Food Diary of PickyEater....

CNY Goodies: Homemade Pineapple cookies

2012-01-29T19:52:00.000-08:00

I have been away for a week, for the Lunar Chinese New Year celebration, as obviously depicted on my blog design and posts!:)

Today is the 8th day of the Lunar New Year's 15-days celebration, and there are just still so many goodies (translates to FOOD) around the house, and even in supermarkets and restaurants.
Like Christmas and all other festivities, this festive season is no different as it is mostly about vibrant colors, music, reunions, gatherings, and FOOD!
We get homemade pastries, cakes, cookies, and specially prepared meals to usher in the year of the Water Dragon (zodiac for the year 2012).

Before I go away for my vacation, I will be running a series of CNY-related posts on the festive food we see and enjoy during this year's Lunar New Year!

We received this from a friend; homemade pineapple cookies which came a week before the Lunar New Year!

I think almost everyone on this planet loves pineapple cookies, and I remembered my brother getting a whole box of these for Christmas last year too.

I am not sure how to make this interestingly tasty cookies, but I can say they are often the favorite with almost everyone I know.

Flaky and crispy, with the sourish sweet taste of the pineapple puree nestled between the golden brown crusts, it makes one want to reach for another piece after having one.

I don't recall this box of cookies during CNY anymore; I am guessing it has been snapped up by the family?:p

Pineapples are often favored by the Chinese community; and particularly during the Lunar Chinese New Year as the fruit brings an auspicious meaning in ushering in a brand new year/spring.

The pineapple is an auspicious fruit due to its Chinese pronunciation/homonym when its name is uttered, which literally sounds like "The arrival of Luck/prosperity"
It is no wonder why the Chinese love this fruit, whether in cookies or in its actual form.
Of course, it is always a plus point when the cookies taste good too!

During this festive season, there will be an abundance of variety of the the types of food available everywhere; whether at home or at the home of others we visit!

I call these the GOLDEN cookies, as they just look so pretty and golden in color!;)javascript:void(0)

How about you?
Did you have pineapple cookies this year too?
What are the cookies you have at home? Are they all snapped up in an instant too?;)

Winter Solstice Saga Finale: A Whole Pot of Steaming Goodness

2012-01-20T22:24:00.000-08:00

As usual, we usually do steamboat for festive occasions and family reunions like Winter Solstice.
(This is also what we will be having for our Chinese New Year's eve reunion dinner tomorrow night ;)

For those of you who are not familiar with steamboat, or also known as hot pot, it is not hard to know how to make it nor is it anything exotic.
To put it simply, it's just preparing plenty of raw foods like meat/poultry, seafood, vegetables, and just throw them into a soup base which was prepared beforehand.
Yeah, it's just that simple!
Some of you may even find this similar to the famous Shabu shabu :)

If you've been following my blog for a while, then you are no stranger to this, as you have definitely seen me posting this like..., hmmm, even I have lost count, and if you disregard the other posts, you will see this at least once a year; during my festive Lunar Chinese New Year posts :)

I am ending my Winter Solstice saga posts; with this reunion dinner, and pave the way ready for the looming near Lunar Chinese New Year posts which will start from tomorrow onwards!
(I will try to find time to update you guys with the goodies I have during my break; yes, it's a festive break to catch up with friends, families and visiting:)

The soup was being prepared way before the dinner; like 4-5 hours ahead.
The base of the soup was made using the following ingredients:
Sweet corn cob
Chicken meat

Carrots
Tomatoes
Cabbages/Vegetables

Throw them in and leave it on slow boil for 4-5 hours

Raw ingredients for the steamboat meal:
Seafood
My favorite chikuma rolls (a type of fish roll)

Squid balls (another of my favorites; a regular here on my blog ;)

Fishballs

Imitation crabsticks

Fish cakes

Fried fishballs

Fried bean curd sheets with fish paste

Poultry based:
Chicken sausages

Vegetables:
Fresh Lettuce

Broccoli

I love them when they are cut into little florets like these ;)

Enoki Mushrooms

Oyster Mushrooms

For garnishing:
Spring Onions

Additional/Optional: Eggs

Honestly, there is no specific guideline or restriction on the types of raw ingredients for the steamboat.
You can have anything you like, as long as it tastes good boiled in a soup! Also, what goes well with the soup base you made.
You can even make a fish-based soup; or pure vegetables soup!It can even a vegetarian steamboat, or purely meat steamboat; whichever you fancy!
There is just so much flexibility; and the best part is, if you cannot finish it, you can leave it for the next few meals, or simply whip up the remaining ingredients in a bowl of stew!
A word of caution: Make sure you finish those ingredients which cannot be used as leftovers, though.

Throw all the raw ingredients in and put the steamboat cooker to cook.

Ready in 5 minutes; for all to eat!

Now, isn't that simple and convenient, yet healthy and tasty?

Gosh, I just realized I am starting to post recipes like I am some sort of expert in cooking, when I am still a novice!:P

Anyway, hope you enjoy the posts on this Winter Solstice, and I will be postponing the Christmas food to make way for upcoming Lunar Chinese New Year post ;)
(Notice the new blog banner/headed?)

Tang Yuen to wish for a good year

2012-01-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

I am still so slow in posting my old festive food; from last year, and with two more days to CNY, I simply must finish posting the Winter Solstice food so that I can start posting on the food to look forward to the Lunar Chinese New Year!:)

Anyway, this is a simple and short post, on this colorful dessert; Tang Yuen, or simply known as Glutinous rice balls in sweet soup.

This is a must-have for the Winter Solstice festival, as it signifies for a new year and that we are becoming wiser with age. In simple terms, it is as though we are celebrating a year older with this and also to wish for a good year.
At the same time, the main significance of this rice balls; which are made of glutinous rice flour, is the meaning of unity in the family.

Traditionally, this dessert is usually prepared and served after the reunion dinner on Winter Solstice where the whole family gather around the table to make the dough together and to roll them into these round little balls.
My mum told me that it is an activity to be done by the whole family, as a sign of keeping the family together.
If you have noticed, the Chinese love round shapes; as it means infinity and also unity.
You will find a lot of Chinese love round dining tables in their homes :)

After making these round balls from the kneaded dough (which can be differently colored to make your dessert more colorful), they are then cooked in a sweet soup made of sugar, ginger and pandan leaves.
It can be served in an hour or so, although typically it takes longer as the family will be indulging in conversations!;)

Today, the trend of making these at home have significantly decreased as there are just so many being sold out there and for the sake of convenience, most are opting to buy it directly from the supermarkets or markets rather than making them at home.
Furthermore, the health conscious or even those who are not into sweet things, are not really enthusiastic about this dessert anymore.

In fact, there are even people who are no longer observing the Winter Solstice festival anymore.
I think the key is not about how tasty or delicious this dessert is, but rather its meaning and significance, do you agree?

I am not really sure about the full recipe; but the ingredients are as below:
Glutinous rice dough (to be kneaded a few times to make it more flexible) - can be purchased from stores or markets

Pandan Leaves

Sugar

Ginger

To cook: (May not be accurate, try at your own risk!:P I'd recommend checking other recipes out there too:)
1. Knead the glutinous rice dough
Optional: you can separate the big dough into seveal smaller-sized dough and color them (use permitted coloring; typical colors are red, green, yellow, or for a healthier option, you can try natural fruit coloring too ;)

2. Cook the pandan leaves, sugar and ginger on a slow boil (Sweetness to your taste)
3. Make small little round balls; not too small nor too big, from the dough
4. Throw the little balls into the boiling sweet soup, and stir.
5. Cook for about 30-60 minutes (double check with other recipes)

It is really simple to make, as mentioned above, and I am sure you can find many more recipes out there too!;) (Probably better than mine)
This is one of my mum's favorite dessert as well :)

For more information, you can check out the Wikipedia page here

Winter Solstice Saga: How to make Fried Rice

2012-01-19T18:03:00.000-08:00

Winter Solstice is one of the most important festival celebrated by the Chinese community all over the world, to observe the end of the winter season as the day starts to get longer and there will be more sunshine.
The festival is commonly observed on December 22nd; where sunshine is at its weakest point and the day tends to be shorter.
It seems that the daylight will be longer after this celebration.

Like all Chinese festivals, the Winter Solstice focuses on family gatherings and reunions, and it is said that this festival precedes in importance of the Lunar Chinese New Year as it is considered to mark a new cycle of season.

My mother, being a traditionalist, tells us about the importance of this festival and we try to make it a point to celebrate it together as a family each year.
(Since we have our meals together every day, it did not really make that much of difference anyway, but this year it's special as I am already married :)

I still managed to celebrate with my family, as my in-laws were out of town, and they do not really observe the festival. (They are simple people, really, but they don't mind celebrating either ;)

My brother's gf is a natural at cooking, and having her around was really a good thing as she helped with the cooking and also shared a few tips and tricks about the kitchen.
That's really good for noob cooks like me, LOL!:P

As the title mentioned, I learnt how to make fried rice as we have a lot of leftover rice in the fridge.

Yeah, when you have lots of fried rice in the fridge, you naturally think of making Fried rice, which makes everything simpler; has everything in one dish and tastes great.

One mistake we made was to put the rice in the freezer, and we spent some time de-frosting it :p

The following are the ingredients for the Fried Rice Recipe:
Leftover white rice (obviously) - I heard that leftover rice makes better fried rice, is that true?

Onions, grounded garlic, sliced carrot

Diced long beans

Minced meat (pork or chicken works) or if you are a seafood fan like me, you can substitute with prawns too! (not to mention if you have the budget as well ;)

Eggs

Spring onions to garnish the fried rice

Now, on to the steps to cook Fried rice!

Step 1: Pour oil into the wok/pan (a non-stick type would be best)

Step 2: Pour the eggs into the wok and fry the eggs

Eggs to be fried to the scrambled type

Step 3: Fry the minced meat

Step 4: Throw in the carrots and cook 'em!

Step 5: Throw in the long beans as well

Step 6: Take out the carrots and long beans, and cook the onions next

Step 7: Put in the rice and fry together with the carrots, long beans, and onions
Note: If you have too much rice to fit into the wok, like us, it would be best to cook them in two separate rounds to maintain the even taste and quality of the fried rice.

All cooked and ready to serve; a simple plate of fried rice!

It really sounded and seemed so simple to make this, really!

We had some dishes to complement the fried rice as well :)
Fried mackerel

Baked beans with potato and eggs

Braised vegetables

All ready for lunch!:)

I am sure it was a breeze for most of you, who are just so used to the kitchen and cooking :)
For me, it was a great learning experience, and hopefully I can make some one day ;)

Sponge Fruit Cake Birthday Cake (Part 2 from previous post)

2012-01-17T21:59:00.000-08:00

If you are reading this alone, please kindly scroll down or click on the older post link below for the prequel to this post as this is the part 2 and I am doing two posts today!:)

Continuing from the previous post where I was enjoying my tea/dinner party or gathering with my friends as I was led to believe, I was suddenly surprised when my friend pushed my tea cup away and then put down a cake before me!

It was a mini sponge fruit cake, topped with my favorite fruit; strawberries!:)

It was really a lovely surprise, and I am just so happy and blessed to be surrounded by all wonderful surprises for my birthday this year!:)

The cake was a soft sponge cake with layers of whipped cream and fresh fruits like peaches, lychess adorned with fresh strawberries and strips of white chocolate on the top.

It didn't matter what cake it was, as I have mentioned, as my happiness clouded my vision of everything that I see!

I am just so happy and surprised at the same time, that my friends, despite their busy schedule, still found time to buy me a cake, arrange the gathering and rushed to celebrate me right after work.

It really brings a new meaning in friendship and also my birthday and have I mentioned, how much I really love my birthday?:)

To many many more good years and birthdays to come!:)

That concludes my week-long birthday-related posts, and self-obsession, LOL!
Thanks for all the lovely wishes from bloggers' world and for being so patient to go through my birthday posts!:)
You can let out that loud yawn, groan, now...hehe :)

Belated Tea/Dinner Birthday Party

2012-01-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yet another birthday-related post, but this is the last, really, I promise :)
My lovely girl friends, or soul sisters decided to give me a surprise birthday party by calling for a last minute dinner gathering last Friday.

Notice that I mentioned Tea/Dinner party, although this is really dinner but look at all the photos later and you will understand why :)

The celebration was arranged at one of my favorite places; Winter Warmers.

Now, I am sure you still remember me posting about this places on numerous occasions as I have raved about their dainty tea sets they used to serve their tea and beverages.
I just love the English country garden concept used in the overall interior design of the coffee house.

I love capturing the photos of all the tea sets, teapots, tea cups :)

Chamomile

Osmanthus Green Tea

I ordered the Iced Hawaii Fruit Cocktail (MYR9.90)

It came with a jug containing the iced fruit cocktail juice, with a few bits of apple on the top.

and a round cup with a few bits of apple

There are meal sets available; and a few of them ordered the sets which came with a drink, salad and a dessert.

Salad

Chicken Spaghetti (MYR16.90) (Set meal)

Bolognese Spaghetti (MYR16.90) (Set meal)

Hawaii Ham Cheese (Set meal)

With cutely carved rabbit ears of orange perched on top of the sandwiches

Ham Potato Bake (MYR12.90) (Set meal)

Macaronis served on the sides

And tomatoes

The whole set

Grilled Dory Fish (MYR13.90)

Mango pudding as dessert
(Shell-shaped)

I got the heart-shaped!:)

Actually the desserts are only for set meals, but I guess the boss was just being kind to us as well :)

To be continued...

Whole Barramundi for dinner

2012-01-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

Before you groan at "Not another birthday-related post", well, I have to tell you sheepishly that yes, this is YET another birthday-related post and there's still like, two to three more posts on my birthday celebrations which lasted for more than a week and I have had more than 3 cakes this year!:)
I am not complaining, at all!:P

I enjoyed dinner at Manhattan Fish Market in Gurney Plaza (one of the premier shopping malls in Penang)

We were intrigued by their new dishes and decided to order it; along with the set which comes with a soup and a drink.

Seafood chowder (MYR7.90)

This was really good and came with generous portions of squids and clams; along with the thick broth made of tomato cream and onions.

The different types of dippings served at the start of the meal

Citrus Mint (MYR8.50)
A cool drink made of crushed ice in refreshing lemon juice topped with a dash of cool mint.

Alright, honestly, I think that mint is something that you either love or hate, and for my case, I find it a little weird having it in something I drink.
I don't know about you; sometimes I feel like I am drinking toothpaste, LOL!:P

Side order: Fried Calamari (MYR9.90)

If you are expecting round-shaped calamari rings, then you are wrong as the calamari are served in generous slices before being fried to a crispy perfection and served on a bed of garden fresh salad and zesty Chili Vinaigrette.

These are just crunchy bites and lip-smacking-licious!:)

The star of the day and their latest addition; the Barramundi catch.
We ordered the Fiery Hot Whole Barramundi (MRY41.90)

No kidding, they really served the whole fish, deep fried, on the platter, along with Garlic Herb rice (one of their specialty), and broccoli and carrots on the side.

It was good thing that we have ordered this for sharing :)

I love the juicy texture of the barramundi fish amidst the crispy taste of the outer part of the fish.

Now, if you have noticed (or you have been distracted by the pictures of the fish), the name of this is supposed to be Fiery Hot Whole Barramundi, but there is nothing that resembled the fiery hot part, right?
The mystery is unveiled later, when the waiter served us the sauce for the fish (as we were about to question whether they sent us the wrong order)

Anyway, the disappointment lies in here as the sauce was nothing fiery hot; no, not even close!
I didn't think it complemented the fish that well either and I personally preferred having the fish without the sauce.
Guess we should have just ordered Crispy Whole Barramundi (which is the same price anyway).

I didn't need to disappointed for long, as the restaurant, surprisingly also presented me with a complimentary bowl of Cream of mushroom soup (worth MYR4.90) for my birthday; courtesy of the restaurant.

Alright, it's no brownie cake or a whole choir singing birthday song like the previous post, but nevertheless it's a lovely and warm surprise as well.

I really enjoyed the birthday dinner and my surprise; with my seafood and fish-y meal :D

Birthday Surprise!

2012-01-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

This is a continuation of the previous post; the restaurant which not just cooked a good meal for my birthday, but also organized a lovely surprise for me after my meal!

After the scrumptious meal from the previous post, I was feeling rather stuffed and enjoying a light moment with my hubby while noticing how the waiters and waitresses were busy shifting the tables and then suddenly, the lights went out!

I was about to ask my hubby whether the restaurant is about to close and should we make a move, when suddenly I heard claps and there were people singing in unison, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"
I was genuinely surprised; and it all felt so surreal!

(You can see how surprised and happy I felt from this candid shot captured by my hubby!)

It is no wonder why I felt so surprised when I had THIS presented to me!:)

After feeling surprised, the next thing is to make a birthday wish, of course!

Ssh, I am not telling you what wish I made, or it won't come true :p

Blow the candles!

Remember I've told you guys that I am not really a big fan of chocolate cakes?
Well, I don't know why, seems like all my important and memorable occasions have been graced by the mighty presence of the chocolate cakes lately! From my wedding to my monthlyversary, and now my birthday!

Anyway, fan or not, I am still very very impressed and in love with this beautiful and rich birthday cake!
It's a moist chocolate brownie cake, and I thank the restaurant for their generosity with the complimentary slice. Actually, I think it's more than just a slice, it's almost a quarter of a cake!

As we were almost stuffed, the restaurant even packed the cake for us to bring home for our enjoyment!

Talk about excellent hospitality! This is top-notched :)

I really want to thank the team at Kampachi Equatorial Hotel Penang for their amazing hospitality, and how attentive they were to our needs!

My hubby only mentioned to them about my birthday and they did the rest of the arrangements!:)

I am definitely coming back, as they've made my favorite day so memorable!
Yeah, I've had my wedding banquet here too!

Of course, I've left with a good written review for the team!:)
I really had a lovely birthday celebration here, thanks to the Kampachi team and of course, also my hubby!;)

(Lovely view of Penang island from the hotel)

Birthday Celebration at Kampachi (Part 1)

2012-01-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, another post on my birthday celebration, and this is no be-earlieth meal but the actual day itself.
This is a photo-loaded post, and hope you enjoy the full post, and can see why I needed more time to edit and select the photos!:)

I was craving for Japanese lately; it is no surprise seeing that I was having one Japanese meal after another!

