Niche

Review: Breakfast @ Antipodean, Menara Tan & Tan, KL

2012-02-16T09:00:00.000+11:00

Like ABC, there has been a lot of talk surrounding Antipodean, a cafe that first opened its doors in Malaysia at Bangsar and now, closer to the heart of the city at Menara Tan & Tan. Unlike the Bangsar branch, the KL branch opens from Monday to Friday. Their target customers are probably the embassy staff as there are a few embassies tucked away in, and around this rather old building.

I went here after three rounds of brisk walking at the KLCC park. The idea of having a huge, Aussie styled breakfast was a perfect pick me up after exercise.

"Wall" menu

Their breakfast menu is rather extensive. And since we decided on having only two items, fearing that the portion might be way too big for our "tanks", picking on what to eat was a nifty task. However, after much pondering, we settled on the Big Breakfast and the Pumpkin corn fritters.

For drinks, my mom had Karl's Detox (I think it was named after Karl Lagerfeld) while I had papaya juice. My dad had long black. Their coffee is from Indonesia. You can read more about their beans here.

Interiors

As we were the first and only customer for that day (it was a public holiday), service was undoubtedly good. Not sure how that place would fare when it's packed with customers.

Long Black

Drinks arrived first. My verdict? I don't really fancy the coffee here. I am so used to the good stuff in Melbourne, that I think I've become a prick when it comes to coffee. By "prick", I am referring to a rather difficult and fussy individual. I'm no snob but it's rather unsettling to have something average when I can have a better cuppa at Melbourne with RM 2 extra.

Karl's Detox

I think the healthy juices here are far much interesting. They sound healthy and yes, they are. Not for the faint hearted really. Karl's Detox has celery, pineapple, cucumber (?) and ginger. The ginger bit turned me off. Not that I hate ginger tea or ginger-esque drinks but really, I don't wanna be drinking a liquid version of steamed ginger fish that early in the morning.

Unsweeted Papaya Juice

Having the drinks first was pretty off putting as my papaya juice did not appeal to me as well. The papaya was clearly a "potato" (sang fan shu). The fruit used was ripe and tasted like papaya minus the natural sweetness that came with it. Thankfully, anything papaya works for me. I finished my drink anyhow.

Big breakfast - a slice of toast, mushrooms, bacon, scrambled eggs, herbed hashbrown

I was pretty afraid that the food may turn out wrong. When it comes to fussy, my mom is super fussy. If any place I introduced to her is bad, I will have to face the backlash. Horrifying really but of course, she's no where as horrifying as my dad.

Really, I'm not sure why I get the verbal spanking because it's not my fault anyway. If the kitchen decided to screw up on that day, it's not related to me...

However, the food turned out really good. And no, it was not our hunger talking. The big breakfast was rather simple (my sister can pull it off with her magic) but it was enjoyable. The mushrooms were neither too salty nor oily, something that we revel upon. The scrambled eggs may not be as wicked as Tsui Wah's scrambled eggs but it was still decent. They were well herbed and creamy.

As the scrambled eggs were on the bland side, it was good to go with the generously seasoned bacon. The bacon was not the crispy sort so if you were expecting crispy, I suggest that you forget about it or maybe, tell your waitress that you would like your bacon to look like chips instead. Hehe.

The toast was delicious. My mom wished that there was more. The bread was very good.

Pumpkin and corn fritters, bacon, salad

I was quite spoilt for choice but decided to order pumpkin and corn fritters. I did not want to order that but I kept thinking about MsIhua at that moment. Not sure why. I was not very close with her apart from the fact that I read her blog and she read mine. For some strange reason, thinking about her motivated me to order the corn fritters.

My parents never had corn fritters before and I had corn fritters once at St Ali - decent but not overwhelmingly delicious. And you know what? I was not sure if Antipodean would pull off a wicked one. At least, wicked enough to yield some "oohs" and "aahss" from my rather fussy parents.

This is what I call real pumpkin and corn fritters.

Yes, the corn fritters did got everybody praising it. Compared to the many corn fritters I had seen, this is perhaps one of the better ones out there. First, it had crispy edges and a fluffy centre instead of the standard fluffy all over. Secondly, there was no puddle of oil sitting at the bottom. Third, it was packed with corn and pumpkin. There was not a single trace of yucky corn flour or flour or whatever that held it together. Fourth, it was seasoned just nice so that the bacon would be amazing with it. Finally, the side salad scored this corn fritter dish more brownie points.

I highly recommend the corn fritters. :)

Overall, Antipodean is a much better place to dine in than ABC, which is in its vicinity. Most of the items scream comfort food and if you're feeling down, Antipodean may be just the medicine to your sorrow.

Not that I am trying to play psychologist but food does make you happy. Provided if it is good. :)

Good day readers.

Little things:

-Ambience: Lots of red, black and brown.

-Service: Good in our visit. Not sure if there's a full service

-Portions: Huge. We ordered two items to be shared between three. We were super full after that.

-Budget: Damage done was RM 68. Pricey for breakfast but I think if this was lunch, it would be cheaper than ABC.

-Parking: Parking is cheap. Costs us RM 3 for the first visit. Subsequent hours are RM 1.60 but I suggest parking in the KLCC parking area during office hours or Troika and then walk over because parking in Menara Tan and Tan is limited.

-For more information: Click here.

Before I finish this post, I feel that it's only appropriate to share this amazing video. It befits this post as it's about coffee too. . :)

I think that this girl can beat Hermione Granger in Wizarding Art, if there is such a subject there is. She uses unorthodox drawing media, such as chili bean paste, sunflower seeds (The Ai Wei Wei portrait is just way too awesome that I HAD TO LIKE HER FACEBOOK PAGE ), basketball and now, coffee.

And she drew JAY CHOU. Okay, FYI, I have an issue with Jay Chou (I think he's overrated) and won't go near anything Jay Chou but I would make an exception for this. Haha.

My ideal Valentine's day

2012-02-13T23:27:00.000+11:00

I am still very much single but I would love to write about my ideal Valentine's day. I mean, Valentine's is not always about the significant other. It can be spent with family or close friends.

My ideal Valentine's day will not be at some fancy restaurant, unlike what my dad had answered when I asked him to guess the place I would pick to celebrate my Valentine's day.

I actually prefer home cooked food over some three Michelin star establishment. Of course, provided the cook has similar standards to my mom. (Mom's the best!) I always associate Valentine's day with rip offs and seriously, Michelin stars can be overrated sometimes. Therefore, home cooked food reigns supreme!

I would love a plate of stir fry silver needles noodles, prepared in the way my mom does it. The noodles should not be too oily and is redolent from the fragrance of coriander and Chinese celery. The noodles should not be watery and slightly on the dry side. There must be a blend of flavours - sweet, salty, packed with a pinch of umami.

Stir frying noodles may seem simple but they are not easy to do. Even I can't stir fry noodles properly. My sister is an expert in stuff like that. I'm better at cooking fried rice.

You readers may think I am crazy for having such a demand. Surely, no one can cook like my mom. I think one can if one puts enough effort and enough love into it. Anyone can cook. You just have to have the patience. Similarly, anyone can love. You just have to have the courage to.

Dear readers, have you planned your Valentine's day yet? :)

Before I end this post, I would like to thank you all for listening to my sob stories. Your replies are helpful for me to weather the storm. May you all be blessed.

Exuding negativity

2012-02-10T20:54:00.001+11:00

Before I started Blogger up, I had a lot of things to say but as soon as the page hits a 100 percent, I just found myself wordless. Staring back at this blank page.

Well, at least, I am typing something but these are not my feelings. This is my writer's block talking to itself. Or maybe to me.

Anyway, I've been feeling a little downcast the past few days. Maybe it's the amount of greens I've been eating the past few days in an attempt to detox myself before I head back to Melbourne. Or maybe it's the readings. Yes, I've started studying again. Long before Chinese New Year ended. That's why my Chinese New Year, apart from the Ipoh bit, was a sour one. I cannot believe that what should be a joyful celebration was spent studying (now I know how you feel, J!).

Even more heart breaking? I had to go to uni five days per week. This feels like high school all over again, with the exception that I'll be doing the subjects that I love, not loathe. So, I guess I have to give and take about that.

Still, this means I have to spend more money on transport. Last year, I saved about 60 AUD per month by not attending lectures. How I wish I could do that. I hate going to lectures. I prefer doing the recordings because the lecture environment distracts me. I don't have ADHD but sometimes, I feel that I have. Maybe because I get sick of sitting in a hall filled with people, 20 or 30, that's still a number. Maybe because I like being alone in the house, listening my lecturer talking right into my ears. It feels like I was being given a private lesson.

Sigh.

I find myself tired but I can't sleep well. I now sleep at 11pm-12am, and wake up at 7 to 8am. It's sad case.

Point is, I don't want to feel sad. I don't want to drive you all away. It's the homesickness really. Being an international student, I feel like I am always stuck in this limbo. My body is someplace else, my heart elsewhere. Even at home, sometimes, I miss my other home.

If I sound disjointed, that's because I'm thinking of something else while writing this. Thinking, thinking, thinking...

Lunch at Sage

2012-02-09T15:57:00.000+11:00

After several failed attempts to have lunch at Sage, I finally snagged a table on a Thursday. Truffles included. Sage does not normally offer the truffle menu for lunch but since service was quieter than usual that day, Chef Daniel agreed to prepare lunch for me. Such a lucky girl am I.

Everything was perfect. My only problem? I wished they used Perigord truffles instead.

Candid shot.

Flower

Bread

Foie gras, truffle, mushrooms

Oyster, smoked salmon, green tea soba

Scallop carpaccio, truffles

Truffle, pasta

Before we move on to our mains...

Seabass

Truffles, fish

The bomb. Truffles on dessert

For more information: Click here

Singapore Sling: Breakfast Buffet @ The Knolls, Capella Sentosa

2012-02-08T09:00:00.000+11:00

The past few days have been a whirlwind. Reason being? I decided to play tour guide for my parents in my upcoming trip to Paris. With a laptop on one hand and a phone on another, I worked my way through lists after lists of hotels, flights and of course, the food. Thankfully, I've got T to help me with the food section as T travels to Paris pretty often. Or else, I'll faint.

The problem lies mainly with picking a hotel. First, I have to choose a place that is not too far from the main attractions. I'll be getting the Paris Pass, which allows me to unlimited trips to museums and other Paris attractions. Therefore, I don't want to stay too far away from them.

Second, I have to pick a place that fits my family's budget. We certainly do not want to spend a bomb on hotel rooms because this means we would have to spend lesser on food. We are the sort who prefer spending on food over a five star hotel! Yet, we do not want to impose self-torture by staying in a 15 square metres room, thank you very much (I can't stand the idea of having the entire room to myself) !Third, I want to live near Les Halles as the Les Halles station is a little like Hong Kong's Central station. It's easier to navigate around, really.

After 4 hours of scouring the web, I found my perfect hotel. Then, it's time for flight. And I'm done. So, Paris here I come!

I cannot wait to go to Paris. Friends have been pestering me: "Michelle, you love food for Christ's sake. It's about time you get your arse to Paris."

