Category

Malaysia

D Legends Bar, Kuala Lumpur, TTDI, Taman Tun, Drinks, Bar, Restaurant, Comfort Food
in Asia, Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur, Travel

Foodie Adventures: The Best of D Legends Bar’s 2016 Menu

October 17, 2016

Back when I was in uni, my friends and I had a special hang out. It was a stone’s throw away from our building, in one of the tiny alleys along Dapitan. A totally chill place where, whatever time of day I go, I will definitely find some of my friends there. The menu was simple, the drinks were easy on my measly student allowance.

Having a go-to place is pretty standard. Especially if, like me, you enjoy a good drink and great company. Had a great day? Round up the gang for some drinks and celebrate. Had a bad day? Round up the gang for some drinks and get over it. Life is simple when you want it to be, no?

Recently, my friend Pita and I were introduced to a new go-to for when we want to unwind. A neighbourhood hangout if you will.

Located in TTDI, D Legends Bar is a place that you may be quick to dismiss since it’s surrounded by tons of choices. After all, this neighbourhood has a reputation for having establishments that are approved by local food snobs. Word of advice, my fellow expats: Do not argue with Malaysians about food. They know their stuff.

Although I do believe that this is one establishment you should try when you’re in the area. It’s approved by locals, and expats living in the area are fond of it as well. The great price points are a huge plus as well.

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Masjid Wilayah, Federal Territory Mosque, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mosque Tour, Visiting a Mosque, Tour Guide, Guided Tour, Mosque, Islam, Travel, Asia, Non-Touristy, Not Touristy, Locals, Things to do, Places to visit, KL,
in Expat Life, KL What to Do, KL Where to Go, Kuala Lumpur

KL Adventures: Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan (Federal Territory Mosque)

April 12, 2016

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As a diplomat’s wife, I often get the fun yet daunting task of taking visitors of the embassy around KL. Fun, because I love playing tour guide. Daunting because sometimes, people I need to show around KL have already been here before so I need to find a new place to take them. I wouldn’t want them bored, repeating the same sights and activities they’ve done before.

This is where the Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan comes in. The husband and I actually saw it from afar months ago – during our first excursion to Publika.

It’s a gorgeous, imposing structure that really had us wanting to visit for the longest time. However, we never got around to doing it – until recently.

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Tai Zi Heen, Dim Sum, Eat All You Can, Dim Sum Buffet, Unlimited Dim Sum, Promo, Kuala Lumpur, Restaurant, Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Restaurant, Food, Food Review, Restaurant Review, Pullman Hotel KLCC, KLCC, Pullman, Prince Hotel KL,
in Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur

Food + Review: Tai Zi Heen, Unlimited Dim Sum Review

March 20, 2016

Since the hype over this restaurant has been off the charts recently, I thought I’d give it a try with the husband and give you guys my honest, no-fuss review of the place.

Also, full disclosure: We do love dim sum and a great deal on food is enough to get me really excited over a restaurant. 😉 We also paid for this meal so I am in no way bound, expected, or persuaded by the restaurant to wax poetic over their food and service.

The current promo is as follows:

 

Tai Zi Heen, Dim Sum, Eat All You Can, Dim Sum Buffet, Unlimited Dim Sum, Promo, Kuala Lumpur, Restaurant, Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Restaurant, Food, Food Review, Restaurant Review, Pullman Hotel KLCC, KLCC, Pullman, Prince Hotel KL,

Photo grabbed from the Tai Zi Heen Facebook Page

Since it’s a Sunday and I’ve been craving for dim sum as per usual, we made our way to the restaurant which was located inside the Pullman Hotel in KLCC.

FYI: The Pullman KLCC is formerly known as Prince Hotel.

Parking was a breeze and only took us a few minutes. Tai Zi Heen is located at the hotel’s 2nd level and from the 5th floor parking area, you’ll have to go down to the lobby first before taking a different lift or hopping on to the escalator.

We were seated right away. We had reservations (which is actually required) so this wasn’t that much of a shocker but I did expect the restaurant to have more people. Based on my experience here in KL, Malaysians love a good deal as much as I do.

