Your Place Or Mine?

New restaurant in the Curve that's been getting mixed reviews....

Nestled in ground floor of "the Walk" section of the Curve shopping center (in between Italiannies and TGIF), the Apartment is one of the newer restaurants - taking over the demised Slippery Senoritas.

The Dinner

Being a mushroom lover, I had to order the Grilled Portabello Mushrooms (about RM14++) as an appetizer:
Grilled Mushrooms
Mmmmmmmm....
Delicious!
The mushrooms were really tasty - lightly grilled, topped with a simple herb sauce (basil maybe?) and some crunchy pine nuts that went very well with the earthy taste of the mushrooms.

Moving on to the mains, we took the waiter's recommendations and went with 3 of the house specialties, the Grilled Fish with Cheese and Tomatoes, Baked Chicken with Cream Sauce and Pesto Spaghetti.
(Truthfully, there were some sort of funkier names for these 3 dishes (which I forgot - sorry - but essentially, this is what it is lah).

First up, the Grilled Fish:
The Grilled Fish
The Grilled Fish was ok overall - nice but nothing fantastic.
Fish was moderately tender and was paired fairly well with the layer of melted cheese and tangy tomatoes.

Next up, the Baked Chicken (about RM17++)
The Baked Chicken
This was supposed to be one of the specialties here but I didn't think it was all that great. Again, ok but nothing fantastic.
(I thought the fish was nicer as compared to this).
The chunky chicken pieces weren't very tender and the cream sauce was not very thick (good, not so jelak) but not very flavourful.

The last main for the night was the Spaghetti with Pesto, Seafood and Asparagus (about RM18++):
The Spaghetti
Overall, this was ok.
Serving was just a little bit small but not bad considering the taste. There was a nice flavour from the pesto and olive oil sauce but it was just a tad too salty for my taste buds.

To cap off the night, we had the Strawberry Mint Cream Parfait (I'm not sure of the price... the restaurant manager/ owner guy was so sweet - when he heard it was my friend's birthday, he gave it to us for free... ):
Strawberry and mint cream parfait
Yummy yummy.
This simple dessert is essentially just layers of crispy bread cubes, chunky fresh strawberries and smooth luxurious cream with bits of mint in a tall glass.... The combination though is delicious!
(I would have liked it better if it were served a little colder but overall, no complaints)
:)

Ok.
So overall the food is only ok (except the mushrooms and the parfait - they were delicious!)

So what makes The Apartment special?
Well, I think the cute concept interior has something to do with it.

It's adorable how they have different sections with themes emulating areas in a regular apartment. For example, the "Patio" area (outside) and (inside) the "Bedroom", "Bathroom", "Dining Room" and "Living Room" areas,... all with funky chill music wafting through to create a comfortable, casual yet unique ambience:


(Sorry, didn't manage to take photos of all the areas - you gotta go there to see it properly lah)

Note: The Apartment has been getting very mixed reviews from Bloggers, in general about the service level of the wait staff. It was atually pretty good on the night I was there but apparently it can deteriorate on some "bad" days.

So, it's: Unique casual ambience, fairly wide range on the menu, nice appetizers and dessert BUT the main food only tastes ok and apparently the service level is erratic.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

The Apartment @ The Curve, Damansara

Taste: 6
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM50/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7727 8330
Opening Hours: 11am - late

NO PORK SERVED

TAGS:Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Damansara, Curve, The Apartment, The Curve, Kuala Lumpur, KL

Weighing Scales Are Evil

Dammit....!

How can it be?
I've been eating less and going to the gym regularly (well, more regularly than ever before anyway) and when I stepped on the weighing scale today, it went further to the right!
*wail*

Even as I am sitting here typing, I can feel the soreness in pretty much all my muscles so I refuse to believe that I have gained weight or specifically, any fat on my body. It can only be that:
1) I have gained loads of muscles (which everyone knows is much heavier than fat), OR (most probably)
2) the weighing scale is spoilt/ evil/ lieing to me.

And that's that.


Bah,
J

PS/ Don't worry, will update on food soon. Between work and the gym, I have to put aside some time for things like sleep so I've been a little short on time.... Oh, also, I think I am getting addicted to playing Scrabble (or Scrabulous, as they call it) on FaceBook.

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

Mee Jawa

New-ish restaurant serving local favourites at the base of Casa Tropicana condominium (Tropicana golf club area)....

