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Chinese Tapas at Tai Zi Heen  

29 Sep 11, 2:31pm 0 comments | 1087 views

Chinese Tapas at Tai Zi Heen

Most of us are quite accustomed to Tapas i.e. Spanish appetizers. How about Chinese Tapas? Well... we had Chinese Tapas recently at Tai Zi Heen at Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur with some buddies and business partners. And it was at an awesome price of RM10++ per dish. With over 20 items to choose from, its no wonder that we had this much food for the 9 of us! I call this our Prosperity Meal:D
 
I think dumplings are really fun. Its a wee like opening presents to reveal what wrapped inside. At Tai Zi Heen, I "unwrapped" 2 presents...I meant dumplings. The Steamed Spinach Dumpling Filled with Prawn and the Steamed Prawn Dumplings with Dried Scallops.
It may look a wee green to some people but rest assured the green from the Steamed Spinach Dumpling Filled with Prawn comes from the all natural goodness of spinach.
Another old fashion dim sum dish that I was glad to see in the list of Chinese Tapas is the Steamed Scallop Siew Mai. There is something magical when meat is served together with scallop. The each enhance each other's native character.
My fave for the night..and I reckon many of us on that table would have been this pretty Smoked Duck in Egg Rolls and Preserved Ginger. The duck was rich and flavourful and is very well complimented by the preserved ginger and century egg. Needless to say, we reordered this item again and again:D
One more good appetizer to start ones meal is always chilled Marinated Seashell and Jellyfish with Garlic and Preserved Vegetables. A cold dish with crunch in every bite...yummeh!
Another of my personal favourite from the Chinese Tapas is Batter Fried Whitebait Fish with Spiced Salt. The fluffy batter and melt in your mouth fish is simply good. The spiced salt makes this a good nibbler especially when you're chatting over a meal.
Being half Cantonese, soups are such a must for me if I see it on the menu. I absolutely love the warm rich Eight Treasures Sun Dried Seafood Soup. Every mouthful revealed quite a bit of precious treasures indeed including scallop, sea cucumber and crab meat. Yummy!
It wasn't just meat and all the rich food. One must always remember to eat their vegetables. The chefs at Tai Zi Heen came up with a few good tasting ones that will have you digging into every bit of the vegetables.
 
Deep Egg Plant with Salt and Pepper is a good idea to get picky eaters who don't like egg plants to give this dish a try.Yeah we had picky eaters on our table...and they certainly learnt to eat egg plants. Lightly battered, the egg plant was soft under the batter and delightfully blending well with the salt and pepper flavour.
Spicy folks can opt for the Stir Fried Okra with Dried Shirmp. Very well done as the okra was not slimy which I am aware is quite a turn off for some people. This one was refreshing, not slimy and not oily despite the presence of the dried shrimps.
There is something comforting about bean sprouts and salted fish. The Fried Bean Sprout with Salted Fish was fresh and crunchy. Crunchy bean sprouts is not the easiest cooking feat as the vegetable turns soft really quickly. This is done just perfect!
I have a love for leeks and celery. It looks refreshing green and has its own unique flavour that compliments many meats and seafood easily. And if you love them like I do, then you must try the Wok Fried Fish Fillet with Celery and also the Wok Fried Beef with Leeks and Ginger.
Brilliant refreshing looking celery and fish!
Juicy tender beef
One simple dish yet popular...perhaps its simplicity is what makes this dish popular is the Steamed Beancurd with Oyster Sauce and Dried Shrimp at many Chinese meals.
For some finger licking good action, one must order the Baked Honey Scented Chicken Wing Sesame.It is so well marinated that one is quite tempted to start nibbling even the bone. LOL.
Another to try chicken dish would be the Crispy Boneless Chicken with Coffee Barbeque Sauce. Yes I said Coffee. This is a unique dish with a tad of coffee flavouring to it. Very appetizing and it will have you munching almost none stop.
On a slightly fusion note is the Steamed Beef Meatballs with Mozarella Cheese. Eat this while its hot and you'll be treated to the richness of the beef and creamy Mozarella cheese which is placed nicely in the centre of each meatball
.
Every properous meal must have a happy note to it (well at least this half Cantonese girl says so). It must have prawn that sounds like "laughter" i.e. "Har" One happy prawn dish is the Deep Fried Prawns coated in Sesame Seeds with Sweet and Sour Sauce. This is good to eat even without the dip on the side.
I also liked the slightly spicy Sauteed Prawns with Fried Garlic, Shallots and Dried Chillies. The prawns maintained a certain firmness and would be one dish that I gladly order as an ala carte when the Chinese Tapas promotion is over.
After a good meal...its always good to have some desserts to relax the palate and signal to the brain that we're going to stop eating:P There are no desserts on the Chinese Tapas promotion so we ordered from the regular ala carte menu.
 
