Handmade with love

Last 2 days, I received a text message from my sister's friend asking if I can make a card for him. It was for another friend's 22nd birthday. I gave him a 'Yes' but soon after was worried if I cannot produce the card in time as 'artsy' stuff like this needs some inspiration :D

Knowing that I won't have the time to do it later in the week as I have to be off in KK, I spared some time last night after dinner to produce not only 1 but 2 cards. Calvin bought 2 books of scrapbooking papers for me last summer from the US and (with and without conversion) the arts supplies there are so much cheaper! The craft stores here have inflated prices due to import, shipping and all that.

Birthday Card #1




A card for Ying Qi

For both cards, I chose the red with orange polka dots paper and cut out another strip of colorful stripes for a more colorful background. I used ready made cut out foams with colorful flower motifs for a girly theme. Using the hole puncher, eyelet setter and hammer (which my group of friends shared and bought for me the last birthday- they know me well!), I made holes and settle them with eyelets at the polka dots. Again, it makes the whole card more colorful. Lastly, using a rustic antique metal tag I bought (sold in a pack of 5) from a local craft store, I attached the name of the birthday girl. I always like to print names, words, pictures etc using tracing paper as it gives a better effect than normal plain color papers.

Actually since I did not put any 'Happy Birthday' greetings, the card can be doubled up for any occassion at all- anniversaries, happy day, hello etc.

Birthday Card #2




Who's the lucky recipient?

Using the other half of the pink paper, and another part of the stripey paper, I made this birthday card. I printed a birthday cake using tracing paper and then color it with metallic crayons. I also added some 'blings' to zest the graphic up. I lined the border with gold stickers (I got it A4 size for RM2 a piece, comes in silver and other solid colors as well). I made 8 holes and settle it with golden eyelets. I didn't know what I should do with the birthday cake so I made it bookmark-style. Lastly, I printed a 'Happy Birthday' message on a thick red paper and stuck it to the bottom using double sided foam tape for a 3D effect.

I also made envelopes for the cards using scented peach paper. This way, the card looks nice and smells good too!

What do you think of my creations?

CTNF: Chilli meatballs spaghetti

Kin Kin Pan Mee- Similar, but not the same!

When I had my first taste of Kin Kin Pan Mee, I knew I am in for this whole new obsession with chilli, poached eggs and noodles. I love this style of pan mee so so much, unfortunately for me that Kin Kin is located in the heart of KL (and I am direction blind when it comes to the city), I know I cannot have this whenever I want to.

It has been awhile since my last Cheap Thrills, No Frills ('CTNF') cookout post.

Had some leftover spaghetti in the fridge and immediately the idea of cooking chilli pasta -Kin Kin style- struck me. To make things easier, because I only come home from work at about 7pm, I bought most of the ingredients outside. The pasta is boiled at home of course, the chilli flakes are sold in a bottle for RM5 at the market, the fried anchovies and meatballs were taken away from my aunt's noodle stall, and the minced meat was marinated overnight with soy sauce, corn flour, oil and salt and then stir fried.

You need some skillz to poach eggs, which I think I need to improve on. Other than that, I think the new pasta creation is not too bad! The chilli flakes is not as spicy as Kin Kin's.


Chilli meatballs spaghetti

**********

I'll be away on a working trip from 8th-10th to Kota Kinabalu. Hoping to visit One Borneo, buy my fav Les Gavottes Le Plain Crepes Dentelle and Swiss Delice Amandelle cookies, a bottle or two of Absolut to start my collection, and try some local cuisines hopefully. I'll be staying at Imperial Hotel, so hopefully there's wi-fi.

Be back on Friday :D

Ah May Noodles @ USJ 16

Growing up in the land of good hawker food (Ipoh) sometimes is not really a good thing. Why? Because our tastebud is so spoilt with good food, hence when I first settled down in this new land where fine dining and international cuisines are of abundance, it was both a good and bad thing. Good- fine dining and international cuisines, hello?? Bad- The local fu pei here is just pure beancurd skin, no fish paste :(

Ever crave for those lovely beancurd skin ('fu pei') just out of wok, fried to perfect golden brown, crispy , and *most importantly* with fish paste enveloped in it?

Like this.


Crispy golden brown fu pei freshly out of wok- 90 cents a piece cut into 3

Unfortunately this d'lish comfort food is not available in the menu, but because the owner is my aunty, this was complimentary on the house for us. After landing in KL for the past 7 years or so, I have noticed that 99% of fu pei sold here are just beancurd skin, just like those you dunk in bak kut teh. Most of the time, I don't really enjoy fu pei (or some call it 'fu chuk') with bak kut teh. So once in awhile, if we're lucky, my aunt will dish out some of her signature fu pei for us. The satisfaction is something money can't even buy!