P and I were passing by the new Casa Tropicana condo (in the Tropicana golf club area) when we noticed that there were a few new restaurants opened at the shophouses in the base of the condo.

"Mee jawa!", P exclaimed excitedly, "Let's go try it!"
(Totally ignoring the Secret Recipe outlet and a restaurant/cafe called MJ Cafe)
(He confessed later on that Mee Jawa is one of his favourite foods)

The Lunch

The exterior of Mee Jawa is very inviting, with a cute kampung style setting:
The Exterior of Mee Jawa
Going inside, the interior is similarly decorated - cosy and simple but you can tell the owners put a lot of care into it:
The Interior
That day we were pretty hungry so we sampled 3 of the restaurant's specialties. First up, the Assam Laksa (about RM7++):
The Assam Laksa
If you like assam laksas with a thick soup that's not too spicy and has a sweet taste, then you will probably like this.
(I don't like sweet assam laksas though so I didn't enjoy it too much...)

Next up, we tried the Curry Chicken Nasi Lemak (about RM8++):
The Nasi Lemak Kari Ayam
Overall, it was ok.
Not fantastic but not bad either.
The curry chicken was tasty but only moderately tender, the rice was fairly fragrant and the sambal was thick but a bit sweet.

Lastly, of course we sampled the trademark of the restaurant, the Mee Jawa (about RM7++):
The
Mee Jawa
I found the serving size a bit small (not enough for big eaters like me - haha) but liked it.
:)
The sauce was savoury and thick (but not too thick). The crispy crackers,tofu, egg and small serving of sambal and sotong also complemented the noodles very well and it tasted especially good with the lime squeezed on.
(All in all a nice light meal)

So, the place wasn't exactly perfect (some of the food was only ok) but I wouldn't mind going back again to try the Mee Jawa again in this nice neighbourhood restaurant.

So it's: Ok tasting local favourites, nice cosy "kampung style" ambience BUT prices (although fairly reasonable) are not that cheap.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Mee Jawa @ Casa Tropicana, PJ

Taste: 6
Ambience : 7
Service : 6
Price** : RM12/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - a main meal and side dish, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-
Opening Hours: 12noon - 10pm

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Jule's Eating Guide To Malaysia
- Glutton Queen
- Cumi & Ciki
- Simple Life


TAGS:Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Petaling Jaya, Casa Tropicana, Mee Jawa,PJ, Kuala Lumpur, KL

Maaf Zahir Dan Batin.....

Selamat Hari Raya....!

It's that time of year again : The time of forgiveness, love and celebration with family and friends. Also the time of delicious lemang, ketupat and rendang and kuih raya.
(MMmmmmmmmmm, hungry)

:)

I hope that you are all having fun whether you are back in your kampungs or just lazing around in KL/ PJ like me....



Waiting for her Duit Raya although she's probably too old already,
J

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

Not Tonight, Honey

....

No food updates.
Sigh.

I've been busy...
(Sorry!)
... and also feeling a little under the weather.
(Bleh!)

The combination of the above factors have caused me to totally lose my appetite so I haven't really been eating much lately.
(Still not losing weight yet though, darn!)

*yawn*

So, I can't comment very much on anything to eat except maybe on the excitingly effective properties of Clarinase (and how it strangely makes me feel a little light headed, although not drowsy).


Tired and high on flu meds,
J

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

Talk Is Cheap

Beware - very wordy and very rant-y post ahead....

Question of the day:
Who do you go to if you are feeling very frustrated with your pay/ job/ rank/ etc at work?

Possible answers:
1) Direct Boss?:
Tried that. Didn't work.
Anyway, apparently "there is nothing he can do because his hands are tied by the HR people".
He hasn't even returned my half year assessment because he's just too busy/ wants to discuss with my other boss first but couldn't manage to catch him/ etc etc etc.
I believed him the first time he told me that. And I still belived him (to a certain extent) when he repeated pretty much the same thing for the second and third time... but after waiting for more than 2 months, I think I am only human if I have begun to doubt the sincerity and truth in his words.

2) Indirect Boss?:
He's also very busy.
Although he seems to care a wee bit more... because he actually asked me where my long overdue half year assessment is (but of course, he wouldn't go and rush Mr Direct Boss for it because that would be inappropriate).