With the Euro at its lowdown, I finally have an excuse to go to Paris. :)

Paris aside, I should really clear up my Singapore backlogs. Them sitting around in my laptop irritates me to no end.

My mom and I

As usual, my parents and I went separate ways. My sole purpose in Singapore, after all, was to visit N, a friend of mine who I've been dying to see. We've been apart for more than a year but it feels like centuries.

Hidden paradise in Singapore. Who knew this existed right?

Initially, N wanted to bring me to Dempsey Hill, the hot spot for brunches. However, we went to the Knolls instead. According to N, it's one of those places you can enjoy breakfast while looking at peacocks.

Indeed, there was a few peacocks spotted. Not only that, there were lots of hot Russian ladies too. Not of my age of course! Most were around their mid-thirties to early forties. A few of them looked like them came right out from a Chanel fashion show. From swimsuit to swimcap down to room slippers, everything is double C. Some may think it as glamourous but I felt that it was a little tacky to wear all Chanel. IMO, mix and match is the way to go.

Lines

Peacocks and ladies aside, the interiors were pretty interesting too. The clever play with lines deceive the eyes to perceive the Knolls as larger than its original size. At times, they create a wavy effect even when they are of the same size!

Caviar for breakfast anyone?

When at the Knolls, order their breakfast buffet. If you're feeling peckish, then go for the ala carte options but the breakfast buffet has a better value. Not to mention, lots of choices. There is even a caviar bar!

A very good selection of fruits - from pineapples down to fragrant young coconut

Initially, I wanted to go for the ala carte option. It was 9am and I'm clearly past my standard breakfast time. (I usually have breakfast at 8am, the latest. 9am is breakfast after an hour of intense exercising at 7am). However, the fruit section caught my heartstrings. I had to have the breakfast option. Apart from the standard tropical offerings, they have cups after cups of assorted berries. You see, I'm such a sucker for anything berry-related.

Apart from berries, there were a few types of yogurt and yogurt drinks offered. Most of the yogurt and berries were served in individual shot glasses and sealed. It's very hygenic! This would be the first time seeing something like this. Or maybe, I rarely have breakfasts in hotels.

Honeycomb with bread anyone?

Another novelty would be the honeycomb. After a taste of it, I just went head over heels for it!

Now, having lived in Melbourne for quite some time, I never got about buying any honeycomb. Not sure why. I think they would be great with French toast, something that I could make at home.

Assorted pastries

There's also a pastry section. There are rose scones too for those of you who fancy floral things. :) Apart from pastries, they is also a bread and cheese section. Not sure who would want blue cheese for breakfast but many seem to go after that.

Assorted caviar on blini with creme fraiche - one of the best ways to enjoy caviar.

Of course, none of us would miss the caviar bar. :) I think having caviar with blini is a better combo than having caviar on crackers. For some reason, having caviar with blini is much better than having it graham crackers or in N's case, toast.

I guess it's the texture that speaks in this case. The pillowy blini works well with the plump caviar.

Vegetarian omelette

There was also an omelette, salad and sashimi bar. I can understand the idea of an omelette and salad bar, but a sashimi bar? That's a bit strange. Anyhow, I did have some horse mackerel for breakfast as well. It was really good. The selections were very fresh.

To go with my vegetarian omelette (I did not feel like bacon), I had a few slices of cherry wood smoked salmon. :) There were other cold cuts too but you see, I have a bias towards all things salmon or trout.

French toast

Pancakes

Waffles

The breakfast buffet comes with a choice of french toast, waffles or pancakes. I suggest skipping them. They pale in comparison to other items offered in the buffet. Thus, I suggest, don't waste your food and calories.

It also comes with a choice of tea and coffee.

Thanks N for the incredible breakfast. :)

Overall, I think the Knolls offer some of the more luxe breakfast buffets. It's a bit different from the standard breakfast buffet. After having the breakfast at Knolls, it was quite difficult to find another that could match this. Any recommendations for a luxe breakfast place? Not that I'm into luxe or anything but I am curious!

Little things:

-Breakfast costs 48 SGD per pax. I think the breakfast buffet at Yamm, Mira is cheaper...

- More information: Click here.

Panda, you should listen to this:

Drawing, not Quidditch, tryouts

2012-02-06T21:36:00.000+11:00

I miss drawing/painting, whatever you call it, a lot. Since I have a few more days of free time left, I decided to put my passion to work using my iPhone. Yes, I used a drawing app. It's much easier that way. I can draw while I'm in the car, while I'm lying on my bed (sometimes, my energy to draw comes early in the morning, say 6am, while other times it's 10pm ) and etc.

One of the first things I drew.

My mom loves this a lot

This is quite difficult for me to draw. :(

Ships at night. This reminds me of Stephen King's Duma Key. Speaking of which,
I miss reading his stuff. Time to pick it up again?

I wish I could draw more. However, it's time consuming. Also, being an amateur means there's a lot more for me to learn!

Spring <3 - Woke up at 7am and decided to draw something

Review: Breakfast @ Nam Heong Kopitiam, Jalan Bandar Timah, Ipoh

2012-02-05T21:37:00.000+11:00

I have not been drinking coffee for ages. Acne is the reason to this. Apparently, highly caffeinated beverages topped off with milk creates the perfect environment for acne to bloom on one's face. Caffeine = stress. Milk = hormones.

Need I say more?

But, there are exceptions. Yes, sometimes, I can't do without certain things. Nam Heong's white coffee for instant. I have to have my white coffee craving fixed. It's like a drug. Except, this one tastes rather interesting for a drug - bitter base, with acidic and sweet overtones. Just incredible.

Did I mention that it comes in hot or cold?

Hot white coffee

Wished the froth is a little finer but these days, froth in coffee or milk tea is nearly none existent. You can find bubbles sitting at the lip of the cup but that's it.

Iced white coffee

Not sure about you guys but the hot and cold versions have a personality of their own. Both are different. Some people complained that the iced white coffee is watered down but I think it's only when you drink in the stall. When you have takeaway iced, it's usually so much "thicker" than the hot version.

The hot version is slightly milkier. But you can always have it kaw, like I do. I don't skimp on coffee when I actually am dead set on drinking it. I usually have it as thick as it can get. To just get the best out of a cuppa, you know.

Trick: Drink your white coffee after you eat something savory. It will taste so much better! Just discovered this lately. :) Told my mom about this and she said that she knew it a long time ago. Some people just don't share! Hmph.

I miss this. Haven't had roti bakar for YEARS. I think I had more truffles than roti bakar... Man

Apart from white coffee, I had roti bakar with your standard planta and kaya. Not the healthiest thing but the bread was crisp and the levels of sweet-saltiness were well-balanced. I am not a roti bakar aficionado, so, I wouldn't say it's the best roti bakar in the whole wide world. But it's comforting. Familiar.

My dad's prawn mee

My mom said that this is probably one of the better prawn mees she have. She was right. It was brimming with the taste of the rather notorious prawn head - poisonous in Chinese medicine speak, high in cholesterol according to science. We threw such worries aside to enjoy this. Once in a blue moon, so to speak.

The prawn meat was very fresh and springy. Not like most out there - mushy and tasteless. The only complaint? The lack of ingredients. Portions are quite small but nevermind since there's good Char Kuey Teow and Hakka Mee. :)

My mom's hakka mee - with fat Ipoh taugeh!

We skipped the CKT and ordered the hakka mee instead. Much safer considering that lots of mandarin oranges and pineapple tarts have been ingested by my mom lately. Hehe. The hakka noodles consist of egg noodles topped with pork mince and the famous Ipoh beanshoots. What can I say? It's comfort food.

Assorted ingredients - They don't have the best zhu gen (pork's tendons) balls but they have other stuffed ingredients that are worth trying. Fish balls are good too!

Don't skimp on the assorted stuffed ingredients. You'd be silly to do so. Ipoh seems to have better stuffed ingredients than Ampang. The fish stuffings are fresher and sometimes, it's not just fish - there's also Chinese water chestnut in there. However, I do not recommend the pork's tendons balls. It's slightly mushier and there is a lack of ginger and dried squid. Good ones are usually slightly crunchy and contains lots of shredded ginger, which is responsible for enhancing the taste of the unique pork balls. :)

My grandparents don't dig much into this place. They just feel that it's nothing special. But for us foreigners, nothing in Ipoh is ordinary. Everything just tastes so much better. From the hor fun, to the taugeh and need I say, the five spiced biscuits?

Location:
2-16 Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

What I ate during Chinese New Year

2012-02-03T14:00:00.000+11:00

A bit too late but whatever.

Shang Palace @ Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur:

Xiao Long Bao

Forget the XLB. Order other dim sum dishes instead. XLB here is crappy. Stick to Shanghai Restaurant, where the good XLBs are!

Braised fish maw, goose feet and sea cucumber.

I normally loathe eating something like this but I can make an exception as the fish maw is just mega sized. Did I mention that the goose feet are highly addictive? I even had the bones minced down into jagged pieces.

Phoebe Philo inspired nian gao. LOL.

This may not be party-in-the-mouth for everyone. The almond part of this dessert nian gao appals my mom but it delights the child in me. I'm a huge fan of Chinese almonds, y'all. Plus, this is not too sweet.

My favorite!

When it comes to Yee Sang, I vouch for Shang Palace's rendition. Seriously, most places have greens that are too limp, plum sauce that tastes sweeter than sugar itself (teeth-numbing) and lacks the aroma of kaffir lime leaves. This one is consisted purely of freshly prepared ingredients, plum sauce that tastes like unripened plums and chock filled with the teasing perfume of kaffir lime leaves. A lot of effort goes into preparing this. :) Been having this since I was 16. Had Yee Sang everywhere I go but could not find a place that could trump the Yee Sang here.

Chynna @ Hilton KL

Fussing with their menu

I always find Chynna good for the modern side of Chinese cuisine. They pull off fusion dishes better than any Chinese establishments that I've been to or know of.

But sometimes, I just prefer old skool Chinese.

The classic, stereotyped sweet and sour pork or should I say chicken?

Red vinegar was used instead of the standard white vinegar. With the floral taste from the prized red vinegar, this is surely a winner. Only complaint? Wished there was more pineapples. Are pineapples really that pricey?

Scallop stir fry

For the best scallop dishes in town, head to Shang Palace, Chynna or Celestial Court. Only the biggest, juiciest and sweetest. Of course, it comes with a price tag, as opposed to what Jessie J sings.

Sea cucumber, oyster and broccoli

Not really my favorite. I still prefer the stuff I had in Shang Palace. Fish maw and all. Unfortunately, I do not know how to appreciate sea cucumber.

Zipangu @ Shangri-La KL

We decided to break the rules and have Japanese for reunion dinner. It's a way we brace the Chinese food tsunami in Ipoh *shudders*. Unfortunately, yours truly cannot handle the tsunami. I usually give up after three rounds of Chinese. Unless it's my grandmum's cooking. Or more like her kitchen helper.

Foie gras on winter melon

This is the shiznit. I highly recommend this. The foie gras is just perfect with the winter melon. Also, the sauce that comes with it provides the foie gras an extra kick of umaminess. As if there's not enough umami going on in the foie gras. Teeheehee

Horse mackerel fish balls in soup

I discovered love in this bowl of soup. The horse mackerel fish balls tasted a little like chicken but it's actually fish. Very subtle. May not be suitable for those who prefer dishes that are heavily salted or soups that are doused in lard.

