UTOPIA

El Charro Mexicano @ Costa del Este

2026-08-08T00:25:05.004+08:00

How frequent do you go for real Mexican food?

I hardly have one coz most of them are pricey and Mexican restaurants are quite rare in my area, unless I go to the city center or bigger malls.

But while in Panama, I stayed nearby a Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood, and it was just 10 minutes' walk away.

So, I make sure to drop by for the fajitas....

This place is quite colorful and well decorated. The food is pricey too (by Panama standard) hence this restaurant is quite empty.

I was the only customer😂

I had beef fajitas. It was served with some nachos, guacamole, and bean paste on a sizzling hot plate. There were also a small plate of tomato salsa and a super-hot red chili salsa.

A tray of corn tortilla was served separately. I think there were around 4 to 5 pieces of tortilla.

This is how you eat fajitas: place the meat and other ingredients onto the tortilla, then wrap it like a roll.

Avoid the super-hot red chili salsa—one drop is enough to kill you😂

The restaurant is located in a 2-storey complex opposite Tigo office. Tigo is a well-known mobile network provider in Panama (similar to our Maxis, DigiCelcom).

The mascot figure of the restaurant.

The bright colours of the restaurant is visible from afar.

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After the meal, I walked back to my apartment and passed by Marea, a luxury apartment facing the sea.

Seahorse wall art. Nice!

Dua Nasi Malatang, Sunway Putra Mall

2026-08-06T05:52:05.758+08:00

A friend was on staycation at Seri Pacific hotel with her daughter and invited me to join her for lunch the next day.

It was her birthday, and she insisted to pay for my lunch....I've never seen someone so excited to enter the big '5-0'

I picked the ingredients from the restaurant fridge. The staff weighted them and charged RM27.10 for this. Quite reasonable price. This is the halal version of mala hotpot...

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Walked around Sunway Putra Mall to look-see on the eateries there....It has quite an extensive choice of restaurants there....

Texas chicken, BK, all the fast food are present. This place has the same vibe like Nu Sentral, being near to a bus terminal that serves interstate destinations.

Manhattan Fish Market restaurant running on promotion.

So, i tapao an Alaskan Pollock fish and chips for dinner back home.

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The interior of Sunway Putra Mall....It is a retro mall opened in 1987. Back then it was known as The Mall. I remember its cascading glass roof, but now it has turned into retail space.

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BananaBro nasi lemak with fried chicken for RM9.90+, only in selected outlets. So, I went to try it at the neighborhood outlet. The plate is so small....can't they use a bigger plate?

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Sorry, i can't explain this😂

cravings? or too stress?

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Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu....except that I don't order their Nasi Lemak anymore....

I had roti bawang...the onions are hidden beneath the roti.

On another day, I tried Pattaya style mamak fried rice.

Both are just so-so only.

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Nam Heong is running a promotion till end of the year. I've tried the mee siam with luncheon meat for RM7.77+

Fluffed again...

2026-08-04T17:28:47.270+08:00

If I want to have fish & chips with waffle this is the place to go!

Despite a 'cafe', the ordering system is fast-food style. Order & pay at the counter and will be given a number. Then, they will deliver the food to your table.

Paid RM31.90 nett for this.

FOC plain water in a jar. Overall, a good meal. The fish (i think is dory) is fried till perfection with crispy batter. Tartar sauce and sriracha mayo pair well with the fish.

You can opt for full waffle or half waffle. I had the half waffle, and it was perfectly done - spongy inside with a crispy crust.

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Bought a gimbap and an onigiri from FM. The salmon in the onigiri is cooked, not raw as in the picture. It is like canned mayo tuna texture, with slight wasabi taste, which is quite tasty. I will buy this again.

The cheese sausage gimbap that I usually buy in a bento box packaging (2 rolls in a box for RM11.90) is now available in a plastic sheet packaging like this. Quite handy (to bring around) and priced at RM7.50 nett.

I got discount on the onigiri. Yay!

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Outside the Gu-On Korean restaurant, there is a stall (belongs to Gu-On) that prepares hotteok and daohui (taufufa).

I think customer will need to order and pay inside first, then come out to collect these items once they're done.

the hotteok are cheese based....

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A new kopitiam in the neighborhood, right behind Mcdonald's....opens from morning till evening/night, but nighttime only certain stalls open.

Family Dinner @ Chee Seong, Sri Petaling

2026-08-02T09:05:54.970+08:00

[Throwback] Weekend family dinner at Chee Seong....

Our usual orders:

Tofu with minced pork

Steamed tilapia in soy sauce

Yam ring with kungpao chicken

Romaine lettuce in fuyu sauce

We usually play safe and stick to our regular dishes once it met our tastebud standard...

