It was a kill 3 birds with one stone kinda thing!

I had to be there on Fri morning for a work related trade show, the girls wanted to spend the weekend doing absolutely nothing and catch up and I haven’t seen Rach in Sg for a couple of months now!

Flight tickets..check.

Hotel room…check.

Pack.

Gooooooooo!!!

On Saturday, Rach suggested we try Spruce for brunch.

I have never been to Spruce so I thought we’d give it a try!

I MISS HAVING A GOOD BREAKIE!!!!

Can’t seem to find a place in KL that I really like up till now!

I’m fussy when it comes to my breakies!

Haven’t found a place in KL that I like as much as the ones in Melb.

I loved the ambiance at Spruce.

The weather was perfect!! Slightly sunny after a light shower!

It restaurant was just so relaxing and extremely easy on the eyes and soothing.

Look at how lush the wild natural-like garden looks!

So lush and serene....Ommmmmm *sits in a meditating pose* I am one with natureeeeee! hehe.

This is what I call a lazy weekend!

I could really get used to this! haha.

Better not get use to it is more like it! Not gonna get any of this back home!! Boo hooo…

Chai Tea Latte

As a person allergic to coffee, the only latte I can have are tea lattes and its rare to find Chai Tea Lattes in KL for some reason! I think people are too busy catering to their white coffee and kopi O drinkers in Msia that they tend to neglect the minorities like myself! Pffttt.

So my only fix is at Coffee Bean?

This was a good version of a Chai Tea Latte.

I like my latte spicy! Very full-bodied and strong!

Found it a little too sweet but wasn’t complaining!

A little sugar rush is always good  ;)

The Spruce British Brekkie

Eggs (Poached) Bacon, Cumberland Sausage, Baked Beans, Roasted Tomato, and Foccacia Toast

 

The Spruce British BrekkieEggs (Scrambled) Cumberland Sausage, Baked Beans, Roasted Tomato, Mushrooms and Foccacia Toast

Turkish Chicken Egg Benny Spiced Chicken, Scrambled Eggs and Mint Salad

Spruce Eggs Benny on English muffins with Back Bacon and Hollandaise Sauce

This was my dish!

I have been having severe cravings for Eggs Benedict for a LONG time now!

I even dreamt I was eating it in my sleep ! NO JOKE!!!

So pathetic and piggish, I know *blush*

Ohhh…Eggs Bennyyyy! Come to mama!!

I was satisfieddddddd!

Finally a poached egg that is runny the way I like it!

Don’t know why is it so hard for people to get it right!

If you poach eggs on a daily basis, shouldn’t you have it all timed perfectly by now??

It sounds gross when I say it to myself in my head and it is just as gross sounding typed out but I’m gonna say it anyway!

I seriously seriously feel joy in my heart when my knife pierces the egg and the egg yolk just oozes out everywhere! hahaha.

And I loved how they serve pork bacon here! hehe. I hate beef bacon! It’s so sad that most places only serve beef bacon in KL.

As though eating a pile of pork bacon, an English muffin and two poached non-Omega eggs doused with rich Hollandaise sauce isn’t sinful enough, I just had to add-on a side order of Smoke Salmon *yumssssss*

Since I was already having a party in my seat, might as well full swing it, eh?  =D

Besides enjoying the food and ambiance, it was sooooooo good just catching up with the girls! Just “reminiscing” the past!

I sound like I’m 60 now! haha.

You probably can put us all in a styrofoam box, seal it and we’d still be able to entertain each other with our random nonsense! That is until someone passes out due to lack of oxygen?? =P

Rach was repeatedly saying how Sg is better than KL and that we should all move over! I do love Sg a lot but it really is painful admitting it to her when she has that condescending look on her face! haha.

Love how she was also casually slipping in how we should open an account with her at CitiGold! hahaha. Working even on the weekend while having brunch! Potential employee of the month?? haha.

It was kinda like reliving our Melb days! This was us everyday in 08 and 09! But now its like a rare special occasion that we get to do this tog!

Geez, you really don’t know a good thing till it’s gone, huh??

Mel, Mrina, Sings and I were joking about how pathetic is it that we all live in KL, 25mins max. away from each other yet we can rarely find the time to meet up being caught up with work/family and/or bf responsibilities on the weekend that we have to fly to another country just to have a meal tog?!?!

Girls, we really need to have a word with each other about our time management and priorities…perhaps?!?

All in all, I don’t think I can think of a more perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Random fact : I know I tend to go on and on about how much I love Sg and how I like it better than KL. So I have to be fair and be a bit of a proud Malaysian and tell you all that I read on Spruce’s website that their fresh fruits and vegetables are from their partnership with Grace Cup Farms in Cameron Highlands!! Malaysia has good things too!

You need us for your vege okay, Rach!! =P  hehe.

xoxo

Is the one woman who loves you unconditionally from birth, the one who puts her kids before herself and the one who you can always count on above everyone else.

Such a concise word! But it carries so much weight and wonders, don’t you think?

So how did you spend yesterday with the Queen of your heart??

I celebrated a little earlier this year, a day earlier!

My mom is a simple, no fuss and no frills kind of lady! She always tells us in advance NOT to get her any gifts and NOT to spend our money on her! (Strange lady I tell you…hehe. Kidding, Mom) =P

So my brother, Sandy (his gf), Chris (her bro) and I decided to do something simple yet thoughtful by taking our moms out for a Moms-Kids high tea on Saturday at the Ritz Carlton.

