Pasta de Gohan

Hello!!!

After being missing for so long (assignments, food fair, exams... the usual drill), we're back with some backdated outings. This time we took a visit to Pasta de Gohan which basically serves fusion food, particularly Japanese and Itallian. Now let the pictures do the talking!

The outside of the restaurant is absolutely mouthwatering with plastic versions (anyone knows what they are called?) of their food... Shah was rather alarmed at my reaction to the decoration... they are just so pretty!!!

Me and Ash ordered sets so we had salad (above) and soup (below) as appetizers

My first thought about the soup is that it was a rather stingy portion because it was hardly half the bowl. But it was rich and in the end the volume was just nice for starters.

The garlic bread was done to perfection but lacked garlic taste...

Cream spaghetti with squid and fish roe. For people that do not cook or have access to exotic ingredients, this is quite good... creamy, spaghetti cooked to al dente, and the squid was just the right texture.

Ahhhh..... strawberry milkshake... can never resist ordering this =D

This was nice in presentation... has whipped cream!! But the taste was rather artificial....

Pizza... love the way it is served plus the cutter... a novelty...

Calvin was very happy with it.

The pickled vegetables came with the curry rice... someone asked if that is longan =D
This is not the usual Malaysian curry. It is rather sweet... and not to my liking...

Fried rice

Colourful drinks

All in all, it was a pleasant eating experience. The service was quick and warm, the food was reasonable, and the setting was comfortable. Presentation of food and drinks was also good. However, if comparing the food and price only, it is not really worth it. You will be paying for the overall experience. A place I will visit occasionally.

Valerie

The Hunt: Ikan Bakar

Last friday the usual swim&makan gang went for food hunting after a good swim in Bukit Jalil. And for this week's food review, we have the Ikan Bakar located at (soon to be update).

All the dishes looks basicly the same. Same sauce. Same bakarness look.

And here presenting the ikan pari and the sotong bakar.

We ordered the ikan keli too. And also a plate of ikan kembung.
Happy faces of Shah, KwanYee and Val~

All together we had 2 sotongs, 3 ikan keli, 1 pari and 1 kembung. Recommended dish is the ikan keli bakar. Taste better than the pari to us all. Hehe.

The votes:
Shah - 6.5/10
KwanYee - 6/10
Val - 6.5/10
Ashley - 6/10

China's Opps~

So 080808 is over~ And everyone had watched the Beijing Olyimpic opening ceremony. Awed by the technology, wow by the people and entertained by the atmosphere.

Then news started coming up about the ceremony. And here is one of the famous one:

Ahh yes. The tale about the sweet face little girl who lip sync the beautiful voice of a not so pretty face girl. Is it very surprising? Personally, don't think so. And I don't really blame China for doing this. For a picture perfect opening ceremony... which country wouldn't want that?

"oh... but they shouldn't do this. They're lying"

Is this the first time u've been lied? Tons of ads and magazines out there are heavily photoshopped to picture perfect. Not that I'm agreeing that China should do that but really... can they be blamed?

"That's different! The poor little girl hidden away just cause she wasn't born pretty face><"

God is fair with talents I guess. And the poor little girl would be the pretty face one. Now everyone will remember her as the Just-a-pretty-face-talentless girl! O_O While the other would get regconized for her inner talent and get loads of encouragements and and and.... I dunno. Adoration? Love?

Oh and one of the news source from a web even wrote out "... the US wouldnt do such a thing..."
But then...

Apparently a friend's friend in China found out the US keep shooting close up or not-so-flattering-angle of the fansy pansy performance. If you're watching on Astro, it's a little better. Coz it's from TVB itself. But otherwise there's alot of close up shot from the camera, focusing on a certain perfomer. Not zooming out much to let you admire the full beauty technology that China has or the pretty lightings.

Rumour has it that the US was jealous over the technology thing. (yeah, their technology is better and why they should be jealous. Hey, they jealous cause China catching up can or not?haha) And did you know one part of the ceremony, the top side part of the stadium has wordings of "welcome my friends"? and mandarin writings of the meaning 'welcoming everyone as friends to china'. (translated from a friend, I dunno mandarin ><) And rumour say the reason was US doesn't want them to welcome ...err..their people? I had no idea how true all this are.

"It's just rumours! There's no proof!"

