Siti In The City

A Malaysian star spotted somewhere in KL....

Who was it?

None other than long reigning princess of the Malaysian music industry: Siti Nurhaliza.

I was kinda shy to ask for a photo (since I'm not really a BIG fan of hers) and thought it best not to disturb her and Datuk K (I'm sure they must be so sick of people asking for photos and stuff) so you'll have to take my word that it's really them...
  
There.
The closest I'll get to the "top female Malaysian star" (and her hubby) as I'll ever get...

I thought she looked really sweet in person though - it was nice to see her in a simple top and jeans rather than the usual over the top outfits she wears when she performs....
(I swear, no one should have THAT much lace and sequins on them at one time)

I suppose it's true: Less IS more..
:)

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Datuk K, Siti Nurhaliza, Star Sighting, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Announcement: Celebration Time!

If you notice, the original post has been heavily edited.
(ie. removed)

Why?
Well.... there were reasons lah.


Cheers,
J

Over Seas And Over Land

The Dinner

[ BEGIN EDIT ]
(July 08)

(Been meaning to update on this for a while but it slipped my mind. My bad... )

FYI: About 2 months ago, the Overseas restaurant in Amcorp moved out to a new location, Jaya 1 (which is more or less just 5 minutes away). So far, I haven't popped in to try it yet but I've heard it's still consistent to its good ol' standards of pricey but delicious food.

Anyway, the new restaurant contact details are as follows:
Overseas Restaurant @ Jaya 1
Telephone No.: 03-7956 9911
Website: CLICK HERE
:)

(Hope you don't mind if I leave my old review here till I have a chance to go to the new Overseas restaurant to try it out)

Ciao,
J

[ END EDIT ]


Let me start by disclaiming the price of the meal I'm about to tell you all about. It's not that Overseas Restaurant is necessarily this expensive - it CAN be if you order certain premium items... but it doesn't HAVE to be.

Anyway, Nick helped me book a nice private room in the Overseas Restaurant at Amcorp Mall (since he and his family go there pretty often):
The Room Number and the View From The Room
(See! The number is so prosperous!)

Generally, the ambience here is ok - it is comfortable but definately not breathtaking in any way (you can choose between the private rooms - very limited - and the open area):
A peek into Restoran Overseas, Amcorp Mall
The appetiser served is worth a mention:
Nuts!
The stewed peanuts, big and juicy, are really addictive but be careful - you can ask for as many refills as you want but they cost RM2 a plate....

First up, the killer priced item - Shark's Fin Soup, which came up to be almost two thirds of the total bill:
(My parents kinda went crazy that night and ordered the one that costs RM120++ PER BOWL)
(No, no, I'm not trying to show off - I'm really still in major shock)
(O_O)
(My wallet still feels the pain in an empathic way)
Caution: Hot Steaming Bowl Of Political Incorrectness...
Yum... I feel guilty saying this but it was good....
(Sorry, Mr Shark)
The soup was thick but not starchy and bursting with flavour. It had a very generous amount of shark's fin and two big pieces of crab meat.
(Note: There is shark fin's soup of various grades with prices ranging from RM50/per bowl to well,... insanely expensive/per bowl)

Next up, the "Soon Hock" fish served in two styles, deep fried and sauted with vegetables:
Left to right: The "Soon Hock" - deep fried and sauted with vegetables
Sounds so simple, doesn't it?
Yeah.... but it tastes really good though.
It just proves without a doubt that as long as the fish is fresh and prepared by a skillful chef - it will taste GREAT. The deep fried fish, served with a soya based sauce was crispy on the outside but oh so delicate on the inside....
*drool*
The "Soon Hock" fried with mixed vegetables and deep fried macademia nuts was also nice - wonderfully tender texture and delicately flavoured as to not overpower the natural sweetness of the fish.
(If I ever have RM120 to blow again - I'm ordering this for sure!)

We also had a Fried Mi Sua that night:
The Fried Mi Sua
Sorry - didn't take a piccy of the full plate because the waitress served it up while I wasn't looking.... Anyway, it tasted ok - not too salty or oily with a generous amount of meat and veg in it.

