paddington house of pancakes, 1U...

Didn't I say I would definately return to this place, Paddington House of Pancakes. Hehe. This time it was for dinner on Sunday. We had to sit outside as their vents were down which made the whole place chokingly smoky. Fortunately sitting outside is soo much nicer as we had 80s music coming from the club upstairs and could smell the nice rainy scent. Really sets the mood for some yummy pancakes!


Previously I mentioned that their menu was exhaustingly extensive. To make matters worse they have just updated their menu and introduced a whole lot more. So now its even more tiring to decide what to eat!

Their drink choices are pretty interesting. Lots of yummy smoothies, fizzy drinks & coffee concoctions. Sunshine settled on her all time fav, Cappucino. I on the other hand wanted to try one of their smoothies and decided on Banana Mango (RM12). The smoothie was really yummy. Not too thick and rich in flavour.


For dinner we spent around 20 odd minutes trying to figure out what to eat. At the end Sunshine settled on the Smoked Salmon w/ American Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs & Zuchini (RM22.50). Somehow I didn't think fish would suit pancakes but this combo was really good. The slight salty nature of the smoked salmon with some sour cream went really well with the pancakes (which I think had some ham bits inside).


I was attracted to the picture posted out front of the outlet and decided to order that. It was the Gourmet Cheese Sausages w/ American Pancakes, Salami Slices and Hash Brown (RM22.50). I was hoping the sausages weren't from Ayamas and thank god it wasn't! Not really sure where they sourced it from but it was really yummy. The cheese coated pancakes and salami slices were a joy too especially with their mushroom sauce. Worked very well together. The hash brown was similar to what you would get from McD so nothing much to add.


We were both stuffed by the time we got done with our mains. Being a glutton I was craving to try their sweet pancakes. I remembered being a J Card member I can get a freebie if I spend more than RM50. So we decided to cash in on that offer. Sadly I forgot to snap a pic. Think its called the All Time Favourite (RM9.50). It came with 3 plain pancakes w/ banana slices and a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. We just chowed down on the banana and ice cream while I polished off 1 piece of the pancake with maple syrup. Ohh it was heavenly. Felt like a pig afterwards but what the heck. Hehe.

So far we've been here twice and both times were just heavenly. Am definately coming back to try out their other goodies. Love the location, variety and think its worth every penny! :D

subway sandwich for dinner...

I have always loved sandwiches. One of the simplest yet best meal ever thought of. You can have all sorta sandwiches. From the all time favourite PB & J to funky ones like pickle, celery and banana. You can have them toasted, burnt, baked or plain. The options goes on and on. Just gotta leave it up to ya imagination.

While in the States I was hooked to a particular sandwich shop which is Subway. I practically had sandwiches from them for lunch almost everyday trying out their various types. Think the only one I didn't try was the Veggie Delite. LOL. I gotta have my meats ya know!

When I got back to Malaysia I was happy to find out that Subway had started their franchise here although much pricier. The only drawback being they didn't serve pork (which was replaced with either turkey or beef). Today I was craving for something light and decided on a Subway sandwich for dinner. Theres this outlet very near my office so I popped over and had my fix.

I had the Toasted 6" Subway Club (sliced turkey breast, turkey ham and roast beef) on Oregano Parmesan bread. Usually you can choose as many toppings as you desire but I love mine simple so I just had cucumbers and black olives with Thousand Island dressing and Teriyaki sauce. Top it off with some pepper and parmesan shavings and I was all set.


Simple yet very satisfying meal. On top of that it doesn't leave me stuffed like rice or noodles. :D

food foundary at section 17, pj...

Am pretty sure most of you is no stranger to Food Foundary located at Section 17, PJ. I've read quite a bit of reviews (blogs and NST) on this place whether it be for lunch, tea or dinner. Think one of their biggest draw is the Mille Crepe made famous by Jason Mumbles.

