Max! Kitchen & Wines

I was at Max! last weekend. It was not my first time there as I have been there a couple of times before and I absolutely love the food there. Max, the owner himself is indeed a perfectionist. He will usually be at the kitchen whipping up the dishes himself. The restaurant is small, with a rustic old charm located in Tengkat Tong Shin, just a few steps further from Ngau Kee (the famous beef noodles) but it's worth visiting!

Over the past few dinners there, I've tried many of the dishes but most not found in the menu. I've had scallops, the wagyu beef cheeks with truffle sauce (yum yum), Portobello mushroom and some surf & turf dishes. It was all good.

This time, I ordered from the menu. And boy, this is actually my first time looking at the menu and I am lost. I didn't know what to order but eventually did make up my mind.

This is my first time having a Yabby and I must say that it tasted good but the flesh is too little! It's just like a big prawn with a lobster head!

Ooh I love this dish. The fish was done perfectly and the prawn was ooh lala..

I don't really fancy lamb in general but this tastes good too.

The chocolate soufle was so chocolatey! I liked the way it was done and the amount of chocolate was sufficient for my palate. Max knew about my expectation towards chocolates!

Overall, I must say that Max! serves arguably the best continental cuisine around. The dishes are all at reasonable portions and a starter, main & dessert will be sufficient. I love the sauces because it goes very well with the dishes and thus I licked every morsel of it. However, his prices can be a little steep. The price of the first courses can range from RM20-RM50 and main courses are priced from RM30-RM70. The total bill came up to RM270 for 1 starter, 2 main courses, 1 dessert and 2 glasses of wine. But for those who appreciates the cuisine, it's worth paying!

Oh, btw, they serve illy coffee too! Please pardon my pictures as they are all taken using my cameraphone.

Other Reviews : Kampungboycitygal

Max! Kitchen and Wines

27 Tengkat Tong Shin, Kuala Lumpur

Tel No: 03 - 2141 8115


MAX have moved. Click here!

Villiger 1888

As the title might suggest and hell no it's not a number for you to bet. It is actually a new cigar that I'm trying. Knowing that I am one of the cigars aficionado, my client whom's company is operating a cigar shop in KLIA gave me a box of the Villiger 1888 Selection which have not been launched in Malaysia. He wanted me to try the Dominican cigar as I have known to like Cuban.

This is Villiger’s first handmade long filler cigar, named 1888 to commemorate the founding of the company in that year and it was their 120th anniversary. The name Villiger has been infamous for its cigarillos and premium packaging which is visible in most cigar shops especially those at the airports. With 2007 sales of over 600 million cigars worth a total of €115 million, and with 800 employees, Villiger is among the world’s top ten cigar manufacturers.



The new line is made in the Dominican Republic and comes in three sizes: Corona (150mm long; ring size 43); Robusto (124mm long; ring size 50) and Short Robusto (102mm long; ring size 19.8mm). A second Robusto size is also available, at 102mm in length. They are offered in wooden boxes of 25 or in consumer-friendly packs of three tubos each. A special Selection pack contains one each of the three variants (which is the one I have received).

I had the pleasure to try the new cigars. Last week, I had a puff of the short robusto. This short cigar is concentrated, earthy-cedary taste, with a touch of espresso. It then developed into a more complex but a milder taste concentration, which lasts through the end. It is an expressively strong smoke but I find it rather dry. Apart from that, the nose is good and I am very impressed that Villiger makes quite a good handmade cigar.

It comes with cigar matches! How neat is that?!!

A purist believes in lighting the cigar the right way. They will never light a cigar with a flame from a source that will alter the essence of the cigar. If matches were used, try to get extra-long, wooden sulfurless ones. If you can't find them and are using regular, short matches, be prepared to use a number of them. Be sure to let the sulfur burn off before starting the lighting process and try lighting two at a time, so you get a broader flame. If a lighter is used, then an odourless gas is a must!

With all the campaigns against smoking all pasted across all medias nowadays, I'm sure everyone whom have seen the posters/ads would be thinking twice about smoking. Thinking is one but doing it is the other and I'm sure smokers will still be even how many campaigns were run. I suggest the government to put the money to better use during this economic downturn. The government forgets about the source of revenue of the country where the bulk comes from "sin tax" which includes tobacco - the very thing they try to control! How ironic.