Just a simple and sweet outing to treat, spend quality time as well as thank our Moms for the wonderful person they have been all our life!

They have a pretty wide tea selection! We were spoilt for choices!

Call me boring old school, but I stuck to my plain and simple all time fav, Earl Grey.

My bro and Chris opted for the Irish Whiskey  tea, body carving for some post Fri night fun?? -.- haha

And the Moms had the ‘Get The Power’ tea. Very fancy name for ‘fruit tea’ huh?? haha.

Apple Scones, Plain Scones, Chicken Pie and Quiche

Cucumber Sandwich, Smoked Salmon Baguette and Camembert & Ham On Melba Toast

Profiteroles, Mixed Berry Tart, Raspberry and Caramel Mousse Cake and Mango Cheesecake

I have to say that after reading a couple of reviews online and from a few friends go on about the High Tea at Ritz, I thought it was alright only.

I mean, I enjoyed the fact that the food was served to the table for convenience sake and the presentation was pretty! But taste wise, it was pretty sub par. I have not been to a High Tea in KL that I have particularly enjoyed come to think of it. Pls do suggest if anyone knows of any

But it was more of the quality time spent with the two Moms which made it a lovely time out for me =D

I’ve been a little busy with work the past few days, but there is no such thing as not prioritising some of my time to make a little something for Mummy!

It’s rather plain, I know. But I was busy laaaaaa! hahaha.

Flowers for Mummyyyyyy, arranged by Sandy! No matter how many times she tells us not to get flowers for her, she'll still get em!! She should learn to save her breath, perhaps?! haha.

Later that night we had a whole family gathering to celebrate with my Grandma and all my aunts who are proud mothers too at Elegant Inn.

Mother’s Day overdose for us! haha.

So on Sunday, the real Mother’s Day, kinda felt like everyone else was celebrating late?!?

I hope you had an equally good time with your mother on her special day or with your kids if you are a mother yourself  :)

It need not be a big and grand celebration, just needs to be from the heart!! <3

Have a good week aheaddddddd!

xoxo

It need not be a place which screams I-am-expensive but the decor and ambiance kind of gives you the I‘m-gonna-burn-a-hole-in-your-pocket feel ! haha.

Look expensive but is actually cheap!?!? WHAT a deal huh?!!?

Roaming around Xintiandi, I stumbled upon a restaurant called TMSK.

I had no clue what its name mean or stood for but the ambiance won my heart over instantly.

And probably the music too.

Eating while “Like a G6″ was blasting in the background was rather fun I have to say! hahahaha.

I took the liberty of finding out what the restaurant’s name stood for when I got home.

TMSK is the acronym for Tou Ming Si Kao which translates roughly to English as ‘Crystal Mind’.

And apparently, the intricate décor of Chinese stain-glass in venue is the work of art of the acclaimed Liuli Gongfang who has been specializing in decorative handicraft for the last 18 years.

Bar section

It is a pretty cool looking place isn’t it??

From where I was seated, if I looked to my right, the place exuded ‘Old Shanghai’ but on my left, the place had a 360 degrees transition to modernity.

For such a cool looking place, the food lived up high enough to the slightly raised expectations due to the atmosphere.

Naturally I said to myself, “Food has to be good rite?? For such a pretty looking place“.

Yummy eggs!

I really can’t remember the name of this dish but it is a dish I recommend if you are a fan of eggs!

The texture and medley of flavours was intriguing!

The egg is hard-boiled and then halved.

The white part is deep-fried leaving the inside soft but the outer part crisp.

Then the yolk is mashed up and blended with some creamy based sauce to give it a lighter and creamier texture

The dish is then topped with a very unusual condiment, fermented black bean!

Who would have thought that it’ll go so well together with the egg!

And to spice things up a little more, they added potato chips to give it a light and crisp crunch!

Yumsssss!!

Bacon & Cheese Baked Eggs with Bread Sticks

I don’t mean to sound blunt but this dish can be skipped!

There was nothing unusual or special about it, sad to say.

It was basically baked eggs with some bacon sprinkled on the top.

Well, just exactly like the name of the dish!

Poached Eggs on a bed of Grated Yam and Mentaiko

Okay, I know it looks like I had some kind of “Egg Party”

But this egg dish was actually a mistake mad by the waiter but he was so kind to give it as a complimentary dish!

It was interesting how their paired a poached egg up with the fish roe!

The creamy yolk had a nice bite to it because of the ‘popping bubble’ texture of the fish roe.

But I didn’t fancy the grated yam. It was a little too slimy texture wise for my liking. The taste was also too flat….and really too slimy, which slightly grossed me out. Sorryyy.

Baked Escargot

The garlic cheese sauce was done the way I liked it.

Creamy and buttery but not overly garlic-y!

And a plus point, the escargots were big and plump!

It was a good version of baked escargots!

Broiled Pork with Honey Mustard Sauce

This dish was my favourite dish of the night!

The pork was so tender and flavourful !

It was similar to the Honey Barbecued Pork aka Char Siew but a less sweet variation.

The honey mustard sauce was still on the sweet note but the mustard gave the dish a spicy twist to it.

Highly recommended!

