You know you're out with food bloggers when....

... the food arrives, and there is that magical combination of:
1) 6 out of 6 ppl excitedly taking photos of the food, and
2) a very baffled waiter.
*lol*
A group of food bloggers confusing a waiter at WIP, BSC...
:)


Much love,
J

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

Prime @ Le Meridien Hotel, KL

Promised my friends I would put this up....

Yes, I am a Malaysian food blogger (or as recently coined, a Malaysian FLogger... haha).
:)

I love food (as do most Malaysians) but really, it's not that I'm some sort of expert - I can't cook to save my life, and tastewise for me it basically boils down to:
1) I like, :)
2) OK lah, :\
or
3) Eeyer - Don't like! :(

... with subgroups for:
1) Reasonable price,
2) OK lah,
or
3) Wah. So expensive.

That said, it's difficult for me to truly judge the quality of a steak especially in this case (since I cannot afford to and have never dined at Prime @ Le Meridian**)... but 2 of my friends made me promise that I would post this up (since they are too lazy to maintain food blogs of their own. :P).

Basically, the message to be conveyed is:
Beware of the waiters/ waitresses at Prime.
It's not that the ambience and food isn't nice there (although it is super overpriced unless you have the Starwood Card), but you must not leave it to the wait staff to adjust the portion of the special cuts of steak (that are priced at hundreds of RM per KG btw) because they will tend to take advantage of your trust.
:(

What do I mean? Well, first look at the size of the steak my friend and his date were served:
X 2!
No kidding - they were served that size of steak each.
(That's 500grams per person - HALF A KG OF BEEF, EACH!)

This happened to 2 of my friends on separate occasions***, one of which suffered more financially and also tastewise because she had Wagyu which is super rich and jelak-inducing after >100g.
(*** One friend was out on a date, and another had brought her dad there as a birthday dinner treat)

Also, if you were wondering - Yes, both my friends had explicitly voiced their concerns over the potential sizing of the portions but were told by the waiter/ waitress at the time, " Don't worry, it will be just nice for the both of you ".
(Oh, and no lah - there's no way the wait staff could have made an honest mistake because my friends do not in any way look like sumo wrestlers or World Wrestling Federation stars)

So, you have been warned.
(Pssst... Jo & sooJ - done! Posted oredi...)

So it's: Nice ambience, food is good but expensive (unless you have the Starwood card) and you can't really trust the waiters/ waitresses there....

PS. **If anyone wants to buy me dinner there - please feel free to, ok? I would love to find out first hand whether the food is really good or not, bad service aside. :D

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Prime @ Le Meridien Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Taste: ?
Ambience : ?
Service : ?
Price** : > RM 150/++ per person
Parking: ?

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2263 7434
Opening Hours: 12noon - 2.30pm, 6:30pm - 10pm

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Tummy Thoughts
- So Much Food, So Little Time
- Just Minishorts
- Have Your Cake And Eat It Too
- A Whiff Of Lemongrass



TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Steak, Prime, Le Meridian Hotel, KL, Kuala Lumpur

J's Haunted Harajuku Friday

(Somewhat) A photo heavy filler post... but enjoy! :).....

Dining with Malaysian Flogger royalty at Bar Italia:
Ciki takes a photo of Lyrical Meena and BE...
Then, Harajuku Halloween Eve fun at Daikanyama, Changkat Bukit Bintang:
- Agent Ciki Harajuku poses with the Daikanyama resident redhead Agent Barricuda
Harajuku hotness...
- DJ Blastique providing the sick beats for the night
Hot beats and hot DJ...
- Kampaaaaaaiiiiii!!! :) :) Yummy booze + bloggers = Happy!
Lots of yummy drinks make the night more fun...
- Ciki with the our Goth-ed Flogger Queen Meena
Dazzling smiles...
- Yvonne, and Paranoid Android in the background! :), in a photo with the ultra pink Gloomy Bear
Balancing act?...
- ... but Naughty Gloomy Bear can't resist taking a bite of the lovely Yvonne
ROWR...
- And here I am with music expert Brother B
Peace! (Hee hee. Sorry lah. Am shy - it was hard enough walking down the street in that outfit on Friday. BTW, to all those who were staring/ pointing/ laughing at me that night: "OI! It was Halloween eve lah. Never seen a girl in a (sort of) school girl outfit before ah??" :P)...

Thanks to:
- Miss Hot Stuff for organising such a fun night out! :)
- Meena, BE, Yvonne, Brother B, Nigel, PA for making the night even better,
- Mr Barricudda for being such a great host at Daikanyama.


