Earth Hour and the 2 Sultans..

Ozeki.

During Earth hour, we watched the Petronas Twin towers disappear before our very eyes, from behind the glass of Ozeki. That gaping black space was a cool reminder to 'vote earth' and keep up the good fight against global warming/climate change. Do your part and reduce your carbon footprint so that future generations may still enjoy this beautiful place we call home.. earth!


(to calculate your carbon footprint, click on the foot!)
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After Earth hour, we had a date .. with the sultan..

Sultan Lounge.

Designed by New York-based Stephane Dupuox , the creative force behind Buddha Bar in New York, Cocoon in London and Nikki Beach in Miami, the Sultan Lounge is what I call très chi-chi.

Resident DJs, Donovan Tho (a.k.a. da Funkie Junkie), Shazan Z. and Azran make sure everyone is grooving to the choons of down-tempo/chill-out house. Tonight though, DJ/Producer JT Donaldson was spinning the decks. Sit back, have a grey goose martini and enjoy the night as deep soulful house cascades over that crazy, gold-plated[yes, I kid you not!] booth. (erm, incidentally if there is ever one thing to steal.. , steal the booth.. :P) If you are lucky (like I was) you may just bump into Malaysian celebs such as the gorgeous, most talented Melissa Indot;)


What is it about clubs that gets me really hungry towards the end of the night..
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Seng Kee Claypot Loh She Fun.

Located on Jalan Sultan, just off Petaling Street, I remember the face I pulled the 1st time I was introduced to that raw egg yolk sitting on top of what looked like rats tails (loh she fun). That was something like 10 years ago. If Lecouple Toy had not re-introduced me to the place for a late night supper (post Sultan lounge) I would have forgotten this once upon a time, favourite makan place of mine. I didn't really fancy the Pak Cham Kai (a.k.a. White-as-hell boiled Chicken{yarks}, .. and maybe that's why I am so dark.. hahaha) but the Rats Tails .. happy to say.. still fantastic!



Thanks for jolting my memory. Supper was excellent.
A great night out, for sure.



FIN.

I came, I saw, I macaroned...

It was so dainty. So cute. But it was so bloody technical and taxing on my chubby fingers that I will probably never make another Macaron again! The only reason I was there, at The Cooking House, was because of the free voucher I got from the My Nourishment Magazine launch a couple of months back.

The cute French teacher said in her sexy French accent " add a gram too many or too little.. and you can just say goodbye to your Macaron. Same goes for the temperature. "
That's comforting! Sheesh.. so damn precise.. Can someone just tell me.. precisely when may I eat the Macaron..?

The teacher also said.. it's a labour of love. only make the Macaron for someone you love. (Huh.. I can't think of anyone I love that much...)

But really, if not for the cajoling and encouragement from my good friend fbb (baker extraordinaire) and Ryan Khang (25 year old chef extraordinaire), I would have never gone for the class in the 1st place. So.. enjoy the "slaving over tiny french pastry dessert" photos! This is my labour of love!

Oh, and believe it or not, the teacher said I had a pretty OK technique.. :P
See.. near perfect semi-spheres.. no?

Not bad huh? Well, did I enjoy my first class? Of course! Tremendously actually, because of the great company, the excellent teacher and my new found friends.

Would I go for another baking class..? Erm yes.., but probably only as food-taster;)

Photos courtesy of my gorgeous and talented Japanese friend, Yasuyo, on my left(who incidentally has an excellent food blog called "Que sera sera Deco's Diary") and the handsome dude on my right is an energetic, talented guy, studying to be a Chef.

THE END

Running...a better tomorrow

We were searching for something a little different to do this weekend. Having heard about the screening of the film RUNNING/BERLARI at the Annexe Gallery, Central Market, we thought this would be it. Being early, we decided we had a little bit of time on our hands for lunch, before the film started. (hmm.. which means some food blogging 'fodder' whilst we are at it.. ;D)

Legging it down to one of the nearest coffee-shop, Kedai Kopi Lai Fong, we decided on the beef brisket and beef ball noodle, as well as the Chinese Fried Mee.


The Beef Brisket noodle was so-so.
The fried kuey teow -mee was quite good... not because of the price of RM5.00 (which is the normal rate for a large plate nowadays), but it actually included 7 to 8 medium sized prawns (there would have been more prawns in the picture but ciki set upon it like a crazed seafood hunter before the shot got captured)! Besides the prawns, there was a handful of sliced chinese sausages and fish cake. Really value for money in one of the busiest parts of KL!