Well, certainly our government is all too happy about the health campaign to forget about the significant importance of tobacco in our economy when you have so many people working for BAT or even JTI here in the country. In this recession, I would think the super premium industry would survive which includes cigars. I don't think rich men will ever stop puffing just because the economy is not good nor the rich tai tais would stop buying their LVs because their husbands says that they are making less money! What is needed is a rethink: protection for a not inconsiderable minority and tolerance towards a relatively harmless pleasure.

"In support of enjoying the sins in moderation"

Note: I have no addiction for any form of tobacco. I only enjoy cigars. And only when I am with good company & drinks. I have been keeping to my quota of 4 cigars a month! *clap clap*

My First T&Co

I would say that it is every girl's dream to own a piece of Tiffany or rather T&Co in this modern context. In the olden days, maybe it's every girl's dream to own a piece of diamond (well, it still is today) but now it is just not any diamond but one from Tiffany!

My dream of owning a piece of diamond (as big as my iris) encrusted into my white gold T&Co ring is still far from reality but that doesn't stop me from walking a step closer to realize my dream. What was meant to be a work appointment at Pavilion yesterday turned out to be my venue for dream realisation! I sauntered into Tiffany with my assistant and asked the lady in spectacles to show me the Somerset wide ring and then a 1837 concave ring. After trying on the 2 rings, I still cannot decide which one to buy. I have always liked Somerset but then later I have set my eyes on the 1837.



So, after deliberately trying on and taking off the rings a few times, I have finally decided after consulting Wei Mei to buy the 1837 concave ring based on the "blingness" of the ring and also the fact that it has a bold T&Co font engraved on the surface of the ring to make any person who had a glimpse of my finger would know that it is no ordinary silver.

Although I also heart the Somerset ring very much due to its casual and refined elegance, I only had the budget for one at the moment. If my bonus would have been granted, I would have bought both without any qualms. Even my assistant was shocked with my sudden purchase. She thought I was just having a look and I made the purchase in less than 10 minutes.



I cannot imagine the ecstasy of owning my first T&Co using my own money! Who says that any T&Co has to be given by a loved one (I wished I have that advantage)? T&Co designs are so elegant and fine that one wonders whether is it worth it paying for the hefty price tag just for a piece of silver in my case. Let's just say that the ring that size cost as much as the infamous Return to T&Co Heart Toggle Bracelet. If I were to melt that bracelet, I can probably make a few rings out of it! However, having said all that, it's worth getting my first blue box jewelery. I have been harping on it for years and one thing about T&Co jewelery is that the items are so versatile and subtle, you can wear them everyday and for any occasion.

The best thing about it is that you can send your jewelery back to their outlet for polishing for as many times as you want for a lifetime! And you need not show the receipt as they will be able to differentiate between a fake and the real one! And I will keep waiting for my first diamond ring from T&Co.

The sheer happiness of having my own blue box!

I'm sure many whom have own a T&Co would feel the same way too?!!

Note: I am not paid by T&Co to post this!

Oh shoes oh shoes....

No, I do not have an obsession for shoes nor am I planning to be the next Imelda Marcos who owns a bloody 1060 pairs of shoes. Although I wished that one day I could be able to have a room fully dedicated to only my shoes, in actual fact, I am still too far from my dream. I was very much inspired by one of the repeating scenes of the TVB drama Gem of Life where there was a big room dedicated to shoes.

This is my shoe cabinet. And I only occupy one of the 3 shelves. Of course, this is not exactly a true representation of the real quantity of shoes that I have because they were a few pairs missing in this picture as some were in my car, and some in the other shelves! I like treating my car like a shoe cabinet because it really saved me a lot of time rummaging through my shoes every morning before deciding what to wear. So, why not put some shoes in the car and then choose them when you have reached the office?!! That way, you'll never be late again.

I have to admit that I have a fine taste for everything. It does not only cover food, wine, and cigars, my wardrobe is full of expensive stuff too. I have slowly but surely growing out of the Vincci shoes fad and replacing them with brands like Nine West, Guess, Aldo and Charles & Keith not because I am a brand conscious person but simply the shoes I bought from Vincci do not seem to last. The longest period I have kept a pair of it was less than a few months and some were worn out within a month!

I am not really a fan of Zara shoes because I feel that the brand is overpriced and they are not even a shoe brand! The 3 pairs of Zara that I have here was bought from London and Milan. One pair was comfortable and the other two is only nice to look at. However, having said all that, the shoes were lasting. It's only worth buying when it is heavily discounted.

