more of our spending here.

Notable Mee Sua at Teow Chew Meng, Subang Jaya

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 01:12:00 +0000

Subang Jaya is not a place we normally visit, but there is always an exception if there is good food.

Teowchew cuisine, particularly well known for its seafood and vegetarian dishes, is not easily available and so when I know there is one, I would travel just to savour for the good food. It reminds me of the flavoursome mee sua from this particular Teowchew restaurant while I am blogging now.

Besides mee sua, you can opt for other noodles or vermicelli with different soup base and even fried rice for main dish that costs from RM 12 per pax. You won’t go wrong with mee sua for the reason that you will find out later. What is more, the side dishes like octopus, kerabu mango, seafood roll, 3 taste oyster and even sweet and sour prawn are so yummy that you should not miss. Oh, not forgetting, there is also a special dessert that you will find later in the post, so read on…

The crowd starts during lunch hour but we were lucky to arrive earlier.

The side dishes were served first. I like the octopus, which they boiled and sprinkled it with garlic and oil. The peanut dipping sauce went well with the octopus and it was just heavenly.

A regular octopus @ RM 18, RM 12 for small. The portion is good for 4-6 persons.

The seafood roll is another not to be missed dish. This arrived piping hot, the skin was amazingly thin and crispy while the filling was generous.

A small seafood roll @ RM 12, RM 18 for regular

We also ordered a regular kerabu mango @ RM 15, but I missed taking a picture of it. The spicy and sour kerabu mango is very appetizing. It was a big pot of sharkfin mee sua tow that we ordered for 3 pax. The mee sua was firm and springy while the thick gravy was cooked with plenty of various seafood to make it tasted so good, but mind you, this could be camouflaged to be shark’s fin considering the price you are paying.

An air-conditioned and clean restaurant.

Sharkfin mee sua tow @ RM 12 per pax. This was for 3 pax.

Oyster mee came in a large pot like the sharkfin mee sua tow is another main dish that we have ordered. It tasted similar like black loh mee but way better than it with rich taste of oyster and seafood. It is heavenly.

Oyster mee @ RM 15 per pax.

What marked this meal a beautiful and sweet finish was the Teowchew yam paste topped with ginko. Don't be disappointed with the look, it was very delicious, fragrant and smooth, also quite filling so the good thing must be shared.

Teowchew yam paste @ RM 3.50 per bowl.

Now, I am a big fans of Teowchew food and I will definitely re-visit Teow Chew Meng.

Restoran Teow Chew Meng

9 Jalan SS14/1, Subang Jaya,Selangor, Malaysia.Tel no.: +603 7877 9298, +6012 472 8387

Other branches in Klang Valley:

33, Jalan SS2/30, 47300 Petaling Jaya

54, Jalan 8/62A, Bandar Manjalara, 52200 Kepong

Branches in Penang:

Chai Leng Park, Prai (012-438 5288)

Pulau Tikus, Penang (012-411 0988)
8-Row, Georgetown (04-228 8675)
Sunway Tunas, Bayan Baru (04-646 6675)

Branch in Singapore:

259 Tanjong Katong Road Beng Tong Mansion, 437047 Singapore (+65 8321 0218)

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Let the Sky be your Utmost Limit @ Sky Park, One City, Subang

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 00:00:00 +0000

The interior of Sky Park.

One City is a development by MCT in Subang, where the Sky Park resides. The development is divided into five unique phases – Phase 1 (Garden Shoppe), Phase 2 (Sky Park), Phase 2A (The Place), Phase 2B (The Square) and Phase 3 (MCT Mall).

Sky Park is an exciting amalgamation of several components - a shopping mall, office suites, a corporate office tower and a business class hotel.

The escalator is available at the centre of the mall.

You can find many renowned restaurants and shops in the Sky Park.

We will blog about the BBQ chicken in our upcoming post.

The ground floor. 6 lifts each are available at both ends.

Food emporium, or food court if that's what you called, is also available in the Sky Park offering you more choices. Mr. Teppanyaki, Teh Tarik Station, Station Kopitiam, Coffee Box and Chicken Rice Corner are found here.

Wine outlet is running promotion for wedding wine.

There are mezzanine in level 1 and 1A, where more restaurants, snack/food stalls, gadget/phone booths and even boutiques are easily available.

Food stalls

Takio Ikayaki @ Level 1A mezzanine

Golden squid head @ RM 5.90. We like the thin batter, the squids are tender and not over-cooked. Nice!

Sky Park seems to be a little Korean mall as there are quite a number of Korean restaurants and fashion boutiques. Find out what surprise awaits you at level 1A mezzaine besides Tony Moly.

Tony Moly

There is a roof garden at 10th floor. It is a wonderful place to hang out in the evening, especially when it is windy or cold. There are a few remarkable restaurants available like Inaho Sushi, a Thai restaurant, Master Room and BoatHouse.

