Memo

RE: REAL LIFE

Please be informed that J the Chocoholic has recently gotten a new job and she is caught up in that and lots of other aspects of Real Life.

She expresses her sincere apologies and promises that regular blog updates will resume as soon as possible.

Best regards,
J the Chocoholic

(Ok. Now just for fun, let's do that again in directly translated Malay)

RE: BENAR HIDUP:

Tolong dimaklum bahawa J the Chocoholic sudah baru dapat kerja baru dan telah ditangkap dalam itu dan pelbagai aspek Benar Hidup.

Dia mengespresikan ikhlas maaf dan menjanji yang update blog biasa akan bermula semula secepat mungkin.

Best punya regards,
J the Chocoholic

PS/ LOL. My BM is getting so bad/ out of practise! And also, apologies for calls missed, smses not replied and chat messages ignored.... Please bear with me while I stabilise things at work, ok? Thanks.... :)

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

Prime @ Le Meridien Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Finally: I taste the, reputedly, best steak in KL....

I had a really bad day at work that day - can't remember why exactly,... but it was just one of those days, you know?
>.>

Anyway, I was supposed to have dinner with an old friend of mine, when upon hearing of my bad day, decided that we should make use of the glorious discount on his Starwood card instead of just going to the usual simple tai chow/ cafe.

How can I say no to that? :)
(Especially since I had never eaten at Prime before)

- Delicious bread and butter (complimentary):
Delicious, creative butter blends....
Apparently, they change the butter blends from time to time - that day, we were served with an interesting array: Cinnamon butter, salted butter and watercress butter. All of them were wonderfully creamy and went very well with the warm bread.

- Succulent, Grilled scallops (RM 55++):
Bouncey scallops! :D....
Simple, seared scallops that were plump and juicy. Would have loved it if there was more of that delightful smokey fragrance instead of just a hint, but otherwise, YUMs.

- Hearty soup, Lobster Bisque (RM 45++):
Good soup - my favourite comfort food....
The thin layer of puff pastry on top was so lovely (nice butter fragrance) and went well with the creamy and robust soup.
(Hmmmm... I didn't find quite as much chunks of lobster as I would have liked though, but I supposed a lot of lobster went into the boiling process to produce such a robust taste)

- Cheesy, Lobster Thermidor (RM 230++):
Messy presentation but its the taste that matters, right? :)....
Wah. Looks like a mess of cheese and shell but when you dig in, you will find a treasure trove of fresh, sweet and juicy lobster meat which is accentuated by the melted cheese.

- Mmmmmmmm, Black Angus Ribeye Steak (RM 120++):
Juicy steak....
Perfect griddle marks, juicy, fresh meat that had all the necessary beefy flavours (in a good way) - a good meal for the carnivorous like me. :)

- Decadent, Creme brulee (RM 25++):
A sweet ending....
This was not the best creme brulee I've had ever had, but it was pretty good - nice aroma from the added vanilla beans but there wasn't enough of the yummy caramelised sugar layer on top.

Overall, it was a great meal and I definitely left feeling much happier. :)

Admittedly, prices are not cheap, but with the Starwood Card "free 1 person's meal" privilege (which in this case, adds up to a 50% discount off the food), it turned out to be a reasonable price considering the ambience and the quality of the food.
(You can even play a game of "Spot the celebrity" here on most nights I think - we saw Tun Dr. Mahathir when we were there! The highlight for me however was running into a beautiful Miss J Seaton who was having a birthday dinner there with friends - *HUGS* Hope you had a fun, delicious celebration!)


So it's: Nice ambience, food is good BUT prices are expensive (unless you have the Starwood card)....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Prime @ Le Meridien Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Taste: 8
Ambience : 8
Service : 7
Price** : RM 200/++ per person (unless you have a Starwood card)
Parking: OK

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

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Masak-Masak
- Knits and Nibbles
- KampungBoyCityGal
- A Whiff Of Lemongrass


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

Chateau d' Esclans Wine Pairing Dinner @ Chinoz KLCC

Pink is quickly becoming my favourite colour...