Sunshine and I headed there earlier today for dinner. Its located in Happy Mansion directly the other end of my favourite haunt, 6 to 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak. Its nestled at the back so many people have a hard time locating the place. Good thing about that is its quiet and peaceful which is ideal for dining out.

Food Foundary has a pretty extensive menu for a simple cafe concept. A good variety of tapas, pastas, sandwiches, western & local fare and of course desserts.

For starters we decided to try out the Gratin Mussels (RM8.90). Served with warm spiced bread (which was yummy). The mussels is okay but I think I prefer to have it with a rich sauce rather then just baked with cheese. Next time I'll make sure to try the Green Curry Mussels (RM8.90).


For the mains Sunshine decided on the Chicken Cordon Bleu (RM14.90). Usually this dish is rather dry but here they topped it with creamy mushroom sauce. A great compliment to the chicken. Only downside was we wished there was more sauce! I lapped most of it up with the bread that came with our mussels. Hehe. The chicken tasted good with its light breading and yummy cheesy center. The accompanying mashed potatoes was not bad especially with some chunky bits.


I on the other hand was craving for fish. After deliberating I decided on the Pan Fried Fish with Pepper Marmalade (RM15.90). Had this idea that the fish would be spicy but when it came it was actually sweet which was refreshingly nice. Rich in flavour and the generous helping of sauteed green/red peppers and onions was inviting. The fish is served with some creamy mushroom sauce pasta which went well with the pepper marmalade sauce.

One of the main reasons of coming here was to let Sunshine try out the Mille Crepe, so we ended our dinner with a slice of Strawberries and Cream version (RM9). Both of us thought it was just okay. Wouldn't really pay that much again. It wasn't as smooth as I have read about. Maybe I should head to Nadeje Patisserie in Malacca to try the real thing.

All in all its a pretty decent place to dine out. Good for group outings or even a quiet date. Cosy, inviting and affordable!

PS. Sorry for the dark and slightly blurry pictures as was using my K800i to take em' at night!

great game...

Not sure if most of you saw it but the Red Devils played a good game last night. We won 4 - 2 against Dynamo Kyiv. To top it off it was an away European match and we were down by several 1st team players. Our midfield was practically a makeshift setup but they manage to stick together and bring it to the Bilo-Synis!

Anderson is simply amazing. Only 3 games so far and he has shown what a great player he will become. At least now the critics can keep their trap shut. With him in central we have scored more this season. Such amazing passing and foresight from the youngster. Very much like Scholesy but with better tackling. Hehe.

Rooney and Tevez have also started to gel. They both look really threatening out there. Reminds me of the partnership between Cole and Yorke some time back. Love to see them work like hounds chasing after the ball and the beautiful setups in front of goal. Damn I can't wait for the next Man Utd game. Love seeing them play like this.

Glory glory Man Utd!

banana leaf @ sri nirwana maju, bangsar...

Just got back from a heavy lunch at Sri Nirwana Maju, Bangsar, KL. Sunshine and I were deliberating what to eat when we decided on Nirwana's due to their lovely banana leaf and thick Nescafe Ice. As expected parking was a pain so decided to just park at Bangsar Village 2. No point driving round and round or bothering about double parking. Would rather have peace of mind when enjoying my meal. ;)


Nirwana's has been around since 2001 and is always drawing in large crowds. Famous for their yummy breakfast selection (which I have yet to try) and banana leaf lunch. Surpringly this would only be my 3rd time coming to this place for banana leaf rice. Not counting of course the times we hung out there in the wee hours of the mornin' sobering up.


The must have cup of Nescafe Ice. Not many places would make em' this consistantly rich and yummy. Most are watered down crap which don't give the kick I need to last the day. Hehe. I ended up having 2 cups of this!


Above is their claim to fame, the banana leaf rice (RM5). Its a simple meal consisting of white rice and 3 types of veggies, achar, papadam, deep fried chilli, rasam and your choice of fish/chicken curry or dhal served on a banana leaf. Everything of course is refillable but I can't imagine eating more than one round. Although I do know people who can wolf down quite a bit.