At one time, I was crazy about Aldo shoes ever since the first time I set my eyes on it in London. Later on, the brand was brought into Malaysia and I had to buy a pair from 1 Utama. After that, my collection grew to 3 pairs. After a while, I seem to loose interest in Aldo shoes because most of the designs are too unpractical for people whom have to walk around. If I am working in a confined office, then fine. The heels were too high and I make people around me looking like a midget! They are not cheap by the way and they seem to be always giving a discount from 30% to 50% for the same shoes so often that I am not taking their sales seriously.

Besides that, I also indulge in Guess, Nine West and also Charles & Keith. C&K is a label from Singapore and I must say that their pricing is very reasonable. The shoes are of good quality, better than Vincci, perhaps same level as Vincci+ and if you happen to bump into their sales period, it is really a good bargain. I bought two pairs of them for less than RM100. But right now, I am very into Nine West. Their shoes are comfortable yet stylish. Although the prices is very much on the higher end, you can always wait for their sales period where they will slash the price by half.

My other shoes include a mixture of brands where I go for the design instead brand preference. I like to buy my shoes when I travel knowing that no one or not many would be having the same pair. Some of the shoes here were bought from London and Dubai. I am one that truly believes in splurging on shoes. You can stinge on clothes and accessories but never on shoes because we walk most of the time and a good pair of shoes provide better support and comfort to the feet. I have also discuss on the importance of taking care of one's legs here. You'll never regret on investing in a good pair of shoes because a good pair will make you strut with pride and confidence!

Now, what I really hope for is to be able to afford a pair of Stuart Weitzman, a pair of Manolo Blahnik and a pair of Choos! I guess the day would come but I hope it would be soon and I don't need to reach the big 3 to be able to indulge in them! I take pride in what I wear because I believe the shoes tell a lot about a person's personality although I don't deny that some of the time, I have gotten so comfortable wearing my flip flops to work!

Just to be on the extreme side of things, it really is a painstaking effort in trying to organise the shoes. And after the patience of taking a shot of every pair I have (yet left out 3 pairs), it is now the time to document the shoes and to label the shoe boxes for easy finding.

Ta daa....

Brilliant eh?!!

P/S: I just threw away 6 pairs of shoes because I no like them anymore!!!

Meet Up

When I was in Singapore, I met up with one of my friends whom I haven't been seeing for quite some time after he left KL and got a job there. Funny how some friends that you know through other people will eventually be one of those that you would keep in touch compared to those whom you know during school days.



I got to know Calvin at a party in Zouk through my Ipoh buddy and after that we kept in touch through MSN and later we even celebrated his birthday last year at Maria Kitchen. In Singapore, he was nice enough to come to Orchard Rd all the way from Sentosa to meet up with me at my hotel. He paid for my drinks being a gentleman and also trying not to break my record of spending only SGD20 in two days when I was there. I probably will write a post on "how to just spend 20 dollars in 2 days in Singapore!" Lol...

Anyways, this is just a post that brought back some memories of The Land of Impeccable Innocence and Justice. I have been so disciplined there by crossing at designated spots and pedestrian crossings only. Since I don't have a habit of liking chewing gums, or smoking cigarettes, there isn't a problem for me. I really like the country. It's so clean, proper and in order. The sales staff at the shops were polite too and not too nosy like some of the sales staff in Malaysia who follows wherever you walk to fearing that you might slip a dress or two into the big handbag of yours!



Although I have been to Singapore quite a few times, I've never taken a picture of the Merlion upclose. And the saddest thing is, it had to be my camera phone since I did not have a camera with me! Bummer...

I shall post more of the good food I had there next time. Ciao and happy weekend!

The day I set my eyes on her

Ling.... She caught my attention as I was passing by the Oriental Art gallery just as when I was peering through the white paned windows. I was rooted to my tracks and there was a strong pull that lulled me walking into the gallery just to have another look at her. Her fair face with its smooth and flawless complexion is framed in perfect almond-shape. When I closed my eyes, I could feel her hair, black as raven, smooth as silk that cascades down to her lovely shoulders. I wished I could run my fingers through her fine hair and cup her cheeks with my palms.

The images of her haunt me for days. I could not but return to the gallery daily just to steal a look at her and admire her beauty upclose. Her curves accentuates her features and every man that sees her curvaceous body would not be able to resist her beauty. Her eyes, so bright and mesmerizing. They say the eyes are windows to the soul. I say, her eyes seduced every soul out there. And yes, her pouting, rose bud lips stir even the most insensitive men! Everytime I look at them, it cast me into a deep spell, and my heart tells me I need to have her.

