My Blog Turned 2!

After passing the one year mark, I wondered if I could make it to the 2nd and I did! I actually wrote my first post on Feb 22, 2006....Feb 22 has come and gone ( I didn't post about this due to some reasons then) and my blog is already over 2 years old! As I have mentioned a few times, it started out as a personal blog and I was taking photos with my little Samsung camera back then. As a matter of fact, the first time I posted pics of food in this blog was on Mar 20. It wasn't even a food review then though I mentioned a bit about it, but it was more on life (more so, when my good friend Jen who partly inspired me to start blogging, passed away). Then I had my Panasonic Lumix since July 2006 and my first post with it was Dim Sum at Chynna, KL Hilton, dated 30 July. So I guess my blog should have two birthdays! Let's see what happens on 30 July later ;o).

From posts with zero comments and now to having a comment box of lovely people, I smile as I think back. Comments from strangers turned into ones from friends as we got to know each other better through time and even gatherings. I look forward to having more strangers leaving comments in my blog so that in time, we'll be friends! I want to thank all my readers and friends for still visiting my blog after these couple of years! This blog has given me many new friends, here and everywhere of which I am thankful for. Here's to more good food, great company and new friends! Maybe another specific wish for good food that won't add on to my weight??? LOL!

A moment's pleasure on the lips, a lifetime burden on the hips!

Here's some thumbnail food or food related photos that I've captured throughout these two years.....and counting!

Thank You All, Once Again!

n.y.d.c Cafe & Restaurant, Bugis Junction, Singapore

We made our way over to Singapore yet again for the 2nd consecutive day after having our breakfast in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru. We hit the shopping areas again and ended up at Bugis Junction for lunch. Still feeling full from breakfast, we were looking for something light. It was a warm day and we were feeling tired from all that walking (plus I was beginning to have a fever).

Bugis Junction was packed with lots of people and the crowd was getting to me, I needed to sit down and rest. I was tired and feeling agitated as I felt uncomfortable and could only wonder how I would cope with rest of the day in Singapore.

Going down on one of the escalators, we saw n.y.d.c Cafe & Restaurant smacked in front of us. Take a look at how close the escalator is to the front of the shop! Talk about arriving right at the doorstep :o)

We didn't really feel like having a normal meal; coffee and dessert seemed like a good choice at that moment and we decided to make a pit stop here. The place was pretty pack and it was a cosy place with warm hues. They even had large soft toys on certain seats, I suppose to placate the young ones (or the young-at-heart oldies, hahaha....) while customers wait for their orders as service was quite slow.

Betty Boo telling us what's for desserts

The view out the windows of n.y.d.c Cafe

Here's the coffee ordered by my friend. Though not feeling well, I'm still a flogger at heart and duty calls...I took pics of what we had but forgot to take notes. I'm not sure what this coffee drink was, I think it was Hazelnut coffee. My friend said that it was not as strong as she hoped it would be as she's a strong coffee drinker. So, this might appeal only to those who usually have heart palpitations after downing a regular cuppa. Hahaha....

Uhhhh.....this is a no name dessert, sorry. But it was definitely a variety of the mud pie we ordered. It was below our expectations and tasted rather ordinary.

This I know, as I took a pic of this section from the menu. This fared best among the three items. I ordered "The Wild Side" (even when I'm ill I know, I live life dangerously. Hahaha....). It has two scoops of ice-cream; Wild Berry and Mango Tango - SGD10.95/USD7.80. It was quite refreshing; served with strawberry and mango sauce and with brownie cubes lined across the ice cream bowl . I enjoyed biting into them together with a spoonful of ice-cream. It was nice but at such a price, I had expected it to be even better.

I'm not sure how the food taste here but the people around me seem to be enjoying themselves. After all, n.y.d.c is a local chain with several outlets and has been around for 10 years. That should account for something? They are opened till midnight on weekdays and till 2 a.m on weekends, serving supper! Check out their website HERE.

n.y.d.c. Cafe & Restaurant
Unit #02-47/48, Bugis Junction
230 Victoria Street
Singapore

Having rested for a while and filled up, we continued walking around. My fever had subsided but not for long ...

To be continued ...

Old Flavour Kopitiam, Johor Bahru

Okay, no more Korean stuff....for now ;o). Back to my Johor Bahru-Singapore trip, it was another day that I was looking forward to, starting with breakfast in Johor Bahru. However, I got caught in the rain the previous night while walking along Orchard Road and was not prepared for how sick I would get towards the end of the day. Feeling a bit off in the morning itself, Alicia suggested having noodles at a nearby place around her neighbourhood area, Old Flavour Kopitiam.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that they have Sarawak Kolo Mee on the menu however, I felt like having something with a bit of gravy and ended up ordering the Cantonese Fried Kway Teow (Flat noodles) - RM6/USD1.90, which turn out to be quite good, I enjoyed drinking up the gravy!

The rest of them ordered other stuff and of course one of them had to be Sarawak Kolo Mee (RM6/USD1.90). Read more about Vkeong's Sarawak Food experience HERE. I had a bite of it and it was delicious. The homemade egg noodles were cooked al dente and the minced pork and spring onions made it even tastier. The slices of BBQ Pork was average (of course, it had quite a high standard to meet!)