A Telesonic Clock (China Brand) mounted on old school motif tile designs. Just your typical coffee-shop in the bustling city.

This old school coffee mixologist (I'm going to use this trendy catch word from now on) needed the support of the counter to stand up in between whipping up the concoctions. He should really retire and at the same time, quit smoking.

"Thank you Please Come Again" - Yes! We will for the Fried Kuey Teow (Rice Noodle)



Heading back towards Central Market, you will see the oh-so-familiar traffic jam that is part and parcel of living in KL.
Cumi: That brand new flashy orange Toyota Fortuna from Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ - Road Transport Department). They are spending on new vehicles in the economic downturn. May be I should work for JPJ. I can park anywhere I want!


The Annexe Central Market. The Bohemian part of KL. Hangout joint of budding artists, established artists, film-makers, the artsy crowd.. you know the deal. Just oozing creativity basically.
Central Market is Kuala Lumpur's popular tourist spot for arts & craft. Pretty much, a one-stop grab all those souvenirs place for those travellers who left it to the last minute. In recent years, the back portion (Central Annexe) has gradually become a hub for underground/overground artists, musicians to hobnob and publicise their projects. There used to be popular bars in the late 80s till early 2000 catering to an alternative clubbing crowd. Hmm.. there was a cineplex here too back then. Today, you can occasionally spot some punksters heading here for their dosage of underground rock band performances.


"To the left, to the left,
just tilt your head to the left
I got your head to the left
Its odd but its ok
Cause to the left is how us artist leans
to the left, to the left..."
(...Irreplaceable - Beyoncé)


WOW! an old school cabin-style elevator! Just like being on the RMS Queen Elizabeth. Its doors should really open up to a gigantic ball room or on to the upper deck, overlooking a moonlit ocean..


We get back to the Annexe and the place is already 80% full. Yikes! Hope lunch didn't cost us our seats!


Hurry, hurry.. find a seat..

The show is about to start...


The place is truly packed but we managed to squeeze ourselves into a spot.


After a quick introduction, the film begins.

RUNNING/berlari,
Directed by Mien Lor
Produced by SUARAM.

The gist of the film is this...



"Imagine leaving all that you have behind to escape to a foreign land. Imagine running away because you fear for your life and the life of your loved ones. Imagine running to escape from persecution, only to arrive at another form of incarceration. Imagine running towards hope and freedom, only to find that hope is all there is."



RUNNING follows the plight of different individuals who ran away from their homes in Burma, to escape the political havoc and poverty, in the hopes of freedom and a better life. They are each a refugee, asylum seeker and/or stateless person. As they tell their stories, we get a glimpse into their difficult lives in Malaysia in search of stability and the hope of a better future that is denied to them in their home country. Their story also represents the stories of many other refugees who are currently in Malaysia.

Even after arriving in a foreign land like Malaysia, a modern south east asian haven which has a political and economic system much more advanced than Myanmar, these refugees have to face persecution all over again. Many arrive with only the clothes on their back without friends and without anyone that cares. They are subjected to discrimination and exploitation.


What is SUARAM?
SUARAM stands for a society that is peaceful, free, equal, just .. uphold human rights.

SUARAM believes that only an active citizen’s movement is able to hold the government accountable for its actions.

We need to maintain a society which upholds human rights as a basic benchmark because it is the only way in which citizens can be protected against discrimination, corruption, lawlessness and arbitrary abuse of powers.

We need to institute a Malaysia steeped in human rights. This includes the right to express oneself; freedom of religion; independence of the judiciary; freedom from abuse of police powers; environmental protection; the right to food, shelter, health and education.



Ciki: What I gathered from this public screening was that not only are Burmese/Myanmar refugee adults the victims, more so, the kids. One young Burmese boy told the story of how he left his homeland together with his grandma on a small trading boat (organised by human traffickers for large sums of money) to endure rough waters to reach our shores followed by bumpy cold and crowded land transfers which made him throw up. He recalls a particular rough patch in the sea, where a boatman mentioned that it was the exact same spot where many boats had capsized and many lives were lost. This made him fear even more for his life wondering why he had to endure this for a better future.

