The Other Blog

LBH was horrible and the last MSA mini......

2010-04-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

wasn't ideal, 3rd place after failing to keep pace with Nigel (Recalling the 2008 Scrabble Scramble) and then stumbling over my last opponent by winning by single digit (well, he opened with a natural TOAZING....ggggrrrr.....) to allow someone to pip me on spread.

And don't even get me talking about LBH.

Lim Boon Heng Cup

2010-02-25T01:58:00.000-08:00

Here I come!!!

Guess this means that JB mini will have to wait.
OTOH, I probably will scrap my Australia trip and have to reconsider WPC in light of the new dates and venue (do I really want to spend all that money on a 10 year visa that will only be worth 1 trip?)

WSC and CSC epilogue

2009-12-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

WSC 70th place (half a win up on 2005 record). 11-13, -262.
Just pissed mad that I had to play compatriot, Vannitha Balasingam in the last round. And Malaysia is confirmed losing a spot, so shared responsibilities all round. (and that includes you, Ganesh)
CSC Open: 10th place, RM500, 27.5-17.5, + 1317.
No chance to play Premier this year, so I need not take responsibility that Causeway team has been dropped (Hell, I would rather Team Malaysia play and get dropped than being merged with Singapore to form Team Causeway). Time to start boosting International Rating to make the International teams (I think the 1911 rating I got from these two tourneys is a good headstart)

Foreseeable 2010 Itinerary
April: 2010 Australia Nationals, Adelaide
June: 25th King's Cup, Bangkok
November: WPC, Toronto/Dallas/Whereever (There is always the Malaysian Open for backup)
December: Causeway Scrabble Challenge, JB

King's Cup Epilogue

2009-07-14T21:00:00.000-07:00

Good: 16-10, +93, 16th place (one win up on last year) Personal Record

Bad: losing out on 10th place by a Helen Gipson or Lukeman Owolabi or Panupol Sujjayakorn

Ugly: Free challenge is such a bitch to deal with. Then again, there was Cream & fudge Factory which I visited like 5 times throughout the tournament, my poor waistline. My bowling scores on Friday or Saturday night.
Preparations for Nationals: Double NADA!!!!

Penang Open epilogue

2009-06-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Good: 5th place, RM 700 richer
Bad: rating should drop, 13 wins out of 20, ding-donging most of the way at the beginning.

Ugly: Diarrhoea attack on 1st night, Acid Reflux this morning, GI syndrome all the way. Cardbox just exploded today, 2000+ and counting to conquer in a few days.

Upside: no end-tourney slide, won 7 out of the last 8 games. (I think I managed to pass the curse on to Alex Tan)
Preparation for King's Cup: still NADA!!!

Scrabble updates

2009-06-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

Zyzzyva: 1.4xk 7s and 8s with bloated indigestions, must be the 6Ls K words......oh well, not going to reset cardbox just yet.

Strategy: sux!!!

Practice: sux!!!! need to plan some online sessions with pakorn or helen.

Preparation for Penang Open: what preparations?
Preparation for King's Cup: Nada too.

Where did the script go wrong?

2009-05-31T23:14:00.000-07:00

Singapore Open:

First 10 games: 9-1, 2 clear of the field and in pole position (good)
Last 6 games: 0-6, 7th barely scoring any points if this was the F1 GP (bad)

Playing phonies like HILIS* (unchallenged), OBIITS* (unchallenged), VOIDLESS* (challenged). (Really Ugly)

Going for the Singapore Open

2009-05-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was feeling rusty right now and wanted to put about an extra 3000 bingos to use on the board before Penang Open. Hence the Singapore Open trip at the last minute. Actually, just wanted to get my mind off a crappy date that bombed.
Despite leaving it until Sunday to buy the train tickets, managed to snag lower berths in the middle so I should be fine. If all goes well and the field plays terribly, I should win this. And Penang Open. and King's Cup. But who am I kidding, Pakorn just registered for Penang Open. Then again, only 4 repeats.

I just got a tattoo

2009-04-19T06:24:00.000-07:00

from Tribal Art Gallery, by Chung.

Consider it a customized tribal modern design with 3 dragons (1 roaring, 2 asleep) in the form of a borneo scorpion.

Will post photos and the pain up when I get back from East Malaysia on Saturday.

Edit: Here are the photos

Australian Nationals 2009 - Redux

2009-04-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

Good: Enjoyed the weather, enjoyed the tournament, enjoyed the full cream milk, enjoyed the food.

Bad: Finishing 20 something with 13 wins and 2nd highest spread.

Ugly: Last 3 games. Go see for yourself.

3rd MSA WSC Qualifiers

2009-04-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

Great: Won it. 11 out of 15 games, 900+ spread thereabout. RM200 (in the bank)

Good: prep for Australian Nationals, needed a confidence boost after Millecup, 31 bingos in 15 games.

Bad: playing unchallenged phonies like DEAVY* and VIBED* and getting away with it. Still need to work on tactics.

Ugly: That heated debate about the WSC team. I really want Jocelyn to go this year. (Edit:) Blowing the prize money on a sushi dinner. :P

Parent are back from visiting their ancestral village

2009-04-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Heck!!! My dad originated from China...at least his family house is still there. Mum's great-grandparents house got torn down.

So a couple of obligatory books on TeoChew-isms, leather belts and a leather wallet (both courtesy of dubaoiU brand, god knows what else is springing up in China these days). Still skimming through their holiday photos. Not to mention getting an added dose of TeoChew conversation these days to boost my TeoChew factor (which is woefully low at all times)

To play or not to play

2009-03-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

There will be a local Scrabble tourney next weekend, which will jam up my dinner appointments schedule on Friday, Saturday and Monday (not to mention that they are all wine tasting menus so I will probably be playing at around 20% peak performance)

What a dilemma...trilemma....quadrilemma....

Watchmen was worth the wait.

2009-03-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

even with the few significant changes in the storyline and shortened philosophical monologues.

Guess my favourite Watchmen now is strictly Rorschach (I used to dig the cynical Comedian) but having a shifting face-mask and "me against the world" attitude just cuts it for me; plus his death scene is much cooler than Comedian's.

Australian Nationals 2009

2009-03-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Perth, here I come.

At least it will be on Easter weekend, have booked the flight and accommodation.
Now to renew the passport and get an ETA Visa.

PS: I know I haven't been posting about food much.
Will probably throw all the photos I have on one page with some captions.

Marley and Me

2009-03-08T10:39:00.001-07:00

What a tearjerker......I even shed tears at the end.

God, I need to get it on DVD for my collection for my little ones when they do come into this world.

Now to go with someone to watch Watchmen.

Thank god for Millecup

2009-03-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, first tournament jitters over. 4th place was a so-so finish even if I was seeded 4th but I still lost rating points. Not many fantastic things except for the niner that turned around a game where I was like 2 bingos down and playing catch-up. Funny how luck changes midgame.

On to the next one. wonder if I can win it (wish I could give Nigel a run for his money, last year's Scrabble Scramble was very painful to lose)

On another topic, I dislike the team allocation for Malaysia this year at Causeway (and I most definitely do not want to play my countrymen even if I make the international team), not that I will make the cut for that anyway. At least we get more spots for the WSC.

Moving on...

2009-02-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

I guess I have to admire people who can give up Scrabble (at their peak) totally for any given period of time (even when some of them do come back for Act II). Brett, Perry, Cappelletto, Ganesh.

And you have the constant: Nigel,

Me, I still haven't ascended any peaks, never won any tournaments in the top division, haven't studied the entire dictionary, haven't mastered all the strategies and tactics. It's feel kinds of weird leaving the game on the way up but not at the top or over the peak.

I wish my mother would tell Tiger Woods to give up golf before he won any Majors and take over the family business.

No Scrabble tourneys for me...so far

2009-02-08T05:08:00.000-08:00

The 1st WSC qualifiers clashed with work.
The 2nd one with a party that I am organizing.
The next one, Millecup in Singapore, might get derailed if I am sent off for a workshop in Penang the Wednesday before.

When the heck am I going to play in tournaments this year.

Chef Gathering.......

2009-01-30T07:26:00.000-08:00

In return for a red packet....I get to sneak in on a After Hours with Chefs gathering. Unfortunately, there were all chinese cuisine chef who are fluent in Cantonese, need to spend more hours watching hongkie movies.

Topics range from revenues to annual bonuses & hotel payout to drinking habits to MIGF to restaurant disasters (plenty of faux-Daniel Boulud moments here). The down and dirty on the industry all laid out in 4 hours.

Here are a few snapshots of the attendees, you should find most of their details or pictures on the MIGF website.

The Chinese New Year of the Ox

2009-01-27T07:04:00.000-08:00

Status: Single unattached male.
Angpow revenue: RM 220
Gambling bonus: - RM5 mahjong; RM130 (not inclusive of RM59 initial capital outlay) cards
Expenditure: RM 30 handphone topup for new year greetings; RM 10 petrol, RM 0 free food.
Questions: 1,649 times - "When are you going to get married? (and other variations)"

The 2009 Reunion Dinner.: 1 day early

2009-01-24T07:41:00.000-08:00

Instead of the traditional Korean BBQ in Ampang, we opted for a family dinner with about another 10 friends for the evening of Wagyu Beef, Lamb, Drunken Chicken and assorted goodies. Apologies for lack of a report or photos as I was too busy getting stoned with whisky and white + red wines. Time to rethink the food blogging aspect.

The Four Parties of CNY

2009-01-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

Well.....Chinese New Year is almost upon us, the invitations have been sent, dates have been fixed, food have been prepared for all the annual *must attend* parties...except for one, my family's.

Normally, we will start off with the traditional tea ceremony at home. Followed by lunch at my godfather's place before heading off to the Chan's open house at night. The following day, another lunch get-together in Old Klang Road.

My Family's? : 21-February 2009 at the Hotel. And I am still on the lookout for food. At least the chef is settled.

I Hate Channel surfing

2009-01-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

especially when the Australian Open/ Augusta Masters and clashing with my favourite weekly shows like Iron Chef/Heroes/Grey's Anatomy. (At least there will always be the DVDs of the series' seasons)

Welcome, Mr. 44th President

2009-01-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

Nothing like learning on the job when you have crises exploding around the world when you take office (at the very least, you have FDR as a case study to ease things).

First Post of the New Year

2009-01-15T08:10:00.001-08:00

Read as above. Nothing more.Actually, just want to thank everyone for the past year: mishaps, blessings and all. And I got off to the new year with a bad start, thanks to me being too overemotional over relationship problems. Here is to a better year ahead: Oz Nats, Penang, King's Cup, WSC and CSC. I will play them all. Oh and get a new girlfriend too.

The Christmas eve menu

2008-12-27T23:10:00.001-08:00

Also available around new year.

Starters: Fresh Tuna with Seaweed Wasabi sauce, Rainbow Sushi, Simmered Duck Breast, Chestnut cooked with Brandy, Simmered Prawn with ebiko
Tuna tataki with a salty nori sauce. Love the duck breast and the chestnut. The rainbow sushi was colourful and fantastic. The prawn was so huge that it couldn't fit in my mouth, I needed two bites and a lot of the juice came out in the first bite. I fell like a scrooge if I was asked to share this around.

Soup: Soup with Chicken meat and Seafood in tea pot
The teapot is back again!!!!
Close the lid so that less of the soup will escape as steam. Then open that lid to enjoy the contents of the soup.
SSSSSLLLLLLLLUUUUUUURRRRRPPPPP!!!!!!

Salad: Salmon Salad with Wasabi Dressing
Slightly tangy dressing, lovely crisp vegetables.
Love the colours, love the contrast, love the texture, love the taste.

Teppanyaki: Teppanyaki Grill Wagyu Beef Sirloin served with mushroom risotto
Soft and juicy, each piece of steak (in between sip of sake) was bursting forth with rich flavour. The garlic chips and vegetables were also great cleanser of an overrich palate and the mushroom risotto sponges up even more of the valuable juices.

Interlude: Negitoro Maki and Iketeru Maki
The Negitoro maki is made from toro and raw spring onions minced together. Tasted strong and the sushi chefs teased me by slattering the thing full of wasabi and chilli padi.

The Iketeru maki shown to the right is as big as the futomaki they serve and tasted crunchy with the vegetables and deep fried oysters rolled into the maki. The only flaw was probably the crispy batter skin of the oyster that has been flattened when rolled into the maki.

Dessert: Teppanyaki Fried Banana with Vanilla Ice Cream
Sweet slivers of Banana and fresh strawbeey to go with (Hagen Dasz?) Vanilla Ice Cream.

What's up next? The New Year Osechi Box. Feel free to comment.

The Kaiseki before Christmas

2008-12-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

3rd Stop on the MIGF train

2008-11-27T06:06:00.000-08:00

On to Chynna, the next stop after Iketeru and Senses. Was quite lucky to have my godsisters in tow for this one.

Appetizers: Chilled smoked abalone with slipper lobster, baby octopus, chestnuts in Konyaku jelly
The thin slices of abalone, the refined scallop, the cool savoury jelly, the sculpture-like presentation. It was a very good way to start of the evening.

Mains: Double–boiled Longan consommé with MingMu fish & walnuts.
Very tasty, I never expected longan soup to taste like this. The chunky chinese walnuts were tender that they break apart as soon as you plonk them in your mouth. The taste of the flatfish dissipate on your tongue as well and is not overpowered by the soup. My favourite dish of the night.

Main: Golden fried savoury Soon Hock coated with six spices & eggplant with basil leaves
This was my second favourite dish of the night. The crusty coating sealed all the flavour of the fish in all its goodness while the veggies texture were of the right consistency to complement the tender fish.

Mains: Honey seared organic chicken with garlic
The mellow sweetness of the honey and the fragrance of the japanese bamboo leaves brought out the subtle taste the of the chicken and the tender meat just falls away at the touch of a knife.