Dry pan mee


Soup pan mee torn into bite size


Mix of pork balls and fish balls- 40 cents/piece

One of my regular orders whenever I drop by for brunch on Sunday would be the soup pan mee with the noodles torn into bite size. My absolute favorite style of the noodles as it is something special, rather than the usual slurping on long strand of noodles. My sister once brought us to Taman Berkeley in Klang for the famous 'meehoon kuey' and it was served like this, torn into pieces. I instantly fell in love with it, for in my humble opinion, it is the bestest I have ever eaten!

The dry pan mee fares okay too but I would say the pork and fish balls take centerstage. They are hand and home made with no preservatives (no melamine! Haha). Unlike some other places which sell fish balls that are either unfresh or soggy, my aunt's fish balls are tangy, springy and ingredients are always fresh! The pork balls are something our family enjoys too, most often we will takeaway the fish and pork balls as ingredients for our maggi mee cookouts on days when mom is too lazy to cook.


Pricing

Hope you had a great weekend folks!


Ah May Noodles
@ Restoran Vest Inn
Jalan USJ 16/2F,
Subang Jaya.

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

European fare @ TJ Haus

How was your Raya holidays? I was told that Malaysia has the most number of holidays in the world (I don't mind hehe). True to Malaysian tradition, everything in work has been put off until "after Raya". That's the most commonly used excuse for the month!

"Eh, when want to deliver the goods?"
"After Raya lah..."

"Eh, when want to discuss this new project?"
"After Raya lah..."

"Eh, the invoice when can give me ah?"
"After Raya lah..."

"Eh, when wanna makan, take bath, drink water?"
"After Raya lah..."

Gawd, don't we all love this country and its people? Procrastination IS our forte :D

What better way to celebrate this joyous occasion with our Muslim brethren than to have a good meal? On Tuesday afternoon, Kenneth messaged me asking if I will be interested to have dinner with him, a few other mates we know and Mr Alex, their lecturer. I was tasked to find a good place for dinner, so as usual lah I'll do my 'research' online... and I found this "hidden gem" in the familiar neighborhood of Subang Jaya: TJ Haus @ SS18


Crispy duck (German style)- RM23
Grilled 1/2 duck to perfection with brown orange sauce, served with red cabbage and boiled potatoes, "chef's recommendation"!

Crispy duck, German style? Interesting... While I have had Pork Knuckles, German style before, this is something I have never tried. Listed under the poultry section, the crispy duck is done almost the same way as crispy skin chicken with pinkish crackers in those typical Chinese weddings. The only difference perhaps is, it is duck and the meat is much more tender and very flossy-like. The skin is crispy with a perfect golden brown tan, earning a high 8/10 rating from me. The only downside to the meal is the pairing of red cabbage as a side. The red cabbage salad had a strong sourish taste to it, I suspect there were hints of pickles with it. The boiled potatoes balanced my disliking for the vege as I love anything and everything potato!


Cordon bleu chicken- RM23
With seafood and cheese stuffings, curried cream sauce, served with butter rice and vegetable, "chef's recommendation"!

Our friend, Ivan had the Cordon Bleu Chicken which I found to be interesting. I have never seen any CB Chicken done in this style- with curried cream sauce and butter rice. From the picture, it looks more like a nasi campur meal eh.


Pasta a la carbonara- RM17.50
Spaghetti with beef bacon and mushroom in rich creamy sauce

QFung had the Pasta a la carbonara. Again, from presentation the pasta didn't look all too creamy and loaded with button mushrooms with bits of beef bacon. A pasta that is too creamy, a pizza that is too cheesy, or a bar of chocolate that is too milky is something we Asians are still finding hard to swallow. However, seeing that QFung had no problems licking the plate clean, I suppose the level of creamy-ness is acceptable :D


Lamb shank- RM24
In spicy BBQ sauce served with vegetables and mashed potatoes, "chef's recommendation"!

I showed Kenneth a link of a review by another blogger and he said everything looked so good that he didn't know what to order! He kept going, "Eh you know that picture on the blog... which one is that ah? Very nice wan..." I am not sure if it was Lamb Shank he had in mind but Lamb Shank it was that he ordered in the end. As written by the man himself, I quote "And as for the food, it was good, not fantastic, but good, and enjoyable."


