Thick Skinned

Hmmm, *thinks* which restaurant should I get generous Mr. Wuching to belanja me at?

(Muahaha..........)

1) La Fite @ KL Shangri-La Hotel
Located at the KL Shangri-La and reputed to be one of the most expensive French restaurants in town.... I have never tried the food here but perhaps now is an excellent opportunity?
:)

2) Prime @ Le Meridien Hotel
Mmmm....
Apparently this place has melt in your mouth steaks (Wagyu beef! YUMS!!) with equally delish sauces....

3) Unique Seafood @ PJ area
Another interesting place that I've been meaning to try....
They are supposed to have loads of fresh seafood - from prawns to lobsters to exotic fish - prepared in a variety of ways...

4) Any other suggestions???

Or if I actually grow a conscience by January 2007, maybe I'll settle for some rustic open air dining at Jalan Alor......
(So that Mr. Wuching can have his fill of yummy Malaysian delicacies like Ikan Bakar and Hokkien Mee at the same time)

Ahh, choices, choices....
So many choices!

What should I do?
(And how many friends should I bring along??? MUAHAHAHHAHAHA)
:)


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

Fun For The Whole Family

=_='

Chinese wedding dinners:
1) 9 courses of food.
(Promoting blatant gluttony)

2) Being stuck at a table with your parents and a bunch of strangers filled with conversations on:
a) how great their kids are,
b) the share market,
c) politics, as well as (HOORAY!)
d) their various ailments and exchanging tips on how to cure these afflictions....
(Is this how "adults" bond? Exchanging medical histories? I really DON'T need to hear about your endoscopies!)

3) Much drinking, due to self trying to drown out repeated occurances of sickly sweet, chirpy questions like: "Hee hee hee, so when's YOUR turn to get married?"
(Bwarrrrrgh..... It will happen when it happens, people!! I can't propose to myself now, can I? And do I really look like the kind who will purposely "accidentally" get knocked up to trap a man into marriage??)

*sigh*
Yeah - my weekend was FUN.
(I just thank the Gods that there was none of the typical karaoke sessions this time - if I hear another drunken rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" I just may snap and go on a drunken rampage which just may involve me beating people to death with a microphone...)

Anyway..... Happy Monday, everyone!
:)


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

Turning Japanese

A nice Japanese dinner at the Kuala Lumpur Shangri-La with P, mumsy and daddy...

The Dinner

This year, we ventured to the KL Shangri-La for my mum's birthday dinner.....
She had a hankering for some good Japanese food so we made a bee-line for Zipangu:

A peek at Zipangu.....
I really like the ambience there - modern yet with that uniquely Japanese touch. It was nice how they used a multitude of natural textures: wood, stone, water and plants (mostly on the outside - seen through the large ceiling to floor glass panels).

They serve an extensive array of Japanese food, ranging from the more traditional dishes to some more contemporary ones. Individual a la carte menu items can range anywhere from RM10 to over RM150. The sets/ bentos also vary widely from RM100 to more than RM300.

There's also a very commendable range of wines... but they're a little on the higher end (ie. EXPENSIVE).....
(60 bucks for ONE GLASS of Pinot Noir?? Sheeeet....)

Here are some of the items we chose off the a la carte menu.... the Maguro (tuna) Sashimi, Mixed Tempura, Grilled Cod and Garlic Fried Rice:

Clockwise from top left: The Maguro (tuna) Sashimi, Mixed Tempura, Garlic Fried Rice and Grilled Cod
Yum yum.
The Sashimi was really good - I don't eat raw stuff personally, but have reports from my dad and P that it was super fresh and absolutely "melt in your mouth" good.
(Of course, it had better be... since it costs about RM80 for 5 medium sized slices!)

