Remembering Air Asia QZ8501

Enough said. My heartfelt condolences to the victims' families of Air Asia QZ8501. Hope the bodies will be recovered soon so that they will have closure & peace of mind.

To read this article, click here.

Coffee Ink, Bandar Botanic

Lots of artisanal cafes are mostly found in KL & PJ but Klang is catching up fast with a several cafes mushrooming around Bandar Botanic. WL went to Coffee Ink with his friend & thought of it as a cool hangout place for us after I moved in with him in the near future.

We ordered for a slice of mille crepe while waiting for our coffees to be brewed. The layers were not as thin as I hoped for but the pastry cream is made up for it with just the right level of sweetness. The staff squirted some caramel sauce over the cake probably for aesthetics reasons but definitely spoilt the entire taste. Way too sweet!

Our coffees came soon after - latte for WL, mocha for me. My cuppa was a little too sweet (I'm not exactly a sweet tooth) but I'd must say their coffee art is pretty impressive. The barista made my cuppa a puppy face. WL isn't really coffee drinker so he couldn't tell whether his latte is good for him.

One of the more interesting snacks in Coffee Ink is the bacon roll which consist of bacon slices wrapped in popiah sheets then deep-fried to golden brown. The natural juice from the bacon oozing out of the rolls screams heavenly & cholesterol at the same time. Haha. It was pretty good but I would only indulge this once in a blue moon. I'm so not approving this snack for WL.

I'm scoring 3.8 out of 5 for Coffee Ink for their coffee art variety & the awesome, fatty bacon rolls. A nice hangout place with great taste for music.

Address:

19-1, Jalan Remia 3

Bandar Botanic

41200 Klang

Selangor.

Contact:

03-3319 3519

Opening Hours:

Tuesdays to Sundays 11:00am - 11:00pm

Closed on Mondays

Another missing plane before the year end: Air Asia QZ8501

I read with eyes wide in horror that our nation is stricken with yet another airline tragedy. Air Asia QZ 8501 enroute from Surabaya to Singapore was reportedly missing from radar at 7.24am (GMT+8). It was scheduled to arrive Changi Airport at 8.30am (GMT+8).

Speculations ran rife that the aircraft may have crashed nearby Belitung Island, as some fishermen claimed to have heard a loud explosion. The flight with 162 people on board comprised Indonesians, a British, Singaporean & Malaysian.

Although the survival chance is bleak, I'm praying hard that the wreckage can be found immediately so that the cause of the incident can be resolved.

#prayforQZ8501

The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies

Will you follow me, #OneLastTime?

Those were the words that resonate throughout the trailer for the final instalment & probably the last Middle-Earth movie, The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies.

I had many mixed feelings after watching the trailer. First, I was excited because there'll be an epic movie to look forward to during Christmas. Second, I felt a slight tinge of sadness that this movie will probably be the last movie related to Middle Earth by Peter Jackson. Lastly, but not surprising, I was apprehensive about how good this movie will be. After all, The Battle of The Five Armies is only a couple of pages long chapter in the book. One wonders how on earth the plot would stretch up to more than 2 hours.

But Peter Jackson did it again & I must applaud him for his effort. True as my instincts tell me, I was deflated by how this defining chapter ended. The film was a little empty & somehow detracted from the main focus - the hobbit. Poor Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) had minimal onscreen time which is almost forgettable.

Jackson decided to put the battle scenes as the forefront of the plot which befits the movie title but not exactly the most compelling storytelling. Take off the battle scenes & there's nothing much to talk about for a 2-hour movie. So the rest of film mostly consist of filler plot which is non-existent in the book. I welcome the additional scenes with the casts from previous movies to establish the connection leading up to the Lord of The Rings. Good for those who didn't watch the past trilogy.

Most tacky scene I came across is Galadriel carrying the wounded Gandalf while Elrond & Saruman fought with the Nazgul. It looked so fake as if Gandalf is tied to an invisible rope & being hoisted mid-air while Galadriel pretends to carry him. Weird...

Visual effects are stunning without doubt but the battle scenes can be quite a bore after watching it for about 40 minutes. At least the pivotal scene when Thorin died from serious injury was worth the wait. Richard Armitage's brilliant acting made me tear up & wished that the story didn't have to turn out this way.

My only complaint is that there was not much thought put behind about adding in a scene of Thorin's funeral. I know it's not in the book at all but Thorin deserved to be honoured for fighting gallantly to his last breath. The farewell scenes between Bilbo & the remaining surviving dwarves was touching but seemed something amiss & rushed too.

