Paranoid Android

Being Comfortable in My Own Skin. Diet Cafe, Cheras Business Centre, KL.

2011-10-17T06:30:00.000+08:00

(halal)

Each of us is several, is many, is a profusion of selves. So that the self who disdains his surroundings is not the same self who suffers or takes joy in them. In the vast colony of our being there are many species of people who think and feel in different ways.

~Pessoa, from the Book of Disquiet~

Diet. Do I Eat Today?

“It’s your Birthday!” the Bank Teller proclaimed loudly as she returned my identity card, which was held hostage during my application for a new account.

I forced an insincere smile and hurried her along and muttered an expletive under my breath.

Birthdays.

I never celebrate them voluntarily. At least not in the conventional way. The last birthday bash I had, was in Bangkok. A merit making ceremony by donating food early in the morning as the Monks from a nearby Buddhist temple walked around my neighborhood to collect alms followed by lunch at an orphanage where kids are treated to fried chicken and ice cream plus toys.

No boozing, no gifts, no expensive dinners for friends who can jolly well afford to feed themselves better than I can feed them, and none of the obligatory social canoodling and the superficial niceness that reeks of hypocrisy and affectedness. Laugh if you may, at the thought of a cynical, irritable yet servile android being dragged by friends to kneel and offer alms to a monk. The ultimate snigger will be the thought of a torpid me, spending lunch in a room filled with screaming kids trying to blend in with the spartan furniture in an orphanage.

It seemed like a brilliant idea at that time. Shamanism is rampant in Thailand, attested by the ubiquitous Spirit Houses. Maybe a benevolent Spirit possessed me at that time, or I just wanted to please my two Thai friends who always celebrated their birthdays that way. The lunch ended with a repeating chant playing in my head, which said, “Next time, just give cash.” My friends of course had a good laugh when I told them how uncomfortable I felt throughout the ordeal. It could be worse than that. In an effort to blend in with friends during schooldays, I couldn’t say I want to keep my birth date a secret. That would be termed “antisocial”, (a misnomer actually, because the proper term for is actually asocial).

Apple Crumble

After a miserable 21st birthday spent with a lot of people I didn’t like but was obliged to invite to my birthday because they were a part of my “social circle”, I made a firm resolve not to divulge my birthday except to those who reside in my sanctus sanctorum of my heart, a pledge I kept from the day I graduated from University until now.

My birthday has only been celebrated with a few people in my lifetime. I celebrated some birthdays with my family mainly out of obligation too, but that stopped following the death of my mother. Even then, with my own family, I felt a bit embarrassed by the cake and candles and the usual rites and rituals associated with birthdays. I suppose I could tolerate the discomfort of being the center of attention for my Mum, who used the occasion to show me how much she loved me. She had done so much for me, and that was the least I could do for her and would love to endure many, many more hours more uncomfortable cake blowing if she could still be around.

I guarded my birth date like a national secret and hate it if somebody tried to pry this bit of privy information from me.

Unfortunately, this is the least of my peculiarities.

Bread and Butter Pudding

There is always some music running in the background in my head, and my favorite past time is matching music to some situation that I am facing, living my life in a soundtrack of my own creation. I am obsessive about my books. A crease in a page or the cover of my book gives me goose bumps just like listening to someone scratching on a blackboard. I hate yellowing pages in my novels and have given away and re bought many copies of my favorite books.

I am fixated on Tristan und Isolde and currently have 5 versions of it in my collection.

Snakes and reptiles give me nausea and vertigo.

I hate having my photograph taken; I hate to be recognized in the streets or anywhere else. My mobile numbers are seldom given out, and if I give it out, I would expect it never to be divulged before my consent.

My fork and spoon has to match, likewise for chopsticks, otherwise I will be suffering from agitation throughout the meal, fearing something awful will happen that day.

If you think that I am weird, rest assured that you are not alone. I think I am weird too. It took me a long time to come to terms with who I am and what I am. And if you think I am a difficult person to live with, do consider the fact that I have to live with myself 24 hours a day. This is compounded by the fact that I am aware of what I am and how difficult it is for me to fit in with others.

I was only truly free after the death of my mother. I no longer had to fulfill her expectations of what I should be, how I should behave and whom I should be nice to. I only have to live for myself and became a total Prick. But I am happy. I no longer had to stifle my annoyance and am ready to snap back at anybody I had hated last time, but kept timid out of respect for my mother.

Outside my working life, I was no longer milquetoast and embarked on a new project to mundify my life of all its annoyances.

I started with people who had unrealistic expectations on how I had to behave, dress, drive, live and eat. They were not there during my most turbulent period in life. They should not have any expectations from me as I never expected them to be there for me too. They had NO right to judge me or criticize me. I showed them my Middle Finger and purged them from my life.

Warm Chocolate Cake

To them, I will be the chimeral chronic underachiever, the impulsive and eccentric bachelor who dresses shabbily, mixes with the wrong company and curses like a dockyard coolie. But I am happy, and that’s what matters most. The only place I tried to fit in is only at work. The only reason why I am doing what I am doing is out of gratitude for my Boss, who had been a real brick during my mother’s illness, convalescence and ultimately her death.

I knew after her death, I will not have the drive I once had to excel, to conform and to compete because that was never what I wanted. Previously, I just wanted to live up to my mother’s expectation of me. To be as iconic as my Boss and to be recognized and lose my privacy would mean the eventual loss of my sanity as well.

I wore a mask at work, and I wore it well. I serviced my Bosses and their clients like a whore who utilizes every trick in her book to satisfy her clients, and like the whore, they can have my body, but they will never have my heart. Everyday I battled with my conscience and suppressed my desire to do what I like best, to be free and unencumbered with the constraints of normalcy and redundancy. Nobody noticed that everything I did was rote and passionless and I trudged on until this day.

Next on my list to expunge from my life were people in my contact list that contacted me when they needed something and then leaves the conversation hanging after obtaining the information they require. People who do not even bother to respond to a simple “Hi!”. I don’t know why social interaction behind an electronic screen seems to make people forget the common courtesies. You wouldn’t turn your face away when an acquaintance says, “Hi” to you on the street to you. I used to be almost apologetic when some people ask me why they have been deleted from my Blackberry and try to make up some lame excuse like a change in Blackberry Device or something similar. Nowadays I am more direct. I just tell them straight in the face that I think they are rude, and just do not wish to interact with them via Blackberry.

Mama Panna Cotta

I live my life fully compartmentalized, like separate sets in a Venn diagram. Work, Family and Social. Only rarely and for certain individuals I absolutely trust, are they allowed to come into the intersections between the sets. Social Order in my little obsessive world meant keeping my little circle of contacts in confined, separate mobile phones, separate email accounts and separate Facebook accounts.

After a long while, I started to feel comfortable in my own skin. I learned to accept and even embrace some of my peculiarities. Like most people, when I feel comfortable, I let my guard down and started to feel snug and secure. I felt confident enough to blog and allowed the exposure some of my thoughts and feelings in the big, bad www.

I knew that it would open up another sphere of people and my neat little circles with its beautiful microscopic Reuleaux Triangle residing in the centre would be in dire jeopardy. I took the proverbial plunge and exposed my identity like the virgin exposing her neck to be corrupted by Nosferatu, seduced by the promise of eternal life or in my case, damned to an eternity of bits and bytes in a remote server.

Club Sandwich

Friendship is polysemous. To some, it is an avenue to show off, to gloat, a scratching post or worse still, as something to be used for personal gain. I am unable to define precisely what it means to me, but it has to be something more than that. I was rewarded by my foray into blogging with meeting with some of the most beautiful people I have ever met in my life, but have also gotten to know and meet some of the most soulless, superficial, narcissistic and shameless hacks on the face of earth. Like Malaysian Politics, these hacks will one day will be the big names in cybersphere. I bear no animosity with them, and treat them like an occasional annoyance that I can swat away by logging out from twitter.

Nothing prepared me to get to know some of the unkindest specimens of mankind. The Time Wasters.

I was invited to a dinner recently but there was a last minute change in the time. It was rescheduled to the next day and the person who changed the day informed everybody but me. Most of you would think that this is just a small matter, and I shouldn’t have gone apeshit. Well, first of all, being the precise, punctilious, obsessive worrier, I had to drive to Hartamas a day before, which is way off where I usually hang out. I arrived early and armed with two bags full of laptop, tablet, phones, gadgets and photography equipment, I sat down and waited in a hot pot restaurant. (Another OCD trait that I posses is I will not leave home without my gadgets, otherwise I will be thinking about them, and I am currently obsessed with Crumpler Bags.)

The 40 Minutes spent waiting at the restaurant was unnerving. I felt that the whole restaurant was staring at me. I felt eyes gnawing into my heart, and exposed the desolate bareness of my internal milleu. Every laughter emanating from other diners obviously having a good time there, seemed to mock me, and like the percolating soup boiling in the hot pot, my mind was in a raging turmoil. Hurt, anger, dismay and betrayal just like the multiple sauces offered in the restaurant was heaped onto my empty plate and empty stomach, the perfect condiments for an outburst. I called up one of my fellow diners and was surprised to hear that the date has been changed and the person who changed it had told her she would be informing me. I paid up and left and sought comfort with my Burmese Migrant worker friends.

Sauteed Button Mushroom

I awaited for an apology for three days. None came, except for a small little message saying that she changed the date and knew I will not be free and therefor did not inform me. A statement that is very flawed logically. Even if she considers herself to be the Queen of the Fucking Universe, but this little minion is not gonna go down without shoving his middle finger up her nose.

If friendship was going to be my weltschmerz, to hell with it. The suppression of my anger and the desire to give her a shelling on the phone wore me down for days. It would be pointless to confront an idiot. I did the next best thing. I nuked her from my life, starting with emails and trashed and blocked her address. I deleted her from my BB. Entered her phone number into Call Blocker and threw away anything that reminded me of her. It felt good. I was free. If there is something I can do well, is to love and hate something with the equal amount of intensity.

I can never be sure if it was a sin of commission or omission. All that I knew was that she did send a message on my BB one hour before I left home for the restaurant, yet she didn’t mention anything about canceling the dinner. Either way, death by disembowelment with a dessert fork would be an option to consider as just punishment.

I was jolted out of my comfort zone again. I was feeling out of sorts and started to think if I had made a big mistake by blogging, by sharing my unconventional thoughts with so many strangers.

I remembered a meal I had at Diet Cafe.

Cajun Prawn Sandwich

The interior of Diet Cafe is a bizarre mishmash of bric a bracs, from lights that resembles alien flying saucers to small little kitschy object d’arts that hardly conforms to functional minimalism. Despite the hodgepodge, a sense of calmness prevails especially when one has experienced the harrowing traffic along Jalan Pudu and Jalan Cheras. The menu is fairly extensive for a restaurant that size and a few items stand out.

I have praised their beautiful Risotto which was satisfyingly rich with the prefect texture in another post. Their pesto was youthful and fresh which saved it from being drowned in oleaginous slick like John Travolta’s mop of hair in Grease being saved by the vigorous exuberance of his dance. In this case, the verdant freshness of the Basil did the trick.

Spaghetti with Pesto (Off Menu)

The statuesque Club Sandwich was gloriously thick and could do with a denser bread, though it was slightly overdressed to kill.

Diet Cafe's working class roots was reflected by it’s offering of Bangers and Mash which is usualy only as good as the sausages. Although Diet Cafe uses premium Chicken Sausage, it can never replace the more endowed Cumbria Sausages sheathed sinfully in Pork Intestine and filled with ground Pork Loin and seasonings. The onion gravy was abnormally sweet although the texture of the mash was lovely. Apparently, I was told by my British friend, that the name “Banger” interestingly came up during the Second World War. Food rationing was imposed in Britain, and as a result, sausages had a higher content of water than usual, resulting in the sausages exploding when fried at a high temperature.

Bangers and Mash

The Chicken Parmaggiana was moist and tender. The effort was commendable but one can only do so much with a piece of breast.

The entrees were perfunctory. Prawns in Spicy Tomato Sauce was served on a piece of bread that had just ran a marathon through the desert and did nothing much to elevate the juicy, bouncy prawns that just got off a trampoline. The Sauteed Mushrooms were blissfully doing a backstroke in a light, garlicky sauce.

Desserts were more pedestrian but managed to satisfy our desire for a post meal sugar rush.

Lamp

The most captivating quality of Diet Cafe was it lack of pretense and is confident to offer what it does best. Reasonably priced food that is well prepared and served at very welcoming hours. It does not boast to indulge you in fine dining nor boast of using the finest ingredients. The desire to please is evident, service is cheerful and ebullient. Any imperfections or flaws are easily overlooked. This was clearly a restaurant with a character of it's own and the owners and chef are really comfortable being what they are and realistic enough to know what they can offer.

I used to view the world with askance, and isolated and limited myself to interacting with the barest minimum amount of people. Thanks to this unpleasant episode, I am returning back to my little shell. Do forgive me if I insist on asking to the point of paranoia about who is going to be there for our meals. I am just comfortable with knowing the few people I have already known and you know who you are. At this juncture, I have completely no desire to meet anybody new. You are free to disavow me, and unlike the vengeful Abrahamic God, I promise no retribution in this world or in the afterlife.

I am also taking a break from blogging, and may not be updating much here, not that I have been diligent. I have however, started a new neurotic blog to spare all of you from having to read my tiresome descriptions of my neurotic life here. And if I do blog here, it will be to share about food and much happier things. I wish to regain my anonymity.

I love observing people and how they behave, recording their conversation in my mind and observing the little nuances, their accent, their gestures and then form little vignettes of their life on my own and imagining a soundtrack to accompany it. It is as if by silently observing others that I can fill up the gaps in my own life, by experiencing some of the things that I will never encounter. To be a successful voyeur, one has to remain anonymous.

To those of you who do not know me, I want to be the owner of the pair of slitted Chinky eyes training you from a dark corner in a decrepit coffee shop. Looking at you as you receive a break up text message from your boyfriend, with my eyes tearing, possibly irritated the thick veil of nicotine smoke that separates me from you.

However, I can never put my arms around your shoulder to offer you solace, for it is not me to do so. I am not wired that way. I take a long, long time to warm up to people and some of you are just probably feeling that I am friendlier now after knowing me for 2 years. I will never, never again trust anyone without knowing them for a length of time.

Light Fixture

Some people may think that I am seeking attention by being different, by being aloof. I can assure you, I am not. I can't help being what I am and if you think you know me, you are wrong. I don't even know myself.

When you see me, you will just see fragments of a mutilated me. The government demands me to be lobotomized , my vocal cords cut out and my heels nailed to my butts. Forever forced into a supplicant kneel in gratitude to my oppressors. At work, the corners of my mouth are stitched to my ears to deform my mouth into giving everybody who sees me a macabre smile, my heart ripped from my chest to be a compliant robot. I'll be damned if I need to mutilate myself when I am with friends.

Picking up my own fragments and reassembling myself like a jigsaw puzzle to fit into the mould of what others deem to be sociable is getting to be quite a chore. So is repressing the desire to kick thoughtless buffoons.

All I know is I have to accept who I am, what I am capable of and what I am not, with all my neurosis, my obsessions and flaws. More than a 13 inches macbook air with 256 Gigs of flash drive upgraded with i7 processor, more than owning a complete set of Fellini or a copy of Ulysses signed by Joyce himself, I just want to be myself and be comfortable in my own skin.

Just like Diet Cafe.

Diet Cafe
27, Jalan 3/101c, Cheras Business Centre,
Cheras, 56100
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6.03.91.30.17.00

Hours: Mon-Fri 10–12am; Sat-Sun 8–12am

Civilized Savagery. Chef Choi, Jalan Ampang, KL. Sage, Gardens Mid Valley.

2011-09-02T01:00:00.000+08:00

(Rated "R" for Rambling)

Smoked Trout with Ikura and Wasabi Mayonnaise, Sage.

There is a gentle civility that makes Sage one of my favourite places for lunch. The beautifully pristine slabs of protein ornamented with small little leaves of Japanese herbs, form the little notes of a melismatic passage. Together with the accompaniment of resolute pearls Ikura with it's bold briny flavour and the gentle whisper of Wasabi Mayonnaise, it became a thunderous, beautiful symphonic chant to the Sea.

I am resigned to forget I am actually tearing into a piece of meat, a piece of now decaying flesh that used to be a part of the muscle that propels the graceful sway of the beautiful ocean trout as it swims in the ocean.

Home Made Tagliolini Pasta with Seafood and Flat Leaf Parsley. Sage.

Seafood served at Sage with the exception of Oysters are usually filleted or de-shelled, leaving one to eat in comfort without the hassle of having to deal with the mess that usually accompanies a Chinese Seafood Dinner. And their pastas are usually light, rolled into small spools with Oriental inspired sauces.

Civilised Posh Nosh in beautifully assembled morsel sized bites.

Not having to deal with bones means that while imbibing and smacking my lips to a delicious meal, I would not have to be reminded that what I was chewing is something that used to be alive.

Duck with Foie and Daikon, Sage.

The harsh reality is that animal carcasses abound in any kitchen. Eviscerated, decapitated, hacked and skinned prior to be cooked and served, it is a scene right out of a medieval torture chamber . Disguised by beautiful garnishing and excellent plating, the odious idea that a sentient being has been killed and tortured to satisfy my craving is pushed right to the narrow recesses of my mind and lessens the guilt of having to grapple with the ethics of being an omnivore.

It's not that I find indulging in meat particularly objectionable , nor could I find any convincing philosophical arguments that manage to convince me to be a Vegetarian. As hypocritical as seems, I just don't like to be reminded that what I am chewing was once alive.

Fresh Cherry Fruit with Champagne Sabayon and Vanilla Ice Cream, Sage

Perhaps it is the cartoons I have watched as an impressionable youngster that bestowed emotions, rationality and feelings to animals. Somehow or another I feel uncomfortable with the thought of massacre of animals as a necessity for my pleasure and sustenance. I was never comfortable eating meat with bones stuck on them, and my preferred cut of poultry is still the breast, where there is a minimal chance of confronting fresh blood oozing from the marrow.

I suppose the rest of the English speaking world share some of my queasiness. Pork is never referred to as Pig and Beef never as Cow.

This was my narrow view of what civilized posh nosh should be. Beautifully presented food with minimal reminder of the original state of the victim and it's merciless termination of life.

When it comes to humans, who do we consider to be a civilized person? What are the qualities we deem as pre requisites to be considered civilized?

N's Tattoo

"Is it painful?" I asked N as the Tattooist stroked his skin with a tattooing needle to the accompanying high pitched whir that resembles a Dentist's drill humming in the background. There were splotches of bright red blood on his skin as the needle broke through the epidermal layer of his skin. (Those who follow my misadventures on twitter may recall that he puked and passed out after that.)

I have been asked the same question by him when I visited him and his friends in their mess, invited over for impromptu dinners. Sometimes after a long day at work would leave my neck in spasm and if I arrived with a stooped head or wince slightly while reaching out for something, he would ask, "Pain?". I would just smile.

After dinner, while I read amidst the hive of post dinner activities of migrant foreign workers in the background that involves strumming the guitar, a loud telephone conversation in a foreign language back home or the gentle blare of soap opera from the TV, I will get a pat on my back. This will be followed by a warm towel on my neck and N or H will give me a neck massage. There is no use protesting, they will be adamant and will only stop when they feel that the neck muscles are soft and pliable again.

H's Tattoo

N and his friends are from Myanmar. N is tall, lanky with dry, dark skin marred by splotches of eczema due to chronic exposure to industrial solvents. He is heavily tattooed and pierced. He would be the least likely person one would consider to be civilized. Foreign workers are not very well regarded in Malaysia, especially the semi skilled workers.

It was a chance encounter. I needed to some independent fact checking on Moulmein (known as Mawlamyine now), and asked my friend if he had any workers from that region. He had two, he said and I could meet them. N and H are ethnically Mon, with a distinctive language and script of it's own. Together with V, a Karen tribesman and T, a Shan tribesman, they share the largest room in a double storey terraced house my friend owned and used as a hostel for his Myamar workers.

All four of them have a unique story to tell, and I shall start with the story of N. His father passed away when he was 12, and he left home to work illegally in Thailand with his elder brother at the age of 16 because he did not want to burden his mother who had to take care of 2 other younger siblings. He hasn't used a single dime from home since then.

Tattoo

Working in Thailand was not easy. Thailand shared a long history of warfare with Burma in the olden days. The Siamese Kingdom of Ayutthaya was ended with the sacking and looting of Ayuttaya by the second King of the Burmese Konbaung Dysnasty, Hsinbyushin. Ayutthaya was razed to the ground. Golden statues of the Buddha was melted and more than 90,000 Thais were taken as slaves back to Burma.

The event has been long rallied as a sore point in Thailand's history and many migrant Burmese workers to Thailand face some prejudice from the authorities. After saving enough money to obtain a Visa to Malaysia, N finally escaped the intimidation of Thai Police and made his way to KL.

The past 3 years had been kind to N. With a monthly salary of more than RM1,300 and plus some overtime allowance, he has managed to send approximately RM500 home every month. One of his brothers is attending University in Rangoon and another one to follow suit next summer. But still, his material possessions till today is compared paltry by any standards. 6 t-shirts, 5 pairs of jeans, a mobile phone and his most expensive possession, his tattoos.

I have asked him many times if he needed any financial help. I could easily do without one or two lunches and would be more than glad to help out, obligation free. But the answer was always the same. A squeeze on my shoulder, no, he can manage and if the time comes, he will let me know and every single cent will be paid back in due time.

Skull Motif on H's Arms. The Tattoo has yet to be completed.

Finances are managed prudently. Lunch is taken care of by their factory. Breakfast is simple, bread and coffee and dinners are home cooked. Cigarettes are usually communal, shared out in the room and the last stick belongs to the person who bought the pack. This is their unwritten rule. Read magazines and newsletters from Myanmar are taken out to the living room to be shared out.

Is it easier to share when one has less, while relative wealth makes another hoard and be possessive?

Their only indulgence is to spend about RM50 to 70 each on their weekends, Beer and Myanmar Food at their hangout at Jalan Cheng Lock. Coincidently, that area was also the place where Chinese immigrants like my grandfather congregated at the turn of the 20th century.

If somebody falls asleep in the room, any conversation will be carried out in the living room or the balcony outside as not to disturb the one sleeping.

Tattoo on H's back

What is most amazing about N is despite having gone through so many traumas in life, he is not bitter about life. Our friendship is easy. Minimalist. No superficial hello hugs, no callous "take cares". He does not pretend to understand my job, in fact he never once asked what I do for a living, nor try to estimate my salary. All he knows is I work horrendously long hours and I am usually dead tired at the end of the day.

Messages are always answered all be it in broken English. Calls are always returned, unlike some lofty friends who claim that they are always too busy with their work and family but find time to write a long email or text message when they require some information and advice.

I never fear that I will be taken advantage of. Loans are short term, settled within the same day, after the shopping trip. The cost meals are shared out, unless it is specified that it will be a treat before the meal.

The care and concern is genuine. Although I am sometimes pissed that he and his friends text me at night when I am working and insist I have dinner with them because they cooked something I liked, I always find out later that it is always for my own good. I do need that break and usually leave their house happier and less tired. Freer days are spent reading to their ambient chatter and answering their questions about what I am reading. If I am less chatty, they will know that I am not in the mood and just leave me be for a while. Occasionally, when I am extra quiet and caught up in my own world, they will bring out the guitar and start playing the only Myanmar song I can sing after 4 months of attempting to learn the language. That usually breaks down my wall of ice.

Once a week I have my Myanmar lessons, writing and vocabulary. More about my adventures attempting to learn a polytonal language later. Invariably, the lessons will end up with learning some really wicked curse words and hysterical laughter.

Perfect Tattoo on Imperfect Skin

N does not pretend to be clever or intelligent. He does not pretend to know how tired I am. He is not interested in who my friends are. Life for him is lived at the present. We share a lot of similarities, but he was not as lucky as I was in obtaining some formal education.

He may not fit into one's image of a civilized man, and some may call him a savage. But to me, he is a gentleman and I am proud to call him my friend. Sometimes we want to get to know somebody because of the persona they project, especially through social media. But that is just good marketing skills. I can count with one hand the number of people I have met that lives up to that image.