Their 3 veggies consist of 2 fixed ones and 1 rotational. The fixed ones are the chunky cucumber raita and deep fried bittergourd. Don't like the raita much as its rather diluted. Not much taste in it. The deep fried bittergourd however is a different story. I would head down there just to have that. Lightly battered and fried just about right. Its not oily and always has a nice crunch to it. The rotational veggy depends I think on the day or the chef's mood. Not really sure but so far I have seen 2 types. Previously was french beans and today we had pumpkin. Didn't think much of the french beans but love the pumpkin.


With the banana leaf rice we usually order a couple of side dishes especially since we need meat! This time around I ordered their Fried Squid (RM10) which is tasty but not really worth the price. Nice thing about it is the batter is light and spiced just right. Have eaten in a few places which overcoat the squid or fry it so long it ends up rubbery.


The other side dish we had was the Pepper Masala Chicken (RM5). We actually tried the mutton version last week and liked it except for overdoes of fatty bits. The chicken version is as good however they did put in quite a bit of bony parts. Would have liked more meat.

Service in this place is good. The waiters are attentive and always eager to please. I guess with 10 odd staff running about its gotta be plus its a pretty small place compared to most mamaks. An interesting point about this place is that their drinks come in plastic cups. Guess this helps save time when it comes to cleaning up.

Would definately rate this as one of the best banana leaf joints in the Klang Valley. I know many like Kana Curry House but sadly am not a fan of that place. Their staff could really take some lessons from Sri Nirwana's lot.

*Yaaawn* Think I need a nap after such a heavy meal. :P

paddington house of pancakes...

This post is rather overdue. Went to Paddington House of Pancakes @ 1 Utama for lunch almost a month back with Sunshine. This outlet is located in the rainforest park thingy in the new wing of 1U. Its just a small place (compared to most places in 1U) but have to admit at a very nice spot. Overlooking the park with the sun coming in. Very cosy effect and great for enjoying pancakes or crepes.

The menu has a rather dizzying extensive selection. There is just too many varieties to choose from and all of em' look so freaking yummy. Had a hard time deciding what to eat even though both of us were famished. Finally decided as reviewed below.



For drinks Sunshine had Capuccino while I had their Iced Mocha. Both were priced slightly high (around RM6 to RM12) but tasted good. Nice rich flavour. Guess considering what Starbuck charges this can be considered reasonable.


Saw this and had to take a picture. Been awhile since I saw Heinz ketchup or mustard packs. Sadly didn't have the need to use em'. Maybe on our next visit. ;)


Sunshine decided to have the American Blueberry Pancake which came with scrambled eggs (w/ mushroom) and a strip of beef bacon. On the side was a dollop of cream cheese which by the way kept Sunshine beeming! The pancake wasn't really sweet as they were rather shy with the blueberries but the cream cheese helped. The scrambled eggs was really yummy as they cooked it just about right. Slightly runny with decent amount of mushrooms. The beef bacon was normal so no comments there.


I decided to have something uncommon and after deliberating with Sunshine ended up with the Amsterdam Pannekoek. This consists of a crepe like pancake topped with sliced beef salami, fresh herbs, tomatoes and lots of mozzarella cheese. When it came it looked just like a thin crust pizza. It was simply delicious! Very heavy though due to the overdose of cheese but mind you am not complaining. It helped that they weren't stingy with the ingredients.

Walked away a happy camper. Am definately heading back to try more of their sinful goodness. The service was quick and attentive. Love the ambiance of the 1U outlet. Very warm and inviting. Haven't tried other branches but I think I'll just stick to this one. :D

selamat hari raya...

Wishing all my Muslim friends and colleagues a Selamat Hari Raya.

Maaf Zahir Batin.

Enjoy ya trip back home and drive safely.

PS. Don't forget to bring back some lemang, rendang, bahulu and what not. :D

kl tower...