Anyhow, the film is still an entertaining piece & I'm truly grateful to be part of this 14 year journey. This last chapter ties all the loose ends of one of the best literary work ever written. Although Tolkien fans may detest the film's lack of loyalty to the book but I personally felt it serves the movie-going audience well who may not fancy digging the books. If only Warner Bros wasn't too money minded from the beginning & allowed Jackson to keep The Hobbit to 2 movies only.

Image credits:
www.fangirlreview.com
thorinoakenshieldconfessions.tumblr.com
MoviePosterDB.com

GO Noodle House, The School Jaya One

I hardly spoke about before but my company has an unusual perk for its staffs - free lunches on Fridays. It was Boxing Day & the bosses decided to try out something different from the Chinese stir-fry restaurants. And so we headed to GO Noodle House at The School Jaya One because it's the nearest to our office.

As a matter of fact, it wasn't my first time dining at this restaurant & the last I tried was the pork ball noodle which they're famous for. This time, I made up my mind to order another dish in hopes that it's as tasty as its popular noodles. I picked dry pan mee while most of my colleagues opted the pork ball noodles.

Luckily, my pan mee arrived first & I couldn't wait to dig in with my chopsticks & spoon.

Okay...so the noodles was supposed to be pan mee, the chewy & springy texture that we all know too well. But this version of the noodles tasted more like a springy wantan noodle with dark sauce. No hint of pan mee texture at all. Moreover, the noodles & sauce were incredibly salty.

The soup was so salty & laden with MSG that I can't imagine scooping it onto the noodles. Adding on anchovies & minced meat as toppings could turn the entire dish into disaster. Oh my...I should've stuck to the regular pork ball noodles instead of trying to be experimental.

Overall, I'm giving a score of 3.5 out of 5. It wasn't because this pan mee spoilt my overall experience. The pork ball noodles I ate the last round was okay but not fantastic. Nevertheless, GO Noodle House is still a decent place for lunch, considering the premise can be quite crowded during noon.

Address:

61-P1, The School Jaya One

No. 72A, Jalan Universiti

46200 Petaling Jaya

Selangor.

Contact:

03-7499 1126

Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday 10:00am - 9:00pm

Christmas Dinner @ Verona Trattoria, Section 17 PJ

The last time I went to Verona Trattoria, Section 17 was on WL's birthday. It became one of my favourite haunts for good pasta besides WIP at Bangsar Shopping Centre.

We have decided to celebrate Christmas at this restaurant, since going downtown KL or most Bangsar spots will be fully booked. It's a known fact that specially curated Christmas menu is priced dearly, we opted for dishes from the standard menu. To start off the night, the waiter served mushroom soup with truffle oil.

Oh, so appetizing!

The soup is not too thick; just the right consistency I like that doesn't fill my stomach too quickly. The dash of truffle oil really brought out the flavour of the soup. The next dish seafood marinara which consist of mussels, shrimps, squid & fish coupled with spaghetti. One of my favourites in my must-have pasta dish. Spaghetti was cooked al dente. Yums!

As usual,WL didn't want to miss out pork from the list. He called for a platter of roasted pork with salad. A scrumptious one, indeed.

We left a little bit of space for our tummy to indulge in the chef's recommended, tiramisu. One spoonful of the dessert made all the difference. Love the Bailey's & rum soaked sponge fingers paired with silky, smooth mascarpone.

I would truly recommend this place to anyone who loves a warm, cozy Italian ambient. Some might find the interior a little old & simple but I believe it exudes a more authentic & rustic Italian charm. Food averages around RM11 - RM20 or slightly higher depending on your orders. I wouldn't hesitate at all if being invited to dine at this neighbourhood restaurant. Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Address:

No. 8, Jalan 17/54

Section 17

46400 Petaling Jaya

Selangor.

Contact:

03-7960 2890

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sundays 12:00pm - 02:30pm (Lunch)

Mondays to Sundays 18:00pm - 10:00pm (Dinner)

The Morning After, Jaya One

I took a day off on Friday just to get some rest & clear off my mind from all the mess happening in the office. Being a filial granddaughter, I took Grandma out for lunch instead of the usual hawker food takeout at the nearby coffee shop. We headed to The Morning After which is situated at Jaya One, right opposite of The School.

The price is generally affordable, averaging around RM12 per dish. I ordered mocha & shrimp aglio olio because they couldn't prepare eggs benedict as their turkey ham ran out of stock.

The hot mocha didn't look too impressive when the waiter placed the cup on the table. The coffee art was definitely not impressive. Upon taking a sip, I was further disappointed by the mild coffee taste. My drink kind of tasted like diluted dark chocolate drink instead.