This is an invited review.
(So, here are my usual disclaimers)
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and
3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

It is no small feat that Chinoz has been opened in Suria KLCC since the very start (1998! How time flies):
Near the main entrance of KLCC, facing the park and fountain...
So, to put it lightly, they must be doing something right all these years. :)

That night, we were seated in a nice private area inside, simple but sophisticated. I liked it, but if it was a cool night, I would have loved to sit outside and enjoy the night sky:
Private dining area - sophisticated, quiet and cosy...
The view outside...
I was there a little early, so I milled around, sipping on bubbly and was struck by how beautiful the wines are - they looked almost magical, glowing from within. When I looked at the label and read "Whispering Angel", I thought, "What a fitting name!":
An array of beautiful wines...
Gorgeous glow...
- Following a few short words from our hosts, we started off with the Asiatic Hor D'ouvres, a mix of spiced "popcorn" shrimp, "roti jala" duck and a foie gras maki:
Matched with a Chateau d' Esclans Whispering Angel
3 different types of yummy appetizers...
Look how pretty the wine is!...
All 3 parts of the starter were faultless, and I particularly enjoyed the slightly spicy and crispy bites of prawn.

I had sort of expected the pretty salmon pink wine to be overwhelmed by the spices (as my perception of rosé wines is that they are kinda weak and girly)... but I guess you should never judge a book by it's cover. :)

While it tasted refreshing because it was lightly chilled, flavour-wise the wine held its own very well, with a sophisticated mix of tastes and (again, surprisingly) medium body. It was also relatively dry as compared to the rosés I have tasted thus far.

- Black Cod with Abalone:
Matched with a Chateau d' Esclans Les Clans and a Chateau d' Esclans Les Clans Garrus
Rich tasting but full of good fish oil...
Again, the wine is just so beautifully coloured...
The different flavours of the sea, paired together and balanced with some citrus tones, turned out beautifully. Although the abalone could have been a bit more tender, it went well with the rich taste of the oily black cod.

As for the 2 wines, both went matched well with the fish - each with their own elegance and varying complexities. They were both delicious, of course,... but it was the Garrus (which is the pride of the winery) that stood out to me. It has an added depth of woodiness to the already beautifully complex bouquet, and an impressively long finish.

I really liked this wine and I wish I could describe it better... :(
Anyway, to sum it up in simple words, it was DELICIOUS, YUMMY, WONDERFUL. :)

- Sous vide Lamb Loin with Sze Zhuan Pepper:
Matched with a Chateau d' Esclans Whispering Angel Rouge
Coated with pepper - robust without being overwhelming...
Beautiful purple red hue and well rounded flavours...
The lamb was deliciously tender, robust flavours but without that horrid gamey taste that tend to affect ovine meats. This was accentuated by the well rounded red wine, with its mix of berry flavours.

- Assiette de amarillo:
Platter of different desserts...
The interesting mix of sweet, sour, moist and crunchy desserts also went down well... I love it when there is a variety of small bites to sample - just wish there was something chocolatey in the mix too.
:)

- 3 very talented and affable men:
(They are not on the menu, but definitely an important part of that night...)
A sincere love for wine makes the world a smaller, happier place, right? :)...
It was wonderful that the very experienced and passionate Gert Lehmann from Chateau D'Esclans had flown in all the way from Europe to share his knowledge and love of rosé wines with us.
(Hopefully one day I can really visit this beautiful winery, owned by the famous Sacha Lichine, in the Provence region of France)

SHOUT OUT
Thank you to:
1) Gert Lehmann from Chateau D'Esclans for his company and patience (with this girl who knows next to nothing about wines),
2) The management and chefs of Chinoz for the wonderful meal, and
3) Jonathan from Albert Wines for the kind invite! (You rock!)

BTW: If you want more details on Albert Wines (they export, wholesale and retail a wide range of spirit and alcohol brands), do check out their official website: Click here.

As for the food described here, it was specially designed to match the wines but if you want something similar, you can enquire directly with the restaurant.
(Contact details below)

Summary Sheet:

Chateau d' Esclans Wine Pairing Dinner @ Chinoz on the Park, KLCC

G47 Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur

Price** : Call restaurant to ask
Parking: OK

** Can be customised according to your event

Telephone No.: 03-2166 8277
Opening Hours: 11am - late
Parking: OK

NO PORK SERVED

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- NST


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, French Wine, Chinoz on the Park, Suria KLCC, Chateau d' Esclans, Kuala Lumpur

The Food Studio @ Amarin Mont Kiara

I add to my Skillz....