The bill came to RM176.40 nett for 5 pax.

Dayeh Noodles

2026-07-29T13:53:54.978+08:00

Went to try out this beef noodles shop, located opposite the parking lot where the weekly pasar malam (night market) is located.

The shop is spacious and clean.

The furniture make it look so 'atas'.

I had the dry noodle with beef brisket and beef tripe. There are daikon and carrot cubes in the noodle too. Beef soup is provided in a separate bowl.

Taste OK, the meat was tender, soup taste gamey.

I'm not a fan of beef noodles so I think it would be long before I visit again.

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Went to Thai Chala again for their pad krapow....This one is minced pork, unlike the previous one in Sun Thai that is minced chicken.

I usually opt for the mild spicy.

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Bought seedless grapes from the supermarket in Pinnacle mall for RM10.90

Subway sandwich 'Sub of the Day' for RM9.95 nett.

They ran out of Italian bread, so I had Parmesan Oregano instead.

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The banchans in Midam Korean BBQ restaurant.

Bulgogi jjungsik

Scoop out the ingredients...there are beef, onions, shredded carrots, enoki mushroom....

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Freshly baked egg tarts from TK Bakery...RM3.30 each.

BON APPETIT!

Warakuya Smoked Duck Ramen

2026-07-27T11:50:50.904+08:00

Back at Warakuya for some Japanese food fix.

I had Japanese mashed potato (RM8.90++)

There are thinly sliced cucumbers hidden beneath....found that it is drizzled with sesame dressing too.

Smoked duck ramen (RM21.90++)

There are 3 slices of very flavorful smoked duck....

Quite tasty....

FOC dessert - taro flavored konyaku

Overall, a good meal. The bill came to RM35.70 after service charge and tax.

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What's this? nasi lemak?

Nah.....it is mee siam with curry chicken drumstick and fried egg (RM16.50 nett)

The curry chicken gravy is so oily!

Well, it tastes good though....

Office Lunches in BVI

2026-07-24T22:21:53.534+08:00

These are muffins from Spain, definitely not related to pig. Bought them in one of the supermarkets in Road Town for my breakfast.

[Below] Map of Road Town

I walked to the office daily, passing by several offices along the way. On some days, I carpooled a local colleague's car back to the hotel. She's a Filipino and has been working in BVI for many years. Lovely & kind lady.

Nice weather in the evening. Most people here travel by cars as they live on the hills with narrow and winding roads.

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My daily office lunches were arranged by the office administrator. I would place my order through her based on menus from the selected nearby restaurants.

Some days I had quesadilla with guacamole.

Other days burrito.

The ingredients in the burrito - rice, corns, black beans, cheese, lettuces....

Sometimes, I had shrimps or salmon pesto pasta.

I like the taste of this pesto pasta. A box of cheese powder is provided separately.

When I crave for rice, I would have rice poke bowl....also with shrimps....Yummeh!

Depending on what I ordered, the lunches here cost around USD15 to 20.

[Below] the view outside the office pantry

The pantry has free fruits supply occasionally.

Also, there's a large TV screen. I enjoyed watching the programs while having my lunch here.

Clean and neat pantry.

They have janitors cleaning the office every now and then.

Sint Maarten, Caribbean

2026-07-21T20:33:59.105+08:00

3 hours flight from Panama City to Sint Maarten on Copa Airlines. I don't expect much on being served nice food when on a non-Asian airlines....They would usually serve just chips and cookies. But well, i'm fine with that. Plantain chips are my favorites.

[Below] The flight route....flying above the Caribbean Sea.

Reached Sint Maarten around noon. As it was still too early to check-in, I hang around the airport and took my lunch before taking taxi to the 'lodging place'....

I don't know if the place I stayed could fit the definition of a 'hotel' coz it looks like some sort of motel nearby the airport. My boss randomly booked this place coz it is nearest to the airport as I have a morning flight to catch the next day.

My lodging place - BethsAida Conference Center & Boutique Hotel.....

such a long name!

But the place is nothing fancy like a boutique hotel, just a normal lodging place with ordinary room.

It looks just like your bedroom😂

with clean bathroom and basic amenities. USD250 per nite....not cheap!

The balcony facing the airport tarmac.

It was noisy during the daytime...due to the plane landing and departing. The airport close at 7pm and it was all quiet then.

[Below] The lodging place's communal area with tables/chairs. There is no desk in the room, hence this is the only available working space.

Not far from the airport, there is a roundabout with Sint Maarten flag.

