Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie

Source: Motormouth From Ipoh Blog

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, my friend and I went to Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie to have our lunch before heading to KLCC for a movie; Viral Factor (awesome movie). Levain was jam packed with people when we reached. There were people everywhere; from young little kids to old uncle & aunties. Is this the new culture where Malaysians would rather spend their afternoons eating bread, cakes, spaghetti and sipping coffee instead of patronizing the regular coffee shops? Luckily, we managed to find a place under a DRIPPING air conditioner....haha

I guess Levain managed to attract such huge crowd is due to their extensive choice of breads and pastries (over 60 varieties) as well as other cakes and pastas and spaghetti meals. Besides, Lavain is also situated in a cozy bungalow with an unique interior and exterior which brings out the charm of this place.

Kimchi Chicken Linguine
Didn't enjoy it...find it too oily..... However, they do serve their chicken generously, there were plenty of chicken meat below the linguine...

Teriyaki Beef Baguette Sandwich


Tiramisu

Total damage including a cup of chocolate cappuccino and fresh apple juice was RM 55 (if I remember correctly).

Location:
Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie,
No. 7, Jalan Delima,
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03- 2142 6611

Monday to Sunday 7.30am - 9pm

Shogun Japanese Buffet @ Fahreinheit

For my birthday celebration this year, mummy decided to celebrate with me at Shogun Japanese Buffet Restaurant at their Fahreinheit outlet. For the price we paid for, I think it is worth it as there were plenty of food to select from; although not as good as Jogoya. The original price for weekday lunch is RM 56.80. But we paid 50 % of the price for mummy cause she is a senior citizen; while I paid RM 39.76 (30 % off the usual price).

Though we were stuff to full, we were disappointed cause there aren't ant fresh oysters being served. According to one of the staffs, fresh oysters are only served on weekend lunch or dinners for both weekdays and weekends. This is probably because the weekday lunch is cheaper than weekend lunch or dinner.

Now let the following pictures tell their story to you....lol...........

Baked cheese oyster & Fried soft shell crab

Teppanyaki beef slices

White Tuna slices

Steamed cod fish

Sea cucumber

Variety of mixed food

Sashimi

Terryaki Tuna & Saba fish

Stir-fried prawns & Bamboo clams

Yee Sang

Mum put lots of seafood such as Salmon slices, prawns and squids into the Yee Sang......I must say this is the most ingredient Yee Sang that I had before.

Sharks Fin Soup

Buddha Jump Over the Wall Soup

Sago with Santan

Grape/lychee Jelly

Pumpkin desert & some Cakes

Total damage including 16 % tax = RM 79.05

Location:
Shogun Healthy Japanese Restaurant,
Lot G1.27.01-04, Ground Floor,
Fahreinheit 88 Shopping Mall,
179, Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 KL.

Tel/Fax: 03-21487333

Dubu-Dubu Seoul Food @ Mid Valley

Finally I get to try out the food at Dubu-Dubu Seoul Food last Saturday with Chieh Yee. We ordered only one set of dish and we were served 3 free side dishes (ban chans). We had a really good lunch there. I'll be back to try their other dishes next time...Yum Yum....

Roasted Barley (RM 3.50)
Really tasted like roasted stuff...Don't like the burned taste of it...Will never order it again

Kimchi SDB-beef (RM 15.90) + the free side dishes
This set is worth the price we paid for. There were plenty of tender beef slices in it; plus an egg and some vege like onion, etc..... The soup was good too...not really sour but a bit on the spicy side. Thus, it goes really well with the rice. Mix them together and you'll get a really satisfying meal. Thumbs up for this set. Ps: if you are not a big eater, remember to share it with your fried as the set can actually feed two people. Among the 3 side dishes, I really like the kimchi...

Close shot of the Kimchi SDB Beef

Total damage including Ginger Tea (RM 4.90) + 10% tax = RM26.75

Location:
Dubu Dubu Seoul Food Restaurant,
Mid Valley Megamall,
LG-048, Lower Ground Floor,
59200 KL.

Tel: 03-22878980

D'Tau Heritage Food Village @ Brickfields

Saw this new restaurant review on the Star newspaper last year. Quite attractive food choice they have. Thus, mum and myself went to D'Tau Heritage Food Village @ Brickfields to try out their dishes. But in terms of price, it is slightly on the high side.

D'Tau is situated strategically in the heart of the city's public transportation hub, KL Central which sets to present city folks with a homely dining experience. Loosely translated as "local Chinese food", D'Tau offers a wide range of well cooked local Chinese food.

D'Tau's architecture consisted of old Penang Chinese cum Peranakan cozy feel. Their concept is to take patrons back down memory lane to days where you are having a nice warm meal with the family at home, with the right ambiance and settings to put you in the perfect mood.

Since there were only the two of us, we ordered only 2 dishes with steamed rice.

Moe Sheik Spare Ribs (RM 18)
I love the taste of the gravy, not sure what they used to make the gravy but it was really good. And the pork ribs' meat were tender too; not too tough or too soft. Good food to smack up with rice.....

Bitter gourd Prawn Omelet (RM13.50)
Tasted very normal like ordinary omelet.....nothing special but the prawns they put in are decent in size............

Some of the other dishes offered at D'Tau

Total damage including 5 % tax + rice + water = RM 37.50

Location:
D'tau Heritage Food Village
80-82, Jalan Tun Sambathan,
Brickfields,
50470, K.L.

Tel: 03-22724171

Business hour: 11am-11pm

Raymond Lam & Kate Tsui Choks away rotten peach blossoms in the Dragon year

Raymond Lam and Kate Tsui's careers sailed smoothly last year with their wallets swelling up. However, they haven't gotten anywhere in their love lives. Although Raymond did have a girlfriend, the relationship failed to blossom. As for Kate, she suffered from several rumors and has been troubled endlessly. It looks like these two 'siblings' are stuck with a bitter fate and hope the upcoming Dragon year can bring peach blossoms. The two will have to work at posing their Chok looks in hope to Chok away the rotten peach blossoms!

Having both love and career is easier said than done, but when it actually does happen, not everyone can maintain both areas. Raymond and Kate had a smooth sailing career last year. The former developed in all three areas - TV, film and music and even won many big and small awards including the Gold Song Gold Award. Kate had five series release within one year, which has helped increase her popularity. She has been accepting advertisement and stage performance jobs nonstop.

However, the two have not been so successfully in their love lives. Early last year, Raymond suffered from love injuries, while Kate's rumors with Ron Ng never ended. Later, she was even involved in Ron and Viann Zhang's relationship. Although Kate clarified several times, the rumor still is still heated as ever, giving her a huge headache.

In order to escape from the rotten peach blossoms, Raymond and Kate set out together as 'brother-sister' on a several hour ride to a peach blossom garden in Yuen Long in hope to turn their peach blossom fate around. When the two showed up at the garden, they were chatting up a storm and when they saw several hundred patches of peach blossoms, wide smiles were seen across their faces. They each chose their favorite peach blossom tree and did several clockwise runs around the tree, then they embraced the tree and enjoyed the lovely scent from the peach blossoms.

Raymond frankly expressed he hopes to continue developing in the three areas (TV, film and music) in the Dragon year. Because his Gold Song Gold Award stirred up a lot of noise, he will have to put in double the effort to do better. He said: "I will soon be releasing a new Cantonese album, this time I will be collaborating with different musicians and hope to bring new sparks to my fans. Also, I will be starting a new series with my 'sister' (Kate). As for films, I am still looking at the scripts. (What about relationships?) I will let nature take its course. I believe when it comes, it will come and by then I won't be able to avoid it, even if I wanted to."

Kate said: "I am very happy to be able to work with my big brother (Raymond). Later I will be going to Australia with him to be the guest performer at his concert. I have a lot of jobs lined up for the approaching Dragon year. It is necessary that I date someone, but I will have to first choose the right partner, there is no rush."

Source: Oriental Daily
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU Forum

The George & Dragon Pub and Restaurant @ Bangsar Shopping Centre

Before I start writing on The George & Dragon, I would like to thank Jolane for treating me a lovely piggy dinner as my birthday treat. Why I called it a piggy meal???????? This is because the 2 dishes that we ordered consisted of pig.............Super satisfied with the meal.....

Firstly, let me give a short introduction on how the management derive the restaurant's name and explanation of it's design and concept....

The naming of The George and Dragon is inspired by the legend of St. George, the patron saint of England, and his courageous slaying of a dragon and subsequent rescue of a beautiful princess.

The George and Dragon’s décor is mock Tudor, complete with half-timbering on the walls, low timber beams, leaded windows and rich red carpeting throughout. Seating is plush leather covered and other furnishings are in keeping with the traditional English pub concept, including reproduction medieval war shields on the wooden beams.

The outlet is split into three distinct areas: the darts alcove cum lounge located at the entrance from within Bangsar Shopping Centre, the main bar area up a short flight of stairs and the spacious terrace and external bar which is also accessible from the street beside the entrance to the parking lot below.

The bar boasts a wide array of taps with The Old Speckled Hen, Strongbow Cider and Hoegaarden Witbier most sought after by the regulars. The menu is kept simple and concise with English favourites such as Fish and Chips, Steak and Kidney Pie and even Crispy Whole Pork Knuckle as amongst the favourites. A selection of wines can be found in their Wine & Beverage list.


And now, let me show you what we had on that day:

Shirley Temple (RM 12)

Hot Chocolate (RM 10)

Club Sandwich (RM 20)
Consisted of a decker toasted crispy bread slices, grilled chicken, crispy bacon, ham, lettuces and tomatoes served with fries......One of the best sandwich that I had before....yummy yummy....


Fried Egg

Crispy bacon and ham slice

Blanket & Belly (RM 26).....super cute name....

Consisted of a platter of sausages wrapped in bacon and delicious crispy pork belly.....First time eating pig blanket...The sausages were good but the bacon were a bit tough....And thumbs up for the crispy pork belly....really crispy and tasty when eaten hot........

Cute Little Pig Blanket...lol

"Pigs in Blankets" are actually small sausages wrapped in bacon which are usually served at Christmas lunch or with roast dinners.

Total damage including 16% tax = RM 78.88

Location:

The George and Dragon, Lot G130, Ground Floor,
Bangsar Shopping Centre,

285 Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya.

Tel: +603 2287 9316

Raymond Lam's award for CHOK controversy continues

Yesterday TVB Executive Chairman, Dr. Norman Leung led TVB Resource Director Virgina Lok, Siu Sang Raymond Lam and the 28 Miss Chinese International Pageant (MCI) contestants for the opening ceremony of the newly constructed SKY ZONE. Depending on CHOK, Raymond Lam won the 'Gold Song Gold Award' earlier at the JSG Best Ten Music Awards, which has been controversial. Eason Chan even joked about it, yesterday Raymond expressed during an interview: "Actually in private, I am pretty good friends with him (Eason). Basically it is nothing, don't make it a big deal."

This year Raymond will be a guest performer at the MCI and will be doing hot dances with the contestants. Asked if Raymond has a contestant that he supports? He said: "Today is the first day I've seen them, haven't looked clearly. However, many of them are tall. The dance instructor asked me if it was necessarily for me to wear heels, so I can look taller."

Responses to the CHOK controversy

Virgina Lok was asked about her favorite 'son' Raymond Lam's award controversy, she said: "Perhaps this is related to his management contract with TVB, but according to the votes, he is among the best ranked. If we fear of gossips and don't give him the award, then that is unfair to Raymond. We have to safeguard JSG's system."

Regarding Raymond's CHOK, good friend Kate Tsui attended another event yesterday and expressed the song is good. She said: "I was there while he was shooting the MV, the song is pretty good."

'Fuk Luk Sau' member Johnson Lee was asked about 'Sober Band' Moses Chan, Bowie Lam and Kenny Wong's When Heaven Burns' sub theme Youth Ignorance charging up on the JSG charts, becoming their opponent, Johnson blurted out: "If we are forced to win an award, then I rather not get it." Johnson's comment seems as if he's indirectly criticizing Raymond Lam. He later fixed what he said: "If we beat Sober Band, then that wouldn't be too good! They are our seniors."

Jacky Cheung: Award must be deserved

As for Raymond's idol, Jacky Cheung, when asked about CHOK, he admitted he's out: "This year, I haven't listened to that many songs, so I don't know this song. I already said many times, the most important thing in the music scene is the music. The awards are not just presented to the people of Hong Kong, but also to other people in other areas, they can watch too. Therefore for each award ceremony, people must feel convinced, otherwise that award ceremony will less likely be accepted. I also want to correct the thoughts of some singers, thinking it's good to get awards, but the award must be deserved, otherwise it is meaningless. If each person finishes listening to the winning song, and have doubts that something is wrong with their ears, but don't go make changes, the feeling is strange. I am still in the music scene, so I hope one day the sorrows will turn into joy and we all can think back over it."

TVB's big plans revealed

Also, at the event Norman Leung revealed TVB's big plans. He expressed TVB will be purchasing 15,000 square meters of land in Tseung Kwan O in preparation for the construction of a new building in 2015. The building will be able to hold several thousand people and large-scale Variety Shows can be performed in there. The investment reaches HK$1 billion.

Source: Oriental Daily, Mingpao
Translated by: aZnangel @ AsianEU Forum

Golden Seafood Restaurant, Kota Kinabalu

Once again, I've to thank Cecilia for bringing us around in KK. For the second night of our KK trip, she brought us to Golden Seafood Restaurant in Tanjung Aru for a seafood dinner. We ordered a total of 4 dishes. Overall, the dinner was satisfactory. My fav goes to the Steamed Red Snapper Fish followed by the Lala in soup, crab and vege.

Do enjoy my following pics...................

The huge dining area

Tanks of live seafood



Our only green vege for the night (RM20.00)
Pretty pricey for a plate of ordinary stir fried "Choi Tam"



Siong Tong Lala (RM20)
I'm always a fan of soup, with the juicy sweet big Lala, the soup is boiled to perfection. Some wine were added in to give it a more flavorful taste.



Teow Chew Steam Red Snapper Fish (RM52.00)
Really fresh fish....can taste the natural sweetness of the fish....super yummy and the taste itself is great. The sourish gravy is really appetizing..............



Sweet and sour crab (RM35.00)
The crab is fresh but taste wise, all I could taste is sour taste....really live up to its name "sweet and SOUR"!



Tadaaaaa........We finish up everything except for the cucumber slices

Me with my satisfied full look

Total damage (including 4 plain rice = RM6 + Pickles/nuts = RM 5 + Towels = RM5 + 5 % tax) is RM 155.40

Location:
Golden Seafood Restaurant

Off Jalan Mat Salleh, Tanjung Aru

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Tel: 088-215555

History of "A Famosa, Melaka"

Yes, that's right! Another piece of Melaka history on the ever famous "A Famosa" building of Malacca. Hope you'll love it.

Malacca was ruled by the Portuguese from 1511 till 1641. The first thing they did was to built a fort overlooking the Melaka river and they named the fort as A Famosa. Currently, A Famosa is one of the oldest European architecture present in South East Asia.

Throughout the Portuguese rule, the fort was important to their foothold of the state because the town was constantly under threats from other big foreign parties such as the British and Dutch. The fort consists of houses, food stores, a castle, a meeting room for the Portuguese Councils and 5 churches.

Malacca was attacked by the Dutch in the late 17th century and the fort was badly damaged leaving only the entrance facade and a church structure at the top of the hill.

Then, in the 19th century, Malacca was taken over by the British and they decided to destroy the whole fort. The whole A Famosa was demolished in 1806, leaving only a small part, as what we can see today, the last bit of the once active and important fortress.

From left to right: Chieh Yee, Sok Fon and Me posing in front of the surviving gate of the A Famosa Portuguese fort in Malacca

History of Melaka River

Since I was in Malacca for a day trip with my mum last Monday, I would like to share some history of the Melaka River with you guys.

Melaka River was once dubbed as "Venice of the East" by the European Seafarers. It signifies the emergence of Malay Sultanate of Melaka, it marks the beginning and ending of each war, it was one of the main factors attracted foreign colonizations and it was the place where Melaka bean.

The Melaka River plays a vital role in the development of Melaka. At the beginning of the 15th century, the Hindu prince Parameswara of Sumatra settled and established the Sultanate near the mouth of this river. His palace was built on the east bank of the river, at the foot of St Paul's Hill.

In addition of being an important conduit for trade, the river is also an important source of fresh water. The river enabled access to the interior and provided a means for local produce to be brought down to the market.

Today, the river function as a tourist attraction spot for Malacca, whereby one can board a boat and take a 45-minute cruise down the river. This allows visitors to recall Malacca’s history while enjoying the rustic scene of leftovers from Malacca’s past. Covering a distance of 10 kilometres, the boat ride takes you all the way down to the infamous Kampung Morten (an old local settlement). All you need to do is just pay RM10 for the river cruise.

Night View of Melaka River