For starters, I called for wild mushroom soup with a splash of truffle oil. Not thick enough but then again, it's not cream of mushroom so I guess it's okay. The truffle oil provided an appetizing start & compensated the lack of thick consistency of the soup.

My shrimp aglio olio came soaking wet in olive oil. Although the taste seemed okay, I didn't enjoy the experience of putting strands of spaghetti drenched in grease into my mouth. It's gross! I'm miffed that many restaurants take pasta cooking for granted just because it's supposedly the easiest dish to cook.

I picked grilled chicken & mashed potatoes for Grandma because the rest of the dishes didn't suit her rather picky taste. It turned out pretty okay, I guess. The one complain I had to agree with Grandma was that the plate kept on spinning each time she sliced a piece of the chicken. Not an enjoyable experience.

I called for the bill after gulping the last bit of my coffee. When the bill came, I didn't bother to check on the details & just slip the credit card to the waitress. She came back with the transaction slip for me to sign; it was then I realised they undercharge our meals. I could've been nasty but I decided against it. I kindly told the waitress that my entree was pasta & the drink wasn't latte (eggs benedict & latte cheaper were obviously cheaper).

They tried cancelling the transaction but to no avail as the credit card company already approved the transaction. Then, another staff came to me to apologise for their mistake & the actual bill was only RM8 difference. He waived the RM8 so we didn't have to pay extra. Although I wasn't satisfied with their food, I was very pleased with how the staff handled this matter. I'm certainly eager to return for a 2nd visit, even if it's just for a drink.

Address:

L4-G-2, Palm Square

Jaya One

No. 72A, Jalan Universiti

46200 Petaling Jaya

Selangor.

Contact:

themorningafter.hq@gmail.com

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday 8:00am - 12:00am

Xiao Bar Wang, 1 Utama | Quartet, TTDI

It was public holiday today, a perfect day for WL & I to shop for Christmas presents in conjunction with our upcoming gifts exchange party with our ex-colleagues. 1 Utama was packed with mostly window shoppers, a typical crowd during a public off-day. Moreover, it was the peak of the school holiday season as even exam candidates were done with their papers.

Xiao Bar Wang, 1 Utama

Literally all the restaurants were crowded & we had no idea on what to have for lunch. And so we settled for something really simple - Xiao Bar Wang which serves self-claimed authentic Taiwanese street snacks. Self-claimed? Yes, you read it right. Most of the time, I never believed in the word "authentic" when the restaurant is operated by foreign labour. Also, how often does franchise in Malaysia remain consistent in their food quality after 6 months?

Anyways, the price ain't too steep, averaging about RM15 if you order the set which includes a complimentary drink. I ordered the standard braised pork rice because it's the staple Taiwanese dish & shouldn't go wrong.

It tasted okay & normal - not particularly tasty but not inedible either. Good enough to satisfy meagre eater like me. However, the amount of rice stuffed into the cardboard tray is too much that it was difficult to scoop out without littering the table with bits of minced pork. But then again, this is a Taiwanese street snack restaurant. I shouldn't be complaining.

WL's order came in a nicely compartmentalized tray ala bento style. It's pork chop rice set, his favourite. Or should I say, any pork chop is his favourite.

WL obviously enjoyed his lunch set judging by the clean, empty tray left. Well, for me, I left a small portion of the rice because I was quite stuffed & I didn't want to consume too much carbs. I've been gaining weight lately due to daily carb diet & the lack of exercise for 1 year. In summary, the food is edible if you want a quick bite & too lazy to think about your meal. Otherwise, there are better choice elsewhere. Rating: 3 out of 5

Address:

Lot LG 118, 1 Utama Shopping Centre

1, Lebuh Bandar Utama

Bandar Utama

47800 Petaling Jaya

Selangor

Contact:

03-7722 2950

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday 10:00am - 10:00pm

Quartet, TTDI

After shopping, WL had a date with his ex-college buddies for a drink. By stroke of coincidence, we ended up at Quartet, TTDI because the other cafe we planned to go was closed. I opted for my usual hot mocha & stayed away from desserts or pastry as I could feel the lunch in my gut.

Mocha was okay but on a slightly sweet tone. In fact, my tongue tasted more of the cocoa powder instead of the coffee which I found common in most of the cafes I have visited so far. The cocoa powder was bittersweet, not the bitter type I normally use in baking.

WL picked a slice of cake from the display chiller to try. I couldn't recall which cake it was but upon the first bite, the sweetness enveloped my mouth followed by a hint of the weirdest taste I was simply clueless about its ingredient. Not too good, in my opinion.

