Japanese Lunch Date @ Wojamama Japanese Restaurant, 1Borneo Hypermall

Well, did I tell ya that I have a fondness for Japanese food? Yeah, I love them. So does Korean's. All things that not swimming in cooking oil, they'll definitely win me over. Anytime.

Last Friday, that would be 21st June 2013, I received an SMS, an invitation to be exact to a lunch soiree with my ex-colleagues. It was then decided that the lunch date venue would be in Wojamama Japanese Restaurant located at 1Borneo Hypermall KK. It was actually another farewell party (albeit a small party) and was a lunch treat by one of the lecturers in my former office. I liked the menu selections and yes, if I could, I'd love to sample them all :)  I had smoked duck (totally loved this!)  and crisp dory fish & chicken bento palate. Wojamama has an extensive menu selections of course. Beside the usual sushis, there are a la carte menus as well. Hmmm..I believe they do catering services too.  Prices are a bit on the expensive side though.  

With Deedee..she looks like a Japanese, no? She's Kadazan btw..

Oh well, look at my rounded face..

My former colleagues. Lunch treat was courtesy of  Prof Dr Daw Khin Saw Naing, (2nd right)

with Deedee & Roza

All in all, it was a very nice lunch.

:)

Ayam Penyet

I have acquired a taste for Ayam Penyet dishes! Basically, ayam penyet is an Indonesian dish consisting of fried chicken seasoned with spices and served with steamed rice, spicy sambal, fried tofu, fried tempe and vegetables.  Here's the picture:

Picture courtesy of: Deal's Navigator

So, given my penchant for ayam penyet, I bought a voucher (set meal for 4) at Groupon Malaysia for a price of RM25! A real nice bargain, I must say. You can also buy the package for 2 all at  RM16! 
The participating outlet (in KK) for this package is Koki Bandung Restaurant, located at Alamesra, opposite 1Borneo Hypermall. 

Wanna see my voucher? Here it is:

I bought the package for 4 people. Enough for me, my two sisters and my brother-in-law.  They've been hounding me forever for ayam penyet treat and well, I've finally granted their wish!  Voucher redeemable from Dec 12th til Feb 12th.

Yay...nom nom nom..

Banana Leaf @ KK

Having worked in KL for quite some times with free access to abundant taste of Indian food, I was craving for some when I first returned to KK. I tried several Indian restaurants around the city but safe to say, I was still looking. Now, there are 3 places that I've been to so far. The Krishna Curry House, located at Grand Millennium Plaza somewhere in Jalan Lintas/Penampang. The second one is a Spice Garden (serves Northern Indian cuisines) located  at D'Junction (also in Jalan Lintas/Penampang)  and the third one is the K.Sanba's Curry Specials, located at Alam Mesra, KK (near 1Borneo Hypermall).

Now, because my office is about 5 minutes drive away from Alam Mesra, this place has been a regular hang-out for me and my colleague, Sonya. My verdicts: food is quite nice plus the owner is friendly. However, I have to warn you that prices are a bit expensive.  But, if you love Indian food, I think price is secondary :)

A-ha...line 'em up!

My comrade: Ms. Sonya

Side dishes: Deep fried fish, lamb tikka and bitter gourd :)

What a treat, no? :)

First thing first: the appetizer - Poppadom 

..and sirap limau 'ping'

Then tear a piece of that crispy treat and yuuummm!

Yoooowzeeerrr, all gone!

Yep, all gone! We paid RM43++  for this... well, that's to be expected. 

My advice: Never expect cheap Indian food in KK. 

On a side note ~ Krishna's is one of the popular Indian restaurant in KK and the food is quite good too. Spice Garden, a more upscale dining place and of course pricewise, much more expensive (and serves alcohol too). Serves a wide array of Northern Indian cuisines and yes, the food is good.

Kota Kinabalu Food Fest 2011

It's the inaugural debut, bringing you a tasty turn of events (this year's theme)

As I am a foodie lover, this event is just what I need and I believe KK folks would love this too! This is also a good opportunity for the outside visitors to sample the fusion of local and international fares! Tempting, right?

Let me share the goodies with you! After all, sharing is caring, no? :P

Source from the organizer's website :


Welcome to Kota Kinabalu Food Festival

Kota Kinabalu's first food festival makes its inaugural debut from 9^th July 2011 (Saturday) to  22^nd July 2011 (Friday).  Appropriately themed “A Tasty Turn of Events”, the KK Food Fest is a 2 week showcase of Food & Beverage establishments in and around Kota Kinabalu.

Organized by Malaysia's first premier online lifestyle magazine, LifeAndStyle.com.my,the crux of the KK Food Fest is to discover and promote varied dining options in our city, catering not only to dedicated gourmands, but also to those of us who are very simply foodies at heart.

The KK Food Fest encourages delicious experimenting by way of a specially designed “Festival Menu” - available only throughout the duration of the festival. Diners will be able to enjoy  unique  offerings from participating establishments in this first-of-its-kind event.