The other dishes were also nice:
~ Grilled Cod (RM50) - tasty and tender,
~ Mixed Tempura (RM40) - crispy and fresh (the piece of Tempura Squid was a tad chewy though, but that's just me nitpicking), AND
~ Garlic Fried Rice (RM11) - fragrant....
(I felt like the servings were a little small but hey, these are hotel prices lah)

We also chose one of the dinner sets to share, the Beef Set (RM120):
The Teppanyaki Beef and the Foie Gras with Melon
A Fresh Salad and Teapot Soup
Simple Vegetable Appetizer and Ice Cream!(oh, and not photographed - the Pickled Veg, Miso Soup and Rice that comes with the set)
Oh man....

The beef.
*droooool*
It was so, so good.
(Seriously)
The texture was tender..... and the taste was good on its own but when you dab on some of the accompanying mustard sauce - YUM! Glorious....

The accompanying Foie Gras was also nice... The strong flavour of the seared goose liver balanced really well with the simple melon broth/ sauce.

For dessert, we had the Black Sesame Pudding (RM15):
The Black Sesame Pudding
If you like black sesame, you really should not miss out on this dish.
It was fragrant, bursting with that wonderful black sesame taste, and the texture was wonderfully smooth....
(You can tell that they have taken a lot of care into grinding the sesame into a fine enough texture to avoid any grainy-ness)

(Here's a rather random photo of my mum's present, just for fun:)
Pressie!
:)

We discovered that the daughter of a close family friend happened to be apprenticing at Zipangu that night. When she found out it was my mum's birthday, she arranged for a special show.
(So sweet of her......!)

What was it?
A pillar of fire.........................................!:
Phwoaaar.....Overall, I had a lot of fun that night.....
:)

Ooh.
Just FYI:
They have a popular brunch buffet on weekends (from around 11am till 2pm) for about RM85++ which sounds very "worth it". I haven't tried it myself but have heard that it's good.

So, it's: Sophisticated ambience, good service, great selection of (expensive) wines, beautifully presented and delicious food BUT small servings for the price....

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Zipangu @ Shangri-La Hotel, KL

Taste: 8.5
Ambience : 8.5
Service : 8
Price** : RM 100/++ per person
Parking: OK. (Flat rate of RM7 after 6pm)

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.:
03-2032 2388 (Ask for Zipangu)
03-2074 3903 (Reservation line)
Opening Hours:
Lunch - 12 noon to 2.30 pm
Dinner - 6.30 pm to 11pm
Bar - 6 pm to 11pm

NO PORK SERVED

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Shangri-la Hotel, Super Dining By Nadaman, Zipangu, Japanese, Shangrila

Can You Smell It?

It's almost here!
Ah, the fresh scent of the weekend.... so close, so close...
:)

I do hope everyone has had a good week....
Mine has been ok: Work as usual - nothing new....

On another note, I feel sick.
*bwarrgh*
:(
Ate at a restaurant in Taman Tun last night and have now discovered that although I thought that the food tasted ok at the time, it was probably SO heavily MSG-ed that I am now left with a permanently dry throat/ thirsty-ness and a lingering uncomfortable feeling in my tummy....

Me hates MSG.
HATES IT!
*grooooowl*


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

Harbourside

Back to New Zealand for more Unhalal food.....

While roaming around the North Island of New Zealand, we stopped by Tauranga, in the Bay Of Plenty area..... It was a nice seaside town, modern but quiet and there were a few interesting places to eat there.

One such noteable place is Harbourside, which is just off the "town center"... somewhere behind the tallest building for miles and miles, the Hotel On Devonport.

The restaurant, which is situated in the old Yacht Club Building, sits quaintly on stilts over the water's edge:

From the outside....

Inside, it is cosy due to its bright, warm colour scheme... The furniture is only so-so though (mostly plastic tables and chairs):
A peek inside....
We had heard that the servings here were big so we skipped appetizers and jumped straight to the mains, the Fish and Chips, Rack of Lamb and Pork Ribs:


Top to bottom: The Pork Ribs, Fish & Chips and Lamb Rack.....
The Roasted Lamb Rack on pommes anna, feta, green beans and balsamic jus (NZ$31.50) was nice... The meat was tender and flavourful - so much so that I almost had to fight P to get more than 2 bites of it...
:)

The Pork Spare Ribs baked with a mahogany marinade, & crackling (Crackling = crispy pork skin)(NZ$18.50) was also good..... and the serving was HUGE!

