Friday, December 31, 2010

Out and about 5: Penang Village and Jalan Ipoh Dim Sum

Missed out on a fantastic new year countdown at midvalley last night but hopefully I won't miss out again in the future **scheming and plotting** :) Instead, I had peaceful meals with my parents; lunch at penang village, hartamas shopping centre and dim sum dinner at Jalan Ipoh. One has to make the most out of each scenario and not regret a moment of it.

Penang Village, Hartamas Shopping Centre

Service here was prompt and friendly as there are not too many customers when I visited. Overall food is average, depending on one's standard:) Apologies for the bad pictures..didnt bring my awesome galaxy out but will resolve to stop being lazy hehe.

Cendol, MYR3.80~I liked the red bean paste used but not a huge fan of the greenies. The entire dish was sweet enough to satisfy me:)

Assam laksa, MYR9.90~ slightly spicy and sour. The sour-ness tends to build up over time. Not very good for me as I'm not a huge fan of hot and sour combinations><

Entree combination, MYR19.90~ayam pandan, kerabu, fried wanton and meat sausage(?). The ayam pandan and meat sausage were yummy but I think the dish is rather overpriced for an entree.

Chicken curry puff~ bought this from one of the smaller outlets at the shopping centre. Crunch on the outside but slightly dry on the inside.

My dry but edible filling~


Restoran Bee Hoon, Jalan Ipoh

The night crowd was crazy! Cars honking everywhere, sounds of firecrackers igniting and heaps of pedestrians walking around in the midst of the night. Yeap, I'm having an open air dinner with the scents of piping hot dim sums wafting the night breeze. Service is fast! :)

A selection of dim sums we anyhow grabbed off the tray~mostly fish and pork fillings~

More dim sums!:)

Chee cheong fun~ the skin's a little thick for my liking but overall still goodx)

Tai (big) pau~ didnt get a chance to touch these as I was already filled up when they arrived=x

Loh mai kai (steamed chicken rice)~woo...this one melts in the mouth and it's sooo good!

More gastronomical goodies~

Char siew pau (roast pork pau)~although I didnt eat this at Jalan Ipoh, char siew pau is usually available during dim sum sessions and is a must have (for me that is)~

That's my new year celebration meals:) Looking forward to more foodie adventures in 2011!^^

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Home 5: Attack of the snacks!

Malaysia is certainly home to various types of finger foods regardless of which state you end up in.Having spent 3 weeks in Malaysia, I realized that my tummy always gets hungry around tea time or before meals and I would be desperately craving for something light to nibble on.

Xmas's triffle~not my personal favourite but recommended for those who likes jelly with swissrollcakes and cream:)

Vegetarian pasta with chunks of honey ham~ hahaha...I had to add the ham in otherwise the pasta's tasteless without it..works well though:)

Egg tart~zomgosh..absolute love! Soft and sweet on the inside, complimenting the crunchy outer layer. Best eaten fresh out of the oven!

My dad's mushroom gravy noodles~best in the world:) Fishcake pieces with slices of chinese mushrooms and veges to complete the meal. Best without the added coriander that is

Take 2~leftovers for the next day

Bacon fried rice with peas, carrots and corn~simple meal:)

Rice dumpling~love love love especially the ones with mushrooms, pork and salted egg in it..definitely will miss this heaps

The inside~sorry about the bad pictures but its the best that I could manage without making the dumpling look retarded hehe

Tambun biscuit delivery from the boy~oohh my favourite penang cookie! I love the fried onion fragrance that comes from each bite. Its also small enough to fit into the mouth,perfect for walking around the house while munching on it:)

Monday, December 27, 2010

Out and about 4: Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar

Went to Midvalley again (convenient and nearby) to celebrate the boy's 22nd birthday..time sure flies lol:) A really interesting and fun day filled with lots of shopping (90% groceries) and my usual mourning over my lack of budget to splash out especially during the year end sales**blehh** Think I need to work for 2 weeks to earn more $$>__>"

Hahahaha...stoned or posing I wonderxD

Caramel popcorn~long time no see, friend:)

PappaRich, MV

Looking forward to trying out their food here. Looks really nice but not too sure. Comments?

Milo dinosaur, MYR7~ not bad but needs to be a little more sweeter?:)

DIY toasted bread with kaya and butter~

DIY-ed, ready for nibblingxD


Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar

Olive oil and vinegar combination and pesto sauce~ love the red carnation!