Hubby was really sweet to arrange for a lovely meal at one of the finest Japanese restaurants on the island and maybe in the country on my birthday this year, thank you!:)

Kampachi Japanese Restaurant, located inside the 5-star Equatorial Hotel on Bukit Jambul, is reputed to be one of the top restaurants serving one of the finest Japanese food.

Coincidentally, the hotel was where I held my wedding banquet, enjoyed the finest Chinese dim sum and cuisine, relaxed in their lounge, and also celebrated our engagement.
So, you can see how this place really means to me? :) Perhaps my review may be a little biased here, or maybe I am in more of a celebrating mood rather than reviewing?:p

The ambience inside the restaurant was designed to simulate that of a typical Japanese home/restaurant and was really welcoming.

Even the waiters and waitresses are dressed in Kimonos and wearing clogs around the restaurant

Our table settings and spot the appetizer on the bottom right

Appetizer

It was mashed sardines; but it tasted scrumptious!:)

Mandatory Green tea to complete my Japanese meal

Fresh salad to start our meal

The Kampachi Bento (MYR74)

(Kobachi, Salad, Assorted Sashimi, Egg Roll, Assorted Fried Seafood, Vegetables Takiawase, Eel Kabayaki, Grilled Miso Salmon, Teriyaki Chicken, Chawan Mushi, Rice, Miso Soup, Pickles)

The portion was quite big, and the varieties were just well-proportioned.

The following are the closer shots of each of them:
Chawanmushi

This is by far one of the most smooth egg custard I have ever tasted; and it is just so silky that it slips through one's tongue and into the throat immediately!
Yes, it is THAT silky smooth and fine!:)

Fresh fruits: Papaya, Watermelon, Green Apple

Unagi Kobayaki

Vegetables Takiawase

Teriyaki Chicken and Miso Salmon

Assorted Tempura/Fried Seafood and Vegetables

Assorted sashimi

Teppanyaki Lunch Set: Prawn And Salmon Set (MYR48)

(Kobachi, Chawan Mushi, Miso Soup, Main Course, Garlic Rice, Assorted Vegetables, Fruits)

Garlic Rice

The rice was quite fragrant and tasty with the teppanyaki set.

The prawns are medium in size and tasted really juicy and succulent! Hmmm, I could still remember the taste like I've just had it :)

Salmon

Pickles

Jellyfish

Miso soup was a little salty though; a pity as I love Miso soup!

Itadakimasu !! (いただきます)

Upcoming: Birthday Posts

2012-01-12T00:39:00.000-08:00

Yeah, my birthday celebration is still ongoing; putting a halt on the other posts; such as Winter Solstice, Christmas, New Year and also travel-related :P

Well, just bear with me for a few more posts, and I promise more goodies from the above categories in both my food and travel blogs!:)
2012 opens with a LOT of posts lined up, and I have been so busy editing the photos and preparing the posts!
It's a good sign, isn't it?

Anyway, I am posting to inform that I am in the midst of editing for the next post, which regretfully can only be posted tomorrow; but there will be two, or another bonus post to make up for today.

Thanks again for your patience, and I can't wait to post tomorrow!!:)

My Birthday Muffin (2nd post for the day)

2012-01-10T23:52:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I am keeping to my resolution (okay, I said I'll try:), and this is the second post for the day.
If you are reading or only commenting on this post, you've missed my first post for the day which is the post before this.
(Remember I made the resolution to try to update two posts a day, if I can?)

I am still floating in my birthday mood, and I get a lot of pre-birthday treats this year, being with my friends and family after my vacation.

This was a early birthday treat; which I simply had to feature and it was hand made and baked at home specially for me by my brother's girlfriend.

She purposely baked this muffin for me as a birthday present; and this is my first birthday muffin!:)

There are two of them; and these are the Carrot Muffins :)

I loved the taste of it, and I loved how it was not as oily as some of the muffins I have tasted out there.
I am a fan of muffins; really, and most of the time, I like fruity-based muffins but I do love this flavor too!

It was light in its texture, and I love the top crust which was quite crispy and it smells and tastes like a cookie!:)

The carrot bits found in the cake just made the muffin irresistible!

I may be biased in my review, as I have provided my feedback to her but oh well, I was already so touched and pleased with a birthday treat that everything looks, smells and tastes good to me, really, and this is specially baked!
It definitely beats any present out there!

Thank you Elyn and also my brother, for this special and meaningful birthday present which is full of love and blessings :)

P.S: They are planning to bake another batch of muffins this weekend; in a different flavor. Aww, I want some too!

BBQ Gathering and Trio January Birthday Celebration

2012-01-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

My favorite month and the start of the year, and it makes it all the better when I share my birthday month with so many lovely friends and also, great celebrities and leaders:)
(Hehe, obsession:p )

Anyway, for the first time this year, my friends and I planned to meet up for a gathering and to celebrate our birthdays together. We made attempt to arrive from different destinations and the plan was a rather shaky one as some almost could not make it, but in the end, we were glad that all made it!:D

It was a coincidence that my best friend, or soul sister whom I share my birth date (and year!) was also moving into a new house and it was somewhat of a housewarming party as well.

After a few rounds of discussions and ideas pooling, it was decided on a BBQ party despite the humid January weather.

It was all in the name of fun, catching up and just being with each other that it no longer mattered what we were celebrating about.

Food prepared for the BBQ by the lovely hostess and birthday girl :)

Chicken sausages on the left, and gordon bleu sausages on the right

Lamb

Fishballs (specially for me:)

Chicken Wings

Taiwan Sausages
(Extra spicy version on the left)

Stingray fish

Essentials:
Honey

A slab of butter

All the food, spread out on the table before the start of the party

Starting up the pit

The food to be barbecued soon

Starting the BBQ

BBQ in process

Ready to eat!

To be honest, I am not really a big fan of BBQ, as it is time consuming, hot, and the food end us looking burnt:p
Anyway, as I have mentioned, it was all in the name of the fun with friends and I had so much fun with everyone:)

The Baskin Robbins Ice-cream cake prepared by the hostess for the birthday celebration

Isn't this such a lovely and pretty little cake?

Awww, I love the colors of the cake; it's just so girly!:)

I got another cake for the girls as well, to surprise them and no, I did not make this cake.
I saw this cake in the window of a bakery and I loved the colors and the name of the cake.
Strawberry Moments Cake

Lighting the candles

The cakes

Happy Birthday to the January babies!:)

A cute little birthday cake collectible displayed for a joke by one of the birthday girl ;)

This was indeed a wonderful and memorable be-earlieth birthday treat, and I just feel so blessed to be able to celebrate with great friends like these!
This has got to be one of the best birthdays I've had :)

Be-earlieth Japanese Birthday Treat

2012-01-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

Alright, I know I've made my resolution to update at least two posts each day, but for the past few days and this week, I must ask to be spared as I am in a happy mode as my birthday approaches!
Yes, it is my favorite month of the year and it is no surprise, as I am sure most of you named your birthday month your favorite month too:p

I have so many backdated posts; starting from Winter Solstice, Christmas, New Year, travel and party food to blog about but I am still going to bypass all of them and post my be-earlieth birthday celebrations/dinners/parties as yeah, I am in a self-obsessed mode now, LOL!:)

** This post is full of photos**

My lovely brother and parents, along with his gf gave me a be-earlieth treat with this Japanese meal at one of my most recent favorite Japanese restaurant; Sushi Zanmai at The Gardens.

This place is always crowded and there is always a queue outside the restaurant; regardless of which outlet you are at.
During peak hours, the wait could take up to 30 minutes long!

I never really believed in queuing for my food, honestly, but this restaurant is truly a gem to have an ever growing fan population.

We were lucky enough to have a place, thanks to my brother's gf who had made the arrangements earlier.

Green tea is a must have whenever I dine Japanese

Wasabi

With sweet soy sauce

Pickled ginger for appetizers/sides

Hotate (Seasoned scallop wings)

Oh my gosh, this has got to be the best thing I have ever tasted, and it just leaves that lingering taste long after the first bite and kept me going for more with my chopsticks!
I could eat this like, forever!:)

Yakiniku Don (Rice with beef fillet) - MYR10.80 (Small)

Katsu Zaru Soba (Cold soba noodle with fried chicken) - MYR8.80 (Small)
It comes with a plate of cold soba noodles with a bowl of hot miso soup and fried chicken on the side.

Sashimi Salad (MYR12.80)

This is another of my favorite salad here, and a must-order whenever we are here!:)
Fresh sashimi served and tossed with the crunchy fresh lettuce leaves, cabbages and tomatoes.

I love the Wafu dressing; which is pretty much a concoction of sesame to make up the dressing sauce. Toss the Wafu dressing and this tastes heavenly!:)

California Maki

Tamago Maki

Kakiage Don (Think this was the rice with prawn topped with fried seaweed)

Sorry for the picture quality, but mum was hungry and I had to take a quick shot!:p

A platter of mixed sushi

Salmon Mentaiyaki (Buttered salmon fillet)

Another of my all-time favorite; Salmon Teriyaki

If you've been at my blog long enough, you will know that I tend to order this at almost every Japanese meal!:p

This was another two types of sushi; with tuna and salmon in it, I think but I really couldn't remember

Curry Udon - MYR19.80 (Large)

It was indeed a lovely meal, and I have never seen a table with so much food!!

I enjoyed the meal, thanks to my wonderful family, the people who are always there for me and whom I could always count on.
My birthdays are never complete without them celebrating with me!:)

To my beloved mum and dad, Thank you for bringing me to this world, for without both of you, I would not be who I am today.

To my beloved brother, Thank you for always protecting and believing in me.

To my dearest hubby, Thank you for always being there and caring for me.

Last but not least, to my brother's gf, Thank you for your lovely present and special treat for my birthday..and to many more gatherings to come :)

Osaka Cake

2012-01-05T22:56:00.000-08:00

Starting my New Year post with an interesting cake which I have heard so much about and finally stumble upon in a local bakery near my place.
It is a cake, like its name, popular in Japan among the locals.

The Osaka cake may sound like a popularized version of a local cake, but this is not just any cake as this is a rather unique soft type of cake oozing with light goodness.

The Osaka cake is a light and fluffy type of sponge cake, with a filling of lightly battered custard cream.

It is not too sweet and is just light; which is my favorite part of the cake.

It's a pity that this cake is quite rare, as it is indeed a gem of a cake!
Have you ever tried this before?

My Food Blog's 2012 Resolution/Changes

2012-01-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

I am finally back from my vacation, and it has been a great one albeit a little hiccups and allergies experienced after the trip; thanks to my hypersensitivity to climate, and well, almost everything.

Anyway, that never keeps me from being in my high spirits all the time, and I still find things positive on the whole!
It is also the attitude to have when you are welcoming a brand new year; 2012!

I have so much to talk about my new year, but that will be in a different blog:)
For this blog, however, the following are the new resolutions:
1. I am setting a resolution to be able to update 2 posts a day this year!:)
Yeah, you did not read wrongly, I will try to update twice a day and more, if my folders are just overflowing with food photos:P

My daily updates will probably take place at the following:
8.00 - 10.00am (GMT +8)
4.00 - 8.00p.m (GMT +8)

2. There will be seasonal updates to wallpaper and blog layout, and well, I will try to give a different look as much as possible according to the season ;)

The above are the two major changes that I plan at the moment, and I hope I can realize it!;)
Is there anything else you would like to see, or would like changed?
Do let me know and I can consider your constructive feedback :)

Again, I hope everyone has had an awesome year 2011 and also a fantastic start to an equally if not better and fabulous year 2012!!:)

Stay tune for my next post... and lots of travel goodies in this blog and my travel blog

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!~

2011-12-25T07:52:00.000-08:00

Wishing all of you lovely bloggers and followers of my blog a very blessed and wonderful Christmas and holiday season!:)

The holidays started a little earlier, as you may have noticed for this blog; as I did not manage to update for the past three days.

Anyway, I will be away for the next one week and will be back Next year; yes, after the New Year's Day with TONs of goodies to update from the festive season and my vacation!!:)

Yes, Pickyeater will be away for her vacation and will be back in 2012 with exciting updates :D

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you!!
I am going to miss you guys for a week, but I WILL be BACK!! :)

**There may be sporadic updates if I am able to, so don't leave my blog, yea *winks*

GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!~ :D

Look Mummy, I cooked soup!~

2011-12-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

You know when the mother is away from home, when you have to check the fridge for what's left and make something out of it.
For someone like me, who's never really cooked in her whole entire life, the only thing that came to my mind is, SOUP.

Yeah, Soup is synonymous to Simple, Off the fridge, Useful, and Plentiful or even Pot works :)

That's what I made, with the help of my hubby who cuts the vegetables and takes the pot off the stove

Dump the vegetables after cutting them, ALL of them into a pot of boiling water and just let it boil!

My favorite vegetables for soup has got to be cabbage, Napa cabbage, and Chinese cabbage!

I cannot do without my favorite squid balls and chikuma (the long seafood thingy with the brown ring)

Sometimes I throw in carrots, anchovies, wolfberries, a pinch of salt (yes, I've learnt the measurement for a pinch!:), and sprinkle some pepper over it.

I am thinking of tomatoes, sweet corn and maybe onions the next round, what do you think?
My mummy is going to be so proud of me :D

Cranberry Chiffon Cake

2011-12-15T23:08:00.001-08:00

I like the light, soft and fluffy texture of chiffon cakes, and it is a great thing that they come in so many different flavors and available almost everywhere.
I have gotten used to the usual flavors; such as pandan and orange, and they now have coffee too.
These are the common flavors for chiffon cakes found almost everywhere; in markets and bakeries; except in Singapore, where I fell in love with the mini healthy chiffon cakes with a selection of lovely flavors. I promise to take a photo and blog about them when I go to Singapore again ;)

Anyway, I was recently delighted with the discovery of a new flavor of chiffon cake, and the bakery is just like near my place! In fact, they have branches around everywhere, but I think this flavor of chiffon cake is only found in certain branches.

Yup, that's the Cranberry Chiffon cake (MYR5.90), which I found in the fridge in Bread History (they are a chain of bakeries with outlets all over Malaysia and Singapore)

Now, first of all, I already like chiffon cakes and then cranberry, oh my gosh, I just could not resist this!:)
I am the biggest fan of anything berry-related, really!:)

The chiffon cake was filled with cranberry bits, but too bad it was quite limited. I wished they were more generous though.

The chiffon cake was pretty simple; and just a plainly made of eggs and the cranberries adorned the whole cake.

I was kind of expecting a cranberry flavored cake; like it was made of cranberry flavor or fruit/juice or something like that, then it would be oozing with cranberry goodness.
I thought it was supposed to be like that, that's what they did with the pandan, orange and coffee chiffon cakes, right?

Anyway, this is not really that way, but it still tastes good and fresh!

Maybe they did use a tinge of cranberry in the baking, but it was quite faint, in my opinion.

It was still a really nice chiffon cake nevertheless, honestly, and I really liked it :)
It's a change, from the usual flavors of chiffon cakes.

Oh, they even have oat/wholemeal chiffon cakes, maybe I will try it someday?

A slice of cranberry chiffon cake, anyone? :)

Kaya Puff from Taiping

2011-12-14T23:39:00.000-08:00

On our road trip to attend a friend's wedding in Taiping a fortnight ago, we were recommended this local produce which is quite famous in the little town.

Kaya puff; or also known as Kaya Kok in the local language is basically a type of crispy pastry stuffed with sweet kaya paste.
(Kaya is a type of jam made of coconut, eggs and sugar and is basically known to the locals as Coconut Egg jam. It is used as a bread spread too; and is an alternative to the fruit jam or butter)

It is best consumed when it was fresh from the oven!

I took photos of the house where this was produced, but as they told me not to take any photo after that, I will not be posting the photo of the place to protect their privacy:)

I forgot to take a photo of the filling, as hubby already took a bite and then finished it off :p

Kaya puff can be found locally in the markets, but they are famous in the state of Perak and two places that I know where you can get really good kaya puffs are in Ipoh and the above, Taiping.
Any other place you know?

Farewell Dinner with 8 courses

2011-12-13T23:36:00.000-08:00

Wow, I think this must be like the 4th or 5th Chinese eight course dinner I've had, in less than two months? (yes, including my own wedding dinner)

This time was a treat from hubby's aunt, to bid farewell to my brother and sister-in-law and the kids who will be relocating for work overseas.
We went to this Chinese restaurant; Coconut Palms

Braised groundnuts served as appetizers

Starters: Ye Lin Selected Four Season

Top left: Deep fried sweet and sour pork meatballs, braised rolls with egg white, breaded meat rolls, spicy green apple and pineapple kerabu salad with top shells.

Soup: Braised shark's fin soup with crab meat

I am not a fan of this, ever :P

Chicken: Served two styles; deep fried with black pepper sauce and braised with herbs

Prawns: Fried prawns with cheese and salad cream

This turned out to be good, and the prawns were just so succulent :)

Vegetables: Braised broccoli with fish maw and mushrooms

Fish: Steamed red snapper with mint style

This is a rather unusual way to serve a fish, if you ask me, but it was surprisingly quite tasty and the aroma of the mint leaves were just subtle and not too overwhelming.

Noodles: Served two styles

Dessert: Honeydew Ice-cream with sago

There is a scoop of ice-cream for each person at the table; that meant there were 10 scoops in this bowl!

Served with Purple Cassava net spring roll (pretty much yam paste as its stuffing ingredient)

Overall dinner took about 2-3 hours with food and laughing over jokes and just enjoying time with each other.
We have sent them off to the airport on Monday, and it was an emotional affair that I simply could not help a tear or two as I watch them leave.

We will be meeting very soon, and I am looking forward to visiting them a lot too :)

“Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends.”
- Richard Bach -

(From my Tumblr, follow me :)

Teppanyaki and Bento

2011-12-13T00:39:00.000-08:00

Japanese food is one of my favorite, I must say, and this year, I am sad that I didn't get to enjoy much Japanese dining as I was just so busy with my wedding planning, and we ate simple meals or at home most of the time.

I was walking in the mall; Gurney Plaza last week when the promotional poster of a flat rate for sushi, eat all you can, caught my eye.
I made up my mind that if I am here in the mall, I must tell hubby to dine there.

