Kah Kah Loke, Johor Bahru - Best bitter gourd soup

Add: 62, Jalan Bakawali 39, Taman Johor Jaya, Johor Bahru
Directions: Thanks to adelekang.blogspot.com
From Jln Pandan (CARREFOUR on left), pass the traffic light heading towards KOTA TINGGI OR DESARU. Go ahead (left is TELEKOM and right is a CEMETERY). You’ll see PRO-JET STATION on the other side of the road. Make a U-TURN from the left shoulder of the road . Turn left to the shop lot, nearby is the other gas station of Jln Bakawali 49. Kah Kah Loke is just located behind the front lot of shop (FEI KOH WANTAN MEE).


Thanks to KT for taking us for my first meal at JB :-) ever! Kah Kah Loke is a humble tai-chau that serves up some superb food ... All the below for only RM$35.

Tofu with minced meat ... Yummmmmmmy!


Excellent ... Stir Fried Fan Sui Yip (Tapioca leaf)


Hakka Char Yoke "fried pork" ... Best variant of this dish I have had so far!


L loved the omelette ... simple, and good!


The masterpiece ... Bitter Gourd soup! Only a hint of bitterness, the lean meat and sweet bitter gourd went perfectly with the soup.

The Club, Bandar Utama - Rare golfing photos of me!

A break from all the Singapore makan posts, I will put up some recent KL ones now!

A simple but fun little course, in the heart of Bandar Utama :-) Played there recently with TK and his friend D. Pity the greens were in really poor condition.

Lining up my drive on the 5th hole, a short Par 4


Bang...


Got the ball to stick on a 150+ metre Par 3, my ancient Taylor Made Rescue Mid got the job done. Pity I shaved the hole on my birdie putt ... My only PAR of the day!
ps - Check out the greens ... playable!?


I always love the elevated Par 3 seventh hole :-)

Nice drive :-)

Tong Heng Chinese Pastry Egg Tarts - South Bridge Road, Singapore

Add: 285 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058833
Tel: +65 6223 3649



streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore
Located in Chinatown, South Bridge Road, Tong Heng Chinese confectionary has been around since the 1920s, are now known for their long history of their gorgeous pastries.
However, they do bake other kinds of Chinese pastry, and since Valentine's Day is around the corner, surprise your loved ones with the wife biscuit instead the normal rich dinners and flowers. Otherwise also known as, lao po bing in Mandarin it is a pastry in a form of the round and flat, light flaky crust.



Voted by many as being the SUPREME egg tart in Singapore, I think a shoot-out is in order with KL's finest aka Tong Kee Brothers (Kedai Kopi Lai Foong, Jalan Brunai Utara, Pudu, KL - Te: +603 2142 9958).

Pastry of Tong Heng's Egg Tarts were a wee bit firm for my liking, and the egg custard a trifle sweet. Shoot out... shoot out!!

Oso Ristorante - Bukit Pasoh, Singapore

Add: 46 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore
Tel: +65 6327 8378
Opening hours: Mon-Fri @ 12pm - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm , Sat: 6.30pm - 10.30pm , closed on Sundays.

Hungrygowhere.com/Singapore
Oso is located in a 2 storey shop house along Bukit Pasoh Road, at the end nearer to New Bridge Road. The first floor is the Cigar Room where guests can linger for some drinks and to puff their favourite cigars. The main dining area is on the second floor. There's a choice of dining in the comforts of the main dining area, or at the Balcony, where there's full view of the street downstairs. No air conditioning here though. Oso provides private dining for various sizes to cater for the special occasion.


Starters weren't particularly impressive, except for the Cold Cuts Parma Ham. Looked deeeelicious! Parma ham “prosciutto” 18 months served with rock melon - SGD$38


My Foie gras starter, which was good, but not spectacular!


200 Gr. Roasted beef tenderloin “filetto” with sabayon, asparagus and shaved truffle - SGD$48 ... LT loved this, and would recommend it prepared "blue" (Yes, raw-er then rare!)


8 hours oven baked lamb rack “agnello” with black onions and green beans - SGD$34 ... WM's choice, really enjoyable with its melt-in-mouth texture.


Other mains we chose include the pesto pasta, which was a wee bit too rich!


Slowly braised veal shank “Ossobuco” with lemon gremolata and potato puree - SGD$34 ... My choice. Again, really delicious especially the MARROW which Sumo thought me to enjoy. However, the serving was hardly generous I reckon!


A good choice by LT, an Argentinian red.


The signature Chocolate Tart "Crostata" with Milk Ice Cream was well enjoyed! Forget the cheesecake, it was rather forgettable. LT chose the "strong" cheese platter, hmmm...


I wasn't particularly impressed by the waiting staff, but the maitre'd and the chef were pleasant! At SGD$110 per person, this was definitely not a cheap meal. There were hits and misses, but overall, this is a good restaurant.

Adidas Classic Stan Smith II - Miss Piggy Limited Edition

Shoe: Adidas Classic Stan Smith II
Special edition: Womens Stan Smith II P4 - Miss Piggy (diva / white / bloom)
Stock: 465574
Limited run: 25,000 pairs made

First pair of Adidas shoes I have seen with no tri-stripes! This very special pair belongs to LT, lucky gal :-)


I love the sole! Check out the transparent Miss Piggy!


Who's Stan Smith?
Stanley Roger Smith (born December 14, 1946 in Pasadena, California) is a former American tennis player who, with his partner Bob Lutz, was one of the most successful doubles teams of all time. Together, they won many major titles all over the world. Smith also won many singles titles, including the Wimbledon championship once and the US Open championship once. In 1972, he was the year-ending World No. 1 singles player.
Adidas approached Smith in 1971 to endorse the Adidas Stan Smith tennis shoe.

Muffin at home

Muffin wearing a cute bandana could only mean one thing ... She has just been groomed :-)


I like belly rubs...

Awfully Chocolate, Vivocity - Singapore

Add: 1 Harbourfront Walk @ #01-156 VivoCity Singapore
Tel: +65 6410 9725
Opening hours: 10:00am - 10:30pm

Deeeeeeeeeeeeelicious :-)

Any flavour .... as long as it's CHOCOLATE!

ps. Best of all was the service, the 2 gals behind the counter were friendly, polite and fun!

National Geographic Store - VivoCity, Singapore

Location: VivoCity, Singapore @ 1st Floor, shop no. 19-20

It's here, the much hyped about 2nd National Geographic Store worldwide ... in Singapore.

press.nationalgeographic.com
Dec. 12, 2008 - National Geographic and Barcelona-based Worldwide Retail Store SL have chosen Singapore as the site of the Society's first flagship store in Asia. Opening on Sunday, Dec. 14, the store in Singapore's Vivo City will be National Geographic's second global experiential space, following the launch of its store in London last month.

One of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations, National Geographic has a rich 120-year heritage of inspiring people to care about the planet through its media offerings, education and research programs. The Asian store will bring together the Society's exclusive products and services in a constantly evolving, highly immersive and culturally inspired setting. The store will be geared toward amateur explorers, travel enthusiasts, adventure seekers and environmentalists -- a rapidly growing segment of Singapore's population, as shown by a recent study that indicated a nearly 10 percent increase in overseas travel among Singaporeans from 2006 to 2007.

The Singapore store opening builds on the success of National Geographic's strong subscriber base for its media products, with National Geographic Channel available in more than 56 million homes in Asia Pacific and more than 100,000 readers of its magazines in Singapore.

Located at Vivo City, Singapore's largest shopping mall in the vibrant HarbourFront precinct, the new National Geographic store is designed to appeal to Singaporeans' taste for adventure and diverse cultures. More than a traditional retail environment, the 1,500-square- metre (16,146-square-foot) store will feature a retail marketplace, exhibition space and unique "experience zones" for multisensory activities designed to stimulate, educate and inspire visitors. The exhibition hall will display a rotating showcase of curated exhibits, inspired by content from National Geographic's international channels, magazines and mission-oriented projects. The marketplace will feature a wide selection of National Geographic media products featuring its award-winning content as well as newly created branded merchandise and sustainable, unique, hand-crafted items sourced from global artisans.

The store will feature items produced, sourced or selected by National Geographic. Key product lines include National Geographic's Rugged Basic, International Traveler and Explorer Gear clothing lines and accessories; casual and expedition-style footwear; a full range of optics, from eyewear and binoculars to telescopes and cameras; journals, calendars and other stationery products; maps, atlases and guidebooks; watches; home furnishings and dėcor, with a special emphasis on reclaimed wood pieces; and a wide selection of children's products.

My favourite photo amongst the 100s of gorgeous photos at the Store, was from a National Geographic magazine published in 1985. The Afghan girl ... Sharbat Gula, and the photographer was Steve McCurry.

National Geographic News
Updated March 7, 2003

This story was first published a year ago, in March 2002, when the National Geographic Society announced that the "Afghan Girl" had been found.A National Geographic EXPLORER documentary airing in the United States on Sunday, March 9, 2003, tells the whole story, including an interview with Sharbat Gula.
She was one of the world's most famous faces, yet no one knew who she was. Her image appeared on the front of magazines and books, posters, lapel pins, and even rugs, but she didn't know it. Now, after searching for 17 years, National Geographic has once again found the Afghan girl with the haunting green eyes.

The mysterious Afghan girl whose direct gaze has intrigued the West for so long is Sharbat Gula. She lives in a remote region of Afghanistan with her husband and three daughters.
Sharbat was located nearly two decades after her picture appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine in 1985. She had no idea her face had become an icon, said Steve McCurry, the photographer who made the famous portrait for National Geographic in 1984, and who tried to find her again during many subsequent trips he made to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
McCurry's photo of the girl was selected as the cover of National Geographic 100 Best Pictures.

VivoCity - Largest shopping mall in Singapore

This was my first visit to Singapore's VivoCity, and I was impressed by the affordability and range of shops in this mall.



Wikipedia... VivoCity is the largest shopping mall in Singapore, located at the HarbourFront precinct . Opened on 7 October 2006, it marked the completion of the main structure by a topping-out ceremony on 18 April 2006 and was officially opened on 1 December 2006. Derived from the word vivacity, VivoCity, according to Mapletree Chairman Edmund Cheng, "evokes a lifestyle experience that is modern, stimulating and accessible to everyone, a place bubbling with energy and flowing with vitality". At the end of the first week of operations, the mall had received nearly a million visitors.



Location: HarbourFront, Singapore
Opening date: 7 October 2006 (operational) / 1 December 2006 (official)
Developer: Mapletree Investments
Management: CapitaLand Retail
Owner: Mapletree Investments
No. of stores and services: 335
No. of anchor tenants: 3 (Golden Village, Dairy Farm Group, Tangs Department Store)
Total retail floor area: 1.04 million square feet (96,600 square metres) (Net Lettable Area); 1.5 million square feet (139,350 square metres) (Gross Floor Area)
Parking: 2,179 parking lots



Interesting news from Countdown 2007
VivoCity served as the official venue for the live televised countdown to the new year, instead of Sentosa as per previous years. The countdown concert, held from 31 December 2006 to 1 January 2007, was held at the rooftop amphitheatre and included performances by various well-known homegrown artistes from MediaCorp Channel 5 and 8, as well as the Top 11 finalists of the 2nd season for Singapore Idol.


I was very impressed with the view of Sentosa one bright sunny afternoon ...

Sin Kee - Best chinese and western, Brickfields KL

Add: 194, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, KL
Tel: +603 2274 1842
Opening hours: 12 - 02:30pm (Lunch) / 05:30pm - 09:30pm (Dinner), closed on Mondays



History courtesy of Lyrical Lemongrass:
Sin Kee Restaurant in Brickfields used to be located in a wooden structure next to a petrol station along Jalan Tun Sambanthan. With progress and development, and the words KL Sentral whispered excitedly among the residents of Brickfields, Sin Kee moved to a shoplot across the road. Of late, there have been some positive refurbishments in Sin Kee. The restaurant now boasts a purple ceiling and orange lamps that create a warm and funky ambience to the otherwise old-fashioned chinese restaurant.

Description by Rasarasa.net:
Foo Kei Chang started Sin Kee in a makeshift wooden building in 1969 next to the Shell petrol kiosk in Brickfields. In 1999, it moved into a shoplot because the government needed the land for KL Sentral.
Foo Kei Chang has since retired and passed the restaurant to son Man Eek. Sin Kee is still known for its Hainanese steamed rice. Its speciality menu also has local and Western influences.


I gathered L and FBB one day to try my favourite Hainanese Chicken Chop in KL, and it didn't dissapoint. Perfectly grilled chicken, delicious hand-cut fries and perfectly balanced tomato-based baked-beans gravy.


Our fave dish ... Recommended by the propietor / uncle, Rice & Stewed spare ribs with Potato. Great taste, served with soft-melt-in-mouth spuds.


Lift the "magical" red bowl ... and voila, steaming goodness! Yes, this is Sin Kee's "signature" dish, Man Fan.


Best described by Lyrical Lemongrass..
Mun Fan is a one dish meal. Plain rice liberally topped with big fresh prawns, squids and sliced fishcake in a darkish sauce of onions, covering a fried omelette, and lettuce to complete the picture. We usually request for sliced lup cheong (chinese sausage) to be added to the dish to make it sinfully good. The flavours from the delectable seafood, lup cheong and caramelised onions work together perfectly to create a sweet and savoury meal.

Plenty of wok-hei in the simply stir fried Yau Mak. Deeelicious.


