Ziling is Quarter of a Century Old

I still remembered when I passed that mark - the number that indicates that I've lived past a quarter of a century. And yesterday was my sister's turn. She's finally OFFICIALLY 25 and still miserable and single! Miserable because she still have to slave at work past 9pm daily and single because no other man can handle her. If you know her, you'll understand. Lol...

So, it's a date for celebration on Tuesday night! It was very kind of my friends to throw her a birthday dinner, laden with good food, sufficient alcohol to keep all of us happy and high and a backpack full of pressies.



Yes, as you can see that we were having dinner in a big private room that sits 14 comfortably and this is held at Imbi Palace. While waiting for the others to arrive, we started the night with some "champagne of all beers" called "Estrella Damm Inedit". And do you know why this is the king of all beers?

It was created by Spanish Damm brewmasters, heirs to a century-old tradition, and developers of highly appreciated beers, and by Ferran Adrià, Juli Soler and El Bulli’s sommeliers’ team to accompany the festival of flavours of its modern cuisine at El Bulli. It is born from the conviction that a beer that could be paired with the utmost respect to the best cuisine was necessary.

Inedit is a unique coupage of barley malt and wheat, flavored with coriander, orange peel and liquorice. The appearance of the beer is slightly cloudy, like one of those Belgian beers. There's a very fruity and floral aroma with a yeasty sensation and sweet spices reminiscences. On the palate, it's creamy, fresh, soft and delicate carbonated. Long aftertaste and pleasant.

With its delicate, sophisticated bubbles this beer can take acidic, sweet and sour flavours by the hand. The aim is to unify all of them, and for continuity so that one need not have to switch drinks. This beer has a rich and highly adaptable bouquet. In other words, Inedit is different, special and unique.


When everyone has arrived, the starters were served. Of course my favourites are included no less. Of all starters, I really love the century eggs that Imbi Palace serves. The egg centre/yolk remains runny and it's not easy to get the ones with the yellow centres. These eggs are imported from Hong Kong and only the best are served!


The other dishes includes the pork ribs ABC soup with chunky potatoes and 2 different style chicken (roasted and steamed) as well as a half-roasted duck. At this moment, I thought to myself, wow, we had a pretty number of starters already and I wonder what's the main course?!!

And then that moment, a guy walked in with a large chopping board and a knife. Then someone asked if we are going to eat roast pork (siew yoke)? Lol and behold....

Two guys came in carrying the whole roast suckling pig!

Wow... this is really celebrating a birthday in style! In the olden days, the birthday boy/girl gets a drumstick for their birthday and this sister of mine got 1 whole roast suckling pig! Of course everyone was delighted with the porcine delights that was cut right in front of our eyes and served to us on the spot.

It's definitely an awesome plate of siew yoke!

After so much of food, I needed a break. We were having a couple bottles of my favourite white too. It's none other than the Villa Maria Taylor's Pass Sauvignon Blanc from NZ and then moving on to the Bad Boy 2008 from Bordeaux by Jean luc Thunevin which I've wrote about here. With a rating of 91 points by Wine Spectator, this vins de pays turns out to be better than most of the red wines with reputable labels.

The lucky birthday girl!

Besides the beers, the whites, the reds, we also have 2 bottles of champagnes to end the night. The first bottle being a 1996 Dom Perignon bought by one of the friends for my sister as her birthday pressie which she opened and shared with everyone and the other bottle is from the host - the brother of my sister's favourite Cristal. Haha... but the Louis Roederer Brut Premier is really too much to handle after so much alcohol!

If that is not INDULGENCE, then this is definitely one! This Ramon Allones is one of the oldest brand of Cuban cigars dating back to 150 years ago. Although this brand is not as well known as the rest of the Cuban cigars, it's still very popular among the connoisseurs who prefers a rich, full-bodied cigar that is consistent and medium-priced. The RA Specially Selected has been aged in my friend's humidor and is smoking very well. It's a medium to full body cigar with spicy and cocoa notes. Truly satisfying.

This is truly an enjoyable dinner as there were some new friends joining the dinner as well and the best was during the pressies giving time. I think Ziling had fun receiving all the premiums and free gifts from drug companies and also the wonderful miniature Mini Cooper from KFC?!! But of course it includes a prized bottle of a 25-year-old whisky!

The 11 of us drank 13 bottles.
Did we get our maths wrong?