Lai Ching Yuen 荔晶园 @ Grand Millennium Hotel KL - MIGF 2011

When it comes to fine dining, is it only about Western food, Italian cuisine or French cuisine?! Not really as we do have Chinese fine dining nowadays. 


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Lai Ching Yuen 荔晶园 (or previously known as Zing 晶苑) is one of the few Chinese Restaurants that participated in Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) 2011 which is happening in the whole month of October. Together with the couples from Brought up 2 Share, Eat Only Lar and Citygal, we were here to sample their MIGF menu. 



The interior is decorated in a modern classic way, mainly in red. 

Samplings on the Fourteen @ Berjaya Times Square Hotel, KL - MIGF 2011

Hari raya and mid autumn festival were over and deepavali is another month ahead; no reason for makan-makan celebration? Aha, not really as there is this Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) which is happening on this whole month of October!


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Together with the couple from eatonlylar, we were invited to sample Samplings on the Fourteen’s festival menu.  Special Thanks to Siew yee for the wonderful evening.


Samplings on the Fourteen is located on the 14th floor of Berjaya Time Square Hotel (east wing). It is a swanky new restaurant that serves western classic fine dining dinner; in charge by Chef Valmurugan (Sous Chef) and his team. During the day, it is run by students and served as a practical site for Berjaya University College of Hospitality. 

Chocolate Appreciation Evening with Van Houten ♥

Do you love chocolate?! How do you eat your chocolate?! And how do you appreciate them?!


Chocolate is my favourite snack. My feet go weak on anything with chocolate. I always want my waffle to be covered with thick layer of chocolate spread; opt for rich chocolaty ice cream; sinful chocolate cake; and I even want my facial mask to be rich in chocolaty scent. 



Well, I do love having wine with chocolate too :)


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Just some weeks ago, I was invited to indulge and appreciate chocolate with Van Houten in Chinoz on the park, KLCC. Thanks to Van Houten for this lovely invitation 



On the evening, we had Deanne Yusoff to share her passion towards chocolate with us. We were also taught to appreciate the chocolate with our five senses - look, smell, touch, listen and taste. 



1# Vision
We were given a bar of plain semi sweet chocolate and we were asked to use our vision. A good chocolate should have consistent colour, texture and natural finishing looking, free from air bubbles and blemishes. 

Sumptuous Desserts @ The Gardens

Durian is everyone's favourite in Malaysia; golden yellow in colour with creamy-like texture. Every year during the durian season, people will hunt after D24, or zhuk geok, or the latest babe - Mao Shan Wong. Some will go for the sweet one while the others may love the one with bitter-taste. Well I have to say I am a little odd (though I am a Malaysian); I tried hard and very hard to accept this Malaysians' favourite. However, my gustatory and olfactory system just seems to anti it. 



I was at Sumptuous Desserts with the couples from eatonlylar and broughtup2share one evening, sampling the famous little delicacies made of durians. 


Since their desserts are made of durians, then why am I here???


Read on and you will get to find out why. 



Durian Pancake or also known as "Durian Bantal" in BM (RM 10 for a box of 6)
This is one of their best sellers. From the appearance, they do look like cute little pillow. 



Within the thinly piece of crepe, it was loaded with real durian fruits and the finest fluffy cream. Sumptuous Desserts uses only local durian, mainly D24, 101 and clone durian in their pancakes. As I didn't sample this, feel free to view eatonlylar for further descriptions. 

Royal Vietnam @ Starhill Gallery

Royal Vietnam is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant; serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine with a fine dining concept, has just opened its door about 2 months ago in Starhill Gallery. They are specializing in the royal cuisine that was once created for kings and queens in Vietnam. Besides that, their Chef consultant was the personal chef of some Vietnamese VVIPs!!!

Lot 10 Hutong @ Bukit Bintang - Part 1

Lot 10 Hutong is a gourmet heritage village that grouped up the best of the best eateries in the country. Therefore, you get to try out the best of the best food in Malaysia. I would say, this is the best food court in KL city and also, the one and only food court in shopping complex that serves Non-Halal food. 


My family always comes here fore meal due to the variety. Anyhow, I haven't got to try out all of the stalls because we often stick to the same old choices that we had previously. 


Many many thanks to Rachel for the kind arrangement; together with Citygal, Witch & Lionel and Ken, we were down here to sample the famous dishes from the famous stalls as well as some new faces that popped up just recently. 


1# Campbell Street Mini Popiah



Used to be at Lorong Tiong Nam since 1970s; but we were told that we can only find Campbell Street Mini Popiah in Lot 10 Hutong now as the one located at the old place has already closed down. 


As I recalled, the queue is always long. It always took me some times to get my order done. 