The KK Food Fest culminates in a Food Fest Finale which will be hosted on the final day of the festival to celebrate the diversity of our city's food heritage. This main crowd puller of the festival brings with it a fun and relaxed feel. Marry this with stellar entertainment and you've got all the ingredients for an appetizing evening to remember. Participants of the KK Food Fest include restaurants, lounges and bars attached to hotels, stand alone F&B outlets, qualified chain eateries, as well as gourmet food products and wine suppliers.

KKFF Promotional Video 1

KKFF Promotional Video 2

For further info, drop a visit to http://www.lifeandstyle.com.my/kkff/

Gastronomy weeks, bring it on!

The Things We Endured For Sinalau Bakas!

What exactly is sinalau bakas? Well, take a look at these pictures:

*new pic :-)

Still not getting it? Okay, quick facts about sinalau bakas:

It derives from Dusun/Kadazan language (local dialects in Sabah)

Sinalau - smoked, salai (Malay)

Bakas - wild boar, babi hutan (Malay)

Translation - smoked wild boar meat, daging salai babi hutan  (Malay)

So, on Sunday, about a week ago after church, my brother-in-law said: Oh, I soooo want to eat sinalau bakas.  Let's find some? Mau ka? Of course the collective answers were: Betul bah? MARI!

The time indicated that it's a shy over 30 mins past 1.00pm and off we went, driving all the way from KK to Tamparuli.  Passing through Tuaran and it rained! Big fat rain, it was practically a Niagara! Passing through Tamparuli town, it was still raining heavily. The car moved in a snail pace, blurry windshields, sharp and dangerous turns, crazy rain and halfway to Ranau town, we finally reached the sinalau bakas stall in Kg. Kelawat around  2.40pm!  It was still a Niagara! I so wanted to snap a picture of that stall but it was impossible to get out from the car. My brother-in-law did a Usain and he was dripping wet by the time he reached the stalls.  Besides sinalau bakas, stalls also selling tuhau, bosou bakas,  pinongian bakas (sorry, I don't know how to translate those in English! Let's just say, those are KadazanDusun traditional food condiments). The best part? You can buy the meat in varieties: smoked, raw, grilled (yummy, when you eat with steamed rice, chillies and soy sauce. The slightly charred skin is manna from heaven!!)

I saw several kampong folks gathered in a makeshift table, eating and drinking montoku and from the look of it, they all were slightly worse for the wear. Eating and drinking while it's raining outside must be oh-swell-mag! We really wanted to sit and eat right there at the stall but since the table was full, we decided to tapau and drove all the way back to Tg. Lipat, KK and had a mini picnic instead. Sinalau bakas with chillies and steamed rice: what a blessed life! Some tips for those who are interested to head out to Kg. Kelawat for sinalau bakas: crude stalls are built by the roadside. The first clutter of stalls you'd see on your right (keep in mind that by the time you've reached them, you'd be halfway to Ranau town) just drive straight without stopping because the best one is further up. Upon reaching it (also on your right side), look for the last stall with a crude and grey bricks wall and eureka! That's our guy.  Meats are sold in kilos.  If i'm not mistaken, raw meat is RM12/kilo, grilled is RM13/kilo & smoked is RM16/kilo.

The things we endured just to get to sinalau bakas, we must be crazy!

Tom Yam Udang & Meeting My Mama @ Ranau Town

So, what was I up to this week? Nothing much. The main agenda is: eating, eating and more eating! Actually, I just got back to KK approximately 3 hours ago from Ranau Town, meeting my dearest Mama :-)
Yesterday, Mama phoned me, asking me to meet her up at the town and she's bringing with her some langsat and cempedak! I was of course YAYYYYYYY, BUAH!

So, today, off I went to Ranau with my cuzzie, Dena...

the langsat & cempedak: packed inside the plastic bags! ugghhh, i told my mama: BAD FOR ENVIRONMENT!

One word to describe: SADAP, SADAP, SADAP!

On the other hand, I HAD THIS LAST SUNDAY: Tom Yam udang! Another yummy finding in KK.. :-)

four pieces of prawns! table is crappy though (but it's not dirty) its surface is just worn out...

me & my nerdy glasses, lol, that's my camouflage (make up!)

i know, the table looks kinda ugly but... are you salivating yet?

little sista, enjoying her fill and yes, the bowl was filled up to its rim!

the name of the kadai kupi. location: Sinsuran Complex, KK

Well, I dunno about other people's opinion but to me, it's yummy!

Damaged to my wallet: RM7 per bowl...

Ikan Bakar @ Filipino Market, Kota Kinabalu

Ikan bakar - grilled fish

Nothing is sweeter than coming back to my hometown! While I was in KL, I missed seafood quite desperately! Hah! Not kidding, cause in KL seafood is a luxury. Why? Because it's so damn expensive. Here in KK, well, it's another story. Let's not talk about that...