Good value at RM$40 for all this , including desserts of Sea Coconut and Fu-chok gingko nuts barley tong sui.


FBB and L agrees ... we shall be back!!

BMC Team Machine SLT 01 2009 - Racing Bicycle

Had the pleasure of some close-up shots of this gorgeous racing bike ... Wow!



This is the BMC Team Machine SLT 01.


Gorgeous details...


The Team Machine SLT 01 utilizes BMC's innovative Crosslock Skeleton technology. It combines specifically shaped High Modulus T700 carbon tubes with alloy lugs that are cold forged then finished with CNC machining. The Skeleton design with the CNC-cut lugs results in much more rigid joints, shorter tubes and more tube/lug overlap which maximizes surface area for optimal bonding strength. The goal for the Team Machine was to achieve higher rigidity while optimizing the weight of the frame. A 55cm SLT 01 weighs in at 1050g, right around 2.3lbs. While it has an industrial look to it, the first comment from everyone who buys one is always the same: "It looks heavy, but it built up so unbelievably light."



The Firefork carbon fiber wishbone monocoque seatstay and chainstays further enhance the dynamic ride of the SLT 01, giving the rear of the bike extra resistance to lateral flex while helping mellow out road shock transmitted through the rear wheel. The final touch in ensuring smoothness is the use of an Easton EC90 monocoque full carbon fiber fork. The EC90's monocoque design combines strength and ride quality. It's stiff and rigid for high performance cornering, yet absorbs the pounding of the open road for unparalleled riding comfort. The glossy natural carbon weave looks gorgeous, to boot. You also get an FSA integrated headset and a 31.6mm Easton EC70 Carbon Fiber seatpost.



The Team Machine is available in Swiss Red and Black/White, and comes in odd sizes from 47cm-61cm. BMC builds the SLT 01 with a progressively sloping geometry. On smaller sizes where added standover clearance is needed most the slope of the top tube is at its greatest. On the medium sizes the slope is moderate. On the largest sizes there is virtually no slope at all. This being the case, we recommend that you focus first and foremost on the top tube dimension when selecting frame size. BMC's use of sloping geometry has no impact on its ride quality. Rather, it's a matter of aesthetics. Appearance is a critical factor when choosing your dream bike, and the sloping design of the SLT 01 gives it one added modern flourish



Finally...

Xu Jun Sheng Teochew Porridge - Joo Chiat, Singapore

Add: Xu Jun Sheng Chao Zhou Mei Shi - 59 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore
Old shop: 30, Joo Chiat Place, Singapore
Tel: +65 9847 2946
Located: Junction of Tembeling road and Joo Chiat Place
Opening hours: Mon-Sat @ 11am - 8pm, Sunday @ 10.30am - 3pm
Closed: Wednesdays

A hearty lunch :-) Thanks Sumo and Lara!

Very fresh, and simply steamed Mullet ... The "fat" is the best part, its good for you. Serious!

I liked these dishes... Crispy Heh Chor (Prawn rolls) and simple fish-cakes. The stir fried vege was full of wok-hei!

Simple, healthy porridge meal!

Four Seasons Durians - Singapore

Add: 212 Joo Chiat Place, off Still Road, Singapore 427922
Tel: +65 6342 0277

I was really surprised to see such a modern, large and "stand-alone" durian 'stall'!


Found this online, "At fourseasons durians, we are dedicated to give ourcustomers the best durian there is to offer. We takepride in our quality product and service"

Ye Lai Xiang Cheng Tng - Established in Singapore, 1939

Add: Bedok Corner Food Centre - 1 Bedok Road, Stall No 31, Singapore 469572
Located: Opposite Bedok Army Camp
Opening hours: 12pm - 8pm, closed on Mondays


What's the fuss with the queue ... The best cheng tng in town, that's what!


Similar to Malaysia's ubiquitous leng chee kang, which I have enjoyed at the roadside in Pandamaran and Mee Jawa at Tropicana. The one served by Andrew at Stall 31 is very rich, with some fine ingredients including chunky persimmon bits.


Seems like everyone has a good story about Andrew :-)
1) Ralph describes his love for Rolexes
2) iEatiShootiPost describes how he learnt the recipe from his Grandma
3) Sumosumo gave me a demonstration of what happens when you ask Andrew about "special cheng tng" ... It comes with a lip-puckering "flying" kiss! Oooooh... Uh!

Goodness Gracious Me! This Mess is Not OK - Singapore hawkers

It must be fun working in Singapore's Kindness Movement and National Environment Agency. I am serious, they think of some rather cool campaigns with equally effective and funny communication methods. Look what we saw at a Bedok hawker centre, on the table...



"This mess is NOT OK! Please return your dirty plates / tray!"

Teh Halia Iklasi - Bedok Food Centre, Singapore

Hawker Centre: Bedok
Stall: Iklasi (No.6)

Post breakies of mee-pok, it was time to wash it down withe some strong and well-balanced Teh Halia (Ginger tea with condensed milk).

Large Teh Ais and our wee little "Teh Halia" ...

Wow, there are even specific "Wheel-chair" slots on some tables, good job Singapore!

Gorgeous trees along Singapore's roads

Mature, leafy and healthy trees can be seen providing shade and beauty all along Singapore's roads ... Love them!



Wikipedia
Heritage Trees are individual mature trees specially selected for protection by law under the Heritage Trees Scheme adopted on 17 August 2001. Implemented at the same time as the Heritage Roads scheme, it is part of a nation-wide drive in tree conservation efforts not just within nature reserves, parks, and newly established tree conservation areas, but also anywhere else in the urban and rural environment of Singapore.
Trees are added to the scheme through endorsement by a nine-member panel of experts, currently headed by Dr Leong Chee Chiew, Chief Operating Officer or the National Parks Board.

blogs.nlb.gov.sg
Editor’s post humorous note: Well we do not know how many trees are in our rainforests but from the numbers above, just from the tree planting campaign alone, at least 450 000 trees were planted (45 years multiplied by a minimum of 10, 000 trees). That’s quite a lot of trees but some would probably say it is not enough.]

Art of Mee Pok / Bak Chor Mee - Jalan Tua Kong Lau Lim, Singapore

Add: Jalan Tua Kong Lau Lim @ 308 Bedok Road, Singapore 469469

BRILLIANT! I like springy, tasty and flavoursome Mee Pok ;-) aka Bak Chor Mee ... What a good start to the day!


SGD$3 portion sans shrimps on left, and SGD$4 portion on right (note the two fresh little shrimps!)







History: "The story behind the jln tua kong bakchor mee wars"
Source: Singapore Uber-Flogger iEatiShootiPost
Mantra: Never waste your calories on yucky food
Author: Sumosumo

In the 80s, 132 used to be opposite siglap centre. 132 is the original one. this guy used to sell by the hundreds. very popular with east coast residents. then he moved to JTK.
In the 90s, this old man wanted to retire, but noone to handover his business to. So he taught his so-called godson, who was his helper, and handed the reins over, for some kind of royalty. so the JTK bakchormee continued to do well, with this young man at the reins.
The corner coffeshop one beside siglap centre was set up as a copycat.then the old man came out of retirement, and started his current stall, 132. there was a dispute as they became business rivals. so the protege at jtk got fed up and moved to simpang bedok.
when he vacated, the owner of the coffeeshop rode on the vacuum left behind and took over the stall left behind at Jalan Tua Kong.
And thats the story behind so many bcm stalls in the east.





Bro Sumo asked for extra helping of crunchies aka lard / chee yau char ... Hey, it works!




Bro Sumo chose an interesting can of "pop" to wash down the meal, I noticed he had some salt added in too. PH Sales and Marketing (Singapore) is the distributor of Heng Sheng's (HSC) Oldenlandia Sparkling Water. Described as a traditional drink made from Chinese herbal extracts known for their cooling properties and detoxicating effects, HSC Oldenlandia Water is bottled and canned for easy consumption.

Excellent Porridge in Singapore - Bedok North Hawker

Weekend of gluttony in S'pore began with a "multi course feast" in Bedokland, with Bro Sumo!

Singapore Meal No. 1 - Bedok North Hawker Centre
Add: (To be confirmed) Blk 85 Bedok Nth St 4

Chicken wings - Good start! We sat opposite this stall, which is supposed to have legendary otak-otak too. Perhaps next time...

Pei Tan (Century Egg) Porridge - Mega! Loved this ;-) Smooth porridge, with delicious and lean sau-yoke (pork).

Pork noodles - Pretty good, must be eaten piping hot!

More mee pok ... this time the chilli-konloh variety, Sumo ate it all ... too spicey for us!

Yes ... all this for 3 persons, for supper!

Pork satay - Really good! Tender, juicy but pity the peanut sauce was only mediocre.

Or Chien - Not up to my mark :-(

Siberian Huskies in Singapore

Hi Zsa-zsa and Eva ;-)


Getting up close with my Tamron SP90 ...


Gorgeous!


"Stay!" ... Cool trick eh?


Wikipedia
The Siberian Husky (Russian: Сибирская лайка, Sibirskaya Laika) is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognizable by its thickly-furred double coat, sickle tail, erect triangular ears and distinctive markings.
An active, energetic and resilient breed whose ancestors came from the extremely cold and harsh environment of the Siberian Arctic and were bred by the Chukchi of Northeastern Asia, it was imported into Alaska during the Nome Gold Rush and spread from there into the United States and Canada, initially as a sled dog. It rapidly acquired the status of a family pet and a show-dog.

The Siberian Husky has been described as a behavioral representative of the domestic dog's forebearer, the wolf, exhibiting a wide range of its ancestors' behavior. They are known to howl rather than bark.
Hyperactivity displaying as an overactive hunting drive, a characteristic of kenneled dogs, is often noticeable in dogs released from their captive environment for exercise - a behavior welcome in hunting dogs but not in the family pet. The frequency of kenneled Siberian Huskies, especially for racing purposes, is rather high, as attributed through the history of the breed in North America. A fifteen-minute daily obedience training class will serve well for Siberian Huskies.

Siberian Huskies are a very stubborn and dominant breed of dog. Siberians need consistent training and do well with a "Nothing In Life Is Free" training program. They are extremely intelligent and after learning a new skill will often decide when to show off this skill when asked to perform it. They rank 45th in Stanley Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, being of average working/obedience intelligence.
They tend to run because they were at first bred to be a sled dog.

Photoshoot catwalk - Goddezz Couture Club, Solaris Mont Kiara

Goddezz Couture Club
Add: 3-2, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, KL
Tel: 03-6203 7557
Opening Hours: 5pm - 3am

My first catwalk-event photoshoot, under the watchful eyes of KK. Thanks for the tips!
Body: Nikon D80
Lens: 17-50mm Tamron f/2.8
Flash: Speedlight SB-600
Most shots were taken at ISO 400, f/2.8, 1/640s - 1/1250s, Continunous Auto-focus

The only professional model of the night...

Here she is again.

The other girls who appeared were on stage simply for fun!

In white...

Smile!

Sassy!

This was one of the judges!

Gaga Garden, Bukit Jalil Hockey Stadium Car Park

Add: Gaga Garden - National Stadium, Bukit Jalil Car Park F
Parking: If you spend RM$30, the RM$2 parking fee is refunded
Tel: Simon +6012 497 1474 or Gerry +6016 3921 120
Opening hours: 5pm - 1am (Closed Tuesday fortnighly)
Note: Pork free (Halal meat source) , large screen Astro available showing WLT / ESPN football etc.

Promotion! Mention juliansi.blogspot.com and there's a 20% discount on all food and non-alcoholic beverages consumed ... Brilliant!


In its 5th month of operation, Unc J brought us here one night, and boy were we pleasantly surprised at the "park-like" setting, relaxed atmosphere, good service, excellent food and super value! Gaga Garden started off as a road-side eatery in Sri Petaling serving western food, and have expanded to this location, at the end of Car Park F opposite the Bukit Jalil Hockey Stadium.


My fave ... the first dish, which we ordered twice cos' it was so good ... Grilled Black Pepper Lamb Cutlets, RM$12. Beautifully balanced and mild black pepper sauce, and good quality lamb.


Various varieties of chicken chops were available, all around the RM$10 mark. Great value!

Cheese-honey chicken chop, a wee bit sweet but tasty nonetheless.

Steamed fish head ... Didn't expect this to be so good, an interesting change from the grilled and fried dishes!

Portugese/Thai stye Kai-fish ... Lovely firm fish, with a delicious sauce.

Grilled salmon, RM$15, with fried garlic bits, was fresh and well received!

Jumbo sausage, RM$9.50, was tender, again served with a generous portion of crispy and delicious french fries. Chicken wings were steaming hot off the fryer, RM$8.

E whalloped all the Fried Calamari, no complaints!

We loved the coleslaw (RM$4) so much we ordered a separate portion, the chef told us it was made fresh daily! This large portion of garlic bread with real garlic pieces was only RM$3.50!

Overall, it was a really good experience, especially when the RM$170 bill arrived for the six of us, which included all the above food and a few large bottles of Carlsberg! A nice restaurant, serving tasty western food in an open-air atmosphere. Brilliant!

Montecristo No. 5 - Cigars from Havana, Cuba

Size: No. 5 - 4" x 40 (102 x 15.88 mm) Perla, a tres petit corona
My experience: Not the mildest of petit cigars, with a lingering after-taste. Puffing time was about 30 minutes ;-) whilst sipping Famous Grouse.


Pay in the region of RM$100 for five No.5s, at duty-free prices.