What kind of proof is there for this kind of case? Well, I did seen the pictures of the better angle camera shooting. It's not shown on TV and it's reeeeeaaaally shows the beauty of the performance. And no, I don't have the pictures with me =_=

"Hah! That's not an answer! No proof is no proof! na~nana~na~naa~~"
*imaginary friend skiped away in Goldilock style*

Rumours will always be rumours... news will be news. But did the media manipulate the way you to think about this? Maybe China can't be totally blamed on this. They just wanna show to the world a (almost) picture perfect ceremony. I just hope nothing bad effects the two little girl =/

Ashley pondering away...

Labels and Caution warnings

Recognise this brand Veet? Ah yes. The friendly neighbourhood product of hair removal creams and wax. Ever read the instructions or caution warnings on the box? One of it was 'Do not apply on irritated skin'. No? Well you better.

And even if you do read the instructions and caution warnings, like me, do REALLY take notice of them. Few days ago I had this small little patch of skin on my leg recovering from weeks long of mosquito bite. The stories goes that it itches, so I scratch. So the top layer of skin peels off and it hurts. You know, the usual scratch too much thingy.

Anyway... after weeks, the top layer of skin grows back and I thought "Yay! I have my beautiful leg again~" And there, I happily apply the Veet Hair removal cream over it with the rest of my leg... then it feels funny.

lalalala~ after shower~

This happens to the spot.

Apparently, the cream ate through the still-recovering-sensitive-skin. It looks better now cause I've apply some magic healing cream on it. Now I have an ugly big patch on my leg T__T

*Moral of this post: Read the label and obey them. They mean it.

Ashley still staring at her poor leg away~ T__T

Sushi

A great many of us love Japanese food, whether it is sushi, sashimi, tempura, ramen, udon and so on. I came across this book (Food Culture in Japan by Michael Ashkenazi and Jeanne Jacob) and found it to be quite interesting.

It talks about the Japanese food culture as a whole, from history to basic ingredients in Japanese cooking and even eating equitities in different places and occasion. It even discusses the good and bad sides of Japanese diet.

One interesting fact was that sushi actually started out as a preservation method. An Osaka merchant found that by wrapping fish in vinegared rice, the fish would last longer. This was because the in-land people wanted 'fresh' fish instead of the usual dried ones. The rice was thrown away after the fish has been taken out of the rice ball.

After trend caught on by the samurai of Edo (now Tokyo), they too wanted that dish. However they wanted true fresh fish and will not accept the preserved ones. Hence it was changed to little vinegared rice balls with the freshest fish on it. That was the birth of the current popular Edozushi (sushi from Tokyo).

Ever wondered about the little green fringe-cut plastic film that is always found in Japanese sets? Well in the olden days, it was not compulsory to put expirery date on food products. So box lunches (obento) makers would place the food on green bamboo leaves, which degrade at a fairly predictable rate. This is used by people to judge the freshness of the obento. If the leaves are still green, then it is fresh, but if it is brown... well it would be best not to purchase it :D This tradition of using freshly cut bamboo leaves is hard to maintain in modern Japan, so the evergreen plastic strips have become substitues.

For those who likes Japanese food, this should be a good read... warning, it is not for those who expect pictures with brilliant colours... Everyone who took a look at the book asked why it is so boring. But with a little bit of imagination, it will take you through time in Japan.

Thinking about eating sushi.....
Valerie

Potatoes...

Sometime ago, someone asked me if potato skin works like tomato skin (it is much easier to peel it off after boiling it) so I tried that yesterday with russet potatoes...

After boiling the whole potato for 20 minutes, it is still rock hard (ok fine, it is not really as hard as a rock but you get the point...). So I then cut each potato into four parts and steamed it (boiling will cause too much of the potato to be lost, russet is the soft kind of potato).

When it is cooked, I peeled off the skin. The skin can be pulled off quite easily but some parts still stick to the potato. If you are planning to cut the potato into cubes, then this is definetly not the way... your hands will all get sticky (which I hate) and again potato bits will be lost on the knife and chopping board. If you are making mash potatoes then it is not so bad.

Conclusion, I personally prefer to peel the potato, cut and then steam. It saves cooking time (and of cause gas) and the amount of water used (steaming requires less water then boiling).

Val

P/s - the other day we went for claypot chicken rice in Chan Sow Lin but since I'm not a fan of this particular dish, please read the review here

Wooden Dolphin Keychain (Part 2)

This will be a relatively short post (compared to the previous) because a lot of the pictures did not turn out nice.

