My Momma Don't Wuv Me No More!

Sigh. What a way to start a holiday....
(To cut a long story short)

1) Went out for dinner with parents on Sunday - 2 sets of housekeys are taken out but 1 was left in the car.
2) Woke up on Monday morning. Found that parents were both out.
3) Bathed, brushed teeth.
4) Discovered that I had been locked in the house.
5) Called parents to ask for location of spare set of keys. Outcome was as follows:
...
Momma Sez: "I am playing mah-jong** - Don't disturb me!. Go call your father..." *hangs up*
...
Daddy Sez:"I am at work - Don't disturb me!. Go call your momma..." *hangs up*
...
*called Momma back and told her about what Daddy said*
...
Momma Sez:"Didn't I tell you that I was busy? Anyway, I don't remember where the spare keys are. Just look around" *hangs up*

The Elusive Key

??
Ok.
??

*tried to locate spare keys unsuccessfully*

6) Cursed lightly under breath and made mental note to never call parents as back up on emergencies.
7) Implored Nick to drive over to my house and retrieve my keys from the car, causing me to be forever indebted to him
(Thanks for saving me, Nick! Really appreciate it and will never forget this favour... Will also never forget your cheeky grin as you dangled my keys outside my door asking me how much it was worth to me)

I am thinking that not only are the apron strings cut,... the apron has been burnt and its ashes scattered over the choppy waters of the Straits of Malacca...
*sigh*
Oh well.

Met up with Pat for lunch after escaping from my house and drowned my sorrows in a yummy, yummy pancakes....
(Paddington's House of Pancakes has a new menu! - YAY!)

Then, went indulged in a long overdue manicure+pedicure at my usual place: Nail Basics @ Hartamas...
(I feel pwetty again! - YAY!)

Anyway, I'm back in the office now...
Just killing time till I start on my annual leave next week...

:)

Just killing time?
Who am I kidding?

Better get back to work....
*deadline looming*

Ciao,
J


(** A Chinese game similar to gin-rummy, but using tiles as game pieces instead of cards)


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Locked In

Ebil! Pure Ebil!

*ROFL*

I know I shouldn't laugh....
It's just so cruel to experiment on innocent, trusting animals like this.....
... but,.. but.... it's just so funny!

See what I mean:

• Test Subject: Kitty Kat

*trying to stifle laughter*

Warrrgh.... I can't stop laughing....!
(*gasp* Does that mean that I am ebil too?)

NOOOOooooooooooooooooooo......................................................!


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Video, Videos, Cat, Funny, Japanese

Finger Licking Good

It's 11.40 and here I am at home,... relaxing and nibbling on a Kit Kat bar....

muahaha.

I love holidays.
(but of course, this is only for people in PJ, so sorry my KL friends)

:)

Anyway, onwards to another food review:

Dum dum dum dum.....

I know, I know...
Many other sites out there have done reviews for Delicious Cafe by Ms Read.... but anyway, here's my take on the place....

The Dinner:

Saturday night at Delicious at Bangsar Village was busy as usual, the usually cool and relaxing ambience of plush couches and relaxing blues and whites was replaced by a market-like hustle and bustle of activity.......

(Waiters looked a bit overworked and it was hard to get their attention...*gwumble*)
Even with that, our food came amazingly quickly...

I know that Pat was more than plesantly surprised when the Marsala Lamb Shank he ordered arrived in 5 minutes flat...:

Baa..... Baa Ram Ewe.

The lambshank comes very highly recommended and is not only really delicious, but an absolute steal for only RM24.... (as Pat himself will attest to).

I had my usual, the Duck Confit Spagettini...

Quack quack

This dish is one my all time favourites, with the simple oglio style spagettini beautifully paired with shredded duck meat, sun dried tomatoes and coriander.

Leaving Pat to clean off the large bowl of fries that we had ordered (I swear, that man has a bottomless pit for a stomach!)... I waited impatiently for the main reason I had chosen to dine at this restaurant.....

... the mouthwatering, to die for,.... Classic Chocolate Cake:

Sharing the cake aka. Sharing the calories

Now, don't let the boring, run-of-the-mill name fool you...
(ditto with the really bad photo - eek, really should have taken a photo before splitting the cake)
...for this cake is far above the normal dry chocolate spongey quasi-cakes served at many a cafe/ restaurant in Malaysia...

This cake, moist and rich, smothered with a generous serving of hot chocolate fudge and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, is the closest I have found to heaven on earth...

Be warned though, however tempted you may be, it would be foolish to attempt to finish off the entire serving by yourself (especially after having your main meal) because it is very very filling....