It was just so fortunate that it was the next day that we dined there!:)
However, the promotion for the sushi buffet is no longer valid but we are still interested in trying the food offered at this seemingly modern and stylish Japanese restaurant; Koi Japanese Restaurant

They pride in serving one of a kind Japanese food, as they thrive on several in house specialties which they promote to potential diners.

Premium green tea (MYR2.50)

Whenever I go for Japanese food, it's like a rule that I must have green tea to go with it. Anything else does not seem appropriate; or rather, Japanese, I must say ;)

This is by far one of the most expensive green tea I've had in a Japanese restaurant, and though they mentioned free refills, no one seems to be around to help with the refills :-(
Anyway, when I took a sip of the tea, I understood the price tag as it was truly premium and the green tea is of higher quality and more condensed in its taste.
Look at how green the tea appears in the cup?

Salmon Teppanyaki (MYR17.80)

Option to add MYR4.00 to add rice, fruits and a bowl of soup.
There are two slices of salmon, and at first glance, the portion seems slightly smaller compared to other Japanese restaurants.

This is not like the other versions I have tried, and the unique version is that the salmon was breaded before served with the slightly sweet and spicy sauce.

The salmon tasted really good complemented by the sauce, even though I am never a fan of deep fried or breaded stuffs.
Side serving of yasai (vegetables)

This definitely got my vote as one of the best teppanyaki I have tried so far ;)

This is the only Japanese restaurants which allow one to choose the types of dishes for the bento sets rather than restricting one to the pre-set bento dishes.
There are various selections and prices for the bento; depending on your categories of the dishes selected. (i.e.: 1 vege with two carnivourous dishes, 1 carnivourous dishes with 2 vege, or all 3 carnivourous dishes, or just all vege)

Bento with ebi teriyaki, unagi, and takoyaki

There's just something good about Japanese rice, hehe, or does rice just taste especially good when you are dining outside? :)

The whole bento set (MYR26.00)

I foresee more upcoming trips to Koi; as this seemed like a rather uptown restaurant to me and food is good here too ;) I guess it will be listed as one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Penang?

Scrumptious Desserts at Scholar Tong's Place

2011-12-11T23:27:00.000-08:00

I have found a new place for refreshing fruity drinks and desserts; and I am really happy about it!
The weather has been pretty hot lately, and left me with not much of an appetite.
When we were feeling a little hungry in the afternoon, hubby and me decided to drive out to this place which have been opened for a while now.

Tong Pak Fu, yes, that is the name of the cafe in Chinese and it is named after a very famous Chinese scholar during the Ming Dynasty.
An excerpt about this scholar from Wikipedia
Tang Yin (Chinese: 唐寅; Pinyin: Táng Yín; Yale: Tong Yan; 1470–1524), better known by his courtesy name Tang Bohu (唐伯虎, though it is usually not the custom to address an individual by both surname and courtesy name), was a Chinese scholar, painter, calligrapher, and poet of the Ming Dynasty period whose life story has become a part of popular lore. Even though he was born during Ming Dynasty, Many of his paintings (especially paintings of people) were illustrated with elements from Pre-Tang to Song Dynasty (12th centuries).[1][2].
Tang Yin (1470–1523) is one of the most notable painters in Chinese art history. He is one of the painting elite “the Four Masters of Ming Dynasty” (Ming Si Jia), which also includes Shen Zhou (1427–1509), Wen Zhengming (1470–1559) and Qiu Ying (ca. 1495-1552). Tang is also a talented poet. Together with his contemporaries Wen Zhengming (1470–1559), Zhu Yunming (1460–1526), and Xu Zhenqing, known as the “Four Literary Masters of the Wuzhong Region.”

Suzhou is famous for producing many talented and well-known scholars; and most of them are renowned for their own specialties which range from poetry, paintings, writing, calligraphy, and even martial arts. Some of the scholars are probably skilled in a specialized field while there could be those who are just simply good in a few fields.
Tong Pak Fu, is easily one of the latter, as he was not just reputed to possess good looks and a rather affluent background, but he was skilled in poetry and painting and is one of the most prolific scholars of his time.
There are many movies and tv series that paid homage to this reputable and historical character; mostly Chinese versions.

The name of the shop caught our attention and I am sure of many others too, as I was wondering what they could possibly be offering with a 'scholarly' name like this; nevertheless, a rather well-known and also playful character.

Everything in the cafe was in contemporary style of design and boasted of minimal chic, but the menu and the names of the items, gave away the signs of the Chinese influence.

There was just so much on the menu that we find it so hard to decide!
They offer a lot of cool desserts, and most of the items are just so creative.
They pride on using New Zealand Natural in most of the iced desserts.

Strawberry Black Pearl (MYR7.80)

I wanted something else initially, but they were out, and I chose this instead.
I did NOT regret it, as it was just bursting with colors and flavors!
I am a strawberry fan, as most of you know it, and this, is just BERRY BERRY-LICIOUS!:)

I believed it was strawberry sorbet, and it tasted sweet with a little of the natural sour taste of the strawberries.

I love the chewy texture of the black pearls as well!:D

Honey Sea Coconut with black glutinous rice (MYR5.80)

It was just as good!

What amazed us was the prices initially, but when we saw the portion served in the big bowls, we were appeased and further after tasting the desserts, it was well worth the price!:)

Service was prompt and good here, and the staff are quite attentive.
I am definitely coming back to try more stuffs on their menu, can't wait!:)

Wedding Dinner in Taiping

2011-12-09T00:16:00.000-08:00

I love weddings; I really do, and I am not referring to my own wedding alone but also any wedding. Therefore, you can tell my reaction whenever I receive a wedding invitation; especially if it is from someone who is dear to me :-)
I always feel honored whenever I am invited; because it made me feel that I am remembered, but I don't think that is the way other people feel, considering my personal experience, but that will be in a separate blog post.

Last weekend, I traveled to Taiping; a town in the northern part of Malaysia and south of where I am currently based. It takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour from my state to get there; and since I traveled early in the morning, it was a pretty breezy journey all the way.
I was originally supposed to join my friends to stay the night before, but due to my flu, I chose to stay at home and not infect the rest of the bridal party :p
I was part of the bridal party, and this bunch of friends are the best of the best among all my friends as they are the types who would go anywhere for anyone's wedding; and not a single word but only words of happiness and cheer.
That's what true friends are all about, and I truly love them for that!:)

Now, after the morning ceremony at the bride and groom's place, it was time for dinner and FOOD!:)

The reception dinner was at a huge hall; Persatuan Ong Si Thye Guan Thong Perak.

The lovely decorated hall; all ready for the guests :)

We were also part of the reception team, and these are our corsages as part of the bridal party ;)

Table settings

Chili sauce

FOOD photos; like all Chinese wedding dinners, it is always a 8-course dinner.

First course: Appetizers

From left to right: Fried pastry with ham, meat rolls, fish rolls, seafood rolls with sesame seeds, and stir-fried eggs with vegetables. (I am just describing from my memory, as I did not read the menu :p )

This is my favorite; fish paste rolled in fried beancurd sheets with century eggs and enoki mushrooms

Second Course: Braised shark's fin soup with crabmeat

Erm, for a lot of reasons, I don't take this soup and I am only snapping the photo:P

*Pickyeater says NO to shark's fin*

Third Course: Chicken served in dual style

Left: Deep fried and braised on the left, with mustard leaves

Fourth Course: Braised vegetables with crabmeat

Fifth Course: Braised pork ribs in beancurd sauce wrapped in aluminium foil

Sixth Course: Steamed White Pomfret with soy sauce

This was the most disappointing dish and to think that I anticipated the fish; it was simply bad and not fresh.
*shakes head*

Seventh Course: Curry Prawns with fried buns

Eighth Course was the dessert: Treasures Soup with boiled gingko nuts, barley, jelly, potatoes, lotus seeds, red beans

Hubby gave this bowl to me, because it had my favorite barley!;)

The favor for the guests; I loved it!:)

It was a wonderful dinner, and seeing a dear friend getting married is always a touching and lovely scenario, don't you think?
I wish the newly weds every happiness in the world :)

Did I mention again, I really love weddings? ;)

Braised pumpkin Tofu

2011-12-07T23:46:00.000-08:00

This is not my first visit to the following restaurant; which is located inside on the grounds of a Chinese temple. I have blogged about my last visit here.

It is fast becoming one of the family's favorite place for dinner these days, and I noticed that we will be having dinner that several times (or whenever I am home :)

From the title above, you can see that there is one specific dish which will be highlighted in this post, so be patient :)

There is always, and I really emphasize on always a huge crowd no matter what time I was there; even if it was a late dinner at 9pm!
Yeah, we were late this round as I was stuck in a big book fair and as usual, I never realized the time whenever I go to book fairs and as a result, almost everyone was already starving (except me) and I cut my browsing short to go for dinner.

It was already 9pm when we reached there, but again, there was still a lot of people tucking into their dinner.
What pleased me was their prompt service, as we waited less than 15 minutes for our food!

Spicy Kam Heong style squids

I am posting a lot of photos on this dish, as this is the family's favorite, and the amount of gravy, onions, garlics and squids are just so generous.

The best part are the large-sized squids which were also fresh and juicy, by the way! YUMMY :)

Look at how big the squids are?

Moving on to the next dish...

Another of our favorites: Stir-fried spinach in superior stock (with wolfberries)

Braised pork ribs with spring onions and pepper

One of my favorites; and even Dad wanted this despite his sore throat (he momentarily forgot about his sore throat *laughs* )
Nyonya style steamed red tilapia

Finally, the highlight (yeah, I saved this for the last to keep you in suspense, LOL!)

Braised Japanese tofu served with pumpkin sauce

This was like a golden dish, and I loved the bright color of the dish when it arrived!
My mum recommended me this dish; and also for herself as she is a huge fan of pumpkin. I was surprised why would she recommend me as she knew I was not a fan like her.

I was really skeptical about this dish, but I took a small piece and I loved the silky smooth texture of the tofu, and the sweetness of the sauce in it. The pumpkin taste was not too overwhelming nor too gooey, and it complemented the tofu just well.
This is definitely a very creative dish, in my opinion :)
(anyway, one pumpkin dish is enough, I am not ready to convert yet :p )

I foresee many more visits to this restaurant and maybe I should take more photos of the place the next time, to show you the crowd? ;)

Homemade Cabbage Rolls

2011-12-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

Whenever I am home; be it for the weekend or a short few days, it is usually about catching up with the family over TV, news (yeah, we talk about what happens around us too!:), updates on our lives and just, you know, spending time with each other.
We would watch game shows, or movies shown on TV, or just chit chat about almost everything in our lives. That's how my family is like, we don't feel like there is a barrier in anything, we just talk about anything we want or like, and my parents are just cool about it.
We may appear to be low-profile or even secretive on the outside (to some), but within the family, we have no secret with each other, and I am sure most families are the same.

Of course, besides the conversations and company, there is often food involved too.
My mummy would prepare food for my hubby and me; be it dessert, soup, salads, or even a full meal (whenever she wants) and constantly tells us to eat.

Recently, she's learnt a lot of new recipes from the TV, and she's always so eager to try it on us whenever we are home.
If she's not handing us snacks, cakes, or buns, then it would be salads, or desserts or fruits, and of late, it's something she would whip up in an instant from the kitchen.
(Oh, she definitely loves QUICK recipes, and she loves a few TV programmes which taught her that:)
She can just serve us food at any time of the day; never mind if you are just back from breakfast, lunch or dinner, there is always time for an extra bite.
(Sometimes I wonder whether she thinks we are starved out there, or suffering from famine :p )

Anyway, her latest creation was this Cabbage Rolls.

Look at how many she made! :)

This is a simple and healthy dish which is made of pretty simple ingredients too; and mummy said it'd probably take less than 30 minutes to prepare it (that's really quick to her!)

From the outside, it probably looked plain and a little dull or boring as it is steamed cabbage rolls but my mummy was excitedly telling me to take a bite, and I was glad I did.

It was filled with sweetness; not those diabetic-like sugar sweet, but natural sweetness of the ingredients.
First the crunchy layers of the cabbage which were freshly boiled, and then into the content which was battered fish paste blended with minced carrots and spring onions.

It was simply superb, and I was just so taken with this simple dish, that I took another bite, and another and everyone was full of praises for it and there was no need to ask whether everyone did go for a second :p

This simple dish didn't need much work, and though I don't really have the recipe, I am sure most of you master chefs out there would know how to make this almost in an instant, right? ;)

Suitable for a starter or even as a main course side dish, this is definitely something which can be served in any meal.
I even suggested to my mummy that this could be a dim sum dish, don't you think?

I am starting to miss this; oh, for one more bite! :)

Chili Con Carne, Pizzas and Satay

2011-12-06T00:33:00.000-08:00

Gatherings are always fun, as they usually mean catching up with people close to us; such as friends and family, lots of laughter and not to mention, FOOD, as well.

A fortnight ago, I was invited to a friends' party at her new place and the kind hosts had bought the food, and also made some (she's just learning to cook :)
Here are some of the food which we had that night:

Appetizers
Fried wantons

Sweet candies to help ourselves to

Satay

This is a type of Malaysian delicacy; and is skewered chicken/pork/beef/lamb meat which were marinated and barbecued. The meat may taste a little sweeter due to the marinating sauce.
This is a favorite among Malaysians and can be found in a lot of places.
One of the most famous places to have this would be in Kajang, Selangor which boasts of having one of the best satays in Malaysia.
This is exactly where the host got it; the Kajang satay version.

Satay sauce - made of ground peanut with chili oil paste

This is the special sauce (and must be rich with the peanuts' content) to dip the skewer sticks of satay into.

Alternatively, there is also a Spicy chili sauce dipping

Cool cucumber slices to go with the satay pieces

Due to the barbecue process, satay is considered to be of 'heaty' nature, and the cucumber slices act to strike the balance.

Lumps of rice cakes to serve with satay

The main highlight; as this dish was prepared by the hostess herself who had just learnt it from the master chef, Jamie Oliver (on TV)

Chili Con Carne

I found that the meaning of the name was derived from the Spanish words; and pretty much meant chili, or spicy stew.

It is a type of Mexican food/stew, and is made from chili peppers, garlic, onions, cumin, grounded beef, green peas.

Served with tortilla chips

Too bad that I don't take beef, but it was a really fragrant spicy dish and I enjoyed the chips though :)

Domino's Pizza
Hawaiian chicken

Beef Pepperoni

Garlic bread

Maltesers for dessert

We proceeded to games and just chatting after that; a lovely night indeed and I am looking forward to more party gatherings with more lovely friends :D

Firecracker Fish Fillet & Triple Dipper

2011-12-04T20:34:00.000-08:00

American fast food chain restaurants are growing rapidly in numbers everywhere in Malaysia, but if there is anywhere to find most of them, there is no doubt it is in the city.

One of the most popular haunts of mine, and also my friends, whenever it came to meeting up, was Chili's, while if it is for birthday purposes, it will most probably be TGIF (yeah, to make the birthday celebrant stand up on the table!)

Chili's have branches in KL and also up north in Penang, and it seemed like it is a place not just for friends but also for family gatherings.

They serve mostly Mexican-style cuisine; and they are famous for their ribs (in US), and also fajitas, quesadillas, burgers and fries.

One of the recommended appetizers: Triple Dipper

It comes in a huge serving, and I think can serve between 2-4 pax.
The triple dipper comes with the following three selection; served with its special sauces:
Southwestern Eggrolls

A crispy flour tortilla filled with smoked chicken, black beans, corn, jalapeño Jack cheese, red peppers and spinach. Served with avocado-ranch dressing.

Wings over buffalo

Delicious chicken wings tossed in our spicy wing sauce. Served with cool bleu cheese dressing.

Boneless Buffalo Wings

Breaded chicken breast tossed in spicy sauce. Served with cool bleu cheese and celery.

Firecracker Fish Fillet

Grilled fish fillet brushed and served with a sweet and spicy glaze and garnished with red chili tapenade, cilantro and sesame seeds.

This is one of my favorite at Chili's and I always order it whenever I am there; despite it being a spicy main!
The fish fillet is tenderly grilled and tasted sweet with a tinge of spice, and went well with the fresh broccoli and fried rice.

What's your favorite at Chili's? :)

Taiwanese delights and toast box (coffin toast?)

2011-11-30T23:06:00.000-08:00

This was an outdated post, and I just found the photos from my folders while 'cleaning up' the HDD the other day.

The quality of the photos are not as usual, as I remember that I did not bring my camera for lunch that day (something totally out of the norm), and so, I had to use my phone to capture the food.

I've blogged about this Little Taiwan restaurant run by Malaysian in the 1 Utama Shopping Centre in my previous posts :-)

Set lunch rice set with vegetables

Mini Spicy tomyam seafood steamboat with noodles

SUPER Spicy!

Claypot silver needle noodles (remember the rat-tail noodles post?:)

Taiwanese crispy chicken with claypot hor fun (flat rice noodles)

I love their Aiyu Lemon Jelly; a must have each time I am there :)

Now notice the title of my post which had a rather unusual yet scary title including a 'coffin'?
Well, that is no typo error, as the following is the highlight of this meal; which is the Treasure Toast Box

They made a thick and huge bread toasted and then stuffed with meat, seafood and vegetables.

I was told that in Taiwan or Hong Kong, this is also translated literally from Chinese to mean 'Coffin Toast Box' and is a huge hit among the locals.

I am not sure whether this is the exact version, and I am really bummed that I was without my 'best buddy' (Camera) at that time!:(

I don't think I need to explain the origin of the name of this toast; I leave it to your imagination!;)

Dim Sum Breakfast with the family

2011-11-28T19:02:00.000-08:00

If you have been following my blog for a while, you would know how much I love having dim sum for my breakfast, so when my family told me that they found a new dim sum restaurant, I was more than obliging to go there for breakfast!:)

Koo Hiong restaurant is located near the morning market in Bandar Sg Long, and it is a relatively new place for dim sum in the area.
I liked the prompt and friendly service provided by the owner and his workers.
Nothing was too much trouble for them; if the dim sum is not hot, tell them and they will just reheat it for you. If you need more hot water for your tea, tell them and they will get down to it.
This, is what I call service!:)

Now onto the selection of dim sum for my weekend breakfast:

Pork and prawn dumpling, with green peas

Minced pork dumpling topped with sago pearls rolled with seaweed

Fish paste with century egg and celery rolled with seaweed

Pork dumpling rolled with cabbage leaves

Prawn dumplings (Har Kao)

This has got to be the best version I have ever had; the crystal skin was just nice and the prawns were in generous portions and sizes that it was just so crunchy and juicy.
(I am craving for this now!)