Well, there wasn't much meat on each rib, but it was tender, tasty - yummy!
(I could only finish about half of the serving and had to call for back up)

The Fish & Chips - Crispy beer battered snapper with mesclun greens and remolade sauce (NZ$22.50) was ok. The fish was fresh and the batter was crispy but otherwise, nothing fantastic....

Generally, it costs around NZ$50 per person for a 3 course meal, excluding drinks...
I know, you're thinking:
"Faaaaarrrk. So expensive!"
O_o
"That's almost RM130 for ONE meal!!"

It sounds pricey, but honestly, to the average Malaysian it would probably only cost NZ$30 for two people because some of the mains (like the Pork Ribs and the Rack Of Lamb) are damn big....
:)

(Just be careful what you order lah.... 'cos some of the other stuff like the fish and chips are not that big)

So, it's: Unpretentious but comfortable dining, quaint setting by the waterside, good food, large servings BUT NZD to RM forex hurts soooo bad! *ouch*

Summary Information:
Harbourside Brasserie and Bar @ Tauranga

Opening Hours: 10.30am till late.
Phone: +64 7 571 0520/ 0800 721 714
Fax: +64 7 571 0520
Address: Old Yacht Club Building South End of The Strand, Tauranga Central, Tauranga, Bay Of Plenty

NOT HALAL

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Tauranga, Bay Of Plenty, Harbourside, Fusion, New Zealand

The Edge Of Sanity.....

Make the voices go away.....

Goddammit...
*scowl*

I posted on matchmaking this morning and then for some strange reason, I thought of the song called Matchmaker from a musical/movie I watched when I was young....

And now, hours and hours later - the bloody song is STILL in my head.....

(Have you heard the song before?)

-------~-------
MATCHMAKER
from the soundtrack of Fiddler On The roof

Hodel:
Well, somebody has to arrange the matches,
Young people can't decide these things themselves.

Chava:
She might bring someone wonderful----

Hodel:
Someone interesting----

Chava:
And well off----

Hodel:
And important---

Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
catch me a catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Look through your book,
And make me a perfect match

Chava:
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
I'll bring the veil,
You bring the groom,
Slender and pale.
Bring me a ring for I'm longing to be,
The envy of all I see.

Hodel:
For Papa,
Make him a scholar.

Chava:
For mama,
Make him rich as a king.

Chava and Hodel:
For me, well,
I wouldn't holler
If he were as handsome as anything.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
Catch me a catch,
Night after night in the dark I'm alone
So find me match,
Of my own.

(spoken)

Tzeitel:
Since when are you in a match, Chava? I thought you had your eye on your books.

(Hodel chuckles)

Tzeitel con't:
And you have your eye on the Rabbi's son.

Hodel:
Well, why not?
We have only one Rabbi and he has only one son.
Why shouldn't I want the best?

Tzeitel:
Because you're a girl from a poor family.
So whatever Yenta brings, you'll take, right?
Of course right!

(throws scarf over her head, imitating Yenta)
(singing)

Hodel, oh Hodel,
Have I made a match for you!
He's handsome, he's young!
Alright, he's 62.
But he's a nice man, a good catch, true?
True.

I promise you'll be happy,
And even if you're not,
There's more to life than that---
Don't ask me what.

Chava, I found him.
Won't you be a lucky bride!
He's handsome, he's tall,
That is from side to side.
But he's a nice man, a good catch, right?
Right.

You heard he has a temper.
He'll beat you every night,
But only when he's sober,
So you'll alright.

Did you think you'd get a prince?
Well I do the best I can.
With no dowry, no money, no family background
Be glad you got a man!

