Memoirs of a Chocoholic

YAYx3

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:21:00 +0000

Scene 1
Out on a Saturday night.....
Sue: "Hey, J! Have you lost weight?"
Me : "Er,... I don't think so. You're not trying to make me happy are you? :P That's what you said the last time too... Haha... "
Sue : "No lah. Trust me, I haven't seen you for about a month - you've definitely lost weight"

(Yay!)

Scene 2
At the gym.....
Random girl**: "Hey, actually you've lost a lot of weight since the first time I saw you.... especially around the thighs."
Me: "Oh really? Thanks? :)" ***

(YAAAY!)

Scene 3
Having a drink at a nearby mamak.....
(Conversation drifts to the topic of the sadness of finding out that jeans from college days cannot even be pulled past thighs/ zipped up without risking permanent damage to internal organs....)
Me: Ya loh. So sad, right? :( I can't believe I've gained so much weight.
S: Well, me too. And I could never gain weight when I was younger! :(
Me: But you still look fine lah! Not like me... I used to be hot! (Wah, so modest, right? *lol*)
S: You're still hot, DUMMY. *glare*

(Erm, got called a dummy,.. but still: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!)

If you can't already tell, it was a good week for me, ego-wise.

I hope you don't think that I'm so utterly conceited/ vain/ getting inflated on some little bits of praise...
:)

... I'm simply happy because there seems to be some indication that all the hard work I put in is finally paying off - I didn't want to lose weight too drastically though, so in more or less a year, I've gone from this (XL sized J!):
GEMUK...
To this (L sized J!):
NOT SO GEMUK...
But still very far away from this (M sized J!):
My past, and hopefully, my future...
(Hmmmmm, do you see any difference between the 3 photos? Or is it just me?)

I won't lie: It wasn't easy! - especially with how much I love food.... but somehow I have managed to stick by the simple rules of:
- work out as often as possible (I gym about 4 times a week now), and
- eat anything, but just be much more careful on how much and at what time.
(Hopefully, I can keep at it till I come closer to being the girl in the 3rd photo...)

:) :) :)

Happy dance *WOOT!*,
J

** She's a regular in the gym class I go for, but I'd never talked to her before.
*** Hey waitaminute, on second thought: Why's she checking out my thighs??

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Purple Cane Tea Restaurant @ Gardens, Midvalley, KL

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:42:00 +0000

Interesting concept - Chinese food (no pork) infused with tea....

" Tea infused food? How interesting! ", I thought.

I had always wanted to check out this unusual concept restaurant at the LG level of the Gardens shopping centre and finally did so last week. :)
(I admit, I was a bit disappointed to find out that they did not serve any pork but I guess most restaurants in Malaysian shopping centres don't, to be able to cater to a larger crowd):
From the outside....
Anyway, inside, the restaurant is cosy with a clear Asian influence:
Inside Purple Tea....
If I remember correctly, other than the fairly wide range of ala carte dishes (available in varying serving sizes), they had 5 lunch sets to choose from. That day, I had the Simmered Chicken with Tea Rice set (RM 19.90+):
The Simmered Chicken set....
Overall, not bad. The chicken was pretty tender and the rice was fluffy (although just a tad too dry). As usual, my salt loving tastebuds tried to revolt: " So bland wannnnnn.... ", " Hmmm, tastes a bit sweet lah... ", they said.

*sigh* My taste buds just love salty and oily yummy but unhealthy food. :(

We also tried another one of the set lunches - the Braised Chicken with Man Tao set (RM 19.90+):
The Braised Chicken set....
Overall, this was also ok - the chicken was fairly tender and tasty, and the man tao was fluffy and not starchy (yay!).

We came across a Frankenstein of a drink on the menu - the C.A.T., short for Coffee, Apple, Tea (RM 7.90+):
Confusing drink....
On one hand, it was pure genius - the drink seem to magically glide from the fragrance of coffee to the sweetness of apple and finished with the slight bitter taste of tea. On the other hand,... erm... yikes.
(Maybe it's just me, but as much as I appreciated how unique this drink was, I am never ordering it again. Haha...)

So it's: Fairly wide range of healthier versions of Chinese food, comfortable ambience BUT nothing really negative to say but just that service could be a biiiit friendlier and the food wasn't salty enough for me (Not really they're fault - it's supposed to be healthy food)....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Purple Cane Tea Restaurant @ LG Floor, Gardens Shopping Centre, Mid Valley

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : RM 30/+ per person
Parking: Difficult on weekends

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2283 6090
(03-21453090 for Shaw Parade outlet, 03-22723090 for Chinese Assembly Hall outlet)
Opening Hours: 10am till 10pm

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Masak-Masak
- Eat, Drink and Be Merry!
- Honey Star
- Big Boys Oven
- Simple Kiddy Tofu

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Midvalley Megamall, MidValley, The Gardens, Chinese, Healthy Food, Purple Cane Tea Restaurant, Shopping Centre, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Italy 2009 Photos (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:38:00 +0000

Desktop holiday for you... European Edition - Italy Part 2....

As I thought about it, I realised how blessed I have been in my life - although my family is in no way rich, I have never had to go hungry/ worry about my next meal (yay!) and I have been able to travel the world a LOT due to my parents' wanderlust...

Case in point: In my lifetime, I have visited Italy twice already.
(It's a lot, right?)

I had grown to HATE going on tour groups though...
(J's inner monologue during tours groups: "Why are you feeding me Chinese food in Italy?? Whhhhhyyyyy??????")

So, in 2009 I managed to cross off a big item off my "to do" list - travel Europe properly (i.e. without being in a tour group). :)
(Mind you, it took a long time to save up.... as evidently, money does not grow on trees *sigh*)

Anyway, enough blablabla. Onwards to the photos!:

1. If you think KL roads are confusing, wait till you go to Rome.
A look at a part of a map of Rome.....
*PENING*
Really, really *PENING!*
(Already, map reading is not exactly my forte, but when the roads are all so "tak tentu arah" and wind-y... =_=)

2. Pyramids and castles in Romes.
Strange, there's a Pyramid (or as the Italians call it, Pyramide *lol*) in the city.....
Turns out its actually a tomb called the Piramide Cestia.... built in around 18bc.
(WAH)

3. At the Spanish Steps, a famous landmark in the main city area.
Hordes of humans.....
The Spanish Steps looks to be a popular lepak spot with locals and tourists alike - could be because it is quite near the major shopping area of via Condotti.
(Where all the upmarket brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci are)

4. One of the highlights of my trip in Rome - a 400 year old library called Biblioteca Angelica.
Inside the library (shhhhhh....)....
Check it out! - the books there look old enough to crumble. I wish I could understand what's written inside though but it's all in Italian/ Latin....