Tai Zi Heen, Dim Sum, Eat All You Can, Dim Sum Buffet, Unlimited Dim Sum, Promo, Kuala Lumpur, Restaurant, Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Restaurant, Food, Food Review, Restaurant Review, Pullman Hotel KLCC, KLCC, Pullman, Prince Hotel KL,

Tai Zi Heen, Dim Sum, Eat All You Can, Dim Sum Buffet, Unlimited Dim Sum, Promo, Kuala Lumpur, Restaurant, Where to Eat in Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Restaurant, Food, Food Review, Restaurant Review, Pullman Hotel KLCC, KLCC, Pullman, Prince Hotel KL,

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Almost Diplomatic - Newens Tea House - Kuala Lumpur - Diplomat's Wife
in Asia, Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur

Foodie Adventures: Newens Teahouse at Starhill Gallery

November 9, 2015

Tea is a part of my everyday life. Ever since I cured my coffee addiction, tea has been my everything – and while that may not sound like much of an improvement to some people, well, in my case… it kinda is. Even before the major shift to tea happened, I’ve been drinking it in lattes and during afternoon tea (and sometimes even high tea) as this a part of British culture that always had a special place in my girly-girl heart.

There’s just something about sitting with some of your best girls, talking about topics that range from politics to makeup while you sip on something that relaxes you as you treat yourself to a couple of sweets and sandwiches. Not to mention my love for fancy table settings, cutlery, and plates that actually play a big role in my ever so often afternoon tea excursions with friends.

Recently, my friend (and actually one of my fave afternoon tea buddies) Tammy brought me to Newens Teahouse in Starhill Gallery for a new menu item preview and we ended up seeing some of our other friends there – ShopGirl and Kelly. ❤️

Fancy tea places are kind of a fun splurge every-now-and-then for me and our last afternoon tea date at the Ritz-Carlton Lobby Lounge, left us thinking where we should go next.

Newens is the home of the original Maids of Honour tart. Its recipe dates back to the time of King Henry VIII and coincidentally, one of my favourite ladies in British history – Anne Boleyn. After the tussle with Catherine of Aragon that was followed by the creation of the Church of England, Anne married the King. She eventually had maids of honour (ladies in waiting) following her around and entertaining her in the ladies’ private chambers. One of these ladies created a tart so exquisitely delicious that Anne got the King to try it.

When the King tasted how good it was, he just knew that he couldn’t share it with others and he decided to have the lady imprisoned and only let out to bake for the Royal Court. Such a Henry VIII move if you ask me. *rolls eyes*

After the lady died, everyone thought that the recipe was forever lost but it resurfaced 200 years later when a palace cook leaked the recipe to a baker named John Billet. In 1850, one of Billet’s apprentices – John Newens – opened his own bakery and used the recipe.

Almost two centuries later, Newens Teahouse is still making the tarts based on that same recipe down to the T. And it has been loved by generations of British people from Winston Churchill to Queen Elizabeth II.

The recipe made its way out of the United Kingdom for the first time last year and landed in Kuala Lumpur – inside Starhill Gallery to be exact.

Sandwiched between Dior and Louis Vuitton, it’s hard to miss Newens. With its posh yet inviting couches and the sweet smell of tea and pastries wafting through the halls of the luxury mall. It can be quite intimidating to some but I find the servers are quite nice and welcoming.

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Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Armenian Street, Love Lane, Little India, Church of the Assumption, Penang State Museum, St George's Church Anglican, Penang Town Hall, Penang City Hall, Fort Cornwallis, Church Street Pier, Chew Jetty, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong, Kapitan Keling Mosque,
in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Travel + Photo Diary: Walking Tour of George Town in Penang (Must-see Stops!)

August 5, 2015

I love how travelling, in this day and age, has become a lot more affordable. Gone were the days when only the upper class can hop on a plane to see different places & soak in new cultures.

Travelling has also become a lot easier & convenient with all the options available. Before I give you a run through & show you my photo diary of my walking tour in George Town in Penang, let me just tell you guys of this new website where booking for your future adventures is made a lot easier.

Traveloka is the largest flight & hotel online booking service in Southeast Asia. You can book your flights & hotels on their site (and save a great deal of money & time in the process) for your next holiday which could be anywhere in the world! 😉 They also have round-the-clock customer service to make sure you don’t encounter any bumps in your booking. Do check them out. I’m actually booking with them for my next holiday after our Europe trip this August! 😉

A few months ago, I found myself in Penang with my husband who was there for a conference. I tagged along & decided to explore the UNESCO World Heritage City on my own while he attended his meetings. 😉 Today, I’ll be sharing with you guys the attractions I saw & visited while doing a walking tour around George Town.