Chava:
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
You know that I'm
Still very young.
Please, take your time.

Hodel:
Up to this minute,
I misunderstood
That I could get stuck for good.

Chava and Hodel:
Dear Yenta,
See that he's gentle
Remember,
You were also a bride.
It's not that
I'm sentimental

Chava and Hodel and Tzeitel:
It's just that I'm terrified!

Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Plan me no plans
I'm in no rush
Maybe I've learned
Playing with matches
A girl can get burned
So,
Bring me no ring
Groom me no groom
Find me no find
Catch me no catch
Unless he's a matchless match.
-------~-------

I'm going to go crazy if I continue having those 3 girls do a singing and dancing routine in my head for any longer.
:(

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

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

Hrrmmmm....
I suspect my mother may have intentions of pairing me off with a young doctor or someone along those lines...

Why do I think so?

Well, I am going for a wedding dinner of a close family friend's son, who happens to be a doctor, and out of all the dresses I have... my mother told me that I should wear a low cut one because (these are her words btw):
"There will probably be many other young people around".

O_o

Good advice?
(Probably not in my bf's eyes.....)
Haha.


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

Chef & Brew

A restaurant in Bukit Damansara with POWERFUL Engrish....

The Dinner

To celebrate the birthday of our loveable gentle giant, Soo Jin, we went to a new restaurant (less than 1 year old anyway) in the Bukit Damansara area, Chef & Brew:
A look at Chef & Brew.....
The restaurant is comfortable and has a modern style that I like.... Overall, it's nice without being too formal.

While waiting for the birthday boy, we browsed through the menu and saw a few absolute howlers inside (I still can't figure out whether it was them being "witty" or trying too hard with a language they are not comfortable with....):
Exhibit A:

Cheese Chicken Burger: "Chicken burger saying cheese."
Exhibit B:

Minnestrone:
"The stone soup! Taste wonderful! Just like the Mat Salleh like it."
And here's one us depraved, filthy minded people were laughing about....
*drum roll*
Exhibit C:

Chocolate Sundae:
"This dark thick thing is ladies' greatest wants and don'ts. Temptation is at play."

*lol*

Ah... I know - we are so easily amused, right?
:)

Anyway, onwards to the food.
We started off with some soups and appetizers... the Mulligatawany Soup, Oxtail Soup, Onion Rings and Spicy Beef Slices:

Clockwise from top left: The Spicy Beef Slices, Onion Rings, Mulligatawany Soup and Oxtail Soup
The soups were both ok.
The Mulligatawany Soup (RM5.90) was interesting - spicy with a strong curry flavour, with some rice inside the soup for texture. The Oxtail Soup (RM9.90) - made in a spicy Indonesian style - had one reasonably sized piece of meat inside but was not as robust as I like (my fave is still the one at Monte's @ BSC).

The Onion Rings (crispy!) and the Spicy Beef (spicy and tender!) were surprisingly good - wouldn't mind ordering these again.
(I can't remember how much they cost exactly but it was reasonable lah)

For the mains, we had the Beef Burger (RM15), Sizzling Chicken Chop, Black Pepper Lamb Shank and Hainanese Beef Steak:

Clockwise from top left: The Hainanese Beef Steak, Black Pepper Lamb Shank, Beef Burger and Sizzling Chicken Chop.
I felt adventurous so I ordered the Hainanese Beef Steak.
The risk I took was clearly not rewarded though - It was dry, hard and generally tasteless.
(I don't like to waste food but I only managed to force myself to eat half of this dish....)

The Beef Burger and the Lamb Shank didn't fare very well either as they were both a little dry and tough.

Jo-Lyn had the Sizzling Chicken Chop and said that it was ok (although a biiiit overcooked).

