Review: Plan B, Queensbay Mall

Hello, food lovers!

Yesterday hubby and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary with a simple dinner and a movie. Gods of Egypt was more fascinating than expected. Having lack of research, I thought it was a 3D animation like Final Fantasy. The effects were great and Gerard Butler was awesome as always.

Ok, back to food review. I had been longing to try Plan B since its opening 2 years ago. Plan B by BIG is a casual dining chain restaurant that started in KL. No wonder the interior feels like Ben's.

Plan B has the contemporary fresh vibe alongside creative flavours of east meets west dishes. Well, I can just categorize this as a hipster café.

Chinese New Year 2016

Gong Hei Fatt Choy and Happy Cap Goh Meh!

In case you didn't know, Cap Goh Meh literally translates as 15th night in Hokkien that is the last day of Chinese New Year. Here's a recap of highlights throughout my 15 days of CNY. Click and play the videos to experience a piece of my exciting life.

Gorgeous take of Kek Lok Si by my husband.

Recipe: Thai prawn glass noodle (Goong Ob Woonsen)

                     The amount in picture is for 5-6 persons but the below recipe is for 2.

This is just something I put together with the leftover ingredients for CNY eve reunion steamboat. And it was so awesome not to be shared! Do note that this is Thai inspired and not authentic because I don't have specific ingredients and a claypot.

Type: Mains
Servings: 2
Category: Halal

Ingredients
200g glass noodles
6 pieces of prawns
150ml chicken broth
2 garlic cloves
2 slices ginger
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro roots
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
vege of your choice

Preparation
1. Soak glass noodles in water for about 15 minutes till they are soft.

2. Prepare marinade by mixing chicken broth, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a bowl.

3. Pour out water from glass noodles.

4. Marinade glass noodles and prawns with the sauce for half an hour. It's up to you if you want to peel the prawns or not.

5. Pound together black peppercorns, garlic cloves, cilantro roots and ginger slices.

6. Start by heating up normal cooking oil then stir fry the pounded ingredients till fragrant.

7. Pour in the marinated glass noodles and prawns and stir fry for 15 minutes till prawns are cooked. The marinade may dry up so you can add water occasionally.

8. In between, add vegetables of your choice or choose to leave it. And it's done...so simple right?

Review: Mae Salong Thai Restaurant

Hey foodies!

A couple of weeks before Chinese New Year I visited my parents in Sungai Petani and they brought me to Mae Salong Thai Restaurant based on a friend's strong recommendation. Since I did not bring my DSLR, my photos are of low quality.

Located in a housing area far from the city center, this is hidden gem is known for its subtle relaxing environment infused with water features and tasty food.

Recipe: Pesto Pasta

Type: Mains
Servings: 1
Category: Halal

Ingredients
150g pasta
1/2 cup of basil
2 tablespoon pine nuts
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
salt
pepper

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente according to package instructions. Mine is usually 6-7 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend to a puree.

4. Add the cheese, salt and pepper, and blend again.

5. After pasta is cooked, drain and transfer into bowl.

6. Add the pesto paste and toss.

 Homegrown basil from my garden. Thanks mum for the plant.

Review: RM100 with Zalora

Hey fashionistas!I

Chinese New Year is coming really soon. Have you shopped for new clothes yet? Even if it is last minute, Zalora is here to assist you with affordable high quality and updated look. I set a budget of RM100 for my CNY shopping with Zalora so let's see what have I got.

Surprisingly quick delivery on same day you make payment. Get ready to receive your apparels the next day if you are staying within peninsula Malaysia.

5-course Christmas dinner

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I know its too late coz I've been such a sloth lately. I was lazy to get things done since it's the holiday season but anyway I did put some effort in preparing a home cooked 5-course meal for hubby and myself.

My customized Christmas tree devian art on the the napkin. Yeah, I drew that myself.

Review: Heaven Gate Restaurant

Happy 2016, foodies!

Last December I celebrated my birthday at Heaven Gate. It was the 2nd time I celebrated my birthday there. Since it's less than a week before Christmas, the restaurant was filled with Christmas deco. If you are planning to have a romantic dinner with your loved one, Heaven Gate is highly recommended for the special occasion. the place was filled with couples when we dined.

A slightly Roman styled entrance and interior.

Review: J-Garden Restaurant

Hello food lovers!

We have just celebrated our first round of birthday in this Japanese fusion restaurant on December 2015 with my husband's colleagues. Yeah, our birthdays are just a week apart but born different year. Being a new restaurant, his colleague was amazed after a first try thus booked J-Garden for the celebration.

Happy sweet 16 lol...