Traveloka actually has over 200 Penang hotels in their listing so if you want to visit some of the sites I will be listing down below, do book your hotel with them!

(READ: Travel+ Food + Photos: Getting to Penang, Penang Hill, and some Food Worship)

Tokong Han Jiang (Han Jiang Ancestral Temple)

A Teochew-style temple right in the middle of George Town. I got off the bus (from Batu Ferringhi) right in front of this temple and since it was still quite early (10am on a weekday), I decided to just wander inside. Especially since there weren’t a lot of people yet. Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Tokong Han Jiang, Han Jiang Temple,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Tokong Han Jiang, Han Jiang Temple,

Kapitan Keling Mosque

Just a short walk from Han Jiang Ancestral Temple in Lebuh Chulia is the Kapitan Keling Mosque. Built in the 1800s, it was built to cater to the growing Indian-Muslim community at the time in Penang. The architecture of the mosque is quite interesting, incorporating Islamic & Indian elements in the design.

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Little India,

Choo Chay Keong (Yap) Temple

Penang has no shortage of Chinese temples. Choo Chay Keong is located at the junction of the well-known Armenian and Cannon Streets in George Town. This temple is quite small but it makes up for it with the beautiful and detailed decor not just at the facade but indoors as well.

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Chew Jetty

A waterfront settlement built on stilts, the Chew jetty is built by one of the biggest Chinese migrant families in Penang. The Chews come from the Fujian province in China and migrated to Penang for work opportunities. This jetty started out with only 10 families and nowadays, it has 1,500 residents.

Here, you can have some refreshments and shop for trinkets and souvenirs. After a short walk into the complex, you will also be treated to a nice view of the sea.

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Church Street Pier

Built in 1897, this pier used to be the island’s main gateway when it comes to trade. But now, it’s more of a tourist area where people take photos. Though recently renovated, the pier still has that vintage appeal that reminds people of the golden years.

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in Asia, Expat Life, KL Food, Kuala Lumpur, Travel

Foodie Adventures: Coco Ichibanya’s Spicy Japanese Curry!

July 10, 2015

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

I’m a huge lover of Japanese food. From sushi, sashimi, ramen, down to all the -dons you can find on the menu. I will gladly gobble them all. But one thing that not a lot of people know about Japanese cuisine is how diverse it is.

They even have their own version of curry (which tastes quite Westernised in my humble opinion)!

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Recently, I was invited to try out some of the dishes offered by Coco Ichibanya – Japan’s largest curry restaurant chain – which recently opened their first store here in Malaysia. In this restaurant, it’s all about choices – particularly in how spicy you want your curry to be.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the dishes we tried!

BEEF YAKINIKU CURRY

Coco Ichibanya, Japanese, Japanese Curry, Japanese Restaurant, Japanese Food, Curry Restaurant, Curry Place, Curry House, Food, Where to Eat in KL, Where to Eat Malaysia,

Tender and flavourful yakiniku beed served with curry sauce that has the ‘standard’ level of spiciness. Despite the chillies in this photo, I didn’t feel that it was one bit spicy. This curry sauce is for people who love the curry taste but can’t deal with the spice – a.k.a. children or me.

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in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Travel: Sun Yat Sen Museum (Penang)

March 7, 2015

Sun Yat Sen, Museum, Penang, Georgetown, Armenian Street, Travel, Asia, Malaysia, Things To Do, Places to Visit

A long overdue post that I should have written months ago. But alas, my crazy schedule got the best of me. And since I still intend to post about my solo walking tour of Penang while my husband was at a conference there, please bear with me on this little throwback. 😉

Sun Yat Sen is a name almost all of us have heard before. Usually from the history classes we had during primary school. A medical practitioner turned frequently exiled revolutionary then finally became the Founding Father of the Republic of China. He lived from 1866 to 1925 and was a key figure in overthrowing the last of China’s monarchs from the Qing dynasty particularly during the Xinhai revolution in 1911. This guy led a very interesting life and is actually one of my favourite Asian History characters.