Oh, and even cooler - there seems to be a secret door among the shelves...
Can you see the door?....
I wonder where it leads to? :)

5. A beautiful day at the Trevi Fountain.
More hordes of people checking out the famous fountain.....
6. Lastly, cooling down at one of the many Gelaterias near the Trevi Fountain.
My mini mountain of gelato.....
Can't get enough of the yummy Italian Gelato... :D
(Nothing better than pigging out on comfort food on a warm day, after walking around for so many hours....)

One more round of photos from Rome, then it's off to London....
:)

Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Travel,Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Chef Kit's Salt Baked Chicken @ Damansara Uptown, PJ

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:45:00 +0000

PJ people rejoice!: Yummy Ipoh style salt baked chicken in Damansara Uptown.....

I had actually eaten at this yummy restaurant in Damansara Utama (aka. Damansara Uptown) almost a year before, but carelessly forgot to blog on it (and lost the photos too!...):
Chef Kit's!..........
Lo and behold, it had undergone a face lift - now it looks much fresher, and is a much more comfortable place to dine (air conditioned). I remember that the restaurant name was different (Taste 2 Taste? Or something like that) but thankfully, it has retained its original management and (more importantly) food quality:
Simple, air conditioned and comfy interior..........
There is quite a limited array of different variations of the chicken (eg. quarter/ half/ one whole chicken with rice/ noodles/ different kinds of soup) and a couple of side dishes (simple fried vegetables, fried foo chook, soup wantans, etc) but no complaints - so far, everything I tasted there is yummy.

But there are also different rice and noodle dishes (eg. fried rice, Shanghai Tan Tan noodles, clay pot loh shuu fun, etc) that they serve on weekdays, so if you ever get bored of the chicken, there are still other options... :)

That day, we chose the Meal Set 1 (RM 19.90):
Set 1 (for 2 people)..........
This set is supposed to serve 2, and comes with:
- half a salt baked chicken,
- fried taugeh (beansprouts)
- deep fried wantans
- choice of either rice, noodles (wantan noodle, loh shuu fun, kuey teow, etc) served either dry or in plain or herbal soup.

They use Kampung Chicken (Village Chicken) which is supposed to be healthier than the normal mass produced farmed poultry... but it is also much smaller in size and generally has a tougher texture (supposedly because village chickens are more "fit" and less fat from all the running around *lol*):
A closer look at the chicken..........
Anyway, yes - the chicken was definitely a bit on the small size (I think I could have easily polished off the whole serving myself on a greedy day) but it was fairly tender and really tasty.
(Most salt baked chickens are just well, salty... but the one here has a really nice fragrance of herbs soaked well into the meat)

My favourite noodle here is the kuey teow (pictured here with the Herbal soup) - silky and springy without tasting starchy or synthetic:
Silky Ipoh Kuey Teow..........
The deep fried wantans were a little tiny but mmmmmmm - they were crunchy and delicious!
(The filling was little but flavourful - can taste a little bit of spices/ herbs which added a distinctive taste to this simple side dish)

There's also an interesting new drink on the menu - the pomelo juice (RM 3):
Pomelo juice..........
Overall it's ok. As the friendly boss lady explained, it tastes a little like 100 Plus but without the fizz (and not quite as sweet too) so it was pretty refreshing.

(Note: If you're coming at night, you are advised to call in earlier to "book" your chicken as they can run out... Oh, and now they are doing deliveries to selected areas too - please call to check whether they can send to you)

So, it's: Simple but comfortable coffeeshop setting, friendly service, really yummy salt baked chicken for reasonable prices BUT nothing to complain about really - menu is a bit limited (but what they do, they do well) and parking in that area can be a pain during peak hours on week days....

Summary Information:
Chef Kit's Salt Baked Chicken @ Damansara Uptown, PJ
(Just a bit up the road from before The Ship restaurant)

Opening Hours: 11am - 9pm
Phone: 03-77222172, 012-9697988
Address: No. 25, Jalan SS21/56B, Damansara Utama (Uptown), 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- (couldn't find any) :(

TAGS:Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Local Food, Ipoh Salt Baked Chicken, Chinese, Chef Kit's Salt Baked Chicken, SS21, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Damansara Uptown

R(O)A/W(R) @ Daikanyama, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:50:00 +0000

A photo heavy post on a new weekly acoustic sing along sessions by up and coming bands (Rock on!)....

Daikanyama is a fairly new addition (a few months old) in the bustling Changkat Bukit Bintang area (near Werner's):
Outside Daikanyama....
They have recently introduced a new weekly live band session called R(O)A/W(R) @ Daikanyama - showcasing new bands. That night, Goodbye 20th Century was playing a cool mix of their own songs and covers of popular 90's rock** songs:
(** Nice rock songs from Pearl Jam, The Police, Foo Fighters, etc. Not Mat Rock music! Haha....)
The band that night....
The interior is cool - modern but with pockets of soothing greenery:
Bamboo....
We had fun sipping on yummy Choya and fusion cocktails that night while listening to the music:
Smile, gorgeous!....
Hot stuff Ciki chatting with Spicy Andre....
All in all, a great night....
It was really nice just hanging out after work and listening to a mix of songs that you can sing along to, to wash away the office blues.... Admittedly, the band that night was still a little rough around the edges, but I think that added to the laid-back charm of that night.

Oh, here's the thing though: If you think you've got talent to share with the world, they are always looking for new acts to showcase - call Mr. Barricuda of Daikanyama to arrange an audition. :)
(You can contact Bari @ 012-2235680)

So, it's: Cool new restaurant/ bar, interesting cocktails, reasonable prices (considering the area), decent bands (no cover charge!) BUT nothing much to complain except it was strangely empty that night (although I have heard that it can get quite packed)....

Summary Information:
R(O)A/W(R) @ Daikanyama, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL
(Live bands every Wednesday, 9pm)

Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week (5.30pm till late, Sundays 2pm till late).
Phone: +60321410323
Address: 42 Changkat Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
Facebook Page: Click here

NOT HALAL

More on this night:
- Cumi & Ciki

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Daikanyama, Japanese, Bukit Ceylon, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Tengkat Tong Shin, Jalan Ceylon

Friday the 13th

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:47:00 +0000

What a start to the day........ :)

3 stalled cars on my way to work:
- 1 on the stretch of road before my house,
- 1 on the stretch of road after my house, and
- 1 on the stretch of road near my office.

Just add water (rain/ drizzle) and it's the perfect formula for a massive, crawling traffic jam *sigh*
=_=

Of course there was the added annoyance of that stupid car that decided to give everyone within earshot a honk fest (like: honkhonkhonkhonkhonkhonkhonkhonk ad infinitum) because he wanted to cut through* the lane before my office.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Hoping she'll survive the day,
J

* YO! Just signal next time lah. We're not all barbarians, you know - I would have let you pass....

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Italy 2009 Photos

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:08:00 +0000

Desktop holiday for you before Friday the 13th!: European Edition - come away with me to Italy....

BTW: Good morning Hong Lynn!
*HUGS* :)
(See, I updated, as promised. Will try to update more frequently in future... and I hope you had fun last night! Let's meet up again soon, ok?....)