Wikipedia
Montecristo is the name of two brands of premium cigar, one produced on the island of Cuba for Habanos SA, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company, and the other produced in La Romana, Dominican Republic for the Franco-Spanish tobacco monopoly Altadis SA.
The Montecristo brand was created in 1935 by Menéndez, García y Cía,[citation needed] then the owners of the popular H. Upmann brand of cigars. Having just purchased the H. Upmann marque from J. Frankau & Co., Menéndez and García decided to produce their own subset of the regular H. Upmann line, called the H. Upmann Montecristo Selection.
The name for the brand was inspired by the Alexandre Dumas, père novel The Count of Monte Cristo, which was supposedly a very popular choice among the torcedores (cigar rollers) in their factory to have read by the lector on the rolling floor.

Happy Birthday, Stickboy!

Happy Birthday, Stickboy!

Cakes by Delicious and La Manila


Don't singe your brows now, bro! Flaming Lamborghini time...


Flowers and wine and Macallan 18 :-)


Party was held at LEONARDOS along Jalan Bangkung which I had frequented and enjoyed many a time! And, if you were wondering, Bombay Gin n Tonic (RM$17 - really good, well mixed!), Nederburg Cab Sauv red wine by the glass (RM$19), and that Flaming L ... RM$39.

indoMie - Mi Instant, Mi Goreng

Special delivery from Jakarta ... Yeah baby!


Mmmh... Just like it says on the bag, "Bawang goreng, lebih banyak dan lengkap dengan saus cabe".


Getting ready...


Minutes later..

Marvellous!

Ler Seafood, Ara Damansara - Great fish head curry!

Add: B-G-22a, Jalan PJU 1a/20a, Ara Damansara
Where's Ara? Across the road from Saujana Golf Club, as you travel down the road leading to the "old" Subang Airport
Tel: +6017 586 4140
Located: Adjacent to Signature Photo Kiosk and Sedap Restaurant, same row as SeMo Hair :-)

Thanks to V for the treat ;-) Here's what the six of us enjoyed one evening. Even bumped into KN there, seems his office is nearby. KN likes the food here, recommended the "lai liu har" and described Ler Seafood as his "canteen" haha..


Signature dish, possibly one of the best Fish Head (in this case, we opted for fish slices) Curry ... Full of flavour without being too spicy. RM$28.


RM$20 ... Really good ham tan (Salted-egg) sotong. And, RM$16 for the Pork Ribs. Delicious!


Excellent tofu with minced meat on-top, silky smooth... RM$10. Stir fried veges with plenty of wok-hei, RM$6.

What is this ship made from?

Spotted this model ship at Gaga Garden, Bukit Jalil stadium.

Look closer ... its tightly rolled NEWSPAPERS!

Marvellous!

Restoran Ulang Corner - Puchong's finest Khao Jam or Nasi Kerabu and Dagang

Add: Restoran Ulang Corner - 26, Jalan Puteri ½, Bandar Puteri, Puchong
Tel: +016 236 6111 (Sam Goon) , +6016 340 0222 (Elaine Hew)
GPS (Unverified): N03o 01.593' E101o 36.947'
Located: Rather close to Giant
Opening hours: Daily, 11:00am - 9:30pm. Closed on 2nd and 4th Mondays each month.
Original stall, run by Sam Goon's mother: 4939-C, Jalan Wakaf Mak Zainab, Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Quiet unassuming place, heavily recommended by RL ... Pretty decent, if you like authentic Kelantanese cuisine! Khao Jam time ;-)


We opted for the set (RM$8.90 - RM$9.90), which meant the drink and a soup was free. What great value!


I found the nasi kerabu to be complex, healthy (so much vege!) but it is an acquired taste, the "green-ness" of it wasn't completely to my liking. I did enjoy the fried chicken though!
Rasarasa.net ... Nasi Kerabu whose green coloured looking rice is cooked using over 40 different types of herbs that have blended together. It is served with sliced onion, strips of bunga kantan or ginger flower, chopped daun kesom or basil leaves, bean sprouts, sliced cucumber, cabbage, shredded fish, fried crackers and topped with desiccated coconut. Homemade fresh chilli sauce is served. You can order fried fish or chicken to go with it.


I liked this more! Delicious Nasi dagang :-)
Rasarasa.net ... This steamed brown rice dish is cooked using santan or coconut milk and turmeric. It comes with pickled carrot, cabbage, onion and chilli that have been cut into thin strips. This dish is also served with blanched cabbage, long beans, pineapple and a half slice of hard boiled egg. Homemade dried chilli sauce accompanies this dish, which is best eaten with ikan tengkol cooked in turmeric and santan or you can opt for kari ayam or chicken curry.

The fried fish (ikan goreng) was very fresh, RM$2.80 each.

Laksa Kelantan was colourful but bland ... I wouldn't order this next time! However, it was good value at RM$4.50.

Rasarasa.net ... Laksa Kelantan or laksa lemak containing blended fish cooked in kunyit and santan and garnished with chopped cabbage, sliced ginger flower, cucumber, chopped basil leaves rice and fresh chilli sauce to go with the rice noodles from Vietnam.

They even served us slices of Watermelon at the end of the meal ... it was a good way to spend a weekend afternoon!

RM3 Cafe Express, Puchong - Deceiving signage!

Add: RM3 Cafe Express - Ground floor, 30-32A Jalan Puteri 1/4, Puchong
Tel: +603 8063 8748
Owned by: Blue Toast Kopitiam, who happen to also run Cave - Couple Cafe, SS2

We were drawn to this cafe in Puchong on a cold rainy day, when we saw "50 desserts" and "RM3" on the signage outside the restaurant. TSK TSK ... How misleading! There were 5-6 desserts, and they weren't RM$3!


The waiter also promptly FORGOT our order of "bom-something", which was probably for the best as the drinks were horrendously sweet. I'd stick to Yippee Cup (SS2) if I am ever in need of a nai-char or pearl-tea!

If you really must know, we had ... Pearl bubble milk tea (RM$3), Cincau milk tea (RM$3.50 - Horrid!), Cold caramel coffee (RM$3), Fresh lemon honey (RM$3), and Cincau Soya Bean (RM$3 - Eeep, do I taste non-fresh / Drinho soya bean!?).

Banana pancake gone wrong at Decanter - Damansara Heights

Add: Decanter @ Jalan Setiakasih 5, Bukit Damansara, KL
Tel: +603 2095 2507
Neigbour: Secret Recipe
Four Decanter branches: Click here for a map

Disastrous ... what has happened to Decanter's previously good Banana Pancake? The crepe was average, and worst of all ... the "custard". Eeeep! Thick, horrid, and condense-milk-like!





However, it ain't all bad ... In the past 2 and a bit years of going to Decanter, I have found gems such as ...
Yin Yang noodles and Fried Chicken Wings
Sheperds Pie
Pie Tee and Assam Laksa

Economy noodles, Taman Klang Jaya - Man Yi

Add: Near the wet market shops, within walking distance from Sekolah Taman Klang Jaya
Located: The old housing estate opposite the entrance to Bukit Tinggi in Klang
Updated! Name of this kopi tiam is Man Yi

One lazy morning ... we decided to trek to Taman Klang Jaya to do some marketing, which I only agreed to do so that I could try some "local" breakfast! Ah... Kopi Peng Siu Tim (Less Sweet) to start, nice and kao-kao (strong!).


Curry Kon Loh Mee Hoon ... Divine! Even better then the one served at the famous, legendary and rather-inaccessible (Being on the edge of Selangor, nearly in Perak-state!) Cheong Fong !


My choice ... Economy "thai-style" meehoon, with fried egg and baked beans with scrambled egg. Marvellous, especially at RM$2.80!

Soup, Chicken, Cucumber, Beans, Tofu and Rice for the soul

Nothing quite like home cooking ;-) Bliss!


“A Jewish woman had 2 chickens. One got sick, so the woman made chicken soup out of the other one to help the sick one get well.” - Henry Youngman

“Marlin: ... and the sea cucumber turns to the mollusk and says, "With fronds like these, who needs anemones?” - Finding Nemo

“Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger, but a heart as soft as tofu” - Chinese proverb

Choong Kee Kampar Charcoal Burn Claypot Chicken Rice - Damansara Jaya

Add: 80, Jalan SS22/25,Damansara Jaya,PJ
Located: Near Domino's Pizza and Cinta Ria DJ Grill
Tel: +6017 871 7739 or +6016 294 8983
Note: Seems like you could call your order in, prior to arrival!
Beware! Boss Lady has a firey temper!
History: foodbuddy.net
Choong Kee Kampar Claypot Chicken Rice Restaurant ... sells Kampar style Claypot Chicken Rice. Before this Choong Kee Restaurant opened, it’s just a small food stall insides a Kopitiam named Kun Kee Kopitiam which is just located the same row with the current Choong Kee Restaurant. They just opened at night time when they were still a food stall in Kun Kee Kopitiam, after the renovation in Kun Kee and they have finally opened a own shop for their own Kampar Claypot Chicken Rice.



Between the seven of us, we ordered TWO large claypots of the famous ngar-pow kai fan, which was slightly dissapointing as many of us felt it was "overly burnt". I guess some really like the "charcoal burn", but not me!


Evidence of the "charcoal burn"!


The soups were mediocre as well :-(

Jenga time at Yippee Cup, SS2

Located: Along the same row as Melaka Street, on SS2 (Jalan SS 2/66)
Tel: +603 7874 6899
Previous reviews: Yippee Cup food and drinks

Lychee ... Chocolate ... Soursop, take your pick! Nata d'coco or Pearl jelly, the choice is yours!


Ah ha ... they have Jenga. Here is yours truly playing with the TM gang ;-)

Old Chang Kee - Sardine curry puffs, New Wing One Utama

Add: LG210, LG, 1 Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama City Centre, Bandar Utama, PJ

Tel: +603 7725 9424

Other outlets: Bukit Bintang Plaza, KL

Would you believe this was my first OCK curry puff!?

Interesting "folds" at the end of the curry-puff, I liked the pastry as well as the filling. Pretty good! Needs a shoot-out v Ikea's I think ;-) I had one sardine and one vege curry-puff, both were good!

History! OldChangKee.com
The history of Old Chang Kee go as far back as 1956 when it started with just a small stall in a coffee shop outside the former Rex cinema along McKenzie Road. People just loved the delicious pastry stuffed full of curried potatoes, chicken, a slice of egg, fried with several herbs and spices. Each curry puff was carefully handmade and properly sealed to lock in the unmistakable aroma that won the hearts of many Singaporeans.
In 1986, Han Keen Juan made a pivotal decision that was to change his life as well as the food scene in Singapore. He traded a comfortable job with an established MNC for the hot and greasy kitchen of Old Chang Kee. With whatever savings he had, he bought over the control of the company. Facing an uncertain future ahead of him, he had only one goal in mind - to transform Old Chang Kee into a successful business entity.
Our New Leader
After bringing Old Chang Kee to its height, Han soon realized that it was time to groom a new leader. He needed a strong visionary leader to bring the company to the next level and so in 1995, he brought in William Lim Tao-E, a young graduate of an Australian university. He brought with him fresh ideas and applying innovative marketing strategies to keep in sync with shifting consumer trends.
As Managing Director, William Lim together with Chairman, Han Keen Juan embarked on the next stage of the journey, which is to establish Old Chang Kee as a major recognizable brand in modern Singapore while preserving its valuable heritage.
We Are Halal
In 2004, Old Chang Kee set on to fulfill one of its brand values which are to develop products that would appeal to the multi-cultural and multi-religious segment of society. We draw our inspiration of the various spicy finger foods from different ethnic cultures. Recently we achieved "Halal" certification to reach out to the Muslim community.

Want some Political marketing and Consulting services?

Remember my write-up on Bitung's (Sulawesi, Indonesia) elections a few weeks back, when I was on my Manado dive trip ? Some"one" left this comment..

Legislative elections in Bitung, Manado - Sulawesi
I offer My services for Political Marketing and Consulting. i Guarantee for success in election for a party or a person. Political Consulting must be started at least two years before election to get good results. if you are a party leader or a Political personality and or a association, and if you want to get political consultation just contact me and i will do the rest. just email me with full requirement and contact details to aftab@insert_name_of_some_dodgy_website_here.com

A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electroal campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or refernda are decided. Political campaigns also include organized efforts to alter policy within any instituation or organization.Marketing activities designed to influence about political issues, particular candidates for public office, or public issues and mind set of general public, politically called voters.

Although political marketing uses many of the same techniques that other forms of marketing do, it is actually used to promote a concept or an idea, rather than a specific product or service, and to motivate people to vote for that idea.

Publish Reject (aftab) 3/31/09

Only one place for "comments" such as these ... DELETE!

Panadero Bakery, Centrepoint - Eggs, Croissant and Nasi!

Add: Panadero Bakery @ Ground Floor, Centre Point Shopping Center, Bandar Utama

I really like this simple corner bakery at Centrepoint ;-) in B.U, the kampung eggs (which unfortunately took a wee long time to arrive!) were delicious.


Nasi Lemak bungkus was too spicey, not to my liking.


I do like the croissants here ... warm, soft, fluffy and fresh.

The Club, Bukit Utama - 9 hole golf

This is Bandar Utama's 9 hole golf course, called "The Club".


The course has improved tremendously, especially the new facilities (clubhouse, pool, restaurant, parking area), BUT the greens are still un-even and poor. Overall, it was still good fun. We paid RM$73 each (3 of us) for buggy, green fees and insurance.


D and T, my playing buddies

Remember the old "clubhouse", by the little car park ... brings back memories of my early rounds of golf in M'sia!