But I won’t bore you by waxing poetic about his adventures. I just want to share with you this place I chanced upon in one of Penang’s most famous streets –  Lebuh Armenian – which is not only filled with quirky shops, temples, and cafes but is actually the location of a house that opened its doors for Sun Yat Sen and his party (Tongmenghui).

In the early 1900s, Sun Yat Sen travelled all over the world, gathering support for his revolution in China and he got it, obviously. One of his stops was Penang where a lot of Chinese people resided. After his first visit in 1905, he saw that it was a great place to promote his ideology and he then came back every year to invite more and more people into supporting his cause.

A house in Penang, which was the place where Sun Yat Sen launched the Kwong Wah Jit Poh newspaper and made one of his famous speeches that got him loads of financial support for his revolution, is now open to the public as a museum.

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in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Food: Wheeler’s Coffee (Penang)

November 4, 2014

Penang is a foodie’s version of heaven and gaining weight while you’re there for a couple of days is inevitable. Well, unless you have the self-restraint of a Buddhist monk then maybe you can resist overeating. But for me, it was just too hard. I even dropped by the hotel gym at some point just to work out because I was feeling a bit guilty.

The trainer told me that I’m actually pretty thin and I could use a couple more pounds but to stay healthy and to get stronger, I should workout around 3 times a week and eat healthy (READ: veggies and fruits). My first question was: How many cheat meals am I allowed then? Lol, typical Carol. He told me I could have as much as 3-4 as I’m still quite frail-looking. But to be honest, I only get to do a maximum of 3 healthy meals a week. And that’s a HUGE improvement for this junk-food loving carnivore. 😉 (RELATED POST: Travel+ Food + Photos: Getting to Penang, Penang Hill, and some Food Worship)

While Penang is known for its Chinese food, the influx of expat workers brought in different kinds of cuisine from all over the world. It’s easy enough to spot a Middle Eastern diner where they serve authentic Naan and Chicken Masala that will make you think twice as to where you actually are – Malaysia? Saudi Arabia? Yemen??? The last day of Alvin’s conference ended at around 1 p.m. and since our flight back to Kuala Lumpur was scheduled the next day, we had a whole afternoon to ourselves. We decided to eat in George Town just so Alvin can walk around and see it as well (I’ve been doing my own sightseeing while he was attending the conference). We got off at Lebuh Chulia and ended up in Lorong Love (Love Lane) which is a backpacker and cafe area of George Town. We wandered into Wheeler’s Coffee for that afternoon.

Wheeler’s Coffee along Lorong Love in George Town.

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in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Travel + Photos: Purrfect Cat Cafe (Penang)

October 28, 2014

Penang’s 1st and only cat cafe can be found in Jalan Muntri, a street connected to the famous Love Lane (Lorong Love), George Town.

The last stop of yesterday’s walking tour of Penang’s capital, George Town was Purrfect Cat Cafe along Jalan Muntri. I’m putting this one up first so I can link to it once I do the full walking tour post. Oh, and because the cats deserve a post of their own. Don’t you think? I’ve always loved animals, sometimes more than most people. If you watch the news on a regular basis, you’ll probably get me why I feel like this.

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in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Travel+ Food + Photos: Getting to Penang, Penang Hill, and some Food Worship

October 26, 2014

Hello from Penang! 🙂 It seems we haven’t been spending a lot of time at home in our condo in KL. When my husband told me that he’s got a conference to attend on this island and that he’ll pay for my fare if I wanted to tag along, I was actually having second thoughts about going.

Yes, really! Carol, with the crazy levels of wanderlust and the constant travel whims! I guess after going to Sabah then to Langkawi (we even have a scheduled weekend trip to Singapore a couple of weeks from now!) in just a span of weeks then attending events in between, I just felt like we were never home anymore (and I am honestly in love with how cosy our condo is) and I know I have a ton of posts to write (all the traveling has given me quite a backlog). I honestly felt that I wanted to just stay still for a bit – preferably on our couch, watching  Gossip Girl re-runs or baking.

But hey, I couldn’t pass on the chance of seeing Penang with my husband. I knew I would be jealous if I was left at home. And though I’m missing the ASEAN Ladies’ Circle Coffee Morning this week (one of the events I’ve been looking forward to for a while!), I’m glad I went with him. Penang is just so beautiful! From the moment we spotted the island from the air, I knew I’d have a special relationship with this place.

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