Pat and Chen Hoe (Pattar says: Rawr)

Twas an early night, that Saturday....
Pat raved about how good the food was for the price... but only had one complaint... that the drinks were a little overpriced (which I totally agree with)....
I was not feeling well so with my tummy bulging, I retired to bed very soon after dinner....
*snoooore*

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Delicious @ Bangsar Village

Taste: 8.5
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : RM 40/++ per person
Parking: Ample
** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 603 - 2288 1770
Opening Hours: 11am - 11pm

HALAL

[ BEGIN EDIT ]

The phone number for their bigger outlet in One Utama is 03-7724 1086.

Cheers,
J

[ END EDIT ]

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Bangsar, Delicious, Ms Read, Fusion, Chocolate Cake, Kuala Lumpur

BE the ZOMBIE! (Gwwwarrrrr.... BWaaaaainsssss.....)

This game looks like fun!

!!STUBBS THE ZOMBIE!!

A classic tale of love, death and brains

How it all began...

In 1933, Edward "Stubbs" Stubblefield was just another traveling salesman trying to get by during the Great Depression. His lifelong losing streak reached its logical conclusion when he was brutally murdered and ignominiously buried in a remote Pennsylvania field.

Love at first bite - getting to third base

But now... It's 1959. Playboy industrialist Andrew Monday has constructed a monument to his own ego: Punchbowl, Pennsylvania, a technology-driven City of the Future to which the world will look for guidance.

Unfortunately, Punchbowl (motto: "Drink your fill of the Future") is built atop the same stretch of land where Stubbs was buried all those years ago. When he crawls out of his grave during Punchbowl's opening day celebration, Stubbs doesn't know who killed him or why he's returned.

All he knows is that this strange city of towering buildings, bright lights, and incredible machines wasn't here before...and that eating somebody's brains would make him feel better.

Players take on the role of Stubbs as he lurches his way through several environments in and around the gleaming city of the future, feeding on the brains of the populace and anyone else who stands in his way.

Friends are those who lend a hand

In death, Stubbs has finally achieved the success and power he never had in life – and he sees no reason to stop until all of Punchbowl is his. Of course, Andrew Monday has other ideas. The tension mounts until the city explodes in a full-scale human vs. zombie war.


(If you want to check out more screen shots, the Stubb's The Zombie Official Website is HERE)

So far, this game has gotten really good reviews all around due to its originality and hilarious dark tongue in cheek (or is it brain in mouth?) humour....
(save for a few complaints that the game is a tad too short)

(Reviews from IGN.com HERE and Gamespy.com HERE)

The only problem now is that I don't own an X-box....
(OR a good enough PC)

:(

Hey Al! You have an X-box.... and you like violent games, right?

:)


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Game, Stubbs The Zombie

Domain Cafe aka. TRPNATPO**

UPDATE: Sadly, Domain Cafe has closed down (indefinately).....

Last Saturday, we ventured to the (slightly) deeper regions of Damansara Perdana to try out Domain Cafe (aka. **The Restaurant Previously Known As The Pink Olive).

(You may view the map HERE)

Domain, located just off the main road to The Curve, is quiet and cosy, with simple modern decor.... (sadly, the ambience is somewhat marred by the mamak restaurant just opposite it... Motorcycles and cars zooming past, football game blaring on a big screen tv.... Well, you get the picture)

A peek into Domain Cafe

After we got over the fact that we were the only patrons at the restaurant that night, (it's really so quiet there!) we commenced the feasting....

The Dinner:

I started off the night with a favourite of mine: Panfried Mushrooms....

Psychedelic mushrooms

The mushrooms were simple but delicious, lightly cooked in olive oil and garlic, with a pinch of fresh herbs that accentuated its flavour...
(definately something that I would order again)

(Hmmmm,.. I don't know why the photo looks kinda scary, with the oil seeming to glow in an eerie yellow neon manner but I assure you, them mushrooms were delicious! Almost had to stab Pat in the hand with a fork to stop him from stealing too many from me)

Pat had the Grilled Chicken Ceaser Salad to start off....

Et tu, Brutus!

The salad was really tasty, with chunks of tender grilled chicken... and a real steal for only RM13.

For the mains, Pat had the Linguine Aglio Olio with Crabmeat and Lime.....

Alas Sebastian, we knew him well....

This dish, which came highly recommended by Jo-Lyn, was really nice...
(I stole a few bites)
It was a very uncomplicated dish, with the pasta (al dente, mmmmm) served with flakes of shredded crab meat and herbs....
Although the lime has been left on top as an option, I'd say that adding it is a definate must as it really brings out the flavour of this dish.

And as for me, I tried out the Baked Cod (served with mash and a bed of wilted spinach)...

How we hurt the ones we love

The cod was ok - lightly crispy on the outside and moist inside....
(and only for Rm33 too - good price)

Albert had selected a pizza for his main, but reports that it was only "OK".