Beach-side party town Rimini:
I found Rimini very cosy (quiet) and quaint (small town feeling)... but according to my Italian friend, Rimini is like the Italian version of Ibiza... where hordes of humans flock to during the summer holiday season (exploding this little town's population from a couple of thousands to hundreds of thousands):
On one of the main streets in Rimini.....
(I happened to go there during the "off season" though so it was very quiet, with most of the famous clubs being closed :( so I couldn't check them out....)

The beaches looked quite nice (fairly good sand, clean, calm surroundings) but my friend said that during summer, it's complete madness - with almost every square inch of sand covered with people trying to roast themselves to a nice shade of brown:
Walking to the beach.....
Clear skies, good sand - just need a beer!.....

Historic town of Bologna:
Another town that I visited in Italy was Bologna, which is famous for its old covered walkways:
The main Bologna town area.....
Many covered walkways with lots of shops alongside.....
Also, many quaint alleys between.....
There is also a very unusual looking cathedral there, the Basilica di San Petronio:
The Basilica of San Petronio.....
The inside is just like most gothic style cathedrals but the facade looks strangely unfinished with its obvious layers of bricks on the top....

There are also a set of historic towers, called the Two Towers, but apparently the many locals refer to it as the Ugly Towers *lol*:
Down the road from The Ugly Towers!.....

I hope you didn't find that too boring... (since Rimini and Bologna are not the usual tourist hot spots). Anyway, if you did, then hopefully you'll find the next round of photos more interesting... :)
(I'll post up some photos of Rome soon)

Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Travel,Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Weekly Live Jazz - The Rapture @ Rama V, KL

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:51:00 +0000

Photo heavy post on the new weekly jazz night at Rama V.... :)

If you're looking for a place with good food and good music, there's a new option in town - Rama V has just started a weekly jazz session on Fridays*** (10pm onwards) featuring soothing jazz classics sung by a young, up and coming local band called the Rapture.
(No cover charge too)

Here are some photos from their first night (last Friday):
Romantic setting inside:
Pretty light fixtures add to the ambience....
Beautiful garden outside:
Serenity by the pool....
Free beer! (because it was the launch night):
The charming beer hostess pours me a Chang....
Some yummy finger foods to quell the midnight munchies:
Mad rush for the delicious fish cakes, blue dumplings and prawn fritters....
The Rapture in full force:
Soothing Jazzy classics by a fairly young band....
Hiro in action:
Don't worry Hiro and Ywenna! (if you noticed...) - We aren't stalking you. Purely coincidence that we were at 2 of your gigs in a row (as Tokyo Blues and as The Rapture)....
One of our wonderful hosts, Danny Jee, serenades us:
"I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't minddddd...." - Encore please! :)....

Other out-takes from the night:
Naughty Qwazy Monkey butts in:
"I want to be in the photo too!"....
Hmmmm, who is Miss Hot Stuff gazing adoringly at?:
(*giggle* Luv ya babe!)
<3 ....
Greedy girl - Pictured here with 2 armfuls of gorgeous, the baker boys from Just Heavenly.... :)
Actually, it's Gorgeousness x 3....
Always the gracious host, Andre drops by to make sure everything's going well:
(pictured here with celebrity blogger, FatBoyBakes)
What a sweetie....

*** NOTE:
Although they plan to have this jazz event every Friday night (10pm onwards, no cover), there may be changes due to being booked out for events (Rama V is getting to be very popular for that now because of the beautiful ambience and food). So to be safe, you are advised to:
- join their Facebook page so that they can update you promptly, and also
- please book ahead of time for dinner+jazz (as they do get quite packed on Fridays and Saturdays) - it would be a pity if you turned up and got turned away because they were completely full. :(

Overall: Beautiful restaurant, attentive service, delicious Thai food for a range of prices (up to you - you can dine here for <50 bucks, or >200 bucks per person, depending on what you order) and now with live music every week! :) BUT traffic in the KLCC/ Jalan Tun Razak area can be very bad sometimes.

Summary Sheet:

Rama V Fine Thai Cuisine @ Jalan U-Thant, KL

Taste: 8
Ambience : 8
Service : 7
Price** : Can eat for RM 55++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks

Telephone No.: 03-2143 2428
Opening Hours: 12noon till 3pm, 6pm till late.
Parking : Limited (but free - can park in the front lawn)

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
On the food @ Rama V:
- My review

On this event:
- CUMI & CIKI: Lifestyle, Food, Travel and Monkey Adventures!

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Restaurant, Entertainment, The Rapture, Live Band Jazz, Restaurant Review, Thai, Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan U-Thant, Rama V

You know you're out with food bloggers when....

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:47:00 +0000

... the food arrives, and there is that magical combination of:
1) 6 out of 6 ppl excitedly taking photos of the food, and
2) a very baffled waiter.
*lol*
A group of food bloggers confusing a waiter at WIP, BSC...
:)

Much love,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Prime @ Le Meridien Hotel, KL

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Promised my friends I would put this up....

Yes, I am a Malaysian food blogger (or as recently coined, a Malaysian FLogger... haha).
:)

I love food (as do most Malaysians) but really, it's not that I'm some sort of expert - I can't cook to save my life, and tastewise for me it basically boils down to:
1) I like, :)
2) OK lah, :\
or
3) Eeyer - Don't like! :(

... with subgroups for:
1) Reasonable price,
2) OK lah,
or
3) Wah. So expensive.

That said, it's difficult for me to truly judge the quality of a steak especially in this case (since I cannot afford to and have never dined at Prime @ Le Meridian**)... but 2 of my friends made me promise that I would post this up (since they are too lazy to maintain food blogs of their own. :P).

Basically, the message to be conveyed is:
Beware of the waiters/ waitresses at Prime.
It's not that the ambience and food isn't nice there (although it is super overpriced unless you have the Starwood Card), but you must not leave it to the wait staff to adjust the portion of the special cuts of steak (that are priced at hundreds of RM per KG btw) because they will tend to take advantage of your trust.
:(

What do I mean? Well, first look at the size of the steak my friend and his date were served:
X 2!
No kidding - they were served that size of steak each.
(That's 500grams per person - HALF A KG OF BEEF, EACH!)

This happened to 2 of my friends on separate occasions***, one of which suffered more financially and also tastewise because she had Wagyu which is super rich and jelak-inducing after >100g.
(*** One friend was out on a date, and another had brought her dad there as a birthday dinner treat)

Also, if you were wondering - Yes, both my friends had explicitly voiced their concerns over the potential sizing of the portions but were told by the waiter/ waitress at the time, " Don't worry, it will be just nice for the both of you ".
(Oh, and no lah - there's no way the wait staff could have made an honest mistake because my friends do not in any way look like sumo wrestlers or World Wrestling Federation stars)

So, you have been warned.
(Pssst... Jo & sooJ - done! Posted oredi...)