XO Sauce Fried Rice with Egg, Sausages and Chinese Pork Ham

The fried rice was nothing usual but it was a good version of the dish!

The XO sauce really adds a nice aroma to the dish! And the sausage aka lap cheong and the Chinese Pork Ham aka Spam, gave the rice dish a nice sweet and salty hint!

There is something about fried rice fried in restaurants! It tastes very different from the ones that is home cooked.

Chinese people have a theory that the secret ingredient to a good fried rice dish is the fire from the stove. In restaurants, the fire from the stove is super big and strong so the food is cooked in a much higher heat. Hence it gives the dish “wok mei”. Directly translated, it means that the dish has wok taste.

Carbonara

The Carbonara was enjoyable as well.

Creamy but not in the watery-like-soup consistency that I loathe.

The smoked aroma from the bacon was intense, leaving the pasta flavourful.

But I wished they had a more interesting pasta dish and not just the usual standard Carbonara!

As always, no meal is complete without an injection of sucre to spike the sugar levels in my blood stream! hehe.

I settled for a Tiramisu as it was recommended by the waiter.

It was delightful although I would have preferred it more if it came with some sort of sauce to spice things up a little!

All in all,  I found that the food at TMSK was good but I would have much preferred it if a little more thought was put into the recipes to make their food as interesting and intriguing as the look and ambiance of the restaurant. They had safe and non-complicating dishes which works for the general public but it is a tad bit of a waste for such a great looking restaurant to have normal food. But please don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my meal very much. The dishes may have been towards the simple end but they were good versions of the dish! The next time, I’m back in Shanghai, I will definitely make a round 2 happen! I really want to try their Long Island Tea and cocktails the neat round, I have read many good things!

*Disclaimer note: Opinions expressed are solely based on my personal experience.

Address : Unit 2, Number 11 Beili, Xintiandi Square

Lane 181, Taicang Road

Shanghai

Tel: 021-63262227

Baby baby baby nooooooo…….

Last week Mel and I were one of those screaming young girls at the JUSTIN BIEBER concert at Stadium Merdeka.

*NOT shy at all, I am a proud Belieber*

What is there not to like about that cutie pie?

The traffic to get to the stadium was insaneeeeee!

We were so afraid we were going to miss the concert!

Stand still jam no matter which route taken!

Bieber’s CD on repeat….check.

Camera with full battery…..check.

Cars around us all filled with crazy Bieber fans….check.

Ready to be Bieber-fied?…..CHECK CHECK CHECK!!!!

When we finally got to the stadium and in our seats.

I seriously had like a minor culture shock! haha.

The ENTIRE stadium was filled to the brim with screaming young girls and very bored looking moms and dads! haha.

The girls were just going wild screaming loud un-sweet nothings!

They were just super pumped up and going WILDDDDD!

They had posters, light thingys waving in the air and Bieber t-shirts on!

I jokingly told Mel that those girls were making us look so bad, like we weren’t even real fans compared to them!

SHOW TIMEEEEEEEEE!!!

Girls were screaming hysterically! Jumping on and off their seats!

SOME EVEN CRIED!!!!!

And one LUCKY girl got called up on stage!

Boy did she go insaneeee!

She was just touching Bieber non-stop and screaming right into his face!

I don’t know how did he actually still be able to sing normally and remember his lyrics AND keep in tune while some girl is causing his ear drums to rupture! hehe.

She was actually seated very close by to me. After she got back to her seat, she was still screaming like she was possessed for another 10-15mins? ahahahaha.

It was so adorable how they showed video clips taken when he was a baby and during his much younger days!

He was seriously one cute baby!

And he could sing so well at the age of 2-3? Singing his A, B, C nursery rhyme!! *Ching melted to the ground*

He has a rather charming personality for a young kid! Well, not exactly that young anymore! haha.

He seriously set all the young girls on fire with his quirky and flirtatious lines!!!

I can’t say I ermmm…er….ermm….wasn’t one of those gushing girls! *hides face*

Yeaa..I know, there is still plentyyyy of space for me to ermmm….grow up? hahaha.

I have to say that this was the biggest concert I have been too!

The crowd totalled up to approximately SEVENTEEN THOUSANDS people!!!

AND there was a surprise guest for the fans!

It was Joel Madden from Good Charlotte!

He sang one song!

It was pretty random though! How he was there watching the concert at first but somehow ended up on stage!?!?

Ohh well…free show! We weren’t complaining! hehe.

Let me tell you something funny that Mel did.

She was walking around trying to see which seats had the best view and she came across Joel but she didn’t realize who he was at that time.

So she just asked out loud, “Who is that ar??”

And Joel heard her…looked up and straight at her.

OUCH!!!

What a way to burst his I-am-famous bubble! hahahaha.

The show was a good one!

Although we found it rather distracting that the focus shifted constantly!

From the video clips to the concert and then to the back up singers and then the dancers and then Joel Madden and then back to the videos and then back to the concert!

But all in all, I STILL LOVED IT REGARDLESS!!!

We went home very HAPPY GIRLS!!!

I got to see my fav. boy perform liveeee! All thanks to Ian and his cousin CV for getting Mel and I those tickets!

=D

BIEBER-FIED!!!!!

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As you all know, China is infamous for their Peking Duck!

So how can Sandy and I come to Shanghai and not have any?!? That would have been like a errrrmmmm……a gourmet crime? haha.