Baked bread accompanied with the usual olive oil and vinegar concoction~

The side view from my table~

the citrus-y drink was a blend of mint, lemon and maybe lime? Hehe..it was a complimentary appetizing drink indeed:)

Appetizers:

Lobster served with capellini~ robust in flavours yet light enough as an appetizer. Nicely cooked lobster pieces marinated in essence:)

Beef stock with some beef slices and shittake mushrooms~ this is certainly a classy dish! The teapot was used to store the stock and poured when served to the customer. Good way to serve soup right? Hehe.. In addition the the already classy presentation, this dish oozes oomph with its own delightful blend of flavours:)

Capellini served with seafood~ 20% spicy but the spicy-ness somehow builds up after each munch. Didn't expect it to be spicy but it's a good change to the cliche appetizers usually served at most places:) Fresh seafood used..what more can I ask for hehe^^

Raw Kampachi fish slices in seafood based sauce and topped with caviar~ Loaded with healthy fat and omega 3s, this fish melts away in the mouth especially when accompanied with the caviar..should have asked for seconds?xP

Main course:

Grilled lamb rack dusted with herbs showered in the lamb's own extract~ highly recommended for the carnivorous diner! Medium-well done with small pieces of fat carefully carved at correct places, creating a different surface scheme with each bite:)

Seafood trio completed with a seafood base stock~ gently blanching seafood (scallops and fish) is a good technique applied, allowing the seafood to absorb the stock's essence and hence, providing diners with an enhanced taste profile:)

Lobster fillet resting on a bed of seafood pieces, drenched in seafood based sauce~wow! Haha, yes, this dish is paradise. Strong character dish suitable for diners looking for that extra boost of flavours:)

Lightly seared seabass served with prawn and mini bok choys~ The fish is fresh and possesses a smooth texture while the prawn and vegetables required more biting. I was slightly disappointed with this dish as I could not appreciate the accompanied sauce's presence but overall its worthwhile if you're looking for a simple main course:)

Red wine, chilled water and a citrus-y drink~

Dessert:

Lightly baked souffle with a slightly caramelized top served with ice cream~ soft, light and feathery tasting describes this concoction. Perfect choice to complete the previous heavier tasting dishes. Both the ice cream and souffle were equal in terms of taste but their contrasting textures provided a blissful experience x)

Chocolate fondant served with ice cream~ piece de resistance (well, to me that is)! Smooth melting chocolate simply oozes out from the cupcake upon slicing. The overpowering chocolate taste is complimented with the more mellow tasting ice cream but I think the chocolate fondant is just perfect by itself. The chocolate taste lingers for some time and is somehow unforgettablex)

Fuji apple cubes wrapped in pastry served with caramel ice cream~ basically apple pie with an added twist by Chef Daniel. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with hints of butter in each bite. The sweet tasting caramel ice cream provides a hot and cold fusion in one's mouth, heightening the experience~

Crepe Suzette drizzled with caramelized Grand Marnier and orange zest sauce, served with vanilla ice cream~the strong and sweet alcohol taste of the sauce perfectly compliments the milder flavoured ice cream, creating a match made in heaven:)


Overall, I've enjoyed myself immensely throughout the night. Love their prompt and attentive service, excellent food and lovely atmosphere overlooking part of Kuala Lumpur:) One of my many fond memories in Malaysia. Funny how I'm afraid of heights yet I want to embrace the feeling and view from up there:)

Reservations are required as the restaurant has a limited number of seats in order to better serve each guest:)

Opening hours and contact details:

Lunch (Mon-Fri): 12pm-2pm
Dinner (Mon-Sat): 6pm-10.30pm
Closed on Sunday

The Gardens Residences Level 6,
The Gardens, Mid Valley City,
Lingkaran Syed Putra,
59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 603 2268 1328
Fax: 603 2287 2189
Email: sagekul@gardenshtlres.com


And now, for some dressing room camwhoring~can't live without these moments (not enough $ to buy so take pic!)

Courtesy of Topshop, Midvalley Megamall..they still do have some great buys even after a week since the sale started^^

Should I or should I not? Easy to wear but difficult to wash..I likey the colour though!!XD

My face screams "OOoooooooooooooooooo" hehe...love love this Kate Moss edition^^

Have a lovely New Year celebration all~~ celebrate the end of a wonderful year filled with life long lessons and open a new adventurous chapter in 2011!!!:)

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Out and about 3: Ipoh Hor Fun at TTDI

As I would not be going back to Ipoh this time, I have to be on the lookout for Ipoh cuisines to fulfill my cravings. Tucked amongst the shops in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Chong Thoong Kee serves one of the best tasting Ipoh hor fun that I can find in kl/selangor:)

Priced at MRY4.50 for a small serve and MYR5.50 for a larger serve, customers can choose between to have either wet or dry hor fun. Their prawn dumplings are certainly tasty but I think that the size of the serving shrunk throughout the years:S

Large serve of Ipoh hor fun. Inclusive of shredded chicken and prawn pieces

A closer look at my lunch~~

The prawn dumplings~not too sure about the price but minimum is MYR7:)

Advertisement pic?:p

Wanna bite?