Mains: Pearl rice braised with scallop & wolfberry
Tasted like a perfectly unfinished risotto with a delicious tiger prawn stock, tinted scallops and pearly round rice. Not watery or soupy.

Durian cream puff with assorted fruits & Fortune cookies
Yay!!!! Durian!!!!
Probably one of my favourite dessert on the MIGF menus. So sinfully good especially the tangy summerberries (cranberry, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry) and the mellow durian flesh. So much contrast, so much texture. OOOOMMMMPPPPHHHH!!!!!!

Chef Lam wasn't around that night so we bid adieu and moved on to Iketeru and Latest Recipe to check out next month's promotion.

Awaiting more feedback on my food reviews, Say it so in the comment section.

A wine detour during the 2008 MIGF

2008-11-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

To be quite honest, it would be my first wine tasting dinner (and Iketeru's virgin attempt at it).
I arrived a bit early to chat with the staff but did not dare approach Mr Irvine because of the crowd that surrounds him. Instead Chef Ricky and I helped ourselves generously to the champagne.

Wine: NV Irvine Meslier Sparkling Brut
Bubbly, sourish and dry to a fine cut. I think we shared about 2 bottles.

The F&B manager introducing the diners to Mr James Irvine and Chef Ricky.

The eager beaver diners. I was pretty lucky to seat myself with a French gentleman name Hubert (pronounced U-be_ar) Cuny, who was able to teach me some tricks of distinguishing wine and gave me some insightful commentaries on the wines presented that night. Opposite me were a pair of investment banker/venture capitalist. All in all, a very entertaining night of conversation.

The humourus Mr James Irvine, entertaining, witty and highly enlightening to boot; teaching things like lifting your tongue while drinking wine and lotsa other nitty gritty details. The rest I learn courtesy of Mr Hubert.

Starter: Fried crab cheese roll with Enoki mushroom served with sesame Miso mayonnaise
Wine: 2007 Irvine Pinot Gris
The crab cheese rolls were soft inside and crisp outside, and Mr Hubert enjoyed his first encounter with the crisp made from lotus roots. The pickle vegetables were a much better complement to the wine which was light and not too strong. (it feels more like a mouthwash after the crab cheese rolls)

Mr Hubert commented on the Pinot Gris being a gray wine (somewhere between a white and pink/rose wine). I found it a medium strength wine, tasted semidry and fruity.

Seafood: Teppanyaki style seafood combination (Scallop, cod fish & prawn)
Wine: 2006 Irvine Springhill Merlot
Every piece here goes down well with this wine. The scallops are perfectly seared, the prawns oily but not greasy and the cod is just right with the salad.

The wine was semi-strong, medium-bodied red that tasted just nice, a bit fruity with a hint of sour in the background.

Main: Baked lamb rack with mountain salt
Wine: 2005 Irvine Barossa Merlot
The best dish of the night, but Mr Hubert didn't like the wine paired with it much, complaining that it is too woody (he thinks that they used too young a barrel to store the wine in). I agreed with him that I prefer the first Merlot to this one for a different reason, it just didn't go down my gullet too well (whatever you think it means).

The lamb was crusty and medium-well done, pretty weak flavours for a lamb but it suits the wine. Delicately spiced if I may add. The potato mash will probably mop up most extraneous flavours on your tongue.

Main: Grilled sliced beef roll with Sukiyaki sauce served with curry risotto
Wine: 2004 Irvine Grand Merlot
At this stage, I think I was too engrossed in the conversation to even take any pictures. (I lie, I actually got stoned on the wine)

The grand merlot really lived up to its name. It is strong, fruity, a bit rough on my tongue. I don't know if that caused me to taste the curry risotto like peppery bakuteh. The beef roll was tough and chewy and loses flavour quickly.

Dessert: Homemade green tea ice cream
Gobbled done, just bittersweat.

Still not a gourmet, definitely not a sommelier.
Awaiting more feedback on my food reviews, Say it so in the comment section.

2nd stop on the 2008 MIGF train

2008-11-13T08:19:00.000-08:00

When my datemates went to Ipoh this week, we had to postponed the Chynna tasting session until 2 weeks later, leaving me free to check out Senses (for the 1st time) and to dig into their MIGF menu. Being the earliest customer there, I probably jumpstarted the kitchen ahead of schedule. Service was impeccable compared to Iketeru sereneness. And I also got a view of the Parliament house with the Bukit Gasing reserve in between.

Bread (and butter) for starters, rye, soft roll, poppyseed/pumpkinseed/mixed signals and baguette. Good fillers, I think I ate more of them than the dishes. :P

Table smoked Tasmanian ocean trout, Nordic deep sea shrimp with sour cream & chives
Okay, so the trout came in freshly smoked with a wine glass covering it in smoke which they will remove at you table. If you think it is showy, wait until you taste the trout, the smoke is clinging to the surface while the (semi)raw inside taste fresh as a fish out of the water. Resting on some sweet pickled strips of vegetables that complement it, It seems like a big scarlet A.

Being a hamchoy, I was a teeny weeny bit disappointed to see such small shrimps (can't even call them prawns), but they were springy and sweet. No objection, your culinariness.

Mains: Heirloom tomato on organic durum toast, marinated mackerel, smoked olive onion
What an ensemble cast.
The mackerel was singing, the tomatos were in chorus. The two together on your tongue just alternate in cresendo, neither fading or giving way to the other, not even til the very end. The durum toast was dry but sponges up the gravy. Even the olive onions and caramelized onion threads were sweet to the point of balance, not over, not under.

Soup: Game consommé with truffle noodle
Another entertaining dish: bring a bowl of soup to your table, squeeze some truffle sauce into the soup. Voila, instant truffle noodles, which tends to stick together making a truffle net instead.

The soup was hearty and thick, while it took a while to cut the noodles into spoonsize threads. Chef Michael mentioned afterwards that he wanted the diners to play around with our food. I find it quite the hassle and wanted to spank him on the spot (Which probably made me forget to ask him about the bed of salt underneath the bowl of soup).

Mains: Organic Bintje potato with truffle centre
A potato bowl with truffles and potato puree on the side. Break the bowl and watch truffles saucy soup spill out. It's Potatomania and Trufflelicious.

Either my olfactory was not functioning properly or the truffles have been baked until their fragrance has been totally toasted. I could not smell them. At least I could taste them like a chinese ink painting in 3D.

The blackness of the truffle ink drawing lines in the smooth canvas of potato puree with chunks of the potato bowl providing the rough edges for contrast. My favourite dish of the night. Simple yet effective.

Mains: Gently cooked Japanese Hirame with sous vide giant octopus, spiced pimento gel
Hirame is flatfish, or so I am told (probably by wikipedia).

Looks pretty gory, the filet of Hirame and chunks of octopus arriving on a sea of bloody tomato sauce with the plate still hot to the touch as if to indicate that the vile murder only took place moments ago.

Fear not, dear Hirame. Your corpse will not be in vain, it was springy and the tomato sauce brought out your mellowness. Any hint of who oiled the octopus was gone under the wash of the tomato sauce. Indeed, a thrilling crime that Hercules Peirot will not solve.

Interlude: Tea “Chaud Froid”
Tea, sweet and fruity, not much of a palate cleanser if you ask me. Give me sorbert anytime.

Dessert: 5 puttonyos Tokaji with its ice cream
Tokaji, Tokaji,
once you eat, make you sing.
hic hic hic, HIC HIC hic!
it is nice, it is bling,
you ask me, I already ding (dong).

Yes, blame the hungarian alcohol in the souffle which did not evaporate completely. Hence I got hit, and had to interrogate chef Michael in my addlebrain state. Love the raspberries with the (melty) ice cream and the biscuits, which counteract some of the bitter alcohol aftertaste.

Chef Michael is pretty enlightening, a pity I could not get him to talk more about the food. Perhaps, it should be FBB or WMW turn to interrogate this award winnng chef (He won last year).

I ended up somewhere on the premises of the KL Hilton 2 hours later and will stay mum about the antics.

Awaiting more feedback on my food reviews, Say it so in the comment section.

My 1st time clearing spam on a blog

2008-11-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

on that old malaysianscrabble.blogspot.com.

God, that's a lot of spam in the comment fodders. No wonder they labeled it a spam blog.
Anyway, posted the 2008 Causeway Scrabble Challenge ROTO on it.

1st stop on the 2008 MIGF train

2008-11-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, after that noisy(!!!) party last month, it is time for me to nip around KL Hilton to sample their MIGF menus. My first choice was my usual place: Iketeru.
The carpark was a bit empty, the restaurant was quiet. Coming early does have its perks (just that I won't be the first one to have the MIGF menu, there were already 20 orders before me and 4 more while I was there).

Starter: Homemade tofu & organic vegetables with Okinawa salt
The tofu(s) look familiar like the one last week, tasted almost the same, creamy and smooth on the tongue, except for the more generous helping of the shoyu sauce that accentuate the underlying sweetness of the tofu.

The vegetables were crunchy but it was hard to find a balance with the Okinawa salt dip. My tip: dip the wet end of the veggies into the salt, which will absorbed the right amount of salt (instead of coating it with salt crystal) to taste the veggies without it being too oversalty.

Sushi:Yellow tail & octopus sushi with Himalayan pink salt
The sushi(s) were coated with salt and then flambe until scorched. Flavourwise, you sometimes unveiled the invisible salty taste that overwhelms the fish and octopus a bit yet merrily runs off into the background to feel the lemony harmony of the octopus or the robustness of the yellowtail.

Simmered:Steamed Matsuba crab, sea urchin, turnip & tonburi seed. Served with kikka sauce, Australian pink salt
Chef Ricky, I want more crabmeat with this!!!!!! (and look at that crab giving the finger)

I tasted more radish than crabmeat but the overall impression was better than last month, because the other garnishes added a lot of layers to the taste and texture, especially the tonburi seed, aka "land caviar", not salty but they do burst in your mouth.

Fry:Light fried tempura of Conger eel, lobster & maitake mushroom. Served with original mixed salt, curry, matcha, pepper
Mix and match your salt. For me, the lobster and the asparagus goes best with the matcha salt; conger eel with pepper salt; mushroom with curry salt (Your opinions may differ, as Chef Ricky pointed out other people's preference)

Everything was crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Main Courses: Grilled Wagyu beef rib with rock salt . Served with tomato fruit
The meat was good, the tomatoes were sweet, the broccoli was nice, but this was the first disappointment of the night.

Chef Ricky and the floor manager were wrangling over the charcoal burner, previously it was too smoky. Tonight, I received the other extreme: it was NOT HOT.

So I missed my chance to slowly grill the tender slices of the beef tataki to my liking. BOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!! (I am so making Chef Ricky eat a Wasabi Maki). Although our conference afterward reveal that we both think alike that that grilled should be red hot before serving to eliminate the need for any smoky charcoal but he was worried about the diners, not the burnmarks on the carpet should someone drop it.

Dessert: Persimmon sorbet & red bean jelly  with chestnut, Hakata salt Japan
The persimmon sorbet goes very well with the red bean jelly that I sampled last month. Nothing too sweet (same as Chef Ricky), just deep mellowness all the same.
"Wonder if my sorbet serving is bigger than others?"

Bonus: Futomaki & Rice paper rolls
Disappointment No.2: I want a Futomaki that cannot fit in the my mouth and this is what I get. >:(
That staff got sacked for a day.

Disappointment No.3: spicy! spicy? spicy....where's the chili padi? I ate 3 rolls without even asking for ice water.
The same staff got sacked for an extra day.

Yes, Chef Ricky, prepare to down that Wasabi Maki...

Awaiting more feedback on my food reviews, Say it so in the comment section.

It's loud! It's happening! It's the MIGF gala launch festival!!!

2008-10-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

Managed to snagged an invited thanks to KL Hilton but got lost in Putrajaya (hint: next time follow the map!).

we arrived just in time to mill around for 5 minutes before the guests of honour arrived and listen to Dato Steve Dat drone on in his opening speech. They proceeded swiftly into the hall to be greeted by the chef clanging on their pots and pans. We (ignoring Dato's order to wait for the confetti cannons) just dive straight for the restaurants booths.

One round of food with Calsberg, second round for information and chef gazing with Carlsberg again, third round to work off the alcohol (who am I kidding, I think I down about 3 red wines, 4 cocktails and 4 white wines along the way)

Chef Ricky and Chef Lam were all there, got to meet Chef Michael make some funky Truffle noodles in Game consumme. I will probably visit Iketeru (Nov 4), Chynna (Nov 12) and Sense (3rd week of November) in that order. Do drop me a email if you want to join in.

Some obligatory photos:

PS: Dato Steve Day, next year, either ask your guest to bring earplug or tone down the band. I couldn't even listen to the harpist and violinists.

Secrets in my Kaiseki menu

2008-10-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Or more likely, I will not publish pictures of dishes that will appear at the MIGF menu so that you will have to attend the MIGF menu to taste the dish first hand.

Starters: Persimmon & Mushroom with Tofu sauce and Boiled Chrysantheneum leaves with Bonito Sauce
Love the white creamy tofu sauce, the mix of persimmon and mushroom and the underlying sweetness that washes over your tongue. The leaves were much crunchier this time compared to previous tastings.

Sashimi: Hokkaido Oyster, Yellowtail, Toro, Squid raw and flambe, Silk Snapper
Sorry!!! I ate the Oyster before snapping it, well, it was as big as the shell and juicy as well.

The other pieces of note was probably the silk snapper fished from the cold seas around japan. We also have such fishes in Malaysia (red with faint yellow stripes) but this one was particularly fatty and the sushi chef had to score the meat as well to make it chewable.