After leaving the research to Ian who is obsessed with Peking Duck while he is in Beijing, he concluded through foodie blogs and restaurant reviews that Xindalu is supposed to have THE BEST Peking Duck in Shanghai and some even say THE BEST in the whole of China. He took a week to do his research, if I may add!

So Xindalu it is!

Sat night dinner reservations at Xindalu….check.

A worked up appetite……check.

Let’s goooooooo!

The atmosphere was nice and cosy! It wasn’t a full house given it was a Saturday night!

We sat next to the kitchen to smell and take sneak peaks at the chefs in action!

The dishes came in as they were prepared in the kitchen, with no proper timing. I would have much preferred it if the appetizers actually came first instead of while I was eating my noodles and duck.

Anyway I’ll just pretend that they came in the way I wanted them to! hehe.

Famous Shanghainese Hairy Crab Roe Dumplings

The dumplings were tasty.

The skin of the dumpling was just the way I like it, slightly chewy and thin!

Be careful while lifting those dumpyyyys up! You don’t want the best part of the dish, the broth, spilling out!

But I have to say that somehow I still prefer the traditional pork filling Xiao Long Baos!

Call me boring old fashion!

Crispy Fried Fresh Water Shrimp with Shaoxing Wine

The shrimps were interesting!

The shell was really thin and soft.

After being deep-fried, the shell was edible and crispy!

The Shaoxing wine made the already sweet fresh prawns even more fragrant and tasty!

A good dish for lazy-to-peel-prawn-shell eaters like myself!! tee hee.

Sizzling Eggplant with Minced Pork and Soy Sauce

I am a big fan eggplant fan! I like it when it is all soft and mushy!

Disgusting and weird taste much? haha.

The eggplant was grilled until it was super soft.

Although the sauce was tasty, I found it a little too salty for my liking.

It was an average version of this dish I would say.

Shanghainese Noodles with Fried Dried Shrimp and Fragrant Green Onion Oil

I enjoyed this noodle dish!

I think the noodles were freshly made! The texture was interesting in a good way!

It was really soft but chewy at the same time!

And the fried dried prawns and the green onion oil really gave the dish a very aromatic fragrance! T

Think of that super fragrant onion oil that you usually add in soups! And you’ll get the gist of this dish!

All in all, it was a rather simple dish but tasty dish!

Chef doing his thing with the duckyyyy! Stripping the skin and flesh off the bone! *Quack..help me! Quack Quack* yelped the duck! -.- Okay, I shall stop being lame! haha.

Peking Duck

Crispy Duck Skin

How to wrap your Peking Duck Pancake 101

Place a piece of pancake flat on a plate. Swirl some sweet sauce all over it. Put in some duck skin and meat along with the condiments.

Fold the top down and the two sides in.

Voilaaaaaaa !! My not-that-great-wrapping-skills! hahaha.

Sadly I have to say that we were disappointed

The skin was slightly too roasted, leaving it a little too dry for my liking at I taste a bit of a bitter aftertaste on the skin.

The pancakes were also too thick. It becomes a little floury when it is too thick!

The duck was really average but not bad or anything like that, please don’t get me wrong!

I just didn’t think that it was great enough to be THE BEST in Shanghai or China.

I shall not reveal names but a foodie did say that this was the best Peking Duck he/she has ever had and he/she has had Peking Ducks at a substantial number of restaurants. He/she had also claimed that he/she has died and gone to heaven when he/she tasted this Peking Duck.

All I have to say is, “Buddy, please die for a better reason!!!”. hahaha.

But everyone is entitled to their opinion, so I shall respect his/hers!

Xindalu Dessert Conbination. Bottom left: Green Tea Tiramisu; Bottom right: Mixed fruits platter; Middle: Steamed Sweet Glutinous Rice Cakes; Top left: Chilled Mango Sago; Top centre: Coconut Sorbet; Top right: Deep-fried Banana Glutinous Roll.

The dessert platter surely did cheer me up!!

I loved it!

Below are the ones I particularly enjoyed!

Chilled Mango Sago

The puree was made from fresh and good quality mangoes!

Can tell that they did not use any flavouring to enhance its taste.

The lightness and the refreshing-ness of it was just delightful.

Steamed Sweet Glutinous Rice Cakes

I have a thing for glutinous things!

Be it Tong Yuan or Nian Gao or sticky glutinous rice….I love em all !!

I just love the chewy, sticky and bouncy texture!

This rice cakes were just slightly sweetened!

I enjoyed it solely for its texture!

*nom nom nom*

Deep-fried Banana Glutinous Roll

I found this dessert really interesting and it was our favourite!

It was basically a sweet spring roll.

With ripened sweet but firm bananas in the middle as well as some sticky  and sweet glutinous filling!

The sweet bananas and the sticky and sweet glutinous filling went so well with the crispy spring roll skin on the outside!

It was such a good combination of flavours an textures!

There was also a creamy custard cause to go along with it!

*yu..yumm.yummm..yummmyyyyy*

The verdict : Although the Peking Duck was the main dish which attracted us to come here in the first place, it was a let down. But the other dishes and dessert made up for it a little. Well, especially dessert actually! I wouldn’t say I would come back again but it wasn’t a bad meal. Just that I would prefer to try somewhere else the next time if I were looking to have a good Peking Duck. All in all, dinner was still enjoyable and the good company made up for it! =D

*Disclaimer note: Opinions expressed are solely based on my personal experience.

