I have moved

After faithfully using Blogger for the past 4 years, it is time for me to move. The obvious reason is that my pictures have taken up nearly 80% of the space allocated. It is only a matter of time before I ran out of space.

The bigger reason is that I hate the idea of how Blogger tend to resample my pictures to lower quality which affects the colour saturation when it appear in the blog. I think this is partly due to Picasa being the hosting site for all my pictures.

As an alternative, I have signed up with Wordpress. They offer 3 GB of space for picture upload. The best thing is that all my pictures are retain in its original state when I upload it into my blog.

Here is my new blog address: -

http://nigellow.wordpress.com/

See you there!

Vintage

Tasty Pot @ Sunway

Many city dwellers are familar with the famous Yuen restaurant at Sunway when it comes to steamboat buffet. The queue is usually long even on weekdays as the place has earn its reputation as THE place to go for steamboat.

However, with the recent trend of new steamboat restaurants mushrooming around Sunway, food lovers are now spoil with choices when it comes to choosing a place to have dinner. After hearing a lot about 'Tasty Pot' which is three storey high restaurant at Sunway, I decided to give it a try last weekend.

As expected, the crowd was over spilling and the time it takes for the waiter to serve us was quite long.

Nevertheless, with a large amount of customers, it is understandable that we would need to wait.

Anyway, here are the food that we ate.

The seafood were very fresh. My favourite was the crab and prawns.


Can't wait to put these into the boiling soup. Yummy!


I slso took some sotong and mussels, clams...


And while waiting for our soup to boil (we opted for clear soup and tomyam), we had some ready made food to fill our stomach first.


The roast chicken was quite good. Not up to Yuen's standard (they are famous for it) but it was very tasty too.


And for something different, they have fresh clams with fried shallots dipped with sour gravy. I had two of these. Highly recommended.


And for variety, we opted for some fresh vegetables, ham and sea weed.


I also chose some assorted fishballs and 'tau foo pok'.


One of the best thing I heard about Tasty Pot is that you can actually request them to barbecue the meat that you have picked. The BBQ lamb was very nice and tender. The black pepper sauce goes well with the meat.


But that was just the teaser. We had hand picked a few crabs and prawns for them to barbecue too. After 10 minutes, we went back to the counter and was pleasantly surprised with a plate of lip smacking crabs and prawns.

Trust me, they are really good. The guy who did the barbecuing has some good skills indeed. The meat were nicely cooked, retaining all the freshness of the taste. It is also crispy on the outside while the meat were moist.


I can't help but to take a few shots of the food...


And finally we had noodles (green version), egg and vegetables for our 'finale' dish.


Overall, I find Tasty Pot really urm, tasty. Food is fresh and the BBQ meat is a real plus factor. Highly recommended!

Tasty Pot Restaurant
No. 9, Jalan PJS 8/18,
Dataran Mentari, Bandar Sunway,
46150 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Tel: 03-56301282

Price: RM 26.80 per person not inclusive of drinks.

Starbucks

If there is one place I would love to go just to free my mind from the daily stress and worries, it would be Starbucks Coffee. Nothing beats sitting there enjoying some nice music while having all the time in the world for me to do the thing my own things. Some of you may know that I can sit in Starbucks for eight hours straight. It is pretty hard to explain why I like the place so much. Perhaps, tucking myself in a cozy corner listening to my iPod music is what I call home.

Moving on

After staying at my current house for the past 34 years, it is finally time to move. Where we are residing at the moment, my parents are finding it difficult to climb up the stairs due to their old age.

We had been progressively shifting some of the stuff during the last few weeks. But it didn't hit me until this moment, when I know that I won't be sleeping here any longer. I grew up in this apartment. There are a lot of nice memories here.

I decided not to take any pictures of this place as the best memories should always be kept inside the heart. I will miss this place a lot.

Goodbye Petaling Jaya.... Hello Puchong.

A very good commercial

Bazaar @ Jaya One

Here are some quick shots of the street bazaar at Jaya One last Saturday...

Oldies @ PJ Old Town

I still fondly remember my mum buying a packet of chicken rice for me after getting my hair cut at PJ Old Town many years ago. The chicken rice stall was always packed with people waiting to get their stomach filled with their delicious roast chicken. While many things has changed over the years, I am glad that the stall is still around.

Famously known as Kie Kee Chicken Rice shop at the PJ Old Town Selera Makan, anyone staying around Petaling Jaya would know where to find it.


There are two good things which makes Kie Kee stands out from any other chicken rice shops. First, their recipe has always been consistent. When I had their roasted chicken drumstick today, the taste is exactly like how it was when I first had it. It is hard for any cook to prepare the same dish with the same level of consistency throughout the years. But Kie Kee is one fine example of how one can remarkably sustain the same standard all the time.


The other good thing about Kie Kee is the price. Nowadays with everything ballooning sky high, they are still one of the the cheapest chicken rice stall around. For two plates of chicken rice (one with drumstick) and an additional bowl of rice, the meal costs only RM 7.60. Anyone will be hard pressed to find meal that cheap nowadays.