Some time ago**, I was invited for a baking class by the lovely Becky, extended from the kind people at the Food Studio.
(** An almost embarassingly long time ago lah, actually... I seriously have to concentrate on clearing my Blog post backlog....)

A fun day out, learning how to cook***, in a beautiful kitchen, taught by a very experienced Imported chef? Of course, I jumped (for joy) at the opportunity. :)
(*** A skill I am hopelessly NOT adept with)

- FRESH INGREDIENTS:
All the ingredients are prepped, ready for you to use... of course, there is still some cutting/ dicing required but its so they can teach you how to do it properly...
A small part of the ingredients provided....

- BEAUTIFUL, WELL EQUIPPED KITCHEN:
We were split into teams and each got our own kitchen station, equipped with everything you could possibly need including a fancy Electrolux oven....
Wah! I wish I had a kitchen like this....

- FRIENDLY, EXPERIENCED CHEF PAUL:
Although we were all given printed instructions, it doesn't stop there - the patient and knowledgeable Chef Paul demo-ed and guided us through, even throwing in special tips on how to make things easier/yummier....
A 5 Star chef, and such a nice guy too....

- MAGIC ON THE STOVE:
It always amazes me how certain ingredients, mixed in the right proportions and applied with some heat can produce such wondrous flavours. Here, we prepared the filling for one of the pies that was so delicious....
(A creamy leek, chicken and mushroom mix - I think it would taste glorious with some pasta, or even some rice!)
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmm. Delicious....

- A BEAUTIFUL DINING/ EVENT AREA:
Later, we waited for our pies to finish baking in the oven, and relaxed in the beautiful dining area just next to the kitchen area. There is even a nice open air area just through the glass doors, overlooking the hillside....
A nice place to enjoy the food later....
Scenic outdoor area....

- TA-DAH! MY PIES:
To put it bluntly - I kinda suck at cooking... but Chef Paul was sweet and helpful and made learning how to bake/cook very easy****. To my joy/surprise: All 3 pies I made that day actually tasted good!
:D
(**** Of course I was also very lucky to be paired up in a team with PureGlutton, who is a goddess in the kitchen...)
Left to right: Creamy Chicken and Leek Pie, Shephard's Pie and Apple Pie....
My favourite was the Shephard's Pie :D....
For cooking clases there, (Minimum Participants: 8, Maximum Participants: 12), they can teach a variety of different cuisines, in your choice of 3 different formats:
******
a) KICK-OFF DEMO
Have your very own private cooking live show by watching our talented chef prepare each dish right in front of you step by step
******
b) HANDS-ON
Change to your apron and our chef will guide you through the menu and everyone gets to feel the real deal hands on
******
c) 8 + 8 DINNER
After all courses are done, every participant can invite one guest to join and enjoy the fruits of the hard labour all together
******


They also do all sorts of Private Events (Birthday Parties, etc)/ Product Launches/ Meeting Packages - do call/email them for more details.
(Contact details at the bottom of this post)

What a fantastic day - Learnt so much and had so much fun.
(Now, all I need to do is go out and buy an oven. Lol... >.>)


Slightly more Skilled now,
J

Summary Information:;
The Food Studio @ Amarin Mont Kiara

Opening Hours: Various
Phone: +603 6205 1188
Fax: +603 6201 5128
Address: Amarin Kiara, LG 2, Jalan Desa Kiara 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Email: info@the-food-studio.com
Website: Official website

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- thenomadGourmand
- Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
- Treasure Memories
- Friedchillies

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Amarin Mont Kiara,Cooking Class,KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Shake Shack @ NYC

Sinking my teeth into a famous NYC burger....

*stretch*
Sorry it's been a while since my last update - have been drowning in work and Real Life since coming back from New York..

Anyway, *TAH-DAH!* This is my first NYC post. :)

One of the best guide books that my friends Josh & Pris lent me was the Zagat book - short on time and with that being my first time in NY, it was an absolute Godsend.