They also had the Seafood Kolo Mee (RM7/USD2.20) which is something we have not come across elsewhere. Generous amount of prawns, slices of fish fillet and sotong (cuttlefish) this time round, definitely a seafood lover must order if you fancy something different from the conventional Kolo Mee.

For snacks, we ordered a plate of Yu Tiao (Chinese dough sticks/crullers) which came drizzled with mayonnaise (RM5/USD1.60)

They were more like mini dough sticks unlike the usual ones but nevertheless, they were absolutely finger licking good. The smaller size meant a more crispy bite and was a real delight. So much so, we ordered a second plate!

I must apologise, I had underestimated Old Flavour Kopitiam thinking it was just another run-of-the-mill kopitiam. I would definitely ask Alicia to take me here again when I'm visiting!

Old Flavour Kopitiam
243 Jalan Simbang
Taman Perling
Johor Bahru


To be continued .... back to Singapore & Unwell

Sate Kajang Hj Samuri, Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya

Long ago, a trip to Kajang to savour the satay was a journey I always looked forward to and get real excited and happy about. Afterall, I was a kid then and it doesn't take much to make a kid happy :o). I remember then that the workers will just keep serving as many of those meat skewers as one can possibly eat and paying only for what you eat. That also meant what was left untouched would be served again to the next customer who walks in! I have not been back to Kajang for decades now, I wonder if they are still practising this.

What came next after Kajang? I remember traveling to the rest areas at the Kesas Highway and subsequently Sg Buloh for my Kajang satay without going to Kajang itself. Now, Sate Kajang Hj Samuri is only a stone's throw away (make that about a dozen or so...hahaha!) from my neighbourhood. I've been patronizing this outlet every now and then for about a year now. This is a very famous satay restaurant with several outlets now (of course, its headquarters is in Kajang, where else?).

Over here, you order how many sticks you want from the many varieties available; chicken, beef, tripe, liver, fish and few others. Unlike the yesteryears, they do not serve the satay continuously everytime one empties the plate.

The essentials when eating satay - Peanut gravy, cucumber, onions and nasi himpit/ketupat (compressed rice cubes) together with absolutely wonderful spicy sambal served separately!

Mix as much sambal into the peanut gravy. You'll survive the deed as long as you can take the heat!

Chunky Chicken Satay minus the fats. Grilled over charcoal, this marinated skewered meat is a true delight.

Beef Satay - as chunky as the Chicken Satay. I usually order beef with caution as some stalls tend to overcook them and I'll end up with sore gums trying to chew on them. However, Hj Samuri's beef satay has always been tender.

Beef Tripe Satay - for those who fancy "other" types of meat :o). One of my faves!

By the way, they also dish up a rather yummy plate of Nasi Goreng Kampung (Spicy Fried Rice with anchovies, eggs, onions). This is something you should order if you want some rice apart from all that meat.

Couldn't resist taking a shot of the old typewriter sitting on the counter. The workers also use it to hang drinks on the carriage return lever! Gosh! That's no way to treat an antique!

No wonder satay is well known all over the world, it has truly made an impression not only in the hearts of the locals but of tourists and foreigners alike. At RM0.60/USD0.20 a stick, is it any wonder why this is a favourite of many? But of course, there's still bad satay out there if one is not careful. Rest assured though, you'll find good ones here at Sate Kajang Hj Samuri.


Others who got their Kajang satay fix here in Damansara Uptown :-

Masak-Masak
A Whiff Of Lemongrass

Sate Kajang Hj Samuri
79 Jalan 21/37
Damansara Uptown
Petaling Jaya

Tel : 03-7710 5318

(Opens daily 11 am till 12 midnight except Fridays 3pm onwards)

"What's this meat on a stick? Ask no question, just eat it quick!" - wmw

Korea House , SS2 Petaling Jaya

After posting on Daniel Henney, I'm still thinking of him and hence decided to post on the quick Korean lunch I had with Glorious Jade. We had a few errands to run and could only do a quick lunch and since we were in SS2 area, we decided to go for the set lunch at Korea House. They have several set lunches but we usually settle for the Bulgogi set which is priced at a reasonable RM9.90++(USD3).

Of course at such a price, one does not get the regular serving of Banchan (small side dishes) but instead about 4 varieties (as compared to the usual 8 or 10 varieties) are served in a lunch box together with the Bulgogi and steamed rice in the usual metal bowl. The set also comes with a bowl of seaweed soup and slices of watermelon.

The Bulgogi is cooked differently if it's the set lunch (unlike the usual Bulgogi I have for dinner). At such a price, the portion is still quite a lot albeit it has added cabbage apart from the usual onions to make up the volume. The beef is thinly sliced, tender and well marinated with soy sauce and sugar. The set will definitely fill you up. For those who would like to try cooking this at home, click HERE for the recipe.

So cute, the watermelon in a shape of a Christmas tree.