The other favourite dessert at PJ Old Town Selera Makan is the chendol & ice kacang store. Service is very prompt as the owner will quickly walked up to the customers asking for their orders once they sat down. I can only guessed that their gula melaka (palm sugar) is somewhat different from the rest. It is not overly sweet yet they manage to ice blend a bowl of chendol or ABC with a good taste of palm sugar that packs a punch.


The shop name is called 'Gerai Minum Weng Kee'.


Pay a visit to this place and you will be surprise how old school eatery stalls are still a crowd puller despite fancy restaurants mushrooming on the other side of the town.

Memories

Sick

It has been a long time since I fell sick - really sick. Last Wednesday, I was hit with a bad sore throat which eventually led to high fever. I thought going to the doctor for an early treatment on the same night might help. But it turned out that the medication wasn't strong enough to fight off the fever.


To cut the story short, I was out of action for the last two days. If it wasn't for a second visit to another clinic to get a stronger dosage of antibiotics, I would still be lying on my bed right now.

Thank god I am feeling better now. Just take a look at the number of pills I need to pop every now and then.

Lunch @ Ikea

While Ikea is well-known for its home furnishing products, their cafe is usually crowded all day long which was a good indication of the good food that are being served there. Since I was shopping for some stuff there, I thought it would be a good idea to have my lunch there as well.


I ordered the Swedish chicken leg with herb sauce and lemon sauce. For RM10 a plate, I'd say that it is value for money. The chicken was soft and nicely cooked.


I also enjoyed eating the Swedish meat balls (10 pieces) which costs RM 9.90 a plate. When I had my first bite, I could only think of two words; tender and juicy. According to my girlfriend, they used to serve bigger meat balls, but I guess Ikea's policy of maintaining its price somehow translates to smaller serving portion. Well, at least the taste is still good.


And finally for RM 2.90 per cup, I was given a choice of either tea or coffee. Overall, it is a great place to have lunch while shopping for home accessories.

Chapati @ Ravi's

I was down with a bad fever and cough for the last two days. Had to go to the clinic twice to get a stronger dosage of antibiotics. Not wanting to risk getting sore throat which may trigger another round of fever, I decided to order chapati for breakfast today at Ravi's. Chapati is made mainly from wheat flour. The texture is soft and fluffy and goes very well with potato and vegetables.

1st anniversary gift

My girlfriend suprised me with a box of Leonidas chocolates on Wednesday. It was our 1st anniversary celebration.

Timeless Penang @ Berjaya Times Square

I had a quick lunch at Berjaya Times Square last Saturday. There was this new restaurant called Timeless Penang which caught my eyes while waking around the mall.

I ordered Mee Jawa while my girlfriend took the Siam noodle.


As for drinks we had jasmine tea and honey lemon.


I didn't find the food to be very tasty although a lot of people were eating there. Maybe I had tasted better version of Mee Jawa before. Good thing their free wi-fi service was pretty fast.

Timeless Penang is located at the 2nd floor of Berjaya Times Square.

Sango @ Crystal Crown Hotel, PJ

My girlfriend gave me a birthday treat at a Japanese restaurant called Sango in Crystal Crown Hotel Petaling Jaya last week.


It was the last day of their 'eat all you can' promotion which coincides with my birthday celebration. I guess I was lucky enough to eat there before the promotion ended.


Apparently, this place is quite a popular among Japanese expatriates, which means that the food must be authentically cooked. They even wrote a profile of their executive Japanese chef, Mr. Kazuhiro Inose.


When we saw the menu, we didn't really know what to order. Everything sounds so yummy.


The waiters were friendly and recommended some of their delicacies that we must try. Here are some of the things that we had that night.

Grilled chicken cartilage.


Soba noodle.


Sushi (really fresh!)


This is one of the popular dish - BBQ chicken wing. It is crispy on the outside while the skin is moist and tender.


Jellyfish salad


The beef was also very tasty. We get to cook it ourselves on the hot iron plate.


Deep fried octopus.


Japanese chicken pizza.


Bamboo clams.


As for dessert, we were treated with an assorted range of ice-cream flavours namely charcoal, cherry blossom, sesame seed and green tea. I love the charcoal flavour (left) and took two servings that night.


Although the eat all you can promotion is no longer valid, anyone who is a fan of Japanese food should give this place a visit. Highly recommended!

Almond All Over @ Krispy Kreme

rumah peranakan @ Taman Sea

I had my lunch at rumah peranakan in Petaling Jaya last Saturday. This place brings back good memories as I had my first taste of their baba nyonya cuisine with my ex-colleagues nearly five years ago.

By sheer coincidence, I stumbled across this place again while taking a detour from LDP highway due to the mid-afternoon jam. From what I can recall, they had renovated the place. It looks more contemporary while retaining the traditional baba nyonya identity.


We had chendol and ABC for starters. I like the ABC which comes with slices of nangka or jackfruit. It is not too sweet and has a nice milky taste to it.


The chendol is pretty good too although nothing beats the real chendol in Melaka.


The kangkung belacan is damn good. I must say that this is one of the better ones I had tried so far. Not too oily as you can see here.


I like the claypot tau foo too. The gravy is thick and not too salty. Just the way it should be.