Many times I have gone through my life with this preconceived notion of how a person should behave and food be presented. I dread to think how many people I have shut out from my life through this fault. This is one unforgettable lesson that N has taught me.

Both N and H will be going back to Myanmar in 5 days time for six weeks. It will be their first time seeing their family members after 3 years. I sincerely wish them Bon Voyage and a safe trip home.

Seafood Paella from Chef Choi

In the same vein, I was quick to dismiss Chef Choi's as an uninteresting restaurant serving the same, uninspiring Chinese Cuisine found elsewhere in KL. I was wrong. It is a gem, helmed by an enthusiastic Chef with an encyclopaedic knowledge of food and culinary arts.

When a friend invited me over for dinner, I was thrilled to find one of the most perfect paella in KL. Beautiful plump slightly al dente Arborio rice soaked with a generous amount of Saffron in the stock and served with prawns, squid, mussels and bits of Serrano ham, it was a delightful paella, much better than I have tasted in some Spanish Restaurants in KL.

Perfect Paella in a Chinese Restaurant. Almost unimaginable.

Roasted Pork Belly

The theme for dinner was Barbecue. It is such a primitive way of cooking meat. I could imagine cavemen huddling together in a cave while they roast their catch from the forest in an open fire. Worse of all, body parts abound, complete with bones and the form of carcass.

It was an invite that was very hard to refuse. CS had been so generous and is a treasure trove of culinary knowledge. Gregarious and witty, she could rattle on about food for hours and had been exposed to some of the most famous restaurants in the world.

I prepared myself for a bit of blood, gore and carnage as I made it to Chef Choi's.

Spaghetti Vongole

The traffic was mercifully light during the fasting month. This was not the first time I was at Chef Choi's. I was there a few months back for a noodles inspired dinner. I saw glimpses of Chef Choi's creativity and skill back then, but was not prepared for his versatility in the kitchen.

If the Paella was magnificent, but the Spaghetti Vongole was subdued and meek in comparison. It just couldn't compete with the resolute saffron. The attraction of the day was the meat in all it's bloody gory. Humongous slabs of meat with crimson blood trickling by the side with bloodied marrow like a scene out of a B grade horror movie.

I cringed.

Steak Florentine

It was precisely the moment when the Barbecued Lamb Shank was served that I received a text message from N. My car battery had stalled after I arrived at Chef Choi's and I had texted N informing him that I will be late for our weekly Burmese Lesson. N wanted to come over with his friends to keep watch over my car while the mechanic from AAM replaced the battery. He was worried that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my meal while worrying about my car.

This was followed by another text message from H asking if I needed help from his cousin who is a mechanic at Chan Sow Lin, a skip away from Jalan Ampang. T called and wanted to preform CPR on the car. He just attended a CPR demonstration at his factory.

After a flurry of text messages reassuring them that everything was fine and taken care of and their text messages were distracting me from my meal more than my stalled car, my moment of epiphany arrived.

Yorkshire Pudding

If I was able to enjoy their friendship in the most primitive form without the trappings of superficiality and decorum as society expects, why should I be distracted by garnishing and beautiful plating when I am enjoying a piece of meat?

I tore into into the lamb with relish.

It was one of the most beautiful piece of lamb meat I have ever tasted. The texture was tender, almost creamy with the wonderful aroma of Rosemary and garlic steeped into every fibre of the meat. The most basic cooking technique had rendered the meat perfect.

One does not need anything else to enjoy meat. Just a really good piece of meat, marinated well and cook at the right temperature for the correct duration of time.

Fried Fan Pei

The meal kicked off with some basic salad to balance out the meat, interestingly served with the slightly salty shoyu sesame dressing and the wonderfully tart and fragrant lemon cilantro dressing.

The roasted pork belly came with the crackling detached. I am not a big fan of pork and perhaps not qualified to pass any comments on it, but thought that the meat was tender and juicy though I found the crackling slightly too chewy.

Pan Fried Matsusaka Beef on Glutinous Rice

Bovine indulgence came in two forms, Roasted Prime Rib on Bone and Steak Florentine. Both were exemplary in both the meat texture and taste. I couldn't decide which was better as I have eaten more red meat in that meal than I have for the entire year.

Carbohydrate relief was Potato Boulangre and Yorkshire Pudding which had the weight watchers commiting the sin of wanton stuffing with carbohydrate without feeling a single ounce of remorse.

Boston Lobster Yee Mee

That dinner was not my virginal experience of being seduced by Chef Choi's food. On a previous occasion, another palate orgy was organised and involved lashings with strands of noodles and scalding with almond milk with giant lobster pincers creatively used to induce orgasm.

Almond Milk with Papaya

Chef Choi is also a dessert genius. The gorgeous Almond Milk with papaya is a work of sheer genius. I am not sure if any of you are partial towards Almond Milk like I am because if you do, then Chef Choi's is the promised land and this beautiful dish will be the Manna from heaven.

Lush and thick, with the distinctive taste of ground almond, it was served warm with bits of papaya and lotus seed.

His "western" desserts are equally delectable. The tart tartin was praiseworthy, served with fresh cream with crushed vanilla pods inside.

Apple Tartin

Sometimes I do need a good slap of honesty to wake me up. Meat is meat and no amount of dressing up can hide the fact that I am chewing into a piece of flesh. What I thought was savagery in devouring a prey with the body parts intact at a barbecue was just enjoying meat in it's purest form and Chef Choi was an excellent place to be introduced to it.

Like wise in my personal life. The boys remind me that one does not need much to be happy, and they are indeed some of the happiest people I have met in life. Much happier than morose intellectual wannabes trying to rationalize through their empty lives molly cuddled by a false sense of being superior to everyone around them.

Happier than some bloggers competing for hits and beautiful photos and bragging about their lives when all they expose is a empty hole where the brain is supposed to be and a huge emptiness in their soul trying to live out the persona they try to portray.

Much happier than the handsomely paid executives in multinationals who live in the fear of making a wrong decision and being stabbed in the back.

Much much happier than I am, stuck in a job that I loath, but happen to do be competent in.

Mooncake

They boys live their lives devoid of pretence and they are completely comfortable with who they are. The sure as hell will not pick up a passage from Proust, looking it up in wikipedia and try to impress me. It's unimaginable.

They have never stood me up and in fact provide relief for me when I am left dangling from last minute dinner cancellations. There were always there for me when I needed some comic relief.

After spending more than 12 hours of a working day pretending to fit in to a job that demands that I forsake my entire persona and ideals, the last thing I need is more pretence. I just want to enjoy my time being who I really am in the company of people who are being their real selves.

Just like biting into some juicy unadorned barbecued meat at Chef Choi's.

Snow Skin Mooncake

Pictures at Sage (no pork served) is from their daily lunch sets at RM 100.

Barbecue Dinner available at Chef Choi (non halal) is available upon advanced order. Please call +60 3 2163 5866 for reservation and prices. It is located at 159, Jalan Ampang, in between the MCA building and Pelita Nasi Kandar.

When The Heart Yearns For Something Simple. Tanjung Bunga Nyonya Cuisine, SS2, PJ.

2011-07-06T08:00:00.007+08:00

"Dedicated to people who has the tenacity to consider me a friend despite my inadequacies and eccentricity, I humbly seek forgiveness for my failings.

To workaholics who forge on, in the hope that you will attain your goals in life someday.

And finally to weirdos who persevere on with their unconventionality. It is you who add colour and charm to my dreary life."

(non halal)

Nasi Ulam

Living in a heartless city can be reassuring. Sometimes. Moving along as a bustling herd of humanity like a swarm of assiduous spermatozoa, I feign being preoccupied, being lost in my little world of make believe. But in reality, I am in a state of non purposeful industriousness. Spermatozoa do not stop to make small talk with each other as they race to fertilize the ovum, and neither do have to bow to this ritual of pretending to be interested in the lives of people I encounter daily as a necessity, not a desire. I suspect others feel the same about me too, I am but another potential human to take some advantage of in a heartless city whose soul is corrupted to the core either by economic necessity or greed.

It suits me fine being an anonymous. Putting on a nameless face means I can go through life here with minimal distractions. It is easier to be nasty and uncaring if you do not know the other person. I drift with no fixed purpose except to work and the ultimate goal of fulfilling my desire for material comfort as a compensation for a life devoid of romantic emotional attachment which is an abstract concept to me having experienced it vicariously through books, movies and opera.

Work. A four letter word that takes up more than half of my time for the last couple of years, sometimes more.

Work. A monosyllabic grunt, a vulgar and fractious word that begins with a gentle W, pronounced lips puckered like kissing and ends with a sneer and a smirk of a death mask as the final K is pronounced.

Work. My ovum. My farcical ovum, which instead of giving me life, destroys my essence and purpose.

Sambal Petai Udang

It is only when I am unfettered by work a strange yearning overcomes me. An unexplained feeling of melancholia that unseats reason and practicality which I foolishly hold as the master of my cerebrum. My external facade of feigned aloofness crumbles in the early hours of morning when my bed turns into a wide and deep dark chasm that engulfs me.

A biting cold loneliness that permeates through every cell of my body. My resilience crumbles and for a few fleeting seconds I would feel lonely, the vulnerability exposed seems to feed on the darkness of the night before a toss on the bed dispels it into the deepest recesses of my memory before being summoned out again by periods of emotional vulnerability.

My unrelenting working hours does offer me some refuge from these pangs of emptiness, but it is discomforting for me to admit the irony of finding find solace in the very thing that saps up my zest for life.

I have chosen to be alone and fault nobody for my predicament, if I am allowed to call it so. Sharing a bed with someone means baring my soul, my entire being, my paranoia and eccentricity which will scare the average red blooded human. Something I can never do, and never am proud of.

I have sought a compromise by attempts to forge friendships which offers some temporary respite in which I attempt to be normal. Friends are not with me every moment of the day and I can choose what to share with them.

Inchi Kabin

I have been blessed with many caring people in my life and part of the fun in hunting for good food is hunting for dining companions to share little adventures with which comes from all walks of life. Fellow weirdos who understand me without having to explain myself. People who shower me with love and attention.

Take for instance, M whom I met through blogging. After a particular two months of harrowing workload, we finally met for lunch almost at her insistence. I gave her a free hand to decide the venue and she instinctively chose this little quaint but plain restaurant to dine.

The tacky decor is nothing to shout about with some kitschy Dutch windows hanging on the wall. Food is served on cheap melamine and dining was under almost bare energy saving bulbs that cast a strange jaundiced glow to our complexion. But it was just what a tired soul needed. Not Foie, not truffles nor fancy desserts.

Their Nasi Ulam may not be the best that I have ever had but the effort was commendable, with slivers of the usual herbal condiments. Mint, Daun Kantan, Basil and Kerisik adorned the rice that was served strangely with some chips.

Their Inchi-Kabin was perfectly double fried and crispy with hints of cumin, shallots and corriander powder. It came with the traditional syrupy dip that was redolent of Worcester Sauce.

I loved their Joo Hoo Char which is julliened slivers of Sengkuang, Carrot and Dried Mushroom with Grilled Dried Cuttlefish hiding in between the strips to lend the dish an tantalizing aroma. Place them in a piece of Lettuce leaf and roll it like a spring roll with a dab of Sambal Belacan and you will be biting on pieces of heaven.

Their Sambal Petai Udang was an interesting break for intermission but the spotlight shined on the Nyonya Fried fish with was ravishing. Perfectly fried fish in a beguiling mix of tart Tamarind with nuances of spices, Daun Limau Purut and Preserved Leek.

Desserts were limited to 3 choices.

Nyonya Fried Fish

The meal was not perfect but genuine. It did not use expensive exotic ingredients but the love and pride of the Chef in it's Nyonya Heritage was almost palpable.

It's just like friendship, where once accept and maybe even treasure flaws and imperfections of others as long as it is genuine.

I have been accused of being an elitist, a pseudo intellectual and a snob so many times in life, I've lost count.

I don't just hang out with people who fine dine. The quantum of satisfaction I get from beautifully prepared nyonya fish and a perfect piece of Toro is probably the same.

Nor do I hang around elitists who quote Sartre and discuss post modernist art over salmon and cocktails all the time.

If there is one thing that either amuses me is the superficiality of some people I meet and their inane desire to impress or show off usually with hilarious consequences. Wealth and power does not impress me, for I know the people who posses them will never part with it without me doing something for them in return. I have to recall something very funny that happened a few weeks back.

I stumbled across an acquaintance from my College days whom I have not met for years and after the preliminary how do you do's he proceeded to ask me "What car are you driving now?".

I replied, "Why? Is your job so bad that you have to sell cars to supplement your income?". That ended our conversation pretty quickly and each of us probably think the other is a dickhead. At least I do.

I guess he does not know that the owner of Ikea drives a 20 year old Volvo and some of the slimiest Bankrupts in town whizz around in Porsche SUVs. I suppose a lot of people are trained to asses a person by the car he drives, the handbag she owns and where their family goes for holidays.

Even more irritating are meeting people who try to impress me with their intellectual prowess when they clearly have none. They claim to have read books that they haven't and try to critique movies when they have absolutely no inkling about. But things do break out into a comical farce when they dig deeper into their own grave when they are unable to stop talking.

The the species that deserves the vilest contempt will be those who put themselves on a pedestal for some unknown reason. Sharing a meal with them is just like suppressing a bad case of jock itch. I am just dying to bare it all on the table and give it a good scratch.

Joo Hoo Char

Life is not a competition. Meeting up with acquaintances in a social event is not a job interview or a sales pitch. There is no point competing, to brag and to impress. If there is anything that impresses me at all, it will be your honesty and genuine warmth. There is no need to put on a front and be kissy wissy with every one and the moment they turn their back, start the ritual of gossip and back stabbing. I find it juvenile, petty and revolting.

Some evenings and weekends, I hang out with some migrant factory workers at their quarters and their Restaurants at Jalan Silang. Their lives are simple and uncomplicated but lived with dignity and quiet perseverance. Never on any occasion have they taken advantage of me nor used me for for their personal gain. We spend out time together teaching each other to cook, with them teaching me reading and writing Burmese and me teaching them English and Facebook. Strangely enough, our lingua franca is Bahasa Melayu (go figure) which I seldom use with my Malaysian friends. One day, I may blog about them.

A lot of people who consider themselves hoity toity could learn a thing or two about leading their life from these migrant workers.

I can only agree if anybody comments that I am very selective with friends. This is how I am.

But then again, not everybody can be like M. She knows I will never be cheerful ebullient and accepts my mood swings and I am sure she would let me know immediately if I cross the line. And as a treat for all my sleepless nights and midnight travel, she brought me to a place that she instinctively knew would cheer me up. She knew I was yearning for a simple uncomplicated meal. A meal served in a place unadorned by the trappings of materialism, where genuine food is served with pride and a heart.

Just like a good friendship.

Tanjung Bunga (same row as Chow Yang)
117 Jalan SS 2/6
47300 Petaling Jaya, Taman Sea, Malaysia
+6.03.78.77.45.31

Curtis Duffy at Senses. A Beautiful Dinner from a 2 Star Michelin Chef.

2011-05-21T05:29:00.031+08:00

(no pork served)

Sea Urchin with Rhubarb Anise Hyssop Blooms Frozen Hojo Santa

When Aly asked if me I were willing to fork RM 398 for a dinner cooked by Curtis Duffy at Senses, I have to admit I was a little bit intimidated. Coming from a lineage that includes Grant Achatz from the famed Alinea Restaurant in Chicago, I was afraid that Curtis Duffy's menu would be too "molecular", too derivative. I have not always been a big fan of Molecular Gastronomy, having believe that test tubes should stay in labs and some over enthusiastic Chefs place too much emphasis on form over function.

Bubbles, smoke and pyrotechnic theatrics distract me from the pleasure of dining and some chefs would be guilty of what Santi Santamaria (who passed away in Singapore in Feb 2011) cautioned against. Quoting directly from Santi's book, "one of the greatest challenges faced by today’s chefs is to avoid becoming the court jesters of the snobs and the posh.", a direct jibe directed against the vanguards of Avante Garde Cuisine.

Olive Oil Poached Faroe Island Salmon with Favors of Fennel, Black Olive and Absinthe

When the amuse bouche arrived, I realized that my fears were unfounded. What was served was a beautiful intersection of the beautiful curve of creative cuisine, the linear severity of physical science and the hyperbole of creativity and playfulness. A beautiful, edible three dimensional post modern art installation to be admired and savoured.

The tart and sourish Rhubarb Jelly played with the rich smoothness of Sea Urchin amidst the cold backdrop of minty frozen Hojo Santa peppered with the liquorice flavoured Hyssop blossoms. It was tantalizingly imaginative and fresh and heart achingly beautiful. It is evident that this was not some whimsical dish and a lot of thought have been given to create such beautiful flavours and contrasts.

Olive Oil Poached Faroe Island Salmon, emphasizing the Absinthe Foam.

The Silky Smooth Flesh of the Salmon

The Olive Oil Poached Faroe Island Salmon was also outstanding. The flesh mantained it's firmness and flavours like a sous vide dish and the gentle poaching in olive oil rendered it's texture unctuously smooth. It came accompanied with all the parts of Fennel, the bulb, the fronds, the stem and it's blossom together with Red Sorrel and chopped black olives. The black dressing that came with it was not Balsamic Vinaigrette, but seems to be a combination of mustards and black olive. The absinthe foam lent the dish a delightfully gentle aniseed flavour.

The dish evoked beautiful memories of walking through a herb garden in Spring with it's haunting scents.

Nantucket Bay Scallop with Romaine Lettuce Marmalade, Nasturtium Leaves and Their Flowers with White Poppy Seed Milk.

The Nantucket Bay Scallop was overtly sensual. Beautifully luscious slices of thick scallops felt like moist lips kissing me, bathed in delightful ambrosial cool milk that Cleopatra was rumoured to bath in. The Nasturtium Leaves and Petals lent it an exotic peppery flavour that was swathed in herbaceous Romaine Marmalade with bits of sweet Poppy Seeds that thrilled the palate.

Long after the plate was removed, I could still imagine the beautiful flavours of this beautiful ensemble.

Barley Risotto with Amaranth and Grains

Sunflower Seed Consomme being poured into the Risotto

Compared to the overt sensuality of the scallops, the complex, earthy and grainy Barley Risotto was an intellectual enigma. I could discern Barley and Quinoa and Amarnth and saw some Sultanas in the mix, but there was an added complexity to it, sweet and nutty, with unidentified herbs and even a tangy citrusy dimension to it. It came served with a cube of Crème Fraiche.

I could sit all day trying to dissect the flavours and mull over the enigma of incompatibility of quantum physics with relativity and space.

Grilled Wagyu Beef Ribeye with Smoked Cocunut Pudding, preserved Kumquats and Basil Notes

There is a disconcerting masculine savagery to the next dish which was the Wagyu Beef Ribeye. It was red to the point of appearing raw. Fortunately, one just requires table cutlery to tear through this really soft, smooth and succulent piece of almost rare meat thanks to the ingenuity of the Chef. The meat was cooked sous vide, with all the flavours sealed in before being grilled.

Exciting tropical flavours were scattered on the plate, camphor like basil notes with tangy kumquats and even some passion fruit puree(?) which jostled with the coconut pudding for attention. The combination of flavours were unsual, but lent an air of exquisite civility to the meat.

Sudachi

Science meets playful culinary invention in this pristine little mouth sized ball. I did not attend Duffy's Masterclass, but I perhaps can deduce that frozen Sudachi Juice was wrapped with Cocoa Butter and White Chocolate and left to thaw in a referigerator. Due to the different melting points in the Chocolate and Frozen liquid, popping one in the mouth will melt the chocolate and release the Sudachi Juice in an explosion of tart tangy sourness that was counterbalanced by the chocolate's creamy sweetness.

All of us squealed in delight after popping it into our mouths.

Bittersweet Chocolate with Huckleberries, Cassia Caramel, Brown Butter Powder, Chamomile and Stevia

The Dessert was strands of Manjari ganache, served on a plate splattered with Blueberry and Lemon Puree, Cassia Buds and Huckelberries. It came topped with a scoop of Mandarin Sorbet garnished with Dill. Although the flavours were exciting, I can't help feeling like the chocolate was a bit too distracted by the mischievous garnishing and perhaps should just be like the old woman who lived in shoe, whipped the rascals and just send them to bed.

The Maestro Himself, Chef Curtis Duffy

Assisted by his friend, Chef Steven D Greene who together, whipped up a stupendous dinner

I felt like a voyeur during the beautiful dinner as I sat and admired the beautiful plating and partook in one of the most refreshingly original meal I have had this year. Curtis Duffy has an obsession with imaginative usage of herbs and flowers in his food which elevated the dishes to almost an ethereal romantic dimension. If this is Modern American Cuisine, it is time the world sat up and took notice.

The Management of Senses should be congratulated for managing to bring in Curtis and his team to showcase their remarkable talent here.

Senses
KL Hilton.

Songkran Festivities. Erawan Thai Restaurant, Kota Damansara, PJ.

2011-04-18T18:45:00.000+08:00

(no pork served)

Banana Spring Rolls

There is something magical about Chef Korn's touch that transforms carefully selected commonly found ingredients into beautiful culinary creations. When he uses exquisite ingredients sourced from Thailand, the result is magical little pieces if culinary wonder that calms the laboured mind by overwhelming it with beautiful tastes and contrasting textures. Exquisite and imaginative creations that offer a beautiful vista of the diversity of Thai Cooking Techniques and usage of both traditional and non traditional ingredients.

Pandan Wrapped Salmon

Perfect cooking technique and the best and freshest ingredients does not make an extraordinary Chef. Like any artist, the culinary creations of a Chef reflects upon the soul of it's creator. One can only deduce that Chef Korn has a deep reverence for Thai traditions and yet challenges himself by experimenting with non traditional ingredients to recreate the taste of Siam. Most importantly, he has a heart.

"Jai" or heart is a very important word in Thai language. One would invariably encounter this word many times daily in Thailand, being a word that is frequently used in a phrase to describe one's relation with friends and family and his relationship with society in general.

Khanom Jeen or Thai Laksa

"Nam Jai" is probably the most difficult phrase to translate. It literally means "Water from The Heart", but if I were allowed to take some liberty and offer a more meaning that is closer to the real meaning, I would say that it actually means "The essence of the heart/soul".

The Thai society is steeped in Buddhist traditions. As one steps further away from the bustling urban areas deep into the heartland, the beauty of the Thai heart is more visible having cleared away the clutter of the commerciality and superficiality that invariably infects urbanites everywhere.

A person is deemed to have "Nam Jai" when he shares his material wealth, knowledge, time, good karma and love with everybody he encounters in his life, and the "good feeling" he imparts on those he encounters. In modern slang, one way of looking at it is a person who radiates good vibes.

Perhaps what makes Chef Korn great is his abundance of "Nam Jai".

Lotus Flower Petal Salad

Having been unable to share Songkran Festivities in Thailand this year wuth their family, the Management and Staff of Erawan Restaurant decided to spend it the next best way. Sharing their joy with friends.

Due to work commitments, I have not been able to celebrate Songkran with friends in Bangkok for the past 2 years. I was more than glad to accept the invitation to have a Songkran lunch at Erawan, where I was treated to an exquisite lunch. Where love oozed out from every tasty morsel from the dizzying array of beautifully prepared food that our host served.

Tod Man Pla or Thai Fish Cakes

Tod Man Pla or Thai Fish Cake

Our hosts were overly generous and the choices, extensive. In the spirit of renewal and rebirth of Songkran, I think the menu at Erawan will soon see some changes.

The Salmon wrapped in Pandan (Screwpine) leaves was a clever twist as traditionally, chicken is used. I thought the fish was a bit dry on the outside, but when eaten with a dollop of sweetish sauce, it was perfect. The texture of the Fish cakes made from 3 different types of fish meat was heart achingly beautiful, with a slight give and moderate bounce.

I found the Otak Otak to be thoroughly delectable, despite not being a big fan of coconut milk. Erawan's version was very well balanced and not over satiating.

Knotted Long Beans

Nam Prik Kaapi or Sambal Belacan served with various condiments

The Lotus Flower Salad was as delicious as it looked. And yes, the petals can be consumed despite misgivings by Tennyson and Homer, it does not induce narcosis nor is it hallucinogenic.