The breakfast at the hotel was nothing out of ordinary... the usual Asian cuisine, fried noodles/rice, cereal, bread, and stuff like that...

After the snorkeling trip (which i did not go because I was not feeling well.... and it was not that nice according to the other group members, only a few kinds of fish and dead corals) we ate at this hut on the beach. The view was lovely... looking right out at the ocean... I could just stay here the whole afternoon... very relaxing.... the food is not bad too and is cheap :D

Duck Noodles

Won Ton Mee

On the way back to KL, we stopped by Bidor for lunch. We went Pun Chun Restaurant which is suppose to be very famous for their duck noodles... since I am not a fan of duck, I opted for won ton mee instead. My noodles cost 4.20 which shocked me because it looks so miserable but then I took a bite of one of the four won ton and found generous prawn fillings!! Yum!

Finally before reaching home, we stopped by Jejantas, Sungai Buloh rest stop for satay. It was as good as its reputation. Nice! Fast service, good sauce and of course good satay (a lot of meat and very little fat)! However, the ice kacang is completely different story. It only contains syrup, corn, peanut and peppermint ice-cream. Absolutely F-A-I-L!!! Especially since I do not like peppermint flavour :D

Basically in Pangkor itself it will be seafood all the way. I finally satisfied my squid cravings (sort of). We had squid for both dinners (in big portion) and even the normal fried rice (like the one from lunch) has squid and prawns.... and it is all very fresh! Squid is bouncy but not overly difficult to chew...

Log off dreaming about squid,

Valerie

P/s - I got a souvenir which is a wooden dolphin key-chain (namesake of posts) but no camera to take a picture

Wooden Dolphin Keychain (Part 1)

Hello!!!

Just reached home from Pulau Pangkor. I stayed at Teluk Dalam Resort.

This is going to be quite a long post so take your time reading it :D

First impressions are very important and theirs was good. The person at the counter selling the ferry tickets to the island (we arrived at a different port from the main Pangkor one) was very friendly and helpful. He came with a trolley for us to put our luggage and tagged them. The luggage went directly to our rooms in the resort! So efficient!

Our bags on the porch... and no, the pink suitcase is not mine....such a pity....

Once we reached the island jetty, we were ushered into a van which took us to the resort. There was another staff there waiting at the top of the stairs with a cool welcoming drink. The lobby was soothing, wood structure with typical Malay design and soft Balinese music playing in the background. Most of the staff were wearing a smile and it was nice…

The entrance.... the people on the left side of the pictures are receiving their welcoming drink

Even though we reached early, before the check-in time, we were showed to our chalet within 15 minutes. The chalet is like a Malay kampong house, made of wood and on stilts. It has two rooms; both with bathrooms but only one with bathtub (the other has a shower), two single beds, cupboard with safe box, dressing table and luggage stand. There was a bar sort of breakfast table with three tall stools, tea making facilities for four, fridge, television and rattan sofas.

Cempaka chalets

Beautiful view outside my chalet

Overall the cleanliness was good. The floors were squeaky clean and under the bed were not too bad… a little dusty but that is it (one hotel I went the last time had a plastic bag of chilli sauce, one disposable slipper, and other disgusting stuff… ewww…). The bathtub had some insects in it and there was a big lizard in the TV cupboard but I guess that can be expected for chalets near the jungles.

Facinated by the weaved ceilings

However I am not without complaints. First off, the air-cons are rather noisy. Then for some strange reason, the shower head can’t be placed into the holder (the connection is too short…it was not even long enough for me to hold it over my head, making hair-washing hard), the sink in the bathroom is too high (making it very difficult to wash face and brush teeth), the beds were uncomfortable (one of the room had two single beds put together so three of us slept on it… unfortunately the bed was not stable and a gap kept appearing between the bed…also the beds were springy and that made sleeping uncomfortable and I woke every time the other person moves… surprising since I normally sleep through thunderstorms… though I guess that if you are sleeping on one bed on your own it would be not too bad… just a backache…) and the chalet was not fully air-conditioned… only the rooms are (the website is quite deceiving on this fact).

I would love to know the genius who fixed this up....

