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KL Food

in Expat Life, KL Food

Foodie Adventures: Ippudo’s Limited Edition Ramen + Other Dishes (Available only from July-September 2015!)

Ah, Ippudo. The restaurant that launched a thousand #Foodstagrams when it opened in Manila. Of course, seeing the beloved Japanese ramen place when we moved here in KL gave me so much comfort!  I love Japanese food so much and ramen always counts as great comfort food! Especially on rainy afternoons here. 😉

Here in KL, I’ve also noticed that the restaurant industry is quite competitive so you see restaurants come and go while those who stay have one secret: Innovation (particularly on their menu). Of course, it came as no surprise that Ippudo isn’t one to be left behind when it comes to that.

Founded in Hakata, Japan by “Ramen King” Shigemi Kawahara, it’s been around since 1985 and up to this day, the company remains to be fuelled by innovation while staying true to Japanese tradition.

This July until September, the beloved ramen place is coming out with special, limited edition dishes to spice things up here in KL. I was lucky enough to attend a media preview for the new dishes and I’m going to share with you today what’s going to be available so you’ll know what to expect. 😉

TOKUSHIMA RAMEN (RM25)

Ippudo, Ramen, Ippudo Ramen, Japanese Food, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tokushima Ramen, Pavilion, KLCC, Restaurants, Where to Eat in KL

The star of the show and the culprit for my recent cravings. This dish is also the star of my recent dreams and has got me wishing for July to come faster. This ramen is composed of chicken and pork broth mixed with dark soy sauce. Its savoury soup is to die for while the noodles are oh-so perfectly cooked.

The ramen is served with a generous helping of pork belly slices (Butabara) which were simmered in onions fused with soy sauce, green onions, and bamboo shoots. The raw egg also makes the broth rich and much more flavourful. It’s my new favourite ramen! Rich, savoury, a bit salty, and slurp-worthy! And yes, slurping is highly encouraged in Ippudo to compliment the chef! 😉

KIMCHI TOFU WITH BOILED PORK (RM13)

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in Expat Life, KL Food

Foodie Advisory: Australian MasterChef Adam Liaw Makes His Food Truck Debut

Adam Liaw, Mission Foods, Food Truck, Wraps, Food Truck Klang Valley, Food Truck Kuala Lumpur, Wraps, Dinner, Lunch, Light Dinner, Light Lunch, Asian Fusion, MasterChef, MasterChef Australia, Laksa, Rendang, Prawns, Chicken, Lamb, Hummus, Kimchi, Beef,

It’s like everywhere I go these days, food trucks are all the rage. From Manila to Kuala Lumpur, the latest buzz among foodies usually involves where to find food trucks that sell awesome food for dirt-cheap prices.

Recently, I was invited to try out Australian MasterChef Adam Liaw’s creations for a new food truck that will be going around Kuala Lumpur starting this June. Of course, I had to say yes to the invitation. I love watching MasterChef every time I catch it on TV. The kiddie edition even features kids who can cook way better than me. And it’s always great to learn from people who know better – even though they’re not really chefs or might be over a decade younger than you. 😉

Adam is the winner of the Australian MasterChef season 2. He gained popularity due to his artistic ability when it comes to food and for his Asian fusion dishes.

He was recently commissioned by Mission Foods, one of the largest producers of corn flour and tortilla wraps to create a menu for the Mission-sponsored food truck.

Adam’s menu consists of the following:

Laksa Fried Chicken Wrap with Pineapple Salsa

Adam Liaw, Mission Foods, Food Truck, Wraps, Food Truck Klang Valley, Food Truck Kuala Lumpur, Wraps, Dinner, Lunch, Light Dinner, Light Lunch, Asian Fusion, MasterChef, MasterChef Australia, Laksa, Rendang, Prawns, Chicken, Lamb, Hummus, Kimchi, Beef,

My personal favourite! I thought this was going to be too spicy for me but it was actually very pleasant – both in taste and texture. Each piece of chicken is marinated with the special laksa paste that Adam developed and the fresh, pineapple salsa is just divine.

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in Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur

Foodie Adventures: Parents’ Day Dinner @ Sky 360

So sorry for yet another short hiatus! I was in Siem Reap over the weekend getting my Tomb Raider on with the husband. But that will be for a different post on a different day. 😉

Today, I want to share with you guys an awesome deal I was lucky enough to get to try last week! 😉 And it involves oh-so good food for a good price!