Dream Trip to Macau: Day 5

Dear readers,

Finally here's the last day at Macau. Actually there's nothing to blog about Day 5 because we left early for morning flight but there's something important I would like to share with you.

Egg tart is not the main topic here but it's still an important item to bring home before you leave Macau. Trust me you will never find Portuguese egg tarts as creamy and compact as Lord Stow's. I wish someone would bring the franchise to Malaysia.

Dream Trip to Macau: Day 4

Rise and shine!

It's literally the 3rd full day in Macau but the title is Day 4 because Day 1 was flying day.We decided to skip Coloane and just explore Taipa and shopping at Venetian and City of Dreams for the rest of the day. Phew! Yesterday was way too tiring. We walked from Senado Square all the way to Macau Tower but there's so much to see. So be sure to check out Day 3 as I have worked hard to write all information and personal experience in a long but compact post.

This mall replicates exactly like the original Venetian in Las Vegas. Kinda remind me of the fancy mall at Genting too.

Dream Trip to Macau: Day 3

Rise and shine, travel bugs!

Today is gonna be a culture and heritage day where we will walk through the heritage trail of Macau from Ruins of St. Paul to Senado Square right through Mandarin House till Macau Tower. We had an enjoyable "field trip" and hotel hopping yesterday. Hotel lobbies and casinos in Macau indeed had us mindblown. If you are interested, you can read on my winning entry here that contributed to this all expenses paid trip. Be warned that this is a very photo heavy post but you will discover that most tourists don't take such comprehensive path like ours. Hence I would advise you to divide this heritage tour into 2 days.

A quiet spot with an amazing view of the ruins away from overcrowded tourists.

Dream Trip to Macau: Day 2

Hey there!

We finally landed on Macau (I noticed some hotels and tourist sites spell it as Macao) after 4 hours on air. Refer to the previous post on our experience flying with Air Asia and first time in KLIA2. If you are keen to know, you can check out my winning entry Dream Trip to Macau. I did not specifically follow my itinerary coz I was too tired and lazy on the last day therefore I focused on shopping. However you will find my Macau trip posts useful as I stated the timings, what bus to take and many other important details for you to plan easily. Be warned this post is gonna be a long one.

Big thanks to Nuffnang and Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) for the dream trip.

Dream Trip to Macau: Day 1 (Fly with Air Asia)

Hello loyal readers and travelers!

It's time to finally blog about my Dream Trip to Macau. No more procrastination. This trip is made possible by Nuffnang and Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO). Huge thank you to Veron Ng from MGTO for all the arrangements in making this trip a success. If you have time you can read on my winning entry. It takes a lot of hard work and research for a great achievement. Macau in February has temperature around 18-20°C and can be a little chilly at night so long sleeves apparel, jacket or cardigan will come in handy.

Located 2km away from the Main Terminal Building (MTB), KLIA2 started operations on 2 May 2014 as a replacement of  former Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT). The terminal has a built-up area of 257,845 square meters with 68 departure gates and retail space to accommodate a total of 220 outlets.

Dream Trip to Macau: Itinerary and Budget

Hey peeps!

Referring to my previous entry, yes I am one of the 3 lucky winners for the Dream Trip to Macau Blogging with Nuffnang contest. Woohoo! Thank you again and again to Nuffnang and Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO). I decided to go public with my plans coz I'm super duper excited to share with you. We received a 3 days 2 nights all expenses paid trip for one person but the details below will be for two person coz I wanted to bring my husband along. It will be our wedding anniversary trip as well as experiencing Chinese New Year ambiance. We also planned to extend one night coz we just can't get enough of Macau.

At the fort surrounding the museum will give you a gorgeous view of Grand Lisboa.

Recipe: Big English Breakfast

Type: Mains
Servings:1
Category: Non-halal, Non-vegan

Ingredients
1 egg
2 bacon strips
2 sausages
2 cherry tomatoes
1 sliced mushroom
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
pepper
olive oil

Preparation

Bacon and Sausage
1. Start with a cold pan and lay the bacon strips.
2. Fry each side for about 5-8 minutes depending on how crispy you want them to be.
3. Make shallow slices along the sausages to cook faster.
4. Fry the sausages for about 10 minutes or until brown.

Egg Nest
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Separate egg white and yolk.
2. Beat egg white till fluffy with stiff peaks.
3. Make a nest shape with the beaten egg white with a shallow hole in the middle on baking tray.
4. Bake for 3 minutes.
5. Place the yolk on he center and bake again for another 3 minutes.

Sauteed Mushrooms
1. Heat olive oil on pan.
2. Fry garlic till fragrant.
3. Add sliced mushrooms and halved cherry tomatoes.
4. Pour half a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and some pepper then stir fry for 5 mins.
5. I served them on potato skin which I have used the inside for something else like soup or mashed potato.