Soup: Clear Soup
Chef Ricky only noticed that I haven't gotten my soup while I was having my sashimi and got it out in a huff.
Being a dodo that I am, didn't even notice the teacup/cover that is used to pour the broth in until after I had sampled the mushrooms, prawn, white fish meat. Still, it is reminiscent of the 2007 Chynna MIGF menu soup, love the concept.

Steamed dishes: Steamed Matsuba crab, Sea Urchin, Turnip & Tonburi seed
An MIGF menu item, but a prototype served without the salt.
The presentation of the dumpling is elegant while the taste is layered and can be combined at your whim and fancy. I will say that I ended up slurping from the bowl.

Grilled dishes: Silk Snapper with Salt, Yam crackers, Sea Bream mini sushi, Soy Tofu, Chestnut, Gingko nuts, Oysters.
The grilled fish taste richer than the sashimi, love the smooth tofu and crispy yam crackers (Maybe Chef Ricky should start a company selling these). The mini sushi were coated with korean miso sauce that was spicy and fooled me (I thought it was szechuan dou ban jiang). The oysters though shrunked in size triple in taste. I had an excellent time sampling this dish.

Fry: Cod Fish Milt Cawanmushi with ponzu sauce.
I want more cod fish milt!!!!!
Otherwise, everything was hot to the tongue and I was scalding it with every spoonful; hot but delicious.

Main: Chirashi Sushi
Read: I am a glutton for more food. Just another case of brinkmanship (my sushi is bigger than your sushi)

Dessert: Red Bean Jelly  with Chestnut & Assorted Fruits
Another item on the MIGF menu. I love this and am so looking forward to having it again next week!!!!

Definitely one of my better nights at Iketeru. Feel free to comment

Teppanyaki at Iketeru

2008-10-10T08:45:00.001-07:00

A teppanyaki promotion at Iketeru, what gems will we find on the menu

Salad
Some salad to fill up while waiting for the starters

Starters: Panfried Hokkaido bay scallop with coriander sauce
Beautifully garnished with nori seaweed, the coriander sauce and scallop complement each other perfectly, melting into each other until the very end. Each piece was veiled in sauce that fades harmoniously into the background when the scallop takes full highlight on your tongue. I do wish that the sauce could have been given more prominence.

Soup: Lobster Bisque
Compared to LL's bisque at the Trader's Hotel at last year MIGF, this one has heaps of lobster meat. With the essence of lobster shell, brains and roe all boiled down into the soup, you feel like you are sipping on the essence of a whole lobster without even seeing it. Savory goodness, ooohhh la la.

Distraction: Maguro, Japanese tomato (bonus)
Maguro sashimi overlaid with Japanese tomato and garnished with ice-soaked onion slices and liver sauce. Light refreshing (and not even stingy) onions and sauce brighten up mellowy maguro and tomato (I know I got a bigger plate than everyone else's at the sushi bar, which is just obscene!!!)

Main course: Tajime beef sirloin on Edemame Risotto with Truffle sauce
While taking photos of this dish, I just had to inhale deeply to smell the fragrant scent of truffle hidden among the smoky meat. Definitely a good start to this dish.

I love the tenderness of the meat, the crispness of the garlic and baby carrots, and mushroom and potato soaking up the juice and truffle sauce (which was coyly sweet and a bit overpowering). Thank goodness the edemame risotto pancake (crispy on the outside, gooey creamy on the insides, with thin slices of edemame for texture) was glue that holds the whole dish together allowing you to taste everything without losing any of the elements.

Main course: Foie Gras and oysters served with Cinnamon apple Compote
To describe eating this dish, it is like a game show where there are doors leading to different prizes. The sauce that coats and binds all the ingredients floods your tongue with sweetness before vanishing to leave you savouring the fullness of whatever you put in your mouth,

With the oysters, the sweetness disappears to reveal a raw saltiness several times the flavour of raw oysters. For the Foie Gras, you get a smoky meltiness as the rich fat dissolves into layers and layers upon your tongue. The apple compote is just so refreshing between every bite of oyster and foie gras.

Main course: Teppanyaki Lobster with Bechamel Sauce
An add on to the menu and my favourite dish of the night. The lobster was absolutely swimming in Bechamel Sauce with it buttery richness.

After my first bite, my only recollection was after descending from taste heaven; I was slurping up the sauce trying to recreate heaven. How embarassing.

The evidence, how embarassing

Distraction: Scallop, Avocado & Nori sauce
Texture, contrast, saltiness, lightness, mellowness, it's got it all

Dessert: Pumpkin creme Brulee and passion fruit Sherbert
The creme brulee was a bit flat but still tasty nonetheless. I particularly enjoyed the sherbert

Feel free to comment

Meme from FBB

2008-10-08T03:51:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of FBB, I now have to answer this meme based on my meager contents of my wallet.

Prior to this, I will say that watching Oprah's self-help show on clutter and debt diet does wonders for my timeworn wallet, which is obviously nearing the end of its usability. (Previously, it was also thicker than FBB's one that you can see on his blog for reference).

Open inside and you don't see much. Good discipline!!!

The obligatory KP, and numerous editions of the drivers licenses, some of which I have taken the opportunity to "declutter".

My name cards; some contact name cards that I have yet to program into my handphone address book before organizing them, shall do so tonight; my blood card showing me to have one of the most stingiest blood types in the world.

Unlike FBB, I have Oprah to thank for decluttering my financial obligations and maximizing my returns on few items: two ATM cards (one from Singapore to park my stash, one Malaysian bank to handle most of my needs here. At the moment, I am waiting to switch to another one if it can meet my needs better); One (read that 1, ONE) credit card with a generous spending limit that rarely gets maxed out unless I travel abroad; Two membership cards for groceries and books; my Singapore EZlink card from student days, saves me a lot on my weekend trips to Singapore (why drive there when the public transport system actually works?)

Cash, this is probably almost my daily kitty fund.

Being a nice guy, I will not tag anyone with this meme.
Yeah right, ling239, helen gipson, meena (handbags, ladies), alpha, martin. You guys are tagged!!!

Going for Causeway

2008-09-30T05:09:00.000-07:00

On paper, Malaysia is probably one of the weaker teams (if not the weakest one) since we have lost the service of Nigel Richards (playing for the inaugural New Zealand team) and Ganesh (retirement, whatever).

At the very least, we will have breakout Ong Suanne anchoring the team with Aaron Chong backing her up.

Me? I will just settle for being the whipping boy on the Malaysian team, assuming Tan Jin Chor doesn't beat me to that title. Whipping geezer...that has a nice ring to it.

PS: I guess I will have to mention Vannitha Balasingam somewhere, so here.

Back to the regular Kaiseki programming

2008-09-04T09:23:00.001-07:00

One of my more quieter evenings at Iketeru, so what is on the menu?
Not many photos this time, I blame my limited handphone battery.
And this was August's Kaiseki menu

Starters: Egg Custard Tofu & Boiled Spinach
I think I have finally met my matched in the chopstick discipline. I seriously cannot slice or lift pieces of this tofu because it so runny that it glides of my chopstick. I just gave up and down it like a tequila shot with all the ponzu jelly. The creamy texture and soft hints of egg was worth the embarrassment.

Soup: Clear Soup with Prawn Dumpling
Pinky and Juicy, with cucumber rings soaking up the broth. Apologies for lack of photos, my battery was dying.

Sashimi: Toro, Gurnard with Skin, Flambe Octopus & Gyuduck
Two servings of sashimi: "I'm Lovin' IkeTeru!"

I won't dwell much on the other but the gurnard this time tasted so much sweeter after having the fat melted under the skin to accentuate the deepness of the meat and it melts instead of being chewy. Long Live the Gurnard.

Flambe Toro, Sea Bream & Gyuduck
Second serving. The flambe toro almost reminds me of my first MIGF sushi.

Steamed dishes: Pumpkin, Yam, Cucumber, Brinjal, Okra, Abalone & Beancurd Skinroll
Other than the yam and pumpkin being a bit dry, eveything else was juicy, including the cucumber and brinjal. Kudos to the thin slices of abalone that brighten up this dish immensely for me.

Grilled dishes: Wagyu, Pureed Okra, Egg Roll, Sweet Prawns.
A smorgasbord of items and I couldn't remember everything.

Most enjoyable was the Wagyu, served with a ponzu radish sauce that tasted more savory compared to the fugu servings. Puree Okra in the white glass was a part palate cleanser, part mouth bubble wash.The egg roll was perfect, firm yet runny; and sweet all the way to the end of my tongue.

Fry: Kata fish
I told Chef Ricky that i find it a tad undercook and his accompanying chilli sauce not too spicy (then again, I don't find Singapore Chilli Crab spicy either. Must be something wrong with my tongue)

Main: Yam Rice
The yam was cooked so soft that I couldn't distinguish it from the rice texture wise, save for the hint of it taste that almost blend into the rice. For those not used to Zen flavours, ask for more of the pickles. :P

Filler: Cold Soba
They still need to find something to fill my bottomless pit. The soba noodles were not too Q this time.

Dessert: Red Bean Pudding & Assorted Fruits
Refer to previous posts.

I know I am getting lazy. No wonder I am not a gourmet.

Feel free to comment

The Wagyu & O'toro Kaiseki

2008-08-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

I am more or less Iketeru's mascot for busy evenings, somehow I always show up when they are at their busiest. Oh well, on with the food, this time will the a Kaiseki menu based on their Wagyu & O'toro promotion.

Starters: Wagyu Beef & Toro Sushi-Paccio
A good way to start off the evening, thinly slices toro (with spicy miso sauce) and raw wagyu rolls served with rice cubes flavoured with sesame and seaweed.

Mix and match your own sushi to your own delight.

Soup: Clear Broth with Toro & Japanese Leeks
An oily sheen covers the soup,
the taste of melted toro oil makes a coup.
Veggies, tofu and leeks,
all the flavours get a peek.
how good is this dish,
with slices of fish?

Sushi: BBQ style Wagyu Rib Eye with fresh salad served with Korean Miso sauce
I wasn't impressed by this dish, probably because it doesn't replicate the fine balance of Korean barbecue, the meat was flavoursome but overpowered by the thick salad leaves and oily garlic when wrapped into bite-size servings. Have already voiced by doubts to Chef Ricky.

Main course: Teppanyaki Grilled Tenderloin, Sirloin & Rib Eye
My favourite dish of the night.
All the meat were crusty on the outside, which red on the inside.
Served with side of veggies and 3 sauces: spicy miso, ponzu & white mustard.
I particularly like the spicy miso sauce (memories of Le Coq d'Or fondue sauce)

Bonus: Toro Taku Roll & Nigiri Sushi
Still hungry? I got this dish at no extra charges, the maki made from minced toro, takuma pickles and a dash of spicy miso sauce. Lovely.
Surprisingly, the wasabi laden sea bream sushi doesn't overpower your throat with heat, quite a gem actually.

Dessert: Black Sesame Ice Cream and Assorted Fruits
My first ice cream at Iketeru, mmmmmmmmmmm.......love the smoky flavour of black sesame.
Still drooling? I will be going back on Wednesday for their normal kaiseki.

Feel free to comment

A taste of Pacifica

2008-08-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

Had this the very next night after the last month's Iketeru Kaiseki menu, more to launch a candid surprise on a college student returning from the US by reuniting him with a friend now working in Pacifica.
Unexpected celebrity: Sultan Of Selangor dining at the next table.
Distraction: German Rye Bread with Djion Butter
Pretty good bread, very springy and goes well with the Djion butter.

Starters: Truffled Potato Mousse & Shaved Beef Cheek
The Shaved Beef Cheek was really thin, about 1 mm and was sliced from a terrine made from tender beef cheek. Goes very well the the salad. Mixed reaction about the potato mousse, but the beef consumme, in the center was a saving grace for me.

Soup: Shellfish Chowder
Served with a piece of oily bread and a slice of mussels (this side just was a real distraction for me). The soup itself was great, with large slices of scallop, tiger prawn and other shellfish meat. Love the taste.

Main: Venison with Red Cabbage Rolls & Bean Sprouts
Definitely a great main, the venison was tender and the red cabbage rolls was sweet while the bean sprouts were perfectly crunchy.

Starters: Ricotta Dumpling & Mascarpone Ice Cream
The great thing was probably the ricotta dumpling, blended from ricotta and other ingredients and shaped into a dumpling with some shavings of truffles, very very rich. A pity that my dull tongue cannot discern the mascarpone infused vanilla ice cream, it was just vanilla to me. Must train my tastebuds more often.

Still not a gourmet. Feel free to comment

Pain & Punishment

2008-07-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

Standing Snatch, Half Squat: 30x3, 2 sets; 40x3, 2 sets; 50x2; 55x1; 60x1; 40X3, 2 sets.
Front Squat: 50X3, 60x3, 70X3, 80X3, 90X2, 100x1
Snatch Pull: 40X3, 50X3, (peppered out at 60kgs)
Military Press: 20x15, 30x4, 35x2 (what a wimpy performance)
Side Bend: 5x20, 4 sets

I am going back tomorrow for more, baby. YEAH!!!
PS: reward for tonight, 4 coffeespoons of Hagen Dasz Summer Berries Ice Cream.
PS: I have an ugly bruise on my waist.

A Chaotic night for a Kaiseki

2008-07-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

A relatively empty carpark, a jam-packed Iketeru.
What is it with my 'luck' of eating at Iketeru on their busiest days.
At least the food more than made up for the 'service'.

Starters: Summer Veggie Beancurd with Unagi, Boiled Spinach with Enokitake Mushrooms
Love the mushrooms these time, better than last month's tofu pok. The highlight was probably the tofu made with summer veggies with a slice of unagi on top, I love the texture!!! The only flaw was probably the sauce floating at the bottom, I wish it was drizzled and coating the tofu instead to accentuate a stronger flavour.