Pork and shrimp dumpling (a nice version of Siew Mai)

Braised spare ribs; one of the family's favorites

Steamed fishballs; this is my must have all the time :-)

Bittergourd with fish paste with Tau Chu sauce (fermented beancurd)

Another version of pork dumpling topped with prawn and green pea

Thin fish paste rolled with foo chook (dried beancurd sheets)

Most of the dim sum here are priced from MYR2.80 onwards; and maybe some lower and with a great service as mentioned, that makes it good reason enough to be back.

What's better than dim sum on weekends? It's like one of the most staple meal option for my weekend breakfasts!:)

What do you usually have for your weekend breakfast? ;)

Aiyu Lemon from Tea Secret

2011-11-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

A fortnight ago, I was at the shopping mall and as I passed this small drinks counter bar; Tea Secret, I saw a long queue leading towards the bar.
I was fascinated by the queue, but as I had other agenda on my mind, I just let it slide.

When I was leaving the mall, the line seemed to have doubled and again, I ignored it as I was just rushing to go home.

Anyway, the next day was a Saturday, and I dropped by the same mall with my hubby to get some stuffs and I was telling him about the drinks counter which I pointed out to him.
There were flowers surrounding the counter this round, and each of it had a card congratulating the grand opening of the drinks counter.

Hubby decided that he must try a drink from this new counter; and so, we bought my favorite Aiyu Jelly with Lemon drink.

This is the Large-sized drink; MYR6.90

It was a little too sweet, despite the supposedly sour taste of lemon.

Oh ya, and I found out the real reason behind the long queue; it was their grand opening the day before, and all drinks were going at MYR1.00 each!!!
Darn, now I know why everyone is waiting so patiently in line.

That's what my mum used to tell me, if there's a queue in any restaurant or anywhere in Penang, it's either something good, or cheap.
I just missed out on the latter, maybe I should learn to just join in the queue? :-P

Picnic on the Beach

2011-11-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

I have never really had an actual picnic before; maybe it's because of the hot and humid weather we have here, or the discomfort of having my meals on the floor, I don't really know, although I have always thought of it as fun.
Guess I've just never really gotten around to doing it :P

Anyway, last month while I was on the prequel of my honeymoon (we are doing a short vacation first followed by another one somewhere else), we had a picnic lunch arranged for us!
You can read all about my honeymoon in my travel blog.

I have posted about the lovely afternoon we spent and the picnic we had here
In the post, the photos were of the beach and there was just an overview of the picnic.

Well, that's what this blog is for; the photos of the FOOD :)

I am going to share the photos of my picnic lunch here; which I tell you, was quite a feast, for only two people.

The thoughtful staff at the resort packed the food which I have selected from a checklist the day of my arrival, into plastic tupperwares and then put them into an actual basket!
(Ooooh, I am shouting with glee when I saw the basket!)

After setting the table and laying the food, the server even poured our drink (Honey Lemongrass drink)

Sandwiches

Choice 1: Pita bread with fresh seafood

Choice 2: Smoked salmon with ciabatta

The salmon was just so tender and well-smoked, and is one of the best I have tasted so far;)

Stir-fried capsicums and bell peppers

Can't believe how this simple dish tastes so delicious!

Thai Fish Cakes, these are goood!:D

Cream crackers, cheese, walnuts, dried apricots

Freshly cut fruits; I picked packham pears and strawberries, my favorites!

and a selection of tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, watermelon)

Mixed Berries Jelly - the most awesome one that I have ever had in my life!:)

Nacho chips for keeps!

There were just so much food, that we could not possibly finish everything on the spot.

Thankfully, there are the plastic tupper wares which we can just bring back to our room to snack on.

With all my praises for almost everything, do you still need to ask whether the food was good?
I don't think I need to be skeptical about picnic anymore, if the food were this good, and oh, the surrounding environment on this beautiful beach just makes me miss the place so much.
(I am already singing the vacation song as I am writing this post!)

Celebrating Our 1st month with a Cake!

2011-11-22T22:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marks the first month of our marriage; and we wanted to do something special for ourselves (we are postponing our celebration dinner to the weekend :).
Hence, we drove out, spent some time with each other and got ourselves a cake!
(In case you thought I baked the cake, well, no, I did not, I BOUGHT the cake :)

Hubby knew how much I loved blueberries, or anything to do with berries, and he bought us the Blueberry Sponge cake

The cake was like an ordinary cake; really, with white icing adorned with red dipped cherries on top and a puddle of blueberry puree in the middle, and chocolate chips on the side.

Little did we know when we bought the sponge cake that it would be chocolate flavored sponge!

The cake was layered with the icing and in between the layers there were blueberries as well.

For those of you who have heard about my wedding cake story, you would have known that I have had chocolate cake for a while and it's really ironic because I am never a fan of chocolates (yes, weird me), and now, it seemed like I am getting another piece of chocolate cake again!:)

LOL, guess the chocolate cake will now forever have a relationship with me, to remind me of my own wedding? It is probably adamant to stay and telling me so!:-)

Oh, the cake was soft and really fresh and the blueberries were just so enticing :D

Hard Rock Monthlyversary Lunch

2011-11-21T17:49:00.000-08:00

We have so many dates to celebrate now, after our wedding...hehe, from our first date, to our proposal, then our ROM and wedding, we are just a celebration couple, and I am NOT complaining.

Hubby planned our Sunday lunch at Hard Rock Cafe, which is located in the first ever Hard Rock Hotel in Penang.

The cafe, though, is not the first as the first outlet opened in the city of KL long ago.

The sun was blazing out there, and it was a nice welcome stepping into the dimly lit and cool environment of the cafe restaurant.

Most of the crowd, as we have noticed, are the guests staying at the hotel.

We started with our choices of cold drinks; an escape from the heat out there.

Iced Lemonade (MYR9.00)

This is a very sour and at the same time, fizzy drink as I think they mixed it with soda but it was a refreshing drink for lemonade lovers like me :-)

Iced Lemon Tea (MYR9.00)

Snapshots of the cafe environment, and their interior design

The cafe was adorned with the legendary and iconic designs of Hard Rock Cafe worldwide; with the musical instruments and pop icons dating back to the 70's.

Our Appetizer; Santa Fe Spring Rolls (MYR17.00)

Served in a little glass, this packs a whole lot of goodies to make it so tasty and at the same time, boosting with energy.

This is stuffed with spinach, black beans, cilantro, corn, jalapenos, diced Red peppers and Jack cheese. It is served with freshly made Hard Rock salsa, Guacamole, Chipotle Ranch dressing.

Love the mix of spinach, and all the tasty ingredients that make this irresistible and one roll is simply not enough! (I am still thinking of the unique taste of the rolls as I am writing this)

After we finished our appetizers, we waited for quite a while for our plates to cleared and the wait for our mains took even longer!
With all the time in my hand, I started, you guessed right, snapping photos of the environment again!
The changing colors of the iconic logo

Iconic suits on display

Our mains, finally arrived after a really long wait, no kidding.

Hickory-smoked Pulled-Lamb Sandwich (MYR28.00)

This is tender and juicy due to the fact that it's hand pulled and Hickory-smoked as it was described in the menu.
It is served with either one of the two choices; authentic vinegar-based or Hickory BBQ sauces and topped with marinated slaw. There is also a side serving of seasoned fries, ranch beans and fresh coleslaw.

Fish and Chips (MYR25.00)

Fillet of fish dipped in special batter and deep fried to golden brown and served with fries.

Honestly, this reminded me of the deep fried Chinese crullers, or also known as 'Yau Char Kwai' as there was just so much batter in this rather than the fish fillet.
In fact, it tastes more of the thick flour batter that my mouth was filled with the taste of the flour rather than the fish fillet.
Not my type of Fish and Chips, I must say (sadly!)

We were just a little stuffed from the large portions of the meal, and had no room for desserts at all.

I find the food here is just average; and I don't really find it to be anything to shout about despite the ambience.
The service was really slow, and I kinda felt that they only paid more attention to the hotel guests who dined there rather than other customers which is quite peculiar as Hard Rock Cafe around the world welcomes dine-in guests anytime; regardless of whether you stayed in their hotel or not, or so, I thought.
Perhaps it is the fact that this cafe comes with the hotel, compared to most of its counterparts around the world?

Maybe I should try their cafe counterpart in KL as well? Do you think?

Lavender Cheese Cake

2011-11-20T23:27:00.000-08:00

I have to share on this interesting cake which we ordered on our Saturday tea session; which I enjoyed with a close girl friend during our catching up session at Winter Warmers Tea house in Queensbay Mall.

(Our chamomile tea set, and the Mixed Fruit tea)

I love this tea house; and it's a lovely thing that they have branches all over Malaysia.
Their English cottage inspired interior design just makes this place so cosy and comfortable; and is always the top on my list whenever it comes to girly catching up sessions. (Okay, maybe not only confined for girls :)
I love places like these, and even my friends say that it is just my style!:)
(I secretly dream of designing my own place like this too!)

I love the fact that Winter Warmers use these dainty tea sets imported from England to serve their tea; all the brownie points for liking them :)

Back to the highlight of the post; the Lavender Cheese Cake which is reputed to be one of their specialty cake.

There are three layers in the cake; with the top layer being the cheese, and the second layer is the lavender mousse while the bottom layer is a caramelized and sweetened hard crust of cake.

The unique part is the strong scent of the lavender taste in the cake; it's like the cake was immersed in lavender or something like that.
I was overwhelmed by the strong taste of lavender when I took the first bite, which just came rushing to my taste buds a few seconds after taking the bite.

Turn the plate around, and voila!

The whipped cream was served with the cake, and on top of the cream sits the little lavender buds!

This is such a lovely cake that the first taste still lingers in my mind...
Besides, I just couldn't get enough photos of this pretty little cake! Pardon the many many photos of this single cake...

Spicy Tomyam Steamboat and vacation goodies!

2011-11-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Last night, it was a gathering with a group of close friends (they used to be my colleagues). These are very good and fun-loving friends, who are always true and never failing in their friendship.
They don't judge, nor complain or hide their real feelings and things are just simple and uncomplicated when I hang out with them.
They are the ones whom I call the 'true friends', and these, as I have learnt, are rare and precious :)

We were out for a dinner gathering, but ultimately to help one of the girls in her upcoming wedding (yeah, our weddings are all lined up one by one!)

Dinner was at Johnny's Restaurant in Queensbay Mall; as steamboat was what the bride-to-be craved for :)

I didn't manage to take a lot of photos of each dish of the raw food, as I was just too caught up chatting with the girls, and guys!;)

There were two types of soup; Chicken Soup and Tomyam soup. The restaurant does not have the type of cooker which has a separate to separate the soup in one pot; and therefore, we split into two types of soup on each of the table and I happened to be sitting at the tomyam steamboat table.

The staff pouring the spicy tomyam soup into the cooker

Chili sauce; which I didn't try, as our soup was already spicy and tasty enough!

A few of the food stuffs which I managed to snap a photo of:
Fish paste

Eggs

Rice vermicelli (mee hoon)

The soup started to boil

Throwing the food stuffs into the boiling soup...

We didn't care about which type; we just dumped everything in so that we could enjoy the food when it cooks all at once!

The food is almost cooked...

Time to eat!

The steamboat comes in several different sets, and my lovely friends, chose the seafood combination set, as they know I am a fan of seafood. Thank you!:)

Side dishes: BBQ Chicken Wings

The tomyam soup was really spicy; refer to the title of this post and I was glad that most of us ordered icy cold drinks, even though I am not supposed to drink cold drinks.

Guava juice with soursop (MYR4.90)

I used to remember this tasting a lot better last time; where it was just plain soursop. They have now changed to include guava juice.

Aloe vera juice (MYR3.90)

As mentioned, one of our friends just recently came back from a vacation in Taiwan and she got us these Taiwan goodies to share at the dinner (along with a souvenir each too!)

Different flavors of Taiwanese mochi

Our dinner gathering lasted for two hours, with lots of laughter and stories shared around as it is with each time whenever we meet, although I am sure we have probably raised some eyebrows around the restaurant with the commotion we probably have caused, LOL!:)
We would have wanted to stay longer, but apparently, we heard of a snatch theft experienced by one of our girl friends a short while ago, and we were convinced that we should leave early.
Better be safe than sorry, don't you think?

It's Friday, and I am looking forward to a great weekend, for me to relax before the next three weeks which will be filled with weddings and social events again!:)

Have a lovely weekend folks!

Food for a Party, and my special Fruits salad!

2011-11-16T18:16:00.000-08:00

When there are times for friends, there are also times for family.
This is a long forgotten post that I have just found from my pile of photos; and dates back all the way to the last two months when we have a small dinner party, with prayers and blessings.
It was a dinner with our parish priest, and we are pleased to be able to host him at our humble home.

It was a simple meal really, and we just prepared a few things which we ran around buying from shops :)

Kuih Talam, a popular Malaysian kueh, made of saturated coconut milk layering the top of the sweet pandan layer below, before being steamed.

We got this from a famous Nyonya kueh stall; sold by an old uncle. These are so good that it usually gets sold out within an hour into the start of his business in the afternoon!

Mini cream puffs

There are two types of puffs here; one with sweet corn filling, and the other with the usual cream custard.
Both are equally good.

Colorful mini Sri Ayu cakes (These are my favorites!)

Slices of freshly cut naval oranges

The next one is a specialty; and probably the only thing that I know how to make; with a different twist.
Introducing to you...
Christy's Special Fruit Salad

This requires any number of fruits you like or favor; and you can dice or cube, whichever you like :)
However, do take note of the number of people you are serving, as sometimes, you tend to go overboard with the fruits (if you are fruits lover like me :).

There is also a special recipe for my sweet sourish dressing, and everyone loved it!:)

I forgot to take photos of a Kerabu Meehoon and also the Kentucky Fried Chicken which we bought; as seriously, you don't think we survived dinner with only the above cakes and fruits, right? :D

Our table Full of food!:)

I do love dinner parties, as it's fun, but the pre and post party; the preparations and the washing/cleaning up...not so lovable for me :p

Dim Sum Breakfast on Sunday

2011-11-15T16:34:00.000-08:00

On Sunday morning, we met up with hubby's best friends over breakfast; which usually means dim sum.
We went over to Zhong Hua restaurant; which is located on the first floor of Midlands Shopping Complex at about 8.30a.m, but to our disappointment, it was closed!
We were perplexed as to how a restaurant which offers dim sum could be still closed for business at that hour! We know it's definitely open on that day, but business hours only start at about 9.00a.m.
I just find it interesting how dim sum restaurants open at these hours, especially on Sundays in Penang, when in KL, they would probably be losing out to other competitors!

Anyway, we saw one of their staff opening the doors but she just closed it right behind her, despite seeing the number of eager customers waiting outside the restaurant!
Some of the customers were also surprised by her unwelcoming attitude.

It was only five minutes later that the restaurant decided to open their doors for business.
Honestly, if it were up to me, I would have left the restaurant :-P

Anyway, the food and environment here is what attracts most dim sum lovers here. (By the way, they serve lunch and dinner too)

Some of their dim sum items are discounted at 50%, which makes it really worth the price as it ranges the same as other dim sum restaurants, after discount.

We ordered a lot of dim sum that morning, for the six of us :)

Appetizers were served while we ordered our food; Pickled cucumbers

Our dim sum:
Steamed prawns atop fish paste

I love the smooth texture of the fish paste, but the prawns were a little dry.

Egg Tarts

Scallop prawn dumplings

Lor Mai Kai (Glutinous rice with chicken and mushroom)

Steamed Fish balls, served with Napa cabbage

Chee Cheong Fun
(flat rice noodles rolled and stuffed with roasted pork or shrimps, served with light soy sauce and chili paste)

Xiao Long Bao
(Steamed pork wrapped with dumpling skin, with soup)

Steamed pork ribs

Prawn dumplings with fish roe (Har Mai)

Steamed pork dumplings with mushroom

Rolled prawn dumplings

Steamed Prawn Dumplings (Har Gao)

Japanese Roasted Buns

Prawns with chives dumplings

Steamed fish with prawns

(My Favorite dish!)

The dim sum are quite good, and the restaurant was fully air-conditioned, which puts it at a higher edge compared to other dim sum restaurants.

Prices may be slightly higher than other restaurants for some of the items, but worth a try, as the food here is quite good :)

Chicken or fish, grilled, mushroom sauce

2011-11-14T23:47:00.000-08:00

Most would think that newly weds should have their calendars free particularly the first month after their wedding.
Not for this newly wed, as we are quickly going in rounds to meet up with our lovely friends and helpers; not just to thank them but to catch up and chat! (I love the chatting part!)

Of course, all of the above typically requires a place with a nice ambience and we usually would meet outside to eat, drink, and chat.
(more hurrays from me, as I get to try out new places and food :)

On Saturday night (yeah, a long day, with the buffet lunch and now dinner), we met up with my lovely friend at Gurney Plaza and I picked Manila Place, located right in the centre of the ground floor of the new wing.

This restaurant used to be located in the outer boulevard of the shopping complex; and we used to frequent this place on our dates. It was a disappointment to us when they closed down and just disappeared for a while from the mall, so you can imagine our joys when we see the revival of this restaurant after two years!

Initially we wanted to go to Manhattan Fish market, but we switched to this place as I remembered this place and I saw their set meals menu.

Their set meals range from MYR19.90- 34.90; inclusive of a soup of the day, main course and a drink (excluding government and service tax).

Soup of the day, was Cream of Mushroom

I was excited to see so many interesting items on the menu, but we both ended up choosing the same category!
Great minds do think alike *winks*

Grilled Fish fillet, served with mushroom sauce (MYR24.90)

The fish fillets were generously portioned, and fresh. However, they were a little on the overcooked side, but they still tasted good anyway.

The mushroom sauce, was a thick and concentrated puree-like gravy of mushrooms, and it complemented the fish really well.

Grilled chicken, served with mushroom sauce too! (MYR24.90)

The chicken was tender and generous in serving too.

Our friends ordered the same things as well, and we enjoyed the meal and our conversation, of course!:)

I am definitely heading back here soon, to try some other things on the menu.
The ambience was quite good as well, and there was not much of a crowd which makes the dining experience even more comfortable.
I am looking forward to my next visit already!