3) HR People?:
No way!
I know how much they care.
I refuse to talk to them anymore - I only get depressed when I hear any of their propaganda.
On one hand they say: "Oh,.. we are moving towards a network organisation. No more hierachy so you will find you don't get promoted much. Instead, you will have wonderful job diversification across many different functions, which will enrich your life and add value to yourself."
BUT on the other hand, they say: "We will only ever pay you however much your job function is worth in the market... Not happy? There's the door."
What does that mean?
More or less: You will be moving sideways in the organisation a lot because that's how we're structuring it now so you will learn lots but your pay will never increase much because you will not be promoted much (or at all). If you don't like it then you can leave. Bye bye.

I feel so lost.

Is it my fault because I am too much of a pushover? Maybe I just don't know how to negotiate properly to get what I'm worth.

Or maybe I am just so bad at my job that this is the way my bosses are trying to tell me to leave? (Even though they have only said good things to me when they make comments about my work).

Do I stop trying to work hard/ improve and just clock in my 9 to 5 everyday, clock out and don't care?

Do I go look for a new job?

Is it that maybe I'm just too impatient? Maybe my bosses are just waiting for me to learn more before I get a promotion/ pay adjustment?

Do I stay patient and trust that my bosses have some sort of a career path planned for me?

Do I just smile and keep telling myself "Oh, I love my job so much that I don't care if I earn pretty much the same amount forever and cannot afford to buy a nice house for myself even if I work hard/ long hours... It's ok! Trying to secure a comfortable retirement plan is like, SO overrated anyway."


Arrrgh.
Always no answers.
Only more and more questions in my head.
:(


Stressed out and feeling like crap,
J

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

Oosh

A new Japanese restaurant and bar in Singapore with a uniquely lush and exotic outdoor ambience ....

Arriving at Dempsey Road, we walked up to Oosh (the first restaurant on the right side of the road) and it looked normal enough - big white bungalow with a modern yet warm design with lots of natural textures like wood and bamboo.

"Pffft...", I thought to myself, "P was telling some tall tales when he said this place has a really nice ambience. Is he really so easily impressed?"

As the restaurant hostess led us past all the main sections of the restaurant to an available table in "The Roof" section though, I was slowly and very pleasantly surprised by the:
1) conventional but sophisticated restaurant setting in "Yen Dining" (indoors),
2) laidback but classy looking bar/ lounge area in "The Bar" and "The Terrace" (indoors),
3) cute little bamboo huts with comfy looking sofas in "The Trellis",
4) romantic, cosy tables in the open air amidst lush greenery and a man made waterfall in "The Garden"
5) cool looking bar/ lounge setting concentrated around a big bar area in "The Lookout", and
6) relaxed and airy setting at "The Roof" with big soft sofas (where our table was situated).
(WAH - the total area of Oosh is so big!)

The few photos I took however, are fuzzy and dark and do Oosh absolutely no justice:
Yen Dining and The Roof....
(For a map and some much better photos, please refer to the Oosh website)

I do wonder though, with what looks like more than half of their tables placed in the open air (not covered in any way at all), what will happen when it rains?
(Let that be a warning to only go there when you are pretty sure it will not rain - either that or book a table inside)

Moving on to the food, we were scanning the menu (with the help of a handy flashlight from the waiter) when we were told that there is a limited menu (light foods only - Japanese and some Western) for most of the outdoor sections.
(Apparently the Yen Dining section has the full range of the normal Jap food)

Anyway, we chose to start with the Veal Bratwurst (about SGD$9++) and Grilled Salmon with Bacon (about SGD$12++):
The Veal Bratwurst and Grilled Salmon with Bacon....
Overall, they were OK.....
The servings seemed a bit small but tastewise it was not bad (simple lah).
(I initially thought that the strange combination of fish and bacon would taste weird but it turned out to be ok... Fish was just a wee bit overcooked though)

For the mains, we tried out the Grilled Beef with Miso Sauce (around SGD$23++) and the California Maki (about SGD$15++):
The Grilled Beef and California Maki....
The beef was moderately tender and had a slightly sweet but savoury taste to it (went well with the mustard). Not much to say about the Maki - it was very normal....

Of course, we couldn't skip dessert while we were sitting there counting the stars in the night sky, so we ordered the Black Sesame ice cream (about SGD$5++):
The Black Sesame Ice Cream....
This was also just ok - smooth texture and nice flavour of the black sesame but just a little too sweet for me.