I used to dream about her. I wrote poems dedicated to her beauty. I saved my money for her knowing that it would be expensive to own her. Her charms distinguish herself from the rest of us, the mortal beings and yet she looked so humble. To me, she is the realisation of my dreams. A porcelain vase that can only be admired but never be able to possess. The day I wanted to bring her home was also the day she was sold to a rich old man who collects antique vases. Although not being able to own her physically, she will always remain as the most beautiful being I have ever set eyes on.




If you were thinking that probably I've turned to lesbianism, then you're wrong! Gosh, I just love to prove people wrong... Well, at least this post is something out of the ordinary that I would write about. Hope you GUYS like it!

I was tagged!

I was tagged by Foongpc. Why can't I be lucky enough to win a lottery?!! Tagging me means you would generally assume that I am a nice person and I would be nice enough to oblige is it?!! Gosh, I have to learn to be mean.

A. Attached or single? Can I not answer this? I'm not married.
B. Best Friend? Unlike Paris Hilton, I do have a few BFFs.
C. Cake or Pie? Cake and Pie.
D. Day of choice? Monday. Knowing that I have survived Monday and it'll be Tuesday.
E. Essential Item? Internet!!!
F. Favorite color? Black. Makes me look slimmer effortlessly.
G. Gummy bears or worms? For eating purposes? Gummy Bears.
H. Hometown? Ipoh. Where all the pretty girls come from.
I. Favorite Indulgence? Cuban Cigars, Wine, Dine, Chocolates before Sex.
J. January or July? I hate January knowing that I will be a year older in February.
K. Kids? I love kids (just to make me look like a marriage material)!!!
L. Life isn't complete without? Refer to Letter I.
M. Marriage date? No where near.
N. Number of magazine subscriptions. Nil.
O. Oranges or Apples? Both I like equally.
P. Phobia? Eating celery raw.
Q. Quotes? If you can't beat them, join them!
R. Reasons to smile? Always can't find one.
S. Season Of Choice? Sales Season.
T. Tag five people. Brad Pitt, Zac Effron, Robert Pattinson, Pierce Brosnan & Orlando Bloom. But I don't think they will do this tag thingy. Lol...
U. Unknown fact about me? If deceived, my anger is terrible. If disillusioned, I do not forgive.
W. Worst Habit? To stare at people who litters. I hate litter bugs.
V. Vegetable? I am ok with it but I am no cow!
X. X Ray or Ultrasound? For what?!!
Y. Your favorite foods? Pan Seared Foie Gras and beef Sweetbread.
Z. Zodiac sign? Aquarius - Cup bearer of the Gods

Since I am supposed to learn to be mean, I shall only do part one of the tag! Lol...

The First Class Lounge

I was at the airport this early morning to set up a promotion counter at the Satellite shop. And after getting the job done, I met up with one of my clients at the First Class Golden Lounge and have a sumptuous lunch there. He told me to try his new menu and I was honoured to do so (lunch money saved)!!

This is going to be one long airport lounge food & whisky review for today.

DA FOOD:

I started the review with a bowl of mushroom soup. There were plenty of mushroom slices in the soup and it was good and not too thick. I hate mushroom soup that doesn't have mushroom (you know what I mean?). However, the downside is that it is not warm enough.

There were at least 3 different types of appetizers served at the lounge starting with salads, meat and also salmon. I would say that these dishes were tastefully done but I did not have any of the appetizers due to limited stomach space. My assistant tried the chicken and she said it was commendable.

I was quite excited to try Quiche Lorraine as I have not tried it. A quiche is a baked dish that is based on a custard made from eggs and milk or cream in a pastry crust in french cuisine. It looked very much like a Portugese Egg Tart. Quiche Lorraine is perhaps the most common variety. In addition to the eggs and cream, it includes bacons or lardons. But in halal terms, the bacon is replaced by beef. In a classic Quiche Lorraine, there should be no cheese but the one I am having, it came with cheese which is also a current version of the quiche lorraine served in France. I liked it. The texture is soft like egg tarts with a cheese aroma and the bottom is filled with beef bacon. The cheese Tortellini was a good pairing to the quiche as the cream sauce complements very well.