Also, that night we ordered the Potato Leaves in Superior Stock:
Potato Leaves in Superior Stock

Mmmmm... I love this dish here!
The vegetables have been lovingly cooked in the soupy base with garlic and century eggs - making a delish yet healthy choice (about RM15).

We ended our dinner with the Fresh Mango served with crushed ice:
Fresh Mango
This dessert was simple and nice - the mango was sweet, succulent and very refreshing after such a rich meal. On the downside, we were charged RM12 for it - which I find a rip off.
(I mean, come on: You just peel the thing, cut it and put it on a plate! How can you have a high mark up for that level of expertise?)

There are many other branches of this successful restaurant chain but the one at Amcorp remains one of my favourites as it is smaller and tends not to have noisy wedding parties going on concurrently.

So it's: Unpretentious dining, wide range of dishes, good taste, fresh seafood BUT must be careful what you order - can be very expensive.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Restoren Overseas @ Amcorp Mall Jaya 1
Taste: 8
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : (My dinner that night) RM170/++ per person, (Normal dinner) RM40/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - Per person, Typical Chinese dinner, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7957 2646 03-7956 9911
Website: CLICK HERE
Opening Hours: 11am - late

NOT HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, KL, PJ, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Local Food, Seafood, Amcorp, Jaya 1, Chinese

Look At Me - I'm 1 Year (+ 1 Day) Old!

How quickly a 365 + 1 days zoom past.
(Much like a herd of motorcyclists beating a red light in KL)
(Yes, I really do mean herd)

(Oh,... why 365 + 1 days? Well, my blog's birthday was actually yesterday... it slipped my mind)

Can't believe its been a year already.
Erm... so what do I say?

How about we start with me thanking all of you for actually humouring this chocoholic by actually visiting her blog and putting up with her amateur writing?
Right.
That's a good way to begin, so: THANK YOU!
:)
My Blog Is One Year Old!
I had started off this blog as a public service to Malaysians who are looking for a nice restaurant to try out. I am not saying that I am some sort of Food God/ professional food critic or anything like that... but if you find that my taste buds and yours are similar, and the restaurants/ food that I say are nice suit your liking then at least it helps you make a decision on where to eat/ what to eat, right?
(Erm.... right?)
(Anyway, I have plenty of fun stealing food from my friends "for the sake of my review". MUAHAHA....)

I never expected the readership to jump from about 10 ppl a day (on a GOOD day) to about 150 ppl a day. I know, it's not much as compared to the famous bloggers who gets thousands of hits everyday but hey, that's 150 people who have my sincere gratitude.
(Not many of you comment, but that's ok *hugs*...)

So, (once again) thanks to all of you for your support....

Oh, and Happy (Belated) Birthday to me (or my blog, anyway)!


Hugs,
J

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

Signs Of Old Age

I'm only 25 and I'm already starting to feel like I'm falling behind the times and losing touch with the current youth culture and trends.

I mean, it baffles me how the term "Cam-Whore" (as in "Camera Whore", a person who loves taking photos of themselves) can POSSIBLY be anything but a outright insult....
... or how being called a "Pimp" (as in person who peddles s3x) can be a good thing.

*scratches head*
I'm just trying to think back to my younger days: What slang term popularly used then (in the late 80's or early 90's) would have possibly baffled my parents in the same way?

Well, I really can't think of any.

I certainly didn't walk around labelling myself or any of my friends a "Prostitute" for a giggle.

Hmmmrph.
Anyway....
(I sound like such a stick in the mud! Haha)


Signing Off,
(Auntie) J

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

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Sconed

Havin' a spot o' tea like the Bri'ish...

It was a beautiful setting - a rustic Tudor house surrounded by a beautiful garden in the cool air of Cameron Highlands:

The Smokehouse Exterior
The dining areas of The Smokehouse were also a visual feast - you will be spoilt for choice between the fresh open air garden area, the traditional yet warm dining room area or the cosy and airy patio area:
The Smokehouse Interior
There are basically two main options for tea:
1) Set 1 for RM18++(Tea, 2 Scones, Strawberry Jam+Butter+Cream)
2) Set 2 for RM25++(Tea, 2 Scones, Strawberry Jam+Butter+Cream AND a piece of fruit cake)

The first thing that peeved me was that they insisted that the big pot of tea cannot be shared... and so I had to pay an extra RM8++ for what was effectively one extra tea bag and a cup.
*sigh*
The Tea
Anyway, the scones were pretty good:
The Scones
Freshly baked everyday, the scones were fragrant with a crumbly but moist texture. Paired with generous amounts of the homemade strawberry jam (loved it!), butter and cream, it proved to be an enjoyable and light treat for the day.