Address: Hyatt on the Bund, 199 Huang Pu Road, Shanghai, China.

And no, I also didn’t fall into a ditch and was left there or almost a month! hehe.

Sorry for the Houdini act!!

Just been a little occupied with work related issues.

I’ve been staring at the computer screen for endless of hours in a day.

So when it’s my break time, can’t blame me for not wanting to have anything to do with the computer screen rite? haha.

Anyway, I wanna share some of the interesting meals I had while I was in Shanghai.

While I was in SH I got to try some really interesting local cuisine with one of my dad’s ex staff who is also a friend and like an aunty to me seeing that I met her when I was 5 or 6.

We went for dinner at a restaurant called Xin Ji Shi.

The restaurant a two branches, one at Xintiandi but apparently it is almost impossible if you do not make reservations at least a few days in advance. So we headed to the other branch at Tao Jiang Road.

I didn’t quite know what exactly is Shanghainese cuisine before the dinner.

Well, I mean I know that Xiao Long Bao and fried Nian Kao (rice cakes) are Shanghainese dishes but that is the extent of my knowledge about the cuisine.

Did you know that Shanghainese people love their food sweet?

Now you do if you didn’t already know!

We started off with some appetizers! Very interesting ones!

L-R : Sweet Red Dates Stuffed with Glutinous Rice Balls in Thick Syrup, Salad Leaves with Sesame Dressing and Beancurd Sheet Roll with Stuffing.

This was my fav!! It was so sweet and chewy! Tasted more like dessert than an appetizer!

Double boiled chicken soup with red dates

The smoked whole-chicken soup was so sweet and tasty due to the long hours of double boiling. All the essence of the chicken in a small pot.

So light and sweet on the palette but warm and comforting in the tummy!

Just the perfect thing I needed to keep warm after walking around the streets in the cold to find the restaurant!!

Stir Fried Bamboo Clams with Wasabi

The clams were very sweet and the texture was bouncy and chewy but not tough, due to its freshness!

Although I couldn’t taste the wasabi, it was yummy!!

Long Beans Stir Fried with Preserved Plums

I found this vegetable dish very interesting! I have never ever had any sort of vegetable stir fried with sweet preserved plums before!

It might sound kinda weird but it sure did taste good!

The combination was somehow harmonious!

Deep Fried Chicken with Dried Chillies and Garlic

There was nothing exceptional about this dish but it was a good version of the standard dried chilli fried chicken basket!

A little too spicy f0r me but I have to say that I enjoyed this dish particularly more that night because it was freezing cold outside! Was nice having something extra spicy to increase the body temperature! haha.

Deep Fried Fish Head with Spring Onions

I’m usually not a big fan of fish head because there is usually not much meat and just a lot of skin but I loved this fish head dish!

The fish must have been a mutant because its head was super meaty on the sides!

The flesh of the fish at its head area is known to be extra soft and fine.

And the skin was so crispy!

It just went so well together, the combination of textures; the tender flesh, the crispy skin and the deep-fried spring onions to mute the fishy-ness.

There wasn’t must marination or sauce even. So I assume the fish head was just seasoned with some salt and pepper!

Plain, simply and yums!

Claypot tofu with seafood and mushrooms

This dish must have been just like any other clay pot dish!

I actually…..don’t remember a single thing about it!

I’m guessing…not a “must have” ?? hehe.

Deep Fried Pork Knuckle

The pork knuckle was good!

Extremely crispy on the outside but the meat was still juicy and tender on the inside.

The marination was kept simple too. Perhaps a pinch of five spice powder along with salt and pepper.

Hong Xao Rou, Pork Belly Stewed in a Sweet-Savoury Red Sauce

Apparently this dish is a very famous one in Shanghai.

And Xin Ji Shi definitely made a good version of it.

Super tender and tasty meat with thick layers of fat in between and a slightly caramelized on the top.

*yums*

But it is definitely a crazy-high-cholesterol-artery-clogging-muffin-top-advocator dish!

Deep Fried and Steamed Mantou (buns)

Like I said, the Shanghainese people love their food sweet.

You can either eat the mantou with the stewed pork of simply dip it in the dish of condensed sweet milk in the middle.

Braised Hard Boiled Eggs

This dish typically comes with stewed pork dish because the hard-boiled eggs are braised in the pork dish’s sauce!

The eggs have been braised in the sweet-savoury thick sauce for hours and hours that it has turned colour due to absorption of the sauce. Not only the colour if the sauce is absorbed but also the flavours! Hence, the eggs are very tasty!

The verdict : I truly enjoyed the meal. However, even after the meal, I wasn’t too sure what exactly is Shanghainese food! hahaha. Every time I asked if the dish was a typical Shanghainese dish, they would say, “Ermm not really, it is influenced by this district and that district”. So I have concluded that China is huge and Chinese food is similar anywhere you go! Just a matter of it being more on the sweet note or on the spicy or herbal note. But they are all relatively similar. That is the best conclusion I can come up for myself! haha. But please feel free to correct me if I just got everything totally wrong and if I just said a whole load of crap?!? hahaha.