Once in awhile, we'll order the Kimchi Chigae. It comes piping hot, it's good stuff but I still prefer the Kimchi Chigae from Haeun Khon located on the 3rd Floor of Amcorp Mall. Haeun Khon is usually where I head to when I'm craving for Kimchi Chigae.

If you're around SS2 during lunch hour, do drop by and try out Korea House's reasonable set lunches. They also serve the usual Korean BBQ fare. The Korean lady boss is really friendly, greeting customers with a big smile and always say the same thing to me each time I'm there "Long time no see you!". Hahaha...service is good too ;o).

Korea House (same row as Teapot Cafe, towards the end of the block nearer to the Police quarters and BHP petrol station)
185 Jalan SS2/24
Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel : 03- 7873 0031

"All things KOREAN (especially Daniel Henney!) has become my flavour of the month (or maybe a year???)" - wmw

Daniel Henney - Weekend Eye Candy

It's another weekend and I was chatting with this friend of mine about men and that conversation "inspired" me to put up another yummy post on my favourite guy, Daniel Henney.

My No. 1 - Daniel Henney. I have written some posts of him HERE, HERE and HERE (plus a few more-click on the Daniel Henney labels at the sidebar).

Daniel Henney is so gorgeous - this 186cm tall actor/model will be starring in another movie soon, My Father. Can't wait to see it! Downplaying his good looks with a really short hair do ('cos he's in the army), this is Daniel Henney's first attempt at drama. I have seen clips of it and his acting has improved (since the last I saw him in Seducing Mr Perfect, but of course, he needn't have to act but just look gorgeous. I for one and million other women and even some men won't complain! He looks good in anything or better still nothing....hehehe!).

As a volunteer in the U.S. Armed Forces based in Korea, Daniel Henney's James Parker in "My Father" is an adopted son who goes in search and finds his biological father who is a condemned murderer on death row. Daniel Henney won the Best New Actor award at the 6th Korean Film Awards for his role in this movie which is based on a true story.

Photos from http://www.myfather2007.co.kr/

This video shows Daniel appearing on a Korean variety show, watch how the women hosts throw themselves at him! It's so funny! Here are the links for the rest of the show.
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5 (only up to 3 minutes 27 second mark)

With that, have a great weekend everyone. I know I will .... ;o)

"If Daniel Henney is really a form of candy, I will probably end up being a gone case diabetic!"
- wmw

Christmas Comes Late - Singapore

Well, we made our way to Singapore and after some serious shopping, covering Orchard Road and Scotts Road, you guess it....it was time for dinner! We ended up at Tony Roma's located in Orchard Hotel as we only had one thing in mind...Pork Ribs! As Malaysians would know, Tony Roma's outlets in Klang Valley are halal, so, this was an opportunity for us to grab something not available on Malaysian menu.

The award winning baby back ribs - It was indeed finger licking lip smacking good! Tender meat basted with BBQ sauce that fell off the bone. Woo Hoo! - SGD31.90++ for full serving and SGD27.90++ for half serving.

After that satisfying meal, we took a walk around the area again to check out the Christmas decoration (Sorry, this post is almost 2 month's late....hehehe, hence the title!) and I of course when round taking photos. The streets and mall were really crowded, check out the scene...

We then decided to have coffee at McCafe located at Scotts Road

A cup of latte and an hour of people watching later, we decided to head back to Johor Bahru. Oh, we drove right through the customs :o), sweet...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL - "What the world needs now...is love, sweet love..." ;o)

To be continued ....

Lavender Cake & Bistro, Johor Bahru

Having first tried Lavender's pastries from the outlet in Pavilion and enjoyed it, I was pleasantly surprised when Alicia took us to Lavender Cake Shop & Bistro for brunch before heading over to Singapore. Seems that Lavender's quite a big hit in Johor with several outlets before they decided to venture into Klang Valley too recently. I was at Aeon Bukit Tinggi Shopping Complex a few days ago and they have an cake and bistro outlet there too (unlike the one in Pavilion which does not serve food).

This outlet is near Pelangi Leisure Mall and has a big seating capacity.

It's a cosy place despite its size. The interior colour is light purple and when I was there during Christmas time, the Christmas decorations were in shades of purple too. You can actually see my reflection from the purple bauble (taking the pic with my usual "hand tripod"...hahaha)

Seeing this cute mocha roll, we just had to order it but it turned out to be lacking in mocha flavour and just tasted sweet.

The fried bee hoon (vermicelli) fared much better. It was extremely tasty and came with generous amount of shredded vegetables, eggs, prawns and topped wtih coriander leaves.

The Foccacia Chicken Sandwich was quite a delight too. With raisins, bits of capsicum and cucumber, this sandwich had an added crunchy bite to it.

Came drizzled with maple syrup, a slab of butter and scattered raisins, the Peanut Butter Toast was a pretty sight. I wished I was greeted by such sight and taste each time I feel like having toast :o).

Well at least I can get to, right here in the Klang Valley but let's just hope that it's just as good as this brunch I had in Johor Bahru.

Lavender Cake Shop & Bistro
64, 66 & 68 Jalan Serampang
Taman Pelangi
80400 Johor Bahru

Tel : 07-335 9966



To be continued ...Singapore, here we come!