I was invited by a couple of friends to try out the latest menu that Sky 360 especially curated for Parents’ Day. Since my folks are not in KL, I brought my husband along to help with the taste testing and we were practically blown away. (And I don’t say this lightly)

So, without further yapping to get you bored, I’m gonna dive right in and share with you the goodness, shall I?

Parents' Day Meal, Parents' Day Set Dinner, Sky 360, Subang, Restaurant, E-City Hotel, Dining, Fine Dining, Good Food, Where To Eat, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lamb, Chicken, Aglio Olio, Pasta, Malaysian Food, Western Food, Dessert

My absolute favourite and the star of the show is the Grilled Lamb Shoulder with Black Pepper Sauce. The lamb is grilled to perfection – charred on the outside and extremely tender on the inside with the prettiest hint of pink. The sauce is thick and tasty with the right kick of spice along with the savoury. It comes with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, corn on the cob.

The lamb even passed the ultimate test: my husband. He normally doesn’t eat lamb because of the smell it comes with when it’s not fresh. But that night, he actually loved the lamb and gave it a rare thumbs up! 😉

If you’re more of a white meat kind of person, there’s also the Grilled Chicken Chop with BBQ Sauce. It also comes with the same side dishes as the lamb – mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and corn on the cob. The char-grilled chicken chop is also tasty, perfectly grilled, and comes with smoked hickory BBQ sauce that is not short on the flavour at all.

Parents' Day Meal, Parents' Day Set Dinner, Sky 360, Subang, Restaurant, E-City Hotel, Dining, Fine Dining, Good Food, Where To Eat, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lamb, Chicken, Aglio Olio, Pasta, Malaysian Food, Western Food, Dessert

Normally, I’m not a fan of aglio olio pasta as I find it too oily for my liking. But this seafood variant that they served us totally changed my mind. First, it’s actually to pretty to eat. Look at that presentation! When you actually do get over how awesome it looks and you finally dig in, you are surprised with an explosion of flavours in your mouth. I would have to admit that I had quite a lot of this pasta that night and I had to go to the gym the next morning to burn all the calories. No complaints, though! It was worth it!

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in Expat Life, KL Food

Foodie Adventures: Mono Coffee Opens at Publika

Mono Coffee, Publika, Cafe, Expat Dining, Foodie, Food, Cafe, Coffee, Coffee Place, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Solaris Dutamas, Diplomat's Wife, Recommendation, Laid Back Cafe, Cosans Coffee, Review, Opening, Launch

I love Publika and I notice that a lot of expats do too. I guess it’s because of the fine selection of restaurants, cafes, and shops in that mall. I often go there with the husband for tapas, actually. 😉

Recently, another cafe has opened in Publika to add to the place’s list of establishments. Mono Coffee is yet another place for people who want to hang out, enjoy a cuppa, and meet up with friends in the Solaris Dutamas area.

Mono Coffee, Publika, Cafe, Expat Dining, Foodie, Food, Cafe, Coffee, Coffee Place, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Solaris Dutamas, Diplomat's Wife, Recommendation, Laid Back Cafe, Cosans Coffee, Review, Opening, Launch

(RELATED POST: Foodie Adventures: JEQ in the House (Seksyen 17, Petaling Jaya))

But one thing that’s really nice about the place is the atmosphere. The lighting, the unfinished and slight industrial feel of the cafe also makes it quite relaxing.

The cafe was opened by the Brandker Group – the company behind one of Klang Valley’s most well known cafe chains: Cosans Coffee.

Mono Coffee, Publika, Cafe, Expat Dining, Foodie, Food, Cafe, Coffee, Coffee Place, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Solaris Dutamas, Diplomat's Wife, Recommendation, Laid Back Cafe, Cosans Coffee, Review, Opening, Launch

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You can say that Mono is Cosan’s hipster brother. With Mono specialising on serving artisan brews. It’s for coffee aficionados and those who actually appreciate the proper process of getting your beans into your cup.

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in Expat Life, KL Food

Events: Lipton Launches Instant Teh Tarik

Lipton, Teh Tarik, Hazelnut, Instant, Milk Tea, Teh Halia, Carcosa Seri Negara, Event, Ginger Milk Tea, Ginger Tea

Since moving to Malaysia, my husband and I have been addicted to Teh Tarik or “Pulled Tea” in English. We order it everywhere  –  at the mamaks, the fast food chains that serve them, at the restaurants, and even at food courts. He prefers it hot, while I always take it iced. But either way, we just love it – even though we know it can be quite fattening to drink it all the time. 😛

To get a-hold of Teh Tarik here in Malaysia, one has to travel to the nearest establishment that serves it. I can’t really imagine myself making some for Alvin from scratch as it can be quite a task to “pull” the milk tea and make it frothy.