Roast beef- RM29
With whole grain mustard sauce, roasted potatoes and vegetables

Last but not least, actually I am not too sure if it's Roast beef that Mr Alex ordered cos I didn't manage to catch what he said to the waiter. Assuming that it is, I think the dish looks too good to be eaten! Soft and tender beef roasted, just imagine the juices and meat that melts in your mouth, a burst of flavours! Again, roasted potatoes are potatoes and I love potatoes! I wouldn't mind trying this out the next time.

Ambience is very nice and homely. Felt somewhat like a place for family dinners, a small setting but excellent service. Parking is ample especially at night. TJ Haus is truly a hidden gem.

Other reviews:
The Bong Joint
Dig into authentic European Fare
Her Royal Highness

Are you working today? I am :( But on the bright side, it's Friday!


TJ Haus (Pork free)
27A, SS18/1B,
47500, Subang Jaya.
Tel: 03-56364508
Business hours: 11am-2pm, 6pm-11pm
(row of shops opposite the Subang Kewajipan flyover and SS17 Police Station. 1st floor above TD2000 Showroom)

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Hennessy Artistry @ Orange Club, KL

Kelab Oren

Last Saturday, all the KL-ites clubbers were either clubbing at Orange Club KL or Euphoria Sunway. If you didn't know, it was the 5th installment of Hennessy Artistry at Orange Club and Hed Kandi at Euphoria. Fyi, Hed Kandi has a club at Clark Quay, Sg.


2 pinks and a black, because pink is the new black :D

It was my 3rd time to a Hennessy Artistry event, my first was at Aloha KL, and it was pretty much 'the beginning' to more. My second Artistry was at Bukit Kiara and it was teh bomb! I think the Bkt Kiara event was the best free flow party of the year.

Honestly, I've never heard of Orange Club, neither did many people. Lucky for me that Eiling is better with the KL roads, I only sponsored car, petrol and toll. Not cheap ok for a round trip to KL but *thinks of free flow...* Orange Club is situated behind Borneo Baruk Club, along Jalan Kia Peng.




Meet my escorts, Ash & Joshan

I went with Ash & Joshan, both from college. Param joined us later on with a VIP ticket! Tsk tsk tsk. There was already a long queue for registration but it moved pretty quick as the registration was as easy as mentioning your name or mobile number (for those RSVP online). The club inside was already packed with people by the time we squeezed in but we were lucky to secure a good spot just beside the stage.


DJ Tom Price & DJ Shane spinnin'


DJ Tom Price- so kiut!

DJ Tom Price was spinning while waiting for the crowd and international acts to start. Pam Chong (Vince Chong's sis? of Amazing Race Asia fame?) came onto the stage and did a little ice breaking for the night and introduce the first act of the night- Until June.


Until June, July, August...

Sue me but I have never heard of this band before... They played some emo songs with the vocalist on the piano, another on guitar and another on drums. Perhaps Artistry 5 should be abit emo. The band played a few songs, not that I know any anyway.


The DEY rockin' the house down

Pardon me for my ignorance as I didn't know who The DEY was before they sang their hit song, "There's Nothin'" originally sang alongside Sean Kingston and Juelz Santana. So after that night, Eiling kept replaying that song everyday for 1289312719 times -____-


Shayne "Breathless" Ward

The final and biggest act came onto stage shortly after The DEY exited, belting out a few songs. Cameras were snapping away and like I said lucky us that we got a spot near the stage, hence this perfect close up picture :D He sang "Apologize" but didn't sing "Breathless" which left us very much disappointed as we were anticipating for that hit song. Maybe too emo gua?


KYclubs with EZYclubstoo

The whole performance ended at about 12.30am and the scene was took over by DJ Shane spinnin' some techno/trance/dunno what. We clubbed like there's no tommorow but had to keep a tab on the free flow drinking part as I was assigned to getting us back home in one piece. Right after Shayne Ward's show, the bar seemed vacant with many people exiting and to keep things easy and drinks flowing freely, there were waiters going around with a jug of Hennesy to refill your glasses while you stay on the dancefloor dancing away...

The night ended on a high note with more pictures! T'was an awesome night with some of my closest friends, loud music, booze and a bodyache the next morning...




with our new found friend. what's his name? dunno.


You've seen The DEY, we are The 'WEs'

And finally... your Residence DJ for the night! (Don't you wish you have such cool job?)



tipu punya! :-p

Meaty House @ USJ

* NON-HALAL POST


Param's so hottttt he melted the cake! :p

It was Param's birthday last Monday. This September month is full of birthdays, one day after another! It was a very last minute plan to surprise Param and no prize for guessing who was put in charged of finding a place to wine&dine ;)

After some considerations, I suggested Meaty House at USJ Taipan since it's nearby Subang.