Overall, I enjoyed my dinner at Oosh - LOVED the ambience (apparently the owners spent a LOT of money decorating this place) but the food's really nothing to shout about.
(Apparently the cocktails there are nice though - P said that his friends really like the Lychee Martinis there)

Word of caution: This place is fairly new and popular so booking is a must (to avoid disappointment) on Fridays and Saturdays. Also, service tends to suffer a little during peak hours as they may have just a few too little wait staff running around the large areas.

So, it's: Uniquely lush exotic outdoor ambience and romantic setting BUT food only tastes ok, service can deteriorate during peak hours and beware if it looks like it's going to rain!

Summary Information:
Oosh Bar and Restaurant @ Dempsey Road, Singapore

Opening Hours: (Lunch and dinner) 12noon to 2.30pm, 6pm till late.
Phone: +65 6475 0002
Address: 22 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249679.

(For a map and some much better photos, please refer to the Oosh website)

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Various @ Yum.sg
- John's Eats & Trips


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Dempsey Road, Oosh, Japanese, Singapore

Back To Reality

Yaaaawn.

Am home.
Just arrived back in KL via Nice bus.
Slept the whole way back but still feel tired......
:(

Hrmmm.
It's terrible though - the food on the Nice bus has deteriorated so much.
Last time, they used to serve a small but ok tasting serving of fried rice/ meehoon/ nasi lemak once in a while but nowadays it always seems to be sandwiches.
(And sometimes the sandwiches are shockingly empty - practically two slices of cold bread with mayonnaise, butter, a slice of tomato and some random leafy vegetable)

*sigh*
Oh well, it's just a bus ride and not a gourmet experience lah, I suppose.
Still, I wish I could have an option to not to be served food and get a 5 buck discount or something like that - it's such a waste anyway since I hardly ever eat the food they serve (unless I'm really THAT hungry - usually I just tahan until I reach Singapore/ KL).

Ok.
Off to bed now.
(Arrrgh. Morning meeting tomorrow....)


Hugs,
J


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

Arigato

Better late than never....

A big THANK YOU to:

• Pat,
• Soon to be Mr and Mrs Lim (Albert & Serina),
• Sneexe, and
• Z

... FOR THE:

• Cake, and
• Heaps of ultra delicious chocolates

*hugs*
Boy, was I surprised.
:)


PS/ I will be away for a couple of days (and may not have access to the internet) so if you don't see me moderating/ replying your comments, please don't be irritated with me and think that I am so snobby or that I don't care... I care very much! And I am so not snobby at all! Cool? :)

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

Balik Kampung

Yummy local delights in Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya area....

It's Monday already, and I'm feeling pretty blue,
Still very busy at work, so here's another quick review.
:)

The Lunch

Many a time, P and I drove past Village Park restaurant in the Damansara Uptown area and thought to ourselves "WAH - so many people wan... Must try it out - the food should be good!" when we saw the rows and rows of double parked cars and hordes of people waiting outside.

So one lazy Saturday afternoon, we decided to brave the crowds and try it out:
The Exterior of Village Park...
Going into Village Park, you could appreciate that the owners had taken some care into the renovations, with a cheerful, simple and clean design. However, it was still pretty uncomfortable and noisy due to the hordes of people dining there and the waiters/ waitresses zooming to and fro in between tables of the tightly packed area:
The Hordes Of People Inside...
After securing a table (it didn't take too long when we were there but it really depends on your luck), we quickly went on to order the specialties there. First up, the Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng (about RM7++):
The Fried Chicken Nasi Lemak...
Overall, I found the Nasi Lemak here nice:
- the rice was had that great balance of a firm yet not too dry/ not too moist texture, coupled with a light fragrance of santan and pandan,
- the sambal was thick, tasty but not too spicy (YAY! And not sweet too - hate sweet, watery sambal), and
- the chicken was a bit oily but deliciously tasty and crispy (meat was moderately tender).

As usual, P the Penang boy went on and on about how this Nasi Lemak isn't very nice (not fragrant enough, etc) and how his favourite haunts in Penang have even better Nasi Lemak but I found it to be nice enough.
(It's not in the "Great" category but it's definately well into the "Good" one)

Next up, the Assam Laksa (about RM5++):
The Assam Laksa...
Wowsa.
It is SPICY.
The clear, smooth broth is wonderfully sour and deceptively tame at first but within the 3rd or 4th spoonful, you will feel your lips tingling and tongue slowly but surely catching fire.