Here’s the part where I tell you the good news: I can now have one of my favourite drinks at the comfort of my own home whenever I want it as Lipton recently launched their instant Teh Tarik! No more pulling, just stirring. 😉

Lipton, Teh Tarik, Hazelnut, Instant, Milk Tea, Teh Halia, Carcosa Seri Negara, Event, Ginger Milk Tea, Ginger Tea

My friends and I were at the launch event held aptly at Carcosa Seri Negara – one of my favourite places in Kuala Lumpur. I love going there. Especially for afternoon tea!

Lipton, Teh Tarik, Hazelnut, Instant, Milk Tea, Teh Halia, Carcosa Seri Negara, Event, Ginger Milk Tea, Ginger Tea

Aside from the Instant Teh Tarik, Lipton also re-launched their new and improved instant Classic Milk Tea that now contains more tea powder, balanced with equal amounts of milk to create a distinct tea latte.

They also have the nutty and fragrant Hazelnut milk tea and the Teh Halia or ginger milk tea (my personal favourite).

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The Teh Halia uses real ginger powder to achieve an authentic taste and aroma as well as to infuse your drink with the nutrients and benefits that ginger has to offer. That’s definitely a plus for me. 😉

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in Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur

Foodie Adventures: JEQ in the House (Seksyen 17, Petaling Jaya)

JEQ in the House, Restaurant, Cafe, Review, Petaling Jaya, Seksyen 17, Restaurant Review, Cafe Review, Food Review, Comfort Food, Pasta, Coffee, Coffee Art, Malaysia

Living in KLCC is like being inside your own bubble. Sometimes, you don’t really think of venturing out since everything you need seems to be a stone’s throw away. Great restaurants, malls, supermarkets – everything.

JEQ in the House, Restaurant, Cafe, Review, Petaling Jaya, Seksyen 17, Restaurant Review, Cafe Review, Food Review, Comfort Food, Pasta, Coffee, Coffee Art, Malaysia

However, after making friends with expats who have been here for a while as well as with locals, I found out that there’s more to Kuala Lumpur and its neighbouring city Petaling Jaya when it comes to shopping and food choices.

JEQ in the House, Restaurant, Cafe, Review, Petaling Jaya, Seksyen 17, Restaurant Review, Cafe Review, Food Review, Comfort Food, Pasta, Coffee, Coffee Art, Malaysia

In fact, the more you move away from the city centre, the more realise that when it comes to choices, things can get quite overwhelming (and budget friendly too!). That’s why I’m so thankful for my friends’ recommendations! 😉

JEQ in the House, Restaurant, Cafe, Review, Petaling Jaya, Seksyen 17, Restaurant Review, Cafe Review, Food Review, Comfort Food, Pasta, Coffee, Coffee Art, Malaysia

Situated in a quiet, residential area in Seksyen (Section) 17 of Petaling Jaya is a cafe that serves food that will really make me forget about dieting. Not that I have problems with that. 😉

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There’s nothing like comfort food and good coffee on a hot, humid weekend and JEQ in the House was able to provide both while I enjoyed the cafe’s ambiance.

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in Expat Life, KL Food

Events: Domino’s Pizza Launches the New Golden Chicken Plus No GST Price Increase (#PaySameOrLess)

Domino's Pizza, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Golden Chicken, GST, No GST, No Price Increase, Pizza, Online Delivery, Delivery, Food Delivery, Events, Blogger,

A little over a week ago, I was invited with some of my blogger friends to a Domino’s Pizza event. I wasn’t going to say no as it’s common knowledge that I’m a huge fan of the pizza place – I practically abuse their online delivery service on days when I feel lazy to cook. (Yes, there are days like that. Shh!)

We usually order the Meatasaurus pizza with an ‘Extreme Edge’ which translates to an all-meat pizza with cheese inside the crust! Ah. So sinful but so good!

Domino's Pizza, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Golden Chicken, GST, No GST, No Price Increase, Pizza, Online Delivery, Delivery, Food Delivery

Golden Italian Chicken

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Betjeman & Barton, Tea, Perfume Making, Afternoon Tea, Bisou Bon Bon, Paris Theme, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, The Butterfly Project
in Expat Life, KL Food, KL What to Do

Events: Bisou Bon Bon Perfume Tea Party at Betjeman and Barton

**As promised, here’s a new post! I’m back! <3 So happy to have time to write again!**

A couple of weeks back, I was so fortunate to be able to attend an event organised by The Butterfly Project where I, along with several other beauty bloggers, learned the basics of making perfume while indulging in oh-so good tea and desserts. Definitely my kind of party. 😉

I’m so, so happy to see Betjeman & Barton in Kuala Lumpur. Prior to being told the venue for this event, I was not aware that this French company was present in this part of the world.