Hugs to all :),
J


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

Zombie Dog On Wall

Random photo from Italy........ :)

Just felt like sharing this random photo from when I was walking around in Ancona, Italy:
Zombie Dog says, "ROWR!"...
Graffiti - is it art or just a nuisance? I guess the jury's still out on that, but I'd say that some of it's really nice. :)

I still love Banksy* best though - was very disappointed that I could not find any of his work in London, despite trying my best to keep my eyes open. :( :(


* He's a class of his own - instead of making money off merchandising (since he's quite famous now), he provides free high res images of some of his pieces on his website so that you can print your own tshirts/ cups/ posters/ etc! (for non-commercial reasons lah)


Anyways, random post over - Happy Tuesday everyone! :)


Hugs,
J

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

Autogrill Cafe @ Italy

Convenient place for yummy food all around Italy.....

Whilst on my road trip through Italy, hungry and tired, my friend suggested we stop for a bite at the Autogrill (which is a a chain of highway food outlets). Grudgingly I agreed, thinking, "I came all the way to Italy to eat highway rest stop type food?? *sigh* Oh well....".

Anyway, we stopped by the next outlet we came across, next to a petrol station... It had a simple setting inside - one part cafe and and one part mini grocery store:
Inside the Autogrill...
There were a range of simple foods to choose from - basically different kinds of (mostly) breads and pastries:
Lots of bread, cheese and pork!...
My friend recommended the Piadini (Euro 4.20), which he said was a popular local flat bread (which just looked like a chapati to me... haha...):
My piadini...
The waitress quickly grilled the Piadini and passed the hot pocket of carby goodness into my greedy hands. Oh, (porky) bliss - it was simple but good, filled with:
- Prosciutto slices (salty but yummy),
- Crescenza cheese (sinfully creamy), and
- some rocket leaves (balancing flavour).

So much for my negative pre-conceptions - it turns out highway-side food in Italy is clean, convenient and most importantly, delicious.

From then on, I was more than happy to stop at any given Autogrill for a snack. Later on in the trip, I tried the Buffolini (Euro 3.90):
More bread, cheese and pork!...
Again, it was filled with Prosciutto but this time paired with buffalo mozzarella (which I thought sounded interesting) in a round Panini like bread. The flavour was much milder (due to the lighter tasting cheese) but again it was a great snack - simple and yummy. :)

You should also not miss out on the coffees which are also surpisingly good there - I tried a lot of the Expresso (Euro 1.00):
Caffeine is a good friend of mine...
I usually do not take expressos, prefering cappuccinos or sinful mochas,... but I decided that (since I was in Italy where I've heard rave reviews about the coffee) I should try out coffee in its simplest and purest form.

(Given that you like coffee) MMMMMMMMMmmmm. :) :) :)

Anyway, if you're travelling in Italy and need a really decent bite - look out for the bright red sign that says Agrill or Autogrill (usually next to petrol stations, just off the highways). Apparently, some of the larger outlets have an additional, more restaurant-y section called Acafe where you can order hot food like pastas etc,... but it's not open all the time (just lunch and dinner):
A convenient choice...

So, it's: Clean, convenient locations just off the highways, yummy breads, pastries and coffees at reasonable prices BUT don't overeat and forget to leave space in your tummy for more yummy Italian food (pastas, etc) when you arrive at your destination city! :P....

Summary Information: AutoGrill @ Italy

Opening Hours: -
Phone: -
Address: More than 500 outlets all across Italy (usually next to petrol stations, off the highway)
Website: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Autogrill, Agrill, Cafe, Italy, Italian

Ka Soh @ Damansara Heights, KL

Established restaurant in the Medan Damansara area serving up wholesome fish head noodles...

Yet another lost receipt... I am so sorry - this seems to be happening a bit too often. Will persevere to change. :(
(Oh, I remember this lunch cost us about RM 20 per person between the 3 of us - I hope that helps).

I had always heard about Ka Soh (it's been around for YEARS) but never got around to trying it out....