Xin Ji Shi is definitely a place I’d recommend if you’ll be in Shanghai anytime soon! But do remember to make reservations before hand. They are pack all night long and at all their branches! So that says a whole load about their food! =D

Address : No.28 Tao Jiang Road

or

No.9 Xin Tian Di Complex Tai Cang Road (Xintiandi Branch)

I’m back in Shanghai once again!! =D

This time, I’m sorta on a different mission from my last trip in July 2010.

Well, I’m kinda here for work.

But of course some fun can come into play too, rite?

Whoever who said that “business can’t be mixed with pleasure”, just didn’t know how to do it right! hehe.

I was so restless on the plane! Took the 1.40am flight hoping to ‘konk out’ the moment I get into my seat but thanks to some uncle behind me. His snoring orchestra was in session for all 5 hours! Urghhhh!

I got to the hotel by 8am, took an hour nap and then was off to meet a family friend, Aunty F.M.

I was so tired but she said we were going shopping!

DING DING DING DING!

Just the right word to awaken my spirits from within!

I was wide awakeeeeeeee al of a sudden! I ‘wonder’ whyyyyy =P

Aunty took me to Qi Pu Road Market (七浦路服饰批发市场) a whole sale shopping district.

It is exactly like Platinum Mall in Bangkok for those of you who is familiar with that wholesale mall.

Qi Pu Road Market is a huge ass huge market for clothing. It comprises quite a few buildings, holding hundreds..maybe even thousands of shops. Although the place is huge, it is sardine packed inside.

I read that the market is called “Qi Pu” in Chinese because it sounds very much like “cheap” in English? haha.

Apparently this shopping district used to be even cheaper about a year or 2 ago! Prices hiked up a little due to increased cost bla bla bla..basically, just pay more now la! Boo hoo.

But the ‘cheap’ factor isn’t the only ‘X’ factor about this shopping district! Another reason why this shopping district is such a big hit among the locals and tourists is due the large variety of styles of clothes that one can find here.

Just like Platinum Mall, the mall is divided into of small cubicles, each usually smaller than 10 square meters. Basically, one stall only fits the lady boss and 2 other customer per time! TINY!

Anyone who is cluster phobic will almost most definitely get a seizure in there! hehe.

Some stalls do carry the same items but they will be almost the same price at both stalls.

Some stalls will hike their prices up dramatically in hopes to land a customer who sucks at bargaining! haha.

And some stalls have already set their price rather low and carries out a ‘no negotiating’ motto!

I like it when they have a no bargaining motto cause I suck so badly at it!

I’m usually too scared to ask for low prices cause I really wouldn’t appreciate getting slapped by some aunty! *gasp* haha.

It was fun! Taking time to slowly browse and observing the fashion trend in China.

Time really flew by when I was in there!

Items I snagged!

Those 6 items probably only cost me RM250. And the quality of the materials are good! kinda better than the stuff I bought at Platinum Mall.

Probably could have gotten a better price IF only I was better at bargaining!

But you know, a few ringgit less isn’t worth a slap or two! hehe.

It was good fun just checking the place out!

First round of shopping was fruitful !

Hopefully I will be able to say the same for the next few shopping trips work!

Will be back with more Shanghai adventures!!

I actually find that the standards and quality of food at Chinese restaurants is particularly bad during CNY period.

Not to forget, the prices of the Set Menus at those are unjustifiably high too!

This CNY,I would say that there was one restaurant that didn’t disappoint.

Okay, actually that was just me being harsh!

Let me rephrase…There was a restaurant which impressed me, Shark’s Fin House.

This relatively new restaurant, formerly known as Yu Jia, was recently taken over by The Oriental Group and given a make over.

I went in not expecting much solely because it was the day of Yan Yat celebration (Everybody’s Birthday which falls on the 7th day of CNY every year).

The restaurant was packed to the brim but we had our own room with 4 tables.

Naturally the chef would be cooking in bulk and the food wouldn’t be as good, rite??

I was proved otherwise =D

Appetizer.

We started off with “Lou Sang”, a must-have appetizer during CNY for its symbolic meaning.

Salmon Yee Sang

Toss it high! Toss it for good luck!! The higher the better!!!

Fish Maw Double Boiled Broth

The broth was very tasty due to boiling fish bones for hours and hours until the soup became milky. 

But I have to say that it has the weirdest texture ever! haha.

It was so thick that your lips were left super sticky and your throat feels like its coated with something after just a spoonful.

Not my bowl of soup!

Mains.

Smoked Steamed Chicken

I have to say that this might have been one of the tastiest steamed chicken I’ve had and possibly the most tender one too!

I am usually not a fan of steam chicken but this version was gooooooood !!

The flesh was super tender and juicy while the skin wasn’t as fatty.

The best part of the dish was that it tasted like bacon because of the smokey aroma!

Braised Goose Web with Abalone, Beancurd Sheet and Broccoli

The sauce was very very tasty and naturally sweetened by the web and the abalone.

I enjoyed the baby abalone and the beancurd sheet the most! The baby abalone was tender and very tasty due to the hours and hours of being braised in the sauce.

My complain is that the web should have been braised a little longer! It wasn’t as “melt-in-your-mouth” as I liked it to be.

Pomfret sautéed with XO sauce

This Pomfret dish was interesting!

The frame of the fish was deep-fried till it became super crisp. The entire head, bones and fins were consumable! it was like eating fish crackers!

As for the flesh of the fish, it was moist and soft due to good timing!