For dessert, I chose the Chocolate Cake...
(I'm rather predictable, aren't I? *grin*)

My one true love

The chocolate cake was delicious!
(...although I would say that the consistency of it is perhaps more of a "chocolate fudge brownie"...)
The "cake" was crispy outside and moist inside, with chunks of chewy chocolate fudge..
*droooool*
It is super heavy though, so I would warn you not to attempt to finish it on your own, because you will definately get "jelak"** when you are about halfway through...
(**queasy)

Mmmmmm,... and the piece de resistance: The Lemon Tart!

My new squeeze

This simple dessert was perfect.... the tartness of the smooth lemon cream paired beautifully with the crispy tart base and yummy strawberry coulis.
It was easily the best lemon tart I've tasted EVER...
(with 2 thumbs up from Albert and Patrick too)

All in all, it was a good dinner - quiet restaurant (erm,.. but a bit TOO quiet actually), good service and yummy food (at a good price too)....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Domain Cafe @ Damansara Perdana
Taste: 7.5
Ambience : 6
Service : 8
Price** : RM 40/++ per person
Parking: Ample

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 603 - 7725 4778
Opening Hours: 11am - late

NO PORK SERVED

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Damansara, Domain Cafe, Western, Kuala Lumpur

Shrine O' Seagal

And now for something lighter on this gloomy Wednesday afternoon....
(Am starting to feel really sleepy in spite of the amount of coffee I have consumed)

<_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_>
::Steven Seagal::

<_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_>

Height: 6' 4''
Sex: M
Nationality: American
Birth Date: April 10, 1951
Birth Place: Lansing, Michigan, USA
Current Relationship: Arissa Wolf (former nanny

to Seagal's and Kelly LeBrock's (Mr. Seagal's first wife) children)

Ahhhh.. Seagal!
How great you are....
... to have such depth and range in your performances:

(Click on the above thumbnail and prepare to be in AWE!)

<_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_>

(erm,... so how is it that Mr Steven Seagal has survived in the industry for over a decade and has starred in 20+ movies?)

TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Steven Seagal, Funny

Wine Appreciation (2)

Selamat pagi, y'all!
Time for second installment of the stuff on wine that I've been reading.....

*drum roll*
(Commence Project Copy and Paste!)

What's The Big Difference Anyway?

There are four major types of wine: red, white, rosé (or blush), and champagne. As far as dining is concerned, we are going to focus only on the first two types since champagne is its own animal (see SoYouWanna enjoy champagne) and rosé is largely considered a joke. That's not entirely true, but you'll be safer sticking to reds and whites if you're ordering at a restaurant; most wine advisors recommend chilled rosé only for a picnic on a hot day.

Pick your favourite colour: Red, White or Rose

Oh, and anything that comes in a can, a box, or a forty ounce container isn't technically wine; it will be listed on the menu under "This-Is-For-Cheapskates".

Where The Color Comes From

Color is the first and easiest distinguishing feature of wine. As we hinted at earlier, the main difference between red and white wine is that grape juice used to make red wine contains skins, seeds, and stems. This is significant for the following reason: leaving juice to mix together with the woody bits (known as maceration) causes the finished product to contain something we briefly mentioned earlier – tannins.

If the term tannin is bugging you because you don't really get what we're talking about, just think about a strong cup of tea. That woody taste is tannin. In wine, it can lend a wonderful complexity to a red wine. As a general rule of thumb, red wines are heavier and more complex than white wines. White wines are usually a good place for beginners to start because they are initially more palatable to novices since they often tend to be sweeter.

THE Rule

The reason you need to be aware of the differences between red and white wine is because one of the oldest rules in fine dining is that you should attempt to harmonize your choice of food and drink. If you are going to be eating something delicate with subtle tastes, the Rule states, you should avoid drinking something with a strong flavor that will overshadow the food. Conversely, a hearty meal will often be best complimented by a strong wine with flavor of its own.

Red wine paired with red meat

Now every single guide to wine in the world makes a point of saying that the Rule is out of date and the only hard and fast dictate of wine drinking is to choose something you enjoy. Of course, if you're dropping fatty cash for grub and grog, you should pick whatever the hell you want. Don't let dead British wankers tell you how to eat a meal — go with what you like.

The Rationale Behind THE Rule

Nevertheless, there's a reason that Rule evolved in the first place: it makes sense. If, for example, you're trying to pick up on the vague hints of Caribbean brine that delicately caress the primo slice of sushi you just ordered, slurping a bowl of tequila isn't going to help. Balancing food with drink may not be required anymore, but it's a good tip to keep in mind and will instantly push you off the Zero mark when you start eating at good restaurants.

White wine paired with light food

A specific corollary of the Rule is that white wines tend to go best with fish and white meats, like chicken and pork; red wines go best with red meat and red sauces. Another adjutant to the Rule is that you should begin with lighter wines and progress to heavier ones throughout the course of the meal. This policy again reflects the idea that you should not overburden your palate: if you start with a strong drink, your taste buds will be shot and you won't be able to enjoy anything that comes after it. That is why aperitifs are typically light drinks while dessert liquids, like port, are rich and heavy.