I opted for the Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Aloe Vera and Lime Sorbet. Absolutely refreshed by the lemongrass jelly, I did not have the need to reach out for a cup of coffee. The lime sorbet is a must for those who love tangy stuff. It was too tangy for me to eat on its own but it went really well with the whole dessert as a whole.
If you like almond desserts, then the Hot Almond Soup in Coconut with Black Sesame Tong Yuen is a must. Rich creamy almond soup and not overly sweet not artificial smelling like many dessert places, this is another comforting warming dish for the stomach. The glutionous rice balls were nice and soft and when one bites into it, the black sesame just ooozes out gently.
Ice cream kakis opted for the Chilled Mango Puree with Pomelo, Sago and Vanilla Ice Cream. I tried a mouthful of this and loved it. I would have liked to order it if not for me being quite stuffed from the Chinese Tapas we ordered. The vanilla ice cream was not disappointing. Rich and creamy...it danced very well with the mango and pomelo with bits of sago to give you yet another different texture in your mouth.
This promotion ends 30th October 2011 for lunch between 12noon to 2:30pm from Mondays to Fridays:
Tai Zi Heen
1st Floor Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur
+603 2170 8888

Hi Tea Yummies @ Green Treats Cafe  

23 Sep 11, 1:18pm 2 comments | 962 views

Hi Tea Yummies @ Green Treats Cafe

I love meetings. I love coffee sessions. I love canapes and little bites. And when you marry all these elements together, its just a perfect day out. And definitely a perfect day for work.
Recently met up with some business associates at Green Treats Cafe at Swiss Garden Hotel for a discussion. We each took our comfort seat, ordered our drinks and then we realised..."hey there's a hi tea thingy going on". Brilliant! Since it meant we could talk over coffee and some munchies all in a relaxed ambience. No need to business chat to a hungry stomach.
Illy coffee and 3 tier goodies is just awesome. You can opt for tea too if that if you cup of tea (literally). There was macaroons for my macaroon kakis. Yummy scones for me...and cupcakes, cheese cakes, canapes of a few sorts. Perfect!
Scones. Fluffy inside with lots of fresh cream and some strawberry jam on it. Sinfully sweet and rich...the tea or coffee of your choice would wash it down just nicely:D
And since we were talking business, the wifi came in handy for us to check our mails (and tweet a little). This is also brilliant when I want to hop off somewhere for a cozy hi tea with my besties or even hubby:D For those who love to read or catch up with the good old fashion magazines, Green Treats Cafe has quite a good selection to last you for hours. Look who got caught up with a magazine? Sweetie pie Esty.
So here you go...
Green Treats Cafe @ Swiss Garden Hotel
 
And I discovered that they have a promotion with the fun folks at Everyday. Check it out:
 

AXN The Challenger Muay Thai  

21 Sep 11, 4:40pm 1 comments | 1447 views

AXN The Challenger Muay Thai

The Challenger Muay Thai is on. And if you love Muay Thai or kickboxing like I do, then this is a must watch! A reality competion series set and filmed in Malaysia, 16 world class fighters will fight it out for the ultimate Muay Thai World Champion and a grand prize of USD100,000.
Met the fighters in person during their launch. Everyone has their own character and attraction. Can't wait to catch every episode as the show unveils.
Expect entertainment, raw emotion, intense fights and more with the progression of each fight night . All 16 fighters have been hand-picked from around the world by by renowned Muay Thai personality and Vice President of the World Muay Thai Council, Stephan Fox. As host of the series and with over 30 years of experience under his belt, Fox is also the mentor to the fighters.
 