Sashimi: Toro, Flying Fish, Sea Bream, Gurnard, Flambe Octopus & Gyuduck
I love them all, the most interesting to report is probably the slithers of gyuduck and flying fish, because they tendons were much more sinewy this time, so the chef chopped it even more finely to retain the optimum chewiness.

For my first try of the Gunard, I must say that it is very chewy, probably because the fish is a very strong fish and flavoursome despite being a whitefish.

Steamed dishes: Summer Veggie Beancurd, Brinjal, Yam, Okra & Beancurd Skinroll
Other than the yam being a wee bit undercook in the middle, this was a pretty simple dish; not too saucy or having a wow factor, just simple and homey. Will probably favour the summer veggie tofu, I can't get enough of this piece. Thank god for the second slice.

Distraction: Wasabi Maize Dip & Foie Gras in Truffle sauce
Finally, a photo to make up for last month's Wasabi Maize Dip, still packs a punch like last month. Couldn't say the same for the Foie Gras though because the fragrance of the truffles was lost because it had been refrigerated and doesn't melt in your mouth like the last one.

Grilled dishes: Sea Bream with Sweet Miso, Unagi 2 ways, Baby Prawns, Eggplant, Sweet Tomato, Fishcake & Salted Edemame
Probably my favourite dish of the night because of the number of surprises, like the really really sweet tomato, grilled-baked unagi and the saucy unagi salad. The real standout was the Sea Bream: I am normally prepared for juicy salt-baked fish but this was was marinated and dry rubbed with sweet miso, so it was definitely sweet which added a new dimension to the Sea Bream, like an overwhelming chorus that explodes now and then when the stanzas fades into the background before coming back out. Tres Bien!!!

Sushi: Maguro, Squid with Dou Ban Jiang, Amberjack
All these sushi, and I am still awaiting the main course. The maguro was leany, but still perfectly chewy

This I love, since the sweet and spicy dou ban jiang brighten up the squid meat even more, every chew brings out more flavour. *Sigh* I can't get enough of this.

Love the texture, the interplay between the skin and chewy meat and hint of fat beneath.

Main course: Conger Eel Shabu-Shabu & Porridge
First bite into a mushroom and I get a dizzying hit of sake (Chef Ricky later confess to adding it at the last minute), which continued with the veggies but was absent in the seaweed tofu and chicken meatball, both of which hold their own but were exactly standouts.

Distraction: Maguro Tataki
Now awaiting them to make porridge with the leftover stock. Lukewarm on the outside, breezily cool on the inside

More egg to bind the rice so you could easily eat this with chopstick if you so desire. with a side of pickles to go along. Midway through the pot, I met the new F&B manager, Gerard, a true blue OZ. Also went over to the Teppanyaki to meet my Godsister and her friends (and her oh-so-cute baby girl) before dessert.

Dessert: Coffee Jelly & Assorted Fruits
A bigger fruit platter more than made up for the coffee jelly this time.

There will be a Wagyu & O'toro promotion next month at Iketeru, will try to get onto the first tasting menu (I twisted Chef Ricky's arm for this). Anyone want to join me?

Feel free to comment

The return of the Kaiseki

2008-07-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, to be honest, I had this one on the 18th of June, but was away to Penang and Bangkok for 2 weekends before coming back and I better write this up or people will think I have gone to heaven after eating one too many decadent Kaiseki (not to mention poor Chef Ricky in distress if he loses one of his 'regulars')

Starters: Peanut Beancurd with Wasabi, Boiled Spinach with beancurd
Make no mistake, that is tofu pok you see in the spinach. Definitely a better sponge to soak up the sauce with every mouthful, and thinly sliced that it is still springy yet breaks apart easily with every bite.

Love the peanut beancurd, so much more sweeter than the sesame beancurd, like some sort of refined peanut butter jam without the sugar.

Soup: Soup with Prawn Dumpling
More prawn, slurps. What else can I say? Actually the trace of the sudachi lime in the soup left me with a unique aftertaste. Something like a cross between a raw brinjal and bittergourd. Still trying to puzzle it out after all this while.

Sashimi: Surf Clam, Haji, Toro, Flying Fish, Octopus & Barracuda
Fresh surf clam sashimi, the whole clam too. I am getting spoiled like a baby. It's sooo fresh that it taste bloody bloody good (because they have to kill it to open up the shell).

Skipping on pass the usual octopus and toro fare, I quite like the gleaming haji they have this time; and the flying fish on the right hand side of the plate, that was excellent. It was very very chewy, no wonder those things can jump into the air and look like they are flying.

Towards the end, the sashimi chef realized that he left something off my plate and hurriedly whipped up some barracuda sashimi (yes, that fierce snapping fish is now dinner on my plate. Very very tender surprisingly, almost light like sea bream but much more robust if the meat is redder.

Distraction: Flambe TaiMiso & Wasabi Maize Dip
Time to make up for a booboo the last time. The Thai Miso is actually TaiMiso, which is Miso made with Tai (Sea Bream) in the fermentation process. Somehow it comes across as much more sweeter than regular miso (most locally imported miso have too much salt to preserve it) after being flambe; not to mention being sticky like Natto. Think of it as satay sauce jam (I am not kidding).

Also had a wasabi maize dip made from the skin of the wasabi roots fermented with maize seeds, initially you taste the sweetness of the maize before the hit sneaks up to the back of your throat and whams you down the gullet (Apologies for no photos of the deadly poison)

Steamed dishes: Eggplant with Beancurd Skinroll & Octopus
Wow, I never knew that octopus cooked right would melt in your mouth (remember all those chewy leathery octopus meat you get all of steamboats). This is the total opposite, no chewing required, just push the meat with your tongue against the top of your mouth and it breaks apart. Good thing that the mustard is there to make sure you chew (although it hit my nose this time)

The eggplants were just right this time round, tender yet firm enough and the beancurd skin rolls, full of the sauce so alternating bites was a breeze.

Grilled dishes: Adult Ayu, Cod Liver with Cream Cheese, Gizzardfish sushi, Yam, Grilled Chicken & Gobo roots
Now for something exotic. a full grown ayu fish (too bad it is a farmed fish, the wild one cost U$50, which I should insist to be served to me :P). Almost every part of the fish was edible sans the bonehead (:P), even the bones were dipped fried to a crunchy texture. Grilled covered in salt, the natural taste of the fish was magnified tenfold, subtle but sweet.

Kudos to the gizzard fish sushi wrapped in leaf, fragrant yet tantalizing (would be more so if I knew how to open the leaf more gracefully and not let the fishmeat flop out) and the sides of the grilled chicken, yam and gobo roots. I will take this chance to praise the combo of cod liver dip with cream cheese: two pungent really do make a good side dish. I am loving this!

Fried dish: Anago Eel filet Tempura with Pumpkin & Chili served with curry salt
Full filleted Anago eel tempura style, I will admit that the bigger pieces concentrated the flavour in the middle while being a bit bland on the outside (compared to previous servings of this ingredient). As for the veggies, love the pumpkin tempura more than the chili tempuras. Chef Ricky can't keep secrets from me any longer, that curry salt was made with adabi curry powder (:P)

Main course: Nigiri Sushi 5 ways.
The Gyuduck sushi tasted much better this time and was artfully sculpted to bring out maximum flavour. (Believe it or not,) this was my first time having octopus sushi and the knifework ridges on the meat made this piece a synch to eat.

I love the haji sushi and flying fish sushi because they sashimi chef did bring out their best flavour with the perfect cut for the sushi. The toro, however, being freshly thawed was watery (to the touch and taste) and was twice the size of the sushi rice (not the best time to try Toro, I guess)

Dessert: Black Sesame pudding & Assorted Fruits
Everytime I came here, my fruit platter gets bigger and bigger. The black sesame pudding tasted just as good as the last one, couldn't ask for more actually (maybe I should ask them for a bigger slice of the pudding next time)

Bonus: Dragon Roll
I was pining for some Futomaki, so the sashimi chef whipped up a dragon roll to curb the craving. Hehehe, free is good, especially with 4 slices of dragon roll. Each one was definitely a mouthful, which satisfied my Futomaki craving by the end of the last piece.

Bring on next month's Kaiseki menu, Chef Ricky. Feel free to comment.

Pool players spotted

2008-05-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Wu Chiang Ching, Yang Ching Shun, Ibrahim bin Amir, Li He Wen, Chang Jung Ling at the afternoon matches.
One of them at Starbucks.
Chang Jung Ling, Marlon Manolo, Ricky Yang and Ibrahim bin Amir at the 1st TV match.
Marlon Manolo at the 2nd TV table match
Chang Jung Ling (later sipping Guinness), Wu Chiang Ching, Satoshi Kawabata, Li He Wen in the last match at the TV table
Marlon Manolo and his cute daughter after Day 1 at Starbucks (31st May, 00:13)

Edited (31st May, 1:26): The jazz music in the Starbucks cafe is catching. Wonder if it is from the Jazz festival last month.

Wu Chiang Ching, Wang Tsing Shung getting lattes (31st May, 9pm-ish)
The announcer, Anthony Sunthay with a friend (make that Bob Guerrero, the pool commentator that Anthony introduce before the Grand Finals broadcast on Sunday, I never knew he was .......) on the Starbucks benches.

If you were wondering about the 20 minute delay in the 9 ball pool broadcast

2008-05-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Here is the down and dirty of what happpened.

Yang Ching Shun managed to down a ball in his break. Unfortunately, he took a lot of time on the follow-up, running down his 40 second shot clock, the 10 second bell was rung but was muffled (and the referee took note but didn't try to remind Yang of his time). So, by the time he settled down on his shot, the referee pointed out that he had run out of time. Now, Yang being a sporting fellow complained about the muffled bell, but took it all in strides and went back to his seat only for the Taiwan team manager to raise hell on his behalf. Referee consulted the jury panel, overrode the objection, Marlon Manolo went ahead and ran out the rack to go 2-0 up on Yang.

That wasn't the end of the whole matter, the manager then took his complaint up to the jury. Match was delayed for another 10 minutes.

A quick discussion with Jeff and I suggested the fairest way was probably to keep the alternate break but make Yang Chin Shun break the next game instead of Marlon. (what do I know, I have a loudmouth opinion).

The verdict returned from the jury meant still kept Marlon breaking the next rack, but totally did away with the 10 second bell, instead the referee now has to keep track of the player cueing (and any fouls committed) while looking at the shot clock running down.

That didn't stop Yang from stringing the together the next 4 racks and maintaing his 2 game advantage all to the end to win 9-5 (when Marlon dropped rack 13 after missing a 6)

Lesson of the day: do not piss off the Taiwan players.

Anyway, you can probably check out the website. There will be 4 Taiwanese players in each of the quarterfinals with 1 China & 1 Korea in one 1/2 of the draw and 2 Filipinos in the other 1/2. Wonder what would happen if you have an all Taiwanese affair on Day 3.

Genting 9 ball pool

2008-05-30T03:16:00.000-07:00

Drove out of KL in the rain, arrived at our destination and checked into the hotel about 15 minutes before the rain joined us on top of Genting Highlands.
The crappiest part is the Jeff and I are sharing a double bed.
Immediately after, we went over to the Convention Centre to catch the the end of the 3rd round matches. Chang Jung Ling and Wu Chia Ching have both won their matches are now through the knockout rounds. The highlight for tonight will probably be Marlon Manolo vs Yang Ching Sung as they fight to qualify out of their group. Loser goes home (or even worse, referee for the other player :P)

Jeff might be interested in buying a pool cue. I will probably pass unless they include free lessons from the pros.

Posting from Starbucks near the CC underneath First World Hotel.

What a ??? weekend

2008-05-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

Friday 8pm, Old Town Kopitiam Cafe, Cheras:
Start boardgaming session.

Saturday 4am, Old Town Kopitiam Cafe, Cheras:
finish boardgaming session. Games played: Mystery of the Abbey, Cafe International, 1870.
Picked up my 18EU (WWWWWHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!)

Saturday 5am, Home, Selayang:
Reach home, converse with mum, check emails, prepare laptop for Interschool Finals, shower, breakfast.

Saturday 7.30am, Home Selayang:
Leave home for Bukit Bintang.

Saturday 8am, Bukit Bintang:
Arrived, park car, go to office, update last remaining software and download virus definition, go to BTS.

Saturday 8.45am, Berjaya Times Square:
Arrived, loiter, double check with registration, update players list, walk around with laptop, check final details with Mrs Yap, printout pairings for first 3 rounds and we are roaring to begin!

Saturday 9.30am, Berjaya Times Square:
Inputting round 1 results.

Saturday 10.15am, Berjaya Times Square:
Inputting round 1 & 2 results.

Saturday 11am, Berjaya Times Square:
Inputting round 2 results, nodding off with results slip in hand, inputting round 2 results, err, round 3 results in the box piling up (I am slow due to boardgaming fatigue)

Saturday 12noon, Berjaya Times Square:
Wolfing down Big Mac, still keying in round 3. printout pairings for next 2 rounds.

Saturday 12.45pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Crash on stage in public (chairs too uncomfortable), drifting in and out of sleep with mumblings and giggles. Wonder how many people choose to record my public indifference.

Saturday 1pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Woke up, waddle to laptop, INPUT! input! input! input. input. input, input, input...input...

Saturday 1.50pm, Berjaya Times Square:
input...input...printout R6 pairings...input...input...input...

Saturday 3pm, Berjaya Times Square:
input...input...input...input...input...input...

Saturday 4.45pm, Berjaya Times Square:
input...input...input last result slip from R6. Hooray. printout R7 & R8 pairings. stayed behind and zyzzyva.

Saturday 5.30pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Halfway through zyzzyva, head back to hotel, get back in car, drive home.

Saturday 6.15pm, Home, Selayang:
Crash on bed, AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhh!...........................

Sunday 6.30am, Home, Selayang:
Wake up, change, check laptop, drive.