And thus ends Round 2 of the wine info....
(It's not much,... but perhaps its enough to charm your dates during dinner)
I also found a site that has a online wine-food matching program...
So, if you want to find out what type of wine would go best with your favourite food, check it out here.


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Wine, Wine Appreciation, Wine Basics

More Nonsense

And I present to thee, another round of hand picked videos to kill some time with:

• Beware the man who mows in leather!
• Great spoof ads: Delusional Make-up, "Pantsu Faito" and Mind Control Kitty!
• The Japanese version of Fear Factor: Mini Godzilla Attack!

I hope it brought a smile to your face....

With that, I bid you all adieu!
*orbs self back to Mount Doom aka The Dreaded Mountain of Work*


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Video, Videos, Japanese, Funny, Spoof

So Cute!

I just couldn't resist.....

The Pandog!

(Isn't it adorable?)

TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Puppy, Pandog, Cute

The Late Review

Gutten Morgen, people......!

Monday morning already.
Time to get back in the grind....
*whine*

Anyway, ....I'm really getting a bit slack with this whole dinner review thing...
It's been about 3 weeks since we went for dinner at the Mustard Tree... and now I finally get around to writing the review.

Without further adue:

The Dinner:

There was a big group that week,... about 20 people strong....
Here's everyone at waiting for the food:

*faint sound of tummies rumbling in anticipation*

The restaurant was roomy yet cosy.... seating all us of comfortably....

The service was great.... with very attentive service the whole night from Godwin and his staff....

Soon after ordering,.... the food arrived (to our delight)....

Here's the Garlic Bread appetizer that JJ started off with (and that's Pat's caberet-ing fingers):

Garlic bread (less one piece) - does not necessarily come with dancing fingers

According to JJ, it was crispy and delicious..... but I think the most highly recommended appetizer for the night was the Grilled Mushrooms..... Voila:

The grilled mushrooms - yummy!

The mix of mushrooms, lightly grilled and heavily cheesed, were served on a bed of fresh greens and were well, ... cheese-a-licious!

My main was a bit of a disappointment though.... I had ordered the Grilled Fish with Almond Sauce and found it to be tasty.... but definately a bit on the dry side:

My main - grilled fish with almond sauce

Everyone else said that their mains were really good tho....

... ESPECIALLY the Mustard Lamb Chops which come with a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" stamp of approval from Lenny.

Last but not least,..... dessert! (Definately my favourite part of the meal).

Here's the house specialty - The Chocolate Brownie, smothered in rich hot fudge and topped with vanilla ice cream:

Le Dessert - Chocolate Brownie

The brownie, of which I had nicked off Huey Yee, was more like a really heavy chocolate cake....
Although there was nothing wrong with it..(it's actually pretty good).. I was not fully satisfied... (What can I say? I am totally spoilt after having tasted the chocolate cake at Delicious Cafe)

And of course, the main highlight of the night: Kwong Heng's new hairstyle:
(and before you ask, Yes. He did it voluntarily, No. He didn't lose a bet, and No. It wasn't done by a blind hairdresser with a lawnmower)

Kwong Heng's new hairstyle.... *eyes begin to bleed*

Overall, the Mustard Tree left a good impression..... The prices there are very decent, with a 3 course meal and a glass of pretty good Chilean wine only setting me back about RM 50...

(which is d@mn cheap by KL standards)

Also, Godwin was very accomodating, providing not only excellent service the whole night through but also individual billing for our whole group, which is very convenient and pretty rare....

(Kudos to Godwyn!)

(I think the only downer is the fact that it is on Jalan Ampang, where traffic is a pain in the @ss on most days)

If you want to find out more, the Mustard Tree has a beautiful website, with photos of the restaurant, current special menu selections as well as comments from patrons....
(you can check it out HERE)

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Mustard Tree@AmpWalk, KL

Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 8
Price** : RM 40/++ per person
Parking: Ample

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 603 - 2171 2202
Opening Hours: 11am - 11pm
(Closed on Sundays, Monday nights and Public Holidays)
NO PORK SERVED

The After(-Dinner) Party:

Everyone..... and JJ (erm... why is Pat putting his hand on JJ's... *aiiiieeee*)

Soon after, most of the dinner group congregated at the newly opened Cotton Club in Maju Junction, KL (near Wisma Sime Darby).

There, we all met up with Jo-Lyn (who was celebrating her cousin's birthday) as well as Alvin and Diana. The club was quite nice.... with a pretty good live band playing an assortment of popular old classics that night....

The Interior of the Cotton Club

Unfortunately,... drinks were a tad pricey.... and service was atrocious... with waiters more concerned with dancing on the bar tops, messing up orders and mixing up bills.

*sigh*

Still, it's not the place.... it's the company that counts, I suppose.