Now, about a couple of weeks ago, I went to the Filipino Market with my sisters and bro-in-law. They opted for bakso, while I, zoomed in straight to ikan bakar.  Visiting the ikan bakar stalls there, you'd be amazed because you've got to see rows and rows of stalls selling ikan bakar. I went crazy for sure. Crazy in didn't know what to choose,  the various offerings coupled with the tantalizing aroma and the wide open sea just under your nose can really drive you crazy!

Okay, enough with story telling, I'm gonna let the pictures do the talking! :P

yep, that's a lobster!

squids, beware for those who have excessive bodily uric acid!

are you salivating, yet?

I had this with piping hot steamed rice..alone! Yum yum...

yours truly enjoying her fill, nda tinguk kiri kanan lagi. check out the rice grain, on her right hand, barabis bah sampai nda sedar nasi melekat di tangan! LOL!

cloudy sunset @ Jesselton Point, the last stop after makan-makan :)

totally love this pic!

...and yes, I heaped on kilos since returning to KK! Chubby is the new me...tsk tsk tsk..

Lunch Buffett @ Halia, Sime Darby Convention Centre

Where:  Halia Restaurant, Sime Darby Convention Centre KL
Date:  14th April 2010 (Wednesday)
What:  Boss kasi belanja makan! 
Price per head: RM37++

This is my boss punya personal thanks to all his staffs whose butts are highly 'exhausted' for the sake of the smooth running of his office (and curing his headaches, to put it bluntly).  Food selections are rather nice, I liked it. The menus are not swimming in cooking oil and they are fusions.  What I loved the most? The garlic prawn and roasted meat in rosemary sauce. Yummy!

Now for the pictures, taken with my 'lauyah' camera phone :-P campur boss punya camera

LOL, are we some sort of the restaurant's ambassadors or something?

I love the paintings!

the one at the right is my Sarawakian boss..

I was talking non-stop and suddenly the kakak stuffed my mouth with that cake

group pic before pigi serang makanan!

adedeh! quite an unflattering pic, look at my puffing cheeks!

Attacking the garlic prawns and the roasted meat!

isn't this mouth-watering or something?

finally, the desserts! banyak lagi tapi ini jak la yang bulih sia sumbat. I loved the cream puff, so yummy!













Well, we masuk balik office that day dengan perut yang mau malatup suda! Thank you, boss :)

Gluttony

well, post interview, let the pictures do the talking.  it's laden with 'heart-attack' indulgence, plus a serving of my relatives' pictures. kunun..

baikut, hokkien mien (with crispy pork skin), a bucket of beer and a bottle of guinness = recipe for beer gut!

one of the famous kadai kupi@ Happy Garden, Luyang. only opens at night tho'. this kadai is within walking distance from my sister's house. how convenience!

the famous pau shop in Damai, Luyang.  I hantam-ed 4 pieces, consisted of su nyuk, charsiew, tausa & chicken! thunder thighs & expanding waistline's best friend. gawd, no wonder my jeans is bursting!

it's 10.00pm and I was still stuffing myself with woh ti, beef/lamb satay, char kuey tiaw & roti kawin! yes, it's a bloody gluttony! another cm on the waistline, damn!

one of the best roti that  i've ever tasted! this kopitiam in Damai (Fook Yen) sells this addictive roti! people come in droves to this particular kopitiam because of this! believe it or not, after 'membelasah' the roti, customers still can be seen tapau-ing the roti!

...and they come in generous slices! fluffy and thick, definitely a good worth for your money :)

ummm, don't get distracted by my baggy eyes, look at those roti! you can't see my mouth and the tip of my chin. that's how thick they are!

veggies and beef noodles. the chilli and the clear soup  are the real killer! i died and gone to heaven! can't remember the shop's name but it's in Damai Point, Luyang, next to the little Tobacco Shop.

additional info: Luyang is one of the best cari makan places in KK.  Damai Plaza/Damai Point in particular are teeming with people with 'gluttony' agendas. however, most of the food establishments serve non-halal variants. this is where travel & tours companies normally bring tourists (esp those from hong kong, taiwan & mainland china) for makan-makan. craving for your java? don't worry, you can find Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Olde Town Station here. Steaks and grilled? just head up to Upperstar. there's also korean and japanese restaurants. you can also find the local favourite, YoYo Cafe!

and now, the 'I Am Vain' moment:

l-r: sis timie (our adopted sister), my cuzzie Dena (yes, she's married with an adorable daughter) sis wean (taken also) and yours truly! 

goofing around with a stick of cigar! 

me and cuzzie momentarily forgot about the heavenly soto (on the table) and bullied my brother-in-law to be the shutterbug. LOL! on other note, Happy Restaurant in Asia City, KK serves lip-smacking soto and bakso! they have another branch in Sinsuran Complex. 

shiny faces, no thanks to the sweltering heat!

me and cuzzie, pose yang inda menjadi!

yes, our secret fantasy of becoming  Unduk Ngadau nga inda kesampaian. kasian!

that's all folks! XOXO..