A Gourmet Lunch Buffet - Final Part: Desserts

2011-11-13T23:38:00.000-08:00

Continued from the previous post...

If you have arrived here (this is the latest post in order on the blog), you will need to check out the previous two posts on this gourmet lunch buffet
Part 1: Appetizers
Part 2: Mains

The desserts are again from the semi-buffet; and there is a selection of rather enchanting desserts from the same section as the appetizers.

Their tiramisu are really good!

Cakes, I love the tiered trays used to display the cakes

Layered cheese and choc cakes with fruit-flavored jelly top
Blueberry

Orange

Chocolate brownies

There are also fresh fruits to cleanse the palate after the meal

Overall, we find the food quite small in portion which was probably reasonable and encouraging for diners to order more (if not ALL) of their mains in the menu.
Also, the ordering system probably needs improvement as we and a couple of guests experienced long waits for the food; and some of our orders never even came!
They are new, and it will probably take time for them to establish themselves in the market.

We enjoyed the ambience though, and the service is quite good, that, I must say :)

This was supposed to be our celebration lunch; an anniversary for our proposal which took place a year ago!:)
Yeah, we celebrate everything, and there are so many dates :D

A Gourmet Lunch Buffet - Part 2: The Mains

2011-11-13T23:18:00.000-08:00

Continued from previous post with the same title..

We ordered our mains from the menu, and we ticked them in the ordering forms which we submit to the waiters.
We started with two orders, as we wanted to make sure that we are able to finish our food.

Seafood with tomato bisque

Two prawns, clams, squids, and a scallop adorn this dish; served with thick tomato sauce and onions.
(We actually had two plates of this, as there was a problem with their ordering system and they mixed up most of our orders!)

Chicken Meatball spaghetti with tomato sauce

Salmon Teriyaki
(A shot to show you how small the salmon fillet really is :)

Marinated Miso Chicken

Salmon - Bombay Curry Style

Barramundi fish with Black Pepper Sauce

Marinated Salmon with Apple Cider and Pickles

Barramundi Fish with Mushroom Ragout

The food were not too bad, and I find the salmon much better than the barramundi.
Most of the sauces were repeated in the menu, but it's understandable, as it is definitely not easy to prepare these dishes to accommodate multiple orders.

To be continued to the final post on desserts...

A Gourmet Lunch Buffet - Part 1: Appetizers

2011-11-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

The weather had suddenly turned cloudy during the weekend, after a whole week of sun last week, and I was expecting yet another lazy weekend. (That's what we usually do these days after our wedding, as we just feel tired to be doing anything except relaxing with nothing to do).
Anyway, our weekend was not entirely uneventful, as we made plans to catch up with some good friends over food.

Hubby suggested to have buffet for lunch; as it has been ages since the last time we had buffet dine-in meals (apart from hotel stays, that is)
It seemed that he had spotted the promotion buffet set lunch while passing this mansion which was converted into a spa and restaurant (we had tried their fine dining a few years ago).

Deluxcious Spa and Cuisine had since expanded their business and they now have two mansions on their premises; which they included a hotel in their line of business.

They have done a little renovation to give the place a fresh new look, and I must say it looked quite cosy as a boutique hotel, spa and a restaurant, along with a bistro/pub at night.

The restaurant and spa is located in the other building; as the hotel occupies the main building facing the main road.

The interior design are that of contemporary elegance, and the ambience is conducive, not to mention romantic for dining.

I love the little touches; such as the chandeliers and chair covers with sashes which they put around the restaurant.

We were quickly seated by the servers, and there were already a few early diners there.

The buffet lunch works this way; it is like a semi-buffet where we can help ourselves to the appetizers and desserts served in the allocated section while the mains are to be ordered from the menu.

We can order as many main courses we want (selected ones); provided that we can finish them.
The restaurant makes it clear that there should be no wastage of food (Amen!)

We were encouraged to order most (if not all) of the mains by the waiter attending to us, as he told us that the portions are small and manageable.

A peek into the Appetizers and Desserts section; which serves a selected variety of salads, finger bites and cold cuts.

Fried finger food

The soup of day was a simple borscht soup

Appetizing?

To be continued to Part 2; where the main courses come in...

Indonesian Prawns in a Claypot

2011-11-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, we went to pay respects to my hubby's deceased ancestors; as part of fulfillment of the custom of honoring the dead.
It is part of the Chinese custom/tradition for newly weds to pay respects; and in a way, 'inform' each other's ancestors of the new member in the family.
The week before, my hubby joined me in visiting my grandparents' grave, and last Sunday, it was my turn.

We proceeded to lunch after the prayers and rituals, and it was pouring with rain.

Lunch was at a rather prominent Chinese restaurant in the Bayan Lepas area; Double Good Restaurant.

Their service was really good, as their attentive staff were standing outside the restaurant to attend to the customers and even provided umbrellas. They ran to our cars and sheltered us with the umbrellas leading to the restaurant!
This is what I call service :)

We were led into their neighboring restaurant shoplot (they have two shoplots now; adjoined to each other) and the place was already crowded with customers.
We were seated, and welcomed the warmth inside the restaurant compared to the chilly wind out there.

We ordered our food, which were served really promptly.

Mixed Vegetables (MYR7.00)

A simple dish favored by everyone; which solves the problem of having to decide on which vegetables to have. As the name suggests, there is a mix of cabbage, sweet peas, button mushrooms, corn, green peas, cauliflower, carrots stir-fried with slices of ginger, garlic, shrimps and cuttlefish.

The star of this post, and in the restaurant's menu.
They are famous for their Claypot Indonesian Prawns, and no, this is not an Indonesian restaurant.

At MYR15.00, there are only 4 prawns; which was rather pricey.

The highlight of the dish lies in the thick gravy of the curry which was rather appetizing when served with fragrant and hot white rice.

This is one of their signature dishes in the restaurant.

We ordered a few other of the dishes as well; we can't be feasting on four prawns in a claypot alone, can we? :p

Braised beancurd with crabmeat (MYR8.00)

They used the Japanese style beancurd which is made of egg; with a silky smooth texture and taste.
The beancurd were lightly fried and served with a thick and starchy gravy made with egg whites, starch (obviously!) and crabmeat.

Stir-fried squids with dried chilies (Kung Pow Style) - MYR7.00

I think there were more dried chilies compared to the squids.

Claypot Seafood (MYR15.00)

This is a braised pot of mixed seafood; such as slices of sea cucumber, fish maw, and Fatt Choy (or also known as black moss), and mushrooms.

I have been here a couple of times myself, and I think they have slowly evolve over the years, building their very own base of regular customers and expanding their business at the same time.

Overall the food and service here is not bad, but the portions can be rather small for the prices charged.
They are quite popular in Penang though; with another branch outlet in Juru Autocity across mainland.

Good place to try for Chinese home style dishes if one is longing for a Chinese meal ;)

Catching up over pancakes @ Paddington House of Pancakes

2011-11-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

"Friends are the siblings God forgot to give us"
How true's that?

It is true when you have friends who will go all the way out for you, and never lets you down.
I am blessed to be surrounded by friends like these myself; whom to me, are rare and precious :)

After my wedding, I called each of these friends to meet up; especially most of them who are based locally here and just last week, I called my old varsity roommate cum my wedding day coordinator for a heart to heart talk and just plain ol' catching up.

We met up at Queensbay Mall's Paddington House of Pancakes; one of my favorite hangout places although it has been almost a year since my last visit.
I was surprised to see that they have changed the menu, although, of course, they would do that, for commercial reasons but I am missing some of my favorites dishes from the menu.

The good thing is that they didn't change the pancakes menu!

Paddington House of Pancakes is truly a household of pancakes, as they serve all sorts of pancakes; from sweet pancakes to savoury pancakes which is definitely good news to pancake lovers.

Our drinks; there were just so many varieties to choose from!

Treasure Box (MYR17.90)

This delightful dish is filled with slices of strawberries, peaches, bananas, raisins, plums, finely chopped nuts and the star; the mini dollar pancakes which were just so adorable!
Although this was probably best for dessert, we didn't care and asked for this to be served altogether with our main dishes too.

When you choose to have pancakes for dinner, who cares about protocol anymore? :p

Marinara Seafood (MYR22.50)

This is good; even though I am not into cheese.
It is seafood; shrimps and calamari served with marinara sauce and mozarella cheese on pannekoek (a thin crust layer)

Grill Salmon with Onion and zucchini pancake (MYR19.50)

When I saw this in the menu, I know I simply must try this new dish.
I made the right decision, this taste good!
(I was probably biased as it has everything I love in a dish; salmon and zucchini!)

Loved the combo of the zucchini and onion in the pancake; although the salmon was slightly overcooked.

We enjoyed good food and conversation, and we sat for almost 5 hours just chatting, chatting and chatting! :-)
Yeah, we finally left when we realized that they are closing down :p

Good food, good company...isn't that just the best thing? :-D

Siamese tastes from home @ Annathai Kitchen

2011-11-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

It is amazing the number of Thai restaurants which emerged in my country; especially in the Northern region where I am currently residing in now.
There is no end to the number of new Thai restaurants in Penang these days, and it seems like everywhere I go, I see a Thai restaurant, no kidding!

My new sister-in-law (I'm still new in the family :) was celebrating her birthday last weekend, and she introduced us to this Thai restaurant near the marketplace in Pulau Tikus, which she claimed serves really good cooking.
She picked the place, Annathai Kitchen; it's the privilege of the birthday girl, and I was just excited to get to try a new place for dinner.

I was amazed to find the restaurant which was a humble place, and how I missed seeing this place although I pass by the road almost every other day.

We left the ordering to Sis-in-law who was familiar with their menu; along with the owner/chef's recommendations.
The owner of the restaurant is a really friendly and helpful man who just had this really big smile plastered on his face, all the time.

We didn't have to wait long for our food, or perhaps it was because we were busy chatting with each other and playing with the kids (nieces and nephews)! :D

Tom Yam Kung (MYR 12.00)

This was really good, I tell you; spicy, sour; it had almost everything you would want in a bowl of good Tom Yam soup!
I enjoyed every spoonful of this flavorful soup and the soup was filled with an abundance of seafood; prawns and squids, and mushrooms!
This is a must-have to complete most Thai meals :)

Gaeng Liang (MYR15.00)

This is a type of Southern Thai dish; which is vegetable curry.
The unique part about this curry is that it is a clear-based soup and I almost mistaken this as the clear soup Tom Yam, but it's actually curry.
The soup tasted heavily of peppers, and smelt of basil leaves, chilies, and fish sauce!
There were lots of vegetables in the soup and it tasted really good:)

Pla Tod Nam Pla (MYR35.00)

This is deep-fried Seabass fish served with a special sweet Thai sauce :-)
It was good even if you just eat the fish alone; without the sauce but the sauce did enhance the taste of the fish too ;)

Kung Ob Wunsen (MYR19.00)

This is prawns with rice vermicelli; or glass noodles. This same dish can also be served with crabs; I have tried both versions before and they taste equally good!:)
This version was tasty too :)

Phad Phak Boong Fi Daeng (MYR10.00)

Stir-fried spinach leaves with chili paste and onions, yumz!

We also ordered a vegetable omelette for the kids; Kha Jaew Cha om (MYR8.00), which I forgot to snap a photo of.

Another dish we ordered at the last minute because it was one of their specialties as well.

Hor Mok (MYR 2.50 per piece)

This is the Thai version of our local Otak Otak; which is pretty much curry fish custard.
This version is rather unique as it tastes really fragrant, and they steamed the curry fish custard individually to preserve the tastes and flavors of each of them.

The food here really tastes of home; and even the environment is made to simulate that of home.
I am definitely coming back for more :)

Sushi and stuffs @ Sushi Zanmai, The Gardens

2011-11-08T00:48:00.000-08:00

It was raining heavily when we were stuck on the Federal Highway during the after-work traffic, which is just plain unfortunate.
(For those of you who are from KL or are working in KL, you'd know the infamous Federal Highway, especially after work hours)

We detoured to Mid Valley City upon my brother's advice, to have dinner together inside the shopping mall after he got off work.

We made our way towards Sushi Zanmai; located on the 3rd floor of The Gardens and I was not keen to try when I saw the long queue outside the chain restaurant.
It has been a couple of times I have attempted to try Sushi Zanmai, and I am always turned away by the long line, as I don't really believe in queuing for my food.
Anyway, I gave in this time as my brother told me that I simply had to give this a try, at least for once.

We squeezed ourselves into a smaller seating area as we did not want to wait much longer when it was our turn; space constraint didn't really matter when you have waited for so long or when you're hungry.

We ordered our food promptly and while waiting, we took some of the sushi off the sushi belt.
I forgot to take photos of most of the sushi we took off the belt.

The following are the rolls/salad we ordered:
Soft shell crab roll

California Temaki roll

Sashimi Salad

Our mains:
I can't remember the name of this; I think it was Chicken Katsudon or something like that, but it was meat based, definitely ;)

Ebi Yasai Tempura Udon

Salmon Shioyaki

I'd prefer Salmon Teriyaki :)

For dessert, we had this; I forgot to take note of the name but it was apparently one of their best and recommended dessert.

It's probably Tempura Ice?
It's crispy fried pastry on the outside with frozen ice cream inside (like crepe pancakes with ice cream)

Overall, I could see why this restaurant is always packed to the brim and people could queue up for their food.
Their food was good, and the prices were reasonable, and I think they are probably one of the better Japanese chain restaurants around.
Yeayy, one more to add to my list of Japanese food now;)

Custard Apple

2011-11-07T17:12:00.000-08:00

This may not be my first post on this unique fruit; but I simply cannot resist posting on it again as I enjoyed the taste of this fruit from our homegrown tree at home.
My parents enjoyed gardening; and I think it was passed down from my paternal grandmother who loved to grow vegetables, fruits and flowers.
However, the biggest limitation was the scarcity of land in the urban areas.

This custard apple tree outside my house had been there for a while now, and usually even the birds are interested in the fruit as soon as they are ripe.
If we are not watchful enough, the birds would enjoy the harvest after our hard work.

Mummy and Daddy would wrap the fruits when they are almost ripe; or just pluck it from the tree to avoid insects or birds' attacks! :p

As I stay away from home, I will only get to enjoy this fruit once in a while and thankfully, I am always the one who gets the privilege to enjoy the fruit whenever I am home ;)

I LOVE this locally grown fruit; it's probably one of the local fruits that I like!

The fruit is sweet and custard-like in taste; but beware of the endless number of seeds in this fruit!

It is the nature of the amount of seeds which turn most eager foodies away from this fruit, but I still enjoyed it so much.

Do you have this at home? :)

TGIF Restaurant, 1 Utama

2011-11-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

It's finally FRIDAY, YEAY, the day that everyone loved and looked forward to after a long week of work, and it is no wonder how everyone started flooding heaven with praises to God for this lovely day, LOL!:)

I have saved this post on this American chain restaurant, which cleverly named themselves TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) to commemorate this favorite day of the week.

We went there about a month ago, to celebrate my dearest Mummy's birthday (of course, we didn't make her stand on the table - one of TGIF's customs for birthday folks :p)

As TGIF is known for its large servings, we ordered a couple to share in order to enjoy the food and not let it go to waste ;)

For salad, we ordered the Almond Crusted Chicken Salad
Almond-crusted chicken served atop a medley of shredded romaine, dried fruit, toasted almonds and mandarin oranges with celery and Bleu Cheese crumbles. Toasted in our tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

Double-Stack Chicken Quesadillas
Chargrilled chicken, Colby and Jack cheeses and caramelized onions and peppers double stacked in flour tortillas. Served with herb rice, fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

Fish Tacos (one of the newest Mexican dish on the menu)

This was GOOD! :)

Good Ol' TGIF Fish and Chips
Three portions of fish filet battered and fried to golden brown. Served with crispy fries and tartar sauce.

What can I say, this is awesome! :)

The fish fillet were just crispy on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside, the way a good fish and chips should be!:)

We finished off with a round of the TGIF mini delights; with compliments from TGIF ;)

I am missing the food already! :)

Did these make you ready for the weekend straightaway? :p

Wishing everyone a great and fantabulous weekend!
TGIF Folks! :D

Icy sweet treats @ Penang Road

2011-11-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

The recent weather has gone all haywire; in the daytime it would be scorching hot and the temperature could go up to 29°C -34°C (~ 82°F - 90°F), no kidding, and then the skies would just transform into darkness by late afternoon and then it would start pouring, causing flash floods on the roads everywhere.

On days like these, you feel like locking yourself up in a highly air-conditioned place (and ironically I would just slab on the sweaters around me:p ) and not go out.
Then I would think of having something cold; iced water or desserts.

This is where the famous Penang Cendol and Ice Kacang comes to mind :)
For your information:
(Cendol is a type of dessert with wriggly/worm-like jelly made of rice flour and colored with pandan leaf coloring to make it green, then served with shaved ice and sweet palm syrup (Gula Melaka) and red beans)
(Ice Kacang is also an ice-shaved based dessert with red beans, cendol, grass jelly/Cincau, sweet corn, and jelly all served with either palm sugar syrup or root beer)

These are two popular desserts among the local Penangites, and it is no wonder, with this famous Teochew stall by the Penang Road roadside selling it.
The family who started this business made this dessert so popular that any tourist who came to Penang will not miss having a bowl of this Icy sweet treat.

The stall is actually located on a backlane area near Penang Road and right beside Joo Hooi Coffee Shop. It is really hard to miss it; with the cars all parking by the roadside and causing traffic jam sometimes :p

The Penang Road famous Teochew Cendol has been in business for a long long time; as far as I can remember and they have grown and expanded to having outlets in Klang Valley and even around Penang.

They now have a shop for their customers to enjoy their icy treat, and the shop is plastered with photos and newspapers articles, proudly displaying their history and press releases.

Alright, moving away from their story and focusing on the real highlight of this post!
The famous Teochew Cendol

I am a bigger fan of their Ice Kacang, as they serve multiple types of red beans; one of which is my favorite type ;)

I love the generous amount of ingredients they have in this bowl which cost less than RM2!

Yumz, I am dreaming of this as I stare at the burning rays of the over-active sun today!