Next, I had a scoop of Nasi Tomato and the Kari Tulang Rusuk. It has been a long time since I had a tomato rice. I find that the tomato rice here is less aromatic and lack of flavour compared to those served at the mamak or traditional malay eatery. The beef ribs curry was good but it would be better if they can serve the "ayam masak merah" with the tomato rice. The vegetables were well cooked and tasty.

Next, we will move on to the alcohol that I drank. I forgot to note one of the new Champange which he served me. It was a cuvee mixed with icewine. It was indeed something new to me but I still prefer a brut anytime.

The MAS First Class Lounge @ Satellite also has 3/4 slumber chambers for a quick nap but not for other purposes such as you-know-what as all beds are single. There are also bathrooms equipped with showers and toiletries such as towels, Loccitane Shampoo, Aigner soap and lotion, tooth brush and comb. If you're bored, there's also a room where there's indoor golf putting.



The booze I am about to review all came from the Enrich Platinum Lounge. This lounge located inside the First Class Lounge is only accessible to those who holds the Enrich Platinum card which is by invitation only to those whom only travels on First Class all the time. I liked the E-Plat lounge a lot as it is quiet, private and cosy. It also boost a Bang & Olufsen TV and audio system. There were also a selection of DVDs which include F.R.I.E.N.D.S for your viewing pleasure. I did comment that the Movie titles were too outdated! Besides that, you can dine here in private with personalised service and at the same time surfing the net and also over looking at the airport ramp where you can see the aeroplanes taking off.


DA BOOZE:

First, I had a Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21 yr blended Scotch Whisky. It's a 750ml, ceramic decanter bottle in green made by Wade of England and velour bag packaging. The whisky was created by the Chivas Brothers to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and at 21 years old is normally the top of their line. Although they do have the 38 and 50 years, they are actually very, very, very expensive. The number 21 was picked to symbolize the 21 gun salute (The Royal Salute) usually reserved for Monarchs and Heads of State.

I wouldn't recommend mixing any thing with this fine royal scotch whisky. Just pour a jigger, nose the bouquet and sip its subtle flavors and then drink it on rocks. It has a caramel nose with spicy and ginger tasting notes.

Next up, I had a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. This is JW's premium blend in a blue-green flint glass, square sided and a slanting label with a traditional cork stopper and tied pewter tab seal. Every bottle is serial numbered and sold in a silk-lined box, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. The one I was having was No. B 025525 JW. (Anyone wanna buy numbers?!!) There is no age declaration for Blue Label although its information booklet states that some of the blends used are "up to 60 years old".

On the nose, it is pungent, very smoky and has hints of dried fruits. The palate is also smoky, has a crisp malt and peppery. It has a very rich aroma and very intense flavours. Just like the Royal Salute, I would recommend taking it on the rocks.

I am very honoured to be able to try both premium whiskys which have been cited as the best blended whiskys around. These two bottles can cost up to RM1000 a bottle duty paid. However, after having said all that, I still don't quite have a liking fro blended whiskys. I would prefer a Single Malt anytime even if it's not a famous label. That's because I find the nose of the blended whiskys a bit too overwhelming and the palate is too complicated. At least now I know where my tastebuds belong - loyal to the Single Malts.

Totally Random

This is a post of the totally random stuff that will also act as a filler post until I have truly found myself (I'm still searching, wanna help me out?). These few days I've been really exhausted and worn out so forgive my totally random posts and crap. Workload is heavy, mind has been a rollercoaster and the body has aged 10 years (not physically but it certainly felt like one), eye bags are emerging and money is running low.... All thanks to my indulgence in finer things in life such as my newly acquired 9West heels and a Sisley dress at Pavilion.

On Valentines Day, I received a rose from Aunt Mary.

But my sister Ziling receives this from Greg!

Where have justice gone?

Aargh, nevermind. I'll prefer a Tiffany & Co 1837 Concave Ring over some colourful buds with green stalks wrapped up in some coloured papers. Save the bouquet and get me the blue box! That is what I'm going to tell my date the next V day! Heheh...

I was reading from Suanie's blog and she was raving about the Gardenia Butterscotch Bread that was so really, really, really good!!! After reading all the comments, I cannot but be tempted to buy one loaf at the 7-11 near my house. The others were complaining that the bread runs out very quickly at their 7-11's but I was delighted to see the outlet I went to still have 5 loafs on the shelf. I tell you, RM4 for a loaf is not cheap. I can definitely buy 2-3 loafs of the normal white bread!