You can choose from egg popiah (RM 3/roll), vegetable skin popiah (RM 2.50/roll) and normal one Campbell Mini popiah (RM 2.50/roll). The minimum order is 2 rolls.


We get to sample one each. The popiah(s) were filled wth lots of ingredients to create the juiciness. I love the fragrant egg version the most.

Simply Mel's @ The Sphere, Bangsar South

BENG NAKI KUMI! (Kristang language)


It means Come Here and Eat!



It's the month of Ramadhan, I get to join the buka puasa crowd at Simply Mel's. 
Thanks to Aly for the lovely invitation :)



Simply Mel's, a new restaurant serving Malacca Portuguese cuisine is located conveniently at The Sphere, Bangsar South. Family recipe is Simply Mel's highlight. The dishes are homely taste and the best thing(s) I find are their sambal, cincalok and anything to do with the chilli and spices. 



For main course and dessert, you could choose from 3 different sets from their Ramadhan promotion. 

La Risata @ Persiaran Ampang, KL

La Risata; located in the Ampang neighbourhood, is a restaurant that served authentic Italian cuisine. 



Dolce Vita (RM 19)
Illyquore, vanilla ice cream and dark rum



White bread with homemade olive sauce. The sauce is overloaded with healthy olive.

Serene Aesthetics Beauty Retreat ♥

Tough days... iukkkksss
I am glad that i can stay away from those tough days for a little while. Those tough days gave me lots of stress and a nightmare - which is serious skin problem :(


sighhh...


and here comes an opportunity, I was invited to try out the Mirco-Cap Hydrating Facial Treatment + Hot Stone Shoulder Massage at Serene Aesthetics Beauty Salon (the Cheras branch). 


Te-heee...


Here is a bit about Serene Aesthetics.
A sanctuary of tranquility where beauty is refined and the body & soul rejuvenated. Indulge in a relaxing and soothing ambiance that helps you recharge and unwind.


Serene Aesthetics opened its door in 1991 with the first beauty salon in Pudu Plaza, KL. Since then, it has established many more salon outlets in Klang Valley to as far as Johor Bahru. And currently, Serene Aesthetics have expanded to a total of 9 outlets in Klang Valley area.  




Serene Aesthetics' products are fully imported from Europe. One of them is Soskin. Soskin products are developed from blending medical-grade plant and marine actives, protein and clinically-proven skin compatible bases to create therapeutic and luxurious products that give clearly visible results. 



Before the facial session, I was seated for a skin analysis and consultation. The beautician checked and analyse my skin to determine the suitable skincare on me. 


Sigh... 
Blackheads, Whiteheads and whatever heads, They are all over my nose, forehead, chin and cheeks. 


:(


I was assigned with the Micro-cap Hydrating Treatment which is one of the maintenance treatments to hydrate my skin, reduce the blackheads and to glow me up.  

Flavours of Shanghai @ Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant, One World Hotel, PJ

What comes into your mind when it comes to Shanghainese Cuisine???
Xiu Loong Bao?! Is that all???


Well, that's not all...


Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant which is located on the lobby level in One World Hotel is currently running the 'Flavours of Shanghai' promotion and this promotion is only available for 10 days (23 June to 2 July 2011).


Four chefs (Chef Terry Yu Ning, Chef Fanny Le Fei, Chef Lion Yu Sheng and Chef Navy Yang Tian Hai) from The Eton Hotel, Shanghai were invited to showcase the shanghainese dishes in Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant. 


Love Shanghainese food? here is an opportunity for them :)


At the launch event, i get to sample a few Shanghainese dishes...










Started with Three ShanghaiStyle Appetizer 上海三喜冷菜.
They were the cold dishes

Kin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant 锦水亭 @ Tropicana Golf & Country Resort

Months ago, the catastrophe landed on the land of Rising Sun.
Ever since, mum sent in an order, ordered me not to dine in for my favourite cuisine n any Japanese restaurants. 



Mum, fear not, I wanna tell you, it is now safe to consume Japanese food!
Or if you still feel insecure, then have it in Kin Shui Tei @ Tropicana Golf & Country Resort 
(Read on, I will tell you why)...



Special Hokkaido Chirashi Sushi (RM 98)
Countless, countless and countless fresh raw ingredients topped on the white fluffy rice. The rice was kinda special; with additional of roasted white sesame, the rice was extra fragrant. Surprise to know that the Japanese rice that Kin Shui Tei serves is air-flown from USA.
.

The Mill @ Grand Millennium Hotel, KL - RM 39.90 nett for International Buffet Spread

The Mill, one of the restaurants in Grand Millennium Hotel; is serving a sumptuous buffet spread, with cuisine ranging from Western, Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Mediterranean..........

When it comes to buffet spread, we often have no idea where to fork in... 
Hah, Why not warm up the tummy and indulge with the some finger food like cheese with biscuit?! (luxury eh?! guess not many buffet spread offer this item). 