The gossamer light Khanom Jeen noodles screamed for some divine Green Curry Chef Korn is famous for. It came served with the usual condiments with the exception of pickled vegetables/mustard greens.

Australian Beef and Thai Eggplant Salad

The Banana Spring Rolls was delightful surprise, with razor thin and crispy skin. It had me gasping in awe.

Both the cockles and Australian Beef Salad was a welcome respite from the current hot spell we are experiencing in KL.

Hor Mok Talay or Thai Otak Otak

In the olden days, refrigeration was a rare luxury in Thailand and food was prepared in a variety of ways to prolong it's shelf life. The Dry Curry Catfish was one of the ways to preserve fish. Shredded Wild Catfish meat is floured and spiced and later deep fried to remove it's moisture. It can be kept in airtight container for months.

Tempuraed Papaya Salad with Somtan Sauce

Yam Hoi Kraeng or Cockles Salad

Stuffed Chicken Wing

A lot of effort went into preparing the stuffed chicken, as the chicken has to be be deboned before being stuffed with vermicilli and herbs before frying.

The tempura-ed Papaya Salad should be a hit with the kids, and the dressing is sweet and not spicy.

Cod with Lotus Stem Soup

Crispy Salmon Salad and Dry Catfish Curry at bottom right

Imported Lotus Stems from Thailand were used to prepare the Coconut Milk Based Cod and Lotus Stem Soup.

Desserts as usual, was a treat and the belle of the ball had to be the Black Rose ice cream. Imported Bulgarian Roses were used and the fragrance of the natural rose essence graced each mouthful with a beautiful aroma .

Stewed Banana with Coconut Milk

Black Rose Ice Cream

Sago and Red Bean Dessert

Songkran is one of the best loved festivals in Thailand. Beyond the great water fights and parades, there is also a spiritual side to it that usually eludes the tourist. Merit making ceremonies, bathing of Buddha Statues and Monks, and a particularly beautiful ceremony called Rod Nam Dam Hua. This involves sprinkling the elder's hands with scented water as a sign of gratitude and respect to elders and to ask for their forgiveness.

The Inimitable Chef Korn

I have avoided being over effusive about their food, bearing in mind that this was a private function. But based on previous experiences, if there is one thing one can be assured of, it is the quality and passion that goes into the food. Dining at Erawan is like a degustation experience because if the ingredients are not up to standard, they will refuse to serve the food.

The Miele Guide Voting Season is on. The link to vote is available from Erawan's website below.

Despite a massive backlog of restaurants to blog about, I have chosen to blog about Erawan as the Songkran Season is not over yet!

Sawatdee Pi Mai Krab, and Suksan Wan Songkran.

Erawan Thai Restaurant
No.22-1, Jalan PJU 5/16,
Dataran Sunway Kota Damansara
47810 Petaling Jaya
Malaysia

Tel/Fax: + 603-614-123-93
Email: siamdb@msn.com
Website: http://www.erawan-classicthai.com/

Lunching Above The City. Sky Bar, Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

2011-03-18T07:10:00.005+08:00

(no pork served, Invited Review)

"When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky..."

~Ancient Saying~

View of the Twin Towers Sky Bridge

Even in the absence of perfection in one's life, it is easy to tilt back the head and laugh at the sky especially when you are at the Sky Bar. Perched on the 33rd Floor of the Traders Hotel, it offers a beautiful, unobstructed view of the sky via the openings of the high walls, framed like a beautiful impressionist painting. But more exquisite than any Degas or Monet, one can witness the cloud being chased by the winds and the colour of the sky unfolding in different hues according to the time of day. A living, evolving, organic feast of shapes and palette that is beautiful visually as it is calming spiritually.

Beautiful view of the "framed sky"

The Clouds and Sky appear so much nearer at that height and the architects have cleverly accentuated the feeling of space with the high ceilings and lots of natural light. Coming from the moribund environment of the office with the awful fluorescent lights and air conditioning, the Sky Bar was an instant relief. There are several sitting arrangements available there from comfortable couches, sunken poolside seats to high tables and bar chairs.

High Ceilings and a Power Blogger cum Celebrity Baker

The Sky Bar is disarmingly charming and casual. It seems like an ideal place to have a casual lunch or an informal discussion in a beautiful environment. There is a new Chef, Alan Wong and he has come up with a very interesting concept of a cross between a Sandwich and a Burger (?Sandburger? ?Burgwich?) which of course comes with more proteins than a regular portion of sandwich.

Grilled Free Range Chicken Sandwich, Melted Brie Cheese and Black Pepper Sauce served on Turkish Bread. RM23++

Unlike most hotel poolside restaurants which serves the usual Burger or Club Sandwiches more as a perfunctory obligation like like a frigid wife, the Sandwiches at Sky Bar are unrelentingly passionate. The interesting pairing of ingredients should pique even jaded palates and when served on some of the most beautiful bread found in KL, it is exemplary.

Grilled Minced Lamb Loin Burger, Pesto Mint and Sour Cream served on Sesame Bun. RM 23++

Take for instance, the Grilled Free Range Chicken Sandwich I had. It was a blissful union of moist chicken and cheese. Like any successful marriage, the Brie was unabashedly compromising and not aggresively dominant. It complemented the salinity of the Meat with it's sweetness and lushly smooth creaminess. Lovingly fondled with some gossamer light Black Pepper Sauce, it was served with delicious Turkish Bread.

Vegetarian Spring Rolls from the Snack Menu

The delightful Lamb Burger came miraculously devoid of gaminess associated with Lamb Patties probably by masterful seasoning. It offered an playful twist to Pesto Sauce with the addition of Mint which complemented the meat exquisitely.

Grilled Black Angus Sirloin, Beef Bacon, Caramelized Onion and Blue Cheese served with Door Step Rye Bread. RM 42++

Just a small note about the glorious brute sized French Fries that came with sandwiches. Those who firmly believe that Fries are evil Sirens who lure dieters sailing to the island of Sylphic Proportions shipwrecking them to drown in the sea of Obesity, please tell the kitchen to omit them.

One look at the mutants, you will delve into them with careless abandon. I succumbed, and carry a message from the evil side.

A state of euphoric, Nirvanic bliss is easily attainable by ingesting the right proportion of fat and carbohydrates in the form of potato starch. More so if you are 33 floors above ground.

Grilled Australian Sirloin, Beetroot and Eggs served on Freshly Backed Ciabatta. RM 32++

Of the two beef based sandwiches, I preferred the grilled Australian Sirloin. Served with some lightly pickled beets and eggs, it was a lively ensemble of flavours and textural contrasts.

Caesar's Salad from the Snack Menu

The Angus Sirloin, caught bringing home the Bacon was too intensely grilled by the ICAC, who should have subjected the heat treatment to dubious politicians and underworld figures if they were interested in finding out who was skimming the fat from the cream.

Having said that, poor Angus survived the interrogation pretty unscathed save for a slightly overdone meat.

Pan Seared Cod Fillet, Green Pea Puree served with Sesame Bun. RM 28++

The Slices of Salmon were served on perfectly scrambled eggs together with some truffles. It would make the perfect brunch sandwich. Light, sinfully opulent and healthy.

Scrambled Eggs, Black Truffle, Smoked Salmon Sandwich served on White Bread. RM 23++

Belonging to a strange Oriental Cult which believes that Funeral rites of a regal piece of Cod should not involve Sesame Buns and Green Pea Puree, I refrained from participating and will leave the Cod's eulogy to Fat Boy Bakes and Aly.

Chef Alan Wong

The most surprising thing about the lunch besides the lovely vista of KL was the price, which I found to be reasonable.

The Sky Bar is reputed to have a beautiful Sunday Cocktail Buffet, which I hope to try soon if I can escape from my weekly Sunday obligations.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Theresa Goh, the Communications Manager of Traders Hotel for hosting beautiful lunch, and to FBB and Aly for the invite.

Fat Boy Bakes aka FBB

Slim Girl Eats aka Aly

Aly and the affable Theresa Goh from Traders Hotel

Waterfall at the KLCC Park, just in front of the entrance to Traders Hotel

Sky Bar
Level 33
Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
50088
Malaysia
Tel: +6.03.23.32.98.88

Parking is easily available at the KL Convention Centre.

Disclaimer: The cost of the meal was entirely borne by Traders Hotel. There was no coercion for me to do a favourable write up nor did I receive any other compensation in cash or in kind.

5 Excellent Risottos in KL.

2011-03-03T16:09:00.005+08:00

Girolle Mushrooms Risotto

with Foie Gras and Sauce Périgueux from Sage

Friends come in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes, it take ages for me to warm myself up to another person. But when somebody shouts "Love!" when William Blake is mentioned and simultaneously scream "Yucks!" at the Robert Burns and Wordsworth. That is the moment of kinship. An Epiphanic moment of discovering a fellow weirdo who is probably a slightly more perfect image of myself.

Likewise, traipsing along Italy with a very very limited budget meant that meals would have to be spent inevitably at humble restaurants, where meals are made from simple ingredients and a lot of heart. Hence, the discovery of Risotto, which I warmed up to immediately. Thick, rich and filling, and made from some glorious stock, it was the perfect dish for keeping an insatiable glutton filled up for the day.

Pancetta Risotto from Osteria Real Blue (Non Halal)

Risotto is deceptively simple to make. The choice of rice is important, as it must be made from starchy strains and the common varieties used is Arborio, Carnaroli and Vialone Nano. The tostatura involves toasting of onions and rice without browning and subsequent steps are the most time consuming. The addition of stock ladle by ladle and constant stirring of rice to milk the starch out of them until it is al dente. Almost like haveing a tiny bit of uncooked portion in the centre to give it a bite.

The last step will be the mantecatura, which is the blending of Parmesan, butter or olive oil to the blend. The richer blend of classical Risotto which had a firmer consistency and allows a punged spoon to stand erect in the risotto has given way to the lighter all'onda. All'onda risotto gives ripples on the surface when scooped and has a softer and looser texture.

Truffle Risotto from Osteria Real Blue. Both Risotti were all'onda

The best place to sample the best Risotto prepared in the more modern all'onda styled Risotto will be at Osteria Real Blue, located directly above Papa Rich Cafe at Solaris Dutamas. Beautifully light with starch lovingly coaxed from the rice, blended with lovely stock and aroma of lovely soffiritto onions make both Risotti a carnal delight. The rice was almost translucent and the heady aroma of both the Truffles and Pancetta made me swoon deliriously. And as all things carnal, they are hidden and hence off menu. Do ask Mirko, the Chef and Sherry, his wife for advice. This lovely little place deserves a full post, and I will do so after I snap out of my Risotto coma.

Mushroom Risotto from Diet Cafe

For those who prefer a denser, creamier and hence a more classical Risotto style, Diet Cafe serves a wonderful textbook perfect Mushroom Risotto. Another gem of place that deserves it's own post, it is located in Cheras and priced at RM20 thereabouts, the cheapest among the risotto featured here. Served with some Parmesan Crackers this was the richest tasting, heavy and the most al dente of the lot.

Wild Mushroom Risotto served with Shirako Beignet from Cilantro

The Risotto served from Cilantro was probably the most luxurious. The stock was balanced and the Beautifuly Tempuraed Shirako (Cod Sperm Sac) enhanced the creaminess of the dish with the and crunchiness of the batter was an interesting textural contrast. Another carnal dish to lust after since it is only seasonal, with the excitement of encountering some DNA from Male Cod Y.

Konbujime of Hamachi with Ebi and Soy Truffle

The Risotto from Sage was lovely and Richly flavoured with chunky bits of Chanterelle and Madeira infused Périgueux Sauce and topped with some perfect Foie. This is avaible only this week for lunch. Other items for this week's lunch is the beautiful Hamachi and the Fresh Fig tartlet (with some coconut and sago) with Ricotta Ice Cream. Absolutely divine, and for Sage Virgins waiting to get deflowered, this week will be the perfect week.

Baked Fresh Figs Tartlet with Ricotta Ice Cream

Five excellent Risottos in two weeks while in KL, the most unlikely place to find Risotto and somebody who loves Blake.

Osteria RealBlue
A3-UG-06, Solaris Dutamas
Jalan Dutamas 1.
Tel: +6.03.62.07.97.99

DIET Cafe
27, Jalan 3/101C
Cheras Business Centre
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6.03.91.30.17.00

Sage
The Gardens Residences Level 6,
The Gardens, Mid Valley City,
Lingkaran Syed Putra,
59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +6.03.22.68.13.28

Cilantro Restaurant & Wine Bar
MiCasa All Suite Hotel,
368-B, Jalan Tun Razak,
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +6.03.21.79.80.82

Sometimes You've Gotta To Say Fuku. Fukuharu, Hock Choon Terrace, Lorong Nibong, KL.

2011-02-09T08:00:00.023+08:00

(no pork served)

Details of a leaf from a plant outside Fukuharu

February. The dreaded month filled with loud Chinese New Year songs and the sickly sweet over commercialization and tackiness of Valentine's Day. The month where the eccentric Android who loves the solitariness of his existence is made to feel abnormal and uncomfortable for choosing to celebrate his life alone. Fortunately this dreary months sees a respite in the actual days of celebrating Chinese New Year, where the clogged traffic gives way to breezy zipping around in the streets and crowds only congregate in selected malls in the city center, whereas migrant workers group in their favourite haunts often leaving visitors to KL wondering if there are only 3 major races in Malaysia.

Ampang is a delightful part of KL, with it's seductive greenery, trees swaying in the breeze lining the roads and it gets greener and cooler as you drive into the heart of Ampang. Compared to Bangsar, Ampang has a different character compared to the sense of noveaux riche feeling that permeates through Bangsar. Ampang behaves like a pedigreed Lady.

Interior of Fukuharu

I don't know what it was, maybe the traffic free road or the luxury of not having any work lined up for the next few days. I arrived in Fukuharu in a beautiful mood, sun doing pirouettes on the green foliage and rays of light shimmering in the pool at Hock Choon Terrace. The exterior was tasteful, not overtly opulent but still lush.

The interior of Fukuharu is simple and functional. A beautiful wooden panel was mounted on the wall that faced the garden and the restaurant made full use of the sunlight. The sensibility of it's decor was also reflected by the chairs and the lovely ceramic table ware.

Ice Cube Floating on Green Tea

With the discordant notes of Bartok's Violin Sonata playing in my head, an imprint form the iPod playing in my car, the beautiful breeze tickled the plants in the Garden of Hock Choon Terrace swaying gently and sometimes forcefully. It felt as if the breeze could hear the delicious strains coaxed by Issabelle Faust's Mephistophelean interpretation of Bartok. Darkness and light played together, and when the ray of the sun caught on one of the leaves releasing it from the dark shadows, I quickly took a snap of the reticulated patterns.

A beautiful moment, captured and immortalized digitally and hopefully a reminder of the peacefulness the short walk in the garden brought. Peace and Nothingness. Clarity. My total being and consciousness enveloped by the sheer beauty of a simple leaf struck by the penetrating ray from the sun freeing it from the cold darkness. I was happy. Even some light caught by a cube of ice floating on some green tea appeared beautiful.

Boiled Vegetables

Chinese New Year does not bring happy memories. My dad passed away just before Chinese New Year in 1981 and my Mum, just after Chinese New Year in 2006. There was this air of nostalgic sadness that engulfs me during the festivities. I still keep the last ang pow my Mum gave me, unopened. It is as if I wanted to keep the blessings and her wishes for me intact. Another date I abhor in February will be the anniversary of my mum's passing. She was after all, the only person in the world who could love me despite my many failings and my non conformity.

Despite the tardiness of my dining companion, I was distracted by my own thoughts and reminisced about Chinese New Year, how it was celebrated. How our country was, and how it is now. One of the things I missed since last year was the lovely ads from Petronas directed by Yasmin Ahmad.

Prawn Tempura and Salmon and Seaweed Salad

Yasmin was a very talented director and she could play with my emotions like a putty. Even a 3 minute spot would leave me with a lump in the throat, a tear in my eye and a smile on my face simultaneously. Since the demise of my parents, her little ad spots filled the little vacuum in my heart, more so during Chinese New Year.

If there is a general theme in all her work, from her ad spots to full feature films it would be the universality of love and forgiveness. Her spots, especially for Chinese New Year, reminds me of the boundless love my parents had for me, and reassure me that despite being the little prissy prick that I am, despite all the disappointments they must have by me turning out to be what I am today, my Bah Pi and Lou Mah Chee would have still loved me.

Jellied Tuna Cake and Herring with Herring Roe

There is a beautifully serene spirituality in Yasmin's work. Her love for fellow humans that transcends Race and Religion which is currently the most divisive factor in uniting Malaysians, is obvious. The Takbir prayers at the beginning of the "Burung Murai" ad, the Prostitute in "Gubra" who returns to the fold... She has done more to convince me, an atheist, that her faith in can bring about healing rather than division. Love more than hate. She achieved much, much more than any fire and brimstone preacher with myopic and often bigoted view of the world seen through blood crimson tinted glasses.

Jellied Seaweed Cake

As with any artist, her work had it's share of detractors. Not everybody enjoyed her work , which is understandable. After all, an artist reveals to us what we do not normally see and observe. I feel that her work is like a Roscharch Test for the soul. Burdened souls tainted by the weight of hate and obsessed by divisions along racial and religious lines will fail to appreciate the beauty of her work and fail to get the message. They will just see an ugly blot, and will be confronted and tormented by their own demons and devils. Others will see beauty and love in flawed lives.

Salmon Sashimi

What saddens me was the general nastiness of some people and the hate and contempt they had for her. It wouldn't be disheartening if the critique was fair and unbiased, if her work was judged on it's merit as a film, as a work of art. Unfortunately most were below the belt swipes and worse, personal attacks on her private life. The attacks were most intense after she shot into the limelight when Sepet won several prestigious international awards.

Mentaiko Sushi

One can only question the sincerity of these critics. A Master's degree in film making does not automatically confer one authority as a moral guardian nor cultural custodian nor does it confer the ability to make a good film. Despite what others may say, I can only mourn her loss, and weep for a country who was never able to appreciate one of her daughters; whose vision of Malaysia was one of love and harmony, who viewed everybody as a human. She accepted that differences would forever plague mankind. She took diversity as a challenge and a source of curiosity and delight, to learn about what makes other people from different cultures tick.

What could be as mundane as a world inhabited by people with similar outlooks and beliefs, sharing the same kind of food?

Sashimi Octopus - Suckers and Lemons

It is probably the sheer embracing and desire to find out about other culture that drove me to Fukuharu. Expectations was high because it had won the Best Japanese Restaurant category in TOKL's awards in 2010.

Despite their beautiful exterior and minimalist interior which I love, initial impressions were disappointing. The servers (a mixture of locals and "expatriates") were not very enthusiastic and I found their knowledge about what they were serving dismally disappointing. Though friendly enough, they were not very helpful in suggesting or describing the menu. One waitress actually brought out the desserts when we have not even finished the mains and when they brought out the Yuzu Ice Cream again, it has partially melted and of course, served at the wrong temperature. Maybe Fukuharu was using some temps for the Lunar Year break.

Soba Noodles

Fortunately, like the sun hiding behind the leaves, things brightened up when they brought out the Mini Kaiseki Set that was complimentary when we ordered the Grilled Chicken with Yuzu. I have to admit that they probably serve one of the best Prawn Tempuras I have ever tasted in KL. Coated in a beautifully light and granular batter (it wasn't the rice coated version) it was resplendent as it was beautiful. The Prawn meat was just right and not overcooked.

Ebiko in Salad

The Herring and Herring Roe Cake was marvelously flavoured and light, with a slight bounce to bite that gave it a lovely texture and the Jellied seaweed burst with beautiful summer flavours. It had an intoxicating floral and lightly sweetened bouquet that lingered sensuously on the palate. The jellied tuna cake though not offensive, failed to excite.

Sushi

If you ordered the Kaiseiki Set a la carte, besides the Jellied Seaweed, it comes with a piece of luxuriously rich Menatiako Sushi as well. The Salmon seaweed (wakame) salad was rather pedestrian, as with the beautiful cuts of Salmon Sashimi. It has been flogged to death elsewhere.

More Sushi

A lot of the dishes comes as sets during lunch, making a lunch time excursion a better deal for your bucks. The Chawan Mushi is beautifully soft and smooth and interestingly topped with some slices of Yuzu beside the usual mushroom, ginko, kamaboko and chicken.

Unagi Claypot Rice

The grilled chicken appeared to be dry and uninteresting, but it's looks betray the beautifully succulent pieces of poultry perfection, livened up by the sourish tang of yuzu. The Sahimi Ocopus was very well behaved and sat neatly among slices of lemon.

Chawan Mushi with Yuzu Peels

The noodles however were less well behaved. Both the Soba and the Udon were a bit too flaccid, perhaps unexcited by the frigid broth and failed to rise to the occasion. The Claypot Rice with Unagi was probably a Sino Japanese Fusion, came with perfect, fluffy rice grains with a slight char at the bottom.

Terriyaki Chicken with Yuzu Sauce

Sushi. Sushi. Sushi. Presentable, 4 pieces was ok. One was a less than savoury yakuza, reincarnated from the Heian period.

Udon

I was tempted to rant about the Yakuza, but my lovely dining companion who accompanied me on the first visit reminded me that nothing is perfect. She set my mind straight again. Fukuharu is not perfect, but in terms of value for money, excellent. RM 38++ for their sets (only during lunch) can probably satisfy any hankering for Japanese food. In the absence of perfection, functionality suffices and Fukuharu is more than functional. It offers glimpses of perfection.

Cucumber and Daikon Pickle

We Malaysians are a docile lot. I am docile wimp. We whine and bitch about callous statements made by a few people amongst friends. We are perfect bitches to those who love us the most. But when it comes to confronting inflammatory statements made by the vocal minority, we retract like a tortoise into it's shell, cocooned by our perfect little lives in middle class comfort. I am ashamed because when someone mentioned to me that Yasmin Ahmad was divisive, all I could say was a wimpy, "Are you sure or not?".

Not that I know her personally, nor did she need any defending from me. But sometimes when confronted with idiocy and bigotry, perhaps the best thing to say is Fuku. Fuku, Fuku, Fuku.

Ceramic Tableware

Don't be alarmed. This four lettered word is just a reminder of the beautiful afternoon spent at the garden in front of Fukuharu. Where light and darkness co-existed and played with one another. Where I was able to lose myself to the beauty of ordinary things. Where the imperfect world did not matter because perfection exists harmoniously among imperfection. Where ordinary things appear extraordinary. (This was Yasmin's forte).

An afternoon reminiscing about a brave lady who was able to make a cynic reflect on spirituality, and reassured him of his departed parent's unconditional love.

To all the cowards who vilified her and continue to do so after she has passed on, Fuku.

Fukuharu
Terrace@Hock Choon,
241-B Lorong Nibong,
off Jalan Ampang
Kuala Lumpur

Tel : +6.01.72.09.84.77

A Trip To The Confessional Booth at The Church of Immaculate Arteries. My CookBook, Sunway Giza, Kota Damansara.

2011-02-01T11:00:00.002+08:00

(no pork served)

Black Eye Pea Cake, with Salted Egg Yolks served with CookBook Chilli

The survival of mankind is hinged on it's ability to adapt to averse environments. This amazing resilience has allowed us to become what we are, surviving the bitter cold weather of the Arctic to the acrid dryness of the Sahara. We survive on challenge, and being a firm advocate of Free Market Economy, I believe that humans thrive on challenges. A market that is devoid of competition will see less innovations and attempts to bringing about beneficial changes that will eventually benefit consumers. Subsidies and protectionism are just short term measures that would bring about complacency and rot if left unreviewed and only has a very limited shelf life.

This holds true for every aspect in our life.

45 minutes Poached Egg, served on a Toast with Dried Scallops and Black Sauce

Once in a while in my forages to fulfil the satisfaction of my cravings, I do stumble on little treasures. Food that is so simple, yet innovative and satisfying that it leaves a gasp and a smile simultaneously on the face. Local cuisine served with a twist - deconstructed and reassembled creatively and luxuriously, beautifully plated and served with passion and served by attentive servers. Welcome to My CookBook.