Sunday 8.50am, Berjaya Times Square:
Park car elsewhere, arrive, setup, waiting for random dropout to screw pairings, random guy does dropout, screw pairings, don't reset pairings, bye-bye in the system (at least John Chew program can switch the guy "off -50").

Sunday 9.35am, Berjaya Times Square:
input. input. input. input. input. input...more helpers (good slaves actually). input...input...input...

Sunday 11am, Berjaya Times Square:
Photo op, doesn't buy time, still trying to catch up on backlog of results slip (about 50+ of them), GO ME!

Sunday 11.05am, Berjaya Times Square:
starting repeat rounds, printout pairings, relegate 41+kids onward to RR groups (again) just to keep them out of my hair.

Sunday 12.30pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Finally inputted R9, printout pairings for top 40 kids, troubleshoot.

Sunday 1.15pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Finally get my Big Mac, input...input...input...input...

Sunday 3.45pm, Berjaya Times Square:
input 5...input 4...input 3...input 2...input 1...FINISHED!!!!!! printout, printout, printout...

Sunday 4pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Mrs Yap announces results, prize-giving

Sunday 4.15pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Discover boo-boo in keying in result.

Sunday 4.17pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Boo-boo rectified (Go ahead, Tony, gloat!)

Sunday 4.30pm, Berjaya Times Square:
Zyzzyvaing, edit .tou file, zyzzyvaing, calculate ratings, zyzzyvaing until 7pm, leave for Oversea Restaurant Imbi.

Sunday 7.30pm, Oversea Restaurant Imbi:
enter room, order, eat...eat...eat...converse...eat...eat...eat...nibble...eat...eat...eat...

Sunday 9pm, Oversea Restaurant Imbi:
eat...eat...eat...converse...eat...eat...eat...stuffed...eat...eat...eat...converse...eat...eat...eat...dessert

Sunday 9.45pm, Bukit Bintang:
drive 5 SPECs boy to Subang

Sunday 9.47pm, Bukit Bintang:
detour through Changkat Bukit Bintang

Sunday 9.52pm, Bukit Bintang:
got pulled over by police for overloading my car. (Threw money out of wallet first!)

Sunday 9.57pm, Bukit Bintang:
Policemen pity students (& me), let me go, note to self: try to look more penniless next time if don't have student.

Sunday 10.13pm, Federal Highway:
Raining, road wet. (Retrieve money and put back into wallet)

Sunday 10.34pm, Subang:
Drop them off, head home, tidy up, update blog.

It's been 166 days since....

2008-05-20T04:55:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Causeway Scrabble Challenge and I finally played in my first Malaysian Scrabble tournament of the year, and over the Wesak Day weekend somemore. Whoooooooo-boyyyyyyy! I am deflated.

Day 1: (AM)WWWW, (PM)LWLW
Day 2: (AM)WWWW, (PM) LWL

Note to self: Stop imitating Nigel by eating club sandwiches during lunch break.
2nd note to self: must replicate crabby, angry morning look and optimise it for afternoon sessions.
3rd note to self: continue to fake facebook update about doing zyzzyva every other day.
Nothing special about me for those 2 days, still Scrabble-rusty on Saturday morning, was just glad not to have met Nigel early until I work off morning crabbiness. Then again, I think I need that crabbiness and drive to beat Nigel. Besides, it's my first time beating Nigel twice within the same tournament and on the same day and managing to hoard him 5 times to myself (which is about 1/3 of the games played). Praise everyone else for their performance.

Now to pray for many milestones to come. (like a National Champion title this year? I can dream after all)

The Kiwi launch party

2008-05-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Was issued an invite to a Hilton event, too bad the timing was a little tight (so missed out on bringing Lemongrass, Kenny, and a few friends to this launch party), in the end it all worked out as I managed to bring 2 cousins along, both of whom were back from Australia and couldn't hide the delight that I received an invitation.

The event was practically a display of who who. We arrived in a nick of time to sample wines (very sweet Rieslings & slightly acidic Pinot Noir) and cocktails (Vodka, not my favourite actually) before the Hilton KL quickly dishes out the Maori performance (and nose rubbing) and a fashion show as featured in the Star.

Since the 3 of us were more concerned with the food, we just made a straight beeline to the stations.

Pepper Crusted Venison on crostini with red pepper and capper salsa.
Fresh cut juicy venison, crunchy crostini, tender salsa. Texture is great but the mishmash of flavour was overwhelming for me. Didn't stop me for going back for seconds & thirds.

Potato rosti with smoked salmon with vanilla butter sauce.

One look and I say 'HEY! THOMAS KELLER!'. I remember seeing a similar dish on Anthony Bourdain's first season when he took viewers to Thomas Keller's restaurant, The French Laundry.

The hit of the overpowering vanilla butter sauce really defines this dish, until the hidden gem of the smoked salmon rolls out onto your tongue to wipe it away and massages an aftertaste into your tongue. Ice cream this is not.

Miso biscuit with duck liver parfait & brandy soaked raisin
I love this finger food, probably more for the 'tart' that I got from the brandy soaked raisins than the duck liver parfait.

reminds me of small quiches, I couldn't even remember their name but they were sweet!!! (in the sense of grilled vegetable, not pure sugar)

New Zealand crayfish with fennel coleslaw
Was okay, not fantastic for me.

New Zealand Paua: Maori potato & kumara fritter on green herb aioli
I suppose this would be the winner of the evening for me. A vegetarian 'veggieball'. Very tasty. Did try to pester the chef for the recipe to make my own veggieballs for pastas. No luck there.

Honey Glazed Duck, blackcurrent compote, sour cream, watercress tips.
My cousins love this dish, they were practically raving about the duck meat here. I do say that I agree with them wholeheartedly.

What's on my Kaiseki menu this month?

2008-05-13T17:51:00.000-07:00

Being a regular customer for more than a year netted me a few benefits, starting with my Kaiseki menu getting more varied than previous outings, and service is pretty good (except for the occasional waiter-in-training)

Distraction: Giant Mirugai Shell Liver with Truffle Sauce
While waiting for the starters, I was served 3 slices of shellfish pate(?) drizzled with truffle sauce. I think this is probably gone by the Sunday since they would reserve it for their VIPs. So lucky of me to get a nibble or three.

The first impression was the overpowering fragrance of the truffle sauce, while started peeling back to reveal the smoky grilled flavour of the liver. The soft mushy liver, being less fatty than goose liver, had a texture that was crumblier on the inside while the grilled crust binds all flavours together in harmony. Definitely something you want to have every other time.

Starters: Sesame Beancurd with Umi, Sweet Prawn with Caviar, Tofu with Miso, Chicken with pickles, Grilled chicken, Vinegar shot & tempuras
Let's see, where do I start?

The sesame beancurd was satisfactory, marinated long enough in the shoyu for an accented flavour with the sea urchin (umi) garnishing balancing it out. The chicken with pickles was much better this time since the chicken was lukewarm and fresh, as opposed to soggy. Love the vinegar shot with crunchy (and sometimes powdery) tempuras. Thumbs up for the ne addition although I would love to have some Iranian sturgeon caviar with the sweet prawn since these were not salty enough. Tofu with miso was coyly sweet but well textured. Love the grilled chicken too.

Soup: Soup with Scallop Dumpling
Plain looking yet my tongue taste warm, the scallop dumpling is flaky yet firm (Melt in your mouth, not in your bowl), Veggies were bitey & fragrant. The new dumpling soup for the soul.

Sashimi: Toro, Hairtail, Suzuki, Flambe Octopus & Mirugai Shellmeat (Gyuduck) with a side of Flambe Tuna Abi
Goodies of foodies. The Toro and Flambe Octopus were up to par. While the Flambe Mirugai shellmeat sprang forth into life with a dash of lime. Even the hairtail, glistering with it skin intact, tasted anew with radish garnishing, but the suzuki fish stole the limelight. Light, Breezing through your tongue, you can almost it floating in your mouth, tantalizing the tastebud every now and then before disappearing down your gullet.

The other interesting accompanying side dish was the tuna abi. Fillets of tuna rolled into a maki with japanese shallots and pickles. I have yet to taste the raw version yet since this one was flambe and dipped in a special sauce of mayo and chilli. Sad to say, the sauce overpowered the tuna but kept the pickles flavour intact. Poor execution.

Steamed dishes: Eggplant with Anago Eel.
This time around, the dish tasted slurpier (just imagine yourself eating japanese noodles the proper way), the meat was tender enough and was drowning in the sauce literally (although the eggplant bowl was a wee bit undercooked and pretty firm). The slices of anago eel were a welcome addition to this dish although I would like to see more variety the next I get this.

Steamed dishes: Tuna Eye
Now for something exotic.

I just wish I could see it before it got cooked. Wouldn't mind having a pair just to stick on my glasses and walk around while videoing everyone's reaction to it.

The white ball inside the exoskeleton was the pupil. Despite being a fan of eating fish eyes (smaller fishes, mind you), I found this pupil very dry and not saucy enough and had to keep on dunking it in the sauce just to add flavour to a really really bland pupil.

The best part though was the meat. Smooth, fatty (the chef mentioned that it was actually the muscle/sinew), shiny, glistering and tender to yield upon the poke of a pair of chopsticks. I could only describe it as eating very smooth siew york (all fat, no crispy skin and very little lean meat). Every bite was actually sliding around my mouth, missing my gullet by mere inches, rolling over my tastebuds. Sweet!!! Definitely my face dish of the night.

Fried dish: Ayu & Tempura
Matured ayu have a pretty light taste that is perfectly fit for this oily dish. The only downside was that one of the fish was spoilt. At least the matcha salt could be drizzled over the dish.

Main course: Sushi 5 ways.
Starting with the flambe toro sushi, I enjoyed the brief explosion of toro in my mouth unfortunately it was soon to be overpowered by the oily garlic flake and pickled ginger press into the sushi.

Moving on to the flambe miso sea bream sushi, this one came across as slightly too sweet possibly because the miso was slathered over the sushi instead of just a dollop (then again, maybe my tongue was craving sweetness after the first piece)

the flambe wagyu sushi with was just nice and perfectly accentuated by the radish gratings as garnishing.

Moving on to the haji (horsebreaker fish) sushi, the full on flavour was matched by the garnishing of grated ginger and spring onion, culminating in an orgasmic explosion in the mouth. Definitely not one for the delicate tastebuds,

For the suzuki sushi, the initial tenderness gave way to a rush of salty spicy combo (a product of the salted grape skins & chili garnishing) that lingers on in the aftertaste.

Dessert: Mochi pastry & Assorted Fruits
Another leaf bound dessert, and I have no idea how they do it when the transfer the fragrance of the leaf unto the skin of the pastry. Since finding out my love of mochi, Chef Ricky has given me another one made with mochi dough. The fragrance was overwhelming in the mouth, and not even a hint of it being coyly as you savour the springy mochi pastry.

Chef Ricky is probably tearing his hair out right now trying to personalize next month's kaiseki menu for me. Feel free to comment.

Upcoming report

2008-05-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

In the works:

May Kaiseki menu (9th May)
Life. Art. Kiwi at KL Hilton (12th May)
Chynna (12th May)

All in the works

A personalized Spring Kaiseki menu

2008-04-19T01:52:00.000-07:00

After last month tardiness, here I am with this month's Kaiseki report (taken on 16th April, would have posted sooner if not for streamyx and computer virus).
So, Itadakimasu~~! Enjoy!

Starters: Marinated Firefly Squid, Firefly Squid with Miso Paste, Marinated Toro, Top Shell, assorted vegetables & Sesame Beancurd
Drawing on his inspiration from his Jakarta trip, Chef Ricky served up a smorgasbord of starters to overwhelm my stomach (Unfortunately for him, I have a bottomless pit of a stomach).

The sesame beancurd is still as bouncy as ever; and the firefly squid whether served traditionally marinated in shoyu-sake combo (sweet and savory/soury) or with miso-mustard is still a hit (springier in texture, and a good hit of spiciness in the aftertaste, somehow it reminds me of indian fish head curry). The top shell-meat still has the bitey-ness but the toro in the kyonko noodles was dry and flaky. For the other two, the salted beans were pretty tender and mushy while the spinach was slightly undercooked to give it some bite.

Sashimi: Flambe Octopus & Scallop, Flambe Mirugai Shell, Flambe Clam & Flambe Toro
Okay, if sashimi is raw fish literally; then what do you call it if everything on the plate has been flambe just before presentation?

For once, everything old on this plate was new again. The toro is bleeding juice onto my tongue while the the scallop just opens my taste to a whole new dimension. The octopus sucker was five times the size of previous serving (PIG OUT!!!). The remaining shellfish meat taste like mini gyozas, crispy on the outside, bitey and tasty on the inside.

Steamed dishes: Matcha Soba wrapped in Toro with Yam grating and Umi
Shrouded in steam, what does this dish look like?

TADA!!!!
A whole bundle of matcha soba with a Toro fillet wrapped around it, covered in generous dollops of Japanese yam grating and topped with Sea urchin and wasabi!!!
Every single bite of this was so good, saki sweet and mellow enough to temper any heat from the wasabi (which accentuated the sweetness even more). The cherry leaf wrapped on the side of the toro fillet binded all the flavours together perfectly in a six-part harmony that you can sing about at any dinner. My favourite dish of the night.

Grilled Dish: Grilled Ebodai
It's a bird.
It's a plane.
It's the super flying Ebodai fish!!! (that landed on my plate at my mercy)

Thanks to a tip, you can dribble shoyu sauce onto the grated daikon and sample with the salt-encrusted-grilled ebodai fish for a great tasting experience. With the salt removing excess moisture from the meat, you get to sample the locked-in natural flavour ot the ebodai fish magnified five times by the flavour of the salt, it is like eating five steamed ebodai fish to get the same taste in your mouth (not to mention, a lot of fish).
The fish trying to veer off my plate.