The bread carries a slightly yellow hue with dark brown spots (butterscotch) and a soft texture. It was good but not to the orgasmic levels. Honestly, paying RM4 for 12 slices of the mass-produced bread is a bit expensive. Of all the mass-produced bread, I still liked the white Hailam bread that the old coffee shops used to serve. But Gardenia will always have a share of consumers' minds as it's so good you can even eat it on its own!

My Surprise V Gift

I didn't know I will be receiving a V gift and not especially not from him. It was indeed a sweet surprise! I was at 1 Utama this afternoon just to meet up with him (for the 1st time) to collect this beautiful gift.

Picture extracted from Patissier Journey.

The whole box was made out of chocolates. The only thing you can't eat out of this gift is the tray!

It tastes as good as it looks.

It was indeed a surprise that I won the box of chocolates from his blog. I met up with him in front of Johnny's at the old wing and he came out wearing his chef uniform carrying the chocolate gift in a cake box. Our meeting was less than a minute but I really appreciate the gift. Imagine me carrying the opened cake box (fearing that the chocolate deco will be spoilt if the box was closed) and having to walk from one end to the other. On the way, the handle of the box broke and I nearly lose the gift. But lucky, my hand was quick to save the box from falling!

They were good but would have been better if it's of darker chocolates. He uses very generous amount of gold dust but he would have done a better job if he uses a thicker gold paint to draw some lines on the chocolate ribbons. This gift coming from a 22 year old good looking pastry chef in uniform delivered to me personally is indeed an interesting encounter. Chocolates are great isn't it?!!

Just another 14th February....

I'm so exhausted. This is my first time arriving at KLIA after a trip and still need to work. No one pointed a gun to my head to do this but I'm happy I did it. I went to the Fidani counter@Satellite building and reorganized the chocolates. If that's not enough, I even refilled the chocolates into the chiller and delicately putting every single chocolate into the papercups.

I need not be reminded what day is today. In fact, I reminded the taxi driver about the big V on my way home. I can't believe he doesn't know about it! I have not seriously celebrated any V Day on V Day itself. Usually it's done 1 day in advance just to avoid the crowds. So what's the use of even celebrating it? I asked myself. It's just another occasion where I can utilise it to push my chocolate sales, to glamorise the special day with gourmet chocolates and to certainly teach you how to spoil your loved ones with some finer things in life. If you're buying Fererro Rocher for your gf/wife, I totally give up on you. Don't you know the word UNIQUE or SPECIAL?!! Lucky no one bought me chocolates! I think I've had enough of it the whole year round.

What I would really like to have on V Day is an unforgettable day spent with someone special without having the need to receive flowers, chocolates or diamonds (erm.. maybe diamonds are encouraged) and even fighting for a spot at some helpless romantic restaurants that served obligatory set menus and charge exorbitant prices (enough for me to buy a bottle of fine wine)! All I want is to fit comfortably in his arms and kiss all day! How about that? Cheap and good! Lips might get sore but who cares? It's Sunday tomorrow and you can always hide in the house. Any takers?

Take me away...

to a secret place....

It's good to be out of town and country....
I'm be back on Saturday. A good break I guess....

At least I did a few things in KLIA this morning before flying off.
I interviewed a new promoter, had breakfast at the lounge with my client and now I'm posting from the airport.
Have a good day!

Fishball Feat

My mom was cooking up a storm for the CNY reunion dinner feast. It was her first time making "Pun Choy" as in a big pot with more than 10 different ingredients (such as prawns, sea cucumber, chicken, vege, cuttle fish, scallops & etc) and she had some leftover fish paste.

So I thought, why not I try making my own fishballs? After all, I come from a family whom is famous for its fishballs and Yong Taufu in Ipoh. My grandma's stall used to be so popular but after the demise of my grandpa, she closed the stall. Business used to be so good that my aunties and uncles had to help out in making the fishballs from extracting the meat from the fish to forming them into fishballs. My grandma also had a machine that grinds the meat which I used to like to watch when I was very young.

It's not as easy as it seemed. My fishballs were not rounded and my mom kept telling me it's out of shape. I had seen my aunt making them and it looked so easy. I totally failed in making fishballs and I hate the part that involves extracting the meat from the fish. After forming the fishballs, it has to be soaked in water for a while before boiling.

Forming into a ball.

Removing it with a spoon and into the water.