However, I really liked this tasty dish - served with Malay style noodles (which has more "bite" and a slightly starchy texture as compared to the Chinese style noodles) - so, I ignored all 3 fire alarms ringing in my mouth and went on to clean off the entire bowl.
(The Penang boy said that this dish is "Not bad" so that must mean it's pretty good since he has such lofty standards)

So it's: Casual coffeeshop setting with yummy Halal local food at a decent price BUT servings not very big and service/ comfort can deteriorate drastically during peak hours.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Village Park Restaurant @ Damansara Jaya, Uptown, PJ
(Damansara Uptown area)

Taste: 6
Ambience : 4*
Service : 6
Price** : RM 12/++ per person
Parking: Difficult

* Ok for a coffeeshop but it's still a coffeeshop lah
** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7710 7860
Opening Hours: 8am till 9pm

HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Kampung Boy City Girl
- Less Than Ten
- Bored Workers
- A Whiff Of Lemongrass
- Everyone's A Critic


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, PJ, Petaling Jaya,Damansara Jaya, Damansara Uptown, Village Park Restaurant, Local, Nasi Lemak, Kuala Lumpur

EMO

Beware: Gloomy emo whinging ahead....

Things I learnt this weekend:
1) I'm Too Old To Go Clubbing
Honestly, not only am I not very up with the idea of being the old (why does it seem that everyone is 17 years old?), fat chick (omg, and everyone's so aneroxic too!!) in the club but I think I'm also pretty over it....
(It's just too crowded/ smokey/ smelly/ loud/ full of annoying drunk people)
(And to think I used to go clubbing 3 times a week!)

2) I Am Probably Going To End Up A Hermit
I'm a funny person - full of contradictions.
I genuinely care for my friends, really I do. If they need help, or I know they need help, then I will gladly do as much as I can to help them out (except in $$$ because I don't really have enough for myself anyway) but I also blissfully/ obliviously let birthdays go by without wishing them "Happy Birthday" and am horrible at keeping in touch.... which leads me to Number 3.

3) P and I Will Probably Die Together In A Cottage And Only Be Found By Neighbours Once the Stench Gets Unbearable
... because we are both horribly similar in our hermit-y ways.
*sigh*


Oh, and I don't know whether this makes me a bad person but I am actually getting pretty sick of contributing for birthday presents for everyone else when nobody bothers with mine on the one year that I do not arrange for a birthday gathering for myself.
(I wonder whether there'll be people who get pissed off with me for saying so? Dunno lah.... I know I should not expect anything in return when giving someone a present but it kinda hurts to think that your friends can't be bothered to get you something when it's your turn)
(Or maybe they just forgot.... which is actually worse.... )

Bah.
:(


Having a bad day and making it worse by moping,
J


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

Bianco

New Italian restaurant with a light dining concept in the Damansara Perdana area (at the base of the Tropics Shopping Centre)

The Dinner

OkI'mBusyAtWorkSoI'llDoAQuickReview.

P and I were cruising around his office area when we noticed that there was a new Italian restaurant. Being a pizza/ pasta maniac, I insisted we forget about our new diet plan and have a bite there:
The Exterior...
It was a bit difficult to find parking at the side of road (so many cars) but hey, it's free so can't complain so much lah.
:)

As for the interior, it was modern and airy - with a large open area in the courtyard area (with a retractable awning just in case it rains) and another smaller but cosy covered area at the side:
The side area and the open couttyard area...
Scanning the menu, the range of food seemed very focused (in other words : limited) due to their concept. One of the friendly wait staff explained that they are designed to be a place where you can get a light, guilt free Italian meal.

