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Where to eat in KL

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in Expat Life

Preview: Holiday Dining at the Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur

The holidays are coming! Being the Gemini that I am, I have to admit that I have a split personality/opinion when it comes to the holidays. I can go from grinch (cos of preparations) to little, giddy girl (cos of  Christmas food) in a matter of seconds.

For today, however, let’s talk about one of the best things about the holidays – food! Christmas is definitely a holiday that brings people together and what better way to celebrate than over a great meal?

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Melia, Melia Hotel, Melia Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Melia Hotel Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Food, Filipino Food, Filipino Food in Malaysia, Buffet, Where to Eat in Malaysia,
in Expat Life, KL Food

Foodie Adventures: Meliã Kuala Lumpur’s Flavour of the Philippines Menu

Filipino cuisine is one of the most underrated in the world – and I’m not just saying this because I’m from the Philippines. 😉

Melia, Melia Hotel, Melia Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Melia Hotel Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Food, Filipino Food, Filipino Food in Malaysia, Buffet, Where to Eat in Malaysia,

While we have our own, unique flavours, we were also influenced by Spanish, American, Malay, Chinese, and even Indian cuisine. It is indeed quite a bit of a melting pot that is not as popular as our neighbouring Southeast Asian nations’ food yet. Although real foodies from the West are now opening up to it and that makes me so happy!

Melia, Melia Hotel, Melia Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Melia Hotel Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Food, Filipino Food, Filipino Food in Malaysia, Buffet, Where to Eat in Malaysia,

Recently, the Ambassador was invited to have dinner at the Meliã Hotel here in Kuala Lumpur. He was to try the Filipino dishes they are serving for their special menu that runs until April 18. He brought his people from the embassy including my husband and I got to tag along. 😉

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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

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

Foodie Adventures: Coco Ichibanya’s Spicy Japanese 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,

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 Expat Life, KL Food

Foodie Adventures: Ippudo’s Limited Edition Ramen + Other Dishes (Available only from July-September 2015!)

Ah, Ippudo. The restaurant that launched a thousand #Foodstagrams when it opened in Manila. Of course, seeing the beloved Japanese ramen place when we moved here in KL gave me so much comfort!  I love Japanese food so much and ramen always counts as great comfort food! Especially on rainy afternoons here. 😉

Here in KL, I’ve also noticed that the restaurant industry is quite competitive so you see restaurants come and go while those who stay have one secret: Innovation (particularly on their menu). Of course, it came as no surprise that Ippudo isn’t one to be left behind when it comes to that.

Founded in Hakata, Japan by “Ramen King” Shigemi Kawahara, it’s been around since 1985 and up to this day, the company remains to be fuelled by innovation while staying true to Japanese tradition.

This July until September, the beloved ramen place is coming out with special, limited edition dishes to spice things up here in KL. I was lucky enough to attend a media preview for the new dishes and I’m going to share with you today what’s going to be available so you’ll know what to expect. 😉

TOKUSHIMA RAMEN (RM25)

Ippudo, Ramen, Ippudo Ramen, Japanese Food, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tokushima Ramen, Pavilion, KLCC, Restaurants, Where to Eat in KL

The star of the show and the culprit for my recent cravings. This dish is also the star of my recent dreams and has got me wishing for July to come faster. This ramen is composed of chicken and pork broth mixed with dark soy sauce. Its savoury soup is to die for while the noodles are oh-so perfectly cooked.

The ramen is served with a generous helping of pork belly slices (Butabara) which were simmered in onions fused with soy sauce, green onions, and bamboo shoots. The raw egg also makes the broth rich and much more flavourful. It’s my new favourite ramen! Rich, savoury, a bit salty, and slurp-worthy! And yes, slurping is highly encouraged in Ippudo to compliment the chef! 😉

KIMCHI TOFU WITH BOILED PORK (RM13)

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in Beauty & Fashion, Skincare

Beauty + Events: A Day of Pampering with the Beauty Guide Tour 2015!

When we moved to Malaysia last year and finally got settled, I found myself thinking about how I miss Manila and my regular hangouts. The nail salon that has branches everywhere in Metro Manila – always so convenient for me to just drop by where I’m nearest to, anytime I’m in need of a manicure – my favourite waxing place, my go-to place for a massage, etc.

Oh, and how could I forget Oliver – the only person I trust when it comes to trimming my curls. (In case you’re in Manila, you can find him at Vivere Salon in Megamall)

A few weeks into moving here, I found myself with really long nails sporting chipped nail polish. A month later, I had dry hair and my curls were starting to become unruly. Oh, and don’t get me started on my need for waxing back then. Moving into a new country, starting from scratch, and trying out new things can be pretty exciting but when it comes to beauty-related services, I find it hard to take risks. I only want the best services as I cannot stand another waxing accident (more on that later) or a bad hair cut.