Of course, many restaurants in that book were completely out of my budget range/ out of the way, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a simple (almost fast food-y) and conveniently located eatery listed as one of the best burger places to visit:
Outside the Shake Shack on the Upper East Side....
Obviously, a lot of New Yorkers are also in on this fact, as Shake Shack, which has 5 branches at various locations around NYC, was PACKED:
Long line at around lunch time....
Some subsequent Googling revealed that the lines at Shake Shack are pretty infamous actually. We were pretty lucky though, since we went at a slightly off peak hour, so it didn't take too long (10mins at most) and we were given a Shake Shack Buzzer after we made our order/payment:
When it shakes, then it's your turn :)....
A short wait and a buzz later, we collected our orders. :)

Admittedly, the Single Shackburger (USD 4.50++) is not much to look at - just a simple burger, wrapped in some waxed paper:
Zero points for presentation. lol....
The taste was also very simple, but I mean this in the best way possible. :)

No fancy ingredients - lettuce, tomato slices, cheese, bun and a meat patty - same as any other burger but perfectly executed, with all the necessary parts just right: crisp, fresh, oozey, fluffy and juicy (in that order).

The star of the show was definitely the patty - freshly ground meat (a mix of sirloin and brisket), lightly charred on the outside, moist inside and fragrantly beef-y. All in all, a delicious mix of delightfully straightforward flavours.
(Yummy! And you can wash it down with an order of beer or wine - something you can't find in a Malaysian fast food joint)
:D

The Fries (USD 2.65++) were also pretty yummy - crinkle cut, fresh taters that were crisp on the outside and still fairly moist inside:
(Online reviews seem to indicate that the quality of the fries can be a bit erratic though)
Deep fried carbs are so delicious when done well....
There are also a few hot dogs on the menu - the Bird Dog (USD 4.40++) was just kinda normal though. Nothing to really fault, but it just paled in comparison to the burger:
(LOL. So cute - It's named as such because it's a chicken sausage)
Is it a bird? Is it a (hot)dog? No! It's a Bird Dog!....
I also did not really like the dessert I had - Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunchcrete (USD 6.50++):
A very sinful treat....
When I saw that it was a mix of Chocolate custard, peanut butter sauce, chocolate toffee and chocolate sprinkles, I thought it was a sure winner (since I love chocolate and peanut butter).... but this thick dessert was just way too sweet for me to really enjoy (and I don't even want to start thinking about how many calories are in it).

It makes me kinda sad just looking at these photos and thinking of New York.... I really hope I have the chance to visit it again soon.
(Here's hoping that the world doesn't really end in 2012!)


Still suffering from PHB (Post Holiday Blues),
J

So, it's: Simple, yummy burgers for fairly reasonable prices BUT limited menu and it's a popular place so be prepared to wait for a table....

Summary Information:;
Shake Shack @ NYC

Opening Hours: 11am - 11pm
Phone: +1 646 237 5035
Address: Various, but the one I went to was at 154, East 86th Street (between Lexington and 3rd Ave)
Website: Official website

MOST PROBABLY NOT HALAL

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Richard Elliot's Blog
- Runner's Kitchen
- The Sowmya Life
- Food. By Mark.
- Tripadvisor

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Hamburger, NYC, New York City, PJ, Travel, Holiday, American, Cheap Eats, USA, Kuala Lumpur

Verification

Yes lah, JL. This is really my blog. :P

Your friend,
J

Goku Raku Ramen @ Midvalley Megamall, KL

Just a short post: Tasty new ramen place (with a great opening promotion - 50% discount!)....

It was just another regular weekend back in KL - Tired from my recent trip, I went for a facial at my usual place in Midvalley...
(Hey, a girl's gotta try her best to maintain her looks, or whatever's left of it, right? :P)

I then made my way to FOS (luv this place for the affordable flip flops and cute tshirts!) when I stumbled across a new (non Halal) ramen place just next to it - Goku Raku Ramen, which at that time had only been opened for 2 days.

There was a short waiting list to get in, but it was managed efficiently and soon, I was seated:
Wow. There's a pretty long line outside!....
Inside, the pace was frenetic, with the wait staff zipping around trying to cope with the weekend rush of customers - kudos to them though as no matter what, they remained calm and friendly:
Modern and comfortable setting inside....
Instead of the usual gyoza, I started off with a grilled item - Yaki Tomato Maki (Cherry tomato wrapped with bacon) (RM 6.90++):
Bacon and tomatoes are such an awesome combination....
While it lacked a smokey (bbq) aroma that would have made it even yummier, this was a decent eat with the nicely charred bacon that was still moist and not too salty, matched well with the slightly tart and juicy cherry tomatoes.
(Definitely would order this again...)