Pork chop


Sausages and pork belly


German Ham steak


Lamb chop with mint sauce


German Pork Knuckle- RM29.80


Pork ribs

The German Pork Knuckle is inarguably the most famous item in the menu as many who have been there are all praises for its affordability and value-for-money. At only RM29.80 (that's not even RM30, physcological pricing), a big chunck of pork knuckle sits atop your dinner plate with some fries as side. It is all meaty, fatty and crispy... sinfully artery clogging.

While the sausages and pork ribs taste equally good, the presentation of meals speaks eitherwise. It feels like my mom's been in the kitchen doing all the cooking. It doesn't taste bad, only that it has a very homely feel to the meals, especially the fries which looked like they have come straight from the deep fryer we have at home.

It was a very quiet Monday night as we were the only customers throughout the night. The owner is very accomodating and eccentric at some points (he remembers dishes in the menu by the number not the name!). We ended the night with a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake and 2 bottles of wine (one red, one white) for our alcoholic friend who has just turned 23 :-p

Happy Birthday!


Meaty House
37, Jalan USJ 10/1D,
Taipan Triangle,
Subang UEP, Selangor.
Tel: 03-56335634

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

Eating at EDEN

Eden Restaurants, as I remember, have been around for agesssss. But believe it or not, last Wednesday's dinner marked my first visit to this (pretty) well-known restaurant. Vic Kie is back from UK for good and was down in Subang for job interviews and so we decided to meet up along with Kai Yang and Ziling. We headed to the Subang Parade branch as Subang seems to be the mid/(meeting) point of everywhere!

I have read many reviews about Eden and I can tell you 9 out of 10 gave it a bad review. But I supposed since it's my first, I should give the benefit of the doubt.


Executive Set Meal Menu- RM34.90+ per person

After flipping through the menu, I decided to settle on the Executive Set Meal (RM34.90+) as other ala carte mains cost more or less the same. I chose the French Onion Soup as starter, BLT Steak on Olio Pasta as mains, Tiramisu as dessert and a cup of Tea to wash it all down.


French Onion Soup

Firstly, the French Onion Soup came as a huge disappointment. You don't even have to taste it, one look at the colour will tell you it is diluted and tasteless. Perhaps they should learn from Gaucho Grill, look at the texture and color differences! Tsk tsk tsk.


BLT Steak on Olio Pasta
a juicy piece of tenderloin steak sits atop a bed of olio pasta, sauteed and flavored to perfection


So juicy... I like ;)

The mains, BLT Steak on Olio Pasta came very appealing in terms of presentation. The BLT (Bacon Lettuce Tomato) was something extra and pretty special I would say although there's nothing to shout about, I mean how wrong can a bacon, lettuce and tomato combination get?? The tenderloin steak, which I requested to be done medium was the saving grace of the whole meal! It was so tender, so juicy, melts in your mouth and just so addictive. I would have been happier if they told me they ran out of pasta and BLT and instead gave me a bigger portion of the steak. Hehe.


Tiramisu

Things went downhill again after the steak. The tiramisu came in a cup not bigger than your chinese tea cup. Expecting for some tiramisu taste, all I got was a cup of creamy cheese with no more than 5% of tiramisu taste. The best tiramisu so far is still from Bermuda & Onion. And to make the whole dinner worst, even the tea is diluted!


Wild Mushroom Soup

Ziling had a wild mushroom soup and believe it or not, the soup was served cold! What was the kitchen thinking, I wonder...


Braised Hong Kong "EE FOO" Noodles with Seafood Combo- RM16.50

Her Braised HK Ee Foo Noodles with seafood combo didn't fare any better. Ee Foo noodles look and taste something like a mixed breed between longevity and wan tan noodles. The only 'seafood combo' is fish and prawns. The verdict? Your neighbourhood tai chow can do much much better at a much much lower price. Definitely a MISS.


Cantonese style Hong Kong "EE FOO" Noodles with beef tenderloin strips- RM13.50

Vic Kie had the Cantonese style HK Ee Foo Noddles with Beef Tenderloin Strips and it was so much better than the braised seafood version (cheaper too). There were quite a few beef strips and taste abit like char kuey teow (only it's with beef and not kuey teow). Not too bad but I don't quite like Ee Foo noodles :/

I forgotten to snap a picture of Kai Yang's Grilled Norwegian Salmon with Béarnaise Sauce (RM29.50).