So it's: Nice ambience, food is good but expensive (unless you have the Starwood card) and you can't really trust the waiters/ waitresses there....

PS. **If anyone wants to buy me dinner there - please feel free to, ok? I would love to find out first hand whether the food is really good or not, bad service aside. :D

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Prime @ Le Meridien Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Taste: ?
Ambience : ?
Service : ?
Price** : > RM 150/++ per person
Parking: ?

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2263 7434
Opening Hours: 12noon - 2.30pm, 6:30pm - 10pm

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Tummy Thoughts
- So Much Food, So Little Time
- Just Minishorts
- Have Your Cake And Eat It Too
- A Whiff Of Lemongrass

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Steak, Prime, Le Meridian Hotel, KL, Kuala Lumpur

J's Haunted Harajuku Friday

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:49:00 +0000

(Somewhat) A photo heavy filler post... but enjoy! :).....

Dining with Malaysian Flogger royalty at Bar Italia:
Ciki takes a photo of Lyrical Meena and BE...
Then, Harajuku Halloween Eve fun at Daikanyama, Changkat Bukit Bintang:
- Agent Ciki Harajuku poses with the Daikanyama resident redhead Agent Barricuda
Harajuku hotness...
- DJ Blastique providing the sick beats for the night
Hot beats and hot DJ...
- Kampaaaaaaiiiiii!!! :) :) Yummy booze + bloggers = Happy!
Lots of yummy drinks make the night more fun...
- Ciki with the our Goth-ed Flogger Queen Meena
Dazzling smiles...
- Yvonne, and Paranoid Android in the background! :), in a photo with the ultra pink Gloomy Bear
Balancing act?...
- ... but Naughty Gloomy Bear can't resist taking a bite of the lovely Yvonne
ROWR...
- And here I am with music expert Brother B
Peace! (Hee hee. Sorry lah. Am shy - it was hard enough walking down the street in that outfit on Friday. BTW, to all those who were staring/ pointing/ laughing at me that night: "OI! It was Halloween eve lah. Never seen a girl in a (sort of) school girl outfit before ah??" :P)...

Thanks to:
- Miss Hot Stuff for organising such a fun night out! :)
- Meena, BE, Yvonne, Brother B, Nigel, PA for making the night even better,
- Mr Barricudda for being such a great host at Daikanyama.

Hugs to all :),
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Zombie Dog On Wall

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:17:00 +0000

Random photo from Italy........ :)

Just felt like sharing this random photo from when I was walking around in Ancona, Italy:
Zombie Dog says, "ROWR!"...
Graffiti - is it art or just a nuisance? I guess the jury's still out on that, but I'd say that some of it's really nice. :)

I still love Banksy* best though - was very disappointed that I could not find any of his work in London, despite trying my best to keep my eyes open. :( :(

* He's a class of his own - instead of making money off merchandising (since he's quite famous now), he provides free high res images of some of his pieces on his website so that you can print your own tshirts/ cups/ posters/ etc! (for non-commercial reasons lah)

Anyways, random post over - Happy Tuesday everyone! :)

Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Autogrill Cafe @ Italy

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:47:00 +0000

Convenient place for yummy food all around Italy.....

Whilst on my road trip through Italy, hungry and tired, my friend suggested we stop for a bite at the Autogrill (which is a a chain of highway food outlets). Grudgingly I agreed, thinking, "I came all the way to Italy to eat highway rest stop type food?? *sigh* Oh well....".

Anyway, we stopped by the next outlet we came across, next to a petrol station... It had a simple setting inside - one part cafe and and one part mini grocery store:
Inside the Autogrill...
There were a range of simple foods to choose from - basically different kinds of (mostly) breads and pastries:
Lots of bread, cheese and pork!...
My friend recommended the Piadini (Euro 4.20), which he said was a popular local flat bread (which just looked like a chapati to me... haha...):
My piadini...
The waitress quickly grilled the Piadini and passed the hot pocket of carby goodness into my greedy hands. Oh, (porky) bliss - it was simple but good, filled with:
- Prosciutto slices (salty but yummy),
- Crescenza cheese (sinfully creamy), and
- some rocket leaves (balancing flavour).

So much for my negative pre-conceptions - it turns out highway-side food in Italy is clean, convenient and most importantly, delicious.

From then on, I was more than happy to stop at any given Autogrill for a snack. Later on in the trip, I tried the Buffolini (Euro 3.90):
More bread, cheese and pork!...
Again, it was filled with Prosciutto but this time paired with buffalo mozzarella (which I thought sounded interesting) in a round Panini like bread. The flavour was much milder (due to the lighter tasting cheese) but again it was a great snack - simple and yummy. :)

You should also not miss out on the coffees which are also surpisingly good there - I tried a lot of the Expresso (Euro 1.00):
Caffeine is a good friend of mine...
I usually do not take expressos, prefering cappuccinos or sinful mochas,... but I decided that (since I was in Italy where I've heard rave reviews about the coffee) I should try out coffee in its simplest and purest form.

(Given that you like coffee) MMMMMMMMMmmmm. :) :) :)

Anyway, if you're travelling in Italy and need a really decent bite - look out for the bright red sign that says Agrill or Autogrill (usually next to petrol stations, just off the highways). Apparently, some of the larger outlets have an additional, more restaurant-y section called Acafe where you can order hot food like pastas etc,... but it's not open all the time (just lunch and dinner):
A convenient choice...

So, it's: Clean, convenient locations just off the highways, yummy breads, pastries and coffees at reasonable prices BUT don't overeat and forget to leave space in your tummy for more yummy Italian food (pastas, etc) when you arrive at your destination city! :P....

Summary Information: AutoGrill @ Italy

Opening Hours: -
Phone: -
Address: More than 500 outlets all across Italy (usually next to petrol stations, off the highway)
Website: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Autogrill, Agrill, Cafe, Italy, Italian

Ka Soh @ Damansara Heights, KL

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:44:00 +0000

Established restaurant in the Medan Damansara area serving up wholesome fish head noodles...

Yet another lost receipt... I am so sorry - this seems to be happening a bit too often. Will persevere to change. :(
(Oh, I remember this lunch cost us about RM 20 per person between the 3 of us - I hope that helps).

I had always heard about Ka Soh (it's been around for YEARS) but never got around to trying it out....