LaFite for Chor 2

At this rate, you'd be wondering if we'd spent a bomb on our CNY meals. As my mom goes, "One year once, it's alright". However, the secrets lies in the card. With 3 of us only, we get to enjoy 33 percent off our bill.

Bread basket: Rye, wholewheat, squid ink and brioche

The bread basket at LaFite is to die for. I think it's one of the better bread baskets in town. I'm saying this because there's four choices instead of the standard one.

Amuse bouche: Cherry caramel with foie gras centre

Among the three complimentary amuse bouche we had, the best would be this. I think I'm saying this because I love anything cherry and anything that has the word "foie gras". Cruel, yes. Delicious, TRIPLE YES.

Lobster tail

I wondered why they didn't make this the signature dish as this was superior to the other dishes that were labeled as "signature:. The lobster was cooked just nicely and the taste was just "wow".

Hen's egg, white truffle

Nothing special with white truffles that taste like cardboard. The egg was the anchor of this signature dish. :(

Rabbit omelette

I rather have this over the hen truffle thingmajiggy. The rabbit omelette is laden with shredded apples, cinnamon and of course, rabbit. You may think it's too cute to eat but I'll even eat my zodiac if it's delicious.

Dover Sole

This was highlighted as the signature dish but really, the duck is WAYYYYY better. Oh, by the way, skip the gingerbread crumb chicken. It may be the healthiest option as the breast was used but it just did not have the awesomeness that the following dish has:

Duck, chocolate

Duck + chocolate = mock foie gras.

Trust me, it just tastes like FOIE GRAS. Maybe that's why I love foie gras so much. It just taste so chocolatey.

World globe

I have to say, don't go for the signature desserts. Instead, try this novelty that will soon turn into an overprepared, overhyped and overdone dessert - i.e. the ubiquitious chocolate fondant or macaron.

It's citrusy on the inside and the chocolate just you insane!

Foodporn.

Best petit fours ever!

Don't order too many desserts. We had only two to share amongst ourselves. We had petit fours that were super good. You can tell that the kitchen put a lot of effort into preparing this. There was a berry tartlet, earl grey chocolate truffle, pistachio cake, dark chocolate truffle and a marshmallow that was a little more on the gooey side.

So, this is how I spent part of my Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur. The rest of the time, I was studying and prepping for my Psych Honours.

Review: Tea @ Aseana Cafe, KLCC

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000+11:00

After Chinese New Year, my family and I will get really sick of Chinese ala carte dishes. Sight of pork knuckles, fish maw, goose webs, sea cucumbers and mushrooms scare us. This is the only point when my dad absolutely loathes Chinese food. It won't be long till his love for Chinese food returns but it's still better than nothing.

However, there are some occasions when he would bring us to some non-Chinese establishment. Very off the kilter but I'm not complaining. It was a Sunday. My dad bought my mom and I to Aseana Cafe. According to him, the curry fish head is the bomb here. However, we passed that signature dish this time round. None of us really had the appetite to have curry.

Apart from local delights, they also have some standard Western fares. The person who manages the place told us that they were hoping to add more Western dishes. I responded with a question: "Wouldn't it be better to add more local delights instead?"

Unfortunately, not many locals at the uppity top felt so. People should understand that not all from the West is good.

Special iced teh tarik (RM 8.50)

We started our tea with some Special iced teh tarik. The dark layer is actually palm sugar aka Gula Melaka. That's the secret ingredient to this rather addictive teh tarik. One sip and you'll be hooked for good. I just couldn't stop drinking this even though, technically, it wasn't my drink.

Hot Chocolate (RM12.50)

This is what I call real hot chocolate. Brimming with chocolatey goodness, and not just laden with the taste of milk. Plus, it is not saccharine sweet. A perfect cup for a stormy night. :)

Calamansi with sour plum (RM 12)

Drinks here may seem pricy but you pay for what you get. My cup of calamansi drink literally left my senses both shaken and stirred. Sour is fun but too much of fun can make Jane a sick girl. Still, I enjoy it.

Keropok Lekor (RM 13)

It's been a while since I had Keropok Lekor. I think the last I've seen it as part of my meal was eight years ago. I was in Terrenganu and the weather was hot. At the roadside stall, I bought myself a packet of steamed fish sausages (lekor). Fast forward eight years later, I was having a similar thing but fried, in this swanky upscale cafe. Incredibly good even though some may find it ridiculous to pay RM 13 for this local delight.

Steamed Tapioca with coconut shreds (RM 11)

Now, this is the thing that I find worth paying for. Steamed golden tapioca (the white ones are subpar) with coconut shreds. My mom laughed at me when I told her this was the "shizzzz". The tapioca was very fluffy, almost like having steamed rice in a form of a tuber. The slightly salted coconut shreds and pandan syrup enhanced the natural sweetness of the golden root.

She said that I am such a jakun for not knowing that something like this existed. "City girls like you never know what you're missing out".

Aseana Gardens Greens (RM 15)

This is so typically me, no? I just tend to stick to salads. Fearing that something may happen to my waistline. These days, I even amped up my stakes. "Dressing on the side".

Isn't it just appalling? A food blogger on diet? Well, mind you, don't start stereotyping us food bloggers.

Cempedak Goreng (Complimentary)

This was complimentary because one of the workers were cleaning the mirrors near us. Not supposed to do that when diners are eating y'all. So the manager of the place gave us samples of their famous cempedak goreng. It was nice but none of us dared to have too much of this. It was too indulgent of us. We could not even finish our keropok lekor, mind you!

I highly recommend Aseana Cafe to tourists and locals alike. I think if you're looking for super good local delights, Aseana Cafe is the place. Slightly pricey but what do you expect? Shops selling Helmut Lang and Herve Leger are just next door. :) You get the math.

Little things:

-Ambience: Truly a place to see and be seen. :) But that was not the point of our visit.

-Service: Very prompt

-Portions: Ginormous!!

-Price: RM 83. Pricey for most people but considering the portion and the quality of the ingredients, I am not complaining.

-For more information: Click here

Review: A Porky Affair @ El Cerdo, Bukit Ceylon KL

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000+11:00

My mom had been raving about El Cerdo prior to my return to Kuala Lumpur. She said that the set lunch is reasonably priced (There's two options: One costs RM 44 and another is probably RM 48) and food is good. The set lunch comprise of an antipasti buffet, a choice of mains from three options and a dessert. My mom also sung praises about its uber cute website and the decor in the restaurant. She kept telling me how the pigs were so cute and I love anything that resembles my toy pig. :D

So, I decided that I MUST lunch at El Cerdo. At least once.

Bread basket

We went for the set lunch as it was really reasonably priced for KL standards. We were given a bread basket. The bread was actually very lovely. The texture somehow reminded me of the Italian Ciabatta, but clearly, it is not Italian bread.

Anyhow, the bread was a good accompaniment to the assortment of cured meat. :) There was Jamon Serrano, which I love so much (Best eaten with musk melon!), Spanish chorizo, Cured pig head's jelly, terrines and whatnots. You have to try ALL of them!

Antipasti buffet

The selection of antipasti was so good that I just had to try them all. There was also salad greens for those who prefer a healthier start prior to the rather porky mains. Note: You don't go to El Cerdo without having pork. That's like having nasi lemak without the sambal.

German sausages wrapped in bacon, sauerkraut and mash

My mom had the German sausages for her mains. This reminds me of the stuff my German flatmate made for me. The portion may look small but it is actually darn fulfilling. My mom could only manage half of this despite it being rather delicious. The sausages were very meaty and the bacon was not too oily. The sauerkraut and mash were helpful in toning down the strong flavors from the bacon and sausages.

Grilled pork chop

I actually felt that the portion of my grilled pork chop was slightly more reasonable than my mom's. I could manage it alone. This was actually very nice. The grilled pork chop had a lovely charred flavor and did not taste gamy at all. I absolutely detest pork that tastes gamy! This was, on the other hand, on the sweet side. :)

Mango tiramisu

The tiramisu here is a must order! I think El Cerdo does this classic Italian pick me up better than most Italian establishments out there! There was enough espresso and kahlua. They did not skimp on the mascarpone either, which made it very enjoyable. Reminds me of my sister's tiramisu. My only complaint was the lady fingers. They were slightly grainy. The lady fingers used by my sister were on the creamier side. Almost melt in your mouth.

But I'm not complaining because good, authentic tiramisu is difficult to hunt in Kuala Lumpur.

Homemade chocolate ice cream

My mom had the homemade chocolate ice cream. According to her, this was a far cry from the oh-too-sweet gelato she had the other time. So, guys. Stick to the chocolate ice cream. Drop the sorbet. :)

This is one of the better set lunches in Kuala Lumpur. Oh well, this place has been around for quite sometime. Figures, right?

Little things:

-Ambience: Design involves lots of cute piggies, reminding you not to eat them. Restaurant is quite dark and not exactly conducive for picture-taking.

-Service: Friendly and prompt. Note, the lunch service was not exactly busy so there is no guarantee on what might happen if it gets busy.

-Portion: Reasonable. If you're not filled, there's always bread and buffet. :)

-Price: Considering that food is good, I think it's reasonable. Also, there's the buffet. :D I don't think anyone would actually hate the selection for the buffet. Bill came in around RM 100

-For more information: Click here. The website is uber cute!

Review: Lunch @ Acme Bar & Coffee, Troika KL

2012-01-27T14:43:00.000+11:00

Much have been written about this swanky, Melbourne-esque establishment that opened not long ago in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It got everyone talking. Many were smitten with it. My heartstrings were tugged by the countless positive reviews too.

I told my mom about this hip place and she said: "Why not?"

One thing I love about my mom - her adventurous spirit and her cattish curiosity.

Interior

It's hard to not fall in love with Acme Bar & Coffee on the first sight. The natural lightning pooling in, retro B&W interior, and Coralie Clement playing in the background makes ABC an ideal spot for good, ol'e bonding sessions.

Flower

There are two menus for lunch: Ala carte and set lunch. Naturally, I picked the set lunch and urged my mom to go for the ala carte. No point having similar things.

Set lunch changes everyday. I went on a Tuesday. So there was a salad, chorizo soup, roasted chicken breast (either that or fish) and dulce leche frites.

Selection of desserts - cempedak cake, banana cake, carrot cake, raspberry and chocolate cake, assorted tarts

No desserts menu. The menu is right in front of you! Hehe. :)

Chorizo soup

The soup I had was a bit peppery. Maybe a bit too peppery. Drinking this felt like I was drinking Pepper Up Potion! Reminds me a little of Broga's famous Hot Soup. Except, this had lots of greens - spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes. Not for those who hate greens.

Asian inspired Salad

Another green-laden dish. I enjoyed this too. It was redolent with the unique perfume of sesame oil. The vegetables may not be as crunchy but I guess that was partly due to the osmosis process induced by that dash of soy sauce that was added to give it a more Oriental feel? I wished that this was portioned more generously though. :)

Roast chicken breast with brussel sprouts

I had nothing against chicken breasts but this was a bit too dry. :( Plus, there was too much of oil in this dish. The only thing I loved about this dish? The brussel sprouts of course. My mom was quite reluctant with the idea of eating what I normally call "micro cabbages" but I managed to mother her into eating them. She discovered love then!