The fish was very fresh too!

Fresh water prawns cooked with longevity noodles

I don’t know the exact name of the noodle but I, used to calling it Longevity Noodles.

My grandma would fry those noodles during birthday celebrations when we were younger,

This version was done very well.

The prawns were fresh and sweet with a nice bouncy texture!

As for the noodles, it was very tasty due to the gravy from the prawns!

We ate our plate and then got second round from the next table!

Don’t we all just love small eaters?? hehe.

Dessert.

Mah Lai Ko

This traditional steamed cake has been spruced up a little with some custard filling in between!

It is a very simple dessert. Basically just eggs, flour, water and sugar!

It is enjoyed more for its light and fluffy texture more than anything.

Longan and white fungus Tong Sui

I know, I know…white “fungus” sounds gross! hahaha.

But fret not, it isn’t like the gross yucky kind of  ”fungus”….I think?? I hopeee?? haha.

Although boiled in ‘lo hon kor’, a type of dried fruit used in almost all ‘tong sui’, the longans were still sweet and yummy!

A simple but delectable dessert.

Just the perfect thirst quenching dessert after a heavy, rich and flavourful meal !

Overall review : I definitely enjoyed the food and would love to come back to try their other dishes. Usually I find that a ala carte is better than the fixed menus. If I already enjoyed the fixed menu this much, I can only imagine how much more I’ll enjoy the food here having the a la carte menu! Service was relatively good too despite the crowd!

Address: No. 51, Jalan Barat, Off Jalan Imbi , 55100 KL Jalan Barat, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03- 2143 9966

Fax: 03- 2143 8966

I’ve read countless articles about his restaurants in NYC.

Thinks he is chef/restauranteur to look up to based on his achievements!

And he also has such a cool name! hahaha..Yea, that was just random.

So it is only natural that I would make my way to his brand new restaurant when I am staying at MBS itself!

“Wolfgang Puck was born in Austria, where his mother worked as a chef and encouraged her son to begin his formal training at the age of fourteen. He developed his skills in some of France’s celebrated restaurants, including Maxim’s in Paris and the Michelin 3-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière, in Provence. At the age of 24 he brought his passion and panache to America.

Wolfgang Puck’s bold, innovative style of cooking has redefined fine dining in America and around the world. Since the opening of his legendary Spago, in 1982, Chef Puck has shown that a great meal matched with excellent wine and service in a dynamic setting could make for a relaxing and extraordinary culinary experience. Wolfgang Puck’s CUT, considered one of the top steakhouses in America, now comes to Singapore – at Marina Bay Sands.”

-Marina Bay Sands website

Take a peak of my meal at CUT.

We started off our meal with a round or two of a variety of freshly baked bread.

Hmmmm yummmmss…breaddddd!!

Caramelized Onion Focaccia

Appetizers

Maple Glazed Pork Belly

The maple glazed pork belly was accompanied by a bed of Fuji apple and persimmon salad, spiced almonds while drizzled with a sesame-orange dressing.

The dish was very Asian oriented. A mix of sweet and sour to balance out the porky-ness of the fatty belly.

The belly was layered, of course, but there was still sufficient amount of meat in between the fats.

Tender layered meat on the bottom while the crackling was light and crisp on the top.

The flavours of this dish will certainly work up your appetite.

Butter Lettuce Salad

We definitely needed some greens to balance out the richness from all the beef we were about to consume.

The butter lettuce salad was accompanied with avocado, Forme D’Ambert, marinated cherry tomatoes and topped with a Champagne herb vinaigrette dressing.

I liked how the dressing was very light and refreshing.

While the Champagne herb vinaigrette was leaning towards the sweet end, the marinated cherry tomatoes added on more natural sweetness but also a hint of sourness to balance the flavours out.

I am not a fan of the Forme D’Ambert though! Too pungent for my liking! I am yet to master the art of appreciating blue cheese or goats cheese =X

Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio

I also found the Scallop Carpaccio dish very Asian themed.

The carpaccio was served with shaved Myoga, Akame and doused in a Wasabi-Kosho Ponzu sauce.

For those who are not familiar with the ingredient, Myoga, it is actually a herbaceous type of ginger, native to Japan and southern part of Korea that is grown for its edible flower buds and flavorful shoots. Flower buds are finely shredded and used in Japanese cuisine as a garnish for miso soup, sunomono and dishes such as roasted eggplant. In Korean cuisine flower buds are skewered alternately with pieces of meat and then are pan-fried.

The scallops were really fresh and its natural sweetness was just so amazing. Due to its freshness, the texture of the scallops were fantastic as well, not too firm yet chewy.

The curry leaves and the lemongrass gave the dish a lovely aroma. I found the flavours very Thai influenced.

Mains

American Wagyu/Angus "Kobe Style" Beef from Snake River Farms, Idaho

With sides: (L-R) : Fingerling potatoes with smoked bacon and pearl onions, Wild field mushrooms and Creamed Spinach with fried egg

Medium Rare done-ness

The steak was just the way I like my steak best.

Tender and marbled with the right amount of fat so it that it is succulent and flavourful but not over powering and overly rich.

I have to say that it was one of the best steaks I’ve had of late!

Only simple marinade was used to keep the spotlight on the quality of the meat and not on over powering flavours which will mask the natural sweetness of the meat.