[Below] Are you able to guess the meaning of this signboard?

Yes, it is a bus stop.

I hopped onto a bus to Maho Beach for an adventure😎

a dangerous adventure!

Maho Beach on a Thursday evening. Ah, these people no need work!

some sipping cocktails while enjoying the reggae beat by the Caribbean Sea😂

Life is such a bliss for these wealthy holiday-goers!

Nearby Maho Beach there are a few established hotels and restaurants. Nope, I did not dine there although my boss recommended me to visit. I need to go back before the skies turn dark...Looks like it is going to rain soon!

I love St Maarten!💕

and the clear blue sea.....

Walking back to the bus stop....I saw this signboard. I don't quite understand what has changed?

Could be some new road under construction....

But as a first timer seeing this signboard warning, it really got me alerted and be extra careful coz I don't know to what extent the traffic situation has changed😅

Wah Yuen Dessert again

2026-07-18T21:27:35.722+08:00

Went back to Wah Yuen to try more items. This time I had their dessert - mango pomelo sago. It was sweet and thick. Not much sago and pomelo, mostly mango cubes. Reminds me of Huilaoshan mango dessert that i had many years ago in HK.

Also ordered the scrambled egg & prawn with hor fun (flat rice noodle). The hor fun is fried with dark sauce and has 'wok hei'.

The bill came to RM34.75 after tax and service charges.

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Mooncake from Genting....This time they have a new flavor 'white lotus paste with walnut'.

Similar taste like lotus paste but with some crunchy walnuts. Quite nice.

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The 'daily special' menu from Veggies World restaurant in the neighborhood. Seems like they have changed the items as compared to last year. I will try one of these items one day.

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The unlimited banchan in Gu On is applicable for Lunch Sets too. Just posting this for my own reference.

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Back to MiNaRae after a long long time.....

I had their bibimbap during my first visit some 14 years ago....and this was my 2nd time having bibimbap in MiNaRae. I've been to this restaurant many times and tried almost everything in the menu so now I'm back with the 1st item i had many years ago.....ah, feel so nostalgic!

Talking about nostalgia, I recently reconnected back with my 'crush' of 22 years. We joked and teased like old friends, that kinda 'vibe' that brings back lotsa sweet memories. Unfortunately, he is married now....ah, my heart shattered into pieces💔

Bichi Mao Secret Recipe

2026-07-16T18:23:33.903+08:00

Secret Recipe

When durian is in season, Secret Recipe will have durian cakes....

Their durian cake is spongy with layers of durian cream...Taste light and pleasant.

The box is colorful with chubby cats....

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Fu Man Yuan Dumpling

Been here a few times, quite a popular eatery with crowds during the weekend. They have dumpling of all sorts combination - cabbage, chives, pork, deep fried, boiled etc.

I had pork with chives dumplings - 10 pieces per plate is the smallest order.

I also tried their chow mein.

It is fried with shreded cucumber, cloud ear fungus, a few pieces of pork. Not spicy but salty from the soy sauce soaked into the noodles.

The dumplings were served with ginger. Chili oil is provided on every table in a jar.

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My very first selfie with my first smart phone more than a decade ago.....Back then I like to hang out at the office rooftop. There's a staff cafe/leisure deck located there.

Don't be fooled by the background of the image....it was AI generated😂

The AI is so powerful that it can change a picture into miniature, like the one below....

These sort of AI generated pictures is getting trendy nowadays coz i see lots of people posting them in social media.

Chat with the neighbourhood cat

2026-07-13T09:41:03.133+08:00

This is the friendliest building manager in one of the neighborhood's commercial lots.

I was passing by, peeking into an office stairway to see if they are open. I didn’t notice her at first, but then I heard a faint, continuous meow somewhere nearby. Before I realized it, she was already beside me, “talking” to me nonstop. Ah, such a cutie building manager!

I think the conversation goes like this (based on her continuous meows):

The office is closed, there is no one in there and the door is locked. Please come back again on Monday.

Something like that😂

She continued chatting with me, asking lots of question, probably like purpose of visit kinda stuffs...etc.

Our chat got 'truncated' when another tenant exited from one of the shops in that building and she ran to greet that tenant. Seems like she is familiar with everyone in that building.

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I had yong tau foo again in Kedai Makan Makan again. This time in curry soup. Paired with dry soy sauce noodles.

The interior looks like old style kopitiam.

The bill came to RM18.90 nett

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New bakery next to the Ayam Gepuk Lot 96 restaurant - Minimo

I'm more fascinated by the lightings than the bread/buns.

