Tuesday, June 06, 2006

My Wallet Sez "Ouch!"

[ BEGIN EDIT ]

As a pre-renovation special, Villa Danieli is offering a 30% discount off food and drinks when you use your Citibank Visa card!
(Only until the end of May 2007)

(And btw, I am not receiving any payment for posting this up - I just thought it's a pretty good discount... unless you have the Starwood Hotels membership card, that is - you can get up to 50% discount with that so it's even better)

[ END EDIT ]


We have just found out first hand how misleading some reviews can be....
Don't want to point fingers or name names but honestly, any review that tells you that you can eat at Villa Danieli for around RM50 is really streeeeeetching the truth.

Technically, it's not an all out lie of course, because you can get a pizza/ pasta and a glass of water for around RM40++. Still, you will not be able to have a full dinner as most of the starters here cost >RM30++, the pizzas/ pastas >RM35++, the mains (meats/ seafood) cost >RM 50++ and the desserts cost >RM25++.

Oh well, let's not dwell on this and just move on to the review, shall we?

The Dinner

Cosy and romantic, Villa Danieli is situated next to the pool area on the 5th floor of the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, KL.
The Exterior of Villa Danieli

Full of earthy terracotta, red and wooden tones, it is definately a good place to wine and dine your loved ones or impress business associates...

The Interior of Villa Danieli, Mariachis and All

The food here is Italian, brought to you by award winning chef Gianluca Re Fraschini. We started off the night with the Grilled Calamari, Beef Carpaccio, Cauliflower Soup and the Seafood Lasagnette:

Clockwise from top left: Grilled Calamari, Beef Carpaccio, Seafood Lasagnette and Cauliflower Soup

The Seafood Lasagnette (which is actually some sort of a broth) was ok - clear with a delicate, uncomplicated flavour (arguably not salty/ flavorful enough).

The Cauliflower Soup on the other hand was deliciously creamy and robust.
(I'm not sure if I'd pay RM30++ for to try it again though...)

The Grilled Calamari was good too - the lightly seared pieces of squid were fresh and juicy, going well with herb sauce and artichoke hearts.

No comments on the Beef Carpaccio (sorry) - it looked good but I do not eat raw meat so I didn't steal any off SooJ. He did say that it was pretty good though.

Onwards to the mains....
That night, we tried the Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms, Lamb Cutlets and the Braised Lamb Shank....

Clockwise from top left: Lamb Cutlets, Braised Lamb Shank and Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms

OMG.
The Lamb Cutlets were just to die for! - the meat was juicy and downright succulent, with a wonderfully crispy outer layer. Pat and SooJ pretty much picked the bones clean. I would definately recommend this dish but will warn you ahead of time that although it is DELICIOUS, it costs RM65++ for a pretty small serving.

The Risotto was also pretty good (as far as risottos go) - wholesome and bursting with the natural flavours of the Porcini mushroom. It only tasted great while it was hot though, and quickly became very "jelak" as it cooled down due to its increasingly starchy texture...
(That, and there wasn't anything to break the monotony of the rice and (the very few) mushrooms - no meat, no other veg... nothing!)

The Braised Lamb Shank was also pretty good - it didn't knock my socks off but generally, it was tender and tasty.
(Lenny raved about how fragrant the onions in the sauce were but again, I didn't eat any so I can't really comment)

As for the desserts, we didn't try any:
(Again, sorry)
1) We were already quite full after filling ourselves with the yummy complimentary bread, and
2) None of the limited choice of desserts sounded interesting enough to justify the price.
(As much as I aim to do exhaustive reviews - fact of the matter is: I am not made of money)

So, it's: Cosy, romantic Italian restaurant with ok food (and GREAT lamb) BUT for a price, boring (sounding) desserts (still, a great place to impress dates/ business associates/ make wedding proposals)

On another note: Here are some pictures of us being thick-skinned and goofing around in a swanky Italian restaurant!
J's Motto: Keep Your Friends Close.... and Your Enemies Closer!
"Killer Fork Attack! Kyaaah!"