Anyway, we decided to try out the outlet in the Bukit Damansara area (pretty much just behind Sri Ayutthaya) for lunch one day. Inside, the restaurant is simple but comfortable, with classic white walls and wooden tables:
Simple settings inside.....
Tempted by the promises of deep fried yummy-ness, we ordered the deep fried sotong (calamari):
The deep fried calamari.....
Oh man - this ROCKED.
I think it's hard to find really good deep fried calamari, and this was definately well into the delicious category - juicy (and not chewy, yay!) chunk of calamari enveloped in a light, crispy batter.
(I hope to God it was not just a fluke. I will order this again the next time I go there and report back if it's not just as good)

Trying to balance out the sin, we ordered the fried French beans:
.....
Very simply prepared - just stir fried with some garlic - the beans were crunchy and delicious.... We did find the serving a bit small though.
(To be fair, we did order the "small" serving size but we didn't expect it to be erm... so small lah. Haha... )

Of course, we figured that you can't go to Ka Soh and not order their house specialty - the fish head noodles - so got ourselves a big bowl of it (but in this case with fish slices, instead of chunky fish head pieces):
My bowl of noodles.....
To our surprise, this is served with an optional but fairly unhealthy serving of Chee Yau Char (deep fried pork fat) on the side:
SIN!.....
Erm....
It's strange but I didn't really like this - the noodle texture was ok and the fish slices were fresh but the soup was sort of watery and bland.... :(
(Then again, I realise that I do like my food pretty salty so it could just be me)

Anyway, I think I'll definitely be back for the deep fried calamari and to sample more of the other a la carte Chinese food there (they even have a few exotic options like frog!).... :) Not sure about the fish head noodles though!

So, it's: Good selection of yummy Chinese food, some unusual dishes (frog), simple yet comfortable ambience BUT strange, the house specialty (fish head noodles) was only ok and prices are a wee bit on the high side (but it is the Damansara Heights area after all)....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Ka Soh @ Jalan Kasah, Medan Damansara, KL
(Behind Victoria Station's row in Damansara Heights)

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : RM30++ per person
Parking: Very limited and generally painful

** Approximation - typical Chinese sharing style meal
Telephone No.: 03-2093 7388 (Damansara Heights outlet)
Opening Hours: 11am - 3pm, 6pm to 10pm

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Kampung Boy City Gal
- KuanChong.com
- Lots Of Cravings

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Ka Soh, Fish Head Noodles, Chinese, Medan Damansara, Bukit Damansara

Paris Photos (Part 3)

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Desktop holiday for you: European Edition - a taste of culture & fashion in Paris....

This will be the 3rd and final batch of photos from J the Chocoholic's Paris 2009 series... :)

Theme: Culture & Fashion....
There is no shortage of really nice museums to visit in Paris - it really just depends on what you like. With only 5 days there, I had to limit my selection so I only visited 3:
1) Musée L'Orsay:
The exterior of the Musee L'Orsay.....
I really liked the interior of this museum - a converted train station, the mix of ironwork and beautiful glass and stone carvings was simply beautiful:
Inside.....
As for the artwork, there were smatterings of famous paintings from many famous artists such as Degas (I like!) and Picasso:
Degas.....
~~Picasso~~ Van Gogh!.....
2) Musée L'Orangerie:
My fave museum of the lot, because it houses part of the Nympheas (Waterlilies) collection by one of my favourite artists, Claude Monet:
Monet.....
The thoughtfully designed interior was also pure genius - with the calming background music, simple white walls and natural lighting from the skylights enhancing the beauty of huge paintings spread across each circular room:
One of the main rooms in Musee L'Orangerie.....
3) Musée du Louvre:
The Louvre is THE most famous (even more so after the Da Vinci Code movie) and biggest museum in Paris housing 3 gargantuan wings of artifacts and artwork from all over the world:
The Louvre.....
For example, Egypt,:
Mini Sphinx?.....
... Europe:
Heavy suit.....
... and of course many other places (Asia, etc).

It is also (as you may already know) the home of the famous Venus De Milo statue and the Mona Lisa painting by Signore Leonardo Da Vinci:
The Venus De Milo.....
Is it terrible for me to say that I was fairly unimpressed with the Mona Lisa? :(

Well, maybe if I could have gotten a better look at it I may have appreciated it more.... but it was cordoned off meters away, protected behind a (probably) bullet proof casing so I couldn't even see her properly (and also there quite a lot of people jostling around to see her):
Squint to see the Mona Lisa.....
4) Galeries Lafayette Fashion Show:
I managed to score a free ticket to a mini fashion show at one of the high class shopping centers in Paris called Galaries Lafayette (I guess it's like Star Hill or Pavilion in KL?):
Front row seat!.....
Actually, it's not like it was such a big deal - they have this fashion show weekly (Friday 3pm) and all you got to do book yourself a seat at least 2 weeks in advance (you can contact them through the email on their website):
Models: Setting ridiculous body standards around the world *sigh*.....
Ah, Paris - where even the inside of a shopping center can be so beautiful! Check it out:
The gorgeous steelwork and dome inside the Galaries Lafayette.....

That's all I have for the highlights of my trip to Paris (I hope you liked it). I'm sorting through my Italy photos now so I'll post those up next, ok?
:)

Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Travel,Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Auberge de la Reine Blanche @ rue Saint-Louis en L'ile

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:56:00 +0000

Traditional French food in a quaint hole in the wall restaurant.....

While researching for places to eat in Paris, I found this highly recommended eatery on Trip Adviser so I decided to try it out. Loved the location! - on a small isle in the middle of the Seine River, in a quaint area filled with narrow streets and shop houses:
The restaurant from the outside...
Inside, the restaurant is pretty cramped but somehow feels cosy rather than claustrophobic (although admittedly, I didn't really enjoy being quite that close to my fellow diners):
All the tables were packed within inches of each other!...
The menu and daily specials are mostly in French (and some English) but the wait staff here speak really decent English (AND are really friendly) so there's nothing to worry about in terms of language barriers. :)

I asked for my waiter to recommend a proper French meal to me, so he suggested I start off with the Pastis (Euro 7++) apéritif from the Marseilles region:
Pastis!...
Wowza - it was strong.
(I learnt later on Wikipedia that Pastis is generally between 40-45% alcohol!)

Hmmm,.. I didn't really like it though because there was a very strong taste of star anise and licorice (which I am ok with, but don't really love) but my intention was to try something different so I was happy with it. :)

Quickly feeling the effects of the Pastis (on my empty stomach) I started shoving the free crusty bread with the accompanying mild cheese spread down my throat (aka. Attempt at damage control! Haha...):
Bread & cheese - French staples!...
Luckily the Duck Salad (part of 3 course set, Euro 19.50++) came pretty quickly or I may have been stuffed with bread due to my own folly:
The duck salad...
When I saw the dark and shriveled looking pieces of duck sparsely scattered in the fresh greens, I was a bit disappointed....

I thought I was in for a jaw breaking session, but was surprised to find out the duck was actually moist and yummy. It was also pretty salty, so the small amount went well with the simple vinaigrette dressed salad. I think it would have been better without so much cheese though, because it made it a bit too salty at times.