Luxury Cheese Spread



Nom, Nom, Nom.

Sanook Bistro and Sports Bar @ Plaza Kelana Jaya, PJ

Let's have FUN at Sanook, shall we?!?!?!



Sanook is a hidden fun place at Plaza Kelana Jaya; a restaurant holding 2 concepts for you to have your meals. Love the lake view, you can choose to dine at Alfresco@Sanook which is located on the ground floor, facing the lake. Or you can opt to dine-in in Arriba@Sanook where music is played all night long.


We were greeted friendly by the godfather who is the owner, the friendly people pleaser, chief people pleaser, chief food artist.... ooohhh, they are actually the people running Sanook, the executives, chefs, waiters... how lovely are their titles!


Sanook serves scrumptious spread of dishes from all over the world which include Asian cuisine, Western fares as well as Italian pasta and wood oven pizza! Not to forget their tapas which are really 'something' to go with your drinks. 


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Let's start the meal with Tapas Canapes:



Grilled Zucchini with Prawns and Aioli (RM 16)

St. Patrick's Festival @ Fitou Brasserie, Desa Park City

There isn't any public holiday in March, but this wouldn't stop us from partying. 
And yes, this month, we have a-month-long celebration and party together with good friends, enjoying the scrumptious food and pints of Guinness!



Yay! The Saint Patrick's Day Month is here!!!
A-month-long celebration from 1st March 2011 to 31st March 2011, that's the reason for happy-hour-ing and partying and enjoy the fun with all the people around. Thanks to the invitation from Fitou Brasserie, together with Chris&Christine and Citygal, we had an early Saint Patrick's Day Celebration here!



Currently, Fitou is running their Saint Patrick's Festival Menu which is exclusively available from 1st March to 31st March 2011. You can enjoy their Guinness infused ala carte at RM 34++ or the set that comes with a perfect pint of Guinness at just RM 48 nett.



Irish Beef Stew with Guinness served with Carrots and Potatoes. 
Soft beef stew infused with stout beer. I wasn't able to try out how great it is. But according to them, it was flavoursome. I tried the gravy with the help of bread, Yummm, just can't help mopping  up the gravy.

Bridge Bar @ GTower, Jalan Tun Razak, KL

Bridge Bar - a lustrous and stylish bar, located on the 28th floor of the buildings in the city centre; linking the GTower buildings. 

Malayas Bistro @ CapSquare, KL

You may think, Tapas is something that is only available in Spanish menu;
Well, not really as you can get Tapas in Malaysian style here in Malayas Bistro, CapSquare. 




Once I sat in here, I felt relax. I could just sit in here for the whole night, swaying along the music played by the super cool surround system, singing along with the Live Band (his voice is so cool!)...



Malayas Bistro, a hidden gem that is located in this hidden CapSquare; with the help of map, we managed to reach after some rains and bad traffics.


Dim light creates a cozy atmosphere for dining and a drinking session or two after long-day -hard-work. I would say, this is a great place 'happy-hour-ing' with colleagues and friends. You may find breakfast, lunch, tea time and show time in different menu.  




Cappuccino 

Sushi Tei @ Tropicana City Mall

What comes into your mind when you think of Sushi???



Back then, we had Sushi King as the only choice to go for, but now...
there are Zanmai, Kita no Zen...


and besides the above Sushi places, glad to have another one mushroomed out - Sushi Tei. Originated from Singapore, Sushi Tei has expanded the business to China, Indonesia and Australia. Bringing quality food and fresh ingredients and charges you at a reasonable price, that's the place i will visit!

Celestial Court 天宝阁 @ Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur

为了配合渣打银行 (Standard Chartered Bank)的Extravagant 8 Menu promotion， Celestial Court 天宝阁坐落于Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur 也参与了这项优惠，好让持有渣打银行信用卡的用户以RM 888++ （一桌8位至10位）享用这一桌子美味佳肴。


说实话，天宝阁所准备的食物分量真的是好大。我们一桌子10人，可花了不少的“精力”去消耗桌子上的食物。


你准备好了吗？？？



1. 三文鱼，鱼籽捞生 Yee Sang with Norwegian Salmon and Fish Roe
为了迎接兔年的到来，师傅动用了脑筋，使出小小的创意来完成它。看吧，一只雪白的兔子在绿绿的食材，犹如在草地上；花生宛如沙。而兔子上面的，犹如花，犹如云朵，就随你想象。可爱的兔子栩栩如生，够创意吧？！



之后，服务员会将其他的调味料，食材和三文鱼等，铺满兔子上。再浇上香油和酸梅酱，就这么演变成传统的捞生了。



捞呀捞，捞呀捞。配上一人一句的祝福语；你一言，我一句，然后再开开心心的享用它。