A variety of mustards to accompany the steak

Dessert

Banana Cream Pie, Vanilla Creme Brulee with Chocolate Pearls and Chocolate Sorbet

Everyone was stuffed to the brim after their slab of  steak!

It may not look that huge it is seriously filling due to its richness.

Regardless if my dress was bursting at the seams or not, I MUST have dessert!

No meal is complete without ending on a sweet note, yessss??

Fat behaviour was definitely in action….as Koi would put it *blush*

I opted for the Banana Cream Pie because it was the most unique option!

If I’m gonna contribute to my muffin top, I must justify it by having something that is worth the extra centimetres, rite? haha.

This was no ordinary creme brulee.

It was like a confused dish. It didn’t quite know if it was a banana pie or a creme brulee if you ask me.

Basically, sandwiched between a layer of fresh cream on the top and a crisp pastry at the very bottom were layers of fresh banana and creme brulee!

The chocolate pearls gave the pie a crunchy texture and the bitter-sweet dark chocolate sorbet balanced out the sweetness of the pie.

My belly enjoyed it! My muffin tops enjoyed it! Everyone was happy and satisfied! hehe.

Complimentary petit fours (except there were only three?? haha)

Overall, I enjoyed my meal very much!

Although it was very rich and meaty, it was worth risking having a heart attack in my sleep that night! =P

I would say that there isn’t a steakhouse or a restaurant in KL which serves steaks of the similar or comparable quality as CUT.

Definitely a place for steak lovers!

I would say that the price is steep for Malaysians as the exchange rate it 2.4? But I felt that the food did justice for the price of the meal. (Easy for me to say, I didn’t settle the bill…hehehe).

I found the atmosphere a little too dark and loud but the service and the quality of the food was excellent although it was a full house!

*two thumbs up*

“It’s an honor to open my first restaurant in Singapore, in the city’s most memorable and iconic location. We are eager to create an unforgettable dining experience with the launch of CUT, our first overseas version of the American steakhouse. With its modern menu, we’re offering something new and exciting to local residents and visitors.”

-Chef Wolfgang Puck

*Disclaimer note: Opinions expressed are solely based on my personal experience

Yeapppp…Chinese New Year is just around the corner againnnnn!

I bet half of us are still trying to shed off the extra kilos we piled last CNY thanks to CNY cookies and all the eating done during house visits!!

I’m a fan of CNY!

What is there not to like buying new clothes, receiving Ang Pows, eating all day and some friendly gambling here and there.

Okay, I actually dislike ONE thing about CNY. The lame CNY themed songs and video clips playing at almost every corner…urghhhhh.

There is a constant ongoing competition between CNY songs and heavy black metal for 1st place on my ” I’d-much-rather-be-deaf ” playlist   =P

But I guess I have to admit that it gives that extra “uumphh” to the whole festive mood!

If you don’t see the CNY-ness in the decor, you’ll hear it…there is nio escaping!! haha.

Just a few weeks back, I was given the task at work to assist my manager with the CNY decor at the WaterFront@Desa Parkcity and at our sales gallery.

I was exciteddddd !!!

It is so my thing, all the art and crafty nonsense!

Plus I got the satisfaction of  buying things with money that isn’t mine!! hahaha. But of course we had a budget to stick within! (which we did perfectly well, Dad)

I have to say it was a pretty good experience visiting the ‘not s ends of town! Like Taman Maluri? Selayang? Dodgy end of Petaling Street? (sorry…no offence, really)

So a few of us went to this shop at Taman Maluri called Fun & Cheer !!

Don’t ask me why that name…not my shop! hahaha.

This shop is actually the distributor to all those mini stalls you see at upper class shopping malls! But at Fun & Cheer it is much much cheaper!

Andddddd you can find anything and everything CNY-sy in there!!

From lanterns in all shapes, sizes, colours and prices to hanging decor thingys to cherry blossom plants and lime trees and a tons of other stuff.

And then the trip gets dodgy-ier!!

We went to some warehouse /industrial buildin!The kind that if I died there, no one would even know until probably a few months?? hahaha..jokes.

So after going around to all ends of town for a couple of days, we finally got everything we needed and it was time to sit down and get our hands working and dir-tayyyyy!!

We glam-ed up these plain and empty bird cages and lamps.

 Taaaa-daaaaaa.

While we girls we working indoors, the builders were doing their thing outdoors based on the design plan they were given.

Every CNY, everyone does the same old thing. Lots of lanterns, lots of gold, lots of red. Very typical and traditional.

We wanted to be different. My manager came up with a sketch and naturally the finer details and finishing call came into play as we went along.

Our theme is kinda of like “CNY ala Alice in Wonderland” but with an Asian delight kind of twist, of course.

And lastly our bunny got delivered.

Well in Alice in Wonderland, the rabbit is evil, rite?

But NO NO NO..our bunny at DPC is a nice and friendly fella.

He even shares his bench if little kids wanna pop by to take a pic with him  =D

We did up our Sales Gallery too!

Rabbits here, rabbits there...rabbits everywhere!

I'm loving the bunny over dose!!

Nowwww I’m totally getting into the whole CNY mood!!

It is reminding me about the all food I’m gonna be consuming soon *yumsss* and the ang pows I’ll be receiving soon! *double yumssss*

I don’t know about you but I can’t wait for next week! Wheeeeee!