Prawn and Scallop Kataifi served with Lemongrass Mayo Potato Salad

Take for instance, their 45 minutes poached egg which came wobbling, nestled on a piece of toast with bits of dried scallop and a savoury black sauce. It was probably sous vide egg, with the slightly runny egg white that manages to hold it's shape and the yolks barely set. That was the most perfect egg I have tasted in a long time, smooth and soft with the flavours intact and pristine. Coupled with the toast and condiments, the orgasmic rhapsody of taste and texture was breathtakingly and achingly perfect. This was our Malaysian version of a dry Onsen Tamago.

Pandan and Barley Rice, served with Chicken Thigh Curry

Another example of a beautifully de-constructed dish will be the Black-eyed Pea cake with it's silky smooth texture with the rich savouriness of salted egg yolks. Ingeniously garnished with some lightly spiced piquant shreds of fried dried prawns, it reminded me of the philosophy of destruction and rebirth in Vedic traditions. The often lard soaked and greasy Chinese glutinous rice dumpling has been destroyed, and in it's place is a pork free version, with all the important components of it's flavour intact. Rebirth of this ubiquitous street dumpling came in the form of it's transformation into petite square slabs of perfection.

Giant Wonton

Not all of the appetizers were examples of gastronomic perfection. The Kataifi was fried to perfection with exemplary lightness and crispiness, but I found the shrimp and scallop paste to be lacking in flavour and over compensated with saltiness. It came nestled on top of a bed of beautiful potato salad with a lovely, light and aromatic mayonnaise invigorated with the scent of lemon grass, which was it's saving grace.

Fried Kuey Teow

I fail to remember how the Giant Wonton tasted. As far as I am concerned, it behaved like any licentious wanton I have encountered. Pretty and attractive enough to entice me for a tryst but realized later that it was insipid and totally devoid of personality. It could not captivate me.

Luscious seafood patties was sampled, but the economist in me balked at the price (RM11.90) I had to cough out for two slightly larger than 50 cent coins sized albeit satisfying delights.

The Star of the mains has to be the Prawn noodles, with it's heady aroma and it's beautiful broth drenched in Crimson, the colour of Chinese New Year. Served with some velvety smooth noddles noodles and half a large prawn filled with roe, the soup was like a bisque without the white wine. Slurp it indulgently. Cholesterol never tasted so good. A perfectly poached egg accompanied the dish and added to the burden of guilt.

MY King Prawn Noddle in Prawn Bisque served with 45 Minutes poached Egg

My CookBook attempted to make the traditional Nasi Lemak healthier by replacing the coconut milk rice with Pandan and Barley flavoured rice. The attempt was successful with perfectly fluffy rice, each grain perfectly cooked and fragrant. Served with some not too spicy Chicken Thigh Rendang and Half a boiled egg, it was satisfying without being too cloying.

The Chicken Rice came with some silky soft demure chicken roulade which covered it's modesty with crispy chicken skin. The presentation of this dish was lovely and a beautiful clear chicken broth with some congealed egg white came as a side.

Black Glutinous Rice with Coconut Ice Cream and Homemade Peanut Beancurd

The Char Kuey teow with duck's eggs was charred chinese style (wok hei). It came fried with clams (la la) instead of cockles. It was a pedantic dish that failed to dazzle due to it's oiliness.

The Avocado Cream was dreamy, light concoction and went very well with the yam ice cream and the interesting Black Sesame Bean curd. The Black Glutinous Rice porridge again was given a modern interpretation, with coconut ice cream replacing the traditional coconut milk and pieces of peanut flavoured bean curd and peanut bean curd for contrast. Both desserts were clever and light, with perfect sweetness.

Chilled Avocado Puree with Yam Ice Cream and Homemade Black Sesame Beancurd

Fortunately, food is the least politicized aspect of our lives. Without the interference of Politicians to point out our differences, most Malaysians embrace food from other races readily and the best examples of national unity and integration is best seen in restaurants more than anywhere else. A place where politics are frequently debated without the embarrassing shenanigans of the parliament. No name callings, no charges of biased speakers and no fist fights. Where the spirit of multiparty co-operation exists, from atheist liberal lefts to ultraconservative rights can agree to disagree and have a meal together. Hardly surprising, since individuals do behave better when disassociated with rabid packs.

Free market and competitiveness also encourages innovation from pragmatic restaurant owners to create and modify dishes and work around cultural food taboos to recreate imaginative dishes. Maybe not for the altruistic reason of national unity, but rather to increase the marketability of the products and maximize profitability. After all, humans are pragmatic and adaptable.

Happy Lunar Year to everybody!

Sorry for digressing. A meal like that would deserve a visit to the Church of Immaculate Arteries. At the confessional booth, I confessed to Father Kardio about my lustful afternoon filled with eggs, prawn roe and more eggs. How I was seduced by the pleasure of the senses. He ultimately prescribed a penance of treadmill and temperance at the dining table and banished me to a dreary nicotine free world thankfully devoid of statins for now. It was a penance without contrition.

It was small inconvenience to pay in order to continue to enjoy more delights at My CookBook.

My Cookbook
A-12 Sunway Giza,
2 Jalan PJU 5/14
Kota Damansara
PJ

Tel: +6.03.61.40.61.13

Price: Expect to pay about RM 50 to 70 for a 3 course meal.

Begging For Your Indulgence to Indulge. Lunches at Cilantro.

2011-01-29T11:06:00.008+08:00

(no pork served)

We are blogging in perilous times. Amendments to the Printing Press and Publishing Act is being considered to include online media.

Many bloggers do not expect any form of compensation in cash or in kind. This blog does not even have any advert banner, nor is it affiliated with any blogging network. As for the article in The Star about bloggers able to earn up to RM 1 Million a year? It is just wishful thinking, and a whole load of sensationalism and a lot of flawed logic. It's like picking up a millionaire beggar on the streets and assume that all beggars earn that kind of dough. For a blogger to earn that amount, he or she will have to spend a lot of time networking and interacting and blog pimping that it will have to be a full time job. Nobody will mind some extra cash to supplement their income. But I am not foolish enough nor am I willing to sacrifice my anonymity to spend all my time and resources on this blog.

Living is a continuos struggle. We face numerous trials and tribulations in life, littered with personal tragedies, and often filled with the drudgery and monotony of daily chores just to get by. We mainline on pretty slogans made by politicians usually just before National day celebrations, and wake up from the euphoria the very next day when we read some appallingly seditious statements uttered usually through state sanctioned media.

We battle on like Murcielago, the battered bull from Navarra, wounded and bruised, our dreams dashed every five years clinging on to the hope instilled by our parents and by the clergy. That things get better and if we do good to others, others will be good to you, that justice will be served by the omnipotent divine being or by the forces of Karmic retribution. Most of the time we will be disappointed but yet we cling on these words like a buoy in a nefarious sea of evilness that seems to permeate through every level of society. We snort the words chanted by our teachers in Civic class like cocaine to wake up to a world infested with dung teflon politicians whose skin is so impervious that no shit ever sticks on them, fervently wishing that one day justice will be served.

Food bloggers are just dream pedlars. We try to share with places that have over whelmed us with beautiful sensori-neural stimulation. A place we are temporarily freed from the pressures of everyday life, an oasis to repair our psyche while our aspirations and dreams continue to be dashed outside in the real world. We peddle a form of escapism. We try to remain assiduous even our attempts in discovering little utopias for food are often met with disappointment and parting with our cold hard cash earned with blood, sweat and tears.

You will notice that most bloggers are very fair in their comments about the restaurants. The beauty of blogging is that readers can expect at least some honesty in the comments and bloggers are not obliged to fluff up their description of food. We exist not to challenge the traditional media, but as a complement to balance out the reviews and to offer the man in the street's experience, the experience of having to part with his hard earned money in return for a good meal.

Language is a very powerful weapon and unfortunately, the internet is not a legal vacuum. Being able to write critically without being perceived to malicious is not easy.

A blogger has been sued for an intimidating and astronomical sum for writing a bad review. Although I may not agree with the blogger's tone and language, i feel that the whole affair could be settled more amicably with a retraction or an apology.


Cold Capellini with Panache of Seafood and Mentaiko

Warm King Salmon with Poached Oyster and Avruga

Panache of Seafood with Yuzu Zest Vinaigrette

Ragout of Mushrooms with Wagyu Tail and Truffles

Muscovy Duck Consomme with Foie Gras and Chestnut Mushrooms

Pan Fried French Rouget Fillet with Baby Squids and Rouille

Fricasse of Free Range Chicken with Maine Lobster

Char Grilled Master Kobe Rump with Baby Cos and Parmigiano

French Grondin Fillet with Lobster and Rouille

Roasted Challandais Duck with Foie Gras Beignet

Roasted Plum with Vanilla Ice Cream

Vacherin

I have indulged myself at Cilantro. I beg in turn for your indulgence to tolerate me as I indulge in protesting the drafting draconian laws that attempt to limit the freedom of speech in the internet as well as any other forms of intimidation to limit free critique in blogs. I have omitted any description of the meal I had as a sign of protest. This is what life will be, devoid of the beauty of language and the objectivity of opinion.

The Joys of Blogging. Erawan Thai Restaurant, Kota Damansara, PJ.

2011-01-07T07:26:00.001+08:00

(no pork served)


Beautiful Khon masks at Erawan

Suffering from navigational impediment, I always thought that the edge of the world lies after Ikano/Ikea and until recently, I have not ventured beyond it. A huge suburban maze that requires hours of patience and bladder holding to get out of is more daunting than battling sea monsters and serpents in the great unknown that used to plague the minds of explorers in olden times.

It was to my surprise that a sprawling mini world exists after that unglamorous underpass, a sprawling suburban jungle complete with a thriving commercial centre complete with massage parlors, bleak looking shop lots, pollution and traffic jams. Redemption for this sub urban squalor came in the form of a charming little restaurant that had a lot of green plants at it's frontage. Mosaic stucco tables, paper mache lamps, terra cotta figurines at the entrance greeted me with a casually with a disarming charm.

Rice Paper Lamp with Frangipani Cutouts, self modified by the owners

Upon entering the Restaurant, one would have no doubt that the owners of Erawan has artistic flair with an eye for beautiful details. The restaurant is filled with a mixture of new and old, beautiful Khon masks in a glass cabinet is paired with modern interpretation of Lanna styled paintings on the wall. The self modified rice lamps hangs from the ceiling while Brass appliques are attached on the wooden floor of this restaurant. The decor was both eclectic and eccentric but being surrounded by these beautiful objects served as a relief from the discordant katzenjammer of having just trudged through the suburbs.

Rose Apple served with special Erawan Dip

The food at Erawan was surprisingly, excellent. It had been a long and difficult 2 months for me, and less than stellar dinning experiences has been relegated into a purgatorial limbo state in my hard disc, mainly in the form of photos of food that was neither good nor bad awaiting further excursions before deciding to do a write up about it or not. Thankfully, my dining experience at Erawan was nothing short of spectacular.

Chef Korn's magical touch has transformed the simplest Thai dishes into elegant culinary creations, beautifully plated and served as an object of art. First to be admired visually and then to be savored and appreciated with a humbling experience of sampling some astonishingly delectable dishes that have been created by a Chef that has a passion for the flavours of Siam, and a deep appreciation for local ingredients that were used in his creations.

Four Angled Bean Salad

Take for instance, the ubiquitous Kaeng Khiew Wan or Thai Green Curry. It is found from the lowly street side vendors who use it as a curry for Khanom Jeen (steamed Thai noodles) to Restaurants serving Royal Thai Cuisine. The version at Erawan is decadently velvety, redolent with the heady fragances of freshly cut Green Chilli, Lemon Grass, Thai Basil (Bai Horapa) and Corriander all of which gives the Curry it's characteristic greenish tinge.Cumin, Galagal and Kaffir Lime Zest added an exotic flavours to this lovely dish and in keeping with it's origin from the Southern part of Central Thailand, the curry was thickened with luxuriously fragrant coconut milk.

If all of these was not impressive enough, the curry came in a bowl made of fine Benjarong Ceramic filled with cubes of tender chicken breast and fish balls with a heart of salted eggs. This was the most perfect version of Kaeng Khiew Wan Kai that I have ever tasted outside Thailand.

Fish Balls with Salted Egg and Chicken Thai Green Curry, served in ornate Benjarong Ceramic

The Dry Curried Beef (Panang Beef) is prepared by frying the curry paste and beef in a wok, unlike Red Curry which is prepared by boiling. Although lacking in peanuty flavour, the rich, creamy and slightly sweetish curry was very balanced. Served with the Regal buttery soft slivers of Australian Tenderloin with a tiny rivulet of coconut cream running in it's centre and juliened kaffir lime leaves and red chilli on it's side, the dish is a carb magnet and is a perfect match for rice.

Panang Beef Curry

Although my wonderful dining companions enjoyed the Roasted Duck Curry, I found the excessive amount of Coconut Milk in the curry to be be distracting. It rendered the curry too thick and masked the wonderful taste of the perfectly textured duck and also smothered the aroma and tanginess of the pineapples. This could have been an exceptional dish, and would shine with just some minor tweaks.

Roasted Duck Curry

We had two starters and both were equally staggeringly oustanding. The first was Rose Apples (Chom phu) that was served with a dip that probably had it's roots in Miang Kam. It had the fishy taste of Nam Pla Whan (sweetened fish sauce) and dried shrimps together with toasted coconuts, shallots and garlic. But instead of a messy sticky sauce, this was a more civilized solid clump that can be scooped onto the Rose Apples. It was the perfect appetizer.

Roasted Banana

With the Four Angled Bean Salad (Yam Tua Phu), Chef Korn played with our tastebuds like a master virtuoso. Each mouthful brought out the clean and striking flavours of each individual ingredient, the crunchy beans, the slightly bouncy prawns and squid with the crunchy peanuts and toasted coconut. Each with a different texture that played with the spiciness and acidity of the dressing. It was a rapturous symphony in the mouth and an anodyne for the palate.

Steamed Pumpkin with Chocolate Pudding

The Roasted Banana continued to haunt me until this day. The banana was roasted until it emanated a seductive aroma and lime and lemon was squeezed onto it before adding some honey onto the surface which was topped with raisins and nuts. This was the perfect metmorphosis of the humble gluay ping or grilled unripe bananas which is served with "pandan kaya" sold at the roadsides of Bangkok. With much thought and meticulous experimentation, Chef Korn has elevated this humble dish into a delectable dessert worthy to serve a king.

The Steamed Pumpkin with Chocolate pudding was a clever fusion of Thai and Western dessert that worked, despite my initial skepticism. It was flavourful without being cloying and the sweetness was just perfect. We also had Thab Thim Grob and Boiled tapioca both of which were worth their own salt, but was over shadowed by the marvelous banana and pumpkin.

Thab Thim Grob

Dinner ended with a drive through Kampung Penchala and Bukit Lanjan area by our gracious driver. This was an area, like Kota Damansara, that I have never ventured before in my life.

I suppose this being the first post for 2011, it is probably a good time for me to look back and reflect on what blogging means to me. Though it seems like ages ago, I have only been blogging for one and a half years. I bought my Lumix LX3 in June 2009 because of this blog, and finally upgraded to a DSLR in July 2010. It has given me an opportunity to meet a lot of people (not that many actually, but for a neurotic loner who prefers solitude it is a lot). I still shun crowds and have an irrational fear of exposing my identity online.

The handful of people I have met have provided me with photography tips, information about good eats and helped me open up in a way that I wouldn't have been able to imagine. They have tolerated my paranoia and insecurities, and also my sharp, intolerant acerbic tongue with the patience and understanding.

Paper Mache Lamp at the entrance of Erawan

I started to blog because I want to share with others food that has captivated me. Food prepared with imagination and creativity. I think this is what food blogging should be. A group of people linked by the love of food and sharing honest opinions and exchanging information about food. For me, it was never about popularity, blog hits or being famous. I happen to think that my time spent on writing a post or editing pictures is rewarded by the feeling of camaraderie of having shared something with friends and does not come with any entitlement or benefits.

After contemplation, I still hold on to the principle that where possible, it is better for food bloggers to pay for their own food. I am not the only blogger who have this point of view, some blogs are more fastidious than mine. The reasons are fairly obvious, and I am glad that most of my friends (including my frequent dining companions who work for the PR industry) respect my decision to do so. I do not look down nor admonish those who do invited reviews. Many of my blogging friends do it, and do it with integrity. All a reader needs to do is just to read between the lines or look out for omissions and will generally get an honest picture of what the food really is. To each their own and Malaysia is blessed with a diverse group of food bloggers who have their individual style and appeal.

Unfortunately, this point of view is not universal and the low point of 2010 was when someone compared Bloggers having to pay for food to Car reviewers having to pay for the car they review. To me, this is the ultimate insult to my intelligence because as everybody knows, unlike car reviewers, you cannot return food that has been consumed. After digestion, food turns into the stuff that is stuck between the ears of the person who has made this comment. Unlike me, a sloth, many people work hard for their blog and deserve to be rewarded for their effort. I have absolutely no qualms about it. For goodness sake, just articulate your arguments logically. Food bloggers are getting a bad rep already as it is.

Lanna Thai inspired painting at Erawan

It has been a happy one and a half years, filled with many happy memories of both dining in solitude and dining amidst the congenial laughter of friends. These few months have been difficult as work is beginning to make a toll on my time. In keeping with the spirit of New Year, I would like to apologize to anybody who has been inadvertently hurt by my comments or crassness, bloggers and restaurateurs included.

Hopefully things will normalize by Chinese New year, and I will be back to blogging more frequently.

Erawan Thai Restaurant (Reservations strongly recommended)
No.22-1, Jalan PJU 5/16,
Dataran Sunway Kota Damansara,
47810 Petaling Jaya,
Malaysia

Tel: +6.03.61.41.23.93

Dinner:
Tueday - Sunday: 6pm - 10.30pm

Lunch + Dinner
Every Friday - Sunday: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10.30pm

Closed on Monday.

Cantonese Cuisine With Complimentary Roller Coaster Ride. Chef Chan Kwok at Zing, Millenneum Hotel, Bukit Bintang, KL.

2010-12-22T16:01:00.000+08:00

(non halal)

Faux Antique Chandelier

Most regular readers of this little whimsical blog would have noticed that I am not a regular diner at Chinese Restaurants. I am not particularly averse to Chinese food, but I seldom dine in a big group and unfortunately the portions that are served in Chinese restaurants are too daunting for a solitary diner. Unless you fancy having just a plate of sweet and sour chicken and rice and call it a complete experience of having dined in a Chinese restaurant.

Flower arrangement

Invitations from friends to join them for dinner at a Chinese Restaurant is usually taken as an opportunity to reacquaint myself with my cultural root of my ancestors. Actually, only two things remind me that I am a Chinese. One is Chinese restaurants and the other is my own government. Notice the absence of the column for ethnicity when filling in forms while overseas?

But I digress. This is not a socio-political blog.

Well spaced tables with bead curtains

One cannot help but to be amazed by the relative tranquility of Zing which is atypical for Chinese restaurants, with it's Gothic faux antique 1920's Shanghai furnishings that is regrettably marred by the presence of 1980's styled modernism. I was pleasantly surprised by it's service staff. Being accustomed to just expecting nothing more than efficiency at Chinese Restaurants, I was greeted with a smiles and attempts to make me feel welcome. The tables are well spaced to render the ambient conversations to a mellifluous murmur, earning Zing extra brownie points.

Chef Chan Kwok from Orchard Hotel's Hua Ting Restaurant was cooking that night, and with him I had some high expectations because the name is almost synonymous with fine Cantonese Dining in Singapore.

The meal came in sets and we ordered some dishes a la carte for variety.

Crispy Roasted Duck Accompanied with Grilled Fresh Scallops Skewer and Chilled Cucumber with Black Fungus Marinated in Fruit Vinaigrette from the Dinner Set

The roasted duck was perfectly succulent with a beautiful gamey and smokey aroma and the right amount of subcutaneous fat under the slightly crispy skin. It came paired with some grilled scallops. I was lulled into ecstatic bliss by the crunchy cool cucumber and black fungus as a side dish that was drizzled in slightly sourish fruit vinaigrette that provided a beautiful contrast, both in terms of taste and texture.

Double Boiled Baby Superior Shark's Cartilage from the Dinner Set

Unlike normal shark's fin soup that is braised in clear double stock, Chef Chan's version came immersed with milky coloured shark's cartilage soup laced with Chinese Wolfberries and Cabbage. It had a slightly sticky after taste that took some getting used to but was sublimely seductive in taste.

Braised Home Made Emerald Bean Curd with Seasonal Greens Topped with Pan Fried Scallops from the a la carte menu

The Emerald Green Bean Curd was a delightful show case of skill and creativity. It was silky smooth and had a light bounce with the green taste (of ?watercress? spinach?), and served as a sponging agent that absorbed the delicious flavour of the scallop that perched gracefully on top. Served with some vegetables, it is a calorie counter's dream dish and proved that healthy, delicious food is indeed not an oxymoron.

Pan Fried Fillet of Kurobuta Pork from the Set Menu

However, the aristocratic Kurobota Pork was tortured by it's inquisitors prior to being served and was left burning on the heretic's stake for too long thus rendered it tough and sinewy. Instead of pieces of pork chomping infidel's wet dream, we got pieces of caliginous gustatory nightmare.

Pacific Clams sauteed with Fresh Lily Buds, Celery, Seasonal Greens and Preserved Olives from the Set Menu

The sauteed pacific clams was rather pedestrian and did not do justice to the Chef's pedigree. It was glaringly out of place. In fact I could probably get some squalid manger born versions which could have been more satisfying.

Fresh Water King Prawn perpared 2 ways: 1. Deep Fried Prawn Head Glazed with Salt and Pepper 2. Braised Prawn with Superior Stock
from the a la carte menu

Anything done two ways is questionable. Unless it is able to showcase brilliant and contrasting cooking techniques or enhance the overall taste of the dish is either a sign of fickleness or a split personality. The prawns were visually arresting and aromatic with a crispy, crunchy, though slightly oversalted head filled with roe. But I thought the body was slightly overcooked as it was rubbery. I doubt an overcooked piece of prawn could ever be resuscitated even by the enviable endeavor of dousing it with best of sauces (the best superior stock included) and should best be relegated to the morgue.

Stewed Rice Vermicelli with Crystal Vermicelli with Sliced Fish and Bitter Gourd in Black Bean Sauce from the a la carte menu

Stay clear from the carbohydrates, the health guru says and in this particular meal I should have adhered to this dictum. I was not able to differentiate the crystal noodles from the vermicelli as they lay clumped and soggy drenched in vapid black beans sauce.

Stewed Noodle with Fresh Water King Prawn from the Set Menu

The noodles were again soggy and clumped. Whatever traces of prawn flavours was nuked by an unpalatable mushroom cloud of noxious alkali emanating from the noodles.

Chilled Fresh Fruits with Aloe Vera and Hawthorn Berry Jelly from the Set Menu

The desserts were probably a lagniappe served in chinked glass, a halfhearted appeasement of sorts to whiners who demand a sweet ending to their meals. I would not have missed it at all if it was not served.

I wish I could have launched into panegyrics as an ode to the meal. It was too inconsistent with vertiginous highs and abysmal lows. Taking into account again that the Chef was cooking away from his milleu, the meal probably failed reflect his true capabilities.

If Chef Chan Kwok ever makes his way back to KL again, forget the sets and aim for the more than excellent Roasted Duck, Shark Cartilage Soup and Emerald Tofu. Unfortunately this makes dining at Zing having a banal similarity to shopping at a hypermarket. Dash in, grab the sale items and never get distracted by other items which you will invariably end up regretting paying for.

PS: I would like to apologize for not being to reply to your comments for the past 2 months because I was away from KL most of the time. Thank you.

Zing
Grand Millenneum
160, Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6.03.21.77.48.88

Perfect Simplicity. Marufuku Udon, Jaya One, Petaling Jaya.

2010-11-30T13:45:00.000+08:00

(no pork served)

Nebayaki Udon

I am going to start off by listing a few things that brings me the greatest comfort and joy. The give of the warm sand along a beach when I step on it, with the tiny particles trickling between my toes while my face is being blown by the briny sea breeze.