The interior is a cosy one with rustic, earthy hues as the main theme. However, coffee & cake wasn't my cup of tea (pun intended). Perhaps the brunch & salad are better. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Address:

No. 21, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 7

Taman Tun Dr Ismail

60000 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:

03-2857 6041

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday 8:00am - 12:00am

Nyonya Kitchen, Klang

WL had a sudden craving for nyonya food last night & decided to take me to one restaurant he discovered recently, not too far from his crib. Namely Nyonya Kitchen, the restaurant showcases a humble interior which resembles more of a clean, modern mamak store.

We ordered the usual nyonya staples - kapitan chicken, egg omelette, kangkung belacan & a bowl of salted vegetable soup.

This version of the egg omelette surprisingly did not have cincaluk, which is a standard condiment in a typical nyonya dish. It tasted alright but just lacked the authentic taste that I was expecting. The chicken, kangkung & soup were not too bad either. In fact, almost anything tastes good when you're hungry.

My only reservation is that the food had more Malay touch than its intended nyonya style. I craved for authenticity but this restaurant didn't exactly hit the jackpot. Nevertheless, it was a hearty meal & probably a good place for a nyonya fix if you're residing in Klang. Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Address:

220 - 222, Jalan Batu Unjur 7

Taman Bayu Perdana

41200 Klang

Selangor.

Contact:

03-3324 1151 / 1190

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday 11:00am - 10:00pm

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

I wasn't particularly ecstatic about The Hunger Games last instalment to be split into 2 parts. I personally think it's merely a marketing gimmick by the movie studios to generate more cash from fans. Not to mention the plot is forcefully stretched thinly, leaving many plot gaps to fill in. This is exactly the case for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.

This 3rd sequel continues after Quarter Quell Games was abruptly ended when Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) shot an electrocuted arrow into the sky, hence destroying the arena dome. Katniss was rescued together with other victors Beetee & Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin), then taken to District 13. Unfortunately, Peeta Mellark & Johanna Mason failed to escape & were captured by the Capitol.

The intial scenes of Katniss' emotional turmoil was heartrending & played very well by Lawrence. However, the magic sizzled off too quickly because for the most part, the film mainly focused on Katniss' close-up shots sulking & hating the world. Capitol's psychological warfare tactic of using Peeta to destroy Katniss deep inside is a brilliant idea. But we don't need to be reminded how incredibly heartbroken & confused Katniss is for almost the entire movie.

Action scenes were so limited that it took effort for me to stay awake. As dark as the film is trying to portray itself, I'd must say the film turned disappointingly dull. Mockingjay Part 1 gave a vibe that the filmmakers didn't seem to know which direction to lead this film to. I reckon there isn't enough source material to fall back & utilise it in filling the gaps in between the already thin plot.

I'm glad that I held back from reading the book. Else, I could've exited the cinema hall feeling like a deflated balloon. Why, oh why is the finale split into 2 parts?? The story is building up so strong since Catching Fire.

Pic courtesy of MoviePosterDB.com

Fuwa Fuwa Bakery Cafe, The School Jaya One

It was raining heavily, as I left the office to head off for a lunch appointment with an insurance agent recommended by my friend. We agreed to meet up at Fuwa Fuwa Bakery Cafe for a quick bite because my lunch hour was rather short because it took me a while to actually get a parking space.

I ordered hot mocha as I needed something hot & caffeine to give me a boost. Coffee was so-so & lacked the aroma. The taste profile mostly consist of sweetness from the cocoa powder & milk. In fact, it was too sweet & almost drowning the coffee flavour. And, the cuppa didn't come cheap at RM11+.

Albeit the less than satisfactory brew, the coffee art is still commendable. At least the motif is lasting & didn't melt away as I took each sip.

I didn't bother to snap a photo of my aglio olio because it looked & tasted awful. It was soaked with olive oil as if it didn't cost a thing. How can you put such badly made pasta into your mouth? Anyways, I reckon their baked products would have fared better than their mains & drinks. To be fair, I'm giving a rating of 3.8 just so I can give them another chance by trying out the bakery section.

Address:

100-1.37 & 100-1.41

Block J, The School Jaya One

72A, Jalan Universiti

Seksyen 13

46200 Petaling Jaya

Selangor

Contact:

03-7491 4866

Opening Hours:

Monday to Saturday 10:00am - 7:00pm

Jarrod & Rawlins, Jalan Bangkung

The first time I ate at Jarrod & Rawlins was on Valentine's Day at the Plaza Damansara branch. The choice of dish we picked was part of the Valentine's Day menu but too bad it didn't tickle our fancy, hence I didn't bother to blog about it. Moreover, I was busy for the past few months & had very little time for blogging.

