Shop Tender or School Trip?!!

Last Thursday, my Group General Manager issued a memo asking me to be present at the site visit of the tender of the shops at KLIA Satellite building. I was quite excited actually because that was my first time attending a tender exercise. We have to register ourselves at the counter near the security/daily pass at Level 5 before following the security officer into the media room where we will be briefed on the tender exercise. We went through a room which normal passengers don't get to go in the airport. The passage way led us into the media room where the briefing was held. The room was full with people, all of them were very well dressed and carry designer handbags. Of course, one would have to be powerful and rich to tender a shop in KLIA!

The Media Room

After the briefing, we were led into the satellite builing where we have to take the transit train. There were a total of 24 shops to be opened for tender and they were planning to put a few more escalators in Satellite to provide better access to the mezzanine floor (where all the F&B outlets are located) as currently it is only accessible through the transparent lifts. They were also planning to create a tunnel through the jungle in the Satellite building to create a better environment for the transit passengers. They should have done that years ago. The jungle in the middle of the airport is useless anyways. No one looks at it because there's nothing much to see except some trees and bushes. Unlike Singapore Changi Airport, they have a koi pond! KLIA should have turned the jungle into a butterfly or bird park!

The amount of people who attended the site visit was huge. We were all following the guide whom doesn't even have a loudspeaker. Can't even hear a word she says. So I just tagged along like a little kid following a school trip. It's really like a "rombongan sekolah" where everyone gathers and try to follow the guide. It was funny though because I haven't seen anything like this before. At the same time when everyone was so busy taking pictures of the shops they would want to tender, I did not waste anytime by greeting the CEO of Sajibumi (who owns Delifrance, Coffee Bean & Cafe Ritazza in KLIA) and he bought RM300 worth of chocolates from me.... he's a very nice cool man with no ego at all. Definitely a nice boss.

I completed my visit in KLIA at about 5 pm and then rushing off home to get dressed for the Bonia event at 7pm.

I tasted Reunion....

Reunion meaning a get together or coming together are only words you hear during Chinese New Year where families get together to have a meal. I am not going to talk about a reunion but to provide a review of my lunch today with a friend at Reunion in Bangsar Village II. I have heard of it but have not personally tried it. The name sounds chinese and you're right, they serve chinese food@Reunion.

Let's talk about the entrance to Reunion. Very modern and yet simple interior but incorporating the elements of chinese culture using the antique chinese doors as partition between the entrance and the restaurant.

As we entered the restaurant, it was very different from the usual chinese restaurants that I have been to. One can easily recognize a chinese restaurant by it's bright lightings, red tablecloth, chinese paintings and noise. However, Reunion is differentiated. It has very dark coloured chinese furnitures and white brick wall paired with dimmed lightings. I loved it. It gives traditional chinese dining a fresh new look. The overall setting gives it a fine dining ambiance.




Even the table settings is given ample attention with the placements of cutlery and dishes. The chinese tea cup is transparent so you can see the colour of the tea! We ordered the Jasmine tea and it tastes fine to me. At least you can smell the fragrant jasmine scent in the tea. Waitresses have been attentive. I have been asking one waitress on how to read the chinese words on the menu and why do they give such a name to the dessert and bla bla bla and still she did not get irritated by me. I was quite satisfied.

Jasmine Chinese Tea

Cold Braised Peanut and Lotus (appetizer)

For mains, we both had the Suckling Pig 3 Combination Platter where you can choose two other types of roast meat to accompany the suckling pig. When I saw the word "Suckling Pig", my eyes lit up and I couldn't believe it. I can actually for once have suckling pig for lunch! However, let me warn you, it's not cheap. A normal char siew with rice here costs RM12.80 when you can have it at a kopitiam for RM3.80. A 2 combination platter with suckling pig is RM24.40 while what I ordered was RM28.80. However, it's worth a try. It's an experience and the dish was recommended by my friend whom has been patronising the outlet a few times. I think that the roasted duck at Sunrise (Taman Paramount) tasted better. The suckling pig is fine but not crispy enough for me and the roasted pork is not the best I have eaten. One comment though, the rice is a bit too starchy. We also ordered a plate of Kai Lan (RM16.80), very succulent and fresh indeed.

Suckling Pig, Roast Duck & Roast Pork Set

Garlic Kai Lan

Just the main course itself will set you full to the neck but my friend highly recommend that I should try the dessert. He kept insisting its good, so good so I said yes to dessert. I forgot the chinese name but I called it the Pomelo and Sago in Mango Puree (RM8.80). One word to describe the dessert, it's great! Not the usual longan and sea coconut dessert...or the lotus seed with snow fungus or the shanghai pancake...typical chinese restaurant desserts. This is something different, a must try despite I personally thinks the pomelo is not sweet enough. Maybe it's not the pomelo season or it's not the pomelo from Ipoh! haha...Ipoh people very fussy with food and it's true!

At the end of every meal, a fortune cookie for each patron will be served. I chose my fortune cookie and break it open to reveal my lucky note. It reads "You will always be successful in your professional career". Haha, just exactly what I needed. it's not just any career ok, it says professional career! Unfortunately, my friend's fortune cookie does not have any messages. maybe he doesn't need one, he's already successful in his own ways.

Pomelo and Sago in Mango Puree

The bill comes to a total of RM109.94 for 2 persons. It's expensive for a lunch of roasted meat and tea but it's the ambiance and service that you're paying for. I think it's a nice place, will definitely be coming back but not so soon...

BTW, they are really famous for its upmarket Hokkien Mee. Big enough for two at the comfort of air-conditioned dining. Their dim sum spread is commendable with the well prepared carrot cake!

I've give it a 4 out of 5.

[Disclaimer: This is strictly my honest opinion and tastes vary with tastebuds. Please do not even waste your time trying to sue me because just like my sister, we ain't rich! Thnx]