Besides enjoying these sweet treats, you can also treat yourself to some of the Penang street food available at the neighboring coffee shop which is famous for their Char Koay Teow, which they serve with Banana Leaf

Char Koay Teow is flat rice noodles fried with bean sprouts, a little bit of chili paste to spice it up, and oysters and two big prawns (yes, usually BIG :)

The cendol stall also sells Penang Assam Laksa in their own shop

The Penang Assam Laksa is one of its kind; with rice noodles cooked in thick broth made with grind fish, pineapples, tamarind pulp, thick prawn/shrimp paste (popular in Penang) and mint leaves.

Warning: Some may not be able to take the strong scent of the shrimp paste, although some would find it fragrant :)

Indeed they say, Penang is truly a food paradise, as the island is just full of local delights to satisfy the appetites of everyone.
Have you visited Penang yet? ;)

A Wedding Lunch Treat @ Victoria Station, Penang

2011-11-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

Two months before my wedding month, a close friend of ours whom we invited could not make it and she called us to arrange for a lunch treat before our wedding.
We met up for lunch and headed to Victoria Station; a restaurant famous for their steaks and seafood in Penang (and also in KL).

This is not my first time visiting this restaurant, as this is one of my favorite venues for western dining as they serve a wide variety of seafood dishes.
The unique part about this restaurant is how they designed the whole restaurant to look like a train; with the cabins.

It is truly a very conducive and delightful place to enjoy food and catching up with friends and family.

(I forgot to take note of the dishes we ordered; therefore, just enjoy the pics and my description:)

We were served garlic toast as starters

The bread was lightly warm like it just came out of the oven (or toaster), which was to our liking :)

Next we had this smoked salmon sandwich as our appetizers

Toasts on the left, and slices of smoked salmon with salad as sides for us to make our own sandwiches.

I loved the fresh taste of the smoked salmon (but I have tasted even better smoked salmon!)

The toasts were light brown in color and were not too hard nor too soft; just nice and the way we liked it.

I can't remember the name of this; but I think it was the Catch of the Day? (RM26.90)

Salmon and fillet steak (RM35.90)

This is actually a very filling portion, by the way!

Seafood platter

This is filled with fried calamari, fish fillet (fish & chips style), prawns, scallops...truly a plateful of seafood delights, YUMZ!
It's good for sharing too ;)

I loved dining here, but I don't do that often; I don't want to get sick of my favorite food too, do I?;)
Thanks Sumi, for the lovely meal, and for the gift too ;)

My Wedding Reception Dinner - Food Tasting

2011-10-31T20:33:00.000-07:00

The first post after my wedding, is definitely related to my WEDDING, yeah, talk about self-obsession, LOL :D
Let me enjoy the sweet sweet period, at least for now;)

A month before my wedding, we arranged for our food tasting session at the restaurant in the hotel which will be serving our reception dinner on our wedding day.
Our hotel is one of the prestigious hotels in Penang, but I didn't choose it for that reason; I was just in love with the entire setting and ambience of the ballroom the moment I visited the place during my wedding planning.

As our reception will be held in the hotel ballroom, we were still fortunate that there is a Chinese restaurant within the hotel which will be serving the food.
Therefore, we were invited to the Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant for the food tasting session; there was an approximate of 8 pax on that day :)

We were served orange cordial juice and Chinese tea upon arrival.

The first dish was the appetizer; the Golden Phoenix Four Season

From far left: Crispy Vietnamese prawns with mango chili sauce, wok-fried dice chicken with lemongrass and dried chili, wok fried celery with top shell, and kerabu jellyfish with mint leaves.

This was the best; the Crispy Vietnamese Prawns with mango chili sauce as the taste was just delectable!

The outer coat was slightly deep-fried to a light golden brown color and the prawns were just succulent. There was a taste of freshness upon a first bite; accompanied by the sweet and sour taste of the mango chili sauce :)

We didn't like the celery with the top shell as there was a weird odor which came from the shells that the kind chef recommended these money bags as a replacement.

The money bags were deep fried wantons wrapped with seafood and chicken meat and was pretty tasty.
Thanks to the chef for making this for us to try too!~

The soup; Braised Shark's Fin Soup with crabmeat

I have a statement to make; I am not a fan of shark's fin nor do I advocate the practice of consuming braised shark fin's soup BUT this is a dish which is often found in most Chinese wedding dinners and is a favorite among the elder generation.
This is considered a luxurious dish in a wedding dinner, and they will typically judge the soup by the amount of shark's fin and the thickness of the broth which tells the amount of ingredients invested in the bowl of soup.
The amount of crabmeat in the soup was rather generous as well :)

For the Chicken dish, we opted for the Oven-baked chicken with abalone and mushroom sauce.

The chicken were baked to perfection; leaving the flesh rather tender and juicy and at the same time, the sauce complemented the chicken well.

I am a big fan of vegetables and fish, and honestly, I find it hard when it came to the next three dishes which were the vegetables, fish and prawns.

For the vegetables, we opted for the Taiwanese Cabbage with Pacific Clams and Bai Ling Mushrooms.

I was skeptical about this vegetable initially; but it turned out to be so good and it went really well with the clams and mushrooms, YUMZ! :D

Look at how fresh and juicy the clams are and also, how big the mushrooms? :D

The Fifth Dish: Prawns
Our choice: Wok-fried Tiger Prawns Gong Bao Sichuan Style

These are real big and succulent TIGER prawns; our favorite!
The amount was generous and the sauce used just complemented the juicy prawns very well! This wins our votes as one of the best dish ;)

The 6th dish: FISH (yeah, my FAVORITE!)
Steamed Snapper Fish Pak Thai Sauce

We opted for this as this is a rather unique style for the fish compared to most of the way the fish is prepared for Chinese wedding dinners.
I enjoyed this sweet and sour and slightly spicy taste of the fish; which by the way, was really fresh:)

For the rice and noodles, we opted for the Braised Ee Fu Noodles with Mixed seafood

There was a generous amount of seafood with the noodles, and it was hit with everyone. Needless to say, this dish is also staying on our wedding menu!;)
(well, since the wedding was in the past, it definitely stayed and WAS in the menu that night ;)

The finale was graced by the sweet and chilled Honeydew with Longan and sago with ice-cream!

We were filled and stuffed to the brim at the end of the session; but we enjoyed ourselves to the max.

Just to fill some of you in on the wedding tradition; especially in the Chinese culture (Asian).
Typically a Chinese wedding reception is held after the marriage ceremony (this is similar to most wedding cultures around the world), and there is usually a course of eight to even 12 dishes to be served which includes all the luxurious dishes or food which are considered festive to mark the joyous celebration of uniting two people.
The reason for the many dishes in a Chinese wedding dinner reception is also mainly due to the Chinese viewing food with utmost importance, they take pride in serving only the best delicacies.

Well, serving delicacies does not mean that you need to be rich or to have a grand venue; but rather the sincerity from the hearts of the bride and groom and the hosting families, and all that they would love to treat their guests who came all the way.

We took our time and effort to select the dishes, and to think of the different ages and backgrounds of our guests who came all the way.
We hope they have enjoyed the food, and we are pleased to be able to host them :)

Hope you enjoyed the food photos too :)

Welcome Pickyeater back to Blogworld!

2011-10-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

My wedding is in the past now; and yes, to some of the bloggers who are probably frustrated my MIA status for the past quarter, now you know.
I was BUSY with my wedding planning for almost one year now, and the last quarter was just crazy!
I had no time to even take photos of my food; it was all about my wedding, wedding and yes, MY Wedding, LOL!

I am not a bridezilla, I assure you, but I was trying to do ALMOST everything myself; from the invitations to the decor, and well, everything that I could except the dress, the cake and the food! LOL, coz I am no cook nor a seamstress so that's the only thing you see me keeping away from and leaving them to the professionals.

I am going to update my wedding blog soon too; Yeah, I just have way toooo many blogs and I am still planning to start a wedding planning blog soon! Crazy, but I enjoy it, really!
I do want to help other brides-to-be too, and I am excited to share my experiences ;)

Alright, back to my FOOD blog...I still loads of photos of food and stories to share...yeah, I do need to eat too, during the period of planning my wedding, don't I?

So, now as a new MRS Pickyeater, I am going to post on more interesting food pics and stories :)

Stay tune, the next post is coming up NOW :)

Flower-shaped Kuih Rempah

2011-08-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

My Mum was excited to discover this particular local kuih (light snacks/cakes) at the market and she was taken by how unique it looked.
It certainly captured one's attention when placed among other cakes in the stall.

She could not stop raving about this and how hard it was for her to find it every time she had a craving.

The kuih/cake was made of glutinous rice flour, which was really sticky and thick in texture and steamed before placing it atop banana leaf (I think)

The content?
It was actually the same type of ingredients as the local Kuih Rempah Udang, which contains grated and fried chili paste with dried shrimps.

Slightly spicy and tasty, it is bound to make you reach for one more!
Does anyone know about this or how to make it and where to get this in Klang Valley or Penang?

The Reason I was away...

2011-08-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!
It's been a while since I was away, and I am sorry that I haven't been able to get to updating my blog lately although I was 'supposedly' back in action during the last post.
Anyway, it was an unexpected family call as a loved one; my aging grandmother was admitted to the hospital and her condition turned critical.
It was a very testing and trying time for the whole family as we made our daily trips to the hospital and praying for her recovery.

It was a humbling sight to see the number of sick and frail people in the hospital, praying for their own recovery. I was lost in my own thoughts; to pray for my own grandmother and also for everyone who is not well and yet humbled by the thought that no matter how rich or powerful you are, no one can truly guarantee that their wealth and power included health.

My grandmother had been battling with her own sickness and hospital admissions for close to three years already, and the past two weeks to a month, for us, were spent in the hospital; from early mornings to late nights (in shifts).
I will be posting on the full story in my personal blog
(feel free to read if you are interested to know more about it)

I will be posting on food soon, as I am back, and I thank everyone who was patiently waiting for updates on this blog.

Love,
Christy aka Pickyeater

Back with Goldfish prawn dumplings

2011-07-11T03:59:00.000-07:00

I am finally back, though not fully as I am still occupied with some moving and stuffs like that; but I am gonna try to resume my blogging mode as soon as possible to normal:)

It's been a really busy week, and I am sorry that I really was unable to update though I thought I could squeeze in some posts in-between:(

Anyway, I am finally back today, and I have some cute stuffs to share:)

The post title probably triggered that curiosity in you; and some may have already screamed, "WHAT, call the SPCA on this, goldfish are now made into dumplings?"

Well, hold that thought, because no goldfish were harmed in this cute little dim sum introduced in my local dim sum joint in Penang, as you will see in the following.

(This is not a post on the restaurant, but rather on the interesting and good dim sum I tried and liked. Anyway, I have posted a lot of times on Loong Kee restaurant in Penang, and there will be more full-length posts on them soon too:)

The restaurant, Loong Kee is an old-fashioned coffee shop style of dim sum restaurant located in the central of Penang town and is one of my local dim sum haunts.
I have tried most of their dim sum and you can find that I have posted on their dim sum more than once if you click on the dim sum category found on the right side of this blog.

They came up with a new creation of prawn dumpling last two weekends (they only serve varieties of prawn and seafood dim sum on weekends and public holidays).

Introducing to you, the Goldfish Prawn Dumpling! (RM3.50)

The prawn dumplings were made into goldfish-like shapes and definitely not using goldfish as an ingredient itself!

See how they shaped the crystal-like outer wrapper into the goldfish shape?

They even added wolfberries for that goldfish popping eyes effect!:)

Cute? They tasted good too!:)

If you are not into the deco for dim sum, they serve the normal prawn dumplings or you can opt for something like this too; with the 'Siew Mai' wrap.
They call this 'Har Mai' (prawn dumpling in Siew Mai style)

Besides prawns, I love the simple red chili stuffed with fish paste with the fermented soy bean sauce in the local Yong Tau Foo style:)

I love dim sum, and I could have them for breakfast everyday if I could!:)

Busy week - Sporadic updates!

2011-07-03T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hi guys and gals,
I will be quite busy and away at the same time this week, and I promise I will try to keep my blog 'alive' as much as possible:)
Updates won't be as regular or daily as usual, but like I said, I will TRY, really:)
I love my blog and hearing/talking to ALL of you virtually, and reading all the comments make my day:)

There will be sporadic updates, but there WILL BE updates, so, don't desert my blog...I know I'm going to miss everyone!!:D

Stay tune, to my blog and status updates on my Facebook page and also my Twitter (@Angelstar)

Blogging will resume in about a week (approximately; could be sooner :)

Thanks for all your lovely comments, and I will be back in touch...SOOOOOON!:)

Tasty Jiang Su Biscuits

2011-07-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

I have seen this on Hong Kong TV dramas/movies since I was a kid; this is a type of biscuit which is packed for Imperial scholars/travellers as they embark on their journey/travel to the city for the Imperial examinations or just from one place to one place.
This has come to be known to me as a low cost/cost-saving food, as they are publicized as such, where the poorer scholars are often spotted in the movies/dramas with it.

I even gave it the name "Travel Biscuit", yeah, that's what I refer to it, and they are often depicted as hard and filled with flour.
In Cantonese, they are known as "Kong Sou Peng"

So, you can imagine my surprise at my Mummy's excitement when she told me that she bought a packet of Jiang Su Biscuits (name in Mandarin) when I got home.

Alright, gone are the days when they are considered cheap biscuits, as for a packet of 4 pieces, I think they cost about RM3.50 (maybe it's cheap in the US, but it's considered expensive to the Asians for biscuits like these which only cost a few cents each. Then again, flour, sugar and egg prices have gone up considerably too...so, fair enough:)

They are made of battered flour, with eggs and sugar; such simple ingredients, but they tasted great to me (I've always loved simple pastries like these:)

Big and round, it's supposed to be a filling type of food. After all, it was created and meant for travelling scholars.
(I remembered it looking a lot bigger in movies, maybe this is the commercial version)

It's not as hard as I thought either, or as depicted in the movies. In fact, it reminded me of light egg cakes.

Mummy cut this up into pieces so we could share, and guess what, we couldn't get enough of it! (yup, ALL of us loved it!:)

My verdict? I want more of Jiang Su biscuits!! :)

Have another fabulous weekend, and I am gonna scout for Jiang Su..hehehe, but I am too busy this weekend...and the next week too!

Sneak peek into my dinner tonight

2011-06-30T03:36:00.000-07:00

I am having homecooked meal tonight; and NO, I am NOT the cook (how many times do I have to mention that I don't cook?)

I have the fortune to be treated to a homecooked meal; and yeah, don't be jealous:)

Stir fried broccoli and mixed vegetables

My favorite vegetable; and if it is with cauliflowers, awww, that's the most heavenly combination:)

FISH in the spicy and sour tamarind soup (Asam in Malay)

This is appetizing, trust me:)

I won't have photos of dinner tonight, as my camera batteries are in charging mode at the moment, but I know this is what I am going to have tonight:)
Yeah, I am psychic;)

A homey Chinese meal

2011-06-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

Alright, I have to confess that I did not take notice of the restaurant's name when I was there or when I left the place and I only realized it when I was editing my photos.
I would love to recommend the place, although it was not an easy to find as it is tucked away behind rows of shophouses in a housing estate between Sg Long and Mahkota Cheras.

(Usually they have the name of the restaurant above the fridge, but somehow, no such luck here too)

We ordered a few dishes to go with white rice (usual Chinese style dinner), and the soup was on the house.

Soup of the day: Soup with Lotus roots, nuts and lean pork meat

Stir-fried mixed vegetables Loh Hon style (translated as the monk's style) -RM8
In Chinese, this is known as 'Loh Hon Chye'

Stir fried potato leaves -RM7

Fried mantis prawns kungpow style (with dried chilies and onions)-RM10

Steamed red tilapia fish with assam (tamarind) sauce -RM20

The sourish taste and the okra just made this all the more appetizing!!

Food was not bad, in general, and the prices were quite reasonable, except for the fish which I find slightly on the higher side for this species.
I am really sorry for not being able to provide the name of the restaurant, but I will be going back, hopefully soon?:)

Father's Day Lunch @ Jack's Place, 1U

2011-06-28T01:05:00.000-07:00

A belated post on my Father's Day celebration, which we only did over the weeekend :)
It didn't really matter to my Daddy, as we loved him every day of the year anyway, and the best part about celebrations is the family gathering; besides the food, of course.

Mum and Dad loved this place; Jack's Place since we came here to try their awesome and value-worthy set lunches more than five years ago, and this is always the place on their minds whenever we mentioned lunch at 1 Utama.

We were a little late when we reached the restaurant, with the traffic and the quest to find a parking space (it is always hard to find a parking space in shopping malls in KL on weekends!)
Set Lunches are served from 11am - 2.30pm, and choices were limited when we arrived.

All of us ordered set lunches from the menu; yeah, the choices were still quite okay. They used to only offer two sets for the set lunches, and nowadays, they have like, almost 6 types of sets for you to choose from.

Garlic bread for starters

Soup of the day; Pumpkin Soup

I don't like pumpkin, but everyone else sure does!:)
According to Mummy, the soup was a thick and rich creamy concoction and tasted of pumpkin with every sip.

Another way to have the pumpkin soup or the garlic bread; dip it into the soup

I heard the raves from the family about how this tasted, though I didn't try it myself:p

The set lunches:
Set 1: Roasted Boneless Chicken Thigh

The chicken meat was seasoned beforehand and was tender with the taste of the slightly spicy seasoning sauce.

Served with green peas and boiled carrots, the dish filled one up with the generous portion.

They have run out of the grilled fish, but I ordered the baked salmon instead.

It has seriously been a long time since I have had salmon, and I have to tell you that I missed them!
The salmon fillet was a generous thick portion and was juicy and succulent in taste!

I didn't like the taste of the creamy sauce though; kinda reminded me of something I don't want to think or talk about :p

Chicken spaghetti

Generous portion of chicken thigh meat served with thick spaghetti and cream sauce.

Dessert comes with the set too; Mango pudding

So does coffee or tea

Each set starts from RM15 (~USD$5) - RM24 (USD$8) per pax.
It is indeed a very nice place to dine in; with the environment and the food and it is no wonder we are always back:)

Fresh Mango Cake

2011-06-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

I am quite surprised with the overwhelming response whenever I post on vegetarian food, because like Charles, I thought most folks actually preferred meaty stuffs or seafood. (maybe that's why my blog is not that popular, since I prefer seafood and vegetables:)
Anyway, the responses made me feel more motivated to post more on my favorite vegetarian meals! I will...soon, surprise you guys again, and thanks for your comments, I've always loved reading them:)

Now, back to the title, this is from a birthday celebration (not mine, again), but the grandpa this time (not my grandpa either).
Remember the previous chocolate cake for the grandma's birthday with the cute birthday cards?
Well, this time, it's the grandpa...and the kids are back with their cards again!