T is his name, TM are his DRIVERS! A "Draw" Burner (should have seen some of the miraculous shots he hit towards the trees on the right-side of the fairway, shaving the leaves, and drawing back on-to the fairway! Nuff said ...) and a R5 Dual. Nice!

The short wait on the famous seventh hole, the elevated Par 3 tee-box. Played 160+ metres on the day.

A few more shots of the rather spectacular Par 3 seventh, I hit a flush 6-iron short grrr (Chip + 2 putts = Bogey 4) ... But D got it on with a 7-iron.

T fires one...

View of Damansara Palace chinese restaurant from the 9th fairway

Path to the final /9th green...

The very nice new clubhouse and tim-sum-less chinese restaurant

Time to head home...

Justus van Maurik - Petit Panatella cigars

Thanks to T for my first golf-puff ;-) Found the Panatellas mild, easy with little after-taste. Integrity in the leaf holding together was average.

hollandcigarhouse.co.uk
The “Petit Panatella” is the slimmer version of the “Sublime” panatella cigar of Justus van Maurik. It has the same great quality and its smooth character. Being slimmer and having nearly the same length as the “Sublime”, the “Petit Panatella” has a very elegant appearance. The cigars are packed in an elegant box.



Wikipedia
Justus van Maurik (Amsterdam 16 August 1846 - 18 November 1904), or Justus van Maurik Jr. was a Dutch author and cigar maker. He was the grandson of the similarly named Justus van Maurik.
Justus was a typical Amsterdammer, he was first known as a writer of farces and humorous plays. In 1878, his first novel, Mie the porster appeared. Hundreds of stories followed. His readers knew Maurik would provide both a smile and a tear: a laugh from his witty depiction of human types, and a tear from his touching stories. Many of his books were illustrated by the graphic artist Johan Braakensiek.

Happy Birthday, H!

Happy Birthday, H !!


Some purchased, some home-cooked ... Cheers all!

More bbq'ed seafood ...

Senjyu Sushi, Cineleisure Damansara - Delicious!

Add: Senjyu Sushi - Lot 62 & 63, Ground Floor, Cineneleisure Damansara
Tel: +603 7727 9028
Located: Next to McDonalds



Wikipedia, "Kaiten-zushi is a sushi restaurant where the plates with the sushi are placed on a rotating conveyor belt that winds through the restaurant and moves past every table and counter seat."

Senjyu Sushi is a premium kaiten sushi restaurant, and as far as I am aware, it is one of a kind in Malaysia (Besides its sister outlet, which opened in August 2008, at F1.05, Sunway Pyramid, 3, Jln PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway. Tel: +603 5632 8119). There are many conveyor sushi eateries, which range in popularity, but we were very pleasantly surprised by the high quality sushi served here as well as the dozens of other ala-carte dishes to whet our appetites!



One lazy afternoon, we were invited by the kind team at Senjyu to sample their new menu, as well as other premium delicacies such as foie gras, giant fresh airflown scallops, akaza ebi (baby lobster) and giant oysters! We had limited stomach-space, thus only sampling some of these!

I especially like their motto, and having tried various other "conveyor sushi" eateries, I agree! "A kaiten above the rest"

ps. Senjyu means, "Longevity". Cool!

Let your eyes not deceive you ... I was educated in a single afternoon that not all conveyor-sushi eateries are the same, and wasabi (when grated FRESH!) can be very deeeeeelicious!


Soft shell crab mentai - Yummmmm! Described as, "sushi rice coated with tempura flour, topped with green coral, codfish roe sauce and crispy soft shell crab". I was impressed by the generous helping of crab!

Unagi mentai, RM$6 - What a dish! Full of flavour, and I loved the way the cod-fish roe simply exploded in my mouth. It was really interesting how the sushi-rice was wrapped in an egg-crepe. My favourite, and it was only the 2nd dish!

Tamago sushi, RM$4. Interesting way of serving this with sushi-rice.

Yasai miso soup, RM$7.90. Freshly made, from two kinds of miso - Red and white. This was a lot more powerful in flavour compared to other miso soups I had previously savoured. Darn good ... slurped every last drop!

We were gradually more and more impressed by the price point and freshness (Items are regularly air-flown from Japan), and were informed that they had changed the colour plates pricing and added a variety of affordable sushi and makis ... Kaiten dishes now range from RM$2, RM$4, RM$6, RM$8 to RM$10 per dish.

Sashimi for 2 persons, or Hana Moriawase - RM$32.

A really fresh helping of surf clam, hamachi or yellow-tail, fresh tuna, salmon, octopus :-)

Wagyu Tataki, RM$24.90. My joint-favourite dish! I loved the citrus-based Ponzu sauce which was a perfect complement to the Australian-flown wagyu (A "7" on the marbelisation chart!) which was seared outside and raw inside. Served on a bed of sliced onions. You can also opt for the RM$14.90 normal beef variety, prepared the same way :-)

Akaza Ebi, RM$28. Baby lobster! Delicate, fresh ... different!

A signature dish, and deservedly so, on their new menu...

Wagyu Foie Gras Maki - RM$12. Yes, twelve bucks only. Sushi rice wrapped with thinly-sliced wagyu beef, topped with a hint of Foie Gras and avocado slices. My 2nd fave dish!!

Tempura - Hmmm, I didn't know that the radish that I usually add to the tempura sauce had the benefit of "reducing the oil" in this deep-fryed dish!

With such fresh ingredients, and an accessible price point, Cineleisure's Senjyu (which opened only in September 2008) certainly deserves to be successful ... I'll be back, to have generous portions of unagi (River eel) such as this!

Edamame is a preparation of baby soybeans in the pod, but imagination brought the team here to prepare it lightly grilled, and salted. Delicious!

Anago, or sea-eel. This differs from typical unagi, which is found in rivers, in that it is milder and less "fishy". Never knew there was a difference :-)

Finally .... phew! Saba and Sashimi Gozen. RM$29.90!

Grilled mackerel, sashimi of salmon / tuna / sweet prawn, served with chawanmushi, salad, miso soup and rice. Good!

We were convinced to try a couple of desserts :-)

Mochi ice cream ... Imported from Japan, I really liked the rice flour parcel, with vanilla ice-cream inside.

Saving the best for last...

Umeshu Jelly. Yes, japanese wine jelly, with a whole grape in the middle. Magic!

ps - As we were leaving, we observed that Senjyu was offering a number of Saver's Coupons Daily Specials ... We'll certainly be back for more!
Monday: RM1 Salmon Sushi
Tuesday: RM2 Unagi Mentai Sushi
Wednesday: RM3 Ko Ebi
Thursday: RM4 Salmon Sashimi
Friday: RM5 Oyster Mentaiyaki
Saturday: RM6 Chicken Katsu Don
Sunday: RM7 Tenzaru Yuzu Soba

Joanne Kam Po Po at Mambo-Velvet, Zouk KL

Surprise .. surprise .. Raunchy comedian extraordinaire, Joanne Kam Po Po did a one-hour performance at Velvet on Mambo Friday :-)

With a member of the audience whom she described as Vin Diesel!

Fly FM's Jules in da house ... Yes, its Jules as well!

Phew, thought for 2 seconds, Joanne Kam Po Po was calling ... me!

Who's Joanne Kam Po Po?

Excerpt from The Star, 18th Apr 2008
At 35, multi-tasker celebrity Joanne Kam Po Po shows one how it’s done ... in true cabaret style.
Ask , TVcomedy queen, actress personality, businesswoman and proud single mum Joanne Kam Po Po about how she got started in comedy and she’ll modestly tell you that she fell into it purely by chance rather than by some natural or well thought-out design.
Joanne Kam: "I’ve definitely worked hard to get where I am but I’ve been very lucky in a lot of ways as the right opportunities came along and I grabbed them." Anybody who has ever caught her bawdy, tough-talking live show at the infamous comedy club Boom Boom Room on both sides of the Causeway back in the 90s would find that somewhat hard to believe given her loud diva stage persona, risqué jokes, sexual innuendos and painful home truths about men and woman, and her apparent ease at holding court in front of a live crowd.
Press the youthful-looking 35-year-old a little further about how she managed to become so successful on the back of telling naughty jokes and well, just being her outspoken self on stage, and she’ll eventually concede it was down to a lot of luck as well as plenty of perseverance and hard graft.
“I’ve definitely worked hard to get where I am but I’ve been very lucky in a lot of ways as the right opportunities came along and I grabbed them,” mused Kam, looking chic and svelte in a trendy top and jeans (in the last three years, she has slimmed down from 89kg to 66kg having enrolled herself in a weight loss programme), taking her time over a mid-afternoon cafe latte during a recent interview....

Hee Soon Fong, Teluk Panglima Garang in Klang - Excellent!

Is it worth the drive "into" Teluk Panglima Garang, to find this humble eatery? Oh, yes!!


Add: Hee Soon Fong - Jln Klang-banting Batu 11 1/2, Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor.
Tel: Wong Tin Soong @ +603 3191 4681 , +6012 308 1866
Opening hours: Lunch and dinner (We got there at 12:30pm and the restaurant which seats 40-50 was already packed!)
Located:
1) At the end of the KESAS highway, you will get to a bridge signboarded Klang (right) and Banting (left).
2) Head towards Banting, and drive 8km straight through kampungs and various shops and factories (Eg. Toyota sales on right, Toyota service centre on right, NEC-Toshiba on the right)
3) Slow down when you see a signboard for "Perkampungan Orang Asli Pulau Carey" on the left, and you will soon see the "Inflex" factory too.
4) Take an immediate left, and turn left into the temple. The restaurant is alongside this chinese temple.



We chose Hiong Pin tea as always ...


Glad we had tea (RM$4) and conversation to amuse ourselves, it was nearly a 30 minute wait for the food ... which was so worth it :-) The propietor, Wong Tin Soong with the bushy eyebrows, came over a few times to chat with us about the food and the 21 year old history of his restaurant.


My fave dish, and the cheapest too ... RM$6. Yes, 6 bucks! Choy-poh To Fu, sublimely tasty!

Fah lam pork, "flower pork" cooked ala Tung Poh style. Magic! So tender, so tasty.. $10

Signature dish ... Fried chicken with a hint of Lam Yee, superb! Tender, and juicy. $16

Overall, we were stuffed, and was pleased with the bill too. RM$38. Only in Klang!

Best yam rice ever - Tien Chuan, Chi Liung Klang

Add: Taman Chi Liung, Klang
Located: An old area with few rows of shops, and a morning market right behind a row of shops. Opposite row of terrace houses, and near O-Cean restaurant.
Previous visit: Tien Chuan Kopitiam

Gotta get here for breakfast time, as they sell-out by 11ish/12pm! This RM$3.50 portion of Yam Rice was worth the wait (i.e. they had run out a week ago, I had been thinking about this all week!) ... the yam was silky smooth like a boiled egg! The sweet sambal was perfect, and the rice packed a subtle yet powerful flavour.


Yes!...


The Char Kuay Teow from a neighbouring stall was pretty good too ;-) Again, RM$3.50. Good value! Smooth kuay teow, and fresh shrimps. Loved the chives!

Tong kuai and Kei chi chicken - Home sweet home

A brilliant first time effort, succulent, tasty and healthy too (Steamed!) ... darn good!
Tong Kuai & Kei Chi chicken ala L ;-)


Some ABC-chicken soup, and French beans stir-fried with Roast Pork (Siew Yoke) ... wotta meal!

Rama V - Thai fine dining in the heart of KL

Add: 5 Jalan U Thant, KL
Tel: +603 2143 2663
Located: Opposite US Embassy, near Royal Selangor Golf Club
Opening Hours: 11am-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm
Note: Halal

Found this gem one evening, and I am glad I did as I have been on the look-out for authentic Thai cuisine in KL, for ages now. Too much of Malaysian Thai food is ... Malaysianised! What I found in Rama V was truly authentic, served in a romantic bungalow/house-like atmosphere.

The four of us liked the elegance of the surrounding, and the familiarity it breeds. Perhaps its the lighting, or perhaps its the rustic wooden flooring. No problems with the service especially the attentive and knowledgable manager. Pricing seemed to be higher then others, but the large serving size more then made up for it! A winner!





Starter

Crispy shrimp served with Sweet and Sour sauce, RM$24 ... Delicious and beautifully presented, check out the "yellow chicks"!

Traditional Thai Hors d'oeuvre, RM$22 ... Wrap up the chopped veges and dried shrimp in a leaf, and pop it in your mouth. The flavours simply burst into life. I liked this ... a lot!

Chor Ladda, RM$22 - Flower shaped dumplings stuffed with minced chicken. Delicious!

Spicy pomelo salad with shrimp, $24 - Always one of my fave dishes, wished there was more pomelo though. Nice variant served here with shredded dried coconut, packed a great flavour!

Tom Yam Koong, RM$38 - Largest river prawn I had seen for ages, which was juicy and tasty. The tom yam soup could have done with more spiciness, but I did love the flavour :-)

Mains

Pla Kao Sam Ros, RM$58 - Deep fried Garoupa with Chilli sauce ... Delicious sauce that perhaps was a mix of sweet soya sauce and chilli, went perfectly with the deep fried fish. Portions were generous, which is a recurring theme in Rama V.

Otak otak ala Rama V, RM$24 - One of my fave dishes of the night, tasty and beautifully balanced. Served "beautifully" as well!