There were a variety of rice dishes/sets but I thought I should try the ramens instead, since it is their speciality. Of course, their opening promotion (50% DISCOUNT ON ALL RAMENS, from 3 June till 16 June 2011) may have helped form this choice. :)
(It's such a good deal!)

I chose the recommended Goku Raku Ramen (RM 9.95++ promotion price, RM 19.90++ if at full price):
Their house speciality....
The soup is fairly thick, and was a delicious mix of pork, chicken with a hint of fish - it sounds strange but it was a delightful combination of flavours that was complex and savoury, without being overly salty or cloying:
(Apparently this is a special recipe, lovingly stewed over 48 hours, gotten from a master ramen connoisseur in Japan - Mr. Teruhisa Shimizu)
Comes with pork (chasu) slices and optional egg....
As for the ramen noodles, they are the slightly thicker kind, still with some "bounce" but definitely with more bite as compared to the usual thinner and "QQ" (bouncey/springy) type ramen.

If I had only one gripe though, is that the optional egg (RM 1++) that I ordered as a topping was moist, but did not have that semi runny yolk that I love. Still, I think I have found a new favourite ramen place....
(I just hope they are able to successfully maintain their quality - so many places seem to falter as time passes/ they open more outlets......)

So it's: Modern ambience, friendly service, good range of delicious ramens BUT nothing really bad, just that some of the prices are on the high side and traffic in the area can be bad during peak hours......

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Goku Raku Ramen @ Midvalley KL

Lot S25 & S26, Level 2 Mid Valley City., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 38++ per person
Parking: Limited

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2282 3924
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm
Official Website: Click HERE

NOT HALAL

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Eat Drink KL
- My Chillout Lounge
- Welcome to Jerwindreams

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Goku Raku Ramen, Midvalley Megamall,Japanese, PJ, Petaling Jaya, KL, Kuala Lumpur

I'm HOME! :)

... AND I'm also about neck deep in work.
=_=

Will try to update properly soon, but for now *HUGS* am happy to be back. :)
(Of course I can feel the post holiday blues setting in but well, that's normal right? *sob sob sniffle*)

RANDOM DINOSAUR PHOTO BCOS I FEEL SO TIRED FROM THE LONG FLIGHT AND I THINK MY FACE/SKIN SHOWS IT TOO :)....

Trying to kill the jetlag with caffeine,
J

PS/ 2 weeks and I managed to snap 1,284 photos! About 70% of them are of food of course. LOL.


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

Restaurant Chef Choi @ Jalan Ampang, KL

An understated Chinese restaurant in the shadow of KLCC....

Oops, sorry - forgot to post this up. My article on Chef Choi came out in The Star about 2 weeks ago. :)
(Thanks for pointing it out, Kenny! *hugs*)

I’ll be the first to admit it: My parents drive me crazy sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love them.

I try my best to spend some quality time with them every week, which in the Malaysian context more often than not means making the time to have a good meal. Recently, I decided to take them to Restaurant Chef Choi, which is located in an understated two-storey building off Jalan Ampang between the MCA building and Restoren Pelita.

This restaurant is not new, having opened back in 2003, but somehow I had never got around to trying it till I was brought there recently by some foodie friends. By the way, a nice bonus is that the spacious parking lot around the restaurant is free of charge, as long as you dine there:
Outside Chef Choi: A nice bonus - the spacious FREE parking area around the restaurant....
It was quiet for a Sunday night, which made my parents panic, as they are strong believers that empty restaurants are a sure sign that there is something wrong (either not tasty/ fresh or just too expensive). I assured them that there was nothing to worry about and soon they relaxed in its comfortable, classy but unpretentious setting:
Inside Chef Choi: Classy but unpretentious setting....
Service was friendly and quick, with our mains arriving quickly - the Braised Garoupa Fish with Beancurd Rolls (RM 108++) and the Smoked Baby Pork Ribs (RM 35++):
The Garoupa Fish: Much too big for us 3 but tasted even better the next day....
The baby pork ribs: Not very big but was tender and tasty, down to the bone....
Of course I much preferred the pork ribs with its fairly tender meat steeped with a appetizing sweet, sour yet savoury flavor and enhanced by a slight smokiness. My parents preferred the fish with its uncomplicated sauce that was savoury without being too salty.