For dessert, out of sheer curiousity, I ordered the aforementioned Chocolate Sundae...:
The Chocolate Sundae
.... and I feel that I wasted 6 bucks.
(Not nice!)
(Or actually, too normal!!)
[ BEGIN EDIT ]
(Narch 09)
Just to update - the desserts at Chef & Brew have improved SIGNIFICANTLY. They are now not only worth trying but are actually nice!

Why? Because they have started (I think since last year) taking desserts from Just Heavenly (which is located just opposite their outlet).

Mind you, the chocolate sundae (which is still on the menu, last I checked) still SUCKS... but the chocolate volcano and the chocolate brownie are nice! :)

[ END EDIT ]

Overall, I suppose the restaurant is ok....
The soups and appetizers were nice (oh, and the happy hour beer is good too - RM32 for a jug only) but a lot of the mains were very disappointing.... So, maybe it's a better place to have a light eat and drinks with friends rather than a nice dinner...
Oh well.
(They can't all be perfect)

So, it's: Affordable food, comfortable modern ambience BUT only so-so tasting food, hits and misses on the menu.... I'm not quite sure whether the menu speckled with hilarious English is a plus or a minus but well, it's a good laugh... :)

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Chef & Brew @ Bukit Damansara, KL

Taste: 5.5
Ambience : 7
Service : 6
Price** : RM 35/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-2095 5069
Opening Hours: 11am - late
Happy Hour: 4pm - 9pm

NO PORK SERVED

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Chef & Brew, Bukit Damansara, Chef And Brew

Materialistic Musings

What is right and what is wrong?

Me and a girl friend were having a idle chit chat over food one day when the topic (as usual) eventually strayed to men and relationships and all the things that go along with that.

Mostly, we wondered:
What is so wrong with wanting to be swept off our feet by someone who is rich (and treats us well) so that we don't have to suffer the indignations of the bloody corporate world?
(Our friend N who was there kept chirping: "Bimbos!.. *gasp*.. Such bimbotic thinking!" and pointing accusingly at us)

*sigh*

Seriously, all you feminists out there, pick your jaws off the floor and stop staring accusingly at me.... That goes for all you guys out there who are judging me.

Women really do have it hard nowadays.

Back then (in almost all parts of the world), there was so much oppression - females had no choice but to sit at home, cook, clean and breed... It was not necessarily a happy life but was definately a simple one.
(No choice at all mah: it doesn't get any simpler than that........)

Now, there is (for the most part) PLENTY of choice.
In fact, not only are you empowered to go out there and juggle being in half a dozen roles, you are pretty much EXPECTED to. I think women are just being stretched waaaaaay too thin.

YOU try being a good:

• employee/ boss/ colleague/ friend/ wife/ mother/ sister/ daughter/ valuable member of society at the same time,

.... while being expected to balance the right amount of:

• assertiveness/ feminity/ open-mindedness/ modesty/ etc

... AND know how to cook well too.

Crazy.
It's friggin' INSANE, in fact.

Mind you, I'm not saying that men have it very easy...
... but let's be fair:
If in some way, it is ok for men to want to marry pretty girls then in the same way, it is ok for women to want to be swept off their feet by knights in shining armour...
(ie. rich & nice men - however rare they may be).

Of course, I'm definately not endorsing extreme support into such thinking: I really do think it is better for women to be self reliant (i.e. earn their own money, etc) but on some days, when I am really weary from work, fantasies of "the good life" (private islands, flash cars, limitless credit cards, bling-bling, Swiss bank accounts overflowing with cash, swanky mansions, etc.) DO cross my mind.

So, sorry for setting back feminism about 300 years but that's just the honest truth.
I am human - I am weak.
(... and I'm obviously very gripey today)
(Hey, you try going through "Hey, SURPRISEeeee!" type power outages 2 3 times in a row and see whether your mood is good or not)

(BWARGH!!! - Curse you TNB......... *growl*)


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

Monday Already?

Darn it.
*pout*

The weekend blew by extra fast this time....
I suppose it's because it was a rather packed 2 days....