Having given up the struggle, it is now lunging for my mouth. CHOMP!!!

Fried dish: Scallop and Vegetable Omelette
A hotchpotch of scallop and spring vegetables lightly bind together with eggs. Somehow I get a cheesy feeling of eating a high-class omelette minus a lot of eggs. Tastewise, it came across as a strong combination of scallop and mountain vegetables since both were trying to overpower the other and ended up in a draw. The plum salt and fried chilis were excellent garnishes to accompany this dish.

Main course: Spring Chirashi Sushi.
Now this is a beautiful chirashi sushi presentation, take a look at it and I almost see a resemblance to cherry blossoms.

Loaded with bamboo shoots, prawns, rape blossoms, slices of anago eel and garnished with cherry coloured cod flakes and onions; this is a feast for the eyes (and afterwards, the stomach too). Nothing tasted out of place here, every bite was a slice of Japan in cherry-blossomed springiness.

Dessert: Shiratama Mochi and Assorted Fruits
Compared to last month, the mochi this time around were covered in nutty gratings and served lukewarm which only made they much sweeter and softer than last month's version (still somewhere between the bitey gyuchi mochi from last month and the runny chinese ones we get from hawker stall). Definitely worth a few more pieces. Check out the fruit platter I got, must have been the biggest one since I frequented this place.

Chef Ricky mentions that the staple ingredients like Wagyu, Yam and Toro will probably be making a comeback next month before the summer months reign. Feel free to comment.

Euro Deli Grill

2008-04-19T01:45:00.000-07:00

Past reviewers are here, there, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere and don't-know-where.

Finally for all my readers, a food post that is not Japanese.

Was actually entertaining some Johor college kids who were up in KL for a Scrabble tournament and they were craving for some pork knuckles they sampled last year after cramming for Some Peperiksaan in Malaysia. So here is the star of the evening in all its crispy, juicy, meat, succulent, divine, glorious.....erm, glory (and the servers mentioned that the pork knuckles have somehow become smaller since the hogs managed to escape the pens before being chased into the abattoir).

Since being the 'chaperone' and the only 'responsible' adult of the night, I had to enjoy the occasional pint of imported beer while being the driver. *SWEET* (at least it doesn't taste like piss)

And what is pork knuckle without the famous side, the sauerkraut? At least this one was sour enough (i still perfer Deustch Hans in Changkat Bukit Bintang) but the sauce wasn't that memorable, being slightly oily. Aw, heck! We are here to eat pork knuckles and nothing but pork knuckles.

The kids digging in. That is Chow Xin Wei on the left and Chin Hon Yew on the right.

Skin first, meat later. The skin was really excellent, crispy, crunchy and the thickness was just nice that you can bite on it and it will snap upon you exerting maximum pressure from your jaws. the problem was only the top part of the skin was the crispiest with the lower part a bit below par.

The meat underneath was really succulent and more or less made up for the limited amount of crispy skins. Coupled with the sauerkraut and you can eat pork knuckle after pork knuckle (and wash it down with imported beer!!!). My only regret is that I could not take the pork knuckle and rip out the meat with my bare teeth since one has to be a role model for teenagers with proper etiquette.

Here a photo of the shop, located right behind the new OLD TOWN KOPITIAM outlet. Just drive in on either side round the back.

Spring Kaiseki is here.

2008-03-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

Apologies to all who have been waiting for the March Kaiseki report.
I did have it about 3 weeks ago but waited until recently to post the report up.
So, Itadakimasu~~! Enjoy!

Starters: Boiled Rape Blossom mixed with Mustard sauce & Spring Melon
Hit you once, still not enough.
Hit you twice, bow over coz you not tough.
Hit you thrice, very very rough.
Hit you bye-bye, don't cough cough.

At least that was the feeling I got having these two dish, one being an old favourite (rape blossom) and the other (spring melon) will await my research into the archives. The mustard sauce and the rape blossom was an instant uppercut to my tongue. (POW!) While the spring melon feels like a light tap on the tip of the tongue, before being stunned at the back of the tongue when you send it down your gullet, at least there was a hint of lemony-ness from the garnishing (apparently some Japanese mountain leaf, instead of what I assumed was a thai herb). K.O.

Soup: Clear Broth with Hamaguri Clam
Like la-la's with thick skin, oops, I mean shell.
It's one thing to eat la-la's (since they are small and thin too), these are like me trying to fit in oversized contact lenses onto my eyes. God, so hard to eat, I give up. (Even the chef probably noticed the meat dangling in the shell). No further comments necessary.

Sashimi: Flambe Octopus & Scallop, Kamachi, Australian Trout, Fish paste with pepper leaf & Sea Bream with Liver Sauce
Everytime Chef Ricky takes over the sashimi selection, I see him try a lot of different things. On top of the leany Australian trout and Kamachi, I was pretty excited about the other items on the plate.

The Sea Bream with Liver Sauce was one of the best combos I have tried so far, even better than the butterflyfish combo last month. Instead of normal taro, Chef Ricky decided to flambe it and it produced a crunchier texture for every bite taken. And last but not least, the 'smelly' fish paste that even the Japanese couldn't handle, garnished with some pepper leaves. YO!!!

Steamed dishes: Simmered Bamboo Shoot, Seaweed & Sea Bream Roe
There's that leaf again!
Not a lot of sauce this time around, possibly because the seaweed suck most of it dry, hence juicy seaweed (sounds like an oxymoron if you ask me), the bamboo shoot was pretty crunchy in the middle while the sea bream roe had a cured flavour to it and tasted a bit alien to me on my first go (wonder if it was because of the seasonal variation).

Grilled Dish: Grilled Sea Trout, Top Shell & Assorted Vegetables
I spy with my little eye, the return of something small and marinated and shiny on the left side of the plate - Lemongrass' favourite firefly squid has made a comeback onto the menu (about one month earlier than last year).

Basically, the beans and tempuras were satisfactory but almost forgettable, even the teriyaki sea trout almost ran afoul of the combo from the left side the of the plate. Starting with the top shell (or as Chef Tsuchi calls it Su-bo-gai, I am still looking for the correct spelling online without success), the meat was swimming in clarified butter, which coated the slivers of meat in creamy soulfulness. The marinated firefly squid was also lovely, reminding me of last year's introduction of the omakase menu to Lyrical Lemongrass (I posted a photo on her facebook page, just for the memory). The succulent duck breastmeat wrapped around Japanese long bean was reminiscent of the 2006 gourmet festival menu, which I like a lot.

Vinegared dish: Marinated Fine Seaweed with Ark Shell
Slurp! The ark shellmeat is definitely more bitey than the top shellmeat earlier.
Slurp! wonder what seaweed is this?
SSSSLLLLUUUURRRRPPPP!!! Aw Heck! down the gullet!!!
Tangily refreshing, and pretty balanced (there was a hit of ginger to balance out the icy breeze going through my mouth) that it got my stomach rumbling again for more food.

Main course: Nigiri Sushi.
My bad!!!! I finished most of the good stuff before I remembered to take a photo.
Oh well, have fun deciphering the last two pieces of sushi left on my plate. Winner gets to accompany me to another Kaiseki menu. (on your own cost, of course)

Dessert: Gyuchi Mochi and Assorted Fruits
Spring is here and mochi is in flavour. God knows how bland the chinese ones are anyway. After some enquiries (okay, I grilled Chef Tsuchi over a slow roasting interrogation), I discovered that these were not the traditional Japanese mochi that you see them hammering in wooden barrels with mallets. The gyuchi mochi are prepared like pudding, with all the ingredients combined and cooked over heat whilst stirring (and stirring and stirring and stirring). So instead of the rubbery texture, you can something more chewy (enhanced even more by the chilled red bean paste, Chef Ricky and Tsuchi promised me a better one next month, so we will have to wait and see).

Still not a gourmet (and still not getting to paid to write this yet). Feel free to comment.

I wonder if......

2008-03-09T06:09:00.000-07:00

Pak La-La-Lah will resign?
his son-in-law will bring the Hell's Angel-lite to the Parliament?
Will there be a cat-fight in Parliament between Nizzie and her ex-fiancee?
a repeat of "Party like it's 1969"?
At-war returns to Parliament?
will Undemocratic-Masochistic-Nepotism-Oblivious ever accommodate the minorities?
How many ACA investigations, lawsuits will be waiting for Sue-Me-Vellu?
will the affirmative action policies finally go?
we will have an Opposition who are better administrators than the Government?
will Z-arcade and cronies Inc be eliminated for good?
Were the government's political strategists working for fund management companies?
How else would you explain them sending 5000 postal votes to a losing candidate in the Bukit Bintang Parliamentary Seat (Opposition's 2004 margin of victory: 300+ votes; Opposition's 2008 margin of victory: 14,000+ votes) that could have been better used to win the Lembah Pantai Parliamentary seat?

Yaw Char Kway, Jalan Alor

2008-02-28T22:05:00.000-08:00

A quick Google search revealed that I am not the first one to blog about this Bukit Bintang Institution.

So what is Yaw Char Kway? Think of it as the origin of bagels. The story behind it is pretty tragic and cynical to those who hear it:

Towards the later part of the Sung Dynasty, one heroic general emerged to defend China against the Jin and Mongol Invasion; his name is Yue Fei. Battle after battle, victory after victory, he reclaim China in the name of the emperor. Unfortunately, he was undermined by a court official, who was also a Jin double agent (who was sent back to Sung under the guise of a prisoner exchange) name Qin Kway. Striped of his post and authority, General Yue Fei was condemned to death. In honour of the general (and despise of Qin Kway), the masses started making fried pastry and called them Yaw Char Kway (literally meaning 'Oil Fried (Qin) Kway') and eating them to vent their frustration for being helpless.

Now that you know the story, back to the food.
The Tew couple have been operating it probably before I was born, specializing in 5 types.

The most common type is the 'Yau Tiao', which is the one associated with Yaw Char Kway, two long stripes on doughs stuck together and fried until crispiness with the center of the doughs being hollow and stacked with layers of dough like a croissant.

After that I usually plump for the 'Ngau Lay So', which is dough, wrapped around another type of sweet dough and fried, it looks like a donut squished together with the skin in center resembling roti pisang, while the outer skin is smooth like a bagel. A lot of my Malay colleagues like this.

3rd up would probably be the 'Ham Jin Bang', the dough is coated with cinnamon powder on the inside before being rolled into a swiss roll. Cut lengthwise and rolled into a flat disc. This is my current favourite.

The 'Ma Geok' would probably be a shorter and fatter variation of the 'You Tiao', and the dough is not crispy, but more spongy and is seasoned with sesame seeds.

Last but not least is the 'Cup Chung', which is dough wrapped around glutinous rice and deep fried. *Drool*

Since I just work just around the block (1 minute walk), it is easy to just drop by, buy/order, go back and enjoy. Nowadays, there are starting their operations a bit later (they used to be there in the morning back in the 80s, afternoon in the 90s, and now 3ish in the new decade). So is to wishing them a long and prosperous business.

What is on the Chef's Kaiseki menu this month?

2008-02-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

There are reasons why I don't do dinners on Friday night:
It is the weekend and the hotel usually throws up crisis over the weekend, normally frontloaded on Friday afternoons and evening.
I used to play boardgames with my gang in Cheras until 6am in the morning (or whenever something big pops up at the hotel).
I find parking very hard (Hilton is no exception).
I usually reserve the night for others.
So while pining for the latest Kaiseki menu this month, Chef Ricky finally invited me over on Friday, Sushi bar counter seat no less. Thus, the jam, the parking, the crowd: this better be worth it.

Starters: Simmered Green Vegetables in Bonito Stock & Chilled Sesame Curd with soy sauce
Unlike previous soft-textured veggies (not soggy, mind you), this month's serving turns out crisp, including the leaves. The thin slices of the kamaboko, or fishcakes soaked up most of the bonito stock, so you still get a great mouthful of flavour with minimal effort.

I still recall last year's sesame curd being very sesame-y, even down to the grainy texture. So smooth was this one that it cuts cleanly with a pair of chopstick and is just enhanced with a dash of wasabi and (albeit, generous) hint of soy sauce. Kudos to Chef Ricky for this one.

Sashimi: Sashimi (Baby Tuna, Hamachi, Hairtail, Butterflyfish with Liver Sauce, Octopus & Silver Fish with Lime Paste)
Okay, where do I start?
The baby tuna was pretty springy and has a different flavour to it, sort of like an even softer toro but with a freshness of a young white wine. The hamachi was even better this time, probably because it was flown in fresh today.

Probably the biggest surprise was the hairtail fish in the center. I was quite curious as to how one slice of meat ended up flowering into six sliver of soft flakiness. I even asked the sushi chef if he scored it that way but he pointed out that is how hairtail meat turns out when cut (minus the skin), it opens like a flower and it can only be used for sashimi and sushi for the one day window, else the meat will...you know what will happen.

The other white meat on taste was from the relative of the coral beauty butterflyfish, complemented by a sauce made from it liver. Yeah, I am eating something with a sharp nose, and probably swims around with Nemo and it is definitely, not a dolphin. (Was actually wondering if the butterflyfishes in the aquarium were mourning their kin who went into the preparation). On its own, doesn't have the richness of sea bream but is really robust, even more than most red meat I have tried, and the liver sauce, ooooohhhh, the liver sauce: it hints at bitterness, but taste like a mellowed mustard that is trying to wallop you with spiciness, just perfect for a robust meat.

On top of that I can extra servings of octopus and silver fish with lime paste (which is than what was advertise on the kaiseki menu I sent LL and Kenny M)

Steamed dishes: Tai (Sea Bream) Head in Sake & Mirin reduction
What a head (well, half a head, more like it).
I have finally mastered the art of eating fish head from dad by with this Sea Bream, even a novice should be able to reduce down to just bare bones (Sorry for not taking photos of the end results). The whole head was coated in a sake & mirin reduction with looks like liquid black honey (or liquid molasses for those who have seen it) that clings to every slice of meat and baths it in sweet, sweet goodness with every bite. *Sigh*, I love this dish.