Each week, the fighters will be subjected to a rigorous bout of training from their two trainers Hanarong and Nugget, revolving around the ‘weapon of the week’. These include spiritual ideals such as respect and fearlessness, as well as focusing on each component of their body, their natural weapon in the context of Muay Thai.
Who will rise to the challenge and emerge as the Muay Thai World Champion? Who will overcome all odds and walk away with USD100,000? How will my fave fighters Vuyisile Colossa "The Cheetah", Frank Giorgi "The Italian Stallion", Pidsanu Kunchat "Mardsua", Pinto Antoine "The Phenom or even our Malaysian talent Mohd Faizal Bin Ramli "Golden Elbow" fare? Catch it all on AXN (Astro channel 701) and AXN HD (Astro B.yond channel 721) every Thursday at 10pm!
Follow The Challenger Muay Thai on Facebook:
 
Here's some terminology that will come handy while you watch The Challenger Muay Thai:
General Terms
• Muay Thai - Thai Boxing, Muay means “boxing”
• Wai Kru - The ceremonial warm-up dance Thai boxers do before competition. Ram means “dance,” Muay means “boxing” The Wai Kru also acts as a warm-up stretch for all the limbs used in Muay Thai.
• WMC - World Muay Thai Council
• IFMA - International Federation of Muay Thai Amateur
 
Competition Terminology
• Nak Muay - Thai boxer
• Ao! Jai !Sai! - Ready to fight or pay attention
• Andap - Rating
• Champ - Champion
• Chok - Fight
• Book - Attack
• Jang wa - Timing and rhythm
• Yok - Round
• Fet Rao - K.O.
• Gamagang - The referee
• Yaek - Break or separate. Referee.
• Yud - When he wants the fighters to separate
• Dadsin - Stop - used by the referee
• Gaan Dasin - To judge or to decide something
• Faidaeng - Judging
• Fainamnerng - The red corner of the Muay Thai ring
• Koo Ek - The blue corner of the Muay Thai ring

Pork Free: I Love Hong Kong Promotion @ Zuan Yuan  

20 Sep 11, 12:12pm 2 comments | 875 views

Pork Free: I Love Hong Kong Promotion @ Zuan Yuan

I love Hong Kong for its shopping and its food. Now Hong Kong comes to us with its tantalising and exciting Cantonese cuisines at Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant in One World Resort.
 