Sadly, the service was lacking somewhat. On both occasions we went there, the wait staff were either:
1) Blur,
2) Slow,
3) Unhelpful,
4) Unfriendly/ Frowning, OR
5) All of the above.

I know this place has a trump card due to its unique setting and ambience, but if they can just improve on their service then it would make a truly wonderful and memorable experience.

Besides, the prices there are not exactly what I would call reasonable. I found it a bit pricey in fact, but since I was "on a holiday" I thought: "Aiyah, what the heck. It's not like I come to Cameron Highlands everyday - just eat lah".
(I even browsed through the dinner menu and saw that most of the items there - even something that sounds simple like a pie - costs more than RM40++)

In any case, FYI: The phone number for The Smokehouse is 05-4911 215 and it is located just off the main road in the Tanah Rata area, somewhere between the Tanah Rata town and the Peak area.
(You should be able to see the signboard from the main road)

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, The Smokehouse, Scones, Food, Restaurant, Pahang, Cameron Highlands, Personal

Blaardy Shoe

I love that Vincci shoes are affordable and trendy....
I mean, most of the shoes there are (quite) comfortable and funky, but cost less then RM60/pair so understandably they won't last as long as compared to more expensive shoes (eg. Nine West shoes that cost RM300/pair)...

Still, it is totally beyond my expectations for it to fall apart within the first day of use:

The evil shoe
(It wasn't even the normal range of shoes - it was one of those more expensive new arrivals that cost RM70+! *mega pout*)

:(

It was so embarassing - I went to the petrol kiosk on the way back from work.... After I picked up a chocolate bar and prepaid for my petrol, I started walking back to my car when *SNAP* my shoe fell off mid-step.

I noticed immediately that all the petrol kiosk attendants and various members of the public were giving me funny/ "Awwww... so poor thing" looks (which of course led to me blushing profusely) as I stared in down in disbelief at my mischievous shoe...
(Waaaaah... so shy!)

*sigh*
Luckily one petrol kiosk attendant gave me some cellophane tape to patch up my shoe momentarily, buying me enough time to shuffle back to my car, hastily fill up the petrol and quickly drive back home.

I suppose one day when I'm rich and all my shoes are Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks, I'll look back on that day and laugh while I sip on my champagne. Meanwhile though, beggars can't be choosers...
(Meaning: WHAT TO DO? No money to buy expensive shoes so cannot complain so much...)

>_<

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Vincci, Stupid Shoes, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Madam Kwan's

A short post on an expensive but nice place to eat Nasi Lemak....

Went out with my mum one weekend to shop in Midvalley and decided to drop by Madam Kwan's for lunch.... The outlet there is fairly new (on the 1st Floor, between Picollo Mondo and Toys R'Us) and has a comfortable, modern feel to it:
A look at Madam Kwan's - Midvalley
The specialty at Madam Kwan's is the Nasi Lemak:
The Nasi Lemak
What you get for RM14++: Fragrant rice, Delicious curry chicken, Half boiled egg, Sweet and spicy sambal ikan bilis, Yummy achar and Chicken floss.

Another favourite is the Nasi Bojari:
The Nasi Bojari
Man, was it a heavy meal.
What you get for RM19++: Fragrant rice - coloured and fried with bits of chicken, garlic and dried prawns, Tender beef/ chicken rendang (your choice), Chicken drumstick fried to crispy golden brown perfection and Assam prawns.

I didn't have any dessert that day as stomach was already bulging but I've tried the banana split and sago gula melaka on prior occasions - they are refreshing but nothing extraordinary.

Truth be told, the prices here are NOT cheap but it's for a reason - you are paying a premium to eat at a nicely decorated, air conditioned eatery and be served by friendly, helpful staff with super quick order to serving time.