There are many Burmese kids in KL today. All of them do not have equal rights and the parents do not have the money to send them to Malaysian public schools. In reverse, the parents/guardians hide them away in the homes fearing their safety. There are non profit organisations and the established Burmese communities who have setup education centers to provide the children a center for learning and playing. They constantly need volunteers and donations to improve their standards.
Just like kids anywhere else in the world really... they need love, education, protection and interaction. They would enjoy nature parks, movies, a nice meal, a role model and most of all, some friends play and talk with.

If you're interested to donate, buy a book for charity, volunteer your time to teach at a center or even taking these kids out for trips, you can find out more by sending an email to my.beautiful.myanmar at gmail dotcom

Links to start with or you can google to find more info
ChowKids
The Star

For future screenings of this show (might be at different locations) you might want to check out
http://running-suaram.blogspot.com/

DVD copies of this film can be obtained from :
Email: suaram at suaram dotnet
Phone: 03-77843525

Thank you , from Cumi & Ciki!

*Art by Lisa Roet - works and drawings addressing the demise of wild orangutan populations in Borneo.

"I hope that Malaysians will see this exhibition and question what our government is doing for the protection of these primates and our national heritage to ensure the long term survival of our mega biodiversity… Unfortunately procrastination and corruption in the political and administrative processes have meant that the Malaysian environment has paid an awful price over recent years: illegal logging, trafficking in wildlife, fragmentation of our remaining forests, over fishing, clearing of land for indiscriminate development and plantations, unrelenting land fill… the list goes on. We must put a stop somewhere, and now that prices of our commodities have dropped may be, must be, the time to start...."

- excerpt from Angela Hijjas speech officiating Lisa Roet's IN SIGHT Exhibition.

For budding film makers: Freedom Film Fest 2009

Leonardo's by Lomography

Meet the (not very, but he likes to think) incognito Fatboybakes, the Sassy Memoirs of a Chocoholic ..


and,

Thrill-seeker Jules.
What do the 3 food bloggers above have in common.. ?(apart from knowing ME, that is, ahem..)

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Well, we all heard about Nibbleish.com ...

..at LEONARDO'S ... on the same evening, at the same time!


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When we received the invitation, we had the feeling that we were about to be part of something new, something innovative and exciting.. and we weren't wrong.

In a nutshell,
Choose a restaurant-combo and pay online (You heard right.. not food but restaurant-combo!),
and end up paying possibly 20-30% cheaper than regular prices of the ala-carte.

Obviously the restaurants are within walking distances of each other and this promo is for a limited time.

To me this is fantastic because I get bored easily sitting in one location for too long. Just imagine something like a pub-crawl, only better. FOOD! There's alcohol too.. so it's completely, a win-win situation.

The Locations Involved :
1. Changkat Bukit Bintang (22 March - 30 April 2009) and at

2. Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar (01 - 30 April 2009).

Where to book online:
Nibbleish.com


(Hint: Delucca, Flams & Bermuda and Onion, Palate Palate are all on the list of Changkat BB 'Combo Tours' up for grabs.. so, it's really a good deal!)

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Anyway, our mission today was to review the Restaurants involved on the Jalan Bangkung stretch. I could only write on one of the restaurants (for obvious reasons.. I only have ONE body) but you may want to read the reviews on the other restaurants, by FBB and Jules for a better picture.

Oh, this was my lesson for the day actually. Tea for two, is not a teahouse. According to the manager, they do fusion mid-range to upper end fine-dining cuizine.

Someone in our group mentioned, that was probably why the place was shrouded in darkness, one evening during tea time, when he popped by for tea. Poor guy was not impressed. Hmmm, the name really throws you off doesn't it? Anyway, on to the food..

I must say, since I was expecting finger-food or tea-time snacks (and feeling rather sulky and sorry for myself for having drawn the shortest straw.. seeing as FBB and Jules and Cumi and Memoirs were all up in the lofty Leonardo clouds etc.. etc.. ) ,

... the food was really rather good!

The Trios of Bruschetta and the fruity salad were delightful. Crisp, fresh and fruity.

On to the mains, the Tarragon Poulet, the grilled snapper and the pasta dishes were cooked to perfection. 'Strong tasting', is the term I would use to describe the food here, (possibly stronger than I would like, being a fan of the aglio olio as I feel pasta is at its best when served simple) but I can see why it would agree with the Asian tastebuds. A lot of local spices (even chili) were introduced to give it that extra kick.