Recipe: Eggs Benedict

Type: Side dish
Servings: 1
Category: Halal, Non-vegan

Ingredients
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
2 drops Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon melted butter
salt
pepper
vinegar

Preparation

Holandaise sauce
1. Fill the bottom of a double boiler halfway with water. 
2. Bring water to a gentle simmer and on top of the double boiler, whisk together 1 egg yolk, lemon juice, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon water.
3. Add the melted butter to egg yolk mixture while whisking yolks constantly. 
4. Whisk in salt then remove from heat.  

Poach egg
1. Break egg into a small bowl.
2. Fill a large saucepan with 3 inches of water. 
3. Bring water to a gentle simmer then add few drops of vinegar.
4. Stir water in circular motion then place egg gently into simmering water and allow to cook for 3 minutes. 5. Yolks should still be soft in center. 
6. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon and set on a warm plate.
7. You can spread toasted muffins with softened butter followed by one poached egg and drizzle with hollandaise sauce.

Recipe: Omurice

Type: Mains
Servings:1
Category: Halal, Non-vegan

Ingredients
1 cup cooked Japanese rice
1 diced chicken breast
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 clove garlic
1/4 diced onion
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preparation
1. Cook rice overnight and store in fridge to absorb moisture.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.
3. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink.
4. Add the mixed vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the rice and break into small pieces.
6. Add ketchup and soy sauce and combine everything evenly with a spatula.
7. Transfer the fried rice to a plate and wash the pan.
8. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl.
9. Heat the oil in the pan over medium high heat.
10. When the pan is hot, pour the egg mixture into the pan and tilt to cover the bottom of the pan.
11. Lower the heat when the bottom of the egg has set.
12. Put the fried rice on top of the omelette.
13. Wrap omelette around the rice then slowly roll on to the plate. It takes some skill to do so so all I did was place my plate over then flip the pan upside down.

Recipe: Rice Burger

Type: Mains
Servings:1
Category: Halal, Non-vegan

Ingredients
1/2 cup cooked Japanese short grain rice 
2 eggs
50g ground chicken/ beef
1 piece cheddar cheese
2 sliced onion rings
2 tablespoon chopped onion
1 piece lettuce
2 sliced tomato
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Sesame seeds
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Any sauce you like (mayo/ketchup/chilli/black pepper etc)


Preparation

Patty
1. Mix ground meat with chopped onions, egg, cornstarch, salt, pepper and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce.
2. Pound the blended meat to reduce air.

Rice bun
1. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of starch into the cooked rice and this will act as the binder.
2. Next add a pinch of salt for taste and sprinkle in sesame as well.
3. Shape into bun patties.

Cooking
1. Heat the pan with a tablespoon of oil.
2. Scoop out the meat mixture from the bowl and place it on the pan.
3. Cook each side for about five minutes.
4. After both sides are fully cooked, glaze both sides of  patties with water and cover lid for about 5 minutes.
5. Fry your egg sunny side up or make a small circle omelet.

Serving
Layer your burger: 1st rice bun, 2nd lettuce, 3rd meat patty, 4th cheese, 5th egg, 6th tomato, 7th onion rings and finally top with another rice bun. You may add your choice of sauce in between layers.

 Additional Video

 Video is not the exact recipe because did not have rice patty but it is somehow similar.

Recipe: Cheezy Salisbury Steak

Type: Mains
Servings: 2 patties
Category: Halal, Non-vegan

Ingredients
100g ground chicken or beef
1/4 cup bread crumb
1 stick cheese (Swiss, Mozzarella, Cheddar)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 diced onion 
2 diced mushroom
1 sliced mushroom
1 teaspoon soy sauce 
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup of chicken/ beef broth
Mustard 
Mixed herbs
Salt
Pepper
Butter 
Flour

Preparation
1. Fry diced onions, garlic and mushroom. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Mix the fried onions, garlic and mushroom into the ground meat.
3. Mix 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 2-3 drops of Worcestershire sauce, 1 drop of mustard and a dash of mixed herbs and cheese into the meat mixture.
4. Mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch.
5. Heat a tablespoon of butter on pan.
6. Shape into two or more patties and fry both sides for 5 minutes.
7. Pour a bit of water and cover for 5 more minutes then serve.

Gravy
1. Do not wash the pan after you fry the patties. Add a bit of butter if necessary.
2. Fry some mushroom slices.
3. Sprinkle some flour to make rue about 1:1 ratio with the butter.
4.  Add broth then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened and the steaks are cooked through about 10 minutes.

Additional video

Video is not the exact recipe because did not have cheese in the meat patty but it is somehow similar.