The fresh mango cake was bought from the same nearby bakery; and no, I did NOT bake it, I went along to buy the cake for the occasion and that's ALL I did, oh, and sing and take photos :p
(I do not bake, I am not even a cook...LOL:)

The cake was recommended as we did not want anything sweet for the grandpa, and the baker recommended this Fresh Mango with sponge flan cake.

I kinda like the bright and cheerful yellow color of the cake; sans the cream :P
(Yellow's one of my favorite color too!)

The kids are back with their birthday cards too!

Look, this time, they got the spelling for Grandpa right, smart kids:)

They even built a cake model with their Lego bricks for dear old grandpa! How sweet!

Hmmmm, seems like Grandpa gets more privileges than grandma yeah?

Now, I mentioned Fresh Mango Cake for a reason.
Usually when you buy or hear about mango cakes, you imagine bite-sized chunks, slices of mangoes or maybe just plain flavoring essence with the cake, right?

This one surprised us all with the huge slices of real mangoes in between the layers of the cake, and they were fresh mangoes too!

That, was just a sneak peek...

Here's the real thing, look at the SLICES of MANGOES

How about that? :)

TGIF Folks, and have a smashin' weekend!! :D

Delicious vegetarian with rice @ Sweet Root Vegetarian Restaurant

2011-06-23T02:16:00.000-07:00

This is probably my third or fourth visit to this restaurant which has won the hearts of my family members, with their variety, good tasting food and reasonable prices.

Instead of the usual dishes we order to share, we tried their ala carte individual rice sets, priced at RM5-9 per set and they were good, yeah, I liked it :)

I am a vegetarian food lover, really, something that I can't live without having it once in a while:)
(I am sure you noticed it from the number of vegetarian posts that pop up once in a while, or sometimes quite frequently too!)

(I heard the vegetarian lovers/bloggers/readers saying, "Ah, finally, a vegetarian post again....too much seafood stuffs! :p )

Assam Fish with rice

Assam is a type of sourish and spicy soup made with tamarind juice and seriously, my favorite with fish or almost anything:)
I love the okra and long beans, perfect company!
The vegetarian mock fish is made of soy sheets and seaweed.

Sweet and sour vegetarian pork ribs

Awesome taste with the rich sauce, with light touch of cornstarch and the pineapples, my favorites!:)

Closer shot of the mock pork ribs; made of gluten wheat flour

Really great taste, trust me!;)

Mummy saw someone having the vegetarian claypot chicken rice, and she just simply had to have one!

For the first time, Mummy ordered the most expensive set amongst us (she's always a saver, and we loved her for that:)

It tasted good, no disappointment, and although it was higher in price compared to our normal rice sets, it was because of the portion it came in.

Mock chicken meat made with soy and gluten wheat flour.

Braised vegetarian fish with fermented bean curd sauce and mixed vegetables

Something lighter and non-spicy, compared to most of the dishes above, but still a good one.

Bittergourd with chicken rice

Of all, I didn't really taste this as I am not a fan of bittergourd, seriously!
It looked good (ignoring the bittergourd), and I am sure it tasted good too (ignoring the bittergourd again) :p

Maybe someday, I will learn to try the bittergourd...or, maybe that can wait...yeah, someday :p

I like the food and the environment here, and the reasonable pricing and my love for vegetarian food will definitely see me returning for more!~

Dim Sum for Dinner

2011-06-22T01:52:00.000-07:00

While most people would associate dim sum with breakfast, I am fortunate enough to be able to enjoy dim sum in the evening for dinner too.
I have known this old time coffee shop located along Cintra Street; Tai Thong (not to be confused with the Tai Thong group) which is a popular spot among locals and tourists for dim sum and noodles.

It is always crowded; especially the later in the evening it gets.

It is not my first time here, and I have posted on this more than three times (check my posts under the tag dim sum)

I come here fairly often, especially when I crave for dim sum (I am fan of dim sum:)
My favorites here?
Squid balls on japanese tofu with light egg white batter

Steamed squid ball dumplings

The wrap is probably made of some green vegetables; and I am not sure whether they are organic or not or are they just pure coloring.
I am not a food expert here :)

This time I did not order their fishballs or prawn dumplings, but they were pretty good too.

Sometimes we would order their stir-fried fish fillets served with onions, ginger and spring onions.

The fish fillets are fried beforehand.

I love fish fillets; they are easier as you don't have to worry about the fish bones!

Occasionally we would order their egg tarts.

The good old-fashioned egg tarts with rich egg custard filling and flaky crusts.

I love chrysanthemum tea, although I could not drink much to avoid any disruption to my sleep at night.

(Chinese tea contains caffeine too, and I am highly reactive to caffeine where I can lose sleep over it)
So, sometimes I would prefer to order chrysanthemum drink without the tea in it:)

I like the idea of having dim sum for dinner, where I can choose food from breakfast to have for my dinner.
Do you have anywhere in your place which serves dim sum throughout the day too?

Stir-fried silver needle noodles from home

2011-06-21T03:41:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't think their Mum's cooking is the best?
The amazing part is that it always seemed to have improved by a hundred fold once you have been away from home...or was it just me?

Mum whipped up a simple dish of stir-fried noodles; using the unique Silver Needle Noodles, or also known as short rice noodles.
In Chinese, it is fondly known as the Lo Shu Fun (Cantonese) or Lao Shu Fen(Mandarin) -銀針粉.

For those of you who know Chinese, you know what the name directly translates to, but for those who do not, let me translate it for you.
The name, in direct translation from Chinese, means 'Rat Tail Noodles'.

Quirky eh?
Before you puke your guts out, don't you worry because it has nothing to do with the rat tail being made as a food as it is only due to the appearance of the noodles which resemble a rat's tail.

Do you think so?

These noodles are made from ground rice flour, and sometimes, as according to Wikipedia, cornstarch may be added to strengthen the texture of the noodles so that it does not break easily when it is fried or cooked.

I am not huge on these noodles, which resemble somewhat of a tail or even a needle; a really fat one, in my opinion.
Mum only cooks them occasionally, just for fun, although Dad loves them and she stir-fries the noodles with eggs, onions, and usually accompanied with lots of fish cakes, for my benefit:)
The noodles were also seasoned with light soy sauce to give it its flavor.

Besides noodles, I get a special treat of fish and this time, it is the steamed black pomfret with homemade fermented bean sauce.

Top it with plenty of spring onions, ginger, and onions for garnishing with perfect timing for the steaming process, and this keeps me happy throughout the meal!:)

A meal is never complete without vegetables and every Mummy knows that; and one of my favorites:
Stir-fried cabbage with carrots

Crunchy, sweet and juicy, this is the best and I prefer the lightest possibly way of stir-frying to maintain the crunchiness in the vegetables, the way I like with most of my vegetables!:)

A wholesome family meal; with a unique introduction of the silver needle noodles (no idea where the notion of silver came from, maybe the color? It's white though)
Do you like the sight of the noodles? (That's a trick question :p )
Would you give it a try, if you do not know the name..or even if you do know?:)

Taiwanese spread at Kochabi Taiwanese Delights

2011-06-20T00:59:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for the lack of updates for the past week - it seemed like I was out and it was wrong of me to just take off without leaving a message here.
I was sorting some stuffs out, and was just stuffed with tonnes of things on my mind that I was rather exhausted, hence I was not really into the blogging mode.
My blog is not dead, no worries, and I thank you for patiently waiting for me and following this blog even when I was away :)
For the next few months, there may be sporadic patterns of updates as I am surrounded by miscellanous details in planning for one of the biggest/most important day in my life :D
(that's in another blog)

Anyway, back to my food blogging, I realized that I seemed to have this thing for Taiwanese food; which may seem funny as I do not have anything for beef which the Taiwanese seem to love.
Well, I blame it on the lovely environment, their yummylicious not to mention colorful drinks and beverages, and their lovely finger bites of food.

If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know that this is not the first post on this restaurant in Penang which happens to be my favorite haunt for Taiwanese food.

You can read my previous post here

Kochabi Taiwanese Delights, located on Burmah Road, has been one of my favorite place for Taiwanese food since I first discovered it, about five years ago.

It's not hard to see why I love this restaurant; the serene and tranquil ambience which surrounds the guests when one walks in and the enchanting interior inspired by the oriental culture just makes one feel comfortable like they are at home.
I believe most of the furnishing here is also influenced by the concepts of Feng Shui, which is no wonder why the restaurant is just so popular and crowded during peak hours.

There are just so many reasons I like to dine here, besides the interior and ambience and I can just name all of them off my head!
For a start, they have wide variety of drinks and happen to serve this Honey Lemon which tastes better than anywhere else.

You can opt for additional pearls (those little black chewy sago pearls) or just plain honey lemon juice at RM5.90.

They used to have another of my favorite; Ice Blended Kiwi but they took it off the menu and I still wonder why.

They are creative with their beverages, and they even have something like this; Ice Blended Peanut juice.

(Bizarre, and I wonder who else drinks this - no offense to peanut/nutty fans, no pun intended :)

They offer wide selections of noodles, rice, congee, steamboat which you can order ala carte or even in value sets.
Pork Ribs with Noodles Set

The set comes with a slice of fruit (usually watermelon)

Vegetables of the day

Dessert (could be cake, or jelly - depending on what they have for that day)

and a drink of your choice from the menu.

The noodles are handmade, and thick but tangy in taste too.

Crispy and seasoned deep fried pork ribs

Seems like the Taiwanese like to serve their noodles and ingredients separately instead of mixing them all up in the bowl as Malaysians do.

Additional side orders would include my favorite salmon rolls (RM10.90)

The seaweed wrap was just light and crispy, but lends that texture to the fresh salmon chunks and crunchy cucumber.

Oh, and one more reason is probably their plates which they seem to change seasonally; just like their menu.

They like to stay updated, and innovative on the run too:)

They have recently launched a new outlet in the Times Square of Penang, and it was high time too as they have been around for more than five years here on the island, and it is time to expand the business.

(Note: This is not a sponsored post, and the review is based on my personal tastes and may differ from others )

Pasta and Pizza @ Pizza Hut

2011-06-15T00:11:00.000-07:00

How long has it been since you have had a meal at a fast food outlet? I mean, like really sit down, order, stare at your plate, and eat while your orders come one by one and you glancing at the waiter checking off each dish off the list?

It has been so long for me, that I can't even remember when; and the fast food I am referring to are chains like McDonald's, KFC, A&W, and Pizza Hut which seem to appear all around the world.
I remember ordering them as take-aways (oh wait, our secretary did the ordering, we just eat), and Oh, maybe the last time I was at a fast food was with my colleagues at McDonald's last December...oh, never mind.

Recently, we had vouchers for KFC/Pizza Hut (in case you didn't know, they belong to the same parent company) from our recognition awards at work, full moon (baby shower) reciprocal/thank you gifts, etc and we get to spend them on fast food, YEAY! (one more step to health suicide)

After doing take-aways a couple of times, we decided to have some fun dining and catching up at the fast food restaurant, Pizza Hut with the family.
It's good, to feel the difference between the take-away and dine-in; besides the environment, that is.

Menu for the dine-in and take-away is different; that's obvious :)

For starters, any meal set you order comes with soup and you don't get it when you do take-away.

Seafood Marinara with spaghetti (RM10.90 - ordered as an add-on to our set meal. Normal ala carte price is RM11.90)

The Napolitana sauce, teamed with parsley, tomatoes, onions and olives made it great company for the spaghetti (recommended paste for this), and throw in a couple of shrimps and big juicy squid strips, and this is a winner.

The shrimps came in the deep fried versions too, served at the side.

For some reason, the garlic bread which was supposed to come as the starters, came after the spaghetti was served.

Nothing much, the garlic bread at Pizza Hut used to be one of the earlier ones and was raved about back then until they are found everywhere in the bakeries.
It had not changed much, though I remember the sizes being slightly larger than these.

Our pizzas are here; regular pan pizza.
Thai Seafood

This was spicy tuna, crabsticks, squids, onions, mixed herbs, fresh coriander and spicy Thai sauce all together in one.
Sadly though, I think there was not much of spicy tuna to be found, although the squids made up for it.

I remember that there were lot more stuffs on the pizza when we ordered the take-away. I do like the spicy and unique taste of this pizza, and it had a really fragrant aroma about it too, just more ingredients would make it better.

Chicken Supreme

The helpful waiter recommended this for more chicken; as it came with chicken meat, chicken pastrami, chicken sausages, capsicums, onions, and button mushroom compared to the other chicken pizza.
(Maybe I ordered the wrong seafood pizza, should've asked for his opinion!:p )

Total bill was about RM60++ inclusive of service and government taxes, and no, we didn't use the vouchers as those were for KFC. (maybe a KFC dine-in, I'm not too sure)

I am not big on pizzas, but really, I think no one in my clique (same year of birth) has ever gotten away with no memories of Pizza Hut during our childhood?:)

Fish: Fried and Poached @ Ikea Food

2011-06-12T22:23:00.000-07:00

Ikea is no stranger to anyone around the world; with their simple and space-saving concepts of furnishing, they have definitely taken the world by storm.
The place is always buzzing with people; busy shoppers and eager families on the lookout for some new items to revamp their houses.

It seems to me that the furnitures are not the only one getting all the attention; as the fragrant aroma of food and coffee from their in-house cafe just lures the shoppers towards the food area.

It is a plus that there are just so many varieties of food available; from chicken to pasta, fish and meatballs (signature dish that everyone comes for sometimes).
Prices are reasonable too, making it affordable for every family :)

Poached Salmon with butter sauce and boiled vegetables (RM15.90)

The salmon was herb crusted and I love the accompanying vegetables of the day; French beans which are just so crunchy and juicy.

Fish & Chips (RM10.90)

Deep fried with a golden batter and crispy skin, and yet smooth and soft dory fillet inside is a lovely picture, don't you think?
Served with chips, tartar sauce and if you'd like, tomato/chili sauce to go with that crispy layer.

The whole meal costs less than RM30 for two pax, and as lovely and tempting as their desserts are, I just don't have room for more as these portions are more than filling!~:)

Have you had lunch at Ikea before? :)

Famous Malay Fish Head Curry@ Restoran Pen Mutiara

2011-06-09T00:20:00.000-07:00

This is probably a Malay restaurant that needs no introduction to, especially those who work in the free trade zone area of Penang, or is a big fan of curry fish head or all of the above.

Okay, maybe that's not so true, because I found out about this place from my boss who is a frequent visitor to this place and based on the number of friends/colleagues/subordinates he had recommended to dine here, I think they should consider giving him the VIP membership.

This place is located at the Southbay; which is all towards Batu Maung, and it all started from a shabby little stall under a tree.
Today, this little stall is a decently big restaurant, with full air-conditioning, a grand piano and ready to cater for weddings!

That was exactly what I walked into when I was there for lunch last weekend; a Malay wedding to commence in an hour.
We were led into the rear section of the restaurant as shown in the above photo and it seemed that the crowd was not that buzzing on a weekend.

It has been a while since I have had Malay food, but I am a fan of Malay food and being a Malaysian blessed me with the opportunity, not to mention the variety to enjoy a myriad of cuisines from different cultures!
That's why Malaysian is constantly cited as a food paradise :)

Ayam Masak Paprik (Stir-fried chicken in Paprik Style) -RM9.00

Paprik style is a sweet, sour with a tinge of spicy taste and it is quite appetizing, really. The gravy of this is made of sauteed chili paste.
It is quite a popular style of dish with the Malay food, although the origin is Thai (word Paprik).

Sotong Asam Kunyit (Stir-fried squids with Asam Kunyit) - RM9.00

The popular squid dish was the deep fried squids, but I was more intrigued with this; the Asam Kunyit which is a slightly sour taste due to the tamarind (asam).
Tumeric (Kunyit) was used too; which lend the dish its yellow color.
It was not a bad choice, I'd say! A quite unique taste and they were generous with the squids:)

Stir-fried Kailan (Kale) with salted fish - RM8.00

I am not a fan of salted fish, I tell you, but the Malay style of Kailan always recommend the company of salted fish. It was not too bad, which surprised myself:)

Now, on to the star of the meal, and the main purpose one comes to this place for lunch/dinner.

Kari Kepala Ikan (Fish Head Curry) -RM39.00 (3 pax)
*You may be surprised by the size of the claypot they use to serve the fish head, and probably thought you are in for a throat-cutting experience, but be assured that every order gets served that same claypot*

The whiff of the aromatic fish head curry, and you will forget about the size of the claypot.

Spicy aroma, steaming hot and flavorful just makes one tempted to try the taste of the curry immediately, even if you are not a curry fan (like me:p )

The curry is dense in its taste, but I found it slightly lacking in the thickness compared to my previous times. I don't think they slacked, maybe it was due to the busy wedding preparations:) (I am sure they do well all the time :)

With okra, and fish, I am not complaining, besides, this is one smokin' HOT curry :)

What could be better to cool down that chili heat (not to mention spicy taste) than a good glass of sour plum with lime juice (Limau Asam Boi), which, by the way, is one of their favorite drinks too:)

You could order by glass, or if you have more than two people, I'd say go for a jug!(RM10.00 - even if it's a little pricey)

The sour plum with lime juice just have everything you need in a glass, bursting flavor, coolness and refreshing in a gulp, and with curry, you'd definitely need a glass of this!

It would cost about RM20 per pax (minimum) to dine at this place, but that is just a rough estimate as it really depends on what you order from the menu.

It's not THAT hard to find this place too; if you're coming from the coastal highway leading towards Southbay (Batu Maung).
Take a left when you reach the end of the highway at the traffic light intersection and you should see the place (Take left at the fork)

Oh, in case you cannot finish your dishes, you can ask for the waiter's help to pack it for you to bring it home; they will be delighted to do so for you :)

Pineapple Muffin, anyone?

2011-06-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

I have heard of blueberry, raspberry, apple, apricot, raisin, banana and even orange poppy seed muffins for a whole load of fruity-themed muffins, but honestly, this is the first time I have heard of a pineapple muffin.
Have you? (just to confirm I am not totally muff-ed out)

When I saw this in a bakery just the other day, I was torn between the kiwi, blueberry and this, and though I narrowed it down to the match between the kiwi and this, I eventually picked this, as I have tried a kiwi muffin before and this sounded really interesting.