Instead of making a smooth fishball, it turned out pretty rough. I guess I have not inherited any fishball making talents from my grandma. Maybe I've yet to realise my full potential in this field! You might never know one day I'll have my own chocolate fishball. Yucks! My youngest aunt however, did manage to pick my my grandma's skills and she now operates her own fish&pork ball noodles in a coffee shop in USJ16. You can read my sister's review here. She makes pretty good Pan Mee as well.

Famous Grouse

I think I've told many people that I am not a whiskey person. But recently I've been converted. From non-whiskey believer to Single Malt (SM) aficionado. My friends has been encouraging me to try SM (not the Sadism and Masochism that you have been thinking about) after I told them about my dislike towards whiskey. At that point of time, I didn't realise that there was a difference between blended whiskey and SM. I hated Chivas for a simple reason - it smelled like cockroach and I can't take it without cola.

My first taste of SM was Single Malt Cask Port Ellen. Initially, I refused but then I gave in after much persuasion. I had to admit that my perception towards whiskey has changed. After trying so many SM such as The Glenrothes, Macallan, Highland Park, Dalmore and many others, I had to agree that I do have a liking for it. I have done trying the 12 years and if I have a choice (& money is not a problem), I would not look back to 12. So far, I've tried Highland Park 12, 16 & 25 and I must say that the 16 and the 25 was a better choice. Maybe 25 is too expensive but the 16 maketh a great drink.

Despite saying all that, I still like certain types of blended whiskey especially Famous Grouse. Famous Grouse or popularly known as "the burung" by locals, is actually a blend of a few SM such as The Glenrothes, Highland Park and Macallan. Therefore, it tastes a bit different from the usual blended whiskeys and its colour is just like the SM.

I had my first taste of FG in Dubai at a bar in the hotel opposite the one I was staying. In Dubai, liqour could only be served and sold in hotels/bars and you wouldn't be able to find it in supermarkets or restaurants. If you want to drink alcohol outside these places, be sure that you disguise your drink in soft drink cans.

The bar that I went to with my colleague and other exhibitors was like a bar in the olden day with wooden furnitures. The bartender and the bar girls weren't attractive at all. We were served popcorn. I've never had popcorn in a bar before! Everyone ordered a beer but I chose FG after seeing it on promotion. It only cost me AED15 (around RM14++) for a shot of FG on the rocks. In Republic (Sunway Pyramid), I think it's RM18.

It was a creative promotion. If you try all the 5 drinks on the dice, you get another one of it FREE! Heavy drinkers would love the promotion! The FG is a better alternative to blended whiskeys IMHO and the price wouldn't kill you too.

Cheers with The Burung!

That's my cherry popped for drinking in Dubai.

Into the Next Generation of Confectionery Retailing

Ok, the title seems a bit out of place in my blog. Afterall, it's my personal blog where I blog about wine, dine, cigars, chocolates and also some random stuff. This post should fall under chocolates then. Everyone by now would have know which brand I worked for and thus this post is related to work. Sometime last year, Melody from The Moodie Report came and interviewed my boss for his view on confectionery market in Malaysian travel retail market under their category insight article. I was also called in at the same time and thus the highlight of Fidani in their September 2008 issue. I had no idea about it until a few days ago where I saw my colleague highlighting the article in her presentation.

To read the full story, click on the pictures below.

I photoshop-ed this picture and it's featured in the mag! My name was mentioned too...

I guess no one would be silly enough to read the whole 6 pages! Anyways, this is just a filler post. Cheers for the weekend.

Related posts:

Fidani Symphony in The Moodie Report

The Moodie Report on TFWA

Ipoh Funny Mountain Tau Foo Fah

Whether it's soy bean custard or soy bean pudding, I still like to call it Tau Foo Fah! And I like my TFF (notice that I am too lazy to type the full name) hawt and funny. That is why I have to go to Funny Mountain for my fix of TFF whenever I'm in Ipoh. Ask me for my recommendation on TFF, and I'll direct you to this funny place which is just diagonally opposite the infamous previous Foh San Dim Sum outlet.

I have no idea why they had named it Funny Mountain. Maybe just a catchy name or the soy beans come from a mountain with a funny name. Right after we had our satisfying Ipoh Shredded Chicken Hor Fun breakfast at Lok Wee Kui, I asked my sister to take Huai Bin to this outlet. Lucky it was opened on the 3rd day of CNY.

If you're lazy to wait in line and you don't want to park your car, drive-thru is possible. They have a guy running to your car to get your orders and then you can sip your soya bean and eat tau foo fah in the comfort of your car with the air-conditioning on. How cool is that?