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Lunch at Midam Korean restaurant. This is sundubu jjigae...The banchan are not as interesting as last time. No longer have fried egg😐

Gu On

2026-07-10T12:20:16.344+08:00

I finally tried Gu On....

It was a weekday late noon, hence the place was quite empty.

The four banchan were served first while they prepare the food. I thought that's the only banchan I have so I leave it untouched first (to be eaten with the rice later)

Then to my surprise they served another set of banchan on the tray. So, it's like double banchan for me.

I had smoked pork belly with pot rice. The egg yolk is raw, but once stirred with the piping hot rice, it got cooked immediately.

My sumptuous meal!

Look at the colorful banchan....

On the tray, the banchan are kimchi, japchae, rolled omelet. There are also seaweed soup and corn silk tea. The blue cruet stores the soy sauce.

The pork belly was grilled to perfection. A good mix of fatty and lean layers. It is glazed with teriyaki sauce (i think) so it is quite flavorful to eat with rice. There are some corns and mushroom roots in the rice too.

I'm already thinking on what to try next....

gukbap or sotbap? your choice. I like both.

The empty seats. Usually, this place is crowded during the weekend evening.

I got to know they also have an outlet in TRX apart from SP and Starling mall.

Chicken Sabroso @ Costa del Este

2026-07-08T11:26:14.476+08:00

Sabroso means tasty in Spanish. So, when you see this name, you'll get the impression that the chicken here is tasty😂

That 'lured' me into trying this place. But why is the place so empty?

Am I too early or the food is not nice?

Anyway, it is a fast-food restaurant where you order and pay at the counter. They have roasted chicken, poke bowls, finger food and burritos too.

I ordered a Combo Completo which came with drinks.

It has white rice (arroz blanco), fried plaintain (tajadas), coleslaw and black beans (frijoles). It supposed to have 2-piece chicken, but I got an extra piece, making it 3! Yay, I'm a happy kid!

Chicken tastes so-so, but I like black beans with rice....hence I only come to this place to get my full meal with rice & beans.

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The office lobby. The hanging lamps are switched on when the skies turn dark.

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The apartment pool. I enjoyed hanging out here in the evening and had the view of ladies in bikini😉

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A place to hang out nearby the apartment - mostly restaurants/pubs, but there's also a kid's playground

TAF stands for 'TheVelopers Alternative Future'

But I usually go to the nearby mall (Town Center mall) for a cooler place to hang out.

Heart shape decorations for V-day.

yellow taxi....I have not ride on Panama taxi before...I usually took Uber.

Next to the Town Center mall, there is a 'Do it center' which is something similar to HomePro + Mr.DIY + ACE Hardware store combination but in a 3-storey building. It closes at 8pm, same as the mall next door.

Solo walk in Amsterdam 2026

2026-07-05T19:24:24.001+08:00

This was taken in late March....It was still spring with cloudy skies and temperature around 7 to 9 degrees Celcius.

Went for a brief walk in the city coz i still have some leftover Euro notes left to spend (from last year).

[Below] Very green and artsy ceiling along an alley off Damrak Street. Damrak is a main street of Amsterdam.

Nearby, there is a bank....eh wait....is it a bank or Starbucks?

Walked in (out of curiousity)......it is Starbucks😀

Pastries, cakes and coffees...smell good!

Warm too....compared to the cold weather outside.

[Below] Tram service. The screen displays the arrival time of the next tram.

Just be careful not to stand on the rail when a tram approach.

De Bijenkorf is a luxury department store chain, founded in 1870.

[Below] Some kind of peace demonstration going on for Palestine. There were police officers guarding the place.

Ripley's (Believe It or Not) museum. It consists of five floors with over 500 genuine, bizarre artefacts. Nope, i did not go in. Need to purchase ticket to get in and spend some time in there, maybe next time when I have more time.

Roughly estimate to allocate 1.5 to 2 hours to complete the visit.

Off Damrak street, a much quieter alley....mostly hotels, restaurants, pubs and souvenir stores.

[Below] The gothic architecture of Oude Kerk. The Oude Kerk is the oldest parish church in the city.

The streetlamps are hung on wires (instead of lamp poles).

Please be careful not to walk on the bicycle lane.

There are lots of commercial sightseeing cruise operating on the canals.

[Below] Basilica of Saint Nicholas

This one is free entry😀

(I will cover this in another post)

The train station where I came - Centraal station.

It is within walking distance from all the famous landmarks.

Nasi Lemak Burung Hantu (Night Owl)

2026-07-04T03:09:49.939+08:00

FIFA World Cup season, which team do you support?