The red wine (Euro 8++) recommended by the waiter went very well with the duck (and I was starting to get a bit drunk by that point):
More alcohol...
By this time, my expectations were very high... but I ended up being a bit disappointed with my main, the Bouef Bourguignon (part of 3 course set, Euro 19.50++):
French beef stew...
This is a very simple classic French dish, pieces of beef stewed with vegetables, but the beef texture was a downer and the stew was kinda tasteless... :( :( I tried explaining this to the waiter at the end of my meal (just as feedback, not a complaint) but I guess they are not used to getting bad feedback here as he didn't understand the words "bland", "tough" or "dry and a bit stringy".

Luckily, the Dessert of the Day (part of 3 course set, Euro 19.50++) was pretty good:
The delightful dessert of the day...
It was a mix of 2 slices of cake/ pie with a small serving of raspberry custard on the side - overall, simple and refreshing! :)

Despite being quite stuffed and a bit tipsy by then, I did not want to back down from having the full, proper French meal so I ended with a Douce (Euro 9++) digestif:
Alcohol, food, alcohol, food, alcohol - layers of sin in my tummy...
Yummy. :D
It was (again) really strong, but I loved the really intense flavours of fruit - peaches and pears, I think. It was also super sweet though, so I could only attempt small sips at a time.

Later, I stumbled out of the restaurant, (...trying to look graceful while I'm at it) and ambled along the river bank, enjoying the sunshine and trying in vain to "walk off" the calories. :)
(Sure, the meal wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed it anyway.... I just wish I had the time & money to go back for a second round)

So, it's: Adorable hole in the wall restaurant, good range of traditional French cuisine, restaurant staff speak English! :) BUT it can be a little too cosy, especially during peak hours (tables are packed very, very closely)....

Summary Information:
Auberge de la Reine Blanche @ rue Saint-Louis en L'ile, Paris

Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week (12noon - 3pm, 6pm - late).
Phone: +33 146330787
Address: 19, rue Saint-Louis en L'ile, Paris 75004, France

NOT SURE WHETHER HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Paris, Auberge de la Reine Blanche , Restaurant, Paris, France

The Yogi Tree @ The Gardens, Midvalley, KL

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:18:00 +0000

Healthy but yummy food? A miracle! (Much blogged about restaurant in the Gardens Shopping Center, Midvalley)....

I don't feel very wordy today so I'll keep the descriptions really short... :)
(Hee hee hee... so lazy, right?)

Yogi Tree - Not that new. Upper floor in Midvalley Gardens (Isetan side):
Inside the calming Yogi Tree restaurant....
Nasi Ulam Ayam Perchik (RM 22+):
A plate full of healthy deliciousness....
Healthy, nasi ulam, keropok, grilled chicken (perchik style), deep fried fish & sambal. Not cheap, but overall was good! - Chicken only ok but the fish & sambal was really good! :)
(Would definately order again)

Thai Beef Noodles (RM 23+):
My bowl of Beef Noodles....
Didn't like this at all. Soup was too sweet.
(My taste buds are more skewed to salty, rather than sweet)

(Also: I've been back - tried the Chicken Cacciatore and some of the pastas - they were nice...)

So it's: Healthier options of Western and Asian food, friendly (but slightly blur) service, nice ambience - casual yet classy BUT prices a bit on the higher side....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Yogi Tree @ 1st Floor, Gardens Shopping Centre, Mid Valley

Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 50/+ per person
Parking: Difficult on weekends

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2282 6163
Opening Hours: 11am till 10pm

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Lots of Cravings
- Paranoid Android
- Shawn Eats World
- The Hungry Moo
- MCHLLCHN
- Zestful Eats

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Midvalley Megamall, MidValley, The Gardens, Local food, Western, Healthy Food, The Yogi Tree, Shopping Centre, KL, Kuala Lumpur

More Paris Photos

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:45:00 +0000

Desktop holiday for you: European Edition - wandering around Paris (Part 2)....

(Wow, I actually got around to updating on the 2nd batch of photos!)

Visiting all the major (and typical) Tourist attractions....
1) A beautifully sunny day at the Eiffel Tower:
The Eiffel.....
There are different prices for entering the Eiffel Tower, with the ticket for going right to the top priced at Euro 13.
(So, I decided to give it a miss... especially since I didn't have anyone to share the view with *EMO* Haha...)

Check out the heavily armed man guarding the Eiffel from all the evil tourists! *lol*:
" I'm watching you!" *grrrrrr*.....
Hmmmm... Do I look dangerous enough to warrant such heavy artillery? :)

2) Walking by the Seine river (perfect on a sunny day!):
The scenic Seine.....
It was such a beautiful day that I decided to take a stroll along the famous Seine river... There were many people enjoying the weather there too - whether (also) taking a walk around, chilling out by reading a book or sunbathing at the side of the river. :)

3) Next, the Notre Dame cathedral:
The famous Notre Dame.....
It was a dark and very atmospheric inside, with really beautiful stained glass windows:
Holy ground.....
The elaborate Gothic facade and interior were really awe-inspiring....
(...but still, my favourite cathedral is still the Unfinished Cathedral in Spain - I love the natural inspirations behind the design)

4) Inside the pantheon (originally a church!), checking out the giant pendulum:
Science rocks!.....
Wah - this pendulum (specifically, the Foucault pendulum) is 67 meters long! and it's quite cool although the exact physics of how it works are completely lost on me.
(Apparently it caused quite a lot of shock/ sensation when it was first put together in 1851 - Even though it was already published before that the world does revolve, probably not many people really believed it because you couldn't actually see it happen).

5) The Arc de Triompe:
The arc looks very unassuming in daylight, but becomes really beautiful at night especially when complemented by the lights of the large tree lined Champs-Élysées avenue:
Arty Lomo-like shot of the Arc.....
Pretty lights, at sunset.....
As I wandered around the area, I stopped to dream in front of the Louis Vuitton store (along Avenue des Champs-Elysees where a lot of the expensive top brands are):
Lust inspiring? Haha.....
(Apparently it's the biggest LV shop in Europe)
I know, *sigh* it's just all marketing fueled consumerism but the bags are really pretty! - it's not wrong that I wish I could have one, is it? *bats eyelids*

That's all for now but I should be able to round up 1 more post of Paris photos - if you're not too bored of them already? :)

Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Travel,Malaysia, KL, Paris, France, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

La Gueuze @ rue Soufflot, Paris

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:51:00 +0000

Second food related post from my trip: Traditional French food and a Mid-day Trance Party nearby? What a combination! :).....