One of the recommended dish in their menu was the nyonya asam fish. Cooking this cuisine requires a good balance between the sour taste of the asam and the spiciness from the chillies. The taste was moderate (not too sour or spicy) which is not a bad thing as I find myself pouring a generous serving of the gravy on my rice.


On the nutshell, I would definitely recommend this place for those who are looking for authentic nyonya food around town.

rumah peranakan
No. 4, Jalan SS23/11 Taman Sea
47400 Petaling Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel: 7804 2778

Located along the LDP highway, at the turning on the left hand side before the SS2 turning if you are coming from Kelana Jaya area

Melaka day trip

Here are some pictures taken during my day trip to Melaka last week.

This is a picture of the Memorial Pengisytiharan Kemerdekaan which happened to be our first stop as we started walking from Dataran Pahlawan.


Just a stone throw away, we found ourselves at the famous A' Formosa fort where tonnes of tourists are seen taking pictures of this landmark every day.


From there we decided to take a walk up the St. Paul Hill.


Two musicians were entertaining the tourists with their rendition of oldies.


The old texture on the walls signifies the age of the building.


The magnificent St. Paul Church towering the skies of Melaka.


A view from above the hill...


The unique patterns on this building provide a nice subject for photoshooting. This happens to be one of the many museums there.


After a tiring walk under the hot sun, we stopped by the famous Chendol Jam Besar for a mouth watering bowl of Chendol.


Along Jonker Street, we spotted this man selling radish cake. He insisted that we had to try them as he claims that it is good.


So did we try? We actually bought two pieces. It has a soft texture and tasted quite alright. And of course, he was more than happy to pose for me when I wanted to take his picture.


I also met this 'uncle' who is famous for crafting interesting things by bending steel wires using a pair of pliers. He could do up a trishaw, bicycle, figurines and just about anything else with his skillful hands.


These old 'antiques' soft drink bottles are for sale for those who are keen to collect. I remember drinking them back in my primary school days!


We spotted this place called Amoy opposite the OCBC bank.


Apparently, they are selling fish-shaped biscuit with pandan fillings inside. This place is quite popular as evident in the long queue of customers.


I guess part of the reason why it is becoming an attraction is due to the machine that is used to baked those biscuit on the spot. The moulds would travel along the conveyor system where the fillings are then poured onto it automatically before running them under a heating system.


As usual, Jonker Street is full of colourful items for sale...

These are miniature clogs which function as fridge magnets.


To beat the hot weather, creative ways of designing hand held fans are seen everywhere.


Here are some other pictures.


And of course, the sights of Melaka are something to be appreciated.

Fusion Haven @ The Strand

Fusion Haven is a newly opened restaurant at The Strand, Kota Damansara. The place features an interesting range of food which are a result of fusion between many different cooking styles.

I was asked to photoshoot their food last Saturday so that they could come up with their menu. As a token of appreciation, I was given a chance to sample those food once I finished shooting.

Overall, I would give this place two thumbs up for their food presentation and taste. My favourite so far is the Unagi Omellete Rice although the rest of them are pretty good as well. Price wise, it is very reasonable considering the portion and the taste.

Here are the pictures taken...

Italian White Sauce Baked Seafood Pumpkin

Portuguese Style Baked Chicken Rice

Fusion Mango Salad

Fusion Sausage Omelette Rice

Unagi Omelette Rice

Oriental Teriyaki Chicken

Grilled Spicy Chicken Chop



Seafood Carbonara



Vietnamese Style Baked Mussels

Portuguese Style Baked Sausage

English Herb Butter Baked Lamb



Milan Style Fried Chicken



Crispy Dragon Ball



Aloha Chicken Cocktail



Japanese Spicy Miso Baked White Fish



Kimuchi Sausage Ramen



Pan Fried Dory Tower



Mexican Style Flamed Chicken Wing



Grilled Smoked Duck



Char Siew Sappora Miso Ramen

Japanese Style Stew Pork Brisket

Seafood Napolitania



Oscar Beef



Crispy Bread



Fook Chow Fishball Juosui



Mushroom Soup



Tomato Paste Seafood Risotto



Crazy Fish & Chips



Steamed Mussels Spaghetti



Taco Pepperocino



Warm Heart Chocolate



Unagi Rice Noddle Roll

The Strands is located near to EON bank at Kota Damansara. If you are turning in from LDP, you will pass through the underground tunnel which will lead to a traffic light at the junction with UOB and EON bank on the right hand side.

Just turn to the right and you will see The Strand. Here's the location map. Click on it for the bigger version.


Address:
Fusion Haven @ The Strand
43G, Jalan PJU 5/21, The Strand, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya

Tel: 03-6142 3980
http://fusionhavenblog.blogspot.com/

Food shooting @ Fusion Haven

Last weekend was a really busy day for me. I spent the whole afternoon helping a friend of mine to shoot a handful of food pictures for his new restaurant at The Strands in Kota Damansara.

The place is called Fusion Haven and it offers many delicious food. Trust me, I sampled most of the food after the photoshooting session and they were really good. More pictures to follow soon...