Managed to fit in:

• shopping (Yay! Finally found a dress I like for the wedding dinner I have to attend),
• catching up with an old friend over pizza (Pizza Uno - yum!),
• watching Casino Royale (Hmmm, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be), and
• a nice birthday dinner for my mum (Zipangu @ the Shang... tastes so good but so expensive.... *whine*).

All in all, it was good.
Which is why I feel a little sad that it's over....
*sigh*

Anyways, I hope you had a good weekend....
:)

(Don't worry, it's only a few days more to Saturday again - the countdown begins now!)

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

I Am The Spawn Of EVIL!

I was on Mei Yen's blog and got sidetracked by a little online quiz thingy on this website....

Basically, the outcome is that they'll tell you what sort of Tarot Card signifies you best and....
*gasp*
... it turns out that I am : THE DEVIL!
O_o

You are The Devil

Materiality. Material Force. Material temptation; sometimes obsession

The Devil is often a great card for business success; hard work and ambition.

Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the major arcana, the Devil is not really "Satan" at all, but Pan the half-goat nature god and/or Dionysius. These are gods of pleasure and abandon, of wild behavior and unbridled desires. This is a card about ambitions; it is also synonymous with temptation and addiction. On the flip side, however, the card can be a warning to someone who is too restrained, someone who never allows themselves to get passionate or messy or wild - or ambitious. This, too, is a form of enslavement. As a person, the Devil can stand for a man of money or erotic power, aggressive, controlling, or just persuasive. This is not to say a bad man, but certainly a powerful man who is hard to resist. The important thing is to remember that any chain is freely worn. In most cases, you are enslaved only because you allow it.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Haha...
Or... actually: MUAHAHAHAHA.
>:)

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

Resolutions Revisited

So, after about 326 days, how have I measured up?

-----------------BEGIN Last Year's Resolutions-----------------

1) Cut down on fattening things like chocolate.
(This one holds the record of "Resolution Broken Most Often" for about 10 years running now but I just KNOW I'll achieve it this year! I think....)
.....
Erm.... SKIP!

2) Exercise more.
(Hmmmmm....this one's probably first runner up for the"Resolution Broken Most Often" record)
.....
Aiyoh.... Skip this one too!

3) Read more stuff that feeds my brain.
.....
Well, I suppose I did read the newspaper more this year... (PASS!) :)

4) Keep on blogging.
(New entry!)
.....
YAY! One more successful resolution

5) Spend less money on frivolous things like clothes and shoes and bags.
.....
*whispers* ... skip ... *blush*

6) Research and start my own business by end 2006/ start 2007.
(Another new entry!)
.....
*silence*

-----------------END Last Year's Resolutions----------------------------------

2 out of 6 is not THAT bad, is it?
(Honestly though, it's a "FAIL!", right??)

Sheeeeet.
I only have a bit of time left to try to complete this list more successfully....
(BBwarrrgh......)

How lah?
:(

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

Glooooomy..........

Rain, rain, rain....

EVERYDAY rain.....
*grumble*

It makes me feel so sleepy.........
=_='

.... especially with my tummy so nice and full after lunch.....

I do wish I could take a nap now but I have this nagging feeling that it may have negative repercussions on my next performance assessment.....
*siiiiiiiiiiigh*


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

Fast To Cook, Good To Eat!

A shout out to my favourite home made dish..... Maggi Mee Assam Laksa!:
*sluuuurp* Yummy....
It's funny but after all this time, I still like it so much....

I used to eat it plain with nothing else added.
After a while, an added egg was a must,...
Soon after, a dash of lime was essential too,...

Now, when I have all that and a can of tuna cooked with it: BLISS!
(My favourite food on a cold, rainy day)
:)

What's your favourite flavour/ way to cook it?


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

Umaiya

A review on a Japanese restaurant that I frequent....