I quietly support country S hehehe😀

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Tried this newly opened nasi lemak restaurant in the neighborhood. For nasi lemak, you need to order from the food counter, collect the nasi lemak from there and then pay at cashier counter. For non nasi lemak, order & pay straight at the cashier counter and they will deliver to your table.

Waited for the chicken leg to cool down before eating. It was a fresh batch of fried chicken legs. I had syrup bandung drink for RM5.50+

Looks like any ordinary nasi lemak. Taste ordinary too...hahaha!

I think they are better nasi lemak elsewhere....maybe it's just not for me😅

Apparently, this place opens till wee hours in the morning (around 4am, if not mistaken) hence it's meant for night owls.

Ayam Gepuk Lot 96

2026-07-02T01:44:59.123+08:00

This ayam gepuk restaurant took over the shop that was previously occupied by December Bak Kut Teh. It was opened some 2-3 months ago and is still popular in the neighborhood.

The concept is like fast-food style where you order and pay at the counter and then given a receipt with a number. Self-service food collection at a separate counter next to the payment counter.

I ordered a set C which consists of deep-fried spinach, deep-fried cabbage, tempe, taupok, cucumber and a chicken leg. There are 3 levels of spiciness: non-spicy, spicy and extra hot. I chose spicy, just to try the 'heat'.

Despite, i find it quite spicy. Next time i should just order the non-spicy. Chicken is fried till perfection, but I could taste that it is not fresh chicken, more like frozen-type chicken. There is pounded nutty sauce on top of the chicken but it doesn't taste like cashew nut....the taste is so mild that almost couldn't detect whether it is peanut or cashew nut. The slightly red sauce is their pounded chili sambal. Don't be deceived by its colour, it is very spicy!

I finished off everything except the chili sambal.

Overall, taste OK for an RM14 nett meal.

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I think i prefer this nasi lemak from Nam Heong better. At least the sambal is more subtle than the pounded chili in ayam gepuk.

This is curry chicken drumstick with nasi lemak for RM17.60 nett.

Which do you prefer - Nasi lemak with curry chicken or ayam gepuk?

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Bought some discounted snacks from the Urban Fresh supermarket in the neighborhood Pinnacle mall.

This 'buy 1 free 1' promo is such a steal!

I know I'm a hopeless junkie!😅

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Saw this display of Coke cans at one corner in the supermarket. Looks colorful, but why are they on horse feet?

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Weekend family dinner again at Yang Ming. It has been some time since we last dined there.

We ordered 4 dishes for 5 pax.

Desserts - guilingao on the house. Yay!😀

Total bill came to RM155.80 nett

BON APPETIT!

Beer?

2026-06-30T04:58:06.486+08:00

I was forced to buy this 'beer' in order to enjoy a discounted chicken chop.

The chicken chop with fries and salads and mushroom sauce.

This was my second visit since its opening on late last year.

This place is usually for drinks, although many families bring kids and elderlies here for dinner too.

Balinese theme restaurant/pub.

My so-called 'beer' is actually ice lemon tea...with lotsa bubbles (don't ask me why, I'm wondering too)

Only with a purchase of drink, customer is entitled to RM10.90 for the XXL chicken chop. Available before 7pm on weekdays only.

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Nam Heong mee siam with curry chicken. I was surprised they gave me so much cucumbers.

But I'm fine with it. The more the better....flush out the toxins.

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KFC, my favs since kid😁

RM17.50 nett (promotion price) which came with a drink.

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Kuey teow soup with chicken leg in Yitcha Kaw Kaw restaurant.

Flat kuey teow tastes authentic like Ipoh version, with succulent chicken leg which is served with ginger and chili dip. The chili padi is for the kuey teow soup.

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McD breakfast mcmuffin and hashbrown in the mix & match set for RM7 nett.

Tastes good! Will order this again.

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Korean ttukbaegi bulgogi in Midam BBQ restaurant (RM24.20 nett)...my favorite order for weekday lunch coz they only have this promotion till 2:30pm.

The beef abit tough for my teeth, so I think I’ll go back to the sundubu jjigae next time.

Plain Jane eats plain food

2026-06-27T13:28:59.911+08:00

Tried the mee siam with luncheon meat (RM12.95+) in Nam Heong. They are so generous with the sambal, but I personally think it is not needed. The mee siam itself is flavorful enough.

On another day, I had plain pan mee (RM6.90+). It is served with only beansprouts. The beansprouts are the round and short type. Crunchy and juicy.

The plain pan mee is not enough to keep me full, hence I ordered a plain nasi lemak (RM7.90+).