Anyways, I had the opportunity to visit the Jalan Bangkung outlet with my family recently & couldn't wait to share my fair opinion about the food since it wasn't based on a special occasion menu.

First on the review list is the pork lasagna. Loved how the cheese oozes out from the lasagna. And oh so delish. Whatever reason it may be, pork always tastes superb.

I know how much I could ingest so I didn't want to push my luck & order a heavy dish. So, I opted for eggs benedict with hash brown. Don't be fooled by the relatively small portion but boy, I was stuffed by the time I ate my last bite. And it tasted awesome! Although I would've preferred the hollandaise sauce to be less salty.

Cousin bro had a rather big appetite that day & ordered for a big breakfast platter with toasted bread. I dared not try because I felt full after looking at his dish. Nevertheless, I love the food spread - so sumptious & wholesome...

Grandma being grandma, she is less adventurous when it comes to food. We ordered fried fish & mashed potatoes for her, the closest alternative available in the menu since there is no grilled fish. Sure bet she enjoyed her lunch very much. I mean, who could've resist such temptation?

No doubt Jarrod & Rawlins doesn't come cheap, but I would come here anytime whenever I feel like treating myself something really good after working so hard at work. It's the kind of place where you just chill out & order anything that tickles your fancy, then eat your heart out like there's no tomorrow.

Address:

No. 63, Jalan Bangkung

Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:

03-2095 1608

Tornado strikes Kedah

On Thursday morning while I was buttering up my bread to be packed for breakfast at work, I flipped The Star around to take a glance at the front page. I was startled by the photo of a mini tornado twisting rapidly, somewhat consuming everything in its path.

This weather disaster had happened right at my very home country, Malaysia. Yes, you read it right. Never in a gazillion years I would've expected a tornado to attack my homeland. The image above was taken by a villager in Alor Setar, Kedah. This is the 4th incident reported since 14 October this year.

It felt strange looking at the photo because I was drawn to the beauty & grace of how this tornado bent at an angle & spun at high velocity. Yet, it is disturbing to know the harm it could have caused to the community there. Thankfully, no one was injured in the process but some unlucky homes were badly damaged.

I hope it won't happen again because we are not even prepared for this kind of natural disaster. Apart from the annual eastern coast monsoon period, Malaysia is fairly safe from other weather disaster threats. What has the world become? The weather at my beloved homeland seems to be experiencing an erratic change. *sighs*

Click here to read the news article featured in The Star.

Image credits to The Star.

Cafe-hopping Day

It was an interesting day yesterday as I embarked on a cafe-hopping trip around some of the hippest cafes around KL. This was how my day began - me being inadvertently dragged up from bed early morning to head off to Flip Flop's warehouse sale at TTDI. We didn't find anything which interest us & so our cafe-hopping adventure began next.

Pickle & Fig

Since we were already at TTDI, I insisted to pay a visit to Pickle & Fig for breakfast. The decor looks a little bare, probably not the best interior I've seen so far. Nevertheless, it seems to have a steady, incoming crowd - the working class yuppies who are driving the trend of hanging out at fancy cafes for a cuppa & breakfast which they're too lazy to prepare at home.

I ordered my usual coffee fix - cafe mocha. The barista was rather creative, presenting an elephant coffee art instead of the usual leaf pattern. Coffee tasted alright, not exactly the caffeine kick that I expected but the cocoa powder came out pretty strong. The coffee art is solid though & does not wear off easily.

And then our breakie sets came. WL called for the set with scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, chicken bacon, salad & sliced bread. Mine was served with poached eggs in a glass, sliced bread, leafy salad, grated cheese, turkey slices & salmon.

The breakie looked appetising but the taste is average. Maybe because my salmon wasn't exactly the freshest & the poached eggs was too liquid. WL didn't like the taste of the chicken bacon either. I'd give a 3 out of 5 in terms of taste for Pickle & Fig.

Address:

26, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2

Taman Tun Dr Ismail

60000 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:

03-2858 9960

Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday 9:00am - 11:00pm

Friday & Saturday 9:00am - 12:00am

Sunday 9:00am - 11:00pm

Monkey Garage

Our next stop is Monkey Garage as recommended by WL's friend. It's easy to miss this cafe because it sits between Regal Valet & Toyota showroom in Bangsar. The interior screams all things car related. The owner is probably a car aficionado, otherwise the cafe wouldn't be strategically hidden next to a car styling company with patrons driving European luxury cars.

I forgot to take snap photos as I was too busy chatting away with WL & his friend. Our stomachs were still stuffed with the earlier breakie, so we called for something light to nibble. A slice of classic quiche lorraine or they preferred to call it more layman - ham & mushroom quiche.