As mentioned yesterday, took my aunt and uncle to KL Tower earlier today. First took them for a banana leaf lunch at Sri Nirwana Maju in Bangsar, KL. Sadly I wasn't in the mood to eat but from their comments it was scrumptious. Gotta make it a point to go there again soon. ;)

KL Tower is located not very far from Shangri-La Hotel or Beach Club Cafe. It is off Jalan P. Ramlee and smack in the middle of Bukit Nenas. I think I was last there in 1997 for my cousin's wedding dinner which was in the revolving restaurant located above the observation deck. Can't really remember much of it except that the view was obscured as it was raining heavily.

Today thankfully the weather was obliging. Although as you can see in the pics later, rain was building up. We got our tickets and headed up to the observation deck. Not really sure how high it was but the tower itself is 421 metres. Pretty impressive I must say. Its the 4th tallest telecomunication tower in the world.

I won't dwell in the history/statistics bit as you can read it online. I have to admit its a pretty impressive structure. Beautiful views of KL and its surrounding areas. Unfortunately the Telekom Tower is too far off so we couldn't admire it closely as I like the design of the building quite a bit. The best view I have to admit is of Petronas Twin Towers. Another beautiful architecture which was once the tallest building in the world.

I'll let the pictures do the talking. Most are taken from the observation deck. There are 12 viewing post with details of what you are seeing posted above the glass. You actually have a personal AV tour as you go round the deck. Enjoy. I'm off to bed. Gd'nite!

afternoon @ batu caves, kl...

Took my unc and aunty around today. Went to have some good lunch at Yut Kee, Jalan Dang Wangi, KL then headed to Batu Caves, KL for a stroll. Think the last time I went there was about 2 years ago for my cousin's wedding. Last time I climbed up the stairs was almost 12 plus years ago! A shame I know being an Indian. :(

Anyhoo it was a great hiking up the 272 steps. Boy did I feel my muscles burn. I needed to stop every 80 or so. Hehe. Not playing futsal often has really made me weak. Sigh. It felt great reaching the top. Felt like Stallone in Rocky. LOL. Thank god the weather was good today. Breezy with light sun. Think if it was hotter I would have just given up half way. Too hot to bother.

Below are some pictures I took. Enjoy.


Tommorrow am going for some Banana Leaf lunch at Nirwana Maju and then to KL Tower and KLCC. Hope to take more pictures then. Gd'nite folks.

6 to 10 grill & nasi lemak...

Am sure some of you have heard of 6 to 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak. Its a nice economical western / nasi lemak joint located at Happy Mansion, Section 17, PJ. Quite near Food Foundary which I am sure more people know about. I frequent this place quite often as its near my house/office as well as provide great western food for a reasonable price. Not to mention they are clean and provide good service.


Coming here often I have tried both their grill and nasi lemak goodies but this review is on the western portion. They have a decent menu from grill fish to ham steaks w/ egg to stew. If you feel like splurging they also have salmon, juicy steaks and their specialty the red wine lamb/pork special. I have tried everything except their specialty (time constraints) and the prawn combo (due to allergy).

As an appetiser they only got a few options which are salad, chicken & mushroom soup, fries and garlic toasts. Can't say much about the soup as its similar to Campbell's but with some extra chicken chunks and canned mushroom slices. Their garlic toasts is nice though which is actually french garlic toasts.


In my opinion everything is yummy except for the pork chop which I didn't really fancy. Did not think their pineapple sauce went well with the pork. Would rather go for the bacon or ham steaks which are my current favourites. They are just slightly grilled and served with egg. Yummylicious. The egg comes in various forms depending on the chef. I have had omelette, scrambled and sunny side up so far.


Their grill fish with garlic butter is also a good choice. The sauce isn't overpowering and the fillet grilled just right. Great for a light meal. If you are looking for something meatier, than their lamb chops is a safe bet. Its alright on its own but somehow mint sauce (given) always compliments lamb well. All their dishes come with complimentary fries and salad.


