Gongdou

Tucked right above Yiludou, with a staircase on the left leading you up to this cosy little space. Newly renovated and rebranded from Ah Gong House, Gongdou now offers more seating options, both indoors and outdoors, making it an even lovelier spot to slow down and enjoy a leisurely afternoon.

Stepping into Gongdou feels like travelling back in time. The old-school vibes, dim lighting and wood-accented decor create such a warm and cosy atmosphere. It has that kind of charm that makes you want to settle into a corner, sip on your coffee and simply enjoy the moment. Honestly, I could have stayed here the whole day — I really didn’t feel like leaving that afternoon, LOL!

I came here for their home-baked quiche after seeing it on their social media story. They had a few options, including Okonomiyaki Quiche and Garden Mushroom Quiche, but I went for the Salmon Spinach Quiche.

Besides their rustic, home-baked quiches, Gongdou also offers a selection of cakes and desserts on the menu, perfect for pairing with a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

Salmon Spinach Quiche (RM 24)
Salmon, spinach, feta cheese, tomatoes, fresh kampong eggs.
The pastry was buttery and flaky, while the filling was generous, packed with salmon and spinach in every bite. It was aromatic, nicely baked and very comforting.

Flaky, buttery, aromatic.

Yunnan Lan Chang (RM 18)
Iced black, with a hint of rum raisin, chocolate, citrus and winey.
I’m no coffee expert, but this one definitely hit the right notes for my taste buds! I enjoyed its citrusy character, followed by a lovely chocolatey aftertaste that made each sip a pleasure. It complemented the savoury quiche surprisingly well, making this a delightful afternoon pairing.

With very cute handwritten tasting note.

Gongdou Coffee
9, Jalan Goh Boon Hong,
Taman Taynton View, 56000 Cheras, KL
Opens from 11am to 6pm
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

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I’m truly thankful to Jessie for bringing me along on this culinary adventure in Fukuoka! There’s so much more to explore beyond the usual ramen and motsunabe, and these contemporary izakayas have completely won me over. One thing to keep in mind, though: if you want to experience some of Fukuoka’s best dining spots, making a reservation is often essential!

Funahashi Yohin Ten 船橋洋品店

Tucked away in the Kego–Yakuin neighbourhood, Funahashi Yohinten is a modern-style izakaya that brings together Japanese culinary traditions and Western influences in the most creative ways. They offer creative seasonal dishes made with fresh, market-sourced ingredients.

Getting here:
About 5-minute walk from Yakuin-Odori Subway Station or a 10-minute walk from Tenjin Station.

And look at their sign! Instead of a conventional signboard, the lettering is created through the shadows cast by steel wires. How clever and creative is that?

Push open the restaurant’s heavy wooden door, and you’ll be welcomed into a cosy, inviting space filled with warm wood accents. The atmosphere feels intimate yet lively. If you are seated at the U-shaped counter surrounding an open kitchen, you will be able to watch the chefs work their magic right in front of you!

Honestly, I can’t remember the name of every dish we had, but each one was beautifully executed. The aromas, textures, and flavours were all on point, and every plate left me impressed. Each bite seemed to reveal another layer of thoughtfulness.

This experience completely changed my perception of izakaya dining. These modern izakayas are simply amazing — creative and full of surprises!

Otoshi お通し

Some deconstructed dish, to be eaten with the bread. And it was sooooo delicious!

Funahashi Yohin Ten 船橋洋品店
福岡県福岡市中央区警固1-5-23

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Yes, here comes another backlog post… LOL! This time, I’m taking you back to March 2024, when I revisited Nikka Whisky Miyagikyo Distillery, one of the three whisky distilleries I visited during my trip to Japan. The other two were Suntory Hakushu Distillery and Fuji Gotemba Distillery.

For full itinerary, you can always refer to JAPAN TRIP 2024: 11D10N in Yamagata, Sendai, Aizu Wakamatsu & Tokyo. You may check out my exploration in some area in Tohoku Region.

It was wonderful to be back here after my previous visit in 2018, especially to see how much the place had changed over the years! It felt so good to be back at Nikka Whisky Miyagikyo Distillery after six years! Sometimes, revisiting a familiar place is just as exciting as discovering somewhere new.

Getting here is not too difficult. From Sendai Station, take the train on JR Senzan Line to Sakunami Station. There is free shuttle bus service at scheduled time. The bus ride from the station takes about 5 minutes ride JR Sakunami Station to the distillery.

Sakunami Station is also decorated with Nikka’s elements

The shutter bus that took us to the facility.

We joined the Distillery Guided Tour, which lasted approximately 60 minutes and included a look at the whisky production process, followed by a tasting session.

The best part? The guided tour is free of charge! However, advance online reservations are required, and you’ll need to select your preferred time slot.

One thing I noticed during this visit was how much the facilities had changed since 2018. The reception area and visitor centre had a fresh, updated look, while the gift shop and tasting area had also been renovated with a brand-new appearance. Everything felt refreshed and inviting!

The whole whisky tour is in Japanese but worry not as there are visuals in English where you can understand even though you do not understand Japanese language. Alternatively, you may opt for headset/ audio.

We followed our guide around the distillery grounds, and I must say, the surroundings were so beautiful!

The landscape was thoughtfully designed, with lush greenery, a touch of lingering snow, and charming red-brick buildings scattered throughout the grounds. Adding to the scenery was the magnificent view of Mount Kamakurayama in the background.

The combination of nature, architecture, and the peaceful surroundings made the entire place incredibly picturesque. It was a lovely setting to learn about the whisky-making process while enjoying the beauty of the Japanese countryside.

During the tour, we visited several areas of the distillery, including the fermentation area, pot still area, and whisky storage area, before making our way to the bar for the tasting session.

At the end of the guided tour, we got to sample two whiskies and one fruit liqueur – Rare Old Super – a classic Nikka whisky, Single Malt Miyagikyo – the distillery’s signature single malt whisky and Apple Wine – a fruity and sweet alcoholic drink.

Of course, one tasting session wasn’t quite enough for us. After the guided tour, we headed over to the Tasting Bar to try some of the special and limited-edition selections available at our own fee.

There were more interesting whiskies to explore, so it was a great opportunity to sample something a little different. If I remember correctly, each person was limited to three orders, so it was worth choosing carefully!

Serious conversation with the team on each we tried. LOL

A distillery visit wouldn’t be complete without browsing for a little something to remember. Time for some shopping in the gift shop!

Nikka Whisky Miyagikyo Distillery
1番地 Nikka, Aoba Ward,
Sendai, Miyagi 〒 989-3433, Japan

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Three Little Brick

Yay to another new place in Steppes, Mont Kiara. Three Little Brick comes from the team behind One Brick Drop , and the menu is quite exciting rather than strictly Japanese. They offer Japanese-inspired dishes alongside Western comfort food, breakfast items, rice dishes, risotto and steak.

So, here’s another good excuse to make our way to Steppes, Mont Kiara! Besides chilling out at Rays or Hillside DouDou , be sure to drop by Three Little Brick for some creatively inspired dishes.

And here’s another bonus: parking is much less of a headache here! Compared to our visits to One Brick Drop, finding a parking spot at Steppes is a lot more convenient!

I had their Iced Latte in Brazil Blend while the bff had the Hot Latte in Columbian Single Origin.

Fried Tamago
Fried Panko Tamago, Mentaiko Mayo
A Japanese-inspired bite featuring sweetened tamago coated in crispy panko, paired with creamy, savoury mentaiko mayo.

Burnt Tomato Pasta
Slowcooked prawn stock, Confit Tomato
This was actually one of the dishes we had wanted to try during our previous visit to One Brick Drop. But with just two mouths and two stomachs to feed, we could only manage their Claypot Rice and a couple of appetisers that time. Thankfully, we finally got our chance at Three Little Brick!

The pasta came coated in a rich, savoury and tangy tomato-based sauce, with the slow-cooked prawn stock adding another layer of depth and umami. The pasta had a lovely bite and chew, soaking up all that delicious sauce beautifully.

Three Little Brick
32, Jln Kiara 3, Mont Kiara,
51200 Kuala Lumpur,
Opens from 10am to 11pm

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Butcher Carey

Located at Plaza Damas 3, in the same row as Yoshinari Japanese Restaurant , Orito and Uokatsu, Butcher Carey is a no-frills steakhouse that focuses on what really matters — good quality steaks. There’s nothing overly fancy about the décor here, but they make up for it with a selection of premium beef cuts, including Australian Wagyu, Hereford, Angus and other imported meats, grilled to perfection to bring out that delicious charred flavour while keeping the meat juicy and moist inside.

This wasn’t my first visit to Butcher Carey, but my most recent visit definitely deserves a special mention — especially because of their super value-for-money lunch promotion at only RM 80 nett!

For RM 80 nett, you’ll get 200g Argentina Sirloin, your choice of one premium side and a refreshing iced soda.

We had our steaks done medium, and they came out beautifully — juicy, tender and packed with flavour, with a lovely charred exterior.

For our sides, we went with fries and asparagus, both of which paired really well with the steaks. That asparagus was really something, dosed with lots of garlic bits for extra fragrant! And there’s more — they also serve a generous bowl of complimentary salad tossed in a really nice dressing. I have to say, that was a lovely touch. Not only do you get your steak fix, but your daily fibre intake is well taken care of too!

Salt and Mustard for the steak

Overall, this is a pretty fantastic lunch deal if you’re craving a good steak without wanting to spend a fortune. RM80 nett for a 200g sirloin, premium side, soda and complimentary salad is hard to complain about.

This lunch promo is available from Tuesday to Thursday, lunch only. However, I’m not sure how long they’ll be running this promotion, so do check with them or PM them before heading over to make sure the promo is still available!

Butcher Carey
A-0-10 Plaza Damas 3,
106, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Closed on Mondays

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Chutoro, Ootoro, Akami… are you ready for an unlimited Tuna Feast with a live Tuna Cutting Show? This is truly a one-of-a-kind dining experience by Tono Izakaya, happening across selected outlets on specific dates.

At RM368++ per person, diners can enjoy an unlimited tuna feast featuring much more than just sashimi. The freshly cut tuna will also be transformed by the chefs into nigiri, maki, hand rolls and other delicious creations throughout the feast.

And that’s not all! Each diner will receive 5 tokens, redeemable for US Pacific oysters or sake. There’s also a buffet spread featuring an assortment of small bites, including grilled fish, yaki, karaage, salads, maki and desserts. So, do come with an empty stomach and be prepared to leave completely satisfied!

At the previous Tuna Feast at Tono Izakaya Changkat, the star of the show was a 100kg tuna from Kochi, Japan, which was cut and sliced live during the event. Different parts of the tuna were served throughout the feast, allowing us to taste and compare the textures of Akami, Chutoro and Ootoro side by side.

The chefs also turned the tuna into beautifully crafted sushi and delectable maki, including a memorable chopped toro hand roll topped with truffle and caviar.

For the sake pairing, the selection was carefully chosen to complement the richness of the tuna — Setoichi Kaze Ga Fuitara Tokubetsu Junmai, from Seto Brewery in Kanagawa Prefecture. Made with Yamadanishiki rice, the sake carries a fruity and floral aroma, with a hint of umami and a gentle sweetness that pairs beautifully with the tuna.

The huge variety of dishes during the feast!

Upcoming Tuna Feast dates:
Tono Izakaya Publika — 17 October 2026
Tono Izakaya Hartamas — 7 November 2026

Seats are limited, so be sure to make your reservation in advance at:
019-694 2377
012-411 3117

The post Tuna Live Cutting Event @ Tono Izakaya Changkat first appeared on My Story.

I’m donut ?

I’m donut ? has landed in Kuala Lumpur, opening their very first Southeast Asian outlet here at The Exchange TRX.

I truly enjoyed their donuts when I was in Kyoto last November. Those pillow-y soft and airy donuts were amazing, so I’m really glad that I can now have a bite of them in KL too!

It was a usual weekday; so I never expected the queue to be this long. People don’t have to work nowadays is it? LOL.

When I arrived, I queued until it was finally my turn, which took about an hour. By around 3.50pm, the flavours left on display were mostly the fancy glazed donuts, some cream-filled donuts, two savoury options – Chicken Sausage and Masala chicken, and a few nama donuts – Houjicha Kaya, Chocolate, and Matcha.

Ahhh…. The two that I really wanted to try, the Nama Original and Original Glazed, were both unavailable on the shelves.

There were Raspberry, Matcha Cream, Custard, Mango Passion, Pistachio Cream, Chocolate Custard Banana flavours available. I picked up the Pistachio Cream (RM 11), Mango Passion (RM 11), and Chocolate Custard Banana (RM 10.5).

I had the Pistachio Cream all to myself while my brother had the Mango Passion. The cream-filled donut was fluffy, soft and light, it was as though biting into a cloud. Super soft and fluffy!

Well, I didn’t really find the pistachio flavour particularly rich, but I really enjoyed the fresh cream inside. The texture was so light that I inhaled the whole thing down within few minutes.

Mango Passion.

Next, I picked up the Houjicha Kaya Jam (RM 7). It was soft, airy and had a light chewiness to the texture. Not sweet, and I never thought roasted green tea would pair so well with our good Kaya.

Matcha (RM 5.8) was equally soft, with that same light chewiness as the Houjicha Kaya Jam. The matcha flavour was pretty intense and it came with a light dusting of matcha on top.

Chocolate (RM 5.6) was very chocolaty. But if you ask me, I’d still go for the houjicha kaya and matcha.

Bought the Chicken Sausage (RM 9.5) for my dad since he doesn’t like sweet thing. Tried a bit of his and it was in brioche-liked texture. It was still very pillow-y soft for a savoury donut, perhaps I had left it to supper time, or perhaps the texture for the savoury can be different from the sweet version.

In Japan, pumpkin is added into the dough to create that soft, pillow-y texture, while here in Malaysia, banana is used as a substitute to achieve that soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

So, how does the Malaysian version compare with the Japanese version? For me, both are soft and fluffy. Texture-wise, the Japanese version is definitely softer, but the Malaysian version still delivers a pretty good soft and fluffy donut.

Honestly, their donuts are so light and airy that I could easily inhale two in one go. LOL.

And would I go again? Definitely yes! Their donuts are exactly the kind I enjoy, and I’d say they’re worth the time spent queuing — especially since I still haven’t managed to try the Original Glazed and Nama Original. I’ll definitely revisit again… provided the queue is no longer than an hour. LOL.

I’m donut ? Malaysia
Lot GS.05.0, Ground Level, Market Lane,
The Exchange TRX, Persiaran TRX,
55188 Kuala Lumpur.
Opens daily

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Fushimi in Kyoto is famous for Fushimi Inari Taisha, but did you know that Fushimi is famous for nihonshu (Japanese sake)? If you are a nishonshu lover and happen to be travelling around this area, do make time to visit Fushimi Sake District.

Here in Fushimi Sake District, you will find white-walled kura (traditional sake breweries) lining the streets, with cedar ball ornaments (sugidama) hanging above their entrances. Calm, quiet and pleasantly free from crowds. I really love the atmosphere here!

We wandered into our first sake brewery – Fujioka Sake Brewery, which is about 5 minutes’ walk from Fushimi Momoyama Station.

For full itinerary of our trip – READ: JAPAN TRIP 2025: 12D11N in Nagoya, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Toyama & Tokyo

Once you step inside, you will find a small bar area – Bar “En” , featuring a traditional low bar counter and low table with floor cushions on the tatami area. On the other side, there is a display of their sake range available for purchase, along with various merchandise.

We settled ourselves at Bar “En” and started with all the Sookuu 苍空 namazake and a few non nama varieties. We tasted our way through the selection to see which ones we liked best. All while getting our pocket ready for a few bottles to enjoy back at the hotel that evening.

Namazake is something we really can’t bring back to our home country, so whenever I am in Japan, I will hunt down some namazake. Forgot to mention, Sookuu is such a beautiful name. It means “blue sky” in English!

There was also a handy chart showing the profile of each sake they offer, ranging from light to rich as well as dry to sweet. That made it easier for us to understand and compare the different varieties,

Each glass was priced at ¥690 and their special frozen sake that was ¥750. They also had amazake, sake lees ice cream, miso tofu, pickles and other little bites that pair well with sake.

Frozen sake was interesting – its taste changes as it slowly melts. So you get to experience the sake evolving from the first sip to the last.

After our tasting session, we ended up with bottles of Junmai Miyama Nishiki (¥2,350) and Junmai Ginjo Yamadabo (¥3,500) for the night.

Fujioka Shuzo
Opens from 11.30am to 6pm
Closed on Wednesdays

The post KYOTO: Fujioka Sake Brewery @ Fushimi first appeared on My Story.

Porca

A neighbourhood restaurant from the family behind The Butcher’s Table, which is conveniently located just a few doors away; serving modern Western comfort food at very affordable prices. Porca offers everything from brunch plates to grilled dishes that are perfect for sharing. Portions are pretty generous, and everything we had was nicely executed.

One of the best things about dining here? Corkage is free! You can bring your own bottle of wine, and they’ll provide the wine glasses for you to enjoy your pours.