Listening to the recording of Martha Argerich's live performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd for the first time, tears welling up when I realize that nobody had ever played it with the virtuosity and intensity and nobody will ever play it like that again.

Marufuku's simple menu

The warm hug from my mother as I leave for my studies in an unknown destination. Myself filled with fear, anxiety and excitement as I begin to embark on a new phase in my life. Carrying with me my mother's hope that I will be able to experience something new and gain more knowledge that will somehow give me an edge up to be successful in life and to lead and pursue a life she never had a chance to lead.

Simple joys that generate a warm, euphoric fuzz.

Signboard

At a neurosensory level, it is something banal. The triggering of sense receptors leading to the propagation of electrical impulses that land up in the brain. At an emotional level, it is breathtakingly exhilarating. The creation of a memory capsule that defies space and time to be summoned at will during periods of desolation and despondency as a salve for the tired soul, pro re nata.

The bare bulbs

As I entered Marufuku Udon for the first time, I was slightly shocked by the rather unappealing interior. Although clean and bright, the chairs and table looks soulless, sterile and cafeteria like with naked light bulbs hanging unabashedly from it's black painted ceilings. Only after the food has been served, I realized that all of that does not matter because anything else would be a distraction to the star attraction of Marufuku. It's Udon.

Wakame Udon

Smooth, slightly bouncy with the right diameter, lovingly made from fine Australian Wheat. The Perfect Udon. The Udon here is served in a variety of permutations, all of which emphasizes the noodles and other ingredients just play a supporting role to the real star of this restaurant.

Cold House Udon

Perhaps the bowl of noodle that impressed me most was the House Udon, available in both the hot and cold version. Udon, some Konbu Based soup, shoyu, wasabi smeared on the side, served with a perfectly half boiled egg. Sprinkle some Shichimi and I was greeted with perfection in a bowl.

It was simple and yet the most satisfying bowl of Udon I have encountered in this part of the world.

Shitake Yakitori

Their Udon is also available in other variations. In Wakame Broth for instance, again with a perfect piece of soft boiled egg. And if you like, paired with a side of kitsune and kakiage that almost intrude the stillness of the Zen like austerity of the perfect bowl of Udon, inviting you to contemplate and savour their taste and texture.

The Oyako Udon is a playful term because in Japanese it means parent-child and here Chicken meat and eggs were added to the broth, enveloping the noddles with the taste of poultry. This was my least favourite bowl udon because there seems to be a lacuna here which would be filled with more scallions.

The Nebayaki Udon as the name implies, comes in a Neba (hot pot) with kakiage and some tempura prawns.

Sake chillling

Asahi Beer and Sake is available for those who need their tipple and side dishes that are served after 5 pm include Yakitori (mainly chicken parts and Shitake) and Hot Pot.

Ice Cream Mochi

Desserts are fairly limited here and perhaps just an after thought. Ice Cream Mochi or Mochi with Azuki Beans. For those who are disinclined towards the uninspired may fill the gap in the their sweet tooth at The Bee, just a short walk away which serves the lovely ice cream from The Last Polka.

I would term Marufuku a slow fast food restaurant. Well made food, served in different ways but limited variety. I tend to steer away from restaurants with an overambitious menu as the fare is usually disappointing yet expensive to appease the ego of the Chef.

Food in Marufuku is usually served within 5 minutes, and no frills approach makes the price astounding. Udons are from RM7 to RM10, Side dishes start at RM2.50. If you order carefully, it is cheaper than a McD meal.

Ice Cream from The Last Polka at The Bee

On my latest trip to Marufuku on a dreary Monday filled with burdens of work and my spirit being dampened by rain, I found my trip there rejuvenating. It is amazing how a hot bowl of noodles can heal a tired psyche and despite what appears to be a Sisyphian task of going through the drudgery in living seems trivial and bearable. Dark thoughts and tiredness are banished to the corners waiting to be jolted back by another awful day, but while sipping the wonderful broth and slurping the noodles dark clouds disappeared and I thought I saw a rainbow appearing in the wet, dark night that blanketed PJ.

I usually complicate my own life and clutter it with my neurotic disposition and tend to forget that the solution to all problems would be the simplest approach, a detachment from superficial things that complicate my life. I do not need superficial friends who compete rather than accept, I do not need to give in to the crass, wasteful consumerism that entices me to spend on things I do not really need. The simplest things are usually the ones that give the most lasting pleasures in life.

Marufuku reminded me that a posh meal filled with pomp and rituals may just give transient ephemeral pleasures and the simplest meals cooked from the heart are the ones that are intransigent. They evokes the best memories that are tenacious and unwavering.

P.S. Thank you, Sea, for your kind messages. You are a gem. I took some time today to post something to let you know I am well. :D

Marufuku Udon
Blk L,
Unit 18,Level G, Phase 1
Jaya One

Tel: +6.03.79.57.63.68

Love is Like a Ball and Chain.

2010-10-29T09:37:00.006+08:00

(no pork served)

Carpaccio of Hamachi with Uni and Truffle Shoyu, a decadently beautiful treat that is indescribably beautiful and rich in flavour. It was love at first sight.

We live in perilous times. Modernity has brought many technological advancements, some of which are used incredibly to prolong and improve our quality of life. Unfortunately it has also brought in untold horrors as the technology is being harvested to maim and kill. Look around us. Death, destruction and chaos is almost part of everyday living, we live in fear of being robbed, being involved in an accident, we shock ourselves by following the news and witness the destruction of sanity as this evil pestilence called modern living invades the earth.

Love is the new opiate for the masses. We are made to yearn for the new nirvana called love or more specifically, Eros or erotic love, often touted as a state of complete happiness and bliss. Love sells more than ever before and we are peddled with saccharine laced dope from the music industry, from the publishing industry and also the movie and broadcasting industry. We need our little vials of "love" heroin to numb us from the harsh realities of life while the dictators and despots continue with their plundering, the violent criminals kill and maim and greedy corporations rape the earth and people.

Our little love Prozac is our cocoon. Our protective mantra. As we go through the day, sickly sweet bubble gum tunes flood the airwaves singing about love, we watch telenovelas and movies. We are assaulted by ditzy bimbos enhanced surgically and digitally with their perfectly chiseled manbos with ripped six packs who peddle love in every form and every way.

Boston Lobster Cold Royale with Abalone and Avruga. A Chawan Mushi like creation that makes you forget about kissing and stinky breaths once it touches your lips. Beautiful subtle flavours and love inducing texture.

Being in Love should be classified as a temporary Psychiatric disorder. Love is delusional. We often make our objects of affection to be larger than life, we ignore their weakness and enhance their positive traits however minute they are. We paint ourselves a rosy, robust picture of our partners and in a delusional state, imagine them to be the ultimate and desirable object of affection. When things don't work out, we begin to blame ourselves. We look for answers. We turn to our friends for advice. We buy self help books, we watch Oprah. We resort to the media for answers.

Love is a big industry, love is manipulated by media, love is used to sell products. Buy your girl a diamond ring and she is yours forever, your slave, your confidante. Bring her for a holiday and she will love you and adulate you, shagging in a five star hotel in a faraway place is the panacea for worn out love. Spritz some perfume and you will be sophisticated and sultry like Kate Moss and get your man.

While we fail to see that we were delusional in the first place. Who we love is just a mirage or an expectation that we conjure out of a delusional desire to love somebody, an unrealistic expectation that can never be fulfilled.

Hokkaido Scallops and Angellini Pasta. Soothing creamy comfort with chewy scallops. Warms the heart and soul more than insipid and tacky love notes does.

Love is irrational. The very premise of Love is irrational. Two total strangers meeting up and end up caring so much for each other that they are inseparable. Totally besotted with each other in sickness and in health, still loving and horny even though plagued with wrinkles and sagging butts plus some infidelity and lots of screaming matches thrown in for some added pain before death does the final parting.

Speaking of irrationality, we can throw in sex as well. The benevolent sentient omnipotent being that created us must be laughing his head off, when he created sex as a means of procreation and also a physical display of love and affection.

Squid Ink Tortellini with Crayfish. A remarkable pasta that made me forget about not having anyone to love. It makes first love unmemorable.

The previous century or so has seen an abnormal proliferation of mediocrity in music, literature and preforming arts. The proliferation of technology has assailed us with banality and contrived notions of what love is and should be. It has taken away the deep pain and the extreme moroseness that failed love can unleash on weakened spirits. The tragedy of love is glossed over and trivialized in the idealized version of love that Hollywood attempts to peddle.

Can one ever recover from the scars of failed love?

Hollywood likes to think so, but classical composers and librettists think otherwise. Cio Cio San, who was jilted by Captain Pinkerton sought death as the way out of her predicament of having a failed love and a child. Isolde died of grief slumped over Tristan's body after he was killed. The horrors of tragic love were paraded night after night in opera houses all over the world, while pop has sanitized love.

If you have got a good internet connection, check out the scene that leaves me watery eyed each time I hear it. (This version by Yin Huang is not the best, but the libretto had been subtitled in English. I personally love Mirella Freni and Scotto's version. Callas was too distracting as she tried too hard to imitate the voice of a teenager and Tebaldi was over dramatic with her impromptu sobs and wails. Buzz me if you want any of the CDs.)

Love kills, love hurts. Love does not guarantee a happy ending.

Chicken Confit and Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Wine Jus. Why stick with one when you can have a menage a trois?

Women had been portrayed as the victim of Tragic Love in Classical Opera. Undoubtedly women has a more complex psyche than men. I was astounded when a female friend told me that making love with her husband felt like digging her nose with a toe after they fell out of love. Thank goodness men do not have the same problem. It takes a whole lot less to get a men off. No hunting for obscure G spots. You do not need a flashing red light with whistles and sirens to tell you where a man's G spot is.

Does the complex psyche of women make them more susceptible to the perils of failed relationships?

I don't know, and I do not pretend that I know the answer. If women came with a manual, it will probably help.

Mango Feullantine with Cointreau Foam and Ice Cream. Lushy comfort, better than resting on bosoms.

I am a bastard when it comes to intimate relationships. I wold prefer to have mine frozen and readily thawed when needed. There is too much to distract me. I probably suffer from some form of ADD, I am able to function at work just for the sake of economic necessity. Bills need to be paid, and Android need fine dining. Throw me in a relationship and all the conditioning I received from reading obscure books and listening to doomed relationships comes into play and I shut out any form of intimacy. I have had many relationships in the past, but there was never one that I was completely honest in, where I was completely myself.

My break ups were never as dramatic as those portrayed in a TVB serial. Many years ago, I attempted to recreate a scene I learned from a TVB movie by bringing six cans of beer not to the pier of Hong Kong harbour, but to a beach. I wanted to shout in grief, but couldn't and after two cans of beer, I remembered I had to work early the next day and proceeded back home to sleep. That was as much drama I could handle from being dumped.

Sous Vide of Berries with Caramel Ice Cream. It is easier to propose to this as it will guarantee to satisfy you forever.

Over the years, things have not changed much. Two months ago, I broke up from a six year old on and off relationship. We met infrequently to suit my annoyance of having somebody on my back all the time. Probably this time I over did the freezing part and forgot I had some meat in the freezer. I was to engrossed with work and my books and she was too engrossed with her work and herself. It was an amicable parting, we both knew that it never meant anything more than what it was and it was drama free.

I have been persistently asked what my favourite loves song is. It is Ball and Chain, by Janis Joplin. With her 3 octave range voice which can change from a maniacal shriek to the pleading of a child within a second, she was the real blues/rock star.

She sings about love being unfair, she sings about the pain brought upon by the person she loves. She questions herself if all of it was in vain.

This is LOVE 101. The real mantra that should be chanted before any sex education class.

Listen to it and see if it sends a chill to your spine and make your hairs stand on their ends. Listen to it and decry the sugary sweet pop.
Love is painful. Breaking up cannot be danceable like Leona Lewis singing "Bleeding Love".

If you want to take the chance, fall in love and rush into where angels fear to tread. Angels are sexless (asexual/genderless) anyway. But be prepared for the emotional turmoil that comes with it. I am sure one day, you will be rewarded amply by your persistence.

My wedding chapel

For emotional fuckwits like me, I will remain enclosed and warped with my knowledge that love hurts bad and if I give in to it, I will be burnt. I am just not hardwired for Love. I can be a good friend to have some intellectual discourse, I can be a good listener and look at your problems objectively and maybe offer some limp advice on relationships, a good brother and perhaps a good son.

I will never be able to be a good husband. I am just too engrossed with myself to share. The downside of it is the constant barrage of trashy love songs and well meaning friends reminding me how emotionally challenged I am. Thank goodness I can still find solace in food, with the companionship and pleasure it offers, a pleasure as base and unchalleging as a relationship based on shagging can offer.

I do like some intimacy of occasional companionship, but the pressure from a Hachiko waiting for me at the station everyday will drive me bonkers. Sex is pleasurable but comes with too much emotional bondage.

For the time being, "A Shag? Frankly, my dear, I would prefer a cup of tea".

"2 Star" Michelin Dinner. Christopher Coutanceau at Senses, Hilton KL.

2010-10-21T20:00:00.011+08:00

(no pork served)

Gosset Champagne. The Star of the Dinner.

The Chef of Cuisine from Restaurant Richard et Christopher Coutanceau (a 2 star Michelin rated restaurant belonging to the Relais & Châteaux group in La Rochelle) was in KL for three days recently to cook up a storm as part of the MIGF. Unfortunately, what we got was a few drops of rain, lots of haze and no sunshine.

The Hilarious/Humorous Bouche

The amuse bouche was a very imaginative mushroom with mushroom and mushroom in mushroom sauce combination. Chantarelle, Morels and Trumpet mushroom with mushroom sauce. Surprisingly, this was the best dish through out the evening. I would have preferred it to be renamed hilarious bouche. Or a humorous bouche. I really needed a lot of sense of humor to get through dinner.

Grilled Foie Gras with Candied Mandarin and Mandarin Sorbet

The Foie had the consistency of liver and tasted like liver. Efforts to distract me with a super sugary piece of caramel and sweet candied Mandarin drove me deeper into melancholy. The least offensive on the plate was the superb Mandarin Sorbet which tasted better than what they offered for dessert.

Brittany Lobster Stew with Baby Vegetables and Mushroom Ravioli

The lobster was flown in fresh, but was probably very nervous during it's turbulent maiden flight. The meat was tough and rubbery due to the stress, although the flavour was good. The dish was served with baby vegetables in a "golden shower" of light and bland buttery sauce with mushroom ravioli topped with a booger sized piece of redundant gnocchi.

Squab Pigeon With Cabbage Leaves and Foie Gras, Seasonal Vegetable Casserole with Truffle Juice

The Pigeons probably did not drink enough water while flying to Malaysia and Mr. Goose did not heed it's Hepatologist's advice to cut down alcohol and hence developed cirrhosis. Mr. Pigeon's thighs got a massage before being fried, and was rewarded by a better consistency. I was glad to share the pigeon which tried covering it's inadequacies by hiding inside some Savoy Cabbage, suffocated by foie.

French Sea Bass, Cucumber Cannelloni, Parsley and Avocado, Shaved Fennel and Ginger

Being the fiend that I am, I opted not to share my dining companion's burden when she offered me some fish. The age of chivalry has died a long time ago.

Pineapple Ravioli, Filled with Pineapple Ice Cream and Lychee, Rum and Raisins Ice Cream, Fresh Mint Jelly and Slivers of Candied Pineapple

The dessert was mercifully devoid of any mushroom, truffles or fungi. The sensation of biting into the Pineapple Ravioli was rather unique. I doubt any fine dining restaurants are able to reproduce the sensation of biting into a thinly sliced pineapple wrapped around some shaved ice. Masochists will love it.

2 Beauties

I have chosen not to be my usual vitriolic and caustic self because of the following factors.

1. The Chef (Coutanceau) was cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen
2. The Resident Chef was away at Shanghai and could not have guided his guest
3. The Guest Chef was probably jet lagged and tired
4. The beautiful and attentive service at Senses
5. The table next to mine already berated the Chef when he went around after the dinner

My favourite

The real stars of the dinner were my dining companions and the excellent Gosset Champagnes, especially the 1998 Gosset Celebris Brut. Copious amounts were downed because it tasted excellent and I needed something to numb my shock.

The price of the dinner was RM 598 and probably worth your bucks if you like champagne as Gossets are not cheap and it was free flow.

The reason for this post is to remind myself that it is probably wiser to ask if the resident chef would be there as well if I am contemplating a dinner by a guest chef.

Retrospectively, I could have gotten the same kick by buying some Gosset and ordering in some fried chicken at home. But then, I would not have been able to boast about having a dinner cooked by a chef from a 2 star Michelin restaurant.

Dim Sum Memories Part 1. Elegant Inn, Menara Hup Seng, KL.

2010-10-18T07:49:00.002+08:00

(non halal)

Bean Curd Roll with Home Made Abalone Sauce

I have to admit that I am not a connoisseur of Chinese Food, especially when it comes to dim sum. This little bit of contemptible confession in the confessional booth of gastronomic perdition was in fact due to the minimal exposure I had as a child to this exquisite Cantonese feast. The nearest place for me to have dim sum during my childhood years was a grease stained little restaurant that served the most horrid concoction of meat and flour that the owners try to pass off as dim sum. Dingy and decrepit, the place smelled of lard that has fossilized into the wooden walls. Cleaning of the eating utensils with a pot of hot water was mandatory and not a ritual.

Steamed Australian Scallop Dumpling

Their dim sum was hard clumps of meat with questionable freshness, mixed with clumps of lard and wrapped in tough leathery lye. I could imagine using the Siew Mai as bullets for skeet shooting, if not for the fact that it will smell rancid once it was not consumed within a 10 minute period after being fished out from the small little bamboo baskets that were used to steam it. Saunaed lumps of unpalatable smelly pork and lard was my childhood impression of what Siew Mai was.

Steamed BBQ Pork Bun. (Char Siew Bao)

Not that the steamed flour dumplings or Baos fared any better. The dough was invariably wet from the condensation of water, it turns into a gooey sticky clump of insipid mess in the mouth, flavoured with a 90 percent lard filling that was over zealously flavoured with MSG.

Dirty, greasy, smelly restaurant with awful food scarred me for life and cursed me with an aversion for pork. I did not need any psycho analyst to come up with the source of my Freudian childhood conflicts.

Home Made Fish Balls

When I was studying in KL, my occasional forays into dim sum joints (usually dragged by well meaning friends who were curious about my dislike for anything porky) did not fare any better. Same food, swankier joint. I piled copious amounts of sweet sauce and chilli onto the disagreeable bits of meat to hide their foul taste.

Fried Beancurd Roll with Shrimp and Cheese

Years later found me in Hong Kong and I decided to meet my friend who was lecturing at HKU, and he suggested meeting up for breakfast near where he was working. I was told to meet him at the Sai Ying Pun tram stop, and he asked me whether I have had any Dim Sum in Hong Kong yet. My heart sank. I wanted to lie and say yes, because i know where he will invariably lead me to. But I was curious to know why in this densely populated city where everybody is a food critic, is there an obsession with what I thought to be the vilest in Chinese Cuisine?

Xiao Long Bao

My heart sank after walking a couple of minutes and reached a small little greasy restaurant, with an all Chinese menu. I could imagine the Gay team from "Queer eye for the straight guy" fainting at the sight of the green slimy tiles from the 60's. Furniture and fittings run on a theme of mix and mismatch from a junkyard sale. I was seized by the terror of having to relive the misery of being tormented by balls of lard in a dirty, greasy restaurant that I endured as a child. I seriously questioned my friend's sanity for inviting me to dine in what I perceived as squalor.

Crispy Vegetarian Rice Roll

My friend was obviously a regular there. The waiter took his order while engaging my friend in banter, joking with him and teasing him. In a few minutes the food arrived. Whatever apprehension I had faded when I took a bite of the har gao or prawn dumplings (being apprehensive of pork). The pieces of the most perfect al dente succulent prawns wrapped in light starch were absolutely delectable. No sauces were served because none was needed. The taste was that pure. The Siew Mai was still porky, but soft and juicy without being lardy and came anointed with some roe on top. A bevy of other dishes followed, all equally impressive.

Old Fashioned Prawn Toast

Sam Hui Yad, located at Pok Fu Lam Road was the first place I had truly enjoyed dim sum, the place where my heart was touched for the very first time like Madonna's Virgin. Coincidentally, Dim Sum in Cantonese means touching the heart.

Watercress Gao Zhi

Forward a couple of years latter, I had some trysts in KL, where there a lot of restaurants serving Dim Sum with the growing sophistication of local palate. Unfortunately, I was like a Mad Fool trying to rediscover the beauty of his first love in whore houses. The Dim served was within the range of appalling to barely passable with an average of mediocre. The Dim Sum lacked an important ingredient. Passion. They served Dim Sum out of an obligation to earn some lunch time cash, while their minds were distracted, maybe by large wedding dinners or lavish corporate functions.

Secret Dish... :p Will be reviewed in another post. The noodle from the basket was sourced from Bentong

I was naturally a bit reserved when I received an invitation from Marian to dine with Jeanette, one of the co-owners of Elegant Inn. I do recall having had their Hairy Crabs with some Dim Sum over there last year, but was too satiated to remember how the dim sum was. Jeanette is a walking encyclopaedia of Cantonese Cuisine and travels to Hong Kong monthly to source the Dried Seafood produce used in her restaurant.

If there is one thing that has been drummed into me by my friend in Hong Kong, good food requires good ingredients and exacting techniques. Jeanette even sources her wet produce from Bentong just to get the right flavour.

Glutinous Rice Package with Dried Scallops and Duck

Lunch was long, and as the small petite bamboo baskets waltzed in, Jeanette animatedly explained how this tiny morsels of delectable delicacy was made, and how the Chef was used as a conduit for her passion for good Dim Sum. She purposely omitted Siew Mai and Har Gao from the menu in order to allow us to sample the more exotic creations.

Deep Fried Taro Pouch

I will not go through the tedium of running through every dish that was sampled that day, but I was impressed by how the natural flavours of each dish was coaxed out just by the virtue of using the right ingredients. The fishballs were made from Mackerel and contained minimal amounts of flour making each bite a flavourful delight. The steamed scallop dumpling provided a new insight into the flavours that can be obtained just by sourcing the scallops from a different place. In this instance, they used scallops from Australia which were juicier and provided a beautiful bouncy bite that the slightly thicker skin that was used to cover the dumpling was overlooked.

Stuffed Tau Foo Pok

The dough that was used in the flour covering of the steamed bun or Bao was amazingly fluffy and light.

Although the covering of the Xiao Long Bao was slightly too thick in this instance, it hid a deliciously flavourful broth inside and was served at the perfect temperature.

The humble Bean Curd roll was given a royal make over when it was served with the most luscious Home Made Abalone Sauce which made each morsel a very indulgent treat.

Two extra dishes were brought out of the kitchen just to illustrate how the use of the proper ingredients added a different gastronomic dimension to the dishes. The stuffed Tau Foo Pok which used Tau Foo Pok from Bentong was more robust than it's city cousins as the Bean Curd was thicker and was able to absorb more flavours. The Steamed watercress dumpling (Gao Zhi) was lighter when compared to their cousins from the North.

Chandelier

Perennial favourites like the Nor Mai Gai ((Steamed Glutinous Packages) was given a new twist by using duck meat and salted egg yolks, which I thought was rather brilliant. They were served wrapped in steaming hot lotus leaves.

The humble Cheong Fun was reincarnated was a crispy vegetable roll by using it as a wrap for some deep fried vegetables in a light tempura batter.

I was extremely impressed with the frying technique at Elegant Inn. It was perfect. How the Prawn toast was fried to perfection without any trace of oil in the bread was an eye opener.

The Deep fried taro pouches were absolutely crunchy and not bogged in lard. You can see from the photo that some parts of the batter was as thin as hair.

Geoduck at the aquarium in from of the restaurant

It was definitely one of the best dim sum meal I have ever had in KL. The Dim Sum there was prepared with an astonishing zeal for authenticity and passion that reverberated in each small little plate of savoury morsels that has it origins in Southern China.

Thank you, Marian for the invitation and Jeanette for hosting. Also warm hugs to Boo, Ciki, Chris (Hi!), Aly and Michael for being such wonderful dining companions.