It was yummy! If only I wasn't full, I could've easily finished up the entire slice & probably called for another. WL's latte was a little diluted & too creamy for my liking. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that we weren't hungry because some of the dishes were unavailable after Halloween the night before. In terms of taste rating, it'll be a 4 out of 5 for the awesome quiche. I know I'm a little bias but first impression does help.

Address:

Lot 61, Jalan Maarof

Bangsar

59000 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:

012-2320239

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday 11:30am - 3:00am

Acme South

As if hanging out at the 2nd location wasn't enough, WL's friend suggested that we head off to Bangsar Village. He had a sudden craving for dessert & was eager to introduce it to us. The location is none other than Acme South, a Texan BBQ & Southern kitchen inspired restaurant. WL's friend ordered the signature dessert - brownie served on a hot pan with a scoop of ice cream topping.

I may not be a huge fan of brownie & ice cream but...this dessert is AWESOME! I'm enthralled by the hot-cold sensation as soon as the warm brownie & frozen ice cream enters my mouth. A little sweet on the palate but each spoonful is addictive. The portion is huge for one person; you may not dinner if you gobble up this dessert. We had to share the brownie between the 3 of us. It's indeed a pricey dessert at almost RM20, but heck it. Sharing it makes all the more affordable. Thumbs up! I score this 4 out of 5. Bonus point for this restaurant because a cute waiter serves as an eye candy. :P

Address:

Lot 1, Jalan Telawi 1

Bangsar Baru

59100 Kuala Lumpur

Contact:

03-2283 6288

Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday 10:00am - 12:00am

Friday & Saturday 10:00am - 1:00am

Sunday 10:00am - 12:00am

The Bee, Jaya One

WL & I rarely do Monday date nights but we were suddenly up for a dinner date. He came to pick me up after work & both of us had no clue about where & what to eat #firstworldproblems. Rain started pouring not long after we left so I suggested to head off to Jaya One for shelter.

We wandered around with stomachs groaning, searching aimlessly for a suitable restaurant while shying away from those which gave us past bad experience. When we passed by The Bee, we were attracted by the B for B promo specially for Mondays. The promo can be a choice of beer-for-beer / burger-for-beer / burger-for-burger combination. Without doubt, we settled for burger-for-burger option as we were starving.

Our pick for the night is The Bee Burger & Mexican Chilli Burger. WL didn't gave me enough time to snap some photos because his hands were all over the burger, ready to stuff it into his mouth. So I held back my hunger just for a few seconds & photographed my the glorious burger.

The Bee Burger is their signature burger dish which consist of cheddar cheese, gherkins & turkey bacon atop a mouth-watering house-made beef patty held by brioche bun.

Served in a platter of french fries & dipping sauce plus my choice of a cup of hot mocha makes a wholesome meal. Although the hot mocha is not the best, one of our burgers is free! What's not to love?

It's not my usual habit to order a beef burger because my weird stomach occasionally can't handle the heat of red meat. Nevertheless, I can't help but gush over the scrumptious brioche bun. Yeah, I know I get overly excited over French breads. Anyway, I always knew The Bee serves great food ever since I dined at the Publika branch. I'd must say the Jaya One branch is on par too. It's a cool hangout place despite the small area with limited seats. Price averages around RM20+ for main course.

Address:

F-85.G.1 (K-2A-G)

Palm Square, Jaya One

72A, Jalan Universiti

46200 Petaling Jaya

Selangor.

Contact:

03-7960 2160

Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday 9:00am - 11:00pm

Friday 9:00am - 11:30pm

Saturday 10:00am - 11:30pm

Sunday 10:00am - 9:30pm

Budget 2015: Lego-fied

For the first time in years that I actually paid attention to the budget announcement. In this case, I was referring to Budget 2015. Well, erm...not really. Frankly speaking, I didn't bother to know the details details because the perks announced each year never really benefited the middle-income citizens like me.

It's because this year, The Star took the initiative to be creative by presenting the budget details in the simplest manner possible. And there you have it - a Lego-fied Budget 2015! It's so darn adorable & eye-catchy that it's impossible to ignore.

I reckon the idea of publishing the budget spread with minifigures, buildings & vehicles built from Lego bricks culminated from the growing popularity of Lego brand in Malaysia ever since the opening of Legoland.

It was a fantastic idea however, I wasn't particularly ecstatic about the details. The general public is still largely ignorant & lack knowledge of GST & its implementation. There are so much uncertainty looming within the market especially in the industry I worked in that many corporations are adopting a wait & see approach.