The resort area on the other hand is quite beautiful in some areas. I really like their shower for the pool (not very effective to shower down though), the pool area is spacious and there is even a small water slide and waterfall for the children, there’s a tower to take a different point of view, there are a lot of places to sit and chat with friends, gorgeous view of the lush green mountains, nice view of the ocean from the café, and they have a bird feed (hornbills and swiftlets came for the bread and fruits). I am very impressed that it is very considerate of less-able people. Every I went around the resort could be accessed by a person in a wheelchair, except the chalet itself.

The showers for the pool

A pavillion of sort... life music at night...

Handicapped Accessible...

However, the beach was disappointing, it could hardly be called a beach, look at the picture below. The water was also not clear (my expectations are rather high after going lang tengah). Talking about water, the pool water was also cloudy… I am too used to swimming in clean and clear water.

This resort is a great place for nature lovers. My favourite spot for this holiday is the porch of the chalet where I can see a beautiful mountain. Also, abundance of swiftlets can be observed flying about the area in front of the chalets. When my room window was open, one of them actually flew in and went a few rounds on the ceiling before flying out again (be warned, if your windows are opened, anything…and probably everything…can and will enter your room).

Waterfall... lush mountains... clear blue skies....

HORNBILLS!!!

While I was here, it rained late during the first night and the morning of my third day. During these time, it is very nice to sit on the porch (remember to bring big mats… so everyone can huddle together) and just listen to the rhythm of the falling rain (also remember to bring mosquito repellents). We were eating breakfast when it rained that morning… imagine drinking hot tea while watching and hearing the rain and ocean waves, besides feeling a slight spray of the rain when the wind blows.

One of my favorite photos.... thank goodness i did not delete it just after i took it...

(the dew could not be seen on the camera screen)

That should cover the resort well enough, look out for my next post about the food and places outside the resort! For more technical details such as travel and price, please take a look at their website: http://www.pangkorresorts.com/
All three above are great places to hang out with friends and chit-chat

Till then, cheers!
Valerie

Grill Cheese Sandwich with Iron

"What to eat outside? Kind of bored with the canteen's food :( Too bad the hostel didn't have a kitchen. Sigh... I guess it's maggi mee again"

Sounds familiar to you? Not anymore now! Being a cheese lover myself, I surf around the net for some delicious easy prepare cheesy meals. And guess what I found? Grill Cheese Sandwich (already sound mouth watering?)... prepared with clothe iron!

Yes! the goody handy clothe iron that almost every household has, or what u needed in when you're staying in a hostel ;) Curious as I am, so I tried and tested it's workability. And so, here you go...

What you need is:

2 slices of bread (or more if u're real hungry)

1 slice of cheese/cheese powder

butter

ham/bacon (optional)

aluminium foil big enough to wrap your sandwich

clothe iron

Start buttering up well the bread on one side, lay the buttered side face down onto the alu' foil and butter up the other side as well.
Tear the cheese into small little pieces and spread them evenly on the bread. Don't lay them too close to the side though, you won't wan the cheese to melt out and stick only the foil.
Optional to add in slice of ham/bacon. If you do, make sure it's thin slices.
Buttered up both side of the other bread as well.
Fold the alu' foil so that it wraps closely to the sandwich. You might wanna put some heat resisting material below the sandwich. I used a chopping board.

Set your iron to the highest (cotton/linen) Put it on top and let it 'grill' the sandwich. You can constantly check your sandwich so it won't fry up your bread. It takes quite some time though. Or maybe it's just that my clothe iron is old and not hot enough anymore :/

Tadaa~! Your grill cheese sandwich is ready to eat! It doesn't look that good being all squashed, but it's definately taste great :D Careful of the steam collected inside the alu' foil. Best served hot of course.

I know, it looks flat and mushy. But trust me, it taste gooood. It's not really mushy as long as you don't leave it on the plate for too long.

You can just try this at home for the sake of fun or just so happens your stove is broken. I wouldn't recommend it to be an all-time-preparing-sandwich-way. It takes longer time than what the website says. Definately not that electric saving as it claims. http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Grilled-Cheese-Sandwich-With-an-Iron Oh well, another 'recipe' busted :p

It's just a change of taste for those students where the hostel doesn't have stove to cook. Yes, cheddar cheese do melt without fridge. So you can use cheese powder instead. As for the optional ham/bacon, it's either you buy it fresh and make the sandwich right away or hmmm... use dried meat? (long yuk) I dunno how's the combined taste though :p

I had a fun time preparing this for my parents and bf as breakfast. Hope you guys can enjoy it too~ cheerio!

Ashley smiling away~