That night, we started off with the Chicken and Mushroom Ravioli (about RM17++):
The Mushroom and Chicken Ravioli...Mmm-MMMM.
I am definately going back to eat this again - the tasty minced chicken and mushroom stuffed ravioli, complemented by the robust chunky tomato based sauce was delightful.
(Initially, I was shocked to see how small the serving was (it was only 3 big pieces of ravioli) but considering the price and the yummy-ness, I think it's ok)

We then moved on to try the house specialty pizza, the Bianco Special (RM18++):
Pizza...!
I wasn't overly impressed with the taste of the toppings (simple tomato base, herbs, cheese, spinach and an egg) - very simple taste, bordering on bland. However, the pizza base/ crust won me over - It was so light and fluffy... more like a really thin Naan than a pizza but I found it interesting.
(I would have liked it crispier though... but according to the waiter, you can just request for it to be crispier and they will happily accomodate)

Of course, we left some room for dessert - in this case, the Elvis Presley Pizza (erm.. about RM9++ I think, and a little extra for the optional scoop of ice cream):
The King is in the house...
If you like bananas, peanut butter and chocolate as much as I do, then you will LOVE this dessert.

Try it.
(Seriously!)
(If you're allergic to nuts though, please avoid or you are asking for trouble)

BTW, if you're not familiar with the Damansara Perdana area, here's a map that may help ("borrowed" from the Bianco website):
Treasure map...

So it's: Casual yet stylish ambience with friendly staff, yummy light Italian food at a decent price BUT very limited menu (only pizza, pasta and a handful of starters and desserts).

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Bianco @ Damansara Perdana, KL
(At the base of the Tropics Shopping Centre)

Taste: 7
Ambience : 7
Service : 7
Price** : RM 31/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7724 2878
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11.30am till late

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Cumi & Ciki
- After Giovanni


TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Hartamas, Damansara Perdana, Bianco, Italian, KL, Kuala Lumpur

Older and Wiser (?)

2 years already!

I can't believe it...
MY BLOG'S 2 YEARS OLD TODAY!
Wow, it's actually been roughly 730 days since I first started this blog and now, I've slowly amassed about 105 food/ restaurant reviews.

I've had a lot of fun so far : ...trying my best to set up a little database of honest reviews of Malaysian restaurants from a layman's point of view. Sure, it's been pretty damaging on my bank account (since I also have a layman's salary) but hey, I love food anyway so I'm not complaining.

To everyone who has been visiting, thanks for all your support.
(I don't see a lot of comments here but I can see my stats sloooooowly climbing so I know you're out there somewhere....)
Also, a big thanks to all of you who have linked me on your blogs too.
(I'm honored that you like my reviews enough to link me)

Oh, and on the day just before my blog's birthday, I managed to make a small appearance in the in the Star Newspaper's Sunday Metro section.
(Ok, so it's not much... and I didn't get remunerated for it at all but it's kinda nice to see my review in print lah)

Once again, THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
:)


Hugs,
J


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

J "the Excuse-aholic" Chocoholic

Ummmmmm.....

There once was a girl named J,
Whose life was more work than play.
She promised to update her blog everyday,
... but it just never ever turned out that way.
*sigh*

And there is a poetic angle in trying to reword my regular : "Sorry, I'm busy at work - will update on food soon" excuse that I have been recycling the whole year.

Unfortunately, I only seem to variate between "busy" and "very busy" at work from day to day despite my best efforts... Honestly, the way I see it, there just doesn't seem to be a way I can catch up if people keep verociously adding things onto my list of things to do!

Oh well, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, right?
Anyway, I do hope that all your weeks have started been going better than mine.
:)


Hugs,
J


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

Red Ginger

New Asian/ Peranakan restaurant in Northpoint, near Mid Valley Megamall....

First of all, thanks so much to Tim for organising this Malaysian Food Blogger (aka. Flogger) gathering.
:)

It's not often that restauranteurs (THANK YOU, ELIZABETH!) in Malaysia are so open and generous to actually knowingly invite a bunch of strangers armed with cameras and websites to try out their food and tell them to feel free to tell the truth.
(Ok, so New Formosa @ SS2 was a real good sport too but I missed out on that event)

The Dinner
Located on the Mezzanine floor of the new Northpoint Office Tower, right next to the ever popular Midvalley Megamall.
(Just cross the walkway/ bridge from the Midvalley exit near Esquire Kitchen which brings you automatically to the Mezzanine floor of Northpoint - it'll be the first restaurant you see when you get there):
The Exterior of Red Ginger

I loved the cosy, Asian themed interior which had a rustic yet comfortable feeling with it's simple dark wood tables and large blue and white plates mounted as decorations:

Red Ginger Interior.....
Seeing as we had the pleasure to sample so many dishes that day, I'm going to sum up each dish as concisely as I can.
(Also, I'd hate to sound ungrateful but Elizabeth the generous owner/ boss lady of Red Ginger really served us too many dishes! I was careful to only try small bites of each dish but halfway through, I felt like my belly was going to explode!)