So far, this is the best TFF ever. The TFF is smooth, as smooth as silk or slippery smooth. I would say it's even smoother than the smoothest chocolate! Lol... The ones I had in KL is nowhere near this and I assure you that it's so smooth, you'll like your girlfriend to consume this everyday hoping her skin will be like this after awhile. Oops, did I just make any boyfriend forcing their girlfriend to start eating TFF?!!

They do have soy bean milk and cincau as well. But IMHO, the soy bean milk is too sweet for my liking. You might want to ask them to reduce the sugar syrup if you prefer it less sweet. I only come for the TFF.




That morning, there was already a long queue forming in front of the shop. At only RM0.80 a bowl, I think it's a pretty good deal. If I was not full after a hearty breakfast, I would have easily eaten 3 bowls of that! Don't worry if you cannot find a parking, as they offer drive-thru services. There'll be a person running to the car, taking orders and delivering them without you having to come out of the vehicle. How cool is that?!! Operation hours is from 10.00am to 7.30pm.

Try it to believe it. The TFF is really [ insert all the yummylicious adjectives you want]....

Right Huai Bin?!!

Funny Mountain Soybean & Traditional Tau Fu Fah
49, Jalan Theatre,
30300 Ipoh, Perak.
Tel No : +6-016 595 0369, +6-05 546 9968, +6-012 516 1607

Ipoh Shredded Chicken Hor Fun

What I absolutely love about Ipoh besides it being my hometown is actually the food! People always say Penang has good food. I say, Ipoh should be mentioned at the same breath. Huai Bin is in luck because it was very nice of me to take this Sibu boy back to my beloved hometown during the 1st and 2 nd day of chinese new year. To Huai Bin, the whole of Peninsular Malaysia is regarded as KL and as an Iporian, I need to knock some geography knowledge into his alcohol infused brain cells. There's more to Peninsular than just KL!!!

On the 2nd day of CNY, I took him to my favourite-must-eat-Ipoh-shredded-chicken-hor-fun. Although the much acclaimed famous noodle is not this particular stall that I'm about to highlight, I did find that this stall is ze best! Not only it has the smooth shredded chicken, the broth was also boiled with prawns. This stall is located at the Lok Wee Kui coffeeshop located at the corner of Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri which is just directly opposite Kamdar.

I am so pimping this particular stall not because it is tasty, and delicious and many more deliciousness... it was also my "si fu's" stall. Nope, I did not take up any kung fu, he was my music teacher when I started taking up Gu-Zheng at the age of 5. I only stopped taking lessons from him at the age of 17 when I moved down to KL for tertiary education. Every year without fail, I would make a trip back and stop by my si fu's stall to give him a bottle of liquor and some goodies as a gesture of appreciation for coaching me all these years! I'm only one of the 2 students he had and I'm happy to say these 2 students had done him proud. Wouldn't anyone just take a double look at him if I tell you that this man plays the instrument very well?!!! Surprise, surprise....

The must eat bowl of heavenly Ipoh Shredded Chicken Hor Fun.


The super fat & juicy beansprouts.

They say, only Ipoh has fat beansprouts. It's true. I just hate waif thin beansprouts. Even Huai Bin who hates beansprouts couldn't resist savouring on these. It's not that we Ipoh people are naturally fat and thus the fat beansprouts. It's actually the limestone water that affects the juiciness of the beansprouts and the miracle water has been said to produce beautiful ladies like meself... *choke choke* I say, the water is better than SKII Miracle water. My complexion used to be better when I was in Ipoh and when I got to KL, my skin deteriorated!!! It's true...

But anyways, the noodle was so good that I had it for 2 consecutive days. Besides that, there's a very special drink that you should give it a try here. It's a can of 7up mixed with rose syrup and topped with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream. Warning: Definitely not for diabetic patients and sugar fearing patrons. Although the ice cream is none of the creme de la creme, it's a true kopitiam style dessert! I used to pester my parents to allow me to order that when I was young.

This coffeeshop is really a crowded eatery. If you cannot manage to get a table downstairs, you can always opt for upstairs which is less crowded. The staircase is a bit steep though so be careful when you inch your way upstairs. I liked the upstairs because it has a very nostalgic atmosphere complete with old tiles, furnitures and even the windows.

Camwhoring while waiting for food!

That was not the end of the breakfast. What to do when you've got only one stomach and so many places to eat in a day. I shall continue the other temptations in the next post. You can also read my sister's review here.