Note: The desserts will be posted at a later date.

Elegant Inn
2.01, 2nd Floor, Podium Block,
Menara Hap Seng,
Jalan P.Ramlee,
50250 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6.03.20.70.93.99

Disclaimer: This was an invited event. The invitation was made with the understanding that the Blogger maintains full discretion on what to post and there was no inducement in the form of cash or gifts for a favourable review.

Symphony of Flavours. Nathalie's Gourmet Studio, Solaris Dutamas, KL.

2010-10-14T15:30:00.003+08:00

(no pork served)

Salmon Tataki, Cereliac Puree and Truffle Oil

Imagine your mouth filled with a spoonful of the most heavenly Cereliac Puree, wonderfully fragrant yet slightly earthy and vegetal, light and pure, not overtly green nor overpoweringly pungent, with a slight starchiness. You ask the Manager, what's the secret?

Roasted Celery.

You nod, and slowly work your way down into the cubed bits of Salmon, drizzled with Truffle Oil. Slices of crunchy Daikon Radish to balance out the beautifully clean flavour and texture of this very untraditional rendition of the Tataki. You smile and think. So simple yet so delicious. The sea meets the land with a rapturous sigh of pleasure.

Morel and Chicken Timbale, Morel Emulsion

Nathalie's menu rotates monthly with 5 starters, mains and dessert. Yet the menu is so diverse and inspired that it is breathtaking. The cooking techniques are faultless and the plating is simple. The Chicken and Morel Timbale looks like a feat of engineering marvel, with vertically assembled Penne lining the succulent baked chicken topped with Morel Mushrooms. The ensemble came steeped in frothy, earthy morel emulsion that made each mouthful a pure indulgence and a celebration of the earthiness of this mushroom.

Citrus Scallop Carpaccio, Mesclun and Citrus Dressing

The soft and slithery scallop carpaccio came adorned with the usual salad greens and avocado and crowned with some crisp fried julliened ginger. The grapefruit based dressing was sourish and tangy. It was a wonderfully refreshing salad.

Revised Bouillabaisse

Nathalie used Haddock or églefin in her Revised Bouillabaisse that was marvelously smokey and infused with generous amounts of Saffron. The interesting thing about this soup was it was served with bread topped with Rouille Sauce, which is popular in Provencal cooking but I have never encountered in KL before. Despited the "revision", the Bouillabaisse did not stray too far from it's heart in the South of France.

King Prawn Lasagna, Zucchini done 2 ways, Bisque

It is always a pleasure to dine at Nathalie's because of the beautiful touches and the slight whimsical sense of humour that gives the dishes so much personality without resorting to theatrics. The King Prawns Lasagna with two large perfectly grilled and aromatic prawns sitting resplendently on top of 3 layers of Lasagna, with some zucchini and tomato in between one of the layers, and some chives in another. The bisque sauce that cloaked the Lasagna was an inspiration, lightly creamy yet intensely flavoured. The flavour lingered on in the palate like a long lost kiss from a forgotten lover.

Stuffed Cabbage

The Stuffed Cabbage with Beef, Chicken and Parmesan swimming in Herbal and Chicken Broth was a worthy homage to the rustic, austere and mountainous Auvergne region in Central France. The meat was densely packed and richly flavoured, and the serving has huge.

When it comes to desserts, be prepared for some of the most pleasurable and indulgent treats this side of the world. Nathalie does not fail to deliver and deserves to be named the Goddess of Desserts. The flavours are usually intense, gorgeous and multi-dimensional.

Roasted Pineapple Tart

The roasted pineapple tart was served with an extraordinary dollop of pineapple sorbet and crowned with a paper thin slice of oven dried/roasted pineapple. Sweet, crisp and tart and bursting with beautiful tropical flavours, it was magnificent.

Citrus Craquant

The Citrus Craquant hid some beautiful Grapefruit Sorbet inside it's cripsy cracker like exterior. Bit's of grapefruit and orange lined the bottom and it was topped with orange sorbet and a thin slice of crispy oven dried lemon. There is a light tinge of bitterness to this that drove me to a frenzy. I must go back soon to taste the rest of their desserts which sounds tempting, especially the Caramel Mousse, Roasted Banana with Morels and Balsamic Caramel Sauce which I am sure will be ecstatic. I have decided to post earlier without completing the menu because the current menu will end in 2 week's time!

Updated! The Caramel Mousse, Roasted Banana with Morels and Balsamic Caramel Sauce. It was ecstatic.

Nathalie has been nominated as one of the contenders for the best Chef in the Time Out KL food awards 2010. You can cast your votes here.

Be prepared to pay about RM120-RM150 for lunch. For detailed menu and pricing, please visit Nomad Gourmand's site here.

Nathalie’s Gourmet Studio
A-4-1-5 Dutamas Solaris
Jalan Dutamas
50490 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +6.03.62.07.95.72

Life on a Plate. Gu Yue Tien, Chulan Square, KL.

2010-10-11T07:12:00.003+08:00

(non halal)

Salmon Roll with Onion Crabs

Humans differ from animals in many ways, and one of the differentiating factor is our ability to understand that our time here on earth is not permanent. One day, somehow, despite our bests efforts to prolong our stay here in this material world, we will encounter the implacable condition known as death. The desire to prolong our stay in this temporal world is constantly at the back of our minds, reflected by our daily activities. Exercising to stay healthy, working hard in order to save up for old age, applying inches of cream on our faces at night. Anything to delay the ravages that the march of time brings onto our body and with it decay and ultimately, death.

Iberico Ham wrapped around Rock Melon with Avruga Caviar

Even the rituals that we etch into our daily routine, for some, it is the consolation of prayers or abstinence from certain food as a preparation for death, a resolute self affirmation that life exists beyond death. Rituals that we follow for a non altruistic purpose of being rewarded by a happier existence after death. For other who do not believe in a Supernatural being, we plough books on Philosophy and Science and arm ourselves with enough ammunition in order to intellectualize the inevitable.

Despite living in conscious fear of impending finality, the subject of Death is always kept a Taboo, as if by not speaking or discussing about it, we can avoid it.

Momo Duck Roll

I am not sure if any of you read Kafka's "The Trial". The novel describes a gentleman, Joseph K., who was arrested on unspecified charges, put on trial which was presided by a Judge who had a zero percent acquital rate. Joseph K. was subjected to a ridiculous and farcical trial process which finally ended with Joseph executed on the last day of his 30th year, still not knowing what the charges against him were. It was a disconcerting read that left me troubled for a few days, but I couldn't help thinking about how well the absurdity of human existence being was described in it's essence in a tiny little unfinished novel. I last read it more than 15 years ago, and as much as I loved it, I could not bring myself to read it again and confront the frustrations and the despondency of being human entails.

GYT Soft Boiled Egg with Foie Gras

It does make sense however, that some form of escapism offered by Art is welcome, to distract us from the anxiety of facing the inevitable unknown. Art, for non philosophers could defined as an artifact that evokes a sensori-emotional response. This would be a gross over simplification of the definition of Art. In Malaysia, the closest encounters with anything that can be defined as Art would be Movies, Books and Food.

GYT Soft Boiled Egg with Foie Gras

I have audaciously included Food as Art, because to me, it is the most accessible form of art. It does evoke very strong emotional responses from the sensory stimulation. A good meal stimulates gasps, smiles of approval and even laughter and a strong desire to prolong the intense sensory pleasures that good food provokes. Food is Art on a plate, right from the preparation to plating. Extraordinary food not only stimulates the visual, gustatory, olfactory and tactile senses, it stimulates the intellect as well.

Double Boiled Gold Coin Shark's Fin Soup with Chin Hua Ham and Cabbage

Art has been described as a process of destruction, or more precisely, the destruction of similarity of things or the sameness of things. Sameness sells, it comes with the comfort of conformity to what the market requires or the set opinion of the masses and historical verification of the response of the market. It takes gut and vision to escape from the blandness of being similar. If total disbandment of similarity is a characteristic of great Art, then Chef Frankie from Gu Yue Tien had created a couple of Masterpieces from his set menu.

Double Boiled Pig Stomach Soup with Gold Coin Shark's Fin. I am not fond of Pig Stomach, but am pretty sure fans will find comfort in this soup.

The first thing that you notice about the destruction of similarity in his food is actually in the plating, which is decidedly Western. Although his cold starters of Iberico Ham wrapped in rock melon and his Smoked Salmon and Onion Crab Roll although visually appealing and full of the right flavours, it does not hit me as particularly ground breaking. It was just some western dishes in a chinese restaurant.

The Momo Duck Roll however, was a wonderful gustatory experience of biting into a piece of smoked duck, pickled cucumber, sourish mango, spring onion rolled into a flour crepe with some savoury and smokey duck sauce and Mustard. The resulting Melange of flavours and textural contrasts is nothing short of amazing.

Oven Backed Honey Glazed Black Cod

Chef Frankie's break from conventionality not only lies in the plating of the food, but also in his deconstruction of certain ingredients associated traditionally with Western Cuisine. His Gu Yue Tien Soft Boiled Egg with Foie Gras is a revelation. Adding some Foie to a perfectly boiled Egg was something so simple and yet effective. The resulting decadent emulsion is a deluge of rich flavours that flooded the palate and left a satisfied smile on my face.

Crispy Soft Shelled Crab with Pumpkin Mousseline

The meal was not without fault. The Shark's Fins used were small and inferior, perhaps due to the pricing of the Degustation Menu which was set at RM99. The Ching Hua Ham which was used to salt the double boiled broth was too conspicuous and resolute and over powered the subtle soup. Again, there was also an over zealous glazing of the Cod which resulted in the delicate flavours of the Cod being lost.

Deep Fried Spare Rib Confit with Hoi Sin Sauce

The Soft Shell Crab was perfectly fried with minimal traces of Oil, that almost had me popping open a champagne in joy as it is usually mushy and bogged with oil elsewhere. The beef had been sampled in a previous review of GYT.

Being not a big fan of Pork, I was taken back with the delicious flavours that greeted me from the Confit of Pork Ribs. The meat was crumbling off the bone and had a very delicate flavour of Chinese Herbs that went deliciously well with the Hoi Seen sauce. It was astounding as I found the pork to be absolutely delicious which is a rarity.

Desserts were not heart stopping impressive, just some amazingly good Almond Tea that was grounded in house and some Chilled Mango and Pomelo.

Pan Fried Australian Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce

In most other Art forms (with the possible exception of paintings), Tragedies are the ones that makes a lasting impression on our minds. Heart breaking songs, tear jerking movies and books about the horrid ravages that the human condition inflict on us are the ones that get the most attention from us. Humans are usually abnormally fixated on Tragedy, especially when it involves others and not us.

Fortunately, good food evokes the other spectrum of emotions. That makes us all thankful that there are people like Chef Frankie to excite us, to tantalize us and make us ogle at his dishes, his little pieces of art on plates. Even his little degustation menu offers a glimpse of our short journey of life, from creation (the use of roe and eggs) to old age (meat cured in herbs) and the disappointment and monotony of the less inspiring dishes, the tedium of life that invariably plagues all of us at some point or another.

One may detect some slight complacency such as his use of Pumpkin Mousseline/Puree in his dishes, and the menu may not be rotated as frequently as it should be. His culinary creations may lack the intellectual depth of Blumenthal, but the sheer vivacity of the kaleidoscope of flavours and textures of his culinary creation and his brazen yet admirably effective disregard for what defines and and yet confines Chinese Cuisine demands some attention.

Gu Yue Tien
Lot 5A, Chulan Square
Jalan Raja Chulan
Kuala Lumpur 50200

Tel: +6.03.21.48.08.08

A Visual Feast. MIGF Menu at Senses, Hilton, KL.

2010-10-04T08:19:00.004+08:00

(no pork served)

The much anticipated MIGF season is here. To those who are contemplating a visit to Senses at Hilton KL, here is what to expect.

A fairly generous selection of Breads.

Lush Bordier Butter, the legend among artisanal Butters.

An edible menu made from Potato Starch that you can tear off and eat together with the salmon roe dip.

A decadent macaron filled with Duck Pate.

Miso with Black Sesame Sponge.

Scrambled Egg Espuma, which was lusciously soft.

Organic Flower Pot which is a Salad, filled with healthy Organic Vegetables and Foie Gras Shavings. It was served with Dill Mayonnaise and paired with 2009 Clare Valley Skillogalee Riesling.

Some fishes from the aquarium at the hotel lobby.

Golden Tea Bag Nestled in some Chanterelle Mushrooms, Lamb Tongue and Shaved Summer Truffles.

Some Consomme broth poured over it to diffuse the Gold.

The completed Gold Tea ensemble.

Smoked Jade Tiger Abalone Salad with Marinated Mushrooms drizzled with Olive Oil and served with Rocket Leaves. It was served on stone and Cedarwood.

Divinely tender Stanbroke Beef Cheeks that were braised before baking in clay.

The beef was spiked with Autumn Truffles before baking so that truffle flavours remain infused with the beef.

The beef was served with more truffles and Potato Povre terrine.

Palate cleanser with Iced Gin and Tasmanian Honey served with violet meringue and frosted berries.

Dessert of Poppy Flower Emulsion and poppy seeds, Banana ice cream and Chocolate Soil.

The most impressive petite fours in KL.

Some mushrooms on the kitchen counter screaming to be photographed.

I had the wine pairing dinner, but did not think too highly of the wines. Maybe I am just an old fusspot, but have refrained from commenting because wine is so subjective, more than food. I would advice diners to choose their own from the wine menu.

Special mention must be made about the exceptional service from the time of reservation. I made the reservation online and within 5 minutes, I got a call and and a confirmation SMS. Since the reservation was for 1, they also thoughtfully supplied some magazines on the dining table. Throughout the meal, the service was exemplary, and I felt pampered.

Total damage for the meal was RM487, plus a bottle of mineral water.

Hilton Kuala Lumpur
3, Jalan Stesen Sentral
Kuala Lumpur Sentral
50470 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

Tel: +6.03.22.64.22.64

Maximizing Your Consultation With Your GP. Yook Tho Yin, Tim Pan Kor Kor, PJ.

2010-09-30T20:00:00.005+08:00

(random thoughts)

Wooden Clothes Peg used to mark the dishes at Yook Tho Yin

For many people, GPs play a very important role in their lives, from diagnosing common maladies that affect them to picking up more life threatening conditions that require further investigations and care from a tertiary centre. They usually act as a friend and a confidante, being privy to many problems that burden their patients.

Interior of Delicious Cafe at Dua Residency

Unfortunately, most of the time, GPs are usually very busy and consultation time is usually limited. In Western Medical Practice, history taking or the description of symptoms by the patient is a very important part of the consultation. A Western Trained Doctor cannot tell what is wrong with a patient by just taking the pulse, a fantasy best left to B grade TVB teledramas. If we lived in an ideal world, the GP should spend at least 30 minutes per consult, and spend some time taking your history and examining you and ultimately describing the treatment or advising you on further investigation like blood tests or imaging that might be helpful in the diagnosis.

Delicious Cafe

Below are some thoughts on how to maximize your consultation in that limited amount of time, in the Malaysian context.

Delicious Cafe

1. Time your visits when possible.

Mornings are usually not a good time to visit your GP. Clinics are usually crowded with people who have been fasting overnight to do blood tests, ladies who drop by after their morning exercise or marketing and the office workers who want a Medical Chit to exempt them from work. Your consultation with the GP will be more hurried due to the overwhelming amount of patients waiting outside. Most GPs do not practice appointments and in this less than ideal situation, try not to visit in the mornings unless of course it is an emergency.

Glutinous Rice Balls with Peanuts from Tim Pan Kor Kor, SS2

Evenings are a bad time too. Parents who have finished working will bring their sick child to the doctor and trying to get a consult after official clinic hours is a bad idea too, because the doctor would have been too tired from a long day. The best times are usually from 3PM to 5PM.

If the clinic is extra heavy and you find that there are other unresolved problems that might need attention, try asking the Doctor if it will be better for you to come back for another visit.

Red Beans and Soya from Tim Pan Kor Kor

2. Be Properly Attired.

Just some common sense. If you have a rash on your thighs, do not wear long tights unless you want to show of your undergarments too. It would be best to wear loose fitting clothes, especially if you are expecting an ultrasound scan or some other procedures to be preformed. The time spent on undoing clasps and buttons should be better spent at describing your symptoms and getting useful advice from your doctor.

Pickled Chili from Yook Tho Yin

Gentlemen should avoid wearing singlets. The tactile stimulation from the wet and hairy bush under the armpits while the Doctor attempts to take your BP will not endear you to him. Unless it is an emergency, try to be clean. Doctors are after all only human, and will appreciate any effort to make the consult as pleasant as possible. I am sure any ethical Doctor will tolerate anybody who smells like rotting fish if it is an emergency. Turning up with your hand covered in grease and leaving a trail of body odour that requires 3 cans of air freshener to hide the smell is just plain silly if you are just at the clinic to pick up your regular anti hypertensives. The Nurse would have to spend time wiping off the grease marks on the chair and table, time which could be used to see the next patient.

Sang Meen from YTY

3. Children and Clinics.

Try to leave you children who are not sick at home and do not bring them along with you to the clinic. Clinics are filled with sick people and Germs. It is possible for them to get infected as well. Children are naturally hyperactive if they are well (sometimes even if they are sick).

If Mummy is sick, please leave the children at home. Uncle Doctor will be very very distracted if Little Johnny treats the RM120,000 ultrasound machine like a PS 3 and Little Lisa jumps up and down the weighing scale like a trampoline while Mummy is being examined. It will be made worse if Daddy is discussing the stock market with his stockbroker in the background. It will be a natural reaction of the Doctor to hurry on the consultation. The examination room is usually not very child friendly and filled with electrical hazards and sharp instruments.

Preparation for a sick child for a consultation begins at home. There are many child care books that teached techniques of preparing the child for a visit to the Dr. Try to keep the child comfortable, and bring along his or her favourite toy. Again, fuss free clothing that are loose and comfortable will make it easier for them to be examined. For older children who are fretful of clinics, try playing "doctor" with them at home with a toy stethescope to familiarize them with the rote of physical examination.

Salted Fish and Pork from YTY

4. Be concise and precise about your symptoms.

Terms like giddiness means different things to different people. It could mean feeling like blacking out, feeling like the room is spinning for feeling some form of imbalance, all of which may have different causes. If you have had the symptoms before, tell the Doctor why you are particularly worried about the current episode. Is it more severe, or does it come with other symptoms as well.

Avoid vague terms like "uncomfortable". Use a language that you are really conversant with to avoid confusion.

Take note of any previous allergic reactions to medication and insist on getting the name of the medicine from the clinic. Jot down the names of any medication that you are taking or have taken over the past day prior to the consultation to avoid any undesirable interactions with the medication that the doctor is prescribing for you. A very interesting observation to note is that some people can remember all the top three prize winners for Magnum for the past month, but are unable to recall what medication they are allergic to.

Fish Head Curry from YTY

5. Ask

If you are in doubt, ask. A good Doctor usually will let you know why he thinks that your symptoms and signs fits in with a particular diagnosis. Make the Doctor discuss the treatment plan with you in detail, and ask for possible complications that might arise from both the disease and the treatment. But of course, ask intelligently. For instance, do not ask questions like where do bacterias come from, and in the process give your doctor a stroke.

Ginger Chicken

This blog post is mainly for entertainment value. Please consult your professional medical practitioner for proper advice.

One evening saw us catching up on Chinese food from a small papa and mama joint in DU. Yok Tho Yin serves Chinese food which is best described as hearty and affordable or boring and predictable, depending on how you see it. The price was certainly reasonable, a meal for 4 cost us less than RM100. The star of the night would be the Salted Egg Yolks Fried with Bitter Gourd, which was a lovely tribute to the usually morose and dour Bitter Gourd. It was lifted out of it's doldrums by the bright sunshine coloured yolks which provided an interesting flaky and powdery saltiness to this beautiful combination.

Desserts at Tim Pan Kor Kor was reflected by their crowd which would average around 23 years old. Full of hopes and unrealized dreams. Dish cafe is already well known and is a comfortable place to have a civil conversation amidst a beautiful interior. Food will be tried and tested favourites which is not really my cup of tea.

Yook Tho Yin
31, Jalan SS21/37
Damansara Utama
Petaling Jaya

Tim Pan Kor Kor
No 36, Jalan SS2/63
47000 Petalin Jaya

Delicious
Dua Residency
Jalan Tun Razak
Kuala Lumpur.

Searching For Superlatives. Gu Yue Tien, Chulan Square, KL.

2010-09-28T16:31:00.001+08:00

(non halal)

Preserved Chinese Mustard

Sometimes, writing about food that is so devastatingly exquisite and beautifully thought out and breathtakingly innovative demands superlatives. When words fail, it is exasperating because I could never convey the exquisite pleasure of the stimulation of senses the food offers.

Oven Baked Calamari

Take for instance, the humble calamari. Not any Calamari, the mutant foot long ones perfectly Oven Baked until it is crunchy and slightly charred outside yet as tender as fish on the inside. Stuffed with sinful roe and intriguingly rich, slightly bitter yet delicately uni, the combination was so ethereal that it has dampened my appreciation of the normal grilled Calamari forever. Such is the price of perfection, especially when the richness was tempered down with the tanginess from a wedge of lemon and the sour and tart chili based dip. Breathtaking.

The Filling of Roe and Uni (Sea Urchin)

Stepping into Gu Yue Tien from the busy and traffic clogged streets itself is therapeutic. An oasis of calm an sanity greets you as you climb up the stairs into the main dining area which is decorated in Neo-Chinese style. It is not overtly fancy or ostentatious, but functional and clean, with 6 private dining rooms on both sides of the restaurant.

Bacon Salad

We had ordered lunch "Omakasen" style, and left the tedium of deciding what to order to the chef. The first dish did not impress me at all. It was Bacon salad, served with red and green corals with Thousand Island dressing. Although the Salad was faultless and their beautiful bacon smoked in-house was beautifully balanced in flavour and texture, it did not dazzle my palate.

Clams and Apple Salad

By the time the second course arrived, I was ready to eat my words. The Giant Clam and Apple Salad was a creation of pure genius. It was a melange of flavours, sweet, sour and salty with some spiciness from chili. Not only that, the flavour of the chewy clams were brought alive by apples which were crunchy in contrast.

Fish Cake with Cheese Stuffing

Even the plain old fish cake was given a new lease of life. It was playfully filled with some melted Cheddar Cheese. I would never have thought that Cheese and Chinese food could have such a happy union.

Wok Fried Beef with Mushroom Reduction and Tempura

The Pan Fried Beef served with Mushroom Reduction, served with Wasabi Sauce and Tempura Spinach was a revelation of the Chef's ability to fuse Western, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. The beef was delightfully tender and the perfectly fried Spinach complemented the dish very well.

Close up of the Spinach Tempura

I have often thought of Chinese Food as being rather stodgy and conventional, but Chef Frankie has given Chinese Cuisine a different revelation, bringing with it some really new and exciting flavours and and Western inspired plating.

Braised Pork Knuckle

I am not a fan of Pork, and will refrain from commenting on the next dish, which was Braised Pork Knuckle with Preserved Vegetables (Mooi Choi) and Pumpkin Puree.

Mooncakes for Dessert

That was one of the most interesting Chinese Meals I have had this year. In fact, I am anticipating a return to try out the rest of their menu after my break, and will keep you posted.

Gu Yue Tien
Lot 5A Chulan Square
Jalan Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6.03.21.48.08.08.

Staple Japanese. Benkay, Hotel Nikko, Jalan Ampang, KL.

2010-09-24T18:00:00.003+08:00

(no pork served)

Angry looking lobster in the tank at Benkay. Fresh lobster Teppanyaki is available from their a la carte menu.

My quest for a good restaurant that serves good Japanese Food say me trotting off to Benkay. The abnormal proliferation of Japanese Restaurants in KL like a good Catholic that does not believe in family planning has led to a deplorable condition where there is an over abundance of restaurants with very little quality. Some of the Japanese Restaurants are owned by large chains that contribute to the blurring of boundaries between the restaurants, all of which serves to attempt some form of fusion food. Food that attempts to stroke too many senses at one go and ends up miserably on the road to gastronomic perdition. The menu is often frightfully overwrought with misconceived notions of what Fusion Japanese cuisine should be and churns out something quite similar to Gozilla running amok in New York, clueless and seething with rage, which is pretty close to what I feel too after a bad Japanese meal. And we have not even begun to talk about Kaiseki yet.