Desperate Smoker Resorts to Breadstick



Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Villa Danieli @ Sheraton, KL

Taste: 7 (The Lamb Cutlet, on its own, is a 9 tho!)
Ambience : 8
Service : 7
Price** : RM 110/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2717 9922
Opening Hours: 12.00pm - 2.30pm; 6.30pm - 10.30pm

NO PORK SERVED




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Monday, June 05, 2006

TICK tock TICK tock...

(A short review of a play)
Warning!

Watched the new Joe Hasham play, The Fastest Clock in The Universe, at the KLPAC with Pat, SooJ, Chen and some others on Sunday afternoon...
(Thanks for organising, SooJ!)

Overall, I liked the play as it was very different....

When they said it is only suitable for mature audiences, they were NOT kidding. Dark, melancholic, murderous, incentous, in denial, paedophilic and abusive, with a healthy dose of a love, hate and homosexuality in a tight 2 x 1 hour package. All this, with NO prop/ set changes and only five cast members: Gavin Yap, Ari Ratos, Joanna Bessey, Niki Cheong and Faridah Merican.
Gavin Yap: Smokin' Hot

I enjoyed Ari and Faridah's characters and performances but thought that Joanna and Niki's were a little typical and weak... I suppose they served their purpose though.

I ESPECIALLY enjoyed Gavin's performance as the brooding modern day Dorian Gray.... but I am sure that has nothing, absolutely NOTHING to do with the fact that he started off the play wearing nothing but a pair of boots, sunnies and a pair of jeans that hugged his buns in a very complimenting manner....
*drool*
Oh, and not that I want to go on about it, but his hard, chiseled abs (all 6 of them) were definately a sight to behold.
(Sadly, after about 10 minutes, he put a shirt and jacket on - yes, I was upset for the rest of the show)

Was very tempted to take photos of him (not that I wanted to be a perve or anything like that... it would have been for YOUR benefit la) but was seated behind Joe Hasham and didn't want to get caught.
:(

(Erm. Shall stop ranting now)

I really don't want to put in any spoilers until after the show has finished its run (it's on from June 2 till 11, 2006) so I'll sum it up as this:
Worth a watch for RM50/ RM30. It's a play that is funny yet dark and is very different. It will make you think, and everyone will get a different meaning from it due to its subjective nature. Oh, and please watch with an open mind - homophobes and painfully conservative people should probably stay away, for your own sakes.
(I know Pat, SooJ and Chen are already mentally scarred from one particular scene that involves magazines, pants and a certain hand)
*Pat, SooJ and Chen scream in chorus*
:)

Summary Info:
Name of Play - The Fastest Clock In The Universe
Venue - The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center (KLPAC)
Dates - June 2 till June 11, 2006
Price - RM50 (adults) / RM30 (students, seniors, disabled)
Bookings - Online or Phone 2094 9400/ 4047 9000


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Friday, June 02, 2006

MEMO: Reclassification of Restaurants Reviewed

Had a long talk with a Muslim friend recently...
Apparently an eatery isn't really, REALLY Halal unless it:
1) Doesn't serve pork,
(This is the very obvious pre-requisite la)
2) Doesn't serve alcohol, and
3) The animal/ meat served was slaughtered in a Halal manner.

So, with this, I am going to go back and reclassify all the restaurants that I have reviewed so far as follows:
1) CERTIFIED HALAL = Eatery that has certification from JAKIM,
2) HALAL = No pork served + No alcohol,
3) NO PORK SERVED = No pork served BUT Alcohol is served, and
4) NOT HALAL = Pork served.

Okies?
:)

Sorry I keep making these little changes to my restaurant reviews but I can't help it - it's a process of continual improvement for me...

Please feel free to give feedback on the reviews I have done so far though...
It would be great to get some objective opinions - I would really appreciate it.


Cheers,
J

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Party People, Head To NZ!

It's funny how the limit of how much alcohol you can bring in varies (drastically) from country to country....