As I wandered away from the Pantheon, I chanced upon this French brasserie (just down the road):
La Gueuze...
It was a beautiful day - sunny but with a nice cool breeze - so I took a seat at one of the tables outside on the sidewalk:
Chilling out, al fresco...
This cosy bar/ restaurant specialises in beers, but I decided on a nice Rose wine (Euro 4.50++) instead to go with my Confit Canard (Euro 17.00++):
My late lunch...
*sigh* Bloody exchange rate! :( :(
Anyway, that aside, I was really pleased with the meal:
- Savoury and tender duck (the meat was practically falling off the bone),
- Salty chunks of fried potatoes, fluffy inside but slightly seared on the outside,
- Washed down with a lightly chilled, medium bodied Rose...
BLISS. :)

I was actually pretty full after that but it didn't stop me from ordering a Creme brulee (Euro 6.90++):
There's always space for dessert! :D...
The crispy caramelised layer was just a fraction too thick, but for the most part, it tasted gooooooood..... :)
(No complaints)

As I sat there eating/ drinking/ enjoying life, I noticed a horde of young uns just a couple of steps away, crowding around (what seemed to be) a mini disco, DJ booth and all, mounted on top of a 16 wheeler truck - so, I'm guessing that in Paris, they have moving raves at mid day? Interesting!:
Wah, so many people...
I think I can't describe to you well enough,... but believe me: the energy level there was AMAZING.

Great trance music blasting, strobe lights, mist machines, everyone dancing uninhibitedly in broad daylight, people climbing on top of lamp posts, etc... This poor guy probably wasn't having that much fun though (I suspect he had way too much to drink) *lol*:
Clearly a case of liver abuse...
Anyway, I continued to watch the procession of trucks (I counted at least 3) and accompanying horde of kids dance their way down the street from a comfortable distance... choosing to sip on my wine rather than join them on their happy rampage through the streets of Paris: Hmmmm... perhaps I'm getting old? Haha... :)

So, it's: Cosy brasserie just down the road from the Pantheon, decent range of French food and wines, great selection of international beers BUT nothing much to complain except that the bloody exchange rate hurts real BAD (but that's not the restaurant's fault)....

Summary Information:
La Gueuze @ rue Soufflot, Paris

Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week.
Phone: +33 143541259
Address: 19, rue Soufflot, Paris 75005, France

NOT SURE WHETHER HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Paris, La Gueuze, Beer, Restaurant, Brasserie, Paris, France

BKT @ Restoren Teo Chew Bak Kut Teh, SS2, PJ

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:47:00 +0000

A piping hot bowl of BKT in SS2 to warm your soul.....

Ok, first of all, let's clarify one thing:
Question: Is this the best BKT in town?
Answer: Definitely not!

... but it is nearby (for us PJ ppl), tastes ok, and has a great variety of side dishes to complement your meal ***

*** Yam rice, chuee keok shuein (vinegar pork leg), assam fish, shuein choi (sour vegetables), harm choi (salty vegetables), otak-otak, etc etc... :)

Now that we are clear on that, let's have a closer look at the restaurant/ food, shall we?:
The exterior of the restaurant..........
This simple restaurant is located just down the road from the Lorong Seratus Tahun place, and has been here for AGES. They have recently (in the last year or 2 anyway) renovated the premises to make it more comfortable, which is great...
(It used to be the classic simple but slightly dingy coffeeshop styled place but now, there is some air-conditioning and the whole area just looks so much fresher)

That day, they had run out of my usual pai kuat :(, so instead I had a serving of yukk kuat (meaty ribs), with white rice:
My food :)..........
As mentioned before, the BKT here is in no way the best in town, with the meat only being moderately tender and the Teo Chew style soup being a bit on the ching (light/ clear) side.
(Some people find it bland vs. the BKT in Klang but as I understand the Klang BKT is Hokkien, which is made to be saltier and thicker VS. the Teo Chew style BKT which is lighter and more herb-y)
(So, maybe it's not really fair to compare the 2...?)

What really keeps me coming back here though (other than the fact that it's only about 10 minutes away from my house) is actually the Salted Vegetables:
The yummy salted vegetables..........
Salty (yet not too salty), sour, spicy and laced with teeny pieces of meat - it's really appetising and completely delicious.
(I think I can have just this, with rice and a bowl of BKT soup, and be 110% satisfied)
:)

I can't remember exactly how much each dish costs (sorry, the receipt is not with me) but I am pretty sure it was less than RM15 (including one drink).

So, it's: Simple and clean coffeeshop setting, OK tasting Teo Chew bak kut teh at decent prices and a great variety of other side dishes BUT nothing much to complain about except that it can be difficult to find parking in the area.... :)

Summary Information:
Restoren Teo Chew Bak Kut Teh @ SS2, PJ

Opening Hours: 7am to 3pm, and 6pm to 10pm. Closed on Mondays (except public holidays)
Phone: -
Address: 26, SS2/66, Petaling Jaya (down the road from the Lorong Seratus Tahun place)

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- The Poop Shoot
- KY Eats
- Eatinout
- Pillow Talk With Bangsar Babe

TAGS:Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Local Food, Restoren Teo Chew Bak Kut Teh, SS2, BKT, Petaling Jaya, PJ

Paris Photos

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:07:00 +0000

Desktop holiday for you: European Edition - wandering around Paris (Part 1)....

Talk about A.D.D./ being easily distracted! I haven't even finished posting up my Siem Reap photos and here I am skipping to my Paris ones... :)
(Erm, you don't mind though, do you?)

First stop: the Montmarte area....
1) Classic tourist attraction at the foot of Montmarte - the Moulin Rouge:
Can can?....
Situated in the midst of the Montmarte/ Pigalle (red light district!) area, this famous caberet doesn't look very impressive by day...
(Apparently it looks better at night when all the lights are on, and the windmill starts spinning....)

2) The classic art nouveau styled Metro sign!:
Metropolitan...
I love how pretty the sign is.... but I do wish they installed escalators into the metros though... Walking up and down all those stairs (especially with my luggage since I was on a budget) really did horrors to my knees.
(OMG, I cannot deny it anymore - I am OOOOOLD.....)

3) Space invaders spotted!:
Kawaii!.....
Word is that a creative artist (nickname: Invader) started tagging walls in Paris with these cute tile designs (sort of like mosaic graffiti) and now, even the French government is trying to protect it as artwork.... :)

4) The main square on top of Montmarte:
Artists amongst the hustle and bustle.....
Was told that Montmarte has always been the Bohemian/ arty part of town and has remained so (even though in this case it smells a bit of "tourist trap")....

5) The famed Sacre Couer on the peak on Montmarte:
The Sacre Coeur.....
Hmmm, apparently the French originally didn't like this relatively new cathedral (because it looks like a big, white wedding cake), but I think it looks ok.... :)

Many, many, MANY winding steps to go up to the top of the Sacre Couer:
1 step, 2 steps,... ad infinitum.....
It's free to enter the main areas of the Sacre Couer, but you have to pay Euro 3.00 to go up to the tower... and there are NO SHORT CUTS! :)

Wah! Look at the view though... :):
Looking out from the top of the cathedral.....
It was a bit misty/ smoggy? that day but if you squint, you can see the Eiffel tower from up there

6) Oh, if you want, here's a closer look at the Eiffel Tower for you (from the next day):The Eiffel.....

Ok. I'll stop here for round 1. :)
(Hopefully I get around to Round 2 soon before I get completely distracted)

Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Travel,Malaysia, KL, Paris, France, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Maison Baillon @ Rue Louise Michel, Levallois-Perret, Paris

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:40:00 +0000

My first food related post from my trip: Carbs are so yummy *sigh*.....