The Cotton Club @ Maju Junction, KL

G-11, Maju Junction Mall
1001, Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03 - 2772 8588

Opening Hours
Mon – Thu : 11.30am – 1am
Fri & Sat : 11.30am – 2am
Closed on Sundays

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Ampang, Mustard Tree, Western, Kuala Lumpur

Ya Gots Ta Represent!

Ohio gozaimasu!

:)

Here's a video of Japanese family (from the East-Sideeeeeee. Yeah, Chink brothers in the house!):

• Fo' Shizzle Wizzle, Homie

Ah,..... that's 6 minutes well spent.
(Where do they come out with this stuff?)

I wouldn't be too surprised if there really is a nice Japanese family like that out there though..... They have such a rich and varied range of evolving sub-cultures: The Gothic Lolitas, the Jap Rastafarians, the Sailor Fuku (school uniform) fixation, etc...

Anyways....


Peace out,
J


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Video, Videos, Funny, Japanese

Wine Appreciation (1)

Was reading up some general info about wine and decided to just post it up for everyone's viewing pleasure.
(I got it mostly from the So You Wanna...? website)
(Yay for blatant copying and pasting!)

There's a lot more but I'll probably post it up later, bit by bit....

What is wine?

"Hmmmmm.... (in hoity voice)... you want the 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon to go with your Oven Baked Cod? How CRASS!"

Essentially, it is fermented grape juice, but with a few extra twists.

God saved a few pieces of Eden when he gave us the boot, and one of the best is the fact that any fruit containing sugar will turn to booze if you leave it to ferment. In the process of fermentation, yeast converts the sugar into alcohol. Yeast is found all over the place, and in the wild it lands on the skins of grapes; hence, when grape juice is left to sit about in the wild, that yeast will mix with it and ferment it naturally.

Vintners nowadays don't take any such chances: they labor over what precise strain of yeast to use in their recipe because different choices will obviously lead to different results.

The ingredients
Most people believe that green grapes make white wine and red grapes make red wine. That is largely true, but if you care to impress anyone with arcane eno-trivia, you should know that white wine can also be made from red grapes.

The inside of red grapes is essentially "white" — it is only their skin that is red. And most wines are made with just the inside of a grape. The red color in red wine is created by allowing the fleshy interior to mix with the pulpy skins when it is being crushed. This process infuses red wines with "tannin," an ingredient that gives red wine its distinctive flavor.

Fermented grape juice - yummy!

So, you can make white wine with red grapes — like White Zinfandel, a fine white wine made from a grape with a decidedly red exterior — but not red wine with green grapes.

Oh, and most champagnes are made from red grapes. Weird, but true.


The process
The grapes are crushed with or without the skins and then left to ferment.

The nasty bits are removed from the juice and a disinfectant is used to neutralize any contaminants, such as mold and bacteria, that may have been on the grapes — remember, they've just been sitting outside for ages, surrounded by bugs and dirt, and yeast ain't the only thing lurking on the skin.

The fluid, or "must," is then left to complete the fermentation process in either big steel vats or small wooden barrels — barrels call for a longer process and are harder to keep at the right temperature, but supposedly lead to a better finished product, for which you of course will end up paying more.

Words of the wise (?)

Once the wine is properly fermented, the vintner will need to pluck out all the little nibblets and then mature the clarified vino. The better vineyards will age the wine for years in oak barrels, which infuses the wine with positive woody hints. The lamer vineyards will shove the stuff in a steel vat just long enough for it to be squirted into cardboard boxes with plastic spigots.

Ok.... that's all for now...

Hope y'all didn't find that mind-numbingly boring....

:)


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Wine, Wine Appreciation, Wine Basics

Oh Shit

Ever had one of those days?

*looks at photos*

Hmmmmm,... actually,... that road reminds me of the bad parts of Old Klang Road...

Anyway,.... on roads:
Was just thinking this morning, if there is only one thing that is great at working at my current company, it's NOT working in KL and thus, NOT having to fight through the hypertension inducing traffic to get to work....
... AND not having to suffer through the spirit-crushing traffic on the way back home...

I cannot tell you the joy that fills my heart when I arrive at my office, knowing that it only took me 20 minutes to get there (as compared to the mind-numbing hour I used to spend fighting through traffic....)

We have to hold on to the small joys in life, right?

:)


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Bad Day, Funny Photo

Nippon - Yatta!

A few weeks ago, my mum saw the review for this restaurant in the Star and decided that the family should go check it out.....

The Lunch:

Nippon Yatai Mura, the new addition to the already popular chain of restaurants is situated in a rather strange location: surrounded by factories (save for Unique Seafood restaurant, which is right next to it) on Jalan Kemajuan in Section 13, Petaling Jaya.

The Front of The Restaurant

The restaurant looks inviting from the outside and has a cosy environment inside, with warm colours and wooden finishings in a more modern Japanese style.