Plain people eat plain nasi lemak and pan mee😂

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Went to Xiguan after months....It has been some time since I last had wonton noodles. Ordered the small wanton noodles with minced pork, char siew and shrimp wontons (RM14.90+)

The minced pork was slightly dry, but the char siu was succulent, with a nice balance of lean meat and fats. The shrimp wontons never disappoint—plump, juicy, and as big as a Chinese soup spoon.

The bill came to RM17.30 nett after service charge and tax.

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A new bakery opened at the lower ground floor of Pinnacle mall, nearby the Guardian pharmacy.

Quite a variety of buns, breads and pastries, but price was slightly on the higher side.

However, there is 50% discount on certain items 30 minutes before closure.

Maybe one day I'll go buy at closing hour.

D'Laksa @ IOI City Mall

2026-06-25T14:35:30.279+08:00

The 'Food Junction' foodcourt at the top floor of IOI City mall. It looks different from a few years ago.

These days, it’s common to see stalls selling malatang, Chinese Muslim (halal) food, and Indonesian ayam gepuk. Gone are the days of mixed rice and local fried dishes.

Nothing really appeals to me. So I went to AEON supermarket food court to continue my food hunt.

aha....D'Laksa!

Ordered a combo of asam laksa with cendol drink.

Waited for 10 minutes coz the staff was busy preparing for a large Grabfood 'delivery order'.

Both the asam laksa and cendol were just so-so....

The broth is not that spicy and abit diluted compared to last time.

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There are a lot of other outdoor eateries with bistro-style & alfresco dining in IOI City Mall. These are mostly open at noon until late night (for bistro) which caters for the nearby hotel tenants. Before the pandemic, I used to have team dinner at this place. It was quite happening at night.

The pattern on the ceiling looks like a long snake. Don't you think so?

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Braised chicken drumstick, tofu and egg with rice. Bought from the weekly pasar malam. Quite big portion. Taste good too.

This stall also sells lu rou fan (minced pork rice).

Will buy this again.

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Unagi (eel) with omelet rice from AEON supermarket. Can't remember the exact price (somewhere between RM10-14) but still it is way cheaper than dine-in in Japanese restaurant where a bowl of unagi rice would usually costs above RM30.

will definitely buy this again😀

Treasure Isle Hotel, British Virgin Islands

2026-06-23T18:27:45.742+08:00

I arrived in BVI on Friday, 13 February, after a flight of less than an hour from Sint Maarten. A colleague from the BVI office picked me up from the airport. He is also a friend of Mr. Nice Guy (if you remember him from my previous posts).

The airport is quite small and there isn't a proper arrival hall with benches for people to sit while waiting for arrivals.

Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport is located in Beef Island, about 40 minutes' drive from Road Town in Tortola island.

After some long and winding road across the hilly islands, I reached the capital of BVI around noon. It is a small town with population of a few thousands, mostly resides on the hills. It has shops, restaurants, banks, offices just like a typical neighbourhood town in KL.

Went straight to the office and then by 3pm, left to the hotel for check-in.

My colleague who picked me from the airport was kind enough to send me to the hotel.

The room is huge...with a king size bed that can fit 3 people.

Not any fancy modern hotel, just a typical one with basic amenities.

Shampoos, lotions and soaps replenished on daily basis.

Ah, it has hair dryer. Good! I can use this to dry my clothes.

This hotel has no laundry service, hence I gotta do my own laundry, washing and drying in the room. Well, the weather is hot over there, hence the clothes can dry quite fast, if not I'll use the hair dryer to blow dry them.

Coffee machine with coffee and teas provided on daily basis.

The swimming pool which I hardly see anyone swim. Next to it is the hotel cafeteria/restaurant.

Across the road, you can see the yachts and a Caribbean cruise ship docking. The cruise ship left after a few days and another one arrived.

There's a bus stop right outside the hotel. Yes, there’s a free shuttle available, but I haven’t taken it before. Just not interested to wait for one under the hot sun.

Sint Maarten

2026-06-20T21:56:25.438+08:00

[Throwback February]

There are no direct flights from Panama to the BVI, so a connection is required—typically via San José, Sint Maarten, Barbados, or Miami. I chose to transit through Sint Maarten as it felt like the safest option, especially since my manager had been there before.

It was a three-hour flight to Sint Maarten on Copa Airlines, and I arrived at their bright international airport around noon.

Sint Maarten, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch side), is a country on the southern part of a Caribbean island shared with Saint Martin, a French overseas territory. The airport is located at the Dutch side.

I spent a night in Sint Maarten before the connecting flight to BVI the next morning. There's only one flight available to BVI daily (which is in the morning).