Dulce Leche frites

If you're asking, I took this picture with my humble 2 year old IXUS. Not sure how I did it but then again... hmm.

Anyway, the dulce leche frites were as good as they looked. I enjoyed this dessert immensely and perhaps, this was the only thing from the set menu that truly impressed me. I told my mom I might hate this but had to eat my words after having a bite of this incredibly sinful yet oh so good dessert.

Sambal Aglio Olio

This was lovely. Ingredients were very fresh.The pasta was cooked al dente. The amount of asparagus and prawns were quite generous. There was enough to sambal to ensure no disappointment for lovers of this pungent, prawn paste. However, it could have been lovelier. Wished there was some limau kasturi juice in it to spice things up. :)

Raspberry and Chocolate Cake

Initially, I wanted to go for the cempedak cake and my mom wanted to have banana cake. Nonetheless, we decided that we wanted something acidic instead. So, we settled for the raspberry and chocolate cake. Bad idea. It was dry. A bit too sweet and the chocolate part of the cake lacked the chocolatey goodness that we were hoping for.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

The homemade hot chocolate would be good for those who love more milk than chocolate but might as well order steamed milk right? At RM 13 per mug, I was expecting a rich, fragrant chocolatey thing. I guess I could only dream, no?

Overall, I am sitting on the fence in regards to ABC. It's neither too bad nor too mind-blowingly good to warrant a second visit, since prices are on the pricey side. Our meal cost her RM 100 plus, which works out around RM 50 per pax? At when it's RM 50 per person, you would expect mind blowing food or something like Ben's?

Or maybe it's just me. Me, having so much of cafe food in Melbourne to the point that average is not an option.

Little things:

-Ambience: You certainly come here for the ambience

-Service: Very good

-Portions: Reasonable

-Budget: I consider this on the pricey side since food wasn't particularly mind blowing. Lunch set costs RM 49++ and bill came in RM 100 plus. :(

-More information: Click here for more info

By the way, how was your Chinese New Year? Mine was quite a bore, with the exception of an interview with my lecturer yesterday. It went well, which made it a highlight.

My CNY in 3 pictures!

2012-01-26T13:29:00.001+11:00

Domo is ill. Dragons afloat. Being silly.

Singapore: Paradise Dynasty @ Ion Orchard

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000+11:00

So, I went to Singapore.

It was neither interesting nor boring. It's a bit like visiting another Kuala Lumpur except that the whole island is Kuala Lumpur itself, maybe slightly bigger.

Anyway, I visited Singapore not as a tourist. Thus, I didn't take pictures with the Merlion and the likes. No, I am not the sort of person who does these things. This really explains why I haven't been to Ngong Ping 360 or the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong. Seriously, the best way to experience a place to do what locals usually do. I think a crash course in history, images and tourism really does affect my view towards what a vacation should be.

I digress.

Initially, my friend, N, planned shitloads for me to do, mostly eating and shopping. However, I ended up cancelling most of the eating part because the hot weather does have a way of making you not want to eat or too sluggish to travel. Hence, I returned to KL, pounds shed and all.

The first place I went to Singapore was Paradise Dynasty. Just because N wanted me to experience the rainbow coloured xiao long baos, each colour representing different flavors.

8 flavors - Szechuan, Cheese, Foie Gras, Original, Crab Roe, Garlic, Ginseng, Truffle

The XLB here are pretty good but they are unfortunately, not particularly mind blowing. I think it takes a lot more for a XLB to be mind blowing and having 8 different colours and tastes is not the way to go.

Truffle XLB

Not especially when some XLB taste better than others. I personally thought that the cheese XLB tasted good ( N hates it). I also had the truffle XLB but the taste of truffles were incredibly faint. If you were to feast on it without thinking, chances are, you may not be able to taste any truffles. One should not be expecting to discover slivers of winter Perigords sitting in there. Generally, truffles just lose their fragrance when they are steamed.

Having said that, I felt that the XLB were good as XLBs. The skin is quite thin. There was quite a bit of broth, even though not as much as the ones at KL's famous Shanghai Restaurant, and the ratio of meat to fat was reasonable. The top of the XLB did not taste like dough, so I guess I would consider this good.

Certainly much better than the XLBs in Melbourne and Din Tai Fung Pavilion.

Pickled lotus roots

Garlic and ginger cucumbers

We also ordered other things apart from XLB. I literally walloped the cucumbers and lotus roots as they were the only source of greens I had for the entire day! (The 5 hour bus trip totally killed my veg intake!). The chilled cucumbers were a bit boring. I felt that they lacked the acidity from the rice vinegar, which is commonly used to prepare this dish?

The lotus roots, on the other hand, were acidic enough. Plus, they were very crunchy. I find them rather delicious. However, it could be my bias talking. I tend to dig into sour dishes. So don't mind me.

Chicken chop la mian

The la mian here is quite enjoyable. I did not have the broth as my appetite was pretty much whacked out from having two XLBs!! I still managed to have the noodles, which were "al dente". What I loved about this was that they had lots of greens in the la mian. I also did not have the chicken chop as I did not felt like meat.

Creamy egg white and seafood dish

N and I decided to order this as this was our favorite. I just had the first taste of this incredibly light dish a few days ago in Shang Palace, my favorite Chinese haunt in Kuala Lumpur and thought "why not?" when I saw it on the menu!

Alas, it was not as smooth as it should be. :( The egg whites were considered pretty "hard" for this dish's standards. The saving grace? The rather light, milky taste and the generous amount of scallops and prawns.

Spicy Szechuan dumplings

N loves this. She urged me to try one of it. I did. I actually did not feel like eating anything anymore but I just tried. It was actually very, very nice. I loved it. The skin was pretty thin and very smooth, the ratio of meat was just nice, and taste wise, it was bewildering -slightly acidic, spicy and salty. I wished I could have more of it. Only if my guts have the space, that is.

Stir fried rice cakes with mixed vegetables and meat

This could be a good dish but it was just too salty. We did not further pursue it after one bite and many vegetables later.

Radish Puff

I did not particularly dig into the pastry layer of the radish puff but for a radish puff, they were pretty generous with the radish. Taste wise, it was a bit odd. Execution issues?

Pumpkin pancakes

The pumpkin pancakes speak promises of pumpkins but failed to deliver them. Most of it tasted of dough. :(

Overall, I highly recommend that you stick to their la mian and XLBs. :) Not sure about other dishes though. Or maybe it's just me.

Note: Ladyironchef is not convinced that the colourful XLBs can trump the average joe XLB. :)

Review: Lunch @ Tanzini, G Tower KL

2012-01-23T12:30:00.000+11:00

I've always wanted to go to Tanzini. Read a lot about it. The food looks good. However, I never got around to actually going there. Plus, my parents are never very adventurous. Like I've said a million times, and I will say it again, my dad only eats Chinese food. My mom, on the other hand, usually stick with reliable haunts where she knows that the food is good. Bad food pisses my mom off. And trust me, it's nasty. I had just seen her "pissed off" look yesterday after our lunch at Sek Yuen, a restaurant that I picked in order to suit to my dad's Chinese tastes and really, to make him understand why not all Chinese is good.

Anyway, long story short, my wish to have Tanzini is granted by my mom, who has ran out of places to eat and my dad, who had no choice but to tag along. Either that or he's going solo.

Getting to Tanzini is a hassle. First, it's accessible via a special keycard that most hotel guests will have and visitors will not. So, one will have to enlist the help of a security guard to gain access to the lifts. Second, there may be up to six lifts operating but it takes around 10- 15 minutes for a lift to open its doors. Third, there's no third really but writing a third makes it nicer.

Without thinking twice, we jumped straight for the set lunch. The ala carte menu is extensive but it's also pretty expensive. Plus, we were not sure if food here is good. So, we had the set lunch. It costs RM 49 ++ for a 2 course set lunch and a RM 65++ for a 3 course set lunch. Naturally, 2 out of 3 of us went for the 2 course set lunch because I decided that I will skip desserts. I can't have too much of sweets. Bad for my adult acne.

The bread was alright. Slightly on the dry side but quite herby. Since we were bordering on starvation, we helped ourselves with the generous basket of bread. There were three condiments to go with: olive oil, balsamic vinegar and capsicum-tomato puree. Of course, I went for the third option. It sounded more interesting than the previous two and my choice was right. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar bores me, unfortunately. Guess I've been having too much of that in my 900 sq feet Melbourne apartment?

Crispy Turkey Salad

There is a choice of soup or salad. My mom and I went for the salad. The salad of the day was Crispy Turkey salad. The said crispy turkey was actually fine, strips of crisp ham that tasted a little like fried pancetta. I was hoping for generous shreds of the big bird.

What I love about the salad is that it comprises of three fruits: grape, raspberry and orange. The use of three pretty acidic fruits makes this salad a refreshing course for the rather hot day. Plus, it's a nice change from the standard mozarella, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar combo.

Soup of the day - clam soup

The soup was rather delicious. Perhaps, slightly more interesting than the salad. The clams were fresh and I could taste a little white wine. The white wine effectively tones down the soup's rich character.

Pan Roasted Barramundi

High in Omega 3 or not, I'd say, skip the barramundi. They used fresh water instead of the pricier, salt water relative. So, one is bound to have tasteless or muddy tasting fish. We had both in one go, a rather wicked combo I should say. I cringed at the first bite. Not good.

Tuscany Grilled Chicken

The Tuscany Grilled Chicken was one of the more intriguing dishes as was a fusion between Asian and Italian flavors. The chicken was marinated in pandan, thus giving it a slightly green tinge. The basil pesto worked surprisingly well with it. Initially, my mom felt that this combination tasted almost out of the world but as one gets used to the otherworldly concept, you will love it!

The gnocchi is pillowy and went well with the slightly salty stewed beans and spinach.

Chilli Tagliatelle Prawn

Chili pasta is something I cannot seem to work my head around. I just SUCK in it even though it's so super simple. So, if it is offered in a menu, I would not hesitate to order it.

The tiger prawn is super huge and fresh. That scored this dish some brownie points. More brownie points for the use of salmon roe and a small drizzle of coconut cream, which made it perfect with the curry-chilli perfumed al dente pasta.

The only setback was probably the lack of acidity. Lemon juice is needed here.

Dessert of the day - chocolate cake

This looked like a rather simple dessert but it tasted so good! The cake is prepared using good chocolate and the best thing of all? It's not too sweet. I had a nip or two but it left an impression.

Tiramisu (RM 28)

Tiramisu here is not mind blowing. I think that's because it's whipped up on the spot instead of being kept overnight or over many nights. Tiramisu only tastes good overnight because the ingredients bind well together to give the cake a unison flavor - slightly alcoholic, slightly cheesy, slightly eggy, slightly caffenated and slightly chocolatey. However, this tiramisu is still very separated and quite warm. Not to mention, only little espresso (you must use a CHUCK load) and even lesser alcohol (generally marsala or even better, kahlua) were used.

I think my sister still makes the best tiramisu, hands down!