The Cosy Interior

As they are positioning themselves differently as compared to their like-named counterparts (which are mostly situated in shopping centers - I know there's one in One Utama), this outlet of Nippon Yattai Mura has a different menu on top of the generic one. There was quite a large range to choose from, ranging from the affordable (ramen/udon) for around RM15 to mid-range (various bentos) for around RM35 to top range (Kobe beef steak) for about RM90. This outlet has certain more "authentic" Japanese specialties like Beef Sumiyaki (DIY grilled beef) and Ishiyaki Goya Chanpura (stone grilled bitter gourd with egg) available.

After poring over the menu for quite a while, we decided on some good ol' Gyoza (Japanese dumplings) to start off the meal.

Piping Hot Gyoza

The Gyoza, served with a tart chili oil+soya sauce mixture, were really yummy! - juicy and generously filled.... Just the way I like 'em....

:)

Moving on, a nice surprise: We were served Chawan Mushi, compliments of the chef.
(According to the very nice waiter, the restaurant plans to have a special promotion every month, this month being free Chawan Mushi for every patron).

Yummy Chawan Mushi - compliments of the chef!

The chawan mushi was smooth and fragrant, with bits of gingko and prawn inside.
(I don't usually like Chawan Mushi... I find it well,.. too mushy... but this one was quite nice)

Moving on, our main meals arrived.

My dad had ordered the Deluxe Set (erm, around RM40? - I can't remember, sorry!), and what a whopper it was....

This set had small servings of all the popular Japanese dishes, being Unagi Kabayaki (grilled eel), Ebi Tempura (deep fried prawns), Sushi and Sashimi served with rice, miso soup as well as salad and fruits.... It's great for someone who wants to have a bit of everything but is definately somthing that should not be attempted by:

a) small children,

b) people with small appetites, or

c) dieters.

The Deluxe Set

See what I mean? (It's a pretty big set, right?). Anyway, I wanted to try something different, so I ordered the Kobe Beef Hamburger set (RM35)....

The Kobe Beef Hamburger Set (nope, no burger buns, just the patty)

The beef patty (made from drunk cows), minced with onions and carrots and pan-fried, was delicious..... tender on the inside and just ever so slightly crispy on the outside (Note: If tastes very "beef-y", which is great to me but some might find it a bit much).

The special sauce, fried with Japanese mushrooms and leafy vegetables, really brought out the flavour of this simple dish.

Lastly, my mum had opted for the Four Delights (RM35) bento set.

This set, like the Deluxe Set, had several different dishes to tantalise the tastebuds: Prawns in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Chicken Teriyaki, Unagi Kabayaki and Tofu in Wasabi sauce.

The Four Delights Set

Overall, the lunch was good... The restaurant ambience was lovely, the staff were very attentive and the food was delicious.

My dad complained that it was a bit expensive, but then again, he always does.....

(I mean, of course it's more expensive than Sushi King! Sushi King is like the McDonald's of Japanese restaurants.....)

There's just no pleasing some people.....

Anyway,... just a word of warning: When I went there on a weekend afternoon, parking was ok.... However, I have passed by this area many times at night (both weekdays and weekends) and the parking looks like it could be quite a pain.... There's a valet service though... so you can always resort to that....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Nippon Yatai Mura @ Jalan Kemajuan, PJ

Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 8
Price** : RM 35/++ per person
Parking: Erratic
** Approximation - japanese set meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 603 - 2144 3152/6663
Opening Hours: 11am - 11pm

NOT HALAL

Signing off,

J

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Petaling Jaya, Nippon Yatai Mura, Japanese, Kuala Lumpur

Dreaming of Simpler Days

The weekend was a good one....
... although it started off pretty badly....

• Was deathly ill with a sudden bout of the flu from Friday night till about Saturday evening,
• Doped myself up with enough Clarinase to be able to make an appearance for dinner,
• Passed the flu to Pat during dinner (Muahahaha,... I mean, ...SOWE!),
• Went to a reunion Takoyaki + Waffle party with some high school friends on Sunday morning (Mmmm,... the takoyaki was delicious TJ!) (Amazing though - takes ages to cook but so quickly consumed),
• Rushed back to PJ from Shah Alam and then raced to Hartamas to help Albert out with his film project (Yay, I'm going to be "Fawning Floozy No. 1" in the credits),
• Then raced home and freshened up to go for my mum's birthday dinner.

... and thus ended my weekend.

Anyway, I came across this video on Google....
Watched it for the first time ages ago..... back in Melbourne.....

*gets all misty eyed*

It just made me think of the OSS room at uni....
... and Frank Tate House (my dorm).....
... and how me and Pattar and Jason used to hang out and watch silly videos (such as the one linked above)....
... and how we used to purposely go to the video store and rent the corniest looking B-Grade movies for our movie nights....
(remember all those Troma Studio movies? Ah... such classics! The Toxic Avenger in particular... *lol*)

Screenshots: The Toxic Avenger - BEFORE

Screenshots: The Toxic Avenger - AFTER

(An improvement, or not? What do you think?)