Dinner review with a few of my makan kakis kicked off with Sea Conch with Cucumber in Wasabi Sauce. Do not expect smoking wasabi...the slightly sweet wasabi in this dish is mild and compliments the crunchy sea conch and cucumber well. A good appetizer to kick start the palates.
Next to arrive was Poached Bitter Cucumber Sze Chuan Style. Bitter and appetizer wouldn't be too right sounding for many. However, this bitter cucumber wasn't all that bitter. It was crunchy and soft at the same time. It had a fresh green flavour to it that went well with the spicy chilly granishing. A tad spicy for some but this reminds me of one of our Goon family favourites that my late Porpor used to make.
Cantonese soups are my all time favourite. Our Double Boiled Black Chicken Soup with Dried Scallop and "Chong Cao Hua" arrived in individual bowls. I opened the cover and was greeted by a clear soup. Being a soup person, I took this soup very quickly. Yummy like how my Porpor used to boil soups.
I love having prawns in my chinese sit down dinners. Its something that I learn from my chinese reunion dinners that prawn signify happiness (prawns in Cantonese have the sound "Har" i.e. in our laughter we go "hee hee har har"). The Wok Fried Tiger Prawn with Special Sauce had just that effect on me. I smiled when it arrived. Such a pretty dish in a bed of a special sauce that was creamy. The sauce is rather appetizing. Do ask for a bowl of rice and not put the sauce to waste.
Another brilliant dish with very yummy sauce was the Braised Cod Fish with Morel Mushroom. The cod was done just right and its sweetness went well with the sauce. I finished off my bowl of rice with the lovely sauce.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Braised Chicken with King Soya Sauce Served in Clay Pot. Its not easy to make this dish as very good soya sauce must be selected and the art of cooking this dish requires great attention to ensure that the chicken thoroughly soaks in the sauce yet the skin remains not overly soggy nor overly salty. Here at Zuan Yuan, this is a must have dish when you try their I Love Hong Kong promotion.
Braised Bean Curd with Egg and Tomato Sauce is a happy dish for me. This simple yet delectable dish is perfect especially when you have children with you. I love this dish quite a bit so perhaps I am also a child? Hehehe.
Assorted Diced Sea Food with Crispy Rice in Lobster Soup is not your regular soup. A rather eclectic dish that is not your regular soup. The crisp rice smelt awesome. I was quite filled from the earlier dishes but could not resist having this dish. It did look like baby food but certainly did not taste like baby food. Absolutely flavourful since it was lobster soup with assorted seafood and coupled with the fragrant crispy rice that remained crispy for quite some time, I resorted to having spoonful after spoonful. *Burp*
baby food?
its a super adult food filled with flavours and textures!
Chef Michael treated us to one of his signature dishes Honey Chicken with Deep Fried Ginger. I love ginger and took to this dish very well. Every chicken was evenly coated with a honey based sauce. The ginger which were crisp were delightful. Its like eating chips with the fresh zing of ginger. A must have dish!
Dessert time! I really don't have much room left for dessert. But the Mango and Avocado "Ying Yang" Style was quite irresistible. The creamy avocado went well with the sweet ripe mango. The way to eat it is to mix it all together. And when you take a mouthful of this refreshing dessert, you'll instantly feel refreshed.
The second dessert that we opted for was the Black and White Sesame Glutinous Rice Cake. It does look a bit like our local kuih lapis except this was only black and white. The sesame was aromatic and even though it was made of glutinous rice, this dessert is not too rich. And neither did it leave me feeling like a bloated fat whale - a feel that I often get after glutinous rice desserts.
And if you like the above, hop by to ‘I Love Hong Kong’ Promotion from the 1st to 30th October 2011:
Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant
One World Hotel
+603 7681 1159

RM1 Dim Sum @ Di Wei  

13 Sep 11, 1:20pm 3 comments | 1129 views

RM1 Dim Sum @ Di Wei

RM1 Dim Sum?
 
Got together wit some buddies and we had some RM1 dim sum. Yes you read it right. RM1 dim sum at Di Wei to celebrate the 1st birthday of Empire Hotel.
There was a choice of 4 types of dim sum to choose from for RM1...so its quite a natural response to choose all especially when I was seriously hungry when we arrived as my set of cutlery tells you:P
Our Steamed Shanghainese Dumpling arrived in individual bowls. Each dumpling nestled on a bed of spinach (my fave vegie), it looked delightfully yummy and cute. Eat it as soon as it arrives! Feel the explosion of soup and meat in your mouth. Juicy! The spinach went well with the whole works...so its really not just decoration purposes. My only complain is that the skin was a wee thick for my personal liking. Regular price at RM9 for 3 pieces and now at RM1, I can have many many pieces of this yummy dumplings.
The Pan fried Meat Bun RM9 for 3 pieces is also available for the RM1 special. Every bun is delicately fried only on the base while the rest of the bun is soft and tender. The whole experience of the slightly crisp base with the soft skin and the meat within is a good play of textures and flavours.
What is a dim sum session without any Char Siew Pow? At Di Wei, the Steamed Bun With Barbeque Pork is available for RM1 (Regular Price RM7.50 for 3 pieces) is quite good. I wished that the meat stuffing would have been more though:P
Steamed Mini Custard bun with Salted Egg is one of my fave must haves whenever we have dim sums. Break the bun into half and look at the wonderful oozing custard ooze out. Now bite into it. Yummy....lick off the extras from your fingers. Its such as waste to waste the custard! Regular price is RM6 and now for this limited time only...RM1 for 3 pieces!
yummy rich custard!
The above special offer of RM1 is only available via www.everyday.com.my before it expires. Hurry to buy your coupons for your next dim sum lunch. You can buy up to 30 coupons and use all your coupons in one go. Superb deal isn't it?
 