Beef green curry, RM$29 - Packed a whallop of spiciness, beware! Good :-)

Fried morning glory with hot basil, RM$18 - "Pak Bung" (I remember from my Pattaya days) has long been my fave thai vege dish. Pretty good, but had slightly too much sweetness to it, and could have done with more "wok-hei" (Fire!).

Fried pineapple rice with coral shrimp, RM$25 - Good stuff! I had 3 helpings ;-)

Dessert

We were stuffed at this point, but were so tempted by the array of desserts available when the waiter brought this "platter" to our table! Drooooool ...

Tab Tim Krob, RM$11 - "Water chestnut dumpling with Jackfruits in Coconut milk" ... A very popular waterchesnut in coconut milk dessert, my favourite of the desserts we chose.

Thai mango with Glutinous rice, RM$17 - Everyone's favourite, but I wish the mangoes were more ripe. I spoke to the manager who informed me they had just received this shipment of mangoes, wish I could go back in 2 days ;-) when they are ripe-ripe!

Steamed tapioca with Coconut milk cream, RM$15 - Popular dessert here, and surprisingly the flavours were delicate.


Assorted thai dessert, RM$11 - The heart-shaped jelly attracted me to this dish, interesting selection of dainty-little desserts including some stringy-egg in the middle!

ps. Here are a few more photos of what I was describing earlier, about the pleasant surroundings of this little oasis in the heart of KL!

Private rooms are available, I reckon this large room can seat up to 24. Its located on the exterior of the main dining-room in a separate Thai-style cottage.

We had a view of the pool from our dining table :-)

The Easter Story, Bukit Jalil KL

Two events to share :-)

Special Easter Worship, Calvary Church
Sunday, 12 April 2009 at 10am
Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil KL



And,

10-12 April 2009 at 8pm
Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil KL

The Easter story...

It is the story of Jesus Christ who brought hope to many and continues to do so today! This story is told through a captivating 21st century bedazzling musical filled with songs, dances, and heart-moving dramatic elements.
‘The Easter Story: He Is Alive!’, suitable for the entire family, is enhanced by creative lighting design, visualized by an avant garde young creative team of Calvarites. From the majestic throne of heaven, to a manger in Bethlehem, to the streets of Jerusalem, to the cross on Golgotha – here we find the true story of Easter.

To be staged for three consecutive nights, April 10 to 12, 2009, in Bukit Jalil Putra Stadium, ‘The Easter Story: He Is Alive!’ features songs packed with captivating lyrics and uplifting melodies such as ‘Go Change The World’, ‘Trust His Heart’ and ‘Glory Glory!’. This musical is an adaptation of the original musicals “From Heaven’s Throne” and “Let All Heaven Rejoice” created by the renown composer & arranger, David T. Clydesdale. This production, with free admission, is brought specially to you by Calvary Church Kuala Lumpur who in the past years has produced other well-known Easter musicals such as ‘Rejoice It’s Easter’, ‘A Timeless Love’, ‘A Father’s Heart’ and ‘Alive In Power’. ‘The Easter Story: He Is Alive!’ revisits the 2001 ‘Rejoice It’s Easter’, which garnered more than a full house on its final presentation night at Putra Stadium. That year’s presentation drew a crowd close to 19,000 over the three nights.

To help the audience understand how the Easter Story is relevant to us today, Rev. Tan Sri (Dr.) Prince Guneratnam, Senior Pastor of Calvary Church, will deliver hope-filled messages every night. These messages which will also be interpreted into Cantonese and Bahasa Malaysia concurrently, will bring positive changes to one’s life, regardless of age. In the past, many visitors, both foreign and locals, have found Calvary’s Easter musicals interesting and meaningful. The public is advised to come early. Bukit Jalil Putra Stadium is easily accessible by LRT.

And in conjunction with Easter Sunday, April 12, Calvary will also be hosting an Easter Celebration Service at 10am at the same venue. Admission for this special service is also free.

For more information, please call

03 7728 6000 or 7727 3948 and speak to Angela (ext 315) or Koon Lin (ext 319).

Moussandra, KL Plaza - Spanish tapas and Paella

Add: Sub Lot B-8, Ground and Mezzanine Floor, KL Plaza, Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL
Monorail: Bukit Bintang
Directions: j2kfm.blogspot.com
Located in KL Plaza, you can either enter from the inside, or the outside. Coming from Lot 10 Shopping Centre's direction, turn right into the lane once you passed by L'Opera on your right. You can see Moussandra's signboard on your left, thus walk up the stairs to enter from the backdoor. If entering through KL Plaza's ground floor, just walk straight to the end, and turn right.
Tel: +603 2144 0728
Opening Hours: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
Note: Halal

Quaint, old-school (Its in its 12th year of operation) and "off the beaten track"... Moussandra is quite the gem!

Spicy clams (RM$18) - The gravy was perfect with the side-order of sliced, and warmly toasted (Perfect! C agrees) baguette (RM$5).


Beef meatballs (RM$13) - Decent, again the gravy was better then the meatball!


Spanish omelette (Tortilla de patatas, RM$8) - I miss Madrid! So much better in Spain..


Garlic prawns (RM$19) - I always enjoy this dish!


Hummus, RM$9, with pitta bread. Remember Zohan :-)

P really liked this, had the last drop of Chicken Liver Pate (RM$15)!


Paella Valencia, RM$38. Quite perfect, but I wish the paella rice was more "al dente". So flavoursome, delicious!


Alla Puttanesca, RM$26 - Deeeeelicious, but once again the spaghetti wasn't al dente/firm enough!

Did you know ... From Yahoo.com, Putta means whore. Unlike the English word, "puta" is a vulgar word - not to be used in "mixed company" in Spanish. There are congnates in most Romance languages e.g., French "putan", Italian "putana".

moussandra.com

Established in 1996, Moussandra serves authentic Greek, Spanish and Italian cuisine in a rustic and cosy ambiance. We are proud to be the oldest Mediterranean and tapas restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. A proven favourite of both locals and visitors to Kuala Lumpur, Moussandra is situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur but tucked away in a quiet spot of the prestigious shopping mall - KL Plaza, a perfect hideaway from the hustle bustle of Bukit Bintang.

The Fast and The Furious 4 (2009) - 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Cinema: Cineleisure, near Ikano-The Curve (RM$11)


Juliansi.blogspot.com I am a big fan of the F&F anthology, from the excellent pioneering movie, to 2Fast 2Furious, and even Tokyo Drift. This 4th installment looks like it takes place between number 2 and number 3, pairing up Brian (Paul Walker "Into The Blue") and Dom (Vin Diesel) once again.
The storyline was probably the weakest in the series, but what you do get are hot cars and women, and most importantly the dude chemistry between Brian and Dom (Oops, Vin & Paul!). Directory Justin Lin did a brilliant job of getting the audience into the car sequences, I felt like I was in the driving seat!

The lead crew...
Vin Diesel ... Dominic Toretto
Paul Walker ... Brian O'Conner
Jordana Brewster ... Mia Toretto
Michelle Rodriguez ... Letty


Cool quote...
Antonio Braga: So, you know each other?
Dominic Toretto: He used to date my sister.
Antonio Braga: You're a lucky man.
Brian O'Conner: How's that?
Antonio Braga: You're still breathing!

Dominic Toretto ("Dom" aka Vin Diesel)'s choice of car ... a Chevrolet Chevelle SS 434 from the 1970s.


In the last scene, we see close-up interior shots of a Honda NSX-T (my fave car in the show, featured below driven by Jordana Brewster), a Dodge Charger, and a Trans Am.


But, the car which got the most attention was Paul Walker's "import" (Import - Japanese, v Muscle car = American large-block cars from the 60s-70s, and beyond?) ... 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI "Veilside" . Under the hood of this beauty is a 2.5 L Turbo-charged 305 hp H4, with full mods by tuner-supremo Veilside.
Veilside Company Limited is an aftermarket automotive company which used to sell suspension and engine tuning, and still sells interior parts, as well as body parts for aerodynamic and aesthetic enhancement of the vehicle. It is based in Japan near the Tsukuba Circuit race course, the company first started trading in 1990.

Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix - Its Team Brawn again!

Qualifying Results

1 Jenson Button (Brawn Mercedes) 1:35.181

2 Jarno Trulli (Toyota) 1:35.273

3 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault) 1:35.518*

4 Rubens Barrichello (Brawn Mercedes) 1:35.651**

5 Timo Glock (Toyota) 1:35.690

6 Nico Rosberg (Williams Toyota) 1:35.750

7 Mark Webber (Red Bull Renault) 1:35.797

8 Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber) 1:36.106

9 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:36.170

10 Fernando Alonso (Renault) 1:37.659

11 Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber)

12 Kazuki Nakajima (Williams Toyota)

13 Lewis Hamilton (Mclaren Mercedes)

14 Heikki Kovalainen (Mclaren Mercedes)

15 Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso Ferrari)

16 Felipe Massa (Ferrari)

17 Nelson Piquet (Renault)

18 Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India Mercedes)

19 Adrian Sutil (Force India Mercedes)

20 Sebastian Buemi (Toro Rosso Ferrari)

Note: *Sebastian Vettel loses 10 places from qualifying result over sanctions for a collision in Australia. ** Rubens Barrichello loses five places for gearbox change.

Great poster of Malaysia's F1 track :-)

Interesting write-up from The Canadian Press ... TOO LATE TO START:

Malaysia will review its twilight start for next year's Grand Prix amid concerns that bad weather could again hamper the race, which was cut short Sunday due to heavy rain and poor visibility.

"In the future, we may allocate a different time, perhaps earlier," new Prime Minister Najib Razak told reporters. "There are also suggestions to do a night race but we need to look at the cost."

Mokhzani Mahathir, chairman of organizer Sepang International Circuit, said he consulted F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone after the race was abandoned and they agreed to look again at the starting time."I had a talk with Bernie just now and we will review it. As to exactly what time we will start next year, we are not sure but we will review the timing for next year's race," he said.

Australia and Malaysian organizers had refused to organize night races, but agreed to push back the timing of the race to 5 p.m. this season to suit European fans, who would be watching at breakfast time.

Mokhzani said they could install a lighting system to illuminate the circuit if the race gets delayed but heavy rain will still be an issue as it makes track conditions dangerous.

Adieu...

Anyway, here are the final results of our country's 11th Grand Prix!

Race was ended after 31 laps, due to the heavy rain:-

On the podium...

1st: Jenson Button "JB" - Team Brawn

2nd: Nick Heidfeld - BMW Sauber (Team Petronas!)

3rd: Timo Glock - Toyota (Yes, Toyota!)

Other results...

4th: Jarno Trulli - Toyota are so strong this season!

5th: Rubens Barrichello - I believe Team Brawn could have hada 2nd consecutive double-podium finish IF the race had gone on!

6th: Mark Webber - Great effort from Red Bull

7th: Lewis Hamilton - Not bad effort by McLaren-Mercedes from theback!

Hard to believe, Ferrari only came in 9th (Massa) and14th (Kimi).

Sigh, double Sepang champ, Alonso in the Renault was 11th.

A lucky few got to watch Jamiroquai (Yes, its the Space Cowboy!) perform on the Sunday evening ...

Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix - Qualifying Saturday 2

The 11th installment of the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix, here are more shots of Qualifying on Saturday. These shots were taken with my Nikon D80 and swopping between my Tokina f/2.8 17-50mm and Nikkor Zoom DX 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 VR.


Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber)


Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)


Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India Mercedes)


The sun was coming down fast by 5:50pm, but lighting was still acceptable for racing.

Parting shots before we headed off...

As we were walking out, we headed to the other end of the track, for a look-see. Good view!

Mark Webber (Red Bull Renault)

Slowing down the shutter speed to get "some" motion blur, at 1/200s, and ISO400, f9

Adieu, Sepang...

Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix - Qualifying Saturday 1

We had great seats opposite the Renault pits :-) Yes, what a coincidence. Similar seating position to 2008's race!


Team Renault ... Nelsinho and Fernando.


A very enthusiastic Spaniard cheering on Alonso!

Qualifying continues...

Not easy to focus-track these 300km/h+ machines!

Back to the pits...

Another enthusiastic fan, with a very nice Canon L-Lens

Reversal of fortunes ... Toyota's having a brilliant season, McLaren-Mercedes not so!

Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix - Formula One, Qualifying

Thanks to JS and KS for the chance to enjoy Saturday's Formula One event at our home grand-prix, Sepang.

Been there, done that...

Heh heh ... whilst on the shuttle bus from the carpark to the entrance, I spotted this Ferrari Fan aka ANTI-BRAWN!

Autograph sessions, anyone?

Walking...

We attended Saturday's Q1, Q2, and Q3 qualifying sessions :-)

Our 8th row seats awarded us a view of the start-finish straight :-)

We sat opposite the pits again this year, what a view!

Team Brawn and Red Bull Sauber zoooooooming past :-) At this point, I had only just arrived and would take "clearer" piccies of these 300km/h machines later!

ps - I swopped between a 12-24mm Tokina, 17-50mm Tamron and 55-200mm Nikkor lens for these and other shots on the evening session.

BMW Sauber F1.09 - Sepang F1

Gorgeous!

Chassis Carbon fibre monocoque

Suspension Upper and lower wishbones, inboard springs and dampers, actuated by pushrods

Engine BMW P86/9 2.4 litres V8 Naturally-aspirated, 18,000 RPM Limited with KERS

Transmission 7 forward speeds + 1 reverse

Tyres Bridgestone Potenza / OZ Wheels

Drivers ... Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld.