... and of course, all the Indomee Goreng....

(and La Porchetta's Original Pizza!)

(and the Strawberry Cheese Cake at Cafe Greco!)

(and grocery shopping at Coles!)

(and the......*sigh*..... this list could just go on and on)

(Now you see why I gained so much weight while I was there?)

:)


TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Toxic Avenger, Troma Films, Troma

Video Madness

Feeling rather "bleh" this week.
Not that anything has gone catastrophically wrong......
(haven't gotten scolded/ fired from job/ hit by bird flu/ etc)
.... just feels..... well,... very "bleh".
(Can't find a better word)

I actually made a resolution to try to put up a new post every day, but I kinda slacked off this week, I guess.
(My bad - just didn't feel up to it)
It's not that the lack of updates affect many people anyway
(My blog stats are not that great)
It's just nice to have a creative(-ish) outlet for me out of my mundane cubicle dweller life....

I remember a time when I was much younger (and possibly, much more innocent) when I enjoyed writing (albeit, writing really BAD poetry) and I suppose I'm just trying to attend to that latent, much ignored part of my psyche.

*er-hem*
Anyway, enough moping.

Here are some interesting videos to watch:

• Advertising at its best with sheer simplicity,
• Proof that guys should no longer be allowed to own video cameras,
• Ouch. Very ouch,
• Boredom breeds insanity.

Will try to update tomorrow and the day after....

.... but if not, hope you have a great weekend ahead....

Cheers,

J

TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Video, Videos, Link, Links, Funny

Dinner

Dinner Info:
Venue: Delicious Cafe at Bangsar Village (near the Village Grocer)
Date: Saturday, 26 November 2005
Time: 8.30pm till late
Confirmed attendees so far: Me, Al, Z, Sneexe and their friend.
Type of food: Fusion Italian-Asian Cuisine. That, and very yummy cakes.

To everyone else, RSVP when you decide.

Thanks.


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

~~My Life As An Event Planner~~

~START EDIT PART DEUX~

*sigh*

According to certain sources I sound a bit pissed off in the first edit.

OK, just for the record: No, I'm not pissed off about:
a) the restaurant planning thingy -
Ok, so I spent a lot of time searching online for somewhere special, made enquiries at the restaurant and took time to find info+links+pictures and post it all up on my blog... but HEY, if we don't go there this week, there'll be other times... and of course, conveniently, I now have all the vital info ready at hand.

b) the "party I wasn't invited for" -
I know Jo didn't intentionally NOT invite me and yes I acknowledge that I wasn't there when she mentioned it during mamak or coffee or somewhere at sometime and somehow from then on, the information just plained never reached me.
Fine. It happens.
Especially since I started this new job... Or more like since the last job I took.

I suppose when you are travelling around that much for work/ busy with work/ tired from travelling, people tend to start to assume that you are not around/ too busy/ too tired to come out all the time.

Which is mostly true anyway, I guess.
*sigh*

Once again.

Me going back to work now.

~END EDIT PART DEUX~

~START EDIT~

You know what?

F*** it.

Since everyone had already agreed unanimously (at a party that I wasn't invited to) that they want to eat KFC for dinner this Saturday, then fine.

I really don't know why Pat said he needed help organising.

Ho Hum.

I'm going back to work now.

~ END EDIT ~

**STICKY POST - please refer below for more recent posts**

Hello all!

UPCOMING DINNER ALERT!
Senor Pattar has decided that his schedule is too busy to organise the weekly dinner this time around, so he has so kindly passed the torch to me...

This week, we will be going to a new restaurant in town, El Cerdo.....

Interior of El Cerdo

Details:

Venue ~ El Cerdo
Address ~ 52, Tengkat Tong Shin, 50200 Kuala Lumpur (I will post up a map soon)
Date ~ Saturday, 27th November 2005
Time ~ 8.30pm till late
Note ~ NOT HALAL (Sowe)

El Cerdo (which translates into "The Pig") is a German-French-Italian restaurant which specialises in (you guessed it!) porcine dishes, in particular their succulent Crispy Pork Knuckles.

Specialty: Crispy pork knuckle!

(and yeah, I had to "borrow" the photos seeing as they don't have a website yet)

They also have a selection of seafood and other food (for those of you who don't feel like chowing down on piggies).

Grilled prawns

Now, this restaurant has only been around for about 4 months but has already gotten a pretty good response so far.

Reviews are currently available at Babe in KL's Blog and Little Creature's Blog.

As per the usual, kindly RSVP in the comment box below or sms/call/email me.
I will be making the booking soon.

At your service,
*curtsies*
J

PS/ There are no set plans yet on where to go after dinner. Suggestions are welcomed. If not, there are a few nice bars around the Tengkat Tong Shin area that we can go to.