And while your at Di Wei, give their other dishes a try.
 
If you love mushrooms, a must try is the Fried Honshimeji Mushroom with Fungus and Chinese Rice Wine (RM16). The mushrooms are so well favoured. Not too hard and not too soft...just right. The chinese rice wine indeed brought out the best of the mushroom and fungus. Yummy!
And if you're a soup person like me and in this current hazy hot weather, a soup will do all of us good...then order the Double Boiled Fresh Ginseng Soup with Glutinous Rice (RM45). Hehehe...yes the glutinous rice in the soup gave the soup a slightly nutty taste that went well with the sweetness of the spring chicken and fresh ginseng ~ very comforting soup. The soup is light...not overpowering with ginseng. For some this may be a tad light but I believe the chef must have kept it light so its palatable for everyone.
What's inside?
The goodness of spring chicken and the ginseng:D
Another yummy have here is the Chilled Japanese Bean Curd with Tobiko and Oyster Sauce (RM16). Placed in a spoon, this delicate dish is best taken in one whole mouth (which obviously doesn't work for me). So I cut it into half and ensure that bite had the tobiko and oyster sauce. A very simple but nevertheless yummy dish!
4 on a plate and I can easily have all 4 to myself!
Stir fried Shanghai Glutinous Rice Cake with Shredded Pork and Preserved Vegetables (RM32) is also another must try. The salty vegetables gave the slightly chewy glutinous rice the oomph...this is so yummy that I was half tempted to forget my table manners and lick my bowl clean:D
I am a sucker for pumpkin and tofu and absolutely loved the Braised Whole Abalone with Bean Curd in Pumpkin Gravy (RM10). Under the aabalone was a yummy soft flavourful bean curd. And when you eat it with the creamy pumpkin sauce (they use Butternut Pumpkin) its yummeeeeeeeeeh
I'm not much of a deep fried or fried food person. However if you feel like having some fried stuff (or have friends or loved ones) who'll like to have some fried dishes for lunch, then the Deep Fired Chicken served with Mustard Sauce (RM14) is a good recommendation. The meat inside is flavourful and tender. Dab a little into the mustard sauce for a twist to the fried chicken.
The Deep Fried Prawn with Cheese, Salt and Pepper (RM42) is also a good recommendation. Every prawn is enveloped wit a light batter and when you bite into it, your palette is greeted by sweet juicy prawn with a swoosh of cheese, salt and pepper kick. And for many, once you start on one piece, its hard to stop eating as its quite a yummy nibble for many!
Di Wei is tucked in a quieter corner of 1st Floor Empire Shopping Mall. Landmark is Popular Book Shop and its facing the escalator. Alteratively you may also enter from Empire Hotel itself. For reservations or details, please call +603 5565 1268 or +603 5565 1388.
 
~~~~~~~~
 
I do love the warm interior especially the lanterns and the pictures. Lovely isn't it?


Rugby World Cup Launch Party @ Jarrod & Rawlins  

09 Sep 11, 6:15pm 1 comments | 931 views

Rugby World Cup Launch Party @ Jarrod & Rawlins

Rugby? Yes I like rugby too. Too bad I'm far too petite for this game. Otherwise this is one game that I'll be playing:D. So what can I do since I don't play? Watch rugby!
 
So here I am now at Jarrod & Rawlins enjoying some yummy good food with my Guinness and hubby's Heineken.
Deep fried mushroom with yummy blue cheese dip
Basket of bacon
Spicy chicken wings
Its super high energy right this moment at Jarrod & Rawlins. Check out the folks watching the game between New Zealand and Tonga.The folks here are passionate over sports and definitely love rugby. Naturally the folks at Jarrod & Rawlins threw a launch party for the Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) at its Damansara Heights outlet.
Rugby fans, head over to Jarrod & Rawlins to catch all the RWC 2011 matches live on Astro High Definition at the Damansara Heights, Ampang, Sri Hartamas and Kota Kinabalu outlets. And while you're here, check out the specials during game days. Enjoy discounts on Heineken Draft and buckets, all draft beers, hot dogs, burgers and bar snacks.
 