Fusion is the right term to use, for sure.

Grilled Golden Red Snapper.

Asianna Pasta.

Dessert consisted of the English Sherry Triffle, the Apple Crumble and the Warm Chocolate Cake. All three were good. My personal favourite? The chocolate cake. Gooey, warm, sweet and tempered with rich, creamy vanilla ice-cream, I ate my share and was ready to call it a night.

A great dinner experience. I would definitely recommend Tea for Two to my colleagues or friends in future... for a meal though, not for tea.. :P

Be sure to check out Nibbleish.com
when you can!

Add:
Leonardo's Dining Room & Wine Loft,
61-1 Jalan Bangkung,
Off Jalan Maarof,
Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar, KL
Tel: +603 2096 2226


Add:
Tea For Two,
57 Jalan Bangkung,
Off Jalan Maarof,
Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar, KL
Tel: +603 2095 3739

Tasting Room: A mile high experience?

On their website, Tasting Room states experiencing their wine bistro is akin to a 'flight concept' - "a gourmet tasting journey from beginning to end, with one (or several) stopovers in between! As with all tasting tours, as you travel along, you will encounter different regions with their own distinctive styles and flavours. Served all together, the sample size portions of different varieties allow you to effectively evaluate and experiment... Our flights include food, wines, single malts, boutique beers and coffees."

Our invitation to the Tasting Room's tasting session was exactly this way. Bwoy, Was it a flight!

We flew in on an imaginary Learjet 60 with our pilot Julian Wong, a former RMC brat, and former semi-pro water polo jock and now somehow involved with the
Nibbleish.com empire!

There were five of us on this night flight. What were we going to nibble on ? The tall in-flight steward, Mr.James (F) Kennedy enlightened us..

Wow! what a big lounge in a learjet, right?

C'mon.. tell us about the wines! Good ah? Suppose to have some unusual wines, single malts and boutique beer selections here...

Just like the starry cloudless nights that surrounded our flight... we only gazed into yonder... wishing upon the starzz to fill our glasses... alas... no such fortune!


Our first dish, Portabello Mushroom with chicken cheese & mushroom concentrate. Our nibbly portions shared amongst 5(!) didn't really allow me to taste the nuances.

The Prawn Bisque was bold with too much heavy cream, whilst the Crustacean taste was mild. The "tiger" prawn was more like a "little cat's meow" and seemed to be over-cooked. Perhaps a peeled or split one might look more presentable?


Next, the Baby Octopus cooked in white wine and waterchestnut.. the hungry wolves..um passengers set on this dish like ravenous creatures of the night. I missed this one but no complaints heard, so it must have been ok. It actually looks a lot like the Japanese dish and to make it more interesting maybe it could do with a little more experimentation in the presentation department..


The Codfish was delicious and everyone enjoyed it. The squid-ink pasta was pretty average. The whole dish went well with the Cepes voloute sauce, garnished with asparagus and sun dried tomatoes.


The Angus Tenderloin, just like the Cod, has to be amongst the better dishes from the bistro. It was well cooked and tasted really good. The reduced Cabernet sauce was a little too over powering (burnt?) and a tad too heavy a serving. I've never been a fan of the risotto so there ain't much I can say about the accompanying mushroom risotto.


If there were hits and misses, the Lamb Rack had to be the 'big miss' on this flight. Tough and rubbery says it all. The Rosemary sauce was really strong to mask the gamy taste.


Chocolate Cosmos is their popular dessert and definitely sent all of us into the milky way with it's hot chocolate lava center. This chocolate dessert seems to be getting very popular amongst restaurants and TV food programs. The Cheese Cake lacked the Cheez although the biscuit base was good. The Crème Chautilly was a little too sweet.

Before we knew it, we had to land, ending our culinary aviation trip somewhat abruptly.
Captain, O' my Captain... when's our next flight??

Next time we must include a trip to the Duty Free! Our alcohol levels are NIL:P

Add:
Tasting Room Wine Bistro
(Pork Free)
65-1 (above Wine Cellar)Jalan Bangkung,
Bukit Bandaraya
59100 Kuala Lumpur
tel: +603 2092 4404

prices:
starters rm10-rm25
mains rm18-rm49
desserts rm9-rm15