Overall, there are more misses than hits. I would not suggest this place if you want to go for a tasty meal. The ambience however is pretty nice for a get-together meal as there's not much people, hence the space and silence to indulge in some gossip sessions.

Thanks Kai Yang for the dinner!


Eden Restaurant
Lot 31 & G29 Subang Parade,
No.5, Jalan SS 16/1,
47500 Subang Jaya.
Tel: 03-56377781
http://www.edenzil.com/fb_res_subang.php

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]

WIP Cafe @ Bangsar Shopping Center

Work. In. Progress.

WIP is a food joint that is gaining popularity among fellow Bangsar'ians and attracting non-Bangsar'ians to this part of the world where everything is imported, pricey and 'atasan class'. I was there a week ago with 3 other friends from college (Param, Joshan and Ashvin) to catch "Malaysia masa Kini" at Actors Studio, BSC. Will do a review on the play sometime later...

Normally before suggesting any place for meals, I will try to read up on the eatery first. I read that WIP is the brainchild of famous Soul'ed Out husband-wife team Fred and Michelle. Gosh, sometimes reading and seeing all these people opening one successful cafe/restaurant after another makes me feel like embarking on this gastronomic business too! Only that I have no capital/skills/network yet. So I shall go around eating and stealing people's ideas, HAHA.


Lychee martini- RM25

As always, it is great to start off the night/meal with a mild alcoholic drink. Friends who know us, no prize for guessing whose glass this belongs to... (Hint: Mr P)

;-)


Salmon steak and wild rocket salad- RM36
Norwegian salmon steak grilled to perfection and served with au gratin and fresh tomato salsa

Param also had the Salmon steak and wild rocket salad. Hey, speaking of which, I didn't have a taste of your dish Param! So if you have anything good/bad to say about the dish, do drop a comment and let us know aights! Presentation wise, I don't think there's any complains. Plus, what can ever go wrong with salmon? It's good regardless of pan fried, seared, smoked, sashimi'ed etc.


Chicken Makanwala- RM25
Boneless chicken tenderly cooked in a tangy butter sauce recipe. With vegetable masala, raitha, papadum and salad with mango dressing.

I had the Chicken Makanwala which comes highly recommended by many reviews I read. A fan of this Indian dish, butter chicken, the Makanwala didn't disappoint. In fact, I would have happily licked the golden bowl clean if not for the big portions. The chicken cubes are tender and perfect pair with the addictive butter gravy. The naans came perfectly done, crispy, fluffy and fresh. Definitely one of my favourite North Indian cuisine.


Northern Indian B.P. chicken- RM26
Northern Indian marinated boneless chicken cooked to perfection. Served with masala vegetables, dhal and chapatti.

We learnt a new acronym that night. I learnt from my previous visit to Jarrods & Rawlins that BLT stands for Bacon Lettuce Tomato, wonder what BP stands for? No, it's not Black (eyed) Peas, nor is it Batu Pahat. Buy you 1 ayam percik if you can guess! :-p

Ashvin had the Northern Indian B.P. chicken. I suppose even from the picture you can tell the chicken had a burst of indian flavour with the herbs and spices and the 'BP' ;-)



Lamb kebab on hot plate- RM29
Marinated lamb meat cooked on a sizzling hot plate over slow fire, with fresh asparagus on the side

What's really funny about this place (and that of Soul'ed Out) is it has a totally western name, western style deco and setting, but serves really awesome Indian food! This Lamb kebab on hot plate was ordered by Joshan, and it certainly made quite an entrance to the table due to the sizzlingzzzz of the hot plate. A few generious slabs of grilled lamb were served on a banana leaf with another plate of naan to lick the lamb gravy clean. Yum yum.

Just like its brother/sister cafe, Soul'ed Out, WIP Cafe also functions as a bar with cocktails, mocktails, wine and other liqueur and an array of other Western and Asian cuisine (such as the Sang Har Mein). It has a very nice ambience with funny costumes worn by the waiters which includes bright yellow tee and brown overall and complete with a light headgear (yes, we asked if it functions and the waitress happily obliged to show us the light). Another worthy visit would be the washroom as you'll need to know the password to enter!

Maybe somewhere hidden in the loo is a treasure box...


WIP Cafe
Lot G 111, Ground floor,
Bangsar Shopping Center,
285, Jalan Maarof,
59000 KL.
Tel: 03-20942789

[disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are based on my personal views, tastebuds and preference and may vary for others. please dont sue me, i dont have money. kthxbye.]