We also ordered some vegetables to balance out the meal - Fried Sliced Lotus Root with Water Chestnuts and Celery (RM 23++)
The Fried Lotus Root: A simple dish that my parents loved....
This simple dish turned out to be my parents dish of the night. Overall, its flavor was very "ching" (crisp/ clean) and there was a nice textural mix between the moistness of the different mushrooms against the crunchy lotus roots, water chesnuts and celery.

The thing about Chef Choi is that you don't necessarily need to spend a bomb to eat there. There are a variety of delicious fried noodles available at Chef Choi, with my current favourite being the Tomato Meehoon (RM 24++), which is actually not on the official menu:
The Tomato Beehoon: A "secret" item that's not on the menu!....
If you prefer the deepfried beehoon crispy, then eat it quickly, or let it rest for a while to let the sauce seep in. Either way, I find this piquant sweet and sour dish very appetising, and also love how juicy and fresh the accompanying prawns and squid is too.

We did not have any desserts that night as we were already too full by the end of the meal, but I have tried the crème brûlèe before.

It’s kinda strange to find a classic French dessert at a Chinese restaurant but they know what they are doing. The flavour of fresh vanilla beans in the cream and a not-too-thick layer of caramelised sugar make this a winning item.

The three of us had a really good time that night, and in the end my father was in such a good mood that he ended up paying, even though it was supposed to be my treat.

This was not what I had in mind, but, well, I’m not complaining. :)

So it's: Friendly service, free parking!, fairly wide range Chinese dishes ranging from the affordable to the expensive BUT nothing really bad, just that the surrounding area can be a bit jammed during peak hours......

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Restaurant Chef Choi @ Jalan Ampang, KL

No. 159 Jalan Ampang,50450 Kuala Lumpur.


Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 8
Price** : RM 65++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2163 5866
Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12pm–3pm, Dinner: 6pm–10pm

NOT HALAL

MAP:

View Larger Map

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Cumi Dan Ciki
- Masak-Masak
- Eat Drink KL
- So Much Food So Little Stomach
- Bual Bual Kosong
- Jacko.my


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Jake's Charbroil Steaks, Steak house, Medan Damansara, Damansara Heights, Bukit Damansara, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Chilling in Times Square

Yo! :)
It's Sunday and the place is buzzing with tourists and locals and police.


Unfortunately the weather is a bit chillier than expected (brrrrrr) but otherwise, I feel like we snagged the best seats in the place to chill n watch the sun set....
:)

Still missing you tho,
J

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

End of the world?

So far I'm having the best n worst n overall, most memorable holiday moments in New York so far. :)

Miss you all (yes, you, n you n you n you *hugs*) and kinda look forward to
coming home already.

Muaks,
J

Ps/ so enjoying the food here tho! :D
(om nom nom nom nom)
(oh n hopefully the world doesn't end tomorrow
as predicted by some dooms day theorists)

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

Notice of Hiatus

*J does happy-happy, holiday dance*
\o\ \o/ /o/

Guess where I'm going?:
(Here's a clue)
Yo....
It's pretty obvious, right?

Well, I've been saving up for a while now and headed to one of my top "Have To Visit Before The End of The World" destinations. So, just to let you know: I will not be updating my blog till Friday, 3rd of June 2011...

I'll try to squeeze in a few posts in this time, but only if I manage to get access to a computer. :)
(In the meantime, please don't forget about me, ok?)


Hugs,
J

PS/ Please wish me luck - a part of me is very worried of possible Al Qaeda retaliation, (following recent news on the killing of Osama Bin Laden by US forces in Pakistan)... but well, *sigh* I hope that nothing will happen....

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

Rolland Collection Wine Dinner @ The Pressroom Bangsar, KL

Travelling around the world, with the help of The Rolland Collection...

This is an invited review.
(Here are my usual disclaimers)
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and
3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

The Pressrooom is one of the newer additions to Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC) post face-lift, offering a relatively more sophisticated European dining to the list of options:
Lush, glowing amber coloured wall...
That night, I was attending a really interesting wine pairing dinner, where the owners (, oeneologists and consultants) Michel and Dani Rolland had flown in all the way from France to share on their wines:
The beautiful, passionate Dani Rolland...

STARTER 1:
- Tian of Crabcake With Avocado & Tomatoes dressed in Cilantro Oil
Matched with a Chateau La Grande Clotte 2007 Blanc
Delicious way to start the night...