Overall, I don't think I'll visit Tanzini in a while. It's a nice change from the standard Italian fare but it's nothing particularly special even though food is good. Plus, it's not cheap.

Little things:

-Cuisine: Fusion Italian

-Ambience: It does remind me of Sage

-Price: Quite pricey I think. Our bill came out as nearly RM 200. No such thing as tap water here. Only Acqua Panna, which costs RM 15 per pop.

-Portion: Reasonable

-For more information: Click here

RM 45 for 3 high tea in Kuala Lumpur?

2012-01-21T13:40:00.000+11:00

Yes guys, it's true.

There is such thing as a "RM 45 for 3 afternoon tea" in Kuala Lumpur and you can find it in none other than GTower's Lobby Lounge.

Not many people wrote about this place so I did not know to what extent the high tea is good. However, my mom kept pestering me that WE SHOULD have the afternoon tea at the lounge after reading an ad about the deal on the way up to Tanzini. Anyway it's RM 45 for 3 (That's like 5 Australian Dollars per person! You can't even buy a slice of high quality cake with 5 AUD these days). She kept emphasizing the fact and I was sold.

We had our high tea on a Sunday. We were expecting a noisy brawl but...

Empty hall

...it was actually a quiet hall!

I was thinking: How can it be possible?!

Actually, we were informed that the lounge is quite packed during office hours. That explains.

Portions are pretty huge!

Other options are unavailable so one is only left with the RM 45 for 3 set. The set comes with 4 XL sized finger sandwiches, 1 cranberry danish, three muffins (blueberry, chocolate and walnut), 1 pear and walnut tart, and 5 different cakes (orange cheesecake, blueberry cake, chocolate cake, raspberry chocolate mousse cake, and carrot cake).

Sandwiches!

I could not find any fault with the sandwiches here as the breads used were the sort I normally dig into - wholewheat, rye etc. The fillings were decent for the price. Two had cheese and another two had roast meat inside. It comes with a little mayo, lettuce and tomatoes. I felt that it was a steal, considering the bread was very good.

Danish, muffins

The danish was quite moist and chewy even though it tasted pleasant. I guess the moisture was from the cranberry compote and jam?

There were three muffins. They were quite large for high tea standards but it was good enough to feed three adults. I had no issues with the muffins apart from the chocolate muffin being on the dryer side. I guess the lack of chocolate chips meant dryer muffins. The blueberry muffin was my favorite as it was very moist and slightly sour from the berries.

Pear and walnut tart

We then moved on to the sweets. The tart was quite decent. The pear offered a nice fruity twist to this nutty tart. The tart casing was probably store bought but you do pay for what you get.

Blueberry cake

This blueberry cake was actually very nice. Moist and slightly nutty.

Carrot cake

This carrot cake is packed with the goodness of cinnamon, dried fruit and seeds but lacked the salty tang we were looking for. Perhaps, not enough cream cheese was used? We could live with that if there was a pinch of salt in the cake.

Orange cheesecake

The cheesecake was quite nice although it was not smooth enough. The orange taste makes the cheesecake easier to eat. It cuts some of the richness.

Raspberry and chocolate mousse cake

This was our favorite cake for the day. The raspberry mousse and jelly was actually pretty sour, which made it an ideal pair with the slightly rich chocolate layers.

I forgotten to snap a picture of the chocolate cake. That was not bad too but it lacked the moisture. I think that they should use yogurt to give the cake a little more moisture...

Coffee- quite strong but it lacks the acidity that I normally look for in the standard long black

Coffee here is not too bad for those who chase after the bitterness in their cuppa. :)

TWG teas ( RM 12 per pot - unlimited refills) - one can never go wrong with Grand Wedding and Magic Flute, both teas have fruity and floral notes!

Overall, I recommend this place for those who would love to have a decent high tea without leaving a scar in their wallets. I actually find this place quite reasonable considering the price. Service was also alright.

To be honest, I rather be here than to be in Starhill Tea Salon where food is below average, overpriced and service is downright awful. You can read all about my visit at Starhill Tea S alon here.

Oh, you can purchase baked items with 50 percent discount after 4pm. :) The artisan breads here are actually quite enjoyable!

Little things:

-Ambience: Bright, simple decor.

-Service: Friendly

-Portion: Large for standard afternoon teas.

-Budget: RM 45 for the high tea. RM 12 for the TWG tea. Tea set comes with only Boh tea or coffee.

-More information: Click here. Afternoon tea runs from 12pm to 7pm daily.

If he had loved you

2012-01-21T13:35:00.000+11:00

would not have ridiculed your issues, saying "It's no big deal"
would have understand the hardships you went through
would not have hurt the people you care for
would say "sorry", "thank you", "please"around you
would not yell at you each time you are sick
would have respect your decision, as much as you respect his
would not have bullied about your looks
would not have said that whatever you bought was rubbish
would change for the sake of you
would have think twice before he utter his words
would try to understand the situation, circumstance
would not ask you to love him more than he loves you
would not use money as a measure of love
would not flaunt you in front of his friends
would place you on top of the pedestal
would not think that his car is more important than you
would not embarrass himself in fear that he embarrasses you
would give you surprises without thinking that it's old fashioned
would have hold your hands in public
would prefer you over his mates
would understand the fact that you care for him
would put in more effort into a relationship
would admit his mistakes and not try to save his ego

None of these things you will, can do
Hence, your love for me is shallower than a kiddie pool
This is the unfortunate, brutal truth.

P. Folliculitis: You might think it's acne but it's actually something nastier

2012-01-20T00:15:00.005+11:00

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING PICTURES MAY BE GORY FOR SOME. VIEW AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! THIS POST IS NOT AN AD.

Okay, time for my acne report!!

In the past few weeks, I've done all sorts of things that any girl could imagine to have better skin: facial extractions, chemical peels, acne acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine therapy.

With the knowledge I armed myself to battle my rather stubborn acne, my face is almost clear with the exception of two spots here and there, thanks to the gunk that was brought up by the regular acupuncture sessions (Three times per week!) with Dr K.

However, something else was bugging me this time: Pityrosporum Folliculitis.

Okay, its a "fingerful" to type the entire name in the next few lines. So, I'm going to call it PF.

Now, what exactly is PF?

1. It's a fungal/yeast infection caused by the same bloody thing that causes dandruff called M. Furfur (Nice name but nasty fungus)

2. It can happen anywhere on your body, including your face but it does not occur on padded areas of your body (i.e. palms)

3. It is easily mistaken as acne if it appears on your face - it has similar characteristics to microcomedones aka whiteheads but it contains nothing if you pop them. Also, it ITCHES, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.

4. It's contagious - it can spread throughout your body.

Who is prone to getting it?

1. Have you had bad case of dandruff? Or currently having dandruff?

2. Do you live in a hot and humid area?

3. Do you have severe acne?

4. Are you on antibiotics?

5. Are you very stressed?

If you answered "Yes" to any one of this five, your bumpy skin might just be PF.

To read more about PF, click here and here. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO!

How does it look like?

Do you see those bumps clustered on the left side of the picture?

PF spread to my entire face - my nose was the only unaffected area.

Can it be cured?

Topical or oral treatment of broad spectrum antifungal/antibacterial creams (i.e. Daktarin Gold, Nizoral). Most of the antifungal creams contain the same active ingredients used to treat thrush. However, it is wise to treat the affected area for two weeks even though it is gone! YOU DO NOT WANT THOSE BUGS TO BE BACK!

A course of Chinese herbal medicine works too! (Yes, I spoke to Dr K about my condition)

Prevention tips:

1. Suntan your pillows, toys etc. Place them in a black garbage bag and roast those toys/ pillows under the scorching sun! (Dr K. taught me this)

2. Don't touch your face! You might spread the infection to your face (i.e. you have PF on your arms and you touch it, and then you touch your face!)

3. Stay away from pets.

4. Try not to place anything with cotton or goose feathers on your bed. Polyester or microfiber only.

5. Wipe away sweat on your face.

How did I discover that I have PF?

Since April 2011, I had been getting itchy skin. Each time an angry pustule or papule forms on my skin, my skin would itch like nobody's business. Only BHA (salicylic acid) would keep the itching at bay. Moreover, after a series of BHA peels, my skin quite smooth save for the remaining whiteheads. So, I associated the itching with the growth of new pimples.

Fast forward December 2011...

I've performed all the necessary steps to get rid of my acne and my face is almost acne free, save for the standard blackheads and some occasional whiteheads. However, what I noticed was that there were bumps on every milimeter on my face. I told my aesthetician about this twice and she said that it is probably transient stuff. I ignored it for quite some time but the itching was still there. Now, I have no more new acne so how can there be itching?

So, I decided to take things with my hands. I did a google search and came across several options: Was it contact dermatitis from the chemical peels I've done? Was it the facial extractions? Is it normal because my acne scars are healing?

Then, I discovered this message board that I've came across on April 2011. It read "Small bumps, plugged pores could be fungus". I saw the words "folliculitis" and quickly looked it up. And I came across this article on folliculitis, which read: "It looks like acne but it's folliculitis".

And I compared the picture that the latter website had with my own close up shot and it got me thinking: "Holy schmoly! I have this!". Even the symptoms were similar! (Read the symptoms here)

I told my mom to bring me to a pharmacy. I spoke to the pharmacist and asked her to pescribe me some antifungal cream. Initially, the pharmacist was reluctant to do so because she could not see anything on my skin. I showed her the close up shot and she said, "This is quite bad but it may be sweat rash".

To be on the safe side, she prescribed me a bottle of calamine lotion. Now, calamine was great. It soothed the skin. Got rid some of the bumpiness. I was, too, convinced that it may be sweat rash. My mom said that I was over thinking things.

Guess what? I was not over thinking. I DID HAVE P. FOLLICULITIS.

I did mention that PF worsens when the weather gets really hot and humid. Now, KL has been pretty hot the past few weeks due to the lack of rain. This was when things started spiralling downhill. My skin itched like there was no tomorrow and calamine did not stop the itching at all.

So, I went to another pharmacist (the pharmacist that I saw initially was on her Sunday break) and was prescribed Travacort. Now, I do not really recommend Travacort as it contains steroids, which may thin out your skin. However, I used it anyway. After four days, my skin was super smooth! Super happy can!

Then, I switched to Lamisil (I wanted Daktarin Gold but they ran out of that), which is a broad spectrum antifungal without corticosteroid. I am advised to use it for another 10 more days to ensure that the yeast does not recur because IT CAN.

Anyway, I was going through my old pictures today (It still pains me to see my face this way) and discovered that amidst the sea of Angrybirds-red pimples and pus filled boils on my forehead, I actually had PF since then. That "then", was April 2011.

I'm glad that I found out that I have PF. According to the forum mongers on Acne.org, even top dermatologists tend to misdiagnose P. Folliculitis as acne.

So, if you have bumpy, itchy skin, take a macro shot of your face under natural lightning, compare them with other PF sufferers, and finally, show them to the pharmacist to get some advice.

I hope this message helps.

TO FOLLOW MY JOURNEY WITH ACNE, CLICK HERE.

Rant Rant Rant Rant

2012-01-19T19:43:00.000+11:00

I feel this overwhelming urge to rant my guts out. So pardon my bad language, impolite speech and messy grammar. I did inform you all.