It had a really strong buttery smell that I really do not like about muffins, and I was skeptical that I am going to enjoy this (lactose intolerant).

I took a small bite, but truly, that bite made a difference as it had a really soft texture and the best part is, the light and lovely scent of pineapple which did not seem to exist when I held the muffin, oozed its way into my taste buds when I took that bite.
I tell you, I can even taste small chunks of pineapple bits in the muffin!
It was quite surprising and the aroma of pineapple was not even overwhelming.

Too bad I don't have the recipe to share with you guys, but I am sure the enthusiastic and lovely cooking talents out there could try this out?:)

Main setback for this muffin, to me, was the strong buttery smell, oily, and also, almond chips (sorry, almond fans!)

Oh, in case anyone is interested and you're in Malaysia, you may get this at the famous Continental Bakery in Penang. (RM5.00 for 3 pcs)

If you are not in this region, I am sorry, but your oven could be a help, right? :p (hope it gave you a new idea with your muffin baking!;)

Happy Dumpling Festival!

2011-06-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Following the article on the festival in my Starry Starry Blog, I would like to wish the Chinese readers a Happy celebration with yet another Chinese festival which celebrates with food! (which festival doesn't anyway?)

I would have loved to post more photos on the glutinous rice dumplings, but I simply could not find my photos on the dumplings and my best/closest shot that I could find on a rice dumpling is this:

Pathetic, but I tried searching for the photos, and to no avail.

Anyway, the rice dumpling is a traditional food consumed during the festival above, and it was made popular by the festival anyway, which commemorates the loyalty of a government official and poet, Qu Yuan who committed suicide by jumping into the river after his advice was unheeded by the king, which resulted in the kingdom being usurped by the Qin states after his king formed an alliance with them.

The people loved and respected him for his loyalty and in their bid of honoring him, they made rice dumplings to throw into the river. (read more here)

These rice dumplings evolved into properly wrapped dumplings filled with a mouthful of ingredients, ranging from meat, chicken, nuts, sweet bean paste, dried seafood, and even come in assorted varieties.

The main ingredient of the rice dumpling is the, of course, the rice; which is a sticky glutinous rice cooked by stir-frying along with the ingredients.
The combination would then be wrapped in bamboo leaves in a triangular or tetrahedral shape and tied before it was steamed for a few hours.

It requires great skills to wrap and tie these babies, and years of experience, as I was told by my aunt and uncle who were in the business.

The traditional zong/zhang (as pronounced in Hokkien) is filled with chunks of red pork and fats, chestnuts, salted egg yolk, dried scallops, dried shrimps and black mushrooms as shown in the first picture (you'd probably have to squint to look at it:) (I am sorry about that)

The photos were taken from this famous stall in Penang, located along Burmah Road, or in exact, Tavoy Road.

It is not hard to find a Bak Chang (meat rice dumplings), as it is known in Hokkien to most of the locals in Penang and the stall featured above, is the most famous in Penang; A1 Ba Chang stall.

It is also no coincidence that this stall is run by my aunt and uncle :)

After the busy weeks leading to the festival, they are currently taking their well-deserved break and hopefully when they are back, I could get an exclusive interview with behind-the-scenes and real photos of Zhang/Zong with the special privileged status that I have ;)

*It is not a sponsored post, and I was not stuffed with dumplings to write this post*

Hope you enjoyed the festival! :)

Coconut sago with Gula Melaka layered kuih

2011-06-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

I am not sure how many have heard of sago; which is a type of starch produced from by sago palm, and the starch is extracted from the pith of the palm.
It is probably rare in other countries, but in the largest state, Sarawak, on the east coast of Malaysia, this is one of the main produce for export.

I love sago, and it is so versatile too that it can be used for so many different types of dishes; but mostly dessert.
I am not a cook per se, but I did use the slow cooker to cook sago once as taught by my mummy.

Oh, in case you are wondering, this is NOT made by me.
We found this in one of the stalls outside the typical coffee shops and it was priced at 60 cents per piece.
(A piece of Kuih used to cost only 30 cents!)
Kuih (pronounced as Koay) is a Malay word referring to little sweet cakes meant for snacks/desserts like this one. (Hopefully I can run through a list of Malaysian kuih someday:)

You can see the glistening and round little sago 'beads' forming the kuih, and the brown colored layer is made with Gula Melaka; a type of palm sugar which is thick and sweet.
Oh, when you take a bite into the kuih, you can taste grated coconut in slices amidst the flavorful and sweet temptation.

It is not easy to find this kuih everywhere on the streets of Malaysia, but if you do spot a stall selling cute little snacks in yellow/blue or metal boxes covered with plastic sheets, do ask them for it :)

A sweet treat to leave you for the weekend; we are enjoying a long weekend in conjunction with His Royal Highness's birthday; Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (title in Malay for the ruler of the country) which falls on Saturday (tomorrow).
We are getting Monday as a replacement holiday too; for some/most of the companies :)

Have a lovely weekend...I will be back, if not on Monday, then Tuesday it will be :p

Mother's Day/Birthday Special: Moist Chocolate Banana Cake

2011-06-02T02:33:00.000-07:00

Not my mother's birthday though, but it was altogether still a lovely celebration I was invited to join in whereby the mother was truly surprised by a simple birthday cake all of a sudden as she was enjoying her evening tv shows in the living hall.

The cake was a cute little moist chocolate cake which looked adorable sitting there, and the birthday mum's young grandchildren (yes, she is a grandmother already!) could not keep their hands away from the cake that everyone had to hold their breath every time they walked near the cake!

It was a joint celebration, together with Mother's Day as her birthday fell in May.
What a lovely cake, that I just simply cannot resist taking another photo of it!

It looked like a rich chocolate cake shaped in a small little log, and it is filled with chocolate mousse in between layers of cream and sponge cake, and oh, also bite sizes of bananas in it.

(Spot the banana?)

The outer layer, which was seen from the first two photos, were sinfully and decadent in its thick and dark melted chocolate coats.

What's a better way to perfect the celebration than two cute handmade cards made by the two younger grandchildren who just came back from art classes?

Not Hallmark material, but these are made with love and enthusiasm, and that is all that counts, right? (Forgive the spelling mistakes)

To all the mothers out there, although it is past May now, but may you always be honored for the great job you have done with your children, and in gracing the future of the world.
Every day, is Mother's Day and we love you, Mummy!:)
(My own Mother's Day celebration was here, we did not forget to celebrate with her before we join other celebrations:)

My Comfort Food in times of sickness...

2011-06-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

When I was suffering from a vicious cycle of food poisoning last week, I was left with limited choices of food and drinks.
Not that it really mattered, since I had really lost my appetite for food, but well, I was still taken care of well by my aunty, who made some hot and steaming homecooked meals for me.

Of course, anything with soup was definitely on the menu as always, and since I just adore fishballs, fishballs they were which came with the hot boiling soup, filled with green leafy vegetables.

Or on the next day, I got assorted fishballs and seafood stuffs with cabbages and carrots in the hot soup (no pun intended)

When I felt slightly better, I was treated to fish fillets cooked with sliced cabbages and carrots which were so tasty that I almost forgot to be sick!:p

Stir-fried jicuma and carrots, just simply completed the meal all at once!

Now, with such scrumptious looking and equally delicious tasting food, who would not recover soon enough?:)

Mini Abalone steamboat at home

2011-05-31T01:25:00.000-07:00

The recent weather is a killer, really, and I thought I was pretty good in enduring the weather but I had also fallen helplessly with my immunity system, with first, the episode on the food poisoning (read here) and after the weekend, I was down with feverish chills and headaches. I was really tired and I think I have slept almost the entire day, hence there was no update yesterday, I am sorry.

I am feeling a little up to weather today, and hopefully it just keeps getting better tomorrow:)

After a series of vegetarian posts, which surprisingly garnered quite good responses (I still have a few to share), I have decided to share on something different today; something from home.

It was really simple, and more of a spur-of-a-moment thing when we decided to have a mini steamboat right at home on one weekend.

It was a really small affair, but I am a fan of steamboats, and when I heard that we are having abalones for steamboat, I jumped at that:) (I am a big fan of seafood, it should not be hard to guess that)

A glance at the really simple ingredients for the steamboat or hot pot, as you call it in other countries.

Assorted mushrooms

I've always liked mushrooms; all sorts of them, shittakes, giant oyster mushrooms, button mushrooms...and also the following enoki mushrooms.

Assorted vegetables (Lettuces, cauliflowers,cabbages, water convulvus)

For those who have never heard of it, well, it's basically a pot of hot soup where you prepare beforehand and then you have a bunch of ingredients/food (your pick of meat, veggies, seafood, vegetarian, whatever fancies you) which are raw.
The food will then be put into the soup when everyone is ready; where everyone puts in whatever they would like to eat and then wait for it to cook. Once everyone is done putting in the food, the lid on the pot is closed for cooking and then everyone waits until the food boils or cooks.
Simple, and this is really a favorite among the Chinese particularly during festive seasons, such as Chinese New Year in Malaysia, or during winter and cold weathers in other countries (Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, etc).

Of course, despite the association of the notion with festive seasons, there is no reason not to have the steamboat anytime of the year, especially if you live in the tropics, like me!:)

The main highlights; seafood and abalone

Alright, I am going to have to ask for a little help from those who cook, whether you can tell me the name of these whitish squiggly seafood which is really chewy?
It is a little like bamboo clams cross with scallops :)

The mini abalones, which came right out of a can (imported ones)

It may not be as gigantic as the ones you can get in Chinese restaurants which could cost hundreds per piece, but these still tasted good too:)

While waiting for the food to cook, we had some ready cooked tidbits like the fishballs and siew mai (pork dumplings)

That's the best part about eating at home, you get to choose whatever you like to eat and at anytime!:) Plus, it's healthier too!

*I am a little dizzy, but I am getting better, and if you don't see me around your blogs yet, do bear with me, I will be back:) *

Are these Vegetarian Too?

2011-05-27T02:29:00.000-07:00

It's finally Friday today, and usually on Fridays, Catholics observe the tradition of going meat-less.
For some of us (points to myself), that means going vegetarian and I am definitely not complaining about it.

I know I have already posted on vegetarian in my last post, and before I hear you groan "Not Again?", allow me to share these few photos for you to judge whether they are Vegetarian-like or not.

Braised lean meat with ginger and soy sauce
This tastes so chewy and good, and the spicy ginger just pumped up the level of excitement in this dish!

Fish in sweet and sour salad sauce (made of tomato ketchup mixed with chili sauce)
No need for me to elaborate further, that this is one of my favorites!:)

I am a fish fan; vegetarian or not!

Stir-fried broccoli and cauliflower with tau kua (beancurd), carrots, and mushrooms, and mock lean meat made of gluten wheat.
This is a simple yet crunch-worthy dish which I adore; and is definitely my all-time favorite veggie vegetarian dish.

Now, don't you think this look so similar to the real meat and fish?
Had I not mention it at the start of the post, would you be able to guess?

All these creative vegetarian dishes are not homemade by yours truly, but were bought from a stall in the market.
Most of these vegetarian dishes are made of gluten wheat, and for the fish, there is also seaweed involved.

Did I hear you now regret your groan? ;)
I promise you more exciting food next week, after we ALL enjoy our weekend (bloggers do need to take our weekends off too, sometimes:)

TGIF folks, and have an awesome weekend!!:)

Economy Vegetarian Buffet @ Evergreen Vegetarian House

2011-05-26T04:03:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with my Vesak Day post here, I have decided to post on vegetarian food; particularly this vegetarian cafe in Penang which offers economy vegetarian buffet.

This is one of my favorite vegetarian haunts when I am in Penang, because of their wide variety, reasonable pricing, one-stop (they have from rice to porridge to noodles, desserts, pastries, everything!), and friendly service and these few alone are more than enough to keep me coming back.

Now, the concept of economy buffet is different from the usual buffet you have in restaurants or hotels where you buy a standard price and you get to eat all you want.

The concept of economy rice here in Malaysia, is that you still get lots of variety of food and you can choose what you want on your plate, which you then bring to the cashier and they charge you based on what you take.
Yes, it's that simple, and before you scream out that the food is going to be overpriced, well, that's where the word economy comes to the rescue.
Unless you really overloaded your plate with a mount of food which resembles a mini Himalaya, usually the price of 2-4 types of dishes will only cost approximately RM3-5 (~USD$1-1.70)
Do I have your attention now? :)

This is an especially convenient concept for office workers during their lunch hours, and even for urban city dwellers who don't cook (like yours truly) where you can have a few types of dishes on your plate with either rice or noodles to call it a meal.

If you choose to dine at home, you can take a paper box stacked on the side to put your food in it (or if you plan to buy the dishes, you can take plastic boxes which they charge for RM0.30-.50 each) Of course, you can use your own container too.

(spot the box in the background, yeah, that's how you do it)

There are even disposable spoons and chopsticks provided, which usually the cashier will just pack it in your bag after you make your payment.

Note: the following photos will be an overview of the array of food/dishes offered at this cafe and there is no focus on one food in particular, so enjoy the visual feast.
(You can try to guess what they are made of, or what they are, although there will still be descriptions along the way;)

Mock meat

From top left: Fried gordon bleu sausages, fried wantons, fried mock fish
Bottom: Assorted curries

Top row: Fried beehoon (rice vermicelli), fried maggi mee (instant noodles type), fried yellow noodles
Bottom: Deep fried yam rolls, Deep fried spring rolls, deep fried vege rolls wrapped with bean curd sheets

Curry and potatoes

Assorted fried noodles

My favorite stir-fried cauliflowers and broccoli, and jicama and carrots stir-fry

Vegetables

Dishes made of bean curd sheets

More mock meat dishes

Dry food; pastries and biscuits are also on sale here for vegetarian snacks

This is a very conducive place for meals, and for Buddists, you will find comfort in the Buddhism hymns played softly in the background.

There are also hot and cold desserts available; from soy bean curd pudding to red bean soup, and even herbal drinks and jelly.

During major Buddhist festivals, there will be even more varieties of food as
most go on one-day vegetarian diets.

Of course, even prices will be slightly higher on those days, and they will voluntarily inform and even apologize to you.

If you are drooling over the food, maybe it's time you follow suit to try some delicious vegetarian dishes like these once in a while?
I know I love them!:)

Mini Lotus Bun and Sambal Seri Kaya Roll for Breakfast at home

2011-05-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

I missed out this breakfast post prepared by my lovely host in Singapore, Aunty Gina previously (maybe because I thought of postponing after the previous sambal tuna bun post, and I totally forgot about it!)

Simple breakfasts like these are good to start off the new day, with a little sweetness, spice, salt, and even sour taste to it.

The mini lotus paste buns are just so adorably round that I was not sure whether I should even eat them!

Here are the composition of the four different tastes I have described for my breakfast:
Sweet lotus paste oozing with goodness from the plain steamed mini bun

It was served hot, just the way I liked it!:)

Salty taste came from this steamed glutinous rice cake in blue and white which is known to us locals as the Seri Kaya kueh (Malay name for light cakes for snacks)

The Seri Kaya is actually filled with kaya (coconut milk, sugar and eggs combo type of bread spread which is especially sweet and is a favorite among the locals).
The sticky glutinous rice used for the roll tastes slightly salty, and instead of filling it with the usual kaya, Aunty made this differently...

by filling it with her specialty Sambal with dried shrimps paste in it to lend that spicy taste! (Maybe I should call it the Seri Sambal now?:)

Rolled with banana leaves, it even had a fragrant aroma, and made it all the more appetizing.
However, too bad, I can't really take glutinous rice due to digestion problems...so I had to pass on this:p

Oh ya, the sour taste came from the freshly squeezed orange juice which even had real orange pulps in it!:)

This is a really homey type of breakfast, and very localized too!:)
Thanks to Aunty Gina, that we get to enjoy such lovely breakfasts like these.

What about you, what do you usually have for breakfast when you are at home? :)

Prawn wanton and Chicken Hor Fun @TK Chong

2011-05-24T02:27:00.000-07:00

The name of this shop somehow reminded me of my ex-boss from my first job, and yet they had nothing in common nor are they related besides the similarity of surname and the first name.
This shop offers Chinese hawker delight; the famous Ipoh Chicken Hor Fun and also prawn wantons.

Those who are working in Damansara Perdana may be familiar with this place, and for me, I chanced upon this place when I was in the area and I found it to be packed during the peak lunch hour compared to the neighboring coffee shops.
Well, when there is a crowd, it must be good right? After all, why would people flock to this shop instead of the neighbors?

So, we walked into the shop to see what they had to offer.
They sell the Ipoh-style Chicken Hor Fun (flat rice noodles) and also prawn wantons
(Ipoh is a capital town of Perak, one of the states in the Northern region of Malaysia and is famous for food as well, like Penang)

Shredded chicken and prawns with the Hor Fun in soup (RM6 for small, RM8 for big - I think)

It was a rather big bowl filled with the flat rice noodles in tasty soup, with plenty of spring onions, fried shallots, chicken shreds and sliced prawns.

If you are not interested in the soup version, the same thing is available in the dry version with gravy.
Dry Hor Fun with shredded Chicken and prawns

Somehow the dry version makes the loads of hor fun rather apparent compared to the chicken and prawn slices and there were no spring onion garnishing like the soup.

Additional orders/side dishes:
Stir-fried bean sprouts (RM4.50 ~ USD$1.50)

This is plain and simple dish that cannot go wrong; furthermore with a light sprinkle of oyster sauce.
I love the big fat juicy bean sprouts, and it's so hard to find them in the city (mostly found in Ipoh).

Of course, I must have the Prawn wantons; I am a fan of them and they can be hard to come by (although I have recently found a few available in the city!)

I was a little disappointed with the prawn wantons, honestly, as they were really small and it was a really small biteful of prawns in it.
They are really stingy with the prawns inside the wanton, and the types I like ought to be filled with big juicy and fresh prawns bursting with flavor, but this, sorry to say so, is just not the type I like:(

Food was not too bad, and the service, well, it would be prompt if you ask for the Chinese lady boss who was more attentive to our orders compared to her staff.
Price wise, it was still reasonable, but the food quality is not simply one I would sing praises for.
Then again, it's me and my personal tastes, and I can be picky sometimes:)