When I was a kid growing up in a village in Ipoh, the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese lunar calendar was always an exciting day. That’s when everyone in the village celebrated the “Mooncakes Festival” and “pai yuet kong” (“praying to the moon” in Cantonese) was the finale of the night. But of course, the prayers thing was something done by the adults and we kids were just interested in the lantern activities for the day. Yes, those traditional lanterns in all shapes and sizes of … [Read more...]
GO HAINANESE @ THE GRAVY FACTORY, NU SENTRAL
If you are as old as me, you’d probably recall that well-known and popular western food chain restaurant called “Mamachops & Papagrill” which used to draw large crowds due to their delicious offerings and very affordable prices. Fast-forward many years - due to a management change, some of the people who ran those outlets have rebranded the business and have now set up The Gravy Factory which is located in NU Sentral. The casual eatery spots rustic open-brick walls, simple metal … [Read more...]
FAVOLA @ LE MERIDIEN KUALA LUMPUR: NEW SPECIALITIES FROM CHEF DOMENICO PIRAS
Although born in Milan, Chef Domenico Piras’ passion for cooking came from Sardinia when he move there from a young age. After having worked extensively in Europe, Chef Domenico came to Asia in 2004 with culinary stints in Singapore, East Malaysia, Brunei and now Kuala Lumpur. Love the deco in Favola - so beautiful! Since helming the kitchen at Favola at the Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur some months ago, the charming and hospitable chef has created a list of new items for the menu. … [Read more...]
DURIAN KING@TTDI: DURIANS WITH A CAUSE on SUNDAY, 14 August 2016
It’s now the peak of the durian season in the Klang Valley and for durian lovers, it’s a question of where to get the best durians in town? Durian feasts are firmly on the weekend agenda these few weeks. The Musang King is undoubtedly still one of the top durians being sought. The deep yellow-fleshed pulp, so soft and bursting with intense flavours have made Musang King extremely popular and durian fans do not mind paying for premium quality. But look - there is now a serious … [Read more...]
CAMERON HIGHLANDS RESORT: LET’S GO ON AN ORGANIC CULINARY JOURNEY
Like I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here, a stay at the Cameron Highlands Resort is never boring. Whether it’s going on a mysterious hiking trail, attend a fancy fine-dining dinner or go for an indulgent picnic in the hills, there’s plenty to do. Here’s another adventure: how about going on an organic culinary journey while you are at the resort? Everyone knows Cameron Highlands is famous for its vegetable farms, besides tea plantations. My journey with the resort team was not … [Read more...]
IPPUDO @ THE GARDENS MALL: New Menu!
I’ve always loved eating edamame in its simplest form: blanched. Blanched lightly in salt water, the green peas are sweet and crunchy and that’s how it’s usually served in most Japanese restaurants as a starter. Of late, the trend has been shifting. More and more restaurants have decided to give the plain edamame a flavoured makeover. I’ve seen some restaurants stir-frying the edamame with lots of flavoursome ingredients added. In Ippudo at The Gardens Mall, the chefs have come up … [Read more...]
HUCKLEBERRY AFTER DARK @ PLAZA DAMANSARA
By day, Huckleberry the bakery and cafe draws the crowd with wonderful smells of freshly baked breads, pastries, cakes and freshly-brewed coffee. Their croissants are insanely good (especially the almond ones!) - my favourite any time. All these are sold out every single day, usually by late afternoon. After that, the crew would be getting geared up for their After Dark activities - sounds intriguing? Huckleberry After Dark takes on a whole different atmosphere. The kitchen … [Read more...]
IPPUDO @ Bangsar Shopping Centre – New Menu!
Have you tried the new Mazesoba Ramen from Ippudo? It’s something very different from the regular ramen. For one, it’s a “dry” rendition, much like our local “kon loe” style where noodles are tossed with sauce and condiments. This Japanese-style “mixed ramen” is a serving of thick chewy noodles with 9 unique ingredients. The 9 ingredients are nori, cha shu, crunchy noodles, garlic, spring onion, minced pork, lime, leek and an onsen tamago (poached egg). The idea is to toss … [Read more...]
STEAMBOAT AT XIN, CONCORDE HOTEL KUALA LUMPUR
There was an evening when we were caught in a massive traffic jam right in the centre of the city. It was raining, chilly and traffic along Jalan Ampang had hardly moved in the last 30 minutes. Stuck in the car and with tummies growling louder every minute, we were craving for something hot and soupy. Steamboat! Yes, that would be perfect for a cold wet evening. As our car inched forward towards Jalan Sultan Ismail, we had a lightbulb moment - with the Concorde Hotel right by the corner, we … [Read more...]
HANA DINING & SAKE BAR: NEW GEMS ON THE MENU!
When Chef Thomas Lim and his team churn up their creativity, you can be sure wondrous things are going to happen. Read about my earlier write-up on the Sake Pairing in Hana Dining & Sake Bar - something which is held quite often there. Helming the kitchen of Hana since it opened a year ago, the good chef felt it’s about time to revamp the menu. The popular favourites are retained, naturally and the new creations hold pride of place in the brand new stylish menu. The hardcover-bound menu with … [Read more...]
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