Rotax 4-Tec 1200 Petronas-BRP Snowmobile - Sepang F1

As seen at the Petronas stand, during the Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix :-)

Yes, its a SNOWmobile, with a 130 horse-power engine!


Rotax 4-TEC 1200 will be BRP's first high performance four-stroke snowmobile engine
and it will provide its customers with a more competitive product offering for 2009.


rotax.com
BRP-Rotax & PETRONAS rolls out high performance engine for snowmobiles
The engine which rolled out from BRP-Rotax's assembly line in Gunskirchen, Austria on
4 September 2008 marks yet another significant milestone for PETRONAS which has
been involved in the development of engine technology since 1997.

Jointly developed by both parties since November 2005, the 130 horse-power engine
known as Rotax 4-TEC 1200 brings Formula 1 racing and automobile technologies to
the snowmobile world.

The engine, which delivers the best torque in its class, is the first success story coming
from the flourishing technical partnership between BRP-Rotax and PETRONAS
established five years ago.

About PETRONAS
PETRONAS, a Fortune 500 company, is Malaysia's national oil and gas corporation.
Founded in 1974, PETRONAS has strategic business presence in more than 30 countries.
In fiscal year 2007/2008 (ended 31st March 2008), PETRONAS posted a net profit of
18.1 billion US dollars from turnover of 66.2 billion US dollars.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren - Sepang F1 Malaysia Grand Prix

Every boy's "dream" supercar, the SLR, was on display at this year's Mercedes-Benz tent. Droooool! Check out the side-exhaust outlets, how cool!

Remember 2008? Last year's "icon car" at the tent was a Mercedes C63 AMG , this year's took the Merc brand to another level!


Wikipedia ... The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (or C199) is an Anglo-German sports car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. Daimler AG, owner of Mercedes-Benz, also owns 40% of the McLaren Group.



Due to the presence of the automatic gear box, front mid-engined arrangement and its driving characteristics lead some commentators to classify the SLR McLaren as a GT whose rivals can be considered to be e.g. the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

SLR stands for "Sport, Leicht, Rennsport" (sport, light, racing). Mercedes-Benz has stated that they will build 3500 SLRs in a span of 7 years, with an annual production of only 500 cars. The car's base price is GB£300,000 (approx. US$495,000 or €475,000, c. 2007).




The car uses carbon fibre for its entire body construction in an attempt to keep the weight low. Despite CFRP materials the total curb weight is 1,768 kg (3,898 lb)... the SLR can achieve a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in times less than the claimed 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 334 km/h (208 mph).


Would you believe Wikipedia even notes the SLR's US Calendar Year Sales?
2004 = 45
2005 = 200
2006 = 141
2007 = 104
2008 = 106

Mercedes S500L - Sepang F1 Exhibition tent

Wonder how many CKD Mercedes Benz S500Ls have left the showroom, it was launched in late-2008 amidst the economic crisis ... Eeep!
The cost? A cool ONE MILLION ringgit.



I have to say its gorgeous in the flesh :-) ... It caught my eye as I was walking past the Mercedes "tent", but soon after I was drawn to the SLR instead!!


Mercedes.com.my
Kuala Lumpur, 18 November 2008 - Mercedes-Benz-Malaysia presents its new top-of-the-range model the first locally assembled Car with a high capacity V8 Engine: The new S 500 L.
As in the preceding series, the new S 500 L will introduce technical innovations which make the flagship Mercedes model an example for others to follow. Pioneering safety features and exemplary comfort are once again the outstanding attributes of the S 500 L. The new S 500 L also sets standards with its agile handling, while offering an even more effortless driving experience thanks to the new, more powerful V8 engine. It is replacing a model series which is the world No. 1 in the luxury class, with around 500,000 units sold.
For more than five decades, the letter "S" in the model designation of Mercedes cars has signified a special aura, intelligent technology and the highest quality. The new S 500 L not only continues this tradition, but lends a new meaning to it. A dozen technical innovations are entering series production for the first time on board the new S-Class DISTRONIC PLUS– from Brake Assist PLUS with radar sensors to dynamic multicontour seats with an extended massage function, from night view assist with the latest infra-red technology to the new COMAND system, and from anticipatory PRE-SAFE® occupant protection to the suspension system. Performance: over 26 percent more output from the new V8 engine The engines for the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class are new or further developments which offer up to 26 percent more output and up to 15 percent more torque compared to the preceding series. Fuel consumption has been reduced by up to 9 percent.
The new 5.5-litre eight-cylinder generates 285 kW/388 hp and is among the most powerful engines in its displacement class. Maximum torque is also significantly improved compared with the previous V8 engine; it has increased to 530 Newton metres, and is available within a wide engine speed range between 2800 and 4800 rpm. As a result the eight-cylinder powerplant offers driving pleasure more typical of a sports car. The new S 500 L accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds. Despite the 26 percent increase in output, the NEDC (combined) fuel consumption of 11.8 to 12.0 litres per 100 kilometres. Suspension: AIRMATIC for even greater comfort with agile handling The running gear with its standard, improved air suspension system AIRMATIC likewise makes a major contribution to the high level of ride comfort in the new S 500 L.
Mercedes-Benz combines this with the Adaptive Damping System (ADS), which continuously regulates the shock absorber characteristics and takes the road conditions, driving style and vehicle load into account. The system adapts the damping forces for each individual wheel to the current situation within just 50 milliseconds.


Motortrader.com.my
25 years ago, Mercedes-Benz began assembly of the S-Class (the W126) for the first time in Malaysia and at RM123,282 without insurance, the 380SE was the most expensive locally-assembled (CKD in industry-speak) model in Malaysia. Besides the 380SE, the 280SE was the only other CKD model priced over RM100,000 while the next closest was the BMW 520i at RM65,500. Yes, those really were the prices in the early 1980s…
The W126 380SE was the first S-Class to be assembled in Malaysia 25 years ago. Its price then - RM123,282
From what I can recall, when the 380SE was launched by C&C Bintang and the price announced, there did not seem to be any gasp of surprise (or maybe I just don’t remember it after a quarter of a century!) but yesterday, when Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) introduced the new CKD S500L to the media and said it costs almost RM1 million – RM998,888 without insurance, to be exact – it was a bit amazing that a locally-assembled model could cost so much. For those who can afford such a model, it’s 'value for money’, according to Florian Mueller, Vice-President for Sales & Marketing (Passenger Cars) at MBM, because an equivalent unit imported completely built-up (CBU) from Germany would cost about RM400,000 more. That’s because of the 20% difference between import duties for CKD and CBU cars over 3000 cc, which is why it is advantageous for companies to assemble locally if it makes sense, ie there is sufficient volume to justify the investment.

VW Golf GTI - SIC official TrackWagen at Sepang F1

Lovely ... Golf GTIs as far as the eye can see :-)



VW Cars sponsored this year's "Official TrackWagen" at Sepang, during the Formula One weekened.

Kota Permai - Golfing at night

Location: Conveniently off the Kesas highway, not far from Shah Alam
Tel: +603 5122 3700


In Malay, the name means serene and beauty, and aptly enough, Kota Permai Golf & Country Club has captivated the golfing fraternity with its charm since its opening in early 1998. Set within the 1820-acre township of Kota Kemuning, the Hicom Gamuda developed property continues to impress all who walk its fairways. Undoubtedly, Kota Permai is the jewel in the township's crown and was designed to be very much a part of the local community, a truly family club.




My first round of golf at Kota Permai, and thanks to the flood-lights on the last holes, we managed to finish our round one rainy afternoon. Shot a miserable 58+55, but I will never forget my birdie on the 14th hole, a 131 metre Par 3. I called for a 7 iron, but the caddy said in jest, "Orang tua pun guna 9 iron!". Thus I compromised, hit a well lofted 8 iron, and the ball landed left of the pin, rolled to the right of the pin off the slope, leaving me with a 2 foot putt which I made! Ah... Bliss!

Since the first tee shot was struck in early 1998, Kota Permai Golf and Country Club has been aiming at a single target - to keep striving for excellence and the signs are around us at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Such is Kota Permai's succcess that in just four years, the club was voted Malaysia's Number One Golf Course by leading magazine, Golf Malaysia in its 2001/2002 readers' poll. In addition, the club was also voted the Most Memorable Golf Course and bestowed the Most Beautiful Hole award for our par four second hole. History repeats itself when Kota Permai returned to the pinnacle amongst Malaysian golf courses for being voted again as the Country's Best Golf Course along with the Most Memorable Golf Course and Most Scenic Hole award (Hole No.2) at the recent Golf Malaysia's readers' poll 2005/2006.

O&S Seapark - The good! Penang fare

Add: 55 Jalan 21/12, Paramount Garden, PJ
GPS Coordinate (Not confirmed): N3 06.469 E101 37.501
Location: Next to PJ Taman Paramount Caltex, and near to Seapark Post Office
Review: Funny coincidence, nearly a year ago to the day ... I had voted this the BEST breakfast venue in PJ!

O&S is a very popular kopi tiam next to the Caltex station, and not far from Paramount Garden's institutional Sunrise Duck. Be prepared to hawk over other diners whilst "queueing" for your table!

Penang Prawn Mee - Good, sweet after-taste. I like it, and C agreed! I do prefer the one at Lorong Loke Yew, KL which I awarded a "FoOTY 2008 Special Mention".


The masterpiece :-) C, who is a Penangite aka "Hokkien-Lang" agreed that this Kuay Teow Th'ng (What I referred to as Kai See Hor Fun / Shredded chicken noodles) was quite superb. A family favourite of mine for decades! Smooth hor-fun, delicious "crunchies" aka lard, and a wonderfully flavoursome sweet broth.


Penang-style Har-koh (Prawn paste) Chee Cheong Fun. C thought it was pretty good, but needed more Har-koh. Good penang lad!


Excellent Yong Tau Foo too. All in all, O&S is really excellent, and the food ranges from good to top-notch, perhaps it is evidence of "Survival of the Fittest" and bad quality food stalls had been weaned out over the years, by a discerning customer base!

O&S Seapark - The ugly! Oil slick, oops Goreng pisang

Add: 55 Jalan 21/12, Paramount Garden, PJ

I ta-powed some of O&S's famous goreng pisang stall for my folks, just as the guy was closing up ... and it was a disaster. By the time we brought it home, some 30 minutes later, it was very soggy... and soaking in its own oil! URGH!


Check out the oil slick left on the tissue paper!


Tip! If you must... RM$0.60 a piece, eat it there!

101 Hair Care - A resemblance?

101 Hair Care billboard in Klang's Bukit Tinggi ... see the resemblance?

Hing Ket Grill House, Kampung Jawa Klang - Yummy Lamb chop

It had taken us nearly two hours to travel the 40 or so km from Sepang's F1 circuit to Kampung Jawa in Klang, we took the Kesas and got off at the Kampung Jawa exit (Directions below are from Federal Highway). It was a really stormy night, but it was worth braving the rain to find the elusive (yet strangely so, very famous!) restaurant called "Hing Ket". Their specialty? Grilled lamb!



Add: Hing Ket Grill House @ Lot 3569 , Batu 3¼ Kampung Jawa, Klang
Tel: +603 3371 0861
Tel: +603 3371 3913
Opening hours: 11:30am - 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 10:30pm
Described as: Not far from Connaught Bridge TNB Power station
Directions: Courtesy of food.malaysiamostwanted.com
It is located off the main road along Kampung Jawa, Klang.
1) If you come from Federal Highway, after toll, go straight. 1st viaduct, go up.
2) At roundabout, turn left. (condos in front).
3) When you reach traffic lights, take left. There’ll be shoplots on the left. Go straight.
4) At traffic lights, turn right.
5) You’ll come to a T-junction, turn left there.
6) Travel down that road, quite a distance.
7) Shop is on your right so you’ll have to keep a lookout (at a curvy part of the road).
8) This shop is sandwiched btw a house and another shop.(the whole area is called Kampung Jawa)

Simple, humble restaurant with flourescent lights, fans, and you will be hit by a whiff of the lamb on the grill .. and .. as I later found out, the scent of mint sauce :-)
Mental note ... Decline the "crackers" for starter, not worth RM$2!


The power cut off twice whilst we were waiting for our food, guess that was caused by a combination of the rain and dodgy wiring :-) It must happen rather often, as neither the restaurant staff nor the "regular patrons" were surprised, and emergency lighting/lamps were promptly lit up!


Lamb chop @ RM$9 each ... Here's the first two :-) Succulent, tasty, perfectly grilled, so tender ... and the fat was just simply heavenly! Eeeep!


I do NOT normally like mint sauce, but this version with small chilli-padi pieces certainly rocked, and complemented the lamb chops perfectly!


I couldn't resist having a second piece of lamb chop, in all we had 3 pieces between the two of us :-) Total for the 3 lamb chops, RM$27. Great value!


Two grilled crabs, another Hing Ket specialty, RM$32. This was simply grilled with little evidence of seasoning or preparation, the crabs were simply FRESH!


RM$15 for ikan pari or stingray ... Interesting sauce, not your typical sambal but a spicy sauce nevertheless. We enjoyed this!


Tung fun, stir-fried to PERFECTION! RM$8. Excellent!


Overall, a really good meal, and thanks to L for remembering how to get here :-)


Some other recommendations and comments I found online :-)
The Star,
"One of the best places in Klang for grilled seafood!"
Rasa-rasa.net
"A highly-popular restaurant in Kampung Jawa near Klang, specialises in grilling seafood and lamb. Started by a Foo family in the 1980s, it serves a clientele that includes locals, Singaporeans, Japanese, Koreans and Caucasians. A selection of wine is available and the food is still personally cooked by owners Foo Chee Chong and his brother.
Many tables carry a reserved sign as early as 6pm on a Saturday. Phone a day before to book a table during weekends and, if you would like to have baked crabs, call in the morning.
Specialties
Grilled imported lamb, crabs, prawns, squid, ikan pari and kembung. The lamb is served with mint sauce, and seafood with a sambal
Fried glass noodles (tong fun in Cantonese and tang hoon in Hokkien). Other noodles include yam noodles and starch noodles."

Aristo - VIP Lounge, Zouk KL @ Happy Birthday!

This view can only mean one thing, we were attending a party at Zouk :-)


Add: 113, Jalan Ampang, KL
Tel: +603 2171 1997
Located: Opposite Maya Hotel

HAAaaaaapppppy Birthday :-)

Intesting concoctions ... Hmm, ribena? I don't think so!

Ah ... much more familiar. Belvedere Vodka, and Glenmorangie single malt Whisky.

A super cool venue, first there was the retro Mambo at Velvet, then the hip-hop fun of Phuture ... and now Zouk introduces Aristo too. Ultra chic atmosphere with music to match, quite brilliant! Imagine a cosy Zeta Bar :-) and a less busy Club-21 and you are not far off!

Zouk.com.my

The high end members cum champagne bar has its own entrance and be spacious enough to get some dancing action and intimate enough to check on the neighbouring person's Manolos!
What is the main idea/concept behind this room? This is a VIP venue for the VIPs and the people who are part of the region’s high society. A coveted but highly limited membership will allow the right people to bring their similarly ‘cred’ friends to party in comfort and style. This is a champagne bar where the world’s finest wines and cocktails will be a key USP on the menu.
How was the name derived and what is the significance? The name Aristo is derived from the rather noble word aristocrat. It will bring an air of class and will serve to draw in people of significance who wish to party in an international style.
How does the decor/ID reflect the spirit of the room? Cool, plush and high grade materials will be the main features of this venue.
What music/vibe should we be expecting from this room? A very international flavor will be heard within this room. The music policy will comprise of anything from funk, soul and latin vibes progressing into a party style and very cool house music that will resonate well with the international jet setting clientele that this venue will attract.
What should I be wearing, so I can look my best? Glamour, individuality and an international acclaimed style will be the order of the day here. Guests will certainly look their best to keep up with the high standards already set by the other clientele and the stunning backdrop already provided by the décor, ambience and music policy set by the club.
Who will this room appeal to? VIPs, dignitaries, celebs, models, socialites, an international expatriate crowd and lovers of all the fine things in life and aren’t afraid to show it.

Wendy's - Chilli and Burgers at Sunway Pyramid

Located: Wendy's - Near the skating rink, on the same floor as Marrakesh
Tel: +603 5637 1059

"We don't cut corners", interesting square-ish shaped burger. Juicy, fresh and delicious!


Must have! Chilli ala Wendy's. One size fits all ... RM$5.99 (Ordered this ala-carte aka separately). Fantastic, this is what I come to Wendy's for!


L reckons McD's chips are betta, but I think Wendy's is quite perfect!


Perfect.. washed down with a medium sized Ribena. Refreshing! Part of a large-beef burger meal, RM$13.04 in all.


Informative review: Masak-masak.blogspot.com

Owned by Berjaya Corp, they plan to open 10 more outlets this year. Next one is Jaya One, followed by IOI Mall and of course, at Berjaya Times Square where Berjaya has all their franchises housed - Borders, Starbucks, 7-Eleven and Kenny Rogers Roasters
For the franchise in Malaysia, they're serving Quarter Pounders, Half Pounder Double with Cheese and the three quarter pound triple with cheese, fried chicken, fish fillet burger, shrimp supreme burger, spicy chicken sensation, ultimate chicken grill and chicken nuggets. Prices for the burgers range from RM6 to RM15 for the triple while fried chicken is RM6.90 and nuggets are RM5. Sets are also available with soft drinks and french fries.

They also have their signature sides - baked potatoes with 6 different toppings: butter, sour cream, sour cream and chives, chili and cheese, broccoli and cheese and cheese cheese. Chili is also available - minced beef with kidney beans plus who can forget, their yummy milkshake known as Frosty. They have a few flavours - chocolate, vanilla and twisted versions with oreo and m&ms. The twisted version looks like a Mcflurry. A seperate kids meal is also available.

Wah Chai Kopitiam, Bukit Tinggi - Wan Tan Mee, Klang

Add: Wah Chai Kopitiam, Lorong Batu Nilam 1D
Review: A RM$16 sang har mee is also served here
Review: What the shop front looks like

The extensive konloh mee menu!


We chose the "standard" version ... springy noodles, great sauce, overall this wantan mee is good!


Pork noods ... Dad's choice every time!

Post Ching Ming, we needed a coooool drink, refreshing barley-limau to wash down the heat of the day!

Be a boss!

Diamond (Water filtration systems) says ... "Be a boss, start from here!"

Greenview seafood, Rothmans Roundabout - PJ

Add: No. 6 & 8, Jalan 19/3, PJ
Located: Rothmans Roundabout, near Lisa De Inn and BAT (British American Tobacco)
Tel: +603 7954 9263
Previous reviews: Evidence of this being the Si family favourite gathering place

Super starter dish ... sllurrrrrp. Loved the "fu chuk" rolls on the right.


Funny ... this was the 2nd dish to arrive! Normally, this is served ... last :-) before the desserts.


Various dishes ... ranged from OK to good, but no spectacular.


P and I were dissapointed with the duck...


The crabs were decent, but I remember them being even better on previous occasions. We chose two popular cooking styles, Kam Heong and Ham Tan (Salted Egg).

Thanks once again to AP for the family treat :-) on the day before Ching Ming. We continued stuffing ourselves with pancakes (Yum!) and mangoes...

Emirates EK346 ... Dubai back home to KL

Flight: Emirates EK346
Time: 3:10am - 2:05pm
Route: Dubai DXB - KL's KLIA

Noodles were dry and overcooked, very dissapointing. I expected a lot more from Emirates!



I don't think they allow smoking onboard, hmm...

So ... why is it an ash dispenser can be seen attached to the toilet door!!?

Don't even think about nickin' the toiletries on Emirates flights :-)

Aston Martin DB9 - Dubai Airport Emirates T3

I was surprised to find out ... Dubai's Terminal 3 is the largest building in the world by floor space, with over 1,500,000 m2 (370 acres) of space.

More notes from Wikipedia...

The terminal is said to be "opulence personified". Terminal 3 has an annual capacity of 43 million passengers. It is located beneath the taxiway area at Dubai airport and is directly connected to concourse 2. Inside Terminal 3, their are 82 moving walkways, 97 escalators, eight skytrains, 82 moving, and 157 lifts.

Terminal 3 differs from Terminal 1 as there are fewer walking distances. This is the main difference between the terminal 1, which is linked to the concourse (Sheikh Rashid Terminal) with a tunnel, and terminal 3. The shape of the terminal 3 is in the shape of an aircraft wing and is 1 km (0.62 mi) long.
Terminal 3 includes a multi level underground structure, first and business class lounges, restaurants, 180 check-in counters and 2,600 underground parking spaces. The terminal will, by adding 15,000 m2 (160,000 sq ft), double the amount of retail space at Dubai Airport.
The departure and arrival halls in the new terminal are located 10 m (33 ft) beneath the airport's taxiways. The terminal incorporates two levels of parking for vehicles and was fully opened on 14 October 2008.

This is the Aston Martin DB9 , a grand tourer launched by Aston Martin in 2004. Its part of Dubai Duty Free's heavily-marketed lottery draw.

The DB9 is the first new car to be built at Aston's Gaydon facility.

The name "DB" stems from David Brown, the owner of Aston Martin for a significant part of its history. The DB9, which was designed by Ian Callum and finished by his successor, Henrik Fisker, superseded the now-discontinued Aston Martin DB7 (also by Callum) which started production in 1994.
DB9 comes in two variants; coupé and "Volante" convertible, each producing 470 bhp (350 kW; 477 PS) coming from a 6.0L V12 engine, originally taken from its sister car the V12 Vanquish.

In fact, this V12 engine is why Aston Martin did not call the car the DB8, which could suggest that it has only eight cylinders.

One report states that Aston Martin believed that this car was such a huge leap from the Jaguar XJ-S based DB7 that it named it DB9 instead of DB8, which they thought would indicate a gradual evolution.

Power: 350 kW (476 PS; 469 hp) @ 6000 rpm

Torque: 600 N·m (443 lb·ft) @ 5000 rpm

Weight: 1,760 kg (3,880 lb)

0–60 mph (0–97 km/h): 4.6 seconds

Top Speed: 306 km/h (190 mph)

Taxi ride - Abu Dhabi to Dubai

Travelling in a cab from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, a 1 hr 15 mins ride.

More shots of an unfamiliar terrain...

Mercedes-Benz CL500 AMG v Lexus IS300

I like this white Lexus IS300 spotted in ... Dubai




The IS was completely redesigned for the 2006 model year and began arriving at dealerships in the fall of 2005. A pre-production car of the second generation IS model was shown at the 2005 Geneva Auto Show, with the production version debuting at the 2006 New York Auto Show. The new IS was the second debut of Lexus' new L-finesse design philosophy on a production vehicle, following the premiere of the 2006 Lexus GS performance sedan which it also shares a platform with. The new IS design featured sleeker, coupe-like contours, a fastback profile, and a repeated arrowhead motif in the front fascia and side windows. The forward design was reminiscent of the earlier Lexus LF-C coupe concept. The new IS body resulted in a 0.28 Cd figure. The Toyota Altezza name ceased to be used with the introduction of the Lexus division in Japan. The slow-selling SportCross station wagon version was dropped from the lineup altogether.

For China, Brunei, Indonesia and Middle East markets, one model, the IS 300, with a 3.0 L 3GR-FE V6 engine (without gasoline direct injection), 228 hp (170 kW), and rear wheel drive, is sold.

White is a VERY popular and practical colour in the Middle East ;-)

Wikipedia The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is a full-sized grand tourer produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz, which stands for Comfort Leicht in German, or Comfort Light in English.
Originally derived from the SL-Class roadster, it has since been based on the S-Class sedan. Known at first as the SEC and later S coupe, it was spun off into its own line and current name in 1998. The CL continues to follow the same development cycle as the S, though riding on a slightly shorter wheelbase and offering smaller selection of engines, mostly tending towards the high-powered of the range.

Known as the W216 ...This is the third generation CL
Production 2007-present
Platform Mercedes-Benz W216
Engine(s) 5.5L 382 hp V8, or 5.5L 510 hp (380 kW) V12
Transmission(s) 5-speed automatic & 7-speed automatic
The new model was officially unveiled at the end of June 2006 and was presented at the 2006 Paris Salon. The W216 is offered in four models, the V8-powered CL550 4Matic, the high-performance V8-powered CL63 AMG and the high-end V12-powered CL600 and CL65AMG . The CL500 is sold as the CL550 in North America.

2009 Infiniti FX and Range Rover Sport, Dubai

Dubai is a great place for car-nuts such as me ... Here are a couple of examples :-)

The redesigned 2009 Infiniti FX was officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on March 4, 2008. The new FX is offered as the FX35 and FX50. The FX35 is powered by a new 3.5 liter V6 engine and delivers an output of 303 hp (226 kW). The FX50 is powered by an all-new 5.0 liter V8 engine with an output of 390 hp (291 kW) and 369 lb·ft (500 N·m) of torque. Exterior styling retains some of the original model's "Bionic Cheetah" look, while incorporating new cues.

Not sure if this is the FX35 or FX50!

3.5 L VQ35HR V6 (2009-present)
5.0 L VK50VE V8 (2009-present)


Range Rover Sport HSE - Looking HOT in "white"!

The Range Rover Sport is a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by Land Rover since 2005. The fifth model in the Land Rover lineup and the first completely new model since the inception of the Freelander in 1996, the Range Rover Sport represents a new design direction for the marque as foreshadowed by the Range Stormer concept unveiled in 2005.

An evolution of the concept, the Sport is marketed as a sports tourer and is intended to be Land Rover's most driver focused vehicle as indicated by its subtle rear spoiler and taillights shaped for aerodynamic efficiency. Despite this, the Sport has off-road capability at its core, matching the rest of the Land Rover lineup.
A choice of engines...
Jaguar AJ-V8 / Supercharged AJ-V8

Turbo Diesel V6

Turbo Diesel V8

Room Service Burger - Marriott Courtyard Green Community

Late one evening ... in Dubai :-)
Mushroom soup with truffle oil, really good!



Yes... that's Pork Bacon!

Marriott Courtyard Dubai - Green Community

Add: Green Community - PO Box 63845 , Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 4 885 2222


Bedroom




Bathroom


Marriott.com Whether your trip to the Emirate Dubai, be it business or pleasure, you will find luxury hotel accommodations with broadband internet access at the Courtyard by Marriott, Dubai, UAE. Located near Dubai Beach in the Green Community and Dubai Investment Park close to Jebel Ali and Dubai Media City.

Our hotel offers a great ambience for leisure with fabulous dining options in our restaurants, bar and a 24 hour lobby lounge. Relax and unwind in our outdoor swimming pool or keep fit in our gym. Our well-designed accommodations offer work areas with broadband internet and Marriott revive bedding.