Housing policies still fail to address the problems of sky-high house prices that middle-income earners are increasingly unable to afford one. I happened to be one of them & even if pooling with WL is possible, the location is probably less than ideal.

The only perks I see light is increased budget allocation for small & medium enterprises especially for professional women. Indeed beneficial for my future plan to start up a business & quit my future-less job. I have been harbouring that thought for months. All I need is courage to take the leap of faith.

So fellow readers, what are your thoughts on Budget 2015?

In order to view the larger version, click here.

Image credits to The Star.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

No, no, not another Hollywood movie on childhood cartoons by Michael Bay! I just couldn't bear damaging my eye balls watching another one of my childhood cartoons being ruined to bits by the glitter of Tinseltown. But oh well... =(

Let me tell you what's so wrong about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. How can the turtles have a nose bridge?? Of course they have nostrils, but a nose?! WHA?!

As much as I agree CGI nowadays have improved tremendously & capable of creating literally anything, in this case the creators made the turtles looked rather creepy. Since they got the characters' fine little detail all wrong, how would one still survive through the movie? Well, the plot is at its simplest. A no-brainer entertainment piece that doesn't require much thinking. It's easy to digest for a moviegoer looking for an occasional movie escapade. I wasn't easily impressed but there wasn't any other movie watch so...*feeling meh*

At least they didn't make Megan Fox look like a bimbo incapable of doing nothing but scream for help. I never doubted her acting skills, it's just unfortunate the scripts that she received was never fantastic to begin with. Nonetheless, she's easily forgiven all thanks to her pretty face & that's doing her good.

I was hoping this film would just end here for good. Seems like a sequel is on the pipeline & scheduled for release in summer 2016. Omg, not another one...*rolls eyes*

Pic credits to MoviePosterDB.com & The Cairns Post

Lost

Right after I came home from my baking assessment, I stumbled across 2 little kittens sitting back to back in the garden. They looked lost & afraid - one of them has orange & white coat while the other has greyish stripes all over its body. I walked over to them, being careful to not scare them away. The orange one was mewing at me, or so I thought.

I got a bored trying to "communicate" with them & walked back to my house; surprisingly the little felines trotted along, trailing behind me. I thought they looked so adorable & wanted to play with them after putting down my stuff. The kittens crawled underneath my car instead of following me back to my door. I panicked, fearing the car may run over them if someone decides to reverse the car.

I was trying to coax them out of their hiding place but to no avail. Thankfully, the mother cat came looking for her little kittens. It was a quite a sight to behold, as I watched her gripped one of the kittens head with her mouth & carried the offspring towards the gate. It's amazing how the strong grip does not leave any wound to the kitten.

The other kitten was being difficult, refusing to leave its hiding place. Finally, the mother cat returned for its baby by entering through the back drain. Upon hearing our voices, the mother cat were very cautious about calling its baby & instead hid behind the bushes. When the grey kitten appeared slowly, the mother quickly led her kitten to the gate & out of sight.

Sometimes, the most mundane things in life can be so interesting than you'd expect. It's a normal reaction of the mother cat to be protective of its young ones but for some reason, seeing it with my eyes brings a whole new experience of life in its simplest form.

Guardians of The Galaxy

Based on my shallow knowledge of the comic universe, Guardians of The Galaxy was a lesser known comic among Marvel's more popular creation such as X-Men, The Avengers, Spiderman etc. I was skeptical about the movie & reluctant to part ways with my cash for a pair of movie tickets. Upon hearing rave reviews, WL & I took the plunge & joined in the crowd.

We were pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the movie. It was pure entertainment from start to end with no signs of dullness. Although the characters were not easily recognised, it didn't take long for me to warm up to the characters. The slapstick humour coupled with action packed sequence makes up the joy ride of these band of misfits.

You must be thinking hard who these misfits are & I'd agree, it can be quite baffling not knowing some info bits about the characters. Below is a quick guide to satisfy your curiosity (taken mostly from Wikipedia).

Peter Quill aka Starlord (Chris Pratt)

A half-human, half-alien leader of the Guardians who were abducted from Earth as a child & raised by a group of alien thieves & smugglers known as Ravagers.

Gamora (Zoe Saldana)

An alien orphan who was adopted & trained by Thanos to be his personal assassin. Joined the Guardians out of coincidence & is seeking redemption for past crimes.

Drax The Destroyer (Dave Bautista)

A warrior seeking vengeance against Ronan The Accuser (Lee Pace) for killing his family.

Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper)

A genetically engineered raccoon who became a bounty hunter & mercenary, an expert in weapons & battle tactics.