How lucky I was - found this really yummy bakery just a stone's throw away from my hotel in Levaillois-Perret (an area about 15 minutes away from the main Paris city center).
:)
From the outside, in the early morning....
The great thing about it is that it opens really early (from around 7am, although not the full range of products is ready at that time) so I could always grab something yummy while on my way out to go sightseeing.

Sadly, they don't have many savoury items there, but the Pizza bread (haha, it's not very French, I know) was quite good:
The pizza bread....
The pizza base was deceptive! At first I wasn't expecting much as it looked quite thick but it turned out to be perfectly crunchy yet slightly fluffy, topped by a yummy piquant tomato sauce, cheese and mushrooms.

Their specialty though is more to sweet pastries, I suppose, as that was the majority of their offering at this small neighbourhood patisserie.
The apple pastry....
The apple pastry (pictured above) was delicious! - perfectly crisp and flaky layers of puff pastry enveloping a juicy centre of chunky apple filling... What I especially liked is that the filling tasted natural and not too sweet (in fact it was a bit sour). :)

I also tried the Pain Au Chocolat and it was just as good:
*CHOMP* A bite out of my Pain Au Chocolat while on the go....
Oh, but the pièce de résistance was definitely the mini macaroons! :) I know it's not exactly normal breakfast food but I couldn't resist:
A selection of cute macaroons - Which one to eat first?? :)....
And how weak I was too! - I ended up buying one of each flavour: Vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut and raspberry. :D

Save for the pistachio flavoured macaroon (which I found a bit too synthetic, both in flavour and colour), they were the bomb - the meringue-ish macaroon biscuit was moist yet crispy on the outside and had a generous layer of dense, flavourful and creamy ganache sandwiched in between.
(I could not ask for more - it really knocked my socks off)

Overall, it wasn't too expensive, as most of the items cost between 1 to 3 Euros (I guess it is slightly cheaper as it's not in the city center). I just wish I had more time (, stomach space & cash) to try out all the other things there. *sigh*

So, it's: Unpretentious neighbourhood bakery with a fairly good range of yummy baked goodies BUT no seating here at all (I saw people take-away in large amounts though) and not much in terms of savoury pastries....

Summary Information:
Maison Baillon @ Levallois-Perret, France

Opening Hours: 7.30am till late.
Phone: +33 147577617
Address: 57, rue Louise Michel, Levallois-Perret 92300, France

NOT SURE WHETHER HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Paris, Maison Baillon, Boulangerie & Pâtisserie, France

The Cafe @ Palma Condo, Mont Kiara, KL

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:31:00 +0000

A new cafe has taken over Bella Italia in the Mont Kiara Palma condo....

Talk about great timing... Just as my friends and I try out a new (to us) restaurant in the Mont Kiara Palma Condo, we find out from Boo_licious that it's closing down (thanks for the update!).....

Well, the good news is that her friend was taking over and opening a new restaurant immediately after so we quickly went over to the Palma Condo again to try it out.
(Can't resist trying out new places, if you can't already tell):
The cafe, by the pool side...
(Recap: This cafe is located at the poolside of the Palma Condominium, specifically, it's near the ground level pool - ask the guards, because apparently this condo has 2 pools)

The new owners had taken some time to give the place a fresh new look - I liked the lighter colors, which made the whole place seem much more welcoming:
The interior of the cafe...
Looking at the menu, it's not extensive (a mix of local and simple Western dishes) but there were definitely some interesting items, one of which was the Ulam(?) Fried Rice (about RM7):
The yummy Fried Rice...
I LOVE a good plate of fried rice and this one was (thankfully) pretty darn good. Dry yet fluffy rice (perfect grain-y fried rice texture), not too oily, wonderfully fragrant of bunga kantan & kaffir leaves, and laced with some cili padi for that extra kick - I would definitely order this again. :) :)

It is however, a vegetarian option (no meat) although the very friendly restaurant manager told us "Ask, and it shall be given!"...
... meaning that upon request, he can adjust it any way we want (eg. add chicken, but for a price of course)

We also tried out some of the western dishes. First up, the Lamb Chops with Black Pepper Sauce (about RM 16?):
The lamb chops...
Not bad. The lamb was much more tender than I expected (.. it was not like, SUPER tender but was very decent for a non-upper crust restaurant.. ) and the sauce was tasty (although I would have liked it just a tad more pepper-y).

The Roast Chicken (about RM 15?) was recommended as a specialty so we tried it too:
The Roast Chicken...
Also not bad - the serving was a little small but the chicken was tender and well marinated, so it made for a satisfying albeit light meal.

As for desserts, they prepare a fresh batch of home made desserts everyday but that day it was Red Bean Soup which (1. I don't like, 2. the others were too full, so) we didn't try.....

So it's: Cosy setting by the poolside, friendly service, fair selection of local and simple Western dishes at reasonable prices BUT can be warm (it's open air with no air conditioning) and not much in terms of desserts.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Cafe @ Palma Condo, Mont Kiara
(the condo next to the Mont Kiara Coffee Bean/ just a bit down the road from Plaza Mont Kiara)

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 25+ per person
Parking: OK***(It's free but limited inside the condo - and do not park for >6 hours or you will get charged RM10)

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
*** It's free but limited inside the condo - and do not park for >6 hours or you will get charged RM10

Telephone No.: 017-2492881
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm (Closed on Mondays, but can be open any time if negotiated for private bookings)

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
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Map:

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Hartamas, Mont Kiara, Palma Condominium, The Cafe, Local Food, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Stretching The Boundaries...

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:09:00 +0000

... Of Chocolate Norms!

Q&A Session:
Q1 - "Do you like chocolate?"
A1 - J says, "Oh yes, definately...." :)

Q2 - "What about bacon? Do you like it?"
A2 - J nods enthusiastically, "Yes - a lot, especially crispy bacon!" :) :)

Well, with that in mind - I'm still not entirely sure whether I would try this:

Mo's Bacon ** Bar
"... a combination of crispy applewood smoked bacon bits, alder wood smoked salt, and super-smooth deep milk chocolate... "

If you want to try it out, here's the link to Vosges Chocolate's official website: CLICK HERE

Be warned though, as interesting as it sounds, there have been some very mixed reviews on the taste, with some exclaiming, "YUM!" and others, "YUCK!".
(Apparently, it turns out that bacon doesn't always make everything better.... Haha... )

Wondering what they'll think of next,
J

Note:
** Yes, it's pork bacon, so it's completely not Halal.

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

With Love From Paris

noreply@blogger.com (J) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:51:00 +0000

I'm alive! :)

Had a great time in Paris (& Rome, now in London) and will be coming home in a week. Miss you all.... *HUGS*
(You know who you all are)
Petit dejeuner in Paris...
See you soon! :) :)

Hugs,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal