Sunquick’s Exquisite Dining Experience at RuMa Hotel & Residence

To be able to collaborate with Sunquick for such event was rather fruitful. Who would’ve pictured pairing mocktails with a full on 4-Course menu at such an exquisite venue?

I’d also like to use this post to thank some kind souls who pulled together to make this happen.

First of all, Patricia and Sidney for the opportunity. Ash, Josh, Jimmy, Shin and the amazeballs Victor for the ideas, sleepless nights of mise en place and being my barbacks throughout the event. And of course, the production team for the photos and videos.

To anyone who wants to impress your loved ones or try making them at home, here are my mocktail recipes:

Started off with something refreshing to pair with the first course to open one’s appetite. The mint leaves and ginger puree yields plenty of flavor giving this drink an extra kick.

Berries First Crush
🔹10ml Sunquick Select’s Mixed Berries
🔹20ml Cranberry Juice
🔹15ml Lemon Juice
🔹1tps Ginger Puree
🔹1 Mint Sprig

Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Pour into glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and dehydrated orange slice.

Tweaked the recipe a little for that night by cooking and infusing Szechuan Peppers into the syrup to give that tingly numbness and unique flavors into the drink.

Pink Rush
🔹15ml Sunquick Select’s Pink Guava & Strawberry
🔹60ml Orange Juice
🔹10ml Lemon Juice
🔹30ml Aquafaba
🔹1 Basil Sprig

Add all ingredients into a shaker and shake vigorously until cold. Strain out ice and dry shake until no ice remnants can be heard. Double strain into a glass.

Decided to go a little extra on the garnish for this drink because Chinese New Year was just around the corner so I decided to put a rat origami on my drink.🐀

The last drink had the guests bamboozled for its tannins and astringency as they weren’t sure if there’s alcohol in it. Heard it was majority’s favourite too.

XoX
🔹120ml Sunquick Select’s Blackcurrant
🔹473ml Grape Juice
🔹1 Cinnamon Stick
🔹1 Star Anise
🔹6 Cloves
🔹6 Slice of Oranges

Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Let it rest in saucepan to infuse for 30 minutes.

Expressing lemon peels into your drink lets fragrant oil loose giving this drink a whole different flavour. Try it!

Ended our night with a selfie looking like exhausted pigeons but it was totally worth the experience. We hope everyone who attended the event enjoyed both of our food and drinks Chef Tyson and I worked on.

To watch the recap of that night, click here.

XX,

Zǎo – Breakfast Anytime at Seksyen 19, Petaling Jaya

Minimalist interior breakfast & brunch restaurant that offers quite a variety of breakfast you could think of. Pretty insta-worthy for those who enjoys taking pictures.

Note: This is a self service restaurant so do remember to collect your orders and clean up your mess after you’ve finished your meal!

Fluffy Kid (RM 17)

Lightly seasoned, not too much wow factors about this but if you don’t feel like having carbs this is a pretty good option to go for.

Scrambled eggs were fluffy as promised however the diced luncheon meat was a little mushy. The side salad was crisp, fresh and delicious!

Like Burger Like Sandwich (RM 20)

One thing I love about this place is that that they don’t use regular white breads in their menu but hearty & healthy ones like this one right here, Purple Chia Seed Toast. The pork loin in the sandwich was pretty juicy.

Multigrain Toast (RM 14)

A simple yet filling choice for vegetarian diners. Generous spread of avocado with a sunny side up.

Didn’t tried any of their drinks because we wanted to go elsewhere for coffee.

Might probably visit this place again but not anytime soon.🤷🏻‍♀️

Zǎo – Breakfast Anytime
Address: 50, Jln 19/3, Seksyen 19, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Opening Hours: 6AM to 3PM (Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri) 6AM to 4PM (Sat & Sun) Closed on Wednesdays

Contact: +60 11-2828 9173

南洋冰室 NanYang Cafe at Cheras Traders Square

NanYang Cafe is a local culinary brand who offers fusion interpretation of Nanyang delicacies.

You may have to queue for a table during lunch hours as hungry customers come about for their signature favourites such as Hong Kong Style Wanton Noodles, Freshly Baked Polo Bun, Nanyang Coffee & Tea.

Prawns & Wonton with Noodles in Soup (RM 11.90)

Their springy noodles and silky juicy prawn wontons rest in a hearty bowl of hot aromatic broth had indeed gained their recognition.

Would definitely recommend this dish.👍

Special Pork Knuckle in Preserved Bean Sauce with Tossed Noodles (RM 12.90)

If you’re looking for something a little more heavier, you should give this a try.

For its price and generous portion of pork knuckle offered, it was definitely worth it. It was really well marinated and almost melt to mouth texture.

Lettuce with Oyster Sauce (RM 7.90)

Beautifully blanched but glad the oyster sauce wasn’t mixed into the lettuce because it was ridiculously salty!

Signature Jumbo Toast with Ice Cream (RM 16.80)

Got to admit the toast was delicious and lightly buttered. It’s definitely not a dessert for 2 but for a 3 – 4 pax.

Would’ve been better if there’s an additional scoop of ice cream so it wouldn’t be too dry. Not recommended and worth the value.🙅‍♀️

I would strongly recommend to go for the freshly baked breads instead. It was definitely a lot more satisfying than the Jumbo Toast we had.

Pineapple Bun with Butter (RM 4/each)

HK street food cravings satisfied!💕 I love how they placed a thick slice of butter on top of an ice cube. It’s really soft and fluffy!

If the crust on the bun was crunchy crumbly sweet cookie-like it would’ve made is so much better. Definitely my favorite and to-go-for at this establishment.

Pumpkin & Cheese Bun (RM 4/each)

Same texture as the Pineapple Bun except this one has cream cheese fillings.

Nanyang Milk Tea (RM 4.90)

A hot cup of milk tea to pair with some breads. It tastes exactly like a ‘Teh Tarik’. Looks like one too!

It’s a decent place to have your HK cravings fixed and for its value. Would definitely drop by again for their Pineapple Bun!

南洋冰室 NanYang Cafe
Address : 20-G, Jalan Dataran Cheras 2,, Cheras Traders Square, Cheras Balakong, 43200 Kajang, Selangor

Opening Hours: 10AM to 12AM daily

Contact: +60 – 3 9082 3988

Khunthai Authentic Thai Restaurant at Petaling Garden

“Simply Thailicious!”

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Khunthai was founded in 1999 by a local family from Butterworth, Penang who simply loves Thai cuisine. To enhance the dining experience, they’ve been keeping it real by creating a cozy Thai village ambiance while playing popular Thai music at the background. The dishes on their menu were mainly simple and comforting authentic Thai cuisine selling at a reasonable price.

Note: To keep their concept as authentic as possible, even their staffs are 100% Thai!

As there’s no way I could drive all the way up to Penang to dine at their first restaurant, I decided to try the nearest outlet which is at Petaling Jaya.

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1. Fish Cake (RM15 / 5 pieces, RM 28 / 10 pieces) – Very aromatic; I enjoyed the lemongrass and lime leaves in it which simply takes it to a delicious level.
2. Prawn Cake (RM15 / 5 pieces, RM 28 / 10 pieces) – Its pretty similar to crab cakes except there a little more crunch in it from the diced prawns. Really crispy on the outside and juicy inside!
3. Prawn Cake with Salted Egg Yolk (RM 14 / 2 nos) – Its the same as the regular Prawn Cake except this one was stuffed with salted egg yolk.
4. Pandan Chicken (RM15 / 5 pieces, RM 28 / 10 pieces) – The chicken was moist, tender, packed with refreshing pandan aroma encased in the leaf.

Thai Mixed Seafood Otak – Otak (RM 18 / small , RM 24 / big)

This otak – otak was really one of a kind although traditionally, it should be wrapped with banana leaf instead of aluminium foil. It was a lot more rich and creamier in flavors than our local otak – otak. I’d recommend this if you’re in a group of 2 to 3 person.

Chap Oong Omelette (RM 10)

Simple yet delicious. Thai-styled fried eggs are always fluffy and crispy. We ordered this to pair with the otak-otak.

Kapal Tofu with Basil Leaves (RM 10 / small , RM15 / big)

Pretty generous with the mixed vegetables, the tofu was fried then braised to perfection. You definitely got to get a few spoonful of the sauce for your rice as it was very flavorful with wonderful flavors of the holy basil leaves. Yes, its called Holy Basil Leaves.

Laab Gai – Northern Thai Style Sauteed Mince Chicken (RM 12 / small , RM 16 / big)

For anyone who’s looking for a healthier dish, this is to go for. Its pretty light and refreshing with just the right amount of heat and raw onions to give good crunch to it. Probably one of the healthiest warm chicken salad you’ll ever have.

Claypot Glass Noodles with Prawns (RM 18 / small , RM 25 / big)

We ordered small and was surprised how ‘small’ their portion was! I’d say its a portion for 2. I’ve also got to admit that these noodles were pretty addictive and beautifully braised. Look at the size of the prawns! There were more prawns beneath the noodles.

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We ended our meal with BIG bowl of Tab Tim Grop or also known as Red Rubies loaded with sliced jackfruits, jellies and the crunchy diced chestnuts. It was sweet, refreshing and delicious. Perfect to have on a sunny day or after a spicy meal!

Overall it was a remarkable lunch, if you’d like to check out there menu click here!

Khunthai Authentic Thai Restaurant
Address: No.6, Jalan 5/44 & Off Jalan Gasing, Petaling Garden, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Opening Hours: 10AM – 12AM daily
Contact Number: +60 3-7781 7523

Cheers!

Pizza Plus at Dataran Dwitasik, Cheras

“Pizza & Pasta for Everyone!”

The cravings for pizza and pasta one fine weekend hit me hard when I happened to stumble across Pizza Plus in this neighborhood. Can’t say no to pizzas and pastas!

Located in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, this little Italian pizza & pasta restaurant dedicated to serving good food at a reasonable price where they also strongly take pride in their handmade pastas and pizzas by using fresh ingredients and to ensure its always full of flavours. It sounds rather promising which leaves no room for doubts so I decided to give it a try!

Loving the open kitchen; being able to see the chef making the pizza dough from scratch was simply fascinating.

Cream of Mushroom Soup – RM 8.50

It was blended finely till grainy and slightly too watery with barely chunks of mushrooms in it. As for flavors wise, it was up to scratch. Personally I’d prefer the soup to be thicker and have some chunks in it to make it a lot more palatable which also gives texture to it.

Aloha Pizza – (RM 14.90 Regular / RM 17.90 Large)

Tomato based with decent amount of turkey ham & pineapples. The down side were the toppings as the quality was honestly a little disappointing but for its reasonable price, it is what it is. I’ve got to admit their pizza dough was really good though; crispy and thin.

Pesto Pizza – (RM 16.90 Regular / RM 19.90 Large)

Pesto based generously topped with mushrooms & feta cheese. I do wish they put a little more onions on it to give some nice crunch to it. I’d strongly recommend this over the Aloha Pizza, its worth the value and quite delightful. Vegetarians would love this!

Chicken Ravioli in Creamy Tomato Sauce – (RM 16.50)

I was so thrilled when I saw there’s ravioli on their menu instead of having the usual spaghetti but I was disappointed again. Ravioli dough was a little too thick causing it to turn out a little dry and there was only half teaspoon of chicken fillings in it while the sauce didn’t seems like … it was homemade. Canned tomato paste has this really distinctive flavors where you can instantly tell it isn’t homemade.

Overall experience was alright, might come back again for the Pesto Pizza but not anytime soon. Service was okay and food didn’t take too long to arrive. Then again you get what you pay for.

Not to mention they do delivery as well but within the radius of 1km only from the restaurant. Minimum order will have to be RM 30 above with a small delivery fee of RM 3. Check out their menu by clicking here!

Pizza Plus
Address: 46, Jalan Dwitasik, Dataran Dwitasik, 56000 Cheras, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 11AM – 10PM daily
Contact: 1-300-80-2222
Facebook: Pizza Plus Malaysia

xxx

Classical Christmas & New Year Celebration at The Westin Kuala Lumpur

Chef Jeffry Pairin – Sous Chef at Prego (left), Chef Rudy Junaidie – Director of Kitchens(middle) & Chef Tan Tzaan Liing – Chef at Five Sen5es (right)

Feel nostalgic this festive season with your loved ones! Enjoy the traditional Christmas decorations, carefully curated by The Westin Kuala Lumpur. The team will take on the Classical Christmas tones featuring a range of traditional reds and greens, reindeers, snowflakes with hints of mulberry and pine cones.

Savour in an extensive buffet at The Living Room showcasing a classic menu while the kids get excited with sweet delights. Here’s some of the dishes they’ll be serving this festive season as highlighted by Chef Rudy!

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Don’t jump straight for the turkey! Add some greens before you start your Christmas feast with some of these healthy & delicious traditional salads. My personal favorite was the ham cobb salad.

Whole Baked Salmon

If you’re looking for something lighter, the salmon was absolutely delicious and paired perfectly with the salads. It was simply inviting just looking at it, you’d catch yourself going for two or three rounds.

Chicken Galantine

Another classic holiday dish! The stuffing was quite tasteful and plated invitingly. Its a definite must have on your Christmas feast.

Honey Glazed Spiced Brine Roast Turkey stuffed with Granny Smith Apple & Chestnut

Turkey was beautifully brine to assures the moisture was there and pretty flavorful with a dash of turkey gravy. I’ve got the admit stuffing was quite moist it almost feels like it came from inside of the turkey.

Prime Rib served with Brussels Sprouts & Roast Tomatoes

It was spectacular! I was actually surprised how unbelievably juicy, tender and full of flavors with a kick of garlic and herbs to it with some Brussels sprouts and roasted tomatoes to complement the dish. I’d highly recommend this!

Rustic Baked Whole Sea Bass with Lemon

Pleasingly baked, with a hint of zesty flavors from the lemon. I love how the fish was lightly salted which you can get a better taste of the bold fresh flavors in the sea bass. Another dish I’d recommend!

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Save room for desserts because there will be a long spread of festive sweet treats on the buffet counter! The photos above were my personal favorites and a must try. Just so you know, local delights and other international cuisines will still be served if you’ve got fellow diners who aren’t feeling Christmassy yet.😜

Here are the buffet rates for The Living Room:

Christmas Eve
Dinner Buffet | 6.00pm to 10.00pm
RM170nett per person

Christmas Day
Hi-Tea Buffet | 12.30pm to 3.00pm
RM140nett per person

New Year Eve
Dinner Buffet | 6.00pm to 10.00pm
RM170nett per person

New Year Day
Hi-Tea Buffet | 12.30pm to 3.00pm
RM140nett per person

The countdown to the year-end festive season is near and there’s no better place than The Westin Kuala Lumpur to get you into the festive spirit. The hotel is ready to tempt you with its exquisite menus and lively entertainment.

For reservations, contact +60 3-2773 8338 or check out other restaurants by clicking here!

Cheers!

An Indian Spice Trail at Nook, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral

This festival of lights, Nook will be presenting ‘An Indian Spice Trail’ featuring an enhanced spread of Indian delicacies on the buffet line for dinner headlined by Nook’s new Indian Chef, Kumaresan Chandra Sagaran as he will be spicing up the buffet line during dinner.

This promotion will feature authentic Indian dishes on the buffet with Chef Kumar, as he is fondly called serving up a variety of his specialty dishes on a rotational basis on the buffet line daily.

Potato Masala Salad

Chana Chat Salad

Coconut Fritters

Pakoras Salad

Crab Rassam

Chef Kumar’s appetizers will be offering diners Potato Masala Salad, Vadai in Yogurt, Chana Chat Salad, Tandoori Aloo Chat, Potato Bhaji, Coconut Fritters as well as Pakoras Salad.

They will also be serving Rassam, a spiced soup dish, with a rotation of either Crab Rassam and Tomato Rassam. Isn’t it appetizing just looking at these starters?

Biryani

Lamb Veruval

Chicken Curry Leaf

The main spread of casserole dishes will allow diners to indulge in the various Indian curries and Masalas. Amongst the dishes that will be available during this festive promotion, start your meal with a hearty plate of Jeera Pulao Rice and Matar Pulao Rice then paired with scrumptious dishes such as Dhal Terka, Vegetable Sambar, Madras Fish Head Curry, Sri Lankan Fish Curry, Lamb Veruval, Lamb Keema, Chicken Perattal, Chicken Curry Leaf, Bhindi Baigan Masala, Aloo Gobi, Palak Masala, Vegetable Jalfrezi, Cabbage Thoran and Chick Pea Veruval.

Baked Fish with Toum Sauce

Tandoori Chicken

Nook’s carving station will also be featuring Chef Kumar’s specials with the Roasted Lamb Tandoori with Mint Chutney and Baked Fish with Toum Sauce. For a twist of fusion, The Pizza station will be offering Chicken Masala Pizza and a Tandoori Chicken Pizza flavor made using Chef Kumar’s recipes.

To end the meal, some popular Indian sweets will also be featured on the buffet with the specials like Rasgula, Rasmalai, Coconut Candy, Palgova, Mysore Pak, Laddu, Gulab Jamun and Payasam.

Nook’s ‘An Indian Spice Trail‘ buffet is priced at RM 118 nett per adult and RM 59 nett per child aged 6 to 12 years old. It will only be available from 1st to 30th November 2018 daily for dinner from 6:30PM to 10:30PM.

Are you still deciding a venue to have your family dinner? For reservations and more information please call +60 3-2723 1188 or click here!

Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral
Address: No. 5 Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Contact: 03-2723 1188

xoxo,

The Berry Tale at The Link 2, Bukit Jalil

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The Berry Tale just had their Grand Opening a couple of days ago as another community cafe that offers variety of nourishing options perfect for anyone who’s into healthy lifestyle.

Here are some of the dishes we’ve tried:

Grilled Chicken Chop with Homemade Mango Chutney, Fries & Green Salad – (RM 19)

The chicken was really juicy and packed with flavors, I’d say its paired pretty well with the mango chutney. Fries could be a little more crispier and deep fried till golden perfection.

Note: This is only available from 12 noon onwards!

Miso Grilled Salmon with Cauliflower Rice – (RM 20)

I was in joy the moment I saw there’s cauliflower rice! Bare in mind that it isn’t bland nor under-seasoned, but also don’t be shy to request for salt and pepper if you’d like it more palatable. Hey, it’s a tastier way to stuff yourself with some veges! The grilled salmon chunks were delicious and went really well with the rice however it was a missed that the edamame, almond slices and walnut toppings were missing on the plate.

Overall if you’re looking for a light meal, I’d still highly recommend this though!

Zucchini Pasta with Thai Peanut Crispy Tofu – (RM 18)

Once again I’m so happy they’ve got this on the menu as well! Its almost like having a Thai salad because of the peanut sauce and also has a nice heat to it. Definitely makes a perfect light and tasty meal for anyone who’s trying to cut carbs.

Coconut Oil Nasi Lemak – (RM 16)

I love that they’ve replace coconut milk or ‘santan’ with coconut oil and ‘ikan bilis’ with silver fish instead as you barely feel the guilt of eating our local comfort food. Everything about this dish was so good! Chicken was fried to perfection, sambal was brilliant and ‘acar’ was simply refreshing and the silver fish were so crispy. Would definitely recommend this dish as well!

There is no diet that will do what eating healthy does. Skip the diet and just eat healthy! I’d definitely be back for more.

The Berry Tale
Address: C-13A-1 Jalil Link 2, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 1, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur.
Opening Hours: 8:00AM – 10PM daily (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +60 16-217 8875
Instagram: theberrytale

xx

Burger & Lobster Malaysia at SkyAvenue, Genting Highlands

The guys who set about making their dream a reality in London is now available in Malaysia! I haven’t been to Genting Highlands for a pretty long time and I was pretty excited on trying what’s good in this restaurant after all the hype.

Chilli Lobster served with Signature Brioche – RM 165

They’re serving fresh Canadian lobster steamed or grilled to our preference with a choice of clarified butter or B&L’s famous lemon & garlic butter.

The sauce was delicious with just the right amount of heat but it was a missed that the lobster was slightly overcooked. We had to order another round of those fluffy buttery brioche to absorb every last drip of the sauce.

The B&L Burger (168g) – RM 130

The B&L Burger, a combination of beef and lobster meat, topped with lettuce and Terragon & Truffle sauce.

Almost everything about this was good! Buns were fluffy and beautifully toasted, lobster was nice and firm however the patty was a little dry but well seasoned. One thing about this burger was the truffle sauce as it gave an extra oomph.

8 Steps To The West – RM 33

South Carolina Tea – RM28

Alongside we ordered some cocktails as well. Both were pretty refreshing, but I personally preferred the South Carolina Tea because it wasn’t gassy.

The kitchen is constantly flying out with orders, I hope they’re able to maintain a consistency to it. Overall it was a great dining experience, the service crew was quite attentive and friendly as well.

Burger & Lobster Malaysia
Address: Level 1, SkyAvenue, Genting Highlands, 69000 Genting Highlands Resort, Pahang.
Opening Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 11:00 – 22:00
Fri: 11:00 – 00:00
Sat: 09:00 – 00:00
Sun: 09:00 – 22:00
Contact: +60 3-6105 9186
Facebook: Burger & Lobster (Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia)

xx

Chen Chen BBQ Goose & Duck at Pudu

During lunch hours, Chen Chen BBQ Goose & Duck is one of the few popular lunch spots and gets really packed so you may need to wait for a while to get a table. Unless you don’t mind sharing!

The price here still remains reasonable for all and had always tasted the same since the first generation when the owner’s father started this business.

Duck & Salted Vegetables Soup

Soup of the day was delicious and simply whets one’s appetite before devouring into the star dishes! Its both salty and spicy yet flavorful from the salted vegetables and the ginger that is added.

Pork Meatballs Soup

I couldn’t help but to order some of these springy chewy meatballs as it makes a simple hearty soup extra comforting. I’m a sucker for meatballs.

Bean Sprouts topped with Fried Garlic

Some fat crunchy stubby sprouts with a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil is always the best companion for any roast meat regardless chicken or goose.

Roast Goose Leg

Here’s the greasy goodness of their mouth-watering roast goose most of the diners are here for. It was beautifully roasted with a slight gamey taste to it and still juicy on the inside.

Note: Dip them in their homemade plum sauce to make it a lot more palatable.

Roast Duck Breast

Other than their roast goose, the roast duck was definitely finger-licking as well. I really love how the skin does not have a thick layer of chewy fat making it so much more palatable.

Not to mention Chen Chen’s  crisp crackling roasted pork belly. Although it isn’t one of the few ‘starred dish’ to have here, its definitely still worth a try. If you didn’t noticed, there’s just a thin layer of fat on it as well.

Chen Chen BBQ Goose & Duck may just be just a hawker stall but the owner never fails to put on his chef jacket and keeps a bright smile to his regulars and new customers.

Best to visit before lunch hours to avoid the crowds!

Chen Chen BBQ Goose, Duck
Address: No. 24, Jalan Seladang, Wilayah Persekutuan, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening Hours: 9AM to 6PM daily
Contact: +60 12-233 3083

Cheers