The past 24 hours had been a very hot mess.

It all started when I applied for this traveling visa which required me to perform a medical checkup. Apparently, there is only one place (I'll name it X Medical Centre) where one can get their body inspected. I lie. There are two but we were informed that it is rather difficult to obtain an appointment from place Y. We were also told that we have a time frame to do our medical checkup. I called up place X and they said that checkups are done according to first come first serve basis. Thinking is is more convenient to go to place X, to place X we went.

My mom was grumbling about it. She said that she had a bad feeling. Well, guess what? Her intuition is right.

I failed my urine test twice because there were red blood cells inside. It would be easy for me to accept that there was a problem with myself but the issue here is, IT WAS NOT ONLY ME. AROUND 5-6 OUT OF 10 INDIVIDUALS HAD THE SAME ISSUE.

This is where things start to get really fishy. I was also reminded of a tale my cousin's girlfriend told me in the last Chinese New Year. Apparently, her brother was working in one of these medical centers and he was instructed to fabricate some data in order to TRICK customers in order believing that they needed further tests. This also meant that the medical center could make more money. However, her brother quit his job because he could not get over the fact that he was making money out of tricking his pitiful patients.

Another anomaly is the fact that I had underwent COUNTLESS medical checkups when I was in Melbourne. Remember when I said that I had thrush four times and some strange pain in my chest at random times? I fear that I might caught some strange disease so I did several blood test, urine test and the like. Guess what?

IT ALL CAME OUT CLEAR.

Moreover, my mom said that having a little blood cells in one's urine is alright. Well, I did some research and apparently, there are several causes. If one has slight anaemia, exercised in the past 24 hours or your body is trying its best to remove some clotted blood, it is not strange to find blood cells in the urine. Well, I did exercise in the past 24 hours and had a history of severe anaemia, so I do not find it an issue.

I was also told that if I failed the third time, I would to do three more tests, which would amount to RM 100-300 in total. I told the doctor who was in charge of my case about the tests I did in Melbourne and he stared at me with a sour face. I gave him an equally sour face and even shed tears in front of him. This may sound sadistic but I felt elated to see his expression darkened. I was hoping that what I did would hit his conscience.

The next day, I returned and one of the staff who saw me crying quite badly taught me some tricks to pass the urine test. And I did pass. :) However, I felt pretty upset for the others who had to undergo those expensive tests. It is not worth their money and time...

__________________

Another rant. Sorry, I just feel so B8320Y today. I just need to vent it all out.

This morning, on the way out from the building where I had my medical checkup, there was this lady in front of us with her daughter in their Mercedes E class compressor. We waited for around 10 minutes and we were STARVING because my mom and I were fasting for the medical checkup. Actually, my mom did not need to fast but she had to because she was waiting for me...

Anyway, we were waiting and waiting and waiting... After around 5 more minutes, the car finally LEFT. We were pretty frustrated at this point and we asked the mak cik who was handling the ticketing booth about what was going on. The mak cik told us in her shrillest voice, claiming that the lady did not want to pay her parking ticket despite it being only RM 2. SERIOUSLY.

And I remembered that lady because she and her daughter was in the lift with us. I was thinking, if they had the decency to drive a Mercedes and own other luxe items, they should be able to pay off that RM 2.

At this point, I am just convinced that some people are just downright ridiculous. WHAT IS RM 2 TO THAT RM 300K OVER CAR THAT YOU OWN MAN.....?

I was also reminded of this tale my Shanghainese flatmate told me. She said that don't marry guys who would argue over spring onions - as in, some people think that if they buy a huge bunch of things from a vegetable seller, they would score that free spring onion.

Now, I understand why. They are just downright irritating and they will still argue over that RM despite the mega long queue behind...

Hong Kong: The rest...

2012-01-18T18:00:00.000+11:00

HK's infamous cart noodles - a must have for those who enjoy noodles topped with assorted ingredients.

Kam Wah's BBQ pork polo bun - for polo bun aficionados who cannot get enough of the original, doughy polo buns.

These yummy egg tarts do not discriminate - they are sure to be loved by the young and old, male or female... just anyone.

It was fortunately that Loong Kee at Central ran out of roast items. It allowed us to discover this hidden gem next to the said shop.

Crisp fish skin - a good addition to any congee and noodles

Silky and milky, one should not pass the scrambled eggs at Tsui Wah.

HK is famous for pretty bad coffee but the coffee at this roast meat place behind Mak's Noodles (Central) made me pine for it. I guess the secret lies in the milk but not the coffee?

The char siu may not look nice and macaroni in soup may be strange for some. Nonetheless, my dream of having BBQ pork with macaroni in soup came true. Yes, I do have a soft spot for dishes such as these!

Review: Dinner @ Ten Japanese Restaurant, Solaris Dutamas KL

2012-01-17T12:30:00.001+11:00

These days, I've been asked: "How is it possible that you can lose weight so early in the year?"

One of the many tricks I employ is not having anything heavy after 7pm. However, I broke this rule yesterday. I actually had a fairly large dinner for my standards. All thanks to the almost insignificant lunch I had. I blame it on the extremely hot and rather humid weather. Not only did it introduce some nasty yeast (p. folliculitis) on my face but it also ruined my appetite in the afternoon, which left me craving for something light and refreshing.

Ten Japanese restaurant was the answer. I had been wanting to visit this place since forever. I've read it on KY's blog, Boo's blog, Sean's blog and Baby Sumo's blog! Despite this, I kept forgetting that I MUST have a meal at Ten once. My wish was realized all thanks to my dad, who is not huge on Japanese food - the only thing he loves about Japanese cuisine is wasabi, the more the better. = =

I tried calling the restaurant five times but nobody picked up. I actually dropped a tweet, trying to inform them that I am arriving but nobody replied. Finally, the restaurant picked up my phone call while I was in Solaris Dutamas. Awesome no? They informed me that they are fully booked (in spite of the countless Japanese eateries housed in Solaris KL!) but I said that I will leave at 8pm. They gladly accommodated.

Green tea in a cute bamboo shaped cup! Green tea here has a pleasant flowery aroma. Not
too astringent.

The restaurant is not really big so places are quite limited. There are only two tables that can fit four guests, around 10 seats at the sushi counter and three private rooms. One of the private room can accomodate around 12 guests, while the other two can fit 4 (?) and 2 guests respectively. Size apart, the decor is really nice but on the darker side. So, pardon me for the slightly poor quality pictures! My IXUS functions the best in natural lightning!

There are three kinds of menu: Specials for the day, a menu specifically for kaiseki and the likes, and ala carte. Feeling peckish, we ordered an item from each menu. My mom even wanted to have the sushi platter but I stopped her, fearing that we may over indulge! For my mom and I, food becomes tasteless as we reach above 80 percent fullness!

Chutoro, Otoro, akami, botan shrimp (RM 95)

To start our meal, we had the tuna in three ways. My mom taught me how to enjoy this tuna in three ways! She told me to start of with the darkest colour and move towards the whitest colour. The akami has the darkest colour as it is the leanest, the chutoro has a lighter shade of red as it is half fatty, half lean and the otoro, being the fattiest, is the fairest. (Credit goes to Met Sushi for the info!).

I did not really enjoy the slightly mushy texture of the akami. Do you know that it used to be more expensive than otoro? Haha. Who knew right? Despite the slightly odd texture, it had a pleasant, sweet taste after one has chewed it a couple of times. The chutoro tasted sweet at the first bite but of course, it was not as sweet as the fatty otoro, which is my favorite. Some may argue that the chutoro is more appealing as it has a nicer bite compared to the otoro. However, I still love otoro! Perhaps, I have a thing for fatty fishes?

Salt grilled ocean trout head (RM 45)

The salt grilled ocean trout head was pretty salty so the grated daikon was a great way to tone things down. The fish was done the way we love it - very moist and still fatty! The smooth cheeks of the fish are to die for (Hannibal Lecter much?)

Did I mention that my mom also ordered the ten course kaiseki option? I highly recommend sharing this with someone else as portions are fairly large. Okay, they may not be large for some of you out there but ten courses of food is really a lot!

Now, this is the point where the ten course of awesomeness begins:

An array of appetizers - japanese mountain yam tofu, fresh squid nigiri with salmon and herring roe, burdock root with pickled blossom shaped Japanese mountain yam

The Zensai (appetizers) were very unique. Each of them have different characteristics but I think they fit well with each other. It is best to start with the tofu dish as it is fairly light in terms of texture and taste. The tofu may not appeal to everyone but it certainly worked for me. The subtle flavors from the yam made this an interesting offering.

Then, it is advisable to move on the the nigiri, which is also quite light but due to the herring roe, this is where things start to get a little "heavy" as the roe is quite briny although not very. The burdock root is best consumed last. It is almost like a dessert itself. It tastes a little like caramelized sweet potatoes for some reason...

Chicken meat ball, traditional rice cakes, daikon, yuzu

This tori tsumere (chicken) soup is a nice belly warmer. The yuzu in the soup adds a touch of citrus amidst the mellow flavors offered by the chicken stock. The rice cakes were there to jazz up the texture part of this soup. Its chewiness was very addictive!

Sashimi!

We actually regretted having the botan shrimp as this tiger shrimp sashimi was far crunchier and sweeter! The salmon and the white fish (??) was alright. I guess having the tuna in three ways first ruined our appreciation towards the fish sashimi.

Silver cod (Gindara) grilled in Saikyo miso, red bean rice

I did not have much of the silver cod as I was pretty much over and done with cod! I had way too much of cod the past few weeks! However, I helped myself with a reasonable portion of the red bean rice. Slightly sticky and fragrant, the rice would be any rice lover's wet dream!

Grated daikon, sea cucumber, salmon fish roe

I did not get to sample this as my parents both shared it between themselves. According to my mom, the daikon tasted really good and redolent of dashi. It went well with the gooey sliver of sea cucumber.

Wagyu tataki, apple tempura, zucchini

Initially, I did not want to have the beef as it is quite bad for individuals with acneic skin (TCM dictates that beef, like duck is slightly poisonous) but my mom said that it's Wagyu and I should have it. I have very little experience with Wagyu so I cannot say much about it. However, the concept works. The slightly salted beef, tart apple tempura and bland zucchini with a touch of citrus-soy dressing meshed well together.

Duck pot

The duck pot was quite rich albeit it being sweet and laden with the essence of duck. Initially, I told my mom that I preferred the chicken soup over this but I decided to take back my words when I encountered that ball of taro! Coated with a bit of glutinous rice flour and fried, the taro ball was such a delight to have! Outside, it is gummy while inside, it's firm yet powdery. <3

Hiyashi soba

This is probably the best chilled soba noodles in town! The fish broth was very rich with the flavors of katsuoboshi - my mom speculated that they used the really good quality ones as it did not have that signature smoky taste that most commercial bonito flakes have! The noodles were cooked to al dente and the egg, the egg...

Poached egg!