Starters:
1) Fruit Rojak (RM 7.80++)
The Rojak.....
Verdict: Not bad. Fresh fruits complemented by right balance of the black sauce and peanuts (not too pungeant).

2) Otak-Otak (RM 9.50++)
The Secret Recipe Otak-Otak.....
Verdict: Yum. Spicy, moist and fragrant with no "fishy" smell at all (Elizabeth's grandmother's secret recipe apparently)

3) Pomelo Salad (RM 8.80++):
The Refreshing Pomelo Salad.....
Verdict: Ok only. Interesting concept. Simple refreshing taste but I found it a bit bland.

4) Lobak (RM 8.90++):
The Chicken Lobak.....
Verdict: Not bad. Crispy yet meaty. Went well with the chili sauce. A bit salty though.

5) Stuffed Yu Char Kuey (RM 5.50++):
The Stuffed Yu Char Kuey.....
The Verdict: Nice. Loved the combination of the crispy "yau char kuey" stuffed with fish paste. Beware though - some may find it a littlt bit fishy tasting.

The Carbs:
1) Red Ginger Fried Rice (RM 14.90++):
The Delicious Fried Rice.....
The Verdict: One of my favourites that night. I love fried rice and this one was special. Strange sounding but delicious mix of sweet (raisins) and salty (salted fish) taste.

2) Kam Heong Fried Kuey Teow (RM13.90++):
Char Kuey Teow with a difference.....
The Verdict: Signature dish. Not bad. Silky char kuey teow with "kam heong" flavour as a twist. Found it a bit too salty but was outvoted on that.

3) Dry Curry Sang Har Noodle (RM 23.90++):
The Dry Curry Sang Har Noodles.....
The Verdict: Another signature dish. Big prawns. Fragrant curry taste. Also found it a bit too salty but again outvoted (Maybe my tongue is too sensitive?).... Not bad overall but I'm not sure if I'll pay 24 bucks to eat it again.

4) Ipoh Sah Hor Fun (RM 13.80++):
Yummy Ipoh Sah Hor Fun.....
The Verdict: Another favourite that night. Silky smooth noodles. Savoury clear broth. Large juicy prawns. Mmmmmm - Delicious.

5) Laksa Lemak (RM 11.80++):
The Laksa Lemak.....
The Verdict: Also very good. Sinfully creamy broth with ample "lemak-y" goodness, bouncy noodles and fresh cockles.

Meaty Dishes for the Carnivores:
1) Steamed Chicken with Wine and Herbs (RM 18++):
The Steamed Chicken.....
The Verdict: Ok only. Moderately tender. Nice light fragrance of herbs but super salty. Must be eaten with rice or not at all.

2) Black Pepper Beef (RM 17++):
Beef and more beef.....
The Verdict: Also ok only. Moderately tender slices of beef. Nice taste of the bell peppers but not strong enough taste of black pepper.


Alright.
That about sums up all the dishes we tried that night.
(BTW, for any Floggers reading this : Nice to have met you that night - sorry I was a bit stoned.... Had just come back from a long, looooong meeting outstation)

I have tried to stay as objective as possible with this review (as it can be hard to keep things in perspective when you don't pay a cent for the food).
You still trust me though,.... don't you?
:)

So it's: Simple, comfortable setting with friendly staff, fair range of dishes and interesting food concepts BUT nothing much bad except that some of the prices seem a bit on the high side.

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Red Ginger @ Northpoint, KL (next to Midvalley Megamall)

Taste: 6
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 30/++ per person
Parking: Difficult on weekends

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2287 0890 (Plaza Damansara outlet : 03-2095 3118
Opening Hours: 11am till late (Closed on Sundays)

NO PORK SERVED

PS/ Oh... so shy lah. Other people's photos are so nice! Have to get a better camera and brush up my skills.... Do check out their reviews of Red Ginger at these links:

• Tim of 3 Meals
• Eat First Think Later
• A Whiff Of Lemongrass
• KampungBoyCityGal
• "Joe" of Lots of Cravings

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Midvalley Megamall, Mid Valley, Red Ginger, Shopping Centre, Northpoint, KL, Kuala Lumpur