I thought the wine had a really pretty colour...
The crabcake was yummy! - moist on the inside and crumbly/crunchy on the outside, with a mild seafood flavour accented by the piquant avocado and tomato salsa.

As for the wine, it was interestingly complex for a white wine, tasted fresh and smooth but with strong and a surprisingly long finish - complemented the seafood very well.
(I don't usually favour white wines but I thought this was nice...)

STARTER 2:
- Roast Duck Spring Roll with Jackfruit Salsa, Hoisin & Lemon Dip
Matched with a Castillo Spanish Campo Alegre 2007 from Toro
An exotic concept, but needs to be tweaked...
Another delicious wine, this time from Spain...
To be fair: The wine is perfectly nice on its own, medium bodied with undertones of berries and spices (and pepper, according to Eiling, but my palate is not as good as hers when it comes to wines, I think!). Unfortunately, it was overpowered by the strong flavours of the nangka....

MAIN 1:
- Foie Gras Ravioli And Beef Consomme with Truffle Foam
Matched with a Chateau Le Bon Pasteur 2006 from Pomerol
Tasty ravioli hiding in the truffle foam...
The star wine of the Rolland Collection...
I was greedy, lamenting that the foie gras pieces weren't gigantic and that the truffle scent was a bit mild... Still, I really enjoyed this dish - a delicate balance of richness from the foie, earthiness of the truffles and savouriness from the consomme.

The wine was really nice - full bodied, robust flavours and with a strong finish but somehow not overpowering the relatively subtly flavoured food.
(This wine was rated 90 points by Wine Spectator, which as I understand it, is a pretty big deal)

PALATE CLEANSER:
- Orange sorbet
A really nice citrus sorbet...
Tell you something funny: I didn't remember the menu properly, and I thought this was the dessert! - turns out its a something a bit "atas" called a palate cleanser, where you refresh your tastebuds in between courses by (usually) having something sour.
:)

MAIN 2:
- Wagyu Cube Roll With Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Maldon Sea Salt
Also matched with a Chateau Le Bon Pasteur 2006 from Pomerol
2 slabs of wagyu, topped with some sauce...
I was a bit afraid when I initially saw the beef - it looked entirely too lightly cooked (as I usually take my steak Medium done)... but after one bite, I was SOLD... and proceeded to inhale the steak.
(Tender, juicy, beef-y in the best way possible and no "bloody" taste surprisingly)

Other than being my favourite course for the night, this was also my favourite wine pairing - I think the Pomerol really shone, with the berry flavours somehow accentuated and complemented the beef very well.

DESSERT:
- Chocolate Cigarillo with Honey Mascarpone Cream & Coffee Mocha Ice Cream
Matched with a Remhoogte 2005 from Stellenbosch South Africa
Chocolate and coffee - love this combination...
Chocolate, caramel, berries and coffee - this is a combination that I like but in this case, it was a bit too sweet for me to really enjoy.

The wine made it interesting though - beyond the medium body and fairly spicy and dry finish, the Pinotage grape in the wine gave it a nice smokey aftertaste that helped balance out the sweetness of the dessert.

The one thing I find very special about Michel and Dani Rolland is that their passion for wine is not constrained to one country or terroir... and by showcasing a selection from their wineries around the world, it kinda made me feel like they took me on a journey with them....
:)
(Definitely had a wonderful time that night)

SHOUT OUT
Thank you to:
1) Michel and Dany Rolland for coming all the way to Malaysia to share their passion for wine with us that night,
2) The management and Chef Bob of Pressroom for the wonderful meal,
3) Michelle, and everyone from Sunrise Wines for the kind invitation, and
4) My fellow diners - thanks for the wonderful company!

BTW: If you want more details on these wines (and where to get them), you can contact Sunrise Wines & Spirits, at +6012-215 4811 (mobile) or +603-6272 8288 (fax).
(Also, here is the link to the Rolland Collection website)

Summary Sheet:

Rolland Collection Wine Dinner @ The Pressroom Bangsar, KL
G110 Ground Floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, KL

Price** : Call restaurant to ask
Parking: OK

** Can be customised according to your event

Telephone No.: 03-2095 8098
Opening Hours: 12noon - 12midnight
Parking: OK

NO PORK SERVED

MAP:


OTHER REVIEWS:
- 3iling


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, French Wine, Rolland Collection, Wine Pairing Dinner, Pressroom, BSC, Bangsar Shopping Center, Continental