And to make things even better, customers who dine at Jarrod & Rawlins with a receipt for RM100 and above can join a contest during the duration of RWC 2011. A simple contest...just predict the winners of certain matches. Easy? Well head over to Jarrod & Rawlins!
For more information, check out their website www.jarrod-rawlins.com

And while you're there for the game, check out the meat and frozen section as you enter Jarrod & Rawlins. Buy some to to fix your own yummy makan sessions!
Extra:
And if you can guess which team Dennis supports correctly...I mean this cutie pie Dennis, then go up to him with your answer. A mystery prize awaits you.
PS: this is a special contest available to the lucky first 5 who walk up to Dennis! Hurry:D

Recipe: Banana Carob Peanut Butter Cookies  

09 Sep 11, 4:13pm 1 comments | 928 views

Recipe: Banana Carob Peanut Butter Cookies

We baked yet another lot of cookies for Shalom. Its also part of her Goodnight Cookies series. We have to vary the flavours or else the girl is going to frown at her cookies and leave crumbs all over the house when she plays with them instead of eating them.
 
Ingredients:
2 tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter (creamy works just as well)
200g bananas (that's about 3 pieces of Dole bananas)
1 tablespoon of carob
100ml olive oil
150ml cold water
1 egg beaten (for brushing)
400g flour
 
Method:
• Mix peanut butter, banana and carob well. It will look mushy.
• Add in oil to the mushy mixture.
• Add flour to the oily mushy mixture.
•Add water slowly as you knead the flour and mushy mixture into a firm dough. Break the carob bits as you knead.
• Flatten dough till 1.5cm or thinner if furkids don't have strong teeth. Cut to your choice shape.
• Glaze with egg.
• Place on lightly greased pan.
• Bake in oven at 160C for 20 minutes or until firm.
• Let cookie cool and harden before storing in air tight containers.
You'll notice that the recipe for Shalom's cookeies are pretty much similar. I just play around with different "flavoured"ingredient e.g. cod, peanut butter, pumpkin or even peanut butter. So have fun experimenting with what is good for your furkid or what your furkid likes best.
 
Carob is a safe alternative to chocolates. Chocolates are poisonous to dogs so I use Carob which is somewhat similar tasting but a wee bitter to replace chocolate. You can get Carob at good organic or baking shops.
 
#1 egg is more than sufficient to glaze the cookies. So I normally beat the egg and reserve only 1/3 of the mixture for glazing. The other 2/3 is added into the cookie mix.

Nasi Lemak 2.0  

07 Sep 11, 5:36pm 4 comments | 1288 views

Nasi Lemak 2.0

If you're Malaysian, you'll know what is nasi lemak. And in case you don't know what it is? Well, its basically a dish of yummy rice cooked in coconut milk served with some yummy condiments on the side including peanuts, egg, cucumber and a spicy sauce called sambal.

I attended the gala premiere of Nasi Lemak 2.0. Had such good time laughing. But one thing that struck me most was that Namewee had managed to tell the story of Malaysians. What makes us uniquely Malaysians never mind that we may be Chinese, Indian or even a Malay. And to use nasi lemak which is such an iconic dish of Malaysia to tell the story...its just brilliant!
This movie also marks Namewee's first time attempt (and well done I have to say) as an All-In-1. Yes this man is the director, script writer, lead actor and music director of this movie. The story revolves around a young and rather arrogant Chinese Chef Huang (Namewee) who is seeked by Xiao K (Karen Kong) to help her save her father's restaurant. To win, they must create the ultimate dish and taichi master stall owner (Adibah Noor) sends them on an "adventure" around Malaysia.

And it screens tomorrow, go grab your tickets and watch it. Appreciate that this movie was filmed under RM1 million. No high tech cameras but a simple collaboration with Canon. For budding film makers, let Nasi Lemak 2.0 be your source of inspiration that its more than just cameras that make good movies and films.

Here's the trailer of what to expect and seriously watch it and go buy your tickets. I'll be watching it again with my pals as soon as Nasi Lemak 2.0 opens in the cinemas tomorrow (8 September)!