Malaysia: 1 litre of alcoholic beverage.
USA: 1 litre of alcoholic beverage.

(OK,... that's a fair amount I guess)

Argentina: 2 litres of spirits or 2 litres of wine.
Australia: 2.25 litres of alcoholic beverage.

(Well, the more the merrier! I suppose the people there like their drink)

New Zealand: 6 bottles (4.5 litres) of wine, port or sherry or 12 cans (4.5 litres) of beer AND one 1,125ml bottle of spirits or liqueurs.

(*jaw drops* HOW much??)
"... and we'll throw in a free membership to the AA too!" :)


*speechless*

(That be a LOT of alcohol)

For a listing of duty free alcohol limits for these and other countries, go to this site.


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Thursday, June 01, 2006

Have Car, Will Travel

Oh Cendol, dear darling Cendol ....
Your soothing, sticky sweet taste is so comforting on a hot Malaysian day....
Mmmm... cendol

Oh glorious mountain of shaved ice and gula melaka!
You are perfect honey - I wouldn't have you any other way...

:)

Went on a day trip to Melaka last weekend.
Twas fun.
Sadly, while I was there I only managed to gobble one bowl of Cendol, half a bowl of Baba Laksa (yum!)....
Laksa, Baba Style

... and half a bowl of Assam Laksa (yum-yum!)....
Assam Laksa: You either love it or hate it

Where did I go for all this Laksa + Cendol, you ask?
It was this little coffee shop on one end of the Jonker Street area....

View of the laksa place - inside and out

The (new) name of the place is "The Museum Cafe" and the phone number is 06-286 8786.
Oh, and holy commercialism! They have a website too!

Overall, the food at the place was good....
The Baba Laksa was rich without being too "lemak-y" and the texture of the noodles was tender with a little bounce to the bite.
(Mmmm,... I love the bits of bunga kantan that they put in - gives it that extra kick)
The Assam Laksa was also pretty good, fragrant without being too fishy...
Both Laksas came generously topped with half a boiled egg and foo chok, amongst other things.... all for only RM3.50 a bowl!

... And the cendol?
Well,... it was a scorchingly hot day so it went down very very well.
:)

I really wanted to try the Chicken Rice Balls (please avert any skewed thoughts *glare*) at another coffee shop at the other end of Jonker Street, but was too full and decided not to gorge myself. Good thing too, cause the line was super super long!
(see!)
"We want (chicken rice) balls, we want (chicken rice) balls...", chants the angry mob...

Crazy.

Well,... it's probably worth the wait anyway. I've tried out this restaurant before a few years back - the chicken's tasty and the rice balls are fragrant without being too sticky.

Hmmm, *stares at photo*, am starting to feel hungry just thinking about it - damn.

So, who wants to drive down to Melaka?
:)

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Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Me So Smart

Nevermind Pattar, I have fixed the problem already!

:P

Bwahaha.

Ph34r my L33t Sk1llz!
(More like: Behold the power of learning through trial and error!)

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Lady Luck, Don't Fail Me Now....

It is so scary when your manager hints that there will be a staff movement from the department but does not want to announce (yet) who it will be or where the person will be transferred to...

*sigh*
Wish me luck.
Dunno whether it'll be me who is transferred to some obscure location at the edge of the world.
(Hey, job diversification is a good thing though,... right?)


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---//To Melbourne & Back In 15 Photos >>

With the advent of the internet, I bring thee the desktop travelling experience:
1) Away to the KLIA Airport...

"Melbourne, here I come!"


2) Arrive in Melbourne, get on the Skybus to the City...
Budget Travelling in Style


3) Ahhh... Marvel at the Beautiful Autumn Leaves...
"Good job, Mother Nature - you rock my world!"


4,5,6) City Sights By Day and Night...
Lovely sights and pwetty lights....


7,8) A Visit to St Kilda Beach...
"Brrrr... so cold - bloody Melburnian wind"


9) Mmmm.... Temptations Galore at a Greek Cafe...
"*waiiil* Can't make up my mind..."