I will say though, the food quality is consistent and the servings are pretty generous so you won't feel cheated.
(I never have, anyway)

As far as I know, they have 3 4! outlets. Here are the contact details:
Madam Kwan's Midvalley: 03-2287 2297
Madam Kwan's KLCC: 03-2026 2297
Madam Kwan's Telawi Street, Bangsar: 03-2284 2297
(NEW!) Madam Kwan's Pavilion, KL: 03-2143 2297


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Restaurant, Midvalley, Malaysia, Nasi Lemak, Nasi Bojari, Madam Kwan, Madam Kwan's, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Partayyyyy

Last week, my friend R arranged for a small gathering at his place before he flew off to finish medical degree.
(OMG, OMG - He's almost a doctor!)

The house was nice....
It was a new edition to his "family estate" (they bought over the neighbour's house) and was rustic+retro with (what looked like) authentic furniture from the 60's left by the previous owner. It was also a little eerie because there were green spotlights installed to provide that little extra "ambient lighting"...
(R, dude......! -> Green lights = ghosts in Chinese movies....)


Photos of the house interior...
The night was pretty eventful....
Within the first half hour, the table broke:
*crash-boom-bang*
Apparently, the old table couldn't take the weight of all the booze we put on it...
Luckily none of the bottles of alcohol broke *phew*..., just a few glasses shattered, most of the finger foods wasted, etc.
... A mop was fetched to clean the mess, but guess what?
That broke too.... *lol*:
*SNAP* .. Erm.. Oops...?
Anyway, we managed to source out another (more sturdy) table and the party went on...
Booze + Chocolate + Vodka Jelly = Fun!:


Booze!

There was even a bottle of Absinthe that had been lovingly carried back from the UK...
(Fooyorr, 45% alcohol... better not to drink too much)
(It's nowhere close to the famed original absinthe which goes as high as 80% though)

It was a fun night.
I hadn't seen some of them for quite a while now, so it was fun to catch up and laugh over stuff that happened many many years ago...
(Most of us that night have known each other since high school)
*fade in*
"Oh... remember that time the F puked 3 times at Bali?"
*everyone laughs while F denies it all vehemently: "Where got? Where got?"*

"Oh yeah - and remember that teacher that had the hots for X?"
*everyone laughs while X also denies it all vehemently: "Where got? Where got?"*
*fade out*

It's always fun to meet up with old friends.
(Don't you think so?)

... I hope your Mondays are all starting off well.
:)


Hugs,
J

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

Flowers In The Sky

Pretty pictures of the fireworks at KLCC for your viewing pleasure....








I just love fireworks - they're so fleeting, so beautiful...
Somehow, watching them just makes me feel like a kid again...
:)

I was very lucky this year, comfortably enjoying the view from the top floor of a building near KLCC, away from the hordes of people around the park area...
(All thanks to my darling - Thanks, babe! *hugs*)

I do hope you all had a great Merdeka too.
(What were you all up to anyway?)

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Hari Kebangsaan, Negaraku, National Day, Fireworks, KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

National Spirit

Better late than never ..... (?)

Good morning everyone.....
Let's have a dose of National Spirit!

(I meant to post this up yesterday but my internet at home was down... *sigh*)
(Pssst, I'll put up photos of Merdeka fireworks later... )


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Hari Kebangsaan, Negaraku, National Day, National Anthem, National Song, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Cup Half Full

Muahaha.
I'm on leave today!
(Yay for Annual Leave)

Now, before I go out and have my full day of relaxation/ shopping/ etc, here's the question to ponder : WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT MALAYSIA?

I know there are things that you may not like or outrightly HATE but in conjunction with our nation's 49th birthday, let's focus on the positive side, ok?
:)
*sings*.. Negarakuuuuuuu.....
For me, I love Malaysia because of:
1) The fact that my family and (most of) my friends are here,
2) The food (except petai and durian and other smelly things like that),
3) The wonderful multicultural blend of the people and culture,
4) The peace and harmony (Yay - no war!)
5) The lack of natural disasters like volcanic explosions and earthquakes,
6) The... the...

Ok, I'll have to stop at 5) then.
Your turn now....
:)

Oh,... and I'm gonna take this opportunity to apologise to Babe_kl because I had promised to contribute something for the Merdeka Open House but have to break my promise as I'll be away from home for the Merdeka holidays...
So sorry, Babe!
(Tolong jangan marah..... *hugs*)


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