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

Weekly Checkpoint

*yawn*

Tis Wednesday again...

(Otherwise known as the "Woo Hoo, 2 More Days Till The Weekend" Day)

:)

Here are some hand picked time killers:

• Comments on inspired hairstyles by Devil Baby,
• Desperate times, call for desperate measures,
• Some people are just too free (Poor cat!),
• OMG.

Hope you enjoyed that short escape from the daily drudge....

Till next time...

Ciao!

(and NO - No updates on my life for the last few days.... Wouldn't want to bore you - it's really been just work work work again)

TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Funny, Video, Videos, Link, Links, Entertainment

** History 101: Lesson 2 **

Hola......

(Hope all of your weeks have started off well)

.... and welcome to the second sensational session of....

HISTORY 101

A segment of obscure and sometimes pointless information!...

This week:
Chocolate - Part 1

The Tree
The tree at the heart of this sublime subject, has grown wild in Central America since prehistoric times. The cocoa tree's scientific name couldn't be more apt; theobroma cacao is Greek for "food of the gods" and the first people to make use of it were the Maya, an ancient people who lived in the Yucatan Peninsula in South America, as long ago as 600 AD.

The Mayan
The word chocolate is said to have been derived from the Mayan xocolatl which meant bitter water.

Cocoa comes from the Aztec cacahuatl. The Mexican Indian word chocolate comes from a combination of the terms choco (foam) and atl (water) because for centuries early chocolate was only consumed as a drink.

The Maya harvested cocoa beans from the rain forest trees then later cleared areas of the forest to make way for the first known cocoa plantations. The Mayan knew a good thing when they saw it and worshiped the cocoa bean as an idol. The merchant god, Ek Chuah, was closely linked with cocoa and the beans were used as currency. Early explorers to the region found that four cocoa beans could get you a pumpkin, 10 a rabbit and 100 would buy you a slave.

Mayan Bartering Guidelines

Cocoa beans also formed the basis of a drink; xocolatl was a rather bitter little potion made from roasted cocoa beans, water and spices. Cocoa's soothing qualities were also discovered early on and it was used for the treatment of coughs, fever and even discomfort during pregnancy.

Mayan farmers traded their cocoa beans at market but wealthy merchants traveled further afield, some as far as Mexico, the land of the Aztecs…

The Aztecs
The Aztecs also held the cocoa bean in high esteem, and their delightful story about its origins involves their creator and god of agriculture, Questzalcoatl. The Aztecs also associated chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility (Questzalcoatl's momma).

Xochiquetzal

They believed he traveled to earth on a beam of the morning star carrying a cocoa tree from Paradise, and that wisdom and power came from eating the fruit of the tree.

The Aztecs were an ancient, nomadic people who founded Tenochtitlan; a vast city in the Valley of Mexico in 1325. Because of their dry climate the Aztecs were unable to grow cocoa trees themselves so they had to obtain supplies of cocoa beans from trade or 'tribute'. This was a form of taxation paid by the tribes they conquered.

Like the Mayans, the Aztecs also consumed large quantities of xocolatl as a luxury drink. However their version was described as 'finely ground, soft, foamy, reddish, bitter with chili water, aromatic flowers, vanilla and wild bee honey,' - slightly more inviting than the Maya concoction!

The xocoatl was said to be an acquired taste. Jose de Acosta, a Spanish Jesuit missionary who lived in Peru and then Mexico in the later 16th century, wrote of it:

"Loathsome to such as are not acquainted with it, having a scum or froth that is very unpleasant to taste. Yet it is a drink very much esteemed among the Indians, where with they feast noble men who pass through their country. The Spaniards, both men and women, that are accustomed to the country, are very greedy of this Chocolaté. They say they make diverse sorts of it, some hot, some cold, and some temperate, and put therein much of that "chili"; yea, they make paste thereof, the which they say is good for the stomach and against the catarrh".

Descendant of Xocolatl: The Modern Hot Chocolate

It was in this form that Montezuma drank up to 50 mugs a day in order to keep his harem smiling (tsk tsk, such a greedy man - with both chocolate and women) and also where the once common phrase “Montezuma’s revenge” derives from, as the ingredients used in the drink acted as a mild laxative.

Cocoa was used in ceremonies too, including ritual human sacrifices where the heart of the victim was replaced with a cocoa pod: this didn’t do much for their life expectancy! (brings new meaning to the phrase "to die for", doesn't it?)

The Aztecs also used the cocoa bean for currency and by the time the Spanish invaded Mexico in the 16th century the Aztecs had created a powerful empire.

(Note: In no way is all of the above my original writing. I have taken bits and pieces of info from here and here. Might have summarized/ reworded/ added a few comments, but that's about it)

That's all for today....

:)

TAGS: Weblog, Blog, Malaysia, Personal, Chocolate, Aztec, Mayan, Interesting, Trivia, History