10) Checking Out Asian Homies at Chinatown...
"Yo, yo, lei ho ma?"


11) Repenting At Church...
Beautiful stained glass at St. Paul's Cathedral


12) Holy Calamari... Look At The Size Of That Squid!
Monsters of the Deep at the Melbourne Aquarium


13) Last 2 Beers Before Going Home... :(
"Cheers, mate... Good on ya'"


14) Back on the Skybus...
Every beginning must have an end


15) Back in M'sia and On the Way Home!
Home, Sweet Home
*sings*
"Negarakuuuuuu,... tanah tumpahnya darahkuuuuuu... "


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Tuesday, May 30, 2006

): Sorry, No Comments! :(

Some of you may have noticed that the comments box is missing now.

Well,.. *sigh* ... I noticed that Haloscan was starting to clear some of the comments from my older posts as I was over the allocated space limit....
(and being the cheapo that I am, I didn't want to pay to upgrade the amount of space they would give me)

So, I had to make the very difficult decision of just cutting the losses and moving back to Blogger's comment boxes....
(... losing all your precious comments in the process)

In the meantime though, I am having problems with the coding so there are no comment boxes on the main page.
(dunno why)
If you want to leave any comments, you have to take the scenic route by clicking on the permanent post link and then leave a comment on the pop-up page.
Pat is very kindly taking time out of his busy schedule to help me so this should be fixed soon.
(Right, Pat ? *prod-prod*)

Be patient with me, k?
:)

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Monday, May 29, 2006

~/\~ Sauna House ~/\~

Hola, people.
I am back from the dead - finally updating (properly) after about 3 weeks.
(Yes, I have been that busy.... sorry)

This time, I bring you the review of a little restaurant in KL called the Coconut House.....

The Dinner

This quaint little eatery is set in an old house on Jalan Pudu Lama, and is situated pretty much behind the Maybank building.....

Coconut House - A Look From the Inside and Out

The restaurant is rustic, cosy and mostly open air. It is also uncomfortably warm. We were all sweating even before the first course arrived, but well, at least they were nice enough to bring in an extra standing fan for us later that night.
(Oh btw, there is a nice open air area in the back with a garden setting - nice place to chill out while sipping on a beer)

Open Air Area at the Back

The menu there is pretty extensive, mostly italian, ranging from antipastos to pastas to their specialty: crisp oven baked pizzas.

We started off the night with a selection of starters - The Grilled Mushrooms, Pate with Bread and Baked Garlic Mussels.

The mushrooms were ok - a bit cheating as they weren't 100% button mushrooms but instead an assortment of local and imported mushrooms fried with garlic and herbs (still, great value for around RM7). The Pate and the Baked Garlic Mussels were also really good though for the price.
I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised.

For the main, I had the Steak Parmagiana....

The Steak Parmagiana

This is definately something I look forward to ordering again.
I know, the idea of battering and deepfrying a good piece of steak may seem like an absolute blasphemy to most meat lovers but it was so good! - tender and tasty, served with a rich tomato based sauce and yummy potato cake.

Next up, the Roasted Pork that Pat had that night.

Oink Oink

The pork was tender and obviously very well marinated as it was bursting with flavour (also a steal for under RM33). There seem to be a strong Chinese influence in this dish though, as the sauce reminded me very much of preserved veggies somehow.

Anyway, something else worth a try is the Chicken with Porcini Sauce that Jo-Lyn tried....


Chicken with Porcini Sauce

This dish, which is basically grilled chicken served with imported mushrooms, was juicy and tasty.

What about the pizzas, you ask?
Well, we couldn't go without trying the specialty of the restaurant now, could we? That night, we tried the house special, the Leonardo Da Vinci pizza....

The Da Vinci Code

A delicious mesh of cheese, onions, olives and ham - the pizza was a good choice as the pizza dough was crispy with a bit of bite to it (oh, and without being starchy too).

For dessert, we ordered the Coffee Mousse, Banana Split and Poached Pear with wine sauce....