Grilled Dish: Grilled Hairtail, Herring Roe, Cod Milt, Mussels, Sweet Prawn & Long Beans
Quick run through the cod milt, sweet prawns and herring roe being up to par, while the long bean soaked in stock garnished with bonito flakes was a bit soft for my taste (bordering on almost sogginess).

Thank heavens for 2 pieces of grilled mussels, they were smoky and smoking!!! So sweet with that hint of sea-saltiness that I like and the flesh was oozing (if you understand my drift).
Probably just as good was the grilled hairtail, while the sashimi version was flaky, this one was firm to the touch of the almighty chopstick but still flakes in your mouth as if by a magic command whenever a slice falls on your tongue. No tricks, no hoax, just wonderful texture with a good flavour to match.

Fried dish: Deep Fried Anago Eel
Everyone knows unagi, but how many of you have seen anago (well, at least not those who have visited masak-masak blog for her Federal date). Smaller than their cousins, it is probably right that they are more ideal for a tempura dish since they are quicker to cook and crisp without retaining too much oil.
Wrapped with seaweed (for that extra crispness), I tasted something that borders on thin slices of unagi (think of a normal unagi sliced into 1cm slivers) bound in fresh crispness. A very good dose of plum salt is all you need if you want a more pronounced flavour. (All for bragging purposes, I told Chef Ricky I could have eaten a whole anago serving there and then since he has no idea of my bottomless pit that is my stomach)

Main course: Steamed Rice with Pufferfish.
Haha, instead of baby sardines, I get Fugu!!! How lucky of me.

Personally, I prefer this to the porridge since I love the texture and flavour of the rice prepared this way. Just nice, with slices of Fugu and julienned ginger; honestly, I can say I almost went to heaven from the first bite to the last bite. Here are just a few more pictures of the dish (with the obligatory miso soup of course) :P

Ricky's special: Two sushi - Tai (Sea Bream) with miso & Tuna Chia (blood rich black meat) with Korean miso (dwenjang/ denjang).
If I almost went to heaven with the last dish, this was the dish to finish the job. Two Chef Ricky handmade sushi. The first one was a flambe Tai sushi topped with miso (Yes, Chef Ricky blowtorched it in front on my very own eyes; Got to make him make these more often in the future). Tastewise, the still warm sushi and sticky miso danced on my tongue, gushing through my tastebuds like water through a straw basket. I just couldn't stop the overpowering flavour that I was experiencing. *Heaven*

Just as I was finishing relishing the first one, I was piqued about the black jerky that was used in the gunkan-maki and garnished with pepper shoots and pickled garlic. One mouthful later and I still haven't descended from the heavens yet. The meat feels tough but my teeth sliced through it like butter and the combination just feels like a well-balanced and well-spiced curry (I know that this is the weirdest analogy I could think of). The pepperiness and sourness just rolls the meat along your tongue and you feel like your blood is racing through your mouth. Turns out that this is the black meat of the tuna, which is rich in blood and can only be prepared from fresh tuna. How sweet. *I just didn't want to come back down to Mother Earth*

Dessert: Matcha Jelly and Assorted Fruits
Love the Matcha jelly, it seems to be a good all-rounder. If you spice it well, it make a very nice starter, but leave it on its own and you have a great dessert that is not sweet and yet still so enticing to the palate. With the two slices of grape providing the extra sweetness, I would love to see more of this being served in Malaysia. not saying much about the fruits though, at least they tasted sweet, but not sweet enough for my liking.

I am so doing my Kaiseki at Iketeru on Friday night from now on.

Feel free to say anything about me in the comment section.

An business proposal to you

2008-02-17T05:08:00.000-08:00

all the mumbo jumbo about eco-tourism, blah, blah, blah, is really getting me down. So I am now proposing something to you, how about investing/venturing into industry-tourism. Tour the places that made you your cheap undergarments, electrical appliances, toys, industrial material etc.

We are not talking about model factories here, but real sweatshops located in the bowels of the 3rd world (besides, only kids visit the clean, big, modern factories). Get to see workers toil everyday to earn less than U$1 per day, exposed to the harsh environment, deprive of their rights, committed to a lifetime of soulless, mundane activities to satisfy your material needs.

Be allow to speak to them, eat their food, do their work, all in the name of experience. After your tourist have finished the tour, let them blog about their experience, shame the governments and employers that condone such practices. We don't need NGOs, we need industry-tourism.

For an added twist, here is an variation proposed for American industry.
Invest in steel mill and convert one into a historical museum, showcasing American's Industrial Revolution prowess, worker's right emancipation, lousy modern steel making ability, international modern practices (all with live working furnaces and workers to hire those retrenched not by Mittal, but American steel mills that are stupid enough not to encourage the very same workers to find better jobs for themselves).

Let the flaming arrows fly!

Missing the Tour, Hate the Buffet

2008-02-17T00:44:00.000-08:00

Here I am sitting in my office, talking to guest, troubleshooting every single niggling problem they encounter and missing the Tour de Langkawi as it passes by on Jalan Raja Chulan/Laut/whatever. Would be nice if I could see a crash like the one in the paper but there isn't any particular corner you can go to anticipate that (ooohhh.....what evil thoughts!!!)

Nope, here in KL, just a straight ride, a procession like Paris. BORING!
what a boring tour! what a 'boring' day! (since none of the guest have yet to produce any catastrophic crisis to overwhelm the staff, thank you and the Almighty)

Which reminds me of the earlier lunch appointment with my parents, who needed their (local) japanese food fix after 1 decade (not counting the annual trips they make to japan every autumn before 2005). So back to their 80s haunt, the Equatorial Japanese Buffet on Sunday.

Normally when I was younger, the only experience I had with Japanese food was Chikuyo-Teh (where I just downed Unagi after unagi, had no idea that I was eating an aphrodisiac) and the Equatorial buffets (which was tempura, unagi, tempura, california roll, tempura, unagi, tempura, california roll until I was rolled to the car by my brother). Nowadays, as per my blog, I am getting spoilt on omakase and kaiseki menus, so I really don't know how I would react to the, erm...hem, throwback.

(apologies to all food bloggers, I am not going to photograph my food in front of mom and dad, etiquette is such a harsh mother. And I am not going to photograph the queues for the food when I am making a mad dash for it, either.)

First impression after arriving at the Mezzanine floor : P-A-C-K-E-D!!! (insert expletives of choice here: examples include *!@#$&%^!^@#$ and !@)#$$#@^*&@*#*$%! and !@#$*&#$^*!&$*#&!@ as well as !@#$*#$^&@!*&#$*!&$%@!#$%!@#$^@)
There were plenty of stations, Sukiyaki, Teppanyaki, Tempura, Sushi/Sashimi Counter, Japanese Grill, but people were all heading for the usual favorites.

So mom and I employed the usual D&C strategy (Divide and Conquer). I go Teppanyaki (beef), she goes Sashimi/Sushi (Toro, Octopus and Hamachi). Then she goes Sukiyaki (everyone wants the beef but I don't see any Wagyu beef being served while the Udon and Chicken Sukiyaki station remained unmanned), I go Soba/Udon (2 bowls). Back to table, consume.

First thing first, quality definitely lower since it tends to resemble factory mass production rather than fine dining exquisite, the Hamachi was too thick and overpowering while the Toro was bleeding my heart out. and the Octopus was so thick (the cook didn't score the surface so it took two bites to cut through) that it reminded me of eating cardbox. (don't ask me for the story)
Teppanyaki was okay since it was fresh off the surface and the Soba should be eated cold anyway.

Round 2: she goes Teppanyaki, I go to the empty stations for some onigiris and japanese pickles. She goes Japanese Grill and Sashimi/Sushi, I go Sukiyaki and juice bar. Back to table, consume.

Onigiri gone cold (they should be serving this at the Japanese Grill, fresh from the oven, which would make a real difference), at least the pickles are okay. Sukiyaki soup ends up tasting like homemade French Onion soup (no kidding). Unagi is okay, but not moist enough for my liking (I so pine for a complete slice of unagi that I had since childhood) since they sparsely basted the sauce, at least mom and dad enjoyed the salmon sides. The poor people at the fresh juice counter were overworked but I really enjoyed pointing out to mum what happened to the juice after 30 minutes (you could see the pulp floating at the top of the melted ice at the next table, but I am too courteous not to photograph the evidence). So remember to drink the juice when it is freshly made, really really fast.

Round 3: she goes fruits, I go Tempura. she goes Miso, I go Sashimi/Sushi, Japanese pancakes and MOCHI!. Back to table, consume.

Backtrack, went back to tempura station for sauce (Haiz!)

The funniest thing was probably the un-emptied basket of tempura veggies but people were just swiping the tempura prawns as soon as they came out of the oil, at least it was decent, nothing to write home about (after a few Kaiseki menus, that is, especially when you tasted deepfried anglerfish and fugu, which were much better prepared). Miso was me-so-so, mum-so-so, dad-so-so. No wasabi in the sushi, ugh! Japanese pancakes was probably the best of all the stations (but still fell short of the one I had in Japan when I was a poor exchange student) but the MOCHI absolutely stole it crown (firstly, I adore mochi. Secondly, I hate the way we chinese make it so runny, especially the hawkers). These were firm but soft to chew and the nutty coating was just nice, not too sweet (It actually made my mother go for them after she declared she was stuffed). Polished off the rest of the fruits and I thankfully give gratitude for the gym session so that I don't roll down to the carpark on the way back.

I still hate buffets, especially the ones where you have to queue *sniff*.

PS: I am so taking mom and dad to Hilton's Jampagne when I get the chance.

Bukit Bintang CNY Party

2008-02-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

BN only knows how to throw a party for tourist, not for the locals.
Impossible to get in, impossible to get out, impossible to cross the road (unless you take a long detour), impossible to see the performance in front of the VVIP stage (the hotel manager only got invited for the VIP stage, which sucks! coz I scouted for her earlier upon a request).

Only got a chance to glimpse how short Badawi is and a close up of Lokman the presenter. At least some of the performances were good.

Then again, business was so good that we made 120% over our normal turnover with only 90% of our rooms. (If only those no-shows had shown up or just cancelled, we could have made even more!!!). The coffeehouse probably made 300% over their normal turnover, comparable to New Year Street party.

Addicted to the mini games on facebook

2008-02-11T02:18:00.000-08:00

First, it was Petrolhead. After getting the Porsche Carrera GT, I am not budging until they get me some more Porsches as incentives, Boxster and 911 please!

now, it is Battle Stations, problem is, I prefer exploration to shooting people out of the sky and explorers are such easy targets over there. Maybe all the explorers should boycott the commanders and pirates and not sell/auction the wood, ores and plasma rock that we find. tally ho! what will I be addicted to next on facebook (am currently trying to get to level 70 on Battle Station)

Let the Feastivities begin

2008-02-08T00:24:00.000-08:00

Reunion dinner: 2 bowls of fish maw soup; 2 dozen homemade soup dumpling; 4 bowls of steamboat-ed fish, meat, prawns, veggies; 1 bowl of sweet water; 100+.

First day lunch: 1 dozen satays; nasi lemak; siew york; snacks; love letters; pokka green tea (someone mistook it for whisky).
First day dinner: 3 plates of grilled lamb; 2 dozen satays; ice kacang; kuih; 4 plates of siew york; Ruffino white wine; australian merlot; fizzies.

Second day lunch: 1 bowl homemade laksa; 1 plate steamed glutinous rice; fried chicken; spring rolls; cabernet sauvignon; 100+; gambling,.
Second day dinner: to come

Since I like Japanese food

2008-02-02T08:55:00.000-08:00

My score on The "What Sushi Are You?" Test:

Niji Urimaki

(70% Adventurousness, 51% Complexity, 60% Heartiness)

Niji Urimaki (Rainbow Roll) - An inside-out roll with a lot going for it... And in this case a lot of different lovely slices of fish, wrapped around sushi rice, cucumber and radish sprouts. No, it's not traditional, but it satisfies your craving for a new experience with every bite. Salmon, tuna, breem, mackerel, snapper, shrimp, and halibut all have a place in this sm�rg�sbord of tastes. Some might call you "indecisive," but why settle for less than a little of everything?

Link: The "What Sushi Are You?" Test

View My Profile:

(OkCupid Free Online Dating)

Looks like I am just a ROJAK!!!

Fugu course at Iketeru

2008-01-22T12:59:00.000-08:00

Since nothing looks good on the menu this month, Chef Ricky was so nice to cobbled together an exclusive Fugu Kaiseki menu for me (and one other, but no one picked up the offer) this January. Based on previous experience, I have quite high expectations that he needs to match given his previous track record (Refer to January 2007 and Februart 2007). For some fun, here are some photos of Chef Ricky preparing the fugu sashimi live at the sushi bar.

Starters: Pufferfish skin & Herring Roe
Bitey-chewy fugu skin swimming in ponzu sauce with grated radish and spring onion, so sourish with a hint of pepperiness. Maybe Chef Ricky overdid it on the ponzu sauce.
The herring row was quite a good hit, the gelatin-like coating (which according to Chef Ricky, forms it egg sac) prevents the individual eggs from disintegrating and locks in flavour. With some bonito flakes for garnishing, this was as good as the cod milt, once bite and the individual eggs seems to split into a hundred atoms in your mouth, rolling into every nook and cranny. Although not as rich as salmon roe, it was definitely easier to sample this dish. Feels like I am eating a jelly with roe packed inside it.