This place hasn't disappointed me yet but I doubt it ever will. Still one of my top haunts whenever I get fedup of local delicacies. 6 to 10 Grill & Nasi Lemak opens for lunch (12pm to 2.30pm) and dinner (6pm to 10.30pm). Their off days are Monday and Tuesday. :)

back to work...

My unc and aunty have gone home and my short holiday is over. Tommorrow its back to work. *Yaaawn*. Not really looking forward to it except to see Sunshine. :D

Been running around alot and eating quite a bit too. Feel so fat I tell ya. Luckily I haven't gained any weight. Tired but happy cos my mom was glad to see her siblings. Good to see them after so long I guess. Not to mention all the choco and prezzies I got. Hehe.

Alrighty time to hit the sack. Gdnite' folks!

tank updates...

Finally after about a month of talking about it I got off my ass and headed to SLS for some new fishies. I already had a particular type in mind and hoped that they would have stock. Luckily they had a handful left. I ended up walking away with 11 Boraras Maculatus plus 1 Ember Tetra.

Now my tank finally looks populated. I saw the Ember Tetras in SLS's tank and boy do I wish mine were that colorful. Still am having trouble getting their color out. Then again I wished my tank looked even half as close as their tanks. Hehe. Too much is needed to reach that level and I am honest to admit I don't have that much commitment to get there.

About my pregnant shrimp situation, the 2 shrimplets are still alive and kicking. Sadly only 1 pregnant shrimp left while the other I think dropped her eggs and passed on as I found a carcass of a big shrimp. Hope the other survives the pregnancy and give me a few more shrimplets. Would be nice to rear my own shrimps instead of buying em'. :D

red devils...

In my earlier post I mentioned that my unc is down and I would be getting some goodies. Decided to share my collection of Manchester United jerseys all given by him. :D

last season's Red Devils jersey...
giggsy of course!
latest Man Utd jersey...
its Ronaldo this time...
the whole lot...

glory glory man utd!

Did you guys see the game? It was a pretty good performance by the Red Devils. At least their best this season (in my opinion that is). Hope this is a sign of good things to come. Nani and Saha started and played some nice football. Love how Nani can tear down the flanks. Lovely crosses as well. Am sure with more experience hes gonna be one hellave player.

Unfortunately it was only a single goal affair but what a beauty by Rooney. Gotta count our lucky stars as Roma could have equalised or even won with 2 clear chances. Sadly (more like thankfully!) a miskick and the post denied them.

Tonight is gonna be Liverpool's and Chelsea's turn. Hope they crash out. LOL.

Glory glory Man Utd!

relatives...

This afternoon my mom's bro came down from Bristol, UK. Last he came was last year around the same time. This time though its rather special as he is visiting with my mom's sis from Oregon, US but she'll only arrive Wednesday morning. As expected mom is all excited cos the last time any of us saw my aunty was like 12 odd years ago when my grandma passed away.

It was supposed to be a reunion of sorts with my mom's elder bro coming down as well. He hasn't been back to Malaysia since leaving to UK when he was around 20 odd years old. Hes like 65 odd now I think. Unfortunately he has some passport issues so hes stuck till that gets cleared. Guess hes gonna come down alone early next year or something.

I'm expecting some goodies when I go back later tonight. On his last visit I got my first original Manchester United jersey with number 11 (Giggs). This time I asked for number 7 (Ronaldo). On top of that I'm sure there will be loads of chocos. Hehe. From my aunty I'm expecting Reese's peanut butter cups. Something I haven't eaten since I left US 4 years ago. Just found out that Cold Storage has em' but as expected rather pricy. Also requested my aunt to get me a Transformers printed t-shirt. :D

Gonna be taking handful of days of to accompany them. More like the designated driver. Hehe. Guess gotta work for the prezzies right. Nothing in life is free. ;)