Groot (voice & performance capture by Vin Diesel)

A tree-like humanoid who is Rocket's sidekick. Has the ability to grow in size.

See what I mean by a band of misfits. You'd never imagine them gang up & save the world galaxy from the baddies. And what's really refreshing is the awesome tunes from the 60s & 70s played throughout the film. Apparently, the movie soundtrack topped the Billboard charts, an amazing feat for all the songs which never really made it to the charts during their heydays. The power of media & pop culture (in this case, comic related films which Marvel Studios has been cashing in recent years) can certainly bring something/someone out of obscurity.

It's not a movie without loopholes but it's barely noticeable. For the most part, you'll come out the cinema smiling corner to corner for the randomness & hilarity. By the way, Chris Pratt has given me renewed hopes that even a rather obese man like him can turn around to become an overnight star with hot bod. Now's that inspiring for my darling, WL.

Pic courtesy of MoviePosterDB.com

The Expendables 3

"Another sequel?!" I shuddered & said to myself when I saw The Expendables 3 trailer. Looks like the Hollywood trend of releasing sequels or franchises will be here to stay for at least the next 5 years. Who wouldn't when it brings in quick bucks real fast? In a modern day where young audiences go for CGI movies or easy-to-digest films, scripts which require some intellectual interpretation are probably getting lesser in demand.

Anyways, this instalment features Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas & Harrison Ford joining the team to battle against another former Expendable member played by Mel Gibson aka Stonebanks. Stonebanks' weaponry was far more advanced which led to Caesar (Terry Crews) being severely injured, thus forcing the team to retreat from further damage. Feeling remorse, Barney (Sylvester Stallone) disbands the team so that the remaining members are not killed in his mission & decided to recruit new, younger members to pursue Stonebanks.

The state-of-the-art technology adopted by the new members breathes new life to Barney's conventional method of hard core fighting. Unfortunately, the new recruits were captured & Barney was left to try rescue them. This movie is trying hard to prove that nothing beats old school method of fist & kicks when it comes to defeating the baddie. In a nutshell, the old team joined forces with Barney again to save the new recruits while exchanging endless gunfires with Stonebanks' comrades.

The Expendables 3 is no doubt the weaker of the 3 instalments mainly due to the lack of humour & change in focus on the younger cast. The intention to introduce fresh ideas to the movie perhaps failed because not many could relate them to the more iconic action stars of yesteryears. After all, I couldn't have agree more that most audiences are there to watch the old stars. Also, the movie is a serious action movie wannabe when the plot is not rock solid & lacks intelligent dialogues.

While I'm typing this, I heard that the 4th sequel is in the making. Why am I not surprised? Will I go watch the upcoming film in the theatres? Perhaps I should think twice. Even if I'm going to watch, it must be my love for WL to keep him company & support his "interest".

Pic courtesy of MoviePosterDB.com.

Mr & Ms Cafe, Oasis Ara Damansara

I woke up early this morning & was dragged along to Machines' warehouse sale at Citta Mall. Basically, I was doing my duty to accompany WL while he scavenged through the crowd for 3rd party made casings for his iPads & iPhone. I exited the shop lot with empty hands while WL brought out a bagful of casings paid at incredibly cheap price.

Our next destination is brunch at Mr & Ms Cafe at Oasis Ara Damansara. It was raining that morning & patrons were already filling up the dining area to get cozy & warm up from the cold outside. We were lucky enough to get parking & a table at the inner part of the cafe. The interior is pretty rustic yet inviting. Below are just a few images of how the premise looks like (taken from in DESIGN).

The staffs were generally friendly & the service is okay even though they may look a little too young & inexperienced. Most of them gave the impression of a recently graduated high schooler, but I reckon they're probably in college.

I shall review the dish I ordered since I didn't manage to snap the photos of dishes that WL's family ordered. My eggs benedict arrived about 10 mins later after my order was taken. Priced at RM14.90, the portion is decent.

The taste is okay though not the best I've tasted. Upon cutting the fork through the poached eggs, they were slightly overcooked as the yolks were not runny as expected. Slight fail. What a pity! WL's sis-in-law ordered spicy baked eggs with sausages for us dig in. That one didn't fare too well because it tasted like an Indian dish.

I think I should give them another chance by visiting them another day. Just so they can produce a better poached egg. After all, the price is affordable for an occasional diner.

Interior cafe pics credit to in DESIGN

Address:

B-G-3A, Block B, Oasis Square

Jalan PJU 1A/7A, Ara Damansara

47301 Petaling Jaya

Selangor.

Contact:

03-7859 6665

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Friday 10:00am - 6:00pm

Saturday & Sunday 9:00am - 5:00pm