Clockwise from top left: Coffee Mousse, Banana Split and Poached Pear

I will just say this: Order it only if you absolutely HAVE to have dessert.
Otherwise, don't waste your time.

So, it's: Quaint and cosy restaurant, extensive menu, nice tasting starters and mains, and great value for money BUT disappointing desserts and uncomfortably hot environment (do go there sexily dressed, or risk having your date/ friends see you sweating profusely)

(And if you're wondering why the rating for service is only 5.5, well... it's a combination of blur but friendly waiter and slightly slow response time. Overall, acceptable but definately room for improvement)


Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Coconut House @ Jalan Pudu Lama

Taste: 7
Ambience : 4*
Service : 5.5
Price** : RM 35/++ per person
Parking: Easy to find but dark

* Mouldy walls and horribly stuffy & hot in the back area... the open air area in front of the restaurant seems ok though
** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2031 2830
Opening Hours: 11am - late

NOT HALAL

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Isn't it LURVerly

*in full Eliza Doolittle-y accent*

All I want is a room somewhere,
Far away from the cold night air.
With one enormous chair,
Aow, wouldn't it be loverly?

Lots of choc'lates for me to eat,
Lots of coal makin' lots of 'eat.
Warm face, warm 'ands, warm feet,
Aow, wouldn't it be loverly?

*dance-dance*

Aow, so loverly sittin' abso-bloomin'-lutely still.
I would never budge 'till spring
Crept over me windowsill.
Someone's 'ead restin' on my knee,
Warm an' tender as 'e can be. 'ho takes good care of me,
Aow, wouldn't it be loverly?

LURVerly, LURVerly, LURVerly, LURVEEEEEEEEEERLY...............

(Yes - the stress from work is driving me stark raving mad)
(Anyway, hope you're all well)
(Ta)

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Friday, May 19, 2006

!#!#! Honey,... I'm HoOOOME.....!#!#!

I'm back in Malaysia people!
*yay*

I'm back at work now too!
*waiiil*

Anyway:
1) Sorry to friends in Melb that I did not call up/ meet up with.
(I wish I had had more time + money)
2) Sorry for the lack of updates.... I've been insanely busy catching up on work.
(So, updates will be sparse for the next few weeks or so)

Ok.... so we're cool, right?
:)


Ciao,
J

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Friday, May 12, 2006

~ Weird Key Word Of The Month ~

"Women who wants to be exhibisionist"

And this time, I'm No.30 out of 29,100!

(Ewwww)
(... and the perv didn't even spell exhibitionist properly)

Anyway, thanks for helping me find a very obvious typo, bud.

Ciao,
J

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Monday, May 08, 2006

Greetings From Down Under!

G'day mates!

Melbourne is cold.

.... and the exchange rate is hurting my wallet!

*whine*

I am definately having fun though.

Miss you guys.

See you in a week!
:)

Hugs,
J

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Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Gaya, Mutu,..... Keunggulan (?)

Last weekend, we decided to venture to Jogoya, a new Japanese buffet restaurant situated in the 3rd floor (aka. the Relish floor) of Star Hill, KL.

The Dinner

Bleergh....
*looks quesy*
... I will never ever ever go for a another buffet again.
(I swear,if I never see another tempura prawn again, it'll still be too soon!)

Erm.
Ok. I suppose the quesiness from the gorging is really, almost totally my fault...
... but seriously, if you paid friggin RM88++ (which comes up to just over 100 bucks FYI), wouldn't you try to get your money's worth too??

*sigh*
(Tis the Penang blood in me stirring again)
Anyway, objectively speaking, the food was good for a buffet.

How does it work?
It is a semi-"a la carte" buffet.
Meaning:
1) There are many items already prepared and served up for your selection in the various buffet lines.
2) There are also many chef stations where you drop in the clip with your table number into a bowl (eg. Bowl labeled "Grilled Salmon Head) - they will then cook what you chose and send it to your table.
Another thing is that they actually have two prices: RM88++ for dinner (5pm to 9.30pm) and RM78++ for supper (9.30am to 1am). Another clause is that you can only stay for a max of 2 hours if they consider it "peak period".