But quite frankly, I’m not surprised to find a Betjeman & Barton branch thousands of miles away from Paris. After all, they’re one of the most trusted brands for tea and has been around since 1919. I’m happy that they’re here in KL as I just love their tea selection!

Which has a wide variety, by the way. 😉

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in Expat Life, KL Food

Food: Tim Ho Wan Opens in Kuala Lumpur (Things to expect + Prices)

I could live on steamed Chinese shrimp dumplings (hakao) for the rest of my life. That addiction brought me to Chef Mak Kwai Pui’s (麥桂培) Tim Ho Wan in 2010 during a visit to Hong Kong. That’s when our long distance love affair started. That first visit was also the start of another addiction – their BBQ Pork Buns.

Trivia: Tim Ho Wan literally means “to add good luck” or “more good luck” (thanks, Rob and Diane!) in Cantonese. 

I can’t begin to tell anyone how much I love those two dishes and at the risk of being deemed basic, I order those two every single time I’m inside a Tim Ho Wan. In Hong Kong, in Manila when it opened last May (I was writing an article about it and was lucky enough to be one of the first people to dine there during opening day), Singapore, and now in Kuala Lumpur. True, I’ve tried the egg cake, the Vermicelli rolls, and the rest of it during that media visit in Manila but I guess I’m just in too deep with those two.

While a lot of neg-heads would often go like: “It’s overrated” and “The branches in other countries will never be at par with the one in Hong Kong”, I myself am just happy to have my hakao and pork bun fix – especially here in KL where not a lot of restaurants serve pork. I’m a Filipina and pork, is part of our basic food groups back home so halal food is usually okay and healthier but I do miss some good old pork in my food. Oh, and did I mention I miss chicharron (fried pork rinds) a lot too?

And come to think of it, there are lots of Chinese restaurants and hawker stalls here in KL and even in Singapore but not everyone and not a lot of them serve hakao! It drives me into bitch fits, sometimes when my craving is just too much. I went to Ying Ker Lou, a Chinese restaurant in Pavilion where they serve different kinds of dim sum, hakao included. Went in with a smile on my face, went out disappointed. The shrimps were obviously frozen so they didn’t taste the least bit fresh and were a bit gummy.

So I made it to a point to go to the Tim Ho Wan opening yesterday, November 28, in MidValley just to makeup for that bad experience. Expecting a long line, I wore comfy sandals. But I was surprised to see that the line was manageable.

Tim Ho Wan, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Dim Sum, BBQ Pork Buns,

Expect a line outside the restaurant.

When going to Tim Ho Wan, one should expect that they wouldn’t be seated right away. It’s like that in almost all their branches. The cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant (I think it’s a tad cheaper than Din Tai Fung) is of course, very popular everywhere it goes. Even those who don’t know of the restaurant before it came to their shores are drawn in because of the hype that comes with it and the intriguing line.

In KL though, the line is manageable since it’s a non-halal restaurant, a huge percentage of the population here are not part of their target audience. But still, the restaurant will be full. Even if it’s slightly bigger (with an upper floor for dining opening soon) than its sisters abroad. I waited in line for about 10 minutes max which isn’t so bad.

Tip: Smaller groups, solo diners in fact, get seated faster.

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in Expat Life, KL Food

Foodie Adventures: Gelatomio

I’m a huge fan of gelato. I always say that when it comes to gastronomic pleasures, we shouldn’t really mind shelling out money (as long as it’s within our means) and gelato, which admittedly is more expensive than regular ice cream, is counted as one of those pleasures in my book. After all, one of the main things we need to survive is food so might as well indulge every now and then, right? Just wanted to share my current favourite gelato place here in KL: Gelatomio. They serve Italian milk-based ice cream that’s 95% fat free while water-based flavours are at 99%. All their flavours come from natural ingredients with no preservatives. Knowing these makes me feel less guilty over indulging on dessert. 😉

Ok, photo’s a bit lopsided. Didn’t notice before the upload but you get the picture. Geddit? Haha. It’s kind of a huge kiosk in front of cotton on with it’s own seating area.

Over the last couple of weekends, my husband and I decided to sit around and eat some gelato after a loooong day of walking. We were out all day looking for more home decor and after dinner, we just had to get something sweet before finally heading home. So we went to the Gelatomio branch in Pavilion Mall.

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