I mentioned the gala premiere....so here's some pics from the night.
Check out theirfacebookpage for more pics etc...and the website. And while you're at theNasi Lemak 2.0website, do take part in thecontestfor some fabulous goodies.

How can I leave this out?
http://youtu.be/fLgkXy_-Q5w

Hurry...grab your nasi lemak then your Nasi Lemak 2.0 tickets. Hmmm Nasi lemak 2.0 tickets first then only grab your nasi lemal makes better sense:D

Let's catch Taio Cruz Together on Arthur's Day!  

07 Sep 11, 3:38pm 3 comments | 1094 views

Let's catch Taio Cruz Together on Arthur's Day!

Taio Cruz Taio Cruz....yes Taio Cruz will be headlining Arthur's Day concert in Malaysia this year. And if you want to to catch him live in action, here's 4 simple steps to winning yourself exclusive invites to the Arthur's Day concert which will be held at Speed City (Selangor Turf Club) on 23rdSeptember 2011.
Be among the privileged to witness global music sensation Taio Cruz in action, together with other great performers like Mizz Nina, Joe Fizzlow and many more.

Here's how you can get a pair of exclusive invites:
Write tocontest@arthursday.com.myand a set of instruction which is something as the following will be emailed to you.
1.Change your first name to "Arthur" on Facebook (go to Account Settings, then Add the name 'Arthur' to your current name in the 'first name' portion)

2.Next, add the GUINNESS® Arthur's Day 2011 picbadge to your Facebook profile:http://www.picbadges.com/guinness%C2%AE-arthurs-day/2074098/

3.Post a status update to all your friends telling them"I'm going to get a pair of exclusive invites to watch Taio Cruz performing for Arthur's Day this 23rd September!"Be creative if you like.

4.Finally, after completing step 1 to step 3, send yourFacebook profile URLand ascreenshot of your status updatetocontest@arthursday.com.my, together with yourfull name and I/C number.
Important, you must be a Guinness® Facebook fan to participate and you must keep the name Arthur till the 23rd of September 2011.Exclusive Invites are limited and being allocated strictly on a first come first serve basis only, so act fast!

Here's a lil teaser of Taio Cruz live!
http://youtu.be/cmubIGaKf2I

Goku Raku Ramen √  

02 Sep 11, 1:41pm 0 comments | 1159 views

Goku Raku Ramen √

Hmmmm why did I put a √ on the blog post title? Read on...enjoy the pictures...sniff the pictures a little...lick the screen a little:D
Last week I hopped over the Goku Raku Ramen for a brilliant journey through ramen. I say journey as we given a tour on ramen making. Taught some fine stuff on ramen and the broths that go with different ramen. Learnt the art of making ramen and I figured out that I think I'll stick to eating:D
We started off with some green tea. A choice of hot or cold while waiting for the rest of the buddies to arrive.
Appetizer was Pirikara Negi Char Siew. This is one dish that has a fine art of eating. Basically grab a little of everything with the char siew as how executive chef Kanai San demonstrated to us. This is tough because I am quite bad with my chopsticks and trying to do that and holding the camera on the other hand...I relied of Chef being the model holding the char siew:D Now take a bite of the pretty yummy thing if you have a small mouth like me. Its a burst of flavours and textures. A wee juicy so do not choke:P
I love Gyozas. However there are not many places that I can find good gyozas that are crispy on one side and soft on the other. Yes...that is how good gyozas are supposed to be. At Goku Raku, gyozas are first fried. When its almost ready, some tempura sauce is poured into the pan. This results in the gyoza having 2 different textures i.e. nice and crisp on one side and yummily tender soft on the other side. A bite into each gyoza reveals a rich taste of fresh mice pork, onion, garlic, ginger, pork lard, cabbage and chives.
There is a choice of 2 dips for your gyoza. One is the original gyoza sauce and the other is known as the Shimizu San Special which has lemon, canola, soy sauce, shiso leaf and plus plus. You'll have to ask Shimizu San what the plus plus are:P My fave is of course Shimizu San sauce for its zesty taste.