Anyway, we decided to try out the outlet in the Bukit Damansara area (pretty much just behind Sri Ayutthaya) for lunch one day. Inside, the restaurant is simple but comfortable, with classic white walls and wooden tables:
Simple settings inside.....
Tempted by the promises of deep fried yummy-ness, we ordered the deep fried sotong (calamari):
The deep fried calamari.....
Oh man - this ROCKED.
I think it's hard to find really good deep fried calamari, and this was definitely well into the delicious category - juicy (and not chewy, yay!) chunk of calamari enveloped in a light, crispy batter.
(I hope to God it was not just a fluke. I will order this again the next time I go there and report back if it's not just as good)

Trying to balance out the sin, we ordered the fried French beans:
.....
Very simply prepared - just stir fried with some garlic - the beans were crunchy and delicious.... We did find the serving a bit small though.
(To be fair, we did order the "small" serving size but we didn't expect it to be erm... so small lah. Haha... )

Of course, we figured that you can't go to Ka Soh and not order their house specialty - the fish head noodles - so got ourselves a big bowl of it (but in this case with fish slices, instead of chunky fish head pieces):
My bowl of noodles.....
To our surprise, this is served with an optional but fairly unhealthy serving of Chee Yau Char (deep fried pork fat) on the side:
SIN!.....
Erm....
It's strange but I didn't really like this - the noodle texture was ok and the fish slices were fresh but the soup was sort of watery and bland.... :(
(Then again, I realise that I do like my food pretty salty so it could just be me)

Anyway, I think I'll definitely be back for the deep fried calamari and to sample more of the other a la carte Chinese food there (they even have a few exotic options like frog!).... :) Not sure about the fish head noodles though!


So, it's: Good selection of yummy Chinese food, some unusual dishes (frog), simple yet comfortable ambience BUT strange, the house specialty (fish head noodles) was only ok and prices are a wee bit on the high side (but it is the Damansara Heights area after all)....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Ka Soh @ Medan Damansara
136, Jalan Kasah, Medan Damansara,
59490 Kuala Lumpur
(Behind Victoria Station's row in Damansara Heights)

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 6
Price** : RM30++ per person
Parking: Very limited and generally painful

** Approximation - typical Chinese sharing style meal
Telephone No.: 03-2093 7388 (Damansara Heights outlet)
Opening Hours: 11am - 3pm, 6pm to 10pm

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Kampung Boy City Gal
- KuanChong.com
- Lots Of Cravings


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Ka Soh, Fish Head Noodles, Chinese, Medan Damansara, Bukit Damansara

Paris Photos (Part 3)

Desktop holiday for you: European Edition - a taste of culture & fashion in Paris....

This will be the 3rd and final batch of photos from J the Chocoholic's Paris 2009 series... :)

Theme: Culture & Fashion....
There is no shortage of really nice museums to visit in Paris - it really just depends on what you like. With only 5 days there, I had to limit my selection so I only visited 3:
1) Musée L'Orsay:
The exterior of the Musee L'Orsay.....
I really liked the interior of this museum - a converted train station, the mix of ironwork and beautiful glass and stone carvings was simply beautiful:
Inside.....
As for the artwork, there were smatterings of famous paintings from many famous artists such as Degas (I like!) and Picasso:
Degas.....
Picasso Van Gogh!.....
2) Musée L'Orangerie:
My favourite museum of the lot, because it houses part of the Nympheas (Waterlilies) collection by one of my favourite artists, Claude Monet:
Monet.....
The thoughtfully designed interior was also pure genius - with the calming background music, simple white walls and natural lighting from the skylights enhancing the beauty of huge paintings spread across each circular room:
One of the main rooms in Musee L'Orangerie.....
3) Musée du Louvre:
The Louvre is THE most famous (even more so after the Da Vinci Code movie) and biggest museum in Paris housing 3 gargantuan wings of artifacts and artwork from all over the world:
The Louvre.....
For example, Egypt,:
Mini Sphinx?.....
... Europe:
Heavy suit.....
... and of course many other places (Asia, etc).

It is also (as you may already know) the home of the famous Venus De Milo statue and the Mona Lisa painting by Signore Leonardo Da Vinci:
The Venus De Milo.....
Is it terrible for me to say that I was fairly unimpressed with the Mona Lisa? :(

Well, maybe if I could have gotten a better look at it I may have appreciated it more.... but it was cordoned off meters away, protected behind a (probably) bullet proof casing so I couldn't even see her properly (and also there quite a lot of people jostling around to see her):
Squint to see the Mona Lisa.....
4) Galeries Lafayette Fashion Show:
I managed to score a free ticket to a mini fashion show at one of the high class shopping centers in Paris called Galaries Lafayette (I guess it's like Star Hill or Pavilion in KL?):
Front row seat!.....
Actually, it's not like it was such a big deal - they have this fashion show weekly (Friday 3pm) and all you got to do book yourself a seat at least 2 weeks in advance (you can contact them through the email on their website):
Models: Setting ridiculous body standards around the world *sigh*.....
Ah, Paris - where even the inside of a shopping center can be so beautiful! Check it out:
The gorgeous steelwork and dome inside the Galaries Lafayette.....