The hotel check-in is only available at 3pm, hence I hangout the check-in hall where the restaurants/food court is located to have my brunch and to enjoy the free wifi. This airport is quite small and basic like our previous LCCT (even smaller than that) but it is well-maintained and clean.

The taxi rates are fixed from airport to various spots in the island. Good that they have these rates fixed to prevent touts.

After checked-in the hotel, I walked and then took a 'bus' to Maho beach to watch plane landing/take-offs. It is a popular spot for plane watch. You can view some videos in Wiki.

Maho beach is located at the other end of the airport.

As I stayed nearby the airport too, I walked around the airport on my way back. Halfway walking, I hopped onto the local bus (which is actually a van) to get back. The ride costs USD1 per person.

Reached hotel before the skies turn dark. Ventured around the vicinity to find food for dinner and I discovered a Chinese restaurant....The menu looks familiar, with some East Indies influence.

I saw a young Chinese lady at the counter, speaking English that sound like Manglish/Singlish kinda accent. She was interacting with the black Caribbeans, and those people were so 'loud' (sorry, not being rude, but they talked and laughed so hard that's so annoying). I think that's the way they chill. They were having liquor, so probably abit drunk too.

As I was placing my order in English, she looked at me and asked if I'm ethnically Chinese which I said yes. Then, she asked if I can speak Cantonese to my surprise. Definitely yes! It has been some time since I last spoke Canto with anyone in that region. Having someone who can speak a familiar lingo in a foreign land definitely cheer up my day.

I learned that she is from Taishan in Guangdong and has been working in Sint Maarten for over 10 years at this family-run restaurant owned by her relatives. She was curious too as to why a single Asian lady like me was in Sint Maarten😂

I had Chinese fried rice with sweet & sour chicken. It was yummy. The fried rice has wok-hei, tastes authentic like those you can find only in Chinese daipaidong.

There are many types of sauces and seasonings on the table, but I don't need any of them. The fried rice and the sweet & sour chicken itself are already flavorful.

This is the restaurant. Authentic Cantonese style food. It also functions as a pub as it sells liquor at the bar counter.

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Back at my hotel, I stayed just across the airport. From the balcony, I could see planes parked on the tarmac. There were no arrivals or departures after 6pm, so everything was quiet at night.

The next morning, I was up early to check-out at 7am. Reached the airport for my morning flight.

Princess Juliana International Airport. Princess Juliana was a Dutch royal who later became queen, and the airport is named after her because she visited the island during WWII when the airport first opened.

The view of the airport tarmac, with Caribbean Sea at the background.

I took Winair flight to BVI. It is a smaller aircraft (bus size) which could fit roughly 20 passengers. Free seatings.

The view of the sea from above.

Clear blue sea....

My first time taking a small aircraft. It was just a 45-minute flight. This kind of light aircraft can easily be blown away if fly under a bad weather (thunderstorm). Now I understand why there's only morning flight.

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Fast forward end of February. I transited back to Panama on Copa Airlines. Similar view but on a bigger plane.

Plenty of yachts scattered across the island.

ah, beautiful Caribbean Sea😍

Hope to be back soon!

Mr. Chen

2026-06-18T14:42:34.531+08:00

Who is Mr.Chen?

Apparently this Mr.Chen is a popular Chinese fast-food outlet in Panama.

The menu ranges from chow mein, chow fun, chop suey and fried rice as well as some beef and chicken dishes.

Click on the picture to view the menu.

The combos.

I wasn't keen on having combos, hence I ordered only the chow mein. Was given a sachet of tomato sauce and soy sauce to eat with the chow mein. Soy sauce is alright, but tomato sauce? Who eats chow mein with tomato sauce?

Quite a huge portion, but taste is just so-so. Can't expect much from a fast-food chain. Definitely no wok-hei, it is just some simple fried noodles with cabbages and char siew.

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Next to the stall is Chicken Factory, which is also quite a popular chain brand, specializes in grilled chicken steak with local sides like patacones, yuca (cassava), sancocho (soup)....

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Local cooling desserts....shaved ice with syrups, also known as raspado, similar to our ais kacang but without the nuts.

Another stall, but I'm not sure if he is selling malteadas or raspado coz malteadas is milkshake which is cream based, but this one has shaved ice.

Not far from these stalls, there is a dog park/playground. There is a small entry fee to get in.

The dog park.

[Below] A food cabin....for those who prefer to dine alfresco style. It is usually windy at night with sea breeze.

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During the day, weather was hot, it hardly rains and the trees barely survive....look at the drying leaves and the yellow grass.

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I prefer to stay at home in my comfy aircond room than roaming outside.