Pork belly and tomato? Yeah pork belly and tomato make a good dish named Tomato Maki. Skewered and grilled, this maki is absolutely bursting with flavour. Juicy sweet tomato and the smokey salty taste of the pork belly will have you asking for more.
Another pork belly dish must have is the Buta Bara Kushi. A fried dish of pork belly and apple with some mustard is so delightful. Dip it into the given tonkutsu sauce. The batter allows the pork belly to remain juicy.
And if you like rice and specifically claypot rice, then the Ishiyaki Garlic Rice is a must have. A special sauce called the Stamina Sauce is added into the hot rice and stirred quickly. The results? Yummy flavorful rice of mince pork, egg, stamina sauce and garlic. This is also another possible rice dish that I will choose when I choose to carbo load before a run.
How can one visit Goku Raku Ramen and not have any ramen?
Since it was a group of 9 hungry stomachs, we were able to test 5 different ramen. And the 5 flavours were matched to the correct type of ramen. The basic principal would be to match the thinner ramen to a plainer soup while the thicker ramen goes better with full flavoured broths. There is also 2 types of oil that you can choose. Opt for the leek oil which is a little mild but nevertheless flavourful. The garlic oil is also known asmayuis a wee too strong for my liking.
Before we started on our ramen, we were given water with lemon. All our green tea was taken away, Chef Kanai San explained that the lemon infused water would clear our palettes better than green tea.
Tonkutsu Ramen is also known as the original ramen. The broth is made of only pork and boiled over a process of 17 hours to bring out the best of the pork. Being a lighter broth, we had this with the thinner ramen. I first tasted the noodle as is then tried it with leek oil followed with garlic oil. I opted to finish the rest if my Tonkutsu Ramen with the leek oil. It was milder but nevertheless flavourful with the pork based broth.
Miso Tonkutsu Ramen is a tad heavier than the original ramen. The added miso is a good choice for those who love miso for its salty "nutty taste". This particular ramen goes better with the garlic oil.
Gokuraku Ramen is served in a thicker broth made of pork, chicken and fish. All the 3 ingredients are cooked for approximately 30 hours. The result is a very full bodied and slightly smokey flavoured soup. Being a thicker broth, this is best served with the thick ramen. When our noodles arrived, the ramen was still el dente and it cooked gradually as we ate it.
If you like miso and full flavoured broths, then the Gokuraku Miso Ramen would be the perfect ramen for you. Thick ramen soaked in a broth of miso, chicken, pork and vegetables, there is something comforting ramen dish. Take a mouthful of the ramen with the broth and the mince pork. Awesome!
And just when I thought that the Gokuraku Miso Ramen was the ultimate ramen, Chef Kanai San announces that there is indeed one more ramen seriously called the Ultimate Tonkutsu Ramen! Thick ramen in pork broth with char siew, bamboo, egg, black fungus, leek, garlic oil and seaweed, this is a seriously huge bowl of ramen. The egg is cooked just right. *Burp*
Good food must end with desserts. Our palettes were treated to 3 desserts Annin Tofu, Rare Cheese Cake and Banana Fritter with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Each uniquely different and delicious in its own right, I loved the Annin Tofu the most. This cold creamy almond jelly is not overly sweet either. Perfect after our full meal above. So good that one of our pals needed a second helping:D
Yummy Yummy?
Goku Raku Ramen
S25-S26 Level 2,
North Court,
Mid Valley Megamall.
• Its the same side as JUSCO, FOS and Thai Odyssey
• Check out their Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/GokurakuRamento get more updates on their promotions:D
Hurry over to Gokuraku Ramen real soon. They are having a 50% off ramen dishes on Mondays and Tuesdays until September 2011
If you wanna slurp ramen like him, Gokuraku Ramen is having a 50% off ramen dishes on Mondays and Tuesdays until September 2011!

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