Sashimi: Fugu sashimi
In addition to the usual garnishing, I got the chance to experiment fugu with another type of peppery herb that looks like sprouts. They have a more pronounced pepper aftertaste that eliminates traces of the ponzu sauce so that each new mouthful is not layered by previous souriness, a very refreshing condiment (is this the correct word?). Using sudachi lime also varied the souriness that one can taste. Overall, this was a much better experience building on the last two outings.

Sashimi (again): Fresh Scallop & Maguro.
The sweetest scallops I have ever had in a long time. Some lean mean Maguro wouldn't hurt (after all that fugu-goodies).

Steamed dishes: Pumpkin Dumpling
Made from one full sized pumpkin, cooked until most of its water was evaporated, leaving behind a sweet pumpkin paste that formed the crust of this dumpling. With minced chicken fillings and mushrooms, gingko nuts garnishing, this was one of my favorite dish of the evening.
With every mouthful, you get sweet pasty pumpkin and well sauteed mince chicken and aftertaste of the garnishing.

Grilled Dish: Kansai Nodoguro Fish
OOOOOOHHHHHHhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I just went to heaven. (Remember Anthony Bourdain's lunch with Ferran Adria at a local fishshop when they seafood was just grilled with salt? I think I just realized the beauty of seafood prepared this way)
Normally, most of the fish served grilled have been glazed or marinated in miso/teriyaki/soy sauce, etc. Not this one, just good old salt and done just right so that you don't taste salt, just good old fish. Drop of lemon, some daikon gratings to dispel over-lemoniness or excess saltiness and boy, you can go to heaven after this dish.

Fried dish: Deep Fried Pufferfish
Better than the February 2007 serving, so much more meat, so less bones. Juicy, juicy deep fried fugu. Now this is really giving me bang for my buck. Texture-wise, I get more bite out of the meat and it is easier for me to consume the servings with my mouth. Even some of the bone were crunchy enough to be edible!

Main course: Pufferfish chabu-chabu & porridge.
Pufferfish meat, Check!
Seasonal Mountain vegetables, Check!
Tofu, Check!
Transparent Glass noodles, Check!
Transparent Glass noodles? this wasn't in the last package......WHEE!!!!! (for your reference, check out the following two photos)

This time around, I likened the eating experience to eating a hearty bowl of stew that fortifies your mind, body and senses throughout the meal. Adding the touch of the glass noodles was perfect to translate the consistency from veggies to tofu to tender pufferfish meat. Way much better than last year's serving.

Dessert: Assorted fruits and Dumplings in Red Bean Sweet water
Wow! Even more fruits in the selection than before. Thank you, Chef Ricky!
(sly look) "can I get some more dumplings in my red bean?"

With him lavishing all the personal attention while at the sushi bar (again), maybe I should stake out my place there if no one comes with me next time.

Feel free to say anything about me in the comment section (Yes, Hubert. I will promise you something non-Japanese, maybe from the singaporean side soon)

Collateral Damage from gym session

2008-01-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

Since I did not ice down.....

Thoracolumbar Fascia, Internal Abdominal Oblique Muscle in Lum, Rectus Abdominis Muscle, External Abdominal Oblique Muscle, Sartorius Muscle, Rectus Femoris Muscle, Vastus Medialis Muscle, Adductor Longus Muscle, Adductor Magnus Muscle, Gracilis Muscle, Bicep Femoris Muscle, Semitendinosus Muscle, Gluteus Maximus Muscle.

GGGGAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Another 1st day at (another) gym

2008-01-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

Let's see:

Fitness: lousy
Strength: okay
Speed: unsustainable
Endurance: Forget it
Lung capacity: 1/1000 of previous baseline
Willpower: Absolutely none whatsoever

I am ready for the purgatory of punishment.
And I have a new coach!!!

Anyone want to join me for Fugu?

2008-01-15T06:43:00.000-08:00

This coming Tuesday, 22nd January, 7.30pm at Iketeru, Hilton Sentral.

On to the afterlife, Cheerio!

2008-01-13T23:19:00.000-08:00

Back to back funerals within 2 weeks made the end of the 2007 look pretty gloomy (not to mention that these were not kin but religious service members of my mother's group and she being an awful driver at night roped me in to ferry her to the departed). The first one being the usual wail-y chinese stuff that you expect in a house with the whole stage setup and the coffin in the doorway of the house, etc.

Which was why the second one at the Nirvana Memorial Centre (located in some inaccessible part of the Seremban Highway was chic and downright $$$ and so..............modern? (By some coincidence, one of our neighbours also passed away and the NMC were called to organize another 'house party' for 5 nights straights, thus depriving the whole lot of us of sleep during the new year welcoming)

Let's see:

a 5 storey building with multiple private rooms (there were at least 6 rooms on the floor we were at), cushioned seats for visitors, flowers for offerings (instead of the nominal pungent incense that I would love to waves around. Flowers would make me look like some Bollywood pervert)

Wowee, free internet service and a serviceable bar if you paid enough money.

Online memorials to boot if you top up some more.

Smiling young undertakers (read: sales reps) in ads greeting you in the lifts. More of the manning the visitor logs and being sales reps and refilling the refreshments (which is usually peanuts and water, must ask mum why do they only serve those)

Some plots of land resembling Cameron Highlands hillside somewhere out there.

Do they offer the service of Mark Callaway to tombstone piledriver those pesky ones that refused to pass over to the other side?

Why is it that the services are still conducted by wail-y old men?

With the world population booming towards 10 billion and everyone getting more or less richer, I guess business can only get better (Time to invest in some stocks): "Auntie, I am definitely here to sell you something that you will need, it is not insurance wan. Just some nice plot of land for you and hubbie side by side, and we will throw in some farewell party, eco-friendly one, nice smelling one.....yadda, yadda, yadda,"

Btw, did I mention modern in describing the Nirvana Memorial Centre? Scratch that, I mean scary.

The pre-New Year Kaiseki

2007-12-26T23:16:00.000-08:00

The almost empty carpark, the almost empty Iketeru. Am I missing some connection here?

Chef Ricky was taking the evening off (or so as I was told by the waitress) but apparently he was waiting to meet me and rush out to have a conversation about his trip back to Japan with his family (he pointed out worthwhile places to go eat in Kyushu), work, the MIGF gala dinner (and the explanation over the hilarious prize acceptance haka-stance, he was high after downing about 7-8(?) glass of beer in between rounds of being nominated as finalist-in-running). I waved him off early like a father eager to get back to his home and family.

Starter: Steamed Angler Fish Liver in Ponzu Sauce & Boiled Spinach with Baby Prawn in Bonito Sauce
Remeniscent of January's starter (which I enjoyed very much). I like Angler Fish Liver when it is paired with something tangy, like the ponzu sauce here, instead of just being by itself because it can get a little bit oily and heavy in taste.

The bonito flakes and baby prawn garnishing add the best countertexture to the boiled spinach which was slightly overcooked.

Soup: Clear Broth with Oyster Dumpling
As you can see from the photo, the Oyster (or more accurately, mussel) dumpling which was made mainly from yam was disintegrating in the soup already, have informed the Chef that it was a bit disappointing. Otherwise, this was a bit so-so, but winter shellmeat do taste better.

Sashimi: Buri-Yellowtail, Tuna, White Meat Fish, Squid & Mirugai Clam
White Meat fish was the Bonito, but they ran out of Mirugai Clam (fuming!).

This time I around, I like the juicy octopus sucker and Hamachi (Buri-Yellowtail) more probably because they taste much better in season then other times. The toro was tasty but didn't melt immediately in your mouth and the bonito has mellowed compared to the last few tasting (or maybe I have gotten use to its rawness and can now savour it)

Simmered: Steamed Cod Fish & Milt served with Ponzu Sauce
I will voice out my curiosity when presented with this dish, a dish simmered with saki in the sauce and served with an accompanying bowl of ponzu sauce, hhhmmmm.......?

Never mind, on with the tasting. The first taste of the sauce revealed the taste of saki without any of the heady alcohol to hit your bloodstream, (unlike warmed saki). It is perfect for the tofu and mushroom which are not screaming for flavour but complementary with the sauce with neither overriding the other.

The milt sac broke a bit and some of the milt has spilt out into the sauce but most of it was still intact to taste, a bit more overpowering blandness than the saki, it is worth drizzling this one in ponzu sauce to contrast the mildly bland aftertaste with the tangy foretaste.

The cod fish was another kettle of fish altogether, it is mellow enough to go with simmered sauce alone but also outstanding if paired with the ponzu sauce at a golden pi. At least I was merrily experimenting with this one.

Grilled dish: Grilled Yellow Tail with Teriyaki Sauce, Grilled King Crab & Assorted Vegetables
Unlike, the menu in January, I like the King Crab this time because the portion was bigger, thus making it easier for me to dig out the crabmeat with that utensil they gave me (again!). So I dug straightaway into it knowing full well the consequence of the iciness of eating crabmeat, not to mention drinking copious amount of tea.

The only let down was probably the anchovies because the skin was not crisp enough and soggy from the vinegared vegetables, hence good flavour, lousy texture.

I will admit that I like the yam and tuna liver pairing more this time, possibly because the liver taste fresher(?). The grilled yellowtail was a bit dry and flaky, but nothing a good dollop of lemon juice wouldn't rectify.

Fried Dish: Deep Fried Puffer fish with Sudachi Lime
Why does the Sudachi Lime resemble a lemon? It looks like a lemon, smells like a lemon, feels like a lemon, taste like a lemon......it is a LEMON!!!

I first had this in February, the serving this time were smaller but juicier, a little bit bony (ie, don't pop the thing in your mouth). A much better execution this time. Just a pity about the Sudachi lime.

Mains: Assorted Nigiri sushi & Miso Soup
Of the 5 nigiris sushi served tonight, I highly recommend the lightly grilled buri which was scored and garnished with wasabi. It is one of my favorite sushi, there was no hit from the wasabi as if the grilled meat somehow sucked out the heat/hit from the wasabi making it smokingly-wonderful.

Credit to the bonito flake covered sushi (I forgot to ask the chef, too focus on the first one). Wonder what would have turned up in the Chirashi sushi, but then again, I prefer more innovation in the nigiris sushi.

Dessert: Musk Melon & Strawberries
Nothing much to comment on this old take but I must say that the strawberry is sweet and red this time rather than white and sourish.

After dinner, Chef Ricky even sent his assistant, Tasuo, out to talk to my after the whole meal was over. (He even called his assistant before the conversation to brief him, but I wonder whether or not he is hiding back there in the kitchen.....NOT!). Now that is what I call service. I guess Chef Ricky deserves his break to spend more time with his family.

Awaiting more feedback on my food reviews, Say it so in the comment section.

I have a twitching muscle just below my left eye

2007-12-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

*twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, go to mirror,
twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch, look at it,
twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch...twitch......twitch......twitch.......
turn away from mirror, twitch! twitch! twitch! twitch! twitch! twitch! twitch! twitch!*

does it hate me staring at it so much?

Streamyx in the house!!!

2007-12-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

Woohoo, busy downloading all the scrabble-necessities and other things.
My home computer should be ISC-ready in about 5 minutes (need to install java first)

4th & final stop on the MIGF train

2007-11-30T06:33:00.000-08:00

Ambience was good, lighting is ambient (hence your camera will need flash unless well seated. Apologies to all readers for my shadowy presence in the photos)

My only 1 request was for them to play some vocal-less music softly so as to not drown out the sounds of the animals and cricket songs drifting in from the forest, which sounded so much more harmonious than the music.

Bread & Breadstick with olive oil & Vinegerette and a sourish mince meat dumpling to fend off my hunger pang after I was forced to work twice as hard for my dinner: i.e. walk to and from the carpark twice looking for my wallet.

AntiPasti: A selection of Carpaccio
Palcido Chianti Docg 2005, Tuscana (red wine)

The oyster and beef were dress in the same dressing while another set of beef was covered with freshly grated parmesan. Very simple but full of flavour, no taste of rawness or deadness.

Sorbet: Sorbet of Ruccola

Like something that came out of the fridge and doesn't thaw evenly: melty on the outside, frigid on the inside, I have to say that the Hilton ones looks better.
You can an initial hit of bitterness before a mellowy sweet aftertaste lingers in your mouth, not so bad when it is liquid.

Primi:Lightly smoked Potato Dumplings with smoked Duck confit and Foie Gras Sauce
Palcido Pinot Grogio 2006, Tuscana

springy, spongy, wholesome. like some savoury tong yuan, I love this even more than ravioli or jiao zi. Golden pi is 3-5, some crust, some duck meat, Voila! I really must get this recipe from the chef!

The white wine here tasted acidic but cleans the palate of any heaviness from having one too many potato dumplings. At this point, I was feeling tipsy from the wine (is that even possible?), will probably be too red/drunk to speak to the chef at this rate.

Secondi: Wagyu Veal Shank Stew served with grilled Polenta
Window Shiraz 2005, Margaret River
Love the crunchy vegetables. Since we are dealing with the shank, don't expect any tenderness, just a good cut of meal done well (slightly tough to cut but very bitey to chew with). The stew was meaty but the polenta (the yellow well made from flour and corn) was thick and uneven, hence you can see the charcoal bits on the outside of the polenta. some part were a bit raw too.

Desserts: Assorted miniature chef dessert platter
Ruffino Serelle 2002, Tuscana
Desserts Wines: Amaretto or Sanbuca

I like the orange chocolate here slightly more than gobo. The cowmilk gelatin mellowed out the tangy raspberry sauce. Could see the 3rd one. Kaya characote just too firm not melty like the brulee from Gobo.

Thet served the Ruffino afterwards, it was okay for a dessert wine. just the right hit.

Amaretto or Sanbuca: aka sweet or strong, I went for sweet. Gah! it was syrupy and cloyly sweet. I think I just burnt a hole in my stomach and killed off numerous brain cells for having something that has the same impact as my first taste of XO when I was 15 years old.

Awaiting more feedback on my food reviews, Say it so in the comment section.