Salad

The interior of Benkay is functional and simple with lots of wood based furniture and bright windows. Unfortunately the Restaurant attracts a new breed of lunch crowd diners whose idea of a civil conversation involves shouting across the table and into their mobile phones. Be prepared for an auditory assault while dining here.

California Roll

The simple and functional decor is reflected in their lunch menu, which is devoid of any pretensions as well. Their salad was restrained, just pieces of fresh vegetable and corn showered with Shoyu Vinaigrette. The California hand roll which came with my set was mercifully devoid of the horrid Kewpie Mayonnaise that I often complain about. The Sunomono showed too much restraint with the vinegar and was generously sweet, a minor complaint that has nothing to do with the competency of the chef, but personal taste.

Sunomono

The Chawan Mushi was perfectly smooth and topped with Ginko besides the usual Mushroom. I ordered the Udon Set, and was served with beautifully textured Udon noodles in a Konbu based soup with the usual condiments of kakiage, wakame and scallions. There is something about warm and perfected done broth and a good dining companion that acts as a calming panacea for distracted souls. The Udon worked it's magic during lunch.

Sushi

My Dining companion had the Sliced Beef and Vegetable hot pot set, which was also similar, but came without the Hand Rolled Sushi which was substituted with rice.

Sliced Beef and Vege Hot Pot

Actually. Mondays are not a good day to visit Japanese Restaurants in KL. Fishes are replenished on Tuesdays and Fridays. We cautiously avoided the Sashimi Fish Nigiris and fell back on to Tako and Ebi Sushi which just confirmed our suspicion. The freshness was slightly off, just squirmingly so, but not to the point of being offensive.

Chawan Mushi

Their choices for dessert is somewhat limited. We had both the Green Tea and Black Sesame ice cream which seems to be the basic yet boring staple for Japanese Restaurant Desserts in KL.

Ebi Sushi

No massacres, no mayo and no cheese. Not dazzling, but just good old plain Japanese Food which some people might term comfort food. It doesn't come cheap. Lunch for 2, i.e. 2 sets plus 4 pieces of sushi, desserts and green tea came up to RM110 per pax.

Udon

I know that this is a food blog, but sometimes I just can't help myself. I was just thinking about my recent tirade against Thomas Lee's op ed piece, and had thought about the question whether if Morality can exist without God. I am still sticking to my guns.

Black Sesame Ice Cream

Sorry for the short post, as I am feeling tired after a long day walking. I am still on Holidays and will be back on the 4th. Ta's!

Benkay Japanese Restaurant
Hotel Nikko
165 Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +6.03.21.61.11.11

The Food Was So Good, I Could Just Diet. Photos from J and R.

2010-09-20T07:00:00.003+08:00

Whimsical Musings

Weight. The karmic retribution that plagues most foodies for the sin of gluttony coupled with sloth. I love being unobtrusive and obscure. My favourite seat at Sage (perhaps I should not be revealing this) is actually at the corner of the right hand side as you enter the restaurant, right where the pillar is. But it is extremely difficult to remain hidden, even by a big pillar when my paunch is the size of Everest, jutting out in it's full glory. A physical sign to announce to the world that I have arrived, the paunch being a debutant gift after completing finishing school in overeating. I do not believe in the Devil or any of those mumbo jumbo superstitious stuff. My idle mind is the workshop of edacity, the playground of lovely morsels of tidbits and food. Whisper sweet nothings inside my ear, and my mind wanders and tries to figure out where to have dinner to continue the conversation.

It is not like I have not tried to lose weight before. You name it, I've tried it. When the Atkin's Diet was in the vogue I made it my mission in life to get ketones in the urine. Being stuffed with proteins and fat and leafy vegetables with not a morsel of Carbohydrates for 2 weeks made my mouth smell like putrefying garbage, gave me a bad headache and nausea and I had to spend a longer time sitting on my throne in the morning than being stuck on the Federal Highway on a rainy day. Other than losing 4 kilograms, I also lost some friends due to halitosis and awful mood swings, and I lost a couple of bucks more for some medication for hemorrhoids.

The beetroot and grapefruit diet was worse. Half a Grapefruit, A cup of Coffee and half a cup of cereal for breakfast had me hallucinating by 10am. I thought the files to be pancakes and my secretary a red lobster and suddenly the CD-ROMs look strangely delectable by 11.

When I was not a foodie and just starting out at a much junior position in Bangkok, I had no problems with weight. I was a paltry 72kg. It was wonderful. I felt lighter and my present 2 dimensional face which needs google maps to render it into 3D view now, was much smaller and ermmm.... 3 dimensional. But then again, I was following the Wagyu diet. Not that I ate a lot of wagyu, but just like prime Wagyu, I was fed on beer and whiskey every night at the clubs and massages in the evening before hitting the clubs to dance the night away again. Of course if you have seen me dance, you would know that it would take copious amounts of alcohol for me to flail my arms and shake my bootie and generally make a fool of my self. The Ratchada Strip was my favourite grazing ground. Unfortunately hangovers in the morning gave me nausea and I was surviving on hot liquid diet as well. Porridge, Noodle Soup for breakfast and my lunches always at MK Suki, which serves Thai Hot Pot. Nothing more adventurous was possible and just by having chicken rice for lunch puts me into a prolonged food coma and wretching like an expecting mum after lunch.

A couple of jumps in the hierarchy saw me making the decision to stop my Wagyu diet. Turning up for work in the office wearing the shirt inside out would be ridiculously embarrassing. That was when my girth started expanding. It was controllable in Bangkok. The Gym at my apartment is fairly well equipped and is open 24 hours a day. I could still go clubbing till 6 in the morning at the small hell hole dance clubs for extra workout on weekends.

When I had my first posting in KL 3 years back, that was when my weight ballooned out of control. The public transportation was so bad, I had to drive. My apartment Gym (poorly equipped) closes at 9 and Clubs closes at 2 am. Drats. That meant that my wagyu diet was not going to go anywhere at all. A much heavier workload meant that I would not be getting enough sleep and the best way to keep awake for me is by snacking. Malaysia remains one of the funniest places to work. This is one place where the staff refuses to work for money, and would scheme and snake their way out of working extra hours. If you force them, the work they produce is just crap anyway, and that means I have to clean up their mess myself. My larder in the office and at home was better stocked than an animal that was going into hibernation. And the price to pay is 25 kg in 3 years.

I have recently embarked on an exercise program and so far have been able to reduce my weight by a miserable 3 kg in 3 months. The best way I can envision myself with a six pack will be to buy six cans of Heneiken and stick it to my abdominal wall. I still can't diet.

Food from this post was from Jarrod and Rawlins, who were such good sports and did not mind me being my prissy, sanctimonious self by refusing to write a review of the food because it was an invite. Nah... Actually I was stuffed when I went and did not get to taste much of the food.

Anyway, who could diet when faced with food like these all the time, screaming to be eaten?

Nice week ahead, all!

Curl Up And Diet. Ogden Nash.

2010-09-18T06:00:00.003+08:00

Poetry

Being on holidays meant that I have a lot of time. Transit Lounges are one of the most dreary places in the world. Despite the best efforts of airlines to ply you with free alcohol and food and internet access and the apparent appearance of luxury, lounges remain a place of abject misery. Filled by officious looking people, brimming with self importance, droning in monotony with the sense of humour of a rhinoceros. Maybe it is the time zone changes or sheer exhaustion plus the desire to arrive at my destination without the benefit of a teleporter, i pace around and wish that the little hole in the latrine would be my saviour, a small breach in the time space continuum where i could crawl in an arrive at my destination in an instant. Anything to escape the excruciation of airline lounges and airports.

During one of the sojourns, I begin to google for the poetry of Ogden Nash. Often humorous, and with funny sense of rhyme, it is always a pick me up. I found a little gem that I would like to share with you guys on a Saturday.

Curl Up and Diet

Some ladies smoke too much and some ladies drink too much and some ladies pray too much,
But all ladies think that they weigh too much.

They may be slender as a sylph or a dryad,
But just let them on the scales and they embark on a doleful jerremiad;

No matter how low the figure needle happens to touch,
They always claim it is at least five pounds too much;
No matter how underfed to you a lady's anatomy seemeth;
She describes herself as Leviathan or Behemoth;
To the world she may appear slinky and feline,
But she inspects herself in the mirror and cries Oh, I look like a sea lion;
Yes, she tells you she is growing into the shape of a sea cow or manatee,
And if you say No, my dear, she says you are just lying to make her feel better, and if you say Yes, my dear, you injure her vanity.

And in any case her eyes flow like faucets,
And she goes out and buys some new caucets.

Once upon a time there was a girl more beautiful and witty and charming than tongue can tell,
And she is now a dangerous raving maniac in a padded cell,
And the first indication her friends and relatives had that she was mentally overwrought
Was one day when she said I weigh a hundred and twenty-seven, which is exactly what I ought.

Oh, often I am haunted
By the thought that somebody might some day discover a diet that would let ladies reduce just as much as they wanted,
Because I wonder if there is a woman in the world strong-minded enough to shed ten pounds or twenty,
And say There now, That's plenty;
And I fear me one ten-pound loss would only arouse the craving for another,
So it wouldn't do any good for ladies to get their ambition and look like somebody's fourteen-year-old brother,
Because, having accomplished this with ease,
They would next want to look like somebody's fourteen-year-old brother in the final stages of some obscure disease,
And the more success you have the more you want to get of it,
So then their goal would be to look like somebody's fourteen-year-old brother's ghost, or rather not the ghost itself, which is fairly solid, but a silhouette of it,
So I think it is very nice to be lithe and lissome,
But not so much so that you cut yourself if you happen to embrace or kissome

- Ogden Nash

From http://blog.ogdennash.org/2008_05_01_archive.html

Itching for Japanese. Edo Ichi, Solaris Dutamas, KL.

2010-09-17T06:00:00.004+08:00

(no pork served)

Interior of Edo Ichi

I seem to have zilch luck when it comes to dining Japanese in KL. I do not know what it takes to find a dank and small joint, fitted with cedar wood, smelling of stale cigarettes and an indescribable fishy yet intoxicating smell. Greeted with a warm towel and freshly grated wasabi. Hmmmm... So far, the trips to some Japanese joints had been a traumatic experience. I witnessed the senseless massacre of prime meat and fish in the name of some botched up idea of gastronomy. It has made me a bit hesitant in trying our Japanese joints in KL.

Edo-Ichi was recommended to me by some friends, and of course, after reading Boo's blog, I had to give it a go. The photos have a bluish tint because there was a huge aquarium behind me. I did not fire my flash because I was sitting at the sushi bar. I could accidentally blind the chef temporarily and served some sashimied finger.

Dobin Mushi

A single piece of prawn was sentenced to confinement in the the Dobin Mushi pot with some fish fillets as play mates. I could feel that it was sulking because it would have loved to play with some Matsusake Mushrooms too. The soup was not smokey enough, but the biggest fault was serving the soup with Calamansi instead of a rind of Lime which would have enhanced the flavours of the soup with it's tartness.

Bearing in mind that the visit was over the long Hari Raya weekend, the restaurant must have had some problems in sourcing the ingredients.

Tako Sunomono

The Tako Sunomono however, was perfectly vinegary, drizzled with lemon and served with wakame and kyuri and lightly sprinkled with Sesame. It was a perfect appetizer.

Tsubagai sauteed with Okra and Kimchi

The Okra with Tsubugai with Kimchi Sauce was perfectly sauteed with the Okra not overdone. The dish just screamed out for rice like a wailing banshee. The flavours were interesting, but not captivating.

Salmon Belly Sushi

Being the Raya weekend, they have run out of Toro and Uni, and I had to settle for the more pedestrian Salmon Belly and Hamachi Belly Sushi. Both were perfunctory executed with no frills and both were acceptably good. The cuts were fresh and unctuous.

Butter Sauteed Mushrooms

The mushroom (enoki) sauteed with butter and garlic was slightly heavy. The butter, garlic and salt overwhelmed the natural flavours of the mushroom. The Beef wrapped Enoki suffered the same fate.

Hamachi Belly

I am not sure if I am too much of a purist, but I found the most traditional dishes and the simplest dishes to be the best. Bad timing on my part to arrange for a visit during an extended weekend, I know. I would be back to sample more of the dishes again.

Yuzu Sherbet

If there is a reason to go to Edo Ichi, it would be the beautiful Yuzu Sherbet. Cold, crisp, tangy and light. I could have bowls of this without getting bored. The Frigid Ice Queen stole the show. Quaint.

There you are, a new Japanese joint and only two massacred dishes which is the best record for a Japanese Restaurant in KL for me so far. Just stick to the basics, and you won't go far wrong at Edo-Ichi.

Price were about RM190 for the above dishes plus an Asahi. Be prepared to spend about RM250 per person if you plan to get some really good cuts.

Service was good and efficient, despite the restaurant being quite full.

Edo Ichi satisfied my itch temporarily, but not completely. Next two on my list would be Ozeki and Kapoh. Typing is such a chore on my minuscule netbook, you guys will have to suffer some bad typos for a while till I get back. I should have brought my notebook.

Edo Ichi Japanese Restaurant
A4-G-1
Solaris Dutamas
Kuala Lumpur

Hawking, Nietzsche and a Buffoon. Madras Lane, KL.

2010-09-15T21:40:00.010+08:00

Whimsical Musings.

Wet Market in Chinatown's Madras Lane

Waking up on Saturdays are never easy, especially for a sloth like me who likes my ass well done. Saturday mornings will see me frying my well endowed, gorgeous posterior in bed, wrapped in a comforter, air conditioning set on full blast. To ensure that my generous rump is well done on both sides, I will turn on my sides and lay flat in equal proportion of time, and the timer is set to buzz at 11:00 am with generous allowances for snoozing.

One morning, a well meaning and dear friend invited me for breakfast at Madras Lane, Chinatown at an ungodly hour of 9:00am. She is what Harold Ross, the founder of New Yorker magazine would describe as a "duodenum scarred veteran of many years of guerrilla service in the Hydrochloric war". Years of working in a stressful environment has made her stomach suffer from unbalanced acidity. A straight talker on the verge of being blunt, she has not endeared herself to those who need to be pandered and praised constantly but for those who love uncomplicated yes and nos, she is a godsend.

I managed to drag my hefty buns out of bed at 7:00 and made it to Chinatown by 7:45am. Quite an effort for which I was amply rewarded, because the sight, the sounds, the colours and the smell that greeted me was simply amazing. I have never been to Chinatown in the morning. My nocturnal sojourns was never impressive. It was noisy, filled with shouting from the vendors piling their wares. The fluorescent lights and darkness of the night seemed to amplify it's squalor and filth. The beady and shifty eyed con artists filled the streets already choking with exhaust fumes and smoke complemented the backdrop of a scene from a triad movie set in Hong Kong.

Flower Market at Chinatown

In the early mornings, the transformation was breathtaking. The air was fresh, and the pace was slow, with geriatrics plying the sidewalk and sitting in coffee shops chatting and idling as they slowly savour in the morning. There was a very bright and vibrant flower market. The psychedelic colours were amazingly rich and varied. The sun brought a lot of life to Chinatown, all the little nook and crannies was brought to life, teeming with activities. To my surprise, there was a vibrant wet market right in the centre of Chinatown, hidden in the back alleys and begging to be explored.

Flower market at Chinatown

You would have noticed that the pictures in this blog has been scaled down to 640 x 480. I usually access my blog from home, using a 24 inch monitor. Since I am on holiday, I am using a 19 incher and the photos looks freakishly and mutantly huge! I guess I should have been more empathic and hence the saner sizes.

Those who follow Malaysian Insider regularly would have noticed a dismal piece of op ed entitled "No Place For God?" by a certain Thomas Lee Seng Hock. I have not read such a piece of drivel in a long time. Written in his usual grandiose style written with a help of a thesaurus and peppering the piece with the most obscure and affected words in the English language hoping to make himself sound more authoritative. Ineluctable... Who uses words like this nowadays? It is obvious that he had been poisoned by some fundamentalist fear mongering hick, who is flustered when evolutionists claim that humans are descended from primates but have no qualms whatsoever when the book of Genesis claims that humans are made from dust. Dust. The same particle that sticks to the bottom of my feet, and the same particle that dog poo on the roadside becomes when it degrades.

Chinese Temple at Chinatown

I do not think that his article in TMI warrants a line by line rebuttal. Just some irritating things he brought up. The anecdote about Paul Gentuso can be found here. I wonder if Dr. Paul (currently practicing in Nashville) shares the same wonder and amazement when he delivers a baby with examphalos, with no skin covering the abdomen and the intestines are all hanging out and is dependent entirely on modern medical science to survive?

He goes on to say that without god as a creator, then we have no intrinsic value and no morality. Irregardless of whether we evolved or whether a greater being created us, i don't think that there is any fundamental change to who we are or what we become. Communist countries are not less moral that theistic countries. In fact, people are more and more aware about ethics and morality in this increasingly atheistic world compared to the past where the belief of God and Creationism was widespread together with slavery, subjugation of women to horrific discrimination and capital punishment was meted out in matters regarding personal faith.

Hindu Temple at Chinatown

Mr. Thomas has obviously misunderstood Nietzsche, and the nuances of his philosophical aphorisms. I am doubtful if he had read Nietzsche before. Nietzsche's Sledgehammer was not to knock down morality, but our way of perceiving morality. I do not wish to bore you guys with Nietzsche, but for those who are interested, this is a good place to start finding out what the "Beyond" in this brilliant thinker's book Beyond Good and Evil means. It is a talk given by Fred Ulfers from European Graduate School.

This is probably not the place to argue about evidence for and against the existence of God, which can be found in any standard textbook of Philosophy. I am just miffed that the same courtesy is not extended to Atheists, Agnostics or Pantheists that is given to people of other faiths in public arena. I do find that rather exasperating, as if Atheists, Agnostics and Pantheists have not thought about why they believe what they believe. We certainly do behave better and will not declare an unholy war or wear a bomb and detonate ourselves in a church. The meek shall inherit the earth, and we have to survive being bashed in the public for our convictions. Ironic. We know what fundamentalist Christians say about other faiths in their churches, except that they do not voice it out. I have read the Bible, although I am not a Bible Scholar and wish that Mr. Thomas had done the same with Hawking and Nietzsche before writing the article.

Garlands for sale in front of Hindu Temple

The Bible, if not taken literally, does not contradict science. It is when it is taken for it's literal meaning, without considering the culture and the milleu it was written in that religion runs into problems. The Spirit that led Luther's nailing of the 95 theses at Wittenburg which sparked of the reformation and led to the existence of protestant churches is stiffled by the desire of dogmatic fundamentalists who wants to dictate how the Bible must be interpreted right down to which version of the Bible is not evil. How paradoxical.

It is becoming a Modern version of Quixote, but instead of fighting windmills, they are demonizing science as the monster. It would be sad if fundamentalists, like Quixote, finally recovers one day into sanity and when the truth finally sets in, they realize too late that they should be fighting against the real enemies of humanity. Bigotry, Ignorance, Injustice and Cruelty. The knowledge of whether I evolved or was created or the real Age of the Earth just satisfied my curiosity in the order of things. But it never did transform me into a better or a more just person. The discovery of Humanism did.

Curry noodles

Back to the food at Madras Lane. The Curry Noodles were very thick, but unfortunately bland and served with Pork Skin. I am naturally averse to that, and did not finish the noodles.

Chee Cheong Fun

My Dining companion's Chee Cheong Fun fared slightly better and was silky smooth in consistency. Even if the food was not exceptional, the company and the experience of walking in Chinatown so early in the morning was. Even though I call myself an atheist, deep down I may not be one. I just haven't found anything that could appease my curiosity and questions. I welcome all forms of civilized debate without the invocation of hell and brimstones.

I am not trying to show off my library, but just to share with you some books that have enlightened me and probably would be useful before tackling Hawking. Probably a good place to start would be Spinoza's Ethics. Spinoza's account of the materialistic world and his Pantheism (or Panentheism) is a great influence on Einstein and Hawking, and "God" to both of them does not mean a personal God who is keeping tab of how many times you wash your bum after defaecating, but a creator being.

Next on the list will be Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. I am sorry, I cannot recommend a translated version because Paul Guyer's is a torture, Meikeljohn is even worse. If there is a remotely readable translation it would have to be the Norman Kemp-Smith. I can't start to describe how important this book is, from epistemology, to the problems of space and time, metaphysics and theories for the existence of God and ultimately the rejection of reason for faith when it comes to God.

A follow up to this would be Schopenhauer's depressive philosophy and the Two seminal works by Nietzsche, Also Sprach Zarathustra and Beyond Good and Evil. (These last three recommended for Thomas). Kaufmann's beguiling and often humorous critique is an essential read for those who are interested in the Christian Faith and Philosophy.

The more "technical" intro would be Roger Penrose's Voluminous Road to Reality, which begins with 16 chapters of essential Mathematics for the understanding of Physics which might be a little bit daunting because it includes Clifford and Grassman Algebras and Geodesics. Those who manage to plough through will be rewarded with a wonderful chapter on Quantum Mechanics and a beautiful Final Chapter on the integration of Quantum with Relativity, Klein Gordon Equation and the factoring into Dirac and anti Dirac equations. A peek in to Hawking's God Created Integers would be a useful primer before Penrose.

Einstein's Biography is illuminating and Michio Kaku's simplified version of Cosmology will maintain your interest before attempting more Hawking.

I am on vacation and so far, my blackberryless days have been wonderful and filled with lovely meals with friends who share a common interest in talking rots and discussing things that are probably insignificant. Who cares about Fermat's Theorem anyway? I will be moving on to a place where the internet connection is more patchy and unreliable. I have scheduled some updates (food related, I promise and no more boring stuff like this) and have disabled comments because I do not forsee that I could reply them. Take care, all. Happy Malaysia Day. Back on the 3rd. Cheers.

It's a Bird! It's A Plane! It's a Noodle Bar, Bangsar Village 2, KL.

2010-09-09T01:01:00.001+08:00

(no pork served)

Exterior.

Lunch options in Bangsar are always a headache. Nothing is depressingly bad, but nothing is outstandingly good either. Somehow or another being stuck in a upper middle class nightmarish dreamscape with has rendered the food scene docile and subservient in form and conventionality like it's inhabitants. The Telawi area in Bangsar, bounded by Maarof and Jalan Ara is a little crucible of chicness with flagrant displays of wealth. The flaunting of German Marquess and French Label handbags are unabashed together with the affectionate displays of the expatriate and their local trophies.

Interior with schizophrenic hanging table lamps

Bangsar Village has taken the place of the neighborhood mall, and housed within Bangsar Village two is a pair of dizygotic twins, one christened with a clever pun "For Goodness Sake" which concentrates on Japanese cuisine and Sake, and the other christened plainly "It's a Noodle Bar". Both of them share a common menu. The decor is interesting, sort of a cross between Meathead David Chang's Ssam Noodle Bar and the functional fast food chain Wagamama at Soho with Lewis Caroll having a whimsical free hand in it's interior concept.

Seared Beef with ponzu. Hardly the tataki as described in the menu as it was sliced really thin but unfortunately, no hint of rawness.

The menu features the classic noodles dishes that are found in the streets plus some Japanese Udons. Side dishes for lunch include some Makis, and finger food such as soft shelled crabs and seared beef with ponzu. Those expecting edgy menus with new permutations of old favourites will be disappointed.

Beef Noodles

The Cold noodles were fairly well presented, the Cold Cha Soba was served on a bed of crushed ice whereas the Oroshi Udon was garnished in pretty orange daikon. There was nothing particularly adventurous or magical to it, nor anything that gives you an epiphanic vision. Just some well prepared cold noodles.

Cold Cha Soba

My dining companion who was recovering from a sordid weekend of sordid Bacchanalian Orgy opted for the warm beef noodles which smelled pretty good from where I sat.