Overlooking LDP from the Roof Garden at Sky Park.

Part of the Roof Garden.

Another view of the Roof Garden.

Premium-X cinema is situated at level 2, which is at the same floor with e-Fitness. Movie ticket is from RM 10.

The walkway to the halls in the cinema.

The interior of the movie hall.

To wrap this up, here is the list on what to do, eat and play.

What to do:

e-Fitness
Yamaha
Star Living furniture shop
Premium-X cinema
MBG fruits
Gadgets/Phones
Fashion boutiques - Korean styles ^.^
Tony Moly
Wine Outlet
etc

What to eat:

Inaho Sushi
Master Room
Sam Nae Deul Korean Restaurant
Verde
FatBoys burger
Subway
Tokyo Kitchen
Charlie Chaplin
Brew & Bread cafe
BBQ Chicken
Tappers
Secret Recipe
Kik Kok
Takio Ikayaki
Asam Laksa
Crispy Popiah
Chocolate house
Sugar Melon
My Recipe
Popilla
I love yoo!
Tan Ngan Lo
Food Emporium
bistro and many more...

What to play:

Escape Room - opening soon.
Kids playland
more to come...

Sky Park at One City, Subang

Travel Far for Sunday Brunch @ Brew & Bread, Kota Kemuning

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 13:42:00 +0000

Walking towards Brew & Bread

Sunday brunch is exciting as most of us could only be spoilt once a week. We travelled far this week to Kota Kemuning to visit Brew & Bread, a cafe that has been in business for more than 2 years. Finding the cafe isn't hard, but a parking lot is. The parking lots are not sufficient enough considering many eateries around this area, but we were lucky to get one about 1-2 minutes walk away from the cafe.

We picked the indoor seats, but there are outdoor seats available for smokers or those who prefer to stay warm. There were a little pastry bar and a dessert fridge near the entrance, following a long counter for display and water. At the back, there's where the baristas work and of course the kitchen.

We took the table next to the register counter, a marvellous spot to watch the baristas preparing the coffees. I like that!

Indoor seating was full and I'm guessing most are regular customers.

Brew & Bread menu introduces their machines for all the great coffees being prepared.

There were 3 baristas taking turn to prepare the orders. Every step, from dosing, tamping to brewing, was carefully calibrated to ensure good coffees were served.

Nice spot here to watch 3 baristas to take turn preparing the orders.

Right after a lady came to us when we were ready to order, it was disappointing to learn that they didn't serve any egg-dishes that day. The disappointment was strong that I felt like walking out the cafe immediately, but I thought of giving it a chance to try something else even though I was craving badly for eggs.

After about 15 minutes, the latte was served before food. I was glad that I could enjoy the coffee while watching the baristas at work. The soup, pasta and chicken were served about 15-20 minutes later.

The single-shot latte @ RM 7 was balanced.

Fettucine Pesto @ RM 15 & cream of mushroom @ RM 7. The basil and parsley blended pasta was great.

The Chief's recommended Chicken Roulade @ RM 18.

Chicken Roulade is one of the chief's recommended dishes. The chicken thigh rolled with stuffing was seriously over-dosed with pepper and I don't like it. The chicken was rather too dry and so it had to be taken with the gravy.

Before the food was served, I took a chance to tour around the cafe. The cakes appeared to be more interesting than the pastries to me so we picked a tiramisu and a matcha to try.

The tiramisu @ RM 10 was plain and no-surprise.

The matcha @ RM 9 was smooth and a little sweet. The best part of it was the thin layer of mint topping making it tasted so refreshing.

It is great that Brew & Bread is not a self-service cafe yet we don't have to pay for any service charge. It was such a disappointment for not be able to have egg benedict for brunch. Luckily, the coffee and matcha cake were able to compensate that. Overall, it is worth visiting for residents around this area.

Brew & Bread

Address: 10, Jln Anggerik Vanilla M31/M, Kota Kemuning SA 40460

Tel: +603-51315201

Website: http://www.brewnbread.com/

Monday-Wednesday, Friday-Sunday 8am - 7pm

Rae's rating
Food: ♥♥♥♥♥

Coffee: ♥♥♥♥♥
Service: ♥♥♥♥♥

Cleanliness: ♥♥♥♥♥

Ambiance: ♥♥♥♥♥

Price: ♥♥♥♥♥

Promotion: 30% off ALL meals at Dave's Deli

noreply@blogger.com (Rae) — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 04:35:00 +0000

If you are looking for quick fix for lunch, why not hop to Dave's Deli for a hearty meal? They are giving 30% off for all dine-in meals at their branches in One Utama Shopping Centre, Subang Parade Shopping Centre and Queensbay Mall, Penang.