Now, onwards to the food.
First of all, there was excellent variety:

  • Sashimi, sushi, hand rolls, shabu-shabu
  • Grilled chicken, fish, squid, beef, etc
  • Soba, spaghetti, etc.
  • Teppanyaki chicken, beef, etc
  • Various Tempuras - prawns, vegetables, soft shell crab, etc
  • Misc Chinese Food - steamed fish, butter prawns, etc
  • Oysters - fresh, fried or grilled with cheese
  • Desserts - Movenpick ice cream, variety of cakes, cookies
  • Ooh, and the coconut drink was excellent!
Oh btw, this list is in no way, exhaustive.... I might have missed out a few items - there were just soooo many....

The taste of the food was above average for a buffet.... but to me, nothing fantastic (especially if compared to a la carte dining). Generally: The tempura was tasty (but mostly it was just a big ball of batter), the steamed fish was good and the grilled beef+lamb were a bit tough.

I must say tho, the seafood there was very fresh - the oysters were an absolute treat and the sashimi was good too. Oh! And the coconut drink is not to be missed!

Also, the ambience was nice.... rather dark, with very modern lines - hard concrete surfaces matched with warm wooden surfaces used to tone down the harshness.
(One thing tho... although it has a nice effect, the concrete floor is a bit dangerous! Me and Soo Jin almost slipped near the oily tempura section)

Oh, and on account of the insane amount of people there during dinner, the place is very noisy.

So, it's: Excellent variety, above average taste for a buffet, nice ambience but noisy - great value for people who can really pack a lot into their tummies.

Hmmm... I suppose that about sums it up.

Psssst.
Sorry there're no photos this time.
(Long story)

You want photos?
Go HERE or HERE.
:)


Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Jogoya @ Star Hill

Taste: 6
Ambience : 7
Service : 6
Price** : RM 88/++ per person (dinner price)
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2142 1268
Opening Hours: 11am - 2am

HALAL



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Tuesday, May 02, 2006

A Minor Gripe

To THAT "Wrong Number" Idiot out there,

Look, I'll admit it : I'm not perfect.
*gasp*

Yeah.. that's right *nods* - sometimes I dial in the wrong number into my phone.
However, when I find that the person who picks up the phone is not the person I am looking for, I will just apologise as best I can in a friendly, polite manner and put down the phone promptly....

I will also make it a point to look at the (wrong) phone number that I had just dialed and make sure that I do NOT accidentally redial that particular number.

Some person out there, however, has decided that this is just not his style.

*glare*

Yeah, YOU.
You know who you are.
*gwumble*

It really does NOT help that:
  • You were calling (repeatedly) at midnight when I was trying to sleep,
  • You kept asking "Hey, what's your name?", "Tell me your name", "Where is this that I am calling?" x10 although I informed you that I did not feel comfortable telling you (look, bub, call me weird but I don't like making small talk and telling personal details to STRANGERS over the phone),
  • At first I thought you just didn't understand me because you don't really understand English, but by the fourth call, I was exasperated to find that you speak perfect (but heavily accented) English that the Queen would approve of, and
  • You call AGAIN the next morning! - TWICE! - and STILL insisting that I tell you my name and asking for your friend, which I had already explained CANNOT BE CONTACTED AT THIS NUMBER BECAUSE IT IS MINE AND NOT YOUR FRIEND'S!
*blerrrgh*
Did your mother drop you on the head when you were a baby or something??

Have a good life, where ever you are.
... but please do live it far, far away from me and my phone.


Cheers,
J

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Proclamation Of Hiatus

I hereby decree that from Friday, 5/5/2006 till Sunday, 14/5/2006 there shall be no updates as I will be away on a much needed holiday.

O' happy day!
(La Porchetta, here I come!)

I will try to do a few Melbourne restaurant reviews, if possible.

No promises tho - with the exchange rate the way it is (RM2.80 for AUD1.00) *eek*, I may be munching on budget sandwiches from the supermarkets during my trip.

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