That's all I have for the highlights of my trip to Paris (I hope you liked it). I'm sorting through my Italy photos now so I'll post those up next, ok?
:)


Hugs,
J


THE REST OF THE SET - J'S PARIS 2009 POSTS:
- Paris 2009, Part 1
- Paris 2009, Part 2
- OR go to J's Main Travel Page for more options. :)


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

Auberge de la Reine Blanche @ rue Saint-Louis en L'ile

Traditional French food in a quaint hole in the wall restaurant.....

While researching for places to eat in Paris, I found this highly recommended eatery on Trip Adviser so I decided to try it out. Loved the location! - on a small isle in the middle of the Seine River, in a quaint area filled with narrow streets and shop houses:
The restaurant from the outside...
Inside, the restaurant is pretty cramped but somehow feels cosy rather than claustrophobic (although admittedly, I didn't really enjoy being quite that close to my fellow diners):
All the tables were packed within inches of each other!...
The menu and daily specials are mostly in French (and some English) but the wait staff here speak really decent English (AND are really friendly) so there's nothing to worry about in terms of language barriers. :)

I asked for my waiter to recommend a proper French meal to me, so he suggested I start off with the Pastis (Euro 7++) apéritif from the Marseilles region:
Pastis!...
Wowza - it was strong.
(I learnt later on Wikipedia that Pastis is generally between 40-45% alcohol!)

Hmmm,.. I didn't really like it though because there was a very strong taste of star anise and licorice (which I am ok with, but don't really love) but my intention was to try something different so I was happy with it. :)

Quickly feeling the effects of the Pastis (on my empty stomach) I started shoving the free crusty bread with the accompanying mild cheese spread down my throat (aka. Attempt at damage control! Haha...):
Bread & cheese - French staples!...
Luckily the Duck Salad (part of 3 course set, Euro 19.50++) came pretty quickly or I may have been stuffed with bread due to my own folly:
The duck salad...
When I saw the dark and shriveled looking pieces of duck sparsely scattered in the fresh greens, I was a bit disappointed....

I thought I was in for a jaw breaking session, but was surprised to find out the duck was actually moist and yummy. It was also pretty salty, so the small amount went well with the simple vinaigrette dressed salad. I think it would have been better without so much cheese though, because it made it a bit too salty at times.

The red wine (Euro 8++) recommended by the waiter went very well with the duck (and I was starting to get a bit drunk by that point):
More alcohol...
By this time, my expectations were very high... but I ended up being a bit disappointed with my main, the Bouef Bourguignon (part of 3 course set, Euro 19.50++):
French beef stew...
This is a very simple classic French dish, pieces of beef stewed with vegetables, but the beef texture was a downer and the stew was kinda tasteless... :( :( I tried explaining this to the waiter at the end of my meal (just as feedback, not a complaint) but I guess they are not used to getting bad feedback here as he didn't understand the words "bland", "tough" or "dry and a bit stringy".

Luckily, the Dessert of the Day (part of 3 course set, Euro 19.50++) was pretty good:
The delightful dessert of the day...
It was a mix of 2 slices of cake/ pie with a small serving of raspberry custard on the side - overall, simple and refreshing! :)

Despite being quite stuffed and a bit tipsy by then, I did not want to back down from having the full, proper French meal so I ended with a Douce (Euro 9++) digestif:
Alcohol, food, alcohol, food, alcohol - layers of sin in my tummy...
Yummy. :D
It was (again) really strong, but I loved the really intense flavours of fruit - peaches and pears, I think. It was also super sweet though, so I could only attempt small sips at a time.

Later, I stumbled out of the restaurant, (...trying to look graceful while I'm at it) and ambled along the river bank, enjoying the sunshine and trying in vain to "walk off" the calories. :)
(Sure, the meal wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed it anyway.... I just wish I had the time & money to go back for a second round)


So, it's: Adorable hole in the wall restaurant, good range of traditional French cuisine, restaurant staff speak English! :) BUT it can be a little too cosy, especially during peak hours (tables are packed very, very closely)....

Summary Information:
Auberge de la Reine Blanche @ rue Saint-Louis en L'ile, Paris

Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week (12noon - 3pm, 6pm - late).
Phone: +33 146330787
Address: 19, rue Saint-Louis en L'ile, Paris 75004, France

NOT SURE WHETHER HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Paris, Auberge de la Reine Blanche , Restaurant, Paris, France

The Yogi Tree @ The Gardens, Midvalley, KL

Healthy but yummy food? A miracle! (Much blogged about restaurant in the Gardens Shopping Center, Midvalley)....