Our hotel is the most ideal venue for conferences with broadband internet options. A superb venue to cater for weddings and parties. Easily accessed from Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport, airport transfers available.

View from my room by night ..


And by day ...
I was surprised how much water there was in this oasis!


Panoramic shots...


There's a small shopping mall adjacent to the hotel

Rack rate v corporate rate :-) Phew...

(AED to RM$ ringgit is nearly 1:1)

Sandwiches onboard MH160 from Karachi to Dubai

This was the second leg of the flight, when MH160 ferried me from Karachi, Pakistan to Dubai, UAE. Ssimple but tasty sandwiches, one meditteranean vege and one chicken tikka, were served.

There were 11 crew on-board, and 16 passengers ... what an empty flight!

View above the skies :-)

MH160 to Dubai, transit at Pakistan's Jinnah Karachi Airport

Transit: KLIA - DXB (Dubai), MH 160
Duration: One hour (on board the plane)

I was surprised at how much desert-like terrain was in Pakistan, as I landed for my one-hour transit at Karachi.

View out the window ...

Wikipedia

Jinnah International Airport previously Quaid-e-Azam International Airport (IATA: KHI, ICAO: OPKC) is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Sindh, and is also commonly known as the Jinnah Terminal. The airport is named after Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, who was also known as Quaid-e-Azam ("Great Leader").
The airport provides primary hub for the flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Shaheen Air International, and Airblue as well as many other private airlines.

In fiscal year 2007-2008, over 10.6 million passengers used Jinnah International Airport. 49,283 aircraft movements were registered.
Jinnah International Airport in Karachi has always been the largest aviation facility in Pakistan. It is the primary hub of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). All other Pakistani airlines also use Jinnah International Airport as their main hub. This includes Airblue, and Shaheen Air International.

Disasters!

On 19 August 1980, Saudia Flight 163 a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar flew from Karachi to Riyadh for its first leg. When the aircraft started its second leg to Jeddah, a fire developed. The plane landed, and all 287 Passengers & 14 Crew on board died from the fire.

On 5 September 1986 a Pan American World Airways Boeing 747-121 named Clipper Empress of the Seas, operating as Pan Am Flight 73, was hijacked by Palestinian gunmen posing as airport officials upon arrival from Bombay, India. 20 people were killed when the gunmen opened fire on the passengers as commandos prepared to storm the airplane whilst still on the ground.

KL - Dubai flight, the food on MH has improved!

Flight: MAS MH160
Time: 12:45pm - 6:15pm
Route: KLIA - Dubai (DXB) via Karachi (Pakistan)

Refreshments...

Can't go wrong with a ZIP bar :-)

Nice scallops salad for starter!

Good chicken briyani ... Hmm, food and service on MH / Malaysian Airlines HAS improved!

Couldn't resist asking for a second helping, and I tried the fish which was also rather good!

Thursday Tutoring - Trinity Children's Centre with Helping Angels

Add: Trinity Children's Centre - No 10, Lorong 4/49A, PJ Old Town.
Directions: Near Assunta Hospital roundabout. From there, head towards Old Town Petaling Jaya. You will see an Indian temple on your right. Turn into this 'indian temple road', then go straight on and turn RIGHT, into Jln 4/49. Thereafter turn right into Lorong 4/49A.
Previous visits: Spending time with the Helping Angels

Truly rewarding :-)


And fun too!

My child, TT, is six ;-)

PJ 19 Food Planet - Petaling Jaya 24 hour hawker centre

Add: Lot 1, Jalan 19/1, Seksyen 19, Petaling Jaya
Located: Near TOC (The Otomotif College)
GPS: N3 06.852 E101 37.662 (Unconfirmed!)
Opening hours: 24 hours :-)
Hawker centre: Over 30 stalls, serving a diverse array of food in a clean environment, both halal and non-halal. I observed dessert stalls, as well as Chinese, Malay, Indian, Western, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Taiwan et al.
History: mouthwatering-food.blogspot.com
888 Food Planet situated in Section 19, far away from Housing area and near light industrial & commercial offices. The food court used to be an old paper factory. Now it serves as a convenient spot for workers around that area to go for lunch. They even have an indoor car park, as well as an outdoor car park.

Went with a group of friends for my first visit to this hawker centre, which operates round the clock. Only tried a few of the dishes, so I shall have to let the photos do the talking!

Sweet and sour pork with rice ... Char kuay teow ... Who ordered these?

Pork chop ... noodles?

My unexciting and forgettable, RM$6, Sweet and Sour "sauce" chicken chop rice.

Give me E&L or Yik Mun of Tg Malim, or Taman Tun's 99 Steak and Chops any day! Hmmm, I even miss the legendary Coliseum's chop and Decanter Too in Sri Hartamas.

T's Lor Bak, thanks for sharing mate. When do we head to Penang?

Rather bland and un-exciting Tong Suey, alas ... Soya bean milk and Tong Yuen.

Heng Kee Bak Kut Teh, PJ Old Town - Dinner, anyone?

Add: Jalan 1/10, PJ
Tel: +603 7785 1663
Opening hours: 5:30pm - 12:00am (closed on Mondays)
GPS Coordinates: 3.085387, 101.646935 (Unconfirmed, I don't have a unit!)

This is the 20+ year old Heng Kee, located in PJ's Old Town. My first visit here!


Interesting BKT joint, where you can order accompanying side-dishes eg. Kam Chum Koo (Straw mushrooms, much like Enoki), veges, mushrooms, yau char kuay, Tau foo Pok etc.


Light broth served with side-helping of Tau Foo Pok :-)


Thick broth with large high-quality chinese mushrooms ...


Nice stir fried "Poh lay sang choy" ... Large portion.


Pai kuat and Yuen kuat - Our choice for the night. Good quality porky stuff, but alas I am a Klang boy at heart... I prefer the thicker variety at Sam Mei of Pandamaran, or the more flavoursome Under The Bridge BKT, and certainly I felt this pales in comparison with the Original Teluk Pulai and the very popular Teluk Pulai at Taman Rashna Klang!
But as my friend WL once told me, "Every Klang lad has his favourite stall, don't diss other BKTs!". I agree!


Hmm ... how convenient. The restaurant served an extra bowl of soup, as all the dishes were served :-) Total bill for 2 pax was RM$35, which is decent considering the extras we ordered, i.e. veges, tau foo pok and mushies.


klue.com.my seemed to like this BKT!
Located in one of the oldest parts of the city, this place is charming and vibrant. Brightly lit, spacious and clean, it's flooded with people at dinner time. The soup is a somewhat thin but tasty broth, which they are very generous with. The meat is always tender and infused with just enough herbal aroma. The intestines and stomach, mushrooms and tau pok are pretty good too. Service is prompt and pleasant at most times.

And preciouspea.blogspot.com considers this a perennial family favourite too!
Been eating at this place for the past 20 years and the quality still as good as before. That is why I have been going back for my BKT dosage at least minimum once a month. In fact, it was listed as Top 20 best BKT in Malaysia by one of the Chinese press. While I don't fancy the thick version from Klang, those who prefers the clear version should give this place a try.
... total damage was only RM66 for 6 adults. Can barely walk to the car after such a nice and satisfying meal.

Steam minced pork ala Home

One of my fave comfort foods ... ah bliss. Steamed minced pork!


Stir fried chinese cabbage ... and a simple cold tofu dish, with minced shallots.

Ps. I found a "Steamed Minced Pork with Tung Chye" recipe from deliciousasianfood.com

Ingredients
150 grammes pork

A pinch or two of Tung Chye (or more depending on your preference)

4 cloves garlic
A dash of white pepper powder (optional)

Method
Mince ingredients together and sprinkle some white pepper powder if you like.
Put mince on a suitable plate for steaming.
Steam mince till cooked (say, 5 to 10 minutes). To check whether it is cooked, insert a chopstick into the meat and if the chopstick comes out clean, it is cooked.

Gardner & Wife Theatre needs a new home ... Any suggestions?

Add: 30-G Jalan 25/70A #308 Desa Sri Hartamas, KL
Tel: +603 2273 1398

Founded in 2000, Gardner & Wife Theatre is Malaysia's leading arts presenter for international theatre and family-friendly performances. We believe in providing our audiences with a positive cultural experience by making theatre accessible and fun for the whole family. Gardner & Wife Theatre is committed to developing and growing Malaysian audiences for the performing arts and this is reflected in the wide range of shows we present, including classic farce comedies, quirky off-Broadway musicals, audience-winning fringe acts and award-winning West End plays.

However, every show is subjected to our simple criteria: Will it bring new audiences to the theatre and will they enjoy themselves when they get there?!

Mumm F1 Celebration Finale Party, Pavilion - Hannah Tan

Thanks to the Valiram team for the invite...


The turn-out, "buzz" and the number of G.H.Mumm champers popped and flowed all night was very impressive... Yes, that's Hannah Tan doing a great job em-ceeing on stage.


This was an event hosted by G.H.Mumm, Pernod Ricard Malaysia and the Valiram Group at Pavilion KL, in conjunction with the F1 Sepang Grand prix this weekend.


emmagem.com
Experience the excitement in the city during the Pavilion Pit Stop on the Grand Prix season this 1st - 5th April. There will be themed pit stops throughout the mall where visitors to Pavilion can experience F1.
On the 1st till the 3rd of April, the centre court will be buzzing with catwalks of fashion brands. Pavilion, together with GH Mumm, Enrich Malaysia Airlines, Mastercard Worldwide and EON Bank Pavilion Card, they will showcase the new Spring/Summer collections from retailers of Pavilion. The fashion gala will feature an Asian inspired show.

Fashion Finale Party - 1st April 2009 ... Featuring clothes from the Valiram Group
Fashion and Glamour on the Red Carpet - 2nd April 2009 ... Featuring a collection of Malaysian and Asian Designers
A Silver Themed Evening - 3rd April 2009 ... Featuring clothes from the Melium Group
And, on 4th April 2009 & 5th April 2009 ... Spring/Summer collection by Pavilion retailers


Chloe, Shanghai Tang and Coach models then strutted their stuff... whilst we had more bubbly, and canapes.


wikipedia.com
Hannah Tan (born October 25, 1981 in Penang), also known as Hannah T or Hannah Sarah Tan, is a Malaysian singer-songwriter and television personality. She is half Chinese, half Kelabit.
Arguably one of the most sought after non-Malay female entertainers in the country, Hannah was invited in October this year by multiple-award winning film director Afdlin Shauki to play the lead female role alongside veteran actors AC Mizal and Harun Salim Bachik among many others in his latest project with KRU Productions, My Spy. This film is set to hit the local cinemas in 2009 while Hannah sets foot in the Land of The Rising Sun.
Implementing leadership by example, Hannah encouraged youths all over the country and celebrities alike to give back to the society by organizing the recent self-funded ‘H’ Factor Nationwide Creative Youth Workshop, a pioneering four-state community service initiative which touched the hearts and inspired the dreams of thousands of young people all over the country.

Food Republic, Pavilion - Thye Hong, Little Taiwan, Desserts

Add: Food Republic - Lot 1.41.00, Level 1, Pavilion, 168 Bukit Bintang KL.
Opening hours: 10am - 10pm

Stall: Thye Hong
Item: Fried prawn noodle ala Singapore @ RM$7.50
Verdict: Really good! So similar to the one served at Newton Circus and Atria (Orchard Rd, Singapore). Deeelicious, love the noodles, gravy and sambal.


Thye Hong is quite legendary, in just a couple of minutes, I found the following write-ups...

klue.com.my
(Pavilion, KL) Thye Hong at Food Republic is easy to spot thanks to the straw hats the staff wear. The menu is simple and includes dishes like fried kway teow, omelette oyster, fried carrot cake and the speciality, fried prawn noodle.

overseassingaporean.sg
(Singapore) Wisma Atria Food Republic – Thye Hong Prawn Mee The food paradise that rests on the top floor of Wisma Atria Shopping Centre certainly boasts a cornucopia of stalls serving mouth-watering food, but the stall that stands head and shoulders above the rest is Thye Hong Prawn Mee.
The queue was absurdly long, reaching all the way to the opposite end of the stalls before looping back to end at the stall itself. The cook, however, prepares an enormous wok of prawn noodles each time, allowing the queue to move surprisingly fast.

streetdirectory.com/classifieds/singapore
(Singapore) This hawker stall's fried hokkien prawn mee is so good that I sometimes find myself craving for a plate in the middle of the night. Sounds crazy but it's true, this hawker's noodles are that good. I've seen them fry an entire batch from scratch and what amazes me is the cook's sense of estimation. He throws in a bit of this and that and viola, you've got noodles that speak volumes.
Time for me to rush to the Newton hawker centre to get myself another plate of this famous hawker food. Add: # 01- 58, Newton Hawker Centre, 500 Clemenceau Avenue North, Singapore


Stall: Little Taiwan
Item: Stewed beef rice (Niu roh fan) @ RM$4.90
Verdict: Decent ... tasty beef gravy and minced beef! But I so miss the variety served in Taipei, Taiwan. Is this the cheapest "main course" in Pavilion? Perhaps so!


And finally ... some "tong suey" to wash it all down.
Stall: Desserts
Item: Ginko nut soup with Beancurd (Fu chuk yee mai) @ RM$3.50
Verdict: Nearly tasted like sugar water, and the beancurd / fu chuk was well too coarse.

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, Penang

Guest Blogger: L
Camera: Canon G10

Add: 18, Cannon Square, Penang
Tel: +604 262 2119

A kongsi is a clan house for Chinese of the same clan or surname.
<