Banana Pudding, Japanese strawberries, Vanilla ice cream, Caramel Glaze

To finish our course, we had the banana pudding. Although this tasted quite similar to the common creme brulee, it was lighter than the said dessert. This was also not too sweet and the slightly tart strawberries managed to cut down some of the richness of the dollop of vanilla ice cream. :)

Our meal was not particularly cheap but we sort of saw it coming. However, the execution and the ingredients used made this meal a worthwhile one. We certainly would return, albeit not often, for the awesome food! I also hope that this restaurant does not go downhill at some point like most Japanese restaurants! It will be such a waste!

For those wanting a deal, go during lunch! Lunch sets start from RM 45 onwards! For the menu, click here.

Little things:

-Ambience: Suitable for business meetings, parties, and even romantic dates (if your boyfriend has the moolah!)

-Service: The only thing that irked me was that nobody picked up the phone but I find it strange that when I called the next day, someone immediately picked it up! I checked my bloody phone and realized that both numbers, which are the same, are registered differently on my iPhone!!!!!

-Portions: Reasonable

-Budget: Damage done was RM 597!! The kaiseki course costs us RM 300!

-For more information: Menu, Contact details and opening hours.

Review: Afternoon Tea @ Starhill Tea Salon, The Lounge JW Marriott KL

2012-01-14T11:00:00.000+11:00

Apart from yum cha sessions, my family enjoys having traditional English teas. So, when we heard that there is a new high tea place at Starhill, we immediately find ourselves sitting at their plush chairs, soaking up the Alice-In-Wonderland-esque decor, and not to mention, the rather luxe surroundings.

Starhill Tea Salon - sandwiched by Jean Paul Gaultier, Loius Vuitton and the likes. Feels a little like Singapore's TWG in Marina Bay Sands and ION

Starhill Tea Salon is one of the places to be seen in Kuala Lumpur. I've spotted several ministers, renowned DJs and socialites in one single trip. In spite of this, I think high tea aficionados should pass the afternoon tea here. First, it's way too pricey for standard high tea fare. It's RM 70 per set mind you and there is nothing remarkably special. Second, service is extremely poor. As my table kept asking for a glass of still water (four times!), one of the waiting staff actually threw a huge tantrum that is good enough to draw a crowd at the kitchen counter! Third, each person is entitled to have only one pot of tea. Strictly no refills.

Macarons here are not too bad.

Considering the aforementioned points, I rather have high tea in Ritz Carlton (Rm 68 ++ per set) which is only a stone's throw away.

Still, I had to blog about it. I think no matter how bad the place is, there is still some good to it. I think by just dissing off this place, I am doing it no justice. Similarly, no matter how bad a person is, there is still some conscience lying within the person. You just need to tease it out from the bad lot.

We ordered two sets to share among the four of us, in case the portion turned out really big. Apparently, they were just alright. You can sort of tell from the spaces of the plates.

We ordered the Oriental Afternoon Tea for Two and the English afternoon tea for two. As we were not full enough, we ordered one more triple chocolate cake, which was divine!

Oriental Afternoon Tea:

Standard stuff

The oriental afternoon tea comprises of deep fried yam puff with chicken filling, pan fried chicken dumplings, steamed barbecued chicken buns, baked custard bun, egg tarts, deep friend spring rolls and fish balls, and assorted sushi and maki. The dim sum items are taken from Luk Yu tea house.

A bit boring.

There was nothing remarkably special about the maki. The fish component for the sushi were fresh though. I wished there was more.

Decent but quite forgettable.

The dim sum items were pleasant. I particularly enjoyed the yam puff even though there was not enough yam in the puff. The rest were just alright.

The buns and dumpling were alright but the oh-too-white fishball was not.

I actually liked the baked bun, the steamed BBQ bun and the dumplings even though they were not the best that I had. I think this is one of the aftermath of having too much of a good thing in Hong Kong. You just start comparing every single yum cha item to the stuff you had in Hong Kong. T______T

The fishball lacked the taste of fish ball and it is quite rubbery. Let me guess, too much of starchy goodness going on?

English Afternoon Tea set:

The English tea set was rather enjoyable but I wished that they had more scones and savories

The English tea set consisted of freshly baked scones, assorted sandwiches, french pastries with macarons (sometimes praline...) and a tea of your choice. Speaking of tea, it really irks me that the teapot has no tea bag at all! This means: NO REFILLS. I might sound el cheapo here but I think compared to the more luxe high teas out there (i.e. Hilton KL, Shangri-La and Ritz Carlton), Starhill Tea Salon is really stingy with their tea. Also, there is no mention of the tea's brand (Mariage Freres, Ronnefeldt, TWG??)

I actually don't mind paying for the tea but I think many of you out there may BEG TO DIFFER, no?

Strange looking caviar

Sandwiches here looked and tasted good. I particularly liked the strawberry and cheese finger sandwich. However, I have an issue with the prawn and caviar sandwich. The prawn may be fresh but the caviar looks a bit off... Plus, since it's RM 70, I figured that they should use better artisan breads instead of ones that look stale.

Plate looks empty, again...

Enough of ranting, now back to the positive side of things. I find their cakes pretty decent. Most of them are pleasant to have with tea. None of them were extremely sweet. Most cakes were moist but the eclair was slightly bad news. Nonetheless, there was nothing to shout about.

Add caption

It was towards the end of our tea that we started to enjoy our food. We were given coffee chocolate macaron. I found it to be one of the better macarons I had in Kuala Lumpur. The meringue shells were smooth. There was only one teensy air pocket on the corner. The shell did not break into a gazillion pieces upon the first bite. The ganache was perfect and chocolatey. The texture bordered between crispy and moist. We loved it.

Triple Chocolate Cake (Rm 18)

Since my dad was not full enough, we ordered the triple chocolate cake. Boy, it was one hell of a chocolate cake! In a good way! The chocolate used to prepare the cake had floral notes, with a slightly bitter note. The biscuity base offered a nice contrast to the creamy mousse and rich ganache. Best of all? The cake did not make you feel like you are ready to die of sugar overdose.

Overall, I feel that not all of STS is bad. However, as I've said earlier, just pass the afternoon tea and go straight for the cakes. Also, don't bother ordering teas because they are no refills. Unless, there's a change in the system... Hopefully.

Little things:

-Ambience: Pretty refreshing. Nice use of tea tins. Rather colourful. Good place to be seen and to see others.

-Service: Extremely poor. If not because my dad knows one of the servers there personally, I think we won't even be served at all! And as I've mentioned earlier, one of the staff threw a huge tantrum!!

-Portions: Quite small for Kuala Lumpur's high tea standards.

-Budget: Damage done was RM 232! It's really really pricey!

-For more information: Click here and here.

Hong Kong: HK styled Milk Tea

2012-01-12T23:10:00.000+11:00

In my opinion, going to Hong Kong but not having Hong Kong styled milk tea is a heinous crime. It's almost like pulling off a Jeffrey Dahmer, if you get what I mean. Plus, it is not like Malaysia has exceptionally good HK styled milk tea. Even in Kim Gary, the quality of HK milk tea has downgraded. I usually have to ask for a "kaw" (thicker) version so that the ratio of milk and tea is right. Thus, I try to order HK milk tea in every HK char chan teng I go to.

1. Liang Liang Cart Noodles Shop

Liang Liang Cart Noodles may serve ordinary fare but I think the adzuki bean milk tea is worth a try. The adzuki beans add a pinch of nuttiness to the slightly astringent aftertaste that is common in most HK styled milk tea.

2. Tsui Wah @ Central

TW prepares milk tea the way I love it - with more tea than milk ( I don't really fancy HK milk tea that has too much of milk!) As disgusting as it may sound, I love to slosh the tea in my palette to savour its buttery aroma and velvety texture.

3. Lan Fong Yuen

Lan Fong Yuen has the reputation of dishing out some of the more authentic versions of HK milk tea. However, how does one know if LFY's version is authentic? Moreover, how can it be authentic when it quality differs from time to time? There are moments when tea at LFY is super good. Other times, it borders on tasteless. Oh well... Life does have its ups and downs!

4. Kam Wah Cafe

I enjoy milk tea at Kam Wah as much as milk tea as Tsui Wah. Bold flavors with a smooth finish. Other places that have good milk tea would be Australia Dairy Company. The secret lies in the milk! See, milk is as important as tea! Not sure why purists then to debate over which is more important... milk or tea...

5. Chiu Fatt

There are good days, there are bad days. Good milk tea. Bad milk tea. We got unlucky at Chiu Fatt.
You can tell from the colour. It's just wrong.

From the ratio of milk to tea, the type of tea, the type of milk and the smoothness of the tea, one will find that no two char chan tengs serve the same milk tea. Almost like friends. Have you discovered that no two friends of yours are the same even though they are humans?

Who am I kidding right?

Hong Kong: Wonton Noodles Showdown - Mak's Noodles vs. Tsim Chai Kee

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000+11:00

There is nobody in the Chin household who loves wonton noodles as much as I do. I love wonton noodles to the point my sister cannot handle my burning desire for it (Too hot to handle???). When I asked if she wanted to have wonton noodles on the last breakfast of our HK trip, my sister snapped at me: "Aren't you sick of it?"

I frowned in return but decided that we should have something else for our final breakfast in HK since I already had wonton noodles twice in Mak's Noodles, which is famous for their pricey duck egg noodles and rather tiny portions, and Tsim Chai Kee, which is renowned for everything supersized and downpriced - from noodles to wontons.

The verdict?

Read on. :)

Mak's Noodles: 麥奀雲吞麵世家 , 77 Wellington St. Central, Hong Kong.

Beef themed menu - so if you're not a beef person, the only thing you can order is wonton noodles.

I actually have this intention to eat wonton noodles at Mak's but each visit is greeted with a "close" sign. However, I got lucky the third time round. :)

The noodle stand.

Do not come to Mak's if you are looking for ambience or good service. Place is clean but service is horrifying - expect snappy waiters and scary waitresses. Somehow, I got immune to such appaling service as bad service is quite common in some of the older, well established eateries in Hong Kong. For instance, Kam Wah cafe, Lung Kee Roast Meat and Kam Hing restaurant - food is super good but service is on the other end.

Oh well, life is not perfect.

Wonton noodles served in a rice bowl.

Did I mention that portions here are super small? Works for the three ladies in the house but not for my dad.

Vinegar to get rid of the alkaline taste of lye.

As per usual, there was a strong lye taste in the soup but this was easily taken care of with a spoonful of red vinegar. The vinegar adds a nice floral hint to the soup and also worked well in bringing out the flavors of fish roe and dried flounder in the soup. There was also a little lard into their soup, so pork lovers, do rejoice in delight. I did not mind the addition of lard but I can also live without it. I am a sesame oil person.

Super fine, super springy, super nice!

After having these noodles at Mak's, no other wonton noodles will do! Noodles were springy but not coarse. They were also incredibly fine. Quite eggy.

Wontons that you can pop into your mouth in one go!

The wontons here were dainty so you can enjoy them in one go. The ingredients used were fresh, which explained the sweetness of the prawns. The wontons were also quite peppery but I preferred the shui gao over the wontons because there were cut vegetables in the shui gao. Moreover, I preferred meat with vegetables than just meat alone.

Sorry folks, I may like wonton noodles but shui gao rules!

Beef tendons - my sister decided to ignore the taboo about having beef. Couldn't be too arse when the tendons taste like pork!

If you are able to consume beef, do have the beef tendon or anything beef here. According to my sister, who ordered the beef tendon with wontons, the beef tendons tasted like pork tendons, except slightly muskier. She stated the chewy tendons are redolent with the aroma of herbs and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, star anise and Sichuan pepper. The herbs and spices made it very exotic but down to earth at the same time.

Tsim Chai Kee - 沾仔记 98, Wellington St. Central, Hong Kong.

Ginormous wontons and Mud carp fish balls.

If you want a pleasant, reasonably priced, XL sized meal, with an oriental ambience and friendly service to boot with, there is always Tsim Chai Kee across the road. My parents and some locals prefer Tsim Chai Kee for the same reasons as above. My mom loves the fresh, mud carp fish balls at TCK. My dad, on the other hand, loves all things huge. So, TCK is the place for him.

Both Panda and I actually prefer Mak's Noodles. Nonetheless, we think that TCK is not too bad.

Noodles are not that nice when eaten right after one has Mak's.

Noodles were not as springy and eggy as the ones in Mak's. A bit on the bland side, unfortunately but with the not-as-authentic but flavourful, rich broth, and the moist, mud carp fish balls, the noodles tasted alright. :)

Oh, wontons here were good - prawns were huge and fresh - but methinks they were not as tasteful as the ones in Mak's. That was probably due to the marinade and amount of pepper use. I preferred my wontons peppery.

Sliced beef with wonton noodles for my sister

My sister swears by the sliced beef at TSK. According to her, it did not have that gamy taste like the ones you often find in Malaysia. The texture was silky and if one was blindfolded, one would not even know one is having beef.

Sigh, my sister can be so blase about traditions! Once upon a time, she wouldn't even go near beef, and now, she's like beef this, beef that... Revenge much? Not sure. :)

Even vegetables here are larger in portion than the ones in Mak's.

Summary:

I would say, if you have the chance to enjoy wonton noodles in both restaurants, do go to both. I think skimping one for another will be unfair for your palette. However, if you do not have time to spare, Mak's will be a better stop for better and more authentic wonton noodles. :)

To end this post, let me share with you this amazing song. I think this song is great for chic dinners. :)

Would you guys prefer establishments that serve better food at smaller portions or alright food at larger portions?

Hong Kong: Desserts showdown - Hui Lau Shan HKIA vs. Honeymoon Dessert iSquare

2012-01-10T01:17:00.001+11:00

I was on a long dessert ban when I was on my Chinese medication. Life felt a bit strange without desserts. It was as if something was missing. No more lemon grass jelly topped with super acidic sorbets to finish off a rich meal. No more unique looking cakes that have dome shaped tops or flattened discs of chocolate. Suddenly, one is deprived from the aesthetics provided by desserts. Not that I could not survive without desserts but it was usually the thing that would restore my rather jaded self after a long day.

Thus, when in Hong Kong, I slowly reintroduced myself to desserts. I find that desserts in Hong Kong are much more delicious than the ones in Kuala Lumpur. Cakes are less sweeter and more delicate. Chinese dessert soups have appropriate sugar levels, at least for me, who prefer my desserts on the sensible side. I mean, not that super sweet desserts are not sensible - I know people who think that it's not a dessert if it ain't sweet - but I think when it comes to splurging on calories, one must splurge wisely. :)

When I was in Hong Kong, I had Hong Kong styled desserts in two rather popular dessert houses - Hui Lau Shan and Honeymoon Dessert. Hui Lau Shan is really popular and should I say, easy to find? Honeymoon Dessert is almost on the ranks with Hui Lau Shan when it comes to popularity too. However, both places are pretty different.

Hui Lau Shan:

I've heard loads about HLS but never bother trying there. I actually popped my HLS cherry when my sister was desperate for some food - she did not eat in the plane = =. So, I suggested that we should have desserts in HLS. I told her that maybe they might have some nice hot desserts as it was winter.

Alas, majority of their desserts are cold. She actually gave me a death glare when she saw how limited the hot desserts section was. Most of the menu was dominated by the phrase "Australian mangoes" and the issue was, both of us hated Australian mangoes. They taste too sweet and have this "yellow" smell to them, except for the Calypso types. Oh well... at least, they had a hot desserts section.

Hot almond pudding with bird's nest jelly.

We ordered this hot almond pudding dessert with bird's nest jelly on top. The pudding was very creamy and glides around smoothly in your palette before melting into almond slosh! What made it great was the hint of old ginger. Not only does it provide a unique aroma to the dessert but it also soothes the stomach blues obtained from cabin pressure.

What I did not enjoy about this dessert was the bird's nest jelly. Seriously, I think that people should stop using bird's nest jelly. Either you use the real stuff or you don't.

Mixed fruits platter

I really should not have ordered this because it was a complete rip off but i felt that I should for the sake of my diet. It was decent. Fruits were fresh but the mangoes... gosh, Australian mangoes...

Honeymoon Dessert:

Honeymoon dessert is the shizzzz. Maybe it's my bias talking but they have so much of hot desserts to offer to the extent that my head spins in excitement at the sight of them!! Each visit to HD is often punctuated by a long debate with myself. Should I pick X or Y? Hmm, Z looks better... You get the picture!

Nicer decor at the iSquare branch

Usually, I go to the branch at Harbour City but I discovered that iSquare has one too, and it is bigger and better. It's more spacious and one does not need to wait for tables.

Black sesame dessert with black glutinous rice

I highly recommend all things black sesame or walnut here. The black sesame dessert is better than the ones served in the more pricier Chinese restaurants in KL and is comparable to the stuff served in some of the Chinese restaurants we had in HK. Presentation may not be as fine but taste wise, HD nails it!

The black sesame dessert is rich with the taste of black sesame and is very smooth. Almost like having silk running in your mouth. Most importantly, it is neither too sweet or rich. My mom was actually really bloated from dinner but surprisingly, she was able to manage this dessert, which she found impressively light.

My sister picked something more unique. She went for the walnut and black sesame dessert with black sesame glutinous dumplings. Like the black sesame dessert, this was enjoyable - not too sweet and incredibly smooth. The walnut cream gave this dessert a nuttier and earthier taste. There was nothing that we did not like about this dessert. :)

My dad felt like having something icy so he ordered the adzuki bean paste with grass jelly and vanilla ice cream. This combination may seem strange but it turned out surprisingly good. :) Having the vanilla ice cream with the adzuki bean paste brought out the fragrance of the bean paste. I liked how the grass jelly went well with subtle aroma of the mandarin peel that could be easily found in any good red bean dessert.

I also ordered kiwi juice, which was a total rip off - 20 HKD for a huge glass of kiwi pulp! I did not know why I keep ordering stuff that I would not normally order but it was packed with kiwi, so I ain't complaining!

Overall:

I feel that HLS is suited for those who prefer icy cold desserts and all things mangoes while HD is more suited for those who equally divide their love for both hot and cold desserts. I personally prefer HD as I am not crazy about Australian mangoes. :) Price wise, both are quite reasonable for the quality offered.

For more information: Click here (HLS) and here (HD).

So, dear readers, do you like your desserts sweet? Do you feel that life is devoid of pleasure without desserts?

Photo Post: Festive Menu @ Chynna, Hilton KL

2012-01-09T01:22:00.001+11:00

Note: This Festive Set Menu promotion has ended a long time ago. Also, this meal is not sponsored by anybody but Brown Bear, the new moniker for my grumpy dad. As usual, I DO NOT accept any form of invited reviews or do ads for restaurants or stuff like that unless it's for charity purposes. THIS POST IS NOT AN AD.

For more information of Chynna, click here.

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If I have not been blogging, that's because I've been either worrying over my Psychology Honours application - I've been accepted but yet to receive the official offer letter from the Arts Faculty thanks to "system error" - or having too much of fun in Singapore with N, whom I have not meet for nearly two years!

This means, more back log! I feel like I am going to tear my head apart! I think I should strive to blog everyday from this day onwards because I have still a lot to write about Hong Kong and now, I have things to write about Singapore. Also, I've been trying out new places in Kuala Lumpur and those pictures are screaming at me, "Edit me! Edit me! Edit me!"

Man, blogging is never easy!

So, today, I shall be a little lazy and post up only pictures with a few lines of comments about the Festive menu my family and I had a few weeks ago. Seriously, I could not be bothered to write anything too lengthy for I just got off the coach from Singapore not too long ago. I slept throughout five hour trip and still feel like sleeping. I guess that's because I skipped dinner. Since my new prescription from Dr. K, I just do not have the mood to eat. Rather strange coming from a food blogger but it's true. Therefore, I lost more weight and found myself able to fit into a S sized dress from Herve Leger...

Anyway, pictures from the meal:

Me before the weight loss and my awesome mom. Wonder how she can still look good without any makeup!

Jellyfish Yee Sang:

At RM 88 ++, I find this pretty overpriced. Portions are small and ingredients look sad. Taste wise, this was only so so. Jellyfish lacked the aroma found in more premium jellyfish cuts and dark in colour. :(

THE FESTIVE MENU :- We went for the RM 188++ set.

Double boiled Turkey Broth with Egg White:

I still cannot believe that this was actually turkey broth that I had! It tasted almost like premium chicken soup with lots of egg white! Flavors are clean and refreshing.

Chef's Recommendation of Four Small Individual Combination Platters:

It is quite obvious that a lot of effort was placed into preparing this - the presentation was immaculate.. The sweetness of the fresh scallop and its slightly chewy texture was immensely satisfying.

This roll reminded me of summer. It's deep fried but not too heavy. Surprisingly light. Lovely tropical flavors.

I find this average although the fish component was very fresh. Otherwise, there was nothing to shout about.

This braised option was very down to earth but its presentation gave it a luxe feel. I love the execution.

Steamed Sea Grouper with wincarnis wine and ginger:

While I was not completely wow-ed by the canapes, I was truly wow-ed by this rather simple looking dish. Steamed fish may seem easy to do but truly, it's one of the more difficult dishes to master. The kitchen got it right. The fish was cooked just nice, which made its texture very smooth and enhanced the sweetness of this fresh cut of fish.

Homemade Pipa Beancurd in Assam sauce:

My mom won't allow me to have assam laksa but since this was bite sized, she gave me the green card. Incredibly lovely. It was sour and herby enough for my liking and quite light unlike the heavier and saltier versions you can find in most places these days....

Singapore Chili Crab Meat Fried Rice:

I ought to have this in Singapore but N agreed that KL has better street food than Singapore - may apply to some places only though... Anyway, this is Singapore street food in its posh version. Okay, I don't generally eat food because they are posh. Not all posh is good but I have to say that this is addictive! I find the fried rice okay only but the crab filled gravy was the one that made me kept going!!!

Red Bean Mousse with Banana caramelized in Black Sugar:

As usual, Chynna never fails in their desserts. This red bean mousse delivered its promises of red beans and its sweetness was nice enough to let your brain register that this is dessert without sending your body to diabetic hell.

I highly recommend the sets in Chynna, especially those that run by course and sound a bit quirky. According to my mom, they do very well in such things. In terms of course meals, I actually prefer Chynna over Shang Palace but when it comes to Yee Sang, Shang Palace wins hands down!!