Cold Oroshi Udon

The Umaki was a dreadful concoction of unagi eel omelet doused with Kewpie Mayo. The seared beef with ponzu was much better in comparison and the deep fried soft shelled crabs were crispy perfection.

Deep Fried Soft Shell Crabs with Ponzu

There only two types of ice cream served as Japanese dessert and Yakitoris are only available for dinner.

Umaki-ller

At a first glance, It's a Noodle Bar seemed to have fallen for the same disease as the other eateries in the vicinity with it's unimaginative offerings. However it's lack of pretension is accentuated with it's very decent down to earth prices of about RM9 to 18 for noodle dishes and RM8 to 38 for side dishes. A decent meal with a drink can be had for RM20+.

What makes it stand out would be it's very eager to please and pleasant staff and it's quirky Alice In Wonderland gone bonkers in Asian kitchen decor. A charming place to dine on the run without hurting the wallet. Otherwise, It's just another Noodle Bar.

It's a Noodle Bar
2F-29, Bangsar Village II,
No. 2, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru, KL.

Emotional Catharsis.

2010-09-08T02:16:00.001+08:00

One of those days when ineptitude of others drives me up the wall in rabid rage. When things go horribly wrong and newspapers are filled with drivel and the traffic is slower than the urine stream of an eighty year old man with prostrate problems. Mobile internet crawls so slow that emails take forever to load on my BuggerBerry. 4 zits popping out of my chin. Arghhhh!

Vichyssoise of Artichoke with Botan Ebi and Smoked Caviar

I headed to my favourite restaurant for some immediate relief. Gustatory Therapy. First to greet me was a cold soup with Botan Ebi, Smoked Avruga and Shoyu Jelly nestled on top of creamy artichoke Vichyssoise. Cooling and Calming, I took a few deep breaths and continued to savour the delights of some cold soup on a day when the temperature was hot and the psyche was in tumultuous rage.

Foie Gras Enfold with Dried Yuba and Balsamico Dressing

Next was a piece of Foie, wrapped in Folded paper thin Yuba (Foo Chook) that was deep fried until it was crunchy. It was served sitting resplendently on some puy lentils and served with a side of salad drizzled with Balsmico. I heard the angels sing and the unpleasant memory of losing my temper at some silly mistake someone made seemed further away.

Fresh Water Prawn with Squid Ink Pasta and Mixed Herbs

My wallowing in self pity was alleviated by the beautiful Squid Ink pasta wallowing in some rich Prawn Sauce bursting with Roe. It reminded me that deep in the squid ink darkness that defines my inner self, I am surrounded by resplendent friends who are rich in love. First some humorous email from @Fatboybakes about the amount of hair on @Nigelskelchy's head. A pick me up tweet from @Agentcikay checking for my vital signs.

Belgian Dark Chocolate Torte with Chocolate Ice Cream, a dream dessert.

A humorous tweet from @J_chocoholic about my previous post equating eating with sex. Another pickmeup sms from @keciktango and something about lunch from @boo_licious that added some sparkle to a listless day.

Even though lunch was ridiculously perfect and unbelievably good, it still took the small little things that friends do spontaneously to lift me out of my doldrums. The prospect of another sleep deprived night looms with piling work and my friends are probably oblivious to this post. Still, somehow I feel better because they are around.

No prizes for guessing where the food was from.

An Orgasmic Five Movement Symphony. Pris-Fixe Dinner. Cilantro, Micasa All Suite, KL.

2010-09-06T09:28:00.001+08:00

(no pork served)

Bird of Paradise

There is something intensely sexual about a good dining experience. From the smacking of lips, licking of fingers, the sighs and moans of pleasure, the mixing of bodily fluids with the food right down to the pleasure of evacuating it. A labour of sorts as penance for seeking fulfillment from carnal gustatory pleasures. A dull Saturday saw me trudging to see solace from food at Cilantro. It had been quite a few months since my last visit and the menu has recently been revamped.

The menu at Cilantro is very seasonal and also very intensely rich, indulgent and opulent. Their Degustation menu comes with 6 to 7 courses that might be very daunting even for a person with a voracious appetite. It is heartening to know that they have recently introduced a Prix-Fixe Menu where diners are given a choice of 2 starters, one mains and a dessert from the a la carte menu.

Smoked Ocean Trout with Salted Kelp

The food was contemplative and serene and dinner as usual, a beautifully ochestrated symphony that began with a lovely, fleeting prelude of a small piece of Smoked Ocean Trout with Salted Kelp as an Amuse Bouche. The Trout was smooth and natural oily, and the natural succulence played with the ocean flavours of the kelp animatedly to ensure that interest was maintained for the rest of the meal.

Sous Vide Baby Abalone with Daikon

The second movement was Sous Vide Baby Abalone with Daikon, the perfect amalgamation of thermodynamics, microbiology and culinary arts. The Abalone was placed inside a vacuum pack and immersed in a warm water bath below boiling temperature and cooked under low heat for a prolonged period of time, cooking the ingredient while maintaining the integrity of the abalone and getting rid of harmful bacterias that might putrefy the abalone prematurely.

The result of this is a beautiful piece of Baby Abalone, buttery soft in consistency while maintaining it's chewy elasticity with enhanced pristine, natural flavours. The beautiful abalone juice was absorbed by the daikon which acted as a sponge. The dish was topped with a piece of slightly salty duck ham that resembled a folded origami corner. It was the perfect introspective ensemble, the Andante Sostenuto e Molto Cantabile of the second movement.

Mentaiko Angel Hair Pasta

The Third movement was a more pedantic Largo, the Mentaiko with Capelli d'angelo. The richness of the Mentaiko Roe was brought up to a magnificent crescendo with the help of some butter and some seafood. Togarashi (Japanese Five Spice Powder) and Dried seaweed strips played the part of Prozac which lifted the dish out of it's somber mood by adding a dimension of capricious vivacity. This was a decadently rich dish without being cloying and played the part of a melodious Largo served with al dente pasta.

Both entrees were paired with Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc (House Pouring) which had a rich bouquet of passion fruit and lyches and vibrant acidity with some hints of leaves.

Chateau Pinchon and Mouton Rothschilds peeking out from the cellar, guarded with a coded entry lock system.

The Wine list at Cilantro is generously extensive. Particularly drool worthy Bordeaux are the Premier and 2nd cru wines from Paulliac, the eldest which is still in their adolescence. Margauxs and the two Saints are not particularly well represented but was made up for with some beautiful Borgognones.

Roast Pigeon with Hatcho Miso and Kinome

The Fourth Movement was an Allegro Vivace for Mains. It was a beautiful medium roasted deboned pigeon resting on some Miso and sprinkled with some Kinome leaves, served with potatoes. The meat of the perfectly roasted was so perfectly tender and the flavour of the pigeon was simply astounding. Such purity, such beautiful texture. The kinome played the role of an experienced lover who coaxed the bashful pigeon out of shyness. The pigeon played along and once shed of inhibition dominated the game and turned this dish into an orgasmic hedonistic feast.

The Pinot Noir

The Pigeon was paired with a glass of Beutiful Louis Jardot Borgognone Pinot Noir (House Pouring). Ruby in colour, with predominantly berry notes and a slight greenish mossy undertones. It had medium longevity on my palate and accompanied the Pigeon Beautifully.

Cigar Room

The final movement, the Dolce was A beautiful Pistachio Souffle puffed up with pride and confidence, served with Bitter Chocolate Gelato. And complimentary petite fours were mini canalles and chocolate truffles.

Clockwise from top left: Rose, Pistachio Souffle, Exterior of Cilantro and The Bar.

Another beautiful meal by Chef Takashi, and as usual, the service in Cilantro under the watchful eyes of Jason was faultless and impeccable. It is hard not be effusive when served a meal like this. Obviously the Chef had put in a lot of effort to come up with the menu. He has studied, subdued and tempered all the ingredients and forged them into little notes in his Symphony. Bravo to another masterpiece.

Dinner was RM 245++. With San Pellegrino, coffee and wines was RM 370.

Cilantro Restaurant Wine Bar,
MiCasa All Suite Hotel,
368-B, Jalan Tun Razak,
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: +603 2179 8082

Post-Merdeka Litany. Sage, Gardens MidValley, KL.

2010-09-02T11:15:00.001+08:00

(no pork served)

Happy Merdeka!

Cry, beloved country. Cry. Cry for your anointed sons, who sprung forth from your loins for after 53 years of peace and harmony for they are defiling the hallowed halls of the Parliament with their witless speech. They have forgotten that you have been built on the basis of brotherhood and harmony. Stirring the masses with ribald speeches of hate and sowing distrust among your children, these rabble rousers desecrate the vision and the dreams of our founding fathers and mock their sacrifices.

Bread.

Weep, Oh! Weep. For politicians fight one another and forget that the common enemy of your children are Poverty, Injustice, Crime, and Diminishing Competitiveness. It is not their own brothers and sisters irregardless of their skin colour, religious affiliation, sexual preferences, choice of dressing or political inclination. Weep for them, those who have been abroad and studied in prestigious colleges. When they come back as politicians, they too are ever to eager to jump into the foray together with their baser cousins and use Religion as a tool to divide. God, whom praises about His Mercy and Compassion have been sung by his followers throughout the ages. They play the accuser, judge and executioner. Dominus Illuminatio Mea.

Tataki of Wagyu Beef, Kabu (Japanese Turnip) Salad served with Miso Mayonnaise.

Lament, oh lament. Lament for them who beat their chest and cry. The poor, the displaced, the aged and infirm who have no where to seek shelter and solace. Those who roam the streets and sleep by the side walk. The downtrodden, the orphans, the meek, the victimized, the illiterate, the voiceless. Those who hunger have no use for figures, percentages and ratios. It is only the rich and idle who argue about the pie as a diversion while they loot, plunder and hoard.

Panache of Trio of Seafood With Cheese on Toast and Iranian Saffron.

Be proud, my beloved country. Be proud of your sons. For they have grown up to be wise and are able to resist the temptation to resist the diatribe of racial and religious polemics. Where politicians have failed, the citizens have shined and shown that they are mature and wise enough to refuse being sacrificial pawns in the struggle for political survival.

Forgive me, my country. Forgive me for calling you mine. My country, your soil, your flesh where lies buried, the bones. flesh and ashes complete with the dreams of my grandparents and parents. Forgive me for calling you mine for we live in a time where we are told to go home to our ancestral land not for treachery, not for crime but for the reason of being different. For holding on to a set of values that would be morally just by any reasonable sentient being. For the crime of demanding for accountability and transparency.

This one was misleading. The Menu stated Confit of Free Range Chicken with Corriander Pistou and Foie, but what was serve was Chicken Roulade in Jus with Foie. Not even a whiff of Pistou in sight.

It is always easy to blame and accuse. Perhaps after 53 years of independence we should be introspective and ask ourselves whether we ourselves should be blamed. Before we accuse others of being racists, are we ourselves racial chauvinists? An entire generation of Chinese-Malaysians where a majority can't speak in Bahasa or even in Chinese dialects but use Mandarin as Lingua Franca. Even if they do speak Bahasa, it is laced with thick accent. Our Politicians fare no better. Would Judy Chu appear to be credible in the US Congress if she spoke in Pidgin English?

The flags are all folded up, the feel good rallies are but a memory now. But our country plods along like a big vessel with all of us aboard without an inkling about the course.

Sous Vide European Pear with Caramel Ice Cream. It was switched to Cinnamon.

Merdeka Day saw me satisfy my lust for a Ménage à quarte food orgy at Sage again. Last week's meal was less praiseworthy and I used my discretionary powers as the editor of this blog to suppress and veto it, like an Information Minister in a semi dictatorial country. This week's is more crave worthy and rather worth braving the incredibly ridiculous jam to get into MidValley Gardens plus the presence inescapable public holiday Mall Trolls.

Both the entrees were commendable. The Tataki of Wagyu was slightly singed at the edges which added a beautiful smokiness to the rare beef and the lovely light salad complemented the sinfully rich meat beautifully. The Panache should be listed as one of the gastronomical wonders of Sage and unlike their more plebeian cousins elsewhere, it was generously flavoured with Saffron. The mains were wrongly described as a confit. What was served was Chicken Roulade with natural jus and I was a bit miffed that the serving staff did not mention that the menu had been revised as I was curious how the corriander pistou would taste like. Pistou is French Pesto minus the pine nuts.

Their covert operation of menu revision was seen again during dessert, where the Caramel Ice Cream was substituted sensibly to Cinnamon which was a good thing because it would have paired better with the Sous Vide pear which although was fragrant, tasted a bit bland. Beautiful contrasts in the dessert. Hot, cold, soft and crunchy. The meal ended with Macchiato and an a silent wish that our country will survive the hailstorm.

Bibo, Bibire, Bibi, Bibitus. Bibitus, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL.

2010-08-30T00:30:00.005+08:00

(no pork served)

Interior of Bibitus

No, I have not gone mad. All the words are the root verbs of to drink in Latin. Hence Imbibe, Bibatious and Bibacity (as opposed to Babe in the City) are all etymologically derived from Bibi. Housed within the Frangipani restaurant is Bibitus which actually a wine retail shop that serves only lunch. Those who are familiar with Frangipani's severe and almost intimidating Neo-Grecian interior with a reflecting pool inside will be surprised with the more spartan but very welcoming interior of Bibitus.

There are 3 normal dining tables and 2 high tables with high chairs making reservations highly recommended. I am doubtful that they allow seating in the main Frangipani dining area even if it is filled up.

Patrons who buy wine from Bibitus will not be charged corkage if it is consumed within it's premises. Drinkers at Frangipani will be charged RM 50. Although the range of Artisanal French wines is not extensive it is still fairly interesting, especially the ones from Rhone.

Creamy Mushroom served on Brioche Toast

There is a choice of 3 starters, mains and dessert. Bearing in mind that this is only their lunch menu, the choices are safe and rather pedestrian to facilitate faster turnover time. Nothing that would launch a foodie into the stratosphere. There are some rather innovative twists to the food and despite the apparent playing down of French influences of it's elder sister Frangipani, it was cleverly made up for by some Asian touches as a recurring theme.

Smoked Duck Salad with Lemon Ginger Dressing

Among all the starters we had, the one that displayed the French roots of Bibitus would be The Creamy Mushroom on Brioche Toast. The Brioche was richly buttered and the mushrooms caressed lovingly in creamy sauce. The ensemble was a worthy homage to the beautiful earthy savouriness of the mushrooms. The Smoked Duck Salad was drizzled with some slightly tart lemon ginger dressing. Besides the usual salad vegetables, capers were tossed with the salad and added a touch of finesse. The Leek Potato soup was slightly watery but exuded lively flavours and the crispy duck bacon were like little savoury croutons that dotted the surface which added exuberance to the soup.

Pan fried Sirloin Steak with Chips, Salad and Garlic Butter

The mains fared less well, as they tried to hard to prove it's worth in salt. My Chicken Escalope was buttery soft but came doused with cringe inducing salty Creamy Sauce. Even the Potatoes were extra salty and felt like they have been marinated in brine before roasting. The saltiness did not flatter the beautiful texture of both the potatoes and chicken. The Teriyaki Style snapper was less salty, probably tempered down by the sweetish Teriyaki Sauce. The best dish would have to be the Pan Fried Sirloin Steak which remained moist and succulent despite being pan fried. It was served with regular chips and not the multivaried double fried pommes frites. The melting slab of Garlic Butter on top of the steak was deliciously aromatic and suspiciously oriental.

Diners who are watching their Sodium intake would do better to order the dishes unsalted and DIY.

Creamy Chicken Escalope with Roast Potatoes and Mushroom.

Desserts were delightfully indulgent despite the Chocolate Mousse that was served at the wrong temperature rendering the consistency to be less airy/foamy but hard. It tasted much better after letting it thaw for a short while. The Creme Brulee had a beautiful burnt flavour to it despite it's firmness and the surprise of the day would be the Spiced Coconut Pudding.

Creme Brulee

The Coconut pudding came in brown, and tasted a bit jarring at the first bite as if something had gone horribly wrong, but once the palate was enveloped with the heady aroma Cinnamon, Cloves or maybe Star Anise (?), it became a heady concoction. Never cloying with balanced sweetness this beautiful pudding was both seductive and confidently arrogant, like a beautiful brown Princess from the Spice Islands. It was mesmerizing. One whinny grouse is that both the Creme Brulee and the beautiful Coconut Pudding were served in stainless steel bowls. I am sure there are more attractive ways to serve their dessert.

Random shots of Bibitus with one of the beautiful reflection pool of Frangipani during the day.

This little charming wine shop/bar cum restaurant is a welcome addition to the lunch scene in Central KL. Despite the heavy handedness with salt in the mains which is easily correctable, it has a rather attractive, down to earth menu. Lunch is priced at RM 55++. Other venues with the same price range would be Nerovivo which (I heard) has a great antipasti selection but comes with the inconvenience of a buffet set up. Lafite's 3 courses lunch costs RM78++ comes with more imaginative dishes, and would be posted here as soon as I go back there again for dinner.

The ambiance is highly conducive for conversation and the very civilized lunch crowd there rendered the conversational background to a murmur. Music was some modern chansons and light classical and I thought Debussy's "Devant le ciel d'ete, tiede et calme" being sung to a beautiful piano accompaniment makes a beautiful lunch companion. My lunch company was to convivial for me to remember the music correctly.

We were seated near the reception counter and I nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone rang because the ringing tone of the restaurant's phone at the counter was much too loud. Perhaps a good cordless phone would probably benefit both the customer and the serving staff.

Something that requires special mention would be the serving staff. There was only one on duty the day we went for lunch and he did an admirable job. He puts any window operating system to shame as he redefined the term multitasking. He remained efficient, calm, amiable and enthusiastic despite playing the role of waiter, receptionist and wine retail staff. Furthermore, he also received some goods for the kitchen at the same time he was serving lunch to 3 tables.

If this short post has inspired you to take up Latin (a very dead language but extremely useful if you want to sound like a posh snoot, and extremely invaluable if interested in Roman History and Philosophy) I have dug up a few selections for you. "Wheelock's Latin" is the authoritative text for college students doing Latin. The answer book to the exercises are sold separately. A beautiful primary reader would be MacMillian's "Beginning Latin Poetry Reader", with poetry by Ovid and Seneca. A different approach to learning Latin which in my opinion is fairly innovative would be the Latin via Ovid series which teaches the language by using texts from Ovid. Lazy bums who want to take a short cut will love "Latin for all occasions" which has a very useful list of rib tickling insults and curses.

Bibitus at Frangipani
25, Changkat Bukit Bintang
50200 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: + 60 3 21 44 30 01

Lunches 12 noon to 2.30PM. Closed on Mondays.

The Hunter In The Suburbs. Restoran Richwell, Section 19, PJ.

2010-08-27T10:45:00.004+08:00

(non halal)

Wallflowers

Lucky life isn't one long string of horrors
and there are moments of peace, and pleasure, as I lie in between the blows. - Gerald Stern, Lucky Life.

Memories are amazing things. Fleeting, always changing, ever evolving, elusive, fickle. Sometimes we are unable to recall in detail what had been a good time for us and evoked so much happiness and laughter. What was the actual conversation about? We seem to amplify the memories of tragedies that befall us, but yet memories of good times are usually watered down with loss of details but just a warm, fuzzy memory associating a particular person or event with good memories.

"Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." - The Wonder years

Perhaps one of the reasons why I continue to forage for food in the sprawling urban jungle of KL and very occasionally into the suburbs as well is most of the good memories I have are related to food. Being an intrinsic Asian thing, food is associated with happiness, companionship and love. Gustatory Memory comes second to olfactory memory in leaving lasting impressions in the brain. Restaurants and food are places that most people seek solace as thew rest in between life's blows.

Fatt Theu Cheong ~ Buddha Jumped Over The Wall

Unlike the hunters of yester-years, the modern foodie is equipped with a GPS, bankcards and credit cards, mobile phones as he makes his way through the urban jungle. Being a blogger, he too has to carry a camera as his hunting companion. I do not consider editing my pictures and a short write up to be a chore that comes with certain self entitlement and recognition, but just a chance to share with you what little gems my forays into the gastronomical world may unearth. Unfortunately, you have to bear the pain of suffering from my ramblings which usually is not related to food at all.

I had read about Richwell from other luminaries in the food blogging circle in Malaysia, and had been dying to try it out. My first impression of the place was that it was rather kitschy and the decor had a dated, sad feeling to it, despite it being open for less than a year. The Chef, Ah Yau, had a long and illustrious history with Teochew Restaurant in Pudu, which was the place for dim sum in the 80's and 90's. I was pleasantly surprised with the food.

Braised Chicken in Three Wines

I do not usually blog about Chinese food. Simple down too earth Chinese food with reasonable prices and above average taste and can be found in almost any neighbourhood in KL. As with simple western fare. It is the exceptionally good ones that demand attention and the effort put in to drive across town in heavy traffic and suffer the indignity of circling around looking for a parking space in the badly planned townships where town planners assume that humans are born with wings and can fly to their destination without any means of transportation.

Richwell is one of he exceptional ones. The Fatt Theu Cheong (Buddha Jumps Over The Wall) is a beautifully rich clear broth that probably has seen the superior stock sitting for many hours in the stock pot. Prepared in the traditional style, it contained dried abalone, dried scallops, fish stomach and black chicken as part of the ingredients. It was simply divine.

Sauteed Lotus Root and Celery

The braised chicken in three wines was lifted out of mediocrity by the beautifully fragrant rice wine and the epiphanic inclusion of Mint Leaves. It is a very clever innovation by the chef because it added an extra dimension of fragrance which will greet you the moment the lid is lifted from the claypot.

The Sauteed Lotus Root with Celery was delectably crunchy, especially with the addition of water chestnuts, leek, french peas and asparagus which was lightly sauteed and then starched. Some almond flakes sprinkled on top for some textural contrast. How all these crunchy yet usually bland ingredients can be rendered flavourful bears testament the skill of the chef.

Sang Har Meen ~ Prawn Noodles

The Sang Har Meen or Prawn Noodles came with mutant prawns the size of a baby's fist, swimming in delectably rich roe which anchored the flavour of the slightly crunchy "made in house" noodles. The sauce was slightly starchy and satiating, but did not adversely affect this dish.

Roasted Pigeon

The Roasted pigeon was meaty and beautifully succulent after being marinated in wine and the flesh tender and smokey. The miraculous thing about the pigeon was the skin was beautifully crunchy as well. It was served as an appetizer and I felt it rivaled the Roast Pigeon at Shatin amd Dai Wai in Hong Kong. No time for formalities and untensils here, as a finger bowl was provided.

Fish Maw

The fish maw used in the Braised fish maw with dried beancurd was excellent. Unlike the insipid, low quality fish maw, this one was beautifully soft and retained some fish flavours. We devoured each morsel with pleasure and sighs of contentment.

Tung Po Pork

The Tung Po Pork was soft enough to put a grin on an edentulous octogenarian. It came soaked in a thick caramely sauce and was served with some rice crackers. I am not a big fan of Pork, especially park with lard. But my dining companions seemed to enjoy it very much.

Fruit Platter

We also had the Thai Style Pak Choi which came lightly sauteed with onions and chillis and drizzled with squeezed lemon. It was too tart and sour, rather unlike the Thai Style Salads which I am accustomed to.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Marian 2. Signboard 3. Ciki 4. Cumi

Dessert wasn't too spectacular, a yam paste mooncake with salted egg yolks. On another occasion, I tried the fried waterchestnut with corn which fared much better. But then again, desserts are usually an afterthought in Chinese restaurants.

If you happen to be there, do try their Lo Hon Go juice which was really beautiful flavoured (their lo hon go is imported from Taiwan) or the Pomelo Juice which was refreshing.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Patin Fish 2. Signboard 3. Mooncake with Yam 4. Thai Style Bak Choy

Be prepared to spen about RM70 to RM100 if you are goung to splurge on Prawns and maybe more if you are ordering some fancy fish. Otherwise, RM 50 to 70 will buy you an excellent dinner. Service is is extremely pleasant and the staff very helpful. The menu comes translated in English and I found the Chef to be very affable and friendly, which is rather rare in a Chinese restaurant.

Restaurant Richwell
24G & 26G, Jalan 19/3
Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-7955 5855