Back to the cinema after so many years…

2026-06-16T10:03:26.790+08:00

The last time I went to the cinema was....8 years ago (I think).

It was so long that I am kinda 'jakun' with the modern days' cinema nowadays.

Now there are categories like beanie, indulge, luxe, imax which of course comes with a higher price.

In Pavilion BJ TGV cinema there are all these cute lil' corner for people to hang out while waiting for their next movie. These corners are decorated based on movie-theme.

What brought me back to the cinema? It is definitely the legendary 'King of Pop' biography movie. I've been listening to his song since kid, so it definitely brings back all the nostalgia. Got a deluxe ticket for RM17.50 nett via app, which is a huge discount coz a normal ticket usually costs RM25.

The movie lasted 2 hours 10 minutes (inclusive of the ads and previews of upcoming movies).

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Soybean soft serve at Dao, located at level 2. I prefer mine without any sugar syrup, as the soft serve is already subtly sweet. RM6.90 nett for this cup.

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Went to Jollibee to tapao dinner. Their outlet in Pavilion BJ is as colorful as the outlet in IOI City mall.

It has been quite a while since i last had Jolly spaghetti and chicken joy.

The spaghetti sauce tastes slightly sweet. As for the spicy fried chicken, it was just so-so.

RM18.90 nett for a piece of fried chicken, spaghetti and a drink.

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Tried Palo, a newly opened Thai Muslim restaurant in the neighborhood specializes in braised meat.

Went there a few times to try the promotional items.

[Below] Braised chicken drumstick rice

Braised duck meat rice

and braised beef rice

All the rice meal came with pandan drink and a bowl of soup with daikon.

I took the drink home coz I couldn't stomach so much liquid after finishing the soup.

The bright & colorful interior....

Thai flags....

The promo items priced at RM11.50 nett after service charge & tax. It ended on 9th June.

Menya Hanabi

2026-06-14T13:53:59.399+08:00

This shop specializes in mazesoba (Japanese dry noodles) but I was craving for ramen...

So I ordered a bowl of shio ramen (RM30.20 nett) instead.

Quite basic with standard ingredients. The broth is not the thick type and taste mild.

Not the best ramen, just passable.

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Ayam Gepuk from BrewMaster restaurant/pub. Nowadays pub also need to adapt to the ever-changing food trend.

The are 2 pieces of deep-fried tofu, some cucumbers, deep fried cabbage, a fried egg and a fried chicken leg.

You got to eat this with the peanut sauce, sambal/chili and kicap manis (sweet soy sauce) to get the 'kick'.

RM19.50 nett for this plate of imitation ayam gepuk rice. Imitation because it is not from a proper ayam gepuk shop and the chili is not spicy.

Originated from Java, Indonesia, ayam gepuk went viral nowadays and somehow everywhere there is a long queue for this.

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Yong tau foo in 'Kedai Makan Makan'.

My usual orders are brinjal, bitter gourd and white tofu in clear soup. Paired with dry noodle in soy sauce (RM6 for noodle, RM2.80 or RM2.90 per piece of ytf depend on which you picked).

Taste good, i will definitely order their ytf again.

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Back to Nando's after a year. Last year I went to the Pavilion BJ outlet, this time in Sogo KL.

Had lunch with my friend before we went to watch the orchestra rehearsal in DBKL building.

I had a quarter chicken with 3 small side dishes.

Complimentary mushroom cream soup.

This meal costs RM29.90 nett with free-flow drinks.

ELK Kopitiam

2026-06-12T13:26:05.411+08:00

I finally went to try ELK Kopitiam.

And for a first timer, must try their signature lum mee. I replaced the default thick noodles with kuey teow noodles.

Until today I still mix up the lor mee with lum mee....

According to the online description:

"Lam Mee is clear broth. Loh mee is thicker broth and sometimes a bit darker."

Somehow this one has dark broth but is called lum mee....This just makes things even more confusing for me😂

The lor mee was delicious and paired well with the roasted pork, which was served separately so the skin stayed crispy. Serving it this way was a great idea, as some people prefer to avoid the pork skin turning soggy after soaking up the gravy.

The bill came to RM24.80 nett after service charge and tax.

On another day, I went there again but for the nasi lemak.

This is close to the Chinese style nasi lemak where the sambal is served separately and it has diced long beans and curry potatoes which are my favorites. I think i will mostly order nasi lemak for my future visits.

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McD Mushroom Chicken Burger set. It tastes just okay—the chicken patty is similar to a McChicken patty, so it doesn’t feel like real chicken meat.

RM12.45 nett with add on one small sundae cone.