[ Begin Edit ]
(Aug 07)
Umaiya is expanding!
They have a new outlet in Damansara Utama @ Uptown Jalan SS21/37 (Tel: 03-7726 4410). I haven't checked it out yet but I'll update when I do.
(Hmmm... I wonder if the food is as good there as it is in the original outlet?)

[ End Edit ]


I admit it... I have been selfish..
(Bad Chocoholic~!)
:(

This place is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants due to the consistency of its food, relative affordability and convenience but I haven't posted it up for I feared that it would be swamped with people...
(It's not a very big outlet)

Anyway,... my bad.
(I won't do it again....)

The Dinner

Umaiya is a simple Japanese restaurant on the ground floor area of a little shopping/ commercial center called The Place in the Damansara Perdana area....
From the outside....
It has a modern but cosy feel to it, with a few traditional Japanese touches here and there that adds character to the ambience:
From the inside....
There are not that many bento sets (which range from about RM20 - RM40) there but they make up for it with a pretty wide array of yummy ala carte dishes... Here are some starters that I enjoy, the Kaebi Karaage (something like that), Idaako and Seafood Salad:


Top to bottom: The Kaebi Karaage, Seafood Salad and Idaako
The Kaebi Karaage, which is basically deep fried mini prawns, is crunchy and fragrant. They are extra yummy with a dash of lemon but are horribly addictive so BEWARE! Haha....
:)

The Idaako, marinated baby octopus, is also good.... Not overly fantastic, but at least it tastes fresh.

The Seafood Salad is great for people on a diet... There is a healthy and generous serving of seafood and fresh vegetables in a delicious Japanese dressing...
(Not the usual Thousand Island or Italian Vinaigrette)
It isn't enough to fill me up so I usually have it as a starter/ side dish but hey, if you're more concerned about calories, then it's good lah.

Onwards to the mains, here's my absolute favourite item on the menu.... the Dragon Maki:
O' Great Dragon Maki!
It's a maki (japanese roll) with a glorious concoction of Unagi (eel), Salmon, Tempura Prawn and Avocado all in one.
*drooooool*
To me, this is the perfect maki.
PERFECT - texturally, taste-wise, everything.
(It's affordable - but not THAT cheap... about RM25.. I think it's worth it, considering how much stuff they put in it)

Other items on the menu which are good too are the Umaiya Bento set, the maki with Unagi and Tempura Prawn and the Grilled Prawn with mayo/ fish roe sauce (have forgotten the fancy Japanese names - sorry):


Top to bottom: The Umaiya Bento, Unagi and Tempura Prawn Maki and Grilled Prawn
The bento is pretty heavy but it's good because it's got a bit of everything - grilled fish, maki, sashimi, fried rice, deep fried chicken as well as a side of chawan mushi and miso soup.

The grilled prawns are also good - fresh, fragrant and generously slathered with the savoury sauce - yum!

The Unagi and Tempura Prawn Maki is also ok.... but it just feels like its missing something...
(Like I said, the Dragon Maki is my favourite)

The selection of desserts here is rather paltry but they are nice, simple ways to cap off your meal here... One example is the Goma (black sesame) ice cream:
Goma Ice Cream
It's definately not as full flavoured as the black sesame ice cream in the top notch restaurants,... and it kinda tastes more like peanut ice cream to me but for 9 bucks, it's ok.
(As opposed to 20 bucks+ at the expensive Japanese restaurants)
:)

So it's: Convenient location (for me anyway), consistent quality, affordable, simple dining BUT some hits and misses on the menu... well, that's about it...

Restaurant Review
Summary Sheet:

Umaiya @ The Place, Damansara Perdana

Taste: 7
Ambience : 6
Service : 7
Price** : RM 40/++ per person
Parking: OK

** Approximation - 3 course meal, excluding drinks
Telephone No.: 03-7729 0015 (Damansara Uptown outlet : 03-7726 4410)
Opening Hours: 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6.00pm - 10.30pm

NO PORK SERVED

TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Damansara Perdana, The Place, Umaiya, Japanese