I’ve been here twice with my BFF, so here’s a little compilation from both visits. We’ve heard so much about their Roti Kaya dessert and have always wanted to try it, but unfortunately, we were just way too stuffed after our meals on both occasions! So, dessert will have to wait for our next visit.

Latte (RM 11)

Lychee Happy Gut Soda (RM 12)
Light, refreshing and a nice choice to cool down with.

Strawberry Matcha Latte (RM 16)
A sweet and creamy matcha option with a fruity strawberry note.

BYOB! A refreshing Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough with lovely fruity notes. It paired well with the food and felt just right for the hot day. Very much giving a summer vibes.

Potato Chips with Jamon (RM 28)
A sinful but seriously delicious bite, especially when paired with the refreshing wine. Very addictive. Definitely the kind of snack you keep reaching for without realising how much you’ve eaten!

Tuna Tartare with Seaweed Crackers (RM 30)
Ohh, I quite liked this one. It had such a nice balance of savoury, buttery, tangy and crunchy elements. The crispy seaweed crackers gave you that initial crunch, which then transitioned into the melt-in-your-mouth, velvety-soft tuna tartare.

Butter Corn Ribs (RM 18)
Buttery with a hint of spice, and that squeeze of lime added a tangy kick to the sweet corn.

Salt Beef Toasties (RM 35)
Multigrain sourdough, pickled cucumber, sauerkraut and cheese
Love that salt beef, pickled cucumber and sauerkraut combo. The latter two added a lovely tanginess that balanced out the richness of the toasties. Do enjoy this while it is still warm, or the cheese will harden and can turn a little rubbery once the cheese cools down.

Beer Mussels (RM 28)
This came in a pretty generous bowl and was served with sourdough for soaking up all that broth. The broth was and packed with sea essences.

Porca Dots (RM 20)
Nicely grilled zucchini and arranged in a cute porca (polka) dots presentation. Simple, nicely done and a good vegetable addition to the table.

Argentinian Sirloin with Romesco Sauce, Pine Nuts (RM 120)
A hearty grilled dish that’s great for sharing. The sirloin paired nicely with the nutty, slightly smoky Romesco sauce and pine nuts.

Porca
30, Jalan SS 2/103, SS 2,
47300 Petaling Jaya , Selangor
Brunch/ Lunch from 9.30am to 2.30pm
Dinner from 6pm to 9.30pm
Closed on Tuesdays

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Fushimi Sakagura Koji

Fushimi Sakagura Koji, also known as Fushimi Sake Brewery Alley, brings together 18 sake breweries and more than 100 sake brands under one roof.

If you have no idea what to order, go for their “18 Breweries’ Sake Set”. It’s a great way to sample sake from all 18 breweries and discover which ones you fancy the most!

There are also a number of specialty restaurants within the space, serving a great variety of dishes to pair with your drinks, including sushi, kushikatsu, Kyoto-style oden, teppanyaki, charcoal-grilled dishes, sake lees ramen, and more.

As we were a bigger group, we were seated in the table section, where they have plenty of space to accommodate larger groups. If you’re coming with a smaller group, you can also choose to sit at the bar counter for a more intimate experience.

For full itinerary of our trip – READ: JAPAN TRIP 2025: 12D11N in Nagoya, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Toyama & Tokyo

18 Breweries’ Sake Set (¥ 2,430)
You get to enjoy 18 different types of sake, with one selected from each of the 18 breweries. Each sake comes with a description, sake meter value, and alcohol percentage, so you’ll know exactly what you’re drinking.

I spotted 月の桂 The Branche and immediately knew I had to order it!

You can pick more sake to make it your own sake flight!

They also offer Beer and Sparkling Sake too if you are not into Sake.

Fried Tofu (¥ 880)

Beef Stew (¥ 600)

Butayaki Gyoza (¥ 550)

Sakekasu Ramen (¥ 1,100)
This is the one and only type of ramen here, and it’s a local specialty that you can find in this space. You can even choose the sake lees from 8 different breweries!

We picked the one made with Tamanohikari, which has a bolder sake flavour that really came through in the ramen.

Shimesaba (¥ 890)
An izakaya dish I will always order whenever I see it on the menu!

If you’re a sake lover visiting Kyoto, Fushimi Sakagura Koji is definitely worth a stop, especially when you’re short on time and want to sample a wide variety of sake and local dishes all in one place.

Fushimi Sakagura Koji
82-2 Hiranocho, Kyoto-shi Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 〒612-8057

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