I don't feel very wordy today so I'll keep the descriptions really short... :)
(Hee hee hee... so lazy, right?)

Yogi Tree - Not that new. Upper floor in Midvalley Gardens (Isetan side):
Inside the calming Yogi Tree restaurant....
Nasi Ulam Ayam Perchik (RM 22+):
A plate full of healthy deliciousness....
Healthy, nasi ulam, keropok, grilled chicken (perchik style), deep fried fish & sambal. Not cheap, but overall was good! - Chicken only ok but the fish & sambal was really good! :)
(Would definitely order again)

Thai Beef Noodles (RM 23+):
My bowl of Beef Noodles....
Didn't like this at all. Soup was too sweet.
(My taste buds are more skewed to salty, rather than sweet)

(Also: I've been back - tried the Chicken Cacciatore and some of the pastas - they were nice...)

So it's: Healthier options of Western and Asian food, friendly (but slightly blur) service, nice ambience - casual yet classy BUT prices a bit on the higher side....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Yogi Tree @ Mid Valley
F-237B, Level 1, The Gardens,
Midvalley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur

Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 50/+ per person
Parking: Difficult on weekends

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2282 6163
Opening Hours: 11am till 10pm

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Lots of Cravings
- Paranoid Android
- Shawn Eats World
- The Hungry Moo
- MCHLLCHN
- Zestful Eats


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Midvalley Megamall, MidValley, The Gardens, Local food, Western, Healthy Food, The Yogi Tree, Shopping Centre, KL, Kuala Lumpur

More Paris Photos

Desktop holiday for you: European Edition - wandering around Paris (Part 2)....

(Wow, I actually got around to updating on the 2nd batch of photos!)

Visiting all the major (and typical) Tourist attractions....
1) A beautifully sunny day at the Eiffel Tower:
The Eiffel.....
There are different prices for entering the Eiffel Tower, with the ticket for going right to the top priced at Euro 13.
(So, I decided to give it a miss... especially since I didn't have anyone to share the view with *EMO* Haha...)

Check out the heavily armed man guarding the Eiffel from all the evil tourists! *lol*:
" I'm watching you!" *grrrrrr*.....
Hmmmm... Do I look dangerous enough to warrant such heavy artillery? :)

2) Walking by the Seine river (perfect on a sunny day!):
The scenic Seine.....
It was such a beautiful day that I decided to take a stroll along the famous Seine river... There were many people enjoying the weather there too - whether (also) taking a walk around, chilling out by reading a book or sunbathing at the side of the river. :)

3) Next, the Notre Dame cathedral:
The famous Notre Dame.....
It was a dark and very atmospheric inside, with really beautiful stained glass windows:
Holy ground.....
The elaborate Gothic facade and interior were really awe-inspiring....
(...but still, my favourite cathedral is still the Unfinished Cathedral in Spain - I love the natural inspirations behind the design)

4) Inside the pantheon (originally a church!), checking out the giant pendulum:
Science rocks!.....
Wah - this pendulum (specifically, the Foucault pendulum) is 67 meters long! and it's quite cool although the exact physics of how it works are completely lost on me.
(Apparently it caused quite a lot of shock/ sensation when it was first put together in 1851 - Even though it was already published before that the world does revolve, probably not many people really believed it because you couldn't actually see it happen).

5) The Arc de Triompe:
The arc looks very unassuming in daylight, but becomes really beautiful at night especially when complemented by the lights of the large tree lined Champs-Élysées avenue:
Arty Lomo-like shot of the Arc.....
Pretty lights, at sunset.....
As I wandered around the area, I stopped to dream in front of the Louis Vuitton store (along Avenue des Champs-Elysees where a lot of the expensive top brands are):
Lust inspiring? Haha.....
(Apparently it's the biggest LV shop in Europe)
I know, *sigh* it's just all marketing fueled consumerism but the bags are really pretty! - it's not wrong that I wish I could have one, is it? *bats eyelids*

That's all for now but I should be able to round up 1 more post of Paris photos - if you're not too bored of them already? :)


Hugs,
J


THE REST OF THE SET - J'S PARIS 2009 POSTS:
- Paris 2009, Part 1
- Paris 2009, Part 3
- OR go to J's Main Travel Page for more options. :)


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Travel,Malaysia, KL, Paris, France, Kuala Lumpur, Personal