Along came Beauty Guide, a website that was brought to my attention by none other than my sister (all the way in Denmark!). A friend of hers recently put it up in Malaysia and was starting to make waves among beauty and personal care aficionados in the country.

Since I signed up late last year, I never had problems when it comes to where to go for any kind of service. I simply just click on what I want, where I want it, and voila – fail-safe recommendations! I love how I can review and also see what other Beauty Guide users are saying about the establishment as well.

Imagine my delight when I was recently invited for a Beauty Guide event where they took us around the city for a beauty day out. The best part? I got to do it with my friends. <3

The day started out at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in Bangsar Village II. We had a little meet up and my friend Tammy found out early on  the best part of her goody bag:

Beauty Guide, Beauty Guide Malaysia, Beauty Guide Tour, #BeautyGuideTour2015, Strip Malaysia, Waxing, Strip Waxing, Bangsar, Mandara Spa, Massage, Sunway, WIP, Food, Foodie, Where to Eat, Bangsar Shopping Centre, ApronBay, ApronBay Nail Salon, Nail Salon Bangsar, Manicure, Pedicure

I approve of this! Haha! Kidding, la! 😉

Beauty Guide, Beauty Guide Malaysia, Beauty Guide Tour, #BeautyGuideTour2015, Strip Malaysia, Waxing, Strip Waxing, Bangsar, Mandara Spa, Massage, Sunway, WIP, Food, Foodie, Where to Eat, Bangsar Shopping Centre, ApronBay, ApronBay Nail Salon, Nail Salon Bangsar, Manicure, Pedicure

Off to start our day of pampering! But first, a #selfie with Arpita and Miriam! 😉

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in Expat Life, KL Food

Food: Tim Ho Wan Opens in Kuala Lumpur (Things to expect + Prices)

I could live on steamed Chinese shrimp dumplings (hakao) for the rest of my life. That addiction brought me to Chef Mak Kwai Pui’s (麥桂培) Tim Ho Wan in 2010 during a visit to Hong Kong. That’s when our long distance love affair started. That first visit was also the start of another addiction – their BBQ Pork Buns.

Trivia: Tim Ho Wan literally means “to add good luck” or “more good luck” (thanks, Rob and Diane!) in Cantonese. 

I can’t begin to tell anyone how much I love those two dishes and at the risk of being deemed basic, I order those two every single time I’m inside a Tim Ho Wan. In Hong Kong, in Manila when it opened last May (I was writing an article about it and was lucky enough to be one of the first people to dine there during opening day), Singapore, and now in Kuala Lumpur. True, I’ve tried the egg cake, the Vermicelli rolls, and the rest of it during that media visit in Manila but I guess I’m just in too deep with those two.

While a lot of neg-heads would often go like: “It’s overrated” and “The branches in other countries will never be at par with the one in Hong Kong”, I myself am just happy to have my hakao and pork bun fix – especially here in KL where not a lot of restaurants serve pork. I’m a Filipina and pork, is part of our basic food groups back home so halal food is usually okay and healthier but I do miss some good old pork in my food. Oh, and did I mention I miss chicharron (fried pork rinds) a lot too?

And come to think of it, there are lots of Chinese restaurants and hawker stalls here in KL and even in Singapore but not everyone and not a lot of them serve hakao! It drives me into bitch fits, sometimes when my craving is just too much. I went to Ying Ker Lou, a Chinese restaurant in Pavilion where they serve different kinds of dim sum, hakao included. Went in with a smile on my face, went out disappointed. The shrimps were obviously frozen so they didn’t taste the least bit fresh and were a bit gummy.

So I made it to a point to go to the Tim Ho Wan opening yesterday, November 28, in MidValley just to makeup for that bad experience. Expecting a long line, I wore comfy sandals. But I was surprised to see that the line was manageable.

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Expect a line outside the restaurant.

When going to Tim Ho Wan, one should expect that they wouldn’t be seated right away. It’s like that in almost all their branches. The cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant (I think it’s a tad cheaper than Din Tai Fung) is of course, very popular everywhere it goes. Even those who don’t know of the restaurant before it came to their shores are drawn in because of the hype that comes with it and the intriguing line.

In KL though, the line is manageable since it’s a non-halal restaurant, a huge percentage of the population here are not part of their target audience. But still, the restaurant will be full. Even if it’s slightly bigger (with an upper floor for dining opening soon) than its sisters abroad. I waited in line for about 10 minutes max which isn’t so bad.

Tip: Smaller groups, solo diners in fact, get seated faster.

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